" you still live in the silences between my thoughts. "
It had been a year since the events that had happened in space. Ash had explained everything and well it was hard to believe, but the realisation of what the Sceptre could do, made getting it back a whole lot more fervent. This hunt had led to the Avengers where they were now, in Sokovia trying to get the Sceptre from HYDRA. Nicotine had control and was spending all his time beating up bad guys.
"Shit!"
Ash rolled his eyes from within Nicotine.
"Language!"
He rolled his eyes once again. Steve went on to talk to Jarvis, Ash and Nicotine continuing to do their thing.
"Then Loki's Sceptre must be here. Strucker wouldn't have created this defence without it." Thor said.
"That just gives us all the more reason to get it because we are not going to space again." Nicotine piped up, stomping on an agent's head.
Thor looked over at him and nodded in agreement. Nicotine used a tendril to grab an agent in the distance to throw them at another, making the two crash into the ground in a heap. He grabbed the base of a tree, pulling it up from the Earth to throw at an incoming group of agents.
Ash whistled, "That's gotta hurt." He commented.
"Well, this is lasting a little long." Natasha piped up.
"Yeah," Clint agreed, "I think we lost the element of surprise here."
Nicotine hummed in agreement as he grabbed an agent's head and threw them away like a rag doll. Considering he was a seven-eight foot tall monster, he was doing pretty good combat wise.
"Wait a minute. Is no one gonna deal with the fact that Cap just said language?" Tony deadpanned.
"I know...! It just slipped out." Steve sighed.
"That's what she said. Anyway, I think we won't cause you suck, Tony." Nicotine said.
"Why did we give the Nicotine Patch comlink privileges?" Tony asked annoyedly.
"Me and Ash are technically the same being, that's how symbiosis works, dipshit." Nicotine snapped back.
"That wasn't a good answer. See? This is what I mean by com–" Tony started.
"Alright! Focus! We have an enhanced in the field." Steve said.
Nicotine hummed, Ash sifted through emotions and came across one that seemed like their guy.
"Clint's hit!" Natasha exclaimed.
Ash tried not to think about it, Clint would be fine. He needed to focus. Nicotine walked over to Thor and Steve.
"The enhanced is a kid if that helps." Nicotine shrugged.
"It doesn't." Ash sighed.
"Clint's hit pretty bad, guys. We're gonna need an evac." Natasha told them.
"I can get Barton to the jet. The sooner we're gone the better. You and Stark secure the Sceptre." Thor told them.
"Oh goody. Bad guys." Nicotine said, gesturing to the incoming row of agents.
"Looks like they're lining up." Thor commented.
"Well, they're excited." Steve replied.
Nicotine groaned, "You're doing the thing? They're doing the thing. They're doing the thing, Ash!" He said, crossing his arms.
"I can tell, Nicotine." Ash replied tiredly, focus ruined by the shouting symbiote.
Thor took off, leaving Steve, Nicotine and Stark to get the Sceptre.
"And for gosh-sakes, watch your language!" Tony said smugly.
"That's not going away any time soon." Steve sighed.
"It's really not." Nicotine snickered.
Steve and Nicotine continued what they were doing and finally reached Strucker. Ash was given control, though something was feeling off to him.
"Technically, I'm a thug for SHIELD." Strucker said.
"Well, technically you're unemployed. Where's Loki's Sceptre?" Steve snapped back.
Now, there is definitely something off. Ash stayed put for the moment trying to figure out what was so off.
"Don't worry. I know when I'm beat. You'll mention how I cooperated, I hope." Strucker said.
"I'll put it right under illegal human experimentation–"
Yeah, no. There was definitely something off. Ash drew his gun and turned, aiming it at what seemed to be a teenager. He raised an eyebrow in utter horror. She blasted Steve and knocked him down the stairs, Nicotine created a shield to protect Ash as she aimed at them. They skidded into the wall, while they were distracted, she left. Ash stood up properly as Steve ran up the stairs.
"We have a second enhanced. Female. Do not engage." Steve said into the comms.
He knocked out Strucker and looked over at Ash.
"What took you so long?" He asked.
"She must be some kind of telepath, probably why I couldn't catch onto her so fast." He shrugged.
Steve nodded and after Tony got the Sceptre, they all got on the Quinjet back to the Tower.
"Thor, report on the Hulk." Natasha asked.
"The gates of Hel are filled with the screams of his victims." Thor replied.
Ash laughed and laughed even more when he saw Natasha's facial expression.
"But not screams of the dead, of course. Mainly whimpering, complaining and tales of deltoids and gout." Thor said, trying to mend what he said.
"Am I the only one that thinks this is a little sad?" Nicotine asked.
"I think you made your point." Ash smiled, patting his shoulder, completely ignoring the symbiote.
"Don't ignore me!" Nicotine whined.
Thor smiled back and Tony walked over, "Feels good, right? Not that I haven't enjoyed our little raiding parties, but..." He trailed off.
"No, this... This brings it to a close." Thor smiled.
"As soon as we find out what else this has been used for. I don't just mean weapons, since when was Strucker capable of human enhancement?" Steve questioned.
"Well, let's hope no one went to space." Ash shrugged.
Nicotine emerged from his shoulder, "I would rather that not happen. Being in space prison kind of sucked." He deadpanned.
"Yeah. Banner and I will give it a once over. Is that cool with you? Just a few days till the farewell party. You're staying, right?" Tony asked.
"Yes, yes, of course. A victory should be honoured with revels." Thor said, smiling at Ash.
"That's good, who doesn't love those. Captain?" Tony asked Steve.
"Hopefully, this puts an end to the Chitauri and HYDRA. So yeah, revels." He smiled.
"Looks like we're all in agreement." Ash smirked.
***
Josh was texting his good friend, MJ when he was told that his dad and the others got back. He headed over to the medical bay to find Natasha, Clint and Ash.
"Woah! Uncle Clint, you do not look happy." Josh smirked.
"Hey, kiddo. I'll be fine." Clint smiled.
"How was school?" Ash asked.
"It was good, me and MJ hung out." Josh smiled.
Nicotine once again, appeared from Ash's shoulder, "I love MJ, she's great! Did you destroy anything?"
"Unfortunately, no." Josh frowned.
"That's good, let's hope you put your nose down and put your effort in." Ash said, ruffling his son's hair.
"He'll do fine, Ash. Midtown High is a good school, ya know?" Natasha chuckled.
"Yeah! One step closer to MIT! Anyway! This is creating new tissue, right?" Josh asked, gesturing to the machine.
"Yes, if you brought him to my lab the regeneration cradle could do this in 20 minutes." Dr Cho smiled.
"Aw, cool! Like a 3d printer! I use those to make giant frogs." Josh smiled, taking a picture to send to MJ.
"Oh, he's flat-lining. Call it. Time?" Tony said as he walked in.
"Oh, great. Tony." Nicotine grumbled.
"No, no, no, I'm gonna live forever. I'm gonna be made of plastic." Clint smirked, taking a sip of the drink Tony handed to him.
"You'll be made of you. Your own girlfriend won't be able to tell the difference." Dr Cho smirked.
"I don't have a girlfriend." Clint replied.
"That I can't fix." She said.
Josh and Nicotine laughed.
"This is the future, Tony. Your clunky suits are going to be left in the dust." Dr Cho smiled.
"That is the plan. Also, Helen, I expect you to be at the party on Saturday." Tony said.
"Unlike you, I don't have time for parties... Will... Maria be there?"