Dark Arrow

Chapter Thirty Three

The battle above ground was well under way by the time we'd found our way out of the tunnels where I was being kept. Before we rounded the corner Bucky pulled my bow out of the hiding spot he'd stashed it in.

"Thought you might need this." He handed it, along with the quiver and a bunch of trick arrow heads.

"Oh Ultron is about to wish he'd never crossed me." I smiled as I loaded myself up.

We stepped out, straight into what could only be described as pure chaos. The smell of burning filled my senses, the sound of metal upon metal seemed to be floating in from the distance. We were at the edge of the fighting, miles from where we needed to be. Shooting a few robots down, I saw our way in.

"Buck!" I pointed to the big yellow truck a few feet from us.

He nodded in understanding. I pulled my arrows out of the robots as I ran past them, keeping up with Bucky the best I could.

We'd just started moving when Steve called out down comms.
"Anyone have eyes on Rain and Bucky?"

"On our way." I told him, shooting down the trailing robots as Bucky drove.

"We really need to discuss your life choices." Steve tried to make light of Bucky's rescue mission.

I let out a small laugh, thankful of the distraction. "Kill the robots and then tell me off." Maybe after all of this we'd find a way to be friends at least.

The banter between us was always so easy to fall back into, no matter how much he'd broken my heart.

Once we reached where we needed to be, Bucky and I jumped out of the truck.

"Stay safe." I told him as we split up.

"You too doll, I don't want to rescue you again."

I noticed Wanda in the distance, it wasn't until I saw her shredding robots apart that I realised she was now on our side.
I repositioned my arrow, taking out one behind her. She nodded a thank you at me before flying off.

"Rain!" Clint called out, grabbing me round the waist as he leapt through the window of a nearby building. The explosion behind us winded me as we hit the floor.

I scrambled to my feet, leaning my back against the wall as I caught my breath.

"You okay?" Clint asked, putting his hand against my cheek like he had so many times before.

"Yeah." I croaked out before clearing my throat. "It's been a long few days."

He helped me to my feet, loading five arrows into his bow.
"So, shall we go save a flying city?"

The one thing I would never tire of was my brothers dry humour. It had got us through more than a few tight spots.

"I swear our job gets weirder by the day." I readied my own weapon as Clint leant back against the door taking a deep breath. He looked over at me.

"After you big brother." I encouraged him.

"You're only ten months younger than me."

I shrugged my shoulders smiling at him. He rolled his eyes before kicking the door open and firing in quick succession. I came out beside him, both of us working in unison to get the job done. Side by side we made our way through the carnage as the city continued to climb higher.

"Clint we need to get the civilians to safety. You go, I've got this!" I called out to him.

He gave me a nod as he ran off.

The distraction caused me to get attacked from behind, my bow flying somewhere in the distance.

"Shit!" I called out, picking up a metal pole as robots began to surround me.

"Rain!" Steve called out, throwing me his shield.

"Thanks!" I called out as I sliced through the robots with ease.

I could see why he was so attached to it. It was light yet deadly as very easy to use. Propping the shield up above my head, he jumped onto it leaping into the air to take out the one I couldn't quite reach.

As he landed I passed him back the shield, pulling my gun out from the holster. We started running towards where the civilians were huddled in a large building.

From where we were stood we could see the endless sea of clouds as the city continued to rise. Tony was still working on a solution. To say things were looking bleak would've been the biggest understatement of the century.

I placed my hand on Steve's shoulder. "We're running out of time and options Steve."

"I'm not leaving this rock with one civilian on it." He snapped.

I knew it wasn't me he was annoyed with but what we were facing.

"Hey," I turned his face to look at me. "Neither am I."
He raised his eyebrows in shock at what I'd said, for the simple fact that I'd happily just agreed with him.
"What?" I smiled. "I'm not a brat all the time."

I could've got lost in the sad look in his eyes, if it wasn't for the sudden rumbling. A sound I knew all too well.
"Besides, looks like we've got a ride."

The helicarrier floated up from beneath the clouds, bringing us hope once again. Perhaps this mission wouldn't be a total failure after all.

Nick's voice came through our comms. "I called in a few favours."

"I owe you a drink after this." I countered.

The words that left Steve's lips next were not something I was expecting. "Fury, you son of a bitch."

"Woah! You kiss your mother with that mouth?" Nick teased back.

"This is SHIELD?" Pietro appeared beside me, scaring me half to death.

"Yeah Sonic. This is SHIELD." I let go of the anger I had towards him. He'd redeemed himself in the end, much like a lot of us had in our own ways.

Steve grabbed my hand, squeezing gently. "Let's load em up."

The whole team minus Tony came together, ushering the civilians onto the shuttles as quickly as we could. If this works we were going to have a hell of a story to tell.

Just when we thought we were done I saw something out of the corner of my eye. Sprinting over to it, I found a small boy cowering behind some rubble.

"Hey it's okay, I've got you." I reassured him as I lifted him into my arms.

Gunfire began raining down behind me, peering over my shoulder I saw Ultron flying a small jet. Shooting everything in his path and heading straight for me.

"Sorry guys." I muttered, turning to shield the young boy from the gunfire.

I needed to save him, I wouldn't let a young boy die for the mistakes of others. My thoughts went to Steve, how I'd never have the chance to hold him again. My heart broke but there was no time.

The gunfire got closer as I screwed my eyes shut, waiting for the pain. It never came.

I turned, tears forming in my eyes. Pietro stood above me, next to a bus he'd pushed behind me to shelter me from the ammunition that was supposed to end my life. Blood seeped through his shirt as he struggled to stay upright.

"Sonic? NO!" I cried out.

"You didn't see that coming." Were his last words as he hit the floor.

The sound of Wanda screaming could be heard for miles. Her heartbreak was something I couldn't imagine. Losing Clint would be the one loss I would never recover from.

He'd died saving me, the person who once upon a time he'd nearly killed. Guilt was the only emotion I could focus on. If I had been quicker, got the young boy out of there sooner. Maybe Pietro would still be alive.

It was a guilt I knew I'd carry for the rest of my life.