Chapter 10

After the news spread through the Avengers that Andrea was no longer in danger of becoming a Frost Giant Asgardian, the atmosphere was significantly more relaxed. Andrea didn't feel the need to walk around on tiptoes and everyone else seemed more open to her. She had immediately asked if she could go home, but Bruce wanted to keep her there for a little longer, to ensure that she wouldn't relapse. She would have fought it, but having two master assassins, a super soldier, Iron Man and a Norse God all seconding the doctor's opinion, she decided it would be easier to stay.

It had been three days since the she had been cleared as human and her past pain seemed almost forgotten. Since then, Clint and Natasha had been called away to Budapest for an assignment and Thor, after the knowledge that the threat from Loki was neutralised, went to go and see Jane and Steve and Bruce were in the lab for some reason. Never the less, when Tony stumbled out of bed that day, he found Andrea sitting alone, reading the same book they had showed her to display her fate. It seemed that, even though she was free of him physically, her mind was still drawn to Loki.

"Good morning Andrea," Tony mumbled as he walked into the kitchen, fumbling around in a desperate attempt to make coffee.

"Good afternoon," she corrected and he turned to look at her with a raised eyebrow. She smirked a little. "It stopped being morning just over an hour ago."

"I haven't had coffee yet. It's morning." Andrea sniggered as the billionaire poured himself a steaming cup of the now brewed coffee. He took a sip and smiled at the warmth it brought before turning to face her again. It was only now, that his brain had woken up, that he noticed something odd about her. "You're wearing a jacket."

"It's cold," she answered smoothly. There was something about her reply that out him on edge. Her answer sounded so rehearsed, like she was waiting for someone to ask. Quickly his concern grew.

"JARVIS?"

"The temperature is currently 78.8°F. However-"

"Mute." He turned back to Andrea who seemed uncharacteristically nervous.

"I just felt cold."

"Then why are you sweating?" Quickly she made to wipe the beads of sweat from her forehead but the damage was already done. Tony's eyes narrowed. "Show me your arms."

"No," she scoffed, but Tony wasn't one to give up easily. He gave her a once over with his eyes before coming to his conclusions ad asking again, but with more force.

"Show me your arms."

"No." Tony put down his coffee and moved closer to her, his eyes blazing. Andrea looked almost afraid.

"Show me."

"I said no!" She stood up to get away from him but before her protests could be said again, he grabbed her arm and forced the sleeve of her jacket up, revealing a pale blue arm. Taken aback, he stumbled away from her and she pulled her sleeve back down. Composing himself, he moved closer again, grabbing her around the bicep.

"No!" she yelled and pressed her palms to his chest to push him away. However, he fell back immediately, dropping to the floor, unconscious. She fell to her knees beside him and looked down at her hands, seeing dark green energy crackling around them. Panic filled her mind and she called out to the houses AI. "JARVIS!"

"Mr Starks breathing and vital signs all appear normal and the Arc Reactor is functioning at 100% capacity."

"Thank God," she whispered, looking down at Tony. She wanted to touch him and make sure he was alright, but she didn't dare in case she hurt him. JARVIS's voice broke her from her slight trance.

"Miss Destler, I feel I should warm you that Dr Banner and Captain Rodgers are at the door." Before she could react, Steve and Bruce strode into the room. They took one look at the situation and dropped down beside Andrea. Bruce turned his attention immediately to helping the fallen inventor.

"What happened?" the Captain asked forcefully, looking right at Andrea.

"I…" Andrea wasn't even sure she knew. "He grabbed my arm so-"

"Why did he grab you?" Steve interrupted. Andrea silently cursed herself.

"To make a point. He was talking to me," she lied, her voice cracking a little but no-one seemed to notice so she continued. "He grabbed me so I put my hand on his chest to push him away but…"

She fell silent and for a moment no-one spoke. Then a groan came from the fallen billionaire as he tried to sit up. All attention was instantly turned to him. "Tony! What happened?"

He shrugged off his fellow scientists concerns with a wave of his hand. "I'm fine. Andrea just pushed me away a little too hard. I guess I hit my head on the floor."

Andrea looked at him amazed and he winked at her when the others turned away. She smiled slightly before Bruce spoke again. "There's no blood so you probably have a bruise somewhere on your head; maybe a fracture. I'd like to scan-"

"Please, I'm fine," Tony said standing up but his legs were a little wobbly. He walked over to the sofa and sat down. Steve and Bruce looked at him with concern and he let out an irritated sigh. "There's nothing wrong with me. Just a bump on the head."

The two men looked at each other before Bruce turned back to Tony. "You don't seem concussed but don't sleep until tonight. Also no alcohol, heavy work or detailed thinking for twenty-eight hours."

"Mooooooom," Tony whined and Bruce smirked a little. With a warning glare the two men left again, leaving Andrea and Tony alone.

"Why did you lie to them?" Tony looked up at her from where he was lying on the sofa and laughed a little.

"Because of how horrified you looked." Andrea blushed lightly and looked down at her hands. Tony sat up and stared at her. When she looked up again, her grey eyes met the intense gaze of his chocolate brown ones.

"What?"

"Let me see your arm." She instantly shied away from him and he softened his gaze a little. "Please."

Tentatively, Andrea gave him her arm and he rolled up her sleeve, running his fingertips along her skin. She shuddered a little. "Your skin's cold. Like ice."

Her only answer was a nod as he turned her hand over in his so her palm faced upwards. He traced the lines there softly. "You electrocuted me with your hands."

Instantly, embarrassment and shame shot through Andrea. "I didn't mean-"

"I know," he said comfortingly, smiling at her softly. "What I don't know, is how."

"Neither do I. I was angry and scared and then…" She stopped, looking down at her hands.

"Show me." His words caught her off guard and she looked up sharply to see the famous billionaire grinning at her. He stood up and held his arms out wide. "Show me."

"I can't…"

"Sure you can," he answered smoothly, the smile never leaving his face.

"I can't. I don't know how. I hurt you. I only did it because I was scared. I don't know why or…" She knew she was babbling but she didn't know how to stop, her mouth just kept moving against her will. Tony dropped his hands and walked over to the bar, pouring himself a stiff drink before talking, but not to her.

"JARVIS."

"Yes sir?" The smile was wiped from his face and he looked at her with sad eyes before taking a sip of his scotch.

"Scare the hell out of her." Before she could make any form of protest, Loki stood before her and she let out a loud shriek. She stood and started to back away into the corner of the room.

"Stay away from me!" Loki grinned widely and fear shot through her. A tear of sheer terror fell from her eyes as Andrea pressed herself closer to the wall, her palms against it. Loki started to advance upon her and she let out another scream. "Keep away!"

He didn't listen and continued walking towards her; slowly, like a tiger approaching its prey. When he was about a foot from her, Andrea held her hands in front of her face, tears shooting down her face and she yelled, "NO!"

In that second, a large bolt of green energy shot from her hands into Loki, whose figure dissolved into long lines of red, binary code. Then the hologram was gone completely. Andrea slid down the wall and hugged her knees to her, crying from fear. Then she felt arms wrap around her shoulders and she found herself crying into someone's chest where a pale blue light illuminated her face.

"I'm sorry," Tony whispered as her pressed a light kiss to her hair. "I didn't know you'd be so afraid."

After a minute, Andrea managed to pull herself together again and she smiled up at Tony weakly. "Did JARVIS get a reading?"

The inventor smiled at her and helped her to her feet, sitting her down on the sofa before turning his attention to his AI. "JARVIS?"

"3.74 gigawatts of pure energy, sir. Luckily you built my systems to cope with such power."

"3.74 gigawatts…" Andrea whispered, staring down at her hands in shock. Tony looked at her with his brow furrowed, puzzled. "That should have killed you."

"A lot of things should have killed me," Tony answered with a smile as she looked up at him he sat down beside her and tapped the arc reactor through his shirt. "It just so happens that the same device keeps saving me."

"That…that…"

"Absorbed the energy," he finished for her. "You actually recharged it. Something I've never managed to do. You could save me a lot of time."

"Or kill you by mistake." On realising just how scared she really was, he dropped his joking nature and took both her hands in his, from which all the energy had faded. Andrea raised her head to look him in the eye as he spoke.

""Listen, you're in a horrible situation right now. Clearly Loki's blood is still running in your veins and we won't be able to get rid of it without killing you in the process. But he seems to have given you more than anticipated, so make the most of it."

"How?" She al but whispered the question.

"Learn to control it, before it controls you." Andrea let out a slight smile before noticing a cut on the back of his hand. Following her gaze he explained. "I dropped the glass when you screamed earlier. I guess I cut myself."

Without thinking, Andrea wrapped her hands around his and closed her eyes. Dark green energy floated around her hands and she murmured a spell she read in the old Norse mythology book. After a minute, she pulled her hands away and it was like there hand never been a wound on his hand. A wild grin spread across Tony's face. "If you can do that without trying, imagine what you'd be capable of if you trained!"

"If he doesn't take me first."

Again, Tony's gaze became serious and he put a hand under her chin so she faced him fully. "We won't let him."

"You won't be able to stop him."

"No," he said, a sad smile on his face. "But you will."