Disclaimer: I don't own the Avengers, nor Marvel.

As you'll probably notice, this chapter is rather rushed and not very put together. I was sort of blank on ideas, but I figured if I didn't try to write something, it'd be a month before I actually published anything. Also, Thor is finally in this chapter, but as you'll soon find out I didn't give him too much dialogue. I'm just testing out how to write in that old, fashiony way Thor speaks (yes, I know "fashiony" isn't really a word). Hopefully this chapter isn't too much of a disappointment. The next chapter should be better.

I hope.

Chapter 7

"No, Great Expectations was better," Hope argued, and a faint grin spread over Bruce's face before it quickly disappeared.

It had been a month since Hope's admission in the Director's office. They had kept it between themselves, for her sake, and the punishments that Hope had requested were put into place and then 's trainers had been changed, switching from Rhmer to a kind forty-something woman who was very patient with Hope, something she greatly appreciated.

Not only was Rhmer's job to train recruits taken away, but he was also restricted to just desk work for a period of six months. Hope thought Natasha had a hand in that, but she didn't have anything to prove it other than a smile from Natasha when Rhmer's fate was announced.

Sometimes the spy brought a shiver down Hope's spine with her antics.

Now, though, was a time for celebration, as dictated by Tony. Everyone (even Thor) was at Tony's newly reconstructed tower for dinner, something Tony had arranged in an effort to help everyone get to know Hope a little bit better. Tony was steadfast in the fact that he just wanted to show off that his tower had been re-built, but Hope knew better. Despite what he often said and did, he was a great man underneath all of the ego.

Hope had been very nervous about meeting Thor for the first time, for he was, after all, a God and prince, but Natasha had reassured her that she should be herself rather than act like someone else.

So now, Hope was eating lasagna, sipping wine and debating heatedly over the works of Charles

A typical Friday night for Hope, believe it or not, though it was usually just her and Bruce and not everyone else.

"Actually, you're wrong. A Tale of Two Cities was way better," Bruce shot back, but she shook her head, refusing to admit defeat.

The Avengers shared bemused looks. They'd never seen or heard Bruce or Hope arguing like this before, and it was quite a sight to see.

Thor looked confused, however, so Natasha explained what Bruce and Hope were talking about to him. Though the explanation didn't seem to clarify much for the god, it did seem that he now understood that they were arguing about classical books from Earth.

"Are you two seriously arguing over which Charles Dickens book was better?" Tony asked, his face stricken. Hope and Bruce paused in what they had been saying to turn to look at him.

"Yes," they said at the same time before turning back to continuing arguing with each other.

Tony groaned, putting his face in his hands.

"My teammates are pathetic," he whine, and Hope whirled on him.

"Why are we pathetic, Tony? We are merely passionate about literature and are not seeing eye to eye right now."

When Tony failed to look convinced, she added, "Say, hypothetically, that someone were to create another AI and insisted it was better than Jarvis. Wouldn't you argue them till your face turned red?"

Tony sighed, realizing that he'd lost. She did have a point.

After thinking about it for a moment, she said, "Though I highly doubt anyone could be better than you, Jarvis. You do everything he is too lazy to do, after all."

At this, everyone burst into laughter, and Hope smiled, pleased with herself.

"Thank you, Miss Ashton," came the sound of said AI's voice, and Hope chuckled.

"You're welcome, Jarvis. But keep in mind, without you, Tony would be a raving lunatic who wouldn't be able to find where his pants are," she told him, and more laughter followed.

Tony pouted at Hope.

"You're mean. And after all the hard work I did arranging this dinner, too," he whined, and she rolled her eyes.

"Tony, you and I both know you didn't lift a finger this whole day."

Tony opened his mouth to argue but then closed it. She was right.

Hope smiled smugly, knowing she had gained the upperhand. Argument with Tony over, she returned her attention to Bruce again.

They argued for another half an hour over which book was better, with the others cutting in every once in awhile with comments of their own. Natasha and Clint preferred A Tale of Two Cities while Steve and Tony enjoyed Great Expectations more. They made sure, however, to stay out out of the main argument-they left that to Hope and Bruce.

Hope could tell neither of them would yield, so she decided to end it for once and for all.

"Let's just agree to disagree. We'll never get anywhere with this argument, especially at the the rate we're going. You favor A Tale of Two Cities and I prefer Great Expectations. Let's leave it at that."

Bruce seemed to think over her words for a moment before he nodded. "Agreed," he said. There was silence for a moment before everyone at the table began to talk. They gushed over their favorite parts of the argument, how Tony had been, as Clint put it, "burned" by Hope.

Then, after the novelty of everything that had transpired wore off, they all slipped into their own conversations.

Bruce discussed science with Tony, the particulars puzzling everyone but Hope, who had a fuzzy image of what they were conversing about. Clint and Natasha spoke in hushed whispers about weapons and missions they'd been on, reminiscing about their past.

Thor, with no one to talk to, had gone to the living room and was now messing around with Tony's television, trying to figure out how it worked. Hope feared it would end badly and that the TV would be smashed or short-circuited by the Norse god, but since no one mentioned it, she stayed quiet about it.

Steve and Hope, meanwhile, talked about what the world was like back before he was ever Captain America. It was a fascinating subject for Hope, and she listened with rapt attention, clinging to his every word.

She had bonded with Steve over the month, after the issue with Rhmer was dealt with. Though she wasn't as close with the Captain as she was with Bruce, and though they didn't have a lot in common, they had developed a friendship. They shared a few mutual pastimes-running in the morning, their love of art, and how they missed the older, simpler days, with less dependency on technology.

When Steve had exhausted everything he could possibly say about the era he was born in, they moved onto another subject. They each shared tips and skills that would be useful in battle, as well as went over good fighting strategies. Eventually Natasha and Clint joined in on the conversation, giving their own expertise on the matter.

It went on like that for an hour or two until a crash sounded from the living room, followed by the booming voice of Thor who was cursing and yelling.

Everyone exchanged before Tony bolted out of his seat and ran into the living room.

"I knew that was going to end badly," Hope muttered, and Natasha shot her a grin before proceeding to listen in on the billionaire scolding the Norse god.

"Oh, c'mon Thor! That was my favorite TV!"

"I am sorry, man of iron. But there was a large beast coming out of your 'TV' and I feared it would try to attack me,"

"So you threw your hammer into my television."

"Yes, but that beast was going to try to harm me."

"Thor, they're just moving pictures. They can't come out of the TV to hurt you."

"Oh."

"Yeah."

The Avengers fell into silence until Hope spoke.

"Well that was fun, Next time let's break Tony's suit."

Everyone made sounds of agreement at this.

Hope smiled-tonight hadn't gone as horribly as she'd thought it would.

Again, I really need to work on my endings, as you can clearly tell. Hope you enjoyed, and please review!