The Three Elements #3 (The Avengers)

Chapter 10: It Only Took a Year

The letter was on my pillow and as I read it I made it burst into flames, crushed it between my fingers and I wished Johnny Storm would drop dead! He wasn't even manly enough to tell me in person that he was needed back at the Baxter Building. What a dickhead!

I trudged into breakfast and lay upside down on the couch and switched on the TV even though the news was on and they were talking about peanut allergies. I checked my Twitter and saw that I had barely any new tweets. Then I checked Tumblr and I only had 10 new posts, all from that Disney movie Frozen. I flicked off and looked up and down my contacts when my eyes landed on Sue Richards. I'm sure she was bored out of her skull too, so I rang her. It only took two rings before she answered.

'Hey Naveen, is everything alright?' she answered kindly.

'Um hey Sue, yeah I'm fine I was just wondering how you were, it's just I haven't heard from you in a while'

'Oh yeah, I just didn't know how to pick up the phone when I knew you'd gone through so much in the past eighteen months.'

'Yeah I'm fine, um I'm just asking after Johnny is he there?' I said sheepishly. There was a bit of activity on the other end and I think I heard Reed in there somewhere.

'Ah, no sorry Naveen he isn't he.' Sue said, 'although he was here earlier today but you just missed him he left about ten minutes ago... he left with a girl... Maxine Grimm'

I found myself going silent. Maxine was one of my many consultants and teachers when I was a kid who had helped me with my schooling. Maxine was sort of my first friend and she was just as intelligent as I was at her age and it was good to know someone who I could relate too who wasn't Tony or a SHIELD agent. Johnny had told me that was over. Well obviously not. It was bitter sweet, I had known for a while that Maxine had a soft spot for that badboy, not matter what he did.

'I'm sorry Naveen, but you shouldn't let it get you down...it's Johnny after all' Sue said, I could hear the disappointment in her voice. 'but if you like I can kick his ass, I can do that I'm his sister' she said a little more angrily. Even though it was funny I didn't laugh.

'Thanks Sue, but you're right Johnny's an ass. But when you see Maxine next...umm tell her I'm happy for her' I managed to choke out. We hadn't seen each other in years but Maxine and I had gone through a similar thing,

That's when I saw Clint chuckle,

'Okay who had Naveen flames out with Johnny less than a month' he laughed and Tony gave him a twenty dollar bill.

'I'm sorry Sue...I have to go I have to go kill someone' I hung up before she could answer. I flicked fire at the twenty dollar bill and it crumbled to ash in Tony's hand. I leapt up from the couch and jumped onto Clint and straddled his chest.

'Who has bets that Clint will get burnt?' I let my hands get a little hot and held him down with them as he tried to squirm out of my reach.

'Naveen stop it' I heard Steve say behind me. Even his voice set me on edge. What was wrong with me? I didn't even need to be told anything else. I got up and looked at the faces of all my friends and Steve.

'Well it's great to know that when I need my family the most they are there to exchange green paper over my break up with Storm' I looked to Steve and his face was innocent and something that resembled pity. I saw Pepper and Natasha whisper in each other's ears.

'Oh and yes Pepper wins... he broke up with me by letter' I didn't storm out like I usually did. Instead I turned around slowly and trudged out with my mind all over the place.

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I stood by the window and looked out and tried to wonder that if I thought about it enough I might be able to fly again. I didn't even notice that he was there, which was a first.

'Naveen you need to know that they were just fooling around' Steve said beside me.

'It doesn't matter that they did it. It's what I expect from them. I just didn't expect you to do that' I said honestly. He was silent.

'So if you're here to lecture me on how Johnny's a jerk, don't waste your breath, its old news'

'Maybe, but the fact that he was a jerk to you, isn't'

'Steve what do you want me to say?' this time I looked at him properly.

'I want to you to say that you need help, you haven't been yourself at all these past few weeks'

'Really? So maybe the fact that I have been kidnapped isn't a factor at all'

'You still don't get it' he shook his head. 'Do you remember New York?'

'How could I forget'

'You survived that didn't you?'

'With more scars than I care to admit'

'That fact is you survived maybe the biggest alien invasion of the century and yet you still managed to come out of it smiling'

'So?'

'So, what happened to you in those labs? What did they do to you?'

'Things'

'Why are you shutting me out Naveen? You think I haven't had my share of experimentations?' There was silence and I knew I was being stupid.

'Magneto and Enchantress experimented on me and tried to break me. Enchantress tried and only bent me, but when I was in Magneto's lab...things happened and I saw you'

'Me?'

'You asked me what I had back here and I couldn't answer'

'Well you want to know what you have here Naveen?' he asked harshly. 'Family friends and people who love you, who know that you're in pain'

'But I don't have you'

Woops. He turned to me and gave me a look of surprise and maybe relief.

'Naveen...'

'You know what, it doesn't matter' I turned away from here and went to go and walk away.

'You're seriously going to walk away Naveen'

'Good observation Sherlock' I snapped and I heard nothing till I felt him snatch my wrist turn me around and kiss me.

It was slow and long overdue. It was riddled with heat and longing passion. I became breathless, I had no idea what to think or do once he pulled away.

'That was the only thing I could think of that would make you listen and understand that... I love you' he said abruptly. I fluttered my eyes open and felt the sides of my mouth twitch up.

'How very inventive of you Mr Rogers' I said and kissed him back.

"I love you too" I whispered against his cheek and continued to kiss him. It didn't feel weird and it didn't feel wrong. Maybe it had been the best thing I'd done for a long time.

'Finally you two' Pepper gushed behind us. I moved away quickly. And saw everyone staring at us.

'And it only took a year' Tony smirked. I laughed and it felt amazing to finally feel like everything was going to be ok. The laughter rattled through me and made my whole body buzz with electricity. And it also helped the fact that Steve Rogers was a great kisser.