Okay, yes, I'm adding my own events, but some things need to be added to make this truly Ariana's story. So, let's enjoy the Hunt of HYDRA's orphanage.

Differences mentioned in this chapter: All of it.

Information gathering was slow. SHIELD hadn't even thought to look into orphanages, so there was very little. Tony hadn't said anything after Bucky's past was more exposed, so what intel they had appeared to be nothing more than rumors.

"We need to bring in others," said Bucky. "We can't do this without help."

"And have Ariana explain her past again?" Loki asked. "Why make her relive it?"

"Because we're getting nowhere, Reindeer Games," said Tony.

"Fine," said Ariana, her leg shaking with anxiety. "I'll tell them, but it's the entire team at once. I'm not going through it again, and I leave out Erika. Only us four know we are looking into her."

"Deal," said Bucky.

"Alright, kiddo," replied Tony.

Loki put his hands on her shoulders, filled with concern, and asked, "Are you sure? We can find another way."

"It's either that or struggle to find one clue."

"Okay, but I'll be here if you need me."

She smiled as Tony sent out the word on a team meeting. Ariana stood next to her father as everyone filed in. Once seated, she told her story. Everyone was stunned, but Natasha was horrified. Clint rubbed her back.

"I didn't know it was run by HYDRA until Bucky's past was played in front of me and dad," Ariana finished. "Now, we know they aren't just targeting those that disagree with them."

"What do they do to them?" Natasha asked.

"Break their spirits, nothing more. They don't think beyond that. But if we look deep enough, you might find anything, from looking like heroes that rescued the kids to a Fight Club scenario, where if the best survived, they get made into super soldiers. The anger and bitterness those kids would have… they wouldn't need a mind wipe to be obedient. The events shaping their lives would do that for them."

"What?" Bucky asked.

"Obedient to the one that saved them or too afraid to disobey," said Natasha. "If anyone had gotten me out of the Redroom as a kid, I'd have followed them to hell and back."

"Dad got me out before I was in this orphanage too long," Ariana said. "While I don't listen to his rules all the time, I try not to do anything too bad that he'd be disappointed in. No more than three days in jail at most." She and Tony exchanged a smile. "But he became my father and hero all at once. I'd still do anything for him, even fight every demon in hell. So, yeah, we get them out, you may as well recruit them into the Avengers, Junior edition."

"We could make it a summer camp!" said Tony, clapping his hands once. "Great idea, baby genius."

"Cap gets to be Camp Director! Me, Bucky, and Loki, as the newest members, are counselors for the newbies!"

"How did I get made a part of this?" Loki asked. "I haven't even been made an official Avenger."

"Oh, well, we can't have that, now can we, Frosty?"

"Frosty?"

"The snowman? Oh, you haven't had a Christmas yet. Well, it describes you very well."

"Okay, so Elsa needs us to set up a press conference…" Tony began.

"What? No!" Loki said in a panic.

Ariana ignored him and said, "We need to remind them that he has been on the side of the Avengers since New York. Hell, they trust me less than Loki since I was the one that brought the alien army to New York, and they don't try to lynch me when I walk outside." She gave Loki a thumbs up. "Progress."

Loki looked surprised, but Tony kept going. "Yeah, not too many people are happy about New York, kid, but everything is mostly okay now. I'm sure everyone will accept the Goblin King."

"Don't be rude, dad. He's not a… Oh my God! That's it! A costume party! It's Halloween in a month! We can all dress in our suits and pass out candy to employees' kids, and then the press conference announcing Loki as an Avenger, and then a celebration after to congratulate him."

"Sparky, you and Bucky aren't Avengers either," Natasha said.

Bucky yelled, "No way am I getting up in front of people."

Again, Ariana ignored the comment. "Okay, a three-way announcement. Even better! My boyfriend and my brother and me."

Tony smiled and said, "Agreed. I'll get it set up."

Bucky and Loki just looked on in shock, not really knowing how it happened, but they were being introduced as new Avengers with Ariana. They were explaining about HYDRA orphanages and now…

"Back to the topic at hand," said Steve. "Where do we start looking into these orphanages?"

"There are outposts where side operations take place," said Bucky as the mood became solemn again. "Between times of being frozen, if my handlers weren't going to arrive for some time, I would find one that I was nearest to and wait. They would give me small missions until the handlers came." He zoomed in on the map on the screen until it showed an unassuming house in the suburbs. "This is the nearest one to where we are."

"We need our best on this. Nat, Ariana, you two are up." Both nodded. "Try not to kill anyone, if possible."

"And don't tell Fury just yet," said Ariana. "We need more than we have for him to invest looking into it."

"More than children being kidnapped and held in those awful places?" asked Loki.

"Right now, anyone could say it's unresolved trauma from my childhood. As much as the draw of children possibly being hurt is enough for us, it isn't for SHIELD." She looked at Bucky. "Any known agents that frequent or known to go there?"

Bucky nodded and answered, "A few. I'll make a list and then we can send you and Nat in."

"I would like Bucky and I to be back up," said Loki. "We can go in if trouble arises. I can teleport us in and be there fast."

"Someone would need to watch the jet," said Tony. "I'll go. They need someone else with experience, and I can keep anyone else from going in if things go south."

"Are we forgetting that Ari and Buck can't go anywhere near missions involving HYDRA?" asked Sam. "It's too dangerous."

"We both were healed of that connection, so it should be fine," said Ariana. "Besides, this is just recon and recovery, and none of you boys know what you will be looking for. Nat and I do, and her going in alone is not an option."

"It's a good thing I also agree with this plan," said Fury, walking in with Maria Hill. "Get the evidence and I can sanction a full investigation."

Ariana looked at him nervously, "Fury…"

"If you think every agent goes by the books, Agent Stark, you're wrong. Some go where they need to and secure a legal loophole. In this case, Agent Romanov can track a HYDRA agent to the house. You and Barnes get a psych evaluation so we can determine the safety of you going near the house. Then, intel recovery. Pass the evaluation, and you can go, otherwise, don't let me catch you on that jet."

Bucky and Ariana stormed out of the room. Natasha followed Ariana to her bedroom and sat on the bed next to her. Ariana texted everyone about letting Natasha in on the secret, and they agreed. Ariana locked the door.

"Okay, not what I thought would happen when I came in here," said Natasha.

"Nat, we are looking for someone from my past," said Ariana. "A girl named Erika Smithson. She tried to drown me and made me afraid of water. A childhood trauma thing. But, if I can find her, she can help us. That's my reason. I don't know about the others, but I think we all have our own reasons for wanting this."

"And if she works with HYDRA?"

"We bring her in and show her a better way. She was older than me, and the records may have been destroyed for one reason or another, but we have to try. If not for her, for the other kids."

"I get it. I kind of have a little sister from the Redroom. I'd like to be able to find her again someday."

"When you're ready, I'll help with that."

"You're my little sister too, you know."

"And you're my big sister. Now that you know, if Bucky and I can't go, you have to find the info on Erika. I don't trust anyone else to do this if I can't go myself."

Natasha agreed and they hugged. They began talking about what to do if Erika didn't cooperate, was evil, or even a super soldier. They also talked about her being dead, but that didn't seem likely to Ariana. She had to have hope that she could get answers as to why Erika targeted her.

In the middle of the night, Natasha gathered Tony, Bucky, and Loki in the lab and asked, "Okay, so what are your reasons for going after Erika Smithson."

"She hurt my daughter and I want to know why," said Tony.

"I want to make sure she's not one of the bad guys and was just a traumatized child," replied Bucky.

"I have a bad feeling just hearing her name," answered Loki. "I won't explain why, but Ariana knows a painful part of my past and it's tied to that. Thor knows about it but he was away at one war or another and his information could fill a thimble at best."

"You're past is your own," said Natasha. "When you're ready, we'll listen."

"I don't think Ariana was ready to share but we need to save those kids."

"We'll get them. If you read my file, you'll learn about the Redroom. I understand Sparky because of our similar backgrounds. I didn't realize we were that close, but now that I know, I'm more than determined to help. Clint would too. He helped me escape and join SHIELD. But the more people that know, the more likely this will get back to Fury."

"So, what are your reasons for finding Erika Smithson?"

"One more girl taken from her family and placed with monsters. I don't care about the name, just that I try to get her out."

"Good enough for our little team," Tony said. "Let's get some sleep. Tomorrow will be an interesting day."

"Why's that?" asked Bucky.

"Oh, training, information sharing and seeking, and setting up a costume-party-slash-press-conference."

Bucky and Loki looked exasperated as they all went back to their rooms for the night.