A/N: Is this...? It is! An update! Sorry for the delay, folks. I've been a very busy girl lately, but I should be updating more regularly from now on! Enjoy the chapter I've finally uploaded, and don't forget to tell me what you think!

The appearance of Bruce Banner had been a complete (but not unpleasant) surprise to Juno. She had been all too ready to slit the throat of the one who had been following her, so she was glad she'd had the good sense to ascertain his identity first. She never expected to meet him again, on account of him being a super hero (or whatever humans called them), but their sudden reunion pleased her. Juno wasn't entirely sure why. They had only met once before, but she found that she couldn't be suspicious of him...which, if she were being honest, frightened her. Blindly trusting someone was a grave mistake that she swore she would never repeat.

Juno followed in thoughtful silence as Bruce led her to the Avengers Tower. She was somewhat anxious to meet these people Bruce mentioned. Who were they? What did they know about the Fallen? What did they know about her?

"Juno?"

Bruce's voice snapped her out of her thoughts. They had stopped without her knowledge, and he was looking back at her with a concerned frown. "My apologies," she said with a polite smile. "Did you say something?"

"We arrived a little bit ago…" Bruce gestured to the magnificent building before them. It was very sleek, and as tall as the Enochian Palace. Humans could build impressive structures, she'd give them that much. "Something on your mind?" Her companion's question drew her attention back to him, but she did not answer it.

"How do you know my name?" she asked slowly. "You gave me yours when we first met, but I did not give you mine."

"Oh." Bruce cleared his throat. "One of my...comrades knows you. Or has met you a few times, at least."

Juno's eyes narrowed. He had hesitated before saying "comrades" Either he was not used to the idea of having comrades, or he did not truly see them as such. She hoped it was the former. "Hm." Bruce fidgeted under her gaze. "Take me to them, if you would be so kind," she said, though her tone left no room for argument.

"Of course." He opened the door for her. Juno was pleased by the gentlemanly act, and entered the building, following Bruce as he led her into an elevator. Juno liked elevators. It was the closest thing to flying that she could get in broad daylight.

"To the conference room, Dr. Banner?" A synthetic voice blared overhead. Juno raised her eyebrows in surprise. An AI? How interesting.

"Yes, thank you, JARVIS."

Juno tilted her head at Bruce. "You are a doctor?' she wondered. That was not what she expected.

Bruce smiled. "A scientist, technically, though I have done my fair share of medical work." Now that, she could see. He had the aura of a scientist.

"I see…"

Once again, they fell into a somewhat tense silence. Elevator music played softly overhead, and Juno drummed her fingers against her thigh anxiously. She wished Bruce would say something. But from the way his arms were folded and his shoulders hunched, he was anxious as well.

But why wasn't he asking her any questions? She knew Bruce saw what she did with that girl, how she calmed the distressed teenager with her voice. She knew he even experienced it - she had projected her voice to him, as well. He seemed like a smart man. Surely, he realized that what she did was not natural. And weren't scientists supposed to be curious by nature? So why did he remain silent?

Before she could ask, the elevator slowed to a stop and the doors opened. "This way," Bruce mumbled. He led her down a hallway to a room labelled "Conference Room 4".

Every head in the room turned when she walked through the door. Any conversation they were having instantly died. Juno found herself rooted to the spot - not out of nervousness, but out of shock.

Assembled in the room, seated neatly around an oval-shaped table, were the Avengers.

Why were the Avengers here? Were they the people Bruce spoke of? No, that was unlikely. He wouldn't have been so secretive about it if it was just them. And there were six Avengers, so why did Juno only count five?

Standing off to the side was a dark-skinned human man that she didn't recognize. He was bald, with an eyepatch over his left eye that made him seem intimidating. He was the first to speak.

"You must be Juno. Please, have a seat."

She glanced at Bruce, who stood awkwardly beside her. He gave an encouraging nod, but she eyed the stranger suspiciously as she slid into the chair furthest from the rest of them. "That is my name, yes," she said slowly. "How do you know it? I gave my name to no one on this planet."

Before anyone could reply, the door to the room slammed open. The missing Avenger, Thor, stood in the doorway. "I regret to inform you that Lady Juno was not—" He stopped when his eyes landed on the woman in question. "Oh."

Juno got to her feet, a look of pleasant surprise on her face. It seemed she was being faced with several unexpected reunions that day. "Thor," she greeted with a soft smile. "I had forgotten that you are also with these Avengers." That would explain how they knew her name. She took a step towards him, arms spread. "It is good to see you again."

Thor swept her into his arms, bellowing a laugh and spinning her around. "Lady Juno! It has been too long!" She laughed with him, and he set her back on her feet, patting her head in a brotherly manner.

"Five years, in fact," she laughed. Bruce had taken several steps back when Thor came in, and he was now watching them - as everyone was - with shocked eyes. "I am pleased to see that you look well."

Thor stared at her for a moment. "And you look..." They all expected him to say "lovely". "...tired."

Juno's smile faded. A sigh escaped her lips, and she slid back into her chair. "Nick Fury...why don't you tell me why you decided to seek me out?"

A holographic image appeared at the center of the table. It was a list...a long list. "These are the names of government officials from all around the world," he began.

"I assume these are the ones that have been recently abducted?" Juno said. She examined her nails casually. To the others, she seemed bored.

"Yes," Nick said, eying her through narrowed eyes. "How did you—"

"Humans will always talk if you know the right words to say to them," Juno interrupted. "Please get to the point, Nick Fury."

Nick's eyes narrowed further. "...This picture was taken at the time of the most recent abduction." The list image changed into a picture of a figure hovering above a building. She recognized that outline. "I was hoping you would be able to tell me what exactly we're looking at, here."

Juno leaned forward, staring intently at the image. This was what she had been searching for. She could guess these people's intentions: they wanted to find the abductors, eliminate them, and protect their planet from whatever threat they posed. These people were her best chance to complete her mission. But could she trust them? Her eyes swept over Bruce and Thor. She wasn't sure about the rest of them, but she trusted those two. If they were allied with the others, then Juno could place her faith in them.

"They are a race known as the Fallen," Juno said quietly.

"And what exactly are they?"

"According to my people's history, they used to be Enochian - I assume Thor has informed you about Enochians? - but the first Fallen were traitors and criminals who were cast out. Their exile warped them, and now the only feature they share with us is the fact that they have wings."

Nick scowled. "So they're a bunch of flying exile freaks." The voice in her head stirred. "What reason would they have to attack Earth? Why not attack the people who exiled them?"

Juno's body tensed. It was a fair question, but it brought with it thoughts and memories that she had repressed for weeks. It was only when Bruce lightly touched her on the shoulder that she realized she had been clutching the chair hard enough for her knuckles to turn white. She looked into his worried eyes and couldn't stop the heat that rose to her cheeks. Bruce was very kind. It was not something she expected out of a human, but she didn't like the warmth that spread through her at his touch.

"Juno?" Nick snapped her out of her thoughts.

Juno relaxed, forcing the tension to leave her body. Show no weakness. "They have attacked us," she said flatly. "Two months ago, on the day the Chitauri invaded Earth. It was highly organized...and shockingly successful." Don't think about it. Don't remember anything. Don't cry. Don't break down in front of these people. Juno clenched her fists, jaw working. "That is the reason I am on this planet." Every person in the room looked shocked, Thor and Bruce most of all.

"They invaded Enochia?" Thor bellowed. "And succeeded?" Juno bristled at his tone. Was he implying that her kingdom's security had been lacking? "Where is the king?" he asked. "Why are you the only one here?"

"I don't know what became of him," she snapped. "He told me to go, so I went. I did not have time to ensure his safety while the palace walls were crumbling around me."

The room was silent for a few moments. "What of the young Prince Keegan?" Thor asked quietly. Keegan… Thor knew she would never leave him behind, no matter the cost to herself. Juno closed her eyes, taking a deep breath and covering her face with her hands.

"...It was an inside job," Juno muttered, ignoring Thor's question. "It had to have been. There is no way so many of them could have gotten through our defenses otherwise." She took another deep breath, lowering her hands and glaring down at the table. "We underestimated the Fallen. They are a scattered race. Without a planet to call their own, we thought…" Her sentence trailed off when something suddenly clicked in her mind. "A home planet...of course…!"

"What?" Nick leaned in eagerly. "What is it?"

Juno stood up abruptly and started to mumble to herself, pacing back and forth. "Even if they successfully invaded Enochia, without bringing in all their forces from across the galaxy, they wouldn't be able to conquer the entire planet… And to bring their race together, they need…" She glanced at the humans in the room. "Hmm...Earth has a very ideal environment, despite the damage your people have done to it…"

Nick held up a hand to stop her. "If you could get to the point, Miss Juno?"

"Don't you see?" Juno asked excitedly. After two months, she finally had a clue as to what the Fallen were planning. "Oh, what am I saying? Of course you don't. You're human." Before any of them had a chance to be offended, she continued. "The Fallen have no planet of their own. In order to reach their full potential, to conquer Enochia completely, they need one. And they have their sights set on Earth."

"But why?" The Avenger known as Captain America spoke up. "Why Earth?"

"Aside from the climate here...well…" She shrugged, and bluntly said, "Humans are like sheep. Without someone to lead them, they get scared and confused. Vulnerable. Easy targets."

"That explains the kidnappings," the Black Widow mused. It seemed that the Captain's participation broke whatever silent trance the others were in.

Then, Bruce asked the question that Juno was sure was running through all of their minds. "What will they do with us once they have us weakened?"

Juno frowned. "Mass extinction seems most likely, maybe slavery if you're lucky. They want Earth to be theirs. They can't claim it as their own if the previous owners are still around."

The room fell into a shocked silence as the occupants contemplated the fate Juno had laid out in front of them. She watched as every fist clenched in defiance. They would not give up without a fight, she could see it in their eyes. Their stubbornness reminded her of her own people...she felt a twinge of sympathy.

"My people were caught completely off-guard." Juno broke the silence, staring Nick dead in the eye. "Help me find the Fallen, and I will ensure that Earth does not suffer the same fate. Will you help me?"

"Funny," Nick huffed. "I was just about to ask you the same thing."

"Whoa, whoa, hold on a minute." Clint, or Hawkeye, held up a hand. "Not that I don't appreciate your willingness to help, but how do we know we can trust you?"

"We have no choice," Nick defended. "She's our best shot. Without her, we'd be flying blind."

"I don't trust you people either, believe me," Juno huffed. "But without me, how will you know what to look for? If I can hide myself amongst humans so easily, you had better believe that they can, too." She narrowed her eyes. "Besides...I have a personal vendetta. I will stop at nothing to see those bastards brought to justice."

"There you have it," Nick said smugly. "Any more objections?" Clint sat back in his seat. "I'll take that as a no." He reached over the table and extended his hand to Juno. She reluctantly shook it. "Welcome aboard, Juno. SHIELD will give you any and all tools necessary to track down the Fallen." He gestured to Bruce and Tony. "You will probably be working closely with Dr. Banner and Mr. Stark, since they seem to have a knack for finding things." He clapped once. "That's all, folks. Let's find these freaks."

I really wish he would stop calling them that, the voice in her head sighed.

Why? Juno sneered. They are freaks.

Then what does that make us?

There is no us. With that, she shut the voice out.

Someone tapped her shoulder from behind. A pleasant warmth branched out from that shoulder, and she had to suppress a shiver. Startled, she whirled around, coming face-to-face with Bruce. "I can show you to the lab, if you don't mind," he said quietly. He was quite soft-spoken...it was kind of cute.

"I don't mind." She bowed her head slightly. "I would be grateful if you would." He flashed her a very quick half-smile and gestured for her to follow him.

To Juno's surprise, Bruce was not silent the whole way. "So...you're an alien," he began.

She laughed softly. "Yes, indeed I am. But by my standards, so are you."

"Touché." He looked amused, and continued. "Have you...been to Earth before? Prior to your arrival two months ago?"

"Yes," she replied. "Several times. My family and I often took vacations here."

"You're kidding."

"Not at all." She smiled at his disbelieving tone. Once someone has lived somewhere long enough, they tend to develop the mentality that it holds virtually nothing of interest. His disbelief did not surprise her. "Earth was fascinating to my father and brother. They couldn't get enough of this place."

"What about you?" Bruce wondered. "Did you enjoy coming here?"

She shrugged. "I was happy so long as my family was happy. And this planet made them very happy." Juno smiled fondly, remembering the way Keegan's face would light up when he went on an Earth rant, or when her father's eyes sparkled whenever he got the chance to tell them stories of the place. "My brother loved to wake me up by blasting a human instrument into my ear, like a trumpet or a violin." Bruce wore an amused smile, but it faded with hers.

"Is he…?"

"Dead," she said flatly. "Yes." She steeled herself for the inevitable pity, wiping any and all emotion from her face. "And no, I don't want to talk about it."

Though the look Bruce gave her was sympathetic, there was no pity in his warm brown eyes. "I wasn't going to ask you to," he said gently. She glanced over at him sharply, her features etched with surprise. He wasn't? But that was always the first question someone asked once they found out about another person's tragedy. "I know what it's like to lose something precious," he told her, turning his gaze forward. "And I also know that talking about it doesn't always help."

Once again, his aura was a reflection of her own. Filled with grief, anger, hopelessness. She normally avoided physical contact, especially with people she didn't know well, but she couldn't resist the urge to brush the back of Bruce's large hand with hers. But...why did she have that urge? They had only met twice. They hardly knew a thing about one another. He was handsome, certainly, but that did not explain why she found herself so drawn to him. Bruce glanced at her out of the corner of his eye, but she, embarrassed, avoided his gaze and remained silent, hoping her touch would relay her gratitude. And by the way his lips quirked into a tiny smile, it did.

And then he stopped. "Here we are," he said, punching in a code on the security lock next to the door. The electronic door slid open, and Juno was instantly hit with the smell of metal, antiseptic, and various other Earth chemicals that she didn't recognize. She stepped into the brightly lit laboratory and slowly looked around. It was all very state-of-the-art, at least by human standards, and very large. Humans had a thing for holographic screens, she noticed.

"Hey, there she is!" Tony Stark greeted her from the center of the room. "How do you like the lab, Angel?" He sauntered over to the two of them, proudly gesturing to the room. He must have designed it himself.

"It is impressive," Juno replied smoothly. "For a human laboratory. And my name is Juno."

"Ouch." Tony smirked. "We may not have fancy tech like you aliens do, but we manage. We drove out the Chitauri, didn't we, Angel?"

"My name is Juno," she insisted.

Tony waved his hand dismissively. "Right, sure it is. But Angel fits you better, don't you think so, Bruce?"

Bruce looked up, startled, then held up his hands. "Hey, don't drag me into this."

"No, I would like to hear your opinion," Juno said with a tilt of her head.

He paused, then sighed. "...In Roman mythology, Juno is the ruler of the heavens, right? The angel of angels." He quickly turned his back to them, pretending to fiddle with a piece of technology, but not before she saw the color on his cheeks. "With that in mind...Juno suits you better."

A blush rose to her face before she could stop it. That was possibly the sweetest thing anyone had ever said to her. "Th...thank you," she said shyly, staring down at her feet.

Tony let out a low whistle, making them both jump. "Is it hot in here, or is it just you two?" His mouth formed a devious grin. "I'm starting to feel like a third wheel. Maybe I oughta give you guys some alone time?"

"Tony…" Bruce scowled at him, a warning tone to his voice.

Juno's steely mask was right back up. "That won't be necessary,'' she huffed. "Just tell me what I need to do to help you find the Fallen."

"You two are no fun," Tony snickered. ''Alright, Angel. Let me show you how we do things here on Earth."