Wow, well hello there. Remember me?

For 6 years I was at university and then the pandemic hit. It gave me inspiration to start on my stories again (yes my Harry Potter one is on my mind and I'm trying to get through writer's block with it).

All this time though one story in particular would never leave and so through the years I've planned it extensively and the time has finally come to write it.

This story in particular, is close to my heart. The original story was my first ever fanfiction 9 years ago. When I decided to re write this story the aim was to give you a more developed character in Samantha, make you feel you could imagine her in the movies and her own person within the MCU.

Over the years though the plan for this story has evolved, and the characters I am passionate about have changed too, hence the change in the story description. Hopefully you enjoy what I am setting out to write. I have multiple chapters written so far its plans to update each weekend.

If you're an old reader, thank you for sticking with me and returning, and for my new readers…I hope you enjoy the journey and I've made clicking on this story worth while.

Vex

PS No matter how much I wish, I do not own any Marvel characters.

The cold wind was sharp against her body, biting at her cheeks and threatening to slow her movements. This was battle though, and one mistake could mean the difference between life and death.

With a roar, she swung her weapon forward, piercing the unknown blue giant in front of her before it could impale her. Its companion went to strike but with a flick of her head, the creature was flung to the sky and fell back to the ground several feet away, not to get up.

She turned to survey the scene of carnage, the figures fighting always unclear but her focus always returned to the man in the green and gold. His features blurry, but an instinct to protect overwhelmed her. She could see him staring at something, maybe his hand, distracted from the oncoming creature.

She flung her weapon, killing the monster instantly. The figure whipped around to see her and though his face remained unclear she could feel the instant relief on his features as he looked at her. While she looked over his body for injuries, she could tell he was doing the same.

Their moment of reprieve did not last long and both where quickly engaged by another enemy. She felt her weapon, a staff of some kind, return to her hands and come up to block the fist covered with shards of ice aimed directed at her blocked again before an opening lead to her slicing her weapon across the creature's knee, forcing him to crouch as his blue blood poured. With a roundhouse kicked, reinforced by her unknown power, she landed a sickening blow on the creature's head, knocking him out cold.

She became vaguely aware of shouting and when she turned to look the group her body reacted to as allies, seemed to be 100m away or so, having found herself separated from them by the fighting. She could see two of the figures holding up another and the group beckoning her to join them. She looked back to see another figure, clear red of his clothing standing out in the icy waste land, shouting back at them as he dispatched foe after foe.

She began to make her way to the group when the ground beneath them started to quake. Horror overcame her as she looked to the see the gigantic beast emerge from the ice in between her and her companions. It's red eyes narrowed in on them and they had no choice but to run.

She was quick to move, ducking as she went to avoid the tail and claws of the creature that pursed her group. She managed to close the distance until the figure in green and black was only a few steps ahead. His face still unclear to her, but she could sense a look of relief when he looked over his shoulder to see her fall in line beside him. She could feel her lips stretching into a grin within the chaos of it all.

Suddenly she became aware of the ground giving way beneath them, the creature fallen to the darkness below, when out of the corner of eye she got the smallest warning of the tail with its talons heading straight for her green and black companion.

Without hesitation she pushed the man forward, taking his place as a sharp talon pierced her side and dragged her backwards.

The figure turned around, his hand reaching for her but she was too far away. She saw another figure appear, having to physically hold the first man back to stop him diving after her. She could hear the faint sound of him screaming something, her own mouth opening, pure fear filled her voice as she called back to him.

And then she was falling…

Samantha woke with a gasp, a strangled sob managing to escape her lips. Her breaths came out fast and thick and she could feel the cold sweat covering her body. She gave a small jump as the door to her bedroom swung open and her dad stood there, looking ready to pounce into action despite being in only pyjama bottoms and a random band t-shirt with a slipper in one hand as a weapon.

"Are you okay? What happened?" Her dad asked frantically as his eyes searched her room for a potential threat.

"What are you talking about dad?" Samantha asked as casually as she possibly could, her breathing finally under controlled.

"Don't take me as an idiot Samantha, I heard you shouting." There was a pause as the two people in the room looked at each other before her dad managed to suss out the situation. "It was the dream again, wasn't it?"

Samantha could only nod as she brought her knees up to her chest to hug herself. Her dad gave a large sigh, before sitting down on the bed in front of her, his raised slipper dropping to his side within his hand.

This is getting worse, maybe I should go with her today. Make sure she's telling the truth.

Samantha tried not to show the alarm in her face, wanting that to be the last thing her dad did with her.

"Have you been taking your medication?" Her dad asked. Samantha gave him a meek nod, unsure if she could sound convincing if she lied out loud. Her dad gave her an odd look for a moment, as if he knew she was lying but decided not to push further. "Okay…maybe I should come with you to your appointment today-"

"Dad I'm fine, it's just a dream. Dr Angelo wasn't fussed by it so I'm not," Samantha shrugged, letting some of the tension out her back as she straightened her legs and swung them over the side to fully sit next to her dad.

I should go with her, she's hiding something again. I should be able to meet my lead later in the day.

"I promise you I will tell Dr Angelo about it, besides don't you have that meeting with your contact today for your case?" Samantha prodded, determined not to have her father join in.

"How do you know about that?" her dad asked with growing suspicion in his eyes. He didn't remember telling her about his meeting.

"You mentioned it over dinner," Samantha gave a non-committal shrug and thankfully her father brought it.

The sounds of birds chipping broke the silence between the pair and they both seemed to become aware of the sun starting to peak through her curtains at the same time.

"Dad, I'm a big girl now. If I can't go to my own Doctors appointment at 25 without parental supervision, then I really need to re think my life choices," Samantha tried to get him to laugh but the look on his face remained unamused.

"I don't think you want me telling you again what I think of your life choices," Her dad muttered, his features hardened. Samatha looked away, fidgeting under his intense stare.

"Come on it's too early for these type of talks. Besides I think I'm about to go blind with the sun reflecting off your head the way it is." Samantha finally said after a moment's pause. It seemed to break her father's mood and he relented with a small chuckle.

"I'll have you know I shave my head by choice," He shot back, his own amused smirk matching hers and mockingly pointing a finger at her.

"Seem to have been making that choice since your twenties," Samantha teased as she stood up and gave a stretch. "I'm going to get a run in before my appointment."

"Are you sure you're okay?" Her dad asked while still sat on her bed, his teasing tone dropped and replaced with concern.

"I'm okay," Samantha reassured, hoping he couldn't see her eyes she was once again lying to him. "Now get out my room so I can get ready."

"Okay, okay," Her dad held his hands up in surrender as he finally started to make his way back to the door. "I'll probably be gone by the time you're back from your run but I'll see you at dinner."

"By the way," Samantha called, halting her father's progression through the door. "Are all police officers trained in the art of using a slipper as a weapon or just the special ones?"

Samantha laughed as said slipper was thrown at her before her father left her alone, muttering under his breath about having a daughter far too quick for her own good.

Samantha could hear the tick tock of the clock on the wall, breaking the silence in the room. Dr Angelo was a kind looking middle aged woman who no doubt could see through the current non-committal answers Samantha was giving her.

The older lady straightened in her seat and tucked a cardigan further around her as she stared down the younger woman, waiting for her to fill the silence on her own. She had been working as psychiatrist for the majority of her carer, had seen all the tricks in the book and wasn't going to allow Samantha to get away with a shrug and half answered questions.

"Sorry what was the question again?" Samantha asked after too long a silence had passed.

"I asked if you've been having the dream again?" Dr Angelo repeated, looking unfazed by Samantha's answer. Samantha gave a reluctant nod, looking to the side and staring out the window into the car park of the health centre. "Remind me what happens in the dream?"

Samantha gave a sigh, knowing Dr Angelo know full well what her dream was about but decided to not be as resistant as usual.

"It's cold and I'm fighting these blue…giants or something. There's a large beast chasing after us and then I'm falling." Samantha said very matter of factly, trying her best not to show how much the dream gets to her.

"To your death?"

"I assume so, I've always woken up before hitting the bottom," Samantha gave a tight smile as the doctor made some notes on her paper.

"And the figures, have you been able to make out their faces yet?"

"Nope," Samantha popped her 'p'.

"I see," the psychiatrist hummed. "And am I right in thinking over the last 6 months when the dream began, it's becoming more intense each time?"

Samantha found she had no words to respond. How she could tell the woman each time the dream happened it felt more and more lifelike, she could feel her muscles ache through the fight, the cold against her skin and of course the utter despair as she fell to the darkness.

"And how often are you getting the dream now?" Dr Angelo asked next.

"Once or twice a week."

"So more regularly?" The older woman summarised. Samantha simple looked away giving her, her answer. The void was filled of the sound of her pen scratching on the paper, making notes for her letter afterwards. There was another pause before she asked her next question. "How are you finding the olanzapine?

"It's fine," Samantha shrugged, looking at her hands and finding a cuticle on her right index finger rather interesting.

"Hmmm, I ask because your father reached out to my secretary and says he has concerns you're not taking it," Dr Angelo revealed, her features remaining impassive.

Samantha tried to keep the irritation off her face but Dr Angelo was a skilled physician, she could see the telltale signs of her fleeting anger at her father contacting her behind Samantha's back.

"Maybe we should try lithium again?" Dr Angelo continued.

It would be easier to monitor if she's taking her medications.

"Why? So you can check I'm taking them?" Samantha asked, her anger slipping into the edge of her voice.

"Your father seems to agree with my concerns over your compliance." Dr Angelo gave a sigh, removing her glasses to look at Samantha. There was no judgement in her eyes, only concern. "We know Lithium is a good mood stabiliser to take alongside the olanzapine. But if you feel the olanzapine is enough and you're taking it regularly, we don't have to change your medication."

Samantha nodded, her posture taking a more relaxed tone as the potential argument was deescalated.

"Just tell me Samantha, are you starting to hear the voices again?"

Urgh what is taking Dr Angelo so long, my appointment was 20 minutes ago.

This job is so boring, should have taken the receptionist job at the gym. At least they're better looking there.

What if the tracking chip the government have on me, is in my neck and not my leg?

Samantha stared at Dr Angelo, giving a small smile and ignoring the noise from the waiting room which seeped into her head.

"No Dr Angelo, I haven't heard the voices in years."

The bus journey to her job was quick and Samantha gave a smile to the attendant at the news agent's next door as she walked past and into the BLACK SHEEP cafe. There were a small amount of customers dotted around the shop, a couple of the builders from the site down the road enjoying a late breakfast as well as some of the hungover students using a fry up to soak up the hangovers from the night before.

Samantha gave them a smile as she made her way behind the counter to see her boss Claire cleaning. Claire was a woman in her 60s who likely would be working in her cafe until the day she died. She loved the place as if it was her own child. The older woman gave Samantha a kind smile, her lines of her face easily forming the expression of happiness.

"Thanks again for letting me come in late," Samantha said as she made her way to the back to grab an apron and dump her bag.

"No worries at all, you know health comes first. Gareth's in the back with Vinnie unloading some of the deliveries if you could help." Claire said before going back to her cleaning.

Samantha dropped her bag in the corner of the kitchen where a table and chair were put to the side for the staff to relax in on break. She made her way to the back entrance to find Vinnie and Gareth struggling over some heavy looking boxes containing the daily deliveries.

"Need a hand?" Samantha asked brightly.

The pair dropped the box they were holding to look around and it was like looking at two opposites.

Vinnie was a 40 year old while man, tattoos covering both arms and coarse lines on his face from years of a hard life, and he barely mustered a smile at her appearance. Claire and Vinnie never went into how he became the cook at the BLACK SHEEP, but Gareth and Samantha had guesses about his previous life. It definitely concerned some jail time and both knew if ever closing up late, if Vinnie was near by you would be fine. Gareth even told her a story once of when she was away, a teenage boy tried to rob the place but he practically peed his pants and ran due to a mere grunt from Vinnie.

Gareth on the other hand gave her a large smile. The young black man was closer to Samantha's age. Originally from the states, he had come to London in an attempt to become big on the Westend after being unable to break in on Broadway. Though he had the face of a star with shining white teeth and a jaw line chiselled by the gods, he so far was yet to have his big break.

"Glad you could finally join us," Gareth teased caused Samantha to smile further. Ever since Gareth had joined the staff 6 months ago, he had quickly become close friends with Samantha the two finding a shared sense of humour and easy flow of conversation.

"Well I wanted to give you two a chance of looking strong before showing you up," Samantha said as she went to grab the box next to them.

"Careful, it'll need two of us -" Gareth was cut off by Samantha lifting the box with ease and showing no signs of strain or stress at lifting the heavy load. "Or maybe just the stupidly strong Samantha…girl power and all that,"

Samantha laughed as she carried the box inside, followed by Vinnie and Gareth struggling with a box between them.

"So what do you reckon?" Gareth asked her, nodding his head towards the couple in the corner of the cafe.

It was a mid afternoon lull in the day and soon they would be closing. The lunch rush had gone and Claire was in her office going through accounts while Vinnie was outside having a quick cigarette. Samantha and Gareth were on the counter, Samantha cleaning the coffee machine while Gareth tidied up the display of cakes.

She turned around and joined him leaning on the cake counter looking at the young couple, no more than 16 sat in the corner with a very awkward air about them.

"First date or last one?" Gareth asked, sending a raised eyebrow at her and a cheeky grin. He loved to do this with customers, guessing the reason for them being in the shop. He claimed it was to build his actor repertoire, see people in their natural habitat or some rubbish like that. Samantha had to admit though he was more observant sometimes then she gave him credit for.

Samantha looked at the couple and found herself focusing on the boy.

Just tell her you like Jenny and get it over with. Toughen up already.

Samantha gave a smug smile before speaking.

"Last, and he's going to do it by telling her he likes someone else." Samantha told Gareth, her English accent contrast with his American.

"There's no way you can guess that just by looking at them," Gareth scoffed. Then again he had been caught out by Samantha's guesses and observation skills before.

"Bet you for lunch tomorrow?" Samantha suggested.

"You're on," Gareth smirked, confident Samantha could not be so right just by looking—

"JENNY?! YOU LIKE THAT SLUT JENNY?!" The high pitched scream of the teenage girl filled the cafe as she threw her water all over the boy sat opposite her.

"It just happened, I'm sorry-" The boy began to plead, his face blooming bright red in embarrassment as the other few patrons in the little cafe were now staring at the young couple.

"I never want to see you again," the young girl spat before storming out of the cafe, door slamming behind her.

The young boy had the decency to look a little bit sheepish as he quickly gathered his items before scurrying out of the door but heading in the opposite direction of the girl.

"And that is why we get people to pay when they order," Samantha told Gareth, giving him a pat on the back as he stared at her with an open mouth.

"There is no way in hell you guessed that. How do you know that was going to happen?" Gareth asked, as he followed her back to the coffee machine.

"It's a gift," Samantha shrugged. "Three years of working in a cafe will give you great people reading skills."

"I still think you have bugs around this place, listening to people's conversation," Gareth mused, his American brain automatically thinking about wild elaborate plots of hidden technology and spies.

Samantha gave a teasing smirk, knowing his idea was a lot more plausible than the actual answer. Instead she let him believe what he wanted to.

Not much later Samantha was putting the key into the lock of her flat, looking forward to her day off tomorrow and the plans she had arranged with Gareth. She wasn't surprised to find her dad busy working away on his laptop, researching something or other for his case. When he retired 4 years ago after 30 years in the Metropolitan Police, her father just couldn't seem to enjoy the life of a retiree and before Samantha knew it, he was already picking up cases as a private investigator.

"I brought left overs from the cafe," Samantha called as she made her way into the kitchen. She heard a grunt of acknowledgement from her father. She gave a smile knowing he was doing what he loved, and went about warming up the food she had brought back.

Before long she had managed to drag her dad away from his work to get some food. He listened as she explained about the arguing couple and her plans with Gareth the next day. In turn he gave some vague updates on his current case, only when he case was closed would he fill her in on the finer details.

"How was your appointment with Dr Angelo?" Her dad finally asked, after clearly resisting the urge to bombard her with questions about it throughout the meal.

"It was fine, she's happy with my current meds and doesn't want to change anything," Samantha shrugged, feeling much less comfortable with the change in topic.

"And what did she say about the dream?" Her dad prompted.

"That I should keep a record of every time it happens but hopefully it will settle down soon." Samantha easily lied, knowing Dr Angelo had given no such reassuring statement. Her dad somehow bought it though and nothing else was said on the matter.

As the sky grew dark, Samantha could feel her eyes lids beginning to close as she watched some rubbish on the tele. She was quick to turn it off, say good night to her dad who was back at his table researching. The word HUGHES INTERNATIONAL and BIOLOGICAL WEAPONS flashed to her attention but she was too tired to register the words.

Samantha managed to change into her pyjamas and climb into bed without much effort and quickly fell asleep. All the while completely unaware of the raven haired figure in her mirror, in the green and gold outfit, watching her.