Chapter 4 – Bad News

'Boss? Secretary Ross is on the line, he says it's urgent.'

Tony groans. 'I bet he does and I can probably guess what he wants to talk about; I was hoping we'd have a few more days before having to have the discussion about why the Asgardians are here. Loki I need you to get upstairs but don't leave the Avengers' area, it's the only part of the facility I've been able to block all access to surveillance from. If you want to listen in on the conversation head to the briefing room. FRIDAY pass on the message to the team that Ross is on the phone and to go there if they want to listen in.'

'Of course boss,' the AI responds.

'I'll head up with him, Tony,' Bruce says, standing to follow the trickster where they'd all been sat in the lab together.

'Would you mind staying, Bruce?' the inventor asks.

The scientist frowns in confusion. 'Why?'

'Boss, the Secretary is becoming rather insistent,' FRIDAY interrupts.

'Tell him I'm making sure an experiment isn't going to explode,' Tony snaps, then turns to Bruce. 'I know he's not your favourite person, Brucie, but I need you here to back up my story. Plus it'll give my lie just now some backing.'

Bruce looks between him and Loki, Tony notices the god give a small nod out of the corner of his eye, and the scientist sighs. 'All right, I'll stay. But if he succeeds in bringing out Hulk don't blame me.'

'At least we'll have all the team together!' Tony claps his hands. 'Get out of here, Reindeer Games, I've got to keep your being here as secret as possible. Okay FRIDAY bring up the call. Brucie make like scientists.'

'Patching the call through, boss, Agent Romanoff and Sergeant Barnes are already in the briefing room.'

'Stark what the hell are you doing keeping me on hold? I said it was important!' Ross' voice thunders through the lab.

'Yes well like I told FRIDAY to tell you we were in the middle of an experiment and needed to make sure it didn't explode.'

'And just who is 'we'? It better not be that little runt you've been keeping around-' Ross' eyebrows shoot up when he notices who is in the room with Tony, and it takes every ounce of his self-control, and a considerable amount of gritting of his teeth, for him not to respond to the remark about Peter. 'Well, well, Banner. What a surprise.'

'Ross,' Bruce nods his head, a matching frown on his face. 'Can't say I'm pleased to see you.'

'So the stories I've heard must be true,' Ross turns back to Tony, 'I take it Thor is also with you? The Council will want to speak to him.'

'Yeah no can do,' Tony replies, semi-ignoring Ross by turning back to one of his screens, 'Thor's off world.'

'What?!' Ross shouts.

'Well if you'd give me a chance to talk I could explain for you,' he responds. 'Thor arrived a few days ago with what was left of the people from his home world and Bruce. Seems they had the mother of all family arguments, honestly makes me glad I'm an only child-'

'What exactly were you doing on Asgard, Banner?' Ross turns to the scientist.

'Thor found me on another world where I'd ended up. I don't remember much of how I got there, Hulk was in charge at the time.'

'Hmm,' Ross turns back to Tony. 'What bullshit story you going to come up with now, Stark?'

'I'm offended that you think I would lie to you, Ross, especially since you've always been so transparent with me,' he fixes the other man with a hard look. The two stare at each other for a few moments, and Tony wishes he was close enough to punch the man. 'As I was saying,' he continues, 'mother of all family spats which resulted in Asgard being destroyed, fortunately the two were killed at the same time so we don't have to worry about them coming after him for revenge. Anyway he asks if we wouldn't mind housing his people while he finds another place for them to settle.'

'And his brother was killed in Asgard?'

'Actually it was a long-lost sister that destroyed Asgard,' Tony responds, turning back to his screen. 'I don't know Loki's precise location at this moment in time. Neither does Thor.'

'So you're not housing him with the rest of the Asgardians?' Ross asks slowly.

'Nope,' he replies, noticing Bruce's quick glance in his direction. 'I don't think it'd be a good idea to house him with the rest of Asgard do you?'

'Forgive me for not trusting you to be sensible,' comes the growled response.

'Strangely enough I'm become a lot less trusting since someone helped Hammer to put this back in my chest,' he taps the arc reactor, eyeing Ross' reaction out of the corner of his eye.

'Any luck on tracking down any information as to who his accomplice was?'

'Not at the moment, but we know it was someone with access to the security system in the Avengers' facility so until further notice only the team has access to any of it in our quarters. The rest of the facility you can play with to your heart's content. Now if you don't mind I've got catching up to do with my science bro and we're in the middle of an experiment.'

'What? Stark you cannot take away my security clearance-'

'Already did. Bye!' Tony closes the call and heaves a sigh, resting his head on his crossed arms on his desk.

'You alright, Tony?' Bruce asks, placing a hand on his shoulder.

'Yeah, it went better than I thought, Brucie-Bear,' he replies, pulling himself upright again. 'Let's go see the others I'm sure several of them will have something to say about how I handled that.'

'You mean Steve's going to tell you off for being disrespectful?' Bruce suggests with a wry smile. Tony gives a small chuckle as they head towards the door.

Loki looks up as Tony and Bruce enter the briefing room, he's sitting in the back corner for once trying not to draw attention to himself. He's still trying to get his thoughts in order from the phone call they've all just been listening to.

'So who's going to yell at me first?' Tony asks as he sinks into a chair at the head of the table.

'I'm not going to yell at you,' Romanoff replies, 'but I will say I think it was risky all but challenging Ross over your abduction.'

'You mean he was bloody awesome taking on Ross?' Barnes supplies with a laugh. 'I mean damn Tony, yeah you took some risks, but that was brilliant to watch.'

'I think what they're trying to say,' Rogers rolls his eyes, 'is that you did good, Tony, though you did say some things we would rather you hadn't taken the risk with.'

'Wow, no one's telling me off? I think I died and went to heaven,' Tony laughs, but does relax slightly in his chair. 'He asked about our progress with the Hammer investigation, do you think he knows more than he's letting on about our progress?'

'No,' Bruce shakes his head, 'Ross isn't exactly the most subtle, he'd not have brought it up if he did. If anything I'd say he's a bit worried.'

'Let him sweat,' Wilson spits, 'bastard deserves it after everything he's put us all through.'

'Why did you lie about me?' Loki eventually asks, trying to ignore all the eyes that turn to him and instead looking straight at Tony.

'Good point, Tony,' Barnes' voice turns a little harder, 'why did you lie to him about the madman back here.'

'I'm hardly insane,' Loki rolls his eyes.

'Yeah I've seen the footage from when you were kept on the Raft when you invaded Earth,' the soldier counters, 'you're basically the poster boy for insane evil villain.'

Loki tries not to wince at the reminder of that period and covers it with a frown. 'I was… not entirely myself then. You haven't answered the question,' he looks back to Tony, 'why didn't you tell him about my presence here? If he finds out you lied you could be in an even worse position than you are already.'

'We promised Thor we would look out for you,' it's Rogers who answers, 'and we couldn't do that if we told Ross about you. He'd insist on you being taken into his custody and we couldn't do a lot to protect you there.'

'Considering we know he's linked to HYDRA,' Romanoff adds, 'it wouldn't be in our best interests either if they got hold of you. Especially considering yours and their history in mind control.'

'You make a fair point,' he nods.

'Besides, Reindeer Games,' Tony finally replies, 'I said I'd give you another chance and so far you haven't given me a reason not to trust you.'

'Hasn't exactly given us a reason to trust him either,' Barnes points out with a suspicious glare his way.

'He has a valid point,' he interrupts before Tony can respond, the inventor frowning at the dark-haired soldier. 'Not to try and convince you a cell is a more comfortable place to stay, and Norns know I've spent more than enough time in one, but my history doesn't exactly point to you being sensible at giving me a chance. I'm curious as to why you are choosing to do so now.'

Tony shrugs. 'Call it instinct,' he replies, 'I called Bruce turning up to help us in New York, I've got a feeling you'll come through for us eventually.'

'Besides,' Maximoff cuts in, 'Peter trusts him and that's good enough for me.'

'That kid has a habit of forming attachments to crazy people,' Barnes rolls his eyes, 'how is that a valid argument?'

'Actually Wanda makes a very good point,' Vision replies. 'Peter has what he calls his "spider-senses" which warn him of danger, from what he has told me they go off around people as well as situations. If he does not think he has anything to fear from Loki, I am sure the rest of us do not either.'

Barnes frowns and opens his mouth to respond, but shakes his head and leans back in his seat, falling silent. FRIDAY interrupts their discussion. 'Boss? Wade Wilson has just arrived and wants to speak to you.'

'Wade's here?' Tony frowns. 'Tell him we'll meet him in the common area, FRIDAY.'

'Sure thing, boss,' the AI replies, and Loki is still trying to get used to it.

'Come on, team, look alive,' Tony claps his hands and climbs to his feet, 'let's go see what our favourite mercenary wants.'

'Favourite is a bit of a stretch,' Barnes mutters as they all climb to their feet.

Maximoff falls into step next to Loki as they leave the room last. He looks at her out of the corner of his eye. 'You want something young witch?'

'You know,' she smirks, 'from anyone else I'd hate being called that, but for some reason I don't mind you calling me a witch so much.'

He's completely thrown by her reply so he keeps walking in silence. In all honesty he's still trying to wrap his head around the trust that's being shown towards him.

'They'll come round,' she assures him, 'like I said: Peter trusts you and he's usually right. So's Tony, though we don't tell him that. It's not a good idea to help with his ego.'

Loki lets out a short laugh. 'I'll remember that. I, er…' he trails off, the next words foreign in his mouth, 'thank you. For what it's worth. I'm not used to…'

'Wanting to belong somewhere?' she supplies, giving him a sad smile. 'Yeah I didn't either at first, but this group of misfits really doesn't give you much of a choice. You start off against them, and then at some point you suddenly want to be a part of it.'

His reply is cut off when they enter the common area to see Wade pacing backwards and forwards. 'Just tell me what the hell is going on, Stark,' he growls, 'something is up with Pete, as in really fucking wrong. What happened last week? You been doing some kind of experiments with his suit? Cause I've got to say I'm really not a fan of the new fucking paintjob.'

'What are you talking about Wade?' Tony demands. 'What's wrong with Peter?'

'Wade,' Maximoff hurries forwards and takes hold of the man's arm, guiding him towards a seat, 'tell us what's happened. None of us have seen him since Vis and I came on patrol with you.'

Her words appear to calm the scarred man, and Loki is surprised to find a twinge of worry about the young boy they're talking about. I'm going soft, he laments to himself.

'I spoke to him on Monday and he wasn't feeling well,' the mercenary starts.

'What?' Tony frowns, looking around the others he asks, 'did he tell any of you?' Everyone shakes their heads. 'Alright, sorry, carry on.'

'Said he had a really bad headache, sounded fucking terrible too, like he'd drunk his way through a liquor store and was feeling the hangover; I asked if he'd had many since the spider bite and he said this was his first one after the initial migraine and fever. He thought he was just over tired from doing more patrols than normal last week.'

'Do you think that could be a thing?' Tony looks to Rogers and Barnes. 'You two have possibly the closest comparable physiology to him.'

'Maybe,' Rogers frowns, 'but I would be surprised.'

'Said he felt weird with it too,' Wade continues, voice quiet, 'said he was getting irritable and that he snapped at Ned and MJ. Stopped picking up my calls after Monday night, then when I saw him today…'

'Wade?' Maximoff asks him quietly as the man ducks his head, not looking at any of them.

'That can't have been him,' the man says, voice sounding broken and Loki can't help a shiver of dread. 'I refuse to believe that he could be that fucking cruel.'

'What?' Tony goes to stand next to him. 'What are you talking about?'

'The stuff he was saying was just….it was everything he would know would hurt me the most and…I can't believe he was saying them and was himself, Tin Can, it just…it wasn't Peter. I've never seen him look at anyone with that much anger and hate in his eyes.'

'He's stopped responding to my messages as well,' Maximoff says quietly, looking up at Tony. 'Normally he replies straight away unless he's at school. Even if he's on patrol he'll get Karen to respond.'

'What did you say about the suit, Wade?' Rogers asks. 'Tony hasn't seen him to give him any changes in over a week.'

'But the suit was different,' Wade's frowning as he looks up at the inventor. 'It was all dark and…yeah really fucking weird.'

'Dark?' Tony frowns, and Loki can see the man is starting to get really worried.

'Yeah like it'd been dipped in a vat of black dye or something.'

The sound of a phone ringing interrupts whatever the inventor is about to say and he takes the piece of technology from his pocket. 'It's May Parker,' he frowns and answers it. 'Ms Parker? Everything alright?' There's a pause and the colour drains from his face.

'What is it?' Maximoff asks, eyes wide.

'Hang on a second,' he says into the device, then looks at the team. 'Peter's attacked his aunt.'

A/N: Hi everyone! I would say sorry for the cliffhanger - but I'm only sorry I'm not sorry. Thank you so much for your continued support of this series. I hope you enjoyed reading this chapter; as much as I wanted to just focus on Peter and his problems in this story, I did have to remember that Ross isn't just going to leave the team alone.

Thank you so much to everyone who has reviewed this week. Please please do let me know what you think of this chapter, I do love reading reviews and responding to them - especially since talking to you about these stories has given me ideas for further down the line!

As always thank you so much for your support.

Love you all!

L x

And as always here's your sneak peek:

What are you doing? The voice shrieks, making his head feel like it's about to explode.

Finding somewhere you can't hurt anyone else I care about, he responds, though begins to slip back out of consciousness once he's a couple of blocks away from his apartment. No, he growls, just a little more time.

Your time isss almosst up, Peter, the voice taunts him again, sssoon you will be jussst a memory, and I will be in control.

Not yet you're not.