"Are you mad at me?" Jim asked innocently. Steve, Nat and Tony were having a small discussion while we waited for Clint. "Not at all..." I said. "Listen, you gave me the J code not to long ago, what was it?" He asked, not taking my hint. "I don't think that applies to you anymore," I growled, staring intensely at the TV.

"Okay, so you're mad. Between the passive aggressive behavior and scary, red eyes I think I might've done something wrong," he muttered, leaning on his elbows. I cracked my knuckles softly, "spilled any secrets lately?" I scoffed, flipping the channels. He slumped a little, "if this is about what happened at shie-"

"-no it's not!" I hissed, snapping my head towards him. "It's about you telling Jay that I can't control my powers," I whispered. "We can't keep secrets anymore," he tried to soothe, but it had the opposite effect. "Not when they have theirs!" I said back, leaning in closer. "I heard Jay and Aida talking. That was the code J," I admitted, rolling my eyes. "What we're the talking about, Lily?" he asked sadly.  "They know something is up," I replied, glancing around the room.

"He's here," Natasha announced, looking up from her phone. "This is turning into quite the party huh," Ben muttered, shifting next to Lea. "Why don't we just call Thor and Bruce Banner over?" She said. "Thors in Asgard, Bruce is in another country," Tony explained. "Of course," Jim whispered. The elevator doors opened, letting Hawkeye into our little 'celebration'.

He stared at us for a second. "Nat, when you said kids, I didn't think you meant this young," he said frankly. "I'll try not to be offended," I scoffed, holding out a hand. "My names Emily, you will call me Emily," I ordered confidently. "Oh look, so you're the Stark protege, every group has one," he observed. I narrowed my eyes threateningly, but Jim stepped forward. "Relax..." He muttered. "I'm Jim,"

Clint nodded, "from what I can tell you're the little Steve," Clint looked around the crowd, "is there a little me?" He asked hopefully. "Probably me," Jay said stepping forward. "Jay Rodriquez. I'm the guy with a perfect aim. Sorry, no bows and arrows though, I prefer guns," Jay shrugged, holding out his hand.

"Sweet," Clint replied, pointing at Aida, "little Nat, huh?"

"Aida Gerald," she said, giving him a grin. "Well, at least I know one of you isn't cold," he joked. "What about you two, the silent duo?"

Ben and Lea crossed their arms, "I'm Lea Madison, and this is Ben Collins, my boyfriend," she said, shaking Clint's hand. Her small figure stumbled forward, seeming to trip on her shoelace. He steadied her as she clung to his shoulder. "Sorry, I'm so clumsy. I'm the only team member that doesn't go in the field," she said dryly, a hint of fakeness to her sweet voice. "That'll change soon..." He murmured ominously.

*****

We had sat down and told them everything. Their faces had been set in stone, not once flinching. We finally neared the end, just when the mysterious woman appeared on our scanners. "What do you mean she was so cold, the scanners made her negative," Clint scoffed, tensing his crossed arms. "But that's impossible," Natasha said, setting down her drink. "Nat, I think we've put everything labeled impossible behind us," Steve sighed, raising his light eyebrows. "Anything else?" Clint asked, narrowing his blue eyes at everyone. I bit my lip, hesitating before turning to jim. "You recognized her, didn't you?" I asked softly, my voice floating in the still air. He nodded slowly, turning to the floor. "When I lost control in the SHIELD facility, when I was being put on the index, it was her," he explained, refusing to look me in my eyes. "She made every single dark thought that might've crossed my mind for a second, come to the surface," he admitted, making me slip my soft hand into his tense one.

"Nothing I said was true. And about... You-know-what, I'll never tell another soul. I'd rather die," he rasped desperately, wrapping his other hand around our intertwined ones. "Me too," Tony said quickly, reminding me that he knew about my brother. Jay cocked an eyebrow, "should we be concerned about the you-know-hooha?" Jay asked. I noticed him quickly glance at our hands sadly, but quickly shook it off. "No!" Jim and I said simultaneously, earning strange glances.

"For another time," I eased, leaning into Jim. Jay tensed up again, shooting to his feet. "I'm getting a drink," he said quickly. My mind flashed back to our almost kiss, a time that seemed so long ago, but was just a blink in the past. He couldn't have actually stuck with his goal... Of getting me to like him, right?

He's just flirtatious... "Emily?" Someone called, making me snap from my thoughts. Jay had already returned with a glass of crystal clear water. His knuckles were white as he held it tight. "Sorry, what?" I clarified, blinking rapidly. "This whole team, you want to continue? To take down that woman?" Nat asked, gesturing to our slumping figures. "I never really thought this far," I admitted, shrugging my shoulders. "I think we should go on," Jim interjected. "I've seen the way she works up close and personal, she's a real danger," he explained, eyes glancing down.

"Are you sure?" Steve clarified. "I'm pretty sure she can't muddle our minds," Tony boasted, putting his feet up on an ottoman. Jim hefted his shoulders confidently. "I've seen you and stark argue Steve, now imagine your dark sides amplified by 100,000. All that rage and darkness churning inside of you-" his hand squeezed tighter around mine, "-all that pain, all that never was becoming the ever lasting what if, and all the now is taunting me-" his hand began to choke mine, his grip beginning to hurt, "-your heart hurting so much, as if every ounce of blood coursing through you turned to tar; suffocating you-" my hand began to go numb, as I tried to pull away, "-tearing you at the seams-" he tightened even harder. "Jim! Jim, my hand," I said softly, but his dark eyes lay unmoved. "-shred by shred. Imagine it taking over control of everything you stand for-"

His fingernails dug into my skin, making me cry out. "Jim, jim please!" I shouted, making everyone rush towards us. "-you, just having to sit there and watch! As your loved ones are torn apart by you! And that sickening feeling as you watch trapped inside your own body; that hit of realization. It hurts because you know you don't love them-" he was screaming, his throat sounding raw. "Jim! Jim, you're making her bleed!" Jay shouted, trying to pry his hand off me. Tony was snapping him his face while Steve tried to help Jay. Tears began to escape my eyes, either from his words or the pain, I don't know. Suddenly, his hand began to stretch and melt, enveloping me as it crawled up my forearm. Steve jumped back for a second, now trying to peel him off. "-and that single question! Why? Why me! What have I done to deserve this punishment, punishment worse than death?! WHAT HAVE I DONE?!" He shrieked, blood dribbling my from the corner of his mouth.

"JIM!" Jay shouted from the top of his lungs. As if a light had been shown on his eyes, the black depth disappeared. His hand flicked back to normal, as he stared at them in confusion.

"Wha-" he started, when his head snapped back by clanging metal object. His eyes rolled into his head as his body slumped back, knocked out. My head turned to my side, eyes wide. Tony stark stood standing, frying pan in hand. "When did you get a pan?" Jay rasped astonished, panting softly. "When he was shouting his crazy voodoo shit!" Tony exclaimed, setting the pan down. Ben stood protectively over Lea, while Aida stood staring at Jim, tears in her eyes. Nat and Clint had already sprung to their feet, watching in horror. I looked back at my broken best friend, following the bead of blood slowly drip down his face. "Has this ever happened before?" Clint asked, breaking the silence. I nodded my throbbing head softly, not even looking at Barton. "When?" Natasha asked, her voice strong as ever. My eyes tore away from Jim to look at them.

"The SHIELD facility,"

*****

"You sure this'll hold him?"Natasha asked, as we tightened the bonds on Jim's arms. "It has before. I was able to recreate his freezing bands after I had scanned them. The originals had been destroyed, but mine won't come with the wonderful explosion extras," Tony said, tapping the metal cuffs. "But strength wise, the leather bonds will hold him too?" Clint asked. I rolled my eyes, "yes, it will," I said, rubbing my bandaged hand.

Jay looked up at me, giving a weak smile before coming over. "Let me see your hand, chica," he said, holding his unharmed hand forward. "Does it hurt?" He asked, gingerly touching it. "No..." I murmured, feeling my eyes droop. He shifted his feet, "you're hurt on the inside," Jay concluded, softly holding my hand.

"Hey, you two," Aida interrupted, snapping her fingers in between our faces, "stop gazing into each others eyes and get over to the potato sack," she ordered, walking away. "That girl..." Jay chuckled, letting my warm hand go. "You know, you never had that conversation with her about Gina, did you?" I giggled, jumping in shock as he clamped a hand over his mouth. "If rather not..." He blushed sheepishly.

We walked over to the elevator, letting myself glance one more time at Jim and the monitors hooked up to him. "So, you and Aida, huh?" I smirked, wiggling my eyebrows. He widened his dark hazel eyes, shaking his head. "No way!" He exclaimed, jamming his thumb into the button. "Why not?" I laughed at his red cheeks. "Let's just say she's not my type," he said, leaning against the inside of the elevator. "Then what is?" I asked, rolling my eyes.

He paused for a second gazing at the doors, "the girl who's job is to hold the weight of the world, but forgets that she has shifts," he said smiling softly, looking directly into my starry eyes. I quickly looked to the side, biting my lip. "That type of girl sounds stubborn," I said gently, looking in the mirror. "Yeah, she is," he whispered, stepping out of the elevator as soon as possible.

She. A specific person.

I tried to ignore the flutter in my stomach, but it didn't work; Not with my pink eyes staring right into my lie.