Authoress' Note: My good friend Shannon wrote the meeting scene!
Chapter Two: Back to the USA!
Marti nervously plays with her long hair, twirling it around her fingers and fiddling with the red ends. With a soft whine, Puff sets his head in Marti's lap, bringing her attention to the large dog. Chuckling, she runs her hands over his furry ears.
"Calm down, they're not going to hurt you" Coulson tries to calm the jumpy girl. In turn, Marti stares at Coulson with wide eyes.
"You do realize the only reason I'm coming back at all is to make Uncle Stark to leave me alone? When he finally realizes that I don't need him, I'm going back!" Marti sits back, crossing her arms. Puff growls in agreement.
"May I ask how you managed to live here for so long without being found, or why you vanished in the first place?" Marti breathes out shakily, clenching her hands so tightly her nails with chipped silver nail polish made her palms bleed.
"I was abducted and tortured until I was eleven and I got out of the place, that's it" she says shortly and puts her ear buds into her ears, falling into a light sleep.
Marti slowly wakes up from the tap on her shoulder. Looking up, she sees Coulson standing next to her. She pulls out her earbuds and stands up, dragging Puff along with her, Coulson brings her into a building with people all in some kind of uniform milling about.
"I thought I was going to be meeting my uncle?" Marti raises an eyebrow at Coulson.
"You are Miss Stark, but you're going to be meeting his team as well" A flash of suspicion crosses Marti's eyes but remembering Coulson's promise, she shakes it off. He leads her through twists and turns in hallways. Around her she sees people walking around all in the same dark navy blue uniforms. "This way Miss Stark," Coulson says indicating to a door. Marti nods and walks behind Coulson.
"That would also be mine!" Marti hears a young voice say. She see that Coulson lets out a patient sigh that also sounds like an annoyed one. She looks at Puff who wags his tail at her in response, the little wag makes her feel better and she walks in straight backed after Coulson.
"Avengers!" Coulson calls out. The talking ceases and a young slightly darker skinned girl clears her throat. "And Sportsmen," he says. There is the shuffle of some feet- "AND Pluperfect!" He says with slight annoyance. "I would like you all to meet Marti Stark." There was silence and Marti feels all of their eyes turn to her. She looks them all straight in the eyes but she feels a little awkward. Finally someone breaks the silence.
"Miss Stark," it was Steve Rogers commonly known as Captain America. "It's a pleasure to meet you. I know your uncle." Marti awkwardly shakes his hand and nods.
"I'm Agt. Barton," another one says stepping forward.
"Nice to meet you," Marti manages to say. She feels Puff move a little closer to her as if to protect her if anything went wrong.
"Agt. Romanoff," a red haired woman said stepping forward and offering Marti a hand. Marti shakes it and again remains silent.
"Dr. Robert Bruce Banner," another shorter man steps forward. He shakes her hand as well.
"Banner is only here for a week," Coulson puts in. "He is going through the usual check up on everything then he will be heading back to India. He will be the one doing your physical exam after you meet your uncle" Marti nods once again.
A short skinny girl steps forward. Her chestnut colored hair is put back in a tight bun and her light blue eyes show a mixture of humor and sympathy for the girl who has just been shoved into the midst of strangers. "I'm Agt. Virginia Pluperfect," she says kindly and much to Marti's relief didn't offer her a hand to shake. There is slight grunting.
"Ow!" She heard Natasha suddenly exclaim. "Shannon," she snaps in annoyance.
"I want to get a better look at the newbie!" A shrill, exaggerated voice replies.
A medium heighted girl steps forward. She has darker skin then the others and her large brown eyes seem to take in everything. Her black hair is worn loose and down to her hip. She folds her arms and looked Marti up and down. "I am Shannon Sportsmen. I am related to everyone in this room except for Rogers, Virginia and Hawkeye. Meaning that I am your cousin I would think…You are my cousin twice removed." She nods.
Marti blinks. "Um... Okay?" she turns to Coulson. "Where's my uncle?" Coulson sighs again.
"Mister Stark should be arriving soon, follow me" Marti nods to the Avengers, and Sportsmen and Pluperfect before following Coulson through more twists and turns before entering a room much like the first.
"Please sit down Miss Stark, your uncle will be with you shortly" Marti nods and sits down, Puff's head coming to rest in her lap.
"Marti?" Her breath hitches. Raising her head she looks her uncle in the eyes.
"Hey Uncle Stark."