Avenging in July *Editing Before Continuing* [Avengers Fanfiction]

V | Another Way to Bring Down My Day

"Bad news travels at the speed of light; good news travels like molasses." -Tracy Morgan

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Natasha immediately turned away from us and left the doorway open in a blind fury. We got up and ran to catch up to her but Clint held me back from going any closer. She leads us down a series of hallways to a private lab in a sealed off wing that branches off from the main floor of the top level of the tower. The walk is fast paced and quiet for the most part. Clint and I stay next to each other and behind her, scared of what Natasha would talk to us about, if she talked at all. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Clint sneak a peek of my form every so often. I don't show any emotion, or try not to anyway. He seems nervous about my behavior like I might lash out at him at any minute. It was an accident for Pete's sake, he can calm his pants.

He also seems to be checking me out. I don't see why, I have nothing to show in my opinion. I have a tall, muscular frame, with some curves but not enough to be attractive. My hair is long, thick and soft with natural beach waves, and is a peppery color with natural blonde highlights. I personally think my hair is not something to look at. The blonde with the black just isn't normal. My face has high check bones, not too prominent. My jaw line isn't square but it isn't ovular either, it's more narrow to be accurate. My nose is pointed and slender with a button tip. My lips are full and round but slender at the same time, if that makes sense, and has a natural light pink shade to them. And then there's my eyes. They are quite unique I would say. A swirl of blue and green with sprinkles of silver everywhere. Very mesmerizing to my opponents. I smile slyly at the thought and Clint must have seen me.

"What are you thinking?" Clint asks.

"Nothing," I quirk an eyebrow, still facing Natasha's back, "I don't even know really." That's such a lie and I think he knows it too, but he doesn't say anything else because we make it to our destination.

"Here we are," Natasha says as she pushes open the doors to the lab.

What I see is pretty impressive: Giant glass screens everywhere, all turned on with maps or information about people or places or organizations; S.H.I.E.L.D. agents run around with headsets on, going to computers or to higher ranked officers; papers lay askew on desks and taped to drawers or screens; several advanced officers are marking a large map of the U.S.A., others are at a map of Manhattan and NY. But out of all the chaos stands Nick Fury and Phil Coulson chatting at the center of the room on a short platform (probably where Fury or Coulson gives their orders to the remaining S.H.I.E.L.D. agents). Just the men I wanted to see. Note sarcasm.

"Sir. We have obtained Miss Stark," Natasha announces to Fury, and pretty much the entire room. Wait, obtained? Since when was I obtained? Fury and Coulson cease their talking and look at our trio.

"Agent Romanoff, why the hell are you soaking wet?" Fury gives a questioning look.

"It appears, Sir, that Miss Stark has powers that I knew nothing about," she mocks him and glares my way, her eyeliner dripping down her face that I did not notice before.

"Powers?" Fury exclaims and looks directly at me.

"She has the ability to control water." Natasha interjects.

"Yeah. I can explain. But-"

"Yes, you will explain to us," Fury cuts me off with the start of his own little rant, "As a matter of fact you better explain to us or-"

"Or what?" I cross my arms. I'm not afraid of his answer. I should be though.

"You will suffer some sort of consequence." Nick smiles a bit, confident in what he'll do. Does he really know what he'll do to me if I don't tell him? I have no clue.

"Okay," I smirk in defence, "Like what exactly?"

"It hasn't come to my mind yet," he puts his hands behind his back and continues, "but there will be some form of consequence."

"What? Like putting me in that stupid lie detector again? It won't work. I just won't say anything."

"You won't have to say anything." He gives me a toothy grin.

"Is that supposed to scare me?" I challenge.

"Do you think I was trying to scare you?" He questions back.

"Uh, yes," I say, putting my hands on my hips, "You're using scare tactics to try and bring me down so that I will tell you about myself and my secrets. And you know what?"

"Tell me," he offers.

"It's just not working," I huff.

"Correct answer, Miss Stark," Fury smiles and turns to the rest of our small group.

"What?" I am taken back by surprise and I stand with my mouth agape.

"Nick," Coulson turns to Fury, "What are you suggesting?"

"You'll see Coulson."

"Okay, okay. Wait." Everyone does as they look to me. "First of all, did I hear correctly from earlier? I was not obtained. I was chased down by an assassin and brought here even though I could've bailed at any moment-"

"We still would've caught you and brought you here," Natasha states sternly, cutting me off. Clint nods his head as he stands next to Natasha.

I glare at them and continue, "Second of all, I do not go by 'Miss Stark'-"

"Then what do you go by?" Clint asks.

"If you would've let me finish my sentence I would've told you." I glare at him.

"Sorry."

"Thanks." I roll my eyes and say sarcastically. I re-compose myself. "Anyway, I would love to be called by my name: Alix. That's it. One simple, two syllable, four letter name." I sigh. "Thank you. For not interrupting me this time." I smile and gesture someone to move on in the conversation. Just then, an agent with curly blonde hair runs up with several papers in hand and news in her brain to tell us something important.

"Sirs," she looks to only Coulson and Fury, "we have found what you've requested.

"Thank you Agent 13," Coulson smiles, "Bring it up on the large screen."

"Of course, Sir," she salutes and quickly paces to a close computer to bring up the big information.

"You're just in time, Alix," Phil turns to me and smiles.

"For what?" I give a quizzical look just as the large screen turns on. I look to see and give another quizzical look at what I believe to be a map of Manhatten.

"Something bigger than your father's ego." Nick claps me on the shoulder and laughs at his joke.

"He's not my father," I grumble, but I understand him completely.