Our Last Stand: Avengers Assemble!
Summary: A collaboration of 'Re-crossing Paths', 'Despite All Odds', 'Behind Closed Doors', 'Mismatched Identities' and 'Beyond Duty' in a grand plot showcasing a reunion of the Avengers against Odin's wrath when news of Thor and Loki's disappearance reaches his ears.
Chapter Summary: The Avengers reunite as a response to Thor's distress call. However, Fury is skeptical and claims that the demi-gods have once again brought another war to Earth.
A/N: Shoutaro and Philip here! So here's where everything comes together. It all leads up to this (hopefully) awesome story about to unfold before your eyes. We hope to give these characters justice and give everyone equal attention and continue what we wanted to have with their initial pair fics.
"What was all this about, again?" Ethan asked as he walked with Clint towards what they called the 'Avengers Tower'. Frankly, the spy had only learned about it in the news and all he could think of during that time was if he could sneak in and out of it when the time came. Never did he think that he'd actually be called to work in it.
"Some demi-god overtaking..." Clint answered as he glanced at the tower. It brought back memories.
"COMRADES! WELCOME!" a voice boomed from the top.
"Oh look. Big blondie's here," Clint pointed out.
Before Ethan could ask who 'big blondie' was, an enormous man fell from the heavens...well fine, from the 43rd floor.
"What the..." Ethan said as he stepped back in apprehension.
Tony peeked out from the open window, groaning. "Uh Jarvis? Remind me not to let him do what he wants? He almost broke the paned window that took ages to assemble."
"He can't help it, he's a carefree spirit that way... packed with a lot of power," Loki explained, sitting comfortably on one of the armchairs with the two geniuses.
"Should you really be worrying about that window sir?" came Jarvis' computer voice.
Tony pursed his lips as he pulled his head back into the room and turned to Jarvis. "Didn't I say to stop using that thing? The cat's out of the bag, so the least you could do is adjust and get used to it Jarvis," he reasoned out.
"I can't."
"Why nooot?" Tony complained.
"I'm not comfortable."
"I can think of a few ways to make you comfortable," Tony suggested with a grin and a wink.
"Could you discuss that when I'm NOT in the room please?" Loki said, a mix of disgust and amusement in the trickster's features.
Fury wanted to go inside the building, find a study with a nice sturdy desk and a comfortable chair, sit down and just bang his head against the wall. What did he ever do to deserve to baby-sit such misfits? Oh right. NY incident and board members not being happy with him. Right.
"Director?" Maria asked in concern as she walked up to him. "Do you want me and Coulson to taser them until they behave?" she asked sweetly. Maria Hill was really a woman after Fury's heart.
"Excellent suggestion but let's wait until we're not within the public view," he answered as he watched Ethan and Clint walk inside the building courtesy of Thor dragging them inside.
"Coulson, drag the rest to the meeting room, I think everyone's here."
"Not yet, sir."
"Well who else is missing?"
"Captain Steven Rogers and Doctor Banner, sir."
"...did you just call Captain Rogers by his whole name?" Honestly, Coulson can be such a fanboy sometimes. Fury would complain if it wasn't for the fact that he works hard and he had almost died during the last pseudo-war. That and the fact that he still had no idea how to explain to everyone else that Coulson actually survived, especially said Captain. "Well call them already. They're late."
"Um...Bruce...I think I took a wrong turn," Steve said as he looked around. Nothing was familiar anymore and he was starting to regret not agreeing with Bruce to use that GP...GPA? GPS? Or whatever it was when he offered to drive because Bruce was complaining of a headache.
Bruce stirred from what nap he was taking in the shotgun seat of the car they had rented. After receiving an unexpected call from Agent Hill that they needed to re-assemble, the pair had abandoned their nth game of Go Fish on Steve's insistence. But with both of them without any real two-passenger friendly vehicle, they settled for renting a car for the drive back to New York.
"The map said take a left turn but..." Steve trailed off as he parked in the service area to consult his -probably- 10 year old map.
Bruce shook his head in amusement. The captain never ceased to bring a smile to his face, and it brought such interesting reactions from the good doctor he didn't know he could still muster. Fishing out his phone, he had it connect to a network to activate his GPS to pinpoint their current location. This caused him to chuckle again. "Do you trust me Steve?" he asked calmly, memorizing the directions as he pocketed his phone.
Steve blinked as he looked over at Bruce. "Of course I do," he said in slight confusion, wondering what brought this on. He had a feeling it was because of his faulty 21st century driving skills though.
"It has nothing to do with your driving, don't worry," Bruce reassured him, as if reading the war veteran's mind but brought a hand up and jerked a thumb behind him. "But the tower is just in the other direction. It was just one wrong turn. Remember that building behind us?" Bruce asked sweetly, gesturing to the Tower that was once the Stark Tower.
Steve blinked, looked behind them and blushed until he reached a nice cherry red color. "Y-yeah...sorry.." he mumbled before starting the car again and doing a U-turn before heading off to the tower.
Seeing the red car approaching just as Coulson got off the phone, Fury was less than pleased. He wasn't expecting these two to be the late arrivals among their group. Then again, these two precisely exceeded his expectations time and time again. Needless to say he needed to keep up his facade. "What took you Captain? Doctor?" he asked, trying to keep the ice from his tone.
"That was my bad..." Steve said sheepishly as he tried to smile at Fury. A smile that instantly made Coulson inwardly fanboy.
"We got lost," Bruce said coolly, wringing his hands together. "Do forgive him, he wasn't consulting a very updated map to get here," he added. "But we're here, aren't we?"
"FRIENDS!" came the booming voice of Thor from inside.
Steve could see him through the glass of the lobby and he had to admit, he missed the big lug. He paused, however, when he saw Loki right behind him. Steve's smile disappeared and he raised a hand to block Bruce's way forward and pushed the doctor behind him. "What's he doing here?" he asked coldly.
"Okay, first of all, hi. Second of all, mind if we get inside and talk like civilized people for once?" Tony requested with an almost impatient smile, dragging the two into the building.
Loki's attempt at mingling was shot down when he saw the hostility in Steve's eyes. His protective gesture was enough of an indicator of the apprehension still lingering. Keeping a straight face and feigning hurt, the demi-god spoke. "I come in peace. Crippled... so to speak."
"I can see past that fake look of hurt on your face," Steve said curtly, he wasn't buying the act...not even for a second. "Let me just say that you're not getting anywhere near Bruce," he said firmly. After that scuffle back then, Loki should be glad that he'd let him be around Bruce at all.
As Steve said that though, Bruce had wisely bypassed the war veteran's arm and strode over purposefully towards Loki, unfazed and uninterested in all the apprehension his love interest was showing. "So what happened?" he asked.
"Bruce!" Steve called out indignantly at this.
Loki sobered - if you could call it that - in gratitude at someone lending a listening ear. But he wondered idly if he was up to telling the tale. He sighed and hung his head. "It's a long story..." he began.
"Bruce!" Steve called out again, this time sounding more like a stubborn child.
Bruce turned to Steve, if only to humor him. "Weren't you the one preaching about being sympathetic when it mattered Steve?" he argued before his lips pursed into a smile; his secret smile. "Let's just hear him out," the doctor calmly suggested.
Ethan, however, was confused by all this and leaned over to Clint to whisper in his ear. "Should we really be apprehensive about it?" He had to admit, he read the reports but they didn't seem to be all that bad. Then again, maybe you had to be there to understand.
Clint shrugged his shoulders. He was possessed by the demi-god but he wasn't about to let that get in the way of his better judgment. So instead, he turned to his fellow spy and shook his head. "Nope."
"He's a professional liar!" Steve argued over to Bruce, anger still getting the better of him. "He's just going to twist us around!"
"No, just a very good wordsmith," Bruce corrected the soldier as he regarded Loki and his body language, which was looking rather meek for someone who had tried to take over the Earth.
Tony wisely decided to step in. "Uh, already tried that. Jarvis and I even hooked him up to a lie detector to see what's what and he came out clean." The billionaire regarded Loki with a glance before adding, "That and he's pretty shook up from the looks of things."
Bruce raised his eyebrows at this new piece of information. "Okay... You've got my interest piqued."
"He's from Asgard, Stark! Who's to say that he's not using his powers to trick us?!" Steve pointed out heatedly.
"Please, Friend Steven. Loki means no harm," Thor tried.
"Sure. Tell that to the people he killed!" Steve fired back. He wasn't going to take this lying down.
"Oh, you mean like Coulson who's obviously alive and breathing over there?" Clint asked, pointing over to the more than eager agent in the sidelines.
Ethan raised a brow at this. "Does he even realize that he's the only angry one in here?" he voiced out.
Steve chose to turn a deaf ear towards this and continued on before glancing at Clint. "Yes! Thank you!" he said. "Just like Coulson!" he added before gesturing towards Coulson. Then Steve did a double take. "COULSON?!" he exclaimed.
"SON OF COUL!" Thor recognized with equal surprise.
Loki raised his eyebrows at the sight of Coulson. "...I did not expect that," he admitted, not having seen the agent himself after being there for the past hour or thereabouts.
"Yeah, shocker isn't it?" Tony agreed, shrugging his shoulders.
"If I may, sirs. Tea is read in the sitting room," Jarvis' masked voice interrupted. "Perhaps you'll all feel better discussing there?" he offered.
Once Tony heard this, he furrowed his brows and cocked his head to the side. "Jarvis!" he called out with irritation evident in his voice.
"Yes, sir?" Jarvis asked calmly.
Tony turned to the rest of the group and held a finger up. "Excuse me," he said before storming off to the next room.
"Wonder what that's about," Bruce wondered out loud.
A little ruckus could be heard from where Tony had disappeared off to before the billionaire philanthropist returned dragging another man no one recognized with him. "Just so we're clear, I want you all to meet Jarvis," he said.
"H-hello," Jarvis greeted nervously. His normal voiced laced overhead by his more electronic one.
"...that's so creepy," Steve muttered.
"I agree," Ethan added as he stared at the man wearing glasses standing just beside Tony Stark.
"So your computer was actually a whiz guy hiding somewhere? So much for independent superhero Stark," Clint voiced out with a smirk.
"So that's who I saw one time..." Bruce said in wonder, nodding to himself at his self-discovery of the man.
"Can I go now, sir?" Jarvis asked nervously, taking a step back.
"Wait? So you've been here ever since?" Steve asked.
"Ever since, sir," came Jarvis' answer.
"Where were you during the attack?" Steve pressed.
"Here...sir," he said.
"Where here?"
Jarvis wordlessly pointed to the floor and pressed his foot on it until a panel gave way and slid to the side, showing them a small 'office'.
"Wasn't that where Hulk smashed Loki into?" Steve asked immediately.
Thor gave him a cold glare.
Loki winced at the memory, reaching out to rub his back when reminded of the impact.
"Steve, let it go okay?" Bruce said calmly, taking the soldier by the arm and squeezed it with a knowing smile.
Tony wrapped an arm around Jarvis. "Stay a bit. I'm sure you've met the team but not really meet them," he argued.
Jarvis sighed at this and nodded reluctantly, "Not like you're giving me a choice, sir," he answered Tony as he adjusted his glasses again.
Steve looked around and sighed heavily before looking at Loki. "One condition, you tell us why you're here," he argued.
"I will explain," Thor told him as he stepped up. "But not here."
"The sitting room, as I have offered, is available," Jarvis reminded them.
"I don't know about you guys but I'm heading there," Natasha told them before walking ahead.
"I was wondering when she'd say something," Ethan told them.
"Since when has she been here?" Steve asked and just when Ethan was about to answer, the soldier raised a hand. "Wait nevermind. I don't want to know."
Once everyone was comfortably seated around the coffee table, Fury straightened up and turned his attention to Thor. "Now that we've finally gathered together in a more peaceful set-up, do you mind telling us what you're doing back here?" he asked the god of Thunder.
Thor looked at them all from his place leaning on the wall with his arms crossed. "We have come here to seek refuge from Asgard," he started. "The punishment the AllFather had decided to bestow upon Loki is unjust and cruel. He has completely disregarded that he is his son."
"Well, isn't that reasonable given that Loki wiped out an entire race and threatened to claim millions of lives?" Steve asked heatedly.
"You do not understand the gravity of the situation, Captain. Loki has already repented for his sins," Thor fired back.
Clint glanced over to Loki in an inquisitive manner, looking him once over to somehow determine if the god of mischief had indeed done so.
"Even if he has, he has to answer to the lives lost!"
"Steve..." Bruce said exasperatedly, frowning over to the soldier.
"Thor, this was a stupid idea-" Loki began.
"And he will!" Thor boomed. "But not in the way that it has been decided."
Steve's lips formed a thin line as he bit back his retort. Crossing his arms, he leaned back on the chair.
"Wait, I don't get it. I'm the newbie here so do humor me," Ethan started. "This guy here, Loki, was the one who caused the entire Manhattan war a few months back?"
"Correct," Thor answered.
"And just when you all thought that he's getting what for, big guy over there gave him a hall pass back?"
"Hall pass?" Thor asked in confusion.
"My only question is: Why? What was the punishment? What's so grave about it that you had to bail him out?" Ethan finished.
Tony pointed to Ethan in acknowledgment, turning to the rest of the group. "He's got a point you know," he voiced out.
Thor paused at this, digesting Ethan's words.
"His entire core will be ripped out of him," he started after a while before looking at Loki in concern. "Lips sewn shut, magic taken away and spending the rest of his eternity in an isolated cell. He'll be treated even less than animal," he told them before turning his gaze towards Steve. "Do you still think that is just, Captain? For you who have stood for the rights of others and freedom...tell me, is this just?"
Steve met Thor's gaze and slowly looked away, not having an answer.
"Loki is a sorcerer," Jarvis started. "A very gifted one at that," he added as a sparkle of interest appeared in his eyes. "If his magic is torn out of him it's almost like having Doctor Banner's intelligence removed, Mr. Barton's skills and abilities crippled and Mr. Stark's ego erased."
Maria had to grin at the last part. Even Natasha fought down a smile.
Tony's attention shifted to Jarvis, mocking hurt at the statement. "You wound me with your words. And why are you still referring to me as 'Mr. Stark'? I thought I already drilled it into your brain to stop calling me that." He paused for a moment before adding, "Or sir," he warned.
"Mr. Ego's sensitivity aside," Bruce piped up, obviously feigning ignorance to how entertaining that exchange was, shifting in his seat slightly as he regarded Loki in full form. "I sorta get where Thor is coming from. As big an inconvenience Loki was in the past, punishment to that caliber is a huge understatement for the whole 'repenting business' in my opinion."
"I'll have to agree with the good doctor," Tony added with a stiff nod. "Although... this running away is sure gonna bite you in the ass sooner or later," he said, regarding the godly brothers.
Loki lowered his head in shame. "I know this puts your world in danger... with a being above and beyond what I've put you through," he said.
"Yeah, bringing the party to us. Again," Tony chimed in.
"Still don't understand how that's a party though," Clint retorted, crossing his arms.
"So you've brought another war upon us," Fury said in an obvious groan, scratching his bald cranium in irritation.
"Trust me, I've tried talking Thor out of coming here," Loki defended.
"But this is the only realm that will survive the Allfather's wrath," Thor argued. "If the Avengers can rise up to the task of defeating one of the most powerful armies in existence then this is but a small task."
"Avengers?" Steve asked in confusion.
"That's what Tony said we call ourselves," Natasha explained.
Steve gave Tony a pointed look before turning his attention to the two Norse gods in the room. "Look, I'm glad you think so highly of us but I'm not going to have anything to do with this...anything to do with him," he said as he glared at Loki before getting up and left the room, presumably heading to a place where he can cool off.
"I knew this was a bad idea..." Loki said with a heavy sigh, shaking his head.
"Oh, I'm sure he'll come around. I think you just need to give him a little heart-to-heart so he'll understand your situation better," Bruce suggested as all eyes shifted over to him.
"Exactly how long were you two together again?" Tony asked skeptically.
"We got lost at least three times coming here so we had a lot of tension to fill in during the drive," Bruce answered with a chuckle.
Thor sighed and approached Loki before placing a hand on his shoulder. "Give him time, brother."
Loki buried his face in his hands.
"We should probably get some rest. Some of you came a long way to get here. We'll reconvene strategy in the morning," Fury suggested as he got to his feet dismissively.