A/N: Chapter Ten! Just celebrated chapter 200 on The Changeling, but I'm just as excited reaching chapter 10 on this work as 200 on that one. Drop me a review if you want to celebrate with me! I love you guys so much! I wanted to thank you, my loyal readers, as because of you I've been asked to take part in the Freelancer Collaboration: the Avenger Games. I'm so excited for it! Thank you so much for your loyalty!
Elle stretched as she rose from her bed the next morning. With a yawn, she pulled the covers off and put on her slippers. She walked from her bed over to her attached bathroom and decided to run a bath.
"What are you doing up so early," Clint asked her, following her into the bathroom.
"Really, Clint, do you have to be in here," she complained while starting the water.
Clint smirked, "I'll be right outside while you take your bath. But seriously, it's like five o'clock. Everyone else is still asleep!"
"Yeah well, I want to take a bubble bath."
Clint threw up his hands, "Whatever, kid."
He left the bathroom and sat down outside the door on the floor. He had traded off with Pepper about three hours ago, and since then he'd been reading the Lord of the Rings trilogy. He'd first read the books several years ago upon Bruce's insistence, and since then had come to love them.
Elle poured herself some bubbles and eased into the soaking tub. For a moment, all her cares melted away as the soap washed over her and enveloped her like a hug. The warm, scented water floated over her skin and gave her a million tiny kisses. The sound of the gentle lapping of the water lulled her into a quiet serenity.
"You doing alright in there," Clint asked through the door after about ten minutes of nothing.
"Mm hm," she smiled, her eyes closed.
"You know," Clint commented, "I'll talk to Bruce, but I think you're good enough to spend time on your own now."
"Really?"
That got her attention.
"Yeah," Clint nodded, "I mean, I don't think you need someone with you twenty-four-seven. Unless you think otherwise?"
"No, of course not!"
"Good. Then I'll see what I can do."
About ten minutes later, Clint heard the water going down the drain. Elle got out of the bath and dried herself off before she realized she'd forgotten to bring clothes in.
"Damn."
"What?"
"Forgot clothes."
"Tell me what you want and I'll grab you some," Clint offered.
"Just a tee-shirt and jeans."
"Right."
Clint gathered up all her articles of clothing and knocked on the bathroom door.
"Room service!"
Elle rolled her eyes and opened the door a crack to grab the clothes. She slipped them on and opened the door. Leaving the bathroom, she turned the light out. The sweet scent of freshly cut roses wafted from the door and into the bedroom.
"You look refreshed," Clint told her with a smirk.
"I feel it. I've never felt this good, at least not in a long time," Elle smiled, "What time is it?"
Clint checked his phone, "Six o'clock."
"Too early for breakfast," she asked with a frown.
"It's NEVER too early for breakfast," Clint replied with a smile.
The two went downstairs via the elevator and stopped in the lounge. There was a small kitchenette with breakfast foods for the mornings.
"What do you want?"
"Just milk and cereal please," Elle told him.
"Coming right up."
Steve came up the elevator from the gym. He had been doing his morning stretches.
"Aren't you all up early," he said in surprise.
"That's what I told her," Clint nodded as he poured the girl her breakfast.
"I just wasn't tired. I had a really good sleep," Elle smiled.
"What about now," Steve asked in concern, "How are your… your voices?"
"Surprisingly quiet."
"That's good!"
Or was it?
"Yeah," Elle agreed.
Steve grabbed a glass of orange juice and made some toast while Clint got out a chocolate Poptart and some milk. Elle sat at the bar while the men stood on the other side facing her. The lights were on low because it was just barely starting to grow light out.
"Jarvis told me you guys were up," Sharon smiled as she walked out of the elevator, "Hello, you must be Elle Daring. I'm Agent Sharon Carter, but you can call me Sharon."
"Nice to meet you," Elle shook the blonde woman's hand.
"Pleasure's all mine," Sharon shook her head, "So, what's for breakfast?"
"Whatever you can find," Steve smiled.
"I'll have jelly toast please!"
"Coming right up," Steve assured her.
Clint rolled his eyes at how eager Steve was to impress Sharon. He himself had known the woman for years now. They'd met back when he'd been dating Bobbi Morse, who was a friend of Sharon's. After he and Bobbi… split… Clint and Sharon had remained friends. They simply avoided the topic of Bobbi Morse all together.
Elle could hear what Steve was thinking and she smirked. The poor man- so eager to impress this girl. But Sharon evidently thought highly of him too, so who knows? Maybe one day the two would get together. All Elle knew was that Steve had a BIG crush on Sharon. And Sharon thought he was a 'such a gentleman.'
"What's on the agenda for today," Sharon asked them.
"Honestly I think it's up to Agent Love," Steve shrugged, "Right?"
"Yeah probably," Clint confirmed, "She's going to tell us how best to help Elle here."
Elle shrugged, "I only hope it works."
"It will, hun," Sharon assured her, "It will. Have faith."
Elle nodded.
Clint reached behind the bar of the kitchenette and pulled out the remote for the small TV behind them. Switching it on, the news came up.
"The police are calling them "Serial Suicides" until further notice. Again, if you are just tuning in, two more men have been found dead in their kitchens this morning. Local police are investigating, but they claim that there is nothing connecting the victims other than how they died. But all results are negative for murder, so they have to be suicides."
"What's that," Sharon asked, "Two more? So what's that- three?"
"Yeah, that's three," Steve confirmed with a frown.
"Serial suicides," Clint furrowed his brow, "Is that even possible?"
"Apparently," Sharon shrugged, "Nothing the local police can't handle, I'm sure. NYPD is pretty good."
"You're right," Steve agreed.
Elle didn't say anything.
"You alright, Elle," Clint asked her.
"What," she shook her head to clear it, "Oh, yeah, sure. I'm fine."
"You sure," Steve frowned.
"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine."
Clint shrugged and turned back to the TV. He flipped through the channels until he found a replay of last night's New York Rangers, Philadelphia Flyers hockey game. He finished off his milk and Poptart and got out a second chocolate one.
"How many of those have you had, Clint," Sharon asked with a smile.
Clint protested, "This is only my second, woman!"
Elle rolled her eyes, "Yeah, but you're thinking of having a third."
"Oh quit using your psychic powers, kid."
They all laughed at that.
"Jarvis," Clint said, "Transfer this game over to the big TV."
"Done, sir."
The big TV by the couches turned on to the game and Clint and the others retired over to it having finished their meal. They sat on the couches and watched the hockey game. Soon, Bruce joined them and had his breakfast too.
"How are you feeling this morning, Elle," he asked her seriously.
"Fine, actually," she smiled, "almost like something last night refreshed my mind."
"Hmm," he smiled, "Well, that's good."
Or was it?