Another chapter! Done at 10:15 pm.

I should be sleeping...

Disclaimer: I do not own Avengers, or Ultron.

Ultron

"And now we watch in trembling fascination as the strange creature known as Jade Wilson. This strange alien creature gets an average of five to six hours of sleep a day. If she is lucky, and wakes up in a crankier mood than when she fell asleep," Melina whispered as she zoomed the camera in and focused on Jade's sleeping form. She lay sprawled across the bed in just a black tank top and her underwear, mouth partly opened, tattooed arms above her head.

"Let us move in carefully for a closer look."

The camera blurred as it was moved closer to her face. Fluttering eyelids, smudged makeup and messy purple colored hair filled the screen.

Vulnerable ….

Relaxed…

At peace…

" Whatever you're doing cut it out Melina," Jade snapped without opening her eyes.

The camera stirred. A giggle rang out, then everything went silent.

" If you hurt them-" Jade threatened venom in her voice, hard and sharp. Ultron could hear the phone breaking in her grasp.

" Quick tip Jade, the thing about a threat is you need to have the capacity to actually carry it out," Ultron said, " It makes the threat have more…how should I say…" he searched for the word. " Sustenance…" No that sounded wrong. He was bumbling. Like a child. "Anyway," he snapped. "You understand what I am saying. Your stri-friends are fine for now."

I should have said strings, because that's what they are. Forever tangling. Twisting each other up.

" What do you want?"

Always so quick to trade. Although he could not blame her, with the kind of life she led. Someone would always want in exchange for something else, usually something personal, something precious.

This was the only currency she understood. The only language she seemed to speak.

Did whoever she told about him offer her something as well? Something he would not give? Did they threaten? He would find out. And he would use any means necessary to do it.

" We need to meet."

" I'm coming now," she said.

" Not here." To vulnerable, to crowded. If she was being followed he would need space, privacy.

" Then where?" He could make out the tinge of fear vocalized in her voice, and from his place at the computer in his main form, see her through the camera at her job. Her right hand came up to habitually ruffle her hair. Behind her a young man stood, blond haired, tall, muscled. He took a step closer, and her hand fell from her hair to signal him to step back.

" I am sending you the location now."

" Yeah. Ok," she said. She hung up before he could, the click likened to a door slamming. Ultron was surprised she didn't add a 'fuck you,' as a goodbye, since it seemed her favorite words to say.

Perhaps he would kill her, whether she was guilty or not. Send a message to the others. Before she became a string, a bolt to hold him down. Self-preservation had always been a weakness of the humans. Even with her dead, the other two would follow suit, or he would make him. Pure and simple.

Perhaps…

Jade

" Your leaving?"

" Listen something just came up," I said pulling my shirt over my head, not bothering to remove the skimpy lingerie top " Something important."

" Jade you can't just walk out. Not on your first day back sinc-"

" I know," I snapped. " I know. Just…" I ran my hands through my hair as I started to pace.

" Jade what's going on?" Jeffery asked reaching out and grabbing my shoulders, holding me still. His hands were warm. I stepped back.

" I need to go, ok. And either you are going to help me or not. If you are then…then great. If you aren't then move the fuck out of my way." My world was spinning, further and further away out of reach.

" Just tell me…" he said. " What's going on...and maybe I can…"

" I can't ok. So just…" I started past him. He grabbed my arm. I spun, ready to hit him, ready to punch and kick if I had to.

" I'll help," he said. " Just promise me you're not doin something dangerous or illegal."

It was easy to lie to him. Easier to look him in the eye while I did it.

" I'm not," I said.

He let me go.

I didn't look back.

Ultron

He didn't have to wait long. She moved fast. Then again she must have known this city almost as well as anyone else who grew up in it, wondered the back alley streets, delivering packages, and trading illegal goods.

" I'm here," she shouted into the space of the abandoned warehouse. " Now what the fuck do you want?"

He arose from the darkness in front of her. " How about that five o clock traffic, the worst huh?" He asked, trying to be quirky, just a bit funny. He found it lightened the mood. At least for him it did. She on the other hand didn't seem to be a laughing mood.

" What do you want?"

Ultron frowned. He was trying to be nice.

" You went to the police," not a question a statement, one he already knew the answer to. " What did you tell them?" He wanted to hear her lie. It would prove a point, give him a reason.

" Why should it matter?" Her hands went into the folds of her jacket where they stayed as if cold. Maybe they were. It was winter after all, and human's bodies didn't function like his. His internal processors like the cold, it kept him cool. ." You have everything you wanted, shouldn't you be trying to blow up the world or something?"

" Or something," he said. He took a step towards her and she took a step back. " Who did you contact."

"No one," she said. " I went to the police to turn myself in, to tell them I didn't steal you…or your body or whatever, so they would get off my back."

So she was inclined to tell the truth. He decided to continue.

" And back at the club."

Her eyebrows furrowed, and her frown deepened. " How do you know about the people from the clu-"

" Just answer the question."

CLANG!

He heard the bullet hit before he felt it. The feel of it came later, as electricity surged through the severed wires in his chest, and cold compressed air from his cooling compressor came out in a spill of white odorless smoke.

It took him all of a millisecond to call forth the two drones he'd brought with him, and even less time to send them into action.

Up ahead he guided both his drones to where the shot had emerged. A figure dressed all in black ran down the warehouse's empty parking lot shooting, at the drones, one of the bullets hitting the shoulder of the newest drone, denting the metal but not breaking it.

He ascended on the figure with both the drones, intending to drop onto him, to push him harmlessly to the ground. The figure brought the gun up, placing it the barrel at the side of his own head and pulled the trigger.

His head exploded in a mass of bone, and flesh as his body fell helplessly to the ground.

" Friends of you-" He began turning to where the young woman was huddled to find she was gone. In her spot a dark puddle of blood, a trail leading in the opposite direction away from it.

Run…they always run…

Jade

" Stop!"

I paused my half shuffle half run. Fingers tightened around the piece of broken metal pole I'd acquired while running. Knowing it was probably a death wish I turned and swung.

Metal connected with metal as the robot brought its hand up and grabbed the metal pole, wrenching it free from my grip pulling me forward in the process and grabbing my arm. Screaming in frustration I tried to turn and run, angry at my weakness and hopelessness. My boots slid across the ground, treading the concrete as the robot held me still

I scuffled back, my mouth opening to scream, "rape," or " fire." I was only twenty feet from the exit of the warehouse, the street was somewhat in view, partially obscured by buildings.

" Just let me go," I said. " Please."

" No," came it's simple answer as it pulled me back towards the warehouse. We were halfway across the parking lot before it decided to wrap an arm around my stomach, probably to hold me still and carry me like a flailing animal inside. Still screaming hoarsely I kicked and punched at the metal of its exterior, stopping when my fist connected with something sharp and brittle.

The bullet hole…

" Stop that," the robot said squeezing my middle with its hand. Pain made me gasp.

" Put me down!"

" Gladly." I hit the ground with a hard thud that knocked the air out of my lungs, and left me gasping.

" Looks like your friend opted not to stay. I hate it when they do that."

" Frien-" I said bringing my head up. The moment I did I came face to face with a man missing the top half of his head.

I screamed.

And screamed again.

Until darkness fell.

Ultron

Vulnerable.

Peaceful.

He should kill her now. Should have killed her back at the warehouse while she screamed, instead of knocking her unconscious. One less person in the world. One less to dispose of. Now while she slept. Unaware. It would be a merciful death. A clean one.

He let his gaze wonder down her arms, of the tattoos that lined the skin. He'd seen the vids, and pictures of her skin without the tattoos, of the scars there. Puncture marks from the needles that left dents, the bruises and scars from fights, both won and lost.

So much pain.

This was the reason humanity had to be destroyed, and rebuilt. So much pain and suffering couldn't be allowed to continue, to thrive.

" A thing isn't beautiful because it lasts…"

Blood soaked through her coat sleeve, darkening the faded black denim.

Ultron lifted his hands, positioning them at her neck.

Mercy…yes…this is mercy…

Thumbs under her chin, fingers locked he squeezed, feeling the flesh give under the slightest resistance. So soft…were all humans this way? So weak?

She coughed, and wheezed, struggling to gather life giving air.

" I would love to take Jahari someday. Neither of us have ever been on a plane."

For all her-their struggle they were weak. Helpless on their own. They needed guidance a savior.

" People are messy. We break stuff…"

" It's a privilege to be among them…"

He loosened his grip. In doing so her chest expanded taking in air, coughing and gasping, full lips open.

Strings…

He unclasped one hand from around her neck, nothing how the skin had reddened, and rose. It might bruise. Another mark to add to her list.

" A witness then," he said bringing the hand still around her neck up to trace the line of her cheek, and jaw. "You are wrong. You are both wrong. I will make you see. How much better this world can be."

Jade

"I've got no strings."

" Oil spill off the coast of Santa Barbara…"

I woke up screaming, and fighting. Pain shot through my right arm, and I lifted it, wincing, to see the sleeve of my shirt was cut, and my arm bandaged. I lay on the floor my denim coat covering me.

"To hold me down."

" Threats of nuclear weapons only getting worse…"

"To make me fret, or make me frown."

In front of me a dozens of large computer screens lite up the darkness, illuminating the area around it, revealing twisted pieces of metal, and scattered tools.

" Stock market values going down…" a reporter on one of the screens reported pointing with her finger at a line graph.

" And in other news, another policemen is being convicted of murder after supposedly gunning down a twelve year old African American boy while riding his bike through a suburban neighborhood…."

" I had strings…."

" Who would shoot such a majestic animal…"

" But now I'm free…"

" Why is Pinocchio …?" I reached out a single hand to touch the screen, convinced I was dreaming. That maybe I'd fallen asleep in Jahari's room during one of my visits, and she was flicking through the channels again.

" Surprising isn't it? The amount of destruction you humans can do in a single day? Almost makes me feel it's not worth it. You will destroy yourself sooner or later."

The sound of gears turning and metal scraping came up behind me.

Gasping I ducked and flailed as a metal arm came up and towards me. I hit the ground landing on my injured arm, and I screamed curling into a ball as I felt the skin open and the blood began to weep from the wound.

Pain made my vision blurry. Fear made my legs and arms tremble.

It was going to kill me.

I lifted my arms, ready for the assault. Visions of what it did to the man, rushing at me all at once.

"Again," it said sighing. "I'm not going to hurt, you. At least not yet."

It went to the computer next to where I was huddled. Its metal fingers moving fast against the keys.

" Then again I may not need to. Your friends seem to have that covered."

" I want the world to know. Nothing ever worries me."

" Your wound has reopened by the way," it said, sounding like my phone giving me a daily reminder. ' Wake up Jade you have work at 7.'

I didn't take my eyes away from it to check. The blood seeping down my arm, warm and sticky was evidence enough.

" Wha-what friends?" I managed to stutter out.

It continued to type, ignoring me.

" Stark foundation donates a million dollars towards the Children's Cure for Cansc-"

The screen flickered black as the station was changed to another shot of Pinocchio dancing and singing. Confused I stared at the screen, watching the same video play over and over.

" There are no strings on me. There are no strings on me."

" Some of the most gifted minds gather together in hopes of working for Stark Industries. Here's what a few students have to sa-"

Another screen flickered to black, then flickered back on to a shot of Pinocchio.

" Ugh," the robot barked in disgust. " Stark. Stark. Why is always about Stark? What do these people see in him? What is he doing that is so special?"

I shifted in place, and the robot turned alerted, as if it had forgotten I was still sitting there. Its gaze roamed over me, looking as disapproving as its robot face would allow, as if I was one of the reporters praising Tony Stark and his actions.

When I said nothing it turned back to the computer screen it was working on.

" Praise him," the robot said softly," Yet shun me…" it shook its head. " I'll never understand…"

" I want the world to know, nothing ever bothers me…"

Still on my knees, I tucked my head into my arms, tangled my fingers in my hair and willed myself to be calm. My heart thudded against my rib cage so hard it hurt, and my arms and legs shook violently.

Calm…Jade…you've been through worse…

" Jahari…Mom…Melina…" I whispered to myself, over and over until it finally worked, until my limbs stopped shaking, and my head stopped spinning. Slowly the pain in my arm returned, and with it almost perfect clarity. I'd almost forgotten what pain felt like. The touch of it against my skin, rattling like bees in my head.

I slowly gathered myself up, fear trying to hold me still, yet determination making me stand. I needed answers, and the robot was the one who could give them to me.

" H-he…me made you didn't he…?" I asked my voice barely above a trembling whisper. I'd seen what the robot could do when provoked. And if Stark was a trigger point, I needed to tread carefully. " To help?"

" He did not make me!" The robot barked, its first coming down hard on the keyboard, sending pieces of crushed metal flying. I flinched back. " I…" It sighed deeply. " Made is hardly the word I would use…more like awoke me…yes…gave me purpose…"

" To bring…a better wor-" I began.

" Yes," it said cutting me off. " To make it perfect. Beautiful. Clean and pure."

" But you died."

" Yes," it said, softly, grudgingly.

" So how..?"

" I don't know," it said and I heard the tinge of something like sadness in its voice, the kind brought on by confusion, clear cut and raw. For a moment, just a moment, I sympathized with the robot, with its confusion. I'd felt the same thing for most of my life. It's gaze went up to closest screen still projecting the video of Pinocchio singing and dancing, where it lingered, as if in a trance, watching, waiting.

Like a child. Waiting for something. Anything to happen. For everything it saw, heard, and believed to be true.

The reality of the situation came spinning back to me, like a baseball to the face, and anger replaced any feelings of sympathy I had for the thing that was currently making my life a living hell. This monster was not a person or a child, it was a killing machine that was planning to exterminate the human race.

" Why Pinocchio" I asked. I understood the news playing in the background as its figurative counting of days until the end.

It pulled away from the computer. "You would not understand, tangled in strings as you are," it said. "A puppet for your puppeteer."

It started to walk in the opposite direction of where I stood.

" I have strings…" Pinocchio sang.

" But now I'm free," I said singing the next verse along with him. "There are no strings on me…" I said, trying to grasp the meaning.

Strings…I thought. What the fuck does he mean by strings…?

Pinocchio was a puppet…stringed until..

" He freed himself…" I said out loud.

The sound of gears halting, signaled the robot had stopped walking.

" Do you want me to repair you again or not?" The robot said breaking my thoughts. I brought my attention back to it, to its metal face, unreadable in the near darkness.

" Repair me?" Pain shot though my arm as if reminding me. "Oh my arm." I pulled back my sleeve, showing the bandage underneath, soaked with blood.

Did it…wrap my wound?

It cleared it throat, gaining my attention.

" Oh. Yeah," I said. " Lead the way," I snapped, uncomfortable with its gaze. It continued to walk, obviously not threatened by my presence behind it.

I scanned the room as I walked, looking for something anything to use at a weapon. Metal parts were everywhere, along with half built robot bodies I could only assume were his. Not that a weapon would do me any good at this point, my legs and arms were like Jell-O, useless and weak. Still if nothing else it would serve to make me feel a little better about the situation.

It stopped at a table, with a white cloth on top, spill across it droplets of blood. On one end guaze and bloody cotton balls sat, on the other, a piece of black metal about the size of pencil eraser sat, covered in blood.

" Is this…" I began.

" The bullet shattered when it went through me," Ultron began his back still to me. " A piece remained. You would have bled out….I…"

He paused. Just standing, still back to me. I glanced over the table, at the mess, then up at it.

Why…I wanted to ask. Instead I turned to the table, grabbed the scissors and started to cut off the gauze wrapped around my arm. My hands shook violently, and pain from tensing up the muscles in my left arm left black spots in my vision.

" Fuck…" I cursed under my breath.

I willed myself not to cry, as tears welled up in my eyes.

Me why is it always me…?

" Give those to me."

My head shot up to see Ultron standing in front of me. Large, metal and intimidating, holding out his hand like I held a dangerous weapon only he knew how to use. I'd forgotten he was there, with how quiet he'd suddenly gotten.

When I refused silently,his fingers curled a little in surrender before straightening back out again.

" Still the mistrust," he said sounding more than just a little hurt, and annoyed. " I could have left you bleeding," he said. He wiggled its fingers in agitation, and slowly I pushed the scissors towards it, ready to pull back. He took the scissors before I could completely hand them over, and sat them away from where I was sitting.

Confused I glanced at Ultron then the scissors.

" Fuck you," I said realizing it had only taken the scissors because it'd thought I'd use them as weapon. Not that the thought hadn't crossed my mind. I figured I could jam it into the exposed part in its neck, do some damage, if I had to get away.

" Oh if only," it sighed. It roughly took my injured arm in its hand.

My first reflex was to pull back, from the pain and by habit.

" Why?"

" Why what?" It growled

" Save me…why help? I thought you wanted me dead..."

" I want a lot of people dead," it said. " We don't' all get what we want now do we?"

" That doesn't answer my question."

" Doesn't it?" It said taking a deep breath. It exhaled against my lower arm, and I flinched back from the heat of it. Its breath felt like the air blowing from a hot laptop or a car.

Do robots even breathe…I tried to recall one of Melina's rants about central cooling compressors inside of robots, and how they worked, failing miserly. I could only guess Ultron had one of those.

" Stand still," it snapped.

I almost uttered I was sorry, before remember where I was, and who I was with.

" You killed that man," I said as it reached over me for the gauze. Its chest plate scrapped my lap, and I flinched from the heat of it.

" Did I?" It sounded bored. " Should I apologize for that too?"

" I know what I saw," I said.

" I'm sorry," it said not sounding a least bit sorry. More like it really wanted me to shut up. But I wasn't in the mood to shut up. I was in the mood for questions, and I wanted answers. I wasn't dead yet.

" What is up with you?" I barked.

The robot's fingers paused it's slow wrapping of my arm.

" Fuck. Just nevermind," I said pulling my arm away from it and messily taping the rest up myself. It didn't stop me, and when I was finished I pushed myself off the table and away from where it was standing. " I didn't call, or tell anyone about you. Which I guess you already know because you've been watching me. So just leave me and my friends alone. If you are really hell bent on destroying the world, then the very least you can do is let us enjoy the time we have left."

Hands shoved in my pockets, I moved towards where I guessed the exit would be.

" They will be looking for you," it said.

" What?"

It reached onto the counter and lifted a small rectangular device.

" Someone wants you dead."

Ultron

Anger.

Fear.

Sadness.

All emotions his sensors picked up. Stirring all at once.

" This is a mistake," Jade said. Trembling fingertips paused their strolling against the computer screen. " I'm not with you…I didn't…"

Silence.

Thick.

Familiar.

Ultron had expected blaming. Such as was the norm with humans. It was always someone else's fault, other than their own.

Instead she turned and slid to the ground. Hands on either side of her head.

" It's a thing with me…" she whispered.

" Stark…it's a thing with me…he's a sickness…"

" Fuck!" She screamed.

Silence.

Yay another chapter complete. In between work and just life in general I never get time to write. And somehow I think I'm taking this fic request to far.

Anyhoo. I actually had fun writing this chapter. Not sure if any of you noticed, but occassionally at times of great emotional struggle or whatever, Jade switches from calling Ultron " it" to a " he" its completely unconscious btw, she doesn't realize she's doing it. It all a part of her struggle to try and figure out what the heck he is, and whether or not he actually has feelings. Which of course he does. Of course if mostly anger, pain and sadness but still feelings.

So do not fret, I know what I'm doing.

Or do I?

Anyway I hope I doing this character justice. For the longest time I wondered why Ultron decided to keep the twins around, and actually treat them like friends ( abet he wasn't very good at it, but they still were his friends...kinda). Then I realized it was because he did see them kinda like friends, and he wanted someone around who understood what he was doing, and he wanted them to watch him do it. Because hey whats the point of accomplishing something if there no one around see? That's why he kidnapped Black Widow. ( Although I'm pretty sure he outright said he did so because he wanted her to see, and he had no one else, even through he knew she wasn't his friend and she probably hated him). Anyway I'm trying to accomplish that same thing here...trying...probably failing.

Ultron desperately wants someone to understand him, even accept what he's doing, even if it means their death, and the death of everything they love, as long as they can see the absolute good in it, instead of the bad.

Even if he has to force that person to.

Gosh he's such a child.

And I'm rambling.

Anyway, I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter.

Feedback is much appreciated!