I pocket the badge into my pocket, making sure it was hidden so that the others wouldn't see it if I passed them on my way to my floor. When I get to my floor, I see that my phone has been put on the island in the kitchen. I hobble over to it quickly, eager to see what I've missed over the past 3 months from stuff at home.
I open it to see that there are tonnes of unread messages from Makayla, Isaac and Hugo. I sit through and read them, noticing that they've each messaged me every other days. I type out apology messages, coming up with crap excuses for not replying.
Once I've read all the messages from them, I notice that there's a message from an unknown number. I decide that I don't want to read it because they normally bring bad news.
For the next two weeks, I get rehabilitated with Bruce and Tasha helping me out. After a couple of days, I can walk independently. After a week, I'm able to keep up defence in a fight once again. After 10 days, I'm able to pin Steve down in a fight. By the end of the 2nd week, I can memorise the same amount of information in a quicker time than ever before.
Tony also keeps me occupied with catching me up on my university course. He tutors me every day, developing my knowledge and we get through 25% of the work that I've missed. He also helps me try to regain my powers when he notices that I've stopped using them.
I've now been awake for 3 weeks. It feels as though it's only been a few days because I no longer have free time. What am I doing at the moment? I'm on my way to a secret meeting with Agent Coulson and I'm buzzing. I texted him, arranging a meeting as soon as I could walk again. He seems to be eager to meet me, curious as to why I'm being recommended for his team.
I know that he'll want to know of my abilities, but I don't think that'll be a good idea. I love my powers, don't get me wrong, but I also loved the person who I was before I got them. The person who didn't need them to stand her own ground. And the idea that there'll be someone who doesn't know about them? Amazing. All Coulson knows is that I'm a good fighter, trained by Tasha, Steve and Clint - SHIELD's finest.
My hands start to shake when I walk into the warehouse that I'm meeting Coulson at. The idea behind it is that we can't be overheard when there's no one else here. It also stops the chance of him getting recognised by US police or special forces where he's a fugitive.
I see him waiting for me by a table. He's looking over a file in his hand, presumably a file about me. I walk over to him, trying to emit a sense of confidence. He shakes my hand and we sit down.
"Agent Coulson. Lovely to meet. I'm Agent Hemmings. " I say as I sit down.
"It's Director Coulson now." He says calmly.
"Well done on the promotion." I smile.
"Thank you. So what do you have to offer my team?" He asks, propping his elbows on the table.
"I've been trained in combat by three highly qualified SHIELD agents. I speak fluent French and can dabble in a little Russian. Agent Romanoff has trained me in interrogation skills and manipulating people. Oh, and I'm also currently studying a degree in aeronautical engineering, with tutoring from Tony Stark."
"Impressive resume. Anything else?" He asks, causing me to debate again on whether or not I should tell him that I'm enhanced.
"I have a wicked sense of humour." I smirk.
He laughs briefly, before asking me more questions. "What do you know of my team?"
"Not much. Fury just said that I'd get on well with Agent Skye."
"That is probably correct. Where are you from?"
"England. Couldn't you tell from my accent?" I say sarcastically, emphasising my accent greatly.
"Yeah, you would get on with Skye very well." He mutters under his breath.
We talk for another 20 minutes before I have to go.
"It's been an honour meeting you, Sir." I say with a smile as I shake his hand.
"Same here, Agent Hemmings. If you're up for it, I would love for you to join my team. You'd be a great addition. Besides, we always need fresh faces." He leaves the warehouse and leaves me alone.
In the moment of finally being alone for once, I open the message from the unknown sender. It simply says: 'Call me'. Hesitantly, I call the number - it rings 3 times before someone picks up.
"Miss Hemmings, lovely to hear from you." A monotone voice says, a male. He sounds familiar.
"Who is this and how did you get my number?" I ask.
"I have great interest in you. I believe that you could be an asset to my work."
"An asset? Your work? What do you do exactly?"
"Ah, so many questions. Relax. There's no need to rush."
"I recognise your voice." I mumble into the phone.
"Strange as we've never met. I've only seen of you in action."
"Wait. I know who you are." Realisation dawns on me. "You're Grant Ward, aren't you?"
"Yes I am."
"And you're trying to track me by tracing this call."
"Smart girl, but we'll let you go for now. Just remember, we'll find you eventually. HYDRA always finds people like you." He ends the call and I freak out a little.
I have HYDRA now on my tail. This means only one thing, I have to leave. I have to leave now. If I don't, then my friends will be in danger.
I need to go home.
After checking that there's no one around, I get the winds to carry me back to Avenger's tower. They think that I took a stroll around New York to get a feel for it, thinking that I'm staying here more permanently. I head straight to my floor and I grab a bag. I pack some clothes and my Avengers jacket. I also chuck in some of my stuff that they've given me over the year, keepsakes that I can't bear to lose.
I know that I can't take loads or it'll be suspicious. Quickly, I drop my bag off in the black room, hoping that it stays there until I return. I pocket my shield badge, hiding it so the others can't see it.
Desperately, I try to think of an excuse of why I'm heading home. In my head, I brainstorm for 10 minutes of what to say until I come up with an idea. I need to go home to wrap things up there so that I can transfer to a university in this world, letting me settle here permanently. I hope that they don't call my bluff when I say that I'm heading home for only a couple of days, when in reality, I'm not planning on coming back here.
I get in the lift with my phone in hand. I press the button for the living area, knowing that most of them will be there. Tony did mention how they were going to have a team cook off.
The doors open and, sure enough, all of them are in there, as well as Pepper and Maria.
"Hey guys." I say. "How's the cook off going? Let me guess, Clint is winning?"
"Nope. Tony is. Not sure how - he's probably getting JARVIS to help." Clint mumbles, evidently annoyed that he's losing to Tony.
"Wow Tony. Well done." I clap my hand on his shoulder, laughing.
"Thanks Midget. Not sure why you're so surprised though." He comments.
"Probably because I've had some of your cooking before, and, although it wasn't as bad as Steven's, it was pretty shit." I chuckle. Pepper grins at me, evidently knowing that Tony's cooking is fairly bad and agreeing with me.
"Shut up."
"What's up Tee?" Tasha asks.
"What do you mean?" I look at her confused.
"You look distracted, like something is on your mind."
"Are you alright?" Steve asks.
"Yeah, everything's fine. I just need to head home for a couple of days so that I can drop out of uni. That way I can permanently move here. Is that alright?" I say.
Everyone's face lights up, even Maria's.
"You're going to permanently move here?" Bruce questions.
"Unless you guys don't want me to." It's killing me to lie to them like this.
"No, it sounds perfect." Steve tells me.
"You actually listened to me when I asked?" Tony quips up.
"Sure I did. I don't ignore everything that you say Tony." I laugh.
"I get a prank buddy!" Clint yells, celebrating it which makes everyone chuckle.
"Yes, you do." I grin. This is going to kill them when I don't return, isn't it? "I'm leaving in 45 minutes. Anyone up for a game in the training room?"
"Like what?" Pepper asks.
"Truth or dare?"
"I'm down." Maria says, no hesitation in her voice.
"Me too!" Tony chimes in.
"Hell yes." Clint adds.
"I'd love to, Lady Arty." Thor tells me.
"How could I say no?" Steve chuckles.
"You're gonna lose Tee." Tasha smiles, getting up from her arm chair.
"As long as the dares aren't stupid, then I'll join in." Bruce mutters quietly.
"Guess this means we're doing it." Pepper mumbles. "This is gonna go so wrong."
We all head down to the training room and sit in a circle, ready to play truth or dare. The last time we played this, Tony and Steve got into a massive argument over politics. Let's just say, I had to step in and freeze them both to shut them up.
"Tony, truth or dare?" Tasha asks.
"Truth." He replies.
"Have you ever lied to your partner to avoid an intimate moment, for example, say that you feel sick?" Tasha grins. Tony's cheeks go bright red and he looks at Pepper in embarrassment.
"Yes." He mumbles, earning a slap on the arm from Pepper in annoyance.
"Tasha, your turn. Truth or dare?" I ask her.
"Dare." She responds.
"Let someone write a word on your forehead in permanent marker." I smirk.
"Go on then Clint." She tells Clint. He grabs a permanent marker from the office room next door and writes 'Ginger' on her forehead.
"You could have done so much better than that, Clint." Maria laughs.
"What did he write?" Tasha asks.
"Ginger." I giggle at it slightly.
We continue playing for another 30 minutes before I get up and head to my room, readying myself to leave. I run my hands along the sides, memorising every inch of this place. I'll miss it, I'll miss it so much.
I know that when I get home, I'm not going to stay there. I've withdrawn enough moment from Tony's various accounts as backup money over the last 3 weeks, just in case. I know that he won't care about it in the long run, but I still feel guilty. I wouldn't have done it, but Clint told me that Tasha does it to piss Tony off and Tony didn't mind when he found out.
It all makes me nervous though. I've got to find a new place to stay and keep up with my studies. Thanks to Tony's tutoring, I should be alright for a while with uni but it's going to be hard.
I guess that I'll figure it all out later.
"Hey." I hear a voice and jump, ready to attack. When I see that it's Steve, I lower my defences, rolling my eyes at him.
"Don't make me jump like that." I scowl.
"'Twas funny for me." He shrugs. "Penny for your thoughts?"
"Just trying to figure out what to say to my friends and family."
"You'll be fine. Just explain to Reagan and your dad that we've offered you a job. You can tell your friends that you're moving - they can't be mad."
"Yeah, you're right."
"And when you get back in 3 days time, how about that date? I know a great restaurant that you'll love." He smiles. Shit, I forgot about that. This is going to break him.
"That sounds amazing. I can't wait." I pull him into a hug. "I've got to go now."
"You aren't saying a quick bye to the team?" He asks, a little confused at my hurry.
"No. They'll be annoying. Besides, it's not like I'm not coming back." I lie easily.
"I suppose. I'm going to miss you, even if it is only for 3 days." He smiles sadly, pulling out of the hug.
"I bet that I'll miss you more." I try to hold back my tears.
"Impossible." He chuckles. He hesitantly looks at me, bringing his hand up to cup my cheek.
I look up at him, my eyes darting between his eyes and his lips. I can tell that he's doing the same when he starts to lean in. Butterflies crowd my stomach, my heart turning in anticipation.
And that's when our lips finally meet. I close my eyes, focusing on the kiss, the kiss that I've been waiting to have for months now. His lips are soft on mine. He bends down to me, wrapping his arms around my waist and I wrap mine around his neck as he lifts me up slightly.
I break away from the kiss after 20 seconds, my forehead touching his, my breathing heavy. I hear him chuckle under his breath, a smile forming on his face. He places me back down on the floor, kissing my cheek when he lets me go.
This is going to make leaving him a lot harder.
"That was long awaited." He says, chuckling, his voice quiet, but happiness clear in his tone.
"Sure was, Blondie." I laugh, shaking my head.
"Be back soon, alright?"
"I will. Bye Steve." I hug him quickly before disappearing into the black room.
I'm going to miss him and my team, my new family.