Hi. So, long time no chapter. My apologies for that, life interfered. Though I'm writing again, slowly. Dunno what I'm doing from here until Christmas, so I don't know when the next chapter is coming. I promise you're all gonna love it though... and hate me. It's in progress at the moment - shouldn't be too much of a wait.

Yes, this is near the end of the Avengers film. Before you ask, no this is not near the end of the story. Psht. I'm going to explain the changes as they happen, but I continue past the end of the Avengers. Enough babble, enjoy the unfortunately short chapter!

- Elle

The day passed, as days tend to do, and I found myself staring at the ceiling of the bedroom that was lit with morning sunlight. Loki was already in the main room – pacing, if my ears did not deceive me.

Today was the day.

I stretched, leaving the bedroom and snagging leftovers from the fridge for breakfast. I ate, but I ate lightly, dressed already in my S.H.I.E.L.D. uniform – an unpleasant reminder of the company, but pleasant fighting gear. Eric Selvig was behind me, loading complicated pieces of equipment into a few boxes; clearly the portal pieces to be assembled on Stark Tower. The same ship and crew that whisked us away from the Helicarrier transported us there, and the clock began. We were out in the open – S.H.I.E.L.D. would be onto us soon. Once the portal was up, however, not even they could stop us.

As if on cue, Tony Stark – in full Iron Man getup soared over to us. I smirked as I lounged against the barrier, guns in hand. Here come the heroes – trying to stop Loki from taking over the world. The world they believed was so good, so nice, as wars raged and innocents were killed. One ruler would be good, would be better for this planet.

"Shut it down, Doctor Selvig." He ordered.

Selvig grinned maniacally. "It's too late! It can't stop now. He wants to show us something, a new universe." He explained.

"Okay…" Stark said sceptically, raising his hands. I ducked, realising what he was doing. The energy blast hit the shield around the portal, throwing Selvig uncomfortably close to the edge of the roof, and blasting Stark back several feet, causing him t o drop slightly in altitude. I was slammed against the barrier around the edge, the concrete bruising my side. If I'd been standing, I imagine I would have toppled over the ledge, and shuddered at the thought of the fall. I winced, before straightening. I watched Stark look around, before descending, and I could see Loki waiting on the balcony below.

I could hear several crashes, and the sound of breaking glass, and smirked to myself as I watched Selvig hit the big red button on the portal. A jet of blue light pulsed into the sky, and I watched as the far reaches of space opened before my eyes. I watched as the chitauri flew out, some being blown out of the sky by Stark, others bypassing the iron-suited man and beginning to wreak havoc on the people of Manhattan. A smirk crossed my face. I wouldn't even have to get my hands dirty – my job was to protect the tesseract and its portal… not that it could be stopped now. The world would fall under the chitauri, and Loki would have his reign. I was a little put out at having what I saw as a minor role in the domination of Earth, stuck on top of the tower, guarding the portal. Then again, if anyone managed to close the portal, Loki and I would definitely be in deep trouble. He didn't believe in that possibility, but I planned for the worst.

Anxiously, I paced. I couldn't see Loki, or much of the Avengers. The odd flash of another explosion, the bright jet of the chitauri's guns being fired and the golden flames licking at the buildings around me. Chunks were missing from every single building – some had even toppled. And still, the aliens came through the portal, descending from the sky like a host of angels, come to remove the burden of control from human grasp. Leviathans sang their war songs as they passed me by, and I spun, revelling in the damage wrought around the tower. S.H.I.E.L.D. had no power here; they could not stop this. The world would be Loki's; the world would be mine, and there would be no more S.H.I.E.L.D., no more government services in which I was forced to kill. When the world was ours to control, I would have freedom.

I laughed as I watched the world burn.