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A freak of nature, stuck in reality, I don't fit the picture...

-Strange; Tokio Hotel feat Kerli


The blankets were cool against her skin and the metal table was considerably warmer when she awakened.

That's funny, since when did the table feel this comfortable?

Clare raised her hands to her face-

-And bolted upright, her eyes wide with fear. She found herself in a room, furnished modestly with a single bed and cotton blankets.

Her eyes chanced on a nearby mirror and she gasped. Clare's hands shook when she raised it to her face to trace it. Her skin was its usual smooth porcelain and her face looked gaunt but none worse for wear. Last she saw her skin; it was blue and thick veined.

"The cure worked?" she whispered to herself.

"Yes, the cure did work." Steve Rogers appeared from her doorway, tray in hand.

She glanced at him quizzically.

"Sorry, I should have knocked. Anyway, are you feeling better?"

"Yeah, I'm…I feel just fine," she touched her face again. "Almost…normal."

Steve smiled and handed her a glass of water. "You should drink this, it helps with the dehydration."

The liquid had a funny, alkaline after taste but in her thirst, she drank every drop of it.

"How long have I been out?" she asked, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand.

"About two days."

"Wow," Clare breathed. "So…Am I...Am I stable now?"

He shrugged. "Dr. Banner doesn't know how long the effects will last-"

"That's why he needs you in the lab today," Tony interrupted, conjuring by her doorway. He gave her a small smile. "Great to see you awake, Neytiri."

The billionaire started as if he had forgotten something. "Oh yeah, Fury says to report you to S&D department later, he wants the researchers to run a full scan of your vitals and take some tests."

"Tests?" she echoed.

"Yeah, all nerdy science-y stuff that's super boring." He gave a casual shrug. "Anyways, the team is going to debrief in five…You coming Cap?"

Steve nodded. "Sure, I'll just show Miss Davis to the labs first." He gestured to the door.

Clare stood up, mildly surprised to see that someone had wrapped her up in a nightgown. "Uh, Steve, should I like change first I mean…I haven't exactly- technically showered in 3 days," she said, eyeing her outfit in concern.

"Um, not to worry Miss Davis, there are shower stalls there so you uh- you just don't have to worry." His discomfort was palpable as he led her down the hallway. His strange response was momentarily forgotten when she noticed the sleek silver walls and light illuminating the floors in streaks of bright blue.

"Whoa," she whispered. "Where the hell are we?"

"S.H.I.E.L.D quarters, level 3." She was about to ask him where exactly when he cut her off. "Location's classified."

Clare nodded, taking in her surroundings distractedly. "Okay, yeah, sure…classified."

Steve eyed her in concern. "I'm starting to wonder if the morphine levels Dr. Bruce set were a little bit…too much."

Clare rolled her eyes. "Nah, trust me, I'm fine. Oh! Is that the labs?"

He watched her as she practically ran to the glass confines of the lab, an excited smile lighting her face. "Well, you do seem right as rain," he said, more to himself.

Steve punched in his personal code and the door slid open to admit him. One of the scientists' walked up to him, offering a kind smile and a hand to shake.

"Mr. Rogers," he greeted.

"Dr. Vaella, how are you?" he shook the elder man's hand.

"I'm good, I'm good." He pointed to Clare, who had wondered off to inspect some chemical substances on a rack. "Is she the 0-8-4?"

"Yes, although her name's much easier to remember." He called her over. "Clare, I would like you to meet Dr. Adam Vaella. Doctor, this is Miss Clarity Davis."

Adam Vaella was a stocky man, short in stature but what he lacked in height, he more than made up for it with his bulging belly. His hair was graying and receding but the light in green eyes was still bright and youthful. His grip was cool and firm on her hand as he gave her a warm smile.

"How are you feeling after your shot, Miss Davis?" Dr. Vaella asked amicably.

"I'm fine, just a little confused and slightly shaken by how this came to be, but otherwise I'm good."

Dr. Vaella nodded, a look of concentration on his face. "Alright then, if you shall come this way with me, we will check your vitals and maybe Dr. Banner's team could explain to you what exactly happened."

Clare followed him through the open doors, turning back in time to give Steve a grateful smile. He reciprocated her smile and turned back, exiting the lab.

The doctor noticed her train of sight and gave an amused shake of his head.

Clare turned back with an uncertain smile. "Is this going to hurt?" He didn't answer but continued walking.

"I'll take that as a yes then," she mumbled under her breath.

She followed him through the doors and was met with a bustling room full of scientists walking to and fro. Some of them were carrying clipboards; others had vials of chemicals in their hands, but all were clad in the same sterile white scrubs, coats and goggles.

Dr. Vaella ushered her to a study table and sat her there. A team of scientists swarmed around him, all staring at her expectantly. Clare felt self conscious under their evaluating gazes and quickly looked down to her clasped hands.

"Alright then, shall we begin?"

In no time, one of the white coats came forward with a syringe. "Please extend your right arm and try not to move." The scientist was about her age, with red hair brighter than hers and warm brown eyes. Clare did as she was told, but she couldn't stop the wince and whimper that escaped when the sharp end pierced through her flesh.

The red head walked to one of those holographic monitors and began typing. The screen morphed into an overview of her body, a blinking blue light appearing above her right arm where the scientist had injected her with the vaccine.

"Substance A12 reports normal heart conditions, no damage to the body and a healthy adrenaline response."

Clare felt her pulse quicken and her palms started sweating. A feeling of nervousness took over her and she began to tremble.

"Responses are stable, pressure is constant. She showcases normal hormone levels when induced anxiety," the scientist reported.

The rest of the team was recording her vitals on tiny, black tablets that beeped with their every touch.

Another one of the white coats stepped up and told her to extend her left arm. He repeated his partner's previous procedure only this time attaching the syringe to a whirring machine.

The contraption looked like a tablet, hovering images of her vitals floating above it. Clare felt the queerest sensation, as if somebody was pouring warm water into her veins. It was a few moments before that white coat called Dr. Vaella over.

"Sir, look at this."

He peered at the screen, his lips pursed in concentration.

"Unnaturally high concentration of negative ions and the hormone cortisol is visibly increased."

"Uh, what does that mean?" Clare quipped.

"Hang on, scan her platelets again."

The white coat zoomed into her blood stream, picking out a blood cell. At first glance, the cell looked perfectly normal, but at a closer inspection, it was tinted blue…and surrounded by a field of electrostatic.

"Whoa, what the hell is that?" the scientists quickly recorded this down.

"It's like nothing we have ever seen before," another said.

"Hang on," he added. "Dr. Adam, the electrostatic field is throwing out strong pulses that are almost of the same frequency and wavelength as-"

"-Thor's hammer," Dr. Vaella finished. His expression was shadowed with subtle fear.

"Ingrid- write that down. Cameron, see that a report of this reaches the Asgardian specialist level,"

They both nodded and went about their work.

"Wait, what does that mean?" Clare was visibly panicking. "Doctor, please tell me what's going on-"

"Your body has been infected by some alien substance, mostly Asgardian," he replied grimly. "We don't know the source of it, but what we do know, is that this isn't normal."

Clare snorted. "Yeah, as if me burning the place where you guys strapped me down was considered normal-"

"I meant, even weirder than what I've already seen and trust me, I've seen weird."

"…Oh," she finished lamely.

Dr. Vaella grimaced as he lifted a com to his ear. "Sir, I've already sent you the report on 0-8-4," he paused, as the person on the other end responded. "Of course, you may see her when she's ready." He hung up and gestured to Clare. "Clean up, she's got a meeting with Fury exactly five minutes from now."

She looked up, confused. "He wants to see me?"

Dr. Vaella nodded as he extended his arm for her to take. "I'll take you to the lift."

Their walk was short and silent as he bade her goodbye.

"Fury's office is the last door to your left, alright?"

Clare inclined her head in understanding as the doors closed on her. The last thing she saw was the doctor's encouraging smile.

A loud ding sounded and the doors opened to an empty hallway. She followed Dr. Vaella's directions and took the left turning. It was strangely silent up here, not like the hustle and bustle of the science department.

At the last door, she paused, unsure if she should knock or just walk in. The door opened before she could decide. Clare stepped in the threshold warily, taking in her surroundings with bright eyes. Fury's office was stark and had no personal possessions besides a stack of cards on his desk.

She walked over to it and lifted one card up. It was one of the Captain America collectibles but it was brutally singed. Clare fingered it for a moment then turned it over and dropped the card, taking a mortified step back. The other end of it was coated with dried blood.

"You shouldn't really touch a dead man's things," Fury said, emerging from the bathroom.

"I'm sorry, did you say-"

"They belonged to Agent Coulson, who was killed during the New York incident," he clarified, picking up that specific card. "He was a fan of your friend, Captain America."

Clare flushed, drawing her eyes back to the card. "How did he…?"

"He died at Loki's hand," Fury replied, tossing the card back down onto the table. "And now you seem to be exhibiting Asgardian energy."

His expression was unfathomable and she couldn't decide if he was amused or wary.

"I-I think so," she stammered. "Though I'm not so sure what's really happening to me."

Fury was silent for a moment, contemplating. "Tell me something, Miss Davis. Do you seem to remember the incident after the nightclub?"

Clare shook her head. "I was out cold after that…that thing crashed into me. All I remembered was bright blue light, needle like pressure on my skin and then…nothing."

He crossed his arms over his chest, pondering.

Silence stretched and yawned over them, making her think that he would never answer.

"We'll talk the next time, Miss Davis." He broke the silence and grimaced. "Would it be alright if we continued monitoring your responses to see if you are stable enough?"

She nodded, clasping her hands together. "Sure."

He gestured to the door. Clare turned to leave but out of the corner of her eye, she saw him pick up the card again with a frown.

"Miss Davis?"

"Yes?" she turned, expectant.

Fury contemplated his next words.

"Tell Tony and Steve not to spread the word to the rest of the team," he said. "Things can get a little messy when they know the Tesseract is in their midst."