Ultron Aftermath

Chapter 53

AJ flinched internally at the sound of the gunshot as she watched Steve collapse to the floor, despite remaining frozen and lifeless on the outside as the mind control took hold of her. She had fought hard against the control, trying to spare Steve's life. Jonah had ordered her to aim for the heart but she hadn't been able to do that, missing the vital organ by a fraction of an inch. Just as Jonah was about to issue his next order, she was hit with a wave of red glowing dust that caused her to scrunch her nose in discomfort.

Natasha observed as the antidote she had thrown towards her daughter began to take effect, slowly breaking the mind control Jonah's had over her.

Ava began to feel the antidote take hold of her, the fogginess of her mind immediately clearing. The hold that Jonah had over her was breaking and she could begin to think for herself again.

Ava rubbed her face in confusion for a second but quickly realized the gravity of the situation as her eyes locked onto Steve, who was now collapsed on the floor, with Thor applying pressure to the spot where he had been shot. Ava froze as she realized that she had been the one to cause this. She felt terrible, ashamed and disgusted with what she had done, despite being under mind control and without much of a choice. She was guilty. She had shot the one person who she loved the most in the world.

"Ava it wasn't your fault" Natasha spoke gently as she stepped towards her daughter but Aj stepped away.

"No get away from me! I don't want to hurt you" She sobbed.

"Baby it's okay, you won't. It wasn't your fault" she was trying to tread lightly and not make this situation anymore chaotic then it already was but the engines were no longer working, they had shut down completely, the red room was heading towards the ground quickly, Steve was bleeding out and they needed to get him to Bruce, they really needed to go.

AJ's attention suddenly changed as she saw the helicopter taking off, carrying Jonah as he took off to escape . She couldn't let him get away, not after what he had forced her to do. Without fully realizing it, she grabbed the closest weapon to her, unknowingly grabbing Thor's hammer. She lifted it up with ease, and without a second thought, she started towards the helicopter, determined to stop Jonah from escaping.

Thor was to concerned about Steve to even notice his niece lift his hammer, as he called for Tony to come and help. But Natasha watched in shocked as the 9 year old lifted the hammer, she was worthy, however Natasha was quickly snapped out of her daze when she realized what AJ was going to do.

"Ava Jay don't you dare" She yelled as she ran after her.

"I'm sorry Mama, for everything" AJ whispered before teleporting onto the top of the hovering helicopter.

"AJ NO!"

Natasha's yells had caused Thor to look up and take in the scene unfolding before him,
"TONY YOU NEED TO GET AJ" he yelled into the comms.

It was too late as AJ swung the hammer and smashed it down into the helicopter's rotor system, shattering it and causing the engines to explode and go up in flames, sending the helicopter plummeting towards the ground, taking AJ's small figure with it as it went. Despite the intense flames and destruction surrounding her, she simply let herself fall, accepting her fate in a final display of defiance towards the man who had ruined her life. Jonah was gone for good not that it mattered, she was plummeting towards her death knowing deep down he had truly won this battle.