Same Fight...Different Ending

Kate lay in Steve’s arms in their bed. They had been kissing, but nothing more than that. Kate and Steve has been together for almost two years now, though they had had one rough patch about six months ago. Steve was close with Isabella and he had talked to her and as a result he and Kate worked through that difficult time and now were stronger than before. Kate wanted to get married, but she wasn’t going to rush Steve. Kate had almost been engaged when she met Steve while she was working at SHIELD. There had been an instant attraction between them and she had broken things off with her long time boyfriend to begin a relationship with Steve who also recruited her to the Avengers.

She reached over and gently brushed back some hair from his forehead. “I love you so much Steve.”

Meanwhile, Natalya was down in the training room with Logan. The two of them were sparring while Malcolm watched. Natalya and Logan were pretty evenly matched which made it interesting to watch. Natalya got a hard kick on Logan and he buckled over a little. She grinned at him. “You alright old man?”

“I know you do and I love you to,” he said. He wanted to say more. To tell her what she wanted to hear but he wasn’t certain if it was in the cards for them right then to start a family. Tony did it though.

“I don’t like this just waiting around. If he was going to come I wish he would and we could get this over with,” he said.

“Hrumph,” he exclaimed and then in another instant he took hold of her arm then pitched forward as he tangled her leg with his. She flipped but managed to land back into her feet. As Logan kipped up she was waiting for him but Logan twisted as she punched him and elbowed her right into her breasts and the blow knocked her back off of her feet.

Malcolm frowned at that and he straightened obviously offended. “Hey…that wasn’t necessary,” he began but Logan cut him off. “Never think your opponent is finished until they are,” he said as he watched Natalya her up. She rubbed her left breast and winced in pain. Logan just shrugged as if it was her own fault.

Peter zipped around Serena trying to avoid her energy bolts. They were training her aiming skills and Peter was so wiley she hadn’t been able to land a single hit on him yet. Her suit was a lot like her mothers except hers amplified her powers as well. Tony hopped, leaped and flipped away from her attacks fairly easily and it was clear she was getting frustrated. It wasn’t until she figured out Peter’s pattern and she waited just a moment then blasted him with an energy bolt. The hit knocked him back against the building they were between and he hit hard then slid down to the concrete.

“Ow!” He groaned.

Kate sat up and ran her fingers through her hair to smooth it out a little. She glanced over at Steve and knew who he was talking about. "I can't even imagine what he might do if he actually got a hold of that book and the Uru. It would be...devastating."

Natalya was bent over and winced as she rubbed her left breast where Logan had elbowed her. After a moment he became concerned and talked towards her from behind. Suddenly, she straightened up and her elbow connected with his nose. He staggered back giving her time to turn and swing her right leg out and trip him. As he hit the ground she grinned at him. "I wasn't finished."

Serena had been thrilled to receive her suit. Her mother had talked to her father and he had finally designed a suit built especially for her and her unique powers. The suit was able to amplify her powers and therefore didn't drain her energy. It was just Peter and herself and she was growing frustrated because she hadn't been able to hit him. Peter was fast and was able to dart away. After a little while however she noticed a pattern to Peter's offense. Her hunch was confirmed by Jarvis and she took aim where she knew Peter was going to go next. It was a solid hit. Serena though winced when she saw Peter hit the wall and slid down to the ground. She immediately went to him and retracted her face mask. "I'm so sorry Peter. Are you alright?"

Isabella was with Tony in the kitchen of the Tower. She was preparing dinner for everyone of homemade spaghetti and tomato sauce. She checked the seasoning on the sauce and then added some more red wine. She turned to Tony with a small spoonful of the sauce. "How does this taste?"

“What do you think he wants the Uru for? I doubt he can actually forge it. It’s not like any other metal in existence,” said as he began to rub Kate’s shoulders. “Jeez your tense, It’s like rubbing a thick board,” he said as he really worked her shoulders with his strong hands. He could tell she was wincing at his pressure but she didn’t tell him to stop so he didn’t. “Victor will come and we will defeat him,” Steve said confidently. “We have before,” he said.

Logan knew his nose was broken and he landed hard on the mat. Malcolm stepped up quickly and gave Natalya a scowl as he passed by her. “Honey!” He said as he stepped up to Logan. Blood squirted all down his face and neck onto his black shirt. Malcolm went into a knee as he looked at him. “It’s broken alright,” Malcolm said. “Do it,” Logan growled then removed his hands from his face. Without pause Malcolm wrenched his nose back into place with a loud ‘criccckkk’ “Fuuuccckkk!” Logan growled as Malcolm got back to his feet.

“You two take this far to seriously,” Malcolm said.

Peter did not appear to be conscious as he lay there in a heap. As he felt her come down to him and heard her calling his name in worry he began to chuckle. “Took you long enough!” He said.

Kate was tense. Victor was extremely powerful and she feared what he might do with that book. She doubted he wanted it for anything good. "We got lucky the last time we faced him. He was almost able to control me. That's my biggest fear right now. If he is able to get into my mind he could make me hurt all of you...or worse."

Natalya rolled her eyes a little and crossed her arms over her chest. "Logan's fine. His body regenerates. We fight like this all the time. I've probably broken his nose at least 200 times and I've done worse to him...and he's done worse to me. Fighting like this keeps us on our toes and prepared." She walked over to Logan and offered him her hand to help him get to his feet.

Isabella was with Tony in the kitchen of the Tower. She was preparing dinner for everyone of homemade spaghetti and tomato sauce. She checked the seasoning on the sauce and then added some more red wine. She turned to Tony with a small spoonful of the sauce. "How does this taste?"

Serena helped Peter to his feet and looked him over. He appeared to be alright and she breathed out a sigh of relief. "Well, I finally hit you," she remarked with a little grin before kissing him.

Tony loved that Isabella did things like cooking. She didn’t really have to, they had servants and a professional chef. But she was very good at it and enjoyed doing it, it seemed. When Serena was young Isabella hated leaving her with the Nanny but they were who they were and at times their missions had taken her away. “It’s delicious,” Tony said as he tasted the sauce. He put his arm around her and kissed her cheek. Isabella was, like himself, getting older but she still had a knockout body and he still wanted her like all the time. He wanted her right then but she was busy and everyone was there besides. He continued to taste the sauce that he had just ate and nodded. “It’s amazing, like you are,” he said and kissed her. From below the cupboard he pulled down 2 wine glasses and filled them halfway with a little of the wine she had used in the sauce. He gave her a glass then picked up his and took a sip.

“You know I love it when you go all domestic on me,” he said and she knew right away he wasn’t talking about the sauce. Tony was incorrigible.

Malcolm and Natalya had not been dating very long. And he couldn’t really call it dating per sa. Malcolm Cross was a media personality with his charities, public events and his athletic clothing line. Velocity was a superhero and he protected his alter ego by always wearing a mask. Natalya Sokolova and he had fallen in together like a hurricane falls into an island. They barely knew one another but they were crazy together in bed and the chemistry between them was electric. Love at first sight? Quite possibly so but long lasting relationships needed more than just raw physical attraction and love. But it was enough for now and the ‘L’ word was not spoken aloud by either of them...not yet anyway. He knew there was alot she and the others were keeping from him about her but for now he didn’t really care what it was save for the fact that she would not go out with ‘Malcolm Cross’. So he contented himself with being with her when he was at the Stark Tower.

Logan pushed both Malcolm and Natalya off of him and indeed Malcolm saw his nose stop bleeding and his cartilage appeared to heal on its own. “Amazing,” he said with a smile. “So you have that and the metal inside of you?” He asked, he didn’t know what it was called. For himself he had sparred with Natalya, Logan and Steve and they always beat him up and down the sparring mat. He still learned quickly though and always having others who were better than himself made him work all the harder to try and impress them. It was in his blood and he so hated losing. Natalya was a completely different person when she sparred. She scolded him profusely when he made mistakes or repeated them. But Malcolm took it all in stride and was slowly gaining their trust and respect since that event in Latveria.

“You used Jarvis, didn’t You?” Peter asked suspiciously. “You know you’re supposed to try and figure out my patterns without him incase you don’t have him Serena,” Peter said but his heart was not into scolding her today. Her kiss had wiped all willingness to do what Tony and Isabella asked of him. Being harsh with Serena was near impossible when she looked at him like she was now.

Steve turned Kate to face him as he turned. “Kate, you gotta stop worrying about that. We all know what Victor is capable of. If it happens we all know that it won’t be you and it’s not going to happen anyway. Not with us all there. I know it wasn’t very long ago that he had controlled your mind but we need you...we all need you...I need you,” He said forcefully.

Isabella glanced over at Tony with a little smile. She and Tony were still very much in love. The love that existed between them had never faded and had only gotten stronger as the years had gone by. They didn't always agree and did occasionally argue, but they deeply respected one another and always made up in the end. Isabella didn't always have time to cook, but tonight she did. Cooking could be soothing for her and she was quite good at it. She accepted the glass of wine that Tony handed to her and took a small sip. "I think Serena is really coming along in her training."

Natalya wasn't sure how long this thing with Malcolm might last. The two of them were intensely attracted to one another, but a deeper relationship? That was another thing entirely. Natalya had never actually been in a relationship before. She had had plenty of lovers over the years, but never a true relationship. Relationships were not apart of her SSB training. Relationships required love and trust, things the SSB viewed as weakness. Logan was the closest thing she had to a relationship. They existed somewhere between lovers and very good friends. He meant a lot to her and was ultimately the reason she was alive today and working for the Avengers.

"Its called Adamantium," Natalya replied to Malcolm as she walked over and took a sip of her water. "It makes him nearly indestructible."

Serena looked at Peter when he asked if she had used Jarvis. "I actually figured out your pattern first without Jarvis, but used Jarvis to confirm it. So technically I didn't use Jarvis," she said with a little grin. "It's getting late. We should probably be getting back."

Kate looked at Steve and listened to him as he spoke. She loved and respected Steve very much. "I need you too Steve."

“Do you smell tha?” Logan said. Malcolm sniffed the air but didn’t smell anything. Natalya did though and knew what it was. “Isabella’s making her sauce for spaghetti,” he said with a grin. He loved Isabella’s cooking and this sauce was the stuff of legend as far as he was concerned. They all looked at each other then it was a mad scramble to get cleaned up for supper. Malcolm used his power to slow them down but even as he did Natalya tripped him as he sped by them. Ultimately Logan was the first upstairs then Natalya then Malcolm who was right behind her. Isabella wouldn’t like them eating in sweaty clothes so they all ran toward their rooms to get changed.

Serena towed Peter as she flew up onto the Helipad and once they landed and came inside they to smelled the sauce and knew it wouldn’t be long until dinnertime. Kate and Steve came up to the kitchen and Kate moved up to see what Isabella was making. “Do you need any help?” She asked. “I could at least set the table,” she said.

As Peter and Serena walked toward the stairs however Peter’s danger senses went off and before Serena could blink he had flung himself at her and they both tumbled down the stairs. The glass wall adjacent to the reception room exploded inward and four figures dropped down from the sky. Everyone who was on the main floor near the kitchen felt the building shake and Serena and Peter fall in a crash to the floor. Both Tony and Isabella hit the bezels on their communicators and in the lab their suits suddenly lit up and rocketed out toward them. At the same time Steve ran toward his and Kate’s room where his shield was. Logan burst from his doorway and extended his claws as he looked around for danger. Malcolm and Natalya stopped as the build trembled as if it had just been hit with artillery.

“What the hell!?” he said.

Natalya’s stomach began to grumble as soon as she smelled that sauce. Isabella didn’t always have time to cook, but when she did everyone came to dinner. Her spaghetti sauce especially was extraordinary. It had been her grandmother’s recipe and Isabella now had it memorized she had made it so much. It was one of her most requested recipes to make. Natalya fought with Logan to try and get up the stairs first, Logan ended up winning out, but with her close behind. Natalya and Malcolm were sharing a room now and they both went there to change for dinner.

Kate and Steve had emerged from their room after smelling the sauce simmering away. Isabella was now preparing the salad for dinner and smiled over at Kate when she asked if there was anything she could do to help. “If you could set the table that would wonderful.”

Those words just barely passed from her lips when suddenly the entire Tower shook from what felt like an explosion. Serena and Peter suddenly came crashing down into the kitchen from a floor above. Serena had been able to extend her energy shield around them both, protecting them from the fall. Isabella didn’t even hesitate. She immediately called her suit, as did Tony. Their suits immediately came flying into the kitchen and within seconds they were both in them. Kate was on full alert now and something deep in her gut told her that it was Doom. Natalya and Malcolm appeared and Natalya was warmed up and ready for a fight. After glancing around the room Natalya could see that everyone was there and unharmed.

“Serena...the ceiling!” Peter cried out, his danger senses went wild suddenly and he knew what was going to happen. Steve had returned only to hear the ceiling above them groan. He moved fast up to Kate and held his shield above his and Kate’s head. Peter moved to just beside Serena hoping she knew what he meant. Tony and Isabella both moved toward Natalya and Logan as the ceiling above them exploded. Concrete, steel and debris caved in on them.

Malcolm could not stop it all but the main steel beam, a massive thing that broke through the ceiling suddenly slowed down to a crawl. With it several of the larger pieces of concrete as well. It was an odd sight as everything else dropped down around it. It was just above Serena and Peter and he was uncertain if her shield could have held the tremendous weight that he was holding back. To him mass seemed to make no difference to his ability to control an object’s velocity but he did feel a slight strain now. “Move!” he shouted as he held up his hands toward the objects.

Serena looked up as the ceiling began to groan. There was a splintering sound and the rest of the ceiling began to crack. Serena started to move but at that moment everything started to come down. She was terrified and feared that her shield wouldn’t hold. However, everything above her suddenly began to slow down. Looking over she saw Malcolm using his power to keep her from being crushed. She quickly moved away with Peter to a safer area, though her heart continued to pound in her chest.

Natalya had been hit by a falling piece of debris that had cut into her upper left arm. It was bleeding but she was conscious. She coughed from the cloud of dust that filled the room and got to her feet.

Tony together with Isabella and used their repulsor beams to shove the majority of the falling debris to the side. Kate did the same with her telekinesis and what she couldn’t see deflected off of Steve’s shield. Logan to was hit by debris but he sliced through the larger piece of concrete and protected his head from the smaller pieces. As soon as Serena and Peter moved, Malcolm let go of the large steel beam. It crashed to the floor with the weight of several tons behind it. Soon after 4 figures dropped slowly down through the large, gaping hole above. Doom and 3 of his soldiers.

Steve as well as others coughed do to the dust but he did manage to speak. ‘What is the meaning of this Victor?!” He said angrily. Tony knew why he was there though. He knew and there was nothing he could do to change what was about to happen. Logan looked up and flashed out his claws. “He came to die!” Logan growled.

“Steve Rogers...It is good to see you again. But isn’t my sudden arrival plain? You went into my homeland and destroyed what was mine. You killed several of my men and injured many more. If I were the vengeful type I’d kill half of you and leave the rest for dead. Instead I will only take back what is mine. I want the book and the Uru,” he said. “Screw that!” Logan began and then lunged at them. One of his soldiers, obviously a woman shifted her polearm and kite shield to a more defensive posture but Doom lazily shifted his hand and black tendrils popped out of the floor around Logan and grabbed hold of his legs. As he cursed and cut at them the woman bashed at him with her shield and sent him fly backward. Peter used his webs to catch Logan before he flew very far and he fell slowly to the ground as Malcolm helped to ease his fall.

“You can tear this place apart and you’ll never find them Victor,” Tony said defiantly. “But you could have called if you wanted to come by for dinner,” he said making light of the situation as he always did. Doom seemed to consider what Tony said but only for a moment. “Oh, you’ll tell me Tony Stark...or I will make those which you hold dear suffer horribly before your very eyes,” he said.

“You won’t win Victor,” Steve said as Tony looked over at Serena then looked over at Isabella. ‘I have to stop this...I have to!’ he thought desperately. “Win? I don’t have to win. Just get what I need,” He said.

Serena looked up as four figures suddenly appeared and dropped down through the hole that was left in the ceiling. Serena knew that one of them was Dr. Doom. She had seen her father's information about him before. She knew that he was extremely powerful and would be hard to defeat. She remained off to the side, but was ready to jump into the fight. Her adrenaline was pumping at this point because she had only ever been in training situations...never a real fight.

Natalya was bleeding from her wound, but paid no mind to it. She could still fight and would. They couldn't allow Doom to get his hands on the book and the Uru...they just couldn't. She opened her mouth to tell Logan it was pointless to run at him, but he took off before she could even draw in a breath. Much as she had expected, a few moments later Logan was sent flying backwards, though he was caught by Peter.

Kate stood beside Steve. She was fearful that Doom would try to use mind control on her again and force her to hurt or kill those she cared about, but Doom seemed focused on Tony. Isabella glanced from Tony to Doom and then back again. "Tony, we can't give him the book and the Uru."

Now it was time that Tony knew he had to make a decision. He could lose everything no matter which way he chose this. But something else began to creep into his thoughts and reason. A motive. Not his nor Doom’s really. But Doctor Strange’s motive. ‘Why did Strange give him the book and the Uru? He knew the man had an uncanny ability to see time but had he seen something about this very event? Was he ‘meant’ to give it all up to him? And did it even matter now? He had made a deal after all. But what would they all think of him if he gave Victor what he wanted?

Doom looked around the room as Logan got back to his feet. He was bleeding from multiple wounds but they were healing quickly. “Kate Blackwell, It brings me no pleasure to see you here. Our time together had been cut short but there is always another time for us to become...reacquainted,” he said. “No matter,” he said and looked around. He didn’t know who Spider-Man really was nor Malcolm nor Natalya. He also didn’t know who Isabella and Serena were either. So he decided to choose at random.

“Him…” Doom said as he pointed right at Malcolm. “He dies first,” he said and Malcolm’s eyes suddenly grew in fear.

Kate's gaze narrowed at Doom as he threatened her, but she did not make a move yet to attack. She wanted to wait and see what was going to happen. So far, Doom was just all talk, but she knew that could change at any moment. Isabella stood near Tony and in front of Serena. She would die first before she allowed Doom to hurt her daughter.

Natalya watched Doom closely as he looked around the room. Suddenly, she saw his gaze focus on Malcolm. When he announced that he was going to be the first to die she moved and stood between Malcolm and Doom. "You'll have to go through me first."

Doom did not like hurting women but he had already spoken and this woman was now in his way. “Very well,” He said and gestured flippantly toward her then everything seemed to happen at once. All of Dooms guardians moved, one went toward Steve and Kate, another went toward Tony and Isabella and one charged Natalya.

Doom turned his focus on Serena and Peter. The one that went toward Steve and Kate, Steve flung his shield at him. It hit him but not before he was able to get up his shield. His shield glanced off, bounced onto a nearby pillar then returned back to him just in time to block he guardians polearm. But Kate hadn’t been idle. She was ready for him.

The other guardian moved toward Tony and Isabella but as they blasted at him with their repulsor beams he dodged low and rolled then came up and struck Tony with the top of his shield. The blow sent him up into the ceiling tiles and debris rained down from where he hit. At the same time his polearm struck at Isabella but her as she turned it glanced along her sternum and bounded off. Surprisingly though she felt the blade cut into her side, obviously those weapons were extremely sharp and strong to be able to do that. Her suit filled in the cut immediately but the pain of it remained. Logan attack him with his claws and steel scratched against steel to little effect.

The female guardian grinned st Natalya as she attacked her but didn’t count on how quick and Wiley Natalya was. Malcolm held back as backup Incase he could help someone being attacked directly.

Doom raised his hand but Peter bounded forward and shot him twice on the face with webs. He hopped up to the ceiling as Doom pulled at the webs and shot his hand and pulled it away from his face, leaving him wide open for Serena though she was looking at her mother.

Kate gestured with her right hand and the guardian who had attacked Steve and herself was flung to the side and into a wall. She hadn't used enough power to kill him, only injure him. She then focused on the guardian's shield and it came flying back to her. She caught it and slipped her right arm through the strap.

Natalya was fast...very fast. The Super Soldier Serum in her veins made her stronger, faster, and more agile than a normal human. That combined with her SSB training made her deadly. She got her legs up around the female guardian's neck and was able to flip her down onto the ground.

Isabella hissed in pain as the guardian's polearm struck her side. It hurt, but she knew that her suit had filled in the cut. She was distracted for a moment, but then looked over and saw Doom...standing before Serena. Serena felt a wave of fear come over her and she glanced over at her mother, but she knew she needed to act. She raised up her right and and an energy blast struck Doom. Isabella then blasted him with her repulsor beam.

Doom was flung bodily into the wall. His body made a deep imprint Into it and he groaned with the impact. In retaliation he lashed out blindly with his power and Serena was suddenly bathed in electric light as black electricity struck her in the chest. Her suits protections took the brunt of the attack but the jolt locked up her muscles and her teeth were clamped shut as the pain coursed through her body.

Kate’s guardian fell forward out of the wall and he twisted his body to strike at Kate. She managed to get up her new shield but the force of his blow flung her off of her feet and she slid painfully on the floor tiles. Steve bashed him with his shield in retaliation and as he grappled him he managed to rip off the man’s helmet.

Logan followed Natalya and he hopped over her and landed on her. With a hard punch he unleashed his claws into her arm and pinned her right arm to the floor. “Ahhh!” She screamed in pain but Logan planned to do more than just hurt her and everyone knew it.

The guardian near Isabella tried to shieldbash her but she blocked his blow with her forearm that became energized and his shield made brief contact with her shield of energy. Tony hovered above her and as she drew back from him he blasted him with his repulsors and he was flung back and skidded into the floor tiles.

Serena staggered back from the attack she received and almost fell to the ground, but was caught by Peter. The pain was tremendous but she managed to stay conscious.

Kate just managed to her the stolen shield up in time to block the guardian's attack, but the force threw her off her feet and onto the ground. She hit the wall hard and for a moment she didn't move. She slowly came to and blinked in pain. She groaned slightly as she got to her feet. She still had the shield and she lifted it back up.

Natalya looked over at Logan as he suddenly appeared next to her. She winced as Logan sunk his claws into the woman's arm and pinned her to the floor. She could see in Logan's eyes that he was planning to kill her and Natalya stopped him. "No, Logan...don't." She feared that if Logan killed this woman then Doom would kill one of them.

Isabella and Tony had been working together for so long at this point that they were a well oiled machine. They worked as a team and protected one another. As the guardian that Tony just blasted was flung back she lifted up her hand and readied herself to hit him with another repulsor beam if he attacked them again.

The battle continued and as Doom removed himself from the wall Steve, Tony and Peter assaulted him and it was all they could do to keep him contained. Logan’s guardian had some kind of wrist blade and she stabbed Logan in the neck deep. He growled in pain and she kicked him off of her in a heap then tossed another knife at Natalya and forced her to dodge it. As she got up Malcolm kicked her in the hip but as he tried to fight her her armor was just to strong and his attacks did minimal damage. He also couldn’t use his powers in here everyone was way to close and clustered together. The woman backhanded him in the face and he went down as well. Isabella’s attacker dodged her beam then managed to grapple her. The guardian grabbed hold of her wrist and squeezed it hard. Even with her armor the man’s superhuman grip compacted her armor and she felt her wrist snap like a twig under the strain. Her HUD began to call out damage but she knew that already and he picked her up and threw her bodily at Natalya.

Kate focused her power on the last guardian and alternating floor and ceiling she slammed him up and down over and over violently until he stopped moving. Serena moved to help Isabella but Doom seemed to explode with black energy and Steve, Tony and Peter were thrown in three different directions. When they landed their flesh and Tony’s armor smoldered as if they had been burned. Steve tried to get up but before he could Doom attack Kate with the same dark energy before she could use her power on him.

Isabella felt the guardian grab hold of her left wrist. She struggled and tried to pull it free from his grasp but could not. She cried out in pain as she felt the armor of her suit compact under the man's strength and then she heard the snap of her wrist as it was broken. Natalya tried to rush over to help Isabella, but the guardian picked up Isabella and threw her at her. Natalya was hit hard and then both women hit a wall. Natalya was knocked out cold and though Isabella was conscious she was in too much pain to get up.

Kate was angry, but she focused her power and kept it in check. With the guardian now down that had attacked Steve and her she turned back to Doom. However, in that moment a dark energy radiated out from him, throwing Steve, Tony and Peter in different directions. Kate glared at Doom but before she could raise her hand she was hit with the same dark energy. She was thrown back onto the floor. Her eyes were closed and she didn't move.

Peter tried to get up but his leg didn’t seem to work properly and he groaned with clenched teeth when he tried to move. Serena was left standing face to face with doom and 2 guardians who turned to face her. Tony peeled himself from the wall then flew toward one and blasted the other knocking him several yards into the stairway. As Serena attacked him dark energy seemed to absorb her energy. For a few moments they were in some kind of struggle. Her light energy flowing into his dark but eventually his pushed toward her and she was enveloped in it.

“She’s dying Tony Stark. A painful slow death,” he said as he continued to assault her. “Victor, she’s just a kid!” Tony pleaded but Doom did not balk. Serena screamed as she was bathed in the dark electric energy. She was in agony and Tony was afraid if he attacked Doom that he would kill her.

“I want that book and Uru!” Doom said forcefully. “Don’t give it to him!” Steve said as he tried to get up. “Doom..stop...please!” Peter shouted as he crawled toward them. Serena continued to scream and her armor began to smoke from the energy. Her controls were shorting out and she just hung there in mid air twitching as Doom tortured her.

Serena had never felt pain like she did right now. It burned deep into her body...into her soul. It was agonizing and fully enveloped her in a dark cocoon. Her mind could only think of the pain and she felt as if she were being torn from the inside out. She screamed and cried out from it. In the dark energy she could see or hear nothing of what was happening around her. She just wanted the pain to end.

Isabella screamed out in fear as she watched her daughter being tortured. This was her worst nightmare come true. Tears slid down her cheeks but there was nothing she could do. “Let her go!”

A guardian pressed his foot down on Isabella and threatened to impale her with his polearm. “Ok...just stop it!” Tony shouted as he held up his arms. One toward Doom and one toward the guardian who stood over his wife. “I’ll give you what you want, just stop it...stop it Victor!” Tony shouted again. Finally Victor stopped what he was doing and Serena dropped to the floor. She was still conscious and she moaned and cried and still twitched occasionally.

“Jarvis, activate suit 19B,” He said into his communicator. Below, from the lab there were sounds and after a few moments a suit similar to the one Tony wore jetted up from below. It had a metallic case strapped to its chest and when it reached Tony its jets turned off and it stood on the floor motionless. Tony stepped up and removed the case from it’s chest. “This is what you’re after,” Tony said assuringly then presented the case and opened it for him. Victor looked at the case and picked up the cylinder of Uru. At the same time Isabella noticed that Peter had crawled up and was close to Serena. He put his hand onto her armored hand and she saw her fingers grip his hand. Doom inspected the cylinder then nodded. He looked up at Tony then placed the Uru back into the case and took the case from him and gestured.

Once he gestured his soldiers in armor stepped away from those that they guarded. Once they reached Doom they formed in around him. Doom took one last look around him and then a black mist began to form. In a few moments it enveloped them and as it began to dissipate they were all gone.

Steve hobbled up to Kate immediately and Tony saw Isabella get up. He looked toward where Logan, Natalya and Malcolm were and he saw Logan and Natalya moving. Malcolm’s face had puffed up a great deal from the blow he took to the face and he was the only one still down it seemed though Logan’s and Natalya’s blood was everywhere.

Isabella felt terribly conflicted. If they gave the book and the Uru to Doom then they had no idea what kind of destruction he might cause. However, if they didn't then he was going to kill Serena. It was the worst kind of pain Isabella had ever felt watching her daughter being tortured. Tears slipped down her cheeks and she didn't even care about her own life...just that of her daughter. Finally, she heard Tony give in to Doom and Serena dropped to the floor. Serena's face was white and she writhed in pain and cried. She was in so much pain she was unaware of anything else happening around her until she suddenly felt Peter's hand within her own. She gripped it tightly as the pain continued to course through her body.

After Doom left with the book and the Uru, Natalya groaned and began to regain consciousness. She carefully sat up and felt the back of her head which had a large bump and some blood matted into her hair. With Steve's help, Kate was able to stand, though she still felt a little weak from Doom's attack.

Isabella immediately went over to Serena. Her left wrist was swollen and painful, but she ignored it because she knew that compared to what her daughter was going through it was nothing. She looked over at Tony. "What should we do?"