Lithe Chapter 16: Now, an avengers fanfic

Disclaimer: I do not own Marvel; only Rebecca and the world surrounding her.

Now - Paramore

Welcome to Lithe from the To Build A Home Series!

Thanks to Taylor Noelle Hood, MuffinHipsta, Sailor Luck, Kadence1, JR, Guest,

and everyone that reviewed, favorited, and subscribed to this story so far!

I am like super damn proud of myself for finally getting to this and getting through this! This was the real turning point for the rest of the story. So let's do it!

Now

Lost the battle, win the war

I'm bringing my sinking ship back to the shore

We're starting over, we'll head back in

There's a time and a place to die but this ain't it

If there's a future, we want it

Now

"I feel like my leg isn't even a part of my body anymore. Is that normal? Should I be worried?"

"Bex…"

"What! Come on, this can't be normal? What the hell kind of shot did you put in my leg?"

"Clearly not something to get you to shut up."

Becca ignored Clint and continued to prod her injured leg. It was an odd sensation.

Clint had opened the conversation with Dr. Ahner with some sweet talk that quickly turned into a life or death situation. The doctor merely rolled her eyes, arms crossed the whole time, until she couldn't take Barton's nagging anymore. It hadn't affected her immediately. When Becca pulled on her back up suit, since the other one had pretty much been torn apart, she could still feel the pain as the leather tugged against her skin. But as the quad made their way to the jet, was when she started to feel the sensation.

And that's where she was now. Clint was stationed at the helm of the plane, being pilot, while Natasha sat next to him in the controls. That had left herself in the back with Steve. The awkwardness and hesitation between them was suffocating. She didn't know if she was alone in the feeling as he paced back and forth while she sat there, braiding her hair back out of her face. Also doing what she does best in anxiety ridden moments; keep producing words for no apparent reason.

Steve had explained to them how Tony believed Loki was heading to the Stark Tower. It would give Loki the grand show of what he wanted and that want was having the earth kneel at his feet. He was a showman after all.

"You want to try walking on it?"

Becca looked up at the tall, blonde man in front of her. Her hands coming to a halt in her hair. "What?"

"Your leg." Steve pointed at the limb. "Maybe try walking on it now to get use to it before we headed into...whatever is waiting for us."

"Yeah." She nodded, finishing the braid with a hair tie. "Makes sense."

As gracefully as she could, Becca used the seat to pull herself in a standing position. She held on tight to the bars next to her, still keeping most of her weight on her right leg. The young Stark took a deep, calming breath before putting a step with the leg, letting go in the process. It was going okay until Becca attempted to let all her weight rest on it to take the next step forward.

"Woah!" Steve scrambled forward to grab a hold of her before she face planted on the deck.

"Feels like I have a phantom limb." Becca held onto his biceps, allowing herself to rock her foot back and forth. It was almost a tingling feeling as she put further pressure.

That's when she began to understand her surroundings. Her senses became all too hyper focused. First was the tight pressure against her waist from where his hands were holding her steady. She could feel the heat settling against her skin under the material of her suit from the contact. Then it was the grip she was holding on him. Her delicate hands grasping against his arms tightly. Becca could feel Steve's muscles contracting as he held her. Finally, it was the small puffs of air grazing over her hair, knowing he was above her. He was looking down at her, watching to make sure she was stable. He was there to guide her.

And it was in that moment, the heat that was once resting against her sides had flowed through her whole body. He wasn't going to let her fall. After the deception she had led him through, he was right there ready to catch her if need be.

Steve Rogers truly was a better man than he believed.

"You okay? Do you need to sit down?" His voice was urgent now, taking her hesitation as that there was a problem.

She shook her head. "No, I'm good." Becca finally looked up now, taking in just how close they had become. Even under the helmet, his eyes were still bright to her. "Can you walk with me?"

Steve nodded, entranced by the way her face glowed for the first time in a long time. They were dealt such bad cards the past few days, he couldn't believe he forgot just how soft and alluring she was. "Y-yes. Of course."

With not much more time to lose, they took their time circling the back of the jet. Steve walked backwards while she hobbled along. After about 3 times, she was finally able to walk on her own. She still had a limp but she could move freely.

"You look like a freshly born baby deer." Clint joked, looking back for a second to see her progress.

"They're called fawns. And shouldn't you be paying attention to where your flying us and not worry about me?" Becca retorted back.

"We're coming up on New York, children." Natasha sassed back at the two while Steve watched on amused at the trio. He was quickly understanding their dynamic.

"What the holy hell is that?"

At Clint's low biting words, the four looked out the front of the jet, setting a blue beam of light shooting out of the Stark Tower and into the sky. It wasn't that simple thought. They couldn't tell from far away what exactly they were, but creatures were flying out of the hole where the light exploded.

"He was right." Steve announced, giving Tony the credit he thought he never would, but ultimately glad he was wrong in some aspects.

"Stark, we're on your 3 headed northeast." Natasha spoke through the comms.

"What? Did you stop for drive-thru?" Tony answered back. The sarcasm truly a Stark trait in the family. "Swing up Park. I'm going to lay them out for you."

They watched the Iron Man suit zip by from their spot between the buildings. The next second, they were blasting the alien creatures that followed. At the tight turn to continue shooting, Becca felt herself falling over. She was losing her center of gravity with her numb leg. Steve found his arm around her again to keep her steady before helping her back to her seat.

"Just sit 'til we're landed." He helped her buckle in. "Don't want you to waste your energy before the real fight."

She only nodded, yelling at herself once again for the nuisance she had become.

"Nat?" Clint had flown up to the tower now.

"I see him." Natasha responded. Thor and Loki were battling on the top deck of the tower. As they turned to start shooting, Loki must have noticed as well. Using his scepter, he easily shot back, taking out their left engine in the process.

Clint tried to stabilize them the best he could, but the jet started swirling around in a circle as they plummeted to the city beneath them. Becca was holding on to her seat ever so tightly while Steve was hanging on to the polls on the ceiling, feet in the air.

The pilot was good though. Clint was able to make way of civilians and crash to a landing in a courtyard right outside of a building. With a quick unbuckling and gathering the last of their gear, they ran out of the jet, officially in the middle of the destruction.

"We need to get back up there." Steve commanded, taking off with shield in hand.

Becca followed behind the three. At first she was more focused on understanding how to start running with her leg, but then everything else was taking over her senses. She heard the sirens of police and scream from civilians. Cars, poles, buildings destroyed and on fire surrounding them. She couldn't help but watch the faces of people that were running by. Terror and pain written across them after being attacked by things that were unknown to them.

As the group came to the end of the bridge of Park Ave. they stopped a few yards away from Grand Central Station and looked up. Truly taking in what was above them.

Becca thought she was honestly going to be sick to her stomach as she stared up at what was once part of the blue sky, now a massive hole in the atmosphere. It was dark and it looked like she was staring at the deepest part of the galaxy right above her head. Right in the center of New York City. It brought a chill straight to her bones.

There was, what she guessed were aliens, coming out of the portal. Flying straight down and attacking people of the city. But as she kept staring up, trying to wrap her mind around what was happening, something unworldly traveled through the hole. It was big. Bigger than anything she had ever seen. And it was alive. This extraterrestrial monster was the size of a building; in width and in length. It's mouth snapping in the essences of an alligator, while it had what appeared to be wings of some sort and capping it off with a bone like spine.

There was no real way to focus on how to process what was happening above her and all around her. Aliens were entering their world, and not in a way people expected with a UFO sighting. No, an army from a different world was here. And they were here to control and kill.

This large creature came down to them, flying over the heads of Natasha, Clint, Steve, and herself. And they couldn't move. All they could do was stare up, taking it in to the best of their abilities. Something none of them were trained for or ever expected to come face to face with. As it passed, more alien creatures shot off from the monster, swinging onto the buildings on either side of them.

"Stark, are you seeing this?" Steve asked through the comms, his voice seemingly unwavered but anyone could tell the difference by seeing the wide eyes under the helmet.

"Seeing...still working on believing." Tony answered, his voice tight with wonderment as well. "Where's Banner? Has he shown up yet?"

"Banner?" Steve questioned, looking around at the other three who held their own confusement.

"Just keep me posted."

That's when Becca heard the sound of a young child screaming. The noise was drawing her to the direction immediately.

"Bex!" Steve yelled at seeing her wandering off.

"We have to do a sweep." She stopped walking against her instinct to look back at her group. "We have to get the civilians off the bridge."

The soldier agreed and looked in each direction. "Everyone sweep and meet back." The four split off in their own direction.

Becca returned to her original task at hand. She followed the cry to a car that had been t-boned by a taxi from what she was sure in complete chaos. She saw the child then. It was a young girl, no older than 7 in the backseat, passenger side. Her dark curly hair was flying about her head with tears streaming down her face.

"Shh, hey sweety, you okay?" Becca tried to compose the girl through the open window. All she did through is look at Becca with tears still falling. "Are you hurt?"

"Mama." The little girl pointed at the front of the car.

That's when she noticed the woman slumped over the steering wheel. The agent paused for a split second at the sight before keeping herself cool in front of the child. "What's your name, sweety?"

"A-Aaliyah."

"Well that's a very pretty name. Aaliyah, I'm going to take care of your mama. Do you think you can do something for me?" Becca saw a plush bunny that had fallen on the floor out of the girl's grip.

"Mhmm." Aaliyah mumbled, watching the stranger open the door.

Becca squatted down to pick up the toy and hand it back to the girl. "I want you to hold on to your bunny super, duper tight, okay? Because he looks scared and needs a big girl like you to take care of him."

She sniffled, doing as she was told. "I can do that."

"Good girl! Now just close your eyes and hug your bunny really tight. You want to sing a song together?" The little girl nodded and closed her eyes. Becca began to sing 'Twinkle Twinkle Little Star' and Aaliyah joined in. She started moving around the car, still singing, to get to the women. Luckily the taxi had just missed the driver's side door and Becca was able to yank the door open. It looked like the woman hit her head off the steering wheel from the blood seeping from her hairline.

"You're doing amazing, Aaliyah. Keep it up!" At the sound of the child singing, Becca began checking over the women, thanking everything that she was still breathing. She started shaking the woman and calling out to her to wake up. It was all against procedure, but she needed to get them out ASAP since there was no medical around and another explosion happening above them. After a few more shakes, Becca started seeing her eyelids move. "Ma'am, can you hear me? We have to get you out of here."

After just a few more seconds the mother opened her eyes. At seeing Becca she seemed very confused and then panic began to travel through her body. "Oh my god! My baby!" The women kept repeating the mantra over and over as Becca tried to calm her down.

"You're okay. You daughter is great. Look, Aaliyah is right there still." She pointed to the daughter, the mother calming down slightly at the sight. "I need you to get your daughter and get off the bridge."

The mother did as she as told, getting out of the car on shaky legs and getting her daughter. Becca watched as the small family ran off the bridge and out of harm's way. The agent finished her search before making her way back to the other's, seeing that she was the last one to arrive.

"You good?" Steve asked as she came to a squat behind Clint as the four hid behind a taxi.

"For the most part."

"We've got civilians still trapped up here." Clint explained.

At those words, a gang of flying creatures went by above them, shooting everything everything on the road below them.

"Loki." Steve explained, seeing the leader of the pack. "They're fish in a barrel down there."

A few of the aliens have noticed them now, landing on the bridge to corner them. They blasted the four, getting them to duck, before Natasha and Becca took it upon themselves to start firing back, Becca following Clint to the next taxi to get closer.

"We got this." Natasha encouraged Steve. "It's good. Go."

"Do you think you can hold them of?" He asked, ready for an escape but apprehensive on how to leave.

"Captain," Clint smirked, clicking buttons on his bow to get it ready, "it would be my genuine pleasure." With that, he launched the arrow at the creature, taking it out and three others with it.

Natasha and Becca followed, taking shots at more while Steve took the opportunity to get out.

"Bex, there are more people in the bus!" Barton explained, the two still next to each other fighting.

"I'll cover you." She followed him backwards, shooting anything that came close, while Romanoff kept up with the full coverage. The people piled out of the windows and the two were finally able to pull the door open together from where it was stuck.

Once all the civilians were freed, they each took a side next to Natasha. Team Delta shooting at anything that deemed a threat.

"Just like Budapest all over again!" Natasha yelled, shots taking two down in a row.

"You and I remember Budapest very differently." Clint commented back with a raised eyebrow.

Becca shot down one of the flying aliens just in time for it to crash into three more on the ground. "I don't recall aliens from another world trying to filet us alive."

"Technicalities."

Becca ducked just in time as she noticed more coming in behind them. She jumped over to another taxi, launching the last of her bullets in to the creatures. With no time to reload properly, Bex pulled out the bayonet that ran along the side of her thigh. It was the longest and widest knife she had, and would hopefully do just the job of slicing through these creatures.

With the weapon in one hand and her dagger in the other, she pulled herself up and started attacking. The dagger was good to get a grip on them while the bayonet worked well to kill. They weren't that easy to go down though, and also doubled her weight, but she kept going because their lives depended on it. Clint and Natasha had also gone to hand to hand combat seeing that they were being surrounded and quickly out numbered. There wasn't much though in her movements, just letting her body fight the way it was trained.

The Captain had found his way back to them, taking out more with a bash from his shield. Becca had just finished chopping through one as three more jumped down to surround her. She took a deep breath, gathering herself to keep going as bolts of lightning shot down around her, electrifying the aliens to death. She watched with wide eyes as Thor descended down after, uneasily standing on his feet. Becca grabbed a hold of his forearm, helping him stand, but probably not doing much.

"You hurt?" She asked worriedly, as if the fight she just had never happen. Ultimately she was just glad to see him in one piece after their last encounter. He as well to her.

"It's no matter." He nodded down at her as a thank you for the help. "I told you I'd come find you, Lady Bex."

She smiled up at him, still in awe of the god.

"What's the story upstairs?" Steve fixed the shield against his arm as he came to stand by them, Clint and Natasha following.

"The power surrounding the Cube is impenetrable." Thor explained.

"Thor's right." Tony commented, still flying through the sky somewhere. "We got to deal with these guys."

"And what are these guys?" Becca watched them soaring about.

"It's the Chitauri and Leviathans. It's Loki's army." The god related.

Natasha grimaced as it seemed like the ambush was never ending. "How do we do this?"

"As a team." Steve announced, the leader in him fully stepping forward.

Thor's stance was getting wider at what he thought was the sight of his brother in the far off distance. "I have unfinished business with Loki."

"Yeah? Well get in line." Clint finally spoke up from where he was changing his arrowheads.

"Save it." Steve walked forward, eyes mapping out the plan in his head. "Loki's going to keep this fight focused on us, and that's what we need. Without him, these things could run wild. We got Stark up top." He pointed to the tower. "He's going to need us to-"

The sound of an engine rumbling behind him cut Steve off. As they all took a look, they were slightly surprised to see on old school motorcycle with none other than Bruce driving it.

"So," the doctor shrugged as he got off the bike and the group emerged together, "this all seems horrible." Despite the wreckage around them, Bruce himself looked like he had already went through his own bout of hell.

"I've seen worse." Natasha stared him down, remembering their circumstance not to long ago.

"Sorry." His tone sincere.

"No, we could use a little worse."

"He dad," becca held her comm, "he's here."

"Banner?" Her father came back on the line.

"Somehow, just like you said."

"You should really stop being surprised by my intuition, honey." His words got an eye roll from her. "Tell him to suit up. I'm bring the party to you."

In the distance, the six watched him fly around the corner down Park Ave. But he wasn't alone.

"I-I don't see how that's a party." Natasha stuttered as another one of the Leviathans followed after him. It was like a float in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, only bigger and terrifying and deadly. Bruce started to walk towards it, getting glances all around.

"Dr. Banner," Steve called out to him before he got to far, "now might be a really good time for you to get angry."

"That's my secret, Captain." Bruce smirked back at him, but kept walking. "I'm always angry. And as the creature came face to face, Bruce instantly turned in to the Hulk. He punched the face of it into the ground, gradually bring it to a stop from force, but the body started to flip over it self to come straight towards the rest of them.

"Hold on!" Tony yelled, flying back around to shoot straight at the center of the monster. Pieces came flying off and before they knew it, the inside started to explode from the shot. Becca had barely any time to react as Thor was grabbing a hold of her and using his own body to protect her since he could withstand the explosion.

They looked up as the heat diminished, watching the giant fall to its death off the bridge. The seven stood backs to each other in a circle, Becca finding herself between Thor and Clint, as the Chitauri cried from their places stationed on buildings surrounding them. It was like they were waiting for their next instructions. Becca took it as her time to reload her weapons and prepare for what was next.

"Guys." Natasha grabbed their attention to where her eyes were locked. More of the army had started filing out of the portal. It seemed to be endless.

"Call it, Captain." Tony relinquished his orders as he was finally on the ground with the rest of them.

"All right, listen up." Steve stepped forward. "Until we can close that portal, our priority is containment. Barton, I want you on that roof. Eyes on everything. Call out patterns and strays." He pointed out to Clint, before turning next to Tony. "Stark, you got the perimeter. Anything gets more than three blocks out, you turn it back or you turn it to ash."

"Can you give me a lift?" Barton looked at the former.

"Right. Better clench up, Legolas." The older Stark took a hold of his quiver before flying the two through the air.

"Thor," the Captain continued, "you got to try and bottleneck that portal. Slow 'em down. You got the lightning. Light the bastards up." Thor nodded before spinning his hammer around, using the momentum to fly through the air. "Bex, Romanoff, you bother are with me on the ground. We keep the fighting here. And Hulk," He gained the attention of the large giant, "smash."

Hulk gave a dark smile before jumping halfway up the building to start taking one Chitauri out after another.

"We've got to be smart about this." Steve's focus on the two women now. "Bex, I want you to work in close quarters. Slash anything to bits. Romanoff, you have the movement. Work in a circle around, don't stop to be a target."

They each nodded, coming to terms with switching out their usual job. Natasha was usually the one in the middle, while Becca was the mover. It's why her code name was Lith anyways. She was quick on her movements, but with the injury she had limited resources.

"I'll take our perimeter." Steve continued. "We good?"

"Aye Aye, Captain." Becca saluted, knowing full well how it would affect she was surprised by the small smirk that formed. Oh yeah, he was warming up to her again.

Rebecca Maria Stark was a spy. She was trained as a spy first, assassin second. War was never on the schedule. Aliens certainly weren't either. She was surprised to say humans were easier to deal with. When fighting humans, they were trying to win but also stay alive. The Chitauri were very different. It was like a suicide mission for them just to hurt their opponent.

But Becca kept fighting.

She threw her knife through the throat of one a second before she was spinning on her toes to slash through another that was coming up behind her. The throbbing in her leg was starting, but was also combating over injuries that were just being presented.

"Widow, duck!" Becca ran forward as Natasha did as she was told. Becca jumped over her body, tackling the Chitauri that was right behind her. The second it's back hit the floor, she stabbed the chest, killing it for good.

The two kept fighting together, finding themselves back to back at one point. Natasha held the Chitauri's staff while she had her bayonet back out. Becca felt her tense up, but turned around to only see Steve had made his way back to them, holding his shield up from Natasha's quick thinking.

The three settled for a second at the lull surrounding them. Heavy breathing and tired limbs. Natasha leaned against a taxi while Becca braced her hands down on her knees. They were tired. The two agents were in top physical shape, but not for something like this. The lack of sleep and just overall exhaustion was starting to catch up to them. And Steve could see it.

"Captain, none of this is going to mean a damn thing if we don't close that portal." Natasha spoke the truth. The three looked up seeing more and more aliens flying down.

"Our biggest guns couldn't touch it." His voice deep.

"Well, maybe it's not about guns."

Becca rose an eyebrow knowing that tone very well. Before she could comment a group more of them were dropped down to try to kill them.

Steve had noticed the tone as well. "If you want to get up there you're going to need a ride."

She dropped the staff, backing up as her eyes focused on the alens flying by. "I got a ride. I could use a boost though."

"Hey Tasha," Becca called out, using the broken cement to help sharpen her dulling blades, "don't die."

"You can't get rid of me that easy, Bec." The red head smirked at her teammate.

Steve however was cautious of the plan. "Are you sure about this?"

"Yeah, it's going to be fun." With that, she ran forward, taking a step on the hood of a car before jumping on the shield. Steve pushed her up and the two watched as Natasha grabbed a hold of the carrier and took off. They didn't watch for that much longer as the Chitauri that had landed sent a blast their way.

"That's it!" Becca yelled, dropping her knife and picking up the two guns at her waist. She shot double time at each of them, taking several out before the cartridges were empty. "I'm out." She sunk to the ground behind the car, throwing the guns away from her.

"You're out of ammo?" Steve sunk to a squat in front of her, both of them hidden.

She nodded pulling out two more knives, slowly running out of those as well. "I'm down to knives and some grenades."

Another shot blasted above them. Steve jumped up and threw his shield, knowing them out before it came back to him to grab. He took his previous position, watching her prepare again very closely. "You ready to keep going."

She gave him a bright smile, even though it was bloody from the split lip. "Absolutely."

The duo fought back to back, each quickly picking up where the other left off. It was surprising how well their combination worked together. Becca's fighting style was quick, using precise moves to weaken her opponents, while Steve had strength and force knowing if he hit someone they were staying down for the count. Tony had even come into play at one point, using his blasts to give them a five second rest before continuing on. The war continued, there was still no end in sight.

Battling by yourself was the true test of how far you took your life. Steve had ran off to help a bank full of civilians and the others were still fighting their own battles around the city. Becca was left alone on the bridge with only her knives and pure will to live.

Becca sliced through another Chitauri, but had no time to regroup as another creature was on her back. It took its staff and tried to pierce her with the blade. Becca was able to grab a hold of the pole, pushing it away from her but wasn't strong enough to completely push him away from her. The pole was being pressed across her neck, making the girl stumble backwards until she was struggling over the bridge wall. The only thing keeping her from falling head first to the concrete below was her feet grounding tightly against the wall. It was a war between them on who could push the other away. She wasn't winning though, and it was hard for her to find a way out.

"Bex, drop your head!"

She heard Steve's voice through her ear but also right below her. Becca did as she was told, letting her upper body hang upside down seeing the Captain below. With the clear shot, he threw his shield up, knocking the Chitauri off Becca, before it came back to him. She took advantage of the weapon it had released from its grip on impact and jumped back up to stab it straight in the chest. That finally sent the alien down.

"You good?" He called up to her.

She took several deep breaths before answering. "For the moment." Then her eyes landed on the mob that was stalking towards her. There was no way she would be able to hand combat each one of them and make it out alive. Her hand made contact with the grenade attached to her hip. "Hey Cap, get ready to catch."

"Catch what?"

Becca unhooked the grenade from her belt, waiting for the perfect time to throw. She pulled the pin out and sent it flying into the crowd. "Me!" She yelled, turning on her heel and launching herself over the bridge wall. She tucked her limbs close to her body like she was taught in gymnastics and prayed the super soldier caught her before her body became broken on the pavement below. Flying through the air suddenly stopped as she landed securely in the arms of her target.

"Thanks, Cap." She smiled at him. It was pained because of the bruises and cuts littering her body but it was still sincere.

At the sound of the explosion going off over head, Steve crouched down, covering her from any debris and the shield on his back protecting them. Their heads were tucked into each other's necks. Becca's hand pulling his head closer to try to protect him the best she could. Once the debri finally stopped showering down around them, the two unfolded from each other.

"You're lucky I'm a good catch." He mumbled, setting her down.

The sentence caught her off guard, knowing he didn't mean in the relationship way, but she was going to play off of it. "Take a girl out for dinner first, Captain." Becca joked, an eyebrow raised in amusement.

He gave her a confused look, until it sunk in what he said and the blush rose. This time there was no hiding it as his helmet was missing. "You know what I meant."

Even in the wreckage, she laughed out loud. Becca unraveled herself from his grip, starting to walk away to keep going when her leg gave out. "Damnit!"

Steve held her in record speed. "Your leg?"

"I think the shot is wearing off." The pain starting to travel through her body. The most recent fighting clearly doing a number on her injury.

Steve looked around to make sure they weren't being cornered before dragging her to the nearest car. "Just stay here, okay?"

She pushed off the trunk, trying to fight him against it. "I'm fine. I-"

"Rebecca!" He cut her off, pushing her waist to lean back. The intensity in his voice with saying her full name took her back. "You've done your part. Just stay here." His eyes dug deep into her own. He had been worried enough about her the entire time, that now it would escalate. If she pushed herself more and get killed because of it he would never forgive himself for it. "You have your knives if any come near you, but just stay here."

His tone was giving her flashbacks of her first mission with him around, the pure anxious and fear tones that he held for her life pouring off of him. It made her chest burn. "Okay, I'll stay here." She never had someone be so adamant about her survival in this way. Obviously her father didn't want her hurt, and that was the same for her teammates, but people usually let her keep going. This was different.

Steve's shoulders dropped in relief. "Scream for me and I'll be here in an instant."

Becca only nodded and watched him look over her for another moment before running back into battle. She rested against the car, watching every which way in case of an straggler. The sound of a mighty explosion took her attention from above. She looked up to see the top of a building up in flames. The very building Clint was just standing on.

"Barton!" She yelled through her comm, anxiety in her voice. "You better not be a barbeque?"

It took a second but a groan came through, easing her worry. "Why am I always the one to fly through windows?" His voice was gravely, clearing in pain but alive.

"Just lucky, I guess."

What wasn't lucky was the one alien that was trying to sneak up on her. She simply pulled out one of her throwing stars and launched it at him, taking him down with ease. And she was beyond happy about that because she was too tired to move.

"I can close it." Natasha called through the comms out of the blue. "Can anybody copy? I can shut the portal down."

"Do it!" Steve quickly responded, the answer that everyone wanted was right there.

"No, wait." Tony broke the stream.

"Stark, these things are still coming."

"I got a nuke coming in. It's gonna blow in less than a minute." The statement took everyone who was just off the edge back on it. Someone had sent a nuke to destroy the island and everyone on it. "And I know just where to put it."

"Stark, you know that's a one way trip?" Steve's voice sullen.

Becca was hearing the words but they just weren't caputing. He was putting himself, once against in incredible danger with this mission of sending it to the portal. "Dad. Don't you dare."

"Bec-"

"No! Not this time!" She yelled, watching as he came back down Park Avenue, this time however putting a nuclear missile on his back.

"I love you." His voice was low but sincere. It's all he could say. It's all that needed to be said.

Her throat was closing up, feeling a led weight in her stomach. "I love you too." She watched as he made the turn, taking it vertical up the tower to the portal. "Now send it up and let it go!" She pleaded but he just kept going. "LET IT GO!" Her throat raw as she screamed, watching him now go into the portal so very high above them.

"B-bec-" His voice crackled, the connection becoming fuzzy.

"Dad!" Her voice squeaked, trying to keep it together but ultimately losing control. "Come back, please, I need you."

There was no response this time. Nothing from the other end. All she could do is watch the opening, praying for him to pop back out as tears slowly leaked from the corner of her eyes. Then all of the sudden all the aliens, Chitauri and Leviathans, just shut down. Falling out of the sky and becoming useless. Clearly the nuke had made target, but at what price of Tony.

She didn't know how long she waited, but she kept watching, refusing to miss something. Anything. She desperately needed a sign.

"Close it."

That was not it.

"No!" She howled again at Steve's order. But it didn't matter how much she yelled, screamed, or cried. Natasha had closed it, the beam shutting down and the portal closing back to the regular sky.

Becca felt numb. Her physical pain evaporating at the thought of her father left to die in space.

But then there was a glimmer. It was dark and it was falling from the sky fast. He had made it. Tony had made it through, but he wasn't flying. He was dropping at full speed. Just as he was skimming the height of the buildings, Hulk had grabbed him. The Hulk used the momentum of his body to crash down on the bridge.

Becca had never run so fast and hard in her life. All she could hear was her breathing and the blood pumping in her ears. Every pain in her body was gone because she needed to get to her father. She found Steve and Hulk kneeling on either side of him with Thor standing over Steve.

"Is he breathing?" She asked, skidding on her knees next to Steve. Tony's face plate had been ripped off and he was simply lying there with his eyes closed. "Dad? Dad, please wake up."

The situation so eerily similar to the one she had with that little girl when they had first got here. Becca was Aaliyah and she needed to hold tight for hope. The younger Stark held in her tears, her eyes closed tight, and her hand gripping the iron suit as if it was her plush bunny. "Please." Her voice a whisper.

Becca nearly screamed as Hulk growled, making her jump in fright. But she wasn't the only one. Tony awoke with a start, breathing heavy and eyes wide.

"What the hell?" His eyes scrambled all over, finally landing on his daughter. "Bec? What happened?"

"You made it." She sighed in relief.

"Please tell me nobody kissed me." Near death and Tony still has jokes.

Steve sat back, letting it sink in. "We won."

"Alright, yay!" Tony sighed, letting the moment come with ease. "Alright, good job, guys. Let's just not come in tomorrow. Let's just take a day. Have you ever tried shawarma?" Becca laughed, a true smile coming over her face. One she almost thought she'd never do again. "There's a shawarma joint about two blocks from here. I don't know what it is, but I want to try it."