WARNING!
THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS SOME DARKER THEMES!
PLEASE USE DISCRETION!
POSSIBLE TRIGGERS: VIOLENCE AND GORE, TORTURE, and SELF-HARM

Chapter Eight
In Which That Which is Hidden Is Revealed

No one really knows what to do with Sonya's sudden displays of affection. In fact, Thor nearly falls over in shock when he stumbles upon Tony and Sonya. The latter has fallen asleep with her cheek on his shoulder. Tony glares at him as he struggles mightily trying to lift Sonya's dead weight.

"You could at least lend a hand, Point Break."

Thor blinks a little, and lifts the girl with ease. "My sincerest apologies, Anthony. I am simply unused to seeing you display affection towards anyone other than Pepper." He frowns. "Actually, that's quite rare, as well."

"Gee, thanks." Tony says with extreme sarcasm.

"I am confused." Wanda walks in the room, staring at the strange group. Sonya's eyes fly open at the sound of her voice. Scrambling out of Thor's arms, she flings herself at the other girl.

"Is something wrong?" Wanda says. "Sonya, is something wrong?"

The other girl shakes her head. "No. No. Everything's okay. It was just a bad dream."

Tony frowns. "You dreamt you killed most of us, Doc. That's a bit more than a just a nightmare."

"Damn." Pietro pops in just then, and wraps his arms around his sister and Sonya. "It's time for a super hug!"

Sonya spends the day on the couch, jumping up and hugging every person that enters the room. Peter gets extremely flustered when she captures him.

"What? Sonya?"

"You're now my honorary little brother."

"I'M TALLER THAN YOU!"

"SHUT UP AND LET ME HUG YOU, DAMMIT!"

Vox smirks at Sonya. "I'm impressed. You beat me back."

"I'm not listening to you. Never again!"

"You're stronger than I anticipated."

"GET OUT!"

Sonya wakes up in darkness. She feels at blindfold over her eyes. She's flat on her back, strapped down, unable to move.

The cloth over her eyes is ripped away, and she blinks in the fluorescent lights shining down on her.

"It's good to meet you in the flesh, Sonechka." Vox steps into Sonya's field of vision, smirking.

"You."

"Me."

"What do you want?! Where am I?!"

"Somewhere you won't be found easily."

"Lovely."

Pietro nearly falls out of his chair. The TV screen, which should be displaying a football game, shows Sonya and some other lady in a white room. Sonya is strapped to a chair, wires all over her body. The speedster stares.

"F.R.I.D.A.Y. Where's Sonya?"

"Miss King is in her room."

"Really?" He jumps up and careens out of the room.

"Where are you going?" Wanda calls after him.

"Turn on the TV." He yells.

Sonya's bedroom is empty. Pietro punches the nearest wall. "DAMMIT!"

"Sooo… why am I here?" Sonya asks.

"Vincent wants to see you."

"Who?"

"My boss."

A tall, blonde woman sweeps in to the room, smiling down at Sonya.

"It's lovely to meet you, Sonya!" She trills. "I'm Vincent."

"That's a guy's name." Sonya blurts. The other woman lets out a high-pitched giggle.

"Vincent is my last name, hon. My first name is Astoria!"

"Oh. What do you want? Also, what's with the cameras?"

"The cameras are transmitting directly to the Avengers Tower. I want your friends to watch as I tear you apart."

The friends in question are glued to the TV set.

Tony's fiddling with his computer. "Dammit, dammit, DAMMIT!" He yells. "They took off all her tracking devices!"

"I thought you wanted my brain." Sonya says conversationally, watching as the other two women bustle around her. "I won't be much use if I'm dead." She's calm on the outside, but on the inside, she's going crazy.

"Oh, we won't kill you!" Astoria giggles. "We won't even touch you!"

"Uhm… then how do you think this is going to work?"

"I have many minions who will do anything for me."

"Keep asking questions, Sonya." Steve mumbles. "Get all the information you can."

"Are you Hydra?"

"Hydra?! Of course not! They are nothing compared to me!" Astoria grins. "Although, their name was quite ingenious. You know the legend of the Hydra?"

"Of course." Sonya scoffs. "It was the child of Echnida and Typhon. It had seven heads, but every time a head was cut off, two more appeared in its place. Hercules killed it, as part as of his seven tasks."

"Exactly. The hydra had a weakness."

"Most things do."

"Not death."

"Huh?"

"We are called Shinigami." Astoria tells Sonya. "It's Japanese for –!"

"God of Death." Sonya interrupts. "I know."

"You're very smart."

"I know."

"Well, on with the program! Vox, bring in the first volunteer!"

Sonya's eyes widen as the brunette escorts as young man through the door. He bows to Astoria. "I am here to serve you, milady." He says in a flat voice.

Astoria smiles and hands him a knife. "Alfred, as you can see, we have finally brought in the Target."

"The Woman who can feel other people's pain." He says with awe.

"Yes, and now we must break her. Of course, we can't harm her, for fear of damaging her value. We must use her power against her, Alfred."

The young man nods. "I exist to serve you!" He brings the knife down, stabbing it in to his hand.

Sonya gasps as pain explodes in her hand. "You bastard." She hisses.

Astoria smiles. "It will be easy to break you."

Sonya can't reply. She grits her teeth as Alfred digs a chunk of flesh out of his arm. Pretty soon, there's nothing but pain, for a long, long time.

She wakes up, aching all over. Astoria smiles down at her. "Your strength is impressive, Sonya."

The healer can't answer, her mouth is coated with blood. 'I must have bitten through my tongue.' The blonde woman taps Sonya's palms.

"You really did a number on yourself."

Sonya lets out a gasp as pain shoots around her hand. She fingers cresent-shaped cuts from digging her nails into her palms.

"I'm going to have to up my game."

"I brought a friend." Astoria says. Sonya scowls, her eyes tightly closed.

"I don't care."

"Really? He's a good friend of yours. It was difficult to catch him, though. He's very fast."

That catches her attention. Sonya's eyes snap open. Pietro's unconscious, strapped in a chair facing her. "No." She says shakily. "You're lying. That's not him. That's not Pietro."

"Sorry to burst your bubble." Astoria drags her nails down his chest. "He came all too willingly when we promised to take him to you. The fool."

Sonya stiffens. That sounds just like something he'd do.

The older woman smirks. "He's not bad-looking, either." Her hands flex, nails digging into his chest. "Maybe I'll keep him… If he survives."

"Get your hands off him!" Sonya hisses. Astoria chuckles.

"My, my! Maybe you do care for him!" She strolls to the door. "I'll leave you two to catch up." She loosens one Sonya's cuffs as she passes. "I do love a good sob story."

The healer doesn't even wait until the older woman leaves the room, tearing her hand free as soon she feels the cuff loosen. She scrambles out of the chair, stumbling as feeling pours back into her legs. She tears the Velcro restraining Pietro, shaking his shoulder and yelling his name.

He comes awake reluctantly, clutching his head. Sonya slaps him, knocking him to the ground. "YOU IDIOT!" She shrieks. "WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?!"

"Uh…"

"That's right! YOU WEREN'T!"

She's still ranting when he scrambles to his feet and throws his arms around her. Sonya loses her balance, and they end up in a heap on the floor. "Why does this always happen?" She mumbles.

"Because you're a klutz." Pietro says, tightening his hug.

"Thanks." Sonya sighs, but she locks her arms around him, feeling safe for a long time in a while.

It doesn't last long at all, because Astoria and her henchmen barge in and tear them apart. Sonya is forced to watch as the hurt him, feeling his pain in her own body. She can't block out his screams, knowing full well he's trying to be strong, trying to bite them back for her sake.

"Stop it! Stop!" She screams. Why is it so much when she knows Pietro's the one hurting?! Why? Why? WHY?!

She wakes up in a different room, lying on cold, clammy stones. She sits up slowly.

"You okay?" Pietro asks.

"You idiot." She tells him, running her glowing hands over his wounds. "You're the one all beat up!"

"I'll be fine." He grits out, the pain in his face fading away as Sonya heals him. She sighs mightily, brushing silvery hair off his forehead. He smirks at her through her fingers. "I'll be fine." He repeats. "As long as you're here."

A/N: Help! Pietro and Sonya are gonna be the death of me! REVIEW PLEASE!