Chapter Text
Katniss’ eyelids felt heavy as they tried to flicker open making her wince at the bright light above her. Silence stretched around her, nothing but a rhythmic beep sounding to the side. Katniss’s eyes adjusted to the light as she took in three plain white walls and one completely glass wall showing people in long white coats on the other side. The short, dark haired man from the aircraft was one of them, his brown gaze meeting hers through the glass. Katniss watched, warily as he made his way over to her room, the door letting out a soft hiss as it opened. Dr. Banner, she remembered, checked the beeping machine and the IV drip attached to her arm before turning warm brown eyes on her. Katniss followed the IV in her arm only to notice the handcuffs chaining her to the bed. Her eyes widened as she looked up and met Dr. Banner’s apologetic frown.
“I’m sorry for that,” he winced, indicating to her shackled wrists.
“How are you feeling? I gave you a saline solution, you’re pretty dehydrated,” Dr. Banner explained as he waited for her to answer.
Katniss wanted out. Her skin was crawling with the desire to run, fight her way out, to get away from these people as fast as she could.
“Where am I?” Katniss’ voice croaked out, dry from the lack of saliva.
“You’re on SHIELD’s helicarrier,”Banner spoke soothingly, unknowingly raising Katniss’ hackles.
“I don’t want to be here,” she whispered hoarsely, “let me out.”
Dr. Banner shook his head, reaching out to calm her. Katniss snapped, arms trying to flail as the handcuffs rattled against the bars of the bed. Distantly she heard Dr. Banner call for a sedative, she increased her struggles, she would not be put to sleep again. She felt something slick around her wrists as she looked down and saw red. The cuffs were biting into her hands causing blood to ooze out and grease her hands, making the cuffs slip further. Katniss looked up seeing medical personnel rush into the room as she braced herself and ripped her hands through the cuffs, blood spurting out, staining the white room. Katniss grabbed the needle coming at her, jamming it into the person on the other end before shoving them out of the way. She launched herself towards the door as Dr. Banner called for assistance, the man was slightly green around his mouth and eyes. She skidded into the hallway, Captain Rogers was there along with the woman, Natasha. Katniss dodged as they both reached for her, Rogers’ hand coming away red with her blood. She barely made it halfway down the hallway before thick arms clamped around her like a vice. Katniss kicked back hearing a grunt from her captor but the man’s hold did not lessen.
“Katniss, easy breathe,” Clint’s voice broke through the fog of fear, his blue eyes staring intently at her, hands raised in a placating gesture.
Katniss focused on Clint, the choking fear easing as she looked into his concerned eyes. Her skin began to prickle as her sense came back to life, no longer overcome with the need to escape. The arms binding her were rubbing soothingly up and down, grounding her in the present.
“In and out,” Rogers’ smooth voice sounded behind her, his hands catching her as she sagged back against him.
“Please tell me you have somewhere that isn’t so…” Katniss’ hands flailed trying to make Clint and Rogers understand she couldn’t go back to that medical room.
“We can go to the gym,” Clint suggested, glancing at Rogers.
“There’s first aid kits there that should be able to patch you up,” Rogers nodded as he and Clint steered her in the direction she assumed the gym was.
“What’s a gym?” Katniss asked after a few tense moments.
“It’s a place where people go to exercise or practice a physical skill,” Rogers answered after a startled pause.
“Like a training facility?” Katniss asked, looking over her shoulder at the Captain.
“Yes, Clint even has an archery range,” Rogers smile at her as they stopped in front of a door, Clint opening it.
Katniss looked around cautiously as they walked in. The gym was similar to the training facility at the Capital, but it lacked the lethal and tyrannical edge which hovered in the air of the Capital’s facility. The various machines around the room were bizarre, Katniss could not figure out what they were for but one had a padded bench which she went over and sat down on. Clint sat down beside her as Rogers walked over and grabbed a white box off the wall. The Captain crouched down in front of her, placing the open box on the ground and handing Clint some cloth and a bottle of liquid before taking some himself. They both wet the cloths and took one of her hands, cleaning her arms of blood. The liquid stung, but Katniss kept still, eyes fixed on Rogers’ bent blonde head.
“How’s James?” Katniss asked quietly, leaning back as Rogers’ head snapped up, blue eyes surprised.
Clint snorted to her side, head shaking in amusement.
“What?” She glared at the archer.
“He asked about you too,” the Captain spoke softly, “it’s actually the only thing he’s said.”
Katniss looked away from Rogers’ blue eyes, there were too many emotions trying to claw their way out. Silence permeated the air once again as Clint and Rogers continued to clean her hands and wrists, finishing up quickly. Both men were silent as they packed up the medkit before leveling stern blue eyes on her.
“You want to tell us what that was all about back there?” Clint began, arms folded across his chest.
“No,” Katniss responded in a clipped, dry tone.
“Katniss, you need to give us something if you don’t want to be confined to the bed in the medical wing or our containment wing,” Rogers explained, “we need to know you’re not a threat.”
“I’m not a threat,” Katniss whispered, hands clenched, “I’m not.”
“I just want my sister to be safe,” Katniss ground out, furious with what was going on. She needed to get back home, who knows what was going on and what the cost was of her stunt.
****
Clint glanced surreptitiously at Cap, taking in the man’s taught jaw and compassionate blue eyes. Clint knew he had an ally in regards to Katniss’ welfare even if the girl herself did not. It was going to make things easier when he tried to convince Fury and Coulson to let her back to the tower with them.
“I just want Bucky to be safe too,” Steve murmured, drawing Clint’s attention back.
Katniss steadily regarded Steve, her face shuttered in the weighted silence.
“What happened to him?” She asked softly, face relaxing in the presence of Steve’s open honesty.
“He fell,” Steve began, voice wavering before gaining strength, “I thought he was dead. Turns out the enemy we were fighting, Hydra, they got a hold of him, brainwashed him, made him a weapon, made him forget everything but their mission,” Made him forget me. Clint heard the unspoken words from Steve’s mouth and noticed Katniss seemed to as well.
The girl was smoothing the wrappings on her wrist before she quickly took Cap’s hand and gave it a squeeze, shyly letting go.
“What happened to your sister?” Cap asked, a small trusting smile gracing his face.
“Nothing, she just isn’t safe,” Katniss bit out, anger making her voice tremble.
“Why isn’t she safe?” Clint spoke up, he wanted answers, anything that would help them understand.
“Because of me,” Katniss choked out, fists clenching making Clint reach for her, enclosing his own rough hands around her fists.
“I’m sure it’s not your fault,” Steve soothed, reaching out to cover Clint’s and Katniss’ hands with his own.
“That’s nice, but it really is,” Katniss snorted, still staring at their hands.
Clint arched an eyebrow at the girl’s vehemence, glancing over to see Cap with the same expression.
“I put a target on everyone I care about,” Katniss slumped forward, shoulders drooping her anger seeming to drain away replaced by guilt.
“What happened?” Clint pressed, hoping the fight drained out of her enough.
“I made our government look like fools. I didn’t play their game,” Katniss spat out, grey eyes flashing with fury.
Clint looked at Steve whose blue eyes were wide in shock, clearly not expecting her response. If he was honest, Clint wasn’t either.
“What kind of game?” Steve asked, a cautious edge to his voice.
“The Hunger Games. It’s a last kid standing wins sort of game,” Katniss uttered, her eyes cast far away and haunted.
“Wins what?” Clint asked, growing more disturbed by Katniss’ cryptic answers and body language.
“Eternal glory, respect, money, enough food for our District for the year,” Katniss spoke, voice tight and grey eyes flashing.
“Katniss,” Steve spoke softly, the girl’s eyes raising to meet the Captain’s, “how do you win?”
“There are no winners, just survivors,” Katniss’ dead tone and blank face shook Clint to his core.
This was how she learned to kill. Her father may have taught her how to use a bow, but these games taught her how to take a life.