He brought me back to life; A Captain America romance; Book one.

Chapter 5: You've got to be shitting me

"Mission!!" I blurt out, half choking on my beer. "Tony, you were supposed to break the news gently," Bruce says giving me an apologetic smile. I've really come to like Bruce over the last four weeks. He's a kind man, gentle. It's hard to believe he can be so sweet one second and then literally kill you with one finger when he turns into the big guy, the next.

"Whatever," Tony continues. "It's about time you get off your ass and come see how we save the world!" He chimes. Is this some sort of sick idea to help get my confidence back? I feel myself hyperventilating and Nat has to put her hand on mine to calm me down, clearly now understanding my fear. "Maybe this isn't a good idea," she says sceptically. "Christ, Tony, you're freaking the poor chick out!" Sam says but looks like he's amused by my discomfort. "El, don't worry. The first part is just some recon in Berlin" says Bruce, like that's supposed to make me feel better. "First part?" I chortle. They want me to do more than one? "Guys!" I say holding my hands up. "There's no way in hell I am going anywhere with you. I am a computer geek. I fiddle around with routers and hard drives. I do not go on recon missions" I say quickly, my voice becoming higher pitched with each word. Steve stares ķat me with a serious expression on his face.

"Ellie." Steve says, firmly and the mention of my name from him sends a small shiver down my back. "Some of the files you've been working on cracking are extremely classified and hold vital information about one of the planet's most dangerous organisations." I gulp, watching his lips move as if in slow motion. "You need to come on this recon mission with us. We need to get access to images of the layout of their facility in Berlin and have to be in the area in order to do that. We can't access those files until we're near." He concludes. The atmosphere turns serious very quickly.

"But Dr. Banner has been working on the HYDRA files too. Why in the hell do you need me? Why can't he go on this recon thing? Or, you, Tony. You're a technologies genius. Why can't you go?" I ask, my voice now two octaves higher than usual.

"Hellooo?" Tony says sarcastically. "He's the Hulk and I'm Iron Man!" he bellows. "We're all too recognizable. It'll never work when it comes to the next part of the mission," he adds tentatively before continuing; "Because, once we've got what we need from this recon mission in Berlin," he pauses and swallows; "You're going to break into HYDRA HQ and obtain a file they've been working on, from their main frame, that we've been unable to get from here. It's vital we get it and you're the only one who can do it. Yes, I am a much better than you..." he smirks. "But I can't just walk in there, they'll recognize me instantly. You, on the other hand, we can disguise as one of HYDRA's agents. No one will notice you." He finishes.

My mind goes completely blank. I feel dizzy and weak and like I'm about to vomit. "She's gonna hurl!" Bucky says half amused, half sympathetic. Steve passes me a glass of water and I gulp a huge sup. I'm dead silent for minute and then scream; "Are you fucking kidding me?" I stand up and trip over Nat's leg next to me. She catches me and sits be back down placing her hand firmly on my leg, warning me to stop. "Language," Steve says but there's a hint of a pained smile in his taut lips.

"Yeah Kid, grandpa doesn't like a potty mouth!" Tony grins, slugging another sup of beer. How the hell is he finding this so funny. I am literally the last person on this planet who can do something like this. Jesus, I can't even walk in a straight line without falling over. "I can't do it, Tony. I won't." I say quietly. An awkward silence falls around the table. Everyone is looking at me. "You can do it." I hear someone say softly. I look up expecting it to be Tony but to my shock it was Steve. He was looking at me with sympathetic eyes. "We'll be there the whole time. We won't let anything happen to you." I swallow, hard. "Exactly El," Tony says. "If Cap believes in you, then that's a good sign."

I blush, flustered. "I don't understand where this is coming from. I mean I know HYDRA has been planning something but I never realized it would be so soon. I mean I'm only here a month!" Panic courses through every part of me. "That's why Fury was here this morning?" I ask looking around at everyone. "Yeah," says Clint. "Old one eye Joe wants to get the jump on them. Element of surprise you know?" Clint says, mimicking shooting an arrow right at my face. Yeah, they'll be surprised alright, when an awkward computer geek from Queens ambushes them with the Avengers!