Disclaimer:I do not own nor make profit off the Avengers. It all belongs to the MCU and The Walt Disney Company.
It's Eating Me Alive
"Okay, go over it again." I groan,
"Listen to everything you say, if you say get out of there, I get out of there, If you say move to the left, I move to the left. Never ignore a direct order, don't argue with orders. Always answer my com, Be respectful and on my best behavior." Mr. Rogers nods,
"Okay, repeat it." I sigh and look over to Mr. Stark who gets to his feet and walks over,
"How can she be on her best behavior when I've made her promise to be on her worst behavior?" Mr. Rogers rolls his eyes and holds out his hand,
"Take this seriously Tony!"
"What do you want me to say Cap, she's already saved half the population and brought down that crazy nut with the wings, who might I add tried to steal that pretty shield you got there."
"The Falcon has stolen," Thor bellows jumping to his feet hands stretched out towards Mr. Wilson, "I knew we couldn't trust him-"
"Thor, Vulture not Sam" Mr. Rogers clarifies. Thor pushes the hair out of his eyes and smiles,
"I knew that," he turns to Mr. Wilson, "no hard feelings." Mr. Wilson crosses his arms and stares Thor down,
"Vultures green and-" Mr. Stark wraps his arm around my head, placing his hand on my mouth,
"Shush, see you've created a bigger fuss that needs to be, kid will be fine, we'll be fine, then we can come home-"
"And have Pizza?" I interrupt,
"And mead!" Thor raises Stormbreaker,
"Yes and...whatever that is," Mr. Stark nods, "Alright lets go, Avengers Assem-"
"Avengers Assemble!" Mr. Rogers forces out quicker than Mr. Stark and for a second no one moves. Finally Mr. Rogers swings his arms, "I said assemble," Mr. Stark moves his hand down my shoulder and tugs me along,
"You heard the man, he said out!"
"No he didn't," I whisper, Mr. Stark squeezes my shoulder and pulls me along,
"Don't hurt the mans feelings." He whispers back,
"Tony I heard that...Tony!"
…
"C." I drop my phone and turn towards Mr. Barnes. Somehow I got seated next to the scariest looking man in the whole quinjet. He reaches down and grabs my phone handing it back to me,
"Don't scare her Barnes." Ms. Romanoc scolds from her seat in front of us. Mr. Barnes holds my phone out with his metal hand and slowly I reach forward and take it.
"Thank you." It's a four hour flight to Russia on the jet and with nothing else to do I pulled out my phone and popped up my homework, once I get it done I can copy the answers to my worksheet on my desk at home. I look back down and reread the question,
What was Italy's primary role in the war?
A. It's helped Germany in accomplishing it's main objectives.
B. It was helpful to Britain.
C. It distracted Germany from accomplishing it's main objective,
D. It caused problems for Japan. I would have said A. Instead I turn to Mr. Barnes and raise an eyebrow,
"C?" I ask,
"C." He confirms, I use the pad of my finger to circle the answer and move down to the next question. Ned is so much better at this than I am. I turn back to Mr, Barnes who's no longer reading over my shoulder but now staring straight ahead.
"You wouldn't happen to know what Hitlers Primary justification for invading Russia was?" Slowly Mr Barnes turns towards me,
"He wanted more space." Ms. Romanov answers without even swiveling her chair around, I look down,
B. Germany needed more space for it's population.
I circle it and look between the two however neither look at me,
"Which battle is considered to be the turning point of the war in the pacific?"
"The Battle of Iwo Jima."
"The Battle of Midway." Mr. Wilson and Mr Barnes declare at the same time. I look between the two and slowly both men look towards each other,
"The answer is The Battle of Midway." Mr. Barnes says slowly,
"It should be Iwo Jima,"
"Just because it should be doesn't mean it's correct." I look down at my phone...shoot both are on here,
"Midgard wars are so interesting, if it was me I would have just appeared before the King and strike him dead were he stood."
"That would have been helpful Thor, where were you?" Mr. Wilson asks,
"It must have been around the time of the great search!" Thor states proudly, "Loki told me to hide and he would come find me, if he found me within a years time he won but if he didn't I won." Thor turns his chair around smiling proudly, "I stayed hidden amongst the streets of Asgard for ten years without Loki finding me, it was my father who finally came and retrieved me." Thor sighs, "I find my self still missing my brother." Silence settles in,
"I like when Thor visits, it's like talking to my high school bully who never passed the ninth grade." Mr. Wilson offers arm crossed,
"I don't think that was a game Thor." Ms. Romanov adds, saying what were all thinking, Thor scrunches his forehead.
"It sounds like you've never won the great search Natasha." Thor belts pointing a finger at Ms. Romanov. The back of her head tilts,
"Not for ten years."
"Mr. Barnes hid for 70 years?" I point out, Thor's face falls a bit before he pushes out a fake smile,
"Ahhhhh, but he didn't know he was playing, so as it stands I am the winner of the great search, would anyone else like to challenge me right now, you'll hide and I'll come locate you and then I'll hide and you'll come find me." I look around, no one but me moves,
"Put your hand down Penny!" Mr. Stark yells from the cockpit without even taking his eyes off of the window. Slowly I lower my hand, Thor smiles and threads his hands behind his head,
"Sorry man of spiders, but my status will remain."
"Shame." Ms. Romanov admits turning to wink at me.
"Do the space people enjoy having you on their space ship 24/7 or what?" Mr. Wilson asks uncrossing his arms. Ever since Thanos, Thor has been traveling with the Guardians of the Galaxy, he comes to earth regularly. Sometimes just a surprise visit, sometime with all the Guardians for a check in, but it's not the same as him being a part of the Avengers,
"Ahh the Guardians, we've become quite a nice team, and I've seen many other planets I didn't know existed, it's almost like traveling the world with my family."
"Peter Quill hates you." Ms. Romanov points out, Thor smiles wider and looks up almost lost in a thought,
"It's like having my brother back all together." I bite my lip keeping the laugh in. Thor turns his chair back around and silence settles in again. I look back down at my phone realizing I still don't know the answer on the turning point on the war in the pacific. I look between Mr. Wilson and Mr. Barnes again before speaking,
"Sooooooooo Midway orrrr-"
"Hey, stop doing the kids homework and kid stop asking the the people who've been there about your history homework." I scowl,
"Excuse me?" Ms. Romanov questions.
"I wasn't there." Mr. Wilson declares confused. Mr. Stark rolls his eyes,
"Fine, don't ask the man who fought in the in the war about the war, don't ask the Russian questions about Russia, and don't ask Sam because he's wrong, everybody happy?" Mr. Wilson crosses his arms again,
"I'm not happy." Mr. Stark ignores him and turns his seat around to face me, one eyebrow raised,
"Got it kid?" I purse my lips and look towards Mr. Barnes and then back towards Mr. Stark,
"Can I ask Mr. Rogers?"
"Ask Mr. Rogers what?" Right on que Mr. Rogers walks out of the bathroom, paper towel in hand. Did he really just miss that whole conversation?
"No, Cap get up here." Mr. Rogers looks towards me, confusion written all over his face, "Don't look at her, don't talk to her, walk yourself up here." Mr. Stark barks, slowly Mr. Rogers turns away from me and walks up to take a seat next to Mr. Stark in the cockpit. I sigh and look back down at my phone, and circle Midway, if anyone would know it would be Mr. Barnes. I scroll to the next question,
Where was the French surrender to Germany signed?
A. In Paris
B. In a railway car
Berlin
D. On a boat
France? It has to be Paris then, I move to circle A when Mr. Barnes takes my phone from my hand and circles B,
"Give her the phone back!" Mr. Stark demands. We both look towards the cockpit, Mr. Starks chair isn't even turned around...how does he do that?
"Buzzkill." I groan out in a low voice, Mr. Barnes hands the phone back and I take it with a sigh and look down to the next question,
What two countries were the first to declare war on Germany?
I hover my Finger over Britain and France and turn to Mr. Barnes who nods. I circle it and hear Mr. Stark sigh,
"Alright kid, you forced this."
…
"What question are you on?" I look up to Mr. Stark and scowl,
"23." I force out between clenched teeth, Mr. Stark looks over from the complicated navigation system,
"Wow," his voice drips with sarcasm, "You've been on that question for the last twenty minutes, that takes talent." I roll my eyes and look back to my seat where Mr. Rogers now occupies. Mr. Stark separated us about an hour ago, delegating Mr. Rogers to my seat and me right up in the cockpit next to him. At first I it was cool, but Mr. Stark has made it clear I've been moved up here to finish my homework without help...this sucks.
"Hey, don't look at them, back up here." Mr. Stark reaches forward and swivels my chair to face the window. I drop my phone in my lap and lean back,
"I'll do it when I get back,"
"Just do it now and get it over with."
"Tomorrows Sunday I'll do it then." Mr. Stark looks over mouth open, I beat him to it, "It will get done, why do you even care if my homework gets done, or who does it." Mr Stark makes a face, and shrugs,
"I don't."
"Really?"
"Really."
"Fine,"
"Fine."
"Fine"
"Fine." I growl and melt into my chair,
"Always have to get the last word don't you?" Mr. Stark swivels his chair around back to the front,
"I always do."
"Always?"
"Always." I take a breath and open my mouth, "We're here!" Mr. Stark swivels his chair around and gets to his feet, "Avengers!"
"Tony!" I sigh and lean closer to the window looking down. Were hovering over a small village that Hydra has taken refuge in and just like everything they touch they've destroyed this place. Buildings lay in rubble, these could be apartment buildings where whole families lived, grocery stores, the food inside now destroyed, schools, offices, police stations, book stores...it's all nothing but bricks now. This place has taken such a beating that the snow has turned to to the color of ash. I feel a presents behind me and turn, Ms. Romanov is staring down, her eyebrows scrunched her lips slightly pushed. This is her home, this is the country she was born in and this is what Hydra is doing to it, I turn around, she doesn't need me staring at her. She takes another minute and then taps the back of my chair,
"Lets go." I turn my chair around and stand up only for Mr. Rogers to block my path,
"Repeat." I roll my eyes,
"Cap, we've got no time, let's go!" Mr. Stark shouts from the hanger, I shrug and send a stream of webbing to my back pack and pull it back, grabbing my mask from it's pocket,
"You heard the man." I shoulder past him running for the exit ramp, Ms. Romanov and Mr. Rogers stay behind,
"If you'd give her a break, she'd like you."
"She likes me,"
"Sure she does." The exchange between the two is quick and then they're right behind me. The minute I step off the ship my internal heater sparks to life, both the cold and heat effect me differently these days, but the cold is the worst and I remind myself to thank Mr. Stark later for installing it.
"According to our radar, most of the town has been evacuated or exterminated, our only objective is to capture. If you can, keep them alive, in fact try. Spiderman, you come in after the rest of us, I want you to be our eyes when are backs are turned. You're senses are better so if theirs anyone we've missed you bring em down, they won't be expecting you." I give him a thumbs up. Mr. Stark taps the silver plate on his chest making the suit come alive around him. Ms. Romanov turns the safety off on her guns while Mr. Wilson hits a button on his wrist forcing the wings perfectly folded into the fancy piece of machinery strapped to his back out, all while Thor holds Stormbreaker in the air. Lighting erupting behind him, it's a signal for Hydra, The Avengers are here. I can't help the laugh and all eyes turn to me,
"You guys are so so dramatic."
"Says the girl pretending to be a boy in a spider suit." Mr. Stark quips flying right past my head, the others follow close behind,
"Touche."
…
"Spidy!"
"Got him" I shoot a large web at a man holding a bazooka, hitting him in the chest, I give a hard tug pulling him off the platform and down to the ground. I send another web cementing the bazooka to the wall, making it so it can't be used until the web solution starts breaking down in a few hours. This has been my primary role, the others going in first, me following behind taking down anyone they missed and securing any weapons. It's great and all, however it seems I was giving the easiest job. I'll complain about it to Ned later, although I can already hear him in my head,
"Are you kidding me, you got to work with the Avengers, I'll get hit by lightening and eaten by dinosaurs before I get to work with the Avengers."
Internally I roll my eyes and send another web towards a Hydra agent hiding behind a building, there now he can't go anywhere.
"Having fun?" The robotic voice of Mr. Stark enters my head, I send a web to a half broken down building and swing around the corner spotting his back of Mr. Rogers head,
"Loads,"
"Sound like It." I'm not trying too hard to hide the boredom from my voice, but I have more more fun patrolling my own neighborhood, at least I get to call the shots. I shoot another web this time the building I'm aiming for is already half destroyed and the part that still stands doesn't appear stable. I change directions mid leap and send a web at the lamp post next to it. I tuck my legs and swing, but as I pass the crumbled building a familiar shiver runs up my spin. Almost every single hair on my body tries to stand straight up in my suit. I'm propelled around the poll and release the web hitting the ground on the balls of my feet. I look around turning to the run down building before taking a tentative step towards it, the shiver creeps up my back again and I take a running start. Somethings in there...someone's in there, civilian or Hydra solider I don't know, but I have to find out. I stop when the ashen snow turns to rubble under my feet, half the building is intact the other half completely broken.
"Karen do sense any heat signatures inside?" I wait while she finishes her scans, I don't realize it until she speaks but I'm bouncing on my toes.
"Two heat signatures detected in an underground pocket beneath the building." Thats all I need. I run to the other side of the building, the half still standing anyway and find a broken section where a door must of stood at one point. I force my self inside and stop, rubble and glass lay everywhere. Their's two possibilities, on who can be in here. Someone just looking for refuge when Hydra agents first invaded or it could be a Hydra agent that got caught in the crossfire and was injured only to be left for dead.
"Spiderman where are you?" I take careful steps inside keeping my hand on the wall as I enter the pitch black, glass crunching beneath my boots. "Spiderman answer!" Mr. Rogers yells when I don't answer, I take my mask off and pull the bluetooth from my ear. Until I know who's in here I can't risk them hearing my com or my steps so carefully after giving the wall a push I crawl up on to it. I thrust my mask back over my head and engage night mood settling in to the green light all while clutching the bluetooth in my hand. I crawl until the wall becomes too unstable, giving just a bit underneath my weight. I move back to the floor, it's a miracle half of this building is standing. The two heat signatures in here have to be hiding underground, theirs simply no other place they could hide. Going up to is too unstable and the ground floor is covered in debris and glass their has to be a door somewhere. I push the palm of my hand harder into the wall. I rejoices when I feel the transition from stone to wood and feel around until I touch a door nob. I throw it open finding a set of stairs in my green night vision and keep my steps airy as I take each step down. I hit the concrete floor and look around to the until I find what I'm looking for...my heart breaks. Karen found two heat signatures but theirs three children. They can't see me in the dark, but their eyes are wide, searching for the noice that's been slowly approaching them. I hold my hand out,
"Karen, light." The last time I worked with Mr. Stark in the lab I had three small lights placed in the spider emblem in the center of my chest, I didn't think I'd be using them this soon. Two kids, a boy and girl huddle together holding on tightly to each other, for warmth, security..for comfort. I bend down and hold my hand out,
"Hey,"
"пожалуйста, не трогайте нас." The girl holds on tighter to the boy, his face gets buried in her chest, how long have then been down here?
"I'm here to help you, I know I look bad, but I'm not I promise." I can see the tears fall, I look to the body their hurdled around, a sister or friend I don't know, but heir not safe here. Both Hydra agents and a unstable building are going to be their end if I don't get them out.
"пожалуйста" The girl mumbles holding on the the boy even tighter, "Не смотри Артур." I turn taking the mask off my face and place my earpiece back in before thrusting the mask back over my head and turn towards the children,
"Somebody find that kid!" Mr. Stark's voice shout into my ear, I flinch and press the button to respond back,
"I'm here."
"What were the rules, REPEAT!" Mr. Rogers voice demands, I broke the rules when I stopped following behind and then I just dug the hole deeper when I took my com out of my ear,
"I found something."
"Oh isn't that just wonderful," Mr. Starks sarcastic voice bellows, I hear someone scream and a pop. Their in full combat right now, "Too bad this ain't an Easter egg hunt!"
"You said you didn't want the kid in real harm." Another voice joins in, sounds like Mr. Wilson.
"What's the point of me being here if it's not to learn ON THE JOB! I know you purposely missed that guy with the bazooka to make me feel better."
"Their was a guy with a bazooka?" Mr. Wilson asks
"YES THERE WAS A GUY WITH A BAZOOKA?" I regret shouting the minute I hear the kids whimper I turn, "I'm sorry I didn't mean to scare you...wait you can't understand me can you."
"Who are you talking too?" Mr. Rogers sounds out of breath, I swear I hear a bomb go off and then the building shakes...
"Kids! Children, they're hiding under one of the abandon buildings-"
"Impossible." Ms. Romanov interrupted, "SHIELD sweeped the place before we even landed they didn't detect anything but Hydra officers," I could roll my eyes at SHIELD,
"Well they didn't do a good job, that or Hydra is implementing child spies!"
"Well.." Mr. Roger starts,
"Noooo" I cry, holding my hand out towards the kids, "Their scared...theirs three...theirs really only two." The only thing I can hear on the com is guns, grunting and breathing.
"I'm tracing you, I'll be there in minutes," Mr. Stark barks,
"I'm right behind you!" Ms. Romanov adds. I knead down and inched my way closer, the two children huddled tighter,
"No, no...I'm good, I'm not with them, I'm a friend." I groan, "I should have listened better when Widow spoke Russian.."
"ummmmm...Привет... друг" The girls eyes light up and she leans closer to me,
"вы можете нам помочь?" I sigh,
"I don't really speak Russian." I whisper, holding out my hand, to my surprise she reaches out to grab my hand. Suddenly the building shakes and she shimmy's back to pull the boy closer,
"Almost there kid, but the bombs are following, how stable is the building."
"The buildings goanna fall down." I whisper looking above us. The shaking's getting worst. Suddenly I feel like I'm back home fighting Liz's dad when he left me for dead under his factory. I look to the two kids, "We have to get out!" They have to feel it too because the little girl gets to her feet and brings the little boy with her and this time when I hold out my hand, she takes it. I pull both close pulling them up the stairs, forcing us faster and faster. I throw open the door and feel the building shake harder, large pieces of the wall falling, hitting the floor hard,
"Are you still inside?" Mr. Starks voice shouts, I reach down pulling the kids closer against my body and look around,
"I'm looking for the way out now." I hear a woshing through the air, both through the com and the building, Mr. Stark takes a large breath,
"GET DOWN!" I drop to the floor pushing the kids underneath me. I look up finding the building already starting to crumble, I send web after web around us trying to create a hammock to cradle the the brick, beams, floors and walls, before the shaking is too much and it's clear the whole building is coming down. I bend down on all fours keeping the kids underneath my body. Something hard hits my back, the building's coming down, theirs no stoping it now and I push the kids flat to the ground and hold my breathe. I can feel my back being pounded with falling debris, the mixture of dust and dirt fly around the air racing around to stick to everything. The kids scream underneath me and I try my best not to put all of my weight on them, counting in my head until everything stops. I get to thirty when everything stops shaking and the dust starts to settle. I push up forcing the stone on my back off, it has to at least be 150 pounds but at least it's not support beams. My ears are ringing and when I can sit up the kids underneath me are screaming, or at least it looks like screaming, the little boy more than the girl, I reach forward to wipe the tears from his face when the fuzzy sounding in my com starts to clear,
"Spiderman! Spiderman answer now! PENNY!" I reach up, pressing the the button to my mic,
"I'm here." My throat hurts. Someone sighs on the other side,
"Hydra Agents are following, they just blew up the building, did you make it out?" I take a deep breath, even with the mask I taste the dust and dirt in the air,
"No, but we're okay."
"Bruce we could really use you right now." Ms. Romanov voice is calm and steady, I look up at the sky just as the iron man suit descends right in front of my, the children crawl behind my back.
"Hey, Hey, you okay do you see spots, stars, birds dancing in a circle around your head?" Mr. Stark reaches forward before pulling away, he holds his hand up, "Forgot." One time Mr. Stark high five'd me while in the suit and almost broke my hand. I take a deep breath and pull the little boy and girl from behind me,
"Take them, I'll be right behind you." I force out, my voice horse. Mr. Stark pulls the kids closer to him. He can get them out of here quicker than I can,
"No you won't, I'll hand them off to Widow and come back and if you see those dancing birds I want to know, blue jays or robins, my money is on the blue Jays."
"Go" I push them more into his arms, "Also I'll say robins, we'll see who right." He grabs each kid, placing them on either side of him,
"I'll be right." He takes off and for a second I just sit there. Looking around at the rubble trying to pull myself together. On shaking knees I force myself up. I can hear the destruction and fighting farther down and when I squint my eyes I can see Mr. Wilson in the air and when I look closer...theres another man a little way down on one of the buildings still left standing. I take a step and catch myself before I fall,
"Falcon," I squeak out in to my com, it's either to loud or I'm too quite, it doesn't matter no one can hear me. I cough trying to get my voice back, slowly stepping out of the rubble, "Hey!" I get my momentum back and focus on the man, and send a web his way. I try to send another one, but my fluids out. I used it all trying to keep the falling building from crushing us. My head starts pounding and I have to stop just outside of the broken building, falling back down on my knees. No trying to run after having a building fall on you. I look up realizing my web didn't hit the man, but it did grab his attention. He turns finding me right away in the ashen snow, I guess thats what I get for having a bright red and blue costume, maybe work on making a white one. He turns the bazooka away from Mr. Wilson who's zooming in the sky and instead turns it on me, great. I look around theirs no where to hide, it doesn't matter anyway my legs can't carry my right now and I have no web fluid left to help me...this is it. I watch him aim the bazooka towards me ...shit what are they going to tell aunt May. She thinks at I'm at conference with Stark Industries, getting hands on work experience. What are they going to tell her someone with a bazooka just walked into the building and shot me ? Are they even going to have a body to bring back to her?
"Penny!" It happens quickly, theirs two sounds in my ear. The Bazooka going off and Mr. Stark calling my name. Then he's in front of me, his body shielding mine as the rocket connects with his back the motion propels us back and for a second it feels like were flying away from the danger but then we hit the ground...hard. The suit on top of me leaving all 1500 pounds of heavy metal on top of me.
"Iron Man?" I cough out, pushing hard to get him off of me. When he doesn't move it's clear he's out cold, I grunt pushing all my strength to rolling him on to his back. I breath out and sit up reaching my shaking hand out, "Mr. Stark?" I whisper pushing a button on the side of his helmet. The gold plates around his face move revealing closed eyes and a bloody nose,
"Mr. Stark!"
Russian Translation in Order:
"Please, don't hurt us"
"Please"
"Don't look Arthur."
"Hello"
"Friend"