❝I guess 6am training sessions helped after all.❞

♡₊˚ ⴵ・₊✧⋆⭒˚｡⋆

Aurora

March 2004

I watched Phil carefully as he shot the air rifle multiple times, training it almost perfectly on the target in front of him. He turned around to face me, placing the rifle down on the ledge in front of him and removing his ear defenders.

"You wanna have a go?" he asked.

I blinked a couple of times, doing my best to understand his words, then I nodded hesitantly, standing up from the chair I was sat on.

"You don't have to yet if you don't want to," he assured me as I walked over to the range.

I met his gaze, and saw gentle understanding in his eyes.

"I want to try," I told him. "But I don't want to uh..."

I searched for the word desperately.

"Bang, bang," I imitated the noises of a gun.

"Shoot?" Phil suggested.

I nodded gratefully.

"I don't want to shoot anybody," I finished my sentence.

"You don't have to shoot anyone. You'd never be asked to shoot someone before your training is finished, and even then, you only shoot if absolutely necessary and you or your team members' lives are at risk."

"Too many words," I told him, confused.

Phil put his hand reassuringly on my shoulder.

"You won't be asked to shoot anyone for a long time yet," he shortened his earlier explanation.

"Okay, thankyou," I thanked him with a small smile.

I picked up the ear defenders and placed them over my ears, and picked up the rifle, checking the safety catch. Remembering what I had been taught, I removed the empty magazine from the side and picked up one loaded with pellets that Coulson had placed down on the ledge only four seconds ago, placing it in the space for the magazine. I clicked the magazine lock shut and pushed the bolt forward, before turning safety off.

"Remember, do it in your own time," I heard Phil say from behind me. "Don't pull the trigger until you're ready."

I nodded slightly to indicate I had heard him and aligned my eye with the rear-sight. I lined the front-sight with the target ahead of me and took a deep breath. As I inhaled, I held my finger on the trigger until I felt a little bit of resistance. Then, I exhaled and took another deep inhale. However this time, as I exhaled I let my finger pull the trigger fully, and it let out a loud, somewhat high pitched 'bang'. I heard a 'clang' - relatively quiet in comparison - as the pellet hit the target and fell onto the floor.

I pulled back the bolt again and pushed it back, before aiming for another shot, repeating the same breathing process.

I did this until I used all five pellets that were in the magazine, before I waited for my order to unload.

"Unload," Coulson ordered.

I checked the safety catch was on 'safe', then pulled back the bolt. I pushed the magazine lock forward and removed the magazine. I checked the chamber for any pellets, then pushed the bolt forward again. Turning off the safety catch, I aimed a dry shot, then placed the safety catch back on safe, taking my ear defenders off and stepping back.

Phil was smiling encouragingly.

"Well done," he commented. "You did well."

I nodded.

"Thankyou," I thanked with a smile.

♡₊˚ ⴵ・₊✧⋆⭒˚｡⋆

November 2006

Wrapped up in my own thoughts, I wasn't looking where I was going. Which is why I wasn't too surprised when I felt myself walk straight into someone as I turned a corner. My head snapping up, my eyes widened with shock when the files the person were carrying scattered across the floor.

"Oh I'm so sorry!" I apologised with a gasp, immediately crouching down to help gather the files.

The person leaned down to gather the files, and I heard them chuckle and reply, "It's alright, I wasn't looking where I was going."

Looking up, I took in the appearance of a tall woman, blonde hair falling in curls past her shoulders.

"Me either," I replied. "I apologise. I was thinking of a lot."

We both stood back up when I passed her the rest of the files.

"You're that agent that Fury brought in a few years ago, the girl from Sweden, right?" she guessed, looking me up and down.

"How'd you guess?" I asked with a smirk.

"You look about fifteen," the woman replied, mirroring my smirk. "No-one your age is roaming around the Triskelion."

"Don't ask my why I've not been transferred to one of the S.H.I.E.L.D academies," I told her, holding my hands up in mock surrender, causing her to laugh.

"Also, I'm seventeen," I corrected her with a smile. "I'll be completing my training soon. I think."

The agent chuckled.

"You must be doing well then," she told me.

"I hope I am," I replied.

She nodded.

"I'm Bobbi, by the way. Bobbi Morse," the agent introduced herself.

"Aurora Eriksson," I nodded, introducing myself back.

"Nice to meet you," Bobbi smiled, beginning to walk away.

"How old are you?" I called after her. "You look about twenty!"

"Twenty-two!" she called back with a laugh.

I smiled, watching her walk away, then I continued with my own course towards Fury's office.

♡₊˚ ⴵ・₊✧⋆⭒˚｡⋆

February 2007

"Fully fledged S.H.I.E.L.D agent," Bobbi commented, looking at my badge. "Wow."

I smiled.

"And Fury put you straight at Level 4?" she questioned, half to herself. "That's pretty crazy."

I laughed, taking my badge back from her.

"What can I say, I'm good," I flaunted. "And the youngest ever agent."

"I wouldn't argue with that," Bobbi replied with a shrug of one shoulder, sitting down on my bed beside me. "You're way too good to be just a Level 1."

I playfully nudged her.

"Remember that you helped me get so good," I reminded her. "I wouldn't have ever become so good at fighting without you."

Bobbi laughed.

"I guess 6am training sessions helped after all," she commented.

"Exactly, they did," I said with a smile.

My best friend chuckled, then sighed as her phone rang.

"Let me guess, your not-so-secret admirer?" I guessed with a smirk.

She rolled her eyes with a smirk, picking up the call.

"Hunter, I know, you wanna meet up with me tonight," she said. "Just stop calling me, I told you, I'll get back to you in a couple of hours."

I could hear her lover's voice, but couldn't quite make out the words.

"Alright, I love you too," she chuckled, and I smirked when I saw her cheeks flush red.

"Simp," I whispered with a smirk, to which she playfully pushed me so I fell back into the pillows at the head of my bed.

When she hung up, she put her phone down and mock glared at me.

"You are so dead," she warned, a smirk playing on her lips.

"I'd like to see you try," I jeered sassily.

"God dammit, you're way too much of a teenager for this," she laughed.

"For what?" I demanded, sitting up.

"I'll tell you when you're older," she laughed.

"Aw," I pouted, but couldn't help my face breaking into a smile.

We sat in silence for a moment when Bobbi passed me my badge back, then she stood up.

"I've gotta go, see you later?"

"Alright, see you," I waved to her as she left my room, closing the door quietly behind her.