Nat and Sam had seen how their best friends always seemed to be avoiding everyone, all the time, these days. The pair decided they needed to find the girl, no matter the risk.
Just as they agreed to search again on their own, the bifrost shook the whole compound. As soon as the light had gone, Thor and Loki were both yelling from the burned lawn. Thor was running in while Loki simply teleported himself into the same room as Tony, Bruce, Sharon, and Pepper. It was then that Dr. Strange also appeared via his own portal. He embraced Loki briefly before both of their faces turned serious once more. It was apparent that something big had happened so Tony had Friday alert the team for everyone to meet in the lab. He debated on moving but ultimately decided that he had more to keep his hands busy in the lab; in case his nerves got the better of him.
As everyone converged on the lab, the tension grew. The looks on the faces of the men who had been there prior was enough to put everyone on edge. Becca and Bucky exchanged glances as they saw the others before Steve spoke up. "Please tell me you have a lead or even a possible lead."
"We have something but I am unsure what it means yet. Our source in Asgard was more cryptic than helpful." Loki's voice was tight and frustrated, different than his usual lazy and disinterested tone. Steve and Bucky side-eye one another at the change of tone before their gazes clashed with that of Sam and Sharon across the room. Everyone had a new determination in their eyes that sparked a hope in everyone.
"There is a new club opening up this weekend. Our source says that the leader of the Brethren will be in attendance. I think it might be in our best interest to do the same." Loki allowed his anger to shine through on the last sentence but otherwise kept it masked fairly well.
"Is she supposed to be in attendance as well or there another reason we should be there?" Becca asked while glancing around the room with uncertainty. She was afraid that maybe she was taking too much initiative. The problem was that she had actually enjoyed being around Raven and her inner fire; she missed the friend that she hoped was still inside the young woman.
Tony spoke up to answer a portion of the question. "I don't know if she will there but, if she isn't then we use this to gain intel and get a tracker in place to follow his movements. I can only hope that if she isn't there, he will lead us back to her."
Everyone seemed to nod before settling in and coming up with a game plan. Almost nobody called Fury because they knew he would be against any type of rescue mission without solid proof but he kept blocking their moves to gain intel as well. It was an unspoken rule that they need to leave him out of the decision process until they had solid information.
Logan knew that if his brother was going to the event, he couldn't be there but he still wanted to be close. He offered to be on one of the nearby rooftops along with Kate, Yelena, and Clint. Nobody had the heart to tell him no. Nat and Loki were to be inside since they were the easiest to disguise. Strange opted to watch from inside the mirrors, only appearing if necessary. Tony received an invitation in the mail so he opted to go and invited Sharon as his plus one, posing her as a personal assistant. Sam was very against this until Tony informed him that he and Rhodey would be there as security. With this information in mind, he was much less anxious about allowing Sharon to be inside with the man who had held many of their friends hostage.
Wanda stepped into the lab with her head held high. "It is time we get her back. I won't be able to get close as myself but if I can be masked somehow, I think I can delve into his mind and find something. If nothing else, I can plant a seed of distrust and force him to break his own stronghold from the inside out."
Tony tilted his head as Bucky looked her up and down. Bruce was the one to speak up though, "you mean like you did to us before joining the Avengers?"
For the first time since entering the room, Wanda's head dipped slightly as a blush stained her cheeks. "Yes, exactly like I did to you before I realized you all weren't the monsters from my nightmares." Her words hung in the air as everyone let the sentiment sink in. This monster would pay for the harm he caused, of that, everyone was certain.
~~~~~
Raven sat at the table as requested. When she saw two more place settings she cringed internally. Outwardly, she kept her face neutral and tried not to flinch when the double doors to the beautiful dining room banged into the cream walls directly behind her. She had to stay strong, there had to be a reason they wanted her here and not in her cell. There had to be a purpose and until she knew what that was, she refused to act the way they expected her to.
When whoever it was that entered her line of sight, she suppressed her urge to shudder. Bryan and Victor sat at either side of her. She couldn't stop the involuntary flinch of her body as they each wrapped their fingers around her thighs.
Both men smirked at the other before turning their eyes back to the woman in the room. Bryan tilted his head as a sign to allow his father to start the conversation. Victor smiled wider at his son. While he had always hoped the girl would see him as an option, the fact that she had ended up with his son, even without his meddling always made him smile. The fact that Bryan allowed him to relieve his own stress, let alone share her with a few of the more trusted men as a way of making her more compliant would always be a highlight to Victor's connection with his son.
Clearing his throat, Victor dipped his head to make eye contact with the woman in question. "Raven, I am opening a club this weekend and I would like you to be my plus one. I invited some of those pesky Avengers to join us which means they will be in the vicinity. I would like to make it a peaceful evening and in order for that to occur, I need you to behave. If you insist on not following my rules, I will make it very painful for those who do show up to my little party. We wouldn't want that, now would we?"
Raven's head snapped up, never breaking eye contact with the monster from her nightmares. Her breathing sped up as she thought about the Avengers, Sam and Sharon would be there, of that she had no doubt. Her eyes flicked back and forth as she thought of her loved ones being in the same room as Victor, regardless of them being near her.
Bryan skimmed his hand higher up her thigh, squeezing again to get her attention. She flinched and swallowed as she met the eyes of the man she had once thought she loved before looking down. She was too angry for words and knew her eyes would give her away without meaning to if she held his gaze. They needed to believe that she was thoroughly broken if she ever had a chance of getting out of her current situation.
"We need your words love. Tell us you understand or that you don't."
Raven swallowed and gulped air as she tried to force words from her lips. She hadn't spoken in so long, she wasn't sure she had the ability anymore.
"W-what are y-y-yo- urrules?" Her words were broken and and unstable but she tried to force them out with as much clarity as she had. All of her emotions were locked inside but the lock was holding her words in too. She wasn't sure how to release one without the other, efficiently anyway.
Her eyes flicked to Victor before settling back on her lap. Victor smiled gently at her, this version of her felt like a victory to him. She was docile, compliant, and respectful; stunning in mind and form.
He rubbed his hand gently up and down her thigh, hoping to soothe the woman before him. What he didn't see was the disgust in her eyes at the motion. She hated them touching her, whether it was gentle or rough, it didn't matter.
"They are quite simple my dear. You will stay by my side and will not speak to others without my permission. We can dance, eat, drink, sit, socialize, etc. Everything will simply be in my presence is all. I will be by your side and we will work together to make sure that everyone goes home safely. What do you say dear?"
Raven considered her options, another night of painful interactions with the guards and the man who claimed to want to marry her or an evening out with the possibility of her loved ones. The rules wouldn't be easy to stick to with them around but she would do her best. Victor was extending an olive branch, not a good one, but one nonetheless.
She nodded hesitantly in Victor's direction before meeting his eyes cautiously and dropping them again. Victor saw the action and tsked her gently. Removing his hand from her thigh, he touched her chin to raise her eyes to his again. "Come on my dear, let me see those beautiful eyes and hear your lovely voice agree to the outing with me." It wasn't a plea but it wasn't demanding either. Raven found herself smiling slightly at the monster before her before clearing her throat again.
"Y-ye-ss pl-please." Her eyes watered slightly at the frustration of trying to speak clearly.
"Come on my dear, almost there. Yes please what?" Victor's eyes shone bright but he watched as hers furrowed in confusion.
Smirking at his son, Victor turned his eyes back to the young woman before him. "You will call me daddy any time you address me. I want you to feel safe and what is safer than a daddy's presence in a young woman's life?"
Raven started. She didn't know what to do in this scenario. She had never addressed anyone as that name and the concept he laid out before her made her question his motives. Was she still to marry Bryan or had that arrangement changed as well.
She nodded against his chin and responded as he asked her to. This was the way to keep the horrible nights away.
"Y-yes pl-ease D-da-daddy." Raven flushed a deep red as she tried to force her eyes away from his again. Only this time, he sighed. His eyes closed as he savored the sound of her voice addressing him that way.
"Okay my dear, why don't you stay in my room tonight. You can use my room to get ready tomorrow before the party, okay? I think I need to talk to Bryan for a few more minutes. If you behave, you won't have to stay in that cell anymore. Go back with Jameson, he will stand guard outside the door. I have others under the windows. I am trusting you just this once to be a good girl. If you can't, then I am afraid you will remain in the cell indefinitely and not be able to accompany me tomorrow."
Raven nodded her head and went to stand, only to find Victor already behind her and helping her move her chair. He held his hand out and for the first time since meeting him, she didn't hesitate in grabbing it. Her brow furrowed as she considered the small but significant fact.
As soon as she was out of the room and a few paces away, Bryan dropped the facade and glared at his father. "What the hell was that? You were meant to invite her out with you tomorrow night and make sure she behaved the way you wanted her to. This went so far beyond that, it is ridiculous. What game are you playing at?"
Victor leveled a glare of his own at his son. "I know you are seeing that Rachel woman again. She is your soulmate and I can understand the draw you have to her. If she is who you want to marry and see a future with, then I don't think I am overstepping in seeing what the lovely Raven can do for me. You will still inherit this empire upon my retirement and I want you to be as productive as possible for that to occur. If your mate is the choice for you, then so be it."
Bryan's whole body seemed to deflate upon hearing his father's argument. "Well damn. I guess that is a fair answer. If she disappoints, I want the option of keeping her in the cells until she holds no interest."
Victor gave his son a silent nod.
Just then, their food arrived and it was a wakeup call to Victor. He had sent his little bird away without dinner when she had been nothing but perfect for him. He decided to have a plate sent to his room for his dear little bird. He smiled as he watched the agent back away and gather food for Raven.
~~~~
As Raven curled her hair into loose beach waves and pinned it back into an artful ponytail, with tendrils framing her face, she second guessed the look and tried to think of a new look, Victor walked in. His gaze was glued to her alluring purple bra and panty set with matching garter belt that she had attached to a pair of thigh highs. He slid his gaze up her body and saw that she was deep in thought while staring at her hair in a mirror. It wasn't until he came up behind her and gently traced the curve of her neck that she squeaked in surprise and spun with wild eyes. As they began to focus, he saw a touch of fear settle in the back of them. That was healthy enough but for some odd reason it made his chest ache.
"Hello dear. I just wanted to see how your preparations were coming along. I love this look on you." Raven swallowed and stepped away, unable to bear the idea of him trying to force himself on her right now. He had been so calm and gentle the night before, never doing more than holding her close to him.
Seeing her step away from him hurt Victor's feelings but he could hardly blame the girl. She had officially been broken in and now it was time to build their rapport from the ground up.
"I meant your hair my dear. This is a good look on you." He smiled as she seemed to relax and shivered against his fingers against the nape of her neck. He couldn't wait to feel her trapped between his body and the counter. He wanted her to know she was his but she wasn't ready yet. He had to keep everything civil tonight if he was ever to have a chance. Stepping away, he spun around to grab the deep purple dress he had gotten to match her lovely lingerie set.
Raven gasped when she saw the beautiful cocktail dress. It was short and had a slight hourglass shape that allowed her curves to truly shine while allowing movement. It had a simple sweetheart cut with a strappy back and small v wrap at the bottom of the dress, showing just a hint more of her thighs. As she slipped it on, she smiled at the man before her. The simple smile made him return it. "Thank you." She forced the words out and found it slightly easier than before.
Victor smiled at her playfully before responding. "uh uh uh. What did we say my dear. There was a condition to speaking to me. Please follow the rules or you have to stay here."
Raven swallowed audibly before nodding again. "Thank you da-daddy." Her cheeks turned pink once again as she tried not to show all of her emotional state to Victor again.
He clapped quietly once before smiling widely at his little bird. "Come along my dear, lets get to our party!"
Raven giggled quietly and it made Victor misstep slightly. She had giggled. An actual giggle! He suddenly had high hopes for the evening.
~~~~~
Stark had his hand gently wrapped around Sharon's elbow, keeping the contact polite but not intimate. He watched how Sam and Rhodey flanked them and quickly made it clear who each was meant to protect for the evening. He was still upset about having to lock both the super soldiers into the hulk cell to keep them away from the event. He had turned on the screens in the room so they could see the security footage from the event after Tony had hacked it. It was easy but still not fun. Both of the soldiers were given a radio so they could stay in contact as well. As he entered, he and Sharon audibly gasped. There was Raven, looking as beautiful as ever, not quite the same and a little more run down but in the flesh, right in front of them. As they moved towards her, almost in a trance, she turned to them and smiled. They both froze when her eyes flicked up to the man beside her. He smiled warmly at her before nodding gently.
"H-hello. It is go-od to see you."
All four of the people before were breathing heavily. She had never stuttered before. She never sought permission to speak, what was happening?
Sharon reacted first after her brief hesitation. She wrapped her arms tightly around the smaller woman only to feel another hand on her back. Looking up, she found her eyes connecting with none other than Victor Creed. Sharon let go reluctantly but never let her eyes wander from the man beside her friend.
"Raven, Rae! Why? What are you doing here with him?"
Logan was trying not to run down there and kill his brother now. It was taking every ounce of his control to stay away. His little girl, blood or otherwise, was not herself and he was at least at part, if not fully at fault for her predicament. His own brother was down in that club holding his baby as if she was his woman and it was killing him. He could only imagine what her mates must have been going through. Then a question made him growl, not because she asked but because of what she addressed him as.
"He is nice now. He isn't like the others. Isn't that right Daddy? You won't send me back to- to that- back there, right?"
Tony froze, while Sharon swayed in place. Sam tried not to lunge at the man while Rhodey had a disgusted look on his face.
However, it was the sweet voice behind Raven that made everyone stop breathing.
"I promise he will never take you back there. Victor, I have a question for you. Where is your security?"
Nobody knew what to do from there. Victor's brows furrowed and he seemed genuinely distressed while Wanda spent some of her energy, sending it directly into the larger man's mind.
Raven gasped and moved to wrap an arm around the large man's waist. Daddy, daddy, please don't faint. If anything happens to you they'll take me back to the cell. Daddy please. PLEASE!?" Raven was distressed and it was enough to break everyone's heart, hearing her screaming and falling apart over the man she had called a monster for years.
"Just what happened to you Rae?" Tony was genuinely upset for the poor girl but couldn't understand why she was focusing on going back to a cell rather than returning with them.
Suddenly, Loki was beside her, without his disguise. "Come on darling. Look at me."
When Raven met his eyes he saw the pain and fear plastered in hers. It made him freeze and lean in closer. Stephen came up behind him to hold his soulmates shoulders, fascinated by the connection the pair that was kneeling on the floor seemed to be sharing. Nat came up behind the others and stood beside Rhodey.
"I think it is time to get out of here folks. Let's pack them both up and get the hell out of dodge before someone shows up who does try to throw her back in whatever cell she is afraid of."
At Nat's words, Raven jumped up and ran. She ran from her friends, security, the club, she ran from everything. She was never going to be someone's property again. She just kept running. she ran for hours before finally passing out in a cellar that was left unlocked. She fell asleep almost immediately but it wasn't restful in the slightest. She kept herself aware just like she would if she had been in the cell. She never rested because as soon as she was in any sort of restful sleep, it was ended violently. She tried to avoid thinking about it but failed, miserably. The next morning, she was awoken by a fist to the face. An angry, dirty man was yelling at her.
"This is my spot. Go find your own foxhole. This one is mine." The man was obviously homeless and she tried to shrug herself to a sitting position while still being yelled at. As soon as she was sitting up, the man swung his leg back and kicked her hard in the head. She whimpered but didn't scream as the man had expected. This girl was a strong one. It made him pause before stepping away from her.
She stood and waved him off. "I'm leaving, I'm leaving. Sorry, I didn't know."
"Miss, I am an idiot and I was angry. Did you know there is a Battered Women's shelter about two miles away?"
She froze. "Am I that obvious?"
He chuckled lightly. "No ma'am. I am just aware of how your personality traits spell out a difficult, if not impossible situation. Just get some help ma'am, please?"
Raven nodded at the man and offered to help trim up his beard and hair. He nodded appreciatively before showing her to the public restroom near a park and the hunting knife he had gotten many years ago. She eyed it with a smile before getting to work. After a good trim up, he told her to get safe so she checked in at the shelter. It wasn't much but she got a cot to herself and a tee that fit a little baggy as well as sweats. She was happy with what she got and sat worried about what to do next.
Ultimately, it was decided for her when her name was called and they handed her the new identity that one of the volunteers did for them under the table.
Raven looked down and saw that she was now known as Reagan Rose Lillet. It was time to find a new home and heal before deciding her next step. Maybe after she healed, she could try and seek out the two mates that she had almost a few memories of.
She sighed as she considered her thoughts and options before heading towards the exit to find a new beginning.