Hello Marvel fans,
When I really love something, I just have to write a fanfiction about it. And I LOVE the Avengers. This fanfiction follows the plot of the movie, but with the addition of a character of my own creation. Elizabeth Barton has a complex story of her own which I have done my best to weave into this story. I hope you enjoy this fanfiction as much as I did writing it.
Clint hovered over me, lifting me off the gurney and into his arms. My vision wasn't very clear, but I could make him out okay. The bright white light coming through the open door into the pitch black room surrounded him. I could almost believe he was a guardian angel coming to my rescue.
There were tears in his beautiful blue eyes that were lighter blue than the clearest sky. They were the color our mother's eyes were. "Clint," I whispered weakly. A new round of pain racked through my body and made my skull feel like it was about to split open. I writhed, crying and screaming and Clint struggled to hold onto me as I flailed.
"It's alright Lizzie. You'll be okay. I promise." I could hear the pain and tears in his voice. A needle was jabbed just below my elbow and drowsiness swept over me.
"No," I screamed at him. "Please, no more sedatives." I sobbed as I grew even sleepier. I was afraid of what would await me in the darkness and of what might be waiting for me when I woke up.
"Shh, it's okay. You need to rest. I have to do it." he tried to soothe me. He clutched me tighter with one arm as he brushed my bangs away from my eyes with gentle strokes, his fingers trembling as he did so. "I'm so sorry, but I have to. I'll be here for you when you wake up." I clung to that promise as I drifted away.
Thunk! The fifth knife stuck in the red bull's eye of my target. Breathing hard, I wiped my brow and continued my knife throwing. Strength flowed through my arms, strength I wished I could use to pummel Loki instead of uselessly practicing in the training room. Another knife sank perfectly in the center of the same target...
Lights blinded me as I opened my eyes. I was aware of a slow beeping by my right ear. Tubes were taped to my arms and I almost freaked out as I thought I was still in Facility A-24. Could Clint rescuing me have been just a dream? It wouldn't surprise me. The Operators had messed with my brain so much that it didn't seem so crazy to have some hallucinations now and then. It might have even been expected even though I hadn't had them before.
But no, there was a sharp smell in the air that tickled my nose, a smell I usually associate with antiseptics and medicine. A doctor's office... a hospital. I was in a hospital, not in the facility. No more darkness, no more drunk awareness, no more figures in dark clothes with hoods up, and thank God, no more getting strapped down to a gurney, wires attached to a machine taped to my forehead and forearms. I wouldn't have to feel volts of electricity being shot through my body, the brain signals reacting to the shocks traveling to a computer that was monitored by the Operators. And best of all, no more shots of serums were going to be injected into my veins, running through my body and changing me. I was going to be their guinea pig no more.
"Lizzie," My eyes saw white tiled floor, rows of cabinets, pale blue ceiling, a vase of flowers on the bedside table and an open window pouring cheery sunlight into the room before I saw my brother in the armchair beside the hospital bed I was lying in.
I smiled a tired smile. He grinned. "You have no idea how good it feels seeing you smile again."
"I'm glad you found me Clint. I don't know how much longer I would have been able to hold out." I winced at how rough my voice sounded.
Clint grew pale. "I don't think you would have made it past that day. You looked on the brink of death then."
"How long has it been?"
"Two days." But it wasn't Clint who spoke. It was a balding brown haired man standing in the doorway. He was a little shorter than the average man, about in his late forties. Small brown eyes were set in his narrow face with a pointed chin and perfect straight nose. He wore a suit and formal black shoes and looked very professional. The man stepped forward and held out his hand.
"Agent Phil Coulson,." he introduced himself as I shook his hand. "It is a pleasure to meet you Elizabeth Barton. Clint has told me so much about you."
"Agent Coulson, did there happen to be another person in the facility, a boy who was also being used for GECS?" I couldn't help but ask.
Agent Coulson frowned. "No, just you." Tears burned my eyes. So the Operators were telling the truth. Henry was long gone.
Clint took my hand worriedly. "Are you okay?"
I sniffed and nodded. He looked down at the floor and swallowed hard. "Our parents are gone so now it's just you and me. We only have each other. And I promise I will be every bit the big brother I was and a parent. I'll take care of you alright? We will be okay."
"You've been busy." I snapped out of my memories and looked around, surprised. I had been. Every single target in the training room had at least three knives in the bull's eye. There were about a dozen targets dangling from the high ceiling as well as each wall.
"My mind has been wandering." I replied softly as I went around, taking the knives out of the targets.
Phil smiled sympathetically. "You're worrying about your brother again."
"Not exactly," I sighed heavily. "I am not afraid for Clint's well-being. Loki needs him. He won't hurt him, especially as he already has him brainwashed and under his power."
"That is very true. It is also why getting the Tesseract is our top priority and not rescuing Agent Barton. We will get him back in time, but for now, all our efforts are being put into finding the Tesseract. If we don't, the entire world will be in great danger."
"I know. Phil...?"
"Yes?"
"You and I are good friends, right?"
"Of course," he replied gently.
"What if you and I went after Clint? Then S.H.I.E.L.D. wouldn't have to use any of their resources to go after him. You and Clint did it for me when S.H.I.E.L.D. felt positive I was dead."
"That was different."
"How?" I threw my hands up in exasperation. "How was that any different?"
"Then, there wasn't a huge weapon in enemy hands. Also, everyone thought you were dead, except Barton and he was going to do whatever it took to get you back. This time, we know Barton is alive. We also know he is okay and as long as his life isn't in any danger, we don't need to worry." I shook my head and scowled. "But there is something you could do to help him."
"What's that?" I asked suspiciously.
"You would do anything for Clint wouldn't you?" He waited until I nodded. "Director Fury wants you to come in, Ghost." He broadcasted his thoughts to me so I knew what lied behind Nick Fury's harmless request. I was shaking my head before Phil had even finished speaking.
"No, I already told him I wouldn't be a part of the Avengers. And I thought that the Council decided Operation Super Heroes Unite was a no-go." I snickered. Phil rolled his eyes at me making fun, but cracked a smile.
"It is, but what is the harm in bringing these very special people together to try and get back the Tesseract?" He winked slyly. "Elizabeth, the faster we locate the Tesseract and Loki, the faster we'll be able to get Agent Barton back and reverse whatever Loki did to him."
I looked into Phil's eyes and saw how sincere he was. He really believed what he said. "Alright, fine. You can tell Director Fury Ghost is in."
***
"Dr. Banner," Steve Rogers exclaimed. Bruce Banner turned and saw Steve, a sheepish smile stretching across his face. The two men shook hands. "It is nice to meet you."
"And you Mr. Rogers."
"Word has it you can locate the cube."
"I can certainly try."
Agent Natasha Romanoff, a S.H.I.E.L.D. topspy also known as the Black Widow, was with them, introducing them to whatlooked like any aircraft carrier ship in the middle of the ocean. She led Steve and Bruce into the ship and led them to the control room as the ship began to raise its propellers and lift into the air. The aircraft carrier ship was actually a flying aircraft carrier, a Helicarrier, and once it was high enough in the air, the reflector panels turned on, reflecting the sky above so that it turned the craft practically invisible. The control room was a large half circle room with the curved wall mostly window. There were rows of computers constantly monitored by S.H.I.E.L.D. agents in grey uniforms talking into headsets.
Director Fury, a black, tall, bald, ex-spy who lost an eye during service and now wore an eye patch, was waiting for them. He welcomed them and went into a long talk with Bruce, but Steve focused his attention more on the girl talking with Agent Romanoff. She was tall and slender and wore a white blouse, skinny jeans and black and white Converse. Deep purple glasses with rectangular lenses perched on her nose. On her wrist was a wristband. It was black with small metal hearts embedded in the surface.
The girl was a very interesting sight. She had silver streaks in her sandy blond, shoulder-length hair that was twisted up into a hairclip, giving anyone seeing her for the first time the impression that she was old and yet young at the same time. Bangs hung just short of her eyes. Her eyes were startlingly bright silver. Her skin was pale and dark bags revealed that she didn't sleep much. Ghost; the name perfectly matched her appearance and her abilities when they were taken into consideration. He didn't know much about Ghost. Just that she was a telepath and could slip through anywhere without being noticed which made her one of the greatest spies S.H.I.E.L.D. had ever had.
Natasha seemed to be saying something sympathetically to her, but Ghost only shook her head. She replied something that made Natasha smile proudly and put a hand on her shoulder. Steve walked towards them hesitantly, but they didn't seem bothered by the interruption as they turned to greet him. "Steve Rogers, this is Ghost. Most people here know her as Agent Elizabeth Barton." Natasha introduced them.
"Barton? Like Hawkeye?" Steve asked curiously as they shook hands.
"Yes, Agent Clint Barton is my brother." There was a strange soft sound just underneath her voice when she talked. It was almost like a purr.
He was going to tell her how sorry he was to hear what happened to Clint, but he thought better of it. She was probably sick of hearing it by now and it was most likely what Natasha had said to her before he interrupted. "There wasn't much about you in the file." Steve said instead. "But I suppose that's because you're a spy. There wasn't much about Agent Romanoff either. How old are you exactly? Eighteen, nineteen?"
"Sixteen," She gave him a defiant look as though daring him to make a comment about how young she was.
"Oh," He was very surprised, but took her warning. "You must be very talented then."
She broke into a big smile that lit up her silvery eyes. "You are the first to ever have reacted that way. You know, I think I like you Captain. Now if you'll please excuse me." She turned and left the room.
Natasha chuckled at Steve's bemused expression. "That's a very good thing, if you're wondering. She doesn't trust very easy and if she says she likes you, then you've got a loyal friend for life. You can count on her."
"I'm honored." Steve replied with a laugh.
"As you should be,"
"Agent Romanoff," Director Fury called. "Show Dr. Banner to his laboratory." She nodded and left with Bruce.