Chapter 7: Team Science
Sorry, needed to take the weeks off because of finals. Updates will be much more regular now, no worries.
And I would like to apologize in advance to any physics people who might be reading. My science-speak must be atrocious…haha;;
Anyway, hope you enjoy~
Pepper is the perfect hostess—open and generous and undoubtedly sincere, radiating smiles and warmness even during the chill brisk of dawn. Tony contrarily couldn't be any worse of a host—snappish and rude and arguably inebriated, sitting alone at the island in the kitchen while his better half entertained their guests over breakfast.
"What's the matter with you?" Steve asks as he takes out a carton of orange juice and pours himself a glass. "Why are you by yourself…sulking?
"I am not sulking," Tony grumbles, eyes not meeting Steve's. "I am a man, and men brood. I'm brooding."
"Okay…" Steve says slowly as he follows Tony's gaze to the crowded kitchen table. Erik Selvig and Jane Foster flown in late last night. After Steve, Bruce, Tony, and Pepper had helped their guests into Thor's floor, both parties agreed to save the brainstorming and debates after a good night's sleep.
And now, at the peak of dawn, Jane and Selvig are seated on one side of the table, with Bruce and Pepper on the other. Jane and Bruce are directly across from each other, appearing to be deep in conversation.
"So this isn't the whole team?" Steve hears Bruce say in his usual gentle, raspy tone.
"No," Jane smiles, "My assistant Darcy is back at the university working on her final thesis. So you can only imagine her disappointment. She really wanted to meet the Avengers."
Bruce laughs. "Not quite. We're not exactly assembled ourselves."
"If a portal into outer space doesn't propel you guys to assemble, then I don't know what will."
"When aliens start crawling through it probably." Bruce gives a lop-sided grin. "But we're hoping it won't come to that. For now, we just need some advice from the experts. I've read your recent publication on the two-particle space correlations, and I must say—your model is so elegantly simple but brilliant at the same time—I was blown away."
Jane laughs slightly and appears to blush. Tony is gripping onto his mug so tightly it could crack. And something in Steve's brain finally clicks.
"I don't believe it. You're jealous."
Tony whips his head around and glowers at the soldier so intensely that he can almost feel the figurative hole being bore into his skull. "I've lead the primary energy industry for the past three years," the disgruntled scientist all but hisses, "I'm responsible for the most prominent breakthroughs in clean energy of our century. I've even created a new element! Unlike ogling at space dust through a high-powered microscope, my work actually helps people."
"So what are you saying?" Steve glares at the petulant scientist. "No one deserves praise other than you?"
"No, that would be unreasonable," Tony responds stiffly, "But praise should be rationed accordingly to those who deserve it, and Bruce almost never says anything that nice to me."
"What are you, five years old?" Steve cries out, just as Coulson walks through the automatic doors.
"Good morning Phil," Pepper greets the agent. "Help yourself to some eggs and toast."
"Uh," Tony clears his throat, "Since when did my tower become a walk-in bed and breakfast?"
"I have your assignments for today." Phil says promptly.
"Is it actually different from yesterday's?" Tony cocks a brow.
"In fact yes, now that Dr. Selvig and Dr. Foster are here."
"Whatever it is, I'm sure it can wait until after breakfast," Pepper cuts in, all smiles, "Please join us, Steve. Tony."
The scientist grumbles before making his way to the table with the soldier following in suit. Breakfast ends in twenty minutes but the conversation doesn't, and Steve can only stare in awe at what he assumes is the natural result of having four scientists together at a meal. He exchanges puzzled glances with Pepper and Phil, who merely smile and shrug.
"You can't possibly prove that!" Tony slams his mug on the table, black coffee splashing over the edges.
"It's hard to proof, but it makes sense." Dr. Selvig comes to his former student's defense.
"Just imagine them as channels of energy with the Bifrost as a sink, ignore the general relativity for now—" Jane is drawing on a piece of napkin a series of circles, which Steve can only assume as planets.
"You want me to ignore relativity?" Tony sounds absolutely appalled. "What about the laws of space-time? Maybe we should just forget about physics all together."
"You know, Tony," Bruce quips in softly, "The fact that there's a portal above Steve's apartment means that some physics must be broken."
"Oh, of course," Tony throws his hands in the air. 'Take their side!"
The doctor shakes his head. "I'm just being respectful since this is their field of research. I'd rather listen to them than someone who crammed everything into his head the night before."
"The laws of physics aren't broken," Jane says with resolve, hair spilling over her shoulders as she leans to place the napkin before an unimpressed Tony, "It only seems broken because we don't understand it fully. Our laws might be absolute on earth, but elsewhere, they're clearly not. Thor has showed me—"
"You learned this from Thor?"
"Yeah." Jane furrows her brows. "So?"
"That's cheating." Tony points an accusing finger. "You didn't even figure this out yourself!"
"Good grief!" Bruce buries his face in his hands. "Why does it even matter?"
"Will you just sit down and let her finish?" Selvig huffs.
"It's too convenient. I don't like it." Tony crosses his arms stubbornly, "You can't just change any laws you want just so your model can work."
"I'm sure there are details behind the mechanisms that Thor would gladly explain," Jane narrows her eyes, "Or would that be cheating?"
"I think that's your queue, Tony," Bruce laughs uneasily, "Even more of a reason to contact Asgard—besides the possible destruction of our planet."
"No need," Tony counters easily, "Fury has Loki locked up in his basement. We can ask him right now. I bet he knows."
"You'd rather trust the words of that lunatic?" Dr. Selvig appears to stiffen, reminding Steve and everyone that the old professor had been one of Loki's pawns, and he must suffer from the same terrors as Clint at the mention of the god's name.
"No," Steve says as all heads turn to him with varying degrees of surprise, as if they had forgotten he was still part of this conversation. "Now is not the time to be arguing among ourselves. We need to set our priorities straight. The earth is in danger, and that's why we're here. Dr. Selvig, I apologize in advance if you weren't notified that Loki is captured at base—"
"No, no," Selvig laughs shakily, "I was well aware, and I came anyway. As long as I don't have to be anywhere near that monster, I'll be fine."
"You won't," Coulson joins in, "You and Jane will be working downtown at the site of the portal, most likely."
"I'm the only one assigned to Loki," Steve assures the old professor, "If you ever have questions for him, I will ask on your behalf."
"Actually, Cap," Phil interjects, "For today at least, you won't be."
"What?" Steve arches his brows. "Why not?"
"Natasha and Clint are too deep undercover to pull back, so this will be the new team for now, and the Director thinks it might be best for everyone to get to know each other first. You will all be going downtown in the morning where Bruce will explain the details of the portal, and return here in the afternoon, where Tony will share his progress in contacting Asgard."
"Oh," Steve says, feeling very much like a fish out of water. As much as he values team building, he doubts he will be able to contribute any more than a few nods of the head in a laboratory setting.
"So what should we call ourselves," Tony rolls his eyes, clearly unhappy with Jane, and Bruce, and everyone in the room probably, "Team Science?"
###
Team Science Plus Cap, Tony eventually decides, because apparently Steve isn't qualified enough to be an actual part of Team Science (which Steve finds unnecessary and mean but lets it go since it's Tony after all).
Dull is the only word he can think of to describe the day, as he willed himself through hours and hours of obscure theories first from Bruce, then from Tony. By the end, Steve feels as if his head is about to explode even though he is nowhere near the level of comprehension as the others. He thinks of Loki a lot when he manages to lose focus, remembering how he had said they would talk more today, and how Loki had agreed with the portrait of that woman still on his lap. It's late by the time Tony finishes explaining the details of his device, and Steve decides to pay Loki at least a short visit after dinner, to keep his word.
"Steve, wait!" Jane catches up to the soldier just as he steps onto the street.
"Is something the matter?" Steve turns to the petit woman in mild surprised.
"Agent Coulson told me you have some questions for me."
"I do?"
"About Thor?" Jane looks at him searchingly. "And his brother, Loki? Now would be a good time for me, but if you're busy…"
"No, no," Steve says hastily, suddenly remembering how he had mentioned this to Bruce once before Jane and Selvig had even arrived. Though, he wonders how Phil would have known. "Maybe we can talk over dinner? It's on me."
"Oh, I don't know," Jane appears hesitant.
"No, please," Steve reassures her, "Consider this an apology, on behalf of the Avengers, for Tony."
"Well, if you put it that way," the scientist laughs, "Sure. Where to?"
They eventually settle for a small diner on the corner by 6th Ave where the tables are in stalls to allow them some privacy. They begin talking before the food even arrives.
"We met Thor in New Mexico," Jane says, "The Bifrost leaves behind these wormhole like traces, and my research is based on that, trying to figure out what they mean. I guess finding Thor is the biggest breakthrough I've ever had."
She allows herself a small smile, and Steve returns her one, encouraging her to continue.
"Thor was banished to Earth as punishment for damaging relations with another race, the Frost Giants. He cannot wield his hammer until he has proven himself worthy. But when he sacrificed himself in order to protect us and his friends, all of his power and strength returned."
"Why did he need to sacrifice himself?" The soldier asks.
"Thor told me his brother had been…confused," Jane reluctantly says, "Loki had sent a machine after him, to prevent him from returning to Asgard, to kill him probably. But Thor asked for forgiveness instead."
"Forgiveness for what?"
"I don't know. Anything he could have done to wrong his brother, or something like that." Jane brushes a lock of hair behind her ears, worry etched in the wrinkle between her brows.
"Do you know?" Steve asks tentatively, "That Loki is actually…"
"Adopted, yes. And a Frost Giant, but Thor did not care."
"What did Thor say about Loki?" Steve sees Jane shift uneasily and is quick to amend himself, "Please, don't feel obliged to say anything you're uncomfortable with. Whatever you're willing to share is already great help."
Jane laughs soundlessly, but appears less tense at least. "He's never explicitly told me to keep this a secret, but I trust you to not—I don't know—abuse this information."
"I won't." Steve promises, although he doesn't quiet know what that means.
"After his fall," Jane begins again, voice barely a whisper, and Steve has to lean closer to hear. "Loki was branded a usurper and a traitor, and Thor could not even mourn properly with his family, so he came to me often."
"But the Bifrost—" Steve interjects, and Jane is quick to answer his doubts.
"Was still in repair, but travel was possible, although less reliable. Thor was willing to risk the danger because he could not bear to stay in Asgard at times."
Steve wonders what Asgard must have been like to drive Thor into seeking a mode of escape, but Jane does not give him much time to gather his thoughts before she is speaking again, voice listless and sad.
"Loki had always sought approval from their father, but he never realized how much Thor loves him. Thor swore to me that he didn't know his brother was suffering, that he felt unloved or neglected. And their poor mother who thought she had lost her youngest son, she was the most inconsolable of all."
"Their mother," Steve says, remembering the drawing of that woman—ageless and beautiful—although too young to look like Loki's mother, but what does he know. "She and Loki were close then?"
"I would think so," Jane responds with a small smile, "From what Thor had said. Mothers always spoil their youngest boys."
Steve laughs, could hardly imagine Loki young and coddled by his mother—whoever she may be—but then he feels guilty because maybe this shouldn't be so hard to imagine. "Has Thor mentioned anything to you since the Chitauri attack?"
Jane shakes her head. "He only came to me once to say that he'll be busy now that his brother is captured, and he won't be visiting as often. But I didn't think it would be anything this—awful. Agent Coulson told me Asgard might be at war."
"That's what Loki has us believing." Steve says, wishing he could reassure the scientist in some way, "We won't know for sure until we get a hold of Thor. And besides," Steve grins, "They're Asgardians. If we can hold our own against the Chitauri, I'm sure they can too."
That earns him a smile, as Jane's features seem to soften with relief. "You're right. It's stupid to worry now. We have work to do."
Steve pays for dinner and hails for a cab because it had starting to rain. They return to the tower and bid each other goodbye, and Steve doesn't remember his word to visit Loki until he steps out of his shower later that night. The clock on his wall reads 10:45, and he decides that the god probably wouldn't appreciate a visit at such an unconventional hour. He reads a little Hemingway before falling asleep, all the while believing that Loki wouldn't mind if he is a day late.
And just a tip, Loki do mind ;)
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