Alive
By: S.S.I
Disclaimer: I don't own the Avengers. If I did, Bruce Banner would be mine.
AN: I was thinking I could do more with this story, should I?
Stark Tower. A marvel of modern construction and technology. She thought this as she looked at it from a distance. She, Anne Sophie DeWolfe, was an everyday average person. On top of that, she was a foreigner to the city of New York.
Born and raised in Canada, she had no idea what she was doing or where she was going in the Big Apple. Regardless, she came here to make it big. To make a name for herself as an interior designer. Right now however, she was making it big, or not so big, as an unemployed person. Again, she thought this as she sat in a cafe with a great view of Stark tower, circling adds in the paper for work.
She sighed as she looked away from the paper. She looked into her coffee, then took the stir stick and slowly spun it around in the drink. She watched a little whirl pool start before she let go of the stick. The stick spun around with the force of the spinning liquid. That was her, living her life, she let the world do with her as it pleased.
New York was the first decision she made for herself. Well, the second, considering she picked her career choice. Nevertheless, New York was the first decision she made to become her own person. To live free of her parents and family and her crappy friends. Now that she was a way from all that drama and chaos, she was lonely and without a purpose.
Within that loneliness, she had a longing. Maybe it was there before but she would have never known. Now that she could think and do things for herself, she felt it. It was a feeling like she was meant for more, something greater than sitting at a cafe pouring over a newspaper and looking for jobs. Again, she sighed and took a sip of her coffee as her eyes moved to the tower once again.
Then she noticed something...
There was a blue column of light shooting out of the top of Stark tower. Her eyes followed the column upwards to see something she never thought she would see. Stars and space in the day time. It was like the column of light was opening up a hole into space. Her mouth went dry and suddenly there was a sinking feeling in her stomach.
Dozens of lights in the small, from her position, hole flickered to life before...-She looked around noting other people had also seen the display before them.- Before dozens of aliens, big and small, were pouring out of the hole created by the blue light. She stood from her seat, looking left and right, not sure of what she should do. What could she do?
Should she flee? Were they friendly? Her answer was soon given to her when they started to attack the tallest of the high rises. It seemed like time stood still for a moment before a wave of panic attacked the people of New York. Cars were speeding, people screaming and running, all she could do was stand and watch for a moment.
Reality gave her a jump start and she was on the move. Looking around, she noticed an older couple looking about in a panic. No one stopped to help them, running away or into the cafe. Noticing the aliens flying around on there hover crafts, coming closer and closer, she knew if she didn't help them, they would die. She grabbed her bag, stuffing the newspaper and her notebook into it before moving around the table.
Securing her bag, she surveyed the two elderly people. They looked to be a married couple and one of them had a cane. She knew that if she ran away and saved herself, she wouldn't be able to live with the guilt. She thought this as she immediately went over to them. Both of them paused, looking at her with panicked gazes.
Maybe they thought she was going to rob them. Maybe they thought they were going to die. She didn't know. She didn't care. Not in that moment.
"Do you need to use that" She paused, pointing to the cane, "To walk?" The man looked at her, confusion on his face before shaking his head. "No," He said before looking to his wife, "Only some times."
"Yes, he's suppose to." His wife scowled, "But he never listens to the doctor!" Anne would have been amused, and awkward, in any other normal situation but this, however, was not a normal situation.
"You can fight later." Anne barked out loudly, interrupting the beginnings of a fight. "Ma'am, can you help me?" She said to the woman as she quickly moved to the older man's side.
Before either of them could ask what she was doing, Anne wrapped an arm around the older man's middle. The woman nodded once she realized what Anne was doing and grabbed her husband's cane. After this, the three of them moved as quickly as they could into the lobby of the cafe.
Anne glared at the people that she recognized from the cafe's outside patio. A waitress, who had been inside once the disturbance started, came over to her. The blonde looked to her and than to the elderly couple. A look of relief washed over her face. Anne noted that and then assumed the couple were regulars.
"Mister and Misses Bennett, ya'll alright?" The blonde said, a concerned southern drawl escaping her lips. The couple nodded and Anne released the gentlemen once his wife gave him back his cane. "Thanks to this young lady, we are." The wife said, a soft smile of relief on her face as she held a hand over her heart. Her husband merely nodded in a agreement. Anne glanced over to them.
Both a little pale from fright but nevertheless okay. "Yer' a life saver, ya know that?" The waitress said to Anne and Anne shrugged. "I'm not, I'm just not going to leave someone in need behind. They deserve to live too, you know?" Anne said, like it was the most logical statement in the her, it was. She could never leave someone behind.
The three, the waitress and couple, looked at her strangely before the waitress escorted the two elderly people to a booth away from the windows. Anne turned away and surveyed the cafe. Everyone seemed to have the same idea, moving away from the windows as to not be seen. She was the only one to move forward and towards the front windows. Sliding into a booth, Anne moved close enough to look outside.
She watched the aliens descending down the sides of the building and flying around on there vehicles. The police had arrived, sirens blaring and guns firing. She watched the aliens pick off the police with their lazer guns. Some of them even jumping off the building from their chariot like vehicles to jump on the police, tearing them limb from limb. " What the hell is going on?!" Came from behind her, making Anne jump out of her skin.
"Jesus!" Anne hissed as she turned around to see the blonde waitress. "Don't take The Lord's name in vein!" The waitress scolded in a whisper and Anne rolled her eyes. "Don't sneak up on me." Anne replied also whispering. The blonde was silent for a moment before looking out the window and then to Anne. "What are we going to do?" The blonde said, "We all can't stay in here, they'll find us."
Anne blinked then pointed to herself, "And you think I know what to do?" The blonde seemed at a loss for a moment before her eyes caught sight of something outside. Anne turned around to see what the waitress was looking at. Then she seen it too. It was a man in an American themed jumpsuit.
The man looked ridiculous. She watched as the man pointed and gestured. The two policemen he was talking to looked dumbfounded and doubtful. Suddenly, there was an explosion and the man in the American themed jumpsuit turned in one fluid movement. He blocked an energy blast with his shield.
The two police officers, herself, the waitress and whoever else was watching saw this man fight off the aliens with ease. Dumbstruck, Anne watched as one of the officers jumped to life. The officer made the same gestures as the guy in the spandex did moments ago. Whatever just happened, whatever was going on, Anne knew one thing. She thought this as she turned around to see the starstruck waitress.
Anne was about to say something but paused as she looked over the waitress. Then the waitress's eyes focused on her. She looked hopeful. Maybe she, herself, looked the same. That sparked something in herself.
"Move." Anne said and the waitress did so. Both of them slid out of the booth and out of sight of the outside world. All the occupants of the cafe looked scared and worried. The elderly couple, The Bennett's, were holding onto each other for dear life. "Get everyone to get in cover, including yourself" Anne said as she gestured around them, "Once that's done, don't move until someone comes and gets you."
"What? Where are you going?!" The waitress exclaimed. Anne placed her hands on the waitress's shoulders. "I'm going out there to flag down some cops, they'll be able to help everyone in here." The waitress sucked in a breath before she slowly nodded seeing the logic in that. "Okay, okay." The waitress said as she held a hand over her heart, trying to calm herself.
Anne looked to the blonde. The waitress didn't look much older than herself. She looked shaken and scared and not ready to die. Anne clenched her hands on the blonde's shoulders. "I'm Anne." Anne said suddenly.
The blonde looked up, surprised and confused. " I'm Anne," Anne said, a bit more softly, " You are?" The blonde paused, looking down at her uniform shirt, only to realize her name-tag was missing. " I'm Mary." Anne almost smirked but reframed. This girl was mighty Southern and Christian.
"Okay, Mary, I'm going to go out there." Anne said, slowly, "Then, I'm going to come back with help." Mary nodded slowly, her hands falling to her side. "Okay." Mary said as she looked around. She noticed all the people she knew, old and new, then she looked to Anne. "Okay." She nodded, more firmly and with determination.
"That's my girl." Anne smiled and pat Mary on the shoulder.
Anne did as she said she would. Soon after that guy in the spandex disappeared, the fighting seemed to have died down in the area she was in. She could only assume he had been the cause of that. Mary, the Bennett's and everyone else in the cafe were evacuated but she refused to leave. She insisted on helping the police with search and rescue.
They didn't exactly decline because of there lack of living officers and willing volunteers. From that point, she continued to help the police direct and rescue people. It wasn't too difficult and she thought it had to do with the people in the strange outfits she seen around. One with a red cape and a hammer. One in a red and gold suit, flying around.
The one she seen before in the American themed outfit. A woman and man one with a bow and one with red hair. She didn't know about the last, a green blur, bouncing between buildings killing the aliens. She wasn't sure if all of these strange people were working together but she had a feeling they were. Nevertheless, she didn't know who they were and she didn't care.
All she knew was that this was the first time she felt alive.
She thought this as she moved slowly, two officers at her flank and a small group of people. They had been looking for safe passage to an evac point. They ran into a spot of trouble and had to go through an alley. They came out to see a little girl crying in the wreckage of a car. She looked unharmed but the shrill cry from above made her guts turn.
"Jenkins, cover me." The first police officer said but before he could rush into the street Anne grabbed his wrist.
"I'm coming with you." She said with determination in the voice, the police officer scoffed.
"No, you're not. You're gonna-"
"I'm coming with you and you're gonna cover me." She finished.
Jenkins looked between the two of them before sighing.
"Williams, I'll cover the both of you from the alleyway. The girl-"
"Anne."
"- Anne, will grab the girl. You can't carry the girl and cover yourself. It's better that way."
Anne smirked as she watched the understanding begrudging cross Williams face.
"Okay."
Jenkins told the group of people to take cover behind the garbage cans and bins. Jenkins pressed himself against the wall as he watched Williams and Anne run out into the street. It was barren and chaotic, up turn cars and debris everywhere. They zig-zagged between cover, cautious as they approached the girl. When they got to the girl, Williams kept a sharp eye as he looked around while Anne pried the girl out of the car.
She cooed the girl, shushing her and nodding to Williams as she stood, the girl in her arms. "Alright, let's go-" Anne started but was interrupted as they heard a roar from above. Williams pointed his gun upwards as they both looked up to see the green blur. It was a massive hulking figure with rippling muscles and a terrifying cry as it attacked the aliens. It clung to a building, smashing an alien into the side of the building but was attacked from behind.
"Shit." Anne cursed as Williams grabbed her arm, pulling her arm as he began to run back to their group. She watched as the green mass cried out and let go of the building. Her eyes widened as she realized he was going to fall on them. She didn't drag her feet as she moved out of the way. She heard the bang from behind her as they made it back safely into the alleyway.
"Holy shit." Jenkins said as he lowered his gun. Williams nodded as they both looked at the massive green figure laying in the street. "What the fuck is that?" Anne said while she looked at the figure as she held the girl in her arms. "That's that... thing... from two years ago, right?!" A person said from their group. Anne looked to the person and then to Jenkins and Williams who were nodding.
"What? What are you talking about." She demanded.
"The fucking thing that destroyed parts of Harlem." Williams spat as he turned to look at it.
"What?"
"The papers nicknamed it 'The Hulk'" Jenkins said, "It hadn't been spotted since that day but apparently-"
"Apparently things change." Anne finished as she looked over at it too.
Williams snorted.
Anne turned and narrowed her eyes.
"We need to get to the evac point..." Jenkins said as he eyed the green mass.
Anne's eyebrows shot up into her hair line.
"What?!"
"Yeah, that thing, can take care of itself." Williams agreed and the others mumbled their agreement as well.
"I can't." She said as she looked to the figure.
Even with it's green skin and massive bulk, it was still human or relatively close to. It was just much larger than the average man. She frowned as she remembered the way the Bennett's looked like when they were afraid and thought they were alone. Another cry broke her from thought. She looked up to the approaching horde of aliens.
"What?! Why can't you?!" Williams exclaimed before Anne shoved the little girl into his arms. Jenkins looked at a loss too while the rest were terrified. For the first time in her life, she wasn't afraid. She was alive and this moment to her was the realist life has ever felt. "You need to go, now! That thing there is the only thing covering your asses while you escape. We need it now. It needs to wake up. Now!" She explained before she turned and ran into the street again.
"Lady!" Williams exclaimed. "Anne! We can make it without that thing! what are you doing?" Jenkins continued. "Doing the right thing! Now. Go!" She shouted over her shoulder before looking forward. She didn't see them leave but she heard the echo of their resounding foot steps. All she had to focus on was waking up sleeping beauty, she thought as she slowed.
Time seemed to slow as she did. She slowed from a jog to a trot and stopped to stand in front of him. He was a massive super humanoid type thing. The shear mass of him probably weighing as much as a car. His muscles were taut and rippling with each breath he took.
In thinking that, she knew he was alive. She crouched in front of him as she looked at his face or what she could see of it. Half of it was buried in the ground but not his thick, dark, curly hair, heavy brow, closed eyes and small nose. She held her breath as she reached out a hand and touched his massive shoulder. He immediately stirred, his eyes opening and looking up to her.
He was quick to push himself up and away from her touch. She almost frowned at that. He was still prone on the ground as he studied her with intense green eyes. His full lips were pressed into a taut line as he narrowed his eyes. If he wasn't so intense, overbearing and masculine, she would probably think it was funny the way he was looking at her.
She rested herself on her knees and he jerked back slightly with her movement. She paused, almost forgetting to breathe through this whole experience, before she extended her hand forward. She didn't know what she was doing in that moment. She didn't know what her body was doing as her hand cupped his jaw. Her brain was screaming at her as her thumb brushed over the stubble on his cheek.
Williams, Jenkins and the rest were saying this man was a monster. Yet, she was willingly moving herself closer. He studied her as she studied him. She could see the curiosity and anger in his eyes. She felt the intense heat his body produced.
Then another shrill cry, and this time it was close, was all it took for them to be brought back into reality. She looked up, panic entering her body when she noticed the horde seemed to have circled round and targeted them. They swarmed about in the sky on their hover crafts like birds and she wondered what the hell they were doing. A louder, much scarier, roar boomed and a large serpentine alien rounded a building and came barreling towards them. "Oh ." She cursed as she looked to the massive green guy in front of her.
He looked to her with a quirked brow as she pulled away and stood. Her arms wrapped around his massive bicep as she tried to pull him. " Come on, big guy, it's time to go!" She shouted as she pulled on him. Her eyes widened in fear as she turned to see the giant monster approach before they looked to the man again. He looked to her then the monster before standing.
The movement threw Anne off balance for a moment. In that moment, the massive green man picked her up and jumped away in one fluid motion. She yelped as she clung to him. " Oh god! Please don't drop me, please don't drop me!" She chanted as her heart was pounding in her chest as she clamped her eyes shut. She buried her face into the skin of his throat as she focused on the warmth of his body and muscles tensing and relaxing under her touch.
She heard the crash of their landing, felt the forces of their momentum. He just held her as he stood up and she was like a doll in his massive arms. " You... okay?" He actually asked, " You not hurt?" She shook her head no and he slowly let her down. They stared at each other for a moment.
"You saved my life." She said, breathless and dumbfounded. He nodded his head and as he did this he pulled his arms away. Yet, she held onto one of his hands firmly. He looked at her, his expression curious. "You saved my life." She said again, her voice more firm.
He almost looked annoyed as his lips drew into a taut line. Her body moved on it's own again and luckily for her, everything seemed to work out perfectly. He had been still bent over from letting her go and with enough leverage from his arm, she pushed herself up. Closing her eyes, she kissed the firm line of his mouth. She waited for a second or two before coming back to reality and pulling away.
"Thank you." She said, blushing, realizing now what she did and where she was.
He paused a moment before smiling like a fool, then jumped away. He brought her to the evac zone. She kissed him in front of everyone trying to find a safe haven for the time being. She cupped her cheek and even with the mumbling of people and flashing of phones and cameras she couldn't wipe the smile from her face.
This was the first time she felt truly alive.
AN: Should I continue?
Leave a review and tell me what you think.
Read.
Review.
Love,
S.S.I
FIN
