Lyanne had turned back to her normal form and started to spin her tale to the team; or at least the parts that mattered.

Months prior, down on her luck again and desperate for cash, she had volunteered at a government-run medical facility. They were testing vaccines, viruses, and medical devices in a town she could no longer remember. Lyanne had never been there, but drifting was easy once you got the hang of it, and rumors were just as simple to follow. Once she had arrived the process was quick and they had her deep underground in a small chamber, cameras and clipboards ready.

"We're testing a new allergy medication," they had claimed. "Do you have any allergies?"

"Oh, yes," she had lied. This particular test appeared very lucrative - but she wondered why no one had yet tested the medication. She had been the only volunteer. She listed off several common allergies as they scribbled and conferred. It was nearly an hour before they were even ready to advance to the next phase.

"Miss Brooks, you're going to feel a sharp prick in your arm, but please, don't move until we remove the needle."

"What kind of allergy medication needs a needle jab?" she asked, but they had already grabbed a hold of her arm and inserted the syringe tip into her skin. It felt burning hot and she shrieked, but they held her tightly so she wouldn't squirm. Panicking, she had tried to kick away and scream, but they forced her back into the chair and pushed the rest of the chemical into her body. She immediately passed out, and several hours later, when she awoke on a gurney, the testers were gone and a fat wad of twenties awaited her. No one else had tested the medication; what they had offered, they had given all of it to her. She thought it was queer but didn't revisit the instance until weeks later, when her skin began to feel prickly randomly throughout the day, then a week after that when she grew fur and it just as suddenly vanished. But it wasn't until her complete transformation into a wicked-looking beast that it had finally, painfully occurred to her that they hadn't been testing medications at all.

"It's not uncommon for companies to try to replicate the super formula that made Captain America, but the results are usually much more disastrous," offered Natasha.

"Much more disastrous?" said Lyanne, incredulous. "More so than becoming a monster, sometimes randomly throughout the week, with only mild control over your actions?"

"Could be worse," said Banner seriously.

Lyanne blushed and looked away; he was right. At least she could control it to a better degree than he could. And she still had her wits about her in her altered state. They were quiet for a few moments until they heard footsteps approaching outside the door. It opened quickly and a tense Nick Fury walked in.

"I've got some good news and bad news," he announced abruptly.

"Bad news first?" asked Banner.

Fury shook his head.

"I have to tell you the good news first. Thor is returning to us once more."

They broke into smiles; despite his arrogance and noble manner, Thor was a more than welcome member of the team. They had had to admit they had missed him terribly.

"How did you find that out?" asked Barton.

"I've had communications open with the leader of Asgard, Odin, thanks to Doctor Selvig."

"So what's the bad news?" asked Romanoff. "Thor is returning."

"Loki's coming with him."

There was a collective intake of breath in the room. Loki had not been as missed on Earth as his brother. Lyanne raised an eyebrow but said nothing. She knew who he was, though her knowledge on the events that took place in New York City two months ago was not extensive. That was around the time she had received the mysterious shot; her mind had been elsewhere.

"Why is he coming here?" asked Rogers. "Shouldn't he be imprisoned?"

"Nice of you to let us in on the fact communications with Asgard were open," muttered Stark, but Fury ignored his anger.

"Odin wants us to try to rehabilitate Loki. I refused at first until he offered Thor as a guard."

"But why bother at all?" interjected Romanoff. "We're not a rehab for psychotic criminals here. We're a government agency. Why did you agree to this ridiculous request?"

"I shudder to think of the fact you may all have forgotten your own challenging beginnings," replied Fury.

"You're not actually thinking of letting him join the Avengers, are you?" asked Tony.

Once again, he had voiced what everyone had not wanted to think about. Fury stared Tony down.

"Maybe. There have been reports of much more otherworldly activity than what Loki had invited to Earth. Much more - disturbing. We believe he could provide us with valuable insight as to what these dangerous activities might be."

"Why would he tell us?" asked Banner, wringing his hands nervously. "You're not thinking of torturing him, are you?"

"I doubt that would do any good," he said. "I believe that Odin and the rest of Asgard would make powerful allies, and if having them behind us means trying to make Loki redeem himself, and help us, I'm willing to take that chance."

"Take the chance that he could escape and possibly harm thousands of people, or more?" snapped Stark.

"For a chance to save the world, yes."

"In case you didn't notice, the six of us against one of him was barely enough. It wouldn't have been, if not for the Hulk," said Barton. He looked worried and angry.

"Well then I guess it's good news that now there are seven of you. And one of them just happens to be almost half as powerful as the Hulk. When she sets her mind to it," Fury replied solemnly.

Lyanne looked up from her chair and stared Fury in the eye.

"You want me to guard him?" she asked, horrified. She didn't know much about him, but what little she did know was not good. This was a terrible idea.

"Welcome to the Avengers," he said.