Steve, Sam, Bucky, Clint and Natasha decided that it was a good idea to head into the central area of the school's nearest town to search for adults.
Leaving the school was not something that Steve liked doing, especially as he lived alone. Generally, his tiny flat was an empty, with the holes his parents left still not being filled, despite how fantastic his friends were.
"So, what's the plan?" Clint asked as he hauled himself over the tall, intimidating iron gates that fenced off the "posh twat place", as the town's youths liked to call it.
"Whatever happens, we stick together. And do you wanna go pick up your dogs?" Bucky asked him. It was well known that Clint's two labradors, Cooper and Lila, were like his children. Together with his neighbour's daughter Laura, he had raised them ever since finding them in a cardboard box left on the side of the road.
"Okay, so first stop, Clint's place. Second stop, the store? If there's any adults left, they'll be in there, and if there aren't, we can get food." Natasha said, knowing how the granola bars in her bag would not last more than a few meals between so many people.
"Alright. Let's head to the corner store." It was run by Natasha's aunt and uncle, so she was pretty sure they would be lenient if they found she had taken food. The store was nearby, and thankfully, untouched. It made sense, really; the kids from the other school, closer to the town, had probably gone for all the clothing stores and alcohol - they wouldn't think for the future.
There were two kids standing outside the door of the store, trying to open it. The girl, who Natasha recognized as Wanda, the new girl, and her anxious brother Pietro, hopping from foot to foot.
"Hey, what's all this?" Natasha asked neutrally, keeping her eyes fixed on the girl. Was she a threat?
"I'm just trying to get water. This is the only place that hasn't been smashed to bits." Wanda's voice keeps even, knowing that she is being viewed as a potential threat.
Natasha considered it for a moment, and as she did, Wanda realised she was probably better off as this girls' friend.
"I know how to pick locks, it'll only take me a moment."
Natasha seemed to approve of this. "Thanks. I don't have a key; my relatives don't trust me as much as I'd like them to."
The guys Natasha had brought with her had meanwhile taken up positions at either end of the street, watching out for trouble. Pietro hovered over Wanda, never taking his eyes off her.
"There we go," Wanda grinned as the door swung open, Natasha leading the way and reaching for the light switch. She flipped it a few times, but no power came.
"Great." The redhead hissed.
"I have a flashlight." Wanda pulled it out of her pack quickly, with Pietro rolling his eyes as Clint came barrelling in.
"Dibs on the chocolate!" Clint was swatted by Natasha as he surged past.
"So, what brings you to Xaviers'?" Natasha asked, and Wanda knew a peace offering when she saw one.
"My father knows Xavier," The girl replied, hauling a heavy two-litre bottle to Pietro. "He has a house not far from here, with a large basement and a generator. That's where we are headed. It does not have food though, and we will need water for a few days until we can set up the river filter."
"He planned for everything?" Natasha heaved a huge pack of tinned food from a low shelf and onto the cart Clint was pushing; Pietro was filling another with the highest-calorie non-perishables he could find.
"Yeah, he built the house in secret with Xavier in case of a war, something like that. He never explained it to Pietro and I. Look, you've been great to let us in here, so if you ever need a place to hide for a while, our doors are open." Natasha grinned at that; it was nice to have someone to trust now that the adults were gone.
Adults were gone.
Oh god.
She gasped as the reality of the situation sank in. Naturally, she kept cool on the outside, but inside, she was freaking out. It faded after a few seconds.
"Nat, you okay?" Clint called from on top of one of the shelves. What the hell was he doing sitting among the corn chips?
"Get down from there, Clint, before you bring the whole shelf down," Natasha shouted up. She turned back to Wanda. "Look, I don't want to seem pushy, but if this stuff stays here, it's gonna get stolen real quick and won't last longer than a week. If we can get it up to your house, can we stay there for a while? We'll bring the food, you guys open up the shelter. Just for a week or so, until the food runs out, or the adults come back."
Wanda nodded almost as quickly as Natasha had finished. "You seem nice, at least, and your friends seem cool. Pietro is getting on with... Clint? it seems." She gestured to where Pietro and Clint were "slyly" throwing gumballs at each other.
"The others are Sam, Bucky and Steve. They're all raised on the base north of here, so that's where we'd head, but it's a few days journey at best, and if we get caught in there, it'll be big trouble. Once we leave your house, we'll head there - and we'll send supplies down, of course. I really hope we can be friends."
Wanda grinned. "You seem trustworthy. And besides, we'll need help up there - farming and such, if it comes down to months of isolation." She held out a hand for Natasha to shake. "You're serious, about this?"
Natasha grinned and shook her hand. "You bet, Wanda."
A/N: Sorry if this seems OOC, I'm hoping for the characters such as Natasha/Wanda (all the really kickass/femme fatale characters) to develop from regular "high-school" age students to their movie personas as I love reading character development and would love to include some in my story. Thanks! :D Also please review, and check out the Gone Series! They're really cool books, and definitely underrated!