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Thor couldn't stop thinking about Ven on his way back to the Avengers Tower. He worried little about why he was summoned back. He was more worried about what transpired in Starborn Café.

Something in him responded to Haruven in a way it never responded to anything or anyone. Something was pulling him back, but he couldn't say what it was.

There was just something in those deep emerald eyes, the velvety voice and the scent that lingered in the air around Haruven that awakened a need in him, a need he wasn't sure he was able to deny. He wasn't even sure if he wanted to deny it.

He entered the Avengers Tower and walked over to the elevator nodding his head at the few agents that were stationed in the entrance hall. He entered the elevator and pressed the button that would bring him to the top floor.

He would have to return to the Café as soon as possible.

He knew he wouldn't be able to rest until he found out what was going on.

He also believed Haruven had answers to his questions, although he wasn't sure the bartender would give them willingly.

Why? Thor didn't know. Something was just telling him it would be difficult to make Haruven divulge his secrets.

The elevator door opened and he walked into the meeting room raising an eyebrow when he found the rest of the Avengers already around the table with Fury standing at the head of it.

"Nice of you to join us." Fury drawled and Thor nodded his head at him although a frown was already marring his handsome face.

"Nick Fury. It has been a while."

Fury hummed as Thor took a seat at the table beside Steve.

"What is this about, Fury? This could have waited until tomorrow morning; or afternoon," Tony said and Fury glared at him with his good eye.

"First and foremost, why wasn't I informed that Thor returned to Earth immediately?"

"Well, you're having us tracked and under constant observation. We figured you'd find out on your own." Bruce said before anyone else could speak and Fury tensed up almost unnoticeably.

"Second?" Natasha asked.

"Second," Fury started and looked at each one of them slowly, "is that I've been informed that all of you visited a certain Café in town."

"I thought we were free citizens," Clint said slowly and Fury looked at him. "Why wouldn't we be allowed to visit a simple Café?"

"You can do whatever the hell you want to do!" Fury snapped. "But the man that owns that café can't be trusted."

"Why?" Steve asked. "We've read his files and we've met him in person. Personally I can't find a reason not to trust him."

"Your files were incomplete. You have no knowledge about his abilities; you don't know what he's done or what he's capable of doing."

"He seems like an honorable man and a great warrior to me." Thor spoke up. "I returned from that Café right now and I spoke with him. I can find nothing that would indicate that he has ill intentions."

Fury frowned. "That man is a highly skilled hunter and infiltrator and he did things not one of you would have the guts to do."

"I don't know, Fury," Tony drawled. "I think all of us did a lot of bad things in the past, but most of those things were done to save people, or to save the Earth. Other things were done in ignorance. I don't think we can throw stones at Sigurdsson."

"I didn't ask you what you think, Stark…"

"And I think that you're full of shit." Everyone looked at Bruce in shock. The usually calm and collected Gamma-scientist was on his feet, hands fisted on the table and eyes glaring daggers at Fury. "Concerning his past, Ven did what he had to do. He has been nothing but honest with us and he did nothing to pose as a threat to anyone. He does what he loves to do; he lives to help people and he doesn't want trouble."

"What do you have against him?" Steve asked.

"I know who he is." Fury spoke in a low tone. "Underneath that pretty visage he is a monster; a monster that has to be controlled. He is a threat to this world and he should have never been let off of his leash."

"Oh you mean like me?" Bruce snapped, but before Fury could answer Natasha joined the argument.

"You want us to bring him in," she spoke in a tone of stunned impression. She was looking at Fury with a smirk and knowing eyes. "You don't like him being outside of the system and you want him to join S.H.I.E.L.D. so that you would be able to control him. You want him under your thumb, like you think you have us, so that he doesn't have a choice but to do your bidding."

"Agent Romanoff…"

"Don't deny it, Fury!" Tony cut him off. "It irks you, doesn't it? You can't stand that you have a man out there, a man that is possibly more powerful than anything we've ever faced, and that you have no way of controlling him and his actions."

Fury tensed up, lips pressed in a tight line and his one good eye glaring at the Avengers.

"He's a wild card." Clint muttered. "If things go south you have no guarantee that he would fight to protect Earth."

"Yes, he is a wild card," Fury growled. "A dangerous wild card. If he falls under the wrong influence he would become the greatest threat this world has ever seen."

"I'm not under the impression that he's easy to influence," Steve said sarcastically and Fury looked at him. "And he said that he would fight to protect Earth if the need ever arose for him to do so. I think your best move would be to lay off of him and pull back gracefully. I'm under the impression that he's not a good man to anger."

"He has a lot of power," Thor said. "His Café is very well protected by his magic and the enchantments he has on that place summon only those in need of peace and council. He is a good man." Fury snorted and shook his head.

"I see this isn't going anywhere. You're all blinded by his looks and calm appearance. You hadn't seen-…"

"What?" Bruce asked and leaned forward. "What hadn't we seen? I saw him comfort a young woman that lost her husband. I saw him laugh with a girl that came to his place just to see how he's doing. I saw him send homemade pastries to a man he doesn't even know personally. Tell me, Fury!" Bruce snapped and his eyes flashed green for a second. "What hadn't we seen?"

"You hadn't seen him torture a man into insanity with a mere gaze! You hadn't seen him kill 5 people with a flick of his wrist! You hadn't seen him bring a mansion down with a wave of his hand…"

"No, we didn't see that!" Bruce roared and got on his feet. "Just like he hasn't seen me kill God knows how many soldiers and yet he talked with me and laughed with me and lent me his shirt when I spilled tea over my own! Just like he hadn't seen Clint or Tasha kill god knows how many men for the government, or Steve kill people in the World War or Tony kill the people that kidnapped him and yet he let us into his Café, talked with us, admitted who he was and seen right into our hearts to given us what we need, and he never asked anything in return!" everyone around the table nodded at that except Fury and Thor.

Fury, because he was all but seething with anger and Thor because he was quietly observing the effect Haruven had on those that met him in person.

"Sigurdsson is a good man," Tony said. "He has a dark past, just like all of us. You can't tell me you're as clean as a tear drop, Fury. You go on and on about how he's a monster. We're all potential monsters. Isn't that why you're having us observed? You're constantly afraid that we'll turn against you and go on a rampage. You don't trust us and I must say that it's very, very reciprocated; at least on my side. You expect of us to work for you but you don't trust us to do the right thing. You are purposefully making us distrust you and practically pushing us into doing something just to spite you."

"Stark, those words…"

"What?!" Tony interrupted Fury once again, crossing his arms on the table and looking at the commander with a squinting, scrutinizing stare. "I'm just stating the obvious. I joined this organization even though I thought I wasn't a team player. I was proved wrong. To be completely honest, I'm relieved there are enough of us to protect this planet, but I will leave if things go on this way. Sigurdsson may not be an official member of the Avengers, but I would bet every single dime I own that if we were to be in any real trouble he would be the first one to come to our rescue. I'm not so sure about you, Fury." Tony stood up, straightened his jacket and looked around the room. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I left my wife in bed and she must be worried sick by now. I'll see you tomorrow." He nodded at everyone and left the room.

"I agree with Stark." Bruce said and pushed away from the table, standing at full height with eyes turning a suspicious green. "I've found something I thought I'd never have. I'm grateful that you brought me into this, but trust me, Fury…" Bruce looked at the commander with a dark stare. "Between you and Ven, I think I know whom I would choose." With that said he turned around, clapped Steve's shoulder on his way out and left the room without another word.

"I think you should carefully consider your next move," Steve advised and looked at Fury from under narrowed eyebrows. "I don't know Haruven as well as Bruce does, but he has yet to give us a reason not to trust him."

"Steve is right," Natasha said. "Sigurdsson knew who we are and I'm not that naïve to believe he doesn't know what we did. He allowed us into his Café and treated us with nothing but respect and welcoming kindness." Clint nodded in agreement and Steve smiled, the three standing up as one.

"Take everything into careful consideration, Fury," Clint said. "While you were busy observing us from afar and trying to control our actions we did what you wanted us to do. We've become a real team. I'm afraid that if you continue on this track you will no longer be considered part of it." The three turned around and left.

Once the door closed Thor stood up and his eyes met Fury's good one. "I have been away for two years and I can see that a lot of things have changed. As much as I can tell, you have distanced yourself from your comrades."

"I am the commanding officer…"

"Yes, you are and I was a member of my Father's guard. I had spent every waking moment with my fellow warriors even though I was their commander. I slept in the barracks with them, I shared meals with them, I trained with them, fought with them and I bled with them." Thor stood to his full height, looking at Fury with an unreadable gaze. "You shouldn't ask of your men to do something you are not ready to do, Fury. A commander must be with his team. He must be there to lead them and see to it that they all come out of battle alive. A commander does not control the team; he leads it." Fury looked to the side with a frown. "Think about it before you decide on your next course of action. I met Haruven Sigurdsson today and I have seen his heart. There is much pain and darkness in it, but it is there because of his past. He is living a life of redemption. Maybe you should-what is that phrase…" Thor looked to the side with a thoughtful frown, "borrow a page from his book?" Fury raised an eyebrow at that while Thor nodded and took a step back. "Be careful of your next step," he warned and walked out of the room, leaving Fury to contemplate their words.

He walked over to a window and looked out at the sleeping city, ducking his head to look at his right hand. He opened his fist and clenched it again, raising his head with eyebrows narrowed in a thoughtful frown. 'Did I really make so many mistakes?'

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Haruven laughed and shook his head. "Really now, Clark, I thought you would have proposed by now," he said and the man in front of him blushed.

"I just - no time is ever good enough! I want it to be perfect! She deserves the best!"

"Aren't you the best for her?" Ven asked and tilted his head to the side innocently, and Clark blushed furiously.

"I'm not so…"

"She chose you, Clark," Ven cut him off and gifted him with an encouraging smile. "Don't you think it counts for something? Trust me, whatever way you decide to propose to Lois I'm sure she'll be thrilled." Clark sighed and rubbed the back of his head before he pushed his glasses further up on his nose.

"I guess I'm just worried she'd say no."

Ven scoffed and shook his head, waving his right hand as though Clark had said something utterly stupid. "Don't be. She wants to spend her life with you. Go to her and make her happy."

Clark smiled at that and Ven returned it equally. "I knew there was a reason I kept coming back to talk with you. You make things sound so simple."

Haruven snorted and looked to the side at the fire burning in the fireplace. "All of us are prone to making things seem more complicated than they really are," he said and stood up together with Clark as the man got ready to leave. "We just have to relax and let everything play out the way it should."

Clark nodded and shook hands with Ven. "I'm glad I came over," Clark said and placed a few bills in Ven's hand.

"Clark, that's too much…"

"I don't want to hear it!" Clark interrupted Ven, who sighed, lips tilting up into a small smile. "I don't care what you do with it, but I won't take back that money."

Haruven laughed and pulled Clark into a loving hug. "I'm glad I saw you again, Clark. Good luck."

"Call me if you need anything." Clark turned around with a small wave, closing the door once he walked out of the warmth of Starborn Café.

Haruven sighed and shook his head with a small smile, levitating the money into a small wooden chest on the far right part of the bar before summoning their empty cups into his hands and making his way towards the sink.

'Are you feeling any better?' Urd asked.

'I'm feeling much better,' he answered honestly. 'I haven't seen Thor in over 24 hours and my magic is calm again. I guess it just came to the point where it became too much for me and Thor's presence only made it react more violently. I'm surprised I hadn't snapped from all that pressure.'

'Serves you right for not allowing me to absorb some of your magic regularly.'

'I don't want to endanger you, Urd.' Haruven told her as he washed the dishes, feeling the spark of her annoyance. "You barely managed to go back into the Mirror because of how much you absorbed last time. You know you can't survive long on this plain. I don't want to put you into unnecessary danger.'

'So you're willing to suffer,' she concluded with a long sigh. 'You have always been too unselfish for your own good, my sweet.'

Haruven sighed and ducked his head, fisting his hands on the edge of the sink. 'Don't be angry with me, Urd,' he pleaded with his friend. 'I know I'm wrong-…'

'You're not wrong, Haruven.' Invisible arms wrapped around his shoulders and a chilly pair of lips kissed his left temple. 'You should only learn how to let others carry some of your load.'

A small smile tilted Haruven's lips and he nuzzled his head against Urd's invisible cheek making her giggle. 'I'll try.'

In that moment the door opened and Bruce walked in with a small frown. It was replaced with a smile the moment he laid eyes on Ven. "Ven! I'm a glad to see that you are feeling better."

"Bruce! Welcome!" Haruven called out happily, quickly dried his hands and walked around the bar with Bruce meeting him half way and pulling Haruven into a warm hug. The bartender smiled and hugged him back tightly.

"How do you feel, Ven?" Bruce asked warmly as they parted.

"I feel much better, Bruce; almost as good as new," Haruven answered and placed his hand on Bruce's shoulder. "Come. I just received a batch of new tea I want you to try," he spoke as he led Bruce over to the bar and the Gamma-scientist chuckled.

"I can't wait." Haruven smiled and quickly prepared a cup of tea for Bruce. He leaned on the bar and watched as Bruce looked at his drink. The tea was a gentle baby pink color and it smelled like fresh cherries and vanilla. "This smells wonderful," Bruce said and carefully took a sip. "Tastes even better."

"I try," Ven teased and Bruce shot him a small smirk. He sipped the tea while Haruven observed him, quickly noticing Bruce's hunched shoulders and shadowed eyes. With a small sigh he took a seat beside Bruce and looked at the scientist's profile. "Bruce, why don't you tell me what's wrong?" Bruce choked on a sip and shot Haruven a glare when the bartender chuckled.

"Nothing's wrong!" Haruven raised an eyebrow at him, and Bruce rolled his eyes. He sighed and hunched forward. "Fury summoned the night before last. Yesterday I've been too busy to come and see you, but after everything he told us…"

"Ah." Bruce looked at Ven from the corner of his eyes. "Let me guess; he told you that I couldn't be trusted, that I was a monster who can kill without a thought and that you should stay away from me."

Bruce snorted. "How did you guess?" he muttered and Ven smiled at him although his eyes shadowed a little.

"Because he said that to me, only in many more words."

Bruce frowned at that. "What happened between you two?"

Ven hummed and tugged on a loose seam on his sleeve, tearing it off. Bruce's eyebrows twitched when the seams crawled back into their proper place and Haruven flattened his sleeve before sighing and resting his hands calmly on the bar, fingers entwined, and looked at Bruce with a sad expression. "A few wizards got a hold of some technology 9 years ago and kidnapped the scientists that developed it to force them into showing them how to use it." Haruven spoke up and Bruce listened carefully. "A friend of mine was among them. I was sent to work with Fury and his team and took only one wizard with me, another dear friend of mine. You have to understand that I was very different at that time." Ven warned and looked in Bruce's eyes shortly before he continued with his story. "Our mission was to invade their base, retrieve the technology and bring back the scientists. My friend William and I were trying to plan in out so that we relied on stealth. We could have done it all ourselves, but because it was government technology, Fury and his team were sent with us."

Haruven swallowed audibly, licked dry lips and shifted in his seat, and Bruce leaned closer, listening intently to the story.

He wanted to understand the animosity that seemed to exist between Fury and Haruven, not because of Fury, but because he truly wanted to know Haruven better.

"Fury didn't trust us and to be perfectly honest William and I didn't care all that much. Fury set out a camp and chose 3 of his men to go in with us. He wanted for William and me not to mix in. I said that it was my mission and that I would see it done whether he agreed to it or not."

"And Fury agreed to that?" Bruce asked doubtfully and raised an eyebrow when Ven blushed bashfully.

"Only after I used my magic to shut him up and hang him upside down from a tree. I told him that he could stay back if he wanted, but that William and I would go in on our own if need be. I don't know and don't care if Fury hates me because I humiliated him in front of his teammates or because I disobeyed his order. The three guys he chose didn't like me all that much either, but they followed after us never the less. We got in, found the technology and the scientists and made our way out. Everything would have gone well if Fury didn't decide that he was tired of waiting for us. He followed us in and revealed our position. A fight broke out. Hermione, one of the scientists that were kidnapped and my friend, was killed in the crossfire protecting one of Fury's men. Normal humans, no matter how armed they are, don't stand a chance against fully trained dark wizards. I - I lost control."

Ven swallowed difficultly and looked at his reflection in the mirror behind the bar. The shadows dancing in those expressive emerald depths made a shiver run down Bruce's back, and even though he had already known that there was a darker side to Haruven Sigurdsson, it was impossible not to tremble at the slight insight into the wizard's mind.

"I killed every single one of those damn bastards without a thought while William led the scientists out," Haruven murmured, glancing down at his entwined fingers. "I followed after them and destroyed the manor together with anything and anyone that remained in it. Fury was angry. He believed we should have taken at least one of them in for questioning. I told him that he should make his mind on whether he would stand to the side and let others do their jobs or mix in, but either way he should stick to one and not endanger the mission because of his pride. I guess he decided on the first idea." Ven finished with a weak smile.

"Is William…"

"He is alive and he works for the Auror force. He left the Unspeakables around the same time as I did."

Bruce nodded and silence settled between them for a moment with Bruce quietly observing Haruven and the wizard losing himself within the dark corners of his mind. "I'm sorry about your friend," Bruce murmured, placing a hand on Haruven's right forearm, and the bartender looked at the Gamma-scientist, offering him a small, sad smile.

"Thank you, Bruce. To be perfectly honest, Hermione and I had drifted apart long before that mission. I joined the Aurors and she chose to return to the Muggle world. She lost her boyfriend a year after the war. It was too much for her and she went back to a normal life as far away from magic as possible. Never the less, I'm glad I got to see her at least one more time."

"I'm sure she felt the same way." Ven smiled thankfully and nodded his head. In that moment the door opened and in walked Steve and Tony, both looking at Haruven with small smiles.

"We thought we'd find you here!" Tony called out and held the door open. Pepper walked in and kissed her husband's cheek in thanks.

"Welcome," Ven said as he and Bruce stood up to greet them, and the three quickly took their cloaks off hurrying towards one of the fireplaces with Bruce joining them. "Take your seats. I'll bring your drinks over right away." Ven said and bowed his head at them.

"I can't wait," Pepper said as Tony helped her into a chair. He, Bruce and Steve took their seats around a table and soon enough Haruven served them their by now favorite drinks.

Pepper smiled and her eyes glimmered when Haruven served her the drink she drank last time. "I enjoyed it very much last time, Mr. Sigurdsson."

Haruven smiled at her. "I'm glad you did, and please call me Haruven or Ven."

"And you can call me Pepper," she answered making her husband snort.

"Why not," Tony drawled and blinked innocently up at Haruven. "You're on a first name basis with everyone. We shouldn't be any different."

Haruven laughed quietly at Tony before nodding minutely. "As you wish."

"You should join us if you have nothing else to do," Steve offered.

"If you so wish." Haruven said, summoned a chair over and took a seat when everyone moved a bit to make place for him.

"I'm so glad we came," Pepper said. "I just love this place. It's so… homey."

"I'm glad you like it here, Pepper," Haruven thanked her with a small bow of his head.

"Did Bruce tell you…?"

"I know about agent Fury and no, I don't worry about him," Haruven interrupted Steve and Captain America relaxed when he saw that Haruven wasn't in the slightest bit worried. "If he tries anything I'll take care of it."

"Good," Steve said. "I do believe that we worried for nothing."

Haruven laughed merrily at that and nodded his head. "Yes, Steve. You worried for nothing. Fury has no power over me. He can rage and rave all he wants, but he can't force me into anything. You don't have to worry."

"Great," Tony said and raised his glass. "I'll drink to that."

Haruven smiled and summoned a glass of some dark red drink into his hand. "I'll drink to that," he toasted and they drank their drinks.

'I'm glad to see you like this, Ven.' Urd whispered in Ven's ear, while the other three commented their drinks among themselves, and a warm caress passed down Ven's spine. 'You're finally smiling.' Ven took a sip of his drink and shivered when it flowed down his throat leaving a burning sensation in its wake.

'Trust me, my lovely Urd. I hadn't felt this relieved in a long, long time.' He watched as Bruce, Steve and Pepper laughed at something Tony said.

'That is good, my sweet. Enjoy yourself.' Haruven smiled slightly and nodded his head minutely.

"So, Ven!" Said man looked at Tony who grinned at him. "We know you know that we know about your sexual orientation."

Haruven barely stopped himself from laughing and managed to just raise an eyebrow at Tony. "What with it?"

"I was wondering; do you top or bottom?"

"Tony Stark, why I never…" Pepper was interrupted when Ven burst into loud, heartfelt laughter. Once he calmed down he gave Tony a mysterious, teasing glance and raised his glass.

"That, my dear Tony is for me to know and for you never to find out." He took a sip while Tony snorted and rolled his eyes, Pepper sighed and Bruce and Steve laughed.

'I am.' Ven thought and relaxed in his chair. 'For the first time in a long, long while, I am enjoying myself.'

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I just love to see my characters growing with each chapter. It's like raising your baby. Ever so slowly you see the fruits of your effort.

But we all know that there is much more that will happen before we see the end of this story, so join me in the next installment: 'Grounding'.