Dedicated to Kyla, who it is impossible to stay mad at for more than 5 minutes (believe me, I've tried)
CHAPTER THREE
Sharon had been lazing on her bed when Angel came in and laid down beside her friend, "So that's your bro." Sharon observed.
"Yeah, Howard's pride and joy that one." Angel said with a sigh, "Actually I lied, the Captain is his pride and joy, Asshole and I are just the crap of his loom."
Sharon snorted, "crap of his loom? That sounds poetic."
"Well I wouldn't call us fruit either, I think it's safe to say that both Howard and Tony have soiled their loins."
"Do you think you'll be able to handle working with him? Seemed to get pretty heated back there."
"Yeah I can, just need to make sure he knows that I'm not going anywhere and I'm in charge." Angel rolled over on her stomach and played with Sharon's hair, "Besides, I don't want to miss an opportunity to really piss him off by being right."
"It's times like these where I question whether I want a sibling or not…" Sharon mused out loud.
"I notice you haven't unpacked a single thing." Angel said with a chuckle, not surprised at her friend's laziness.
"Meh, it'll get done eventually." Sharon said with a shrug, "That Agent Barton is a real looker, nice mannered too…. I hope I get a chance to sleep with him."
Angel rolled her eyes and chuckled, "Why am I not surprised."
"Best part was when he asked me if we were scientists. I could practically see the gears in his head get stuck as he tried to figure out why two fine arts majors are the ones leading this project. I wish you could have seen his face." Sharon giggled remembering it, she liked befuddling people, especially people who think they know everything, "This is going to be more fun than I thought. How much you wanna bet they think I'm only here for moral support for you?"
"I wouldn't be surprised. You know you would have them eating out of the palm of your hand if they knew what you could do Shar." Angel said, getting up and starting to unpack her things.
"Meh, I like taking the backseat and observing, makes it so much more interesting."
"And yet making us take the long way around." Angel said.
"It builds character." Sharon said, sitting up and stretching like a cat.
"Builds character my ass, you're too chicken to find out what it's like having all the control."
"I already have all the control, they just don't know it. It's also way more fun doing it this way." Sharon said with a shrug, "Plus we agreed, it stays a secret. You promised me."
Angel nodded, "I know, I just really want to show Tony how much power we have over him and the others."
"Now you're starting to sound like a bad guy from a comic book," Sharon said with a laugh, "You and your brother and your power play is ridiculous. Have you ever considered trying to get along with him?"
"I have tried, he treats me like a child. You saw how he reacted when we first came in, he thinks we're still in school!"
"Well we are…" Sharon said.
"As teachers!" Angel exclaimed, "We graduated as the best and top of our class, and all Tony sees me as is a stupid party girl."
"Okay, okay!" Sharon said, "Consider the subject dropped!"
Angel shook her head to clear her thoughts, "It just pisses me off so much that he acts like the one who has to have control and has all the power."
"I know hun, but remember that Fury chose us, not him."
Angel smiled, "Yeah, that has to count for something…" She stretched her tense muscles for a moment before standing up straight, "Wanna walk around the ship and see what we find? We're going to be here for a while so we might as well learn the layout." Angel asked.
"I guess, I want to run into that Agent Barton again, or even Thor…. Or Captain America… WHY ARE THERE SO MANY HOT MEN ON THIS SHIP!?"
Angel paused when she heard Captain's name and felt her face go red. Sharon paused and observed her friend, "Okay, which one is it?"
"Which one is it what?" Angel asked lamely, deflecting the question.
"Which one of the names I just listed is the one to put that blush on your face. You like one of them!" Sharon stood and walked over, "Is it Thor? Cause I'll tell you I felt my ovaries do somersaults when I saw the arms on that god."
"Well he is a god technically…" Angel shook her head, "After leaving the bridge, I was pretty pissed at Tony and was heading in the wrong direction. Captain followed me and made sure I was okay before escorting me here himself."
"Get out, he did not escort you! THAT'S SO PRECIOUS!" Sharon squealed and gleefully jumped, she suddenly froze and gasped, "Oh my god, he's perfect for you."
Angel looked at her friend skeptically, "What are you talking about?"
"Come on Angel, the man is famous for his morals. You remember Howard going on and on about how the Captain was the most upstanding gentleman he ever knew? You used to bitch about it to me all the time, he's perfect for you!" Sharon grabbed Angel's hand and sat her down on the bed with her, "I know you've been picky with every guy you meet and date. You're still a virgin and you keep telling me you're waiting for the right one. You always say that you're waiting for a person with morals who's a gentleman." Sharon swept her hand out, "You just got escorted to your room by a gentleman known for his morals. PLUS I'll be he's a virgin too."
"Shar don't be ridiculous."
"Well maybe being a virgin is stretching it, I don't know what woman would turn that down." Sharon got a dreamy look in her eyes.
"Forget it Shar, I'm not going to go for the guy Howard idolized. Plus he knew my dad when they were in their 20's, I'd feel like a golddigger."
"That doesn't even make sense, he doesn't have any money to his name, he's been an ice cube for the better part of the twentieth century." Sharon said, "I'm not even sure what you could call yourself…"
"Well I'm calling myself a golddigger because at the moment it's the most apt description."
"Well technically you'd be an icedigger, but still. I don't see the problem with it," Sharon shrugged and got up, "Let me get changed and we can head out. Maybe we'll meet the man of morals on our way" She said with a wink.
Angel rolled her eyes, but she couldn't help but think about what Sharon just said. She had some points, but Angel didn't want to go there. She was focusing on the mission and saving the world, not Captain America.
After getting themselves lost several times, Angel and Sharon found their way to the Tesseract lab where they would be doing most of their work for the duration of their studies and projects.
The room was as large as a school gym with a lot of empty space surrounding the platform where the Tesseract sat. Monitors and equipment lined the walls while two desks sat facing each other at one end roughly 30 feet from the Tesseract.
Sharon walked over to the podium that housed the Tesseract, she circled it once before standing directly in front and staring at the cube, staring at it intently.
"How's it look?" Angel asked.
"Like a cube," Sharon deadpanned.
Angel rolled her eyes, "Astute observation Mr. Holmes."
"I thought so too," she said with a nod, "The signature feels the same, but there are slight differences."
"So it wasn't the Tesseract?" Angel asked, filled with confusion.
"I don't think it was, I think it was from the same origin as the Tesseract though…" Sharon said.
"Okay…" Angel said, sitting at one of the two desks and firing up the computer, "I'm going to start making a list of research items we'll need a jobs to do for the others."
"I'll head back to the room to grab the files and information we brought with us to store here." Sharon said, heading to the door, "Are you claiming that desk?"
"Yeah, I already sat my ass in the chair so I might as well."
"Well so long as your ass is happy," Sharon said before leaving the lab.
She walked through the corridors while making a mental list of things to do and observations she'd already made. The signature she'd detected had been a lot like the Tesseract except for there were biological elements about it that did not sync up with the Tesseract signature.
She was climbing the stairs as she contemplated that thought when she, once again, missed a step and fell upwards awkwardly. She groaned and cursed under her breath and she regained her footing and rubbed her shin she had banged on the edge of a step.
"It's only been one day and I'm already failing at fending off stairs for you Ms. Carver," A voice exclaimed from behind her. She turned and muttered another curse under her breath as she saw Agent Barton make his way up the stairs to where she was.
"Is there any chance that you didn't see that happen just now?"
"I'm afraid not, I wasn't aware that it was possible to fall going up the stairs…" He said with a smirk.
"Well now you are," Sharon said, feeling even stupider for making a fool out of herself in front of him.
"Mind if I join you the rest of the way up them? I've already shirked my duties enough."
"Oh yes Agent Barton, feel free to escort me up the five steps I still have to take, god forbid something happen within that great distance we must climb," Sharon said, rolling her eyes and chuckling.
"Where are you heading to?" Clint asked.
"My room, I need to grab some files for Angel and I to keep in the lab."
"what's in the files?"
"Information gathered about the energy signature and hypotheses on how it pertains to the Tesseract and a list of items we'll be needing."
"Would you like help with the those files?"
"No I got them-" on the last step Sharon's foot slipped and she fell forward. She braced herself to hit the floor but was shocked when she felt two arms circle her torso and pull her up.
"I knew those stairs were up to something…" He said.
Sharon blushed, enjoying the warmth that emitted from his arms that still held her tight around her stomach, "Thank you Agent, I don't quite know what's gotten into me today…"
"You gonna be alright?" He asked.
She nodded and then looked down at his arms, "I just need to head to my room…"
Clint realized he was still holding her and quickly released her and took a step back. He nodded, "Feel free to let me know if you need help."
Sharon nodded and turned to hurry back to her room. Once there she closed the door and leaned on it a moment while catching her breath. There was no denying that she had enjoyed that encounter a lot more than any others she'd had with any other guy in a long time.
"I'm in trouble…" She whispered.
Clint stared after Sharon until she disappeared around the corner before letting out a breath. He knew he needed to focus in order to figure out what was happening with the girls. While Natasha trusted Fury completely, Barton always believed in verifying information.
He walked a few feet down the corridor before pushing in a portion of the panel, opening a secret door in the wall that only responded to his body signature. He walked down a dark path until he came to an opening that led out to a platform.
The Platform stood in the top left corner of the Tesseract lab close to the ceiling. It was Clint's nest. From there he went and sat near the edge, his arms hanging loosely on a railing in front of him, while he watched Angel move around below. He'd been watching from there before Sharon had left, when he saw her leaving he wanted to see what she was up to, but got more than he bargained for. Clint tried his best to focus on Angel's movements below and not think about how good Sharon's body had felt in his arms.
Soon Sharon returned to the lab with the files and Clint found himself zoning in on her and focusing on her movement. Clint shifted to make himself comfortable while he kept track of their movements, hoping to learn more about their purpose being there.