ØØØØ

ALL WAS QUIET IN the Facility. Everyone was either in the labs or in their rooms. Each of them experiencing some sort of loss. A shadow crept through the building, trying to avoid being seen and heard.

It wasn't like Amber Maximoff wasn't allowed to leave, it was that Steve advised her not to due to the publics backlash towards them after the snap. It was for her own protection, But she didn't need to be protected... the people out there deserved to be. The people deserved answers and support from their 'heroes', not silence.

The girl made her way out towards the gates of the compound. The protesters had left days ago, leaving an eerie silence fall over the grounds. Amber put up her hood hastily as she entered the streets, hoping to not be seen by angry citizens. Although she wanted to help, getting beaten by angry civilians didn't really sound appealing.

The girl wandered through the desolate streets with the occasional person walking passed her. She had never seen the streets this empty or quiet, it was oddly calming but fear was creeping up her spine. Amber shuddered slightly, seeing the state most houses were in. Half of them were abandoned with all their windows and doors swinging open and a few were burnt to the ground.

It felt like the girl was transported back to when she was younger and roaming the streets of Sokovia. The streets were the same, the odd stray dog or cat was the same, the abandoned houses was the same, the only difference was the people.

The people of Sokovia always populated the streets and lanes in hope of earning money or their well-earned wages, but here... there was barely a person in sight.

Amber halted suddenly, realising her destination was on her right. The girl took a shaky breath in before heading inside the grey residence. She opened the front door slowly, but was greeted by chaotic screams and cries. Amber gulped and walked up to the front desk.

"Sorry to disturb you but may I speak to.. um.." Amber glances at the piece of paper in her hands, "Mrs. Morley?".

"Mrs. Morley is currently occupied but you're welcome to wait." The woman replied, typing rapidly on her computer, as the girl sat down on the only empty chair left in the busy room.

Amber felt a small tug on her arm, and froze slightly. She looked down and her cold expression softened at the sight of a little girl gazing up at her.

"Hello?" Amber smiled softly, bending down to talk to the smaller girl.

"I'm Eliza, but everyone calls me Lizzie. What's your name? Why are you here? Do you like dogs? I used to have a dog called Patch.. but he ran away-" The little girl rambled, making the older girl chuckle slightly.

"Well, Lizzie, I'm Amber, I'm here to help.. hopefully and yes,I do like dogs" She replied, standing up and letting the smaller girl sit on her seat and Amber crouched down in front of her.

"Help? Are you the police? Can you help find my mum and dad..? I was at school and I came home and they were missing" Lizzie questioned, confusion lacing across her face.

Ambers smile dropped and her blood ran cold. It was obvious that Lizzie's parents hadn't 'gone missing'.... they were most likely snapped away by Thanos. The older girl shook her head and looked down slightly.

"Ms. Maximoff?" A stern woman said as she stood at the doorway to her office, presumably. Amber looked towards the woman and stood up. Lizzie fell silent upon hearing the woman's voice.

"That's me. Mind if we have a word?" Amber answered, walking towards Mrs. Morley, but not before waving goodbye to Lizzie.

Mrs. Morley ushered the girl into the small office, where a mahogany desk with a chair either side, took up the majority of the space. Amber sat down in one of the seats as Mrs. Morley sat down opposite her.

"Why are you here Ms. Maximoff?" The woman sighed, rubbing her temples.

"Please, call me Amber," the girl begun before continuing , "I'm here to help out. I can help with the kids, I can clean, I can help with accommodation, which, by the looks of it you'll need and I can provide financial support. Call it a Foundation; I provide help and I expect nothing in return".

"No offense Ms. Maximoff, but you're only 16. How will you be capable to accomplish all that you just guaranteed?" The woman questioned,

"Mrs. Morley, I may only be sixteen but I am an Avenger. I wasn't obligated to come here and offer help, but here I am. I know what these kids are after enduring, for I lost my parents many years ago. You need the help, and these kids... they need the help.. let me help you" Amber said.

Mrs. Morley's tired frown lifted slightly, "Ms. Maxi- Amber" she corrected herself, "All these kids.. they need hope... You can help... please help..".

Amber nodded solemnly, "I'll be here at nine o'clock sharp tomorrow, to talk to you and your staff about accommodation and the kids" she replied, standing up and shaking the woman's hand.

Mrs. Morley held open the door for the girl and she murmured a quick thanks. Amber walked back towards the little blonde girl who was patiently awaiting for the older girls return.

"Hey Lizzie!" Amber grinned, bending down beside the chair.

"Are you leaving?" Lizzie said, tilting her head to the side, her hands fidgeting with a loose thread of the chairs fabric.

"Well.. for today? Yes, but I promise I'll be back tomorrow and you can show me around?" Amber suggested, ruffling the younger girls hair, making her pout.

"Pinky promise?" Lizzie asked, raising her small pinky in the air.

Amber smiled and locked her pinky with the smaller girl's. She looked the girl in the eyes, and grinned.

"I swear that I will come back tomorrow and visit you" Amber swore, unlocking her pinky, "Now I have got to run before I worry some people".

Lizzie nodded and waved as Amber exited the small, crowded orphanage. She wore a smile across her face, realising that for once, she was making a difference to lives around her. Not for worse but for the better.

Amber walked all the way back to the facility with a large grin, that was until she entered the crowded living room. Steve and Nat stood over a laptop while Bruce and Carol checked the cameras.

"Hey guys?" Amber asked quietly, walking towards the stern four. Steve turned in anger towards her.

"Where were you?" He questioned in fury, "You left two hours ago, no note, no call. You have a phone for a reason".

"I was doing my share for the community" Amber replied steadily,

"Which is what? Huh? Sneaking out? Making us think you'd been kidnapped?!" Steve spat.

"No." Amber snapped, "I'm trying to help... unlike the rest of you."

Steve looked taken aback, as did the rest of the people standing and observing the two's argument.

"Go to your room" Steve commanded, crossing his arms, his lips pressed into a line.

"News flash Steve, you're not my dad. You can't ground me." Amber replied, gritting her teeth in frustration.

"But I am technically one of your legal guardians" Steve counteracted, "You're a 16 year old, you can't-".

"CAN'T WHAT STEVE?" Amber exploded, "Can't watch my parents die? Can't watch my brother die? Can't be involved in wars, fight, battles? Can't watch my sister die? Too bad. Been there, done that".

"Amber-" Natasha tried to interject, making Amber look away.

"For once. Just once. I want to do something that doesn't have consequences for anyone. Something that impacts others in a good way.. not a bad way." Amber murmured, "Just for once".

Amber walked towards the door to leave, "You find him yet?" She asked Bruce quietly.

Bruce looked up and took of his glasses to fiddle with them. "Not yet but we're still looking" he responded.

Amber nodded and left them to work on finding Tony. She waltzed into her bedroom and sat on her bed and threw her hoodie and bag onto her chair. The girl spotted a bottle on her desk and a mischievous grin crossed her face.

She picked up the bottle and sped into her bathroom. Amber looked at herself in the bathroom mirror, her eyes glancing between the dye in her hand and the mirror.

Oh how much she'd missed her purple hair.

ØØØØ

So this is the first chapter of 'Luminous'. I'm amazed!! This book gained over 1.8k views overnight, THATS INSANE!!

Also Lizzie is played by Maggie Elizabeth Jones because as a child she was the CUTEST LITTLE BEAN. The gif at the start is her!!

Thank you all and I love y'all 3000 <3