Give up your way
You could be anything
Give up my way
And lose myself?

Not today
That's too much guilt to pay

Sickened in the sun
You dare tell me you love me
But you held me down and screamed you wanted me to die,

The Last Song I'm Wasting On You, by Evanescence, from the album The Open Door, released in 2006


"Sparrow, stop!"

Bucky tried commanding again, as if she was about to go too far. As if she was about to raise a blade to attack him. But that was not what she was doing. She was still tag-teaming with Peter, working as a team to at least incapacitate Bucky.

For every punch she would land, so would Peter, but then Bucky would land a few as well. And he wasn't holding back. Growling in response, Sparrow sent sparks through his body, leaping from her hands to his as he shook a little, his eyes becoming even hardened.

"People are dead Bucky! I thought we wanted to stop all this?"

He grunted, retaliating from the shock with a sweeping kick, which she avoided easily. Peter shot out another strand of his web, releasing not a strand this time but a small spherical thing that stuck to Bucky. A web bomb it looked like. She moved backwards and conjured a barrier, to protect her as the bomb exploded, scattering all around Bucky's skin and immobilising him somewhat.

She charged forward, taking advantage of this as she leapt, propelling herself through the air before attempting to land another punch. He recovered from the web quicker then she thought and he grabbed her heel before flinging her a fair distance in the other direction. She held her hands out and caught herself mid-air, her ankle aching a little as she did so, before gliding back over, to Peter who was winded, blocking strike after strike from Bucky.

Thick vines erupted out of the ground, tensing around Bucky's legs and throwing him onto the ground, and away from Peter. Bucky growled like a man demented, and charged forwards, launched back by the vines which were still wrapped around his legs. Tony seemed to be having a little trouble with Steve, as the man kept reflecting Tony's repulsors off his shield.

"Go"

She commanded, as Bucky tore free from the vines. Peter looked a little sceptical, and uncomfortable leaving her, but she gently shoved him away with a light gust of wind. She didn't get much time to further persuade him as she raised a fist to block Bucky's attacks. The metal fist stung against her arm, but it was nothing she wasn't used to at this point.

"I don't want to fight you Roe!"

That didn't stop him from throwing another punch which she ducked below, returning the volley with a kick aiming for his jaw. Bucky blocked it and feigned to the left, before throwing a punch to the right. Clenching a ball of her metal, it rapidly expanded, forming a circular shield that blocked his attack.

"It certainly seems otherwise."

"Sparrow, they locked me up! What was I supposed to do?!"

She growled as she blocked another attack, before throwing a spin kick, aimed directly at his head. He ducked under it swiftly, before retaliating with a glancing blow to her ribs. She threw her shield, Steve style and Bucky caught it, with his metal hands grasping onto it so hard it left deep gouges within it.

He threw it back like a vicious game of frisbee, which she kicked upwards, catching it and attempting to swing it around. The disc spun around in the air and Bucky caught it again, this time discarding it off to the side.

"They were locking you up as a precaution. The didn't know whether you were a threat or a friend! You attacking and killing civilians earlier didn't help your case!"

Bucky didn't even falter, launching into a series of punches and kicks that were reminiscent of Sparrow's own style. Bouncing on the top of her toes, she avoided the attacks she could, and gave as good as she got. It's like I'm under HYDRA's instruction: it all seems to pivot around Bucky.

"I didn't intentionally kill anyone! The Accords are just a way to bind us like HYDRA did!"

She blinked, her hands swimming with flame as she clenched them tightly, dodging the grapple that Bucky had tried to get her in. The two were at a stalemate: she knew Bucky's moves and Bucky knew hers.

I didn't even bring up the Accords! I was just talking about the fucking loss of life! I thought we didn't want to hurt anyone after what the two of us did at HYDRA!

"I didn't bring up the Accords! I just want those who died to be remembered, justice given! How are we better than HYDRA if we just run around killing innocents like they did?"


Tony was grateful for Sparrow's intervention. Truly, he was. And she seemed to be on his side, which was his entire reason for making sure she was out of the country. But it seemed he needn't have worried… although he wasn't exactly sure how she had got here… but he had a suspicion it had something to do with Peter, who had webbed Steve's shield to the side under a thick layer of web.

Now that his glorified frisbee had disappeared, he blasted his repulsors at Steve, still set to stum and not kill. Steve growled as his lower arms become slightly burned, as Peter webbed him down with his webs. Sparrow, as Tony could see, looking off quickly in the distance, was engaged in a deadly dance with Bucky, and it looked like they were exchanging heated words. It was unlike the quiet Sparrow to do so.

Tony charged into Steve, slamming him with the full force of his armour in order to get him away from Peter, who he felt an increasing responsibility towards. He and Sparrow both. He never wanted to drag either of them into this.. but he'd Peter had refused to let him go alone- and it was impossible to sneak off without him.

Even Sparrow had ended up back here.. and she was fighting against her father figure, something that he never wanted to happen. Bucky was Sparrow's second chance at a somewhat decent father, but she was going to end up having a relationship with Bucky like he ended up having with Howard. A few minor alerts came up on the armour, JARVIS taking the reigns for this battle.

"Sir, abdominal integrity is at 89% and falling. Might I suggest you remove Rogers' hand from the metal plating."

Looking down as he moved to ram Steve into the wall, watching in abject horror as Scott Lang- JARVIS was increasingly good at facial rec- slammed into Peter, the force bringing the airport building down on top of him. He blasted Steve off the armour with extreme prejudice, barely resisting the urge to use the uni-beam, and turned sharply mid-air, his breath picking up rapidly.

Peter was stuck under a building again. He hated buildings. He must be scared. So scared. The thrusters hummed as the Arc worked to push him over to the building as fast as he could managed. It's alright Pete, shh, I'll get there soon. You won't be under there long, it's okay, I'mgoingtogetyouyou'llbeokay-

"Sir, your heartrate is elevating to a dangerous level. Mr Parker is fine."

He was about to snap at JARVIS that Peter wasn't likely to be okay under a pile of rubble, even if he did have super-strength and a highly durable suit of armour- JARVIS focusing on the rubble, namely Sparrow who was standing tensed. As she raised her hands, flat and slow, the rubble shook, and Tony was just about ready to scream out no, imagining Peter with broken bones, impaleations, and concussions- JARVIS urged him to watch.

The rubble slowly lifted up and was tossed away to the side, revealing an unharmed Peter, who was with widened eyes and shock. Peter stepped out unharmed, his metal arms easily clambering over the rocks. Tony relaxed, before JARVIS quickly overode the armour and threw him to the side, avoiding an EMP arrow shot by Birdbrain.

It would've temporarily shut down the armour- but with a manual reboot which would've taken a few seconds at least, he would've been fine. Still, at this height he would have hit the ground, and that would have been uncomfortable, to say the least. Bucky and Steve had disappeared, and with them, Natasha, who had presumably gone to chase after them. Gulliver over there lunged towards Rhodey-Bear with a slow-ass punch, which the man moved out of the way of.

"Y'know how in Star Wars how they bring down the AT-AT?"

Peter didn't need to explain much more as he began to wrap web around Lang's legs, binding them together slowly but surely. It was going to take a couple of layers though. Peter's webs were strong, but not that strong. As Rhodey kept Lang distracted from above, firing off repulsors and small rockets, and Peter was binding him, Tony got into combat with Birdbrain, who was still firing arrows off, inhabiting Peter's ability to subdue Lang, and also being incredibly annoying.

Wanda was twitching on the ground, subdued by Vision and unconscious, with power-neutralising cuffs on. I don't want anyone else to be subjected to their worst fears: not Peter or Rhodey or Vision or Sparrow. For good measure, Peter had covered her in a layer of web, so that she couldn't twist or move out, pinned to the ground.

Without her powers, she wasn't strong enough to escape. Tony landed on the ground in his iconic pose and engaged in hand to hand, something that he knew he couldn't beat the archer in. Although that wasn't what he was waiting for, he was waiting for an opportunity to cover him in an electric net, one designed by his truly.

"Too scared to take me on outside the armour?"

Clint sneered a little, surprising Tony with the venom in his tone. What exactly had he done other than disagree on the Accords? Clint was supposed to be retired, living on a farm with his wife and kids who Tony had painstakingly made sure were protected. As he got whipped around the head by Birdbrain's bow, he punched him, which he dodged. Raising his two gauntlets at him, he released the nets, which Birdbrain had no chance at dodging at that range.

It pinned him down to the ground under sparking nets, which he had no chance of escape as it sent small electric shocks through him, numbing his muscles and rendering him immobile. Tony wasn't callous or murderous- not wanting to return to his moniker of the Merchant of Death that he hated so much- so it wouldn't hurt. Just uncomfortable and paralysing. He turned just in time to see Rhodey get struck by Vision's beam which was meant to hit Sam, and his friend. Began. Falling. Down.

Tony shot off towards his friend, pushing his armour to the max despite knowing that he couldn't make it. As Scott Lang began to fall in a massive heap, Peter narrowly moving out of the way as he kept his web taut, barely dodging the increasingly limp mass, Sparrow was still in squashing range. And nobody could get to here- not Tony, not Peter, not Vision, and not even Sam, who entered into a steep dive.

Roe closed her eyes in what looked like acceptance as Tony and Peter's simultaneous screaming was in Tony's ears, and she raised her hands, still in squashing range, power thrumming around her from what Tony could see. As JARVIS was throwing up statistics of how likely she was to survive, Rhodey's descent began to slow, no longer at that plummeting pace he was before.

Tony angled himself upwards, thinking that perhaps he could grab both Rhodey and Sparrow in one fell swoop- though he knew that it wouldn't be possible based on all angles of trajectory.

As soon as it looked like Lang wouldn't be able to recover, Peter released his grip on his webs, and shot Sparrow with them. She didn't even flinch as he pulled harshly, overbalancing her and sending her teetering across the tarmac, resulting in several burns and scrapes that Sparrow wouldn't even blink about.

As Rhodey landed with a much softer impact- the beginnings of a panic attack still thrumming in his chest and the grey sky alternating with a black one as if he was in some kind of horrible eighties rave. And he'd had a lot of experience with those. As Peter pulled harder on his webs, the legs of the Iron Spider pulling him back in order to gain better grip, Lang finally hit the ground, resulting in a tremor that shook the earth.

There was no yell of pain as Tony finally managed to get within a hands stretch of his adoptive son, and landed hastily, the thrusters cutting out quickly. Rhodey had since gotten up slowly, walking raggedly across the short distance where they were both looking over Sparrow, who's wide eyes were startling.

"Rhodey!"

He called out- screamed out over the comms- as the images began to creep inside his mind, flickering from bit to bit. Rhodey flipped his faceplate up, bruised and battered, but alive. While his breath was still erratic, his chest sporadic, and still trying to determine what was real and what was not, he forced himself to be calm, looking at Sparrow who was pinned under the unconscious Scott.

Peter was looking at Roe with a sense of worry. The metal legs receeded neatly into the back of Peter's armour, whilst Rhodey placed his arm on Tony's armoured shoulder, gripping tightly.

"Tones, I'm fine. You see? Just a little bruised. Well.. War Machine might need a little.. tune-up, but that can wait. You know where we are?"

He blinked his eyes slowly and deliberately, before setting his jaw and nodding firmly. Peter was taking Roe's pulse despite Karen being able to do that exact thing, and Peter's helmet peeled back, revealing a cut along his cheek, and a slightly dazed look in his eye.

Concussion. That was just what they could see. It seemed like Peter was closer to Sparrow then Tony knew: and he recognised that look on his face. Snapping himself out of it, he focused on Sparrow, kneeling down, snapping his fingers, trying to get her alert.

"Roe? You awake? We're not having a repeat of the temporary amnesia are we?"

Though pinned down, her emerald eyes focused on Tony, dilated a little but definitely alert. Because of the angle that Peter was at when he was pulling, Sparrow was pinned under Lang's shoulder, the width of it at least three times the size of her body. She attempted to move her hands and tried to push his shoulder off of her.

Her arms quivered at the strain she was obviously outputting, but she quickly gave up. Turning her head to the three men- with Vision coming down with Sam, who was about ten seconds away from getting arrested- Roe grabbed Pete's hand, squeezing it a little. Peter's eyes widened as her eyes rolled back, and Tony realised that something was very wrong if Sparrow was passing out because that was something that never happened. Passing out meant being unsafe. And Sparrow never passed out.

"She's not breathing!"

Peter yelled. Looking between the group of them, Peter quickly got into a good angle and rested his hands underneath Scott's arm. Tony shot up from where he was standing, adrenaline through him, and gripped tightly, his knuckles going surely white within the armour. Vision stood hovering, his eyes concentrated as the Mind Stone glowed inside his head, making Lang that much easier to lift.

Rhodey crouched down and grabbed Sparrow's limp form by her shoulders, and once Lang's heavy-ass body had been lifted up, Rhodey yanked him out, abandoning the War Machine suit as Rhodey slid onto the ground, taking her pulse and resting his ear near her mouth. He cursed, before crossing his hands and placing it over her chest.

"Come on Roe!"

Tony and Peter dropped Lang as Peter went pale, watching with tearful eyes as Rhodey continued to curse, continuing to do CPR.

'Getting the nearest ambulance services, Sir'.

Tony ignored JARVIS, instead wrapping his arm around Peter's shoulders. Stroking his hair, and passing the inbuilt defiblerators from within the suit along to Rhodey, he murmured soft assurances as the wail of ambulances echoed from somewhere in the distance.

"Andrà tutto bene Peter. Passera is a fighter."

(Everything is going to be okay, Peter.)


Author's Note

Hi everyone.

I hope that you all are doing okay considering the current situation of the world.

I'm not particularly religious, but I am sending my best wishes to you and your families- in this time, whether we are Scottish, American, black, white, tall or short, we need to stick together.

I'm going to keep this short, but I hope you all are staying safe, and thank you for your support and reviews. I smile every time I see someone being passionate about my story, or even giving me constructive criticism. I hope to entertain, take up five minutes or so of your time, provide a reprieve during this tough time.

QOTW: What is life like for you at the minute?

Mine is odd. My school has been shut, meaning I finished my final year months earlier than planned, and my exams are cancelled. I find myself not really knowing what to do now with my five months or so free time.

See you all next time,

best wishes,

~Cait