"That was a no go." Natasha dropped the tray of food loudly on the counter as the team hovered around the kitchen.
"She has to eat something." Steve chewed on his thumb nail as he stared down the hall. They were going on day four of Carman locked in her room and refusing to come out or even speak to them. They all had knocked on the door, pleaded with her.
"She's coming out in the middle of the night." Marie swung the laptop around to show them the security footage. Sure enough, there was Carman darting into the kitchen grabbing something to eat and running back to her room.
"This is ridiculous." Clint snapped. He wanted nothing more than to break down the damn door, but Tony being Tony had installed all the doors with unbreakable, bullet proof material. "Tony, get that door open."
"Wish I could, buddy." Tony was regretting his choice of safety material at the moment. "I think-" Tony paused, tilting his head. "You hear that?"
"Get down!" Steve yelled as out of the corner of his eye he saw something flying at the large windows. Glass exploded as they all hit the floor. Steve crawled on his belly to see. He could hear Tony suiting up behind him and wished he hadn't left his shield in the living room. He spotted the weird shape object on the floor. "Get out!" He screamed as it started to hiss. They scattered in all direction. Steve and Clint ran down the same hall. Steve kicked the door as hard as he could. "Carman open this door! We're being attacked!"
"Rogers!"
Steve looked up at Marie threw his shield at him and Clint's bow and quiver at him. Steve was ready to tear the door open anyway he could when it swung open. Carman stood there, her eyes wide in fear. "Come on baby." He grabbed her arm and ran with her down the hall as the explosion hit. It sent them flying. Steve landed on top of Carman, his shield over her as he looked back. Clint was down. "Barton! Barton!"
Carman twisted, seeing Clint lying motionless on the floor. "Clint." She whispered. In a panic, she started to struggle against Steve's weight on her.
"Be still." He ordered as he talked into his com.
"I need…to get to him." Carman begged, trying to push him off.
"We've got him." Steve tried to reassure her. But she kicked and cried under him. Grabbing her face, he forced her to look at him. "Stop! Listen to me. We're getting him help. But I need you to come with me."
"No!" Carman screamed as Steve forcibly pulled her down another hall. "No! Please…I can help him! Steve…please!"
Steve blocked out her screams as he met up with Natasha. "What's going on?"
"We think that was it. Tony is out around the Tower making sure. Jarvis is running detail. Agents and medical are on the way up." Natasha rushed out as she ran down the hall to her friend.
"I need you to go in here with Marie until I know it's safe." Steve pushed her into a small room where Marie waited. Carman struggled against him, even kicking him in the shin. "Stop it!"
"No! I need to get to Clint."
"Not until I know it's safe." Steve fired back, having to push her into the room.
"I swear if you don't I will hate you forever!" She screamed at him, beyond frantic. As she screamed at him, his face fell, but he still stepped out.
I'm sorry. But you have to be safe." He quietly told her, shutting the door and letting Marie lock it.
"Marie. Let me out." Carman told them woman, her hands shaking.
"I can't. Not till it's clear." Marie's smile was sad. She pressed against her ear, holding up a hand. "They have him upstairs in the medical lab. He's…bad…."
Carman whimpered. "Please Marie. I can help him."
Marie arched a brow. "He's being taking care of, I promise."
Carman closed her eyes. "I'm so sorry, Marie." Marie opened her mouth to respond, but Carman held up a hand. Marie halted, unable to move anything but her eyes. Carman went to the door, putting a hand it and on Marie's forehead at the same time. The door popped opened. With tears, she looked at her friend. "I'm so sorry, but I can't let Clint die." Carman took off at a run to the stairs that would take her up to the medical room. As she ran into the room, she saw Steve, Bruce and Natasha standing at the window watching the medical team work on Clint in the next room. Carman didn't see Fury in the corner as she ran to the door.
Bruce spotted her first, reaching out to grab her. "Whoa there."
"Carman." Steve looked at her in surprise. "How did you get out?"
Carman pushed at Bruce. "Let me go. I-"
Time stood still as the loud beeping sound filled the room. Carman didn't understand what the noise was, but seeing how the team was reacting, she was scared.
"What…is it?" Carman whispered.
"He's…gone." Bruce brokenly replied. His arms went slack as everyone in the room froze in shock and grief.
"No." Carman jerked from Bruce and busted into the medical room. As the medical staff yelled at her, all she saw was Clint lying flat on the table. Going to him, she ran a hand over his head. When she felt someone try to pull her back, she put up her hand.
"What the hell?" Natasha jumped back as everyone in the room were immobilized but Carman. "What did she do?"
Steve watched, his mouth open as his heart stuck in his throat. A soft glow of light circled her and Clint as her hands lightly moved over his face, down his chest, circling around Clint's heart. His eyes shoot between Carman's face and to Clint's. Carman's blue eyes were suddenly golden and soft light glowed off her fingers. Her lips were moving, then she stepped back and with a flash of light that had them all covering their eyes, she stepped back. She flicked her wrist and the medical staff were able to move. They rushed to Clint, one looking at the machine next to the bed as it started to beep.
"He's alive!" The doctor shouted, looking at Carman in bewilderment and fear.
When Carman saw Clint's eyes open, she let out a broken sob. But then she was surrounded. Just like Thor told her she would be. Men in dark clothes and gear, took her by the hands.
"What the hell are you doing, Fury?" Steve yelled, watching as the men grabbed Carman.
"Did you all know about this?" Fury snapped, anger in his features as he stormed to into the medical room. The team followed him. He stomped to Carman who stood with her head down. "Care to tell me what the hell you did? What the hell you are?"
Carman raised her head, throwing her hair back as she glared at Fury. "I am Princess Carman from Asgard."
"What did you do?" Fury insisted, his finger in her face.
"I saved my friend." Was the reply.
"You have powers that you nor Thor disclosed to me…to the team." Fury ranted. "You put everyone in danger."
Carman didn't say a word. What could she say? So she stood there and let the men hold her, while digging their fingers into her skin.
"Take her."
"Wait!" Steve jumped between the princess and Fury, his attention on the man. "Take her where?"
"Back to base."
"No." Steve snapped back. "She is going nowhere."
"She is. She broke a treaty we have with Asgard. By not telling us of her…powers she put this team, this world in danger. It's her fault Barton died."
"Wait a minute." Clint rasped, struggling to sit up. "I'm very much alive, sir."
Fury sent him a look before turning to the Captain. "She'll go back to base."
"And what? Put in a cell?" Steve sneered.
"Yes." Fury simply stated.
Steve heard the quiet gasp from behind him. "I won't let you take her."
"She acted out against Shield personal. She used force."
"To save Barton!" Steve argued, but he knew he was losing ground.
"And where is Hill?" Fury asked the room. "How did she get out of Stark's safe room?
Steve paused, turning to look at Carman. Carman kept his stare, her eyes cloudy. "I didn't harm her."
"But you used your…magic didn't you?" Fury accused. "Take her!"
"Damn it, Fury!" Steve started to move towards the men holding her, when a hand stopped him. It was Tony.
"There is no reason to take her back to the base. I…have a room here." Tony told the director, squeezing Steve's arm.
Fury put his arms behind his back as he looked at the two men. "I really don't think I trust you all with this."
"Then leave your men." Tony shrugged. "We'll…figure out what…she did…or what she can do…here. She has friends here."
The snort had all eyes turn to the woman. "Friends? I have nothing here." Carman spit out. "Want to know my promise to Thor?" Her eyes hit everybody in the room, especially the people she had thought of as friends. "Thor made me promise that I would never tell of my magic. He made me swear. Because he said that on Midgard, magic is feared, not understood. He said you all would put me in a cage because that's what humans does no matter what good I tried to do. You all would force me to bend to your will. Looks like he was right."
"Fine. She says here. But we stay too." Fury jerked his head and the men took Carman away with Tony leading the way. Fury gave Steve one more look. "Don't try anything." He turned to Clint who was sitting up. "Either of you." What that he left the room with a hard slam of the door.
Clint waved away the doctors who wanted to check him. He felt fine. No one would know he was hit by an explosion and died on the table. Jumping to his feet, he glanced at his team. "Now what?"
"She should of told us." Natasha grinded out. "We could of…helped her."
"Why would she think we would help her?" Steve let out a humorless laugh. "Since she's been here we proved over and over we didn't trust her. We kept harping at her…" Steve stopped, rolling his head back, staring at the ceiling. "God, what a mess."
"At least she's here." Bruce added. "We can watch her and Fury."
"Not to mention someone is still after her." Natasha cut in. "Think they want her for what she can do?"
"Hard to say," Bruce replied. "we don't even know what she can do."
"Well, her little trick of raising people from the dead was pretty impressive." Clint smirked. "Was I really dead?"
Natasha's eyes went dark as she looked at her friend. "Yes."
Clint moved, hugging her. They both needed it for a million reasons. "Has anyone checked on Marie?" Clint asked as he kept Nat closed to him.
"I will." Steve needed something to do. Anything to keep him from either flying into a rage or falling apart. He wasn't sure what he wanted to do the most at that point. Jogging to the safe room, he spotted Marie standing by the door. Not moving. "Marie." She just blinked at him. "Damn it. Tony," He pressed on his com. "See if…Carman can stop doing what she's doing to Marie." Steve heard Tony speaking and then suddenly Marie wilted. Reaching out, he caught her. "You're okay."
"Is Carman okay?" Marie rasped, letting Steve put her down on the floor. "Clint?"
"Clint is fine…thanks to Carman and then…it went bad." Steve sat down next to her, telling Marie what had happened.
"She didn't want to do that to me." Marie rubbed her hands on her arms. She was still weak, shaky. "I could see it in her eyes. It broke her. But she was desperate to get to him."
"Yeah. She's the only reason he's alive. God…it was amazing." Steve still was awestruck as he thought about what had happened. "Then…we did exactly what Thor told her we would do. Now, she's locked downstairs in a room Tony saves for criminals."
"At least she's here."
"She doesn't trust us." Steve barked a laugh. "She never trusted us, but now….she looked at me with…such…hate." Steve hung his head, rubbing the back of his neck.
"It wasn't hate." Marie rushed to tell him. "She's scared…unsure. She doesn't hate you."
"Yeah, well whatever we had…it's gone now."
"I'm sure it's not."
"You didn't see the way she looked at me." Steve closed his eyes on the memory, his chest hurting. Tony barked in both their ears. Wit Steve's help Marie got to her feet, feeling better. Everyone met in the now destroyed kitchen and hallways.
"It looks like I'm going to have to remodel." Tony dryly replied, kicking at the carnage at his feet. "Fury is staying. So are his men."
"What's the plan?" Natasha asked.
"Right now…I have nothing." Tony sighed wearily. He looked at Steve. "Rogers?" When Rogers remained silent Tony went on. "We'll see if she'll talk to one of us."
"She's not talking to any of us." Steve was despondent as he kicked a charred stool with his foot.
"Maybe Clint?" Marie offered, looking at the team. There was such a feeling of sadness and hopelessness.
"I'll try. I have to thank her anyway." Clint mumbled as he existed the room. Taking the elevator he arrived into the lower part of the Tower. There were holding cells that Tony used time from time for Shield. Small rooms with large metal doors with a window that could go up or down. Carman was in the one in the far corner. He found her sitting on the floor, crossed legged with her eyes closed. She was covered in soot and powder from the explosion. He also noted red on her hands…his blood? "Hey."
Carman's eyes slowly opened, but she didn't say a word. She just stared back at him through the window. She knew Shield's men were littered around the room. Fury made sure she knew. She was also told, by Tony, that the cuffs on her wrist would keep her from using magic. It was made from fragments of the Tesseract.
"Um. Thank you. For doing what you did. I know…it's the reason you are here, so…thank you for choosing to help me." Clint told her wishing she would stay something. This wasn't the Carman he knew. This one was…cold…shut off. There was no emotion on her face or in her eyes when before they both were so full of life and fun. "We're working on getting you out of-"
"Don't lie to me." Carman sneered. "I will not be released until Fury feels back in control."
Clint didn't have words to that. At all. "You need anything?" She just stared at him. "I understand, Carman. I do. But remember I had your back from day one and I still have it. I will always have it."
Carman watched him leave with a shaky breath. The need to curl up and sob was so strong, she closed her eyes and counted to ten. Feeling calmer, she looked up at the small camera in the corner. She wouldn't give the men on the other side the satisfaction of seeing her broken. Repositioning herself, she closed her eyes and went back to the meditation that her Aunt Frigga had taught her.
