Lyanna took a final glance in the mirror. Everyone would be at the party tonight, and she wanted to look as perfect as she could. So, she had her hair straightened and up into a high ponytail, her eyes were done with smoky grey eyeshadows and bold lips. Lyanna also wore a simple one shoulder, form-fitting dress that ended just above her knees and a pair of high heels to match. Her hand held the third glass of Cosmopolitan she had been sipping out of as she gathered all of her courage to leave her room and join everyone else. This wasn't one of the many parties she attended in her life, she was not used to the high-end class events that Tony threw. She was also the youngest among the group which didn't help with the thoughts of messing up and embarrassing herself or having to awkwardly stand around while the real adults talked. Taking another sip of her cocktail, Lyanna straightened her back, raised her chin up and went to leave her room.
Upbeat music and absolute chatter hit her ears when the elevator's doors opened on the upper floor. Lyanna stepped closer to the ledge to find someone she could chat with. Her eyes found Bruce attempting to walk by furniture and avoid the overhead lamps. He looked uncomfortable as it was, and she didn't think he needed her to chat him up. Natasha was chatting on a couch with Thor not far behind while being surrounded by a group of older men. Her eyes finally landed on her dad who was sitting down and having a conversation with Helen. She made her way down the stairs, passing Steve and Sam playing pool till she reached him.
"Heyo," Lyanna greeted them as she sat down beside Clint. Helen gave a polite smile and excused herself, leaving them alone.
"Hey kiddo, you look nice," He greeted her with a smile.
"Thanks, Dad," Lyanna's cheeks warmed up "How are you feeling?"
"Good as new, Helen sure knows how to fix someone else,"
"Good, wouldn't want mum to kill you," Lyanna chuckled, sipping on her drink. So far she couldn't feel any effect of her drinks.
"I'm sure she will soon enough, it left a scar," Clint laughed shifting on the couch.
"Oof, you are doomed,"
"How are you doing though? You have been a bit distant recently," He asked, his laugh dying as he looked at her closer. Her heartbeat sped up as she gulped and nodded her head.
"Yeah, no, I'm all good," Lyanna managed to say without stuttering.
"You sure? Cause you know you can talk to me if something is bothering you right? Or with mum," He asked as he wrapped an arm around her. Guilt hit her as her heart felt heavier. She knew he was worried, he was always worried, but she couldn't tell what happened. What she had done. She couldn't watch the disappointment and disgust on his face if she ever told him.
"I know dad, I'm good I promise," She managed a small smile as she leaned against him.
"Good, if you say so. I was thinking we could go home soon for a bit; Lila has been asking about you non-stop. Even Cooper asked when you are going to come home which is something, to say the least,"
"Yeah, that would be nice," She hadn't gone home in a while, almost a year. She couldn't. It was hard to go back and be surrounded by family when they had no clue what a disgrace she was. Clint seemed to be satisfied enough to let it go for now which she was grateful for. She hated lying to him.
"Great...let's go see what the team is up to,"
They all eventually moved to a more private upper floor to sit down around a table. Lyanna sat down on the couch with Maria Hill to her right and her dad and Bruce to her left.
"That looks fancy, can I have some?" Lyanna asked as Thor poured some liquor into his and Steve's tumblers.
"Are you certain? This has aged for a thousand years in the barrels built from the wreck of Grunhel's fleet, it's not meant for mortals," He glanced at her mid pour and Steve had to grab Thor's arm and twist it back up so that his drink wouldn't get him blackout drunk, if that was even possible.
"Good thing I'm no ordinary human Thor, gimmie," Thor still didn't look certain and glanced at Clinton to make sure it was okay who just shrugged.
"Dude don't look at me, I don't care. If she throws up tonight, you will be the one to hold her hair back,"
"I won't throw up, shut up Dad," Lyanna nudged him playfully as her cheeks flushed bright red. She grabbed one of the empty glasses from the table and handed it to Thor to pour the drink in.
"Sure you won't," Clint sniggered but none the less watched as she took a sip and he wasn't the only one. Everyone burst out laughing as her face scrunched up in disgust and a cough escaped her as the liquor burnt the hell out of her throat. She might as well have drunk fire.
"Well, what do you think?" Steve asked with a smile.
"Sweet. Totally not strong. I'm fine" Lyanna muttered through her hand on her face as trying to get over the taste.
"Surprised it didn't knock you straight out. Don't overdo it kiddo, talking from experience." Tony chuckled, finishing his beer.
"I won't," Lyanna smiled and inhaled quickly before taking another, smaller sip. "So how does the hammer really work Thor?" She asked, glancing at the Mjölnir on the table.
"It's simple, only the worthy can lift it,"
"Ah, whosever be he worthy shall haveth the power! Whatever, man! It's a trick," Clint exclaimed playing with a set of drumsticks in his hands making Thor chuckle.
"Please, be my guest," Thor sounded smug as he waved at the Mjölnir. Lyanna raised her eyebrow and looked at her dad, curious if he would actually try to lift it. Her question was answered as Clint stood up, accepting the challenge.
"Oh, this is going to be beautiful," Rhodey remarked at the same time as Lyanna let out "Whoo! Go Dad!"
"Clint you have had a tough week. We won't hold it against you if you can't get it up," Tony's remark got everyone to laugh.
"You know I've seen this before right?" Clint asked, still believing he was right. Lyanna grinned even wider as Clint gripped the hammer tightly and tried to lift it up, but it remained dead in its place.
"I still don't know how you do it!" Clint laughed a little out of breath.
"Smell the silent judgment?"
"Please Stark by all means," Clint called him out and went back to his seat but instead of sitting back down, he jumped on top of the couch and sat on the headrest. Lyanna leaned her head against his leg and he dropped his hand on her head to play with her hair.
"Never one to shrink from an honest challenge. It's physics," Tony rose from his seat, undoing his suit jacket in the progress.
"Physics!"
"Right, so, if I lift it, I...I then rule Asgard?" He clarified as he wrapped the band around his wrist.
"Yes, of course."
"I will be reinstituting Prima Nocta" Tony tried to lift it but it once again didn't budge out of place. "I'll be right back.
Lyanna almost couldn't believe what she was seeing so she pulled out her phone and discreetly started to film as the team tried to pull Mjölnir out of its place. Tony attempted to pull the hammer with his iron hand and once that failed, he got Rhodey to help him pull with his armoured arm. Then it was Bruce's turn who just ended up releasing a roar which made everyone raise an eyebrow at him. Finally, it was Steve's turn and everyone's attention peeked. If anyone one was worthy, Lyanna would bet on him to lift the hammer. Her jaw went slack when the hammer actually made a noise with the tiniest movement before it went back to stationary. Even Thor seemed surprised before Steve raised his hands in surrender.
"Only the ladies are left. What do you say little Viper? Want to see if you are worthy?" Tony asked, getting everyone's attention towards her.
"God no, I don't need to embarrass myself," Lyanna chuckled opening another bottle of beer.
"And Widow?"
"Oh, no no. That's not a question I need answered." Natasha also declined throwing her a smile. But Lyanna didn't return the smile. She didn't even see it as her eyes glanced towards the doors far off from everyone's chatter at the table. She could hear something approaching. It was silent but at the same time creaking as if metal was rubbing against metal. And it was coming closer.
"Something's crawling" Lyanna shouted jumping to her feet and a second later a high-pitched noise pierced through the air. Lyanna threw her hands over her ears trying to cancel out the noise as much as she could but it did little to help. Her eyes fell to the single, damaged robot that found its way to the lounge room and stood without anyone's orders. Her eyes widened as it spoke in a cold yet calm voice, one that she has never heard before.
"Worthy... No... How could you be worthy? You're all killers."
"Stark." Steve muttered, not pulling his eyes off the robot.
"What the fuck is that?" Lyanna couldn't stop the words from escaping, but no one answered her. Clint slowly walked closer to her and stretched his arm to reach for her hand and pulled her closer.
"Jarvis?" Tony asked.
"I'm sorry, I was asleep. Or... I was a-dream?" Ultron spoke again, looking around himself.
"Reboot, Legionnaire OS, we got a buggy suit." Tony spoke quietly into his stark phone, not wanting to draw attention to himself just yet. He was met with silence. Something was wrong. Very wrong.
"There was a terrible noise... and I was tangled in... in... strings. I had to kill the other guy. He was a good guy." Clint's hand tightened around Lyanna's and he stepped further in front to shield her.
"You killed someone?" Steve asked, his voice turning to steel.
"Wouldn't have been my first call. But, down in the real world, we're faced with ugly choices." Ultron kept sounding more confident and self-aware as the seconds passed making a shiver run down Lyanna's spine.
"Who sent you?"
"I see a suit of armour around the world" Tony's voice echoed from Ultron. She had heard Tony passing remarks here and there about protecting the world, but she wasn't aware of him doing anything much about it.
"Ultron," Bruce called out.
"In the flesh. Or, no, not yet. Not this...chrysalis. But I'm ready. I'm on a mission."
"What mission?"
"Peace in our time." Lyanna's hand was yanked harshly as iron legions broke through the walls. From a corner of her eye, she saw Steve get thrown with a table but her attention couldn't lay on him or others any longer. She and Clint had broken over into a sprint to get away from the destruction
"Down." Clint ordered just as they were spotted by an iron legion who set its gun on them but narrowly missed. Lyanna gasped as she slid under a table, her legs hitting the wall with a big enough force for her to feel it.
"We gotta help them," She breathed out as Clint looked around their surroundings. It seemed safe enough spot for the moment.
"Without weapons that ain't gonna do much. Stay here," Clint ordered her.
"But-"
"Lyanna stay here, you hear me?" He snapped before seeing an opening and running to get himself a weapon.
Lyanna followed her father's instructions. For a few moments. Then she spotted a handgun concealed under another table and dashed to grab it. With the safety unlocked, she jumped over one of the railings, creeping close to the ground as she half-ran closer to the scene until she saw Doctor Cho cornered by the top part of one of the rogue robots. Lyanna's eyes met hers and she put a finger to her mouth as she approached the robot as silently as she could. The moment Lyanna was close enough to them she raised the gun to its head and pressed the trigger twice, till it fell to the ground limply.
"Cap!" Clint's voice rings out from above as he threw the shield to him and Steve with his precision dismembered the last Iron Legion.
"That was dramatic! I'm sorry, I know you mean well. You just didn't think it through. You want to protect the world, but you don't want it to change. How is humanity saved if it's not allowed to...evolve?" Lyanna raised her gun again and did not hesitate to empty the remaining rounds into Ultron while it seemed to be preoccupied monologuing. The bullets however just ricocheted off of it and it only got its attention to her for a second.
"Brave little girl, playing in the adult world. No. You are not innocent. A beast in a sheep's skin." Ultron scanned through her and turned to the others.
"There's only one path to peace: The Avengers' extinction" Its words were enough to invoke Thor's anger for him to throw Mjölnir and break it into parts.
"I had strings, but now I'm free."
"I told you to stay put, Lee. What were you thinking?" Clint hissed at her after pulling her to the side once everyone made sure that Ultron would not rise again. His eyes trailed up and down her body, assessing if there was any damage.
"I was just trying to help," She tried to explain herself, but he cut her off.
"It could have gotten you killed; you follow what your teammates tell you to do. What I tell you. You understand?" He exclaimed angrily, and his hand on her shoulder firmly.
"Yes, sir."
"Are you okay though? Any injuries?" He asked, his voice softening just a touch, but she could tell he was still pissed.
"No, I'm fine. Anyone got any ideas where it went?"
"No, Thor went to follow it, but I am not sure how someone can follow something like that." Clint sighed as he shrugged his shoulders. That was when an idea hit her, and she was almost certain it could work.
"I need to talk to Tony, be right back," She said before leaving her father in the hall and headed to where she hoped she could find Tony.
She needed to go to Sokovia. She just needed a lift there and one of Tony's jets would do her just that. All she needed to do was to convince him that she wasn't crazy for borrowing the jet and attempting to convince those twins to join their side before Ultron.
Finally here is chapter 6. I hope you guys are still enjoying the story. From here, the story will change a bit from how the movie was cause we all need more interaction between Lyanna and the twins. Which the next chapter will definitely have.
As always, if ya like the story, leave a follow or a comment or a favourite and lemme know what ya think.
thanks, guys xx
