A/N. Hiya :) Here's chapter 10 and I appreciate the feedback received for the last chapter but I think for now I'll leave it as is. This one is much better in my opinion, we get some spotlight on the Avengers who have been basically dwarfed by Stania fluff and for that I apologize. But don't worry, I love the others too much to not give them their time to shine every now and then xP So without further ado, chapter ten! Enjoy! :D
Last disclaimer of the story - I do not and will not EVER own the Avengers. That includes the remainder of the chapters of this story, for them I will not own the Avengers either. I make no money off of this. Now go read. ;P
CHAPTER X
"Wake up Miss Banks, Captain Rogers, I have news." No response. "Miss Banks? Captain Rogers?" The couple didn't stir. If JARVIS could have sighed, he would have. He regarded the two of them, huddled together in bed, still dressed in their clothes from the day before through the security cameras Sir had installed after the "Neil" debacle. The surveillance device whirred and moved left and right a little in order to center the targets in the shot. Their statistics popped up and he viewed them all before dismissing the possibility that they were unwell. "Wake up," he tried again. They barely stirred. He increased the volume in the built-in speakers of the walls. "MISS BANKS AND CAPTAIN ROGERS, PLEASE WAKE UP."
The Captain twitched and kicked his leg out before giving a loud snore and resuming his deep sleep. JARVIS didn't have eyes to roll but the camera carried out the motion per his command. Perhaps he should wake them up the normal way, like the alarm they had set. It was only logical.
JARVIS began to play Michael Bublé through the speakers and lowered the volume to an acceptable level. His patience was rewarded when Miss Banks hummed and stirred, rolled over to face her lover as she blinked awake.
JARVIS cut the music. "Miss Banks, I have completed the scan of the drawing you have provided me."
The business woman groaned and stretched in bed, cracking her back and neck. "What was that?" She was obviously groggy and not listening.
Sounding somewhat annoyed, the AI didn't bother to repeat his statement. "After running the scan of your picture in Mr. Stark's facial recognition software for ten point two hours, the results have arrived. Do you wish to know them?"
Miss Banks slowly sat up and rubbed at her eyes. "One sec, Jarvis, let me wake Steve first." She shook her partner gently and began to coo to him while the supercomputer waited patiently for Captain Rogers to wake. When he eventually did, he exchanged greetings with his love before sitting up and turning to the ceiling.
"What have you got, Jarvis?"
"There are three matches that have come up, Captain: The first is August Zane." He summoned several holographic screens to appear in front of the two viewers as he closed the blinds and dimmed the lights. Pictures of the man himself as well of videos and pieces of his identification occupied the holograms. "It is an eighty-seven percent match and he currently resides in London, England as an accountant. He has no criminal record. More details will be provided on command.
"The next match is Henry Flannigan, of Ireland. His photo matches the drawing by eighty-eight percent and he is forty-five years old with a, as Mr. Stark would say, 'sketchy' personal background. More personal information can be provided if needed.
"Finally, the match of eighty-nine percent is Arnold Austerlitz of Germany. He is fifty-one and lives as an electrician with no criminal record to speak of. He was last seen in a hotel across town from his actual home, which he shares with his wife and three children. More information can be collected it you so wish."
The screens minimized so that there were three squares spread out in a semi-circle around Miss Banks and Captain Rogers. The two of them appeared to be wide awake at this point and rather surprised.
"They all look so similar…" she muttered, looking at the three screens with the men's driver's licences displayed.
He nodded in agreement. "And the percentages are so close together." His eyebrows furrowed together in deep thought and confusion. "How are we supposed to know who did it?"
"I am afraid there is no certain way to know, Captain Rogers. An investigation will have to be conducted."
"Do you think SHIELD would be up to it?"
"It is highly unlikely and un-recommended by Mr. Stark."
"He knows?"
"He woke up before you did." If anyone noticed or thought it was a jab, no one acknowledged it.
"Why doesn't he recommend it?"
"Because SHIELD deals with global or national threats of security and one man attempting to kill one woman does not qualify as either."
"Not even if she's an honorary Avenger?" he asked with clenched fists. JARVIS detected from his physical scans of the soldier that through this body language and higher blood pressure that he was feeling angry.
"SHIELD does not give special treatment, according to Agent Coulson before he died."
The Captain sighed and ran his hand through his hair. "So this investigation will have to be conducted by the Avengers ourselves?"
"That is correct."
The super hero threw off his sheets and got to his feet. "Jarvis, tell the other Avengers to assemble in the lounge – but also tell them that it's not an emergency, just… really, really, important and that they have to be there." He began rummaging through his closet as he spoke. Miss Banks got up to help him choose his clothing.
If JARVIS could have nodded and/or bowed like a real butler, he would have. But he couldn't, so the camera simply bowed itself before he redirected his attention to a camera that was observing Agents Romanoff and Barton.
Steve and Tania pulled on whatever clothes they could find and hurriedly made their way to the higher floor. By this point, Tania's ankle had decreased in size considerably and she could walk and run without limp. However, stairs and jumping still hurt.
When the elevator arrived at the lounge floor, the two of them ran in to find Tony, Natasha, and Clint already waiting for them. They were all seated in different positions on the huge white sectional.
"Has everyone been informed?" Steve asked instead of a greeting. He was in full Captain mode, which Tania had been seeing more and more of these days.
"Good morning to you too, Sunshine. I'm good, thanks for asking. How are you?" Tony replied sarcastically. Natasha elbowed him in the stomach and he jerked before pouting at her and rubbing his abdomen like a child.
The SHIELD agents ignored him and nodded their heads in perfect sync. "Jarvis told us everything," Clint confirmed.
Tania took a seat next to the archer as Steve remained on his feet and tapped his foot somewhat impatiently as he waited for Thor, Bruce, Betty, and Graham to arrive. About a minute and a half later, the four of them arrived in the same elevator and piled in. After everyone was seated on the couch, Steve asked if everyone had heard the news. This inquiry was met with affirmative responses from everyone so he continued.
"Okay, so there are three possible people that we know of who could have tried to kill Tania last night."
"Um, 'that we know of'?" Tony interrupted. "I'll have you know that Jarvis has the most advanced facial recognition software in the WORLD. If there is a single person on this planet that he doesn't know about, then he doesn't exist."
Steve rolled his eyes. "Okay fine. So there are three suspects. Problem is, they all look creepily alike and we have no proof that any of them did it. Not to mention that they all live somewhere in Europe."
"Jarvis suggested that we conduct an investigation," Tania piped up. "I don't think it's that bad an idea."
"She's right," Bruce agreed. "But like Steve said, they're in Europe and we have no proof."
"That's what the investigation is for, oh Science Bro of mine," Tony pointed out. "And have you all forgotten that I am a billionaire who owns a private jet? We don't even need a pilot because we have Jarvis. We can go there easy."
"I don't think we should all go," Clint threw out there. "Some of us should stay here and protect the Tower as well as Pepper when she gets back. Right now she had her bodyguard, Happy, but we won't know for sure when she comes home. Not to mention that there would be too many of us to conduct an actual investigation without looking suspicious. If you want to look at this like a mission, I'd say three people. Tops."
"I'm going," Steve volunteered immediately. "If one of those men wants to kill Tania, they're going to have a few words with me before I send them off to rot in jail for the rest of their life."
"My jet, my rules. I'm going too," Tony stated.
"Well we sure as hell can't send the two of you alone," Bruce pointed out, "You'd kill each other before you could get anywhere. You need a peacemaker to go with you. I'd go, but other than the peacemaker I don't think I'd be of much help on a mission. I suggest Clint or Natasha." He pushed his glasses further up his nose with his index finger.
"I think Natasha should go," the male assassin offered. "Her skill set may be more useful than mine on a mission like that. And she's the perfect person to keep Steve and Tony from killing each other because she'll kill them before they do."
"That's brilliantly evil," Tony deadpanned. He snapped his fingers. "I like it. Red, you're coming with us."
"What are you planning to do in Europe, exactly?" Graham asked.
"He's right. We need a game plan," Steve agreed.
"How about barging in and just asking what the hell their problem is for trying to kill one of us?" Natasha suggested, crossing her legs.
Tania smiled at being called, "one of us," and sent her a grateful look. It was returned with a very tiny but reassuring smile.
"I was thinking more along the lines of subtlety, actually," Clint spoke from next to his partner. "That is your specialty, isn't it?"
"It's both of our specialties, but yes, I agree that that would probably work better. We should go under aliases."
"You mean like, undercover?" Tony inquired.
She nodded her head. "Our faces are too well known. Anyone who's anyone knows we're the Avengers. We can't be recognized or the guilty party will know why we're looking for him and what we're going to do. It could potentially throw the whole mission to ruin."
"Aww… but I don't want to wear make up!" the billionaire whined.
"Man up, Tony. This is for Tania."
"You're one to talk, Spangles."
"You forget that I was in a travelling showcase. I have worn stage makeup before. It wasn't that bad except that I felt like my face was melting from those spotlights."
"I know exactly how you feel," Clint agreed, bobbing his head up and down. "Us circus performers had to wear tons of makeup and those lights just kill you with heat."
"Bruce, please tell me you've never worn makeup before," Tony pleaded.
The doctor blushed and sipped his tea.
The philanthropist groaned and threw his head back on the couch. "Why would you wear makeup? For what reason could you possibly do that?"
"I was on the run for a long time. Sometimes that required a disguise."
He groaned again. "Thor? You've never worn makeup right?"
"This is cosmetics, yes?"
"Yes."
"Then no. I thought 'twas only for women."
"Thank you!" Tony exclaimed, relieved he wasn't the only sane one.
"Boys!" Natasha shouted. "Back on topic!"
"So we're going undercover as… what? The police?" Steve crossed his arms in thought and looked to Natasha for guidance.
"No. Something bigger. Like the FBI or the CIA or the NSA or whatever. But in Europe."
"Can we do that?"
"I can have a real badge made for all of us by the time we get there."
"How?"
"I have contacts."
"And her weird, creepy, spidery ways."
Natasha shot Tony a glare and he looked away immediately. Everyone could see that a plan was forming. This was good. It was something they could do instead of playing the waiting game like they had been doing for the past ten and a half some hours.
"Clint can get us into contact with professional makeup artists to help with the disguises. Will have to change aliases every time we interrogate someone."
"Makes sense," the Captain agreed.
"What happens if we catch the guy?" Tony wanted to know.
"Then we hand-cuff him and bring him to the real police."
"We'll still need proof."
"Trust me, if we find him, we'll have proof."
"But how do we know he'll talk?"
Natasha smirked. "When I'm done with him, he'll say anything you want him to."
A few of the people in the room shivered in fright. Not naming names. "Okay, so that's our game plan, what about back here? I think someone else should be sent to accompany Pepper in Philadelphia," Steve said.
"I like your thinking Cap," Tony agreed. "Who's willing to go?"
"I shall protect the Lady Pepper with my life," Thor pledged, rising to his full height and placed his right fist by his heart.
Tony nodded his thanks. "Great. Jarvis will take you there and explain anything you want to know. He knows everything. Happy will tell you about being a bodyguard and Pepper will welcome you with open arms I am sure. But you are not allowed to room with her in Tania's place, got it?" He pointed a teasingly accusing finger in the thunder god's direction.
Thor's booming laugh echoed throughout the room. "I shall not go to bed with your true love, Friend Tony. Have no fear. Do not fear for her life either, for as long as I am in her presence, she will be protected by the power of Mjolnir."
"Thanks Point Break. Knew I could count on you."
"Bruce, Betty, Graham, and I will stay here and keep an eye on Tania and the Tower. We'll keep in constant contact and use those comms you invented when necessary. Update regularly, I don't care what time zone you're in." Clint narrowed his eyes at the three of his teammates heading off to Europe.
Tania scoffed. "I don't need to have an eye kept on me, thank you very much. I'll kick anyone's ass if they try to get that close to me again."
Chuckles reverberated around the Avengers but it seems that no one had changed their minds. "Tania, I know this bothers you, but this is more for us than for you," Steve pointed out. "We just want to know you're safe. I don't think you should leave the Tower."
"What?!"
"You hardly leave it anyway, so it shouldn't be that big of a deal. Plus, you work here."
"I'm on holiday."
"You just went to a business meeting in another city."
"Touche."
"You're still not going."
She groaned. "Steve…"
"Please, let's not argue about this."
"Why not? I deserve to have a chance to go outside when I want to!"
"Where would you go?"
"I… I don't know but I-"
"Exactly!"
"Steve!"
"Okay," Graham interrupted, "I think we've seen enough of the couple's spat. Save that for later." Tania and Steve both huffed but stopped bickering. "Now, I have a question. How can any of these guys be in Europe if they were in Philadelphia last night?"
Silence. No one had thought of that, apparently. Graham sat up straighter, taking pride in the fact that he had thought of something the Avengers (his all-time IDOLS) had not.
"J?" Tony looked up.
"That is where the suspects were last seen, Sir. There is no evidence of any of these men going to or living in the United States within the past five years. However, that does not mean that they are not here. It simply means that they are very good at hiding."
"He brings up a good point. Keep running that face recognition program and notify any and all of us when you have a hit."
"Yes, Sir."
"Even so, we don't have any more leads. Europe is all we've got."
"So where to first?" the red headed assassin inquired, flipping her hair over her shoulder.
"I say we got England first," Tony said. I've always wanted to see Big Ben."
"I second that," she agreed.
"Whatever you were about to say, Stars 'N Stripes, you're outnumbered."
"Well, the one in Germany has the highest match-"
"England it is!" Tony exclaimed over Steve's comment so that no one could hear him. "Besides, the percentages are all close enough that it could be any one of them. Hey T, you sure you don't know which one it is?"
Tania shook her head.
"Okay then. The three of us need to go pack. Avengers! Disassemble!"
Thor, Tony, and Natasha all went to the elevator to head down to their rooms and pack for Europe and Philadelphia while Steve stayed behind with Bruce, Clint, Betty, Graham, and Tania.
The Captain plopped down on the couch next to his girlfriend who had her arms crossed and was glowering at him. He sighed. "Look, Tania, I-"
"I'm hungry for lunch," she interrupted him and stood up. "Did you guys have lunch yet?"
"There's some leftover spaghetti in the fridge," Betty answered for her.
Tania nodded her thanks and walked over to the kitchen portion of the lounge. Steve watched her go with mild annoyance. Perhaps this wasn't the time anyway. They should wait until they were alone. His own stomach rumbled and he got up to join her.
As he passed Clint, he whispered, "Take good care of her." The archer winked and gave him the hand symbol for "A-okay".
As Tania placed the leftover food in the microwave a little harsher than usual, Bruce and Betty opted to go back to their room and finish whatever they had been doing before they had been called. Clint and Graham exchanged a look before wordlessly exiting with them. The agent was headed to the gym for some target practice with the university student had to catch up on some last-minute homework.
Steve and Tania were alone. As the micro-wave emitted a quiet humming sound, the head of MA began tapping her fingers against the counter in wait. On the other side of said counter, Steve reached over and placed his hand over hers, stopping the incessant tapping mid-pattern.
"Tania."
"Steve."
It was obvious that neither of them were backing down any time soon. This particular moment reminded Steve of a conversation he'd once had with Peggy.
"She's something, isn't she?"
"She's stubborn is what she is."
"Like you?"
He looked up at her and she gave him a closed mouth smile. He returned it and chuckled a bit. "I prefer the word determined."
They were both rather stubborn and determined. In this context, that would be a bad thing. "You should stay in the Tower."
"No."
"You are more safe here, than anywhere else in almost the whole world."
"Do you not remember when I was kidnapped by Neil? He got me while I was still in the Tower. I was in this very room when his threw me out a window and I thought I would fall to my death!"
Steve winced. "All the more reason to be careful and stay here. Even if being kidnapped here is still a possibility, you are more safe here than anywhere else."
"I know that! You don't think I can make my own decisions? You don't think that I would have decided to stay here anyway for my own protection? Do you think I'm stupid or something?"
"No! Of course not!"
"Then what is it? Do you think I'm reckless?"
"No!"
"Do you not trust me to value my own life?"
"No! Tania, listen to me. I want you to stay safe and this is the best option-"
"How can I listen to you when you're not listening to me? Did you not hear a word I've just said? I value my life, and therefore will do all I can to protect myself. That includes staying in when I think I need to stay in."
"Tania you know I trust you with my life-"
"But you just don't trust me with my own, is that it?"
"Would you stop interrupting me? Look. I love you, okay? I want you to be safe and I am going to take every precaution to do just that."
"If you want me to stay safe then why are you leaving?"
He blinked. The microwave beeped but they both ignored it. "Is that what this is about?"
"This is about both of it!"
"I'm leaving so that I can get the guy trying to kill you. I am protecting you-"
"How can you protect me when you're halfway around the world for an indeterminable amount of time?"
"What happened to, 'I don't need protecting'?"
"What happened to, 'you will always be safe in my arms'?" she countered. "I can't be safe in your arms if you're. Not. Here."
"I go on missions all the time! How is this any different?"
"Because the only reason anyone would want to kill me is to get to you!" she shouted. This screaming match was getting out of hand. "If they're out to get you then going straight to them is the worst idea I've ever heard!"
"We… we don't know that."
"That what? That they want you? Why else would they take me? Huh? Why?"
"Because…" he was blanking.
"The only reason I'm valuable is because I know the Avengers. Because the Avengers care about me. I'm not the one who should be hiding, it's you."
"We don't need to hide-"
"Because you're super heroes and you don't need protecting! Do you get it now? Do you understand how I feel?"
He stared at her for a long time as the microwave beeped again. He searched her chocolate brown eyes for… something. He didn't think he found it when she sighed and bent over to take the food from the mini-oven. She placed it on top of the counter and scowled at it. She had apparently burnt it. Stupid microwave. Some things never change.
Pretending not to care, she angrily tore off the plastic wrapping and tossed it in the garbage. She rummaged around in one of the wooden drawers and removed a fork. She stabbed the pasta angrily before shoving it into her mouth.
Steve inhaled deeply and closed his eyes, borrowing some of Bruce's breathing techniques. When he was a little calmer, he opened his eyes just in time to see Tania pick up the plate and leave. He panicked. He couldn't just leave it like that. He would not leave for Europe while they were fighting like this. He had to fix it. But how?
He ran after her and grabbed her arm before she could make it to the elevator. She whipped around. "What?"
He narrowly avoided being slapped in the face by her hair when she turned but ignored it and pressed on. "Why are we fighting?"
She stared at him. "Why?"
"Yeah, why are we fighting."
"Because we disagree."
"On what?"
"Why are you asking me this?"
"Just answer the question."
She eyed him warily. "I think you're being overprotective and don't trust me to take care of myself."
"And?"
She rolled her eyes. "And you walking straight into the enemy's hands is a totally bad idea."
"Don't you see? All we're doing is worrying about each other. There is no reason to fight about it."
She didn't move.
"I don't want to leave for England like this. Please, just… let's just agree to disagree, okay?"
She bit her lip and averted her gaze. She stared down at her noodles for several seconds before she looked up, this time with softer eyes.
"Okay." She twirled some of the noodles onto her fork and held it out for him as a peace offering. "Want some?"
He chuckled and shook his head in disbelief before opening his mouth and engulfing the entire end of the fork. Women. Why did they have to make things so complicated? He mentally shrugged. It was just the way it was. And he wouldn't have Tania any other way.
"You know I'm not going to do whatever I want right?" she asked. He frowned. "And you also know that what I want is to stay alive, right?"
He nodded. "Of course."
"Then you should know that everything I do will be thought out and weighed with pros and cons and will be considered safe by me before doing it." She placed another forkful of food into her mouth as they stood a few feet from the elevator in the lounge, staring at him expectantly.
"Well… then I trust you."
A grin spread across her face. "Thank you." She kissed his cheek, making him blush. Something about that action always elicited the colour pink from him. She smirked at it and relished the fact that for once, it wasn't her turning an embarrassing shade of red (or pink if you want to be technical). "And I trust you to watch each other's backs in England. And in Ireland and in Germany."
"I appreciate it." He wrapped his arms around her waist and brought her closer to him possessively. "I also appreciate your worry for me."
"Ditto."
He furrowed his eyebrows together. "What?"
She laughed. "It basically means, 'I repeat what you just said but towards you'. So in simpler terms, right back at ya." She winked.
He smiled in a relaxing manner and nuzzled his nose against hers. "I would hope so."
He brought her fork of spaghetti up between their faces and fed him another bite. After swallowing, he opened his mouth to speak again. "I really should go pack…"
She saddened visibly. "Oh."
He pressed a lovely kiss to her lips that left her breathless and wanting more. "I'll be back for that. But while I'm gone I want you to have it."
The corners of her lips pulled upwards so high she thought she looked like the Joker. Steve apparently didn't think so because he squeezed her hand before pulling away and making his way for the elevator.
"Wait! Don't you want lunch?"
"I'll have lunch in England."
She rushed over to him and shoved the plate into his hands, yanking her own back before the doors closed. "I'll see you before you leave!" she called out.
He saluted her right before the doors closed and they were separated. Tania twisted her ring around her finger nervously as she made her way back into the kitchen for more food. She shook her head and touched her lips on the way there, unable to stop the smile from reaching her eyes. The heat of the kiss lingered and she still felt those embers burning in the back of her mind like hot coals to her problems.
She opened the fridge again before something came to her and she cursed. "Damn. We didn't get to the Lady and the Tramp thing."
A/N. So what did you think? Let me know via review! I'm kind of curious to see how I did with JARVIS' POV at the beginning.