Welcome back for another weekly chapter! I must confess, I actually almost got forgot to post this one today so... Well, I've finally remembered and the chapter was already written up on here at least. All I need to do is craft the author's note and post. Hence, I'm tapping away on my phone is bed at 11:23pm.

Anyways, enough of all that. I've got a chapter with a few buts of everything mixed up for you all today. I hope you enjoy it.

As always, I don't own Marvel.


Training day


A part of the duties of an Avenger that Astraea didn't account for in the beginning is the training of the staff of the Avengers' compound. For that reason alone, Astraea has to drag herself awake at 6:00 a.m. to prepare for a training session. Sam will be with her as they train new recruits in some basic hand-to-hand combat. All staff at the compound are expected to be able to at least defend themselves against attack, even if they aren't security staff. Hence, the training and the early start.

FRIDAY wakes Astraea up as per her request, and 15 minutes later, she's dragging herself into the kitchen for an early breakfast. Steve is already in the kitchen, having a snack before his morning jog. He waves in greeting but Astraea just gives him an evil glare as she reaches for cereal.

"I still have no idea why you get up so early," Astraea mutters, filling a bowl with cornflakes. "Or how you manage to be so chipper. It's ridiculous."

Steve just laughs, and Sam enters the kitchen in a similarly wide-awake state as the super soldier. He calls a greeting to Astraea which she mumbles a response to.

"Maybe staying up and binge watching 'Star Wars' wasn't the best idea, Rhea," Sam chuckles, making mugs of coffee for him, Steve, and Astraea. "Not before a morning training session."

"This isn't morning. This is the period of time that pretends to be morning to trick you into waking up and leaves you tired all day." She scowls at Sam but a smile ghosts over her lips.

"That's just your pre-coffee logic talking."

"Nah, it's post-not-enough-sleep logic." Astraea rubs at her heavy eyes absently with one hand and accepts a mug of coffee with the other. "This is why you keep morning people around, to feed you and supply you with coffee in the hours of torture before morning begins."

The door swings open once more and Natasha saunters in, "Is that Astraea waxing nonsense about waking up early again? Maybe if we keep her awake long enough we can get her to make some viral tweets from it."

Astraea ignores the comment and continues munching on her cereal as the others laugh. The clock reads 6:30 a.m. and Astraea and Sam leave the kitchen together, heading towards the training room. Their session starts in an hour, but there's still many things to sort out for the training session. Including waking up a sleepy superhero enough to keep focus as they teach.

oOo

Once the room is set up Astraea is half-ready to just lie down on one of the training mats, and half-ready to finally get some exercise done. She'd been a little lazy the past few days, so perhaps it's time to actually do something useful. Besides, Astraea can't actually abandon Sam to teach the trainees all by himself. It's far easier to do demonstrations with someone who knows what they're doing then it is on someone who doesn't. Plus, it's also nice to start the session with a small spar to show a taste of the skills the trainees will learn. Or, at least the skills that they hopefully learn.

The clock strikes 7:30 a.m. and the group pour in, dressed in an array of bright work out clothing. Everyone in this group is around 20 and from accounting, PR, and management roles within the compound. Most have nervous looks, though likely from the prospect of training and not the presence of two Avengers. Once you've seen Black Widow chasing a cream-covered Captain and Falcon around the gym, all armed with several cream pies, the awe at working for the Avengers quickly wears off.

Sam starts them off warming up and Astraea takes note of the different people as she stretches. There's Tana, Michael, Sophia, and Hunter from PR, all in bright orange clothing; Eleanor from accounting, with dark brown skin and a gorgeous mane of chestnut brown hair; Evan and Alex, twins, from management; and Bella, tall and tan, also from accounting. It's a small group of just eight people but it has long been decided that a smaller group makes for more efficient training. At least, that's what the people in charge choose.

"Right class, this is likely the first session you've had here. Don't expect to be able to take down six armed opponents by yourself after just an hour of self-defence." Sam gives a side-glance to Astraea. "We can't allow be super soldiers or enhanced warriors. It takes time and practice to get good at this stuff."

"We'll start by looking at points on the body that are weakest," Astraea starts, gesturing in a signal for FRIDAY to lower the screen showing an image of a body outline. "The groin, knees, eyes, nose, and mouth are all good targets to inflict injury on your opponent with minimal energy. Remember, you are trying to get away from this person and you have to disable them from following you. You have to hurt them or end up hurt or killed yourself. There is no time to be civil."

The trainees are all listening intently, nodding along to the words of the Avengers. Tana is fidgeting with her wristband, but excitement glimmers in her grey eyes. Others however, like Michael seem to have gotten more nervous. Perhaps the prospect of what needs to done is frightening to some, but Astraea sees it as necessary. Maybe that's just a product of the lifestyle she leads and the job she has or something else as well. Either way, she's likely hardened her heart to the need to fight long ago. An uncomfortable thought, but probably the truth – Astraea was facing violence long before the Avengers' picked her up.

"Pair up and show us how you think you'd go about tackling an opponent. Rhea and I will correct you as we go. Fighting form is important to make an instinct, when you're – " The rest of Sam's words are cut off by a blaring alarm.

The two Avengers drop into defensive positions and draw weapons: the alarm is the one signalling intruders to the base. Behind them, the trainees group together, muttering. Doors slam shut around them and blinds draw over the windows, security measures activated by the alarm. In the harsh white light of the emergency lights, everyone looks ghostly and drawn with worry. Vague sounds of hurrying feet echo outside the gym and the alarm goes on.

Then the bomb explodes and the group are thrown back.

oOo

When Astraea wakes a group of black-clad men and women are standing around the class, armed with a variety of guns and knives. Sam has a few cuts on his arms but seems otherwise unharmed. Both Alex and Eleanor are unconsciousness, lying back on the floor limply. The intruders mutter among each other, arguing over something.

Astraea pushes herself into a sitting position, staring in disbelief at the ruined gym around them. Shards of glass and metal litter the floor, and a gaping and jagged hole is carved through the one smooth glass wall. Screams stream through the gap and Astraea has to press her hands to her ears in a futile attempt to block out the noise. It's like that first night at the Avengers' Tower, with all the sound rising up around her in a painful mass. The sudden panic of almost everyone in the building is making a chorus that stings at Astraea's sensitive ears but she can't panic now. There's eight untrained staff members counting on her and Sam to get them safely out of the mess they're currently in.

Sam and Astraea exchange a glance of understanding. They'll strike together to disarm the intruders. The semi-circle of enemies should focus on them – the challengers – and leave the others alone. At best they'll take all the intruders down without a hitch, at worst they'll cause a distraction for the others to leave.

The next time a knife comes near Astraea's reach, secured in the boot of a short woman, the Avenger seizes the blade. Beside her, Sam does the same. She spins the blade into position, slashing at the woman's inner thigh. The intruder drops to the ground as Astraea rises up, bloody knife in hand. Sam disables his target, landing two blows to the knee and a cut to the left leg. The man sprawls on the ground.

The leader raises his gun. But Astraea strikes with lightning fast reflexes. Seizing the gun, she twists it from his grasp. He reaches for a knife, but Sam intercepts his hand with a kick. Astraea lifts the man with one hand, hurling him across the room. He slams into the glass-strewn ground. A smirk lights Astraea's face and she turns to the others invaders. Sam comes up beside her. They stand back-to-back, ready to launch their assault.

Astraea shrieks a battle-cry, launching herself at the nearest intruder. Her punch knocks him backwards. He charges forward, aiming a kick at her head. She grasps his leg, flipping him over her back. The man hits the ground with a thump. Astraea moves on to the next one and repeats.

Soon enough there's only two opponents left to go, the other 12 or so having been incapacitated by the pair of Avengers. Bloody streaks mar the floor and clothing of those involved. Both Sam and Astraea have a handful of small scratches and bruises. The class of trainees have backed against the far wall, close to the exit, and formed a barricade from various pieces of gym equipment. Looks as thought they got a more extensive combat demonstration that originally anticipated.

As Sam strikes down his last opponent, Astraea turns to face her own. The tall woman raises a gun, hate gleaming in her steel grey eyes, and fires. Astraea shifts sideways. The bullet thumps into her left shoulder and she falls backwards. Panting and gritting her teeth against the pain, Astraea seizes a fallen knife and hurls it as the woman. It smashes into chest. The blade sinks into her chest up to the hilt and Astraea barely gives it a second glance as she slumps down.

Warm, gentle hands help her into a raised position, and Astraea realises it's Sam. Ever the trained medic, he immediately sets about stopping pressure and plugging the wound. The small bullet is imbedded in the wall behind them, a streak of blood marking the pastel paint.

"Guess I can have some sleeping in time now," Astraea quips, face drawn tight with pain. "Has it caught anything?"

"I don't think it's hit the artery. Lucky for you." Sam doesn't look up from the wound. "Still, it'll be quite painful and need stitching up. Good thing we keep first aid kits in every room."

"Well, in a building of superheroes it'd be silly not to."

"Oh, I was referring to the time you decided it would be a good idea to juggle knives and walk around the corridors."

"They were plastic knives!" Astraea protests, gunshot wound temporarily forgotten. "It's like I chopped my hand off or anything."

"You still managed to end up with one sticking out of your arm," Sam raises an eyebrow at the teen giving him a half-hearted scowl, "Despite them being unsharpened. You never did say how that happened."

"A girl's gotta have her secrets. Besides, even I don't really know it happened. I'm just skilled that way or maybe – "

A loud crashing noise cuts off the rest of her words, and five people launch through the now useless door. The metal door hangs off its hinges and burns orange along one side. Vision's handiwork, Astraea decides, as the android pops his head through the wall. Steve and Natasha head the group, with three security staff members bursting in behind them. The group cast confused looks at the room. Perhaps they hadn't expected to see the mass of limp bodies on the ground, and a floor coated in blood, glass, and metal. The trainees are still hidden behind their barricade but begin to per out as the new people stream through the door. Four medics push through, and Sam surrenders Astraea's care to two of them. The others move to tend the injured intruders and then the previously unconscious Alex and Eleanor.

As the bodies are removed, Astraea casts a passive look at the woman with a knife through her heart. She flinches slightly as needle drives into her skin for stiches and looks away from the body. Maybe she shouldn't have killed her, but Astraea's instincts are battle-trained. After so many missions were having killer reactions keeps you alive long enough to help those in need, it's hard to not be so lethal when attacked. It's about survival and keeping those who depend on you alive.

Whatever the cost.

oOo

Just over a week later and Astraea's shoulder has healed up enough to leave the medical wing and remove the sling. She's still kept on light duties, but the wound should be completed healed in a few more days. It's times like these when Astraea is thankful for her greater healing ability. It is nowhere near as rapid as Steve, who can shallow cuts close up in under a minute, but it's enough. Better than being benched for months. A week off is enough rest for the active Avenger. As much as she hates early mornings, Astraea hates being cooped up even more. While missions and training are off the table, she can least go for a light jog under supervision to ensure she doesn't overdo it.

Her and Sam's trainees haven't been sent back for self-defence session since the bomb exploded and the enemy invaded. Astraea can't blame them. They saw far more than they ever expected, and in a place where they are supposed to be safe. Earth's mightiest heroes. She scoffs at the thought. Maybe they are in some respects, but that strength is a challenge, broadcast across the world, for anyone willing to try and take them down. That leaves innocents caught in the crossfire. And that is something that the Avengers can't allow.

So, Astraea heads down to visit the trainees, checking up on them. The first time she saw a fight close up – the first time she saw the blood, smelt the stench of fighting, heard the screams of pain – Astraea promptly threw up. Hence, her visits to the trainees.

There is only Tana left now; the young woman is only a year older than Astraea herself and transferred from SHIELD. Tana had only been working there for six months when all hell broke loose, and SHIELD collapsed from the inside. It was possibly the reason why Tana had been so eager to learn how to fight – she'd been in battle before as her fellows either turned upon SHIELD or died defending the organisation.

Astraea pauses outside the office door, hand held up as though to knock. FRIDAY informed her that Tana Portis is office and alone. Which is perfect, because Astraea didn't think the ex-SHIELD personnel would like a crowd for the talk Astraea wanted to have.

The wooden and glass door swings open as Astraea stands there awkwardly, hand still raised. Tana looks at her, confusion making lines on her light brown skin, "Can I … uh, help you?".

Astraea lowers her arm with a rueful smile and shifts her weight from foot to foot. "Yeah, actually. I just wanted to … well, I was about to knock and see how you are after the … incident. I've been checking on all the people who were there. You're, uh, the last one."

"Saving the best for last?" Tana tilts her head up and a smile almost titches her lips up.

"Something like that." Astraea nibbles on her lip absently. "Anyways, maybe we should talk inside. Or not, I mean, if you're fine an' all then I'll go away and leave you be."

Tana just waves her inside with a lazy hand. "And miss the opportunity to boast that I had an Avenger in my office? No chance." She steps back into the room, settling down on a chair behind one of four desks in the office.

"Funnily enough, I was assigned to your PR team a week before the … the training session," Tana muses, tapping a pencil on the desk with one hand.

"Wait?! All us Avengers have a specific PR team?" Shock clouds Astraea's face as Tana nods. "Damn, I didn't know that. Does that mean a bunch of non-PR friendly things to get four people?"

"Nah, you're actually one of the easiest to deal with, Miss Blake. Captain Rogers has like, 10 people or something to manage all his shenanigans and publicity events. You and Miss Maximoff have the least." A smile twitches onto Tana's face. "Maybe you should get out more."

"Asking for more work, huh? P'hraps I ought to go slap a few reporters or cause a scandal." Tana laughs at her words. "Anyone in mind?"

"There's a few reporters I'd love to see get a slap. Always sneakin' around the compound, shoving cameras at cars as we drive in." Tana scowls, snapping the tip of the pencil off. "It doesn't matter though, not when you know there are people out there who'll try even more extreme methods to get in."

Astraea gives a smile that doesn't quite reach her eyes. "Next time, we'll be ready. Though maybe we should – " A message pops up on her phone, drawing her words to a halt. "I've gotta go. Mission briefing. See you later?"

Tana nods and leaves the office with Astraea, but heads in the opposite direction. As they walk away, Tana stops and half-turns around to call after the retreating form of the Avenger:

"Hey, Blake! I'll buy drinks if you tell how you managed to stab your arm with a plastic fork."

Astraea stops and whirls around to face the other woman, who wears a mischievous smile. "Sure thing, Portis. As long as we keep it our secret."

"Deal." Tana waves her off. "Now go cause some public scandals for me."

"Of course!"


Well, there we go. A training session goes wrong, Astraea isn't a morning person, and we learn part of the reason why the base has first aid just simply everywhere. Well, the reason in my little pocket universe anyway. Health and safety, and incidents with plastic knives.

I hope you enjoyed this chapter. We get a little insight into a few characters' morning routines plus a bit of action when this training session goes wrong in all the worst ways.

Until the next time,

Look-for-the-miracles