The Kind You Save

Chapter 3

"So, heaven... it's real?" Natasha Romanov questioned, it was clear that she thought this was all some kind of big joke. But it's not.

Thor let out a huge chuckle at that comment. "Of course it does, where do you think you're not going?" he teased.

"Of course heaven exists, but not in the way you believe it does. It isn't a place of harmony after death where you are suddenly immortal and at peace. In fact, you aren't immortal and you aren't at peace." I said gently, padding my way through the river to sit on the bank again, now that I couldn't hit them with my wings.

"How?" Bucky questioned, sitting in front of me.

"Well, it's another planet. When you die, your mass is collected and reformed on Heaven, the planet. You can be there from a minute to a year, it's just the process. Everybody has a list of things to do while they're there. You can travel between worlds and all sorts, it's quite fun, except you have to finish the tasks on the list in this unknown amount of time. It determines how worthy you are of reincarnation - if you'll be reincarnated as a wasp or a dove, a human or an amoeba. You never can tell. That's heaven." I said quietly. It's rather sad to me, people on Earth have convinced themselves that after death there is peace, no more pain. But that isn't the case at all.

"And, you?" Steve eyed me suspiciously, yet anyone could tell he was sorry for me.

"I was banished. I was expelled from heaven. And now I live in hell. My friends, the other angels, they set me up. Tried to sabotage one my projects. I was trying to show an old man that this was his new chance, no matter what he did in his last life, whatever he does now can change it all. They sabotaged it and made him erase his mass, use it for different things instead of the life it was made for. And I was expelled because I let him down. You know the phrase, angels fall from heaven or whatnot?" Everyone nodded at my words. I crossed my arms over my chest. "Well I fell from heaven, all the way down and it was a pretty nasty fall. I landed right on top of a Hydra building.

Bucky reached his metal hand out and lay it gently on my knee. I put my own hand delicately on top of his is a graceful "thank you".

"They saw me before I could hide, well, these. Regardless, I was too weak from the impact to have been able to hide them. And so they took me a specimen, did tests and all sorts on me. Before then, my powers, if you will, could manipulate matter, as they still can, but had no ability to kill. they could rearrange molecules, recreate things and bring people joy. But the serum put more into me. If I touch while I'm either not wearing these gloves, or the gloves are turned on, a poison will run through you, even if I barely touch you, and things can randomly combust around me when I'm angry. I'm just no good anymore. I'm evil now." I explained it all to them, their eyes softening in turn and Bucky's grip tightened on my knee.

"So, how come you have an accent?" Tony asked suspiciously.

"I was alive once, I couldn't prove myself worthy in the time I had, but I could prove myself useful. Though this was around 80 years ago." I  replied, looking him in the eyes for the first time.

His mouth moved to form an "O" as he looked away.

"Well Mykie, we want you on our team regardless." the Captain said proudly as he stood up, Bucky following him with a hopeful look on his face.

"I could never, I'm too dangerous, I do apologise," I said sorrowfully and I rose up myself, pulling my wings back into my body after they had a stretch.

"But we need you, we need another supersoldier for the missions, an angel for comfort and an incredible person for the company. You fit all three roles!" Tony fought. 

"What if I set the tower on fire, or forget to turn these off and touch one of you." I peered down at my hands in dismay, a blessing, yet a curse. 

"And what if you don't? Come on, I could do with some more female company." Natasha said as she stood up, placing her cold hand delicately on my shoulder, gripping it reassuringly as I flinched. 

"At least let us give you somewhere to stay, even if you just stay for the night," Clint spoke up. That sounded fair, I had too little energy left to argue any more and so nodded in agreement.

Bucky and Steve cheered loudly together, though I quickly hushed them as I heard a branch snap in one of the trees close to the bank. Everyone looked at me oddly.

"Heightened senses, wait here." I whispered as I paced through them towards the tree, clicking the "on" button and stopping a foot away from the tree. I closed my eyes and pressed my hand against the trunk of the Willow tree.

My hand grew hot and my veins began to pulse. Focus. 

I could feel my veins pulsing purple as my winger flew out ever so quickly, knowing this was the most danger I've been in today. As the poison soaked up through the tree, I quickly raised my hand above my head and caught the bullet in my palm, the bullet that was racing towards my skull.

"Hello again Sir, Though I'm afraid, I still haven't got any information for you," I announced to the man sat on a branch directly above me as I watched the poison penetrate his skin, infecting and killing him. 

Turn.

Press "off".

"Ok, let's go," I said to the Avengers, holding the bullet in my hand as they stared at me, some turning to lead the way back to the tower.