Chapter 1
Penance
"I really don't think this is a good idea," the voice outside her apartment sounded for the third time in only about 3 minutes. Lilian sighed, pushing her glasses up to her forehead to rub tiredly at her eyes. She was in the middle of a sewing project when the voices started arguing in the hallway, getting progressively closer and progressively louder until they ended up right outside her door. Which is where they had parked themselves for 30 entire minutes now. She sighed again, getting up to pace her floor as she listened to the men in her hallway arguing.
"What's so bad about it? He needs to answer for the craptastic shit he put us through, he will need a babysitter, she is more than qualified. It's perfect."
"It's foolish." The first voice answered the second. "She's not...well..."
"What? A freak? Like us?" The first voice scoffed. "Did your time in the ice fry your brain? If she was super strong, or had some freaky mind power, he could try to use her for his own gain. He will have nothing to gain here." Lilian frowned at the first voice, halting her pacing for a brief moment. She knew she was the only female on this side of the hall, which led her to assume the voices were there for her, although she could not begin to fathom why. Unless they were lost?
"I agree with Stark, my friend." A third voice boomed in what could only be described as a quiet bellow. "Lady Andrews may not have warrior abilities but that is a good thing. My brother could easily take advantage that way. Best to not even have the temptation there." Lilian sighed a third time, groaning softly under her breath. Well, that proved that they were there to see her. Question was, what did they want. The booming voice called one of them Stark, but Lilian didn't know anyone named Stark. Did she? She thought for a moment. Unless... no way...
"Yeah, there. See, Cap? Rock of Ages will be perfectly safe with her." The voice she now identified as the one they called Stark spoke, sounding quite smug. Her brow furrowed in thought. Yes, that did sound like the famous billionaire. But what in the world would he be doing here for her?
"I still don't like it..." 'Cap' spoke next, sounding reluctant but almost like he knew he wouldn't win this argument. Lilian sighed and sat down, picking her needle back up. If they were going to bicker out in front of her door, she was going to let them do it.
"Perhaps this would be a better suited argument for inside the dwelling?" The booming voice spoke in a slightly quieter roar. She sighed. If that was this guy's inside voice, the entire building would hear the whole damn talk.
"Good point!" Stark answered the man. Then, after a beat, "Cap, knock on the door."
"I don't want to!" He sounded horrified by the prospect. "She's probably not even home!"
"Then what's the harm in knocking?"
"I, unlike you, don't enjoy looking like an idiot, Stark." There was a mocking gasp.
"You wound me, old man." Stark answered dryly, before coughing in a way that sounded suspiciously like a chuckle. "Seriously, though, knock."
"I'm not doing it." Cap said firmly.
"Do it."
"I'm not going to."
"Come on..."
"Stark so help me..."
"Just open the damn door!" Lilian yelled, unable to take the bickering anymore. "It's not even locked!"
"What kind of person keeps their door unlocked?" Stark asked, incredulous, before doing as she demanded and sliding the door open slowly. Lilian looked up slowly, meeting the eyes of the famous Tony Stark from Stark industries. He smirked at her. She glared.
"Well, eff my life five ways to Sunday..." She muttered. There was a strangled gasping sound from the hallway reminding her of the two other occupants to the small space. She groaned softly. Tony's smirk widened.
"Hey, there. You wouldn't happen to be a Mrs. Lilian Andrews, would you?" He asked her in the most put on charming tone she had ever heard. She allowed an eye roll as she stood to her feet.
"It's Ms. But that's me. Don't even introduce yourself, I know who you are." She licked her lips and ran a hand through her hair slightly, feeling a headache forming behind her eyes. "Get in here, all three of you. Any of you care for a cup of tea?"
"How did you know we were there?" The one she knew as Cap from the conversations asked suspiciously as he followed Tony in through the door. She glanced at him and just about spit out a string of curses. Captain effin America was now in her living room. Could this afternoon get any stranger?
"You three are the most noisy quiet arguers I've ever heard." She answered.
"Do you have the drink commonly known as 'coffee' in your home, Lady Andrews?" The third voice asked before squeezing himself in as well. This time she did cuss under her breath. That was Thor. Son of a gun.
"I do, and it's Lilian, please." She told the giant man, turning towards the kitchen to fix them all a cup of coffee.
"So since you guys won't bring up the elephant in the room, why don't you tell me why you are here?" She called back to the three, pulling out her supplies swiftly.
"There is no beast here...I do not understand..." Thor murmured, sounding genuinely confused. Lilian smothered a smile quickly before any of them could see it.
"I'll explain later." Cap answered before turning back to her. "Well, ma'am, it's..a bit complicated."
"Yes. Much too complicated for coffee." The sound of a cupboard door slamming made her jump and whirl around, her wide eyes coming to rest right on the laughing ones of Tony Stark. He grinned at her like an idiot before going back to looking through her cabinets. "Got any liquor around here somewhere?"
"Do I look like the kind of person that drinks alone, Mr. Stark?" She asked flatly, turning back to the coffee pot. "And get out of my cabinets." He did as she asked, but looked her up and down with a leer she could clearly see out of the corner of her eye.
"No, but you look like the kind of person that would drink with me." She started the machine and turned slowly, glare in place.
"I thought I was a little low on the totem pole to catch your eye."
"Not with those legs you're not."
"Dear Lord," she replied, exasperated, as she made her way back to the living room to join the other two men. "Does anyone else want to smack him on a regular basis?"
Cap's hand shot straight up. Thor looked around uncomfortably.
Lilian barked out a laugh at Tony's immediate pout. "He's my new best friend." She took her seat back on the couch, continuing to sew. Cap blushed to the tips of his ears. Thor, meanwhile, clapped him on the shoulder with a grin.
"Well done, dear friend! You have won the lady's favor!" He spoke so proudly that Lilian couldn't ruin it with the giggle she felt bubbling in her chest. Instead she shot Cap a friendly wink and cleared her throat.
"So, guys, really, surreal as this is, please someone tell me why you're here. I cannot even begin to comprehend why you are all standing in my living room right now."
"Tis in regards to my brother, Loki, Lady Lilian." Thor answered softer, all traces of humor gone from his voice. Lilian froze, she had heard of the trickster. She licked her lips, swallowing thickly, before glancing between the three of them cautiously.
"And this has... what to do with me?" She asked slowly. Tony stepped forward, having recovered from her insults enough to grin at her.
"So glad you asked! You see, Odin has called for Loki to answer for his crimes. We thought, who better to teach him the gravity of what he had done, than a victim of his, right? Well, then we looked. And looked. And looked. And decided that you and your amazing legs would be perfect for the job!" She gave him a flat stare, trying and failing to hide the blush on her cheeks.
"ok... Umm... Well, hell." She was at a loss for words. After a moment, she tried again. "Why me?"
"Your charity work is commendable, ma'am." Cap answered. "And of all the people we came across, you seemed the most...harmless."
"Meaning I wouldn't try to weaponize the half crazed demi god." She summarized. At Cap's nod, she groaned softly. "Is there really no one else more qualified?"
"No one I'd trust in my house." Tony answered. Lilian snapped her gaze to his, her mouth falling open.
"I'm sorry, what?" She squeaked out. He shrugged.
"Well, we want him close to keep an eye on him naturally. It only makes sense to hold him-and his babysitter-at Stark Tower."
"No. No. Absolutely not. I do have a choice in this right? Because no." She stood, pacing the floor nervously until the coffee maker buzzed, letting her know it was ready. She poured cups for her guests and passed them out before going back to pacing, Tony sighed.
"Yes, Lili, you have a choice. But really, truly think about it before you say no. We really really really need you."
"Stark speaks true, Lady Lilian." Thor answered, having gulped down his entire glass of coffee, he was now looking into the small cup sadly. "We would of course make sure you were safe at all times."
"You have our words on that, ma'am." Cap assured her. She gave a growling sigh, taking Thor's cup gently from his fingers and filling it back up before returning it to his grasp. He positively beamed at her.
"And if this doesn't work out?" She asked.
"If after some time he does not appear to be learning from his mistakes and doing more to right his wrongs, I will return him to Asgard. Where father will come up with an... alternative punishment." That gave Lilian pause. While she certainly had no love for the guy, she hated the idea of people in pain. And from the sound of Thor's voice, there would definitely be pain. Lots and lots of it. She sighed.
"As long as I get to return home when this fails. And that's a definite when because I am not demi god babysitting material." She rubbed her eyes. "When would you need me to come by?"
"Say, we leave here in 5 minutes?" Stark's grin could not get any more smug, Lilian was sure of it. She let out another growl.
"10. And any whining about that at all adds 5 minutes." She decided before going to her room and shutting the door surprisingly quiet for how frustrated she was feeling.
"I like her!" She heard Tony declare brightly. She groaned. This was gonna be a wild ride.
A/N: Ok. So this is one of those ideas that I cannot seem to get out of my head no matter how stupid it ends up being lol. So hope someone enjoys it! And if it's at least part of the way good, leave a review? I'll update faster if you do, I've already got a good chunk of this written.
