I awoke with a jolt screaming out the excruciating pain that filled my heart and my lugs. I couldn't stop screaming even as the pain of the dream began to fade away disappearing once more into the dark and long forgotten reaches of my mind where the dream I just had resided now, soon my throat began to burn and hurt because I was screaming a few seconds before the wail died in my throat and I curled up on my bed hugging the blankets close to me.
The door flew open and in seconds I saw my brother and a few I did not recognize standing there. Now, I was not one to show my emotions to anyone I didn't know, nor did I like showing such weakness, but this dream was all too real in my mind and within the matter of a few seconds I was sobbing hysterically and beyond uncontrollably onto my brother's shirt, gripping him tightly as I wailed out in a mix of pain and sadness.
His arms were immediately wrapped around me protectively and I could tell that he was shocked, I NEVER cried, no matter how much pain I was in because of what those men had done to me when I was so young. I saw crying as an extreme weakness that only makes the pain stronger and more apparent within your heart because you are feeling so much emotion over it.
He was shushing me softly and comfortingly as a few of the people who had come bursting into my room quickly left, seeing as it was a personal matter and not a matter of immediate danger, but a few stayed, a buff man with brown hair and blue eyes, the sad and understanding eyes of Bruce Banner, and someone else who I didn't recognize.
She had deep brown colored eyes with soft hints of a lighter shade in little flecks that were scattered around her iris, they had pity swimming deep within the pools of color as she worriedly looked from the three men in the room and then back to me. As she quickly tried to look at all of us the motion caused her hair to cascade down her shoulders in waves showing how her hair was similar to her eyes in a deep brown with streaks of a lighter shade that almost looked blond.
But I didn't want to notice any of them right now, I needed my brother, not some snoops who were looking in and then Tony quickly got defensive of me knowing how I hate to be stared at when I actually show some emotion, "Why don't you guys take a picture so it will last longer and then get the hell out of here? You are only making her feel worse!"
I felt slight pity in my heart as I saw Bruce's eyes flash with a slight look of anger and pain before he quickly rushed out of the room to compose himself and to give me some space. The man with the short brown hair, blue eyes and a stocky build squared his shoulders as if realizing that he was interrupting a painful moment and headed out quickly.
The woman, however, stayed a bit longer as if she was unsure of if she should listen to Tony's words or if she should stay and try to help. Deciding it was best that I am left with Tony, she quickly headed out of the room, closing the door softly behind her and then Tony looked back down at me concerned as he brushed my bangs out of my face.
He didn't say anything, he simply pulled me over to my bed and sat with me silently comforting me and letting me get all of my emotions out until I was able to speak coherently again and no longer sob, though, his shirt was soaked through and my eyes now burned painfully as well as a pounding head-ache made me just want to start crying again.
"You don't have to talk about your dream Ekati... I know how much the past can hurt... how much it can still haunt us even though so many years may have gone by... but I still don't like seeing you upset like this..." He grabbed a few tissues from the box at the side of my bed and he handed one to me to blow my nose as he worked on wiping the tears that had streaked down my face.
"Oh no, I think there is a beautiful girl under those tears. Hold on, I know there is... just let me wipe them away..." He said smiling as he made a small joke but I didn't feel like smiling, instead I almost burst into tears again, "I'm not beautiful... I am a monster... nothing but a beast that should be destroyed as soon as possible."
This made Tony frown and then he looked into my eyes as if looking for something, "Hmm..." Then he looked down at the reactor that was keeping me alive and the scratched his chin, "Hmm..." He turned my face to the side as if examining me and then he thought for a bit longer before smiling and shouting you, "Eureka!"
I flinched at his sudden words before he smiled and pulled me into a hug, "I didn't see a monster in those sad eyes of yours, I saw someone who had been through hell and back, surviving it too, as well as someone who make think she looks like a monster, but is a beautiful woman instead and not the beast that she thinks she is."
This managed to pull a smile up onto my lips and then she smiled even wider, "And look~! What horrible monster can smile? I knew you had it in you." He hummed a soft chuckle while I giggled. Tony may be a prat sometimes but he was still a good brother to me, even if we were not directly related by any forms of blood.
I heard my stomach growl softly, knowing it was not my actual stomach but the beast telling me it wanted to feast even if I was not hungry. "Oh, I heard someone wants a snack. Well it is breakfast time. What do you think about a few Margaritas or some Tequila with some bacon and eggs?" Before I could even respond my stomach replied to his words with a loud persistent growl and he smiled, "Margaritas with Bacon and eggs it is."
He stood up and opened the door for me as we headed toward the Cafeteria, in there I saw the man with short brown hair and kind blue eyes sitting with Bruce and the woman before, they all seemed to look up as Tony and I entered the room and Tony smiled at me, "Take a seat and I will be back with breakfast." I nodded and then sat far away from everyone at an empty table and I looked down at my bare feet.
The aria I sat had a broken light above it making it shadowed and dark to the point it was like my little bit of night in the secluded corner I sat while I waited for Tony. I was already in my clothing I would wear for the rest of the day because I was paranoid so when ever I went to bed I put on my clothing for the next day on so I could get out of bed quickly and still be protected and ready to do what ever I needed to, but I never wore shoes, I hated the feeling of being trapped and having shoes on made that feeling even more apparent.
I closed my eyes and wrapped my arms around my body trying to hold onto my sanity. Normally I was fine with being alone because I never got near anyone but Tony and my animals back at my isolated ranch, but the fact that I was in a room full of people where none of them seemed to even want me there made me feel the loneliness pressing around me, crippling me in my own cloud of sadness and isolation.
I was so deep in thought I did not hear someone approach the table until they spoke making me snarl out in surprise and anger that someone would dare approach me after the rough morning I had. The snarl died in my throat as I realized that it was just Bruce who had come up to my table and he was holding his food in one of his hands as he looked at me with a shy and wary smile.
"May I sit here?" I simply nodded my consent as I pulled up my legs onto the bench I was sitting on. I say bench because of the tables having what looked like four wire mesh benches on each side of the metal circular table. He sat down on my left side and I simply waited in silence as he began eating some eggs that were on the plate in front of him.
His friends from the other table were staring at him with wide eyes and in surprise and he didn't seem to notice them as he smiled at me, "Any plans for what you are going to do today?" I shook my head with a frown, "I am basically useless unless you loose your temper. Fury said that is all he needed me for but I doubt that, he probably wants to use the beast like almost everyone else does. Why can't they just leave her alone?"
My stomach growled again as if the beast was agreeing with me and I felt as if I had just been stabbed in the brain with an ice-pick as I suddenly drew in a hissing breath holding my head that was now throbbing violently and I let out a soft groan of pain, "Ekati, are you okay? What's wrong? Speak to me!" Bruce said suddenly worried and working himself into a frenzy as my body began shaking while I desperately tried to contain the beast.
I heard Tony laughing as he came up and prodded my convulsing form, "Tony! How can you laugh at a time like this?" Banner demanded looking angry with my brother but then Tony sat down and cracked open what sounded like a soda can and my body froze. The sickeningly sweet sent of monster drifted toward me and took over all of my senses and before I knew what was happening I had tackled Tony off the bench and claimed my prize.
In my hands was the monster Tony had just opened and I gulped it down famished as I grabbed one of the many Tony had brought to the table and drank that one too and then simply wouldn't stop drinking them before Tony suddenly grabbed my shoulder, "Enough, show down or you might just draw her out." as my common sense returned to me I nodded and returned to my spot in the corner Banner had one eyebrow raised in surprise.
"What?" I asked with a small snap not intending it to be that harsh but felt relieved as Bruce began laughing, "She really grows on ya' doesn't she?" I simply rolled my eyes and snorted before going back to my monster energy drinks. "Yeah, she does." Bruce looked at the more than ten monsters on the table and quirked one eyebrow.
"Isn't that very bad for your heart?" He asked softly as I finally set down the fifth can, "The beast prevents any form or poison or death by things such as my energy drinks, it is fine for me, just gives me enough strength to hold the beast back... that was why my body was convulsing so badly a few minutes ago, and that is why my brother has graciously brought me plenty to drink and some very delicious looking food."
Bruce nodded and before I could say anything I heard footsteps drawing close and I snarled viciously as I pulled my horde of monster energy drinks close to me as the man with brown hair and the woman from before walked up to the table and sat down. I snarled under my breath my reactor suddenly turning red, "Sure you guys can sit here, thanks ever so much for asking." I had heavy sarcasm in my voice even though I said it quietly.
Tony simply laughed quietly having heard me while the others looked at me curiously not having been close enough to hear my snide remarks. The woman offered her hand toward me and was smiling warmly, "I'm Ashley." She said softly and I just glared at her hand while Tony spoke for me, "Sorry Ashley, but my sister here does not like company, especially uninvited, she gets quite territorial but she is this way with almost everyone, she will warm up to you soon, she is not the trusting type, especially if your hand is close to her Monster."
The woman, Ashley pulled her hand away nodding in understanding as the man with brown hair suddenly stood up and then bowed to me, this greatly pleased the beast as she was so wolf-like she preferred to be alpha, and if you bow to her, or rather, me, she would almost instantly see it as a sign of submission and then treat you like a lower ranking pack member.
"I am Steve Rogers, also known as Captain America." I simply nodded and then Tony let out a loud sigh, "You are not sociable at all! Fine, I will introduce you to them since you don't seem to want to talk. This is my Adopted sister, Ekati Niẏantrita Stark, her name means 'Controlled one'. She turns into a giant wolf if you piss her off and she gets pissed if you touch her stuff or if you manage to hurt her. She includes people close to her as her pack members and you will get along better with her if you just submit now and don't challenge her, if you do, she will squash you like a bug."
Steve looked at me surprised, as did Ashley but Bruce laughed softly, "Tony, you are such an ass about everything, way to introduce your sister to them in the worst possible light." I smiled slightly and then laughed very softly, "But you know Bruce, he is right. The beast sees anyone who has submitted to her as a pack member, Steve bowing just now Made him Omega, she is Alpha, Tony is beta while you are counted as Gamma and Ashley has not been placed in the pecking order yet, the beast is unsure of trusting her or not."
Steve looked both stunned at my voice and confused at what I had said and then it occurred to me that he had no idea what any of that meant, "Alpha is the leader, the one who puts everyone in their place. Beta is second in charge, protecting the pack and ensuring the safety of the Alpha taking over if Alpha dies. Gamma wolves are in between and are seen as basic members, Omega is the lowest and weakest in the pack, often not allowed to take food before everyone else is done. You showing immediate submission made you Omega in her eyes."
Steve simply looked at me curiously as I cracked open another can of Monster and Bruce smiled, "You know Ekati, you can just spend the day in the lab, I am sure there is something that you can help us with, brainstorming or hitting Tony..." I laughed again softly at this, "The last one sounds good, let's do that." Tony simply frowned at me as this banter between he and I went back and forth for the rest of Breakfast.