Othel disregarded her phone when it rang for the millionth time on a cloudy Saturday afternoon. Every time she picked it up, she ended up staring at Stark's name flashing on the caller ID. Couldn't he leave her alone for just one day of the week?! Sighing loudly, she pressed ignore...again. Didn't he spend enough time pissing her off? Could he not bug his girlfriend or Fury or one of the other Avengers? Why did it have to be her of all people?!
Then there was a loud knock on her door. She chose not to answer the door because she was too busy wallowing in self-pity on her cot on the floor. The knock came again, louder and more insistent than previous. Well, surely they weren't those damn Jehovah's Witness people. Yes, she heard the good news. She didn't want to hear it from them.
"I'm coming dammit!" she yelled at the irritatingly persistent visitor. "Whatever you're selling or condoning, I'm not-" The words died in her throat when she saw all the Avengers in her doorway. "What the fuck are you guys doing here? How did you know where I live?!"
"Do you kiss your mother with that mouth?" Captain America retorted.
"No. But I'll kiss you if that's your preference," she snapped in return.
She went back into her apartment, expecting them to let themselves in. They all did as soon as her back was turned. She pressed her lips into a thin line willing herself not to kill the visitors as they commented on her home. So what if she hadn't slept in two days? So what if the dark circles under eyes resembled the black eyes? So what if her house was on the bad side of town and she had no furniture?
"Jesus, Othel, how long you been living like this?"
"Since I got here. There's nothing wrong with it. Quit making a big deal out of it."
"I must agree with Anthony. Thou should not live in such poor conditions. Tis worrisome."
"Tony, have you been decreasing her pay?" Steve asked darkly. Apparently he was quite the sensitive little prick.
"What?! No! How's this my fault?"
"You're her employer and her team member," Bruce said from behind Captain Towhead. "You should be giving her some help."
"Tony didn't do anything wrong," Othel snapped, not in the mood for any kind of company. She'd rather just be alone with her thoughts. "My medical bills are...extensive to say the least. I'm on a budget to pay rent, bills, electricity and so on."
"Why didn't you say anything? I could've helped out."
"Indeed, we would most certainly have come to thy aid."
The room suddenly felt smaller as the broad-shouldered men and bitchy woman forced their way around her tiny apartment. They were looking out windows and carrying things away to some unknown destination. Natasha was on a phone and pulling out a loaded gun before slipping out into the hallway with Barton. What the hell was going on?! The way they were acting made her think there was a bomb somewhere in the building. When Banner moved to wheel her towards the door, Othel used her arms to stop him in the doorway.
"Woah, woah, woah!" she screamed. "What the fuck?!"
"The United States has been compromised. The virus is here. It's in New York," Tony said hurriedly. "Fury is flying us out to the helicarrier. It's safer there."
The sound of gunshot made them all look up. Thor and Steve dashed up as well when the sound of screeching sounded. The parasite...it was in her building. She could already be infected. Fear swept through her system. Who would continue her research?
"Shit, we gotta go" Tony grumbled. "We're about to get swarmed."
"How did I not know-"
"You never answer our calls, dumbass. Now come on before I get golden boy here to carry you."
"Mean bastard," she countered, sighing with exasperation. "You wouldn't dare."
"Try me," he threatened.
The sound of gunshots and running became more prevalent. Thor hauled her over his shoulders and started running. Othel could see parasite victims at the bottom of the stairwell. They looked so dead as they struggled to get to the Avengers as they retreated. What was happening to her life? Was this the end of the world? Would they survive this?