Chapter 3

"Valerie, I don't know about this. What if it's a ruse? What if they just want to use be to get to the Zone?"

"All the more reason I should come along. You're powerful, but there's no way you can take them all on by yourself. Besides, I haven't been to the human world in years before our date the other night."

"I know, but-"

"-Danny, do you honestly think that you're going to be able to convince me to stay?"

Danny opened his mouth, ready to argue, and then closed it, shaking his head, pouting. "No, but that doesn't mean I like it."

He really didn't. They were about to meet a superpowered team that was paired with the government. If this went sideways, he would rather take the brunt of it. But he also knew Valerie, and knew that there was no way he was ever going to change her mind.

"Relax, I've got my Red Huntress gear underneath my clothes."

She was royalty now, but she never dressed like it. Not unless it was absolutely necessary, and Danny kind of liked that about her. She didn't care about anybody's opinion but her own. She was wearing a pair of nice jeans, a loose sweater, and her favorite pair of earrings that he had gotten her for their anniversary three years prior. She was absolutely stunning. Danny never wanted to look away from her.

"We're gonna be late if you keep drooling all over me," she told him. He grinned at her, and offered her his arm.

"Shall we go, then, my queen?" He asked, a cheesy grin plastered all over his face.

"We shall," she replied, taking his arm.

With his free hand he created a portal, and they floated through.


"What is that?" Steve asked, as he looked at one of the screens that showed the top of the Helicarrier. Some sort of green wormhole had opened up.

"Those are our guests," Fury told them. "Go and greet them. And play nice."

The six of them nodded and headed up. By the time they were on board, the wind whipping their hair around, the portal was gone. But in their stead was King Phantom, and a shorter, dark skinned, dark haired woman who looked like she would crush any of them without a second thought. She hadn't spoken to her yet, but Natasha knew that she liked this woman.

King Phantom was something entirely different from the version of him they saw on screen. He was tall, broad, and obviously muscular. He had a cloak that whipped around his ankles, and a firm expression on his face as he looked around.

"Hi there," Tony said, catching the attention of the two. "You must be King Phantom. And you are?" He asked the woman.

"Queen Phantom," she replied, "But you can call me Valerie."

"Pleased to meet you," Tony replied. "I'm Tony, and that over there is Steve, Bruce, Natasha, Clint, and Thor. We're the Avengers. Earth's Mightiest Heroes and all that."

"Ah, yes, so I've heard," Danny replied. "It's lovely to meet you all."

Danny looked over every single one of them, and the look he was getting from Thor didn't go unnoticed. He was nervous, on edge, but that was to be expected considering the stigma around ghosts. But the others seemed pretty chill. A little taken aback since he's actually real, but chill nonetheless. But then his eyes caught Bruce's behind his glasses and twitchy demeanor, and Danny lit up like a tree.

"Oh, Dr. Banner!" He said excitedly, walking over to him to shake his hand. "I'm a big fan of yours. I've used your research in so many of my own personal projects, and I couldn't have made the breakthroughs without you. What are you doing with a superhero group, though?" He asked, letting go.

"Don't you know...What I am?" He asked.

"My wife and I haven't been on Earth in like, five years, so I might be a little out of touch, I guess."

"What were you using his research for?" Natasha asked him.

"Space exploration," Valerie answered for him. "He's a big nerd. Wanted to be an astronaut when he got older."

"Valerie, I know we made no agreement on embarrassing things we could say but oh my god," Phantom said. Valerie just laughed at him.

"So, are we gonna get a grand tour, or what?"


Walking through the halls of the Helicarrier was kind of boring, but Danny supposed he couldn't complain. Especially since he got to talk with people like Captain fucking America, and those two spies. He never thought he'd ever meet a spy let alone two, so he was super excited about that.

Danny laughed at a joke that Clint made, and Natasha rolled her eyes. He had only been half listening, though. His mind couldn't help but wander. He started thinking about how, if all of this worked out between them, then there could be prosperity for his people, and the people the Avengers helped.

He really hoped it worked out.

"This room here is the central room, where S.H.I.E.L.D. monitors everything just in case there are any disasters we need to attend to."

"Oh, wow," Phantom said, looking around. He's never seen so many computers in one place before, but it was still so fascinating. Not even Tucker had this many. Which was saying something considering he had computers stored in Danny's old apartment.

"Welcome, your Highness."

Danny turned, and came face to face with none other than the big man himself, Nick Fury. He held out his hand, which Danny took, and shook.

"Cold hands you got there," he commented. Danny shrugged.

"They're actually a little warm. I'm kinda nervous to be honest."

"Bad experience with the government?" Fury asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Something like that," he replied with a shrug.

Danny felt an uncomfortable clenching in his chest, but was thankfully saved by Val. His beautiful, wonderful Val. All she did was loop her arm in his, but it was all of the grounding he needed to keep his mind off of the Guys in White.

Fury's face was the same. There wasn't even a twitch, but Danny had a feeling that he knew exactly what Danny was talking about.

"Well, I assure you we're nothing like that. Not to our friends, anyway."

"That's not as comforting as you think it is," Danny said dryly. Behind him, Tony let out a bark of laughter and clapped him on his shoulder.

"Oh, you and I are going to get along great."

"I'm down for anarchy if you are."

Tony grinned at him. The kind that went from ear to ear, and Danny was able to relax a little. If the Avengers had someone like Tony on their team then it wouldn't be so bad after all.

"We would do better making peace with a bilgesnipe," Thor said, spitting venom in Danny's direction. Everybody looked at him, including Valerie, who was squeezing Danny's arm in an unbreakable grip.

"I'm sorry?" Danny said, confused.

"You filthy draugrs always think you can take anything you want. You leave destruction and misery in your path, and are not to be trusted. Especially those who rule them.

"There's plenty of stories of you back on Asgard. How you mercilessly slayed Pariah Dark. You're powerful, but I promise you, I am even more so. And as the son of Odin, Prince of Asgard, I will not let you terrorize Midgard."

Danny's brain couldn't think of a good come back. He was caught up on the word draugr. What was that? And why did Thor think he was one of them?

Thankfully, Valerie came to his rescue, like the defensive firecracker she was.

"Listen here, you overgrown Ken doll," she said, stepping in front of Danny. She was a lot shorter than Thor, but much more intimidating in all respects. "If you threaten my husband one more goddamn time I will have the whole fucking Ghost Zone on your ass. You don't get to make threats when you don't even know him. He has saved the Ghost Zone, and he has saved Earth, because you can bet your ass that Pariah would have come here next.

If you ever threaten him again, you will be dealing with me personally." Valerie was right under his nose now, backing him up against a wall with her attitude. Her voice dropped lower as she spoke again. "I promise you, I will not be as merciful as Danny was when he beat Pariah."

Without waiting for another word, she calmly walked away, and stood by Danny again. Everybody but Danny, Fury, and Natasha were wide eyed and staring at her. Natasha decided that she and Valerie would be best friends.

Danny smiled down at Valerie. Yeah, he didn't need her to fight his battles for him, but he sure did enjoy it when she did. He honestly couldn't think of a better queen to be by his side.

"Do you have any questions, your Highness?" Fury asked him, subtly changing the subject.

"Just one," Danny said, holding up his index finger. "What the absolute fuck is a draugr?"