R͟u͟t͟h͟l͟e͟s͟s͟ {Q͟u͟i͟c͟k͟s͟i͟l͟v͟e͟r͟/ A͟v͟e͟n͟g͟e͟r͟s͟}

Chapter 16: Protected

A figure hovered over me. They were saying something I couldn't make out clearly. My ears were ringing and my vision still out of focus.

"What?" I asked. My words sounded sloppy.

"What happened?" Steve exclaimed, looking slightly panicked at my condition.

The past few hours snuck back into my brain in a tired rush. "Something's wrong with me," I said, looking up at the ceiling and trying to breathe slowly.

"What do you-" Steve shook his head, as if he was pushing away the thought. "Nevermind, I'll find out later. We need to get out of here. Now."

"How long was I out?" I asked self-consciously, ignoring his plea for evacuation.

"Well, you were only out for a couple minutes, but you would be dead right now if I didn't do CPR." Unlike most people, Steve didn't make it sound like that was a big deal, or that I owe him for saving my life. "You've over- exhausted to the point of almost a heart failure." Steve grabbed my hand and pulled me to my feet. "Can you walk?"

I felt weak and bony. "I can walk... for probably a couple yards." I admitted, feeling myself collapse onto the floor in a heap.

"Well, Fury's sending backup. But I'm going to need you to walk for a little bit. I would carry you, but," He gestured at Stark, "I've got my hands full. And if we get in a fight, I'd like to at least have one arm free." Once again, he hoisted me to my feet. Despite his strength, his grip was actually soft.

I was terrified. Every time I had moved today, my feet had begun to sprint, and every inch of my body was protesting that. Taking a deep breath, I stumbled forward next to Steve, who put his arm around me roughly for support. It wasn't romantic at all, but it was comforting. In his other hand, slumped over his shoulder, restricted, Cap carried Tony with a grunt of strain. I couldn't help but feel respect for him, still carrying out the mission to the best of his abilities, despite my state of being and the fight he'd been through without me. He was virtually the definition of noble sometimes.

"We're going to the roof," Steve said to me, and Tony laughed. Both of us looked at him strangely. He said nothing to explain the laughter. Suspicion hit me hard, but I couldn't do anything about it. The roof was our only option. Steve helped us to a hallway and a door with a sign that read , "To Roof" in bold letters. Tony laughed to himself again as Steve pushed open the door.

A rush of cold air hit us. Steve pushed through it as I looked up. A helicopter was descending onto the landing platform about 20 yards away, throwing a loud roar of wind toward us. I faltered slightly, teetering backwards. Steve pushed me back to my feet.

A team of agents filed out of the plane. For a split second, I wondered if they were H.Y.D.R.A. agents or people Wanda had possessed who had come to Stark's aid. I wondered if we would even have a chance of escaping. My theory, though, was immediately proven wrong as Fury climbed out of the front seat of the helicopter. Safe arms wrapped around me and I felt my body be carried to the plane, and I relaxed slightly. Steve said something to Fury, who frowned. Stark was handed carefully over to the agents who brought him to the helicopter. Uneasiness still sank into me, though. It shouldn't have been so easy to get Stark. There should've been more defenses. Knowing Wanda, she probably would've been torturing him alive in a cell with a hundred soldiers guarding them, not alone in Stark Towers with literally no protection.

The helicopter lifted off the skyscraper, and I felt us enter into stealth mode with a slight jump. I sat on one of the back seats tiredly, leaning my head on the side and wanting desperately to fall asleep. The fact that Tony Stark was locked up just inches from me, though, kept me wide awake. I didn't trust him, not with anything.

"Summary." Fury told Steve immediately. The helicopter was loud, and I could barely make out their conversation over the blaring noise.

Steve seemed discontent. "We got into Stark Towers, I found Tony, Crimson and I beat him around a little, and we got out of there."

"What happened to Strong?"

"I don't know," Steve glanced back at me, and I closed my eyes. I didn't want him to think I was eavesdropping, "She didn't really explain it to me. I asked her to run up the stairs-"

"With her powers?" Fury interrupted.

"Yes, with her powers, or I wouldn't have asked her to do it," Steve said, sounding frustrated. "But she couldn't do it. She couldn't control them. She couldn't run faster than any normal person. And then she was attacked by something... Or someone."

I felt edgy and uncomfortable. I hadn't meant it as a lie when I said it, because I'd honestly thought someone had been attacking me. On the other hand, though, now I thought maybe it wasn't someone else. Maybe it was just me. It hadn't felt like someone else pushing me up ninety floors, and there had been no red glow, no trace of Wanda. Maybe it had just been something wrong with... Me.

"Do you have any suspicions on what could've been going on? What could anyone have done to leave her like this?" Fury pressed. HQ wasn't too far from Stark Industries, so I hoped this talk wouldn't last long. I was scared at where it was going. I didn't like being a conversation topic."She's exhausted, Steve. And she's got several injuries to the head and shoulder."

I held my breath as Steve replied. "There's something we don't know. But as of right now..." He looked off in the distance, "I can't have her on any missions. We can't have that happening again."

Fury nodded a little, looking disappointed. "I agree completely. I'll talk to her when she's recovered fully."

I felt like screaming. Not only was I a hopeless failure during this mission, it was going to prevent me from doing other missions as well. My first job as an official Avenger was trashed. I wanted to just cry and yell and...Well, sleep. My exhaustion flooded over me again.

I lifted one eye cautiously, and looked at Tony. He was staring at me with his head tilted slightly to one side. Everything about him was so different. He used to be cocky, stubborn, and narcissistic. He just looked angry, determined... but lost. I almost pitied him. Almost. I closed my eye again. He wasn't worth my sympathy.

Vote and comment if you know where this is from:

"Oh, this is much better. Costume's a bit much... so tight! But the confidence... I can feel the righteousness surging! Hey, wanna have a rousing discussion about truth? Honor? Patriotism? GOD BLESS AMERICA!-"

And say whether or not you've seen the deleted scene version with Loki XD

~Emily <3