Finally. Apologies for it being late. Headaches are horrible. So is sleeplessness. And other writing obligations. But here it is for you all. Roslin and Adama by Bear McCreary (from Battlestar Galactica Soundtrack) is the inspiration for this chapter. Gorgeous song. Enjoy.

Stark searched the room blindly, trying to think of the closest weapon. Without his suit, they were all at S.H.I.E.L.D.'s mercy. And with Coulson in such poor shape, he'd be the one to suffer the most.

But with the sudden blinding light, there weren't the familiar drones of helicopters, of magazines clipping into guns and of cars crunching through dirt outside. Instead, the light suddenly flashed brighter followed by a thunderous crash that shook the tiny motel. The light suddenly cut out.

"What the hell was that?" Doctor Garcia shouted, swinging his head around in confusion.

"Sounded like one helluva lightning strike," Darwin complained. "I hope it didn't hit my rooster weathervane."

Stark sighed and let his shoulders ease. "He's always got to make such a dramatic entrance."

Darwin frowned. "Who?"

Before Stark could get to the door to open it, the whole thing was busted off its hinges, collapsing with a thud against the rug. A giant man stepped into the room, his arms sculpted and chest accentuated by his armor. A flowing red cape trailed behind him. He glanced in Stark's direction and pointed at him. "Man of Iron…"

"My friends call me Tony…"

"…I received your message."

"Kind of figured by your theatrical arrival, Oh God of Thunder."

Thor smiled. "You have not changed since New York."

"But you have, apparently. Work on the gluts a little? Oh and…might I add, nice job in England, you know, ripping up Greenwich and all."

"You jest, and yet you need my help to take care of your puny human problems?"

"'Puny?' Did you just call me puny?"

Garcia cleared his throat across the room. "With all due respect, Mr. Stark, I could use your assistance here. Now."

"Stark?" Darwin cocked his head. His eyes widened the longer he stared at Tony. "So that's why you look so familiar! You're that egghead that took down the Mandarin…"

"'Egghead'? Seriously? With the names? Can we stop?"

Thor was staring at Coulson, completely frozen. "What dark magic have you conjured?"

"None. My conjuring days are far behind me."

"Do my eyes deceive me? Is that not the Son of Coul?"

"Stark! Now!" Garcia shouted.

Coulson bucked against him.

"Yup, it's him alright. Minus the casket," Tony said, moving back to the bed and holding Coulson down. "Darwin, we need that light now."

Darwin slid by Thor. " 'scuse me, Schwarzenegger," he mumbled before vanishing out the door.

Thor approached the bed, a tone of sadness stinging his eyes. "What has happened?"

"Lots to explain. Too much actually," Tony said, grunting as he tried to keep Coulson from flailing. "The important thing is that S.H.I.E.L.D. is coming. And you've just led them right to him with your histrionics."

"I am confused by this turn of events," Thor said, shaking his head.

"Get in line," Garcia uttered, as he snapped on some rubber gloves.

"They brought Phil back for some reason but now they're trying to kill him."

Thor frowned. "You would think they would make up their minds."

Stark rolled his eyes. "Long story short: we need time to take care of his injuries. And we need you to defend our location."

Thor nodded and moved to the side of the bed. "I will defend you, Phil, son of Coul."

"Now, they are going to come at us with everything they've got. And I don't have the suit anymore. They've got it. Are you going to be able to handle that much firepower?"

Thor smiled. "My friend, I have battled hordes of Chitauri…"

"Haven't forgotten. I was there, too."

"I defended the Earth from the nefarious deeds of my brother, Loki, twice…"

Stark groaned. "Not successfully enough the first time…"

"And I have triumphed over Dark Elves and Frost Giants alike…"

"…with some minor damage left behind in your wake."

Coulson opened his eyes a moment. "Magic broom?"

Thor frowned. "What?"

Stark did the same. "What?"

Both shook their heads and ignored it. "My point is that I can more than withstand you tiny humans for enough time for you to make your get away."

"Crap," Stark said under his breath, "The getaway. I knew I was forgetting something important."

"Do not fear. I know someone that can help us. I shall find them and return to stand guard outside. I'll alert you when the time is near." Thor stalked to the doorway, nearly bumping into Darwin who was just scuttling back in with a series of desk lamps.

He started uncoiling wires and shaking his head. "Just between us, you ought to tell your friend to lay off the steroids," he mentioned.

Stark turned his attention back to Coulson who had calmed a little and was gripping Stark's hand tightly.

Garcia looked up at Tony, his expression grave and said, "Are you ready?" In his hand, he held a needle connected to an IV and behind him, he'd laid out all of his tools which shimmered in the low light.

Stark swallowed awkwardly. "Whenever you are, Doc."

The suit hadn't gone down without a fight. Even Rickard had expected it. But it hadn't left him satisfied. The suit was empty and S.T.A.R.K.'s artificial intelligence JARVIS had powered down the suit and stripped its memory, leaving it completely useless to them. There was a chance that their files and resources at the Triskelion would be able to hack the suit and pull something up. Probably even that kid on Coulson's bus, Fitz, could do something with it. But he didn't have the time.

Stark had pulled one over on him. And Fury for that matter, too. Now both were a step ahead of him and he had nothing to show for it. The Clairvoyant wouldn't be happy and neither would Pierce.

If that wasn't enough, S.H.I.E.L.D.'s radar had just sounded about an 0-8-4 mysteriously appearing just twenty miles shy of Stark's presumed location in Nebraska. The oddities were piling up and he wasn't sure that he liked what they meant.

His phone began to ring suddenly. He answered it, expecting it to be either Pierce or the Clairvoyant. "This is Rickard."

"Sir, I know where Agent Coulson is headed," a voice said over the line.

Rickard recognized it. Suddenly all of his thoughts about this situation ending badly receded and he felt the familiar grin curl onto his face. "Is he there now?"

"No. But his team is. And he shouldn't be too far behind."

"Good. I'll be sending a team in your direction," Rickard said. "Until then, you make sure you make them feel welcome, Michael."

Chapter 22 will probably be up Friday evening. Stay tuned...