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Post by Snowglobe18 on Jun 30, 2018 20:00:14 GMT -7
New York
The Big Apple
The City that never sleeps
Whatever you want to call it
It was now the home of a certain girl from Connecticut. She had moved here a while ago and everything was slowly coming to plan. Sure Teresa hadn’t exactly planned to have moved here alone but she was definitely making the most of living here on her own.
Even if she wasn’t exactly alone.
Stiles lived in the city and Jackson came in when he wasn’t in Florida with his horrible father but then again she couldn’t really complain because she didn’t exactly have the world’s best father either.
New York was definitely different from Mystic. It was noisier and it was full of people and it felt a world away from her father. Teresa felt at peace here, she felt safer and so much happier. Yes she missed Graeme and would always miss him but living here it felt like she could finally breathe and not have anyone on her back. Although New York did have its weird moments.
A billionaire in a metal suit and a guy dressed up in a red and blue suit that people called Spider-Man. She has never heard the most ridiculous names ever but she guessed that they could be called a lot worse.
The heat in New York was almost unbearable for Teresa and she spent most of her time trying to keep cool of course that meant keeping her window open in her bedroom or when it got dark sitting up on the roof and looking down over the City.
No one used the roof that much so it meant that Teresa had her own space and would often do archery up there of course that was when she wasn’t with the guy that she had been sleeping with.
Something had happened to her and it had caused Teresa to worry about it. She found that she could make things shake and when she did it had made her hands bruise and she spent most of the time in agony. What was more worrying was the fact that she wasn’t sure where it had come from. She had heard reports of the earthquakes in the city but hadn’t taken much notice until she had one bad phone call from her father and it had caused her to get really angry and the whole room that she had been in had shook so much that there had been broken glass. It had been a bitch to clean up and it had scared her but still she kept it from Barton.
She was pretty sure that he wouldn’t have believed her anyway.
That was until he saw the bruises on her hands one time and now she was here. Standing outside of Stark Tower looking up at the most.. well whatever it was she was looking up at it. Apparently Clint had someone who could help her but more than that she just wanted to get rid of it because it meant that whenever she got angry the room would shake and she didn’t want that.
She sighed softly to herself and pulled the bag higher up on her shoulder before she walked into the building. This had to be one of the most nerve wrecking times in her life but also one of the strangest too.
Werewolves and vampires she could handle but this was one of those times when she was sure that this topped all of that.
Teresa only hoped that this would actually work.
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Post by Ray on Jul 3, 2018 9:56:28 GMT -7
Stark Tower stands as a monolith in the heart of Manhattan, eclipsing the Empire State Building in its physical and symbolic shadow. The Stark name is hard to escape from these days. It always, in some form, was. Howard's inventions shaped the modern world as they now know it, redesigning warfare and housekeeping all the same. That new fighter jet skimming across the desert, silent as the grave? Howard Stark. That advanced heart monitor that detects anomalies before they happen? Howard Stark. That toaster with a special compartment to heat up butter at the same time? Howard Stark.
His legacy was a colossus everyone tried to stand taller than, but never figured out how.
And then Tony happened.
Barton steals another candy from the bowl at reception, peeling off the plastic wrapper as he leans against the sleek, steel desk, waiting. The lobby is busy this time of day, though he's never really known it to not be busy. Teenagers trying to catch a glimpse of the famed hero herself take selfies by the Iron Man artwork displayed proudly on the walls -- gifts from some of the most distinguished modern artists there are. Businessman in overpriced suits argue with the receptionists, trying to get meetings and funding and brand deals. Journalists wait by the elevators, hoping to catch a quote.
And a SHIELD agent tries very hard to be very inconspicuous as he sits on a comfortable leather chair, reading a newspaper and checking his watch every ten minutes.
Barton shakes his head, and tosses the candy into his mouth. His nerves are alight for the first time in a long time. He can stare down the barrel of a gun just fine, jump out of planes just fine, eat shrimp tacos out of a cart in the Bronx just fine. But this? Introducing this to a woman who he's kept purposefully in the dark about his work? About his life? It's sending his anxiety into overdrive.
He grabs another piece of candy.
"Careful, Mister Barton," the receptionist at his end of the desk, Aisha, says with an amused smile, "Or you'll eat the whole thing." She teases, continuing to type on the smooth touch-keyboard even though her dark brown eyes are on him. Barton pauses, dropping his blue eyes to the glass bowl he's been rooting through since he got here. He's put a sizable dent in it in just fifteen minutes. "Those are supposed to be for the kids." Aisha continues, smiling a little wider and looking back to her screen. He looks down at the candy in his hand and then back, and sucks a little at his teeth.
He tosses the candy back into the bowl and wipes off his hands, "What time is it?"
"Five past ten," Aisha replies.
Barton hums a small sound of acknowledgement, resting his elbow on the high desk. She should be here by now.
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Post by Snowglobe18 on Jul 3, 2018 10:48:34 GMT -7
Teresa walked into Stark Tower and her mouth fell open because of everything that was here. Honestly this place definitely looked like it was out of this world. But then again she wasn’t here to admire anything but even though she was on a schedule that didn’t stop her from standing still and taking in the noise of this place.
She had her hands in the back pockets of her jeans because of the fact that it was the only place she knew she could keep them where her hands wouldn’t clench up and start an earthquake. Teresa had her hair pulled up and away from her face into a cute little bun at the top of her head and honestly she probably looked better today than Barton has ever seen her.
At that thought she moved her feet once more and dropping her eyes to look around the reception and was going to head in the direction of the desk but then she saw Clint standing there anyway and it looked like he was nervous and that made her feel a little nervous and.. god what the hell was she even doing here? Oh yeah he had a friend that could help her.
Teresa took a deep breath before she moved in the direction of the desk again and then came up to Barton’s side and put her hands on the desk “You worrying again?” She teased but honestly she didn’t feel it. It wouldn’t shine in her eyes like it would’ve because of the fact that she too was worried about what happened after she walked with Barton to see whoever this person was that could help her.
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Post by Ray on Jul 3, 2018 11:10:46 GMT -7
Barton contemplates taking another piece of candy, despite Aisha's teasing. Anything to distract himself from the coming long-winded explanation he was going to have to give. Everyone has secrets, especially in New York. Vegas might be Sin City, but these streets hide a lot more in one square block than that entire tourist-riddled desert destination. But where most are hiding bags of weed in their back pockets or affairs in their bedrooms, his secret is one backed by a government security clearance and a complete inability to make any real attachments. He's never really worried about it until now.
But before he can reach into the bowl and endure Aisha's amused but disapproving looks, a figure approaches his side at this far end of the desk. He glances over, hand hovering the candy, and already knows who it is before he even really gets a good look.
He drops his hand.
"Only that you were going to bail on me," he replies, putting on an easy smile and turning to face her. "But I'm glad you made it." Teresa looks cute. Very well put together. The sort of primping and neatness that only comes from hours of anxiety. He knows that feeling well, though his usually turns him into looking more like a gremlin. But his mom was the same way. On her very worst days was when she looked the absolute best.
And well, to tell the truth, Barton is more used to seeing Teresa naked than any other way.
"You look good." He tells her, glancing her over in one brief flick of his blue eyes. And then he glances to Aisha. "This is my guest."
"Nice to meet you," Aisha replies politely, and rises from her chair, "Mister Barton has already taken care of everything for you." She explains, lifting a slim, blue pass from her desk to slide towards Teresa, "This is your pass, keep it on you at all times and return it to this desk when you leave. We ask that you avoid wandering off on your own, and stay with Mister Barton at all times. And if you would be so kind, please turn over your cellphone." Aisha holds out a palm, patiently waiting.
"It's a normal precaution," Barton explains, looking to Teresa, "Privacy and all that."
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Post by Snowglobe18 on Jul 3, 2018 11:25:26 GMT -7
If Teresa was being honest there has been a few times when she sat on her bed with her cell phone and had been tempted to text Barton and tell him that she wasn’t going. She had even typed it out and was seconds from sending it but then she had got rid of it and put her cell down. If this person could really help her then she should give them a chance.
He told her that she looked nice and she was sure that there were heat starting to move into her cheeks but she cleared her throat. “Thank you” she said softly before then looking towards the woman at the desk when Barton introduced her and then she got the instructions that she shouldn’t wander off and honestly she was fine with that.
Teresa gave her a smile and then cleared her throat once more when the woman said about her cell phone and honestly that was a little worrying but she moved her hands from her pockets and then moved them to her bag at her side before she unzipped it and reached in for her cell phone. She had never really been attached to her cell before but now that she wouldn’t be able to keep it with her it felt like she had lost part of her hand.
She handed the cell over and took the pass and nodded when Barton said that it was part of what happened. Hopefully she wouldn’t be here too long because the heat outside was unbearable for her. “This shouldn’t take too long, right?” She asked looking at Barton but she smiled anyway.
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Post by Ray on Jul 3, 2018 11:49:24 GMT -7
"Thank you," Aisha smiles when Teresa hands over her phone a little reluctantly, her expression warm and reassuring from plenty of practice dealing with the same scenario. She swipes her own badge across a drawer on her desk, and with a click the drawer pops open -- revealing a few other cellphones already in there. Placing a blue tag on Teresa's phone, she sets it carefully within, and then nudges it back closed. "You're all set, then." She says, looking to Barton with a nod.
"Thanks again, Aisha." He tells her, tapping his palm lightly upon the desk.
"Anytime."
Barton turns away from the desk, taking a step in the direction of the elevators. He pauses to glance back at Teresa at her question, a hint of nervousness leaking through her words despite the smile she's put on. Barton slowly tilts his head to the side, thinking that question over. Depending on how she reacts, this could go a multitude of ways. One of those involving her slapping him hard across the face and storming out. If that's the case, this could be only three minutes. Or, on the other end of the spectrum, it could be all day. He doesn't exactly know what's in store for either of them.
"I guess we'll find out," is all he can manage to say. "Ready?" He asks, approaching the steel gateway that leads towards the elevators. But instead of an official Stark Industries badge clipped to her hip like Aisha's, or the slim blue pass given to Teresa, he swipes the clock-face of his watch across the sensor. And for a moment it blinks purple before turning green. He steps through and waits on the other side for her, before walking towards the busy group of huddled engineers and suits and whoever goddamn else works in a place like this all waiting for the next ride up.
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Post by Snowglobe18 on Jul 3, 2018 12:02:37 GMT -7
“As I’ll ever be” she admitted but honestly she wasn’t sure just how she was feeling right now because all of this wasn’t registering in her head right now. She was at Stark Tower and all of it looked amazing but she wasn’t a big fan of Tong Stark herself so this was going to really be interesting.
Teresa watched as he scanned his watch and then went through before holding up her own pass and chewed on her lip. She could just imagine this not working and not letting her through but only one way to find out was to just try it.
She did and then finally it allowed her to follow after Barton and then came to his side. Honestly she never imagined herself being in a place like this, her apartment wasn’t exactly a palace but it wasn’t a rundown place either so to be here where everything was flashy and so high tech it made her feel a little inferior.
Teresa chewed on her lip for a moment and glanced over at Barton. Other than his birthday when they went out for food and a drink this was the longest they had stayed dressed around each other and she wasn’t sure if she was happy with that or a little disappointed but she would let that pass right now before she then finally asked the question that she wanted to ask. “So, Stark Tower huh? I never thought this would be we’re you actually work but it’s nice...” she looked around.
“Fancy...” Teresa looked back at him and then raised an eyebrow. “Why didn’t you tell me about this place?” She nudged him with her elbow.
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Post by Ray on Jul 3, 2018 12:19:49 GMT -7
Barton glances to her as they wait, folding his arms over his chest and trying to tune out some of the other chatter. He pulls in a deep breath, readying himself for what's about to come. "This...isn't really where I work." He admits, shaking his head a little. The elevators open and a rush of people swim inside. Barton hangs back, letting the rest of them hurry off. They still have time.
The doors close, and only a few stragglers remain behind with them, checking their devices for the time.
"Sometimes it is," he admits, tiptoeing along the line of truth, "Depends on the day and the uh...job. But god knows Stark wouldn't hire me for shit. I barely have a GED," he says with a self-deprecating laugh to lighten to mood. "Even Aisha has a masters in IT." He tells her, nudging his head back towards the desk they left behind. "I just..." he clears his throat quietly, "Know the owner." The elevators open again, and they step in with the rest of what's left behind, easily fitting in the wide expanse of the carriage. The rest push buttons all over the lower fifty floors, a wide spread between them. But only Barton reaches out to touch A-1, and only Barton has to scan his watch across the sensor.
One of the others, a younger man in a plaid button-up and a Stark tablet in his hands seems to notice enough to warrant him glancing up with big eyes at Barton.
Barton says nothing and returns to stand beside Teresa.
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Post by Snowglobe18 on Jul 3, 2018 15:11:40 GMT -7
Teresa raised an eyebrow when he said that it wasn't where he really worked and there were questions going off in her head but she figured that she would save it for when there wasn't so many people around even if it was only a few and then there were the two of them. If she was honest she was feeling nervous over all of this mostly because of the fact that she wasn't sure just how all of this was going to go.
She looked back at him when he spoke again and she was a little confused because of what he was saying. So it wasn't really where he worked but other times it was? That really didn't make any sense but she would keep that to herself. He carried on speaking and she smiled softly before walking into the elevator and chewed on her lip. She was definitely starting to get more nervous and she needed something to do with her hands because she didn't have her cell to play with so instead she just slid her hands back into the back pocket of her jeans.
"I was training to be a nurse" she admitted and looked over at him. "My mom was a nurse and I wanted to follow in her footsteps but I just never did" she nodded before smiling softly and honestly she was okay with that because there were other things out there that she could do and she would definitely like the challenge when she did set her mind to something else but right now she had to deal with this...
Whatever this was of course.
But she hoped that they could get rid of whatever it was that actually going on with her. The last thing Teresa wanted was to make this place shake.
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Post by Ray on Jul 3, 2018 16:57:24 GMT -7
Barton smiles towards Teresa. "A nurse? I would have figured you to be the type kicking ass through police academy." He admits.
The elevator carries them ever higher in the tower, the plain steel wall opening behind them to reveal a glass view of the city and the sweltering heat plaguing it. But from up here, it isn't so bad. The rest of the people in the carriage eventually find their way off, that one man stealing one last glance at Barton before shuffling out onto the analytics floor. Soon, it's only the two of them left. And still the elevator continues up. A few floors later, the view behind them is cut off once more, the steel wall returning at their backs.
A chime finally sounds and the carriage settles to a halt somewhere near the 100th floor. As the doors part with a silent woosh, a pleasant sounding British man's voice speaks over throughout the carriage, "Welcome back Clint. It's been a few days. Keeping busy?" It asks, as if it were another passenger standing right beside them.
Barton steps out, "Oh, you know how it is. All work, no play."
"Doesn't sound at all like you, sir." The voice reminds, almost amused.
"You might be right." Barton smiles faintly and looks towards Teresa. "That's JARVIS," he explains, pointing towards the ceiling, "JARVIS, this is Teresa."
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Teresa. Shall I tell Stark and Rogers you've arrived?"
"Yep." Barton replies, and then nudges his head down the hall, "They should be this way."
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Post by Snowglobe18 on Jul 3, 2018 17:08:24 GMT -7
Teresa laughs softly at what he admits to her and honestly she has never heard that before. She had been told many times that she was kick ass with a bow and arrow but never before had anyone said that they imagined her at police academy. It never even crossed her mind if she’s that honest. All her energy had gone on being a nurse and then suddenly she just didn’t do it. Not because of moving to New York but because of something else that she wasn’t really sure about.
They carry on up and then finally the elevator stops and they get out but not before a voice is speaking to Barton and she has to look around but then he motions the ceiling and tells her who it was that was speaking. Okay she was a little impressed that this ugly building was holding a lot more cool stuff than she imagined.
“Hello..” she was tempted to wave but she might end up looking like a right idiot and that was the last thing she ever wanted to do. Teresa bit on her lip when JARVIS said about Rogers and she raised an eyebrow because they couldn’t be talking about Steve fucking Rogers right? No this definitely wasn’t who they were talking about.
Stiles would flip his shit if he ever knew that she had met Steve Rogers before him. Of course right now she wasn’t likely to tell him that she came here.
Teresa kept to Barton’s side and then looked over at him. “Please tell me that you don’t work with Steve Rogers because if you do then...” she wasn’t sure what it would be but she was definitely sure that this is a dream because no one would bring her here to Startk Tower and then put her in front of Steve Rogers... Captain America himself.
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Post by Ray on Jul 3, 2018 17:22:00 GMT -7
Barton leads her down the hall, knowing the way like the back of his hand. He glances towards Teresa at her question, lifting a brow. But hesitates. He pulls in a breath, that anxious twist in his gut reforming, and makes himself look ahead once more. "Well..." he begins, wincing even before the fallout, "Actually..." The hall opens up into a large, circular sitting area -- full of couches and walled in on one edge by a wall of screens. It still manages to look formal, despite the emphasis on comfort. The screens are alight with date of a wide range, constantly updating, pings of light and messages dancing here or there across a wide map of the world.
But standing right in the middle, his broad back to them, a tablet in his hands, is the one man they came here to see.
He's tall, handsome -- though that word doesn't really cut it. His blonde hair is tousled like someone spent hours trying to make it look that way, when Barton knows well enough that that's not the case. He wears an official SHIELD shirt that clings a little tightly to his chest and arms and a pair of blue fatigue pants tucked into combat boots. Ever the soldier. Ever ready.
The man glances back when he hears Barton stepping towards the couches, and a warm smile pulls at his mouth. "Hey, Barton. Took you long enough," He says, a little jokingly, and leans down to set the tablet upon the coffee table.
"Hey, Cap." Barton says, and steals a quick glance towards Teresa to gauge her reaction before walking closer to the man. "This is Teresa. The woman I told you about." He tells him, motioning back towards Teresa a few paces behind him. "Teresa," He says, turning to look at her and waving his hand this time towards the man by his shoulder, "This is Captain Steven Rogers."
Steve smiles a little more and moves forward to hold out a hand towards her, strong yet polite. "It's good to meet you."
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Post by Snowglobe18 on Jul 3, 2018 18:01:26 GMT -7
Teresa wasn't sure how she would react if he actually said yes but he seemed to hesitate and started talking. She raised an eyebrow and wondered if he would actually say everything but then they got to the part of the hall that opened up and her mouth fell open because she had never thought about any of this before mostly because she didn't know this sort of place actually existed in Stark Tower and now that she did it made her mouth fall open once more. Her eyes then settled on the man who had his back to them and now she knew that she must be dreaming because there was no way in hell that Clint Barton worked with Steve Rogers... right?
But then he speaks and he seems to tease Barton about being late and she slowly moves her eyes from Steve then over to Barton and back just in time to watch him put the tablet that he was holding down onto the coffee table. Barton put a little bit of distance between them but she honestly wasn't sure just how to react to all of this. Barton had never told her that he worked with Captain America himself but now she was starting to piece it all together and things did make a tad bit more sense than it had when all those times she had seen the scars on his chest.
Sometimes she had ran her fingers over them and even counted just how many he had got.
Teresa pushed that thought away when Barton spoke her name and she smiled softly at Steve but honestly she was freaking out a little inside because this clearly was the man that they had come to see. The man who could help Teresa with whatever it was that she had. Steve stepped forward towards her and held his hand out and then the smile seemed to disappear into a frown and she didn't move her hands from her pocket at all.
"Um, it's probably best if I don't shake hands with you or at least not yet" she admitted before bringing her brown eyes up and looking at Steve. "I don't want to hurt you" she said softly and then nodded. The last thing Teresa wanted to do was hurt him and she couldn't guarantee that she wouldn't hurt him by shaking his hand so she would rather not do it than actually hurt him just in case.
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Post by Ray on Jul 3, 2018 20:41:15 GMT -7
Teresa doesn't move, her hands still buried in her pockets, and there's a still second where only the quiet says anything. But she finally speaks, explaining her reasoning, and Steve smiles faintly. His hand closes and he draws it back away, nodding once. "Trust me," he tells her, "I can handle my fair share. But I'll take your warning." He's gotten a little too familiar with those recently. Which is no doubt why she's here, rather than with some actual expert that SHIELD has hired to evaluate these sorts of situations.
SHIELD does a great many good things. But sometimes their determination to find answers outweighs their concern for individual well-being. He's familiar with that as well.
"Barton has told me a little bit about your ability," Steve says, glancing momentarily back towards the man standing behind them, letting Steve take the reins. "He described it as shock-waves?" He returns his focus back on Teresa, leaving his words a question for her to better clarify. "Ones that originate from your hands?" He points towards her pockets where she keeps them tucked away out of sight, as if she's likely to bring this entire building down upon their heads if she brings them out into view.
Maybe she can.
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Post by Snowglobe18 on Jul 3, 2018 20:53:36 GMT -7
Steve might've had his fair share but that didn't mean she wanted to hurt him anymore. That was the thing about Teresa if she could try not to hurt someone then she was going to make sure that no one got hurt and that included Captain America. She was trying so hard not to freak out because Stiles would flip his shit if he knew that she was here but maybe she could keep that to herself for a little bit.
Teresa moved her eyes over to where Barton was standing and pushed her eyebrows together at the mention of him telling Steve what her abilities were like. She still remembered the moment they had been making out and he saw the bruises on her hands and then she had to finally come clean about what was happening to her even if she wasn't sure exactly what that really was, other than the fact that the room would shake around her. She gave him a slight smile before looking back at Steve. "I got a uh," she chewed on her lip because she hadn't told Barton this so it would be the first time he would hear it. "a phone call from my father and I got mad to the point that my apartment shook and I broke the glass in a couple of my windows" she admitted and then looked around as if she couldn't bear to see the looks on their faces.
She then slowly brought her hands out of her pockets, they were still a little bruised, and showed Steve them. "I think it originates from my hands" she mutters. "they certainly are painful after the shaking happens"
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