It was close to curfew. She decided she could make it home if she could walk fast enough. She was wrong. The city and Feds were very adamant about enforcing the curfew. Gwen found herself face to face with a pair of Homeland security agents who were very interested in her pack and her presence on the streets. She flashed her SHIELD issued ID for the perimeter hoping they wouldn't dig too deep. Her hopes were dashed when one of them opened the back door to the SUV and helped her in. It was against her will, but she figured beating the crap out of two Feds would look bad on future resumes. The agent in the passenger seat handed the ID back to her. She took it, still confused, she leaned forward slightly.

"So, is there a problem?"

The male agent shook his head.

"SHIELD is looking for you. Did you do anything they might be concerned about?"

Gwen leaned back in her seat with a bit of a huff and eyeroll.

"I'm sure Director Fury will make it abundantly clear."

The agent glanced back at her.

"You're a little young to be a SHIELD agent, aren't you? They're pretty heavy hitters, super hush hush."

Gwen hit her head on the head rest.

"I am not a SHIELD agent. There is just a super creepy alien-man-child that has an unhealthy obsession with me."

The agents looked at each other. The one in the passenger seat looked back at her.

"Loki?"

Gwen nodded.

"It's either that or they want me to get in touch with Spider-Woman, but hey they could have just called. So, it's probably Loki."

The pair of agents seemed to be taking her at face value. Their demeanors had shifted and they looked more relaxed. The passenger reached into a cooler he had under his legs and pulled out a bottle of water and offered it to her.

"You look like you were working out."

Gwen thanked him, opened the lid which, she heard a nice crack as the plastic lid separated and took a long drink of the water.

"Band practice. Drums, no air conditioning. So where are we going?"

He glanced back.

"Temporary HQ and coordination. One Police Plaza."

Gwen laughed softly.

"Let's hope my dad's boss doesn't see me."

The passenger glanced back.

"Your dad is a cop?"

Gwen nodded.

"Captain George Stacy."

The passenger snapped his fingers a few times.

"He's the one heading up the Spider-Woman task force. Wait, that's your dad, and you can contact Spider-Woman? He must not be happy with you."

Gwen nodded.

"We have had our disagreements. He threatened to arrest me once for aiding and abetting. SHIELD told him to take a step back. So, yeah, thanksgiving's probably going to be interesting this year. I think the DA's going to tell him to just give up. Even if they managed to get her, can you imagine a jury in the good old US of A who would vote to convict her after she helped save the world from aliens?"

The agents chuckled.

"If my daughter was involved with someone like that, I'd be scared of what she might get involved with. Your dad is a brave man."

Gwen shrugged.

"She is probably the reason Loki is so obsessed with me. He's trying to get at her and one of the compromised dudes he mind-controlled probably told him all about me and her."

The SUV pulled up to police headquarters. The agent in the passenger seat got out and opened the door for her. He escorted her in but was relaxed when doing it. At least she had that going for her. Clint met them. He was dressed in his civilian clothes.

"Thank you, Agent, I got her from here. I hope she didn't cause too much trouble. She's a bit of a handful."

The agent shook his head.

"No trouble at all, downright pleasant compared to our usual passengers."

The agent gave the pair a wave and made his way back outside. Gwen folded her hands behind her back.

"So, what did I do this time?"

Clint chuckled.

"Nothing. Come on. Director Fury wants to talk."

Gwen followed him to an elevator and Clint led her to a set of doors. She saw the night staff for SHIELD's coordination efforts for the city defense they set up. Fury was talking with Natasha and Agent Hill. He finished the conversation up and motioned to his office. Clint followed her into it. Nick sat down behind his desk and focused on her with his one good eye. Gwen raised an eyebrow.

"What, not enough depth perception to dial my number with one eye? You know you can just ask it to call Gwen Stacy, and the phone will do it."

Fury did not look amused and looked up at Clint.

"Does your fifteen-year-old daughter speak to her elders that way?"

Clint was leaning on the wall of the office with his arms crossed. He nodded in response.

"Way too often, Director, way too often."

Fury focused on Gwen again.

"You're a mouthy little shit, aren't you? You sure managed to piss in Loki's cheerios."

Gwen shrugged.

"It's a gift."

Fury smiled.

"Well, you're going to use that gift. You're going for another visit as penance for all the goddamned paperwork you have caused me."

Gwen sighed.

"You know there are probably laws against this."

Fury nodded.

"There probably are, but do you think I give a damn about that?"

"No, not really. My fee is five hundred an hour."

Fury leaned forward.

"You are not as funny as you think you are, Gwen Stacy. Your usefulness to me lasts only so long as you are my conduit to Spider-Woman. Do not think I'll hesitate to throw your ass in the Raft right beside Loki if you cause me any more trouble. You might not be a super powered individual, but your knowledge of arc reactors and Stark's Iron Man technology makes you a liability and I can lock your ass up to protect national security. Before you go see our guest, tell me something, what did he really say to you on your last visit?"

Gwen decided she'd pressed her luck as far as she was willing.

"Just that he knew who Spider-Woman really was, made veiled threats about how there are worse things out there then him and that one day I'll beg to be his bride while on my knees once the Earth realizes it. He wants to make me his Queen. He's crazy or delusional or I don't know, it seemed pointless to mention since he already told Tony the same thing, minus the Queen part. Though they might make a cute couple don't you think?"

Fury shot her a warning glance. She held her hands up defensively.

"Okay, I'll stop with the jokes."

He shook his head.

"You and Spider-Woman are two peas in a pod, aren't you? Neither of you seems to take anything seriously."

"Got me. I'm a teenage girl who worships her hero. Imitation is the greatest form of flattery or so the saying goes."

Fury looked at Clint.

"Agent Barton get her out of here before I order her gagged, would you?"

Gwen stood up.

"Hey, can I get one of those gags for Loki?"

Fury pointed to the door wordlessly.

"It wasn't a joke, he talks too much!"

Gwen followed Clint to the elevators. He looked at Gwen.

"It is a rare individual that can get under Fury's skin so effectively. Your dad must love you."

Gwen shrugged.

"It's my natural response to authority."

Clint tapped the button to take them to the ground floor.

"You might want to tone it down a bit. He likes you, but he's right. There is a lot of pressure to put you in protective custody. Loki's interest in you. The knowledge you possess. SHIELD leadership is pretty leery of you."

"My interest in Loki is purely homicidal. If I managed to figure out how to kill him, could I be charged with murder since he is technically an enemy combatant?"

Clint shook his head.

"Well, Thor and the Asgardians might have a thing or two to say about that. They seem to think his life matters."

"So, what you're saying is they're all nuts."

"Nuts or not. They're literal Gods to people like us. Might be best not to antagonize them to satiate your appetite for teenage rebellion."

Gwen nodded.

"Oh well, I'll keep killing him in my dreams then."

Clint led Gwen to a Quinjet which he started powering up as soon as they got to the cockpit. He motioned to the co-pilot seat. He held up a finger.

"Don't touch anything."

Gwen pulled on the headset. Then she held up her hands and folded them in her lap after fastening the seat belt.

"Won't touch anything SHIELD dad."

Clint shook his head.

"My daughter would love you."

Gwen watched Clint pilot the Quinjet and absently asked.

"You think Director Fury will give me a, 'Sorry she was up late questioning a person of interest in an alien invasion attempt so won't make it to work' letter for Tony?"

Clint flicked a few switches and hit the thrustors.

"Director Fury already made the call."

Gwen gave him a look of disbelief. Clint shook his head.

"I told you; He likes you. He trusts you a lot. If he didn't, he would have told Loki to pound sand."

"I don't believe you."

Clint shrugged and angled the Quinjet toward the raft.

"I'm telling you, the meaner he is the more he likes you. It's how he shows new recruits he cares."

"New recruits?"

"Whether you want to be or not, you're a SHIELD asset now. Loki wouldn't even talk to his brother. Leadership might be weary of you, but they like results. You have gotten results."

Gwen threw up her hands.

"Guess I have no say in it. My dad will just love this."

Clint laughed.

"Yes, SHIELD isn't going to tell him, so if you don't, he won't know any better. As the father of a teenage daughter myself, I would honestly not want to know."

Gwen smiled. The Quinjet started descending and they landed on the same tanker as before. He led her down past various cells and finally they landed beside Loki's. Clint motioned to a seat that had been brought out.

"Make yourself comfortable. You're probably starving. I'll grab you something. Hope you like cold MREs"

Gwen shrugged. Not that she had a clue what a MRE was. Loki smiled when he saw her. Gwen sighed. He folded his hands behind his back.

"What was it you said when you last left me here? See you never? How did that work out for you?"

Gwen yawned.

"You know, I asked them for a gag for you, they declined. Apparently, someone wants to hear you talk, I can't imagine who, they must be crazier then you are. I admit, if you didn't talk, you'd be somewhat cute. Unfortunately, there is no shutting you up. Bet Thor picked on you a lot."

He smiled.

"Not a one of these primitives has a quarter of the wit you do."

Gwen blinked a few times.

"Is that you flirting? Is that a compliment? It's hard to tell with you. First, you're all kneel before me humans, then you're all oww, oww, a girl hit me with my brother's hammer."

He wagged his finger and paced inside his cell.

"There, that defiance. That strength. Fire in your eyes. Do you know the problem with Asgardian women?"

Gwen shrugged.

"They think you're a loser?"

Loki chuckled and shook his head.

"No, Gwen Stacy. They're either hardened warrior women, or passive ridiculous wastes of flesh who sit and eat grapes all day and gossip."

Clint arrived with her food. She ate several MREs, but they were definitely not good cold. They were food safe, but not in the least bit appetizing. Loki watched her. She didn't bother trying to feign politeness. He commented on the food.

"That looks repulsive."

"They are, but I'm hungry and you demanded to speak to me right now! Apparently. If you wanted me at my best, you should have done this at about one in the afternoon. Late enough I slept in, got some food, could get prettied up. Not at nine pm on a Sunday night."

Loki quirked his head to the side. He looked genuinely apologetic.

"I apologize but you can blame my brother and SHIELD, apparently my tenure on your world is up and I'm being sent home. I could simply not leave without seeing you again. I will ensure I make it up to you in the future. A real meal. Something fit for my Queen."

Gwen sighed.

"What did you want to tell SHIELD through me?"

He smiled.

"Nothing of course. They're all too eager to squeeze me for information. It makes them gullible."

Gwen started collecting her garbage up.

"Welp, guess that means I can go get a real meal, shower and sleep in my own bed."

Loki held up his hand.

"Don't be so hasty, Gwen Stacy. Stay, talk."

Gwen crossed her arms.

"Let's be honest with each other. You are a villain in every sense of the word. I am a fifteen-year-old human, and uh, what did you call us? Oh yea, insects, we are all of us, beneath you. Then Hulk smashed you a bunch of times. You curled up in a ball and asked for your mommy. Your voice annoys me, I know you're a manipulative ass and completely wrong for me. As I said, you are very attractive, as long as you aren't talking. Oh, and you aren't wearing that stupid horn illusion. Does that actually impress people?"

"Are you done?"

Gwen held up one finger and took a breath.

"My advice is next time you try and invade Earth, make a viral TikTok. Oh, start with a repressive regime maybe North Korea. They're already used to doing what they're told. Oh yea, and don't try to make a giant show of it. Yesh, if you're going to start a war, leave your ego at the door. Oh, and definitely get yourself a fashion consultant. There's this show, The Boys, yeah, Vought from that really knows how to sell a selfish psychopathic villain as a hero maybe watch a few episodes. Now I'm done."

Loki smiled. It was the most genuine smile she'd seen.

"Truly, I should have consulted you first. Are all fifteen-year-old girls plotting world domination, or is it only you?"

"Hey, for a teenage girl everything seems out of our control. Forgive me if I fantasize about a world where I'm in charge."

He motioned to her.

"Come closer."

Gwen rolled her eyes.

"What's in it for me?"

"Well, Gwen Stacy, I will tell you who sent me to conquer the Earth."

Gwen moved closer and crossed her arms. Loki raised an eyebrow.

"Something is different about you."

Gwen nodded.

"Something is different about you too. You seem less crazy than you did before."

Loki hmphed.

"Regardless, Thanos, the Mad-Titan sent me to Earth to acquire the tesseract."

Gwen uncrossed her arms.

"Why?"

He smiled at her, and his image shimmered, so did hers. They were back in his illusion of Asgard looking over the rainbow bridge. He touched her chin. She wasn't sure if he was using some form of mind control on her, or if she was actually starting to warm up to him. Either way, the more information she could glean the better.

"Let me tell you of the infinity stones… my future Queen."

When morning came Gwen was streaming The Boys episode three for Loki. His lessons on the infinity stones and other galaxy spanning topics had lasted several hours. Loki was sitting cross legged, and Gwen was leaning against the armored glass of the cell. After spending the night talking to him, she found she didn't hate him quite so much as she did before the evening. She still didn't trust him as far as she could throw the Raft, but if she ran into him on the street her first instinct likely wouldn't be to bash his skull in with superstrength.

Gwen had managed to get some useful intelligence out of him in a sort of game of give and take. Though he'd told her his lessons on the infinity stones were for her alone. Thanos for instance, now they knew who had an interest in Earth. The code to disarm the Chitauri bombs was another. What his end game had been for his attack on Earth. She had admitted she wasn't sure about her current boyfriend. The struggles with her father. He in turn opened up about his own family issues. Gwen found out she didn't ever want to meet Odin, but she would have loved to meet Frigga. The pair had bonded and it frustrated Gwen because it had robbed her of her anger. The episode ended. Gwen realized starting another would just be cruel because they'd never finish it.

She lowered her arm and turned off the holo-display. She curled her knees up to her chest and leaned on the cell window. Loki mimicked her position, he spoke quietly.

"Thank you, Gwen. Your kindness this evening will not be forgotten."

Gwen shrugged.

"If you come back this way and you aren't trying to conquer the planet. I'll expect that dinner you promised me. If you are trying to conquer the planet, Spider-Woman will have to kick your ass again. Oh, she sent a message to me to pass on. If you cause trouble on Earth again, she's going to point at you and say Hulk Smash."

He gave a small shudder.

"I hope that never comes to pass. It is strange. My head feels so much clearer now than it did when I arrived."

Gwen shrugged.

"Heh, maybe someone mind controlled you with the staff."

Loki's face darkened at the suggestion. Gwen glanced back.

"Hey, I was just kidding."

Loki nodded.

"It is a theory that does bear some investigation, my future Queen."

Gwen smiled.

"You Asgardians sure have some low standards on your royalty if I'm a prospect for future Queen."

Loki glanced at her their eyes met.

"You share many traits with my mother. You will make a great, if short-lived queen."

Gwen held up her hand.

"Wow, there is a lot to unpack in that sentence."

She turned to get up.

"You know what. I have an old phone in my bag. Charger and everything. I'm going to download some stuff for you to watch and give it to Thor. You better not turn on data though, I do not want to see the bill, god knows what roaming charges from Asgard will cost."

She called out.

"Hey, is there wifi here?"

Gwen received a text message on her main phone and after a quick wipe of the burner she used for face to face communications with Spider-Woman. She slid back down and leaned her back on the cell and started downloading movies and shows to watch offline. Loki just sat quietly behind her. Eventually a group of guards came with Thor. Gwen pushed herself up. Thor looked her up and down.

"So, you're the one who managed to interrogate my brother. I see why Spider-Woman keeps you as an ally."

Gwen smiled.

"Let's say we decided to be friends and talked to each other, uh, is it Thor? My Lord? How do I address you here?"

He laughed and put his hand on her shoulder.

"For a friend of Spider-Woman's Thor will do young one."

Gwen wandered off to the guard washrooms and recorded a video for Frigga as the guards seemed to want to get her out from underfoot. She looked at the camera and spoke.

"Majesty, I'm not sure how to address you. I'm Gwen, Gwen Stacy. I uh would really like to ask respectfully that you do not show this to Thor, ever, under any circumstances. Because my secret is uh, well dangerous if people know and he is with the Avengers and all that. You can feel free to show it to Odin, part of this is for him too. So, I am also Spider-Woman. Loki figured me out pretty fast. I included some video proof. So first off, I want to apologize for hitting your son in the face with Thor's hammer twice, I had no idea I wasn't supposed to pick it up. Mostly, I wanted to say that uh, I think Loki was under the influence of an infinity stone, the mind stone when he did the whole invading Earth… Midgard? Thing. I saw a video of it happening to the Avengers… err the Defenders of Midgard just by being near it for an extended period of time. He really did make a mess down here so I mean he probably should be punished. I just hope you'll consider the circumstances of it. Here we'd call it temporary insanity. We'd still lock him up though. He'd just receive therapy. I hope you'll let him keep this thingy. We call it a cell phone. It has a lot of stuff on it to keep him entertained. It kind of needs cell phone towers, so I think you can safely assume he can't really talk to anyone with it. Also, provided my uh… well I wouldn't ask him because then… never mind. If you think a visit from a friend will help him if he gets too down. I can come up… there if its allowed? For a couple hours. So uh, yes, that's it. Gwen Stacy signing off, your majesties."

She blushed as she included some of her better selfies. Also, a clip of her using Mjolnir on Loki to prove she had fought in the battle. She figured, based on Thor's attitude, someone who could fight would be taken more seriously and her new knowledge of the enchantment on Mjolnir from her talk with Loki would show she was worthy so maybe that might count for something. She locked the phone and wrapped the charger around it. She'd let the hyper-advanced Asgardians figure out the whole charging thing. By the time she got out Loki was in very secure looking bindings that looked like they were from Asgard. He also had a muzzle on him. She sighed and looked at Thor.

"Is that necessary?"

Thor laughed.

"Have you met him?"

Loki gave Thor a dark look and nodded to Gwen. She spoke up.

"Thor, could I come with you, to see him off? I'll sleep better knowing he's somewhere else."

Thor nodded.

"Of course! But fear not. My brother may be misguided but he is not one who would harm children. You are in no danger from him."

Gwen followed them out and sat across from the brothers as they flew to New York city. Where they would be teleported? Back to Asgard. Gwen wasn't sure how it worked. She would love to figure it out though. She reached across with the phone.

"There is a message for your mother and father on that. For their eyes only. From Spider-Woman. She may be asking for him to be executed. I do not know. I did not watch it. I put the instructions on accessing it on a sticky note on the back. Also a few gifts to keep Loki occupied while he considers his actions."

Thor looked at the phone.

"Ah yes, a cell phone. You have my word as Thor Odinson, God of Thunder that my mother will receive this in good working order. My father is a good and just ruler. He will consider all evidence before giving his judgment."

Loki rolled his eyes. Gwen smiled.

"During my talk with Loki he told me your hammer was enchanted so that only the worthy could lift it. I saw a video of Spider-Woman lifting it. What does it mean to be worthy?"

Thor leaned forward putting his elbows on his knees.

"Ah, yes, it was an enchantment placed on it by my father. I do not know what the exact judgment is on who is worthy. Just that they show the virtues required to be a good ruler. Self-sacrifice, a willingness to make difficult decisions, such as she did when she chose to seal the portal before she knew Stark was safe. A willingness to fight in battle. A willingness to kill when necessary."

"So, the wording is, whosoever holds this hammer, if he be worthy, shall possess the power of Thor. Does that mean, Spider-Woman could have used all of your abilities?"

Thor looked at his hammer.

"Yes."

Loki looked at Gwen with a smile in his eyes.

"So, if say, someone lifted the hammer, and wielded it, they would be worthy of ruling Asgard?"

Thor nodded.

"That is father's intent."

Gwen leaned back and looked at Loki with sad eyes. She felt bad for him. What she knew of Odin from mythology was, he wasn't a nice or gentle God. He was the God of War and Death. She thanked grade nine classical mythology for that tidbit.

The Quinjet landed in a clearing in central park. Thor, Gwen and Loki walked off. Thor was holding an empty cylinder. Gwen saw the tesseract in a silver case. She silently pondered what it would be like to hold an infinity stone in her hand. She also knew it would probably atomize her as she was merely human at least based on Loki's information. All of the Avengers except Spider-Woman were present, they were all in civilian clothes. The doctor who'd designed Loki's portal generator moved the tesseract to the cylinder with a large pair of tongs. Thor sealed the tube. Gwen stood beside Tony. Steve nodded to her; She nodded back to him. She spoke.

"She's sorry she couldn't make it. She couldn't find a babysitter."

Loki glanced at her. Thor lifted the tube and Loki grabbed one side of it and they twisted. Gwen put her fingers to her lips and blew Loki a kiss as he vanished. Steve gave her a look of disappointment.

"Now, Gwen, there is no need to kick someone when they're down."

Tony put his hands in his pockets.

"Speak for yourself, after what he did to New York, kind of wished I'd gotten a few more kicks in."

Tony looked at Gwen.

"I know you had a long night, take a couple of days, paid. I want you rested; We have a lot of work to do to get Avengers Tower set up."

Gwen gave a salute to Tony.

"Yes sir!"

Tony waved to her. Bruce offered his hand she shook it.

"I hear you could have been a great help tracking the tesseract. Sorry we didn't get to work together."

Gwen nodded.

"I'm a huge fan of your work Dr. Banner. And also the way you beat down Loki."

Bruce blushed and waved before getting in Tony's supercar. Clint nodded to Gwen before heading to a SHIELD marked car. Natasha waved to Gwen. She returned the wave. They drove off leaving her and Steve alone. He put his hands in his pockets.

"Well, I'm off too Gwen. I was going to come and see you before I headed out, have a flight to London this afternoon. I have some things to sort out."

Gwen sighed, then nodded. He offered his hand. Gwen ignored it and hugged him tightly.

"Don't be a stranger, Steve. I think my aunt might be sweet on you."

Steve returned the hug.

"Hey, you keep New York safe while I'm away. There is a lot of Chitauri tech out there that bad people are going to get their hands on. Going to make the weapons you made look like spit balls."

Gwen kept their embrace for several moments then patted him on the back. She wiped the tears from underneath her eyes.

"It's in safe hands, Cap."

Steve walked to his motorcycle, gave Gwen one last wave and smiled before riding off. She was exhausted and emotionally drained. She should be happy. They won. She'd managed to befriend Loki by just being herself. Their victory was complete, but she could not shake the feeling a dark cloud was following her.