The Avengers

Evan laid in a hospital bed but because it was a SHIELD hospital, he still was uneasy about it. He had an IV running into his wrist and most of his veins and his general color had turned back to normal. It had been a long 2 weeks and Natalya had been training with the other Avengers. Apart from the 3 she met, she also met Thor, Iron Man and Bruce Banner who was building something to do with the Reality Stone. The training was hard but she showed alot of promise and improvement in a very short time. She came to visit Evan whenever she was able and today they had a free day so she decided to see how Evan was doing. He had become, somewhat gloomy as of late but most of that had to do with the fact that he was still weak from his ordeal. He was on the verge of death and the Dark matter energy that he controlled were changing him to something else. The whole transformation had been stopped when Natalya had came to him but it had still done its damage. The door opened to his room and his eyes lit up when he saw her enter. He smiled warmly at her and brushed his hair to the side surreptitiously as if her seeing him unkempt was just not acceptable.

“How is the training going? I’ve heard that you’re doing well,” He said enthusiastically. “I think ill go nuts if i stay in this room much longer,” Evan said.

Natalya had actually been quite surprised when the Avengers' team began to show an interest in her. After everything Nick had said to her she figured that once Evan was on the mend that she would be locked back up. But that wasn't the case. Instead, she was told to report for trainings on a daily basis and met the rest of the team. It was completely different than how she had been trained. She had been trained for solo work only. She had never worked as part of a team before and so there were some things she needed to learn and figure out. However, she quite enjoyed it.

When she wasn't training with the team she was at the hospital with Evan. She hated seeing him like this and was glad to see him improving every day. It was clear that there would be some permanent effects due to what had happened but they would need to wait and see what those actually were. She walked into the room and was glad to see Evan awake and smiling at her. She walked over and gave him a kiss before sitting down beside him.

"The training is going well. It's actually challenging...which I greatly appreciate." She looked at him and smiled when he mentioned going stir crazy. "The doctor said you could be released tomorrow. We'll have to find something to do when you do get released...just you and me."

She became quiet for a moment and hesitated before pulling the ring box out of her pocket. "We...kind of got interrupted and I didn't want to presume...I didn't know if you...I didn't know if you still wanted to ask me...or if you wanted to just wait because of everything that has happened..." She put the box down beside him, though if he did decide to ask her he would already know what her answer would be.

Evan looked at Natalya for a long time. He didn’t talk or change his expression, he just looked at her. At her eyes. There wasn’t anything different in them than he had seen before. If anything that tightness that he had always seen in them was gone but he suspected why that was. She was using her abilities. For some people that might not be very important but for her it was what she was made for. Not sitting in a house and playing boyfriend and girlfriend. She looked...good he thought. Content maybe.

“You know I don’t care about the things that people normally get married for, don’t you? I don’t want children or big family dinners on sundays. What I was trying to do..for us both was just find us a little peace and happiness in our lives. To live on our own terms and love one another. We don’t ‘have’ to be married to do that. But in the year we have been together, I find myself wanting part of you to myself. A part that I don’t have to share with the rest of the world. I thought...well felt that marrying you would be a bond between us that would make it true. And not just something I believed was happening. So I will say it now. Can you do what you do and still be faithful to me?” he asked. It seemed like such a mundane thing compared to who they really were. He didn’t want to say it out right but natalya had a look of confusion on her face. He rubbed his forehead with his left hand as he looked at her.

“You know...sleep with other people...have sex with them,” He added though his voice got progressively quieter as if there were people who were listening. That and he was embarrassed to say it aloud which brought color to his cheeks. There just might be people listening but Natalya had asked them not to have cameras or bugs in his room. SHIELD got what they wanted and Evan was far from alright with how they tortured him near to killing him.

“Maybe its an old fashioned...uh...thing but I don’t think I can handle knowing you’ve been with other men...or...uh...women,” he said as more color came to his cheeks.”Not with how I feel about you,” he said honestly. And that was another thing he thought she loved about him. Most everyone else in their lives had some secret agenda, and truth was almost never out there on the surface. Evan always told Natalya the truth even was he was irritated or upset with her. And he always would be if they were married or not.

Natalya looked at Evan for a long moment and then reached out and took his hand into her own. "No, I'm not going to do that anymore. I never wanted to get information that way, but I was forced to. I was tortured and raped multiple times in order to prepare me for such situations and it makes me sick to even think about it. I can tell you honestly that if I can't get the information I need from a suspect without using sex then I won't be getting the information from them. I have many other ways of getting information though that don't require sleeping with someone. Perhaps when we were first together I might still use sex as an extraction method, but now...with the way I feel about you...I would never do that to you. I never want to hurt you Evan. I want you to feel as loved as you make me feel. You and I are a team and you come first to me. You changed my life Evan...for the better and I will never take that for granted. I love you."

Evan felt his love for Natalya swell within him from her words. Her words and the way that she spoke them. With his left hand, the other one was connected to IV’s and other apparatus, he picked up the small, black box and opened it with his fingers. He took out the ring and looked at it a moment. It was as he remembered it and he saw Natalya eyeing it as well. He knew that as far as wealth went, Natalya was able to get as much money as she wanted. Not necessarily legally but she could get it and buy whatever she wanted. Evan earned what they spent honestly. He had a way with computers, software and security systems. Am uncanny knack that came at a high price to those who wanted his expertise. This ring was earned honestly and no blood was spilled to get it. It was a symbol of his undying love and devotion to Natalya. An honest, true gesture, rare these days in this fucked up world. He reached out and placed it on her finger then looked up into her eyes.

“Natalya...will you honor me and be my wife?” He said softly and felt his eyes well up with moisture as he said it.

Natalya watched as Evan took the small, velvet box in his hand and opened it. Neither of them spoke in that moment. They both just looked at it together. What this ring represented was enormous to them both. It represented live...a strong, undying love. It also represented a new life for them and for her. A life where she wasn’t controlled but loved and respected.

Tears filled her eyes as she felt him slip the ring onto her left ring finger and say the words she had been waiting to hear for the past two weeks. “Yes...nothing would make me happier.”

Evan smiled a relieved smile and gestured for her to come to him. As soon as her face was close enough to him he kissed her and then it was a series of passionate kisses either he initiating it or she did. He took her hand in his and drew it down under the sheet that covered him at the waist. He placed it on his member and tugged at the hip of her pants. ‘Make love to me...now,” He whispered into her ear. While she straddled him a nurse opened the door to take Evan’s vitals and when she saw what they were doing she closed it again quickly. Evan barely noticed and didn't care at all. In this moment it was just Natalya and himself and the rest of the world...the universe, could bloody get in line!

A considerable time later he stroked her hair as she rested her head on his chest. They were both under the white sheet and blanket and her ring shone brightly in the dim light.

“If I had my way, I’d never work for or even beside anyone from SHIELD. But since you are I will be there beside you,” He said softly as if he was half asleep. Just her being against him made him feel comfortable and relaxed. “I will not train with them though...I won’t let them know what I can do...not more then they know already. Besides, I’m not certain they’d want to know nor do I think they’d like it if they did. I saw the video, I saw what happened. Is Hawkeye alright?” he asked worriedly.

He didn’t know that Hawkeye was in the infirmary for several days from the injuries he sustained form the attack. He, Captain America and Natalia had suffered from some kind of burns where the phantasm touched them. Natalia’s were the worst but Hawkeye’s injuries were far worse than hers or Captain America’s.

Natalya lightly caressed Evan's chest with her finger tips as they both lay together on his bed. Their breathing and heart rates had returned to normal and now they were just enjoying the intimacy. She looked up at Evan as he admitted to her that if he had his way he would never work for or beside anyone from SHIELD. However, because she was now working with the Avengers he would work for them as well. She hoped that working with the Avengers would be different than working for SHIELD. She wanted to actually help the world instead of hurting it. And if it ever turned out that this wasn't the case then she was prepared to walk away. She wouldn't allow herself to be used as a killing machine again.

"Hawkeye is...recovering. He and the others should be fine. I'm still upset at Nick Fury for doing that to you. Thankfully, he decided to listen to me."

There was no rush to get married he decided. It was enough, for now to know that she knew there was a future with him and him alone. SHIELD, The Avengers, this Thanos...if they survived them then there was something for her to have at the end of it besides just another mission. As for himself he wasn’t certain what had happened to him. Part of that frightened him and part of that only made him more curious.

“Well I think maybe we hold off on getting married for a bit and see where this goes, what do you think?” he asked. “There seems to be alot of concern over this Thanos character so if you can, could you bring me up to speed on that?” he asked.

Natalya agreed that there was no reason to rush into getting married. They each knew that they belonged to one another and that was enough for now. When Evan asked her to bring him up to speed about Thanos she sighed a little. "Well, unfortunately not a whole lot is known about him. What SHIELD does know is that he is a member of a race known as the Titanian Eternals. They are a race of superhumans. However, Thanos' abilities seem to be amplified from the known abilities of the Eternals. We know that he possesses superhuman strength, speed, stamina, immortality and invulnerability. It is also believed that he can absorb and project vast amounts of cosmic energy. He is seeking the six Infinity Stones: the Soul Stone, the Mind Stone, the Space Stone, the Time Stone, the Power Stone, and of course, the Reality Stone. If he is able to get his hands on all six Infinity Stones he could wipe out half of all life on Earth with just a snap of his fingers."

Natalya would feel Evan suddenly tense up after hearing all of that. That and she saw the shadows in the room shift slightly. “Sheesh, I’m sorry I asked, how do we stop him if he’s that powerful?” he asked but he knew it was a pretty stupid question. Everyone was trying to figure out that very thing. “Any idea which stones he has already? Or who has them?” He asked.

Natalya shook her head. "Unfortunately, we don't know. Obviously he doesn't have them all since we still have the Reality Stone so even if he finds the others as long as he can never get that one he can't wipe out half of humanity. Steve Rogers mentioned something about a Doctor Stephen Strange coming in to help determine which stones he might have, if any. Apparently, this guy was an incredible surgeon but then he was in a horrific car accident that left his hands nearly constantly trembling. He went to Tibet hoping to be cured by this person called The Ancient One, and instead was trained in the Mystic Arts."

Evan had never heard of this man but he sounded as if he might know what he is about. “What about Thor, Iron Man and Bruce Banner? What are they doing? Aren’t they part of the Avengers? He asked.

Natalya brushes back some hair from her face. “Yeah, they’re all apart of the team. They’re all working on ways of trying to locate Thanos. I haven’t interacted with them a whole lot but Tony and Thor both tried to flirt with me. They didn’t get very far,” she added with a smile.

She felt Evan stiffen when she said they tried to flirt with her and he grunted disapprovingly but not toward her. “I heard...Tony was..you know I guess,” He said. “I heard Thor was...pretty good looking and a god besides,” he said. “Wasn’t there someone else too...a black guy from...somewhere, I don't remember,” He added. He couldn’t recall much about him, just bits and pieces. “And Steve Rogers is the leader?” He asked.

Natalya smiled a little when Evan tensed up and became a little jealous. He had nothing to worry about though. She was his and only his. “Yeah, I haven’t met him yet but there’s a guy named Sam Wilson, also known as Falcon. Steve is the leader and I actually really like him. You can tell he has a good heart.”

Evan listened as Natalya spoke more about the Avengers and the training they had been doing. But she wasn’t exactly clear on what their next mission was. Regardless of that though Evan planned to be apart of that. He didn’t trust these people and they had given up the Reality Stone. What that meant was that they would be partly responsible if this Thanos character found it. Half of the population of the world? Jesus Christ! That could mean either one of them or both. He didn’t like those odds at all. He tangled his fingers in her dark hair and didn’t want to let go of her. She left eventually and tomorrow he was released from the infirmary.

The next day Natalya explained to the others what Evan had said. He wouldn’t participate in their training and if they didn’t like that well they could just suck an egg. From what happened before they all knew he would be an asset...a strong one, one they needed. That and they couldn’t really stop him without knocking him out again and they all knew Natalya would not allow that either. Natalya had a cell phone that they had given her and Steve Rogers sent her a text with coordinates of where they needed to meet for their next mission. It wasn’t exactly clear what was happening, but they knew it was in new york.

The street was already mostly evacuated and Doctor Strange along with one of his associates were there. Tony Stark and Bruce Banner were there as well but Steve Rogers, Thor and this Falcon were ‘not’ there. Even was dressed in his black fatigues and had black sunglasses, black gloves and black boots on. He followed Natalya to the corner where the others were waiting for them. Once they arrived they were noticed immediately and Tony stepped up to them.

“Ok, we have tweedle dee and tweedle dum just 2 blocks away and they don’t exactly look like locals so we’re going to find out what they want. Everyone keep their cool until its time not to alright?” he said as he stepped past them. He had on black rimmed glasses and an odd jogging suit. Doctor strange was wearing a cloak and Bruce banner was wearing a black shirt and jeans.

Natalya wasn't sure what was happening the day that she received the text from Steve. The text contained a set of coordinates and simple instructions for Evan and herself to go there. She didn't know what would be waiting for them so she prepared for almost anything. She was dressed in a pair of skin-tight black pants, black leather combat boots, a grey tee-shirt and a fitted leather jacket. Her dark hair was pulled up into a tight ponytail and she wore a hip holster with two guns. In addition, she had two knives tucked into her boots. She didn't want to damage her engagement ring so she took it off and put it onto a chain that she put around her neck and then tucked under her shirt. She was prepared to fight and her adrenaline was already pumping by the time they reached the coordinates.

There, she and Evan found Tony, Bruce, and two other men, one of whom she assumed was Dr. Strange. She saw Dr. Strange look at her and from the look in his eye he already seemed to know everything about her. She wasn't entirely sure she liked that.

"Just let us know what you need us to do," she said to Tony. All of her senses were on high alert and she was ready to spring into action at any moment.

Tony suddenly touched the side of his glasses and seemed to be getting some intel from...someone. He turned back to Natalya after a few moments. “The jet it coming to get you. Take love boy with you, there seems to be a concern about The Vision and his Stone. It will pick you up in the park,” he said then turned back ahead of them down the street. Evan looked at Natalya and shrugged and took 2 steps back. Most of the people had already ran but there were still some that hunkered down behind cars and inside store fronts and buildings. The run to the park wasn’t a terribly long run but Evan wasn’t nearly as fast as she was. He could have used  shadows to step in and out of but Natalya slowed down for him and they ran side by side through the streets of New York.

Inside the jet there was Steve Rogers, Natalia and Sam. Steve smiled as they boarded and Natalia helped them up from the ramp. She did not smiled at them as Steve had and in fact she nearly scowled at Evan. As soon as they were in the ramp began to lift up and the jet took off.

Evan and Natalya continued to stand and held straps that hung down from the ceiling. Steve turned back to address them. “We’re concerned that some of Thanos’s henchmen might make a play for the 2 stones here on earth. Since you need to know now where they are I will tell you. Doctor Strange has one, the Time Stone and The Vision has one, The Mind Stone. I don’t need to tell you how important it is that they do not get these stones,” he said.

“What about the Reality Stone?” Evan asked urgently. Steve Rogers looked at Natalya and sighed. “They have that one already,” He said reluctantly and it was Evan that scowled this time. To his credit though he didn’t say anything to them but he certainly wanted to. Instead he shared a dark look with Natalya.

Natalya glanced at Evan when Tony informed her that the jet was coming to pick them up. When Tony went on to say that there was some concern about the stone that The Vision possessed she became concerned as well. She wasn't sure where the Reality Stone was, but she hoped it was safe.

She and Evan started to head towards the park, where the jet was supposed to meet them. Natalya ran at a slower pace so Evan could keep up with her and they soon arrived at the park. As they did the jet arrived and they were both helped inside by Natasha. She took note of her not so friendly look towards Evan and assumed it had something to do with what had happened the last time they encountered one another. She took hold of one of the straps and looked at Steve as he began to explain that The Vision possessed the Mind Stone and Doctor Strange possessed the Time Stone. Before she could even ask about the Reality Stone Evan spoke up and she was shocked to hear that since it left their possession it had already been taken by Thanos. She wanted to ask how Thanos had gotten it, but it didn't matter at this point. It was gone and she found herself rather upset about the situation. However, Thanos did not have all six stones yet so there was still hope.

"So are we going to find The Vision?"

“That’s where we’re headed,” Sam said though he was focused on piloting the plane. Steve looked over st Evan and Evan shifted his gaze over to him when he noticed him looking at him.

“I didn’t agree with what they did Evan,” he said sympathetically but before Evan could respond Natalia spoke up. “I did, it was foolish to keep the stone in one place for so long. All four of Thanos’s minions came for it and we got a lot of intel on them,” she said in a very neutral tone. I’ll be honest though, I don’t trust you...either of you,” Natalia said and looked over at Natalya. “Why not?” Evan asked with an irritated look. “I don’t think I like the 50/50 odds that we have so Ill do my part to help,” he said and sounded more than a little irritated with Natalia right then.

“Well I’ve got my eye on you, you try anything and it will be the last thing you do,” she threatened. Steve Rogers watched the interaction but didn’t say anything. He did look at Natalya though as if sizing her up.

Natalya was beginning to become a little upset. She didn't like the way Steve eyed her rather suspiciously. It was as if she had already been weighed and judged and she had done nothing to cause them not to trust her at this point.

"You know what, if you all don't want Evan and me here then we'll leave. I didn't beg to be apart of your team. I was asked and it's not as if everyone on this plane has a clean record," she said looking right at Natasha. Evan and I were trying to help. The truth of the matter is is that if the Reality Stone has simply been left where it was hidden it never would have been found. It was in SHIELD's possession two weeks and already it's gone. We had nothing to do with that. We're here to help in any way possible, but I'd rather us leave than be looked at the way you all are looking at us now."

She looked back at Steve. "Natasha got a second chance...James Barnes got a second chance...why not us?"

Evan said nothing after Natalya said what he had wanted to for them. Natasha’s expression didn’t change but Steve’s did...to an abashed look.

“None of this bickering is going to help us. These minions are not pushovers. Our intel has Corvus Glaive and Proxima Midnight to be here after the mind stone. Natalya you’ll follow our lead and Evan, you hang back and protect The Vision directly. The rest of us will take these guys down. They’ll either leave or be defeated and right now It doesn’t matter which,” he said as Sam pulled the jet around for a landing.

“We’re in Scotland and need to extract The Vision with his infinity stone intact. Let’s do this,” he said as the jet landed. “We’ve dealt with Corvus before,” Evan said and he didn’t offer anything more as everyone stood up. The ramp lowered and they filed out with Steve in the front and Sam in the rear.

They landed in a small field not far from the city. As they looked toward the city they could see bolts of blue, yellow and red energy being thrown about high up on some of the larger buildings rooftops. Natalya looked back at Evan but already Evan was forming a shadow door to step through as Sam picked up Natasha and Steve took off in a run toward the city.

Natalya wasn't afraid to speak her mind. She had nothing to lose and her words seemed to affect Steve. She was tired of not being given a chance to prove herself...but that opportunity was now here and she was going to seize it and show them that she wasn't the evil being they all were judging her to be. She said nothing more on the matter and listened to Steve as he explained that they were headed to Scotland to protect The Vision from Corvus and another one of Thanos' thugs named Proxima Midnight.

She stepped off the jet and immediately she could see bolts of blue, yellow, and red energy above the roof line of the city. She looked at Evan for a moment before she took off after Steve. She caught up to him fairly easily and she could see him do a double take as he looked over and saw her there beside him. She kept her eyes straight ahead as they entered the city.

Evan didn’t know who This Vision was or what he had to do with an Infinity Stone. He only knew that this Thanos couldn’t get it or he’d be one step closer to getting them all. If that happened then ‘snap’ half of the population in the universe would be instantly gone. It could be Natalay or him or both of them that lost that roll of the dice. Not a happy or pleasant thing to consider. A shadow opened up on one of the rooftops and he stepped out of it. With his dark clothes he blended into the darkness around him. For a moment he didn’t see anyone and then not 50 meters away he saw someone, he thought it was a woman lift something using some kind of red energy. As they were lifted something blue hit them and sent them tumbling down off of the rooftops to the pavement below. He saw someone still on the roof near him but they didn’t look in his direction. Only at the two that were tossed off the roof. He prepared another shadow and stepped through and out another one next to the two that were picking themselves up off of the ground.

He saw someone with some kind of polearm look in his direction and instinctively Evan began to lift up the darkness all around them and turn it into a thick, jelly in front of the two near him. He took a moment to look at the person with the odd polearm and decided that it was a woman. She had breasts but other then that he wouldn’t be able to see the difference from where he was. The creature paused just as a train flew by.

Beyond the train Steve and Natalya were there. Sam had taken to the skies and Natasha had already moved around to flank them. The woman scowled at them and then suddenly threw her polearm toward them. He did not know who was the target but he hoped it was Steve and not Natalya. It was too quick for him to do anything to stop it.