Hope Found

Letting it Go

Steve POV

I was shocked when we got to the living room. Hope was surrounded by a swirling dark red energy that seemed to be almost protecting her and lashing out randomly. Pietro took Clint to Banner like I ordered. That was one less thing to worry about. Clint would get his injury checked out and Banner wouldn't come up and try to help. The Hulk would be zero help in this situation. I glance at Wanda who is making her way behind Hope in order to calm her mind. I am a little farther away from Tony when he notices her eyes. They do look scared. I wonder what could have caused this. Something must have triggered this reaction. When Tony takes another step forward, I notice a slight change in her face.

"Don't." Her voice is so weak and sounds so scared. She must have pushed through the control of the emotion to warn us. She doesn't want to hurt us. She must already be feeling horrible that she hurt Clint. After he took those bullets for her and her whole energy bow thing they had gotten pretty close.

"Hope you need to calm down and just let the emotion go. Remember the breathing Bruce showed you?" I ask taking another step forward. Her face hardens again. I ca tell the emotion was once again in control. The energy shoots toward me. I jump to the side but it hits my arm. I wince in pain. That would leave a mark.

I can't stop it. It's too much. I can't let it out but I have to. There's too much energy. Her voice cracks as she speaks. She needs an outlet. Something she can let all her energy out onto and it won't hurt it. I look at the energy. It almost looks like red lightning floating around the room. That's it!

"Where's Thor?!" I yell at the others.

"I think he headed up to the roof earlier," replies Natasha never taking her eyes off of Hope. I know she was trying to figure out some way to take the girl down without injuring her. Suddenly a feel a gust of wind on my back. I glance to my right and see Pietro shifting from one foot to the other nervously behind me.

"Pietro find Thor, now. He might be on the roof." He shoots off again. We dodge the energy a couple more times. Natasha gets hit on her thigh and is leaning on the floor as Wanda finally makes it behind Hope. Her eyes glow their scarlet color as her mist travels to Hope. After a minute she pulls back and steps safely away.

"She is angry and scared. She seems to have seen something that has caused this. I think she is in a state of defensiveness. I can feel protectiveness as well not towards herself but towards us."

"Then why is she attacking us?" asks Tony dodging another shot. I think about it. It only lashes out when we get too close.

"Everybody back up and give her space. I think it's mistaking us as a threat and is protecting Hope." We all back up just as Pietro arrives with a stunned looking Thor.

"What is wrong Captain?" asks Thor holding his hammer.

"Hope has too much energy built up. It needs an outlet but a safe one. She's holding it all in right now. Her energy reminded me of lighting so I was wondering if your hammer could absorb the energy and you could release it far away from any people it could potentially harm." He thinks t about it glancing at the hammer and the energy.

"I think it could work." He steps in front of Hope holding his hammer in front of him. "Lady Hope give me the energy." She meets his eyes and I see the same shift in her face.

I...don't...want....hurt....you

Her voice sounds even weaker it must be taking everything she has to hold the energy in.