Awakening Quake
By Misha

Disclaimer and Notes in Chapter One.

Chapter Forty: An Impossible Situation

"Enjoying the gardens?"

Skye froze at the sound of the voice. It was the day after her dinner with Ward and Doom and she'd forced herself to leave her room, not wanting to risk crossing her "host" and she'd decided to walk around the castle gardens. Thankfully Ward was nowhere in sight and she'd actually been enjoying her beautiful surroundings, only to realize now that she wasn't alone.

"They're lovely." Skye told Doom evenly. "You have a beautiful home."

"When I was a child, I used to look at the castle and see it as the ultimate sign of success," he told her, "it meant privilege and security and I wanted it for myself."

And he had achieved it. Skye knew the official story, and some of the real story, or at least the version known to S.H.I.E.L.D and knew just how far he had come. It was one of the things that made him such a terrifying opponent.

"You must be wondering why you're here," he said after a moment, "and how Grant Ward and I came to be working together."

"It's crossed my mind," Skye admitted, trying to focus her attention on the flowers.

"A few years ago, I did HYDRA, though they weren't calling themselves that, of course, a favor and Grant Ward was the middle man," Doom said conversationally, "I recognized him for the bright, enterprising man he was and told him that if he ever needed a change, I could find a place for him here, in my operation. He turned me down, his loyalty to HYDRA unshakeable, and that was that, until a few weeks ago when he reached out to my American embassy and asked for a meeting and a favor."

Skye had to give Ward credit for having balls, she wasn't sure she'd ever think to just reach out and hope that Dr. Doom remembered a passing off he'd made a few years before. But then, one thing Ward had never lacked was confidence.

"He told me needed sanctuary." Doom continued. "As soon as he asked for the meeting, I acquired all the information I could on him and learnt that he had been exposed when HYDRA fell and that he was wanted by the US government and I was willing to offer him sanctuary in return for his service. I thought that would be it, but he explained it was more complicated. There was a woman; a beautiful, talented woman with extraordinary gifts, who was currently very confused and lost and living amongst the Avengers of all people and he wanted to help me free you from them."

Skye fought the urge to roll her eyes at Ward's description of her and the idea that she needed to be 'freed' from the Avengers, as if she was their prisoner.

"He explained your past, how you had never fit in anywhere, how you had come to join S.H.I.E.L.D, and what had happened in San Juan." Doom told her and to Skye's surprise and discomfort, he put his hand on her shoulder, forcing her to look at him. "His description intrigued me and I have to admit the challenge of stealing you from under the Avengers' noses appealed to me."
"So you had me kidnapped for your amusement?" Skye asked in disbelief. "That's all there is to it? Ward has to work for you and I'm just his prize?"

"No, my dear, if anything you're my prize." Doom told her, his hand still on her shoulder.

Skye stiffened, she didn't like the sound of that. "What do you mean?"

"I am brilliant, Skye," Doom told her, "And I have almost enough power to satisfy even my own desires, but I am not immortal. Not yet. So, like every man, I must turn to conventional methods to secure my legacy: namely a son. I'm sure I could find a willing woman, most of my citizens are desperate to please me and would like the cache of being the mother of my child, but I was unwilling to choose just anyone. No, I need my son's mother to be extraordinary and you, with you unusual gifts and your courageous backstory, which speaks of your inner strength, would make an ideal candidate."

"Ward agreed that I would have your child?" Skye asked in disbelief. She knew that Ward was crazy, but this seemed insane even for him. Besides, Ward was incredibly possessive and she couldn't believe he would be ok with another man impregnating her.

"Reluctantly," Doom assured her, "And there were… Conditions. The child must be conceived in a clinical method. He was very clear about that."

Well that was something, Skye thought sarcastically. She resolved to do whatever she had to do to get herself out of this situation. She wasn't going to be a super-villain's broodmare.

"Of course, if you wish to do it in a more conventional method, I am more than willing." Doom told her, moving his hand from her shoulder to her face.

It took all of Skye's training with May and Natasha not to flinch. Instead she stayed calm, forcing herself not to react at all. He was handsome, but he was so cold and calculating and his touch repulsed her. However, she knew that showing that revulsion wouldn't be good for her general life expectancy.

"I always assumed when I had children, I would get to choose their father." She said calmly.

"There are advantages for you, Skye," Doom assured her, "As the mother of my child, you will be treasured over every other woman in Latveria, and you will have a comfortable life in the palace. I will leave you and Grant in peace if that's what you want, or" and there was a chilling factor to his pleasant smile, "if you prefer, I can eliminate that little problem for you."

So he was aware that Ward's feeling for her weren't mutual, Skye realized. That meant he was calculating and evil, but not stupid. Even though she had done her best at dinner to hide her hatred, Doom must have still picked up on it. That didn't make her feel any better. In fact, it made her feel a little more hopeless.

Doom dropped his hand from her face, but instead of backing away he picked up her hand. Skye didn't fight him. He studied her engagement ring.

She had taken it off for dinner, knowing that it wasn't the right time to provoke Ward, but she had put it back on this afternoon. She couldn't bear not to wear it. It was a symbol of Steve and their love and the life she had waiting for her if she ever managed to get out of this situation. It was her beacon of hope.

"I assume that Grant did not give you this ring," he said casually, "If you wish, I can bring your lover to you and you can live happily here. Once you're pregnant, of course."

"I think even you would have a hard time forcing Captain America to bend to your will," Skye said sarcastically, unable to help herself. This situation was just too unbelievable.

Doom dropped her hand and looked at her carefully. "Captain America? He's the man who gave you that ring?"

"Yes." Skye said definably. "We're engaged. He's going to be looking for me, they all are, but he'll never give up." She believed that with all her heart. She knew that Steve loved her and that if he had to, he'd spend the rest of his life looking for her.

Bizarrely, Doom seemed unsettled by this information and backed away. "Enjoy the gardens, Skye. I must return to my work. We will talk again later."

Skye barely registered the subtle threat in his words, more focused on his reaction. Why had he seemed so shaken at the mention of Steve? She didn't think it was fear, Doom was too arrogant to admit to being scared of anyone. Still, there had been something there, she just wished she knew what…