Written in the Stars: Bucky Barnes

23. Thaw

Stella and Clint became fast friends and she could see why Nat thought so highly of him. She wasn't allowed to go on any missions while Nat was undercover as an assistant for Tony. Even her phone calls and texts to him were bring closely monitored. So she trained, she needed to stay sharp and her run-in with The Winter Soldier only solidified that in her mind.

Clint knocked her on her back and rolled his eyes at her "where's your head Stella you can't afford to be distracted."

"I'm sorry Clint I haven't been molded into a mindless drone yet. If I could use my powers I would've already beat you," she quipped back.

"You need to be able to fight without them too. It uses too much of your energy, and if you passed out in the field with no one to protect you, you'd be dead."

"Yeah, yeah I know I'm just out of practice. It's like working out the more I practice the less energy it takes." She got back up and readied herself for another attack, the pair continued to spar for several more hours before Clint called it a day telling her to meet him back in the training room the next day.

Stella went back to her room her muscles slightly sore and she took a hot shower before sitting down in front of her TV she turned it on to see a news broadcast reporting on some kind of fight that had occurred at a Monaco racetrack. As soon as she found out it was Tony who had been attacked she reached for her phone dialing Tony's number he picked up on the second ring.

"Anthony, what the hell is going on," she demanded not giving him enough time to even say hello.

"Hi to you too Ella, how have you been? Oh me no worries just getting attacked almost in trouble with the government no biggie." Tony responded sarcastically.

"I see your ability to be a sarcastic little shit wasn't injured. Are you okay? Do I need to come home?"

"No worries Ella, I'm fine you stay with S.H.I.E.L.D. they need someone who isn't totally incompetent."

Stella rolled her eye and chuckled "stay safe baby brother, I love you."

"Love you too Ella, I gotta go I've got a party to plan. Also hope you don't mind I'm making Pepper the new C.E.O."

"Well somebody with a brain has to run the company." With that their phone call ended and Stella decided to go to sleep.

She got up the next day and met Clint after lunch in the training room as was their routine. After he managed to pin her a few more times and scold her every time. She decided to pay attention to his fighting style, he was aggressive but hardly protected his legs. He helped her back up and backed away a few paces before starting back in on his advances. He'd throw a punch and she'd dodge.

"Quit always being on the defensive, no one will care you don't want to hurt them. They'll kill you for the weakness."

He threw another punch and she ducked again and spun to get out from his reach.

"Stella! Dammit, attack!" He went to punch again and she knocked his hand out of the way before throwing a punch of her own which he caught. He let go of her arm and stepped back nodding, "much better now do that again so we can work on fixing your form."

They spent the subsequent days continuing to work on Stella's form and finding a fighting style that worked best for her. Nick filled her in on why they had decided to send Nat in with Tony and how they had developed medicine to cure him. He also told her about the Avengers Initiative telling her she had a spot. Tony called her upset that she didn't warn him about Nat, Pepper managed to talk some sense into him and he eventually forgave her.

***

A year later Stella was sparring once again with both Natasha and Clint they threw everything they could at her and she was at the point she could keep up with both of them. Fury had put them all together on missions as they worked well together.

Nat threw a punch and Clint tried to take her legs out from under her at the same time. Stella was prepared she jumped up and used the momentum along with her wind powers to get behind Nat and knock her down. Nat stepped back and Clint advanced again "you're not supposed to use your powers Stells," Clint scolded.

"Rule number one Clint," she said dodging his attacks waiting for her opening, "you're enemy won't fight fair," She found her opening when he threw another punch and knocked his arm away hitting him in the shoulder then sweeping his legs knocking him on his back in one fluid motion. She followed his momentum down and pinned him holding a practice knife at his throat "so neither should you."

"Well done Agent Stark," a voice boomed from the side. She looked over to see Nick Fury giving her an approving nod. "Pairing you with these two might be one of my best decisions yet." Stella liked Nick he reminded her of Howard in a lot of ways, and though he would never admit to anyone he saw Stella as a friend. She had dinners with both him and Maria often at their home which no one besides her and Nat had ever been invited to. "I need to talk to Stella," Nick said turning to walk away the other two agents looked at their friend and nodded. Stella quickly got up and followed Nick, one thing about him is he didn't wait, you were expected to catch up and be ready.

"What's going on Director," she asked formally knowing others in the hallway wouldn't understand her calling him by his first name.

"In my office."

She gave a small nod figuring it had to be something high profile and important for him to want more privacy. Once they arrived he moved around to his side of the desk and slid a file across the desk to Stella. She picked it up and her heart caught in her throat as she read the name emblazoned across the front of it.

"We found someone you might want to see."