A tall man, dressed in a sleek black suit strides gracefully down a long white hallway. The fluorescent lights shine off his slicked back hair that is black as the night sky. He has a cane that he places easily by his side every step he takes. There is a slight limp in his walk, hence the cane, but his elegance is so profound, one would hardly notice it. He wears a tight smirk on his face.

Loki Laufeyson.

Several men dressed in dark attire run towards him from the other end. Their shouts echo through the halls, but Loki does not falter.

"Stop right there!" they shout, their machine guns pointed at his chest.

He slows to a stop, still smirking. He places his cane in front of him, clasping both hands on top of it.

"If you wish to keep yourself hidden, I wouldn't make it so easy to find you," Loki says.

The two guards grip their guns tighter. "And how was it so easy?"

He snorts. "I wasn't talking to you."

Loki slowly turns around to face the tall man that had come up behind him.

"A surprise to see you here," the man says, his arms crossed behind his back.

"The infamous Red Skull. I come with glad tidings."

He chuckles, shaking his head. "Last time I saw you, Loki, you tried to kill me."

"I'm sure you understand why I had to do that."

"Why did you come here? One man against all of us? I thought you were smarter than that. Besides, you're hurt. What was so powerful that hurt the God of Mischief himself?"

Loki glares, unwavering. "To think I would be such a fool to come and destroy you. It offends me that you think so little of me, when I think so highly of you. I'm here because you need my help, and consequently, I need yours as well. I have something you want, and you have something I need."

Loki takes a step toward him, their eyes level. "What you want, has competition. After what I saw tonight, you are not the only ones that seek world control. More importantly, I know you have a debt that needs to be paid, a debt in the form of a stone and a mortal girl. I can give that to you, but only if you chose. I could just as easily do this on my own."

The Red Skull tightens his eyes. "If it is so easy, why do you come to us?"

"Let's just say," he smiles, "I have the skills and you have the resources."

There's a long hesitation before Skull speaks. He matches Loki's smile. "Then I say we have a deal. Call me Strucker."

Melanie awakes to the soft chirping of birds and the sun heating her back. She sleeps in Jame's bed, his small body wrapped in her arms. She still has her dress on from last night and she can feel it's scratchy seams rub against her skin. Jame sleeps peacefully, his curly hair stuck to his forehead. His chest moves up and down sharply from his shallow breaths. She gently places a palm on his chest, feeling his heartbeat, but also the soft rattle of his lungs.

She lightly kisses his forehead before climbing as carefully out of bed as she possibly could without making a sound. She creeps out the door and to her bedroom where she quickly changes out of her dress and climbs into the shower. The warm water feels good on her face and chest. Images of last night's terror flash through her memory. She had been so stupid for going out like that. This meant Jame wasn't safe anymore. Neither of them were. They saw her in New York. It wouldn't take long for them to find where they were hiding now.

When she gets out she heads downstairs for breakfast. She isn't surprised when she sees Steve already sitting at the table. He sits in front of a cup of coffee, watching the TV screen replay the events of last night. It takes him a moment to realize that she stands behind him, watching the screen with him.

"Turn it off," she says flatly.

He turns around sharply, staring at her pale face and short wet hair tucked behind one ear.

"I'm sorry," he says quickly, grabbing the remote and clicking a button. The TV becomes black.

"I don't want Jame to see that."

He stands and pulls out a chair for her. "Of course not. Here, sit, I'll pour you some coffee."

"Thanks," she mumbles softly as she sits.

"I didn't think those thugs had the firepower to take down a restaurant such as that. It caught me completely off guard."

"That's because they weren't street thugs," she says softly. "They weren't even human."

He hesitates. "...Yes."

"Yes of course you knew that. You knew it all along, you just decided not to tell me."

"Mel-"

She cuts him off sharply. "Don't say you're sorry because I've heard that phrase too much in the past twelve hours. In fact, I'd rather not speak on this matter at all."

He walks over to the table and sets the mug of coffee down in front of her.

"You know, after Dave's death, everything has changed. It's like, suddenly, all of the evil things in this world are beginning to migrate in your direction. It's almost like an eye has just turned and put it's spotlight on you."

"Well I'm not the ring from Lord of the Rings."

His eyebrows knit together in confusion. "I don't-"

She interrupts him again. "Why would they want me anyway? I lost my power five years ago. HYDRA already has the stone, which means they have what used to be my power. I'm useless to them."

"Listen, I wish I could explain it all to you, but I can't. I don't understand it, nobody does, but we're working on it. SHEILD is looking at every detail."

She scoffs. "I'm sure they are. I think half of them wish they would just kill me to spare the trouble."

"Don't say that."

"Oh you know it's true. I'm a traitor in their eyes, even in Fury's one."

Steve sits down, putting an arm on her shoulder. "It doesn't matter what they think, they are going to protect you and Jame and that's that. Nobody's perfect, they know that."

"Well not everybody sleeps with a psychopathic god who killed hundreds of innocent people in an attempt to enslave mankind."

He shakes his head. "Nope, not everyone. Just you."

She puts her face in her hands and groans.

He laughs. "Oh, don't be so hard on yourself. You may never see that man again, and I hope you don't, because it would be for the better."

She pulls her hands from her face and sighs. "You're right. My lifespan compared to his is barely a second. By the time he's my age in god years I will have long since died, and he will be dealing with my children's, children's, children's, children. And maybe another generation or two."

He takes her hand in his. "I doubt he could ever forget someone like you though."

"I'm unforgettable."

He smiles. "Unforgettable."

Their conversation is interrupted by a loud crash and then a cry from upstairs. Melanie explodes from her chair and sprints up the stairs, Steve following close behind. They burst into the room and find Jame, lying on the floor, gasping for breath.

"Jame!" Melanie exclaims, falling to the floor next to her son.

"Where's his inhaler?" Steve asks, stumbling through the room, his eyes searching.

"Bedside table, top drawer, left side," she says as she lifts Jame up so he's sitting straight.

"Breathe baby, it's ok. Deep breaths, in and out, in and out," she soothes him, rubbing his back with her hand.

Steve kneels next to them, handing Melanie the inhaler. She sticks it into James mouth and presses down. It makes a funny noise as he inhales but after a few moments his breaths are slower and softer.

"There, is that better?" she says softly, brushing back his black curls.

He nods as his breathing slows.

Steve puts his hand on her back.

"Jame, what happened buddy? Did you fall off the bed?"

Jame nods, his tears staining his cheeks. "I had a nightmare."

"Oh?" Melanie coos, wiping the tears away.

He nods again. "A man in black wanted to take you away."

Melanie's eyes flash to Steve's in concern.

"Who was the man in black?"

"I don't know," he whispers, holding his arms out for Melanie to hold him.

She takes him in her arms and hugs him close to her chest. "No one's going to take me away, honey."

They stare at each other for a long time.

Melanie swings down an axe and two pieces of wood go flying in each direction. It had been a few days since Jame's asthma attack. It made him very ill, so she had stayed close to his bed side for the rest of the weekend. Now it was a bright new day, unusually warm for the late fall season, but a good day to get work done. Jame was sitting in a small chair under the large oak tree, reading a book Steve had gotten him a few days earlier. His pale skin didn't do well in the beating down sun so he usually stuck to the shade. Melanie however, couldn't soak in enough sun. Her grey tank top was covered in sweat from all the wood splitting she had been doing, and her skin was browning every second.

She bends over and grabs another log to split. As soon as it's balanced she lifts the axe over her head and slams down onto the log. It splits, but doesn't completely break.

"Mommy?"

She's about to raise the axe, but stops.

"Yeah honey?"

"There's someone coming up our driveway."

Melanie turns to see a single black SUV driving up the gravel road. She recognizes the vehicle immediately. SHEILD. She places the blade of the axe at her feet and rests both her hands on the top of the handle. The car stops close to the house, causing white dust to gather around it. Fury steps out of the passenger side. He looks first at Jame who watches silently from his chair and then to Melanie. He walks toward her calmly.

"A good day to be out here working I see," Fury comments as he strides toward her, his hands clasped behind him.

Melanie stares back at him, head held high. She doesn't respond.

"Last time we met like this you seemed much more pleased to see me," he comments, stopping a few feet away.

"If I recall correctly, last time you came I wasn't being kept out of the loop when it came to my life," she snaps back.

"You know everything we do is all about keeping you safe."

"I don't think not telling about what's really going on in New York is keeping me safe."

Fury shifts his weight. "We are just now trying to figure out that situation. Besides, if you were truly concerned about you and your son's safety, going to the most expensive, well-known restaurant in New York, wasn't the best idea."

"While that may be true, I can't stay in the house forever, and I also can't stay hidden here forever."

Fury nods. "Which is why I'm here. We believe these attacks have all been centered around HYDRA, and someone in particular spotted working with them."

Melanie cocks her head in curiosity. "And this has to do with me?"

Fury turns and looks over at Jame. Melanie follows his gaze. She has a sickening feeling deep in her stomach. She knows who it is.

"How is Jame, by the way?" Fury asks.

She can feel her hands shaking. It takes a moment for her to collect herself. "He's okay. Not one-hundred percent, but okay."

"Does he know he has a son?"

She swallows, looking back at him. "I don't know."

Fury turns back toward her. "He will come for you, you know."

"I know."

"If you come with me, we can protect you."

She laughs, but without humor. "He wouldn't hurt us. And besides, even your best form of protection couldn't keep him away."

Fury shrugs. "Maybe he won't, but who knows what HYDRA will do."

She lowers her eyes.

"I would think about your options, Walker," he says, turning and walking back to the car.

Her eyes follow him in silence.

"Oh and if you do see him," he adds, stopping and turning slightly, "I'd hope that you'd let us know. He's still an enemy that we must protect the world from."

He climbs in the car and slams the door. It spins in a circle and then zooms down the driveway as fast as it came. Melanie waits until the dust on the gravel fades. The wind whistles through the corn stalks, making them rattle softly. She looks over at Jame. He sits peacefully in his little chair, flipping the pages of his book. He looked just like Loki.

She felt her chest heave, and she stifles back a sob.

He wouldn't hurt us, he wouldn't hurt him. He wouldn't.

She sucks in a tight breath and turns back to the wood. She raises the axe high over her head and then brings it down hard onto the piece of the wood. It shatters into a million pieces. She was not weak. Not anymore. She would not let anyone touch her child, and she would kill anyone who would ever do harm to him.

She was strong. And she feared no one.