Pepper had once thought keeping track of Tony was hard work. She'd turn away for a second and when she looked again he'd be at the bar, or in a corner with some woman, or occasionally just vanish. Needless to say, she thought Tony Stark was the worst charge she could have. Today, however, she realized she may have been very wrong.
"Have you seen Ana?" She asked Steve and Natasha. She was using what the team referred to as the 'mommy tone'. Mostly used exclusively in reference or direction to Tony, it was soft and calm but usually meant she was about four seconds away from losing her shit.
Natasha pointed in the direction of the bathroom. Pepper nodded stiffly and turned on her heel. Ana was just exiting the bathroom as Pepper approached.
"Ana, honey, I've been looking all over for you!" She said, grabbing her arm, "We're almost ready to start." She deposited the young girl with Nat, hoping she wouldn't run off again.
Ana's eyes darted all over the room, not focusing on any one abject long enough to even know what it was. She was ghost white and literally trembling. She started to take a few steps in a random direction. Natasha called her name and Ana whirled her head around. There was no better 'deer in the headlights' expression than the one she wore at the moment.
"Why don't you sit down?" Natasha suggested. Ana nodded and numbly obeyed. Natasha sat next to her and placed an arm around her in a comforting hug.
"Stage fright?" she inquired.
"No."
"I can feel your heart pounding, Ana. It's okay to be nervous, just breathe."
Ana took one shaky breath and it did absolutely nothing for her. She sat wringing her hands and twirling her hair. Steve was next to try and help, but all Ana really wanted was to be alone and far away. If Pepper hadn't found her earlier her next move would have been to run out the back door and get on a flight to Japan (no joke), so Steve's encouragement was not at all welcome.
"This was a terrible idea." Ana mumbled to herself. Natasha muttered something in Steve's ear. He nodded and vanished, returning a few minutes later with Bucky at his side.
"Hey, doll." He whispered.
"Hey." Ana mumbled back.
Natasha and Steve left them alone. Knowing the only one who might be able to talk some sense into her right now was Bucky.
"You look a little pale."
"I don't feel that great."
"I know, but it won't be that bad. Tony and Steve are gonna take most of the questions, and you've got your notes right?"
Ana nodded. "See? It's all gonna be okay. So just take a deep breath."
Ana took another attempt at breathing deeply, it went smoother than the last, but she still felt her stomach in knots and lightheaded.
Pepper approached them finally, and Ana really considered running this time, but Bucky's grip on her hand kept her from doing so.
Pepper herself was now looking a bit concerned.
"Are you alright, Ana?" She hadn't meant to be so passive before but these events needed so much supervision she hadn't thought to check on how Ana was processing all this.
"I'm fine. Is it time?"
Pepper nodded, "Follow me." She instructed.
Ana followed her away from Bucky to a room with a platform with a table and some chairs set up. More chairs in rows faced the table, and hanging from the ceiling were projectors and screens. Ana couldn't say she was surprised Stark towers would have a room specifically for these kinds of events, but looking out into the conference room still amazed her. Ana was waiting at the foot of the small platform, hiding behind Pepper and Natasha while she nervously observed her surroundings. Cameras were placed all over from every angle, and the room was stocked with an abundance of eager looking reporters and newscasters, armed with tape recorders and notepads, waiting for her words, which to them were worth as much as gold. The thought made her only more anxious about what she could say, or how she could slip up. What really caught her attention though, was Bucky beaming at her from the very back of the room. Even though she was pretty sure she was about to pass out, at least his gorgeous eyes would be the last thing she saw. Thinking of that eased her mind for a second, until Tony called the press conference to start.
"With the recent footage from Copenhagen," he began, reading from a small holographic screen floating above the table, "I'm sure there are a lot of questions. On behalf of the Avengers Initiative, Captain Rogers and myself would like to address these issues."
There was a collective murmur from the crowd, but Tony held his hand up and silence fell over the room again.
"The Avengers was started as a collection of highly trained individuals who would collaborate to retaliate against threats of the extraterrestrial and supernatural. Since their origin, the Avengers have grown. With additions like Wanda Maximoff, also known as Scarlet Witch, and Scott Lang, or Ant-Man, our team gains more talent and knowledge. While we don't accept applications or resumes, sometimes and opportunity arises to recruit a new member with the talent and potential for saving the world. After all, some of us will have to retire eventually."
Steve was the next to make a statement, "It is true we are training new recruits. We need people on our team who can remain out of sight to gather intel. I am here to confirm that the footage from Copenhagen is indeed of our newest Avenger. She was kept out of the public eye for the sake of her family and privacy during her transition into the team. So I would like to introduce the newest member to the Avengers team, Anastasia Collette."
Ana felt a hand in between her shoulder blades, pushing her towards the stage. She managed to walk up the steps to the platform without tripping. But then there was an uproar from the crowd, and camera flashes like a thousand bolts of lightning all at once. She looked out at the sea of people, and seriously considered how bad it would be to run out of the building, crawl into bed, and disappear. But nevertheless, she sat in her chair next to Tony and tried to focus on something on the back wall, a trick her teacher had taught her for the performance of her fourth-grade class play.
Ana tugged on the sleeves of her grey sweater, and tried to remind herself what Pepper had told her. Tony would moderate questions. Just stick to the notes. Just listen to Tony and Steve and don't miss any cues.
After the crowd had been silenced again, Ana had to blink a few times to shake the green spots from her vision. She shakily read her statement, claiming that she had been a member of the Avengers for about two years, that she was specially trained, and her duties including intel and tech design. It was straightforward and to the point. Pepper had helped her write something that was truthful, but still didn't tell all.
When Ana finished, she let out a breath she'd been holding for far too long. The worst was over, she supposed. All that was left was questions, and Tony had promised to moderate. The first few questions were simple. Basically clarifications of the statements. Finally, a question made Ana perk up a bit.
"Miss Collette, were you trained in a similar style to the black widow? Are you KGB as well?"
Tony gave a glance in her direction, silently asking if she wanted to answer. She nodded, before speaking into the microphone.
"I can assure you, I am not, nor was I ever KGB. I am an American citizen, trained in combat through special agencies of the US government."
"How did you come into contact with the Avengers?"
Tony gave Ana another curious glance, and she nodded again.
"I was recruited after, for lack of a better term, retiring, from secret agent work."
"How long have you been working with the Avengers?"
"A little over a year… but like I said, I don't do much field work."
"How many Avengers are there? And does the group intend on expanding further?"
This question I deferred. I couldn't answer that anyway. Tony eloquently took the question, "To answer the last question, yes, the Avengers do plan on expanding if the circumstances ever allow. Personally, I'd love to let someone younger handle this stuff. Being an Avenger is great, if you don't any vacation time or sick days." Some members of the crowd laughed. The next few questions progressed with ease, until one journalist chose to get too bold.
"What is your opinion of or connection with Hydra? Your violent reaction in Copenhagen seems to indicate a history." Ana froze at the question, trying to stammer out an answer.
Steve quickly answered, "No comment."
The press moved on quickly, and the meeting closed soon after.
When Ana exited the stage, she was still shaking. She quickly excused herself to the bathroom so she could calm down. A good thing, Steve realized. As upon exiting the panel, he noticed the menacing sneer of an old adversary. Steve did his best not to engage, keeping his eyes on the wall in front of him as he marched passed General Ross.
"Great press conference, wasn't it?"
Steve set his jaw, not slowing his stride.
"But you left out a few things."
He picked up his pace slightly, clenching his fist.
"But I guess telling the press your newest team member has more than just a small connection to Hydra doesn't really get the public on your side."
Steve stopped in his tracks. He couldn't help himself, being mocked is one thing, but listening to someone talk disrespectfully about his friends is where he drew the line. One swift turn and Ross was grabbed by the lapels of his suit and slammed against the wall.
"You think you're such a saint, Ross? I'll bet you've got more blood on your hands than she does." Steve growled lowly. His eyes held a fire that would have left any opponent shaking in their boots. Ross, however, only twisted his lips into a sly grin.
"Isn't that because most of the blood on her hands is her own?"
Steve held onto every last bit of restraint he had left to avoid decking the general right there.
"Watch your tongue, General. I don't care about your position, your fortune, your fame, or power. I hate bullies."
"I'm only stating a fact, Captain. Don't you know why she was discharged from the Marines early? Why Hydra picked her up? What happened to her first lover?"
"How do you know that?" Steve demanded.
"I have my ways, Captain." Ross replied with a sneer, "Watch your back. Or your girl's gonna wind up in a mental hospital while the whole world mocks her."
With that, Ross left. While Steve stood there fuming, too angry and shocked to move, to think, or even breathe. He was brought back to earth by Ana's hand on his shoulder. He jumped, and she looked concerned.
"You alright?" She asked.
Steve thought about answering her truthfully, but he didn't want to scare her. She had already been scared of him and the rest of the team finding out, so why frighten her now? He could take care of Ross himself. He could keep her secrets safe.
"All good." He replied with a grin, "You ready to leave?"
Tony had decided to celebrate a successful press conference with cupcakes and, of course, alcohol.
"Seriously, where can you even find Avocado cupcakes, Tony?" Sam asked incredulously.
"That really weird bakery in Brooklyn has them. I had them delivered."
Ana looked through an array of brightly colored, heavily frosted, and oddly flavored cupcakes. Seriously, Jalepeno should not be a cupcake flavor. She picked up a promising cupcake that at least looked like vanilla. Only to bite in and realize it was swirled with salted caramel and sundae fudge. She wasn't mad though; it was delicious.
"Alright, I have an announcement." Tony said, "I feel like with everything that's been going on, we all deserve a break of some sort, and while we can't always decide what days we work, we can't wait for evil to take a break. So, I think we should all just go."
"Go where?" Scott asked.
"Anywhere. A 'family vacation' on me."
All at once, Steve, Nat, and Bruce tried to disagree. "Are you sure this is the best time to leave?" Steve argued. Meanwhile Clint and Scott would have been halfway out the door to pack their bags, had Natasha not stopped them.
"This is the best time to go!" Tony exclaimed, "If we stay here not one of us will be able to go out in public for at least a week."
"He makes a good point." Bucky whispered to Ana. She had agreed. While the threat of Hydra wasn't completely taken care of yet, the press would only make things harder. Maybe it would be better to get out of the city, or even the country for a bit until things calmed down.
"So Stasia, are you on my side?"
"Yes, Tony. I'm in. Where do you want to go?"
Tony grinned, happy to have another teammate on his side, "I have absolutely no idea."
Avocado cupcakes? I don't even know where you could get those! I just asked my best friend for a random cupcake flavor, and she said "Avocado!".
Anyway, I'm sorry this chapter was kind of short. It was more of a filler chapter to be honest. I would have posted this about a week and a half ago but I have been so busy with work lately. Then there's college to prepare for and I'm just starting to think I'm not ready for that. Overall, my life is a little disorganized right now, but I'm trying to get my shit together. I am supposed to be travelling this summer, so I am going to try to write as much as I can before then. However, travelling does not always provide me with privacy or time to write so updates may be slow. Also, I won't lie, the impending fate of moving out and going to college is putting some extra stress on me, but I have some good ideas for the next few chapters, and I can't wait to start working on them.
One other note: I have no clue how press conferences work, so I hope I did okay.