─ THE BROKEN GIRL ─

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August 15th, 2011
Hydra Base, Siberia

With a harsh hit to the ground, Alessia let out a groan as she took a steady breath gritting her teeth. She opened her eyes in time to roll out of the way of the next punch, pushing off of the ground before wrapping her legs around the man's waist and forcing a hit into his face. Alessia twisted her body using her body weight to force the man to the ground before she pushed off his body and kicked him hard in the face. The man groaned in pain as Alessia turned to the mirror, she wasn't stupid, she knew that men stood on the other side watching her.

The man got back to his feet, he smirked to himself before attempting to attack Alessia again. The girl was too quick, she instantly turned and used him to flip over him, snapping his neck in the process. The man fell to the ground with a thud as Alessia landed in a "superhero stance" with his eyes focused on the mirror. Unknown to her, Viktor and another man watched her with impressed smiles on their faces, the two of them nodded to each other before Viktor looked to the guards.

The two guards lead Alessia back to her usual cell, the girls blank expression evident of Hydra's control over her. She was just another empty shell under the orders of one of the world's biggest enemies awaiting the day to be free from the them or the world itself. The moment Alessia was in her cell, the front man stepped forward and called the word freeing Alessia from the soldier. The girl collapsed to the ground as the guards locked the heavy metal door and walking away jumping into a conversation about another guards death.

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December 21st 1995
Sokovia, Eastern Europe

Alessia raced up the stairs and pushed open her older brothers door with a smile on her face. "Quick! We'll miss the fireworks!!" Alessia joyfully exclaimed, Aiden smiled back before the two grabbed their candy bags and rushed up to the roof. Aiden steadied Alessia as they walked along the roof, both of them sat down comfortably with their candy bags seated in their laps as they waited for the fireworks to begin. They had been waiting for this day for three weeks and despite their parents being out for date night and their babysitter asleep on the couch, they were happy.

Both of them gasped in excitement as the first fireworks exploded in the sky, the two of them munching on their candy as they cheered for the fireworks together. "You know, life is never as it seems, little dreamer," Aiden tells his sister with a smile. She moved her gaze from the fireworks to her older brother, "What do you mean, Aiden?" He sighed thoughtfully, attempting his fathers skill of teaching her something new about the world. "I mean... Look at those fireworks, right?" Aiden began getting a nod of understanding from Alessia.

Aiden smiled as he continued, "Well, they can be dangerous to those around them but there is still beauty in that risk. Always remember that even the most dangerous things can hold beauty in its own way." Alessia took a moment to take in his words only half understanding the lesson he attempted to teach, but she still burned those words into her mind as she smiled up at Aiden. "Even nature can be beautiful yet dangerous, you should always trust you first instinct and of course, remember that because something seems dangerous, it doesn't mean it is," Aiden added before the two focused on the firework show, the distant music playing softly.

It wasn't long till Alessia grew tired and the candy ran out, the siblings made their way inside just as their parents walked in the door. The wide smile on their mother's face made the two happy as they raced over to their parents, Aiden wrapping his arms around Winona while Christopher picked up Alessia in his arms. "How was the date?" Aiden asked them. "It was wonderful," Winona tells her kids before kissing Alessia's cheek then Aiden's head, "Now it is late and you two need to get to bed." Both kids began to groan only to be cut off by yawns making their parents laugh.

Christopher turned to Winona, "You wake their babysitter and I'll get them to bed." Winona nodded, kissing her husband's cheek before walking towards the livingroom. "All right, what story for tonight and who's room?" Christopher asks his children as they head towards the stairs. "Alessia's room!" Aiden called out. "And the story of Shadow," Alessia added as they walked into her room. Christopher laughed as he put Alessia down, both kids rushed over to the bed and quickly climbed under the covers comfortably.

Christopher told the two the story of The Shadow, Winona walked in during the story and sat with them as Aiden dozed off to sleep first. Alessia stayed awake through the whole story before laying back in the bed looking up at her father, "Does the Shadow ever get a happy ever after?" Christopher let out a shaky breath before leaning down and kissing her forehead, "I hope so. Goodnight bunny." Alessia let out another yawn before closing her eyes and falling asleep with ni worries in the world.

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August 18th, 2011
Hydra Base, Siberia

Twenty-three year old, Alessia yawned as she rubbed her tired eyes, she turned her head to the concrete wall across from her bed where she marked each day she was herself. The memories of her life were slowly flashing back to her, which they only allowed because Viktor enjoyed watching the light fade from her eyes each time they summoned the inner soldier they created. She hesitantly got up from the uncomfortable bed and walked over to the wall, a vent in the wall allowed her to talk to her only friend.

Alessia cleared her throat, "Are you awake?" She waited a moment, a groan echoed through the room. "Of course I am not awake... Anyone can get decent sleep on a concrete bed in a concrete cell with no heating, can't you?" Alessia best friend, Aaron Spencer spoke sarcastically. Alessia rolled her eyes before leaning back against the wall, "Good morning to you too, Aaron." The two continued talking for a few hours, the topics consisting on what they would do if they were free for twenty-four hours with no consequences.

Aaron sighed, "Hey Lessie?" Alessia raised her head from looking at the bland ground, "Yeah?" Aaron cleared his throat, "Have you had anymore dreams about your mystery man?" Alessia went quiet as she shrunk down in the corner. Her mystery man... For a while, Alessia had been getting memories of her and some man in a mask, a few encounters and for some cursed reason, the moment the mask is removed, she wakes up. She had no memory of his face, name or why he haunted her dreams but she was curious and labelled him as Shadow.

Alessia coughed slightly, "He's still a mystery and it's always the same dream... He finally starts to remove the mask then just as he pulls it away, I wake up." Aaron stayed silent for a moment before letting out a sigh. "Maybe you never saw his face, that's why you wake up each time?" Aaron theorized, his British accent soothing the slight pounding headache that Alessia had. "Yeah, maybe... Who knows?" Alessia replied before they fell into a comfortable silence, the two just enjoying the time as themselves and not some controlled assassin.

Alessia and Aaron were both taken the same night but ended up in different facilities, Alessia wasn't bought to this facility in Siberia until around three years ago. The two quickly realized who each other was, considering he had been the new kid that became friends with Alessia, Wanda and Pietro. Alessia spent time thinking about the twins, she only hoped they moved on from her "death" and made something of themselves.

Alessia hated Hydra with a fiery passion, she couldn't understand their strong desire to create super soldiers by kidnapping children or soldiers, brainwashing them and traumatizing them for their own gains. She knew for certain that if she ever got free, she would spend her life tearing Hydra apart and ruining everything they had built. Without realizing, Hydra had created their biggest threat and she was just waiting for the chance to show it. And Alessia may be broken in many ways, but she was determined for vengeance for her family and Aaron's.

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August 22nd, 2011
Hydra Base, Siberia

Alessia grittered her teeth as she adjusted the bandage that was wrapped around her chest, her cracked ribs limiting how much she could move. She knew they'd be healed up in a few hours but it still hurt like a bitch. She shouldn't have been surprised that she had to fight up against another Super Soldier, but she just wasn't expecting it to be Juggernaut, as she and Aaron had nicknamed him. It was a punishment from Viktor for attempting an escape from the lab during some tests, she had killed a few guards in the process.

Aaron was rambling about how he had to fight some woman from Korea and about how badly he wanted to stop. He had his ass kicked but he only found it incredible, her strength stunned him and he was keen to spar with her rather than fight her. Alessia rolled her eyes, "This is why it's hard to tell if you are straight or gay, Aaron." Aaron laughed, "Lessie, I am definitely gay but that doesn't mean I can't appreciate a woman." Alessia laughed, biting her cheek at the pain from her ribs. "Yeah, you got a point," Alessia responded before leaning back against the cool wall.

The two friends spoke for hours knowing they wouldn't be disturbed due to their injuries needing to heal, they were two of Hydra's best fighters. "Lessie?" Aaron suddenly said during a moment of silence. "Yes Aaron?" Alessia lazily replied. "Do you think we'll ever get out of here?" The hope prominent in Aaron's voice again. Alessia stayed silent, the last one who managed to escape Hydra had been brought back by Hydra's most fearless soldier; The Winter Soldier. And they were killed instantly due to the orders the powerful assassin was told.

Aaron took the silence as an answer knowing that Alessia wasn't certain on that, she knew she'd fight for freedom but she wasn't sure she risk dying for it. Aaron started to fall asleep as Alessia stretched, her ribs had healed and she removed the bandage from her chest. She lied back on her uncomfortable slab of concrete they called a bed, closing her eyes to try and get some sleep. An alarm blaring woke her up completely, "What the?" Soon after, an explosion echoed through the halls of the cell block followed by gunfire and guards calling out intruders.

The heavy metal doors unlocked, both soldiers opened them and stepped out of their bland cold cells. "Let's go, shall we?" Alessia said as she turned to look at Aaron, a wide grin on his face. "Freedom awaits!" Aaron cheered before the two made their way down the hall. "Miss me?" A female's voice bounced off of the walls, both soldiers turned to look in the direction of the voice. "ALINA?!" Aaron cheered before hugging her, Alessia nodded slightly at the woman. "It's the rebellion, baby. America awaits," Alina said before the three of them dashed out of the facility.

Viktor stood in their way of the exit with an angered expression. Alina and Aaron stepped to the side allowing Alessia to step forward, she simply smirked at the man that took everything from her. "You're dead, Volkov. For my family," Alessia said before running towards the man, she threw the first punch before dodging his attempt. Every training lesson, every kill and every second in that facility prepared her for this very moment. Without the need to drag the fight on, she pushed off of the ground wrapping her legs around his torso from behind.

She leaned down to his ear ready to speak in Russian, "See you in hell, scum." She snapped his neck before pushing off of his falling body and landing on her feet. Finally, Viktor Volkov was dead and now, Alessia could finally start tearing Hydra apart one by one. The three escapees took off towards the rebellions vehicles, jumping into one and taking off towards the private airstrip that would take them to America. Alessia looked out the window watching the beautiful landscape speed by, taking in a deep breath before smiling lightly ready for whatever is next.

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March 16th, 2008
Unknown Location

Alessia lifted the larger man over her shoulder, slamming him to the ground with strong force. She let out a breath before turning to knock out the attacker before he could attempt to stand up. Once the attacker had been neutralized, Alessia lifted her head to make eye contact with the guard standing in the room with her. Alessia stood silent and tall, her hands tucked behind her back as the doctors approached her to check her stability. The main doctor looked up at her with pity, he hated witnessing all of this but knew he would die if he walked away.

Once they were done checking her over, she was lead back to her room where she leaned back against the concrete wall. After some time, the door opened followed by loud footsteps catching Alessia's full attention. Alessia lifted her head, the masked man stood before her and she couldn't fight the slight smile that appeared on her face at his sudden arrival. The door closed and mystery man sat down across from Alessia, he was just watching her silently as she ran her fingers through her short hair.

He slowly removed the mask and lightly smiled at Alessia, his face shadowed by the dim lighting before speaking Russian, "You seem to be giving them a lot of trouble." Alessia smirked at him before shrugging, "I guess I just learnt from the best." He nodded before looking down, Alessia slowly got up and made her way over to him. She sat down next to him and rested her head on his shoulder, "We'll find a way out of here, Soldier." He rested his head on top of hers, "I'm sure we will." Alessia closed her eyes letting her exhaustion take over, feeling the safest she's ever felt with him right next to her.

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-Rose <3
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