Hello everyone!

How's your week? I'm still sick so mine sucks.

God this chapter was hard to write so I really, REALLY hope you'll like it !

Thank you again to love / follow my story, it makes me so happy! If you have any questions, don't be shy and ask them to me! (I'm still sorry for the spelling mistakes)

See you next time!

A.

Heroes will rises

Chapter 5

Eve was in her quarters and for the first time since she had set a foot in the Helicarrier, she was finally alone. Almost at peace. There was no noise, well almost no noise, and there wasn't the hubbub of crew members. With the back of her hand, she swept the fog that was accumulated on the bathroom's mirror. She could still feel the moisture of the shower on her skin as she took a comb to brush her long silver hair. The young woman still couldn't believe all that happened in the last hours.

In less than twenty-four hours Steve Rogers and her had found weapons that S.H.I.E.L.D wanted to use against ''people'' like her (if she was still a person because she felt more dead than alive) or even some people like Thor. Barton had attacked the ship, which allowed the escape of Loki. There was also the disappearance of the Asgardian well as that of Dr. Banner...

Don't forget about Agent Coulson...She thought. How could she forget about him? If she had followed the orders that Fury has give to her, Phil Coulson would probably still be alive right now or he would not have died alone against Loki. He would have died with someone by his side, he would have died with someone of his team at his side... Such a beautiful team...She was bitter, she felt guilty and the helplessness feeling that was growing inside of her make her angry.

Heaving a long sigh she puts on the clothes that was given to her by an agent. It was just a simple black t-shirt and a pair of gray cotton trousers and this was strange for her not wear her clothes. Once she had finished, the reflection that she saw in the mirror was depressing. It looked like she had taken ten years. Her eyes were dull, which was strange because they had lost their usual coldness, her face was strained and stressed and her skin was a sickly shade of white.

''I really looks like a ghost.'' She mumbled.

''Adams?'' She heard from the other side of the door before she jumped. She needed to calm down if she didn't want to die from a heart attack.

''Come in Rogers.''

When he entered the room, she was surprised to see that he had swapped his uniform's top for a blue t-shirt too tight. Way too tight...When the young woman beckoned him to sit on the bed while she did the same, she could not help but notice how he seemed to be tired and at that precise moment, he seemed to make his real age.

''How are you feeling Cap'?'' She asked, breaking the silence.

''Would not it be more for me to ask you this?''

''Why?''

''You were shaking earlier. You know it is not your fault, right? I mean you had no choice but to kill him because he didn't give you a choice.'' He said with a reassuring voice.

I forgot about him, I forgot about the man that I killed ... How could I forget him? She felt so bad and so guilty.

''I... I didn't think about him... I was thinking about Coulson.''

''Coulson?'' He asked, not sure why.

''I was supposed to be with him... Fury's orders were to help him and I didn't do it... He told me to help you... I should have insist.''

Steve could see the guilt on her face. Even if she had not known the man for a long time, she liked him none the less. He had always been nice to her and had always speak with her with respect, despite her outlaw status. Phil Coulson is... Was a good man. She thought.

''If you haven't come to help us, maybe Stark and I would be dead or the Helicarrier would have crashed.'' He said softly.

''I know but...''

''No buts, you can't feel guilty for something you couldn't predict. None of this is your fault. Trust me, I know what you're feeling right now.''

She ran a hand over her face and sighed. He was right and she knew it, yet she can't think of something else. She felt horrible, but not only because of Coulson, but because of Steve's kindness to her. She didn't deserve that. Why he tries to cheer her up after all that Fury had said about her? Why he was not angry to learn that she has hide some informations about her even when she told him that she had told him everything?

''Why are you nice to me?'' She asked with a little voice.

''I'm sorry?''

''After everything Fury told you, how can you be nice?''

''He said he found you in a cage, like a lab rat... I just can't..''He raised his head to look straight in her eyes. ''Adams... Honestly, has he really told us everything?''

''No.''

''May I know the whole story?''

She hated to remember the circumstances of her discovery. She felt like a freak, an alien. Nobody knew who she really was, or even what she was and it terrified her. Although she was not acting as such, perhaps she really was a terrorist... This idea made her sick.

''I was young when he found me. Fifteen, maybe sixteen.'' She said in a whisper ''The room was completely overloaded vita-rays residues... Yes Rogers, vita-radiations.'' He was surprised. No, completely shocked. ''The thing is that the Director found me in 1987 ... Twenty-five years ago... ''

''You don't age...''

''No. I age. Trust me I can feel it in my bones. Just more slowly than the average.''

''How old are you?''

'You still ask me this question Rogers? You know that's rude right? But to answer you, if my calculations are correct, I was born in 1971 so I'm like forty-one years old.''

''But you look like you're twenty...''

''Don't let that fool you, you're still older than me pal. '' She said with a little smirk.

For some reason, she was relieved to see Steve smile. Okay hen seemed lost, but he hadn't shouted at the monster and hadn't treated her as such. He's a little bit like me... She thought. After all, it was the result of an experiment. It was a little too shows a kind of Frankenstein.

''Thank you, for telling me the truth.'' He said, putting a hand on her knee. ''I appreciate the confidence.''

When her eyes met his, she felt her stomach tighten. What is wrong with me? However, her thoughts were interrupted when she heard a voice coming from the speakers informing him that Fury asked them on deck.

''Well.'' She said scraping her throat and taking care to not look at the soldier. ''Let's see what he wants.''

XoXoX

The meeting room was silent and Eve coul feel the tensien in the air. She could felt that everything could explode at any moment, either it will be Fury, Stark or Rogers.

''How's Barton?'' She asked to break the oppressive silence.

''He's with Romanoff.'' Replied coldly the Director.

At this very moment, she saw him throw something on the table in front of the Captain. Her breath caught when she realized that these were Agent Coulson's cards. For a brief moment, she felt like she was going to throw up.

''These were in Phil Coulson's jacket. Guess he never did get you to sign them.'' She could hear the pain in the man's voice. He didn't just lost an agent, he lost a friend... He sighed before continuing. ''We're dead in the air up here. Our communications, location of the cube, Banner, Thor. I got nothing for you. Lost my one good eye... Maybe I had that coming.''

Eve rubbed her temples. She could feel a headache coming, but she made an effort to listen when she heard Fury keep talking.

''Yes, we were going to build an arsenal with the Tesseract. '' He said while walking. '' I never put all my chips on that number though, becaquse I was playing something even riskier. There was an idea, Stark and Adams know this, called The Avengers Initiative. The idea was to bring together a group of remarkable people, see if they could become something more. See if they could work together when we needed them to... To fight the battles that we never could. Phil Coulson died still still believing in that idea... In heroes.''

When Eve saw Stark get up from his chair before leaving the room, she wanted to do the same, but a look from the Director prevented him.

''Well.'' Said Fury. ''It's an old fashioned notion.''

''When you offered me this project, I told you I was not a hero, I'm still not.''

Without letting him say anything, she jerked from her chair and started walking in the same direction that had took Tony. She had no idea where she was going, but the fact of being alone did her good. Eve ignored the looks some crew members threw at her, she was pissed. Fury wanted to make them guilty and it worked. He had no right. They had fought to save the Helicarrier. They had protected them as best they could and Fury dared tell them it was not enough? After everything, they had to be the heroes they need!? If he wanted some heroes, he only had to be one!

''Adams, wait!''

''Listen Rogers. '' She said, turning to face him. ''I know you were born in a time where everyone wanted to be an amazing person, but that's not my case. ''

''People will need your help.''

''I am a thief. I make my living by stealing things. I'm not a soldier! Deal with it.''

''But you can fight!'' He said almost shouting.

''So what?''

''So you can help! You're the one that said to me you didn't know who you are. Well that's the time to choose what you want to be. Currently, you make me think more of a coward than a hero.''

''It's not that easy Rogers!''

''Yes it is. You just have to make a woman of yourself. The choice is yours.'' He said, before continuing on his way.

She hated when people were preachy with her. Throughout her career she had been judged either by the media or even people who offered her contracts. She was not a coward but she was scared ! Loki scared her and the idea of his army scared her! But she was NOT a coward. However, she could not refrain herself from thinking that Steve was right. She could not flee the situation. They had let Loki go and it was their responsibility to ensure that he does not make more damage. Stupid Captain America and his idea of justice. She let out a growl before chasing Steve.

''You know I hate you, right?'' She said when she caught him.

''No, you're just frustrated that I'm right.''

''So where are we going?'' She said, ignoring his comment.

He kept smiling as he explained to her that they had to find Stark to convince him to help them. This is going to be so fun! Sarcasm was so strong in her head that she was certain that everyone on the ship heard it.

XoXoX

They had searched everywhere before Eve had the idea of going to see the place she called '' The crime scene ''. Malgré le malaise qu'elle ressentait, elle fut soulagée d'y trouver Tony. She followed Steve on a footbridge and she made him a sign that he could start the discussion.

''Was he married?'' Asked the soldier.

''No. He was a uh... cellist I think.''

''I'm sorry. He seemed like a good man.''

''He was an idiot.''

''What did you just say Stark?'' Asked the young woman incredulously.

''He was an idiot.'' He repeated.

''Why? For believing?'' Asked Steve.

''For taking Loki alone.''

Eve had had enough. She walked up to Tony to be at the same height as him.

''I was supposed to be with him! Fury asked me to help him, but Coulson asked me to go to you. He has told me that everything was under his control ..''

''He was doing his job.'' Rogers said, putting a hand on her shoulder.

''He was out of his league! He should have waited for you.. He should have... ''

''Sometimes there isn't a way out Tony.''

''Right.'' Said the billionaire as he walked toward the exit. '' How did that work for him?''

The thief felt bad ... Stark was right, it had not ended well for Coulson ... And despite all the encouragement given by Steve, a big part of her still felt guilty.

''Is this the first time you've lost a soldier?'' Askent Steve.

''We are NOT soldiers! I'm not marching to Fury's fife!'' She was shocked to hear so much venom in the voice of the man and she was not able to refrain from putting herself between both men again.

''If you want to be mad at someone, be mad at me. It's my fault, not his.''

''Fury's got the same blood on his hands that Loki does, but right now we gotta put that behind us and get this done. Now Loki needs a power source, if we can put together a list...''

''He made it personal.'' Stark stated, interrupting the soldier. Of Course it was personal. He killed someone close. She thought.

''That's not the point.''

''That's the point. That's Loki's point. He hit us all right we live. Why?''

''To make us suffer?'' Asked the thief, uncertain.

''To tear us apart.'' Said Steve. That's the same thing Rogers...

''He had to conquer his greed, but he knows he has to take us out to win, right?'' Said Stark, which earned him a nod from the other two. ''That's what he wants. He wants to beat us, he wants to be seen doing it. He wants an audience.''

''He wants to be the poster boy.'' Eve murmured.

'' Yeah, Loki, he's a full-tail diva. He wants flowers, he wants parades, he wants a monument built to the skies with his name plastered... Son of a bitch.'' Tony said before leaving.

Eve was surprised and to see Steve's face, she was not the only one. But why did he left? Then it hit her. Tony knew where Loki was. He had found him! This idea and made her smile.

''What's just happened?''

''Rogers, I think you just convinced Tony Stark to help us. I believe he knows where is Loki.''

''Well, in that case.'' Began Steve with a smile. ''I think it's time to put your suit Ghost. ''