You Can't Break Us Apart, You Can Only Make Us Stronger

Speak

Natasha and the rest of the team stepped inside the room where Peter, Wanda, Steve, and Tony were staying.

They sat on the huge couch across from Tony and Steve's.

For a few minutes, everything was silent.

Then, Clint spoke up. "Can you guys speak? You're safe. Please talk to us."

Steve looked up. "Wanda is going to add you guys to our little conversation. We've been talking this whole time, just with our minds."

Thor looked confused.

"Telepathy. They have a little link going on." Natasha supplied, anxiously waiting for the familiar tingle in the back of her mind.

It came, along with everyone else's questions. Peter cried out, covering his ears as if it would help.

'Alright! Everybody stop, one at a time!' Wanda's voice rang out.

The barrage of voices stopped.

'Why won't you speak?' Sam asked curiously.

'My throat is raw, it hurts to speak for me. Tony just can't.' Wanda answered.

'I can. I just don't want to.' Tony answered. His voice was quiet and dull, void of it's normal spark and sarcasm.

'Peter?' Natasha asked, concern breaking through.

'It hurts for me too. My throat and my ears.'

Thor clenched a fist, sparks crackling. A thin line of green was visible on Bruce, but he swallowed it down.

'HYDRA does that. They break you down until you can't fight anymore.' Bucky sounded angry.

'Yeah.' Peter's thought was quiet.

'Thanks for saving us.' Wanda said.

'Of course. I just wish we had been earlier.' Nat was upset.

'You did the best you could do.' Steve was comforting, his voice stronger than the others.

'But it wasn't enough.' Clint said guiltily.

That was the last of their conversation.