The New Avenger

Chapter 1

I could hear voices in my head. This isn't good, some part of me was saying. This is like before, Ash, wake up! This is just like when they-

"Hello? Wakey wakey? You still alive in there? You've been out for three days, for God's sake! I wonder if she's in a coma or something."

My eyelids fluttered open.

"Hey, gorgeous! She's not dead!"

I was staring at a handsome man with short blond hair and pale blue eyes. I had this nagging feeling that I'd seen him before. His smile lit up his face.

I tried to sit up in fright but my chest ached terribly so I laid still.

"Wh-where am I?" I asked, my breath shuddering with fear. I'd been in this situation before, and the voice had only reminded me what had happened after I woke up. I tried to morph into something, anything, but I had no energy.

"You're in the infirmary of S.H.IE.L.D., in a big airship in the sky, beautiful," he replied smiling wider. "You have multiple bullet holes in your chest, but the immediate dangers are gone."

Suddenly the memories of the children and the man came rushing back to me. I had been shot in the chest. Whoa. My fear soon broke my reverie.

"Who are you?" I asked him, but I think I already knew the answer.

"Captain America, a man from a long time ago, but you can just call me Steve!" he replied. "How are you feeling? You want me to get anything for you?"

"C-Captain America? The Avenger?" I stammered. This couldn't be happening. This was impossible. This isn't real!

"Yep! That's me!" He replied.

"OH MY GOSH!" I screamed and, despite the screeching pain in my chest I leapt in to his strong arms and hugged him tightly, letting loose a few tears. He was completely taken aback, but held on to me tightly, and soon returned the hug.

"You're Captain America! You saved me that day when Loki and the Chitauri attacked. I was in that building and they almost set off the bomb, but you saved us! Holy crap I can't believe you're right here! Thank you, thank you, thank you!'

I hugged him harder.

"Well," he stammered, he was obviously taking time to process this new information. "You're, you're very welcome." He finally answered.

But jumping out of bed was probably not the best of ideas, and as my head throbbed and my vision blurred, my body gave up and collapsed.

                         ***

I awoke again, cringing at the bright light above me. I tried to move my arms up in front of my face but they were strapped down by thick leather and buckles. I could feel the panic setting in as I stared a man. A big man with bulky muscles and shoulder-length shiny blond hair. He also had some sort of protection over his front, and a red cape flowing from the back. A large hammer was on my bedside table, hilt up perpendicular to the metal top.

Once he noticed I was awake he said, "You know, fair maiden, you are the most beautiful and small Midgardian I've seen! What do you they call that? Beautiful and small... I know they have a word for it, Stark was teaching me it before...beautiful and small..." He seemed to be thinking for the right word.

"Cute!" he yelled, suddenly remembering the word he was looking for.

That word. That one word. Why did he have to say that word? 'Cute' was the word they used to taunt me when they were testing their crap out on me. "Aw, look at the cute little girl. She's so helpless. She can't even protect herself! Ha!" After their little taunts they would flick the switch and the god-knows-how-many volts of electricity would sting through me. All the panic and anger welled up in me from the restriction and the memories and in fury I leapt from my bed, turning into a huge brown bear, and upon landing roared right in his face.

"DON'T CALL ME CUTE!"

We both stood there breathing heavily, his hammer somehow in his hand, my muzzle inches from his face, and my teeth beared. We looked at each other, man to bear. Usually I would be a small bear, because my human size is reflected in my morph size, but if there is an overflow of emotion sometimes I can be bigger when I transform. The moment ended and I shrank back to normal size, and then back to human form. I looked up at him, embarrassed.

"Sorry, sorry, sorry! You can't call me 'cute'! I can't deal with it. Please, I'm sorry!" I said over and over again.

He looked at me suspiciously. "Do not worry, child. I am not angry or afraid, in fact quite impressed at your...ah...ability?" He replied, cautiously but curiously.

Then I realised who I was speaking to. "Are-are you Thor!? The Norse God of Lightning from Asgard? Saviour of hundreds and part of the Avengers!?!" I asked.

"Aye, that is I. You may call me Thor. I'm glad you've heard of me." He smiled.

"OH MY GOSH OH MY GOSH OH MY GOSH! I'm so proud to meet you!" I yelled, but this time did not jump up and hug him. He was still holding that hammer and now that I'd realised who he was I was very careful not to go near it.

He seemed taken aback, and he called for Natasha.

Wait, Natasha? The Black Widow? Natasha Romanov? Oh. My. Gosh.

A pretty woman with red hair and a full black suit and a gun at her hip walked into the room and I just sat in my bed staring at her in shock and awe. Okay, Ash, the voice picked up again. Don't screw this up. Don't freak her out, don't do anything stupid, okay? Be calm, be cool.  I wanted to please her, to make a friend of her, so I tried to be as calm as I could and said,

"Excuse me, Agent Romanov?" My voice sounded really weird, but I couldn't tell if it was from the excitement, from the adrenaline, or from the nervousness.

"Just call me Natasha...?" She said, surprised that I knew her name.

I took a deep breath and tried to keep my cool. How can I be cool and friendly? How can I not freak her out? Another breath.

"What's your favourite animal?" I asked. I didn't notice her hand move slightly towards her right hip.

She was slightly taken aback, but replied, "Uh, lions?"

Okay, I thought, Lion. I could do that easy. I morphed into a lion and stayed where I was. I didn't have time to think before her gun was out and pointing at my face.

In fear my human form took hold again, and I waited for the shot, my eyes squeezed tight shut and my fists closed into tight balls.

"Whoa!" Thor stepped in front of me. "Stop! She's fine. Look, she's fine, Widow." He turned around and patted my head. I flinched hard.

"Sorry, kid. I didn't mean to scare you." I looked up. The gun was down, but not out of her grasp.

"Sorry." I said. As the adrenaline and fear subsided I realised I had screwed it up. I'd freaked her out and she'd pulled a fricking gun on me. You idiot, Ash!

She put the gun back in the holster and stared at Thor questioningly.

"What? I thought you could handle a little girl, Natasha." He smiled.

She glared at him. Then looked at me. "I'm sorry. That's what happens when you surprise me."

"It's okay," I blurted, trying to keep it together. I didn't want our relationship to start like this.

She seemed to notice something was bothering me so she asked if I could do it again. "I promise, I won't touch my gun." She held her hands up like a surrender.

I gave a small smile and concentrated on morphing into a small lion; maybe between a cub and an adolescent. I opened my eyes when I was done and stared at her. A hint of a smile crossed her face and she murmured, "Not bad, kid."

She took one step closer, and sent me a look that said, "Are you okay with this?" I nodded and sat on my haunches on the bed. I didn't move. She took a few more steps and held out her hand. I moved my head up a little so my nose brushed her fingertips, and smelled her scent. It was a kind of shower product, fruity. I licked her hand once and she reached up her hand to scratch the top of my head. I gave a small purr, and then she slowly pulled her hand back. Her smile faded and she left the room.

I looked at Thor as she went but he just shrugged his broad shoulders.