The Unknown Variable

If you think I own anything clap your hands, if you thing I own anything…if you really really do, if you think I own anything go DIE IN HELL! ;)

Penny's POV

I wiped tears from my eyes as I glanced around my house. I had got rid of everything in the past half hour that was in any was sensitive. But otherwise, my house was exactly the same. I had my HAI programmed to shut off once Jarvis reported that I was no longer alive. So no one would know till it was too late.

I sighed sadly as I glance down at the photo of my mother that was in my hand. My life just seemed to love to throw me curve balls, and I had thought I had become a master at dodging…until this one turned into a bomb.

I shook my head and froze.

My eyes narrowed as I heard another small creak coming from the roof. Stepping lightly, I placed my mom's picture back on the mantle and crept into my office.

The skylight was open as usual, and I could just faintly make out a shadow coming through.

With silent agility, I climbed onto my desk, before kicking off of the wall and swung the upper part of my body through the skylight.

I crossed my arms over the ledge and smirked as I saw who was currently crouching on my roof.

"Well, well, well," I stated calmly, causing the black and maroon clad man to jump and spin around. "What is SHIELD's legendary archer doing on my roof?"

"How do you know about me?" He hissed as he aimed his armed bow at my head.

I rolled my eyes before pulling the rest of my body through the skylight and onto the roof. "I've had some run-ins with SHIELD before. Am even the one who came up with their little nick name. Now, I'll ask again Hawkeye, what'cha doing on my roof?"

The man rolled his eyes and lowered his bow slightly. "I'm afraid that's classified."

I rolled my own eyes and plopped down on the edge of the roof, next to where Barton was crouching.

"No need to tell me anything. Your probably following someone, though I have to wonder what's in this little piece of isolation that's got SHIELD so interested." I commented, looking out over the quiet neighborhood. It was mid-morning, but since it was a weekend, most everyone in town was still sleeping.

Hawkeye didn't confirm anything, though his eyebrow did rise in surprise. "You must really be out of the loop then. I'm surprised you don't know."

My own eyebrows scrunched together as I realized that perhaps I should've answered Jane's calls.

"I don't get out much." I shrugged in reply.

He nodded once before glancing around. He swung his bow back over his shoulder and stood up before glancing down at me.

"I take it you've got your own super-secret spy things to do." I commented, leaning my head back so I could still see him.

I saw his lips twitch, and that was all it took for a grin to appear on my face.

"Well then. It was wonderful to meet you, Agent Barton. Good bye." I stated, as I looked back over the horizon behind the town.

"Perhaps we will see each other again." He commented, though I could hear the surprise in his voice at me knowing both his code name and real one.

"Don't count on it, Agent." I stated as I heard him jump away onto Hyln's roof. "Don't count on it."

I stayed on the roof for a few more seconds before I dropped back into my office and closed the skylight.

I had some voicemails to listen to.

In the last two days or so, Jane had called me fifteen times, Darcy had called me six times, and Selvig had even called me four times.

For me, that was a hell of a lot.

"Oh my God Penny…" the first one from Jane started, "You won't believe what happened! Please call me as soon as you get this. Alright…"

Most of the others were along the same lines, though there were a few others that stood out.

"Pen, call me back. Things have gone insane over here…" From Darcy

"You won't believe what we've found. We need your advice, so pick up your stupid phone and get over here!" Jane again,

But Selvig's last message struck me as the strangest. "Penny…we need your more…creative…expertise. Get down here as soon as you can. I'm…I'm over my head on this one."

I erased the messages and cracked my neck. I slowly walked around my house and turned off all of the lights.

I closed my eyes and walked, for the last time, into my office. A feeling of loneliness crept into my heart, and it took all of my self-control not to burst into tears.

I took a deep shuttering breath, and after frying my hard drives…I Flashed away.

I only had one more thing to take care of.

I needed to see Jane.

Personally, when I entered the old shop that served as a research facility to Jane, Darcy, and Selvig, I was expecting something different.

Because of the urgency in my friends' voices, I was expecting something a bit more…dramatic when I entered.

I was definitely surprised to see Darcy and Selvig sitting together quietly at the table…which wasn't buried under research notes, while Jane…and some tall, well-built, blonde haired man served them breakfast.

"Well," I stated, causing all of them to jump and spin around. "This is certainly not what I was expected."

"Penny!" Darcy cried as she ran up and hugged me. Thankfully, I had managed to create a Holo-ball ring out of the Balls at my house. So there was no instant panic at the sight of me.

"Hello Darcy," I stated with a small smile as I returned the hug. "Got your guys' messages. You made them sound urgent."

"They were." Selvig grunted as he sipped a fizzy drink. He seemed to be hung over. "Took you long enough to reply; could've used your help last night."

I sighed as I sat down at the table, "I've been otherwise occupied."

"So," I stated as the blonde, long haired man gave plates of ham and eggs to Selvig and Darcy.

"Thanks," they both intone before digging in.

"You're very welcome." He replied in an accented voice. It sounded a bit like old English, but with a strange twist.

"Who's your friend?" I asked Jane, instantly noticing how close the two stood together.

"I am Thor Odinson." The man replied and my eyes widened in surprise. A real Asgardian was standing in the same room as me. Cool.

"Thor, as in Norse God of thunder, prince of Asgard, brother to Loki, God of Lies and Mischief, Son to the Alfather and his queen Frigga?" I asked, hoping that I got my facts right.

"Aye," He replied with a nod, though he looked quite shocked. "That is I."

A grin split across my face as I stood and said, "It is an honor to meet you then, Thor. My name is Penny. Though I am wondering what brought you to Midgard."

"A pleasure as well, Young Penny. It is surprising to find one of Midgard so familiar with Asgard culture." Thor stated casting glances between Jane and I. He was silently asking her who I was, and he was also trying to avoid my question.

"Ah, Penny has been working with us recently. She is wise beyond her years and is much more capable then she seems." Jane stated, and I smiled at her. "Though she tends to disappeared for days on end."

This time, all three of them glared at me and I raised my hands up in defeat. "I apologize. I've been busy."

"Busy, busy? How could you be busy?! You never leave your house!" Darcy stated between mouthfuls of eggs.

"Alright." I sighed, rolling my eyes. "I've been sick. Happy?"

"Not until this headache goes away." Selvig mutters and I rolled my eyes and replied,

"That's what you get for drinking."

Selvig glared at me, but I was sure that I heard him mutter, "That's what you get for trying to out drink a God."

"So," I asked, "What's been going on?"

It didn't take long for the four of them to catch me up, even Thor opened up to me. I don't know what it is with super powered people liking me…but hey, I wasn't complaining.

I was surprised at just what had transpired in this small isolated town. I was irritated that Coulson had taken Jane's work, and I promised that I would help get it back, but if the Bi-frost had opened and Thor and his legendary hammer had fallen from the sky, no wonder SHIELD was here and going crazy. They were probably running around like chickens with their heads cut off.

"It's a beautiful theory, Jane." Selvig stated as Jane finished explaining how the Nine Realms actually existed. "But you won't be able to convince the scientific community of any of it. Not without hard evidence."

"Perhaps not now, but in a few years, it might just be possible. Besides, who knows what you can discover." I stated staring at the ceiling, too bad I won't be around to help.

"Don't you mean what we can discover?" Darcy asked, drawing everyone's attention to me.

I sighed and sat up straighter in my chair, "I am afraid, that I can no longer help you."

"What, why?" Jane asked, looking at me in concern.

I leaned forward and rubbed my temples, this wasn't going as how I planned…but when did anything?

"There's something I need to tell you."

However, I was interrupted from answering by banging that sounded like loud nocking.

We all turned around to see four people standing on the other side of the glass doors. All in battle armor and carrying weapons. They would've been terrifying had they not each had a large grin on their faces.

"Found You!" the large, middle man said.

I turned back around to see a large smile split across Thor's face.

Huh, it seemed that Lady Sif and the Warriors Three had come to call.

This could get interesting.

Short, I know. But hey! We introduced both Hawkeye and Thor in this chapter. So I think that that is progress!

Hehe, I just love Thor, and Penny is going to rock their world. XD

Thanks to everyone,
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Cp