A/N~ Psychic surgery, parapsychology, and sleep deprivation. All in the name of love and family. Thanks for everyone who is continuing to read, review and enjoy. Love you guys. ~A

Back to Normal?

Vex gave a slight push to force the Archer out of the coma he had held him in during the surgery. When he was resting deeply in a healing sleep, the Mesmer reached out and caught Kenzi before she literally fell into the Archer in exhaustion.

Pulling her back away from the man on the table he nodded to the older fae woman before he lifted Kenzi into his arms carried her toward the entrance to the dining room just as Dyson walked in. The eyes of the two male fae met over the bowed head of the sleeping Elder.

Vex handed her over to the waiting arms of the detective and taking his arm led him through the kitchen to the back door. He carefully pulled a bundle of thread out of her fingers and threw it into the trash can as they walked through the kitchen.

Removing the jacket he had borrowed he began slipping it on the Elder before he said, "Take her home, set the wards, tell the bear not to let anyone in, and smash your phones." He then took a necklace out of his pocket and said, "Don't let her out of bed for the next two or three days, at least." as he slipped it over her neck.

"Not even if the world is coming to an end?" the wolf asked only semi-facetiously.

"After all the practice we've had, if we haven't figured out how to stop the Apocalypse by now, there's no help for it." then he gave his devilish trademark smirk and said, "In which case, well I didn't say she had to spend the whole time sleeping, did I? And can you think of a better way to spend the last few days of the world than with your Mate?"

Dyson actually grinned at his former enemy as he walked out the kitchen door carrying Kenzi towards his motorcycle. Straddling the seat he arranged Kenzi in front of him. Taking the helmet off the handlebars he strapped it on her head. The fact she didn't give any indication she knew anything was going on around her showed just how truly exhausted the smaller woman was. He started the motorcycle and headed towards the den, his lovely she wolf in his arms.

XXXXXXXXX

Tony had observed the surgery with Bruce and was amazed at the speed and skills of the two women and had asked numerous questions. At first the young woman who was practically on top of the table with Legolas had answered. The she had fallen silent as she continued to work on their fallen friend, despite the inventors repeated requests for information.

He was beginning to get downright insulting when the dark haired man holding Hawkeye's head steady gave a speaking glance to the fair headed one in the corner. The man in jeans and a leather jacket had walked over and with a barely veiled menace, leaned down and speaking directly into Tony's face said succinctly, "Shut up."

Normally the inventor, would have ignored personal safety issues, especially in the face of a single individual. His friends though hadn't jumped to his defense and he had seen a flash of gold in the taller mans eyes. Then there was the fact that as the man had stalked toward him, Stark could have sworn that every single hair on his body had stood up and saluted, and it definitely wasn't in a good way.

When he had seen the woman practically fall into Barton, he had felt not the slight hint of guilt he might normally feel when he was being an ass and push aside. No this was Thor walloping him with his hammer again this time without the protection of the suit.

When the dark haired man had literally carried the child-like woman out of the dining room and into the arms of the man who had threatened him, yeah that was definitely guilt. Then he looked over at the SHIELD agent on the table and instead caught the eye of Annie. The decidedly angry eyes of the woman who he had a sneaking suspicion was a lot more than she appeared and could probably reduce him to a sniveling mess just by continuing to look at him the way she was now.

The fact that his friends were studiously ignoring the Vulcan Death Glare he was receiving was also very telling. It meant that at least on some level they thought he deserved the treatment. He tried to pull up some indignation for this behavior, but the truth was even he knew he deserved it.

These people who they barely knew had saved Thor from a very disturbing potential death and now had saved Legolas from a very definite death. While he had tried to steal some medicine to manufacture and had queried a nearly exhausted woman he didn't know while she was trying to concentrate on saving the life of someone he considered a friend.

It shouldn't have struck him quite so hard that he was being a douche, but it kind of did. When Bruce followed the cook out of the dining area, Tony followed them in the hopes that he could make amends with both his friend and the older woman. The pair actually walked into the kitchen area, he followed them a moment later.

He walked through the swinging doors of the kitchen to find Dr. Banner what appeared to be a tonsil exam and not in the prescribed medical fashion. Bruce jumped back, a blush blooming on his cheeks, as he stammered gibberish for a moment.

Annie however looking unashamed and even a little defiant asked, "Is there something that you needed, Mr. Stark?"

Tony for just a moment had considered teasing his friend but the continued heat in the cooks eyes made him rethink his next statement, and return to his previous plan of action. If he could get his mouth to work again, with that thought his mouth snapped shut from its gaping open position.

He collected himself and said simply, I uhm, I..think I should apologize to you and your friends. I'm rude, crude and obnoxious and I'm pretty sure I've demonstrated all of those qualities in front of you all in the past several days."

"And then some," Bruce said sotto voiced.

"Thanks pal, the inventor said without heat before continuing, "Yes and then some, anyway I wanted to apologize. You and your friends have fed us, helped heal our people for no other reason than that you could. Your good people and the girl,…sorry young woman I was just…."

"An ass?" Bruce supplied helpfully.

"This time it was Tony who replied sotto voice, "Not helping." Bruce merely chuckled at his friend before moving over to lean against the counter.

Annie smirked as the inventor regrouped and continued, "Anyway I apologize to you and your…family for my rudeness and I wanted to thank you and them for all you've done for us over the past several days."

"Apology accepted, Mr. Stark." Annie said graciously, then as Bruce looped his hand through the string of her apron and reeled her I towards him.

"Now if you'll excuse us Tony, we were about to discuss something." the scientist said with a smile.

Stark gazed back and forth for a moment mouth opening and closing and then when the scientist nuzzled the cooks neck, the inventor shrieked, "Gahk!" before running back out of the kitchen's swinging doors.

"Now where were we?" Ennoi asked with a gentle hum of approval.

XXXXXXXXX

Vex waited patiently at the end of the alley for the cab. Normally he wouldn't deign to use such a mundane method of travel. However, Kenzi and Dyson had already left and they were riding his motorcycle not exactly room for three. Trick was exhausted and while Vex wasn't exactly a towering individual he didn't like his chances of riding in a Mini.

Then of course there was the woman who had brought him to the party. The Mesmer wasn't blind to the attraction between the goddess and the scientist however and wasn't about to interrupt that pair.

If Kenzi was right and she was seldom wrong, the scientist was the Hulk. Even the fae knew of the Hulk, and the dark fae Mesmer wasn't about to interfere in anything between the Beast and the Goddess. He happened to like all of his body parts in there current configuration. Thank you very much.

The cab arrived and he slid into the back seat with the address readily given to the driver. He added, "And if you can get me there in the next 10 minutes, there's an extra ten for you in addition to the normal gratuity, my good fellow." he said in his best ton British accent.

The man looked at him suspiciously for a moment before nodding his head and flipping on the meter, said, "Yes sir."

Gradually as they drove through the gathering dawn, Vex relaxed back into the back seat of the cab. His thoughts going to the two ladies who were waiting for him back home and he smiled a little tiredly. He imagined he only had a few hours left on the sleep spell Kenzi had put them under. Enough time to catch a nap perhaps before he got up to surprise them both with breakfast in bed.

He snorted imagining that it would ruin his reputation in the dark fae court to know that he was the very domestic house husband of the trio. Them knowing that he was living with the unaligned succubus and the human doctor would undoubtedly bring his enemies out of the woodwork. As well as the, now what did the little Elder call them again. Oh yes, fair-weather friends.

Then he thought diabolically, it might be a good idea to spread the rumor himself. It would relax the guard of his enemies, and show him who his true friends were. Not that a dark fae, especially not one as high up on the food chain as he was, expected to have any friends among the other dark fae.

It would give him a clearer image of who he should take out. Lauren and Bo might not understand or approve the need to clear the field so to speak, but he imagined Kenzi would. He had plans, big plans, and keeping the Pack, his family safe was in every thread of those plans now.

He had managed to glean from the Elder and her wolf, that the woman in he hood may have "mind whammied" Hale as well as his lover and Trick. She would have to be eliminated first, of course. They did not have the time or energy to go around undoing the damage she was wreaking on their friends. They just had to find out who she was.

Sturgis and the wolfs father may have to be dealt with as well. Especially if they continued to try and work against the Elder. He wasn't too concerned with Arachne and her troop of Super Spiders. He knew the Elder didn't keep the Crown Jewels of Shifters in a bank. Fae were wise enough to not trust banks. Besides the Avengers seemed to be making progress in that regard.

He, Kenzi, and Ennoi were in cahoots to put in enough wards and protections on Bo and Lauren that even rain water would probably slide right off of them. He loved the word cahoots, he really had to remember to thank Kenzi some time for expanding his vocabulary. He thought as they arrived at the club in seven minutes. Incentive was a wonderful thing he thought as he paid the cabbie.

The driver gave him a card and said, "If you ever need a driver sir, make sure you call me, sir." He said and added, "The names Sol, I'll be happy to make myself available for you." The Mesmer grinned at the human and tucked the card in the pocket of the borrowed jacket, before agreeing to do so.

He punched in the security code for the private entrance to the club and walked down the private hall to the elevator. Punching in a different code to unlock the elevator, and bring it down from the apartment floor. As he waited for the elevator he got back to his plans.

The Morrigan. He imagined he would eventually have to get rid of her, she wouldn't take being deposed lightly. No not Evony, she would seek revenge and yes then he may have to kill her. Not before he became the first male Morrigan in many centuries though.

He already had the council on his side and most of the court as well. Of course Evony's increasingly erratic behavior of late had helped sway the few fae who were on the fence. Once he was in position on the throne of the dark fae, he could give the vote of confidence to the light fae interim Ashe. Hale was a friend to both Kenzi and Bo and once he was out from under his fathers thumb, Vex figured he should be able to trust him, otherwise the soon to be Queen of Shifters would probably smack the poor fellow upside his head

He walked into the kitchen and washed his dishes from was it earlier this morning or late last night. Well he supposed if he actually had to ask that question he'd probably been up too long. He laid out bacon, set the coffee maker up and chose some tea for Lauren for later. He also set out the dishes and tray he would need for later.

When he walked into the bedroom he found Bo and Lauren much as he had left them. Except one or the other of them had pulled his pillow down between the pair and both were cuddled up against it. Their faces nuzzled down into the fluffy substitute.

Crawling up on the bed the Mesmer removed the pillow from their grasp carefully and tossing it back to the head of the bed. Before adjusting himself in between the doctor and the succubus. He pulled them both into his embrace and kissed them both on their foreheads.

Setting his internal clock to awaken him so he could pamper his ladies Vex soon fell asleep to the quiet breathing of the women. Dreaming of the secure future he had planned for their extended family.