"Put your arms up if you wanna go faster, Y/N!"

"Really Tony?"

"What Y/N?"

"I can't raise them, they were both fractured remember?", "Does Tony even care about what happened to me? Do the others feel the same? What about Wanda?"

Y/N wasn't sure how long the following silence was, whether it was awkward, or even if it happened, but they were mercifully pulled back from their thoughts when Tony spoke again.

"Oh yeah, right, er..., we're here Y/N. Welcome home!"

Putting the thoughts to the back of their mind, Y/N looked up from their hands, to take the room in. They realised it was one of the generic multipurpose labs the three of them shared. As Tony pushed them over the threshold, Y/N silently told him through an upwards glance, they could wheel themselves the rest of the way.

"Fine, but if your witchy girlfriend finds out, you're telling her it was your idea."

Pushing down the sudden urge to be protective over Wanda, Y/N said with a forced smile, "You know I can't control her Stark." and wheeled themselves over to a set of desks on the far side of the lab. On seeing that their files weren't there, and realising they must still be in their lab, Y/N called out to Tony, "Tony, I'm just going to get some files from my lab.". All Y/N got in reply was a work engrossed grunt of agreement, and taking that as confirmation, they left the lab.

To get to their lab, Y/N had to go up a few floors, but being in a wheelchair, it meant they'd be using the elevators. As Y/N wheeled themselves down the hall, they misjudged a corner and crashed their foot into the wall. "Ah fuck, that hurt!"

"Do you require assistance, Dr Y/N L/N?"

JARVIS calling me Dr Y/N L/N made me remember the lead HYDRA soldier calling them that, combined with the pain now shooting up their leg, didn't help matters. Y/N saw that their hands were shaking before they felt it but knew they could still wheel themselves to the patiently waiting elevator. Y/N thought they were drowning before realising it was a panic attack. They could catch snippets of JARVIS' voice, enough to know that he was speaking to them, but not enough to know what he was saying. It wasn't until Y/N felt themselves almost breathing normally again, that they noticed the presence of someone beside them.

"Nat?"

"You were having a panic attack, Y/N, you're doing really well."

"Why... why are you-? How did you-?"

"Wanda asked me to come to check on you. Why aren't you in the lab with Tony?"

"Wanda doesn't care about me, she just sent Natasha to check up on me. Does she actually love me?"

"Y/N?"

"Oh, I'm fine. I'm just going to my lab to get some files."

"Are you ok now?"

"No, but I'm getting there.", Y/N said, with a weak smile.

"Do you want Wanda or me to come up with?"

"I don't wanna bother you or Wanda, you probably have a lot of Avenger stuff to do."

"I'm free, I know Wanda's training with Steve, but I know Steve will let Wanda join you if you need her to. We all want to help."

"No no, it's fine, I only need some files. I can go on my own."

"Ok, well, if you're sure?"

Y/N just nodded.

"If you need one of us, let JARVIS know. Ok?"

Nodding again, Y/N replied, "I will, thanks."

"Anytime, Y/N.", Natasha said, before walking away.

Y/N let out a breath, they didn't realise they were holding in and wheeled into the elevator, asking JARVIS to take them up to floor 54. When the doors reopened, Y/N wheeled down to their lab briefly pausing at the door as JARVIS let them in. Y/N stopped in the doorway, realising it was just as it had been before the attack. It was comforting to see that the lab had been fixed up, but Y/N could still see the smashed-in door, the upset workbenches, the flickering lights, the broken glass, the smoke, the fire. Shaking themselves out of those out of control thoughts, Y/N wheeled myself over to my desk.

"JARVIS, can you print out my designs on Test 45-B, please?" Y/N asked moving over to the coffee machine and pressing start.

"Dr Banner was able to complete your combined progress on what was formerly known as Test 45-B, two weeks ago, would you still like me to output the finished designs?"

"Oh, ok.", "I knew they didn't need me.", "Oh er, can you bring out the designs for Test 4-A?" They asked, bringing themselves back over to the coffee machine, taking a long sip.

"Of course, though I regret to inform you that Test 4-A was destroyed in last month's HYDRA attack."

They didn't feel the coffee cup leave their hands, on its short journey to the floor, but saw it explode in slow motion as it hit. "Wanda's birthday present. Gone? What do I give her for her birthday, now? She's gonna hate me."

Y/N bent down as best they could, trying to pick up the ceramic shards. Leaning further out of the chair, Y/N decided it would be better to just stand up, though as soon as they did their legs buckled and Y/N crashed to the floor. They tried pushing themselves up but cried out in pain at the pressure on their weakened arms.

"Dr Y/N L/N you seem to be in distress, I have informed the Avengers, as per my new protocol. Miss Romanov and Captain Rogers are currently heading towards your location.", the use of 'Dr Y/N L/N' once again threw Y/N back to their time in HYDRA's grasp.

When the lab down was thrown open, Y/N started crying and trembling as people rushed into the room. They heard my name being shouted, and so stayed hidden behind a workbench.

"Y/N, where are you?"

"Nat? I'm o-over here, I ca-can't."

"Oh Y/N.", she said sadly, as she rounded the corner of the workbench and saw them.

"Dr Y/N L/N, what happened, why aren't you in your wheelchair.", Steve asked formally, ever the authoritative military leader.

"Don't call me that!" Y/N snapped back, as Natasha helped them lean up against the bench.

They both stopped what they were doing at that point, Y/N never really snapped at anyone.

Feeling their eyes on them, Y/N met them and said, "Sorry, I just... H-he used to call me, Dr-Dr Y/N L/N, and I-I can't-."

"It's alright Y/N, let's get you back into your wheelchair.", Steve said, shooting a confused look to Natasha, as they helped their friend back into the chair.

"JARVIS can you get Wanda, please?"

"Right away Miss Romanov."

Once they were back in their chair, Y/N realised how pathetic they were, and so they started to silently sob again. It was then when Wanda practically skidded into the lab, and made a beeline towards Y/N, bending down in front of them.

"Y/N, I'm here."

"Wanda, I'm sorry, your birthday, I ruined it, I'm so sorry."

"You have nothing to be sorry for."

"Wanda, I don't deserve to be with you, with any of you."

"Y/N you can't think like, we all want to be with you, I want to be with you."

Y/N just looked down, as their body still shook with pent up emotions.

When Natasha broke the silence, Y/N jumped, having forgotten that she and Steve were still here, "Wanda, why don't you take Y/N down to your room."

Wanda silently nodded, as she wheeled Y/N out of my lab and towards the elevator. Turning to Steve, Natasha said, sadly, "We need to find out what happened to Y/N, at the HYDRA base, Steve."

"Maybe they're just going through a tough time at the moment."

"They're clearly not Steve, this will be something they carry with them forever, we can't let Y/N do that alone, they have to speak to someone, whether that's us, Wanda or maybe even a therapist. Y/N needs our help, and we owe it to them after whatever they've been through."

"You're right, a few of us should speak to Y/N after lunch."

"Yeah, not too many though, we don't want to overwhelm them."

"So, who should go?"