Wincing, I moved my head back slightly to avoid the disinfected cotton ball.
"Don't worry, I'm almost done," Steve notified. His hand cupped under my chin, tilting my head up which made my eyes meet his bright blues. I felt myself get lost in them. He has such beautiful eyes. The way his brows furrowed slightly and how his lips parted a bit as he concentrated on lightly dabbing my head wound. I snapped out of my daze as Steve's hand left my face. I blinked a couple of times and dropped my gaze to the ground, the light blush still painted on my cheeks.
Steve discarded the bloody cotton ball and dug through the first aid kit. After a quick search, he pulled out a self-adherent foam dressing. Peeling off the wrapping, he made me look back up at him and placed the bandage on the injury.
"So what's the diagnosis, doc?" I asked with a light joking tone.
"Luckily, you don't have any head trauma and the cut isn't that deep so you don't need any stitches," he informed. I let out a sigh of relief. "But, it might leave a scar." Oh great. Just what I wanted. Another scar to add to the collection.
"Thank you for patching up my wound," I gave him a small smile. He returned it.
"It's not a problem." A sound of someone clearing their throat broke our gaze.
"If you two are done flirting," Tony remarked.
"We.. We were not flirting," I denied, glaring at him. Steve stood up from his crouching position and I think I saw a light tinge on his cheeks.
"Right.. Because staring into each other's eyes isn't flirting." I rolled my eyes and sat back, choosing to ignore what he said. "By the way, I was right all those months ago."
I raised a brow, "Right about what?"
He gave an exasperated sigh and took the unoccupied seat beside me. "The day of the party that Pepper threw for me, I asked you how you knocked Vanko flat on his ass. Remember?"
Oh yeah. I remember now. This man always pestered information out of me. I nodded.
"I didn't know you were one of Fury's henchmen… or henchwoman... More like henchgirl.. If that's a word."
"The time I worked as Pepper's assistant, I was not part of Fury's bandwagon. I told you that already when you tried grovelling to her." I looked at him before a small smirk came on my face. "Just because I can do this," I placed my finger on his exposed cheek, shocking him. He jumped in surprise and gave me a pointed look as I laughed at him. I think I heard Steve chortle and smothered it with a cough. "Doesn't mean that I was working undercover."
"Then why are you here?" Tony asked, rubbing the spot where I shocked him.
"Fury needed my expertise," I replied with a shrug.
Scoffing, Tony stood up and placed himself next to Steve.
With Loki tied up and cuffed to his seat, Tony and Steve watched from a distance, whispering.
"I don't like it," Steve stated.
"What? Rock of Ages giving up so easily?"
"I don't remember it being ever that easy. Megan pointed it out before we all went back in here. This guy packs a wallop."
"Still, you are pretty spry, for an older fellow. What's your thing? Pilates?"
"What?" Steve asked, a confused expression on his face.
"It's like calisthenics," Tony explained briefly and not simply. "You might have missed a couple things, you know, doing time as a Capsicle." I groaned at Tony's nickname for Steve. They're going to get along just fine… Yeah right.
Steve looked at Tony..
"Fury didn't tell me he was calling you in," Steve commented.
"Yeah, there's a lot of things Fury doesn't tell you."
"That's the number one annoying thing about that man," I threw in dryly.
Suddenly, the sound of thunder and streaks of lightning painted the night sky. It nearly hit the jet, causing it to shake violently. Looking at Loki, he had a scared look on his face as he glanced out the window.
"Megan?" Natasha questioned. They all turned to look at me as I shook my head.
"It's not me!" I answered. "I can't control Mother Nature." Then, it all clicked. Maybe it was that Thunder God I read about. What was his name?
"What's the matter? Scared of a little lightning?" Steve asked Loki.
"I'm not overly fond of what follows…"
The jet jolted, making it shake even more as if something landed on it.
Tony placed on his helmet and pushed a button to open the ramp.
Suddenly, a blond man with what appears to be a hammer in his hands landed on the ramp.
Tony charged up his repulsor beam, but the man thrusted the hammer into his chest that sent him flying back. He grabbed Loki by the throat and flew out. Steve, Tony, and I just stared after them, dumbstruck.
"Now, there's that guy," Tony pointed out the obvious.
"Another Asgardian?" Natasha asked from the pilot's seat.
"Well since he just flew out of jet, I'm pretty sure he is," I commented, standing from my seat.
"Think the guy's a friendly?" Steve asked.
"Doesn't matter. If he frees Loki or kills him, the Tesseract's lost." Tony turns and walks toward the open ramp.
"Stark, we need a plan of attack!" Steve called after him.
"I have a plan. Attack." Tony jumped out of the jet and flew after Thor. Letting out a frustrated sigh, Steve grabbed a parachute to follow.
"Wait. You're going after them?" I asked. He nodded as he strapped the parachute on to his back. "Then, I'm coming with you." His head whipped toward me at my last statement.
I moved to grab a parachute, but a hand grasped my forearm before I could. "Megan, you're injured. I think you should stay on the jet with Natasha." I shot him a disbelieving look.
"It's just a scratch," I countered. "You and Tony might need some backup."
"Please. Just," he sighed before continuing. "Stay on the jet and that's an order." My jaw dropped at those words.
"What?" I sputtered. "So, you're just going to order me around? I thought we were all on the same team here. Teammates help each other."
"Now isn't the time," he ended the argument and grabbed his shield before stepping on the open ramp. I stared at him, utterly speechless.
"I'd sit this one out, Cap," Natasha advised.
"I don't see how I can," he answered, readying to jump off.
"These guys come from legends, they're basically gods."
"There's only one God, ma'am. And I'm pretty sure he doesn't dress like that." He leaped off the jet.
I scoffed. "That man! Thinks he can order me around?"
Natasha looked back at me. "I agree with Cap on this, Megan. You got pretty banged up in Germany."
"We all signed up for this thing. Either way, somebody gets hurt." I sighed, debating if I should go after them.
"He's just worried about you. He doesn't want you to get in the middle of things and get hurt in the process," Natasha reasoned. "Listen, I'm going to land so just stay put." She pressed a button, closing the ramp.
I put the parachute back and plopped back down on my seat. I exhaled slowly, trying to calm myself down. Just breathe, Megan. You're getting worked up over nothing. Just breathe.
Apparently, Thor leveled a whole forest while they were trying to retrieve Loki. Who knew that his hammer would do that much damage once it clashed with Steve's shield? We all sat around the round glass table in the Bridge except Tony.
I glanced around the room and frowned at my missing companion.
A video of Loki in a cell appeared on the table, capturing the attention of all of us who were present.
"In case it's unclear. You try to escape. You so much as scratch that glass. Thirty thousand feet, straight down in a steel trap. You get how that works?" Fury's distinct voice rang out, warning Loki. "Ant. Boot."
I pursed my lips at the cell Loki was placed inside. Remembering back in Germany, he has the power to duplicate himself. That guy could just conjure up another one of himself and escape. Surely everyone knows that he wields some prowess in magic with or without his scepter.
Loki suddenly smirked after Fury's little warning. "It's an impressive cage. Not built, I think, for me."
"Built for something a lot stronger than you."
"Oh, I've heard," Loki replied, the smirk still plastered on his face. He looked straight at the camera before continuing, "The mindless beast, makes play he's still a man. How desperate are you, that you call upon such lost creatures to defend you?"
"How desperate am I? You threaten my world with war. You steal a force you can't hope to control. You talk about peace and you kill `cause it's fun. You have made me very desperate. You might not be glad that you did."
"Ooh. It burns you to come so close. To have the Tesseract, to have power, unlimited power." Loki darkly chuckled and turned back toward the camera. "And for what? A warm light for all mankind to share, and then to be reminded what real power is."
"Well, you let me know if Real Power wants a magazine or something." After Fury's last statement, I could have sworn I heard a hiss. Then again, I did get hit in the head earlier today.
Fury walks off leaving Loki in his glass cell. Loki looks back at the camera, smirking. Then the live video feed was cut off.
"He really grows on you, doesn't he?" Dr. Banner sarcastically stated.
"Loki's gonna drag this out," Steve pointed out. "Thor, what's his play?"
"He has an army called the Chitauri. They're not of Asgard or any world known. He means to lead them against your people. They will win him the earth. In return, I suspect, for the Tesseract," Thor notified all of us.
"An army? From outer space?" Steve asked in disbelief.
I groaned lightly. Great. First, there's Loki who wields a stick of destiny and now an alien army? What next?
"So, he's building another portal. That what he needs Erik Selvig for," Dr. Banner realized.
"Selvig?" Thor inquired.
"He's an astrophysicist," Dr. Banner answered.
"He's a friend."
"Loki has him under some kind of spell. Along with one of ours," Natasha inputted. I frowned and patted her shoulder comfortingly.
"There's got to be a way to snap them out of it. Maybe a hard knock on the head?" I thought out loud. "We'll get him back. I promise." Natasha shot me a small, thankful smile and I returned it.
"I wanna know why Loki let us take him. He's not leading an army from here," Steve stated.
"What I noticed while Steve and I fought against Loki, he has the ability to duplicate himself. I had pinned him to the ground and then another one of him tossed me away. If he's able to do that, he can easily escape or send his duplicate off to do the rest of his dirty work while he just sits in that cell," I added from Steve's statement.
"I don't think we should be focusing on Loki," Dr. Banner said, changing the subject. "That guy's brain is a bag full of cats, you could smell crazy on him."
"Have care how you speak," Thor boomed. He turned to face us." Loki is beyond reason, but he is of Asgard, and he's my brother."
"He killed eighty people in two days," Natasha deadpanned.
"He's adopted," he countered as if that tidbit would explain Loki's being.
"Iridium, what did they need the Iridium for?" Dr. Banner questioned, trying to get us back on track.
"From what I gathered on Selvig's notes, it seems like a stabilizer," I answered, thinking back two nights ago. "It'll help the portal stay open."
"Bingo!" A familiar voice called out. I turned in my seat to see Tony and Phil coming in. After they parted ways, Tony stopped next to Thor. "No hard feelings, Point Break. You've got a mean swing." He patted his bicep before continuing on, "It won't collapse on itself, like it did at S.H.I.E.L.D. The portal can open as wide, and stay open as long, as Loki wants." Tony stood where Fury usually positioned himself. He faced the rest of the agents. "Uh, raise the mid-mast, ship the top sails." Whoever heard his orders gave him a look. "That man is playing Galaga!" I looked around and didn't see anyone playing it. "Thought we wouldn't notice, but we did." Tony covered one of his eyes and looked around the area. "How does Fury do this?"
"He turns," Maria answered, arms crossed with her usual stern look.
"That sounds exhausting," he dragged before switching topics. "The rest of the raw materials, Agent Barton can get his hands on pretty easily. Only major component he needs is a power source." Tony tapped on the monitors. My eyes zeroed in on Tony's finger as he planted something under one of the monitors. I raised a brow at him in question. He just winked in response. "A high energy density, something to kick start the cube," Tony finished with a snap of his fingers.
"When did you become an expert in thermonuclear astrophysics?" Maria questioned.
"Last night. The packet, Selvig's notes, the Extraction Theory papers?" I nodded my head, but I'm guessing from Tony's expression that no one else read them. "Am I the only one who did the reading?"
"I only understood a couple things and had to use the Internet for others, but yeah, I read it for the most part," I replied with a shrug.
"Well, I'll give you a C for effort." My eyes narrowed at him as he patted my head. I swatted his hand away and turned back around to face the table.
"Does Loki need any particular power source?" Steve asked.
"He has to heat up the cube to 120 million Kelvin just to break through the Coulomb Barrier," Banner answered.
"Unless, Selvig has figured out how to stabilize the quantum tunneling effect," Tony inputted.
"Well, if he could do that he could achieve Heavy Ion Fusion at any reactor on the planet."
"Finally, someone who speaks English," Tony commented, walking toward Banner and shook his hand.
"Is that what just happened?" Steve asked, perplexed. I just sat back on my chair, feeling just as confused as Steve.
"It's good to meet you, Dr. Banner. You're work on anti-electron collisions is unparalleled," Tony complimented. I looked at him in surprise. Wow. Tony actually just complimented someone without them being embarrassed or angry. "And I'm a huge fan of the way you lose control and turn into an enormous green rage monster." I mentally face palmed. Spoke too soon...
Dr. Banner looked down. "Thanks."
The Bridge doors slid open and Fury strode in. "Dr. Banner is only here to track the cube. I was hoping you might join him."
Something scratched the side of my leg. Glancing down, I smiled at those familiar icy blues. I picked Fenris up and placed him on my lap, scratching behind his ears in greeting. He purred in response and curled his tiny body. Looking back up, I continued to listen in.
"Let's start with that stick of his. It may be magical, but it works an awful lot like a HYDRA weapon," Steve informed.
"I don't know about that, but it is powered by the cube. 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's face twisted into confusion. "Monkeys? I do not understand."
"I do!" Steve exclaimed. I tried to hide a laugh that wanted to escape, my shoulders shaking slightly. "I understood that reference."
"Shall we play, doctor?" Tony asked, gesturing to the door.
"Let's play some." Tony and Banner exited the bridge. I felt Natasha get up and went back to one of the computers that were locating Clint's whereabouts.
With nothing to do, I looked at the curled ball of fur on my lap. I ran my fingers through his thick, tawny fur as he slept.
The chair to my right pulled out. Looking to the side, I noticed Steve slide into the previously vacant seat.
"So, who's this?" He asked, breaking the silence. He gestured to the sleeping caracal on my lap.
"This is Fenris." I poked his side, causing him to peek out an eye before yawning. He blinked and opened both his eyes, staring at Steve. My brows rose in surprise when he didn't start hissing.
"You can pet him if you want."
Steve looked at me before staring at Fenris. He inched his hand cautiously toward him before petting his head.
Fenris closed his eyes and leaned into his touch with a soft mewl. He suddenly got up from my lap and leaped onto Steve's. Fenris curled his body on his lap. Steve rubbed his head and smiled a bit by Fenris' affection.
"I think he likes you. Normally, he would growl or hiss at most people," I told Steve, a bit stunned at Fenris' attitude.
"I guess so," Steve replied with a chuckle. I smiled. "Is he a cat? He's a bit big to be just a cat."
I shook my head. "He's a caracal. A good friend of mine gave him to me a couple months ago."
Steve nodded and tore his eyes away from Fenris. "Before we went to capture Loki," Steve started off. I already knew what he was going to ask.
"You want to know about my nightmares?" I finished. He nodded. I looked down at my folded hands.
"You don't have to talk about it if it's too personal," he reminded.
"I know, but like I said earlier, I'd rather you hear it from me."
Author's Note:
Hello everyone! I hope you enjoyed this chapter!
So, Steve is about to find out about Megan's past. From previous chapters, I'm pretty sure most of you know what went on with Megan.
All will be revealed in the next chapter!
Until next time!
-YoullBeAvenged