Awakening

Hi, I don't know how many of you are aware of this but November is National Novel Writing Month.

Originally I was going to work on the sequel to my Novel during this writing time, but it's still being edited. :/

So, I have a new goal! I'm going to do my best to finish Awakening before the month is out. Now I won't make any promises, because my life is rather unpredictable, but I will do my best!

Enjoy!

"...and that's basically my life as Penny Stark." I finished finally, about three hours later, as my story came to an end.

I didn't mention anything to do with Immortals, or my past lives or any things that would raise too much suspicion. My two friends pretty much knew more than the Avengers, less than Dad, but more than SHIELD. So, about Pepper's level of understanding.

They had been mostly silent throughout my whole explanation, ignoring the occasional gasp or exclamation of shock, horror, or disbelief.

A few of my stories also caused them to chuckle or let out an actual laugh when I told them some of the rather amusing or unbelievable things Dad and I've done in the past year.

The whole experience I think was rather beneficial. I got to actually be (mostly) honest with some very good friends of mine, and a weight I hadn't even realized was there had been lifted off my shoulders.

I guess that not telling Darcy and Jane (not to mention Selvig) had been heavier on me than I had thought.

The silence held for a while; a good ten minutes while the women hyped up on caffeine, since it was about four o'clock for them, worked through what they had just learned.

Jane was the first one to break the silence, though it wasn't surprising. She had believed Thor's story after all, after not too much skepticism.

"That's…" Darcy said slowly, and I gave her an amused look. I had always found it slightly amusing to blow people's minds. I wasn't sure if it was an Immortal thing, or something that my Stark genes had increased…

It was probably a mixture of the two, knowing my luck.

"Unbelievable." Jane finished with a shake of her head.

I couldn't help but chuckle. "Pepper thinks that it's in the Stark genes to do at least one impossible and/or insane thing a day."

Everyone just blinked, causing me to sigh.

"Just trust me," I tried to assure them. "I specialize in the impossible."

I paused, more recent memories pushing through the flashback; Pepper had mentioned something else. "And that we like blowing people's minds…"

Darcy just shook her head slowly as Jane said, "That's really not surprising."

"Of course not," Darcy snorted before giving me a shrewd look. "It's Penny."

I couldn't help it, I burst out laughing. My head was still throbbing, and quite scattered, but this was fun.

"Not that this hasn't been...enlightening," Jane continued as she narrowed her eyes at me. "There has to be a reason you showed up at our door in the middle of the night. Now spill."

I sighed; I should've known that Jane would've caught on eventually. Not really having a reason to lie or avoid the topic I gave the girls the truth.

"Might've pranked everyone at dinner, and so before they could lecture/yell at me too much I popped over here. Thought you all might want a visit." I explained with a proud smirk. Oh their faces had been sooo worth it…

Darcy burst out laughing as soon as I projected the scene over the table, and although Jane gave me a stern look her lips were twitching; especially when she saw Thor's.

"Ok, that's pretty good, I'll admit." Jane relented and I grinned again while mentally cheering, victory.

"I say it's freaking awesome." Darcy was grinning like the Cheshire Cat, but had finally stopped laughing.

"Why thank you," I told the dark haired girl as I gave a little mock bow. It was nice just to lay back and have a bit of fun after everything that had happened recently.

If I had learned anything in my countless lifetimes, it's that taking a break to relax in the middle of things and every now and then isn't a bad thing. In fact, it probably saved my sanity in more than one lifetime. Thankfully, that was a lesson I had learned rather quickly.

"What on earth do you think you're doing?!" Dean exclaimed loudly over the music as he walked into the room, spotting me reading upside down on the couch.

I glanced up at him and sighed. Obviously the man knew nothing about taking a break, the workaholic.

"Relaxing," I responded instantly before turning back to my book, "relaxing, unwinding, taking a breath from the world...there are many different ways to describe it."

I could feel from here Dean's eyebrow twitch, and I was actually surprised he wasn't yelling more. He had such a bad temper after all.

"There's a war going on out there!" He screamed and I mentally winced. Yeah, I had totally jinxed myself there.

"So?!" I snapped as I closed my book and flipped over so i was now sitting on the floor. "Taking a break is actually recommended by most people. It's called actually having a life maybe you should try it sometime Winchester."

I finished with a drawl before vanishing. I would finish my book somewhere else.

"So," I almost jumped when Jane's voice broke me free from the flashback and I had to keep my face blank as I turned my focus to them. "Have you spoken to Selvig since yesterday? ...Or is it two days ago…" She trailed off with a mutter as my heart almost froze.

I knew I had been forgetting something! Damn it, I had forgotten Selvig!

"I'll be back!" I told the two scientists before vanishing.

How on earth had I forgotten Selvig?!

It hadn't taken too long to track the astrophysicist down. He was actually in the first place I looked, SHIELD's med bay aboard the Helicarrier.

Of course, by that point it was well over 11 o'clock NY time, and past 4 London time. On top of that, I had no idea where the Helicarrier actually was at the moment...not that I couldn't find out I just didn't really care...but I was only mildly interested to see that the 'Carrier was almost as busy as it was during the day.

I threw up a few energy shields to keep anyone or anything from seeing or sensing me as I phased into the med bay. Selvig was asleep, probably sedated, attached to quite a few machines. Next to his bed was a very large pile of hastily scribbled notes in his handwriting.

Frowning, I picked up the stack and glanced over them, my frown deepening.

SHIELD was having Selvig recount everything that he had experienced and learned while under 'Loki's' control, by hand, not even twenty-four hours later.

Anger flashed through my veins as I glanced over at the old doctor who I had come to call a friend. He was not staying here.

"Jarvis," I said, pressing a hand to my ear to activate my com.

"Yes, Miss Penny?" The AI responded instantly, and I knew that the AI had already informed my father that I was talking to him.

The two of them were too overprotective for their own good.

"Tell Dad that we're going to need to get a temporary medical bay or room set up. I'm bringing Selvig to the Tower...I really don't trust him in the hands of SHIELD right now." I informed the AI, while telling him everything that Selvig was currently hooked up to and on, after reading his chart.

"I shall scan him myself once you have transported him to the Tower." Jar replied, I almost laughed, he didn't trust SHIELD much either. "The room shall be ready in five minutes; we have everything necessary already in the tower, though I do not believe the sedative will be necessary once this dose wears off."

"No," I agreed with a nod, "I don't think he will either."

But I was going to call in Insania and see if she would take a peek inside his head, and everyone else's who had gotten their minds hijacked. We wouldn't necessarily fix all damage done, but since it was Fati who interfered, it was likely that we could reduce the mental damage. If there was any, but I was pretty sure there would be.

Normally I would just do it myself...but with my own head screwed up I wasn't the best option.

On a sudden though, I vanished and reappeared, still invisible, right next to Fury.

Thankfully, he was just in his office, eating a sandwich in silence with a cup of coffee next to him.

This made me frown; man, didn't my old apprentice sleep?

Ok, coming from me that was hypocritical, but who cares.

I faded into the visible spectrum for humans, and I had to hand it to Nick, he barely flinched at my appearance. It would've gone completely unnoticed if I had been human.

Fury opened his mouth, his one eye narrowing but I cut him off before he could even start.

"Just wanted to let you know that I'm taking Selvig to the Tower. He doesn't need to be treated like a lab rat." I told him, slightly scolding the man before vanishing again.

If I knew Nick, and I would like to think I did, then he was probably cursing me out in his office right now.

I reappeared next to Selvig, and quickly detached him from all of the machines. Thankfully he wasn't connected to anything vastly important. Tucking the papers into my pocket I kept all of the alarms silent as I gripped his arm.

I grimaced as I looked down at his pale form. I could now feel his mind practically screaming and tearing itself apart in its dreamscape, since I was physically connected to him.

"It's ready," Jarvis told me, and I instantly and soundlessly transported Selvig and myself to the Tower.

I just hoped that Pepper wasn't still awake.

I know, I know, short...but I updated! And actually I didn't forget about Selvig, I just wanted Pen to.

Yeah.

(this would've been up days ago but my mom decided to drag me along on a mini road trip to the bottom of the state and back (with me driving most of the time) so I was pretty much without writing time, or internet, for two days)

Thanks to everyone!
Cp