The Valiant (The Seventh Avenger)

Chapter 75

I knew what I had to do when I found these kids. I knew that I will go back out to find more children who lost their parents in the decimation. The communicator went straight to Bruce when I appeared at the compound with the boy and the baby, who I found out was a girl, went straight to Natasha. Nat did assure me that she knew what she was doing for she helped Clint take care of Nathanial when she babysat him.

I walk down the street, a little girl grasps onto my arm as an older boy walks beside me. I weave through the streets and snap a picture of the license plate for the baby girl's car so we could identify her. It was easier to talk to the kids once they saw my uniform. I didn't wear a mask because I had nothing to hide anymore. If people find out my past, I don't really care. All I worry about is getting these kids off the streets before they get themselves hurt.

Steve took the North side of the city while I took the south side. We coordinate our way to the center of the city to meet there and bring the kids back to the compound. He said he got three boys and a girl about an hour ago but we knew we will be out here for a lot longer than that.

"If you hear or see anything, please let me know," I instruct, I can't do this on my own. Everything I see reminds me of the people we lost. The flames remind me of Wanda, the concrete on the street remind me of Evan, the pigeons flying around remind me of Sam. It's only been ten hours, yet I see them everywhere. The sun begins to rise in the distance, but the chaos continues. I knew that with my wandering mind I would miss something.

Shouts and a giant group greets us down the block, it was too late to go back for they already seen us. My hand grasps tighter around the girl's and I grab the boy's arm to make sure they stay with me.

"It's time for us to reign!" A voice comes over the microphone and cheers follow. "It's time for us to take over the government now that President Kirkman is dead!" Shouts follow and I have to stop to take a breath. The president was decimated, which reminded me that so many people in power must have been decimated, which means so many other places must be like this. The man with the microphone stands on a car and points at me. "It's time for these Avengers to stop. First Ultron, now this! I can guarantee you that they were at fault of this."

The boiling blood in my system warningly tried to stop me from stepping up to the car. I left the kids together and they stare at me with fear-filled-eyes. The man stares at me then his eyes linger to the Avengers' patch on my shoulder sleeve, it glistens against the light and he squints at me.

"The infamous Valiant," his breath reeks of alcohol and yellow teeth grin at me, "the child who has been protecting us for all these years decided to show up now. After the Accords, you have some nerve showing up here. I heard your ransom is worth over a hundred thousand dollars since you escaped."

His eyes linger for any indication that I give a shit. Which I don't because I did what was morally right and that's all that matters for me. I'm sick and tired of feeling like I have to prove myself to anyone or anything in my life. Now it's my time to show them who I really am. To show that there's a person behind the whole fireball.

"I suggest you all go home to your family," I ignore him and his face begins to turn red. "The first responders are trying their best to help those who are injured. I suggest-"

"You suggest what? That we listen to, a fourteen... fifteen-year-old girl? A girl who is part of the team who was supposed to protect us but ended up splittin' up like a band and failing to prevent this? How can we trust anyone like that?"

"I'm here to help sir," I growl, "I suggest that you take it." A scream sounds behind me and I twist around to find the two kids held at knifepoint. The tip just scraping their skin. "Let them go."

"Or what? It's one against a hundred, you're just a girl."

I try to summon flames but only pain greets me, a small spark appears on my fingertips and I know that was all that was going to happen. I shake out my arms and I wipe the tears coursing their way down my cheeks. He's right.

"You're not wrong," I sigh, adjusting the cuffs on my arms, "I am just a girl. A girl named Grace Margaret Moriarty. A girl with abilities like no other and a girl who protects those in the name of Attolia. One of the two girl Avengers who is here to protect and help the people. Now I am only going to ask you one more time: let them go."

After his refusal, it took me one second to slam him on the ground. The crowd circled around us but stayed silent as they stared at their fallen leader. He was a beacon of hope for them. But now, on the ground, he's a human being. My gaze travels throughout the crowd.

"Now go home to your family," with those words, the people dispersed. Going in all directions, returning home and the violence stopped. The two children came up to me and stared down at the man who is now knocked out, but my gaze remains on my arms. Every time I call for flames to appear pain greets me instead. My eyes water and I quickly blink them away.

"Come on," I say gently, but it just comes out as a croak. My abilities are ruined, the snap destroyed them. My hand grazes over the designs but something is different. I look down at it and let the tears roll down my cheeks. My brother's designs are gone. The only thing I had left of his was gone. I take a deep breath, I need to stay strong for the kids. I need to show them that there's still hope that everything will return to normal, "let's keep going."

Steve and I met at the center of New York City, but he already knew something was wrong when he saw my face. He ran up to me checking all over the place to make sure I was okay, but he was looking in all the wrong places.

"Grace, what's wrong?" He asks when he sees that I'm not physically injured. The tears just roll down my cheeks and my lips tremble as my arms shake. There was no way of escaping this mess that Thanos had created. But there is still hope of getting the stones back and undoing this mess.

"My abilities," I raise my arms to show him and cry out when I summon the flames, "they've been destroyed." I'm nothing without these abilities. They are what made me... me. They are what made me who I am today and helped me fix things and helped me handle certain situations. If there is any way I could get them back to help people then I need to figure out that way.