"Cap, you're going to want to see this." Wanda said into the comm, staring at the object. They were in a Areaes compound, sister organization to Hydra that was specifically dedicated to human genetic modification. Wanda had, yet unknowingly, stumbled upon the power behind it all.
"Wanda, what is it?" Steve said into his comm, looking up a few rooms away.
"I.." She circled the object, "I'm not sure. I've never seen anything like it." Steve gave Clint a look, and together they walked to Wanda.
"Nat, I think we're almost finished here, get the rest of the team back to the quinjet." Steve said into his comm, walking into the room Wanda was in. For a few moments the three of them stared at the object. A paper thin glass orb, about a square foot in size, with glowing iridescent emerald liquid swirling around the sides inside, circling what looked like a tulip bud with a few pink leaves attached.
"That's new." Clint said, in a very Clint-like tone.
"Best we don't touch it. Wanda, can you safely transport it back to base?" Steve looked toward her and she nodded. "Great, I'll call Coulson, he'll know what to do."
Wanda circled the glass ball in a string of red energy, lifting it from the table and directing it toward the door, out of the building, and onto the quinjet where the ride back to base was spent with each of the Avengers taking their best guesses as to what it was.
"Alright," Tony half yelled from the cockpit, "We're touching down, seatbelts would be advisable." Banner was the only one who took the advice. As soon as the wheels hit the tarmac, the team was out. Six hours confined in a small space was enough to drive anyone crazy. Phil was waiting for them when they stepped off.
"Cap, Wanda." He motioned for them to follow him. Still directing the orb, Wanda followed him and Steve followed her. They passed the familiar halls and went down to the labs in the sub-basement.
"I called in a favour at NASA," Phil said as he walked, "From what you described on the phone, I have the perfect person. She is the junior director of interplanetary environmental sciences, smartest woman I ever met." He led them into a room where a woman was already at work setting up various vials and other sciency things they didn't quite understand.
"Dr. Lafayette." Phil raised his voice a bit, capturing her attention. She turned and smiled. She had long dirty blonde hair that was half up half down and braided, deep muddy eyes, painted lips, and plain clothes.
"Please Phil," She said walking over whilst simultaneously taking off her rubber gloves. "Dr. Lafayette is my mother, please call me Catie, or Ms. Rose if you insist." Her smile was warm as were her eyes and she shook both Wanda's and Steve's hands in turn as they introduced themselves.
"So," She said rubbing her hands on her skirt, "What have you brought me?"
"Well," Said Steve, motioning for Wanda to set the thing on the metal table nearby, "We're not exactly sure. We were hoping you could help us with that."
Wanda set the orb on the table and released the energy from around it. Ms. Rose circled it a few times, bringing a hand up to tap the glass she seemed to reconsider and putting her hand back down.
"Any ideas?" Phil asked, looking from the orb to her.
"At first glance, best guess is that it's a terrarium, alien by the looks of it." She straightened herself and looked up, "It will take some tests, but if you have any of your Asgardian friends handy, they might be more helpful than me."
Phil nodded to her, and let the two Avengers out. Outside the lab, Phil began to speak,
"I've got to jet over to Serbia, let me know if she finds anything, or if any of you hear from our alien friends," He pressed the button to call the elevator, " And listen, she can get a bit distracted with her work, if one of you guys could send down dinner in a few hours, I'd really appreciate it."
"Of course." Steve smiled. The elevator dinged, and Phil stepped in,
"Oh, and one more thing. She doesn't eat meat." and with that the doors shut, taking him back to the hangar.
"I do hope she's careful." Wanda said, eyeing through the glass. Steve turned to look too,
"Junior director? She'll be fine." Wanda smirked before walking off, assumedly to shower and rest before supper. Steve stayed a moment, watching the way her delicate hands set up equipment around the orb, a stray hair falling loose from her braid into her face. She seemed to feel his eyes on her and looked up. Steve smirked and looked down, a blush creeping up his face. He could still hear her bubbly laughter when he stepped into the elevator.
A few hours later, the avengers were drawn to the communal kitchen and bar area, following the smell of Italian perfection.
"Mmm that smells amazing, what's for dinner?" Tony said sliding onto a barstool, Bruce, Pietro, and Sam following suit.
"Mushroom Risotto and Avocado Gazpacho." Steve said without looking up from his pan.
"Where is everyone?" Sam asked peeking around the dining and common areas.
"Clint went home." Steve said, absentmindedly grabbing a bottle of spices.
"Bucky and Nat are training." Tony said reaching across the counter for a bottle of amber liquid.
"Ah, ah." Steve chided, swatting Tony's hand with a spatula, and handing him a bottle of green juice instead.
"I would prefer not to be on bad side." He said when Tony glared at him.
"I believe Wanda and Vis went out tonight," Pietro drawled in a rather monotone voice not looking up from his book. They sat in silence for a few minutes, Sam playing a game on his phone, Pietro reading with the most bored look on his face, Tony alternating between sipping his green juice and glaring at Steve, and Steve of whom was cooking away for Italian Tuesday. When he finished he doled out hefty helpings of each onto five plates, and a medium sized helping onto a sixth. Tony, the only one who was watching, raised his eyebrows inquisitively,
"It's for ." Steve replied, as if this should be obvious.
"Ms. Who now?" Tony said, lowering one of his eyebrows.
"The scientist Coulson brought over from NASA to look at the orb thing." Steve huffed, passing out plates and utensils. Bruce, who had been quietly napping with his face on the bar oblivious to the conversation around him suddenly picked up his head. There was a red mark on his cheek, and a crease in his brow.
"NASA scientist?" He asked, his voice showing his sleepiness.
"I'll let you know if she needs help." Steve grinned. He loaded the two plates, one meatless for her, onto a tray along with utensils, two fizzy waters, a basket of focaccia, and two mini apple pies, before heading to the elevator leaving the Bruce, Tony, and Sam with there mouths hanging open, and Pietro with his mouth stuffed with Gazpacho.