↻ ◁ II ▷ ↺

Diana Rogers-Stark never thought she'd ever wish to be inside the Avengers Compound. She never thought she'd miss her large bed, the view from her massive window that overlooked the ocean as well as the fences surrounding her home; or even the curtain separating her room from the rest of the facility.

She even missed the smell of the lemony floor cleaner the maids used. How no matter how hard her family tired to erase the smell with candles and perfumes, it never seemed to leave the place.

The Copper-Keener garage smelt of oil and boy.

When she finally gained consciousness, she decided not to move. Not wanting to open her eyes and start the day. Knowing when she did, it meant she'd have to think about what was happening.

So when she opened her eyes and sat up, Diana couldn't help but huff as she saw the sight before her.

Instead of sea foam green comforter, an old and worn out Lady Liberty blanket was laying on her person.

Looking up, instead of her empty dresser that once held her record player, she saw three bodies. All doing very different things.

As Diana expected, Colette was stretching. Controlling her breathing as she moved her hands in a strange manner. Similar to what she saw at the sanctum.

Nathan was there as well. More focused on what seemed to be on the large book he was reading, while his step-brother clicked away on his laptop.

Diana watched them for a moment. Not feeling like speaking. She wasn't exactly sure why she didn't bother to, she just... couldn't find the energy.

Or that was until she accidentally made eye contact with Colette, "She's up," within seconds the others also stopped what they were doing and practically ran to the pinkette.

As she sat up, Colette grabbed the teen's wrist and focused on the energy reading, "Perfect, eighty-five percent. You'll be okay," she proclaimed.

Diana pulled her arm away as the three looked her over. Having to hold back a scoff as she saw the emotional the trio were conveying... pity. Diana fucking hated their pity.

It was something she already had enough of. Everyone gave it to her. She could never seem to escape it, just like her ability to be more than a damsel.

"You okay?"

Diana ignored the girl's question and rubbed her eyes, "What time is it...?" Her grogginess quickly shifted into a wide awake gawk at the digital time on her watch, "Ten A.M?"

"We thought it would be best to let you sleep," Nathan pulled open a small cooler they must have brought in after she fell asleep. "Colette told us about your charging and stuff, but you should probably eat a bit more. You've been out for over twelve hours."

She gave a small nod as he handed her an off brand juice box and what appeared to be a protein bar. Diana gave a small thanks as she tried to keep herself calm. The thoughts of the video started to replay over and over again. Making salty tears prickle her eyes.

She had to force her to stop crying by pinching her skin. Just a quick action but effective as it removed the emotions. Getting emotional wouldn't do any good now.

Instead she went into Avenger Mode, "Any more information? On the news?"

Harley shook his head, "Nate's old man makes us watch the news at breakfast so we can be 'Informed for whatever dangers may occur'," he used sarcastic quotation marks as he spoke. "And Geeze..."

Harley started to cringe, causing not only Diana's eyes to significantly widen, but Colette to slap him, "Don't fucking scare her more!" Nathan scolded him.

"What is happening out there?" Diana stood up.

"Nothing completely insane," Colette helped bring Diana back to the futon. "It's just now... Hydra seems to have full control over the narrative..."

"They're posing as the Avengers and had the mayor release a statement that you had a mental breakdown and ran away," Harley said with not a drop of decorum.

Diana sighed, "How did they get away with that? Didn't anyone think it was weird that none of the Avengers were at the conference?"

Colette shook her head, "It wouldn't be the first time. When Loki kidnapped you in 2012 neither Tony or Pepper went to any of the press conferences."

Nathan nodded, "Simply saying they were too busy looking for you is enough of an explanation. I mean they're the Avengers."

"But they were kidnapped."

"Nobody but us and the kidnappers know that," he told the young avenger.

She let out a long breath, rubbing her temples as the others sat around her, "We need to figure out something to do fast," Nathan muttered.

"They're confident, I'll give Hydra that," Colette hummed next to Diana. Crossing her arms and legs as she sat on the dingy futon, "Press conference and shutting down the bridges in New York? They must be so sure that no one will grow suspicious."

"Not that you can blame the people," Nathan muttered. "Anything with the official Avengers name attached is considered godly."

Diana could only nod at the statement as she even knew it was true. Before Ultron, just the name of any member of her family opened doors. It's how she got into NAOA after all.

As the three continued to discuss their options of survival, Harley Keener brought his attention back towards his old laptop, "Guys..."

The three glanced at him as he showed off the news report, "They still think Diana's in New York."

The trio walked towards the blonde boy. Allowing them to read the latest news report, causing Colette to gawk, "City Wide Search... they have that authority?"

Nathan then scoffed, "That can't be true. Checking each and every home for you? Isn't that like illegal to enter homes without a warrant?"

"Not for me," Diana crossed her arms. "I'm technically a biologically weapon. So they have the ability to enter homes without any permits. Not to mention Hydra just looooves snooping peoples personal lives."

"This might be a good thing, though," Harley muttered.

"And how is that?" Nathan gave the boy a look.

"We've got the upper hand," he pointed at Nathan. "They have no clue little Lady Liberty is actually in another state right now. Giving us more time to stay hidden and think of our next move," Harley drummed his hands on the table as if he thought of the perfect advantage.

Though Diana could only focus on one word, "What do you mean us?"

Colette tilted her head, "Me, you, Nathan and Harley. Did you not sleep enough?"

"I slept just fine, I'm just confused about the fact you all think this is a group issue," Diana blatantly told them. "We're not making some sort of shitty B-Team for the Avengers to take down Hydra."

"Diana-"

"No. You can't," she cut Colette off. "I can't. Do you know what happened the last time I fought Hydra? With my father by my side?"

She gritted her teeth and turned herself around. Diana, being a damsel by trade, had many scars. Her whip burns on her right arm, the bullet and blade markings scattered about... and many more she couldn't remember or see. So, since the kids wanted to play pretend, she'd show them a glimpse of reality.

"What... what is that?" Harley slowly asked as he inspected the scar on the back of Diana's neck.

"Electric burns," she grumbled and turned back to face them. "When my father realized Shield was infiltrated they caught me. They saw me as a threat. So to keep me from Commanding them they strapped a mask to my face and shocked me whenever I spoke."

She looked the group over as the tears started to appear, both fearful and annoyed, "I almost died by their hands multiple times. I can't defeat them. I can't. So there's no way in hell any of you can."

Nathan gawked, "This isn't about us wanting to be Avengers, Diana!"

"Besides, Nathan's face couldn't sell on a sticker, let alone a lunchbox," Harley then added as the air stayed tense.

Colette placed a hand on the girl's shoulder, "We don't want to become some type of Avenger, Diana."

"Well... Not yet, at least," Harley mumbled.

"Right now, we just want to help get you somewhere with people that actually have the resources to stop these guys," Nathan said. "'Cause here's the thing, if there are no Avengers... there's no one to protect the world, and I for one like to be alive."

Diana let out a huff as she dried her eyes, trying to think of some sort of way out of this, "That's the problem... I don't know where to go from here. Why do you think I'm in your garage in the first place? I have no safe house, I have no weapons, supplies or money... I've never been the hero. I'm always the damsel. I don't know where my family is-" she paused. "Or... if they're even alive at this point."

"That's what we're going to help you with," Colette calmly told the teen. "They have to be. Why else would they take them alive otherwise?"

The teen's hands clenched against the table as she tried to find reason for all of this, "I guess... I guess that makes sense."

"Unless they're planning on a public execution," Diana's hands ripped right through the wood as Harley spoke out.

Nathan slapped the other boy, causing him to fall backwards, "Hey! I'm just being honest!" He yelled from the ground.

Though his help left Diana screaming into her hands, "This cannot be real. This can't be happening. I can't do this..."

Colette rubbed the girl's back as she tried to help, "It'll be okay. Your family has survived worse with less chances-"

"That's the point! They did. Not me," Diana scoffed. "I'm a performer, not a hero."

"Okay, is there like a protocol or something you guys use when someone goes missing?" She then asked.

"You mean the protocol they use when I go missing?" Diana snapped her head up, "They call me Rupunzel for a reason Colette. You get kidnapped twice and suddenly that's all you're known for. I can't leave my tower! I don't know who or what is outside of New York, Washington or Malibu. How am I supposed to figure something out?"

"Why not start from their protocol on you?" Harley suggested, "Like... is there anyone higher than the Avenger you can go to? Like a higher director or something?" He asked as the others nodded in agreement.

Diana shook her head, "The Avengers are a privately owned company. My dad is currently the top or... he was."

"Fuck," Harley huffed as Colette continued to ponder, "Is there any Shield members you can contact?"

"Even if I knew anyone outside on my circle there's no way to contact them without being tracked."

They started to shoot some more ideas back and fourth until Nathan suggested, "Why not just straight up go to the president?" Causing all to stare at him as he meekly shrugged, "Don't look at me like that, I'm being serious. I mean she is the 'Top Dog of America'. Why not just go up to Washington, use your cool blue portal power and ambush her in the Oval Office with the recording of your family getting taken and she can take over. Her influence can cause other countries to even lend a hand if need be."

"That is the dumbest idea I've ever heard," Harley said.

"Hey! I don't see you trying to think of anything."

Diana looked away for a moment as she tried to think about why that couldn't work, but the more she thought about it the more it made sense.

"What about the tiny fact that we are on the run?" Colette hummed, "The moment they see Diana they're gonna arrest her."

"Not if she shows them the footage first! Just think about it! She's Lady Fucking Liberty! The most powerful girl in the world! Both financially and physically!" He quickly turned to Diana, "No, I'm not obsessed with you, my sister makes me watch your documentaries and I had to do a project on you for school by force. But you have power, you need to use it. I'm sure the president will spare a few minutes for you."

"That is the dumbest thing I've ever-"

"He has a point," Diana finally spoke, making Harley shut up.

"You're kidding?!"

She shook her head, "The plan is very flawed, but it can work. My family has been on the run so many times and at this point I'm sure they think it's another threat."

Harley smacked his lips apart and shrugged, "Okay. I guess that'll work."

"Did you completely just change your mind because a girl agreed?" Nathan's brows lowered.

"No. I agreed because she's a superhero who saved the fucking world twice. Just like how I saved it once."

"Guys-"

"You saved America at best. Don't get a big head-"

"Stop it," Diana cut the two off, getting flashbacks to her father and cousin's bickering during their Sunday dinners out. "We should make a flash drive of the footage. Just to be safe."

Seconds later a red and gold flash drive was in her hands, "Done and done," Harley put his feet up on the table. "I've seen enough spy movies to figure that out. I even made a copy," he jingled his lego Iron Man USB.

Seeing the small deceive had a little opening, Diana removed her music note necklace Steve gave her and slid the flash drive onto it. Allowing the crucial information to rest safely around the teen's neck, "So how are we gonna get there?"

Harley glanced to the brunette, "Well Nathan just got his license the other day."

He blushed slightly, "Yeah, but I don't have a-" not that the sixteen-year-old could finish the sentence when the door suddenly burst open.

Colette waisted not a second before throwing a blanket over the fugitive before hearing a childlike scream.

"Ohhhhhh you have girls in your garage!" The voice taunted the brothers.

Peaking her head out slightly, Diana could see a very small brunette who looked no older than twelve with a shit eating grin covering her face. Nathan shifted slightly to block the girls as Colette let out a frustrated scream, "What's the point of locking the damn door if everyone in the fucking house has a key?!"

Both boys were now up and in front of the girls as the one at the door gasped, "And you had the door locked?! Oh... oh, Mom and Rick won't like that."

"Brook- wait look we can explain-"

"RICK!" She was already out the door and running to her stepfather.

All four of the teens tensed as the realization set in. Both boys nodded at each other before Nathan was sprinting out the door, "Just wait here and we'll grab her! We'll say she was lying just hide!" Harley demanded as Diana and Colette heard the commotion fade inside the house as the noise softened.

Standing up Colette quickly grabbed Diana's shoulder, "Hey. Serious talk right here," she pulled the taller girl slightly down to make eye contact. "You sure you're going to be okay?"

No. Diana nodded, "Yeah. I... I don't think I processed everything yet," liar.

She sighed, "Okay, but when you're ready we can talk. Washington is far away as is-"

"I know. Look I... I just... we need to hide. Before... well before their cop father finds us," Diana tried to stop the oncoming conversation.

Colette nodded, "Okay. I'll hide over there and..."

Diana glanced outside to another shed in the distance, "I'll hide out there. Their dad will probably scowered the area, so maybe outside of the garage is a better place to hide... plus I need some air."

"Okay," Colette gave the girl her space, thankfully, before Diana Pocketed away so she didn't need to talk anymore.

Once the last avenger's feet hit the gravel outside she finally allowed herself to let out a much needed quiet scream. Her hands forced against her lips as she struggle to keep it as silent as possible.

This couldn't be real. It had to be a nightmare. She had to just wake up from it. Diana never thought it was possible but in that moment, she would give anything to open her eyes and be back in her old room, to find out Wanda had just accidentally used her powers on the girl.

Because even if they apparently didn't work, Diana felt like this was what her nightmare would show.

Her family was gone and she had no way of knowing where they were or how to properly get them back.

"Damn... Your tears are gonna make this a lot harder," The girl didn't even have a moment to process who said that before feeling the bat that had smashed into her stomach.

Diana Rogers-Stark wheezed as she flew backwards, sprawling out like a starfish against the grass. A pained groan fell from her lips when she sat up, seeing a familiar man, "Man kid you are not an easy target to find! I must say I am a little bit impressed. Strike Team taught you well."

She rubbed her probably bruised or fractured ribs as she looked the old agent up and down, "Agent Walsh, should've known you were one of them..."

Agent Sebastian Walsh. Shield's top Bounty Hunter, who was as deadly as he was insane. His succession rate was higher than Fury, Natsaha and Steve's combined. The man did anything for a price and was hired a few years before Diana was found. In all the years he'd been part of Shield he would only take on the cases he knew he could make a profit on.

Though the bounty hunter was most known for his signature weapon. A bat wrapped in barbed wire he obtained during his first mission. Diana remember the stories about how he got it and the absolute amount of damage he could do with the trophy he obtained.

Diana should've known he'd be bribed into taking it on.

He gave a shrug, crinkling his 'Lucky Uniform', a nice black leather jacket over a white tank top and pair of jeans, "You know me, little one. They pay, I grab."

"I'm sorry to disappoint you Walsh, but I'm not up for grabs. I'm a free woman," she tried to act tougher than him, but he could see right through the poor kid.

His bat spun in his hand, "I think we both know you have never been free little Rupunzel," Dian screamed as he brought the bat down, her just barely rolling away as it hit the dirt. Hard.

The teen quickly got back to her feet as he moved the bat away from the large hole he created in the terrain, "Now, I was told I had free reign on hurtin yea'. I'm just not allowed to kill you."

Diana's eyes glanced towards the shed that was only a few yards away, "Oh really? Hydra's being that generous, huh?"

He chuckled, "You know it-" before he could even swing the girl had started to book it towards the shed.

Once she was close enough, Diana pocketed inside and tried her best to find anything to be used as a weapon. Her hands trembling as she quickly tore the 5x5 shed apart. Wishing everyone had a weapons closet like she did in the compound.

That's when she saw a long wooden shovel with a stable shovel head. Good enough.

Diana let out a battle cry as she Pocketed back outside and hit the man in the side with the sharp end. He let out a yelp as he brought his bat down, which Diana quickly blocked, "Ow! Son of a bitch!"

The two continued to try and hit each other with their makeshift weapons that made it look like a ghetto sword fight. Eventually after a few minutes, and a lot of blood on both parts, the two came towards the Copper-Keener's back windows.

Glancing towards the large windows Diana could see the two boys inside. Both too obvious to her struggles. Instead they looked to be both fighting with a man inside.

Though... looking away from the fight at hand was her first mistake. As in that split second of losing focus Agent Walsh had sent a hit so powerful Diana went through the window.

Screams, mostly from Harley, could be heard as she hit the floor, "What the hell?" The man Diana could only assume was Nathan's father quickly grabbed his blonde toddler out of the highchair next to the girl.

Walsh jumped through the broken window, causing a crunching noise to occur as his boots hit the wooden flooring, "Honey! I'm home!" He yelled out as Diana tried to lift herself up. Using the empty highchair as a sort of crutch.

"Oh my god, a supervillain!" Harley screamed as Nathan pushed his other sister behind them.

Grabbing onto the item, Diana Pocketed herself and her new weapon behind the Bounty Hunter and hit Walsh with the highchair so hard that it broke into little bits and pieces.

She knew she probably looked insane as she glanced over to the family standing on the other end of the kitchen, making eye contact and pointing to the eldest son, "Nathan, get your gun." She wiped the gushing blood away from my her.

"My what?!"

"Is that Lady Liberty?!" The girl screamed out in excitement as Diana felt Walsh grab her ankle and pull the damsel down.

She yelped, hitting the floor and started to tussle with the large man as the others just watched, "Your dad's a cop! He should have a gun!"

The father grabbed the two girls and pushed them further away from Walsh and Lady Liberty as they kept fighting, "Why the hell is Lady Liberty in our kitchen?! How does she know your name?!"

"Nathan! Harley! The gun!" She continued to scream before Pocketing to her feet, a few metres away from her opponent.

Walsh and the girl started to throw a variety of breakable objects at each other as Diana let her anger out. After a few more good Pockets away, Diana had managed to get outside. Hoping to lured him out in the woods so she could just kill him and let it be done.

But as Diana stepped outside of the Copper-Keener residence, she was instead met with a good number of men in blacked out cars. All pointing weapons at the girl like a common fugitive. Of course it wouldn't be so easy.

The Copper-Keener's front door opened as a bloody and bruised Sebastian Walsh stepped out. He chuckled between wheezes as Diana frantically looked around.

Turning to her watch, Diana could see she only had forty percent left. Even though she was at least in the middle of the driveway, getting out of this with only a few pockets would be very hard. But the main thing she was trying to figure out, as well as a way out of this, was how did they find her?

Walsh stepped forward as he glanced around the large circle his men forced the two in, "One... two... three... four and five!" He smiled with every step. "There is a person exactly five steps between us! Meaning you can't just use your little sparkle powers to get out."

Diana glared at him as she continuously tried to locate a weak spot. There wasn't one.

Walsh held up a pair of familiar cuffs and dangled them up for the girl to see, "You gonna put on these yourself to save the embarrassment? I mean... I don't care but I thought I'd give you the girl you are, to save some dignity," he laughed at his own joke.

Her brows lowered as the silver dangled in front of her face. She might not have a chance to get out of this, considering he's considered to be the world's greatest for a reason, but if Diana had learned anything, you don't go down without a fight.

So taking all her courage and forcing it out, Diana put her fists out and prepared to fight until the end. Causing the Bounty Hunter to sigh, "And here I thought you were Smart, Diana-" Sebastian Walsh never got to finish his sentence.

As he was hit by a car.

Diana's mouth gaped as the window to the grey 2010 Toyota Corolla opened to reveal a distressed Nathan Copper. She looked between him and the crowd he plowed through before he screamed, "What are you waiting for?! Get in the fucking car!"

She nodded and sprinted towards the passenger seat, "Go! Go! Go!" He hit the gas and the group went speeding off.

Diana strapped her seatbelt on and then noticed the two passengers in the backseat, "Are you okay?! Who was that?! What is going on?!" Both Harley and Colette bombarded the teen with questions.

She huffed, trying to catch her breath, "I'm fine. I'm fine," Diana wiped the blood off of her face. "That guy though? Ugg! They call him the Paragon. He was Shield's top bounty hunter back in the day," she glanced back at the wreckage behind them. "He's caught men even Natsaha couldn't get close to."

"So why would he be chasing you?!" Harley gripped the back of Diana's seat.

"I think we all know why he's chasing her," Colette scoffed.

Nathan slammed his hand onto the steering wheel, hard, "God fucking damn it! Do you at least have the flash drive?"

Diana pulled her necklace out, showing it off, "Yeah."

"Great," he reached into the side pocket and pulled out a map, throwing it to the back. "You guys got it?"

Harley nodded and started to check the roads out, "Take a left here and we'll get on the highway."

He nodded and turned left as Diana kept looking out the window, "How did they find me? I thought we were quiet?"

"Maybe there was a tracker on my laptop?" Harley suggested as they made it suspiciously easy on the highway, "It could've been mentioned on Mr. Stark's private feed considering he gave it to me."

Diana shrugged, not completely caring at the moment as there were much larger issues at hand. Leaning back against her chair, she checked her energy levels as the feeling of ease would be soon cut short.

The four runaways either turned around or looked out the mirrors to see the terrifying sight now following behind them.

"Dang."

"Shit."

"Fuck."

"WHY?!"

At least eight to ten black cars were coming towards the four at full speed, and from the looks of it they weren't that concerned for the surrounding traffic, "Well let's just say you sure are popular!" Harley tried to make light of the situation before they all started to scream at Nathan to drive faster.

"I'm trying!" He screamed back at the three, while Harley continued to look at the map. "Okay... take exit four- no three now!"

"Wait what?!" Nathan shot his head back before missing the exit. "NO!"

"What do we do now?" Harley yelled.

"No matter what we try they're going to find us!"

"Well we can't just give up!" The three's fighting rattled off in as Diana rubbed her temples. Unlike the others she was much more used to the sight of danger. Not screaming as she tried to think of a way out of this. Causing her to focus on her scarred hands, seeing them slightly shake as an idea came to mind.

Was the idea risky? Very.

Did she have other options? Meh.

"Nathan, I need you to keep the car as straight and steady as possible," she told him.

His brow raised, "What?"

Colette must've saw the teen focus on her hands before she gasped, "Diana, wait! Are you sure that'll work? Have you ever transported someone other than yourself? At all?!"

Diana shook her head, "No, but if I get us at least to the other end of the road we'd have an advantage," she explained. "I have to try. Be prepared for a bumpy landing."

"Oh god," Nathan's voice slightly shook as Harley and Colette strapped themselves into their seats, putting their heads down as if it were a plane crash.

The young Avenger let out a steady breath as she brought her hands towards her chest, looking for the warmth she usually obtained whenever creating a portal. Once she found it, the girl locked in on that emotion and increased it. Clenching her teeth together and thought of a destination before throwing her hands out as fast as she could.

The warmth, along with a plethora of Diana's energy, leave her fingertips, as she created a Pocket the size of a foot and as wide as the car.

Nathan hit the gas as he forced the car through, causing a scraping sound to occur before they were suddenly airborne. The four screamed for dear life as the Toyota hit the ground and started to roll.

Eventually, when it finally did landed back on it's feet, the four runaways sat there for a moment to take in what just happened. Sitting shellshocked as their hair was everywhere.

Colette was the first to check behind her to see how far the Paragon was away before quickly freezing, "Uh... guys?"

Harley was the next to speak in his shocked state, "The hell?"

Finally, Diana opening her eyes and glanced to her side, seeing something she was not expecting. The desert.

She looked back at the others who all shared equally confused expressions, "Since when did Rose Hill have a desert?"

"It doesn't," Nathan said rather calmly before pointing to the sign up ahead. "Because we're not in Rose Hill."

"What?" She snapped my head towards the sigh and my breathing hitched when Diana read the location.

Diana somehow managed to travel 1,091.5 miles away from where we were, "The hell did I just do?"

𝐖𝐞𝐥𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐓𝐞𝐱𝐚𝐬
𝘋𝘳𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘍𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘭𝘺 - 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘛𝘦𝘹𝘢𝘴 𝘞𝘢𝘺

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