❝ Even the darkest night will end and the sun will rise ❞

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Victor Hugo

Walk. Turn. Right. Breathe. Glance. Shoulder. Shadow. Speed up, don't slow down. It was as though every single move she made and every single place she went it felt as he was hot on her heels. It had started with simple letters. How he missed her and how he was sorry-- that he wouldn't do it again. They had only had three or four dates and when she insisted on going home alone he shoved her into a wall. Naturally, she called things off then and there.

Sure the letters were weird, no one wrote those anymore. Journey was more so concerned about how he had gotten a hold of her address. When the letters had stopped coming she thought he had given up. But that was when the phone calls started. The threats and the stalking. Without knowing what else to do, she flew to New York to get to Stark Tower as soon as possible.

Journey explained everything to her father and Happy over a video call as she sat on the jet. Mentioning something called the Avengers Program, Happy had whipped his phone out to make a call. Being a Stark came with some perks-- however what Journey had coming was definitely something she did not want.

The elevator ride up to her father's office seemingly took forever but once the brunette stepped out she realized just how empty the building was. A man dressed in black stood in front of her father's office doors, one of his eyes covered in an eye patch sparking both fear and curiosity in Journey's mind.

"Journey Stark," he spoke with a voice reeking of authority, "I'm Nick Fury. I run the Avengers Association. Your father has lent us his office to talk. After you." The man didn't seem void of emotion but as though he was done with everything around him. Journey had a gut feeling the curse he used most was motherfucker. She could picture him saying it, and it definitely seemed like something he would.

Journey's eyebrows furrowed and she strut towards the office. Her hand wrapped around the handle and pushed the door open, "Why do I feel like I suddenly entered a drama nov--Who are you?"

In front of her stood a man with piercing steel blue eyes, arms crossed and gun on his side in a holster. His dark hair was tied in a bun and while Journey usually despised man-buns he officially made it hot. His gaze and expression didn't even falter and he remained silent.

"This," Fury spoke, "Is James Barnes. He's your new bodyguard."