The Valiant (The Seventh Avenger)

Chapter 13

For the next two years, Peter, Ned, Michelle and I were inseparable. We continued to hang out every weekend and even some days after school. I started to develop feelings for Peter but I didn't say anything to anyone, not even Michelle who became my best friend. Steve joined us along with Natasha and Clint at the Avengers Tower after S.H.I.E.L.D. fell from Hydra. I was surprised to hear that they survived all these years. Pepper disappeared for some business stuff a week ago and Happy has been driving me for the past couple of years.

I somehow survived middle school and not having my identity go out there when Natasha released files. She told me she had deleted all of my files or changed my new identity to 'the Valiant' before she released them which I greatly appreciated.

Over the last few years, I showed up to school with so many broken bones and stitches from missions that people stopped questioning me. I explained to everyone that my hearing aid was due to the car accident and no one asked of it again.

I get dressed for school in a mid-December morning, the last day before break. The four of us had plans to have a Christmas movie marathon at Michelle's house so I packed extra clothes since I will be sleeping over at her house. I go up to the kitchen and see everyone looking on a computer, Thor came back to celebrate Christmas for the first time in his life but I think there is more to the story then he's telling me but I didn't push it.

"Good morning," I say and everyone mumbles their responses. "What are you guys doing?"

"Nothing." They all reply.

"OK," I say as I grab a granola bar from the pantry. "You all are weird."

I go down to the garage to meet Happy.

"So I did a background check on that kid Flash you told me about last week, you know the one you said you think has a crush on you?" Happy says right when I get into the car. This was normal for him. He literally did a background check on everyone I would mention when I talk about my day. Yep, that would include Michelle, Peter, and Ned, don't let me forget, he also did one on his families. "So he has two other siblings, both younger than him. His parents make good money and he lives..."

"Woah, Happy, I don't need to know where one of my friend's bullies lives," I say. "I don't want to be a stalker."

"I know, but you should know at least what you are facing." Happy says. "Anyway...."

I zoned him out after that word. I don't really want to know anything about some guy who I find annoying.

I meet my friends in the first period. We all luckily have at least one other person from our group in each class which is nice.

"We're still on for tonight right?" I ask in fourth period when we all have the same class again.

"Yes, but don't forget Ned, it's your turn to bring the snacks," Peter says and we all laugh because last time Ned had forgotten to. One of the office people enters the room and we all freeze.

"Grace, you need to go to the office." The teacher says.

"What did you do this time?" Peter asks because this has happened before. I really didn't want to go but I knew I had to.

"Nothing," I say acting scared. "But I don't think I'll make it tonight guys, I'm sorry."

They all groan and I smile, "C'mon Grace, this is the tradition." Peter says. "We always go to someone's house."

"I know, I'll let your mom know Michelle if I will be coming tonight," I say and Michelle nods. I was really disappointed since this year's marathon was going to be The Home Alone movies but I knew I had to go. I said goodbye to my friends and walk over to the office lady. She smiles at me and guides me down to the office.

"So what is the mission this time?" I ask Tony as he speeds down the streets to the tower.

"Loki's scepter." Is all he says. "We found traces of it in Europe, and have been shrinking down the land area all morning. Natasha made a hit with the location of it in Sokovia. It is in a Hydra base, of course, making our job a hell of a lot easier." He says sarcastically.

"Of course it's in a Hydra base, why wouldn't it be," I say as I look down at the files. "So this was what you guys were doing this morning."

"Yep, and just as a warning, you have five minutes to get ready, we're taking off in ten but Steve wants to say some things before we leave."

I nod as I continue to learn as much as I could about this base. Tony pulls into the garage and we take off into the elevator.

"It has been three years since we have all fought alongside each other as one," Steve says in his new suit. My new uniform has long sleeves along with warmer combat boots and gloves. Tony finally invented a material that takes a long time for my flames to burn, he is still trying to figure out how to get it to not burn at all, but he is finding that to be very difficult. "But this is what we trained for, to fight against bad people to protect the good. So let's go out there as a team and show these bastards what we got." That sounded a lot more like a coach talk than a superhero talk but it was still OK.

I sit down on the side of the ship as we take off and take out the shuffle that Coulson had given me. I select random as I try to prepare myself for the battle we are about to face.

"Banner we will call 'code green' if we need you," Steve says as we land about two miles away from the base. "Alright, after we have the upper hand outside, Grace, you and I will help Tony look for the scepter in the base. Everyone get ready."

I check my hearing aid to make sure all the settings are on after I put the comm in my left year.

"I still can't believe you put a comm in your ear after the damage it had done three years ago," Steve says. "Why do you still do it?"

"You can't let fear control you." I simply say. "Maybe one day, there will be an opportunity to fix my hearing and I will take it, but I won't let what happen in the past make me not do something."

Steve just nods as his shield goes flying to his left arm through magnets. We all set up in a line to go running out, Banner stands behind us awkwardly. The patch opens and we run out into battle against Hydra.