The Bravest of Them All (Pietro Maximoff)

Part 10: The Reaction

Familiar noises came from behind me. In the back of my mind, a tug pulls like someone literally is pulling my head back. It forces me to turn around, following by a sudden urge that makes me want to forget everything else and search for something. So when I do, I notice what exactly that I am about to witness, I knew that it had to be prevented.

Across the battlefield, I could see what makes out to be Clint holding a child he must have saved. He protects him from more of Ultron's clones. Just as he was going to move, most likely to return the boy to his family, more ammunition fires in their way, closing them off from safety.

I glance at Wanda, finding her staring at me, looking as anxious as I feel. "What is it?" she asks, her arms still raised in the air.

"It's Clint. . .he's in trouble. . ." I try hard not to picture what will happen to them both.

Wanda changes the expression on her face before I can finish. That was when she tells me what to do before I could even think to mention it to her. "Go."

"I can't just—"

"I got this, Andi," she reassures me, turning back to continue fighting. "Go!"

Without saying anything else and time running out, I teleport myself where I wouldn't get hit by the blasts that head towards the ground. I hide in the side of a building. Clint's on my right side, and the blasts were coming from further ahead.

They weren't too far away from me. So I make a break for it, and I feel every hard step I take as I run towards them. The blasts were coming quick, but at my timing, I will get to them first.

Next, I found myself doing something I did not stop to think about. I put a life—no, two lives—before mine.

I don't remember the last time I did that, I think to myself.

I need to get to them now. Glass starts shattering all around us, and it almost slowed me down just to avoid getting it in my hairs. But it definitely gets caught in my hair. Once I see Clint turn around, shielding the boy, he was preparing to get hit next.

"No!"

I throw myself in front of Clint and the boy, pushing my hands out, shielding as many of the blasts as I can. As I prepare to feel pain, maybe even death, I close my eyes to let it be much easier. . .but suddenly, I notice how I don't hear anymore of the ammunition being shot at our direction.

After deciding to open my eyes, taking a peek at what happened, I see multiple blasts scattered, but frozen, gathering above me in mid-air. I look over my shoulder to see how Clint and the boy are. The archer, still holding the boy in his arms, seems to be in shock. Then, I feel a gust of wind blow against the side in my face, followed by a blue streak that brightens my eyes with hope.

Behind a beaten car, Pietro appears with Clint and the boy who have taken cover. Once the blasts have stopped firing, I drop my arms and they all fall directly at my feet, blowing up the ground. Dirt and rubble flies everywhere, making it hard to see.

I decide to use this opportunity to teleport to them behind the car, but my knees bend forward, catching myself and my legs off guard. I feel like I'm about to fall. I feel too weak to move, but too motivated to give up.

I look up to find Pietro as he stays standing behind the car. His gaze meets mine, and I can tell he's anxious for me to get myself over to him. Another emotion floods through his face in spite of noticing my state, how I should have teleported by now, but my power is weakened, along with most of my body after fighting so hard nonstop.