Chapter Thirty-One: Shrill
Fury checked his watch-but not before shooting Tony a look that was pure I told you so. It was around the time that he and Steve were meant to take over for Natasha and Barton. That worked out perfectly. He knew Natasha would object to him waking her up, and he didn't care to upset her unnecessarily. But once they were gone, he would have no problem shaking the girl until she woke up if need be. "Cap, let's go relieve those two," he began to leave but turned back to retrieve the pair's earpieces.
"Are we going to clue them in on what happened?" Steve wondered as they walked.
"Are we invited to this interrogation?" Tony was following them. So was Thor.
"Wait in the conference room, okay? We'll meet you there." Fury stopped walking and stared them down until they understood how serious he was and broke off to wait for updates. Once at Eve's room, Fury unlocked the door for the third time in less than 24 hours.
"Can we have our communicators back?" Natasha asked before the door was open.
Fury reached into his pocket and returned them.
"All fixed, huh?" Barton's tone was sarcastic. "Out with it."
"Loki was spotted. He did a lot of damage to a section of a busy street and then fled when Thor and Banner got to the scene," Steve informed.
"We would have stayed here if you'd asked," Natasha popped her earpiece back in, "we've just been sitting here speculating. Did you think we wouldn't catch on?"
"I chose to keep you in the dark, yes. But you're in the loop now. No more whining."
"I'm not whining, just saying-"
"Regardless," Fury snapped, "we're here to relieve you. I think having the girl watched is why Loki tried drawing us out. Thor agrees with me based on their encounter. So you two are free to go."
Barton stood and stretched.
Natasha, however, stayed put. "I'm not leaving," she stated frankly before examining her cuticles.
"Why not?" Barton, Steve and Fury asked in unison, exchanging awkward glances afterward.
"You think I don't know you're going to try to wake that poor girl up? Trying to pull the wool over my eyes twice in one hour, shame on you."
"We need some answers!" Fury's eyes grew wide.
"First of all-lower your damn voice. Second of all? She needs as much sleep as her body wants. She needs to be at her best because the second she opens her eyes, we're going to throw her back into an interrogation scenario. It can wait."
"Can it wait?" Fury's tone gradually became sterner with each new word. "Did you miss the part where Loki tore up a section of a street in the city?"
"Is anyone dead?" Natasha asked.
"No. No one is dead."
"Any critically wounded?"
"No, not that we've found."
"Then it can wait. Loki won't try that same thing again, he's not that stupid."
"Maybe you're right," Fury mocked, "but that really just means that he'll try to up the ante next time. He'll think maybe if I do kill a few innocent bystanders...maybe if I set some things on fire…" Fury rolled his eyes in frustration and walked toward Eve's bed.
Natasha jumped in front of him. "Sir, I'm afraid I have to insist."
Fury looked to Steve and then Barton incredulously.
"If you wanna take her on, go for it," Barton chuckled.
For some reason, Fury had a soft spot for Natasha. She didn't often ask for special favors, she was very good at going with the flow. She typically stood up for him-even when he may not have deserved it. So he decided to let her have this. He told Steve to retrieve a couch from another room and drag it in so they could sit and wait together. After about an hour, Tony's voice flared up over their radios.
"We've been sitting in here for like three hours, what is taking so long?"
"First of all," Fury responded, "it's only been an hour or so. Second of all, she's still asleep. Feel free to join us here."
So Tony and Thor strolled in minutes later with Bruce tagging along. Tony sighed at the boring sight. "I assume I don't need to be all suited up for this, then. I'll be right back. I'll bring a couch for us, too, big guy." He pat Thor on the bicep and left.
Several Hours Later
Eve was dreaming. She dreamt that no one had ever teleported into her kitchen. She dreamt that she'd never been put in handcuffs, and that that experience would be saved for an adventurous sexual encounter way in her future. Then after her brain was done concocting all of the most normal fantasies it could, Loki reappeared. Looking amazing, as was to be expected, saying all the right things. Right in her ear. Then she heard laughter. She opened her eyes to find her face pressed into a corner of her bed. How had she been breathing? She lifted her head to see a crowd of famous crimefighters engaged in what must have been a hilarious conversation. Did they...bring couches into her room? Was she being observed? Why would they…
Sam.
She sat up abruptly. "Is Sam okay?" She shouted, her voice cracked as her throat was dry. Natasha threw her a bottle of water. She looked to where the puddle of blood was last night, it was clean now.
"You slept for sixteen hours," Barton commented with a joking glance at a watch he wasn't wearing.
"Sam is doing well," Natasha answered her.
Eve chugged the bottle of water and sprang up to go to the bathroom.
"Sorry," Natasha whispered as she snuck in the door before Eve could close it. "I won't look," she assured.
"Is this for real?" Eve squeezed her knees together. She really had to pee. So she dropped her pants.
"We're just making sure that Loki can't get to you."
"Oh," she breathed with a hint of joy. It felt amazing to relieve herself. After the feeling subsided, she was focussed on something much more troubling. She would never be alone again. At least not until they either caught Loki or he went insane and killed them all-and then she'd be stuck with him. Stuck with him. Was that really what she thought? She had feelings for him. How did it make sense that the thought of spending time with him now horrified her? He was manipulative in a way she'd never experienced. He'd hurt her closest friend and then proceeded to kiss her, touch her, arouse her. And she'd let him. Not that she had much of a choice. No, that wasn't true. She did have a choice-he even asked her. She had every opportunity to say no. But she couldn't, she couldn't say no to him. She didn't want to. And that didn't make sense. "Natasha…"
"Yes?"
"Please just...make sure they go easy on me. I didn't ask him to come here, to do what he did."
"I've already talked to them about it. The first one to step over the line gets physically punched or kicked-depending on my mood and the severity of their offence. Just be honest, it will be fine."
Eve stood and pulled her pants up before going to wash her hands. "Alright," she said, "alright." She left the bathroom and sat back down in her bed. "Wait-where's Sasha?"
"Darcy has her," Jane spoke from her seat next to Thor, "she's having a blast, actually."
"Good," Eve tried to keep her breaths even. "Please just give me a moment to collect my thoughts." Anyone who was prepared to object got a fiery glare from Natasha. "Okay, how much do you all know? Nothing?" Several people shook their heads. "Let me start out by saying that Sam was put in great danger last night. By this man." She pointed to Fury.
"When I discussed it with him, he knews the risks-" Fury began.
"That's all fine and good. Let me just explain what you told him to do so that they can know. Let me explain how you manipulated him into manipulating me-and he ended up with a head wound. I ended up in hysterics, scared that he would die. Your director told Sam to try and anger Loki by kissing me." No one reacted. No one was able to yet, it hadn't sunk in. "I didn't have the energy to turn him down, I was just so grateful to have a friend with me. So I let him kiss me, and Loki saw everything."
"Wait. That was really your plan?" Jane leaned forward to eye up Fury.
"It was a longshot, I know-"
"What an understatement that is!" Jane responded before Thor held her back.
"I gave Sam a codeword to say to me when he needed backup. Why didn't he use it?" Fury asked.
"He tried to, but Loki had tampered with his earpiece earlier in the day. Loki was distraught. He threw us together, told us to put on a show for him, that it would be the last thing we ever did. My efforts to calm him were pointless. Then Sam attempted to comfort me and Loki threw him across the room, wouldn't let me help him, threatened to finish the job. He left when he heard the door unlock. Questions?"
Natasha turned her line of sight to Fury. "Yeah. I've got some questions for you."
Elsewhere
Darcy filled up Sasha's water dish from a cup and watched the pup scramble to take several laps. "Oh Sasha," she sighed dreamily, "I am so glad they stuck me with you. I don't have to go to boring meetings anymore! Actually, meetings aren't so boring lately...oh, well. Jane will catch me up." She swished the remaining water around in the cup and went to pour it in the sink. When she stepped into her bathroom, she was shocked to see a figure standing by the sink. She shrieked and dropped the cup immediately. "Wait! Oh my god! You're-you're the! Wait! What do I do?"
"Are you finished?" Loki raised his eyebrows. "I was expecting a reaction like this, but maybe not so shrill."
She let out another loud, startled noise.
"Stop doing that. No need for us to both go deaf."
"But I should, uh, I need to, uh, you're Loki."
"Scream if you want, I guess, but the room has been soundproofed."
Darcy resumed shrieking and Sasha ran to her aide, growling at the intruder until she recognized him. She sprinted to his side and began licking his shoes and pant legs until he picked her up.
"Oh my god she loves you. Oh my god that's so sweet!" Darcy's eyes met his and as the reality sunk in, she gulped. "Oh my god."
A/N:
Three chapters in two days! I feel like I'm on fire. I cannot believe there are over thirty chapters now! Feedback is love, it motivates me to keep going, thank you for all of your kind words :D
