The Voice Within
I do not own the Avengers in any way.
A/N- This is another one-shot in my Pietro/Madison series. This one is more of an outtake of how the ending of Age of Ultron could have happened.
It was over.
The battle was over.
Madison dropped her bow and shrugged off her quiver. She needed someone to hold her. She opened her mouth and screamed the first name that came to her mind.
"Pietro!"
Before she knew it, her legs were moving and she was running, yelling his name. She spotted the speedster standing amongst Tony and Natasha.
With tears in her eyes, she launched herself into his arms.
Pietro embraced her back, his hand holding the back of her head.
Steve arrived with Wanda, but stopped when he saw Madison in Pietro's arms.
Pietro softly spoke to her in his native language as he tried to calm her as he stroked her hair.
Madison had never been more scared in her life.
"I'm here. I'm alive, my little hummingbird", he said.
Madison looked up at him and captured his lips with hers.
Pietro eagerly kissed her back.
Madison pulled back and set her head on his chest. "You're hurt", she said softly.
"You're not getting rid of me that easily", Pietro said.
"We need to get you to the helicarrier", she told him.
"Madison's right", Clint said coming over them. Clint helped Pietro make his way to a lifeboat.
When they arrived back at the helicarrier, the medical team met them.
Pietro went to the medical bay to be looked after.
Madison made her way to her room, where she took a shower to wash off all the blood and dirt. She was braiding her hair when there was a knock at the door. She didn't need to ask who it was. She opened the door and there stood Steve. She opened her mouth to say something, but he stopped her.
"It's okay", was all he said.
She pulled out Steve's shield necklace and placed it in his hand.
Someone cleared their throat.
The two saw that it was Natasha.
"He's asking for you", she said.
Madison leaned up and kissed Steve on the cheek, before leaving.
"I know it's for the best, but it doesn't make it hurt any less", Steve told her.
Natasha patted him on the shoulder and said, "It's always going to hurt".
Madison made her way to the medical bay and found her father sitting outside Pietro's room.
"Daddy…" she said.
"I may hate the annoying bastard, but if he makes you happy, then that's fine with me", Clint said.
Madison smiled and said, "Thank you". She hugged her father and entered Pietro's room. "Hey you", Madison said sitting down on the bed.
Pietro leaned forward and kissed Madison. He pulled back and said, "Ya lyublyu tebya moy kolibri".
Madison's cheeks turned pink. "You love me?" she asked him.
This time Pietro was the one who blushed. "I didn't know you knew Russian", Pietro said.
"You forget that Natasha is my adoptive mother. She's taught me bits and pieces", Madison told him, "So I understood the 'I love you' part".
"Kolibri means hummingbird", he told her.
"Why a hummingbird?" she asked him.
"I thought I would stick with the bird theme. You strike me as a hummingbird. It seems like you're always buzzing with energy, ready for the next fight", he explained.
"I wish I wasn't like this", Madison said bowing her head.
"I wouldn't change a thing about you", Pietro said taking her hand in his.
"I've seen…and done horrible things. Some days I wish I would've died in the Battle of Manhattan", Madison said.
That was something she'd never told anyone.
Pietro's hand tightened around hers. Pietro knew how she felt.
Some days he wished the bomb had gone off and killed him.
He leaned forward and gathered Madison into his arms. He settled down on the bed with Madison lying on his bandaged chest.
Once he was recovered enough, she arranged a meeting with Fury.
"Miss Barton, what can I do for you?" he asked her.
"I want out. Once and for all", she told him.
"I'm no longer Director of S.H.I.E.L.D.", Fury said.
"It seems appropriate though", Madison said. She pulled out her badge and S.H.I.E.L.D. issued firearm and set them down in front of him. "If anyone asks, tell them I'm out. For good", she said. She left the office and put her hand in Pietro's.
They pulled up to the farmhouse.
"This is where you live?" Pietro asked.
"It is now", she said, grabbing her bags from the trunk.
Pietro followed her into the house.
"Maddie!" Lila said running towards Madison.
Madison caught the little girl and picked her up.
"Lila, this is Pietro. Can you say hello?" Madison asked her.
Lila merely stared at him, making Pietro nervous.
"Don't worry, she's just shy around new people", Laura said.
"You look ready to pop any day", Madison told her.
"I feel like it to", she said.
Maddie set Lila down.
"Maximoff", Clint said coming down the stairs.
"Try to get along", Madison said to Pietro. She grabbed her bags and made her way up to her room, Lila following.
"Is Pietro the same one from the story?" Lila asked.
"He is", Madison told her.
"I thought you were going to marry Prince Steven?" Lila asked.
Madison sighed and said, "I listened very hard to my heart and it told me I was supposed to be with Pietro".
"Your heart talks to you?" Lila asked.
Madison laughed and said, "You'll understand when you're older. Now run along".
Lila skipped out of Madison's room.
What she had said was true. She listened to the voice within her.
The story that Lila is referencing is something that happens in an upcoming fic that occurs during Age of Ultron.