➸ 2012
📍NEW YORK
╚════▣◎▣════╝
"WHERE ARE the Avengers?" the councilwoman asked.
Fury replies. "I'm not currently tracking their whereabouts. I'd say they've earned a leave of absence."
The Avengers walk together, now all cleaned up and in regular clothing, to a bridge in the city — all of them about to say their goodbyes.
"And the Tesseract?"
One of the agents grasp the container that holds the Tesseract before bringing it over to Selvig and Banner, who place it carefully in a glass tube.
"The Tesseract is where it belongs: out of our reach."
"That's not your call."
"I didn't make it. I just didn't argue with the god that did."
"Well, this is it, for now." Elora says, standing in front of Galina. "It was nice fighting with you."
A quick smile appeared on her lips and she bowed her head in acknowledgment. "Same to you." she looks over at Thor. "I would say the same to you as well but you tried to kill me two days ago."
Thor shakes his head and let out a belly laugh before wrapping his arms around the smaller girl who let out a squeak at the sudden intrusion. "Though we did not speak much, I will miss your brooding behavior, little one."
Galina's never had a hug before.
A true hug.
Once he let go of her, there were tears in her eyes. "Are you...Are you crying, Lady Galina?"
"Allergies." she swallowed hard and turned her back momentarily to hide the emotion on her face.
Anyone that was there realized what just happened and everyone who was once against her, felt pity.
"So you let him take it and the war criminal, Loki, who should be answering for his crimes?"
Fury scoffs lightly. "Oh, I think he will be."
Thor and Loki (who had on a contraption close to a muzzle on his face) held the glass tube, a little ahead of everyone else.
Thor gave the Avengers one last look before twisting the tube's handle, immediately triggering the Tesseract which caused a bright beam to come down.
They ended up flying upwards as if it was an alien spaceship sucking them up, before they teleported away.
"I don't think you understand what you've started. Letting the Avengers loose on this world. They're dangerous — especially that Galina Kuznetsov who was just on SHIELD's radar merely two years ago!"
"They surely are. And the whole world knows it. Every world knows it." he paused. "If Kuznetsov was truly a threat, we would all be dead right now. Instead, she skillfully tricked the enemy and managed to save all of mankind. She's a hero, no longer a villain."
"What now?" Galina asks Natasha and Clint whom were standing together, a glimmer of insecurity in her voice. "Am I being brought back to the Raft?"
The redhead gave her a small smile and shook her head. "You're gonna come back to my place for the time being."
Her brows scrunched together and she looked at the smiling faces of Clint and her suspiciously. "What do you mean?"
"You're not going to the Raft, kid."
"Was that the point of all this? A statement?"
"A promise."
...
SHIELD HEADQUARTERS
A Week Later
Galina took a sip of the water that was given to her nervously as she awaited for Fury in his office.
Shortly after that, the door opened to reveal him.
"Kuznetsov." he greeted, walking the small terrain to his desk.
"Fury." she swallowed thickly, shifting in the office chair. "You wanted to see me."
"I did." he nodded, sitting down at his desk and scooting his chair in. "We have a lot to discuss."
"We do." she nods slowly.
"For starters, I asked your fellow Avengers that are still in-fact on world, to write something about you and how you've fit into the team." he opens up a file and slides over six pieces of paper.
Galina scanned over the papers, picking two of them up and skimming the text.
"Each and every single one of them said that you make a great addition to the team." he said. "They all said that they believe that you have the potential achieve greatness." he paused. "It's just up to you to prove it."
She swallows the emotion in her throat and set the papers down distractedly. "How would you want me to prove it?"
"You give SHIELD the information that we need." he leant his elbows onto the desk with a serious expression. "We'll provide you protection from any prosecution...and you'll train as an agent. Tony also offered for you to live in Stark Tower after its reconstruction."
"And the latter?"
"Well..." he trailed off. "You'll live on house arrest for the rest of your life with no protection...no freedom."
Galina slumped down in the chair and stared at a speck on the desk as thought long and hard.
Confessing something as big as being apart of a Nazi organization that was supposed to have died decades ago, isn't easy for anyone.
"Listen, Galina." he started softly. "We all know that you want to do good. I mean, how you tried to manipulate Loki in order to help the greater good, is inherently good."
Half was to help herself, the other half was for the greater good.
"If I tell you..." she blew out a long breath of air before looking at him timidly. "Do not tell the rest of the team."
"It's a deal."