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Chapter 35

Rosie ran a hand through her hair. It had been nine days since Natasha had left. Clint wouldn't speak to her and gave her death stares, Steve mopped around the tower only speaking to Darcy, Mello spent a lot of her time practising her magic (it was only on the condition that she practised magic every day for hours that Odin let her come back) and Tony and Bruce spent a lot of time in the lab. Rosie tried to help but she felt she only got in the way. There had been no progress on finding Natasha and slowly they were all starting to lose hope. The Red Room would be furious that she had left them and the longer it took to find her the slimmer that chance got that they'd find her alive or that she'd remember them at all. If she didn't remember them not only would it destroy Clint, S.H.I.E.L.D. would temporarily loose both of their best Agents, the Avengers would lose a valuable member and they all know she'd be sent to kill them. Hardly anyone was speaking in the tower and she just had to get out that only left her with one option, walking around New York aimlessly. With her hands shoved in her hoodie pockets she joined the crowds of people milling through the streets of New York. Deciding to go find a tree in Central Park to sit in she veered away from the main streets and took a couple of back streets to get to the park. She could now navigate the streets around the tower without thinking, outside of her 'boundaries' let's just say she's glad she has a phone. At the entrance of New York a magazine stall caught her eye. She picked up one of the magazines and handed the money to the woman selling them. The woman looked up at the girl and squealed in delight.

"Oh my! No, no my dear you don't have to pay! You've done enough for me already!" the woman cried. Rosie looked up at the plump woman in surprise.

"I'm sorry I don't understand?" Rosie asked. The woman chuckled.

"You save me and my little girl during the New York disaster you have done more than anyone else. I will not allow you to pay," the woman pushed her hand away. Rosie smiled.

"Thanks for the offer but a couple of dollars isn't going to make much of a difference to me. Please just take the money," Rosie put her hand out again.

"It's only cents dear not dollars," the woman smiled. Rosie blushed she thought she'd got used to that.

"'course it is. Sorry I thought I'd got used to this… in Britain when had pounds and pennies not dollars and cents," Rosie laughed. The woman took the money before picking up a pen and paper.

"If you don't mind my daughter loves you she looks up to you, she's only eight. She'd be the happiest little girl in the world if I got her an autograph." Rosie blinked. What? She'd never been asked for an autograph before.

"…S-sure," she stuttered and signed the paper and put Iron Woman with the Avengers A beside it before handing the pen and paper back to the woman.

"Thank you. This will make me very popular! You must get asked for autographs all the time!" Rosie shook her head.

"Nope. Never been asked for one before. Thanks for the magazine Ms," She smiled before walking into the Park. She took the rolled up magazine and stared at the cover that had urged her to buy it in the first place. On the front was the title Next Generation underneath was the photos of her, Mello, Hope, Kitty, Rogue, Ice Man, Spider-Man, Power Man, White Tiger, Nova and Iron Fist all with their full costumes on (well armour for Rosie but her helmet was off and she was holding it against her side). She flicked through the magazine to find the page. Once she'd found it she started to read the article.

We all adore our American super heroes, with the exception of J Jonah Jameson and his followers and the anti-mutant groups. But how long will this generation of greats such as Iron Man and Captain American be around? No one knows but there is one thing we do know for sure, there is already the next generation of heroes to carry on when our beloved heroes of today can't carry on. The question is though will they be able to take the pressure of the life that is a super hero? We think the answer is yes. Already the next generation is starting to emerge; those teenagers on the front are only the first wave of the new heroes to come. Many have already showed they are ready to lay down their lives for the good of the world. Iron Woman aka Rosie Stark and Mello have already showed they are ready by their role in the battle of New York. The newest X-Men Shadowcat, Rogue, Ice Man and the mutant messiah Hope have showed as well they are up to the task of hero even with the extra pressure they get from being a mutant which they will not get from this magazine. Spider-Man and his team have showed that even the beginners have potential to be greats, think about a couple of months ago Spider-Man was causing havoc whilst doing his job but now is a valued super hero.

Rosie smiled. It was good to know they were appreciated even though at some points it seems that they are hated by all. She was sure that the X-Men would be happy to know that not everyone thought they were evil. She was about to go back to the article when people gasped around her. Rosie froze before rolling up the magazine and slowly turned round.

"Nightcrawler?" she gasped.

"Ya. I need you to come to Utopia, its Hope," he told her. Rosie looked at him for a second before taking his hand.

"Let's go Elf," she stood tall. Nightcrawler flashed away and next thing she knew she was in the plaza of Utopia. Nightcrawler started to walk off towards one of the buildings and Rosie ran after him. Quickly she shoved the magazine as good as she could in her pocket. When they reached Hope's room there was already a couple of X- Men outside her door, they were Cyclopes, Emma Frost, Storm and Wolverine.

"Hey," Rosie smiled as she walked over to the group and glared, "Scott."

"Stark." He nodded.

"How's it goin' bub? You coppin' ok?" Wolverine asked his arms crossed and leaning against a wall. She knew he was talking out Widow going with Winter. They had told the X-Men in hope they may be able to help. They said they'd keep an eye out but couldn't promise anything.

"Ok, tensions are high in the tower… especially Cap and Hawkeye…" she muttered, "Anyway enough about Avenger troubles what's up with Hope?"

"We don't know, she's refused to come out of her room for three days, we're not sure she's eaten and drunk anything," Emma stared at the door.

"Ok… well that just sound like me but you know. Where's Kitty and Rogue?" Rosie asked as she moved over to the door.

"In Canada," Scott told her. She nodded and knocked on the door. "Hope it's Rosie." When she didn't answer she knocked again. After her third try she got frustrated.

"Hope Summers open this god dam door right now or I swear to god I will break it down!" she growled. When she didn't reply Rosie moved back from the door. She lifted up her hoodie, took a gun out of the back of her jeans clicked the safety off and shot at the lock on the door three times. Once she lifted up the door and kicked it.

"You need a new door," she muttered before putting the gun back in her jeans and walking in.

"I coulda done that," Wolverine grumbled. The room suddenly got lighter each time earning a groan in protest from who they presumed as Hope. There was then a scream and a thump. Scott was about to rush into the room when Emma grabbed his arm.

"Scott honey I'm sure Rosie knows what she's doing," she whispered. Seconds later Rosie walked backwards through the door hunched over slightly. On the ground in front of her was Hope still in her green and yellow suit with her brown cloak and dragging her by her feet was Rosie. Hope struggled desperately as she was dragged out her bedroom.

"LET GO OF ME STARK!" Hope fought against her but Rosie continued to walk down the hall.

"Nothin' to see here. Carry on." Rosie said over Hope's screams of protest as the X-Men watched her drag their messiah down the hall.

"I like that kid," Wolverine smirked before walking off. Rosie dragged Hope through Utopia until she reached the beach. She dumped Hope before looking over to San Francisco. They stayed silent for a moment before Rosie turned over to Hope who had thrown her cloak over her face.

"Right what's up Hope?" Rosie asked her.

"Nothing." She growled. Rosie reached over and pulled the cloak away from her face.

"You're lying," she growled, "And anyway if nothing was wrong why would you lock yourself in your bedroom?"
"I hate Scott," she grumbled. Rosie laughed.

"Join the club. What'd he do to you?" Rosie asked before her ear buzzed. She squealed in shock and jumped up shaking her head.

"WHAT THE HELL STARK!?" Hope jumped up.

"S.H.I.E.L.D., I forgot I had the com link in," Rosie told her before switching it on, "Agent Stark reporting." Hope looked at her friend as she had a conversation with another Agent.

"Oh my! Yes! Yes of course! Look I'm at Utopia at the moment do you want me to bring the X-Men? ... Ok, I'll inform them straight away….. No that won't be necessary. I'll be on base as soon as possible." Rosie turned off her com link and turned to Hope, "I need to speak to everyone else immediately."

Rosie walked through the Helicarrier with the X-Men following her now in her S.H.I.E.L.D. cat suit (she'd forced Nightcrawler to flash in at the tower so she could change). Hope walked beside her and looked nervously at the people walking around her.

"Relax Hope, no one will hurt you here," she whispered. As they rounded into the control room. Just as she saw Agent Hill was pacing nervously barking orders at terrified Agents who were running about the place.

"Agent Hill!" Rosie ran over to her, "Where is she?"

"This way, all of you follow me." Hill told them. Cyclopes sped up with Emma beside him and came to walk beside Hill and Rosie.

"How did you get your hands on her?" he asked.

"A team ran into her on a mission today. She put up a fight we lost six men and fifteen are in critical but it's worth it," Hill said.

"Why do you want me to question her?" Rosie piped up.

"No one else would and you have a way with… mutants." She looked at the X-Men beside them, "Wolverine! Leave the Agents! They're terrified already!" Hill showed them to a holding cell just as Rosie was about to go in she pulled her phone out of her boot and handed it to Hill.

"Phone this number and get a team to bring her in, I may need her. Hey Coulson," Rosie smiled at her handler who was standing nervously at the door.

"Hello Rosie. Don't get killed," he told her.

"I'll try my best," Rosie winked.

"Rest of you follow me you'll be able to hear what their saying in the other room." Coulson explained before turning to walk away. Rosie watched them leave before one of the guards opened the door and she walked in. the room was just like any other holding cell. A single bed, a toilet in the corner, a sink, a 'mirror' going along one wall, a single light hanging from the wall, a table in the middle and a chair on either side of it.

"So they brought the kid to interrogate me, I thought they'd have better," someone hissed. Rosie closed the door and took a seat in one of the chairs.

"They do but you scare them stupid." Rosie said, "Hello Mystic."

"Stark." Mystic spat.

"How lovely. You're not going to tell me anything are you?" Rosie looked up at the blue woman.

"Of course not." she hissed.

"Not even to a fellow ginger?" she pouted, "Ok then." Rosie lent back in the chair and put her feet up on the table. Mystic only glared at her completely confused as she started to pick at her nails. How was she so relaxed?

On the other side of the glass the X-Men could only stare on in confusion.

"What's she doing?" Storm asked staring at Rosie though the glass. Hill who was leaning against the wall looking into the holding cell.

"Her job," she hissed.

"Surely she should be asking questions," Cyclopes looked at Hill. Coulson smiled as he saw the look on his Agent's face. To anyone else she would have just looked completely normal but he knew different. It was his job to know her and know her he did, besides Tony and Pepper he knew her better than anyone else ever would. He knew what she was thinking. She had a plan. Someone spoke in his ear saying the girl Rosie asked for was here. Coulson's smile deepened. He passed the information onto Rosie who nodded her thanks to the window.

"She's starting now," Coulson smiled. The X-Men looked from Rosie to Coulson, she looked the same as five minutes ago, how could her tell.

Rosie crossed her legs over on the table before sighing.

"You know… there's a new girl in my class. Well she's not exactly new she's been her for a couple of mouths. Bat shit crazy she is, completely of her rocker," Rosie said picking at her nails.

"What's the point in this?" Mystic growled.

"Very interesting girl. She's a mutant you know, her power is very interesting - she's a shape shifter. At first I was like oh my god! But once it had all slipped in I started to think. I was thinking who else do I know that's a shape shifter? Of course I thought of you! Then I started to think if there was any connection, nothing obvious though as far as I know she's not blue or ginger. She might be ginger she's dyed her hair purple and blue so I don't really know," Rosie ranted on. When she saw Mystic tense beside her she knew she'd hit some kind of nerve. Rosie clicked her fingers then flicked her hand from the door to Mystic. Seconds later Yuki was pushed into the room very confused.

"Rosie where am I? Who are the strange men?" Yuki looked at her.

"Non laedere ne cures ... multo. Cum tibi iustus ego et auxilii. (Don't worry I won't hurt you... much. Just go along with it and I'll get you help after.)" she told Yuki. It was lucky they both spoke Latin.

"OK. Quid ingressus in? (Ok. What's going on?)" Yuki looked at Mystic.

"Interrogando, et ipse si indiget solacio illa pessima crack eam, nisi tu ut. (An interrogation, she's a very bad person and I need help to crack her, you might be the only way.)" Yuki nodded.

"Fac mihi quodcumque necesse est, ut ne occidatis me. (Do whatever you need to do to me, just don't kill me.)" Rosie smiled before turning to Mystic.

"This is Yuki. The mutant I was telling you about. I noticed you tense before. Do you know something we don't?" Rosie chocked her head to one side. Mystic said nothing.

"Talk or I start hurting," she hissed.

"Torture won't brake me," Mystic growled.

"Who said it was you?" Rosie asked. Mystic tensed again and Rosie knew she had defiantly hit some kind of nerve. When Mystic didn't answer Rosie pulled a gun out of her holster.

"Talk." Rosie growled. Once again Mystic said nothing so she clicked off the safety.

"Last chance," she pointed the gun at Yuki's arm. Mystic said nothing but Rosie could tell she was debating whether she should. Rosie went to pull the trigger and at the last second shot Yuki in the foot. Yuki screamed and swore very colourfully in Japanese. Mystic bit her bottom lip.

"Talk or I shoot the other foot. Vos tamen cum hoc OK? (You still ok with this?)" Rosie asked. Yuki nodded so Rosie positioned her gun at the other foot ready to fire. She was about to pull the trigger when Mystic jumped up (well as much as she could considering the restraints).

"STOP! Stop! I'll talk! Leave her alone! Get her out of her!" Mystic pleaded.

Three hours later Rosie walked out of the holding cell mentally exhausted. She made her way to the viewing room only to be greeted by one very pissed off Hill.

"YOU SHOT HER! YOU KNOW THE PROTOCOL!" Hill screamed. Rosie shrugged and walked past the very pissed off second in command.

"So what? I got the information you all needed didn't I? Anyway she was fine with it, did you not get our conversation in Latin?" she asked plonking down in a seat. Hill only muttered things under her breath. It was true, Rosie had got all the information they needed off of one of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s most wanted but she had broken protocol to get it. What Fury doesn't know won't hurt him right?

"Just this once Stark. No one tells Fury or both are necks are on the line," Hill warned them all before turning and storming out the room. They stayed silent for a while before Cyclopes spoke up.

"Is Yuki really a mutant?" he asked. Rosie nodded before looking up at Scott.

"Yes, yes she is but she's a very complicated mutant…" Rosie looked to Coulson.

"Complicated how?" Cyclopes asked carefully.

"It involves Wolverine," she looked over to him.

"Me? How?" Wolverine asked. Rosie nervously tucked a piece of hair behind her ear before looking up at him chewing her bottom lip.

"I don't know much, I only found out a couple of days ago and I haven't had much time to question her properly, not that it would be very easy considering her mental state…"

"Spit it out kid."

"She was experimented on," she looked round them all, they all froze at her words, "She doesn't know who, I'm guessing they wiped her memory but she does remember being experimented on and the people mentioning one thing a lot… Weapon X…" she looked up to Wolverine, "My guess whoever experimented on you got their hands on Yuki too, judging by that there's no telling how many mutants they have experimented on. We're dealing with a massive organisation."

"Logan are you ok?" Storm put her hand on Wolverine.

"I'm fine. I'll meet you all back at the plane." He growled with that he turned on his heels and stormed out. Rosie was tempted to shout after him not to kill any Agents but held her tongue, it wouldn't help just now and it would make him angrier. Rosie stood up and stretched.

"Right I'm going home. I have an extremely late appointment with my book," she walked towards the door, "Bye Coulson see you later, X-Men see you whenever."

"Rosie!" Coulson shouted after her. Rosie stopped half way to the door and turned round to face him.

"Yeah?" she chirped.

"Tell Clint I want him on the Helicarrier at 1700," Coulson told her.

"Right I'll pass it on, bye everyone."

Rosie walked into the tower's main floor in her normal clothes. She was ready to collapse and it was only two o'clock in the afternoon. With the magazine she'd bought this morning in hand she skipped into the living room. Jane, Darcy and Pepper were in the kitchen nursing a cup of coffee each, Steve, Bruce, Mello and Tony were deep in conversation and Clint was sulking by the window. Rosie handed the magazine to Mello and told her to read it. Mello immediately flicked to the page and started to read it whilst trying to continue in the conversation. Rosie slowly went over to Clint, this would be the first time they've talked in days.

"Clint-" she started.

"No! Don't you dare talk to me! It's all your fault she's gone! If you'd just left the floor she'd still be here, I was nearly free! Instead you nearly got yourself killed! When we did chase after her you stopped me! We could have got them! You stupid girl! You're useless! You shouldn't even be a hero let alone a spy! You're an idiot! It's all your fault Tasha's gone! If she dies you're to blame!" Clint cried. Rosie's mouth opened and closed like a goldfish, her eyes were wide and she just shrunk backwards.

"C-Coulson wants you on the Helicarrier by five…" she stuttered before turning and running to the stairs. She threw the door open and slammed it behind her. Everyone started at Clint in disgust and shock.

"I know you're upset but that was uncalled for." Mello growled before getting up and heading towards the stairs stopping Pepper who was about to follow, "I'll go."

"Miss Yellow, Miss Stark is heading out the tower. She's on the fifteenth floor," J.A.R.V.I.S. told Mello.

"That was quick," Mello muttered under her breath before disappearing into the stairs. Tony got up and stormed over to Clint.

"Don't you dare speak to my daughter that way! She's upset just as much as you! She's just good at hiding it! If you ever speak to her like that again you are going to regret it Barton," Tony growled. Pepper ran over to her husband and put her hands on his arms and started to pull him away. But Tony stayed squaring up to Clint.

"Tony honey come on lets go," Pepper whined when Tony didn't move she put a bit more desperation in her voice, "Baby lets go." Tony glared at Clint one last time before he turn and walked to the lift with Pepper trailing behind him. Jane and Thor were the next to leave, Thor looked at Clint with sorrowful eyes and Jane just walked straight into the lift. Darcy walked over to Steve and pulled him up off the couch before heading to the lift glaring at Clint. Bruce tried to say something but when nothing came out he just shook his head slowly at him before getting up and walking into one of the lifts. Clint stood alone in the tower's main floor. He didn't mean what he said it just came out.