Rising Power ~ p. parker

Trolls Under The Bridge

Taylor barely made it through training this week.

Natasha bested her in hand to hand combat a few times, but not before a grueling five minute fight. Nat stopped underestimating her, but Taylor continued hesitating. She always went straight to her room for a well deserved nap and didn't wake up until her training with Agent Barton.

Clint's training wasn't as physically draining as Natasha's. Knives had been what Taylor used since the dirty jobs began. The guns, however, are where she could have improved.

Taylor hated guns. Anytime she had to touch them, she would freeze. They made her nervous without offering and explanation why. She despised the weak feeling that would come when the tears threatened to escape at the feeling of the cold metal between her fingers.

Clint never mentioned it, but it confused him. He would watch her effortlessly and flawlessly throw blades at targets, but then see her miss completely with the gun. Taylor read his mind when she caught him staring at her trembling hand and wanted to defend herself, but knew she couldn't.

The training Taylor had with Wanda remained her favorite. They just started to practice flying, both herself and her teammates. Taylor had already nearly mastered flying on her own, but giving others a lift was a different story. Jack was still mad at her for dropping him from fifteen feet in the air, which she swears was an accident.

Taylor and Wanda got along better than most. She has never had many girl friends her life, mind MJ. Her previous foster sisters never counted, they all just wanted her out of the house. With their new friendship, Jack seemed to come around a bit more too. Not that Taylor minded.

Tony stopped by her room after training one day to tell her about an upcoming mission on Sunday. The team voted it would have been best if she was the one to do it because no one would recognize her. She initially turned him down, claiming she wasn't ready, but he promised she could go back to school on Monday if it was successful. With as bad as she wanted to see Peter again, it was a hard offer to decline.

When Sunday rolled around, she found herself in an old car wearing leggings and a dark hoodie. According to Tony, it was because she needed to "look casual, but still be able to kick ass".

"This may just be a drug bust, but we have reason to believe that it can lead to more. That's why we're sending you." Natasha turned herself around in the passenger's seat.

"It's a smaller mission that's just important enough to need an Avenger," Tony added, looking at her through the rearview mirror. "We need someone like you to nip it in the bud."

"She's not an Avenger yet. She may have signed the papers, but it's more than that."

"Keeping me humble, Red, I like it."

"Tony and I will be the ones overseeing the operation," Natasha said, ignoring Taylor's quip. "You have this ear piece that we'll be communicating through. Even though I honestly doubt you need us, we'll be here to help if things go south."

The three drove through the city in a black car to the location. The sun had already set, making the passing buildings look even darker through the tinted windows.

Agent Romanoff continued to run through the mission. "We're stopping a little far away from the location so no one sees us. We'll guide you through the comms."

Taylor nodded, only half listening. She trusted she would figure it out along the way like she normally did. Her eyes remained locked on the city on the other side of the window. As unlikely as she knew it was, she couldn't help but hope to see a certain friend walking along the sidewalk. She reminded herself that it was just this task before she was able to see Peter again.