~I own nothing besides my OC and the idea of this story! Any other story that is like this is purely coincidental! Please review! :)~


I got off the flight at the airport, Ward and Skye following behind me. When I told them I need to go see Tony, Coulson wasn't entirely thrilled but finally agreed. He wanted to me take Ward as a precaution and I though Skye would like to meet a few of the Avengers. I'm not sure how long it's been since I slept, but I guessed almost twenty-five hours. My eyes drooped as the taxi drove us towards the tower but the hum of Loki's magic forced me awake every time I got close to sleeping. We pulled up to the tower and Skye whistled in appreciation.

"Massive tower. It looks like people are at least starting to clean up." Ward commented. It was true, everyone was trying to pick up the city and rebuild. Unfortunately upon entering the lobby, the paparazzi started taking pictures. I covered my eyed and cursed under my breath. He must not have told the secretary I was coming.

"Miss Stark! Is it true you're in hiding?"

"Stark, is it true you and Captain America have a secret fling?"

"Ms. Stark, with the city being rebuilt, were have you been?" Question were shot out all at one. One of the camera's got close enough and I grabbed it, throwing it to the ground, and stepping on it.

"Get your camera's out of my face!" Everyone took a small step backwards and I took a deep breath. "Were I have been is no concern of your. Now get your asses out of here before I sic Jarvis on you." There was mumbling around the room and I glared at them. "Jarvis."

"Yes, Miss Stark?" The murmurs quieted down and they looked for the voice.

"Show them the way out before you run the Umbrella lab's security system." For the ones who knew what I was talking about, they ran and the others soon followed. "Mail me the bill!" I shouted to the guy who I had smashed his camera. We entered the elevator and we rode in silence to the penthouse. When the doors opened, the followed me to the living room where we set our bags down.

"Jarvis, where's dad?" I asked, looking around the room.

"Currently on his way in." I heard a thump and we turned to where he was having his suit taken off.

"I was actually in, you know. Now I'm out." I rolled my eyes at him but smiled. He came over to me and pulled me into a hug, lifting me slightly off the ground. He set me down and examined my face. "You haven't been sleeping." I sighed and moved away.

"Dad, Agent Grant Ward and Skye. They're part of my team."

"Your team? I thought we were a team?" I turned and smiled at Clint, who wore a mock look of sadness. He pulled me into a hug and spun me around.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I meant the one I like better." He wiped away fake tears when another voice spoke.

"That better not be towards all of us." I turned and smiled at Natasha, hugging her.

"Of course not, сестренка." She smiled at me and put an arm over my shoulder. Tony and Clint watched with baited breathe and I sighed.

"Please, she could have killed me eight different ways by now." I pointed out.

"Seven. I taught you how to deflect-"

"Oh right, I forgot about that one. But there's also-"

"You would feel the vibrations before I even got close." Her eyes tinkled at em and I just smirked.

"You are so much like Fitz-Simmons, it's scary." I shot Skye a smile who was looking around in awe and Ward looked tense. I followed his gaze and smiled at Bruce

"Hey Bruce!" I walked over to him and gave him a tight hug which he returned. I pulled away and he gave me a shy smile.

"Claudia. I didn't know you were coming home?" He said more as a question and I nodded.

"I need help." I lifted my wrist to show them the bracelet. "I need to get this off before I fall asleep next time." They all looked at me as if I was crazy and I told them what happened, leaving out Coulson.

"AC called us up and told us what was going on." Sky shrugged and Ward and I stared at her, wide eyed.

"AC?" Natasha said.

"Don't worry about it."

"Forget it." Ward and I said at the same time, still looking at Skye. I was brought back tot he others when I felt a yank on it. I stumbled slightly and almost ran into Tony's chest.

"Hmm." He said as he looked it over. "There's no latch to get it off and it doesn't budge.

"We could try a laser down in the lab." Bruce offered and I nodded. I looked at Ward and Skye.

"Stay here. None but the science bros, Pepper, and I are allowed. It shouldn't take that long." I received a nod from Ward and I could tell Skye was going to argue when he gave her a look.

"We could always train." Clint suggested with a mischievous smile which rivaled Natasha's eyes.

"Don't break them!" I yelled up as we went down the stairs. It took about an hour for the laser to finally break through and Tony held it in his fingers. I rubbed my wrist and sighed with a small smile on my face.

"It definitely has Asgardian energy around it." Tony muttered as him and Bruce started science talk.

"I'm going back upstairs." I waved to them, as they didn't seem to hear me, and I went back into the living. I was surprised to see Clint talking with Skye and Ward, Natasha no where in sight. I saw Ward glance at m,e from the corner of his eyes and a feral smile made it's way across my face. I focused on the vibrations and I saw Natasha in the air vent above me. She swung from the gate and I caught her leg, sending her over my shoulder. She landed gracefully and came at me again. I moved with the fluidity of water and air, pushing her swinging arms and legs out from their target. I jumped on her and we rolled, landing so I sat on her waist, and I gave her a huge smile and she gave me a small one.

"I can't believe you can actually take down Black Widow." Ward commented and I got of Natasha, pulling her up.

"She's gotten better." Natasha said and I smiled.

"I think it's the elemental training. I'm more fluid now." I shrugged and we gathered our stuff, ready to leave.

"By the way, Claud." I turned to look at Natasha. "You can call me Tasha." I gave her a huge smile and hugged her and Clint goodbye. We made it back to the airport and once we landed on the bus, I headed to my bunk, and promptly passed out. No dream or nightmares, just sleep. I woke up a few hours later, took a shower, and changed into a pair of skinny jeans and a red t-shirt. I walked out to see Ward and Skye playing battleship and he claiming she won and he kept asking for best two out of three. Coulson and may stood by the door, watching them. I grabbed a water before a red S.H.I.E.L.D symbol brought our attention to the briefing room.

"Chan Ho Yin. Just a struggling street performer until a few years ago when Mr. Chan began to exhibit moderate pyrokinetic abilities."

"Like me?" I asked as I looked at Chan's profile.

"No. Much less powerful than yours and we're not sure that's what it is." Coulson replied.

"So it gave him powers." They continued talking about it an I was brought back when they mentioned the index. At least I'm not on that. Right?

"The index?" Skye asked.

"It's a list S.H.I.E.L.D keeps of people and objects with powers." Simmons answered.

"Wait, what? How many are there?" Skye asked, watching Simmons. "Are you saying there are more people-"

"Not many." May replied, looking at Skye.

"Well enough to keep a list." Skye responded.

"A short list." Coulson added. "It's meant to protect them."

"Though in rare cases S.H.I.E.L.D has had to take action." Ward informed us.

"Actions against objects or people?" Skye questioned. When she just received looks, she continued. "Well that's drastic with a side of creepy. How are they monitored?" She kept talking while I scanned my body for any unknown parts that aren't needed. When I found none, I listened once more.

"Am I on that list?" I asked Coulson and surprisingly May answered.

"No. You're In the Avengers Initiative." I nodded at her stiffly and she began to speak with Agent Kwan. The only thing they found was fireproof clothing which indicated they knew of his abilities. When they mentioned Rising Tide, everyone looked towards her. Coulson, Ward, and Skye went to Coulson's office and I went to my bunk.

We made our way to Austin, Texas once Skye found out where he hacked from, someone named Miles Lydon. Ward was made and I went with Coulson to followed the car through traffic. We were soon blocked by traffic and we lost him. We all met back up, except for May and Skye. May called us and we all met at Mile apartment, where Skye was already sitting. I looked at her with disappointment.

"I know, how this looks-" Skye began but Coulson cut her off.

"How long have you two been in contact?" Coulson asked her, any former relationship gone from his face, body, and voice.

"I contacted him once, the day I joined to tell him I was okay and once, earlier today."

"When you tipped off an active suspect?" Coulson stated and I watched Skye as she was filled with her own disappointment. I wonder if it's at herself or at being caught.

"It's not like that. Miles and I, we met when we were both a little screwed up. Scratch that, he was a little screwed up I was, a lot. But we looked after one another. That's why I warned him, not because we're working together on this but because we're, friends." Skye explained and Coulson just looked at her. "I'm really sorry."

"Noted." Was his stoic response. "If not you, then whose Mister Lydon working with?"

"No one. He's an idealist, believes in freedom of information."

"That information cost a man his freedom and you sabotaged our attempts to remedy that." Coulson informed her.

"No, I came here to find out what Miles knows about Chan."

"And?" Coulson's asked.

"Nothing. Miles is a dead end, he's harmless."

"We'll see." Was Coulson's cryptic response. She told us she felt like she couldn't tell us. Coulson told her that's why he had May follow her.

"Claudia-" Skye began but I cut her off, giving her my best Tasha face.

"I showed you my abilities. You are one of thirteen people who know of my gifts. That's not something I share willingly. Six years it took me to tell Tony and he found out because I was trying to save Phil from dieing. If I find out you sold that information, or made it public, I will come after you. Understand?" She nodded and looked back down at the floor. Rage was built through my body and I fought to keep down the fire. Ward cuffed Skye and we made our way back to the bus with her and Miles. We then proceeded to Hong Kong. I sat in the lounge area and threw fire back and forth in my hands while the others continued with their research or talked to Skye. Finally, we were told it had to do with Centipede.

Jemma told us they think Chan could help find a way to stabilize Extremis, to keep them from blowing up. We found out where he was held and made our way there. Coulson, may, and I went out for the field work while Ward stayed behind to guard the prisoners with Fitz-Simmons. While we stood outside the Centipede facility, Coulson talked to Agent Kwan.

"Building has five floors. The first four are research. Fifth is listed as maintenance, but uses half the building's energy." Coulson's told him while loading his gun.

"Either they're guarding the world's largest vacuum-" Kwan started.

"Or that's where Chan's being held." Coulson finished for him. The team used grappling hooks to get to the roof while I used air to fly there. Coulson gave me a smile smile and I returned it. We continued our trek down into the building and through the halls. Coulson placed a little black thing on the door and I raised an eyebrow.

"I love these things." He said as he pushed a button and three red lights turned on. He put his arm across my back and we faced the wall. I jumped slightly when it exploded and we walked inside, May taking down the guards. Chan killed Agent Wang after injecting himself with Extremis and told us he freed himself. He fired at Coulson but I jumped in the way, bending the fire away from us in a sort of bubble. Coulson and May hid behind some of the shelves while I stood and waited. May started talking to him in Chinese and Coulson and I waited on baited breath. May stopped talking and Coulson asked if we were good. He fired at me and I bent it away.

"Nope. Definitely not good." he kept firing and I blocked blow for blow or extinguishing it myself. He fired at Coulson and I couldn't block it in time.

"Phil!" I yelled and left myself wide open for an attack.

"I'm alright!" He said and I was blasted back into the wall. I fell to the floor with a hard thud and pushed myself up.

"Mr. Chan, believe it or not, this could still get worse." Coulson's voice.

"Bend someone long enough and they break. Poor little Chan Ho Yen may have believed your lies, but not Scorch!" Chan.

"Who?" May.

"Oh, crap. They gave him a name." Phil. I stood on my feet with a groan. I watched as Chan just melted the bullets with a wall of fire and he turned back towards Coulson. I threw a fire ball at him to gain his attention and it worked. He threw a large one at me and I had to block it. When it stopped, he was no where to be found. We ran through the hallways and I used the vibrations to find him.

"Mr. Chan." Phil stepped out into the hallways and Chan turned to look at him. "We don't want to hurt you. But we have to." may walked up behind him and injected more Extremis into his body. He fell on his knees as the orange started showing through his body.

"We gotta move." Coulson said and he put a hand on mine and May's back, leading us out. We ran out of the building in time to see fire shoot out of the roof.

"Sky managed to extract some files from the mainframe. It's not much but, it could get us a fix on Centipede." Ward told Coulson.

"Maybe." Was his one word reply. Ward looked at him for a long time before speaking again.

"You can't save someone from themselves, sir."

"You can if you get them early enough." Coulson looked at Skye and she looked at him before looking away. We gave Miles a bracelet that wouldn't let him on electronics for a while and we donated the money to Chan's family. I went up into Coulson's office while May and Ward sat at the bar. I leaned against his desk while he looked over his memorabilia. I was about to speak when Skye came in. I decided that it should be a conversation they should have alone but a hand on my shoulder stopped me. I looked at Coulson's blue eyes.

"You can stay." I nodded at him.

"I didn't want anything to-" Skye began but was quickly cut off.

"Stop lying. Since the moment you stepped foot on this plane, you've been lying. To my face. To all of us."

"Now I haven't-"

"You're lying now." Coulson cut her off once again. "I stood up for you, to my team down there. And some of us started to believe in you. Risked our lives for you." Skye stumbled on her words.

"Why are you here?" Coulson asked her and she looked at him. "You've been keeping something from us, this whole time and it wasn't just a boyfriend. You have a secret, Skye. And one chance to come out with it. That's now, or I'm done with you. She reached into her shirt and placed a memory card next to me.

"What is this?" Coulson asked her.

"It's everything I have,"

"On us?" Phil questioned.

"On me. That's why I learned to crack systems, why I joined the Rising Tide. To find any details I could about my parents." Phil plugged the card in and we saw the files on the T.V. "There's nothing. No records, no trace of them. My life long search had led to a single document, redacted."

"By S.H.I.E.L.D." Coulson finished for her.

"No matter what you do, I'll never stop looking"

"You might not like what you find." Coulson warned her.

"It can't be worse than what I imagined." She stated and Coulson walked forward, with a sigh.

"Maybe I can help." Coulson reached behind me and gave a black box to Skye, like the one we had given Miles. I followed Coulson out of his office and we headed down to the lounge. We sat on the couch while Ward and May talked at the bar. We said nothing but I leaned against his shoulder, giving any form of comfort I could and was more than surprised when his arm was thrown across my shoulder.

"What do we do know?" I asked him after a few moments of just enjoying being close to him. He sighed deeply while he played with the tips of my hair.

"Watch and wait." He replied and I nodded. Watch and wait, we shall.


~So, what do you think? I need more reviews! They motivate me to write longer chapters and update more often. If you would like to give me any ideas, I'll gladly listen! You can even PM if you want!~