INERTIA ↠ AVENGERS FANFIC

SIXTEEN- WE'RE MADE

ALL YOUR DARKEST FEARS ARE GONNA COME FOR YOU...

-

Ultron and the twins had fled, leaving the Avengers in ruin. Steve wandered around, not knowing if what he was seeing was real or an illusion. Peggy's words rang loudly in his head, gone as they may be. 

We can go home. 

He tried to shake her voice away, his home was now. But no matter how hard he tried, he longed to hold her in his arms. 

He surveyed the battlefield, all he could see was dismembered robots. Steve didn't know where the others were, and if Wanda had got to them they could be anywhere. "Is anyone active?" Steve asked over the comms, panicking after a moment of silence. 

"I'm here," answered Barton. "Wanda got to Romanoff." Steve knew what Natasha had been through, seeing that again must have been so painful."She's not exactly responsive."

"Take her to the jet. Banner should be there. I'm going to find the others."

"Copy that, Cap."

Though Clint hadn't actually been with him, Steve felt lonely when the conversation stopped. A chill dashed down his spine, and for a second he swore he could see Peggy among the rubble. 

A loud crash came from behind him- he quickly drew his shield but turned to see Zara. She had blue blood running from two spots of her face, and was stumbling around like she couldn't see where she was going. 

That was because she couldn't. 

Steve knew from the look on her face Wanda had poisoned her mind. She look scarred and hurt, betrayed, in pain. A culmination of expressions Steve never thought he'd see on her.

She leaned against the wall with an outstretched hand, staring into space. 

"Keaton?" Steve said hesitantly, approaching her cautiously. "Hey, can you hear me?" Steve lifted Zara's chin to meet her eyes, but she stared right through him. Her lower lip trembled, and the tear that was forming in one of her eyes had been replaced by violently fast shaking,  every so often a small bolt of lightning would jump from one place on her body to another. 

"Oh, damn it." 

-

Zara woke up in a place she knew was too comfortable. She was covered in a soft duvet, and the scent of a home lingered in her nostrils. She sat up quickly, feeling for her weapons. They were all gone. All except for her backup knife, tucked away on the inside of her suit. 

She didn't know where she was. Objectively, she was safe, surrounded by beige walls with a lovely painting across from the queen-sized bed. 

"Wanda got to you too, huh?"

Zara flinched at the sound, turning to see a familiar man leaning against the bathroom door frame smiling softly.

"Now's really not the time to fuck with me, Rogers." 

Steve shook his head. "That's not what this is."

"Than what is it?"

Steve ignored her question. He took the towel that was slung over his shoulder and tossed it on the armchair in the corner. "We had to bunk in the same room. Don't worry, I slept on the floor."

Zara smiled softly. "You took my weapons."

Steve sat across from her. "Don't take it personally."

She knew exactly what Steve meant. "You don't trust me."

"That's not-"

"I'm not blaming you, Steve. Why would you? I'm not like you. I'm not a hero. I'm..."