Noah sat beside Coulson in his black S.H.I.E.L.D car, silently brooding about what had happened at the Stark mansion. She had been brooding about the situation for over five hours now, and it seemed as if there would be no end. Coulson and Noah had scarcely said a word to each other for nearly half of their eleven hour drive, only the occasional question about pit stops. Yes, S.H.I.E.L.D was making both Noah and Agent Coulson drive from Los Angeles to New Mexico, something about trying not to make a big scene upon their arrival. A few times now Coulson subtly glanced over at Noah, a smirk on his lips. Tony had really gotten to the young girl. She wasn't very good at hiding her feelings. Coulson made a not to watch that.

Finally, he couldn't take it any longer, he had to make some sort of conversation. He took a deep breath, "So…"

"No, I don't want to talk about it - just like the three other times you tried to get me to talk," she said, answering his unasked question, "Just because I've known you for a long time doesn't mean I'll just open up to you." Coulson wasn't sure how, but it seemed like Noah was glaring even harder out the window.

For a minute Coulson thought about dropping the topic again, letting the silence creep in, but he couldn't do that. He had to get this girl to talk, stress wasn't good for her, and her silently plotting to kill Tony - at least that's what Coulson figured she was thinking about - wasn't helping that. Coulson had to admit that Noah did look like Tony's Father, Howard Stark. Ever since he had met Noah Logan, Agent Coulson had a hunch that there was something more to the young girl. At their first meeting, when she had first entered S.H.I.E.L.D.'s training facilities, Fury directed him to keep an eye on her, but from a distance. So far she seemed to be a regular S.H.I.E.L.D agent, except with some added strength. The only weaknesses that Coulson had noticed about Noah was that she had a temper and would often seem fatigued after training, more than the average trainee.

Coulson watched as Noah pushed herself through the training regimes, pushing herself to the point of blackouts. Coulson had asked one of the physicians who looked after her if she had any health issues that were causing the blackouts, but the physician said that all her blood work, MRI's, CAT scans, and every other test they did on her all came back negative. All her vitals were good, nothing was irregular, but no one could figure out why Noah continuously fell unconscious. The physician explained that even Agent Logan didn't know they were going to happen until she woke up from one. It's as if her system goes through an instant shut down and then a restart, explained the doctor, all happening without Ms. Logan being aware.

Phil Coulson still didn't know what made Noah special, but she seemed to have the blackouts under control but the temper still ran rampant. Once Noah completed her training, Director Fury had a hand in setting her up with Agent Hill, and his only explanation was that she needed to be watched and Hill was the best one for the job. Before Director Fury had officially transferred both him and Noah, Coulson had been informed that they were to watch over Jane Foster - Noah's supposed cousin. Fury asked Phil to watch them and to try to find out any information regarding their relation. Coulson had asked why, and all Fury said was that facts about Agent Logan weren't matching up.

Coulson was about to ask her directly if she wanted to talk, but Noah spoke first. "Can you pull over at the next closest gas station," she asked curtly.

He nodded. "Sure." A half hour later, Coulson pulled up to a convenience store and gas station. "Be quick, okay?" Noah nodded without a word and climbed out of the car, heading directly inside while Coulson gassed up the sedan. Once Coulson placed the gas pump back on the dock, he went inside since he was feeling snackish himself. As he entered the store, he nodded to Agent Logan and the female cashier. He wandered through the aisle until be found what he was looking for. Coulson squatted down and picked up both the chocolate and vanilla versions of the powder frosted donuts - he wasn't quite sure what he was in the mood for.

As he sat squatted down at the end of the aisle, debating his choices, the door chimed as someone entered. After the cocking of a gun, someone yelled, "Hands up! Don't move!" The raised voices barely startled Coulson, but he glanced at the security mirrors that were pointed at the front counter. "Don't move or I'll blow your head off."

Through one of the mirrors, Coulson saw that one of the two men had their guns pointed at the cashier and the other, the one that had spoke, had their gun pointed at Noah's head. She was facing the mirror, Coulson motioned for her to stay calm and he'd get her out of there. Noah made no indication that let him know she saw his sign, but he had to have hope that she had. "Who else is here?" Demanded the same guy as before, "Who owns that car?" he pushed the gun into the side of Noah's temple, "Is it yours sweet cheeks?"

"I do," Coulson answered, standing up from where he was hidden, "But it's more of a lease." He slowly edged from the end of the aisle so he could see the pair better. Their heads quickly snapped around, and the one that had his gun pointed at the cashier turned it onto him.

"Toss the key's over here!" ordered the one with the gun to Noah's head. She seemed as calm as ever, only a faint glimmer of excitement could be seen in her eyes, which worried Coulson. She had no gun on her, at least that he could see or knew of, and that meant that if she tried to take on these guys, she'd have to use physical combat. Physical combat was one of Noah's weaknesses, but it was also something that she enjoyed. By her physician, she had been banned from any use of physical combat and was trained in many forms of artillery and archery, the former being her favorite. Noah was still full of anger towards Tony and what had happened at his mansion, that Phil was sure Noah would take this opportunity to let out some steam. "Come on!" yelled the same guy.

Coulson nodded, throwing his hands up, "Okay, okay. Just hold on." He dug his keys out of his pocket and threw it to the guy. The other turned his gun from Coulson and back towards the cashier. Now was the perfect time to try and make some sort of plan with Noah, through silent gestures, as both guys had their back to Coulson. He pulled out his own guy, and silently asked Noah if she had one on her. She ever so slightly shook her head. Dammit. That was not what Coulson was hoping for. He was completely sure now that she'd end up using her energy if it came to it, and he'd have to figure out a way to keep her from getting into a physical fight. "Excuse me, I also have this gun," He announced, holding the gun so that it faced downwards, "You'll probably be needing that."

"Put it down."

"Put it down right now."

"Okay, I don't want any trouble," he assured them, free hand raised out of caution.

"Then toss the piece over here then," one guy ordered.

"I'd prefer not to throw it and rise the gun accidentally going off." Noah rolled her eyes as Coulson dragged out this encounter. She was itching to get to these guys. She was feeling pent up, her anger towards Tony Stark wanting to come out in any possible way. This was the perfect opportunity, she agreed with herself. As the two guys looked over at each other, Noah gestured for Coulson to hurry up. "Maybe I can slide it over to you?" he asked, trying to sound as innocent as possible.

The guys cocked their guns again, shared a look, then nodded. "Yeah, slide it over to my feet," ordered the one that had previously held his gun to the clerk, "Don't try anything funny."

"Okay. I'm just going to move over to this aisle and slide it over to you," he explained, starting to shuffle to the other side. Noah watched as Coulson knelt down and she waited to hear the gun sliding along the linoleum floor. Then he shot back up and threw a bag of flour at the second gunman.

Noah took that as her cue and kicked her foot at the back of the mans kneed and thrusted her elbow into the man's ear as hard as she could, toppling him over as blood started to trickle out of his ear. She quickly whipped around and ordered the cashier to get down behind the till, but before she could say that, Noah heard the guy she had kicked get up and cock his gun. She dropped down, grabbed the tiny needle like knife from her boot, and jabbed it into the guys knee. Coulson came up behind him - having taken care of the other guy - and smacked the butt of the other mans gun into this guys other ear, causing more blood to seep from the mans head.

As Coulson kicked the guns away from the guys and retrieved his keys, Noah crawled on top of the one that she had stabbed, and grabbed his chin so that he was looking directly at her and twisted the knife that sticking in his knee. She leaned in and in the calmest voice she could muster, she said, "Never call a girl sweet cheeks again. Got it?" She waited for the man to nodded, and she then pulled her balled up fist back and brought it forward, connecting her knuckles with his nose. His head dropped backward to the floor, blood also coming out from his nose, as a satisfied smirk appeared on Noah's lips. Just before standing up, she grabbed the knife and pulled it out, satisfying her even more.

Coulson placed one of the guns on the counter, smiling at the cashier. Noah stood up - after wiping her knife on the guys plaid flannel shirt - and snatched up her bottle of soda and bag of sour candies from the counter. Coulson shot Noah a displeased looks before turning to smile once again at the frightened Cashier. "Sorry for the mess," he apologized, placing the packages of chocolate and vanilla donuts on the counter, "I couldn't decide." He handed the lady a twenty dollar big, but when she wouldn't take it, he placed it down. "Keep the change."

"Wait," the cashier called out as Noah and Coulson started to leave. "What should I tell the police?"

The two S.H.I.E.L.D agents shared a look, and Coulson shrugged. "Tell them the tae-bo tapes are really paying off."

Noah and Coulson strolled out of the convenience store, and climbed back into the car. Noah flopped into the passengers seat, starting to breath heavy. She leaned forward and tucked her head between her knees. After a few minutes, Noah felt Coulson tap her shoulder. She leaned up slightly, turning her head to face him, and found a powdered donut staring her in the face. "Here," her offered, "You need some energy and this is the best I can do for now."

Noah gingerly accepted the white donut, and slowly consumed it. She knew what he was going to say, that she shouldn't have done that, and he was right. She should have let Coulson take care of the two men since she didn't have a gun on her. But she couldn't hold back, she wanted to feel the adrenaline rush of fighting someone. It was times like these that Noah wondered why she was so strong, and yet couldn't use her full potential due to the negative side affects that she experienced.

They silently drove through the night, and Noah was surprised that she hadn't received one of Coulson's lectures. Just as she let her guard down, that's when Coulson struck. "So, do you want to talk about it now?" He asked, knowing that he was about to open Pandora's box, but her little show of aggression meant that she was more worked up about her encounter with Stark than what was good for her. She needed to get it off her chest, it was bad if she let it fester, and Coulson could only imagine the kind of outburst that would happen if Noah came in contact with Stark once again.

Noah huffed and crossed her arms across her chest, "No. Not really."

"You know that you're missing your sessions, being out here in the field, so think of me as a replacement. I'll keep quiet until you're finished getting everything off your chest," Coulson offered. He was right, Noah was missing her sessions with the physician where she'd have a medical check up, followed by a session where she talked about how she was handling her new field position. This had been going on for a couple of years, and as much as Noah tried to tell people that she was okay and didn't need her sessions, the doctors refused to end them and Noah faithfully continued the visits.

With another deep sigh, Noah shifted and started to talk. "I can't believe him, making false accusations about me being related to his dead dad. I knew he was a little deluded with life, but not to that extent. Like come on!" Coulson silently nodded along like he had promised, letting Noah get it all out. "There's no way that I could be what he's trying to insinuate, right?"

It caught him off guard when Noah asked his opinion. He really did want to stay out of it, this was something that she needed to figure out on her own, or with the help of Stark, but how could he tell this girl that he was in agreement with Stark and shatter her world? He was nervous that if he told her that he didn't agree with her, that she'd get reckless on this assignment and try to take out anyone that got in her way. He was now in a fragile place, in the proverbial rock and hard place with little room to move. "I think this is something that you need to look into," he answered, " but you'll have to wait until after the assignment. I want to more talk about this until we're back at HQ. Can you do that? I need you at top condition, Agent Logan, and no more physical confrontations, okay?"

Noah frowned but nodded. "Fine. But only if you promise to help me figure it out."

"Noah…" He didn't use her first name often, and he hoped that it made a point.

She turned to him, and with the most charming smile she could produce, she pleaded for his help. "Please Coulson. I don't know where to start, and you have a ever so slightly clearance level than I do, which would make getting ahold of information easier." Coulson stared forward, trying to not give in to Noah's attempts to con him into helping her. "Pleaseeee."

Coulson glanced at her through is peripherals. "Find. But I want your full attention once we get to the site. No pent up anger towards Stark, put it to the side and it can be revisited later."

Noah nodded and clapped happily. "I'll show that ass that he's wrong," she sang, causing Coulson to groan. This was going to be one long assignment, and he prayed that nothing would go wrong.

Authors Notes:

Hey guys, so I'm back with another chapter of this story. It kinda got put on the back burner as I started converting my other story, Clear Nights, into third person like this story (Which took up a lot more time than I was intending). This chapter follows the Marvel short "A strange thing happened on the way to Thor's Hammer" (located on the Captain America: The First Avenger bluray), so I hope you all have seen it, if not, then I'm sure you'll be a little confused on where this came from. None the less, we see a bit more about Noah, about what makes her special, her time as a trainee, and even her weakness. I hope you've enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed writing it and getting back into the Noah mind set. She's a little violent - even if her body is telling her not to.

This chapter is a little short, but it's a good in between to bridge from IM2 to Thor. Let me know what you think so far!

Enjoy~