Chapter Text
“Torrie?” Dad knocks on my door sheepishly. I turn my head and spot him in the door frame. He’s in his Avengers outfit, bow and quiver over his shoulder, and, surprisingly, a gun attached to his tight. I notice another set of bow and arrows, my bow and arrows, in his other hand. I’m kinda confused, because we shouldn’t go to the shooting range today. Today was picnic day. The first one we were about to have since little Nate was born.
“Daaad?” I pull out the word the same way Cooper sometimes does. “Are you alright?”
“Yeah, but I was thinking… When you were a kid, I promised you I’d take you out to the field. Once. When you’re eighteen.” Gosh, I almost forgot about it. I used to stay awake for days and wait for him to come back. I still do sometimes. But seeing him with the team, the Avengers, gave me a new perspective. He’s got a lot of people who will have his back no matter what. Especially Auntie Tasha. I don’t think anyone could ever get over Tasha to hurt dad. “Well, you’re going to be eighteen in two days and there’s a mission coming up…”
“Dad?” I get up from my chair and cross the room to stand in front of him. Unfortunately, I’ve got my height from my mum so I have to look up to meet his eyes. “Are you… are you saying I can come on you on a mission? Like a real mission with shield?”
“Yes, I talked to your mom and gave her all the information. As long as you stick to me and Tasha wearing protective gear, you’re good to go.” For a few seconds I just stand there dumbfounded. After I see the hesitation in his eyes I realize that he’s absolutely serious.
“I’m going with you? And the others?” I ask after I finally catch my breath. I try to imagine it. Being out there with dad and the other agents… I’ve been training with a bow and a crossbow and guns ever since I was a little girl. But going out with- “Wait… you said that I have to stick to you and Tasha? I though she was an…”
My dad’s eyes glint as I realize what it means. “Deep breaths, Torrie…”
“Oh my gosh, dad!” I throw myself at him a hug him as tightly as I can, squeezing him until he makes a sqeeky noise. “Are you sure mum’s okay with it?” I can’t really imagine my mum agreeing to let her oldest daughter out in the field with dad.
“Well, she’s not excited, but she agrees with me. I think you will be calmer if you see what we do out there. I did the same thing with your mother before we got married. I’m always safe, my little hawkie.” Dad hugs me back and hands me my gear.
“Thank you daddy.” I take my gear and give him a sloppy kiss on the cheek.
“Agent Burton, agent Romanoff will arrive with the Quinjet in fifteen. Pack up for three days. Full armor, full gear.” With no further explanation he leaves my room closing the door behind him.
I start running around my room, stacking my armor and gear on a pile on my bed. I start with the clothing. I put on my elastic sport undies, a top tank and my running tights, followed by protectors for my back, forearms and other a bit less important places. After I strap all the straps and buckle all the buckles I finally get to the leather shell. It’s very similar to my dad’s only I’ve got more reinforcements, a bullet shouldn’t get through it, and it’s black.
In T minus ten minutes I’m fully dressed and assembling my weapons. I decide to take my bow, of course, and the little crossbow Auntie Nat gave me last year for my birthday. I attach it to the strap on my lower back, hidden from sight. I put on my steel-enforced boots and attach a tiny gun with just four bullets in it to my ankle and I hide it under my trousers. Quiver over the shoulder and I’m almost ready to go.
The last thing I need to take care of is my bag pa-
“Victoria.” I spin around to see my mum peeking through my open door. I wonder how long she’s been standing there. Watching me gearing up. About to go on a mission. Even though I’m not an agent nor an Avenger I’m going on a mission. I suppose I won’t be in any serious danger, but still.
“Hey, momma.” I flash her a smile. I watch her slowly cross the room and go through my bag, removing and adding things without saying a word. “Mom, if you tell me to, I will stay. I won’t go.” Going with dad is important to me, but if she asks me to stay, I really will. But she knows how important it is to me.
“Just take care of yourself, honey.” She zips my bag and helps me put it on, careful with the bow and the quiver, adjusting all the straps. “Stay close to your father, listen to everything he says. Do as he says. And if things get out of hand, you run. You run and don’t look back.”
I look up to see tears forming in her eyes.
“Momma, I’ll be fine.” I bring her in for a hug and let my head rest on her shoulder. “I promise that I’m going to stay safe. I know how to act under pressure and … dad nor Tasha will never let anything happen to me. And there’s also the others.”
“I know, honey. I’m just gonna wait for you both to come back to me and the kiddos.” She kisses me on the temple. “Please don’t tell the kids where you’re going. I would like them to stay out of it for as long as I can.”
“Sure thing, momma. I’ll sneak out now and Skype you guys when I can. I’ve got to go now, momma. Love you.” I kiss her cheek and grab the rest of my things. I open the window and sit on the windowsill to look back at my mom who’s turn her back on me, her shoulders slightly trembling. “I’ll be safe. Promise.”
And with that I jump out of the window, landing like a cat on my toes.
Dad is standing in the middle of the farmyard facing the glade where the Quinjet usually lands in full gear. I try to sneak behind him, but I don’t get very far before he turns around and firing a glare in my direction. Yep, I was stupid to think that I could actually sneak on my old man.
“What gave me away?” I ask with a smile and stand next to him in the best army posture that I can manage. “Sir,” I add haltingly.
“I could recognize your steps even if you were tiptoeing on a feather bed in a thunderstorm.” I’m not sure whether there’s supposed to be some kind of a deeper meaning and I don’t question him. Especially since the Quinjet just appeared above our heads and descended for landing. Tasha finally lands the plane and and runs out to meet us. She nods at dad before tugging me in for a hug. Way too much hugging for one day. Not complaining. Auntie Tasha is the best hugger ever. She’s about my height and she always rubs my back and she smells of oranges and sweat.
“Tash!” I slur into her hair. “It’s been way too long.”
“I know, Torrie.” She steps away giving me one last smile before turning into agent Romanoff. All serious. I take her lead. We load up into the Quinjet and leave for New York.
Dad sits across from me. He closes his eyes the second we leave the ground and doesn’t open them until we land hours later on the Tower.
I’m so excited I can barely move. My whole body trembles. I try not to let it show. I’m not excited about meeting the Avengers, I’ve met them many times before, they come over for picnics and stuff. I’m excited from going on a mission. With my dad and his superhero co-workers. Tasha squeezes my hand as she passes me and leaves the Quinjet. My dad follows shortly afterwards leaving me alone in the jet.
“Calm down, Victoria,” I tell myself. “It’s no big deal. You’ll be fine.” I take one final breath and step out of the Quinjet as well. But no one’s there. I open the door and enter the common rooms. Empty.
“Wh-ooosh!” A white blur rushes past me and knocks me off my feet.
“Oh gosh, I’m so sorry.” The blur becomes a silver-haired boy. “You’re Hawkass’ girl, right?” He gives me a hand and helps me back on my feet. Making sure I’m stable before letting go of me.
“Hawkass?” I ask confused.
“Isn’t that like his superhero name?” he asks with a smirk. Leading me through the room out to the hallway with ahis palm on the small of my back. I feel a bit uncomfortable, but I won’t let it show.
“That’s Hawkeye, Speedy-pants.” He chuckles and leads me to a door with a name tag. Hawkie.
“The name’s Pietro, luv.” He opens the door for me and pushes me in. “Ungear, undress, disarm. Go to bed. We’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Then why on earth did I have to gear up?” I manage to ask before he closes the door in my face.