Author's Note: First of all, thank you so very much to all of my fav/followers. And thank you to everyone who reviews. Now I would just like to make one thing very clear because I've gotten these comments quite a few times, I don't dictate how long a chapter should or should not be. I just follow the story and if a chapter feels like it should end because that is the end of a certain scene, then I end it there. Scenes in movies could last 10 seconds or 10 minutes and I am converting a movie into a written story, it's very confusing. The story decides it's own path, I am just telling it. Also I update almost everyday which is pretty frequent so don't worry about that. I love constructive criticism so if you have any comments about how I could improve my actual writing or improve the storyline, please I'd love to hear them. I also post directly after I write which means there is barely any editing, I am sorry about that. However, first and foremost I am writing this story for myself. I only post here because I know there are people like me out there who may not want to write things for themselves or don't have time but do like to read the work of other authors. Again thank you for reading my story, I only own Lucy, please enjoy.
-sublimation-
After the battle in Stuttgart, the weary rag tag group of misfits boarded the plane with their shiftily subdued prisoner. Lucy clapped a pair of specialized handcuffs onto the Asgardian she pulled from the back of her utility belt. With his hands now secured she led him up the back ramp of the quinjet, Steve and Tony following behind her. The astonished citizens behind them were left speechless as the plane speedily took off from the square. Inside, Lucy sat Loki down in the seat farthest from the front.
He studied her curiously now that her form was no longer hidden, "Aren't you a pretty one." He noted as she straightened before him, finished with the buckles. From behind her, nearer to the pilots, Steve's jaw tensed as he witnessed their interaction, "I take it you're the second super soldier?" Loki smirked eyes flickering to his reaction toward the other man's reaction, "You're quite impressive..." he complimented her, "For a human."
Lucy ignored his prodding, going over to stand with the rest of her crew at the front of the quinjet. Steve stood to the left, his back to Loki as he watched the progress of their flight. As she took her stance beside him, she nudged his elbow with her own, a question in her eyes. He gave her a quick smile that she returned, both notifying the other that there was nothing to worry about. Tony stood on her right on the other side of the plane watching the man in the back.
Turning his head, Tony beamed at his godmother, and then leaned over to give her a one armed squeeze. It had been months since he saw her last, one of the longest times they had been apart, "Pepper says hi." He greeted as he released her.
"Oh, I know." Lucy's right eyebrow rose in response, as she stood in front of him mirroring Steve's position, arms crossed body facing forward, "She also said to make your life 12% more difficult than I usually do."
"She told you that huh?" Tony hung his head sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck.
Lucy rolled her eyes, "She tells me everything."
"I like your suit." Tony changed the topic, admiring the mirroring technology. He'd love to get his hands on that if she'd let him. The amount of work that would have been needed to develop that fabric was incredible, "Is that what you wear when you go off for weeks at a time? On your missions?" he clarified.
"It depends." She explained, observing Natasha and the other pilot's progress as they adjusted various buttons and levers, "Usually I'm undercover for information. I only wear this for combat, and such occasions hardly arise."
Tony nodded as a tense silence enveloped the rest of the cabin.
Director Fury's voice radioed through their comms, "Saying anything?"
"Not a word." Natasha answered as the trio standing in the back looked over to analyze their captive.
"Just get him here." Fury ordered, "We're low on time."
"I don't like it." Steve muttered to the other two as he glanced toward the suspicious Asgardian.
"What? Rock of Ages giving up so easily?" Tony scoffed, eyes still glued to the man in question.
Steve murmured, "I don't remember it being that easy." He adjusted his stance, feeling the ghost of several falls from their recent fight, "This guy packs a wallop."
Tony shrugged, "Still, you are pretty spry, for an older fellow." He sniffed, pointedly looking at the Captain. "What's your thing? Pilates?" he jested.
"What?" Steve questioned, not understanding the rapid change to an irrelevant topic when a more serious problem was at hand.
"It's like calisthenics." Tony explained cheekily, "You might have missed a couple things, you know, doing time as a…" he raised his eyebrows, looking the older man up and down, "Capsicle."
Lucy's foot kicked out to nudge his armor-covered leg as she stared at him reproachfully. But Tony didn't back down, even though she knew he felt the jab.
Steve regarded the Iron Man, even through this was their first meeting, he already knew their relationship would be a trying one, "Fury didn't tell me he was calling you in." he fired back.
"Yeah, there are a lot of things Fury doesn't tell you." Tony retorted.
From outside the quinjet, streaks of lightning could bee seen blazing across the dark skies. Clouds rolled in from the previously clear night and thunder rang through the air.
Lucy looked up her face confused before comprehension dawned on her, "Oh boy." She sighed turning her head to regard the similar expression crossing over Loki's face.
"Where's this coming from?" Natasha questioned, voicing the question running through all of their minds.
Steve looked over to Lucy and seeing her line of vision his gaze trailed past her to see the object of her scrutiny, "What's the matter?" he questioned their apprehensive captive, "Scared of a little lightning?"
Loki spared the agents a quick glance, fingers tightly gripping the harness that held him in, before looking back up at the skies, "I'm not overly fond of what follows." He said waiting expectantly.
"Oh come on." Lucy groaned as a clap of lightning hit the top of their plane, shaking the entire structure. She reached out to grasp something, anything to balance herself through the turbulence as her fellow companions did the same. Natasha fought against the untamable winds as the trio in the back righted themselves. Steve went for his shied and Tony for his helmet. Iron Man walked toward the back entrance, lowering the ramp as he passed.
"What are you doing?" Steve demanded as the cold air blasted its way into the cabin.
From the brewing storm clouds surrounding their tiny plane dropped Thor Odinson, the God of Thunder. Landing on the ramp he stood, blood red cape flapping in the gale, causing everyone's eyes to widen in astonishment.
"Thor!" Lucy tried to communicate with the newly arrived Asgardian to no avail, her call lost in the gust. He knocked Tony back with a single swipe of his trusty hammer and broke the seat beat holding Loki. Gripping his brother by the neck he turned, whipping his mallet in flight and exited the quinjet. The agents stared after him in disbelief, all their hard work on capturing Loki, obliterated within a few seconds.
Tony huffed standing up after being knocked down like a rag doll, "And now there's that guy."
"Another Asgardian?" Natasha yelled from her seat, trying to control the unstable aircraft.
Steve looked around, "Think the guy's a friendly?" he questioned.
"He is." Lucy rolled her eyes at the events that had just unfolded.
"Doesn't matter," Tony continued, walking toward the still open ramp, "if he frees Loki or kills him, the Tesseract is lost."
"Stark, we need a plan of attack." Steve sternly called after his retreating form.
"I have a plan." Tony countered sparing one last glance back at them, "Attack." Then he flew off to peruse the disappearing Asgardians.
Lucy and Steve shared a look before concurrently going to grab parachutes from the row conveniently located on the side of the plane.
"I'd sit this one out, Cap." Natasha warned as she adjusted a few levers.
Steve replied, shaking his head, "I don't see how we can."
"These guys come from legend." Black Widow tried again, "They're basically gods."
"It's all right, Talia." Lucy calmed her friend as she too prepared for the plummet, "Besides, Nicholas would kill us if we lost Loki." shoving her glasses on to her face and she checked her weapons before walking toward the back door.
"There's only one god, ma'am." Steve continued, buckling the parachute backpack and grabbing his shield, "And I'm pretty sure he doesn't dress like that." He finished before jumping out of the plane.
With a running start, Lucy followed him leaping into the air. The wind hit her like a thousand cold sheets slapping her face infused with the darts of rain that speckled her descent into the forest below.
-sublimation-
Loki landed with a grunt on a stone outcropping, "Thor." He greeted his brother with a pained laugh.
"Where's the Tesseract?" Thor commanded, skipping the pleasantries.
Loki chucked, "Oh, I've missed you too." He replied satirically.
Thor bristled, "Do I look to be in a gaming mood?"
"Oh, you should thank me." Loki sat up, "With the Bifrost gone, how much dark energy did the All-Father have to muster to conjure you here? Your precious earth." He spat bitterly.
Thor dropped Mjolnir with a resounding thump, "I thought you dead." He grasped his brother by the arm.
"Did you mourn?" Loki blankly stared back.
"We all did." Thor insisted, "Our father…"
Loki stopped him with a finger, "Your father." He corrected shoving his way out of Thor's grasp, "He did tell you my true parentage, did he not?"
Thor watched Loki limp away, "We were raised together. We played together, we fought together." He persisted, hurt by the emotionless shell his beloved brother had become, "Do you remember none of that?"
"I remember a shadow." Loki responded inconsolably, "Living in the shade of your greatness. I remember you tossing me into an abyss. I who was and should be king!"
"So you take the world I love as recompense for your imagined slights?" Thor motioned as he followed the God of Mischief, "No, the earth is under my protection, Loki." He finished harshly.
Loki laughed, "And you're doing a marvelous job with that." He replied mockingly listing the many faults of the world of man, "The humans slaughter each other in droves, while you idly fret. I mean to rule them. That's why should I not…"
Thor interrupted his rambling with an accusation, "Think yourself above them."
"Well, yes." Loki admitted unapologetically.
"Then you miss the truth of ruling, brother." Thor persisted, coming closer; "A throne would suit you ill."
Loki seethed, pushing past his brother, "I've seen worlds you've never known about. I have grown, Odinson," he insulted, "in my exile. I have seen the true power of the Tesseract. And when I wield it…"
"Who showed you this power?" Thor cut him off, concerned. "Who controls the would be king?"
"I am the king!" Loki yelled.
Thor gripped his shoulder, trying to shake sense into him, "Not here! You give up the Tesseract! You give up this poisonous dream!" he sighed, "You come home."
Loki shook his head, "I do not have it."
Thor's eyes widened as he backed away, raising his hand to call Mjolnir. Anger took over as he prepared to strike.
"You need the cube to bring me home, but I've sent it off." Loki continued smugly, "I know not where."
Thor leveled his hammer at Loki; "You listen well, brother…" he started before a flash of red gold marked the entrance of Iron Man, knocking Thor off the rock precipice and interrupting his speech.
Loki looked around at the stillness, waiting, "I'm listening."
"Do not touch me again." Thor commanded as she stood up, shaking off various debris from his landing in the underbrush.
Iron Man's helmet opened, "Then don't take my stuff."
Thor shook his head seriously, "You have no idea what you're dealing with."
"Uh…Shakespeare in the park." Tony looked around at the tall trees surrounding them, "Doth mother know, you weareth her drapes?" he gestured to the strange outfit of the other man.
"This is beyond you, metal man." Thor ignored the jab, "Loki will face Asgardian justice."
Tony responded determinedly, "He gives up the cube and he's all yours. Until then," his armor clicking back into place, "stay out of the way. Tourist." He scoffed walking away.
"AGGHHH!" Thor yelled, throwing Mjolnir into the Iron Man's back.
"Okay." Tony growled out now incensed, sitting up he blasted Thor in the chest just as his hammer returned to him, knocking him into a tree. Flying into the air, Tony kicked the god in the chest snapping the tree trunk in half as if it were a twig.
Calling Mjolnir back to him, Thor summoned more lightning before shooting it at the Iron Man.
"Power at 400% capacity." JARVIS notified his creator.
Tony nodded impressed, "How about that." He remarked before retaliating against Thor. Both of them flew into the air soaring over acres of forest before colliding with the mountainside. The slid up the rock face, before shooting back into the dense trees, knocking down one after the other in their struggle. Back on the ground they rolled to a stop before engaging each other again. Thor gripped the metal forearms of the Iron Man suit, breaking away the technology before Tony blasted him in the face with the palm reactor.
The fight went on for a few more minutes from what Lucy could see as she floated down to their level. Spotting Loki on the mountainside she angled her descend to land behind him, the only one remembering to keep an eye on their prisoner. After she packed up her parachute she stood next to the God of Mischief, waiting for the hotheaded men to cool off.
"Hey!" Steve yelled, throwing his shield between Thor and Iron Man, breaking apart their fight. It bounced off their weapons returning to his hand. "That's enough!" he ordered sternly, jumping down from his perch on top a broken tree stuck at a high angle, "Now, I don't know what you plan on doing here…" he began.
"I've come here to put an end to Loki's schemes." Thor interrupted.
"Then prove it." Steve tried to mollify the situation, "Put that hammer down."
"Uh…yeah no. No, bad call." Tony quipped, "He loves his hamme-" he didn't finish his statement as Thor backhanded him into another tree with Mjolnir.
"You want me to put the hammer down?" Thor roared, leaping high into the air, arm outstretched ready to strike the super soldier. Steve crouched in response, his shield raised high to deflect the blow. As Mjolnir came down upon the vibranium, an energy blast of magnificent proportions rippled out from the point of contact. Enormous trees fell down in every direction from the source of the hit, unable to escape or support themselves against the force pressing against them. It was an instantaneous event that was over within a second, throwing Thor back from Steve and keeping Tony on the ground under a pile of branches. In the newly created field, the trio of men stood up slowly viewing their destruction.
"Are we done here?" Steve huffed, picking himself of the ground.
Lucy's faint voice carried over to them from her far off position, "As entertaining as this is," she drawled, tapping her foot impatiently, "I think you boys might have forgotten something." She finished, clapping the handcuffs back onto an amused Loki.
-sublimation-
When the quinjet landed back on the Helicarrier, a plethora of guards arrived to march Loki away. Steve turned back as he exited the plane, looking for Lucy. She was lingering behind watching Natasha. "Go on," she beckoned him, "I'll be down in a minute."
He nodded, "I'll wait for you inside." Before stepping onto the blustery deck of the massive aircraft.
The Natasha finished with the last few steps of her routine, shutting down and securing the jet. Looking up she spotted Lucy lingering in the cabin, long overdue for a heart to heart chat.
"We'll find him, Talia." Lucy comforted her friend. They shared similar feelings of worry and anger over the still missing agent, but she knew the Black Widow was hurting more in this moment.
Natasha grimaced in a race display of emotion, "We were going to have a few days vacation together after our long missions. I haven't seen him in almost a year."
Lucy stepped forward to envelop the grieving spy in a motherly hug, stroking her vivid red hair. In her mind she relived the same pain when she had found out Steve had died, "I know." She hushed Natasha's dry sob, "I know. We'll get him back." Lucy promised, tears pricking in her own eyes, "No matter what, we'll bring him home. Tell you what," she grasped Natasha's shoulders, "I'll bet you we get him back within the next two days," The SHIELD agent laughed while Lucy grinned, "you know I always win."
-sublimation-
Leaving the Black Widow to collect herself, Lucy made her way along the winding hallways toward the command center. Just as she passed a corner a hand reached out and spun her around. Her body tensed, ready for a fight when a familiar homey scent washed over her. "Don't scare me like that." She admonished quietly, smacking Steve lightly across his arm, "I was about to pull my knives on you."
He chuckled as they moved deeper into the dark alcove, "I just wanted to make sure you were all right." He stroked her cheek softly.
She stepped forward, face nuzzling into his hand as she snaked her arms around his waist, "I'm fine." She placated him, "What about you? You took some harder hits than I did."
"It's been awhile." He muttered leaning down to embrace her smaller form, head resting on top of hers.
After a moment where they relaxed in each other's presence, Lucy reached up to plant a kiss on the underside of his jaw, "Let's go." She threaded her fingers through his, "I'm sure we're needed on the bridge."
"Wait," Steve pulled her back to capture her lips in a fervent kiss, "I love you." He whispered, breathing heavily. "If anything happens, I need you to know that."
Lucy smiled, mind blissfully blank after the embrace, tucking a stray blonde hair into his combed style she replied, "As I love you." She playfully bopped his nose, a grin spreading across his face, "Don't worry, nothings going to happen, not when we have Captain America protecting the world again." she lightly elbowed his stomach with her arm. Looking him up and down she continued, "I meant it, you know, all those years ago."
Steve furrowed his brows confused, "Meant what?"
"That I loved you." She said, sincerely, "Even before the serum. A long time before the serum. That I'd choose Steve Rogers over the great Captain America."
He lifted her hand up to his lips, kissing her palm, "As I would choose Lucy Barnes over all other variations of Agent Zero."
-sublimation-
"Lady Zero!" Thor's thunderous greeting echoed about the bridge as Lucy and Steve approached the meeting table joining the rest of the Avengers, "I am glad to see you well."
"It's nice to see you too Thor." She waved, sitting down in a chair Steve pulled out for her.
"Do you know how fares Jane?" the God of Thunder continued, concerned for the human he left behind more than a year ago.
Lucy smiled, "Last I heard she was doing well. Moved to London I think for some kind of research." She kindly notified the Asgardian who nodded grateful for the news. The two women had become acquaintances, along with Darcy, when Lucy helped set back up the lab SHILED had taken from them in New Mexico.
"Here we go." Agent Maria Hill called out from her station as video footage of Director Fury and their once again captive, Loki, appeared on screen. Fury stood outside an cylindrical glass cage which housed the curious God of Mischief.
"In case it's unclear," the Director secured the prison, "you try to escape, you so much as scratch that glass." He pressed a button and suddenly the floor under cage opened, wind swirling into the Helicarrier, "Thirty thousand feet, straight down in a steel trap. You get how that works? Ant." He gestured to Loki, "Boot." He gestured to the control pad.
Loki merely laughed, "It's an impressive cage. Not built, I think, for me."
"Built for something a lot stronger than you." Fury conceded.
"Oh, I've heard." Loki smirked, "The mindless beast, makes play to be the man. How desperate are you? You call on these lost creatures to defend you."
"How desperate am I?" the Director scoffed, "You threaten my world with war. You steal a force you can't hope to control. You talk about peace and you kill cause it's fun. You have made me very desperate. You might not be glad that you did."
"Ooh." Loki mocked, "It burns you to have come so close. To have the Tesseract, to have power, unlimited power. And for what? A warm light for all mankind to share, and then to be reminded what real power is."
Fury rolled his eyes as he walked away, "Well let me know if real power wants a magazine or something."