Chapter One

Audriana stared back at Loki, the prince of Asgard in annoyance. She pushed back her now long dark hair as she approached him, hiding the urge to throw the nearest vase to his head.

"What?" she finally forced herself to ask again.

"Didn't you hear," Loki said, his pale lips curling into a smirk. "I want you, Audriana to help me, to help each other so that we can get rid of those lousy Avengers once and for all."

"And what?" she cocked an eyebrow. "Do you have against them?"

Loki grinned, exposing a pair of white teeth. "I guess the question really is, what don't I have against them. If I told you what I did have against them, then we'll be here all night. So what do you say?" he offered her his pale palm.

Audriana stared at it and shrugged. "No thanks."

"What?" Loki snapped.

"I already got the short end of the stick once," Audriana said flatly. "I'm not falling for that one again."

Loki blinked back confused. "Pardon?"

"Short end of the stick," Audriana translated as she served herself another glass of wine, if the so called prince Loki kept staying here then she would end up drinking all of it. "Been screwed over. Betrayed. I already trusted someone once and that person ended up betraying me, besides I'm not that into revenge right now."

"You're making a mistake, Audriana," Loki insisted as he approached her. "Think this through."

"I don't need to think about it," Audriana replied as she opened the door of her hotel room. "Now leave before I call security. Or I'm sure big brother would love to hear that you're back."

Loki scowled at her, but went outside. He faced her. "This isn't over."

Audriana shrugged. "It is for me."

SIX MONTHS LATER. . .

Tony Stark took his gaze from the TV which was playing some lame, old fashion movie that Steve and Ariana Stark, his eighteen year old daughter liked, Casablanca or Breakfast at Tiffany's or something.

Ariana's injuries had healed, most of them and Bruce Banner had already taken off the bandages, but you could still see some faint scars on her arms and neck. She had her head pressed against Steve's shoulder, while Steve Rogers ever the gentleman wrapped a protective arm around her shoulder.

Tony sighed, he didn't care if Steve and his daughter had dated for almost a year, even though she had spent most of her time in captivity when Ariana's twin sister and Tony's daughter that neither of them knew existed had tried to kill Ariana in December, the actual relationship between Steve and Ariana creeped him out. It was now late June and the air conditioning was blasting in Stark Tower.

Tony couldn't stand the lame music of the movie playing in the background, he stood up and turned off the TV. "Come on, kids time for bed."

Ariana looked up. "Dad, it's only ten-thirty."

"Don't you know that the later it is, the hornier people get," Tony smirked in satisfaction.

"Besides Steve's got to work tomorrow and I don't need my assistant's assistant to be slacking off."

Steve Rogers threw him a dirty glare. "When have I ever slacked off?"

"It can happen Rogers, I don't care if you were America's hero you still suck at even turning on a computer." Tony hissed under his breath.

"Hey!" Steve protested. "Give me a break I barely started working at Stark Enterprise and Ariana is teaching me anyhow."

"Well, she's not doing a very good job," Tony said as he looked at his daughter, "What are you plans for tomorrow, Ari? You got a check up with Bruce right?"

"Yeah," Ariana said as she stood up. "And then I have to talk to Fury about any missions he has sign me up on."

There was a tension in the room.

"Darling. . .I thought you were. . .I thought you were quitting SHIELD." Steve said smiling nervously.

Ariana blinked her dark blue eyes confused. "Why would you think that?"

"Because you almost got yourself killed," Tony said dryly. "Ariana, I don't think I want you playing superhero for a while."

"I already spent six months doing nothing, because you were afraid of my injuries. So I agreed with both of you guys that I will take a short break," she said. "Natasha and Clint have been nice enough to take over the missions assigned to me, but I can't hide any longer. Besides I can't stand being copped up here with nothing to do."

"You can always got back to ballet school," Steve squeezed her shoulder supportively. "You always said that you wanted to go back."

"Rogers is right," Tony replied. "Pick any school you want, Ari."

"Dad, Steve." Ariana said firmly. "I am not, repeat after me, going back to ballet school. At least not with all that's been going on right now."

Tony sighed, defeated. "Fair enough. Listen I'm beat right now and I have some early morning meeting with some Englishmen or something and Pepper will kill me if I'm not there early. Just be careful Ariana, don't bite off more than you can chew. Goodnight."

He kissed her cheek, narrowed his eyes at Steve as if saying you-better-get-her-to-change-her-mind and left upstairs.

Ariana sighed and relaxed as she felt Steve wrap her arms around her, swinging her back and forth. "Are you ok?" he mumbled. "You've seem kind of out of it these past few days."

"I'm fine." Ariana said. "I'm just a little worried."

"About Audriana?" he guessed.

She nodded. "I just wonder if she has enough clothes and food. . .and if she's happy. I know she hasn't attacked me, but I wondered if we will ever be sisters again, let alone friends."

"You don't know where she is?"

"No," she said frustrated. "If I knew I would go talk to her."

"Maybe Fury can find her for you." Steve said hopefully.

"Yeah, right." Ariana snorted. "Fury is stilled pissed at me for letting Audriana go, if he does agree to find her, it will only be to hunt her down, you know like some wild animal."

"Well, don't worry, Ari." Steve whispered. "I'm sure everything will be ok." he bend down and kissed her softly on the lips.

"I certainly hope so."

-End of Chapter One-