A soft beeping woke me. The comforting weight of my armor and backpack were gone, replaced with a blanket. It was too white. The place I was laying was soft, but a bit narrow. Better than sleeping on a boat in metal.

"There she is." It was a voice I didn't recognize. I jerked myself upright, only to find wires everywhere. They tugged uncomfortably but I found the speaker.

Dressed in all black, in the same coat as I had seen him in before, Nick Fury watched me with his one good eye setting aside some magazine he must have been reading. He was in one of those uncomfortable wooden chairs, but he didn't seem to mind. He looked me over for a long moment. "I forgot just how young you are." He mentioned casually.

"Where am I?" I asked even as my brain seemed to catch up with me.

"You've been moved to a secure hospital. That thing you have in you is a bitch to work around." He said motioning at my chest. I immediately reached up and felt my world narrow as Frigga's necklace was missing.

"Where are my things?"

"Secure, just like you." Fury leaned back the smallest bit.

I tentatively called my magic and felt it flow to me easily. I nearly sighed in relief till I felt another presence shake itself awake at my call. The Aether sprang to my fingertips, but I had no clue on how to utilize it so I let the magic go. "I've been out for a while, huh?"

Fury looked impressed. "Nearly a week. Thor told us it would be better that way." I nodded, it made sense, even the healers had wanted to keep me under to recover. That was why it was so easy to call my magic.

I stared the man down for a moment. Letting myself memorize his features. It felt so long ago that I had first seen him, standing over me as I bled to death. Listening to the suave voice in my head taunt me as I died.

"So, what happens next?" I asked him resigning myself to laying back. Back on Earth, but at what cost? I had nothing here. No one.

"That," Fury said pushing himself up, "depends entirely on you." The room was awfully barren, mostly just white walls and the machinery that was around my bed. Not even a window. "You were gone for quite a while. So we cleaned up after you, so to speak." Fury began a slow walk around the room inspecting things as he talked. "You could join the Avengers initiative. They've gotten popular since you last saw them. If last week is any indicator you've got what it takes."

"The Avengers." I muttered remembering the group of people who had stood with me. Heroes. That's what the Avengers were. "I'm not a hero."

"I know a few people who would beg to differ." He walked over to lean against a wall. "If you did join the Initiative you could meet them again. I'm sure they'd be just thrilled to learn that you're alive and well. Better than well judging by how fast you heal."

"What would happen then, if I chose to become one of you?"

"I'm sure you could get a room in Avengers Tower. Tony owes me. Finish college, or get a job somewhere. Live your life. And when the world needs you….you answer the call."

"I have two birds." I began and he smiled.

"Yes, they're being taken care of until you can claim your things." Fury held out his hand bringing it rather close to me. "So, you in?"

"I guess I am." I told him taking his hand.

End of Book 1 of the Existence Series.

This story continues in the fic A Liminal Existence. Click into my profile to find it. And Thank You all so much for reading.

-Moriarty