𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐝𝐨𝐰𝐬

Spider-Man swung across the inside of the building with caution, being fired at consistently. He was locked in a close battle against Sam Wilson and Bucky Barnes... and he was doing well for a fourteen year old boy.

"Oh god!" He muttered, turning around on the beam  he was perched on, narrowly being missed by a large piece of metal.

Bucky, stood behind what looked like an information pole, was startled when Peter's voice broke through the sounds of chaos.
"Hey, buddy, I think you lost this!" He called out, aggressively throwing the same piece of debris Bucky has launched in his direction.

Bucky ducked away, icy eyes wide.

Sam, however, was getting easily irritated. He launched himself at the bug-boy, kicking him off of the beam he crouched on. He attempted to keep the upper hand, but soon lost it as Peter shot his webs at the ceiling and pulled himself away from Sam's feet.

A web was shot at Sam's wings, making a crackling sound as Sam went towards the ground, wings folding back in.

He tucked and rolled straight through a small stall in the airport, landing roughly on the glass-littered ground with a loud groan.

Sam stood as he heard Peter approaching, but was unable to do anything as the teenager webbed his hands tightly against the railings behind him. Sam let out an annoyed sound as he looked up at the boy.

"Those wings carbon fibre?" Peter asked curiously, wanting to get as much knowledge from this experience as he possibly could. It wasn't everyday that the infamous Tony Stark brought you to Germany to fight against the Avengers (and company).

"Is this stuff coming out of you?" Sam asked, clearly showing his disgust in his tone of voice and facial expression.

"That would explain the rigidity-flexibility ratio— which, gotta say— that's awesome, man!" Peter gushed, all the information going through his brain as his excitement grew.

"I don't know if you've been in a fight before, but there's usually not this much talking." Sam retorted, completely annoyed — which wasn't difficult to achieve with the man — with Peter Parker.

"Alright, sorry, my bad!" Peter said, shooting a web and kicking himself forward. Bucky jumped in front of Sam, sending both of Cap's accomplices to the ground down below.

Peter quickly contains the two with his webs.

"Guys, look, I'd love to keep this up but I've only got one job here today and I gotta impress Mr. Stark, so, I'm really sorry—" Peter couldn't finish as Sam's piece of machinery — named Redwing... the man wouldn't let anyone forget! — launched him out of the window.

"You couldn't have done that earlier?" Bucky questioned incredulously — he couldn't believe that Sam had waited all this time to get rid of the teenager... they didn't have time for this!

"I hate you."

"Piet," Ava stated nervously, her eyes flickering around the battlefield. "I'm scared." She admitted, reaching up to tuck her finger hair behind her ear, before realising it was up in a pony tail hairstyle to keep it from getting in her eyes.

"It's okay, little one." Pietro quietly reassured, eyes shining with love and admiration for the little girl in front of him. "I can take you home right now if you want me to."

Ava heaved a large sigh — as much as she wanted to go home to her normal life, with Tilly, school, and even the ice cream shop... she knew she couldn't.

"We... we can't. It's— not right." She stammered out, taking in a large gulp of air as she shivered at the thoughts of what they had to do.

"Hey, hey," Pietro intercepted her as she attempted to run back into the battle. "No. You need to listen. You're a child and it is okay if you want to go home. You don't have to stay. Nobody would blame you."

"It's—" Ava paused, a battle deep within her mind. But she'd made her decision. It wasn't about her. It was about Bucky Barnes and the evil psychiatrist who messed with his head.
"No. I want to stay."

She denied any attempts of his to leave, and focused as she placed her hands on the ground. The tarmac felt warm under her fingers — no doubt from the heat of the faint sun above them.

Closing her eyes, she imagined what she wanted to create... a network of power. A channel of her abilities, leading from her all the way to Steve on the other side of the airport, and then to Wanda and Clint not too far away — even to Tony, who lay struggling beneath a pile of cars.

Feeling her powers flare up inside of her, she pressed the tips of her fingers into the ground, so harshly that she could feel the small stones trying to pierce her skin.

Steve kicked Rhodey away, but before he could get rid of T'Challa, a streak of white launched from the ground, sending pieces of debris flying through the air.

The vine-like power clashed harshly against T'Challa's torso, sending him backwards and to the ground.

Back on the other side of the airport, Pietro watched Ava work in awe. He looked on as she pushed T'Challa away from Steve, and when he turned his attention to her face... what he saw was, well, slightly unexpected.

Ava's naturally blue eyes were completely hidden by a harsh bright white — glowing faintly against her face. Pietro found it strange to see her in such a state — complete and utter concentration, she was barely even blinking an eye.

It wasn't her.

Back at home, Pietro always notices the little things — like the fact that Ava found it hard to keep still. And how nervous she got if she saw any piece of metal moving without a person holding on to it. Not to mention her complete fascination with space.

She had a passion for learning — and after how many things she had missed out on... he couldn't blame her.

It was now that Pietro came to a very unsettling realisation — well, unsettling to him.

His little Ava had missed so much because of this! She had lost her childhood. And Ava was unable to have the child-like innocence regular children had, because HYDRA hadn't allowed her. They had stolen her away from her parents — Pietro knew. He'd read the entire file within a minute — and then re-read it.

And now, Ava would never know the parents she had before disaster struck. She'd never even get to meet them — they were both dead.

Lauren and Jason Tagwell both died after suffering through the agonising loss of their five year old daughter.

And the worst part was that Ava couldn't even remember them. And it was all HYDRA's fault — they messed with her mind. They ripped her apart and put her back together.

And for what? What was the point? Pietro would never let them get their dirty hands on her again. So, why?

He couldn't — no, he wouldn't understand what made them think they'd be able to keep her. Did they seriously think they'd get away with it? They were sorely mistaken — and he would make them realise.

All of this pain... all of this suffering... for what?

To make this little girl special? She was special in her own way — without these powers. Her powers had only caused her pain! Yes, she did bring Pietro back to life using her powers — but she never would've met him if HYDRA hadn't taken her.

Ava could've been in a happy, loving home with her biological parents — alive and breathing.

But HYDRA hadn't allowed it.

They had destroyed Lauren and Jason. They took away the light of their life — for their own gain. And Pietro couldn't fix it. He couldn't fix it — nobody could.

He had to accept it.

He knew Ava did.

author's note!—

a shorter chapter today.
there was less action in this one - sorry!
I felt it was important to mention what happened to Ava's parents - and why they're not in the picture. it's why Pietro takes care of Ava, not her parents.

I also decided to write about Pietro's feelings... he's in overprotective!dad mode && was not happy with Steve for including Ava after she was just improving

hope you enjoyed :)