I know I said I would update my fics in order…so why this story before Yasha Romanoff? Easy: I have two betas right now, and I have yet received the next chapter of Yasha Romanoff. But it IS done and will be updated as soon as I get it back.

Guest 1: Not Nick Fury but the Boy-Who-Lived himself…and it won't be pretty at all :3 Thanks for the review! :)

Akuma: Yes, I've heard about that :o !

Albie: Outch…I somewhat feel I should apologize for that lol. Were your exams successful?

Guest 2: Thanks :)

And thanks to Blue for beta-ing in record time :D !

The Widow and the Wizard

Interlude: Avengers Arrival

9.

Bruce Banner

Overall, it had been a long day and Bruce Banner felt like he hadn't slept for ages. He had been up since five that morning, and had been barely getting more than a couple hours in the past week. His fugitive situation had made him develop a sixth sense that enabled him to know if anyone was standing nearby. He wasn't at his best, so that might be why he didn't sense right away that someone had invaded his privacy when he went home that night. He had time to drop his bag, shred his coat and head to the small kitchen to boil some water for some tea before the voice interrupted him.

"You look exhausted doc. One of these days, your kind heart will be your downfall."

Bruce barely held back the Hulk, due to his surprise. When he calmed down enough, he turned around and spotted a teenager sitting in the back of the room. Dark-hair, dressed with a plain, faded green T-shirt, black skinny jeans and dark combat boots. A large, black backpack that had seen better days lay in the dust nearby.

"Who are you?" he asked, as he had quite a few theories on why a teenager would wait for him to return home, but it often involved guns and soldiers and a mess. This one looked he had just walked out of high-school or something.

"Harry Potter. Just call me Harry please, Doctor Banner. I'm here on SHIELD business." He replied with a shy smile. And his presence made a lot more sense. Bruce felt the urge to either groan or run. The teenager didn't seem afraid, but he had met tons of good actors before.

"SHIELD, eh?" he repeated out loud. The Other Guy growled, but didn't manifest itself further than that. "I suppose this place is surrounded? Was that a smart move, given where I live?"

His apartment was one among many others in a very populated area. Banner didn't want to think of the consequences if his unfriendly side decided to show up. Harry merely shrugged.

"I have no intention of provoking you and you keep your temper remarkably well for someone in your condition. So it's just you and me. Well, you, me and him." He added, nodding towards Bruce to indicate he hadn't excluded the Other Guy from the conversation.

"How did you find me?"

"SHIELD never truly lost you," Harry replied. "Just kept an eye out, lead a few others astray. My boss –Nick Fury –seems to trust you." He paused, and shrugged again. "As far as he can trust an asset, I guess."

Bruce snorted in disbelief. Fury trusted him? And viewed him as an asset? Better be an asset that than a target though.

"And what does he want with me?"

Harry finally stood and pulled a phone from his jeans' pocket. He threw it to Bruce, who caught it easily. The picture of what could only be described as a blue electric cube was on the screen.

"That's the Tesseract; alien technology that holds enough power to wipe out the planet. It was stolen yesterday. Fury wants you to find it."

Bruce raised an eyebrow.

"And how does he expect me to find it?"

"It emits faint gamma radiation. We might have the tech, but you're the specialist."

The man snorted.

"So Fury isn't after the beast?"

"The beast is unfortunately a part of you, and called the Hulk." Harry replied, narrowing his eyes. "And you are what SHIELD desperately needs right now. And if Fury was after the Hulk, he'd use other means to kill you. As far as I'm concerned and from what I know about what's going on, your Green-Bean-on-steroids problem is the last thing on his mind."

Bruce felt the Hulk growl at the nickname, although he didn't know whether the beast was amused or annoyed. It surprised him that his occupant reacted at all. Maybe he was listening, since this Harry Potter had openly called on him.

"I tend to stay away from that kind of commotion," Bruce said. Potter raised an eyebrow and waved around him to show his apartment.

"And this kind of environment isn't some kind of commotion?"

The young man had a point, but Bruce wasn't ready to agree. Even if they were surrounded, the doctor knew the Hulk wouldn't hesitate to hurt Potter if he stood between the Hulk and freedom.

"I can't speak for the Other Guy," he said eventually.

"The people up there would be too scared to actually anger you," Potter said flippantly. He paused, then searched for something in his jeans. Bruce tensed, wondering what the young man was about to do when he saw it was just a piece of paper.

"The guy that stole the Tesseract also stole people. Like, subdued their minds, brainwashed them, whatever you want to call it." With an impressive accuracy, the young man threw the paper at him. It landed on a nearby table, slightly crooked. Bruce realized it wasn't just a paper, but a picture. A picture of Potter and another man making faces at the camera. "His name is Clint. He's the closest thing to a big brother or a father that I've ever had. I've been in the business for a while, but he's the only one who ever treated me like a kid. And that guy stole him from me." Potter's tone hardened. "I want him back, and you're the only one who can help getting him back."

In that brief moment, Bruce saw a childish demand in the teenager's eyes and voice. He doubted a little about the veracity of his words, but he still recognized genuine concern when it hit him in the face. If Potter worked for SHIELD at this age, then he mustn't have grown in a normal environment. Part of him wanted to go with Potter and help him recover what he had lost. Another part wanted to get the hell out and run very far from here. He snorted instead.

"I can hardly believe SHIELD would send someone I could crush in a second in the hopes to bring me in."

"Hey," Potter protested, looking put off. "I'm a lot tougher than I look. And you're free to trust whatever you want, but-"

"Don't lie to me!" Bruce shouted, slamming his hand on the closest wall.

The teen's reaction was spectacularly fast, he noted with surprise. One moment he was standing still, the next he had pulled out of seemingly nowhere two swords with black blades and was standing in a defensive position. His arms weren't trembling, he didn't show any fear, but he held his swords with the ease of a professional. His face was blank, void of all emotions, and only now Bruce could believe him when he claimed to belong to SHIELD.

"I'm sorry, I just wanted to see what you'd do."

His apology was only half felt. Bruce had nearly expected him to attack on spot, but he doubted blade would do anything to the Hulk.

"I take back what I said about the good heart," Potter replied, loosening his grip on the swords, but did not put them back from where they came from. "You're a bit of a sadist." Then he raised his hand to his ear and muttered: "Stand back boys. You're not needed."

Bruce snorted and shot at him sarcastically:

"Just you and I, eh?"

"And him." Harry retorted with a proud grin. "But, I didn't lie. We are alone in this room."

TWATW

Steve Rogers

As the soldier from another time stepped onto the base, he watched the commotion on the…whatever this place Agent Coulson had brought him to. Military men were running around the base, around sophisticated planes and other stuff –weapons or materials or things he couldn't recognize or even name…but this was the first time he actually felt like he…belonged. This was what he had been training for, before the ice.

A redhead woman, clearly an agent from the way she walked, approached them and sent Coulson away. Then she started…strolling was the best word, on the deck, inviting him to follow.

"It was quite the buzz finding you in the ice," she started, "I thought Coulson was going to swoon. Did he ask you to sign his trading cards yet?"

Steve blinked at her, wondering if she was serious. Given the slight smile on her face, he took it as a yes.

"Trading cards?"

"They're vintage; he's very proud," Romanoff went on, and suddenly her expression turned into a frown. Her demeanor changed as she darted towards a two people, leaving him to follow. A man looking terribly ill-at-ease and a teenager who was casually dressed were standing near another Quinjet. As if sensing her stare, the teenager turned around and beamed a huge smile at their sight.

"Hey ma'am! You're late!"

The redhead glared at him.

"You aren't supposed to be here," she said, a warning in her tone. The teenager shrugged, losing a bit of his smile.

"If he's savable, I'll be on the front line, just like you." When Romanoff's face ticked, barely noticeable to anyone, Steve figured the teenager's words had hit a sensitive subject. The two exchanged a look as if having a silent conversation. Steve took this time to study them. They appeared to be very familiar with each other, the teenager fully relaxed in her presence, and the redhead openly confrontational. He disregarded a blood relation; although both had green eyes, their features were far too different. The teenager eventually cut the tension: "Anyone from the MID on board yet?"

"Gale or Annam might be here by the end of the day, or so I heard." The redhead replied reluctantly. "They want to test…things first. Not everyone on board has the necessary clearance."

Steve couldn't hold on any longer.

"I'm sorry to interrupt but…are you an agent?"

The teenager stared at him, eyes evaluating him in a way no teenagers should.

"Agent Harry Potter, from the MID, a sub-branch of SHIELD," he replied, extending his hand. "Call me Harry."

"I didn't know SHIELD hired agents so young." Steve remarked, shaking his hand in return. The teenager smiled:

"I'm an exceptional exception." He glanced over his shoulder and suddenly beamed. "Awesome, Klaus is there! I'll harass her for the time being. Keep me posted?" He asked the redhead, who reluctantly nodded. Before leaving, Harry patted the other man's shoulder. Steve suddenly recognized him from the files; Bruce Banner, aka the Hulk. No wonder why he looked so out of place. "You need anything, ring for me Mr. Green Bean. See ya'."

He darted in the direction of a black young woman wrapped in a long coat. The soldier turned his attention towards the newcomer.

"Mr. Green Bean?" Steve repeated, surprised, and glanced at Romanoff. Her expression was torn between amused and annoyed. The subject of the nickname shrugged.

"He won't call me anything else," the doctor said, his face reflecting the same feelings of Romanoff's.

"Harry seems to have a peculiar sense of humor," Steve said friendly. The redhead snorted something like 'you have no idea' under her breath. If asked, he would rather point out that Mr. Spinach might fit better, but that sort of remark was not expected from Captain America. So he merely straightened and extended his hand. "Steve Rogers."

Banner suddenly remembered why he was on board and, much to the soldier's chagrin, became a lot more uncomfortable.

"Erm…yeah, hi. I was told you would be on board…"

TWATW

Tony Stark

Tony let himself be guided by Coulson inside and through the Helicarrier. His eyes darted from right to left, slightly impressed by the marvel of technology he witnessed. His father had mentioned the ship in his late works, but it had only been bribes and talks of a prototype. Seeing it done and complete…he wouldn't go as far as saying he felt emotional, but crammed by old memories.

He disregarded that feeling to concentrate on the current situation. Coulson and he had arrived at the seemingly reunion room, where he could hear a conversation ongoing.

"-bout the mechanics. Iridium; what do they need iridium for?"

Tony promptly blurted as a response, interrupting Coulson mid-discourse (he wasn't listening anyway):

"It's a stabilizing agent."

As every eye in the room turned to greet his arrival, Tony invited Coulson for a trip to Portland to see his girlfriend. Or rather his not-girlfriend; according to Pepper, the relationship was fresh and new. Agent made a noncommittal gesture before taking off someplace else to do other spy-y things. And he turned to take a better view of the participants of the gathering, all standing around a fancy-technologically-advanced table.

His second least favorite redhead spy was sitting there along with Captain Capsicle and Pointbreak. Oh and Banner. Let's not forget Banner. Those he recognized. He did not recognize the dark-haired teenager standing behind Romanoff or the stiff-looking woman that clearly stood guard next to Fury. The latter, he could easily pin as the Director's assistant or something. The kid though…

"Who is the midget?"

The teenager glared back. From the corner of the eye, Romanoff's mouth twisted. Tony thought it might have possibly been a tiny mingy smirk. Fury turned to get his attention.

"Agent Potter is SHIELD," he said dryly.

"Didn't know you recruited out of kindergarten," Tony said with raised eyebrows. Much to his surprise, Captain Capsicle seemed to…approve. The midget though…

"Not a kid," he muttered petulantly, earning another twist of the mouth from Romanoff. Wow, Tony thought. Even during her time undercover, he hadn't managed to make her genuinely smile.

"Sure," Tony replied, already disinterested in the matter. And his mind was already wandering back on the subject at hand: "He needs it or the portal will collapse on itself like it did at SHIELD." He wandered towards the big blond god and tapped his forearm. "No hard feelings Point Break, you've got a mean swing."

Tony didn't trust SHIELD; didn't trust them to tell him their secrets, to come clean and tell the whole story. The hacking was, in his opinion, just an extra necessity, just in case. And placing his spy-bugs was a child's play.

He got into the particulars and headed straight towards Fury's command spot. His well-known natural nosiness and curiosity prevented anyone from actually stopping him to step on the platform. Still halfway explaining, halfway catching the room's attention to be fully on him, he used the excuse of the agent playing galaga, then Fury's capability to watch all screens –which earned him a dry 'he turns' from the stern female agent. And when he started poking at the panels, still rambling about the theft, he slipped his bug underneath one screen and snapped fingers for final distraction.

That's when he cast one last wide glance to spot if anyone had noticed his actions. And instead of feeling comforted in his assumptions…Tony realized Midget was staring at the space he had set his bug. And then back at him. Barely a flick of the eyes back and forth, but the engineer knew the kid had seen –or at least suspected him –to have planted…

The light sneer (or was it amusement?) told Tony everything he needed. The midget had seen him set up his bug; and wasn't saying a thing. The hell?

Thankfully, the stern woman shot him another question, Captain Capsicle followed and Banner caught up with him. He fell back in his scienc-y language, and bantered back and forth with the other scientist. The midget's knowing stare remained in his mind, but if he wanted to end this discussion and actually get to work, he had to go along as if nothing had happened. Hence, focus on the man who was quickly becoming his new favorite…was it too harsh to say project?

"Finally; someone who speaks English," he concluded their banter and stepped closer.

"Is that what just happened?" was Capsicle semi sarcastic comment, and Tony could have sworn half the people there agreed. At least Thor looked at complete loss (although he was an alien freshly arrived on Earth. Or Midgard. Whatever they called Earth anyway. He was excused). Romanoff's face was as frozen as ever, midget and stern-looking woman exchanged flat unreadable glances, and Fury looked annoyed (discount that, Fury always looked annoyed. That bastard might even sort of understand what he had been talking about).

Not fun.

Ignoring the rest of the lot, Tony stepped towards the only person the most likely to understand mildly complicated science terms and extended his hand.

"It's good to meet you, Doctor Banner," he greeted with all the respect a man like him could muster. "I'm a huge fan of how you turn into an enormous green-rage monster."

The other man blinked, hesitating on the proper reaction, and seemed to decided getting upset was a waste of time.

"Thanks."

"Doctor Banner is only here to track the cube," Fury intervened, spoilsport. And perhaps to avoid delaying the work. "I was hoping you might join him."

"Let's start with that stick of his." Banner offered, and Captain Capsicle added:

"Might be magical but it works awful lot like a Hydra weapon."

Fury, being the 'always-have-the-last-word' fellow he was, concluded:

"I don't know about that, but it is powered by the cube." His next sentence sounded more of an order than a request: "And I'd like to know how Loki used it to turn two of the sharpest men I know into his personal flying monkeys."

Thor looked puzzled.

"Monkeys? I don't understand-"

"I do!" was Capscile's happy and immediate interruption. The room turned around to stare. Tony rolled his eyes. Capsicle shifted in his seat uncomfortably and added, slightly embarrassed at the attention: "I understood that reference."

In the background, Midget raised his hand:

"I didn't."

Tony watched Romanoff roll her eyes in turn and muttering:

"Not the time, kid."

The midget didn't take offense at the designation. Tony wondered if he and the redhead had anything special between them; he was standing behind her seat, after all.

"I want the midget to show us the way," he demanded.

Midget sulked and glared at the same time, crossing his arms in petulant refusal. Romanoff stood and cleared her throat.

"Agent Potter and I have business to attend," she said coldly. "Just do what you're asked for at once Stark. This situation has lasted long enough."

Tony wasn't quite, quite sure about this, but he could have sworn he could hear worry in her tone. Banner made a motion towards him to invite him to follow. Midget and Romanoff left the platform walking soundlessly without waiting for dismissal. Thor and Capsicle shifted on their feet –or seat, wondering what to do. And since his partner in crime didn't peep word about his actions and he had no way of calling after him without sounding suspicious, Tony merely sighed and followed his fellow scientist out the door.

TWATW

Thor

The big metal floating thing made Thor both uneasy and awed. Humans had their own means of navigating somewhat similar to Asgard, but they had built them without magical use. After the one-eye man had made his point, the god of thunder had wandered around the ship freely. So many things appeared breakable, so he didn't dare touch them. And even if he had dared, one of the many agents wandering around would stare at him warily, as if his simple touch would actually break something.

Thor eventually wandered towards the only room that delivered what the agents called a 'live feed'. The technology would show what was happening in Loki's cell without actually being there. He had no doubt his brother could sense the camera's gaze, although Thor rarely did, but he still wanted to know how he fared.

Unfortunately, he was not alone when he entered the room. Another agent, an elderly woman dressed in a different kind of uniform; long coat with yellow inscriptions on the sleeve, stood in front of the 'live feed' with her arms crossed and a stern expression on her face. When he entered, she didn't even glance in his direction. It wasn't until he had positioned himself at a respectable distance from her to observe the screen that he heard her speak:

"Thor Odinson. Prince of Asgard, god of thunder. The Tesseract did not react well to our presence, I wonder if your magic does though."

Thor nearly jumped, startled, and stared at the woman. She was now squinting intensely at him, her whole body surrounded by an odd aura he had yet to feel in his life. The semi-god wondered why he hadn't noticed it before.

"Are you a priestess, old woman?"

The old woman barked a laugh, very genuine, if not mocking.

"No more priestess than you are an archer, dearie. No, I am a witch."

From experience, Thor had understood the word could be either positive or negative. In the human world, he had no idea which was which. If the woman's presence was tolerated by the one-eyed man though, she was most likely not an enemy.

"Gabriella Annam," she introduced herself before he could make any more inquiry. "Just call me Lady or Agent Annam. I am the senior magic specialist on this case. On a normal procedure, we would have a few more, but as I mentioned earlier, the one kind of magic emitted by the cube did not respond well to ours. Hence, we are only three wizards on board to face the Trickster." She paused and evaluated him briefly. "Three and a half. Your thunder is far more powerful than ours, but we have diversity on our side." She then dismissed him and returned to her contemplation. "I just wish I knew whether sealing his cage is or not a good idea."

Thor frowned.

"My brother's magic can bypass a lot of barriers, yet it is not invincible. Have you set a magical barrier yet?"

Agent Annam barked a laugh.

"I just arrived on board, dearie. The two other wizards on board have yet the competence to throw up that kind of barrier. Their specialty is strike and undercover jobs. Which is why I am wondering whether our magic and yours are compatible or not."

"You seem less surprised than most people out there about our existence," Thor pointed out.

The witch snorted.

"The existence of mythological beings is not the oddest event I've been given the chance to witness. I've seen a lot in my ninety years of existence dearie. And don't make those eyes; I come from a family with longevity genes."

Thor hadn't thought he had been staring in a particular way and was on his way to voice it, only to realize they were no-longer alone. Sometime during their conversation, two youngsters had slipped into the room unnoticed and were staring with awe at the elderly.

"Ninety years old?" a young male with dark hair –Thor recognized the 'agent' singled out by the Man of Metal earlier…Potter, was it? "I thought you were like…sixty tops!"

Potter's companion, a slightly older woman, swatted his head from behind.

"Respect your elders Potter, isn't this something Romanoff taught you?"

"Attempted is the best word," Potter bantered back insolently; rubbing his head at the spot he had been hit. "Never really stuck in." He then turned his attention to Thor, and the semi-god noted a radical shift in his expression; from incredulous to distrusting. He didn't attempt to talk though and glanced at the screen. "Romanoff is going to try to trick him to confess whatever he's up to. Stick to watch the show?"

"Why do you think I'm here, brat?" Annam shot back. "Fury asked me to supervise if the Trickster used magic. Doubt I'll be able to do anything anyway," she added muttering.

The teenager looked uncomfortable –as the subtle bite of his lower lip indicated –but nodded and remained silent. The dark-skinned woman peeked from over his shoulder to glance at the screen. Thor felt like an intruder among those three people, three wizards, the only ones on board.

Potter tensed as he watched the redhead woman –Romanoff –enter Loki's cell. From their earlier interaction, Thor could tell the two were closer than most people on base.

"Any ideas 'bout how she's going to bait him?" The younger woman asked, full focus on the action. Although her eyes were on the animated screen, Thor sensed her question was aimed at the dark-haired teenager.

"Why ask me?" Potter muttered, confirming the semi-god's suspicions.

"You were her student, you know how she works." That might explain the relative easiness between the two, Thor mused. The dark-haired teenager frowned and crossed his arms.

"Loki's sneaky," he replied after a few moments of contemplation. "She's going to play on that. Barton's among his converted soldiers, she'll distract him with that too."

The younger woman snorted in contempt.

"Romanoff's a muggle; she'll be more susceptible to magic. Fury should have sent you."

Potter's arm lifted as he started to gnaw the fingernail of his thumb.

"I'm not good enough to pull off half the stuff she does. You don't care about the muggle agents enough, Deb. I've lived with the Widow for years before starting to figure out who 'Romanoff' was…she's impressive. Just shut up, I want to listen."

'Deb' frowned, likely unhappy with his retort. The concentration on Potter's face was intense and he could sense worry in his stance. Thor had no doubt 'Barton' was a strong link between this teenager and his brother. Since Annam seemed disinterested in their conversation, he merely returned his attention on the screen and watched the following events unfold.