A/N:
Update time! You have no idea how hectic my life has been over the last week! It's a miracle I even got this typed up. That's how much I love you guys, okay? And I'm sorry for the lateness of this update. I would normally have this up around 3:40-ish, but we had a long weekend so I spent the night at my friend's (PhoenixDemon58) and didn't get back home until now! So here it is!
Big shout outs to Odd's Little Girl, who has stuck through my incessant rambling, Rubi Yuki, and kadrules2014 (please don't send Clintasha after me. I rather value my life, and if I'm dead, then you won't get updates at all.)
Disclaimer: I don't own anything that has a Marvel label on it. I only own Paige Willows, her thoughts, and her actions. Sorry guys.
Loki's hand wrapped around my neck, squeezing, and suddenly I was flying through the air. Thor bellowed out, charging at his brother. Meanwhile, I was dangling over the edge of the balcony, dangerously close to falling. This was so not going as planned! Oh, wait, I actually had a plan? No, no I didn't. I looked over my shoulder, and immediately wished I hadn't. I'd never known I wasn't a big fan of heights until now. I watched Thor pick Loki up and slam him on the ground. Loki rolled off the edge, right next to me, and landed on one of the Chitauri aircrafts. I figured I wouldn't be able to do that.
"Daughter of Midgard, take my hand," Thor said, kneeling in front of me and holding out my hand. I let go with my right hand, a small whimper coming from my mouth as the sweaty fingers of my left hand slid a little more. I took his larger one, rough and smooth at the same time. He pulled me easily back onto the balcony, my entire body shaking.
"Are you alright?" The God of Thunder was still on his knees, exactly my height.
"Y-yes," I stuttered out. "I'm fine. You need to take that dagger out." Thor yanked the blade out of his side with a wince.
"Your neck…" Thor trailed off, running his fingers over where Loki had grabbed me and squeezed. One look in the glass windows (a whole one) confirmed my suspicion that bruises were forming on my pale skin.
"I bruise easily," I said. "I'll be fine. We need to get down there. JARVIS?"
"Yes, Ms. Willows?"
"Is there a communication link I could use to keep in contact with the others?"
"There is one on its way." I stuffed the little device in my right ear, wincing and digging around to try and get used to it.
"What is your name? How did you know all those things?"
"Um, my name is Paige. And it's a really long story," I said in reply. "Not one to tell in the middle of a war."
Thor nodded. "Very well," he accepted. "We must get down there. You have proven yourself worthy to be apart of this battle. Hold onto me."
"What?" I squeaked out, flushing with embarrassment.
"My way is faster," he said by way of explanation.
"Oh, right." I moved forward, wrapping my arms around his torso, clutching at his cape. He wrapped his left arm around me, tightly, but not too tight as to hurt me. His hammer flew to his hand, I heard a whirring noise, and suddenly, I was jerked upwards and we were flying over New York.
-:-
It was awhile before we found the others, on a street I didn't know, surrounded and fighting like an army from outer space was invading. Oh, right, there was an army from outer space invading. Thor sent down bolts of lightning as we descended, frying several aliens and making my stomach lurch out of sheer speed. We landed roughly, Thor's feet touching the ground before mine did, and I stumbled away, trying to regain my balance as the god leaned against an overturned car.
"Never again," I promised myself under my breath. The team gathered.
"What's the story upstairs?" the Captain asked, sliding his shield back on his arm.
"The power surrounding the cube is impenetrable," Thor replied. I remembered this part.
"Thor's right, we gotta deal with these guys," Stark said over the comms.
"How do we do this?" Agent Romanoff asked.
"As a team," Captain America and I said together. All eyes turned to me.
"I was sent here from another universe, I don't know how, but I know how this is going to end. Just keep… doing what you're doing. I'll be fine. I can take care of myself," I explained, throwing in a lie as well. Could I take care of myself in the middle of this war? Probably not. Was I going to tell them that? No. Natasha and Clint gave me looks, but said nothing.
"I have unfinished business with Loki," Thor rumbled.
"Yeah? Well get in line," Clint said, messing with a few arrows.
"Save it," Steve cut in. "Loki's going to keep this fight focused on us and that's what we need. Without it these things could run wild." Wait, I knew this part too. I turned around, where I knew Bruce Banner would be coming from and waited.
"We've got Stark up top. He's gonna need us to—" Captain America cut off as Bruce pulled up on his borrowed motorcycle. We all walked/jogged over to him.
"So," he said, gesturing around. "This all seems horrible."
"I've seen worse," Agent Romanoff commented dryly.
Bruce looked a little sheepish. "Sorry."
"No," Agent Romanoff said quickly. "We could… use a little worse."
"Stark, We've got him," Captain Rogers said.
"Banner?"
"Just like you said."
"Then tell him to suit up." Stark paused. "I'm bringing the party to you." I started backing up, heading for the cover of a car. Clint and Natasha noticed my movement.
"Trust me," I said. "I know what I'm doing." And then Stark came around the corner, the flying armored worm with teeth and fins hot on his tail. Bruce turned around.
"I-I don't see how that's a party," Agent Romanoff said.
"Clearly you've never partied with Stark, Agent Romanoff," I muttered, not intending anybody to hear. Apparently, these comm links were more sensitive that I realized.
"I'm going to take that as a compliment, Paige," Stark said.
"You shouldn't." While we had been talking, Bruce had started walking towards the thing flying at us.
"Doctor Banner." Steve stepped forward. "Now might be a really good time for you to get angry."
"That's my secret, Captain," Banner said over his shoulder. "I'm always angry." And then he Hulked out. It was actually scarier in real life. The Hulk slammed his fist into the creature's head, smashing it into the ground and crumpling its armor. The body, affected by inertia (I did happen to pay attention to science) flipped up and over the head, armor falling off.
"Hold on," Stark said. He flew upwards and fired a missile from his suit into a patch of exposed skin. The thing exploded, sending metal and sparks everywhere. The Captain and Natasha took cover under the shield, while Clint joined me by the car and Thor just stood there and took it. The thing's head went over the edge of the bridge we were on, through the railing, and crashed into the ground below, sending any other civilians running.
And then came the screams from the Chitauri.
The hairs on the back of my neck stood up and my blood ran cold. It was worse in real life than it ever had been in the movie. The Hulk let out and eardrum-shattering roar, and suddenly, I found myself surrounded by the world's mightiest heroes.
And let me tell you: it was freaking awesome. And scary.
A the screams echoed through the air, I could almost hear Loki's voice saying, "Send the rest."
"Guys," I warned, my eyes on the portal. "Get ready. It's not over yet." More Chitauri warriors and two more flying metal worms came out, proving my statement true. They all followed my gaze.
"Call it, Captain," Stark said.
"All right, listen up. Until we can close that portal up there, we can use containment. Barton, I want you on that roof, eyes on everything. Call out patterns and strays." Clint nodded. "Stark, you've got perimeter. Anything gets more than three blocks out, you turn it back or you turn it to ash."
"Wanna give me a life?" Clint asked.
"Right," Stark said. "Better clench up, Legolas." The two were gone a few seconds later, and Steve continued dishing out orders like a real captain. Which… he was, I guess.
"Thor, you gotta try and bottleneck that portal, slow them down. You've got the lightning—light the bastards up." Thor nodded and took off again, making me shudder. Never, ever again. "You and me, we stay on the ground, keep the fighting here," he said, talking to Natasha, and then turning to the Hulk. "And Hulk—" the Hulk whipped his head around at the sound of his name. "Smash." With a terrifying grin, the Hulk took a mighty leap, landing on the side of a building, like a green King Kong.
I didn't have time to watch him. More aliens came. I swung my bag around, smashing it into any that got too close for comfort. It only dazed them, but it was enough to make them back off so the other two could kill them. It started to get darker as clouds rolled over. Not just any clouds, though; these were thunderclouds, and I knew Thor was working his magic.
Or… whatever the heck it was that he did.
"Kid, look out!" I instantly swung around; backpack slamming into the Chitauri's gun and knocking it out of its hands. That didn't stop it from coming at me. Natasha and Steve couldn't help; they had their hands full. I ducked as it swung a right hook, my fingers fumbling to undo the very front pocket on my bag. I darted left and right, ducking and weaving as I pulled out my pencil pouch. I had begged Mum to buy me a Zippit, so I unzipped it completely, scattering pencils and Sharpies and pens and gluesticks as I went.
When I finally had the thing completely undone, I dropped to the ground beneath its feet, wrapping the long strip of fabric around both ankles and pulling with all my weight. The Chitauri fell forward; feet pulled out from under it, and knocked its head on the ground. Thinking fast, I picked up a large shard of glass, heedless of the danger, and plunged it into the back of the alien's neck, killing it instantly.
I stood up, out of breath and shaky, pulling my pencil pouch with me. Steve was staring at me with wide eyes.
"Pencil pouch," I breathed out.
He nodded. "Good job. Just be careful."
"Do I have a choice?" As I looked around, I realized that I was hopelessly out matched. I was a fourteen-year-old from a different universe with no fighting skills whatsoever and nothing but a backpack to defend myself. I couldn't always rely on the two Avengers with me. They had their own battles to fight. What was I even doing here? I get tossed into another universe in the middle of a war with an army from outer space and I just throw myself into the middle of it?
Now I know I definitely have ADHD.
"Stark, you've got a lot of strays sniffing your tail," Agent Barton said after a few minutes.
"Just trying to… keep them off the streets," Stark replied.
"Well they can't bank worth a damn. Find a tight corner."
"I will roger that," Stark said.
"How're you doing, Kid?" Agent Barton asked me, just as I swung my backpack around, knocking it into a Chitauri's stomach and wrapping the strip of fabric in my hands around its neck, pulling sharply and keeping the pressure there as it thrashed and struggled.
"I'm not going to give myself the illusion that you can't see me, Agent Barton," I said though gritted teeth, swinging my bag behind me with one hand and letting go, knocking another alien that was coming up behind me down and I continued to choke the one in front of me with both hands until it went limp.
"Smart girl," he commented, and an arrow embedded itself in the one behind, me that had gotten back up.
"Thanks," I muttered, untangling my pencil pouch and grabbing my backpack.
"No problem." There was a lot of crashing and explosions coming over the comm, and then Stark said,
"Nice call. What else you got?"
"Well, Thor's taking a on a squadrant down on Sixth," came Barton's reply.
"And he didn't invite me." I smirked briefly, and ducked just as Steve threw his shield. It flew over my head, killed three Chitauri, and went back.
"Are you trying to decapitate me?" I teased, quickly looping my pencil pouch around an alien's ankle and pulling, using another pen from on the ground and shoving it through the Chitauri's eye socket, straight up into its brain. "That's the second time you've done that."
"Just trying to save your life," he commented, smashing his shield into another alien. Natasha got smashed into a car hood, the bayonet-like point of a Chitauri gun slamming into it right next to her, barely missing her head. The superspy threw her leg around the thing's neck, grabbed onto her ankle with her opposite hand, and used her gloves to stun it with an electrical charge to the back of its neck before using its own gun against it.
She was panting hard, blood running down her temple. That, and she nearly attacked the Captain. Knowing what was coming, I took off running again, heading towards the Stark Tower. I needed t get there. I was extremely tired, sore, cut, and bruised in so many places. Over the comm link, I heard Natasha and Steve's conversation as I ran.
"Captain," Natasha started, "none of this is going to mean a damn thing if we don't close that portal."
"Our biggest guns couldn't touch it," the Captain replied. I was nearly there. I tore through the hole I had made in the glass door before, and made a beeline for the elevator. I was a really fast runner when I wanted to be, apparently.
"Maybe it's not about guns."
"If you wanna get up there, you're gonna need a ride."
"I've got a ride," Natasha said. This elevator ride seemed to take longer. "I could use a boost though."
"You sure about this?" Steve asked.
"Yeah," she said. "It's gonna be fun." Why was this elevator ride taking so dang long? I was almost there… four more floors, three more… two more…
"Yes!" I screeched out. "That bloody took forever." I rushed out and began searching immediately for the scepter.
"Captain," Barton's voice called. "The bank of Forty-Second past Madison. They've cornered a lot of civilians in there."
"I'm on it," Steve said breathlessly. Where was it? I needed the scepter. Natasha was going to be here any second, and she would find Dr. Selvig, and she would need it.
"Hawkeye," Natasha shouted over the comm.
"Nat, what are you doing?"
"Uh, a little help!" Loki was shooting at her. That meant she was close, dang it, where the heck was the scepter?
"I got him," came Barton's reply.
"Oh—" I cut myself off before a bad word could exit my mouth. I needed to get out of there, and fast. I darted out onto the balcony, hiding behind a potted plant just as Loki came flying out of the sky and landed in front of me. I saw Natasha jump onto the roof, above where I was. My attention was diverted back to Loki, however, as he started to pull himself back to his feet.
With a roar, the Hulk appeared, jumping onto the balcony and slamming into Loki, sending the God of Mischief flying through the glass windows and into the Tower. Wait, the scepter wasn't inside, of course! That's why I couldn't find it! My eyes raked over the area in front of me.
They flew back to the pair inside when Loki shouted, "Enough! You are all of you beneath me! I am a god, you dull creature, and I will not be bullied by—" he was cut off as the Hulk grabbed his ankle and began smashing him into the floor multiple times as I watched with wide eyes.
When he finished, the Hulk strode away. "Puny god." And then he leapt back over the edge of the balcony. Right, I had a job to do. With a final glance back at Loki to be sure he wasn't going anywhere, I continued the search for the scepter. There! I rushed forward and grabbed ut. It was heavy, dang it!
"JARVIS, is there a way to get onto the roof from here?" I asked. I heard Natasha talking to Dr. Selvig over the comm, but I ignored them.
A metal panel slid aside, revealing a metal ladder. "Here is the roof access ladder, MS. Willows."
"Thanks," I muttered, swinging my backpack off my shoulders and stuffing the blunt end of the scepter into it, using the two zippers to close around the end that stuck out and keep it in place while I was climbing. I put the bag back on, grunting at its weight, and began to climb.
The roof was a lot higher up that I expected, and by the time I made it halfway there, the wind was so strong and I was so tired. Still, I'd take this over flying with Thor. When I finally made it, Natasha was kneeling in front of Dr. Selvig, and both were looking over the edge.
"And I was looking right at it," Selvig said.
"Where did it go?" Natasha asked.
I hoisted myself onto solid ground. "Looking for this, Agent Romanoff?" The two whipped around to face me.
"Paige." Natasha helped me to my feet, and took the scepter out of my bag. "When did you get here?"
"Way before you," I said shortly. "I brought this up. We'll need it."
"How did you…?"
"Later." I helped Selvig to his feet. "Doctor, are you all right? Will you be okay?" I was stalling. As far as I knew, the nuclear bomb hadn't been sent out yet, and that thing needed to go to space.
"I'm fine. Who are you?"
"Paige."
"We need to get started," Natasha said. And it commenced. Natasha, scepter grasped in both hands, approached the Tesseract. Dr. Selvig opened up the laptop in front of him.
"Right at the crown," he instructed. I prayed that I had bought Stark enough time. Natasha started to move the scepter forward, slowly, and I watched, biting my lip. It was about to move past the barrier.
"I can close it," she muttered before saying louder, "can anybody copy? I can shut the portal down!"
"Do it," came Steve's voice over the comm link.
"No, wait," Stark interrupted, and I sang songs of hallelujah to the skies.
"Stark, these things are still coming," the Captain warned.
"I've got a nuke coming in," Stark explained. "It's gonna blow in less than a minute. And I know just where to put it."
"Stark, you know that's a one-way trip," Steve said.
"Save the rest for the turn, J.," was Stark's only reply. I knew that JARVIS was offering to call Pepper and that she was on a jet, watching the TV, and wouldn't notice her phone going off because it was on vibrate.
"Just hold on," I muttered, but nobody seemed to hear. I caught sight of Tony, flying straight towards the portal going up, up, up, and then he was gone.
I knew the people back on the Hellicarrier were cheering.
I knew Stark's suit lost power.
I knew the bomb hit the mothership.
All the Chitauri warriors stopped fighting.
My eyes never left the sky, hoping, praying, that everything would turn out like the movie. The portal couldn't stay open for too long or the explosion from the nuke would come through.
"Come on, Stark," Natasha murmured.
And then came the words I dreaded. "Close it." Natasha sent a look at me, as if pleading me to tell her to leave it open.
"Do it," I said softly. She pushed forward, touching the tip of the scepter to a certain spot, and I returned my eyes back to the portal and prayed some more. Just as it closed completely, I saw him fall through.
"Son of a gun," Steve said, making me laugh. I thanked whatever god or force that had brought me here for making this exactly like the movie.
Stark was still falling. All of a sudden, I saw a large shape come out of nowhere; intercepting Stark mid-fall, and I knew it was fine.
"He'll be all right," I assured the other two, who were standing beside me at the edge now. "Trust me." Natasha stared at me for a long time, then nodded. The Hulk roared, and I knew that Tony woke up. Stark's suit wasn't working, so we couldn't hear him anymore, but we heard Steve loud and clear. "We won." I let out a deep breath that I didn't realize I had been holding. I could almost hear Tony rambling on about taking a day off and schwarma.
-:-
Natasha, Selvig, and I met up with the others at the top floor. And waited for Loki to move. He was just now pulling himself up off his back, but froze when he sensed us. He slowly turned around to face us. Hawkeye was in front, knelt down and arrow loaded. I was right behind him, backpack in one hand, pencil pouch strip in the other. The others were behind me: Tony, Steve, Thor, and Natasha. The Hulk was behind Tony.
"If it's all the same to you," Loki said, shifting some. "I'll have that drink now.
And here is the third chapter! It is longer than the last one. And not as bad a cliffhanger this time, Hon, so please no Clintasha. It's about ten pages long in Microsoft Word. My hands hurt! As promised, new update days on Friday. There are about three more chapters and then we start Thor: The Dark World.
Love,
Angel.