The Mary Sue Virus: Lights, Camera, Avengers!

[ladydeathfaerie]

Title: The Mary Sue Virus: Lights, Camera, Avengers!
Chapter Fifteen: Off Guard
Fandom: something like the Marvel Universe, leaning mostly toward the Movie!Avengers branch
Rating: 18 and up
Warnings: lots of sex and violence, language, anything else i can toss in. probably some drinking.
Disclaimer: the recognizable characters and places contained herein are the property of Marvel and whoever the hell else owns them.. i'm merely borrowing for the sake of entertainment. no money is being made from this venture. the Sues are the sole property of their originators, dazzledfirestar, mistress_o_muse, ginevrasm, rylan_m, and ladydeathfaerie. the concept and title of The Mary Sue Virus are used with permission from Dazzledfirestar.

The Mary Sue Virus: Lights, Camera, Avengers! - The Index

There was nothing to do at Loki's stronghold. The only thing he had that she could enjoy were books, but many of them were in a language she couldn't read. He'd given her a chamber that he called a bedroom, though that was a modest name for the cavernous room. Her entire apartment could fit into the room and there would still be space left over for another one beside it. There was a massive bed, a wardrobe with a few changes of clothes in them, a series of bookshelves filled with ancient tomes, and several plush arm chairs. One wall was glass and looked out upon a strange land. There was a balcony, but she had no access to it. There was also a large, spa sized bathroom off the room that had a bathtub she could swim in.

She'd been stuck in the room for a couple of days and she was tired of its opulence. It was still a prison. There were even odd looking creatures posted outside the door to keep an eye on her, in the off chance she tried to escape. Other than the being that brought her meals, she'd been left alone in the room for days.

Days in which she'd had nothing to do beyond consider her situation. And why she was still in it. Logic told her that trying to make an escape would be disastrous. If her captor didn't capture her again, she suspected there were bad things that would be happy to take care of her for him. Logic also told her that no one knew she was gone yet. How she knew that, she couldn't be so sure. How they were kept ignorant of her absence was another matter. She was sure Loki had something to do with that. Logically, she knew this was all a ploy to hurt his brother and other people she cared about.

Emotionally, though, was another matter entirely. His words, insidious and painful, liked to jump out and ambush her at odd moments through out the day and night, Liked to play over and over in her head until she didn't know what was truth and what was lie any longer. She knew, just knew that Loki's words were all lies, that he'd played upon her insecurities to make her doubt her friends and her own worth. He'd done it to make watching whatever he had planned that much more painful. And he had something planned. He cackled about it, dropped hints that left her confused and curious, and gloated that this time, he'd finally make his brother pay.

It was hard to get up in the morning and attempt to keep hope alive. It was hard to go to bed at night and remind herself that they all cared, that they'd move heaven and earth and all parts in between to find her when they realized she was gone. It was hard to remember that Thor had said he cared. It was just plain fucking hard.

She wanted to punch Loki in his smug face, break his nose and watch him bleed. She wanted to see him made to feel as low as he'd made her feel. She wanted him to suffer and...

"Come with me. There's something I must show you," Loki's voice filled the room even before he was there. Astrid barely had time to register his magical arrival before he was tugging her after him. They exited her room and turned up the hall. He never paid any attention to her guards, even though they trailed after them. "All of my plotting and planning is about to start coming to fruition. You get to see your friends and loved ones fall."

She was still trying to process just what that meant when he pulled her into the empty great hall. They made straight for the basin, prompting the rich meal she'd been served only a few hours ago to turn heavily in her stomach. He was going to show her something else and she didn't think she could take it if it was more to do with Thor and the other woman. Astrid still couldn't stop thinking of them and wondering just what they meant to one another. The doubt and the jealousy was killing her.

Loki released her arm when they stood beside the basin. She risked a glance at his pale, pointed face to find that glee shone in his eyes and a sense of excitement curled around him that was kind of frightening. One hand reached out to wave over the still silver pond, bringing to life a series of ripples that raced toward the edges while an image formed in the very center. As the image spread, the ripples died. Very soon, Astrid found herself staring down at a tropical setting.

The trees were lush and green and the air was bright with brilliant sunshine. She could see a broad expanse of beach, the sand almost white. The water that lapped at the sand was aqua that changed to deep blue further out from land. She could see more than half a dozen men in black suits, too, an incongruous sight on a tropical beach. Some were talking to one another while others were consulting with other men wearing what looked like white hazmat suits. She saw all manner of instruments, some being used while others lay off to the side, ready for use at a moment's notice.

The scent of rich blossoms reached her nose and tickled it, wafting toward her on the warm, salt laden breeze that blew across her neck. That breeze made her aware of the sweat that clung to her skin, brought to life by the heavy feel of thick moisture that seemed to have sprung up around her in the past minute or so. A steady, high pitched beeping sound filled her ears only a moment before she heard the murmur of men's voices as they spoke back and forth. One of the men in white walked past her, stirring up sand that was warm and soft under her bared feet. She actually heard the individual grains pattering down to the ground in the wake of the man's passing.

Shock and awe warred for control as she took a good look around her and saw that she was actually standing on a tropical beach with what were obviously government employees. "Sitwell, be sure that those men are careful when they pack their half up. We don't want any mishaps on the flight home," one of the men ordered in a soft voice that Astrid knew she'd heard before.

"Yes, sir," a second man replied before turning back to the group of white clad men he was directing. She turned her gaze back to the first man. He was in a neat black suit, his white dress shirt striped with thin lines of soft blue. His tie was a darker blue with small grey lines making a diagonal on it. His sunglasses hid his eyes, but she knew who it was anyway. Not his name, but she recognized him. She'd seen him with Mr. Stark more than once.

Astrid didn't know where she was or how she'd gotten there, but she knew that man could get her home. She crossed to him, the sand seemingly sucking at her feet the entire way, and came to a stop before him. "Excuse me. Can you help me? Can you get me home? Hello?"

The man never looked at her. Instead, he glanced to one of the small groups of men and watched them carefully. She let her gaze slide in the same direction just in time to see them carefully packing a glowing length of gold into a box. There was some kind of head on it, something that looked like a pair of snakes twined around one another, and several large pieces of color that looked like precious gems. The men handling it were wearing thick rubber gloves. She turned back to the man and reached out to touch him.

Much to her shock, her fingers passed through his arm as if they were no more substantial than a dream. "Hello?" she asked, even though she was sure it wouldn't do her any good.

"The mortal can't hear you," Loki told her. He was simply standing next to her, his smile something unpleasant to look at. "Nor can he see you. We're here, but we're not here. This is a real place and the events that are occurring are real, but we can neither be part of them or influence their outcome."

"Why are we here? What am I supposed to see?" she asked quietly, unwilling to say just how scary it was to be there yet not.

"Where we are is of no consequence, Its a place you've never heard of before. A little island filled with people who are still very much superstitious and who believe in the old gods. As to why we're here," he stopped and swept his hand toward the group of men and their precious cargo. She could see that the second group of men in white were handling what appeared to be a second length of gold. It looked very much like the shaft of a spear or staff. Her gaze darted back toward the first group. One had one part of the thing, the others had the second. "We're here because it amuses me to see these mortals play at being gods themselves."

The man in charge held out a hand. Without saying a word as to what he was asking for, one of the other men put a black phone with an odd antenna on it. After dialing a number, or she presumed he'd dialed the phone, the man put it to his ear and waited. "Sir. We've got the artifact in custody and we're packing it up."

There was a pause as whoever was on the other end spoke.

"We'll be shipping it home in two separate crates. Putting it together will be dangerous. It has some magical quality to it that could definitely belong to Loki," the man explained. "One of the locals found the two pieces and put them together. The translator we brought with said the villagers swear the man was turned into a giant snake that slithered off into the water before they could stop it. They said that it came back to the village later that night and ate two children before they could chop its head off."

Another pause.

"No, sir. If there was a snake, the villagers either ate it or disposed of the carcass. But none of them want anything to do with the artifact. They're happy to see us take it off their hands."

He fell silent again as he listened to the other end talk.

"I'll be on a plane home before the day is out. I believe I'll be back in New York within two days. I've already contacted someone from our arcane magic department. They'll be meeting the plane and taking immediate possession of the artifact." The man paused one last time. "Thank you, sir. I'll be sure to debrief you in full detail when I arrive."

The man ended the call and handed the phone back to one of his underlings.

"Sir, we've got the shaft boxed up and on the boat. A team is taking it back to the ship as we speak," the one called Sitwell said, coming up to stand beside the first man. As if to punctuate his words, the sound of an outboard motor sputtered to life. Astrid looked out at the water in time to see a small boat start across the bay toward a larger ship anchored in the distance.

"You made sure to alert our men on board the ship that they need to keep the two pieces separated?" the man asked, his tone mild. Sitwell nodded.

"Yes, sir."

"Very good. Everyone pack up. We'll be weighing anchor in an hour. I want every person and every piece of equipment back on board the ship before then. We're done here and we're going home." The man walked away from Astrid, Sitwell at his side. A cheer went up among the men, the sound of it gradually dying away until she found herself once more standing beside the basin in Loki's great hall. Even as she stared down into the silvery liquid, the image was fading back into nothing.

"I don't understand. Why did you show me that? What does any of it mean?" Astrid turned confused eyes up to Loki. He simply looked at her, mouth set in a smug smirk of superiority.

"Mean? It doesn't mean anything, girl." There was laughter in his voice that set her nerves on edge. She was sure that this was something to do with that circle Thor said had been found, the one that had been made to summon Loki to this world. Why would anyone want to summon a god of lies and tricks?

Tricks. Lies. That was what that whole little thing was all about. She frowned at him. "You're responsible for the artifact and the magic on it."

It wasn't a question but he treated it as such. "Of course."

"And it has absolutely nothing to do with whatever is going on. Its just a method of distraction. To keep people from figuring out what you're really up to."

"I'm not up to anything. But you're correct. It is a distraction. I told you you were a clever mortal."

"A distraction from what?"

"You'll find that out. In good time. When its the right time."

"Then why show it to me now? If the big event is happening later, why show me this right now?" she asked, trying to understand. Maybe if she could puzzle everything out, she could warn someone. Somehow.

"Because, mortal, I want you to understand," he replied. This time, there was a hint of snarl to his voice. Her questions were obviously annoying him. But she was going to keep asking them so that maybe she could figure it all out.

"Understand what? What am I supposed to understand?"

He advanced on her, his face a mask of rage and anger. Before she could react, one hand reached out to grasp hold of her chin. His fingers were tight and painful. "I want you to understand that this is just the beginning and there's nothing you can do to change it. There's nothing anyone can do!"

"The beginning of what?"

Loki inched closer until his face was only inches from hers. Their noses almost touched. His eyes burned with rage, his gaze scorching and focused on her. "The beginning, clever mortal, of the end. The end of everything!" he spat, then shoved her away from him.

Astrid found herself on her ass on the floor, too surprised to feel any discomfort. Loki spun and stalked away to his throne. He didn't bother to look over his shoulder as he called to the creatures by the door. "Return her to her rooms. I tire of her presence."

She was still trying to figure out what the hell he was talking about when her guards pushed her through her bedroom door.

~*~*~*~*~

Alex was glad Miri was going to dinner with her. It was obvious that her friend needed the distraction if the way she'd been checking her cell on the drive over from Miri's apartment was anything to go by. Of course, Miri's presence would help keep her mother distracted from the fact that Clint wasn't there and Alex wasn't gushing about him. Maybe if her mother was trying to set Miri up with one of Alex's brothers, she wouldn't have time to ask about Clint.

It was a horrible thought and Alex felt bad for having it. But as she pulled up in front of her parents' house, she couldn't help the sense of relief that she felt just knowing that Miri was going in there with her. She watched as Miri reached into her pocket and tugged her phone out of it so she could look at it again. If Alex didn't know better, she'd swear that her friend had a hot piece of ass somewhere that she wasn't talking about. Shoving that thought aside, because Miri told her everything, she reached out and put her hand on her friend's arm. "I will warn you now. If you keep compulsively checking your phone while we're at dinner, I will take it away from you. You'll insult my mother if you do."

Miri blinked at her, as if she didn't realize that she'd been doing that, and quickly tucked the phone back into her pocket. "Sorry, Alex. I won't look at it over dinner. I promise."

"What's his name?" she asked the other woman as she reached into the backseat for the obligatory bottle of wine. The paper bag crinkled under her grasp and she tried really hard not to think about what had happened the last time she'd gone to dinner at her folks' place.

"There isn't... Hey! What happened to your arm?" Miri asked, one hand reaching out to touch the edge of the dark black bruise her long sleeved shirt kept hidden. The sleeve must have ridden up when she'd reached for the bottle.

"That?" Oh. Nothing," Alex lied smoothly. She didn't look at Miri, though. "I was working on a car at the garage and I dropped a wrench. Too much oil on my hands."

Miri glanced at her, but didn't say anything else. Alex took the keys from the ignition and tucked them into her pocket. That was a signal for the both of them. The doors creaked open ever so slightly and they climbed from the GTO. Alex thumbed the lock, waited to hear Miri do the same, then shoved the door closed. The other woman waited for her on the other side of the vehicle. When Alex reached her side, they made their way up the walk together.

It was Patrick who opened the door this time. If he was surprised that Clint wasn't with her, he didn't show it. Something that Alex was eternally thankful for. Her brother simply offered a broad smile to Miri, then stepped back to let them inside. Alex didn't miss the blush that stained Patrick's cheeks when he laid eyes on Miri. He'd had a crush on her friend from the very first moment Alex had brought Miri to the house. "Good evening, Alex. Miri. Its good to see you. Come on in. Ma's got dinner on the table."

Uh-oh. That didn't mean anything good. Alex plastered a smile on her face and motioned in the general direction of the dining room. "Then we'd best not keep her waiting."

"Right." Patrick nodded. He closed the door and followed after the two of them. Alex tried not to think about what was going to happen when she walked into the dining room with Miri instead of Clint. She was dreading having to tell her mother that she and Clint were no longer 'dating' because she didn't have a freaking clue as to what the hell she was going to tell her. She still hadn't come up with a plausible lie.

Pushing thoughts of Barton aside, as well as the inevitable pain that came with them, she amped up her smile and stepped into the dining room. Everyone else was seated, her mother beaming at her expectantly. Shit. This would be such fun. Before her mother could say anything, Alex closed the distance to the other woman and leaned in to give her a kiss on the cheek. "Look who came with for dinner, Mom," Alex said, taking control of the conversation before it could run away from her.

Mary Magdelaine looked past her to see Miri standing just inside the doorway. "Miriam! How lovely to see you, my dear. Come in. Sit and eat. We're glad to have you." Her mother rose from her chair to hurry over and hug Miri close. Alex took the opportunity to set the wine down on the table, the paper bag it had been in already disposed of, and take her seat. She was in the chair closest to her father and she was acutely aware of his considering gaze resting heavy on her shoulders. "Sit. Sit. I've made plenty."

Miri took her place, as did Mary Magdelaine. Everyone bent their heads, put their hands together, and fell silent while her mother recited grace. Several minutes were spent in silence as everyone piled food on their plates. Alex was just putting a bite of mashed potatoes into her mouth when her mother spoke. "Where is that nice young man of yours, Alex? You haven't talked about him since dinner that night." She paused and looked from Alex to Miri. "Did you know that Alex brought a young man home to meet the family, Miriam?"

"No, I didn't," Miri shook her head, turning a glance Alex's way. Based on the heat she felt on her cheeks, Alex thought it was a safe bet that she was blushing like mad. Fucking perfect.

"Oh, he was just lovely. I didn't even know Alex had a boyfriend until she mentioned him in a phone call. I was so surprised by it. Did you know she was dating? Have you met him? His name is Clint," Mary Magdelaine paused. Miriam turned to look at Alex, a question in her eyes.

"I didn't know she was dating anyone, Mom," Miri replied. "And I've met him. He seems a nice enough guy. He and Alex no doubt make a great couple."

Oh, God. The floor could open up and swallow her whole. Now was a good time for that to happen. Before her mother did something else that-- "They do, Miriam. It was obvious he was just crazy for her." Mary Magdelaine transferred her gaze to Alex. "Where is he tonight, honey? Something hasn't happened between you two, has it?"

Everyone in the room, including Miri, turned to look at Alex expectantly. "No, Mom. Nothing has happened between us."

"Oh, good. I'm glad. You'd better bring him to dinner next weekend, Alex. It doesn't do for a couple to be apart for long. And maybe you can find out if he has a friend who happens to be single. Someone nice for Miriam."

Seeing Miri's face go pale almost made Alex smile. But she still had an answer for that. "I think he might know someone. I understand Clint's good friends with our boss and that he's single. I think he and Miri would make an awesome couple."

Miri shot her a narrow eyed look. She was in for it now. Yeah. That hole could open up any time.

~*~

Miri waited until they'd turned the corner at the end of the block. "You brought him home? What the fuck were you thinking, Alex?" There was just enough censure in Miri's voice to make Alex feel a thousand times worse than she already did.

"She was trying to set me up with one of the neighborhood guys!" Alex explained, hands tight on the steering wheel. Couldn't this wait until... oh, never? "This guy used to tease me when I was six about being too scrawny to be a girl. I beat him up for it. I panicked and Barton was there. I wasn't thinking."

That explanation had Miriam frowning. It was obvious Alex hadn't been thinking. Jesus Christ! Why was she so alpha bitch at work, but she was damn near a wall flower where her parents were concerned? "So what now?" she asked. Alex didn't answer immediately, so Miri prompted her. "If you tell her you two broke up, it'll be worse than having to deal with an asshole neighbor boy would have been."

Alex sighed, her eyes locked to the road ahead of the car. Miri was more than certain that the other woman was blushing like a virgin on her wedding night. "I know. Trust me, I know. I don't want to lie to her anymore, but I don't know what to do." Alex took one hand off the wheel to reach up and rub at her face. "That whole night was fucked up beyond fucked up. I never should have asked him to go to dinner at my folk's house with me and I sure as shit never should have..." Alex's voice trailed off and her face went white. Miri could see it, even in the darkness of the car. "Oh, God. Shoot me now," Alex groaned.

Well, that didn't sound good. "Never should have... what? What did you do?" Miri asked. Alex said nothing, but her jaw went tight. She was gritting her teeth. A sure sign she'd done something horrible. Had she shot Barton? Miri hadn't seen him around lately. "I didn't see a report saying you shot him, so... What did you do?"

"Nothing," Alex darted a look her way, flashing a much too big and bright smile to be real. "Just forget about it. Trust me. That's all I want to do."

Miri blinked at her. Seriously? Alex thought Miri was going to drop it after she'd practically confessed to something horribly delicious happening that night? She had to be out of her mind. "...Nothing? Really? You ask me to shoot you for nothing?"

Alex shot a quick glance out the driver's side window, then gripped the wheel all the tighter. Miri could see tension running up her arms into her shoulders. Whatever it was, it was damned good. Alex wouldn't be fighting the whole thing so hard if it hadn't been good. "I might have slept with him."

The woman's voice was so low that, for a few seconds, Miri thought she'd heard it wrong. Alex had had sex? With Barton? "Oh. Well... fuck," Miri said. It was all she could say. Well, other than the fact that they should write it down on a calendar somewhere. It was a momentous fucking occasion. Last she'd checked, Alex couldn't stand the archer.

"My sentiments exactly," Alex replied. Her tone of voice suggested that she wasn't going to stomach any of the smart comments Miri wanted to make about this. The other woman snorted. "Its all my mother's fault."

Miri blinked at that. "How exactly is you getting laid your... No. Wait. You know what? I don't want to know that part." And she didn't. Understanding how Alex having sex was her mother's fault required a trip into the woman's twisted thinking that Miri just didn't think she was up to taking.

They stopped at a light and Alex turned to look at her. There was a haunted look in the woman's eyes. "She made us sit on the love seat, Miri. That big ugly floral thing that she said helped her conceive all of us. We had to sit there and my brothers..." Alex trailed off and turned to face front. The light changed and the car slowly pulled forward. "It was hell. I was shell shocked. I wasn't in my right mind. Which might explain why I tried to knock him on his ass. But I certainly wasn't thinking beyond getting away and I was certainly not thinking about how his ass looked in the jeans he was wearing."

None of that made any sense. Miri had to pick the sentences apart to understand what it was the other woman had tried to tell her. Basically, it boiled down to the fact that Alex was far more attracted to Barton than she was willing to admit. "Yeah. I bet."

Alex must not have heard the disbelief in Miri's voice because she never took her eyes off the road. Something about the expression on her face suggested she was thinking hard about something. "Maybe I can get a transfer to China or something. Then I wouldn't have to deal with her. I've always wanted to learn Mandarin."

That made her laugh. "I think your mom would probably hunt you down no matter where you ended up."

Alex huffed a breath. Mary Magdelaine would do it, too. They both knew it. "There's nothing for it, then. I need to have plastic surgery. Get a new face and a new identity. She can never know of this, Miri. She'd never understand." The last was said with a trace of fear.

"I'm pretty sure we could pull that off, but she'd come after me then and I don't want to deal with your mom when she's pissed off. So..." Miri stopped and made it sound like an off the top of her head suggestion. Which it totally wasn't. She'd seen this coming for a while now. "Why not actually... you know... date him?"

Alex actually took her eyes off the road to shoot Miri a serious look. "No office romances. Ever. Its a rule. And one I try to stick with. No good can come of them." There was such conviction in Alex's voice that it made Miri wonder what had brought her to that conclusion. Frankly, she was starting to think it was a good idea herself. It had been almost a week...

"Hey," Miri shot for a lightness to her voice that she certainly didn't feel. "You know I agree. I'm just saying. If its there... I don't know, Alex. He really isn't a bad guy and you could do worse. If the attraction is there--"

"It isn't," Alex said forcefully. "Now let's never speak of this again."

"Alright. Not another word. I promise," Miri replied. She watched as Alex nodded her head, shoulders losing their tension ever so slowly. She'd heard a few things around the base and curiosity was killing her. She'd just promised not to say another word... "But how was it?"

"Oh. My. God!" Alex managed to put a force into each word, a space between them all. Three words became three sentences that said absolutely nothing and entirely too much.

Miri lifted a brow at that. That was not the reply of a woman who'd had casual sex. "Really? So he can back up that rep? Good to know."

"He can totally back up that rep. And then some," Alex assured her. The comment came with a faint flush to her cheeks that said she was recalling just how well the other man could back it up.

Miri nodded. "Hmmm."

Alex flicked her gaze Miri's way. "What?"

"Nothing. Nothing."

"That didn't sound like a nothing 'hmmm' to me." There was suspicion in Alex's voice.

"I'm just wondering why you're so dead set against him. From the sounds of it, you two are compatible in bed. At the very least, he could be a release valve," Miri explained her thoughts. Alex went from calm to tense in the blink of an eye. Yes. Definitely something between them.

"He's egocentric. And arrogant. And..." Alex floundered, one hand moving rapidly to illustrate whatever word she was trying to think of. "Hell, he's something."

"Right." Miri nodded.

"He is," Alex insisted.

Miri shook her head. "I'm not disagreeing."

Alex risked a glance at her. "Then what... You know what?" she shook her head and turned back to the road. "Never mind. I don't want to discuss this any longer. There's nothing there and it was just sex."

Miri hummed in reply but said nothing. She saw right through her friend's denials. Alex could just keep on lying to herself, but Miri knew the truth. Holy hell, when those two finally got together... It was going to be explosive.

~*~*~*~*~

Astrid was at the windows, staring out at the unchanging landscape, when she felt a slight shift in the air around her. She didn't bother turning because she knew that it was Loki. Likely come to tease her with cryptic warnings she couldn't decipher. God knows she'd tried with the last one. But she'd been unable to puzzle it out. Not fully. What she had possibly figured out left her feeling cold and scared. Not for herself but her friends. Loki was going to destroy them. She was pretty sure that was what he might be trying to do.

"Come along, mortal. I've something to share with you," he ordered, one hand reaching for her arm. Angry with him, frustrated with her inability to do anything effective, she jerked from him. Spun and brought a hand up to slap him. She expected him to use his magic to disappear. She was utterly shocked when her palm crackled loudly against his cheek.

"I have a name. You can call me Astrid. Or you can call me Miss Pedersen. Just don't call me mortal any longer."

He grabbed her arm and jerked her away from the windows. "Treat me with the proper respect, Miss Pedersen," he hissed at her as he dragged her toward the door. "If you attack my person again, I will show you what a monster I can be."

"Respect is earned. Not given," she retorted. "You've done nothing to earn my respect."

He stopped and turned to pin her with an arctic glare. She got the feeling that he was trying to scare her, that he wanted to see her cower before him. She didn't give him the pleasure of seeing her act the coward. She stood straight and tall, met his gaze head on, with one as cold as his own. "Lay a hand on me again and you will live to regret it," he snarled.

A moment later, they were in the hallway, stalking toward the great hall. Obviously he wanted to show her something in the basin. She wondered if she'd simply see it as if she were watching a movie or if she'd live it the way she had the last one. His gait was quick, his long legs eating up the distance so that she had to rush to keep up with him. By the time they reached the door to the great hall, she was slightly out of breath and ready for a break.

The pool was rippling anxiously as they stepped up beside the basin. Loki waved a hand over it. The ripples died out as the image began solidifying. She saw a large table centered in the middle of a spacious room. There were plenty of chairs around it and only a handful of them were filled with people. Clint Barton was slouched in his seat, arms crossed over his chest. There was an empty seat between him and the next man at the table. Bruce Banner was busy looking at some papers before him. Next to him, Tony Stark was playing with some tech item he held in his hands. Then was Thor, looking pensive and slightly distracted. The black man was there again.

"Gentlemen, we'll make this quick. Recently, I sent Agent Coulson to a small, uncharted island in the South Pacific. Satellites picked up strange images." One hand motioned to the last man at the table. She remembered him from their trip to that little island the other day. He was still in a black suit, but the shirt and tie this time were a cream with brown stripes and red with tiny black geometric patterns. "He took a team with him. They brought back an artifact that may pose a threat.

"What kind of threat, sir?" Barton asked. The news had perked him up and he looked more attentive than only moments ago.

"Its a magical staff, Barton," Coulson began. "We're pretty sure that the magic belongs to Loki. There's a small tribe that lives on the island. Through an interpreter, they claim that one of their villagers found the staff in two pieces. When he put it together, it turned him into a giant snake that they later had to kill. We have no proof that their claims are the truth, but considering that Loki and magic is involved, we can't take any chances that such a thing will happen."

"We have the two pieces here at the moment. That's the reason I've called you all here," the black man explained. "We're going to divide it up. One piece will stay here while the other will go to the helicarrier."

"You want a team to watch it and make sure nothing comes crawling out of the box you lock it in," Barton observed. There was a sense of gleeful anticipation in his voice, as if he hoped that something crawled out of the box just so he could spend time killing it.

The black man, whom Astrid was now pretty sure was Nick Fury, the man who directed S.H.I.E.L.D., pointed a hand at Barton and smiled. "Exactly. You'll accompany Agent Coulson and the top of the staff to the helicarrier. Thor will go with you, too. Rogers is already there. Together, the four of you will watch over that piece. Banner and Stark will stay here with me. We'll keep watch over the shaft."

"Do you expect that my brother will attempt to retrieve the staff?" Thor asked, his voice heavy with concern.

"We don't know, Thor. If he does, the hope is that the staff being kept in two pieces, in two different places, will give us time to stop whatever he's got planned." Thor nodded at this, said nothing further. Fury glanced around at the gathered men and clapped his hands. "Right, people. Let's move. The ride to the helicarrier leaves in half an hour. You have that long to prepare yourselves. Dismissed."

The image faded away as the men were rising from the table. Astrid looked up at Loki and tried to figure out what this piece had to do with the whole of the puzzle. The look on his face made her ponder something. "That staff has nothing to do with what's going on, does it? Its little more than a distraction, meant to keep them on their toes."

"Yes. And no." Loki gave her a toothy smile as he pulled her away from the basin. They were going to go back to her room and he was going to leave her there. That was something she'd figured out right from the start. "It also serves as a homing beacon."

She blinked at that. "For what?"

"Tut tut. I can't give away the ending. That would spoil the surprise." His grin was positively maniacal. "Have no fear, mortal. You'll see soon enough what surprises are in store for your... friends."

The words had barely finished when she found herself back in her rooms. Loki was gone. And she was still no closer to figuring out what he was planning on doing.

~*~*~*~*~

Phoebe stood and stretched, working the kinks from her spine earned after another long day spent pouring over files that yielded nothing. She stole a look over her shoulder at Tony as he made his way thought a few more files before he called it quits. It still awed her that he'd quit drinking. Of course it hadn't been all that long, but he'd been sober ever since the night she'd learned about her parents.

She'd found out that he wasn't really any different sober as he was drunk. He was still sharp and witty, with a penchant for sarcasm and he still tended to babble unless she shut him up. It was kind of frightening and really amazing to think that the man's personality really didn't change that much. At least, not that she'd seen. To be honest, she'd only seen him with a few drinks in him. She was sure that there was another side to him when he'd had more, that he was worse. She was glad she'd never seen that side of Tony Stark.

"You know," he said, as if realizing she was looking at him. He hadn't turned away from the monitor, hadn't looked at her out of the corner of his eye. "Now that we're done here, we should go find ourselves a fabulously decadent late dinner. I know this great little place in Soho that serves the best sushi. You can change into something that isn't quite so frumpy and I can maybe run a comb through my hair and we can take a limo--"

She chuckled, bringing him to silence. "I would much rather a night in, thank you. Perhaps we can convince the commissary to bring us something."

The chair swiveled as Tony spun to look at her. "Why would you want to eat that drivel? That's almost as bad as..." he trailed off. She gave him a knowing smile.

"Your cooking." He'd made her an omelette once. That had been all she'd needed to know that, genius though he was and capable as he was, there were some things that even the great Tony Stark couldn't do well. "I'm fine with the commissary, Tony. The important part will be spending a nice, quiet evening in my rooms with you. Surely you can force yourself to eat whatever we get in exchange for that."

He opened his mouth, probably to make an argument in favor of going out. So she lifted a single eyebrow in challenge. That saw him closing his mouth. But only for a moment. "How about we make a wager?"

"Oh, no," she laughed. "I've already learned my lesson there. No wagers. Please, Tony? I really don't feel like going out. If we do, I'll have to share you with everyone and I'm not sure I'm ready to do that just yet. Besides, the boys like you. Would you deny them time with you?"

"Yeah," There was little enthusiasm in his voice. He was still getting used to Tex and Denver.

"We can play a game of strip poker after dinner. Winner gets to name dessert," she coaxed. She saw the light of passion flare to life in his eyes at that.

"Deal," he agreed, then turned back to the wall of computers behind them. She watched him return to his seat, admiring the way a simple pair of jeans clung to his backside before she lost the opportunity when he sat. His fingers made quick work of the open files on the computer. She saw each of them close down, one by one, over his shoulder. Soon enough, the monitor went black and he was again standing up. "Ready to go?"

"Ready," she nodded, then signaled to the boys. Both rose to their feet and trotted over to her side. When Tony joined them, Denver moved far enough away that Tony could walk beside her. It was amazing to see that they'd accepted him so easily, so fast, but she knew that they were good judges of character. Tony settled his hand on her back, then motioned toward the door with the other. The odd little group started forward without another word.

The halls were mostly empty, though they ran into a few people here and there. Usually it only earned them a smile and a nod. Some folks actually said hi. Tony and Phoebe didn't really discuss anything as they walked. She really had nothing to say and she honestly enjoyed his company. It was rare when he was silent like this, but it wasn't uncomfortable in the slightest. It was an intriguing layer to an already complex and amazing man.

Once or twice, Tex and Denver both stopped, ears perked forward as they simply stared and listened. They whined, too. But a bit of prodding from Phoebe saw them moving once more. She wondered at it, because it was unusual behavior for them. In fact, she'd never seen them act like this before. Even Tony knew it was odd because he gave her a questioning look. She just shrugged at him in response and kept moving toward her rooms.

As soon as they were inside, she motioned to the dogs to go lay in their corner. She watched as both Dobermans glanced around the living area warily before trotting over to their beds and settling in them. "Good boys," she called after them.

"That was kind of odd. Have you ever seen them act like that before?" Tony asked as he moved to sit on the couch. Phoebe stayed where she was, prompting him to lift one hand and hold it out to her. The smile he gave her suggested he was thinking dirty thoughts.

"No," Phoebe shook her head. Her feet carried her across the carpeting until she stood before him. "I wonder what prompted it?"

"I have no idea. How about you forget about the boys for just a moment and think about me?" His hand reached out and snagged hers, tugged at it so that she stumbled forward. Even before she could think that she was going to fall, his hands caught her by the waist and pulled her down so that she straddled his lap. "I have a really brilliant idea. What do you say we skip dinner and just go right to dessert. I was looking at porn on the Internet earlier and I found a few positions I want to try."

"You were not looking at porn on the Internet. Certainly not on one of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s computers. Director Fury would not be pleased with you. But tell me more about these positions. That sounds intriguing," she smiled and leaned toward him to kiss him. At the last second, Tony turned them so that her back was pressed into the couch cushions. Tony's body covered hers and pinned her in place. She smiled up at him and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"I thought you'd be interested," he whispered, his mouth close to hers. She found herself staring up into his eyes, the brown deep and rich like the finest chocolate. There was heat in them, and something that she was having a hard time naming. The closest she could come was possession, but that didn't feel right.

But those thoughts skittered away when his mouth touched hers. She moaned softly, just a little, and felt him settle more fully against her. The kiss started out soft and tentative. But he deepened it rapidly, until his tongue touched her lips and silently asked her to let him in. She opened to him, sighed into his mouth when his tongue slid in and tasted her. She speared her fingers into the lush softness of his hair, urging him on without words. One of his hands was just creeping up to cup her breasts when Tex and Denver growled.

The sound was startling enough to draw them apart. She might have told them to shush, but they started barking like mad. The short hair of their coat stood on end and they were staring at the door intently. "What the hell?" Tony began.

That was when a roaring sound, like thunder but so much louder and deeper, filled the air. The entire building shook and rocked, tossing them off the couch and to the floor. The air was filled with warning bells and klaxons. Phoebe looked at Tony, eyes wide. "What's going on?"

"I don't know. But I'm going to go find out," he told her, pulling them both to their feet. He pressed a hard, quick kiss to her lips before heading for the door. When the panel was open, his hand grasping the knob, he turned and looked at her. "Stay here. I'll come for you when its safe."

He was gone before she could argue.

~*~

"Have you set a date yet, Dr. Jones?" Cynthia asked, a smug smile spreading across her face. The question came at her out of nowhere, leaving her a little lost for an answer. Glancing up, she saw that the whole team was looking at her, each of them wearing their own version of that smug smile.

"Have I set a date for what?" she queried absently before turning back to the slide she held.

"The wedding?" This time, the question came from Jeff. It also brought forth a series of snickers that left her even more confused. She looked up and found that smug smiles had transformed into knowing grins.

"What on earth are you people talking about? What wedding?"

"To Captain Rogers," Nancy responded. Elsa blinked at that. What the hell?

"Why would you think Captain Rogers and I would be getting married? He's our test subject," she said, hoping like hell they wouldn't hear the blush in her voice.

"He's also absolutely dreamy and he's got a thing for you," Jeff replied.

"I think it rather inappropriate to describe our test subject as dreamy. And he does not have a 'thing' for me. He's simply curious about the process by which we'll discover the components of the serum. That's all," she told them sternly.

The response she got to that was a round of snickering that told her what her team thought of her assessment of the situation. She frowned and made sure everyone saw it. She apparently didn't have a good scary face because they laughed harder. "Seriously, Dr. Jones. Do you think we don't hear the gossip going around the helicarrier?" Danny sounded so supremely smug that she felt an urge to slap him. "Everyone knows that you and the good Captain are steaming up the forest room, turning it into a tropical rain forest every night. So when's the big day? Don't tell me he hasn't popped the question yet."

"Anything Captain Rogers and I discuss is related to our work," she returned primly

"So that means he hasn't popped the question yet. Pity." Nancy shook her head at that. "Seriously, Dr. Jones. You two make a really cute couple and I've never seen you happier. Not even when you were awarded the lead position on the new super soldier program."

Elsa stopped what she was doing and looked up at the others. She had half a dozen brilliant minds working with her on the project and every single one of them had been working with her before she'd been told that she would be heading up S.H.I.E.L.D.'s attempt at recreating Dr. Erskine's amazing serum. One of the things she'd asked for before accepting the position was that she be allowed to bring her own people in on the job. Fury had agreed, so long as they passed every single background check run on them. They had.

They were her family, each one of them a brother or a sister. And each of them now stood watching her, their faces plainly showing that they were genuinely disappointed by this turn of events. Shaking her head at them, she put her back to the work table and leaned up against it, arms crossed over her chest. "Captain Rogers and I are not in a relationship. I don't care what the current gossip is. Of course we spend time together, but its all work related," she told them. It wasn't exactly a lie, but it wasn't exactly the truth, either.

Yes, she and Steve spent quite a bit of time together. And they did talk. They also engaged in some kissing. Some really fantastic kissing. But they hadn't done much else and Elsa wasn't exactly sure what it all meant. They'd never really discussed anything related to a relationship, so she didn't know where she stood with him. Well, she thought maybe she did, but she didn't want to assume anything. And until they talked about it, until she knew otherwise, she was going to keep thinking it was a professional, working relationship.

Shaking her head at them, she gave them a rueful smile. "You guys shouldn't worry about me. Not that I don't appreciate that you care, but seriously. Worry about your own personal lives. If anything develops in mine, I'm sure you'll know."

They all took the rebuke with a smile and nodded at her. "Of course, Dr. Jones," Danny said. "But if Rogers breaks your heart, you just let us know and we'll take care of him for you."

She couldn't help it. She had to laugh at that. Danny was a tall, gangly thing who probably weighed one hundred pounds soaking wet. Most people looked at him and immediately thought geek. He hardly looked intimidating at all. Jeff had muscle, but Elsa knew he didn't know how to use it. Nancy was a short, kind of heavy woman who looked as if she was working on becoming the next Mrs. Claus and Cynthia, though terribly brilliant, had the common sense of a snail on a plate. The other two, Petra and Corey, were so quiet that she usually forgot they were there. Trying to imagine any of them attempting to put Steve in his place was so difficult that she just couldn't do it.

None of them took offense to her laughter. If anything, it only added to the sense of warmth that they all put off. They really were a family. "Good luck with that," she told them, a smile curving up her lips. "Now. Let's get back to work. We've still got a long way to go before we've got this completely figured out. Director Fury is counting on us."

No one argued. Instead, they turned back to their work stations and once more put their brilliant minds to use. The lab lapsed into silence, nothing but the hum of the machines to break the quiet. Elsa went back to checking her slides and jotting down her findings. They'd all worked together long enough that they knew the routine. Fell into it easily. They had gotten to a stage in their working relationship where talking wasn't necessary. So silence had become something normal.

An interruption of that comfortable silence was not normal.

The helicarrier was a floating fortress that was home to hundreds of people. In deference to it being both workplace and home for so many, the ship had been sound proofed so that no one could hear the engines that kept it afloat or any other jarring noises that might otherwise remind them that they were, in fact, thousands of feet in the air. It wasn't often that people heard anything outside their doors, much less from outside the hull of the carrier. And the lab had been set up in the very middle of the ship, so they rarely heard anything at all.

That day, they heard something. It sounded like an explosion, the echo faint and distant. Almost tinny. And that sound brought everyone's head up in surprise and confusion. Before anyone could ask the obvious question, there was another echoing sound. And another. And was it Elsa's imagination or did the ship rock ever so slightly?

"Dr. Jones? What's going on?" Petra was the one who asked the question on all their minds.

"I don't know. Let me call someone and find out," she replied, already heading for the phone. Her progress to her desk and the phone on it was halt when the ship actually lurched to the side. Just enough to throw her into a table. If she hadn't grabbed for the edge quickly, she might have fallen down. Everyone stared at her in shock. She was just opening her mouth to call for calm and order when red lights mounted in the ceiling began spinning and a warning siren roared to life.

"Dr. Jones?" Nancy's voice quivered ever so slightly with fear.

"Everyone to their quarters!" she ordered, filling her words with authority so that they'd obey without hesitation. "I don't know what's going on, but its obviously nothing good. So I want you all to go to your quarters now. Don't run. Remain calm. Go."

Jeff glanced around at the tables in dismay. "But the research..." Elsa shot a look at him that halted his words.

"I'll take care of securing our research. Just go," she told him, then turned to look at Danny. "And don't you dare try to argue with me. I'm the head of the program. Making sure that the data is secured is my job. I won't be long."

There was another booming noise and the ship rocked again. The group looked as if they were going to protest yet again, so Elsa merely glared and pointed at the door. Slowly, one by one, they filed out of the room and Elsa was alone.

She had no idea what was going on, but it sounded as if it was serious. With nothing more on her mind than locking everything up, she went about her task with grim determination. The quicker she got it done, the sooner she could return to her quarters to wait out whatever it was that was happening. Maybe, when it was all said and done, Steve would come tell her what had been going on.

She was still considering Steve when another roaring sound filled the air. The floor beneath her rocked and buckled, throwing her off her feet. There was a creaking sound. Elsa looked up just in time to see one of the heavy book cases falling away from the wall.

Right toward her.

~*~*~*~*~

"Come with me. Its time." Loki's voice dragged Astrid from a light doze even as his hands dragged her from the welcoming comfort of the thick bedding surrounding her. She struggled to bring herself fully awake, her feet stumbling over one another when her captor pulled her into the hallway and toward the great hall. Her heart sank with the idea, because she didn't want to see anything else in that weird basin of his. She was god damned tired of his cryptic speeches and not understanding what the hell was going on. She was god damned tired of feeling helpless.

That helplessness was what saw her yanking her arm from his hold angrily. Loki turned to face her, eyes blazing. She wasn't afraid of him. Not anymore. Crossing her arms over her chest, she glared up at him. "I'm done with this shit. Tell me what the fuck is going on and tell me now!"

"Do you really think it wise to test me, girl?" he asked, doing his best to try and intimidate her.

Astrid rose up on tiptoes and shoved a finger into her chest. "Listen here, buddy. Maybe your act frightens other people, but I'm not scared of you. You're nothing more than a spoiled brat having a tantrum. You think that by bullying people, you can get them to do what you want. Guess what? That isn't happening. I hate bullies. I'm not going to let you push me around. So either tell me what the hell is going on here or do whatever you're going to do to me. I'm done."

"Very well." There was a frightening calm to his voice when he spoke. Before she could react, he took hold of her again and, the next thing she knew, she was standing beside the basin. And an image was already forming.

Actually, it was a pair of images. The surface of the pool showed two different scenes side by side. One showed a large, sprawling building complex that covered a great deal of land. She could see fires burning in various areas. There were people running around, all of them wearing black uniforms or suits. Explosions rocked the buildings and people fired guns at other people. The image sank into the interior of the buildings and she saw more people fighting. With guns or their hands. It was a whirlwind of activity, rushed and confusing. Briefly, she caught sight of Miri and Alex, battling with enemy forces at a ratio of four to one.

They were backing one another up, both of them without weapons. Some of their opponents were carrying guns, had them aimed and ready to fire. The urge to shout at them was strong, but she knew they wouldn't hear her. All she could do was hope and pray. One of the enemy combatants fired his gun. Oh, God. Someone was going to die.

The entire area exploded with fire and debris, people lost in the smoke and flames. And then the image was gone as the second one ate it up.

She found herself staring at a large ship just hanging in midair. Smaller planes surrounded it, firing off rounds of ammo and what looked like rockets. Holy shit. The helicarrier. Someone was attacking the helicarrier.

Fires burned here and there, plumes of black smoke rising up into the sky. It almost looked like the huge airship was listing to one side. She turned her gaze toward Loki and saw him grinning, the look dark and frightening on his pale face. This was what his end game had been. It all suddenly made sense to her. The summoning circle that S.H.I.E.L.D. had found. The staff. He'd called it a homing beacon. It had drawn whoever he was working with to the two main S.H.I.E.L.D. installations. Their base and their air ship. How many people were going to die because he hated his brother? How many of her friends would be injured or killed?

The smoke in the air tickled her throat, bringing a cough up from her lungs. Her eyes stung and burned. She could hear people shouting orders, feet hammering the floor. Gunfire and screams of pain. That was when she realized that she'd once again been sucked into the real world through Loki's pool. Glancing around, she saw him standing just behind her, staring at something over her head.

Astrid turned and looked, found Thor standing at the end of the hall with Agent Coulson, Clint Barton and Steve Rogers. The four men looked tense and on edge. She knew it was futile, but she had to try and tell them that Loki was responsible for this. She darted forward, her captor's voice echoing up the hall. "They won't be able to see or hear you! They can't help you. And they can't stop this!" His laughter, unhinged and filled with madness, followed after her.

"We need to get off this thing before it starts sinking," Rogers was telling the other men.

"We can't leave the helicarrier unprotected." This from Coulson. "Someone has to stay and attempt to helm it until destruction is imminent."

"That's suicide, sir," Barton replied, eyes constantly moving around them. Always alert. Always looking for the enemy. Always ready.

"We can't risk the helicarrier ending up in the hands of our enemies." Coulson's mouth twitched ever so slightly, the hint of a deadly smirk. "But that doesn't mean we can't take as many of them down with us as possible."

Barton smiled. He just plain smiled, his eyes lighting up with the chance to kill something. Even Rogers looked a little pleased by the information. Thor was the only one who didn't appear entirely jazzed with the unofficial order.

"What would you have us do?" Rogers asked, already planning. Astrid could see it in his face.

"Barton, find a nest. Pick them off as quickly and as quietly as possible. Hit the armory and take whatever you need. Captain, you and your shield can do whatever damage you like. Thor, take out their planes."

"Consider it done," Thor nodded his head in agreement. He fell silent a moment, obviously pondering something. Then he spoke again. "I may be able to keep the helicarrier from crashing. If it comes to it, I can try and slow its descent. Perhaps even set it down before it can hit the ground."

Coulson stared at him, then nodded his head and pulled his weapon. "Good. Gentlemen. Positions."

"Where will you be, sir?" Barton asked, a hint of amusement coloring his voice. When Coulson only looked at him, Barton smirked and went on. "I only ask because I'd hate to hit you accidentally."

"Hit me and you'll never come up from the paperwork involved, Barton."

"Yes, sir."

That small bit of humor saw the men splitting up and going their separate ways. Everyone but Thor went up one hall or another. The blonde stood there in the corridor for a while, obviously thinking about something. As if he sensed that there was more to this than what they saw before them. His eyes traveled around the corridor as if he was seeking out something or someone. Then he shook his head and began walking away.

Astrid took a chance.

She dashed after him and reached out a hand toward him. "Thor, wait!"

"He can't hear you," Loki snarled. She wasn't sure, but she thought she heard a hint of panic in his voice.

"Thor! Its Loki! Loki's behind this! Thor, please. Help me," Astrid's hand found his arm. She thought she felt the warmth of his skin against hers for just a moment before her fingers slipped through the limb. Loki's hand was there to jerk her back.

But it was too late. Thor's head came back around and his eyes found Astrid's, even though she was sure he couldn't actually see her. Then they slid away to land on Loki. His jaw tightened and his eyes darkened. Astrid saw his fist clench down hard around the handle of the hammer he held. "I swear to you, brother. If you hurt her, I will not stop until there's nothing left."

Thor was gone. The helicarrier was gone. Everything was gone. Astrid found herself back at the edge of the pool with Loki's hand gripping her arm so tightly that she could feel the bruise forming. There was impotent rage in his eyes. "What have you done?" he asked through clenched teeth.

"Sealed your fate," she shot back, voice heavy with certainty. "He'll come for you. And me. When he does, you're going to be in a world of hurt."

Loki let go a sound of pure rage, something between a scream and a shout, that filled the near empty room and echoed around them loudly. He turned to her, eyes blazing with some inner hatred she couldn't begin to fathom. The back of one of his hands caught her cheek, spun her and sent her to the floor. When she looked up, he was looming over her, the light of madness shining in his eyes. "By then, it will be too late. Your friends will all be dead. When he gets here, I'll kill him." His voice made the threat a promise.

She tried crawling away when he reached for her, but his hand found her arm and dragged her to her feet. Deadly promise glittered in his eyes when he stared down at her. "That will be the last thing you see before you die."