Hey ya'll! So, does anyone else remember in Thor, Selvig has that line of dialouge when he's talking about SHIELD and he says he once knew a pioneer in gamma radiation until S.H.I.E.L.D. showed up, and then the guy was never heard from again? Sounds an awful lot like Bruce huh? Well, I decided to use that in this chapter. Also, for those of you who didn't read the Coulson one shot, you get to find out the identity of Agent Bluefox! There's a sweet part with Amanda and Kayla, and a whole lot of Avenger silliness, because I think they need a little silliness right now. It also nods to some of your favorite advice from 'Which Me Do You Like?' about pillow fights and the son of Odin, but you'll see. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I don't own any Marvel characters, and I don't own the lyrics to "Are You Lonesome Tonight?"
Ida Strong sat in the porch swing at the Malibu Hills Rest Facility, her fingers of her right hand drummed against the wood on the arm rest as her feet slowly pushed her back and forth. The sun was shining and everything was pleasant, and no one seemed to notice the dark cloud going on in Ida's mind. She felt a buzz come from her pocket and she pulled out what looking like a small slab of glass. She tapped the front and read the message before she shut her eyes. She let out a small sigh, and then typed a response, before one of the nurses walked over.
"Hello Mrs. Strong." she smiled and Ida put the phone away. She looked the young woman over and realized this was the new girl Estelle had been telling her about, the girl who treated everyone like they had dementia or Alzheimer's, like Roy Richards. Poor Roy. "It might be a good idea for you to come inside now." the young girl said as if speaking to a three year old.
"Well that sounds nice, but I'm waiting for someone." Ida said simply.
"Oh, who are you waiting for?"
"A friend of mine." Ida said growing slightly annoyed with this girl. It may be time to check herself out of retirement if this was the way she was going to be treated all the time.
"Well why don't we go wait inside, and maybe you friend will come later." the girl said with an over exaggerated nod. Ida noticed a sports car pulling up and she smiled seeing the young red haired woman getting out of the car. bRBrBR "Mrs. Strong!" Pepper Stark said with a smile.
"Pepper, Dear, you know you can call me MeeMaw!" she said as Pepper walked over. "Come, give MeeMaw a hug." she said and Pepper grinned as she hugged Ida.
"MeeMaw, are you ready to go?" Pepper asked and she nodded.
"Oh of course I am." she said, before she looked at the nurse. "This is my friend Pepper. We'll be going now." she said before she walked down the stairs to the car. Pepper opened the door for MeeMaw and she got into the car, Pepper closed the door and went around to the driver's seat and got into the car, the nurse watching as they pulled away.
"Mrs.- MeeMew, is it true?" Pepper asked hesitantly.
"What?" MeeMaw asked, and Pepper handed over a paper. MeeMaw opened it and then smiled. "Oh that." she said, a moment later Pepper looked back at her and nearly screamed as she swerved the car slightly. The old woman had just lost about forty years in fourteen seconds, now looking like she was fifty years old.
"Eyes on the road!" MeeMaw laughed and Pepper looked back at the road, stunned and a little perturbed.
"And Minnie doesn't know any of this?" Pepper asked.
"Oh no." MeeMaw sighed. "My husband, he was one of Howard's friend Darren, he understood there was a risk marrying someone like me, and he did it anyway. We didn't know what would happen with Nate, he could have gone either way, and, he took after me."
"He's a-"
"Honey, if you ever met Darren, you'd know." she said with a small chuckle. "Take the next exit." Pepper did as she was told and MeeMaw directed her to a sparsely homed neighborhood with large yards. They got to one house, a tall white Victorian built house and MeeMaw smiled.
Pepper pulled into the driveway and parked as MeeMaw reached into her bag and pulled out a huge ring of keys. She led Pepper to the front of the house and found the right key instantly. She unlocked the door and led Pepper into the house. It was surprising seeing how easily MeeMaw moved now and Pepper found herself still trying to help the woman even though it was pretty obvious she didn't need the help.
"Why don't you go put the kettle on?" MeeMaw asked and Pepper did as she was told, MeeMaw came into the kitchen a little while later holding a leather bound book. She sat down at the kitchen table and Pepper brought over two cups of blueberry tea. MeeMaw patted the chair next to her and Pepper sat down, while MeeMaw opened the book. It was a photo album, the first picture being of herself and a young man getting married.
"Is that Darren?" Pepper asked with a smile.
"That's him." she said and smiled at the picture. "He was so nervous, his hands were shaking like mad when he put the ring on my finger." she chuckled and patted the picture. "You can see how Nate took after me." she chuckled and Pepper smiled. "Genetically speaking of course."
"Yeah." Pepper smiled. Darren was a man not of great height; he stood about three inches taller than MeeMaw who was a mere five foot three. Nate on the other hand was a strong six feet five inches tall, and very thick in the shoulders, and body, giving him an appearance similar to Thor's. That was probably why Minnie wasn't intimidated by the god's physique when she first met him, thinking him only to be built like her father. "He was a boxer," Pepper said as they continued to look through pictures.
"One of the best in his weight class." MeeMaw said as she looked at the picture with a proud smile. "He was in high school when he met Cecile; he gave up his career, and devoted his time to her." MeeMaw said and Pepper looked at her curiously.
"Were you upset?"
"No. We were given free will to do with as we please." she said. "Darren wanted Nate to join SHIELD, but I knew he was serious about her. We never ended up telling him about SHIELD." she explained. "Nor did we tell him about me. I think... If one of the kids had displayed signs of a high level mutation, then we would have told them, but considering they didn't, we didn't think it crucial to shatter their world." she smiled. "But Simone, she's my special girl." she said and Pepper looked at her with raised eyebrows.
"Minnie- Simone's a mutant?"
"She has the gene, and I've always felt she has a heightened sense of empathy. She constantly shoves aside her own emotions and safety to put the safety and emotions of her loved ones ahead of hers and she has a real knack for getting herself out of tight situations. Have you ever noticed that Pepper?"
"I have." Pepper nodded. "I just... I didn't realize it was a mutation."
"It's a trait I'm sure you wish more people had." MeeMaw teased and Pepper smiled. "How is Anthony?"
"He thinks he just got back from the Middle East." Pepper sighed. "We've led him to believe he's suffering from PTSD."
"I'm sure he loves that." MeeMaw scoffed. Pepper sighed as she picked her mug of tea and sipped it.
"It hurts lying to him like this." Pepper said softly. "I mean, I understand lying to protect him, and everything, but..." she shrugged and sipped the tea.
"He doesn't remember the wedding."
"No." Pepper sighed lightly.
"Which means he doesn't remember my granddaughter either."
"Nope." she sighed.
"Which is really a shame because she's coming back." MeeMaw said and Pepper looked at her curiously.
"I- I'm sorry?" she asked and MeeMaw stood up. She beckoned for Pepper to follow her to a doorway. There was what looked like a thermostat next to it; one of the old dial ones, MeeMaw adjusted it a few times, spinning it back and forth like the dial on a lock or a safe before the door unlocked.
Pepper looked at the old woman in surprise and MeeMaw opened the door to the basement, she let Pepper in first, Pepper gasped as the hallway lit up, all the way down, the door wasn't just a wooden door, but reinforced with about a foot of metal and a huge locking mechanism. As they got to the bottom Pepper let out another gasp at the sight of a high tech, well lit room before looking to MeeMaw.
"Welcome back Agent Bluefox." a computer voice said as the older woman smiled proudly.
"Virginia Stark, welcome to SHIELD." she said before looking back to the room.
"Mommy?" I heard a small voice say from the doorway. I sat up in bed as Kayla ran over to the bed and I lifted her up. She snuggled into the bed with me and I wrapped my arm around her. "Where's Daddy?" she asked and I smiled as I rubbed her back.
"He's getting ready to go in the morning. He's making sure we've got everything we need." I said softly and she sighed. "Do you want a story or a song?" I asked and she thought for a second.
"A song." she said decidedly.
"What song?" I asked and she smiled.
"Lonesome." she requested and I smiled before I saw Amanda walk into the doorway. Kayla had requested to sleep with her, and she had agreed, saying it would be like a sleepover so when she woke up and Kayla was gone she must have gotten confused.
"Come on in honey." I said and she walked over to the bed and slipped into the covers. "Are you lonesome, tonight. Do you miss me, tonight. Are you sorry we drifted apart?" I sang softly to the girls as I continued to rub Kayla's back. "Does your memory stray to a brighter summer day, When I kissed you and called you sweetheart?" at that I leaned down and kissed the top of her head, before doing the same to Amanda who smiled lightly. "Do the chairs in your parlor seem empty and bare? Do you gaze at your doorstep and picture me there? Is your heart filled with pain, shall I come back again? Tell me dear, are you lonesome tonight?" I softly trailed off knowing Kayla was asleep. "Honey, go ahead and sleep in here." I said to Amanda who nodded, her eyes closed and she was mostly asleep too. "Good night sweetheart."
"Night mom." she mumbled as she rolled over and fell asleep. I stood there for a minute staring down at her before I turned and walked out of the room, turning off the light and I closed the door. I turned and saw Steve Rogers standing against the wall with his arms crossed and his eyes closed.
"I just want to say," I said and he opened his eyes quickly, embarrassed at having been caught. "I apologize for my crappy singing voice."
"No, no, it was nice." he said and I smiled before I wrapped my arm around his waist. He smiled and wrapped his arm around my shoulders as we walked downstairs.
We went downstairs to the large living room where the rest of the Avengers were. Natasha was cleaning her guns, and Clint was adjusting the tightness of his bowstring. He tested it by holding out the bow and pulling the string slightly, and then lowered it and started adjusting again. Bruce was sitting there, talking to Erik Selvig who had been staying in the mansion. Steve let go of me and went to sit down on the couch where Thor was sitting, looking slightly lost.
"So," I said awkwardly and everyone looked at me. "Does anyone know where we're going tomorrow?"
"SHIELD is telling us in the morning." Natasha informed me. I nodded and she looked back at what she was doing.
"Hey, quick question." I said. I must have subconsciously touched my stomach or something because Bruce sighed deeply and shook his head.
"You don't have stretch marks." he said and I picked up a pillow from the couch and vaulted it at him.
"I wasn't going to ask that question!" I said with a grin. "Yes!" I said as it hit him in the face and fell to the ground.
He looked up and grinned and I laughed before throwing myself to the floor as he sent the pillow right back at me. I crawled behind the couch as he walked around to the other side, all of the Avengers now watching the two of us. He got to the pillow he had thrown as I got to the other side of the couch where Thor was sitting. I reached over the arm of the couch and lightly tugged on the pillow.
The Asgardian lifted his arm and I pulled the pillow down with me. He looked over the couch at me and smiled. I peeked around the couch to see Bruce coming towards me. Erik leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees to watch the little show we were putting on. I quickly moved around the couch to the other side and stood up, quickly and silently moving behind him while he moved to look behind the couch.
I saw Natasha bite her lip with a small grin as I held up the pillow, ready to strike when Bruce suddenly spun around and grabbed me. I shrieked as his hands found my ticklish spots and instantly I was down, laughing hysterically.
"Natasha, Avenge me!" I shouted between giggles. "Help! Get him off!" I pleaded. A moment later Selvig had picked up one of the throw pillows and whacked the side of Bruce's face with it.
"Oh that was low Erik!" he said and I squirmed out from under him.
"That's for not emailing me while you were in Brazil!" Erik laughed. I quickly got hold of my pillow and jumped over the back of the couch; hiding behind Thor who I knew would be a very good choice for my team in the pillow war.
"Bruce, stand down. There is no way to win this pillow conflict." Thor said with an amused smile.
"Just hand her over Thor." Bruce said looking amused.
"Honey, take your glasses off!" I called to Bruce who quickly did as I told, just in time to get pelted with a pillow from the God of Thunder. Before long the linens closet was broken into and all of the pillows made their way to the living room, where we made good use of them.
It was basically me, Thor, Erik and Natasha against Steve, Bruce, and Clint. Thor, bless him, had become the pillow hurling god of pillow war and was totally winning for our side until Steve, Clint and Bruce got together and decided the best way to win was to have Clint distract Thor, Steve engage Erik and Natasha and Bruce to kidnap me. Which he did. I squirmed as he pulled me around the wall, and then pressed me up against it, capturing my lips with his.
"Amanda called me Mom." I said when he pulled back.
"When?" he asked.
"Tonight; not too long ago, Kayla woke up and came to our room and then Amanda woke up and went to find Kayla and I let them fall asleep in our bed- We're going to take their room tonight, and I was saying goodnight, and she just said 'goodnight mom'." I explained.
"Does it bother you?" he asked and I shook my head.
"No, I- I guess I didn't realize it before, but I think I've considered her a daughter for awhile now." I said and he smiled.
"Well, you're not old enough to have a sixteen year old daughter," he said and I made a face. "But, you're an amazing mother to both those girls." he continued. I smiled and leaned forward, kissing him again, before he was taken from the side with a slight yelp. I laughed as Thor lifted me up and brought me back to the living room.
"I have rescued the Maiden of Pillow Wars!" he announced and I laughed as I held onto his shoulders.
I think it was good for us all to have our evening of silliness, getting all of the tension out, because come the next morning, who knew when we would have another chance at some mindless fun.