EDIT: Please note that I've changed Hala's last name after learning that it is actually the name of a Muslim community in North India and Pakistan. Since I originally found it on a website of surnames, I was unaware of its origins. Since Hala does not belong to this community, nor has heritage from there, I see it best to change her name to avoid offense or cultural appropriation of the Darzi peoples.

Disclaimer: I do not own Marvel, the Avengers, or...anything, really.

Hal forgot what sweatpants feel like; she nearly bursts into tears in the bathroom after slipping into a pair of soft, black joggers. For three years she was forced into prison jumpsuits of varying degrees of orange, all of which did nothing to accentuate her features and, in fact, made her look more like a pumpkin than a person. To feel something besides that potato sack of a uniform scratching across her skin is nothing less than a miracle. Hal takes a minute to praise the powers that be. However, a sudden bout of turbulence reminds her that she's running on borrowed time and that, if this jet does crash, she does not want to be in the bathroom when it happens.

Hal rummages through the bag of clothes and toiletries that Hill brought her - apparently packed by her parents before other government officials escorted them into protection. She pushes the many chadors and hijabs to the side, pulling out a plain tank top and a thin jacket. After a turn or two in the mirror, she concludes that these clothes aren't even ideal for confronting the convenience store, much less a homicidal robot. But beggars can't be choosers.

Hal then quickly combs through her hair, throws it all up in a half-assed bun, and shoves her feet into a pair of dark sneakers. She nearly leaves it at that, but thinks better of it and takes another couple of minutes to brush her teeth and wash her face.

Let it be known that, though she may be stubborn and vulgar, Hal is nothing short of hygienic.

She exits the restroom with the duffel bag slung over her shoulder, dropping it next to her seat before dropping her own ass along with it. Hill is speaking urgently on the phone with Tony Stark, judging by the aggravation in her voice and the repetitive, exasperated sighing of his name. Hill keeps telling him that they need to wait until she and Hal arrive, though, apparently, Stark refuses to do so. He keeps saying something about a body and not needing "some little girl's help" and Hill nearly has to shout over him.

Prickling at his words, Hal strides over and stops next to Hill, reaching out with her powers to the phone pressed to the woman's ear. The technology responds immediately to her mental commands, switching to speaker, which nearly deafens the poor woman holding it.

"Well, Stark, I don't wanna work with an old fart like you, but my hands are tied," Hal drawls. Hill glares at the young woman, but holds the phone out to allow her easier communication. And to save her eardrums. "So, I suggest we suck it up and deal with it until this fuckin' problem is solved. Capisce? Capisce."

Hal hangs up the phone with a blink, and then continues down the aisle to the tiny kitchenette in the back of the airplane. Hill's cellular rings almost instantly afterward and Hal can hear Tony squawking in indignation over the line. She huffs as she makes herself a cup of tea, attempting to calm down before they land and she has to deal with his jerkass first hand. Thankfully, Hill ends the conversation to prevent any more social damage from occurring between the two.

Hal opens her mouth to speak, specifically a few choice words about a certain Stark, but Hill's massive sigh stops her from doing so. "Look, Hala, we're not asking you to fraternize with them, just that you tolerate everyone and do your part as a member of the Avengers."

"I'm normally partially likeable." She frowns, hiding her apprehension behind the curve of her paper cup. "Sorry a few in the brig's made me a bit salty."

"Don't do the crime if you can't do the time," Hill states plainly.

"You know I hate that saying."

"I know."

Hal sits on the bench underneath a bank of windows. She peers through a porthole and watches the clouds drift over cities and townships hundreds of thousands of miles beneath them. The tall, wispy figures shift with the wind, puttering along without a care in the world. Not that clouds can have cares, but still. They're obviously in better spirits than Hal.

She takes a sip of her steaming tea and winces at the taste; green tea is always better cold. Anyone who says otherwise has no taste buds.

Speaking of people with no taste, her thoughts return to her very brief vocal encounter with Tony Stark, renowned superhero and apparent whiney baby. He's obviously not too thrilled with her addition to the team, especially not so late in the game. The others will no doubt act similarly towards their old adversary – with disgust and mistrust. It wouldn't be the first time someone's directed such looks her way.

Of course, Stark's ego is only second to his Iron Man persona, so it could be that he feels insulted by Hal's addition to the team. After all, why do they need an electronics expert when they already have one? However, she supposes being able to hack into and control technology with a simple thought is a bit different, a bit quicker, and a bit harder to block. Not to mention the use they could gain from her out on the battlefield, seeing as most arms dealers today digitize their weapons in some way.

And right now? Up against an AI and his army of robots? She could tear them apart if she so chooses.

Hal sighs, her breath fogging up the cool glass. The Avengers are just lucky they don't work for SHIELD anymore. If they had, she would've refused them on the spot, global destruction or no. She doesn't owe SHIELD anything. They're the ones that owe her a repulsor ray to the buttocks and three years of her life back.

In addition, why the fuck do the Avengers even "need" her, as they so claim? Sure, she could help things smooth over a bit faster, but will the world really be destroyed if she doesn't pick Ultron's brain a bit? She can't imagine so. If they're so into protecting the people and the greater good, why the hell didn't they stop this from happening in the first place? Apparently, because Stark wanted to let someone else handle his hero-ing duties and beguiled the big, green science nerd into keeping it a secret. Yeah, secrets are a real concrete foundation for a superhero organization, no two ways about it.

Whatever the case, Hal decides that the only reason she's agreed is that, one, she's free and, two, her parents are safe from harm. Now all she has to do is outlast her usefulness, have them kick her off the team, and it'll be easy going from then on out. Her head thumps against the window.

They'd be smart not to trust her.