"Good morning, Starshine. The Earth says hello!"
Betty groaned and rolled over, blinking blearily at the sound of Abby's bright and cheery voice.
"It's open," she croaked, flinging her arm over her forehead.
"Heyyyyy Bet..." Abby began, and then stopped, confusion on her face. "Where are...there you are! What are you doing on the floor?!"
"Bed's too soft," Betty grumbled, sitting up and wiping a hand over her face.
"Well, grab a shower and get dressed. We've got somewhere to be in 30 minutes, and I brought you breakfast," she grinned, depositing a paper cup and a bagel on Betty's desk. "I'll be back soon."
She swept out of the door and Betty dragged herself into the small bathroom, running her hand through her hair and switching on the shower. Toiletries, she thought to herself, looking at the generic, unscented bottles on the countertop. I definitely need some toiletries.
Hair and body washed, teeth brushed, and toilet visited, Betty opened her closet and stared at the limited options before her. Shrugging in resignation, she pulled on underwear and a white t-shirt with the S.H.I.E.L.D. logo on the front. It was a too big, but it wasn't as if she had much of choice. The grey sweatpants fit her better. She'd not worn anything like them before and actually found them kind of comfortable. Snuggling into the easy chair, she sipped her coffee and ate her bagel as she waited for Abby to return.
"It's unusual for the big guy to want to do this himself you know. He usually leaves stuff like this to his minions," babbled Abby as she led Betty through yet another series of corridors.
"The big guy?" Betty asked, confusion settling over her like a comfort blanket.
"Yeah, the big guy," she smirked.
Glass-fronted offices began to line each side of the corridor, but they didn't stop until they reached largest office the very end. A sign on the door read Director N. Fury.
"This is where I leave you Betty. I'll come back and get you when you're done." Abby waved and headed back down the corridor.
"Done with what?" Betty called after her, but she didn't get an answer.
Turning around and steeling herself with a deep breath, she knocked on the door. It opened automatically and, assuming that was an invitation to enter, she stepped through the door and into the office. Fury was gazing out of the window facing away from her, standing at ease with his hands clasped behind his back.
"Thanks for coming," he said, turning around. "Take a seat."
She took his offer and sat. Betty hadn't seen Fury since she'd left the hospital, but Steve had seemed to trust him so she'd follow his lead. He sank down into the giant leather chair that loomed ominously behind his desk and rested his elbows on the dark wooden surface, pressing his fingers together. He swept his one eye over her in appraisal.
"You look like crap."
"Thanks. I didn't think you'd be that observant considerin'...you know..." She nodded to his eyepatch.
"Nice. And there I was thinking you were the better Rogers."
"I'm definitely not the better Rogers. Apparently this meetin' is unusual for you," she stated.
"It's not normally on my list of things to do but considering the sensitive nature of your...situation...I thought it best to oversee this one myself."
"What exactly am I here for?" She asked, bemused.
"To bring you back from the dead."
He slid a cardboard file towards him and flipped it open, pulling out the first document and handing it over to her. She squinted at the faded writing.
"We pulled your file from the archives. It's your birth certificate, army records, every piece of information we have on you." He tapped a few buttons on a screen in front of him and sighed in satisfaction. "As of right now you are officially resurrected. Social Security number, passport, bank account, and a generous deposit from the US government for resettlement and to thank you for your service."
"I...wow." Betty didn't quite know what to say and put her birth certificate back on the pile.
"We, ah, also found this in your file," Fury said, handing her a manila envelope, seal intact.
She turned the envelope in her hands, running her fingers over the familiar scrawl on the front.
Congratulations to you both,
- Howard
Betty frowned. She'd never seen this before in her life. Looking back up at Fury she raised her eyebrows in question, and he shrugged back at her. It was easy to open the envelope with her thumb as the old glue cracked and peeled away from the paper. Reaching in she felt a piece of thick cardstock and slid it out, placing it on the desk in front of her. The words Stark Industries were immediately visible in a banner across the top of the page.
"It's a shares certificate," she breathed. "For Stark Industries."
Betty turned the page around for Fury to see. He whistled in appreciation.
"This is worth something," he said, tapping again on his computer. "Damn, I think we're looking at about $1.2 million. But it must have been put in the wrong file. It's certified to Sergeant and Mrs J. Barnes."
"What did you say?" Betty breathed, a chill running up her spine.
"I take it that name means something to you?"
"It means everythin' to me," she whispered, almost inaudibly, tears pricking at the corners of her eyes.
Fury said nothing, just stared at her, waiting for her to fill the silence. Her hand had found its way into the pocket of her sweatpants, gripping the wooden birds tightly, trying in vain to calm her pounding heart. She looked at him with eyes watering, silently begging him not to make her say it.
"So you really aren't the better Rogers then?" He asked softly, although he didn't really need an answer.
Betty looked down, shaking her head, dislodging a tear which fell onto the manilla envelope, darkening the paper.
"I'm sorry," Fury uttered in empathy.
He flicked through Betty's file once more, looking for anything that could prove her claim to the shares, but it was futile. He shook his head.
"I'll see what my team can do but Stark's attorneys are damn fucking watertight."
"Thanks anyway Director," she said quietly, swiping at her face and schooling her features into a more neutral expression.
"Call me Fury." He didn't smile but his tone was kind. "Take a moment, I'll get Knowles back here. All your documents will be waiting in your room ready for you."
"Can you keep these for me?" Betty asked him, not yet ready for the physical reminders of what she had left behind.
"Of course, Rog...Betty." He nodded once and she stood, leaving the office in time to see Abby appear at the end of the corridor. With a glance over her shoulder and a weak smile at Fury, she walked towards her liaison, straightening her back and lifting her chin to try and suppress her grief.
"Hey Betty, I take it you're an official citizen again now?"
"Apparently so." Betty raised her eyebrow. "What's next?"
"Well, you have an appointment with Dr Thurso, so I'll drop you there for an hour and then we can grab some lunch maybe?" Abby suggested, as they headed down even more seemingly endless corridors.
"I'm not sick," Betty said, perplexed.
"Oh, she's not that kind of doctor. She's a therapist." Noticing Betty's confused expression, Abby explained further. "She's a doctor for your mind, a psychiatrist. She'll help you to talk through all of the things that are bothering you and suggest strategies to help you cope. You've been through a massively traumatic experience but you're not alone. Everyone here wants to help you."
"I, umm, thanks?" Betty looked a little apprehensive.
"It'll be fine Betty, honestly. Therapy sessions are standard practice for agents after missions and you've had the most difficult mission of all." Abby smiled sweetly at her and stopped in front of a wooden door.
"Just give it a try Betty," Abby encouraged, and pulled her into an impromptu hug.
Betty was too surprised to reciprocate but didn't pull away, the beaming grin on Abby's face was completely disarming and she felt herself warming even more to her new friend.
Another door to knock on, another office, another new face. Dr Caroline Thurso had an open, kindly expression, the soft wrinkles around her eyes matching her salt and pepper hair. She wore a lemon-yellow shift dress which contrasted perfectly with the calming green décor of her office. To Betty's eyes, it almost seemed deliberate.
"Hello Miss Rogers, please, take a seat." Dr Thurso gestured to the plush couch opposite a matching easy chair.
"It's Bar..." Betty started, the all too familiar twist of anguish in her gut bringing her words to a halt.
She couldn't bring herself to say it. What was the point? It was so far in the past now that it was almost dust in the memories of the people who'd been there. God, it hurt so much just to think his name, let alone say it out loud.
"...Betty," she finished. "My name is Betty."
Thurso nodded, a small smile on her face as Betty sat on the sofa, her hand immediately searching out the small wooden birds in the pocket of her sweats. The gesture wasn't lost on Thurso, although she couldn't see what Betty had reached for.
"Betty then," said Thurso, settling into the easy chair across from Betty. "I'm Caroline."
She reached her and out and Betty shook it, hoping that the doctor didn't notice her sweaty palms.
"I know that this is yet another strange situation on top of everything else that you're going through right now, but my office is a place where you can talk freely. I'm here to listen and perhaps offer some advice." Caroline's voice was soothing, the hint of a southern accent adding a soft lilt to her words.
"Defrosted 90-year-olds are a common occurrence for you then?" Betty countered, but not unkindly.
"It's been a bit of a theme for the month, to be honest," Caroline replied. "I'm working with your brother too."
She wouldn't normally have divulged even that small amount of detail about another patient but, like Betty had said, this was a very unusual situation, and perhaps the thought of her brother also having to meet with Caroline would put Betty's mind at ease.
"I'll bet that'll be a barrel of laughs for you," Betty smirked, but her eyes twinkled.
"Do you feel like a 90-year-old?" Caroline raised her eyebrow.
"Ha! No, but I definitely feel every second of bein' 28 and then some." Betty retorted, as she watched the doctor jot something down into her small notebook.
"What're you writin'?" Betty asked, a little on the defensive.
"Notes on some of the things you say, impressions on the way you react to questions, other things we might want to explore at a later date, that sort of thing. I won't be able to remember word for word exactly what happens in our sessions, and I want to make sure you get the best possible outcomes Betty, so I make notes. Is that OK with you?"
"Patient case notes," Betty nodded, "that I'm familiar with. Yeah, that's OK."
"Good," Caroline smiled, "so, I've read about you on paper, but I'd like to get to know Betty Rogers from the woman herself."
"Where do you want me to start? When do you want me to start from?"
"Whenever you feel best at starting from. This is your story Betty."
With a deep breath, Betty started to talk. She described her life in the 30s and 40s, nursing school, working at the hospital, looking after Steve pre-serum. It was obvious to Caroline how animated Betty became when she was talking about her former profession, so that definitely made it into her notebook. When Betty started talking about Abraham Erskine and Project Rebirth, about how she loved learning to use all of the new technology and then how Stark had requested her to test his new field medicine equipment Caroline's note-making became brisk, and she felt a sense of relief knowing that Betty would be one to embrace all the changes that a life in the future would bring. She got the impression that there was a hole in Betty's story however, that she was keeping something close to her chest, but considering this was only their first session, the doctor was content enough not to pick at it.
Betty finally reached the point in her story that put her on the plane with Steve. She described to Caroline how she just stood back, watching as her brother fought for, not just his life, but the lives of millions of people.
"How did that make you feel?" asked the doctor gently.
"I felt so useless. There was nothing I could do. I still feel useless," Betty said sadly.
"Hmmm," Caroline mused, scribbling something in her notebook. "We're nearly at the end of our session Betty, but before we talk about next steps I have something else to ask. Its about what happened at the hospital. You vanished Betty. Do you have any idea how that happened?"
"No, I don't even really remember it, to be honest with you. I woke up, saw two big guys dressed in white comin' towards me and then the bed seemed to lurch. The next thing I knew I was standin' in front of my apartment buildin', but everythin' was different, loud, bright. My hands were glowin'! I guess I just kinda retreated into myself and then Stevie was there."
"And has anything like that happened since?"
"No, nothin' at all."
"Hmmm, then I don't really think it's something that you should be worrying about right now. If it does happen again please just let me or Director Fury know."
Betty nodded, biting her lip. Caroline thought it interesting that, after everything Betty had been through, it was this that made her show outward signs of anxiety.
"Ok, our time's almost up I'm afraid but I have a couple of things I'd like you to try before our next session."
Betty looked up, as if she'd mentally opened up her own notebook.
"You mentioned quite a few times about feeling useless or wanting to be able to help. I think you should start training with the other agents. It'll give you something productive to do with your time, rebuild your strength and confidence, focus your energies."
Betty nodded again at the suggestion, a light growing in her eyes.
"Also, you know we have a medical bay here right? I'm going to call down there and get them to put you in for some work-shadowing. If you feel comfortable doing that then we can see about getting you back doing what you love. There'll be a lot of medical advancements to catch up on, but I have a feeling that won't be a problem for you." Caroline smirked at that last statement as Betty looked at her in awe.
"That...that sounds fantastic Doc, I mean Caroline."
"Good. I'll schedule us another session for four days' time I think. That should give you enough time to start working on our action plan." As she finished her sentence there was a knock at the door, and she called out for the person to enter.
Abby stuck her head around the door grinning yet again, before stepping into the room.
"Great timing Agent Knowles, we've just finished up here. Betty's got a couple of things to do that she might need your help with but as far as being ready for the future goes, there's no point in hanging around. You can take her to The Shed."
"Aye-aye Doc," Aby said, giving Caroline a mock salute.
Bidding a warm farewell to Dr Thurso and with a feeling of excitement in her chest, Betty headed out of the room with Abby, turning in a direction she'd never been before. Abby swiped her id card next to an elevator and, when they were inside, she pushed the very bottom button.
"What's The Shed?" asked Betty, curious.
"It's where you finally get your own tech," Abby replied, with an enigmatic smile.