Hey guys! Sorry it's taken me a while, longer than I'd anticipated really. College just sort of smacked me in the face with reality haha.

Anyway, here is the promised offering, my lords and ladies, and please enjoy! Excuse any mistakes, my beta didn't get to edit for me so any mistakes I didn't catch are on me.


According to Willow's calculations, it had been a year since the "big week" when Thor had defeated the Destroyer and Tony had been set right after his palladium poisoning madness. Since Steve was now being defrosted, that meant that the Avengers Initiative was winding down as a shelf project and Phase Two had been started. If Willow could get this right, she might be able to boot the Initiative back up with her arrival as a valuable bargaining chip for SHIELD, which she would allow for the time being until the time was right for her to topple SHIELD around the same time Steve did and rebuild it from almost literal scratch. As for her being a bargain chip: she knew Steve, could prove to be lure for Tony, and also had plans about Doctor Banner. Natasha had been charged with watching over him, and Willow had plans for General Ross, especially his daughter. The sooner she could get hands on JARVIS and her brother, the better.

"Willow," a slightly amused voice said, and Willow started as she looked up into the smiling face of Phil. She grinned.

"Hi. Sorry, I was planning world domination," she said cheekily, and Phil chuckled, glancing at Fenrir trotting behind her.

"I'm not even going to ask." He glanced at Clint next to her. "I got the transcript of her background." He tilted his head towards Willow, who felt slightly annoyed that she hadn't guessed that Clint would do that. Clint sent her a guilty look that Willow waved off.

"Thanks," she said simply. "Saves trouble for me."

Phil nodded. "I'm here to take you to get debriefed by Fury, Willow. Agents Barton and Romanoff will be informed of their next mission in the meantime," he said, more business like, and Clint sent her a questioning glance that time. Willow nodded at Phil as serenely as possible, even if she was sure they could hear her heart thumping.

"We'll be there," Natasha said easily, dragging a reluctant Clint away. Phil turned to her as they started walking down a hallway of the main SHIELD base in New York.

"I received two transcripts from Clint. One was for my eyes only that I destroyed after reading, and the other was your official document that will go under SHIELD files and be read by others that have access," he said casually, and Willow blinked.

"Oh," she managed, and felt like smacking herself. Genius answer, Willow. Of course Phil would know her real story. He was her handler after all. "Thanks," she quickly followed up, trying to get used to the fast pace things went at here.

"You'll get used to it." Phil read her easily, and she smiled.

"I'll try," she said.

"I'll have Delta catch me up on any new developments, and come back to get you once Fury's satisfied," he went on as they entered an elevator and went up, and this time Willow was prepared to read into the statements. Delta was the team name for the two assassins, and developments meant the other stuff they'd talked about on the jet that he'd need to know.

"Thanks, I'll be ready," she answered swiftly, taking the file he held out to her and subtly telling him that she was prepared for Fury's questions. "I'm sure Team Delta will inform you of everything," she added for good measure, just as they arrived at the door.

Phil knocked after glancing at her to show he'd gotten the message. A voice behind the door answered, and he opened the door, motioning them in. Willow gave him the most confident smile she could muster, then stepped inside with Fenrir close behind. The door clicked shut, and Willow clutched the file as she forced herself to walk inside the large office. It was made to look imposing, she decided, considering the large screens and leather chairs that she could remember from the Captain America movie.

Fury looked up from his desk as she entered, and as soon as she saw him, Willow felt strangely relaxed. Here, she was safe. Even if Fury didn't know her, this was one of the safest places in the world to be, physically. As long as she was on the right side. The black eyepatch gleamed under the lights, and Willow put on her best pokerface, which she knew was pretty good according to others.

"Sit, Agent Freya," Fury said curtly, pointing to a chair in front of the desk. Willow approached and sat down, setting the file on the edge of the desk.

"Pleasure to meet you, Director," she said politely, while Fenrir curled at her feet. Fury gave him a glance before focusing on her, setting his pen down.

"Tell me about yourself, Agent," he said, picking up the file she'd set down and flipping through it.

"My name is Willow Freya Stark, born in 1927 and declared officially deceased in 1943 at the age of sixteen. My father was Howard Stark and I was the first mutant of the century. I was also involved in Project Rebirth, a patient of Doctor Erskine, and the mascot of the Howling Commandos. Adopted sister of Thor due to unexplained circumstances and now eighteen years of age, ready to report for duty under Handler Coulson," Willow immediately said, voice even and mild. Fury looked at her sharply with his one eye, setting the file down and folding his hands on the desk.

"So your file says. Would you mind elaborating?" he asked, leaning forwards.

So Willow explained, about her coma and the dream - omitting how far into the future she'd seen, of course - and how she didn't know how she ended up on Thor's home world, and how she ended up where she was now. For good measure, she added that Laura Barton had declared her truthful as well as Agent Romanoff. Then she dropped the bomb. "I'm also an inadvertent and uncalled for level ten," she added, and Fury looked at her for a long, long time. Willow wondered if he could see her sweating, and dearly hoped not.

"You would make a terrible liar, I do believe," Fury finally said.

"I am. I'm a wonderful selective truther though," she replied, lips twitching as her fingers twiddled nervously.

"And apparently a terrible agent," Fury noted pointedly.

"Well no one knows about the details I know about level ten projects." She shrugged nonchalantly. "Even stuff about yourself you thought you'd buried."

Fury's lip curled slightly. "Then let's see how much you know," he goaded. Willow, seeing an opportunity to pull strings, complied.

She told him about himself, Cold War and eye and Pierce and everything. She mentioned the operations that were still running under heavy cover despite all official paperwork. She even mentioned the names of Project PEGASUS and Phase Two. By the time she finished, still outwardly collected and straining every fiber of her brain to see every angle of this scene, Fury looked like he was forming plans as well. He leaned back in his chair.

"And what, exactly, is your reason for wanting to work with SHIELD?" Fury asked, and Willow knew she'd found a string. She practically yanked it.

"Several. It's a win-win situation for you, honestly. You get a level ten agent who is a mutant and a Stark, and I get a job that I want to be in. All I ask for is that I get to be there when Steve Rogers wakes up, I get to be the one to convince Stark to join the Avengers Initiative, I get clearance to level ten information and authority, and my handler is Phil Coulson." She studied him from under hooded eyelashes. "Surely it's not so bad of a deal?"

Fury leaned forwards without a blink, eye boring into her. "And if I don't buy that that's the only thing you want?" he asked, and Willow remembered Natasha's advice.

"Phil brings in lots of strays. They turn out to be good for you, Grandpa Fury, and bad for the World Council. This is my world too, and I want to be a part of protecting it," she replied with a clear grin in his direction.

Fury looked like he wanted to pinch the bridge of his nose. Instead he just leaned back. "First tell me what you know about Thor," he sighed, and Willow obliged readily enough.

"He's a friendly. Just keep an eye on Erik Selvig, Jane Foster, and Darcy Lewis, and you'll have his gratitude and friendship. He cares about this world. He considers it to be under his personal protection," she contributed, knowing that that wouldn't harm anyone.

"Is that all?" Fury asked her somewhat acerbically.

"That's all I know of him at this point," she said, raising her palms.

"And is that all you know about the future?"

And now we get to the real point, Willow told herself dryly. Fenrir's ears pricked. "Future knowledge only goes so far, and even if I was sure about what might happen, it's prone to change," she said simply. Fury eyed her carefully, but she had told the truth. Selective truth, but truth nonetheless. For the time being, the Director seemed satisfied.

"And what makes you think I won't tell the World Council about you?" he asked, and Willow tried to tamp back her grin, only partially succeeding.

"Me in their hands? What a disaster, Director. Besides, I'm pretty sure it's default SHIELD protocol to keep things out of the World Council's hands," she said as blandly as possible.

He slightly glared at her, but said nothing. "This is your deal," he finally said, sliding the contract across to her. Willow picked it up, skipping to the fine print at the back. After a few minutes of careful scanning, Willow was satisfied that there weren't any suspicious little clauses that might promise trouble later.

"And my clearance and other minor requests?" she asked mildly.

"Clearance will be issued right away and the rest are just your duties," Fury replied, and she nodded before signing the paper and handing it back to him. "Coulson is at the door, I believe," Fury dismissed her, and Willow stood with the file and contract back in her hands.

"Thank you for your time and compliance, Director." She smiled smoothly and bowed, Fenrir following after her as she left. Fury said nothing, and as soon as she had breezed past Coulson and was in the elevator, she slumped to the floor. Fenrir nudged her as she patted his nose absently.

"I have never been more relieved in my life," she croaked, while Phil chuckled.

"I can imagine, what with the many bullets you had to dodge," he said, and Willow knew he'd been filled in.

"Glad you understand," she said, handing him the file along with the double-message.

Phil flipped through the contract and files, eyebrows raising. "You've pulled strings," he observed.

"It was probably bound to happen either way," she grumbled. "I'm too young for this espionage stuff," she groaned.

"You'll get used to it," Phil reiterated. "You're about 67 anyway, remember?"

"Well now I do, thank you very much," she grouched sourly as he chuckled.

"Team Delta has been sent off on their mission. Your work space will be prepared as soon as possible. If you need anything today, you can come work in my office. I'll get the clearance card for you as soon as we get a picture taken," he informed, while Willow nodded.

"Sounds good!" she agreed as they left the elevator and began walking down hallways.

"I checked up on him," Phil finally mentioned, and Willow stifled her smirk despite the sudden pang of sorrow as she realized that Anna had been so much like Phil.

"Oh?" Willow asked with interest.

"They've put him in a room that's designed to look like older New York," he went on, and Willow tilted her head.

"Once I get clearance, I'm doing my work in there," she declared, and Coulson sent her a small smile even as they entered a large office.

"I'm not surprised," he admitted, and then proceeded to grab a huge camera and take pictures of her in front of the large bay window. The form for the card was sent out immediately, while Coulson instructed her on stuff she'd need to know. She wouldn't really be a major Agent as far as official paperwork, more a field Agent like a Team Delta, which she could accept just fine. Peachy, in fact. Another Agent dropped by a few minutes later with the card and a 1940s outfit, and Willow tucked the card into her belt after donning the new 'uniform.' Fenrir's tongue lolled out as he looked at her, and Willow huffed.

"Don't look at me like that, Fen, that's how clothes were back in the day," she grumbled, foregoing the hat.

"Here. We'll get you a better one later but for the basics it should work for now," Phil said, handing her a tablet. Willow took it with a smile.

"Thanks," she said, and he nodded.

"Should I take you there?" he asked, and Willow smiled openly that time.

"Eh, another excuse for you to see Cap works for me." She winked, and earned a resigned sigh as they walked out, Willow laughing as Fenrir decided they were mad.

When they finally arrived in the room, though, Willow was silent and slightly pale, wondering if it was a good idea to be here. Like it was for Steve, her memories of saying goodbye to him and Bucky were still rather fresh, and the wounds were still bleeding like a paper cut - superficial but with pain through the roof. The roof of the palace in Asgard. Swallowing, she set the tablet on a table next to the bed and sank into the chair, not noticing when Phil quietly let himself out. Taking a deep breath, she forced herself to look at his face, feeling the comforting presence of Fenrir on her feet. Steve's face was peaceful, and his hair was so neatly combed that Willow had to crack a smile.

"I bet it was Phil," she told the unconscious soldier confidingly. "He's such a big fan of yours I'm surprised he's not asphyxiating yet. I promised him you'd sign his cards," she informed the super-soldier, then curled herself into a ball on the chair, placing her head on her knees and looking at his face forlornly. "I can't wait for you to wake up," she whispered. "I miss you, Steve. I still owe you an apology for not saying goodbye."

Steve didn't move, but the way his chest rose and fell assured her that he was alive and well, and that he would wake up sooner or later. Hopefully sooner. Willow just stared at him for a while, thinking about her life. After some time, she finally reached out and touched his arm hesitantly as though he would sit up and punch her, even if she knew that he'd been moved about quite a bit. Like Bucky and the cryofreeze, it would take some time for Steve to fully come out of his suspended animation.

Shoving away all thoughts of a certain Big Brown Wolf Brother, she instead focused on how hot Steve's temperature was. It was due to the serum and his increased metabolism that his normal temperature was higher than other humans, and Willow had taken advantage of that quite a few times before. She loved warming herself next to the golden furnace, especially when her sickness caused her naturally low temperature and blood pressure to plummet dangerously. It warmed her hand now, and made her feel relieved and safe. For the first time that day, Willow felt at peace. She had (she sure hoped) gained the trust of Clint Barton, Natasha Romanoff, and Phil Coulson, and she had faced Fury, and it was over.

Sighing, Willow pulled her hand away and picked up the tablet, opening it and making sure it was on mute before scrolling through the SHIELD files downloaded on the device. She finally managed to find the information she was looking for after being sidetracked too many times, and opened it eagerly.

Peggy Carter, founder of the Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement, and Logistics Division. Current whereabouts: Veterans Nursing Home.

Willow looked at the picture of the older woman for a moment, thinking about the woman she knew from all those years ago. The one who'd shot Steve's shield when he first got it. The woman who had asked to borrow her Dad for a life-threatening mission to help the men they both loved. The woman who gave Steve permission to get close to her when she asked. The woman who did so much for them all, and for America. The woman who had loved and was loved by Steve Rogers. Not captain America. Not the hero. The man. Tears welled in Willow's eyes, and she blinked them away, determined to take Steve to her as soon as possible after he woke up.

After saving the page, Willow then went on the Internet and tried to look up all she could on Tony Stark. Surfing the net for a good two hours, she finally concluded that the events of Iron Man Two had already happened and that Three would take place after the first Avengers debut, which was frankly both terrifying and relieving to her. She next went to find the position of General Ross and Doctor Betty, finding that she had to pull rank to access the information. Apparently Fury was keeping a careful eye on the man. As Willow found out, Doctor Betty (she refused to call her Ross because that woman was too good for that name) was being held at an army scientific research base on the outskirts of Washington D.C. by order of her father. Willow curled her lip, then tucked away that fact into her mind. She'd get around to seeing about that issue, just they wait and see.

It was early evening by the time she finished looking up all she wanted to, and Willow was more than ready to sleep. After debating it in her mind, Willow decided that it wouldn't hurt and climbed next to Steve, huddling up at his side while Fenrir slept lightly on the floor. Double checking that the tablet was safely stowed away where Steve wouldn't see it, she allowed his soothing heat to cause her to drift off.

She didn't know that Phil and Clint refused to allow anyone to move them.


It was cold. Freezing cold. That's really all Willow knew or could feel. Freezing cold, and a silence that scared her to no end because she had the distinct feeling that it wasn't supposed to be this quiet in here. Almost whimpering in pain because of the cold that was overcoming her, Willow crept painfully through the vast expanse of slushy misery until she finally saw movement.

When she approached, it was movement she didn't like at all. It was, in fact, a giant mass of darkness that leered with red eyes, looming over her like the personification of every nightmare known to mankind. Distinctly annoyed and unimpressed, Willow pointed a blue finger at him - because she felt it was a him - and glared. "No," she hissed, and immediately the thing was siphoned into her instead. Her head ached from processing and accumulating to the new addition, and she stood there for a few precious moments while her lips turned purple.

"Hello?" she finally whispered in exhaustion, feeling her heart sink when there was no answer. For once, Willow despised her skills. This was too real for her. Dreams are often harsher than life itself, and she'd already fought outmatched battles and faced demons from the underworld itself with Loki; she didn't want this! Willow finally stumbled into some semblance of a clearing, where the temperature was still too low but noticeably warmer than where she had just been.

Shivering violently, Willow collapsed against the ice-less floor and curled up in a ball of cold and pain. She hardly noticed when the temperature began to get a little warmer, and the slush disappeared. She did notice, though, when a hand landed on her arm.

"Doll?" a familiar, hoarse voice asked, and Willow burst into tears. Guilty tears, sad tears, pained tears, she didn't know and had the feeling it was all of them. Raising her stiff hands helplessly, she pleaded through sobbing for help. For warmth. There was an answer as someone grasped her hands, then sat down and wrapped themselves around her. Willow curled into the physical contact, shivering and crying.

"Don't cry, Baby Doll," the voice rasped, and Willow bawled, clutching him.

"Bucky!" she finally wailed. "Bucky!" She wanted to tell him she was sorry. She wanted to cry that it wasn't fair. She wanted to make sure he knew that she didn't mean to leave him, that she loved him so much.

"It's fine, Willow," Bucky's voice answered, and the understanding in his tone was enough. Willow stopped crying. It wasn't because she was relieved. It was because Bucky could still forgive, even after all this time. Forgive the fact that she left him alone to freeze in this frozen slush of his battered mind.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry," she finally whispered. "I love you. I love you," she whimpered, burying her face into his neck, noticing vaguely that his hair was longer now. That hurt. The realization that he had already done a certain mission almost had her losing it again. She'd never see her father again, or get to know her step-mother. She'd never know them again, never get to tell her father goodbye. Why? Because of the man she loved as a brother. The man who she left alone. The man who forgave her.

"I didn't mean to. I didn't," she said over and over like a broken record.

"Doll, you sure you don't need help?" Bucky's half-pitying, half-joking tone made her poke his chest softly.

"Don't," she sighed. "Just don't."

There was a silence for a while.

"Hey Willow? Will anyone ever find me?" he asked weakly.

Willow's head shot up so that she was looking straight into his tired blue eyes. "I'm workin' on it. I promise," she said as firmly as she knew how. "I'm working on it."

His smile was crooked, but it was there, even if it was a little ragged around the edges. "I'm depending on ya, sweetheart," he chuckled, but there was a strained tone in his voice.

"I met Natasha," Willow whispered, playing with his hair. Bucky's head turned to her.

"What?"

"She joined SHIELD. It's an Agency developed by Stark and Peggy Carter to continue the good work of protecting freedom and people," she replied with a smile. "Nat's one of the best agents and I work with her and her partner."

Bucky blinked. "She works with others? You're an Agent? What'd I miss?" he practically demanded, and Willow had to swallow thorns and needles to keep from blurting other things he'd missed and was missing.

"She was picked up by Agent Barton, who was told to take her out but made a different call. They're the best Team Duo in the entire agency, and I just recently joined the team. You'd be proud of her, Bucky. You should be. She's amazing. Doesn't trust easily, but still incredible," she said, calmly making little braids in his hair. Whether she was calming herself or him, she wasn't quite sure.

"Good. That's good. Knew she had it in her." Bucky smiled faintly but proudly, and Willow felt an ache in her chest. Good thing she'd gotten used to that ache long before now. Loki forbid anyone finding out that it was from fandom feels, though.

"How long you gonna be gone this time, Doll?" He sounded so forlorn she wondered her heart didn't break. Once she found him, he wasn't leaving her sight. Nope. No. Absolutely not. Or Steve's if not hers. They'd take shifts.

"I don't know," her voice cracked. "I didn't mean to stay away so long, but I couldn't help it. I didn't mean to. I hope I'll come back sooner this time," she sighed, leaning against him again. Bucky held her tightly like a pillow, ignoring the single braid that his hair was now sporting.

"I know," he replied, resting his head on hers. "But every time you come back, I get to keep a little more. Every time you come back and they put me in the blender, I come back a little faster. I wish you didn't have to go," he groaned.

"Why can't you fight them off? Just run. Go," she asked, though she knew what the answer would be.

"I can't, Willow. They have trigger words. Somehow they flush me out long enough so I can't do anything. And by the time I think I can have enough control, here comes the words or its back under." He sounded frustrated to no end. "I just can't."

Willow said nothing, just clinging to his shirt. "I'm sorry," she whispered wetly again. "I'm trying. I'm trying."

"It's fine, Doll. I'll wait. As long as it takes," he murmured into her hair, and Willow almost started bawling again.

"I should be the one comforting you," she tried to protest weakly, and Bucky laughed dryly.

"No chance, sugar. Who's the one always comforting you and Steve?" he teased back, and Willow wondered if he still thought Steve alive. Perhaps if he didn't know the time. She still wondered, though. Probably HYDRA would have kept any and all news away from him about Captain America.

Willow barely managed a smile. "I wish I could say it was me," she humored him, and they chuckled together.

"Y'know, they told me he's dead. I don't believe them," Bucky said gravely. "He's not dead, Willow, is he?" There wasn't even hope in his voice, just an expectation for confirmation.

"No, he's not dead," she replied softly.

"Did you tell him about me?" Bucky asked quietly, and Willow smiled.

"We're looking for you. To the end of the line," she said confidently, and Bucky closed his eyes before leaning over her again.

"To the end," he murmured, and Willow could feel herself waking up.

"Love you," she whispered. She wasn't sure if she was glad or mad that she didn't get to hear an answer.


"Why is she steaming?" A voice was hissing.

Willow's eyes shot open as she whimpered, clutching onto whatever she was holding 'cause it was really, really warm, and she needed that right now. Her eyes slowly focused on a rather muscly arm, and Willow yelped before jerking away and promptly landing on her backside on the floor.

"Now I'm really disturbed," a voice said above her, and she peered into Clint's face for a good ten seconds before recognizing him.

"Eh?" she asked intelligibly, then yawned and ruffled her already-Afro hair.

"You were literally steaming a minute ago when you were holding onto Steve. Now you fall off the bed. What's going on?" Clint asked, sounding a bit spooked.

Willow sat up and shook her head, looking down at her arms that were indeed letting off some faint wisps of steam. "Oh. I dream-hopped again, and it wasn't pretty." She winced.

"Dream-hopped? Did you enter a fire or something?" he asked incredulously. "Besides, isn't it just a dream?"

Willow gave him a look. "No, they're not 'just dreams' because I am physically affected by what goes on in the dreams I happen to end up in. There's a fire? Run 'cause it's gonna hurt like a real one if I get caught in it. End up in Siberia? Well guess what you're dressed in pajamas so when you wake up and come in contact with something pretty warm then you steam." She pointed at her arm as she explained in a flat tone. Clint looked at her like he'd never seen her before and was sporting green skin.

"So you mean when you dream-hop you actually visit a dream. Like, for real," he clarified, and she nodded stiffly. "Can you die?"

She snorted. "No, but I sure can get hurt." She said sourly. "Got impaled a few times visiting a veteran's dream." She tried not to laugh hysterically at her own description of Loki. That one was never becoming known to anyone. "Hurt really bad." Then she turned to Steve and sighed. "Wish you'd wake up soon, Commander, 'cause I've got work to do with you," she said morosely, ignoring the soft sounds of the tinny radio on the dresser.

"I see you slept well," Fury's dry voice entered the conversation, and Willow looked up at him.

"Yessir, and I expect I will be for a while," she replied just as acerbically, making Clint smirk discreetly.

"Better watch that he doesn't wake up before you," Fury said with a straight face, and Clint outright snickered.

"I'm a 67 year old teenager, cut me some slack please, Director. I do my job just fine as long as I get a good night's sleep," she rallied behind her own bland expression.

"As long as you don't make a laughing stock of the Agency. There's already been questions as to why you're a level ten," Fury replied, more coldly this time.

"You're the boss, Director Fury. I'm just following my orders because Agent Coulson recruited another stray mutant who's a powerful asset to manipulate for the greater good and allows it because she's got food and a place to stay," she answered just as seriously, legs swinging over the edge of the bed. Fury stared at her good and hard for another minute.

"That does not explain a level ten," he finally said.

"You're the boss. Maybe I'm a level ten because of my skill for dream-hopping and summoning dangerous creatures and maybe keeping me close might be a good idea," she said in a most blasé tone.

"Get back to work, Agent Freya," Fury commanded before sweeping away.

Willow slumped as soon as she was gone. "One day, I'm gonna slip up really badly and then I'll be the fish in a tank of piranhas," she said wearily. "I don't know how much longer I can play this game."

Clint sat next to her on the bed, both of them keeping a subtle eye on Steve. "Hey, you've got me and Nat and Phil right? You'll be fine," he said with a grin, patting her on the back. Willow smiled weakly at the DaddyHawk, knowing that one day Wanda and Pietro would be the new members of the Hawknest.

"Don't know about Nat," she laughed dryly. "She'll probably kill me sooner than defend me."

"Nah. Nat doesn't trust real easily but when she does she does. I can probably count on one hand the number of people she trusts. I'm pretty sure you're getting to be one of them, 'cause you still haven't said anything to anyone about our pasts and you haven't exploited any of her weaknesses despite clearly knowing." He shrugged, effectively ruining his eloquent little speech.

Willow blinked at him. "I'm pretty sure that Nat doesn't really have too many weaknesses, and the ones she does I'm not even capable of exploiting," she finally said, and Clint laughed.

"You're right," he chuckled, then stood up. "Anyway, I'm guessing that you're not leaving this room 'till he wakes up, so I'll just bring you a takeout or something. Sound good?" he asked, and Willow grinned gratefully.

"Chinese?" she begged.

"Twenty minutes," he replied, on board with her odd choice of breakfast, and she sighed.

"You're a lifesaver," she declared, and Clint left still laughing.

Willow went to sit on the chair again, and Fenrir plopped his head on her lap. "Hey Fen." She grinned at him widely. He grunted back. "Aww, what's with that?" she whined.

"Hungry," he growled, and her eyes widened.

"Okay sorry, food's coming I promise," she said hastily, and he subsided. "You're lazy, you know that? You lay around so much..."

Fenrir snarled at her, and she held up her hands. "Fine, but don't blame me if you get slower and fatter," she warned, and merely received a huff. "Ungrateful," she accused, and earned a whack from his tail.

Clint came back to find her on the tablet again, doing extensive research. As soon as she sniffed the brown rice and soy sauce, her head jerked up. Clint set it next to her. "Wonder if Cap will like it," he said by way of greeting. Willow grinned wryly, setting down the tablet to pick up a carton of rice. Grabbing a paper plate, she scooped a bit of everything and set it in front of Fenrir before turning to the food herself.

"I don't know, we didn't have Chinese takeout back then. I missed so much food," she sighed as she practically inhaled it.

Clint took a few bites himself. "It's weird knowing you were born then and grew up now, only to die back then too. That doesn't even make sense," he observed.

"Don't ask me," she said helplessly. Then after a moment, "Do you think we're being very professional, eating Chinese takeout while watching over Captain America?" she asked, lips twitching, and Clint snickered.

"The stories we could tell," he snorted back. "This is shaping up to be a good day."

Willow's smile faltered at that. "Yeah," she said quietly, sighing.

"Something wrong?" Clint asked, looking at her out of the corner of his eye.

"Nah, I'll be fine." She shrugged it off.

"Do you know when he'll wake up?" Clint asked at length, and Willow shook her head.

"Maybe someone does, but I'm not one of them," she replied.

They finished eating in silence, Willow giving Fenrir all of what was left for him to finish it off. "When are you planning to drop the big news to the big guy?" Clint queried, while they stared rather creepily at Steve. Willow huffed and shook her head.

"I have no idea. I was hoping maybe to at least get Steve settled into modern life before doing that," she groaned, reaching up to rub her head. "Dealing with everything isn't easy. Why did it have to be me?" she asked for the billionth time.

"You don't have to do this you know. You don't have any obligation to do any of it," Clint said seriously, and she snorted. He just did not know.

"No, DaddyHawk, I have every obligation to," she sighed. "The things I know, and the way things might go if I don't use that knowledge wisely; there really isn't even a choice for me," she said wearily. "On top of just plain duty because I live in this world too and I'm an idiot who's decided to try to protect it, I've got emotional ties to a lot of people. Steve, Stark, you, Nat... Others. Maybe you guys don't know me, but I know you, and I care about all of you. What person wouldn't try to help the people they care about?" she asked, slumping in her chair. "I'm not doing this because 'it's the right thing to do.' That's Steve's shtick, and I'm honestly not that unselfish. I'm doing it because I selfishly don't want the people I care about to get hurt or worse." Her lip curled. "I don't think I'm strong enough to live without them. I'm a supremely selfish and clingy person when it comes to family... I'm pretty sure it's a Stark thing," she reflected, thinking about her father and brother.

Clint was quiet for a few minutes, obviously processing her words. "And what about the people you don't have a particular connection to?" His voice was low and could mean trouble.

"I value all life," she said serenely. "I may be a Mutant, but I don't look down on people just because they're not. I don't look down on Thor because he's what we'd call an alien. However, you can't always save everybody and inevitable sacrifices have to be made for the greater good," she said, more softly. "I've lived during a World War. I've lost people I knew. Maybe that's why I tend to be jealous over people I choose to make my family and not let too many in too quickly," she finished, voice slightly stiff.

"So you're obsessive," Clint deduced, and Willow laughed bitterly.

"I have been diagnosed with OCD, yes," she said dryly.

"And that's why you kept fixing the dishes in the cupboard." He sent her an odd look, and she blinked, startled.

"Yes," she answered simply.

"Called it," he said with a triumphant grin, leaning back.

"And you're not helping the rumor that you've got ADD," she pointed out.

He gave her an offended look. "What kind of agent has ADD?"

"You, apparently." She relished the look on his face.

"That was a low blow," he accused, and Willow scoffed before waving a dismissive hand.

"Nah, I'll leave that to Nat. Now, I'm busy," she said, and immersed herself in the tablet again. "Thank you, food deliverer," she added as a Parthian shot.

"This is outrageous. I'm being dismissed by an eighteen-year old who just labeled me as a delivery guy," Clint grumbled, packing up the food containers to throw away.

"A level ten agent who has stuff to do," Willow said from the depths of her tablet.

"Little skunk," Clint grumbled before retiring in high dudgeon.

Willow just sat, and wondered when Steve would wake up.

Lunch had come and gone, with Phil dropping by to check up on Steve and give her a bagged cafeteria lunch which actually wasn't too bad.

So far, Willow had also managed to uncover the current information about Stark Industries and its CEO Virginia 'Pepper' Potts. She was honestly relieved to see Pepper in Tony's life, knowing how much she did for him. She'd definitely want to get to know the woman, especially since she shipped Pepperony to no end and wanted to push Tony to actually pop the important question.

According to the reports, Stark Industries was the only big name in clean energy, so that was a good indicator that the Avengers timeline was rapidly approaching. If she was going to be on time and get the major stuff done for preparing for Avengers, then she was going to have to be hyper aware of what she needed to do and when.

For one thing, she'd have to explain things to Steve and help him get used to modern life. If he liked the idea, she could move in with him wherever SHIELD put him and help him that way. Another thing, she would have to somehow give him the news that Bucky was still alive and they needed to be looking for him. She had absolutely no idea how to do that, and had the sinking feeling that she wouldn't get the chance until after the Avengers had formally assembled and he met the Winter Soldier for himself. That would have to be an issue dealt with carefully, which made her want to throw up just thinking about it.

Not to mention, she would have to also try to get to know Tony. She'd come clean about herself right away, of course, and make sure that he knew that she wasn't trying to manipulate him to join SHIELD. That wouldn't be too hard, though, considering a little piece of information she was holding that would seriously change the entire ballgame. Speaking of which, she needed to start using her clearance to poke around for those files anyway, which would probably be buried miles deep in the system somewhere. She didn't even want to think about how to tell him that Bucky was the one who had... no. Not now. Cross that bridge when it came time and hope that she wasn't going to lose her brother because of it.

Willow had put the tablet away for a while to sort out her thoughts when she suddenly noticed movement in the corner of her eye. She had gotten used to the rise and fall of Steve's chest as he breathed, and she knew that he slept ramrod straight out of habit due to army barracks, so the break from the familiar pattern immediately caught her attention. Without even taking time to see if it was real and not a false alarm, Willow bent down to poke Fenrir.

"Fen, get out and wait by the door," she hissed, not wanting to take chances, and Fenrir did as she asked quietly and quickly. Sitting on the chair comfortably, Willow watched Steve calmly as he began to slowly stir, not wanting to give him the feeling of being watched like a hawk. Her heart fluttered wildly with excitement and nervousness, and she watched as he slowly opened his eyes to stare at the ceiling. The radio was still sounding tinny, though Willow hadn't bothered to change the obviously wrong recording. Maybe, she hoped, she'd be enough.

Then, Steve gingerly sat up, looking around with some alarm, before turning his head and meeting her eyes.