"Mimi ni wafu?" Sauer repeated again, looking questioningly at Captain Rogers. "Kwa sababu kama hii ni wafu, basi, ingawa amekufa ni kukubalika kwangu. Hii ni bora kuliko ..." She looked around again, blushing hard when she realized exactly who was rubbing her feet, and how little he actually had on. She looked down at what was left of her own clothing, and her eyes got wider. "AAAACK!" she squealed, yanking her foot away from Loki and jumping away from Captain Rogers at the same time. She tried to curl up into a ball, but only managed to submerge herself in the process. Rogers pulled her back up by the armpits, sputtering, and helped her find the seating area, where she resumed a fetal position.

"Relax, Sauer," Captain Rogers tried to reassure her, "you were hypothermic after the possession. We put you in here to raise your body temperature back up."

Sauer gave him a look that suggested he had two heads.

Loki, for his part, just looked amused. "I think a few towels are in order, Stark," he called out, "and a robe for the maid." So saying, he nimbly jumped out of the Jacuzzi, his tight green underpants morphing into a flowing green robe. He slicked his hair back and shook his head a few times, his hair magically drying. "Fortunately for me, I brought my own."

Sauer was only two feet away from Loki's backside when he pulled his this trick, and she blanched, like she had swallowed something too large. "Asante, Sherwin Williams!" she said, shaking her head. She looked up at Captain Rogers again. "Hivyo...si wafu?"

Captain Rogers frowned down at her, and then looked up at Tony Stark. "What's with your secretary?"

Tony frowned. "Beats me. Pepper?"

Pepper Potts had already reached the side of the Jacuzzi, and was offering Sauer a large towel and a hand up. Sauer's nervous glance to the other side of the tub told her everything, and the executive glared at Fandral until he turned his face away.

"Like there be aught to see," he muttered.

Hogun smacked him on the back of the head. "Hold your tongue, you rogue."

"Sauer," Pepper said gently, "can you understand me?" She tried to guide the shaking woman to a chair, but had to get help from Tasha; Sauer was still very unstable. "Say something, please."

"Pepper," Sauer was starting to panic, "Nini kinatokea? Nini ni vibaya?"

"What?" asked Tasha.

"Nini kinatokea? Kwa nini si mtu yeyote kuzungumza Kiingereza?" Sauer started to stand up again, shaking harder, but was held down by Pepper and Tasha. "Nini kilitokea? Nini ni vibaya kwa kila mtu?"

"Hakuna kitu kibaya," soothed Dr. Banner, handing the shaking woman a large glass of warm juice. "Hapa, kunywa. Shhhh, kunywa."

Stark looked at Sauer like she had grown an extra head. "Doc? You wanna enlighten the rest of us?"

Banner sighed. He had quickly taken Sauer's brachial pulse and checked her temperature and her eye dilation: her temp was a little low, but everything else seemed fine. "I spent about a year in Kenya working as a medic. She's speaking Swahili, but doesn't seem to understand English. Oddly enough, she thinks we are speaking another language, and that she is speaking English!"

"Great. Just great," muttered Tony. "The Earth is about to be invaded again, the entire Avengers Assembly had a supernatural smackdown, I have a naked Frost Giant in my tower, and my secretary's head is now on another continent. Can this get any worse?" He reached for a bottle of whisky. "Can you translate for us, Doc?"

Doctor Banner shrugged. "I think so. She asked if she was dead-a few times-and when she got a better look at her-surroundings-decided that dead was alright with her." He smiled. "Apparently the view was better than wherever she was before. She thanked Sherwin Williams-for what I don't know-"

"For painting Loki's underwear on his ass," Tasha rolled her eyes at the doctor. "He gave her quite a shot getting out of the tub!"

"That doesn't explain why she's speaking Swahili," Clint finally chimed in from a window-ledge. His throat was slowly turning blue with Sauer's finger-marks, and he frowned at his young friend, who still shook underneath her robe and towels.

"She just had her brain scrambled by an inter-galactic bad-ass," Tony said over a tumbler of amber liquid. "I suppose we should be glad she can actually speak," he took a sip and glanced at the young woman, "not to mention breath. Did she speak Swahili before this, Patch?"

Fury scowled at the billionaire. "Not to my knowledge. SHIELD encourages poly-language proficiency, of course, but I don't recall any Bantu languages from her file."

"J.A.R.V.I.S., would you give us a background check on Miss Sauer, please? Specify language studies until she came to work for me." Tony called out.

"Certainly, sir. Miss Sauer is fluent in English, and has a working knowledge of Low German and Mexican Spanish, both from secondary school. Language studies during her stint with S.H.I.E.L.D. focused on both High and Low German."

Tony raised an eyebrow. "That's it?"

"Proficiency with Low German would suggest practice outside of the classroom, sir," the AI replied. "Sauer has used some...interesting German metaphors during trying days in R&D."

"Haven't we all," sighed Stark.

"Her paternal grandparents live in Germany," Barton volunteered. "They keep in touch by phone."

"That still doesn't explain the sudden appearance of a language she never spoke before," said Dr. Banner. "Your people running any unauthorized bio-feedback or mental stimulation experiments we need to know about, Director?" He tossed that last question over his shoulder as he squatted down in front of the shaking woman again. "Wewe kuumiza mahali popote?"

"What are you asking her now?" Pepper asked.

"If she hurts anywhere," the doctor replied evenly. "Even if she doesn't, we should order a CAT scan and an MRI, just to be certain."

Sauer closed her eyes for a minute and pinched the bridge of her nose. "Kichwa yangu machungu; kuwa ni wote." She sighed, shaking her head. "Na mimi ni wa baridi. Naweza kuwa na baadhi ya mavazi, tafadhali?"

"Kwamba ni nzuri, na ndiyo. Tasha itakusaidia kupata nguo," Banner replied. He looked up at the small group of humans. "She says just her head hurts, and she is cold and would like some clothing. I suggested Tasha would help her," he gave a knowing glance at the red-headed assassin. "She'll be safe enough with you, won't she?"

The red-head gave the doctor an annoyed glance. "Of course. Pepper, do you think we can find something for Sauer to wear?"

Pepper nodded. "I already have clothing ordered and on the way," the CEO answered. "Let's take her into one of the spare bedrooms."

Tasha put a hand on Sauer's arm. "Sauer?" The young woman looked up at the hardened assassin, who motioned with her head that they were to leave.

Sauer blinked, and then nodded. "Да, уверенный. Спасибо, Tasha."

Natasha Romonov's mouth opened...and snapped shut. "Вы говорите на русском языке?"

Sauer's face wrinkled up again with worry. "Номер. Я - говорение по-английски, то же самое как Вы!"

Stark put down his glass and walked over. "Now what?"

"Fluent Russian," Tasha answered stiffly, standing up, "and she still thinks she's speaking English."

"Well, crap," muttered Tony.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Loki rapidly resumed his Jotun form after exiting the Jacuzzi, a green silk bathrobe morphing out to cover most of his nakedness as he walked over to check on Thor.

"How is he?" the dark blue prince asked Sif, who stiffened as he approached.

"He wakes, but is seeing double," she replied curtly. "He recalled the boxing match with the stone giant of Gyllenhol as a comparison."

Loki nodded. "I remember: Volstagg ended up sitting on Thor's head. We should see if aught of these windows open so he can summon Mjolnir; that would set him right again."

"Why not..." Sif began, but Loki cut her off.

"Because these windows are magically and physically reinforced," Loki snarled. "I have no doubt Mjolnir could punch its way through, but the consequences would include flying shards that would decapitate and disembowel any in the room. Is that what you wish for your allies?"

Sif glared at him, but fell silent.

"Thor," Loki called, "can you hear me?"

"Aye, brother," Thor murmured, "I can, and I could use a drink." He cracked open a very bloodshot eye. "Why are you still blue?"

"I do not know. Some foul magic of Thanos', no doubt. Fandral recovers as well, and the maid Sauer finally wakes. She seems a little disoriented, but not harmed other than that."

"I would say differently," Volstagg rumbled, walking over from where Hogun and Fandral dressed. "Fandral seems...changed. His attitude and words towards the maid are reprehensible. I've not ever seen him act like this in all the centuries of our acquaintance. You know the rogue's tongue, it rivals Loki's when he is around women, whether fair or plain," he explained. "But suddenly all his smoothness has disappeared, and he speaks ill of the maid, though she has done naught to deserve it."

"What do you mean, old friend?" Thor had raised himself to a sitting position, and he frowned at the older Aesir, as did both Loki and Sif.

Volstagg frowned. "Fandral openly insults the maid's looks and form, and within her hearing, no less. I've ne'er heard such petty speech, especially from this womanizing mongrel. He has courted and bedded women with far fewer...attractive features...and has not spoken so about them, not even when they were no longer present. T'is not like him. There be something amiss, I deem."

Loki nodded, thoughtfully. "He brushed off the hurt he gave her arm, as well." Thor gave him a questioning look, so Loki explained what he knew of Sauer's burn and the injury Fandral had done to the healing skin. "He shrugged it off as an accident."

"Possible," said Sif, frowning, "but remarkably careless, even for him."

"And he had little to offer in observation from his time with Thanos," Loki added darkly, "just a few glimpses and snatches of sound, and this from a renowned Aesir warrior. Either he grows careless, or suddenly he does not wish to see."

"Or perhaps," Sif murmured thoughtfully, "he does not wish to remember." She frowned and looked at Loki fully for the first time that day. "You were in Thanos' presence. How would you describe it?"

"I was with him a year, and each moment was an eternity of madness and pain, not to be forgotten," Loki said coldly. "But you would know that from my account to the All-Father, Tyresdottir. Fandral spent a few moments with the beast, and came out a weaker man, and suddenly it is real for you?"

"Mayhap I can trust the Sannurblaðson better than the Laufeyson," Sif snapped back.

"This bickering helps naught," Thor said sternly. He shoved off Sif's restraining hands and sat up, scowling. "Each of you blames the other for matters not of their choosing; I expect more maturity from you both, especially after all this time," he growled. "Thanos is real enough, and his foulness is well known. If Fandral be compromised so easily we are all in grave peril. This damage must be dealt with, and a guard of some sort found out." He put his head in his hands for a moment and sighed. "Has the maid spoken yet? Thanos had her for longer-she may know a bit more than Fandral." He looked up at Loki expectantly.

Loki shrugged. "A few words only. She seemed surprised to be alive, and thanked someone named Sherwin Williams, though there was none by that name in Thanos' camp when I was there. She may be hallucinating."

"She be speaking now," Thor said, glancing across the room, "and somewhat distressed, as are her comrades-in-arms."

"I am surprised she lives," Loki admitted. "Perhaps these Midgardians are tougher than I had thought."

"You just now figure that? After the drubbing they gave thee?" Thor shook his head. "Loki, you are a clever man, but sometimes slow in the simplest things. Do not take physical fragility for inferiority. Was it not such a misjudgment we made with you?"

Loki looked at Thor, the surprise evident in his eyes for a heartbeat. He opened his mouth and shut it again before nodding. "It was," he finally said, nodding.

The topic ended with the sudden approach of Dr. Banner. "Guys, we seem to have a problem with Miss Sauer," the Hulk's Other admitted.

"How does she fare?" Thor asked.

Dr. Banner shrugged. "Physically she's fine: a little shaken up, but that's to be expected."

"Has she spoken yet?"

"That's the problem," sighed the doctor. "She can speak, all right, just not in English-her native language, I mean. She seems to switch languages every time she blinks, and rarely is it something we understand."

Thor and Loki exchanged a look. "How many thus far?" Thor asked.

"Five. She started with Swahili-an African Bantu dialect, then switched to Russian, then Irish-Gaelic, then Italian, and finally French. Each time she thinks she is speaking English, but does not understand a word of it." Banner ran a hand through his hair. "I've heard of similar cases using electric shock, but only when the replacement language is something the subject has studied. Sauer hasn't been exposed to most of these. Could this be some side effect of the possession?"

"Unlikely," Loki admitted, frowning. "Thanos usually leaves his victims brain damaged or dead. This is almost..."

"Let me speak to her," Thor said suddenly, walking across the room. Loki followed him. "Garb yourself, brother," the blond giant said, "there be women and children present."

"You take the fun out of everything," Loki groused, but morphed his robe into garments.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Sif made to follow the princes, but a large hand on her arm stopped her.

"A moment, Lady Sif," rumbled Volstagg quietly.

Her dark ponytail whipped around as she turned. "What is it, Volstagg?" she asked fiercely.

"You need to stop blaming Loki for being what he is," the older Aesir said discreetly.

Sif huffed indignantly. "What...a liar? A trickster? Those are choices, Volstagg. Choices have consequences..."

"But he didn't choose to be Jotun, any more than you chose to be Aesir. Yes, Loki is the God of Lies, but that does not mean he invented them. You have made a few...choices...over the centuries as well, Sif. Are you happy with the consequences now? Or would you rather pretend it never happened?"

Sif squared her shoulders and took a nervous breath. "I don't know what you mean..."

"I be not Heimdall," the older man said sternly, "but I vouchsafe you know exactly what I mean. Did you really think Thor would never find out?"

Sif looked stricken. "Volstagg, please...do not..."

"Peace, child. He did not hear it from me, nor from any other of the Three. But the Valholl walls have ears, you know. And there are some things that brothers do...not...share." There was no condemnation in Volstagg's eyes, but Sif still felt a knife in her soul. "Reviling him now for what he did not know then will not make a difference. You still made the choice."

"All the trysts Thor has had over the years...and now this Lady Jane Foster..." Sif shook her head. "He is not judged for them. Why am I?"

"Art not judged, Lady Sif," Volstagg corrected gently, "but burned a few bridges, you have. You should stop trying to build them back again, and forge a new path. Even Fandral cannot return to his first love."

"More the pity. He was a better man, I deem."

"So he was," Volstagg nodded, "and can be a better man still, methinks." Volstagg looked at the raven-haired goddess of war. "Can be a better woman, yourself, given the chance. Think on it."

"Thank you, Volstagg," Sif said quietly, "I will."

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Sauer shivered miserably underneath the fuzzy robe and towels Pepper had wrapped around her. She was still wet from head to toe, and what was left of her destroyed clothing chafed in all the worst spots. It didn't matter how many times she begged to be allowed to dress, there was always another question...another look...a bunch of people looking at her like she was a crazed, drowned rat.

And NONE of them spoke English!

Well, that wasn't quite true. Dr. Banner had managed for a few moments, as had Tasha, but they all insisted that she was the one with the problem. Fury was even worse: he almost didn't speak at all, but the look he gave her made her shiver from something besides cold.

She was now officially afraid to go to sleep. With Fury around, she might never wake up.

But she still wanted some damn clothes! Was it too much to ask?

The floor shook as the Aesir Princes approached. Thor pulled up a chair provided by Stark (apparently Stark was accustomed to Thor's mass, and was already prepared in this wing), and sat down in front of her. He noticed her shivering, though, and stood long enough to pull off his massive red cape, which he wrapped snugly around the young woman's shoulders and head.

"Asante, Thor," she whispered, drawing it closed around her.

He nodded. "Mnakaribishwa, Kidogo Moja," he rumbled. "Unajisikiaje?"

She started, looking up into the giant's face. "Wewe kuelewa mimi?"

"Ndiyo," he said, nodding gravely.

"Thor," Tony said suddenly, "how can you understand her when we can't?"

Thor looked up at Tony Stark and raised a shaggy eyebrow. "Your maid speaks the Swahili tongue again. 'Tis not hard."

"Just as a point of reference, how many languages do you speak?" Fury inquired, his tone all business.

"Roughly 350, Director, but not all of those are Midgardian dialects. Loki was always more the student than I in such things. He is fluent in nearly 500, some of them extinct, many of them extra-solar, and at least a dozen known only for their invective," he declared.

Stark goggled at Loki. "You learned a dozen languages just to cuss?"

Loki shrugged. "I was an adolescent once."

"Back to business," Thor rumbled. He patted the shivering girl gently on the shoulder. "Amani, msichana mdogo. Tutaweza kupata chini ya hii hivi karibuni."

(Bruce motioned to Tony with his head. "He said, "Peace, little girl. We'll have this sorted out in no time.")

She looked up, annoyed. "Mimi nina umri wa miaka mitano."

("I'm not five years old.")

Thor smiled a little. At least the maid still had some spunk. "Unapendelea mimi nakuiteni kibeti?"

("Would you prefer I call you a midget?" )

"Ningependa kupata nguo kabla ya sisi kuendelea mazungumzo haya," she huffed. "Mimi aliuliza mara tano tayari, na mimi kuendelea kusikia 'dakika moja tu' au 'jambo moja zaidi'. Hii si ziliwaleta."

(I would prefer to get dressed before finishing this conversation. I have asked five times now, and I keep getting "Just a minute" or "one more thing". This is not dignified.)

Bruce and Tony both winced. They had been so taken aback by the language problem that they hadn't thought about the young woman's embarrassment...or discomfort.

Thor nodded and looked up at the assembly. "She is right," he announced, sitting back with his hands on his knees. "There is naught we can learn from her that can't wait for her to be properly garbed. Kwenda, kidogo moja, na mavazi mwenyewe vizuri. Sisi kuwa hapa bado kitambo," he said extending a hand to help the woman to her feet.

(Go, little one, and dress yourself properly. We will be here a while yet.)

Sauer sighed with relief, then looked up at Thor and took his gallant hand. "Thank you, Thor. I appreciate that a great deal," she said, then shuffled out of the room to where Pepper waited with clothing.

Thor's mouth dropped open.

So did Loki's.

So did Tony's, Steve's, Fury's, Natasha's, Bruce's, and Clint's.

"Well I'll be damned," Tony finally said. "She's speaking English again. Nice going, Thor!"

Loki shook his head. "That was not your tongue, Anthony, though I know it sounded like it. T'was the All Tongue."

"All Tongue?"

"A native language of Asgard," explained Thor in wonder. "A magical tongue we use between the worlds as a trade language. The speaker is always understood in the language of the hearer."

"We have quite the puzzle, then," Loki announced. The company looked at him as he watched the door where Sauer dressed. "This is a mighty piece of magic, and unrelated to the possession. Thanos only deals suffering; not understanding."

"And yet, she seems not to be able to control it," Thor mused. "Tongues rarely manifests without Interpretation. There be strange things afoot, and not all of them be caused by Thanos."

"Yes, we do," mused Loki.