Starks Pheonix {2}

Twenty-Five

Izzy stood out on the balcony, with Bucky, Thor and the newly named Vision. She sighed, looking between the three of them... 'You know why I can't say to the others, not yet..'

'Lady Izzy, I'm so sorry for what you have suffered through alone. I understand why..'.. Thor gave her a sad smile.

'Was he angry? When you came back? Did he get my message?..'... She sniffled, feeling her throat burn.

'He was angry, but not at you. He was angry that he could not protect you, that you felt you had to leave. He loves you, as do we all. Though the others may not remember, I do..'.. Thor offers his hand to her and she takes it.

'How did you remember?..'.. She asked, and he went to tell her, but Stark called them in, that it was time to go... 'Vis, you know of me?..'.. He nodded to her... 'And Jarvis hid my files, to protect me?..'

'Yes. He left the trail for you to follow, so you would know it was him..'.. Vision smiled at her, and she hugged him, feeling him hesitate, before returning her embrace.

'Thank you, for telling me. Come on..'.. She smiled at the three of them... 'The sooner we do this, the better. I want my family back..'

Izzy led them all inside, and over to the others. Clint handed her two new guns, and some clips, which she holsters and Sam handed her a comm... 'You know, your suit reminds me of Starks..'.. Sam looks her up and down.

'Funny that. Now, you two..'.. She turned to the twins, glaring at them both... 'Read my mind witchy. I want you to understand what's at stake here..'.. Izzy tapped her head... 'Do it..'

She saw the girl hesitate, and then her eyes flashed red. Not a few seconds later, she saw the girl step back, nodding furiously at her... 'I-Im sorry. You-..'

'You know now?..'.. Izzy held a hand up to stop her from talking.

'Yes..'.. The girl cleared her throat, and glances around at the others.

'You fuck them over, and you won't have a chance to take a breath, you know what I'm capable of. Do you understand me?..'.. She set the girl with a glare, and she nodded again... 'You can show your brother so he can understand, but don't speak of it, not out loud, not in any language, got it?..'

'Yes, we do..'.. The girl said, stepping back into her brother.

'Good, now let's go..'.. Izzy stormed out, heading straight for the jet... 'I call shotgun!..'.. She called, turning to walk backwards and grinned at Clint, who just smiled, shaking his head.

Clint felt as though this had happened before, her calling shotgun to fly the jet, but he didn't know who she was. Nat trusted her, and it was clear that Barnes and Thor did too. They knew her somehow, and Thors words, that he remembered, swam around his head.

If Barnes meant it, that she would tell when this was over, Clint wouldn't push it. Hell, the team didn't even know about his family until now. Everyone has a right to their own secrets, and Nix hadn't given him any reason not to trust her.

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On the jet, Izzy sat in the pilots chair, flying them back to Sokovia, and Thor came to stand with her... 'How are you?..'.. He asked, keeping his voice low.

'You know me Thor, I can shut it off, but I didn't want to, not this time. It's all I have left. It hurts, so damn much, but I'll gladly suffer for the rest of my life, if it means that my family is safe..'.. She looked down at her hand, fiddling with her ring beneath her glove.

Thor noticed what she was doing, and smiled... 'You still wear it?..'

'Yeah, I'll never take it off. I want nothing more, than for him to hold onto me right now, tell me he forgives me, that he still loves me..'.. She sniffled, blinking away the tears before they fall.

'When I remembered, I was in the waters of sight..'.. He explained what had happened in his vision, and then pulled his flask from his hip.

'As much as I love the ale, now is not the time..'.. She chuckled.

'It is not ale, it is the water..'.. He handed it to her... 'One drop each, should be enough, for your family..'.. She saw the look in his eyes, knowing what he was saying.

'Thank you..'.. She smiled, closing her eyes. She wouldn't have to worry now, she could break the spell on them, so they would remember. Turning to Thor, he reached out, and wiped away her tears.

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Steve hears every word spoken between the two, and glancing over, he felt a sense of shame, for judging her so harshly. Why was Thor, Bucky, Vision and Wanda allowed to know? And Nat, but not him?

He turned to look at the others, and saw Bucky watching him. He sighed, shaking his head... 'Ok, everyone listen up, here's the plan...'

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Izzy stayed back on the jet, as she hacked into the local news station, to send out a warning to the citizens of the city. She also recorded a message, and looped it on the local radio station. She notified the local emergency services, hoping that they would listen. Once she was done, she ran out, sprinting towards the city, tapping her comm.

'I've sent out the messages, evacuation is in progress. The local military and goverment are sending in assistance. Where do you need me?..'.. She kept running, dodging between the people that were on their way out.

'I'm on the south bridge, guiding out the vehicles, could do with some help..'.. Bucky called to her, and she headed straight over.

'I'm on my way. I tell you now, after this, I want some cheeseburgers, a ribeye and lots of fried pickles. And maybe a vacation..'.. She heard a few chuckles in her ear.

'I notices you didn't mention your fiancé in that little list..'.. She heard Stark quip, just as she slid up to Buckys side, who smirked at her, as he heard it too.

'Oh, he's there, but his idea of a vacation, is staying in our room for three days, before moving to the couch and staying there the rest of the vacation..'.. She laughed.

Izzy noticed cars were moving slowly, so she guided people to walk either side of the bridge, leaving a gap for the cars to get through. She can hear Stark and Ultron through her comm, and she sighed, wishing she was there with him.

Catching Buckys eye, she saw him mouth the words, 'he's ok', just as she hears a crash through the comm... 'The fuck was that? Everyone check in, now! Wilson, Vis, you're the eyes in the sky, you see anything?..'.. She looked up, seeing them both swoop around.

The team all called in, one by one except Stark. She could still hear him talking... 'Seems Ultron brought something. At the church with Tony. Oh shit! We got incoming!..'... Sam called out to the team, and Izzy felt the ground shake, as bots burst out from beneath their feet.

'Shit! Stark! I'm coming to you..'.. She pulled her guns, and nodded to Bucky... 'Clear the streets..'

'Go! I got this..'.. He pulled his own guns out, and started shooting at the bots. Izzy took straight off, heading for the church. She needed to know what Ultron had planned. Seeing Vision above her, his words rang in her ears. She had to switch, had to become Shadow again. Sliding to a stop, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath, slipping into Shadow mode again.

Hearing metal steps, she raised her gun in her left hand and pulled the trigger. Opening her eyes she didn't bother to look, but kept running, taking out the bots with a single shot to the head. Ultron was her target, and he didn't know, who she was, or the power she held. Feeling the extremis rush through her veins, she was going to melt him down to nothing more that a molten lump.

😘