So here is the next chapter! The next one should be up tomorrow night (uk time)

Some of this was actually pretty emotional to write (but I cry at anything so...)

DISCLAIMER
I do not own Avengers in any way

Chapter 1

6 years ago

Ivy had skipped school again. The migraines the stories brought on had gotten worse over the last few weeks. Luckily she'd so far managed to hide the letters from her mother but she wasn't sure just how long she could keep it up.

Today had been especially bad so far, she only made it through homeroom before the tell tale sign of an approaching story had reared its ugly head. She barely made it to her room before it hit her and she collapsed on the bed.

O0O0O0O0O0

Instantly she was transported to a house, at least she thought it was a house. The smoke was thick in the air. To her left white hot flames started to engulf the stairs, climbing higher by the second. At the bottom of the stairs was stood a man, screaming as loud as he could, eyes fixed on the top of the stairs, looking straight passed her. The bottom level of the house was like hell itself. Ivy had no idea how this guy was still alive.

"Sophie! Baby please! Sophie!"

From a room at the end of the hall she heard violent coughing before a scared voice called out. "Adam!" The door flew open and a young women with messy black hair stood there in her pyjamas.

Behind her Ivy saw a white lace dress hanging from the wardrobe door. A wedding dress. Ivy's heart clenched painfully.

Clutching a wet towel to her lower face, Sophie ran to the stairs, crying out in desperation when she saw the flames creeping up the stairs.

"You're going to have to jump sweetheart, I'll catch you I pro-" A cough cut him off, he bent over trying to catch his breath.

"Adam!" Sophie cried out. She looked at the stairs. The flames were over half way up and although the flames seemed weaker in the centre of the steps. Hesitantly she took a step, then another. On the 3rd step a crack echoed through the smoke and the stairs shook ominously. "Adam! I can't move!" She cried then screamed as the stairs shook again.

A determined look crossed Adams face and a split second later he ran up the stairs, through the flames. Crushing Sophie to his chest he pressed his lips to her head as the stairs dropped from under them.

O0O0O0O0O

Ivy woke suddenly, her scream echoing the ones she'd heard moments earlier in her head.

"Ivy! Ivy its ok, I'm here." A soft voice soothed as she was pulled into comforting arms.

Ivy clutched at her mother stop not bothering to stifle the sobs that were coming. "It was horrible mum" She said before sobbing harder.

"It was just a nightmare sweetheart." Her mother whispered, rocking her gently like she used to do when Ivy was a child.

"No it wasn't!" Ivy protested weakly. "It was real. They are always real!" She cried unthinkingly. "And I can never do anything about it. I see these horrible things. People dying and hurting and there isn't anything I can do about it. I can't help them!" She shouted, standing from the bed and pacing the room, clutching at her hair. "Its all the time! Everyday for as long as I can remember! I can't… I just can't…" She trailed off weakly.

Across the room her mother watched her with a growing sense of dread. She had though Ivy had grown out of these made up fantasies. All of a sudden everything clicked into place for her mother. How could she have missed the signs? Something was seriously wrong with her daughter and she had no idea what to do. Ivy's agonised crying brought her out of her thoughts. Hesitantly she approached her daughter and brushed a hand through her hair gently.

"Its ok Ivy." She lied. "C'mon…" She prompted her daughter to stand and walked her to the bed. Pulling back the covered she urged Ivy to lay down. Ivy didn't protest and climbed into bed, closing her eyes tightly. Gently her mother kissed her forehead and pulled the covers up around her. "Get some rest Ivy. Everything will be better when you wake" She whispered, slowly backing out of the room.

Ivy heard the door close softly and curled up into a tight ball and fell into a restless sleep.

Ivy woke suddenly and sat up, unsure what had disturbed her. She glanced at the window and saw it was dark outside. She must have slept through the afternoon and evening. Slightly wobbly Ivy got out of bed and made her way to the door. As she opened it a vaguely familiar male voice reached her ears.

"I understand Ms Miller." He said. "Rest assured that Stone brook is the perfect place to help your daughter."

"Thank you Dr Carr." Your mother replied, her voice thick with tears.

At the sound of her mothers voice Ivy rushed into the front room, instantly going to her mother and taking note of the red puffy eyes. "Mum? What's going on?" You asked quickly, taking her hand.

Her mother patted her hand gently but then gently pulled it from Ivy's touch and avoided her daughters eyes. "Ivy…These stories…"

Ivy felt the blood rush from her face. Oh god, she'd told her about the dream. No no no… "No mum its fine!" She said with a forced smile. "It was just a dream. No, nightmare. It was just a nightmare. It was nothi-"

"Ivy please." Her mother cut her off. "These… These things aren't normal. They aren't healthy… You're ill Ivy. This is for the best…" She said, a firm edge to her voice.

"W-What's for the best?" Ivy asked taking a step back.

Her mother was silent so Ivy looked to the man sat across the other side of the room. Ivy hadn't noticed the other man with him before, he was stood with his back to the wall, watching Ivy indifferently. The man sitting down gave Ivy a soft smile but she could see the emptiness behind the gesture.

"Stone Brook is for the best Miss Miller. Stone Brooke Hospital. You'll get the best available care there. We'll soon have these, what do call them? Ah yes, stories. We'll soon have these stories gone completely." He said standing from the sofa,

Numbly Ivy looked at her mum. "Mum please…" She pleaded. "It was just a nightmare, I swear…"

"Don't lie Ivy!" Her mother shouted suddenly. She let out a long breath then looked up at her daughter desperately. "It wasn't just a nightmare Ivy…" She said, her eyes trailing to the coffee table.

"No…" Ivy breathed, seeing her journals spread haphazardly across the table.

"I'm sorry Ivy." Her mother sobbed. "But I have to do this… Your not 18 for another week. I've already consented."
The next couple of hours were a blur to Ivy. She remembered turning away from her mothers goodbye hug, ignoring the heartbroken sob her mother choked out.

She remembered sitting in a car, watching the city lights race past her window.

She remembered walking into a big stone house with clematis trailing up the front of the wall.

She vaguely remembered a nurse taking her vitals and weighing her, chatting happily even though Ivy wasn't listening.

She was finally knocked out of her stupor when the door to her new room was closed behind her. Looking around she took in the blank cream walls. Walking over to the small window on the opposite wall to the door she looked outside. There were some old fashioned street lamps surrounding a small court yard full of benches and flower beds. A stone path led out to the grounds where oak trees lined and hid the old stone wall surrounding the property.

Letting out a shaky breath Ivy softly sat on the bed looking down at the soft sage green bedding. Ivy felt the helplessness well up inside and laid down slowly, crying herself to sleep.

O0O0O0O0O

Thanks for reading! Lemme know what to think!

CJ