Author's Note: Alright! I promised a few things and I intend to deliver, this does mean skipping the majority of the rest of season one of the actual show but I think that's alright, most of it was gonna not happen anyway. You will need to have seen Winter Solder for this to make sense. I own nothing.

29. Dealing with Death

The team was called to the Helicarier the next morning by a very solemn Coulson. He sat them down in one of the conference rooms which was odd. What was odder was that he looked, well he looked tired. His tie was loose, his shirt un-ironed. There were deep bags under his eyes. He rubbed a hand across his forehead. Then he sighed and slowly turned his chair to face the costumed heroes.

"I'm not gonna mince words with you, this is a difficult job. Very few who live this life come to a peaceful end." Piper's heart dropped into her shoes. She'd heard Steve tell stories of speeches like this. She quickly glanced around, all of them were here. Except… but no. She was pretty sure he was immortal anyway. But then who…? Coulson cut across her overworking mind.

"I regret to have to be the one to tell you, but Director Fury has been killed." The room was so silent it was like none of them were even breathing. Ava's claws dug into her chair. She couldn't see the other girls face but her quivering voice told Piper that Ava was on the verge of tears.

"You… You're kidding right. You can't be serious." Piper pulled off her mask and threw it across the room. Though the fabric was soft one of the lenses made contact with the wall and shattered from the force of her anger. Danny had his head bowed and seemed to be muttering a blessing under his breath. Sam was shaking his head, seemingly in denial like Ava. Luke shook slightly as he leaned forwards.

"H… How did it happen?" Coulson got that look on his face, like he was about to say it was classified. But then the grief returned and he pulled a remote out of his pocket. He kept it covered by his hand and pointed it at the corner behind him. Piper frowned at him as he slipped the remote back into his pocket.

"We have about five minutes, unmonitored. Director Fury was murdered." Piper's heart gave a painful twist as Ava sobbed. "He was attacked on the streets, in his car which was unmarked, it shouldn't have been possible for someone to find him, but they did. He made it to Captain Rodger's Brooklyn apartment, but he was followed. He was shot through the wall. One in the chest, two in the stomach. He died on the table." Piper didn't manage to keep her voice from shaking.

"And the bullets, you can use them to trace the fucker who did this right?" It was how the police had ended up finding Mathew Hardy, the man who'd killed her uncle. Coulson shook his head.

"Soviet slugs, no rifling. We aren't even sure at this point what kind of gun he used." Piper frowned as Danny pulled Ava into a hug and let her sob into his shoulder.

"He?" Coulson nodded.

"Captain Rodgers went after him. Almost caught him too. Got a look at him, but he was masked, all we know is he's long dark hair, and he's incredibly strong. He caught Captain Rodgers shield with little effort." Piper sat back in her chair. That was damn near impossible to do unless the man himself had taught you how to do it. Her breath shook as she breathed out.

"As of this moment SHEILD is under the command of Secretary Alexander Pierce. The job should have passed to Agent Maria Hill, but no one can seem to find her. As of right now, the team needs to lay low. No causing trouble, go after the smaller stuff. Don't draw attention to yourselves. I don't know what's going to happen to this program under Secretary Pierce." Luke cracked the arm rests on his chair at that. "I have every reason to believe he will keep the program intact. But you need to know that there's a possibility that he will terminate the program. I don't know and you deserve to know everything I know." Piper stood on slightly shaky legs and stepped over to where her mask lay on the ground. She picked it up and held it for a moment staring at the shattered lens. She shook her head. Nova still hadn't spoken. Piper glanced up and saw that his seat was empty and smoking slightly. Without a word she pulled on her damaged mask and raced out after him. She ran smack into a wall of metal and swore colorfully.

"Careful kid, wouldn't want your parents to hear you swearing like a sailor." Piper froze, so glad now that she'd pulled on her mask before she left the room as she looked up into the helmetless face of her father Tony Stark. She took a half step back and Tony smiled.

"Got to say I'm surprised to see you on your feet, you looked like shit last time I saw you." Spidey reached up, by all appearances to scratch her neck but instead flicked a miniscule switch in the back of her mask that distorted her voice.

"Uh… Thanks Mr. Stark. I gotta." Tony stopped her a hand on her shoulder. Her heart beat in her ears.

"You should get that lens looked at, looks like its about to fall to pieces. Maybe I could." He reached out and she leapt to the ceiling hurriedly scurrying along it until she was well out of his reach. He raised his hands as if in surrender.

"Ok no touching the Spider, got it. Do you know where Fury is? Or Coulson. I'd settle for rubbing in his face how well I did at the press conference this morning." She pointed into the conference room and took off down the hall. She needed to find Nova, and get as far away from her father as possible.

Tony shook his head slightly. The Spider kid was creepy, she moved like an actual spider when not on the floor. But her voice had sounded almost familiar. He shook himself and headed into the room.

Nova was in the shooting range blasting LMDs with no mercy. He didn't hear the door open behind him but he heard someone move. He turned and fired. Spidey dropped flat to the floor to avoid his shot. She managed it though. Sam dropped out of the air landing hard, not bothering to catch himself. He crumpled and Piper stepped up to him. She knelt down and he tossed aside his helmet. He stopped glowing and she finally saw his face, streaked with tears. He lunged forwards and wrapped Piper in a hug and sobbed into her shoulder. She held him for a few minutes.

"It feels like losing my dad all over again." Piper pulled him closer and let him cry.