Disclaimer: Don't, and never will own. Maybe in my wildest dreams, but those don't count.

Warnings: Foul language (dur), m/m SLASH. If it's not your thing, the back button is in the top left hand corner of your browser. Kindly use it. Violence. Mentions of suicide, self-harm, non-con.

A/N: Chapter 2... Tony's really OOC in this in my opinion... I couldn't get the feel for writing him this chapter :/ Apologies for that. Despite, I hope you enjoy it ^^ I know, it's taken me ages to get this up...

[Chapter 2]

The auburn haired woman gazed around the deep darkness of the stone cave in which she stood. A fair-haired young man came to stand behind her and put a hand on her shoulder, "Lydia, is it here?"

A nod of her head and a deep breath were her only response as she delved deeper into the bowels of the earthen creation. Her silver eyes took on a slightly blue shimmer as the caverns inky darkness wrapped around them like a velvet blanket, and her companion's did the same. After a few more meters, they hit a wall of smooth, almost glassy stone. Looking around, the woman crouched down to run her fingers along the floor of the cave. "It is here. Beneath the stone," Lydia murmured softly, sitting and crossing her legs, "Will you join me, brother? We should begin as soon as possible. Twelve suns must rise before the wards will hold."

The man nodded, sitting across from her and mirroring his sister's position, "We shall begin."

Steve and Thor sat around the table on the bridge of the helicarrier. The captain fiddled with his bomber jacket's sleeve in his boredom, pulling at the fuzz and loose thread until he had a small ball accumulated. The demigod on the other hand, sat in stoic silence, watching the activity with distant eyes. Soft chatter from the doorway made them turn their heads as Natasha and Clint wandered in.

"Hey. Any progress yet?" Steve asked, shifting slightly so the agents could take their usual seats.

Natasha shook her head, "Not yet. Stark said they'd let us know when they had something."

"Speaking of Tony, did any of you notice his odd behaviour on the rooftop of the Avenger's tower this morning?" Thor's voice rumbled throughout the room with the question.

Both Clint and Natasha looked to one another, "Odd behaviour? I mean, we just got back, so we didn't see him earlier but he seemed pretty normal when I went to check on they're progress," the spy replied.

Steve shrugged slightly, "He was just being dramatic, as usual."

Just then, footsteps sounded behind them, announcing Tony and Bruce's arrival to join the rest of the team. Tony had heard the Cap's remark, but chose to refrain from commenting on it, choosing instead to look out the bridge windows.

"What have you guys found?" Steve asked, sensing everyone's curiosity as strong as his own.

Bruce glanced at his friend, who remained stubbornly unengaged in the conversation, and then looked back at the blonde soldier. His eyes shifted from him to the ground as he spoke, "We aren't exactly sure yet. There was an energy spike in the area of the Grand Canyon a couple of minutes ago, and the energy signature was similar to the one we recorded when Thor went back to Asgard the first time, but not exactly. It was also mixed in with the energy signature of what we think is the object S.H.I.E.L.D wants us to retrieve."

The rest of the team stared at Banner a moment before nodding collectively. Tony spun around, smirking slightly, "So what are we waiting for? Let's go get the thing, so we can all go home, yeah?" Clapping his hands together, he leaned back against the railing he stood near and looked at the others expectantly. When no one moved, he rolled his eyes and continued, "Come on children, we haven't got all day."

Natasha and Clint shrugged slightly, turning to go before Steve spoke up again, "We can't just rush in without a plan Stark. Dr. Banner says there are two energy signatures, what if one is a hostile? Did you even bother to think of that, or do you even consider the fact that you're not immortal."

The billionaire's eyes hardened, but he remained silent a moment before replying icily, "We won't know if it's hostile if we don't do a little recon, Rogers."

"You volunteering to do legwork Stark? I didn't even realize you knew what that was."

"Yeah, I'll go. Don't bother leaving the lights on, I'll find my way back," Tony shot back and stalked out of the room.

All eyes turned from Steve, who sat fuming at the table.

"I will go speak with Anthony, I believe he should not be going on a mission in this state," Thor spoke softly as he stood and left in Stark's wake.

Bruce stared after the demigod's retreating back and sighed softly. Something was up with Tony, distracting him enough that his mask was crumbling to dust. With a shrug, he followed in Thor's footsteps and wandered back to the lab half-hoping that the other scientist would be there. Initially upon reaching the lab, he believed himself to be in for a disappointment, however upon closer inspection of his surroundings, he noticed a figure curled up in the farthest corner of the workspace.

"Tony?" he called softly.

Upon getting no response, he walked over to the person he could now tell was his friend, "Tony, look at me," he gently put his hands on Tony's knees to get his attention.

Suddenly, the billionaire leapt to his feet, fists clenched at his side, "Who does he think he is? He thinks that he can be frozen for 70 years and then thaw out and make all the decisions? I mean… He doesn't even know what he's talking about, doesn't understand us at all!"

Bruce looked up and stood, taking off his glasses and cleaning them absent-mindedly on his shirt, "That's how he always is, Tony. You know that… What's really going on?"

Looking back at him, Tony dragged a shaking hand over his face, "It doesn't matter… It really doesn't. What's done is done. Can't change the past right?"

There it was again, that mask. Bruce could see the cracks, but it was there all the same. He opened his mouth to speak, but Thor burst through the lab doors before he could get a sound out.

"Anthony, you must not depart. It is unwise and unsafe."

Tony smiled tiredly and walked past him, "Don't worry big guy, I'm not going anywhere except to get a cup of coffee. Don't worry, I'll be right back."

As he left, he clapped Thor on the back and gave a smile to Banner, turning his back before it could falter.

Okay. It's short. But I'm still fighting writer's block. Onto the next one!

Mata ne,

Ravvyn~