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marysuevirusTitle: The Mary Sue Virus: Lights, Camera, Avengers!
Chapter Thirty Two: Going Home
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,![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
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
~*~*~*~*~
"Oh, my god. We're in Hell. Hell, I tell you. Suburbia Hell," Miri declared, eyes wide with disbelief as Phil guided the car down a narrow street lined with family vehicles and family homes that no doubt held two point five kids and a dog. Some of them even came with the obligatory white picket fence. "Why are we here?"
"The invitation came from an address on this street," he replied dryly, a hint of amusement touching his voice. She turned a glare his way before spying a yard littered with toys. This was definitely some level of Hell. Not that Miri didn't like kids or families or anything. It was just that those things weren't very high on her list of priorities and achievements.
"Who do we know that would choose to live in such a place?" she asked him, shifting her attention back to Phil. He gave her that smile she knew meant he was keeping a secret, then he gave her a slight shake of his head.
"I'm not at liberty to say, Miri. You'll just have to wait and see," he told her, then glanced at the nearest house briefly. One hand lifted off the wheel to point toward a house further up that seemed to be surrounded by vehicles. "We're almost there. I think that's our destination there."
Miri went into spy mode and started studying the cars. A couple looked familiar, but that didn't mean anything. A lot of cars looked the same. But there was a brand new Audi near the curb. Suspicious by itself. The fact that it had a license plate on it that read 'STARK1' made it stand out like a sore thumb. Where ever they were, Tony Stark was present. Hmmm. That probably meant that this involved at least one of the other Avengers.
She waited impatiently while Phil parked the car, pulling it up to the curb behind a big black SUV. He turned off the engine and pulled the key from the ignition. Miri unbuckled her belt and climbed from the vehicle, standing beside it while Phil made for the trunk and popped it open. When he pushed the trunk closed, she found he had a brightly wrapped gift in his hands. Curious. Very curious. She shot a questioning look his way and got an annoyingly smug look in return. Ugh. Why couldn't he just tell her what was going on? Why did he have to torture her?
Phil motioned toward the sidewalk with his head, implying they should start walking. Miri fell into step beside him, eyes taking in every little thing there was to see. The house they were parked before was done in blues and greys, with the proverbial white picket fence circling a perfectly green front yard. There was a large picture window in the middle of the house's front, panels of delicate lace giving the home a slightly modest look. Many of the other windows were thrown wide open, curtains drawn back to let in the sunlight and fresh air.
She followed Phil along the sidewalk and then up the driveway. They went through a gate to step back onto a concrete walk that went to both the front door and the backyard. He turned instead of going up to the door. Miri could hear music playing, though it wasn't very loud. Mostly for background sound. And there was chatter and laughter. Obviously there was some kind of get together happening in the back. They went through another gate, this one wooden with metal accessories, and joined the group that had gathered behind the house.
Miri stopped dead in her tracks and stared. She and Phil had entered a spacious backyard covered by a thick carpeting of grass and dominated by several tall trees full of leaves. There was a patio connected to the back of the house, upon which were several tables laden with dishes of food. A cooler sat on the patio at the end of the line of tables, the lid down. No doubt it held chilled beverages of the alcoholic and non-alcoholic varieties. A large, shiny new grill occupied one corner, the top up to allow the tantalizing aroma of grilling meat to float on the air. Several folding tables with folding chairs were set up under a few of those pop up awnings on the green grass, a few of those chairs occupied by familiar faces.
Director Fury stood with Maria Hill and Jasper Sitwell, deep in conversation. Fury had a bottle in hand that said he was definitely off duty, while Maria had opted for something without a kick. If Sitwell had a drink, it wasn't immediately obvious. Natasha had been surrounded by Alex's brothers, each of them staring at her with a look they'd all turned Miri's way a time or two. Natasha was smiling in return, not quite flirting with them as they listened raptly to her speak about something. If any of them knew she was capable of snapping them in half without breaking a sweat, they might not have looked so eager.
Mary Magdelaine and Brendan had one of the tables to themselves. Even from where she stood, Miri could see that Alex's mother was keeping up a running commentary as she studied everyone in what had to be her daughter's backyard. For his part, Brendan remained mostly silent, only commenting when it was obviously expected of him. Mary Magdelaine spied Miri and raised a hand to wave in greeting. A poke from her prompted Brendan to do the same. He gave her a genuine, if tired, smile and nodded in her direction. Miri waved back and made a mental note to be prepared for the moment she had to sit and talk to the other woman.
Another table was occupied by Stark, Phoebe, Astrid, and Thor. The four of them were laughing and smiling, obviously talking about something that they all found equally amusing. Tony had a bottle of water before him, as did Phoebe. Astrid and Thor had cans of pop. There was a tray of fresh cut fruit before them. It had likely been piled high at one point, but now held only a few pieces here and there. The last of their group, Steve and Elsa, stood under a tree near the back of the yard. Though they were at a distance and shaded by the low branches of the tree, Miri could tell by hand motions and body language that their conversation was filled with tension. Hmmm. Curious.
"Hey! There you are!" Alex's voice drew Miri's head around in time to watch her friend emerge from the back of the house through a pair of French doors. She had a tray of food in her hand and an easy going smile on her face that Miri hadn't seen in a long time. A moment later, Clint followed after her, his hands laden with six packs. "We were starting to think you weren't coming."
"Its good to see you, Coulson. Miri. Can I get you some drinks?" Clint asked. Miri watched as Phil wandered over to Clint and, after handing the gift off to Alex, liberated one of the bottles from its six pack. He twisted off the top and took a drink, then gave an appreciative sigh. Clint turned to look at her. "Beer? I've got your favorite." He motioned to the cooler with one six pack.
"Yeah," she nodded. Slowly. This had to be some kind of joke or a bad dream. Or something. She should definitely have a beer. It would help her make sense of the weirdness around her. Clint headed to the cooler and made quick work of stowing the two six packs he'd brought out inside. He came out of it with a famliar bottle, which he walked over and handed to her. Miri took it with a smile. "Thanks."
Alex settled the platter of food on one of the tables, then crossed over to Miri's side. Though there was a smile on her friend's face, Miri could see a touch of worry lingering in her eyes. "Would you like a tour? I can show you around the place a bit before dinner is ready."
A quick look showed her Clint had taken up a spot in front of the grill, tongs in hand as he checked on the steaks that sizzled over the open flame. When she shifted her attention back to Alex, she could see the worry had strengthened a little. Alex was afraid of what Miri thought about it all. "Sure. A tour sounds perfect. You wanna join us, Phil?" she asked, turning to look at the man. He smiled and shook his head, one hand gesturing absently toward the gathered crowd. No doubt he was going to go chat with Fury, Hill, and Sitwell. She nodded and leaned in to give him a quick kiss. Then she turned to Alex and made a motion with one hand that told her friend to lead the way.
~*~
"This is... not what I expected," Miri said as they walked into the master bedroom. They'd gone through the entire house, from top to bottom, and had ended here. Three of the walls were painted a really soft lilac color, the fourth, which was behind the headboard of the bed, covered over with wallpaper. The pattern was some kind of geometric thing in purple, black, and grey laid out on a white base. The windows, left open to catch the breeze, were covered by lace panels that had been framed by dark grey curtains.
"Its a big room. Almost as big as my apartment," Alex replied. Her tone might have been a touch too cheery.
Miri shook her head. "That's not what I mean. You and Clint in a house together. I'm surprised." Alex turned that slightly worried look her way again. "Clint didn't convince you this was a good idea, did he?" Miri didn't think he would because he had proven time and again that his patience with Alex was almost limitless. But the look in her friend's eyes told another story.
"No," Alex denied, a bit of anger creeping into her tone. "Of course not. Why would you think that? This was my idea."
"I... Oh." Ah. Alex was afraid of what Miri would think. "I'm sorry. The look you were throwing me made me think that you weren't certain about living with him."
"I'll never be certain about that," Alex laughed. Just like that, the tension was gone. Miri felt herself responding, relaxing to Alex's calmer demeanor. "You know how I am. No. I made the decision. He spent most of his free time at my place. He slept there more than he did at his own. I figured that was a sign that we should just move in together. And here we are." Alex made a sweeping gesture that was meant to take in the entire house.
"A house, though? Why not just get a bigger apartment?"
"I looked into the idea. Trust me. But this was cheaper in the long run. We have more room and more privacy. And Clint has his grill. He loves that goddamn grill." There was affection in her voice. This, Clint and his grill and the house, was apparently something she was very okay with. She turned a look toward Miri, eyes clear. "This is a good thing. I think its the right thing."
Miri nodded and glanced out the window that overlooked the backyard. The chatter was softer up here, the smell of grilling meat carrying up to them. Then she frowned and shook her head. "Really, Alex. The suburbs? Why did it have to be the suburbs?"
Alex snorted at her and shook her head. "You know how much property costs in the city proper. Why wouldn't I pick the suburbs? Besides, I grew up in the suburbs. There's nothing wrong with them."
"This is hell, Alex. You moved to hell." Miri smiled as she said it to lessen the sting of the insult. Alex flipped her off.
"Fine. You don't have to come out and visit us. You can stay in the stuffy, stinky, noisy city. You'll miss out on Clint's steak. Its heavenly. Speaking of. I have to get back to the kitchen to work on some veggies." She started for the door, intentionally bumping her shoulder against Miri's as she passed by. Miri bumped back, then fell into step beside her. She was still reeling slightly from the shock of finding out that Alex had given up her apartment in order to play house in the suburbs with Clint. If she was being honest, though, this was probably the best thing that had happened to Alex since Miri had known her. Clint had been good for her, had helped Alex break away from the rigid box she'd put herself into all those years ago. If she'd willingly moved into a house with him, there was hope for her yet.
Besides, Miri wasn't really in any position to talk. Not really. She and Phil were officially living together, comfortable together in an apartment that was just big enough for the both of them. Then again, she was still living in the city. She hadn't moved to suburban hell or anything. The house was nice, though. Lots of hardwood floors and lots of space. Almost too much space for just the two of them. Images of chubby cheeked babies rose up to tease her. Miri came to a stop on the stairs behind Alex and had to remind herself that breathing was good.
"Jesus Christ, Alex. Tell me that you aren't pregnant."
"Jesus fuck, Miri! You know me better than that. I am not now, nor do I ever intend to be, pregnant. Just put that thought out of your head right now."
Miri heard the panic in Alex's tone and smiled to herself. "Well, you have to admit that it looks like there's a little one on the way. This house is so big for just the two of you. I just naturally assumed that you and Clint had neglected to practice safe sex and--"
Alex whirled around and stared up at Miri, eyes promising a world of pain. "Finish that sentence and I'll kick your ass out to the curb. There are guns upstairs and you know I know how to use them."
Miri couldn't hold back the chuckle. Alex shot her the finger, then turned and stomped her way down the rest of the stairs. Miri followed, unable to stifle the amusement. Alex returned to the kitchen and took up her knife, launched a vicious assault on some innocent celery. Miri stopped far enough away that Alex would have to lunge to reach her. "I'm sorry. I couldn't help it. You know your mother is probably thinking it already."
That earned her a sigh, but Alex didn't say anything. It was highly likely she was swearing up a storm in her head. Miri snagged a baby carrot from the bag and nibbled on it. "Has she gotten you alone yet?"
"No," Alex replied, then sighed again. Louder and longer this time.
"Its just a matter of time at this point," Miri told her. "I hope you're ready because you know the first thing she's going to say to you will be about a wedding."
Miri left Alex with that thought, done picking on her friend. But there was no way she could miss the shudder that rolled up the other woman's spine. Oh, yeah. That was going to be a fun conversation and Miri didn't want to be anywhere near either Alex or Mary Magdelaine when it happened.
~*~*~*~*~
"So. When are you two getting married?"
Alex fought not to tense up at the question, but it was hard. Miri had warned her it was coming. Still. It had taken her mother the better part of an hour to get around to asking it, so Alex was going to take that as a win. She held back her sigh and glanced up through the window toward the big, shiny new grill. Clint stood before it, a pair of tongs in one hand and a bottle of water in the other. He was laughing at something Sitwell had said, the other man's hands moving expansively as he spoke. The smell of grilling beef and wood smoke rode on a gentle breeze that floated through the open window. Alex set down her knife and turned to look at her mother.
"We've been over this before, Ma. Clint and I don't plan on getting married." Mary Magdelaine opened her mouth to speak, that fevered look in her eye, forcing Alex to cut her off before she could even got a word out. "I know you think we're living in sin. Maybe we are. But that's for us to deal with. Things are good as they are right now."
"But you can't be happy to live like this, Alex. Never knowing if he'll walk out the door and never return." Her mother's comment hit closer to home that Alex would ever admit, but not for the reasons her mother wanted to believe. Alex lived in fear that he'd go on a mission and not come back. She dreaded it with every inch of her being. Being afraid, though, hadn't gotten her anything but heartache. She was trying not to be that person anymore.
Alex looked at her mother and let her see everything she felt for the man in her eyes. "Clint makes me happy. Really happy. I can't remember the last time I felt like this. He could walk out the door and never come back for a variety of reasons. Marriage won't change that. We're content with things the way they are. Living together works for us. Not being married works for us."
"You love him, girl. Don't think I can't see it. Its plain as the nose on your face. And he's absolutely crazy about you. It wouldn't take much to take that last step and make it official."
"We don't need a piece of paper to make what we have real or legitimate or official," Alex replied softly. "It already is all those things. I wish you could understand that, Ma. I'm happy with things the way they are. We both are. Why can't you just let us be happy?"
Mary Magdelaine gave her a look Alex couldn't ever recall seeing on her face before. Regret. "I'm sorry, Alex. I know it has to have been so hard on you, growing up with a mother who kept pushing all these old fashioned notions on you. I know I'm the reason you convinced your brothers to show you how to work on cars and how to fight. I'm sorry I pushed you into that. I've only ever wanted you to be happy and to have the very best of everything."
"I know that, Ma. And I appreciate that you want the best for me. But the best doesn't mean the same thing to me that it does to you. I love my job. I love Clint. I'm happy with where I am in my life. I like working on cars. Clint doesn't mind that I'm just a mechanic. And there's no pressing need in either one of us to get married. That might change at a later date. But for now, we like things as they are."
Silence ruled the kitchen for a long time as Mary Magdelaine watched Alex, who went back to chopping vegetables for the dip tray she was putting together. Even though the party had officially started an hour ago, there'd been no rush to get food put together until everyone had shown up. And they'd trickled in a couple people at a time. There had been, naturally, the appropriate amount of surprise that they'd gotten a house together, followed by the appropriate amount of 'oohing' and 'aahing' at said house. Of course Alex and Clint had proudly proclaimed that they'd done all the painting and decorating. If anyone had been thinking anything untoward about Alex's previously unknown decorating talents, they'd wisely kept it to themselves.
Mary Magdelaine sighed and put a hand on Alex's arm, drawing her attention back to her mother. "I know you're not a mechanic, Alex. I've known for a long time. I don't know what it is you actually do, and I know that there must be a good reason why you can't or won't tell me, but I do know you aren't a mechanic. Give me some credit, child."
Alex put on her best innocent look. "I don't know what you mean, Ma. Of course I'm a mechanic." It was technically true.
Mary Magdelaine narrowed her eyes, then motioned toward the backyard with one hand. "Those people out there. You think I don't know who they are? Tony Stark? He's Iron Man. And that big dreamy blonde with all the bulging muscles? Thor. And there's Captain America himself. I know they're part of the Avengers. There's no way you'd be mingling with the Avengers if you were little more than a mechanic."
"Ma--"
"What I can't figure out is how Clint fits into it. Not yet, at any rate. Nor can I figure out how you know real, honest to God superheroes." Mary Magdelaine glanced out the window again and waved her hand toward the table where Director Fury sat with Maria Hill and Coulson. "I suspect they have something to do with it all. Don't think I didn't see the way you treated Mr. Fury when you spoke to him. How do you know these people, Alex? How do you know superheroes?"
Alex considered telling her mom everything. The urge was there, resting on her tongue. She pushed it down and shook her head. "I just know them." She left off the bit about not being able to tell her mother because she knew that Mary Magdelaine would put two and two together and start spouting things about the government. Maybe someday she'd tell the story, but not today. She wasn't ready for that conversation just yet.
Mary Magdelaine heaved a long, heavy sigh. The kind of sigh that had seen Alex quaking in fear as a child. It was the sigh that she'd come to associate with her mother being disappointed in her. Alex absolutely did not squirm at the sound. She was a well trained, seasoned agent. She'd withstood worse than a sigh. She was not going to squirm in front of her mother. "I'm sure you have reasons for keeping the truth from me. I won't press you about them. No doubt you'll tell me when you can."
Relief flooded her and left her weak in the knees. She'd never thought her mother would give up so easily.
"Now. Let's talk about grandchildren. With a house this big, surely you plan on giving me some grandbabies to flaunt at the ladies in my church group. You and Clint would make such beautiful babies." Alex almost choked, then watched as her mother's gaze slid up and down her frame knowingly. "You're not pregnant now, are you, Alex? You and Clint did seem to rush into this house business. Tell me. Am I going to be a grandmother?"
Well, shit.
~*~*~*~*~
"Well, shit," Elsa muttered to herself and watched as Steve nearly marched himself over to the cooler that contained the beer. She took it to be a bad sign. Of course he'd found out that she was back to work on Erskine's formula after promising him that she'd steer clear of it. And of course he'd found out she was back to work on Erskine's formula on the day that Alex and Clint were having their house warming party. It was the last thing she'd wanted to have happen on what was meant to be a fun, festive occasion. Damn him for being smart and perceptive.
She stayed under the cover of one of the big trees, using the privacy to try and regain her composure. Her cheeks felt hot and her eyes were filled with angry tears. Why was he so goddamn stubborn?
Elsa frowned at her internal monologue. She'd been spending far too much time with Alex. Words she'd rarely used a few short months ago were popping out with more and more frequency. The other woman had been a bad influence on her. Maybe she should excuse herself and go home or something. It was obvious both she and Steve needed time to cool off. Maybe then, they'd be able to talk about her work rationally. Hmmm. It was a thought. But there was no way she'd be able to leave the backyard without someone stopping her to ask what was wrong. Heaven help them if that someone was Alex.
The party was in full swing by then, with everyone Alex and Clint had invited present and having a good time. They were directly between her and the gate. Maybe if they weren't a bunch of spies, she'd have risked trying to sneak past them. Looked like she was going to be spending a long, long time under the trees.
Elsa let her gaze skim over each person present at the affair. She took in Director Fury, Agent Coulson, and Deputy Director Hill, who had moved from standing out in the open to sitting under one of those pop up gazebo things. They all looked about as relaxed as she'd ever seen them. Not that she thought any of them weren't completely aware of their surroundings. She wouldn't be surprised if Director Fury had a weapon on him just because he was never so relaxed that he ever fully let his guard down. But the three of them were smiling, chatting amongst themselves and partaking of the food and drink provided by their hosts.
Phoebe, Tony, Astrid, and Thor were hiding under another pop up. There was much conversation going on, hands moving in elaborate gestures to punctuate their words. Elsa suspected Thor was telling stories. Based on the smiles on everyone else's faces and the avid attention they were giving him, he was telling fantastic stories that everyone found entertaining. The reactions of her friends made her wish she was at the table, listening in on Thor's story.
Another table under another pop up played host to Natasha and Alex's brothers. The four of them were flocked around her eagerly, obviously hoping that she would take note of one of them and make his day by agreeing to go out on a date with him. This was the first time Elsa had met Alex's family and she was utterly amused by how obvious and oblivious they were. They treated Alex like she was small and fragile and would break under a gentle breeze, and they did their best to make Clint feel as if he should be afraid of their brotherly rage if he did anything to hurt their sister. They'd fawned all over her until Alex had introduced Steve to them, naming him her boy toy. Then they'd been polite and teasing, but in a distant kind of way. She wondered what they'd say if they knew that their sister, and several of the women here, could break them in half without even trying.
That lead her to Alex's parents. Brendan and Mary Magdelaine sat together, chatting with Miri. She'd joined them not too long ago, after conversing with both Clint and Agent Coulson. After five minutes in Mary Magdelaine's presence, Elsa thought that she maybe understood Alex a little better. Alex's mother was a force to be reckoned with, her personality incredibly strong and dominating. It was odd to see Alex kind of fold in on herself when around her mother. Elsa supposed she'd be likely to do the same if her mother had spouted all of that old fashioned nonsense at her. Based on the looks Elsa saw Mary Magdelaine giving Miri and flashing toward Agent Coulson, Elsa could well imagine just what the topic of conversation was between the two women. She made a mental note to stay as far away from Mrs. Quinn as she possibly could.
She was left with Clint and Steve, who stood talking over the grill. She couldn't tell what they were talking about, but given the frown on Steve's face, she could guess. He'd grabbed himself a cold beer and he didn't seem to be in any rush to move from his spot, despite the fact that Clint kept motioning back toward the tree where Elsa was standing. Clint was obviously trying to convince Steve to stop ignoring her. She sighed at that. Steve just needed some time...
Alex came out of the house just then, her eyes landing on Steve and Clint. She stared at them for a moment before her attention shifted to Elsa under her lonesome tree. Even across the yard, Elsa could see the way Alex's eyes went flat. She put the tray she'd come out with down on the table of food, then marched over to where the two men stood. Whatever conversation they had was short and to the point. About ten seconds into it, Alex wrapped her hand around Steve's arm and pulled. Steve shot a look at Clint, who shrugged and gave him a knowing smile, then motioned with his free hand in an abstract way.
Elsa was surprised to see Steve give in and let Alex tug him across the yard.
"... got no place to treat her like she's a horrible person. You do stupid shit all the time. Its the nature of our jobs. Don't you dare act like you're the injured party in this. You had no right to make her promise to give up her work because you were fucking scared." Alex's tone was filled with soft fury. Her fingers were dug deep into Steve's bicep, nails no doubt working on piercing skin. Steve looked both affronted by her actions and shamed by her words.
"She got hurt and..."
"Boo fucking hoo. She got hurt. She got hurt because of someone else. Not her own actions. She got hurt because there are truly evil people in the world. People that you and I signed up to fight against, oddly enough. Elsa is doing her part in that fight. It was purely by some weird twist of fate that she was on the helicarrier when it went down. You don't get to put her in a box and tell her what she can and can't do. If she doesn't castrate you for being such a fucking Neanderthal, I will. Now get over there and apologize to her."
Steve looked mildly confused by how this had all come about. "Elsa doesn't have the training you and Agent Grant have. She..."
"She can fucking learn. Christ, Rogers. Get your head out of your ass and join us in the twenty first century. If you're going to be in a relationship with Elsa, its a two way street. Quit being a macho dickhead and talk this shit out. Maybe back in the Forties, it was okay for you to treat the little woman like she didn't get to have her own mind. But here in the future, women have the right to do as they please with their minds and their bodies. Elsa should be allowed to do what she loves. And if you can't accept that, maybe you're not the right guy for her. Say the word, I'll hook her up with my brother. All of them. My mom would love to have a daughter who acts like a daughter." Alex finished as the two of them came to a halt before her. "Now work this shit out. Quit raining on my house warming party."
"I'm sorry, Alex. I didn't--" Elsa began. The look on Alex's face stopped her.
"Make him understand. Or fuck him in the bushes. You two need to fix this shit," Alex snarled, then stomped off.
Steve watched her go, then gave Elsa a comically horrified look. Fuck in the bushes? Hmmm. That wasn't a bad idea.
~*~*~*~*~
"This wasn't such a bad idea," Tony said, reaching out to choose another piece of fruit off the tray in front of them. Phoebe rolled her eyes at him and considered moving the tray. Chances were good he'd only go after it. He was going to ruin his appetite and the smells coming from Clint's grill were amazing. Phoebe's stomach was rumbling just thinking about her steak. "Its a nice neighborhood. There's a huge yard. Plenty of room in the house. Maybe we should consider moving to the suburbs." Tony directed the last at Phoebe. She shot him a look.
"I have a hard time seeing you in the role of Ward Cleaver," she replied. Astrid chuckled at the visual that statement obviously brought to life. Come to think of it, Phoebe couldn't see it, either.
"There's plenty of room for Tex and Denver," he went on, ignoring her comment. Phoebe held back a sigh and just waited. It was always best to let Tony go until he ran out of things to say. Then she'd gently reel him back in. Honestly, sometimes he was worse than a two year old. But he was her two year old and she would deal with him accordingly. "I can work in the basement and there's room for you to have a personal library."
"And for a couple of kids," Phoebe interjected. That brought Tony up short and he turned to stare at her.
"Kids?"
She offered him a smile, ignoring the way Astrid and Thor were chuckling at his ridiculousness. "Tony. We have the tower. What do we need with a house in the suburbs? The only thing this place has that the tower doesn't is the backyard. And I wouldn't put it past you to build a backyard for the dogs."
He considered that a moment before giving her a look she'd seen him use a few times. When he'd been studying her, looking for the perfect way to open up a new line of conversation. Then one hand reached out to cup her cheek in a rare show of public affection. She leaned into his touch, relishing the tenderness in it. "Kids, Phoebe? Do you really want kids?" There was a wistful note in his words, just barely there. She blinked at him, realizing that he was taking the notion into consideration.
"Not right now. We're still in the honeymoon phase of our relationship. There's no need to rush something so serious. I don't know if I'm ready to take on that kind of responsibility yet. I'm still trying to raise you." She smiled softly to take the sting out of her last sentence.
"Funny," he commented, but he didn't sound at all like he was really put out. "I'm serious here, Phoebe. If you want kids..."
"Hush, you," she reached out and laid her fingers against his mouth. It earned her a quick kiss and she felt a hint of a smile teasing at his lips. "I'm serious. There's no need to make a decision now. We haven't been together all that long. And I thought you had a fear of carrying on your father's blood."
"I do," he admitted. Then he shrugged and gave her a look. "But I figure my mother's blood and your blood together will gang up on his blood and kick it to the curb. And you'll be there to smack me and tell me when I'm screwing up."
"My hand would get sore really fast," she teased. But the look in his eyes said he'd given it far more thought than just this moment would allow. "You really want to have kids?"
"I'm willing to consider it," he nodded. "Trying to make one is always fun. Practice makes perfect, right?"
Phoebe merely gave him a look that should have had him quaking in his shorts. He just smiled and let his gaze shift around until he could take in the rest of the yard. She did the same. Elsa was still standing under a tree in the back, deep in what appeared to be an earnest conversation with Captain Rogers. She was pretty sure the two of them had had a fight earlier and that Rogers had stormed up to the patio to grab a beer and complain to Clint. Not that she'd heard anything. The man had been careful about keeping his voice down so that none of his words carried. He hadn't counted on Alex coming out in the middle of his complaining. She'd taken hold of him as if he were little more than a misbehaving child and had more or less dragged him back to where Elsa stood. She'd also given him an earful as she'd done so. Then she'd returned to the patio and stepped up by Clint to whisper something in his ear.
"They make an odd couple," Tony commented. Phoebe turned to look at him and found that his gaze was on Miri and Agent Coulson. Miri had escaped Alex's parents and was standing near the table that Director Fury had claimed as his own. Agent Coulson was deep in conversation with Fury and Maria Hill about something, Miri standing beside him and offering a word here or there.
"Why do you say that?" she asked him, watching as he studied them without shame.
"Well, look at her. Miriam Grant is... pretty damn hot. And Agent Phil Coulson is... While he isn't an unattractive man, he doesn't strike me as her type." There was consideration in Tony's words that had Phoebe wondering just how much thought he'd put into this observation.
"Should I be concerned that you find Miri hot?" she asked. It took him a second to shift his focus her way. When he did, he managed to look mildly horrified. She smiled and laughed at his discomfort before reaching out to pat his hand. "Don't worry, Tony. I won't hold it against you. You're right. Miri is pretty damn hot. But that doesn't mean she can't find Phil hot. Admit it. He isn't your type."
"Obviously. Because you're my type." She rolled her eyes at him but said nothing. He let his gaze wander back in Miri and Agent Coulson's direction. "Just... I would have pegged her as being more into someone like Rogers. Or even Barton back there."
"The heart goes where it will, Tony," Thor advised him. Tony cut a look toward the Asgardian. Thor was unaffected and reached out to lay a hand over Astrid's. The big guy was absolutely smitten with her and it showed in how he looked at her and treated her.
"That much is obvious," he snorted, gaze drifting this time toward the grill, where Alex and Clint still stood side by side. "She's got great taste in cars. I thought she'd have better taste in men."
Phoebe shook her head. "Just because she won't look at you. I swear, you act like your ego takes a beating every time a woman doesn't notice you. Don't tell me you're not perfectly content with me. I'll know you're lying after last night."
"I didn't say I wasn't content," he retorted.
"Alex is in love with Clint. Quit acting like the world is going to come to an end because she doesn't faint at the sight of your handsomeness." He grinned at that, then reached out to snag her hand. She watched him watch her as he lifted that hand to his lips and pressed a kiss against her palm. "Ass. Quit goading me into giving you compliments. Ugh. You're terrible. I can't take you anywhere."
"Admit it. You'd have been bored to tears here if you hadn't dragged me with," Tony teased. Then he let his gaze shift to the house. "Though I'm still having a hard time wrapping my head around the two of them moving in together. I didn't think Suburbia was Agent Quinn's style."
"Alex grew up in the suburbs," Astrid supplied. She motioned to the yard and house with her free hand. "This is the kind of life she lived before S.H.I.E.L.D. and everything. I can absolutely understand why she'd want to live here."
"Why is that?" Thor asked, obviously curious. No doubt the idea of suburbia was a strange one. Phoebe couldn't begin to imagine what living in Asgard was like.
Astrid glanced around slowly, took everything in with a look that suggested she was feeling some deep emotion. Finally, she waved a hand at the yard before motioning toward the house. "There's room here. Room to move and to breathe and to just be. It isn't noisy and cramped like the city. It isn't anything like having a ranch with acres and acres of land. Nor is it like living a nomadic life, moving from one location to the next. Sure, the house is stuck between two other houses. But there's a fence dividing their yards. And the yards aren't postage stamps. There's room to just be Alex and Clint. I'm not surprised that she'd want to live here. Not everyone is capable of being a city dweller."
Tony opened his mouth to say something else. Phoebe had no doubt that it was going to be something that might not necessarily be polite. So she shot him a glare that warned him to be quiet, then took a deep breath. "Damn it, I'm hungry. Those steaks smell really good."
~*~*~*~*~
"The steaks smell really good, Clint," Lexi said as she wrapped her arms around him from behind.
"I told you I was a genius with a grill," he replied lazily. He set down the bottle of water he was holding and put that hand over her own where they rested one on top of the other on his abdomen. Gave them a squeeze.
"You need to hurry up and get them done. I think the gathered masses are getting hungry," she told him. He glanced up to take in the people spread across his lawn. His lawn. There was something about that statement that sent a rush of pride through him. There was something about seeing the people waiting for their steaks that tweaked that pride, saw it growing and filling him completely. He had to admit that there'd been a time when he hadn't thought anything like this would ever be possible.
They'd all gotten off to a rocky start. He and Lexi. He and his team. Even Lexi and her friends had had trouble. He'd honestly thought that the attacks on the base and the helicarrier had ended everything before it had gotten a chance to begin. The team had been left scattered, battered and beaten and filled with distrust. He'd wondered if they'd ever be able to get past those events without wanting to point fingers at who was at fault.
He'd been angry in the aftermath of the crash. Angry with himself for getting taken by surprise. Angry with Thor for leaving them when they'd needed him most. Oh, he could understand the reasons that the Asgardian had left. But that hadn't made him feel any better. Not when he'd learned the full extent of the casualties. Not when he'd seen what the event had done to the people he cared about.
He let his gaze slide around the yard, let it land on everyone present. Tony and Phoebe, who sat with Thor and Astrid at one of the tables. Clint knew that Phoebe had been hurt, that she'd ended up fighting against the people who had stormed the base, even though she hadn't been a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent. He knew that she'd almost lost one of her dogs. And he knew that Tony had pushed himself a lot in the following days, trying to take care of Phoebe and helping with the clean up. He'd personally helped pull the dead and the injured from the helicarrier. Clint wasn't sure what that had cost him, but he'd then gone from rescue and recovery to rebuilding without batting an eyelash.
Clint shifted his attention to the table Director Fury had taken when he'd arrived. Coulson sat with him, the two of them deep in conversation. He barely walked with a limp anymore, and he was as healthy as he'd ever been. Clint knew he'd started working on getting back into fighting shape as soon as the doctors had cleared him for more than desk duty. In fact, he looked extremely healthy. And as relaxed and happy as Clint had ever seen him. It was likely that had something to do with Miri.
His eyes moved from Coulson to Miri, who stood talking to Astrid. There was a faint touch of strain there, but nothing like there'd been right after the attacks. Maybe Miri didn't blame Astrid for what had happened to Coulson as much as she once had. It looked as if they were trying to get their friendship back on track. Astrid was smiling as she talked, her hands moving in time with her words. There was some laughter before Miri shot her glance toward the tree that did very little to hide Steve and Elsa.
From where he was standing, it appeared that whatever Alex had said to the man had been taken to heart. He and Elsa was wrapped up in one another, not quite kissing but really damned close to it. Clint had gotten an earful and he'd tried to tell Steve that things were different. Apparently Lexi had done a better job of it than he had.
"I love you. You know that, right?" Lexi asked him, her voice soft and tender. He gave a squeeze to her hand to let her know that he did, in fact, know that. To think that he'd almost lost her. He was having a hard time imagining his life without her in it. Thank whoever that Miri hadn't kept her nose out of either of their business and had all but pushed him back toward Alex.
"Not as much as I love you," he replied.
"Ass," she shot back. There was laughter in her voice. How was it possible that they'd gotten to this place? Not just he and Lexi, but all of them. The fates or someone had done their damnedest to pull all of them apart. He and Lexi, Miri and Coulson. The Avengers. Lexi and her friends. So much bad shit had happened and it had tried really damn hard to keep them from one another. The fact that they'd worked past their problems and grown closer together as a result was evident in everyone's presence in his backyard.
Whatever higher power it was that had helped bring them all back together, he owed them one. Maybe two.
Now if that higher power could only do something about Lexi and her mother...
~*~*~*~*~
"Why does Alex avoid her mother? Is there some reason for that?" Thor asked, gaze intent on the way Alex skirted around her mother's table so as not to get caught in a conversation with the woman for very long. Astrid smiled up at him and shrugged.
"I don't know, exactly. She's just... weird about her mom."
He considered that a moment. "It seems odd to me."
"Alex's mother is kind of old-fashioned. She thinks that Alex should be married by now. And that she should have given Mary Magdelaine a whole houseful of grandkids," Miri supplied as she passed by the table Thor and Astrid shared with Phoebe and Tony. "Alex is afraid of disappointing her mother with the choices she's made."
Thor frowned at that. "She's a warrior. Her mother should be proud."
"Mary Magdelaine doesn't know that Alex works for S.H.I.E.L.D. or that she does the things she does. She thinks Alex is a mechanic. Alex prefers to keep it that way. If you'll excuse me, I need to get back to Phil and my steak. Before it gets cold."
With that, she was gone and Thor was left to look toward the other two women again. "I do not understand this."
"It isn't your place to understand the mysterious workings of Alex's brain. Or her relationship with her mother."
"A mother should be given the chance to be proud of their children."
"I'm sure Mary Magdelaine is proud of Alex," Phoebe interjected between bites of her steak. "Just for different reasons."
"Don't worry about Alex's relationship with her mother. Worry about your steak because if you don't eat it, I will. Its that damn good." Astrid threatened to spear Thor's steak with her fork, prompting him to fend her off with his own. There was a short, careful fork fight before the two of them broke off. Thor was once again chuckling and Astrid had started giggling.
"I might be willing to share it. For a kiss. But you must first eat your own. And no doubt, by the time you finish, I will have also finished my steak. And once I finish my steak, I have an announcement to make."
Those words brought Phoebe and Tony's gazes his way. Thor ignored them and went back to his steak. Astrid was left curious about this announcement. She thought she might have a clue, but she wasn't certain. So she turned her attention back to her own meal and ate in silence.
The steak Clint had prepared was tender and juicy. Perfectly cooked and perfectly seasoned. She didn't know how he'd managed it, but each piece seemed to melt in her mouth when she took a bite. And as if the steak wasn't enough, there was grilled corn on the cob and potatoes that had been roasted over the open flame. They were buttered up and seasoned, crispy on the outside and light and fluffy on the inside. There were also some salads, from green salad to macaroni salad and a few others that Astrid hadn't heard of before. There were chips and fruit and vegetables, too. Clint and Alex had gone all out with this party.
She let her gaze take in everyone. There was little conversation to be had. Each table was surrounded, each chair filled by a body. The grill was closed so that the embers would die, giving Clint a chance to sit down and just relax. He and Alex sat with her parents, while her brothers had a table to themselves. Elsa and Steve were seated with Miri and Agent Coulson. The last table was occupied by Director Fury and the rest of the S.H.I.E.L.D. contingent. Everyone was busy eating Clint's excellent steaks, the radio playing a soft accompaniment in the background.
Their excellent meal was followed up by an amazing dessert, made and brought by Alex's mother. Astrid didn't know what it was, only that it was light and fluffy and it had chocolate and some whipped cream on it. Astrid happily ate more than one helping of the decadent stuff.
Sometime later, when their meals were finished and their plates had been cleared, when only the snacks remained and the sun was starting to dip lower in the sky, Thor rose from his seat and brought all eyes his way. The pop up wasn't quite tall enough for him to stand up under, so he ducked out and stood some distance from all of them. All eyes were drawn to him as he lifted his arms and held them out wide. "My friends. I have an announcement to make."
"What kind of an announcement, Thor?" The question came from Steve. Astrid took a look around to see that he was actually speaking for everyone. There were curious looks all around, a sense of anticipation thrumming on the air around her.
"My father, ruler of Asgard, has expressed a desire to say thank you to the Avengers for their aid in bringing Loki to justice." Astrid blinked. That wasn't quite what she'd been expecting him to say. She had thought that he might tell them he was taking a vacation, that he and Astrid were going to Asgard so that she could meet his family. She hadn't been aware that Odin had extended an invitation to the whole team.
"All of us?" Clint asked, sounding just a touch skeptical. Astrid could understand, given that Loki hadn't really been anywhere near the fighting. All of the chaos had been caused by his allies in HYDRA.
Thor nodded. "All of you."
"Odin does realize that we didn't have anything to do with stopping Loki." Steve sounded like he didn't think Odin knew anything of the sort.
"He does. But you were the ones to put a stop to the madness his ambitions brought to your world. He is impressed by your determination and resourcefulness. He wishes to honor you accordingly."
"That's generous of him, but I don't know if its necessary," Tony said.
"It is. This realm is under his protection. You were willing to put your personal safety aside in order to protect your world from my brother's insanity. You have earned Odin's respect. He has requested your presence. It is a great honor," Thor told them. "No one from Midgard has ever been to Asgard."
"When is this visit supposed to happen?" The question came from Tony, who was already consulting the screen of his cell phone.
"As soon as you can all make arrangements," Thor informed them.
Astrid watched as Clint, Tony, and Steve shared looks with one another. Clint finally shrugged, prompting the three of them to turn their attention back to Thor. "I guess we're going to Asgard," Clint said, then turned to look at Alex. "Can you hold down the fort while I'm gone, Lexi?"
"Of course. I'm a big girl. I can take care of myself," Alex replied. Clint gave her a look that clearly suggested he didn't believe her.
"My father has asked that I bring everyone," Thor interjected.
"What does that mean?" It was Miri who asked the question. Thor turned to look at her.
"He wishes to meet you, Agent Grant. And Agent Coulson. Agent Quinn. Elsa and Phoebe. The invitation is extended to all of you." Thor turned to look at Director Fury. "Can you spare your agents for a few days, Director? My father wishes to meet them all and thank them for their involvement in Loki's capture."
"I might be able to spare them for a few days. As long as you can guarantee me their safe return when their visit with your father is done."
Thor dipped into a bow, one hand on his chest. It looked a little odd, given he was wearing a plain blue t-shirt and a pair of jeans. But Thor moved with the fluid grace of a warrior and the regal nature of a prince and he made the bow look no more out of place here in Alex and Clint's backyard than it would have looked in his father's throne room. "My thanks. I will personally ensure their safety."
"See that you do." There was a warning in Fury's voice that no one missed.
"Wow. We're all going to Asgard?" Elsa asked. "How cool is that shit?"
Astrid felt a moment of worry, unsure how Alex's mother was going to react to Elsa's language. But it was a moot point because her brothers turned to look at her where she sat with her parents. "Agent Quinn?" Patrick asked, pinning his little sister with a heavy stare. "What does he mean by that, Alex?"
"Yes, Alex. What does Thor mean by calling you Agent Quinn?" Mary Magdelaine asked.
Alex shot a glare at her brother before sighing. Astrid wondered what Alex was going to tell her mother. She watched as the other woman turned to look at her parent. Mary Magdelaine looked like she wasn't going to let it go until she had her answer.
Alex groaned. "Well, shit."
~*~*~*~*~
Five started faces stared at her, faces that bore little resemblance to the ones they'd been wearing not that long ago. She watched as they looked around, each one of them making note of the women surrounding them. Almost completely as one, they turned to face her with confusion written sharply into their features. She motioned to a basin before them, standing between herself and the five of them, and watched as they turned their gazes toward the reflective surface.
Shining from its depths, they could all see a picture perfect backyard, the grass brilliantly green and thick. There were tables set up on a patio near a shiny new grill, food piled onto their surfaces. A chest sat to one side, one that she knew they knew contained cold beverages. More tables stood in the grass, each surrounded by familiar faces. There was laughter and conversation flowing between all of them while soft music played in the background. The five of them stared for a moment before bringing their attention back to her face.
She gifted them with a smile. "Thank you."
"Why are you thanking us?" the petite redhead asked.
"Because you saved my world. You helped one son stop the other. You kept your realm from being destroyed. And you found the strength in yourselves to love with all of your hearts. That is a rare and precious gift. You should cherish it," she explained. A wave of her hand made the image disappear. Thin wisps of fog rose up from the floor, growing thicker as they climbed higher. "But now, it is time for you to return to your world."
"But..." The voice was muffled by the fog, the owner lost to it. Soon, the fog cleared and she found herself standing in a lavishly appointed chamber, staring down into the depths of a basin that showed her two worlds. One where her son and his friends laughed and made merry. And one where a group of women tried to make sense of what they had just heard and seen.
~*~
[ladydeathfaerie]: Daz? Daz, are you there?
[dazzledfirestar]: I'm here. Did you just... Did you see Frigga?
[ladydeathfaerie]: i think so. i mean, it kind of feels like it was a dream. but at the same time, it felt far too real.
[Ginevra]: If that was a dream, then I had it, too.
[dazzledfirestar]: I don't think it was a dream if more than one of us had it. I'd call it a mass hallucination, but we're all in different places. That would be one hell of a hallucination.
[CathryneLynn]: Oh, good. So it wasn't just me.
[Rylan]: No. I had it, too. It felt really real.
[ladydeathfaerie]: goddamn Mary Sue Virus.
fin
~*~*~*~*~
Chapter Thirty Two: Going Home
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
~*~*~*~*~
"Oh, my god. We're in Hell. Hell, I tell you. Suburbia Hell," Miri declared, eyes wide with disbelief as Phil guided the car down a narrow street lined with family vehicles and family homes that no doubt held two point five kids and a dog. Some of them even came with the obligatory white picket fence. "Why are we here?"
"The invitation came from an address on this street," he replied dryly, a hint of amusement touching his voice. She turned a glare his way before spying a yard littered with toys. This was definitely some level of Hell. Not that Miri didn't like kids or families or anything. It was just that those things weren't very high on her list of priorities and achievements.
"Who do we know that would choose to live in such a place?" she asked him, shifting her attention back to Phil. He gave her that smile she knew meant he was keeping a secret, then he gave her a slight shake of his head.
"I'm not at liberty to say, Miri. You'll just have to wait and see," he told her, then glanced at the nearest house briefly. One hand lifted off the wheel to point toward a house further up that seemed to be surrounded by vehicles. "We're almost there. I think that's our destination there."
Miri went into spy mode and started studying the cars. A couple looked familiar, but that didn't mean anything. A lot of cars looked the same. But there was a brand new Audi near the curb. Suspicious by itself. The fact that it had a license plate on it that read 'STARK1' made it stand out like a sore thumb. Where ever they were, Tony Stark was present. Hmmm. That probably meant that this involved at least one of the other Avengers.
She waited impatiently while Phil parked the car, pulling it up to the curb behind a big black SUV. He turned off the engine and pulled the key from the ignition. Miri unbuckled her belt and climbed from the vehicle, standing beside it while Phil made for the trunk and popped it open. When he pushed the trunk closed, she found he had a brightly wrapped gift in his hands. Curious. Very curious. She shot a questioning look his way and got an annoyingly smug look in return. Ugh. Why couldn't he just tell her what was going on? Why did he have to torture her?
Phil motioned toward the sidewalk with his head, implying they should start walking. Miri fell into step beside him, eyes taking in every little thing there was to see. The house they were parked before was done in blues and greys, with the proverbial white picket fence circling a perfectly green front yard. There was a large picture window in the middle of the house's front, panels of delicate lace giving the home a slightly modest look. Many of the other windows were thrown wide open, curtains drawn back to let in the sunlight and fresh air.
She followed Phil along the sidewalk and then up the driveway. They went through a gate to step back onto a concrete walk that went to both the front door and the backyard. He turned instead of going up to the door. Miri could hear music playing, though it wasn't very loud. Mostly for background sound. And there was chatter and laughter. Obviously there was some kind of get together happening in the back. They went through another gate, this one wooden with metal accessories, and joined the group that had gathered behind the house.
Miri stopped dead in her tracks and stared. She and Phil had entered a spacious backyard covered by a thick carpeting of grass and dominated by several tall trees full of leaves. There was a patio connected to the back of the house, upon which were several tables laden with dishes of food. A cooler sat on the patio at the end of the line of tables, the lid down. No doubt it held chilled beverages of the alcoholic and non-alcoholic varieties. A large, shiny new grill occupied one corner, the top up to allow the tantalizing aroma of grilling meat to float on the air. Several folding tables with folding chairs were set up under a few of those pop up awnings on the green grass, a few of those chairs occupied by familiar faces.
Director Fury stood with Maria Hill and Jasper Sitwell, deep in conversation. Fury had a bottle in hand that said he was definitely off duty, while Maria had opted for something without a kick. If Sitwell had a drink, it wasn't immediately obvious. Natasha had been surrounded by Alex's brothers, each of them staring at her with a look they'd all turned Miri's way a time or two. Natasha was smiling in return, not quite flirting with them as they listened raptly to her speak about something. If any of them knew she was capable of snapping them in half without breaking a sweat, they might not have looked so eager.
Mary Magdelaine and Brendan had one of the tables to themselves. Even from where she stood, Miri could see that Alex's mother was keeping up a running commentary as she studied everyone in what had to be her daughter's backyard. For his part, Brendan remained mostly silent, only commenting when it was obviously expected of him. Mary Magdelaine spied Miri and raised a hand to wave in greeting. A poke from her prompted Brendan to do the same. He gave her a genuine, if tired, smile and nodded in her direction. Miri waved back and made a mental note to be prepared for the moment she had to sit and talk to the other woman.
Another table was occupied by Stark, Phoebe, Astrid, and Thor. The four of them were laughing and smiling, obviously talking about something that they all found equally amusing. Tony had a bottle of water before him, as did Phoebe. Astrid and Thor had cans of pop. There was a tray of fresh cut fruit before them. It had likely been piled high at one point, but now held only a few pieces here and there. The last of their group, Steve and Elsa, stood under a tree near the back of the yard. Though they were at a distance and shaded by the low branches of the tree, Miri could tell by hand motions and body language that their conversation was filled with tension. Hmmm. Curious.
"Hey! There you are!" Alex's voice drew Miri's head around in time to watch her friend emerge from the back of the house through a pair of French doors. She had a tray of food in her hand and an easy going smile on her face that Miri hadn't seen in a long time. A moment later, Clint followed after her, his hands laden with six packs. "We were starting to think you weren't coming."
"Its good to see you, Coulson. Miri. Can I get you some drinks?" Clint asked. Miri watched as Phil wandered over to Clint and, after handing the gift off to Alex, liberated one of the bottles from its six pack. He twisted off the top and took a drink, then gave an appreciative sigh. Clint turned to look at her. "Beer? I've got your favorite." He motioned to the cooler with one six pack.
"Yeah," she nodded. Slowly. This had to be some kind of joke or a bad dream. Or something. She should definitely have a beer. It would help her make sense of the weirdness around her. Clint headed to the cooler and made quick work of stowing the two six packs he'd brought out inside. He came out of it with a famliar bottle, which he walked over and handed to her. Miri took it with a smile. "Thanks."
Alex settled the platter of food on one of the tables, then crossed over to Miri's side. Though there was a smile on her friend's face, Miri could see a touch of worry lingering in her eyes. "Would you like a tour? I can show you around the place a bit before dinner is ready."
A quick look showed her Clint had taken up a spot in front of the grill, tongs in hand as he checked on the steaks that sizzled over the open flame. When she shifted her attention back to Alex, she could see the worry had strengthened a little. Alex was afraid of what Miri thought about it all. "Sure. A tour sounds perfect. You wanna join us, Phil?" she asked, turning to look at the man. He smiled and shook his head, one hand gesturing absently toward the gathered crowd. No doubt he was going to go chat with Fury, Hill, and Sitwell. She nodded and leaned in to give him a quick kiss. Then she turned to Alex and made a motion with one hand that told her friend to lead the way.
~*~
"This is... not what I expected," Miri said as they walked into the master bedroom. They'd gone through the entire house, from top to bottom, and had ended here. Three of the walls were painted a really soft lilac color, the fourth, which was behind the headboard of the bed, covered over with wallpaper. The pattern was some kind of geometric thing in purple, black, and grey laid out on a white base. The windows, left open to catch the breeze, were covered by lace panels that had been framed by dark grey curtains.
"Its a big room. Almost as big as my apartment," Alex replied. Her tone might have been a touch too cheery.
Miri shook her head. "That's not what I mean. You and Clint in a house together. I'm surprised." Alex turned that slightly worried look her way again. "Clint didn't convince you this was a good idea, did he?" Miri didn't think he would because he had proven time and again that his patience with Alex was almost limitless. But the look in her friend's eyes told another story.
"No," Alex denied, a bit of anger creeping into her tone. "Of course not. Why would you think that? This was my idea."
"I... Oh." Ah. Alex was afraid of what Miri would think. "I'm sorry. The look you were throwing me made me think that you weren't certain about living with him."
"I'll never be certain about that," Alex laughed. Just like that, the tension was gone. Miri felt herself responding, relaxing to Alex's calmer demeanor. "You know how I am. No. I made the decision. He spent most of his free time at my place. He slept there more than he did at his own. I figured that was a sign that we should just move in together. And here we are." Alex made a sweeping gesture that was meant to take in the entire house.
"A house, though? Why not just get a bigger apartment?"
"I looked into the idea. Trust me. But this was cheaper in the long run. We have more room and more privacy. And Clint has his grill. He loves that goddamn grill." There was affection in her voice. This, Clint and his grill and the house, was apparently something she was very okay with. She turned a look toward Miri, eyes clear. "This is a good thing. I think its the right thing."
Miri nodded and glanced out the window that overlooked the backyard. The chatter was softer up here, the smell of grilling meat carrying up to them. Then she frowned and shook her head. "Really, Alex. The suburbs? Why did it have to be the suburbs?"
Alex snorted at her and shook her head. "You know how much property costs in the city proper. Why wouldn't I pick the suburbs? Besides, I grew up in the suburbs. There's nothing wrong with them."
"This is hell, Alex. You moved to hell." Miri smiled as she said it to lessen the sting of the insult. Alex flipped her off.
"Fine. You don't have to come out and visit us. You can stay in the stuffy, stinky, noisy city. You'll miss out on Clint's steak. Its heavenly. Speaking of. I have to get back to the kitchen to work on some veggies." She started for the door, intentionally bumping her shoulder against Miri's as she passed by. Miri bumped back, then fell into step beside her. She was still reeling slightly from the shock of finding out that Alex had given up her apartment in order to play house in the suburbs with Clint. If she was being honest, though, this was probably the best thing that had happened to Alex since Miri had known her. Clint had been good for her, had helped Alex break away from the rigid box she'd put herself into all those years ago. If she'd willingly moved into a house with him, there was hope for her yet.
Besides, Miri wasn't really in any position to talk. Not really. She and Phil were officially living together, comfortable together in an apartment that was just big enough for the both of them. Then again, she was still living in the city. She hadn't moved to suburban hell or anything. The house was nice, though. Lots of hardwood floors and lots of space. Almost too much space for just the two of them. Images of chubby cheeked babies rose up to tease her. Miri came to a stop on the stairs behind Alex and had to remind herself that breathing was good.
"Jesus Christ, Alex. Tell me that you aren't pregnant."
"Jesus fuck, Miri! You know me better than that. I am not now, nor do I ever intend to be, pregnant. Just put that thought out of your head right now."
Miri heard the panic in Alex's tone and smiled to herself. "Well, you have to admit that it looks like there's a little one on the way. This house is so big for just the two of you. I just naturally assumed that you and Clint had neglected to practice safe sex and--"
Alex whirled around and stared up at Miri, eyes promising a world of pain. "Finish that sentence and I'll kick your ass out to the curb. There are guns upstairs and you know I know how to use them."
Miri couldn't hold back the chuckle. Alex shot her the finger, then turned and stomped her way down the rest of the stairs. Miri followed, unable to stifle the amusement. Alex returned to the kitchen and took up her knife, launched a vicious assault on some innocent celery. Miri stopped far enough away that Alex would have to lunge to reach her. "I'm sorry. I couldn't help it. You know your mother is probably thinking it already."
That earned her a sigh, but Alex didn't say anything. It was highly likely she was swearing up a storm in her head. Miri snagged a baby carrot from the bag and nibbled on it. "Has she gotten you alone yet?"
"No," Alex replied, then sighed again. Louder and longer this time.
"Its just a matter of time at this point," Miri told her. "I hope you're ready because you know the first thing she's going to say to you will be about a wedding."
Miri left Alex with that thought, done picking on her friend. But there was no way she could miss the shudder that rolled up the other woman's spine. Oh, yeah. That was going to be a fun conversation and Miri didn't want to be anywhere near either Alex or Mary Magdelaine when it happened.
~*~*~*~*~
"So. When are you two getting married?"
Alex fought not to tense up at the question, but it was hard. Miri had warned her it was coming. Still. It had taken her mother the better part of an hour to get around to asking it, so Alex was going to take that as a win. She held back her sigh and glanced up through the window toward the big, shiny new grill. Clint stood before it, a pair of tongs in one hand and a bottle of water in the other. He was laughing at something Sitwell had said, the other man's hands moving expansively as he spoke. The smell of grilling beef and wood smoke rode on a gentle breeze that floated through the open window. Alex set down her knife and turned to look at her mother.
"We've been over this before, Ma. Clint and I don't plan on getting married." Mary Magdelaine opened her mouth to speak, that fevered look in her eye, forcing Alex to cut her off before she could even got a word out. "I know you think we're living in sin. Maybe we are. But that's for us to deal with. Things are good as they are right now."
"But you can't be happy to live like this, Alex. Never knowing if he'll walk out the door and never return." Her mother's comment hit closer to home that Alex would ever admit, but not for the reasons her mother wanted to believe. Alex lived in fear that he'd go on a mission and not come back. She dreaded it with every inch of her being. Being afraid, though, hadn't gotten her anything but heartache. She was trying not to be that person anymore.
Alex looked at her mother and let her see everything she felt for the man in her eyes. "Clint makes me happy. Really happy. I can't remember the last time I felt like this. He could walk out the door and never come back for a variety of reasons. Marriage won't change that. We're content with things the way they are. Living together works for us. Not being married works for us."
"You love him, girl. Don't think I can't see it. Its plain as the nose on your face. And he's absolutely crazy about you. It wouldn't take much to take that last step and make it official."
"We don't need a piece of paper to make what we have real or legitimate or official," Alex replied softly. "It already is all those things. I wish you could understand that, Ma. I'm happy with things the way they are. We both are. Why can't you just let us be happy?"
Mary Magdelaine gave her a look Alex couldn't ever recall seeing on her face before. Regret. "I'm sorry, Alex. I know it has to have been so hard on you, growing up with a mother who kept pushing all these old fashioned notions on you. I know I'm the reason you convinced your brothers to show you how to work on cars and how to fight. I'm sorry I pushed you into that. I've only ever wanted you to be happy and to have the very best of everything."
"I know that, Ma. And I appreciate that you want the best for me. But the best doesn't mean the same thing to me that it does to you. I love my job. I love Clint. I'm happy with where I am in my life. I like working on cars. Clint doesn't mind that I'm just a mechanic. And there's no pressing need in either one of us to get married. That might change at a later date. But for now, we like things as they are."
Silence ruled the kitchen for a long time as Mary Magdelaine watched Alex, who went back to chopping vegetables for the dip tray she was putting together. Even though the party had officially started an hour ago, there'd been no rush to get food put together until everyone had shown up. And they'd trickled in a couple people at a time. There had been, naturally, the appropriate amount of surprise that they'd gotten a house together, followed by the appropriate amount of 'oohing' and 'aahing' at said house. Of course Alex and Clint had proudly proclaimed that they'd done all the painting and decorating. If anyone had been thinking anything untoward about Alex's previously unknown decorating talents, they'd wisely kept it to themselves.
Mary Magdelaine sighed and put a hand on Alex's arm, drawing her attention back to her mother. "I know you're not a mechanic, Alex. I've known for a long time. I don't know what it is you actually do, and I know that there must be a good reason why you can't or won't tell me, but I do know you aren't a mechanic. Give me some credit, child."
Alex put on her best innocent look. "I don't know what you mean, Ma. Of course I'm a mechanic." It was technically true.
Mary Magdelaine narrowed her eyes, then motioned toward the backyard with one hand. "Those people out there. You think I don't know who they are? Tony Stark? He's Iron Man. And that big dreamy blonde with all the bulging muscles? Thor. And there's Captain America himself. I know they're part of the Avengers. There's no way you'd be mingling with the Avengers if you were little more than a mechanic."
"Ma--"
"What I can't figure out is how Clint fits into it. Not yet, at any rate. Nor can I figure out how you know real, honest to God superheroes." Mary Magdelaine glanced out the window again and waved her hand toward the table where Director Fury sat with Maria Hill and Coulson. "I suspect they have something to do with it all. Don't think I didn't see the way you treated Mr. Fury when you spoke to him. How do you know these people, Alex? How do you know superheroes?"
Alex considered telling her mom everything. The urge was there, resting on her tongue. She pushed it down and shook her head. "I just know them." She left off the bit about not being able to tell her mother because she knew that Mary Magdelaine would put two and two together and start spouting things about the government. Maybe someday she'd tell the story, but not today. She wasn't ready for that conversation just yet.
Mary Magdelaine heaved a long, heavy sigh. The kind of sigh that had seen Alex quaking in fear as a child. It was the sigh that she'd come to associate with her mother being disappointed in her. Alex absolutely did not squirm at the sound. She was a well trained, seasoned agent. She'd withstood worse than a sigh. She was not going to squirm in front of her mother. "I'm sure you have reasons for keeping the truth from me. I won't press you about them. No doubt you'll tell me when you can."
Relief flooded her and left her weak in the knees. She'd never thought her mother would give up so easily.
"Now. Let's talk about grandchildren. With a house this big, surely you plan on giving me some grandbabies to flaunt at the ladies in my church group. You and Clint would make such beautiful babies." Alex almost choked, then watched as her mother's gaze slid up and down her frame knowingly. "You're not pregnant now, are you, Alex? You and Clint did seem to rush into this house business. Tell me. Am I going to be a grandmother?"
Well, shit.
~*~*~*~*~
"Well, shit," Elsa muttered to herself and watched as Steve nearly marched himself over to the cooler that contained the beer. She took it to be a bad sign. Of course he'd found out that she was back to work on Erskine's formula after promising him that she'd steer clear of it. And of course he'd found out she was back to work on Erskine's formula on the day that Alex and Clint were having their house warming party. It was the last thing she'd wanted to have happen on what was meant to be a fun, festive occasion. Damn him for being smart and perceptive.
She stayed under the cover of one of the big trees, using the privacy to try and regain her composure. Her cheeks felt hot and her eyes were filled with angry tears. Why was he so goddamn stubborn?
Elsa frowned at her internal monologue. She'd been spending far too much time with Alex. Words she'd rarely used a few short months ago were popping out with more and more frequency. The other woman had been a bad influence on her. Maybe she should excuse herself and go home or something. It was obvious both she and Steve needed time to cool off. Maybe then, they'd be able to talk about her work rationally. Hmmm. It was a thought. But there was no way she'd be able to leave the backyard without someone stopping her to ask what was wrong. Heaven help them if that someone was Alex.
The party was in full swing by then, with everyone Alex and Clint had invited present and having a good time. They were directly between her and the gate. Maybe if they weren't a bunch of spies, she'd have risked trying to sneak past them. Looked like she was going to be spending a long, long time under the trees.
Elsa let her gaze skim over each person present at the affair. She took in Director Fury, Agent Coulson, and Deputy Director Hill, who had moved from standing out in the open to sitting under one of those pop up gazebo things. They all looked about as relaxed as she'd ever seen them. Not that she thought any of them weren't completely aware of their surroundings. She wouldn't be surprised if Director Fury had a weapon on him just because he was never so relaxed that he ever fully let his guard down. But the three of them were smiling, chatting amongst themselves and partaking of the food and drink provided by their hosts.
Phoebe, Tony, Astrid, and Thor were hiding under another pop up. There was much conversation going on, hands moving in elaborate gestures to punctuate their words. Elsa suspected Thor was telling stories. Based on the smiles on everyone else's faces and the avid attention they were giving him, he was telling fantastic stories that everyone found entertaining. The reactions of her friends made her wish she was at the table, listening in on Thor's story.
Another table under another pop up played host to Natasha and Alex's brothers. The four of them were flocked around her eagerly, obviously hoping that she would take note of one of them and make his day by agreeing to go out on a date with him. This was the first time Elsa had met Alex's family and she was utterly amused by how obvious and oblivious they were. They treated Alex like she was small and fragile and would break under a gentle breeze, and they did their best to make Clint feel as if he should be afraid of their brotherly rage if he did anything to hurt their sister. They'd fawned all over her until Alex had introduced Steve to them, naming him her boy toy. Then they'd been polite and teasing, but in a distant kind of way. She wondered what they'd say if they knew that their sister, and several of the women here, could break them in half without even trying.
That lead her to Alex's parents. Brendan and Mary Magdelaine sat together, chatting with Miri. She'd joined them not too long ago, after conversing with both Clint and Agent Coulson. After five minutes in Mary Magdelaine's presence, Elsa thought that she maybe understood Alex a little better. Alex's mother was a force to be reckoned with, her personality incredibly strong and dominating. It was odd to see Alex kind of fold in on herself when around her mother. Elsa supposed she'd be likely to do the same if her mother had spouted all of that old fashioned nonsense at her. Based on the looks Elsa saw Mary Magdelaine giving Miri and flashing toward Agent Coulson, Elsa could well imagine just what the topic of conversation was between the two women. She made a mental note to stay as far away from Mrs. Quinn as she possibly could.
She was left with Clint and Steve, who stood talking over the grill. She couldn't tell what they were talking about, but given the frown on Steve's face, she could guess. He'd grabbed himself a cold beer and he didn't seem to be in any rush to move from his spot, despite the fact that Clint kept motioning back toward the tree where Elsa was standing. Clint was obviously trying to convince Steve to stop ignoring her. She sighed at that. Steve just needed some time...
Alex came out of the house just then, her eyes landing on Steve and Clint. She stared at them for a moment before her attention shifted to Elsa under her lonesome tree. Even across the yard, Elsa could see the way Alex's eyes went flat. She put the tray she'd come out with down on the table of food, then marched over to where the two men stood. Whatever conversation they had was short and to the point. About ten seconds into it, Alex wrapped her hand around Steve's arm and pulled. Steve shot a look at Clint, who shrugged and gave him a knowing smile, then motioned with his free hand in an abstract way.
Elsa was surprised to see Steve give in and let Alex tug him across the yard.
"... got no place to treat her like she's a horrible person. You do stupid shit all the time. Its the nature of our jobs. Don't you dare act like you're the injured party in this. You had no right to make her promise to give up her work because you were fucking scared." Alex's tone was filled with soft fury. Her fingers were dug deep into Steve's bicep, nails no doubt working on piercing skin. Steve looked both affronted by her actions and shamed by her words.
"She got hurt and..."
"Boo fucking hoo. She got hurt. She got hurt because of someone else. Not her own actions. She got hurt because there are truly evil people in the world. People that you and I signed up to fight against, oddly enough. Elsa is doing her part in that fight. It was purely by some weird twist of fate that she was on the helicarrier when it went down. You don't get to put her in a box and tell her what she can and can't do. If she doesn't castrate you for being such a fucking Neanderthal, I will. Now get over there and apologize to her."
Steve looked mildly confused by how this had all come about. "Elsa doesn't have the training you and Agent Grant have. She..."
"She can fucking learn. Christ, Rogers. Get your head out of your ass and join us in the twenty first century. If you're going to be in a relationship with Elsa, its a two way street. Quit being a macho dickhead and talk this shit out. Maybe back in the Forties, it was okay for you to treat the little woman like she didn't get to have her own mind. But here in the future, women have the right to do as they please with their minds and their bodies. Elsa should be allowed to do what she loves. And if you can't accept that, maybe you're not the right guy for her. Say the word, I'll hook her up with my brother. All of them. My mom would love to have a daughter who acts like a daughter." Alex finished as the two of them came to a halt before her. "Now work this shit out. Quit raining on my house warming party."
"I'm sorry, Alex. I didn't--" Elsa began. The look on Alex's face stopped her.
"Make him understand. Or fuck him in the bushes. You two need to fix this shit," Alex snarled, then stomped off.
Steve watched her go, then gave Elsa a comically horrified look. Fuck in the bushes? Hmmm. That wasn't a bad idea.
~*~*~*~*~
"This wasn't such a bad idea," Tony said, reaching out to choose another piece of fruit off the tray in front of them. Phoebe rolled her eyes at him and considered moving the tray. Chances were good he'd only go after it. He was going to ruin his appetite and the smells coming from Clint's grill were amazing. Phoebe's stomach was rumbling just thinking about her steak. "Its a nice neighborhood. There's a huge yard. Plenty of room in the house. Maybe we should consider moving to the suburbs." Tony directed the last at Phoebe. She shot him a look.
"I have a hard time seeing you in the role of Ward Cleaver," she replied. Astrid chuckled at the visual that statement obviously brought to life. Come to think of it, Phoebe couldn't see it, either.
"There's plenty of room for Tex and Denver," he went on, ignoring her comment. Phoebe held back a sigh and just waited. It was always best to let Tony go until he ran out of things to say. Then she'd gently reel him back in. Honestly, sometimes he was worse than a two year old. But he was her two year old and she would deal with him accordingly. "I can work in the basement and there's room for you to have a personal library."
"And for a couple of kids," Phoebe interjected. That brought Tony up short and he turned to stare at her.
"Kids?"
She offered him a smile, ignoring the way Astrid and Thor were chuckling at his ridiculousness. "Tony. We have the tower. What do we need with a house in the suburbs? The only thing this place has that the tower doesn't is the backyard. And I wouldn't put it past you to build a backyard for the dogs."
He considered that a moment before giving her a look she'd seen him use a few times. When he'd been studying her, looking for the perfect way to open up a new line of conversation. Then one hand reached out to cup her cheek in a rare show of public affection. She leaned into his touch, relishing the tenderness in it. "Kids, Phoebe? Do you really want kids?" There was a wistful note in his words, just barely there. She blinked at him, realizing that he was taking the notion into consideration.
"Not right now. We're still in the honeymoon phase of our relationship. There's no need to rush something so serious. I don't know if I'm ready to take on that kind of responsibility yet. I'm still trying to raise you." She smiled softly to take the sting out of her last sentence.
"Funny," he commented, but he didn't sound at all like he was really put out. "I'm serious here, Phoebe. If you want kids..."
"Hush, you," she reached out and laid her fingers against his mouth. It earned her a quick kiss and she felt a hint of a smile teasing at his lips. "I'm serious. There's no need to make a decision now. We haven't been together all that long. And I thought you had a fear of carrying on your father's blood."
"I do," he admitted. Then he shrugged and gave her a look. "But I figure my mother's blood and your blood together will gang up on his blood and kick it to the curb. And you'll be there to smack me and tell me when I'm screwing up."
"My hand would get sore really fast," she teased. But the look in his eyes said he'd given it far more thought than just this moment would allow. "You really want to have kids?"
"I'm willing to consider it," he nodded. "Trying to make one is always fun. Practice makes perfect, right?"
Phoebe merely gave him a look that should have had him quaking in his shorts. He just smiled and let his gaze shift around until he could take in the rest of the yard. She did the same. Elsa was still standing under a tree in the back, deep in what appeared to be an earnest conversation with Captain Rogers. She was pretty sure the two of them had had a fight earlier and that Rogers had stormed up to the patio to grab a beer and complain to Clint. Not that she'd heard anything. The man had been careful about keeping his voice down so that none of his words carried. He hadn't counted on Alex coming out in the middle of his complaining. She'd taken hold of him as if he were little more than a misbehaving child and had more or less dragged him back to where Elsa stood. She'd also given him an earful as she'd done so. Then she'd returned to the patio and stepped up by Clint to whisper something in his ear.
"They make an odd couple," Tony commented. Phoebe turned to look at him and found that his gaze was on Miri and Agent Coulson. Miri had escaped Alex's parents and was standing near the table that Director Fury had claimed as his own. Agent Coulson was deep in conversation with Fury and Maria Hill about something, Miri standing beside him and offering a word here or there.
"Why do you say that?" she asked him, watching as he studied them without shame.
"Well, look at her. Miriam Grant is... pretty damn hot. And Agent Phil Coulson is... While he isn't an unattractive man, he doesn't strike me as her type." There was consideration in Tony's words that had Phoebe wondering just how much thought he'd put into this observation.
"Should I be concerned that you find Miri hot?" she asked. It took him a second to shift his focus her way. When he did, he managed to look mildly horrified. She smiled and laughed at his discomfort before reaching out to pat his hand. "Don't worry, Tony. I won't hold it against you. You're right. Miri is pretty damn hot. But that doesn't mean she can't find Phil hot. Admit it. He isn't your type."
"Obviously. Because you're my type." She rolled her eyes at him but said nothing. He let his gaze wander back in Miri and Agent Coulson's direction. "Just... I would have pegged her as being more into someone like Rogers. Or even Barton back there."
"The heart goes where it will, Tony," Thor advised him. Tony cut a look toward the Asgardian. Thor was unaffected and reached out to lay a hand over Astrid's. The big guy was absolutely smitten with her and it showed in how he looked at her and treated her.
"That much is obvious," he snorted, gaze drifting this time toward the grill, where Alex and Clint still stood side by side. "She's got great taste in cars. I thought she'd have better taste in men."
Phoebe shook her head. "Just because she won't look at you. I swear, you act like your ego takes a beating every time a woman doesn't notice you. Don't tell me you're not perfectly content with me. I'll know you're lying after last night."
"I didn't say I wasn't content," he retorted.
"Alex is in love with Clint. Quit acting like the world is going to come to an end because she doesn't faint at the sight of your handsomeness." He grinned at that, then reached out to snag her hand. She watched him watch her as he lifted that hand to his lips and pressed a kiss against her palm. "Ass. Quit goading me into giving you compliments. Ugh. You're terrible. I can't take you anywhere."
"Admit it. You'd have been bored to tears here if you hadn't dragged me with," Tony teased. Then he let his gaze shift to the house. "Though I'm still having a hard time wrapping my head around the two of them moving in together. I didn't think Suburbia was Agent Quinn's style."
"Alex grew up in the suburbs," Astrid supplied. She motioned to the yard and house with her free hand. "This is the kind of life she lived before S.H.I.E.L.D. and everything. I can absolutely understand why she'd want to live here."
"Why is that?" Thor asked, obviously curious. No doubt the idea of suburbia was a strange one. Phoebe couldn't begin to imagine what living in Asgard was like.
Astrid glanced around slowly, took everything in with a look that suggested she was feeling some deep emotion. Finally, she waved a hand at the yard before motioning toward the house. "There's room here. Room to move and to breathe and to just be. It isn't noisy and cramped like the city. It isn't anything like having a ranch with acres and acres of land. Nor is it like living a nomadic life, moving from one location to the next. Sure, the house is stuck between two other houses. But there's a fence dividing their yards. And the yards aren't postage stamps. There's room to just be Alex and Clint. I'm not surprised that she'd want to live here. Not everyone is capable of being a city dweller."
Tony opened his mouth to say something else. Phoebe had no doubt that it was going to be something that might not necessarily be polite. So she shot him a glare that warned him to be quiet, then took a deep breath. "Damn it, I'm hungry. Those steaks smell really good."
~*~*~*~*~
"The steaks smell really good, Clint," Lexi said as she wrapped her arms around him from behind.
"I told you I was a genius with a grill," he replied lazily. He set down the bottle of water he was holding and put that hand over her own where they rested one on top of the other on his abdomen. Gave them a squeeze.
"You need to hurry up and get them done. I think the gathered masses are getting hungry," she told him. He glanced up to take in the people spread across his lawn. His lawn. There was something about that statement that sent a rush of pride through him. There was something about seeing the people waiting for their steaks that tweaked that pride, saw it growing and filling him completely. He had to admit that there'd been a time when he hadn't thought anything like this would ever be possible.
They'd all gotten off to a rocky start. He and Lexi. He and his team. Even Lexi and her friends had had trouble. He'd honestly thought that the attacks on the base and the helicarrier had ended everything before it had gotten a chance to begin. The team had been left scattered, battered and beaten and filled with distrust. He'd wondered if they'd ever be able to get past those events without wanting to point fingers at who was at fault.
He'd been angry in the aftermath of the crash. Angry with himself for getting taken by surprise. Angry with Thor for leaving them when they'd needed him most. Oh, he could understand the reasons that the Asgardian had left. But that hadn't made him feel any better. Not when he'd learned the full extent of the casualties. Not when he'd seen what the event had done to the people he cared about.
He let his gaze slide around the yard, let it land on everyone present. Tony and Phoebe, who sat with Thor and Astrid at one of the tables. Clint knew that Phoebe had been hurt, that she'd ended up fighting against the people who had stormed the base, even though she hadn't been a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent. He knew that she'd almost lost one of her dogs. And he knew that Tony had pushed himself a lot in the following days, trying to take care of Phoebe and helping with the clean up. He'd personally helped pull the dead and the injured from the helicarrier. Clint wasn't sure what that had cost him, but he'd then gone from rescue and recovery to rebuilding without batting an eyelash.
Clint shifted his attention to the table Director Fury had taken when he'd arrived. Coulson sat with him, the two of them deep in conversation. He barely walked with a limp anymore, and he was as healthy as he'd ever been. Clint knew he'd started working on getting back into fighting shape as soon as the doctors had cleared him for more than desk duty. In fact, he looked extremely healthy. And as relaxed and happy as Clint had ever seen him. It was likely that had something to do with Miri.
His eyes moved from Coulson to Miri, who stood talking to Astrid. There was a faint touch of strain there, but nothing like there'd been right after the attacks. Maybe Miri didn't blame Astrid for what had happened to Coulson as much as she once had. It looked as if they were trying to get their friendship back on track. Astrid was smiling as she talked, her hands moving in time with her words. There was some laughter before Miri shot her glance toward the tree that did very little to hide Steve and Elsa.
From where he was standing, it appeared that whatever Alex had said to the man had been taken to heart. He and Elsa was wrapped up in one another, not quite kissing but really damned close to it. Clint had gotten an earful and he'd tried to tell Steve that things were different. Apparently Lexi had done a better job of it than he had.
"I love you. You know that, right?" Lexi asked him, her voice soft and tender. He gave a squeeze to her hand to let her know that he did, in fact, know that. To think that he'd almost lost her. He was having a hard time imagining his life without her in it. Thank whoever that Miri hadn't kept her nose out of either of their business and had all but pushed him back toward Alex.
"Not as much as I love you," he replied.
"Ass," she shot back. There was laughter in her voice. How was it possible that they'd gotten to this place? Not just he and Lexi, but all of them. The fates or someone had done their damnedest to pull all of them apart. He and Lexi, Miri and Coulson. The Avengers. Lexi and her friends. So much bad shit had happened and it had tried really damn hard to keep them from one another. The fact that they'd worked past their problems and grown closer together as a result was evident in everyone's presence in his backyard.
Whatever higher power it was that had helped bring them all back together, he owed them one. Maybe two.
Now if that higher power could only do something about Lexi and her mother...
~*~*~*~*~
"Why does Alex avoid her mother? Is there some reason for that?" Thor asked, gaze intent on the way Alex skirted around her mother's table so as not to get caught in a conversation with the woman for very long. Astrid smiled up at him and shrugged.
"I don't know, exactly. She's just... weird about her mom."
He considered that a moment. "It seems odd to me."
"Alex's mother is kind of old-fashioned. She thinks that Alex should be married by now. And that she should have given Mary Magdelaine a whole houseful of grandkids," Miri supplied as she passed by the table Thor and Astrid shared with Phoebe and Tony. "Alex is afraid of disappointing her mother with the choices she's made."
Thor frowned at that. "She's a warrior. Her mother should be proud."
"Mary Magdelaine doesn't know that Alex works for S.H.I.E.L.D. or that she does the things she does. She thinks Alex is a mechanic. Alex prefers to keep it that way. If you'll excuse me, I need to get back to Phil and my steak. Before it gets cold."
With that, she was gone and Thor was left to look toward the other two women again. "I do not understand this."
"It isn't your place to understand the mysterious workings of Alex's brain. Or her relationship with her mother."
"A mother should be given the chance to be proud of their children."
"I'm sure Mary Magdelaine is proud of Alex," Phoebe interjected between bites of her steak. "Just for different reasons."
"Don't worry about Alex's relationship with her mother. Worry about your steak because if you don't eat it, I will. Its that damn good." Astrid threatened to spear Thor's steak with her fork, prompting him to fend her off with his own. There was a short, careful fork fight before the two of them broke off. Thor was once again chuckling and Astrid had started giggling.
"I might be willing to share it. For a kiss. But you must first eat your own. And no doubt, by the time you finish, I will have also finished my steak. And once I finish my steak, I have an announcement to make."
Those words brought Phoebe and Tony's gazes his way. Thor ignored them and went back to his steak. Astrid was left curious about this announcement. She thought she might have a clue, but she wasn't certain. So she turned her attention back to her own meal and ate in silence.
The steak Clint had prepared was tender and juicy. Perfectly cooked and perfectly seasoned. She didn't know how he'd managed it, but each piece seemed to melt in her mouth when she took a bite. And as if the steak wasn't enough, there was grilled corn on the cob and potatoes that had been roasted over the open flame. They were buttered up and seasoned, crispy on the outside and light and fluffy on the inside. There were also some salads, from green salad to macaroni salad and a few others that Astrid hadn't heard of before. There were chips and fruit and vegetables, too. Clint and Alex had gone all out with this party.
She let her gaze take in everyone. There was little conversation to be had. Each table was surrounded, each chair filled by a body. The grill was closed so that the embers would die, giving Clint a chance to sit down and just relax. He and Alex sat with her parents, while her brothers had a table to themselves. Elsa and Steve were seated with Miri and Agent Coulson. The last table was occupied by Director Fury and the rest of the S.H.I.E.L.D. contingent. Everyone was busy eating Clint's excellent steaks, the radio playing a soft accompaniment in the background.
Their excellent meal was followed up by an amazing dessert, made and brought by Alex's mother. Astrid didn't know what it was, only that it was light and fluffy and it had chocolate and some whipped cream on it. Astrid happily ate more than one helping of the decadent stuff.
Sometime later, when their meals were finished and their plates had been cleared, when only the snacks remained and the sun was starting to dip lower in the sky, Thor rose from his seat and brought all eyes his way. The pop up wasn't quite tall enough for him to stand up under, so he ducked out and stood some distance from all of them. All eyes were drawn to him as he lifted his arms and held them out wide. "My friends. I have an announcement to make."
"What kind of an announcement, Thor?" The question came from Steve. Astrid took a look around to see that he was actually speaking for everyone. There were curious looks all around, a sense of anticipation thrumming on the air around her.
"My father, ruler of Asgard, has expressed a desire to say thank you to the Avengers for their aid in bringing Loki to justice." Astrid blinked. That wasn't quite what she'd been expecting him to say. She had thought that he might tell them he was taking a vacation, that he and Astrid were going to Asgard so that she could meet his family. She hadn't been aware that Odin had extended an invitation to the whole team.
"All of us?" Clint asked, sounding just a touch skeptical. Astrid could understand, given that Loki hadn't really been anywhere near the fighting. All of the chaos had been caused by his allies in HYDRA.
Thor nodded. "All of you."
"Odin does realize that we didn't have anything to do with stopping Loki." Steve sounded like he didn't think Odin knew anything of the sort.
"He does. But you were the ones to put a stop to the madness his ambitions brought to your world. He is impressed by your determination and resourcefulness. He wishes to honor you accordingly."
"That's generous of him, but I don't know if its necessary," Tony said.
"It is. This realm is under his protection. You were willing to put your personal safety aside in order to protect your world from my brother's insanity. You have earned Odin's respect. He has requested your presence. It is a great honor," Thor told them. "No one from Midgard has ever been to Asgard."
"When is this visit supposed to happen?" The question came from Tony, who was already consulting the screen of his cell phone.
"As soon as you can all make arrangements," Thor informed them.
Astrid watched as Clint, Tony, and Steve shared looks with one another. Clint finally shrugged, prompting the three of them to turn their attention back to Thor. "I guess we're going to Asgard," Clint said, then turned to look at Alex. "Can you hold down the fort while I'm gone, Lexi?"
"Of course. I'm a big girl. I can take care of myself," Alex replied. Clint gave her a look that clearly suggested he didn't believe her.
"My father has asked that I bring everyone," Thor interjected.
"What does that mean?" It was Miri who asked the question. Thor turned to look at her.
"He wishes to meet you, Agent Grant. And Agent Coulson. Agent Quinn. Elsa and Phoebe. The invitation is extended to all of you." Thor turned to look at Director Fury. "Can you spare your agents for a few days, Director? My father wishes to meet them all and thank them for their involvement in Loki's capture."
"I might be able to spare them for a few days. As long as you can guarantee me their safe return when their visit with your father is done."
Thor dipped into a bow, one hand on his chest. It looked a little odd, given he was wearing a plain blue t-shirt and a pair of jeans. But Thor moved with the fluid grace of a warrior and the regal nature of a prince and he made the bow look no more out of place here in Alex and Clint's backyard than it would have looked in his father's throne room. "My thanks. I will personally ensure their safety."
"See that you do." There was a warning in Fury's voice that no one missed.
"Wow. We're all going to Asgard?" Elsa asked. "How cool is that shit?"
Astrid felt a moment of worry, unsure how Alex's mother was going to react to Elsa's language. But it was a moot point because her brothers turned to look at her where she sat with her parents. "Agent Quinn?" Patrick asked, pinning his little sister with a heavy stare. "What does he mean by that, Alex?"
"Yes, Alex. What does Thor mean by calling you Agent Quinn?" Mary Magdelaine asked.
Alex shot a glare at her brother before sighing. Astrid wondered what Alex was going to tell her mother. She watched as the other woman turned to look at her parent. Mary Magdelaine looked like she wasn't going to let it go until she had her answer.
Alex groaned. "Well, shit."
~*~*~*~*~
Five started faces stared at her, faces that bore little resemblance to the ones they'd been wearing not that long ago. She watched as they looked around, each one of them making note of the women surrounding them. Almost completely as one, they turned to face her with confusion written sharply into their features. She motioned to a basin before them, standing between herself and the five of them, and watched as they turned their gazes toward the reflective surface.
Shining from its depths, they could all see a picture perfect backyard, the grass brilliantly green and thick. There were tables set up on a patio near a shiny new grill, food piled onto their surfaces. A chest sat to one side, one that she knew they knew contained cold beverages. More tables stood in the grass, each surrounded by familiar faces. There was laughter and conversation flowing between all of them while soft music played in the background. The five of them stared for a moment before bringing their attention back to her face.
She gifted them with a smile. "Thank you."
"Why are you thanking us?" the petite redhead asked.
"Because you saved my world. You helped one son stop the other. You kept your realm from being destroyed. And you found the strength in yourselves to love with all of your hearts. That is a rare and precious gift. You should cherish it," she explained. A wave of her hand made the image disappear. Thin wisps of fog rose up from the floor, growing thicker as they climbed higher. "But now, it is time for you to return to your world."
"But..." The voice was muffled by the fog, the owner lost to it. Soon, the fog cleared and she found herself standing in a lavishly appointed chamber, staring down into the depths of a basin that showed her two worlds. One where her son and his friends laughed and made merry. And one where a group of women tried to make sense of what they had just heard and seen.
~*~
[ladydeathfaerie]: Daz? Daz, are you there?
[dazzledfirestar]: I'm here. Did you just... Did you see Frigga?
[ladydeathfaerie]: i think so. i mean, it kind of feels like it was a dream. but at the same time, it felt far too real.
[Ginevra]: If that was a dream, then I had it, too.
[dazzledfirestar]: I don't think it was a dream if more than one of us had it. I'd call it a mass hallucination, but we're all in different places. That would be one hell of a hallucination.
[CathryneLynn]: Oh, good. So it wasn't just me.
[Rylan]: No. I had it, too. It felt really real.
[ladydeathfaerie]: goddamn Mary Sue Virus.
fin
~*~*~*~*~
Tags:
- author: ladydeathfaerie,
- character: agent phil coulson,
- character: alexis quinn,
- character: astrid pedersen,
- character: clint barton/hawkeye/ronin,
- character: elsa jones,
- character: miriam grant,
- character: phoebe sinclair,
- character: steve rogers/captain america,
- character: thor,
- character: tony stark,
- universe: marvel movie
