Archaic Kinds Of Fun
I'll Cover For You
September 12, 2014
“There is one thing I don’t get.” Skye waited for Tony to look up before continuing, because she wants his full attention for this.
They’ve been in the lab since after breakfast, and who knew that Thor could cook pancakes that taste so good that she’d be willing to go to war for them? Seriously, it’s ridiculous. After breakfast, everyone kind of split up. Jo and Natasha were apparently still asleep, so they hadn’t been at breakfast. Pepper and Darcy left for the office, and she’s not really sure about the others. She’s pretty sure she saw Steve and Logan walking off together, and Clint and Thor were talking about making a grocery run. (Clint kept saying that Jade needed treats, and Skye’s never seen a chicken treated so well.) Sam said something about checking out the local veteran’s center, and Bruce came up the elevator with them. He went to the left though, where his lab is. Tony invited her up to his lab so that they can work on retrieving SHIELD’s files, and some of Hydra’s.
“What’s that, kiddo?” There’s that kid thing again. Jo did it yesterday too, and she knows it’s something that they do with Darcy. Are they trying to pseudo-adopt her too?
“Why did Viper bring out our powers and bring us together? Darcy and I had no idea that we had a twin somewhere out in the world, and Logan had no idea that he had any living relatives. So, why? Bringing us together makes us stronger, doesn’t it?” It’s something that’s been on her mind since last night, when she had pizza with Darcy and Logan. Yeah, it’s awesome that she has a family and everything now, but she doesn’t see what Viper’s getting out of this.
“Maybe she’s playing a long game.” Tony twirled something between his fingers, looked like a miniature wrench, and stroked his goatee.
“A long game?”
“You know, what will hurt more in the long run? We all know how much she hates Logan, so maybe she’s hoping that three of you will grow close. Once you’re close, she’ll tear you apart. It’d tear all of us apart, make us vulnerable.” He seemed to really be thinking it over, and she watched his eyes darken just a little bit. “Maybe you and Darcy shouldn’t go anywhere alone. I’m gonna have to put Jo back on full bodyguard status.”
“I thought we were super mutants now? Super strength, healing, all that good stuff.” She saw enough in Jo’s memories to know just how extensive the healing could be. She hasn’t really tested her strength yet or anything, but she feels stronger.
“Everyone has limits. Even super mutants.” Tony looked extremely serious, and she remembered that Jo’s actual father was killed because his body just gave up. His healing couldn’t keep up. None of them are invincible. “Now, more hacking. We’ll speculate more later.”
“It’s lunchtime.” Pepper looked up from her desk and met Darcy’s eyes, and Darcy crossed her arms.
“I know.”
“JARVIS said that Jo is still unconscious, so who’s going to feed the scientists? They always forget to eat.” Darcy loves working for Pepper, loves working at Stark Industries, but she still worries about her old job. Which was mostly taking care of Tony.
“What about Skye?” Pepper went for the logical choice, but so did Darcy.
“JARVIS said she’s just as bad as Tony. Neither one of them have moved in hours.” She gets a sister, a twin sister, and she’s just as bad as the geniuses. Geniuses that forget to feed themselves.
“Thor?” Darcy snapped her fingers, because she didn’t think about Thor. Thor and Clint were planning a grocery trip for the day, so they should be able to feed Bruce and Tony. And Skye.
“I’ll go call him right now!” Darcy rushed out of the office and back into her own office, so she missed the way that Pepper smiled after her retreating form.
“Yo, Brucie! I brought you a sammich!” Bruce jumped at the sound of the loud voice and quickly twisted around on his stool. Clint was standing just inside the doorway of the lab, and he was holding a tray. A very large tray. A tray too big for just a sandwich.
“Why?” He realized too late that he should have just said thank-you when Clint grinned at him, and he watched as the archer walked across the lab to the couch. The tray was carefully sat down on the table in front of the couch, and Clint flopped back onto a cushion.
“Darcy called. Jo’s still out, so she was worried that no one would feed the geniuses. So, take a break and come eat. Me and Thor found a sale on deli meats, so we’ve got every sandwich imaginable.” There really were a lot of sandwiches on the tray, more than he and Clint could possibly eat at one time, but Bruce lowered himself onto the couch anyway.
“You didn’t have to.” He picked up a sandwich, looked like turkey, and took a bite.
“We’re a team, Bruce. Maybe a family at this point, I don’t know. Darcy was worried about you, and I know Josie would’ve been upset if she heard that you went without. So, eat.” He’d already finished the first sandwich by the time Clint finished talking, and he nodded over at the archer as he picked up another one.
“Thank you.”
“Thank Thor. He’s the master cook.” Bruce grinned at that and felt himself relax a little more. The people here are his team, his family, and he can trust them.
“Did you make all these?” Doreen was looking at the giant pile of sandwiches on the kitchen counter, and Thor smiled as he walked farther into the kitchen.
“Darcy says that people forget to eat unless food is brought to them. I took a tray to Tony and Skye. These are for Steve and Logan. I could make you some?” The big guy looks so earnest, but she can’t ask him to do that. He’s clearly already been busy.
“Nah, I can make my own.” She started over towards the pantry, where the bread should be, but Thor beat her to it.
“Allow me. Sit and tell me of your day.” Well, it’s not like she can argue with a god. As Thor created some really beautiful looking sandwiches, she told him about how her and Monkey Joe had spent the morning outside. Mostly climbing trees and relaxing in the shade. She got lucky. The balcony in her room is pretty level with a big tree branch, so she’s been exploring.
“Holy baloney, these are delicious!” Simple food really shouldn’t taste this good, but it does. Maybe it’s because Thor is a god, or maybe it’s just because Thor is…Thor. He’s just that good.
“Thank you, Doreen.” Thor should always smile like that. Big and carefree. She got him to tell her about his shopping trip with Clint while she devoured a few more sandwiches, and she almost choked a few times from laughing while trying to chew. She’s definitely gotta go with them one day, because if her imagination is close to the real thing, it’s hilarious.
“What’s next?” she asked. There’s still a whole afternoon open, and she’s not really sure what to do.
“Would you mind helping me bring these to Steve and Logan?” Right, the several other plates of sandwiches on the counter are for the super soldier and the growly mutant.
“Not even a little bit. Let’s go feed ‘em before they waste away.” She picked up a plate with a tower of sandwiches as Thor did the same, and he smiled down at her as they walked out of the kitchen.
“Weirdest wakeup ever,” Jo groaned as she stumbled into the elevator. She woke up wrapped around Natasha like an octopus, and the weirdest thing was that Natasha was wrapped around her too. They’d looked at each other for a moment, assessed the situation, and then agreed that it never happened. Jo’s still counting it as progress though, because she knows that Natasha doesn’t hate her.
“Hey, sleepyhead.” Jo stopped rubbing at her eyes as she walked into the kitchen, and she smiled up at Steve. Logan was standing next to him, and they were both chopping up vegetables. Steve had a knife, but Logan was using his own claws.
“’Bout damn time,” Logan added.
“I’ve crammed a lot of memories into my head, so I think I deserved a day of sleep. I didn’t realize sleeping in meant that I’d lose my spot in the kitchen though.” She grinned at Steve as she said it, and he wrapped an arm around her shoulders once she was close enough.
“You can peel the potatoes.” She snapped off a salute, and she wound up between the two of them. Meat was cooking in the oven, and it looks like they’re having some kind of stew for dinner.
“So, did you two talk?” Two pairs of eyes looked down at her, but she didn’t waver. She just kept peeling potatoes and waited for one of them to talk.
“We talked about the old days,” Logan finally answered.
“And Logan said he’d help me look for Bucky.” She’s got a few different memories of the Winter Soldier; some good, some bad. She knows that he shot Natasha to kill a target, and she’s very sure that he’s the one that shot Skye.
“Before targeting Fury, I’m pretty sure he went after Skye. She never saw a glimpse of him, but it felt like him. It’s hard to explain, but I’m pretty sure.” It’s not really something that she wanted to say, but she wants to make sure that there are no secrets between them. Well, except for the secrets that obviously need to be kept.
“Barnes is a good man. What Hydra made him do, that’s not him,” Logan said. He looked over her head at Steve, and she saw Steve nod at him from the corner of her eye.
“I know that; I know that he’s a good man, underneath what they made him into. I just want you to be prepared,” she said and looked up at Steve. During their little therapy sessions, he talked about Bucky a lot. She knows that the two of them were close, and she doesn’t want Steve to get his hopes up just to have them completely shattered.
“I know, but I have to try.” She nodded at that, because she already promised that she’d help find him too. “Go get Bruce. Dinner’s almost done.”
“Yes, sir!” She reached up to kiss Logan on the cheek, and she leaned over to do the same for Steve too before walking out. She didn’t run into anyone on her way to the elevator, and the elevator itself went straight to the top floor. Maybe JARVIS is helping her out? She could hear loud music coming from the right, and there were two voices screaming along. Sounds like Tony and Skye, so it looks like they’re bonding. She turned to the left with a smile on her face, and she literally skipped into Bruce’s lab.
“I was starting to worry.” Bruce was actually facing her for once, and she skipped right up to him. Her arms wound around his shoulders, and she felt his strong hands lightly gripping her hips.
“Nothing to worry about. I just did a mind meld with the Black Widow,” she said with a small eye roll. Dear Thor, she’s lucky to still be alive. Not because of Natasha, because Natasha actually kinda likes her. No, she’s lucky to be alive because she has so many memories rattling around inside her skull.
“Dinnertime?” Hmm, she does kind of smell like stew. She also smells a little like stale sweat, and she’s still wearing the same pajamas from the other night.
“Almost. How do you feel about a quick shower?” Bruce’s smile was small and beautiful, and she leaned forward to press her face against his neck. She’s missed just being close to him. As awesome as snuggling with Natasha was, she prefers Bruce.
“I think we can squeeze in a quick shower,” Bruce whispered into her hair. It’s so good to be home.
“Breakfast was mild, you two are in for a treat,” Darcy whispered to Doreen and Skye. She would have whispered the same thing to Sam, but he was too far away. A few people were currently missing, but everyone is going to be here tonight. She’s sitting between Skye and Doreen, and they’re saving the seat next to Doreen for Thor. (Darcy hasn’t forgotten that Doreen said Thor was her favorite. She’s been teased for Clint being her favorite, so it’s time for someone else to be on the receiving end.) Natasha, Steve, and Sam are already in their seats. (Sam’s in what Darcy still thinks of as Maria’s chair.) The scientists and their ladies are missing, along with Clint, and Thor offered to help Logan carry out the food.
“What was that, Clinton?!” Ah, right on schedule. Clint slid into the room and then slid across the table, and Jo jumped after him.
“You heard me, Josie! And you’ll never get ‘em!” The two of them were rolling across the floor on the other side of the table, and Darcy was cackling in her seat while Doreen and Skye were leaning over the table to watch.
“Natasha! Clint took pictures!” Surprisingly enough, Natasha joined the fray. She jumped onto Clint’s back with a war cry, and Jo had him in a headlock. The archer was still managing to laugh.
“I told you it was a bad idea!” Tony yelled as he walked into the dining room. Pepper took her seat, and Bruce sat in Tony’s usual seat since he was having a conversation with Pepper. Darcy couldn’t tell about what, because of all the yelling coming from the other side of the table.
“Tony took pictures too!” Clint managed to yell out. Tony, who was laughing, yelped as his feet were pulled out from under him. Natasha had him in some kind of leg lock that looked painful, and Clint and Jo were taking turns tackling each other.
“Say that to my face, ya yellow-belly!” Jo yelled out.
“Ain’t my fault your face looks like your ass!” was Clint’s response. Tony was trying to tap out and crawl under the table at the same time, but Natasha had a strong hold on him.
“Uh, should we break them up?” Sam asked. Steve was already shaking his head like a disappointed parent, and Bruce and Pepper weren’t even paying them any attention.
“No,” Darcy squeezed out between laughs. Every once in a while, Clint or Jo’s head would pop up above the table, but it never lasted long.
“You should not encourage them,” Thor said as he walked in. He put down a giant pot of something that smelled delicious, and Logan sat down a giant stack of bowls and some spoons.
“Let’s break ‘em up before they break something,” Logan huffed and started around the table.
“Never surrender!” Clint and Jo yelled in sync.
“I surrender! Get her off of me!” Tony called out. Thor was able to pull Natasha and Tony apart, and Darcy was still amazed that Natasha looked perfectly poised while Tony looked like he went round-for-round with a lawnmower. Thor placed Natasha in her chair, and Tony was placed in the chair next to Bruce. Logan pulled Clint and Jo apart, which looked like it took some effort, and he roughly dropped them into their seats.
“Stay!” Logan said and made sure to point at both of them. Clint was pouting in his seat next to Natasha, and Jo had her arms crossed as she sat next to Tony. Doreen and Skye slowly lowered themselves back into their seats, and Darcy wiped at the tears on her cheeks. Oh, she’s missed this.
“Is it always like that?” Doreen whispered. The woman’s brown eyes were lit up, and Skye was still trying to catch her breath.
“Normally,” Darcy replied with a smile.
“Pepper?” The woman looked around Bruce at her fiancé, and Darcy realized that Clint and Jo were flicking pieces of napkin at each other.
“Yes, dear?”
“Can I have Skye as a new assistant, since you have Darcy? She actually likes engineering and hacking.” Darcy stuck her tongue out at Tony, and he replied in kind before smiling back at Pepper.
“I get to work for Tony Stark?” Skye asked excitedly.
“Have you heard him sing yet?” Darcy whispered.
“Yeah, we rocked out earlier. It was pretty epic. I got Dum-E to dance with me,” Skye whispered back.
“You do need someone to keep you in check. Sign the paperwork after dinner?” Pepper glanced from Tony to Skye, and they were both nodding enthusiastically.
“Oh, Thor, there’s two of them,” Jo groaned. Since she looked away, Clint was able to hit her right in the ear. It made her screech and dive across the table with her spoon raised, but Logan grabbed her arm and pushed her back into her seat before any damage could be done.
“You can spar tomorrow and get it out of your systems,” Logan said and pointed a claw at both of them.
“Tomorrow at dawn?” Jo asked.
“You’re on, Josie.” Clint and Jo shook hands, and Darcy rolled her eyes at the two of them. Always fighting, in the most ridiculous way possible.
“I think I’m going to like it here,” Doreen whispered.
“Me too,” Skye added.
September 13, 2014
The only reason Skye knew that Jo had been shot was because she toppled backwards, and Clint immediately turned towards the doorway. Skye was sitting between Doreen and Darcy, so she had to look around Darcy to see what Clint was looking at. Unsurprisingly, Natasha was standing in the doorway with a small smile on her face and a gun nowhere in sight. Jo and Clint were both in workout clothes, which clearly meant very different things to the two fighters. Jo was dressed in bright orange shorts and a purple sports bra, and Clint was wearing loose gray shorts and a sleeveless black shirt. So it was easy to see the sweat on their skin, and now the blood in Jo’s hair.
“Dammit, Nat! I just washed my hair this morning! Do you know how hard it is to wash all of this?” Jo wasn’t exactly whining, but it was a close thing.
“I already called your names twice,” Natasha said and shrugged. She did? Then again, the three bystanders were cheering pretty loudly. Instead of fighting at dawn, Clint and Jo decided to fight it out after breakfast. Nick Fury and Maria Hill are supposed to be here today, so everyone was confined to the mansion.
“Fury?” Jo asked as she wiped at her forehead. Clint was pouring a water bottle over her head and trying to get the blood out of her hair, but it didn’t look like it was working.
“Be in the den in ten, or I’ll come find you.” Clint and Jo both saluted, and Natasha walked off. Skye looked up as the two fighters got closer to them, and they were smiling despite being out of breath.
“We’re gonna go wash up. Meet you upstairs?” Jo asked. Clint was leaning against her side, and Skye noticed the way that Darcy was eying the archer’s arms. It’s understandable.
“Yay, we get to have a meeting with Nick Fury. If he calls me Squirrely, I’m gonna sic Monkey Joe on him,” Doreen said as she stood up. Skye saw Nick Fury in Jo’s memories, and she’s not really looking forward to meeting the man. He’d been very intimidating, so she can’t imagine what he’s like in person.
“Fury’s on our side,” Darcy said as she stood up. Skye was the last one up, and she watched as Jo and Clint disappeared behind a door that led to a shower-slash-changing room. It’s basically a locker room.
“So we don’t have anything to worry about?” Skye asked as they made their way out of the gym.
“I wouldn’t go that far,” Darcy muttered as they stepped onto the elevator.
“Yeah, ‘cause Fury doesn’t really do house calls,” Doreen added.
Skye followed the other two women into the den, and she noticed that nearly everyone was already in the room. Darcy and Doreen moved to join Thor on the couch, and the couch was already looking a little full. After a moment’s indecision, she sat next to Logan on a loveseat. He seemed a little surprised, but he still smiled at her a little. Steve, Sam, and some woman that she recognized as Maria Hill were sitting on another couch. Natasha was sitting on the arm of an empty chair, so the chair is reserved for Clint. Pepper and Bruce were sitting in the center of yet another couch, and she assumed the empty spaces next to them were for Tony and Jo. Tony was standing up and talking to two men, and Skye instantly recognized Nick Fury. He was tall, wearing a black trenchcoat, and had an eyepatch. Not that hard to miss. She couldn’t readily identify the other man though, not until Jo came into the room.
“James Rhodes! It’s an honor to finally meet you!” Jo called out as she walked through the room. The man turned to greet her, and Skye saw him smile as they shook hands. That’s when it clicked. He’s a friend of Tony’s. She’s seen him on the news, both as a Colonel in the Air Force and as War Machine. He’s the only other person with an Ironman suit.
“The honor is all mine. Thanks for keeping this one alive while I was away,” he said and jerked a thumb at Tony.
“You’re talking like I need a babysitter, Rhodey.”
“You do,” Jo and Rhodey said at the same time. Tony glared at both of them, but they both looked immune to it.
“We don’t have time for this.” Nick Fury’s glare seemed to have more of an impact, because Jo’s back straightened and she nodded.
“Compare notes later?” Jo asked Rhodey.
“You got it,” he said and shook her hand again. Jo moved to sit next to Bruce, and Tony sat next to Pepper after sharing a few more words with Rhodey and Fury. Once everyone was seated, Fury’s one eye moved around the room. Skye felt completely immobile when his eye locked with hers, because it was like he was trying to see inside of her.
“You’ve created a mental link with everyone, Eris?” Eris…that’s Jo’s actual codename. Tank sounds cooler.
“Yes. Everyone here is protected and on our side.” Skye didn’t miss the way that Fury’s eye flicked over to her, and she sat up a little straighter. She felt Logan’s hand on her shoulder, and she was glad for the support.
“Me, Hill, and Rhodes have been looking for candidates to start rebuilding SHIELD. We now know that there are Hydra bases out there, and we need to start taking them down. Are you strong enough to scan our candidates?” Fury was looking right at Jo, and Skye thought it was a little funny that Bruce was braiding her wet hair during a very important meeting.
“Scan? Yes. I don’t think I can do anymore mental links though.”
“Not even for me?” Jo looked over at Maria Hill, who was smiling just a little bit. One side of her lips was quirked up. “I’ve requested to be the Avengers handler. I’ll be the go-between for the Avengers and the new Director of SHIELD. Probably do some PR too.”
“Well, if you’re planning on moving back in, I guess we’ll have to link up. Last one though,” Jo said and pointed at her. Maria held up her hands, because the two of them are kinda like friends. They worked together for a few years; Jo was Maria’s first big responsibility at SHIELD, and they moved up the ranks together.
“The rest are just scans. I need to make sure the team I’ve chosen is truly trust-worthy.”
“I’ll scan ‘em.” Bruce was finally finished with her hair, so Jo leaned back against the couch.
“Before I bring them in, I do have something to announce. We found him at a Hydra facility that was abandoned; he’s been under since last year, and we believe that Hydra was trying to discover how he was still alive.” Fury was being very cryptic, but she’s got a feeling that’s just how he is.
“Holy shit,” Jo whispered.
“He who, sir?” Clint asked. It sounded like the archer was asking the question through his teeth, and a few others in the room were sitting forward.
“Forgotten me already, Agent Barton?” When Skye turned her head, she saw two people standing in the doorway to the den. It was a man and a woman, both in suits, and it was the man that had spoken. It took Skye a second, but she recognized him too. Agent Phil Coulson. He was Clint and Natasha’s handler, and he died during the Battle of Manhattan.
“Is he a mutant too?” The question just slipped out of her, and she felt a few questioning eyes on her. “What? Darcy and I died, and we both came back as mutants.”
“We can wait a minute.” Jo was already on her feet, and she wrapped her arms around Phil’s neck. The man’s face started to grow red as she hugged him, and Clint and Natasha slowly walked towards the pair.
“You’re cutting off his circulation!” Clint yelled. Jo jumped back with an apology, and Clint pushed her to the side so that he could take her place. Natasha hugged him as well, and everyone else in the room slowly joined them. Pepper and Tony took turns hugging him and welcoming him back, Maria hugged him, Steve shook his hand, and Darcy squeezed him while Thor pounded on his back.
“Good to see you as well, Agent May,” Skye heard Jo say. Agent Melinda May…Jo didn’t have many memories of her, mostly just small glimpses and a lot of rumors. Jo respected the senior agent though.
“Wanna tell us what happened, Agent?” Tony asked once everyone was back in their seats. Coulson and May were sitting on a loveseat, so Fury and Rhodey were still the only ones standing.
“Honestly, I’m not really sure. My last memory is of Loki, but it’s not of him killing me.” Right, Thor’s brother was the one that killed him.
“Explain, please.” Thor’s voice was so solemn, but Skye thought she could hear just a hint of hope.
“I don’t know where I was; I just remember him standing over me. His hands were blue, and he asked me to please stay still because he didn’t have very long. I went unconscious after that. Next time I woke up, Fury was standing over me.”
“You’re saying that Loki saved your life?” Clint asked. Loki’s the guy that brainwashed Clint and killed Coulson, but he also saved Coulson’s life? Yeah, that doesn’t really add up.
“I think so,” Coulson said and looked over at Thor. “Has he said anything to you?”
“Loki has said nothing since returning to his cell.” Right, because a lot of weird stuff happened in Asgard. Thor’s mom died but not really, but his dad lied about it so that Thor (and Loki) would fight some Dark Elves. Thor’s then girlfriend, Jane Foster, was also caught up in everything. Then Loki died but not really. When it was all said and done, Loki appeared back in his cell and went silent.
“Eris?” Jo looked up at Fury, and Skye noticed that her eyes widened just a little bit.
“Yes?”
“I need you to check Coulson and May. If they clear, they’ll be the Co-Directors of SHIELD.”
“Right now?” Her voice was a little higher than usual but still sounded like gravel; it was hard to describe.
“You doing something else right now?” Jo shook her head and stood up, and she walked over to where Coulson and May were sitting. She knelt down on the floor between the two of them, and she reached for Coulson’s hand first.
“I’m just gonna do a quick scan. I’m gonna go over your memories of what happened during the battle and after, and I’ll be looking for any hidden Hydra thoughts. Try not to fight me, okay?”
“Go ahead, Jo,” Coulson said and smiled at her. Everything went quiet for several minutes, like everyone was afraid to move or even breathe too loud. After about twenty minutes of nearly complete silence, Jo shook her shoulders and turned her head towards Thor first.
“He was telling the truth. It was Loki that closed his wound and saved him.” Skye noticed that Thor was careful not to let anything show on his face, and Jo twisted around to look at Fury. “Huge surprise here. Coulson is definitely not working for Hydra.”
“I don’t have time for your flippancy,” Fury said.
“Your turn, Agent May. Please don’t hurt me.” Jo grabbed the female agent’s hand, and the room went quiet again. Another excruciating quiet twenty minutes later, Jo looked up at Fury and declared that Agent May was completely cleared.
“I’ll bring in the others later, and you can assess them in privacy.” Fury’s voice was a command, not a request, and Jo nodded once she was standing.
“What are we going to do about Hydra?” Steve asked after Jo sat down.
“Coulson and May’s team will take the bulk of the Hydra bases. Which jobs you take will be up to you. As far as the rest of the world knows, I’m dead and I’m staying that way. It’ll be up to you to decide who goes where.” Steve and Maria both nodded at that, and so did Coulson and May. They’re in sync.
“We’ll have our team here in an hour,” May said and looked right at Jo.
“What are the rest of us supposed to do?” Tony asked.
“We could celebrate my miraculous return to life?” Coulson suggested. Clint laughed and whooped, and a few of the others joined in.
“I would like to question Loki.” Thor’s voice was quiet, but everyone in the room heard him.
“And if he doesn’t talk?” Clint asked him.
“Bring him here, and I’ll see what’s locked inside that head of his,” Jo said. Skye could literally feel the room tense up at the thought of Loki back on Earth, and Jo looked everyone in the eye as if daring them to go against her.
“I’d like to know why he saved me after stabbing me,” Coulson threw out.
“Why not? Bring Reindeer Games down for a visit,” Tony said and looked over at Jo.
“Then I will return shortly.” Darcy hugged Thor before he stood up, and Doreen lightly patted his bicep in farewell.
“Use the roof!” Tony called after him.
“Aye!”
The room was quiet for all of ten seconds and then it exploded in sound. Everyone was standing up and mingling, and Skye was starting to feel a little claustrophobic. She knows everyone in here, either because she’s already met them or she’s got some of Jo’s memories of them. What she does know is that it’s all a little too much, and she needs to get out to get some fresh air. She felt a hand on her shoulder, and the hair next to her ear moved just a little.
“Make a run for it. I’ll cover for you,” Logan whispered. She looked over at him, and she saw him smiling just the tiniest bit.
“Thanks,” she whispered back. She slowly edged her way out of the room, and no one came after her once she was in the foyer. She stepped out of the front door and sucked in a deep breath. Maybe she can just do a quick walk, around the block or something, to clear her head. She’ll be back before anyone notices that she’s missing.
“There is one thing I don’t get.” Skye waited for Tony to look up before continuing, because she wants his full attention for this.
They’ve been in the lab since after breakfast, and who knew that Thor could cook pancakes that taste so good that she’d be willing to go to war for them? Seriously, it’s ridiculous. After breakfast, everyone kind of split up. Jo and Natasha were apparently still asleep, so they hadn’t been at breakfast. Pepper and Darcy left for the office, and she’s not really sure about the others. She’s pretty sure she saw Steve and Logan walking off together, and Clint and Thor were talking about making a grocery run. (Clint kept saying that Jade needed treats, and Skye’s never seen a chicken treated so well.) Sam said something about checking out the local veteran’s center, and Bruce came up the elevator with them. He went to the left though, where his lab is. Tony invited her up to his lab so that they can work on retrieving SHIELD’s files, and some of Hydra’s.
“What’s that, kiddo?” There’s that kid thing again. Jo did it yesterday too, and she knows it’s something that they do with Darcy. Are they trying to pseudo-adopt her too?
“Why did Viper bring out our powers and bring us together? Darcy and I had no idea that we had a twin somewhere out in the world, and Logan had no idea that he had any living relatives. So, why? Bringing us together makes us stronger, doesn’t it?” It’s something that’s been on her mind since last night, when she had pizza with Darcy and Logan. Yeah, it’s awesome that she has a family and everything now, but she doesn’t see what Viper’s getting out of this.
“Maybe she’s playing a long game.” Tony twirled something between his fingers, looked like a miniature wrench, and stroked his goatee.
“A long game?”
“You know, what will hurt more in the long run? We all know how much she hates Logan, so maybe she’s hoping that three of you will grow close. Once you’re close, she’ll tear you apart. It’d tear all of us apart, make us vulnerable.” He seemed to really be thinking it over, and she watched his eyes darken just a little bit. “Maybe you and Darcy shouldn’t go anywhere alone. I’m gonna have to put Jo back on full bodyguard status.”
“I thought we were super mutants now? Super strength, healing, all that good stuff.” She saw enough in Jo’s memories to know just how extensive the healing could be. She hasn’t really tested her strength yet or anything, but she feels stronger.
“Everyone has limits. Even super mutants.” Tony looked extremely serious, and she remembered that Jo’s actual father was killed because his body just gave up. His healing couldn’t keep up. None of them are invincible. “Now, more hacking. We’ll speculate more later.”
“It’s lunchtime.” Pepper looked up from her desk and met Darcy’s eyes, and Darcy crossed her arms.
“I know.”
“JARVIS said that Jo is still unconscious, so who’s going to feed the scientists? They always forget to eat.” Darcy loves working for Pepper, loves working at Stark Industries, but she still worries about her old job. Which was mostly taking care of Tony.
“What about Skye?” Pepper went for the logical choice, but so did Darcy.
“JARVIS said she’s just as bad as Tony. Neither one of them have moved in hours.” She gets a sister, a twin sister, and she’s just as bad as the geniuses. Geniuses that forget to feed themselves.
“Thor?” Darcy snapped her fingers, because she didn’t think about Thor. Thor and Clint were planning a grocery trip for the day, so they should be able to feed Bruce and Tony. And Skye.
“I’ll go call him right now!” Darcy rushed out of the office and back into her own office, so she missed the way that Pepper smiled after her retreating form.
“Yo, Brucie! I brought you a sammich!” Bruce jumped at the sound of the loud voice and quickly twisted around on his stool. Clint was standing just inside the doorway of the lab, and he was holding a tray. A very large tray. A tray too big for just a sandwich.
“Why?” He realized too late that he should have just said thank-you when Clint grinned at him, and he watched as the archer walked across the lab to the couch. The tray was carefully sat down on the table in front of the couch, and Clint flopped back onto a cushion.
“Darcy called. Jo’s still out, so she was worried that no one would feed the geniuses. So, take a break and come eat. Me and Thor found a sale on deli meats, so we’ve got every sandwich imaginable.” There really were a lot of sandwiches on the tray, more than he and Clint could possibly eat at one time, but Bruce lowered himself onto the couch anyway.
“You didn’t have to.” He picked up a sandwich, looked like turkey, and took a bite.
“We’re a team, Bruce. Maybe a family at this point, I don’t know. Darcy was worried about you, and I know Josie would’ve been upset if she heard that you went without. So, eat.” He’d already finished the first sandwich by the time Clint finished talking, and he nodded over at the archer as he picked up another one.
“Thank you.”
“Thank Thor. He’s the master cook.” Bruce grinned at that and felt himself relax a little more. The people here are his team, his family, and he can trust them.
“Did you make all these?” Doreen was looking at the giant pile of sandwiches on the kitchen counter, and Thor smiled as he walked farther into the kitchen.
“Darcy says that people forget to eat unless food is brought to them. I took a tray to Tony and Skye. These are for Steve and Logan. I could make you some?” The big guy looks so earnest, but she can’t ask him to do that. He’s clearly already been busy.
“Nah, I can make my own.” She started over towards the pantry, where the bread should be, but Thor beat her to it.
“Allow me. Sit and tell me of your day.” Well, it’s not like she can argue with a god. As Thor created some really beautiful looking sandwiches, she told him about how her and Monkey Joe had spent the morning outside. Mostly climbing trees and relaxing in the shade. She got lucky. The balcony in her room is pretty level with a big tree branch, so she’s been exploring.
“Holy baloney, these are delicious!” Simple food really shouldn’t taste this good, but it does. Maybe it’s because Thor is a god, or maybe it’s just because Thor is…Thor. He’s just that good.
“Thank you, Doreen.” Thor should always smile like that. Big and carefree. She got him to tell her about his shopping trip with Clint while she devoured a few more sandwiches, and she almost choked a few times from laughing while trying to chew. She’s definitely gotta go with them one day, because if her imagination is close to the real thing, it’s hilarious.
“What’s next?” she asked. There’s still a whole afternoon open, and she’s not really sure what to do.
“Would you mind helping me bring these to Steve and Logan?” Right, the several other plates of sandwiches on the counter are for the super soldier and the growly mutant.
“Not even a little bit. Let’s go feed ‘em before they waste away.” She picked up a plate with a tower of sandwiches as Thor did the same, and he smiled down at her as they walked out of the kitchen.
“Weirdest wakeup ever,” Jo groaned as she stumbled into the elevator. She woke up wrapped around Natasha like an octopus, and the weirdest thing was that Natasha was wrapped around her too. They’d looked at each other for a moment, assessed the situation, and then agreed that it never happened. Jo’s still counting it as progress though, because she knows that Natasha doesn’t hate her.
“Hey, sleepyhead.” Jo stopped rubbing at her eyes as she walked into the kitchen, and she smiled up at Steve. Logan was standing next to him, and they were both chopping up vegetables. Steve had a knife, but Logan was using his own claws.
“’Bout damn time,” Logan added.
“I’ve crammed a lot of memories into my head, so I think I deserved a day of sleep. I didn’t realize sleeping in meant that I’d lose my spot in the kitchen though.” She grinned at Steve as she said it, and he wrapped an arm around her shoulders once she was close enough.
“You can peel the potatoes.” She snapped off a salute, and she wound up between the two of them. Meat was cooking in the oven, and it looks like they’re having some kind of stew for dinner.
“So, did you two talk?” Two pairs of eyes looked down at her, but she didn’t waver. She just kept peeling potatoes and waited for one of them to talk.
“We talked about the old days,” Logan finally answered.
“And Logan said he’d help me look for Bucky.” She’s got a few different memories of the Winter Soldier; some good, some bad. She knows that he shot Natasha to kill a target, and she’s very sure that he’s the one that shot Skye.
“Before targeting Fury, I’m pretty sure he went after Skye. She never saw a glimpse of him, but it felt like him. It’s hard to explain, but I’m pretty sure.” It’s not really something that she wanted to say, but she wants to make sure that there are no secrets between them. Well, except for the secrets that obviously need to be kept.
“Barnes is a good man. What Hydra made him do, that’s not him,” Logan said. He looked over her head at Steve, and she saw Steve nod at him from the corner of her eye.
“I know that; I know that he’s a good man, underneath what they made him into. I just want you to be prepared,” she said and looked up at Steve. During their little therapy sessions, he talked about Bucky a lot. She knows that the two of them were close, and she doesn’t want Steve to get his hopes up just to have them completely shattered.
“I know, but I have to try.” She nodded at that, because she already promised that she’d help find him too. “Go get Bruce. Dinner’s almost done.”
“Yes, sir!” She reached up to kiss Logan on the cheek, and she leaned over to do the same for Steve too before walking out. She didn’t run into anyone on her way to the elevator, and the elevator itself went straight to the top floor. Maybe JARVIS is helping her out? She could hear loud music coming from the right, and there were two voices screaming along. Sounds like Tony and Skye, so it looks like they’re bonding. She turned to the left with a smile on her face, and she literally skipped into Bruce’s lab.
“I was starting to worry.” Bruce was actually facing her for once, and she skipped right up to him. Her arms wound around his shoulders, and she felt his strong hands lightly gripping her hips.
“Nothing to worry about. I just did a mind meld with the Black Widow,” she said with a small eye roll. Dear Thor, she’s lucky to still be alive. Not because of Natasha, because Natasha actually kinda likes her. No, she’s lucky to be alive because she has so many memories rattling around inside her skull.
“Dinnertime?” Hmm, she does kind of smell like stew. She also smells a little like stale sweat, and she’s still wearing the same pajamas from the other night.
“Almost. How do you feel about a quick shower?” Bruce’s smile was small and beautiful, and she leaned forward to press her face against his neck. She’s missed just being close to him. As awesome as snuggling with Natasha was, she prefers Bruce.
“I think we can squeeze in a quick shower,” Bruce whispered into her hair. It’s so good to be home.
“Breakfast was mild, you two are in for a treat,” Darcy whispered to Doreen and Skye. She would have whispered the same thing to Sam, but he was too far away. A few people were currently missing, but everyone is going to be here tonight. She’s sitting between Skye and Doreen, and they’re saving the seat next to Doreen for Thor. (Darcy hasn’t forgotten that Doreen said Thor was her favorite. She’s been teased for Clint being her favorite, so it’s time for someone else to be on the receiving end.) Natasha, Steve, and Sam are already in their seats. (Sam’s in what Darcy still thinks of as Maria’s chair.) The scientists and their ladies are missing, along with Clint, and Thor offered to help Logan carry out the food.
“What was that, Clinton?!” Ah, right on schedule. Clint slid into the room and then slid across the table, and Jo jumped after him.
“You heard me, Josie! And you’ll never get ‘em!” The two of them were rolling across the floor on the other side of the table, and Darcy was cackling in her seat while Doreen and Skye were leaning over the table to watch.
“Natasha! Clint took pictures!” Surprisingly enough, Natasha joined the fray. She jumped onto Clint’s back with a war cry, and Jo had him in a headlock. The archer was still managing to laugh.
“I told you it was a bad idea!” Tony yelled as he walked into the dining room. Pepper took her seat, and Bruce sat in Tony’s usual seat since he was having a conversation with Pepper. Darcy couldn’t tell about what, because of all the yelling coming from the other side of the table.
“Tony took pictures too!” Clint managed to yell out. Tony, who was laughing, yelped as his feet were pulled out from under him. Natasha had him in some kind of leg lock that looked painful, and Clint and Jo were taking turns tackling each other.
“Say that to my face, ya yellow-belly!” Jo yelled out.
“Ain’t my fault your face looks like your ass!” was Clint’s response. Tony was trying to tap out and crawl under the table at the same time, but Natasha had a strong hold on him.
“Uh, should we break them up?” Sam asked. Steve was already shaking his head like a disappointed parent, and Bruce and Pepper weren’t even paying them any attention.
“No,” Darcy squeezed out between laughs. Every once in a while, Clint or Jo’s head would pop up above the table, but it never lasted long.
“You should not encourage them,” Thor said as he walked in. He put down a giant pot of something that smelled delicious, and Logan sat down a giant stack of bowls and some spoons.
“Let’s break ‘em up before they break something,” Logan huffed and started around the table.
“Never surrender!” Clint and Jo yelled in sync.
“I surrender! Get her off of me!” Tony called out. Thor was able to pull Natasha and Tony apart, and Darcy was still amazed that Natasha looked perfectly poised while Tony looked like he went round-for-round with a lawnmower. Thor placed Natasha in her chair, and Tony was placed in the chair next to Bruce. Logan pulled Clint and Jo apart, which looked like it took some effort, and he roughly dropped them into their seats.
“Stay!” Logan said and made sure to point at both of them. Clint was pouting in his seat next to Natasha, and Jo had her arms crossed as she sat next to Tony. Doreen and Skye slowly lowered themselves back into their seats, and Darcy wiped at the tears on her cheeks. Oh, she’s missed this.
“Is it always like that?” Doreen whispered. The woman’s brown eyes were lit up, and Skye was still trying to catch her breath.
“Normally,” Darcy replied with a smile.
“Pepper?” The woman looked around Bruce at her fiancé, and Darcy realized that Clint and Jo were flicking pieces of napkin at each other.
“Yes, dear?”
“Can I have Skye as a new assistant, since you have Darcy? She actually likes engineering and hacking.” Darcy stuck her tongue out at Tony, and he replied in kind before smiling back at Pepper.
“I get to work for Tony Stark?” Skye asked excitedly.
“Have you heard him sing yet?” Darcy whispered.
“Yeah, we rocked out earlier. It was pretty epic. I got Dum-E to dance with me,” Skye whispered back.
“You do need someone to keep you in check. Sign the paperwork after dinner?” Pepper glanced from Tony to Skye, and they were both nodding enthusiastically.
“Oh, Thor, there’s two of them,” Jo groaned. Since she looked away, Clint was able to hit her right in the ear. It made her screech and dive across the table with her spoon raised, but Logan grabbed her arm and pushed her back into her seat before any damage could be done.
“You can spar tomorrow and get it out of your systems,” Logan said and pointed a claw at both of them.
“Tomorrow at dawn?” Jo asked.
“You’re on, Josie.” Clint and Jo shook hands, and Darcy rolled her eyes at the two of them. Always fighting, in the most ridiculous way possible.
“I think I’m going to like it here,” Doreen whispered.
“Me too,” Skye added.
September 13, 2014
The only reason Skye knew that Jo had been shot was because she toppled backwards, and Clint immediately turned towards the doorway. Skye was sitting between Doreen and Darcy, so she had to look around Darcy to see what Clint was looking at. Unsurprisingly, Natasha was standing in the doorway with a small smile on her face and a gun nowhere in sight. Jo and Clint were both in workout clothes, which clearly meant very different things to the two fighters. Jo was dressed in bright orange shorts and a purple sports bra, and Clint was wearing loose gray shorts and a sleeveless black shirt. So it was easy to see the sweat on their skin, and now the blood in Jo’s hair.
“Dammit, Nat! I just washed my hair this morning! Do you know how hard it is to wash all of this?” Jo wasn’t exactly whining, but it was a close thing.
“I already called your names twice,” Natasha said and shrugged. She did? Then again, the three bystanders were cheering pretty loudly. Instead of fighting at dawn, Clint and Jo decided to fight it out after breakfast. Nick Fury and Maria Hill are supposed to be here today, so everyone was confined to the mansion.
“Fury?” Jo asked as she wiped at her forehead. Clint was pouring a water bottle over her head and trying to get the blood out of her hair, but it didn’t look like it was working.
“Be in the den in ten, or I’ll come find you.” Clint and Jo both saluted, and Natasha walked off. Skye looked up as the two fighters got closer to them, and they were smiling despite being out of breath.
“We’re gonna go wash up. Meet you upstairs?” Jo asked. Clint was leaning against her side, and Skye noticed the way that Darcy was eying the archer’s arms. It’s understandable.
“Yay, we get to have a meeting with Nick Fury. If he calls me Squirrely, I’m gonna sic Monkey Joe on him,” Doreen said as she stood up. Skye saw Nick Fury in Jo’s memories, and she’s not really looking forward to meeting the man. He’d been very intimidating, so she can’t imagine what he’s like in person.
“Fury’s on our side,” Darcy said as she stood up. Skye was the last one up, and she watched as Jo and Clint disappeared behind a door that led to a shower-slash-changing room. It’s basically a locker room.
“So we don’t have anything to worry about?” Skye asked as they made their way out of the gym.
“I wouldn’t go that far,” Darcy muttered as they stepped onto the elevator.
“Yeah, ‘cause Fury doesn’t really do house calls,” Doreen added.
Skye followed the other two women into the den, and she noticed that nearly everyone was already in the room. Darcy and Doreen moved to join Thor on the couch, and the couch was already looking a little full. After a moment’s indecision, she sat next to Logan on a loveseat. He seemed a little surprised, but he still smiled at her a little. Steve, Sam, and some woman that she recognized as Maria Hill were sitting on another couch. Natasha was sitting on the arm of an empty chair, so the chair is reserved for Clint. Pepper and Bruce were sitting in the center of yet another couch, and she assumed the empty spaces next to them were for Tony and Jo. Tony was standing up and talking to two men, and Skye instantly recognized Nick Fury. He was tall, wearing a black trenchcoat, and had an eyepatch. Not that hard to miss. She couldn’t readily identify the other man though, not until Jo came into the room.
“James Rhodes! It’s an honor to finally meet you!” Jo called out as she walked through the room. The man turned to greet her, and Skye saw him smile as they shook hands. That’s when it clicked. He’s a friend of Tony’s. She’s seen him on the news, both as a Colonel in the Air Force and as War Machine. He’s the only other person with an Ironman suit.
“The honor is all mine. Thanks for keeping this one alive while I was away,” he said and jerked a thumb at Tony.
“You’re talking like I need a babysitter, Rhodey.”
“You do,” Jo and Rhodey said at the same time. Tony glared at both of them, but they both looked immune to it.
“We don’t have time for this.” Nick Fury’s glare seemed to have more of an impact, because Jo’s back straightened and she nodded.
“Compare notes later?” Jo asked Rhodey.
“You got it,” he said and shook her hand again. Jo moved to sit next to Bruce, and Tony sat next to Pepper after sharing a few more words with Rhodey and Fury. Once everyone was seated, Fury’s one eye moved around the room. Skye felt completely immobile when his eye locked with hers, because it was like he was trying to see inside of her.
“You’ve created a mental link with everyone, Eris?” Eris…that’s Jo’s actual codename. Tank sounds cooler.
“Yes. Everyone here is protected and on our side.” Skye didn’t miss the way that Fury’s eye flicked over to her, and she sat up a little straighter. She felt Logan’s hand on her shoulder, and she was glad for the support.
“Me, Hill, and Rhodes have been looking for candidates to start rebuilding SHIELD. We now know that there are Hydra bases out there, and we need to start taking them down. Are you strong enough to scan our candidates?” Fury was looking right at Jo, and Skye thought it was a little funny that Bruce was braiding her wet hair during a very important meeting.
“Scan? Yes. I don’t think I can do anymore mental links though.”
“Not even for me?” Jo looked over at Maria Hill, who was smiling just a little bit. One side of her lips was quirked up. “I’ve requested to be the Avengers handler. I’ll be the go-between for the Avengers and the new Director of SHIELD. Probably do some PR too.”
“Well, if you’re planning on moving back in, I guess we’ll have to link up. Last one though,” Jo said and pointed at her. Maria held up her hands, because the two of them are kinda like friends. They worked together for a few years; Jo was Maria’s first big responsibility at SHIELD, and they moved up the ranks together.
“The rest are just scans. I need to make sure the team I’ve chosen is truly trust-worthy.”
“I’ll scan ‘em.” Bruce was finally finished with her hair, so Jo leaned back against the couch.
“Before I bring them in, I do have something to announce. We found him at a Hydra facility that was abandoned; he’s been under since last year, and we believe that Hydra was trying to discover how he was still alive.” Fury was being very cryptic, but she’s got a feeling that’s just how he is.
“Holy shit,” Jo whispered.
“He who, sir?” Clint asked. It sounded like the archer was asking the question through his teeth, and a few others in the room were sitting forward.
“Forgotten me already, Agent Barton?” When Skye turned her head, she saw two people standing in the doorway to the den. It was a man and a woman, both in suits, and it was the man that had spoken. It took Skye a second, but she recognized him too. Agent Phil Coulson. He was Clint and Natasha’s handler, and he died during the Battle of Manhattan.
“Is he a mutant too?” The question just slipped out of her, and she felt a few questioning eyes on her. “What? Darcy and I died, and we both came back as mutants.”
“We can wait a minute.” Jo was already on her feet, and she wrapped her arms around Phil’s neck. The man’s face started to grow red as she hugged him, and Clint and Natasha slowly walked towards the pair.
“You’re cutting off his circulation!” Clint yelled. Jo jumped back with an apology, and Clint pushed her to the side so that he could take her place. Natasha hugged him as well, and everyone else in the room slowly joined them. Pepper and Tony took turns hugging him and welcoming him back, Maria hugged him, Steve shook his hand, and Darcy squeezed him while Thor pounded on his back.
“Good to see you as well, Agent May,” Skye heard Jo say. Agent Melinda May…Jo didn’t have many memories of her, mostly just small glimpses and a lot of rumors. Jo respected the senior agent though.
“Wanna tell us what happened, Agent?” Tony asked once everyone was back in their seats. Coulson and May were sitting on a loveseat, so Fury and Rhodey were still the only ones standing.
“Honestly, I’m not really sure. My last memory is of Loki, but it’s not of him killing me.” Right, Thor’s brother was the one that killed him.
“Explain, please.” Thor’s voice was so solemn, but Skye thought she could hear just a hint of hope.
“I don’t know where I was; I just remember him standing over me. His hands were blue, and he asked me to please stay still because he didn’t have very long. I went unconscious after that. Next time I woke up, Fury was standing over me.”
“You’re saying that Loki saved your life?” Clint asked. Loki’s the guy that brainwashed Clint and killed Coulson, but he also saved Coulson’s life? Yeah, that doesn’t really add up.
“I think so,” Coulson said and looked over at Thor. “Has he said anything to you?”
“Loki has said nothing since returning to his cell.” Right, because a lot of weird stuff happened in Asgard. Thor’s mom died but not really, but his dad lied about it so that Thor (and Loki) would fight some Dark Elves. Thor’s then girlfriend, Jane Foster, was also caught up in everything. Then Loki died but not really. When it was all said and done, Loki appeared back in his cell and went silent.
“Eris?” Jo looked up at Fury, and Skye noticed that her eyes widened just a little bit.
“Yes?”
“I need you to check Coulson and May. If they clear, they’ll be the Co-Directors of SHIELD.”
“Right now?” Her voice was a little higher than usual but still sounded like gravel; it was hard to describe.
“You doing something else right now?” Jo shook her head and stood up, and she walked over to where Coulson and May were sitting. She knelt down on the floor between the two of them, and she reached for Coulson’s hand first.
“I’m just gonna do a quick scan. I’m gonna go over your memories of what happened during the battle and after, and I’ll be looking for any hidden Hydra thoughts. Try not to fight me, okay?”
“Go ahead, Jo,” Coulson said and smiled at her. Everything went quiet for several minutes, like everyone was afraid to move or even breathe too loud. After about twenty minutes of nearly complete silence, Jo shook her shoulders and turned her head towards Thor first.
“He was telling the truth. It was Loki that closed his wound and saved him.” Skye noticed that Thor was careful not to let anything show on his face, and Jo twisted around to look at Fury. “Huge surprise here. Coulson is definitely not working for Hydra.”
“I don’t have time for your flippancy,” Fury said.
“Your turn, Agent May. Please don’t hurt me.” Jo grabbed the female agent’s hand, and the room went quiet again. Another excruciating quiet twenty minutes later, Jo looked up at Fury and declared that Agent May was completely cleared.
“I’ll bring in the others later, and you can assess them in privacy.” Fury’s voice was a command, not a request, and Jo nodded once she was standing.
“What are we going to do about Hydra?” Steve asked after Jo sat down.
“Coulson and May’s team will take the bulk of the Hydra bases. Which jobs you take will be up to you. As far as the rest of the world knows, I’m dead and I’m staying that way. It’ll be up to you to decide who goes where.” Steve and Maria both nodded at that, and so did Coulson and May. They’re in sync.
“We’ll have our team here in an hour,” May said and looked right at Jo.
“What are the rest of us supposed to do?” Tony asked.
“We could celebrate my miraculous return to life?” Coulson suggested. Clint laughed and whooped, and a few of the others joined in.
“I would like to question Loki.” Thor’s voice was quiet, but everyone in the room heard him.
“And if he doesn’t talk?” Clint asked him.
“Bring him here, and I’ll see what’s locked inside that head of his,” Jo said. Skye could literally feel the room tense up at the thought of Loki back on Earth, and Jo looked everyone in the eye as if daring them to go against her.
“I’d like to know why he saved me after stabbing me,” Coulson threw out.
“Why not? Bring Reindeer Games down for a visit,” Tony said and looked over at Jo.
“Then I will return shortly.” Darcy hugged Thor before he stood up, and Doreen lightly patted his bicep in farewell.
“Use the roof!” Tony called after him.
“Aye!”
The room was quiet for all of ten seconds and then it exploded in sound. Everyone was standing up and mingling, and Skye was starting to feel a little claustrophobic. She knows everyone in here, either because she’s already met them or she’s got some of Jo’s memories of them. What she does know is that it’s all a little too much, and she needs to get out to get some fresh air. She felt a hand on her shoulder, and the hair next to her ear moved just a little.
“Make a run for it. I’ll cover for you,” Logan whispered. She looked over at him, and she saw him smiling just the tiniest bit.
“Thanks,” she whispered back. She slowly edged her way out of the room, and no one came after her once she was in the foyer. She stepped out of the front door and sucked in a deep breath. Maybe she can just do a quick walk, around the block or something, to clear her head. She’ll be back before anyone notices that she’s missing.
Notes
To start with, Logan is the only one sleeping in the mansion that Jo does not have a mental link with. Why? Because Logan already has mental barriers, after years of living at the Professor’s mansion with two telepaths. So Viper, or who’s helping her, can’t get into Logan’s head.
Next up, Coulson is alive! I love Coulson, and it bothers me so much that he’s not in the MCU anymore. I know he has his own show and that it’s awesome, but everyone still thinks he’s dead. Well, not in this story! Coulson is back, and he’s going to take over Fury’s place. Partially. He’s got help. Agent Melinda May is from Agents of Shield, and she’s extremely badass. Watch the show. So, Coulson and May are going to pop up randomly. They won’t be doing what they did in the show, because I’m not bringing in the Inhumans.
In the next chapter, there’ll be some glimpses of some of our favorite characters!
If there’s any questions about anything, don’t hesitate to ask!
@TheIronBat
Oh my god! So much is going on and I love it!!!
10/23/17