The Unseen Avenger ∘ Marvel

Chapter Ten: Recovery

I wake up, lights blinding my vision. My eyes adjust, and I see a white hospital room. I sit up, making myself woozy as blood rushes down from my head. That and the giant bruise I sure I have on my temple. I look up to see Natasha.

"Your awake." She says.

"Mhm." Is all I mutter.

"Coulson's dead."

I hault myself, then swallow," I know."

She stays silent for awhile, as if she's biting her tongue. She then speaks up," Clint's in his room unconscious. I knocked the Loki out of him."

Relief floods over my pain, even a little happiness. My best friend's back, probably his old self again, or at least as much of yourself you can be after you kick an alien out of your brain," That's great. That's better than great."

A moment passes.

"Why did you go after Loki alone?" She says quickly and with no emotion.

I sigh as pictures rush back to me. Coulson body, Ron, Loki. A new wave of pain takes me.

"I was one of the last people to talk to Coulson. He was almost gone," I whisper," I wanted revenge. I got caught up in the idea I could kill Loki. I could see his headstone. He needed to pay."

"Understandable. Still stupid." Nat reaches for a bandage on my right arm, slowly undoing it. She reveals a red L burned into my skin. Probably a scar now.

"Very stupid is my specialty." I mumble," Forget me, what happened?"

"Thor and Banner are gone. Fury's torn over Coulson's death but he won't show it. We lost a lot of agents. Rogers and Stark have made a unspoken peace accord for Coulson for now. They clean up crew has nice, long job."

I slightly smile, then groan, rewrapping my arm up. I feel the sting and grit my teeth.

"You need to keep a better grip on your knives." Natasha says. I nod, then get up. Nat steadies me as I wobble. A nurse gives me a sour frown, but I just glare. We walk out of the hospital wing, and my friend leads me towards the living quarters, probably where Clint is.

"What happened to you?" I ask.

She sighs," Banner went Hulk. Escaped with my life. Found Barton. Didn't you hear all that over your earpiece?"

"Broken in the fall."

"We'll, two engines failed. Rogers and Stark actually helped each other get one up. Thor engaged Banner. You can guess everything else."

I pass by my quarters and stop.

"Natasha, you go on."

She gives me this really weird look where she purses her lips and raises one eyebrow.

I sigh," You'd be the better one to talk to him. You'd understand."

Hurt flashes over her face, then it's gone in an instant. Before SHIELD, Natasha may have been a killer. But that was just a start of a whole big mess.

She was brainwashed by the Russians. They'd inject her with all kinds of serums, making her believe she was someone else. For a while she thought she was a ballerina and she performed in front of thousands. Another time, she was an Italian.

Natasha would know best what to say. She would understand. I wouldn't know where to start.

"Okay," she says," You go and heal up. I have a feeling you'll need to be in fighting shape again soon."

I go into my room as she walks away. I shut the door, than slump onto my bed. I close my eyes. Coulson. Ron. Loki. Blood. I open them, not wanting to see more.