THE BEGINNING OF THE BATTLE

She didn't want him to look like that. He appeared to be happy, standing at his best friends side. It was like he knew she was going to be there, and he wanted to drive the knife deeper. Even with him trying to kill her, she knew she had to save him. Not because she needed him as a friend, but because of how they would treat him if they captured him. He would have no life left to live, and if anyone knew that better it was Ileana. 

Tony was ranting to them, she couldn't blame him really. The Secretary of State had been really persistent that this should be done within thirty six hours, and he was getting stressed quickly. He said that twenty four hours ago. Time was running out, and the rope around all of their necks was only getting tighter. 

Bucky couldn't stop staring at her. He didn't say anything when she followed behind both Tony and Rhodey, arms crossed and glaring at them both. She had to keep up the pretence, so when she saw Bucky's hands moving slowly at his sides she only read what they said. 

"I'm sorry." His hands spelled out his remorse. A lump formed in her throat; she pushed it down. Blinking rapidly, she unfolded her own arms and let them dance at her sides. His eyes were glued to them, analysing each sway and jolt of them. 

"I know." 

He didn't seem any better, casting his gaze away. She understood why - it would look suspicious if he kept looking at her, and yet she couldn't help but feel guilty. Ileana had thought this entire time that he didn't care that he had left her behind, but what if it had been eating at his conscience the same way her doubt about their friendship engulfed her? She couldn't ponder it too long, the whizzing red and blue in the sky coming closer. In a single fluid swing, Peter had snatched the shield off of the Captain and stuck his hands together. 

She held so much admiration for him. 

"Good job, kid." Tony praised, eyes staying on Steve. She hadn't noticed before, the dark shade of bags hanging under his eyes and the veins popping vibrantly out of them. He was tired, they all were, and he needed Steve to do this. Their friendship and the fate of the Avengers depended on it. 

Peter, overwhelmed by the positive comment from Tony, rambled on. "Thank you, Mr Stark. The swing could've been better, but with the new suit and all - not that I'm hating on it, I love it - it's hard to get accustomed." 

Steve huffed, irritation evident on his face. "Seriously Tony, you brought a kid into this! And Ileana, what has she got to do with this?" 

Her head snapped towards him, attention instantly captivated. She didn't expect America's golden boy to recognise her face, yet alone remember her name. He did live up to his reputation, one of the few things the media was actually truthful about. 

"They have everything to do with this! You don't sign those Accords, they'll all be affected! They deserve a chance to fight, I'm only giving it to them." Ileana scoffed internally. She had been blackmailed into joining a fight she had no part in, and she was hoping that she wouldn't be sticking around for much longer. 

"You can't stop me." 

Those words rung out in the silence. The only hope Tony and the rest of them had for the others to admit defeat had evaporated. It was a pipe dream in the first place; a dangerous one at that. It made the sudden reality so much harder to handle. 

"Watch me." 

Tony had a look on his face she hadn't seen in her time of knowing him, something she hoped she never had to see again. Gone was his easy going attitude, replaced with a fury that couldn't be described in words. He was fuelled by it, taking a step towards Steve. 

Until he uttered one word, raising his arms and letting the real battle commence. 

An arrow split the webs at Steve's hands. Chaos ensued, people Steve having recruited making an appearance. Ileana was shocked at the power they had - there was no way Tony could win this one without a casualty. 

Tony growled, snapping his mask down. He turned to Ileana, the malice in his voice not muffled by his mask. "You get Barnes, that's your only job." 

Should be easy, she thought sarcastically to herself. She nodded to him, giving him a thumbs up as she dodged Vision diving. Tony gave her one back, wishing her good luck. She was going to need it. 

Ileana rushed off in the direction she'd seen Bucky flee to, eyes dancing all around the airport for the familiar glint of metal and shaggy hair. There was lots of ground to cover, a super soldier to catch, and a fight going on at the same time. It had been an impossible mission from the start, perhaps set up to prove that she couldn't be trusted and leave her to rot in prison. 

She couldn't think like that. 

She needed to find Bucky. Fast. Otherwise the others would find him, or worse, see her help him escape. Both of those options didn't end well for her. 

Her eyes continued to scour the area, huffing and throwing her arms in the air when she couldn't see him. She could've asked Tony for some technology, like the one in his suit, to pick up thermal radiation but her mind had been preoccupied. Her rational thoughts had been drowned out in anxiety and doubt. 

She had to do a double take when she saw it. She was ready to give up looking in that area when she saw Peter crawling alongside the building, trailing the one and only Bucky Barnes. Ileana couldn't believe her luck, all she had to do was make sure Peter wasn't around and lead Bucky to the hanger where the last plane was. 

Inhaling all of the oxygen she could, she set off, sprinting throughout the airport. She'd been lucky to avoid any conflict, and she knew that her luck was going to run out eventually. Unfortunately for her, it ran out just as she hoped it would last. 

Peter had crashed through the glass, pursuing both Bucky and his winged friend. They were fighting, and Peter's swinging figure continued to glide through the air. She could only pray that he wouldn't get in her way. 

She was about to rush towards the inside of the airport, ready to greet what she thought of as a friend when she saw it. Wanda Maximoff, a witch of different types of freaky, alongside Clint Barton, archery extraordinaire. Tony was in front of them, probably sassing the both of them to kill him. Ileana knew that she should go to Bucky, but her stomach twisted as she watched. The moment the arrow fired into the air she ran. She ran faster than she ever thought she would for the sarcastic ass hole who called her a Twiglet. Even though he was an ass, the thought of him dying hurt her more than she wanted to admit. 

Red magic danced in the air, enveloping the cars above and taunting them downwards. Ileana wanted to scream, to yell at Tony to get to safety, away from the falling cars that most likely would have Death knocking on his door. The first car fell, jolting Tony. His head snapped up realisation of what was happening too late. Another car collapsed on top of him, and another, and another. 

The red and gold metal disappeared under the rubble. 

She picked up her speed, hurtling towards the girl who had too much power. The tarmac shuddered under her speeding feet, sending shock waves up her feet and travelling up her legs. Wind whistled in her ears and her braid flew behind her. She was oblivious to all of her senses, her whole attention focused on one thing. 

Wanda. 

Ileana crashed into her body just as she was about to tease another car down. They both collapsed to the ground, Ileana straddling her waist. She pinned her hands above her head using only one of her hands, the other aiming a punch at the girls jaw. Her skin connected with her jaw, and the blazing pain that followed was worth it. Wanda let out a cry, head cracking to the side. She would've felt guilty about it if she hadn't had tried to bury Tony under the entire parking lot. 

Her victory was short lived. Red magic enveloped her body, lifting her body and hurtling towards her doom. Ileana imagined that birds must feel this fear the first time they fly, the wind a ferocious beast they had yet to conquer. The only difference between a bird and Ileana? A bird wouldn't slam into the opposite wall. A pained scream ripped through her, her body tumbling to the ground. Her spine was bruised, and gravity played its role by letting her fall to the ground. She lay there, crumpled, staring ahead. A flicker of red metal was seen, a mechanical arm shooting out of the rubble. 

"Couldn't have warned a guy, huh?" Tony shouted, pushing another piece of rubble away. He didn't even need to see Ileana's eye roll to correct himself. "Right."