Let Me Love You

Vulnerable

Kate's POV

I wake up to a bright light in my face. When I try to move, I realize that I'm strapped to a cold metal table with clamps around my neck, wrists, torso, and ankles. I thrash around on the table, trying to use my powers to get me out, but nothing is happening.

"There's no use, the table has ventilators to constantly keep you cold." The familiar woman speaks as she steps into view.

"You'll regret this." I growl.

"Oh, because of your new friends?" She smirks. "I planned on them coming."

I feel my heartbeat quicken as I begin to worry. "Don't you dare lay a finger on them."

She just laughs as she wheels a cart over to me with a number of syringes on it.

"I've been waiting a long time for this. I have to admit, after prepping you all those years ago I didn't have much hope. Evidently, you've been the strongest candidate thus far, since you're the only one who survived the first two doses." She pick up one of the syringes and walks over to another table. "If it hadn't been for Stark, we would have finished this a long time ago."

"Tony?" I ask, feeling my heart drop to my stomach.

"Oh dear, you don't remember?" She turns to me with an evil grin on her face. "I'm sure you remember escaping from us way back when." She begins. "We almost had you, after you hurt your leg you were a sitting duck. In fact, we did have you until that pesky Iron Man decided to show up." Her grin turns into a grimace.

Tony's the one who saved me? How could I not remember this?!

I think back to that night, seeing the figures move toward me as I begin to lose consciousness. I remember seeing a bright flash before being picked up and carried. My eyes widen in realization that she was telling the truth.

"He was smart to keep you hidden in his mansion. He even made it look as though he had no connections to you, which made you invisible to anyone trying to find you." She shakes her head. "He won't be so lucky this time."

Was all of this true? Was everything Tony did just to protect me? No, it can't be. He had no reason to cheat on me again after we got back together. She has to be lying.

She steps toward me with a syringe full of clear liquid and taps on it to get any air bubbles out.

"What is that?" I ask, trying not to shake in fear. "If I've finished all of the experiments why are you doing this to me?"

She just smiles. "See, the reason we had to inject so many samples into you was because the virus itself wasn't safe so we kept trying to fix it."

"V-Virus?" I ask, swallowing my fear although I'm sure she can tell how nervous I am.

"Oh yes, the Extremis Virus is something we've been working on for a while now. We haven't perfected the effects of it, which is why so many subjects have died with it, but you seem to be different for some reason." She steps closer to me.

"This syringe is just going to put you to sleep for a while since your friends should be arriving any minute." She smirks as she sticks the needle into my neck. "Sweet nightmares." My eyes widen before I start to involuntarily doze off.

Steve's POV

"Alright Buck, you're with me." I say after pairing the rest of the team up.

Natasha and Bruce will stay in the jet unless we need them. Tony will bring Clint to a lookout while he scans the building. Bucky and I will be doing search and rescue.

"Which way was the room you saw?" I ask.

"Somewhere in the East wing of the building." He says.

"I have multiple heat signatures guarding a room but none inside." Tony speaks through the comms.

"If they're guarding it, there has to be a reason." Nat says.

"We'll go check it out." I say, following Bucky as quietly as possible. We had to take out a few agents but eventually get to what Tony was talking about.

"That's the room." Bucky says, remembering what it looked like despite the door being closed. "She has to be in there."

I nod and step into view, gaining all of their attention. They begin to shoot at me and I throw my shield, knocking a few of them unconscious. Bucky fights off a few while I handle the remaining guards. Once they're all taken care of, I bust the door open to find Kate passed out on a metal table.

"Kate?" I run over to her, breaking the locks on the shackles with my shield. "Kate, sweetheart, I'm here." I pick her up bridal style while Bucky destroys everything in the room. I let everyone know that we found her and that we're on our way out through the comms.

"Tony?" I hear Kate croak. I look down to see her looking up at me. "Where's Tony?" She asks again.

"I don't know.. Somewhere outside." I assume. She clings onto me, squeezing her eyes shut as I carry her out to the quinjet.

"Oh thank God." Nat says, running over and hugging her. I set her down in one of the seats and turn to find Clint running into the jet.

"Where's Tony?" Bruce asks.

"He stopped answering. Last time I heard he was fighting off some soldiers." Clint says, trying to catch his breath.

"They have him." Kate stands but quickly losing her balance so I catch her.

"What do you mean? Why would they want him?" Sam asks.

"He saved me." She says, leaning on me to stand. "All those years ago. He's the one who got me out of there."

"So now they're getting him back for it?" Bucky asks, she nods.

"We have to go get him." I say. "You need to stay here." I turn to Kate and set her back down in the chair. She goes to say something but I speak before she can. "You're in no condition to fight."

"In case you've forgotten, leaving me behind on a mission is how all of this happened in the first place." She crosses her arms.

I look at the rest of the team and they all shrug. "She's got a point, Cap. We could use her out there especially since they've got Tony." Clint backs her up and she smiles at him.

"Then it's settled. She's coming with us." Nat says.

I let out a deep sigh and nod my head. I notice Bruce lead her somewhere in the back of the jet before returning. Moments later, Kate returns with what I'm assuming to be her new suit on.

"Tony finished it right before this mission. He thought you'd be joining us." Bruce explains as Kate examines herself.

She closes her eyes and takes a deep breath before her hands begin to glow. "Let's go get our man."