Before We Rise

Chapter 14

I ducked under a fist that was coming towards my face and stabbed the robot in the leg. I jerked up, flipping it. I threw myself down on it, lodging the knife into its chest. I ripped it out as another one came at me. Pietro zipped past, shattering the robots that were surrounding me. Looking around, I saw that there were no more robots around the area.

I placed my knife back and started to guide people to a safer place in the city. A hand slid down my arm and I looked, seeing Steve. He tugged me away from the group as soon as they were safe.

"The next wave is going to hit any minute." He told me and I nodded. He pressed a finger to his ear. "What do you got, Stark?"

"Well nothing great. Maybe a way to blow up the city. That'll keep it from impacting the surface if you guys could get clear." Tony said back. Steve tightened his hand in mine as he guided me to the edge of the city as the dust floated around us.

"I asked for a solution, not an escape plan." Steve reminded him.

"Impact radius is getting bigger every second. We're going to have to make a choice." Tony explained. Nat looked at us as she stopped next to Steve.

"Cap, these people are going nowhere. Stark finds a way to blow this rock-""Not till everyone's safe." Steve interrupted her.

"Everyone up here vs everyone down there? There is no math there." Nat explained to him.

"Steve." I tried to get his attention. He turned to me with a determine look on his face.

"I'm not leaving this rock with one civilian on it." He told me.

"We didn't say we should leave." Nat stepped in. Steve looked at her and I slowly let go of Steve's hand. He stiffened as my fingers left his hand. "There's worst ways to go. Where else am I going to get a view like this?"

"Glad you like the view, Romanoff. It's about to get better." I heard Fury's voice in my ear. Then a helicarrier appeared on the horizon. "Nice right? Pulled her out of mothballs with a couple of old friends. She's dusty but she'll do."

"Fury, you son of a bitch." Steve cursed.

"Oh, you kiss your mother with that mouth?" Fury asked. I smiled slightly when Pietro flashed next to me. He looked at the helicarrier then at me.

"This is S.H.I.E.L.D.?" He asked. I went to answer but Steve beat me to it.

"This is what S.H.I.E.L.D. supposed to be."

"This is not so bad." Pietro admitted.

"Let's load them up." Steve said as lifeboats broke away from the helicarrier. I started to help people on the lifeboats when Steve grabbed me, pulling me away. "Help people get on the lifeboats, don't worry about fighting."

"You're asking me not to fight. How could you ask that? I'm an Avenger, Steve. I'm fighting this battle for the people who can't. Telling me not to fight is like telling a child not to walk." I stated.

"Please." He pleaded with me, his hand tightening around mine. My jaw hardened.

"I won't make a promise that I probably won't keep." I said. He nodded before grabbing my face in his hands. He shoved me forward, pressing his lips against mine. He pulled back, looking me in the eyes before running off. I turned back to the civilians and saw that they had witnessed what Steve just did. I blushed slightly before shaking my head.

"Everyone on. Get yourselves buckled in." I ordered them. People started moving and I stepped back as the lifeboat filled then took off. I ran to the next lifeboat and guided more people on.

"Alright Avengers, time to work for a living." Tony said. Pietro appeared in front of me and picked me up. He ran and placed me down in a church.

"What's the drill?" Nat asked. Tony pointed at the thing in the middle of the church.

"This is the drill. If Ultron gets a hand on this, we lose." Tony explained.

"Is that the best you could do?!" I turned and looked at Thor but he was looking at a flying Ultron. Then more robots came running. I glared at the back of Thor's head.

"You had to ask." Steve told him.

"This is the best I can do. This is exactly what I wanted. All of you against all of me. How could you possible hope to stop me?" Ultron asked.

"Well like the old man said, together." Tony told him.

The robots came running at us and we all started fighting. I swung around, yanking out a knife and a gun. I jerked my arm, decapitating a robot while shooting another. Pietro zipped kept zipping past me, knocking off a robot or two every time. I stabbed the last one that was in front of me and got up.

"They're trying to leave the city." Thor said.

"We can't let them, not even one. Rhodey!" Tony said.

"We got to move out. I can tell the air is getting thin. You guys get to the boats, I'll sweep for stragglers. I'll be right behind you." Steve told us.

"What about the core?" Clint asked.

"I'll protect it. It's my job." Wanda answered him.

"Nat, Riles. This way." I glanced at Steve and he nodded. I followed after Clint and Nat.

"I know what I need to do. The dining room. If I knock out that east wall, make a nice floor space for Laura. Put up some bath filling, get the kids running around. What do you think?" Clint asked us as he drove a car to one of the lifeboats.

"You guys eat in the kitchen anyway." Nat told him.

"No one eats at a dining room." Clint said back to her. Clint stops the car and I jumped out. Clint and I ran to a boat as Nat ran off to get Banner. I helped the rest of the people on then looked around. I saw a little boy a few ways away.

Clint and I started running for him. I guarded Clint as he picked p the kid. I heard guns firing and I ran out of my position to see the quinjet firing at Steve and Thor. I turned back to Clint to see Pietro next to a car, with bullets hole on his body.

"You didn't see that coming." He said before he fell to the ground. Clint stood up, turning to me. His eyes widened.

"Riles." He said my name.

"RILEY!" Steve's voice came from behind me. I saw Clint looked down at my stomach and I looked down, seeing blood spreading on my shirt. I reached up to touch them when my legs weakened. Arms wrapped around me as I fell back.

It was strange. I thought I would feel pain. I thought I would feel something but I didn't. I didn't feel anything. Steve's face appeared in my line of vision then I felt myself being picked up and then placed on something.

"I need a medic over here!" Steve yelled.

A moment later, I felt a mask being place on my face. I felt pressure on multiple parts of my body as I felt a hand go through my hair and the other one grasp one of mine.

"Stay awake, Riley. Stay awake." Steve told me.

I opened my eyes and I saw his face above mine, concern written all over it. He pushed my hair back and out of my face. His breathe hit my face and I fluttered my eyes. It had become harder to breathe, the pressure on my lungs made it difficult to do so. I took slower, shorter breathes. Steve's hand tightened on mine.

"We're losing her. Captain, we need you to step back." A man's voice reached my ears. Steve's hand never left mine as I felt him move. "Come on, Riley. Work with us."

"Stay with me, please. Don't leave me, I need you. Please." I heard Steve plead. My vision started to get blurry then it was blinded by a bright white light.

"Riley." I felt a tear slid down my face as I heard his voice.

'Dad'.