Saving Grace

Thirty Eight

Pietro's hurt, if only just a little bit, and slightly dazed. Grace wastes no time in aiming one of her hand blasters at him, though he doesn't actually see her until he sits up.

His eyes widen for a second, then he squints a little. "And what are you?" he asks in that Sokovian accent Grace is almost glad to be able to hear up close.

"Wh-What am I?" she asks incredulously. "You're one to talk."

His brows furrow. "How old are you?"

She hesitates, her hand shaking slightly, though it was already. That and her voice probably gave her away. "N-None of your business."

He has to be twenty, at least. That and the fact that he's with Ultron are both extremely regrettable. Honestly? He's kinda... cute...

"Look, Iron Child," he says, "I do not want to hurt you, and I can run much faster than your little weapon here."

"Did he just threaten you-?" Sai starts, but Pietro continues, cutting her off unknowingly.

"Let's call it a truce for now, huh?"

"I'm not a child," Grace says, frowning.

"Yes, you are," Sai mutters.

"Okay," Pietro says, putting his hands up in a disarming gesture. "You are not. My offer still stands."

She looks at him. The sounds of the battle around them are still raging, reminding her of her father. And she really doesn't want blast Pietro's face, especially at this short distance. It'd be a shame to ruin a work of art like that. "Fine. Go. And don't hurt my friends."

"I will try." He gets up, ready to run off, but then Steve appears and hits him back with the shield. Grace winces.

"Stay down, kid!" Steve says to Pietro. He grabs Grace's hand, pulling her away from the perceived danger. Grace shoves away from him, running off to find her father. Steve shouts after her to go back to Nat, but she ignores him.

She looks up, searching for him or Ultron but finds neither.

"Thor!" Steve says over comms. "Status?"

"The girl tried to warp my mind. Take special care; I doubt a human could keep her at bay. Fortunately, I am mighty," Thor replies.

Grace looks around, searching for Wanda, but finds nothing. She tries to focus on finding her father, but stats and scans are in her limited vision, so she drops the helmet down to find him.

She searches for a moment, but then something stills her. There's a tingling in the back of her head.

"Grace!" Sai shouts as she quickly pulls her helmet back up.

Then, she hears a distinct accent shout, "No!" but it's faint.

She turns, expecting to see more of the storage warehouse or whatever it is that they're in, a person possibly running at her. But she doesn't.

She's back home, in the room that the first fight with Ultron destroyed. Except, now, it's repaired.

And it's deathly quiet.

She starts to head for the stairs, confused. "Dad?" she says. But she receives no response. She tries again, walking up the stairs. "Dad?!"

And then there's a crash behind her.

She turns, seeing her suitcase on the floor as if it sprung opened when it landed, things in it spilling out onto the floor. Before she has time to look up to see where it came from, her easel comes down next to it, breaking into pieces. Then, her artwork, all ripped and destroyed.