A Place In This World (Beginnings and Goodbyes, #1) {Completed}

one block wide

The ramp lowers to the cobblestone of one of the few town squares near the city's center, and I venture down to its edge, the fountain and surrounding shops and apartments coming into full view. It is eerily quiet here, and empty. I look up to my father as he joins my side, but before I can ask him anything, a hand lands on my shoulder. I gaze back into Steve's stern face, the blue helmet now on, the white painted 'A' and wings fading. But something burns bright in his eyes when he looks at me, a barely concealed smile at the corner of his lips.

"Stick close to me out there, okay? This is the quiet before the storm," he says.

"Yes, sir." I glance to my dad. "You'll be okay out there?"

He caresses one of my cheeks, scrapes the pad of his thumb across my skin. He takes me in, the concern on my face, and smiles. He leans in and kisses the top of my head. "You know I'll be. Listen to Cap, alright? He's been doing this a lot longer than I've been."

"Clint."

Dad shoots Steve a semi-apologetic smile before he steps away, off the ramp, just as Wanda and Pietro walk down past us. They are to go with him, heading north through the city to help evacuation efforts.

Wanda pauses beside me and squeezes my shoulder. "We'll look out for him for you."

"Thank you. Be careful, the both of you." I look between them, and Pietro smiles, checks to see Cap busy speaking with Bruce and Thor, and he leans in.

"Stay safe, you little brat," he whispers and sets my cheeks ablaze.

"Pietro, come on!" Wanda calls, her and my father several yards away now, and the speedster jogs off, giving me a dimpled smile over his shoulder. I catch my father looking at us, and I blink and turn away, flustered to the max. I'll be getting hell for that later. But when I watch them head out, my dad continues to look back at me, and I have to resist the urge to chase after him, to not yell out that I change my mind.

But I let them slip out of my sight, and my attention then draws to Bruce and Thor as they lumber down the ramp. I believe they'll just head off on their joint mission, but Bruce stops, his eyes searching the cobblestones for the right thing to say, and then he gazes up at me. Thor waits for him a little ways from us, but he doesn't urge Bruce along.

"I'll get her back, I promise. Whatever it takes."

I nod my thanks. "Good luck, you two."

Thor raises his hammer, a smile breaking out across his face. "May good fortune shine on you today, daughter of Clint. You shall bring great honor to your family's name."

"Thanks, I guess," I say and wave as they finally step away.

I watch them disappear around the opposite corner of the square, leaving me with Steve. Tony had been dropped off earlier in the exact center of the city to find and distract Ultron, Vision shadowing him. Steve returns to my side and holds out an intercom link for me. I set it in my ear, check my gear, the string on my bow, the number of arrows in my quiver, the bolts at my side alongside my crossbow. I have no idea if this will be to my disadvantage since they weigh me down, but the extra weight grounds me, reassures that I have all that I need to defend myself.

"Let's head out while it's still quiet. It's got me worried."

Captain America straps his shield to his back, and he takes off down an alleyway to our left. While Dad and the twins travel north and Bruce and Thor to the east, Cap and I are heading south, to one of the largest intersections and bridges of the city. The bridge carries Sokovians to the surrounding smaller villages and rural areas. Cap is hoping they can flee there and be safe from the mayhem soon to happen here. As we run closer to the main roads, we find ourselves running alongside people with bundles of belongings or small children clutched to their chests.