Wanda sat in the cold, dimly lit cell, her body trembling from the effects of the shock collar. Each jolt of electricity that coursed through her sent waves of unbearable pain, her muscles spasming uncontrollably. Her breath came in ragged gasps, each inhale a struggle, as though the air itself was trying to escape her lungs. Her vision blurred, and she felt a deep ache in her chest like something was tearing inside of her.

The guards' laughter echoed from the other side of the bars, but she could hardly focus on their taunts. All she could think about was the gnawing pain and the feeling of complete helplessness. They'd left her there to suffer, to wither away without even a hint of mercy. And yet, every second felt like an eternity, a reminder of her captivity, of how much power she had lost.

A door creaked open, and she could hear footsteps approaching. The guards entered, their presence suffocating. One of them, grinning sadistically, grabbed her by the hair, jerking her head back sharply. She gasped in pain, but the shock collar around her neck made it hard to even scream.

"You don't learn, do you?" one of them sneered. "You're going to wish you were never born, witch."

Wanda tried to fight back, her hands shaking with the effort to push them away, but her body was weak, her strength drained from the constant shocks. The collar sent another surge of electricity into her neck, and she cried out, the pain searing through her. She collapsed against the cold floor, gasping for air, but all she could hear was her own heartbeat pounding in her ears, drowning out everything else.

As the guard left, Wanda was left alone again. Her body shook, not just from the pain, but from the terror that gripped her. She curled into herself, her knees drawn up to her chest, trying to make herself small, invisible. The tears that flowed freely down her face were a constant reminder of how broken she felt. She had always been strong, and always believed she could handle anything. But this... this was something different. She didn't know how much longer she could endure the collar, the endless torment, the helplessness.

Her breath hitched as another wave of pain coursed through her, the collar forcing her body to react in ways it shouldn't. She screamed, but the sound was muffled by the weight of the despair pressing down on her chest.

"Please," she whispered weakly to no one, her voice barely a breath. "Please... someone... Lexi"

But the silence that followed only deepened the ache in her soul. Wanda's mind wandered in and out of consciousness, the world around her spinning, her thoughts jumbled. She didn't know how long she had been here—hours? Days? Time had lost meaning. She had lost meaning.

She could only hold on to the small flicker of hope deep within her—hope that someone would find her. That someone would come, even though she didn't know how or when.

She just had to hold on.

Wanda's eyes snapped open, her heart racing as she took in the unfamiliar surroundings. The room was quiet, sterile, and... peaceful, but she couldn't focus on that. Her breath came in short, shallow gasps as panic threatened to seize her chest. The memories of the shock collar, the burning pain, and the constant fear of being controlled gripped her.

She immediately tensed up, her body instinctively pulling into itself, almost as if she could curl up into a ball and disappear. The sudden movement caused her head to spin, and she let out a soft, panicked whimper, pressing her hands to her chest as if to hold herself together.

Her mind raced—what if they were just waiting for her to slip up, to give them an excuse to shock her again? What if they were going to punish her once more for the smallest thing? She couldn't bear the thought of it. She couldn't risk making the wrong move.

Suddenly, her eyes widened as she realized something—the shock collar, the weight around her neck—it wasn't there anymore. But her body remained stiff, the lingering fear so deeply ingrained that she froze, terrified to do anything.

Wanda's hands shook as they hovered by her neck. The bandages. She could feel them—she could move her hands. Tentatively, she reached for the bandages, her fingers trembling as they brushed the soft material. She didn't know if it was real or if she was still trapped in the nightmare. She needed to know if she was really free and if she could be safe again.

Her fingertips brushed against the bandages, trying to pull them off, trying to free herself from whatever this was, whatever this felt like. But before she could even begin, a gentle, yet firm hand stopped hers. "Wanda," Lexi's voice was soft, but firm, full of warmth and love. "It's okay. You're safe now."

Wanda's breath caught in her throat, her heart racing. She looked up to find Lexi beside her, her eyes filled with concern, but also with a tenderness that Wanda hadn't realized she needed so badly. Lexi's other hand cupped hers gently, stopping her from removing the bandages.

"Please," Lexi whispered, her voice soothing. "Don't take them off yet. Your neck is healing, you need to leave them alone, okay?" Wanda's breath hitched as the tears she had been holding back began to well in her eyes. She didn't know how to respond. She was scared. Scared of being hurt again. Scared of moving, speaking, or doing anything that might trigger the pain, the shock that had become her reality. The fear of it, the terror of being powerless, overwhelmed her.

"I... I can't..." Wanda's voice trembled, barely a whisper, her eyes cast downward, her body still rigid. "They're gonna come for me, they're gonna take me back—". "No," Lexi interrupted gently, shaking her head. "You're not there anymore. You're safe now, Wanda. I won't let anything happen to you.". "Where are we?". "Wakanda".

Her voice was a lifeline, pulling Wanda from the edge of her fear. But it didn't completely silence the worry that was still tangled tightly in her chest. Wanda tried to take a shaky breath, still unsure whether she was truly free from the torment.

"Shh," Lexi murmured, gently guiding Wanda's hand down from her neck. "I've got you. You don't have to be scared anymore." The touch of Lexi's hand on her own, warm and steady, felt like the first real comfort Wanda had experienced in what felt like an eternity. Her body still trembled, but the panic in her eyes started to recede, little by little.

Lexi leaned closer, her expression filled with tenderness as she softly wiped away a stray tear from Wanda's cheek. "You're going to be okay," Lexi said softly, the words carrying the weight of a promise. "Just breathe, Maxi. I'm here with you. Always."

Wanda let out a soft sob, the walls she had built up around to protect herself from them slowly beginning to crumble, piece by piece. She wasn't sure if she believed it yet, but for the first time, in the warmth of Lexi's presence, she felt the slightest glimmer of hope that it was done.

She allowed herself to lean into Lexi's touch, resting her head against her shoulder, her tears soaking into the fabric of Lexi's jacket. Lexi didn't pull away; she only held Wanda closer, her hand stroking her hair as she whispered comforting words, and kissed her head.

═══*.·:·.☽✧ ✦ ✧☾.·:·.*═══

Wanda lay in the medical bed, her body still trembling slightly from the trauma she had endured. She had been asleep for hours, but her mind kept replaying everything—every moment of pain, every feeling of helplessness. The comforting, steady presence of Lexi by her side was the only thing grounding her, making the nightmare seem less real.

As the hours passed, Lexi noticed Wanda's breathing slowing, her face softening, and for the first time in a long while, she looked at peace. Wanda's hand instinctively found Lexi's, gripping it with a desperation that made Lexi's heartache. She didn't need to say anything—Wanda was holding on to her, silently begging for comfort, for safety.

With a soft sigh, Wanda cuddled against Lexi's chest, and Lexi slowly, gently, ran her fingers through Wanda's tangled hair. It was the only way she knew how to reassure her, silently promising, more to herself than Wanda, that no matter what happened Lexi would protect her.

A few hours later, a soft knock on the door disturbed their quiet moment, and Lexi looked up to see a doctor enter the room. The doctor was calm and professional, offering a kind, understanding smile, but Lexi couldn't help but feel a tight knot form in her stomach.

"Miss Maximoff is stable," the doctor began, his voice soothing yet serious. He gave Lexi a brief glance. "We've conducted a thorough examination, and we've found that, physically, she's in a better state than we expected."

Lexi tensed slightly, her fingers tightening around Wanda, but she didn't speak. She needed to hear what came next.

"Miss Maximoff does not have any signs of pregnancy or sexually transmitted infections. There is no indication of permanent physical harm from the trauma she endured," the doctor continued. "However, we did find signs of physical violation—she was subjected to forced actions, but the perpetrator did not leave behind any fluids, and there were no internal injuries beyond some swelling and tenderness."

Wanda stirred slightly, her grip on Lexi's hand tightening again, as though she was subconsciously reliving the torment. The doctor's words echoed in Lexi's ears, and she bit down on her lip, trying to keep her emotions in check.

"Her body will heal," the doctor said softly, "but emotionally, she will need time. I recommend rest and continued support." Lexi nodded, swallowing back the lump in her throat. She hadn't expected to hear anything more comforting, but the confirmation that Wanda wasn't physically broken in a way that couldn't be repaired—this small bit of reassurance was enough to make her breathe a little easier.

As the doctor left the room, Lexi watched as she slept, exhausted from the emotional toll of it all. After a few moments of silence, an aid entered with a small package. Lexi looked up in confusion as he placed it in her hands. The package was small, wrapped carefully with a familiar red ribbon, and a note attached. She recognized the handwriting instantly.

She opened it and found a phone. Without thinking twice, she powered it on, holding her breath as the screen lit up. Before she could even process anything, the phone rang. The caller ID displayed a name she knew she'd see—Tony Stark.

Lexi held the phone to her ear, her arm around Wanda. It wasn't long before the familiar voice of her dad filled the line, and she immediately felt a wave of comfort wash over her. "Lexi," Tony's voice was low but filled with concern, "how's Wanda? Is she okay? And you... are you alright?"

Lexi let out a slow breath, her gaze softening as she looked down at Wanda, still resting peacefully. "She's... she's better, Dad. Physically, she's healing. But she's still shaken, you know? It's gonna take time."

Tony's voice softened in response. "I know, kiddo. You've been through a lot, both of you. But I trust you, and I know you'll take care of each other. Just... make sure you're taking care of yourself too, okay? You've gotta stay strong for her."

A small nod of understanding left Lexi's lips, even though she wasn't sure if he could hear it. She squeezed Wanda's hand a little tighter. "I will. I'm not leaving her side."

Tony was quiet for a moment before continuing, his tone shifting slightly. "I hate that I can't be there with you right now. But I'm working on it, I promise. We'll figure out a way. I just need you to hold on a little longer."

Lexi's heart clenched. The thought of not seeing her dad, of him being away when everything was so fragile... It hurt, but she knew he was doing everything he could. "I know, Dad. I'm... I'm holding on." There was a brief pause, then Tony's voice grew a little lighter, almost fond. "By the way, Rhodey's fine. Sends his love, you know. And Pepper and I—well, we're back together. I thought you should know."

Lexi smiled at the news, the small comfort of hearing her parents were okay, despite everything. But then, Tony's tone changed again, and her stomach twisted. "Listen, I've got some... some difficult news. About Bucky."

Lexi felt her stomach twist at the mention of his name. "What about him?"

Tony's voice was quieter now, tinged with regret. "It's about the Winter Soldier, not just what happened to him—it's what he did. What Steve never told anyone." He paused, and Lexi could hear him take a deep breath. "Bucky... he killed my parents. Your grandparents."

Lexi's breath caught in her throat, the world seemed to freeze around her. Howard and Maria Stark—her grandparents. The ones who had loved Tony fiercely, who had been taken from him so violently. She couldn't process the words. The devastation of their deaths—especially Maria's—had hurt Tony in ways that still echoed through his every action. The pain had never really gone away; it was just buried under the weight of his work, his life, his mission. She had seen him struggle with it, seen how much he tried to mask it for her sake. And now, to know that Steve, someone he had considered family, had kept such a devastating secret from him—it was too much. Too much to even comprehend. To think that Bucky, the man Steve had always spoken so highly of, had been the one to do that...

"What?" Lexi's voice was barely a whisper, her hand shaking as she held the phone. "Bucky... killed them? No, the Winter Soldier did." "Yeah," Tony confirmed softly, his voice breaking under the weight of the truth. "But Steve knew. He knew, and he didn't say a word."

Lexi's heart sank. This revelation felt like a knife to the chest. She knew how much her dad had suffered after losing them—how much Maria's death had wounded him. "No," Lexi gasped, shaking her head as if to deny it. "He knew? He... he didn't tell anyone? Not even you?"

"I don't think Steve knew how to tell me," Tony replied softly, the pain in his voice palpable. "He wanted to protect me from the truth, he said. But the fact is, it's too late now. I'm telling you because I don't want you to be blindsided when the rest of the team finds out."

Lexi's head spun. Steve, the man who had always been there, who had fought alongside them for so long... how could he keep something like this hidden? How could he not tell her, not tell Tony? She understood the loyalty Steve had to Bucky, but this was her father's parents they were talking about. The betrayal stung in a way she hadn't expected.

"I can't believe it," Lexi whispered, her voice thick with emotion. "How could he keep that from you? How could he let you live with that pain all these years?". Tony's sigh was long and weary. "I don't know, kiddo. I really don't. I just... I don't know how to make sense of any of this. But I'll figure it out."

The silence on the other end of the line felt oppressive, and then Tony's voice softened a little, trying to offer some comfort. "Are you okay?". "I will, don't worry about me, Star." Tony's chuckle was faint. "That's what I do best. It's part of being Tony Stark's daughter, you know?"

Tony laughed, even if it was just a little. "You sound like Pepper.". "When you spend so much time with someone, you tend to pick up a few things". "Yeah," Tony's voice was quieter now, a touch of warmth in his words. "I need you to take care of yourself, alright? Take care of Wanda. Keep your head on straight. We'll get through this together."

Lexi swallowed the lump in her throat as she looked down at Wanda, still sleeping peacefully on her chest. "I know, Dad. I won't let anything happen to her. I'll keep her safe." Tony's voice grew warm, filled with love and reassurance. "I know you will. I love you, Lex."

Lexi closed her eyes, feeling the weight of his words. "I love you too, Dad," she whispered, her voice cracking. "Please stay safe. I need you." "I will, kid. I'll talk to you soon," Tony replied, his voice steady but carrying the weight of everything they'd just shared. "Tell Uncle Rhodey I'm glad he's okay, and tell Mom I love her."

"Will do. Take care, Star." The line went quiet, and Lexi sat there for a moment, still holding the phone to her ear.

It hurt. What Bucky and Steve had done. She understood that the Winter Soldier had been responsible for the killings, not Bucky himself—but it didn't make it any easier to digest. Still, as much as she wanted to help Tony process this, she knew this was his fight, not hers. She had to focus on Wanda now, make sure she was safe. And, for Tony, she would carry this burden too, even if she couldn't shoulder it alone.

She turned to Wanda, still holding her close, and whispered softly, "I'll make sure you're safe. No matter what."