| sparks + butterflies | a peter parker fanfiction |

-16-

2852 words :)

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WANDA GATHERED HER RED MIST AROUND THEA AS SHE SAT DOWN, CLOSING HER EYES.

Thea suddenly slumped, asleep or unconscious, as Wanda's scarlet powers twisted into an almost screen above the girl's head. The mist swirled until it formed the face of a woman, her pale red hair coiled neatly around her shoulders.

—-

A young Thea, maybe five or six, squinted at the words in front of her. "The cat...." she hesitated. "-climbed! The cat climbed up the wall!" The little girl said proudly, grinning up at her mother.

"Well done, sweetie. What about this next one?" The woman pointed a pale finger at the next line.

"The...dog-' Thea's voice was cut off by a loud bang.

'Mum? What was that?' Another voice asked. A girl, slightly older than Thea, asked, a doll clenched tightly in her hands. Katrin.

'Oh, I'm sure it was nothing, sweetheart. Can you help Theo with that last sentence, Kat? I just need to check something,' The woman said, smoothing down her pants as she walked to the door.

Theo slipped out of her chair, ignoring Katrin's protests as the little girl followed her mother. She stuck her head around the corner, red curls spilling over her shoulder and watched as her mother opened the door.

"Hello? How can I help you?"

"You are Sofia Drewitt,' It wasn't worded like a question.

"I am," Sofia tensed. "What can I do for you, sir?"

"You should know better than to run from HYDRA, Miss. He's here. He found you,"

Sofia jumped back, slamming the door instantly. Thea flinched as the door was kicked in, crushing her mother. The girl wanted to call out, but she was frozen.

A man in a black suit, his dark hair shading his features, walked over the door and Sofia. 'Deal with my darling wife, will you, Agent?' he barked in German, and Thea screamed as a man in dark armour pressed a gun to Sofia's skull.

'MAMA!' Thea cried as the shot rang.

'Theo! Come on!' Katrin had grabbed her little sister's hand and was trying to pull them away from the men at the door.

Theo resisted, fighting her sister off as she surged towards her mother. A strong hand gripped her shoulder. 'Bring me the other!' the man in the suit yelled to his men. Thea squirmed, but he held her too tight.

Katrin was dumped beside her sister, and the man in black lifted their chins so they were looking up at him.

'What did you do to my mummy!' Thea demanded, trying to pry his hand off her.

Ignoring her words entirely, the man knelt down. 'Hello, girls. Did you miss your father?'

—--

Darkness swirled across the screen, and red mist began twisting the next memory into form. Thea again, older this time, maybe eight years old, her red hair pulled into a tight braid down her spine.

—--

Thud. Thud. Thud.

The punching bag swung with every hit, as the skinny girl threw her whole body weight at the bag. Blood ran down her wrists from her knuckles, which were cracked open and raw.