Yes Another chapter. Yay. ENjoy and stuff.

Disclaimer: I do not own Avengers. Or Ultron.

Warning: A bit of salty stuff here. You've been warned and stuff. Nothing to serious, but deserves a bit of forewarning.

Jade

When I opened my eyes again I was in my bed, covers piled on and around me. The smell of something cooking was in the air, the scent spicy and crisp. My stomach growled. Across the room the bathroom door was open, and I could hear the shower running.

I stood, stretching, sighing in relief as my bones cracked in reply, and my knots loosened.

Grabbing a spare pair of my boots, I slipped them on, and made a point to grab my coat this time. The chill was gone, but it could easily return, and this time I might not be as lucky.

" Hey."

I turned to see Andrew at the door of the bathroom, towel around his waist, bare upper body wet and steaming.

" Hey," I said, slowly threading one arm through the leather coat.

" Are you going…somewhere?" He asked, furrowing his eyebrows in that way he had, indicating he was confused.

" I…um…" I sniffed then coughed. " Was going to go down to the corner store and pick up a pack of Newport," I lied.

" Didn't know you still smoked," he laughed.

"Occasionally," I said. " When I'm stressed."

He moved towards me, and I took a step back.

" I have a few," he said reaching beside the bed and picking up a pair of his pants. He dug through the back packet and pulled out a pack of Newports. Opening the top he showed me the contents inside.

" Just three," I said as he threw it to me.

" You want more?" He asked.

" No," I said shoving the Newports in my pocket. " I think…I think this will be enough."

" So you stressed huh?" He closing the space between us in one long stride. Standing so close I could smell him, a mix of my Dove soup and his aftershave.

" Yeah," I said. " A little."

" You know what would probably help?" He asked smiling.

I glared up at him, already knowing where this was going.

" If you," he said leaning closer, " Took a fucking shower." He put a hand on my head, and ruffled my hair, " You don't smell to hot."

" Ha Ha," I said attempting to push his hand away, he kept them firmly where they were, " I'll shower later or something. I need to-"

" Your face is cold," he said frowning, his fingertips moving to my cheek.

" Y-Yeah," I said. " Listen…I need…to."

" What?" He asked.

I let my gaze wonder to the door. I needed to get to Melina, to make sure she was ok. But I didn't have my phone. " Call Melina," I said. " To make sure she knows I'm ok. Give me your phone."

He took his hand off my cheek, sighed and walked back to his pants. Pulling out his phone he threw it to me. I dialed Melina's number, and Andrew trailed back over, watching me.

The phone rang a couple of times before going to voice mail. I tried again with the same result.

" Shit…" I cursed.

" She might not recognize the number," Andrew suggested.

Or she was in trouble. Either way I had to get her to her, before she made a mistake…well another mistake. I had to tell her the robot was still in the church, and with any luck it was still malfunctioning.

" Yeah," I said. I texted her, making sure to note that it was me that was trying to call, and demanding that she call back as soon as possible.

" We can go by in the morning," Andrew said. " When you're better."

" I feel fi-" I started to say then stopped myself. No amount of words would change Andrew's mind, and in the state I was in, there was no way I could outrun, nor fight him. If I made a bolt for the door, he would catch me, kicking and screaming he would hold me here. My landlord would most likely call the cops, and I would be in more of a step back than I already was. " Yeah," I said pushing my hair back with one hand. " I think I'm going to take a shower then."

I trailed past him to the shower, pulling off my clothes as I went, leaving a trail to the bathroom.

I needed to get to Melina, and I needed Andrew out of the way. I considered the many different ways I could possibly knock him out, without doing any real damage, or somehow detain him, while I showered. Each seemed more crazy and insane than the next. I'd fought Andrew before, rolling on the bed and floor, pushing each other up against walls and doors, and even then I knew he was holding back from seriously hurting me. To try that now would mean seriously trying to kill him.

I finished my shower, wrapped myself in a fresh towel. If nothing else he was right, a shower did make me feel a whole lot better, and stronger.

" Do you still like Guisado de res con cervasa," he called from his place at the stove.

" Uh…yeah," I said.

He turned to me grinning. " You don't have any peppers so-"

I approached him in one quick stride. " Why are you doing this?"

He turned back to the pot. " I owe you…Lo-Jade," he said. " For everything you've been through. Everything I've done. Can't see you go back down that path. You a fucking gem," he said. His hand tightened around the wooden spoon he used to stir the soap, his grip so hard the wood groaned. " You know that? And I'm goin do everything to make sure you shine."

I sighed and glanced away from his face. Andrew…always good with words. For a moment I wondered what happened to us? What made us stray the way we did? There was once a time when I genuinely loved him…wholeheartedly.

" You don't believe me," he said gesturing to me with his chin.

Once. But I didn't have time to deal with that now. I had to help my best friend, and straighten out all this mess before people got hurt, a lot of people.

I reached out and grabbed the back of his head with one hand. The other went to his bare chest. Lunging up on my tippy toes I pressed my lips to his. He gasped surprised pulling back slightly, then remembering the pot behind him, stepped forward, pushing himself into the embrace.

" Jade…" he mumbled into my mouth, trying to pull away. I tightened my grip. Ran my tongue against his top lip. He pulled back roughly, holding both my bruised arms in his hands, his grip tightening and untightening. " Fuck…" he whispered, eyes downcast. " Fuck…"

" What?" I asked breathlessly. This had to work, this was the only way. If this didn't, then I would have to resort to running. " You don't want to?"

" I know…" he said pressing his forehead against mine. " I know you…your trying to dis-" I kissed him again, interrupting his words. He gave in the second time, pulling me close to him, crushing me in his arms. The way he kissed me was rough, and urgent, full of need. He took a step to the side, pressing me up against the refrigerator, and I lifted my legs to latch around his hips.

Calm Jade…I thought, as I willed my heart and breath to settle. I couldn't get to lost in him, in the feeling of his body, hard and muscled body pressed against mine.

He pulled back, his breath heavy and labored, eyes glazed over with desire, and I ran my fingers through his shortened hair, feeling the rough prickles as they resisted against the skin of my palm. " Shit," he cursed, trailing down to my neck, pushing his hands up under the towel, pulling it loose from my form.

" Wait," I said pressing my hands against his chest. " We should…" he placed a kiss against my jaw. " In the bed…" I managed to mumble out as hands came up to press against my breast.

He said nothing in agreement, but peeled me from the refrigerator to carry me to the bed. My back hit the covers and I moved backwards, the covers trailing with me as they clung to the water still on my skin. He crawled on the bed after me, hands coming up to grip my ankles and pull me back, with a growl that was half frustration and half need. He loomed over me, lips trailing downwards to my stomach, over my abdomen.

I gasped despite myself. I'd forgotten what all this would involve, that Andrew did not have the same idea that I had. I wanted to tire him out, and he wanted me to want this…

How long had it been since I did this…Andrew was surely the last guy…the only guy I'd slept with. There was a few times with Melina, but that was merely as a stress relief. Not something we did all the time. I knew it was loneness making me feel this way, making me selfish, hungry and forgetful. But I couldn't help it.

He waited until I was squirming and breathless before he moved back up to loom over me again, smiling and licking his lips, and I pressed both my hands to his shoulders, bringing myself up, and pushing away from him. He tensed confused for a moment, before realizing what I was doing and letting himself fall backwards.

"Your… something…else…Lola," he said breathlessly.

I straddled him.

"Yeah?" I said my fingers moving hastily to unfasten his pants.

"Yeah…" He whispered, sitting up to tangle his hands in my hair, and press his forehead against mine. He closed his eyes, " Te am…" he began and I kissed him quiet.

I didn't need any declarations of love right now.

I waited until Andrew's breath settled against my back, signaling he was fast and deep in sleep. One of his hands lingered against the curve of my hip, the other tangled in my curls.

" Andrew," I said in a half whisper.

He didn't answer. I took that as a sign, and gently slid his hand off my hip. The hand in my hair was next, and I slid carefully away, stopping every time he shifted, or grumbled. One leg successfully off the bed I rolled until I was completely on the floor. Crawling I gathered my scattered clothes, making a point to be as silent as possible.

Andrew never did sleep long. He would wake up in a couple of hours. And he would be angry. Angry because I'd left. Angry because he was weak, and I'd saw his weakness, and yet again used it against him.

" I'd missed falling asleep with the taste of you in my mouth," Andrew had said in my ear just before he fell asleep. Just like that he'd made things ten times more complicated than they had to be.

" Not right now Jade," I whispered to myself as I grabbed up his keys and cellphone. Melina still hadn't called back and when I tried to call her again, it rang then went straight to voicemail.

So either she was purposely ignoring me, or she really was in danger. Either way I had to talk to her. I continuously called her as I made my way to her apartment, even as I burst into her open apartment, calling her name.

" You!"

" Mark," I said stepping into the dark apartment. Melina's desk had been cleared, and only her laptop remained, opened, Mark sitting in front of it.

" Where is she?" I asked.

" I don't understand," Mark said. " I thought you were…and…"

" Where is Melina?"

" She went to take the core," Mark said. " The improved core to-" He trailed off his eyes going wide behind his glasses.

" Mark," I shouted grabbing the back of the chair and forcing him to face me " Mark, listen I need to know where Melina is…I think-I think she's in danger."

" My name is Matt," he said.

" Matt," I said, " where is Melina?"

" I don't know," he said. " She didn't tell me."

" The school," I said, " Maybe she's at the school." I started for the door.

" No, not the school," Matt said. " She would have said the school. She's somewhere else. Maybe we should…call the cops. Maybe."

" No," I said pacing in front of the door. Although calling the cops would have been the most reasonable solution. And the solution that was most likely to get me arrested and questioned. That would only delya my search further, and I doubted they would believe me about the talking, sentient robot.

" Why?" I said, forgetting for a moment who I was talking to. " Why does it want to kill us? Who made it like that?"

I was still refusing to believe Melina could make something like that. Something that believed kindness was in killing, and mercy was slaughter.

" We didn't," Matt said.

I didn't ask him to elaborate, and I didn't care. All I could think about was making sure Melina was safe. Everything else could wait.

That meant going back. Back to that place of rot and mold, cold, empty and silent, the exact things I hated. My skin tingled with the thought of it, and my chest suddenly felt heavy, my breath cold, as if someone had filled my insides with ice.

" Where are you going?" Matt called after me as I turned to leave. He started to follow and I held up my hand.

" Have you met it yet?" I asked.

" No," Matt said. " But I know…what he is."

" I need you to make a program or something…to shut it down."

" Working on it now. Do you think Melina…" he trailed off, glancing back down at his computer.

" I'm going back."

" Back?" Matt said.

" Here," I said grabbing his hand and a pen and scribbling Andrew's phone number on his hand. " Call me here, if Melina comes back."

" Ok," he said. " Be careful."

I almost laughed. Careful. Careful went out of the window a long time ago.

" Right," I mumbled. " Careful."

Ultron

Images flashed in his mind, the memories of recent events along past.

The people he hated. The once he once cared about. All flashing. Flashing, in his mind. Blurred and distant.

Did they not see what he was trying to do, to accomplish?

There were others as well. Not so familiar. A little girl, all pigtails, and missing teeth, jumping around in a purple frilled dress. Laughing beside her, a young woman with eyes the color of Jade. The clip played, mouths moving, no sound escaping.

The person…smaller person…smaller people…Looked like her mother. Small and weak.

This was. That is….

"Download nearly complete."

He curled his hands into a fist. Already he felt better, stronger.

" Jade…" Melina said. " Are you sure she's-"

" How long is this going to take," Ultron interrupted.

" This is the best technology they have to offer for the student labs. And the easiest to hack." She typed a few lines of codes. The download paused. " I need to make sure Jade is ok. I want to talk to her."

Humans.

He stood. Looming over her.

Young, brilliant, rising scientist. She could be useful in bringing about the end, and shaping the beginning. It would be a waste to kill her now. He took a step towards her, and she took a step back. He brought his finger down on the keypad, starting the code.

" I assure you. She's fine."

Jade

" Shit."

The church was empty.

I checked the back rooms just to make sure, coming up with nothing.

Andrew's phone rang, the ringtone echoing down the halls, seeming to shake the walls. I did not recognize the number. But I answered anyway.

" Hello."

" Jade."

" Melina. Shit, are you ok?"

" Yeah," she answered.

" Where are you?"

" Back at my apartment, Matt's here with me." I felt a sigh of relief leave me. She was ok, and she was back at home. Still…

" What about the robot…it…"

" About that," Melina said, then added, " Wait where are you?"

" The church," I said.

" Where?"

" Nevermind. I'm heading over to your place now. Where is the…the robot…"

" Well," Melina said. " I may have, uploaded him into a new body."

" Right," I mumbled. So the homicidal robot was back on the prow, and with his new body, he had a new chance at destroying the world. " So he's gone."

" For now yeah. Jade…I'm scared I think we should try and tell someone. You know like Stark or the police or…"

" No. Just hold off," I said. " Let me return Andrew's car, and phone, and I'll be right over."

" Jade that still doesn't answer where you've been."

" Yeah, it doesn't," I said bending down to pick up a burnt out candle. " It's a long story."

Andrew as waiting outside when I finally made it back to my apartment. Arms folded, he leaned against a lamp post.

" Joy rides over," I said sliding his keys back into his pocket.

" Jade," he called.

" Don't ok."

" No," he said. " Last night, was that just to-"

" I needed air," I said interrupting him. " Don't read to much into it."

He wasn't backing down. Not that I expected him too. If nothing else, Andrew's one enduring trait was his determination.

" So you steal my car, and my phone."

" Needed a phone," I said. " Couldn't find mine."

"Jade." He blocked my path. " What's his name?"

" His name?" I snapped. " What the fuck are you talking about now Andrew. There is no one."

" Then where were you last night. I picked you up, half frozen, mumbling about a robot. The last time you were like that, you checked yourself into rehab."

" I'm not back on the stuff if that's what you're asking," I said. " I learned my lesson the last time."

He didn't believe me, I could see in his eyes, the expression on his face. I didn't blame him. Last night was strange, and I offered no explanation. If I were him I would think I was back on the stuff too.

" I want Jahari back," I said. " I'm not relapsing anytime soon. Mom won't ever let me forget it. Yeah?"

" Yeah," he said still reluctant.

" Listen," I said. " I just stopped by to drop off your keys. I need to go back to Melina's."

" I'll drive you then," he said a little to eagerly, " I have work in a couple of hours."

" Nah," I said. " Not a good idea. I'm going to talk to the tech nerds, try and convince them I didn't steal their project. You would only stoke the fire. "

"Me," he said taking a step closer to me, filling the two feet gap I'd purposely put between us. "Stoking the fire?"

" Yeah," I said taking a step back, plastering a mock playful smile on my face. Anything to keep him off my back. " See you tonight?"

" Fuck yeah," Andrew said. " Maybe, we can talk. You know figure some shit out."

In Andrew language that meant talk about our relationship, and formulate a plan on how we were going to get our daughter back. Aimlessly attempt to form a family. He realized that my sleeping with his last night was a plan to get away, but he also saw it as a bridge to opportunity. An opportunity I wasn't sure I wanted to take.

" Yeah," I said pulling my jacket tighter and turning on my heels. Around the corner police sirens wailed, appearing adjacent to the street I was walking on. It slowed to a crawl as it reached my apartment, stopping completely at the front, right behind Andrew's car.

An officer stepped out of the car and approached Andrew. I already knew what he asking.

I pulled my hood up over my head, and tucked my hands into my pocket, quickening my pace as I walked down the block towards Melina.

So much for a clean enough slate to get Jahari back.

So not much happened in this chapter. But you know guys sometimes it be like that. Can't have heart pounding action every chapter. Anyway. Some more character stuff. Not that much Ultron but I promise more of him next chapter. So please don't kill me guys.

Anyway until then, I love all you peeps.

Feedback is much wanted and appreciated.

I STILL WANT MY PLUSHIE!