Angel Of Darkness

20: Early Mornings

I wake up to Alex shaking my shoulder softly, "Come on, we've landed and I don't think that they're going to wait any longer on you to begin eating." He says jokingly and I sit up slowly and stretch out my back listening to the odd pops that it makes.

"Whats for dinner? A large home style meal?" I ask with a playful smile knowing that no one here can really cook and that take out is most of their diet only to have Alex roll his eyes before walking off. I shrug since it gives me a few moments to collect my thoughts. 'This is going to be the most awkward dinner I've ever had if they are doing a large sit down dinner,' I think with a slight frown pulling across my lips as I stand up and walk out of the quinjet and through the french doors into Tonys fancy living/ dinning room. Nat is behind the bar serving a drink to Clint, Tony is dancing with Pepper off to the side, Thor is with Steve on the couch swapping war stories with wistful looks on their faces, and Alex is talking with Banner while holding a slice of pizza in his hand. I glance around the room my presence seemingly unnoticed for now, with a small sigh of relief I wander over to the table and pull out a slice of cheese pizza and plop down in a chair outside that's over looking the city. Its quieter out here, the hum of small conversation has died away and the constant noise of the city is almost non existent up here. After what could of been minuets or what could've been hours I feel some one behind me and tense up as they walk over and sit down beside me.

"You know there's no reason to isolate your self out here right?" Steve asks from beside me and I lean back in my chair with a small huff.

"Isolation wasn't my goal with sitting out here, It's just quieter out here, and you must admit that it is beautiful outside tonight." I say softly as I watch lights flick off and on around the city reminding me of how the stars twinkled out west in the same manner.

"Ashley. You can't avoid it and you can't burry it-" He starts but my own hidden panic takes over and finally rises to the surface causing me to turn to him spitting out the questions that have been floating around in my head since I figured out that they saw me back at SHIELD.

"What did you see? What did I do? What did you do?" I ask quickly my eyes searching his face for any sign that he might be lying. Instead of responding Immediately Steve lets out a deep sigh and leans back in the chair as he runs his hand through his hair.

"I saw someone who was so loyal that they'd risk themselves for what they believed in, I saw someone strong enough to shake off three nurses, and I saw someone who was fighting so hard to remember what they had lost. What I saw was some one that I would want to have my back any day of the week. I know that people have ruined your trust, and I know that I can probably be included with those people, but I think we would all like a second chance at earning your friendship and trust. We think that you belong on the team, of course that's only going to be when your ready and if you want to. If not you're free to leave although Alex has chosen in advance to stay here no matter what you choose to do." He says with a small hint of respect in his voice almost making me smile.

I sit quietly and let it all soak in for a moment before asking him another question, "Is anyone, you know, mad?" I ask and turn around to look at the people milling around the room talking with one another before my attention is dragged back to Steve.

He laughs quietly, "I thought Alex told you already, no one is mad at you. We're offering you a spot on our team Ash, we don't invite just anyone onto the team. You have to be skilled, trustworthy, and liked in order to make it in and you are all of those things. I'm going back inside do you want to come with?" He asks as he stands up and offers me a had that I take softly with a nod of my head trying to wrap my head around the fact that the Avengers want me on their team.