Faded

Chapter 4

Universe 2

Tessa’s POV

I sit on a bench in the gym and take a sip of my water. I look around the room and note the fact that there is literally gym equipment everywhere, and not just the normal kind, kinds I've never seen before, the "Google images is needed to decipher how to use this" kind. There are also weights on the ceiling and a literal robot machine that I think you can fight, I'm not sure yet. I just ran on the treadmill for an hour, I think it'll be a while before I try anything else in here. I put down my water bottle and heard the elevator ding and I turned towards it to see who was inside.

The doors open to reveal Peter in a gym shirt that has a tiny spider on it and matching pants as well as a pair of red and blue athletic shoes. “Hey,” I say waving slightly to him. He waves back sitting beside me and looking around. “What do you think of the gym?” he asks, trying to make small talk. “It’s cool, I guess, there's certainly a lot of diverse machines in here,” I replied looking at him. I sigh and lean against the wall behind me thinking for a moment. “Hey, Peter?” I ask, looking over at him. “Yes?” he asks while retying his shoe.

“Wanna fight me?” I look at him and wait for his response. Peter pauses the tying of his shoe and looks up at me shocked, “Um-m sure?” he says, not sounding completely confident of his answer. I smile and walk over to the mat waving him over. He quickly finishes tying his shoe before he slowly rises and coming over to the mat. “Tell me if I hurt you.” He says worriedly and sounding sincere. I nod and we prepare to fight. “Before we start, I want to make some rules,” I say watching him and he nods. “Like what?” he asks. “Well... no super strength, cause that is not fair at all.” Peter nods.

He thinks for a moment, tapping his chin “Okay, and how about the first person to tap out loses?”  I nod, seems fair “Alright, let's start” I smirk. He tries to read my body language to see what I will do, but my years of martial arts training have made it almost impossible for him to do so. I watch him and note everything wrong with his stance, he may train with expert fighters, but he isn't one yet. I smile and run at him, surprising him slightly before he prepares for my attack.

My speed may not be as great as his, but I know how to fight fast and well, I aim a punch at his chin which he blocks and tries defend himself by flipping away from me, but I counter by kicking his chest before he can complete his flip which makes him grunt and he falls back slightly. Peter recovers quickly and runs at me, grabbing my arms and twisting them behind my back. I headbutt him hard causing him to curse and step back a bit shocked, I keep going and rally by kicking his knee. It buckles and he drops to the floor, I try to grab his shoulders and pull him down onto my knee but he counters again by grabbing my arms and flipping me onto my back. He gets up trying to rush to pin me down but I roll away and climb back onto my knees. Once standing again we stare down at each other. Neither of us has won yet, Round two only feels like it's just begun through an unspoken agreement.

We are at it again, he starts first this time, thinking I will switch to defensive, but I don't. He aims a punch for my face and I block it, countering with a punch to his chest to create space, with the space I'm given, I start trying to kick him in the chest. He blocks the first one, the second one barely gets him, he creates more space for my third and I'm forced to run at him again, I finally grab his shoulders successfully and I throw him down to the ground, stepping on his chest and crouching down, close to his face, "Do I win, tap yet?" He smiles up at me, and I hear a small tapping to my left, I look over to see him tapping the mat to show I've won.

I get off him, happy that I've won the fight, but also sore, that was pretty damn hard. "You fight well, Tessa, that was really fun!" He says I can hear in his voice he had fun and meant it. “Yeah, it was.” I laugh with him. “We’ll need a rematch,” he says, bumping my shoulder. I bump him back. We sit down on the bench and I pass him an unopened water bottle, before taking a sip of my own. "So……” he says, trying to break the awkward silence. I look at Peter raising an eyebrow. “What?” I ask confused. “Well what are we going to do now?” he asks as he leans against the wall looking at the ceiling. “I guess we could go look for Fury?” I volunteer. “Sure,” he says and we both get up walking over to the elevator. “Wonder if he found anyone else yet,” I say as the doors slide shut.

Universe 1

Tony’s POV

I look around the streets of New York. "How did I get here? Where’s Peter?" I feel the wind blow on my face touching the tear lines and making me shiver in the cold autumn air. I look down at my still bleeding side and I press my hand to it in hopes that it would stop the bleeding or maybe slow it long enough for me to know what is happening and how I got back to New York. I note that everyone in the street looks confused and worried. A few people are crying out what I think are names. I start to walk around wincing in pain every time I move my wound. I slowly walk back to my tower and I fall onto the ground as soon as I enter groaning as I do. “Friday” I groan out as my vision gets blurry the last thing I hear is Friday calling for Pepper then everything fades away.

Universe 2

Wanda’s POV

It’s been hours since Bucky and I found each other in an alley in what looks like New York. We were both confused and scared, How did we get here we wondered. We haven't seen any of the others since we got here and now as we walk through what seems to be the streets of New York lost and alone we realize that we need to head for the tower or the compound. "Were you able to find a map before you found me?" He asked, I shook my head. Neither of us knew New York well, Bucky barely remembered the city and Wanda never living here was not going to be helpful if they wanted to find their friends. "If we can find a computer or a phone, we can get directions to where we need to go. Stark Tower is well known so probably anyone on the street could tell us how to get there, and well the compound might be harder but we can figure it out from the Tower at least, The Tower has Friday installed after all, she can help us!" I say, trying to keep morals high, I hope my brainstorming is working and I think it is because Bucky is nodding, rubbing his chin in thought. "Let's find a local library, and from there get computer access, I like your idea, I think it will work." With their new plan in mind, they started their journey to the tower to find their friends.