It wasn't so bad being in the tower.

Well, that was because Daniel no longer felt like he was dying. He felt good, better. Daniel expected the serum to wear off and have it bring back all that pain. But no.

Everything seemed good.

Daniel breathed deeply as he jogged on the treadmill. Unlike last time, he was able to be on the machine for half an hour. He wasn't so pale as before. His natural tone was returning unlike that sickly white he had earlier.

Everything seemed good.

There were no body aches or any pain from the withdrawal. It was amazing. It was as if he wasn't an addict. Well, it felt like that. Daniel is quite aware that he has a problem, more so problems but he will tend to one issue at a time. For now, drugs are the current issue.

A smile was on his face, giddy that he wasn't hunched over in pain. There was no music, just him and his thoughts. The only sound that could be heard is the sound of the treadmill, which wasn't loud, and the soft thuds of his feet on the machine. He just kept jogging. That was until his jogging turned to running.

Many thoughts crossed his mind, memories he didn't expect to see. Memories that he didn't think would come up at the moment.

He began to recall all the times he had ran away from something and towards something.

Never a moment of rest.

He is always running, running and running.

Why is he always running?

The smile on his face began to disappear. Without another thought, he stopped the machine and got his towel to wipe of the sweat from his forehead and neck. Daniel walked around, trying to quiet his thoughts.

"Can't shut me out, Danny? Pity"

A mocking voice said. Daniel closed his eyes, not wanting to hear that voice again. He has been free from that voice for years. Now, she's returned.

Fuck.

He opened his eyes when he felt her touch his cheek. Daniel was met with her eyes, such lovely shade of green. It wasn't a murky green. It was vibrant, like emeralds. A shade that wouldn't confuse a person whether her eyes were brown or green. Her eyes were a vivid shade of green. He could see flecks of gold in them, giving them such a vibrancy. Daniel remembers how lost he would get in her eyes. He would take notice of how they'd light up whenever she was happy, or when they would get dull when she was upset.

Daniel just knew that he felt at home whenever he looked into her eyes.

There would have been a time where he'd be happy seeing her, but not now. She's not here. She's gone.

Gone.

"What's wrong, honey? Missed me?" She smirked as she ran her thumb over his bottom lip. Daniel could feel her touch. His body still remembers her touch. The things he'd give for this to be true.

"You have no idea," he sighed with such sadness. It weighed on him, like bags of sand on his shoulders. She pouted, moving closer to him and wrapping her arms around his neck. Daniel didn't want to close his eyes, afraid that she'd leave.

But she always leaves in the end.

Daniel moved his hands to her waist, and he could feel her warmth. He could feel the soft fabric of her dress. Such a pretty dress. It was a yellow, summer dress that reached her knees. Daniel remembers when she wore it. It was when they took that vacation to Miami. Such wonderful memories.

"Serena...," Daniel muttered as he felt her place her head on his shoulder. Her breath hitting his neck. Shivers ran down his spine. Without a thought, he closed his eyes and enjoyed her embrace. Just having her in his arms brought him peace.

Like smoke, her touch was fleeting. Daniel opened his eyes to see she was no longer there. The warmth he felt was gone. All he felt was this hole in his chest and how cold he was.

Daniel took a sharp breath, keeping his emotions at bay. He rubbed his eyes in a hasty manner, getting rid of those tears before they fell. God, he felt stupid. He didn't care if he was going crazy. He'd prefer being crazy as long as he could see her. To have her in his arms again. To wake up every morning with her by his side, the love of his life.

He needed to use again.

Using numbs his mind, prevents any of this shit from happening. Daniel's urge just grew and grew. Sure, he doesn't have the aches or any of the consequences from withdrawal, but that didn't lessen his hunger for such bliss.

Clenching his hands tightly, he tried to calm himself down. He is clean. Whatever shit he could use has been taken from him. It isn't like he could go buy some.

Wait...Can I?

No one stopped him when he left the tower. Looks like planning an escape has seized. He can walk out whenever he wants. There are no restrictions. He walked out with ease the last time he left. Packing a bag and heading out may be the next best thing. Who would care if he left? Tony has been doing alright on his own. It isn't like he cares about him. So, technically, he has no ties here.

Daniel broke from his thoughts when he heard footsteps. Glancing over his shoulder, he saw that it was Steve. He wore a tight, white t-shirt with Grey sweatpants.

Does he ever get shirts his size?

Steve glanced up to see he wasn't alone. There last conversation wasn't forgotten. Daniel defended himself as Steve bluntly, verbally attacked him and judged him for his past.

It's official: Daniel hates old people.

However, Daniel plastered a fake smile on his face and gave the soldier a wave. Steve simply looked at the Stark oddly, sensing that he wasn't genuine with the greeting.

"Well..." Daniel said as he took a big step forwards, clapping his hands while doing so. "I'm just going to go. Y'know, places to go, people to see."

"Since when?"

"Since I don't want to be alone in a room with you," Daniel stated with a smile as he began to walk out of the room. Once he left, that smile on his face fell. Daniel really wasn't in the mood to talk to Mr. Fourth of July. He just wanted to take a breather, that was until he hallucinate his ex. The last thing he needed was someone like Steve to see that and question him.

"Fucking bitch," Daniel muttered as he made his way to his room to shower.

It is safe to say that Daniel wasn't fond of Steven Grant Rogers.

The last thing Daniel expected was to be placed in this predicament. His back facing a corner of a dirty alley with a huge, scary dude threatening him.

"Look, man...I haven't been in New York in like five years. I don't know where fucking Liam is," Daniel held his hands up as his eyes were on the gun pointed at him. A large, tall man with black hair and a dark complexion held the gun at the younger man.

So, going to the park again wasn't a good a idea. He was just going to walk around, get some coffee and head back to the tower. His contact had failed to arrive. He just needed a new passport and new documentation. Daniel managed to snag some cash from Tony.

If Tony didn't want to get robbed, he shouldn't carry three thousand dollars in cash and have his wallet bulging out of his back pocket. It was literally begging to be taken.

"You fucking rat! Where the hell is he?!" The man snapped, taking another step towards Daniel.

Daniel winced and cowered back a bit, a nervous laugh beginning to leave him. "Look, if I knew where Liam is, I wouldn't be here. I'd be off in some island sipping on some martinis and peeling off bikinis. You honestly think I want to be back in this dump?"

The man pointed to the ground and pulled the trigger once, a loud bang was heard. It made Daniel jump and move to the side. "Okay-okay, calm your ass, big man."

"You got me...I know where Liam is," Daniel sighed, truly having no idea where Liam is. However, this brute wouldn't take it as an answer. He would just become more violent.

"He's in Greenwich, wholed up in an apartment with a nice piece of ass. You know how he is, jumping from one bed to another," Daniel laughed nervously as he looked up from the gun to the man's face. He needed to come up with some way to escape.

The man seemed to be around Daniel's height, although he was far more muscular than the Stark man. Daniel could quickly attack the man. Grab the gun with his left and the wrist with his right. Twisting the wrist at an angle, the man will let go of the gun and it will be in Daniel's possession.

Daniel licked his lips, getting mentally ready to do this -- having mentally prepared for this. However, someone attacked before he could.

Daniel swore he felt the ground shake.

Daniel looked at the man, seeing him completely knocked out before he looked up to be met with a 5'2 redhead. His jaw dropped slightly at the sight of her, not really expecting to see her.

"You just love getting yourself in trouble, don't you?" She retorted, arching a brow in amusement.

Daniel gave her a wide grin before stepping over the man to walk towards her. "Nat! Always lovely to see you, but I am a tad busy," he walked passed her and was ready to leave before he felt her grab his arm. It wasn't a tight hold, but it was enough to make him stop.

"Tony's been looking for you."

Daniel chuckled a bit at that as he glanced at her before he gently took her hand off of him. "Yeah, well he isn't the only one."

"Fury is able to get people off your back. That's why he talked with you," Nat stated, placing her hands on her hips.

Now, thats news to him. Daniel knew that Fury wants him to work for him, even though Daniel doesn't know what for. What he didn't know was that Fury would be keeping people off his back. That's interesting.

"I'm guessing he didn't tell you about that," Nat concluded from seeing the Stark's look of confusion. Daniel pressed his lips together and shook his head, indicating that he didn't know that. Sighing, he glanced at his watch to see that it was 2 pm.

"I know that you're used to running, so was I, but you really have a chance to make a difference here. You already have someone supporting you, much more than I had when I joined SHIELD," Nat said as she took a step towards him. Daniel eyed her, not sure whether she was being genuine or simply using her charm to do Fury's bidding. He had a feeling it was the latter. After all, she does work for the man.

Crossing his arms against his chest, he sighed. "Fine, I'll stay in the city. I'll see how good it is being the "good guy" ", Daniel did air quotes on the last two words, truly not seeing himself as a good guy, nor the group of heroes. Not everyone is good. Everyone has a dark side, and he doesn't trust those that appear not to have one. It makes them difficult to trust.

Seeing someone on a bad day: angry, upset or plain homicidal, shows the type of person they are when their emotions are high. Seeing how they behave upon such conditions tells the type of person they are. It is stupid to think that someone is perfect, because no one is.

Daniel considered the conversation over, so he turned on his heel and began to walk away. He will try this hero stuff out. Although, Daniel has a feeling that he will not like it. He doesn't like the air that they bring, the self-righteousness and arrogance. Daniel would prefer having fun than pretending he is a Saint. That would sound boring.

Huh, maybe he can make this hero thing fun. After all, who said it had to be boring?

At the thought of that, Daniel smirked as he began to get excited for his first mission. The sooner he gets one, the sooner he will have his fun.

"Where are you going?" Nat asked as she walked up alongside him, curious as to what made him accept this so easily. It is clear that it was for his self-interest, but what specifically?

"Lunch."

Daniel smiled at her as he slipped his hands in his pockets and strolled down the street. "Care to join me? I know this little Italian place with an amazing lasagna."

" I swear to God --!"

The man growled as he looked at his phone in frustration.

"I am going to fucking kill everyone and anyone"

"Dan, calm down. It's just a game"

Tony called out as he tinkered from his workstation.

Daniel has been staying at the tower for about six months already. He had gotten back his color, gained some weight on him and is still sober. However, the latter wasn't really much of a choice. He can occasionally smoke and drink, but that seems to be it. Anything stronger and Jarvis would snitch on him. As much as Daniel may love the AI, he wasn't really fond of Tony messing with his things.

It also doesn't help that Tony got him a psychiatrist...and not a hot one. If he is to spill his guts to someone, why couldn't it be someone pretty?

"It's not just a fucking game! Do you know for how long I've been playing ?! "

"Five--"

"FIVE FUCKING HOURS !"

Daniel huffed before tossing the phone on the table without a care. Dragging his hands down his face in a frustrating manner, he began to make his way to his brother. Without much thought, he placed his chin on Tony's shoulder and watched big brother work.

Tony didn't make much of a reaction at Daniel's touch, but he was aware of it. The older man wasn't going to show how happy he was that Daniel was beginning to trust him. Sure, the last six months have been anything but easy -- especially when the majority of the team had left to do their own thing.

The brothers would fight, almost daily. Both saying hurtful things to one another, before ignoring eachother for a few hours and falling back into an argument. That seemed to have stopped when Tony got Daniel his shrink.

Dr. Stan Lee was an older, optimistic gentleman that had the most patience than anyone the Stark Brothers have met before. It was crazy. In the long run, he has helped the brothers get out their emotions in a healthy manner that they are no longer at each others throats.

With Daniel's improvement, physically and mentally, Fury had began giving the man small assignments to start off. Things such as retrieving sensitive items and getting information out of people.

Everything was going good.

"I think the red wire should go there," Daniel muttered as he looked down at Tony's work, pointing down at the tech below.

"Dan...that's not how it works."

"Well, it should be."

Tony sighed, and he continued to do his work. They stayed like that for a while-- Daniel with his chin on Tony's shoulder, looking over the work that his brother was doing.

That came to an end when Daniel got a call. With a sigh, Daniel stood up straight and took his phone out to see it was a certain Russian Spy. Smiling, Daniel strolled out of the lab to answer the call without Tony listening.

"Agent Romanoff, missed me?" Daniel smirked as he leaned against the wall as he spoke with her. He wasn't going to admit it, but he missed the redhead. The first month of his stay, he had spent most of his time with the spy. Daniel couldn't help but be intrigued by her.

"Hmm, not so much," she teased. Daniel could hear a smile on her face. "However, this isn't a personal call. Fury has assigned you to join me and the Task Team on a mission. We will pick you up in an hour. Have your things ready."

"Who's we?"

"Me and Rogers."

"Ah, fuck"

It seems like his day has gotten worst.

Apologies, I have been quite busy as of late. Nonetheless, here is a chapter. I shall begin writing Daniel into the MCU time-line. If you hadn't guessed, I shall be putting him during Captain America: The Winter Soldier.I'd appreciated to see what you guys have in mind for the future of this story.