29 : Take a space ride with an Asgardian Cowboy


Sid had pretty much mowed down Steve and Bucky to get to the elevator. Despite her insistent tapping and repetitive come-ons Jarvis waited for them to catch up before starting their ascent. She was bobbing up and down on her toes so rapidly that Bucky had to reach out and put a steady hand on her shoulder. Even though he could still feel her vibrating down to her bones, she just smiled over her shoulder at him like she just brushed her teeth with sunshine.

Arriving in the debrief room was a new experience for Sid. Aside from squatting in Avengers Tower, she did her damned best to keep away from official business. Most of her attention was diverted anyway, trying to re-educate Bucky now that she had unlimited resources, being a confidant to Steve, and trying to maintain some sort of connection to the homeless mutants of New York though their refuge was destroyed. That tiny fact still seemed to make her heart stutter when she thought about it.

The room they entered knocked Sid out of her thoughts. Since it was designed by Tony, it looked like a cooler replica of every evil villain office from every bond movie, with a dash of porn set thrown in for flare. She couldn't help a small scoff when she walked in and saw the rest of the Avengers gathered at the head of an oblong table, greeting a man draped in an actual cape who towered over them with the purest smile she had ever seen on his lips.

She halted her excited steps when her nerves finally hit her. She didn't realize how closely Steve and Bucky were following behind until they bumped into her back, and being two human freight trains, sent her sprawling half-onto the table with a thud. She groaned softly as the room was doused in awkward silence while Bucky and Steve both clamored to help her stand.

When she straightened, Thor was standing in front of her with a large grin on his face. "You are new and since you don't have the metal arm, I am to assume you are the conundrum that has Tony and Bruce so puzzled." He stretched out an arm in greeting and Sid slowly lifted her hand and placed it in his massive grip. He shook her hand once, tight, but not uncomfortable, "It is most honorable to meet you, friend of Captain Rogers and Sergeant Barnes."

"Wow." Was all she could come up with. Steve chuckled behind her, understanding completely.

Thor's grin widened in gorgeous ease, "It is I who should be in awe, Lady —?" Thor lead her.

Sid jumped as her brain finally caught up with the conversation, "Uh, Sid! Just Sid is fine."

He seemed amused as he eyed her up and down with an innocent thoughtfulness, "Sid, then. I have a friend who may admire you greatly." Sid blushed wildly while Thor shook her hand again and finally let go. "I hear that your strength and powers have even Bruce and Tony perplexed as to their origin."

"That's correct." She grinned a little sheepishly.

"I look forward to discussing it in great detail, but I hope you will forgive me while I greet my greatly missed shield-brother." Thor grinned widely and glanced over her head to look at Steve.

Sid looked over her shoulder and realized the type of sandwich Steve, her, and Thor formed and felt her entire body heat up, "Oh! Yeah!" She jittered, slipping from between them with a forced frantic peppiness, "Duh…" She joked, all in all completely flustered as she went to lean against Bucky, who only watched on with a very slight, amused grin at her unease. She noticed his smug grin and she tsked at him with an annoyed glare before gazing back up at Thor in wonder.

"It is a great blessing to see you again my Captain." Thor embraced Steve solidly and they held on for a few moments while they spoke. Thor leaned in to whisper, "I am most gratified that you have found your brother."

Steve nodded into Thor's shoulder, "It's great to see you, Thor. I missed you."

They patted each other on the back for a few solid beats now that emotions were exchanged and then finally separated. Thor gripped Steve's shoulders in his massive hands and shook him with a small delight, "Now please, introduce me properly to your most exalted companion."

Steve flushed slightly at Thor's wording and cleared his throat, "Thor Odinson, this is Sergeant James Buchanan Barnes."

Thor turned to Bucky and reached out a slow hand with kind words on his lips, "It is a great honor." Thor's face seemed serious but his voice was impassioned, "I know what it is to battle darkness, brother. I say this not to distract from your pain, but so that you know and understand how dearly we hold you within our ranks. We have all lost loved ones here and even the smallest chance to have them back again…" Thor's voice wavered slightly and Bucky swallowed heavily. Sid was already holding back tears as Thor continued, "You cannot and will not be held responsible for deeds committed without your consent. From what I have read of your tales with our Captain, I know you to be an honorable man. I trust that you will find yourself again, whoever you so choose to be."

The weight of his words seemed to cut off Bucky's air and everyone in the room went still with sentiments they all felt at their core.

Thor didn't seem to notice the overwhelming affect of his words as he continued, his voice stern as opposed to soft and he reached his arm only slightly further towards Bucky, cautious and patient, "Know this, esteemed Sergeant Barnes, your honor and your name was kept forthright by our Captain and will be kept so by yourself after this day. The darkness will pass, my new friend, and know that we will be here, no matter the struggle."

Steve was gaping at Thor with tears in his eyes and those heady words on his lips. Everything he wanted to say came from Thor and it simultaneously gutted him and eased his spirit. He stared at Bucky who was blinking at Thor, his eyes widened in utter disbelief as his brain processed the words.

Bucky reached out his hand and clasped Thor's arm, gripping wrists in a warrior's lock, "Thanks." He muttered softly and they shook once.

After Thor and Bucky let go of each other, Tony piped up, "Well, if I knew reading you some Shakespeare would have made you fall in love with me, I'd have done it sooner."

"Tony…" Steve lamented and Sid just sniffled through her giggles with the rest of the room's chortle.

"Come now," Thor turned and pulled Sid under his arm in a brotherly way and announced to the room, "tell me what you've discovered and I will do my best to aid you."

Everyone gathered at the table and sat down. Natasha and Clint started with discovering Bucky in the tunnels. They walked Thor through the same process they walked Steve through. Sid picked up next, talking about how she ran into Bucky and kept a disaster from happening. She discussed very briefly how they became close over the next few weeks and they gained each other's trust. Steve then took over the story telling and he told Thor all about the search for Bucky and how he went to find them in the tunnels alone. The resulting battle was explained in explicit detail, with Sid filling in all the interesting bits from her perspective until they got to the part she couldn't really remember. Then came the long winded explanation of the tests conducted by Tony with all of the more pertinent bits added in by Bruce. When they were all finished and all the figures and paperwork were explained and examined, Thor sat back, staring at Sid, contemplative.

He pulled the figures to him again and examined them closely, "I have relatively remedial knowledge of the dated science of this realm, but I am familiar with enough to understand that the testing Bruce and Tony conducted will not be able to gauge your origins." He turned to Sid this time, concern on his features as the room held their collective breath, "I do however have great knowledge of my own people's composition and a decent grasp on that of humans and the other known realms — it is necessary for he who would be King to intimately know his people and his allied worlds." He finished casually. Nodding to Sid, "From what I understand of the information supplied by our friends, you are neither like them, like me, and so far, unlike any realm I know of."

Sid's eyes instantly watered at his words, a deep sense of loss echoing with the statement in her chest, though she did her best to smile politely. She swallowed heavily and looked at Steve sitting next to her, his face dropping in comprehension, "What does that mean?" She asked Steve a little lamely. She blinked at his non response and then turned back to Thor, "I d-don't understand."

"You look like humans do and it is very possible that you are from here, from this earth. Perhaps a mutation was so great in your genetic line that it somehow jumped generations of evolution to produce you and your gifts." Thor clarified, albeit a little lamely.

"Oh?" Sid gulped back her panic slightly. Steve reached out to hold her hand.

Thor continued when she calmed, "The instruments they use here are not as well known to me, but I believe, if you desire truth, that there are healers and what you call scientists from my home that might be able to aid you." He glanced at Steve who looked concerned and then back at a thoughtful Bruce and Tony, who seemed miffed at Thor's insult to his machinery, "There are histories and gathered lore that we have at our disposal that will cast a wider net for gathering information."

Sid nodded slowly, an edgy sort of panic and eagerness in her tone, "So, you'll take my results back to them and they'll what? Study them? Do they need samples? Do I have to have pieces of me flown across space to figure out who I am?"

Thor smiled softly and reached out a hand and placed it on her arm, "I realize this seems daunting and you must discern what you truly want. If you return to Asgard with me, we can consult the leading scholars —,"

"Wait, what?" Sid surged forward and her hand gripped Thor's arm, "I can go to Asgard?"

"She can go to Asgard?!" Tony almost shouted in disbelief.

Thor chuckled at Tony's impertinence, "Brother Stark, you must understand that invitations to my realm are not handed out lightly. Sid is a marvel of the cosmos and she has lent aid to our Captain and his friend when all was thought lost. You will get your turn." He faced Sid with a gentle smile, "I must admit you intrigue me as well. I'm curious to unravel the mystery of your beginnings."

Tony scoffed and flopped back into his seat with devastation and Bruce reached out a hand to rub his shoulder in a very gently mocking sympathy.

"I can go to Asgard?" Sid grinned wide, absolutely stunned. "Me? In space?"

Tony mumbled bitterly, "Rub it in much?"

Thor ignored Tony's comment and nodded kindly to Sid. He was always amused by the reactions he garnered from those who did not know the true marvels of the universe. "I have a feeling that the scholars and the All-father would be interested in aiding you as well. We are charged with protecting the nine realms — that includes every being within them."

"Wait, wait, wait," Steve finally interrupted, waving his hands to stop Sid from continuing to speak, "I'm sorry to interrupt, but Thor, are these measures even safe for her?"

Thor nodded, smiling at Steve in understanding, "I promise you Steve that my Lady Jane has undergone similar studies when she encased the Aether. Your Sid will be safe."

"She's — not my…" Steve interjected and finished weakly, glancing around at the faces watching him.

"Pft, yeah, I'm holding out for a real hero." Sid mocked Steve lovingly to get the focus off of his growing blush. "Right Bruce?"

Bruce choked on the coffee that he was sipping, "I'm sorry, what?"

Sid just winked at him exaggeratedly and Thor burst into a raucous laughter. He slapped Sid on the back and it rattled her bones down to the core. "I am most pleased to have met you Sid, I imagine with you and Sergeant Barnes, the Captain can hardly be displeased in being so busy."

Steve flushed fully red at the implication, clearing his throat slightly and picking at the table, "I-its not quite like that Thor."

Thor glanced between Sid, who grinned nervously, Steve, who blushed further, and Bucky, who was flickering his gaze between Sid and Steve in confusion, "Is it not?" Thor seemed perplexed for a moment and then waved off his comment, "I forget that earth is rooted in more antiquated notions." He shrugged through his chuckle and faced the rest of the room who was stifling their laughter, "I admit, my reason for coming was not just to aid our lovely friend Sid, but also to make merry with my friends."

"Oh man, I love you." Sid giggled and turned to Steve, "You've officially been replaced." Steve glowered and pinched the back of her arm.

Clint cleared his throat over Sid's squeal as he stood, "Buy me a drink first and you can merry me all night long." He wiggled his eyebrows at Thor who stood and cheered.

"Lady Darcy and Lady Jane will be arriving in a couple of hours to join our revelry." Thor grinned at his friends. "We shall feast then."

Tony stood, "You can't just show up and throw a feast at my house, man." He sounded truly bothered and Thor frowned deeply in remorse. "Not without telling me first so we can make it a real shindig! Jarvis, call Pepper. Tell her we need a feast big enough for the Avengers."

"Should I call in the chefs sir?" Jarvis trilled.

Tony smiled wide, "Oh, brilliant plan! Everyone go get dolled up! We're going to have a fancy feast at the Industries' kitchen!"

Natasha stood slowly, "Cat food included Stark?"

"You wear that leopard print dress from my birthday a few years ago, I'll eat Fancy Feast off your Louboutin's." He smirked back at her.

"You know she wouldn't disgrace her feet with that crap." Clint replied testily. "She likes Steiger's more."

Natasha smiled darkly and ruffled Clint's hair, "That's why he's my favorite."

Everyone stood and started milling about while Sid stayed in her chair, wringing her hands a little as she stared at her lap. A lot of things were happening all at once. For one thing, she might be flying through space someday soon and find out she's some sort of weird undiscovered alien shape shifter; on the other hand, she totally didn't have anything to wear that was even remotely fancy. The worst part was, she wasn't sure which situation stressed her out more.

Someone sat next to her and Sid shifted, seeing Natasha with a stern frown on her face, "Shouldn't you be thrilled about your expedited astronaut status?"

Sid chuckled nervously, "It's a little terrifying…"

Natasha nodded, glancing up at Steve, Sam, Thor and Bucky who were chatting rather amicably, "That and the fact that Stark surprised you with a fancy party and nothing to wear?"

Sid nodded enthusiastically with dread clear on her features.

Natasha chuckled lightly, "Don't stress, come with me." She grabbed Sid's hand and they slipped from the room without anyone but Clint noticing — only because he and Natasha basically read minds. He followed them into the hallway only a few moments later.

"Where are we going?" Sid asked nervously as Natasha dragged her down a hallway with Clint bringing up the rear looking particularly spy-ey.

"Jarvis?" Natasha said as she tugged Sid along.

"The room is prepped with a few items Ms. Potts and I think will be suitable for your mission." He replied.

"Mission?" Sid squeaked as they hopped into the elevator. As they turned around, Steve and Bucky wandered out into the hallway, probably looking for Sid.

"Hey…" Steve muttered and it carried down the hall, sounding disappointed at being left out.

Bucky frowned heavily when he saw Natasha smirking back at him and he stalked forward few paces just to be tempestuous.

The doors slid home and the last things he saw were Natasha sending him a self-satisfied little wave while Sid panicked completely and Clint just laughed.


A/N Yisssssssssss ThoR

ONE WEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEK.

Also #HeartEyes for Lmere, my beta.