Chapter Fourteen
Peter's wide eyes danced from Pietro to Bucky and back, finally landing on me. His tone was small, but he gulped, "Oh shit."
Because I was pissed.
Bucky's jaw clenched once, twice, his nostrils flaring as he scowled, unblinking, at Pietro. The Sokovian ignored his sister at his side, as she tried to calm him down, his teeth bared and stained red.
"You," I hissed, earning Pietro's attention. His anger abated some, his eyes panicked as I stalked toward him, grabbing the front of his shirt. "Come with me."
The three men holding him back were slow to release him, Clint patting the Sokovian's shoulder and grimacing, "You're in for it now, brother."
Stalking toward the back of the plane, I didn't bother ensuring that he followed; casting a sharp glance at Tony, Scott, and Rhodey, I would have laughed as they almost instantly released Bucky if I weren't so fucking angry. The super soldier watched me like a hawk, unblinking, not bothering to tend to his own wound, until I was out of sight.
Moving as far from the others as I could on the cramped jet, I rounded on Pietro, who was pressing a thumb to his lip with a wince.
"What was that, Pietro? What the fuck was that?"
"I don't trust him!" he exclaimed, hands raised defensively, his eyes blazing, "he's killed dozens of people, Aury, you know that!"
More than dozens, I recalled his nightmare and the thirty-some of men he had killed in one hit. But he didn't need to know that.
"I know you don't," I ground out, teeth gritting painfully, "but you know what? I do. Steve does. Tony does. He almost killed Natasha at one point and she just gave him a motherfucking olive branch. I know you don't trust him. And you don't have to. No one's asking you to!"
"He's living under your roof, Aury."
"He is?" I queried mockingly, "I didn't realize it! Who started the fight?"
He fell silent, shoulders stiffening as he glanced away from me.
Curling my hands into trembling fists, I fought the urge to throw one and repeated slowly, "Who started it?"
"I did," he snapped, rubbing at his scruffy jaw roughly, "I don't like him. I trust you, Aury, I always do, but not on this. Not with him."
"Because you kissed me?" I queried gruffly, causing him to drop his head and turn away from me, "I know you care about me, Pietro. I saved your life and you think you're in love with me."
"I am!"
Whether that was true or not, I wouldn't - couldn't - delve deeper into it, sighing heavily, my anger dissolving into a feeling of utter wretchedness, "But I'm not in love with you."
His devastation was instantaneous. His face crumpled, his shoulders slumping, his blue eyes filling with agony. He lowered his head, swallowing thickly, and though I wanted to turn away, to avoid his pain, I dug my nails into my palms until they cut tiny, stinging half moons into my skin.
"It's not your fault," I whispered, shaking my head, reaching a hesitant hand out to him before dropping it uselessly by my side, "I just… it's not there. For me. You're wonderful, Pietro, you really are, and I wish I felt differently. But I don't. And I'm sorry for that."
Hands trembling, I left him alone to his heartache and made my way back to the others. Walking up the narrow pathway between them, feeling entirely like the walls were closing in on me, I ignored them all. Of course, they were doing their damnedest to avoid all eye contact with me anyway, all but one, but I hastened back to the cockpit and dropped myself heavily beside Natasha.
She smiled sympathetically, reaching over and squeezing my hand, "It had to happen. It would've been better without an audience, but-"
"Christ, can we just get there and stop some super soldiers, please?" I moaned, digging my palms into my eyes.
"Not soon enough," she commiserated, "he'll be alright, Aury. He will."
"Doesn't mean I don't feel like a nasty bitch," I pinched the bridge of my nose, "it'd've just been easier if I wanted him."
"Sure," she agreed with an easy shrug, "but you don't. It is what it is. Focus on the mission, Aury. Wanda will make sure he does, too."
/
The tension suffocating my fellow Avengers and I abated after a while; chatter swelled back up in the hull and I relaxed enough to play I Spy with the literal spy beside me. No one bothered us in the cockpit aside from Steve, who occasionally wandered up to check on our progression. On his first visit, he rested a hand on my shoulder, squeezing gently and informing me quietly that I had done the right thing.
I simply winced and continued on with my game.
Eventually, we entered Siberian airspace.
Grateful for Tony's stealth technologies, I marveled at the fact that none of the countries we had flown over even noticed our presence. Not once did the radio buzz with a request for our call sign, or threatening to shoot us down for entering their territory illegally. Snow began blowing even at our height, and I bemoaned the thought of exiting into that biting cold.
"It's a different beast," Nat assured me with a laugh, "prob'ly should've had Stark make that jumpsuit with sleeves."
"I didn't even ask him to make it to begin with!" I snorted, rubbing my arms preemptively, "how long before I get frostbite?"
"This time of year, you'll be alright. We won't be outside long enough for that, anyway."
Tilting my head, I stared up at Bucky, who rubbed distractedly at his lower lip, his lovely eyes drifting down to meet mine as his grin grew. The skin around his eye was bruised, swollen slightly, but he could still see through it, which was a plus. I must have pulled a face because he laughed, poking at his skin and hissing despite his words, "It's not that bad. I've had worse, honest."
"Oh, I know," I answered wryly, "but it never should've happened, Bucky, I'm sorry."
"It wasn't-," whether he intended to say it wasn't my fault - a lie, as it technically was, I wasn't sure, but he opted to say, "I know. I'm not blaming you. I literally did not see it coming, though."
"He's fast," Nat quipped, "guess Aury forgot to mention."
"Guess so," Bucky replied. He dipped his head, his voice dropping softly. "Can we talk?"
Nodding, the pair of us glanced at Natasha, who didn't notice at first. When she caught our dual stares, she did a double-take and gaped, "I'm flying the jet."
"I know how to get there," the super soldier replied grimly, "I've made this flight dozens of times."
Nat huffed but couldn't argue with him, tugging the bud from her ear and gliding to her feet. She looked pointedly between us, jerking a finger at me and whispering loudly, "No funny business!"
She danced away from my slap, Bucky watching the exchange with poorly concealed amusement. He sat beside me, adjusting the straps over his chest for far longer than necessary.
Setting my elbow on the armrest, I rested my chin on my fist and watched him, "What'd you want to talk about?"
"I'm sorry."
Startled, my chin slipped and I nearly face-planted on the side of my seat, catching myself at the last moment. Staring up at him, aghast, I breathed, "Why?"
He cast a sidelong glance at me, his fingers curling around the yoke until his knuckles turned white, "For fighting with your friend."
"He started it," I answered hotly, "you were just defending yourself. If you wanted to, you'd've had him flat on his ass with one left hook."
A chuffing laugh escaped Bucky, lifting a shoulder and deflecting, "I still shouldn't have hit him. He thought he was protecting you. I'm sure I put the rest of 'em on edge."
"Maybe, but everyone takes their cues from Tony and Steve," I assured him, reaching across the divide between us and touching his arm. I always wanted to touch him, it seemed, and no matter how many times I did, it always surprised him. His gaze fell to my fingers curling around his forearm, his silver fingers reaching over and gathering them up. "And me, I guess, in this case, since you've been stuck with me the past few days. Things will work out between me and Pietro. I think. He just has to let me go."
"I think it's gonna be hard for him," the soldier replied, turning his hand so my fingers were in his palm. His hand dwarfed mine, but his touch was gentle as he distractedly played with the digits. His gaze flitted from the snowy sky around us to me, drawing his lower lip between his teeth. "It'd be hard for anybody to give you up."
My mouth ran dry at the half grin that stretched across his scruffy face but a disbelieving laugh escaped me, "That's not true."
"Are you calling me a liar?" he laughed, removing his hand from mine - my fingers almost chased after him - to press an offended hand to his heart, "I'm a lotta things, but that's not one of them."
"I'm calling you an exaggerator," I scoffed, folding my arms across my chest, nails digging into my biceps to keep from touching him again, "there's a difference."
"Hardly."
"Why are we even arguing about this?" I laughed, though 'argument' was a bit of a, well, an exaggeration. He shook his head, chuckling easily, "I have no idea. But it's true. Even if you don't believe me."
"Fine," I feigned a long-suffering sigh, shooting him a sly grin. The man was offering me a toe-curling compliment and I'd be a fool to brush it off any further. "If you say so."
"I do," he asserted with a laugh, returning both hands to the jet's yoke, peering across the console. A sigh escaped him, his lips twisting in a grimace, his tone dropping somberly. "We're almost there."
Nodding, I shoved my glasses up into my hair, shifting in my seat so my feet were under me, giving me a better view outside of the windshield. The snow was nothing to look beyond, seeing straight through each and every flake. I could barely make out the compound in the distance, but, as it was the only building in sight, I focused all of my attention on it.
Already, I could feel the pressure building at the base of my skull, but ignored it, looking through the thick, steel walls. It was a sprawling complex that went deep underground, and it was filled with horrifying contraptions that I knew Bucky had been strapped to time and time again. The machine Tony had mentioned - it stood out amongst the rest.
Shuddering slightly, my stomach knotting up, I forced my gaze past it, searching for the people I hoped still slept inside. Honestly, I hoped Zemo hadn't arrived yet. Shifting my search to the surrounding area, I groaned - a sleek, expensive jet sat behind the building, already partially buried under the snow.
"He's here, at least."
"Great."
Humming, I returned my attention to the complex, I allowed my gaze to turn into something else entirely. I knew what I wanted to find, my gifts allowing me to search for the heat signatures of Zemo and the soldiers. One of the many tricks Tony had strived to design in his suits, I inherited naturally, and I picked up on the warm bodies quickly enough. One form, half a head shorter than the rest, paced in front of the others, all standing stiffly, unmoving, in a row.
Soldiers ready to receive orders.
A hollow pit of dread formed in my stomach and I lowered my glasses, digging my fingers into the base of my skull to ease the pain. "They're awake."
"All of them?" Bucky inquired, his voice sober, mechanical almost. He was shifting into Winter Soldier mode, assessing the threat that faced us, preparing himself to go to war.
"All of them," I agreed, rising to my feet and hastily striding to the hull. All eyes turned to me, Tony and Steve standing quickly. "We're almost there. And they're ready for us."
The pair shared a silent, loaded glance, before Tony clapped and announced loudly, "Alright, everyone, let's move!"
"If you're not suited up, I suggest you do so now," Steve ordered, glancing over at Peter, who was frozen, the Uno cards in his hand forgotten. His wide eyes shifted to Scott who sat across from him with his own hand of cards; the Ant-Man wasn't much better, though he was far more excited than Spider-Man.
The fifteen year old looked a little green around the gills.
"How far out, Aurelie?" Steve questioned as I made my way to Peter.
"Ten minutes," I tossed over my shoulder, dropping to a squat before my young friend, "get changed. Stay by one of us at all times, Petey, please."
He opened his mouth and shut it immediately, looking very much like he wanted to argue but deciding better of it.
Clasping my hands together, I pressed them against my lips, my tone brooking no argument, "Seriously, Peter. If at any point you need one of us, say the word. I know you're strong. I know you have the skill to do this, but I need to keep you safe. Let me do that."
He nodded, lunging forward and hugging me tightly, "I will, Aury. I promise. I… I know what the Winter Soldier - Sargent Barnes, I mean - did. Mr. Lang told me-," Scott winced at the sharp look I shot him over Peter's shoulder before peering innocently off at the wall, "all that… and there's eleven of them. I'll be smart, and safe, and back off if I need to."
"Thank you," I kissed his cheek, ruffling his hair and drawing him to his feet. Shooing him toward the back of the hull, I offered him a tight smile, "Go change. I wanna see this suit Tony made for you."
He nodded fervently, excitedly, and dashed off. Scott stood, raising his hands in a placating manner, "Sorry, Aury, I just- thought he should know. I mean, I know he's not like that anymore, but-"
I exhaled heavily, shrugging helplessly, "Petey needed to know what we're up against. Can you-"
"We'll all watch out for him."
T'Challa appeared by my side, dressed in his literal catsuit, his helmet tucked beneath one arm. His face was grim, prepared, but the corner of his lips twitched upward, "He reminds me of my sister. She'd eat him alive, but she'd like him."
A laugh escaped me and I thanked him, "Oh, I'm going to have to meet her when this is all over."
"She would love you," he chuckled, affixing the helmet to his head as Bucky called out, "Three minutes!"
Jogging back to the cockpit, I hovered over the soldier, my hair dancing across his shoulder. He twitched slightly and I tossed my dark curls into a messy bun, peering over the top of my glasses as I did so. They didn't seem to know we were approaching, not yet, because Zemo still appeared to be giving them orders, warning them of us, perhaps. But certainly not pointing them to any of the entrances or stairwells to wait for us.
"We should land soon," I peered down at Bucky, "before we get too close. The snow's really picking up out there; we can use it to our advantage. I can get us through this no problem. They're expecting us, but not just yet."
He nodded, altering his course just so, taking us just west of the compound. Carefully, he began to descend, guiding the jet gently to the ground below. The hubbub from the hull picked up, the Avengers preparing themselves for the coming fight. When the jet touched down, the soldier's fingers flew, shutting the engine down with all the expertise of a trained pilot. Bucky stood and turned when he was done, his heavy gaze falling onto me. He paused only for a moment before stepping deliberately toward me until there was no more than a few inches between us. I didn't move, didn't breathe, staring up at him expectantly.
His blue eyes were brighter than usual as they searched my face, his jaw clenching with a grim determination. His tone was soft but firm, brimming with concern, "This is gonna be a helluva fight, Aurelie. If Zemo told them about what you can do, they're gonna be ready. They'll try to take you out without making eye contact - and if they can, they will. And they're not gonna stop until we're all dead."
"Don't worry about me," I teased with a smirk, "I've got plenty of tricks up my sleeve."
This coaxed a far more enticing grin out of him than I expected and he queried skeptically, "Who said I was worried?"
My brows darting high on my forehead in disbelief, I ran my tongue along my upper lip. The atmosphere changed almost immediately with that one tiny motion, capturing the super soldier's attention immediately. The air crackled with a sudden electricity, a sharp, all-consuming desire shooting straight to my core when Bucky's gaze drifted slowly, tortuously, back up to meet mine. His eyes were blazing, drawn almost helplessly back to my mouth; his head dipped, his soft, silky hair tickling my hot skin. I rested a hand on his hard, smooth chest, desperate to feel his lips on mine, I rose to the tips of my toes. His attention dropped briefly to my feet, a low chuckle escaping him at the move, it rumbled beneath my fingers. He caught my hips in a firm grasp, tugging me to him.
"Sorry to interrupt-"
Bucky took a large step back, nostrils flaring as he turned his attention to Steve. To be fair, the captain did sound apologetic, but I couldn't tear my gaze away from Bucky, dropping back to the flat of my feel with a thud. I had, quite literally, seen Pietro's desire for me, but Bucky… I felt it emanate from his every pore, surrounding me, engulfing me.
It rivaled my own and then some.
"Do they know we're here? Aurelie?"
The barest trace of a smile twitched at Bucky's lips, his still scorching gaze shifting to meet my wide, desirous leer. He tilted his head toward Steve, indicating that I really should answer the captain, and I finally tore my attention away from the dark-haired super soldier, forcing my body toward his blond counterpart.
"No," I breathed, my tone low, husky, causing Bucky's hands to curl into tight fists. Clearing my throat, I searched the facility quickly, "No, they don't know we're here yet. Can't say for how long, but-"
"Alright, let's go," Steve caught my elbow, his face pinched in a silent apology, "I want you front and center, at least 'til we get inside."
Rolling my shoulders, I saluted and bit out rather aggressively, "You got it, Cap."
Striding back to the hull, I swallowed my irritation; of course, it was terrible timing, the potential kiss, but goddamn if my body wasn't now thrumming with unfulfilled desire. Cap placed a hand on the small of my back, announcing loudly, firmly, "Aurelie will be leading us out. We're walkin' blind into a blizzard, so follow her lead. Aury?"
I turned my back to them all, tugging the glasses from my face and slipping them into a small thin pocket at my hip. I wouldn't be needing them anytime soon. "They don't know we're here, not yet, but I'm sure it won't take long to figure it out. Zemo's spread them out, one at each of the three entrances, two on the third level and 3 on the other two. We're gonna have to split up, either once we get inside or before; it might be easier for all of us to take on one or two at a time, but it won't stay that way long."
"Better to take them on in smaller groups," Cap agreed, "alright, we'll go in three teams - Tony, Natasha, Peter, Aurelie, and I will be in one. Vision, Pietro, T'Challa, Scott - another. Sam, Bucky, Rhodes, Clint, and Wanda in the third. We go in all three entrances, sneak in if we can, with force if we have to."
"What about Zemo?" Tony queried, his tone tiny, metallic, as he stared through the tiny glowing slits of his mask. "He's the ringleader of this whole shebang. Where's he, GG?"
A quick scan of the facility showed him standing in what looked like a massive control room, peering out into the blustery tundra. Watching, waiting for us all.
"He's alone," I replied, "ground level, perfect view of the area if it weren't so crappy out."
"I want you to stop him, Aurelie," Steve ordered, a hard edge to his tone brooking no room for argument, "he's controlling them; you control him."
Nodding, I turned to my team, snorting as Tony announced, his smirk evident in his voice, "Penthouse suite; the only way I roll."
Natasha rolled her eyes, her stance stiff but her expression affectionate but irritated.
"These people are trained killers," Bucky announced suddenly, his voice solemn, sober, "I know Aurelie, Steve, Stark, they told you to trust me. And I'm sure most of you don't. The shit I've done-," his Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed thickly, "they had to reprogram me. A lot. I would start to remember who I was, to realize what they were making me do-"
My heart thudded painfully in my chest, disgust and sorrow filling me at Bucky's treatment at the hands of HYDRA. The misery and fear he went through, the torment… He lifted his gaze, meeting my sorrowful stare, and continued on, stronger than before, "They never needed to reprogram them. They were rapists, murderers, terrorists before they even set foot in this base. I'd know; I went out and collected most of them. They don't need their orders to kill you; they'll do it for fun. And they will not quit until we're dead. Trust me."
No one said a word, but in that moment, each and every one of them did.
And hopefully they would once this was all over.
Even Pietro.
"Do whatever you have to," he shared a look with Steve, who simply nodded, "because that's what they'll do to you."
"You heard the man," the captain said, his hard, blue eyes turning to me, "Aurelie?"
Steeling myself, I made for the ramp as it opened with a soft hum. Bracing against the cold, I caught Bucky's gaze as I passed. I steeled myself against my gift, not looking into the super soldier's mind or through his skin, his bones, like it wanted me to, but simply… looking at him. It was the first time I had ever done so without my glasses and, shockingly, he stared boldly back. He didn't shy away, didn't shield his gaze from my own; he allowed himself to be completely vulnerable to my powers.
To prove he trusted me.
That bit slipped, unbidden, into my mind, but it was the only thing I allowed. Fighting off the innate ability to enter his mind, to peer into his very soul, I met those lovely blue eyes steadily.
And beamed.
He couldn't quite return the gesture, though he did his best; his jaw ticked repeatedly, his piercing stare swirling with both apprehension at the oncoming reunion… and need.
I felt the latter in my very soul.
/
"Fuck!"
Bucky must have become acclimated to the weather in the Siberian tundra, because I was certain I would get frostbite despite his assurance otherwise. Tony compounded on my curse, stringing half a dozen together in an impressive array that caused Steve to hiss frustratedly, "Jesus, Tony! There's a kid present."
"Aury says that kinda stuff around me all the time," Peter assured him loudly against the screeching wind. His teeth already chattering, he was oblivious to the reproachful frown Steve shot me. "And I go to high school. Sir. Captain America, sir. It's not like it was forever ago; you hear a lot."
"Teens have trash mouths," Natasha agreed easily despite her grimacing frown against the cold, "no offense, kid."
"Oh, I don't, uh, Miss, um-"
Nat didn't supply her name, whether she heard him over the biting wind or not, and he dropped his head in disappointment. He was dressed in a fitted suit, a step up from the red and blue sweats and goggles he had been swinging about town in. There was a black spider perched on his chest and he kept touching it in disbelief that he had an official, Avengers suit.
I avoided looking at them all, focusing as best I could on the compound. My skull throbbed, but I kept an eye on everyone and everything, intent on keeping my team, my friends, safe. Bucky led his team, while T'Challa headed his, pushing through the snow at my instruction.
Well, T'Challa anyway.
Bucky knew the lay of the land well enough, marching silently, as though he were headed straight to the gallows. And maybe he was. Maybe we all were. But it was worse for the super soldier; had escaped HYDRA's control, he'd been on the run, but he'd been free… and now he was back.
His head turned in my direction, his eyes meeting mine across the distance for the briefest, fleeting glance. Though he couldn't see me, he smiled softly, reassuringly, even if it didn't reach his solemn gaze, before returning his attention to the mission at hand.
The complex was within sight for the others now, Tony commenting sarcastically, "Nice place. Barnes really grew up in there?"
"I grew up in Brooklyn, actually," Bucky's voice came over the earpiece, hollow, dark, "the Winter Soldier, though? That's where he's from."
Peering over at Tony, I saw him flinch through his steel mask, his eyes flashing apologetically despite his silence. Instead, he replied gruffly, "Looks like it requires a little light remodeling. Take down a few walls, rearrange the interior."
"I'd be fine with that."
Tossing a smile over my shoulder, I nodded once to the Iron Man, who repeated the gesture. I had heard him talking to Bucky and Steve on the jet, discussing the super soldier's past, the book.
Everything.
Appreciation flooded me; it would make our return to the Avengers compound even easier. Once Tony Stark decided on something, he would do anything in his power to ensure what was right was done. He was oddly moral like that. And it seemed the Iron Man was now staunchly on Bucky's side.
"Alright, Bucky - your guy is a yard to the left of the door. He's heavily armed - Zemo came prepared."
"What's he look like?" the super soldier questioned calmly, curiously, wondering which of his former coworkers he'd be pitted against.
"Bald," I squinted, "muscles on muscles, like eighty feet tall."
"Figures," he grumbled with a sigh, "always hated him the most."
Smirking, I squinted further to the eastern side of the facility, my knees buckling at the pain lacing my head. "T'Challa, yours isn't paying much attention, but she looks wiry. Like a chihuahua; super high-strung."
"Ah, yeah, watch your back with that one, too," Bucky warned, "she's like a damn spider monkey."
"I appreciate the warnings," the king of Wakanda replied, "we'll be at the door in two minutes."
"We'll keep you posted!" Scott announced excitedly, "that way you don't, ya know, have to be watching our backs the whole time, Aury."
I thanked him, my footfalls becoming heavier, stumbling as a crippling jolt of pain surged through my eyes and back into my skull. I waved off Steve's concern, blaming the snow that - on him, would only reach his calves - was almost to my knees. Shifting my attention from the others, I looked through our own door, informing my team, "Alright, ours is- shit!"
The door burst open with a bang, our super soldier racing out into the blizzard with a wild yell. I positioned myself between him and the others, but he didn't even bother meeting my gaze, making a beeline directly for Cap and slamming me hard in the side with a fist. Cursing, I lunged for him, but he was too fast and he dropped his shoulder, spearing himself at the super soldier.
Cap whipped his shield from his back, swinging it at the soldier, who deftly dodged, straight into a downward, mid-air punch from Tony. The man seemed to barely feel the impact, hooking his arm through Tony's and twisting hard. The Iron Man let out a grunt, his suit shifting, propulsion jets at his back keeping him upright. He shot into the air and Cap threw his shield; instead of taking the hit, the soldier dislodged himself from Tony, twisting and kicking out at Natasha as he fell. She spun gracelessly through the snow out of harm's way, kicking up and hitting the soldier square in the jaw. Peter attempted to shoot a string of webbing from his wrist, but the wind caught it and he switched gears, scrambling through the snow and swinging a hard punch that was deftly avoided.
"Aurelie, where are the rest of them?!" Cap shouted, ducking away from a well-aimed fist, smacking the soldier with his shield and sending him back.
Turning, I groaned, watching not one or two, but the remaining eight soldiers burst from the compound, "Coming!"
One of them caught my eye and he stopped dead in his tracks. He struggled, straining against my hold, a furious bellow escaping him. My powers were stronger than his will, though; nostrils flaring, jaw clenching, I triggered every last pain receptor he had and brought him to his knees. He dropped, hands flying to his head, squeezing his temples with the heels of his palms, the pain overwhelming him. Still, he couldn't break eye contact, not unless I did so first. And I had no-
The breath escaped me in a whoosh, pain shooting through my side as what felt like a freight train slammed full force into my body. I flew a few feet through the air, one of the other soldiers atop me; hands around my throat, he avoided my gaze at all costs. He shoved a handful of snow in my face, and then another, filling my nose and lungs with it. It melted quickly and I choked, struggling to dislodge the soldier. Another appeared, dropping to her knees by my head. She swiped at my eyes, her nails long after decades of slumber, gouging at flesh as I turned at the last moment. But she tried and tried and tried, and I could barely avoid her nails in my eyes each time, and the snow shoved in my mouth and nose and I couldn't breathe and-
An animalistic yell filled the air and suddenly the one slashing at my eyes was gone. Bucky plowed into her, landing on top of her; his vibranium hand raised high, the metal whirring, aligning, his fingers curled into a fist. He pummeled her ruthlessly, not just with his Winter Soldier fist, but his flesh and blood right hand, too, beating her relentlessly into the snow.
The one straddling me disappeared in an instant; Pietro had slammed hard into him at an unfathomable speed. The soldier was sent ten feet forward, but then he convulsed suddenly, engulfed in whips of red energy, and flung into the sky. He twisted and writhed, screaming as Wanda forced him higher into the air, contorting him in directions he really wasn't meant to go and snapping bones.
Shooting upright, I wheezed and gagged, spitting water out all over my lap. Wanda allowed the body to fall to the ground, limp and lifeless, hurrying to my side. Pietro watched from a distance, but didn't approach, his blue eyes hardened with concern. Wanda hauled me carefully to my feet, touching my face gently, "Aury, are you alright? Can you see?"
Nodding hastily, I hugged her, still coughing, wiping the blood from my face. She smiled, peering over her shoulder at the others, and squeezed my arm gently before taking off. Pietro and I made eye contact, the Sokovian's disappointed thoughts filling my mind before he dropped his gaze and continued fighting. Slipping and scrabbling for purchase, I made for Bucky with wild eyes. He hadn't let up, not yet, and I didn't stop him, knowing that the woman he had pinned would do the same thing to him if given the chance. The sheer fury in his attack was impressive; disturbing, but impressive.
He really had been a brutal assassin once, and it was still in there.
"Bucky," I called softly, and, despite the wind, he heard me. He stopped immediately, his chest heaving, releasing another ferocious yell and slamming his fist one final time into the super soldier's face. She fell limply against the now bloodied snow and Bucky pushed himself away from him, flat on his ass.
Jogging to his side, I caught his shoulder, tugging gently; he came easily, rising to his feet and staring fiercely down at my assailant. With a quick look, I assessed her injuries; the internal damage was severe - I didn't need a medical license to see that through her flesh - and I knew she was out of commission for the time being.
Perhaps forever.
Unperturbed, I really couldn't bring myself to care as I fingered the stinging gouges along my cheeks and forehead with a wince.
Bucky caught my chin with a gentle, albeit bloodied hand, lifting my face toward him. His darkened eyes studied my injuries, nostrils flaring in anger. "Are you alright?"
"Yeah," I breathed, my hand curling around his and squeezing lightly before nearly doubling over as the pain rocketed through my skull, nausea overtaking me, "no."
"Aurelie, you need to-"
I shoved him hard, surprising the super soldier and saving him from a powerful right hook to his jaw. We turned as one to face the attacker, but Tony's voice crackled through my earbud, "GG, where's Zemo?!"
I didn't want to use my gift anymore. Agony filled my head, shooting sparks of hot, searing pain through my limbs, and the scratches in my face continued to burn. And still I turned, latching onto Bucky for dear life, the soldier keeping me upright. Facing the complex, I forced my sight slowly through the steel walls.
He was gone.
The massive complex was empty and the plane… the plane was taking off.
"He's leaving," I moaned, wincing, "Tony, he's-!"
Tony, Sam, Rhodey, Vision- they all jettisoned into the sky, tearing off through the freezing snow after Zemo's jet. My vision swam and I stumbled to the ground, trying desperately and failing to stand back up.
Faltering, I fell back onto my ass, fingers in my hair, and watched the Avengers converge on the last three super soldiers standing. With a scream, I unleashed a blazing, burning burst of flames from my eyes and knew nothing more.
/
19irene96: I had to do it! It was the perfect spot to end the chapter haha
queenoftattooine: Oh, I can't wait to start writing that. I'm getting around to it where I'm at now but still not quite as far as I want! Soon though haha! Next chapter will be exciting ;)
Morgainne9897: thank you! I hope you enjoyed this one!
Guest: thank you!
LoveFiction2021: Thank you so much!
Guest2: haha don't you just love stories like that!? I'm glad this is one of them!
MadsL: Thank you! I was hoping she came across that way! It's a mixture of abilities; I took some things from telepathy, x-ray vision, Cyclops from X-Men. I see it as a well of power inside of her and it all comes out through her vision.
CrackHeadBlonde: Yes! I needed to have them make an appearance! I feel like Peter would've definitely swooned haha. And that exact thing is going to happen next chapter :D
