Running Out » Quicksilver

chapter one

Wanda nodded almost imperceptibly before trailing after him. Her brother had always been quick. Quick everything. His alias suited him well, she recognized. The only problem was that he had absolutely no patience, and she had a feeling that was something every single one of the Avengers was going to need if they were to handle the new dilemma this girl presented.

"I've got Hulk," Natasha said without any prompting from Steve or Tony. She didn't look at any of them as she headed down the street. Her goal at that point was to return Bruce to normal. Hopefully he could help with the girl.

"Do you think you could do a better assessment of her at the Tower?" Thor asked Tony, who was already prepping to take flight.

"Absolutely," Tony agreed. "I also think I could've done a better assessment of her if speedy Gonzales hadn't decided to seize control of the situation." That was all he said before he took off, leaving the captain with Thor.

Steve turned to the blond god, a hint of exhaustion in his eyes. "Why is it these things happen to us?"

Thor shrugged, seeming the least put-off by the situation. "Fortuitous circumstances, I assume."

"Finding a sobbing, super-heated girl is fortuitous?" Steve asked incredulously.

A smile graced the god's lips. "There is always a bright side, Captain. This one just hasn't presented itself yet." He began to head off in the same direction Clint and Wanda had gone; the same direction Natasha and Bruce were now heading. "I should be so bold as to presume that, should the girl awaken from whatever befell her, she would benefit the team."

"She could very well have no control over her powers," Steve pointed out, following after Thor and maintaining the pace easily.

Thor scoffed, batting one hand dismissively. His eyes locked on the back of Bruce, who was now shirtless. "She would be in good company, then, would she not?"

Steve followed his line of sight, and went silent. He wanted to point out that it was different, except he had no idea if it was. He didn't know anything about this girl. It was a strange feeling (one he didn't realize he currently shared with Stark) but he shrugged it off. Instead of arguing, he shrugged one shoulder; "She would be," he agreed.

If she woke up.

::

Pietro had been pacing at a not-quite-super speed for the past half hour, and it was starting to irritate Clint. He hadn't wanted to say anything, because he had plenty of things to snap at the boy about anyway, but he hadn't stopped and Clint was starting to lose it. It was especially bad because Natasha had gone off with Steve to do research Tony usually would've done (on the girl's origin, according to her features and prints) which left Clint alone with the twins.

Which he did not altogether mind, don't get him wrong.

Just Pietro was about to drive him up a wall.

Meanwhile, Wanda had been sitting in the same spot beside him for the same length of time that her brother had been threatening to create a trench in Stark's floor. She was focused intently on the wall, however, and Clint had to wonder if she was trying to get inside this girl's head.

"Pietro," he finally said, his voice rougher than he intended.

It got the boy's attention, though, and instantly he stopped, zoning in on Clint.

"You've got to stop pacing," Clint finished, rubbing one of his temples. "You're making me dizzy just watching you."

Pietro rolled his eyes, shaking his white hair out of his face. "It's not my fault you are an old man," he muttered, before resuming his pacing - just a little slower, this time.

"Stopping with the 'old man,' comments would be good, too," Clint muttered, but he knew that was asking too much.

Wanda smiled slightly, but didn't add to their conversation.

"How much longer will they be in there?" Pietro finally demanded, not once stopping his movement.

"I don't know," Clint sighed.

Pietro turned fiery eyes to his sister, arching a brow to punctuate his question.

Wanda shrugged helplessly. "I do not know, Pietro. Banner and Stark, they know what they are doing. You should stop worrying."

"Why are you so worried, anyway?" Clint asked then.

Pietro's jaw steeled, and he twisted on his heel and began to pace faster, purposefully ignoring the archer's question.

"Oh, good," Clint sighed, slumping down further in his seat. "More speed-walking." He side-eyed Wanda. "I might kill your brother someday."

Wanda scoffed, a smirk touching her lips, her eyes never leaving the wall. "Better you than me."