When you slowly regained consciousness again, the headache was gone. Your ribs and leg still hurt, but less substantially than before. You were lying down this time, and strapped down much more firmly than before. There was no chance of you getting out of here. You sent your magic out to scan the room, but something... something felt different. In your head, no, on your head. It took you far longer than it should have. Eyelids were a distant memory for you, they'd been burnt so badly in the accident you hadn't been able to open them after it happened, but now... they felt lighter. Hardly daring to breathe, you tried to crack them open.

And you saw.

Light. There was light. You could see it. Your eyes widened, and then they were open completely. They'd given you back your sight. You blinked several times, emotions crashing over you relentlessly, and there were tears, real tears, coming from your eyes. It was only a mouldy grey ceiling, but to you it was the most beautiful thing you'd ever seen.

"We thought we'd have to use donor eyes, but apparently yours weren't damaged beyond repair."

The same voice as before. Your heart sunk; whatever elation you'd been feeling disappeared as quickly as it had arrived. This was bound to come at a terrible price after what you had done.

The cold slab of metal you were strapped to tipped forward, and you had to restrain yourself from shutting your eyes. You wanted to see, to look, but the light was so bright for your eyes which hadn't seen for a year. The owner of the voice was a tall, skinny man, who didn't look very pleasant. You'd imagined him almost perfectly just from his voice.

"I suppose it's nice isn't it? Being able to see after such a long time?"

You didn't answer. He didn't know the half of it.

"Well, you're not a chatty one, are you? I'll cut straight to the chase then. As you have presumably guessed SHIELD has not wasted their time, money and resources on you for nothing, we will expect something from you in return."

Your heart was hammering in your chest. You couldn't lose your sight again, you wouldn't.

"All we require is some information on that boyfriend of yours. Do you know him and your little group of friends have been searching for you? Three days is quite a while, I expect they're worried."

Three days?! How long exactly had they knocked you out for? They were looking for you...

"We will also expect your resignation from 'The Avengers' and for you to join SHIELD permanently. We have gifted you with what you desire most and expect you to return the favour."

Your head was spinning, unable to process it all.

Eventually, you spoke.

"And what if I don't agree to these terms?"

"Well, I expect you will have your sight taken again, and be tortured until you give in. You will make a highly useful weapon for SHIELD, especially with your sight, but you fared extremely well without it earlier, did you not?"

You fought down a sob of desperation trying to focus on your anger instead. You needed to channel that, not cry.

"What sort of information." you asked, quite politely.

The man looked taken aback, but quickly regained his composure.

"I beg your pardon?"

"What sort of information will you need? About Loki?"

Your voice hitched as you said his name, which gave you away to him.

He sneered at you before answering.

"Just simple stuff really, about how he's a deranged psychopath who tried to take over the world. Oh, and how he should be locked up for his own safety. We're planning to release it to the public and send him either away from this world, or to jail. Either will do."

How you were keeping calm right now was beyond you. This dude could say anything he liked about you, but talking like that about Loki in front of you...? That was brave, even while you were strapped down. But you had your magic. And your eyes. You were going to get out of this.

"So, what do you say?" the man was watching you intently. SHEILD wanted you, they needed you. You were going to exploit the hell out of that fact.

Decision time Y/N.

"Fine. I'll do it." you said eventually.

"Really! How splendid." the man exclaimed, looking quite shocked.

Talk. You needed to make him trust you.

"So... you, SHIELD, really want... me?"

Flattery was bound to work on this self-absorbed man.

"Yes, we've been watching you for some time..."

The shallow man was actually releasing you already, and explaining what needed to be done next. You slowly got to your feet, pretending to be weaker than you were. This would give you an advantage later; you leaned on him heavily.

"Oh, sorry..."

"Let me help you." the man said, offering you his arm. It disgusted you to take it, but you obliged. This plan had to work.

You pretended to listen as he walked you down a corridor, talking to you about enrolling in SHIELD, while wondering how best to get your friends' attention. Trying your best not to be distracted by the floor to ceiling windows and the view that accompanied them. You weren't used to seeing yet, and here was New York city spread right in front of your eyes. Focus up Y/N. You would need help to get out of here alive, even with your newfound sight. The man's monologue and your thought process were both cut off as thirty or so armed guards appeared in front of you.

"Oh come, is this really necessary?" the man next to you demanded. "She is on our side, and scared. We must help her."

You felt a swell of sympathy for the man, before pushing it away swiftly. Remember what he had said about Loki.

"Boss' orders. He wants to see her." This was the guy who had called you a witch and punched you, you recognised the gruff voice.

"I don't think..."

"Come with me, now, witch." the guy grunted, grabbing a fistful of your hair and yanking you towards him.

That truly and utterly did it. A plan formulated in your brain as you grabbed his, forcing him to let go of your hair with a surprised grunt of pain, and swung around, pinning him up against the wall by his throat. 

Immediately you heard the unmistakable sound of guns, cocked, pointed at your exposed back. You found it difficult to care, you'd been through too much. Now it was time for someone to pay, and this man had just made the mistake of royally pissing you off.

"Call me a witch one more time." you hissed dangerously into his ear.

"And what are you gonna do about it... witch?" he choked, a true asshole even in his last moments.

You turned, still holding him, and literally launched him out of the window, sending him hurtling down god knew how many floors along with a shower of glass from the broken window.

What better way to send a message to your friends than throwing a SHIELD agent out of the window of a skyscraper?

Now, however, you were in trouble. You could jump out the window too, but you didn't trust your magic enough yet to break your fall, and your ribs and leg were still feeling a bit dodgy. Fight it was.

"Right," you said pleasantly, turning back to your shocked audience, all of whom seemed to have forgotten they were holding guns.

"Who's next?"

Tony's POV

Tony was getting desperate. It had been three days, and they'd heard nothing. Fury had said that he'd deal with it and make sure that you were safe, but they'd had no word from him yet. He wasn't sure how much longer he could take this. He felt wracked with guilt about losing your sight in the first place, and now he'd gone and lost you, and to fucking SHIELD of all people! They were meant to be on the same side for crying out loud. And Loki, good Lord. Tony had never seen him such a mess, first he'd been livid, then worried out of his mind, then just downright sullen. God knows what he would do if he didn't find you soon. Tony did not want to think about it.

JARVIS' voice sounded so urgently that it made Tony jump.

"Sir, there is a situation at the SHEILD HQ."

"Is it her? Please tell me it's her."

"It is Y/N Sir."

"Oh, thank god, get the jet- shit, REINDEER GAMES!"

Loki materialised next to Tony.

"What."

"We've got her."

Less than a minute later the whole team had assembled in the jet, and less than two after that, they were landing on the roof of SHEILD's HQ.