I love vacations, so here is the next chapter.

Tony Stark is mentioned, I don't like him so it is not positive but everything is according to canon. This will be the only time I will mention him and he will not appear in this story.

Chapter 10

Fury waited patiently until Romanov and Barton had sat down before he began to talk. "As Agent Barton and Romanow already told you, did your crash caught the attention from several other parties. I talk about various terrorists groups, other countries and fractions of our government too. One of these fractions is the Council who sort of oversees SHIELD."

Sara frowned. "If this Council oversees you why do call them another party?"

Fury changed looks with Coulson who nodded. "I don't trust the Council and their decisions anymore; they tried to nuke New York City during the invasion. Agent Coulson investigates the Council for me and he found out some things I don't like very much. If they get to your ship before me there isn't much I can do for you or your crew."

"But if my ship is on your helicarrier…"

"I can hold them off for a while." Fury hesitated. "The attack they ordered on New York is a mayor bargaining chip which I don't want to use unnecessary. The faster your ship is on the helicarrier the faster the Council has the impression that I have you under control."

Fury smirked sardonic. "And they won't try to interfere except perhaps that they send a representative who wants to talk to you. It gives us enough time to repair your ship and then sent you away."

"You seem very eager to get rid of us again", commented Nate curiously.

"Honestly, your arrival disrupted a certain balance, which we had worked hard to regain after the invasion. So excited and pleased I am as an individual to meet and talk to you, as the director of SHIELD I have other priorities and duties." Fury fixated Sara. "I want to help you but if I have to sacrifice you I will do it without hesitation."

Sara saw the honesty but the ruthlessness too. It was really refreshing to meet a man like this who said beforehand that he would betray you if it was necessary. "Will we get a warning if it comes to this?"

Fury looked again at Coulson. "What do you think?"

"I am on board", replied Coulson. "Natasha, Clint?"

Natasha smiled. "I will hold a close contact with the representative and I will notice it when the wind changes."

"Agent Coulson will be your liaison as long as you are on board. He knows enough about this ship to get you a head start."

"I can guarantee you 15 minutes", said Coulson quietly.

Sara had noticed that Barton had kept his silence. "What is with you, Clint?"

Barton smiled a little strange. "I will be the scapegoat. The Council will want to see blood for this and they will be thrilled and very happy to believe that I helped you escape." He shrugged. "I'm anyway on thin ice with them after Loki brainwashed me. If it were not for Fury I would still sit in one of their cells and let's express it so I have gotten better treatment from my enemies."

Sara looked shocked at Fury who nodded. "I cashed in more than a few favours to get Barton out of this mess and I am still running interference so that he remains free. It isn't right that he pays for Loki's crimes."

"Thanks for this, boss." Barton grinned cheekily even if his smile didn't reach his eyes. "Does this mean I can shoot you a second time in the chest?"

"Sorry, Barton, that was a once in a lifetime opportunity", answered Fury brusquely and glared at Barton.

Natasha smiled at the insolence of her partner. "See it so, Barton, you got to do something every SHIELD agent has dreamed to do more than once."

Fury ignored her and asked Sara, "Is this something you can live with, Captain Lance?"

"If you mean do I trust you to keep your promises, yes I do." Sara looked at Barton. "If you talk about letting Barton take the fall, no, I can't live with that."

"With a little luck it will not come to this", appeased Coulson her concerns. "Remember, this is the worst-case-scenario. And I will make sure that Clint gets away too."

"Yeah, no worry, as soon as I have left the helicarrier, I am in the wind and the Council will have no chance in ever finding me", reassured Clint, who did not look bothered in the least by the thought to lead a life on the run.

"And we will know where to find you", agreed Natasha and smirked.

"Where else should I be?" shrugged Clint.

"I don't know what to say", said Sara in a thickly voice.

Barton smiled at her. "If it comes to this, a simple 'Thank you' is enough."

"Talk with your crew and explain everything to them. I will declare your ship off limits so that you and we will have a safe place to talk. My office is secure too but you can't come here too often, it would arouse suspicion." Fury looked a little wistful. "Perhaps I could get a guided tour through your ship and I would really like to meet your crew, especially Mr. Rory and Mr. Snart."

Sara laughed. "You will get your tour and if you want to meet these two that can be arranged too. I am sure you can hold your own against them."

"As soon as your ship is on board, you and your crew will get a guided tour too. Coulson will get your access cards to the areas of the ship, which are not restricted." Fury hesitated. "There will be always agents who watch you."

"That is acceptable. Thank you for your hospitality."

Coulson suddenly looked alert, tilted his head to the side and put a finger to his ear.

"What is it, Coulson?" asked Fury, who knew his right-hand-man too well.

"It seems, Captain Rogers was informed about the crash, he acquired a quinjet and convinced an agent to fly him here, Banner is with him too."

"Hm, interesting. Find out who told him!"

"I will. What are your orders?"

"Give the quinjet a landing permission and let someone escort Mr. Rogers and Mr. Banner to my office so that they get to meet Captain Lance and Mr. Heywood. They are probably concerned about another invasion and this will calm them down.

And speak with the pilot, I know Captain Rogers can be awe-inspiring but I expect better from a SHIELD agent."

"Yes, boss, I will have stern words with him." Coulson then murmured in his head set. "They just landed and will be here in a few minutes."

"Good. Captain Lance, do you want to speak with Miss Tomaz?"

"That would be nice, so I can ask her if you can help us with the spare parts."

"Mr. Mackenzie, do you copy?!" spoke Fury in the air.

"Yes, sir."

"Please give Miss Tomaz a head set, her Captain wants to speak with her."

A minute later Sara could hear Zari. "Here is Tomaz. What is it, Sara?"

"I wanted to ask if you are alright and if SHIELD has the parts we need."

"Yes to both questions. This ship is so amazing", gushed Zari.

"I am glad you are having fun, here is everything alright too", replied Sara drily.

"Oh good. Bye, Captain."

Shaking her head, Sara turned to Fury. "Thank you, it seems my mechanic is in heaven."

"It is always good to make your mechanics happy", replied Fury smirking. "You will meet two other Avengers in a few minutes.

Steve Rogers, Captain America, is the teamleader, he is enhanced and was for seventy years frozen in the ice. To your information, he fought in the Second World War and still has a culture shock because of the second-one century, so be nice to him." Fury looked to Nate. "Did you have a war against the Nazis too?"

"Yes, director."

"Oh good to know. Mr. Banner has numerous doctorates in various fields and he has serious anger management issues. Don't make him angry otherwise we have an appearance from his alter ego, the Hulk. I got my helicarrier just repaired after his last appearance."

"Yes, it was a heavy hit for our budget", winced Coulson and sounded for a moment really like an accountant.

"We watched the videos on your internet."

"Well, Thor is an Asgardian and is called the god of thunder, his people were on our planet several hundred years ago so he is mentioned in our legends. Loki, his adoptive brother was the leader of the invasion. Thor brought Loki to their dad for punishment, he is still in Asgard and I don't know when he will be back.

And then is there Tony Stark, Iron Man, a billionaire who made his money with the sale of weapons and sees securing world peace as his hobby, which he only does, when he feels like it, if it has benefits for him or when he needs attention, which is always the case."

"Will I meet him too?" asked Sara.

"If you want." Fury shrugged, there hasn't been much warmth in his voice as he had spoken about Stark, it was quite the opposite to how he had spoken about Rogers, Banner and Thor.

"If you meet him, be prepared for sexual harassment and lewd remarks", warned Natasha.

"Yes, he will call you stupid nicknames which only he finds funny. And never tell him personal details, he will use them against you to make digs at you or too make fun of you. He is the asshole I was Leonard and Mick telling about", added Barton.

"If I meet him and he makes lewd remarks, can I hit him?" asked Sara, she didn't have much patience with this kind of man.

"Be my guest", answered Fury and grinned at the idea.

There was a knock at the door and Fury stood up. "Come in."

The door opened and two men came in.