Sorry for making you wait so long for an update. My time lapse has nothing to do with lack of ideas, but it's for two reasons. One, I've been drowning in grading (I'm an English teacher). And two, I've been obsessed with reading Arrow fanfiction. No disrespect to one of my idols, but Arrow is vastly superior to Agents of Shields. If you're not watching it, you should be. It's now on Netflix! :) Now that the semester is wrapping up, updates should be more frequent.

Thanks to the 150 people who decided to follow and 72 that favorited this story. I'd be more grateful, though, if you'd take time to review! Hint, hint!

I did watch and enjoy the new Thor movie. However, I'm not going to have it on my timeline for this story. I know there's a fan following for Darcy, whose name didn't register to me until a reader explained who she was. I won't be writing her a storyline in this story, but she and Jane may appear. I haven't decided.

The opening scene originates from KJ4-thanks for the idea! Fun stuff!

Chapter 10: Back to Normal

*****Where We Left off******

Everyone on the plane stared at Bruce Banner, waiting for his response to Tony's explanation of why he'd woken up in a plane surrounded by his friends and a few strangers.

"So, according to you, I walked into some demonic hotbed of activity, got attacked by vampires, the Big Guy got pissed and went on a rampage, causing this demonic hotbed to go crazy; then I ran into a bunch of warrior women that I spent a few days fighting. Then I fought both demons and vampires because they're, like, real and not just in late night movies. Thor shows up and takes down a lot of the creatures, and then this red haired girl who claims to be a witch knocks me out with magic and teleports away? Is that it?" Bruce asked in bemusement.

"Um...yeah," Tony said with a rueful grin.

"Wow...and I thought only you and Willow could babble like that," Xander whispered to Buffy.

"You got all that?" Clint asked in surprise.

Buffy looked embarrassed but replied, "Well, we can ramble with the best of them—Will and I."

"Willow rambles whenever that busy brain of hers gets too full. Buffy does it when she's nervous," Xander revealed, smiling at her fondly.

Buffy flushed as Clint gave her an interested look. "Good to know," he said.

Buffy felt all eyes on her. She had to close her mouth to start the words that were about to come out. Where was Willow when she was needed?

The girl in question was back home. Natasha looked startled as she gazed at her new surroundings.

Willow's hand still held the woman's. She let it go. "Are you okay?" she asked Natasha.

"Uh...I think so. That was very strange," Natasha said.

"Yea, I know. The first few times are a rush," Willow said with a smile.

Natasha gave the witch a considering look. "You are not like most girls," she observed.

Willow laughed. "Neither are you," she pointed out. She stepped closer and brushed her hand momentarily across the agent's face. "You are beautiful and remarkable. The only woman to break through the male dominated super club."

Natasha returned her smile. "I've been underestimated my entire life. I've found that people see what they want to see. Show them a pretty face and smile, then they think you're harmless," she remarked with a shrug. "They never see me coming."

"Well, I see you," Willow said, giving Natasha a look that couldn't be mistaken.

Natasha was surprised to find an answering heat flare inside of her at Willow's look, her touch. She took a step closer so that they were almost touching. "You got good taste," Natasha said with a wink. Then she kissed Willow. If anyone asked her later, she wouldn't have been able to say if she did so for herself or to draw Willow closer as she was ordered. Using people was so much a part of her that she was unable to do anything without calculating the odds of success and the advantages of each action she took. Kissing the witch was a good move, the right move. Yet she was unprepared for how she felt afterward.

Willow smiled warmly at her; the warmth of her smile reaching out and ensnaring Natasha. So few in her life had looked at her quite that way. She stepped back, needing a moment to compose herself.

"I'm feeling a bit hungry. Where shall we go?" Natasha asked.

"If you're only hungry for food, I have a great place," Willow said, flashing her a flirtatious smile.

Natasha couldn't help but laugh at the woman's boldness.

******Stark Tower******

When they arrived back at work, Buffy was about to get out of the limo that had picked them up at the airport. "Buffy, are you sure you don't want to join us for dinner? Bruce promises not to try and carry you around in his arms," Tony teased, smirking at his clueless friend.

"Huh?" Bruce asked.

"Your alter-ego took a fancy to Buffy here," Tony shared, grinning.

Buffy was uncomfortable as Dr. Banner looked at her in confusion. "It wasn't a big deal," she said lamely.

"Really?" Bruce asked with interest. "I don't think that's ever happened before."

"You mean you don't normally have a thing for blondes?" Tony asked, giving his friend a knowing look.

As Bruce looked embarrassed and stammered a reply, Buffy took pity on him. "It was sweet. Don't worry about it," she assured him.

"Aren't you hungry, Buffy?" Xander asked.

"Not as much as I am dirty," she remarked. "It's been a long day. I just want to go home and clean up."

"You know Fury isn't going to rest until he has your slayers on his payroll," Tony told her.

Buffy gave a tired sigh. "Yeah, I know. I'll deal with him eventually," she said. She opened the door. "It was nice to meet you."

Dr. Banner smiled apologetically. "You, too. Sorry for causing you and your friends so much trouble," he said.

"No sweat," Buffy said as she got out of the car and waved goodbye.

Across the street sitting in a black SUV, Nick Fury watched. He turned back to Clint and Steve, who were sitting in the front seat. Agent Hill was driving. "I need you two to build a relationship with the slayer and her friends. Xander is her weak point. Her devotion to him has no limits, I suspect," Nick said.

"Rosenburg is equally devoted to him," Clint said. "We must tread lightly, however. We don't want to make the same mistakes Tony has been making."

"No, we don't. We must show them our intentions are good and that they can trust us," Nick said.

"Are our intentions honorable?" Steve inquired.

"Summers has access to an unknown number of superhuman women that have accelerated healing; many of whom are Americans. We need people like that on our side. Women whose first instinct is to protect and defend. It's hardwired into their DNA in a way we can't begin to understand," Nick said. "Thor may be a friend and ally, but Loki has taught us that there are many creatures out in the universe that are not. Thor says there are nine realms under his father's dominion. Who's to say there aren't more realms under others' dominion? Thor has other responsibilities besides earth. We can't put all our eggs in one basket."

Steve nodded, understanding. "I will drop by tomorrow to see if Xander wants to have lunch. He seemed to be a fan of Captain America," Steve said. His world persona was not how he saw himself, but WWII had taught him that people needed a symbol they could believe in. Sometimes the red, white, and blue just weren't enough.

"Maybe I should go with you, and we can invite Buffy. She'll be more inclined to accept if her friend is there. She may be a bit upset still over that debacle Tony set up," Clint said.

"Good. You two deal with them. I'm going to go to England and meet her Watcher. My research has uncovered many interesting things about the man," Nick revealed.

"She obviously trusts him. As does Faith, the other slayer," Agent Hill remarked.

"Very true. The Watchers Council has a long history. Being chosen as the watcher of the actual slayer is given to only the most worthy of them, yet Rupert Giles abandoned them when their interests clashed with what he deemed was best for Buffy," Nick shared. "He loves her like a father, and since her own father has been basically absent since he divorced her mother, she is equally devoted to him. If I can convince him to trust me, she'll follow suit."

"You know these women will never be like your normal recruits," Clint said. "They'll never easily follow orders."

"They follow orders," Nick pointed out. "They follow Buffy. They follow Faith. And we witnessed how well they work as a unit. If we can get those two, the rest will follow." He was determined to find a way. Although his Avengers initiative had been successful in defending New York, the collateral damage was colossal. Getting recruits like these girls would go a long way toward silencing his critics.

*******The Next Day*******

Pepper's mind was still reeling from all the things Tony and company had shared with her over dinner the night before. She was glad that Bruce was safe even though it made her sad that agents' lives had been lost. She stood on the second level looking down on the lobby as Buffy Summers arrived into work with Willow Rosenburg and Xander Harris. It seemed incredible that the two women held such secrets, such powers. Of course, she knew better than most that appearances could be deceiving, yet she was still surprised by what she learned yesterday. Not even Thor could stop Bruce when he was the Hulk, yet Willow had done so with casual ease. She had simply put him to sleep. The simplicity and brilliance of her move had Pepper's admiration.

Willow noticed Pepper and waved. "I am so glad we are working here," she said to her friends.

"I'm not sure yet," Buffy said with reservation. "I can't help but worry that we're going to be dragged into conflicts that the human world can easily deal with. I'm not a police officer. Nor do I want to be used as one."

"Then don't let them use you that way," Willow said.

"With Tony, that may be easier said than done. The man's charisma is like a superpower in itself." Buffy glanced at Xander when they arrived to the elevator. "Don't let Tony convince you to do anything dangerous," she warned.

Xander rolled his eye. "Relax, Buff. I eat danger for breakfast! I'll be fine," Xander said. "Besides you'll be there."

Buffy knew he was right but still couldn't relax.

Around noon, Steve and Clint showed up to invite Buffy and Xander for lunch.

"We thought we could get to know each other better," Steve said with a friendly smile.

"Sure!" Xander said eagerly.

"Did Fury send you?" Buffy asked suspiciously.

"He wants us all to get along," Clint said easily without exactly denying it.

"If you're going to be working with Tony, the chances are that we'll be working together again," Steve added.

"Okay," Buffy said with a shrug.

"What, I'm not invited?" Tony asked.

JARVIS interrupted, "Sir, you have a lunch appointment with the CEO of Astro Dynamics."

Tony looked disappointed, but he waved them off.

When Steve moved to help Buffy into her jacket, she suddenly felt nervous. He was too big, too chiseled, too perfect. She felt her tongue swell in her mouth. "Uh, thanks. I don't usually need help putting on my jacket, but I appreciate it," she said. She finally looked up and met his friendly smile. The words froze in her mouth as her gaze met his.

Clint watched the exchange and frowned. For some reason, Steve made the slayer very nervous. When they were at the restaurant, Buffy launched into a monologue on Chinese food in California versus New York. Clint watched her with amusement. She was sitting across from him with Xander next to her. Steve was across from Xander.

"Buffy, your rambling again," Xander said, grinning.

"Oh! Sorry!" she said with an embarrassed flush.

"It's cute," Steve said, smiling at her.

Buffy returned his smile and kept gazing at him as he and Xander launched into a lively discussion.

Clint finally got tired of her moonstruck look at Steve and said, "Are you okay?"

"What?" she asked distractedly, still gazing at Steve in admiration.

Clint frowned at her. "Are you seriously a fangirl? I'm a bit disappointed," he couldn't resist saying.

Now he had Buffy's complete attention. "Fangirl? Me?" she asked in surprise and a note of outrage.

"You seem to have trouble forming a coherent word around Steve and keep staring at him like you're star struck," Clint pointed out, a hint of a smile around his mouth.

Buffy refrained from looking at Steve as she frowned at Clint. "I am so not star struck!" she insisted.

"Your friend said you babble when you're nervous, and you've gone from mute to a babble. Now you're, like, all moon faced!" Clint told her, grinning.

"I am so not moon facing him!" she said in an outraged whisper, leaning forward so that her words wouldn't be picked up by the man they were discussing. She glanced quickly at him and was relieved to see he was still focused on the story he was telling Xander.

Clint enjoyed seeing her worked up and focused again. This was the woman he'd first met. He didn't like it when she disappeared. "Hey, I just call it like I see it!" he said, holding up his hands in surrender.

Buffy glared at him. "So what shall we talk about then?" she asked.

"Fashion?" Clint suggested with a teasing smile.

Buffy's mouth fell open in surprise at his suggestion. Then she laughed, finally relaxing.

Clint decided that her laughter was even more appealing than her passionate anger.

******England******

Giles was in the library doing some research when Andrew called out to him.

"Giles, there's this really scary one-eyed man downstairs wanting to see you," Andrew said with apprehension.

Giles shut the book he was reading. "I figured he'd show up here sooner or later," Giles remarked. "Send him up here."

"Who is he?" Andrew asked.

"Nick Fury, head of SHIELD," Giles said.

Andrew's eyes widened in alarm. He turned and called over his shoulder. "And I left him with Deidre and Daphne!" he called out.

Diedre and Daphne were two of the young witches Willow had found in an orphanage outside of Brussels. They were Irish twins and very precocious and very powerful. The local coven was overseeing their training. Giles was their legal guardian.

Andrew hurried down the stairs and groaned. The one-eyed giant glared at down at him. The girls had put Fury in a pink tutu and had him floating in the air.

"Girls! Stop it right now!" Andrew ordered.

"He wouldn't talk to us," Daphne explained.

"Now he won't stop," Deidre said with a giggle.

Nick Fury wasn't sure how these two harmless looking girls had managed to do what they did. Obviously, they were witches like Willow. They had curly, red hair. Maybe they were relatives of hers.

"Is this how you treat your guests?" he asked Andrew.

Andrew looked terrified of the man's glare and turned to the girls. "Stop it right now! I'm going to tell Giles on you!" he scolded.

Immediately, the fourteen year old girls looked contrite. Both mumbled a spell, and Nick was back on his feet in his own clothes. "Sorry! We're sorry!" both girls said. "Don't tell Giles!" Both girls worshiped Giles and hated when he frowned in disapproval or disappointment.

"Willow has told you not to use magic without adult supervision," Andrew reminded them.

"He's an adult," Deidre said with a grin.

"He is not qualified to oversee your use of magic, and you know it! Go find Kennedy and tell her you need to practice your combat skills!" Andrew ordered in his sternest adult voice.

Both girls groaned. They hated exercise of any kind, so Andrew knew the punishment would be effective.

When the girls reluctantly walked away, Andrew turned an apologetic gaze to Nick Fury. "Sir, I am really sorry. The girls have only been with us a few years. We're still working on manners. They're orphans," he explained.

"Are they related to Willow Rosenburg?" he inquired.

"Will?" Andrew said in surprise. "No. She discovered them on a visit here a few years ago. They'd came into their powers, and she felt them. We found them in an orphanage. Giles is their guardian."

"They must be really afraid of him," Nick commented. A threat of him had gotten them to show real contrition.

"Afraid of Giles?" Andrew repeated with a grin. "Not exactly. They adore him, though. No one can make you feel dumber and more foolish than Rupert Giles. He's very British. Speaking of Giles, he told me to send you up."

Andrew led Nick Fury to the library where Giles awaited.

"Why did that take so long?" Giles asked Andrew.

"Well, you know your girls," Andrew said with a shrug and an embarrassed glance at Nick.

Giles sighed in resignation. He held out his hand to Nick. "Rupert Giles. I'm very sorry for whatever the girls did to you. They don't mean any harm," he said.

"Nick Fury," Nick said. "I'm just glad I made my normal assassin body guard back stay back in the States."

Giles grimaced and took off his glasses to clean. "Yes, well, that wouldn't have ended well for you if you'd harmed the girls," he said casually.

"Threats?"

"No, just stating a fact. I have twenty-five slayers in this house and a hundred on the premises at any given day. They all adore those girls and would be much adverse to anyone harming them," Giles said.

"I don't harm children," Nick said flatly.

"Good to know," Giles said. "Andrew, will you bring us some tea?"

Andrew nodded and left. Giles gestured to a chair. "Won't you sit down? I know you and I have a lot to discuss."

Nick examined the unflappable Brit as he took a seat. The man didn't seem intimidated by Nick. That was rare. Somehow Nick had a feeling this would be a memorable encounter.

******To Be Continued******

I hope you enjoyed this! Review and let me know what you're thinking!