"I beg to differ! This is indeed the fault of you and your motley crew. If you had not interfered when you did so the spell would have gone off without a hitch and we would not be stuck in these…..bodies!"
The voice was loud.
Very loud.
"Our fault? Our fault! You're the one who was using the spell in the first place. If you hadn't been trying to do who knows what with your stupid spell, then we wouldn't have had to interrupt it and land in this situation. It's all do to you and your evil ways!"
That voice was louder.
The child like voices had steadily been getting louder for the last several minutes dragging an unwilling JJ out of her peaceful sleep. It was the last sentence that had her bolting into an upright position, hands flashing out to grab two ears and giving a sharp twist to each one.
A course of owws filled her ears as she came immediately awake. Her eyes flashed as the two boys each faced her, her words a very low, very dangerous growl. "I don't care how upset you are with each other, what the other one has done, or anything else, you will never, ever, call each other evil again." She stood still holding on to their ears. "On top of that, I don't know where you learned your manners but you're going to start relearning them. It is…" She glanced around for a clock.
"The time is currently seven ten Lady JJ."
The small part of her that wasn't in mother mode noted the change and cringed slightly even as it melted at the IA having used something different to address her by. "Thank you JARVIS. Now believe it or not there are people, who are still sleeping at seven ten in the morning, and yelling is not only rude to them, but it is rude to the rest of the household who are still waking up." Ears still in hand she lead the cringing pair to a corner and placed a boy in it, then lead the second to another corner and put him in it. "The two of you can just stand there, facing the wall, quietly, until I'm ready to deal with you."
The second boy hissed green eyes flashing. "Do you have any idea who I am mortal?"
"An egotistical ass, bent on world domination?" Came the quick reply from the first.
JJ glared at both of them and moved to stand so she could see both boys. "You," she pointed to the first, "are going to shut your mouth before I tap it shut, and don't think I won't do it, and you," she pointed to the second, "at this point in time you are a child. You are not a god, an assassin, a super solider, or a giant green man. You are a child who is throwing a temper tantrum and I will not stand for it."
He glared harder. "I could turn you into a tiny bug and crush you."
She folded her arms over her chest, eyes never leaving his. "Do it." Green eyes widened before narrowing again. JJ continued, "If you can really do it, then why don't you? Why didn't you crush me when I first grabbed your ear? See, it isn't that hard to figure out that you're Loki, so I know you have power, but I don't take well to threats. Either do it or don't. Don't stand there and tell me what you're going to do, cause that just tells me you can use your mouth well enough to BS. If you can do it, do it." She spread her arms wide. "Come on then. Being a bug would be a whole lot easier then dealing with the lot of you, so zap me. Just turn me into whatever it is you think you're going to and get it over with."
Loki simply eyed her, unsure what to do with this strange declaration while the Avengers held their breaths. For several moments no one moved.
Finally JJ dropped her arms to her sides and knelt in front of him. "I don't know what's happened to you, or where you've been, or what you've done. All I know is the stories I'm told, but this is the way I see it; right now, you're a kid, pretty much helpless magic or no, and you need a place to stay, someone to look after you, and food. I can do that. My family has done that for kids with more problems than you for as long as I can remember. Nothing, however, is completely free. There are rules that are to be obeyed and things that you're going to have to do, like it or not.
"In return, I will never knowingly do anything to harm you; I will help you and care for you. I will love, cherish and protect you. You will have a roof over your head, food in your stomach, and a decent place to sleep. There will be time to play, time to work, and time to explore. I will not make threats or ideal promises, but guarantees and offer my given word.
"When you are old enough to be on your own, I will not stop you, nor will I throw you out. You will continue to be welcomed as long as you follow the rules and help out when asked. This will be as much or as little of a home to you as you are willing to allow it to be. The choice is yours. Understand, though, that when I say 'I love you', I do not mean as long as you are good or do things my way. I do not mean as long as you have something to offer me, or give to me. I do not mean in good times only. I do mean, when you are hurting, when you're crying or upset. I mean when life sucks and everything is spiraling out of control and when life couldn't get any better. I mean when you've broken the rules and I have to punish you for it, when you have done wrong and the consequences must be faced.
"When your dreams turn to nightmares, and when you're so sick you can't see straight. There is nothing you can do that will ever make me not love you when I say those words. Nothing you can say, no boundaries you can cross or bridges you can burn. What you do with it is your choice, but that love, it's not going anywhere, it's never going to dull or fade away." She stopped to take a deep breath still looking into his eyes, than released it with a kind, sweet smile, as she brushed some hair back from his face. "And guess what?" She didn't wait for his answer. "I loved you from the moment I walked into that clearing and saw a bunch of children laying on the ground."
Surprise flittered across his face then his eyes went hard and he pulled away even as a tiny glint of hope shone fleetingly in them. "Isn't that a little quick?"
JJ shook her head. "Not at all dear heart. As far as I'm concerned from the moment I tucked you in, you became my own little heart. Not," her eyes twinkled as she stood and backed away, "that that get's you out of your punishment. Eyes in the corner, you have ten minutes. You to Mr. Tony Stark." Tony jolted from his spot in the corner. "Yes, I know who you are. I took you out of your suite last night." She held up a hand before he could talk. " Yes we brought your suite, it's in the back of our suburban with the rest of the weapons. Now face that corner and think about what morning voices mean."
Both turned to face the corner, though more to think about what JJ had said then out of any sort of real obedience.
With a bright smile she turned to face the rest of the Avengers and her two grinning friends. "Now how about we get the rest of you situated."
"The clothes that I purchased last night have arrived. I am having them sent up now. Also the agent who is coming is due to arrive in two hours. Would you like me to request breakfast be sent up from the kitchen?" JARVIS asked taking the moment to fill her in.
"That's ok JARVIS," Nick said as he stood. "I can at least fix breakfast before I have to head in for work."
"Not to be rude or anything," a blond haired boy said, "but who are you people?"
JJ hit her forehead with her palm. "Sorry, was meaning to do that first thing, but their argument kind of distracted me. I'm JJ Darling, this is Nickoli Dowson, you can call him Nick, and Amelia Rangel."
A second blond child moved forward. "I'm Steve Rogers, that's Thor, Clint Barton, Natasha Rominaf, Bruce Banner, and you already know Tony and Loki. Can you tell us how exactly we got here and what you're doing here?"
"JJ, you tell the story, you're the only one who was there the whole time anyway, and I'll go get started on breakfast. After that we can figure out what we're going to do." Nick ordered as he moved toward the kitchen area. JJ picked a spot on the couch and told them the brief story. By the time she was done the clothes had arrived and the two girls started bringing them in as the Avengers, including Tony, whose time out was now complete, moved toward the glass doors to discuss what had happened.
"Dear hearts," JJ called from the middle of the living room. All of the children stopped talking as they turned to face her. What had she just called them? "There are some clothes here for you if you want to get dressed. JARVIS was only able to guess about the size of the clothes, so I don't know how well they'll fit, but we can always return these and get ones that fit better later if we need it. "
For several long moments they all just stared at her, then Bruce, still with only a blanket wrapped around him, made a beeline for the clothes. Ever so slowly the others fallowed. Soon they were all searching for things they liked. The bickering started when Clint found an Avengers t-shirt and Tony decided he wanted it, a few minutes after that the trading and battering began.
Enjoying the challenge more than the clothes themselves Tony looked around and came to a startling realization. Natasha had two bags of clothes all to herself and she was very slowly looking through them Amelia and JJ commenting on something every now and then.
He blinked several times and began to pout when the scene did not change.
"Tony-" Clint stopped mid sentence when he realized that Tony was defiantly not paying attention. He fallowed Tony's gaze to Natasha and swore.
JJ's eyes snapped up, and narrowed. "Who said that?" Everyone froze. They had thought she was scary before, they had thought she was someone to be weary of when she had dealt with Tony and Loki that morning. They had been sadly mistaken. JJ earlier was someone to watch out for; JJ now was someone to back very, very slowly away from. "Who swore?
No one spoke.
"I don't care what kind of mouths you had before, while you are in my care, you will watch your language!" Each boy nodded as JJ carefully examined all of them. Slowly her eyes left them and she turned her attention back to the clothes Natasha had already pulled out. The boys stood very still for several more minutes before something caught Thor's attention.
"What is that strange foot ware?"
Now everyone looked at the black and purple tennis shoes that Natasha was holding.
Tony frowned. "You've seen tennis shoes before big guy."
"Not like these, nay."
"What do you mean?" Steve asked frowning slightly.
With a smile that turned the angelic looking Natasha into a she devil, she smacked the bottom of one of the shoes on to her hand.
"Light-up-shoes!" Tony and Clint nearly yelled at the same time, grins spreading across their faces, eyes shining bright, as they began to bounce. Steve, Thor, and Loki looked at them in awe as Natasha repeated the action, and even Bruce looked at them with some longing.
"Sorry guys. These are girl's shoes, won't fit your feet." Natasha's voice was slightly too sympathetic. JJ grinned slightly at her, but said nothing.
"I did purchase a pair of boys light-up-shoes as well." JARVIS informed them. Seconds later everyone but a suspiciously quite Bruce began to tear through the bags looking for them. JJ moved over so she could talk to him as Amelia encouraged Natasha to try her new shoes on.
"Something wrong Bruce?"
He shook his head and grinned up at her with an adorable smile on his slightly chubby face, dimples showing themselves. "No. Just don't want to get trampled."
"Don't you want the shoes to?" The look he gave her was one of a little kid up to no good. Understanding dawned. "Cheeky little bugger aren't you?" His smile only got bigger.
"Man in the wall, I believe you might be mistaken. There are no shoes that light up here." Thor said sadly as he dropped the last box on the ground.
"It is possible that they were not delivered. I shall check to be sure." JARVIS told the distraught god child.
"Maybe you should look at some of the other shoes, see if there's a pair you like there." JJ suggested.
Sullenly Thor began to do just that Steve fallowing his example with a near crying Clint reaching dejectedly for a shoe.
Tony frowned, unwilling to give up, just yet. His eyes scanned before narrowing in on Bruce's stack of clothes. There was something off about it…..Determined he moved forward and reached for the clothes.
"Hey!" Bruce objected. "Those are mine." He moved to intercept Tony, but was too late as Tony dove forward, small hands reaching for the center. With a triumphant cry he pulled a pair of red and blue shoes with white accents, out from underneath the clothing. "Tony!" Bruce nearly whined reaching for the shoes.
It was too late. Tony had taken the shoes and stomped them hard on the ground. The outside of each shoe lit up in bright colors before dying down just as quickly.
Once more the room was silent.
"Friend Bruce, why would you hide them from the rest of us?" Thor asked eyes never leaving the shoes.
Bruce's tiny jaw set stubbornly. "Because they're mine, I found them."
"They were bought with my money." Tony interjected.
"What does that matter?" Clint asked. "They have arrows on them, and everyone knows that arrows are my thing."
Tony rolled his eyes. "They're Nikes, of course they have an arrow on them."
"But those or my colors," Steve interrupted.
"Yet, I have never had a chance to wear such things," Thor stated unwilling to be left out. "And are they not the shoes of the gods?"
"If that is going to be your argument then I have just as much say as you." Loki interjected.
"Please," Tony said with a wave of his hand, "you tried to take over the world you don't count in this."
"Tony!" JJ's displeased hiss silenced them.
"What? He did?" She continued to give him a silent glare.
Someone cleared their throat and everyone turned to look at Natasha and Amelia.
"Go ahead and tell them Tasha, you're the one who thought of it," Amelia urged.
"Tell us what?" Steve asked.
Natasha looked each of them in the eye before slowly saying, "It doesn't matter who has a better claim to them, if no one fits them."
For several moments the boys all starred at her before they began to fidget. For the genius and intelligence they each held none of them had thought about that rather…obvious point.
JJ chuckled. "Alright dear hearts, let's see who gets to be Cinderella and keep the glass slipper."
Thor and Loki looked blankly at her. "These are not glass slippers, they are tennis shoes." Thor stated.
"Who's Cinderella?" Steve asked seconds later.
JJ shook her head. "I guess we'll make that our first bedtime story. For now, let's just see who fits the shoes."
Five minutes later Amelia stood above were Loki, the last to try on the shoes, sat. "Dang these things are the traveling shoes."
"Isn't it supposed to be traveling pants?" Nick asked emerging from the kitchen.
Amelia shook her head as JJ sat thinking. "Not in this case. These light-up-shoes fight all five of them."
Nick gave a low whistle. "So who gets them?"
JJ sighed. "At this point no one." Protests instantly arose and JJ held up her hand. "After breakfast, each of you will chose a pair of shoes and then, I'll come up with some sort of schedule for who gets to wear them until we can figure something else out, like getting each of you a pair."
Bruce raised his hand slightly. "Then who would get to keep those?"
She shook her head. "We'll cross that bridge when we get there."
"It's a good thing you're all done anyways." Nick piped up. "We've got pancakes for breakfast and they're getting cold."
The boys dropped everything and made mad dash for the kitchen Natasha not far behind.
For what felt like the hundredth time that morning JJ sighed. "What have I gotten myself into?"
Nick chuckled as he swung an arm around her shoulder Amelia coming up on the other side and gently rubbing her back. "Don't worry. That agent guy is coming in later. You may just be taken completely off duty. Anyway, I'm going to unload all their stuff before I head in for work." He held up a hand stopping JJ before she even opened her mouth. "I ate while I cooked. Do you need a ride in Amelia?"
Amelia nodded. "I'll go eat while you unload and I'll see you down there in a few minutes."
Nick nodded gave JJ a kiss on the forehead and headed toward the elevator.
"Oh, Nick," JJ called before the elevator door closed. He held it open with his hand. "Can you bring my emergency bag up before you go? It's got enough meds for one day in it."
"Sure can do."
"JJ!" Tony whined from the kitchen as the elevator door slide closed.
Amelia grinned as JJ just barely restrained yet another sigh. "Come on little mother. They're calling for their food." JJ leaned slightly into Amelia for a few seconds before she straightened and together they headed for the kitchen.
So this is longer then I expected it to be. I had tons of fun writing it though. Also, this two chapters in less then 24 hours...wow 0_0 go me! Reviews inspire writing and thank you to all who take the time. Makes me feel like a bad reader, not reviewing enough. As always let me know what you think, ideas you have, and what you think might be next. Looking forward to hearing from all of you and thank you for reading!