Summary: Kayla Hudson was just an author on a business trip when one event changed her life forever. S.H.I.E.L.D. picks her up, and then she's training with the archer. But then she gets called in as an Avenger, and she realizes that her powers aren't the worst things out there. Unusual powers, soldiers from the past, gods, secret agents and radiation monsters. Eventual Shardeye, OCxClint.

First things first, thank you, Twin, for helping me shape and stick with this one! She always gives me that shove to write, and she's always so happy to read and help out with my story. Love you, Twin! (CherryMoutain, check her out!) She also made the cover to the story, so thanks again!

Disclaimer: Duh! But seriously, why would I put a fanfiction up on FanFiction, if it wasn't fanfiction. Get what I mean? Yeah, I don't own Avengers or anything Marvel, because if I was Joss Whedon, I would be making a new movie, not a fanfic. Not saying it again. Thanks!

Author's Note: Hey fellas! Not sure if any of you will read this but you should! My first Avengers fanfiction, hopefully ya'll will like it, because I've worked so hard on this story. Even if it is just a playback of the movie, I promise that if you all like it, I'll get a sequel going (already started it, cough cough.) Okay, so I'm posting the first three chapters today because I want to get a start going here so I can get some feedback from reviews and what not.

There will be a lot of flashbacks in the first story - those will be in italics like so - so instead of just a rewrite of the movie, I have situations in the past that will help to shape the characters and the situation at hand. It was hard fitting in an OC, but it was fun. Challenging, but fun! I based the character (Kayla) off of the people I surround myself with, and the situation that happened to her, Norway, was kind of just an idea that I had for another fanfic, but then I thought, what the hay!

So I'm planning on posting once a week, Wednesdays most likely, and even if I've been writing all along, I just want to get that feedback and ideas and answer any questions that you have. Feel free to ask! About anything! I'll respond to reviews if they are something other than, "great story, can't wait for an update!"

Also, if you find that you aren't enjoying the story, give me a review and say why, so I can improve and evolve. I love writing, and if there's any advice, good or bad, that I can get, I'll take it if it helps me in the long run.

So, the first few chapters are about getting to know Kayla a little, so they might be a little slow for your liking. But stick with me, it gets better!

Most people say, when it comes to stories, to start at the beginning.

Sure, this story could do that, but then again, what is a beginning? Where this story started, isn't exactly what's important. It's where it started, how it evolved into the intense new life that was given to someone, who desperately needed change, but that's not where we'll start. This story will start with an event that no one saw coming, especially no one from this world. Don't worry, we'll get to the beginning... eventually.

For now, we'll skip ahead, to the fun stuff.

My name, is Kayla Hudson. And this is my story.

Chapter One – The Newbie

"What are the energy levels now?"

"Climbing," Agent Coulson responded. Him, Fury, with Agent Hill behind them, were quickly walking down the corridor, passing by agents and lab coats, who were getting gear and cases and heading out to the vehicles. "When Selvig couldn't shut it down, we ordered an evac."

"How long to get everyone out?" Fury asked.

"Can't be sure. Campus should be clear in the next half hour."

Fury glanced at Coulson meaningfully. "Do better."

Coulson nodded, then stopped in the hall, Fury and Hill still walking forward. Before he could turn around, the Director's voice stopped him. "Hudson stays with you."

oOo

"Did you not hear any of the alarms echoing through campus, Hudson?"

The voice startled Kayla, who had her feet tucked under her crisscross-applesauce style in a computer chair. She loved the movement of the chair. She pushed her hand on the table so her chair spun around to face the doorway. When she saw that it was only Agent Coulson, she let herself relax. "Oh. Yeah, I heard them alright. But from all my experience, being an author and all, usually any alarms going off in a top secret agency means there's an intruder, or something threatening."

She stood from her chair and shrugged her shoulders. "I decided to play it safe and lock the door." She glanced over his shoulder, accusing the door with her glare. "How'd you get in, anyways?"

"Clearance. Level Eight," was Coulson's only response. She thought she saw him start to roll his eyes, but caught himself. Instead, he said, "Come on, we're leaving."

"What's going on? There's not actually an intruder, is there?" Kayla walked forward, hoping that is wasn't true. She followed him out the door down the hallway. Of course, he didn't answer her. What was she thinking? Kayla practically had to jog to keep up with him at his pace. Even when they were roughly the same height - okay, maybe he was a little taller – he was walking really fast.

The author followed Coulson down the corridor, where they passed many people who were carrying bags and cases. Now she was worried. "Coulson, what's going on?"

He only turned his head slightly in her direction. "Evacuating."

Man, she thought, people actually did talk like that in real life. Thought it was just books and movies. As the two slowly, but quickly, made their way wherever Coulson was leading them, Kayla heard bits and pieces of conversations form the agents she passed. "Dangerous, cube, off the charts," and even something that sounded like "testing rack," or was it "take that rat?"

Then, the next thing Kayla knew, she was outside. She glanced around, watching as vehicles drove past her and people ran to more cars and trucks. She did jog this time to catch up to Coulson, who seemed to be walking even faster. He stopped at a truck and gestured her in. The back of the truck was a soft top, with people in black and others in lab coats, already piled into the back. There were two more seats left, and Kayla hopped in, taking one, while Coulson got in behind her, taking the last. She looked around at the handful of men sitting around her, half in black and gear, and her eyes widened at the sight of the guns in a couple of their hands. To make it worse, some had shades or visors on. Who wears sunglasses at night? Kayla had seen her fair share of guns while training under S.H.I.E.L.D., and they hadn't affected her. But the whole situation with evacuating and seeing everyone rushing around, now with guns ready to shoot, freaked her out. Something was happening, and since she wasn't technically part of S.H.I.E.L.D., she wouldn't be finding out anytime soon.

The vehicle lurched forward, taking off, and Kayla bumped into Coulson. "Sorry," she mumbled, still freaked out by the whole situation. Her mind wouldn't stop racing with the possibilities, and she couldn't keep her eyes off of the guy across form her with a rifle, holding it like he was getting ready to use it at any second. She was surprised; they were in a car, what could happen? She looked at the two men in lab coats and wearing rubber gloves, one sat next to her and the other across from him.

All of a sudden, a loud buzzing noise came from the building, and Kayla turned to look. Some sort of explosion rang out, and then the ground was raising and was moving like a wave across the ground. She heard glass shattering and metal bending, saw the building sinking in on itself as more explosions erupted. Kayla sucked in a breath at the destruction. The ground shook underneath the car, and Kayla was off her seat for a millisecond as the truck hit the bump. A few people reached forward to keep the huge case at their feet steady. With those movements, Kayla also saw the man across from her tighten his grip on his rifle, and she felt her hands shake.

The campus was falling in on itself, collapsing into the ground. She leaned forward to see around Coulson, and as the vehicle passed the huge satellites on the edge of the property, they began to fall, sinking and crashing down. The truck was barely able to drive fast enough to get away before they fell in too.

Kayla was speechless at the sight. That could have been us, she thought. Coulson leaned back on the bench, his eyes falling shut. He looked defeated, the same way she was feeling. Kayla herself felt her mouth hanging open. A whole building, still filled with people, destroyed in seconds. Her heart was racing, and her hands shaking.

But the car drove on, and the back was silent, even more silent than it was before. The only sound was the engine as it drove. Kayla leaned her arms on her legs and let out a breath. Her thoughts went to the people that were inside, thinking if they got crushed by the weight of the building, or hurt in an explosion.

Kayla felt Coulson move beside her, and she turned to look at him. He had pulled out a little radio and held it to his mouth. "Director. Director Fury, do you copy?"

Fury immediately responded. "The Tesseract is with the hostile force. I have men down. Hill?" His voice cracked through the radio.

"A lot of men still under." Hill's voice crackled through, hers filled with more static. Kayla knew the woman. Hill was the one she had to report to if something went wrong, like when Kayla accidentally damaged a row of computers. She continued. "Don't know how many survivors."

Kayla didn't hear what Fury said next. Don't know how many survivors. The words rang through her head. She shook her head in disbelief. There had to be people who survived.

"Coulson," Fury's voice rang out. "Get back to base. This is a Level Seven. As of right now, we are at war."

Fear ran through her body, but Coulson seemed to react to the news fine. After all, he was an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. They had the best poker faces. "What do we do?"

Fury didn't respond.

"Sir?" Coulson asked.

"Assemble the Avengers."

oOo

"Are you sure I'm ready for this?"

"Funny," Coulson said, although he didn't laugh or even crack a smile. "I was just going to ask you that."

Kayla kept on talking like Coulson hadn't. "Because I've had practice, six months' worth of practice with the best, but not in real life situations. What if, what if something happens? What if –" Coulson cut her off, spinning around and taking a step towards her. Everything about his face seemed serious, all except the way his mouth twitched slightly. Great, he finds my discomfort amusing!

"You're nervous, right now, as Kayla Hudson. But I've seen you in action, as Shard. Out there, in real life." Coulson pointed at where her hands rested on her stomach. Kayla rolled her eyes at her code name, but it fit her along with her powers. "With your shards, you're not Kayla Hudson anymore. You're a fighter. You don't get nervous, because in real life, you don't get tested or evaluated. You're saving lives."

When he finished his speech, he finally stepped away from Kayla. She let his words sink in, thinking about her last training session a week ago.

oOo

"What if I hurt you, you know? Accidently shoot one of these at you and BAM! Training session over." Kayla gestured with her hands at the appropriate times. She always worried like this during a training session, worried since she had only been at this for a few months, not years like the other guy. She also worried because he wasn't her usual partner; that one was somewhere across the globe.

"You're not gonna hurt me," The man in front of her rolled his eyes and let a smile fall onto his lips.

"How do you know that? I barely even know how to pronounce your name, what's to stop me from taking you out?"

The man rolled his eyes again. Agent Whatever His Name Is reached behind his back and immediately, Kayla got into a defensive stance and pulled her shield out from her core. Even with her shield raised, she rolled out of the way as the object he threw was soaring through the air towards her, and prepared to fight back, all worries of accidently hurting him gone.

oOo

"Point made," Kayla smiled and pointed at Coulson, then narrowed her eyes at him. 'So you guys are testing me."

Coulson turned away from her, and she grinned at his back, wondering if he was grinning too. She reached for the apple on the table and took a bite out of it. After the destruction at Campus, Coulson took her to another base, smaller than the first. It was an Emergency Only base, a back-up for if something happened, like something did happen. Kayla's thoughts roamed, mostly on what she heard Coulson say on the phone as she had walked in. Barton's been compromised. She heard it earlier, when Fury had told her in person, but hearing Coulson say it for some reason, maybe because he was the second one to say it, to confirm it, made it even more real. She was scared for Clint, that he wouldn't be okay. Everything was becoming more real since Fury had said, as of right now, we are at war.

Kayla shook her head to free her thoughts, wanting to think about something else. Thankfully, Coulson spoke up. "Grab your uniform. We're heading out."

Kayla perked up. She was actually happy to see what her uniform turned out to look like. It had to be better than the alternative.

oOo

Kayla frowned at the sight of the uniform that would be hers. She would be disappointed at the blue and black fabric that looked just like Maria Hill's and all of the other S.H.I.E.L.D.'s uniforms.

"Do my eyes deceive me?" Kayla asked in disbelief. She didn't want to look like every other woman on the base, she didn't want to blend in. And now she sounded like she was whining. And she was. Who would want to, in her shoes? "I can't wear this."

"What are you talking about? What's wrong with it?" Coulson came up to stand next to her, eyebrows lowered in question. And she told him. "I don't want to look like everyone else. I don't want to wear S.H.I.E.L.D. colors because I'm not part of S.H.I.E.L.D."

She watched as Coulson's mouth moved, and she heard him mumble in frustration as he raised a hand to his forehead. He continued to mumble about her being a child, or something like that. Kayla grinned. "Can we change it?" She pulled her best most innocent smile she could muster and looked at the agent. It took all of four seconds for Coulson's shoulders to drop in defeat. Kayla jumped up, literally, in excitement. "Okay, let's break it up, shirt and top, then pants. And maybe show some skin?"

Kayla threw out a bunch of suggestions, babbling on and on about what she thought would look acceptable as a superhero. Coulson just shook his head, a smile slowly forming on his lips.

oOo

"New and improved?" Kayla followed Coulson, the memory fading. They moved to the other side of the room. Anticipation ran through her.

"I put a lot of thought into it." Coulson smiled, proud of his work. He stopped at a closet type thing and turned to the young author. "I think you'll like this a lot more."

Then he was pushing the door open and standing aside. New and improved was right. Though it was the same type of fabric - thick with armor - it was completely different.

She smiled. "Perfect."

End Note: Remember, review, bad or good, because I could use the feedback! And sorry again for the slow going chapter.

-OnyxRing