Chapter One:
Boredom was an awfully dangerous thing for someone like Tony Stark. With all the toys he had around him and that he had created, he hated to be bored. Of course, he could go down to his lab and build or tinker something, but he simply didn't feel like it.
It had been one of those mornings where he had woke up a little bit after Steve and Sam had left to go on their morning jog, which had been early. Really early.
Tony hated mornings like those, and he hated them even more when he felt no creativity. As if his brain that usually flowed with ideas had run completely dry!
Tony let out a short sigh, plopping down on the couch and flicking the television on. Nothing interesting except for reruns, annoying newscasters, and obnoxious cooking shows. He promptly clicked off the television, rubbing his temples. He needed something to do and fast. Tony glanced around for something, anything, to do, before his eyes finally landed on the landing deck. A grin spread out on his lips, and he shot off the couch.
How else to spend the morning then a leisurely fly in his multi-million dollar iron suit?
Tony Stark stepped onto the balcony, and easily stepped into his iron shoe. He continued to walk as the machines moved in sync with him, placing his gear on his body with every step. By the time he had gotten to the end of the runway, he was ready to go, and zoomed off in the air.
Despite the early hours, there was still a plentiful amount of cars on the New York streets. The honking of angry drivers was unremitting and echoed throughout the sky. Had it not been for his practically soundproof suit, the beeping of the cars would had seriously aggravated him.
For the next hour or so he spent flying around in watching the sun release its pinkish-purple rays over the morning sky, tinting the clouds its colors. Although he wouldn't admit it to any of his peers, he had to say it was quite breathtaking. Usually, Tony's mornings was met with coffee and plans on what to do and finish for the day. He rarely had he chance to sit and watch the sunrise, even though he had a practically completely clear view from his balcony.
Of course, he could always google it', but that wasn't the point.
Unfortunately, the beautiful moment had been rather brief when something began to fall from the sky right beside him. Tony would have dismissed it, had the thing not been nearly half his size. "What the...?" He looked down where the thing was falling straight into moving cars.
Tony instantly dove, speeding up to catch whatever was rapidly descending, his suit locking unto the target. Barely thirty feet before the figure made contact, Tony grabbed what looked like an arm, pulling it back up. He carried the figure bridal style, until he reached the nearby roof of an apartment, where he carefully set the strange thing down.
Tony lifted the cover of his mask, narrowing his eyes at the figure. It had been a young girl with scruffy-like hair and dirty skin, almost like she spent one-too-many hours in the mud-pit. What irked him the most was the checkered-like wings that were on her back.
The science side of him begged to study her, to figure out exactly what she was, but the rational side of him demanded that he should bring her to Bruce. She looked very hurt, her face scrunched up in obvious pain, sweat beaded her forehead. If she wasn't injured, he would assume she had been sick, which also meant to bring her to Bruce.
Tony picked the girl up, but was surprised when her eyes fluttered open. He froze, for a second or two, she looked pretty dazed, glancing around at her surroundings, probably confused as to where she was. Then, she saw Tony, or really, Tony's iron suit. Her chestnut-brown eyes turned to saucers and she stumbled to get away from his hold.
"He–Hey, hey, calm down," Tony tried to coax the girl, but she was too busy trying to get away. "I'm not going to hurt you," he assured. She shook her head, denying this statement, finally being able to get out of his hold. She booked it, flapping her wings to give her flight, and she made it. She was in the air for several seconds, before her wing curled in, and she fell back down to the roof, holding her wing carefully.
Tony ran over to the girl. Tears streaked her cheeks. Blood dripped down the side of her wing and she winced whenever she accidentally moved it. Now deciding that it was important to get her to Bruce, he bent down. The girl flinched away from his cold iron touch, but he was still able to give her a small sedative. Her body shut down near instantly, her eyes fluttering closed.
Tony easily scooped her up, and began to fly back to the Avengers Tower. The girl barely stirred, except for letting out silent whimpers in her sleep.
*
Once Tony made it back to the base, everyone seemed to be awake, even Bucky who loved staying in till noon.
Four heads turned his way when he entered the room. Clint was the first to speak up, "Where have you been?"
"Out," he gave a short abrupt answer. "Oh, and I realized that we were a little low on winged girls so I thought I would pick up one." Tony waved his suit inside, which had been walking on its own, carrying the girl for him.
Bruce's eyes lit up at the sight of the unconscious winged girl. "What the hell!?" He hurried over, gently lifting the girl away from the suit. "She's bleeding. I'm going to take her down to the infirmary," he easily folded the girls wings and carried her to the infirmary, while Tony sat casually on the couch.
"Ahem," Natasha spoke up, and Tony turned to the red headed woman, who's eyes were narrowed at him. He couldn't help but smirk at her unamused expression. "Care to explain how you found a girl with wings?"
"Don't get your panties in a twist, Widow," he rolled his eyes. "I didn't kidnap her. I was out flying and she fell, so I caught her."
"That's it?" Now it was Bucky, who seemed rather interested with the subject.
"What did you expect?" He rose a challenging eyebrow, "'She came falling from the heavens and into my trusty arms'." Bucky scoffed at the man, who was chuckling. "She was unconscious, and then she woke up, tried to fly away, but fell. I caught her, put her to sleep, and dragged her here. End of story."
"How'd you put her to sleep?" Clint asked.
"Sedative. Should last a few hours, so—" a loud crash came from the other room, followed a shout from Bruce. The five of them exchanged looks before hurrying down the hall, into the infirmary.
The once neat, white room had been a mess. The trays of medical supplies had been scattered helplessly on the ground. The young girl sat against the headboard of the medical bed, her knees to her chest and her wings stiffly hanging behind her. Bruce was by her side, trying to calm her down, but she only moved away from him whenever he tried to get close.
"How is she awake!?" Tony demanded, "That sedative should have kept her sleeping for at least two hours."
"I don't know but she won't go back to sleep. I can't get near her wing if she's not still," Bruce explained.
"What's wrong with her wing?" Clint asked.
"Dislocated; the side of the bone is nearly shattered from a bullet, which might still be in there."
"Hold her down," Tony ordered, and then Clint, Natasha, and himself went to her side, trying to keep her still. Bucky stood near the door, simply watching and doing nothing about her. In fact, he seemed more interested in her wings than the girl.
The girl struggled out of their grips, trying to move her uninjured wing at them as if to swat them away. She somehow managed to push Natasha away with her wing, and yanked her arm away from the two other grown men.
She jumped out of the bed, slipping past Bucky and racing down the hall. Bruce and Tony shouted at her to stop, but she was already gone. Natasha and Clint began to run after her.
Steve and Sam stepped out of the elevator, talking with each other calmly, when suddenly the small girl bumped into Steve's leg and fell down on her bottom. Steve turned to the young girl, who looked up at him in pure fear.
"Hey, what are you doing here?" He asked in a calm voice, but she had already scrambled up and darted down the hallway behind him. "Wait!" He called after her.
The girl slipped into a bedroom, slamming the door shut and locking the door. After staring at the door for a second, she quickly moved, and began to push a heavy dresser against the door.
Finally, the three avengers caught up with the Sam, Steve, Natasha, and Clint, who had all been standing in front of a door. "She in there?" Tony asked, even though it was rather obvious.
"That's my room," Bucky huffed, but nobody seemed to listen, or care, for that matter.
Natasha jiggled the doorknob, "She locked the door." She said. Tony pulled a translucent phone out of his pocket.
"FRIDAY, show me the camera in Bucky's room," he ordered his AI. Not a second later, he was able to see the young girl leaning against the door, which had been blocked by a rather big dresser. "And... She barricaded it."
"What's going on?" Steve asked, still ill-informed of the situation. "Who is she and why does she have wings?"
"Tony found her," Bucky answered, and hen all eyes turned to Tony, who frowned.
"She had wings when I found her!" He defended, crossing his arms over his chest.
Natasha rolled her eyes, "Well, it doesn't look like she's coming out any time soon either."
"So what, we just wait?" Bruce asked, slightly upset he hadn't had the chance to actually study her unnatural wings.
"Well, it's either that or break the door down," Clint replied, which all of them could agree that nobody wanted to do. "Besides, she can't stay in there forever."