Misery Business

Three

It took you several weeks before you started to feel like you weren't so out of your depth. True to his word, you had immediately started training. Natasha, Clint, and Steve all worked with you on it. Bruce and Tony weren't really involved with any of the physical training; Bruce because he was always concerned about Hulking out if he got involved with that and Tony because he had 'better things to do than throw fake punches'.

Once they learned of them, the entire team–sans Thor since you had yet to meet him–were interested to see what you could do with them. You hadn't used them in any serious way before and so you were also training and practicing with how to use them offensively and defensively. Bruce was actually one of the best helps with that, mostly because he was so interested in your powers from a scientific standpoint.

You trained every single day for two months. When you weren't training you were getting to know your teammates. You liked them all, even Tony with his snark and his ego. You developed an intense crush on a certain archer. You learned to trust these people with your life. You went on practice missions. You adjusted to your new normal.

Finally, Steve felt you were ready to go on your first real mission. The team was working on hunting down the scepter that Loki had used when he attacked New York. Intel said that somehow HYDRA had managed to steal it from S.H.I.E.L.D. and it was tasked to The Avengers to try and find it and bring it back.

"There seems to be more guards here than the intel implied there would be." Clint's voice came across the earpiece as you crouched out of sight and examined the base from your vantage point. You could see that it was in fact a lot heavier fortified than it should have been.

While the others discussed the change to the original plan this new information caused, you tried to think of how you might help. Tony suggested that Hulk just smash his way in but both Steve and Clint rejected the suggestion. It was then that Clint suggested that they use your powers to overcome as much of the defense as possible before the attack.

"Me?" You squeaked out.

"What do you think Mermaid could do?" Tony asked. You rolled your eyes at the nickname that Tony had dubbed you with.

Clint laid out his idea and when Steve's voice asked if you thought that you could do what was suggested you hesitated. You honestly didn't know if you could. You had never tried to use your powers at such a distance or in such a way as what was being suggested.

Swallowing hard, you said that you could try. Closing your eyes for a moment to center yourself, you let out a long slow breath before you opened them again and focused. You could draw water from the very air if you needed to, but this location happened to have a creek less than a quarter of a mile from where you were.

It didn't take long until the water you were pulling towards you coalesced into a large ball next to you. Then you focused back on the base and asked, "What or who should I go after first?"

"Can you possibly do simultaneous attacks? Take out the auxiliary guards and the primary guards and weapons in those watch towers?" Steve asked.

"Of course she can." Clint responded before you could. HIs faith in you amazed you. He believed in you better than you did. Bolstered by his vote of confidence you said that you thought you could.

"Then do it." Steve said.

Nodding to yourself, you sent your power out to the base. The water you had collected split and flowed through the air. You could feel the strain that the distance and the concentration of manipulating water into so many different locations and ways put on you, but you grit your teeth and focused harder.

Five long minutes later it was done and Steve was giving the command to attack. You dashed towards the base, hearing the team over your ear piece as you concentrated on tripping and falling.

Suddenly, there was a man looming in front of you. He was huge but he hesitated when he saw you, it told you that he hadn't expected you. When he charged you, you reacted defensively, bringing your power up and pushing him away from you with a blast of water. Face dripping, he shook the water out of his face and drew a rifle off his shoulder and aimed at your head.

As you stared down the barrel of the gun, you froze. The water you had been holding up turned to ice and dropped to the ground to shatter. There was a nearly silent thump and the man grunted before he fell forward with an arrow sticking out of his back. Your eyes flicked up and you caught sight of Clint standing on a large branch of a tree. He nodded at you before he swung his way down the tree.

He was landing on the ground when you reached the tree and he looked at you before he asked seriously, "You good?"

Embarrassed, you nodded, "Yeah, I'm good. Just this all is intense. Thanks for the save."

Clint grinned, "All part of being a team, hun. Now let's get in there before they get all the glory, eh?"

A part of you thrilled when he called you hun but you put it aside for now and dashed after him. Sixty intense minutes later, all the people in the base had been dealt with. It was quickly determined that the scepter was not at this base and once that was determined the analysts and agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. swarmed over the base to see if any useful intel could be recovered. As they did, the team returned to their Quinjet.