MAIL BAG:

SliverofBlueSky (ch10): Just saying, this is IAmAnElf here. I have an account but it's terrible and I prefer not to use it (I'm more of a plot/character inventing person than a writer) I have a few ideas, so feel free to PM me if you want. I may post character bios every so often for other people to use. I hope your idea is good, though I'm struggling to think of something that would make this story better. IT'S SO GOOD! I would not recommend a love triangle, especially involving Johnny Storm. Just... No. Please don't. Friends would be good though.

Re: Don't worry; I never seriously considered a love triangle. *cackles evilly* Oh, but I have the perfect plan to mess around with Ari's love life! I also have a vague plan for the villain, and an even better plan of how I'll introduce him... Now, how to get there... MWAHAHA! Also, I appreciate all of the suggestions and ideas you have given me. I cannot thank you enough. ;-)

jdho2 (ch10): Just found your story, looking forward to more!

Re: Well, I hope this is enough to satiate you.

lagoon childe (ch1): what is the obsession with oc's having wings? is it because it's supposed to look cool or something? why not just have their flight be an internal power, like superman, wonder woman or ms. marvel? or have her propel herself with fire like the human torch? and since she does have wings, who in their right mind would send her undercover? wouldn't wings on a human being, oh i don't know, stand out?

Re: well, we all think that wings are cool, and they are. To have wings means you have to master techniques on how to fly, bank, land, etc. If she were able to just levitate, I think it'd be kinda boring. She wouldn't have as much training to go through (which will be expanded on in later chapters), and I have my reasons for giving her the specific set of powers that she does. Unfortunately, that reason will only become known during the sequel, which I already have planned. Lastly, if it was ever needed, Ari was given a hologram generator. She can also fold her wings relatively close to her back. She just can't wear tank tops and such when out in public.

Oh my gawd I cannot believe the crazy stats I'm getting on this story! Over 3.5k views!

I own nothing. Still.

Special Thanks and Shout-outs: msroe00; nerdySoHa; TeamFreeWill9034; Tumbelinaface; SliverofBlueSky; catrina . nugget (no spaces); UNSC UNDEAD BOOMER; jdho2; lagoon childe; Eclipse-WereWolf; Maddell; twistedpencil; LiteratureCat; and LoverXxofxXReading

Title: "Temporary Home" by Carrie Underwood

Previously, in My Crazy, Beautiful Life:

"Have you guys heard any of the rumors about me?"

The billionaire grins mischievously. "The one where you beat up ten agents?"

"I've already asked my girlfriend, Pepper, to prepare a floor for you."

Maybe I'd have a good reason to stay, too.

I choose to not even think about the other possibility.

My Bedroom, Avengers Tower, NYC
9 March 2014
1842 Hours, EST

I run my gaze over every inch of my new room, memorizing every edge of every corner and the placement of every piece of furniture. The plush carpet is a deep gray color. The walls are a simple cream color (or off-white, swan feather, eggshell, whatever the Hell you prefer), as well as the comforter of the queen-sized bed. Threads a few shades darker in color were used to create embroidered designs on the duvet and pillow cases. The sheets are a plain white, and the bed frame is made from a dark cherry wood.

The bed is tucked into the far left corner of the twenty-by-twenty-foot room, leaving three or four feet of space between my bed and the wall. The cherry wood of the bed frame matches the nightstand pushed against the near side of the bed and a desk standing against the wall opposite the bed. A black leather swivel chair awaits in front of the desk.

A door on the left wall leads to my personal bathroom complete with a rectangular waterfall shower head. On the right wall is a pair of double doors that swing open into a walk-in closet.

"There is a panel in the center of the back wall," JARVIS startles me, but I immediately see what the AI is telling me about. "If you press it, a palm scanner will appear. Hidden behind this wall is an area meant for a stash of weapons, your costume, or whatever you see fit. If need be, I can reprogram the scanner to accept the prints of any other teammate."

Too cool. "Thanks, JARVIS."

"It is my pleasure, Miss Beckman."

Also on my floor are my own private storage areas and a lounge/library. There's also a gym on Steve's floor that he allowed me to use, which is located almost directly below my bedroom. It's accessible by a direct private staircase or via the main elevator, which lets you out around the corner from the gym entrance.

My storage rooms are around ten square feet in area. There're a bunch of shelves and display cases in each, and the one closer to my bedroom will probably be home to most of my weapons and equipment. The farther one will most likely contain any personal mission reports and files. I almost cry at the sight of the drab pale gray walls and linoleum flooring in each room. Freaking linoleum. The color schemes need to be fixed ASAP.

The lounge is much better looking, thank gawd. The floor is covered in a soft cream shag carpeting, and the walls are a shade of periwinkle blue. The furniture seems to be from a set; the three cushion-y swivel chairs and footrests are all in the same lime green, and the curves and edges reflect those of the white couch between the chairs. Blue throw pillows, only a few shades darker than the walls, adorn the couch and chairs. Each piece of furniture is facing a sixty-inch plasma-screen TV, which is situated in front of a wall of windows that overlook Manhattan. Along the wall to the left of the doorway is a white-painted bookshelf mounted on a cabinet.

The gym below me is about twice the size of my bedroom. The walls are wood and the floors are protected with blue padding. The gym contains punching bags and different models of treadmills, bikes, various weights, and more, all of which are lined up near the wall to my right. The wall opposite is entirely covered in floor-to-ceiling mirrors. The wall directly across from me is home to metal bars with towels draped across them, and a doorway that leads to a two-stall bathroom. Tony said that there's a boxing ring that can be raised from the center of the ground with the push of a button.

Living directly above me are Natasha and Clint, above them lives Bruce, then Tony and Pepper, then the main lounge, and then Thor. I'd asked why Thor lives above the lounge, and if that had anything to do with the strange empty floor between Steve's and the assassins'. Tony told me that Thor had previously lived on my floor, but felt more at home closer to the sky, so he moved into a higher floor.

I suppose that makes sense, considering my friend Allie develops headaches if she remains away from solid land for extended periods of time. I feel somewhat bad for her, considering I only get antsy if I'm grounded for too long. You know what I mean by grounded.

I enter my bedroom after my small adventure of exploring where I will be residing for the foreseeable future. I'd dumped my duffel bags by my closet, and now I take the time to unpack my toiletries. and grab my iTouch. I'll unpack everything else after dinner. For now, I remove the comforter on my bed and curl up, earbuds in, and leave my music on repeat.

Kitchen, Avengers Tower, NYC
9 March 2014
2023 Hours, EST

Dinner preparations have already started. JARVIS informs me that we're having beef stew tonight, courtesy of Bruce's and Pepper's cooking. After slipping my gray Vans back on, I shuffle to the nearest elevator. I ask him to take me to whichever floor the two are working on, and the AI lets me out at the main lounge.

"If you go down the stairs and take a left, Miss Beckman," JARVIS instructs me, "you will find the kitchen in which Miss Potts and Mr. Banner are cooking."

"Thanks," I reply as I push open the door. I guess now's as good a time as any to introduce myself to the CEO of Stark Industries; she'd returned to the tower just over an hour ago, and having woken up from my nap, I was taking a much-needed vacation to the land of Oz. A friend had suggested the book to me- Wicked- and I'm just past the Philosophy Club scene...

Weirdest.

Scene.

Ever.

I mean, with that tiger- sorry, Tiger- and that Munchkin- and then those... weird drugs- and then creepy lady- Yackle?- I just- arg!

I haven't seen the musical yet, but I pray the Philosophy Club won't make an appearance. (1)

Anyways.

I enter the kitchen, which has a modern, monochromatic color scheme with touches of blue. The counter tops are made of black granite, and the walls are painted a pale blue. Any cabinets mounted above the counters have glass doors and black-painted wooden sides. All cabinets and drawers under the counters are made of stainless steel, along with the refrigerator. An oven and a microwave are mounted in the wall adjacent to the fridge. There are two sinks, one next to the fridge and the other on an island, to the right of the gas stove. On the other side of the island sit four bar stools.

The kitchen looks out into the dining room, which- obviously- contains a dinner table. Eight chairs are situated around the circular table, which has a lazy Susan set in the center.

Ms. Potts is slicing celery on a cutting board next to the sink on the island, while Bruce is rummaging around the fridge. A large metal pot is centered over one of the burners on the stove, but heat hasn't been turned on yet.

Both Bruce and Ms. Potts look up at the sound of the kitchen door opening and closing. "Oh, hello," she greets me cheerily as I return a small wave to Bruce, who holds a large slab of meat in his grip. "You must be Arianna. I would shake your hand, but..." She puts down the knife and waggles her fingers to imply their dirtiness.

"Oh, it's okay," I wave her off. "You must be Ms. Potts."

"Please, call me Pepper."

I smile. "Then call me Ari. Mind if I join you?"

"Not at all." She reaches over to pull out a second chopping board from a drawer before picking up two carrots. "I need you to peel these," she hands me a peeler and a clean knife, "and then cut them into quarter-inch chunks. When you get closer to the top, just slice the pieces in half. Here's a bowl to put the slices in, and for now, just throw the peelings into the sink."

"Okay." I tie my hair back in a loose ponytail, wash my hands, and get to work. Peeling each carrot takes only about a minute. Once I've cleared my work space, I begin chopping at a slower pace to get a hang of what I'm doing, before speeding up once I'm sure I've got a good technique down.

"How're you settling in?" Bruce asks while we work. "What's your room like?"

"It's nicer than my room at InFUSE, that's for sure," I begin. "While I was working for the other agency, our rooms were smaller and more uniform. We still had our own bathrooms, but they weren't as big, and we certainly didn't have walk-in closets to store our clothes."

"If you like, I can take you shopping tomorrow for paint and new sheets for your room," Pepper offers.

"That'd be nice. Thank you. Later we should have a girls' day. Thor's already sung to me his praises of the 'magnificent lady Jane Foster' so we could invite her over, and then it would be you, me, her, and Natasha... I don't know if there's anyone else in the hero business whom you'd want to invite..."

"I can think of a few names. We'll have to schedule something with the boys. They could have a boys' day while we have our girls' day."

"Sounds fun," Bruce adds. "Maybe if we bring it up at dinner, we could decide on a day."

"I'm thinking next week, or the week after, depending on how settled in I am."

"Sounds like a plan. Well, the beginning of one. Almost done?" Pepper asks, taking a quick glance in my direction.

"And..." I slice the last two big chunks in half, "yes." I scoop the remaining carrot chunks into the metal bowl and hand it to Pepper.

"Perfect," she praises as she dumps the carrots into the pot. "Thank you for your help, Ari. I appreciate it."

"Hey, it's my pleasure. Any time you need help, just ask me. Especially if it involves baking cookies." I grin mischievously, and Pepper smiles back, amused.

"Of course."

"If there's anything else you would like help with..."

"Um..." She glances over at Bruce, who is now stirring in sliced cubes of the meat into the broth. "I think we're all good to go. Thank you. Uh, the stew should be ready in about ten or fifteen minutes. I'll have JARVIS alert you."

"Okay. See you then."

My Bedroom, Avengers Tower, NYC
10 March 2014
0223 Hours, EST

Yeah, I'm still awake. Am I happy about it? Maybe. Am I mad about it? I don't know. Probably. I could blame weird mission hours on my screwed-up sleeping habits, but it's also partly me. I just don't like sleeping; it's always been a hassle. It really sucks when you wake up early and you feel all terrible and pissy in the morning, but why should I have to deal with that when I can just gain energy from the sun's heat?

This was a slight side-effect of the serum, and because of that, this ability has always... temperamental, to say the least. I seem to crash at any given moment, no matter how much energy I take in. I'd decided to stop using this ability due to its unpredictability, but sometimes I just can't get myself to fall asleep at night.

And now, like most nights, I find myself lying on my new bed, still clothed in jeans and sneakers, and wide awake.

My default action is to grab my iTouch and blast music through my earbuds, but now, even that doesn't seem satisfying enough. What if I got a book to read... or nah. I could watch TV in my lounge... but there's usually nothing on this late- I check my clock- I mean, early in the morning.

"JARVIS, is anyone else up?" I ask the ceiling.

"Mr. Odinson is currently awake," the AI informs me. "He is in his room, if you would like to find him."

"M'kay, thanks." I pause. "Is there roof access? At the very top of the tower?"

"Of course. The elevator will take you to the ninetieth floor, and there you will find a stairwell that leads up the next three stories."

"Thank you."

"It is my pleasure, Miss Beckman."

I climb out of bed and trade my blue cotton shorts for a pair of black sweatpants, and then pull on a gray Oxford University sweatshirt to cover my pink tank top. When I'm done putting on a pair of socks and my Vans, I head to the elevator. True to JARVIS's word, the elevator shoots up to the ninetieth floor and lets me out. Thankfully, the door to the stairwell is right next to the elevator. I frown when I hear the echoes from my footsteps tear through the silence, feeling like the noise could wake the whole tower.

When I finally make it to the roof, I remember to braid my hair to avoid tangles from the wind (I have the same issue when flying). I carefully open the door and step out into the cold night air. It feels good to have the air whip around me, even if my feet are still on the ground. I stand still, arms lifted slightly, eyes closed in thought. I don't turn when I hear heavy footsteps behind me.

"Hello, Thor."

"Greetings, Ari." He comes closer until he is standing next to me. "What brings you up here?"

"The wind helps me think."

"That is also the reason for my presence. What might you be pondering?"

"Life. Where it goes up, why it goes down."

"A heavy topic for a young mind."

"I've experienced enough to make me no longer a child. If you're implying that I'm innocent, I'm not." I add quietly, "Not since nine years ago."

"You were..." the god pauses, remembering my story, "only eleven years old. What happened?"

"I got my powers, is what happened. When you're not like me, you think that it'd be the coolest thing in the entire world to have powers. But then when you do develop powers, it turns out that it's not at all like you expected. If you don't learn to control your abilities soon, you put at risk everyone around you, especially if you have destructive powers like me."

"That sounds like a terrible life."

"Yeah." Another pause, another thought flitting through my mind. "I have a friend who always says, 'Fight for your life, for your happy ending. If it isn't happy, don't let it be the end.'"

I turn to face him, and he smiles. "Wise words."

Just an FYI- my vision of the tower layout goes like this:

-Thor's floor
-Main lounge/kitchen/dining room
-Tony and Pepper's floor, Tony's personal workshop
-Tony and Bruce's shared workshop/Bruce's floor
-Widow and Hawkeye's floor
-Ari's floor
-Steve's floor/personal gym
-Main gym

(1) True story bro. Wicked is a weird but extremely good novel. I highly recommend it to anyone interested in fantasy literature. The musical is also extremely well-done, but the book goes into way more detail about characters' back-stories, the politics, etc.

I hope all o' y'all's summers are going well (or winters if you live in the Southern Hemisphere). Either way, it's probably going better than mine. :-( Next summer, I refuse to take any part in summer courses!

OMG OMG OMG 40 FOLLOWERS OMG OMG THANK YOU MADDELL WHO IS MY 40TH FOLLOWER

I know there was mostly description in this chapter, but I was thinking a training chappy next, and maybe some kicking of the ass later? :-) Speaking of which, chapters will now- hopefully- be between 2k and 3k words in length.