TOXIC ~ STEVE ROGERS [1]

Chapter Twenty Seven

The four of us jogged around the corner to another part of New York. Devastation was everywhere. I'd tried to get as many people inside buildings as I could but there were still bodies lying alone in the dust. I pulled a cigarette from my pocket and put it to my lips, lighting it with a flick of my finger. Having your own constant energy could come in handy.

"Is this really a time to be smoking?" Barton said in disbelief.

"I'd be dead if I wasn't," I replied, which only added to his confusion. I puffed a spiral of smoke and felt instant relief as energy filled me. I let out a rather loud sigh and Barton looked at me even more confused than before. I shrugged at him and surveyed the scene. There didn't seem to be many Chitauri around this part.

Oh how I was wrong.

A loud, unearthly roar filled the air above us. I shadow passes over us, and I looked up in horror along with the rest of the crew.

An enormous floating alien had emerged from the portal, and was flying over us, carrying hundreds of Chitauri soldiers. It was fat and fish like, with a tail and fins that guided it through the air. As it passed over us, dozens of Chitauri launched themselves from the giant flying monster and grappled onto the buildings, sliding down and firing at anything they could with blue energy guns.

"Stark you seeing this?" Rogers said into his earpiece.

"I'm seeing, still working on believing. Wheres Banner? Has he shown up yet?" Tony replied from inside the suit.

"Banner?" Rogers seemed confused as to why we would want Banner here, but I could see we desperately needed him.

"Just keep me posted. Jarvis, find me a soft spot." I watched as Tony flew alongside the giant alien, parrallell to it's body. The alien passed away from us, and we turned our attention to another problem.

Loki was soaring towards us on an alien chariot, his face cold. He fired at the ground from the chariot, and cars, people and rubble flew through the air. Citizens ran towards us, away from Loki.

"Those people need assistance down there," Rogers said, pointing down at the plaza. Natasha pulled out her pistols and began firing at the Chitauri that were charging towards us.

"We got this. It's good. Go!" Natasha yelled to Rogers. Rogers turned to Barton.

"You think you can hold them off?" He asked.

"Captain," Barton flicked the trigger on his bow. "It would be my genuine pleasure."

Rogers began to move towards the plaza, but stopped. He turned and looked at me.

"You coming?" He said. I exhaled, smoke swirling from my lips.

"Of course," I said, and when he began to run I followed suit, running alongside him.

We jumped over upturned cars and over flaming rubble, and I tried my hardest to fire accurately at the Chitauri, but failed miserably. I swore I heard Rogers chuckle at me as I missed another alien.
There were cops and firefighters battling around us, but the only reason they survived was because they had guns and Rogers and I were there.

"We need to get out! They gotta bring the National Guard!" A young male cop was glancing around at the chaos, his eyes wide with fear. I instantly felt a swell of pride for him. He only looked around my age, and here he was, fighting these impossible creatures with only a pistol.

"National Guard?! Does the army know what's happening here?!" Another cop, probably a sergeant responded.

"Do we?" The younger cop said, his face contorted with mixed emotions. He didn't want to be here. Hell, I didn't want to be here. But it was his duty, just as much as it was mine.
He was trying to save people because he wanted to do the right thing.
I was saving people because I wanted redemption.

Rogers jumped in front of the two men, on top of an upside down taxi.
The men stared in awe at him. I mean, I would too. The man was gorgeous.

"I need men in these buildings," Rogers pointed to the surrounding buildings. "There are people inside that could run into the line of fire." Rogers kept on talking but my own thoughts blocked out his voice.

I'm suprised I didn't think of them sooner. Maybe in the madness, in the rush of the pain and being mind controlled I just forgot.
But I remembered now, and I hoped I wasn't too late.

Without thinking, I started sprinting away from Rogers, who as heroically fighting off some Chitauri while the police men watched in awe. I heard him yell my name as I ran, but I ignored it. I'd be back, just as soon as I saw them.

Jumping over cars and through fires, blasting Chitauri to pieces as I ran, I held their faces in my head. They had to be ok. They had to be.

Above me, Tony prepared to face one of the giant alien fish that was hurtling towards him. I wished him luck in my head, and scooted around the corner.
My old apartment building stood in front of me, pieces of the roof crumpled and broken. My heart almost froze, and I feared what I would find it I went up there.
And if my fears were right, it would be all my fault.

I races up the stairs while the ground shook. More Chitauri were climbing through the hole in space, and I realized that they wouldn't stop unless we shut the hole.

But my power had created an inpenetrable barrier around the Tessaract. It would be impossible to stop.
How did I get involved in all this? Why was I chosen, by whatever God was up there to fight this battle? I wasn't meant to be a hero. That was my brothers fate, not mine. I'd left that life behind, and yet it still couldn't let me go.

My thoughts turned darker still as I reached the top of the stairs, where my apartment was. Swiftly, and without thinking, I yanked open the door. I knew if I thought about it too long I wouldn't do it.

The apartment was a mess. The floor was littered with everything. Food, clothing, pieces of wood and metal.
No sign of Bri and Max.

I raced through the bedrooms, calling their names. Nothing.
No sign of them.
My heart was pounding and I thought the worst.
What if they had died? What if they had died and I had failed at keeping them safe, and keeping them together?
I don't think I could live with myself if it was true.

I slammed open the bathroom door and looked around wildly.
It took me a second to see it.

There they were, lying snuggly in the bathtub, hands around each other, Bri whimpering while Max stroked her hair and jumped everytime the building shook.
It took him a second to see me.

I was by their side I'm seconds, one hand on Max's face and the other on Bris.
"Thank God you're safe," I said quietly, relief rushing through me like a river.

"What...Keight?" Bri stuttered, her face contorted in a mixture of fear and hope. Max pulled me into a hug, but I pulled away.

"I need to go. Stay here. Be safe," I said, standing up and going to the door.

"Keight what's happening?" Bri called out and it made me stop in my tracks.

I turned my head and looked at them, both so normal and scared and beautiful in their innocence.
"We're under attack. And it's my fault."

Authors Note
Suprise bitches it's a Christmas Day update because I have no self control and need to update before one of my readers (you know who you are) kills me