Imitations Carved Deep: Chapter 8
What's this?! A new chapter! Haven't seen one of those in a while! ;) This chapter is a DIRECT continuation of the last one. You might want to re-read chapter7 just in case.
Please enjoy!
Not a Tony/Loki story. Just friendship.
Be forewarned, I have named female Loki, 'Kira', and that is what she will be referred to for a good chunk of the story.
Disclaimer: I don't own them...so sad.
Warnings: Severe angst. Stupid/Bad Thor (temporarily). Torture (in the past). Implied rape (in past). Don't read if any of these trigger.
Motives and Suspicious Spies (Big Surprise)
That was how Tony found her.
He and the others had shared concerned looks when the heard Kira over the comms. Honestly, they weren't sure what to do with this new information, and it put them all on edge. Now they knew they had someone in the Tower that could successfully hack into the Quinjet. What else could she do?
Tony flew into the bottom level of the Tower rather than using the top floor balcony as usual, and practically ran to the lab, once free of the suit. Jarvis was quiet the whole time, making Tony suspicious. He heard the elevator running and knew the others were already on their way down there. When he found Kira, she was still shaking.
"Soooo…" Tony started. "You managed to hack the Quinjet. Jarvis didn't do it; he would have told me. That's an interesting skill….what else can you do?" Kira spun in her chair to face Tony, and she smiled at him.
"I am glad you are alright, Tony." At that point the others were in the lab, sans Bruce who was recovering from the Other Guy and getting dressed, and beginning to surround her. Kira smiled at the others, though she understood that they were now wary of her. Only the whites of her knuckles from gripping the arms of the chair showed how anxious she was of their reaction.
Steve stepped forward…and held out a hand.
"You saved us, Kira. Thank you." Kira's green eyes were wide in surprise, but she shook Captain America's hand.
"What were you doing down here in the first place," Natasha threw out. Steve stepped to the side of Kira to offer her support of the coming Inquisition.
"I directed Miss Kira to the lab, telling her I could show her everything as it happened. She did not pose I threat." Tony snorted and raised a brow at his AI's confident tone.
"When did you determine she wasn't a threat," Clint challenged Jarvis. The archer didn't seem too concerned, but you could never quite tell when Clint was actually being serious about a situation.
"I have observed her interactions with all of you. She has not lied, and she was genuinely concerned for your wellbeing. I determined it safe to allow her to continue on her chosen course of action." Tony narrowed his eyes at the ceiling.
"Multitasking while I'm out there saving NYC, Jarv? Not sure I appreciate the lack of concern."
"You are more than capable of keeping yourself alive for the thirty seconds it took me to run the calculations on Kira. And if not you had the others to help. Sir." Clint snorted at the condescending tone Jarvis had.
"Anyway, I think it's safe to say there was no bad intent behind what Kira did. She could actually be very helpful for some things," Cap interjected. Natasha held back and watched Kira's reactions to everything. She couldn't read anything deceitful in the other woman's face, but she couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. So, easy to say Natasha wasn't going to stop keeping an eye on Kira.
That was when Bruce came downstairs. His brow's pulled together at seeing everyone surrounding Kira.
"Um, what's going on?" Tony smiled at Bruce.
"We wanted to know where Kira got her super-hacking skills, and Clint and Natasha were suspicious of her motives, even though she saved our asses." Banner snorted and shook his head.
"Yeah, okay. Jarvis filled me in. I'm not sure I see what the problem is. Well, Kira, how about we head upstairs and get something to eat?" Kira nodded stiffly and unclenched her hands from the chair arms. Steve passed Kira her crutches and held the chair still for her to stand up. It took her a minute, but she managed and was moving across the lab towards the elevators with Bruce. Steve followed, and Tony skipped up to walk beside her.
"Sooooo, still haven't told me where you learned to hack like that." Kira didn't meet Tony's eyes, which almost made him feel bad for asking.
"It…it is a very useful skill to have when one does not want to be found." After a moment, Kira raised her eyes and gave Tony a stern look. "Which will remain my own private information. I will be gone from this Tower in a moment should you even attempt to dig into my past." She stepped into the elevator beside Bruce and Tony hopped in before Steve could hit the floor button.
"You know that doesn't help your whole 'Not Suspicious or a Spy' image with the two assassins living here." Kira just shrugged.
"I am not a spy, which you can believe or not, but I also do not believe in divulging bad memories based on the suspicions of others." Steve gave Tony a look this time.
"Which is something we will respect." When Tony opened his mouth to make a snarky comment, Bruce joined the 'stare at Tony' club. The inventor raised his hands in surrender and shut his mouth for once. The elevator stopped at the desired floor, and the men waited for Kira to exit first. She took a seat at the breakfast bar this time and smiled at Steve as he passed her to go get changed. By the time he returned, Clint and Natasha were getting bottles of water out of the fridge.
The Captain caught the bottle Clint threw to him, and chugged half of it, before taking the seat next to Kira. They were all starting to unwind. That is of course when Fury's face popped up on the video chat.
"Sir, Director Fury is on the line." Tony rolled his eyes.
"Of course he is. Well, let's see what the pirate wants, shall we?" Clint snorted but dropped his smile as soon as the Director's real-time face showed up.
"So, who wants to tell me what the hell was going on with the Quinjet?" They had known this was coming, but it didn't stop Steve from wincing ever so slightly. The Captain even twisted more towards Kira to put more of a wall between her and Fury's angry expression….which of course brought her to Fury's attention.
"Why is there a civilian on this call?" No one wanted to answer, and Fury's face showed that he connected the stray dots. "So, you're the one who hacked the plane. I can only assume you are also the woman Stark brought home with him." Everyone was surprised (pleasantly so) when Kira did not quake with fear and back down, but instead raised a brow.
"I do not like being referred to as a stray dog, thank you." The corner of Fury's mouth twitched if you looked close enough.
"Well, in essence, you were one until you decided to hack into a highly secured system and drive swarms of monster wasps out of New York City all while imprisoning a mad man. So…want to tell me who you are?" The question was obviously a command, but Kira refused to be impressed. She had met men more intimidating, and as of yet, this one hadn't garnered her respect. With a sharp grin, actually showing teeth, she said,
"I'm a dog that bites." Tony actually barked out a laugh at that, and Kira heard Bruce and Clint snicker behind her. Fury narrowed his eye at the young woman, his expression saying he was fighting between being slightly amused or offended that she was talking to him that way.
"Well, aren't you hilarious. I need to know right now, if you are a threat to my team. I don't take those lightly. So, who are you and where did you learn to do what you did?" Kira, crossed her arms to hide the shaking in her hands. Now Fury was starting to remind her of her…of the only other leader with an eyepatch she knows.
"I am not a threat. I am just a homeless woman who lived on the streets until Stark found me injured in the attack before this one. I learned to hack to protect myself not harm others. That is all I am going to tell you." Fury looked ready to argue the point, when Steve spoke up.
"Sir, she saved our lives. I think that garners her a little trust, don't you?" Fury fought not to scowl at America's Golden Boy. Something about the woman Stark had adopted bothered him. She fit into both his possible ally or possible enemy boxes. This woman struck a nerve in him that he couldn't identify. One look at Romanoff and he knew she felt the same. He stayed quiet for a moment, thinking.
"Very well," he finally said. "But no more surprises, or I'll be knocking on your door, personally." Tony snorted after Fury hung up on them.
"He likes you." Kira and the others raised a brow at the inventor. "Well, not like how he likes Natasha or…liked Coulson. More like how he likes me, in that I pay for and develop most of his toys." Kira rolled her eyes.
"I'm not going to work for the man, Stark." Tony held up his hands.
"I didn't say that. I'm just saying he's more than likely making up a list of pros and cons right now, on whether to try and recruit you."
Kira saw Clint tilt his head in a gesture meaning 'More than likely' out of the corner of her eye. Kira turned back around in her chair, facing the breakfast bar and leaned on her forearms.
"Yes, well, I am not interested. I'd rather not get involved with anymore…suspicious characters." Before Stark could ask, Kira gave him a pointed look, and Clint laughed. Tony pouted and turned to the fridge to get himself a drink.
"Well, at least I have both of my eyes," he muttered. Bruce rolled his eyes and patted Tony's back in mock comfort.
"Yes, and they are very pretty eyes too, Tony." The whole room froze and stared as Kira suddenly let out a bark of laughter. Her hand came up and covered her mouth, her green eyes wide. There was a moment when no one moved, and then Kira started giggling and just couldn't stop. Soon everyone joined in, and even Natasha smiled.
It took a while, but eventually everyone calmed down. Everyone who hadn't done so already, left to shower and change, leaving Kira alone with Bruce in the kitchen. They were both happily snacking on fruit. At one point though, Kira felt the need to say something.
"Bruce, I hope I am not speaking out of turn, but I saw the 'Other Guy' fighting and I don't see the monster that you do." Bruce froze and didn't look up from his fruit. After a few moments of silence, Kira was going to apologize, but then Bruce spoke.
"You never saw him…before. He's hurt people, innocent people. Hell, he can destroy three whole cities and not get tired or care." Kira hesitated only a moment, before reaching out and laying a hand on Bruce's forearm.
"And yet, what I saw out there today was a scientist who had astounding control over a force most would envy or abuse. I saw someone who used that power to help people and save lives." Bruce didn't say anything to that, so Kira added on. "What I also saw was a team that would be able to help you and get innocents out of your way should a moment like that ever come. You are in fantastic control, Bruce, but you have also got help should there come a time when you are not."
Dr. Banner did not look up from his fruit, but he did lay a hand over Kira's. He patted it three times, then pulled away, allowing her to pull her hand back. Kira smiled at the scientist even though he didn't look up to see it, and they both went back to their snacks.
Eventually the others returned, but at that point, any and all adrenaline Kira had been running on ran out. Tony and Steve both tried to engage her in conversation, but it felt like she couldn't possibly keep her eyes open. Finally, she decided it would be best for her to go back to her room and lay down. Unfortunately, standing wasn't the best idea.
She had grabbed a hold of her crutches, but as soon as she put weight on her good leg, she keeled over to the side. Hands caught her (though she wasn't sure as to whose they were) and pulled her back against a strong chest.
"All of her adrenaline finally dropped out. We can just bring her back to her room, let her rest." Kira wanted to nod along to Bruce's words, but found herself too tired to do even that.
"I can go get the wheelchair and-" As soon as that word left Clint's mouth, Kira came to life as much as she could. An embarrassingly pitiful whine escaped her throat, and she squirmed back and away.
"Whoa. Yeah, okay. Never mind."
"Steve, maybe you should just carry her. It would probably be best, and you've done it before. I don't think she'd protest." Kira did not protest. In fact, she sunk further back into the Captain's chest and allowed him to scoop her up without complaint. It was a testament to how tired she truly was.
"Good ol' Steve. Taking care of the poor girls that swoon over him." Kira could barely snort at Tony's remark, but Steve did it for her.
"Tony, I don't think Kira's the type of woman to swoon. Do you?" The corner of Kira's lip twitched up against Steve's shirt and then they were off at a sedate pace down the hall. She heard someone pick up her crutches, and then she faded away from consciousness. Lucky for Tony, Kira didn't hear him use her name and cuddly kitten in the same sentence.
Y'all hit the nail on the head with reactions. XD Great minds think alike I suppose, or I'm just predictable...or the characters are. Meh, whatever.
Please review:)