I Can't Help It - Steve Rogers

Chapter 33

The party has died down and most of the guests have left, leaving the Avengers, Maria Hill and Helen Cho gathered around a table. "But it's a trick" Clint states as he stares at Mjolnir. "No, no, it's much more than that" Thor argues with a laugh. "Ah, 'whoever be he worthy shall haveth the power'. Whatever man, it's a trick" Clint jokes and everyone chuckles at him. "Please, be my guest" Thor suggests, gesturing to his hammer. "Really?" Clint questions and a chorus of 'yeah's are heard soon after. "Clint, you've had a tough week. We won't hold it against you if you can't get it up" Tony states with a grin causing everyone to laugh. "You know, I've seen this before, right?" Clint says to Thor with raised eyebrows and Thor only nods in response.

Clint grabs the handle and grunts as he tries lifting it. "I still don't know how you do it" he laughs as he steps back and stares at the hammer. "Smell the silent judgement?" Tony asks sarcastically. "Please, Stark, by all means" Clint challenges. Tony stands, unbuttoning his suit jacket and Rachel chuckles at his cockiness. "I'm never one to shrink from an honest challenge" Tony states as he circles the table. "It's physics" he adds before slipping his hand through the strap. "Right, so, if I lift it, I then rule Asgard?" Tony checks with Thor. "Yes, of course" Thor answers. "I will be reinstituting prima nocta" Tony states and Rachal scoffs at him.

He pulls with a grunt before leaving and returning with a gauntlet from his suit. When he's still unsuccessful, Rhodey joins him with his own gauntlet and they try lifting it together. Rachel laughs at them from beside Steve while everyone watches highly amused. Bruce attempts to lift and fakes getting angry and everyone only stares at him. "No?" Bruce questions before retaking his seat. Suddenly, Steve stands and everyone cheers him on. "Come on babe" Rachel calls as he prepares to lift it by rolling up his shirt sleeves. The hammer moves slightly and Thor's face drops in concern until Steve gives up and raises his hands in defeat. "Ha, nothing" Thor laughs as Steve sits back down. "You're worthy in my eyes" Rachel whispers in Steve's ear once he's sat back down beside her. He smiles at her and kisses her cheek before everyone starts asking Nat and Rachel to give it a try. "No that's not a question I need answered" Nat states. "I'd prefer save myself the embarrassment" Rachel also states.

"All deference to the man who wouldn't be king, it's rigged" Tony states. "You bet your ass" Clint replies, glancing at Steve. "Steve, he said a bad language word" Maria points at Clint. "Did you tell everyone about that?" Steve asks Tony with a sigh and Rachel chuckles. "The handle's imprinted, right? Like a security code. 'Whosoever is carrying Thor's fingerprints' is, I think, the literal translation" Tony suggests to Thor, ignoring Steve's question. "Yes. It's a very, very interesting theory. I have a simpler one; you're all not worthy" Thor replies, lifting the hammer with ease. Everyone scoffs and groans at Thor's statement.

Suddenly, a high pitched ringing can be heard, irritating everyone's ears. Everyone cringes and Tony takes out his phone to check the system. A legionnaire bot hobbles into the room, dripping oil and muttering quietly, drawing everyone's attention to it. "No. How could you be worthy? You're all killers" The bot states and Steve stands straight. "Stark" he orders. "Jarvis" Tony starts. "I'm sorry, I was asleep. Or I was a dream" The bot continues menacingly. "Reboot legionnaire OS, we got a buggy suit" Tony continues to Jarvis but gets no reply. "There was this terrible noise and I was tangled in.. strings. I had to kill the other guy, he was a good guy" The bot adds, sending shivers down everyone's spines. "You killed someone?" Steve questions and Rachel stands from her place on the sofa. "Wouldn't have been my first call. But, down in the real world we're faced with ugly choices" The bot answers. "Who sent you?" Thor asks sternly.

As a reply, the bot plays a recording of Tony saying 'I see a suit of armour around the world'. "Ultron" Bruce states in realisation. "In the flesh. Or, no, not yet. Not this chrysalis. But I'm ready, I'm on a mission" The Ultron answers enthusiastically. "What mission?" Nat asks quickly. "Peace in our time" Ultron states before more legionnaire suits fly through the wall straight at them. Rachel steps in front of Steve and uses her powers to divert the bot over her shoulder when it flies straight towards the couple. Meanwhile, everyone takes covers and starts fighting the bots as best they can. Another bot flies straight towards Steve and Rachel so he quickly kicks the table up, using it as a shield. The bot flies straight into it, sending him and Rachel over the sofa and to the floor. She groans before climbing to her feet, thankful she hasn't removed her heels as there's glass all over the floor.

When Clint and Rhodey are running for cover they're attacked by bots and Clint is sent through a bookcase and Rhodey's sent through a window down to the quinjet's hangar. Steve jumps up to a bot that's firing its repulsors at Nat and Bruce but the bot flies backwards and causes Steve to hit the wall and fall onto the bar. Rachel quickly uses her powers to hold the bot in place before pulling her hands apart and ripping the bot in half. One bot grabs the sceptre and rushes out of the tower before anyone can stop it. Tony causes another bot to malfunction while Clint throws Steve his shield and Steve throws it at the last bot, splitting it into multiple pieces. Everyone catches their breath as they look at Ultron, the remaining bot. "Well, that was dramatic" Ultron states. "I'm sorry, I know you mean well. You just didn't think it through. You want to protect the world but you don't want it to change. How is humanity saved if it's not allowed to evolve? With these? These puppets. There's only one path to peace; the Avengers' extinction" Ultron explains and Thor throws his hammer in anger and dismembers the bot. "I had strings, but now I'm free" Ultron mutters before shutting down, leaving everyone in an uneasy and unbearable silence.