One Second and a Million Miles

Chapter 12

Madison went to her room to change into a new suit.

"Are you in a fight with your father?" Pietro asked her as he waited in her bedroom.

"It's a long story. And we only have three minutes". When she came out of her closet, Pietro was smirking.

"Smart-ass", he said, pecking her lips.

Madison was so glad she could do this anytime she wanted to now. She led him to the armory, where she grabbed her bow and some arrows. She strapped her dagger to her thigh and grabbed two guns. She handed Pietro a blue shirt and some jogging pants.

As he changed, Wanda watched Vision and Thor interact.

Madison walked up to her as Pietro pulled a pair of sneakers down from the shelf. "You like him", Madison said, bumping her shoulder.

"What?"

"Vision".

Wanda was suddenly hit in the face with a red jacket.

"That's Natasha's", Madison said.

"I won't wear it if you don't want me to", Wanda told her.

"No, I think she'd want you to have it. Us bad-ass bitches gotta stick together".

"Who's a bitch?" Pietro asked, appearing next to Madison.

"Go away. We're having girl time!" Madison said, playfully wrapping her arms around Wanda.

Unbeknownst to them, Steve was watching them in the distance. It'd been a while since he'd seen Madison's playful side.

She and Pietro were meant to be together.

You just had to look at them to know they cared deeply for each other.

She wasn't his anymore. She was Pietro's now and that fact made Steve just a little bit sad.

They boarded the Quinjet and in true Captain America fashion, Steve gave everyone a pep talk (although it was more like a speech).

"Ultron knows we're coming. Odds are we'll be riding into heavy fire. And that's what we signed up for. But the people of Sokovia, they didn't. So our priority is getting them out. All they want is to live their lives in peace. And that's not gonna happen today. But we can do our best to protect them. And we can get the job done. We find out what Ultron's been building, we find Romanoff, and we clear the field. Keep the fight between us. Ultron thinks we're monsters. That we're what's wrong with the world. This isn't just about beating him. It's about whether he's right".

"Did you write that down? Or was that off the top of your head?" Madison asked him, echoing Sam's words just before everything went down in DC.

Steve smiled at her and shook his head.

Wanda approached Madison and Pietro.

"Hey Wanda", Madison said.

"I was just wondering...what is your greatest fear?"

"It might be easier to show you", Madison told her. Madison took Wanda's hand in hers and opened her mind.

Wanda took her brother's other hand so that they were all three connected.

They all stood on a battlefield.

Bodies and rubble lay among them.

Madison had her bow in her hand and was running around looking for her family. "Daddy!" she yelled. She found him lying on the ground, a huge wound in his chest. She dropped to her knees beside him.

"Madison" he gasped.

Madison placed her hands on the wound, trying to stop the bleeding. "I need an evac team immediately. My father is down. Wound to the chest and bleeding heavily", she said on her comm.

No one answered.

"Hello? I need an evac team!"

Still no answer.

"Dammit". Tears were streaming down her face.

"Shh, it's okay", he told her.

Madison shook her head.

"It doesn't hurt Baby Bird".

"No! No, you are not dying and leaving me!"

"You have grown into such a strong woman".

"Daddy, please. Please don't leave me. Please".

"I love you", he told her before his eyes closed. "

No! No! Please!" Madison collapsed onto her father's chest, not even caring she was covered in his blood. As she raised her head, she noticed the bodies of her fellow Avengers.

They were all dead.

She was all alone in this wasteland.

Madison gasped and let go of Pietro and Wanda's hands. She was breathing heavily as tears filled her eyes.

Pietro took her face in his hands and cooed, "Shhh. It's okay, Kolibri. It's okay. It wasn't real. You're here with us".

It had felt so real.

She could smell the death and destruction and feel the blood on her hands.

"You fear losing him", Wanda said.

"Being all alone", Madison clarified.

Pietro kissed her forehead and said, "I won't let that happen. I promise".