We Are Family

Lionel didn't know how it got to this point; with the team fighting for their lives, again, to save the city and stop giant robots from destroying everything in their path. This time, however, they were fighting strange, giant metal animals with a hell of a temper and very hard bodies and things weren't looking so hot for them.

And Lionel had thought, for once in their lives, that they would finally get a day of peace and quiet back at the tower. Oh how wrong he'd been.

Mark was now in his firebird form, trying to burn a large metal mammoth. Clint and Natasha were taking care of a small band of metal monkeys that were destroying everything in one of the shops. Thor and Loki were fighting a few giant metal bears, turning them to ice with Loki's magic before striking them with Thor's hammer. Bruce was smashing his way through many little metal crab bots. Logan and Remy were dealing with huge metal crocodiles. Tony was blasting through thousands of tiny little metal birds. Steve was currently trying to take on a massive metal rhino and Lionel... Lionel was currently changing forms between a wolf, a raptor, and a dragon, trying to get the best of the giant metal wild cats that were nearly backing him into a wall.

Finally taking off into the air, Lionel blew a massive funnel of fire at the cats, trying to slow them down one way or another and barreled out of the way when on of them tried jumping at him. He managed to dodge that one but another jumped up latched its claws into his back, causing him to roar out in pain.

"Hang on Shadow!" Loki called into the mic, as he left Thor to handle the bears and the Trickster God used his magic to help Lionel out, blasting the cats with shards of ice and creating illusions that confused them greatly. Lionel shook his fur and ruffled his wings before shifting, falling to ground and landing on his feet as a wolf, barking gratefully at the God. With the cats occupied for now, Lionel and Loki went around to help the other Avengers, and the two other Mutes.

"Fuck! I need some help over here!" Tony shouted into the mic and Lionel skidded to a halt, eyes wide, when he heard how strained the other sounded. Oh no! He shifted back into a dragon and took off into the air, noting that Loki had gone back to help his brother when he'd seen one of the bears knock Thor back into a building, nearly making the weak structure crumble with the force of the blow. Lionel turned his attention back towards where he'd seen Tony and he puffed out a breath that sounded slightly panicked even to him before taking off towards him, but he froze, when he saw something that made his heart stop: Remy was lying on the ground, bruised and broken, a crocodile closing in on him while Logan was currently trying to take out another one.

"Remy!" Lionel shouted into the mic, alerting everyone. It was then that he realized something that made him whimper: both Tony and Remy needed his help, but he couldn't help both of them at the same time. He had to choose, and he had to choose now. Looking back and forth between the two heroes, Lionel finally made up his mind and he took off, as quick as lightning. He let out a sharp, loud, and dangerous roar before swooping in, snatching up the heavy crocodile in his claws and he flew high into the sky, ignoring the painful thrashing and clawing as the creature tried to escape. Come on, come on... he thought, closing his eyes tightly, holding his breath as his heart raced a mile a minute and finally he came to a halt in the air before roaring out once more, letting the crocodile go and watching as it plummeted into the ground.

The crocodile crashed, creating a giant crater of broken concrete and Lionel let out a soft breath when he realized, after a few moments, that the crocodile wasn't moving anymore.

Flying down to the ground, Lionel shifted into a bear, grabbed Remy, threw him onto his back, and then raced back towards the tower.

Replacing the cloth on Remy's forehead, Lionel let out a soft sigh, his ears laid back against his head and he frowned, guilt eating him from the inside out. He'd left the others behind to get Remy to safety and right now, he wasn't at all sure if he made the right choice.

His ears perked up and his heart skipped a beat when he heard the elevator doors open and he stood up the moment he saw Tony enter the room, followed by the others, who all looked worn out and exhausted and his guilt only got worse. "I'm sorry-!" He immediately started to say, but was cut off when Logan pushed past him, kneeling down beside Remy.

"Fuck, he's okay, Remy's alright..." he let out a heavy breath and Lionel turned to him, ears lowered once more.

"Y-yes, I... I saw him and I... oh but I... I left you guys behind..." he started tearing up but then saw Tony and he closed his eyes tightly. "I'm so sorry! I wanted to help but Remy was just... he was... and the crocodile...!"

"Hey, hey! Kid, slow down before you have a heart attack," Tony frowned, walking up to him.

"But-"

"It's okay," Steve said, rather than having Tony speak up, and Cap ruffled the shifters hair. "You made the right choice." He added, soft and gentle, but oh-so-sure.

Lionel couldn't believe his ears, as the others all spoke around him, checking on Remy, talking about the battle, and telling Lionel what Steve had, only just in different words. Logan stood up then and smiled at Lionel, "Thanks Leo," he said and Lionel practically purred, his mood lifting and his guilt gone, "if not for you, Remy'd be a goner and for that, I owe ya big. So, good job," he chuckled, "kid."

Lionel only smiled in answer.