I walk slowly out of the control room. My head is throbbing and my lip is bloody. Loki escaped and his minions almost completely destroyed the aircraft carrier. Bruce turned in the Hulk and jumped off. Loki dropped Thor in his cage. Neither of them can be found nor contacted. Agent Coulson was killed. Hawkeye was returned. And our team is in shambles.

I lean up against the guard rail of the hallway. I let out a deep sigh of defeat and tears begin to roll silently down my cheeks. My lip begins to tremble. I am so beaten down. "What are you doing, Skylar?" I whisper to myself. "Why did you have to get into this mess?" I hear someone coming and I wipe the tears from my face.

"Hey, we got-- are you okay?" Steve asks, jogging down the corridor.

"Yeah, I'm fine," I sniffle. "Just a little... stressed." I wipe a sweaty section of hair out of my face.

Steve walks toward me and puts a hand on my shoulder. "It's going to be fine. We can do this. We can't quit now. That's just what Loki wants. And I don't think you want to give him that satisfaction." He gives me a weak smile.

I turn to him and meet his eyes. They are the brightest blue I have ever seen. I then return the smile. "You're right. I don't." I stand up straight.

"Then let's go! Suit up and meet us out on the flight deck in ten minutes." Steve pats me on the shoulder and then runs out the way that he came.

"I can do this," I say to myself and I sprint down the hallway.

I reach my private room in record time. I stride across the floor, excited to get finally get back in my uniform. I put on my short-sleeve leather jumpsuit with an inseam of just a few inches. I zip up my black leather thigh-high boots. I put my pistols in the holsters attached to my boots and hook on some grenades as well. I strap on my samurai sword.

I turn towards the mirror and admire myself. I put on a thick coat of black eyeliner and bright red lipstick. I then slide on my black masquerade-esque mask. I adjust my jumpsuit. I unzip it just enough to show just an enough of my seemingly perfect cleavage being created by a push-up bra. What? I want to look hot when fighting crime! I pull down my shorts to try to hide my scars. Now I'm ready.

I join Captain America, Black Widow, Hawkeye and Iron Man. We walk out to the flight deck all together like the bad asses we are. We load into the jet and Iron Man flies alongside. We fly towards New York City to take down Loki and fight the army he is bringing with him.

"Nervous?" Steve asks me as we reach The Big Apple.

"Not really. I'm more excited. I'm ready to take this motherfucker down," I spit.

Steve blushes at my language. "Me too," he says weakly.

We are silent the rest of the ride. I get myself pumped with some positive self-talk, a ritual I always do before I go into a big mission. I can do this. I am the best. I may have not fought in a while but I still got it. I just have to let go of my fear and anxiety. I need to let my anger and adrenaline take over. That is what being a perfect fighter is all about.

When we reach the city, an alien shoots us down. Black Widow and Hawkeye try desperately to even us out and land us safely. The ship is swaying back in forth. Captain America and I hold onto the ceiling for dear life.

"This! Is! So! Much! Fun!" I shout to the Captain, laughing as I get thrown around the inside of the jet.

"There. Is. Something. Wrong with you!" Captain America yells back, his face twisted in confusion.

"This is the most excitement I've had in a long time!" I yell back.

Just then, we crash land in the street. Cap and I jump down from the ceiling. The four of us run out of the jet, waving weapons and shield, ready to take down this extraterrestrial army.

"Let's fucking do this!" I exclaim as I slice my sword through an alien's neck.

I watch Captain America as he knocks out one of the monsters with his heavy swing. Black Widow shoots bullets into the face of another. Hawkeye releases arrows three at a time, taking out multiple aliens at once. Iron Man heads to the top of Stark Tower to meet Loki.

After what seems like hours of intense fighting, it doesn't look good. I'm suddenly grabbed off the ground and whisked away. The force hits me like a ton of bricks. Before I know it, I'm being thrown on to a rooftop. When I look up, I see Loki standing above me.

"Do you really think I'm not going to win? Look around you!" Loki gestures to the falling city. "I will be king of Midgard. I will rule you all!"

"It may look like you're prevailing now, but that will change!" I yell back at the God of Mischief.

"You, mewling quim! Are you really that dull? I'm--what do you say?--KICKING YOUR ASSES." Loki guffaws.

I stand up and walk toward Loki. "You are making a very big mistake here. Trust me. You will reap the harsh consequences of your foolish actions," I spit in his face.

"I think not." Loki stands up straight, chest out with pride.

I step away. "No one threatens me and gets away with it," I whisper. My heart starts pounding. Sweat beads at my hairline. I feel my fingernails extend into claws. The irises of my eyes begin to glow white. A skull-splitting pain racks through my head. All I see is white. All I feel is pain and anger. I throw my head back, screaming, and a bright white light shoots to the sky. I then look back in Loki's direction. I raise my hands and face my palms towards him. The bright light hits Loki and sends him flying through the windows of the Stark Tower a few buildings over.

The white light disappears and I'm able to see again. I pant heavily as I try to understand what just happened. I stare at my hands. My claws have not receded. I take out a knife and look at my reflection. Now my entire eye is glowing white. "What's happening?" I ask in disbelief. I then hear screams from down below. I look over the edge of the roof and see Captain America still fighting. "Let's fucking do this!" I yell out.

I jump off the side of the building, not even thinking of the possibility of being injured. I land on my feet twenty stories down in a thump, feeling no pain whatsoever. I stand up straight and assess my surroundings. "Let's kill some fucking aliens!" I scream out.

I sprint toward one of the monsters and slit its throat from behind. In the same motion, I fling a throwing knife in the chest of another. I then skip to another alien. I wrap my arm around its neck and stab it multiple times in the chest. It drops dead. I stand there, silent.

"Skylar! Are you okay?" Steve calls out to me.

I look toward Captain America. I see right through him. "I'm fine," I whisper.

"What?" Steve yells out, not hearing me.

I ignore him and get back to fighting. One of the aliens tries cutting me with a knife. I grab it's hand and flip it over onto its stomach. I climb on top of it and twist its head, breaking the neck. I jump up and stab another alien in the chest with my sword.

I continue my rampage. I slice some alien necks with my claws. I stab more monsters with throwing knives. I break more necks. I cut off limbs. At one point, my teeth even grew into fangs and I ripped the neck out of a monster with my teeth. I show no emotion, as if I'm in some kind of catatonic state through this whole experience.

When Black Widow finally shuts the portal and the rest of the aliens drop dead, all is quiet. Not having anything to kill, I let go of my weapons and stand completely still. My mind is blank. I am not really there. Something else is controlling me. My anger is controlling me.

"Skylar!" Steve shouts in my face, shaking me. "Skylar!"

Suddenly, consciousness rushes over me. My eyes return to their natural blue color. My fangs turn back into teeth. And my fingernails are back to their short, neat length. "Wha-what happened?" I rub my forehead.

"We won," Steve chuckles in disbelief. He puts his hand on my shoulder.

"We did?" I ask, looking up into his eyes. My gaze then drops. I see Steve's side is bleeding. "Oh my God! Are you okay?" My voice becomes panicked.

"Yeah, I'm fine. But the real question is are you okay? You got really... scary there for a little while." Uneasiness rushes over Steve's face and state of mind.

"I-I don't remember much," I stammer. I throw my arm up and then I see the blood. My eyes slowly move along my body. I'm completely covered in the green slime. I rub my chin and feel something wet. I look at my hand. There is blood all around my mouth. I look up at Steve, startled. I start shaking. "What happened? I don't remember anything!" My eyes fill with tears.

Steve bites his lip. "I really don't know." He picks up my sword and puts it back in its sheath. "Come on, we're going to get some shawarma." He wraps his arm around my shoulders.

I cry silently all the way to the shawarma place. Quiet tears roll down my face as I walk with Steve. I search my mind, trying to remember what happened after I blacked out. The last thing I remember is riding on the jet to New York City. I remember talking to Steve and then there is nothing.

Thor, Bruce, Tony, Natasha, Clint, Steve and I gather together at a table. I do not say a word through the meal. I just sit in my chair, frozen in fear. I don't even eat anything. Thankfully, no one asks any questions. They are either too tired themselves or too afraid to say anything.

When we exit the restaurant, some men in suits come up to me. One of them asks for me. "Ms. Hourani?"

"Yes, that's me," I quietly answer.

"You are under arrest by order of the United States government." Both men grab me.

"Hey! Stop! What are you doing?" I struggle as I am put into handcuffs. "What part of the government?"

"That's classified," one of the men answers.

I begin to panic. "Steve! Steve, help me!" I call out to him.

Steve grabs one of the agent's arms. "Let go of her!" He yells at them.

Thor then butts in. "Excuse me, sir, but this young woman is a fierce warrior and she does not deserved to be imprisoned!"

Then everyone else joins in. "You can't do this! She's done nothing wrong!" They all shout.

"Step back or we will arrest all of you!" The man says, voice full of frustration.

Steve manages to get a grip on me. He cups my cheek and looks deep into my eyes. "I'll get you out. I promise."

I am then shoved into a black SUV and taken away from my friends and teammates.

Notes

Oh no! Where are they taking Skylar? You'll find out in the next chapter!

Violet Shadow's Uniform: http://www.polyvore.com/skylars_uniform/set?id=52808574