Anticipation
FanGirlForever19: Indeed! I think this next chapter starts to go into why he would choose her a little bit more! Also, definitely look forward to a bit more time with the other Avengers- it's always hard to get every character involved since there's so many, but it starts happening slowly over time as Eliza gets more acquainted with everyone.
Guest 1: I'm not gonna spoil the plot since you're guessing at it, but don't worry, you'll see what happens very soon!
Guest 2: Here's your update! It's about twice the length of the last one, so enjoy!
daydreamer987: You chose a great time to read this story, seeing as how you now get the next chapter so soon!
Agent Coulson spared me a glance as he walked out of the room. "Pack a bag, Miss Reynolds. You leave in two days."
The second the door shut behind him, I found myself in James' grasp.
"Breathe in, breathe out," I instructed softly. "Breathe in, breathe out."
I woke up that morning to the sound of knocking at my door. My brain foggy and my feet sluggish, it took me a good minute before I was able to get over to the door and open it. When I did, I saw Sam standing there with a worried look on his face.
"Hey, 'liza, thought I'd come warn you."
"About what?" I yawned.
Sam raised his eyebrows, amused. "Your boy is about to go crazy."
"Oh really?" I sniffed. "What's he up to now?"
Sam laughed, his arms crossing in front of him. "He's about ten minutes away from coming here and knocking down your door. Says he wants to train you before you have to go."
I woke up all at once, my mind struggling to process what Sam had just told me. "Wait, what- why?"
He shrugged. "Don't ask me. He was up all night talking to Steve about it, and then Steve told me this morning during our run- well, his jog."
I looked over at the time. It read 7:20. "How long do I have again?"
"Ten minutes."
"Crap."
Sam snorted as he walked away. "Good luck, 'liza."
Two hours later, I was lying on the gym floor completely out of breath. My arms were sore, my legs felt like jello, and I knew that both of my hands were probably bruised under the wraps. James came up beside me, offering a water bottle and a hand up.
I accepted the water gratefully, chugging as much as I could in one go. "This is ridiculous," I managed to get out after. "You can't train me to become an assassin in two days."
"I know," James replied as he hefted me up from the ground. "And I'm not trying to. I'm giving you the basics, things you need to know in case something goes wrong."
I fought back the urge to roll my eyes. I couldn't, because I knew he was right. I needed something up my sleeve if the plan went south. I put my hands on my cramping sides, taking my time to look around the room as I caught my breath. A door off to the side attracted my attention.
"What's that?" I asked, inclining my head toward the door and taking another sip of water.
James' eyes switched from me to the door. "Weapons room. Off limits to non-combatants."
I raised an eyebrow. "But not to you."
"Eliza, no," James stated, reading my mind. "I am not getting you a weapon."
I crossed my arms and stared him down. "I am 5'2", 108 pounds, and have never been on an athletic team in my life. You can train me all you want, but it won't be enough."
The firm look in his eyes began to melt, and I knew he was listening. "Even if I don't have good aim, a gun would stop someone in their tracks…give me a moment to run."
"Only temporarily," he argued, but his voice lacked conviction. With a sigh, James walked toward the door. "Stay here. I'll see if there's something you could use."
A smile came onto my face, and I went over to the bench to sit down and wait. I began unwrapping my hands, not surprised when they had a dusting of bruises and blood on them. I stretched them out slowly, biting my lip to hold back any noises of pain. I waited a few more minutes before James made his way back to me, a dagger in one hand and a pistol in the other.
My eyes widened, and a knowing smile appeared on his face. "Not so sure now that you see them, are you?" he asked.
I shook my head. "No, it's not that, it's just…" I trailed off. "I never thought I'd have to use something like that."
A sorrowful look came onto James' face. "No one thinks they ever will, until they have to. It's your choice. I'm sure they'll let you take only one."
My hand hovered hesitantly before I picked up the pistol. James eyed me carefully, watching as I took in the weight— both physical and psychological. After a moment, he flipped the knife and tucked it into his pocket.
"Follow me- the shooting range is across the hall." I got up and did as I was told, following him to the room next door. Except for a few targets filled with arrows, the room was oddly empty.
"It's Avengers only," James explained as he walked over to a screen on the wall. He tapped a few buttons, and a hologram of a human target appeared at the midway point in the range.
My breath stopped as I looked at it. A thousand faces filled my mind- people I'd met on the street, my coworkers, my family. I wouldn't be shooting at a target. I would be shooting at a person.
James approached me slowly, but I couldn't find the words. "H-How- how do you…I can't-"
"It hurts the first time," he admitted, his expression oddly blank. "You think about them. Wonder who they were, whose friend they were, if they had a family."
My wide eyes stared up at him.
His expression changed suddenly, turning into one of solemnity. "But you have to remember what you're fighting for. In your situation, it's going to be you or them. And I know it's hard, but you have to choose yourself."
I took in a shaky breath, nodding. James' eyes softened as he looked at me, his left hand coming up to my cheek.
"Every time I go out there, I think about the people I want to come back to," he whispered. "Who do you want to come back to?"
Looking at him in that moment, it all clicked. No one wanted to fire a gun. No one wanted to kill. But if they wanted to see the people they loved again, they would.
I locked my shoulders into place, my eyes looking down at the gun in my hand with renewed purpose. "So…what's the first step?"
James' face hardened into determination, and he reached down to point at the side of the gun. "First, make sure the safety is off. Then-"
My eyes scanned the contents of my duffle bag one last time. They'd said to pack for three days, but given the mood on base the past forty eight hours, I decided to pack extra. I peeled back the sweaters on top to double check. The black pistol sat there, fully loaded. I took in a deep breath before I covered it back up. I had to remember who I wanted to come home to.
I thought back to the other night when I sat down and wrote out a list. At first I'd written the obvious- my family, friends, and coworkers…and the more I thought, the more that list expanded. I wanted to come home to Dr. Banner, not wanting him to lose a friend he'd just made. I wanted to come home to Tony, just to see his "I-told-you-so" expression and hear him call me Lizzie one more time. I wanted to come home to Sam, especially so I could thank him for always helping me find my way when I got lost. I wanted to come home to Steve, just to make sure he was okay. But most importantly, I wanted to come home to James.
Why, I wasn't sure. I just knew I had to.
I zipped up the bag, my expression hard. Then there was a knock at the door.
"Come in," I called as I grabbed my coat off the bed.
I could tell it was James by the sound of his footsteps. But when I turned around, I was taken aback.
"You-"
"Yeah," he said shyly, his hand running through his newly cut locks. I stepped forward in a daze, my hand reaching up to touch his hair before I could stop myself. "It was always getting in my eyes…I figured it was time."
I nodded slowly, still in awe. He looked like he'd walked out of the history books. After a moment, my hand fell from his hair to his cheek. He closed his eyes tightly, keeping me from seeing what was swirling within them.
"Don't get captured," he finally whispered. "Do what they tell you to do. Stay where it's safe. I'll come get you when it's over, I promise."
My mind flashed back to when he'd said that before, when the Avengers facility had been attacked. He'd come for me then, he would come for me now.
I nodded my head, my thumb tracing circles on his cheek. His eyes opened for just a second before he pulled me in tight. I gripped him as firmly as I could, my fingers combing through his hair absentmindedly. I took in his scent, burying my nose into his neck.
Moments passed before I whispered, "I'm planning on coming home to you, don't worry."
Five minutes later, we were walking down the hall to the garage. We didn't make eye contact. I focused on the hall ahead of me. He focused on the floor and his grip on my bag. We passed through a gateway, and the vast space of the garage opened up. Missiles, tanks, and motorbikes laid out in droves before me, but I continued walking.
Agent Coulson stood next to a black SUV, tapping on a tablet. When we were within ten feet of him, he looked up and smiled. "Ready to go, Miss Reynolds?"
I kept my face neutral as I nodded.
"Good, we need to get you to the airstrip as fast as possible. Our agents will escort you to the plane, as well as to the safe house in London. Her Majesty's Royal Guard has offered some of their men as backup. No one will get to you."
I nodded again, watching as James took my duffle bag and placed it in the trunk. Agent Coulson followed my gaze.
"I'll make sure he doesn't do anything out of line," he told me quietly. "If anything happens to him, you'll be the first to know after Rogers."
I sent Agent Coulson a grateful look before he shouted, "Alright everyone, load up! Wheels up in thirty seconds!"
A lump in my throat formed when I heard his command. After a moment's hesitation, I climbed into the back of the car. Before I shut the door, I looked back at James, who stood a few feet from the vehicle. Our gazes locked, and he nodded.
"I'll come get you," he mouthed silently.
"You better," I mouthed in return.
I caught sight of his smile before the door slammed shut.