An Iron Will

LACIE'S POV

"Back off, Stark! Before I make you!" ,the normally calm, Reed roared. His face was flushed with rage and he was extending his fingers to grotesque lengths in his rage.

Tony was just as bad, if not worse. "Me? I'm the one who needs to calm down?! You know, Richards, why don't you just go back to being a sub-par scientist and leave us the hell alone! The only thing 'Fantastic about you came from an exposure to a gamma radiation phenomenon in space. Which, you managed to screw up by the way!"

I stood in shock, watching them argue as if WWIII was starting before my eyes. Somehow, during all this, both Steve and Johnny had managed to shoulder their way in front of me. The outline of their arms framed Reed and Tony's faces nicely, the light and dark blue contrasting brilliantly with the tones of violent magenta and purple their skin had turned.

Two of the smartest men in the world were almost at blows.

And it was all. MY. FAULT.

*******************************

5 hours earlier

LACIE'S POV

"I thought you couldn't....um..." the Doppleganger flushed red as he looked at me before focusing back on Bruce "You know...fondue? Because of your heart thing. Wouldn't you go green?"

Wait, is he saying what I think he is saying?

Bruce looked at Tony for a second, then me. He took in the calm, smug look and then my shocked, panicked look.

Bruce smiled faintly, "Apparently," sharp glance at Tony "I can. Surprising, I know. Shocked me when I found out. I mean, imagine living like a monk for the past 15 years. Then, I met...well, I was surprised. To say the least, Steve."

Steve nodded quickly, rubbing the back of his neck with his hand.

I guess Dr. Banner can't...or he goes...wow. That would be horrible, not that I have anything to compare it to.

Cat Woman is still giving me this knowing look. She's examining me in a way reminiscent of Alicia's x-ray gaze.

"I didn't know your type swung so young, Dr. Banner." she says coolly. I had to agree. He could be my dad's age. I wasn't against that, necessarily, but it did make me a little uncomfortable.

"The heart wants what the heart wants, Tasha. Don't judge it." Tony says in a sing song voice. Bruce rolls his eyes before turning to me.

"You okay? Tony didn't terrorize you too much, did he?"

"No. I'm alright. It was...interesting." to say the least.

"See, she's fine." Tony cries out cheerfully, his glasses are back on and he straightened his jacket. Well, he has a quick recovery time.

"Let's just go. I'm sure Fury is seeing red because I wasn't at band practice. Or, red and black. I'm sure that has to be disorienting." Tony chats amiably. He must be in love with his own voice. Just like another rich, playboy I know...

"The van is in the alley. An agent is waiting to drive us back to base." Tasha states, a single finger pressed to her ear. A communicator I'm guessing. " The five of us can fit easily. Let's go." She turns on her heel, her short red curls bouncy softly as she marches out of my sight. Tony scrambles after her in confusion.

"Five of us? I can only count four." Tony yelps sharply. I pop out after him, standing between Steve and Bruce. The agent pulls up short at the door of the stairwell( how does she move that fast?), tilting her had back just enough so we can see her profile.

"Five, Stark. You, me, Dr. Banner, the Captain and Lacie. So, yes. Five." a small smirk crept over her profile "Теперь переместите ваши задницы. Директор хочет, чтобы мы вчера вернулись." And she was gone.

What did she just say!?

"I'm not fluent in Russian," Bruce chuckled " but I do believe, that the words 'move' and 'asses' were both used."

"I guess you're coming with us

We all started walking after her. Tony skulked behind us, a faint pout on his face, looking ridiculous for a grown man. Steve walked ahead of us, taking the lead naturally. Bruce and I walked side by side, in a mutually comfortable silence. A smile was creeping across my face uncontrollably.

I really like her.

************************

JOHNNY'S POV

"So why are we here?" I asked for the third time. Sue glared at me, knowing exactly why I was asking. I just wanted to piss off the black man with an eye-patch.

And it looked like it was working.

His one eye was narrowed, his lips thinned into a strained smile and his hands had disappeared into his trench coat about 10 minutes ago, when I made the joke about his mom and the cyclops. Ben and Reed enjoyed it but I thought Sue was going to kill me. But, what's new?

There were six of us in SHIELD's command center. Glass panels for doors( bullet-proof, of course) that made me feel like I was in a fish bowl, being examined by men with clammy hands and even colder eyes. Around the large table, metal with a shining white top that could pull up information with the tap of a finger, in the center of the room sat Reed, Sue and an agent named Maria Hill. I stood next to the panels away from the door with Ben, feeling uncomfortably exposed to the people milling about on the other side. Nick Fury, Director of SHIELD, was positioned at the head of the table.

"You are here Mr. Storm, because we may need your help. The world may need your help."

"But, why?"

His lips had just started curling over his teeth when a sharp pain slammed into my stomach. I doubled over helplessly, my voice groaning out raggedly. It was like an invisible shield had slammed into my gut. I slowly lifted my head to glare at Sue. Her expression was one of feigned disinterest while both Reed and Ben looked shocked and concerned, even Fury looked ruffled. That bitch.

I waved a hand leisurely, trying to control the way my abdomen muscles were screaming.

"Johnny," Reed started, still examining me with faint concern, " it's about Doom and some one... else."

"Big, purple guy going through male menopause or somethin'." Ben snorted out. Sue flinched in annoyance, clearly pulling out the feminist card.

"So, what can we do about Barney and Bill Nye the Science Guy?" I quickly said, cutting Sue off before she could start. I'd had enough experience, 20 years of it, to deal with Sue's explosions over minor things. Like the time I used her razor to shave my pubic hair when I was 14, she should just let that one go.

She sent me a withering glare that would have wilted most grown men, I just sent her my most self assured smirk.

"You can shut up and listen, Torch." Fury growled, attitude leeching out of him.

I burst out laughing, snapping my fingers three times, jerking my hips faintly like a stereotypical diva. "Oh, no you didn't!"

Ben chuckled gruffly next to me, he liked these people even less than me. Becoming a giant rock ,that no one wants to mess with, really made him more honest and straightforward. Useful really.

"Johnny!" both Reed and Sue reprimanded.

"Don't worry." Agent Hill smiled, finally contributing," We deal with children all the time. We do have Tony Stark on speed dial, after all."

Ouch. Compared to Tony Stark. Playboy, billionaire, genius and fellow superhero. Big insult.

"I'm sorry for my brother, Fury." Sue murmured, casting me a look of annoyance. You would think that she would have given up on me by now.

Fury nodded resolutely. "We need you in case something big goes down. We would like you to work with the Avengers on this."

Whoa. Like, shit. Really? That would be awesome.

"Stark and Dr. Banner are already working on a program to track Thanos. Dr. Richards, Mr. Grimm, you could both begin one for tracing the whereabouts of Doom." Reed and Ben nodded to Fury.

"Where is Dr. Banner?" Reed asked, a puzzled expression illuminating his face as he glanced through the glass panels. " I saw him earlier. In one of the labs across the hall."

"He, along with Steve Rogers and Agent Romanov, went to fetch Stark. He'd gotten stuck in an elevator, or something." Fury snorted. Reed grinned widely at this, Ben wasn't even bothering to hold in his laughter. Even I was chuckling and smiling broadly. A superhero stuck in an elevator? A little pathetic.

Sue rolled her eyes at us boys. "And what about Johnny and me?"

"You, Mrs. Richards, will be working with Agent Coulson and his new group to keep an eye on other...interested parties." Sue seemed fairly content with this, but she shifted her eyes to Reed for a second, clearly conveying something important to him.

"And me? What can I do?" I was hesitant to ask with that cool smile on his face. I couldn't help fearing payback for earlier.

"You will be working under Captain America on public representation when we need it."

"Under? As in, working for?"

"No. You work for me on this. You take orders from him. He says jump-"

"I say maybe later. That's not how I work. I can listen to Reed or Ben, even Sue. But listen to, take orders from, a guy who looks like he's a male stripper for a 4th of July party?"

"Johnny!" even Ben joined in with an angry reprimand.

I rolled my eyes. "I'm just saying. I don't do well with orders."

"We know, Storm. We heard about your shuttle bimbos." Hill snipped nastily. I couldn't stop my jaw from clenching in irritation. It was one time that I brought two women onto government property to get laid(which worked!), back the hell off!

"You will listen." Fury said coldly. Ice filled my stomach when I saw his expression. It wasn't cold and deadly, it was darkness and promise twisted into one. If I replied like I normally would, I had a feeling that I would be disappearing into some dark, damp cell with no television or women for the rest of my life.

"Fine."

"Johnny..." three voices whined in warning.

"I said fine, didn't I?!"

Fury smirked imperiously. I hate this guy with a fury. Ha, ironic.

Hill twisted in her seat slightly, raised her finger to her ear with a look of concentration on her face. "They're back, sir. Plus one." Her gaze flicked to Reed, full of implication.

What was that?

The Director's face filled with pleasure and amusement. "So that's why Stark...an elevator in the Baxter Building...ha!" He cried, devolving into a laughing mad man. It was more terrifying than his death stare.

"The Baxter? What about it?" Ben growled.

We were all staring at Fury for an answer when the explanation walked through that stupid glass door and into the fishbowl.

"Hi, guys." Lacie smiled, looking completely at ease. Completely at ease, wrapped in the arms of a super soldier.

Okay, now I'm pissed.

*************************

STEVE'S POV

" Are we almost there?"

"Thirty minutes."

"How about now?"

"Still thirty minutes."

"...Now?"

"Twenty-nine."

"But I'm so boooooored! I need something fun to do. I don't even have my tablet."

"I could always shoot you. That would give you something to do."

"That would not be fun."

"It would be, for me at least."

My head is going to explode. This is worse than Bucky arguing with someone.

"Enough." I scolded fiercely. Tony and Natasha glanced at me, breaking off their 'chat'. Tasha nodded calmly, turning her gaze out the window. Tony huffed in annoyance and then proceeded to go back to poking Bruce. I could see clearly from the rear view mirror that Bruce was regretting sitting anywhere near Tony in the back set of seats.

There were eight seats total. I rode in the front next to a driver from SHIELD, Tony and Bruce rode in the last row of three in the back. Natasha sat behind the driver, clearly making him nervous with her calculating presence. In the middle seat, settled between Tony and Bruce, was the brunette.

She was Bruce's girlfriend, apparently, and she was very pretty. She had long, chocolate brown hair and eyes that looked mostly, but not truly, blue. Her face reminded me of someone, but I couldn't put my finger on who. At the moment she did not look too happy about Tony leaning over her to poke and bother Bruce.

"Enough, Tony! I'm kinda claustrophobic and you're really not helping."

"Claustrophobic, huh? Interesting." Tony murmured softly. " What do you think Bruce?" poke "Do you," prod "think I," pinch "should stop?" scratch.

A low hiss came from the girl's lips. " Screw this. Tasha, give me the gun. I'll shoot him."

A small smile played across Natasha's lips. I could tell she was starting to get an impression of the girl, it was hedging toward a good one.

"Now, that's not nice!" Tony scolded, pouting.

Shaking her head she caught my eye and smiled warmly. My heart jumped a bit, she reminded me of Peggy in that moment. I quickly broke eye contact, but I kept glancing back at her. Except for her hair color she and Peggy didn't look alike. She actually looked more like Howard Stark.

"Okay, we're here. Fury is on level 3, in the conference room. He needs to speak with all of you."

"Thank you, Agent Brenson." I said.

Opening my door I looked at SHIELD's new facility, they started building more of them after Loki completely destroyed one last year. It was only one level above ground. Below they had 3 floors of labs, training rooms and a large conference room where the Avengers always ended up meeting. Except for Tony and Bruce. Tony put his nose in everything and he dragged Bruce along with him, where ever he went. So they could be found anywhere in the building, much to Fury's aggravation.

"Come on, ladies. Can't keep the Queen waiting." Tony quipped, popping out of the car

Natasha was already striding into the building, Clint was waiting for her at the door. When she reached him, she motioned back to the car with quick hand gestures. Clint looked shocked, then he dissolved into laughter.

By this point the car had emptied out and I realized that Bruce and Lacie( it still disturbs me that Natasha knew her name) were waiting for my lead to go into the building. With a faint nod, I headed toward the build, striding side-by-side with Tony.

The ground level was clinical looking. White, white, shining metal and more white. It almost reminded me of the room I woke up in when I unfroze...this century. The agent who had pretended to be my nurse was positioned next to the elevator, with a palm scanner. And a gun.

"Your hand here, Agent Romanov." she said in clipped tones. Natasha stepped away from Clint and put her hand on the sensor. She stared down the other agent for a second, that was all the time it took to get the woman to pale in fear and look away. Clint snorted with amusement and derision, causing Nat to stop scowling at the poor girl and smirk back at Barton.

Lacie snorted next to me. I glanced to my right, where she stood with Bruce, and saw her lips curved up into a sweet smile. Well, maybe not sweet, but it made me smile automatically.

When the elevator opened Tony brushed past the two assassins. "Well, come on girls. Can't keep Fury waiting."

"We aren't going there quite yet,Stark. At least Lacie, Steve and I aren't. We are going to the gym." Clint said cheerfully. He and Natasha followed Tony into the lift. With raised eyebrows, Bruce encircled Lacie's wrist and pulled her along. I traced their steps last and joined the, now crowded, elevator.

Compared to the last elevator, this one was sparse, metallic and cold. The one Stark had been trapped in had been wood paneling, thick red carpet with the walls accented in gold. This one still felt more familiar, though. I was so used to army encampments, rundown apartments, battlefields and alleys where I got beat up that most everything else felt like a luxury.

"So, down the rabbit hole, Alice." Clint chirped cheekily. I rolled my eyes faintly, glancing at Lacie again. I burned red when she caught my stare, causing her to smile widely. Combating my feeling of embarrassment ,mixed with an odd sense of eagerness and curiosity, was the thought that she looked so very familiar.

**************************

LACIE'S POV

It had been at least two or three hours since we got to the gym, at least. I felt like I was about to die.

I worked out but not like this.

"Just another 20!" Clint shouted with enthusiasm. I had lost count at 50, which had been at least ten minutes ago. Why couldn't I be doing push-ups, at least? Not sit-ups. My abs were non-existent.

A low groan of protest rumbled in my throat, but I kept going. Screw everything right now. Except the Captain. Steve is fine. Really fine.

He was directly in my line of sight whenever I sat up. He had been working on the punching bags for at least thirty minutes. Yes, bags, as in plural. He was on his third. Apparently he has a lot of frustration. Sexual, according to Clint. He still has his 'V' card.

But from this angle, I can see his shirt plastered to his back( he refused to take it off in front of me) and it's defining every muscle. Not to mention his ass, oh dear Lord, that man's ass. Nope. I can't do this! It's like leering at a puppy wrapped in an American flag, who is offering you an apple pie. It's weird and I can almost fell the smut coming from my mind, coating my skin. But, it hasn't stopped me for the past twenty-minutes.

"Done!" Clint grinned "Very nice. Stronger than I thought you would be."

I rolled my eyes in annoyance, I had been doing that a lot today.

"Thanks, Clint."

"No problem, Wonderland." I sighed softly at this. What inspired that name, I couldn't guess. He even found me an Alice in Wonderland t-shirt to train in, he gets fixated on things easily.

"Is she done then?" Steve called from his station by the punching bags. He didn't meet my gaze, he hadn't since my exercising noises had turned a bit more...provocative. It's not like I choose my noises. Unlike Clint. Who, once he realizedexactly how uncomfortable it made Steve, started mocking me by making sex noises ridiculously loud.

"Yep, she's good to go. Fury should be happy.

From my position on the ground I thought about this. Why did the director of SHIELD want me to be trained or tested at all... of course. Tony. They want to see how valuable I can be. I already have ins with one team of superheros, now I have another. How convenient.

"Go get changed, Alice! We get to play croquet with the Queen of Hearts."

Chuckling, I rolled onto my feet. " Just make sure that we bring some paint."

"Yes! Because they can't be white you know!"

"Not even yellow or green, violet or heliotrope!"

"They must be red!"

Steve looked completely lost. "What roses? Since when does SHIELD garden?"

Clint and I both giggled. I waved at Steve in all his confusion and headed to the shower room.

It only took me ten minutes to change into the clothes that had been given to me. Black pants, black t-shirt, black flats. These people really were into the stereotypical secret government agency image. I kind of wanted some black sunglasses to complete the look. And a jacket, I need a suit jacket.

When I came back neither of them were talking but Clint looked smug and Steve looked deeply embarrassed. I grinned happily. These two guys made me very happy. Why couldn't I be related to Clint instead of Tony?

"Okay, I'm ready." I said, pointing out an obvious fact.

Clint quickly hid his smile, nodded and walked out the door of the gym. I sighed internally, he was so quick to fall back into silence and a dead expression. It was a little depressing.

I tipped my head toward Steve. He smiled at me softly. That smile did something. My heart started pounding helplessly and I felt like the temperature rocketed up in just a single twitch of his facial muscles.

He's better looking than Johnny. Never actually been into largely muscled guys but...
Maybe. But Johnny-

"Shall we go, ma'am?" Steve inquired politely. Something about him sang of a better time where men held open doors, they pulled out your chair, when they would actually catch a grenade for you. It made sense, him being from the 40's but it still hooked into me strongly.

I smiled and nodded, trying not swoon. He chivalrously opened the door for me and stood back to let me leave first. I had been about to scold myself for comparing him and Johnny, thinking I've known Johnny longer and I know him better.

"Ma'am?"

Screw it. Johnny-0, Steve-1

"Thank you, Captain."

"You can call me Steve, miss."

"Well then, thank you, Steve."

*********************

"Owwwww! Clint! You're making it worse!" I cried out angrily.

"Then stop moving! Jesus,you're whiny."

"That does tend to happen when a stupid archer knocks me over and breaks my ankle!"

"It's not broken it's just twisted." he growled back, eyes flashing imperiously.

"Hah, my dad is still going to kill you." I said with an air of finality.

"Which one?" Clint growled viciously. I gaped at him for a second. At first confused by the question but it dawned on me in a horrible realization. He knows about Tony. How?!...Natasha. She told him outside. That's why he was laughing so helplessly.

"Reed, I meant Reed." I snapped furiously. I froze when another voice chimed into our argument.

"What did you mean, which one?" Steve asked slowly. I let my eyes travel up from Steve's shins(which were now at my eye level) up to his face. I could see the wheels turning in his head, furiously trying to fit things together.

"I didn't mean anything, Steve." Clint automatically blurted out.

"Yes. You did."

Clint and I exchanged glances. One side pissed and betrayed, the other sheepish and apologetic. Fuck you, Barton. Fuck you.

"I"m not...dating Bruce." I said hesitantly, barely able to meet Steve's suspicious and disappointed

"Why did Tony-"

"Because he didn't want anyone to know he's my father, apparently."

Steve looked stunned. His mouth floundered a bit before he could form a complete sentence. "I thought you looked like Howard!"
Seeing my expression he added, "You-you're grandfather."

Of course he knew my grandfather when he was young enough for me to really resemble him, not like this should be normal at all.

"Let's just get going, Fury's waiting on Level 3 and I've stalled us long enough." Clint barked.

I rolled my eyes and nodded. I got up on my own, Clint had already walked away and Steve seemed to be lost in reminiscing to help me. Or, rather, I tried to get up.

"Ouch!" I yelped. My ankle refused to hold my weight, twinging violently before giving out. I really need to lay off the doughnuts I guess.

"LACIE!" Steve yelled in panic. You would think I'd been shot. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. My ankle's just hurt."

Steve thought about it for a second, "Clint?"

"Yep."

"This is what happens when I leave you two alone."

"Looks like it. Don't do it again? Please?"

"Don't worry, ma'am. I'll keep you safe from the bad man."

"Screw you both!" Clint shouted back, kicking at the wall. I just smiled while Steve crouched down next to me, shooting Clint a disapproving glare.

"Can I carry you?" Steve asked calmly.

"Sure." I replied, going for an air nonchalance.

Nodding, Steve slipped me into his arms easily. His hands were in perfectly appropriate places but I couldn't help one stupid joke.

"Watch those hands, soldier. You should at least buy me dinner first."

His face flushed red. I couldn't help laughing as he hastily tried to re-position his hands. Realizing that I was messing with him he gave me a hard look, but the corners of his mouth twitched up with amusement,

"Come on, lovebirds." Clint complained. Steve flushed again but hurried us to the elevator. " 'Bout time."

I smiled the entire time down, which wasn't long. The doors slid apart, letting us spill out into the hall. A great line of glass panels formed a barricade between us and some very familiar and unfamiliar people. I didn't recognize the tall black man with the eye patch, or the female agent with her back to us. However, I did recognize the other four figures. Sue, Ben, Reed and Johnny. Great.

We entered the large room with very little fanfare. The atmosphere was tense, almost toxic. Six gazes settled on us, four of them very shocked.

With a grip of unease clutching my stomach I greeted them, my make-shift family. "Hi, guys."

Ben looked to Sue in shock, while she sat back in her chair surprised. Reed, who looked unbelievably tired,had his mouth agape and looked like I had personally punched him in the nuts. Johnny...Johnny looked pissed.

"Lacie? What're you..." Reed stammered, trailing off confusedly. I didn't answer ,just shrugged and re-adjusted myself in Steve's arms.

"What's going on, Charlie?" Ben rumbled.

"I'm not exactly sure, Ben. I just..met...well..." I looked over to Reed, full of pain. Then it was gone. I didn't feel anything, I couldn't. It wasn't like reading about someone who is about to do something they dread. My pulse wasn't pounding, I didn't feel nauseous or scared. I was numb, I felt like I had slipped out of my body, I was just watching an over-exaggerated soap opera with disinterest. I finished answering Ben's question, just like I was commenting on the weather.

"I met my dad. My biological father."

Reed eyes grew round. "Wh-"

"In our elevator. He's Tony Stark."

"I need to sit down." Reed gasped. My brow furrowed at this.

Sue looked freaked out, "You are sitting down, honey."

"Oh." he whispered. His power then proceeded to act without him, making him go boneless. He stretched obscenely, sliding into a super puddle.

"Reed!" We all shouted. We being Sue, Ben and I. I didn't notice but Johnny's narrowed eyes had never left Steve and I.

"I'm okay." he slurred vaguely. Sue and Ben had gone to his side to pull him back together, or to at least help him become more defined. I couldn't go anywhere, but I wiggled for all I was worth.

"Steve!" I hissed in panic and anger "Go over there!..Please!" Steve nodded but before he could move Tony breezed in past him. Bruce followed him in and gave me a look.

"Clint?" he asked quietly. The party in question almost snapped at him but caught my eye first. Sighing, Clint nodded his head in confirmation.

Tony spoke now, cutting off anything Bruce was about to say. "What's up, Stretch?"

I groaned internally. Then, I gasped externally at Reed's reply.

"Fuck you, Stark." I had never heard Reed curse before.

"Excuse me, Richards? Who peed in your graduated cylinder?"

"You. Who in the hell do you think you are?" Reed pulled himself together and advanced around the table. Ben shadowed him closely, Sue clutched the back of a chair.

"I guess you got the DNA test then? Thank God, I wasn't looking forward to that episode of Maury." Tony snarked. God, Tony. Just shut up, before you get clobbered. Reed may do the talking, but Ben's temper was much shorter.

"Just shut up, Stark! How in the hell did you find her? No, never mind. Why did you? Not like you've been there in the past eighteen years." At this, sensing danger, Johnny started moving. But not toward the two bickering superheros. Toward me.

Clint hissed to Steve " Set her down, Cap. We might be needed."

Steve glared, " She can't stand. Thanks to you."
Clint pulled out...a cane. Where in the hell did he get a cane? Steve hesitated but set me on my feet, with Johnny's help. I glanced back and forth between them. The resemblance was pretty scary. Their faces, almost exact replicas. Johnny's eyes were just a shade lighter blue. Steve's matched the blue of the American flag, ironically.

Cane in hand I felt stable, until I refocused on the two grown men who's bickering had evolved into a full blown screaming match. Ben was looking nervous and, for once, unsure if he should intervene. Sue had slipped up her hands, putting up a shield between them and us, always protecting the civilians. Trench coat guy stood unwavering at the head of the table, the other female agent had risen from her chair and moved closer to him, gun in hand.

"Back off, Stark! Before I make you!" ,the normally calm, Reed roared. His face was flushed with rage and he was extending his fingers to grotesque lengths in his rage.

Tony was just as bad, if not worse. "Me? I'm the one who needs to back off?! You know, Richards, why don't you just go back to being a sub-par scientist and leave us the hell alone! The only thing 'Fantastic about you came from an exposure to a gamma radiation phenomenon in space. Which, you managed to screw up by the way!"

I stood in shock, watching them argue as if WWIII was starting before my eyes. Somehow, during all this, both Steve and Johnny had managed to shoulder their way in front of me. The outline of their arms framed Reed and Tony's faces nicely, the light and dark blue of their shirts contrasting brilliantly with the tones of violent magenta and purple Tony and Reed's skin had turned.

Clint twitched faintly, looking uneasy without his bow. Bruce's breathing had become overly calm, his eyes pinched shut in concentration.

"Enough!" Eye-patch shouted. It didn't work.

"ENOUGH!" this time he bellowed it. It worked. "Calm the fuck down." Steve made a strangled noise, he seemed to disapprove highly of cursing.

"We don't have time for this shit. We have two crazy-ass, motherfuckers on the lose and we have to work together. The world can't handle another New York this soon. They're still recovering from the delusional, power hungry god. So, quit this possessive ass, Animal Planet shit and focus. We have Doom, genius with a control over electricity, and Thanos, the God of motherfuckin' death, to worry about." he strode to the door, female agent following.

"Oh, yeah." He turned around as he opened the door " We also have a god coming back in a few days time." he glanced at me "Welcome to the madhouse, Miss Stark."

Faintly insulted and surprised I tried to reply," My name isn't-"

"We had it changed. Better for relations with the public, ties the Avengers and the Fantastic Four together in a more mundane way. People won't start questioning why two teams of superheros are spending so much time together if there is a common factor. That would be you. It'll keep everyone from suspecting Armageddon." With that, he and the stone-faced woman were gone, disappearing into the elevator, leaving me in shock.

Looking around the room full of superheros I cringed helplessly. Reed and Tony were no longer nose to nose but they both still looked homicidal. Everyone else just looked shell shocked. This is going to be so bad.

Notes