AN: Jessica's outfit is up top.

Trigger Warning

This chapter is going to be a little rough, since it has everyone's nightmares in it from AoU. Particularly Jessica's and Steve's- given their traumatic past. You have been warned.

✧

Out of all the places Jessica Lynne had gone, Africa was never one of them.

If the circumstances were different, the woman would have been ecstatic, always wanting to have experienced the vibrant culture and beauty it held.

But here she was, stepping off one of the Avenger's Quinjets on the African coast to find someone who was stealing a precious metal and used it for power.

She wondered if Howard Stark had been doing the same, but quickly shook it off remembering when he said he had found a deposit of it on the outskirts of the city they knew nothing about.

Steve took Jessica from her thoughts of the past, taking her hand.

She turned to him as he said, "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, hero," Jessica whispered, pit twisting in her stomach, "I just have a bad feeling about this."

Steve took a sharp intake of breath and turned to the Avengers, meeting the eyes of Tony, saying, "Eyes up."

"You picking up on something, Poison Ivy?" Tony questioned as they began walking under the hot sun.

Jessica scanned the graveyard and pursed her lips, "Danger."

"Everyone stay on task," Cali told, coming up beside Jessica, taking her attention, "Hopefully we will just be in and out."

No one continued as they made their way through the desert, Chess and Bruce having stayed in the Quinjet.

They had just entered the second level of the supposedly abandoned ship when they heard Ultron's robotic voice say, "Stark is... he's a sickness."

"Ah, junior," Tony falsely sighed, as though he was hurt, "You're gonna break your old man's heart."

Jessica listened from beside Natasha, feet light as they approached on the sides instead of the front, where Steve, Thor and Tony were.

"If I have to."

Thor spoke for the first time, saying, "Nobody has to break anything."

"Clearly you've never made an omelet," Ultron said, making Jessica wrinkle her nose at his idea of a joke.

Tony shook his head, saying, "He beat me my just one second."

"Ah, yes," A new voice said, Pietro stepping beside Ultron while his sister, Wanda, and best friend, Andromeda, stood back slightly, "He's funny. Mr. Stark. It's what? Comfortable?"

Pietro looked to the side and landed on a crate containing bombs and finished, "Like old times?"

"This was never my life."

Steve stepped up, saying, "You three can still walk away from this."

"Oh, we will," Wanda hummed, sarcasm laced in her tone.

Andromeda looked to Steve carefully when he met her eyes, saying, "I know you've suffered."

The woman went to respond when Ultron scoffed, chuckling to himself before saying, "Captain America? Where is your serial killer wife to speak for you when you need her?"

Jessica's fists clenched at that, Natasha placing her hand on her shoulder to calm her as Ultron continued.

"God's righteous man. Pretending you could live without a war. I can't physically throw up in my mouth, but-"

Thor cut him off, tone as though he was done with this conversation, "If you believe in peace, then let us keep it."

"I think you're confusing "peace" with "quiet"."

Tony hummed, saying, "Uh-huh. What's the vibranium for?"

"I'm glad you asked that because I wanted to take this time to explain my evil plan," Ultron chuckled to himself.

Within a moment, everyone was fighting, Ultron having blasted Tony. Men began infiltrating the room Natasha and Jessica were in, the women working in unison to take them down together.

Jessica's hands were curled toward her palm in a rigid surge of power, the metal shelves that were beside them bending at her will. Both her eyes and hands were an electric green, Jessica flicking her wrist making the metal bars shoot forward and hit the men.

They flew backwards from the force while Natasha kicked another in the head, sending them the same way into the wall. She grabbed a man and used her leverage to run slightly on the wall, curling her body around his and sending him to the floor.

Jessica quickly moved her hands and manipulated the metal grate that was taking place of the floor to grow and cover their hands, mending them to it. The men were sealed against it and Natasha looked to her, tilting her head lightly.

"Thanks."

"No problem."

Indistinct radio chatter echoed in her ear, the woman briefly hearing Bruce's voice but not being able to make out the words.

"Thor, status."

"The girl tried to warp my mind. I doubt a human could keep her at bay. Fortunately, I am mighty."

Sylvi groaned in everyone's earpiece, saying, "Now, that? That I doubt."

Jessica and Natasha continued their way through the corridor before a light ringing began in their ears, the elder redhead groaning lightly from the shriek that cut through her mind. Wanda, who was guilty for the intrusion on the women's minds, tilted her head lightly at Jessica's reaction.

It wasn't until Wanda forcefully placed both of her hands on Jessica's head from behind that the woman's eyes glowed a red, her mind finally being subdued.

Jessica's mind was whirring, a scream echoing throughout that made her temples pulsate. Her eyes lightly closed from the pain surging through her, the intrusion of Wanda's powers fighting against her own.

When Jessica opened her eyes once more, her blood ran cold, finding herself being bound to the ceramic table that Hydra had once strapped her down to for almost seventy years. Her breathing hitched when loud footsteps began making their way toward her.

Her green eyes watched as the door slowly opened, nails digging into her palms as her wrists wringed against the leather keeping her in place. A loud sigh of relief came to her when she met the eyes of Steve, the man dressing the same was when they had rescued Bucky years ago.

"Steve," Jessica cried dry tears, "Get me out of here."

The man made his way toward her, blue eyes as cold as the ceramic under her shoulders. Jessica's brows furrowed when he simply stopped beside her, fingers finding the wiring that connected to the electrodes that were on her temples.

"Anyone there, Captain?" A voice called out, Jessica looking between her husband and the empty doorframe.

Steve only looked to her as he said, "Negative. Go to the next floor."

Steps receded immediately and panic hit Jessica, wrists moving quicker while she said, "Steve? Hero, what are you talking about? Get me out of here."

"You know what you did, Jessica. You're a monster. You deserve to die here."

A whine left Jessica as tears began to pool in her eyes, chest tightening when she shook her head.

"No, no. This isn't you."

Steve suddenly surged forward and slammed his hands down on the ceramic beside her hand, face merely inches from her as she flinched back, her eyes closing.

"No! You don't get to be a ruthless killer and live a happy life. Especially what you did to me."

Tears fell down her cheeks when she opened her eyes once more, whispering, "Steve, no. You know that I didn't do it. I would never-"

"-But you did!" Steve screamed, Jessica shrinking into herself as his nose touched her cheek from the closeness, "You ruin everything in your path. You killed him."

Jessica's chin trembled as her stomach churned, tears blotching her cheeks and falling down her neck.

"I didn't," Her voice was gravely from the phlegm in her throat, "I didn't mean to."

Steve growled as a sudden pain shot through Jessica's lower abdomen, "I don't care. You ruined my life. I hate you. And now you deserve to suffer."

Jessica's neck stretched as she tried to look down at her body from her parallel position on the table, eyes widening as a red suddenly started to stain the white blanket around her legs.

An unescapable scream left her jaw slacked, stomach spasming before a sharp pain ran through her back and down her spine. The air left her and bile rose in her throat, blinding pain reaching her lower body causing her legs to shake.

Whispers began in her ears and she shook her head violently, crying, "No! No, please."

Her heart sank when the screaming in her head got louder, a forceful weight burdening her thoughts and mind. The pressure building within her got too much as outside voices began infiltrating the mental anguish Wanda put her under, the woman fighting against everything in her.

Jessica suddenly lurched forward, the restraints holding her as her eyes glowed the most brilliant green they ever had, hands looking as though they were on what looked to be a green fire.

A godawful thunder left Jessica's lips as she screamed in real time and her dream state, her powers finally overcoming Wanda's within her mind. The woman fell to the ground beside Natasha, who was taken from her own nightmare state from the noise, the warehouse building they were in shaking enough to make everyone lose their balance.

Jessica's head fell back as the concussive scream she had let out finished, mind suddenly free from Wanda's entrancement. Her body convulsed while she tried to open her heavy eyelids, vision blurry.

"Jess? Jessica?" A voice called, the woman feeling two hands on her.

Her vision cleared enough to see blonde, Jessica whispering, "Cali?"

"It's me, jaybird," Cali smiled, cupping her jaw, "Come on, we have to get out of here. We need to find Steve."

Clint, who was unaffected from Wanda's manipulation, made his way to the other side of Jessica where Natasha was. Cali helped Jessica stand, the woman immediately falling forward due to her lack of equilibrium.

Cali caught her, wrapping her arm around her waist while Jessica faintly put hers over her shoulder.

Tony's voice was suddenly heard through the Avenger's earpieces, saying, "Sylvi, I could really use a lullaby."

"That's not gonna happen," Clint told him, holding Natasha as they made their way to find the others, "Not for a while. The whole team beside Cali and I are down. You got no backup here."

"I'm calling in Veronica."

Jessica licked her lips, exhaustion prickling her as she said, "Why didn't you and Cali get affected?"

"He stuck an electric arrow on Wanda's head," Cali explained, grunting as she helped Jessica walk down the stairs, "Andromeda didn't use her powers on me."

Clint looked to her, saying, "What do you mean?"

"She told Wanda that she was going to help put us all in a nightmare state, got to me and told me to save everyone," Cali told, her brows furrowing in thought, "She doesn't want to hurt anyone. I don't think she's with Ultron like the twins are."

"How nice of her."

The four finally got to the main floor where everyone seemed to congregate, Jessica letting out a whine of relief when she saw Steve.

She knew nothing in her dream was true, that Steve would never say any of those things; even if it was her biggest fear.

Steve's relief was evident as his eyes softened, feet moving quickly to help Jessica untangle herself from Cali. He looked to the blonde woman.

"Thank you."

Cali put her hands on her hips, letting out a long breath, "No problem."

Jessica leaned on Steve fully, knowing he could handle it, hands on his chest while he wrapped his arms around her waist.

"What happened with Bruce?" Sylvi suddenly voiced, blue eyes widening as she looked between everyone.

When no one answered, she quickly turned running through the warehouse and out to the coastline. Everyone followed, albeit slower than the woman, making their way over to the Quinjet, finding the doors wide open.

The Avengers stopped when they saw Chess crouched in a corner, Slyvi kneeling beside her.

"Chess? What happened?"

The woman licked her lips, saying, "Static was just coming through the radios. Bruce didn't know what to do. He opened the doors and all the sudden his eyes went red and he yelled for me to get back. He ran outside and then Hulk'd out."

"They got him," Cali shook her head, "Wanda got to him. She must have done it from far away and didn't know you were in here, too."

"What are we gonna do?"

✧

A few hours later, the silence in the jet was deafening, everyone in their own thoughts of what happened.

Sylvi was sitting with Bruce, who was turned the opposite way, not being able to face his fiancé in the eye in shame, despite it not being his fault. Chess and Rocky were huddled together, the younger of the sister's holding onto Chess with a harsh grip.

Roxanne Stark, though not scared of much, couldn't handle the thought of almost losing her sister again. So, her nightmare was to witness past events of Chess' past.

Sylvi relived the horrid drownings of armies Odin forced her to flood, Thor witnessing the destruction of Asgard. Natasha was in her thoughts of her past, reliving the graduation ceremony of the Red Room until hearing Jessica's scream from the outside.

Eden had relived her death and being taken away from Loki, while Lene, who was beside her, had been made to see the remnants of her past when her family were forced to become vampires after her younger brother's death.

Jessica was sitting in Steve's lap, the pair eerily quiet as they held onto one another for what seemed to be dear life. Steve's head was buried in Jessica's neck while she ran her fingers through his hair unconsciously, green eyes dull.

The woman was only pulled from her thoughts when Steve moved slightly, whispering, "What did you see, baby?"

"The usual nightmare that is untrue," Jessica's voice matched his, "What did you see?"

Steve sighed lightly, eyes closed as his face was pressed against her skin, a calming feeling overwhelming him just from her touch.

"What life could have been like for us," He finally spoke softly, "I didn't go down in the ice that day. We were getting remarried and..."

Steve trailed off and Jessica kissed the side of his head, letting him take his time to continue through his tears.

"You were pregnant... but there was blood everywhere," He finally forced out, lifting his head to meet her eyes that were slightly glistening from tears reentering her eyes.

Jessica pursed her lips, jaw clenching to not let her chin quiver from his nightmare. Of course Steve would have the same nightmare as her, their fears almost being identical.

And she made that become his nightmare. It was her fault, at least to her.

She was taken from her thoughts when Steve trailed his hand to her jaw, fingers tangling in her hair as he placed his forehead on hers.

"You know it's not your fault," He whispered, feeling her body stiffen as though she was full of guilt, "I love you. Jessica, I love you. Nothing is ever going to change that, Brooklyn baby."

Jessica sniffed, pulling back lightly to meet his eyes, when her lips pouted from sadness, "I love you, too, hero. Promise me that we will get through this pain."

"I promise," Steve kissed the crease between her brows, Jessica melting into his touch when he held her closer, "As long as we have one another."

The couple left it at that, holding one another until Maria Hill called from the Avengers tower.

"The news is loving you guys," She told through the speakers, "Nobody else is. There's been no official call for Banner's arrest but it's in the air."

Bruce limped in his seat, body curling in on himself even more at her words. Sylvi wrapped her arm around him, head burying in his neck from behind as she whispered to him.

"The Stark Relief Foundation?" Tony asked Maria, knowing the woman would have to be in charge of it since Chess was with them.

Maria answered instantly, "Already on the scene. How's the team?"

"Everyone's..." Tony trailed off, looking to his friends before responding softly, "We took a hit. We'll shake it off. How are Cali's kids? Are they safe?"

"Lennon and Layla are safe under lockdown security through the contract Fury created. Nothing is getting to them. But, for now, I'd stay in stealth mode and stay away from here. We will find a rendezvous for them if need be."

Tony sighed, knowing Cali wanted to be with her children, "So, run and hide?"

"Until we can find Ultron, I don't have a lot else to offer."

"Neither do we."

Tony and Maria hung up, Jessica turning and seeing Cali sitting with her head in her hands beside Lene, who had an arm around her. Jessica gave her husband a look and he nodded, giving her a light, grim smile.

Jessica got up from his lap and made her way over to her friend, Chess watching from the other side of the chairs as she was still in the middle of Natasha and Rocky, who were very close in proximity to her. The redheaded woman knelt down on the ground and met Cali's eyes, the blonde looking to the floor until she saw Jessica.

Her eyes were full of tears, teeth chewing on her lip as Jessica put her hand on her knee, whispering, "I promise the kids are going to be okay, Cali. Nothing is getting to them."

"If they could take all of us down, they can get to the kids," Cali murmured, a stray tear finally falling as her lips curled downward, "And I can't even get to them."

Eden reached forward from the other side of her, saying, "Cali, protocol has them locked down. Your contract stated that. They're secure."

"You know where they are, Cali," Clint suddenly said from the pilot's chair, everyone turning to him.

Cali stood, quickly making her way to the archer as Jessica got up from her knees.

"Where are they?" Cali's voice was harsh and firm.

Clint sighed, saying, "Fury made up a lot of contracts. One's for me, too. They're somewhere no one knows about."

The implied statement mad Cali's face fall as she said, "Missouri? Really?"

Jessica's brows furrowed, "Okay, I may be new to this century, but that the hell is everyone talking about?"

"We're going to a safe house," Clint simply stated, "Calista and I have a lot more on the line then the rest of you. It's only fitting what we need protected stay together."

Jessica simply shook her head as Steve wrapped an arm around her, everyone in the team glancing at one another.

"Missouri, how fun. Now, isn't that the "Show-Me" state?"

"More like the "Gateway to the West"."

"Oh, ew. I'm allergic to the Midwest."

✧

AN: I know, I know. I've been gone for a while. Midterms are a bitch.

Also, I'm sorry that this chapter isn't the longest, I really just wanted to get it out to you guys.