A/N: Hey people! Thank you so much to all of you who are reading this story, I never expected the level of support I'm getting and it is making me super excited to get chapters up for you. A special thanks to orangeandvanilla, your review made me ridiculously happy (hopping around in circles may have been involved) and I'm definitely going to take you up on that super idea!
Disclaimer: Sadly I don't own the Avengers, only my OCs and their storyline are mine.
I hope this chapter clears up some of the rather gaping questions that I've left very open before now.
As always please read, review and enjoy!
Lucksby x

CHAPTER 7

Ren nodded to the American. "This is probably going to be hard to believe though."
At this Coulson smiled. "Try me."

"Well, I suppose I should start at the beginning." It's a very good place to start, a slightly unhinged part of her brain cackled and she scowled a little before going on. "All my life there have been people who have wished me harm. Most never acted on it, apart from perhaps sending hate mail, but as horrible as that can be for a young girl with questionable self-confidence that never really did me any real damage. However there was one man who had it in for me from the beginning. And he was different. Want to know why? Because my father trusted him explicitly. Can you guess who it was?"

Coulson nodded, "I rather think I can. He wouldn't have happened to have a rather nasty accident involving an Iron Man suit and an arc reactor would he?"

"Yup, my supposed 'Uncle' Mr Obadiah Stane. My whole life he's wanted me out the way; I was the heir to the Stark fortune, and that was a position he wanted for himself. He positively bullied me, but well placed threats, and the suspicion that he wouldn't believe me anyhow kept me from telling Dad about it. He got really nasty; it was very psychological, he made me feel that Dad didn't want me at all, that I was in the way, that I was useless and stupid. Looking back on it now of course I can see how manipulative it all was, how he lowered my self-esteem enough to make me agree to cooperate with his master plan…" Ren trailed off.

It wasn't you being weak Ren, that is something we sorted out years ago. You were thirteen dammit! You didn't know any different.

"Which was?" Coulson gently prodded.
"Which was to make me disappear, and make Tony believe that I was dead." She was very blunt, "He knew it was no stretch of the imagination that there would be people out there who would do that kind of thing; kidnap the daughter to get to the father. It was a totally plausible cover story. And that is why it worked." She sighed. "He smuggled me out of the country, set me up with contacts to create my new identity, and assured me that his men wouldn't hesitate to kill me if I tried to make contact with my father, or in any way let the world find out that Carenza Stark was alive."

"But he's dead." Coulson looked confused, "Why have you not told Tony now that Stane is dead?"
"Because his promise still stands." Ren shot back, "He still has many loyal supporters who wouldn't hesitate to assassinate me if I step out of line. He may be dead, but he still has complete power over me, I mean, if they were to find out that I'm talking to you now…"

"Understood." Coulson nodded, "We could protect you though, you do realise that don't you?"
Ren huffed, "It's not that easy I'm afraid Agent Coulson. And that isn't the only reason I don't want to go back to my old life." He gestured for her to go on. "I'm not going back because Tony Stark is better off without me."
"Miss Stark…" Coulson began in a disbelieving tone.
"Ren." She corrected, "And before you tell me that my previous statement doesn't make sense, think about it. My father has managed to become a somewhat noble man, one who helps people, does good. Someone that can be looked up to. Losing me did that. I've said it before and I'll say it again, he is a better man now." She took a deep breath before continuing. "I don't want to ruin that. And by going back I will; it would turn him into a guilty wreck, it would undo the confidence he has in the fact that he is doing the right thing. He would blame himself for the years we lost. Furthermore, we, him and me, have both moved on; accepted our loses and learned to live with them." She looked straight at him, an incredible vulnerability lacing her gaze, "I don't think either of us can go through the emotional upheaval, I know I wouldn't survive that. And I truly believe that he wouldn't either."

They sat in a not altogether unwelcome silence for some time, both too wrapped up in their own thoughts to pay much attention to the other. That was until the door suddenly banged open.

"Rennnyy, guess who was at rehers- bloody hell! There's a strange man in our room, why is there a strange man here?"

Ren snorted at Cel's bad language, finding her friend's reaction to the situation highly predictable. "Chill out Cel, it's okay. This is Agent Coulson from SHIELD, remember I told you about them a while ago, they're that agency with the stupidly long name. Agent Coulson, this is Celena my roommate, but I guess you already know that."
Coulson smiled, "It's nice to meet you Miss Leveque."
"He knows my name Ren! How… wait don't answer that either of you, I'm not sure that I want to know!" She looked almost aghast at Ren, "And in any case, why is he here? Last time I checked we didn't open the door to strange men, especially not ones from secret government agencies that you totally didn't hack to keep an eye on To-" She seemed to notice what she was saying, "Woops… ignore me…"

"He's ok Cel, he knows. In fact Agent Coulson here claims to be a friend of Tony's." All she received in return was a suspicious look from the French girl, "Look he would have killed me by now if he had wanted to, I'm pretty sure we're alright." Coulson was surprised that she seemed to find Ren's last remarks so comforting.

"Miss Stark is right Miss Leveque, I wish neither of you any harm. In fact the complete opposite, I was asked to come here to assure her safety, and to extend an offer to her from SHIELD."
Ren's brilliant mind spun, an offer from the spy agency that can lay claim to the Avengers… Cannot be a good thing… Just hear him out, you don't know what kind of an offer it is anyway…

"What kind of an offer…" Ren shared a look with Celena, things had just got beyond interesting, they had got kinda scary.
"A job offer Miss Star- sorry, Ren."
"A job offer?" Both of the girls had almost screeched, but Coulson was unfazed.
"Yes, a job offer Miss Stark. You see, we feel that you could be very useful to us. Your ability to survive undetected for so long is very impressive, not to mention your skills with a computer. I do believe the CIA would be quite ashamed to find out that they had been so successfully hacked by a seventeen year old girl."
Ren looked indignant, "I was just checking that they had nothing new on me, it isn't like I did any harm is it."

"Indeed, but you see my point?"
Ren sighed, run for the hills Ren! Run now, or forever be a slave to SHIELD's will! Her internal monologue was screeching.

"If I agreed?"
"Then we would be happy for you to wait until your school year ends, then you could come over to the States with us and live at one of our operational bases. You would be protected from those who would hunt you, and if you so desired, Tony wouldn't have to be any the wiser. You could do a lot of good working for us."
Leave? But you love it here in England don't you? And it would mean leaving all the people you have actually come to care about behind. But you'd be doing good. Doing good? What does 'doing good' even mean anyway?

"What if I decided I didn't want to join your super-secret boyband?"
Coulson's face suddenly split into a grin, Ren was beyond confused. "What? What's so funny?"
"Sorry, just your father said exactly the same thing when he was first asked about joining the Avengers Initiative, and look where he is now."

If he could have said anything to help Ren make up her mind that was it. Now she knew exactly what her answer was. Looking at Cel she gave a sad smile, receiving one in return; they both knew what her decision would be.

"So?" Coulson asked.
Ren turned her attention back to him. "I've made my choice."