Dont Be a Hero

Climax

She nodded, her shoulders relaxing in surrender. "Fine. Teach me."

He nodded and then moved toward her and released his hold on the passage of time. He proceeded to teach her self-control. How to rein in her anger and use it to her advantage without unnecessarily harming and/or killing. He guided her as she tested her strength and power over her winged familiars and showed her how to work with them, not lord over them. Like they were a costume she wore, an extension of her, not puppets she controlled.

Standing behind her with his hands placed over hers he moved for both of them, allowing her to feel the way she could orchestrate the birds until they were moving in unison. Until it was as though she and her little friends had become one being. Their flight extended from her, held to her by a force not seen by the naked eye.

The creatures moved in together, appearing like one unit, or two, or more, depending upon the situation and need. They moved as though they were a symphony. Her whistling call was the core tune that held the masterpiece together and directed its flow.

When the song ended, every single one of the opposing men had been subdued. The birds whirled and spun in a beautiful airborne dance as they encircled and ensnared the enemy, allowing them to be relieved of their weapons and bound without the possibility of escape.

Every guard in the building had come running to attempt to regain control of the prisoners. Now they lay on the floor up and down the corridors bound and confused. Natasha let out a victory howl and threw her arms in the air.

"Take that, you filthy ingrates!" she shouted and then whirled and threw her arms around Father Time laughing. There were tears rolling down her cheeks as overwhelming emotions washed over her. He had somehow freed her. Yet at the same time he had brought her under control. Except it was her own control. Not someone else's. He had shown her how to take her own reins in her hands and how to use her own feelings and desires to her advantage.

His arms encircled her. She drew back and looked up at him. Although his face was still without emotion, she thought she caught a gleam of satisfaction in his eyes when he looked down at her. Or was it pride? She had done well. Her face felt flushed and her heart still raced.

"We did it!"

"Yes."

"You could have handled these people on your own, easily, but you let me do it. Didn't you?"

"Yes."

"Why? Why are you helping me?"

"Because. You are dangerous."

Natasha cocked her head to the side and gave him a look of doubt. "Is that all? Is that the only reason?"

"When I see you, I see your future branching in two possible directions, my Raven."

He cupped her chin and held her gaze. His eyes sparked and crackled with the green electricity. She felt it coming from him and buzzing through her own body in small, tingling spurts as he held her.

"You can choose to go down a very dark road. One that, if you choose to go that way, there would come an inevitable day that I would have to kill you. I would consider it a tremendous waste if you chose that path. It would benefit humanity and the prime directive of people like us if you chose the other path. The path that will not end in your demise. The path of mercy."

She stepped back and away from him, staring at him. Her lip trembled. "You... you would have to kill me? You would kill me?" she whispered. Her heart beat even faster and she gasped as he took a step forward and grabbed her wrist. He pulled her back against him and leaned down to press his lips against hers. He kissed her gently, his breath warm on her face. When he pulled back, she let out a small sigh of longing and she almost begged him not to stop.