"Clocks slay time... time is dead as long as it is being clicked off by little wheels; only when the clock stops does time come to life."~William Faulkner

I'm Andrea, and this is my story.

Well, where to start. I guess the beginning will do.

I carried my box though the seemingly claustrophobic hallway. Glass windows let me peer into the other various rooms and offices. They were no concern to me though. My feet made a funny squeaking sound as I made an abrupt stop. Digging into my front pocket, I pulled out a tiny golden key. Inserting it into the door, I heard a satisfying click. Slowly I pushed open the door. Before me was my new room. Dust coated the dresser and the beds headboard, and a distinct musty smell filled my head. It looked like no one had been in here in ages. That or the other person who was here liked it this way. Gingerly I sat my box down on the nightstand. The flowy curtains that adorned the window swished open. Rather startled, I spun around to meet nothing before me. Gosh, I was too jumpy. I bet you would be too, if it was your first day at SHEILD. Yup, that organization. The real deal here. Tuning back to my box, I unloaded a few more personal things. All my toiletries were placed neatly in the bathroom and all my clothes were put away in the dresser. With a lot of cleaning, I finally got that dust off all the furniture. I plopped down on the bed and sighed.

A knot was in my stomach, and it seemed to be growing bigger and bigger with every passing moment. Flashback to almost eight years ago, and you would see the happiest person in the world. I was valedictorian of my graduating class, had a full ride scholarship to a great college, and I got a car (great present, by the way). Now, presently, I wasn't so enthusiastic. Long years in school had worn the child in me down to a stub. I was always weary and stressed, and no matter how I tried, I could not relax. I still can't, to tell you the truth. Well, here I am, at SHIELD. I had remained the top of my graduating class in collage, all stinking eight years. That certainly caught the eye of some companies, let me tell you that. Why SHIELD, you ask? I knew that what I would be doing here would directly affect the safety of the world. I could use my smarts to do something useful.

I felt my pocket vibrate and I pulled out my phone. A reminder that I am due in the lab in a few. Great. I swallowed hard and set my phone down on the bed. I changed in to a nice pair of black slacks and threw on a pretty blouse. The bottoms of my pants reached the floor. I had never realized they were that long. The blouse I picked out was classy, but not too revealing. Its light blue color really complimented my dishwater blonde hair. Running my hands though my hair, I pulled it up high into a ponytail. I did not acquire a lab coat yet, but I assumed I would be wearing one. Well, better to look good on the first day anyways. My phone went off again and I inhaled sharply. My nerves were definitely getting the better of me. What do I have to fear? I'm smart. I can do this. The thought of screwing up in front of superheroes and other advanced lab technicians thought doesn't exactly act as a comforting thought. Tucking my phone safely into my pocket, I opened the door and headed back into the hallway.

The doors required a code to enter the lab. Punching in the number, it beeped and swung open. A tanned face looked up from a desk on the other side of the room. A five o'clock shadow was visible on his long face. Locks of brown hair sat disheveled on his head. An immaculate lab coat rested on his shoulders and acted like a tail as he got up from his desk. "Ah, Miss Carheart!" He spoke softly as he headed my way. The Dr. Bruce Banner. Please, pinch me. I extended a hand as I grinned from ear to ear. "Dr. Banner, it is a pleasure." He grasped my hand firmly and smiled too. "I have been looking forward to a new lab partner. As you see," His open hand gestured to the rest of the lab. "I am all alone in my experiments right now." The lab was beyond anything I have ever seen. The equipment looked all brand new; there were plenty of different machines, and a few different fume hoods. One wall was completely composed of glass, giving us a view of the whole command center. "I truly am honored, Dr. Banner. I…it.." Crap, I was at a loss of words. "Please," He said, heading back to his desk. "It's Bruce."

Gently pulling out a chair, he motioned for me to come and sit. I made my way across the lab in complete awe. Bruce chuckled at my sheer amazement. "This sure beat the lab I was at!" He nodded with a smile. "It sure is a great one. Now let me grab you a coat and we can get started." Soon he reappeared with my lab coat in hand. I slid it on gladly. For some reason, the labs always seem to be freezing inside. Then he began explaining his latest project he was assigned. They way he explained it was easy to understand, and he was a total professional. I chimed in every now and then, asking a few questions. For the most part though, he hit it on the head with everything. The project fascinated me. Using chemistry to create a new type of first aid for people like the Avengers and other SHIELD agents was our job. The typical first aid just wouldn't cut it for arrow wounds, gun shots, plasma lasers, and bites (yes, bites was one of the required criteria). He then waved a hand over his desk. The drawing that was upon it turned into a 3D hologram. I leaned back in my chair from the sudden flash of light in the lab. "Sorry, Miss Carheart! Didn't mean to scare you there!" I laughed it off. "It's fine. It's amazing."

I directed out attention back to the floating design. While on the project, Bruce had gotten to work on creating a new sort of bandage. Pinching two sets of fingers together, he then spread them in four separate ways. The hologram instantly zoomed in on the bandage, and he began to explain how the stronger, more advanced adhesive worked and how the stitching patter made the bandage better or worse in the trials. Trials? How do they run those for mortal wounds? We then began brainstorming. It was easy to bounce ideas off of him and he treated me like another professional scientist, not like one that just got out of school. The opening and closing of the lab doors created a distraction. People were in and out every five minutes. None of them ever stayed very long. I could understand how this job could get lonely without a lab partner. Still though, these distractions did not keep our brilliant minds from working. What we came up with is a drug. An injectable super drug, if you please. We talked some more about the technicalities of it. "We are really getting far today." Bruce commented, leaning back in his chair. "We have." I agreed. He shot me a quizzical look for some time. "Something wrong, Dr. Banner?" Great, what if one of my ideas was really stupid and he is catching a major flaw? What if he thinks I'm not good enough? What if he thinks I'm a spy? Don't people die for treason sometimes? My mind completely freaked out inside. "The wheels are still turning in that head of yours." He nodded downwards at the computer panel in the desk. "Show me what you're thinking. It can do calculations, really anything you need it to. Let me see it."

Bruce leaned back in his chair, letting me take the floor. Soon I had various chemicals and their make up on the screen. I punched my fingers in the air, typing into the hologram the numbers I needed to know. I watched Bruce's face as I worked, but he just sat there with his serious stare, glasses perched on his head, a hand propping up his chin. The sound of the doors went off again, but I was too deep in my work to notice this time. With the calculation complete, I began to use the chemicals on the screen. There chemical make-up was shown into drawings, and they were easier to work with when they looked 3D. I put them together according to charges, intermolecular forces, ect. After some rearranging, a totally new compound appeared on the screen. Bruce looked very impressed. I finally smiled and pressed a button at the bottom of the hologram. "Running compatibility." It sounded off in a female robotic voice. A bar appeared over my creation, showing 70% of my work had been checked. The previous green and blue screen in front of me flashed red. "Compound Incompatible." It beeped. My jaw dropped open. Bruce looked surprised too. "How is that incorrect!?" I shouted at the machine.

"I know why." said a new voice. I looked up to see a man in a long sleeved shirt and casual jeans on. His eyes were a deep chestnut brown and his hair almost matched. The front was swept to the side, and it looked messy. A bright light shown though his shirt and I instantly knew who it was. The infamous Tony Stark. That arrogant, egotistical playboy that women just seemed to love. And he thinks he can walk in here and correct me. "Hey, now don't give me that look!" He pointed to my face as he made his way across the lab. Bruce could see where this was going. "Miss Carheart-" But the arrogant man cut him off. "I'm not the one that made the mistake, I'm just the one who pointed it out." I'm pretty sure my blood was about ready to boil. "Well, excuse me!" I raised my voice. "Please," I said, pushing the hologram towards him. "By all means, fix it." I spoke though my gritted teeth. Bruce cleared his throat and tried to speak again. "As I was saying, Miss Carheart, this is-" Once again, the poor guy was interrupted. "Tony. Tony Stark." He looked from the hologram over at me, winked, and went back to "correcting my work". A smirk appeared on his face. Swinging his right hand out, he then hurled the hologram at me. Instinctively I threw my hands up, instantly stopping it in its tracks. We stared intensely at each other as the scan was loading. I've barely been here for 3 hours and I've made an enemy already. The screen flashed green. "Compound accepted." My eyes didn't leave his, and he didn't dare look away. The muscles in my jaw contracted and if looks could kill, my story would end here.

But they don't.

And with that, he waltzed out the doors and down the hallway. Bruce stood up from his desk and clapped his hand over my shoulder. "I didn't even catch it. I assure you, I think none the less of you." Relief filled my otherwise useless body. "Thanks, Dr. Banner." My eyes were watching the door still. I couldn't make eye contact with him right now. "Trust me, Tony gets on everybody's nerves. He's not too bad once you get to know him." I wanted to laugh, but I didn't because he was serious. I couldn't imagine him every being "not too bad." "Come on, let's go get some food." The two of us left the room and headed back into the large complex.