The shower steam heavily pours into the bathroom as Altheas naked form steps out. She grabs her body towel from her shelf and wraps the cotton material around her. She then grabs her hair towel from the same shelf and wraps her long brunette mop into the cotton material.

Althea steps into her bedroom, and heads to her bedside table to turn on the small natural light. The room brights up greatly, revealing her neatly decorated room. She smiles as she looks around it. A reminder of her freedom. Her choice.

She runs her hand across the fabric of the clothes she laid out on her bed. A pair of leggings and her Brooklyn sweatshirt. She mind wandered to all the other widows out there. The ones that Drekov had successfully hidden from Althea. Her mind wandered back to her time with the Red Room, and it made her blood boil to think of another little girl living in those condition.

Althea took a deep breath, letting her towels drop to the floor. She shook slightly as the cold air hit her expose skin. As she slipped on her black bralette and panties, she thought about Strange.

He was indeed a strange man. She found herself reminiscing about his mysterious blue eyes and the way his hair flew as he leaned down to kiss her hand. Throughout all of Althea's life, she had never been as star-struck as she was in that moment.

With a sigh, she slips on the rest of her clothing before grabbing her phone and heading to the living room.

★

The sound of muffled laughing from the kitchen as Althea stepped into the living room. She decided to plop down on the couch instead of heading to the kitchen; to tired to make conversation. As she sat down, she hoped that Stephen were still in the tower. But she decides to push away the thought as she turns on the TV, and opens Hulu.

Althea listens as footsteps approach her, they are light and delicate; barely making a sound as they approach. She knew it was Sienna, so it was no surprise to her when the shorter brunette plopped beside her: two wine glasses in her hands and a pill bottle in her hands.

"Hey. I brought you some ibuprofen."

Althea clicks on Law & Order: SVU before turning to face her. She gives her a smile before gently grabbing the wine glass and pill bottle from her hands. Sienna gives her a soft smile before setting her glass down on the coffee table in front of them.

Althea pops a few of the pills in her mouth and takes a swig of her red wine before following suit. She leans back, listening as the intro finishes playing.

"Stephen left, not to long ago."

Althea lets out a slight 'hm' in acknowledgement, her attention remaining on the screen.

"You know...he seemed really into you."

Althea doesn't say anything, her attention remaining Detective Stabler as he talks to Benson.

Sienna frowns at her playfully. She knew that Althea was paying her no attention, because she did indeed take a liking to Strange. Althea was a very guarded and private person, she preferred to keep to herself.

Sienna moves closer to her, resting her head on Althea's shoulders. Althea looks down at her and smiles warmly.

"Come on, admit Thea. You liked him." Sienna says in a quiet whisper, one that Althea could barely hear.

"He was...a very attractive man." Althea whispered back as her gaze returned to the TV

Sienna smiled victoriously before snuggling closer to her best friend and drifting off into a deep sleep.

Althea looks backed down at Sienna after a while, and smiled at her sleeping figure resting beside her. She quietly clicked off the TV and laid Sienna down on the soft cushioning of the couch. Getting up, Althea grabbed on of the blankets of the floor and covered Sienna up before placing a soft kiss to her forehead. Althea then made the journey back to her bedroom and fell asleep within seconds of hitting her bed.

★

The next day comes in a quiet breeze as Althea sips her morning coffee. The advantage of getting up at the crack of dawn was something Althea personally enjoyed. The cool calm breeze of the chilly October air laid goose bumps across Althea's olive skin.

The intense clicking of a loud solid heel, informed Althea that Director Nick Fury had entered the compound. She was proven correct as the tall dark man stepped into the dim light. Althea smirked at him, her lips placed in a tight hard smile along the rim of coffee mug.

"Good morning Fury, to what do I owe the pleasure?"

"Morning Songbird."

Althea turns behind her and begins to pour him a cup of coffee.

"Not answering my question, Director? Must not be here for me then."

Fury smirks at her, leaning against the counter. He mumbles a small 'thanks' as Althea hands him the cup.

"Unfortunately Althea, I'm not here for you. I'm here for Stark."

Althea looks to him with slight shock as she sips her coffee.

"Tinman? Since when have you started coming to see him."

"When he decided to begin recruiting people for the Avengers."

Althea smirks at him, before taking a seat next to him at the counter.

"Oh, who has he recruited?"

"Some kid with spider webs and a magic doctor."

Althea turned to him slightly, remembering a certain stranger.

"Magic doctor?"

"He's names Stephen Strange, he used to be some big time neurosurgeon before a car accident destroyed his hands."

Althea hums in response, looking back down at her drink.

"You know him?"

"I met him briefly yesterday afternoon, When Sienna and I returned from Russia."

Fury returns her previous hum, nodding his head at her.

"We've gotten more information about the Red Room from your lastest extraction, we've pinpointed Drekov's location to somewhere in Budapest." Fury says to her

Althea turns to him with a look of hope.

"We've got him Songbird."

Before Althea can respond, the sound of perfectly lined footsteps make there way towards the two. Althea identified on to the sets as Tony, since the sound was slightly sloppy; his heel dragging across the floor.

"Hey hey hey, there she is! Good morning Songbird~" Tony yells as he cuts the corner

Fury and Althea both groan, but Althea's face perks up at the sight of Stephen. She smiles softly at him as the boys stand on the opposite side of the counter.

"Good morning Anthony. I didn't know that you could wake up this early."

Tony lets out a sarcastic laugh as he makes himself a cup of coffee. He turns to Stephen before motioning his arms exaggeratedly.

"Make yourself at home."

Fury let's out a cough as Althea finishes her coffee. Tony turns towards him and motions his right hand at him as he speaks to Stephen

"This is Fury."

Nick gets up from the counter and walks over to him. He stops infront of Stephen holding out his hand.

"Nick Fury. Head of the Avengers Institute. Pleasure to meet you."

"Stephen Strange." He says as he takes his hand, shaking it firmly

Fury then turns to Althea, who had just finished her cup.

"Althea will oversee you admission test. She is my eyes and ears. You impress her and your in."

Althea smiled at him as she placed her coffee cup into the sink and stepped beside Fury. Tony watched with a smirk, leaning against the counter.

"Stark. You're in charge of the simulation. What the Captain and Siren says goes."

"Aww..."

Althea raises a brow, and Tony stops before playfully pouting. Althea rolls her eyes before turning back to Stephen.

"Your first test will begin around 10." Althea turns on her heels and begins to head towards the elevator.

But she stops just short of the kitchen and turns slight towards Stephen, a devious smirk on her face.

"How well are you with physical combat?"