Unexpected

Experiment Gone Wrong

It had taken some creativity to hide my swollen, bloodshot eyes the next morning. I had literally cried myself to sleep, overwhelmed by the sadness and confusion that had been piled up on me over the day. Today, however, I had come to a point of acceptance, or so I told myself. As scary as it might seem, today's experiment would be our greatest and last and I would finally know how much energy I could absorb, then Stark and Banner would be leaving D.C. I accepted that and had to keep pushing down the anxious anticipation that kept bubbling in my stomach when I considered it. Panit Mitsoplous had killed himself. I accepted that and I kept telling myself that the email provided us with information on other shipments. We'd get those alien weapons before they could be used to cause any more damage. I also reminded myself that Steve was a big boy. He'd faced battles and missions dozens of times before and he'd pull out fine from this one too. I accepted that and tried to keep my worrying down. And Loki...

Loki. He'd been the straw that broke the camel's back. After his hologram had disappeared I had crumpled to the ground like a freaking Disney princess and started my long night of sobbing. I kept telling myself today that at least I knew where he was. I knew that he was safe, unharmed, well taken care of, and I knew that I'd truly seen him before in the park and that he was thinking of me. He'd pushed his magic last night to contact me. He'd told me he loved me. No matter how complicated and impossible whatever relationship we had was, I had that.

These thoughts controlled my mind only until I had gotten to the Triskelion however, because then I was in Agent Romanoff's hands again and that meant that she was working me hard. Today, she had decided to make me run laps around one of the larger gymnasium rooms. I could barely think about anything besides the fact that my calves and thighs hurt, that my feet ached from the constant pounding of my pace, and that even my eyelids were sweating. I hadn't realized that eyelids could sweat before!

"Keep up the pace Copper!" Natasha called from the other side of the room where she was leaning against the wall, a tablet in her hands, "No slacking!"

How had she even noticed I'd been lightening my pace? I had been watching her and her eyes hadn't even risen from the tablet screen for a second. Between heavy pants I managed to say, "I've been at this for an hour!"

"Perseverance, Penny!" she replied smugly as I passed her. I'd lost track of how many laps I'd done long ago.

I groaned loudly, the sound turning into a cough as I continued on my new lap. I couldn't even focus on my music that was playing from the one ear bud I had in my ear. The only thing I could concentrate on was how much I wanted to stop running. Ending my cough I panted a few more times before grumbling, "Я ненавижу бега! (I hate running!)"

"Now, you're complaining to me in my mother tongue?" Natasha laughed her question.

"I think I'm going to faint." I puffed, half joking, half serious.

"You're not passing out on my watch today Copper." Romanoff chuckled before continuing, "You want to run and speak Russian? Fine then. I'll make you a deal."

"Oh?" I gasped, turning in my loop. I really didn't want to speak anymore. It took all of my breath just to keep going.

"I'll say something in Russian and if you translate it correctly, then your next lap will be your last. If you don't translate it right you'll have to do another after that." She said, crossing her arms in challenge.

How could I refuse? Either way I knew I could only stop when she said I could, so I nodded trying to save my breath.

She waited until I passed her, starting my next lap when she said, "Здравствуйте меня зовут Penelope Copper, и я наиболее заискивающий новобранца, сказочные чертового агент Романова когда-либо должен был обучать."