Red Uprising

Chapter 7

"What the hell is going on around here?"

I'd thought the words, but I'm almost certain I never spoke them. There's a stillness falling over the room, a hushed silence as people take in the destruction around them.

"I asked a question, and I swear to God Tony, the answer had better be a good one this time." It's Pepper who emerges from the crowd, her face a picture of rage. "What the hell is going on around here?"

Wanda still has the boys, my boys, pinned in place. Steve and Tony, each wearing murderous expressions upon their faces while Bruce, Sam, and Bucky range from confusion to fear to pride.

Around me, the room is emptying; it takes several seconds before I realise Maria has ordered her agents to remove all civilians. She nods to me from the doorway but doesn't approach.

My eyes flicker between Steve, who avoids my gaze, and Sam, who gives a slight shake of the head, indicating he is as clueless as I am.

"Alright, fine." Pepper throws her arms up in surrender and turns to leave. "Wanda can hold you there all night for all I care."

"Oh, come on!" Finally, a response from Tony. "He started it!"

"What are you....? 12?!" Pepper has spun on her heels, marching back towards Tony.

There's a thud as Sam hits the floor, closely followed by Bruce and Bucky. Wanda has her attention on Pepper now, clearly anticipating a need to restrain her too.

"First, it's the endless partying, without reason, I might add. The drinking, when did I last see you sober Tony?" Her voice continues to rise as she becomes more irate. "The missions that keep you away for days at a time..."

"Forgive me for saving the world, honey." Tony scoffs in response.

"The world?" A harsh laugh escapes her lips. "You aren't even saving your own world! And don't think I don't know these missions are BS. Nick didn't send you on a single one of them!"

The silence in the room becomes more awkward. Several sets of eyes fall on Tony, who, for the first time I can remember, is speechless. Several other sets make their way to the floor, clearly embarrassed at witnessing this domestic. My own eyes glance towards Maria, hoping for an explanation only to find her looking equally as confused.

"I can explain, but not here, not now."  There is a pleading in his voice that I've never heard before, all trace of arrogance now gone.

"There's always a reason it can't be here, Tony; there's always a reason it can't be now."  Sadness layers Pepper's words as she turns and walks away.

Tony stumbles as he hits the floor, Wanda releasing the powers she holds him with.  He doesn't even glance around the room as he follows his wife towards the staircase.

Likewise, Steve's knees buckle slightly as the weight of Wanda's power leaves him.  Without realising, I catch him, having moved beside him without thought.  It's unsurprising, by his side is a space I've occupied almost as long as I've known him.  Each of us having the others back without question, save for the messy Sokovia Accords incident.

The silence remains heavy in the air as I look around the room.  Taking in faces I had once called family.  Half of them now avoid my gaze. The rest look at me with a mixture of sorrow and pity.

Except for one.

Standing towards the back of the group awkwardly is an unfamiliar face.  Dark hair tied back, shocking blue eyes full of eagerness and excitement.  She can barely be out of her teens yet stands among her peers with a feigned confidence that is hard to detect at a glance.

"Who's the kid?"  I nod in her direction.

She looks behind herself as if searching for something, and it takes a second for me to realise this isn't an act. She genuinely didn't expect me to notice her, let alone acknowledge her.

"Who? Me?"  She turns back towards me, motioning to herself with her hands.  "No, I'm not a kid; I'm 22."

Light laughter breaks out around the room as her cheeks flush red and her eyes drift towards her feet.  I'm reminded of Y/N awkwardly finding her place within the group.

"Alright, 22, you got a name?"

"LadyHawk."  She answers with a gesture that is half a nod, half shrug.  "Or HawkArrow.  Actually, we didn't really work that part out yet.  I'm completely open to suggestions if you have..."

"We don't use our made-up names here."  It's Peter's voice that ends her misery.

More laughter fills the air as her cheeks burn brighter.  My head tilts sideways slightly.  The names she offered up were a play on Clints.  I'm slightly taken aback that he never mentioned her.  I know she isn't one of his own kids, but outside of that, I'm clueless.

"Oh, umm, I'm Kate, Kate Bishop."  The feigned confidence returns.

"It's nice to meet you, Kate Bishop."  I close the gap between us, offering out my hand.  "I'm..."

"Natasha Romanoff."  She interrupts my introduction.  "I know. I umm huge fan. I actually saw you one time.  I mean, we didn't meet or anything. You were kinda busy with the whole alien invasion and all"

I can't help but smile at her awkwardness and enthusiasm as she bounces on her heels beside Peter.

"Come on, kid."  Steve's voice breaks through my thoughts.  "I think it's time we all got some sleep."