The Avengers Tower is crowded with people, the music blasting from the speakers and people dancing and drinking. I watch all of this from above, overlooking the entire top floor of the tower. Since the New York invasion and the Mandarin blowing up Tony's home in Malibu, he's been investing a lot of time in the tower, as well as in the team. Sipping on my flute of champagne, I watch the celebration going on around me–Tony's big idea. Since their success at destroying the last Hydra base in Sokovia, everyone seems to be in a festive mood, even my husband, Steve.
"Can I buy you a drink?" The blond superhero asks, coming toward me with a hopeful look.
I smile, blush, and pretend to act shy. "I'd love to, but I'm married," I reply, giving him a flirtatious wink.
"Well he must be the luckiest man in the world." Steve replies, making me giggle.
"No, I am. Because I'm married to him." I say, coming closer to my muscular husband. "Now what about that drink?"
The party is winding down now, Thor helping the last of the drunken veterans to the elevator. We're all sitting on the couches and chairs talking, Maria Hill and Dr. Helen Cho joining us. It's one of these rare moments that I feel all my troubles melt away as I'm nestled in Steve's warm embrace while a hammered Barton continues to make jokes.
"Whosoever, be he worthy, shall have the power, whatever man! It's a trick!" Clint says in an intoxicated voice.
"It is more than that, my friend!" Thor laughs, sober. "Well, please be my guest."
The room grows quiet, suddenly everyone looking toward the archer. "Really?" Clint asks, sounding doubtful. "Yeah." Thor confirms, motioning toward his hammer resting on the table.
Getting up, Clint strides over toward Mjölnir. "Clint, you've had a tough week. We won't hold it against you if you can't get it up." Tony comments.
I snort very unladylike and loudly from Steve's lap, burying my head in my husband's shoulder as I watch the assassin attempt to lift the mighty hammer. Grasping the handle, Clint grunts and groans, pulling with all his might as he tries to move the immovable object.
"I still don't know how you do it," He laughs in embarrassment.
"Silent judgment." Tony says, watching beside Rhodey who's visiting New York.
"Please," Clint looks toward the cocky billionaire, "by all means."
Getting up, Stark makes a big show of making his way toward the hammer with a determined look on his face.
"Never one to shrink from an honest challenge." He says, looping his hand through the rope wristlet on Mjölnir's end. "It's physics. So if I lift it I then rule Asgard?"
"Yes," Thor verifies, watching beside Steve and I and looking very amused.
"I will be fair, but firmly cruel." Tony says, placing his knee on the table and pulling.
The hammer doesn't budge. Tony pulls some more, grunting in exertion as he tries to move the mallet. I continue to chuckle into Steve's chest as I watch the billionaire's failure.
"Be right back," Tony quickly dashes toward his armory, returning with his armored hand.
Pulling some more, even with the help of his suit, the hammer will not move, not even after activating his flight power. Enlisting Rhodey's help with his War Machine armor, the two try pulling together, the hammer not even budging a centimeter.
"Are you even pulling?" Colonel Rhodes asks in a pained voice.
"Are you on my team?" Tony shots back.
"Just represent, pull!" Rhodes replies.
"Yup." The billionaire agrees, the two continuing their struggle.
Even Bruce attempts to move the hammer, crying out in anger as it refuses to move. Thor continues to watch in amusement, sipping his drink casually while everyone struggles in vain to lift Mjölnir with no luck. Steve taps my shoulder lightly, signaling me to move. I move away from him as he stands, looking challengingly toward the demi-god prince as he walks toward the hammer, rolling his sleeves up in preparation. Grasping the hammer firmly with both hands, I watch on in anticipation to see if my good-boy husband can move the mighty hammer. Pulling with all his might, the hammer budges slightly, making Thor's entertained smile fade fast from his face. Continuing to pull, the hammer refuses to move even as Steve struggles to lift it after his initial movement. Giving up, Steve bows out, making Thor's smile return to his face.
"Natasha?" Bruce asks the red-haired assassin, who is watching the entire spectacle in enjoyment.
"No, that's not a question I need answered," Natasha declines quickly, making everyone chuckle.
"Very interesting theory," Thor says to Tony, who's babbling on about the Norse translation of the hammer's history, "I have a simpler one," he easily picks up the hammer, throwing it in the air and catching it without struggle, "you're all not worthy."
I laugh in genuine mirth as Steve sits back down beside me, moving me comfortably into his embrace once more. It's been a long year. Not only was I on an accelerated doctorate program working alongside Bruce, Tony, and Dr. Cho, but also S.H.I.E.L.D. no longer has its, once many, connections. All the resources and opportunities that would have been available to me are no longer an option. Instead, after finishing the accelerated program I went to Korea for a few months, studying with Dr. Cho on her genetic research as well as helping her with the creation of the Cradle.
Suddenly, a high pitched sound suddenly blares out, hurting my sensitive eardrums. Covering them instinctively, I'm prepared snap at Tony for blaring his speakers early, probably blowing a fuse or two and destroying everyone's eardrums, but an eerie voice kills whatever words were on the tip of my tongue.
"…Worthy...no…how could you be worthy? You're all killers." The voice says.
I feel Steve tense, as do I. Slowly, we both stand, him stepping in front of me to protect me from whatever is approaching. "Stark." He says, his voice confused, but his facial expression murderous as he watches a damaged robot approach.
"JARVIS." Tony quickly says, waiting for the computer to reply.
"Sorry I was asleep…or…I was a dream…" The broken robot suit continues to speak, coming into my view.
He's broken and limping, strings and other mechanical equipment hanging off the skeleton looking armor. His face is damaged and deformed, resembling more of a skull than the familiar Iron Man mask.
"Reboot, we got a buggy suit," Tony says, tapping his phone. Nothing happens.
"…There was this terrible noise…and I was tangled in…in strings…I had to kill the other guy…he was a good guy." The voice continues, making my blood run cold.
"You killed someone?" Steve asks, stepping forward.
"Wouldn't have been my first call. But, down in the real world we're faced with ugly choices." The robot replies, his glowing eyes seemingly alive.
"Who sent you?" Thor asks, gripping his hammer tighter.
"I see a suit of armor around the world." The sound of Tony's recorded voice plays from the robot's speakers.
"Ultron," Bruce says, making all of us look toward the scientist.
"In the flesh. Or, no, not yet. Not this…chrysalis…but I'm ready. I'm on a mission." Ultron says sounding disgusted by his current appearance.
"What mission?" Natasha asks, voicing the question we're all thinking.
"Peace in our time." Ultron replies, making the world peace sound like the exact opposite of its meaning.
"Tony," I say, looking toward the billionaire who seems shocked by the appearance of Ultron.
Suddenly, Ultron attacks, making everyone duck for cover. Steve instantly tackles me to the ground, protecting me from the shattering of glass and debris as a fight begins. It doesn't last long, Thor throwing Mjölnir at the machine, successfully destroying the bot.
"Tony, what the hell was that thing?" I ask, once the chaos has quieted and we're all left questioning the words of the mysterious Ultron.
"Ultron," Tony says, rushing to his workshop.
I turn to look at Steve, who looks equally surprised as me. Coming toward me, he looks down upon me with his baby blue eyes that have swept me off my feet since day one.
"So much for beginning to relax?" I joke, wrapping my arms around my husband's neck, his hands instantly settling on my waist.
"The fight's never over," Steve sighs, kissing my forehead lightly as he tightens his grip on me. "I don't want you near here if this Ultron decides to bring the battle to New York like Loki."
"I understand, but you can't keep me in a safe house." I argue, knowing the beginning of this familiar quarrel.
"Skylar, I don't want you anywhere near Ultron until we know his plan." Steve says firmly, looking at me with desperate eyes.
"What part of, I'm with you till the end, do you know understand?" I retort, giving him a challenging smirk.
Exhaling deeply, I can see the internal battle raging inside Steve's mind. He knows as well as I do that I am perfectly capable of holding me own. Not just because I have a Hydra serum running through my veins, but also because I'm no stranger to a fight.
"This is our job. I'm not some helpless damsel in distress who can't handle my own. I refuse to sit on the sidelines while you all risk your lives." I argue fiercely, not backing down on this one.
"Fine. But, I don't want you near Ultron or the Maximoff twins, understood?" Steve says sternly, compromising.
"Deal." I reply, giving him a passionate kiss on the mouth.
I know Steve only wants to protect me, but I am perfectly capable of defending and holding my own. Since I was a kid growing up on the streets I've had to hold my own. The only thing that's changed from then and now is that I've got a former Nazi organization super soldier serum running through my blood and the unearthing of my mutated DNA.
"We know where Ultron is headed." Tony says, coming out of his lab with Bruce on his heels.
"Where?" Steve asks, going into Cap mood.
"South Africa." Bruce answers.
"South Africa?" I chime in, gaining Tony's attention.
"Yeah. Why?"
"There's an arms dealer who's based in South Africa. He's an old friend of Dante's and it is rumored he deals in Vibranium." I inform.
"Sounds like the kind of company Ultron would seek." Steve says.
"Didn't you ever teach your kid to not talk to bad people?" I joke to Tony, who just makes a face at my comment, despite Bruce and Clint's chuckles.
"Let's go to South Africa then," Natasha says.
We take the quinjet to South Africa in search of Ulysses Klaue, an old partner of my grandfather's. Thanks to Dante's information, we know where to find the weapons dealer. Hiding out on a large cargo ship docked off the coast.
"What's the plan once we're inside?" I ask, suited up in my new, redesigned Cobra suit. "It's not like we can ask nicely for Klaue not to sell to Ultron."
"She has a point," Natasha says.
"We could give him a good talking to," Thor suggests, rubbing his hammer a little too fondly.
"Let's see what his move is. I reckon he and Ultron have very different missions if Ultron's goal really is to wipe out mankind." Steve says, grabbing his shield as Clint lowers the quinjet into the thick jungle.
We all agree Bruce is much better off as backup on the jet, which he doesn't argue with. I notice the prolonged look between Natasha and the doctor, but I don't say anything, deciding to let them deal with whatever tension is between them.
It's easy to sneak onto the freighter without detection, whatever Klaue is up to, it requires more manpower on the inside than the out. Finding the ship's main room below deck, we all move into position, the sound of Klaue and Ultron's voice heard echoing through the ship's hull.
I stay hidden behind several large cargo bins, waiting for Clint's signal. A blast sound is heard and a few explosions later I watch from my perch as a flash of blue races through the inside of the ship, knocking Thor to the ground. I come out of my hide out, my enhanced eyes able to slow the motion of the silver haired man as I send out a powerful punch to his side, knocking him down.
"What? Didn't see that coming?" I say, raising an eyebrow at the surprised male. Before I can attack, I feel a presence behind me, making me whirl around and send a roundhouse kick to the second Maximoff twin. "Sorry, don't do mental manipulation."
Before I can act, Pietro is off, taking Wanda with him as they disappear in a flash of blue. I don't know where they went, but I don't care as I find a blood trail leading to a sealed door in the ship's hull. Inspecting the fresh blood, I come upon a severed arm, nearly making me cry out in surprise and horror. I may be doctor and seen a lot of violence and gore in my time, but the arm is familiar. Ulysses Klaue. I don't know what this means. Somehow in all the confusion, Klaue got away and is now walking around with one arm.
The sound of Clint's voice yelling for Natasha brings me out of my stupor as I race to find Steve. I see him standing idly on a bridge, looking out into nothing. Coming up to him, I gently tap his shoulder, earning no response.
"Steve?" I ask, looking into his eyes and finding them almost lifeless. "Steve!" Trying to snap him out of his trance, I try shaking him, which doesn't do a damn thing. Worried beyond belief, I try to smack him, which also has no affect. "Steve, c'mon. Wake up!" I shout, feeling the tears in the back of my eyes as he continues to look like death. "Steve, baby, come back to me. Steve."
Finally, his eyes begin to show life again, blinking as he refocuses the world around. I exhale deeply, relieved that he's okay. Holding him close, I kiss him hard before burying my head into his chest, taking a large whiff of his unique scent mixed with sweat and his aftershave.
"C'mon, let's get out of here," Clint says, holding a troubled Natasha.
"Where's Tony?" I ask, helping Steve make his way out of the freighter and back to the quinjet.
"I don't know," Clint admits, motioning for us to follow quickly. "We'll regroup in the quinjet."
I don't argue. Helping Steve, I half support, half drag him to the quinjet, the main door opened and the jet empty. My blood runs cold at the sight.
"Where's Bruce?" I ask noticing Clint is also surprise at the absence of the doctor.
"I don't know," he admits, helping Natasha in a chair as he powers up the jet. "I'm sure he's fine."
An hour or so later Tony arrives back, a tired and disturbed Bruce beside him. I don't say anything as the doctor collapses on the floor of the jet, Clint taking off now that everyone is back. They all look tired. I know they must've experience something, because Clint decides to manually pilot the jet, taking us somewhere.
"What happened in there?" I ask Steve, who's sitting on a bench looking shaken.
"The girl. She has some sort of mind-manipulation power. She got to us." Steve says, exhaling slowly.
"What did you see?" I ask, hoping I'm not pushing Steve's sensitive boundaries.
"Peggy." Steve admits, looking at me with sad eyes.
I recognize those eyes. It's the same look he gave me when Bucky returned to his life a year or so ago. They don't disturb me as much as they would have back then. Since Bucky's return and our brief separation, we've grown closer. Renewing our vows and having a real ceremony helped. Now, though, I feel all our hard work being destroyed because of whatever Steve saw in his vision.
"Where are we going, Clint?" I ask, moving away from my husband as if he had slapped me.
"Safe house." Clint replies.