Sequel: Can't Handle This ›
Status: Finally finished. Read this first, if you haven't already. ------------------>
Can't Catch a Shadow
Chapter 18
“Agent Nikolai Schaefer,” Fury started, gesturing to Hetalia. “This is the Shadow. She’s your new spy for the Avengers.”
“I thought Coulson was in charge of the Avengers Initiative,” Hetalia said. “But Nikolai, it’s a pleasure to meet someone else from the Motherland, at last.”
“Nien,” Schaefer said with a small smile. “I am from Germany, Fräulein.”
Hetalia wound up and slapped Schaefer square across the face. “Germans who pretend to be from the Motherland get slapped. Remember to stay on my good side.”
Schaefer gave a quick nod and returned to examining his paperwork.
“Ma’am, this way.”
Hetalia followed Fury down the hall to a smaller office. “It’s best to give him a little space. He’s recovering from a major loss, as are we all.”
“A loss? Who died?”
Fury shook his head. “Now may not be the best time to discuss it. At the moment, we have to get you briefed and send you to the rest of your team.”
****
The Russian walked out of Fury’s office with a large file in hand and a lot of new information to process. Apparently, Coulson had passed away in the time after she met him with an encounter with a no-longer hostile force. Part of her wondered why the whole team was assembled in the SHIELD hospital, but she assumed that it was because of the whole ‘major loss’ thing.
She walked down the hall and listened to the different sounds as she did. Heart monitors, muffled chatter, and the squeak of new shoes on the linoleum. She was nervous, to say the least. She was meeting this whole new group of people that she would have to work with who just lost someone close to them and she was still in the red with her virus. Roman had given her specific instructions on how to test. Blood test, blood sugar test, pH tests on various parts of her body, skin cell tests, and too many more to list. She knew it would take her a while, but at least she would know exactly when she got sick again.
She looked on the left side of the hall just as she passed the proper room number. She set the folder down on the chair outside the room and took a deep breath, steadying herself for what was to come.
Tony Stark was slumped in a chair, looking depressed. Steve Rogers had a protective arm wrapped around his shoulders. Agent Schaefer was sitting next to a girl about her age with red and black hair and five facial piercings. Bruce Banner was holding a young girl and comforting her by tracing small patterns on her arms, who looked like she was severely devastated. Clint was sitting on the other side of the room, crying into his hand. Thor Odinson sat in between the red-haired teen and the young girl in Bruce’s arms, holding her hand like a brother or a good friend. His fair-skinned, black haired brother Loki sat next to another teen who sat on the other side of Tony, holding hands with the whole group.
“What’s going on?” Hetalia finally asked. When she saw Clint fully, she realized that wherever he was, Natasha was going to be too. “Where’s my-”
Her eyes locked on the body in the hospital bed. “A major loss.” Fury had said. “Natasha?” she asked, her voice cracking under the stress of tears.
There, lying lifelessly, was her big sister. She gravitated towards her, hands shaking as tears stung her eyes, threatening to fall. She placed a quivering hand on Nat’s cold ones and felt the hole in her heart expand.
“Who are you?” one of the Avengers asked. “Did you know Natasha well?”
Hetalia spun around, furious that they would ask such an absurd question. “I knew Natasha very well!” She quickly turned back to her sister, feeling bad that she had just snapped at Captain America. “She was my big sister...”
“I thought Coulson was in charge of the Avengers Initiative,” Hetalia said. “But Nikolai, it’s a pleasure to meet someone else from the Motherland, at last.”
“Nien,” Schaefer said with a small smile. “I am from Germany, Fräulein.”
Hetalia wound up and slapped Schaefer square across the face. “Germans who pretend to be from the Motherland get slapped. Remember to stay on my good side.”
Schaefer gave a quick nod and returned to examining his paperwork.
“Ma’am, this way.”
Hetalia followed Fury down the hall to a smaller office. “It’s best to give him a little space. He’s recovering from a major loss, as are we all.”
“A loss? Who died?”
Fury shook his head. “Now may not be the best time to discuss it. At the moment, we have to get you briefed and send you to the rest of your team.”
****
The Russian walked out of Fury’s office with a large file in hand and a lot of new information to process. Apparently, Coulson had passed away in the time after she met him with an encounter with a no-longer hostile force. Part of her wondered why the whole team was assembled in the SHIELD hospital, but she assumed that it was because of the whole ‘major loss’ thing.
She walked down the hall and listened to the different sounds as she did. Heart monitors, muffled chatter, and the squeak of new shoes on the linoleum. She was nervous, to say the least. She was meeting this whole new group of people that she would have to work with who just lost someone close to them and she was still in the red with her virus. Roman had given her specific instructions on how to test. Blood test, blood sugar test, pH tests on various parts of her body, skin cell tests, and too many more to list. She knew it would take her a while, but at least she would know exactly when she got sick again.
She looked on the left side of the hall just as she passed the proper room number. She set the folder down on the chair outside the room and took a deep breath, steadying herself for what was to come.
Tony Stark was slumped in a chair, looking depressed. Steve Rogers had a protective arm wrapped around his shoulders. Agent Schaefer was sitting next to a girl about her age with red and black hair and five facial piercings. Bruce Banner was holding a young girl and comforting her by tracing small patterns on her arms, who looked like she was severely devastated. Clint was sitting on the other side of the room, crying into his hand. Thor Odinson sat in between the red-haired teen and the young girl in Bruce’s arms, holding her hand like a brother or a good friend. His fair-skinned, black haired brother Loki sat next to another teen who sat on the other side of Tony, holding hands with the whole group.
“What’s going on?” Hetalia finally asked. When she saw Clint fully, she realized that wherever he was, Natasha was going to be too. “Where’s my-”
Her eyes locked on the body in the hospital bed. “A major loss.” Fury had said. “Natasha?” she asked, her voice cracking under the stress of tears.
There, lying lifelessly, was her big sister. She gravitated towards her, hands shaking as tears stung her eyes, threatening to fall. She placed a quivering hand on Nat’s cold ones and felt the hole in her heart expand.
“Who are you?” one of the Avengers asked. “Did you know Natasha well?”
Hetalia spun around, furious that they would ask such an absurd question. “I knew Natasha very well!” She quickly turned back to her sister, feeling bad that she had just snapped at Captain America. “She was my big sister...”
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This is the last chapter. Thank you guys for being strong and holding out through this rough vignette. I promise that Can't See the Truth won't be as heartbreaking.