R͟u͟t͟h͟l͟e͟s͟s͟ {Q͟u͟i͟c͟k͟s͟i͟l͟v͟e͟r͟/ A͟v͟e͟n͟g͟e͟r͟s͟}

Chapter 6: The Truth?

"Did you think they would come without company?" A metallic exclamation came from above. I felt like throwing myself in a pit of poisonous snakes. The dust seriously tasted like crap.

Digging my hands in the dirt, not wanting to look up, I murmured to the one stalk of grass, "Please no."

"We've known you were here, Rogers." Tony Stark's voice sounded so familiar, I almost forgot he was the villain.

"And all you cared about was the girl?" Steve brushed some dirt off of him and straightened up. "I'm flattered."

Stark smiled, but it was a dark, I'm-kinda-evil smile. "Exactly." He laughed to himself, "Sorry to be rude, I'd like to continue this conversation, but I've got to take the luggage and run."

"When exactly did I become luggage?" I said, backing away.

"Don't leave just yet.Why are you so interested in the girl, Stark? Answer me." Steve had that look in his eyes, like he was either about to kill you or torture you until you wished you were. Steve nonchalantly turned his head at me in a sideways glance and mouthed, "Run."

Immediately, I turned and began to sprint into the grove of trees not far from where we were standing. I heard Tony yell, "Hey!", but it didn't faze me at all. I ran faster, faster, faster, trying to control my breathing. The trees seemed to be whipping past me, I felt free, in a way I hadn't in so long-

Until I ran headfirst into a tree. "Ow!" I cried, my skull throbbing slightly.

"Strong?" My comm crackled in, "Strong, I need your location."

"I've been running for literally 30 seconds," I muttered, "I'd say my location is pretty obvious."

I was about to start running again, when Steve crackled in again. Why was my comm so disconnected? It must be the trees. "Crimson, you literally disappeared in a flash of light." He seemed in aw. "Nobody knows where you are. But Stark, he's great at finding things, especially people. So you better get your a-"

Before he had even finished, I was turning around, about to run, still utterly confused and wanting to question so many things. But of course, luck wasn't on my side, and in the brief moment I had paused, I'd left myself vulnerable.

"Somebody's been upping their exercise routine" Tony said. Then he turned swinging his fist and proceeded to punch me in the face with his metal suit of armor. There was a fleeting moment of pain before I was out of it completely.

***

I didn't mean to blink my eyes, it just happened. "She's awake." Somebody hissed by me. The space beneath me was soft and welcoming.

"Wanda?" I mumbled, still a little hazy. What happened again?

"Pietro." The person beside me corrected cooly.

"Sorry," I muttered, "You guys are still the same to me."

Pietro chuckled at my side. It was remotely comforting, like a bath of good memories when he laughed. I opened my eyes, letting the white light sink into my eyes painfully. It was little less than blinding. I tried to blink it away. Wanda stood in the doorway, bouncing a ball of her red lights in her hand.

"You are confused." Wanda said in a hushed tone. "I've been reading your thoughts as you slept."

"Oh, thanks, it's not like those are private or anything." I still felt weak, too weak. Inhumanly weak, like someone had taken my insides and replaced them with shriveled up, barely functioning ones. My thoughts began to clear, I could feel them lining up and making more sense now. "I thought Natasha had you, Wanda." I stated suspiciously. "She had you pinned to the ground."