Cooking for the Avengers

20. Bang!

November

Natasha smiled at the target sheet. "You're getting much better Allison!" She handed it to me and I looked it over proudly. I was still nowhere near as good as the actual agents, but I actually got all my shots on the target sheet this time as opposed to the wall.

I looked to Natasha hopefully. "Maybe this means I can use a real gun now..."

Natasha laughed, handing me a reloaded Icer. "You're not ready for that yet."

I took it from her hands grumpily, making her laugh again. As I aimed for the new target sheet, she pulled a gun as well and looked it over. "I've been called away on another mission. It's gonna last for about a month, so you're going to have to find someone to train with while I'm gone."

I dropped my stance and looked at her. "A whole month?" She nodded, gesturing for me to shoot. I resumed my stance, breathed out slowly, and fired. "I'll just spar with Clint."

"He's actually going with me. And I hear Steve and Bucky are going on a two week mission, so you'll have to find another agent. Sam is free in the afternoons, so he can help with gun training, but as far as the actual fighting goes; you'll have to find someone else."

My shoulders slumped and I groaned. "Another agent? I don't really know anyone all that well yet!"

Natasha tapped my shoulders, and I straightened them and shot again. "Well, now's as good a time as any to meet someone new. You've met Sharon right? She could help you!"

"NO!" I spin on her so fast; I had forgotten to lower the gun. Natasha quickly disarmed me and raised a brow as I mumbled apologies. "This, is why we use an Icer." She said handing it to me by the handle.

As I took it from her, she grinned. "I'm pretty sure I know why you don't want to work with Sharon..." My eyes widened as I opened my mouth to speak, but she held up a hand, shushing me. "But, you should do so anyway because she's actually really great, and you might benefit from her training."

I nodded and turned back to the target. Natasha didn't need to convince me of how amazing Sharon was, but there was no way I would train with her. I raised the gun and shot.

--2 days later--

"Great job Allie!" Sam clapped as I curtsied beaming. I had successfully disarmed him, turning the yellow wooden gun on him and pulling the "trigger". He smiled, as I clicked my tongue, signaling a fire. "Okay, go again!" 

I handed the gun back to him and turned around.

"One, two, three, GO!" Sam lifted the gun as I spin around, reaching for the barrel with my left hand, dodging left as my right hand struck at his wrist, twisting the gun toward him until he let go. I step back, correcting the gun in my hands and point it at his chest. "Bang!" I cock an eyebrow and grin.

Sam nods, taking the wooden gun from my hands. "Good, now lets try if I have both hands on the gun."

We run through the drill several times before I finally catch on. I ignore the agents working out around me in the training room and focus on Sam's hand movements until I've got it memorized. Sam hands me the gun and motions toward the door. "I'll grab the knives so we can practice those next."

I flip the gun around in my hand and aim at his retreating back. "Bang!" I close one eye and work my way around the room, aiming at various people. "Bang! Bang! Say what? You wanna take over the Avengers? BANG!" I laugh at my stupidity.

"Lost in Wonderland again Alice?"

I turn around and aim the gun at Jake. "Bang!" I say cocking my head with a slight smile. I take a step back, lowering the gun as he comes closer.

"Cute. Go ahead and kill me like you did your last boyfriend." He says in a snarky tone.

I purse my lips and glare at him. "Jake, why are you here? You could train at that new Avengers facility upstate you know!"

He gives me a condescending smile. "Oh Alice, I love coming here! All my friends come here cause it's closer to them..."

He smirks and drops his voice, leaning so that his face is inches from mine. "Besides, if I come here, it means I get to see you."

Coming from anyone else, that may have sounded sweet and flirtatious; but from him, it had a threatening undertone that made my skin crawl.

I grimace and push him back. "I'd rather you didn't."

He sighs and stuffs his hands in his shorts, leaning back. "Good thing that's not your call huh?"

I roll my eyes and look back at the door, wishing I could communicate telepathically so I could tell Sam to hurry and get his butt back here.

"I hear you need someone to train you while Natasha is away."

Crossing my arms, I look back at him tilting my head. "What, and you wanna train me?"

Jake shrugs "Maybe. It could be fun." He licks his lips, giving me a cocky smile. "I see how you've been checking me out!" He winks and I have to push down the urge to barf.

Before I can give a response, Sam comes back, placing an arm around my shoulders. "Everything okay here?" He stares Jake down, squeezing my shoulder as I look at him gratefully.

"Yeah man, everything's great!" Jake looks at me for a moment, and with a wink, he's gone.

Sam watches him go, then turns his attention back to me. "I can't stand that guy." He flips the plastic knife in his hands a few times. "That's exactly why I work for the Avengers, not SHIELD."

I smile and drop into a defensive stance. "Okay, GO!"