Chapter 3 Back to 'Base'

I slumped in one of the seats on the shuttle and ran my hands through my hair and licked my lips.

"Agent Romanoff. Are you alright? an Agent asked me.

"Yeah. I'm fine. It's been a long year." I say and rub my eyes.

The man nodded and walked away. I headed into the bathroom and pulled on my old outfit and tied my hair into a braid and put my leather jacket and boots back on. I walked out and sat back down just as I saw Natasha and Dr. Banner come in. Baner gave me a glare and went to sit down somewhere as far away as possible from me. Really? I do not need every single person who shall be involved in this operation hating me. How am I ever going to manage?

"Good job Tasha. You always do what I can't." I smile at my sister.

"You're usually good at it. What happened today?" Natasha asks concerned.

"I met someone I wish I hadn't." I say shaking my head, "And I saw Agent Barton."

"You saw Clint? How was he?" Natasha asked. I could detect the worry and concern in her voice. I'm sure she wasn't this concerned when I got captured.

"Alive." I laughed, "But otherwise not well. He looked right through me as if I wasn't there and pushed me aside.  But even if he was really himself, then I don't think our encounter would have been much different quite frankly." I shrugged.

"I don't understand why you two don't get along." Natasha shook her head.

"You're not all that different. I mean you're both amazing archers and sometimes awfully stubborn." Natasha pointed out.

"Okay. I get it. I don't understand it either. Sometimes these things just happen though Tash. And we all have to deal with it." I say, "I don't get along very well with many other Agents. You know that."

"Then again you get along with a lot of others. Calm down Anya. You'll be fine with the rest of the team." Natasha patted my shoulder and went to the driver.

I sat back and closed my eyes.

The next thing I knew, Natasha was shaking me awake, "Anya. We're here. Welcome to S.H.I.E.L.D."

I rubbed my eyes and sat up before following Natasha out of the jet, "This is the new S.H.I.E.L.D.?"

Natasha nodded.

"It's awesome. And new and different." I looked at her, "What ever hapened to the old S.H.I.E.L.D?"

"Long story short. It sort of got blown up from the inside." Natasha shrugged, "Anyways. I need to talk to the two newbies. Well sort of newbies. Coming?"

I nodded, "I've got nothing else to do anyways. Oh and please tell me Tony Stark is not going to be part of this weird operation we are doing."

Natasha looks at me and smirkes, "I won't tell you then. It would ruin it anyways."

I groaned and followed her to another jet where Agent Coulson is coming down the ramp with another man who has blonde hair and is really tall.  No, not more tall people.

"Tasha, Tony always flirts with me. I can't handle it anymore." I grumble

"Agent Romanoff." Agent Coulson looks at Natasha first and then sees me, "And Agent Annastasia Romanoff. Captain Rogers."

"Ma'am?" Steve says to Natasha and then looks at me, "Ma'am."

I smile at him, "Good to have you here."

"Hi." Natasha says simply and sort of glares at me but I just shrug. She looks at Agent Coulson, "They need you on the bridge. Face time."

"See you all there." He says and we all walk to the railing of the ship.

"There was quite the buzz around here, finding you in the ice. I thought Coulson was gonna swoon. Did he ask you to sign his Captain America trading cards yet?" Natasha asked.

"Wait. Back up." I glared at my sister, "What exactly are you talking about?"

"Captain Rogers was found in the ice. Did you not hear?" She asked.

"No. But then again I haven't been back to base in a couple years.  I'm always on assignments and in small other parts of S.H.I.E.L.D. Guess people don't exactly trust me." I shrugged, "Anyways, continue."

"Trading cards?" Rogers asked.

"They're vintage, he's very proud." Natasha smirks.

I turn around and see Dr. Banner not noticing us because he is so nervous.  I roll my eyes.

"Dr. Banner." Captain Rogers (what is his first name) walks up to Banner and they shake hands.

"Oh yeah. Hi. They told me that you'd be coming."

"Word is you can find the cube." Rogers says.

"Is that the only word on me?" Banner asks.

"Tasha. What are their first names?" I ask.

"Captain Rogers is really Steve Rogers and Dr. Banner is really Bruce Banner." She whispers.

"Thank you." I whisper back and turn back to the conversation.

"Only word I care about." Steve says back.

"Must be strange for you, all of this." Bruce replies.

"Well, this is actually kind of familiar." Steve responds.

"Gentlemen, you may wanna step inside in a minute. It's gonna get a little hard to breath." Natasha smirks but is serious.

"What about her?" Bruce asks. "Don't you care about her?"

"My sister happens to be a very good Agent and can handle anything." Natasha wraps an arm around my shoulder. "And I care about my sister more than anything." I smile at her and nod.

"Is this a submarine?" Steve asks.

"Really? They wanted me in a submerged pressurized metal container?" Bruce asks.

I move away from my sister and look over the edge along with Steve and Bruce, "Yeah this is cool."

"Oh no. This is much worse." Bruce says and I raise an eyebrow at him.

I watch as we rise into the sky and then the ship is covered in reflecting mirrors, which camouflages us into the sky.  "No, this isn't worse. This is so cool. I'm going to like this new S.H.I.E.L.D."

So, new chapter for this week. I hope you enjoyed. I wanted to have more of her interacting with others.

Please comment and tell me what you think of this chapter. And vote!

~Annette