April 25th, 2010 - New York

Sixty-four.

That's how many years it had been.

Sixty-four years, eleven months, and eighteen days since Adelyn Juliet Frost had been placed into cryostasis by Howard Stark, Peggy Carter, and Colonel Chester Phillips. And according to the research AJ had been given, Peggy was the only one left alive out of the three.

So much had changed in those sixty-four years.

The technology advancement had sky rocketed. (Mostly thanks to Howard.)

Howard.

He was gone.

He had died in 1991.

December 17, 1991.

But as sad as she was over Howard's death, AJ couldn't help but be so incredibly proud of all that her friend had accomplished in his life. Inventor, engineer, movie director, businessman. And founder of Stark Industries.

She smiled while thinking back to a conversation she had had with Howard one late night over a shared bottle of whisky.

"What do you think you'll do after the war is over, Howard?" AJ had asked him.

He had pursed his lips while leaning back in his chair as he propped his legs up on the lab table, only to have them pushed off by AJ. Howard had huffed and AJ had shrugged her shoulders innocently. He had chuckled and shook his head before finally answering her question. "I don't know, kid. Maybe I'll make it into the pictures. Move to California and make a real name for myself."

She had laughed at his answer, "As if you haven't already?" AJ teased.

Howard had chuckled, "I suppose you have a point there." He'd then sat up while he poured himself some more whiskey. "And what about you, AJ? What will Adelyn Frost do after the war is over?"

AJ had thought long and hard on what her life might be like after the war was over. She'd taken a long sip of whiskey while contemplating, enjoying the warm feeling it caused in her belly. And then she'd had a thought that caused her to laugh. "Probably try and come up with a polio vaccine since that's what I told Steve and Frank I'm doing now."

Howard had laughed at that and filled AJ's cup. "Yeah, you really screwed the pooch with that one."

He had then asked her if she would settle down with Frank and make an honest man out of her boyfriend but she hadn't answered that question because deep down AJ had known all along that Frank Jackson wasn't the guy she was supposed to live the rest of her life with.

Frank had died.

And just as AJ had felt hope that Bucky would be the man she'd spend the rest of her life with – he had died too.

AJ closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose, trying to push down her emotions.

AJ knew she could adapt well enough to the changes in take technology, but the one thing she that would take some getting used to was the new styling of clothing people wore in the 21st century. She had worn pants several times in her life but none like the ones given to her by the woman Director Fury had appointed as her handler.

Natasha Romanoff was unlike any woman AJ had ever met. She was beautiful, yet deadly. Black Widow. That was what one of the men had called her (the man whose shoes she had puked on the day before.) The name fit the red head perfectly. The way Natasha held herself together like a tigress on the hunt was intimidating yet inspiring. And from the short moments she had spent with her, AJ had truly enjoyed the woman's dry wit.

She felt comfortable with Romanoff, and in the last day in a half since waking up...AJ had not felt comfortable with many of the people she had met.

She felt comfortable with the other man who had been there when she had been woken; Clint Barton. He was kind. Very sarcastic. In fact, he reminded her a bit of Steve when it came to humor.

Steve.

AJ moved her hand over the mouse pad of the laptop that Natasha had given her and clicked on the file containing all of the information S.H.I.E.L.D had on Steve Rogers (Still widely known to everyone around the world as Captain America even after all of this time.)

He was gone but never forgotten it seemed.

Even now, sixty-four years later, Captain America was a legend.

But she preferred her friend; Steve Rogers.

AJ ached to be back in Brookyln with Steve. Back before he had become Captain America, when it had been just the two of them sitting in her apartment, drinking tea and poking fun at the other.

God, she missed her friend so badly.

All of those months she had spent not speaking to him after they had lost Bucky – if there were any way to take it back she would.

She lightly brushed a finger against the chain around her neck.

Howard, Peggy, and Phillips had gathered all AJ's belongings, so when she finally woke up, she'd have things that were familiar and dear to her. It was clear that after they placed her in the chamber that they didn't think she'd be waking from cryostasis any time soon. Did they think it would take weeks? Months? Howard was a brilliant man but he couldn't create a miracle to save her back in the 40's. Years had passed on and turned into decades and Adelyn Frost had remained in the chamber until a time when technology had advanced enough to heal her.

The belongings they had collected were pictures from her apartment in Brooklyn and letters that she'd received from her family while she was away in Europe.

Including a letter from Bucky.

It was the only letter he had sent her while in Europe because when she had never written back, Bucky had thought she just did not want to correspond with him. But AJ had been in Europe as well training to become an SSR Agent.

AJ hadn't found the courage to open the letter from Bucky yet, but she always kept it on her person, tucked in the back pocket of the very tight pants Natasha had given her to wear.

They had collected so many things she had once treasured, things that reminded her of how life used to be.

But Peggy had found one thing that AJ had thought she had lost forever when Dr. Reinhardt had been experimenting on her.

Bucky's dog tags.

Reinhardt had kept them for some odd reason, but when the SSR had torn apart the fortress AJ was being kept in, they had found Bucky's dog tags locked away in the mad man's office.

AJ kept Bucky's dog tags safe and secure around her neck, hanging just above her heart.

"Knock, knock." AJ looked over her shoulder and saw the man whose shoes she had ruined the other day standing in the doorway. "Phil Coulson." He introduced himself again. He shifted on his feet awkwardly until AJ swiveled in her chair so she was facing his direction. "I brought you this. " He walked over to where AJ was still sitting and set a drink down in front of her. "It's the smoothie." Coulson told her. "Cho wants you to continue on drinking these for at least a week before venturing out into New York for actual food."

AJ smiled politely and moved forward to pick up the drink. She sniffed at it and made a face but drank a large gulp of it. Hell, she was starving! She'd eat just about anything someone put it in front of her right now. AJ supposed that's what happens to a person when they're asleep for sixty-four years.

Phil pulled up a chair and sat across from AJ, causing her to raise a brow at his actions. He already seemed so familiar with her and was kind enough that she would not tell him to leave...but, after being frozen for 64 years - AJ would have preferred to be alone in this moment.

"You worked on the super solider serum with Dr. Erskine?" Coulson asked her once he was situated in his chair.

She nodded her head while licking at droplets of smoothie that had dribbled onto her chin. AJ wiped her thumb under her mouth as she set the drink down on the table and then turned her attention back to Couslon. "I did."

"But that's not public knowledge." Phil said with a smile.

No, it was not. For a very good reason. "Howard," She began to say only to have Coulson interrupt her.

"-Howard Stark."

AJ raised her brows with a little smile in amusement at the man finishing her words for her. Not in clarification, but excitement.

"Yes." AJ replied with a slight chuckle. She then frowned as she thought recalled why her name had never been publicly acknowledged for Project Rebirth. "Howard and Colonel Phillips wanted to keep me safe." AJ admitted to the man. "After Hydra sent an assassin to kill Dr. Erskine and steal a vial of the serum..." Her voice drifted as her mind replayed, the events of that day. AJ had to shake her head to rid herself of the memories, "-my safety became more important than recognition for mine and Erskine's accomplishment. I suppose I valued my life more than having my pride."

Coulson nodded his head and AJ watched as his eyes drifted down to her drink. She repressed the need to roll her eyes and took another big gulp of her drink to appease Coulson. "No one has ever been able to replicate it." He told her after she swallowed the thick liquid. "Many have tried. But...those did not work out too well." He trailed off.

It didn't surprise her that other people had tried to replicate the serum – but it did worry her. Especially from the look Phil had given her. "People have tried?"

Phil nodded. "And as I said...they did not work out too well."

AJ opened her mouth to ask him more but Natasha came into the room. "Frost." The red head called, causing AJ to look away from Coulson. "Are you ready?" Natasha asked.

No.

But that didn't matter.

AJ sat up and looked down at Phil who was holding out her smoothie for her to finish. "Cho's orders." He said with a smile after AJ had playfully narrowed her eyes at him.

"Yeah, and you don't want to get on Cho's bad side." Natasha smirked from the doorway causing AJ to smile.

But she quickly looked back down at Phil. "I'm sorry I got sick on your shoes." She apologized.

He chuckled, "Don't worry about it."

AJ took in a deep breath before she looked back over to Natasha who was giving her a warm, encouraging smile.

She wasn't ready for this. And it didn't matter how comfortable she felt around Natasha - the only time anyone had ever tried to activate her powers was by torture, and after months of being sliced open – AJ would rather not go through that kind of pain ever again.

They walked in silence most of the way and AJ was grateful. She was too nervous to say anything.

It was odd how it felt like no time had passed since she had been strapped to table and cut into so that Dr. Reinhardt could test the new abilities she had gained. That fact was why she was so damn nervous and distrusting of the people who were interested in her abilities.

AJ took in an audible shaky breath and suddenly Natasha moved to stand in front of her. AJ shook her head to let the woman know that she was fine while she breathed in heavily to calm herself down. The look Natasha was giving her surprised AJ. It was not the anger or frustration that AJ was having a bit of a panic attack - it was concern. "You are in control here, AJ." Natasha spoke slowly as she tried to assure AJ. "You have the power to say no to anything you are not comfortable with."

Natasha had somehow been able to figure out what was going through AJ's mind. Though, Natasha was probably able to figure it out easily after she saw the absolute panic and fear written all over her face.

"-How'd you know?" AJ asked as her breathing started to calm down. "You don't have some sort of mind reading power, do you?" She chuckled nervously.

Natasha smiled and shook her head before telling her; "Not too long ago I was brought into S.H.I.E.L.D and had the same fears as you." She admitted. "The," The red head paused to choose her next word carefully, "organization," Natasha settled on, "I had been a part of was ruthless. They punished us to make us strong and no matter how hard you tried - you could never fight back. Luckily for me, someone pulled me out of that place and saved my life." She smiled fondly at the memory. "But I was scared when I was first brought in." Natasha admitted. "However, I learned very quickly that S.H.I.E.L.D is not like The Red Room and that it is nothing like Hydra." She stressed her last few words. "So if that's what you're afraid of...you don't need to be." Natasha assured AJ.

The Red Room.

AJ could have sworn she had read something about the red room back in the forties. If her memory was correct, the Red Room was a place, an organization, where they took young girls and trained them to become killers. Or maybe it was just a story she heard through passing while working with the SSR?

Either way, the Red Room sounded familiar to AJ.

AJ looked past Natasha and towards the room where she knew that Director Fury was waiting for her. The panic started to rise again, so AJ forced herself to relax by taking in another deep breath. After a moment, she gave Natasha a quick nod to let her know that she was ready. Natasha nodded back at her and motioned for AJ to follow after her. "Who saved you?" AJ asked once they were at the door.

Natasha smirked. "Oh, that's a long story for another time." She chuckled before adding, "With drinks."

AJ couldn't help but give a little snort.

God, she could really use a drink now. Many drinks.

They walked into the large room, and AJ noticed that Clint was standing next to Fury. She took in all of her surroundings. The walls were white and there were no windows. AJ realized that every room she had been in since waking had been windowless as well. Apparently they wanted to ease her into the new world.

'Ease' that had been the word Fury had used.

But she felt no ease.

Clint clapped his hands together and walked forward. "Alright, let's see what you got, Frosty."

No.

Her hands clenched so tightly that she could hear her bones cracking. AJ squared her jaw in anger while looking at Clint.

Frosty.

No, he shouldn't have said that.

The room grew cold and AJ could see a cloud form whenever Clint breathed in and out and that his exposed skin was breaking out in goosebumps, the hair on his arm standing up.

"Agent Frost," Fury said slowly. "Take a deep breath."

I'm doing this.

This is me.

AJ then heard the sound of teeth chattering which caused to look away from Clint and over to her side where Natasha was standing.

The red head was rubbing her arms to try and stimulate heat. The temperature had dropped drastically and in the corners of the room, AJ could see frost forming on the walls.

AJ drew in a deep breath and closed her eyes; relax, she told herself, you don't want to hurt these people. It took a few more deep breaths before her jaw finally relaxed and she was able to un-clench her fists. She hissed once she felt a stinging pain on the palms of her hands. AJ looked down and noted the blood under her fingernails before looking at her palm and finding little crescent moon shapes caused by her digging her nails into her palm. AJ flexed her hand and watched as the tiniest bit of frost covered the marks, and when she swiped her thumb over the frost, her wounds healed.

It had happened before back in Austria. AJ remembered that whenever Reinhardt cut into her, that sometimes she'd feel a cold sensation pass over her wounds, and then they'd heal. AJ had never actually seen the healing before...she only ever felt it.

The last experiment Reinhardt had done on her would have been the one that would have ended her life if Peggy and the Howling Commandos hadn't shown up when they did. He had been able to cut in so deep that even the cold couldn't heal her fully. She had felt herself growing weaker and her will to fight and stay alive had slowly vanished each time her body tried to heal itself with the cold. Too much had been done and she had been too tired.

She was still tired.

"Was it something I said?" Clint's voice brought her out of her trance.

AJ looked over to him and took in a deep breath. "Just," Her eyes narrowed at the man in a glare. "-don't call me Frosty." Her stern tone caused Clint to raise his brows and smile a little. The man was probably amused by attempt at intimidation. It hadn't worked, clearly. She closed her eyes and drew in another shaky breath to gain the courage to say what she had to say next. If she never wanted to hear someone call her by that name again she'd have to tell the them why. "That's what Bucky used to call me...so...please."

Clint frowned while nodding his head. "I won't." He promised her.

She knew that he was telling the truth.

"Well, at least we know what her trigger is. Anger." Fury stepped forward and faced AJ. "Have you ever done that before?"

AJ shrugged, "I...maybe," She didn't know. Perhaps she had while she was strapped to the tables but she had never been fully conscious during those times.

"You seem to have control over it." Natasha commented. "That's good."

The woman who she had been locked in with, the little English she did know was not enough to explain to AJ what had happened after she had inhaled the mist that came from the broken crystals.

"Chosen." She had said. "Chosen."

Chosen for what?

They knew the trigger – anger.

Now they would do their best to get her to activate her powers by digging deep down into the rage she held without letting it get the best of her.

It'd take time.

Months.

Maybe even years.

But what else was AJ supposed to do?

S.H.I.E.L.D had been formed by Peggy and Howard. She felt honored to be an agent and to carry on their legacy.

However, before she even thought about getting to work, she needed to escape these windowless rooms and experience the real world again after over half a century.