𝐒𝐇𝐀𝐓𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐌𝐄━︎━︎ C. Barton

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐒𝐢𝐱

CHAPTER SIX:
❝︎Q&A❞︎

THEODORA WASN'T THAT OF SOMEONE THAT GOT TAKEN ABACK ON A USUAL BASIS. She liked to believe that she was fearless, even though she knew for a fact that that wasn't the case. She was scared of her powers, and of the people that were constantly coming after her in the hopes of taking her and mutating her powers into something even more dangerous than they already were. And that's why she was tense shouldered the entire way to Clint Barton's boss' office.

Nick Fury sat there at his desk, his eyepatch covering one eye as he looked up to watch as Theodora entered the office. He said nothing as he watched the woman that he had been looking for for months. Theodora stared at the man with a raised eyebrow before closing the office door behind her and walking closer to Fury until she was standing right in front of of him. The woman clenched her jaw, forcing her shoulder to relax before she forced herself to sit down in the chair that was placed in front of the man's desk, crossing her legs as intertwining her hands.

"You are a hard woman to come by, Ms. Knox." Fury was the first one to speak, watching Theodora carefully with amusement. He could tell the woman was trying to seem calm, but he knew that she was silently panicking because she was no longer in the one place that she had made sure no one could find, and that she would be safe. He watched as she tugged at the gloves that covered her hands, and realized what they were for. But he didn't speak, he waited for her to talk, to start the inevitable conversation.

"Who are you?" Was the first question that flew from her mouth. A question that they all asked. Because Nick Fury was a well known man, and yet at the same time he was a man full of mystery and secrets. And if there was one thing that Theodora absolutely despised more than her powers, it was when people kept secrets. Just as her parents had done when she was a kid, forcing the surprise of her powers to come at her full force. "How did you find me?" The second most common question.

"It took a while," Fury admitted. "You were determined to stay hidden from the world. And that is a big accomplishment in itself. But hiding from me, the big spy, you should be proud of that. No one hides from me. So, my question for you, Theodora, is why were you hiding? What are you desperately afraid of that you have to force yourself to stay hidden?" She didn't meet his eyes as he asked the question, her hands seeming to be the most interesting thing to her as she listened to his questions, clenching her jaw as she tried to decide whether or not she should answer him.

Theodora swallowed thickly, pursing her lips as she looked back up to meet his one good eye. She narrowed her eyes slightly, her jaw clenching even tighter the thought of her teeth shattering in her mouth crossed her mind. What was he playing at? She knew that she wouldn't be sitting in this very office if he hadn't known why she had kept herself hidden. "If you didn't know why I was hiding, then I wouldn't be here right now would I? You're a smart man, Fury, that I can tell. So don't play dumb with me. Why am I here?"

"The same reason you're hiding." Fury calmly answered her, not at all phased by her aggressive tone of voice. He leaned forwards slightly to look at Theodora. "Are we going to have to have this conversation the hard way, or would you like to cooperate and answer my questions?" Fury watched her for a few moments, watching as her eyes never left his face, trying decided what it was that she wanted to do. She was debating on what path to take, and luckily for him, she took the easy path and simply leaned back in her chair.

"Good choice." Fury nodded.

"Nothing about this Q&A is going to be easy." Theodora muttered, straightening her shoulders slightly before she took the hem of her gloves and pulled them farther down her wrists. It was something she did when she felt threatened. She knew that he wasn't threatening her. He just wanted information, and if that meant that she got to stay hidden, to continue to be protected from the harshness of the outside world, then she would do whatever it takes, even if it meant giving herself up.

     "I expect nothing less from you." Fury told her. "I may not know you, but I know you enough, Ms. Knox."

     "If you know me, then you would know that I hate being called Ms. It makes me sound old." Fury smirked at her, and as she looked at the man, the amusement on his face that Clint claimed was never there, she could feel her shoulders start to relax. Of course, she wasn't going to let her defenses down completely, but she felt like Nick Fury was a man that she could trust, and she would show that by answering his questions, hoping that would gain a mutual trust between them.

     He knew that. There was a tell that she had, one only he would have noticed, maybe Clint had noticed it too. But whenever she was nervous, agitated, or on edge, she pulled at the hem of her gloves. And when he had called her Ms. Knox, she had done exactly that. So all he could do was nod, leaning back in his chair. "Oh, I knew. I just had to see if I was right."

     She lowered her hands into her lap before making herself comfortable. "Let's get this over with, shall we?"