DON'T MESS WITH LIGHTNING, KIDS...
Disclaimer: I own no part of the Avengers (I wish I did). All rights belong to Marvel. I only own the character Tess Rogers / Tesseract / Amalia Schmidt and her plot and dialogue.
THIS CHAPTER IS DEDICATED TO LuckyGo, Cari AND Gwendolyn Yuki.
Tess cried out suddenly, shoulders shaking, eyes and hands glowing more than they had ever seen them. The outline around her heart had returned, as had Pietro's and she moved swiftly to the Cradle, raveling her energy around it.
Tess froze suddenly, almost eerily. She looked like she was in a trance, eyes glowing brightly, and she spoke quietly, "It must live."
Just as her powers encased the Cradle, Thor entered the room and sent his lightning through the Cradle, ignoring Bruce's startled call of 'wait!' Still touching the Cradle, Tess screamed in agony and Pietro yelled out as well, feeling what could only be Tess' pain, as electricity arced through her body.
Thor drew his hammer away and Tess collapsed to the floor, convulsing. Pietro was beside her in a second, rocking her in his arms. The Cradle exploded, throwing Thor away and a robot-like figure jumped out. He stared around, and the Avengers and Maximoff twins watched him closely.
Suddenly, the robot launched himself forward at Thor, who threw him out of the lab. The robot – the new creation – stopped before he flew out of the window and stared at his reflection. Thor and Steve left the lab to stare at the robot, who stayed completely still. Electricity still crackled in Tess' body and she winced as Pietro helped her stand. The two seemed to be more connected and the outline around their hearts grew in strength. All the Avengers, after staring at Pietro and Tess closely, made their way down to where Thor and Steve were.
"I'm sorry, that was…odd," the creature apologized, landing and looking to Thor, "Thank you."
The robot created a cape and Steve asked gruffly, "Thor, Tess, you helped create this?"
"Don't mess with lightning kids," Tess drawled, feeling the last effects of the lightning wear off. Tess moved her arms, thanking the Super Serum in her blood for her quick recovery. She could still tasted metal in her mouth though, like chewing on tin foil.
"I've had a vision. A whirlpool that sucks in all hope of life and at it's center is that." Thor pointed at the gem inside the creature's head.
"What, the gem?" Bruce asked and Tess, still wincing walked over to the table where Thor placed his hammer.
"It's the Mind Stone," Tess supplied, making everyone look at the girl, "It's one of the six Infinity Stones, the greatest power in the universe, unparalleled in its destructive capabilities. The Mind Stone created the twins' powers and the Space Stone, in the Tesseract, created mine. And now, the Mind Stone has created…" She paused, "Vision."
"Then why would you bring it to…"
"Because Stark is right," Thor admitted.
"Oh, it's definitely the end times," Bruce commented, just as Tess said, "Never thought I'd see the day."
"The Avengers cannot defeat Ultron."
"Not alone," Vision added.
Vision walked towards them and Steve asked, "Why does your 'Vision' sound like JARVIS?"
"We…we reconfigured JARVIS' matrix to create something new," Tony told Steve, looking proud with himself.
Steve scoffed, "I think I've had my fill of new."
Tess grinned teasingly, "Brother dearest, you are such an old man."
"You think I'm a child of Ultron?" Visions asked.
Steve didn't miss a beat, questioning, "You're not?"
"I'm not Ultron. I'm not JARVIS. I am…" Vision trailed off before he decided what he was, "I am."
"You're right, darling. You are." Tess added softly, feeling strangely maternal towards Vision, "Do not choose what you are straight away, you have time."
Vision smiled, warmed by the blue-eyed woman's caring nature. He knew Thor gave him life, but Tess had imbued him with some of her morals. Her magic was an extension of herself – pure Tess-ness that was now a part of Vision.
"I looked in your head and saw annihilation," Wanda warned them, stepping closer to the reddish-skinned man and Vision blinked at her.
"Look again," Vision offered.
Clint scoffed, "Yeah. Her seal of approval means jack to me."
"Then what about mine?" Tess asked as she reached into Vision's head. "Warmth, happiness. The want – no, need – to belong somewhere, to have a home. The joy of saving people and the continuation of the human race."
"Their powers, the horrors in our heads, Ultron himself, they all came from the Mind Stone, and they're nothing compared to what it can unleash." Thor told the team, "And Tess, the sole manipulator of the Space Stone, whose powers know no bounds. But with them on our side…"
"Is it?" Steve interrupted, looking at Vision, "Are you? On our side?"
From her place near Thor's hammer, Tess raised a brow, "Uh…insulting. First off, he's basically my kid. And second off, he shouldn't be pressured right now about anything."
Vision bobbed his head in thanks to Tess but his brows remained furrowed, "I don't think it's that simple."
Tess missed Clint's threat, instead running her fingers over Thor's hammer, "I think I speak for both myself and Vision – we are on the side of life. Ultron is not, he will end it all."
"What's he waiting for?" Tony questioned.
"You," Vision stated simply.
"Where?" Bruce asked.
"Sokovia," Clint supplied, "He's got Nat there too."
Bruce walked closer to Vision, "If we're wrong about you, if you're the monster that Ultron made you to be…"
"What will you do?" Vision asked, looking around and seeing that they would destroy him. "I don't want to kill Ultron. He's unique, and he's in pain. But that pain will roll over the earth, so he must be destroyed. Every form he's built, every trace of his presence on the net, we have to act now. And not one of us can do it without the others." Vision lifted up his hands, looking at them, "Maybe I am a monster. I don't think I'd know if I were one. I'm not what you are, and not what you intended. So there may be no way to make you trust me."
Tess put her hand to Vision's arm, "I trust you. We need to go, we can have this debate another time." The blue-eyed girl casually handed Vision Thor's hammer. Vision held it carefully – easily – and Tess laughed at the shocked looks on the other's faces. Vision passed the hammer to Thor, who glanced at the hammer and then Vision. He walked away as Thor took the hammer.
The others were all speechless, while Tess laughed again. "Right," Thor said and patted Tony's shoulder, "Well done."
"Three minutes," Steve instructed, "Get what you need."
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Tess led the twins to the closet, allowing them to get what they needed. Tess passed Pietro a pair of running shoes and better athletic wear. Wanda stood staring out the window, watching Thor and Vision speak.
"He's interesting, isn't he?" Wanda started and looked at Tess, who was standing beside her, holding out a red leather jacket.
"Who?" Wanda asked, trying to play it off.
Tess grinned, winked and helped Wanda into the jacket, "Vision."
Without waiting for Wanda's answer, Tess returned to her part of the closet, and slid her knives into her holsters and her long, elbow-length, buckled gloves. Feeling a presence behind her, Tess turned and met Pietro's light eyes.
The outline around his heart had appeared on his chest, and Tess knew hers was there too. The blue-eyed girl pressed her hand against the Maximoff boy's chest, protectively splaying over his heart. "Be safe."
Pietro grinned down at Tess. They had only known each other for a short time, but somehow Pietro touching the energy from the tree had bonded their hearts. Tess had always scoffed at the thought of 'true love' or 'soulmates,' but somehow…Pietro made her feel like that could be a possibility for her. Tess had always been too volatile and unruly and she had shut out a lot of people, in the fear that she would hurt them. And yet…Wanda and Pietro had become a part of her small, Avengers family.
"I promise. Be safe." Pietro mumbled back and Tess nodded, a promise in their hearts.
XXXXX
The baby was small and wiggled little fists at her.
Tess cooed lightly, dropping down to her knees beside the infant wrapped only in a blanket. The little boy was nameless and parentless and Tess felt her heart crack a little in her chest. All alone—with no one to love him.
But social services was coming the next day for him and Tess, despite knowing the baby would not stay with her, she'd opened her heart to him. Like a fool. The woman carefully picked the boy up, cradling him to her as Steve walked into the room.
"Oh, Tessie," Steve sighed, watching the way Tess held the baby, like he was going to disappear if she let go even a little bit. "You got close."
"I know."
Tess had been the one to find the boy, after all, and had rescued him from having the same fate as his mother, who had been murdered by a HYDRA agent. The agent had been about to fire a Tesseract-fueled weapon at the wailing baby but had been stopped by Tess being thrown through the wall of the house they were in.
"You need to let him go," Steve murmured quietly, reaching out to wrap his arms around his sister and the baby. "He's going to be given to a nice family and he'll live out in the countryside, safe from all of this."
"I know," Tess repeated brokenly, tears gathering in her eyes. She held the baby closer, cooing to him as he gurgled at her and she let the tears fall. "Oh, god, Steve. I know."
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UNEDITED
We've got a bit more of the sweet scenes between Pietro and Tess and we've got Mother!Tess, which I think is really cute. THe chapter is a bit short though and I'm slowly writing that spin-off, kind-of Pietro / OC story but it's taking a while (I have a lack of inspiration at the moment).
Please review!
~ Raven