Chapter Text
There are two colours in my head
There are two colours in my head
What is that you tried to say?
What was that you tried to say?
Tried to say.. tried to say..
Tried to say.. tried to say..
Everything in its right place
~ "Everything in it's Right Place" by Radiohead
Puente Antiguo, New Mexico
Kristina yawned and stretched her long, lean muscular body as far as it possibly could. She languidly sat up in bed, running a hand through her now messy short hair. Kristina wouldn't have loved it more than to crawl back into bed and sleep for another five hours instead of waking up at four in the morning, she had to go to work early. Mentally, Kristina groaned as she finally got out of bed to get ready and change. Why couldn't this have been done later in the day! She thought to herself. SHIELD must think of ways to torture their workers for their own enjoyment. Walking out of her room after getting ready and walking into the hallway, Kristina caught a whiff of freshly made coffee. She grinned slightly and sighed in delight. Thank you Erik! She mentally thanked and walked into the kitchen, where Erik Selvig was packing up some papers in his messenger bag.
"Morning," Erik greeted. "Ready to get going and get this over with?"
"Ugh. No talking until I have my coffee." Was Kristina's reply, pouring the black liquid into a to-go cup. She took a sip and sighed, feeling a bit more alert than earlier.
"Yep. Let's go."
With no further notice, Kristina walked outside and to her black car that SHIELD, her current employer, had given her. She was about to open it's door when her left eye caught sight of a hunched form sitting on one of the outdoor patio flip chairs. Kristina turned her head around and realized that it was her older sister, Jane, typing away furiously on her laptop; she would look up at the still pitch black sky, then scribble something down in one of her notebooks and use it for the computer, and the cycle would continue. Kristina mentally sighed. Did she stay up all night again?
"Hey," Kristina called out, walking over to where Jane was. Jane looked up and grinned.
"I figured you would've still been asleep."
Jane shrugged. "I thought I would wake up early and get started on some work."
Kristina had to suppress the urge to roll her eyes. She knew she was lying. Jane was always a bad liar. If she lied, Jane would look at something else that seemed more interesting- but not at the person she was talking to; and she would have her tongue pressing against her inner cheek, as she was doing right now. Kristina noticed the forming bags under her sister's eyes from lack of sleep, and a half-empty coffee mug.
Kristina glanced at the work on Jane's notebooks. It just showed how different the two sisters were. If someone had met the two of them together, they wouldn't think the two were related. They were as different as day and night. Jane had straight brown hair that came to her shoulders and gentle brown eyes. Kristina had brunette hair that naturally curled right above her chin, and dark brown eyes. While Jane was the ambitious and analytical astrophysist, Kristina was the confident and daring agent. Yes, they were different. Growing up, Jane was the star that shone brightest in the family. A star pupil in school and, Jane was a studious goody two shoes and the apple of her scientist father's eye. Kristina, however- was a different story. Staying in her sister's shadow, Kristina had a rebellious and outspoken streak- the artistic, creative girl that wanted her father to stop comparing her to Jane, and see her as her own person. It sometimes amazed Kristina though, that she and Jane actually got along their mother left, Jane had to play both roles as mother and sibling. Kristina was dependent upon her sister until she entered her teens and started becoming her own person. Occasional fights, yes, but they good to each other and had the other's back.
"So! What about you?" asked Jane. "You leaving already?"
"Uh- yeah, yeah!" said Kristina. "SHIELD wants me to come in earlier than usual. Erik should be coming out soon."
"What's the usual?"
"It's definitely not as early as four in the morning!"
"Hmm..." Was Jane's reply and she looked away from her laptop, "So... do you think you'll be able to ask Coulson or somebody about the coming along on my research?"
Kristina sighed. She knew Jane would bring that topic back up sooner or later. "I don't know, Janey... maybe..."
Jane's head perked up higher at this, but then saw Kristina's face. "But?"
"I'm only actually going there because they found someone to work with you on your research... studying that cube-"
"Excuse me?"
"Jane, please calm down-"
"Calm down? This is my research. My work!"
"I know that, and I tried telling them that but do you think they ever listen to me?"
"No one else should be part of this! I worked my ass off for all this-"
"I know that-"
"You know that I should've been in those labs a long time ago, right? And I don't need some person to babysit while I-"
"Jane!" Kristina snapped, causing Jane to be quiet. Kristina sighed. "There's nothing I can do. You're just gonna have to deal with it."
Jane didn't say anything and continued about with her work. "You're really not giving him up are you?"
Jane remained quiet as she continued working. Kristina sighed and said, "Jane, this is not good for you-"
"Then what is good for me then, Kris? Huh?" Jane snapped as she shut down her laptop. "He promised me he would return."
"Do you see Thor coming around here anytime soon?" Kristina was getting more frustrated by the minute. She hated to argue with Jane but she had to get that simple information into her thick head. The two girls didn't notice Erik coming out of the trailer and watching their heated argument.
"Jane, Kristina-"
"It's been six months-"
"Something must've happened. I can't give up-"
"He's gone, Jane." Kristina tried to emphasized. "You have to let him go-"
"Why?" Jane yelled. "He would never give up on any of us!"
"I'm trying to help you before-"
"Before I become something like you?" Jane snapped. Kristina flinched and took a step back. Jane's stance immediately softened when she realized what she had just said to her sister. She was about to say something when the trailer door opened again, reavealing a hellbound fury Darcy Lewis.
"It is 4:30 in the morning!" Darcy snapped. "I am still trying to catch some sleep before you drag me out of my goddamn bed, to work some more! Could you keep it down a notch?"
Darcy turned on her heel and slammed the door behind her. All was silent for sometime. Jane tried to find something to say to Kristina, looking at her with regret. It only made Kristina angrier.
"Kristina, I- that wasn't what I meant-"
"Save it." Kristina said curtly. "Last thing I need to hear is what you think of me. I'll see you later when I get back. Come on, Erik. Let's go."
"Kris-"
Kristina didn't hear anything else as she got in her car, and turned on the ignition. She waited for Erik to get in, and they finally took off. After some moment of silence, Erik turned to Kristina and said, "You know she didn't mean it, Kris. She was just frustrated just as you were."
Kristina didn't say anything but turned on the radio to drown out Erik, to drown out Jane, to drown out her thoughts. And to drown out herself. She hummed to the steady beat of Radiohead as she took the interstate highway to get to SHIELD'S temporary head quarters.
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When they finally got to the base, and Kristina walked over to her office alone, she let her mind drift away from her. Kristina listlessly sat there and watched people pass by her, waiting to be called into Coulson's office. If anyone had told her that she would've been a secret agent for a secret military law-enforcement agency, she would've laughed in their face and called them crazy. However, Kristina always knew that she wanted to get involved with some kind of law-enforcement field ever since she was twelve, and she'd engrossed herself with mystery thrillers and crime novels. It was five years ago, right after Kristina had graduated with a major in Forensic Science and Pyschology that the C.I.A had approached her with a proposition to work as a secret agent.
After six brutal months of training, she graduated at the top of her class. There was only one slight issue, however. She couldn't decide what she wanted to do. Would she work better on the field or in the office? That was where SHIELD came in. They offered her the chance to do both. And she took it. But sometimes, she wondered if it was ever the right decision. Kristina had thought it would mean fighting crazies and battling supervillans everyday of the year. But, up to this point so far, the only task she had been doing was watching for Thor to return and bring him to come work for SHIELD. Which hadn't happened yet, and may never will. Kristina could only hope and wish for something exciting to show up in front of her face soon. She was getting restless just staying in the middle of nowhere of New Mexico and doing nothing.
Seeing she still had some time left, Kristina took out her make up bag from her purse to put some on. Kristina wasn't a total girly girl-far from it- but in her defense, she always told herself that she felt "naked" without it. As she put on the last finishing touches, her fingers slightly touched an unwanted blemish near her collar bone. It was a light pink healed scar She had recieved it two years ago back when she was on a SHIELD mission. And she looked at it with resentment and regret. It was a hurtful, unwanted reminder of the past. A Reminder of something that she wanted forget, but couldn't let go. Wanting to go back on that day and change everything just so she could erase her guilt-
"Shouldn't you be heading over to Coulson's, instead of primping?" A voice interrupted her thought train. Kristina looked and saw Clint Barton, a.k.a Hawkeye, leaning against the doorframe with a smirk on his face. "Didn't know you had such a crush on the guy."
Kristina gave him a wry smirk and said,"You got me. I've been pining for Coulson for months now. I think it's time to show how I really feel about him."
Clint laughed heartily, followed by Kristina's. "Care to walk me over there?"
"Sure. Why not." Kristina got up and the two left. Kristina absolutely adored Clint. Not in the whole "I'm-in-love!" adoration- there were others to do that. Clint was more like Kristina's best friend in SHIELD. When Kristina first came to SHIELD, she hardly knew anyone. Clint and another agent Natasha Romanov- Black Widow- taught her the ropes around the agency and how to survive. Kris liked Clint out of the two of them. It didn't mean that she disliked Natasha, but they had civil regard towards each other, and that was where their relationship ended thank you very much. With Clint by her side and helping her, their friendship grew. Kristina always knew that she fitted more with the guys, and Clint was no exception. They talked about anything- as long as it wasn't anything personal. Missions, work, joking around with each other, hanging out- you name it. He was her best friend. Kristina eventually grew and like everyone else around SHIELD. Well, except Tony Stark. She couldn't stand the playboy billionare. All he ever did was try and flirt with her. Which was, at first, flattering but then became quickly annoying.
After walking for awhile, Clint and Kristina stopped near the front of Coulson's glass door. From where she was, Kristina could see Coulson speaking to Selvig and another man in suit and green scarf. She watched him as he looked around the room as if he were bored. He was handsome, Kristina wouldn't doubt that. The young man had a sharp face, slick back black hair, and vivid piercing green eyes. This must be the man that was assigned to work with Jane on the cube. Why did he seem familiar to her? Kristina could wrack through her brain, but she wouldn't find an answer and would swear that she had never seen such a man before. It didn't help that when she looked at the man, she felt uneasy about him. She couldn't understand it or couldn't explain why. Kristina escaped her reverie as she stared at the door.
"Is that him?" she asked Clint.
"Just came in. Name's Henry Page."
"Well, I guess there's no point in keeping them waiting." Kristina took in a deep breath as she opened the glass door and walked in. She smiled and shook hands with her employer.
"Mr. Coulson," She greeted.
"Agent Foster. Glad you could join us," Coulson nodded to her in acknowledgement, then turned to the man who was called Henry Page.
"Dr. Page," Coulson began. "Allow me to introduce one of our top agents, Kristina Foster. Agent Foster is a relative to your new partner and will be assigned to watch over the research. Agent Foster, Henry Page. Professor of Astrophysics at the University of Oxford, and one of the top astrophysists that we know."
"It's a pleasure." Kristina said, extending her hand to shake Henry's.
"Miss Foster," Henry Page cordially grinned. He took hold of her hand and gave it a firm shake.
"I'm happy to make the aquaintance of such a beautiful lady that I am soon to work with."
"A gentleman and a charmer, no less!" Kristina grinned, slightly flattered and astonished. It was summer, and they were in their worst month of the season, but Henry's hand had felt so cold. She tried to restrain a shiver as she looked into his dark yet light eyes again. How could anyone have such a shade of green? But it wasn't the problem though. When they looked at her or anyone else, it was like he could look into and pierce their soul- only to leave that person totally numb. To Kristina, it felt like he was a predator, and she were the prey. She didn't like the feeling. It made her feel so vulnerable- weak even. And it didn't help subside the feeling when this Henry Page would have this arrogant smirk on his face.
"Forgive me, but I thought that Jane Foster would also be attending."
"Not exactly," said Selvig. "Jane really doesn't go to meetings for SHIELD such as this."
"And not especially when it evolves someone like you, no offence. My sister is not exactly thrilled about meeting you. Or working with you for that matter."
"Ah. Should I be concerned then?"
"I wouldn't worry about it." Kristina shrugged. "Jane will hold grudges for a while, but it doesn't last long for her to do anything drastic. But, if it makes you feel better, I promise to stand by and protect you if my sister does anything." She smirked as her eyes glittered with mirth.
"Well, I guess I feel safer then." Henry said with a mischievous smirk on his face.
"Well!" Coulson said as he sat back down at his desk. "Now that we know each other, I suggest we get this meeting started and then Henry? I'll let you go with Dr. Selvig and Agent Foster, so they will take to where you will be working on the cube."