Project 2512125: The Crusade of a Team of Heroes

Chapter 9: The Door's Locked Part I (With Spiderman & Quicksilver)

We've always been ready for female superheroes. Because women want to be them and men want to do them.

With a loud bang, the door locked shut.

The bang echoed through the room, startling those with acute or superhuman senses. Belle flinched and her emerald gaze shifted to the huge heavy metal door that they had all hastily entered/phased/destabilized atomic mattered-ed through moments previously.

Before any of them could stop it, or for the matter- even react- a steady rhythmic metallic clicking sound could be heard, and all the heroes then realized what was happening. Their fates were being sealed.

The lab the were in seemed different to the others. It was more like a workshop: tools and large sheets of metal scattered everywhere, computer hard drives and complicated looking chip boards were piled in the middle next to a bench, goggles and lab coats were strewn across the benches, some of them hanging on hooks situated on the sterile white walls which felt like they closing in. Various pieces of equipment were here and there, ranging from saws to step ladders.

Billy let out an exasperated sigh as the door stopped making sounds signaling that the process was complete. He ran a hand through his dark hair, giving his team, uncle and an rogue Avenger an awkward look. "And...we're dead. It's official. We. Are. Screwed."

"I wouldn't bother," Pietro called out to Teddy and Eli who were at the door, pushing, pounding and pulling, their muscles flexing but to no result. The door was not going to move anytime soon. "If Tony and Reed designed that door," he continued. "It's gonna be Hulk and Captain America proof. It ain't going to move. Your wasting your time."

Billy motioned for his boyfriend to come over. "We'll figure it out, Ted."

As Teddy started to walk over, he paused for a second, stopping in his tracks. A frozen look was on his face, and Kate swore he went a few green shades paler. "I can't change back." he said, panic wild in his blue eyes. "Billy. I can't change...back."

Billy waved off the comment. "I don't mind," he said, ignoring what Teddy had actually said. "I think it's hot." Teddy opened his mouth in protest.

A smirk was on Tommy's face, despite the fact that they were locked in the room with no current idea of actually getting out. "Of course you do..."

"Tommy." Kate warned, scanning the room for something, but keeping an eye on the speedster at the same time. It was like babysitting a 4 year old. "For the last time. Shut up."

"I'm trying to lighten up the mood!" he protested, folding his arms in annoyance. "Since that door closed, not one person has actually smiled!"

"Is there anything to smile about?" Belle countered. She looked over to Teddy, gasped and then looked to Kate, giving her a message in one look. Shit.

A sudden wave of realization hit Kate square in the face. Belle already got it, and it looked like she was the next. Teddy could always change back. Never once did that fail. And never did he say he couldn't change back. "Wait a minute," she said slowly. "You...you can't change back."

"You don't think-" Eli said, a similar look of worry placed on his face.

Kate looked around at each confused hero. Belle nodded knowingly, like she knew what was coming. "Okay...um..Tommy!' she finally said. "Blow that up." she pointed at a rock in a glass case. Probably important. Ah, well.

Tommy waggled his fingers at the rock while grinning. "I'd thought you'd never ask."

There was a silent pause between all of them until Tommy lowered his arms in defeat and swore.

"Ah, shit." he swore, kicking the wall in desperateness. "I'm so sick of power dampeners. Damn you, Tony Stark. Smartass billionaire..."

Kate put her head in her hands, being a leader was hard work. "Billy," she looked desperately at the witch. He could just teleport them all out in a second. If he had powers, that is. "Please tell me-"

The witch shook his head after his attempt to fling his brother across the room failed. "Nope, sorry. I'm all out. I feel weird..." he inspected his hands. "Really...weird..."

"Spiderman?"

"Nope."

"Stature?"

"Zip."

"Patriot?"

"Same here." Eli paused. "Why are you using code-names for?"

"Vision? You're an syntheziod, you can't-"

"All my systems are down, wi-fi and everything."

"Fine, Belle. You of all of us should-"

"For once, nothing. See, I knew this would happen. Iron Man's got us exactly where he wants us." she shrugged. "It was nice knowing you guys. I hope I get a jail cell next to one of you.."

Kate went back to her roll call, trying to ignore the possibility that they could actually get arrested. "Pietro?"

"You already know the answer. It'll come to no surprise, that yet again...I'm powerless." he closed his eyes for a second and put his head in his hands. "I'm having deja vu."

The archer shrugged. "Well, now you're all like me." she smirked at the heroes who all looked at each other and groaned.

Tommy was lying on the floor, trying to comprehend that he had just lost his powers. He felt dizzy and sick to the stomach, the way the world was frozen made him want to run into a wall to see what would happen. Even thinking was a difficult task, as his mind wasn't up to speed. "Just call Iron Man already." he groaned.

"Oh, come on." Kate said. "It isn't that bad." she cast her gaze over to Billy and Teddy who had their heads in their hands. Teddy was still in his Skrull form and Billy looked desperately hopeless as he kept on chanting to himself, but clearly nothing was happening. He just looked like some crazy guy in a cape. "Lighten up, you guys. " she tried to encourage them into at least smiling. Tommy was right about that. "It's fine, it really isn't that bad. I manage." she pointed out.

"Oh, really?" Tommy bitterly snapped, propping himself up on one elbow. It looked like a struggle, even for him. "I have to watch everything slowly. I don't run at super-speed, I live at super-speed. Do you know how hard it is right now for Pietro and I? It feels like someone has a hot jagged edged knife, thrusting it into your spine, edging upwards-"

"You exaggerated a bit there," Pietro chuckled, his heart not really in it. He felt like crap, like car and boat sickness attacking him at the same time. And add a cold, headache, temperature and stomach ache, and that how he was feeling at this moment. "I've been in this position before, and so have you. I heard about your Super-Juvie expedition." he smiled wryly.

"Yeah," Peter agreed. "But were you locked in a room with spandex clad Young Avengers? Cause that just tops it off for me."

A low growl escaped from Eli's throat. "Watch it, Spidey. I'm going to rip your legs off as soon as I get my-"

A sigh came from the silent Belle as she crossed her arms. "Seriously, It's been 10 seconds and Eli's planned an assassination of Spiderman and Tommy's comparing getting murdered with losing superspeed." she shook her head. "We'll find a way out. Just calm down."

The angry speedster kicked the wall again, not even making a dint in the metal. "It's so god damn fucking slow!' he yelled at the wall, ignoring all the weird looks he got from his team mates. He wanted it back. Yeah, sometimes having super-speed sucked. You couldn't get properly drunk, etc. But without it, he felt lost. It made him who he was. It made him the son of the Scarlet Witch. Something he felt like he was close to exploring with her own brother on the team.

Pietro was half appalled at his nephews attitude. And half impressed. Because he remembered. Tommy was his nephew. Pietro Maximoff Junior. Nothing like his sweet, innocent sister. "No need to swear, Speed." (Like he'd even care.)

"Shut your frickin mouth, Quicksilver." he spat.

"Tommy, calm down." Cassie commented from the left side of the room next to Vision. This was the first time she had spoke since they were thrown into the room in the first place. "Yelling and swearing isn't going to get us anywhere."

"I-" Tommy announced as he slowly got up and strutted into the centre of the room.

Billy and Teddy were sitting on the floor, Belle, Pietro and Peter were leaning against the wall and Cassie, Vision, Kate and Eli were situated on top of benches, all of them feeling lost.

"-have no powers, and we're locked in Avengers Tower. Can any of you possibly see the bright side in any of this?" he waited for an answer, but everyone just stared back at him. Silent agreement. No words needed.

"No." Belle said simply, as she hopped on the spot while taking her left black boot off and throwing it across the room. "Not really." she mumbled in an undertone.

"Exactly. We're cornered."

Pietro smirked. "Technically this is a round room, so…."

"Very funny, Uncle Pete," Tommy sighed in defeat. "Cracking jokes at a time like this?"

The older, and most likely wiser speedster tilted his head to the left, lip curled in amusement. "Yes, nephew, yes I am. Cause no one else will, and frankly, I'm the only one who can pull a joke it off."

Crunch. "Ow! Shit!" Whimper.

Billy scuttled over to his boyfriend with a look of shock all over his face. "Teddy, you idiot! I know you want to get out of here, but you don't need to hurt yourself in the process! I like my boyfriend in one piece thankyouverymuch."

The witch grabbed his boyfriends hand, the one that had attempted to punch through the wall, and resulted in most of the bones in his hand breaking at impact as it collided with the metal at the strong force Teddy had applied. "You don't have super strength anymore, remember, honey?" he brushed his delicate fingers over the bruised green skin of the shape-shifter, examining the little and tiny scars and other imperfections of his skin somewhat lovingly.

Tommy had sort of calmed down (depends on your own definition of 'calm') and making his way over to the wall next to Belle who still had taken both of her shoes off and was letting her toes that and her painted golden toenails, feel the cool tiles on the floor.

"Your boyfriend is an idiot." he told his brother with a certain smugness, like it was a known fact, or he had a gut twin feeling that his brother that would never find someone who had a brain.

Billy shrugged, still holding Teddy's hand. "But he's my idiot of a boyfriend." he looked into Teddy's eyes with so much passion that Belle swore her heart would like, combust or something with the power of it. "Do you want me to kiss it better?" he offered sweetly, eyebrows raised in question, battering his eyelids and his lips puckered up, making him look utterly adorable.

God, Teddy utterly loved his boyfriend. Not any guy in the whole world would offer to kiss his hand in front of a group of power-ridden superheroes whilst locked in Avengers Tower after stealing stuff from Iron Man himself.

"Thanks, Billy-"

"Stop. Right. There." Tommy ordered. "Do not press your little cape wearing lips to that green skin." Billy scowled at his twin. "Remember that there are 8 people in this room who don't want to see your….mushy...stuff…"

Kate reached over from the bench and ruffled Billy's dark hair. "You're a bit harsh, Tommy." Billy pushed Kate's hands away and made an attempt to fix his hair. "Oops, sorry."

Teddy was still looking at Tommy in disappointment. "Mushy stuff? You're getting low on comebacks aren't you?" he leant over agonizingly slow to Billy who finally got his hair back in place and kissed him slowly, watching Tommy shake his head in the corner of his eye. Billy was surprised at the suddenness, but kissed him back anyway. Any chance to kiss his boyfriend was a good as any.

Tommy leaned to the side and onto Belle who had a sort of scornful look on her face. Like she was trying to decide is the wanted to make out with him or ignore him forever. "My brain is working so slow," he said, "that I cannot think fast enough for worthy enough comebacks."

Eli snorted. "What brain? I don't think you had one to begin with."

"Yeah...well...shut up." Tommy said. "Can we kinda focus on getting out of here? Pietro keeps staring at me and I know it's cause I'm unbelievably and extremely attractive-"

Everyone, even Peter, just glared at him and shook their heads. Even with no powers, Tommy Shepherd was still irritating. And being locked in a room with him was going to be an interesting experience.

"-but he's my uncle and that'd be kinda weird and stuff. So, um, Pietro, I don't swing that way. Sorry to break it to you," Tommy finished off, yawning because he was either actually tired and not in his hyperactive mood, or loss of super-speed actually did that to him.

"I'm only looking at you," Pietro said. "Because you look just like me."

"Yeah. I get that alot. No need to point out the obvious, Quicksilver." Tommy scoffed, rolling his eyes at his uncle. "Still. I'm hotter."

Cassie sighed. "So are we going to get out of here or what?"

"If you have a plan," Eli said. "I'd like to hear it. Cause with no powers, we are really out of ideas."

Everyone paused for a second in which they all looked around the room trying to find some sort of contraption that would help them escape the wrath of Avenger's Tower. Because no matter how much the Young Avengers worshiped the building- being unwillingly looked in sucked on so many levels.

"Smash our way out?" Kate suggested, twirling a thick metal baton in her hands. "Wait..." she said throwing it at the wall. "No-one has super strength. Well, that's that plan out..."she rummaged through some more boxes.

Peter held up a silver spoon and inspected it. "We could dig our way out?" he suggested. "Like in those movies when stuck in a jail cell and they use a spoon-"

Pietro, who was digging through a cardboard box like the rest of them, cast a disappointed look at him over his shoulder. "Dig our way out?" he repeated in a mocking tone. "In case you haven't noticed, Peter, this is a very serious situation. I shouldn't be here, neither should my nephews and their team and actually neither should you. So say something intelligent or shut up!" he shouted angrily, pushing the box away from him and kicking it, clearly loosing what little patience he had left. "We're going to be arrested at this rate." he mumbled in a undertone. "Great. Again."

There was mostly silence as everyone went through boxes and cupboards. Except for when Tommy got hold of something dangerous.

"Tommy! No!" Cassie shouted as she grabbed an object off him. "No, you can't use a chainsaw-" everyone turned their heads in disbelief. "-to cut through the door. You're going to kill someone!" she turned the running object off and placed it on the table, crossing her arms.

Billy who was going through the cupboards, started at his brother in awe. "You-" he then looked at Teddy, "Did he just-" he shook his head. "Trust."

Tommy held his hand up. "QUIET!" he yelled across the room. Everyone was silent. "No block your ears cause I've got a jackhammer and-"

"Tommy!"

"Someone pull the plug!"

"Stop him before he kills someone!"

It took Pietro, Peter and Teddy to take the crazed Tommy away from his jackhammer. Peter ran towards him, Pietro pulled the plug and Teddy grabbed the jackhammer and threw it to Belle, who caught it swiftly and grinned.

Kate shook her head in disappointment. "Tommy, first the chainsaw and then the jackhammer. You have to calm down, nothing's going to work. We're just wasting our time."

"She's right you know." Belle answered as she picked up and loaded a machine gun. Terror was on all the heroes faces.

"Um, Belle..." Cassie said slowly, putting her arms up in the air in surrender. "What are you doing?"

"Do you know how to use one of them? Pietro asked, edging away from the young girl with a machine gun. "Not that I don't trust you, cause I do, completely, but-"

"Are you stupid?" she laughed, putting the gun's safety on and throwing it back in a cupboard. "I'd never shoot at you. And I do know how to use one-" she tapped her head. "Tony Stark, remember? I've probably got some Nick Fury or something in me."

Eli crossed her arms at her. "What did you mean 'Kate was right'?" he asked, putting the drill he had found next to the gun and sitting on a bench next to Tommy's confiscated collection of chainsaws and jackhammer's.

"We can't get out," she said as she tapped the door 3 times, the sound echoing in the silence. "The door's made out of adamantium. Smelt it when I walked in." she added knowingly. "It smells really icky though, kinda bitter and sour…" she trailed off.

"As in Cap's shield and Wolverine's claws, adamantium?" Tommy asked. "The really hard and hell expensive stuff to make?"

Bells nodded, her face calm. "Yes, that stuff. But the main point is that it's indestru-" she was cut off mid sentence when she heard a loud roaring sound. "What?"

Billy grinned widely as he motioned for Pietro to movie out of the way. "Quicksilver, move. I don't want to burn you."

Eli's face was in shock. "Where the hell did you get a flame-thrower from?" he managed to choke out. "Don't you dare-"

"Never you mind where I got it from." Billy said, aiming his flame thrower at the door. The golden flames roaring. "I'm going to burn that adamantium door down, wether you guys like it or not."

"Doesn't anyone listen to me," Belle exclaimed, her hands outstretched, adding more meaning to her statement. "The door is indestructible, as in it won't melt, be hacked apart or blown up. I thought you read comic books, Billy, you know that when it's indestructible, they really mean indestructible. And it doesn't change."

"What do you suggest we do, Belle?" Kate said. "Do you have any ideas?"

"I won't need any ideas," Belle replied, her eyes darting form each hopeful hero who wished she has some super, clever and hell amazing plan that was going to save their asses. "Because we're all going to die. There's nothing you or I can do. We're dead. It's simple."

Everyone paused for a moment. Trying to comprehend what bomb Belle had just dropped on them. Dead? This wasn't a way a hero should die, is it?

Pietro nodded slowly and swallowed. "...way to break it to us, Belle."

"Yeah," Kate agreed. "Just put it out there, why don't you."

Belle shrugged, their comments not really meaning anything to her. "Fine," she said. "What about..." she put on a sophisticated voice. "Due to the airtight circumstance we are currently situated in, the oxygen levels are rapidly depleting with the presence of 10 oxygen needing humans-"

"Tommy doesn't count." Billy said with a smirk.

"Fine... 9 humans and a complete asshole."

"Better."

Tommy crossed his arms at his brother and sort-of crush. "You guys suck."

Belle rolled her eyes at him. "Anyways, 9 humans and and ass in this room breathing, we'll run our of air in a 40 minutes or so. That's before Iron Man comes back anyway." she gave the team and 2 Avengers members a look. "Better? Does our death sound any cooler? The outcomes still the same, it doesn't matter how I phrase it."

"That sounds too smart." Peter said after a pause. "Personally I prefer, 'we're all going to die'. Blunt. Straight to the point. No gimmicks. Just...death."

"Does the fact that we're going to die bother you at all, Peter?" Pietro pressed. "Or is this all another joke to you? I have better things to do, like find my sister- who right now needs more than anything-"

"...You're going to find Wanda? The Scarlet Witch, Wanda?" Peter exclaimed, eyes widened in surprise under his mask.

He overheard the Avengers talking about this a couple of days ago. Tony said it was a possibility that Pietro was going to contact the supposed Maximoff twins, and find his sister. But he had no idea that it was happening now. And right before his eyes. Oh.

"Yeah, you and what army? Who'd sign up for a mission that will almost certainly end up with someone getting killed? "

The Young Avengers, but mainly Billy and Tommy, gave Peter 'The Look' and he took a double take.

"You're kidding me," Peter laughed mockingly at Pietro. As he looked back to the Young Avengers. He realized how serious they all were...and about Wanda Maximoff. Love made you do some crazy things sometimes.

"-Your hiring the Young Avengers to help you find Wanda? That's stupid and dangerous! Do you know what The Avengers will do to Wiccan if they find out what your doing? Are you out of your mind!"

Billy bit his lip. He knew that when searching for his mother, he was really putting himself, his boyfriend and his whole team at risk. After what happened with Wanda, people who could create everything out of nothing were going to be a touchy subject with The Avengers and most probably...everyone else. But he had to do this, he wanted to know who he and Tommy really were.

"But she is." Billy said. "She needs help, Peter. You know it. What she went through, the loss she experienced, anyone would snap."

"Okay, that's true. She lost you two and she snapped, I get that." Peter agreed with the young witch. "But when I get angry, when the world doesn't go my way, when I lose someone that...I love-" a tear was forming in his eye, the memories of the M-Day coming back no matter how hard he shoved them in the back of his mind. "I don't recreate reality. I don't mess the world up and remake it in the image of my terrorist father. And that's what sets us all apart from her. If you guys happen to find her- and you probably will because you've got a frickin death wish- no-ones going to forgive her." he rubbed his eyes. "I had a whole other family in Magneto Land- I was happy. And then your damn witch of sister took it away from me!" Peter's voice started to shake as he stood up and grabbed Pietro's shoulders roughly. "Do we really have to have this conversation again!"

Pietro didn't even blink. He stared at Peter, blue eyes frozen and what Peter had just said about his sister.

Young Avengers stood in shock at the way Peter's voice rose in anger, the way the anger was flashing in his eyes. Peter Parker was usually the funny, lovable and sarcastic guy, but now, he was a whole different person. And if this was the way Wanda affected one of the nicest guys, just imagine what the others were like.

Pietro then grabbed Peter's shoulders and pushed him into the wall forcefully, his face set with hatred. "Don't you dare talk about my sister like that. She's an Avenger, I was an Avenger...You Peter, you are an Avenger." Pietro pointed behind him where the Young Avenger's were standing, mouths gape. "And these kids" he continued, emotion leading him on, driving out the feelings that have been bottled up for so long. "These kids are Avenger's too. And once your an Avenger - your always an Avenger."

"I wish." Tommy snorted, ruining his uncles speech. "Those dudes hate us."

"For once," Eli said. "Tommy's right. Pietro, we're not Avengers, they don't think of us as more than sidekicks."

"That's only because they know that you're going to be better than they are-" Pietro put his hand up to stop a protesting Kate. "And you know it too. From what I've seen and heard, you guys are brave, you don't care how much the Avengers try to shut you down or try to arrest you, you're determined and most of all your a family to each other. And that's what drove us apart in the end. It was my fault when Wanda lost it. I wasn't the brother that I should've been." he kept his head down and dropped Peter's shoulders. "It was my fault." he whispered. "All my fault."

Tommy walked up to his uncle, awkwardly rubbing his shoulder, not sure what to do. "It's not all your fault. It was mostly Iron Man's."

"No, Tommy," Pietro sort of wanted to crack up in laughter in the way Tommy was trying to sooth him. "It is my fault. And I'll never, ever forgive myself. I was too caught up trying to disassociate myself from my terrorist of a father then caring about the one person I loved more than anything. And now she's gone."

"I met Magneto this morning," Belle stated, looking at Pietro, "After before you came in and I'm pretty sure he wants to be a family again. He didn't actually mention it, but it was in his voice." Pietro frowned.

"You met Magneto? In a civilized manner?" Billy said in awe. "I know he's like really bad and an enemy of the X-Men and all, but-"

"He's evil, Billy." Pietro snapped. "He manipulated my sister and I into doing his biding. Out of all of us, it's his fault. If he tried to be a father that he should of, none of this would've happened. No decimation, No crazy Wanda."

"Problem there, Uncle Pete," Tommy said. "If that didn't happen then Billy and I would've never been..."

"Created? Transfigured?" Billy suggested, shrugging.

"Yeah, and that would suck."

Ten Minutes Later...

"Oh, my god!" Tommy exclaimed. "Why the hell didn't I think of this before!" he walked over to the silver case on the floor, the one that everyone had seemed to have forgotten about.

Belle put her hands on her hips and redirected her gaze from Eli and Kate's heated and tension filled arguments, Peter and Pietro's constant bickering and fighting and Billy and Teddy doing what they usually did, to look at Tommy to see what ingenious idea he had this time. "Tommy-"

As soon as she saw him head towards that silver case- the box that made her who she was genetically, she jumped off from her position on the counter and quickly rushed forward, not caring that Tommy would most likely get to it first.

But it didn't matter- he couldn't get his hands on that case. Because every person who's used anything in that case - either because they wanted to experiment ad create a new super-genetic species (Reed Richards) or if they wanted to have the most complicated, high-tech, genetic weapon which diagnosed her with very faint bi-polar disorder (Tony Stark) - it's always gone downhill from there on in. And with her intelligence and human analytic skills, she knew exactly what the speedsters intentions were as soon as he looked at the case.

Knowing that it would look extremely weird and that she had no other way to reach the case. Belle ran behind Tommy and jumped onto his back, crashing them to the ground with a thud. Everyone else in their conversations or whatever they were doing, must of been really into it, because none of them even looked for a second.

"What-"

Before Tommy could even comprehend why the hell he was lying on the floor and Belle had her legs wrapped around his waist, Belle had untangled herself from his figure and ran to the case, sitting on it and folding her arms and crossing her legs. "No." she growled as Tommy sat up and looked at her quizzically. "Don't even think about it. I know you well enough to know what you're thinking-" she pointed her finger at him accusingly. "And don't think I'm proud of that either."

Tommy stood up and walked over. "You...pushed me to the ground." he said slowly, rubbing his head. "Ow. What was that for?"

Pietro, who was now discussing 'family' things with Billy, heard Belle's voice in which he turned his head to the side. A grin was on his face. He was going to sort it out, but he wanted them to bond. He returned back to his conversation while listening to Belle and Tommy at the same time.

"-It's our only option!" Tommy whined as he sat on the floor in front of her. "It's a genius idea, coming from me that is. I'm sure you could do better." he winked suggestively.

Belle's mind spun. How could she convince him that this was definitely a stupid, idiotic thing to do? He'd never listen anyway. "It won't work on you." she said unconvincingly.

Tommy smirked. She was trying to stop him. Aw, cute. But that wasn't going to make him change his mind. "They work on you. We're both human beings...I think."

By now, the others had all tuned into the conversation. All they saw was the two of them arguing and Belle sitting on a case of genetic material.

"Uh, no way," Belle continued to rant, her hand tightly clenched into fists. "I've gone through enough of that crap to know it something you do not want to do." her voice and attitude suddenly dropped and became much softer and more depressed. "Please," she whispered. "I don't want anyone to get hurt. Just, don't do it."

"So, it's kinda like drugs?" Billy offered.

"Billy, shut up." Kate hissed. "I like watching them argue, and I think Belle's switched personalities." she crossed her legs and put her chin in her hand, eyes amused.

Tommy had no stood up, his hand placed on her shoulders. He was leaning down so his face was extremely close to hers. Screw Nick Fury's advice. He was going to do something about what happened back at headquarters. Tommy's hair, always messy and unruly was tickling her forehead, his blue eyes probing her emerald searching for something deep. "I'll manage," he whispered, his tone matching hers. "I mean, what's the worst that could happen?"

"That's a stupid question." Billy remarked. "All the bad stuff happens to us, if you haven't noticed."

Belle shook her head. Tommy just didn't get it. She tucked her hair behind her ear. "Me." she said. "I'm the worst that could happen."

Tommy, with his hands still on her shoulders, laughed. "What's so bad about you?"

"You have no idea." she scoffed. Geez, she thought. This guy is hard to throw of course.

Peter winked suggestively. "I'm sure he'd like to find out." he clawed the air with a meow until Kate pushed him in the shoulder. "Sorry." he mumbled. "Ill just go back to sitting here doing nothing until Iron Man comes and arrests us."

Kate raised her hand, silencing everyone. "Question," she announced. "I'm not getting what Tommy wants to do. I was too busy watching those two-" she pointed at a guilty looking Tommy and Belle. "-argue the whole time, which is just entertaining in itself. Can someone explain?"

Belle sighed and shrugged Tommy's firm hands off her shoulders. She stood up and grabbed the case, heading towards the centre table that was clear of equipment. Everyone watched and were silent, the humming of the computer to the left running was the only sound made.

"For all of you who don't simply understand Tommy's suggestion," Belle started to unclasp the mettle claps whilst taking deep breaths. The group shuffled and crowded around the bench, curious. Vision stood in the background. "He wants to inject himself - or one of you- with a liquid based genetic sample-" another clasp was hatched open. "Which in turn would give him temporary powers." click. Another clasp unlocked.

Tommy was somewhat confused. "Temporary? But you-"

She shook her head, unclasping the penultimate clasp. "I have a unique blood type that absorbs the genetic code in the sample and adapts it to my body."

"So, you're kinda like Rogue from the X-Men?" Peter asked, one arm propped onto the bench, his eyes flickering now and again to Eli. "Absorbing powers with a touch?"

Pietro already knew all of this, and he was surprised that Peter didn't know. Maybe he was too new of an Avenger and wasn't let in on the secret or they were worried that the secret would get out. He kept on listening to Belle's explanation, admiring her calmness in a situation that was personal for her. He never did personal well.

Belle opened the case in front of them, the hundred's of little canisters -her life- were spread out before them. The innocent bottles laid there, and Belle's slim finger ran over the black glass, her face unreadable. She flicked her gaze between each person, Kate (calm), Eli (also calm, which was a surprise), Cassie (quizzical), Billy and Teddy (sympathetic), Vision (out of place), Tommy (curious), Pietro (understanding) and Peter (just downright confused).

As she looked at them, she find it miraculous that she actually had friends. Not people she was meant to capture, kill or cause pain to. Because, she remembered what Iron Man had said all those years ago, the memory always haunting her every-time she felt like she fitted it, like she had friends and a real family...

Flashback. 6 Years Ago.

…

"How do you feel today?" a younger by at least 6 or so years, Reed Richards, asked a a young girl whose dead straight dark brown hair was braided up into a tight pony tail. "Do you feel dizzy? Headaches?" she shook her head and he checked them off on his clipboard. "Good."

The girl, Belle (who had yet to be even named yet), knew the protocol. After the usual questions, she would be asked to sit on a bench, where Reed would get out a needle, inspect it and tell her to relax. From there on in, it was pretty explanatory.

Reed plunged the needle into her arm, and Belle whimpered. He watched the blue liquid recede from the needle and when it was all gone, he removed the needle and stuck a pink band-aid there. The pain the followed these 'injections' was unbearable to any normal person. But to her, it felt like a uncomfortable punch to the gut, followed by kick and maybe a blow to the head. Still, to everyone else it felt like fire running through their veins.

Reed placed the canister he just used, labelled 'Maximoff, Pietro', back into the fridge and sighed. In goes super-speed, and a whole lot of hell to follow.

"Can you do me a favor?" Reed asked Belle who nodded somewhat awkwardly. "See the pile of books over there? Can you torch it and cover it with a forcefield, and then move the field up and freeze it? We'll see if the genes we got from Justice and Ice-Man last session worked."

Belle raised her hands, her eyes flickering into a golden colour and hands glowing golden. "Okay, Mr. Richards."

Knock. Knock.

Tony Stark leaned in the door frame in his armor. "Hey, Reed. I need the experiment now." he clapped his hands. "Please I want to show Hank and Strange something. They don't believe me that it actually works. And if they see what she can do, maybe they'll contribute."

"Don't give her magic though, Tony. She's too unstable."

"Yes, sir." Tony saluted. "You know I hate magic in the first place. I just want them to not think of us as the enemy. Imagine what we help we can give The Avengers with her. Maybe with some serious training," Tony put a finger on his chin. "Maybe Clint and Steve could help with that. But she could be amazing."

Reed sighed and helped Belle off the bench in which she stood silently, unsure on what to do, when to speak, when to move, even when to breathe. "Off you go," he pushed her gently in Tony's direction. He turned to Tony. "Don't let her socialize, will you? She might actually make her own decisions. And that's something we don't need. And make sure Scott keeps her away from Cassie, I don't want anyone else to know."

Tony rolled his eyes. "Don't worry. Scott doesn't have Cass this weekend." he took Belle's hand and led her outside and down the corridor.

As they walked down the corridor she stopped in front of the massive artwork of the Avengers. Belle looked at it, her head tilted. "Who are they? I do not reconginze some of them."

"They're not your friends." he tugged her hand to keep moving, but she stayed put.

"Friends?" she inquired, looking at the team before her. "What is the protocol for friends?"

"Don't trust them."

"My definition of friends is different. I have an understanding that Mr. Barton and Ms. Maximoff are friends. So are you and Mr. Rogers."

"Just don't trust them, okay. You don't want to associate yourself with them."

"But you trust Mr. Rogers." Belle touched Wanda's face. "She's very pretty. Do you agree, Mr. Stark?"

"You know what?" Tony said, leading her away from the picture. "We've got to find Hank so I'm gonna set this straight for you. You don't need friends. Okay? If you ever manage to get some, don't trust em. They're only going to betray you, so it's best that you keep away from them. For you, friends are going to get you no-where."

Belle nodded and followed Tony to Hank's lab. "I understand. No friends."

"Good..." Tony said. He turned his head around and looked at her. "And yeah, Wanda's pretty. But that's beside the point."

…

End of flashback.

Has anyone read Children's Crusade 4? OMG! It was so good! If you want to see the status of my other stories, you can check on my profile. Anyway, please review and let me know what you think of this so far. Part 2 will be up soon.