A Blast From the Past
Disclaimer:
As always, I own nothing! Though, God knows I wish I did!
Rating:
T
Genre:
Romance/Hurt/Comfort/Angst/Family/Action/Adventure
Pairing(s):
ScienceHusbands (Tony Stark/Bruce Banner)
Clintasha (Clint Barton/Natasha Romanoff)
Carlisle/Esme
Edward/Bella
Jacob/Renesmee
Alice/Jasper
Emmett/Rosalie
Lyrics Used:
30 Seconds to Mars "This Is War"
This Is War
A warning to the people, the good and the evil | This is war | To the soldier, the civilian, the martyr, the victim | This is war
A warning to the prophet, the liar, the honest | This is war | Oh, to the leader, the pariah, the victor, the messiah | This is war
It's the moment of truth and the moment to lie | The moment to live and the moment to die | The moment to fight | The moment to fight | To fight, to fight, to fight
"So, what's our play?"
Though she had long since lost the physical need to breathe, Shaelynn Banner drew in a deep breath to steady herself before she responded to Natasha's question. The truth was, she wanted the Avengers as far away from the battle as possible though she knew none of them would go for that option-her father, especially. It's now, or never, Shae. She reminded herself. For her father's own good, she had to at least try to get them all to see reason and get them to agree that this battle would be best fought by herself, the Cullens and the werewolves. Steeling herself for the inevitable nasty reaction, Shaelynn spoke strong and steady. "Your next play is to stand down, Agent Romanoff-and that goes for all of you!" She added, before any of them could object.
"THE HELL IT DOES!" Tony Stark shouted as he shot out of his seat for the second time during the meeting. Bruce, on the other hand didn't care to see just how volatile things could get if someone didn't try to calm the situation. Instinctively, he stood with Tony, placing what he hoped would be a calming hand on the billionaire's shoulder. The action seemed to have worked as the genius closed his eyes, drawing a steadying breath, before he continued on, though his voice still held a dangerous, steely edge. "If you honestly think you can just stand there and tell us to just stand down while one of our is in danger..." He reaised a hand to point his index finger sharply at Shaelynn "Then, you got one hell of another thing comin'!"
"Stark's right." Clint Barton agreed, firmly. "There's no way in hell I'm just sittin' around here waiting for these...Volturi...whatever the hell they are move in on Banner."
Steadying herself, Shaelynn spoke again. "Mister Stark, Agent Barton, believe me...I understand your concerns." She began, choosing her words, carefully. "And, honestly-in your shoes-I can't honestly say that I wouldn't feel the exact same way. But, facts are facts. And, the facts are that the Volturi have the Avengers hilariously outmatched. They would kill each and every single one of you before you could even blink." Shaelynn noted out of the corner of her eye, Barton preparing a response. Holding up a hand to silence him, she pressed onward. "And, before you say anything, Agent Barton...I should inform you...That I meant every word of what I said to you, earlier. We-myself, the Cullens, and the Volturi alike-we are all faster than any of your arrows...Although, it's not exactly like we need to be. Even if you did manage to get in a lucky shot-hit one of us with your arrow...It would just bounce right off. The only thing capable of penetrating a vampire's skin is our own teeth." She spoke, dangerously, aiming the comment directly at the archer who shifted, uncomfortably, in his seat. "The fact of the matter is that when the Volturi want something, they will incite a war to get it. And, quite honestly, I don't want any of you anywhere near the battle. Especially you, dad." Shaelynn turned to her father with an apologetic look in her golden eyes.
"This all changes nothing." Steve spoke up, bravely. "Doctor Banner is part of this team. I think I can safely speak for everyone when I say that we will do whatever it takes to protect him." Glancing around the table, the Captain noted all the nodding heads agreeing with his sentiment.
Bruce noted the way his daughter, once again, lightly pinched the bridge of her nose in frustration before she spoke again. "I understand that, Captin Rogers." Everyone in the room could tell that Shaleynn was fighting to maintain her composure. "But, quite honestly, I truly believe that the best way for you to do just that is to get him the hell away from this battle. The Volturi will not hesitate to play on my dad's triggers. They will push every single button available to them to incite a Hulk-out. The Volturi are a coven full of manipulative bastards that will say or do literally anything to get their way." There was a moment of tense silence before Tony spoke again.
"Look, I appreciate your concerns and all-really, I do." He spoke, gently, trying to keep his calm. "But, we go up against dangerous enemies all the time. Hell, I flew a damn nuke into outer space." If he noted Bruce's nearly imperceptible flinch, he said nothing. "I think we can handle a few vampires."
"With all due respect, Mister Stark..." Shaelynn began carefully. "I've seen what you and your team are capable of. And, while-yes-they are undeniably impressive and absolutely a force to be reckoned with...It doesn't change the fact that the Volturi will outmatch you at every turn and we can't afford to have any human casualties in this battle." Shaelynn flinched nearly imperceptibly at the collective shudders all around the table. "I won't risk any harm coming to any of you. I will handle the Volturi myself before I would allow any one of you to stand by my side in battle."
"Shaelynn..." Bruce spoke gently, moving to stand next to his daughter. "I understand what you're trying to do-we all do. But, the fact of the matter is that I am not about to send you into a battle without being there to back you up." Soft brown eyes bore into gold as Bruce tried to convince his daughter that the Avengers-that he-wasn't going anywhere."
Finally, all heads turned to the brunette behind Clint spoke. "Look, with all due respect, all we're ever going to achieve by just standing around here arguing is just to thoroughly waste everyone's time." Bella spoke, firmly. Clearly, she had been just as frustrated as Shaelynn was becoming. "At this rate, we'll never be prepared for the Volturi's attack. I think we need to just accept the fact that the Avengers aren't going anywhere and find a way to deal with the Volturi while protecting them."
"Bella's right." Carlisle spoke up from his place behind Bruce's now empty chair. "Our best play now is to figure out a way to protect you all." He spoke, glancing around the table at all the Avengers.
"Finally, someone sees reason." Clint snapped.
"With all due respect, Agent Barton..." Shaelynn began. "Just because someone admits defeat and declares a situation to be a lost cause does not make it 'reason'." She snapped at the archer before gathering her calm. "But, I do have to agree with Carlisle and Bella. Clearly, you all-" She paused to indicate the Avengers. "-are far more stubborn than I had hoped you would be. You obviously have no respect for self-preservation-" She paused once more at the warning squeeze on her shoulder. "Sorry." Shaelynn added with an apologetic look to her father before pressing onward. "But, if we are going to proceed with your involvement in the battle-as cheesey or hokey or whatever as you may think it is, frankly as much as I think it is-I really do think our best bet is to use the buddy system." Before she could elaborate any further, Jacob spoke up.
"What are we, six?" He asked, snidely, half-glaring at Shaelynn's comment.
"Shut up, Fido." Shaelynn snapped, yet again, clearly annoyed at the young werewolf. "What I'm saying is that I want all of you-" She gestured, once more, to the Avengers. "-to pair off with either a mutt-" Shaelynn was then interrupted by a series of warning snarls and growls from the various wolves around the room. "-fine! Werewolf-there, y'all happy?" She asked, sarcastically, glaring around the room. Finding no further objections, she continued on "Find a werewolf or vampire and do not let them out of your sight! That's the only way I can see you all even maybe standing a chance at coming out of this alive. Have I made myself perfectly clear?" She asked, cocking an elegant golden eyebrow around the table at the Avengers who all nodded complacently. "Good." She added, turning to face her father. "Now, dad...I specifically want you to glue yourself to Jasper's side. Understood?" She asked, waiting for her father's confirmation.
"What?" Bruce asked, disbelievingly. "What-no! No, I'm not letting you of my sight, Shaelynn. I have to make sure you're safe!" He added, almost frantically.
With a quick-nearly imperceptible-glance over to Jasper, as if warning him to be on alert should his services be required, Shaelynn turned back to her father as she set to work to placate him. "Look, dad...I get where you're coming from. I really do. But, first of all, I think if we split up, it could possibly take away one of the triggers for the Volturi to potentially use against you. Also, Jasper is our best line of defense when it comes to avoiding a potential Hulk-out." She explained. Taking the confused expression on her father's face a cue, she further elaborated. "You see, dad, all vampires have their own special gifts. Jasper, for instance, has the ability to not only feel but to manipulate the emotions of those around him. If he senses you're about to have an incident, he can calm you down the fastest and avoid an incident."
Though, may not like the idea of not standing by his daughter's side in the battle, he had to admit, her logic was sound. Even if he was still trying to wrap his mind around all of this. Finally, Bruce nodded in agreement. "All right, then."
"Thank you." Shaelynn replied, releasing a relieved sigh. Returning her attention to the group of Avengers before her, she spoke again. "Okay, so, the...wolves and the Cullens and I will make up the front line. "I want you all to stay behind us as we tackle the Volturi ourselves. All I want you guys to focus on is self-defense. Do what you have to in order to protect yourselves, but, nothing more. If you try to go on the offensive, they will annihilate in seconds. Is that clear?" She asked, glancing around the table in front of her.
"Do we have any ideas as to when they'll be here?" Natasha asked, her face calm and impassive as ever.
"I don't know exactly when, Agent Romanoff." Shaelynn conceded. "But, I do know this. They'll have to come at night-or during a time of heavy cloud cover." She elaborated. "But, beyond that, there's no way to know anything any more specific."
"I don't quite follow." Steve spoke, trying to mentally piece the puzzle together. "Why at night?" He wondered aloud.
With a derisive snort, Clint interjected "Don't you read, Cap? Vampires can't walk in the daylight. They'd evaporate in the sun." He smiled, sadistically.
With an annoyed roll of the eyes, Shaelynn spoke again, her voice dripping with her frustration and agitation. "Actually, Agent Barton, that's all Hollywood bullshit." Realizing her word choice and knowing that her father had never known her to use such language, she sent an apologetic glance his direction before proceeding. "The true reason we don't venture out into the sun is because of this..." She eluded as she stepped over to the window across the room, rolling up her sleeve as she went, and pulled the curtain back enough to stick her arm into the sunlight seeping in. "If we were to walk in the daylight, humans-such as yourselves-would know we were different." She clarified. "However, as you all are part of S.H.I.E.L.D.-you are all permitted to know that we exist without fear of the Volturi killing you all off." Glancing around the table at all the cocked eyebrows, with the exception of the captain who sat mesmerized by the sight her arm, glittering in the sunlight, Shaelynn knew they would need more to go on. "Generally speaking, the Volturi have laws against revealing ourselves to humans. But, in the case of S.H.I.E.L.D., the agency hase a treaty with the Volturi stating that S.H.I.E.L.D. has the right know about us provided they do not kill any vampires."
After snapping himself out of his daze, Steve voiced one of the millions of questions racing through his mind. "Won't our involvement in this battle violate that?" He wondered aloud.
"The way I see it, Captain, is that the treaty was nullified the moment the Volturi decided to attack us in order to procure my father for their guard." The Avengers all shuddered at the idea of a vampire Hulk. "If I had to hazard a guess, I'd say they're counting on the treaty preventing you all from fighting back." Shaelynn's face took on a contemplative look for a moment before she spoke again. "Come to think about it, that might just give us a tactical advantage I hadn't considered, yet."
"We'll need every advantage we can get." The attention of everyone in the room was drawn to the source of the smooth southern drawl that had spoke those words. "I don't trust the Volturi to exactly fight fair."
"That's true." Edward spoke up. "I still remember the incident with Renesmee."
Shaelynn noted the curious looks from the Avengers. Shaking her head lightly, she responded "Another story for another time, guys." She dismissed any questions about Renesmee to be dealt with, later. "Right now, we got bigger fish to fry." She began. "Personally, I think we need to start preparing for the attack as soon as possible."
For a moment, the room fell into another tense silence. Finally, Tony stood from his seat as he asked "Where do we start?"