"Name?" Director Fury looked over to Agent Maria Hill.

"Computer I.D.'d him as "Henry Remington," Maria said, flashing a picture up on a screen to the eight people standing around the table, herself included. "Top of his class at Berkeley, working there since 2010."

"Guy gets employed by Berkeley, what the hell is he doin' in New York?" A voice spoke up as all eyes went to the brown-haired man sitting at the end of the table, deeply involved in his own rendition of the iPhone.

"We've yet to find an answer to that, Mr. Stark, all though I think we'd be a little more productive if you actually participated in this meeting."

"Yeah, just hang on."

"Universities nowadays have connected programs, don't they?" A Young blonde-haired man spoke up, looking at the picture on the screen. "His professors-"

"We already checked," A beautiful red-haired woman added her voice to the group. "He was supposed to be on campus since June, but he's been MIA for two months now."

"A loss of life is a terrible thing," A blonde, long-haired man said, his voice dominating over the others. "And murder is foul, but I question what this man has to do with us?"

"Two things," Fury began. "One, he mentioned the name-"

"Ellie Conner," Tony Stark stood up, pressing a few more keys on his phone, flashing a picture of a young woman with light brown hair and brown eyes up on the screen. "I had J.A.R.V.I.S. run a check on recent missing persons. Found only one recent case under the name "Ellie." Civilian. Visual arts major, just graduated from MICA. Her parent's filed her in Missing Persons two months ago, give or take a few days. Looks like she vanished around the same time Henry took off."

"That's not all." Fury continued. "Before his death, Henry mentioned her life might be in danger."

"From whom?" The red-haired woman asked.

Director Fury looked right at the long haired-blond. "Your brother."

The whole room went silent.

"That…" The man shook his head. "That makes no sense, why would Loki-"

"You heard Agent Romanoff, he's already got 80 down, what's another-"

"Mr. Stark-" Fury cut him off. "That will do for now."

"What about this Henry guy?" The other blonde haired man spoke up. "If he was working for Loki how do we-"

"I can answer that, Captain Rogers." Agent Coulson stood up. "With your permission, of course."

Steve Rogers nodded at the older man to continue. Despite the situation, everyone could see Coulson beaming.

"Henry Remington's death was an set-up. NYPD have already arrested two men in direct connection with the murder, but the way he was killed points an obvious finger at a member of a New York crime family. I'm guessing he was supposed to take the fall."

"How do you know it was a set-up?" Dr. Banner asked.

"The disposal of the body was so sloppy, it was obvious they wanted him to be found so long as the finger would be pointed in the other direction." Agent Coulson said. "S.H.I.E.L.D. is familiar with the family they were trying to frame."

"How is that?" The long-haired man asked.

"We've had an agent watching them for some time."

Natasha closed her eyes. "Clint."

Coulson nodded. "Our men were able to talk to the suspects while in custody," he continued. "Turns out they didn't exactly run into Mr. Remington on the streets of New York."

"Where'd he pop up from?" Tony Stark asked.

"Germany."

"Then that is where Loki must be," the blonde haired man stood up, his strength nearly shaking the table. "And this young woman as well."

"Thor's right," Steve stood up. "It's a weak lead, but its the best we've got."

"Henry died asking us to save Ellie," Bruce said softly. "Thor… can you think of any reason your brother would need her?"

Thor stared at the group, searching his brain for some form of explanation. "My brother has never felt anything towards mortals apart from believing himself to be superior to them… what he wants with this girl… I don't know."

"What would any psycho want with a woman?" Tony said, almost bitterly.

"Stark," Thor growled, "If you are-"

"Think whatever you want Thor," Tony snapped. "But your brother has done a lot of damage and it doesn't look like he's gonna stop anytime soon. We should get to Germany before this girl or anyone else is a part of it."

To anyone else, Ellie looked to be at death's door. Her skin had paled to a sickly white, sweat dripped from her brow, and her body seemed to retain only enough energy to breathe.

To Loki, it was the start of her metamorphosis. Now bound to his life force, nothing but his own death could take her from this earth. But this new presence in her body was a harsh shock to her system. Her heart still pumped blood through her body, but it was no longer the central force of her being alive. A new element to the composition of her form, it would have been a shock to even another Asgardian. In truth, Loki was amazed that she'd been progressing as well as she was. In a few days time, no mortal illness or injury could ever claim her life again. Her body would heal from even the most horrific of accidents, baring in mind that all her limbs could be found.

For now, she could do little more than rest in a fitful sleep.

When not checking in on Selvig or Barton, Loki stayed with her, watching her transformation. Every now, he'd drape another blanket over her and bring her a little water to drink, though she'd barely swallow more than a mouthful at the time.

Strange how even like this, even weak and trembling, she was such a lovely flower. Who knew such a being could be found on Midgard?

Loki could have had any mortal servant he wanted on Midgard and often he knew there were those who quietly wondered why this girl had gained such favor with the soon-to-be king of Midgard. Looks? Intelligence? The dress.

No, it was her soul. The soul that had not crumbled under his command, the soul that had fought and won against the power of the gem in his staff, the soul that -while careful with how often she used such action- still fought against him every now and then.

And yet, he still knew so little of her. Perviously, it didn't matter. She was a pretty little thing with a good mind and, on the right occasion, a sharp tongue and oh how he loved that but it was not necessary to know her past. But now, now that her fate lay with him and him alone, perhaps it was time to find out more of this little Midgardian treasure he'd found. Her life before him, where that delightful spark in her had come from. So many questions to be answered. And now he had all the time in the world.

"Dr. Banner?" Nick Fury looked down at the man typing furiously over a computer. "Anything?"

"Your team was right," Banner pointed at a glowing dot on the computer screen. "There are faint traces of gamma radiation shooing up just outside Berlin. Looks like the area's fairly dead. Nothing there but a shut down subway station."

"If that's our best chance," Steve Rogers stepped up to see the location as well. "We better leave now before Loki has time to pack up and move."

"Report to the Quinjet in five," Director Fury turned to the Captain. "Tell Stark and Thor to get their rears in gear, you're going in and if it's not friendly, get rid of it."

"Yes, sir," Steve turned to the door.

"Doctor," Director Fury turned back to Bruce, his expression nothing but serious. "You think you can handle going with them?"

Banner smiled a little. "If I go, I'm not sure there'll be much of anything left."

"So long as we can find the Tesseract I don't care what's left," he said. "And I want you to keep an eye out for that girl Remington mentioned."

"Ellie." Bruce nodded. "Right."

Fury stared at him. "Are you worried the Hulk might-"

"No." Bruce shook his head. "No, if she hasn't been placed under one of Loki's spells, she should be fine."

"And if she is?"

Bruce sighed. "We just have to hope that's not the case."

"Sir?"

Barton's voice pulled Loki's gaze away from the girl on the bed. The man held his bow close, his fingers itching to reach for one of the arrows in his quiver.

"We have a problem."

"When did you spot them?" Loki growled, storming into Selvig's work space. "Collect everything," He snapped. "You're leaving at once."

"Sir?" Selvig tried to question him but a blazing look from his Lord sent him scrambling to grab only what he needed.

"Just now," Barton said, pulling an image up onto the computer screen. "We've got one S.H.I.E.L.D. bird in the air. Stark and your…" A look from Loki silenced him. "Stark and Thor are close behind."

"Make certain Selvig and the Tesseract are cleared from the area and have the others ready for battle. Send one of them to guard my quarters," he ordered, his mind rushing back to his flower for a moment.

"Yes, sir." Barton turned to go.

"Agent Barton," Loki stopped him. "How do you suppose they found us?"

"If I had to guess, sir?" Barton asked. Loki nodded. "I'd said through Remington."

Loki gritted his teeth, just one more reason to despite that whelp. He turned back to Agent Barton.

"I had expected you to take care of this properly," Loki said softly.

"I understand, sir," Barton responded.

"Report to your post," Loki commanded. "And Agent Barton…when your finished with Agent Romanoff, bring me her head."

"Yes, sir."

There is little to no actual battle. Loki's men, despite their training, were far from prepared to deal with the Avengers. A good ten were taken out through the Hulk crashing through the door alone. With only one member of their party not fully bullet proof and none of the men able to catch her as it was, a good chunk of Loki's men went down without a single thought. Thor broke off from the group early, his mind set on confronting his brother. Iron Man and Captain America stayed behind to take care of the remains of Loki's thugs while Natasha took off under the guise of trying to find the Tesseract. Everyone knew her heart was after Barton. The Hulk, in the other hand, was after anything and everything that was shooting at him, hoping to pound it into a pulp. Tony Stark seemed to like this and, much to Captain America's disapproval, continued to shout encouragement to him from across the way.

"LOKI!"

Loki rolled his eyes as nearby wall came blasting forward, dust and rubble clearing to reveal his brother, ever the pest as always.

"There's no need to shout," Loki said calmly, summoning his armor. "I can clearly hear you."

"What have you done with Selvig? Where is the Tesseract?" Thor growled, lifting Mjnoir as Loki summoned his spear.

Loki chuckled. "I've sent them off. You always were one to arrive to the battle too late, Thor. A little less time admiring yourself in the mirror and you might have come in time to save him."

Thor lunged violently at his brother.

The small human fired the last of his bullets at the Hulk but he might as well have been throwing pebbles at a tank. The enormous creature knocked him through the pair of fine double doors, sending him crashing into the bed at the center of the room, causing it to collapse around him.

The Hulk clambered in, breathing heavily as he looked around at the now practically destroyed room. There was nothing of any real interest here, but as he turned to go, a sound caught his attention. It was soft. So soft that even Puny Banner wouldn't have been able to hear it. It was coming from another door at the end of the room. The Hulk approached it, pulling it off its hinges and throwing it aside to enter an even smaller bedroom. His eyes turned to the bed.

The sound, a raspy, pained moaning was coming from a girl laying on the bed, several blankets draped on top of her, trying to keep her warm. She moved very slightly and seemed tired and sickly to the huge being. He moved quietly towards the bed, looking at her with confused eyes. In his mind, he could recall that Banner had been looking for someone. Was this her? He moved one of his hands down to the bed and bearing in mind his great strength, very, very softly touched her shoulder.

When her eyes opened, he could see the fear in them instantly. He was used to that. A lot of women screamed at the sight of him. But after a moment, he found it odd that she wasn't screaming. Or panicking in any way for that matter. The fear had slowly begun to melt away, turning to recognition. She'd heard of the Hulk, even seen pictures of him. She'd heard the stories of how he'd actually saved innocent lives rather than harming them, but never in her life had she imagined she would see him up close. And if the Hulk was here….

She struggled to push herself up, a new wave of sickness coming over her. A terrible pain shot through her right side, causing her release an agonizing moan. The Hulk startled a little at the sound, but came closer when her suffering became clear to him. She clutched her body, desperate to quell the pain. desperate Her body felt like a war zone, battling some unearthly element it had no hope of defeating.

"Loki…" She breathed, the name causing the Hulk to growl slightly as she tried to get up from the bed. Now rid of the blankets, he could see the long yellow dress she was wearing. "You gotta… you gotta get to him before he can…" She didn't have the energy to finish. The Hulk caught her in his arms, cradling her as gently as he could. Against his body, she felt cold and her tiny form trembled in his arms, whatever causing this pain now aggravated by her movements. The Hulk drew his other arm around her, positioned to protect her against any further form of gun fire as he left the room. This was the human Banner had been looking for and he had to get her to the others.

It was not an uncommon sight to anyone in the room. Loki, now surrounded by four aggravated figures, weapons drawn and ready to attack, bore a sadistic grin. It seemed as though the sight did nothing to discourage him. His only disadvantage now was a now passed out Barton laying in the corner, a huge welt forming on his head. Loki could only guess that Agent Romanoff had made use of those lovely legs of hers and delivered a rather nasty kick to his brow. No matter, he'd gotten out of worse situations before and he planed to do so again. He readied his staff to deflect another blow from Iron Man when a flash of something very large and very green caught his gaze, caught everyone's gaze in fact.

The Hulk entered the room, roaring in a oafish display of power as his eyes made contact with Loki, but it was not the Hulk himself that drew Loki's attention. It was what the foul beast was carrying in his arms. Loki's eyes blazed violently as the Hulk lowered himself to place his discovery on the floor.

Ellie barely moved as she was placed gingerly on the broken ground. Her breathing had slowed, far shallower than before and the absence of the warmth of the Hulk's arms left her cold, causing her to start shivering again.

"Ellie." Captain America was the first to react as he came to the girl's side, pulling off one of his gloves to feel her forehead. Clammy and cold, her skin had paled to a sickly white. "Agent Romanoff, we need a medical team here now!"

Natasha nodded, sending out a medical request for both the girl and Barton over her ear piece, pausing only when she noticed the look on Loki's face. It was disgusted, violent and infuriated, as though the sight of Avengers coming around this girl was the most despicable sight he'd ever witnessed.

Natasha wondered, if only for a moment, if Loki was more upset over them finding this girl than his capture.

"J.A.R.V.I.S." Tony Stark's voice came through the armor as he knelt beside the Ellie, certain that Thor, the Widow and the Hulk would keep Loki at bay for the time being. "I'm need you to run a medical scan on a blood sample." Tenderly, he picked up one of the girl's fingers, pricking it to produce a small pearl of blood on the tip of her finger. She winced at the pain, whimpering a little.

"You're okay, sweetheart," Stark's voice pulled her back into a semiconscious state, allowing her to survey the scene. With her mind in a daze, there wasn't much she could comprehend at that moment, but the vague sight of a fallen Agent Barton was enough to propel her to try to get to him.

"Agent-"

"He's all right, miss," The Captain whispered, holding her as still as possible. "He's all right."

"Sir." J.A.R.V.I.S.'s voice came trough in Tony's helmet. "My analysis has located a foreign substance in this young woman's system. From what I can compile, this sickness has been creating through severe stress on her chemical make-up. Further more, sir, there seems to be no record of this substance on earth-."

"What did you do to her, Loki?" Stark turned back to the battle, drawing the attention of both Thor and the Hulk as well. Loki made no move to speak, this rage still boiling in his eyes.

"What did you give her?" Stark snapped. "Poison? Narcotic? Date Rape drug? You know what, I'm gonna give you to the count or three-" Stark raised his arm, missiles ready to fire.

"ENOUGH!" Thor stepped forward, Mjolnir lifted defensively. "Stark, I will not-"

"It can't be stopped."

Loki's voice brought the whole room to silence.

"Still your petty thoughts," Loki snarled at the man in gold and crimson armor. "Think what you wish, but it makes no difference. She is mine."

"Everything seems to be balancing out," Bruce double-checked the computer screens, re-adjusting the I.V. drip as he looked down at the girl in the bed. "Hopefully this will all pass soon."

"Four days," Tony mumbled as he tried to rub away an approaching headache. "And God only knows how long she was out before that. Did the results come back yet?"

"Some of them." Bruce picked up a clip board, looking back over the papers he'd been given earlier that afternoon. "Negative on Tox Screen, Negative on physical trauma," He looked up at Tony. "Negative on rape kit."

Tony sighed a little, for once glad to know that he'd been wrong.

Loki and Ellie had come into their "care" only a few days ago. For the time being, Loki was being kept in a cage that had originally been designed to hold- though no one was going to openly admit it- Bruce in case the other guy decided he didn't want to be there anymore. At Thor's requests, however, though-Tony would have been the first to openly declare it begging- Loki had been given several "updates" to his room. Books, strong arm-chairs, comfortable bedding, even a small desk. Nothing too extravagant, of course, but even someone with vision problems could see it was special treatment.

Ellie had been taken to the infirmary at once and once her constant shivering had ceased, Bruce had stepped forward, volunteering to look after her for the time being. The other doctors were… well, far from happy at such a suggestion, but a single word from Director Fury insured Ellie's was in good hands.

"How's she doing?" Agent Romanoff's voice broke the momentary silence as she entered the room, eyes going to the girl laying still in the bed.

"Fine by outward perception," Dr. Banner noted. "Fever broke this morning and her skin's getting some color back, but nothing's for sure till she wakes up. How's Barton doing?"

"The swelling's gone down," she shrugged, eyeing Tony as she could make out the trace of a smirk on his lips. "He wants to see her once she wakes up."

"Interrogation?" Stark pondered aloud. Natasha shot him a look.

"Concern. Loki didn't trust a lot of people with her. Clint was Loki's favorite pick to play guard. He wants to be the one to tell her about Remington."

"Barton knew Remington?" Stark raised an eyebrow.

"Under Loki's control, he said he gave him a pretty hard time," Natasha said softly. "He said he…."She shook her head. "He says it's because of Remington that she's like this."

"Remington did this?" Dr. Banner looked down at the girl.

"No," Natasha shook her head. "Loki made her drink something under the promise that Henry would be safe."

Stark huffed. "Probably why I couldn't get anything on the scan. Son of a bitch must have used something from Asgard."

"Did Loki tell him anything about it?"

Natasha looked back down at the girl. "Loki said Asgardians couldn't take humans as lovers and those who did needed a way to ensure their lovers would survive past their lifetime. So one of them found a way to…"

"Make them less human," Tony finished.

"Then…" Dr. Banner swallowed. "Loki found a way to turn her-"

"Maybe. He isn't talking though and Clint hasn't been able to recall the name of the stuff. Thor's trying to figure it out."

"Well, the sooner we know exactly what he did, the better," Bruce said.

"Yeah. And one other thing," Natasha crossed her arms. "Loki never addressed her by her name."

"What did he call her?" Tony asked.

"He called her "flower."

It was the smell of the room that first made Ellie open her eyes slightly. Unlike the dank, musty smell she'd grown accustomed to living with Loki, this place smelled clean. She moved her hands slowly, suddenly realizing that the blankets on top of her body were lighter than the ones she'd previously been given. She sat up all to quickly, getting a bit of a head rush, but it didn't matter. She stared at her surroundings in silence.

The walls of the room were a dark grey metal, textured in nature and there was something almost soothing about it. Several wires attached to her body were hooked up to various machines that beeped softly, monitoring her vitals. A vase of flowers sat comfortable on a bedside table, a small touch of color.

Ellie's heart stopped. Taking a deep breath, she looked down at herself. No longer dressed in her yellow ball gown, she wore a cotton t-shirt and sleeping pants. Hospital issue probably, but at that moment, Ellie thought it was the most beautiful outfit on the planet.

"Please," She closed her eyes, pleading with all her might. "I'm begging, please let this be real!"

"You're up!" A soft voice pulled her from her wish. "Good, you had everyone worried."

Ellie's gazed turned to the man entering her room, sitting up to get a better look at him. Aside from the white doctor's coat he wore, he was dressed fairly casually in a deep purple shirt and dark brown pants. He pushed his glasses up higher on his bridge of nose as he walked over to the monitor by her bedside.

"Heart rate and BP's normal. Everything's looking good," He smiled back at Ellie. "Give it a few days and I'd say you're good as new. Can I get you anything?" He asked.

Ellie shook her head, watching him carefully. "No, thank you." Though this place certainly felt safer than Loki's "residence", Ellie wasn't sure how soon she could celebrate.

"Really?" The man gave her a smile. "Out for four days, I'd be begging for a burger."

Ellie couldn't help but smile. "A burger does sound pretty good."

The man chuckled. "Make it a double. Once I'm certain your stomach won't go into shock, we'll make a date of it."

Ellie grinned, happy that, for the first time in a long time, someone was speaking to her with a genuine warmth in his voice.

"Thanks," she said. "I'm guessing you're the one who kept me from going under?"

The man nodded. "After you arrived, I asked to be in charge of your case. I'd never seen anything like it."

Ellie's eyes shot up. "Wait, arrived where? Where am I? How long have I-"

"Slow down," he said. "Slow down, it's okay. We got you outta there, no ones gonna hurt you anymore." He stepped over to her, pulling out a stethoscope as he sat down beside her on the bed. "Here," he moved to place a hand on her shoulder. "I'm gonna need you to breathe deeply."

Ellie froze for a second, her mind still in high gear. The man's gaze turned soft, his hand rubbing her shoulder kindly. "I promise, Just gonna check your lungs. Nothing else."

Ellie looked at his face. His expression was honest enough, but that wasn't what made her stare. She knew this man… somehow. Something about his eyes, she'd seen them before. Eventually, she realized she'd spent a good five minutes just starring at him. She quickly nodded and let him place the device on her chest.

"To answer your question," The man continued as Ellie breathed, moving the small metal piece to the other side of her chest. "You're currently over Manhattan."

"Over?" Ellie asked, between breaths. "Like flying?"

"Thirty thousand feet," the man said, catching Ellie's confused expression. "Trust me, it's a shock to everyone at first."

"How?" She asked. "We're in a plane?"

The man shook his head, reaching for Ellie's wrist to check her pulse. "It's an airborne aircraft carrier."

Ellie rubbed her eyes, trying to process what would come to be the first of many shocks. "'Kay, how long have I been out?"

"Since you got here, about six days. But we're not clear as to how long you were out before you arrived."

Ellie closed her eyes, trying to think back to that day. "I don't remember."

"No one expects you too," the doctor said. "You've been through hell, you need to rest."

"I mean, I remember seeing…" She stopped, shaking her head. "Sorry, I didn't get your name, Doctor."

"I didn't tell you. It's Banner," the man held out his hand. "Bruce Banner."

"Banner…" Ellie looked him over as she shook his hand. That name sounded very… Of course. Her smile widened as the pieces all fell into place.

"Thank you, Dr. Banner." She said softly.

"For what?"

Ellie watched him for a moment. "You saved my life."

Bruce smiled. "Well, I just made sure-"

"No," Ellie stopped him. "Back in my room. You found me down there. You saved my life."

Dr. Banner blushed, freezing in his spot for a second. "I… I don't think you're-"

Ellie shook her head. "You looked too familiar. Except not as big… or green. But you got me out of there." She grinned. "Thank you."

For a moment, Dr. Banner didn't speak. He seemed a little embarrassed. "How… I didn't think that much information had gone public."

"When I was in college, I used to cut through the science building on campus to get to the visual art studio." Ellie said. "I heard your name dropped a couple of times, as well as your..."

Dr. Banner raised an eyebrow. "Condition?"

Ellie smiled sheepishly. "You still saved me. I owe you my life."

Bruce shook his head. "Naw, you're fine. Besides, it wasn't me who saved you, it was the other guy."

Ellie nodded. "Well, would you mind telling the other guy "Thank you" on my behalf?"

Bruce couldn't recall the last time someone had actually thanked him for being the Hulk. In fact, he wracked his brain to try to remember if there even was a "last time." Regardless, he smiled once again.

"I'll deliver the message personally."

"Then thank you to the both of you," Ellie said softly.

While Dr. Banner really would have preferred Ellie to rest, he couldn't exactly disagree with the argument that she'd spent the last 6- possibly more- days in bed and was more than rested enough for the time being.

"I just wanna stroll for a bit," she said. "Half and hour at most."

Bruce smiled. "Twenty Minutes, I don't want you relapsing."

"Thanks." Ellie looked down at herself. "Any chance on finding some… less awkward "walk about" clothes?"

"I'll see what I can scrounge up," Bruce said. He motioned to a tray of food that had been placed beside her bed. "Eat what you can and I'll see what I can find."

Ellie nodded, taking Bruce's absence to look over her lunch delivery. Tuna Sandwich and some fruit, nothing overly fancy but after being out for God knows how long, Ellie couldn't help but scarf it down, enjoying every bite.

Bruce returned soon after, a little amazed but not at all shocked at how quickly she'd inhaled her food with a set of clothes; a pair of tan and a teal shirt. She pulled her hair back into a pony tail and Bruce lead her from the infirmary, keeping her close to be on the safe side.

"So, who built this exactly?" Ellie asked, looking around.

"S.H.I.E.L.D." Bruce said. "They're a privately funded government agency."

"S.H.I.E.L.D?" Ellie questioned. "Never heard of them."

"They tend to keep a low profile," Bruce said as he lead Ellie out onto the bridge of the Helicarrier. Ellie froze in her tracks, mind completely blown by everything around her.

"I… see…" She swallowed, feeling herself to be a fish out of water. The large glass panels in front of her leading out to an endless sky. She'd once heard Loki speak of "Worlds beyond" earth and this universe, it suddenly fully dawning on her that there was so much she, nor anyone else knew about.

Loki. The name cracked in her skull like a whip. What'd happened to him? Had he escaped? was he looking for-

"Well! Someone's up and about!"

Ellie turned around, her eyes turning to a large table, the primary meeting spot of the ship or so she assumed. A group of about six people sitting around it. Only one face looked frailer and that was only due to seeing him, well to be quite frank, continuously on Entertainment Tonight.

"How you feeling, kid?" The man who had addressed her spoke again once she finally found the courage to step forward.

"All right, I think," she said. "My head's still a little fuzz, but other than that, I'm actually feeling pretty good."

"Good to know," Another man with light blonde hair spoke up. "We weren't sure if you were gonna come back to us or not."

Ellie smiled again. "I take it you guys brought me here?"

"You'd be correct." An older gentleman stepped forward, offering her his hand. "Nick Fury, director of S.H.I.E.L.D."

Ellie shook his hand, smiling in return. "Nice to meet you, sir."

"This is Agent Hill," He pointed to a young woman sitting behind him. "Agent Coulson," He nodded to the man next to her, "And there," he turned back to the rest of the table. "Are the people who brought you here."

Ellie turned back to the three men, their eyes now all on her. She swallowed a little, hating herself for becoming starstruck now of all times.

"Really, I…. I can't thank you enough for finding me," she said, looking at each of them in turn.

"Well, it was the big guy who actually found you," a young brunette man stood up from the table, coming over and shaking her hand almost a little too strongly. "But I'll accept on his behalf. Tony Stark," he introduced himself, giving her a charming smile.

"Ellie Conner," she said, trying to hold back a laugh. "Pleasure's all mine."

"The walking flag back there is Steve Rogers and Goldilocks to the right is Thor," Tony continued, not minding the looks from the rest of the group.

"We're more than capable of introducing ourselves, Stark." Steve rose from his seat, shaking Ellie's hand. "I'm glad you're all right, miss."

"Thank you, sir," Ellie said, nodding in return. She looked over at the final man standing there, but he hadn't moved at all. He just seemed to be watching her, doing a poor job at trying to hide the pained expression on his face. Eventually, he approached her. Ellie held out her hand but was a little taken aback when he didn't accept it.

"Miss Ellie," he said finally, eventually taking her hand, lowing his head and kissing the top gently. "Though I know I am not worthy of it, I must ask for your forgiveness."

"Forgiveness?" Ellie stared at him. "You haven't done anything. You got me outta there, if anything I should be-"

"I ask for your forgiveness, my lady," he said softly. "As I should have known sooner of my brother's schemes. Perhaps, something could have been done sooner."

Ellie paused. "How could you have known? And who's your-"

"Loki."

A moment of worried silence followed.

"Loki is my brother, Miss Ellie."

The silence in the room prompted an unnecessary, but rather truthful quip from Tony. "Well… that was awkward." Agent Hill shot him a reprimanding look.

Ellie continued to watch Thor for a moment, looking for some form of resemblance. And while she thought she could see a little… Loki's eyes had been so cold. Thor's were strong, but still warm. She cleared her throat.

"He never mentioned you." She said softly.

"I would not expect him to," Thor told her. "We have not been on good terms for some time. But I swear to you, Miss Ellie, had I known that he-"

"It's okay," Ellie stopped him. "It's not your fault."

Ellie didn't blame Thor, though a part of her did ponder how he could not have known the comings and goings of his brother. But Loki was a magical being and she knew there were many things about him she could not understand.

"Miss?" Steve's voice drew her attention. "Did Loki ever tell you anything about his plans? Did he ever mention anything called the "Tesseract?"

Ellie wracked her mind. "Apart from his continuous reminders that he was going to rule the earth, nothing. At least nothing I was present for. He mentioned that "Tesseract" once, but I don't think I ever saw it."

"When you were in my brother's keep, what did you see?" Thor asked gently, hoping for any hints she might had over looked.

"Mostly him, really." She said. "He rarely left me alone if he didn't have to. There was… I guess the "throne room", my bed room and the library. The only time I ever saw anything… God, 'm not exactly sure what it was,. He did mention the Tesseract though so whatever they were building, I'm guessing it needed the Tesseract to work.

"Was there an older man working there with him?" Nick Fury asked. "Around sixty, grey hair, name is Eric Selvig."

"Dr. Selvig?" Ellie asked. Thor's eyes turned to her. "Loki introduced me to him once but that was it." Ellie shrugged. "Nobody ever spoke to me."

"Hows that?" Tony raised an eyebrow.

"They weren't allowed to."

Thor lowered his head a little, ashamed of his brother's actions. Ellie noticed and managed a small grin.

"It's okay. At least you were able to stop him," she said.

"For the time being, yes," Thor sighed. Ellie's eyes narrowed.

"For the time being?" She asked. "You weren't-"

"We were able to apprehend him," a new voice, the voice of a man, far from old, but not quite young spoke up. The gentleman Dr. Fury had introduced as Agent Coulson stood up, eyes trained on Ellie. "Until further notice, he is in S.H.I.E.L.D.'s custody."

Ellie's heart stopped, something poking at her heart. "Where is he?"

Coulson took a moment before speaking. "He's in prisoner containment. Section sixty-two." He quickly noticed the color draining from Ellie's face. "I can assure you he's completely secured," he said. "Round-the-clock guards and continuous surveillance. I promise you, Miss Conner, he can't hurt you."

His tone was reassuring enough, but after spending… She thought back to the day of her disappearance. "Does… Anyone know how long I've been gone?"

"Two months," Director Fury stepped forward. "Your parents filed a missing person's report immediately.

Two months. Two months with Loki in that place. She rubbed her face, trying to keep herself stable as everything slowly began to sink in. Dr. Banner stepped forward.

"I think that's enough information for right now," he said. "I'll take her back to the infirmary."

Director Fury nodded. The others rose to say good-bye for the time being.

"Can an old friend say hi?"

Ellie now found her attention being pulled to a young woman entering the room. A striking woman with beautiful red hair. She offered Ellie a smile and her hand. "Miss Conner, I'm Agent Natasha Romanoff."

Ellie thought back to the night the Hulk had found her. There had been a woman with bright red hair… she nodded and shook the woman's hand. "Good to meet you. I'm glad you caught me."

"I was visiting a friend," She said. "I thought you'd might like to say hello."

Another figure stepped out into the bridge of a ship. Ellie turned away from the woman for a moment, her heart stopping.

He didn't look as sickly as he had previously and apart from a small bump on his head, he looked exactly the same. His eyes weren't that icy blue anymore though. They'd returned to their normal color, determined as ever, but kinder. His all black attired had been changed slightly, this time wearing a vest that bore maroon pattern on it. Ellie swallowed.

"Miss Conner," he said.

"Agent Barton," she nodded, approaching him. She stopped before him, just looking for a minute. Inside, all she wanted to do was throw her arms around him as tightly as she could but given that this was their first "official" meeting, she didn't want to create awkward tension.

"Ellie, I can't even begin to-"

"Don't." She stopped him. "It's not your fault." She smiled a little. "I don't think you wanted to be there anymore than I did."

"Ellie…" Barton took a deep breath. "I was the one who brought you to Loki."

Ellie stared at him.

"After… whatever happened in that dress shop-"

Stark raised an eyebrow.

"He ordered me to find you. Track you down and bring you back to him. Ellie, I swear, if I'd-"

"I Know," She stopped him again. "It's okay, I know it wasn't you. Hell, I don't even know how I didn't end up like that."

"Like what?" Steve asked.

"Loki's mind control didn't work on her," Barton said. 'Whatever he did, you fought it off."

"It was a fluke," Ellie shrugged it off.

"I doubt that," Thor spoke up. "Loki is many things, but his magic is unrivaled on Asgard. For you to have deflected it and perhaps the power of the tesseract, even… you made yourself something of a match for my brother."

Stark cleared his throat. "I think he meant mental match, sweetheart."

Even Ellie couldn't resist a very tiny smile at Stark's attempt to cover Thor's verbal mishap. She looked back to Barton.

"I'm just happy you're all right. I saw you on the floor-"

"Well, I couldn't help that-" He shot a grin back at Agent Romanoff, who returned it.

Ellie noted the look, wondering to herself if… well, she'd keep that thought to herself for now, even if they did seem cute together. "I was horrified, I had no-" It was like being struck by lightning, no pun intended. "Oh My God! That guy! The one in my room when-"

"Henry Remington," Barton moved closer. Ellie nodded quickly.

"Yes! Where is he? Is he okay? He wasn't caught in the battle, was he? What did Loki-"

Barton placed his hands gently on Ellie's shoulders, stilling her as silence once again covered the room. A coldness seemed to creep into Ellie's heart with the way Agent Barton's eyes were linked with hers.

"Agent Barton-"

"Clint," he said gently. "You can call me Clint."

Ellie searched his eyes, looking for answers. "Clint, where is-"

Clint sighed. "Henry Remington is dead, Miss Conner."

It didn't register. It couldn't. How does something like that stick to the mind the first time around? She stepped back. She opened her mouth a little, but try as she might, she could not find the words. Her skin lost the healthy twinges of pink had regained over the past few days and when she spoke, it was barely a whisper.

"How?"

Clint closed his eyes. "Loki never kept his word. Remington was sent away after you lost consciousness. His murder was a set up to keep everyone off Loki's scent."

Ellie just stared at Clint. She felt sick to her stomach, swallowing to keep herself in check.

"Just a lie the whole time, wasn't it?" She asked to everyone, to herself. "And I believed him. And Henry Remington still-"

"Ellie-" Clint moved to touch her but she stepped away. She stood there in silence, letting the truth sink in.

She'd barely known Henry Remington, barely spoke a word to him when he was alive… but out of all the people in that dark, oppressive cavern, he'd been the only one to look at her as something other than pretty. He'd look at her as though she were a human. He'd talked of her even though it was forbidden. He'd even offered to forgo his own life so she could be spared Loki's magic.

And until now… she hadn't even known his name.

"He said Henry would be okay…" Ellie clenched her fists tightly, recalling Henry's voice calling to her as she'd begun to slip into the darkness, trying to keep her awake. "And…" Hot tears slid down her cheeks. "And I believed him. I was stupid enough to believe him." She turned away from the group. "You… STUPID!"

Ellie slammed her hand angrily onto the glass table, crying out a little as she heard a crack. Not from the glass, but from the bone in one of her fingers. Warm blood began to flow out across the table where her skin had split and she crumbled to the floor, clutching her injured hand.

"Oh My God, Ellie!" Bruce ran beside her, carefully moving her other hand away to get a better look at her injuries. Clint appeared on her other side trying to get a look when he stopped, his eyes narrowing in on the injury.

"What the hell?"

Clint, Bruce and Ellie all looked down at the injured hand, watching in shock as the bone began to knit itself back into place. The cut in her skin closed, healing perfectly, without so much as a scab to be seen. Trembling, Ellie displayed her hand, turning it back and forth as the fear crept into her body.

"Oh my God." Bruce whispered.

"What's wrong?" Tony's voice broke the silence, hating to be left out of the loop. Ellie turned, showing her uninjured hand to the group. Even the blood that had once coated the injury had vanished. Coulson's eyes flashed down to the table, beholding several large drops of blood, the only remaining proof of an injury.

Thor regarded the girl painfully, the full truth dawning on him. He cursed himself once again for not being able to protect an innocent. "Loki…" he whispered. "What have you done?

Bruce helped Ellie up, putting an arm carefully around her shoulder. "Come on," he said gently. "Let's get you back to the infirmary."

At first, Ellie's legs refused to obey her, her body still in shock at its recent discovery of its own self. But with a gentle prodding from Bruce, she was able to move.

"Miss Ellie!" Thor finally broke his silence.

"I really don't think this is a good time-" Bruce began but Thor's voice halted the girl in her tracks.

"The formula my brother gave you," Thor said softly. "Did he give it a name?"

"Thor, This isn't the-"

"Adlig…" The small sound escaped her mouth. "Adlig… something." She whispered.

Thor had never been a scholar, but he knew the laws of Asgard. As future king, it was his duty to. Perhaps it was only through the law that the start of the potion's title sounded frailer.

" 'Adligamentum Animus'? " Thor asked. Ellie nodded.

"Adliga-what?" Tony repeated.

"In your tongue it means "Bound Soul." He looked to Ellie. "Ellie's life force is no longer depended upon her own body. She possess the life force of an Asgardian now."

Clint's eyes turned back to Thor, a memory rushing back, striking him like a falling brick. "Loki… He said as long as he lives…"

"Then Ellie shall live. Through my brother, Ellie has gained immortality."