Chaos

Breakdown

The song of the chapter is Coming Down by Five Finger Death Punch.

Enjoy

Chapter Twenty-Two: Breakdown

I stared at my reflection in the mirror and smoothed down the skirt of the dress I was wearing. The Avengers had a press conference today and we all had to look nice.

I adjusted my dress and then my dog tags. I glanced one last time only to see my reflection smiling back at me, but I wasn't smiling. Chaos stepped away from my reflection and created her own image within the mirror.

"Miss me?" She smirked.

"Leave me alone. Today is supposed to be a good day."

"You don't have good days." Her eyes turned dark, "You kill everyone you're around. You'll be the end of them."

Images appeared in the mirror. Terrible images. The Avengers lay dead on the ground as I stood above them, evil laughter leaving my mouth.

"ENOUGH!" My fist flew out and the mirror shattered, Chaos's image going with it.

Clinton came running in, "Aurora, what happened?!" His eyes shifted between me and the mirror. "You're bleeding."

My eyes shifted down to my fist, blood was dripping to the white carpet below me, staining it with small red droplets. "Oh."

Clinton ushered me into my bathroom and searched for the bandages. He poured peroxide on my cuts and then wrapped them in gauze. "Aurora, what happened?"

"I punched the mirror." We walked back out to my bedroom and I stared at the shards of mirror laying scattered across the floor. "I...I saw Chaos and I just got so angry."

Clint took my face between his hands and looked me straight in the eyes, "Chaos can't hurt you Aurora, not if you don't let her." He smiled, "I won't let her okay?"

Clint stood back and helped me up. He laced his hands with mine and helped me to the lobby. Everyone turned and looked at us, staring at our hands. Luckily, Clinton's hand was covering my bandage.

"So," He smiled, "Let's get this over with."

>>>/<<<

The cameras flashed as we walked out on stage, causing me to squint against the brightness. Clinton gripped my hand tighter and flashed me a reassuring smile. We all sat down at the table where are names were marked by little cards.

My eyes went wide when I realized I wouldn't be next to Clint. I looked at him, panicked.

He leaned towards me, "It'll be okay. Shoot me a text if you get uncomfortable." He sat down at the other end of the table.

I sat down beside Thor and he shot me a bright smile. I smiled back and stared down at the table.

"Okay, first question."

"I would like to ask how you are handling the Loki slash Anglos crimes?"

Steve cleared his throat, "We are handling it the best and fastest way possible."

I could hear the scratching of pens on notepads.

"I have a question for Mr. Stark."

"Shoot."

The news reporter sighed, "Since you've become Iron Man, have you had any plans on restarting your weapons industry?"

"No, my weapons were used in the worst way possible, but I will continue to build energy efficient machines for businesses and for the Avengers."

More scratching on notepads and the faint clicks of the video cameras.

"I have a question for Miss Caine."

My head shot up and I looked at Clinton warily, he nodded, "Um, okay."

"How does it feel to be the reason behind Anglos's attacks?"

I stared at the crowd with wide eyes, "Um-"

"Are you not the ex partner of Gabriel Dawson?" A woman with blonde hair and a very slim body stepped forward, a smirk plastered to her face.

"Yes, but I-"

She wrote something down on her notepad, "So how does it feel?"

I could feel Chaos getting angry, she pounded on the wall. I grabbed at my head and squeezed my eyes shut.

A chair scrapped against a floor and then crashed to the ground, "Leave her alone." Clint's voice came out a growl.

"I was merely asking some questions."

I opened my eyes only to see Chaos laughing at me from the crowd. She had a smirk on her face and her arms were crossed across her chest.

"C-Clint, she's here."

"Who's here Miss Caine?"

Arms wrapped around me, "She can't hurt you Aurora." More arms wrapped around, "Not as long as we're here."