"Three minutes. Get what you need." Steve commands and everyone goes to their rooms to get prepared for the upcoming battle. I'm about to leave as well, until my best friend stops me when we're alone. "Eve, wait."

"If you're mad that I wasn't fully on your side when Tony and Bruce created Vision, I just want you to know that Tony asked me to trust him. And since he trusts me about Bucky, I returned the favor. As you can see, it wasn't exactly a mistake to do so." I clarify before he gets the chance to yell at me. "And now excuse me, I have to apologize to a King for kicking him- "

"Do you really think I wouldn't know why you did this?" He half smiles, shaking his head. "That's not what I wanted to talk about."

"Oh. What then?" I sit down, my foot impatiently tapping the ground which looks, like the whole floor, a chaotic destruction.

"You seem pretty much like a mess since Wanda got into your head." His features soften with sympathy. "Wanna talk about it? We haven't really had the chance."

"No." I shake my head, pressing my lips together. This dream was a nightmare that I rather forget, knowing that it'd consume me if I let it in. "Something else?"

"Try not to die on this mission. There's still Bucky waiting for us." He reminds me and I sigh and nod, hoping that our lost friend is safe and not captured by Hydra or involved in this problem. Where are you? I glance at the dog tag and think of Bucky, my lips pressed together, I miss you.

"Hey, Steve?" He looks up and I walk towards him to pull him into a tight hug. His body language tells me that he seems to be confused but then I feel his strong arms around me and how one of his hands strokes my hair. "Thanks for being concerned. I love you."

"I love you too. Everything okay?"

"Always." I pull back and smile at him which he genuinely returns. Behind his turquoise eyes is still the spirit I've grown up with, the ambition of the little blonde guy who never ran away from a fight. "And I'm sure that we'll eventually be home."

"Eventually." Steve's smile grows and I leave the room, only to coincidentally meet Pietro in the corridor.

"You have any clothes for my sister?" The silver-haired boy asks tentatively and scratches his head. "And shoes for me?"

"Yeah, I'll get them for you, just wait in your room." I notice his tense stomach and hasty quitting, revealing similar signs of something I had in the forties. After getting a leather jacket and an old dress for Wanda and sports shoes from Steve for Pietro, I walk into the kitchen on the other floor.

"Oh, hey. What are you looking for?" Clint spots me from behind the kitchen island with a cup of black coffee in his hand. It doesn't surprise me that he drinks his beloved coffee instead of preparing himself for the mission.

"Something eatable for Wanda and Pietro, they must be starving and- ", I search through the shelves and end up groaning, "Okay, who ate the last box of donuts again? Like seriously? I just bought one last week!"

"Probably Tony." He assumes, chuckling and puts down his cup. "I think we've got some cookies left in the fridge."

"Not gonna question why they're in the fridge, but thanks." I take the last box of cookies from the fridge, ready to leave the kitchen with the fully loaded stuff until I meet Clint's curious gaze.

"After all they've done, they've really started growing on you, haven't they?" His lips form a smirk. "I heard through the comm how you talked to Wanda."

"Well, I was obviously angry with them at first." I state and shrug. "But they're still so young and... lost. They had nobody to teach them how to be good, they're orphans. I'd like to help them. They sort of remind me of- "

"You?" He reasons and I nod reluctantly.

"Okay, gotta go now. Don't die."

"Don't die." Clint responds and I almost smile, then walk into Wanda and Pietro's room. The Sokovian girl winces when I toss the jacket and dress to her while her brother just deftly catches his shoes, due to his abilities.

"I know, not really convenient for a fight but I can't find something else in your size." I open the cookie pack and offer them the sweets. "And here is some food... sort of. We don't have really proper food anymore, sorry."

"You... got cookies for us?" Pietro asks in disbelief with widened eyes and I nod. "Why?"

"I'm a girl who grew up during the Great Depression." I tilt my head, a playful grin appears on my lips. "I recognize hunger and starvation when I see it. Besides, I can't imagine that Hydra or Ultron fed you well, so go on. Enjoy your meal. After the mission, you'll get real food."

"After?" Wanda questions as Pietro already hungrily devours the cookies. "What's gonna happen to us after this?"

"Well, first it requires that we survive this whole doom scenario." I shrug. "Then... I don't know. If you'll be Avengers or strangers afterwards, that's up to you, your potential. But I can assure you that we're not gonna abandon you."

"Thank you." Wanda's voice is cracking, her eyes are filled with tears that she's holding back. A little part of me is still mad at her actions but I'm aware that Hydra and Ultron both used her like a weapon. Neither she nor her brother should be treated like that again.

"That's what you have friends for. Now move your asses, Steve wanted us to get back ten minutes ago."

***

"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 going to happen today. But we can do our best to protect them. And we can get the job done, and find out what Ultron's been building. We clear the field. Keep the fight between us. Ultron thinks we're monsters and we're what's wrong with the world. This isn't just about beating him. It's about whether he's right."

The silence after Steve's speech is powerful, strong enough to keep a whole team of superheroes quiet. The jet slowly lands as a sigh leaves my lips. "As a motivation and to get rid of this awful silence, if we survive today, Tony will buy everyone shawarma."

"Alright, that's also what I'm here for."

"Sounds good."

"We shall celebrate our future victory with a glorious feast like that!"

"I am not certain if Wakanda offers this kind of meal but I think it is worth a try."

"I do not know if my biology allows me to eat."

"Food's always good, the cookies weren't enough."

"Okay, but can we stop ignoring the fact that I'm gonna pay for everything again?!" Tony whines and interrupts everyone else's comments. "Gosh, y'all are a pain in the ass."

"Language!" Clint calls mockingly, earning a glare from Steve.

"What, do you not have the money to pay for us, Stark? I thought you were rich." T'Challa challenges him with a scoff and Tony rolls his eyes, leaving with Vision on the jet to find Ultron. Thor flies off to check on the Vibranium core under the ground.

"Alright, let's save civilians and stop acting like children." Natasha admonishes them and we all leave the plane, dispersing through the city of Sokovia. The sun hasn't fully risen yet after hours of evacuating the city, it's still the break of the dawn and none of us has gotten much sleep. Yet, here we are, a team of individuals with the weight of the world on our shoulders.

"Everyone, leave the city!" I yell through the streets of the center and shoot a lightning towards the sky as a warning. The citizens that are still here sneak a peek from the windows, curiosity and fear are written in their faces. A few Sokovians leave their homes, completely confused.

"They won't listen to you, they are scared." Wanda says matter-of-factly behind me and I flinch, mentally groaning. I turn around and see how she creates the red path between her fingers again, hypnotizing the civilians like marionettes.

"Wanda! You frightened me, why are you here? Shouldn't you be with Pietro at the police station?"

"He's too fast for me to catch up with. And I didn't know who else I should follow, I barely know the others." She confesses shyly and I sigh, glancing at the lost puppy who manipulates the people's will. Wanda makes them pack their stuff and walk out of their houses to leave the city, the scarlet color is buried in their eyes.

"That's... impressive. Alright, everybody hurry and leave the city as fast as possible, northbound to the bridge! Captain America and Hawkeye help you there! We don't have much time!" I announce loudly, leading the obedient crowd to the safe bridge.

"Let me know if Code Green should start and the civilians are safe." Bruce tells me nervously through the earpiece. "I-I wanna help."

The ground slightly trembles and an unattractive cracking fills the air, gaining our attention. With a frown on my face, I look down and my eyes widen at the dozens of Iron Legions crawling out of the earth beneath the bridge. Looking around, I realize that they're coming out  of everywhere and flying around to cause destruction, a swarm of killer robots. "Do you have visionary powers? Pun not intended, Vision."

"Okay, I'm coming." Bruce answers while Vision only hums in confusion. Ultron's army starts attacking us and I dodge the shot, trying to cover the civilians behind us.

"Wanda!" I shout at her and she creates a scarlet force field, protecting us from the shots.

"Get off the bridge!" Wanda warns the crowd behind us and I shoot a few of the robots down. Turning around, she assures that everyone gets to safety. "Run!"

In the moment of her distraction, her force field slowly weakens and the next shot throws us both off. My back hits awfully the ground and I let out a pained groan, scrunching up my face. A cry escapes Wanda's lips and I look at her as she tries to get up. "Everything's okay?"

"Yes." She murmurs weakly and forces herself to get up, her arms are shaking. Hopping back on my feet, I help her up and look around, panic plagues the whole mess and everyone runs off the bridge.

"You try to get the civilians to safety, I'm gonna take care of the bots." I glance at the killer bots that fly towards us, my eyes narrowed with determination.

"But you would fight alone..." She objects slowly, not agreeing to the plan.

"I'm strong enough. You've been in my head, shouldn't you know how much rage I carry with me?" I shoot her a quick look until a familiar furious roar of a certain monster echoes through the city, my lips form a grin. "Besides, I'm not alone. Now go!"

Wanda leaves me unwillingly and helps the civilians to escape the chaos while I form a blast of electricity to shoot it at the robots. With a loud crash, the Hulk lands close to me and sends me a mischievous smirk.

"Good to see you too." I greet him and point at the southern area which is close to the river. "Smash the Iron Legions there, I'll take care of this borough."

He doesn't answer with words, rather with actions and jumps to the next area to smash the bots. I start running towards the robots and tear them apart with my bare hands, then I kick their heads off. Adrenaline shoots through my veins as I keep electrifying the killer bots, destroying each of them, one by one. My lungs start slightly burning and I pant heavily, more are coming.

Suddenly, the ground starts trembling unsteadily and I look down as the bridge underneath my feet is breaking apart. Quickly, I try to stay on the side that goes up and almost lose the balance, the crash of the falling fragments fills the air. I hold my breath and my heart leaps to my throat, my widened eyes are attached to the arising depth in front of me. The thin air feels suffocating and I swallow, still not believing what's happening.

"Tony." I call him through the earpiece, my whole body is shaking while I stare at the part of Sokovia that stays on the ground. No. No, no, no. "What's going on?"

"Sokovia's going for a ride." His voice is blank and hollow, the only emotion that laces his words is pure angst. The destruction grows with each second and meter that the flying part of Sokovia goes up, buildings crash down and crush the people on the ground to death, screams are audible everywhere.

"Do you see? The beauty of it, the inevitability." Ultron hovers in the air above the mess like a God, a chaos that he controls. "You rise, only to fall. You, Avengers, you are my meteor, my swift and terrible sword and the earth will crack with the weight of your failure. Purge me from your computers, turn my own flesh against me. It means nothing. When the dust settles, the only thing living in this world will be metal."

I stare in horror at the depth below us and my hands run through my hair, anxiety tightens my chest and makes it heavy to breathe for me. We're all gonna die.