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"How did you find me?" I asked skeptically, after we'd loaded into a quinjet that had been parked a ways outside the city.

"We never lost you," Nat answered, slipping behind the wheel and lifting us off the ground.

"Heard that before," I shook my head, sighing, "So where are we going?"

"A safehouse."

"A safehouse..?" I frowned, looking between them, "Why, exactly, are we in need of a safehouse?"

"Same reason we need your help," Steve said, arms folded as he glared at Tony, "Would you like to tell Alivia why, exactly, we need her help?"

Tony cleared his throat, scratching at the back of his head. "We lost Loki's sceptre—"

"You did what?" I deadpanned, staring at him.

"We got it back, okay?" He raised his hands cautiously, "Banner and I were studying it in the lab, when we found some sort of... Intelligence inside of it."

"What does that mean, intelligence?"

"It worked almost like an A.I.," Tony explained.

"This is where Tony got the brilliant idea to use the sceptre to create a global defense program," Nat said to me over her shoulder.

"I really don't love where this is going," I said hesitantly, looking back to Tony to continue.

"He's called Ultron," Tony told me, folding his hands together, "And he—"

"He's batshit crazy," Nat interrupted, "He spent all of five minutes on the internet and decided that the best way to save the world was to eradicate human life."

I gaped at her. Looked between the three of them. "I mean... I can see why he would draw to that conclusion but... Stark, you made him, why couldn't you—I don't know—stop him?"

"Ultron was made from the intelligence inside Loki's sceptre... It's not like any computerized intelligence I've ever seen. I examined it against my own A.I., Jarvis, and it seemed almost like it was thinking. On its own."

"Right, so you mean to tell me, you've created a genius, genocidal, all-powerful artificial intelligence hell-bent on wiping out humanity. Got it."

"It escaped the Avengers Tower, and we tracked it down to a shipyard in Africa, where it went to deal with some illegal arms dealer, Ulysses Klaue. He was looking for vibranium."

"Why did it want vibranium?"

"No idea," Steve answered, "A weapon, most likely."

"And so, I'm assuming it didn't go great in Africa?"

"Ultron enlisted two of Strucker's experiments to help him," Nat said, "Long story short, we got our asses kicked."

"But, everyone's okay, right?" I asked, leaning in.

Steve glanced at me in his peripheral. There was a silence. Then he spoke, "Banner, he—He went nuts on a civilian town. A lot of people died."

I raked a hand through my hair, sucking in a breath. He was probably devastated. I remembered how broken I'd been after the accident in Asgard. I couldn't imagine the guilt over what the Hulk had done.

"And Ultron... Where is he going now?" I asked darkly, removing my fake glasses and tossing them aside.

"We don't know." Nat didn't look back at me when she answered. "He could be anywhere."

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"Strucker's experiments..." I began, approaching Steve, "Who—What—Are they?"

It had been bugging me ever since I'd learned about it. The question had been on the tip of my tongue, and I was planning on asking Nat the moment we landed, but she quickly scampered off inside to get cleaned up.

Steve was outside, chopping up wood, and alone. I'd been watching quietly from the window while he talked to Tony, waiting to get one of them alone. In the meantime, I called my dad to explain the situation. Well... Left a detailed voicemail. I had no energy to fight with him right now.

Finally, Tony sidled off to the barn to help Clint's wife with something, and I took the opportunity to approach Steve.

I picked up a spare ax, shucking off my jacket and getting to work, helping him chop wood. I was thankful I'd chosen a short summer dress to wear on my date, as the sun beat down on my shoulders.

"Wanda and Pietro Maximoff," Steve began, folding his arms and watching me wearily, "They were orphaned by the war in Sokovia. Strucker's experiments using Loki's sceptre, it changed them."

"Changed them how?" I asked, swinging the axe forcefully down, splitting the log in two.

Steve tilted his head at me, a warning look in his eyes. "Alivia," his tone was low, "I know what you're thinking. But we need your energy here. If you want to go after Strucker's crew after this business with Ultron is dealt with, I'll do whatever I can to help you, but... Don't get your hopes up."

"Changed them how, Steve?" I froze, glaring at him.

"Pietro, he has increased metabolism. Moves at crazy speeds, can catch a bullet in midair. Tough to fight." Steve sighed. "And the girl... She has telekinetic abilities. She did something to us in that shipyard. Made us see things. The team's pretty banged up. Tony and Nat seem on edge, and whatever Thor saw has him on some wild chase."

"Thor was here?"

Steve nodded. "He saw something that has him real scared, Alivia. I don't know what it was but he's determined to find out."

"And Nat and Tony?"

"They haven't said much since it happened."

"And what about you, Steve?" I asked, planting the axe into the ground and turning to face him head on, "What did you see?"

"I saw..." He shook his head. "It's stupid. The others seem scarred by whatever she showed them but me... I saw a girl. A girl I knew way back when."

My jaw tightened. "I'm sorry."

There was a heavy silence before I spoke up again.

"Steve... What happened to S.H.I.E.L.D.?"

I hadn't wanted to ask for fear of the answer. It had been all over the news, S.H.I.E.L.D.'s deepest secrets leaked everywhere.

"S.H.I.E.L.D. was compromised. HYRDA had infiltrated them and by the time we found out, there was nothing left to salvage."

"And Nick, he—He died?"

"That's what he'd have the public believe," Steve responded. "But rest assured, the son of a bitch is very much alive and kicking."

"Language," I smiled a little, in spite of myself. He laughed, shaking his head. But his face quickly took a more serious expression.

"Alivia... Nat's really hurting. Whatever that Maximoff kid showed her, it's got her shaken up. I think she really needs a friend right now."

I nodded stiffly. "I don't know if she wants to see me, Cap."

"She might put on a brave face, Alivia, but she's been hurting ever since you left. You were something special to her, and she needs you now."

I sighed, looking up at an upstairs window. I nodded again, bidding Steve a quick goodbye before making my way inside.

"Hey, Firebyrd," a voice greeted me as I opened a bedroom door.

"Bruce," I smiled.

He was alone in the room, his hair wet after just having taken a shower. The water was running in the adjoining bathroom, and I assumed Nat was inside.

"I heard about what happened," I said softly, and his smile faded. "How are you holding up?"

"I've been better," he laughed weakly. "Something like that... It's not something you get over fast. Its not something you get over... Ever."

I approached him, pulling him into a hug. "I understand. Believe me, I do. The destruction I caused in Greenwich... It was overshadowed by my whole saving the world thing but... I caused so much damage, people... People died."

He ruffled my hair. "Hey, I've seen the stuff you can do, kid. You're a natural with that fire, you're getting so much better at controlling it. You should be proud of yourself."

"You'll get there too, Banner. Your condition is a little harder to get a grip on than mine."

"You know, I think that's the first time the other guy has been referred to as a condition," Bruce laughed, a genuine laugh. "You make it sound like a cold I caught."

I laughed too. Then, the door to the bathroom creaked open.

"Am I interrupting your happy reunion?" Nat asked, a small smile on her lips. At first glance she seemed okay. But when I really looked, I could tell there was something weighing on her. Something heavy.

Bruce looked down at me. "I'll give you two some space."

I nodded, and Bruce left us alone.

I looked to Natasha, the wet strands of her hair clinging to the side of her face.

"It's good to see you Nat," I said, stepping toward her, "Really."

"It's good to see you too," she smiled warmly, holding out her arms.

I fell against her, hugging her tight enough to squeeze the air from her lungs. She laughed. "Trying to kill me?"

I pulled away. "Sorry, I just didn't know what to expect. I thought you might hate me."

"I understand why you did everything you did, Al," Nat said, "Doesn't mean I was happy about it but I... I understood."

She slumped down on the bed as she spoke.

I sat down next to her. "Natasha, what did you see?"

"My past." That was all she said. I knew little of Nat's past, aside from that it was something she was ashamed of.

I nodded, clasping her hand. "When S.H.I.E.L.D.'s info was leaked, Nat—I want you to know, I stayed away from everything regarding you, your past, all of it. That's for you to tell me when you're ready. And when, or if, you do, I'll listen, and I won't judge. And I won't leave. We've both done things we aren't proud of."

She smiled at me. "Thank you."

I smiled right back.

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