I woke up with sweat running down my forehead. Damn nightmares. It was morning, just before my phone alarm was about to go off to get up for work. What timing. Jadzia was eating out of her bowl and was pushing it further against a wall. I walked over to the kitchen, grabbed some cereal, and ate quickly. I went to the bathroom, used the shower, and looked into the mirror. My blue eyes stared back. Those blue eyes saw a very scared person in the reflection. The memories and the nightmares kept flashing before my eyes. This had not happened for a long time and I wondered why I was remembering all of this now. I finished drying my hair and pushed those thoughts aside.

I then went to my bedroom. I put on skinny jeans, a black tank top with angel wings on the back, and red platform, steel-toed boots. I hugged and kissed Jadzia, "I'm gonna miss you as always. I love you Daxy." She licked my face and wagged her tail. I got up, grabbed my leather jacket, and left for work.

When I got to work, I was told that they found Cap alive and that they found footprints heading away from where he laid. I did my usual routine for a while until Phil Coulson came to my office. "Come with me," he began, "There are some people who I would like for you to meet."

I furrowed my eyebrows. "Who? Why?" I questioned. "Should I be concerned?"

Coulson laughed, "You will see and no." We stepped into the elevator and he pushed the button for B5.

Confused, I mumbled, "I have never been past the main floor. Let alone B5."

"Well," he explained, "I figured it was time for you to level up. You can get more information than you already have now. I trust you Pendragon. I believe you have more to offer than just hacking and the occasional, only-slightly-dangerous mission. That is why you were sent out to get rid of the ballistae."

"It was a test."

"Yes, the first one was to see what you could do and the rest was to see if you could work as a team with others. I am pleased to say that you passed."

I tensed up and rubbed my right arm. "So, I am going to join a team?"

"Like I said, I trust you. I think you will make a great addition. There is nothing to worry about. People like you, Avalon, whether you believe it or not." The elevator stopped and the doors opened. He led me down the hall into a large room where I assumed meetings were held. Unlike Coulson, I stopped in front of the doorway and gaped. Sitting in the chairs were the Avengers: Natasha, Bruce, Tony, Clint, Sam, and Rhodey, Thor, and Steve (who I was surprised to see alive and well). Coulson beamed at everybody (mostly Steve). "I think you already know who this is," he announced and gestured towards me. Coulson looked at me and motioned for me to leave the entryway.

"Um, Hi?" I said awkwardly as I stepped into the light. I tried to look at them but I spent most of my time looking around them and at the floor. Quit being so awkward, Avalon! Wait, why am I referring to myself in third-person?

"Hello, Dragon of Pen! What a pleasure it is to meet a swordsman in this day and age!" Thor grinned. I was very intimidated by how tall he was and how huge his muscles were. He could step on me and crush me very easily and his muscles are bigger than my head. I will try to not piss him off.

Tony mused, "If I had known you were named Avalon Pendragon and into sword fighting, then I would've tried some of my older stuff on you."

"Come on, Tony. Give her a break. She's new," Steve protested.

"Play nice boys," Natasha warned. The room went went silent and I didn't like that I was in the spotlight.

Steve broke the silence, "I heard you are good with swords. Is that true?"

"I am decent. I trained for a while."

"What made you pick swords? Most people pick guns," Natasha questioned. She seemed like she was suspicious of me.

I jokingly lied, "I have always been interested in sword fighting. I guess I was destined to become a swordsman, because of what my parents named me." I sheepishly smiled.

"You are most welcome to train with me if you wish! Perhaps you will become known as the greatest of them all if you do!" Thor offered, excitedly.

I gave a slight nod and smiled again, "I would love to."

Tony clapped once to get everyone's attention and leaned back in his chair . "How about we all go and get Shawarma for lunch? It'll be on me."

"I hope he doesn't mean it literally," Sam joked.

Rhodey rolled his eyes, "Knowing him, he might."

Natasha drove both me and Steve to the restaurant and when we arrived, we sat down and ordered our food. This was my first time having Shawarma. I had no interest in it before, but I was willing to try new things to fit in with the team. When we got our food, I tried it out. It was disgusting; one of the worst things I had ever eaten. I forced myself to eat it though, since I felt it was rude to not eat what was going to be paid for by somebody else that you just met. Everybody was talking and joking around with each other. I just sat there and slowly ate.

I felt like I was being watched, but I was not certain who. I could feel their eyes piercing my skin. I looked around. The place was filled with people and I could not spot anybody looking in my direction. I leaned over and told the one nearest to me, Sam, that I would be right back. I got up and headed for the restroom and carefully paid more attention to who might have been staring at me, but still I could not spot anybody. There was no one there that I recognized. Since I am already heading for the restroom, I might as well use it.

When I got out, I looked again for somebody staring at me. I tripped on some old lady's purse. "Crap! I am so sorry. I should have paid more attention. Just daydreaming, ya know? I should have paid more attention, sorry."

"Oh, it's fine, deary. Just watch where you are going next time," she croaked.

"Have a good day."

"You too, deary."

We all finished eating and left. Thor went back to Asgard. But, before he left, he told me that we will be scheduling a friendly duel against each other soon, but he had some matters to take care of first. Tony and Bruce went back to their labs to do science. Rhodey and Sam went back to their homes. Steve, Natasha, Clint, and I went back to the base.

When we arrived, I learned that Natasha released all of the information about both S.H.I.E.L.D and Hydra. I became worried. That meant that anybody could read about me. I hoped that nobody would. They told Natasha that she had to go to a filmed meeting to talk about this little "incident" to the world.

While Clint and Steve were conversing with other agents about Hydra, I went back to my office to pack my things since I would no longer be needing it. I heard a voice behind me ask, "Need help?" I turned around and Natasha was standing in the doorway while holding some big boxes.

"Um, Yeah. Sure. I could use some help," I responded. Shouldn't she be helping figuring out what to do next with the others? She set down her boxes and began putting pictures that hung on the wall into the boxes.

"Why do they trust you? How can they not see that you are one of them?" She blurted as she stopped packing.

I turned around to face her. My eyes widened. "Excuse me?"

"You're one of them. Of Hydra's agents. I knew it the moment I set my eyes on you." She stepped towards me.

I stepped back. "Um. No, I'm not."

"Quit lying."

"But I am not! I don't do that! How could you think-"

She interrupted, "Look, I don't know what game you are playing, but I will not allow you to put us all in danger."

"You don't get to decide who is an Avenger and who isn't. That is up to somebody else." Next thing I knew she punched me in the jaw. I fell back on my as and rubbed where she punched me. "Excuse me?! I didn't do anything!"

"Oh, but you will." She kicked my face.

I jumped back on my feet, leaned forward slightly, and raised my open palms in front of my face. "I am not gonna fight you." My face began to swell slightly and my nose was bleeding from a broken nose.

"I will fight you, though." She tried to punch me again, but I dodged. She swung her legs at mine to knock me back on my ass, but I jumped towards the door.

"Oh, no you don't." She activated the shocking system in her gloves and grabbed my right arm. It did not work as she intended. "Why isn't it working?" She asked angrily.

"It is, but if you let me explain-" She threw me back on my ass and punched me repeatedly.

She broke a couple of my ribs and made my face swell worse until I finally passed out.

Next thing I knew was that I was in a hospital bed and Steve, Clint, and Natasha were talking with the doctor. Steve noticed I was awake and waltzed over to me. "Are you ok? What happened?" he asked.

"I think I will be just fine," I looked over at Natasha just as she glanced at me and then she looked back at the doctor, "and to answer your second question, I am not sure what happened."

Steve gave a friendly smile, "The doctor says that you are gonna be here awhile. Nothing too serious besides the ribs and the nose. They just want to keep an eye on you and make sure that everything else is fine."

"Oh, alright. Thanks for coming by the way."

Steve tapped my shoulder. "Hey, we're a team, remember?"

I laughed, "Yeah, that's true." There was silence for a while until I realized something. "Who's taking care of my puppy?!"

"I can stop by if you'd like for however long you are gonna be here. I only live a few stories above you, right?" he offered.

I accepted, "Oh, thank you! Her name is Jadzia Dax, but I sometimes call her Daxy." I then gave him instructions on what to do and where everything including where the spare, hidden key to my apartment was.

After everybody left to return to their daily lives, I began to worry about what Natasha could and might do to me. How could she think I am a Hydra agent? I don't do that! I disagree with their beliefs and what they do. It just makes no sense. Those thoughts kept running through my mind for my whole stay.

I only stayed at the hospital for a week. My bones were almost completely healed and the doctors were surprised that I healed quicker than most do with the injuries I had.