Chapter Three:

Aren't you Bountiful

Toni stepped into the gymnasium, nervous and rather agitated. At a time like this, she would have much rather been in her lab working on the many projects she had going, but no, the team wanted her here working out with them, training. Why did she have to train though? Yeah, she was an Avenger, but her brain was the greatest weapon she owned and it didn't physical training. She flew around in a big red and gold suit for heaven's sake. It also didn't require any physical training.

While these were her major complaints, even these and all of her smaller ones never made a dent in her team's resolve to have her join them, much to her utter disappointment.

"Toni", came the voice of Natasha Romanoff, the only other girl on the team, "You just going to stand there?"

Most of the time, people would have been like, "girl bonding. Sisterhood. Relating to one another." All Toni could think when she saw Natasha was, "Assassin. Babysitter. Devil."

Toni sighed as she stepped further into the gym. She glanced at Steve who was watching her from his corner of the gym where he was boxing, but as soon as they locked eyes, he looked away. She couldn't stop the annoyed frown that followed. Surely he knew how she felt about him, right?

Natasha who had been watching her, noticed the frown and glanced where she was looking. Seeing Steve pointedly ignoring Toni's stares, she sighed; these two needed to be locked in a room for a while.

A devilish idea came to her in that moment, but there would be time enough for that later, she thought as she walked with Toni towards the empty boxing ring. Both women were geared up for a play fight, but Natasha wasn't about to take it easy on the resident genius and Toni knew it.

"Come at me Toni and don't hold back. I won't be", she warned.

Toni nodded, narrowing her eyes. While her brain was off in space thinking about Captain America, Work, The pain she would be feeling soon from Natasha, and more Captain America; she rushed at the assassin, blindly shooting out her fist in a weak attempt at hitting Nat square in the face. It was too everyone's surprise when the blow hit its mark, catching Natasha in the nose, but only because Nat got distracted when Clint dashed into the room, his bow in hand.

Everyone, including Clint and Toni winced when Natasha reeled back from the blow, holding her nose. She turned serious eyes inquisitively towards her lover, ignoring their stares and the blood dripping down her face as she merely wiped at it with her hand from time to time.

"What's happening Clint?" she asked, moving past Toni who jumped back, afraid of Natasha's revenge; though nothing happened.

"S-Sorry. Fury just called and wants us all at shield HQ in ten. He says something has come up and we need to know about it ASAP."

"Right, let's get on our way then", Steve replied moving past them, once again ignoring Toni who tried to catch his eye.

Clint watched with mild curiosity and amusement and a slight amount of anger concerning the actions of team leader and friend. While he respected the man, he couldn't help but think he was also a complete and total moron sometimes. He could see the flinch of pain in both of his friends every time Steve rejected Toni and it made him want to do something about it. What, he didn't know, but he noticed Natasha had the same type of expression on her own face as Toni slumped past.

"I have a plan. Care to join?" Natasha asked with a calculating gaze.

"Oh, unquestionably", he replied.

The two smiled. Steve and Toni didn't know what they were in for.

AVNGRS

The avengers each filed into the conference room in Shield headquarters. Fury sat at the head of the table. Hill sat on his right and Coulson on his left. Across from the three were six seat, just enough for the six avengers: Steve Rogers aka Captain America. Toni Stark aka Ironman. Bruce Banner aka Hulk. Clint Barton aka Hawkeye. Natasha Romanoff aka Black Widow. And lastly, but certainly not least, Thor, the Asgardian prince and demigod.

"Good of you people to join us", Fury spat, "now that you have finally arrived, let us get down to business."

"Just yesterday, a couple of our agents out on a mission came across a set of documents which I thought you might be interested in."

Fury passed them around and each of them found themselves looking at a detailed record of themselves and their team.

"What…what is this Fury?" Toni asked, though she honestly already had a pretty good idea what he was getting at.

Fury noted the look in her eye and nodded, realizing she knew exactly what these documents meant.

"Someone had put a bounty out for each and every one of you."

Clint who was looking over the list furrowed his brow.

"This is ridiculous!" he yelled.

"I know that these upset you, but…" started Hill only to have Clint interrupt her.

"No!" he yelled again, standing and waving the paper in their faces, "my amount! I am worth sooooo much more than this!"

"I agree", Natasha said, also frowning.

Toni smirked from where she sat, while the others clearly looked on in amusement. Fury however, found this far from funny.

"Barton, sit down."

Clint stopped flipping out, but he continued to glower as he flopped back in his seat. Irritated, the director rubbed his forehead as though a headache plagued him as he stared down the team known now days, as the Avengers. Only six months ago, he had drawn these six very unique and very independent people together and even now, present time, he was still stunned their teamwork remained intact and strong. It oddly reassuring and rather nerve-wracking. He couldn't help but think they were all just a time bomb, ready and waiting to go off against one another. For once, he honestly hoped he was wrong.

Each member of the team brought something important, something that the others clearly needed. Thor, the prince and demigod from Asgard wasn't even human, but it was his rather obnoxious and ever present positive attitude that often got the team through some of their darkest hours. It was also the god who made up one of the team's biggest defenses against the enemies that had begun to swarm since the New York nuke incident. His backing and very presence often instilled within them a hope of turning the tide.

Hulk, while he wasn't the most…wanted member of the team, his presence was often the very thing that did turn the tide. While always destructive, his help was often needed to set things into motion or finish things once and for all. Bruce Banner though was no different. While the complete opposite of his counterpart, he was both a continuous support to the team when they were in need, as well as someone who could take control when the need arose; usually for medical and science purposes.

Clint Barton and Natasha Romanoff, shield agents, assassins, and all around, rather scarily effective spies and hitmen. Clint was an ace shot with the bow and while his spying and killing skills weren't questioned, his childish love of pranking was what convinced others that there was obviously something wrong with him in the head. Clint of course would always laugh these things off and it was his personality that could be both serious and laid back, which often lead to tensions within the group either raising or lowering, depending on his involvement.

Natasha on the other hand, was the opposite. A devil was what most considered her to be, as her assassin reputation was beyond great and her personality was considered lacking if not completely void. While she may not be the person you would go to for comfort or an understanding ear, she was by far one of the most loyal people you could possibly meet once she decided to support you. The hard part, was gaining that loyalty.

The fifth member of the Avengers was Steve Rogers, the shield appointed "leader" of the team, as well as an American Icon and WWII war hero. While having originally been nothing special, the super serum he was injected with changed everything, making him the strong and fearless man they saw before them. The only problem with him, was he was rather oblivious to his own conscious needs and desires and often saw the past in those of the present, such as one Toni Stark.

Toni Stark…what could Fury possibly say about her? Toni was someone he had known since birth and while she acted flippant and uncaring, she was so much more. He often hated how others saw her, but then again, even he couldn't help but sneer in disgust at the mask she had built up for herself, and he wasn't talking about Ironman. If anything, Iron Man was the breakdown of that wall she had built, though he knew it was partially his own fault that many considered her and Ironman two different people. He had wanted to use her and now he had a rather large problem on his hands.

Toni Stark was genius and he had no doubt, while she could see through his plans and his lies, she never saw the full deck he was holding and he could only thank God that it was mostly due to her dark past. While he wished it wasn't so, it was because of those secrets that he often got the upper hand, such as now. Still, Toni wasn't obedient by any means and it was because of her past, that he faced the problem he had now. Duty to family, duty to the job, and duty to self. This was one of the many reasons he often hid the fact that Antoinette Edwina Stark, was his goddaughter.

Glaring pointedly at her, warning her not to speak, she gave a small nod in acknowledgement, before looking away and back down at the document in her hands. Sighing, he knew he would have to explain before she would ever condone lying to her team. He only hoped she allowed him the opportunity. Often times, she just did her own thing and this more time than not, led to trouble. He was determined that this would not be such a case.

WANTED DEAD OR ALIVE

Captain America $150,000,000.00

Hulk $240,000,000.00

Black Widow $115,000,000.00

Hawkeye $115,000,000.00

Thor $230,000,000.00

Ironman $225,000,000.00

Loki $215,000,000.00

Justin Hammer $100,000,000.00

James Rhodes $100,000,000.00

Pepper Potts $100,000,000.00

Red Skull $150,000,000.00

Obadiah Stane $100,000,000.00

Aldrich Killian $130,000,000.00

"What I want to know is why the others are on this list? I mean, I can understand us I guess, but aren't some of these people dead, gone, or defeated and rotting away in shield prisons?"

"Right", Fury nodded, "Aside from the avengers, Loki is in Asgard. Justin Hammer was in prison rotting until recently, when he posted bail. James Rhodes and Pepper Potts…"

"Oh God!" Toni yelled all of a sudden, "I didn't even see their names. Are they okay?! We have to warn them!"

"Easy Ms. Stark", Hill called, "We already called. Happy, your bodyguard, as well as several shield agents are watching Pepper and Colonel Rhodes has been alerted to this development, along with his commanding officers. He will be under constant eye until we clear this threat once and for all."

"Good", Toni whispered as she collapsed back into the chair, holding her head, "That's good."

"As I was saying" Fury continued, "Stane is dead, Red Skull is assumed dead, and Aldrich Killian is in shield custody."

"What could they possibly hope to obtain by capturing us?" Bruce wondered out loud.

"That is exactly what we aim to find out. For now though, I wanted to tell you guys to lay low. If something does come up, we will send you up, but aside from that, I want no one wandering out of the tower without a shield escort or another member of the team going with them. Do I make myself clear?"

"Crystal", Steve replied for his team.

"Good, now get out. I have work to do."

Fury couldn't help but snort as he heard the Avengers leave, but not before Clint threw in one more final comment about the amounts.

"They clearly need to update their resources. I am worth a hundred times what you guys are."

The avengers grumbled as the door began to shut behind them.

"What?! You guys are just jealous you don't have…" the door clicked shut.

Fury smirked as he turned and nearly jumped out of his skin when Toni Stark stood across from him, her eyes peering into his own.

"You and I need to talk, Godfather O' Mine", she whispered with an innocent smile.

He did not smile back.

AUTHORS NOTE*

Okay, I lied. Seems I can't make up my mind lol, oh well. My writings have a mind of their own. Obviously this chapter was more about Fury and a little deeper into the big bad guy plot. The small, more fun plot of Toni and a lab accident is soon to come.

Hope you enjoyed this! Please let me know what you think so far!

Answer these questions: What do you think Nat and Clint are planning for Steve and Toni? What do you think Fury and Toni will discuss? Why do you think someone placed a bounty on their heads, even the heads of some deceased and vanquished foes?

Until next chapter!