Please don't hate me for the ending. lol

Disclaimer: I ownly own Ella and her background


My heart thumped at that thought.

How could I ever choose someone other than Clint Barton?

My cheeks warmed.

The man seemed to sense the change in my emotion. His lips slowly brushed over mine. Once, twice. I sighed into the kiss, and he accepted my breath without pause, stealing it away from my lungs, and leaving my head spinning. The man retracted his thigh from between my legs and released the manacles around my wrists, instead coming to wrap his arms tightly round my waist, holding up the majority of my weight. I was infinitely grateful for him doing so, as my knees started to shake uncontrollably. My chest heaved with the force of my breaths. My heart fluttered rapidly against the cage of ribs surrounding it.

Clint grinned, seemingly proud of his achievement. Seeing something on my face, his expression deflated almost instantaneously. "...What's wrong?"

"What do you m-mean?" I stuttered, swallowing thickly.

Brow furrowing, he reached forward. The calloused pads of his fingers brushed over my cheekbone. "You're crying."

I chuckled airily. "No I'm not-" My hand came up to my eyes. They came away wet.

Now frowning, the man pulled away and grasped my hand tugging me over to the bed. "Damn, Ella. I didn't mean to..." He gulped. The loud noise filled the silence between them, resounding through the air like a bursting canon. He sat down on the mattress and I quickly followed, plopping down beside him.

I glanced down to see a droplet of salty water fall onto my bare thigh, reminding me once more that I was still wearing only a swimsuit. I flushed. I must've looked like such a mess to him. Hair matted and tangled, absolutely soaking wet. Eyes raw and rimmed with red. Face puffy. Lips bruised from kisses.

"It's fine," I finally replied. "I didn't know I was... crying...," I trailed off, brow creasing with confusion. "I was just thinking about..." My mouth snapped shut. You shouldn't tell him. Declarations seem to be frowned upon in human relationships. Just stay silent.

The archer let out a long, relieved breath. "What were you thinking about?" His large hand took hold of my knee. His thumb rubbed circles into the skin, melting me to the core. The heat unexpectedly resumed building in the pit of my belly, making my cheeks flame anew.

"N-Nothing." I forced my lips to curl up at the corners into some semblance of a smile. "I'm fine."

The man leaned forward, breeching the small sliver of space we had left between us. "Seemed like... something...," he breathed, lips ghosting over bare shoulder.

I shivered at the delectable sensation. "N-No... It wasn't..." Clint grasped my chin with his thumb and forefinger and angled my head to face him. The taste of his breath was tantalizing. His lips were so close, I could feel the heat of them on mine. I attempted to kiss him, but the fingers tightened their hold on my chin, keeping my face a hairsbreadth away. I let out a pathetic little groan and squirmed on the mattress. "Clint, please-"

"Not until you tell me what you were thinking," he said softly; teasingly.

I let out a noise of frustration and shook my head in his grasp. "I shouldn't."

"Ella," he murmured, voice tinged with warning.

"I can't..."

"Can't or won't?" He challenge, raising a brow.

I groaned and pulled away, finally breaking his hold. "We should go," I stated quietly, moving to stand from the bed. The archer swiftly grasped my wrist and tugged. A little yelp fell from my lips as I was pulled onto the agent's lap. Large hands took hold of my thighs to steady me as I accidently straddled him. I inhaled sharply as our chests brushed against one another. The sensations sparked the pit in my belly, eliciting a deep moan at the sudden wildfire it manifested. The man beneath me let out a noise that was animalistic and ferocious. It came from deep in his chest and rumbled from the back of his throat. The overwhelming heat of his body had my heart beating frantically once more. Nibbling my bottom lip, I settled down in his lap. Clint cursed and bucked up against me, sending waves of pleasurable sensation through my blood. Nerve endings flickered, standing at attention.

The agent's fingers flexed, tightening their grasp on my thighs. "You don't know how much I want you right now..." He cursed once more and pressed a hot, wet kiss to the hollow of my throat. Clint groaned out in frustration. He suddenly fit his forehead against the juncture of my shoulder and neck and sighed. "It would be so easy for me to take you right now."

I gaped at the brazenness of his words. "Uh... Oh. I- uh..."

Clint swore under his breath and took hold of my waist, pulling me even closer. I gasped. I could feel his length pressed intimately against the juncture of my thighs. My head was swimming. Black spots flickered through my vision.

"Breathe."

I inhaled rapidly and held it for a long moment before letting it out again. "Sorry."

The man was fighting
against himself. The inner struggle was almost tangible. In a swift, unexpected movement, Clint let go of my waist, almost pushing me off him. I stumbled back into the desk.

"You deserve more," he snapped angrily, obviously frustrated with himself.

I barely held back the noise of frustration that threatened to build up in my throat. Slowly, I nodded in agreement, seeing that he was waiting for some sort of answer. "If that's how you feel-"

Clint snorted and stood abruptly. "It's your virginity, Ella," he snapped, stomping over to the bathroom. He left the door partially ajar. I glanced up. I saw the man's reflection peeling off his workout shirt, which was darkened with sweat. I blushed at the sight of tanned, rippling muscle. "Babe, I'm gonna take a quick shower. You can head over to the conference if you want..." Biting my bottom lip, I watched as he started to pull down his gym shorts. Seeing the expanse of bare skin and lack of underwear, I quickly adverted my gaze.

"Ella? You still there?"

I couldn't answer. I voice fled at the memory of the deep, pronounced V in his hips, accompanied by a smattering of dusky blond hair below his navel.

Clint sighed loudly. The sound of running water filled the small bedroom, making my face hot. Agent Clint Barton was completely naked only meters away. Despite the residual flaming heat in my veins, the surface of my skin prickled with bumps. I shivered and nibbled my lip anxiously.

Am I supposed to go with him? Do Midgardians shower together when they're in relationships?

He did say to go to the meeting.

But he left the door open...

He thinks you left the room. It'd be creepy if you just showed up-

I stifled my subconscious swiftly, shoving it back into the recesses of my mind. Taking a long breath, I mustered all of the courage that resided inside of me. Before I could talk myself out of what I was about to do, I strode over to the bathroom and slipped through the partially opened door.

The air was thick with moisture. The mirror was fogged. Biting the inside of my cheek, I let down my hair from it's sad, wilting up do. Quickly peeling off my swimsuit, I steeled my nerves and swallowed my anxiety. Without allowing another thought, I gently pushed the sliding glass door open and stepped into the shower. The expanse of tanned, bare flesh was undeniably mouth-watering. Muscles in his back and arms rippled as he scrubbed suds into short-cropped hair. I flushed as my eyes trailed down to the dimples in his lower back.

Clint paused as the cool air hit his body. He moved to turn around, but I pressed a soft hand against the middle of his spine, ceasing his movements. "We're going to play a game, alright?"

The archer growled, rumbling against my hand. "What sort of game?"

"If you turn around, I leave."

He grunted. "That's not a game, Ella. That's torture."

I laughed at the petulance in his voice and kissed his left shoulder blade. "I'm sure you can handle it, Agent Barton."

"You sound pretty sure of yourself, Princess." He hissed. His voice deepened, a husky edge sneaking into the rich timbre. His hand came back to find mine- the one touching his back- and brought it around, to touch the planes of his sculpted abdomen.

Breath caught in my throat, burning and blistering at the sound of my title coming from his lips. "Shhh," I breathed, moving to grasp a bottle of body wash from the shelf.

"Christ, Ella. You're killing me here... Are you naked?"

I frowned. "I apologize. That wasn't my intention. And yes." I popped the cap open and squeezed a large amount of the soap into my hand. After replacing the bottle, I worked the soap into a thick lather. The scent was fresh. Like citrus and clean soap, but with a faint, musky scent that was perfect for a man. Clint grunted shamelessly at my words and passed me a washcloth over his shoulder. Thanking him kindly, I went to work, washing the sweat and salt from every inch of his flesh. The cloth glanced over his lower half, not pausing for any length of time, only making sure that every section was washed.

The man caught hold of my wrist as I moved around to start on his front. My heart flopped as my inner confidence took a nosedive. Finally Clint released a soft breath. His hand moved mine, so we washed his chest and stomach together.

"Enough," he suddenly growled, ducking under the hot spray of water in front of him, mechanically scrubbing his skin of soap. While the archer was busy, I washed my own body. I tried my best to not slow when the washcloth glided between my legs. Tossing the cloth hastily onto the shelf, I went to grab the shampoo. Clint snatched it away just as my fingertips glanced over the surface of the bottle. "I believe in reciprocation, Princess."

My face heated. "B-But... the g-game-"

"I'll close my eyes."

"But-!"

"Yes, I bet it's fantastic," he replied cheekily, not missing a beat. "Come on, get up here."

Taking my defeat in stride, I narrowed my eyes. My mind whirled. Then, a slow smirk tugged the corner of my mouth. I brushed against his body as I moved, not at all accidentally. His flesh was hot and slick against mine. The sight of our skin, moving against one another was a spectacle to behold. Clint was all tanned, rippling muscle. I was the opposite, pale as newly-fallen snow at the beginning of winter. My lips and tongue came into contact with his stubble-covered jaw as I stood on the balls of my feet.

"Babe... come on... Ugh"

I glanced over my shoulder at him as I moved into the hot spray. "Hmm? What was that?"

His face was tight with lines of tension and concentration. "Shit, face front, Ella. I- fuck me..."

I sighed delicately but turned to face the water anyways. "I'm trying my best."

Clint inhaled a sharp breath. Without another word, I heard him open the bottle of shampoo and squirt a small amount into his hand. As soon as his talented fingers touched my scalp, I was putty in his hands. I let out an almost sensual moan as the pads of his fingers massaged circles into my hair, washing the long, heavy length of it. My eyes rolled back with pure, unbridled pleasure. Once he was finished, the archer pressed a tender kiss to the base of my neck. My stomach quivered at the touch. I ducked under the water and washed the soap out. Cool air hit my back. I spared a swift glance over my shoulder. The shower was empty. Disappointment flooded me.

What else do I have to do?! My subconscious screeched like a harpy, escaping the confines of the back of my mind once more. Sighing dejectedly, I turned off the water, which had started to run icy. Shivering, I stepped out into the bathroom, only to have a large fluffy towel thrust in my face.

"Please cover yourself," Clint snapped irritably, eyes focused on the wall. He was already clothed in a pair of black slacks and a tight grey short-sleeved v-neck shirt.

My brow creased. My heart throbbed with sadness from his rejection. I took the towel with downcast eyes and wrapped myself up. Shame prickled my scalp as I hurried off into the bedroom.

Have I read the signs wrong? He seems so angry... Could it be that he isn't attracted to me at all?

He stalked ahead of me and rifled through his drawers. "Here," he said gruffly, tossing me a bundle of material. I caught it at the last moment, feeling shaken. "I'm gonna head over to the conference," he continued. He let out a deafening breath and shook his head, as if to relieve himself of thoughts swirling around in his mind. "I'll see you there."

With that, Clint stomped to the door and left, shutting it behind him. After several beats, I let the towel fall to the floor and tugged on a pair of light-wash jeans, which obviously belonged to another woman- probably Natasha. The thought sent a spark of jealously through my frame. The shirt was one of his. It had his scent. I yanked the black t-shirt over my head and combed my fingers through my hair. I twisted the length into a high, messy bun on top of my head. Hearing a noise by the door, I peered up, eyes misting.

Clint burst through the door, causing it to slam violently against the wall. I jumped. My heart stuttered. The man let out an animalistic growl and lunged forward, tearing apart the distance between us. Eyes wide, I staggered backwards. I felt the desk halting my movements, jamming into my lower back.

"C-Clint what are you-?" I felt the desk halting my movements, jamming into my lower back.

The archer pursued me, eyes flashing. "You're a little seductress, aren't you? I couldn't even walk into that goddamned room, cause I knew you were here, naked and wanting. Waiting for me."

My jaw dropped. The muscles in my belly quivered.

"Begging me to take you," he continued, ignoring my obvious look of shock. "On my bed. In the shower."

"Clint..."

He was finally standing right in front of me. His fingers came up to graze my wrist, probably taking in my fluttering pulse. Smirking, his hand trailed up along my arm, tracing the line of my shoulder, before ultimately sliding back to grasp the nape of my neck. I flushed red. He tugged my face to his; so close, but not quite touching. I let out a soft whimper as my hands came up to press against his chest.

"I'm going to kiss you," he stated, his voice rough with need. "I'm going to make your lips full, and red, and absolutely perfect. So everyone in that meeting knows what I did. So your Doctor knows to keep his distance." His eyes were light and fierce, practically glowing. "One day soon, I will take you. But not now. I won't make it so..." He trailed his nose along my jaw and pressed a hot kiss to the area just below my ear. "Easy... for you."

A shiver of anticipation danced through me. He pressed himself fully against my body and arched his hips slightly, creating a dizzying friction. I could feel how aroused he was. How much he wanted me. All the fear and uncertainty from moments before turned tail and fled in the opposite direction.

Instantly his lips meshed with mine. His tongue thrust inside my mouth, utterly hot, darkly erotic. His flavor invaded my senses, enticing my taste buds. The mixture of mint and one that was all his own deepened the pleasure of the kiss. His mouth ravaged mine, biting and nipping. He sucked on my lower lip roughly, groaning in satisfaction as blood pounded under the surface. His free hand travelled from where it was at my waist, trailing up to squeeze my breast through the thin material of his shirt. His touch was like an electric prod, sending thousands of volts of electricity through my small frame. I cried out as he rubbed and plucked at the flesh. The archer played me like the string of his bow, making my arch my back with intense, forbidden pleasure. His mouth swallowed the screams that threatened to fly from my lips.

I kissed him back as if I would die without him- as I knew I probably would. My hands were tentative, slowly roving over his upper chest, before moving lower, caressing his abdominal muscles. They rippled and clenched under each touch of my fingers.

I pulled away, gasping for air. My head whirled with the lack of oxygen.

Clint grinned, all too satisfied as he eyed my lips. "Better."

Before I could move, the archer snatched my hand and dragged me through the door, back into the conference room. I blinked.

The entire room was covered in semi-eaten and empty pizza boxes. The men looked incredibly pleased with themselves. The women seemed a little more disgusted in their male counterparts; except for Darcy, who was grinning, phone in hand, taking pictures of Thor, who was ingesting an entire pepperoni pizza. Jane and Natasha were seemed to be talking about a hurricane in the Gulf of Mexico. Bruce and Tony were sitting together, chatting about a recent development in the lab. Pepper was perched at the front of the room, legs crossed primly, munching delicately on a slice of cheese. My stomach rumbled at the delicious scent.

Clint huffed a laugh and tugged me through the sea of cardboard, finding a single empty seat beside Steve.

The super soldier glanced up and waved a hand, smiling. "I saved you a pizza," he stated kindly, pulling the large box from under the table. Clint grinned and clapped the Captain on the shoulder. He sat down and immediately pulled me down to sit on his lap. I flushed, mirroring the red in Steve's cheeks. He passed the box over and coughed awkwardly into his fist, turning to strike up a conversation with Pepper.

The agent hummed contently under his breath as he opened the box with one hand, the other securely wrapped around my waist. I rolled my eyes as he broke off a piece of the vegetarian pizza and started munching.

"You didn't have to do that, you know."

"Do what?" He asked, peering up at me innocently, taking another bite. This one was slow; tantalizingly so.

I glared back at him with pursed lips and let out a deep sigh. Sensing defeat, I reached for a piece of pizza and started eating as well. As everyone else's appetite started to wind down, the cardboard boxes were collected and cleared away.

Pepper cleared her throat to get our attention. "Alright, now that we're almost an hour late into this meeting, I'd like to start by welcoming you here today." She sent a pointed glare in my direction, making me flush pink.

"Sorry...," I uttered softly, face hot.

"Oh, I'm not blaming you," she muttered, raising a brow. "You were on time. It was your boyfriend that decided to steal you away at the last minute."

Clint shrugged behind me but didn't offer any sort of apology.

Exhaling, the redhead smoothed the material of her dress and picked up her tablet from the table. "Alright, let's get straight into this. As you all know, Tony donated a large sum of money to the City of New York, to make up the cost of the Avengers involvement in the events-"

"Ungrateful dickheads...," Tony sniped quietly from the back of the room.

Pepper glanced up patiently. "And you were doing so well, Tony. More than two minutes... That has to be some sort of record."

The billionaire rolled his eyes and waved his hand, indicating that she was free to continue. Pressing her lips together to keep from smiling, the woman let out a breath. "The Mayor is incredibly appreciative of Tony's generous monetary contribution, but there are still millions in relief effort and rebuilding costs." A slow grin spread across her face. "Because of this, Tony has agreed to host a gala event this Friday, where we hope to raise even more money for the community."

"Wait, wait, wait...," Tony floundered about, making me giggled through a bite of pizza. "When did I agree to this, Pep?"

"Last night," the redhead replied airily, glancing down at her tablet. "There will be a dinner, dance, and silent auction. The first dances of our ladies, along with some from the community, will be auctioned off to the highest bidder-"

"Woah...," Darcy whistled, turning to Jane. "You think I'll find a rich, successful man to marry?"

Jane bit her lip and uttered a hushed, "We can only hope..."

Natasha snorted. "What if we don't want to dance?"

Pepper shrugged. "You will, whether you want to or not."

"No, I couldn't have said that last night. You got me completely wasted- oh...," Tony trailed off, visibly wincing.

His girlfriend smirked, moving on. "All the women in this room, including myself, will have their first dances auctioned off-"

"Not fucking likely," Clint growled under his breath, tightening his grasp around my waist.

Natasha smacked Bruce's arm, making him look up in shock. "I'll give you the money to dance with me, Doc. Deal?"

Bruce smiled kindly and nodded. "Sure. You really wouldn't have to pay me, though...," he hummed softly. As if catching what he'd just said, the doctor went a vibrant shade of tomato red.

The assassin grinned.

I raised a brow at their flirtatious interaction. A slow smile curled my lips.

Steve raised his hand. "What's the dress code, Ma'am?"

"I was just getting there," Pepper stated, smiling once more. "It's going to be a formal, black tie event. Which is leading to my final point, the agenda for today. Shopping."

Natasha cursed in Russian and I laughed, shaking my head. Thor rubbed Jane's back softly as she let out a little whimper of pain. Darcy perked up, ginning ecstatically.

"Do we have to?" I asked quietly, drawing all eyes to me.

Pepper arched a perfectly sculpted brow. "Unless you happen to have a ball gown tucked away in the back of your closet?"

My brow creased in discomfort. Clint chuckled and rubbed calming circles into my side.

"Tony, you'll be taking the men to shop of suits today. I'll be working with the women to find you each a dress, a pair of shoes, and a clutch."

The red-haired assassin groaned. Her head hit the table top with an audible.

Pepper smiled sweetly. "I'm glad we're all so excited. Now let's get going."

...

Once Clint walked me back to my room to retrieve my torn up combat boots, we slowly made our way to the elevators. Clint had his arms wrapped around my waist possessively, as if he never wanted to let me go. I kissed his cheek lightly as the doors opened.

"I assume you wish to meet with the others?" Jarvis's mechanical voice inquired inside the lift.

"Yes, thank you," I hummed. I leaned back into Clint's body, relishing in his comforting heat. I should ask him what he thought of Bruce and Natasha's flirting. I can't be the only person who saw that. I swallowed my nerves and glance up at him. "Clint?"

"Hmm?"

"I was wondering-"

He smiled. "You're wondering what I thought of Tasha and your Doctor, right?"

I was taken aback by his blunt words. "I- uh... yeah, actually. How did you-? Wait... Bruce is not my anything," I grumbled forcefully, reaching back to smack the man's chest.

He chuckled and caught my hand easily. He raised my hand to his lips and pressed the softest of kisses to the back of it. "You're the one who kissed him, babe."

I growled and tried to free my hand from his grasp, but the archer held fast. "Just tell me you saw that between them. That I'm not going crazy."

The playfulness seeped away from his features. His lips pursed into a single, flat line. "Yeah... I saw it. I think you'd have to be living under a rock to not see what's been going on between the two of them this past week." He glanced down at me. "Oh... Tasha was there when he was all torn up about you running off on him. She got it through to him that you guys are just friends. That what he feels for you is just companionship. And- uh, yeah. You'd have to be an idiot to not see the sparks between those two." He laughed, shaking his head. "Better her than you, Ella. That's what I think about it."

The elevator doors slid open with a cheery ding!, signalling that our time together was almost up. Clint finally released my hand- after tugging me in for a hot, steamy kiss. He nipped my bottom lip once more before winking, leading the way through the main lobby to where the others were already standing. The women smiled at my arrival, giving me knowing and understanding looks about arriving so late.

"Alright," Pepper started, glancing at her slim designer watch that sat on her left wrist. "I want everyone back here for eight, we're going out for dinner. Agreed?"

Everyone mumbled a half-hearted reply. I sighed, crossing my arms over my chest. I couldn't help but glance over at Clint. He was watching me. I smiled over at him.

"Be safe," he mouthed.

I rolled my eyes. "It's shopping. What's the worst that can happen?"

...

As it happened, shopping with Pepper Potts was a full day, terrifying, completely involved escapade. I felt like I hadn't been properly warned about the severity of danger that was Tony Stark's girlfriend/assistant. I staggered exhaustedly into another store after the four other women. It was going on six o'clock in the evening, meaning five hours of shopping had taken place already. Possibly seven. I lost track quickly.

Surprisingly, Natasha found her dress, shoes and handbag first. I had a feeling she just wanted to get the whole 'Potts Experience' over with. I couldn't really complain with her outlook. Her dress was long, black and form-fitting, with a halter top. The stilettos and clutch were matching and a deep ruby hue. When I tried to do the same- pick the first thing I tried on- Pepper seemed to catch on and hastily scolded me. I truly admired and respected the redhead, but after the first twenty stores, I was ready to put her in a sleeper hold. I managed to push aside my violent thoughts and soldier on.

Pepper found a beautiful emerald satin number, pairing the gown with a black bag and heels. Darcy seemed to be having a wonderful time, trying on everything in the stores we went to, trying to find the most daring neckline she could. I found myself flushing at several, when the deep V's trailed down to the young woman's navel. Jane was incredibly patient and I found myself sitting and chatting with her most of all. She seemed like a lovely woman, if only a bit quiet and shy. She had heard some of my story from Lesengard and took it upon herself to ask numerous questions about the physics of it all. I tried my best to explain the different regions of the world to her, but it seemed everything I said managed to create even more questions.

Pepper sighed exasperatedly as she struggled to find a gown for Darcy. The young woman was undoubtedly beautiful, but some of her preferred choices were quite... racy. I sat and watched as Darcy tried on dress after dress. Finally, she came out in a floor length red halter dress with a full, empire-waist skirt. It hugged her curves perfectly, making her look absolutely beautiful. The black heels and bag matched well

"Please get that one," I whimpered, head propped up on the heel of my hand. Jane and Natasha laughed, smacking my arms good-naturedly before agreeing.

Pepper didn't allow any of us to pay for our things. "Tony offered," she stated with an easy smile. It made me wonder how the billionaire had been coerced into that one.

My feet throbbed angrily as the redhead clapped her hands, declaring that we were finished in the shop and ready to move onto the next. The saleswomen seemed incredibly putout at the statement, as they seemed to be thoroughly enjoying the amount of money we'd been spending. They helped bring all the bags out to the car.

"Come on ladies!" Pepper called out. "We're more than halfway done!"

"Oh joy...," Natasha drawled, rolling her hazel eyes. I snorted and followed the crew out of the boutique.

Their driver, Happy, looked up from the magazine he was reading and hopped out of the black stretch limousine.

"Any luck, Ms. Potts?"

The red head grinned, flashing her straight white teeth. "Yes, we did, Happy. We're almost done, I promise."

"No worries," he said, waving his hand. "Mr. Stark just texted me to stall you ladies, cause their having trouble finding bowties and shoes."

We all laughed a little tiredly.

"Come on, girls. Onto the next."

...

Jane was the next to find her dress and accessories. It was a simple navy number made of flowing chiffon. The bag and shoes were a pretty silver color. After another hour, Pepper sent Happy and the others back to the tower, saying the two of us could either walk back or take a taxi.

"Come on, Ella," Pepper sighed. "You at least have to try to find something."

"I am!" I insisted, rifling through the ridiculously expensive evening gowns. "I just can't understand why I should have Tony pay so much for something I probably with never wear ag- oh..." I trailed off as my fingers glanced over smooth satin. My heart thumped an irregular beat when I saw the price tag. I peered up at Pepper through my lashes, but I knew she had caught me fawning over the material.

"I don't care how much you think it is, Ella. Try the damned dress on. Now." The redhead thrust the dress in my direction, probably giving the saleswoman behind the desk a heart attack, since she all but sprinted over to take the gown from my hands.

In minutes, the dress was on me.

It was gorgeous.

The gown was made of a beautiful turquoise satin. The shimmering material reminded me of the seas in Lesengard. My heart tightened at the memories that filled my mind. It was one shouldered, with several straps of material crossing the back. The top clung to my body, making my slight curves stand out in every way. I swallowed my pounding heart as Pepper demanded to see what it looked like.

I tentatively stepped from behind the curtain of the dressing room and nibbled my bottom lip.

"What do you think, Pepper?"

The woman, who was sitting on a plush chaise longue in front of the fitting room, glanced up from the catalogue she was perusing. Her mouth fell open when she saw me.

"Ella...," she gasped, eyes misting with tears.

"Is it that bad?!" I demanded, searching for the mirror once more. Pepper rushed forward and hugged me tenderly, forcing me to pause.

"You look stunning... Like a princess." Her long fingers plucked at the pleated, full skirt.

I flushed and twirled around, gazing at myself in the mirror once more. Clint would absolutely love this... I sighed dejectedly, thinking of the price. "I- I can't, Pepper. It's too much."

"Hush," she shot back good-naturedly, grinning widely. "We're getting it. It'll need to be hemmed, though." She smiled and told me to change, that she would take care of the details.

Five minutes later, we were walking out of the small boutique. The dress would be finished in time for the Gala.

"Wait!" Pepper suddenly cried. "We didn't find accessories!"

I chuckled. "Can't I just wear the shoes from the press conference?"

The redhead paused. "The nude stilettos?"

I nodded.

After a long moment, she said, "That could work, actually. I have a bag you could borrow if you want."

"That would be lovely, Pepper," I sighed, smiling contentedly. "Thank you so much."

She waved off the thanks, grinning. Tucking a tendril of hair behind her ear, Pepper glanced out at the street. "Oh, Happy must've brought the car for us," she stated, sounding quite relieved. There was a sleek, black sports car parked on the curb. She opened the driver's side door by pressing her thumb against the handle. There was a soft click, and the door opened. She quickly hopped behind the wheel and started the engine with what looked like a button. Following her lead, I slid into the passenger seat. Pepper pulled away from the curb, the car purring as they hit the main road.

I sighed and cracked my neck, feeling the tired joints pop before feeling better.

"Thank you for today, Pepper," I hummed softly, gazing out the tinted black window of the sports car.

She peered over at me and smiled. "I know it was painful for you, but I'm glad we managed to find something for you."

I flushed. "I don't want you to think I am... petulant. It's just that all those things, the expensive material and clothes, it brings back a lot of... memories," I settled, watching the buildings pass swiftly.

Before Pepper could respond, the car reached an intersection. The light flickered red.

The redhead sped right through.

I frowned and glanced over at her. "I thought 'red' meant 'stop' on Midgard..."

Her brow was creased with concentration. "I-It does, I promise... The brakes aren't... working..."

I shook my head. "I don't understand what that means."

Pepper's eyes grew wide with fright. "I c-can't slow down the car. I can't stop. I- oh my God..."

My heart seized in my chest.

The car flew through another red light.

"Hey Pep, I just got a message that you blew through two red lights. You naughty girl, you," Tony's voice drawled through the small interior. "Getting all Fast and Furious on me, are you? That's kinda hot-"

"Tony," Pepper breathed frantically. "Something's wrong with the brakes. I can't-" The normally calm woman let out a scream as she barely managed to swerve, avoiding a mother wheeling a buggy through the crosswalk.

The billionaire was instantly serious. "You're going to be fine. I'll come get you, alright? Stay calm. Is there anyone in the car-"

"Ella's here," she said, glancing over at me briefly as we went through another red. Fuming drivers blared their horns. The loud cacophony added to the tension in the car.

"I have your location," Tony stated. I could hear the other men demanding answers on his side of the call. I heard Clint's voice, asking what was happening. If I was alright. "There's a gas station at the end of the road. You still have control, right? All you have to do is avoid-"

"T- Tony...," Pepper sobbed, tears beginning to flow from her eyes. "I... I've lost control. I can't steer anymore. I don't... I don't know what's happening-"

"Pe- er? Pep-" Tony's voice crackled and cut off. The car was filled with silence.

Heart pounding, I looked up. The gas station was only five blocks down.

"Take off your seat belt," I ordered, keeping my eyes fixed on the building at the end of the street.

The woman next to me gasped. "Are you insane?"

"Do it!" I snapped, quickly taking mine off. Seeing that the sobbing redhead hadn't moved an inch, I reached over and undid her belt. She was shaking.

"Oh my God. I'm going to die-"

"Pepper!" I shouted angrily, eyes flashing. She finally looked at me. "You listen to what I'm going to say right now, cause I'm going to try my best to save our lives, alright?" At her frantic nod, I took a breath. "We have to jump, or we will die. I need you to hold onto me as tight as you can, and I'll keep you safe."

"O-Okay," she stuttered, wiping the tears from her face.

I reached over Pepper's shivering body, flinging her door open. The road hurtled past us. The distance between us and the gas station was decreasing by the second.

Go now.

Go!

Without another word, I placed my feet against the inside of my door. Using all of my weight, I pushed Pepper out of the speeding car. My arms wrapped around her slim frame as we flew through the air. She held onto me tighter than anyone had before, knowing I had her life in my hands. I cradled her head protectively. I could feel her tears on the side of my face. Her body quivered against me. She was so very frightened.

Those few milliseconds were the longest of my life. It was like droplets of rain, paused only moments before hitting the surface of a pond. Knowing the inevitability. The drops would eventually fall. I could see everything in perfect synchronization. I could see the frozen faces of a large crowd of people. Frozen in fear. In terror.

Surprisingly, I felt neither. I felt the weightlessness. The knowledge of the situation. Knowing that neither of us were likely to survive.

I couldn't hear the people scream. I couldn't hear anything but the beats of my heart, thundering in my ears; pounding in my head.

I saw flames. They were everywhere. The heat from the explosion licked at my exposed arms. Then I saw the road. Using every fragment of the power I still had, I twisted my body through the air to take the brunt of the fall.

The world finally caught up. The drops of rain fell.

The pain was excruciating. Gravel and pavement ripped through my flesh. Red, pulsing, hot blood filled my sight. I could hear Pepper screaming in my ear. Pushing aside the debilitating pain, I cradled Pepper even closer, careful her head never touched the ground as we rolled across the cement. I heard a crack. A particularly loud crack. There was blood everywhere. It was dripping into my eyes. Past my lips.

Black spots flickered through my vision.

We stopped rolling.

The screams roared in my ears. Crackling flames filled the air.

I felt Pepper squirming in my grip.

"Ella?! Ella!" Her hands fluttered over my body. She was crying again. Harder this time.

I tried to focus on her face. My limbs felt thick. Heavy. My head lolled, cheek scraping the pavement.

"Pep...per?" I groaned, eyes rolling.

"I'm fine. Oh my God, Ella! Your head! The blood-!"

I sighed in relief. Pepper's safe...

I allowed the pain to come. It flooded through me in waves, threatening to pull me under.

Then I heard something odd. Something like... jets.

"Pepper! Pepper!" Tony's mechanical voice came.

I gasped for breath.

Broken ribs, possible punctured lung. Multiple cranial contusions. Internal bleeding.

Probability of Survival: 5%

"I'm fine, Tony, help Ella! My God, she saved me! Ella?!"

The ground fell away. Cold, metal wrapped around my body. My eyelids fluttered.

"You stay awake, kid. You hear me? You stay awake!"

"Tell Clint... I'm sorry...," I breathed. Air whipped at my hair. Cool wind bit my aching, slick flesh.

"Ella, we're almost there. Don't you close your eyes, kid... Ella? Ella?!"

Despite my wishes, my lids fell shut. Then the waves of darkness pulled me under, taking the pain away.


... Sorry... *proceeds to hide behind computer screen*

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