DEMONS.
( chapter one. )

▹

Edited 11/26/2015 @10:30 AM
Edited 04/16/2016 @12:17 AM
Edited 10/29/2017 @5:14 PM
Edited 11/6/2017 @11:17 AM

  MEMORY IS A FICKLE, TRICKY THING─ subject to sudden and rapid change in the face of turmoil or trauma. The only issue was that, upon being told those very words, Andrea Claire Jones could not surmise what could have possibly been horrible enough for her to forget a lifetime's worth of memories. Her entire identity.

See, when Andrea had been submitted to a hospital under the guidance of S.H.I.E.L.D's Director Fury, she had no clue as to who she was or where she had come from. The only real thing she could sure of was that chaos was now a tangible thing, and it swam in her veins. No longer just a word, disorder was now a direct extension of Andrea Claire Jones.

But, once admitted from the hands of skilled doctors and therapists who had concluded her sanity, Andy was thrust into the arms of S.H.I.E.L.D's protection. She may not have had a memory to rely on, but she had a place in the world and a new life to craft for herself.

  Or, so Director Fury had told her.

And Andrea took that leap of faith─ made her choice and had to trust that it was the right one. She didn't have a family to stand behind her or friends to lend their knowledge in her decisions. Only Andy could decide the future for herself. Only she had the power to make that choice.

  But, as her time with S.H.I.E.L.D lengthened, the female found that she didn't need those things─ and why would she? 

She may not have had a family or friends prior to joining S.H.I.E.L.D, but she had new ones awaiting her as soon as she arrived─ and they came in the form of the Avenger's. The constant threat of chaos may have swam in Andrea's veins, but the Avengers were the remedy to her fear and anxiety; a point of focus and a reason for why she must control herself.

Andrea would never hurt them, but she would be the cause of ruin for those who were brave enough to try in her presence.

Yes, memory was a fickle and tricky thing, but perhaps it was blinding as well─ and perhaps it was opportunity in hidden form. Or, rather, it was the lack of memory that gave her these opportune moments with her newfound friends. This newfound family. Andrea Claire Jones may have left a lifetime behind her, but maybe─ just maybe─ she had a better one waiting ahead.

Andrea pushed open the glass doors of S.H.I.E.L.D's entrance with a grin, her eyes looking up at the glass ceilings with wonder. A vast expanse of blue loomed above, while a whole colony of grey busybodies in pant-suits and pencil skirts swarmed below. Andy smoothed out her t-shirt, but didn't feel too self-conscious.

Besides, her delinquent revolt against S.H.I.E.L.D's dress code was an intended effect. She had an identity to make for herself, and she wouldn't let S.H.I.E.L.D. smother that beneath a bland sense of uniform. Why give her the keys if she was never allowed to drive?

Away from the main entrance, only the sound of Andrea's humming could be heard throughout the otherwise quiet halls of the facility. She was aware of the way many agents took to staring at her for the nonchalant action, whether it be in wonder or disdain. But, Andrea couldn't be bothered to take notice. She had a far more pressing matter to concern herself with.

Still, she couldn't help but reminisce. Andy recalled how awkward she'd first felt when walking these halls; like an imposter. It wasn't exactly a wolf in sheep's clothing scenario, but rather she felt like someone who had stumbled in by mistake and could no longer walk away. Not when so many expected so much more of her.

The first months after joining had been filled with an unshakeable anxiety. What if she didn't live up to expectations? She would never admit it to anyone now, but joining S.H.I.E.L.D. only felt right because she knew she owed it to them. Though, aside from her seemingly uncontrollable power, she still couldn't fathom what they saw in her that was special enough to recruit Andy as an ally rather than detain her as a threat.

However, after all the time she'd spent with them, Andrea was thankful for the opportunity to prove herself. She may have had a playful attitude and thought the zero tolerance for 'fooling around' was boring (hence the reason why most agents would have called her childish and immature, if given the chance.) But, she did her job and she did it well. Besides, most agents hadn't seen Andy on the field.

When she first started her training as both a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent and an Avenger, she was taught the importance of each mission. She was to do everything she could to get the job done and ensure that everything was handled both safely and inconspicuously. On the field, during a job, Andrea was one of the best.

Her skills in demolition, infiltration, sharp-shooting, and hand-to-hand combat protected her against potential threats alongside her rather unique abilities. Those said abilities included the power of telekinesis, teleportation, and telekinetic energy blasts. Though, if she was honest, Andy found that they weren't quite as helpful as one would imagine. She generally strayed from using them as they wore down her physical energy and required intense concentration.

Regardless, it mattered little to her; she knew who she was, and that was one of the greats─ with or without her powers.

As the brunette rounded the corner to the waiting area, she was drawn out of her thoughts as Steve came into view. This was it; the one reason she had come into work on one of her rare days-off. He was sitting in a chair in the otherwise empty waiting room. Andy smiled at his knitted brow, furrowed in focus as he read the newspaper.

A grin grew on Andy's lips and her footsteps fastened into a run, "Steven!"

The Rogers man lifted his head and, at the sight of the female running full-speed ahead, his eyes widened. He rose, tossing the newspaper aside just as Andy catapulted herself towards him. Their arms widened at the same moment. Steve laughed as the impact sent him stumbling backwards, but his grip around Andrea was as safe and secure as her own.

"Hello to you, too." The female pulled back as he set her down, grin still fastened against her lips. Steve had been gone for weeks and, in that time alone, Andy had grown antsy and unruly without her partner in crime. If the Jones girl was the madness, Steve Rogers was the method. From the very instant they met, the connection was there.

Andrea could still remember the day they pulled him out of the ice and when he had woken up. Strangely enough, she was the only one capable of getting through to him, and was the only one with enough power to convince him to join the Avengers. It had been a decision that they both had yet to regret.

Andy sighed, "If you leave like that again, I might just have to find a replacement for you." The words held warning as the brunette gave the Roger's man a pointed look. But, if the smile on her lips were any indication, they both knew it was an empty threat.

Steve's expression was skeptical as he replied, "Yeah, we'll see about that, Ms. I-like-going-undercover-for-a-month-without-telling-anyone." Andrea felt her eyes widen in shock as she gave him a half-hearted shove.

"Excuse you, but I was under strict orders not to spill the beans." She crossed her arms as if to further her determined defence.

Steve made a face, "Who says, 'spill-the-beans' anymore?"

Andrea rose a brow, lifting up the discarded newspaper between two pinched fingers. "You have no right to say that to me when the Internet exists and you're still reading newspapers." Steve said nothing in retaliation as he rolled his eyes. He snatched the paper and folded it neatly back into his messenger bag.

"Then again, it's not like you know how to use it," Andy continued as Steve gave an infamous eye-roll. She chuckled. Annoying people was what she liked to call one of her many great fortes. Steve was special too, because she got to annoy him every day. Not only were the two partners in nearly every mission they had, but their apartments were also situated directly across from one another.

  Really, he should feel gifted. I have a soft spot for him, she thought with humour.

"Hey, Steve?" Andy questioned after a long moment of silence had passed. The Rogers man looked up at the female as he collected the duffle bag at his feet. At her sudden and serious expression, he furrowed his brown in curiosity. Andrea without her playful demeanour was something Steve rarely saw.

Andy pondered her words for a moment. "Do you think," she began, glancing at him and noting his watchful gaze, "if you're not busy, can we go to that museum with that display of you in it?" Once finished, the Jones girl met his gaze evenly. The question hadn't been at random, but the recollection of her little-known past made her wonder at what it had been like─ not in the trauma that had led to her memory loss, but in the little day-to-day things she'd seen and done.

Truthfully, in spite of telling many that her amnesia was getting better, Andrea didn't remember any of it. All she knew was that there was a part of her that simply felt like she missed out on a lot of things. There were instances that brought back nostalgia, like the sight of books, and those feelings sometimes came with little flashes of curling up in an old armchair. But, truthfully, there was little that brought that sensation to life.

There was also the simple fact that Andy wanted to experience more normality. With all the things they saw on a daily basis, they deserved a break. Or, so that's what she thought. "Why?" She shrugged at Steve's inquiry. How could she explain what she felt without her words making little sense?

Besides, she didn't want to him to think that she wasn't appreciative of everyone's efforts in giving her a new life. "Come on, it'll be fun," was all she could bring herself to say. It wasn't very convincing, but she knew Steve required little of that where it concerned her. There was a smile on her lips as she leaned forwards, prying Steve's luggage from his hands.

The Rogers man heaved a sigh as he gave up the duffle bag. "I don't know, Andy. They might need us here." Andy rolled her eyes as she shrugged the bag onto her shoulder. Dramatically, she turned to the closest seat and threw herself into it. Resting her arm across her head, the girl proceeded to sulk in her seat.

"You just got back, and I'm sure if they needed us someone would've said something by now." The pair sat in silence for a moment before Steve took one small glance at the female. From beneath her arm, Andy watched as he ran a hand over his face. It was a sure sign of defeat, one that she couldn't help but grin at.

"Okay, fine. Just for an hour." He shook his head as Andrea quickly launched out of her chair. The brunette grabbed ahold of Steve's hand with a grin, dragging him out of his seat and forcing him to follow along after her.

Steve laughed at her enthusiasm, "Why don't you just teleport?" At his sudden question, Andy stopped abruptly and cut a glance his way. "Don't tell me you forgot about your own powers." A teasing grin spread across his lips.

Andy furrowed her nose at him. It wasn't often that this happened. But, when it did, it was usually because she hadn't been using them for a while. Andrea didn't necessarily like the exhaustion that followed after her abilities. It was always hovering just behind her, a feeling like weariness that seeped in with slow agitation.

However, Andy had only ever admitted the truth to Bruce about the after-effects. So, it only made sense for Steve to assume that she could use them without forgetting. She would have told him about what they did to her, but sometimes he had the habit of being too overbearing and protective. Hence, why she had asked Bruce to keep it a secret between them.

"Yes. No. Maybe. Who cares─ don't look at me like that," she said defensively before Steve began to laugh. Andy scowled in mild irritation, waiting for him to finish his fit.

"Oh god, I can't believe you forgot," he managed out.

Andrea rolled her eyes. Though, she couldn't deny that the sight of the uptight Captain America laughing was nice to see. She was glad that she was able to emit such a reaction from the ever-so serious man. In the words of Clint Barton, Steve had built up a reputation for himself. The resident hard-ass. While it was true, it was also nothing more than a facade he clung to and she, personally, didn't understand.

Andy finally gave him a shove, "Ha-ha, don't make me slap you," Steve righted himself after a moment, but his smile remained.

"Steve, Andy." At the sound of a new voice joining the conversation, both Avenger's turned. The pair's gazes landed on Evelyn, another S.H.I.E.L.D agent who was passing by. Evelyn briefly glanced at the Jones girl with a smile before her gaze was immediately drawn to Steve.

The action elicited a smirk from Andrea, who looked up at the Super Soldier as well. Momentarily, she indulged in the idea of setting him up with someone. "Hi, Evelyn." Both Steve and Andy's reply came simultaneously. The Gordan woman gave the pair a mildly impressed look before she continued on her way.

"I totally see it," she stated as they watched the raven-haired agent's retreating figure. Andy looked back up at Steve, who stared back down at her with a disapproving expression. It was a look that made the twenty-something-year old feel like a child. Andy hated that look.

"Don't even think about it. It's bad enough I have Natasha trying to set me up, I don't need you bugging me too." Steve's voice was adamant as the two began walking once more. Andy grinned as she linked their arms together.

"But, isn't bugging you my one and only job?" She teased, drawing out a chuckle in return.

"Yeah, sure," Steve told her and, without thought, the sound of a giggle escaped the brunette. She froze in place. Beside her, Steve tensed as well, turning to stare at his friend with bewildered eyes. Andrea felt her face quickly warming in embarrassment.

"Did you just-" Steve began.

"No," she immediately cut in.

"I just made Andy giggle." Steve dead-panned, to which the girl buried her face in her hands. Regret was instantaneous. She hardly ever giggled. It was something she felt almost physically incapable of doing because, according to her, it made her sound flirty (not to mention that Clint and Steve had made a $50 bet riding on their ability to make her giggle.)

Simply put, Andrea was more of a laugh-till-you-snort type of person, much to the embarrassment of her friends.

"Shut it, Rogers─ and I swear to god if you even think about telling-" Andrea was the one cut off this time as Steve turned and began to run in the direction of the training rooms. Her eyes went wide as she realized what he was doing, quickly racing after him. Though, she struggled to keep up with the Super Soldier's long legs.

Not to mention his ridiculously heavy duffle bag. "Steve, get back here!" Andrea called out after him, much to the perplexity of passing agents. She ignored them, mustering all the strength she had in her legs to catch up to her fool of a friend.

Steve burst through the gym doors at the end of the hallway. "Clint, I told you I could do it. You owe me fifty! I've accomplished the impossible, I've made Andrea Jones-" Steve was abruptly cut off as the Jones girl finally caught up, tackling the Super Soldier to the ground in a desperate last attempt to keep him quiet. Really, it was his own fault for thinking he was safe from her wrath.

It was a dramatic stunt, yes, but it was so incredibly worth it to see Captain America get taken down by a 5'7 woman.

The pair tumbled to the floor in front of the entrance to the gym. Immediately, everyone's eyes were on them, widened in shock. Though, Andy couldn't bring herself to care as she burst out laughing. "Oh god, that was so thrilling," she exhaled breathlessly. The soldier grumbled back an incoherent reply. "What was that, Steven?"

"I'm pretty sure I just cracked a rib," he repeated, wincing as if to emphasize his point.

Andy rolled her eyes at his dramatics and sat up. "I severely doubt I could've hurt you that bad," she retorted with disbelief. Steve scoffed his disagreement.

"Yeah? Tell that to the rib you jammed your bony elbow into." Andy could only laugh at his remark. She quickly picked herself up off the ground, grabbing onto Steve's hand and easily helping him up. As Steve brushed off his shirt, Andy caught Clint Barton's eye as he approached.

She grinned, and Clint mirrored the expression. "What's all the commotion about?" He questioned, looking towards Andy for answers. He was dressed in gym clothes; consisting of a fitted t-shirt, gym shorts, and running shoes. He was likely training with the rest of the gym's inhabitants. Andy shook her head.

"Nothing, absolutely nothing," she replied, though she would admit that her reply was a weak argument. Still, she wasn't worried. "Steve being an idiot, as per usual." This time, Andrea signed her reply to Clint instead of speaking. She wasn't great at sign language, but she was learning, and having Steve eye them suspiciously was priceless every time.

  "So, nothing new," Clint signed back and the pair grinned once more.

"You know," Steve said, "one day, I'm going to learn ASL and you won't be able to talk about me in front of me." That sent Andy and Clint into a laughing fit. Only when she was more composed did Andy reach out and clasp Steve's arm. She would have stuck around to chat, but she wasn't going to give Steve the satisfaction of revealing his triumph to their fellow Avenger.

"We would never, Steven. Now, let's go before these agents can gawk any longer." As she said the words, Andy conjured the energy inside of her to life. Her insides felt like sparking wires; skin tingling with the sensation of energy as it spread across her chest. She focused on their location, sharp and distinct.

The Jones girl cut her eyes to Clint's. "Catch you on the flip side," she told him before the the pair disappeared from sight. The world darkened, but Andy felt her grip on Steve only tighten before they reappeared in front of the Smithsonian.

She whooped out a cheer, "That went way smoother than the last time!" Andy's excitement felt nearly tangible as she recalled the recent incident of landing in the water fountain instead of beside it. She was getting better at this. Steve smiled at her exuberance before they began to make their way towards the entrance.

Once they had made it through security, the two began to work their way aimlessly through the crowds. Andy lingered at all sorts of exhibits. She felt like a child with all the excitement and curiosity that came over her. She looked up at Steve to point his attention at something, but faltered at the expression in his eyes. He watched her with what felt like sadness, but there was something else there as well.

She looked at him curiously, "What's wrong?"

Steve shook his head, "It's nothing." He paused then, pondering over his next few words. They both knew she wasn't going to let him just leave it at that. "I just admire you," he finally admitted and Andrea rose a brow in surprise.

Steve shrugged, "I don't know, I just think it's nice that you have nothing to ruin your memory of anything. Everything you see now is so new to you, and it's almost─" he faltered as he searched for a word, "nice; how you take it all in with a stride." The Rogers man smiled then, but it didn't quite reach his eyes.

  Almost? Andrea wondered at the word, but said nothing more of it. She figured this was a touchy subject to be handled delicately. "It can be for you, too," she told him softly. Linking their arms together again, she began leading him towards the war exhibits. "I know for a fact that we haven't been here together before, so we're both looking at things with fresh eyes."

When they came across the first exhibit of Steve, Andy's smile widened into a grin. Her eyes lit up with amusement as she looked at a replica of his old suit, videos, and other things pertaining to the Rogers man's past. Without haste, she was teasing Steve about his costume, drawing his attention away from their previous conversation as they laughed.

Together, the pair then moved onto the next exhibit beside Steve's.

It was of another soldier and, according to the videos and voice-overs, his name was James Buchanan Barnes. Or 'Bucky' as people would call him. It also said that he was one of Steve's closest friends and had fought in the war alongside him. As soon as Steve looked up at the exhibit, Andy knew it was a mistake to bring him here. His eyes shifted, and there was guilt there. It was a pain she could almost feel with him.

Andy was quick to deduce that the pair must have been close once before. She reached out, grabbing ahold of her friend's hand. Steve met her eyes then and she gave him a half-hearted smile before gently leading him away from the exhibit. She glanced around the room for a place to go next.

"I'm sorry," she breathed out, "I didn't know you two were so close." Andy kept her voice low as her eyes searched the room. Together, they briefly gazed at other exhibits, but nothing of interest was here anymore. There wasn't much that caught Andy's attention, so they were left wandering around.

"It's fine. He was a good friend," Steve replied, giving her a gentle smile.

Andrea returned it with comfort before a sign caught her attention. "Hey, let's go check out the old fossils. Maybe we'll find another exhibit of you," she teased, giving Steve no time to respond as she dragged him along with her. They passed by Bucky's exhibit again and, in an instant, something (or rather someone) caught Andy's attention.

It was a man, clad in thick clothes with a cap tucked low over his eyes. He severely stood out in the crowd of people with short-sleeves and open interest. If he's trying to go for subtlety, then this whole look definitely isn't working, Andy thought to herself. It shouldn't have bothered her, but for some reason she couldn't seem to take her eyes off of him.

Andrea furrowed her brows as she continued to study the man. She took note of the manila folder tucked poorly away inside of his coat. Then, almost as if he had felt someone watching him, he turned. His eyes were a jarring blue and they quickly connected with Andy's before she looked away, embarrassed by her blatant staring.

Though, she couldn't help but notice the suspicious way his upturned collar covered the lower half of his face. As both she and Steve hurried past, Andy couldn't help but feel curiosity take over. It was this said curiosity that influenced her to accidentally bump into the man's arm, pretending not to have noticed him in her state of embarrassment.

"Sorry! I'm so sorry, let me help you," Andrea said quickly, her tone frantic as her skills quickly kicked in.

The Jones girl kneeled to the floor, avoiding the man's gaze as she began to help gather the fallen papers. Her eyes breezed over everything easily, not finding anything of interest until a bright red sigil stamped on a corner of the paper caught her eye. She felt momentary confusion, then nausea as an incoherent memory seemed to form. It was that same nostalgia, but the flashes it brought with it left a cold, sick feeling in the pit of her stomach.

A black suit, with a red sigil stamped proudly on the chest. Weapons fired, explosions, screaming. A less-than-silent gasp escaped Andy's lips as a hand clamped down on her wrist, and she was brought out her out of her trance. She felt her interest immediately piqued. The hand was gloved, but something wasn't right about it. His grip was too stiff, too firm and hard-pressed.

Andrea looked up at the man, slowly letting go of the paper as their eyes met. He didn't say anything, but instead quickly shoved everything back into the file before getting up. As he did, something shiny and metallic slipped out from his shirt, falling onto the carpeted floor without a sound. Andy picked it up as she rose to a slow stand. She was still stunned by the entire encounter.

The female opened her mouth to say something, prepared to give the chain back to the person. Only, Andy stopped short when she saw that he was suddenly nowhere to be seen. Lost in the crowd of people that had surrounded them. Andrea curled her fingers around the object in her hand.

The whole incident made her both confused and uneasy. She was desperate to know what the sigil meant and how it had triggered her memory. With the training Andy had received for undercover missions, she should've gone throughout the entire encounter without suspicion. But, within the moment she saw that sign, her whole act became undone. Something about this file had to be connected to her.

This was the first memory of Andy's past life that had come to her so clearly.

A little freaked out, the female turned around, only to bump into a firm chest. She stumbled backwards, almost losing her footing but regaining it quickly. She looked up at Steve, who grinned down at her flustered expression. He didn't seem to notice the metal chain she clutched tightly in her hand or the way her features weren't a response to his sudden appearance. 

"Come on, let's go and find something to eat."

▹

You're going to have to rip deaf Clint Barton out of my cold, dead hands before I give him up. Also, please let me know how you felt about the way I wrote his scene. I've never written a deaf character before, but I'm going to do my best by researching and such alike. I know he can read lips and can still speak his responses, but I love how they both tease Steve with it.