Making friends
It had been a while since the Avengers had formed. Over a few months now.
You felt a sense of longing every time you saw your dad on TV or in the papers; it hurt more each time. Part of you had forgotten why you were running, but the other part was still as scared as ever. Sometimes it gave you a headache just thinking about it, so you stayed away anyway.
You were in your lab now and just messing about with everything. You looked for improvements, and faults, and to keep yourself busy. You were talented at making weapons which weren't surprising considering your family history.
However, as you glanced out the window, you almost choked on your coffee upon seeing none other than Steve Rogers and Nick Fury outside. You awkwardly glanced around for signs of any other Avengers but thankfully it only appeared to be the captain.
You took a very drawn-out breath before putting the coffee next to a sandwich you had on a clean counter. You straightened your jacket and brushed your hair down before walking out of the door.
You approached, keeping a calm appearance. "Morning, boys."
Fury turned to you. "Captain Rogers, meet Agent Campbell. The genius behind the new suit."
"It's a pleasure," Steve said, shaking your hand. "Thank you for the adjustments."
"No problem." You smiled. "The old one was a little, well... Old. I added some modern tech to give you every advantage I can."
"I appreciate it."
As you talked, Fury excused himself, leaving just you and Steve in the hallway. Eventually you moved into your lab so it was quieter.
"So, how is the new world treating you?" You asked, picking up the coffee on the counter.
"It's... New." Steve said, shrugging. "I guess the cars are different, so are the clothes and the technology. Even the food is overwhelming sometimes. We just used to boil everything."
You nodded in understanding. "It can't be easy having to adjust. If it helps, I think you're doing pretty well. I know I'd be freaking out."
"Thanks." He smiled. "I've been using the Internet a lot, trying to catch up."
"That might take a while." You told him. "But you know, there's these movies I really like, the Mummy series. It's mostly focused on Egyptian history but it's still fun and is actually pretty educational. If you've got the time, I'd definitely recommend it."
"I'll keep it in mind. Thanks. Again."
The two of you shared a laugh and you set down your coffee. "What else do you do? I mean, other than the whole Avenging gig. Any hobbies? I like making things clearly."
Steve looked around the lab, taking everything in. "Impressive. I'm afraid I don't do anything nearly as fascinating as this. I just draw."
"Hey, that's pretty great. Got a preference?"
"Not really. But I do like landscapes, I guess."
"Maybe you can show me sometime. Ooh, wait, that reminds me." You turned and rummaged through your stuff, eventually taking out something to show him. "This is an Ipad. It takes some getting used to but you can draw anything you like on it with a whole bunch of tools and styles. If it's too much too soon, I get it, but if you feel like giving it a shot, I'm more than happy to help."
But instead of looking uncomfortable or unnerved at the prospect of the tiny electronic device being capable of drawing whatever he wanted, Steve actually smiled again. He looked grateful.
"Maybe I'll take you up on that." He said.
You put the Ipad down and clapped happily. "Great! I've got a bunch of stuff to do today, but I'll work on it with you tomorrow if I can."
"Yeah, I'd like that. You're doing a lot for someone you just met, Agent Campbell."
"Please, call me Ellen. And I just think it's gotta be tough coming into a world you know nothing about. If I can help, I will."
"Well, as someone who has nothing left, your kindness is appreciated."
You nodded, smiling sadly. "You're not alone anymore, Captain. Even if everyone is gone, you've got a good team now. The Avengers. You might not be a family yet and you might have disagreements in the future, but at least you'll look after each other."
-
A few months later, you were on an extended lunch break. Usually, you had two hours, but you decided to screw the rules and take four instead. After all, it was your lunch, not SHIELD's.
You picked up your usual coffee and sandwich at the small cafe by a quaint little park. It was a beautiful place with children running around, benches in and out of the sun, towering trees, breathtaking flora, as well as a shimmering pond in the middle. You'd stay all day if you could.
You stared at the clouds rolling above for a good five minutes before noticing a very familiar person only meters away. Your eyes widened, surprised.
"Dr. Banner?" You asked before you could stop yourself.
He turned around and caught sight of you, seemingly surprised someone recognized him. "Yes?"
"Oh, uh, hi. My name is Ellen."
Even though you'd been using that name for years and built a persona on it, you couldn't help wishing to be (Y/n) Stark again.
"You're an expert on gamma radiation, right?" You asked, thinking you might as well continue the conversation before it got awkward.
"Oh. Yes." Bruce nodded. "Do you follow my work?"
You could hear the nerves in his tone and you suspected he thought you would ask about the Hulk like almost everyone else did. But you didn't want to stress him out like that because when he wasn't the Hulk he was still just a normal guy.
"Yeah, actually. I mean, the highest known frequency wavelength of electromagnetic radiation? It was fascinating when I was a kid."
"Really?"
"Yep. It can manifest as waves or particles and comes from the radioactive decay of nuclei. I used to get my dad's assistant to quiz me every night for months."
"Impressive. How old were you?"
"About seven, I think."
"That's young." He commented. "Did you study Villard or Rutherford first?"
"Rutherford. I thought I'd learn about alpha and beta rays while I was at it. I know it's not what most people do, but I'm actually better at digesting information if it's just thrown at me instead of picking it up bit by bit."
"No, I get that. I actually looked at the Rutherford and Andrade notes first too. It made more sense for looking at the energy spectrum after. And for the spectroscopy."
"Exactly. What's your opinion on the deflection theory?"
"Well, I think it depends on the density of the magnetic field the rays are faced with. If it's high, then the theory fits, but if they're too low then of course it won't work."
"That's a good point. You know, it's nice to talk about this with someone. Wanna be besties?"
Bruce laughed softly and nodded. "Sure."
"Yay." You smiled. "Seriously, though, it was great meeting you, Dr. Banner."
-
The next few weeks it turned cold thanks to December weather. Your breath became misted and the snow was already falling. You'd spent the day ice skating with Peter, Ned, and their families. Afterwards, you all went to the holiday markets and watched the lighting displays.
You'd finished the Christmas shopping after saying goodbye. You'd even got Fury and Agent Hill something. After all, they'd helped you adjust to being a brand new identity in a brand new setting so the least you could do was give them something meaningful.
You dropped the bags in the corner of the living room and threw a blanket over the pile in case Peter visited and accidentally stumbled upon them. After that you shrugged off your coat and jacket and took off your gloves before switching on the TV. A news channel flickered on and you slumped down on the couch to watch.
You weren't expecting to see your childhood home pop up. And especially not with the headline 'MANDARIN ATTACK: STARK PRESUMED DEAD'
You were on your feet again in a second, the remote still clutched in your hand as the news channel played footage of a missile colliding with your old home and completely destroying it. Half of the structure fell into the water below the cliff and the other half collapsed in on itself.
Pepper could have been in there. Your dad... Your dad was.
"After Mr. Stark, otherwise known as Iron Man, made a very bold and confrontational declaration to the Mandarin and shared his home address, sources reported that several missiles struck mere hours ago, decimating the home of the billionaire. Ms. Virginia 'Pepper' Potts and reporter Ms. Christine Everhart were found clear of the wreckage but Mr. Stark's whereabouts remain unknown."
"No..." You collapsed to your knees, a cry slipping past your lips.
"Some say this disaster is of Mr. Stark's own doing and that the consequences are his alone to pay. However, one question still remains... Where is Tony Stark?"
"Dad?" You whispered, the color draining from your face. "No, please."
It felt like you were on a roller coaster about to drop over the edge. The same raw terror and panic that shot through you when you saw him carry the explosive through the Chitauri wormhole spread in your body again.
You felt stuck. The news was like mere background noise as you stared at the picture of your dad on the screen. You sobbed as emotions overwhelmed you.
You froze up when the crying made your head spin. You felt powerless against everything, the shock taking over completely. The world started to go blurry and spun.
Before you knew it, everything went black