~4 months later~
Ava's POV
James and I have gone on multiple missions over the past several weeks and we are practically unstoppable together. James doesn't really know much of what he likes and I need to figure out what he does like.
There's something about him I can't place. I can't leave him and I don't want to. Some will say it's because I've been here with him for so long. Some will say it's the whole he "saved" me syndrome. Some will save my brain has been fried too many times with all the ECT. It's not.
I look at his sleeping form and smile. He's beautiful even as he sleeps. I know what I'm feeling is something I shouldn't be because he doesn't feel the same.
I sit up carefully so as not to wake him up and get in the shower. I get in a pair of black panties and a black bra. I get one of James' shirts on and am standing in front of our closet. I don't notice James has woken up and is watching me. I turn around and see he's awake and go to him.
I climb onto the end next to him and lay next to him. He wraps his arm around me and I lay my head on his shoulder. Today we are doing reconnaissance on Steve Rogers, Clint Barton, and Natasha Romanoff. I don't know why but Clint's name seems familiar.
He asks,"What's going on in that head of yours?"
I reply,"We are supposed to do recon on the Avengers. Like we shouldn't be doing only one day."
James nods and I say,"This type of mission needs at least two weeks of recon."
James nods and I trace the scars on his left shoulder. James' left hand rests on my hip. My hand lands on his bare chest and tingles run through my body where we touch and I look up at him. He looks in my eyes and I can't look away. Neither one of us moves but our breathing syncs and his embrace around me tightens.
A knock at the door breaks our trance and James gets up. He opens the door and a soldier hands him a folder. He shuts the door and comes back to me reading the contents of the folder.
James says,"Well we will be doing recon for the next few months. This is a sensitive mission."
I nod and he says,"I do hope you are ready to live somewhere else for the next three months."
I am confused and he says,"We are moving to an apartment building down the street from Avengers tower."
I reply,"When do we leave?"
He replies,"Ten minutes."
I ask,"Do we have time to pack clothes?"
James says,"They've stocked the apartment with everything we need."
I nod and get a pair of light wash skinny jeans with tears going down the front of the legs. I put on a pair of Converse high tops in black and throw my hair up into a bun. I turn to see James getting dressed in normal clothes and we head out.
We arrive at an apartment building and James takes my hand in his. I look up at him and he leans down by my ear.
He says,"We are supposed to be portraying a couple."
My chest hurts at that comment but I nod in silence and we get our key to the apartment from the front desk and head up. Once we step in the elevator, James let's go of my hand and the pain throbs in my chest. We step in and it's a quaint apartment and I head to the bedroom. One bed so it's just like back at base.
I say,"I'm going to go get coffee and food. Follow in the shadows but I'm going."
I head out after grabbing the wallet that has my new ID on it. I don't wait for a response from James and head to the nearest coffee shop, Avengers Tower looms behind me and something is nagging at me. I get in line and wait for my order. I survey the coffee shop and make a note of all the exits and a head of red hair disappearing around the corner outside catches my eye.
I know that red hair.
I head outside and follow the red haired woman down the street. Unbeknownst to me, she's leading me far away from where my comms will work.
She stops and a man appears. She disappears and I take a step towards her but the man steps towards me making me freeze.
I look at him and he seems familiar. But from where? His features are strong but slightly worn.
He says,"Ava."
Memories flood my brain and I gasp. Clint. His name is Clint. He's my big brother.
I say,"Clint..."
He smiles relieved and says,"Yes."
I run to him and he wraps his arms around me when we collide. I can't believe I forgot about him.
He asks,"What happened?"
I look at him and say,"THOSE ASSHOLES! They mindwiped me!!!"
He asks,"Is he around?"
I reply,"I don't know."
He says,"We need to meet up and talk about everything."
I reply,"I might be able to in a few days. Go for a midnight run by our usual spot."
He asks,"Three days exactly."
I confirm,"Three days exactly."
He nods and I say,"I need to get coffee before he suspects something."
Clint says,"Be safe."
I nod and head back to the coffee shop. I get my iced coffee and walk outside.
James: Ava.
I touch my comms and say,"James."
James:I will join you in a moment.
I reply," I'm heading to the book shop across the street from the coffee shop."
I head to the shop and go through the book store. An employee hands me a shopping bag to carry the books I will buy in it. I've missed reading. I pick up Mindhunter, Dark Psychology, The Great Gatsby, Interview with the Vampire, Bram Stoker's Dracula, and The Mortal Instruments series.
The hair stands up on the back of my neck and I look behind me to see James walking towards me down the book aisle I'm on. My heart is pounding in my chest and I quickly look down. He's still so handsome.
James asks,"What are you doing?"
I reply,"Getting something to entertain myself when we do recon on our own and at night."
He looks at the books in my bag and says,"The Princess Bride."
Interesting.
I add it to the bag and we head to the front. I pay for the books and James lowers the cap on his head and we head home.
