Once Upon an Avenger

Chapter 5: Training day

The following morning Hope awoke to the sound of her alarm at seven fifteen a.m. Much to her surprise, she hadn't had a nightmare that night, but she didn't have time to figure out why, for she needed to get dressed and meet the others downstairs for breakfast at eight, just as Tony had instructed them the previous day.

Hope was very intrigued about the day ahead; she didn't know what to expect but the prospect of training with everyone and a party in the evening was very exciting to her. Especially as the only parties she had ever really gone to were get-togethers at Granny's diner.

Not knowing whether it was because of the good night's sleep or the adrenaline that was already pumping through her body that was putting her in such a good mood, Hope ran into Sam's room next door to wake him up. "Rise and shine matey, today we sail into the unknown. And by that, I mean we've got training so get your butt in gear, breakfast is in twenty minutes!" She said this in a very distinct British accent, not that Sam noticed, having just been woken up.

"Good morning to you too, Hope," he groaned. "Since when do you come running into my room to wake me up in the morning?"

"Since I finally had a good night's sleep for the first time in two weeks, and since you became my best friend here!"

"So, I'm your best friend now, am I?" Sam asked, as he sat up rubbing his eyes.

"Um... I don't know, are you?" Hope answered, slightly thrown. "I should probably go and let you get changed. I'll meet you downstairs in a bit," she continued, still embarrassed, walking back towards the door. You idiot, what did you say that for?!

"Swan?"

"Yes, Sam?"

"If you'll have me as your best friend, I'd be honoured, because you're definitely mine!" He smiled, closing the door behind her.

To both, it seemed like a childish conversation to be having, and in a way it was. But considering their jobs, and the things they regularly fought, Sam as an Avenger and Hope in Storybrooke, it was actually quite comforting. Resorting back to that childlike behaviour of telling someone they are your best friend after having only known them for a few days.

*

At eight o'clock sharp, everyone was downstairs eating breakfast waiting for Bruce and Tony to explain the day's itinerary.

"We've decided to shake it up a bit this month," Tony commenced. "Instead of doing several activities throughout the day, we've decided to have one big training session this morning, starting at eleven."

"You'll be in three teams of four; Team A: Cap, Sam, Loki and Hope; Team B: Tony, Nat, Vision and Peter. So that means Team C will be Thor, Wanda, Clint and Rhodey. Each team will have their own comms," Bruce continued.

"Why on earth would you put me on a team with the newbie?" Steve interrupted.

Hope looked at Tony confused. "What happened to 'Don't go near him again until I say so'?" She imitated him almost perfectly, earning herself a stern look from him and a few stifled laughs from Natasha and Wanda.

"Well, now I'm saying so, kiddo. Anyway, I figured that there was less chance of you two killing each other if you were on the same team." Tony joked, pointing his pen from one to the other.

"That's fair enough." Hope shrugged before finishing her toast. Steve merely sighed in disgust.

"As Bruce was saying before Rogers so rudely interrupted him--" Tony started to explain until he too was interrupted, but this time by Hope.

"Indeed, Steve, how rude of you to interrupt Dr. Banner like that, what did he ever do to you? I think you should apologise, don't you guys?" Hope asked, looking around the table where the others were all agreeing as they laughed.