Despite our reunion, Pietro has sped off in search for my mother and the President. Wanda and I remain inside of the White House, checking rooms and every nook and cranny we can find. If Mother has taken the President through some secret door, we might not be able to find them in time.

"Did your mother make this for you?" Wanda asks, meaning my new suit.

"It looks ridiculous, doesn't it?"

"If anything, it's the opposite. You look badass, Rory."

"I guess that's a perk, aside from the fact my own mother brainwashed me with her powers to break into the White House." I frown.

As we turn a corner, Nick is on the other end. I bristle, remembering what he resembles to my mother now. He ignites a buried anger within me.

"Don't get too close," I warn Wanda. "He's a siphon. If he touches you, your powers go bye-bye for a little bit. Tell us where she is," I shout to Nick.

"If you don't, I'll be more than happy to make your brain into mush as I search for the answer," Wanda threatens him.

Nick cracks his knuckles. "Try it, witch."

Wanda strikes first; she throws a red hex ball towards Nick. He shoots up into the air; he's flying.

Well, shit.

Up until now, I just assumed he stole powers. Why didn't I think he would be able to use them?

Wanda and I glance at each other, diving in opposite directions as he aims for us. Who has the ability to fly? Between Wanda and me, we shoot a mixture of ice blasts and hexes his way. He dodges them easily, which frustrates the both of us.

"Holy—!" I gasp as lasers protrude from Nick's eyes. Crap, he siphoned off of...

Truthfully, I forgot that girl's name.

Tony collides with Nick in midair, sending both the men to the ground. In an instant, Wanda shoots a hex towards Nick's head. His head is enveloped in red, and Wanda's face is pure concentration as she inches forward. Tony climbs off Nick, pulling back his faceplate.

"Vision's down with a power malfunction," he reports.

"He'll be up and running," I assure him. "It's temporary. He," I point to a struggling Nick, who has his hands against his head, "steals abilities."

"Where is the President?" Wanda demands of Nick.

"Guys," Tony looks to the two of us, "Thor's got eyes on Madam President. Rooftop. Some whacko is holding her hostage."

"That whacko would be my mother," I say coldly.

"Right. Sorry, snowflake."

"Oh, I'm not offended. Can you give me a lift?"

"You're not going there without backup," Wanda insists.

"No, I am. It has to be me that stops her." I look between her and Tony, who both look warily at me. "Trust me on this."

Tony approaches me. Wanda still has Nick disabled with a hex around his head.

"Grab tight, kiddo," Tony tells me. I grip onto his iron suit as much as possible, and we're shot out of the Oval Office shattered windows, soaring into a wicked blizzard that was produced by yours truly. Tony speeds us up to the White House roof, and through the thick snow, I can see two specks. Mother and the President.

"Be careful, kid." Tony drops me, and I make a not-so-smart landing onto the roof. Mother has a hand against the President's temple. The wind is vicious and biting out here. Not like it bothers me.

"Aurora, sweetheart," Mother croons over the blizzard. "Tell me that wasn't Iron Man who just dropped you here."

"Game over, Mother," I snarl.

She frowns. "Your connection is broken. I'll bet it was that witch."

"Her name is Wanda." I step forward.

"Ah-ah. I can do a lot of damage, Aurora."

The President is shivering violently, I'm not sure whether from fear of my mother or the cold of the blizzard. "You're not walking out of this alive."

Mother scoffs. "You think you could do it, kill your own mother? The very person who made you into this beautiful specimen?"

"You're not my mother." The cold in me builds. I feel an icicle form into one of my hands. If I can hit her just enough, she'll let go of the President. If she can get to safety, I can battle Mother myself. But there's room for error. I could accidentally harm the President, then I'll really be in some deep shit.

"What lies did the Avengers spew to you now?"

"None."

"Then how can you say I'm not your mother?"

"Because you aren't." I dare to take a step forward, keeping eye contact. "You're not the mother who read to me when I couldn't fall asleep. You're not the mother I went to for advice when I started to like boys and had no idea how to handle the emotions. You're not who you used to be."

"And you, what? Wish for that pathetic housewife back?" Mother snarls at me. "I sure as hell don't."

A sudden blast disrupts our banter. Mother releases the President, both hit the ground. I charge for Mother, who jumps nimbly to her feet. Icicle in hand, I engage her in combat. Arms hit arms, kicks connect with shins and stomachs, and a head butt sends us both stumbling back from one another.

Mother kicks the icicle out of my hand, and it shatters on the White House roof. She grabs hold of my throat with her hand, forcing our eyes to lock.

"What did I do to you to deserve this?" she whispers harshly in my face. "What did I do to lose your respect?"

"You want the list?" I sputter.

She puts her other hand against my head. "Don't make me do this, Aurora."

Okay, you want to play that way. I see you, Mother. I carefully place my hand against her chest, directly over her heart.

Mother's eyes narrow. "Are you going to make a pathetic speech?"

"You want to play dirty." I cock my head.

"Unlike you, I won't show mercy."

"Like you didn't show Dad mercy, or Gen's mother?"

"They both had it coming. They didn't deserve quick deaths. I made sure it was the last thing they thought about as they died."

My blast of ice connects with Mother's face. She screams, grabbing at her face, as she releases me. I waste no time in taking advantage of her astonishment. Anger surges in me, as does my power. I grab at her chest, directly over her heart, and scream as I let my powers take over.

Our eyes lock as I see the change in color in her face. Her mouth parts in shock, and she begins to violently tremble in front of me. Her lips are starting to tint blue.

"Rory," she begs through chattering teeth. "No...Rory."

I scoff. "You...you ruined my life." With an extra shove with my hand, I send a colder blast through her chest.

Mother's trembles become so bad that I step away and watch as she slowly freezes before my eyes. She falls to her knees, her eyes never leaving mine. I feel like a giant compared to her right now. For all of her power, she failed in the end.

Suddenly, her shaking stops, and her body topples over. Her eyes are iced over, and little crystals are forming on her face.

And just like that, I feel most if not all of my energy leave me.

I force myself to look away from Mother's body. The heavy reality hits me in the middle of the blizzard. I've killed my own mother. I'm no better than the scientists who probed and prodded me to make me into this person. My gloved hands are shaking.

I look skywards to the storm I created. Time to pack it up. Reaching my hands upwards, I close my eyes, feeling the cold come to me. The second it's sucked back in, a jolt runs through my body.

The skies are normal again once I open my eyes. The battle noises sound quieter, so that must mean one of two things: 1) the Avengers have corralled the other enhanced, or 2) the enhanced have somehow beaten the Avengers. The second sounds more farfetched.

"S-stay where you are!" the President shouts at me.

I glance at her. "Ma'am, I'm not who you saw in your office. She messed with my head to make me her puppet. I'm sorry about what you saw. I can't begin to explain how sorry I am for ruining the White House, and you losing your staff..." I put my hands up quietly. "The Avengers, they are my friends. They're really who I'm with. I promise you, that woman who tried to kill you, I don't have any allegiance with her."

The President still looks like she's two seconds away from jumping off the White House roof in fear that if she doesn't I'll kill her.

"Freeze!" I spin around to find few secret service members aiming weapons at my face. I keep my hands up, afraid that if I as much as a twitch, I'll be bullet-ridden. I look to the President for help, but I'm sure she's going to have me locked up. She probably thinks my words are bullshit.

"Freeze? Really? Could that be a little more ironic?" I snark to the closest agent to me. "Did you not see what I can do?"

"You use your power, you lose your life."

"You're not going to detain me, I've done nothing wrong."

"The damage says otherwise."

"I wasn't acting on my own will."

I glower as one secret service member comes towards me with handcuffs.

"Wait." The President is at my side.

"Ma'am?"

"Let her walk."

"But, Madam President—"

"You saw what that woman could do. I do not put it past her to have manipulated this woman's mind into doing her dirty work."

I glance at the President. Is this for real? Is the President of the United States actually saving my ass?

"Stand down. Let her walk. She's a friend of the Avengers. Or, you are one?"

"You could say that I am." I shrug. "Honestly, ma'am, you can call me whatever you want to."

"How does a hero sound?"

I offer the President my hand, but she eyes it suspiciously.

"I'm in control, ma'am. The only time I let my power go is when I will it."

Gingerly, I get a handshake from the President. I incline my head towards her, and in turn she gives me the same gesture. Her guards stand down as I find my way off the rooftop. Her security detail hovers around her, ensuring that she's safe as I leave.

I find my way back into the building. I whistle at what damages that I see. Hopefully we don't end up paying for repairs. We might not since I just saved the President's life.

In the quiet, I take my time finding my way out of the building. When I'm on the lawn, remnants of a battle remain, except for the participants.

"Aurora!" It's Genevieve. She looks panicked. "We need to scram, now! They've got the rest, it's just us now."

"Gen..."

She picks up on my tone. "You're such a flip-flopper."

"You need to listen to me, it's over. The mission failed. It's time to surrender."

"I don't like how you're talking right now." She puts her fists in a fighting stance. "Where is Nina?"

"Gen, you need to listen to me. You need to know the truth."

"What truth? I already know of one: that you're a traitor. You turned your back on us, again. You turned against your own mother."

"Because she made me into something that I didn't ask to be turned into!" I shout. "I have good reason to rebel. What's your excuse to remain loyal to a dead woman, Gen?"

"You...you killed her?!"

Can't lie about it now when she called it. I keep my breathing in check. "Gen, she's the reason you lost your mother. She's the reason we lost our father."

"Shut up!" she bellows. "You think that gave you the right to just murder her in cold blood?"

"It's been a long day for all of us. I'm done fighting."

"Well, I'm sure as hell not." Genevieve leaps in the air, and I match her, and the two of us collide.

We go tumbling onto the White House lawn, exchanging blows, without using powers. It's a classic match of strength and skill. Gen has me pinned down, but I throw an ice blast at her side. She jumps back on her feet, dragging me up with her. I sock her across the face, which doesn't make her let go of me.

My attacks stop short when I feel something stab me in the front.

Compared to past pain, this should be nothing. My mouth is open in a silent scream. With disbelief in my eyes, I look at Genevieve. I can't tell if this is her, or if this is by Mother's influence.

Either way, the pain hurts all the same.

"Guess Bird Brain forgot the golden rule: don't leave weapons lying around."

I glance down. It's one of Clint's arrows that she's stabbed me with. Cruel irony at its finest.

"You just killed the only chance this world has at surviving in the future!" Gen snarls in my face. "You really want it to go down the shithole."

"It would have if my mother had gotten her way," I rasp. The arrow is still in me, Gen won't pull the damn thing out. I can't force her to remove it.

A blast of red light smacks into the both of us. Gen pulls apart from me, in turn finally removing the arrow from my wound. We both land on our backs, I'm fresh out of air. Not to mention my wound is bleeding out now that the arrow can't stop the flow.

Through my hazy vision, I see a figure in red walk past. Wanda.

"All your friends are defeated. Surrender and make it easy on yourself," Wanda threatens Gen.

"No chance, witch."

Though I can't lift my head to see the two fight, I can hear them fairly well. I close my eyes and curl onto my side, into a ball. My hand is stained with fresh blood.

"Rory!" Pietro is practically in my face, on the ground with me.

"Hey, Speedy," I croak. "Where were you when I needed you?"

"I need to get you out of here."

"But Wanda—"

"Wanda will be fine. You, however, are bleeding out." He takes his time gathering me in his arms. "Why aren't you healing?"

"Bigger wound..." I now see the thin red lines on his face. "You're hurt."

"They're just scratches. Stay awake for me, Rory. Can you do that?"

"Don't let me die, Speedy."

"I won't."

Just as Pietro takes off in his signature blue blur with me in his arms, I slip under, feeling weightless.

**I really don't know why I had Rory always destined to wipe out her cruel mother.

On the plus side, yay, Hydra is done with!

On the bad side, Genevieve stabbed Rory with one of Clint's arrows.**