Chapter 9

"So, if I were to commit suicide, hypothetically of course, what would you suggest? Jumping off the roof of Stark Tower, or having Loki kill me?" I asked, inspecting my fingernails. We were all gathered around the table in the meeting room, each with a beverage of choice in front of them. Thor had a coffee, Steve and I had Coca-Cola's, Bruce and Natasha had tea, and Tony, of course, had a beer.

"Well, if you tried to jump off Stark Tower, I'd be obligated to catch you," Tony said, taking a swig of beer.

"I would not suggest letting Loki kill you," Thor added. "Considering what he did to your face, I would expect that he would be quite brutal." I sighed.

"Then I guess I'm stuck with the pit of venomous spiders Natasha picked." She grinned and raised her mug of tea. "Because, honestly, the pool of sharks Tony suggested and Thor's electric chair do not sound that appealing."

"Spiders don't sound that appealing either, Mel," Tony said. "Besides, what if one is radioactive and turns you into Spiderman?"

"Well, then I'm alive and cooler than you."

"Yeah, yeah. Whatever," he grumbled. "Banner, what about you? How would you go?"

"I wouldn't," he muttered, looking into his mug of tea. "I've tried. The other guy won't let me. I put a gun in my mouth and pulled the trigger. The other guy spat the bullet out." Everyone quieted, and I put my hand on his arm.

"Hey, think of it this way. It's just a sign that you're needed here, so you can't commit suicide. And if I ever hear that you've tried it again, I'll beat you black and blue," I added, voice low. Bruce looked up from his tea to my face.

"Really?"

"On my honor. I give you my word. I will find you, put you in a barrel, and have it dragged through the streets behind a horse. Then you'll be subject to interrogation and possibly my brother's terrible cooking. After that, you'll have to stay at Tony's before I'll take pity on you and take you to a doctor."

Bruce smiled a crooked smile. "You don't have to go that far. I appreciate the sentiment, though."

"Good. It's the thought that counts, right?" I smiled. "A toast," I called, raising my Coke can. "To the Avengers, and hopefully never having to go through with these plans!" Our various types of containers clicked together, and we laughed. "Hey, have any of you seen Stardust?" I asked. There was a chorus of no's, and a groan from Tony.

"Good lord, Mel. Can we please not watch that movie again?" he whined. Everyone grinned.

"You don't like it?" Steve asked.

"Of course not. She's made me watch it at least thirty times this year."

"I say we watch it," Natasha said. Laughing, we dragged Tony to my room and started the movie.

"'Do we gaze at the stars because we are human, or are we human because we gaze at the stars,'" I quoted as the movie started. Groaning, Tony threw a pillow at my head.

"Shut up. If you want to watch the movie, watch it," he growled. I laughed.

"Be quiet, Tony. I'm watching a movie. 'And you know why?'" I said with the movie. "'Because it's a field!'"

I laid on my stomach across the bed, Bruce sitting on my right, Tony laying across the back of the bed, on the pillows; while Natasha, Steve, and Thor sat on the floor in front of my bed. Halfway through the movie, Tony was asleep on the floor because I kept kicking him. "Hey, this is my favorite part!" I whispered to Bruce as Tristan and Yvonne joined the pirates. "I love these guys!"

Bruce smiled. "Let me guess. Captain Shakespeare is your favorite."

"Yeah! Cause he's just so funny!" I rolled over so I was facing him. "There's this one line, later on, that is hilarious. It's my mom's favorite line."

"Don't spoil it," he warned, turning his head to look at me. "Otherwise it won't be as funny as it should be." I pouted.

"But I'll have to wait 15 to 30 minutes before I get to hear it," I whined.

"Shhh," he said. I sighed, and quietly turned my attention back to the movie, absently resting my head on Bruce's shoulder.

So, I hope you liked the chapter. The movie I mention, Stardust, is one of the greatest movies I've ever seen. I recommend it to all y'all that read this. Great, great movie. :D Captain Shakespeare is my hero.

Also, I just got done watching the Avengers, so I'm going to try to make some of the information in my story match the movie, at least a little bit. Probably won't work, though. Just a warning.

Anyway, I'm out. PEACE!