Since the story's anniversary is in a few days, that's when the next update will be.

Year Four: The Finer Details of Things

Six Years Ago - Somewhere in New York City

Xavier didn't know how to react when he awoke to Britney Braun in his bedroom, tapping his shoulder to wake him. He didn't realize it was her until his fight or flight instinct initiated fight and flipped her over onto his bed. His body tensed when he looked into her glowing green eyes in the darkness of his bedroom but then relaxed when he wasn't killed on sight. Instead, Britney Braun wanted to take him on "an adventure" around town.

Xavier could tell she wasn't okay. The girl of his dreams showed up in his room unannounced with a lot on her mind and she wanted to hang out with him. It's a no-brainer that he would get dressed and go. He had so many things to ask her but didn't know where to start. Why are you here? What happened to you? Are you in danger? Do you know how much I like you? He had to join her and make sure she was okay. Maybe he could help her. Maybe a night of fun was what she needed.

At the start, they were just teenagers roaring with laughter as they ran through the streets up to harmless mischief. Along the way, he got more clues about her but they only made him want to ask more questions. He thinks about one to ask as they head back to his place but stops when they approach the memorial for The Battle of New York.

They're silent as they look at it.

Xavier doesn't know what thoughts are running through Britney's mind, but her face softens and her eyes gloss over as she reads it. He's seen this plaque a million times and was even here with his parents, his friends, and their parents when it was first memorialized. It's been an attraction throughout the years. Many tourists would take pictures with it. Sometimes, Xavier would walk or drive by it without giving it much thought.

"How often do you visit this?" Britney asks.

"I don't, actually. I pass it occasionally but I don't go out of my way to look at it," Xavier responds.

"Do you have a copy of this in your house?"

Xavier shakes his head. "Of course not."

"Any Captain America memorabilia?"

"Do the suit and shield count if they're his work clothes?"

"Absolutely."

"Then yes. Not to mention the man, the myth, and the legend himself."

Britney smiles and a laugh simmers behind her lips. He remembers Angela telling him about the first time she brought Britney over to her house. Britney was stunned to see Captain America in such a casual and domestic setting whereas for Angela and Xavier, it's normal to see their dad walk around the breakfast table in the spangles with the shield.

"Is this a part of whatever this night is or is it on the way?" Xavier asks, gesturing to the memorial.

"Coincidence," she responds. "I forgot this was a thing."

"Wait, you've been in New York for how long?"

"Come on, you totally know."

"Two years, give or take."

"What's your point?"

"Have you seen this monument before?"

"I can't say I have."

"Do you want your tourist picture? It's a rite of passage into the city."

Britney freezes before shaking her head. "I can't. I didn't bring my phone."

"I have mine."

"Xavier…"

Xavier opens his arms. "Come on, Britney. We ran from Brooklyn on empty roads minus those five cars that almost hit us. You said that you don't have tomorrow, whatever that means since it's technically already tomorrow and you're still here."

Britney looks down at her shoes, her long hair drapes over her face. "It's not tomorrow until we go to sleep and wake up."

"You think we're gonna be sleeping after this? I don't know about you, but this is the best night of my life."

Slowly, Britney raises her head. She looks over at the memorial and when a smile creeps onto her face, the street lights capture her green eyes and she looks at him.

"You know what?" She asks rhetorically. "You're right."

Britney walks right in front of the memorial, crouching in front of it. Xavier holds up his phone and she grins, holding up two peace signs. After a few shots, she walks over and peers over his arm as he swipes through them. She leans into him as she laughs and he wants to wrap his arm around her. That picture will become his lock screen by the end of the night.

"A blasphemous tourist photo," Britney states. She looks at him. "You'll understand when you're older."

-o-

Present Day

Group Chat: SA Babes
Members: Merida, Daniel, James, Angela, Xavier

Merida: My parents are both using their guest passes.

Daniel: They don't get any for being SHIELD agents?

Merida: Apparently not. Not even Avenger privileges.

Daniel: You'd think.

James: Please.

Daniel: Who has an extra one?

Angela: I do.

Xavier: We do?

Angela: Yes. Mom doesn't need one since she's Academy alum so Stark and Dad will use my two passes. Iqadi and Imanu take yours.

Xavier: Huh, okay then.

James: So no Avenger privileges, but Academy privileges. We get those after we graduate, don't we?

Merida: TOTALLY gonna attend graduations. I barely want to attend ours.

Xavier: I have to stay here after anyways.

Merida: God, that sucks. You know I'm out of here.

-o-

Hudson Residence - 15:23

Earlier today, Xavier texted his floor to let them know he'll be doing room inspections in the afternoon, in code, of course. His cadets don't know that Vander told Xavier that he knows. The visits are to also ask the cadets when they'll be moving out, especially those who aren't staying for the summer or who haven't declared a move-out date.

Brody joined him in checking out rooms on the notion that Xavier accompanies him inspecting his floor too. It's been at least an hour of cadets asking questions about moving out, making arrangements, and waving some goodbye. It's odd to think that, although he didn't want this job at the start of the year, he won't miss it since he'll have it next year but there's an odd sentiment of it coming to a temporary end.

For a building that houses so many young men, the floor is quiet. No one's grumbling about hangovers or classes. He didn't think he'd be coming back here but would be in charge of the whole thing rather than a floor come September.

"What's your assignment after grad?" Xavier asks Brody.

"Flying up to one of the training facilities," Brody responds. He hands a clipboard back to a cadet after signing a form for them. "My SO is putting me on a strike team and is waiting for someone to finish PT and be cleared for the field before letting me shadow them. I guess it's like being sent to a different wing of the Academy. If only you could come with."

"Vander hates me."

Brody scoffs. "Please. He likes you too much to send you away. Unless it's to Camp."

"He said I'm going back there and get a nice stipend out of it."

Xavier narrows his eyes at the nearby cadets who laugh at him. Nobody willingly goes to Camp.

"I think that's a nice word for reparations," Brody corrects.

-o-

Atlantic Residence - 17:13

Angela returns to her room with a basket of freshly folded laundry. She puts the basket on the floor and tosses Merida a sweater she added to her load. Merida removes her headphones as she catches it, plopping the warm sweater on her face. Angela peers around their dorm. Despite being in a different room together for four years, it's uncomfortable to see it half-empty since Merida's leaving later and Angela hasn't even started packing.

"How was your German exam?" Angela asks.

Merida grumbles something from underneath her sweater. Angela couldn't even pick up what language she was speaking.

"I'm assuming that's good," Angela reasons. "Are you scared?"

Merida peeks from her sweater. "Of what?"

"Graduating, going out onto the field, that thing."

"I haven't put much thought into how I feel."

Angela sits on Merida's empty desk, crossing her legs. "Feelings don't require thinking except for explaining them."

"That. I don't know how to explain them. If excitement and fear and worry and power had one summarizing word, then maybe that's how I feel."

Angela nods. "Good explanation. Do you think we'll be partners? At least for a bit since the rest of our team are here or over yonder."

Merida scoffs, leaping off her bunk. "Please. Our SOs aren't separating us yet. The end of school feels like the end of the world and you're my best friend."

Angela doesn't know what to say because Merida summed up what she couldn't verbalize herself. She blinks away tears before they fall but Merida is already shoving her washed sweater in her face. Angela can't help but laugh but that makes the tears fall.

"No," Merida orders. "Stop that. We'll be working together. I'm not ditching you."

"It's like yesterday we were moving in," Angela reminisces.

"And we'll be moving in again just in different places." Merida shows off some jazz hands. "Life. I'm coming to help you move. We'll get drinks and make it a girls' day with Orchid, Stark, and Iqadi."

"That does sound fun."

-o-

Sci-Tech Faculty Building - 18:09

"Ah, Daniel, good to see you dropped by," BV says as Daniel walks into her office. "I have a proposition for you."

Daniel puts down the marked lab reports for one of her classes and takes a seat at her gesture. She quickly walks over to close the door before circling back to her desk and sitting. She pushes her red glasses up and smiles at him.

"So, I got the funding for a research project that will begin in September, the new school year," BV starts. "I have enough money to cover four research assistants. I'm hiring you as the lead and picking two myself. You get your choice in a fourth one. My only condition is that it's not Pym or Stark. I can't afford either and don't think Stark's available."

Daniel laughs a bit. "Wow, BV, congrats and thank you."

"No rush to pick someone. You could even put out a hiring notice, should you need to."

"Actually, I think I know just who to ask."

"I trust your judgment. You have good taste in brides."

Daniel nods as he stands, smiling proudly. "That I do."

Daniel quickly sends a text on his way out of the building. He was heading back to his dorm but changed directions once he got a response. He walks into the cafeteria and catches Keith with a tray of dinner which is tacos.

"Oh good, you're still here," Daniel says as he and Keith head to a table.

"Moving out after grad since my folks are showing up to help," Keith responds.

"Has your SO given you anything after grad?"

Keith laughs. "Stupid shit I'd rather not do as an agent. Imagine us being agents. It's weird. Don't even have an exact placement yet since my parole is questionable. I'm moving back home for the moment since it seems like remote work. I don't know how that'll function but oh well."

"You're approved for the Academy, aren't you?"

"Unfortunately."

"My SO is starting a research project in September and said I could pick a fellow research assistant."

Keith puts the food tray down to stare at him. "Are you serious?"

"I am. We'll be here for at least another year or two once the project starts but it's good enough pay, flexible hours-"

"Oh thank god." To Daniel's surprise, Keith hugs him. "But I feel so bad for just taking it from your SO without even applying. This is definite nepotism."

"It's not. She said I could pick so I'm the nepotistic one here. You could go hand her a resume and cover letter if you want."

"You mean remake a resume and cover letter that I haven't touched since high school? Fuck no. I'm in."

-o-

As Merida's parents were playing Tetris to put her stuff in the car, Merida went to the student services building to return her dorm keys and confirm her leaving the Academy. She doesn't want to admit it, but she understands how Angela's feeling about leaving. Oddly enough, the years at the Academy were the highlight of Merida's life minus the Academy's rules, classes, homework, and Communications.

Speak of the devil, Victoria just so happened to manifest beside her in line.

Merida removes her headphones. "What?"

Victoria rolls her eyes. "This is the end of the era and that's how you greet me? Were you even going to say goodbye?"

"I'll see you at grad."

"'Oh, those Russians…' You weren't planning to say goodbye."

"No. Besides, I figured that we would cross paths again at some point. Iyu's gonna force us together again."

"I'm counting on her because I know you won't ever call me."

Merida nods proudly as she pays Victoria's shoulder.

Britney's Counterparts: Chapters 100-107 (At Death's Door Parts One-Eight)