Happy Sunday all! I have two chapters to publish today, this is the first of two! I apologise for the long wait, I need to get back on track with my writing!
Disclaimer: I do not own any Marvel characters that may be used or any Marvel storylines or arcs.
Claimer: I only own the character Elizabeth Jones (Lowri Jones and any other names she uses) and her story past, present and future.
Recap
Everything happened at once, before Lowri could even react, she was pushed to the side by a small woman, just as an explosion started at the centre of Rumlow's chest. Lowri saw Steve launch himself at Rumlow but suddenly, a red mist shot around Rumlow and contained the huge explosion.
Wanda stepped in front of Lowri, a look of sheer concentration on her face mixed with pain as she fought hard to keep the explosion from breaking free.
Steve looked at Wanda with worry and shock aimed at Wanda and her capabilities but Lowri knew that Wanda was already pushing herself to her limits and she might not be able to hold the explosion for longer.
"Get back! Everyone, get back!" Lowri began ordering, she managed to get mostly everyone out of the way before Wanda bent her knees and threw the ball of explosion into the air, still containing it so she could release it over the city but the ball hit the corner of a tall building about twenty stories up and it released too early with a loud boom.
Wanda collapsed to the floor, clearly exhausted and she looked up at her work with horror written in every line of her face.
The explosion had taken an entire corner of the building off and it went up a further four stories, blowing out all of the windows and making the structure of the building compromised.
Lowri looked at Wanda, torn between going up to the building and helping and going to the young girl and soothing her. Wanda had down so much more than she could handle.
Without another thought, Lowri began running towards the building and then she threw herself into the air and flew right up into the inferno going on.
"Lowri!" Steve yelled in a panicked voice but Lowri ignored him. The fire was raging through the building and all Lowri could think of was saving lives.
Fire raged on the four floors that had taken the brunt of the force and the first thing she did was stop all the fires. Everything in the four floors was scorching hot and on fire, she knew that there would be no life on these floors.
Even though it was almost impossible for her to get warm or hot at all, she could feel the heat sticking to her. She knew this was bad.
"We need evac from the upper floors. I've got the fires under control on the four impact levels and I'm going to head up and move people from the immediate explosion proximity up a few levels. We need an evac team on the north side of the building, that's where I'm moving them all to." Lowri said through comms.
"Are you alright, Ri? How's everything in there?" Steve asked hurriedly. "Fire and Rescue is already on their way."
"Good. It's a mess in here, Steve. I'm fine." Lowri replied.
Once all of the fires were under control, she moved to the levels above the four floors and made them all evacuate the three floors just above, and to the north side of the building, just to get them away.
The building itself was at least thirty stories high and the explosion had taken place higher than half way, meaning that a different evacuation plan had to be thought out as for those already above the explosion zone had no definite escape plan.
Those on levels lower than the four floors that were taken out could use the stairs easily and they all got out in the first three hours, but the ones above the four floors taken out had to wait and wait.
Steve had tried to get Lowri to leave after a few hours, Wanda was shaken and she needed to be taken from this place, but Lowri had refused. She was deep in the rescue process, she couldn't leave now. She sent them ahead and said she'd make her own way back to the base.
It was hours before evacuation was done and everyone who was unhurt, out safe, long ladders had to be called in as well as lifts to get everyone out. When Lowri finally stepped away from the destroyed building after everyone was accounted for, she realised that she now had to find her way home.
She couldn't exactly jump on board a regular plane dressed as she was, so, she jumped into the air and flew back to the new Avengers base on her own fire and she was even more exhausted when she finally hit the gravel path leading up to the front door.
Lowri's feet dragged along the floor and her body felt as though it was weighed down with lead, her chest and throat stung with each breath she took from the smoke inhalation but that was going away slowly.
The entire building was in complete darkness and she assumed that everyone was inside and sleeping as it was so late.
The glass doors are normally automatic, but the locking system switches to manual after midnight so when she reached the doors, she keyed in her code on the little panel beside the door and then the door unlocked. Lowri pushed open the doors and stepped through, she closed the door after her and then typed in her code again, this time locking the doors.
The reception area was in complete darkness and for the first time, Lowri felt slightly scared.
She pressed the lock button on the little box beside the front door and passed through the second door, she locked down the rest of the building and she exhaled deeply as she turned from the doors, she crossed the dark reception and headed for her rooms, intending on a shower and sleep.
"I didn't want you to come home alone." The deep voice that she loves so much scared her as it echoed around the large room, Lowri turned to the voice, holding her hand to her beating chest.
"You scared me." Lowri said quietly as Steve stood from one of the couches. He looked weary and he looked tired. He had changed out of his suit and now wore a pair of dark trousers and a grey t-shirt that clung to him. His eyes looked at her worriedly but as he neared her, his expression changed to relief.
"Lowri, are you okay?" Steve asked, he reached for her with both off his hands and a small smile came onto Lowri's face as his arms went around her shoulders. She rested her head against his chest and wrapped her arms around his waist, they held each other in a tight embrace.
"I'm fine." Lowri said quietly, her voice was hoarse and she felt his arms tighten around her slightly. "How is Wanda?"
"Shaken up." Steve answered, "She feels guilty and whatever I say to her, well… it doesn't help." Steve added, he looked down at her with a careful look in his eyes.
"I'll go and talk to her tomorrow morning." Lowri promised.
"When you turned your comms off – Lowri, please don't down that again." Steve said slowly, "You scared me when I couldn't get hold of you and when you jumped head first into that building, it could have toppled on top of you."
"What do you mean? I never turned my comms off." Lowri said slowly, she pulled back and looked up at him, he was looking down at her with a curious look.
"Didn't you hear me talk to you? Sam tried and Nat tried, we couldn't get through to you." Steve asked but Lowri shook her head.
"No, I didn't hear you, or anyone else try to get hold of me." Lowri said slowly, "Anyway, I couldn't have left so soon after, I had to help. There was so much fire."
"I know." Steve said gently, he pulled her back into his arms tightly and he rubbed her back comfortingly.
"It took me back." Lowri said quietly.
"Took you back where?" Steve asked.
"The war." Lowri said, Steve move his hands to her shoulders and pushed her back slowly, he looked down at her with concern in his eyes.
"The war was a long time ago." Steve said slowly.
"Yes, but the memories are still as clear. And you forget, I've been through both of the World Wars and many of the smaller wars." Lowri said, "You might recall me saying that I flew in the Battle of Britain in 1940. And I might have mentioned the Blitz."
"I think you did." Steve said gently.
"For a long time, the Germans bombed London and other big cities in an attempt to break our spirit. The bombs killed people, destroyed homes and destroyed the landscape. Back then, I couldn't do what I did today. When that explosion hit the building, for a moment I was taken back to 1940 when I was wearing that silly uniform and I couldn't do anything." Lowri said.
She dropped her eye to the floor and she was scared that tears were going to start pouring down her cheeks, the day was already tiring, she doesn't need to start re-living the exhausting life of Elizabeth Jones.
"Can we go to bed?" Lowri asked in a weak voice.
"Sure." Steve said quietly. They walked up to Lowri's room in comfortable silence and as they reached her door, Steve paused.
"Aren't you coming in?" Lowri asked.
A smile came onto Steve's face as he stepped over the threshold with her and closed the door behind him.
"Have you eaten?" Lowri asked as she moved to the kitchen straightaway.
"Yeah. I had something earlier." Steve said, he followed her into the kitchen and leant on the island just outside her kitchen. "Look, I'll make you something. You go shower and change out of that suit."
Lowri looked back at Steve, her hand on one of her cupboards and she smiled at him, she walked out of the kitchen and up to him.
"Are you sure?" Lowri asked, looking up at him. She came to a stop just in front of him.
"Yeah." Steve said firmly.
"Thank you." Lowri said, she went onto her tiptoes and pressed a kiss to his cheek and she left him smiling.
She headed upstairs and she went into the bathroom to shower and wash the day's activities from her before dressing in a long-sleeved shirt and a pair of loose trousers.
Steve was already in her bedroom with a sandwich ready for her. They chatted before they put the plate to the side and climbed into bed together, this time, they slept.
The next day when Lowri woke, Steve was already gone. He was probably out running or something. Lowri got out of bed and dressed, she went down to the kitchen and made two cups of tea and she went to Wanda's room.
Wanda was lying on her side at the top of her bed, hugging one of her pillows to her chest with silent tears staining the pillow. At least Wanda had got dressed first.
Anything Lowri said was ignored by Wanda and it was clear that Wanda was deep in her own guilt and shock. Lowri left the room with a sinking feeling in her stomach.
She met Steve in the kitchen, he was dressed in his running gear and he was drinking a glass of water. He looked up as Lowri entered the kitchen and she went straight to the sink beside him to tip the contents of Wanda's cup down the drain.
"She's in shock." Lowri said slowly, she turned and looked up at Steve. "She's in shock and we can't help her."
"There's not a lot we can do." Steve agreed. "She'll have to heal by herself."
"She feels guilty because her powers are still untested and at that time, she was pushing herself too hard and it blindsided her." Lowri said slowly.
From that day, Lowri made the decision not to train for any more missions as they had accomplished their ultimate goal, and because she wanted to show the world that the Avengers were respectful of what had just happened.
During this month off, it gave them loads of time to catch up on the news and so far, most news stations were covering the incident in Lagos.
Lowri never watched the news. She prefers the newspaper method but now that the news were trying their very best to belittle and damage the Avengers, Lowri leaves the room as soon as the news come on.
Steve watched the news, it's as if he wants to torture himself with the information. Even if Lowri and Steve lying in bed about to drop off and Steve turns the news on, Lowri leaves.
Wanda is another avid watcher of foreign news. She would sit at the end of her bed, curled up and keep her eyes peeled on the TV.
Ever since the incident in Lagos, the Wakandan representative Lowri had been working with suddenly stopped taking her calls and for a week or so, Lowri was confused as to why, but then she read that Wakandan individuals had been involved in the incident in Lagos and it made sense.
Soon after the Lagos incident, Lowri began to feel queasy and odd but she soon dismissed it as nothing but stress, everyone was stressed. This is a hard time.
Each day was the same, Lowri would walk past Wanda's room with a cup of tea in her hands, she would pop her head in to check on the young girl and normally see her curled up on the end of her bed, watching TV and Lowri walked past today expecting everything to be the same.
But, when Lowri walked past, she heard voices and she paused outside the door.
"I should have clocked that bomb vest long before you had to deal with it. Rumlow said 'Bucky' and all of a sudden I was a 16-year-old kid again in Brooklyn." Steve was saying. Lowri leant against the wall as he spoke, curious as to what he was going to say next. "And people died. It's on me."
"It's on both of us." Wanda added grimly.
"This job… we try to save as many lives as we can. Sometimes that doesn't mean everybody. But if we can't find a way to live with that… then next time, maybe nobody gets saved." Steve said.
There was a slight pause as the words sunk in.
"Vis!" Wanda exclaimed. "We talked about this."
"Yes, but the door was open, so I assumed that…" Vision said slowly, he trailed off and started back up again. "Captain Rogers wished to know when Mr Stark was arriving."
Lowri's eyes widened, she hadn't realised that Tony was visiting today.
"Thank you. We'll be right down." Steve said slowly.
Lowri turned from the door and stepped towards the stairs leading from the bedrooms to the main reception, where Tony was coming through the door with a smile on his face as soon as he saw Lowri.
She hurried down the stairs, hurried over to him and ducked his arms so she could place her cup of tea on the table before resurfacing and throwing her arms around him.
"Oh no, here comes trouble. Where's the cops?" Tony asked with a laugh as he hugged her back.
"I missed you, Tony." Lowri laughed, she took a step back and looked him up and down. "Looks like you've still got all your limbs. Retirement is doing you good. What're you doing here?"
"I've brought a visitor who really, really wants to speak with you all." Tony said, he glanced back at the front door where the two security guards were searching some men at the doors.
Lowri looked more closely at the men and she frowned.
"Why is he here?" Lowri asked, her voice was laced with hostility.
"Oh yeah. You and him don't get along very well-" Tony began but Lowri cut him off.
"You're damn right there." Lowri snapped. "Don't you remember what he did to Bruce? Plus, my first meeting with him wasn't particularly friendly."
"You act like an unhappy child most of the time." Tony said with a smirk, "Oh yeah, I forgot. You're years older than me."
"And don't you forget it." Lowri said with a small smile.
The smile disappeared off her face as soon as Secretary Thaddeus Ross neared Lowri and Tony with two of his own men trailing behind him, hovering.
"Good afternoon, Miss Jones." Secretary Ross said, Lowri had hopes that the man had finally mellowed out. "I hope you're ready for some big news."
"Depends on what that news is." Lowri said slowly, she saw him narrow his eyes at her, as if the news he held wasn't that good at all. So, he hadn't mellowed out. "I was sorry to hear that your wife had to have surgery, I hope she's made a full recovery?"
"Oh. She's uh, she's doing well, I'll let her know that you asked after her." Secretary Ross said, he looked up at the set of stairs and then looked down at Tony. He'd hadn't counted on her remembering his wife. "I see the others are making their way down, shall we get ourselves ready?"
Tony nodded his head and dropped his arm from around Lowri's shoulder.
"We'll be up in the briefing room." Tony said to Lowri, he glanced up at the stairs where Steve, Wanda and Vision were stood, chatting.
Tony headed off with Secretary Ross and his two men following behind. Lowri saw Steve watching Secretary Ross and Tony leave the room carefully and he was the last to make his way down the stairs.
Lowri felt tense all over from meeting Ross again and it was clearly showing. Steve narrowed his eyes at her as he neared. He paused beside her while Vision and Wanda passed Lowri by wordlessly.
"Have you got beef with the Secretary of State?" Steve asked as he looked down at her.
"Once you find out what he's done to get that position you'll agree with me." Lowri replied, "And once you've been alive as long as I have and the positions I've been in, you're bound to make some enemies."
Lowri turned from Steve and picked up her tea, she turned back to Steve and stopped when she saw the look on Steve's face.
"Enemies?" He asked. "Are you stating that you're enemies with the Secretary of State?"
"Yeah." Lowri replied straightaway. "We better get in there."
She followed Steve through to the briefing room and as they came out into the large room, it was evident that they were the last to arrive.
Wanda, Vision, Sam, Nat and Rhodey were already sat at the table, all looking towards the monitor set up at the end of the table. Secretary Ross stood at the end of the table, waiting for them all to be quiet.
The two men that Secretary Ross had brought with him were stationed opposite each other, as if on guard.
Tony was stood at the back of the room beside the door, he locked eyes with Lowri as she passed by and she noticed that he looked very tired and unusually stressed.
Steve slid into the seat opposite Sam and Lowri took the seat next to Steve, she put her mug on her table and settled back in her seat with an odd feeling in her stomach.
Thanks for reading, all!
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