Blue || Bucky Barnes

98. The Great Escape

It's not hard to see Nat and Steve's attachment to one another seeing as they haven't left each other's side since they got on the ship. As everyone makes it back to Aura's home they're all contemplating what their next move will be.
"Nat!!" Sam yells as soon as the group walk inside.
"Sam!" Her smile grows once again seeing her previously dusted friend. The pair embrace tightly and everyone's smiling brightly once more.
"Natasha!" Peter says running into the room upon hearing the commotion.
"Peter!" Nat's eyes well slightly as she embraces the young boy.

"So..." Steve starts. "Would you like to stay or go home. It's up to you."
Nat looks up at him still happy as ever. "I want to go home... maybe a shower too."
Steve nods grinning, showing her up the hallway. He opens the bathroom door for her pointing out the towels.
"Do you need anything else?" He asks her still not really believing that she's right in front of him.
"Clothes...?" Nat chuckles.
"Yeah okay, give me a second." He runs down to the living room. "Guys do you know where Aura keeps the spare clothes?"
"I don't know, but you can borrow some of mine." Leia says understanding that they're for Nat. Her and Steve walk back down the corridor to their rooms.

"Where is Aura by the way? She disappeared right after we landed." Tony looks around to see if he missed her presence.
"She went to the palace, she was going to talk to Zeus." Loki pipes up being the last person who spoke to her before she left.
"You let her go talk to him by herself!?" Thor's voice raises almost accusingly.
"Well yes..."
"Loki! You fool!! She could be walking into a death trap!" Thor booms running out the front door. He runs up the street, eyes darting everywhere trying to catch even a glimpse of the girl with a golden streak. He can hear the bustling sounds of the square ahead worried he'll never find her. He keeps running in the direction of the palace when he hears the sounds of boots thudding on the cobblestone.
"Hey!" Thor yells stopping Aura and Axyl in their tracks.
"Thor!" Aura says as he runs up to meet them.
"God you're okay!" He wraps her in a hug his heart rate finally steadying. "Where are you going?"
"We're leaving." She says grabbing Axyl's hand once more.
"You can't just do that! What about me?"
"Then come with us!" She says hastily.
"Not just me Aura, everyone else, our friends!"
"They'll be fine Thor, they all have each other, they'll understand." Aura tries to pull him with them.
"I'm not leaving without them, we need to take Nat home." The god tries to persuade her obvious made up mind.
"Thor unless everyone's ready to go right now, I can't stay another second. He'll come to stop me." She looks at him with pleading and fearful eyes.
"Alright go." He says turning around without another word and the pair sprint off once again.

"Everyone grab you're things, we're leaving!" Thor yells as he bursts through the door. They all just look up at him considering his abruptness. "NOW!!"
No one questions as they all move out the door. "What's going on?" Leia asks as she returns with Nat and Steve.
"We're leaving and unless you would like to feel the wrath of Zeus I suggest you get to the ship." Thor reiterates hurrying them all out.
"Thor!" Loki's voice pierces his thoughts.
"Loki come on!"
"Is she okay?" He asks not moving a muscle.
"Save your questions." Thor turns towards the door.
"IS SHE ALIVE?!!" Loki yells.
"Yes... for now, come on." That's all Loki needed as he runs after his brother to the Benetar.

The group runs through the city to where the Benetar stands hurrying on board.
"Guys! Where's Wanda!!?" Leia shrieks as the ship lifts into the air.
"Fuck." Quill mutters.
"She went out with Axyl!" Sam says.
"Where!!" Tony yells.
"I think they went to the square." Peter pipes up and Quill steps on the gas. They're all looking out the windows as they fly over the busy square.
"There she is!" Peter points hitting the button for the door to open.
"Peter I swear to god if you-" Tony starts but Peter's already launched himself out the ship. He shoots a web to one of the nearby buildings swinging around and scooping Wanda up.
"Peter!!" She screams.
"Hi, sorry! Hold on!" He says, shooting another web back up to the Benetar. Wanda hides her face in his chest as they launch through the sky, all the citizens below ogling at the craft above them. Peter lands where he jumped from only moments before and everyone looks at them wide eyed.
"Sorry Mr Stark what did you say?" He smiles smugly as the door shuts behind them.
"Sit down!" Tony says right as the ship launches through the sky.

"Shit!" Quill grits his teeth seeing that they're being followed by several Olympian Guard ships.
"There they are!" Thor points ahead to a white and blue ship zooming in the same direction as theirs.
Suddenly the Benetar turns abruptly and some kind of blast bolts past them.
"You've got to be shitting me!" Rocket yells tapping a few things on his controls, activating the Benetar's defence systems.
"Rocket don't shoot them! I'm assuming we're already in enough trouble as it is." Leia yells before he gets the chance to fire.
"Oh come on Blue, they're firing at us but I can't fire at them!?" He groans.
"She's right Rocket! Quill catch up to us and attach to the roof. I'm not leaving without you guys." Aura's voice comes through the ship's communications.
"Hold on!" Quill announces gripping the controls while everyone holds onto their seats. There's a jolt and the ship zooms through the sky much faster than before, the Olympian vessels doing their best to keep up. They continue to fire and Quill avoids the blasts, turning the ship from side to side, while Wanda sits with her hand covering her mouth, looking awfully green.

They're in closer proximity to Aura's ship now but the Olympians haven't let up. Aura sits beside Axyl flying the massive vessel.
"For goodness sakes!" She groans trying to aim the disarming blasters on her ship but the Benetar is in the middle, getting in the way.
"Hurry up and mount!!" Aura yells through the coms.
"I'm trying!!" Quill yells back as they're hovering over her ship, the anchors ready to engage. He lowers it slightly when an the almighty sound of metal grinding against metal rings through both ships.
Aura cringes not wanting to think of the damage. "What the hell are you doing!?" She yells.
"Shut up." He says trying once more while golden blasts fly past. He lowers the ship once again, this time the anchors successfully clasping on. He disengages the thrusters letting Aura's ship do the work.
Aura plays with some buttons on the large control panel, opening the hatch that now connects the Benetar to her vessel. "Hurry up and get in!"
They all follow orders promptly, transferring to the blue and white ship.
"Approaching jump!" Everything happens so quickly as the ship bolts forward throwing those standing against the back wall. The bright colours of space blur past them for a few seconds before they jolt again slowing down out of the Olympian's reach.
There's a few groans from the back where those who were thrown against the wall collect themselves.
"Goddammit Aura." Thor grumbles, standing up while everyone else stay silent. "What were you thinking?!"
"You told me to go!!" She counters and everyone's heads turn.
"You were going to abandon ALL of us!!?" Thor bites and Aura falls silent, feeling everyone's eyes on her. Her eyes dart around the room falling on Loki. She sees the disappointed look on his face and her adrenaline slowly diminishes, finally dawning on her what she was willing to leave behind in the heat of the moment.
"I'm sorry." She hits a button on the controls, getting up and leaving the room.
Thor just shakes his head as she disappears.
"Are you okay Thor?" Leia notices his disappointment.
"Imagine the last person you expected to ever abandon you leaving like she did!" Thor says just loud enough that he knows Aura heard him. No one responds to his seemingly rhetorical question, leaving the room in utter silence.

-

"Are you hungry? I could make you something." Steve asks Nat realising she probably hasn't had any food in a while.
"I'm not sure that's what I need right now." Nat laughs remembering his terrible culinary skills.
"Leia has taught me a few things since..." He stops himself before finishing his sentence.
Nat just smiles, understanding what he's trying to say. "Okay then, show me what you've learnt." She grabs his hand and leading him to the kitchen she'd found hours prior on her exploration of the ship.

Steve looks at her intently while she takes the first bite of what he cooked using the minimal ingredients on the ship. Her expression is blank and Steve can't read her, as usual, before she breaks a large smile.
"I must say, this sure beats the burnt eggs you tried to give me last time." Nat laughs and Steve breathes a sigh of relief.
"There's more where that came from." He winks with a cheeky smile.
"Thank you." She matches his grin.

A few people enter the kitchen area. Thor goes to the cupboards looking for food while Wanda and Peter fix themselves a drink. Axyl walks in with a huff seeing everyone helping themselves to the produce.
"Guys! You can't just help yourself to Aura's things, besides dinners gonna be ready soon." He gestures to the oven where some intricate dish cooks away.
"She's the one who got us into this mess, so we'll do what we please." Thor bites back agitated by Axyl's bossy tone.
"Would you please talk some sense into your brother." Axyl turns to Loki as the mischievous god walks in. Though without saying a word Loki walks over to the small compartment on the bench top, opening it and grabbing a piece of Xorrian fruit. Keeping eye contact with Axyl he takes a large bite while walking out the room.
"What a twat." Axyl mutters and Bucky laughs at his choice of words.