Happy New Year everyone! I wanted to celebrate this new year of 2012 by posting the next two chapters. This one is a shortie, but good. It needs to be on it's own. This one is dedicated to Becstar for the wonderful review I got. Gave me the inspiration to post more of this even though it is so close to the end.

Anyway, enjoy this shortie!

Chapter Twenty-one – Nothing but work, work, work all the time

Earth – Jane's lab – Stark Industries

Several days later

It was a normal day getting started on the west coast of California. Stark Industries was no different as the gate was opening and security was getting ready to check the IDs of the people that were coming in for work.

The first group of cars rolled up to the gate.

"IDs please," the guard asked.

The window lowered revealing Natasha Romanoff who flashed a S.H.I.E.L.D. ID badge at him.

The male guard stood at attention and granted the car and several behind them to pass.

The cars rolled in perfect synchronization toward its intended destination. It was a lab near the newly built Arc Reactor facility.

A small fanfare of Tony Stark, his assistant Pepper Potts, his driver Happy Hogan, and a couple of security guards were waiting outside the building for the cars to come to a stop.

The car Natasha Romanoff was driving came to a stop on the small spread of red carpet and she climbed out of the driver's seat.

"Welcome to Star…" Tony was saying.

"Can it Stark," she said. "Your new technician has arrived."

Widow opened the door and revealed Nick Fury, Agent Phil Coulson, and finally Jane Foster. They were in their trademark black and white uniforms. Jane however was wearing the traditional lab jacket, a sky blue tanktop, and black jeans.

"Doctor Jane Foster reporting for duty," she said to him.

"Welcome Dr. Foster," Stark said. "Please follow me."

The entire camaraderie headed into the building, traversing hallways, and stairways until they arrived at a laboratory with a wall of glass windows.

On the door, it read Astrophysics and Sciences Lab – Doctor Jane E. Foster.

Jane clapped with excitement that her name was door. It was a dream that she longed to have since she got her doctorate degree. She simmered down and headed inside with everyone.

"I trust that you are impressed," Tony asked her.

Jane was in Valhalla for all she knew. All this equipment that she now had in her possession to use she only dreamed of being able to use. "Impressed," she blurted out. "I have only built some of this from homemade parts. This is all professional grade equipment."

"Well, you will have nothing but the best here doctor," Tony told her.

"Do you think that you can complete your studies here Dr. Foster?" Nick Fury asked her.

"Without a doubt," she said, coming back to reality. "I could have some results for you soon."

"Excellent Dr. Foster," Fury added. "The tesseract is going to be stored in a safe inside the wind-tunnel room under constant video and digital surveillance; for you to use in your research. You will be staying on campus so we can ensure national security over you and your research. If you need to venture off campus, you will be escorted."

"So I am your personal lab rat? Run on the wheel when you tell me, sleep when I can?" she ventured her question upon insult.

"You will be allowed some freedoms," Coulson said, "but that would mean wearing an ankle monitor or something to monitor your position by GPS. Cannot have you be taken off to far away worlds again now can we?"

"Suppose not," she said.

"All right gentlemen, Ms. Romanoff, if you want her to get to work, we need to leave Doctor Foster in peace," Tony tried to end the hounding and get the people out of the lab.

Pepper Potts was helping in getting the people out of the room, however Tony remained behind.

Jane took a seat on the pivoting and rolling stool at the computer.

"Your logins doctor," Tony passed her a small index card. "And if you need anything: help, time-off, a dry martini, massage, you give me or Pepper a shout. We'll get it done."

"I am sure you will hear me screaming soon," she joked with him as she swiveled around on the stool.

Tony flashed a smile and left her in the lab.

Jane spun in the stool with childish joy and laughed.

She stopped herself when she saw a bag sitting on a desk in a small glass-walled office away from her. Jane headed over to the alcove that had her name on the wall.

The white bag had a ribbon closing the handles and a card that read mommy on the envelope.

Good luck at your new job. Love, Jake

In another card that was contained in the package, it read Jake couldn't buy this so I bought it for you to wear to the game on Saturday. Congratulations! Love, Keith.

She pulled out the black hat that had a silver shark on the front and a jersey that was black and white like Jacob's jersey, but on the back it read Team Mom.

Jane was tickled as she smoothed the smooth fabric where her title was listed with her hand.

She would wear this on Saturday to the game.

For now though, she had to get to work.

L7 L7 L7 L7 L7 L7 L7 L7 L7 L7 L7

For days on end, Jane Foster worked in the lab and adjourned to her private studio room down the way. She actually used a Segway to move and enjoy the cool morning air.

It was the same routine every day, but it was worth working.

At night, she would punch in the calculations and go to her room, only to return to see her calculations being completed to manipulate and test in the morning.

Tony Stark came in and worked with her on some days, but most of the time, she sat alone or with a S.H.E.I.L.D. agent / babysitter near the door to the lab.

One night, Jane was excited by a breakthrough that she did not want to go to her room. Agent Coulson stood guard overnight while she was working.

The calculations were in and Jane removed her jacket to relax in the chair. She slipped off her boots and scrubbed her hair to try and force herself to stay awake. She twisted her locks and poked a pencil through the bun. Coulson even went and got her some Chinese food so she did not have to leave.

Her eyes would not stay open however so she decided to just close them on her cuddled up arms on the table near her keyboard. She would doze off until the computer beeped and it would wake her up.

And that was the last thing that she remembered.

Uh oh, Jane fell asleep...on the Friday before the baseball game. Will she make it? You will have to review and read to find out...