-Chapter Eight-


The lights above her were mocking her. Laughing, or something like that. She wasn't entirely sure. She tried to move her arm to shield her eyes, only to discover that it felt like lead, weighing her down. Avery struggled three more times before she became frustrated and gave up trying to move them and moved her attention towards wiggling her toes and fingers instead. It wasn't working. Nothing was working and she was more upset than she had ever been in her entire life.

"Wake her up."

A hand on her neck, pressing against her pulse point, gave her a bit more awareness. It was cold in the room and smelled of rubbing alcohol that burned her nose. Avery tried to move again, feeling her frustration mounting with each passing moment of paralysis.

"It isn't safe."

"What do you mean?"

More hands were on her body, some rougher than others. There was one pair that lingered on her hip, probing it in a way that would have received a slap if she had been able to move.

"Her hip is less inflamed. She should be able to walk without issue when she wakes up."

"Her heart rate is increasing."

"Wake her up, Doctor."

"I just said it isn't safe. She could go into shock."

"Then it's a very good thing she's in a room full of highly trained medical professionals, isn't it? Do it."

Avery heard the sound of what she assumed was her heart rate monitor increasing as she started becoming more and more aware of her surroundings. The hands stopped touching her shortly before she felt a small prick in her neck. This needle was larger than the last, which had been smaller than a sewing needled, and went deep into her neck, catching her in the relaxed muscles. She instantly tensed as the medicine, whatever it was, burned her.

It felt like fire coursing through her body, painfully forcing feeling and movement back into all of her limbs. Her muscles began to twitch horribly, the spasms so violent they threatened to make her fall off the table. She was caught by a pair of arms around her upper thighs. They positioned her back on the table; holding onto her legs in what she assumed was supposed to be a comforting way. It wasn't. In fact, it made her panic even more. She didn't know who these people were, these people with the needles, and she was scared. She couldn't even open her eyes to see what was going on. She was blind and unable to move and her body hurt.

"Movement is returning to her lower extremities. Bind her legs for her own safety."

"Rumlow used too much."

"Her skin is burning up. Body temperature at 100.6 and climbing."

"Neural activity increasing."

Avery felt tears slipping out of the corner of her eyes. She didn't understand what she had done, why she was here. She didn't know where she was and that added to her fear tenfold. The medicine that put fire in her veins and muscles settled into a slow simmer, working its way through her entire body until she wanted to scream at the pain.

"How long is it until she's fully functioning?" Avery learned to hate the owner of that voice rather quickly. "We need her."

"You should have thought of that before you pumped not one, but two experimental drugs into her system in a span of twelve hours after she spent upwards of half a day wandering around in the sun without water or food." There was a metallic banging.

"The Director ordered us to use any means necessary to ensure Avery Gudrun returned safely and ready to assist in whatever way we need her to."

"This isn't what I consider safe. She's on seizure watch. Tell the Director she isn't going anywhere, or doing anything, until I deem her well enough."

"Who do you…"

"I'm in charge of her wellbeing; something guaranteed is at risk. That's who I am. Now get out."

Avery could barely hear the sound of a door slamming shut mingled with angry words from the Doctor. He mumbled under his breath, moving closer to her. She could feel his warmth as he leaned over her to check the monitors. His hand pressed just under her chin, one finger pressing over the puncture wound from the needle. "Sorry bunch of bastards." Avery couldn't agree more. She wished she could have nodded her agreement, or expressed her thanks for the way the Doctor cared for her, but she couldn't do either. She couldn't do anything, really, beyond trying to stop the moisture from welling out of her eyes and spilling onto the metal table.

She wasn't doing a very good job.

"She'll be awake soon."

She was already awake, even if they didn't know it. She half wondered if they were purposely ignoring the way her eyes twitched behind her lids, or if they were just more concerned with other things. The Doctor didn't seem like an idiot, or inconsiderate for that matter, but that didn't change the fact that he got his orders from Fury, or someone that took their orders from Fury. She didn't trust any of them farther than she could throw them and that was magnified when it involved needles and drugs that made her skin feel like it was sloughing off.

Ten minutes on the exam table felt like ten hours so it felt like an eternity before someone cracked open one of her eyes and shined a bright light in them. The room was stark white accented with metal. The machines that she could see, the most intimidating ones that hung from the ceiling, were beeping and covered in little lights that showed they were on. She could barely make out the tubes that were attached to her body somewhere before the person took the light away and closed her eye, throwing her back into darkness.

"My mother doesn't know I steal from her wallet every time I go home." If she could do more than groan, she would have. "She thinks she's starting to develop memory problems and I don't have it in me to tell her otherwise."

"My little brother is a thief. He's currently serving 10 years without parole."

"That's a shame."

"It really is. But the bright side is that I'm officially the family favorite."

Avery struggled to stop things from getting any worse. She tried to pull it back, to reel it in so that she was controlling it, but it didn't really work. She could feel it getting away from her, like she was trying to hold water in her hands but it was just seeping out faster and faster.

"I've never been the family favorite. It might have to do with how honest I get after a few drinks. I'm a mean drunk."

"Better that than a weepy one."

Avery almost jumped for joy, if she could have, when she was finally able to move her hands and feet. She would have been able to move more if she wasn't strapped down. She balled her hands into fists and worked on being able to open her eyes. She didn't know why they felt so heavy.

"I talk to my cat like she's a person when I'm drunk. One time I kissed her and didn't even feel bad about it the next morning."

Avery had had enough. She forced herself to tear open her eyes, ignoring the flash of pain and turned her head to look at the Doctor and his nursing staff. They were all staring at her with surprised expressions on their faces. Apparently, she was ahead of schedule. She didn't care for their schedule, she decided. She tried to sit up, only to have a hand on her shoulder, pushing her back down.

"Remove her restraints."

She shot a dark look at the nurse who removed the leather straps. She was the one who liked to kiss her cat.

"How do you feel?"

Like she had been drugged. "Fine." Her words sounded stuffy. She swallowed a nonexistent wad of spit and tried to sit up again.

The Doctor, who had been semi-comforting, looked like he was old enough to be valedictorian of the nearest high school. The start of a beard helped to make him look slightly older, although not enough to make her trust him with her medical care. She glanced down and couldn't stop herself from rolling her eyes. He was wearing cargo pants and a pair of hiking boots that had seen better days.

"I'm Dr. Jinney."

Avery eyes him, trying to figure out which secret had been his. Maybe the one about the thief younger brother.

"Be careful." He placed a hand on her back and helped to balance her. Avery ignored the way his hand was touching her back sweat. She glanced back behind her and wanted to melt into a puddle at the sight of the moisture her had left behind on the table. "You might experience some residual side effects of the drugs."

"I consider it to be my wel..." She trailed off, unable to speak without it sounding like she was choking on a pile of dirt her throat was so cracked. "Do you have water?"

A nurse materialized out of nowhere and handed her a glass of extremely cold water along with a bagel that was supposed to look appetizing, Avery imagined. It didn't. She immediately set it aside, purposely putting it in her sweat stain, and downed the glass of water.

The doctor removed his hand and stood up to check on her vital signs, giving her time to look around the room. The machines and supply cabinets were hardly interesting, but the observation galley offered her something to look at to bide her time while she waited for the Doctor to say something. There were people up there and they were all staring at her. Or more accurately, some were staring at her, while others were staring at the now sweaty bagel with disgusted looks on their faces. She kept staring at them and reached her hand back, trying to be subtle, and knocked the bagel to the floor.

One of them laughed.

She stuck her face in her glass and looked at her feet, feeling a blush engulfing her face. They had been nice enough to cover her feet in socks, even if they didn't bother going the extra mile to clean her off.

"They've been there the whole time." Dr. Jinney said, glancing up at the observers. "You're very important to them."

"Apparently." Avery couldn't help but look back up at them.

She could see Agent Coulson standing closest to the glass, talking on the phone with someone she assumed was very important. The next man, the one that towered over everyone else, wasn't someone she recognized. He was distractingly handsome in a very vanilla sort of way. She looked over at the next man. He looked nervous to be there, although she didn't know why. He looked smart, which she considered to be a good thing, and thoughtful. He was staring at her, however, in a way that made her highly uncomfortable.

He seemed to feel the same way.

When they made eye contact he instantly started shaking. His hands balled into fists at his sides, fingernails digging into his palms in an obviously painful way. She watched in confusion as the tips of his fingers started to turn an odd, very pale shade of green. It spread up from his nails and over his hands. The other man, the tall one, noticed almost as soon as it started. He spoke to the one in the glasses rapidly, arms extended out in a placating way. Coulson quickly hung up his phone and dialed a new number. The man in the glasses ignored both of them and continued shaking.

He looked back at Avery for a brief moment before he ran out of the room.

Avery knew he mouth was open like an idiot but she couldn't help it.

The other man looked back down at Avery. He stepped closer to the glass, pressing his hand against it, and looked at her with an indescribable amount of intensity. He was blaming her for something; she could see that in his eyes. He left the room shortly after that, leaving the observation galley empty and Avery wondering what the hell had just happened.

Her head throbbed, from both the medication and confusion, and the sweat that coated her body suddenly felt very cold and uncomfortable.

"The Director asked me to report to him when you wake up." Dr. Jinney kept glancing up at the empty glass room and back at her.

Avery finally tore her gaze away from the room and looked back at Dr. Jinney. "Who was that?"

"Dr. Bruce Banner and Captain Steve Rogers."

Avery wondered if that was supposed to mean something to her.

"Get dressed."

Avery jumped when the exam room was suddenly flooded with men wearing S.H.I.E.L.D. issue clothing. A few of them were holding guns. The one who was speaking to her was the same man that had been so nice to her in the desert, the one who thought it was appropriate to shove a needle in her throat. His name started with an R, maybe. She crossed her arms over her chest at the sight of him, completely ignoring the fact that she was in nothing but a flimsy hospital gown.

"Get dressed." He repeated, throwing something blue and scratchy looking at her. She caught it and dropped it on the table next to her without even bothering to unfold it to see what it was.

"What's going on?" Avery asked, eyeing the man closest to her with disdain. Dr. Jinney was pushed back towards the far side of the room, despite his protests.

"The situation has changed." R-something walked over to the table and picked up the pile of clothes and shoved them into her chest. "Get dressed."

"Are you going to leave?"

"No." He said.

"Are you going to turn around?" Avery asked, looking at all of the men with an expectant look on her face.

"Are you going to get dressed?"

"Yes. Oh my god, yes." Avery jumped off the table, only to instantly regret it. There was a draft in the back that made her realize she wasn't wearing any underwear. She reached her hand back to make sure the dress was covering her up, feeling a blush covering her entire body. "Now, turn around."

All of the men did so, albeit reluctantly. When she was certain no one could see anything they shouldn't, she slipped out of the hospital gown. She dropped it on the table and unfolded the pile of clothes they gave her. It was a S.H.I.E.L.D. uniform that was three sizes too big and they didn't see fit to give her any sort of undergarments. She pulled on the pants, sans underwear, and could already feel herself getting grossed out. She put the undershirt on next, followed by the jacket. She shook her arms into the sleeves, feeling very much like a flapping bird.

"Okay, I'm decent, I guess. Although I really think an agency with this kind of money could afford to buy uniforms that fit."

"Cuff her."

Avery's eyes widened once again. One of the men moved towards her, painful looking metal cuffs in hand. She took as many steps back as she could before she ran into the metal table. "This is getting a little old. I haven't done anything."

"Captain Rogers and The Black Widow will be waiting for you in the hangar."

"I'm leaving the ship? I literally just got here."

"The situation is changed." R-something said again. "You need to be off the ship until the threat is handled."

"What situation?" Avery asked, shooting daggers at the man who handcuffed her. "You're going to have to put on my shoes, genius."

"Let's go."

"Where am I going?" Avery asked as the man holding her cuffs bent down to shove her feet into a pair of stiff leather boots. They didn't even bother to be gentle. Avery thought that summed up S.H.I.E.L.D. perfectly. She wiggled her toes around and could already feel the blisters forming. The man stood up and walked her towards the door. "These feel like plastic."

R-something pushed her to move. "Send her medical reports to Director Fury."


Avery was walked down a hallway, hands firmly cuffed behind her back. She wondered if they thought this was supposed to stop her from using her powers, as that was the only real threat she posed considering how abysmal she was at fighting and self-defense. It was laughable, actually, but she said nothing.

"What hangar are we going to?" Avery asked, peering over her shoulder. "Is it the same one that I wasn't awake for the first time?"

"Move faster. The longer you are on this ship the longer you are putting everyone at risk." R-something said, pushing her back forcefully.

"How am I putting everyone at risk?" Avery asked, interest piqued. "What's happening?"

"I'm not at liberty to say."

"Total bullshit." Avery muttered darkly.

It took them five more minutes to reach the hangar, although it felt longer to Avery. It had been an uncomfortable walk in more ways than one. For one thing, they got the cuffs too tight, making her wrists chaff. For another, everybody they passed by stared at her like she was a serial killer. Lastly, R-something had been rather mum for the remainder of the walk. She had thrown questions at him, both using her powers and not, and still hadn't been able to get much. She came to the annoying conclusion that he didn't know much of anything.

Natasha was waiting for them when they arrived, foot tapping rhythmically. Avery noticed that her uniform fit her like a glove, accentuating everything. Avery looked down at her own self and grimaced. She looked like a shriveled blueberry. "Load her in the plane."

"I'm not cargo, Natasha." Avery said, rubbing her wrists once the handcuffs had been removed. "Are you going to tell me what's going on?"

Natasha glared at her for even asking. Avery had almost forgotten how much the redhead disliked her. She could feel it when Natasha looked at her, like she was thinking of all the ways in which she might like to kill her or, at least, maim her in some sort of creative way.

"You could make me." Natasha said in a low voice, moving aside to let the other agents lead Avery in.

"I've tried with him, so it probably won't work with you." Natasha took a threatening step towards her at the mere suggestion that Avery would even think of using her powers on her, making Avery shrink visibly. "But I won't."

"And why is that?"

"Because you would give me a red smile from ear to ear just for shits and giggles if I did."

R-something shoved her into a seat inside the plane before she could say anything else to Natasha. He looked down at her for a moment and she thought she saw a bit of anxiety flash in his eyes, but she could have imagined it.

The plane was extremely cold and monochrome. The seat belts were grey, the metal sides were grey, the floors were grey. Everything was grey with the exception of the man standing at the front of the plane. He was dressed obnoxiously, if she was being perfectly honest. Red, white, and blue were apparently in right now. He was staring at her like he thought she was trouble. He was leaning back from her, hands folded behind his back.

"Hi." Avery said after an uncomfortably quiet moment.

When he said nothing she looked down at her feet. She recognized him from the observation galley, with the man, Dr. Banner if she remembered correctly. "Is that other man okay?" She asked, curiosity getting the better of her. "He didn't look very good."

"I…" He rubbed the back of his neck and looked away from her.

"Is he not coming with us?" Avery asked, wondering why the bespectacled man had left so suddenly. "He was with you earlier."

"That was before you used your powers on him." Natasha said from her seat in the front of the plane. "You used your powers on him regardless of the risk it possessed to everyone else in this facility. Now we have to babysit you until he can cool down and figure out what happened so that you don't accidentally do it to him again."

"I didn't do anything." Avery snapped.

"Yes you did. Now sit down before you mess up anything else."