Chapter Thirteen: Ex Machina

Mo's P.O.V.

"You're sure this'll work?" I said quietly, standing on my toes to look over Banner's shoulder. We were alone in one of Stark's labs, the one that he had reserved specifically for Banner's use. Everyone else was upstairs, preparing for the oncoming fight. I had my own costume on, boots laced tightly in case I needed to make a quick getaway. Hopefully the jets in them still worked; it'd been a little while since they'd been used.

Banner didn't respond for a moment. A beaker full of some pink liquid was on the table in front of him, and he was rapidly stirring it around with a thin glass rod. The more he stirred, the more the color faded out, until all traces of pink had vanished and the solution had become entirely clear. With that finished, he poured the liquid into a test tube, pressed a stopper into the top of it, and handed it over to me. My hands shook so badly I nearly dropped it; Banner closed my fingers over top of the serum, a grim smile on his face. "Yes, I'm fairly certain this will work," he said.

I raised an eyebrow, examining the liquid warily. "That doesn't seem very reassuring," I said slowly. "What even is this?"

"Tetrodotoxin B," he said, beginning to clear away the tools he'd used to prepare this serum in the first place. "I originally designed it as a solution for stress - to stop myself from turning into the 'other guy.'"

I move back a few paces and perch on the end of the stool he'd dragged over earlier for me to sit on. "It didn't work?"

Banner's lips twitched into a wry smile. "He's...persistent. To say the least." He motioned toward the test tube I still held in my hand. "But this should work fine on you. The effects should only take about an hour to kick in, and should wear off after about a day."

"A whole day?" He nodded. I looked at the tube again. This tiny thing, hardly more than a couple swallows, would knock me out for an entire day? "Okay, um, explain what exactly this is going to do to me again?"

Banner pulled the other stool over and sat across from me, momentarily taking the test tube back. He rolled the glass between his palms, eyes fixated on it for a little bit before his brown eyes looked back at my blue ones. "Essentially, what this toxin does is slow your heart rate down to one beat per minute. If anyone were to take your pulse, they'd think you were dead. And that's what we're hoping Garfield thinks when he comes to take you."

I nodded slowly, taking the tube back from him. "You think the rest of the team will go for this?" We hadn't exactly told them why we were disappearing down to the lab.

He scratched the back of his neck with one hand and adjusted his glasses with the other. "I wasn't planning on telling them," he said slowly, as though gauging my reaction. I was silent. "I thought it would be better for them to find out after. Their reactions will be a lot more convincing if they're real; Garfield should believe your death a lot easier. You think he'll just leave if you're dead?"

I nodded again, much more vigorously this time. "There'd be no reason for him to stick around. He'd have to go back to his planet and find a new girl to be his queen." I shuddered involuntarily, imagining what would happen if Garfield didn't believe the act. I turned the toxin over in my hand, rubbing my thumb against the glass. "When should I take this?"

Banner checked his watch. "Stark suspects they'll appear at dawn, if not a little after that. If he's right, you'll need to take it soon. Fifteen minutes, at least."

I didn't respond for a moment. Fifteen minutes was really soon. I couldn't help thinking how Barton would respond to seeing me suddenly drop "dead." That could be traumatic, wouldn't it? Not just for him, but for everyone? Maybe I was placing too much value on my own life and none of them would really be that affected by it, but, still... "And this is the only option?" I asked quietly, looking up at Banner.

He pressed his lips into a thin line, shrugging slightly. "Unless you have another idea."

Once again there was a searing pain at the back of my skull, and I gripped my hair with my free hand, wincing. Banner was out of his seat and crouched in front of me in an instant, both hands on my shoulders. "Mo, are you okay? What's the matter?"

Just as quickly as it'd come on, the pain faded away again. I shook my head, dropping my hand back to my lap. "Nothing," I said. Banner seemed unconvinced. "I'm fine. We should get back to the others before they start suspecting something."

I pushed myself off the stool and stood, curling my fingers tightly around the test tube. Banner took a few steps back to give me space to maneuver around him toward the door. He followed me out of the lab, switching off the lights behind us. We didn't speak on the way up to where the others were waiting, but that was alright. I was content being alone with my own thoughts, and at that moment, they were racing.

Is this toxin thing actually going to work? What if Garfield doesn't believe the act? God, what if it goes too far and the toxin actually kills me? Also, why the hell does my head keep randomly hurting like that? I didn't have answers for anything, and that was more worrying altogether. I'm not letting him take me.

When the elevator opened on the correct floor, all heads turned in our direction. Barton was on his feet in an instant, pushing himself off the couch to come stand in front of me. "You okay?" he asked quietly. Banner slipped away from the two of us to go speak with Stark and Rogers, allowing Barton to move just a few steps closer to me. He rested a hand on my arm. "What were you doing with Banner?"

"Strategizing," I said after a moment. He blinked. "For what to do in case everything goes south."

"And?"

I pressed my lips together, head tilted back to look Barton in the eye. Very slowly, I shook my head. My voice was soft. "I'll let you know when I figure it out."

For a moment, he only stared at me. "Well, that's not very reassuring," he said. I shrugged, looking away. His grip on my arm tightened slightly. "Hey." I didn't answer. "Mo." He grabbed at my face this time, the fingers of his free hand locking around my chin, forcing me to look at him again. He smiled softly and released me, taking a step back. "We're not going to let anything happen to you. Everything is going to be okay."

I knew there was absolutely no way that was going to be the case, but I smiled at him anyway. I kept the test tube clenched tightly in my fist where he couldn't see it, silently praying that it would work to the desired effect. I didn't want anyone to get hurt. I wouldn't be able to live with myself if someone got hurt for my sake again. I moved toward him, resting one hand against his chest; he set his hand on top of mine. "I just want you to keep yourself safe. Okay?"

Barton's lips slowly parted into a small grin. "Okay. I promise."

"No matter what happens?"

"No matter what happens."

In my head, I knew he was lying to me, and that he would do whatever it took to keep me on Earth, even if it meant risking his own life. From the way they all kept looking at me, like I was something fragile about to shatter at any moment, I knew they all felt the same. I didn't deserve their loyalty, their willingness to throw themselves away for me. I was going to stop all of this. Garfield was never going to bother my friends ever again.

As Barton moved away from me, back to where the rest of the team was waiting, I jogged over to what had been my room while I was staying with Stark last year. I still had the arrow Barton had shot at me in training last year. Rather than keeping it in my waistband, I'd tucked it into the space between the bed and the wall before Garfield came to fetch me the last time. I didn't figure it would be too wise to go in armed, as the aliens would only take the arrow away from me. But now... Now it was extra security. I may have been about to be captured, but at least I was armed. I slid the arrow into my waistband, making sure my shirt concealed it. Yanking the stopper off the test tube, I drank the entirety of the tetrodotoxin B and headed back into the main room, wincing only a little at the bitter taste.

"Mo." Rogers waved me over with one hand. There was a smile on his face that didn't quite reach his eyes. When I was standing in front of him, he set a firm hand on my shoulder. "I want you to stay back when all of the fighting goes down. Okay?" I blinked. "I know you can fight, and you've proven that before, but you don't have a whole lot of experience still and we'd much rather keep you here and safe. You understand?"

"I understand."

Rogers blinked, eyebrows rising. "That's all?" I said nothing. "I was expecting more of an argument from you."

I self-consciously smoothed the fabric of my shirt, hoping the arrow was concealed enough that Rogers wouldn't spot it. "I just want this to be over," I said sincerely. "And I'll do whatever it takes to make this end."

He stared me down for a few moments, seeming suddenly nervous. He scratched the back of his neck, looking at me seriously. He looked like he was about to flash me the "eyebrows of disappointment," but I lifted my lips into a small smile and cut him off before he could. "So if that means I have to stay behind while you all fight, that's what I'll do."

Rogers eyed me again, seemed satisfied by what he saw in my expression, and nodded. "Defend yourself if they come after you, of course, but I don't want you in the thick of everything. Just keep yourself somewhere safe."

After assuring him that I would do just that, I turned away from him, going to sit on the back of the couch instead. Stay behind, when all of my friends are out fighting for my sake? The coward's approach. I'd never really figured myself a coward, so, regardless of what Rogers wanted from me, I wasn't going to sit idly by while they all risked their lives. I'd play along as long as I could, though. No reason to upset them without reason.

I crossed one leg over the other and ran shaking hands through my hair. It didn't feel as though the toxin was really doing anything, but Banner had said I'd need around an hour for it to knock me out fully, and that was still a little while off. Patience was never really a virtue of mine, and dire circumstances like this were not doing much to help.

"It'll all be okay," Barton said, coming to lean against the couch beside me. Both of us were staring at the wall opposite us, rather than looking at each other. His arms were folded across his chest. "Hey, Mo?"

I hummed.

"I'm sorry about last night," he said, lowering his voice so only I could hear him. "I shouldn't have fallen asleep with you; you've got a boyfriend back home, and it wasn't fair of me to put you in that position."

My cheeks warmed at the mere mention of sharing a bed with him. "It's okay," I said, trying to keep my voice even. "It was an accident. We were tired."

He laughed a little. "And I'm sorry about how rude I was when we woke up. I didn't mean to freak out on you like that."

"That's okay, too."

Still without ever looking at me, he reached a hand out and set his fingers in my hair. Almost without thinking, I scooted a little closer to him and leaned sideways, setting my temple against his shoulder. After a moment of silence, Barton spoke again. "What happens when this is all over?"

"I'm going to take a really, really long nap."

He snorted out a quick laugh but sobered almost immediately. "Are you going to stay?"

I sat up, turning my head to look at him. His eyes were still fixated on the wall across from us. There was a slight pink tint to his ears and cheeks, and I could feel warmth rising in my own face. I hadn't thought about it until now. I had been expecting to die, was still expecting to at least be taken away again, but if Banner's plan went as it was supposed to... What then? "Are you asking me to?" I said quietly.

He swallowed audibly. "Yes." His face matched Stark's armor.

My breathing hitched. "Barton - "

Thor's deep voice cut me off before I could go on. "They're here."

I was off the couch in an instant and rushing to the window, Barton hot on my heels. The rest of the team was gathered there as well, watching the approaching helicopter with solemn looks on their faces. My heart was beating uncomfortably quickly. I wasn't unconscious. I didn't even feel close to passing out. Was the toxin not working? Had we failed already? I shot Banner a panicked look and he set a hand on my shoulder, trying to placate me. It only kind of worked.

Barton slipped his hand into mine, squeezing my fingers tightly. Unlike before, his blue eyes were fixed on mine. "You keep yourself out of the way, okay? Let us handle this."

"I'll do what I have to," I said, echoing my words to Rogers. Barton's eyebrows furrowed. "I just want you safe."

He smiled a little, letting go of my hand. "As long as we're on the same page, then."

Outside, the helicopter was hovering just above Stark's landing pad - where I'd boarded it from only a day or so before. The door slid open and Chris Garfield stuck his head out, eyes glowing bright yellow in the morning light. Two extra arms accompanied his usual two. "I want the girl," he shouted, voice carrying over the sound of the helicopter rotors. "I'll ask you once, and then I'm taking her by force."

Stark stepped forward, arms folded across his chest. "Yeah? You and what army?"

Garfield only laughed.

From all of the surrounding buildings came a loud whirring sound. Then, all at once, aliens rose up on the same scooters they'd flown when they first attacked New York over a year ago. There's so many of them. I couldn't see from how high up we were in the tower, but I was willing to be there were more aliens on the ground.

Natasha sighed. "You had to ask?" Stark shrugged sheepishly.

Rogers stepped forward next, standing in line with Stark. "If you want Mo, you've got to go through us first."

Garfield's teeth glinted as he grinned. "I was hoping you'd say that."

From the helicopter behind him, aliens began piling out, swarming the landing pad. In the same instant, Banner rushed past me, roaring loudly. I hadn't even noticed he'd gone green. The Hulk roared again and knocked aside a few aliens before launching himself at the helicopter, sending both it and himself over the edge - and Garfield along with it. Thor was next, swinging Mjolnir rapidly before releasing it and allowing it to send the remaining aliens flying.

I released the breath I didn't know I'd been holding. I didn't know how I was still standing. Why isn't the toxin working? Has it been an hour yet? Rogers and Stark both nodded at me. "You stay out of trouble," Stark said. I rolled my eyes. How many times were they all going to tell me? He turned to Rogers next. "You ready?" At the captain's nod, Stark wrapped an arm around his waist and took off flying toward the other aliens.

Thor walked back over, holding his hand out to Natasha. "Would you care for some assistance?" he asked with a cheeky smile.

Natasha grinned in return, adjusting the electroshock bracelets on her wrists. "I would love one." She looked my way, offering me a reassuring smile. "We'll have this mess sorted out quickly, and then we'll all be back. You just stay put."

"Okay, Mom," I said with a groan. She laughed; I smiled. "Be careful. Both of you."

At my words, Thor grabbed Natasha and they were off.

Barton was the only one left beside me. "You're not staying to babysit, are you?" I asked, only halfway joking. "As long as no aliens get up here, I should be fine."

"No, I'm not babysitting," he said with a short chuckle. "I've got grappling hook arrows, remember?" I nodded. "I just wanted to be the last to say goodbye."

I frowned. "You're not saying goodbye. You're going to kick some ass, and then you're going to come back and we're all going to be okay." Even as I said it, I had no idea if it was true. But I could pretend to be optimistic, right? "So stay safe and come back to me."

The small smile that had been on his face slowly faded. "Hey, about what we were talking about earlier, about after all of this is done - "

"We can talk about it when it is done." Almost without thinking, I reached out and pulled him into a firm hug. He held me just as tightly. "So go get it done." I took a step back from him, his arms still locked around my waist. Blood rushing in my ears, I got up on my toes and pressed a quick kiss to his cheek. I moved away just as quickly. "Get it done and come back to me."

There was a goofy smile on his face as he saluted me. "Yes, ma'am." He grabbed his bow from where it'd been strapped across his back, flashed me a quick wink, and then dashed out onto the landing pad. Seconds later, his grappling hook arrow was hooked onto the next building over, and he was gone.

I crept out to the edge, peering over. I could already hear the sounds of the Avengers fighting Garfield and his aliens. I was almost positive that he hadn't died from the Hulk knocking the helicopter off the building, and that he was probably going to be coming back for me as soon as he got the opportunity. But I couldn't spot him from this high up, so I allowed myself to have a tiny bit of hope that I'd maybe be okay. If Banner's toxin decided not to work after all, maybe we really could pull it off and win this fight.

But the longer I watched, the more the realization set in that we weren't going to win this at all.

Garfield knew from the beginning that the Avengers weren't going to give me up without a fight. He was prepared. It was as though the aliens were multiplying; the longer I watched the fighting, the more aliens seemed to be joining the battle. We were being overwhelmed, and quickly. The Hulk had four aliens hanging off of each arm, desperately trying to fling them off. Stark was flying ahead of a group of six aliens on scooters, one of his legs smoking. Rogers was wrestling to get his shield back from an alien with four hands. Natasha was with Thor, both of them electrocuting the shit out of the surrounding aliens, but more and more filled the empty spaces left by fallen monstrosities. And Barton -

Barton was okay.

He was on top of the building adjacent to Stark Tower, quiver still full of arrows, knocking aliens off the edge of the building and shooting down whatever scooters were headed in my direction. He seemed worn out, from the way he stood hunched whenever he caught a brief break in all the fighting, but he didn't appear any worse for wear otherwise. Nevertheless, my heart was hammering in my chest, threatening to rip straight through my skin.

I remained perched on the edge of the landing strip, crouched down so maybe I'd be less noticeable. More helicopters were arriving on scene, though these ones looked to belong to the news and were being piloted by actual human beings. I couldn't hear what any of the news anchors were saying over all the noise, but I didn't need to hear them. I could see just fine for myself. And we were losing.

My heart was in my throat now, and I was afraid I was going to vomit it up. The toxin. Why the hell isn't the toxin working? Banner, what am I supposed to do now? But he wasn't telepathic and wasn't in any position to be answering my questions, anyway. I was on my own. If I wasn't passed out on the ground by now, there was no way the toxin was going to work five minutes from now. What am I supposed to do?

Just as it'd done in the lab, my head suddenly felt as though it were being sawed in half. Screaming, I put my head between my knees and clutched at my ears, as though trying to keep my head from splitting in two. My vision was blurry with tears, but I managed to lift my head and blink them away enough to check in on Barton again. To my horror, Chris Garfield had maneuvered his way up to the roof of Barton's building, metallic claws fully extended as he stalked his way over to the archer. Barton didn't see him coming.

"Barton!" I shouted, rising to my feet, still holding my throbbing head with one hand. He turned to look at me. All I could do was point.

I wasn't fast enough.

Barton was knocked to the ground, Garfield on top of him, Barton with his bow in between the two of them to keep Garfield's claws away from their mark. My blood was ice within my veins. This was exactly how Barton had almost died over a year ago. I could jump in and help him. I had my boots, I could do it. But that would put me closer to Garfield's clutches, and I had promised I would stay safe in the Tower. Anyway, joining the fight wouldn't stop the fighting. It would just get me dragged away, and potentially get everyone else killed. I had to make the fighting stop altogether. I had to get Garfield away from Barton.

Agony flared up in my head again, sending back onto my knees with a strangled cry. Of all the faces to imagine, Loki's face was emblazoned on the backs of my eyelids. I had only seen him once in person, and that was almost two years ago. He'd said something to me, something I'd forgot almost immediately once Thor interrogated me. What the hell had he said? What had he made me forget?

With another loud crack inside my head, a door opened, and I remembered.

"There are hard times in store for you. And that makes people do desperate things. Some kill others to make them feel the same pain they do. But others do something worse. And that is the category you fit into." That's what he'd said. But that hadn't been all.

"Suicide. In a little less than two years' time, you are going to kill yourself in front of everyone, in the very place where you now reside."

The pain in my head and the strange feeling in my stomach led me to believe it wasn't the toxin he was referring to. I'd been horrified when he suggested it, but that was a long time ago. Now I was consciously aware of the arrow in my waistband pressing against my skin. I didn't know how Loki had known, how he'd predicted it, but he had. And he'd only allowed me to remember when I needed to the most.

My hands trembled, but I made quick work of yanking the arrow out and holding it tightly in both hands. I pushed myself to my feet, gazing out across the city. New York's skyline was incredible. I'd never fully appreciated it before. But there was no more time for me to waste thinking about regrets and everything else. I had a one track mind focused solely on Barton's wellbeing. And right now, he was about to be impaled by one of Garfield's long claws.

"STOP!" I screamed, as loud as I could possibly manage. My voice carried, amplified by my desperation, and all at once, the fighting stopped. I could feel thousands of eyes on me: the Avengers, the aliens, the news anchors and the people watching the news safe in their homes. I had their attention and nothing else to say. Barton's eyes were locked on mine. No doubt he'd seen his arrow grasped tightly in my hands. "I'm sorry," I said, though I knew there was no way he could have heard me.

And then I plunged the arrow straight into my stomach.

oOoOo

Barton's P.O.V.

It all happened too fast.

Mo had called my name from where she stood on the landing strip at Stark Tower, trying to alert me to the fact that Garfield was creeping up behind me. I hadn't even realized he was still alive after Banner knocked the helicopter out of the air. Mo's panic hadn't registered quickly enough in my brain, and her pointing finger had come a second too late. Then Garfield was on top of me, swiping at me with those freakishly long claws of his, trying to gouge out my eyes and dig into my abdomen. I was only just fending him off. But then she'd screamed again.

"STOP!"

And the fighting did stop. Garfield paused in his assault, head turned to see what was happening. Mo was still standing there, but this time there was something in her hands, something long and thin. Horror hit me like a train - that was one of my arrows. She had one of my arrows and a look on her face like she'd seen every possible outcome of this fight in her head. And then she was looking at me, and her lips moved, but I couldn't hear what she'd said.

And then my arrow was sticking out of her stomach.

"No," I said softly, at the same time as Garfield. I'd almost forgotten he was on top of me. But his eyes were still focused on Mo, who was holding the arrow tightly in both hands and swaying dangerously, and his distractedness gave me enough time to kick him off of me.

I had a grappling hook arrow loosed from my bow half a second later, swinging me toward the Tower. My feet hit the landing strip and I tumbled forward, my bow was tossed aside and forgotten, and my arms were around Mo just before she fully collapsed. I fell to my knees, still holding her, cradling her, shaking her. Her eyes were closed. "Mo, wake up." My voice cracked. She didn't move. Her blood was pooling around the shaft of the arrow and slowly dripping down onto my pants and the ground. "Mo, come on."

Nothing.

I could hear the blood rushing in my ears. This wasn't supposed to happen. She wasn't supposed to sacrifice herself, and especially not like this. I was supposed to win the fight for her and come back safe and sound to talk about what she was going to do once we were rid of the aliens. I wasn't supposed to be clutching her limp body like it was the only thing still tethering me to sanity. "Mo, please, wake up." My voice was nothing but a croak.

A shadow fell across the two of us. I looked up, hardly able to make out Chris Garfield's face around the moisture in my eyes. "Is she...?" His voice shook. I nodded, pressing my lips together to quell the rising sobs. Garfield nodded in return, much stiffer than I had. "Give her to me. She deserves to be buried on her home planet."

"This is her home planet," I said, exasperated. Mo had mentioned when I'd - when I'd saved her, that Garfield thought she was his fiancée from his planet. It was clear his delusions were still a factor. "I won't let you have her." I'd failed her in life, I wouldn't fail her now.

Heavy footsteps landed behind me. When I tilted my head back, I found Thor, Mjolnir gripped tightly in his hand. "I suggest you leave, madman. Mo is dead. You have no reason to stay." Though his tone was hard, I didn't miss the agonized look in his eyes.

"I'm not leaving without her," Garfield demanded. "I'd sooner die than be without my queen."

A sudden burst of light appeared behind him, and then a golden spear erupted from his chest. His strange orange blood ran immediately, dripping from the corners of his mouth and from the wound. His yellow cat eyes were wide in surprise, and then his body was tossed aside, down to the ground.

"Then I suppose you'll die with her," came Loki's soft, bored voice. He glanced at the spear he held, an obvious look of distaste on his face as he inspected the orange blood.

"Brother, what are you doing here?" Thor asked, stepping forward to stand beside where I still knelt on the ground. "You're supposed to be in your cell on Asgard."

Loki smiled smugly, eyes trained on Mo's pale face. "I've been let out on what the Midgardians call 'parole,'" he said. Clearly I was missing something, but I was too stunned to speak. I hated Loki with every fibre of my being after what he'd done to me the last time he was on Earth, but he'd just saved us any more fighting. The aliens had found Garfield's body and were leaving in droves. We wouldn't have any more problems with them, it seemed.

The trickster god crouched down in front of me, smirking. "Hello, Barton," he said, a sly look in his eyes. I said nothing, did nothing. He extended a hand toward Mo, and only then did I move, jerking her away from him; her head lolled onto my shoulder. "I don't mean to harm her," he said. He almost laughed. "Well, more than she's harmed herself already." He set the palm of his hand against her hair for a moment, smiled, and then stood again. His gaze flicked to Thor. "I suggest you get her inside now."

A second later, he was gone, another flash of light nearly blinding me as he disappeared.

With all the threats gone, the crushing weight of what had happened finally settled on my chest. My breathing was ragged as I brushed her hair away from her face. There was a small trickle of blood trailing down from the corner of her mouth to her chin, and her hands were stained red where they gripped the arrow. I knew removing it would make her bleed more quickly. I also knew that, at that point, it didn't matter.

"We should do as Loki said." Thor set a hand on top of my head for a brief moment and then removed it. "The others will be here soon."

I nodded slowly and tried to stand. Mo's body was a dead weight in my arms. She wasn't heavy by any means, but by that point I was trying so hard to stifle my cries that it was all I could do to keep just myself on my feet. I'd loved her. God, I'd loved her so much, and now she was gone. And I was helpless but to watch her do it. I'd never even gotten a goodbye.

"Let me have her," Thor said softly, holding out his arms. "I am used to carrying her, after all."

I couldn't refuse him, though it broke what little of my heart remained to have her pried away from me. As soon as Thor had her in his arms, I collapsed back onto the ground, unable to move. Fists and eyes clenched tightly shut, shoulders shaking, I remained, even as Stark patted my shoulder and Rogers attempted to speak to me, even as Banner offered kind words and Natasha came and sat beside me. I couldn't speak, couldn't bear to open my eyes and face a reality where Mo was no longer alive. I couldn't breathe.

"It'll be okay," Natasha said quietly.

It wouldn't.