AN: sorry that this took so long to post. I got a little distracted by Nanowrimo. On the plus side chapter 15 is almost done and should be up by next week.
"Three cracked ribs, a dislocated shoulder and a black eye," Bruce said, looking down at his notes. "If nothing else S.H.I.E.L.D is going to be getting plenty of data on how long it takes Asgardian's to heal from injuries." He tossed his clipboard down onto the table before slamming down into his chair.
"Has anyone told Thor yet?" Steve asked, glancing between Bruce and Natasha.
"Tony's talking to him now," Bruce said. "We'll be lucky if he doesn't level the tower."
"At least Jarvis took that video. That should keep Thor from over reacting," Natasha said.
"Over reacting?" Bruce said. "I think anything he'd do at this point would be pretty reasonable."
"You don't mean that." Natasha said.
"Do you realize how badly you have to beat an Asgardian to leave these kinds of injuries?" Bruce demanded.
"He gave a trained assassin open permission to attack him," Natasha said. "I think he knew what he was getting into."
"Do you really think what Clint did was alright?" Bruce demanded.
"I can understand his choice," Natasha replied. "And they both made a choice here."
"Enough," Steve interrupted. "Where's Clint now?"
"Who knows," Bruce said. "After Tony pulled him off of Fenrir he vanished."
"Well we need to-" Steve's next sentence was interrupted by a clap of thunder that shook the room.
"He seems to be taking it well," Natasha said.
"Jarvis, do you know where Clint is?" Steve asked. A part of him was beginning to miss the days when his biggest problem was which villain was trying to kill them that week. To think that just a few months ago everyone was complaining that things had been too calm.
"I'm sorry sir," Jarvis said. " I am afraid that Agent Barton isn't showing up on any of my scans. It would appear that he's left the building,"
"Any ideas where he's gone?" Bruce asked.
"The way things have been going lately, probably to join up with Dr. Doom," Steve said.
"He still keeps a bunk at S.H.I.E.L.D," Natasha said. "He probably decided to head over there until things cool down here." The conversation was interrupted by another crack of thunder.
"Natasha, I want you to go to the S.H.I.E.L.D base and find Clint," Steve said.
"If he's not there?" Natasha asked.
"Then find him," Steve said. "You know him better than anyone so you should know where to look. The second you know where he is have him contact me. If there's any chance of salvaging the Avengers then we need to do some damage control and quick." Natasha headed for the door and paused as another bolt of thunder shook the building. She turned to take one last look at the two of them.
"This has been building up since Thor brought Loki's son into the building," She said. "Something happening between them was inevitable, but it could have been much worse."
"So you're saying I should be grateful that Clint didn't just shoot him?" Steve asked.
"I'm saying that it had to happen," She said. "Now that they've both gotten this out of their systems things can get back to normal around here."
"You're saying this like Fenrir wanted to get beaten up," Bruce said, feeling disgusted.
"Didn't he?" Natasha said, leaving the room before anyone could respond.
Steve and Bruce continued to sit at the table for a minute before either of them spoke.
"Bruce, I'm going to go and help Tony with Thor. If there's anything else you can do to make Fenrir less broken before Thor gets there then that would be great." Steve said, feeling more exhausted than he had in a long time.
"There is something I can try." Bruce said, heading off. Steve watched his teammate go and wondered how he was going to fix this. More and more everyone was splitting into a for and against category and if things didn't change soon than it was going to break up the team.
He knew that Thor had made the right decision in taking his nephew away from Asgard. The more Steve saw of Fenrir the more he believed that he needed, and truly deserved, a second chance. But having him in the tower was causing no end of problems. Most lately seeming to end with Fenrir in traction.
Letting him stay on earth wasn't a question, but the Tower was starting to seem like less of an option. As he went to go join Tony he wondered if it would be completely unreasonable to suggest that Thor and Fenrir get an apartment.
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To give S.H.I.E.L.D full credit they were efficient. Especially when they were hoping to avoid the wrath of an increasingly paternal Thunder God. In the time that it had taken for Thor to come back to the Tower, and for Clint to pull his disappearing act, they'd managed to turn what was left of Bruce's exam room into a pretty impressive sick bay.
Bruce was in the middle of filling up another bucket when he heard the door slam open.
"Fenrir!" Thor shouted, as soon as he spotted his nephew. He ran across the room to where Fenrir was lying in a bed and all but jumped on top of it with him. "I would have been here sooner but Stark wouldn't tell me where you were until I talked with him and listened to the video that Jarvis made."
"I told them that they didn't need to call you," Fenrir said. "I know that you had plans tonight."
"Nothing could have kept me away when I heard what happened," Thor insisted, wrapping a hand around the back of Fenrir's neck. "Do not fear. I shall see that you receive justice for what transpired here tonight."
"What?" Fenrir said sitting up. "I thought you said you saw the video?"
"Barton had no right to do what he did," Thor said.
"I told him that he could hurt me,"
"You are not on Svartalfheim anymore," Thor said. "People cannot just attack you when they are unhappy."
"I told him-"
"Even if he had permission to hurt you he should not have," Thor insisted. "You are under my care now and I cannot allow such an offence to stand."
"Thor, I gave my word that you wouldn't seek retribution," Fenrir said.
"He goes too far,"
"You can't!"
"Why won't you let me defend you?" Thor asked sadly. "Why won't you let me fix this?"
"It's my honor, Thor," Fenrir said. "I don't have much left as it is, but I gave a pledge. Please don't make me break it. Please." Thor was silent a few minutes before he begins to sigh in defeat.
"You were the one who was wronged," Thor said. "If it is truly your wish that I take no action, then I won't." They sat there in an awkward silence for a few minutes. Bruce, who had been trapped in the room during the argument, wished he could leave. Instead he finished filling up the bucket and went over to the bed. He considered explaining what he was about to do to Thor, but decided that they could all use a distraction, and proceeded to dump the contents over Fenrir.
"Why are you covered in ice?" Thor asked, seeming to notice for the first time the pile of ice cubes that had been covering his nephew's chest.
"It was Bruce's idea," Fenrir said. "He thinks that it will help me heal faster."
"I noticed that the last time he was hurt that the ice seemed to help more than it normally would," Bruce explained. "I thought there might be a connection and, so far, it looks like I was right." Bruce said, indicating to Fenrir. "I think it has something to do with his being half-Jotun, His black eye is practically gone and even for an Asgardian that should have taken a few hours."
For a minute Thor looked happy at the thought that Fenrir wouldn't be in pain long. But after he had had a minute to think about what Bruce had told him he realized something.
"When was Fenrir hurt before?" Thor asked. Bruce froze when he realized his mistake. Fenrir still hadn't told Thor about what had happened with Maria!
"You said that the last time Fenrir was hurt that the ice helped him," Thor reminded Bruce, when he didn't answer. "When did you have a chance to see the ice heal him?"
Bruce quickly tried to think of any reason that would explain why he had been putting ice on Fenrir's neck. Anything that didn't involve another person in the tower attacking Fenrir. But he couldn't think of anything.
"It was when I was with Jane," Fenrir interjected. "I told Bruce about when I burned myself and Jane gave me the ice." Thor considered what he was hearing for a minute and seemed to find the answer acceptable.
"I'm glad that he's found something to help you," Thor said. It was clear to everyone in the room that Thor still wanted to go out and smash something with his hammer.
"How's everything going?" Tony said, entering the room. "Now that you've all had a chance to hug it out are we all feeling better? Maybe decided to just forget everything that happened tonight and not level my very expensive Tower?" Tony scanned the room and, seeing how annoyed Thor still was, answered his own question. "Guess not."
"Well, much as I hate to interrupt the brooding and uncomfortable silence, I came to tell you that you have a call," Tony said.
"For me?" Thor asked.
"Yeah, Jane called and asked me if you were coming back and if not could I get her a ride home." Tony said.
"You were still on your date? I didn't mean for you to leave Jane," Fenrir said, the guilt showing plainly on his face.
"You didn't bring her home first?" Bruce asked.
"When I received the call from Tony telling me that Fenrir had been injured I was given no information." Thor said, looking accusingly at Tony. "I didn't know if I could afford to take the time to bring her home. I explained the situation to her. She understood."
"Well, now she's waiting for an answer. So are you going or do I send a car?" Tony asked.
Thor looked down at Fenrir and then back to Tony.
"If you would be willing to arrange for a ride for Jane, I would be extremely grateful," Thor admitted. "I would feel better if I stayed with Fenrir."
"I'll have Happy swing by and pick her up. Where'd you leave her?" Tony asked pulling out a cell phone before stopping abruptly. "Wait, this wasn't one of your New Mexico dates was it?"
"No, we weren't in New Mexico," Thor said.
"That saves some time," Tony said. "So where is she?"
"We were having dinner in Paris when I received your call. Although, I would imagine that she has left the restaurant by now."
"Why do I have the sinking feeling you don't mean Texas?" Tony said.
"You left your girlfriend alone in another country?" Bruce asked, stunned. "What were you even doing there?"
"We were having dinner," Thor said. "I haven't been able to spend much time with Jane lately and Paris is very romantic." In the background Fenrir frowned, knowing that he was the reason that Thor hadn't had as much time to spare for his girlfriend.
"Thor, go get her," Bruce commanded.
"I'm sure-"
"Thor, go get your girlfriend." Bruce repeated. Thor looked over at Fenrir with a worried look.
"Thor, I'm fine," Fenrir said. "You should go and get Jane before she gets angry with you again."
"Again?" Tony asked with a smirk.
"She has only recently forgiven me for not calling her when I first brought Fenrir to earth." Thor explained. He turned to look at Fenrir. "You are sure that you will be alright while I am away?"
"I am sure," Fenrir said. "Tell Jane that I am very sorry to have interrupted her evening." Thor hesitated a minute before heading up to the roof. With Tony following soon after Bruce and Fenrir were left alone together.
Bruce rolled his eyes as Thor and Tony left. If any other man bailed on his girlfriend in the middle of a date then he would usually end the night minus the girlfriend. Sometimes being a hero did have its perks. Bruce turned around and saw that Fenrir had gone very pale.
"Do you need anything?" Bruce asked. Fenrir didn't answer right away. He was scanning the room like he is looking for something. All of the assertiveness that Fenrir had shown when talking to Thor was gone.
"Fenrir?" Bruce asked. Fenrir is startled as he realized that Bruce had been talking to him.
"Are you alright?" Bruce asked.
"I'm…I'm fine I." Fenrir stopped and looked around again before stopping to stare at a wall.
"It'll be okay," Bruce said, grabbing Fenrir's attention. "Jane knows what Thor's like. She'll forgive him."
"Oh, I know," Shifting as he glanced around the room. "It's just, um, do you think that I could be alone for a little bit?" Fenrir finished nervously. Bruce's surprise must have shown on his face because Fenrir was quick to offer an explaination.
"It's just that, when my uncle returns he'll want to stay by my side until I am better. This may be my last chance to be alone for a while." Fenrir said.
Bruce could imagine that, after what had happened, when Thor got back he would likely want to begin a 24 hour vigil until Fenrir was completely healed. He also thought about how, even though Fenrir liked spending time with his uncle, after spending years alone in a cell a constant companion could be exhausting.
"I'll just be down the hall," Bruce said. "If you need anything or want me to come back just tell Jarvis." Fenrir nodded his understanding and Bruce left the room. Fenrir waited in bed for a few minutes and just watched the walls before he did anything. He decided that it was now or never and, taking one last breath to steady himself, spoke.
"I know that you're there," Fenrir said. He looked over to the wall and immediately dropped his eyes back to his lap. Taking a deep breath he continued. "Thor has gone to retrieve Jane. So…If there is something you wish to say then now would be the time." For a moment nothing happened and Fenrir began to wonder if he had really heard what he thought he had. Then a grate popped off of the wall and he watched as Barton slid out of the vent and onto the floor.
"How'd you know I was in there?" He asked, still facing the wall and making a point of not looking at Fenrir.
"I have very good hearing," Fenrir said, shifting in his bed and fighting the impulse to call Bruce back. "How did you manage to stay in the tower without Jarvis knowing? I thought that he saw everything here."
"He knew I was there," He said. "I asked him not to say anything. I wanted to talk to you before I… well before I have to deal with everyone else. He can be surprisingly reasonable; for a voice." Fenrir shifted into a sitting position to look at Clint and melted ice cubes slid to the floor.
"Why the ice?" Clint asked, finally turning to look Fenrir in the eye.
"It was Bruce's idea," Fenrir said. "So that I'd heal faster. It seems to be working." There was another moment of silence as the two just looked at each other.
"How do you feel?" Clint asked, after a moment of silence.
"I'm starting to feel better," Fenrir replied. "The ice is helping."
"Listen I'm… I'm sorry for what I did," Clint began slowly. "I never meant for it to go that far. I only meant to hit you once and then I just, I couldn't stop."
"I told you that you could hurt me," Fenrir said, shifting nervously in his bed. "You have nothing to regret. I'll make sure that Thor stands by my promise."
"That's not the point," Clint said. "I shouldn't-I just wanted to let you know that you don't need to worry about me bothering you anymore. I'm backing off." Fenrir stared at Clint for a moment, not entirely sure what he was being told. This was not what he'd been expecting.
"Here," Clint said. Fenrir tensed up as he reached into a pocket to toss something to Fenrir. "I stopped back in the library before I hit the vents."
Fenrir looked down at what he'd just been given. It was a book, The Bourne Identity. He looked back up at Clint.
"The book you had before is part of a series," Clint explained, barely meeting Fenrir's eyes. "It won't make sense if you don't read this one first."
"You read them?" Fenrir said surprised.
"Yeah, they're good," Clint said. "The books are anyway; the movies kind of sucked. Missed the point of the books. The new one wasn't bad." Clint trailed off. Fenrir looked at the book and made sure not to let it touch the quickly melting ice.
"Enjoy," Clint muttered as he turned and moved to the door.
"Do you feel better now?" He heard Fenrir ask quietly.
"What?"
"In the library, you said that you would feel better if you could hurt me. Did it work?" Fenrir asked.
Clint stared at him for a minute as he tried to figure out how to answer.
"Not as much as I thought it would," Clint said sadly, to himself as much as Fenrir. He turned and left the room.
Clint didn't get three steps down the hall before he found Bruce waiting for him.
"This the part where the Hulk throws me out a window for hurting his new friend?" Clint asked. The snarky humor that normally would have come with such a comment was noticeably lacking.
"Hulk hasn't met Fenrir yet. I don't know what he'll think of all of this," Bruce said.
"How long were you listening?" Clint asked.
"Long enough to hear you apologize," Bruce said.
"Good," Clint said, continuing down the hall. "You can fill Thor in when he gets back."
"It might sound better coming from you," Bruce said.
"I won't be here," Clint said, over his shoulder.
"Where are you going?"
"I'm pretty sure that what happened tonight shows that my judgment is compromised," Clint said. "It's probably best for everyone is I bow out for a while."
"So you're just going to run away?"
"No one's going to want me on the team after this. I'm saving them the trouble of kicking me out." Clint turned and looked at the door to Bruce's exam room. "I've been enough of an ass lately, the last thing he needs is to see me wandering the tower."
"You're not leaving, Clint," Clint was about to argue but Bruce interrupted. "If you leave then Fenrir is going to think that he broke up the team." Once again Clint tried to argue but Bruce wouldn't let him. "Fenrir gave you a chance for retribution and you took it. It was a bad decision on all sides. But in his mind you didn't do anything wrong. So if you leave the team then he's going to think that his actions, and how Thor responded, are his fault.
"So if you really are sorry for what you did, then you'll suck it up and stay in the tower. Apologize to Thor and stay on the damn team." Clint considered what Bruce was saying for a minute.
"Okay," He said, sounding exhausted. Clint leaves to go back to his room and Bruce stops him one more time.
"He's not what we thought he was," Clint turned around to face Bruce. "I know that we all thought the same things about Fenrir when Thor brought him here but we were wrong. He's not Loki; not even close. He's nice." Bruce said, almost wanting to laugh at how absurd the whole situation was. "If you sat down and talked to him you might even-"
"No," Clint said sharply. "Bruce, I'm sorry for what I did today, and I'll leave the guy alone from here on out. But I can't like him. Don't ask me to do that." Clint turned and Bruce watched him walk away.
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The book was strange, to say the least. It seemed to be about a man with no idea who he was, waking up and trying to piece his life back together. Even just a few pages in it was beginning to seem like the answers might be worse than the not knowing. Fenrir was just getting interested in his book when he heard the telltale sounds of his uncle coming down the hall. He quickly put the book aside, not sure yet if he should tell Thor about the conversation he'd just had.
"Fenris!" Thor yelled as he came through the door. "I came back as quickly as I could manage."
"How is Jane?" Fenrir asked.
"Shouldn't we be asking you that?" A voice said from the doorway.
"Jane," Fenrir said, straightening up in surprise. He hadn't seen her since he'd arrived on earth. He hoped she wasn't mad for all of the trouble that he'd caused her. "I'm feeling much better. Thank you for your concern." He said, wishing that he weren't soaked through with melted ice.
"Here," Jane said, offering him a small brown bag. "I brought you a get well present." Fenrir looked down at her hand and slowly reached out to take the bag. He reached inside and pulled out a small black box with a ribbon on it. He opened the box and saw that it contained a dozen small brown squares.
"They're French chocolates," Jane explained. "Supposedly the best you can get outside of Switzerland."
"Thank you," Fenrir said quietly, staring at the gift. "You, you didn't have to do this."
"I had some time to shop." Jane said, smirking at Thor.
"You said that I could go," Thor said, looking concerned. Jane ignored him and kept her focus on Fenrir. Fenrir didn't want to insult Jane but, seeing as he'd already risked everything today, he may as well sate his curiosity. He could go back to being a coward tomorrow.
"Why are you giving me a present?" Fenrir asked.
"Midgardian custom," Jane said, without missing a beat. Fenrir wasn't quite sure why his being injured meant that he got chocolates but, after trying one, he decided he would never ever question Jane's traditions.
AN: now that Clint's apologized I am sure that there will be no more conflicts for our little team of heroes. Oh hey, is that Loki?
Review and I'll see you soon.