Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to Marvel or its characters and plots.
June 3, 2010
"I'm home!" Joei yelled from just inside the front door, dumping her various bags unceremoniously on the floor of the now completely refurbished living room. The plans for the Tower and the resolution of the Expo had meant that Pepper and Tony had spent a considerable amount of time in New York the past four months, making it unnecessary for Josephine to go back to Malibu to visit them. As a consequence, the last time she had seen the mansion, including her own bedroom, it had still been ruined by the fight between Iron Man and the newly named War Machine.
"Joei!" Pepper yelled from the staircase, running toward her with her arms open wide. A few steps behind her was Tony.
Joei ran forward and hugged Pepper tightly, noticing that the older woman was in a pair of Joei's pajamas, which fit a little high above her ankles, and completely barefoot. Letting go of Pepper, she moved on to hug her dad, who was in a t-shirt and his own pajama pants.
"It's almost noon, guys," said Joei, "Why are you both wearing pjs? Wait. Forget I asked. I don't actually want to know. I love this whole relationship thing, but I'll be more than happy to think of both of you as non-sexual beings."
Pepper blushed, but laughed nonetheless.
"Sleeping," said Tony, "Pepper got me to sleep."
"For seven hours," added Pepper, looking quite pleased with herself.
Joei's jaw dropped, "Seven hours? Consecutively?"
"Mmmhmm," Pepper nodded.
"That's impressive," said Joei, "Please tell me you're staying here every night."
Pepper blushed even deeper this time, prompting Tony to answer.
"Uh, no. Pepper still has her own apartment. A newer, much bigger one than before. But she lives there and sleepovers are not a regular thing right now."
"And yet you are still alive," said Joei, winking at Pepper, "Is there any chance you two could change into some normal clothes? I'm starving. Let's go get burgers."
"The doctor said no junk food," said Pepper as Joei grabbed one of her suitcases and began the trek upstairs.
"He said to cut back on the junk," said Joei, "I haven't had pizza or burgers all week. I'm eating three square meals a day, and I've been using the campus gym. That's more than can be said for any college student in the entire country. So just for today, can I please eat an Animal Style double cheeseburger and put on one of those silly white and yellow hats that remind me of the guy from Good Burger? Pretty please?"
"Double pretty please," said Tony, directing a pout at Pepper.
"Alright," Pepper rolled her eyes, receiving cheers in response from the two Starks, "Tony, help us with these bags and then go get dressed."
"Yay!"
July 13, 2010
"Forty-seven, forty-eight, forty-nine, fifty!"
"Aaaah!" Joei groaned, letting go of the bar and letting herself fall in a heap onto the mat below, "I hate you, Caitlin!"
"Say that to your six pack the next time you look in the mirror," said Caitlin, tossing Joei a towel, "You know, the one that you got in a little over a month of physical training."
"Yeah, yeah," said Joei, wiping her face and pushing herself into a sitting position, "I hope you know that I prefer Barton's class."
"Why, because he lets you shoot things?"
"Because there is no prolonged and excruciating pain involved during his three hours," said Joei, "And because he lets me shoot things."
"Don't get to comfortable," said Caitlin, taking a seat beside Joei, "I hear his next unit is on resisting torture."
"I thought that was what I was learning here," said Joei, groaning as the numbness in her arms was replaced by muscle pain and falling backward until she was lying with her knees bent on the mat.
"Hey, aside from being able to survive your mission, there is one other thing that is coming out of this: you just beat Paris Hilton in an online poll as Hottest Heiress." said Caitlin, pointing to the TV screen that was showing some silly celebrity news show.
"Please," Joei snorted, "I can beat that bitch at anything. I'm pretty sure she's on cocaine. It's only a matter of time before she gets ugly and then there will be no contest."
"That was mean."
"So was that time she called me a fake rich person, and a minority charity project." said Joei, "I'm pretty sure it was racist, too, but I don't actually know what nationality my biological parents were so..."
"I'm pretty sure if we had a TV Show, we'd also get better ratings," Caitlin laid back so that her head was resting on Joei's torso, "I'm more interesting than Nicole Richie, right?"
"You can murder a man with one hand, Caitlin," said Joei, "We'd be insanely more popular."
"And then when I decide I'm tired of your shit, we can cancel that show and I'll run off with a rock star and start a charity foundation," said Caitlin.
The room was silent for two seconds before both girls began to giggle uncontrollably. It took them a while to stop, and by the end they had both rolled over onto different mats and were clutching their sides. Joei caught her breath and looked at Caitlin seriously.
"I know you're a few years older than me," she started quietly, "But other than Jimmy and the twins, you're my only friend, Cait."
Caitlin smiled, her expression content and relaxed, "You're the only friend I have that actually knows what I do for a living. The life of a S.H.I.E.L.D Agent tends to get lonely sometimes."
"Well then let's be two less lonely Agents," said Joei with a smile.
"No homo, right?" Caitlin winked.
"All of the homo," Joei whispered back, returning the wink before both girls erupted into another fit of giggles.
"Oh, good, you're both here," Tony walked into the room, "Miss Larson."
"Mr. Stark."
"It has come to my attention that along with being a personal assistant and..." Tony looked at a page on a clipboard, "a certified personal trainer, you joined the Navy straight out of high school? And were there for six years until you decided to join a PA agency this year?"
"Yes, sir." said Caitlin, standing up quickly. Joei raised an eyebrow. She should have figured that Caitlin's cover would include an explanation for all of her skills.
"And you have training in armed combat and hand to hand combat, as well as stealth training?"
"Yes, sir."
"How would you feel about a raise, Miss Larson?"
"A raise, sir?"
"You get upped from personal assistant to undercover body guard," said Tony, "For this little lady."
"A body guard, dad?" asked Joei with a scoff, although having Caitlin around more often was not something she was against.
"You two seem to get along," said Tony, "And Caitlin has proven to be efficient and trustworthy. Tell you what, Miss Larson. You get to go to college, all paid for by yours truly, along with a much higher salary than the one you have right now. You'll be posing as Joei's assistant turned best friend turned classmate. You can go have a full college experience that I'm sure the Navy must have deprived you of, and get a degree, in exchange for throwing a few punches if anybody ever threatens either one of you. It also comes with an apartment. And health insurance."
"I don't know what to say," said Caitlin, "I mean, I'm still working for..."
"Talk it over with your agency," said Tony, referring to the personal assistant agency that he thought Caitlin was a part of, "You've got from now until August to make a decision. That's two weeks."
"Thank you, Mr. Stark."
Tony nodded, "I'll leave you to continue your workout."
Both girls turned to each other with wide eyes.
"Do you think Fury will go for it?" asked Joei, "It would make training a lot easier."
"That's true. But I wouldn't be able to take on any other missions," said Caitlin, "And I'm not sure if my S.O. will go for that. I'll call Coulson to see what he thinks."
"Would you be okay with doing it, though?" Joei bit her lip, "I don't want you to give up parts of your job that you really like just to go play college life with with me."
"Are you kidding?" Caitlin laughed, "I haven't had a vacation since I graduated from the Academy. Going to college and following you around at frat parties doesn't sound so bad after almost four years of getting shot at."
Joei rolled her eyes and laughed, "Go call Coulson. Right now. Go."
August 1, 2010
"Agent Graham."
"Agent Coulson." Caitlin nodded, "Will I need to sit this one out?"
"I'm afraid so." said Coulson, "Your clearance is about two levels too low for you to join us."
"Then I will sit here and wait patiently for you to bring back my ward," said Caitlin, putting a hand on Joei's shoulder, "Do take care of her. I get paid a lot of money to make sure she doesn't get hurt."
"It's just a simple Index Asset Evaluation, nothing to worry about," Coulson insured her, walking toward the jet that was waiting for them, "This way, Miss Stark."
Nothing to worry about, unless our Asset gets angry and turns into a giant green rage monster, thought Joei as she said goodbye to Caitlin and followed Coulson toward the jet.
"Director," Joei extended her hand as soon as she saw Fury standing inside the Quinjet.
"Junior Agent Stark," Fury nodded, shaking Joei's hand firmly, "I'm sorry we were unable to bring Agent Graham along, but you understand the secrecy that this mission involves."
"Of course, Sir. And Caitlin understands, too. How will we be going about this, exactly? What if he tries to run?"
"It's ideal that he does not." said Director Fury, "If he does, we'll take care of it."
Three hours later, Joei was standing at the front door of a cabin, a motorcycle stopped a few feet behind her.
Her surroundings were beautiful, the kind that Joei had never had an opportunity to enjoy herself. She'd spent her entire life growing up in cities, mostly near the beach. Stark family getaways involved visits to France, Italy, Morocco, but never out into the wilderness. Out here the air felt cleaner, the sounds felt soothing, and the earthy colors bathed in warm sunlight felt gentler on her eyes. She could imagine coming here, completely alone, away from cameras and TV screens and cell phones, to dip her feet in the lake and listen to the birds sing and the leaves rustle. It was a break from life, from chaos, and from crowds.
Tentatively, she knocked on the wooden front door three times, taking a deep breath and hoping that things would go according to plan. The lock clicked on the other side of the door, and Joei had to remind herself to breathe as it opened, revealing a man in a charcoal gray button up and jeans. His hair was curly and long atop his head, there was a generous amount of stubble growing along his jaw, and his eyes were tired and surrounded by dark circles. From where she stood, she could see flecks of green reflecting off the brown irises, as if the brown was making an effort to drown out the green. If Joei hadn't studied this man's picture over and over and over again for so many months, she would have almost thought that she was in the wrong place.
The man before her was very different from the scientist in the photo, who had short and neat dark hair, a clean shaven and round face, bright brown eyes hidden behind squared spectacles, and an air of confidence in his work.
"Hi," said Joei when the man didn't say a word, "Um, you probably don't know who I am..."
"I know who you are," he answered softly with a slight nod. His voice was soft and smooth, like the voice that a doctor might use on a very small patient who is afraid of getting her shots, "I already answered your father's e-mails, Miss Stark, I'm not currently available to take on any new projects so-"
"I'm not here on behalf of my father," Joei cut him off. The plan was already blown, so she might as well get on with the next part, "Please, can I come in? I don't mean to bother you, but I just really need to speak to you."
The doctor sighed heavily before nodding. He opened the door a few inches farther, allowing just enough space for her to enter, and closed it quickly.
"So, what is it you would like to speak to me about, Miss Stark?"
"Josephine is fine. Or Joei."
"Josephine," he nodded, "What can I do for you?"
"Dr. Banner, I know that you're working on a cure." she said, sitting on the couch slowly.
Dr. Banner's reaction was immediate. He tensed, his foot almost suspended in the air midstep before slowly coming down. He looked like a dear caught in headlights as he slowly stepped toward the recliner next to the couch, but did not sit down.
"And you know this how?" he asked slowly.
"Dr. Banner," she said in the gentlest voice she could muster, "Before you give me a chance to explain, please know that I am of no threat to you. I know that my father can come on very strong. And I also know that our last name was plastered on the weapons that Colonel Ross used against you at Culver."
Banner flinched slightly, still not taking a seat. However, he didn't attempt to stop her, so Joei continued.
"Dr. Banner, I am very sorry for the Stark family's indirect involvement in your confrontation with the Colonel." said Joei, "I'm also very sorry for whatever my dad has been bothering you about. I would like to intervene on your behalf, but I'm afraid that he doesn't know about this visit, and he probably won't know for a while."
"You said you're not here on his behalf. Whose behalf are you on? Who else is interested in my condition?" he asked suspiciously.
"I'm not with the military, if that's your concern. I'm here on behalf of my employer. Dr. Banner, have you ever heard of S.H.I.E.L.D?"
The scientist nodded, "In my experience, people who are approached by S.H.I.E.L.D tend to disappear."
"Only when it's necessary," said Joei, "We are a classified organization, which means that our activity must also remain classified. And on occasion, when things don't necessarily go as planned, identities become compromised and solutions are created."
"Are you here to make me disappear, Miss Stark?"
"No," Joei laughed, motioning at the cabin around her "You're doing a pretty good job of that yourself. No, Dr. Banner, S.H.I.E.L.D is interested in helping you. We've already managed to keep other parties off your trail. We have made sure that Emil Blonsky will not be released from him cell any time soon. We cleaned up Harlem, and made sure that Dr. Sterns does not pose a threat. We're on your side, Dr. Banner."
"So why approach me if you're already doing all of this anyway?" asked Banner, finally taking a seat in the recliner.
"This is a very nice cabin, Dr. Banner. Secluded, with plenty of space. The closest house is half a mile away and is usually unoccupied." said Joei, looking around, "The area is very well thought out for experimentation. The house itself, not so much."
"Do you always talk this much?"
"Yes."
"Is there a point to this?"
"I was getting there," said Joei, "You interrupted my dramatic interlude. Look, the point is, that if you try something on yourself, and it doesn't work, you might not hurt anybody out here, but this house is made of wood. I'm pretty sure Big And Green could knock this place down just by roaring. So we want to make it You-Proof."
"I should have let you keep talking."
"Are you in or are you out, Dr. Banner? If you agree, we bring in a few carpenters and in a week this place will be lined with the toughest metals on the planet, and will be able to survive your...what do you call him?"
"The Other Guy," said Banner, to which Joei raised an eyebrow, "What? It's what I call him in my head."
"Okay. In a week this place will be able to survive a big tantrum from the Other Guy. Just say yes. Also, we can provide you with any materials you need to continue your research."
"And if I fail?"
"We can provide help for that, too."
"There's a catch to this, isn't there? Don't lie to me, I can tell if you're lying."
Joei sighed, "If we need you, you help us the same way that we're helping you."
"You're a spy organization, Miss Stark. The Other Guy isn't exactly subtle. And he doesn't take orders very well."
"I wasn't talking about the other guy," said Joei, "I was talking about you. You're one of the modern era's most brilliant minds, green alter-ego or no green alter-ego."
The doctor was silent, leaning back in the chair with a pensive look on his face.
"Think about it," said Joei, "I'll be here with a crew in two days. You can tell us your decision then. I'll let myself out."
August 3rd, 2010
"This is it?" the contractor snorted incredulously as they stood before the small wooden cabin in the middle of nowhere.
"This is it," said Joei, smiling as she stepped onto the porch. Before she could knock on the front door, she noticed the small envelope taped just above the knocker. J. Stark was written on the front of the envelope in scratchy handwriting, and she quickly untaped it and opened it. Inside she found a key, accompanied by a short note.
Miss Stark,
It's yours. Do your worst. I'll be back to test it out soon.
Joei smiled to herself and placed the key in the door, letting out a happy giggle when it clicked open.
"Alright, boys," she said, turning back to the work crew, "Time to get to work."
Hellooo lovely readers. So if anyone here watches Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D, you've probably already guessed what the cabin is. If you don't watch, that's okay, but it will be an important part of what's coming for this story.
As always, I hope you will give me the grand gift of reviews.