4. Avengers (4)

          Once the smoke had cleared, everyone started to move. Steve began to get off the floor,

"Put on the suit."

"Yeah," Mr Stark followed. Uncle Nick helped me up, and I leaned against the table as I stood.

"Hill!" he said into his communicator.

"External detonation. Number 3 engine is down," Aunt Maria told us, and I looked at Uncle Nick worriedly. "Somebody's got to get outside and patch that engine," Aunt Maria stated.

"Stark, you copy that?" Uncle Nick asked.

"I'm on it," Mr Stark assured.

"Coulson, initiate defensive lockdown in the detention section, then get to the armoury," Uncle Nick continued giving instructions and then gesturing for me to follow him out of the room. He held my hand to make sure I was with him the entire way so he could keep an eye on me. "Romanoff?"

"We're ok," Aunt Nat replied, and I let out a small breath of relief. Uncle Nick and I arrived at the control room and ran in. I walked over to the railing on the right of Uncle Nick's screen area and watched everyone working. I didn't know what to do to be helpful.

"Bring the carrier about to a 1-8-0, heading south!" ordered Uncle Nick, "Take us to the water!"

"We're flying blind. Navigation is recalibrating after the engine failure," an agent said.

"Is the sun coming up?"

"Yes, sir."

"Then put it on the left. Get us over water. One more turbine goes down, and we drop."

Everyone was worried, and I felt useless. The thoughts of Captain America being my father were in the back of my mind at the moment. I was worried about Nat and Dr Banner and Steve and Mr Stark. Aunt Maria came up the steps toward me and Uncle Nick.

"We need full evac on the lower hangar bay," Uncle Nick informed Aunt Maria. She started to head in that direction but then shouted,

"Grenade!"

I swiftly turned to see the grenade and instantly put up a shield just in time. Aunt Maria had jumped over the railing right before the explosion. Uncle Nick directed me to the left side of the door, where men were filing in. He had his gun, and I had force fields prepared. Uncle Nick struck first, and I followed, knocking out two guys. I saw a man hold his gun up at us and was about to use my power to stop him, but Aunt Maria saved us first by shooting him. Uncle Nick instructed me to stay behind him and work as a shielder, not a fighter. I listened, not wanting to have to kill anyone. A warning was spoken over the PA during our defence,

"We have the Hulk and Thor on Research Level 4. Levels 2 and 3 are dark."

"Sir, the Hulk will tear this place apart!" Aunt Maria yelled. Uncle Nick shot three more bullets,

"Get his attention."

"Escort 6-0, proceed to Wishbone and engage hostile," Aunt Maria instructed over the com, "Don't get too close."

I didn't pay much attention to what was being said after that. I focused on making sure my fellow agents weren't hit by any bullets. The men continued to attempt entry into the control room.

"What are we going to do, sir?" I asked Uncle Nick, "They keep coming."

"They're not getting through here, so what the hell-" Uncle Nick was interrupted by a blast going off on our left. I quickly put up a shield, but I wasn't able to help the people closest to it. A second went off, and Uncle Nick shielded me, despite my ability to protect us. Uncle Nick then looked up to see where the source was, and I followed his gaze. I had spotted Uncle Clint shooting through a hole in the wall. Uncle Nick then took shots at him and, fortunately, missed.

"Engine 1 is now in shut-down," another agent warned us. I grabbed Uncle Nick's hand and had a scared look on my face as the helicarrier began to tilt from falling. "sir, we've lost all power in engine 1."

"It's Barton," Uncle Nick explained, "He took out our systems. He's headed for the detention level. Does anybody copy?"

"This is Agent Romanoff. I copy."

I grew even more worried for Aunt Nat as I knew she would have to face her best friend in this situation. Uncle Nick then spoke to Mr Stark through his com,

"Stark, we're losing altitude."

"Yeah, I noticed," he responded. I hoped Mr Stark and Steve would be able to get us lifted again before we hit the water. The shooting stopped after Uncle Clint left, but we were still losing altitude. An announcer told all hands to move to the crash stations immediately. I stayed by Uncle Nick, watching as the number on the altimeter quickly decreased. Mr Stark had gotten engine 1 fixed! I was so happy, but the feeling was short-lived when Uncle Nick and I ran to the detention centre and found Uncle Phil on the floor and against the wall. He spoke first,

"Sorry, Boss. The god rabbited."

"Just stay awake," I told him, my tone laced with worry.

"Eyes on me," Uncle Nick sternly instructed Uncle Phil.

"No, I'm clocking out here," Uncle Phil said.

"Not an option."

"It's okay, Boss. This was never going to work if they didn't have something to-"

I watched, heartbroken, as my uncle took his last breath. I went to hug Uncle Nick, and he stood up, pulling me up as well. I realized why when the medical team rushed in. I didn't let go of Uncle Nick, afraid my legs would give out. He kept one hand firmly wrapped around me while he used the other to use his com,

"Agent Coulson is down."

"A medical team is on its way to your location," an agent said.

"They're here. They called it."

I hugged Uncle Nick tighter as silent tears started falling.

I was brought back to the control room and sat down in the head seat. I sat back and continued to sob silently. Steve and Mr Stark eventually came in and sat in the seats on either side of mine. Mr Stark turned away, not looking at anyone. The tears had stopped and started drying on my face by the time Uncle Nick spoke up,

"These were in Phil Coulson's jacket. I guess he never did get you to sign them." Uncle Nick tossed Uncle Phil's vintage Captain America trading cards, and they landed, scattered, in front of us. They were covered in a little bit of blood, and I looked away, trying not to cry again. "We're dead in the air up here. Our communications, the location of the cube, Banner, Thor. I got nothing for you. I lost my one good eye. Maybe I had that coming." Uncle Nick began to walk around the table, closer to our end. "Yes, we were going to build an arsenal with the Tesseract. I never put all my chips on the number, though, because I was playing something even riskier. There was an idea, Stark knows this, called the Avengers Initiative. The idea was to bring together a group of remarkable people to see if they could become something more. To see if they could work together when we needed them to, to fight the battles that we never could." Uncle Nick had stopped walking at my chair and put his hands on the headrest. "Phil Coulson died still believing in that idea. In heroes."

At that, Mr Stark stood up and walked out. "Well, it's an old-fashioned notion." Uncle Nick walked away from the table, and I leaned forward to place my arms on the table and my head on my arms.

"Are you alright?" I heard Steve ask from beside me and lifted my head to look at him. "I understand you were close with Agent Coulson," he continued, "So I want to make sure that you are ok."

I took a deep breath and thought for a moment.

"Not really, no," I said, "But I will be eventually."

Steve only nodded, and I remembered that we just heard that Steve was my father. "Did you know?" I asked, sitting up more. Steve looked at me quizzically. "Did you know that I was your daughter?"

He hesitated.

"I found out when I was being brought here. Agent Coulson showed me everyone's files, including yours, and explained that the scientists had used my blood sample when creating you."

"Why didn't you say anything?"

"It didn't feel like the right time, and I wasn't sure if I was the right person to tell you."

"Is that the only reason?"

He hesitated again, which scared me. I wasn't sure what I wanted our relationship to be, but I didn't want him not to want me in his life at all.

"I also wasn't sure if I was ready or even fit to be a father. I don't want to be a terrible parent and ruin your life."

I simply nodded as I was scared my voice would break. Maybe it would be for the best that I remained here with Uncle Nick. After a few moments, Steve stood up, "I'm sorry about your uncle, and that I didn't tell you earlier, I hope you will forgive me and not let that change how you see me. I will go make sure Stark is doing alright as well."

As he walked away, I whispered a "thank you," and he smiled at me. I couldn't go see Uncle Clint because he was still possibly dangerous, so I remained sat down and started twisting my bracelet around my wrist. Uncle Nick, Aunt Maria and Uncle Phil had gotten it for me for my 11th birthday. I read the quote engraved into it: "No matter what your differences are, you have to embrace them and be proud of the way you are. I felt as though I was about to cry again, so I got up and walked to my small room on the helicarrier.