A/N: First things first, I only own my OCs and Plot.

Secondly, Big Fan (Guest): Thank you! I'm glad you are enjoying the story and how I have it set up. Everyone being connected is the whole point of this so I am glad someone likes it.

Big thank you to my wonderful Beta for editing. Please review/favorite/follow. Now enjoy some family time.


Chapter 28: A decision.

**DSB:4 middle of the afternoon NYC- LF**

If Loki was honest with himself, the decision to make the mortal leader, Anya, a slave was more of a whim than anything else; although, she knew something of importance and his spies were useless; thus, having her close by made sense. When he agreed to assist with the 'recovery' work, he insisted she would owe a debt because it is always handy to have people indebted. Then with Barton gone and her mention of work the idea just came to him. A small, very small, part of him flinched at the thought that he had caused her pain; however, she needed to be taught obedience – like a dog needs to know the hand of its master.

It was a good decision, Loki decided. He had seen how efficient she was at running her organization. It would be interesting to see how she adapted to serving him. That was assuming she would come back. He let her go as a test. If she failed it then he would either kill her or turn her using his scepter. He did wonder to himself why he hadn't used the scepter to begin with; probably because it was more entertaining to allow her to continue to grasp at the ridiculous obsession with freedom. Anyway, if she made a mistake or he found that she knew more than she had told him, then he would turn her, use her and kill her. Simple as that.

**ATST in NYC- AF**

"We saw everything," Tony said immediately when the Skype call started. After Tony had texted her about Skype, she grabbed her computer and the assassins and set up in the living room. Through the computer, Anya could see Phil sitting by Tony and the rest of the guys huddled behind them. The screen was so small that she could only tell that they were outside but not exactly where.

Hearing Tony say that and seeing the look on everyone's faces, Anya couldn't help but feel...guilty...and dirty. She knew that it wasn't her fault, but to know that her brothers and her friends saw her kneel to that monster and agree to be a slave was horrifying. It was almost worse than living through it the first time. She felt so much shame.

At that sentence Anya felt tears fall down her face. It was too much for her. She passed the laptop over to Natasha who was sitting on her left, Barton on the other side of her. Muttering, "Give me a moment" Anya ignored whoever was crying her name as she ran to the restroom.

Holding onto the small sink, she tried to stop the tears from flowing and sobs coming out. She could only think of how they had seen her like that – so weak and pitiful. After a few moments and deep breaths, she was able to push back the tears. She held them back by the reminder that this might be the last time she would see her brothers' faces. She didn't know how much time she would have left with them. She could not afford to waste it. After washing her face and blowing her nose she left the restroom.

Walking into the living room, where Natasha and Barton were still sitting on the couch with her laptop, she could hear Natasha giving them an update on the past two days. She arrived to hear Tony threaten to beat the shit out of Barton for injuring his sister so badly.

Trying to lighten everything she spoke, "Don't worry Tony, I landed a few hits on him. So no need to injure him further." Barton and Natasha looked up at her as spoke. Both were smirking at her comment.

"Anya? I can't see you."

Anya rolled her eyes. "Give me a minute," she told Tony. She gestured Natasha to scoot over so she could sit between the assassins again. Taking the laptop and putting it in her lap she looked once again at her concerned family.

"I'm sorry," she began.

Phil shook his head, "It's understandable. You've been through a lot."

"We're going to get you through this kid." Tony added.

Anya gave a small sad smirk, "Kid?"

Tony rolled his eyes and smiled, clearly happy about her teasing, "You know what I mean."

She smiled back, "I do…" Her smile however was short lived, "Tony, Phil there's nothing you can do though."

"The hell there isn't" Tony protested and continued, " We are – "

Anya quickly interrupted him, " – stop Tony. I can't know your plans." Tony looked slightly confused as did everyone else. "There is no guarantee that he won't find out who I am and torture me for information or decide to mind control me for whatever reason. Truth be told I am surprised he hasn't yet." Understanding filled every Avengers face. Anya could feel Barton tense beside her at the mention of mind control.

"I get that, but…"Tony spoke but his voice dropped off and Anya finished his sentence.

"But you want to give me hope. Right?" Tony nodded; she knew her brother. "My hope is not in some plan, but in you. Each of you," she said looking at each Avenger, including the two next to her. "Same as it is for everyone in the world. I know that sounds corny but it's true. I believe in each of you and I literally trust you all with my life."

"We won't let you down," Phil swore and everyone else nodded their heads in agreement.

"I know you won't." Then she continued, trying to lighten the mood, "But whatever you have planned I would appreciate it being done quickly. I don't want to be a slave for long."

"We'll move quickly," Phil promised.

"Yeah because we were totally planning on taking our time and letting Loki rule this world for a while," Tony added sarcastically. Anya rolled her eyes. Biting her lower lip she tried to figure out the best way to say what was on her mind.

"Anya, what is it?" Steve asked, speaking for the first time.

" I…I want you to promise, well this really falls on you Tony, that you won't watch me through JARVIS."

"What?" Tony sputtered out.

"That is how you saw what happened, right? I …" tears were filling her eyes, she fought them back and tried to keep her voice calm as she continued, " I can't stand the thought of you seeing me like that…as a slave."

"But Anya –" Tony started and she once again interrupted him.

"- No Tony. Have JARVIS give up updates that I am alive, but that's it. You, all of you, can't lose focus right now. I can't lose focus right now. If I get injured – or anything else happens - I know it will affect you. I…I won't forgive myself I cause you guys to get injured because of me." Everyone stayed silent for a while, contemplating what she said.

"Please… promise me," she begged her family.

Tony looked almost like he was choking, but after a moment he agreed, "I promise, but if I don't hear from you every day I am turning the feed on."

Anya gave a small smile, that was so like her brother always arguing, "After three day," she bartered.

"Fine," Tony exhaled.

"The rest of you promise too," she told all the Avengers and they all agreed. There was a tense silence before Anya decided to ask the last question that had come to mind when she was crying in the bathroom.

"Thor?" she asked the demigod whose head was barely visible to the left of Phil.

"Yes Lady Anya," he answered

"…I am guessing you had slaves on Asguard?" she started and Thor's brows furrowed, most likely from wondering where this was going.

"Mostly servants, but yes there is slavery on Asguard," he answered cautiously.

Anya stopped herself from biting her lip and forced herself to keep looking at Thor's face. "How…how did Loki treat his slaves?" She wanted and didn't want to ask that question just as she wanted and didn't want to know that answer.

At her question Thor cringed, causing a pit to form in Anya's stomach. When he didn't answer right away she pressed him, "Thor, please, I need to know."

The large man let out a sigh and his eyes looked at her full of pity, "For the most part he seemed to ignore them, but it was not uncommon, as the years progressed, for the slaves that attended him to have an injury or two."

Anya felt cold. She was doomed. She closed her eyes and tried to control her thoughts. Maybe it would be different… maybe…. no, probably not. When she opened her eyes she could see everyone was watching her with concern. "Thank you, Thor, for answering my question."

"Little bird what are we going to do?" Tony muttered silently to himself.

**DSB: 5 mid morning – AF **

Anya poured the last bit of her coffee in her mouth before setting the mug back down on her desk. It was her third cup. It had been a long night. It had been a long yesterday. A long few days in fact. Anya sighed and wondered if it was ever going to get easier. Probably never, Anya decided as her laptop dinged noting the arrival of yet another email. Cringing at the number of emails she had, Anya went back to work. She was, besides dealing with the normal work load, trying to organize things for Connor who would be taking over for her.

The meeting where she told her team she was leaving had gone fairly well. She couldn't let her team think she was just abandoning them, so she gave a half truth. She had promised the King a favor in return for the funding and assistance. Now he lost a worker and she was going to help him out for a while. The timing was terrible, but he was the leader and she owed him. They all understood. They knew how seriously she took her promises. Although, Anya reflected, that, Connor and Mike had reacted oddly. Mike seemed relieved while Connor seemed almost jealous of her new work. Oh well, they probably had their reasons, Anya figured.

There was still no news about her boss, so Connor was the lead. The man hated the work, but he was the only one ready for the position. Neither Marcus nor John wanted to lead and while Mike wanted to take the lead, he wasn't at Connor's level yet. Trying not to think of the situation she was leaving her team in, Anya focused on the task at hand. This was her last day as a free woman. No, she couldn't think like that. This was just…she didn't know what to call it, but she refused to think of it as the end of anything.

Anya mentally checked herself and focused on work. Like how she was going to tell the other heads of organizations she was leaving her position tomorrow to work for the new King. Everyone was going to see her as a traitor, she realized. Mentally groaning she was glad when Connor came into her office with a question clear on his face. Ahh distractions, such wonderful things, Anya thought.

**ATST – NYC – NF **

"This isn't good Nat," Clint gently commented to Natasha. They were both sitting in Anya's kitchen drinking a cup of coffee. The blue eyed girl herself had long since gone to work. After a rather late night of planning with the team, both Natasha and Clint had opted to sleep in.

Natasha sighed at Clint's comment, her hands wrapped around the blue mug for warmth.

"What else are we going to do Clint?" Natasha questioned back.

"Something – anything" her partner replied, frustration clearly in his tone.

" We can't do anything right now – not only would it be suicide for us but for the nation. We need Banner and Stark to create the device so we can attack Loki without government repercussions. We can't kidnap Anya or a lot of people will be taken out."

"So we let her sacrifice herself to a psychopath. You heard Thor. The bastard injured his slaves. Who knows what he will do to her."

Natasha didn't answer. She knew from firsthand experience what it was like to be a slave. That was what she was to the Red Room. She didn't know it at the time. Nor has anyone, including herself used, that word, but it didn't make it any less true. She had been forced into an assassin's life as a child. She had been at the mercy of her handlers as Anya would be at Loki's. There was no telling what that demigod would do to her.

Natasha only knew that Anya would never be the same afterwards. Assuming there was an afterwards. Natasha wanted to argue with herself that Anya would make it out alive and okay, that all of them would walk away from this. But Natasha couldn't and wouldn't do that. It was false hope that could lead to foolish choices and waste lives. She would analyze everything and try to remain detached. Well as detached as possible. She would enjoy taking Loki down – after Clint and now Anya. That slimy green git had it coming.

"Agg!" Clint shouted out loud. Natasha didn't move a muscle. Clint could be impatient and emotional at times. This time there was an obvious reason why – it was personal. Clint smoothly stood up from the small table, and dumped his mug into the sink.

"We should do something," he told Natasha as he leaned against the counter.

"Clean your mug and put it back," Natasha told him in a flat voice

"What?'

"Clean the mug and put it back. It has to look like one person lives here," she reminded him.

Clint rolled his eyes, but did as his partner suggested. As he was washing the dishes he looked at her, "I'm serious, Nat. I need to do something other than sit around here."

Natasha sighed, "Shut it Clint. It's one more day. Tomorrow morning we'll leave to meet the team. Till then we sit tight."

"There has to be something to do," Clint whined. God the man was like a five year old at times, Natasha felt.

"We can't do anything that might attract the attention of the neighbor or damage the apartment," Natasha reminded him.

"So… I can sit here for the rest of the day."

"You can. I," Natasha stated standing up and handing her glass to Clint to clean, "am going to do some basic exercises and then box up some of Anya's stuff."

"What?"

Seriously, the man was clueless Natasha felt, "Anya has to put everything in storage tonight. Why do you think she was up late packing? She didn't ask for help because I'm injured and you're recovering."

"Oh"

Ignoring Clint after that point, Natasha left the kitchen and went into the guest bedroom she was using. True to her word, Natasha started exercising, careful to make no noise and not to rip her stitches. In reality, she was feeling just as impatient as Clint to be off, but there was no point. They would only arrive at the rendezvous point early if they left now. Also, Anya needed them to be there tonight.

** ATST Somewhere in Oklahoma- SF**

It was all a mess. That was the conclusion Steve came to as he watched the scenery change out the window. He had been stuck in the small car for hours; squished in the backseat with Stark and Banner. Everyone had long since gone silent; their minds racing.

Steve felt angry and slightly bitter. He was just getting used to life in NYC. He was actually working his courage up to ask Anya on a date. Now he might never have the chance. He doubted they would make it out of this. Though he was damn sure Anya would. Steve didn't know how, but he was going to save her. If any of them deserved to survive this it was her.

***ATST - BF***

Bruce was used to traveling. Being stuck in the backseat, with Tony and Steve sitting behind Thor, wasn't pleasant, but it wasn't the worst he had endured by far. Still despite all the traveling in the past, all the secrecy, hiding from the government, and trying to live on edge, nothing had strained him like this trip. They couldn't arrive at their destination fast enough. Tony and he needed to start working, but could do nothing in the car. They couldn't take a flight because of the government nor could they use any other means of transportation. So the slow car ride was the only option.

Bruce tapped his fingers lightly against the car door's arm rest, revealing his impatience. He looked left at his new colleague and quite possibly friend. To say Tony was tense was an understatement. It looked like Agent Coulson wasn't much better, Bruce decided looking at the driver. Actually no one looked okay. It seemed the blue eyed girl had impacted them all. All of them wanted to stop the future.

Jim's eyes grew serious, "…although if you can, protect my girl."

Looking him in the eye, Bruce nodded his head. "I promise," he told Jim.

Bruce blinked, coming out of the flashback. Those words, his promise, kept echoing in his head. He stopped tapping the door as his hand formed a fist. He had to keep his promise.


A/N: Dun Dun Dun! And so it begins. Next chapter. Reviews make my day and follows/favorites make my week. Just saying.