Ttrunks- I don't know about darker...
ScoobyCool and Rye- I knew Hulk had to win, and the Golden Snitch line was just too good to pass up.
Rogue Leader and Darkly- Meh, Loki deserved it.
Burn3- I'd read it
Michael- Damn straight!
UnattributedWriter- That was my nod to the Ultimate Marvel Universe, where the Hulk is a cannibal.
someguyshere- Keep reading...
Richard Castle was trying very hard to ignore this latest cruel twist.
The heart monitor continued to beep steadily, proving that Kate Beckett was still alive, if barely.
For the second time in his life he was sitting next to the woman he loved, clutching her hand and praying for her not to die. She had been brought down because of the machinations of a madman, being in the wrong place at the wrong time. She had risked her life to save others and now lay at the steps of Death's domain, forcing Castle to wait with bated breath, wondering whether Death would turn her away or welcome her with open arms, stealing her away from him.
The rest of The Avengers waited outside for word. How funny was it to think himself a member...he'd never considered for a moment joining the team, but his actions had earned him entrance. According to Thor, Beckett too was now a member, a 'grand warrioress who looked upon the end of the world and laughed'. Though the rest had not put it in such...flowery words...they had all agreed that her actions had helped save the day and, in their eyes atleast, both Castle and Beckett were Avengers.
"I brought you something to eat." Castle did not look up as Fury walked into the room, setting a simple paper bag in front of him, the famous golden arches printed on the side. "I talked to Thor..." Fury paused, considering his words, "he said it is hard to tell what the cube's effects would be on a person, mortal or immortal. He said the cube had belonged to Odin for only a short time, recovered from a race known as the Kree. It was awarded to a brave human who stood with them during the final battle with the frost giants..." Fury sat down, the weight of the world on his shoulders. "He said if her condition does not improve he will got to Odin and petition bringing her to his world, to try the healing chambers."
Castle held Beckett's hand, her chest barely rising. The machines continued to beep and click.
"I've talked with my superiors. They've agreed to give you and Beckett whatever you want for your services. If she wants back on the force we will get her reinstated...hell, if she wants to be chief of police I'm pretty sure we can get her that." Fury grew quiet. He was a man use to having a plan for everything, to be able to handle any situation with calm dignity and a will of iron. But to see this brilliant man before him once more heartbroken...it left all his actions impotent.
"I should hate you." Castle did not look up as he spoke the words. "The others told me about the cube...how SHIELD was playing with it and that is what brought Loki down upon us. Another monster SHIELD created...and another woman caught in the crossfire."
Nick Fury didn't say a word. There were many statements he could make, many arguements about why things turned out the way they had. He could easily lay blame at a thousand different feet. It didn't matter...to do so was to disregard his own role in this game. Everyone had a share of the blame this day and all they could do was see just how much blood would end up on their hands.
"I should hate you. But..." Castle smiled weakly, reaching up to brush the back of his hand along Beckett's forehead, "Kate was going to do that anyway, even if you weren't to blame. She is self-sacrificing...she is noble. She throws herself in the line of fire because she can't bare to see another hurt. She takes the brunt of it and she does it with a gleam in her eyes. So no...I can't hate you Fury...because then I would have to hate her...and that is something I could never do."
Fury stood up, walking around the bed and placing his hand on Castle's shoulder. Only then did the tears fall.
~MC~MC~MC~
Bruce Banner picked at his salad, ignoring the glib comments Stark was sending his way. The battle had been won, the enemy was defeated, and now the team was sitting in a cafeteria, chowing down while they waited on the status of Ant-Man's girlfriend.
Ant-Man…Richard Castle. Now that was weird. Not because the man was a famous writer…they had a billionaire sitting with them, afterall, but because of the fact that Ant-Man had been the first man to actually make the other guy actually laugh. Banner could almost hear the Hulk chuckling the back of his mind over one of Ant-Man's wisecracks. It was startling to say the least; Banner had lived with the assumption that the Hulk was nothing more than his rage and anger given form. But first Betty and now Castle had proven that the Hulk was more than the two dimensional brute he'd assumed the beast to be.
"I'm just saying…we saved the world, maybe go with something other than lettuce with ranch dressing on it. Splurge on a steak. Lord knows Fury can afford it." Tony bit into the prime cut he'd ordered, smacking his lips. "I mean, it doesn't melt in your mouth like some steaks I've had, but it will do nicely." He held out a piece, dangling it inches from Banner's face. "come on, just a taste. Come on…it's not gay, if that's what your worried about. I mean, yeah, it looks like we are on a double date, what with the assassin's playing footsie under the table," Widow and Hawkeye glared at him for that comment, "but come on, just have a bite…one bite…come on…do it…do it…"
"They aren't serving the kind of meat I want," Banner stated.
"I'm sure we can get Barton to fly the jet out to pick you something up."
"I am not your errand boy, Stark," Hawkeye grunted.
Tony waved his hands, sending droplets of steak sauce flying onto Widow's cheek. She glared at him, wiping it away before returning to her grilled trout. Say what you would about SHIELD, they had damn good chefs and a fully stocked kitchen. "Ok, I'll call up Pepper, have her fly some in for you. What would you like?"
"Loki," Bruce said, his voice sounding VERY much like the Hulk. "Rare."
"…Natalie, could we get a leg of Loki up for Dr. Banner?"
"Natalie?" Hawkeye asked.
"I'll explain later," Widow stated.
"Explain what?" Martha said, sitting down next to them, a slice of cheesecake and two martinis balanced on her tray.
"Just how Natalie enjoyed jerking me around last year, pretending to be an innocent assistant when she's really a deadly secret agent." Tony reached over to snag one of the glasses, only for Martha to slap his hand away.
"Those aren't for you." She took a sip of each, smirking before she began to delicately dissect her dessert. "Hmmm, I find I always have a sweettooth after the end of the world."
Hawkeye bit into his BLT. "I'm with Stark; I need some meat after a fight." He paused, a panicked look crossing his face. "Oh God, I agreed with Stark. Maybe Loki affected me more than a thought."
Widow covered her mouth with her hand, snickering, while Banner just laughed out loud. "Great," Tony said, "I'm suddenly the butt of the joke. How did this happen? How did I become Justin Hammer?"
"Having fun?" The group turned to look at Maria Hill, who watched them with a 'I am better than you' look they hadn't seen since Loki had taunted them in the hellicarrier. "Enjoying your meal?"
"Very much so," Tony said, cutting into another bit of steak. "Want some? Banner didn't want any, hurt my feelings."
"No. Unlike you I am too busy trying to clean up your mess."
Banner shook his head. "Just a minor correction: It would be your mess, and we already cleaned it up."
Tony smirked. "Dr. Banner does have a point."
"New York has suffered billions of dollars in damaged because you people couldn't finish off Loki cleanly and you are hear stuffing your faces!" Hill stomped her foot like a petulant child.
"Lay off, Hill," Hawkeye groused. "We just saved the world, give us a few minutes to breathe, will you?"
"You could have been breathing a lot more if you hadn't let yourself get controlled by Loki," Hill shot back.
Natasha shoved her plate back, rising up and approaching Hill. "it wasn't is fault, so back off."
"I will when you people take this seriously."
Tony raised his hand. "I for one always take things seriously. Not my fault you people don't notice it."
"Agent Hill, these men and women are not robots," Martha stated. Widow was still staring down Maria, wanting to deck the witch and trying to find a good reason to do so that wouldn't land her in the hotseat with Fury. "They need time to recover. I am sure after a few hours they will be willing to help out. But need I remind you that you, unlike them, were safely enclosed in that hellicarrier? It is rather unfair to compare yourself to them."
"When I want the opinions of a lush, I will asked for them," Hill snapped, moving around a fuming Widow. Martha for her part, merely smiled and drained her second martini. Hill moved closer, standing just behind Martha as she railed into her. "Bad enough Fury is spending all his time with the crybaby Pym. We have agents who are just as injured as that stupid detective who butted her nose in our business, why-"
The next moment Hill's head was bouncing off the hard metal table, blood splattering on the edge. As she fell Martha's hand caught her by the back of the neck and drove her mouth into the bench she was sitting on, cracking one of the agent's teeth. Hill fell to the ground in a heap, Martha returning to her cheesecake.
"Do not speak about my son and Detective Beckett like that again, Agent Hill, or I will be forced to take more serious action."
Banner looked down. "Uh…I don't think she heard you."
"Wow," Widow said in awe.
"Agent Rogers, you still have it," Hawkeye stated.
Stark took Martha's hands in his. "Marry me."
Martha merely smiled like the diva she was. "Oh…I'm afraid you're not my type."