In which Fiona fucks up.

Chapter Text

Four weeks later, assorted Avengers decided that Fiona was ready for her first mission. They were assuring Loki that she'd be out of harm's way, and given his narrow stare, he wasn't buying it.

"She just has to sing and look pretty," Stark argued, barely visible over his feet on the conference room table. He was deeply hungover and not in the mood to placate the suspicious Asgardian. "We'll do the rest. Besides, it's the same song and dance she was doing when we found her, remember?" He chuckled to himself, "Song and dance…"

Natasha didn't have Fiona's reluctance to roll her eyes, so she did at Tony's weak efforts.

"Loki, this mission is important, because Fi can recognize some of the old players from Kahn's sleazy group. She'll be disguised, and while she uses her whammy to lull them all into submission, we can search the event and bring in the agents to arrest the main players. They'll never know what hit them."

Running a pensive finger over his lips, Loki reluctantly said, "I will agree as long as I am with her." To be honest, the rest of the crew assigned to the mission had been hoping for his effectively brutal methods in capturing some of the nastiest suspects, but since this at least got he and Fiona on the plan, they agreed.

Flying into Austria, Fiona was unashamed in eagerly pushing Natasha out of the way to look out the jet window. The Russian laughed, leaning forward to allow her to get a better look. "It's not like you can see anything at this altitude Fi," she teased.

The girl wasn't listening, her breath caught as she traced the glittering map of ley lines below them, gleaming over the earth's surface, crisscrossing each other in intricate patterns. Unconsciously humming, Fiona smiled blissfully. It was all so perfect. Her voice rose a little, carrying the joyful melody throughout the cabin. Bucky gasped and his hands loosened on the jet's controls, he could remember having dinner with his little sister and his mother, in their cluttered kitchen in Brooklyn. He was teasing his sister and shoveling down his meal so he could meet Steve at the dance hall- there were so many pretty dolls, just waiting for a smooth worker like him, and-

"Bucky?" Blinking, he looked over to see Steve gazing at him. "Everything okay?" Steve hadn't seen this expression on his friend's face for so long- a look of anticipation, maybe even hope. Bucky always viewed every mission with grim determination, but- was he smiling?

"I'm okay, Rogers... I..." Almost against his will, the Soldier smiled. "I just remembered my sister. We were having dinner, back at home, and-"

"Hey, ladies, about ready to land this heap?"

Tony's voice, even louder and more annoying in his suit, broke off his memory sharing and Bucky returned to the controls, all business. He looked over to see Steve grinning at him.

When Natasha had proffered the blonde wig and dress Fiona would be wearing that night, Loki looked at her as if she'd suggested dressing his little one in vomit. Sniffing, he waved away the disguise and circled his suddenly apprehensive ginger.

"Aw," Fiona whined, "I can't wear my catsuit? It's my first onnnne!" She knew she was sniveling, but to not only find a lycra suit like Nat's on her bed that day, and ever better- finding out it actually fit her in a rather pleasing fashion made her want to strut a bit. She enjoyed the little memory of Loki walking in to see her trying it on and slowly pulling the zipper down to appreciate Fi's generous breasts squished together so nicely. But she knew better than to whine, and really, a catsuit wasn't appropriate dress for a black tie event.

Rising obediently for Loki, she put her hands on her hips and stared up at him expectantly. She knew her haughty daddy couldn't resist a moment of theatricality.

And Loki obliged, making an elegant wave and suddenly her hair changed from burgundy to a bright blonde, eyes grayer, face rounder, and in a move that made her want to punch him, breasts a good size or two larger.

Irritably adjusting them to fit into the tight bodice of the sparkly silver gown that was a bit sheerer than she liked, she glared at him. "Really? You don't think the girls were enough as they were? I move too fast and these are going to bounce up and give me a black eye!" Glaring to her left at Steve and Bucky, who looked like they rather hoped it might happen, Fiona hoisted the neckline again. Natasha was trying to control a laugh and Loki was lounging next to her, looking over his protege in an uncomfortably thorough manner.

"Whoa…" with a metallic "thunk!" Tony had landed in time to wave away his helmet and get a closer look at their new agent's "assets." "Man, Reindeer Games, your girlfriend has some kahunas!"

"Shuddup, ya bloated tin can!" Fiona snarled.

"Now, Tony, that's disrespectful-" began Steve.

Natasha was about to stand between them when a rusty sound made them all turn around. Bucky was leaning against the door to the jet, handsome in his all-black armor and-

"Is he laughing?" Tony cocked his head, staring at the amused Soldier. Indeed, Bucky was, for the first time any of them could remember.

Fiona found herself oddly moved by the lovely discovery and hastened to take the attention off him. "Great, now if Stork can close the arsehole he uses as a mouth, maybe we can all move on with the instructions, eh?" She gave the still chucking Bucky a brief wink and turned to Loki and Steve.

Really, thought Fiona, it was a simple enough plan. Running through her warmup for her voice backstage, she tried to control her shaking hands. Strut out on stage, belt out a few songs, get all these bastards relaxed and loosey-goosey and get some good shots with the mini camera in her earring and signal Loki when she saw someone she recognized from Kahn's crew.

Easy enough.

As long as she didn't vomit the moment she saw one of those sick fucks.

Unbidden, visions of men laughing as she was subjected to one torment or another made Fiona put her hand to her stomach, slumping over.

"Kjæledyr."

The cool, sonorous voice of her daddy flowed over her shattered nerves. His hand smoothed over the bare skin of her back, stroking in soft circles as Fiona tried to control her breathing. "There's my good girl," he whispered into her ear, "play your role for Daddy and you'll get a very special treat tonight."

"What, like a pony?" Her effort at bravado failed as Fiona heard her voice shake.

"Shhhh…" Loki's mouth was sliding down the thin skin of her throat, "There is nothing to fear, little one. I will be here with you. No harm will come to you, you have my word." Fiona gave a little moan, tipping her head back on his shoulder as his other hand lightly fisted into her hair, turning her to kiss him. "Imagine, my savage Celtic goddess, your pleasure when I tear one of Kahn's half-wit troglodytes into many small, screaming pieces? Won't that be lovely?" She smiled malevolently, just as Loki knew she would, and he returned the smile, the two of them looking alarmingly alike. "Daddy's good girl," he approved.

Shaking out her hands and straightening her posture, Fiona raised her head haughtily, stepping out into the lights trained on the musicians, an empty mic waiting for her.

"Guten Abend meine Damen und Herren!" she cooed, giving a coy wave. "Solche wunderschönen Menschen, so ein schöner Ort. Bist du bereit für einen magischen Abend?" As Fiona gave her best, simpering smile, inwardly she was grinning savagely. 'More magical than you think, motherfuckers.'

Humming lightly as the band kicked in, Fiona admired the atrium. Really, the place was beautiful, even if it was filled with the most loathsome arseholes on the planet. The four-story building soared up in a massive panel of glass on three sides that sparkled under the well-placed lighting from the crystal chandeliers. Gleaming marble flooring, art, and sculptures that she knew would cost more than the GNP of a medium-sized country. And those bastards.

Oh, yes, Fiona thought bitterly, she recognized them. At least six of the expensively dressed men in the ballroom were old buddies of the monster who'd kept her for all those years.

"Nobody does it better
Makes me feel sad for the rest
Nobody does it half as good as you
Baby, you're the best..."

Pouring all the innocent admiration, adoration and lust that she could into the song, Fiona's voice soared over the heads of the celebrants, already straightening and turning toward the stage.

"I wasn't lookin' but somehow you found me

It tried to hide from your love light

But like heaven above me

The spy who loved me

Is keepin' all my secrets safe tonight..."

Fiona had to swallow down a gag. Yes, they were loving this.

"And nobody does it better Though sometimes I wish someone could Nobody does it quite the way you do

Why'd you have to be so good?"

"Excellent work, Kjæledyr," she could hear Loki's voice slide along the edge of her consciousness, stroking along her jagged nerves like a caress. "The team is triangulating on the men you've identified. Make them relax. Make them preen, darling."

"Yeah, I can do that, Daddy," Fiona's answer was grim, even as her white teeth sparkled under the lights. While she didn't have access to the movements of the rest of the team, she knew they were going through the building, taking up their positions and disarming security. She didn't know if this evening was specifically a Hydra event, but the audience disgusted and terrified her. She knew these people, even if she didn't recognize every face. They laughed coarsely, greedy avaricious faces and cruel smiles that enjoyed- craved the suffering of others.

"Easy, little one." Loki's voice was a balm. "I feel your heart pounding. Daddy has you."

Breathing in deep, Fiona started her next song, her posture becoming sultry, slightly taunting.

"I know the score like the back of my hand

Them other boys, I don't give a damn

They kiss on the ring, I carry the crown

Nothing can break, nothing can break me down

Don't need no advice, I got a plan

I know the direction, the lay of the land

I know the score like the back of my hand

Them other boys, I don't give a damn…"

Strutting up and down the stage, Fiona's hips swayed, the spotlight flashing off her silver sequined gown, crystals at the hem clicking and clacking against her high heels. Conversation was dying down in the audience, the men turning more towards her, their prettily painted dates pouting a bit at being ignored.

"I'm the man, come round

No-no-nothing can break, no-nothing can break me down

I'm the man, come round and

No-no-nothing can break, you can't break me down

I got gas in the tank

I got money in the bank

I got news for you baby, you're looking at the man

I got skin in the game

I got a household name

I got news for you baby, you're looking at the man!"

"Huh," Tony's head was bobbing in his suit, "The Killers. Nice choice."

Loki's arms were folded, his posture elaborately relaxed, but those emerald eyes were darting through the crowd, watching the pheromonal drifts coming off the men as they leaned in to watch his pet. She was magnificent- he was very pleased with Fiona tonight. She strutted elaborately, flipping her big blonde hair, shoulders and hips shimmying in a way that set her generous new cleavage off to excellent effect. And that voice...

The God of Lies had actually been speaking the truth when he told Fiona her voice did not affect him, but that didn't mean he couldn't appreciate it's impact on others. And these coarse, base creatures were so very easy to read.

"Yeah, I'm the man, baby!"

"I think my dick just doubled in size..."

"What the fuck, man? He paid this much money and he's not even gonna look at me? What's that cow singing, anyway?"

"I got what you need, bitch..."

Fiona's heart was pumping furious blood into her veins, and she had to force herself to redirect before her voice turned these fuckers to anger instead of puffed-up pride.

"Just a bit longer, Kjæledyr." Loki's voice calmed her, "The others tell me everyone is nearly in place. I shall give you the signal to withdraw." Nodding slightly, Fiona sent out an extra hip swing in his direction as she headed into the final lines of the song.

"When it comes to Friday, I always earn Don't try to teach me, I got nothing to learn 'Cause baby I'm gifted

You see what I mean?

USDA certified lean..."

They were almost there, thought Natasha, pressing her hand to her ear to listen to the electronic exchange with the others. She was so proud of Fi, she thought, smiling down at where the girl was swaying back and forth, everyone in her thrall. The team was wearing special blockers that Loki had assisted Bruce in creating- blockers that altered the pitch and variance of Fiona's compelling singing- that kept it from affecting them. Mostly. Smirking slightly, the Russian suspected that Tony at least was grateful to have his suit hiding an erection.

Yes, everything was going perfectly, just according to plan. Fury was standing in the bridge of the helicarrier, watching all the feed from the video cameras embedded into the team's armor. 'Maybe the acquisition isn't worthless after all,' he thought, looking at Fiona toy with the targets in the audience. Turning his head slightly, he looked at one of his captains. "Be ready for deployment in exactly two minutes."

Yes, everything was going perfectly. Until Fiona saw him.

Casper Borof had been Kahn's second in command. In fact, if Loki had seen him, he would have recognized him as one of the men who dragged Fiona screaming into that chamber of horrors on the security feed from Kahn's demolished estate. But Fiona saw him, standing just left of the stage, drinking from a tumbler of chilled vodka and licking his lips, not hiding his intention to really make the girl earn her appearance fee that night. Casper didn't recognize her, Fiona could tell that much, but her voice faltered as she tried not to gag, remembering all the times he'd stood over Kahn's shoulder, rubbing his crotch and laughing as his boss did something horrible to her, enjoying her screams and her pathetic begging. The times he got her alone and he-

Loki looked up sharply as Fiona's voice died as the puzzled musicians kept playing.

"Oh, no," groaned Steve, looking frantically over the room to see where his team was. "Loki," he spoke urgently into his speaker, "can you pull Fiona? Is she losing it?"

Fury shifted, growling as he watched the feed. He couldn't tell what was happening from this angle, but he could tell that Irish bitch was about to fuck this mission up.

And, Fiona did. Spectacularly. As Casper started ambling along the rim of the stage towards her, his disgusting smirk making his intentions clear, all she could think was, "Nonononono notagain youmotherfucker youcan'thurtme youcan't hurtme YOUCAN'THURTME!" And her beautiful voice soared up in a terrifying swoop, the register climbing higher and higher and Loki suddenly shouted-

"MUTE! MUTE YOUR EARPIECES!"

The crystal chandeliers shattered in a stately one-two punch, raining jagged shards down over the suddenly screaming crowd. The multi-storied windows began cracking, rapid fault lines racing along the ridiculously thick panels as the marble tiles on the vast floor began shifting. And then, the windows exploded. Inward, shooting chunks of glass like bullets. But their velocity was not random. Screaming women, waiters and the musicians weren't touched, aside from the occasional scratch if they stumbled over something sharp, trying to escape. But the men- particularly the ones Fiona targeted- were shredded, torn apart like bloody gauze. It appeared, however, that Fiona's instinct for self-preservation wasn't as attentive as her concern for the (somewhat) innocents in the hall. With a curse, Loki dove for her, both of them disappearing as the crystal bullets hurtled in her direction.

Dimly, Fiona could hear gunfire and shouting as she and Loki reappeared outside running in the direction of the meeting point. She tripped over one of the ridiculously high heels he'd put her in, and the prince growled as he threw her over his shoulder, moving fast enough to blur. The girl managed to pull herself together to count as everyone hurtled back on board, Steve nimbly clipping a line of automatic fire off his shield before it could enter the cockpit of the jet.

Looking back, Bucky groaned. "Oh, fuck."

"What?" shouted Natalie, busy prepping the jet's console for flight.

"They have surface to air missiles," he said shortly. Speaking into his mic, he shouted "Stark! You seeing this?"

A garbled electronic response that sounded suspiciously like a line of exceptionally creative cursing was his answer as Tony managed to block the first missile fired from decimating the jet. But the blow knocked him sideways into a building, crushing the corner and stunning him temporarily. Then Loki swooped out, racing to pull Stark's impossibly heavy suit from where it was embedded in the brick and blocked the second missile sent blazing toward the jet. Fiona screamed, looking for him as the explosion seared her corneas, trying to find him again. When she felt the pull against her harness as they took off, she yanked frantically against the straps.

"Stop! Stop you idiot Loki is the out there! STOP!"

Bucky's metal arm came across her ribs, pushing her back against the seat and acting as her seatbelt as the jet's acceleration jolted everyone sideways. "He's here," he said into Fiona's ear, "he's right here. He's safe."

"Okay," she tried not to cry, "o-okay." The moment his arm released her, Fiona darted over to the still form of the god. His face was bloodied and pale, but as she reached him, hands running over his body to assess his injuries, Loki opened his eyes.

"Stop your wailing, Kjæledyr," he groaned slightly, sitting up. "I am fine."

"You got hit by a surface to air missile, Daddy!" Fiona sniffed, still searching for damage.

Steve looked at Bucky. "Daddy?" he mouthed, and the Soldier shrugged.

"What. The FUCK. Was. THAT?"

To Fiona's dismay, Natasha landed their jet on Fury's helicarrier, and they were all seated in his conference room. Most of their team got out unscathed, a few bumps and bruises. Tony's suit spared him from nearly everything, though he'd somehow gotten his hands on a very large cocktail somewhere between ridding himself of his damaged metal and Fury's rage. Fiona's flimsy dress didn't protect her, so there was a serious of small, bloody cuts and bruises dotting her arms, shoulders, and back. Her fiery hair tumbled over her shoulders and her mascara ran down her face in streaks. In unfortunate contrast, Natasha sitting next to her looked perfectly put together.

Steve was rubbing his hand over his forehead. "Director-"

"Did I ask you to TALK, Captain?" Fury was definitely living up to his name, jabbing his finger savagely and bellowing loud enough to make the team's somewhat serrated hearing painful. Loki's warning had come just in time to keep Fiona's high note from blowing out everyone's eardrums, but it was a field test that proved that the "mute" setting Bruce developed was not quite good enough.

"The mission wasn't a wash, Cyclops, so lighten up."

Steve closed his eyes. Yes, Tony had definitely self-medicated. "What Tony is trying to say is that we transmitted crystal-clear images of everyone in that building. The computer already cross-matched at least twelve HYDRA chiefs, and-"

"AND THEY'RE ALL DEAD, ROGERS!" The vein in Fury's temple bulged ominously, and he reminded himself to take his blood pressure medication right after he threw this idiot girl off the deck of his helicarrier and watched her fall screaming through the clouds.

Loki's low, cultured voice cut through the clamor. "No one was captured, Fury. But you have at least a dozen rather considerable terrorist threats that have been eliminated in a spectacular fashion that sent a clear message. It will not slow HYDRA, but it will certainly give pause to several smaller organizations. Now, if you've quite finished your tantrum-"

"You shut the hell up!" Fury couldn't decide who he hated more at the moment, the smirking god in front of him, or Thor's asshole father for sticking him with Loki. "You are here under my indulgence. And you're getting on my last nerve. So don't tempt me to send you back to your Daddy's dungeon!"

Fiona stiffened slightly. This was the first she'd heard of Loki's past after losing the battle for earth. But if this crazy one-eyed fucker thought he was going to diss her daddy-

"Have calm, little girl. And keep those lovely lips shut or I will sew them together." Loki's cold warning rang through her head, and the redhead looked down at her hands clenched in her lap.

"Enough." Everyone looked over at Steve, shocked. He never stood up to Fury, his military-ingrained obedience to a higher rank was just too strong. "Fiona followed the parameters of the mission as dictated. I've reviewed the footage and one of Kahn's chiefs was moving closer to her onstage. There was a real threat that he recognized her and could have blown the entire mission. Fiona's defense was certainly..." he floundered for the words while everyone stared at him, open-mouthed. "...was certainly scorched-earth," he managed, "but she neutralized the threat and we all got out intact. And criticizing Loki here is wrong. He took a full surface to air missile to the back to protect Tony." The blond drew in a deep breath, trying to calm himself. "Now I'm taking my team and we're leaving. Everyone needs medical care." Everyone gratefully stood as he did and began to leave the room when Fury's voice halted them.

"Fine. Get some rest. But she stays here."

Fiona's blood turned to ice. She knew perfectly well who that jack-booted lunatic meant, and if he kept her, she was certain she'd never see any of these people again. If she ever saw the outside of a cell in her lifetime, she'd be shocked. Jaw clenched, she decided a quick jump off the side of this floating hellhole would be her first move before she'd let that happen again.

Loki's eyes began to glow. There was no other way to describe the fire there, and with his back to Fury, only Steve could see it.

"No, Fiona's part of my team. And she's leaving with us." Steve's arm went around her shoulders just as Loki's went around her waist, and the girl was suffused with warmth.

Blue eyes narrowed; Steve watched Fury's turn curiously blank. "You're putting your future at risk for this incompetent lunatic, Captain. Do you understand this?"

Fury hated how Captain America's majestic chest swelled, his square jaw firm as he stared back. "I have complete faith in my team. And that includes Fiona. We're leaving, everyone."

Back on the jet, Fiona stared at Steve as Natasha flew them back to Stark Tower. "Why did you do that?"

Glancing up from a digital readout from the firefight, he looked at her, confused. "Do what?"

"You... stood up for me," she said slowly, "you let Fury's uh... fury turn on you. Why would you do that?"

Rubbing the back of his neck, he sighed. "The mission wasn't scrubbed, Fi. We still came out with valuable intel and the elimination of known HYDRA operatives. Fury's being an ass- uh, a jerk."

Groaning as a slow grin crossed Fiona's face, he looked back down at his tablet as she cooed, "You almost swore there, Captain Atlantic. I'm a bad influence."

"It's America," Steve muttered, "Captain America."

Back in their rooms, Fiona watched Loki as he casually stripped off her clothing, running his hands over her cuts and bruises. Sighing with relief as the familiar warmth began tingling over her skin, she murmured, "Thank you. For saving me. For healing me."

Loki's perfect brow arched. "I am your Daddy. And despite what that militarized thug threatened, I would never allow him to take you. We will work on your control. But I am very pleased with you for shredding that filth to pieces. I witnessed your memory just before you sang the building apart."

Stumbling a little with weariness, Fiona yawned. "How is it that you are not injured, Daddy? You were hit by that goddamned missile."

As she expected, he sniffed. "I am a god, you silly creature. Now, get into bed." Obeying as he disappeared into the bathroom, Fiona's eyes drooped before she realized she had to pee. Hauling herself off the lovely, cushioned mattress, she headed into the open door of the bathroom.

"Daddy, I need to go to the-"

Loki's back was to her, his tall body naked. And the pale perfection of his skin was gone. The Prince of Asgard was covered in scars: healing red worms of tissue, burn marks, flat patches of scarring that looked like the skin had literally been flayed from his body, puckered divots where chunks of muscle must have been severely damaged. His head jerked up, cold eyes meeting her shocked ones in the mirror.

"Get out."

"Daddy! What happened? This isn't all from tonight, not by a long shot- who did-"

Loki was nose to nose with her in a second, his white, set face terrifying.

"Get. Out. Or I shall flay the skin from your body and you will be my twin."

Stumbling backward, Fiona tried to nod as his hand made a sharp gesture and the door slammed in her face.

"Guten Abend meine Damen und Herren" German: Good evening, ladies and gentlemen.

"Solche wunderschönen Menschen, so ein schöner Ort. Bist du bereit für einen magischen Abend?" Such gorgeous people, such a beautiful spot. Are you ready for a magical evening?

"Nobody Does It Better" Carly Simon

"I'm The Man" The Killers