Avenger's AOU~ Oblivion. { Quicksilver Fanfic }

Chapter 2: "You didn't see that coming?"

My feet hit the ground with an unsettling crunch and I nearly fell over from the force. I regained my balance unsteadily and glanced back up at the helicopter we just jumped from. The leap was definitely father than I had expected.

Clint gripped my shoulder sternly. I looked at him, startled from the sudden contact.

"Hey," His voice was steady yet gentle. "You okay?"

I nodded but let my gaze fall down to my shoes.

"Quinn," I felt his hand under my chin. "Look at me."

I did, and as I did I saw something new in Clint's eyes that I don't remember ever seeing before. Sympathy? That was the last thing I wanted someone to feel like they needed to give me. I was supposed to be the hero and yet here I was like a scared little kid needing assurance from a parent.

Clint sighed and pulled my bow over my shoulder and pushed it into my hands. "Remember who taught you all you know. I would never put you in harms way if I didn't think you were ready."

These words were enough to lift my spirits.

"I know."

Clint gave a breathy laugh. "Good because if you would've flaked out on me, that wouldn't look too good on the resume."

I rolled my eyes and pushed him away from me, but I felt a smile rising in my cheeks. I reached over my shoulder and pulled an arrow from its sheath. Sliding it into my bow, I looked back at Clint.

"So are you just going to keep talking or are we going to do this thing?"

Clint shook his head. "Let's kick these douchebags back to Hitler, kid."

We jogged through the forest, pausing every so often to check for traps or stray eyes. I managed to keep my nerves in tact by thinking of all the horrible things HYDRA has done. Back at S.H.I.E.L.D I was taught that if I channeled my anxiety into anger it helped me focus on the job and made it more of a personal mission without making it too personal to be dangerous. I drilled myself of everything I knew of HYDRA; the people they hurt, the places they decimated, the lives they ruined. I knew I personally didn't have anything against them other than them hurting the common good I was responsible to protect, but my mind fluttered to Steve and how he lost everything because of HYDRA. If I couldn't find enough motivation in the faceless lives they were ruining, at least I could do this for Steve and that was enough for me.

After a mile or so, Clint held up a hand motioning for me to stop. As I did I looked around, trying to see what Clint had. I looked to him in question. He held a finger to his mouth then slowly pointed forward. I followed his direction and saw what he had. A menacing looking barbed fence breaking through the tree line and beyond that, the dark form of HYDRA lingering like an eerie towering shadow. I swallowed my apprehension and without trying for it, an image of Steve flashed through my mind. The grip around my bow tightened.

"What's the move?" I whispered to Clint. 

He hesitated a moment, taking in our surroundings.

"Stay here."

"What?" But my question was never answered.

Clint ducked under some brush and he disappeared out of sight and I was left alone crouching behind a tree for my only protection.

"Clint!" I whispered hoarsely into the empty space. No response.

I pressed my back to the tree. I knew what the plan was, to maintain the less dangerous part of the battle in the back while the rest of the Avengers took care of the real fight inside but that was a pretty vague plan now considering my only source of direction just raced off into the wilderness without me. I knew twenty minutes ago I was grateful for not having to deal with the chaos of the front lines like everyone else, but now it seemed I was being shoved off to the side while the grown ups did the real work. I cursed silently and kicked a stray rock into a bush. I let them think I couldn't handle this. I did this. If I would've just kept my cool a little better, I would be out there. I needed to do this. I needed to be the hero I've been training for for the past four years. This is what made me belong.