I woke with blurry eyes to the sound of Marvel Swing playing from my phone. With a groan I untangled myself from Clint and picked it up, squinting at the brightness of the screen before answering. "Yes, Phil?" I asked, clearing my throat at grogginess of my voice.
"Fifteen miles northwest from here we got a massive energy reading. The same that's in Dr. Foster's research. What do you want us to do?" Phil asked, his voice a little rushed.
"It's probably the Bifrost," I mused before letting out a sigh. "Uh, it's not Thor so I would go check it out. I suggest extreme caution and a rather high level of patience. Remember, these guys are Asgardian, they don't understand our world."
"And if this Asgardian isn't a friendly?"
"Fire only when fired upon," I told him. "Don't want to be too rash, do we?"
"Alright, I'll call you if we find anything," he told me before hanging up.
I dropped my head back down onto the pillow and tossed my phone onto the nightstand. I crammed my eyes shut and attempted to will the dream back, already missing the feel of his arms around me.
"Everything okay?" the disgruntled voice of Clint asked, breaking the morning silence.
I groaned and rolled over to face him. "The Bifrost set off an energy spike. Phil and some of the others are heading to check it out," I told him.
He frowned into his pillow. "And the Bifrost is again?" he asked.
"It's how Asgardians travel from world to world," I told him. "Think 'beam me up, Scotty'."
He chuckled at that before letting out a rather big yawn. "What time is it?" he asked.
I looked over my shoulder to the alarm clock sitting next to my phone. "Twenty after nine," I answered.
"How'd you sleep?" he asked.
"Fine."
"You, uh, you cried till three, Nora," he stated, clearing his throat as he looked up at me with questioning eyes.
I nodded and scrubbed a hand over my face. "Yeah, that's usually how it goes," I said, pushing myself up to lean against the headboard.
"I'm sorry," he said, pushing himself up to sit next to me. "I shouldn't of asked."
I shook my head. "In a way I'm kind of glad that it still affects me like that."
"What? Why?" Clint demanded, looking to me like I had three heads.
I gave him a sad smile. "Because it means I still love him."
His eyebrows furrowed. "Have you ever questioned it?"
"No," I said, shaking my head. "But 15 years on a ship gives the doubts plenty of time to fester," I told him.
He shifted a little closer to me. "What kind of doubts?" he asked.
"That I won't find him. That he's gone forever. Doubts like that," I said. "And when you have doubts like that you're forced to ask yourself if you want to continue loving him or move on. Do you want to know what happened?" I asked.
"What?" he asked.
"I couldn't get the words out. I couldn't even think them," I said, swallowing hard as I remembered that rather low day in my life. "I didn't even have him for a year and it's mentally and physically impossible to accept that he might not be in my life. That isn't healthy, is it?"
Clint shook his head. "No, but love isn't healthy," he stated. "It makes you do stupid things, self-destructive things, things that aren't really mentally sound. But that's okay because what you showed me last night was the happiest I have ever seen you, and I will personally make sure that you get him back," he told me, looking me dead in the eye, using a tone I had only heard a few times before.
A smile pulled at my lips as I realized that he was serious. "Aw, Clinton," I cooed before wrapping my arms around his waist and kissing his cheek.
He chuckled as he hugged me back. "Don't doubt it for a second, Nora," he told her before gently pushing her away. "Now come on, it's too early for this heavy shit."
I chuckled and shoved him back before climbing out of bed and heading towards the bathroom, glancing out the window to glare at the sun. I froze, however, when I spotted four people walking in the middle of the street, three men and a woman. This would not have appeared strange if they hadn't of been wearing armor.
"What is it?" Clint asked, having noticed me sudden pause.
"Looks like Phil and the others missed the Asgardians," I stated.
Clint laughed at that. "Why doesn't that surprise me?" he asked.
I shook my head. "I'm going to go down and grab them before someone else does," I stated, snatching my boots up off the floor and pulling them on hurriedly.
Clint gave me a smile. "Alright, I-I, uh, I think I'm going to go back to sleep," he stated, rubbing a hand over his face.
"You do that," I said, patting him on the head as I headed towards the door. I jogged down the stairs and dashed out into the street. "Wait! Please!" I called.
The four stopped and looked back at me, curiosity on their faces.
"How may we help you, fair maiden?" the taller blonde man asked, giving me a smile and a slight bow.
"Are you in search of Thor?" I asked, hoping that I had altered my speech pattern enough.
The woman's face lit up as she stepped forward. "Yes, we are in search of Thor," she answered. "Do you know of him?"
I nodded. "I do know him and I can take you to him if you wish," I told them, offering a smile.
"That would be most gracious of you," the heavier set one stated.
The blonde man stepped forward once again. "May we know the name of our guide, fair lady?" he inquired.
"I am Eleanor Creed of S.H.I.E.L.D.," I introduced, bowing slightly, feeling more than a little awkward at the formality.
"Lady Creed, may I introduce Lady Sif and the Warriors Three," he said, gesturing to the woman of the group. "This is Volstagg," he said, gesturing to the ginger man next to him, "Hogun," he said, gesturing to the man I had assumed was a samurai, "and I am Fandral," he said before grabbing my hand and bowing as he pressed a kiss to the back of my hand.
A smile twitched at my lips at the action I hadn't seen since I was a child in Canada. I cleared my throat and pulled my hand back. "Nice to meet you."
"You as well," all four of them said, bowing their heads.
I nodded slowly. "Right, I'll take you to Thor. If you'll just follow me," I said before walking off in the direction of Jane's lab, knowing that the god of thunder would be there. I approached the glass doors and knocked politely.
All four looked over, all looking shocked at the sight of the people waving excitedly behind me, Darcy, Jane, and Selvig dropping their coffee cups as Thor dashed forward to open the doors.
"My friends!" he boomed, pulling Volstagg into a tight hug. "This is good! This is good," he stated.
"I don't believe it," Selvig said, looking to them with blatant shock.
Volstagg noticed his state and stepped forward as Thor continued to hug the others. "Oh, excuse me. "The Lady Sif and the Warriors Three," he introduced.
"My friends," Thor said, clapping his hand on Hogun's shoulder. "I've never been happier to see anyone," he told them.
Volstagg smiled brightly. "Lady Creed brought us to you," he stated, pointing to me.
Thor looked to me with a questioning look.
I shrugged. "I figured it would be better if I brought them instead of letting them wander," I told him.
He gave me an appreciative nod. "Thank you, Lady Eleanor," he said before looking to his friends. "But you should not have come."
Volstagg gave a laugh.
"We're here to take you home," Fandral told him.
Thor frowned at that and dropped his arm. "You know I can't go home. My father is….is dead because of me. And I must remain in exile."
Confusion pulled at Sif's face. "Thor, you father still lives," she said.
Thor looked more than crushed at the words.
"There's no treaty with Jotunheim, is there?" I asked, mentally smacking myself for believing the words of Loki, the god of Mischief.
Hogun shook his head. "No, Lady Creed, there is not."
I stepped around and addressed Thor. "I hate to say this but I believe it's safe to assume that what Loki told you was a lie," I told him.
Thor dropped his eyes to the floor. "I do not wish to believe it, Lady Eleanor," he told me.
"But you can, can't you?" I asked, placing my hand on his shoulder.
He nodded.
I searched to find something to say but was cut off when a rumble grew in the sky. I looked over my shoulder and found that just outside of town a funnel of cloud was reaching for the ground. "That can't be good," I said, stepping away from Thor and towards the door where the others followed. A knot twisted in my stomach as the funnel touched down and a crash sounded, a ring of dirt flying through the air.
"Was anybody else coming?" Darcy asked, her voice wavering slightly.
"No," Hogun answered before explosions were seen where the tunnel touched down.
"Oh, shit," I said, knowing that where Phil and others had been. "I'll be back," I told them before taking off down the street and towards the motel where Clint was. I ran up the stairs and burst through the door, not at all surprised to find him still asleep. "Barton, up!" I snapped as I grabbed the bag that held his bow and arrows.
"What the hell, Nora?" he asked, pushing himself up. "What is it?"
"We got an unfriendly," I told him. "Suit up."
He sprung out of bed and snatched the bag out of my hands and rushed into the bathroom.
I reached under the motel bed and pulled out the armored box out and setting it on the bed. Throwing it open I grabbed the utility belt and several of the guns. Clipping the belt on I holstered the guns, already knowing that it wouldn't kill an Asgardian but it might slow one down.
"What's the plan?" Clint asked, walking out in uniform and suit in hand.
"Evacuating the town," I told him as we headed out of the room. "Once everyone is gone I want you to head out to where Phil and others went and make sure they're okay."
His head snapped over to look to me. "Nora-"
"That's an order, Barton," I told him.
"Fine," he growled, pushing the front door open and stepping outside. "This is going to be fun."
"Don't do anything stupid," I told him.
"Ditto," he said before rushing off.
I rolled my eyes and took off to where Thor was. "Thor! Do we have a plan?" I asked, having noticed that Lady Sif and the Warriors Three were heading down the street.
"My friends shall fight the enemy," he told me.
I nodded. "I'll have to help them then," I stated before moving to follow them but was forced to stop when he grabbed my arm.
"Lady Eleanor, this is not your fight, I cannot ask this of you," he stated, clearly distraught.
I couldn't help but smile at him. "That's the beauty of it, you don't have to ask."
He went to argue but cut off when an explosion ripped through the street.
We looked over and found what I wish I could say as one of Tony's suits but knew that it wasn't.
"Please tell me that's not what I think it is," I pleaded.
"It is the Destroyer," Thor stated, his voice almost full of awe.
I groaned. "Beautiful," I said before taking off down the street to catch up to the Asgardians. "Mind if I join you?" I asked once I was close enough.
They all stopped and looked back at me with shock.
"Lady Creed, this is-"
I cut Fandral off. "Thor's already told me," I stated. "I chose to ignore him."
Sif watched me for a moment before a smile pulled at her lips. "She will fight, whether we let her or not," she stated.
I smiled back at her. "Couldn't of said it better myself," I told her. "Do we have a game plan?"
The game plan sucked ass. Volstagg had been batted away like a fly and thrown into a shop and Sif had nearly been incinerated in her attempt at a sneak attack.
"Fall back!" she yelled as she scrambled away from the Destroyer as it pulled itself off her spear.
I had planned to stand my ground, knowing that if anyone could withstand the fire it gave off was me but was wretched from my stance by Sif's rather strong grip and dragged away from the enemy.
I wish I had seen the incoming shot due to the very unsettling feeling of being thrown through the air and into a car. I landed beside Sif with an annoyed groan, pushing myself to my feet with her as the others moved forward to collect us.
The Destroyer reared up once again for a shot but this time, however, I had seen it.
I spun myself around, crossed my arms in front of my face just in time to block the jet of fire.
There had never been a time when I had doubted the strength of the Adamantium, had never worried if it would fail me. The heat of the Destroyers fire was enough for those doubts to start.
The skin on my forearms had burned away almost instantly and an uncomfortable burning radiated through my bones but the Adamantium remained in place, combating against the fire.
"Get out of here!" I yelled, knowing that the Warriors Three were close enough to hear me.
"We are not leaving you!" one of them yelled back.
"Move!" I snapped, my voice a growl.
Seeing no other option they did as I told them. They collected Sif and hurried off, hopefully to somewhere out of range.
The Destroyer groaned and leaned forward, the beam of fire intensifying.
I couldn't help the grunt that left me as my boots began to scrap against the asphalt as I slid back by the force. A voice in the back of my head was cussing out Thor for taking his time.
"Eleanor!"
Speak of the devil.
A startled yelp left me when an arm wrapped around my waist and yanked me back. Next thing I knew I has pressed against the side of one of the cars and a concerned Thor was crouched in front of me.
"You should not have done that, Eleanor," he told me.
"Well, it's kind of my job," I told him.
"You have destroyed your arms," he stated, his hands gripping my wrist and elbow to raise one arm so I could see my exposed bone. "I am sorry."
I shook my head. "It'll heal soon enough," I told him.
His eyebrows pulled together. "I must ask. Do all Midgardians have metal bones?"
I chuckled. "Just me," I told him, wincing slightly at the sting of my healing arms. "You got a plan for this?" I asked, jerking my head towards the advancing Destroyer.
He paused before nodding. "Yes, I do."
The knot in my stomach twisted again as I realized what he meant to do. "There isn't another way?"
"I am afraid not," he answered. "I know I have no right to ask this of you but will you make sure that Jane will be okay?"
I nodded. "I promise," I told him.
"Thank you, Lady Eleanor," he said, bowing his head to me. "It was an honor to have met you."
I bowed my head back. "The honor is mine."
And with that he was gone, walking towards what both of us assumed as certain death.
"Brother, whatever I have done to wrong you, whatever I have done to lead you to this, I am truly sorry. But these people are innocent. Taking their lives will gain you nothing. So take mine and end this."
I held my breath as the sound of the Destroyer powering up filled the air. I hadn't noticed that I had been holding my breath before the Destroyer went quiet. I peeked around the car and found that it had turned away from Thor and began to step away. I almost cheered before it's hand swung back and hit Thor, throwing him into the air and sending him crashing onto the asphalt.
"No!" Jane gasped before she rushed forward to kneel by his side, pleading for him to be okay.
I sat frozen on the on the ground as I watched Jane cry over Thor's body, memories of a radio conversation and a destroyed office playing at the back of my head as I struggled to keep myself under control. Both my and Jane's attention was drawn away from the dead prince as something shot up into the sky just outside of town and shot towards Thor.
Snapping out of my shock I shot to my feet and ran forward, stepping around Thor and grabbing Jane around the waist as I dragged her backwards away from him.
"No. No. No!" she shouted as I carried her towards the others.
"Oh shit," I cursed before spinning her around and shielding her just in time for Mjölnir to be caught in Thor's hand.
Lightening shot from the sky and descended on Thor, crackling and roaring as his armor reattached itself to him.
I pulled Jane a little farther away before allowing her to step to the side and watch as the man she had thought dead stood in a shower of lightening, arm raised as he held Mjölnir to the sky.
"Oh my God," she breathed, a bright smile pulling at her lips.
The Destroyer fired again but was knocked to the side as Thor threw Mjölnir, the hammer slamming into the side of its head. It fell to the ground as the hammer returned, once again held in Thor's hand. Without a moment's hesitation he flew up into the air and swung Mjölnir by the strap above his head.
Jane laughed happily as she continued to struggle in my arms slightly. I looked up with wide eyes as the wind picked up and what I assumed as a tornado began to form. "Okay, time to move," I decided as I once again picked her up and carried her back a few more feet.
"What are you doing?! Put me down!" she demanded, slapping at my hands in a futile attempt to get me to let her go.
"I promised Thor that I would keep you safe," I told her. "So that's what I'm doing."
She calmed down and looked over to me. "You were with the guys who took my research," she stated.
I nodded. "Yeah, sorry about that, by the way," I said. "I'm Eleanor Creed, Director of S.H.I.E.L.D."
Realization came to her eyes. "You're the one who let Thor go. You told Erik you would give all of our stuff back."
I nodded again. "And I shall do that as soon as everything settles down," I promised her. "Now watch your man kick ass."
A smile pulled at her lips before she turned her attention back to the tornado where the Destroyer had been lifted into the air. Lightening and fire flashed through the clouds before a resounding CLANG! Sounded through the air and the Destroyer crashed to the ground, the tornado dissipating as Thor walked towards us, seeming completely unfazed.
Jane wiggled out of my arms and stepped forward. "So, this is how you normally look?" she asked, taking his red and silver armor.
"More or less," he answered, stopping in front of us.
She nodded. "It's a good look."
Thor gave her a small smile before looking back to his friends. "We must go back to the Bifrost site. I would have words with my brother."
"Excuse me!" Phil's voice rang out.
I looked over and smiled brightly when I found him and Clint walking towards us, the car and several more agents a few feet away. "You're okay!" I said before dashing forward to pull Phil into a hug. "I was sure you were going to do something stupid when the Destroyer came through."
Phil hugged me back with a wry chuckle. "Your confidence in me is astounding," he stated. "Do I want to know what happened?"
I pulled away from him as I shook my head. "All you need to know is that Thor just kicked some serious ass," I told him. "I think we owe him an apology," I told him, my tone dropping to a loud whisper.
Phil let out a sigh and stepped forward, looking to Thor. "Thor? I don't think-"
"Know this, Son of Coul," Thor interrupted. "You and I, we fight for the same cause, the protection of this world," he told him. "From this day forward, you can count me as your ally."
Phil watched him for a moment before nodding.
I stepped forward. "And as allies we don't steal stuff from each other, right?" I asked, looking to Phil.
"Borrowed," he argued but didn't push it as he looked to Jane. "Of course, you can have your equipment back. You're gonna need it to continue your research."
Thor smiled and looked down to Jane. "Would you like to see the bridge we spoke of?" he asked.
Jane looked up to him and smiled hesitantly. "Uh, sure," she answered.
With a smile that could rival a wolves he wrapped his arm around Jane's waist and pulled her to his side. "Hold on tight," he told her before they took off into the sky.
"Wait! I need to debrief you!" Phil yelled after them.
I rolled my eyes and patted him on the shoulder. "Good luck with that," I told him before looking to the agents by the car. "Call in a clean-up crew!" I called to them before pointing to the Destroyer. "And get that to S.H.I.E.L.D.!"
"Yes, Director," they chorused.
"We're going to follow them, right?" Darcy asked, looking to everyone in a plea.
"Of course we are," all of us answered.
Phil cleared his throat. "I'm going to supervise here," he told me. "You better hurry."
"Come on, Eleanor!" Selvig called as they rushed off to the research vehicle.
I ran after them and jumped in just before they took off. I closed the door and settled in next to Sif. "Should I be worried that Darcy's driving?" I asked, noticing that the petit brunette was behind the wheel.
"Hey, I'm a great driver!" Darcy defended. "I'm not the one who ran over Thor! Twice!"
Selvig chuckled. "No, but you did taze him," he stated.
I couldn't help but laugh at that. "You tazed the god of thunder?"
"He was freaking me out!"
"Darcy, you're my new best friend."
Darcy pulled the vehicle to a sudden stop and we all piled out, heading to where Thor was standing in the Bifrost pattern.
"Heimdall does not answer," Thor stated, walking over to us.
"Then we are stranded," Hogun stated, looking to his friends.
Thor looked back to the sky. "Heimdall! If you can hear me, we need you now!" he yelled. "Heimdall! We need you now!"
"Could Loki have done something to him?" I asked, hoping that the Asgardians weren't trapped on Earth.
Thor sent me a worried look before once again yelling. "Heimdall!"
With a moment of batted breath the cloud funnel appeared and touched down over the pattern. With bright smiles Lady Sif and Warriors Three ran forward to it.
Thor watched them go before stepping over to Jane. "I must go back to Asgard, but I give you my word," he said, his breath hushed. "I will return for you."
I smiled to myself as Jane leaned towards him only to pull back when he raised her hand and kissed her fingers.
"Deal?" he asked.
I held down my laughter as Jane practically jumped him, crushing her lips to his. I looked back to Darcy and found that she was watching her friend and Thor with a dreamy look on her face.
"Deal," Jane told him as soon as they pulled away.
Thor watched her for a moment before joining his friends under the Bifrost.
We all watched as the Bifrost fired and the five Asgardians disappeared.
I pulled in a deep breath and let it out. "Well, I think we've all earned ourselves a nice vacation, don't you think?" I asked, not like the way my forearms were still tingling from healing.
Jane let out a laugh and looked back at me. "Vacation? Are you insane?" she asked, a bright smile on her face. "Do you know what this means?!"
"You have a boyfriend now?" Darcy asked slowly.
Jane shot her a look. "No. It means I was right!" she stated. "I was right!" she yelled, before pulling Selvig into a tight hug. "I was right!"
Selvig laughed as he hugged her back. "Yes, yes you were," he told her. "We have a lot of work ahead of us, you know that, right?"
Darcy let out a groan and slumped down. "But we just- there was-and the-" she stuttered before groaning again as she realized no one was listening to her.
It was night by the time we were able to pull out with confidence that it all wasn't going to go to hell. Jane's equipment had been returned to her and the lab set up the way it was before we came in, Jane bullying some of the agents into doing so. There had also been a quick phone call to Nick for an agreement of ideas before I informed the three that S.H.I.E.L.D. would be funding their research. That had gotten me a rather tight hug from Jane along with Selvig and a fist bump from Darcy.
"We'll see you again, right?" Darcy asked, looking up to me with those big brown eyes.
I nodded. "Oh yeah," I told her. "There's no chance I'm letting you slip through the cracks," I stated before pulling the slip of paper from my pocket. "It's my cell number. You keep in touch, you hear?"
She smiled brightly and snatched the paper from my fingers. "You know I will," she said.
"You too, Jane," I said, looking over to the young scientist. "If anything comes up, anything you need help with, you call me," I told them.
Both women nodded.
"I'll bring you out to headquarters some time, you'll love the R&D department," I told her.
"And while she's there we can go shopping, right?" Darcy asked, leaning towards me with a suggestive smile.
I rolled my eyes and nodded. "And we can go shopping."
"How is it, that everywhere we go, you make a new friend?" Clint asked from the his seat across from me on the jet.
After another phone call to Nick he had sent out one of the jets, saving the day long road trip me, Phil, and Clint would have had to endure.
"Have you met Liz?" Phil asked from his own seat, the powdered sugar donuts sitting in his lap as he happily munched. "It's impossible to not like her."
I rolled my eyes. "Please, there are plenty of people who don't like me," I said.
"Like who?" Phil demanded.
"Maria for one," I answered.
"Hill?" Clint asked. "Why doesn't she like you?"
"Because I'm the only one who can keep Nick from pulling his stunts but I don't," I explained. "You should see the complaints she's filed with the Council against us."
Clint wrinkled his nose. "I never liked her," he stated. "She always gives me this holier than thou look."
I let out a snort. "You're kidding, right?" I asked. "Out of everyone at S.H.I.E.L.D. she's probably the only one who has the right to do that look. Her records so squeaky clean it's see-through."
"You're kidding."
I shook my head. "Nope. We pulled her from some government job. She's never been in the field."
Clint's eyes widened as he sat up. "Never been in the field?" he asked.
I shook my head.
He scoffed and dropped back. "This is ridiculous, I'm filing a complaint," he stated.
I rolled my eyes and lifted my feet up onto his lap. "You do that."
"What did you do to your arms, Liz?" Phil asked, his tone demanding a no-nonsense answer.
I pursed my lips. "What makes you think I did something to my arms?" I asked, folding them across my chest.
He gave me a pointed look. "You wince every time you move them and the skin is slightly redder than the rest. Now, what did you do?" he asked again.
I let out a sigh. "I may or may not have gotten between the Destroyer and the others," I answered.
"You got in between in what way?" he asked, his eyebrow raised.
I grimaced. "In the way that made me wonder what the melting point of Adamantium is," I answered, looking away from the two men, knowing I was going to get an earful.
"I'm too tired to have this conversation again," Phil stated, closing his eyes as he took another bite of his donut.
"Me too," Clint agreed.
I looked between the two, more than a little confused. "Who the hell are you two and what have you done with Clint and Phil?" I asked, pushing myself up straighter. "You two are never too tired to chew me out. What the hell?"
"Do you want us to chew you out?" Clint asked, raising an eyebrow at me.
I shook my head quickly. "No, but it's just weird," I commented. "Why the hell are you so tired?" I asked, tapping my foot against Clint's shoulder.
"I couldn't sleep last night," he answered. "You gave me a lot to think about."
I perked up at that. "Have you decided to make your move?" I asked.
"You're finally going to ask Romanoff out?" Phil asked nonchalantly as he took another bite of his donut.
Clint looked over to him with wide eyes. "How do you know about that?"
Phil chuckled lightly. "I think you and Romanoff are the only ones who don't know," he said. "You've been skirting each other's coat tails for years now, I'm surprised I haven't found you two rutting about in a supply closet," he stated.
I chocked on my laughter as Clint went bright red. "That was beautiful," I praised, leaning forward to give Phil a high five. My laughter grew when the powdered sugar puffed from his fingers. "Seriously though, are you going to make a move?" I asked.
Clint cleared his throat and fidgeted in his seat. "Tasha doesn't play games so I think I'm just going to be really blunt."
I let out a groan. "You're not going to start a love affair, Clint," I told him.
He looked startled. "H-how the hell did you know that?" he demanded.
"I know you, Clint," I stated. "I know how you think and I know how Tasha thinks. She's going to resign herself to keeping it just a love affair because she's going to assume that that's all you want, and when you try to tell her otherwise she isn't going to listen. You were right about being blunt, though."
He groaned. "What the hell should I do?!"
I looked to Phil and gave him a questioning look.
He shrugged. "Kiss her."
"Yeah!" I said, smiling brightly. "Then tell her you love her."
Clint frowned. "I don't-"
"Yes you do," both me and Phil said.
Clint floundered for a moment before letting out a defeated sigh. "Fine," he said, scrubbing a hand over his face. "She's going to hurt me, I just know it."
"Yeah, probably," we both agreed.
He whimpered and dropped his head back against the seat, thinking over his future demise.
I chuckled lightly and relaxed into my seat, ready for the three hour flight back to Miami. I was edging on the darkness when my phone went off, filling the cabin with an annoying ring. I pulled it out of my pocket and smiled brightly when I found the number of the cellphone I had given Bruce. "Hey, Bruce," I answered, ignoring the curious looks of the two other men.
"Hi, Eleanor," Bruce greeted, his voice tired.
"Is everything okay?" I asked. "How did kicking the green guys ass go?"
He chuckled humorlessly. "It, uh, it went as well as could be expected," he answered. "The guy who had been helping me duplicated the blood sample I sent him. There were hundreds of blood bags. Eleanor, he didn't want to cure it, he wanted to manufacture it, make it into the new Super Soldier."
I pulled my feet from Clint's lap and sat up. "Does S.H.I.E.L.D. have to step in?" I asked.
"No, uh, it's taken care of," he told me. "Some stuff happened and I may have broke Harlem."
My eyebrows shot up. "You may have broke Harlem?" I asked.
"Yeah, well, the Other Guy did along with the other Other Guy."
"What other Other Guy?" I demanded.
"Do you remember the rather persistent soldier that chased us through Brazil?"
"The one with the crazy eyes?"
"Yes."
"Vaguely."
"He took one of the mutated serums. You should of seen this guy."
"I'm sure we have pictures," I mused, knowing that someone breaking Harlem would be one of the things S.H.I.E.L.D. would handle. "You're okay, though, right?"
"Yeah, uh, I'm fine. Ross took care of the other Other Guy and, uh, he let me go."
I couldn't help my frown. "Then why do you sound like he signed your death sentence?"
He let out a sigh. "After what happened tonight I can't be around people," he stated. "I have to learn to control it- to control him. I'm-I'm going away for a while."
"How long is a while?"
"As long as it takes," he answered. "I'm sorry, Eleanor, after all you've done for me and this-"
"You saved my son, Bruce," I reminded him. "I owe you a life, not a favor."
"Eleanor, you-you showed me that I can still do good while being a monster. If anyone owes a life, it's me."
"You're not a monster, Bruce, you're complicated," I told him.
He laughed lightly. "I wish I could see the world the way you do."
It was my turn to laugh humorlessly. "No, you really don't. I'm surprisingly morbid."
"Did you ever think that's why you see the good in everything?"
I let out a snort. "Thank you. Dr. Phil."
"Dammit Eleanor, I'm a scientist not a doctor."
I smiled brightly. "Did you really just make a Star Trek reference?"
"You know, I did have a life before the Other Guy," he told me.
"Well, maybe you can have a new one with the Other Guy?" I suggested.
He let out a sigh. "That's what I'm going to find out," he stated. "I just wanted to say goodbye before disappearing."
"Do me a favor and keep the phone with you? Turn it off, let it die, I don't care, just keep it on you?" I asked, knowing that the tracking device I put in it would work no matter what and I could make sure that he was safe.
"I'll keep it with me," he promised me. "Goodbye, Eleanor."
"Goodbye, Bruce," I said, listening till the dial tone replaced the silence.
"Fury will want to debrief you," Phil reminded me as we climbed off the plane.
"I know, Phil. I'll stop by in a few days," I promised as I walked towards my bike. I couldn't help but smile at the fact that someone had washed and polished it.
"Bring Tasha with you," Clint demanded.
I rolled my eyes. "All right, bird brain," I agreed, throwing my backpack over my shoulders before mounting my bike, pulling the helmet from the handlebars.
"Uh, Liz?" Phil asked, a hesitant look on his face.
I paused in lowering my helmet, not liking the look. "What?" I asked slowly.
He cleared his throat. "There was a situation at the Stark Expo. It's been handled but the park is pretty much destroyed."
I gave him a pushing look. "What was the situation?"
"Justin Hammer contracted Ivan Vanko to make him an army of Iron Man's. Ivan made himself a new suit along with fully operational drones which he used to attack the expo before attacking personally. Thanks to Mr. Stark and Lt. Col. Rhodes, the drones were destroyed and Ivan was neutralized."
"Is Pepper okay?"
Phil nodded. "Miss. Potts and Mr. Stark were seen, for lack of a better word, making out on a roof top while part of the park exploded."
I rolled my eyes. "Nice, Tony, real romantic," I grumbled.
Clint's eyes brightened. "Do you think Tasha would-"
"Yes," both me and Phil answered.
"But, uh, please don't blow anything up that doesn't need to be," Phil said, clapping him on the shoulder.
Clint pulled a face at him. "No shit."
I shook my head. "I'll see you two in a few days," I told them, pulling my helmet on and starting my bike, the engine roaring as I peeled out of the air strip.
The house was quiet as I walked up the stairs, my boots making subtle thumps as I did. I reached the top and headed towards the kitchen, hoping that Tony had eaten something while I was gone and there were left overs in the fridge. I glanced over to the windows and stopped when my eyes landed on the pain sleeping on the couch.
Pepper lay curled against Tony's side, his arm wrapped around his waist with his head resting against hers. He was dressed in his typical sweats and T-shirt while Pepper remained in her dress, her once perfect hairstyle disheveled.
I smiled at the two and grabbed the blanket off the back of the couch and draped it over them, not having the heart to wake them up.
A grieving father once told me: "A parent's greatest fear is out living their child."
I have faced the possibility of Tony's death twice now and I could, with everything that I am, agree with that crying man.
Thank you all for reading! Okay, don't kill me but there's one more movie before Avengers. Fantastic Four 1! We get to see how Eleanor reacts to Johnny Storm!
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