Cosmic

The Roof

"Did you purposely pick people with bad back stories?" I asked.

"Everyone here has a bad back story." Coulson said.

"Nobody here has family either. It's just the criteria." I said bitterly.

"That's not our fault." Coulson said quietly.

"Most people who encounter something from.. Other worlds. They want to somhow prevent it from happening to other people, but space junk always falls from the sky." He finished.

"That's not how you got started." I said crossing my arms. He smiled tightly.

"What time is it?" I asked. It was hard to tell time in here. There was no sun or moon just the harsh white light coming off of the light bulbs, and as far as I could tell there hadn't been any clocks in any of the rooms I had been in. Coulson checked his watch.

"It's time for dinner." He said calmly. I stood up and followed him out of the room. We walked down the hallway silently. I can hear people in the cafeteria.

"Will there be people joining us?" I asked. Coulson laughed slightly.

"You can hear them?" He asked. I nodded.

"There will be a couple people." Coulson said slowly. Sounded like more then a dozen people. And I was right. We stepped in and I saw a whole crowd of people milling around, getting food, talking. It looked. Normal. "Surprised?" Coulson asked seeing the look on my face. I nodded slowly. I spotted Natasha and Clint leaning up against a wall. She was looking at me not even bothering to drop her gaze. Clint whispered something to her. I tried not to eavesdrop.

"Natasha doesn't like me." I said quietly to Coulson as i got my food. It looked like we were having burgers.

"Agent Romanoff likes you." But he sounded like he was trying to convince himself and not me. I shook my head as i was handed my tray of food.

"She doesn't like me because I know... Things." I stopped.

"Things?" Coulson asked raising an eyebrow at me. I rolled my eyes. He knew what I was trying to say.

"Yeah, like the hospital fire. Her parents. The only people who know that are the people who need to know and Clint because she told him. She doesn't like that I just know. That I picked her brain unwillingly, but well it's not my fault." I said explaining. We were walking toward a table. Dr. Banner and Steve were sitting down at. Both were picking at their food uncomfortably. They both stood as we walked up. I set my tray down. It was then that I realized Coulson hadn't gotten anything to eat. "Are you not joining us?" I asked. He shook his head.

"I have to get back to my work." He replied.

"But.." I started to say but he was already walking away. I blew out my breath in a huff and sat down. I picked up a fry and looked at the two of them. Bruce looked like he wanted to be anywhere else but here and Steve was staring aimlessly at his food. I swallowed. Even though their were conversations all around us the silence was awkward.

"Why are their so many people here?" I asked no one in particular.

"Not to ridicule any of them" Steve started, "But they probably can't cook for themselves." He picked up his burger and took a bite out of it.

"Some of them work night shifts so they eat here." Bruce continued.

"And then there's us." Romanoff said coming up from behind me. She sat down next to me careful to leave a person size space between us. "Who have nowhere else to go." She finished. I quietly munched away. Silence. Clint sat opposite of Natasha and they started to do that whole telepathic I know what you're saying without saying it thing.