Working aboard the helicarrier isn't nearly as exciting as I'd thought it would be, but it was intriguing. Being nothing more than another uniform and, after two years, completely familiar, I could pass generally unnoticed throughout the entire base. This made my work much easier to accomplish. I had reorganised all the store rooms once again and was now on my way to the archery range set up for Hawkeye. Scanning my access card, I slipped into the range and glanced up at Agent Barton's 'nest.' He looked to be dozing, so I quietly deposited the spare arrows I had collected from the storerooms and the cup of strong milk coffee quietly on the floor. As I slipped out the door, I looked back just in time to see Agent Barton rousing himself. But he didn't see me. None of them ever did. Next up, the bridge.

Slipping in behind another agent, I carefully set Director Fury's mug next to his chair on the desk after setting up a cart for the rest of the bridge staffers. I left as suddenly and inconspicuously as I had arrived. Once more, nobody noticed me. Then came the most nerve-wrecking, yet exciting, of all my routine deliveries. The Lab. I very slowly walked up to the wall and looked in through the windows. I had to be very careful with my timing here. If I distracted the good doctor, who knows what the outcome might have been? I waited until he was engrossed in something at the far side of the lab before I made my dash.

I accessed the lab, power walked over to the desk, keeping Dr Banner in my sight at all times, set the tray of food and drink on the desk before bolting out of the room on soft-soled shoes perfect for not drawing attention. I looked in through the window as Dr Banner sniffed absentmindedly before turning to his desk and spotting the daily refreshments I'd left for him. Striding over, rubbing at his eyes behind his spectacles, he lifted the mug of sweet, black coffee and took a sip whilst he examined today's treat. I had developed something of a soft spot for Dr Banner, so I brought him something special every day, since I rather enjoyed cooking, anyway. That day, it was a big, crispy-yet-chewy Anzac biscuit from my home country. I watched as Dr Banner hesitantly took a nibble before smiling and biting into the biscuit. Smiling slightly, I walked casually away with the doctor none the wiser.

I felt my shoulder jolt painfully as I hit the foam mat in the training area and gasped, withholding a cry as tears pricked at my eyes and pain burst through my body from the impact. It was obvious that my shoulder had been dislocated, but I hauled myself back to my feet as my opponent snorted contemptuously, turning away. Stalking up behind him, I grabbed the back of his collar with my good arm and slammed my forehead into the base of his skull as hard as I could. The guy staggered forward and I made a lunge for him, toppling him with my body weight and wrapping my legs around his arms before attempting to push his eyeballs into his brain. He shook me off and rolled so I was pinned beneath him instead.

"Enough!" the instructor called. "Let her up." The guy got off me and I forced myself into a standing position again, facing the instructor as blood dripped down my chin from my split lip. Agent training is brutal. "Come here," the instructor ordered. He never used my name. I doubted if he even bothered to learn it. "You will never be an agent of Shield," the instructor informed me, grabbing me and forcing my shoulder back into place. I clenched my teeth, blinking rapidly against the tears and looked back at the instructor. "Go get yourself cleaned up; you're done. Don't bother showing up again. Dismissed." Nodding blankly, I stalked out of the room with my head held high. I would not be broken. I was never broken.

Instead, I marched directly to the personnel office and handed in my two weeks' notice. It was about time I lived for myself instead of fetching and carrying for people who didn't even notice my existence. When my two weeks were up, I was gone. Up until then, I would carry on as per usual, but I'd have more time for my work after being banished from training. "Ellie!" I turned around to face the gold-haired man who approached me. He was sweaty and sooty and a little worse for wear, but lively and undaunted. I smiled.
"Agent Wills. Your mission was successful, I trust." Eric nodded, grinning at me in that 'little boy' way of his.
"Yep. What were you doing in the personnel office? You don't usually have anything to do with them." I sighed and started walking as Eric fell into step beside me.

"If you must know; I was handing in my resignation."
"What? But you can't leave!" Eric protested. My lips twitched ever so slightly upward.
"You're the only one to think so. In two weeks' time, I shall no longer belong to Shield."
"But what will you do?" Eric asked. I shrugged.
"I don't know. It will be an adventure." We were silent as I walked with Eric to his room.
"I'll miss you, El," he said, leaning against his door. I smiled, shaking my head.
"I don't believe you really have the time to miss me anymore, Agent. Now, I need to go feed Dr Banner."

The next two weeks passed without incident, except a minor explosion which left Mr Stark with first degree burns on his hands and forearms, but I had nothing to do with that little mishap at all. And then my last day arrived. I started the day's work by doing a final clean-up of all the storerooms and delivering coffee as per usual. Around lunch time, I was preparing to take food and drink to Dr Banner when a loud bang sounded and the helicarrier tilted alarmingly, sending me skidding across the cafeteria kitchen and tumbling over a table as others found themselves in similar predicaments. People started shouting and running and I picked myself up off the ground. Unlike the other kitchen staff, I ran toward the obvious explosion instead of away from it. Maybe I wasn't built for strength or speed, but maybe a little invisibility would come in handy…

When I arrived at the site, the agents were all in a mad scramble and Fury was barking out orders. Somebody shoved past me without even seeming to notice and I slipped away in search of something useful to do. Another explosion rocked the helicarrier from the direction of the lab and my eyes widened. "Oh cuss; Dr Banner!" I sprinted in the direction of the lab as other people started sprinting away and deep, rumbling groans sounded. "Cuss, cuss, cuss, cuss, cuss," I panted. Rounding the corner, I skid to a halt behind the Hulk as he roared and made his way towards Agents racing away. Having the Hulk loose on board the helicarrier was not going to end well and there was only one thing I could think of that might stop him. Taking a moment to catch my breath as I followed the Hulk, I started singing softly. Moon River by Henry Mancini and Johnny Mercer. It's the song my mother used to sing to me as a lullaby.

The Hulk paused and slowly turned to face me, snorting and holding himself tensely. I stared into those violently green eyes and smiled warmly, still singing. He took a step towards me and I stepped forward to meet him calmly. Brown started creeping into the green irises from the outside as he slowly reached a hand out to cover my arm before the Hulk started shrinking, changing form back into Dr Banner, who promptly dropped to the floor, unconscious… and naked. I was unsure whether I should gather his tattered clothing for him or not when I heard the distinctive whooshing sound associated with the arrival of Iron Man, so I decided to hightail-it instead. As I slipped around the corner, I heard Tony Stark's voice. "Banner! What happened?" Dr Banner's gentle, husky voice responded sluggishly.
"There… there was a… a girl!" He sounded astonished and I smiled. "She was singing… she smiled… She calmed the Other Guy down…" I ran away to find something else to do.