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The view from the aircraft was breath taking at night. It reminded me of my time in the desert. I loved the crisp night air, the gentle breeze that blew over the sand, the sound of gunfire and bombs in the back ground. I sighed as I rubbed my eyes. I flexed my hands into fists and stretched my fingers giving them a slight pop. My hands stiffened if I went too long without producing a flame.

"I remember that look."

I swiveled around to find Barton staring at me. He was decked out in black leaning on the wall behind me. I smiled and gave a slight nod, "You called me on it many times."

"Several. The look of an anxious Marine. Quite frightening if on the other side of a gun." He commented casually as he strolled up beside me. His hands stuffed deep in his pockets, a small stern look laced his face…he hadn't changed much in five years I decided. Except his smell…sweat and cigarettes were traded in for…leather, hues of amber, and some unknown cologne that smelled amazing.

"No guns now…not really sure if I could fire one…while the heat is on," at that he laughed. He glanced over at me and his eyes trailed down to my hands. I held one up for him to examine it. He began to reach out but stopped. I sighed and crossed my arms. "Touching me won't burn you. I have to let it."

He nodded and I heard him swallow, "I…I had an idea that something had happened to you after the lab explosion. I just didn't know what. You acted so…strange. Off, you know? Before I could ask- SHIELD was shipping me off somewhere else."

"I ended up almost burning down a bunk house. Injured one Corporal. She had burns over 50% of her body. I…I just ran. I gathered my things and I just ran. They declared me AWOL…filed my name under terrorist…and I've been running ever since." I sighed heavily and turned toward Barton. "I really could have used someone I trusted Clint. I could have used a friend."

"I had orders Marcy," he said quietly, his voice strained. His brow creased and I saw a flicker of movement behind him. I snorted as I nodded toward the camera behind him.

"Guess you still do." He looked confused as he turned and spotted the camera. His body tensed as he turned his gaze back on me. He didn't say anything. I shook my head angrily, "Maybe I was wrong…we weren't friends."

His eyes dropped to the ground and I felt my veins ice over again. I twisted and took off jogging toward the training room. When my blood pressure spiked, I found it easier to lose control. It was at moments like this that I discovered I didn't need to flick or snap my fingers…the flame just appeared. Most people would think that my blood ran hot, that was not the case. It felt icy…a burning cold feeling. I had compared it to frost bite many times. The pain didn't bother me so much anymore. It was the feeling afterward that did. The feeling that I got when it ended…like I missed it. I shoved the training room door open and fell down on my knees just as the flames consumed my hands. I felt the burn crawl higher up to my elbows and my tears sizzled across my cheeks. I whipped my head around at the noise to my left. Steve.

His eyes were wide with caution as he stood like stone watching me. I turned away and tried to calm myself. I took in a deep breath until I felt the flames sinking back down toward my hands. I closed my fists and ran my fingertips gently over my palms swallowing as the flame disappeared. It was quiet for moments, but felt like hours to me.

"Marcy…" Steve tried softly. I opened my eyes and found him in front of me. He squinted and smirked, "There's those brown eyes. You okay?"

I blinked several times at the comment. 'There's those brown eyes.' When I lost control…my eyes turned blue…the exact color of the flame. It would consume me and I had problems getting it under control then. "Yes."

I worked with the flame every day to prevent such things from happening. I haven't used it in three days. I didn't use it for five days once…and I burnt down an abandoned house I was staying in. "You sure?"

I met his blue concerned eyes and nodded swiftly, "I just…I need somewhere to flex this thing. It…it gets harder to control after a while."

He nodded with understanding and I wondered if he really knew. If he really understood what I was going through? I had a feeling Bruce could. He stood up and held his hand out for me. I hesitantly slipped mine into his and he pulled me up in one swoop, "I know the perfect place."

Thirty minutes later we were in the belly of the ship, somewhere dark and silent. I loved it instantly. The lights flipped on and my eyes searched the room. Metal crates were packed into the room creating a large arena like area. Steve grinned as he watched me walk toward the center. He followed me, "Thor and I stacked these crates ourselves. Heavy, solid…we spar in here when we don't feel like being in the training area."

I studied his face. He looked happy for a moment. Perhaps he was reminiscing about his golden years as Stark called them. "Will you, with me?"

His head drifted around toward me and shoved his hands into the pockets of his sweats. I still had my day clothes on. He was dressed for bed. I didn't sleep very much…when I closed my eyes I saw nothing but fire. "Will I what? Spar with you?"

I nodded and he laughed with a shake of his head, "I don't know…what if you go all sparky on me?"

"Sparky?" I laughed and grinned as I trailed around the room letting my fingertips trace along the metal cases. "Maybe that should be my superhero name. Sparky."

"I kinda like Flame. Sparky kinda sounds…" he stopped for a moment and I glanced at him. He had a blush that had seeped into his cheeks. "Personal."

"I think it's a good nickname." I said quietly as I picked up a piece of metal and eyed it closely. I glanced over at Steve who was scuffing the floor with his shoe as he gnawed on his lip silently. I chunked it at him hitting him squarely in the back of the head.

"Gonna take a lot more than that to dent this hard head." He rubbed his head and cut his eyes at me. He took a stance and held up his hands. He nodded at me, "Well, then, Sparky…let's see what you got."

"No flames. Just me."

"No shield. Just me."

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Steve ended up kicking my ass, but it was nice to actually joust with someone for once. I rubbed my arm as I walked down the long corridor to bridge where the Avengers were meeting. It was odd to have a team again. I had spent some time with each of them. Stark kept referring to me as The Girl on Fire and Katniss. I didn't even shoot a freakin' bow. Nevertheless, I had to explain these references to Steve for obvious reasons. Natasha didn't say much, but she seemed like she was someone you would want on your side. She had also taught me a few useful moves that I had planned on using against Steve later we were down in the belly of the ship. Bruce was someone that I enjoyed being around because we had similar issues. Clint…well…

Seeing Steve, Bruce, and Clint talking in the hallway was a relief because I was pretty sure I was lost. I was still getting turned around in this big ole' heap of metal. They all glanced at me as I made my way toward them, latte in hand. Bruce smiled as he held his up and nodded. He told me that coffee calmed his nerves. I took his advice.

"Hey, where you been Sparky?" Clint cut his eyes toward the Captain and then back to me. I smiled…probably too brightly at the sound of my new nickname.

"I'm still having directional issues." Steve laughed and Clint tried to hid his smirk, but I caught it. Bruce adjusted his glasses before he glanced at his watch.

"I think it's time for class kids." Bruce was always on time. Time. Time. Time. He always was looking at that watch looking at the time and his...heart rate. I'm not sure if I could live like that. Although, I wasn't sure I could like like this, but I was.

We all followed Bruce down the hallway to the bridge. Clint hung back a bit further and was silently walking beside me. "So…sparky, eh?"

"I like it. Better than The Girl on Fire as Tony so delicately puts it." Clint snorted before crossing his arms.

"He's been calling me Robin Hood. I think he's got plenty of nicknames for all of us to go around."

"But I do like Sparky," I said with a smile. He stopped and tugged on my elbow, gently. The smile on my face faded at the deep lines that suddenly appeared on his face. He sighed and then took in a short breath before he finally spoke.

"You don't need to get involved with team members Marc'…it just screws up your emotions. Clouds your judgment."

I scoffed at that, "You're the one sleeping with the Black Widow…" His widen at the revelation and his grip tightened on my elbow then quickly dropped. I shook my head, "When I can't sleep Robin Hood…I take long walks. It's amazing what you hear."

I left him standing there leaning on the wall, his mouth parted slightly. I couldn't say that I was jealous of Natasha and I couldn't say that I wasn't. Back on our tour together, Clint and I become very close friends. There was a point where I began to question my feelings for him, but then my accident happened. He left shortly after that. Sadly, there was the end of that. In fact, I was pretty sure that I would never see him again...until now.

Stepping onto the bridge, I saw the empty seat next to Steve and immediately took it. He studied my face a moment before glancing up at Clint who stepped through the doorway with a stern look on his face. Steve's eyes shifted back to mine and he held a silent question. I shook my head as Fury turned and handed a stack of folders to Agent Hill. She passed them out very quickly as Fury began.

"What you have here are the files that we secured on Crystal's research. Testing subjects, past whereabouts, and…rumored plans for attack…"

"Forgive my tardiness friends. There were…complications on Asguard that were in dyer need of my attention." My ears perked at the accent and I looked over at the demi-god everyone had been referring to as Thor. Holy crap, may I say. My eyes drifted from his muscles back up to his startling blue eyes. He sat down in the seat directly across from me. Steve leaned over and whispered, "That's Thor."

I nodded and looked down at my file trying to hide the fact that I was staring and had been caught, "I gathered."

Steve grinned as he looked up at Fury. He continued after shooting us a look. The scowl permanently covering his face, "The testing subjects did not fair so well…as you can see."

I turned the page seeing pictures of several bodies mangled and burnt. I scrunched my eyebrows and shook my head, "I must have received the stable solution. It blew up shortly after…so he would have to remake it. Guess he's having some issues with that."

Fury nodded, "Yes and right now, if he knew you existed. You would be on his most wanted list."

I gnawed on my lip for a moment and shrugged, "Why not put me there? Draw him out to us?"

"Yes," Stark spoke up. "Bait…let's hang the newbie out on a line and see if he bites. That seems like a wonderful idea."

"I can handle myself Stark." I counteracted and he sighed in return. Bruce nodded his head slowly.

"I see what he's saying. He needs to control this…flame again…you are the one thing that worked out. Accident or not. Your blood is definitely the key to him creating a stable solution."

"I say we try this last place he was seen." Steve said flipping through the file calmly. I glanced over Clint. He hadn't even opened his file. He was sitting there calmly, hand resting against his chin staring at the table. Natasha shifted her eyes away from him to me. Oh boy. I didn't need her on my tail too. Her eyes shot to Fury and I let out a short breath that I had been holding.

"I can try to get close…see what I can find out," Natasha offered.

Fury shook his head and turned away, "I think we should show off our new member. See if he bites."

I couldn't bring myself to look up at the rest of my team. I stared silently at the picture of Crystal. His bright gray eyes staring straight at me. He did this to me. His solution did this. If I could kill him…I might sleep better. I wouldn't feel so mad at the world and hate myself for being such a freak. My life was pretty much over thanks to this man and his mutant blue flame. I glanced up and everyone was looking at me with a cautious eyes.

"Marcy…" I looked over at Steve and saw blue reflecting in his eyes. I looked down at my hands, flames covered my fingers. I cleared my throat and the flames were gone instantly. Bruce was watching me with knowing eyes and I sighed heavily as I nodded.

"I'll be your bait."

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Disclaimer: I pretty much don't own anything. Sorry. Although...Marcy James is from my own imagination.