AN: Sorry this is so late! My beta and I have both had really busy weekends. Next chapter will be up on Friday!
Clint and Bruce climbed into a jet and Clint sat straight into the pilot's seat. Bruce sat in the co-pilots seat looking nervous. Clint looked quite confident.
"Have you ever actually spoken to the X-men?" Bruce asked Clint once they were in the air.
"Kinda, I know a few mutants from the circus; few of them grew up in the X-mansion and fought with the X-men a few times but never met the X-men directly." Clint answered distractedly, wincing as he tensed his injured leg. "I've heard about the new Headmistress Ororo Munroe, A.K.A Storm. As far as I know she's easy to talk to. It's the Wolverine which you want to avoid. I've love to see a fight between him and you Bruce, well the Hulk."
Bruce rolled his eyes, "Well if this doesn't go as planned, record it."
"Oh I will don't worry." Clint promised making Bruce laugh, that was one thing he would never get used to, joking about the Hulk. "What about you? Have you spoken to them?"
"Once, soon after the accident, I wanted to know if Professor Xavier would be able to help in anyway but he couldn't since this isn't from the X-gene. He had promised if anything came up he'd contact me immediately but he never got the chance." Bruce explained. "He did suggest the cure – the mutant cure – but that just made him angrier."
"Him being the Hulk?"
"Yeah."
Conversation slowed after that, neither man having much to talk about as they flew towards the mansion.
It didn't take long to get to the mansion, they landed on the field by the large imposing gates and immediately they were surrounded by at least 10 people, Clint turned the comm system on, "Greetings X-men. We are of S.H.I.E.L.D and seek your assistance."
"Come out of your jet and we'll talk." A gruff voice ordered loudly.
Clint switched the engine off, opened the back and the two walked slowly down the ramp out of the jet. There were a few people stood by the exit of the jet, most of them looked quite young but wary and powerful. There were two stood looking just as much the leaders they probably are. The woman has short white/grey hair and a dark complexion; the man had a very wolfish look about him.
Clint held out his hand and stepped towards them managing not to limp, "I'm sorry to intrude but we are in great need of your assistance. I'm Agent Clint Barton, this is Dr Bruce Banner."
"Of S.H.I.E.L.D." Ororo commented and they all nodded. She took his offered hand to shake, "Pleasure to meet you. I'm Headmistress Munroe. You may call me Ororo. This is Logan."
"Did you have ta park by the front gates?" Logan asked curtly, he obviously didn't like these new guests. He refused to shake Clint's offered hand.
"I'll move it but where would you like me to put it?" Clint offered, his voice was urgent but obviously trying to act polite so not to put off any help they might get.
"Bobby will show you." Ororo motioned for one of the younger boys to come towards them. He was quite tall with blue eyes, mousey brown hair and broad shoulders. Clint nodded at him and stepped back into the jet, "Show him to my office afterwards." Ororo told Bobby who saluted with a grin and followed Clint into the jet, everyone else took that as a sign to disperse except Logan.
Ororo turned to Bruce and relaxed into a small kind smile allowing Bruce to relax slightly but he still felt nervous with ignorance of his surrounding and the people around him. Plus the crowded of the school, he could sense hundreds of children in this school and if he hulked he could hurt them. He calmed himself with the reminder that they're powerful and even if they can't stop him they could probably slow him down.
"Follow me to my office." Ororo offered, they started walking towards the large and old looking mansion. Logan moved to the other side of Bruce so that the two X-men were flanking Bruce making him feel anxious but he knew they were only doing it for their own safety rather than actually being threatening towards him. Logan looked at Bruce for a moment with an odd look on his face, Bruce rose an eyebrow in question but he didn't speak out not wanting to cause an argument and maybe Hulk-out.
"You smell odd." Logan commented as once the jet had risen into the sky and the noise had faded.
Bruce's eyebrow disappeared into his hairline at the very strange comment and resisted the urge to tell him about the shower he had this morning, "Oh?"
"Like anger hidden under calm. I've never met anyone that can do that."
Bruce smirked as if enjoying a private joke, "It takes practise."
"What did you say your name is?" Ororo asked.
"Bruce Banner."
A look of recognition entered Logan's eyes and he nodded, "The Hulk."
Bruce nodded, "That's the other guy, yeah."
Both X-men nodded again, "So how's old Nick doing?" Ororo asked.
Bruce was shocked at the familiarity in her voice. "You know Fury?"
"We're old friends." Ororo explained as she led them into the mansion, "He and the professor were...in business when I first started at this school."
Bruce nodding in understanding, staring about in wonder having never been here before. The walls were wooden and old fashioned with some framed pictures hanging on the walls, there were also pictures stuck with bluetack from younger children. There were a lot of coats on the floor, there was a large group of pegs but the kids seemed to have ignored them.
Ororo attempted to dodge the coats and muttering a mental note to tell the kids off for this. Logan didn't seem to care and was quite happy to step on the coats.
Only a few children went past as they walked down the halls, most of which greeted the two mutants and sent Bruce and odd look. Ororo finally pushed a door open leading into a large office with a desk beside a window, there was a comfy looking couch at the side and a book shelf. A stack of metal drawers sat behind the desk and papers were stridden around the desk.
"Take a seat." Ororo offered gesturing towards the couch. Bruce slowly sat down; Logan closed the door but stayed standing beside it making Bruce feel even tenser especially from the unwelcoming feel he got from this guy, the Hulk growled at the trapped feeling but Bruce mentally told him that they're safe here.
"Would you like refreshment?" Ororo offered gesturing to the small refrigerator at the side of the room.
"No thank you."
She nodded and took a seat on the student side of the desk facing Bruce leaning forward to show her interest, "I take it this is to do with the fight with Loki?"
"You saw the news?"
"It's hard to miss. We have a student at that school with their family."
Bruce nodded and begun to explain what had happened with Loki.
"Any reason you couldn't do this over the phone?"
"We don't know who's safe and who's not just by voice." Clint interrupted walking into the room with Bobby right behind him. He sat down beside Bruce crossing one leg over the other and lent back looking quite comfortable but still managed to look serious and described everything he understands on daemons, "Thor can detect the daemons but they're difficult to remove."
"How are they removed?" Storm asked.
"Depends on which. Most leave your system eventually but the Kiss Daemon takes people who will willingly die for you and for them to be there holding your hand or something and kissing you on a new moon."
"What if you don't have anyone that will willingly die for you?" Bobby asked curiously, both Bruce and Clint shrugged, though the thought worried them slightly.
"But we thought we should warn you, we don't know his main plan but we know it includes daemons. We'll keep you updated. If you hear anything please, let us know."
"Of course. Immediately."
Clint nodded and stood up holding out his hand, "Thank you for your time."
Ororo shook his and Bruce's hand, "Thank you for the warning. Logan, show them back to their jet."
"I remember the way." Clint offered but Ororo shook her head.
"We may be allies with S.H.I.E.L.D but there's very few people we'll let wander the lower floors unescorted."
The two Avengers nodded in understanding following Logan as he left the room. They walked in absolute silence for a few minutes until Clint spoke up in the elevator, "So uh, Logan right?" Logan nodded, "What can you do?" Logan lifted his fist and immediately three metal sharp claw slid out of his fist into full view of the Avengers. All their eyes widened and Bruce gaped. "Whoa." Clint muttered, "That's pretty awesome."
"I can heal too. Superhuman strength and healing."
Logan slid the claws back in with the distinct sound of metal on metal and nodded.
"Does it hurt?" Bruce asked Logan didn't answer. The elevator stopped and they were on a in a large corridor, different to the others, it was longer and more metal than wood. The entire corridor looked pretty futuristic and Clint could almost imagine the laser guns hide on the ceiling ready to blow him to pieces if he was an intruder.
"Do you teach?" Clint asked, Logan nodded again, "What do you teach?"
"You ask a lotta questions." Logan muttered.
Clint shrugged, "Just making casual conversation I guess."
"I take tha kids in the Danger room. Practise as a team and their powers." Logan shrugged.
"Danger room?"
Logan didn't answer and Clint didn't push understanding about having their own secrets in a large organisation.
"Here we are." Logan led them into a large room where the Quinjet was placed onto of a helipad logo.
"Thank you Logan." Bruce smiled softly. Logan just scowled at them as they got into the jet and the ceiling opened up allowing them to rise into the air and fly back to S.H.I.E.L.D.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
When Evie and Tony landed on the balcony of the tower, Tony released Evie, she wobbled, steadied, tried to take a step forward and she would have fallen flat on her face if it wasn't for Tony grabbing her again just in time.
Evie sighed in relief as they landed, "I do not like that way of travel."
Tony laughed and followed her inside his face plate sliding up as he walked, "Trust me, you get used to it. Pep!"
Pepper, Irene, Sherlock, Mycroft and Leo came straight at the two, questions ready but Tony held up a metal gloved hand to stop them, "Evie will explain I need to get going." He stepped closer to Pepper and kissed her then winked at the others before stepping back outside and shooting off into the air. They would later see him fly past once more that night before his return.
The others turned on Evie who sighed and begun to explain everything she knows. After she explained everything she found out today and looked between everyone, Pepper looked frightened, Leo looked confused, Irene looked indifferent, Mycroft and Sherlock wore matched thoughtful expressions.
"So that's all I know." Evie finished with a shrug. "When did you lot get back?"
"Few hours ago. Soon after you went to find Steve." Mycroft answered.
"How do we know we're not daemonised?" Irene asked.
"When was the last time you saw Thor?"
Irene shrugged, "Ages."
"When he gets back we'll put you guys in the same room, he'll know." Evie starting fiddling with a necklace, it was a simple silver heart and Irene frowned at it.
"When was the last time you saw Thor?"
"Uh...earlier today, why?"
"Where did you get that necklace?"
Evie's hands froze and she looked down at it shrugging, "Duno, why?" Irene shook her head muttering 'nothing', "Do you think I stole it?" Irene shrugged again and Evie narrowed her eyes, "What's up with you lately Rene? You've been pestering me about everything I do."
"Well yeah, you've been spending so much time with this Regalis guy,"
"Oh so your jealous?"
Irene stood up stepping closer so the two girls were eye-to-eye, "No. I'm worried. I love Steve and lately I think I do more than you do."
"Now is not the time for arguing," Pepper interrupted before the argument could expand. "I'm gonna go get some work done. You lot can do as you like, just stop arguing. It's not going to help anything."
"Pep, are you alright?" Mycroft asked concerned.
"Just worried for Tony and the others. I'll never get used to this." Pepper shook her head and took the elevator to her makeshift office a few floors below. Or was it above? Evie could never remember.
"I'll make drinks." Leo muttered going to the kitchen, Irene followed offering to help. "You know this time last month if I told myself I'd be making drinks in Iron Man's kitchen I would have laughed at myself and said wake up."
"I know the feeling." Evie agreed, "Sometimes I still can't get over it all and I live here."
"And now we're in the middle of it." Irene sighed.
"I'm sorry," Evie spoke sounding almost sarcastic, "If I hadn't met Steve-"
"Then Regalis would probably have been a perfect fun guy that we all would have liked."
Evie glared at her best friend, "Irene-"
Irene spun around from the kitchen to face Evie, the men were watching them. Leo was really confused any thoughts of making a drink now forgotten, "What? I'm just stating the truth."
"Why don't you believe me?" Evie sighed, "You've been so bitchy lately! Just being bloody pissy about everything I do!"
"Both of you stop it!" Sherlock yelled making them stop in their tracks. Sherlock never yelled. "You've been arguing all the time lately. Yes, none of us like Regalis and we don't approve blah, blah, blah! It's all shit, ok? Let's just let this go and go back to how we were before all this crap happened. I miss us! Just hanging out watching a film together. You know we haven't done that since Steve interrupted Cabin in the Woods? We tried earlier but it gets interrupted! We don't blame you for this Evie. We love the Avengers even if it means now being involved with saving the world. Hey maybe it's better? We can now do something with our lives that most people aren't but no matter what we need to stay friends!" with that Sherlock turned and stalking into the elevator.
"Where would you like to go?" JARVIS asked when Sherlock didn't press a button.
"Pepper's office if I'm authorised."
The other four stared at the elevator for a minute before Evie sighed and stepped forward but Mycroft put his hand on her shoulder, "He wants to be alone for a bit. Let him."
Evie sighed but nodded, "You know what, Sherly has the right idea," Irene took the stairs because it would take too long to wait for the elevator and still make a dramatic exit.
"Are you two gonna leave now?" Evie asked. Mycroft and Leo glanced at each other.
"I'm tempted but there's no point it won't solve anything." Mycroft answered first.
"Can I ask what's going on?" Leo asked hesitantly, "Why are you lot arguing? The only time I've ever seen you lot arguing was over what monopoly pieces you wanted."
"There's just a lot happening at the moment with Loki and everyone's stressed around here." Evie said in explanation as they all moved to the couch and stared at the blank TV, "I don't know exactly where we went wrong though."
"I love you Evie but I think it's more where did you go wrong." Mycroft corrected.
Evie frowned and turned to face Mycroft, "What did I do? Did you not want me to move in with Steve? I still see you guys a hell of a lot more than I did when me and Jacob lived in Portland."
Mycroft turned to face her properly, "It's not how often we get to see you but it's your attitude when we do."
"What do you mean?"
"At first it was fine; we enjoyed it got used to our lives. But now it's Regalis this and Regalis that. We know you're cheating on Steve with him. That much is obvious. And of course we don't approve. But it's not just that, you've been stealing. That necklace for one, who knows what else. And you've been so unlike you, you know you made a joke the other day about Irene's weight? You know as well as I do she's over self-conscious over it. I don't see why but she worries." Mycroft sighed stopping himself from getting into any more of a rant. "You just haven't been you lately."
"I'm me!" Evie took a second to remember how much she sounded like Tony when he was daemonised but quickly shook it off.
"Regalis?" Leo asked, "He's that guy I met when I came into the library right?"
Evie nodded, "We're just friends but everyone thinks we're more than that."
Leo hesitated but he was always one for saying what's on his mind and not holding back so he didn't, "I did think you two looked quite...comfortable. And he seemed quite protective of you."
Evie shrugged, "So what, it's the same with you two."
"We've known you since Middle school and uni." Leo gestured between him and Mycroft when he said where they know her from and Evie scowled at him.
"Let's just let this go, when they come back we're gonna sit down, watch the end of Cabin in the Woods and talk about nothing particularly important until the Avengers return ok?"
"Okay." Evie sighed.
Clint and Bruce arrived home over an hour later, well the large jet landed just outside the common room floor, Clint waved at them and Bruce stepped out of the jet and came in to the common room before Clint took off again.
"Hey," Bruce greeted them all and frowned at Leo, "Who are you?"
"Leo." He answered with a small sigh getting annoyed with introducing himself. "I was with everyone when Loki turned up."
"Ah nice to meet you then." Bruce held out his hand and Leo shook it as Bruce introduced himself, "Bruce Banner."
Leo froze as he recognised the name and realised exactly which Avenger this is. That Bruce could crush him like a bug if Leo accidently angered him. But Leo managed a polite – if a little tight – smile. "N-nice to m-meet you too." He stammered unsure what else to say.
Bruce noticed his reaction but wasn't surprised, it was a very subtle reaction compared to some people, "Where are the others?" he directed the question to Evie and Mycroft.
"They stormed off," Evie stated, Bruce rose an eyebrow in question.
"Pepper went to do some work to wait, and Evie had a bit of an argument with Sherly and Rene." Mycroft explained, Evie glared at him but he ignored her.
"Right," Bruce glanced between them worriedly and he went to the kitchen to make a drink.
"You went to the X-men?" Mycroft asked curiously and Bruce nodded.
"Yeah. Just to warn them of what may come. Clint went back up to S.H.I.E.L.D, to my knowledge I'm not needed just yet."
Before he could say anything else the elevator door opened and Irene walked in grinning. She refused to look at Evie and instead walked up to Bruce and hugged him. Bruce stood shell-shocked for a moment before hugging her back. That's one thing he'll never get used to, the various hugs from Irene and occasionally Evie or just people in general, and when the Avengers would just touch him casually, a pat on the shoulder, a brush on the arm. He was used to people shying away from him and being terrified.
Not willingly touching him.
He was used to Leo's reaction, being scared. Leo had taken the seat as far from him as possible, it might not have been a conscious decision but it showed Leo was scared of him, and rightly so. He could crush him quite easily so when someone hugged him he didn't know how he should react.
Irene pulled away and smiled at him, he smiled softly in return. He knew exactly how she feels about him, it had been obvious since they meet and slowly became friends. His own feelings had been growing but he knew it couldn't happen, he could kill her and he didn't want to. She's safer staying at arm's length as much as it hurts him, she hadn't come forward with her feelings yet but he had the speech ready for when she does. If she does.
"Are you ok?" Irene asked and Bruce almost laughed. It was such a simple question but after those thoughts he wasn't expecting it.
"I'm fine, I just went to the X-men not a big mission. I didn't even Hulk." He stated almost sarcastically with a grin. Behind Irene, Leo was watching them almost fascinated with Irene's reaction to Bruce.
"Good," Irene grinned back and stepped away, "So what's the plan now? Are we stuck here until Loki's in custody or what?"
Bruce shrugged, "I don't know but I doubt it. He knows where we live so you're probably in more danger here anyway. We don't know how long it's going to take so you might as well get on with your life just be cautious. Speak to Nat or Clint though." Bruce shrugged again he hated people asking him what to do, he's not a leader, all he does is smash and science.
A few moments later Sherlock and Pepper joined them; apparently Sherlock had been talking to Pepper in her office for the past few hours. "Sherly, just in time," Irene grinned, "5 minutes of your birthday left."
"What's the time?" Evie asked needlessly, Irene rose an eyebrow.
"Do the maths."
Evie rolled her eyes. "It's your birthday?" Bruce glanced between Mycroft and Sherlock, "Happy Birthday."
"Thanks." The brothers said in union.
"It's been a long day." Mycroft muttered.
"You can say that again," Evie agreed softly, it felt like weeks ago that she found out that Regalis is Loki, not just this morning. "Happy birthday twinnies. Love you both." She held up the wine glass that she had poured earlier and the 'happy birthday' was echoed around the room.
Tony arrived home soon after that and removed the suit; he sauntered into the room and greeted Pepper and everyone else. "Thor and I are taking turns circling New York looking for Loki." He thought to explain.
"How do you know he's in New York?" Leo asked.
Tony frowned at Leo temporally forgetting who he is, "We don't, but this is where base of operations is. Sort of. So kinda most important part."
"So what do we do now? Are we stuck in here?"
"My immediate reaction is to take you lot to my house in LA bu-"
"You have a house in LA?!" Irene squealed.
Tony winced at the high pitched noise and nodded, "Yes. So I would take you lot there now but I don't actually know what's gonna happen so it's better to stay here for now and try and be careful."
"We ain't leaving for the fight." Sherlock spoke up and Tony rose an eyebrow.
"You can't do anything."
"We can help civilians on the ground." Mycroft answered.
"Um...how do we know there's gonna be a huge fight like last time?" Leo asked curiously.
"Loki's a Diva."
"Preparing for the worst case scenario."
Tony and Bruce answered at the same time and Bruce rolled his eyes at Tony's answer. "Right. Is there a date set?" Leo asked.
"Not yet. Trying to get in contact with Loki find out his full plan." Bruce stated his voice laced with sarcasm, "We're hoping he'll give it to us in a song Disney-style."
Leo snorted and everyone laughed. "That would be pretty interesting to see." Tony nodded.
"Define interesting?" Leo asked.
"Oh god, oh god we're all going to die." Tony smirked at Leo who's eyes widened grinning.
"Wait so, is a singing Loki traumatising us so much that we kill ourselves or each other," Mycroft started.
"Or is he gonna kill us while singing?" Sherlock finished.
"Both." Tony nodded, "The people he doesn't kill are gonna kill themselves."
"Or each other!"
"Or each other."
"Have we all finally cracked?" Pepper asked, genuinely curious.
"Pep that happened way before you met me."
Pepper rolled her eyes, "So what now?"
"We wait for news; I've got JARVIS running a scan."
"Well I duno about you lot, but this has been a long day I'm gonna get to bed. Uh...do you know when Steve'll be home?" Evie asked.
Tony shrugged. "No idea. I should be getting back up to S.H.I.E.L.D but I was told to grab Bruce and thought you lot deserved an update. You lot know where the spare rooms are."
Bruce sighed, "You know the Hulk hates travelling via Iron Man?"
Tony shrugged, "Makes for a more interesting trip."
Bruce chuckled and waited patiently as Tony said goodbye to Pepper and they both went outside.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Mycroft paced back and forth in his room. The room was simple with white washed walls, a wardrobe in the corner, there was a large flat screen TV on the wall along with a mini fridge and a desk in the corner with various piles of paper spread across it.
Mycroft came to most of the parties and usually stayed the night so had claimed his own room, Tony had enough spare rooms.
Right now all Mycroft could think about was Evie. He felt useless, he knows Evie's cheating and as her friend he should be doing something but she wasn't listening to him. She wasn't listening to anyone.
He knew it's got to do with this Regalis fellow, the scars Evie had told him about. Scars on his wrists and what Thor had found out earlier about needing the blood and leaving a scar. Regalis could be Loki. Plus what Irene had said earlier, that Loki is Regalis she explained it afterward about watching the Avatar film with Regalis.
Mycroft knew he could be wrong, he shouldn't go around accusing people that have legitimately self-harmed to be Loki but it all fit. The fact that Evie's committing the one sin she had vowed to never do. The way she's been acting lately. Everything.
If he is Loki then she's daemonised.
"JARVIS, when's the next new moon?"
"April 10th. 4 days." JARVIS answered immediately.
"Thanks." In 4 days, Mycroft would drag Evie from where ever she is and refuse to release her hand until after midnight.
Shaking away those thoughts he stripped off his shirt and climbed into bed, he'd worry about this tomorrow. Today has been a bloody long day he needs his sleep.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Evie didn't sleep very well, tossing and turning all through the night but eventually she fell into a restless sleep. When she woke up, bags under her eyes and body aching she sighed as everything came back to her.
"That was a heavy sigh, everything alright?"
Evie jumped and looked up where Steve was stood by the wardrobe looking for a shirt.
"Steve!" Evie laughed, "Hey!"
"Hello." Steve chuckled. "Are you ok?"
Evie nodded, "Didn't sleep very well. Just worried. How are you? Your head?"
"I'm doing alright," Steve shrugged but Evie ignored him and climbed out of the bed stepping towards him, she grabbed his shoulder to pull him downwards and inspect his wound. It was already healing pretty quickly due to the super-serum but still looked bruised and painful.
She kissed it softly making him laugh, she released him and stepped back letting him stand up straight and continue looking for a shirt. "So, what's actually happening?"
"Well now we've actually seen Loki it's confirmed he's actually here on Earth, so everything's stepping up a notch now. We're not really sure what Loki's gonna do with the Government though so we're working out how to fight back politically."
"Right." She sat down on the bed watching as he put on a white shirt, did up the buttons and tucked it into his jeans, it looked so old-fashioned but she found it endearing how he still does that, "Croft's a lawyer." she stated unnecessarily.
Steve chuckled, "Yeah, Tony's talking to him few floors down. S.H.I.E.L.D has their own lawyers but a lawyer of the civilians would be helpful I assume."
Evie nodded and stood up again, she winced suddenly a sick feeling rising from her stomach. She ran out of the room into the en-suite bending down wrenching into the toilet. Barely a moment later she felt a hand rubbing at her back and another holding her hair back.
After a few minutes she pulled back and wiped at her mouth with tissue. Steve stood up and walked away to pour a glass of water. When he returned Evie smiled gratefully at him and washed her mouth out.
"Sorry about that." she muttered.
"It's fine Evelyn, have you been feeling ill?"
Evie shrugged, "I guess maybe."
"Look, I could stay with you today if you're feeling sick?"
Evie shook her head a thoughtful expression, "I'm fine, duno what that was really. Saving the world is more important."
Steve nodded and kissed her forehead, "Alright, take the day off work and rest. I love you."
"I love you too."
She watched as Steve left the room and sighed, just when she thought maybe she was starting to make a decision Steve has to go and continue being absolutely perfect.
She eventually got dressed, brushed her teeth and hair and went down to the common room.
She paused at the sight of Fury, he was pacing back and forth in front of the couch where Mycroft was sat on the couch looking entirely too comfortable to have the intimidating man pacing in front of him. Sat beside Mycroft, sat Tony who looked bored, Natasha who was thinking, Maria Hill and lastly a couple of various people in suits.
Mycroft looked quite out of place in his spare T-shirt and jeans. For once Tony was actually wearing a suit but he didn't look very comfortable in it, he kept tugging on the tie.
Natasha noticed her first and nodded in greeting.
Everyone turned to stare at her, Evie froze like a deer in the headlights and immediate turned around and went back into the elevator without a word spoken.
"Is she alright?" Maria asked Natasha.
Natasha smirked and nodded, "I doubt she was expecting so many people here."
Evie didn't know why she left so quickly, part of her thought that maybe Fury would read her mind and know about Loki. She knew that was stupid, except it might not be, more impossible things have happened, all the Avengers were impossible technically. Most of them at least.
She decided she couldn't stay here, so she went back to her floor to grab the gun that she technically wasn't allowed out without and went out for a walk in the cold spring weather, her mind racing.
Regalis. Is. Loki. She spent the entire night reminding herself of that fact but she couldn't even to decide what to do.
Evie knew that she should say something, tell someone. But she didn't want to. She still loves Regalis.
Her main concern isn't that he's Loki. No. It's because he lied to her. She understands why of course, before she fell in love she wouldn't have hesitated in calling the Avengers.
But now? She didn't want to lose him. Lose Loki and she loses Regalis.
So instead she stays silent.
Except right now Loki isn't her main concern.
No. Her main concern was that last night as she attempted to sleep she realised that she's late on her period. Over a week late.
And she's never that late.
She wanted to ignore it but she was sick this morning. She hadn't woken up feeling ill; it just came suddenly and went just as quickly.
She couldn't ignore it any longer; she had to get a pregnancy test. So that's where she was, looking for a pharmacy.
"Hey! You're Evie Rae aren't you?" the teenage student at the till stated.
Evie sighed, spun on her heel and left the store.
She didn't want someone that knows who she is seeing this, they'll get the wrong idea and it'll be on the news by sundown.
To her slight surprise and definite annoyance it took three different shops around the city until she finally found one with an old man who didn't seem to recognise her. He looked a bit scared when she asked – a bit more rudely that she's intended – 'do you know who I am?'
She bought a test and thanked him before leaving.
She couldn't go back to the tower because most likely an Avenger will be there plus she felt like JARVIS was watching her everywhere even in the bathroom.
She couldn't go back to the apartment because she didn't know who would be there. So she went to the toilets in the library.
"Evie," Ella greeted her, "I thought you weren't coming in today?"
Evie shook her head, "Nope sorry. Doing stuff for the Avengers but I need to use the ladies room."
"Ah." Ella laughed, "Go ahead."
Evie nervously checked out each stall to check that they were empty before sitting down and attempting – and struggling – to pee on each of the sticks.
As she sat on the closed toilet lid staring at the small white stick in her hand she found herself genuinely wonder what she wants it to say.
She wanted a no because well, a baby? Right now? Yes she's at the right time of her life; she has money, but not a stable relationship.
If it was Steve's then that'd be easy. Steve would be ecstatic that they have a kid together, she'd tell the Avengers about Loki so he wouldn't threaten them and they'd live happily ever after. But of course it's not Steve's.
It's Loki's. The man she thought was Regalis, the man she had been cheating on the love of her life with.
So she'll lose the Avengers, the internet will find out and she'll be hated for breaking Captain America's heart. And worst of all she'll lose Steve.
And she had no idea how to look after a baby. Especially a God's baby.
But she also hoped it would say yes because it would make her decision easier, break up with Steve, go back to Loki and take over the world, she will be his Queen and they will spoil this baby with everything they have.
And because a baby, as hard as it will be, would be incredible.
She knew having a baby shouldn't be used to make a relationship better because it can often make it worse. But if Loki wants this kid, then she thinks it would work out, it'd be hard at first but taking over the world? Done.
And because she didn't know how much she wanted to be a mum until now.
To have a child, to be a mother, Evie couldn't imagine a better or more terrifying life for herself.
Evie swallowed as the two minute alarm went off and she slowly turned her eyes towards the small white stick and her heart leaped out of her chest.
Yes.
She's pregnant.