Chapter 1

She had no clue what was going on. One moment she was just relaxing on the beach by her house that night, the next moment it was as if a comet came crashing to the beach, the bright light blinding her as landed in the sand. Her heart was racing as she realized that it had barely missed her, crash landing little over 100 yards away. Sand had flown high into the air, pelting her lightly and making her splutter as it landed in her mouth. Smoke had lifted lazily in the air, making her curious as to what the comet looked like. It almost felt as if she were in a movie, like Armageddon or some other equally intense and science-like film. She slowly walked over to the crash site, hissing lightly as some hot sand touched the tender parts of her feet. As she neared closer she soon realized that it wasn't a comet, but a man.

"Oh my god," she yelled before running over to the prone man laying in sand. He was wearing a light cotton black tunic and black leather pants. His pale skin contrasted greatly against the darkness of his clothes and hair. It was shoulder length, splayed almost angelically around his face. She hissed again as the hot sand burned her through her light weight clothes.

She dragged him away by the feet to pull him free of the burning sand so that she could get a good look at him. He looked relatively uninjured, his face peaceful as he laid there, completely unaware of what was going on. She didn't know what to do other than call her friend to come and help her. She pulled her found out of her pants pocket, quickly calling him.

"Hey Connor," she began as she stared at the man before her, "I need you to come down to the beach now. You're not going to believe this."

~0~0~

"What's wrong Gwen," Connor called as he ran down the beach to her. The comatose man's head was resting in her lap. She couldn't have taken him anywhere, so she just sat and waited for him to do something other than lie there and breath. She let out a relieved sigh when she saw Connor come closer.

"He fell out of the sky," she said simply, "Help me get him to my place."

"He fell from where," Connor asked, his eyes wide as he looked at her. She shook her head while she stood up and began to lift the man from behind.

"Squat down so I can get him on your back," she answered in reply, "Think of it as training for the Marines." Connor scoffed at her while squatting down so that she can maneuver the man onto his back. Connor had a firm grip on his thighs before groaning as he stood back up.

"He's heavier then he looks," Connor gritted out through his teeth before following behind her to her private staircase that led back to her house.

"Shouldn't we be taking him to the hospital," Connor asked before grunting as they took their first steps. It wasn't a bad idea. She didn't want to have to deal the man. She didn't want the responsibility on her hands but she quickly decided against it.

"And how would I explain that," she began sarcastically, "Sorry doctor. I have no clue who this man is sense he fell out of the sky and crashed on to the beach that was next to my house."

"Touché," Connor mumbled before grunting again, "Damn this bastard is heavy."

"It's a good thing you work out and have big burly muscles to carry him then," she replied, a teasing smile on her face as she looked back at him before they reached her back door and entered into her house. Working for Stark Industries definitely had it's perks, this house being one of them.

"Where do you want him," Connor asked, the strain clear on his face. His skin was beginning to glisten, a second away from an all out sweat. He must have been really struggling with the weight for him to look that way.

"Place him on the couch. Your training is done for the night," she half joked as Connor nearly slammed him on the couch.

"Call Stark," she began as she walked over to the couch to make sure once again that he wasn't severely injured, "Tell him what happened. He'll know what to do."

"Roger," Connor replied before jogging off to the phone. Gwen sat down beside the couch, raising his tunic up to get a closer look. He didn't even have a bruise on him, which surprised her greatly.

"Stark is on his way," Connor told her, handing her a glass of water. She smiled gratefully at him, not realizing till then how thirsty she was.

"Thanks darling," she whispered before slowly standing up and gazing down at the mysterious man. He was handsome in his own way. It was more regal and had an air of old to it. As if he had walked out of the 1930's. Everything else spoke of something father back than that. His clothes reminded her of the medieval that she went to once a year.

It was quiet in the large home, quiet enough for her to hear the whirring of Stark's jets as he landed in her patio area that over looked the sea. Gwen rolled her eyes before meeting him out there.

"Did you really have to come in the suit Stark," she asked, her tone full of exasperation. The mask lifted, a smirk gracing his handsome face as he stepped into her home, the metal clunking against the wood.

"I thought the suit made me look sexy," he replied, making her snort. His cheerful demeanor immediately left when his eyes landed on the man laying on her couch. Gwen picked up on the change in demeanor quickly, sensing the anger beginning to roll off of him.

"That man is dangerous," Tony said darkly, "Where did you find him?"

"He crashed on my beach. He's lucky to be alive," Gwen replied, her arms crossing over her chest in irritation, "Are you going to tell me what the hell is going on?"

"You remember the attack on New York a few months ago," Tony asked. Gwen nodded slowly, not liking where he was going with this.

"He's the reason why it happened," he told her, she had never seen him so angry. He looked as if he could kill him. She wouldn't be surprised if he did, he had changed a lot since the incident in New York. He had changed a lot after what had happened in the Middle East. After he became Iron Man.

"I'm calling in S.H.I.E.L.D. We're going to place him in protective custody," Tony told her, making her eyes go wide.

"You mean prison," it wasn't a question, it was a statement, "I'm coming with him."

"This doesn't concern you Guinevere," Tony hissed at her. She knew she had stepped in it with this one, but she wouldn't back down.

"This became my concern when he landed on that beach Tony," she hissed back, a fire in her eyes as she glared up at him, "I'm going with him."

"Remind me why I hired you again," he asked, making her smirk at his attempt to lighten the mood.

"For my stubbornness and sense of adventure," she replied. He shook his head before looking her up and down.

"No, I think it was because I liked your ass," he told her. She shook her head, wishing she could smack him, but he was wearing that damned suit.

"I'm telling Pepper," she countered, her eyes carrying a mischievous glint at the scared look that came across his face.

"I'm sorry, that was rude," he quickly replied, making her nod in approval. She loved bantering back and forth with Tony. She knew that she didn't have to hold back with him like he did with a lot of her friends. The only other person she doesn't have to do that, that she considered a friend, was Connor.

A few moments later three cars and a medium black box truck drove up. They barely wasted any time rolling into her house with out an invitation. She sighed and rolled her eyes as she watched men in full combat gear came in, pointing guns at the nameless man resting on her couch. She was surprised that he didn't wake up at the noise, but then she thought about how he fell down to the earth and could understand how he was still knocked out.

"Can someone please explain to me why he's here when he should be on Asgard," a tall black man with an eye patch stepped into her house. She could tell by the way he walked that he was the one in charge. He looked beyond irate, but she could see a hint of tiredness in his eye.

"The only way to know is to contact Thor," Tony said matter-of-factly, making the black man glare at him.

"Yes I know that thank you," the black man nearly spat. Tony shrugged, the metal clinking lightly at the movement. The man turned to her, his eyes burrowing into her, as if he could decipher all of her secrets in her eyes.

"Who are you," he asked none to kindly, making her want to huff in annoyance.

"Guinevere Acosta, I work for him," she said as she pointed her thumb to Tony. The man gave a look to Tony before turning back to me.

"What do you do for him," he asked now, making Gwen irritated.

"Why does that matter? Where are you taking him," she called as the men lifted the comatose man on the stretcher and carried him out.

"Need to know. What do you do for Stark," the black man told her, drawing her attention back to him. She was seething now. She crossed her arms and glared at him before speaking.

"Need to know," she parried back making the man step back and giving her a long look before turning to Tony and giving him an expectant look.

"Don't look at me," Tony told the older man, "She may work for me but she doesn't take orders from me."

"I'm head of his research department," she finally told him, suddenly feeling very tired. She sighed before dropping her arms back to her side. She was still furious, but it had been a long day and she was tired of playing games.

"Thank you," he said, but she knew that he was actually thankful at all, "We'll keep in touch." He began to walk out, but Gwen wasn't so tired as to not follow.

"I'm going with you," she told him, following behind him, but he stopped and turned back around, glaring down at her once again.

"You're not following," he told her brusquely. Tony had walked to her kitchen to get something to drink, leaving them on their own to argue.

"I am going with you. He's my responsibility now," she told him, making Tony snort from the kitchen.

"You should just let her come Fury. Once she get's this way there's no stopping her," Tony said before taking a long sip of soda, "Besides, she's nearly as smart as I am. She could help."

"We already have a full research team that has some of the brightest minds in the world," Fury told him. He would try anything to not get her to go, but she was lucky that Tony was such a good negotiator.

"I said nearly as smart as I am which already makes her worth more than your research team. I wouldn't be trying to get you to cave if I didn't have full confidence in her abilities. She can help with him Fury, at least until we can figure out what the hell is going on," Tony told him. His argument was valid. She felt her heart swell as he complimented her. She tried not to be too hopeful, but she could see the exact moment Fury caved in his eye.

"Fine," he sighed out, glaring at Tony, pointing at him menacingly, "You're the one that's going to debrief her. And if there is one slip up."

"There won't be because I don't slip up Mr. Fury," she replied for Tony, her anger taking her swiftly, "Not only am I not a child, but I head the entire Research Department for Stark Industries. That includes any research that goes on in not only New York, but San Francisco, Tokyo, and London as well. Please don't underestimate me. I don't take kindly to who do." Fury said nothing but gave her another long look before nodding and turning back around and heading out. She turned to Tony, a smug smile on her face.

"Thank you Tony," she began, "I really appreciate it."

"It's no problem. I wouldn't have said it if I didn't mean it. You are worth more than that entire thing that Fury calls a Research team. It's why I hired you," Tony told her, his voice soft as he spoke. Gwen was tempted to laugh at their situation. Having a heart to heart while he was in that ridiculous suit.

"I thought you hired me because of my great ass," she asked, a cheeky smile on her lips.

Tony smirked before finishing his soda and lowering his mask, "I'll have Jarvis send you the location of their lab. I'll meet you there." All Gwen did was nod as he stepped back onto her patio and flew away. You could never say that her job with Tony Stark was boring.