Chapter 34: Making Men

*Jade's POV*

I step out of the elevator and shake my head as if it'll literally shake the last thought of Steve's chiseled and ripped body, covered in water, and his strong arms wrapped around me and how even though he was drenched in cold water his embrace still felt warm and comforting, and his eyes! Oh, his eyes! They were filled with true concern, but then he grew shy and his ears and face and neck all went red and that simply adorable smile went so well with his masculine form and-

"Jade!" Fuck. "What are you thinking about?" Steve, even though I don't want to be.

"Just about how I'm going to kick four super heroes asses." I answer/lie to Peter, walking around him and everyone else. "Wow, maybe I should start calling you four Spandex, instead of Pete here."

"Well we are in our super suits, where's yours? I was really hoping you'd be in the short little number you jump around roofs in. Although these shorts seem to be doing justice." Johnny says, walking incredibly close to me. I look him up and down, and well, he's definitely worthy to wear this suit. I look back up at him and clear my throat before responding.

"Okay, Human Crotch, why don't we get to e dousing you." I walk around him and in front of everyone else.

"We're going to be up there," Tony starts pointing to an observation booth about the room, "And you five'll duke it out down here." Everyone turns and Peter gives me a reassuring pat on the shoulder.

"Wait." I say, "Could I make a few adjustments?" I say, swaying on my feet. Tony looks to Reed and Reed gestures for me to do so, I run over to the control panel everyone stood around during Steve and I's fight. Feeling I won't have the time to figure out every button does, I simply type Water into the search engine. Several options come up, and I chose the one that makes the ring where Steve and I fought, along with the rest of that side of the room, into a pool. "Sorry, but it'd be kinda difficult to beat him without any weapons and seeing as I don't think training is worth 3rd degree burns, I figured this was appropriate." I say, jogging back to everyone, as the pool fills.

Johnny opens his mouth to protest, but Sue puts her hand up and says, "Johnny." Sternly. She's obviously the eldest of the two.

"Alright we'll give you the signal to start when we're up there." Natasha says as everyone walks to the elevator. We all wait while they ride the elevator up and Reed asks me a question.

"If you don't mind, Miss Leiton, why do you believe you can beat us?" I consider his question for a moment.

"Why? Well because I've faced people greater than you. I mean, no planet eating entities, but mutants, psycho paths, immortals, and a handful more. So yeah, pretty confidant." I say turning towards the 4 of them.

"Keep telling yourself that, Missy." Ben says. I take a couple steps towards them and simply smile. I won't play this game. The five years I've been in America may not be as bad as my childhood, but it's still my past, and I won't simply divulge those facts just to prove that I can handle the Fantastic Four. I'll do that in a couple minutes, when I make, oh what was? The Rock From the Brox? Run into a wall.

"Well I would have loved to see those. But you're just a girl with poison. And now, you don't have you poison." Johnny says taking a few steps towards me. "So, without your poison, what does that make you?" I'm about to rebuttal, angrily, but I glance up at the booth. Everyone is definitely observing and I see Steve come through the elevator. This thing has already started. They want to see if I can stand a verbal battle as well as a physical one. Or at the very least if I can get through one without blowing up. And can get through one without blowing up. And who better than Johnny Storm to push my buttons? Well, I'm ready to turn the tables. I take a few leisurely steps towards Johnny and see his smirk grow wider.

"That makes me a girl. But this girl has a few tricks up her sleeve." I take my final step that leaves only an inch of space between Johnny and I. Before I continue, I see Peter crack a smile at my pun and tony seems to have one on his face too. I look back to Johnny, whose gaze hasn't left me, and change my demeanor from confident to lustful. That's right boys and girls, I'm playing the game this way. I was taught this way, don't ask, and I'll use it to my advantage. I see a spark of enticement in Johnny's eyes. Gingerly, I graze my hands against his stomach and... and holy shit... Not bad Storm... *mentally clears throat* And I run my finger up, along Jonny's body and rest hem on his collar bone. "And this girl, can make a man out of you." The sensuality of my voice and touch I can see is enough of a distraction that I slip my right leg in between Johnny's and behind his left leg. I kick my heel back and cause Johnny's foot to go out from under him. I turn, so not to fall with him, and face back to Johnny, stunned and flat on his ass. Everyone, observation boot included, smile. Unless you're Peter, then you cackle so much you fall out of you chair. "In fact, Jarvis?" I shout.

"Yes Miss?"

"Queue my jam!" Almost immediately, the drum beat starts, Peter falls back down from laughter and everyone else, especially Steve and Thor, share a look of confusion.

"So it's clobbering time?" Ben asks.

"Hold it Pebbles." I walk over to Reed. "Let's go Stretch. Show me what the Fantastic Four's leader is made of." He doesn't move. "You know I was hoping I wouldn't have to breakout in song and dance but... Let's get down to business!" I grab Reed's arm and stretch it out. He seems to be caught off guard, perfect. To defeat the Huns. I turn, wrapping myself in his arm while still clutching his left hand with my right. Did they send me daughters, I pull him towards me with my left hand, When I asked for sons. I look him up and down as if unimpressed, but I'm actually quite fascinated with his ability. Suddenly I feel my feet go out from under me, but I grab Reed's shoulders and turn, causing him to fall against the floor with me literally wrapped up in him. Now you may think he has the advantage, but remember how I got the upper hand with Johnny? "You're the saddest bunch I ever met, but you can bet before we're through," I sing getting uncomfortably close to Reed. "Mister I'll make a man," I walk my fingers up his chest, "Out of you." I tap his nose and see his cheeks grow res as he looks to Sue. "Oh, Mr. Fantastic." I say as I slip out of his hold, but I still hold his collar. This causes him to get tangled and knotted in himself. I stand and look down at him, while he lies in a heap on the floor with a foot or hand sticking out here and there. He looks up at me with what I can only describe as a bitch face. Tranquil as a forest but a fi-

"Flame on!" I turn to see Johnny ignited and digress the need to laugh at the fact he lit up as the song said fire. He flies straight at me, but I'm able to sprint and skid out of the way. I turn and find him across the room, confused that I evaded him.

"Once you find your center, you are sure to win." I sing along while leaning back and making the stereotypical kung-fu stance. "You're a spineless, pale, pathetic lot. And you haven't got a clue. Somehow I'll make a man out of you." I had gotten out of my stance and gestured towards Johnny while I sang. Johnny's face contorts in aggravation and he darts after me. I'm never gonna catch my breath. I sprint around the room. Say goodbye to those who knew me. I grab one of the tables on the other side of the room, causing me to slow down enough so I can turn. Johnny's right about to catch me, but I spin away and am able to run back. Boy was I a fool in school for cutting gym. I jump and push off a punching bag in order to slip and thus cause Jonny to make a sharp turn and - ooo - light the bag on fire. This guy's got us scared to death. I land next to Ben and Sue who appear to be attempting to untangle Reed. "I hope he doesn't see right through me." I sing, faking fear while looking at Susan. She rolls her eyes and I see Johnny coming after me. I run the several feet between me and the pool and stop right before the edge. I feel Johnny behind me and duck and spin. When I stand he's in front of me, over the water, so before he can turn, I jump and kick my legs out, pushing him into the water. Now I really wish that I knew how to swim. Normally I would flip from my back to my feet, but seeing as my shoes are on fire, I shoulder roll and quickly take off my shoes and socks, mumbling "Hot feet, hot feet, hot feet." Be a man. I throw my shoes in the pool along with Johnny, whose fire has created steam around the room. You must be swift as the coursing river. I spin back up into a standing position and wait. With all the force of a great typhoon. With all the strength of a raging fire. Ha oh that's funny. Mysterious as the dark side of the moon. "You know Susie Q, you may be able to bend light around yourself, but not steam." I say as I see the steam spreading around an open space. Only knowing that she's in front of me, I kick my right foot out and impact what I'm guessing was her guy. I hear a groan and trust my instincts as I run, jump and push myself, using my hands off of Sue's hunched back and flip. When I look back, Sue's reappearing on the ground. Time is racing towards us, till the Huns arrive. I try to run and find Ben, but run into... air?

"You know I can also create force fields." Sue says. The steam dissipating, I close my eyes. I can't see her anyway, so what's the point? Heed my every order and you might survive. I take a deep breath and listen... You're unsuited for the rage of war... *thud*

"You should work on being quiet. I swing my leg around and feel it connect with a body. So, pack up, go home, you're through. I crouch down to sue, who's laying on her face. "How could I make a man out of you?" She rolls her eyes, but still doesn't get up. Be a man. I stand when I hear more, crumbly footsteps. The chorus goes on in the background as I sprint around Ben who appeared behind me, ready to... clobber.

"Hold still." He grunts, chasing after me. Okay, running isn't the way to beat him and I obviously can't overpower him. With all the strength of a raging fire, mysterious as the dark side of the moon. He's fast, but not quick. I can evade him if I time it right. I stop in front of the wall below the booth and spin around. Be a man.

"Alright, I'm still. Come and get me!" I shout towards Ben. I'm next to the table I previously swung around and Ben charges. You must be swift as the coursing river, with all the force of a great typhoon, with all the strength of a raging fire. Wait for it... Mysterious as the dark side of the moon. I jump, kick off the table to get more air, and Ben runs right into the wall. He tries to come back, but whilst still mid-air, and I kick the back of Ben's head and flip behind him. I land as the song drums out. Huh, I have impeccable timing.

"Stole the words right out of my mouth Handsy." Stark says over an intercom. I stand and see Ben coming out of the wall, leaving a Thing sized imprint behind. He groans while staggering back.

"You're quick." He grunts out.

I smile and say, "And you're very easily taunted." He rolls his shoulders back while I turn to see Reed dragging his stretched out leg behind him, Johnny climbing out of the pool, Sue just now getting up, Did I hit her that hard?, and everyone else coming out of the elevator. "So how'd I do?" I ask looking around everyone as we gather.

"Better than expected." Natasha says.

"Your brutal honesty always brightens my day, Red." I say crossing my arms.

"Well it's obvious you found out we were testing your verbal abilities." Bruce states.

"Yes, but I was rather amused by Jade's methods." Thor says with a small chuckle and smile.

"Yeah, and I had fun, but kudos to you Johnny. Almost had me there." I say giving Johnny a pat on the shoulder as he stepped up to me.

"You know Jade, you really hurt my feelings back there. I think I need a hug." Johnny says and before I can stop him, I'm engulfed in a wet Human Torch embracement. I try to squirm free, but Johnny picks me up and spins me around in his arms so now I'm facing him. I hear several chuckles behind me and see Reed, Sue, and Ben smiling as well, next to Johnny and I.

"This isn't funny." I say, not so sternly, fighting a smile while looking down at Johnny.

"Oh well I think we're adorable." Johnny moves me to his side so I can see everyone else. I get the sense he wants me to wrap my legs around his waist and although it'd make this while hoisted up thing more comfortable, it sure as hell ain't happening. Everyone's either smirking or trying to hide their smirk, but fail.

Looking back to Johnny I calmly say, "Put me down."

"Kiss me." He quickly responds.

"You know I am in prime position to crack the family jewels, so I suggest you reconsider your proposition." I say with a smile.

"Okay." Johnny says letting me go, but still holding me to him.

"Kay, well I'm wet and cold and would like to go change." I say pushing

Johnny away.

As I'm walking to the elevator, Johnny says, "You know, I could dry you off." I turn to see Johnny literally steaming the water off of him. I roll my eyes and scoff in disgust while hitting the button for the elevator.

Stepping in, I turn and say, "Let me know what's next for training."

"Hold on Handsy." Tony says, jogging over to the elevator. He steps inside with me and presses the 83rd floor button.

"Yes?" I say as we travel up.

"Oh right, so after you're dry, head down to the lab." The doors open and Tony walks across the room to the other elevator.

"What?" I say confused.

"Just step in here, and Jarvis will take you down." And with that Tony disappears into the other elevator. Still slightly baffled, I walk down the hall to my room. After closing my door and grabbing my clothes and a towel, I walk to the bed and begin to peel off my clothes. I toss the wet clothes into a hamper and dry off anywhere that still feels damp before changing back into my shorts and tank top. I button the jeans and lay out the tank top, looking at the symbol. What I would give to see my dad out there. Fighting Nazi's side by side with Captain America. Hell, I'd give anything to see that, to see him... too distracted by my nostalgic thoughts, I don't hear the door open, but I do feel the two strong and warm arms wrap around my bare stomach with my back soaking up more heat. My eyes practically pop out of my head at the mystery man's presence, but I'm still able to switch on assassin mode on and elbow whoever is behind me. With them distracted, I grab their arm and flip them over me and onto the bed.

"Johnny! What the hell?!" I shout at him. He simply groans in response. I tug on my shirt and scramble to the other side of the bed so I'm facing him.

"Okay first time I've had that reaction." He mumbles while holding his stomach and sitting up.

"I'm sorry, but... you really shouldn't sneak up on a mentally unstable assassin." I say, easing Johnny up.

"I'll keep that in mind." I sit down next to him and look up at him.

When he looks back to me, without a snarky expression, or his flamboyant, playboy spark in his eyes, I ask again, "What the hell were you trying to accomplish?" He smiles slightly and shakes his head.

"I don't know." He says with a small chuckles. I furrow my eyebrows at him, but join him in smiling. After a short pause he looks at me again and says, "You're the first girl to not throw herself at me, and to reject me..." He seems to hesitate towards the end, so I urge him on.

"And?"

"And it wasn't half bad being the chaser for once." I smile.

"And I guarantee it'll get even better when you're chasing the girl you actually like."

"I do like you though."

"No you don't." I say patting his leg and getting up. "You just think you do because I'm the first girl you've actually had to attempt in impressing." I grab my cardigan and shrug it on while walking back over to the bed. I sit on the other side and begin to put on my socks and shoes. Johnny rolls over and lays down so he can look at me.

"why won't you let me like you>" Why do you metaphorically and literally push me away?"

"Don't take it personally, I do it to everyone." I say.

"Not with Peter." He says, pouting.

"Believe me, at first I did." I say dropping my right foot and beginning my left.

Out of the corner of my eye, I see Johnny pout even more and then ask, "How do you know so much about love?"

"Jade can I ask you something?" Peter asks, coming back in his room with two sodas as I lay on my back, on his bed with my head hanging upside down off the side.

"Shoot." I say catching the can he tosses at me.

"Okay, so I know about the whole experiment thing and... the other thing, but how did you do it all? Alone?" Peter asks, sitting in his desk chair. I swing back into an upright position and open the can, taking a swig before answering. I suppose it's time I tell the kid. After all I've told him everything else and with this coming out, all the dots will be connected and the questions will stop and I won't have to keep lying to him and he can maybe help and - Oh good God Jade just tell him already!

"So, remember when I first told you everything?" He nods. "Well same rules go. Don't tell anyone and I swear Peter Parker if you make this a big deal I'll shove that can up your ass." He smiles.

"You said that last time we had one of these talks."

"And I still mean it... Okay so, I didn't do it alone..." I start. His eyes go wide, but he doesn't say anything, so I continue. "So when I was sixteen, you know I started my training. But I didn't train alone. Another person was put in with me, and we were told that we would have to work together if we wanted to stay alive and keep everyone else alive too. His name was Luc and he was a year older than me and um... yeah."

"What happened with him?" Peter cautiously asks, as he should. Sometimes I don't even answer him.

"Well... We had training for six months, none stop, and after that we had our first mission." I say then take another sip from the soda. Peter doesn't say or do anything, he just waits for me to continue. I sigh. "Do I really have to go on?" He sheepishly nods like a little kid waiting for desert. "Over the next year, I had turned 17 and he was 18, we continued to go on missions. And Luc and I grew... closer." Peter's eyes go wide as he understands what I was trying to say.

"Did you ever... um... you know, like-"

"Stop." I cut Peter off as his cheeks grow red even though we're talking about my sex life. "Yes. But, well it was complicated. I had a mission where I needed to, be enticing. I had done missions like this before, but no like this... What I mean, is I was the distraction many times before, whether it be while Luc was doing something or I, but I had never had to... remove anything..."

"Jade, you don't-"

"Please I already had the argument in my head, it's now or never." Peter nods for me to continue. "I was told to go as far as I needed to, including sleeping with the target. And well, I had never done anything like that, and Luc, he didn't... He thought for me to lose my virginity like that, was awful and inhumane." I finally spit out, looking at the floor. "He didn't want a memory like that to be a traumatic experience for me. So while we were out on the mission, Luc and I were at the hotel where the target was staying, got a room and... erm... Well basically I wasn't alone, I loved him, and we were assassins together." Peter clears his throat and looks at me with his stupid, big, and brown, puppy eyes and I can tell he wants to ask a question. I gesture for him to go ahead while taking another slurp of pop.

"Did you have to, do that with your target?" Peter knew I never disclosed names of targets, because I never wanted to say or hear them again. Unless it were Jared White, because next time I see him, he won't be able to see me because I'll cut his eyes out and shove them down his intestines so he can see me kick his ass.

"Ironically no, but I'm glad Luc and I did what we did. Because when I did have to do it, I'm sure Luc and I wouldn't have... the opportunity we did." I say.

"Did Dickwad McAssbuttknow about you and Luc?" I snort at Peter referring to White. God this boy knows how to make me smile. And get a pass for answering a question.

"No. We knew we'd either die or be separated. Or that's he'd use the other against us, so whenever we we're will White or his cronies, we acted kinda braindead. Like robots; no emotion."

"Okay, one more, and then we can be done. What happened to him? Like, where is he now?" Peter asks, beginning to swivel in his chair.

"Technically that's two, come on kid, you're the nerd." I tease. He gives me his best bitch face and I smirk at him. He gestures for me to answer his question and I sigh. "I don't know. He uh, he left when I was 18 and he was 19."

"But I thought if you left they'd kill the other children?"

"They did, but Luc was fed up. He didn't want to be doing someone else's dirty work anymore and it had gotten to the point where he didn't care about the collateral damage. And I tried talking him out of it, but he wouldn't listen. So he left, promising to come back."

"But he never did, because you did they're bidding for another year before you escaped when you were 19 and then came here." Peter states, knowing the story from here.

"Oh see, I knew you were smart." I say standing tossing the now empty can in the waste basket and walking over to Peter, tapping his nose.

"But wait, is that one son-"

"Peter." I say warily, reminding him that he said one more question.

"I gotta stop saying that that's the last question." He says shaking his head and standing up too. He places his can on his desk and opens his arms for our traditional hug after one of these kind of talks. I walk into his hug gratefully. "How are you only 4 years older than me and yet as wise as May?" Peter asks holding me tighter.

"I've had many an experience for a 21 year old." I say into Peter's shirt.

"I know what I said, but you still loved him right?" Peter says. I turn into Peter, hiding my face, trying to hide from my answer, because I hate it.

"Yes." I mumble.

"How'd you know?" Peter asks while rubbing my back, succeeding in soothing me.

"I don't know."

"I don't, I just know enough to know that this isn't it." I say gesturing between me and Johnny coming out of my sweet memory with Peter.

"What are we then?" Johnny asks.

"Well keep in mind we met just this morning." I say standing and walking to the door.

"Jade wait!" I turn back to Johnny who's rolling off my bed and into a standing position. "So what you just me, is basically that I'll never get to kiss you?" He questions. I smile at his adorable stance as he rubs his neck. For once, I don't feel l the need to have a security wall in front of me and I let my human instincts take over. I walk over to Johnny and place my hands on his chest. He looks shocked and I take that opportunity to lean up and gingerly kiss his cheek. What, you actually think I was gonna kiss this fool? I lean back down and his hand flies up to his cheek and before he can respond, I make my exit. As I walk out into the living room where Steve, Thor, Clint, Natasha, Sue and Ben sit.

"He, where's Peter and the other two brainiacs?" I question while walking across the room to the elevator that leads to Tony's lab. Before anyone can answer me, Johnny comes booming after me.

"Now that, was completely unfair."

"No clue what you're talking about." I say while still looking at everyone on the couches, waiting for my answer.

"Reed and Bruce are in Bruce's lab, geeking it up and Peter had to go out on a mission." Clint answers me.

"No clue, what else would I be talking about?" Johnny butts in again before I can ask what kind of mission Peter is on.

"The fact that I kicked your keister while singing to a Disney song." I say brushing off Johnny and turning back to Clint. "If Peter's on a mission, why are you lot sitting down with your feet kicked up?" I question, gesturing to Natasha's feet propped on the coffee table.

"It's just a simple bank robbery. No need to call in the Fantastic Four and the Avengers." Steve says.

"Just a simple bank robbery..." I mutter. "At what point in my life did that become a normal sentence in my life?"

Completely ignoring the conversation, Johnny talks up again with, "Okay that whole singing thing needs to be discussed as well, but you can't just do something like that and walk off you..." Johnny hesitates as I walk off and press the elevator button. He follows and finally looks back to me. "You little tease!" He points a finger at me while I turn around.

As the doors push close, I smile and say, "You bet your buns I am, Hotshot."

A/N: ... Hi... friends... So....... It's been a while... AND BELIEVE ME I KNOW! BOY DO I KNOW!! I'M SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO SORRY!!!! I promise I would have updated sooner, but with school coming to an end I've had to deal with my schedule for next year, studying, working on final projects, and doing makeup work, it's just been very overwhelming. So, I'm sorry, I really have been trying, but there's just A LOT of stuff. So I'm asking of all you lovely and wonderful and beautiful people to bare with me for the next month or so. I'll still update, just... maybe only once or twice... But I promise once I'm done with school, and summer begins, I'm all yours. Well, I do have some trips planned and such BUT just know that when school ends, I'll be back on track.

Okay now another important matter... So I don't know if any of you have noticed, but... Over my little break Viper has reached... 50 THOUSAND VIEWS, NEARLY 2,000 VOTES, OVER 1,000 COMMENTS AND I NOW HAVE 105 FOLLOWERS!!!!!! Like... WHAT!??!?!?! *Chris Evans voice* WHAT?!?!?!?!??!?!?!?! Do you realize how insane that is!!?!! Okay, I wanted to tell you that for art I had to illustrate my proudest moment. I chose that ^^^^^^ right there. And not because I'm proud of myself (Well a little) but because I'm proud of EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU!!! But really, super grateful and I'm not gonna get into this, because I'm still emotional over last nights Supernatural and Ultron.

Speaking of Ultron (Clint: I SWEAR IF ANY OF YOU SPOIL IT FOR THE POOR SOULS OUT THERE THAT HAVEN'T SEEN IT YET I WILL SHOVE AN ARROW IN YOUR EYE SOCKETS AND SICK WANDA AND PIETRO ON YOU!) HOLY MOTHER SHIT FUCK STEVE, TONY, CLINT, NATASHA, BRUCE, THOR, WANDA, PIETRO, SOMEONE CALL THE FANBULANCE. So, basically it's pretty fucking fantastic. I'm seeing it again this weekend and I... just... I can't. Tony just too much and too mentally contractible to handle, but I still love him. I have to say Steve is super sassy and oh my god Chris Evans take me. Bruce is adorable and I want to hug him, Thor I think needs a hug too, and I really want to pick up Mjolnir, Natasha is so fucking fantastic I can't deal, Clint is fucking hilarious and he shines in this. And don't even get me started on Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch. OR ULTRON. He is honestly the embodiment of a Marvel villain and Joss Whedon made a wonderful choice with him. My love for all of them has grown immensely and I didn't even know that was possible. Okay, I'm done now.

So, I'm not gonna talk about the chapter but hope you all enjoy it and that it was worth the wait and that it is an adequate training session with the Fantastic Four and Jade. But even though I'm not recapping I still want opinions!! Please!

I LOVE YOU ALL AND JUST HOT DAMN THANK YOU!!!

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