Chapter 1: Surprise!

That battle in New York against the Chitauri Army was heck on the joints. I didn't feel well after the whole incident, and I don't think the other Avengers felt any better. The Shwarma thing? Eh, it wasn't exactly my taste. Or my time, for that matter. Nope, give me a good ol' hamburger or hot dog any day!

Loki was no picnic, either.
Between the whole "I'm going to take over the world" stunt and him constantly pulling out a fancy little parlor trick every little bit, I found it very hard to relax with a good newspaper anymore. I didn't see how any of the rest of the team could take it easy as well.

Tony made a big deal of it, whining about the burns and scrapes (to his armor). Bruce, being the quiet guy as always, wasn't talking about it and avoided the topic, hiding in the lab every chance he got. Natasha and Clint? They began to talk with each other more, most likely seeking comfort in one another's presence. Thor…he usually could be found in the kitchen…eating Pop Tarts. Like I said before, Loki played pranks on all of us and caused mischief, as he's so greatly named for. I still couldn't believe that Nick Fury and the Asgardian Royal court decided that Loki should stay with us so that we could keep an eye on him. However, it's not my place to argue with superior officers so I kept my mouth shut. On a brighter note, Thor gets to see his brother every day and gives Loki tight bear hugs every single time he sees him, much to Loki's dismay.

One day, Director Nick Fury called by flashing up onto the TV screen. It wasn't a checking-in-on-Loki call but an I-have-a-special-surprise call.

"A surprise?" Tony repeated, preparing a witty retort. "Let me guess, your hair's growing back? That would definitely surprise me… Besides, aren't I exciting enough?"

The rest of us rolled our eyes as Fury shot Tony an angry look. Tony acted nonchalant and shoved his hands in his pockets.

"What? I'm stating an opinion!" Tony put his hands up defensively.

"Nobody asked for it," Clint muttered.

"Anyway," Nick began again, ignoring them. "your surprise is-"

"My Little Pony toys for everyone!" Tony interrupted again.

Everyone groaned and I about had the notion to slap some sense into Tony, but then I realized that it probably wouldn't do any good. Natasha already tried.

"Stark, shut up!" Fury commanded, and Tony instantly obeyed, his eyes wide in recognition. "Alright, the surprise reward is"—we all leaned forward in anticipation, except for Tony, who still stood strait as a stick—"a free vacation cruise!"

Tony relaxed, a brow raised in cockiness. He crossed his arms.

"Ha," he guffawed, "I go on vacation cruises every week!"

"A vacation cruise?" I inquired, my mind completely blank at the word cruise.

"Whoops, sorry, Capsicle. We forgot that cruises are before your time!" Tony teased sarcastically.

I scowled at Tony and in return he gave a mischievous smirk.

"Stark, seriously, shut up." Natasha said solemnly.

I nodded my thanks to her and resumed my gaze upon Fury. He eyed us with the only eye available coldly and sternly.

"This vacation will only be for a few days. Two to three maximum, one minimum." Fury continued.

"Wait, Director Fury, you're putting a minimum on vacation days?" Natasha asked skeptically.

I considered this, too. Why would you force someone on a vacation? Was he trying to get rid of us? If so, why? There was no reason for us to be lounging around the house all day, and sure, we needed to relax but a minimum?

"I want you to have fun." Fury replied in a dull tone, not even trying to stretch a smile.

"A-a boat, huh?" I heard Bruce mumble, "Surrounded completely by water. Hm…that doesn't sound like a stressful environment at all…"

"Avengers disperse," Fury adjourned the meet and the TV flashed back to whatever Tony and Clint had been watching.

The TV was shut down immediately afterwards and we all left very quickly, each taking part in a different social group. Tony and Bruce walked off to the laboratory while Agent Barton and Romanov went on their merry way to the training room. I walked with Thor, someone just as confused as me, to the living room. I had no idea where Loki had (literally) disappeared to. He usually went off on his own anyway, so I didn't pay any mind to it. Thor and I parked ourselves across from each other in the semi-expensive furniture and chatted about the news.

"A cruise of Vacation?" Thor voiced both our thoughts loudly, although I wouldn't word it exactly like he did. "What is that?"

"I don't know, Thor," I shook my head. "I do know what a vacation is, though."

"Indeed…" Thor lied. I could tell by the way he broke off awkwardly that he was fibbing.

"A vacation is when you take a break from your normal duties." I explained.

Thor nodded, but I knew how information got to him. In one ear and out the other.

"Aye," he said at last, signaling that he understood…well, maybe.

In a green cloud of smoke, Loki appeared on the couch adjacent to Thor. He had that sly grin on his face and his arms folded across his chest. He crossed his legs and leaned back in his third of the couch.

"Pshh, vacation." He wrinkled his nose and smothered the word in disgust. "Since when does Fury designate spare time to his employees?"

I thought it over for a second. "Maybe he saw that we were stressed." I suggested.

"Ah yes, forgive me for overlooking the fact that he cares!" Loki grumbled sarcastically. His words seemed to ring with truth, a disturbing thought. "I believe that Fury has other plans."

"Nay, Loki," Thor bellowed, "I do not think that friend Fury would betray us in such a way. Your silver tongue will not win over our thoughts."

"I agree," I told them. "Fury is a friendly."

Loki glared at the wall and disappeared in another pea-green haze. When the musk faded, Thor and I exchanged glances. Thor looked worried, his eyebrows in an arch and his eyes glittering with concern.

"What is mine sibling's meaning?" Thor wondered aloud.

"I want to know the same thing." I said.

…...

I soon departed Thor's and mine's meeting after talking about a few other modern things we didn't exactly understand. Then, down the elevator I went, past Thor, Clint, and Natasha's floors to my own. Yes, Tony gave us each our own floors for our bed-and-bath "suites". When the lift screeched to a halt it lurched and I fought to regain my balance. The doors rolled away into the walls, revealing my room. The color scheme was patriotic, of course, covering the walls with red and white stripes. The ceiling was blue and dotted with fifty white stars, each representing a different state in America. However, the floor was wooden, made of cherry if I remember correctly. In the corner was a huge queen bed, a flag design on the comforter that covered it as well as the pillows. I loved to gaze at one particular thing in the room, though: my shield. It was leaned up against the patriotic pillows, as if it were asleep. I suppose that technically it was asleep because it was an inanimate object, therefore it doesn't move.

I plopped down on my bed, exhausted and tired from…what did I do that day? Well, I read the morning paper, did some chores around the tower, and stopped some purse-snatchers while on my mid-morning jog. Did that count for anything? Not compared to the things I used to do. The things that Tony calls "spry". It was too late to go to the gym right then because it was about six o' clock and the gym closed at five. So, I roamed around my room, fiddling with my shield, ironing my suit, and whatever else I could scrounge up to do. I had no books to read because I hadn't visited the book store lately, so I couldn't do that. Then it dawned on me that when Fury said vacation "cruise" that it must have meant that we were traveling! I bounced off my bed and found a velvet-red travel case. I filled it with different assortments of clothes out of my dresser. I didn't know if it'd be hot, cold, wet, dry, dark, light or anything! (I also packed my Captain America suit, just in case.) I then closed the suitcase that contained: three T-shirts, three long-sleeved shirts, one hooded jacket, three pairs of pants, three pairs of shorts, and all other mandatory travel belongings.

I couldn't bear to leave my shield behind so I placed it on top of my suitcase so that I wouldn't forget it in the morning. (I am very forgetful.) I flopped down on my bed yet again, with no intentions of getting back up for a while. Finally, I slid into the covers of the bed and pulled the blankets up past my shoulders and to the tip of my nose. I rolled over onto my left side so that I faced the wall and squeezed my eyes shut as tightly as I could.

Hey, everybody! So, everyone is going on a vacation? Hooray! Something we all wish for! I hope you've enjoyed this first chapter and review! (That was a hint, by the way.) :)