Walking in the Wind // Avengers

Newfound Power

•••

Natasha and Clint had dropped off Lexie and Steve on a rooftop, figuring that splitting up would be the best option.

"Two minutes. Stay close," Steve ordered.

•••

They had run into the building and found Helen Cho leaning on the wall, bleeding from a wound in her chest, and Ultron nowhere to be seen.

"Dr. Cho!" Steve knelt next to her and Lexie stood behind him, looking at the doctor in shock. She was dying.

Dr. Cho was breathing heavily as Steve tried to put pressure on the wound, but they all knew it was futile. "He's uploading himself into the body," she was able to say.

"Where?" Steve asked, but she shook her head, letting him know that she didn't know. He went to stand up, but was stopped.

"The real power is inside the Cradle. The gem, its power is uncontainable. You can't just blow it up. You have to get the Cradle to Stark."

"First, I have to find it."

"Go." Steve looked at her hesitantly. "I'm fine." She wasn't.

Steve looked at Lexie for help. He was Captain America, he couldn't just leave someone behind to die, alone. "Go, I'll stay," she nodded confidently.

He gave a short nod, one last look to Dr. Cho, who he didn't think he would ever see again, muttered a 'thank you' to her, before taking off.

Lexie took his place by Helens side. "You'll be okay," she said to her, putting pressure on the wound.

"We both know that's a lie," the Korean woman chuckled.

"I'm sorry." Lexie looked down at the wound. Dr. Cho had tried to help, and this was what she got in return. Lexie felt her life beneath her hands. It was strange, she'd never felt that before. It was like her entire life was at Lexies fingertips. Ready to be taken away or saved. She had no idea what she was doing, but followed her gut. She removed the piece of now bloody cloth she'd been pressing to the wound and closed her eyes, taking a deep breath before opening them again. They were black.

"Lexie?" Helen looked at her in confusion, concern, and slight fear, not knowing what she was doing. But before she could ask, she gasped, feeling her energy slowly be restored and her wound slowly stopping to bleed and starting to close up. She looked up at Lexie and saw the teenager swaying a bit from where she was sat. Pearls of sweat was forming on her forehead, and her breathing was ragged.

But it was working.

Lexie was saving her life.

Bringing her back from the edge of death.

Lexies eyes returned to normal and she removed her hands. Helens wound was still there, but not nearly as bad, and the woman felt much better, energized even. She just needed to have her wound wrapped and she'd be perfectly fine.

Lexie breathed heavily as she leant against the wall, next to the doctor. "Holy shit," she muttered, closing her eyes. She felt completely exhausted and drained, and just wanted to close her eyes and sleep. "I didn't know I could do that," she muttered weakly.

"You're powers are developing" Helen looked at the teenager next to her. "As you're growing older, your powers grow with you." She began explaining. "When you first came to S.H.I.E.L.D., you could apparently only control small, dead animals for a short period of time. The first time you used your powers you were three. From what I've heard, your neighbor had just gotten a hamster and you'd been invited over to play with it. You didn't know what you were doing and ended up squeezing it too tight, accidentally killing it. When you realized it wasn't moving you started crying and told it to wake up and it did, but only for a few seconds before it died again. After that, your powers have grown, and they'll only continue to do so."

"How do you know about that," she opened her eyes and looked at the woman next to her"I don't even remember it."

"When I was just out of college and had started working with the Research Group, we were called in to help S.H.I.E.L.D. with something. While we were there, I heard about you. A twelve-year-old girl with the power to control the dead. I asked around a bit, and before I knew it, I was talking to Nick Fury himself. He wanted me to run some tests on you to find out why you had your powers. Because no-one knew how you could do the things you did. You weren't like Rogers, a science experiment, or like Banner, who was exposed to radiation and got his powers that way. You weren't like Thor either, you were fully human. As I was going to help find an answer, I needed to know everything about you. That's how I know."

"Did you figure it out?"

"Partly. I did my tests and got results. The only explanation I found was that it's genetic. One of your ancestors was, most likely, a necromancer, and the gene have been passed down generation after generation, making you the first one after that person to actually have the powers. But that was all I could find before we were done with our other job and had to go back home. I never found out how you and your ancestor came to possess these powers. You are one of the only questions I haven't been able to answer throughout my entire career."

"Should I be flattered?" Lexie chuckled, making Dr. Cho smile.

"I've always found your powers fascinating, and I've always wanted to find its origins. To figure it out. But I don't have to. It's enough for me to follow how your powers develop, how they evolve."

"Careful, you're starting to sound like a fan."

She laughed. "In a way, I suppose I am. In the way a scientist is a 'fan' of their work or project."

"Well, it's kinda creepy when what you're trying to figure out is a human," she laughed tiredly.

"I suppose you're right."

They sat in silence for a bit, Lexie just trying to process what had happened and regain the energy to stand up.

Clint ran in, obviously in a rush. "Lex, let's go."

"What?" she shook her head looking up at him.

"We got the Cradle and you and I need to get it to Stark. Get up." When he finally looked at her properly, he paused. "What happened to you? You look terrible."

"Ditto."

"She healed me," Dr. Cho told him. "I was dying and she saved me."

"What?" Now it was his turn to look confused. "Since when could you do that?"

"Since just now." Lexie held her arms up. "I need some help here."

He walked over and swiftly pulled her up, throwing her over his shoulder. He turned to Dr. Cho. "You good?"

"Yes, I'll handle everything here," she nodded to the mess of a lab around them. "Go."

He nodded and took off, back to the helicarrier. He put Lexie in the co-pilot seat.

"Where's Nat?" she asked groggily.

"Yeah, I'd like to know that too," he sighed and took off, obviously concerned. "But we need to get this to Stark, Captains orders. We'll find Nat later."

•••

Finally some answers about Lexies powers and more about her background. It might not be my best chapter, but I like it and it's a really important one.

Sorry the chapter's up so late, I've been really busy today.

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