the strongest avenger (2)

fifty six

"Y—you're kidding." I clench my hands into fists as they rest in my laps, tears threatening to spill from my eyes.

Is it so bad that I want a normal life?

I take a deep breath and calm myself, ignoring the way my lip quivers slightly. Getting mad and upset won't do anything.

Bruce tilts my head forward again and I just clench my jaw.

"Okay, good news. It's held together by some electromagnetic thing. I'll have to research a little to find out how to disable it. If we could just pull the two ends apart, it should turn off."

"So, you're just gonna pull it apart?"

"It should work." Big Green grins at me and I give him a thumbs up. "But my fingers are too big. One of you," he looks at James and Steve. "has to do it."

I look over at them and they send each other a wary glance.

"No offense Bucket, but I think Steve's a tad bit stronger." I say, smiling a little.

He huffs out a breath, but his lips turn up. Steve stalks over and comes around behind me. I grip the edges of the table as he places his hands on the collar.

I grit my teeth and look up, meeting Peter's eyes across the room. I see him visibly gulp and I look away.

Steve starts pulling and I hold my breath, but then out of nowhere pain explodes around my neck and I cry out, pulling away from Steve. I fall off the table and onto my knees, gasping for air.

I look up at Bruce and shake my head no. "Shit." My voice comes out hoarse and I gulp.

Nat comes over and helps me up, my legs a little shaky. My brows furrow as I feel the collar around my neck.

"Bruce," I blink a few times. "It tightened."

"What?" Big Green comes over to me and I take a step back unconsciously.

I hesitantly let him look at it, my body shaking slightly.

"I thought electricity didn't bother her? Why's it doing that?" Steve asks.

"Because the collar's neutralizing her powers, so right now she's like...well she's like a normal human." I look over at Steve and can see that he's pitying me.

I just want this over with.

"I've never seen a magnet like this one.
I—I don't know how to dismantle it. And it seems that every-time you try and pull it off, it shrinks. Shit, I...I don't know what to do."

"If we pull it enough, will it break?" I ask him, clearing my throat.

"Yeah. The ends will be too far for the magnet to work. But the electricity that's going to flow through you...you won't be able to handle it."

I purse my lips. "I'll be fine. I want it off."

"You can't!" I turn and look at Pete, who's starting to walk towards us. "You could die."

"That's a bit dramatic. It'll hurt, but I'll live. Right?"

Bruce grimaces and I frown.

"Okay, maybe I won't. But I'm not wearing this the rest of my life." I turn to Nat and jerk my head towards Peter. "I don't want him in here."

I ignore Pete's shocked expression and just look over at Steve.

"I need help." He shakes his head. "I'm not...I need a little more strength."

James looks at me and I nod. He stalks over and stays in front of me, while I hop up on the table.

"Are you sure?" He asks me, and I look up and meet his blue eyes.

"Yeah."

"Alright," I lean forward, letting my forehead rest against Bucky's chest, my hands gripping the edge of the table. "Here we go." Steve says.

I clench my jaw shut, biting my tongue till I taste blood. The pain comes just as sudden as before, and I cry out, tears forming and falling from my eyes as the boys try to pull the damn thing apart.

I don't know if I'm screaming or crying, or both, but the crackling and popping roars over everything else. I let go of pride as everything burns.

My body wracks with sobs, so maybe I am crying, as I move my grip on the table to Bucky's shirt in front of me. It's as if someone is setting me on fire and sticking me in an oven and then electrocuting me.

It's just never ending pain.

"Stop." I croak out in between sobs. "Stop."

And then it does stop. I feel Steve back up, while I drag in hoarse breaths. Someone's hands run up and down my back, and I ignore the tightening of the collar around my neck. I feel clammy and hot, and my body shakes slightly.

I cough as it gets harder to breathe, and turn my head so I can see Bruce looking at me.

I take a deep breath and look up at James, nodding my head.

"I don't think—"

"Shut up." I wince at my raspy voice.

I just wave my hand in a circle, gesturing them to keep going. James looks over at Steve and I turn, meeting his eyes.

I start to breath heavier as it gets harder to pull in air, I meet James's eyes and give him a light smile. I hold out my hand, grinning when he reciprocates my fist bump.

The door to the lab opens and I see Tony run in, Nat following him. His eyes flick over each of us, landing on me. I throw up a peace sign as he starts to walk over.

"What the hell is going on in here?"

"Taking it off." I point to the collar.

Tony's eyes widen slightly as he hears me speak. I look over at Nat and see her shaking her head.

"I tried to keep him out, but he wouldn't listen."

I sigh as I look back at Tony, lifting my hand and making a shooing motion for him to get out.

He sends me one last glance, but leaves when Nat pulls him out. Bruce comes around and passes me a washcloth. It takes me a second to realize what it's for, but then I stuff it in my mouth and bite down.

I look at the boys and give them two thumbs up. I tilt my head forward, feeling Bucky's hands rub circles in my back as Steve comes back towards the table. As James shuffles forward, I focus on his beating heart as his hands move from my back, joining Steve's.

I hear Steve mutter an apology before the pain explodes again.

This time I try to keep quiet, but that doesn't last long. The washcloth between my teeth muffles my screams as the electricity burns and continues to hurt me.

It seems like they're pulling for hours. I ignore the way both of them curse and apologize and tell me that it's almost over. I tune them out.

My voice gives out and eventually I'm left making these awful and embarrassing whimpering noises. But I feel that I'm past the point of being embarrassed.

As tears flow from my eyes and soak the body I'm leaning on, I try to listen to Bucky's heart beat. The constant beating keeping me sane. Black spots dance across my vision, and I just close my eyes to get rid of them.

"Almost there!" Steve's voice pulls me back from where I was fading, the pain excruciating.

"Come on, Snow." James words make my heart flutter and I cling onto his shirt a little tighter.

"Come on, come on. Buck a little more!"

A ragged gasp leaves me and I shudder as the pain stops, and I pull in shaky breaths. I let out a relieved sigh as I feel my powers coming back, as I feel more like me.