Safe & Sound: A Marvel Universe Fan-Fic (Avengers & X-Men)

Chapter Six: Lockdown

Chapter Six: Lockdown

My father used to tell me that it wasn’t a person’s past that determined them, it was what a person chose to do in a defining moment- a moment like this, for example. The infamous Nick Fury stood perfectly still in front of me. His chalky black skin melted with sweat as he held my gaze with his one good eye. I tried my best to smile, but somehow I couldn’t remember how to curve my lips into a perfect innocent grin. Maybe it was because I wasn’t innocent, maybe it was because I was completely guilty of the crime he was accusing me of. The crime of running away unauthorized. I seemed to be getting good at that lately. I felt exactly like a sneaky teenager going behind my parent’s back to fill my adrenaline driven desires. I shook the curls out of my hair and stifled a laugh. Nick raised his good brow to me.

“Sorry.” I grumbled. He let out a deep breath.

“I expected more from you.” He lectured. It was completely cliché, but I tried to listen anyways. I watched him take a long stride from one side of the room to the other. He held both of his hands behind his black trench coat and wheezed out a low breath. I noted how tired he looked with the notorious Black Widow at his side. She shot Wanda a wicked look and with that one glance, the all-powerful Scarlet Witch crumbled. She lowered her head in shame. I felt a huge question mark form above my head. What was going on?

“Sir, if I may speak on her behalf,” Captain started, “we kept her locked up for a long time without so much of an explanation. I feel like neither her nor Miss Wanda are to blame for this mistake.”

“Stand down, Steve.” Nick growled. I gazed at Steve out of the corner of my eye in pure shock. Everything Logan said seemed to be true. He had his claws in each one of the heroes. I realized real quick I was on a sinking ship and took a step forward.

“Don’t punish them.” I spoke. “This is all my fault. Running away was my idea. Wanda assisted me because I made her, not because she wanted to. I made you waste your precious resources on finding me, and for that, I’m sorry. But what I’m not sorry for is the act of running away itself. I would do it again in a heartbeat. My family, the kids, my friends- they are my life. I gave everything up for them, sir. Everything. And I’m dying every day because I don’t get to be there with them. I know, I just know, you can sympathize with me on that. When you’re forced to leave the people you love because you’re trying to protect them, it’s something any decent being would do, but it’s also the most gut wrenching thing in the universe. I’ve had to do this countless times. I had a moment of weakness. Punish me for my selfishness, sir. The others were being selfless. They don’t deserve your wrath.”

There was a long moment of silence that followed my Hallmark style speech. Nick’s midnight eyes brushed against me once and then twice. He let his arms fall slack at his side and gave an unreadable look at the Black Widow who then nodded. I felt the tips of my fingers turn to ice. When I looked at my hands, they were pure blue. I snapped my fingers in order to defrost them and shook my head. Was I really that out of practice that I couldn’t handle my own abilities? Honestly, I was ashamed. First, I had to swallow my pride and own up for my fluke, and now my own body was failing me? I thought I was better than that, but I guess I was wrong.

“Marla Anne Everglade.” I looked up at the sound of my name. Nick’s face sunk into a frown. “Putting you in lockdown seems cruel considering your past and your service to the X-men. Unfortunately, I cannot overlook your deliberate disobedience to me and my team. For selfishly putting yourself over the team, the world, and even your family I am forced to lock you in your room for the next 24 hours.”

“But, sir!” Wanda piped in. He waved her back down with the back of his hand. She bit her lip.

“My words are final.” He said firmly. “Miss Rovanoff and I have some business to take care of. Wanda-“ Wanda flinched at her name. I noticed the pained expression on her perfect face. Now that I thought about it, Fury never used any of the other’s first names with that tone before. She was in trouble. “Wanda, please assist us in finding Mr. Barton. And Steve?” Again with the first names? But unlike Wanda, Steve didn’t seem to mind. “I trust you to look after Miss Everglade to see to it that this doesn’t happen again.”