Hi! This is AoU, in an au format. A couple of major things from AoU don't here, namely being PIETRO DOESN'T DIE. Because basically, OC. There might be romance, there might not be. But it will be a rather dynamic relationship between the OC and Loki no matter what, rest assured. It depends on what everybody wants. So, review, favourite, and follow so I know whether I should keep writing or not. But seriously, reviews will inspire me and give me ideas! Enjoy! Also, like a lot of OC-centric stories, this is AU.

Today had started out normal, well early, actually. But absolutely normal. That is until, of course, Lana Lazar was called into work.

She groggily pushed her phone, which had just let out an annoying chirp, with one hand, causing it to hit the floor.

"Wha-" she grumbled. She glared bleary eyed at the clock across from her bed. 5:54 AM.

"Bastards." she proclaimed as she nearly fell out of her bed, reaching for her fallen phone. Be ready in half an hour. Same drop point as last time. "Bastards." she repeated. She stood, and walked over to where the light switch was, patting the bare wall before finally flicking it, light streaming onto her face. She winced as she stumbled over to her bathroom, and turned on the shower.

"I'm gonna be late." She mumbled, realizing it would take her longer than half an hour to get ready. But then again, they did give her almost no notice. Payback, this is payback for disturbing my beauty sleep, she thought childishly.

After taking longer than she should have washing her hair, she stepped towards her closet, her towel loosely hanging from her frame. She spun around, looking to the one window that graced the wall of her apartment. She wondered how cold it was outside. She threw open the window, and was rewarded with a face full of snow.

"Cold, then. Okay, good to know." she said to herself, blinking at the snow stuck in her eyelashes as she closed the heavy window. She reached for the parka hanging in her closet, and threw it onto her bed.

After dressing lightly under her parka, knowing that she would more than likely be heading to the Avengers Facility, she grabbed her keys and her bag and headed out her door, down the steps, and onto the ever-busy streets of New York City.

It was busy when her journey began, the snowflakes tangling into her hair. But as she walked down countless alleys, she saw people less and less, which made her hold her coat closer to her body, not out of cold, but the cold feeling of desolation. She finally wound up on a side street where a single agent was waiting for her, tapping his foot impatiently.

She walked to the ominous black SUV, where the SHIELD lackey waited for her. She was late. Very late, she knew this. But to be honest, she didn't really care.

"You're late." he stated as she approached, opening the door for her, glaring at her.

"Thanks, Captain Obvious." She snarked back. She made herself comfortable as he started the car, and drove through the concrete jungle that was New York City.

"So, do you have a name?" She asked the stoic agent. She didn't actually want to know, but she couldn't stand the silence, and a little voice in the back of her head told her he wouldn't appreciate the radio being turned on. Conversation was the next logical step.

"Meyers." Well, wasn't he just the most talkative person in the world?

"Well, nice to meet you, Meyers." she said awkwardly. He just nodded his head once before continuing the drive to the airfield where a quin-jet would be waiting for her, in complete silence. She sighed. Well, at least she was trying to be friendly, she thought to herself. She chided herself for even trying to make conversation; even after the total revamp of SHIELD after the HYDRA snafu, the SHIELD agents that she had encountered were still silent and moody. She shouldn't have even bothered.

The white of the snow was almost ubiquitous, obscuring most of her view, when they arrived at their location. As she opened the car door, she braced herself against the January blizzard.

"Thanks." she yelled over her shoulder. The agent in the car didn't say a word as she closed the door, and drove away without a glance back. Truly, such a pleasant person.

"Never trying to actually have a conversation again." she told herself as she shook her head, walking up to the jet, and up the ramp that would close quickly behind her.

The agent flying the jet looked at her scornfully as Lana entered the cockpit.

"You're late." She plainly stated, returning to her console, starting the climb into the sky as soon as Lana sat down beside her.

"That's what Captain Obvious said, too." she grinned, trying to make the mood less tense. "So, the Facility, then?" she clasped her hands together, trying to make them less chilled from the weather outside, because she had foolishly forgot her gloves.

"No. The Helicarrier." was the abrupt answer she was given, and Lana rolled her eyes and strapped herself in one of the jump seats that was beside the agent, and mentally prepared herself for the ride that was no doubt going to silent.

As she emerged from the quin-jet, an agent waiting for her outside grabbed her hand and raced with her inside where there was breathable air. The agent took his oxygen mask off to reveal a kind faced man in his twenties.

"Ah, the only SHIELD agent who's capable of an actual conversation." Lana laughed as she hugged the man. He hugged her back.

"Jake." she said as she smiled as he let go and led her down one of the claustrophobic hallways of the Helicarrier. "You have no idea how glad it's you that has flight deck duty."

"So, you like me freezing to death waiting for you. You're almost an hour late." he chided. She smiled, knowing that he was joking, at least partially.

"I'm sorry." she whined, trying to keep up with his long strides, almost darting. "I didn't exactly get that much notice." Seeing she was lagging behind, Jake slowed down slightly. "Do you know why I'm here? Or why we're on the Helicarrier? I thought SHIELD had kind of relocated."

"No idea. All I know is about four hours ago, we received two very interesting guests, which is why we're up here." he said with a regal shake of his head, chocolate hair flopping.

"Guests? Oh, do tell." she said eagerly, poking his arm playfully.

"I told you I don't much," he grinned back at her, "but I do know they're Asgardian."

"Asgardian? Seriously?" What business would the Asgardians have here, other than Avenger-ing? Lana narrowed her eyes, thinking of the possibilities.

"Well, considering one of them is Thor, yeah." Her eyes widened at the implications of Thor being there.

"Know who the other one is?" He stopped suddenly.

"Yeah, I do." her eyes begged him to continue as another agent brushed past them in the narrow hallway, giving them a glance. His demeanor changed, and Lana knew she wasn't going to like the answer.

"Who is it? Who's the other one?" she pressed, her gut clenching. Please don't let it be, please don't let it be-

"Loki." he replied rubbing his face, waiting for her outburst.

"WHAT?" she shrieked at him. He quickly put his hand over her mouth to prevent anymore shrieks. He waited a moment before cautiously removing his hand, unsure what she would do.

"What?" she repeated again, albeit, much to his relief, quieter. "Why the hell is that murderer here?"

"I really don't know."

"How could they let him come here? Shouldn't he be in prison or something? One really far away?" she clenched and unclenched her fists slowly.

"Lana, I really don't know. I'll give you a minute, but then I have to get you to the conference room." she looked at him with a pleading look.

"Fine. Two minutes." She rested her head against his chest, where he awkwardly stroked her hair while she tried to control her breathing.

"Listen," he whispered, pulling away after the two minutes were up. "I know what happened to your brother, but no screeching, no kicking, no screaming. Just sit and listen." she nodded, fire brewing in her eyes, before putting her head back on his chest. Her muffled voice asked something that he didn't quite catch.

"What was that?" he asked.

Lana spoke in a small voice. "What about stabbing?"

"Uh, probably not the best of ideas at this moment, I'm afraid."

"You're no fun." she pouted, all the while wishing he would recant his refusal of the maiming of Loki.

"No, you're right; I'm smart." He said in a posh, arrogant voice, a grin escaping from his lips at the end. She made a sound in protest and slapped him on the arm. He snorted. "But are we in agreement? No loud business?" She nodded her reply.

"Okay, good." he took her silence as confirmation of her compliance. "Now let's get going; you were supposed to be there an hour ago." He took her hand and once again led her to the conference room. He left her as she prepared herself to walk took a deep breath walked into the room.

"Nice of you to join us, Ms. Lazar. Now, sit your ass down so we can get this thing on the road." Fury greeted her. Not wanting his one-eyed death stare, she quickly obliged and sat down in an empty seat between Hill and Barton.

She looked around the room. There were nine people situated around the table. Director Fury and Agent Hill sat together, as did agents Romanov and Barton. She had met the four of them before. She was on amicable terms with Natasha, who frightened her with her 'I'm an assassin who can kill you several different ways with my bare hands' routine. Clint, however, in recent months had become a friend to her, much to her surprise.

She gave the them a nod, which wasn't returned, but Clint smirked at her.

Anthony Stark, of course, looked at the new arrival and gave an enthusiastic wave and a wink, which Lana returned an awkward grimace meant to be a smile. She had never met him before, luckily, or she was sure she would have been met with some annoying nickname, which she had heard he gave practically everyone he'd met, according to Clint, who she heard had many interesting names.

She saw who she assumed to be Banner beside him, then Steve Rodgers. Banner was an unknown to her besides the fact that he could miraculously turn into a giant raging green monster who could tear her limb from limb. She had met the Captain briefly a few months before, but never held a conversation with him.

Situated next to the good Captain was obviously Thor, his muscles bulging dangerously. She had only seen him on television. And beside him of course, giving a small smirk, was Loki himself. She knew all about him, or at least what she could get from the SHIELD database that she wasn't actually supposed to have access to. Lana had to remind herself not say anything as Fury began to speak.

"Thor, please, start." he said, sighing as he sat back into his chair.

The golden haired god nodded his head. "Our gatekeeper, Heimdall has informed me of possible magic usage on Midgard." He was met with awkward silence. "This planet." He clarified.

"In the future, Point Break, this planet is called Earth. You might wanna keep that in mind." Anthony Stark said, swaying side to side in his rolly chair.

Thor nodded. "As I have said, Heimdall believes that there is an force at work on your world, one that he has never seen the likes of in his existence. There is a dark magic here." Thor continued. "There have been strange things happening over your planet, and its people, and-"

"Basically, weird shit is happening. We found seven people, two days ago, here, in New York, turned inside out. Before that, eight people two weeks ago in Newark, in different locations all over the city." Fury finished, Thor apparently going to slow for his liking. A screen was turned on behind the director's head. Lana wasn't much for gore, and just the implied gore that was shown on the screen was enough to make her shiver. The bodies depicted literally looked like the skin had been turned inside out before being sewn back up with the skeleton and organs still inside, except there were no stitch marks of any sort. It almost made her gag, but she stayed silent, choosing to instead focus on her fingernails.

"There weren't any knife marks, and no other discernible ways to see how this happened. Which is why," his face turned to a look of disgust, "Thor has brought Loki." he said that name with disdain and contempt of the highest degree, "to 'help'. In anyway that he can," Lana's eyes grew wide. Loki? Helping? It almost made her laugh. "and not try to take over the world and its inhabitance."

"I wouldn't dare." the man in question said, with a smooth voice and a disarming smile. Actually he could probably remove someone's arms with that smile. His eyes, too, were full of mischief, and hint of sardonic malice. Actually, it was a bit more than a hint; more along the lines of the Grand Canyons of sardonic malice, if there were such a thing. Lana glared at him, and wished she was able to smack that smile off of his face.

"Yeah, sure." Fury shook his head, appearing to Lana that he couldn't believe what he was doing. Lana couldn't either. "Which is why," he gestured to all of them, "we need you all. To keep him in line." Lana pointed to herself, as if to say 'really?', which Fury, unperceived by anyone else except but Loki, nodded his head slightly. Loki quickly glanced back in her direction, smirking when he saw her. Something told her thing wasn't going to end well. Not well at all.

"As much as I hate to admit it, he is apparently the only one who knows enough about 'magic'," the director air quoted, almost not believing the word, "to help. Because, we've got nothing as to how any of this happened. There was no security footage, pictures, or anything. Just a whole lotta nothing."

"Your information packets are waiting back at Stark's tower. I would just love to go into detail as to what you'll be doing," he really didn't look that way, Lana thought, "I have the council hounding my ass, and I don't have time to do deal with everyone's bullshit. You're all adults." He said glancing over Lana the longest out of anyone. It looked like he regretted that, too, bringing her here, that was.

Stark spoke up. "Not that I don't looooove everybody here, Nick, but why can't he," he jabbed in Loki's general, "just stay up here."

"Because last time that mofo was here, he nearly crashed the Helicarrier and unleashed the Hulk. And I don't need the Hulk on board again to help crash it. No offence, Banner."

Banner raised his hands. "None taken."

Fury went back to Stark. "I assume you can handle him." nodding to Loki. "Loki's a lot of things, but even he can't crash a building. The twins will be even more of a cushion once they're off assignment." A gleam Lana noticed in the trickster's eyes gave her the impression that he would certainly rise to the challenge. Why? Why do I have to be here?

He continued. "Stark has commandeered a jet. Take off is in fifteen minutes. Dismissed." Lana edged to the door, before being called back by Fury.

"Not you, Lazar. I need to talk to you." she gave him a disbelieving look as everyone filed past her, Clint messing up her hair with his hand as he passed. She gave him the two finger salute.

"Good luck, kiddo." Stark patted her on the shoulder as he walked out, closing the door behind him. What a strange man, she thought.

"What the hell?" she exclaimed. "I should not be here." she flapped her arms around, gesturing wildly at nothing in particular. "Not with that." she clenched her knuckles in anger until they were white with the lack of blood. "My brother is dead because of him. I have no family now because of him," she laughed a hysterical laugh, "and yet, you made me be in the same room as him." her sentenced pitched at the end, almost like she was asking a question. Although a rhetorical one, of course.

"I know it's going to be difficult," he began, "but you need to be there."

"Why?" she fell into a chair in disbelief.

"My brother died. I will not be in building, much less a room with him."

"I'm not exactly giving you a choice."

"Seriously?" she angrily spun her chair around before stopping again, red faced. "What do you even need me for, though? You have the Avengers. The Earth's protectors and all that jazz. And actually," she thought for a moment, before shaking her head, "do you even have the authority to make me? Last time I checked, SHIELD was a bit wonky with ownership these days."

"Yes, I can make you. And why you're here? Because you're the most accurate human lie detector I've ever met." he stated. "Loki might be here to 'help' us, but I don't trust him as far as I can throw him. Which is also why we're up here today, and not at the new facility." Had he heard her talking to Jake? He really did have eyes and ears everywhere.

"You said 'human' lie detector. In case you haven't noticed, he isn't human!" she exclaimed, falling back into her chair, groaning in exasperation.

"You're the best we got. You don't have to be near him, just make sure he isn't lying.

'Isn't lying' she mouthed to herself. "He's the friggin' god of lies, Nick! Make sure he isn't lying? He's probably never even told the truth in his life!"

"We aren't saying it's ideal, but-"

"But what? He killed a lot of people because he could. He killed my brother. He destroyed a lot of things because he could."

"Listen." he said with a voice that commanded her to be silent. "I don't like him being here. As soon as I possibly can, his ass is getting kicked back to Asgard or wherever the hell he came from, preferably in chains and irons. But right now," Fury walked towards the door, "he knows more about what's going on here than we do."

"How are you so sure? How do you know he didn't cause this, just to leave Asgard? Or if he's just along for the ride and he has no idea what's even going on here?"

"We don't. That's why you're here."

"That's really reassuring. You expect me to be able to tell. Didn't Thor catch him kind of recently? Wasn't he impersonating the King of Asgard? And the Asgardians didn't even realize it?" she let out a short laugh. "He got away with that for a decent amount of time, didn't he? So now he's probably just gonna kill everyone, because he can."

"No, he won't." Fury said firmly. "Barton'll be following him, damn everyone in that building will be following him, making sure he doesn't step out of line. If you're lucky, Clint will shoot him in the ass." She smiled at that, knowing Clint would make it his goal in life to do so, even without the director's permission. "Stark's tower is gonna be on high alert. We've added a hundred SHIELD agents in and around the building. The twins will be there soon enough. All of the people who stopped him before in one place, plus more? He ain't doing anything. And Anthony Stark? That man is insane, but he knows security." he finished. "And I expect you to do your job."

"Your information packet at the tower will tell you more. I would explain further, but I don't have the time. Now," he pointed to her as he got up off his seat and moved towards the door, "shoo. Stark's jet leaves in ten minutes."

She continued standing, staring at him like he was to say 'Just Kidding'. But he didn't, and repeated again, "Go."

"At least I only have to be in that building for a couple hours a day." she muttered, heading for the door, brushing past his chair.

"Actually," he began, making he slowly turn around, feeling dread in the bottom of her stomach. "You'll being staying at Stark's tower, too. Try not to make a mess." she spluttered in disapproval, and was staring back at him until his glare was severe enough to make her wince. Oh, no, she thought as she headed to the waiting jet, a mess was most certainly what she going to make, probably one of her own entrails and blood that Loki would yank from her body, laughing the whole time.

She mumbled under her breath about her situation as she headed to the flight deck, stopping at room that was just before the frigid outside. Everyone except Stark was waiting there as well.

"Where'd Stark go?" she moaned. He was their host, after all.

"Something about needing to stop by one of the labs." Banner replied, shaking his head. "Which, I really don't understand why." The way he said made Lana's heart sink; she didn't know what Fury was talking about making a 'mess'. Stark was perfectly capable of doing that on his own.

"I've learned to stop questioning Stark. You'll just hurt yourself if you do." Natasha said, picking at her nails.

"Noted and filed." Lana said, going up to the wall beside Natasha and began lightly hitting her head on the wall, realizing how horrible her situation was. She had to live in the Tower. With all of the Avengers AND Loki. Nope, nope, nope.

"Aw, come on, Lana. What Fury said couldn't have been that bad." Clint spoke up from beside Natasha.

"Oh yes. Yes it could." she replied, still hitting her head on the wall.

"Really?" he raised his eyebrows.

"I have to stay in the tower with Stark, all of you," she said glaring up at him, and then pointing to behind her, at Loki, "and that." Loki narrowed his eyes in response to being called a 'that'.

"Fair enough." the archer nodded his head.

All of them looked to the door as it was thrown open. "So, why's she hitting her head? What'd you do, Legolas?" Stark said, entering the room, dragging a large suitcase.

Clint just stared at him, glaring at the fact he had just been called a bow-toting elf.

"Stark, that'd better not be what I think it is." the Captain said, staring at the suitcase like it was plotting world domination.

"Course not, Cap. What would give you that impression?" Stark replied, and Lana shook her head. She really didn't want to know.

The flight to Stark's tower was fairly uneventful, except, for of course, Stark himself. Lana thought that she talked a lot sometimes, but Stark was beyond that. He would just not shut up.

"So, Lana," he had said to her, sitting across from her. He talked to her now after bothering literally every other person on the jet, sans Loki, who she guessed was off limits for the time being to make fun of, "what are you bringing to the potluck?"

She raised her eyebrows and gave him an incredulous look, as if to say 'really?', because she had made it rather clear that she didn't want to talk after ignoring him multiple times before, and at the time he bothered the Captain instantly, multiple times, actually.

"C'mon. You can tell me! What're you bringing?" Stark pried.

"A headache." she snapped back at him. She had been most upset on this flight, for the obvious reason that a one 'Loki' was present and still breathing. She held her head in her hands.

"Nah, that can't be it. How about laser vision? Laser vision would be cool." he joked, not getting that she was slightly serious.

She practically glared lasers at him with her eyes before looking down again, trapped in the depths of despair. She then thought for a moment. "Arsenic laced Macaroni and Cheese."

He shook his head at her antics. "But seriously, why did Fury bring you in? I think we're covered with a female fatale." he gestured to the woman in question, who was piloting the jet, Clint alongside her.

"Quite, honestly, Stark-" she began before being cut off.

"Tony." she rolled her eyes at him.

"Quite honestly, Stark, I have a killer headache. I'm sure what I'm doing here will be explained in your packet." She sighed loudly. "But for the love of whatever god isn't Asgardian," she said, looking to the two Asgardians, who were both now looking at her, "shut up."

"Hear, hear." was Clint's response from upfront.

"Thanks, Clint. Always a pleasure." she could be heard saying, with her head yet again in her hands. Her head quickly shot up as she whipped it to face Stark, her mood changed suddenly, like a light switch was switched. "Do you have a library?"

He nodded slowly, being wary of her sudden change. "Yeah, actually, I do. Why?"

"Can I use it? I like books."

"Knock yourself out. But don't actually; I don't want to have to explain to Fury how you got knocked out with book." She laughed, a genuine laugh, very different from her sombre mood. Her teeth were very white, he noticed.

"Don't worry, I'll try not to." she chuckled as they all felt the jet land with a jolt.

So, did we like, or are we throwing rotten fruits and vegetables at me? Lemme know! And in a couple more chapters, there will be Pietro, I promise. It's just taking a little while to do so! Thanks for reading!