Chapter 3
All that remained were seven. Shield had taken Loki into custody under Thor's watch. The tesseract would remain in Stark tower along with the avengers to guard it. The tower was remarkably intact, a credit to Tony's engineering genius. With Jarvis in charge of several drones and many supplies already on-site due to construction, the tower was habitable in a matter of hours. After cleaning up and tending to their wounds the avengers all gathered in the main lounge, the same lounge where Tony has confronted Loki on first reaching the tower. The Loki sized hole in the floor attracted a lot of sly glances and little smirks. Everyone was dressed casually, weapons close at hand, but casually dressed the adrenalin was beginning to wear off and a somber quiet settled over the room as everyone processed the days events. On one end of an over stuffed couch that had survived intact she lay curled into a ball already asleep, the exhaustion complete, she had fallen asleep before anyone else had returned from cleaning up. Where before she had worn a leather short and pants dark gray enough to be called black, now she wore a gray hoodie and tights. Between her position on the couch and her preference for hoods nobody could see her face without disturbing her sleep.
Consciousness came slowly. Before a single muscle twitched she was already gathering information. She was somewhere soft and warm, she felt clean and she could smell coffee. Sometime during her assessment she remembered where she was. She had fallen asleep surrounded by the purple she was fighting alongside yesterday. She uncurled herself and stood she wasn't in any pain, that was expected. What little soreness and stiffness vanished completely with a long stretch. She turned and shuffled on socked feet to the bar that was currently serving as a breakfast table. Climbing into an empty bar stool she wrapped her hands around the mug of hot chocolate that awaited her, leaning over she inhaled the sweet aroma before taking a careful sip and letting out a soft moan. She sat sipping her drink for a moment before she looked around. The rest of the team sat silently watching her. The unspoken question hung heavy in the air "who are you?" As the hooded face turned to each they each felt as if they were being measured, though the darkness was as impenetrable as ever the blank face seemed to as "can I trust you" as each persons turn under her gaze came they found themselves promising she could each to themselves in their own minds and hearts.
She looked to each person in the room, they were all here, as themselves. No masks. She was the only one. Slowly she reached up and lowered her hood. Almost everyone gasped at once upon seeing her face. Thor was there first to speak "she is but a babe still" he said softly, but in the silence of the room he was clearly heard by all. The first question came from Captain America who couldn't seem to take his eyes off her, "how old are you" his usual manners forgotten in his shock. A small frown crossed her face, that wasn't exactly an easy question. She quickly decided on as close to the truth as she could get. Looking around she didn't find anything to write on or with so she just wrote two twos on the bar top. Steve changed looks but only for a second did he look incredulous. She looked up from the bar and meet his eyes for the first time. He thought she had taken his breath away when he saw her face, when his eyes meet hers for the first time he decided that she could have them, all of the breaths from now on. Her eyes were a shade of purple he had never seen before, had never even imagine could exist. Steve was an artist so saying he has a passing familiarity with color is a safe bet, Steve knew that this color existed solely for her eyes. The most beautiful girl he had ever seen looked into his eyes and he could feel a great sadness it made him believe her. The next question came from where it was most expected, "so what do we call you? I can't keep calling you gray, even if it does fit the motif you have going on here." Tony asked.
She shrugged, not like she had amnesia and couldn't remember who she was, it conveyed the sense that she couldn't tell them who she was only because she hadn't decided yet.
Jarvis's voice interrupted the conversation announcing the emminant arrival of director fury and his second in charge agent Maria Hill.
Tony cursed the timing of their less than welcome guests, mentally designing a new set of security protocols for Jarvis. The girl drained the last of her mug in an unhurried fashion. The elevator dinged drawing everyone's attention only when both set of doors opened did they notice the girl, once again dressed in dark gray leather with her hood firmly in place. She slid into the empty space as soon as there doors had opened wide enough, as the doors fully opened she spun and leaned against the back wall. From her vantage she could see the back of a bald man wearing a long black trench coat and black boots, he was already in full stride, shouting questions and orders for information. He was followed closely by his second in command, a statuesque brunette in a dark blue shield uniform. She only saw her face for a split second through the closing doors but she saw that she was as beautiful as she had thought she would be. she let a smile creep upon her, she could hear the shouting man long after the doors closed and the elevator had begun it's decent.
Down on the streets was a hive of activity. Emergency and rescue crews searched through unstable buildings, climbing over and around debris in the hopes of saving everyone they could. Despite the levels of activity it was rather odd when no one noticed the gray woman emerge from the building at the epicenter of all the action. Still, she passed the crowds that had taken forming around Stark tower without a ripple of notice. She found herself watching as a crew assessed the stability of a building from which she could hear calls for help. Stepping forward she extended her hands in front of her and released a pulse of purple light that clung to every living thing it touched, clearly marking the location of everyone in the vicinity. With a wave of her hand all of the debris blocking entrance rose slowly into the air, much like masonry now does apparently. A wave of any color light washing over a person is bound to be noticed, when that light is purple, and it's user fresh in mind, it didn't take long for word to spread that a savior of countless lives was working side by side with anyone who's goals consisted of saving as many as possible. She stood under the stares of all that could see her, arms held above shoulder high with palms up. With a way cleared one woman, who had been being held back, sprinted into the building. She was followed by a small group calling for her. Several minutes passed with barely any movement around the woman in gray, a purple light inside the building could be seen growing brighter before six people exited, three who had followed the first in, each carrying or aiding another. The first out called to anyone that would answer for stretchers and medical personnel. This pattern repeated throughout the day. from building to building a crowd of rescuers, medical personnel, and reporters travelled through the city, many noticed that the shade that marked the lost varied with their health. The darker and more vibrant shades were found with the most un-injured, the palest shades could be seen only by lifting sheets of white. The pace of movement had increased after the first buildings were cleared, she had found a routine in finding, lifting, holding, releasing, moving then repeat. Several crews had formed around her, one waited for her at her next stop, another would rush in as soon as possible, another would carry any unable to walk, and yet another would ensure none were left behind when the rubble resettled. It was efficient. Long after night had fallen she could be found under the strong lights that had joined them on their journey through the city, debris had begun lifting more slowly and settling more quickly in the late afternoon. She had begun to show signs of strain hours ago. Now she faltered, she would have fallen had not someone caught her, she had faltered but the load she held aloft didn't. One hand held her waist, another from someone else reached up to hold her own steady. It was a picture that would come to symbolize the battle of new york, a hero doing what others can't, but held up and standing side-by-side with the people. "All right little lady, you've done enough for one day" a strongly accented voice said gently. Then louder and over her head he said "let's get her to the first aid tent, they'll have a place she can rest." It was in motion almost before it was said, the man who held her by the waist and the one to steady her hand were on either side of her. She stopped them at a corner where she could turn to return to Stark tower and nodded in its direction.
Natasha watched as the woman stood and stretched, her movements were smooth and fluid. She was shorter than herself and thinner, she could tell even though the large hoodie she wore. She studied the woman as she made her way from the lounge to the bar where everyone else had gathered. She could tell she wasn't moving as gracefully as she was capable of, but her walk could easily be steps to the finest ballet ever performed by the Russian dance company. She watched as the woman slid on to the high bar stool as gracefully as if the seat wasn't almost waist high to her. What really captured the widows attention was when she wrapped her hands around a mug that she was sure wasn't there a moment ago. She was also pretty sure Tony didn't own a mug with a picture of a lake and castle on it, not to mention the fact that the picture moved. She could see banners waving and trees softly swaying, and something in the lake disturbed the water but it was gone before she had a good look at it. Another thing that would go unsaid was the fact that she was pretty sure the nearest hot chocolate mix could be found ten floors below in the assistants desk drawer. Looking up, she found herself face to face with the darkness under the hood of this chocolate drinker. The mysterious cup and contents on her mind the feeling of being weighted settled over her, she debated mentally what she should do, it wasn't a hard decision she would keep her secrets, she wouldn't let her down again.
When the girl lowered her hood Natasha's mind went into overdrive. She was so young looking, were they the same? Who had trained her? Gave her her abilities? Was the reason she could find no more traces of the red room not because she had done her job well, but because she should have been looking for the purple room instead of red? All these thoughts slammed into her brain at once, almost causing her to miss Thors comment on her youthful appearance. Some of her fears relaxed at the girls age, she would have played up her youth, said she was fifteen. And she could pass for fifteen, she could probably pull off thirteen if she tried. Twenty two was pushing it pretty hard on the high side. The last of her fears vanished when the girl didn't have a name. No one with her training would ever not have a name to give. Hell when she was this girls age she had half a dozen alias's with paperwork and background information in place. Sure there was the mysterious angle, but that usually required a short dress and far more seduction than she put into that shrug. She counted them as lucky that they had the time they did before her boss showed up. Somehow she had missed the girl getting up and changing, she was proven right in her earlier assessment, the girl seemed to dance on to the elevator, never breaking stride, and barely clearing the elevator doors she turned and leaned against the wall as casually as if she rode to the top of buildings with green giants then vanished with no answers on at least four occasions a week. Her boss demanding answers was expected, him demanding answers about someone who he had passed within feet of just seconds prior, also expected. She couldn't deal with this now, too many thoughts were going too fast through her head. Without a word, in the middle of a truly impressive dressing down from one of the most powerful men on the planet, Natasha Romanoff, if thats who she still was, left. Maybe they were alike in some ways. She simply turned on her heel and walked away. She needed time, she had decisions to make. And she just needed time to think. Finding a book to hold she settled in a chair with a wide view of the room, and a direct line of sight to the tesseract, and lost herself in thought.
Clint Barton was as curious as anybody about their sleeping guest, he was more cautious keeping her always in the field of his famously excellent vision. Something about the way she moved reminded him of Natasha on mission. She made no moves that hinted at aggression but he still placed himself farthest from her. When she looked to him he felt fear, not an overwhelming or irrational fear, just a cautious fear. A fear based solely on potential, logically he knew what she had done in the battle. As he looked into the hooded darkness he decided that if they didn't hurt anyone, himself included, he wouldn't be the first to break that trust. Something inside him burst in his heart, primal instincts just below the surface that were all too familiar to him kicked in and demanded answers. Where was this girls father? Who was looking out for her and why had they let her anywhere near yesterday? He saw her write her age on the bar top, but it was meaningless, this beautiful girl was somebody's daughter,and if they couldn't, then he would. He was reminded again of Natasha at the girls answers about her name. He was already in motion by the time Jarvis said director. He knew what was coming but he had a status report to give in person to someone who he respected more than his boss. Hawkeye slipped out through the back and down the service stairs. He was gone, not to be seen until he chose to be.
Tony had woken this morning sore, stiff, and in an uncomfortable position in a armchair. He damn near started singing as he excused himself from the lounge area. "Jarvis?" He asked into thin air. "Good morning sir, it is 8:23 am and t…" Tony cut across the ai "yeah, yeah thats good, but I'm thinking breakfast. Jarvis order breakfast for everybody, tell you what, double it." "You want me to double breakfast sir?" The AI replied. "Yeah, and coffee, remind me to have a Starbucks installed, I'm sure Pepper would be on board with that. Jarvis check the final plans and see if Pepper didn't already have that in the works. Tell them to hold the sarcasm with that breakfast, I think we're all stocked up here". "Yes sir, a double breakfast has been ordered, on the previous version of the towers plans a employee lounge was listed three floors below, it was removed in favor of expansion of floors slated for "personal use". I do believe that Ms Potts most recent sketches indicate she has re-added it in a different location. According to my calculations, with the re-addition to the plans I believe that Ms Potts may be entitled to 17.6% of the credit sir." "Yep all full up here" he said to himself as he made his way behind the bar where he knew a coffee machine was. He looked down over the lounge as the smell of coffee seeped through the room. His eyes landed on the small ball of gray asleep on his sofa. He tried to just be happy he was alive, but that wasn't going to happen until he knew the how, why was a question he also asked himself, but he knew there was no simple answer for that one. He didn't know how, but he knew where to start looking. With a swipe of his fingers he called a screen into being. A couple of taps and he was scanning through news video of the fighting. They were calling it "the battle of new york" simple and accurate. There were clips of each of them, and so far they were getting everyones names or code names right, but nobody could decide on what to call gray. He heard seven different names for her in just the few seconds he watched at normal speed, he would analyse every video on the we in minute detail later, right now he was only concerned about the end. He slowed to normal speed and watched as he flew through the portal. He saw gray follow, the camera cut to a view of the chithari soldiers froze, then fell. The camera returned to a wide shot of the portal, the beam of energy from the roof was gone and the portal was shrinking. He watched as the sky became clear. The camera showed people in the streets some staring into the sky, others celebrating. But what happened, where was he? Had he already come through and no one noticed? The camera shook violently and where once was cautious celebration, there was running and screaming once again. The camera swung around quickly, searching for this new threat, but nothing attached. The sky colored and bolts of power spread across all the sky the camera could see. At the center of power unseen to the cameras a figure, then two emerged and fell. By the time the camera had adjusted from the blinding light they had caught the falling pair and were tracking their progress while zooming in as close as possible. He was clearly able to see himself hanging by one arm from gray. He did the math and wasn't very happy with reality. The amounts of force required were not little numbers. A different view showed the pair separate, he watched as he fell, quick math, no problem, the suit could handle that and more. It's a good thing to, it had been through 'and more' dozens of times yesterday, and now that. In the back of his mind he praised himself just a little, it was a marvel of engineering. He watched as gray fell and tumbled to a stop abruptly. He winced seeing her hand press her ribs, his throat went dry watching her struggle to her feet. He didn't feel any fear for her when the hulk reached out to her. He skipped back when the hulk started walking towards where he lay. He knew this part. He was about to launch into an in-depth analysis of the video when Jarvis announced a security guard had arrived with his breakfast order. He would look closer but he was fairly certain that it would just proved what he believed happened, gray had saved him. There were only a small handful of people who he could say he owed his life to without reservation, gray had just joined a very exclusive club. He had exhausted his considerable resources in search of any family of one man who had saved him, more than once. Ho Yensin schools and public hospital in Gulmira was just a coincidence. Rhodey had been with him through thick and thin, he had saved his life and sanity more often than he cared to remember, he never was concerned about saving his image, but he could overlook that. If he expended all of his considerable brain power into trying to explain just who Pepper was to him, he knew he couldn't do her justice. It was a short list. His hands were busy while he let his thoughts wander over the people he cared for, breakfast was unpacked and spread over half the bar.
Well that makes it simple, no way has she gone unnoticed, he didn't remember seeing her before, but he didn't keep up with child stars. A quick search later and he was sure he would know everything about her, including her boy band crush. He ignored his phone vibrating in his pocket, this was more important. So she wanted to be twenty two huh? No problem he could have a set of papers that would pass any test in less time than it took to get breakfast, he just wondered what name to put down, so he asked. Is she hiding? Running from someone? Not that it matters, after yesterday he was pretty sure he could get her out of any thing short of genocide. Damn, he moved upgrades for Jarvis up the priority list. There was far too much to be said between shield and himself, he didn't want to have this out right now. He needed answers. He made a mental note to check the security video to see where that mug came from. Big bad and bout to get his ass kicked stormed from the elevator shouting as he came. Tony had to admire the move, if he could have skipped the coming conversation with such grace you can bet your ass he would have. It was a short conversation at least Tony's side. It consisted of one word and a very tightly focused repulser blast but he got his message across. With a nod to Banner he made himself comfortable on the couch to await Peppers arrival, a video screen already replaying news video.
The maidens gaze spoke plainly enough, it is most dishonorable to betray those who have shared the field of battle together. His honor would hold through hard trials for her. By any measure this maiden is young, her worries should be of school and feasts, it is not the practice of any species known to him to place such cares on one so young. By the looks on the faces of his teammates it is not common on midguard, as he thought. The small difference in her given age and his first thought mattered not, she was a great beauty and he would have to work hard so the minsterals wrote a song each, for her deeds in battle, and in efforts to describe her beauty. He sympathized with her lack of identity, not long ago he had been confronted with no option but to become a new man, a better man. His anger at so quickly being proven right by the director the body less voice had just announced arriving must have caused him to not see the gray maiden rise nor change. He knew their paths would cross again soon. Standing behind an ally in battle was not something Thor was used to. But that was all the roll to play when the metal man faced off against the dishonorable man in black. Thor placed himself close to the cube, he had come so close to failing and losing not just his brother but also the woman he loved, the cube would not leave his presence until it was safely again locked away.
Steve looked up when the quiet chat and any sounds of eating stopped. There she sat one empty stool away. It struck him again how tiny she was. She had looked small in the hulks arms, but it's hard to tell. Curled up on the couch he couldn't tell, only now could he really see. She looked up from her drink and to each person in turn. He felt shame, remembering how close he had come, what he had done and he promised himself that he wouldn't quit again, he felt like he should tell her, if anybody deserves to know what really happened he felt like it should be her. Until he had a chance to talk to her he would keep her secrets. Thor said something, not important, how old are you? She looks like she could be sixteen, she could be but she's not. Her eyes, it's not possible. Colors like this don't exist, I could spend the rest of my life looking into those eyes, but there's a sadness there, loss, too much lost. No name? Not much I can do about it, doesn't change anything. I wonder if I'll get court martialed if nobody can find a paper trail that proves fury actually exists.
Out of the avengers Bruce had the least interaction with the sleeping guest. He was antsy for her to wake, he had questions he had been searching for the answer to for decades. How was she alive? Nobody escaped the hulks wrath unscathed, even Thor who had fought alongside the other guy had received a punch that would have killed an mortal it landed on. But this strange women had stood in the shadow of his alter ego and walked away completely unharmed. He even remembered her through the hulks eyes, he never got more than random flashes of color and rage when he tried to recall his time transformed. He may be getting answers soon, it was probably polite to wait until she had finished her first cup of coffee. Where did she get chocolate from? Before he could begin questioning her he found himself looking where her face should be but finding only darkness. He felt the beast inside him stir, he was content, being in the presence of his girl calmed the constant anger he had grow accustomed to. Like a muscle that had held strain for so long that you become unaware of the constant exertion, for the first time in years, doctor Banner was able to loosen the stranglehold he was forced to keep on his emotions. For more chances like this he would promise her everything he owned and more, keeping her secrets wouldn't even be an inconvenience. He doubted anyone would question him too intensely, he knew that the other guy was just as protective if not more than himself. His heart went out to the young girl. He knew that he should be kept far from children this one included. He knew he should leave, that would be best for everyone, he also knew that he wouldn't put up more than a token effort when the time came. He wouldn't deny himself the company of friends or the possibility of time spent in her presence. He was tempted to make a deal with the other guy when director fury arrived. He missed all but the final moments of her departure. Bruce stepped away, he had no desire to test the limits of the calm left in her wake, besides he had better things to do. It had been a while since he had played board games, but candyland was calling to him.
Night had fallen long ago, the only sign of the girl in gray was the constant news coverage, on every channel. The team kept silent track of her throughout the day, each with their own thoughts to keep them occupied. Tony found himself with company as he took up a position near the elevator, agent Romanoff had also drifted over in the last few hours. He had spent a good portion of his day reviewing and analyzing the mountain of data Jarvis had compiled, the evidence was conclusive, there wouldn't even be a body to bury if she hadn't followed him. If the relief he felt just hearing Jarvis announce her return was disproportionate to how long she had been gone he paid it no attention. Gray wasn't alone when the elevator reached the upper floors of his tower, two people on either side all but carried the petite girl between them. Within seconds the three exited the elevator to be surrounded by heros. While Tony played gracious host, the girl stumbled her way to the couch where she had slept the previous night.
Pepper was prepared to greet and thank the young woman who she had watched save the love of her life. She wasn't prepared for the girl to climb onto the couch next to her and curl into a ball that looked too small to contain someone who had done the things she had watched this amazing person do, through camera and screen of course. If she was unprepared for the reality of someone she had begun to see as a hero, she was stunned speechless when a blanket of dark purple hair spread across her lap, the small girl lay her head on her leg. Tony had to turn away, he worried for his health if he held his laughter any longer. He loved her with all his heart, but at that moment, with that look on her face, he knew she was it, all he could ever want. He needed to go shopping… better yet, who better to make something than himself, without exaggerating, the greatest craftsman in the world. A trip to his work shop wouldn't even raise her notice.
She was telegraphing like a civilian, but just this once she didn't care. She wanted her back here, she had stared at Stark for at least an hour, just reassuring herself that he was alive and not lost, alone, dead in a galaxy on the other side of the universe. She had no such reassurance about her. She joined Stark by the elevators at Jarvis's announcement, while Tony spoke with the awestruck men who had returned her, she slid next to her and led her to the couch where Pepper waited to meet the final team member. Natasha looked down at her empty arms, the girl had slipped from her grip and now lay curled, much the same as before, but with the addition of a very confused pillow. She was here now and that was enough. She could wait, as long as she could wait where she was. Thor was content with his teammates assurance that the fair maiden was well, and continued his vigil over the source of such strife.
A/N seeking editor please send me a pm if you'd like to help.