Chapter 2
Andrea and Natasha got into the elevator and, just before the doors closed, Bruce stepped in. She looked up at him with a smirk and he grimaced. Andrea was fighting back a laugh when an excruciating pain shot through her, emanating from her thigh, and she fell, a yell passing her lips. Bruce quickly swept into action and picked her up in his arms, carrying her bridal-style out of the elevator as it opened into the Avengers HQ.
The pain wasn't subsiding and she continued to yell, attracting the attention of the tenants who occupied the space. Two men who had previously been sitting watching television stood immediately, turning to face the trio entering. One of them had boyish, sandy hair and an innocent expression while the other had dark hair and a look of malice, clearly not intended. However, both of them were very well built. Bruce laid Andrea down on the sofa and the blonde man stepped forward.
"What's wrong with her?"
"Blood poisoning," Natasha said as she pulled off Andrea's pants, leaving her in her underwear and t-shirt and revealing her thigh which was turning blue. Everyone took a step back in amazement and fear. "Of the most literal kind."
Andrea let out another shriek of agony and Bruce leapt into action. He ran to the kitchen in a desperate attempt to find something to stop her pain. It was at this moment a man with a goatee walked in, rubbing his eyes. "What the hell is going on? No screaming before bedtime."
He walked over and immediately saw the source of the noise and dropped to his knees beside her, pressing a hand to Andrea's thigh. He pulled back quickly, hissing in pain as he blew on his hands.
"What?"
"It's like putting your hand in liquid nitrogen," he said, blowing on his hand again in a desperate attempt to gain warmth. Then an idea struck him. "Legolas, run a hot bath."
"Really? While this woman is in pain you want to have a-"
"It's not for me! She's in pain because she's being frozen to death from the inside; we need to warm her up."
"Way ahead of you," Bruce said, returning holding a hot water bottle he had clearly just filled from the kettle. He put it on her leg and soon Andrea's pain started to seep away. She relaxed into the sofa as she started to feel the warmth in her leg again. Looking up, she saw five worried faces and she managed a small smile.
"Thank-you." Not one of the faces looking down at her showed any acknowledgement of her words and she shied away again, feeling out of place. She pulled her sweatpants back up and started to take the water bottle off her leg but was stopped by four hands pressing it back on. All of them except the man with the goatee had a hand on the water bottle.
"Keep it on, you could die otherwise." She nodded at Dr Banner's words and they all pulled away before sitting in various places around the living room. The man with the goatee spoke first.
"Who are you?" Before she could answer, she was cut off by Natasha.
"I'm surprised you don't know. I thought you'd slept with all your female employees." Andrea blinked.
"You…you're Tony Stark?" Tony spread his arms out wide and grinned.
"The one and only." He came and sat down across from her, his eyes shining with amusement before is disintegrated on meeting hers. "That still doesn't answer the question. Who are you?"
"Andrea Destler," she said calmly.
The sandy haired man stood and took her hand, kissing it. "Steve Rodgers, ma'am."
She nodded and the other man who had been in the room when she entered moved forward. "Clint Barton."
"Hello." She turned to look at the sea of faces around her and suddenly felt like and intrusion. She made to stand but Steve pushed her back into her seat.
"What are you doing?"
"I'm leaving. I've intruded enough," she said and she stood to leave. She made to walk to the doorway but found three men standing in her way. Banner, Rodgers and Barton all stood in front of her like a wall and she wilted where she stood, suddenly afraid. "Why won't you let me go?"
Picking up on Andrea's fear, the three separated and left Dr Banner to talk to her. He grabbed her gently by the shoulders as he spoke. "The man who injected you with his blood; he wasn't…normal. We need to keep you here to ensure there isn't any effect from the transfusion. Also, we need to protect you."
"Why?"
"Because you look like Sigyn," Natasha said stepping forward. At the mention of that name, everyone in the room stiffened visibly and stared at her. She was lead back to the sofa and sat down where she was ignored as a conversation flew around her. She only caught fragments of it.
"Did you say he gave her his blood?"
"Loki must be planning something to be watching Stark Towers."
"Why isn't he back on Asgard? Thor said he was going to be punished."
"What do you mean she works for me?"
It was a moment before Anthea realised that someone was calling her name. Turning her attention back to the group, she saw all eyes fixed on her. She shifted uncomfortably under their gaze but none of them made to look away. Finally, she couldn't help herself.
"What!?" In that flash of anger, every did a double take, but she could tell it was from more than surprise. Looking in the window across from her she saw her skin took on a pale blue. Shock took over her but she attempted to calm down. Quickly her skin faded back into being the pale white it was. As soon as it did, Steve sprang into action, addressing the team.
"Stark, Romanoff, we'll see if we can track down where Loki is. Barton, inform Director Fury about what's going on. Banner, see if you can find out anything about the effect his blood is having. Miss Destler, keep warm."
Before she could even comprehend what was happening, everyone was moving in different directions. Tony, Steve and Natasha had disappeared down the corridor; Clint had run outside, pressing a finger to his earpiece and talking quickly; Bruce was pulling at her arm and she followed him without a second thought. She waked awkwardly, still trying to hold the hot water bottle to her leg. Eventually they made their way to the elevator. Bruce typed a security code into the panel beside her and the doors closed. Andrea could have sworn that just before they did, she caught a glimpse of a green eye and a toothy grin.
