Note: Bold italics are memories.

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"Philips!" I had given up on whispering for my partner. I was practically screaming his name. The building was on fire and we needed to get out now. I griped the pistol in my hand tighter as I shoved the door open. I led into the room weapon first. This dress was constricting. I wished for my hot fatigues and gear right now. I gazed around the lab sucking in shallow breaths. The smoke was becoming thicker now. I fought to see as the thick gray smoke clouded my vision. Bright blue vials of liquid littered the tables in the room. I gave a slight cough as I made my way closer. This is what SHIELD wanted. They wanted to know what Crystal was up to.

A scream broke out behind me and I turned to see a man running toward me hand raised in the air, needle ready to strike as he strung out lines from a language I didn't understand. I fired two shots just as he tackled me. We flew into the table behind me and I felt my skin burn suddenly. Pricks and cuts on my back and arms began to burn quickly. I moaned as I shoved the man's dead weight off of me. Letting out a small cry, I grabbed the syringe, which was now empty, and pulled it from my left arm. I rolled over seeing bright blue spots attack my vision. I couldn't see, I couldn't breathe, I was going to die here.

The white hot burn soared down through my chest and up toward the top of my head. I stumbled back into the wall and caught myself. I could hear the blood rushing through my veins and into my ear drums. My blood ran cool causing me to shiver. It was like a thousand bags a saline were being pushed through my body at an alarming rate. I screamed for help. 'What's wrong with me?'

Philips appeared in my vision then, his eyes wide with fear. "Y-your eyes…what's wrong with your eyes."

"What?" I asked shakily. 'What was he talking about?' We needed to get out of here- we were going to die. He shook his head quickly and grabbed my arm swinging it around his head, he pulled me from the room. I fought to make my feet work. We were running, well, he was running…he was dragging me.

"There's a bomb…we have only a few minutes," he said hastily as we rounded a corner suddenly and found it blocked. "Fuck. Fuck."

He looked behind us as he quickly shuffled us around and headed down the corridor in the opposite direction. There was a window just ahead, we were home free. 'Almost there.' I smiled, "Almost there Dr. Phil."

He chuckled harshly, "Only you would joke at a time like this."

The smile fell from my face as the pain spiked. My hands felt like they were being stabbed by a million needles. I looked down seeing my left hand was on fire. I shoved myself away from Philips and hit the wall hard with my back. I welcomed the distraction of pain for a moment. A second really. Reality hit me though as I looked back down at my hands with wide eyes. "Oh my God…"

"James…what…" Philips reached for me, but quickly jerked his hand back. He started backing away slowly.

I tried to rub my hands on my dress but the flame kept spreading. I looked up at Philips, "Help me!"

My ears filled with a loud ring and I grabbed my ears as if I could keep them from bursting. I felt a surge of 'something' bust through me and then the sound faded…the burn left me. I felt nothing. I felt like I was sinking and then…I was gone.

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"Should you be sitting here in the dark? Drinking alone?" I smiled sadly at the voice and waved the bottle of Vodka at him. The bottle was something that Natasha had offered after seeing me shortly after my nightmare. I was roaming the halls, cheeks red, eyes bloodshot, and hands shaking. She pressed the bottle in my hand and gave a slight understanding nod. I found myself up in Clint's hidey-hole about fifteen minutes later. I wasn't sure how long I'd been up here…but it hadn't been long enough for this stuff to take affect. The flame caused me to burn alcohol off faster. This meant it was harder to drown your sorrows. Yay for me.

"I can share." I mumbled before taking another drink. He watched me silently for a few moments, that calculating blue eyed stare made me set the bottle down beside me close my eyes. I willed him to disappear, but upon opening my eyes I found he was moving to sit beside me. Damn. He grabbed the bottle and took a long swig before squinting.

"Tasha always gets the shitty brands of Vodka."

I snatched it away from him, "I guess you don't have to drink it then."

I felt his eyes on me as I took another shot from the bottle and let out a slow breath. Looking over at him, seeing him watching me made me feel small…as usual. He intimidated me in so many ways. From the very first moment I saw him- I knew he'd be trouble for me. And boy was I right. Rubbing my aching eyes I groaned at the heaviness I felt...everywhere. "She said that you had a nightmare…a bad one. She heard you screaming. She came in and you were…"

I huffed feeling tears spring into my eyes, "You and Natasha sure have some interesting pillow talk, don't cha'?"

He ignored my comment and then continued softly, "She said your eyes were blue Marcy…"

"My dreams feel real. I can't stop my dreams Clint." I snapped firmly. I took another swig from the bottle and felt my head tingle. The tension in my shoulders was melting now. "I'm dangerous when I sleep. Caught a hotel room on fire once. Shit…even burnt the inside of a car out. I can't be around people. You should have left me in the fucking desert were you found me. You're stupid for bringing me back."

"I don't regret finding you," Clint whispered through the half lit hole. I glanced over and caught a glimpse of the stars. My constant reminder that the world was a lot bigger than me. "They found Philips and when they didn't find you…I just took off. All I could think about was finding you. So many things were in my head…what if you did burn up in the building, what if Crystal took you, just…a million things."

"Yea…well, fire doesn't kill me apparently," I mumbled quietly picking the label off the bottle. Clint took the bottle from my hands and touched my chin gently as he pulled my face toward him.

"After two days of searching…finally finding you. I can't explain what that made me feel." I searched his eyes trying to decipher his meaning...his reasons for telling me this. I swallowed thickly and felt tears well up in my eyes.

"I've killed people." His crumbled slightly as he pulled me closer. The tears slipped over my cheeks down onto his gray shirt. The soft thud of his heart beating loudly in my ears was comforting. Both arms were pulling me closer, Vodka forgotten somewhere around us. This was the Clint that was my friend. He was more than just my friend years ago. Now…what was he now? He had changed…stronger…steadier.

"You're gonna be okay Marcy." He said firm and confident. I heard him swallow hard, he took a deep breath and I shook my head starting to disagree with him. "Don't. Don't think."

Tears started to fade and I just laid there. I was trying not to think about anything that was happening here or anything around us. It was just Clint and me. I tried to imagine us before the accident, before my time in the desert, before…when I was happy. My eyes jerked over at a figure looming in the shadows. The figure stepped out into the light, Natasha's red hair and black suit was bold against the grayish colored wall behind her. She moved her eyes over us and I felt Clint shift. I moved, my body tugging against his grip. He hesitated, but let his arms fall away. I wiped my eyes furiously looking in the opposite direction.

"Fury wants us all in the hanger. We have a lead on Crystal. Suit up." She left abruptly and I sighed grabbing the bottle of Vodka. He was already on his feet, hand stretched out toward me. I met his eyes and grabbed his hand as he pulled me to my feet. He studied me for a moment and then cleared his throat. He looked over in the direction Natasha had disappeared.

"I…"

"It's fine Clint. She's probably pissed. I don't really need that on me too."

He scrunched his eyebrows together and gave a long sigh as he looked away, "I'll see you in the hanger." He paused before leaving and slowly pressed a kiss to my forehead. Pulling away and eyes landed on mine, "I meant what I said…you're gonna be okay."

He turned and trotted off in the direction Natasha had practically run off in. I sighed. I didn't believe him…not like I used to.

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Natasha sat across from me in the aircraft. Her hands were conjoined in front of her, eyes firmly concentrated on the ground. Thor sat beside her, quietly rubbing the hammer absentmindedly with his thumb. My eyes shifted to Clint who was at the front speaking with the pilot. The creases in his forehead were back and I couldn't help but feel somewhat responsible for that. Banner was back at the boat, as Fury had called it many times. I honestly couldn't wait to get back to life. I was supposed to be set up with an apartment, but I expressed concerns about that on several occasions. Stark was determined to find a solution to my constant fire hazard. From what I've heard…if there's even a possibility- Tony Stark could do it.

We were headed someone over Malaysia. I sighed before rubbing bridge of my nose. Steve knelt in front of me, his mask was off, hair slightly ruffled from sleep I imagine. We, the majority of us anyways, were sleeping. Even Stark said that he would meet us there. Maybe that was why everyone was so quiet. They were grumpy.

"You okay?"

I gave a jerky nod and his eyes narrowed as if he had caught me in my lie. I moved my gaze to the star on his uniform. His hand lifted toward my face but at the last moment it shifted touching my ponytail. He smirked slightly, "Blue looks good on you."

I let a small smile form over my lips thinking about how bold he's been here lately. That had definitely come with spending time with Stark and Banner…possibly Clint. Natasha told me that Rogers was backward and as skittish as they come. I reminded her that he was from an era where men weren't as bold as they are now. She nodded thoughtfully and laughed, 'I don't think I could have lived back then.'

His fingers trailed over my ponytail and I caught a glimpse of the light blue and white highlights that were now scattered throughout my dark brown hair. I wished I could dye them back, but as soon as I did…they were sure to come back once I went full Flame.

"Blue looks better on you," I whispered as quietly as I could. Behind him I saw Natasha glance up at us. Her eyes hardened for a moment then fell away as she glanced back in Clint's direction. Steve's eyes matched mine and I saw him swallow. I remember Stark teasing him about being a virgin and suddenly my mind was racing trying to decide if that was true. What a thing to think about before a mission, but yes…it had crossed my mind. Bruce kept on reminding me that Steve was pretty attached to me….always asking where I was, how I was, giving compliments about me. I was amazed at this because I had never been so admired before….by a man.

"Two minutes out," Clint practically howled into the area where we all sat quietly. He brushed past Steve to the very back. "Game faces on people."

I was pretty sure that was directed at Steve and I. Steve's eyes flickered from his direction to mine and I felt a tingle run through me as his hand trailed down my arm and griped my elbow. He gave it a firm squeeze before he stood. His face blank as he pulled his mask back on. I took in a few deep breaths and stood, stretching as I did so. The air craft sat down hard and the cargo door fell open. My eyes widened as we gawked at the surrounding area. I shoved past Natasha and Clint, "Marcy…"

I stood quiet as I looked around the city…what was left of the city. It was gone. There was nothing left but blue flame and rubble. Whatever Crystal had been working on…he had stabilized it obviously. The UN Building and now Panailse was destroyed. I shook my head as I felt a hand grip my shoulder. I saw the man in the blue uniform standing strong beside me. I felt my body drifting toward him and I leaned on him. He never wavered. Wiping away tears from my eyes I gave a slight huff, "We were too late."

"There has to be something left…we should split up. See what we find," Natasha said stepping out in the city. Clint followed her. He brushed his hand across mine as he passed. Thor stepped out beside us and nodded his head.

"Such cruelty to those who cannot defend themselves…it is a terrible thing."

"Yes it is."

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Love. Love. Love all of the reviews this story is getting.

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Marinebat0311~ My apologies! It should be fixed now. :o)

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Marcy James is my own creation…that is all.