I'm back. I really enjoy writing this, mainly because I'm on a bit of a Marvel hype at the moment. Plus this is good 'revision' for creative writing.

The five minute walk down to the ranges was filled of talk about training, what they were going to put us through today and so on. Upon arrival, the only one there was Vision outside.

"Good morning, Miss Knight, Miss Maximoff."
"Good morning, Vision," Wanda replied.
"Hi, Vision."
"I trust you slept well."
"As well as one could expect," Wanda muttered.
"Troubles?"
"Occasionally." Further speech was interrupted by the arrival of Rhodey and Sam.
"Knight. Maximoff," Sam greeted.
"Wilson." Wanda managed through gritted teeth.

Wanda and Sam don't really get along because he doesn't respect her or her abilities. Their face-offs during hand-to-hand are tense and Wanda tries her hardest not to cause him hell. Hawkeye and I have to remain on guard in case she loses control. After a stare-off (which Sam loses), Wanda shuffles closer to me, seeking comfort. I find her hand and give it a small squeeze. Just a message to her. I'm here. I've got your back. She smiles slightly and we wait for a while in silence.

The door to the range opens and we're ushered inside. Hawkeye is waiting with an array of weapons. Pistols, assault rifles, revolvers, shotguns, a couple of crossbows, a bow and arrow (not his), sniper rifles and machine guns. Even a couple of throwing knives. The things I'm best at.

"Morning, guys. Weapons practise today as you know. We're gonna have one shooting while the other four are practising hand-to-hand outside. Agent Romanoff will be here with me, supervising whilst Captain Rogers will be overseeing combat training." Hawkeye started.

"Vision, you're up first but we're gonna do the full safety briefing with all of you so we don't have to do it five times."

Yay. The safety briefing made me want to shoot myself. I could probably recite this off by heart now but I pretended to listen. Afterwards, we were sent off to the practise room. Wanda took on James which means I got Sam. Fantastic. Time to show him what I'm made of. I've not taken him on yet but his comments about Wanda have created a storm, swirling deep inside of me, dying to escape.

"You ready for this, Wilson?"
"Depends. Can you handle losing?" I growled. Do not freeze him to the mat. Do not freeze him to the mat. Or the wall.
"Unlikely but a man can dream."

The fight started off innocently. Simple movements easily blocked and deflected. After ten minutes, he started to taunt me. But his words were what caused the storm to be unleashed.

The same words as my tormenters out on the streets. Who would punch, kick and do whatever they wanted to me. Memories flashed up before my eyes. A fifteen year old me, who had been on the streets for only two weeks, being dragged down an alley by three men. Beaten and raped then left for dead. Somehow, I managed to get back up on my feet and carried on as well as I could.

Another one appeared. Two years later, the same three men, pushing me in front of incoming traffic. But my abilities saved me by creating a wall of ice which a car smashed into. The men had run off, not seeing me save my own life. I did the same in other direction.

An earlier one materialised, when I still had a home and a loving family. Then my abilities wreaked havoc and they found out what I was capable of. I was disowned, labelled a freak and kicked out with no money or food. All of this playing out before my eyes.

I sunk to my knees as a sixteen year old me was repeatedly kicked in the chest by my tormentor, doing whatever he can to hurt me. Powerless to stop it, I took the abuse, shutting out everyone and the pain.

Trapped in my sub-conscious, I was completely unaware of what reality was. The storm I had created, sweeping through the room. Eventually the memories dissipated and Wanda appeared. Just Wanda. Fighting her way to me. She must have inserted herself into my mind, to calm me and get through to me. I desperately reached out towards her.

"Piper, come back to me. I need you. You can't leave me now," Her soft, gentle voice broke through and gripped me, tugging me back to reality. "Open your eyes, please." I blinked several times until finally Wanda and the rest of them were hovering over me. My body jolted and I sat up. Wanda caught me as I panicked.
"Where am I?"
"You're with me, at the S.H.I.E.L.D training facility." She held me. Exhaustion kicked in and I felt my eyes closing.
"Wanda, save me." I blacked out.

Several dreams and a couple of nightmares later, I woke up in a hospital bed. Blinding light greeted me. I blinked a few times, allowing my eyes to adjust to my surroundings. I was wired up to several machines. The only noise was the steady beeping from the ECG. I looked around and saw Natasha and Steve sat there. I started to cough. They looked up and Steve stood immediately, holding a glass of water with a straw. He offered me it and I sipped, clearing the tickle on my chest.

He set the cup back down and settled himself in the chair again. I rubbed my eyes, wanting to go back to sleep. The two Avengers were clearly looking for something to say but coming up short so I helped them out.

"Where's Wanda?" my voice was croaky.
"We forced her to go and get some sleep. She sat here for two days straight, not eating or drinking or even moving. She was completely rigid and her eyes never left you. Hawkeye came and convinced her to get some sleep as he's the only other person she completely trusts after you," Natasha's voice was calming and gentle.
"She'll back soon, though," Steve added, trying to seem helpful. I smiled. He's still so awkward around kids, which is what I am to him.
"I'm already here," came a familiar voice. I looked at the door. Sure enough, my best friend was stood there. I opened my arms and she all but ran into them. She jumped onto the bed and curled into my side, burying her head in my chest. I wrapped my arms around her tightly. "Please. Please never do that to me again." She sounded like she wanted to cry.
"I'm here." I kissed the top of her head,
"I thought I was going to lose you."
"You're not getting rid of me." I stroked her hair. Steve and Tasha left the room silently while we lay there, enjoying each other's company.
"How are you feeling?" she asked a couple of minutes later, looking at me.
"Better. A lot better." I smiled.
"I've never seen you lose control like that. You created a storm so massive Falcon was swept off his feet. The good news is, he feels guilty."
"He can apologise when I next see him. But you, you brought me back. You grounded me and I can never repay you."
"I had to physically plant myself in your mind. I saw what you saw, those memories. I'm honestly surprised it hasn't happened already."
"I try to push them away but his words, Sam's words brought them flooding back. He didn't know, though. How could anyone?"
"It seems we both need taking care of, occasionally," Wanda laughed dryly.
"It would seem so, my dear. It would seem so."
"Well, I'll always take care of you, no matter what."
"The same here. Always."

How'd it go?