Song: Ariana Grande - safety net.

'I can't believe you...' Y/n huffs as she crosses her arms over her chest. She's glaring out the window to whatever they pass.

Not even 5 minutes ago, Peter and Steve caught up with Alissa and y/n, dragging them into a car to bring them back to the place Alissa suggested. Much to Y/n's dismay.

'It's safer this way.. that's what you wanted... I trust Peter...' Alissa replies from the backseat, holding hands with the boy.

'So how are you-' Steve tries to start a conversation, but Y/n is not having any of it.

'Don't you even start Rogers' Y/n cuts the man off, huffing as she sinks deeper into the passengers-seat. He focusses back on the road ahead of him again, a bit frustrated that she won't even have a decent conversation with him.

Peter looks at Alissa, as if asking her what is going on between his older brother and her older sister. She shakes her head slightly. 'I'll explain later.' She whispers.

'Y/n...' he sighs, she rolls her eyes. 'I'm on your side-'

'Oh..' she lets out a pained chuckle. 'Are you now?, you sure have a weird way of showing it...'

'What do you mean?'

'Ooh..' comes Alissa's voice from the backseat making Steve's eyebrows knit together as he turns his head to Y/n again.

'Oh so you're trying to tell me that you being on our side, whatever the hell that means... you show by calling the cops on me right after I told you?'

'Steve why would you do that?' Peter asks from the backseat.

'I didn't...' his reply is full of confusion.

'Yeah right... you didn't.. that's why I still can't move properly!' She retorts, fuming in her seat.

'I didn't y/n!, I waited two hours for you!, you didn't show!'

'Because I was laying half dead in an alley!, right after you send that text! I have to walk around with this scar for the rest of my life because you couldn't handle the truth!'

It gets dead silent after her reply. She feels the tears brimming her eyes but she catches her lip between her teeth to stop herself. How could he lie about this right to her face? Is being honest so damn hard?

They decide to spend the night at Steve's. Much to Y/n's dismay.. again. She has trouble putting up with the man that caused her so much pain and suffering. He's a constant reminder of her most happy moments in life and the worst.

'Are you guys okay?, I heard something happened-' Jenny's panicked voice comes through the speaker of Y/n's phone.

'We're fine Jen... we Uh.. had help..were actually staying over.. we will be back tomorrow...' she stares out into the streets of New York. It's so vibrant, even late in the evening.

'Where?'

'Downtown New York...'

'Do you need me to pick you up tomorrow?'

'No.. I'll be fine...' Y/n's sigh makes Jenny more worried than she already was.

'After what happened... Justine was on tv Again..' Jen sighs with a hint of disgust lacing her voice.

'What did she say?' Y/n asks slowly bringing her fingers to her lips. She unknowingly starts chewing on her nails. Her own nasty habit.

'She told the people that it's another heathen gone rogue, she started whining about being careful and how dangerous we are...' Jenny's tone brings a small smile to Y/n's lips, even though it's not that funny, Jenny's fake whiny voice makes her smile somehow.

'The hate I have for that woman... god it just reached a new level I didn't even know I had...'

Steve is just around the corner, knowing that he really shouldn't be listening to this, but he can't help it. The woman he loves is right around the corner, just hearing her voice makes his heart flutter.

'That's quite an achievement...' Jenny replies making her let out a laugh. Steves heart swells upon hearing it.

'I'll see you tomorrow...' Jenny speaks. 'Oh and the plan still continues... Cole is at Starks to make sure it gets documented...'

'Sorry I'm making us wait with the plan...'

'No stop... I get it Y/n... everyone does... and when we finally continue the plan... we will make them pay... you hear me? We will change everything...'

'Yeah... we will... Bye...' Y/n ends the call.

She lets the phone drop as her head lulls forward right into her hand. The spots on her thighs hurt from her elbows digging into them. But she doesn't care, the position helps her breathe somehow. It takes away the crushing of her lungs.

She takes a deep breath before opening her eyes again and falling back in the chair.

'You alright?' Steve asks as he hands her a glass of water. She takes it with a stoic face and replies with a fine.

'I don't own a guest room other than the one for peter, which he shares with Alissa now-'

'Couch is fine...' she replies.

'Okay...'

On cue, Peter and Alissa walk in, still holding hands and smiling to themselves. Already dressed in pyjamas, ready to go to bed.

'We just uh.. wanted to say good night to you both...' Alissa smiles. 'So Steve... thanks for letting us stay here.. and good night y/n.. if something-'

'I'll be okay kiddo...' Y/n softly smiles at her little sister, she opens her arms to give her a hug and kiss on the head. 'No funny business...' she whispers with a smirk.

'Y/n come on...' Alissa whispers back making her big sister chuckle fondly. 'I wasn't joking...'

'Night...'

'Night...'

She watches them leave again before the smile falters, it's exhausting, the way she wants to come across to Alissa. The happy facade she tries to keep up, it's draining her both mentally and physically. Steve sees it, he's always been worried about her but this, this is something else entirely. Whatever happened that night permanently damaged her. He needs to find out, but knowing he won't get any answers from the woman herself, he decides the best thing to do is to ask his dad for help, he's a policeman after all.

But for now he just wants to sleep, just like Y/n wants to.

It doesn't take long for Steve to get consumed by sleep after they've both laid down. Y/n however takes longer than usual. Her head fills with negative thoughts. Flashbacks of the past haunt her when she tries to close her eyes. Eventually sleep overtakes her, tiredness winning from her ongoing mind.

Y/n opens her eyes, slowly sitting up in the bed. Her eyes scan her surroundings, a large window, white curtains draping in front of it, a large closet, a door and then another door, probably to a bathroom. It all seems familiar, too familiar.

She can hear someone behind the mentioned door, it doesn't raise suspicion, much to her surprise, she wouldn't normally just let things like that slide, she wouldn't react calmly to it like this, but somehow it all feels familiar.

She slides out of bed and walks to the door. The smell of fresh eggs and bacon fills her nose when she opens it. Frowning, she walks through the apartment, or she thinks it's an apartment.

'Morning sleepyhead... I thought you might appreciate breakfast...'  Steve smiles as he turns to her.

'Thanks...' she replies hesitantly, looking back at the bedroom. When did she move there? She doesn't even remember going from the couch to his bedroom, very out of character once again..

'Where are Peter and Alissa?'

'They went out...won't be back until late tonight I think...'

'Why?'  Y/n asks before shoving some eggs in her mouth. 'He's going to bring her to one of those camps.. she'd be safer there...'

Y/n chokes on her food, no he wouldn't... what is going on?

'Don't worry, I wouldn't send you there when I have the pleasure of "healing" you myself... after all you did betray me.. you lied to me for months at a time...' he grins as he turns around.

She hastily steps back, feeling like her feet are getting sucked into the ground like she's in quicksand. Her breathing speeds up when she can't move away from Steve as he gets closer.

His figure towers over her, a wicked grin displayed on his face. 'Stop... get away from me...' she warns him, her voice betraying her.

'Doe You honestly think a man like me would just accept such a creature like you?' A menacing laugh leaves his lips.

Y/n throws a couple punches, he dodged every single one before growing tired of it and shoved her, she topples to the ground. Steve is quick to kneel beside her. 'Maybe if you'd have a pretty scar, a white eye, maybe then I would consider.. why don't we do that honey?' His voice is sickly sweet.

'No... stop please...' she begs him, trying to shield herself.

She can feel the pain in her eye, the stabbing pain of something slashing it. She scream out at the top of her lungs.

She starts trashing in Steve's grip. Trying to hit him again before she hears a distant voice call out her name. It gets clearer the more she wakes.

'Y/n... wake up... c'mon...' Steve is towering over her again but this time around there's no smile, no grin, no sign of any evil.

She shoots upright and manages to actually shake herself out of Steve's grip. She gets up and slumps to the ground again, trying so hard to get away from the man that his heart breaks.

She ends up with her back against the nearest wall. Her body is shaking. She's making herself as little as possible while sobs escape her lips.

'Hey... Its just a nightmare..' Steve tries to get closer but something tells him not to, probably one of the wisest decisions he has ever made.

Alissa hurries into the living room with Peter closely following behind. 'What's happening?'

'I don't know... she was screaming, I think she had a nightmare...' Steve replies. Alissa sees her sister and immediately hurries by her side.

'Shhh, Y/n... shhh... I'm here... are You?' She asks.

Y/n looks up to her sister and nods slightly. 'Name five things in the room...' Alissa commands stern.

'Window.... table... tv...' her eyes search around the room. 'Cushions... a picture frame...' she answers.

'Four things you feel...'

'Throat...hurts..' her hand slowly comes up to clutch it. 'Your hand on my cheek... my hands are shaking... cold floor...' she again answer her sister.

'Good... You're okay... take a few breaths... you're okay.. 3 colors you see?'

'Red, yellow.... Blue..'

Y/n can't keep the tears from escaping as more sobs tear through her body. She collapses in Alissa's arms. Steve stares at the scene in front of him. How could it have gone so far? How could he have let it come so far?