After I had been sent to the Med bay to take care of some of the cuts and bruises I'd revive, I had been ordered to go to Fury's office to meet my new team.

Joy.

"This is Maya," Fury said as he gestured to me. "She'll be joining you from now on."

"I still hate you," I muttered underneath my breath.

"Just stay with these guys and follow my orders. Maybe it won't be as bad," he murmured back. "And I know you don't mean that."

"I doubt that," I scoffed.

I was still sore after the whole mission so I had an ice pack on my head from where a guard had punched me too hard.

"Hey," The one with the bow and arrow said. He placed a matching ice pack on his head. "Welcome to the team."

"Thanks," I said, my voice dripping with slightly sarcasm. "I'm so glad I could be here."

"Someone had their bitchflakes this morning?" He teased.

"Language!" Captain America weakly said from his side of the table.

"Did he seriously just say language?" I asked.

I leaned against the wall as Fury sat down at the front of the table. There were three of the Avengers plus one former weapon of war at this table, all of them staring at me. I felt uncomfortable as they stared me down.

Fury cleared his voice bringing back attention to himself.

"As I said earlier," he said. "This is Maya. She'll be under your supervision until I see it fit to-" Natasha Romanoff raised her hand as she peered over Fury's shoulder to look at me. "Yes, Romanoff?"

"I'm not trying to be rude here but what credentials does she have to join the Avengers?"

"Same credentials as you, Red Riding Hood," I said without hesitation. "Only there isn't a world ending apocalypse event or an alien army out there. At least I hope there isn't. That would suck."

"I understood that reference," Steve Rogers spoke up.

They all gave him an odd look before they turned their attention back to me.

"Behave, Maya. You're not-"

"I'll be an angel, sir."

I could literally see Fury count to ten in his mind before taking a deep breath.

"As I was saying, she'll be with the Avengers until I see it fit to remove her. Any info on her will be on a need-to-know-basis and will be considered zero priority," he said gravely

"I'm right here, Fury. Right here."

"I'm aware. Agent Romanoff with be your S.O. Any problem with that?"

"No," the both of said.

"Good," he said. "That's one thing off my list."

**********

"Again," Romanoff said as she finished beating the crap out of me.

I think my nose might be bleeding. 

"Son of a bitch!"

"Language!"

"Show me what you got," she said as she threw the first punch. I dodged and aimed for her neck. She intercepted me, twisting my arm back and throwing me to the ground. "You need more training before you can join this team, kid. I suggest you learn fast,"

I wished that I could have punched that snide little smirk off her face.

"Again," she said.

***********

"How's her fighting style, Bucky?"

"She fights well with hand to hand combat---"

"Is that a black eye?" Clint asked as he munched on some popcorn.

"But she makes careless mistakes that Nat doesn't hesitate to take advantage of. She's muscular and strong with a impressive stamina---"

"Oooh! That has got to hurt, Nat! C'mon, Newbie! You can do it," Clint cheered. He turned to Rogers with a worried look.

"It looks like she hasn't been in a fight in months or years. She's in peak physical fitness but she needs to train. There's almost a hesitation-"

"Watch you six, kid!" Clint yelled as his popcorn flew everywhere.

"Any volunteers?" Steve asked, picking popcorn out of his hair. "Or are we gonna let Nat finish her off?"

--------

Agent Romanoff was about to punch where my head was. I had rolled over in time and got up.

"You learn fast," she said. "That's good. You're gonna need it out in the field. I'll make a fighter out of you. kid."

"I look forward to you being my S.O. We look like shit don't we?" I asked as I took a breather. I wiped a strand of sweaty hair out on my face. "Sorry about the eye. Maybe it'll clear up in a few days."

"Nothing a little concealer can't fix. Nice punch, though."

"Thanks. Nice drop kick."

"So where did you learn your skills? The streets?"

"Yeah. How did you know?" I asked.

"You're a fast learner. I thought that just because you let me thrash you around around that you didn't know how to fight," she threw me a water bottle which I graciously accepted. "You were observing me. Testing my weaknesses-"

"Which there were none," I clarified before I took swig of well deserved water.

Mr. Archer McGee came strolling up to Nat and I with a large smile on his face. In his hands he carried a bucket of popcorn. I reached out and grabbed some.

"You okay, Nat? I haven't seen you get a black eye since-"

"That was good," Captain Rogers said as he held his hand out. "I'm-"

"I know."

"Captain America. Yeah. I know," I said as I avoided shaking his hand. They didn't know my policy.

I'll let them know in due time.

"So, where are you from?" Clint asked.

"Seattle," I said.

"And how did you get involved in SHIELD?" Nat asked.

"Fury," I shrugged and I pulled my jacket back on.

"How did Fury find you?" Steve asked as he handed me a towel.

"I was just minding my own business until Fury decided I had some higher purpose." 

I didn't notice that the guy who needed a hair cut was staring right at me until he asked me a question.

"Supervising us for what?" He asked.

I think his name was Bucky, I wasn't sure. The prison cafeteria had a few rumors about a dangerous assassin with a metal arm, I always thought they were just rumors. Nothing more.

"Um......hello?" I said. "Not sure. Just told me to observe and train really."

"That's no fun," Clint chuckled. "And here I thought that there was some global apocalypse or alien army about to rain down from the sky. Figures."

"Way to make me feel better about my job," I said in a dead pan.

"I'm just joking but seriously welcome to the team," Agent Barton said as he patted me on my back. I stiffened and took a discreet step away from him.

"Thanks," I said. "I'm looking forward to it."