The Avenger's Soul

The Hub (Part 1)

"I'll look into it. But right now we've got more pressing matters at hand," he said as everyone stopped in front of a man.

"Agent Sitwell," Coulson greeted.

"Agent Coulson. Good to see you feeling better," the man said, shaking Coulson's hand. "Agent Hand's waiting for you in the Situation Room."

"And she doesn't like to wait," Coulson cut in.

"So you know her!" Agent Sitdown; or whatever his name was, said.

"Only her reputation," said Coulson as we reached a doorway. "After you."

"Your Level 7s can join us in the briefing," he added as everyone started to step up to the scanning device on the side of the door.

I glanced over to see Fitz-Simmons at the back; looking on with awe.

"Victoria Hand..."

"Is here!" Fitz finished saying for Simmons.

I made my way towards the door, but my bracelet, along with the limb attached to said bracelet, was magnetized to a plate on the door. I looked up with confusion as Fitz-Simmons looked slightly embarrassed.

"Ouch," Fitz commented.

The doors began to close as I still tried to free myself - the doors opening again as Coulson reappeared

"Is this your subtle way of saying I can't come with?" I said, gesturing to my current state.

"We'll be back," he told me.

"Wha...?" I scoffed and turned to look at Fitz-Simmons.

"We should probably head over to the tech corridor," Fitz slowly said.

Simmons rolled her eyes with excitement.

"Oh, I can't wait to see the new chem-kit." I blinked in surprise as they started off through the door.

"I don't think it likes me here..." I growled under my breath - not that anyone was there to hear me...

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"I found a localized EMP, plus a few other party favors!" Fitz called out to Simmons and I a half hour later as he went to carry his cart through one of the automatic sliding doors. "Oh, come on. What the...open." I grinned as I watched his cart get stuck. "It's stuck!" He cried out as Coulson, May, and Ward arrived to see what was happening. "The cart's stuck!" I giggled, finding his predicament extremely hilarious.

I heard him grunting and groaning as he used his hands on one side of the door, trying to pry them open. He finally managed to get them open a bit and turned to go back to push the cart - only to find that they had closed as soon as he had let them go.

"What the hell?!? Who designed this?!? In The Hub, of all places!" My laugh echoed through the hall as we all watched him struggle. I was starting to feel better about my incident with my bracelet. Clearly I wasn't the only one who the doors here had issues with.

Fitz huffed loudly as he was able to push the cart out from between the doors, but lost his balance in the attempt, and I clapped a hand to my mouth, barely containing my chuckles as he got to his feet to find the doors had closed in his face.

"Oh, that's..." Fitz declared, throwing his hands up in irritation as we all stared at him still trapped behind the door.

I giggled again as I went to go help him - until something made me stop dead in my tracks. I'd recognize those blue eyes anywhere...they were the first blue eyes I had ever seen after all...Crap! What the hell was he doing here! My heart pounded in my chest as my eyes slid over to see the person standing next to Steve. I guess they managed to find each other after all...I am so screwed! I held my breath in as I quickly opened the door for Fitz, using his body as a human shield to block me from sight; hoping desperately that Steve and Bucky had not noticed me yet.