The Avengers are Real? (A Marvel Fanfic)

Chapter 13: Words and Bullets

I open the door of my trailer and let myself in. Grey follows. I hang my now soaked jacket up and excuse myself for a moment. I tell Grey to sit anywhere he liked. In my bedroom, I pull on a sweater and looked at myself in the mirror, hands on cheeks. They are shaking and I tell myself to snap out of it.

Back in the main area, I sit down on a chair opposite him and fold my hands on my lap. "So," I say a little tightly and very carefully "what did you want to talk about?"

"You." He grins and winks, something that used to make my heart skip a beat, but seeing me frown, drops the smile. "Sorry, that was dumb."

"Yes, it was." Idiot.

"But, seriously, what have you been doing lately?" He shifts in his chair, seeming to be uncomfortable.

"Oh, lots of work..." I say evasively. My fame isn't something I like to talk about, especially not to an old flame who is much more famous than I. "Been keeping busy." I shrug, not really wanting to talk.

He hesitates, then says, "Oh, don't do that. I could tell you did the  work in Triple Retreat. Also, that TV show, Delilah? You're doing amazing in that."

My mouth opens slightly in astonishment/disbelief.  He chuckled, and I immediately frowned at him. 

"Didn't think I followed your work, now did you?"

"Of course not." I snap at him. "After all, you dropped me like a hot coal."

He sighs. "Listen, I'm sorry about that-"

"You would be." I insert  sarcastically, crossing my arms and looking at the ceiling, lips pursed. "Look what you lost."

"- and I'll keep telling you that until you believe me." He finishes, staring intently at me. I stare right back, one eyebrow raised, lips still pursed.

But then, a flashback hits me. We were both standing on the set of Alive for Always, the movie we first worked together in, surrounded by green screens. I was insisting he was doing a flip wrong. He was insisting that was the best way. We were looking at each other just like this before I walked over and showed him how to do it the best way... only I did it to him, instead of the stunt man.

Looking at his face, I see him smirk, and he says "Remember during Alive-"

"When I flipped you over during that argument?" I finish, and we both laugh, the tension in the room seeping away. I smile at him, and he grins back, eyes twinkling. It feels like, well, it feels like old times.

Suddenly, a sharp CRACK fills the room, the glass in a window of my trailer shatters, and I feel a hot pain slice across my head. Without hesitation, I leap across the room and shove Grey from his chair. He falls to the floor, and I reach under the chair to retrieve a gun strapped to the bottom. Cold air flows onto my face as I look out the window. A faint shape is disappearing into the darkness and I fire at it twice before it disappears. I run outside, and notice messy footprints in the soft ground, but the pelting rain is washing them away as I watch. I'm still standing there  grimly staring at the ground a few moments later, rain dripping off my hair and face, when Grey comes outside and grabs me by the shoulders.

"Courtney!" He yells, breaking into my fog. "What in the world are you thinking?" I glance at him in confusion. But I remember he doesn't even know about me protecting him, only that SHIELD recruited me. "Why are you still standing out here when someone is shooting at you?"

Shooting at you, I think. But I only shrug and say "You know me, never could back away from a fight."

I say it like a weak attempt at joking but he doesn't even grin. "You're bleeding!" I gently reach up and feel my temple, where the bullet had nicked me. Someone shouts to call 911.

By this time many other people are gathered, and are all asking question. A siren is soon shrieking in the distance. Grey and I answer so many question so many different times. No, we didn't see him. Yes, please try to keep this quiet. No, we don't want to use this as publicity. No, we don't know who it could be. But this last answer is a lie. I know it was Hydra, and Grey suspects, but only I know. He believes it was targeted at me, and that's fine with me, I'll let him believe that. By the time all the questions are answered, my head is bandaged and pounding. Thoughts flounder through my head, my next step, precautions I should take, and it all makes me dizzy. I lean a little on Grey, thankful someone is there to support me, or I might have fallen over. He guides me back inside my trailer, suspiciously looking over his shoulder.

Back inside, he glances at the chair he had been sitting in, now knocked over. A realization dawns on his face as I set it back up. "I was sitting on a gun." he murmurs.

"What?" I ask, not having really heard him.

He turns to me with wide eyes. "You let me sit... on a loaded gun?"

I shrug. "So what? I can't control where you sit. And it was on safety."

His eyes widen even more, but I could swear there's a hint of a smile in the corners of his mouth. "You're crazy."

"Crazy people don't know they're crazy, I know I'm crazy, therefore, I'm not crazy. Now isn't that crazy?" I grin at him as I say this quote, and he shakes his head.

"You sure you'll be alright?" He asks, serious again.

I roll my eyes. "I'll be fine. I always keep a gun within easy reach." He glances around furtively, as if I'll pull another one out from the kitchen sink. "Now go."

He sighs, shaking his head, and leaves. I fall into bed and am asleep as soon as my head hits the pillow.

Well, guys, I hope you enjoyed the chapter! Figured I had better put some action in there before y'all fell asleep! Comment to tell me your favorite parts (so I can include more of them!), or if you have any suggestions. ~The Fanvergent

PS- This chapter is over 1000 words! :D