*A/N I do not own Avengers, Marvel, or anything related to the movies. I only own my own character. Story contains spoilers for the Avengers: Age of Ultron, and later Captain America: Civil War.

April 5, 2015

Arianna fired her guns, saving her knives for when it would count. She stood beside Clint, leaning as close to him as possible without getting in the way of his quiver or as he fired his arrows. The pair were balancing as they stood upright on the jeep Nat had commandeered, firing at snipers, foot soldiers, and the attacking machine suits that had clearly been made after Tony's Iron Legion design.

She ducked as a large blue laser blast came flying towards her head, before she stood back up and fired her gun at the two jeeps that were chasing them. Arianna took out the tires on one, making it crash into one of the many trees, but she was forced to duck again as the remaining jeep fired at them again. Nat swerved sharply, driving through the snowy forest as she tried to avoid the laser fire.

Clint was busy taking out the snipers placed amongst the trees and the occasional foot soldiers lining the forest ground, when he called to Arianna: "Aria, you're slacking."

"Yeah, yeah." Arianna replied as she rolled her eyes, firing at an approaching suit quickly before firing a shot at the jeep that was pulling up beside them.

The driver ducked, but Arianna grinned as Thor came out of nowhere and smacked the driver out of the jeep. The God then flew off towards a sniper post, leaving the now-driverless jeep to crash into some trees, and Arianna fired her guns at a group of approaching machine soldiers.

The last one evaded her fire, but before it could shoot at her, Tony took it out with a blast from one of his hand lasers. Arianna waved at him briefly as Iron Man flew past them, and he waved back before zooming off. Arianna turned her attention back to the front, firing at the sources of any laser gunfire that weren't coming from straight ahead.

Steve raced past on his motorbike, throwing his shield to take out hostiles directly in their path while using his bike to power through many of the foot soldiers as well. Any of the targets that he missed, the Hulk smashed, while Tony and Thor cleared the skies of any hostile forces.

The pattern continued, as the group raced towards the HYDRA base, until DELTA hit a fallen tree. Nat hit the brakes and Clint and Arianna lowered their stances quickly. The team braced themselves, Arianna shoving her guns back into their holsters on her thighs so that she could grab two knives.

The jeep swerved from Nat's sudden brake, and DELTA jumped out of the jeep right as it hit the tree. The trio used the momentum to leap into the air, Clint with his bow raised and an arrow ready, Nat curled into a fighting stance, and Arianna drawing her knives. The three were joined by the rest of the Avengers, Steve jumping his bike over the tree as Thor and Tony flew in overhead and the Hulk ran, using the tree as a springboard to leap powerfully into the air.

Thor whacked his Mjolnir onto a soldier, sending bolts of lightning out to the other hostiles in his area, while Clint fired his bow and simultaneously kicked down another soldier as he landed. Nat had jump-kicked a soldier as she landed, while Arianna threw two knives into the necks of two soldiers and knee-kicked a soldier right in the head as she landed.

The Hulk was smashing soldiers on their other side, while Steve and Tony sped past. Steve took out a base further ahead, effectively cutting off the laser fire, while Tony flew on ahead towards the HYDRA base on the top of the Sokovian hilltop…

"Shit!" Tony winced as he hit the barrier over the base.

Arianna rolled her eyes briefly as she stabbed two more soldiers and then jumped a third, and Steve scolded over the comms: "Language! Jarvis, what's the view from upstairs?"

"The central building is protected by some kind of energy shield." Jarvis answered. "Strucker's technology is well beyond any other Hydra base we've taken."

Arianna grunted as a soldier managed to brush his fist against her arm, before she taught the man a lesson as she spun and whacked him hard with the heel of her foot.

"You think?" Arianna asked as she avoided another blue laser beam and took out one of the machine soldiers.

Thor bit out over his comms from where he had flown off to fight off a new squadron of soldiers: "Loki's scepter must be here. Strucker couldn't mount this defense without it."

He threw his Mjolnir to hit a few more soldiers, and then pulled it back only to let it fly past him and hit a soldier behind him.

"At long last." He breathed.

Arianna couldn't really agree as she twisted and kicked a few soldiers, throwing a knife while using another to stab one of her closer opponents. She tossed a grenade to Nat, who punched the safety button and threw it on a passing jeep. Neither she nor Arianna glanced at it as it exploded, taking out the jeep, as Nat dashed off and Arianna ran in the opposite direction.

She jumped through the air to whirl her arms and legs over two soldiers, breaking their necks, and she pulled a knife as she let go, throwing it at another soldier and taking him out as she landed.

"'At long last' is lasting a little long, boys." Nat called dryly over the comms from where she'd taken out another three soldiers and a gunman.

Clint added sarcastically as another gun base started firing at them, having been alerted to the Avengers' presence: "Yeah. I think we lost the element of surprise."

He shot the base with an exploding arrow, effectively taking care of the new threat. Arianna had just thrown a grenade at another gun base, while she jumped two more soldiers when Tony protested over the comms: ""Wait a second. No one else is going to deal with the fact that Cap just said 'language'?"

Arianna snorted while Steve sighed: "I know."

Steve swerved his bike as a jeep ahead began firing at him, before he straightened his course. He lifted himself up on his bike, and jerked the handles, using the momentum to flip the bike over his head and at the jeep.

As it crashed and Steve landed back on his feet, he finished, breathing heavily: "It just slipped out."

"Don't worry Steve, I still think you're sexy." Arianna teased as she stabbed a soldier in the neck, before jumping over him to wrap her legs around another soldier, taking him out before he could shoot.

"Thanks, babe." Steve called, and Arianna grinned while Tony moaned: "Ew, no, do not flirt over the team line!"

"I second that." Clint added, and Nat quipped: "Save it guys, and Ria and Steve, stow it for the bedroom or I'll stow it for you."

"No, do not make lewd references." Tony complained, and Clint chimed in: "Again, seconded."

"Just shut up, you guys." Arianna ordered at last as she punched a soldier in the head, knocking him out before lowering her stance to whirl around and throw another knife at a soldier as the man tried to sneak up on her.

Arianna grunted as she threw another knife. She had already used half her knives, and she knew she'd need to start conserving soon. The fight was definitely taking longer than they'd hoped, and it was causing more damage than she liked. Tony had already sent in his Iron Legion to the city to try to protect the civilians from HYDRA's rogue fires.

Arianna froze when she heard a pained grunt over the comms, and she called urgently as she took out another gun base: "Clint?"

"Clint!" Nat called, and Arianna frowned, listening anxiously.

Clint hadn't responded, but Nat's tone indicated the redhead was nearby and would assist the archer. Nat would call her if she needed help. Arianna had just punched and kicked another two soldiers to the ground when Steve grunted. Her heart clenched slightly, but she was relieved to hear him speak soon after: "We have an enhanced in the field."

Okay, maybe not so relieved. Arianna's jaw locked, especially when Nat added over the comms: "Clint's hit!"

"Nat-?" Arianna began, but she was cut off when something sped by, knocking her up into the air. She landed heavily on her side, hissing with pain, but it didn't feel like she'd broken anything.

"Ria?" Steve called sharply, and she answered shortly: "I'm okay."

"Somebody want to deal with that bunker?" Nat added over the comms, sounding annoyed. Arianna spotted a live gun base a few hundred feet off, and guessed it must be where Nat and Clint were.

Before anyone else could reply, there was a mighty roar and Arianna saw the Hulk run at the bunker, effectively taking it out.

"Thank you." Nat said sweetly. Arianna turned back to her task grimly, taking out as many soldiers as she could once more.

"Stark, we're really need to get inside." Steve called over the comms as she did, and Arianna sighed a little as Tony replied quickly: "I'm closing in."

"Are you actually?" She asked him severely as she hit another soldier, and Tony quipped: "I'm definitely closer than you are."

She rolled her eyes, but left him to do his job as she did hers. She stabbed, kicked, punched, and repeated, almost dancing a deadly dance amongst the soldiers as she whirled around between them. She'd just finished up in her section when Tony crowed: "Drawbridge is down, people."

Her happiness was short-lived however as Nat called over the comms: "Clint's hit pretty bad, guys. We're gonna need evac."

"Need help?" Arianna asked, and Nat confirmed: "Yeah, I think so."

"I can get Barton to the jet." Thor interjected. "The sooner we're gone the better. You and Stark secure the scepter."

Arianna raised a brow, wondering who he was talking to, and then made a face as Steve answered: "Copy that."

Steve added over the comms: "Ria, you also get to the jet."

"On my way." Arianna replied shortly. She made her way quickly and efficiently, cutting down anyone who stood in her way, a job that was made quickly easier as Tony's Iron Legions joined the fray and began to take care of the remaining soldiers. The soldiers mostly began to surrender at the sight of the metal suits, and it made Arianna's trip much quicker.

She grinned as she heard Thor say almost thoughtfully: "It looks like they're lining up."

"Well, they're excited." Steve replied, and soon after Arianna heard a sharp ringing pierce through the forest.

She smiled- ever since that disastrous forest fight over two years ago during the Loki incident, Steve and Thor had perfected an attack where Thor hit his hammer on Steve's shield, using the resonating force to wipe out hostiles.

At least it's not innocent trees anymore. Arianna thought wryly as she stabbed a soldier and kicked him down.

She paused as her actions and words caught up, and made a face. 'Innocent trees'? While I'm killing people? Thank God Tony didn't hear that, he'd never let it go.

She refocused as Thor called, presumably to Steve: "Find the scepter."

"And for gosh sake, watch your language!" Tony quipped.

Arianna snorted as Tony unwittingly confirmed her thoughts, before chuckling as Steve sighed: "That's not going away anytime soon."

"No, it's not." Arianna agreed as she made it to the quinjet. She quickly opened it up, setting it up to get ready to leave just as Thor arrived with Clint.

Her smile dropped quickly as she saw the bleeding laser wound on Clint's side, and she urged Thor: "Bring him here."

Thor carried Clint, who was unconscious, to the med table as Arianna set it up quickly. The God waited as Arianna checked Clint's wound, checking the basic job Nat had done outside, before going to work on preliminary medical care. The majority of his healing would have to wait until they returned to New York, but she could at least clean his wound and patch it up carefully for a smoother process later.

She'd just finished when Nat called from where she was still outside: "We're locked down out here."

Arianna breathed in relief, while Steve ordered: "Then get to Banner, time for a lullaby."

"Things are looking better now." Thor commented, and Arianna replied as she cleaned up the medical supplies: "I'll feel better once we actually have the scepter and we're safely on our way."

Thor looked at her oddly, and he asked: "You do not think we will find it?"

Arianna shook her head and she explained as she settled down in the pilot seat: "It's just ingrained habit- I don't really like to let my guard down until I'm sure the fight is over."

Thor nodded, understanding that mentality. He pointed out in his deep voice: "And it is what makes you a fine warrior, Lady Aria."

"Thanks." Arianna grinned at the God.

He smiled back, but their smiles dropped as Steve called over the comms sharply: "We have a second enhanced. Female. Do not engage."

Thor tensed, and he was about to walk out of the jet when Steve added: "Guys, I got Strucker."

Arianna frowned and exchanged looks with Thor. She was about to ask Steve if he was all right when Tony called: "Yeah, I got...something bigger."

They waited patiently, and Tony called soon after: "Thor, I got eyes on the prize."

They relaxed, Thor smiling once more while Arianna leant back a little more on the seat, none of them dreaming what was happening to Tony as they did.

Tony was about to reach for the scepter when suddenly he felt a strange tingling all over his body. He blinked, and then slowly turned around as he heard a deep growl from behind. The Chitauri Leviathan that had been hanging from the ceiling, dead moments ago, suddenly came to life and flew over his head.

Tony watched as it flew passed, and towards a giant, empty wormhole that had appeared before him. But what made his heart stop was the sight right before the wormhole. There, on a barren wasteland that showed the clear aftermaths of a brutal battle, lay the Avengers. Tony's mouth fell open and it was suddenly extremely hard to breathe as he stared at the remains of his team.

The Hulk was lying further off, twitching in near death as giant pieces of debris pierced his whole body. His eyes and hand was outreached pitifully towards the redheaded woman lying a few feet away. Natasha Romanoff was on her back, completely still and her eyes open and staring blankly ahead, colder in death. Clint was proper up beside her, blood dripping down his arm as his head hung forward, his bow clutched uselessly in his dead hands.

Beside him lay Thor, his Mjolnir lying on the ground beside his hand as the God lay with blood streaked across his face. His eyes were closed and he looked like he could be sleeping, except his chest wasn't moving at all. And a few feet below the dead God lay Captain America's shield, cracked in half.

Beside the broken shield lay Steve's prone body, his face completely covered in grime. But what shattered Tony's heart was the figure lying half on top of the fallen Captain. Arianna's hair was loose and lay in a tangled mess over Steve's chest. Her head was lying on the crook of Steve's arm, and she was staring unseeingly right at Tony.

His chest heaved as he stared into the dull hazel eyes, no hint of the laughter or the bright gleam of intelligence that they held in life. Her broken body was lying beside Steve's, as though she'd died covering him. Tony sank to his knees beside the pair, shakily touching Arianna's face.

It was cold to his touch and he could feel nothing there when he touched her neck. Tony shuddered, his eyes filling with tears. He quickly moved to touch Steve's neck, but as he did, the blond man's arm shot up and he grabbed Tony's wrist as he opened his eyes.

Tony flinched in surprise, but then his heart broke again as Steve gasped out: "You could've saved us."

Tony's eyes widened in horror as Steve's hand dropped once more and the man died, blood dripping from his nose, and his blue eyes also blank as he stared ahead into nothing.

Tony reeled back, starting to hyperventilate as he stared down into Steve's empty eyes. In his mind, he could hear Steve accuse: "Why didn't you do more?"

Tony glanced down at Arianna's prone form and a tear slipped down his cheek.

Why didn't I? He thought despairingly. He then heard another growl, and Tony froze. He slowly lifted his head to see an entire army of the Chitauri heading into the wormhole. Except, now the wormhole led somewhere- it led straight to Earth.

Tony felt like the life had been sucked out of him as he gaped in horror, and he blinked, only to find himself back in the secret room at the HYDRA base in Sokovia. He stared at the scepter, and quickly turned around to stare at the Chitauri Leviathan behind him.

It was hanging from the ceiling as it had been before, not even an inch from it's original position. But as Tony turned back to the scepter, he couldn't help but feel that what he had seen wasn't just a dream. It was a vision, he was sure of it.

He hesitated as he stared at the scepter, beads of sweat beginning to appear. He thought of his dead team, and of Arianna. But when he thought of the Chitauri army heading for Earth, he made up his mind.

His eyes became steely with determination and he raised his hand, stretching it out back towards the door. Tony walked determinedly over to the scepter, and as his Iron Man arm came flying in, attaching itself to his arm, he grabbed the scepter firmly.

Unaware that he was being watched by the two enhanced twins.

*A/N The sequel as promised! Hope you guys like it, I'm really excited to be writing this!