The tension in the air was palpable as Lexi and Tony worked through their options, desperation mingling with determination.

"Star, help me think. The city's not coming down slow. We could spire the vibranium. If I get Thor to hit it—". "It'll crack," she interrupted sharply, her voice calm but insistent. "That's not enough. The impact would still be catastrophic."

"Maybe if we can cap the other end, keep the atomic action doubling back—"
"That would vaporize the city. And everyone on it." Her green eyes found him in the sky, locked onto the idea of levelling the city. His voice silently pleading for a better solution.

Steve's voice cut through the chaos. "The next wave's gonna hit any minute. What've you got, Stark?". "Well, nothing great. Maybe a way to blow up the city. That'll keep it from impacting the surface if you guys can get clear." Steve snapped. "I asked for a solution, not an escape plan." Tony snapped back, "Impact radius is getting bigger every second. We're gonna have to make a choice."

"Cap, these people aren't going anywhere," Natasha's voice came through the comms as Lexi sank onto a rock, her injured ankle making it impossible to stand for long. "If Stark finds a way to blow this rock—". "Not till everyone is safe," Steve said firmly. "Everyone up here versus everyone down there? There's no math there.". "We're not leaving this rock with one civilian on it."

Lexi could feel the weight of their resolve, though it did little to ease the pain radiating from her foot. "Glad you like the view, Romanoff. It's about to get better," Fury's familiar voice broke in. "Pulled her out of mothballs with a couple of old friends. She's dusty, but she'll do."
Steve grinned despite the situation. "Fury, you son of a—". "Ooh! You kiss your mother with that mouth?" Fury quipped back.

Pietro knelt in front of Lexi, his silver hair glinting in the dim light. "This is S.H.I.E.L.D.?". "This is what S.H.I.E.L.D. is supposed to be," Steve clarified, his voice steady. Pietro gave a faint smile. "This is not so bad." His gaze shifted back to Lexi. "You okay?". "Still hurts," she admitted, trying not to let the pain overwhelm her.

Pietro stood and extended a hand. "Let's get you to safety.". "No. I can help," she insisted, pushing herself upright. But the moment she put weight on her injured ankle, her knee buckled. Pietro caught her before she could hit the ground. "It wasn't a question," he said firmly. "You sound like Wanda," Lexi growled, glaring up at him. "She's my twin," he replied, scooping her into his arms and speeding her to one of the jets.

═══*.·:·.☽✧ ✦ ✧☾.·:·.*═══

Back at the church, Wanda joined the fray alongside Clint. Pietro's frustration with Lexi grew as she reappeared, hobbling toward the battle. "I told you to stay on the jet!" he snapped, rushing to her side. "And I told you I wasn't going to. You don't need to babysit me, Pietro," she retorted, her voice sharp but defiant.

He sighed, clearing the tears that had gathered in her eyes. "You can't even walk. How are you going to help us?". "I'll find a way," she whispered stubbornly. The fight grew fiercer as Ultron summoned reinforcements, and the Avengers rallied to protect the core. Lexi pushed through the pain, blasting robots with bursts of energy.

Wanda entered the church with Clint and walked to her brother and friend. "You good?" Wanda nodded. "Did you break your foot?". "I'm not sure. Could be a sprain". She said looking at it. "You can't even stand on it. I think it's pretty much broken," Pietro said.

"Having fun kids?" The three adults separated. Wanda stood with Lexi as Pietro went to destroy robots. Lexi sat on the floor, but that didn't stop her from helping the Avengers destroy robots. "What's the drill?". "This. Is the drill. If Ultron gets a hand on the core we lose." Stark pointed at the vibranium tower in the middle of the church. Ultron lowered himself into the view of the Avengers. "Is that the best you can do?!". Thor yelled at him. Ultron raised his hand and all the metal robots accumulated, filling the streets. "You had to ask" Steve sighed.

"This is the best I can do. This is exactly what I wanted all of you against all of me. How could you possibly hope to stop me?". "Like the old man said. Together." Hulk roared as the robots started to attack the church.

The Avengers circled the core and kept the robots away from it. Lexi forced herself to stand up and fight the metal men. Even if it meant that her foot would burn in pain. She destroyed robots herself or threw them into Pietro and Vision's paths.

Vision, Thor and Tony shot at Ultron at the same time outside the church, leaving the rest to protect the core. "You know, with the benefit of hindsight-". Hulk interrupted him by punching the man. The green man roared at the rest of the robots that started to run away, scared of the big guy.

"They're trying to leave the city!". The robots that were inside the church decided to leave, leaving the Avengers alone. " We can't let them, not even one". Tony ordered. "Rhodey!". "On it. Oh, no. I didn't say you could leave. War Machine! Coming at you. Okay, what?".

"We gotta move out," Steve said looking at the remaining Avengers. "Even I can tell the air is getting thin. You guys get to the boats. I'll sweep for stragglers, I'll be right behind you". "What about the core?". "I'll protect it. It's my job". Wanda said stepping in.

Clint nodded at her and jerked his head to Natasha. "Nat, this way". Wanda took a deep nervous breath as the Avengers left the church. "Get the people on the boats" She ordered at her brother as he walked towards her. "I'm not going to leave you". He protested. "I can handle these" She assured him

She sent a burst of magic at one of the robots, disintegrating it instantly into a pile of smoke and rubble. Pietro shot her a glance, his eyes narrowing in a silent acknowledgment of her strength. "Come back for me when everyone is off, not before," he ordered. Lexi's action had made her point clear. Pietro hummed in agreement, then walked over to the brunette sitting against the wall, her hands buried in her face, her posture broken. "Do you understand?"

Pietro gently pried Lexi's hands from her face, his voice soft but firm. "I'll take you to a jet, okay?" Lexi nodded silently, the tears continuing to streak down her cheeks. He lifted her effortlessly, turning to his sister. "You know. I'm 12 minutes older than you."

"Go," Wanda laughed through her pain, her voice tinged with the strain of everything happening. Pietro sped off without another word, leaving Wanda alone in the church.

He gently placed Lexi in a chair, then rushed around the perimeter, checking for anyone who might still be in danger. When he returned, he found Lexi still crying, her expression empty, her eyes lost. And Zrinka screaming as Costel was nowhere in sight. He was about to take off again when Lexi's hand gripped his arm, stopping him.

"Clint went for him," she said, her voice barely a whisper.

Pietro paused, trying to process the weight of her words. Then, gunshots rang out, and the sound of the Avengers' Quinjet firing could be heard in the distance. He turned sharply to see where Clint was, frozen in place, exposed to the fire.

"He's not fast enough," he muttered.

"Neither are you!" Lexi screamed, her voice hoarse with panic. But it was too late. Pietro sped towards the archer, a blur of motion, just as bullets tore through his body. He reached Clint and Costel just in time, shielding them with his own body.

"You didn't see that coming," Pietro whispered with a small, pained smirk, though the blood soaking through his clothes told another story.

"Pietro!" Lexi screamed, her heart shattering as terror engulfed her. She collapsed to her knees, her chest tightening with panic. At that moment, her magic flared out uncontrollably, yellow energy erupting from her in every direction as the full force of her emotions exploded. Wanda's scream echoed in her head, but it was drowned out by the deafening rush of her own grief and rage.

Clint rushed to grab Pietro, carefully lifting him in his arms and bringing him to his sister. Tony reached Lexi first, gathering her into his arms as she sobbed uncontrollably, her body wracked with the force of her grief.

Clint, still stunned by the horrors of what had just happened, lowered the boy's body beside Lexi, sitting beside her in shock. The scene had left them all numb, the battle was won, but at what cost.