A/N: If you don't like the character's, plot or pairings, then don't read.

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Captain America, only my character/s

WORD COUNT: 1, 446

Chapter 14:

Hell Hound

"You will surrender or we will open fire." The leader had a thick Russian accent as all five Hellfire operatives raised their firearms at Persephone and the Avengers.

"I'm not going anywhere." Persephone was uncharacteristically calm, especially because just moments earlier, she was on a whole new level of rage, her voice was normal, but there was something underlying, a deeper, gravelly undertone that made Joseph shiver. It was like hearing a voice in a horror movie, "and you're not going to hurt my family nor my friends."

"Either you come with us and be worth our time, or we kill all those that are precious to you." His voice was distorted from the voice modulator, his face hidden behind the tactical helmet that seemed to be the norm for these Hellfire operatives. They were attentive to their weapons, ready to fire on the leader's command.

The fiery aura around her burning brighter as she raised one hand, gesturing as if she was beckoning them closer to her. Her stormy expression had transformed into one that personified tranquility and grace, her eyes glowing orange, her ruby red hair lifting around her like a crackling flame. With her tattered clothing and the soot covering her skin, she looked as if she had just come from the depths of Hell, a beautiful dangerous creature. "I don't think so." Persephone's voice betrayed the image she portrayed. It betrayed the elegance and the grace and the tranquility.

Her voice was full of rage, fire and violence.

She was tapping into their emotions, using their calmness as a front while the rage inside her built. She had entered their minds through their emotions and now. . she could see their memories. They had never experienced fear, all of them plucked from their families from a young age as Hellfire drilled the fear out of them and made them empty, hollow shells. They had no fear, they were emotionless.

That's a mistake.

For those that have felt fear, it's strong and it rocks through your whole body from the top of your head to the tip of your toes, but over time, you learn to overcome it. Those that have learnt to desensitize themselves from feeling any kind of emotion, will be overwhelmed by something they have never overcome.

"I'm going to give you a taste of what fear feels like, and there is no other way to gain the purest feeling of fear, than from a child who is scared to the bone." Persephone's head slowly leaned down and the assassins screamed as they felt Joseph's fear, falling to their knees as they dropped their weapons, clutching at their helmets.

They let their guard down and now, they could be incapacitated.

In a split second, there was a flash of fire and she was in front of the assassins. Persephone ceased her control over their emotions and she lifted her dominant leg in position and swung in from the side, connecting the side of her heel with his skull in a strong kick. She heard the loud footsteps of one of them moving to restrain her. Without looking, she swung her still suspended leg out, turning her body and she roundhouse kicked the other operative in the jaw and concentrating hard, she was able to create more of an impact with pooling her flames right at the point were the side of her heel made contact, causing him to fling against the window, fracturing it loudly.

Turning fully from the knocked out Hellfire assassins, she confronted the other two near the damaged window and cracked her knuckles, "who's next?" Without giving them time to even prepare, there was another flash of flames, the sounds of gunfire before the other two were on the ground, burnt and unconscious. The bullets melted on the ground, having not even pierced the protective layer of flames that surrounded Seph.

"Look out!" Joseph's fearful voice roared from behind Steve as he pointed behind her. Persephone whipped around but she was too late to counter.

"Persephone!" Steve screamed as the leader of the Hellfire squad, grabbed her by the shoulders, searing his hands but he pushed through the pain and rammed them both through the window, free falling.

"And now we both die, for Hellfire." The leader was calm, emotionless as he fell without fear down the Avengers tower. Seph pushed away from the squad leader and she screamed, seeing Joseph's tear-stricken face as he screamed for his aunt, Steve holding him back as he watched on helplessly.

It took less time than she thought to hit the ground.

For Steve, time past in a flash, "Joseph, stay with your uncle, I'll be back with your aunt." Giving the distraught Joseph to Bobby, he took off out of the training room, ignoring the calls of his teammates, the doors bending unnaturally as he pushed them open with his sheer strength. He took the elevator down and burst out of the building, stopping short when he saw Seph kneeling on the ground, her fiery aura starting to burst irregularly and he could hear her soft whimpers of pain.

"Persephone!" Steve called, trying to get as close as he could to her as Bobby soon came out.

Her cuts and bruises were slowly healing as she clutched at her red hair, groaning in pain. "S-Steve. . .it hurts. ." Persephone whimpered, crying out as the flames burst and became higher and shot out in different directions. Bobby was quick to counter and safely stopped the fireballs from creating damage.

"She's unstable, if it continues, she could blow up the whole of Manhattan. Her power is equivalent to a nuclear explosion times ten!" Bobby explained, looking at his cousin with worried and fearful eyes.

Steve could feel the heat of her flames and hear her cries for help. Walking closer, he ignored the discomfort as he tried to catch her attention, "Persephone, hey, Persephone, I'm right here." Lifting her face up, wet tracks on her cheeks caught the light of the flames as she was crying in pain, her eyes flickering between hazel and orange.

"S-Steve. .I can't . . .I can't control it anymore." Seph begged, which was uncharacteristic of her. She never begged for anything.

Steve couldn't take it anymore and braced himself, before he launched forward, ignoring Bobby's warnings and he embraced Persephone tight, to give her an anchor, something to pull her back from her power.

So, it shocked him when the flames wrapped around him, their heat now bearable, if a little warm. He couldn't feel anything. No burning as it was just them in their own world as Persephone looked up at Steve, her eyes still flickering, "help me." She whispered, her fire was still contorting wildly.

"I guess we need to make another memory."

"How? I can't even think straight!" Persephone cried, digging her nails into Steve's shoulders as she clutched at him, desperately trying to ground herself.

"There's one thing I can do." Steve whispered, making the pyrokinetic look up at him with a questioning, pained gaze. Gently sliding his finger under her chin, he tilted her head upward, so their lips were only inches apart. "Do you trust me, Persephone?"

She nodded silently.

Everything went silent.

Time stopped as Steve closed the distance between them.

Their lips met in a heart-stopping kiss.

Steve's hands slid upward to frame her face, his fingers reaching into her hair, twisting themselves in her chestnut-red locks as Seph's hands slowly let go of their death grip on his shoulders and lightly rested against them. Their lips moved together in perfect synchronization as Persephone's mind slowly quietened down and the pain within her melted away. All she could think about was Steve, experience his emotions for herself and the aura surrounding them slowly disappeared.

Suddenly, Persephone stiffened against him and she fell limp, the kiss breaking as she fell against his chest, unconscious. "Hey, hey, hey," Steve murmured gently, supporting her head as he slowly laid her back against the cement, Bobby running up to see if he could help. "Seph, hey. Seph." Steve called, gently rubbing her cheek.

She stirred slowly, opening her eyes gently, her hazel meeting Steve's blue, a soft, delighted smile curling her lips, "you called me Seph."