#shieldhasfallenopen

Sometimes there is a feeling of emptiness at the end of a big project.  A fifty storey question mark next to the thought ‘what do I do next?”  Be was feeling that big empty.  While the Tower was no longer the Avengers’ main base, it was the public headquarters of the Heroes Initiative.  Although, the great bulk of the Initiative’s facilities were not onsite, and accessible by shuttle beneath the city.  It also happened that this tower had two public mezzanine levels with some rather excellent establishments, including this here cocktail bar.

It was becoming apparent to Jen that no form of training while in her She-Hulk form was having any affect on her.  The strength and endurance meant that she was simply going in circles.  Slowly, reluctantly, she realised that she was going to have to work out as Jennifer Walters if she wanted to improve.

Jen didn’t particularly enjoy any part of who she was “hulked in”.  She had all the same thoughts and feelings, but she struggled to express them in any meaningful way.  The only time she really ever could articulate herself was in the courtroom, where she was Jennifer Walters Esquire, a persona she was able to slip into for work.

Small and mousy, she felt ridiculous in her new fitnesswear, which was much smaller than anything she had bought lately.  Standing at a mere 5′3, the punching bag looked enormous as it hung in front of her.  Alternatively, the weights she had picked out seemed shamefully small compared with the enormous weights she lifted with such ease in her preferred, half-hulked form.

There were two occasions on which Molly could be convinced to set foot in the Avengers Tower.  The first was for her meetings with Logan, which she would be due for a second soon, she imagined.  The second was for the tests they ran on her each month like clockwork to make sure that Hydra hadn’t done . . . whatever.  Molly just tuned out and let them do her thing, it was easier than thinking about the fact that she was back in a clinical environment where the only difference was that the doctors involved promised that it was all for her, not what she could do for them.

When Jen had been asked to look into some properties, she had thought it would be simple enough.  And then she was given the parameters.  Suddenly things seemed a lot less simple.  Still, she actually had a lot of options for them to look over and decide which would work for the plans Steve and Tony had in the works.  But these kinds of acquisitions called for a lot, a lot of paperwork.  Jen’s fingers raced across the keyboard, all ready making drafts for a few of the more promising prospects so that things could move quickly when decisions were made.  No one ever warned her that becoming a superhero would involve draft lease agreements and land titles.

She got up, needing a drink to keep her going.  It was three in the afternoon but it was also Friday, so five o’clock comes early, right?  Whatever.  She didn’t really need to justify a gin and tonic to herself.  She poured her drink and went back to her desk, taking a long sip that really did make her feel a lot more at ease with the idea of spending hours like this.

Steve owed her dinner so badly.

Some things just make you feel like things are looking up.  For Bek, that was a new haircut, a trip to Little India, and shopping bags full of fresh produce to make a really good dinner.  Okra, tomatoes, prawns, among other things that would just really keep the homesickness bug at bay for a bit longer.  She was needed here, she couldn’t go visit family until that was sorted.  

Still, it didn’t stop her making plans for when the pressure did come off and she would be able to take a trip to Australia and India and have the long-overdue time with her family that she really wanted.  She spent so much of her life around people who didn’t have family, she wanted to appreciate the fact that she did.

She nearly dropped her bag when she felt a jolt of pain hit her below the shoulder blade.  She turned just as someone yelled out, “Hey freak, look at us!”  The voice was young.  She saw two young men, at the most the oldest would have been twenty one.  One of them was picking up another rock, the younger had one ready to throw.  He seemed to falter for a moment, but then the older looked up and started to laugh.  It was apparent that they had seen the ears and the arm, but hadn’t seen the scars on her face until now.  “You actually go out and show that face?  Wow!”  The bolder of the two, the older one, threw his second stone, Bek dropped her bag as she brought her hands up to try to protect her face, but she felt the heat of the stone striking above her eye.  She felt another one strike her natural shoulder, the younger man seemed to have gotten his courage back when his friend didn’t lose confidence.

“You mutie freaks are ruining this city!  Fuck off somewhere normal people don’t have to look at you!  Are you even from here?”  There were plenty of people in the street, but none of them seemed particularly interested in stepping up to help.  When another rock hit the side of Bek’s head, she turned back to the men, fangs bared, her stance had suddenly changed. “Throw another fucking rock, white boy.”  She warned, there was blood pouring from the wound above her eye.  The younger one dropped his stone.  “Looks like the only brain cell between you is in your friend’s head.  Run home little boys, pray I don’t follow you.”  

People... were fascinating. Moving about in such a hurry, dodging one another as they rushed too and from their homes, their work. It all felt so chaotic. Panicked. Something that James really didn’t understand. 

But even with that, there was still something that interested him. Which was how he found himself seated upon one of the many benches set through the park, warm cup of coffee in his hand as he just... watched. Studied. These people had it so... simple. And they didn’t even realize it. 

To be entirely honest, Jemma had been rather relieved when May had suggested she go to New York for a couple of weeks in order to research some sort of files that SHIELD had been hiding. Everyone in the Playground was so tense after everything that had happened, and they all needed a break.

Yes, she already missed them all, but it might be nice to be away from the action for a while. She’d been repairing things with Fitz, and it was nice to see that he reciprocated her desire to rebuild their friendship, as she’d already received several texts from him reminding her that if she found any monkeys that needed homes, she was to immediately tell him. 

Although she was relieved to be out of the cramped Playground, Jemma had to admit, she was a bit scared of being on her own... But she pushed her fears aside as the bus stopped at the station, and people began clambering to get off.

She’d only visited New York City once or twice and the enormity of the buildings astounded her once more as she got off the bus.

Her phone beeped, bringing her out of her daze. 

May: Are you in NYC yet?

She typed out a reply quickly. 

Jemma: Yes. Just arrived.

The bubbles popped up, indicating that May was typing a reply, but Jemma was already off, bag hiked up on her shoulder, and stomach growling for some lunch. If she was lucky she’d be able to find that sandwich store Skye had been telling her about.

Her phone beeped once more and she pulled it out of her pocket, foolishly continuing to walk.

May: Go to Stark Tower. I’ve let them know you’ll be working there.

She was about to type a reply when she tripped over the uneven pathway, falling to her knees.