Aurora

One

Nick Fury sat in the back of the black S.H.I.E.L.D van, examining some files he had been given by Agent Hill, who was sitting across from him. The files were about none other than Aurora Romanoff, whom he was about to retrieve and take back to her mother.

"Taken away from Agent Romanoff when she was seven years old. That's gotta break her heart." stated Fury as he turned a page.

"Nat's or Rory's?" asked Maria.

"Both." replied Fury.

They sat for a couple more minutes, Fury still reading the files. At some point during the comfortable silence, Maria received a phone call but turned it down. When Fury asked who it was, she simply answered, "Nobody important, Sir. Just Stark.", to which Fury chuckled. Eventually, the van door was opened by a S.H.I.E.L.D agent and the two stepped out.

They were stood in front of New York High, the school Aurora was currently attending.

"Okay, Hill, remember the plan. You're her mother and my adopted daughter, if anyone asks. We ask for her, comply with anything and everything they ask us to do, and we leave with Natasha's daughter." Fury said, moving his coat a little to conceal the gun he had attached to his belt.

"Understood." replied Maria, as she began to walk towards the school.

The heavy door at the front of the school was opened and Maria and Fury stepped inside. To their right was a corridor leading to the library, and to their left was the main office. In the office sat a woman in front of a computer, dressed in a blouse and trousers, with greyish-brown hair.

"Can I help you, miss?" the woman asked.

Maria turned to face the woman. "I'm here to collect my daughter. She has a hospital appointment."

"What would be the name of your daughter?" asked the woman.

"Aurora Romanoff." said Maria.

As the woman typed away on the computer, Maria and Fury looked around. Fury saw a display on the wall about the "Scientathletes", which was a group of students who gathered after school to compete in science related challenges, according to the display. There was a picture of Rory holding a gold medal.

"I suppose you're Mrs Pauline Romanoff?" the woman asked, bringing Maria back to reality.

"That's me."

The woman rose from her swivel chair and left the office unattended. "I'll be back in a minute or two, I'm just going to retrieve your daughter." she explained.

Once she had turned the corner and they were no longer in her line of sight, Maria hopped over the desk and started at the computer.

"What are you doing?" hissed Fury.

"I'm taking her off the system. She doesn't need to go to school anymore." Maria said.

"Of course she does. She can't just not go to school, it's illegal." replied Fury, his voice raising at the end.

"Maybe, but so is identity theft, and here we are." she argued. She hit enter one last time before clicking off whatever she was on and hopping back over the desk. Then she went over the Scientathletes display, gesturing for Fury to look too.

"She could get along well with Stark and Banner." she stated, pointing at the picture of her with a medal.

"Let's hope for everyone's sake that she does. If she doesn't, this whole idea is wasted." Fury spoke, mainly to himself.

"What's the idea again?" asked Maria.

"She becomes an Avenger."

Maria nodded and turned as she heard footsteps coming down the corridor. Fury also turned. Coming towards them was the woman from the office and Rory Romanoff, who looked almost abnormally like her mother. The only distinct difference was the hair colour. Natasha's is a beautiful orange shade, whereas Rory's is a platinum blonde colour.

Immediately, Maria ran over and embraced the girl, and the woman from the office returned to her seat.

"My name is Maria Hill, this is Nick Fury. We're S.H.I.E.L.D agents and we're here to take you back to your mother. If anyone asks, I'm your mother and Fury here is your grandfather. Understand?" whispered Maria, Rory taking in every word. Her heart skipped a beat at the mention of her mother. She nodded to show she understood. "I hope you can act."

Rory immediately understood what she had to do to get back to her mother. All she had to do was act like she knew these two people, and she had her whole sixteen years of life. So, as Maria had hoped, she approached Fury and gave him a hug. Fury hugged her back. She was his granddaughter, after all.

"You didn't tell me you're a Scientathlete." he said, pretending to be shocked.

"I thought Mom told you." said Rory, letting go of Fury and walking towards the door with the other two.

"Hell no. Your mother tells me nothing. It's as if she doesn't trust me."

"I don't." joked Maria, gaining a fake laugh from both Fury and Rory.

Now, they were out of the doors and they didn't have to act anymore. Nobody said anything until they were at the van. Maria opened the door for Rory and she hopped in.

"Where to?" asked the S.H.I.E.L.D agent who was sat in the driver's seat.

"Avenger's tower." replied Fury.

"Your wish is my command, Sir."