Time has a habit of doing things we didn't expect.

When I was fifteen, I thought things would be different at seventeen, almost eighteen. I thought I'd be almost ready to graduate high school, picking out my prom dress, I don't know, whatever you do at that age.

I did not think I would be making deals with the sort of fictional organization HYDRA.

Baron Strucker stood across from me. "You want information about the universe traveler? She's supposed to be dead."

"I know. However, I had a particular interest in her and am trying to make some sense out of what can be found out about her." I caught myself toying with the blond hair of my wig and dropped my hands to my sides.

"What does a fortune teller want with her memories?"

Fortune Seller. As far as I'm concerned, fortune telling is a rip off. "That is my personal business, Herr Strucker. Do we have a deal or not? The information I asked for in return for some that I promise you will not regret buying? HYDRA has made deals with me in the past, you know that I am trustworthy."

He thought for a moment.

Then I saw the twins, out of the corner of my eye.

Pietro and Wanda Maximoff stood by the door.

I should have guessed...

"Sir, it's the Avengers," said a voice.

"The Avengers?" I said. My voice squeaked slightly.

"Can we stop them?"

"Sir, it's the Avengers."

"And that's my cue to exit." I pressed a button on my teleporter.

Nothing happened.

"Brilliant," I muttered. "Just brilliant."

"You have no friends in the Avengers?"

"I do, actually. Or I did. Not anymore. It's... complicated." They all thought I was dead.

Like I said. Complicated. Really complicated. You'll find out eventually.

"If you can have a little patience, Fortune Seller, I'll deal with you after I deal with the Avengers."

"Seeing as I don't seem to be going anywhere..." But I couldn't stay. The Avengers would find out I was alive eventually. But did it have to be now? It probably would be. Still, these things were avoidable sometimes... I tried the teleporter again. Still nothing. It always broke when I needed it for situations just like this. It hadn't been the same since Nebula broke it on Knowhere.

"I will send someone to get the files for you. We have them on paper elsewhere in the building."

"You have someone to spare for that?"

"We must keep the Fortune Seller happy. Your services are valuable. Pietro!" he said. "Run down to the room where we keep the files and pull out the one on Ivy Williams."

There was a blue blur, then Quicksilver reappeared. "What am I, an errand boy?"

"No, you're the person who does it fastest," I said, taking the file. "Thank you very much, Pietro Maximoff."

"How do you know my name?"

"Being the Fortune Seller has its privileges. I see things like that. Sometimes. It depends on... you know what, you'll find out in the next few days, so I won't spoil it for you."

He stared at me for a moment, then walked back to his sister.

"Herr Strucker, is there anywhere I could stay out of the way while you go about dealing with the intruders?"

"How is this going to turn out?"

"Since you were so prompt with the file, I'll tell you." I lowered my voice so only he could heard. "Not well. You may want to have the Maximoffs deal with them."

"Thank you. Your presence presents a problem. If they find you here –"

With that, he pulled out a gun.

I moved instinctively, disarming him and throwing the weapon into the corner of the room.

I pressed my teleporter and ended up in the room with the Chitauri Leviathan.

The thing works funny. It doesn't like to teleport long distances when I'm in a dangerous situation, but it will teleport within a hundred yards or something like that. I guess it likes me to stay where I am, but also wants me to survive. I don't know, I didn't design this. All I know is that it seems to have a mind of its own.

I started fiddling with the teleporter, seeing if I would try to make it work. It didn't.

Outside, explosions and gunfire could be heard.

And then they stopped.

Uh oh.

I sat in silence for a moment, listening.

Then I heard footsteps nearby.

I stood up and ran, hiding much further back in the room.

Tony Stark entered the room.

It had been about a year since I had last seen him. He didn't look much different.

I held my breath, listening and watching.

Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver appeared behind him.

I closed my eyes so I wouldn't see what would happen next.

There was a moment of absolute silence.

Then Tony gasped. Wanda Maximoff had done her job.

I opened my eyes to see the twins leaving.

I couldn't leave Tony standing there like that, confronted with his inner fears. I've been called a sociopath, but I'm not one.

Tony stared off into the distance.

I walked forward slowly. He didn't seem to notice me.

"Tony," I said, softly.

He didn't respond.

I grabbed his arm and shook it, hard. "Tony, snap out of it!"

He jumped and took several steps back. "Who are you? What are you doing?"

I let go and held up my hands. "The Maximoff girl did something to your head. I was trying to make you snap out of it."

"You're HYDRA."

"No, I'm not. I freelance... sort of. HYDRA is despicable. I only work with them when they have information which I need."

"Who are you?"

"The Fortune Seller, Tony."

"I know who the Fortune Seller is. You're some kind of whackjob who claims to be a fortune teller, and you sell helpful information to some of the worst people on the planet. You're as despicable as HYDRA. And it's Mr. Stark to you."

The words were like a gut punch. "I am not as despicable as HYDRA. I only sell information to HYDRA which will ease their body count." I lifted my chin slightly.

"You can justify it however you want, it still doesn't make it right."

"I'm sorry you feel that way about me, Tony – Mr. Stark. Perhaps I could change your mind, one day." I turned away slightly so that he couldn't see my expression. "Right now is not the time, however. Good day. I suspect you'll be hearing from me again soon."

"I hope not."

"We don't always get what we want, Mr. Stark. If I got what I wanted, I wouldn't be here." I turned around and walked away.

He grabbed my arm. "You're making deals with HYDRA and you think you can walk away?"

I wrenched my arm free and pressed my teleporter. I found myself standing outside in the snow.

My eyes stung. I leaned against a tree for a moment, blinking hard.

Gunshots sounded nearby.

I tried the teleporter again.

It worked first try this time. I found myself inside my apartment.

I sighed and dropped down into a chair. That hadn't gone the way I planned it to.

But I still had the file.

I opened it.

A picture fell out. A girl with bobbed red hair, a bright smile on her face, leaned against a wall, talking with someone. The shot looked like it had been taken from a security camera or something.

I went through the contents slowly and carefully. The first parts of information were basic, but chilling. They knew everything. Hobbies, people she spent time with, places she liked to hang out.

Then came her family history. I skimmed it, only noting that her older brother had been adopted because the parents thought they couldn't have children. I had known the brother to be adopted, but hadn't known the reason. Apparently, the birth had been a surprise.

Then I came to the end.

That was it? I'd made a deal with HYDRA for just that? They hadn't included anything about anything else? Or they hadn't want me to know?

Of course they hadn't. Why would they?

I knocked it onto the ground in frustration. Three years, and Ivy Williams still acted like an idiot. I still followed the same impulses and made the same stupid mistakes. Why did I do that?