A/N: I'm back! How've you all been? Uploading this first chapter for the sequel to Solitary took longer than I expected, but it's worth the wait. I've written 8 chapters already so will able to post them regularly (I'm thinking once every two weeks?)

For those of you who haven't read the previous story, don't worry. You can read this without knowing anything about the prequel. The prequel was actually just a really long prologue to this story. If you really want to know...

A girl named Elizabeth Turner gets picked up by Steve Rogers after he finds her being hunted by an illicit underground association - S.A.G.E. - doing illegal biological experiments. She has the ability of telekinesis and force fields. With her help, the Avengers take down S.A.G.E. After this, she is under the protection of S.H.I.E.L.D., but not an agent (because she is underage).

That's pretty much all you need to know!

This chapter is just a summary of the previous story and a lead up to future events. If you don't want to read it, you pretty much only need to read the last two sentences.

I hope you enjoy this story. It's one of my favorites in this trilogy.

And so, let us begin!

I check my watch for the umpteenth time, cursing that final report that was due today as I hurry down the long corridors. Seriously, though, I can't understand the length of corridors on a jet like this. Surely, there must be a limit to these hallways. Or maybe they just go round and round. I'm late, I'm late, I'm very very late... I mutter the rhyme that the White Rabbit says in Alice in Wonderland, a tale about freakish happenings in a strange world. How fitting, I think. I look at the time and, even though it's against the "rules", I start sprinting. I'd rather break that insignificant rule than be late for possibly one of the most important meetings in my life. Finally, I turn the corner that will lead me to the meeting room. And then I bump into someone.

I let out a surprised grunt and then, after my initial reaction to fight quickly subsides, I say, "Sorry!" I look up to see the person who I've bumped into.

"No prob - " he doesn't finish his sentence as he looks at me.

"Mr. Rogers!" I exclaim. I am overjoyed to see him after all these years. I've wanted to keep in touch, but could never find a way. He's good at going undercover. There will be so much to catch up on... But my excitement is quickly replaced with fluster. I had direct orders to avoid him.

"What are you doing here?" he asks. As soon as he says it, he realizes the answer. With a dark face, he grabs my wrist and practically drags me to the room. I try to pull myself out of his grip, but I know it's useless. We enter the door with a dramatic slam. "Why is she here?" he demands of Fury.

"You're late. Sit down," he merely replies. Rogers reluctantly complies, still looking angry, which is a first for him. With a less patient tone Fury says to me, "I thought I'd told you to stay out of sight."

"I tried, sir, but he intercepted me outside the door."

"Sir? You call him 'sir' now?" Tony asks incredulously.

"Hi, Tony," I say, smiling slightly at his attitude, ever the same.

"You can't call him that! Then I'll be the only one who doesn't refer to him like that," he complains, already starting to sulk.

"Sir," Rogers starts, to which Tony gives me a knowing look, "you haven't answered my question. What is she doing here?" He enunciates each word in the last sentence. Fury sighs impatiently.

"I'm sure you've already figured it out, but she's here to join the mission," he states.

"Which is?" I ask, half because I want to divert the attention from myself, and half because I really am interested. It's my first mission ever, other than the takeover of S.A.G.E. And that doesn't count, because I barely did anything. Unfortunately, no one pays any attention to what I just said.

"So she's an agent now? She's just a kid," Barton says. He refers to me as if I'm not standing right in front of him. How rude. It was so hard avoiding him ever since I started staying here. He should appreciate that.

"I didn't pass the physical test," I say as my answer. Rule number one in the Dummies Guide to Deception: if you aren't confident enough to lie, don't say the truth. But, of course, Romanoff can spot that from a mile away.

"I thought you said she wouldn't join the team," Romanoff says, knowing that my answer has just implied a "yes". As always, her memory is perfect. I just wish it weren't so at this particular moment.

"That was when she was a minor. She's turned eighteen now," Hill says. I've met her a couple of times before during meetings and in the hallways, although I've never actually talked to her. As Fury's second-in-command, I don't think I really want to. I believe she's here to brief the mission, because I know she has a meeting in a couple of minutes. "It's up to her to decide what she wants to do."

"Just because she wants to join doesn't mean she should. You said you wouldn't use children," Bruce interrupts, drumming his fingers on the table nervously. He looks extremely uncomfortable, though I'm not sure whether it's because of me of whether it's because he remembers the last time he was here. I don't think it ended well.

"We have no control over what she does," Hill replies. With that, she leaves the room.

They argue for a little while longer. Over me. I sigh. This is getting much too similar to a conversation in the past. I clear my throat very loudly, so that they all look at me.

"Look, I'm here to help the team. If it is going to break it instead, I might as well not be here. So, I'll leave. Happy?" I ask. There's no answer. "I'm sorry, sir," I say to Fury, and then take my leave. He looks disappointed that I'm not joining in. I know that he really wanted to test my limits.

I reach the door and even have my hand on the handle when I hear it.

A great explosion.

A/N: This chapter was pretty much summing up everything in the prequel, but I thought it sets the scene well. The next chapter holds all the action!

Till next time!