A/N: As always, I only own my OCs and plot line. Thank you everyone who has followed/favorited! There is no greater thrill for a writer than to see his/her work being enjoyed by many different people around the world. Seriously love you all. Thank you also to those who have reviewed:

JediTara: Agents of Shield should answer your Helicarrier question. Loved AoU as well. Also, to your comment, the similarities in their back stories won't really be brought up in this story...possibly the sequel.

1248: I'm so glad to hear that my update brightened your day! Your comment made mine! Glad to have a voice for AnyaXSteve - I need a ship name for them.

Fairyfinder: Thank you! Also next time just ask, don't break something and pull a Thor ;). Thank you for agreeing with my author's privilege, and enjoying the story. As for Anya... well go ahead and read the chapter...poor thing...

CausticCottonballs: you comment made me laugh out load. I agree things got real, but you have no idea how much s*** is about to go down. That being said enjoy reading!

Triggerwarning:violence, although no worse than normal. Things are about to happen people. Chapter 41 is the start of the final battle/confrontation. Prepare thine selves.

As always - enjoy, follow, favorite, review, and share

Chapter 37: The World

***DSB: 9 – mid morning in NYC- AF***

Soft was the first word that came to Anya's mind as she woke up. Unconsciously she sighed and snuggled her head more into her pillow. Anya froze. Pillow? She was in a bed. She wasn't in the basement.

The memory of yesterday rushed back to her; shoving it back, unwilling to deal with it at the moment, Anya took a deep breath. Keeping her eyes closed, she ever so casually reached for the blanket covering her and pulled it up to hide half of her face. She didn't want anyone watching to see that she was awake. Or more importantly to see that she was talking.

"Jarvis," she whispered, "Can you speak to me so no one outside this room can hear you?" She wasn't sure if this would work. She wasn't sure how Jarvis operated. She just knew that he was apparently in every room. She hadn't tried this before in case she would get caught; however, she needed answers and felt that this was the best way.

Immediately after asking she heard the AI answer, "Yes, Ms. Marvel"

Anya almost cried in relief, "Jarvis, is anyone else in my room?"

"No, Ms., but there are several guards down the hall."

"How did I get here?"

"Ms. you were carried in while you were unconscious."

"You wouldn't know why Jarvis?"

"Loki ordered it after finding that you were related to Mr. Stark." At those words Anya froze realizing she was in deep shit.

"Jarvis, can you inform Tony that Loki knows?" Maybe her brothers would be able to help her. She knew they had a plan, so now would be the time to act.

"Ms., Mr. Stark and the other Avengers have already been informed."

Anya was about to ask Jarvis to explain when he spoke warning her, "Ms., two guards are approaching the room."

"Jarvis," she spoke quickly choking the words out, "tell Tony and Phil that I am sorry, and not to do anything stupid and that I love them."

Anya heard no reply, but realized why when the door to her room opened a few seconds later. Light filled the room, causing Anya to cringe. She wasn't even given the chance to "wake up" as moments after the lights came on her covers were ripped away and a pair of arms grabbed hers. She didn't bother to struggle as they pulled her out of bed; mainly because one guard gripped her arm right where her burns were at, causing her sever pain. Add that to the broken ribs, knife and stab wounds plus bruises – Anya realized she wasn't exactly in the best shape. She doubted that she looked much better since she was in the same clothes since it all began. Of course that didn't matter to her at this point. She only hoped to survive the next few minutes.

The guards dragged her down the hallway into the living room. Loki was standing in the middle of the room, waiting for her. As soon as the guards let go of her arms she dropped to the ground, her legs not used to the weight after the past few days.

"Loki," she greeted, throat hoarse, kneeling on the ground. She slowly stood up.

"Did you think," he began moving slowly towards her, "I wouldn't find out?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Do you know you talk in your sleep?" Now she was actually confused and allowed that to show on her face. "You cried out for your brother Tony," he expanded. She thought for a second and then it clicked. That was how he found out.

"Tony is a common name," she whispered unconvincingly.

"But Maria Stark is not." She said nothing because she had no response. "Tell me, why didn't you simply obey my order? It may have delayed your exposure."

"I…I couldn't condemn another to what I knew could be my fate."

"Ah, yes, your fate…then let us not prolong this. Where is your brother?"

"I don't know."

Loki stared at her a moment before raising his hand. Electric shocks radiated out from her accursed arm band, flooding her with pain. "Tell me," he demanded as the pain intensified.

"I don't know!"

"Answer!"

"I DON'T KNOW!" Tears filled her eyes as she tried not to let the pain consume her. Then as abruptly as the shocks began, they ended. She was on her knees in front of him, barely able to breathe shaking from the pain.

Loki placed his hand on her head, and pushed back, forcing her to look up at him. "You will tell me."

Tears filled her eyes, "I can't tell you what I don't know," was her answer. She blinked and then she was on the ground, pain covering the side of her face where he had smacked her. She heard the snap of fingers and in a moment she was being held up by the two guards who had brought her into the room.

Loki stepped closer to her, his hand holding her head up looking into her eyes. "All this for a brother who was never there for you, and for a team that has done nothing but brought you misfortune?"

Collecting whatever moisture she could from her dry mouth she spat in Loki's face, "Don't insult my brother," she growled. A sharp blow was delivered to her stomach, When her vision cleared she saw blood on the carpet in front of her. Not a good sign, she realized.

A hand painfully grabbed her hair and yanked it back. A knife was now on her exposed throat. "Never do that again." Anya froze in fear. "Now tell me, where is he?"

"You…you won't kill me…" she breathlessly replied.

"Certain of that?"

"Kill me and you have no bargaining chip."

"Ah, but I could always fall back on my original plan of finding Ms. Foster."

"True, but you have no guarantees you will find her, and I am already found."

Loki stared at her for a moment before drawing his knife back and releasing his hold on her head. With a wave of his hand, the knife disappeared as suddenly as it had materialized. In its place was his scepter.

"It is time for you to see the truth," he stated simply moving it towards her.

"NO! Wait!" Her yelling caused him to stop, " You don't want to do that."

"Oh really, pray tell."

Anya took a deep breath. She had to convince him. Otherwise he would use the scepter to control her and she would tell him everything. "It's illogical. You… you made me your slave," it hurt her to say that word, "not because you had a shortage of staff. Almost everyone here is under your control. They will do anything you tell them."

"I'm failing to see the negative," he stated bored.

"Exactly. Despite that you brought me here with my free will intact. You wanted someone to argue with, someone who could still think for themselves." Anya watched his expression change from one of boredom to contemplation.

"And why would I want that?" he asked quietly.

She was tempted to state her real theory but dared not, "Because of what you just said moments earlier. You are bored. What challenge is left for you King Loki? You have America under your control. You will shortly have the rest of the world. What then?"

She paused, letting him consider her words before continuing. "You are logical. You have told me before that I can be the same. That is why I am here. That is why I should not be 'shown the truth' as you put it because you would rather prove to me this truth, argue it with someone, rather than force it upon me and make me a mindless slave."

Silence rang throughout the room. Loki's face seemed blank, but consideration was clear in his eyes which were locked onto her own. "I will give you credit for creativity, but that is stretching the truth."

"If it is stretching the truth, that means there is truth still there."

Loki, to her surprise, gave her a breathless laugh. "You have some manner of wit. It would make this miserable planet more bearable….Fine." With a twist of his wrist the scepter was gone. "Answer my questions honestly and completely, and I will allow you to retain your delusion of free will. Lie to me and I will turn you, order you to speak the truth, and kill everyone you know before killing you."

Anya's heart was in her throat. Her heart pounding, she slowly nodded. He stood silently, waiting. "I told you the truth. The last time I spoke with my brother was before I came here. He said they had a plan, but I told them not to tell me."

"Because then you could not tell me," he finished for her. She nodded. "Where was he?"

"He…he was in Malibu, California near his house there."

"How did you know about the scepter's power?"

And so the questioning began. Anya answered truthfully, but as incompletely as she could without him knowing. The biggest thing, she realized, was for him not to find out about Jarvis. Still, she couldn't help but feel that she was betraying them. She was betraying her family. After what felt like hours, it finally ended. She was dragged back to her room where she promptly collapsed on her bed tears falling down her face. I did the right thing…right? She tried and failed to reassure herself. "I am so sorry, brothers," she wept into her pillow.

***ATST (afternoon) Driving on 1-80 E to NYC – BF***

Exhaustion was what Bruce was feeling at the moment. He felt like he had been thrown against a brick wall – which had happened before so he felt comfortable using the comparison. Feeling groggy, he slowly tried to recall not only what had happened but also where he was. His legs were bent and cramped, he was sitting upright and his head was against a window. He was in a car…when did I get in a car?…then it came back to him. He had been overcome with anger at Loki, then there was a flash of movement, then burning pain and then nothing. So the serum worked.

"Afternoon sunshine," Bruce heard Stark's voice coming from right next to him. Looking around Bruce saw that he was in the back of a five passenger van. Stark was to his left followed by Captain. Agent Romanoff and Agent Barton were in individual seats in the middle of the car while Thor was in the front with Agent Coulson driving.

"Where are we?"

"On 1-80E nearing New Jersey," Agent Barton answered. Bruce thought for a moment, calculating distance traveled and the time they left. He had been out for approximately four hours.

"You have been out for four hours Doctor Banner," Agent Romanoff informed him.

Nice to know my calculations were right, he thought to himself before asking "Where did we get the car?"

"SHIELD," Agent Barton answered. Bruce wanted to reply 'obviously.' He figured that out. He was really questioning how they had driven out of a densely-wooded park with a minivan. Thankfully, Stark understood and after rolling his eyes at Agent Barton's answer told Bruce about the underground garage and tunnel from the park.

After a moment of silence Bruce spoke, "Agent Romanoff…thank you…"

She just nodded her head without turning around. It worked for him. A little while later with the car in comfortable but tense silence, they passed a toll booth and a "Welcome to New Jersey" sign. They would arrive in a few hours.

"What is the plan?" Bruce asked, breaking the silence.

*** ATST in NYC- LF****

Staring at the scepter in his hand, Loki found himself questioning his earlier action or rather lack thereof. It was late, with a cool breeze in the air which he did not notice. He never noticed the cold anymore. He had unconsciously come to the roof to think after his "talk" with Anya. It made sense for him to come up here though; it was where the battle had started.

With a sigh he realized that he was beginning to tire. Not of the day, but of this hunt. He had been told from youth that he would be king. Now he was simply fulfilling that. He was ready for the fight to be over and it almost was. He now had the key in his hand, or rather in his tower. Loki smirked at that thought. Fate seemed kind to him. After all, how often did an enemy's weakness willingly come to the other side?

Then it hit him - that is why he hadn't used the scepter with her. In that moment, when he was about to turn her, he had allowed her logic to pause him as it had made sense, but now he saw the truth. He had done it to break them more. The Avengers would crumble when they realized that their friend – their sister – had turned on them. She wouldn't turn have turned on them willingly, but they wouldn't know that. He only needed to project that image for them. Turning back to head inside Loki started making plans. It was time to call a press conference.

A/N: First off, just want to remind everyone that Loki can make things appear/disappear. Recall in Thor, after Loki "dismissed" Heimdall from his position and he waved his hands to make the casket appear out of nowhere. I will admit, however, to taking liberties that the ability extended to other weapons including the scepter. Also that he could do it with one well. Secondly, I hope you enjoy that cliff hanger. Have fun thinking about what he is going to do. I think it's rather clever. Anyway, I hoped you enjoyed. Feel free to review, follow, favorite, and share my story.