Chapter 1 Our New Life


"Are you sure you want to do this?"

"I'm sure. i know you don't usually prefer to go against the world council, but they would no doubt take her away if they ever found out."

"It's a "her" now?"

"Yes."

"...just make sure you stay safe."

I rocked my body gently, cradling the topic of our conversation as I spoke, "now that is something i can promise. just... call me when you need me ok? Don't be a stranger."

An invisible smile crossed his face as he nodded, "dismissed."

I smiled, "see ya later Nick"


"DANNI!~"

All of the air was shoved out of my lungs with a push as a heavy weight landed on my abdomen. A groan followed not far behind as i grabbed the weight with my arms and rolled to my side, dragging it along with me. The form was giggling and squirming as it tried to get out of my grasp, breathy chuckles escaped my mouth as i held onto her tighter. After a couple of moments, it flopped over and ceased its movements. I rolled back onto my back, placing the form onto my chest, and smiled at it as it nuzzled into my neck.

"Good morning Echo."

She whirred happily, clicks and more whirs escaping from her vocalizer as she spoke in her own language.

"Slow down sweetheart, i don't understand what you're saying."

She stopped, sitting up as she dramatically took a deep breath before trying again, "so where are we going today for my birthday? huh? Can you tell me?"

I feigned a surprised face, "that's right, you're turning five today."

Her tone was utterly scandalized, "danniuk!"

I grinned back, "not yet, i still have to go to work."

She flopped across my chest, "but work's so boring, can't you just take this day off?"

I shook my head slightly, "i'm sorry sweetheart, but with so little people working at the library, it can't afford for anyone to take surprise leave." She sighed again, not moving for a moment.

"...but i bet'cha i can probably get off a couple of hours earlier than usual."

She squealed, thanking me over and over again as she hugged me tightly.

A bit too tightly…

"child... release."

She gasped and pulled her arms back, "i'm sorry Danni." she whimpered, tears flooding her eyes.

I smiled softly and pulled her into one own my own hugs, she melted in my embrace, "it's ok. You didn't mean to. Now how about you go down stairs and watch the Backyardigans, it'll be on in-" i glanced at the clock, 7:29 am, "-a minute, you better hurry or you'll miss the theme song."

She gave me a kiss on the cheek, and then rushed downstairs. I faintly heard the TV turn on when i grabbed my clothes, and i made my way to the bathroom. While walking through the hallway, i stopped a moment staring at the photographs lining the walls.

Pictures of me, Echo, Ben & Jake, Phil, Clint and even the stoic Nick were all over the place, each in a decorative wooden frame that i hand carved when i first got here. Every other picture was of sights and places that i went to while working with them.

I sighed, placing a hand on my favorite photo. On the day i left, i was able to convince Nick to take a picture with me before i left. Right before the picture was taken, everyone jumped in from the sides. With all of us crowded into the picture, Maria, the one that got away, took it, almost smiling at the fact that we ended up in a dog pile afterwards.

Nick made no reaction, despite being at the very bottom.

Though he did threaten us about telling anyone else what happened.

In the pic, i was standing next to Nick in the center, grinning, Echo was in my arms, Ben & Jake were leaning in, having to rush to get into the photo, Phil was standing behind us, not entirely in the photo, but you could see his face. Clint was behind Nick and I, his arms hanging over our shoulders. Nick was staring at the camera with a traditional "Agent stare", but his eyes had a spark of surprise in it that could be overlooked by anyone who doesn't already know him.

My lips quirked up, before i continued along to the bathroom.

After performing my morning rituals, dressed and ready to go, i walked into the living room.

"Echo? It's time to go." i called. Echo chirped an "ok!~" before removing the HDMI cable from her wrist.

I was never able to find a way to fix her eyes, not even with the significant amount of resources at my disposal. Though after we found out she could take the form of electrical appliances, such as my tablet when she first saw it, i learned she was able to use USB cables and the like to view things and programs in her head, as the The camera's were always shattered when ever she took on a new form.

So she can't see.

But after a while, i noticed that every so often, she would let out a click before moving around on her own.

She learned how to use echolocation. How to "see" in her own way.

Hence her name.

Echo.

Now you may be thinking, "why don't you use a cable that connects to a camera, and then allow her to see through said camera?"

I tried. Actually, that was the first thing i tried ever since i learned she could use cables to her advantage. But the camera's just refuse to work, almost like something isn't letting her see the world around her. Actually see it, not her newfound echolocation skills.

she is only able to view cartoon animation, as when she uses the tv to watch her morning cartoons, via cables that she can attach to the port in her wrist; she's never seen the real world. not through all of the camera's i've gotten for her, not even of photographs.

she's never seen my actual face. as she must rely on her sensors and audio receptors to live her life.

Echo's a lot larger than when i first found her, she's up to my knees now, And I'm still 5'11''. Though her form has developed too, just like an infant as they age into their toddler years. Her legs are more straight, as they have grown used to supporting her as she walked around on her own. It's the same with her back and arms, straighter for support. I had redone her paint, gunmetal grey with electric blue accents and a red Chevron. I stared at her chipping paint for merely 2 hours after returning to headquarters before deciding to repaint her.

Ben & Jake both added their own details to her while i was doing so. Ben painting soundwaves up and down her arms and back while Jake painted fighter jets flying by, around, and through them.

I know this is probably in the wrong context, but she was a vision.

What i had gathered so far, was that she was an infant when i found her, possible only weeks old. The pod that was at the HYDRA base, which was confiscated soon after Jake's distraction by fellow agents, was damaged, but clearly not by human hands as all the tools surrounding it were damaged. So it stands to reason that something else had attacked the pod, as i doubt that asteroids could harm it after what SHIELD put it through.

She most certainly wasn't of human origin, so that meant that she was an alien.

Echo is an alien baby whose escape pod was attacked as something or someone helped her escape, whether it be from an actual spaceship or the home planet.

...she's certainly way prettier than Superman.

Echo jumped into the air, her body changing… transforming. She used to be my tablet, as i had stated earlier, but after a while, as she grew, she was unable to transform properly, as she was much too big to be a tablet. Now, she's my "laptop".

I caught her before her new form hit the floor, sighing in relief when she was safely in my arms, "Echo, what did i say about jumping in the air before transforming?"

She was silent for a moment before meekly responding, ".. to not to…"

"Why?"

"Because i can get hurt after i transform because i can't catch myself before i hit the ground."

The stern look that i had made melted into a gentle smile, "good. Now, let's be on our way so that i'm not late for work. The faster i'm done…"

"The faster we can celebrate my birthday!~" she finished with a cheer through the speakers.

With a chuckle, i grabbed my backpack and stepped out the door, locking it behind me before i made my way through my new life.

Though i never realized that today would be even more special than just the five year anniversary of mine and Echo's meeting, or as we like to call it, her birthday.