One With Earth [Avengers]

Supervising Officer

ANNA

We arrived on the helicarrier and I wasn't surprised to see workers and soldiers and agents running around. I followed the Director around, Maria did the same, though she got here before us. We were checking and double checking things when a voice over the intercom announced the landing of an aircraft.

"Why don't you play the role of the welcoming committee, Roarke." Fury spoke to me. I nodded and went out on the deck. I already knew who it was.

My bangs flew back from the wind of the quinjet landing. I blinked and smiled when the familiar redhead made her entrance full of confidence and power. Behind her a shy looking Dr. Banner more hesitantly left the smaller aircraft to set foot on the helicarrier.

Natasha strutted over to me, her red tresses bouncing and gleaming in the afternoon sun. Bruce followed nervously. We wrapped our arms around each other in greeting. "Long time no see Ms. S.O." I grinned when we pulled away from each other. I looked over to the scientist and held my hand out. "Dr. Banner, nice to meet you, Agent Roarke." I introduced myself.

He shook my hand firmly. "Delighted." He said distractedly, still looking around. His aura told me just how uncomfortable he really was.

I gave a sympathetic smile. "We're glad to have you on board. Our friend Captain Rodgers will arrive shortly. Feel free to take a look around the place." I gestured behind him to the rest of the deck.

"Uh. Thanks." He said quietly and walked away slowly to explore the aircraft.

I turned back to Nat; her face had turned to stone and her eyes made contact with mine. "You were there when it happened?" She asked.

I immediately knew she was talking about Clint. I nodded gravely. "It all happened so fast." I looked down at my feet.

"I'm glad nothing happened to you." She took a breath. "We're going to get him back." She gave a small reassuring smile.

"Without a doubt." I said confidently.

"How's your homework coming along?" She asked with a smirk.

I rolled my eyes playfully. She had assigned me endless research projects to make me more 'well rounded'. From the biggest city in Greenland to how to play the harp; I had to learn it all. "Its coming along okay, Fury keeps me pretty busy but I get around to it."

"And are you practicing creating the other elements?" She raised an eyebrow, inquiring on my special gifts

I grimaced. "No, still just fire. And believe me, I practice every day." I try to create earth water and wind but I can only produce flames. Controlling the elements was a piece of cake as they were already there for me to manipulate but actually creating them from nothing was something else entirely and I just couldn't grasp it.

"Do you remember if your mom could control all four?" She asked.

I shrugged. "She never used her powers, she didn't want my father to find out about her." Sad memories started flooding in.

"Right." She whispered, she knew about my parents. My alien mother and my human father. Annalisette and Roarke. They died on the same day, this was back in the 1800s but I remember it so vividly. I was only five, though I looked older, and this already frightened my father. My mother and I always had secret talks we kept from him. It was lucky I matched her camouflage from the moment I was born; but I think she was hoping that because I was half human I wouldn't get powers. I did. And when I did I didn't understand why I couldn't tell my dad. I was out playing in a field somewhere practicing moving flowers or leaves or whatever I could find when mom and dad came to check on me. Whether he was just shocked or horrified or both I'll never know, he died of a heart attack and my mom of heartbreak when she realised her lover was gone.

I was left alone. I never used my powers a lot after that. I stayed away from people. I didn't want to kill anyone else. But decades passed and it got harder and harder to stay secluded. One day I couldn't take hiding anymore, I stopped camouflaging and I started a fire in my hands. I didn't care who found me. I was lucky it was Steve, though. The small boy startled me when he poured the water on my head and I barely understood the look of worry he had on his face. He had to leave quickly but I came back the next day and the next, and he met me every single time. I watched him grow in front of my eyes, not much but it was noticeable. He offered to introduce me to his mother once, I declined. He offered to introduce me to his other friend, James, or Bucky as he usually called him. I watched him grow and I got anxious when I didn't do the same.

Our last day together was unexpected. I had been telling myself that I had to leave weeks, months before, but I never did until that day. He was thirteen and becoming a young man. I was about seventy and still looked about ten. He was changing, subtly, but surely. Who knew how long I was going to stay the same. Our last day started out like any other, he met me in his backyard and we talked for a good hour. He showed me a picture he drew of me, I smiled, we laughed, it was normal. It was a cloudy New York day, we decided to go to the beach when no one else would be there. We walked along the sand of the coast, skipping stones, picking up seashells. We were having a good time but in the back of my mind I kept telling myself that had to be the day I would leave for good. I didn't know it would be true.

The day with him ended perfectly. I don't know if he planned it but I felt like he somehow knew it would be the last time he saw me. We walked back to his house and ate apples on his back porch. His mom called him from the front of the house and he stood, I mirrored him, expecting him to run off quickly like he usually did. When he didn't I tilted my head. He was staring at me and I stared right back. His mom called him a second time and he leaned in. His pale face was flushed. I understood what he was doing when he leaned in even closer and closed his eyes. I smiled and placed my lips on his. I remember exactly how the kiss felt, and how it made me feel. He finally left and I walked off into the sunset, telling myself that I was right to leave then, his last memory of me could be a happy one.

"Nat?" I called her name quietly, pulling her out of her own thoughts.

She looked up at me. "What's up?"

"Why didn't you tell me Steve was Captain America?"

Her eyebrows raised. "I thought you knew? Everybody knows that."

"Well I didn't know." I frowned. "I didn't make the connection."

"Looks like you need more training, you're falling off the wagon." She smirked.

"Oh no." I groaned but smiled and my heart started pounding as I saw the quinjet approaching in the distance.