Disclaimer! I do not any characters from the Marvel universe or the Avengers storyline!
Phil Coulson checked the address again as he glanced between the file in his hand and the rundown apartment complex in front of him. He hesitated before getting out of his SHIELD issued car and walking towards the door of apartment 2D in Northwest Apartments in Queens. He paused, checking the address one last time, even though he knew it was correct, before knocking. There was a pregnant silence and Coulson felt his fingers itch to open the file again to make sure, promising himself it'd be the last time, before he heard the small rattle of a chain being undone and the handle of the door turned. The door opened minutely to reveal tired green eyes that disappeared before fluttering eyelids before coming back into view with their vivid color.
"Can I help you?" asked a wary female voice. Coulson cleared his throat quickly and adjusted his appearance.
"Yeah, I mean yes." He replied with a curt nod, "I'm looking for Carissa Hearth?" The door wavered as if the woman hidden behind it was unsure whether to slam it shut or open it further. She did the latter, revealing herself completely. Her hair was long and a dark brown, pulled back in a ponytail and covered with a red bandana. Her tan skin was littered with freckles, most of which congregated around her cheeks and across her nose. A couple of pale scars littered her hands, one of them still holding the door as the other hung by her side. She was small, not very intimidating which Coulson found hard to believe, and she wore an old ACDC shirt with the words 'Back in Black' written over the chest. Her jeans were worn and ripped in the knees, her feet bare.
"I'm Carissa Hearth." She told him, "Do you need something?" Coulson nodded and handed her the file.
"Have you ever heard of SHIELD, Miss Hearth?"
Carissa shook and the opened the file. She glanced over it and motioned with her head.
"Come in." She sighed, "I have a feeling this 'SHIELD' wants something from me." Coulson nodded and walked in. The apartment was small, but Carissa had obviously tried making the best of her living situation. The walls were painted a calming robin egg blue with clean tile for flooring. The living room led to a small kitchen that was painted the same blue. The living room was neat. A brown leather couch pressed against the wall facing the door, a coffee table in front of it with a few motorcycle magazines spread on the wooden surface. A cheerful yellow chair was set to the left of the couch and Carissa walked over to it and sat down, looking over the file.
Coulson cleared his throat and sat down on the couch, folding his hands together to appear much more professional than he felt. The woman before him had disarmed his SHIELD agent attitude with her easy-going actions. She was so... normal acting. Nothing like you'd expect from reading her file. She was nothing like the characters he was used to dealing with. Stark, Romanoff, all of them were so unique and had rather extreme personalities. But Hearth had this aura coming off her of calm and silent peace.
They sat in silence for a while as Carissa went through the file. She finally closed the manila folder and Coulson leaned forward, eager to break the quiet with conversation.
"Tea?" Carissa asked, standing up. Coulson couldn't believe his ears.
"No thank you." He replied hastily, eager to talk about the problem he had come about. Carissa shrugged and stood from her chair. She set down the file on the table before disappearing into the kitchen. Coulson sat in stunned silence before getting to his feet and following her. He walked in to see her setting a tea kettle on her stove and turning the stove on.
"Change your mind about the tea?" Carissa asked, not turning to look at him. Coulson looked at her in exasperation.
"No." He replied shortly, "I came to ask you if you were in." Carissa turned around and gave him a quick once over. She looked away again and pointed at a cabinet.
"Could you retrieve the tea bags?" She asked "Top shelf. The packaging is pretty bright, hard to miss." Coulson hesitated before opening the cabinet and getting the small box of tea bags.
"You didn't answer my question." He pointed out, "Miss Hearth, this is a very time-sensitive mission concerning global peril." Carissa took the box from his hands and opened it before pulling out a tea bag. She opened the lid of the tea kettle and dipped the bag in. She faced him, a thoughtful look in her green eyes.
"I don't think it's really my field of expertise." She replied finally, "I'm hardly a fighter." Coulson sighed in relief, finally, something he was familiar with.
"Not according to our footage." He said with his normal air of professional importance, "You seem more than capable of fighting, Miss Hearth." The thoughtful look gave way to a blazing inferno that turned the calm green irises into emerald flames that looked scorching. The air turned warm, seeming to get hotter by the moment.
"That thing isn't me!" Carissa hissed angrily, "We are not the same person! That monster isn't even a person, it's a chaotic mess of hellfire!" Just as the words left her mouth, Carissa bent over from pain. Her hand flew to her forehead, the other steadying herself on the counter.
"Miss Hearth?" Coulson asked uncertainly, "Are you alright?" Carissa took a moment and she grabbed a plastic cup from a cabinet and filled it with water. She drank the cool liquid before clearing her throat.
"So... this cube?" She asked, "You said a god had it? Loki?" Coulson nodded and Carissa seemed to consider it.
"Alright." She agreed "I'm in."
A/N- This is a revision of my previous story ' The Devil's Bounty Hunter'. I just really felt the need to rewrite it and so here is the first chapter!
This is dedicated to Ghostbuster30 for messaging me and giving me the inspiration to continue writing about Carissa!