Just Nessie

Getting the items you needed shouldn't be too hard to obtain. It would be difficult trying to convince Tony to say yes, though.

Might as well get the easiest part done and out of the way first. It was easy enough to find him, making a Portal to California was hardly a any trouble.

"Scott," you greet him. He jumps about a foot in the air, whirling around with wide, panicked eyes. He places a hand over his chest, visibly relaxing at the sight of you. "Jesus Christ, Y/N, you gave me a heart attack!" You chuckle, and roll your eyes. "Seriously! I think my whole arm is numb - shit, sorry. I didn't mean it like that. I- you must -"

"Scott, it's fine. I deal with Tony Stark every day, nothing phases me anymore," you wave a hand in the air.

His sigh of relief is loud, "Right. Yeah. Anyway, uh what are you doing here?"

It looked like a break room, and he was definitely in uniform.

"I need a favor, it's uh-"

"Anything! Of course! You need my help? Antman's help?"

You wince, "Well. I need Pym Particles," you murmur.

"Oh," Scott scratches the back of his neck, then shifts from foot to foot. "Well, I mean. Easy, sure. I guess I could get you those. It's a little complicated…"

"It's either simple and you can do this, or it's too complicated and I'll get them myself. One way or another." Scott shakes his head, 'N-nope. They're at my place."

"Great, let's go -" Scott goes on to plead with you that he needs this job, and he can't leave work early. You agree to return tomorrow to pick up the Particles. You had one more person to see before you needed his help anyway.

You portal away just as fast as you arrived, and step out on a white sand beach, the breeze is warm and the air is salty. The sun is high and bright, and it's beautiful here. Calm and serene.

"What are you doing here?" The low timbre says behind you. "Not that I mind. You just don't seem dressed for the beach."

You turn to face him, his smile drops, "Bruce," you greet. His shoulders tense a little, the skin along the right side of his face and neck are healing well. The charred edges only left behind slight scarring, which will mostly likely clear up in no time. The Hulk was good for a multitude of things, much to Bruce's dismay. And his regenerative healing was on the top of the list.

Though Bruce still has his arm in a sling, the damage from his Snap is hardly visable anymore.

"I need a favor," you start. When he doesn't go to ask you about it you continue. "I know you still have the Time GPS watches. I need two of them."

Bruce scoffs, "Need them? You what, plan on going back in time for a vacation? Bucky feeling nostalgic and you two have a date night planned? These aren't toys, Y/N."

Your brow lowers, hands clenching into fists at your sides, "I wouldn't ask for them unless I had good reason. And you know that."

Bruce shakes his head. "Have you talked to Tony about this?"

You raise your arms in the air, frustrated, "He's not my keeper. I don't need his permission for everything. I'm an adult and can make decisions for myself."

"You still need the Pym Particles. The watches won't work without them."

"Already taken care of," you cross your arms. Bruce hasn't made any motion to get those watches, or moved from his spot on the lounge. "So, the watches?"

Bruce sighs, shaking his head. "I dunno, maybe I should call Tony. This seems a little -"

"I'm going back to get Steve," you interrupt. Bruce's eyes go wide, his mouth slightly ajar. "Steve, this Steve," you say quietly, motioning around you. "Something's happened. He's in over his head and I can't help him. He wont accept it." You have a sigh, "I need the other one. He can help, I know he can."

"But - He left. Made his choice and lived it. What happens to the old man if you bring the other back?"

You shrug, you haven't thought that far ahead. You just had a feeling - just knew the other Steve could help.

"What about Bucky? He can help you," Bruce tries.

"Bucky's helping Sam. They're dealing with something big. I can't ask him to help, Sam needs him."

"What's he gonna think when you show up with a Steve Rogers that isn't the one he's been visiting - who is an old man, by the way - and just the one who left you both?"

"I wasn't planning on telling him." It's silent for a moment. The only sound between you is the waves on the shore and the breeze in the palm trees. Bruce stands after another silent few minutes, disappears into his shed and comes back with a small box. He places it on the table in front of him, one heavy green hand on top.

"If you do this," his voice low, "I won't keep it from Tony if he asks."

You nod, " I would never ask that from you. I'll only be gone for a minute. Once I get the Particles from Scott, it'll be like I never left," you go to take the box from him, but he pulls it back.

Bruce's demeanor changes. He seems to get larger, wider. His face going grim, "That's the same thinking that got Natasha killed."

"…Bruce…" He shoves the box towards you before he turns to leave.

You call out to him, "Wait, Bruce," you dig into your pocket, holding out the napkin with a dozen pills inside. Your hand shakes as you wait for him to come closer and take it. "These. Please find out what they are. Steve says the nursing home is drugging and killing the residents."

Bruce's eyes go wide, "What -? Y/N, you should go to the police! Are you insane? Is he insane? Is this why you're going back?"

You inhale big and deep, squeezing the napkin tighter in your grip, "Something's happening in there and I can't get in there to see. Steve - he -" you shake your head and push the pills into Bruce's hand. "I love him, Bruce. And I can't help him. You know how stubborn he is."

Bruce sighs, "I wonder where he gets it…" He shakes his head. "If I test these, and it comes back positive for whatever is killing those people, I'm calling the police." You try to interrupt, but he stops you, taking the pills from your hand.

"But-"

"If I do this, there's no need for you to go back, Y/N. Just let it be. History is already written."

"You don't understand -"

"No, you don't understand. You don't want to say goodbye," he closes his eyes and heaves a sigh. Like he's been holding the world on his back and he can finally breath for the first time, "I could go back too, y'know? It's not like I haven't thought about it. Bring Nat here, but I don't. I can't. You of all people should know this. You can't just go back. You need to move on. Because Steve moved on and you have to live with that."

You were fighting back tears at this point, you knew he was right, deep down. But how could you just move on?

How could Steve just abandon you? You sniffle, running the back of your hand across your face.

Bruce sighs, "I know it's hard," he says softer, stepping close. "I know what he meant to you. But you've still got Bucky," Bruce smiles. "And that man loves you. That's something, right?"

And you nod, because - God, you love him, too. You love him with your whole being.

But, you love Steve, too, and the ache of knowing you could just go back and get him? Maybe that's worse. Waiting around for him to walk through your door like the last 6 months never happened. And you can live with both your boys in contented peace.

You take the box from the table and hold it to your chest. He gives you a heavy pat on your shoulder before the two of you depart.

"Be careful," he says over his shoulder when he turns away. "I don't want to be the reason Tony hates me if you never come back." And then he's gone, disappearing into the shed and going down to his lab.

**

Scott sent a text early the next morning that he had the Particles. After portaling to him and back again, you shoot off a quick message to Bucky. Hopefully he and Sam made it back alright.

'I've gotta take care of something. I'll be out of reach for a little while. Love you <3'

You sent the text and set your phone down on the nightstand. The messenger bag over you shoulder has a change of clothes, the Time Watches and the Pym Particles inside.

You do a quick sweep of your room, one last triple check of the space to make sure you aren't forgetting anything. You pat your self down, check your pockets and grab your leather jacket before you portal to Tony's.

Tony is in his study when you get there. He's sitting on the edge of his desk, arms crossed and shoulders tense. Before you could greet him, he pushes off the desk and shoves his hands in his pockets.

"Were you going to tell me?"

Damn it, Bruce.

"Or were you just gonna lie to my face?" Tony holds up his hand before you could even open your mouth. "Y'know what? I don't want to know. But because I love you, I'll help you. But you better come back. Pepper would be beside her self if you didn't."

Tony walks by you, and out of the study. You follow him through the house, out onto the porch and across the lawn to the shed. He puts his finger on the print reader and the door opens with a hiss.

He had to put a biometric lock on the 'shed' once Morgan could reach door handles.

The wood panels on the floor slide back and you follow Tony side. Once the shed doors close, the lights click on and the hum of the elevator turns on. You both slowly descend into the basement lab. The lights over head flick on as Tony makes his way across the room.

Once Tony reaches the desk, a keyboard lights up and he types away.

"Are you sure, Boss?" FRIDAY asks. Her voice rings out, but not loud. Tony sighs out of his nose. He looks back to you.

You're still standing near the door, unsure that if you say anything or interrupt him, he'd change his mind.

"Yeah," Tony says quietly, like maybe if he says it softly he won't speak it into existence.

Up from the floor, the time machine comes into view. The platform takes up most of the space. The control panels are connected to the side, new and improved.

Tony walks over to you and holds his hand out. In the palm of his hand is a new Time Watch. He takes your right arm, the vibranium one, and slides the watch on. It chimes softly, the mechanism in the center spins like its calibrating. Back and forth, then it clicks into place.

A low hum vibrates up your arm, then covers the metal limb in nanites. They skitter up your arm and stop at your shoulder.

"What…" you breath out. Your fingers flex. Flesh. The nanobots in the watch cover your vibranium arm to make it look…normal. "Tony…" when you look up at him, he has a sad smile on his face.

"There was a small part of me that figured you'd go back," he shrugs small and puts his hands in his pockets. "just to see him again. Or I dunno. To stay, if he asked you to."

Because, God, you know you would stay. And he knows it. You love Tony, and Pepper and Morgan. You love Bucky with your whole heart. You love them all so much it hurts sometimes.

But they aren't Howard.

And Tony is Tony. You would die for him- you almost did. You'd do it again if it meant he could be here with Morgan, if she gets to grow up with her father.

But, you missed Howard so much.

"I would never leave you, Tony," you say into the silence. "I made you a promise, remember?"

A huff leaves him, he deflates, but only a little bit. Tony nods like he understands. "I'll only be gone for 30 seconds." You move to him and pull him into a hug. Tony folds in over you, engulfing you in the tightest hug you've ever gotten from him.

"Get your man, and come right back," Tony pulls away just a little. "You come back. You hear me?" His voice is tight, and he swallows down as he goes to the console.

You tap the watch and the Quantum suit engulfs your body, the helmet encloses around your head. You take a canister of Pym particles out of the messenger bag, slotting it into the holster on the belt. The platform under your feet lights up, a vibrating hum fills the room.

Tony can't seem to look at you as he counts down. You feel bad for having asked this of him, really you do.

But there's a small part of you that can't wait to see your brother again. Even if it's only for a little while.

"Tony-" you call out as he gets to 3. He pauses for half a second and when he looks up at you, you continue, "I love you, kid." And then you're gone.

Tony heaves a heavy sob. He knows you'll be back. But watching you go and disappear reminds him of Titan all over again. He scrubs his hands down his face and tells FRIDAY to start the timer.

This was going to be the longest 30 seconds of his life.

***

NEXT>>

There's still blood on your hands.

Loki paces in a lazy line along the floor to ceiling windows. Every pass you feel his eyes drift to you. Accessing, conflicted, resolute.

You want to say something, biting and mean, maybe deflect. But nothing comes up out of your throat. It tightens instead, you try to swallow around the thickness building, blink back the tears you aren't sure will fall anymore.

You sniff back the sadness and rub a thumb through the dried blood on your other palm, it flakes but doesn't come off completely.

Loki stops pacing, his back towards you and his hands grip the scepter behind his back, knuckles blanching as his grip tightens. The lines of his shoulders stiffen and raise up to his ears.

You can see his patience and frustration wearing thin in real time, but you can't seem to care. The horned helmet disappears in a shimmer of green and gold. Loki levels you with a glare over his shoulder. Blue eyes pinning you to the spot.

"You didn't have to kill him," your voice is rough and hoarse. There's no point in trying to manage it, you could care less what this maniac thinks of you.

Loki scoffs, he turns on his heels and slowly strides towards you. There's a condescending smirk on his face as he stops in front of you, he tilts his head, blue eyes gleaming as they skate over your trembling form. He brings the scepter from behind his back and uses the tip of the scepter to lift your chin up and look at him.

There is a hum, you notice, the moment the scepter touches your skin. You feel it. A light thrumming behind your ribs. You don't notice Loki was speaking until your eyes refocus on his face. It sounds like you're under water, his voice is muffled and distant. Then he taps the point of the scepter to your chest.

Tang.

It rings, it chimes, it echoes and it pierces your ears.

Then a pulse, a bright wave of blue and gold and green. Time seems to slow, the colors stop in a bubble around the two of you. Sparkling in the air like fireflies.

The only thing you can hear is the two of you breathing.

"Wh-what is this?" you breath out. Your eyes are wide, and when you look at Loki, his expression mirrors yours.

His breathing is ragged and his eyes search your face.

His eyes. They changed.

Now they're green.

"What are you?" He wonders aloud. It's not the anger or unsettling rage you've seen him exude. No. This is wonder. Curiosity, maybe. Like he can't seem to place what or who you are in his many centuries old life.

You bring your hand to the scar on your chest, and Loki follows the movement.

His brows furrow, "I don't understand…" He shakes his head a little. "I- I didn't-" His eyes are wide and they shimmer with emotion, tears lining the waterline of his eyes. He swallows the words down and takes the scepter off the crystal scar on your chest.

There's a roaring of familiar pulsars out the giant windows. It barely pulls your attention. There's a loud clunk as the metal boots touch down on the balcony.

Loki steps back, and the bubble seems to pop. Colors die out just as fast as they came. He seems to forget himself, his brows scrunch and the eerie blue covers his eyes and settles to that crystalline piercing gaze again. It's almost like the last few minutes never happened. Loki's grip on the scepter tights as she spares you one last glance before he turns his ire on Stark, now without his suit of armor on.

"Hey there, Nightlight," Stark calls out as he saunters into the penthouse. "You doin' alright?" He takes in your appearance, the blood that's not yours that stains your SHIELD uniform, your hands. There's some smeared on your face where Coulson wiped a tear away.

You wrap your arms around yourself, "I've um - had better days," you tell him.

He hums, and settles behind the bar, "Yeah that seems to be going around." Then he levels Loki with a bored look. He finally acknowledges him and you see Loki stop his pacing, like a caged animal. Lowering his head a little like he's sizing up his prey before he pounces.

"Please," Loki starts, his voice is low, gravely, but teasing in the way only the God of Mischief can. "Tell me you're going to appeal to me 'humanity'…" He grins, all sharp edges and malice.

The man you glimpsed for a fraction of a second is not the God who stands before you now. He puts himself between you and Stark.

Stark rolls his shoulders back, with all the grace of a man who has gone against the world and tries not to be phased by it. "Threaten, actually," he shrugs.

"You should've left your armor on for that," Loki points out, grin widening and showing sharp teeth.

"Yeah," Stark's hands move behind the bar, glasses clinking as he reaches for a bottle of whiskey. "Drink?"

Loki chuckles low, tossing the scepter from hand to hand, "stalling me won't change anything."

Stark points an accusing finger and tuts, "Hm, no. No, no. Threatening. No drink, you sure?"

You try and make your way over to him, he eyes you as muscle memory takes over in making himself a drink. Amber liquid pools in the crystal glass, dark and tempting. Stark raises an eyebrow as you near, and Loki doesn't try to stop you. Maybe he's hesitant to reach out, touch you. Afraid of what would happen in front of Stark.

"Tsk, the Chitauri are coming, nothing will change that," Loki turns his back to you and Stark, pacing back to the large windows. "What do I have to fear?"

As you reach the bar, Stark slides a drink over to you as he sips his own. There's a small earpiece next to the crystal glass. You pull your eyes up, wide and alert, to his. He just gives you a wink and rounds the bar, giving your shoulder a small squeeze.

You duck your head and place the ear com in and take a swig of the whiskey. It burns, but you hardly notice it. Stark clinks his glass with yours before he swirls it a little.

"The Avengers," he says bluntly. Then rolls his eyes when both you and Loki give him a look. "It's what we're calling ourselves. Sort of like a team. 'Earth's Mightiest Heroes', type thing." He shrugs.

Loki grins, all sharp edges and sarcasm, "Yes, I've met them."

Stark swirls his drink, ice clinking against the glass. "yeah, takes a while to get any traction, I'll give you that one." He sets his glass down after he swallows the last of the whiskey. He gives you a subtle nod and paces to the center of the room, Loki mirroring his footsteps, slow and casual. "But let's do a head count here," he continues, "your brother, the demi-God; a Super Soldier, a living legend; a man with a breath-taking anger management issues; a couple of world class assassins;" Stark looks at you over his shoulder, a small smile pulling at his lips," a spy," then looks back at Loki. "And you big fella, managed to piss off every single one of them."

"That was the plan," Loki hums, turning back to the windows again, his eyes search the sky. You thought you saw worry, or apprehension behind his eyes. His shoulders are pulled tight, and he grips the scepter a little tighter.

"Not a great plan," Stark shrugs again. "When they come, and they will. They'll come for you."

Loki glares over his shoulder, "I have an army."

Stark levels him with a flat look, "We have a Hulk."

"I thought the beast had wondered off," the smirk is back.

"You're missing the point," Stark grits out. You can tell he's annoyed, or angry, maybe both. "There's no throne, there is no version of this, where you come out on top. Maybe your army comes, and maybe it's too much for us. But it's all on you. Because if we can't protect the Earth, than you can be damned well sure we'll avenge it."

Something warm sparks in your chest listening to his adamant conviction. He believes that group of unlikely heroes that Nick Fury brought together can actually get through this. Could actually take on Loki and his alien army.

Loki's nostrils flare, eyes burning, as he stalks closer to Stark. "how will your friends have time for me, when they're so busy fighting you?" He brings the scepter to Stark's chest. Fear crawls up your chest so fast you don't have time to call out before a dull clink of the scepter makes on the Arc reactor on Stark's chest. Loki repeats the action. Nothing hapens.

You sigh, shoulders relaxing. You rub a hand over the crystalline scar on your chest, fingers running along the edges.

Tony tilts his head, eyeing you over his shoulder, then looks back to Loki. "Well, performance issues, y'know?"

It happens faster than you can blink, Loki's expression shifts, a sneer lifting his lips as his hand shoots out and grabs Stark by the jaw, and throws him across the room. You squawk in surprise, going to help - somehow.

But Loki throws you a glare, pointing the scepter at you. The eerie glow flares like he'll use the weapon on you. You halt in your steps, heart leaping up to your throat. If a touch from the scepter did whatever it did before, what would happen if he fires it at you?

Loki grabs Tony by the jaw, and brings him close enough to lift him a few inches off the ground, "You will all fall before me!" Then Loki hurls Tony out the window, glass shattering as you scream his name. A fear so cold runs up your spin it freezes you in place.

Before you could make a move for the ledge, a red missile-sized construct flies out of the wall and through the broken window, chasing a plummeting Tony Stark. You don't have time to run to the edge before Tony's back. Hovering in the air.

"and there's one other person you pissed off," Tony raises a gauntlet, the loud screech of it powering up fills your ears. "His name is Phil." Tony fires a blast and it sends Loki flying back across the floor. The scepter falls free from his grip and skates across the tiles.

You make a move to grab it, but Tony stop you, "Leave it, firefly. Let's get going," his tinny voice comes through the broken window.

"What?" you stare at him with wide eyes, Tony's hovering outside a skyscraper and he expects you to what? "You want me to-"

"Jump, I'll catch you," he nods, extending a hand out to you. "Promise."

You shake your head, though you slowly move toward him. "I- I dunno, Tony-"

"I've got you," he hovers closer and reaches out more. At least he gets close enough that you can reach him if you jump. So, reaching out, he grips your elbow with a gauntlet hand and hauls you up. You wrap your arms around his neck and he helps you adjust, one arm warping around your back to grip your waist.

"All good?" he asks. He waits, and when you give him a nod he squeezes you once, "hold on tight." Before Tony turns to leave, you see Loki propped up on an elbow, staring after you, scepter long forgotten, but the blue in his eyes remain.

Then Tony takes off. To your credit you don't scream, you just tighten your grip a little more, you can almost feel the trademark Stark smirk through the Iron Man helmet.

"Natasha?" The wind whips by your ears but you could hear her clearly.

*

Jarvis had turned your comm unit on halfway through a conversation, and you heard Nat's voice.

"Y/N?! Oh my God. Where are you? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. I'm with Tony," you grip the Iron Man suit a little tighter as he veers to the left around a building. There, on the ground, you see the quinjet, and 3 figures stumble out. Tony lands a few feet from them, and you all but launch yourself at Natasha.

She pulls you in, hand on the back of your head. "don't ever do that again," she mumbles into your shoulder.

You huff a laugh, wrapping your arms around her, "I'll try not to get kidnapped by a demi-god again."

She playfully shoves your shoulder, "I'm serious," but she's smiling. When you step back from Nat, Clint stands behind her shoulder.

"Good to see you, kid," he winks, putting a hand on your shoulder.

You smile up at him, "Glad you're back with us, Barton."

Behind them, coming off the ramp of the quinjet, is Captain Rogers. The two of you lock eyes and your give him a small smile. His eyes take you in, maybe making sure you're unharmed and whole. Something passes behind his eyes you can't name, but he nods his head to you.

Nat squeezes your arm as she and Clint step away, everyone's attention being drawn back to the sky where the Chitauri continue to rain out of the portal.

**

You're tired. Exhausted. Maybe the most exhausted you've ever been in your life. You aren't a physical fighter. Never really have been.

So when your bullets ran out of the borrowed pistol Nat gave you, you had to resort to hand-to-hand combat. With Captain America at your back, and Thor at your side.

Thor sends out a scattering of lightning before he lands back on the broken pavement next to you. There's a playful smirk on his lips, and Mjolnir swings lazily in his hand.

"You fight well," he says to you.

"I hear a 'but' somewhere in there," you heave a deep breath, backing up to give him space. Thor laughs, sends Mjolnir flying in an arch around you, Rogers and himself.

"No, no, but. You fight well. You are mortal, and you are holding your own against an impossible, endless foe. I have known you a while. And I would not fault you if you chose not to stay and fight."

That makes you pause, wiping the back of your hand across your brow. Your chest heaves and your muscles ache, there's grime across your face and scrapes along your palms, elbows and knees. But in the face of danger, this literal God stops to pay you a compliment.

Thor is off like lightning, the sound of thunder following him as he flies away.

"we will not stop now," Thor continues, lightning crashes across the pavement and through advancing Chitauri. "We fight for those who can not. We fight until the last breath leaves our breast." Thor turns to you, that blindingly bright smile pulls his face into more joy than there is right to be. "And even then, we shall fight until Valkyr take our spirits to Valhalla!"

You huff, turning to Rogers, he looks half amused as one side of his lip tips up. "Don't let anyone tell you he does things by half," you roll your eyes and follow Captain Rogers the same way Thor went. He helps you over upturned cars and piles of wreckage. Dead aliens, and rubble.

After another block, you both finally caught up with Thor, and were joined by The Hulk.

"how many more you think are up there?" Its rhetorical, and you kind of don't want to know.

"Hey, can anyone hear me?" Nat's voice cuts through the coms. "I can close it. I can shut the portal down!"

You collapse onto the ground with a relieved sigh spilling from your lips. "Yes…"

"Close it!" Rogers tells her.

"No, wait!" Tony interrupts.

"Stark, these things are still coming," Rogers looks to you on the ground, then up to the sky as if he can see him and talk to Tony himself.

There's a grunt from Tony's end, "I got a nuke coming in, it's gona blow in less than a minute. And I know just where to put it."

You can see him now, he's small against the sky, going as fast as he can straight to the portal.

"Tony…"

"Stark, you know that's a one way trip."

"Yeah, I noticed."

"Tony. Th-there's gotta be another way."

"It's okay, kid," Tony's voice comes through like static. "Do..t..ry…be..ine."

You're on your feet fast, as soon as the static is steady. "Tony…?" There's a burning that runs through your chest. There's a pulse. Not your heartbeat. No, you feel like your on fire from the inside out.

Something catches, sparks; burns bright and hot inside your chest and down your torso and arms. There's muffled voices in your in your ears, but the only one you can't hear is through a wormhole somewhere in space.

"Hey, are you alright?" There's a hand on your shoulder, bare palm touching the bare skin. Your suits ripped from your shoulder, one arm scraped raw and bruised from fighting. You bring your hand up to his wrist, either to shove him away or keep him there. But the fire simmering along your skin seems to consume his hand, but it doesn't burn. There's a shimmer that runs up his arm and settles somewhere in his chest.

And you can feel him. He's bright, and warm. It makes your breathing slow - even out just a bit.

Your eyes snap up to Rogers', his lips part and his eyes are wide as he looks down at you. He licks his cracked lips, "What…what was that?" You can't worry about that now. Your mind keeps thinking of Tony. In space. He hasn't come out yet, and the portal is slowly closing.

You squeeze your eyes shut, willing your breathing to slow, your heart rate to stop sky rocketing. When you open your eyes again, there's a cloud of dark mist that begins to form in front of you. Then it expands and you can feel it. Feel where it leads, like some deep part of you knows exactly where it goes, who it leads to.

You step away from Rogers as the portal fully forms. The center looks exactly like the portal in the sky, as you reach your hand through, the fire in your chest fully ignites and alights your whole body in blue and gold light. Fire that licks up from your skin but doesn't burn.

You step through and the other side of that mist covered portal is space. Vast emptiness and distant stars. It's breathtaking.

There's a flare behind you, the massive alien ship exploding from the nuke Tony came through with.

Then you see him. Back lit by earth, but Loki's portal is closing - fast. You aren't sure what you're doing, or how you're doing it, but you're breathing in space - and flying.

The lights aren't on in the suit, and you're not even sure Tony is breathing. But you don't stop when you reach him. You just wrap you arms around his torso and move as fast as you can back towards the portal.

Just when you think you both won't make it, you burst free from the portal just as it closes. And as it does, your powers fade, the flames surrounding you fizzle out.

For a moment, the two of you are suspended mid-air. Then you begin to plummet. You rush passed skyscrapers and ruined buildings. And before you can crash into the pavement below, you twist your body so you take the brunt of the impact.

You crash back down to earth like a meteor, skidding across asphalt until you come to a stop. Somewhere along the way you vaguely remember letting Tony go.

Surely you're dead. You feel weightless. Drifting somewhere between the living and limbo. You can hear voices. There's one rumbling in your ear. It's warm, wherever you are.

Something taps your face, lightly at first, then with more force.

Hng, you grunt, squeezing your eyes shut. It takes all your strength to peel them open. The first thing you see are crystal blue eyes, concern and worry pinch his brow. His face may be dirtied and bloody, but his eyes shine bright.

"You…h-have ve-very pretty eyes…" you mumble into his chest. You hear Tony's weak laugh and see him sitting across from you. Rogers is cradling you as he sits on the ground. Equally exhausted.

Thor stands with his arms crossed, looking quite pleased. He laughs, but it's not as big and loud as it usually is, "Full glad am I to see you whole, my friend. You truly shined bright. Like moving Starlight! We could see the glow all the way from here." Thor smiles, then nods. "You are very special, dear Y/N."

"Special. Yeah," Tony sighs, he leans back on his hands, the Iron Man suit is on, but the helmet is gone. "I owe ya one, kid."

"D-don't mention it."

**

You're curled up on the floor, knees pulled tight to your chest. Your hands are shaking as the adrenaline finally wore off. SHIELD arrived up in the penthouse a few minutes ago for clean up, extraction and containment.

"Hey," a pair of shoes comes into your line of sight. When you pull your gaze up, Tony is standing there with two drinks in hand. He extends one down to you. You hand shakes as you reach up for the familiar crystal glass, the contents swish around before you can try and steady your grip with both hands.

After you take the drink, Tony shuffles on his feet for a second, sipping his drink as he shoves his other hand in his jeans pocket. He looks like he has something to say, but it won't come out of his mouth.

"Spit it out, Stark," you tell him, then take another sip of whiskey.

He sighs deep, then clears his throat, the glass dangles from his finger tips, "I, uh, saw you. Before I passed out." Tony says quietly, only for you to hear. "Thought - God - I thought I was gonna die out there. Then you showed up, blazing brighter than the sun and -"

It's quiet between the two of you for a long moment. The only sounds coming from across the room. The others conversing in what to do with Loki, STRIKE members coming to take the scepter. As the Cube is placed in a briefcase, it flickers, it catches your attention from the corner of your eye and both you and Tony look over.

You take a deep breath, testing a theory, it glows bright for a long second, stays as you hold your breath, then you exhale slow. And the Cube dims.

"Huh," Tony hums. "Well, isn't that something?" The case closes with a silent click.

The invisible spell breaks and Tony puts his hand out for you to take, after one last sip of whiskey, you grab his hand and let him walk you over to the others. He throws his arm around your shoulders and squeezes you into his side.

"What I meant to say was," Tony continues, "thanks for saving my life."

"Any time, Tony," you smile at him. And you mean it. He squeezes your shoulders again.

Something in your chest loosens - feels lighter. Warm and pleasant. Happy and content, right in this very moment. Your life is about to change, you can feel it. But with old and new friends by your side, you think you're going to be okay.

You just have to get through the rest of today.

**

i really hope you enjoyed this as much as i enjoyed revisiting this world. please like/relog/comment <3

There's still blood on your hands.

Loki paces in a lazy line along the floor to ceiling windows. Every pass you feel his eyes drift to you. Accessing, conflicted, resolute.

You want to say something, biting and mean, maybe deflect. But nothing comes up out of your throat. It tightens instead, you try to swallow around the thickness building, blink back the tears you aren't sure will fall anymore.

You sniff back the sadness and rub a thumb through the dried blood on your other palm, it flakes but doesn't come off completely.

Loki stops pacing, his back towards you and his hands grip the scepter behind his back, knuckles blanching as his grip tightens. The lines of his shoulders stiffen and raise up to his ears.

You can see his patience and frustration wearing thin in real time, but you can't seem to care. The horned helmet disappears in a shimmer of green and gold. Loki levels you with a glare over his shoulder. Blue eyes pinning you to the spot.

"You didn't have to kill him," your voice is rough and hoarse. There's no point in trying to manage it, you could care less what this maniac thinks of you.

Loki scoffs, he turns on his heels and slowly strides towards you. There's a condescending smirk on his face as he stops in front of you, he tilts his head, blue eyes gleaming as they skate over your trembling form. He brings the scepter from behind his back and uses the tip of the scepter to lift your chin up and look at him.

There is a hum, you notice, the moment the scepter touches your skin. You feel it. A light thrumming behind your ribs. You don't notice Loki was speaking until your eyes refocus on his face. It sounds like you're under water, his voice is muffled and distant. Then he taps the point of the scepter to your chest.

Tang.

It rings, it chimes, it echoes and it pierces your ears.

Then a pulse, a bright wave of blue and gold and green. Time seems to slow, the colors stop in a bubble around the two of you. Sparkling in the air like fireflies.

The only thing you can hear is the two of you breathing.

"Wh-what is this?" you breath out. Your eyes are wide, and when you look at Loki, his expression mirrors yours.

His breathing is ragged and his eyes search your face.

His eyes. They changed.

Now they're green.

"What are you?" He wonders aloud. It's not the anger or unsettling rage you've seen him exude. No. This is wonder. Curiosity, maybe. Like he can't seem to place what or who you are in his many centuries old life.

You bring your hand to the scar on your chest, and Loki follows the movement.

His brows furrow, "I don't understand…" He shakes his head a little. "I- I didn't-" His eyes are wide and they shimmer with emotion, tears lining the waterline of his eyes. He swallows the words down and takes the scepter off the crystal scar on your chest.

There's a roaring of familiar pulsars out the giant windows. It barely pulls your attention. There's a loud clunk as the metal boots touch down on the balcony.

Loki steps back, and the bubble seems to pop. Colors die out just as fast as they came. He seems to forget himself, his brows scrunch and the eerie blue covers his eyes and settles to that crystalline piercing gaze again. It's almost like the last few minutes never happened. Loki's grip on the scepter tights as she spares you one last glance before he turns his ire on Stark, now without his suit of armor on.

"Hey there, Nightlight," Stark calls out as he saunters into the penthouse. "You doin' alright?" He takes in your appearance, the blood that's not yours that stains your SHIELD uniform, your hands. There's some smeared on your face where Coulson wiped a tear away.

You wrap your arms around yourself, "I've um - had better days," you tell him.

He hums, and settles behind the bar, "Yeah that seems to be going around." Then he levels Loki with a bored look. He finally acknowledges him and you see Loki stop his pacing, like a caged animal. Lowering his head a little like he's sizing up his prey before he pounces.

"Please," Loki starts, his voice is low, gravely, but teasing in the way only the God of Mischief can. "Tell me you're going to appeal to me 'humanity'…" He grins, all sharp edges and malice.

The man you glimpsed for a fraction of a second is not the God who stands before you now. He puts himself between you and Stark.

Stark rolls his shoulders back, with all the grace of a man who has gone against the world and tries not to be phased by it. "Threaten, actually," he shrugs.

"You should've left your armor on for that," Loki points out, grin widening and showing sharp teeth.

"Yeah," Stark's hands move behind the bar, glasses clinking as he reaches for a bottle of whiskey. "Drink?"

Loki chuckles low, tossing the scepter from hand to hand, "stalling me won't change anything."

Stark points an accusing finger and tuts, "Hm, no. No, no. Threatening. No drink, you sure?"

You try and make your way over to him, he eyes you as muscle memory takes over in making himself a drink. Amber liquid pools in the crystal glass, dark and tempting. Stark raises an eyebrow as you near, and Loki doesn't try to stop you. Maybe he's hesitant to reach out, touch you. Afraid of what would happen in front of Stark.

"Tsk, the Chitauri are coming, nothing will change that," Loki turns his back to you and Stark, pacing back to the large windows. "What do I have to fear?"

As you reach the bar, Stark slides a drink over to you as he sips his own. There's a small earpiece next to the crystal glass. You pull your eyes up, wide and alert, to his. He just gives you a wink and rounds the bar, giving your shoulder a small squeeze.

You duck your head and place the ear com in and take a swig of the whiskey. It burns, but you hardly notice it. Stark clinks his glass with yours before he swirls it a little.

"The Avengers," he says bluntly. Then rolls his eyes when both you and Loki give him a look. "It's what we're calling ourselves. Sort of like a team. 'Earth's Mightiest Heroes', type thing." He shrugs.

Loki grins, all sharp edges and sarcasm, "Yes, I've met them."

Stark swirls his drink, ice clinking against the glass. "yeah, takes a while to get any traction, I'll give you that one." He sets his glass down after he swallows the last of the whiskey. He gives you a subtle nod and paces to the center of the room, Loki mirroring his footsteps, slow and casual. "But let's do a head count here," he continues, "your brother, the demi-God; a Super Soldier, a living legend; a man with a breath-taking anger management issues; a couple of world class assassins;" Stark looks at you over his shoulder, a small smile pulling at his lips," a spy," then looks back at Loki. "And you big fella, managed to piss off every single one of them."

"That was the plan," Loki hums, turning back to the windows again, his eyes search the sky. You thought you saw worry, or apprehension behind his eyes. His shoulders are pulled tight, and he grips the scepter a little tighter.

"Not a great plan," Stark shrugs again. "When they come, and they will. They'll come for you."

Loki glares over his shoulder, "I have an army."

Stark levels him with a flat look, "We have a Hulk."

"I thought the beast had wondered off," the smirk is back.

"You're missing the point," Stark grits out. You can tell he's annoyed, or angry, maybe both. "There's no throne, there is no version of this, where you come out on top. Maybe your army comes, and maybe it's too much for us. But it's all on you. Because if we can't protect the Earth, than you can be damned well sure we'll avenge it."

Something warm sparks in your chest listening to his adamant conviction. He believes that group of unlikely heroes that Nick Fury brought together can actually get through this. Could actually take on Loki and his alien army.

Loki's nostrils flare, eyes burning, as he stalks closer to Stark. "how will your friends have time for me, when they're so busy fighting you?" He brings the scepter to Stark's chest. Fear crawls up your chest so fast you don't have time to call out before a dull clink of the scepter makes on the Arc reactor on Stark's chest. Loki repeats the action. Nothing hapens.

You sigh, shoulders relaxing. You rub a hand over the crystalline scar on your chest, fingers running along the edges.

Tony tilts his head, eyeing you over his shoulder, then looks back to Loki. "Well, performance issues, y'know?"

It happens faster than you can blink, Loki's expression shifts, a sneer lifting his lips as his hand shoots out and grabs Stark by the jaw, and throws him across the room. You squawk in surprise, going to help - somehow.

But Loki throws you a glare, pointing the scepter at you. The eerie glow flares like he'll use the weapon on you. You halt in your steps, heart leaping up to your throat. If a touch from the scepter did whatever it did before, what would happen if he fires it at you?

Loki grabs Tony by the jaw, and brings him close enough to lift him a few inches off the ground, "You will all fall before me!" Then Loki hurls Tony out the window, glass shattering as you scream his name. A fear so cold runs up your spin it freezes you in place.

Before you could make a move for the ledge, a red missile-sized construct flies out of the wall and through the broken window, chasing a plummeting Tony Stark. You don't have time to run to the edge before Tony's back. Hovering in the air.

"and there's one other person you pissed off," Tony raises a gauntlet, the loud screech of it powering up fills your ears. "His name is Phil." Tony fires a blast and it sends Loki flying back across the floor. The scepter falls free from his grip and skates across the tiles.

You make a move to grab it, but Tony stop you, "Leave it, firefly. Let's get going," his tinny voice comes through the broken window.

"What?" you stare at him with wide eyes, Tony's hovering outside a skyscraper and he expects you to what? "You want me to-"

"Jump, I'll catch you," he nods, extending a hand out to you. "Promise."

You shake your head, though you slowly move toward him. "I- I dunno, Tony-"

"I've got you," he hovers closer and reaches out more. At least he gets close enough that you can reach him if you jump. So, reaching out, he grips your elbow with a gauntlet hand and hauls you up. You wrap your arms around his neck and he helps you adjust, one arm warping around your back to grip your waist.

"All good?" he asks. He waits, and when you give him a nod he squeezes you once, "hold on tight." Before Tony turns to leave, you see Loki propped up on an elbow, staring after you, scepter long forgotten, but the blue in his eyes remain.

Then Tony takes off. To your credit you don't scream, you just tighten your grip a little more, you can almost feel the trademark Stark smirk through the Iron Man helmet.

"Natasha?" The wind whips by your ears but you could hear her clearly.

*

Jarvis had turned your comm unit on halfway through a conversation, and you heard Nat's voice.

"Y/N?! Oh my God. Where are you? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. I'm with Tony," you grip the Iron Man suit a little tighter as he veers to the left around a building. There, on the ground, you see the quinjet, and 3 figures stumble out. Tony lands a few feet from them, and you all but launch yourself at Natasha.

She pulls you in, hand on the back of your head. "don't ever do that again," she mumbles into your shoulder.

You huff a laugh, wrapping your arms around her, "I'll try not to get kidnapped by a demi-god again."

She playfully shoves your shoulder, "I'm serious," but she's smiling. When you step back from Nat, Clint stands behind her shoulder.

"Good to see you, kid," he winks, putting a hand on your shoulder.

You smile up at him, "Glad you're back with us, Barton."

Behind them, coming off the ramp of the quinjet, is Captain Rogers. The two of you lock eyes and your give him a small smile. His eyes take you in, maybe making sure you're unharmed and whole. Something passes behind his eyes you can't name, but he nods his head to you.

Nat squeezes your arm as she and Clint step away, everyone's attention being drawn back to the sky where the Chitauri continue to rain out of the portal.

**

You're tired. Exhausted. Maybe the most exhausted you've ever been in your life. You aren't a physical fighter. Never really have been.

So when your bullets ran out of the borrowed pistol Nat gave you, you had to resort to hand-to-hand combat. With Captain America at your back, and Thor at your side.

Thor sends out a scattering of lightning before he lands back on the broken pavement next to you. There's a playful smirk on his lips, and Mjolnir swings lazily in his hand.

"You fight well," he says to you.

"I hear a 'but' somewhere in there," you heave a deep breath, backing up to give him space. Thor laughs, sends Mjolnir flying in an arch around you, Rogers and himself.

"No, no, but. You fight well. You are mortal, and you are holding your own against an impossible, endless foe. I have known you a while. And I would not fault you if you chose not to stay and fight."

That makes you pause, wiping the back of your hand across your brow. Your chest heaves and your muscles ache, there's grime across your face and scrapes along your palms, elbows and knees. But in the face of danger, this literal God stops to pay you a compliment.

Thor is off like lightning, the sound of thunder following him as he flies away.

"we will not stop now," Thor continues, lightning crashes across the pavement and through advancing Chitauri. "We fight for those who can not. We fight until the last breath leaves our breast." Thor turns to you, that blindingly bright smile pulls his face into more joy than there is right to be. "And even then, we shall fight until Valkyr take our spirits to Valhalla!"

You huff, turning to Rogers, he looks half amused as one side of his lip tips up. "Don't let anyone tell you he does things by half," you roll your eyes and follow Captain Rogers the same way Thor went. He helps you over upturned cars and piles of wreckage. Dead aliens, and rubble.

After another block, you both finally caught up with Thor, and were joined by The Hulk.

"how many more you think are up there?" Its rhetorical, and you kind of don't want to know.

"Hey, can anyone hear me?" Nat's voice cuts through the coms. "I can close it. I can shut the portal down!"

You collapse onto the ground with a relieved sigh spilling from your lips. "Yes…"

"Close it!" Rogers tells her.

"No, wait!" Tony interrupts.

"Stark, these things are still coming," Rogers looks to you on the ground, then up to the sky as if he can see him and talk to Tony himself.

There's a grunt from Tony's end, "I got a nuke coming in, it's gona blow in less than a minute. And I know just where to put it."

You can see him now, he's small against the sky, going as fast as he can straight to the portal.

"Tony…"

"Stark, you know that's a one way trip."

"Yeah, I noticed."

"Tony. Th-there's gotta be another way."

"It's okay, kid," Tony's voice comes through like static. "Do..t..ry…be..ine."

You're on your feet fast, as soon as the static is steady. "Tony…?" There's a burning that runs through your chest. There's a pulse. Not your heartbeat. No, you feel like your on fire from the inside out.

Something catches, sparks; burns bright and hot inside your chest and down your torso and arms. There's muffled voices in your in your ears, but the only one you can't hear is through a wormhole somewhere in space.

"Hey, are you alright?" There's a hand on your shoulder, bare palm touching the bare skin. Your suits ripped from your shoulder, one arm scraped raw and bruised from fighting. You bring your hand up to his wrist, either to shove him away or keep him there. But the fire simmering along your skin seems to consume his hand, but it doesn't burn. There's a shimmer that runs up his arm and settles somewhere in his chest.

And you can feel him. He's bright, and warm. It makes your breathing slow - even out just a bit.

Your eyes snap up to Rogers', his lips part and his eyes are wide as he looks down at you. He licks his cracked lips, "What…what was that?" You can't worry about that now. Your mind keeps thinking of Tony. In space. He hasn't come out yet, and the portal is slowly closing.

You squeeze your eyes shut, willing your breathing to slow, your heart rate to stop sky rocketing. When you open your eyes again, there's a cloud of dark mist that begins to form in front of you. Then it expands and you can feel it. Feel where it leads, like some deep part of you knows exactly where it goes, who it leads to.

You step away from Rogers as the portal fully forms. The center looks exactly like the portal in the sky, as you reach your hand through, the fire in your chest fully ignites and alights your whole body in blue and gold light. Fire that licks up from your skin but doesn't burn.

You step through and the other side of that mist covered portal is space. Vast emptiness and distant stars. It's breathtaking.

There's a flare behind you, the massive alien ship exploding from the nuke Tony came through with.

Then you see him. Back lit by earth, but Loki's portal is closing - fast. You aren't sure what you're doing, or how you're doing it, but you're breathing in space - and flying.

The lights aren't on in the suit, and you're not even sure Tony is breathing. But you don't stop when you reach him. You just wrap you arms around his torso and move as fast as you can back towards the portal.

Just when you think you both won't make it, you burst free from the portal just as it closes. And as it does, your powers fade, the flames surrounding you fizzle out.

For a moment, the two of you are suspended mid-air. Then you begin to plummet. You rush passed skyscrapers and ruined buildings. And before you can crash into the pavement below, you twist your body so you take the brunt of the impact.

You crash back down to earth like a meteor, skidding across asphalt until you come to a stop. Somewhere along the way you vaguely remember letting Tony go.

Surely you're dead. You feel weightless. Drifting somewhere between the living and limbo. You can hear voices. There's one rumbling in your ear. It's warm, wherever you are.

Something taps your face, lightly at first, then with more force.

Hng, you grunt, squeezing your eyes shut. It takes all your strength to peel them open. The first thing you see are crystal blue eyes, concern and worry pinch his brow. His face may be dirtied and bloody, but his eyes shine bright.

"You…h-have ve-very pretty eyes…" you mumble into his chest. You hear Tony's weak laugh and see him sitting across from you. Rogers is cradling you as he sits on the ground. Equally exhausted.

Thor stands with his arms crossed, looking quite pleased. He laughs, but it's not as big and loud as it usually is, "Full glad am I to see you whole, my friend. You truly shined bright. Like moving Starlight! We could see the glow all the way from here." Thor smiles, then nods. "You are very special, dear Y/N."

"Special. Yeah," Tony sighs, he leans back on his hands, the Iron Man suit is on, but the helmet is gone. "I owe ya one, kid."

"D-don't mention it."

**

You're curled up on the floor, knees pulled tight to your chest. Your hands are shaking as the adrenaline finally wore off. SHIELD arrived up in the penthouse a few minutes ago for clean up, extraction and containment.

"Hey," a pair of shoes comes into your line of sight. When you pull your gaze up, Tony is standing there with two drinks in hand. He extends one down to you. You hand shakes as you reach up for the familiar crystal glass, the contents swish around before you can try and steady your grip with both hands.

After you take the drink, Tony shuffles on his feet for a second, sipping his drink as he shoves his other hand in his jeans pocket. He looks like he has something to say, but it won't come out of his mouth.

"Spit it out, Stark," you tell him, then take another sip of whiskey.

He sighs deep, then clears his throat, the glass dangles from his finger tips, "I, uh, saw you. Before I passed out." Tony says quietly, only for you to hear. "Thought - God - I thought I was gonna die out there. Then you showed up, blazing brighter than the sun and -"

It's quiet between the two of you for a long moment. The only sounds coming from across the room. The others conversing in what to do with Loki, STRIKE members coming to take the scepter. As the Cube is placed in a briefcase, it flickers, it catches your attention from the corner of your eye and both you and Tony look over.

You take a deep breath, testing a theory, it glows bright for a long second, stays as you hold your breath, then you exhale slow. And the Cube dims.

"Huh," Tony hums. "Well, isn't that something?" The case closes with a silent click.

The invisible spell breaks and Tony puts his hand out for you to take, after one last sip of whiskey, you grab his hand and let him walk you over to the others. He throws his arm around your shoulders and squeezes you into his side.

"What I meant to say was," Tony continues, "thanks for saving my life."

"Any time, Tony," you smile at him. And you mean it. He squeezes your shoulders again.

Something in your chest loosens - feels lighter. Warm and pleasant. Happy and content, right in this very moment. Your life is about to change, you can feel it. But with old and new friends by your side, you think you're going to be okay.

You just have to get through the rest of today.

**

i really hope you enjoyed this as much as i enjoyed revisiting this world. please like/relog/comment <3