Ghost - An Avengers Fanfiction

Chapter 18

Sophie was so confused. Three options. It wasn't just 'Stay here or we kill you.' She had a choice. Of course, she had occasionally been given a choice on things in the past, but those times that she had been allowed to choose, Sophie knew Hydra was still pulling the strings, influencing her decisions. Maybe that's what Agent Barton was doing as well, but she had to admit, he made it sound so tempting. A chance to save lives. A chance to do something good for once. A chance to pay back for all the terrible things she had done for Hydra, all the lives she had destroyed. Sophie didn't know why she hadn't thought to do it before.

Your purpose in life is to serve for the glory of Hydra. To rise above mankind, and take your place as the rightful...

A voice started whispering in Sophie's head, a voice she had tried to forget for the last 6 months. A voice that had haunted her dreams every night, the memories replaying again and again. Sophie shook her head to shut the memory up.

"Option three." She blurted out before she realised what she had said. Agent Barton had been closing the door, but pushed it open again and stared at her.

Sophie eyes widened as she realised what she had just said, and she took a quick breath when she realised that she meant it. She didn't like the idea of working for another organisation, who would surely use her like Hydra had, but Sophie realised that she truly wanted to help people.

Sophie, you have a chance to do something with your life, so go and live it.

If S.H.I.E.L.D. worked to help people, then Sophie was happy to work for S.H.I.E.L.D..

"Option three." Sophie said again, her voice quieter, but still as strong. Barton moved to sit down on the chair next to Sophie's bed, his eyes never leaving her face.
"This means you'll have to work within the policies and rules of S.H.I.E.L.D." He explained quietly. Sophie nodded.
"And, you'll have to participate in our training and missions." He further probed. Sophie just nodded again.
"And," he said a little more loudly, "you'll have to trust us Sophie. You'll need to answer any questions we have for you, you'll need to trust your fellow agents on missions, and you need to trust that S.H.I.E.L.D. will look after you. Trust that I am here to help you." Clint's eyes never left Sophie's face, as he gauged her reaction. Sophie's gaze dropped from his, as she seemed to consider his words. Finally, she looked up at him again. "I understand and accept that, Agent Barton." She answered quietly. Clint gave her a small smile. "You can call me Clint if you like." He offered. Sophie looked at him, perplexed.

"Why would I do that?" She asked, confused. Clint's eyebrows knitted together in confusion as well. "Because it's my name?" He explained, puzzled as to why she was puzzled. Sophie frowned at him. "No adult has ever asked me to call them by their name before." She said quietly. Clint felt the familiar pang in his heart. "Tell me about these other adults."

They sat talking until it was nearly 5 in the morning, Clint asking Sophie questions about Hydra, and Sophie asking him questions about S.H.I.E.L.D. The whole time the young girl remained serious, her face slipping back into the same emotionless mask Clint had grown used to during their first conversation, but she answered all of his questions about Hydra directly. After a while, Clint could see that she was tired. No, she was exhausted, and understandably so. Clint left her to sleep after that, feeling pleased with his progress. He knew Sophie didn't trust him, or any of them for that matter, but he knew that eventually she would. He had gotten most of the information he needed, and was off to write up a report for the Director, who was sure to be interested in the girl who was a ghost in the system.

It was a few hours later and Clint was sitting at the briefing table, paper cup full of coffee in hand. He hadn't had much sleep in the last few days, but Clint was used to this. He had written up a report of his findings, adding information he had found out to Sophie's file, as well as the details of Bruce's experiences with her. He had sent it all straight to Director Fury, who had replied shortly after that, stating that he would be talking to Clint and the other Avengers (excluding Thor, who was, of course, in Asgard, and Natasha, who was currently on a mission).