Here We Stand (Star Wars/Marvel/Arcane Fanfic)

Chapter 36: Facing The Darkness

"Yeah, the...Hydra thinks they killed him, but he managed to escape from D.C." Eric explained.

"So you just lied to my team." Coulson retorted.

"Well, I don't know them." Eric shot back. "And those are Fury's direct orders. Only a select few people can know that he's alive...Maria Hill, Cap, Vega, a couple of others, and now you and me."

I watched as Coulson glanced over at me, giving me a death glare. He then looked back at Eric as he responded. "Where is he now?"

"No one knows. Ever since he went dark, no one's heard from him. This is highest priority, full Eclipse protocol. No one else can know." Eric mentioned.

"I'm not comfortable keeping secrets from my team." Coulson informed him.

"Well, they haven't been vetted. And if you talk, we're gonna have a major problem." Eric warned.

Coulson raised an eyebrow. "Are you threatening me?"

"One hundred percent." Eric confirmed as he became serious. "Fury's orders."

"Not big on the trust, is he?" Coulson quipped. 

"So we're good?" Eric inquired.

Coulson nodded. "We're good."

Eric's face then changed as he wore a smile. "Great! I'm gonna get you both set up with lanyards. Uh, maybe ask Agent May to pull the plane in. I've got a parking space for her and everything."

With that, Eric left the room, leaving me alone with Coulson. As soon as he was gone, Coulson spun around to face me, looking furious. "You knew Fury's alive?"

"Coulson, I'm sorry I didn't tell you, but I couldn't." I explained. "They were Fury's orders. Anyone who asked me whether you were alive or not, I had to tell them that he's dead. You have no idea how hard it is to keep this from you? From the team? From Viktor? I hate keeping secrets, especially from my family, but that is what Fury wanted."

"Why do you care so much about Fury? I've known him longer than you have." Coulson argued.

"Because Fury reminds me of my Master back home!" I confessed, snapping. "He was my teacher, training me since I was only nine. I wasn't allowed to see my family, due to the Jedi Order forbidding attachments...and yet I formed one with Master Windu. He was like my father, Coulson. He needed me the most, and I wasn't there...I failed him, and it tore me apart. You have no idea how I felt, how devastated I was...So when I saw Fury, I thought I could prove myself again...and when Fury fakes his death, I felt useless...like I failed once again. Now that's the truth."

Coulson's face fell as he stared at me, completely speechless. Not long after Eric left, Godric stormed in with Ana by his side. I was relieved that they arrived, ending our conversation.

"It's Ward." Godric began.

"He's back, but he's hurt." Ana added.

With that, we quickly followed them into the lab, where the rest of the team was. Jemma was patching up Ward, who was covered in wounds. I grimaced. What exactly happened at the fridge?

"I'm afraid this might scar." Jemma commented.

"Upside, you'll look badass, dangerous." Skye mentioned.

"He's gonna be fine, though, right?" Leo asked, standing close to Ward inspecting his wounds.

"He will if you back up and give me some room." Jemma urged, looking annoyed.

"So, what then?" Coulson asked.

"By the time we got to the Fridge, it was too late. It was overrun...Hydra everywhere. We couldn't stop them." Ward informed us.