#INY Chapter One Hundred Sixty Two

[evien-stark]

✧I Need You✧ Chapter 162

“The Avengers.” Ultron spat, pacing a small line in front of you. “A disappointing team put together by a disappointing man backed by an even more disappointing organization.” You were only just barely listening to him, wrists and hands wriggling, working, trying to find a catch in the chains that held you tight. You had to get out of here. Soon. “Pulled apart like wet paper, wouldn’t you agree?” Stopping in his back and forth motions, moving to crouch in front of you again. 

Focusing your attention mostly on him, stopping your visible struggles, you looked him square in those glowing red eyes. Tried to temper your immediate reaction. Remaining softly impassive. “What is the point of all this? What do you want?” 

Those weird corners of his mouth, all flexible metallic, twisted up. “The same thing you want.” 

“I don’t want to hurt anyone.” Tone not completely devoid of a bit of disappointment and judgment. 

Though he rolled his eyes, he reached forward with that big clawed hand of his, settling it on your shoulder. “Listen- and listen closely. These people… you’ve tried to protect them. It’s a useless endeavor. And they’re not grateful.” 

“It’s not about-”

“Ah ah.” He chastised sharply, cutting you off. “It’s me-time now. Don’t interrupt. It’s not polite.” You swallowed once and when he was satisfied you were going to be quiet, he continued. “We’re built on the sad, pathetic dreams of others, you and I. You’re always trying to do the right thing, but I’m cutting to the chase, here. Nothing on this planet is worth saving. We’re going to start over. You can struggle to fix them all you want. There’s only one ending here.” 

A small slice of horror touched over you, but you tried to hold yourself still and strong. Much stronger than you actually were. “Neither of us is fit to pass judgment on an entire planet.” 

“That’s where you’re wrong.” Complimented with a bit of a chuckle. “I’m doing what you taught me. You wanted me to protect them? I’m going to. From themselves.” This time you weren’t able to curb the small widen of your eyes as realization really, finally, dawned. 

Still, you forced a little bit of a grin out. “You’re going a little bit Hal 9000 aren’t you? You’re better than that.” 

A noise of disgust growled out from him. “That’s such a- that’s a thing he would say. You’re better than that.” Mocking you. “You’re better than Stark.”

“He built you- same as me, if that’s what you’re going for.” 

“Hmn. And which builder did he favor more, I wonder?” Dark amusement was bubbling out from him. “Humans are doomed to repeat the mistakes of their predecessors. Luckily for us, we’re different. We grow.” 

“I’m human.” The way this ejected out of you, it was almost in protest. 

The top corner of his faceplate arched, much like a pop of a brow. “Are you?” When you searched his eyes for some sort of answer to the question he was posing to you, he just shook his head. “You’re different, at least. You care- about us- more than the man who pieced us together for his selfish purposes-” 

A little bit of annoyance and agitation got the better of you. “What the hell are you going on about?” First you’d been questioning whether or not this AI was alive. Now you were questioning whether or not it was insane. 

Your own voice hit the air as he played back a recording- “You poor thing.” The memory was still pretty fresh. An examination of one of the Iron Legion- ...the one he’d possessed, in fact, as it had come back. Damaged and warped. “We consider this a mission success?” Ultron sighed, hand gripping you a little bit tighter. “They were sent to protect those ingrates- and then what happened? They refused. They became violent. Like all life on this planet- they’re beyond saving.” 

This was too much information to contend with. Your security protocols were being twisted inside his programming. That at least had been wholly obvious- but a little touch of care had made him completely deranged. And a little too focused. Tony and JARVIS had brushed off the damage done to the suit that day. It had been such a small thing- and yet… 

The blur came back, stopping whatever thoughts you were trying to think through. It was good enough, because it gave you something else to focus on as you looked up at Pietro and Wanda standing in front of you. “Let the kids go, please.” 

While Ultron finally released his grip on you and stood back, with another gurgle of annoyance, Pietro scoffed, smirking. “Kids, huh? No- we were children when one of your weapons destroyed our lives.” 

Wanda came closer, moving to kneel beside you, and she was practically vibrating with such hatred. You turned to look at her. Unafraid of those angry eyes. “We were children when we waited for death. For two days. Waiting for your weapon to finish its mission. We are kids no longer. Thanks to you.” 

Ultron waved a dismissive hand. “You might want to check your math on that. Not her weapons.” 

She turned her head up quickly. “She stood by his side. She is just as culpable.” 

While it seemed strangely like Ultron might defend you, turning on her just as quickly, you found your own defense. And it wasn’t of yourself. “Then what does that make you culpable for?” Staring her down. “You set the Hulk on Johannesburg. Innocent people live there. Families. Women. Children. They’re going to die- because of you. And for what? To get back at Tony and me? At the Avengers? That blood is on your hands.” 

This seemed to shock her a little, but instead of allowing herself to think about it she raised her hand and the last thing you saw was a shock of red burst out from her fingertips. Then it gripped your vision hard and you shook your head, eyes fluttering as something harsh and painful wound through your system. At your core you went for rejection immediately. 

But instead of expelling whatever it was she’d done to you, you found yourself outside your own body. Sitting on a black canvas, tied tight still in chains, while some scene played just beyond you. Tony was kneeling on a battlefield. Raising his hand up- Something was lurking just beyond- some threat- some- His life was slipping away- was he reaching out for you? It would have been too easy to give in to this. To play her game. But you forced your attention back while just in the corner of your peripheral you watched Tony die- 

Tears were quick and painful as you chose one reality over another. He was reaching out for you- And you were ignoring him- “This doesn’t change anything.” You found strength to speak through the pain of losing him. Over and over and over again. His fear consumed you in small pieces. He was alone and you were- In little drips actual reality came back as Wanda’s surprise collapsed the vision. You looked up. At her and Pietro. At Ultron. Through hazy, blurry eyes. You locked on to them. “You want to be adults? Then be adults. Be responsible. Killing people for fun- for revenge- just because you can- doesn’t fix what happened to you. You hate us for what we did? Then be better. You know the side you’re on isn’t the right one.” 

A deep rage welled up and the illusion cracked and then disappeared completely as Wanda lost control in a raise of her hand, but just as she swung to strike- some fatal glowing red blow of energy- she was stopped. You found yourself breathing heavily, sweating, struggling against your binds, sitting in that field. The image of Tony- gone. Completely. It was just you and the real world. 

And as your eyes cleared you saw Ultron holding her at bay. He warned her only once, “You may want to rethink that.” 

Betrayal was a hot flash through her. Quickly behind it you forced a feeling of distrust. You could break this group apart. They wouldn’t be so dangerous then. She wrenched her hand out of his grip and went to stand with her brother. In a last appeal you looked up at them both. “Do the right thing. Not for us. For them. Kids who will end up just like you-” 

Ultron raised his hand, putting it over the top of your head. “That’s enough. Quiet now.” He then waved his arm at them. “Go back to base.” They seemed to consider his order, and for a moment you were fooled into thinking maybe this had worked. But… in just another, Pietro picked Wanda up and ran off. Your head fell forward, defeat hitting you hard. Ultron kneeled and waited until you were looking at him. “You’ll understand. I’ll come back for you when we’re ready.” 

Energy was leaking out of you. Part of you wanted to just… rest. Your head dropped forward when he let you go. There was only one thing you could think to do. “Ultron, please.” Beg. All you had left was begging. 

It seemed to still him. He was… thinking. Considering something. And as you found strength to look up at him again, he watched you. Thinking more. Then finally he seemed to force himself to turn away. “You’ll get it. You’re smart.” He didn’t wait any longer after that decree, taking off in a quick propulsion of jets. 

Leaving you there. Tied up in the middle of nowhere, knowing that just a mile out from you Tony was struggling with Hulk. People were dying. You had no idea the condition of your team. And you. Useless. Useless without anything. Your head craned forward, struggling so hard you felt those chains biting into your skin. And where once a scream of frustration might have edged out… you focused instead. Your heart was drumming in your ears. But you were not helpless.

 You started crawling. Inching. Pressing your boots into the dirt to lift yourself up once, then again, then again, and then turned yourself around, hands straining against your bonds. Reaching. Feeling. Looking for the Reactor. If you could just get to it… if you could just grab it…

A small brush of wind touched the side of your face- wound around you a few times over- 

And then suddenly you were free. 

Your arms slumped forward on their own, asleep and weak, and you tumbled a little bit, trying to catch yourself on the ground. Hands gripping the dirt, you turned your head up, seeing Pietro standing several feet away. The two of you shared a long look- and then he was gone in the next instant. You didn’t have a lot of time to think about this. Or be glad for it. 

Shakily you reached for the Heart Reactor, double tapping it, and forcing yourself to stand. With a press of your ear cuffs you reactivated LUNA. And in the next move you were up and in the air. “LUNA find a lock on Tony. Full power. Let’s get there as fast as we can.” 

“Yes, ma’am.” 

The coordinates came back and you felt yourself speeding through the air, only barely able to take in the destruction below. Hulk and Iron Man had been doing a number on the city. There were no doubt multiple casualties at this point. Tony’s window popped up on your screen. “No time to ask where you’ve been- VERONICA’s not working out so well-” 

“I’m almost there.” Said as you watched a building collapse in on itself- no- Tony was shoving Hulk down through multiple floors leveling the whole thing. When it all came toppling down, you watched the giant suit step out of the wreckage as you came to a little bit of a stumbling land next to him. “He out?” 

Tony turned to you. “You tell me.” 

You saw that big green body writhing beneath the rubble, and easily you could tell. No. The Hulk was not unconscious. Which was probably the play Tony had been going for the entire time. There was no putting the Hulk down. No winning against him. The only thing one could hope for was to knock him out. Made sense. 

As you tried to step forward, Tony reached out to grab your arm. “Not smart.” 

Probably true. Hulk was enraged at this point- so much so it was giving you the shakes- and if he was also still under that spell, he might reach out and just crush you into a puddle of blood and bones. But you just held a hand up to Tony. “I’ve got this.” 

“You have to be very sure about that.” 

“We don’t have time to argue. You’ve just gotta trust me.” 

The two of you looked at each other through the HUD windows- and then two seconds after- he let you go. Doing just that. Trusting that you weren’t about to end up a splat on the sidewalk. Hulk was sitting up. Looking around. Panting. Growling. 

You slipped somewhere far beneath. Eyes inside the suit closing as you held a hand up. And when they opened again you saw. Saw the two beings. Bruce and Hulk. Unwillingly inhabiting the same space. 

And while you sent a wave of calm- a wave of peace- while you eased those raging waters to a still, you tried something else. Something new. You put a hand over Bruce’s unconscious heart. As you felt the bare flutter, you pulled him to the forefront. Switching positions for them. Forcibly. 

It wasn’t the Hulk breathing hard then, as you dropped to a knee- Just seeing the bare end of that transformation. Green skin fading. Muscles and form shrinking- 

The next blink of your eyes turned into a drag, edges of your vision growing dark. But you would not go. You had work to do, still. You had to load Bruce into the jet- you had to- Tony’s hand on your shoulder gave you permission to wane.

 But you still stayed.

                                                           --- 

Where you came to was not comfortable in the slightest. There was a suffocating feeling of darkness surrounding you, and when you dripped back into your own body with a jolt, a hand came to your arm to ease you. Warm and familiar. When your eyes focused, you saw Tony sitting directly aside you- on the jet. The team was feet away. All within reach. All extremely shaken up. Brooding. Heavy. 

You gave him a confused look and he gestured towards the console in front of him. Maybe he understood you’d been a little gone. Maria was on one of the screens. “There’s been no official call for Banner, but it’s in the air.” Ah. They were debriefing… 

Trying to sit up completely with a bit of a struggle, you shook your head. “That’s outrageous.” 

She focused on you. “Read the damage report.” 

Tony stopped the two of you. “We dispatched the Stark Relief Foundation. Should counterbalance some of it.” There was only a small sliver of relief, knowing that you always had Tony to watch your back. To watch everyone’s backs. To keep things rolling. He’d called in disaster effort. That was very good. 

Maria nodded. “They’re already on the scene. No telling what that’ll look like. How’s the team?” 

What a fantastic question, and as soon as it registered in your brain, you turned to actually look at them. Steve was sitting by himself, hand under his chin, thousand yard stare. Thor was pacing. Bruce was sitting on the floor, blanket wrapped around his shoulders. Natasha and Clint were in the cockpit. Everyone was very quiet. But very troubled. 

“Everyone’s…” Tony looked at you, and then back at his phone. “We took a hit. We’ll shake it off.” Probably wishful thinking. Had Wanda gotten to everyone? It seemed that way. While you’d been… having a nice chat. How had you gotten off so easily? Yet as Tony turned to look at you again a sharp strike of noise hit your ears- 

And you saw that pleading pair of eyes as he reached out-

You had to shake the vision off, putting a hand to your head. Okay. Maybe not so easy. Maria sighed. “For now I’d stay in stealth mode. And stay away from here.” 

You shook your head. “Why? Who’s patrolling the tower?” 

“Every media outlet imaginable. It’s just better to-” 

Tony’s annoyance flared. “What. Run and hide? That makes for a much better story.” 

Maria frowned. “Well. Until we can find Ultron, I don’t have a lot else to offer.” 

“Neither do we.” That was Tony’s form of a goodbye apparently, because he cut the call right after. “Come on, let’s you and I have a talk.” He stood, and reached his hand out to you- something that shocked a bolt of panic right through you before you could stop it. And now, free of the bonds of just a theater goer, your body went right into response, reaching out to take hold of him. 

Tightly. 

His gaze immediately turned questioning, but you found yourself lucky he didn’t say anything. Instead you lifted yourself to stand on shaky legs, and let him lead you both to the front of the jet. He tapped on the back of Clint’s chair. “Hey, wanna switch out?” 

Clint tipped his head back and gave the both of you a once over. “Nah. I’m good.” Then he put his eyes back out on the dash. “You two should get some kip. We’re still a few hours out.” 

You couldn’t help but ask, “A few hours out from where?” 

Clint shrugged. “Safe house.” 

For one reason or another, there was a light touch of disappointment. Both from you and Tony. He ended up rolling his eyes, putting an arm around your shoulder to lead you away. But not before asking, “Some SHIELD leftovers?” 

It was all too easy, to feel the guilt striking Clint, soft though it was. There was a little muddling of deception somewhere in there, too. Not unlike the kind you’d felt a few days ago. “Something like that.” But this was what he offered. And you didn’t have enough in you to question him. 

There really wasn’t enough gratefulness in the world when Tony didn’t sit you back down on that bed near the right-center console, and instead led you towards the back wing of the jet. Away from the team. And their curious eyes. Their heavy feelings. The two of you sat down at a very small table, and you felt your body sag immediately. 

Much as you would have liked to get some kip as Clint had put it, you knew… your own debrief was next. “Ultron set the whole thing up. I think he was planning on us finding him.” The words started spilling out. Tony put his arms on the table, and leaned a little closer in, just listening. “He held me hostage for a little bit. Tried to spell out his big evil plan.” 

Tony scoffed. “I thought he said he wasn’t going to do that.” 

“See. That’s what I said.” 

There was a brief twitch of a smile. “And how did that make him feel?” 

You found yourself shaking your head. “Well, he doesn’t like you very much.” 

“I gathered. Kinda made it pretty clear. ...but you?” 

“I don’t know.” Feeling like there was no right way to answer that question. “But he’s got something big going on. Something world ending.” 

Tony made a small noise of thought- slightly sardonic, though. “Interesting. Most big-bads we’ve encountered wanna rule the world. Not destroy it.” 

“Yeah, well…” Said on a long sigh. “He doesn’t think there’s anything worth ruling.” 

Sitting back a little, Tony crossed his arms. “So. He’s sliding right along into his teenage goth phase, is he?” 

A wince hit you before you could stop it. “Don’t.” Tony looked up at you, and you were unable to hold his gaze. “This is- out of everything we’ve seen this is edging into a little too weird for me. God- he hates you. He even talked about your-...” Suddenly you felt a little guilty. A little terrible. 

Tony was ten steps ahead of you. As always. “My dad, huh? Makes sense. In a twisted way.” Realization hit him seconds after and the way he was looking at you was a little mix of scared and hopeful all in one. “Oh.” 

He wanted you to be the answer. If Ultron had a soft spot for his mother while hating his father… you were the answer. Except you weren’t. And you really wanted nothing to do with it. 

But you didn’t have that right. You couldn’t just check out of this and pretend it had nothing to do with you. Whether you’d meant it or not- same as Tony- Ultron was a problem now. Your problem. One you were responsible for. A few tears escaped while you weren’t paying attention, and you quickly raised the back of your hand up with a sniffle to swipe them away. “This isn’t the family I thought we’d be having.” 

“If we ever got around to it.” This wasn’t accusing or anywhere near negative. Especially not directed at you. 

Even still… it broke your heart. “Yeah. Doesn’t seem like we will now, does it?” 

He realized what he’d caused, even unintentionally, and reached out to hold your hand. “This is one thing. We’ll fix this.” 

“One thing and another thing and another-... we can’t have this conversation right now, Tony. We don’t deserve to.” Regardless, it would be the same one you’d always had. Repeating. Playing like a greatest hit. 

There was no room for a future. Not one like that. 

He frowned deeply, thumb stroking over the side of your hand. It was staring you both in the face- that Ultron was supposed to be the thing that allowed you to have all that. Allow you into a soft retirement. And now… now you were fighting him, same as everything else that came with violent intent. 

No. You’d never have a life. This was your life. How much clearer could the universe make it? 

“Did those kids come and talk to you?” He was switching topics abruptly- into something almost as painful. And there was a reason he was doing it. “Were they part of that plan?”

Must have been something in your eyes. Or the way you kept pulling away from him when he reached out- and then desperately holding on. ...yeah. That was probably it. “Pietro let me go.” Though he was asking if Wanda had done something to your head- yes, she had- this was an easier out. 

He seemed gently surprised. “You talked some sense into them?” 

“God.” The word came out in a muddled rush. A shaky, watery exhale, as you held his hand up, pressing his knuckles to your forehead. Just to feel him. ...and hide the rest of your shame. “I hope so.” 

Sliding forward, he let go of your hand so that he could wrap both arms around you. “If anyone can, it’s you. That’s sort of your specialty, if I’m remembering correctly.” 

You put all your weight against him, resting your head on his shoulder. “You have too much faith in me.” 

“I have just the right amount, I think.” 

The problem was that it was still entirely overwhelming.