Author's Note: Shorter chapter today followed by another update Wednesday or Thursday! Oh, and I have a Loki fanfic that is now published, The Imaginary Girl. If you're a Loki fan check it out!
Lexi sat in the Helicarrier twirling her daggers around her hands, letting them loosely hang for a moment before twirling them again. Her eyes were narrowed in on the daggers, but her mind was a muddled mess as the huge machine carried the Avengers towards the drop point.
They figured the best course of action was to drop down near Olivia's apartment, but not too close so that the team could fan out and without spooking her.
If she's even there
Fury had gotten wind that she had been in or near her place in the past hour or so and wanted the team to bring her in.
Lexi was clad in her outfit that was fitted much like a true warrior Angel. Her outfit was like that of a one piece and it clung to her body snugly, the small amount of side fat she had near her underarms poked out, but Lexi wasn't in the mood to be nitpicking her minor faults.
Bigger things were at stake right now.
Her hair was hanging behind her in a long braid and when she caught sight of herself before they took off she couldn't help but smile.
Father would have been so proud...
Lexi's expression must have roused her neighbor who just so happen to be eyeing her daggers peculiarly, "You good with those?" Steve knitted his brows together as he took in the etching around the blade and how ancient they looked.
"Pretty good, yeah." Lexi answered back nervously and without thinking she handed Steve one of them. He took it carefully, turning it over in his hands before raising a brow, "A lot heavier than I expected."
Lexi nodded and took it back before looking at them appreciatively, "My father said they are angelic daggers. They don't break easy, hence their weight." Steve smiled, and he noticed how she tapped her golden boot on the floor of the Helicarrier.
"You nervous?" He asked hesitantly and she sheepishly grinned at Steve. He was very perceptive, and she was glad she had been sitting next to him as Tony, Natasha, Clint, and Bruce gathered around some tech while going through a game plan.
Lexi nodded curtly, "I am a little. I'd be lying if I said I was completely ready." Steve laughed lightly, and Lexi followed up, "You don't have to-I mean you should probably be with the rest of the team since you're the leader and all."
Lexi never liked to waste people's time and she felt like she was occupying Steve's time when he could to be going over the plans with the team.
"Well, as leader I have to make sure my team is good." He responded with an all-American boy smile and Lexi laughed, "Good point." Tony turned around to look at Lexi and Steve before popping off rather quickly, "You're smothering her Rogers."
Lexi gave Tony a high eyebrow and a smirk as she pointed a dagger at him, "Aren't you supposed to be coming up with a game plan, Tony? Steve's fine, he's not smothering me."
Lexi held Tony's gaze and she couldn't help but notice the subtle shift from being annoyed that Steve was around her to realizing that nothing else was going on between his comrade and the girl he had yet to take out to dinner.
Clint laughed, and Bruce snickered, "Ouch, did she just sass you, Tony?" Natasha smiled to herself and whispered lowly in a sing song voice, "You sound jealous."
Her voice was low enough so that only the few of them near the computers could hear. Tony shot Natasha a look before watching Thor meander his way over to Lexi and Steve who continued chatting to themselves. Tony looked back at Natasha, "Get over yourself Romanoff and Banner you're going to be saying ouch when I throw you off this Helicarrier."
Everyone went back to the game plan and Lexi couldn't help but notice Thor was smiling gleefully as he towered over her on the aircraft. Thor sat next to Lexi and she was fully aware that she was squished between the most patriotic warrior in America and the God of Thunder.
"You look excited, Thor." Lexi noticed as he twirled Mjolnir around his large hands.
"I am, young Angel. I live for a good fight." He was exuberant and raised his hammer in the hair while Steve just looked on slightly bemused at his comrade.
Thor turned to her with a confused look, "You have not fought in battle, then?"
Lexi shook her and shrugged, "Like I said Thor, I'm a halfling. I've been taught battle by my father, but I haven't actually engaged in battle besides the other day when I first met everyone."
Thor nodded, but there was an excitement to him that was contagious, and she started to feel his energy make an impact on her own, "You will do well, Angel. I know it."
Lexi smiled at Thor, "I'm glad you have so much faith in me. Both of you." She answered before turning to Steve and then back at Thor who was now looking at Lexi with a genuine smile.
"We will be comrades on the battlefield, Angel. I'm looking forward to it." Thor placed his hand on her shoulder and then got up from his seat to return to the group.
Steve sighed as the Helicarrier came to a halt, "Alright. End of the line, Lexi. You ready for this?" The Helicarrier opened up a hatch in the back that revealed the rooftop of a building in the distance below.
"Let's do this." Lexi nodded a bit more confidently.
"Alright, now listen up." A voice blared on the intercom in the Helicarrier and Lexi realized rather quickly that it was Fury's, "You get in, grab her and get the hell out."
Tony blew out a breath, "Geez, Fury, you make it sound so easy. Wanna come do it yourself?" Lexi bit her bottom lip as she let out a breathy laugh at Tony's retort. Fury clearly hadn't found it funny.
"Tony, I have important matters to attend to back on base so that I can ensure you and your rag tag group of heroes don't cause casualties. S.H.I.E.L.D. is clearing out the streets around her apartment now. Pretty soon there won't be any civilians around and if there are you kindly ask them to retreat, got it?"
"Kindly ask? I shall just move them out of my way!" Thor boomed and smiled gleefully as his red cape billowed behind him in the breeze that entered through the open hatch.
"Once we get on the ground I'll loop you guys in on the plan." Tony nodded to Steve, Lexi and Thor before ropes dropped to the rooftop below and Lexi raised a brow.
"Look, not all of us have powers, okay?" Clint responded defensively and Natasha patted his back in a nice sentiment to try and calm him down. Lexi gave Clint a bemused smile, "Well, I mean, normal is..cool."
Clint narrowed his eyes at Lexi, clearly not thinking she was telling the truth before hopping down the rope and sliding to the rooftop below.
Natasha followed and disappeared before Thor hopped out next, his large frame landing on the rooftop down below with a large thud.
Steve ran out, his structure a lot more damage resistant than Clint and Natasha's. The super serum had done a number on Steve. He landed perfectly, and Lexi looked to Tony and Bruce who were all that was left.
"I'm staying here for now.." Bruce responded to the awkward silence before Tony nodded at Bruce. Something passed between them and she wondered what exactly it had been or what was up with Bruce, but he seemed hesitant on turning big and green.
Lexi looked to Tony and her wings shot out behind her in a flurry, while Tony produced a small little earbud for Lexi. He held it out to her and she took it carefully from the cool metal.
"Take this, put it on and no matter what don't lose it. It's how we can stay in contact with you." Tony said sternly, and Lexi quirked a brow, "You mean how you can spy on me?" Tony made a face, "Me? Spy on you? Never, it's not in my moral compass."
Lexi made a face and Tony eased up, "Look, we all just want you safe. Put it on and you can talk with me through it." Lexi did as she was asked and once it was on Tony flipped his helmet on so his face disappeared and she tried it out.
"Can you hear me? Tony? Uhm, hello, Tony." Lexi sighed dramatically, "This thing isn't working."
She furrowed her gaze and was about to start taking it off her ear until Tony spoke through his helmet, his voice slightly garbled, "Oh, I can hear you. I just like the sound of your voice." She knew without seeing that Tony was smirking devilishly behind that helmet.
"Smooth, Tony." Lexi responded, and Tony turned on his thrusters, flying out the hatch and watching her follow behind him.
"Smooth is my middle name."
Lexi groaned and flew out after Tony, her large white wings feeling free the moment the breeze hit them. "You ready for this?" Tony asked as they hovered in the air together for a fleeting moment and Lexi smiled lightly, "Only one way to find out, right?"
She grinned widely and then flew around the Helicarrier before landing eloquently next to Clint and Natasha who eyed her wings with wonder and amazement.
"Okay-so-" Tony started, but Thor raised his hammer, "I have a question."
Tony stopped, clearly annoyed, as did the rest of the group, while Lexi had to bite her lip as Thor actually raised his hand to ask a question.
"Why doesn't she have a battle name?"
Everyone frowned and Thor continued, "Stark, you are Iron man, Romanoff you are-" Steve put his hand up, "I think we get your point, Thor." Everyone turned to look at her while Tony flipped his helmet up, "No pressure or anything, but you need a name. Stat."
Thor smile as if the fact that his idea was a good one and made him happy.
"We will have all the time back at the Tower to come up with a name.." Steve offered as Lexi looked put on the spot. Thor shook his head, "What if she falls in battle? She will be, the comrade who never had a name."
Lexi stifled a laugh and she could tell Natasha had as well. Tony's eyes were rolled so far up his head from Thor's rebuttal that she wondered if he could see his brain.
"No one is dying today, Thor." Stark answered annoyedly while Lexi looked to everyone and her mind raced until something Thor had said stopped her in her tracks.
We will be comrades on the battlefield, Angel.
"Angel." Lexi stated simply, and everyone looked to her. "Simple and efficient." She added while everyone started to nod their heads in agreement except Clint.
"I thought maybe like wings or something, but yeah Angel is good." Clint responded dryly, but a hint of a smile was on his face and Lexi shot him a look as he laughed lightly.
"Isn't there some mutant boy named-" Natasha started to ask curiously, but Tony interrupted her quickly, "Probably is, but I doubt there's a superhero name police or anything."
Thor raised Mjolnir, "Angel it is!"
Steve sighed, "With all due respect, I think we should stick to the matter at hand; getting Olivia."
Lexi returned to a more serious expression and nodded with everyone else, but Thor's childlike grin was still plastered on his face as he was excited that Lexi had gotten her much deserved hero name before the battle.
He held her gaze and winked, to which Lexi returned with a nod of acknowledgment and a smile. Thor had been adament she had a name and it only solidified her standing in the group of heroes.
"Alright, so here is how we're going to tackle this demonic pest.." Tony began...
Lexi listened with rapt attention, her body humming with a positive energy as the realization hit her that she was about to do battle with the Avengers for the very first time.
Here we go..