Pride & Empathy

Chapter 2


"What the hell?" Tony Stark was appalled by the state of his apartment. Walls were crushed, glass broken, furniture destroyed, and scorch marks covered everything. "Loki will be getting a bill for this."

"Where is he?" Thor questioned, moving past the Hulk and into the room.

"Here," Captain America called from the side of the late bar.

The team walked over to find Loki slumped against the wall, unconscious and bleeding. The scorch marks that littered the room all converged upon him, blackening his face and clothes. The very spot under him was black. It was obvious what had caused it.

Clint whistled. "Good job, Thor. Way to hand it to him."

Thor's brow creased together. "It was not me, friend. I had no part in this state."

Tony raised an eyebrow. "Well then who did, Blondie? You're the only one running around with 'Sparky', the lightning making play toy.

Thor shook his head again, looking more concerned. "It was not me, Metal Man."

"Guys," Natasha called from the far side of the room. "I think you should come see this."

The group turned to find Natasha crouched next to a pile of debris, a very human shaped pile of debris.

"Who the hell is that? And how the hell did they get up into my private apartment?" Tony asked, indignantly.

Natasha sent him a look of appalled disbelief, while Clint crouched down and rolled the figure over. The group collectively winced.

"Just looking at her makes me hurt," Tony said, nose wrinkled as if he smelled something rotten.

Clint felt along her neck. "I have a pulse. She's alive, but barely."

Steve stepped forward. "Did she do this?" He waved to the destruction around the room.

"No."

"How do you know—" It took Steve a moment to realize it was Dr. Banner who spoke. "Doc, are you—"

Bruce ignored him, standing on the far side of the room, half dressed.

"Banner, how do you know it wasn't her?" Natasha asked, confused.

Bruce stepped aside to show another crumpled figure, this one smaller. "Because the scorch marks spread out from her."

On the floor was a little girl with hardly a scratch on her. White blonde hair created a sort of halo around her head. She didn't even look unconscious, just sleeping.

"Is she—?" Steve began, afraid of the answer.

"She's breathing," Bruce confirmed.

"How could the lightning that struck down my brother come from one so small?" Thor asked, troubled.

"The real question we should be asking is how she produced it in the first place," Steve pointed out.

A cough startled them out of their thoughts.

Before Loki was even able to fully sit up, an army of superheroes surrounded him. For a moment he was confused. "How—?" he began, but paused as he stared at the two lifeless figures in the distance.

Tony followed his gaze. "We were actually hoping you could tell us that one."

Loki shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts. "The girl—she became—angry."

Tony let out a mirthless laugh. "You tend to have that effect on people. Right big guy?" he said, patting the Hulk on the arm.

"Her sister—"

"The two are sisters?" Thor asked.

Loki sneered at his brother and opened his mouth to mock him.

It was that moment that Fury burst in the room with an army of SHIELD agents behind him.

"Get the shackles and gag on him immediately!" He called over his shoulder, as he stepped purposefully towards the group of heroes.

Four agents rushed passed him. In seconds, they had fastened shackles around Loki's hands and feet and secured a piece of metal to his mouth. Loki did not struggle.

Thor watched with a heavy heart as his brother was lifted and escorted by at least twenty agents out of the room.

Steve placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. The god nodded his thanks, but stared at the place his brother had disappeared for a few moments longer.

"Director?" Agent Hill called. She was crouched on the floor next to the bleeding woman. Fury took in the sight and then turned his eye on the Avengers. He raised an expectant eyebrow.

Tony shrugged. "We're just as confused as you, chief." In the background, Hill was calling for an emergency medical team.

Fury turned away to assist Agent Hill, but paused when he heard Tony whisper loudly.

"Wait until he spots the kindergartener over there that took down Loki."

"Excuse me?"