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ericadawn16Happy Birthday, i_llbedammned !!!!! Sorry, it's late.
The One with George Stephanopoulos
September 22, 2013
Phil took a shaky breath. The phone went black, but he could still see the lock screen declaring that it was September 22, 2013.
No one had called. Pepper always called. Of course, she hadn’t last year while he was still in a coma or whatever. Now he was awake and fine.
No, that wasn’t true. Pepper hadn’t talked to him at all since everything happened. He’d received messages that were supposed to be from Pepper, not Pepper herself. There had been excuses why she was busy or why Phil wasn’t dealing with Tony anymore. It wasn’t just Tony though…
Clint and Tash had been the only Avengers he’d been in personal contact with. Phil felt like an idiot. This had been going on for months after his rehab stint had ended. He should have noticed sooner. The old Phil would have noticed right away. He ran a pale hand through his thinning brown hair.
Phil looked around the SHIELD issued apartment, including the new phone. Not since his academy days had he been this controlled. This was no better than what they had done to Steve. He checked his weapon. The bullets were real. They trusted him that much. He fit what he could in a briefcase; a duffel would be too suspicious with no missions planned. He picked up the sunglasses. Then, he left.
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Tony kept Happy close as he entered the Baxter Building. Birds chirped from the small trees. Reed Richards was a brilliant scientist. However, he was also known for being secretive and even less willing to play with others than Tony. It was an odd invitation. The secretary directed him to a formal office on the first floor. It didn’t look used.
After eighteen minutes, Tony turned to Happy, “I’ve heard that if the teacher doesn’t get here in twenty minutes, class is cancelled.”
“I always hated school.”
That’s when the door opened and a man about a decade younger than Tony entered. His suit was rumpled and spotted. He held his hand out and Tony withdrew further. The other took his hand back. Tony knew this was Reed Richards. His blue eyes were nervous.
“I’m sorry about being late. I could blame it on some new discovery, but it was my son. He wanted to know why the sky was blue so of course, I had to-“
He shook his head. The brief smile disappeared.
“Never mind that,” Reed said, taking out his phone. He set it on the desk and a hologram of an older man appeared. He looked familiar although Tony couldn’t place him.
“Don’t accept any story he tells; Richards is chronically late. I’m Charles Xavier. I run a school for gifted students, but there’s far more to it than that,” Charles explained. “You seem to be setting yourself up for leader of the Avengers.”
“Well, there’s also Steve. I was just first with this business before he got defrosted-“
Happy coughed which sounded a lot like ‘Hulk’.
“Yes, well, Reed and I have decided you should know the truth about us-“
“Oh, is this like a Poly Hunger Games thing?”
The hologram was good enough to make out his eye rolling.
“Mutants have existed for hundreds of years. SHIELD knows all about us. We have a deal. I take care of things-“
“Your gifted students are mutants?” Tony interrupted again. They were surrounded by lights mimicking sunlight, but no actual windows.
“Precisely, their gifts can be a danger to themselves or others. We teach them how to control it and protect them from those who would harm them.”
Part of that would be protecting their existence from the general public. The secrecy made sense, but one thing he didn’t understand.
“Why are you at this meeting?” he asked Reed.
“Why indeed,” Reed seemed to agree before reaching for the hologram button. It was across the room at that point. Tony didn’t understand his movement until he realized Reed’s arm was elongating.
“We’re not on an elevator, are we?” Happy asked.
“No, is that what happened in space? The solar flare attack?”
“There was more to it. If not for Charles, we’d be dead. I’ll be forever in his debt. The others were changed, too. Come on up and I’ll show you a tour of the real Baxter Building,” Reed suggested with a sad smile. Tony nodded.
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Clint didn’t know why he was so nervous. Then again, it was a public place. Jess didn’t like being in public like that. Maybe Vange was good for her in ways Clint couldn’t have been. He reached for the ring that wasn’t there. The divorce was final even though the last time they’d met-
They hadn’t acted that divorced together. He wondered if she had told Vange. He stood up from the bench and started stretching to get his mind off things. What did Jess want?
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Reed watched Tony’s expression. Despite being Stark, he could tell he was impressed with what he saw. Reed took pride in their R&D floor, even more so with his family around him.
“That’s my brother-in-law, Johnny. He’s testing out some flame-retardant ideas,” he said, pointing to the fiery corner of the room.
“I don’t see Sue,” Tony explained, looking around after noticing Johnny.
“No, you wouldn’t,” Reed said with a chuckle. Then, he heard the sound of Johnny moving and groaned.
“A guest? Tony Stark himself, nice, make sure he doesn’t steal all the unfinished prototypes,” Johnny spoke. Tony just nodded with a polite smile.
“Did you mean that literally? Sue has invisible powers. Johnny has flame properties. There was another on that ship, Christian Anderson?”
“Ben Grimm, he’s developed super strength,” Reed said with a nod. He was never sure how much Ben wanted said to others. Maybe now they could be more public, including him.
“And a rock-hard orange dick,” Johnny joked. “Seriously, why do you never lead with that? The man is a giant rock monster now.”
Tony was biting his lip, as though to keep from saying anything. Happy had been fine with not being in the top-secret lab. Reed once again restrained his murderous thoughts towards Johnny. How could he and Sue be so different?
“As much as I could stay here all day, let’s go rescue Happy from your nursery,” Tony suggested.
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Phil kept expecting someone to stop him. By Central Park, it was evident that he either lost them or his leash was longer than he thought. He knew Avengers Tower was out of the question though. SWORD was a possibility, but would be seen as a betrayal and would she even talk to him again? Charles was too far away. There was only one person left to trust: Sue Richards.
Just as Phil reached the Baxter Building, a man caught his eye. He wore a brown ballcap to hide the hair and a green t-shirt, but he saw through the disguise. It was Loki. Phil watched as he entered the building across the street. The old male door attendant nodded at him. Loki lived there. It was the one place that SHIELD would never think to look.
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One of Johnny’s favorite things in this life would always be annoying Sue’s husband. Sue had steeled herself against all his ways. Reed appeared incapable.
Johnny had to follow them to the nursery where Agatha gave him a stern look as though she could read his thoughts. Happy was sitting on the floor with Franklin hitting him with a plastic doctor’s hammer.
“Franklin here-“
“Not Franklin, Doc McStuffens,” the boy corrected him. He tapped his shoes so they blinked.
“He says I’m a stuffed bear,” Happy explained. It must be his height and weight. Hadn’t he been in a coma? It didn’t seem to affect his weight. Tony studied his nephew; all three feet of him.
“Your genetics weren’t changed?” he asked Reed.
“Not that we can tell, thank God,” Reed answered back. Tony nodded.
“Can’t see,” Franklin complained. He was trying to see inside Happy’s ear. “Unca Johnny!”
“No, no, we have flashlights. Let me get one,” Agatha stated. As she turned her back on them, Johnny made a small flame in his palm and Franklin lit up.
“You should use your powers for good. We could use you in the Avengers,” Tony suggested. Johnny laughed.
“We have a name, the Fantastic Four,” he said before holding the flame near Happy’s ear. Happy yelped and stood up. “I wasn’t anywhere near your skin.”
“Why haven’t we seen anything? Read anything?” Tony asked. His goatee was immaculate.
“We’ve been working with SWORD. We didn’t want to be too public. This was two years before you started being Iron Man. What if everyone said we were freaks? Or it meant that mutants went public?”
“The mutants can’t stay hidden forever, but what’s SWORD?” Tony asked. Franklin pulled on Happy’s coat to lean down again.
Johnny held back, grinning at Tony doing his job for him.
“Oh no, you’re too close to SHIELD for me to tell you about SWORD.”
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Loki was annoyed. He had definitely killed the man in front of him and here he was, walking into his penthouse.
“What do you want?”
“Just a place to stay while I figure out what to do,” the man spoke. It wasn’t magic like his mom’s return from the dead. Even without his powers, he could sense that much. Loki narrowed his green eyes.
“SHIELD has bases and properties worldwide. Why not use one of them?”
“Because that’s who I’m hiding from,” the other admitted. Loki realized his brother had always mentioned son of Coul or Phil in the past-tense. This man had been kept hidden. The Avengers, including his brother, might all still think him dead. This could be fun.
“I suppose you could stay for now,” Loki agreed.
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Jasper finished fastening the diaper before signing ALL DONE. He felt confidant for a couple of seconds before worrying that he’d gotten the fingering wrong. Then, Darwin signed it back. Jasper smiled in relief.
WHAT DO YOU WANT TO DO NOW?
Darwin signed something back that Jasper didn’t recognize. They were both still learning. He picked him up to find Jazmine.
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Phil thought it would be safe to watch television. Loki had a large one. It was a little surprising. Thor never seemed to have the attention span.
“I lost my own mother to breast cancer at a very young age when I was in my 20s and I know that Gary feels incredibly sorry for his kids because they no longer have their mother around with them,” said the Supernanny.
He thought again of today. Tears started coming down. He tried to rub them away. Loki looked at him. His expression was confused.
“Are you-“ Loki asked, paused. “Broken?”
Phil wished he was surrounded by those who understood.
“It’s today. It’s the 22nd. When I was nine, my dad died. When I was twenty-eight, my mom died. They both died on the 22nd.”
Loki put a hand out before taking it away. His mouth opened and closed with a sound. Then, he buried himself in his iPhone. Phil kept crying.
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Steve took one more look at Peggy asleep, put the ballcap on and left the room. It always made him sad to see her this way. She led a full life without him, but now her mind was gone. In the hallway was Tommy Saunders with his dark hair freshly chopped.
“Steve, I kept hoping I would see you again,” the man said with a smile. He still wore his uniform just like the first day they met when the aliens attacked New York. “I have some photos I want to give you. I know you said SHIELD gave you some, but they’re not family.”
Tom reached into his jacket pocket for two photos. Steve took them from him. His hands looked pale in comparison. Tommy’s mother must be Italian.
“Ally my grandparents, my aunt gave them to me. Don’t worry, these are copies.”
“Thank you,” Steve said.
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Tony’s phone buzzed; not work. Only a few people were supposed to have that number.
“Sorry,” he apologized to Reed before taking it out. It was a text.
Come get him.
Attached was a photo of Phil Coulson. He gasped; not something he did much anymore. It looked like Phil, but the hair was different, and the face looked older. The blue eyes were tear stained. Tony pushed a button.
“Jarvis, tell me what you can about this photo and number.”
After a moment, Jarvis replied, “The photo and text are both less than an hour old. Both were taken at the same location. My guess would be the penthouse across the street.”
Tony ignored Reed and the others as he hurried to the closest window opposite the building Jarvis meant. There were two figures in the penthouse. One with the build and height that could be Phil. The other tall with black hair. It had to be Loki. He considered Iron Man, but the broken windows would be rude and call too much attention. Tony ran for the stairs.
“Tony! Tony! I will meet you downstairs,” Happy called. Tony almost didn’t hear it as he ran down. After ten minutes, he gave up and went for the elevator.
“Jarvis?”
“Floor eighteen has an outdoor terrace to use the suit.”
“That’s better,” Tony spoke, setting the button. He still didn’t want to put Phil in danger-
Again.
If that was Phil who was supposed to be dead, but this was SHIELD who made weapons without telling them-
SHIELD that was co-founded by his father.
They were capable of anything.
Tony landed on the sidewalk. The suit undid itself. It didn’t make him feel as vulnerable as it did before.
“Tony Stark! You should let me interview you sometime,” George Stephanopoulos spoke, appearing out of nowhere. His lip gloss glistening in the sun.
“Happy?” he asked. They must be on their way. “Uh, speak to Happy Hogan. I have something else to do.”
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Bowen Lafayette smiled and nodded at his thirty-month-old daughter, holding the storybook with her hands. Jillian had painted her nails blue. It matched her t-shirt and leggings.
“One day in class, Dun-can went to take out his-,” Lunella paused. Then, she looked up at Bowen, asking, “What’s this word?”
“Crayons, that’s a hard one. You can’t really sound it out, can you?” he remarked. She shook her head. He tried not to let show, but inside, he still couldn’t believe their toddler could be so smart.
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Steve was at his apartment when he took the photos out again. Peggy was equally happy in both. Her husband, Daniel Souza, appeared to have been a good man. Angie had moved in after his death to help with the children. They were old friends. No one suspected different. They should have been allowed marriage, too. Instead, Angie Martinelli’s true role was hidden from the world, even now. For such a modern, progressive world, it still wasn’t legal for two women to marry across much of the United States. It was disgusting. His phone buzzed. He took it out to see a mysterious text and photo.
“Coulson?”
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Jess saw Clint coming and went to meet him easily in her running shoes. Her heart pounded as she directed him to a secluded bench in the park. A large white egret strolled past, looking for junk food. She shooed it away. It complained with a guttural cluck.
Her expression gave away her turmoil.
“What? What is it? What’s wrong?” he asked, going for her hand before taking it away.
“No, nothing’s wrong, just-“
She took a deep breath before blurting it out, “I’m pregnant.”
Last time, she had done the dinner and the carefully planned reveal, but they both knew how that turned out. She saw the same gamut of emotions run across his face.
“How far along?”
“Almost the second trimester,” she uttered, watching him. He nodded. They both knew that meant miscarriage was significantly lessened, but last time had proved how it was still possible.
“Would you have told me?”
His green eyes were earnest. They weren’t good at lying to each other.
“I don’t know.”
He nodded.
“Uh, we haven’t decided on the last name, but I don’t think we’re going to use Barton.”
Jess watched once again for the thoughts reflected in his face. They weren’t there this time. Then, his phone went off. It felt like a lifeline thrown to him, the way he snatched it out to look.
“I have to go, we’ll talk later,” he said. Now, she was the one who nodded before watching him disappear.
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Even through his tears, Phil realized Loki was up to something. There had been too much activity on his phone. He wouldn’t bring SHIELD to his door. However, he would use this knowledge against Thor. Loki had probably told the Avengers.
It was what he wanted, right?
Would that include Clint and Tasha? He didn’t want to confront them yet about their parts in everything. What did have Clint so preoccupied today?
“Have you eaten?”
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“I could get used to this,” Luke Cage spoke, clutching the woman he loved in their bed.
“You should, you’re free now,” Reva Connors uttered.
“And in six days, we’ll husband and wife,” he reminded her. It felt like a dream.
“Everything is so perfect, sometimes, I worry I’ll wake up and you’ll still be in prison,” she whispered. Even their thoughts were alike.
“I’m right here,” he said and kissed her.
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Thor landed on Loki’s balcony. He kept tabs on Loki but hadn’t visited before. The window had already been blown open.
“Son of Coul!” he boomed. He didn’t believe his eyes at the man in a hug with Tony Stark. The scientist broke from the embrace as soon as Thor said anything. “I know this can’t be your doing.”
Loki was in the kitchen area, messing with things. The plain t-shirt and jeans were surprising. He was hit with the feeling that Loki was avoiding him. No matter, the man in front of him was more important right now.
“Thor, I’ve even missed you, but call me Phil.”
Thor grinned and picked the man up into a bearhug.
“Oof, too much.”
Thor set him down again.
“My apologies,” he said, looking from him to Tony and back again. “How is this possible?”
Thor wished he could feel magic the way his mother and Loki could.
“He claims the miracles of modern science.”
Tony’s tone was disbelief, but why would the Son-er, Phil lie to them. Then again, -
“Why the secrecy? And why didn’t you mention your war criminal brother was living here in New York City of all places?”
That’s when there was a knock on the door. They looked at Loki.
“At least one of you has manners,” he replied, going for the door. It opened to reveal Steve.
“Is it true?”
Phil waved. Steve’s mouth gaped open in shock. He didn’t step inside. Loki shut the door.
“Loki!”
“Fine.”
Loki opened the door and Steve came in.
“Did they lie to us again?” Steve asked with a hard edge.
“They lied to all of us,” Phil admitted in a defeated tone.
“What?” Tony spat.
“They’ve given me messages from all of you with various excuses why we couldn’t meet in person.”
“Catfish,” Tony said before shaking his head.
“I’m here,” Happy said in the doorway, catching his breath.
“I don’t know what that has to do with this current situation, but I would love some catfish. Fury had some at Steve’s birthday party.”
Everyone gave Thor that look like they did when he said something stupid. Loki’s look turned into a smile.
“What now then? Should I offer you a job?” Tony asked. It didn’t seem completely sincere.
Phil laughed.
“We’d kill each other. I haven’t gotten that far. Today’s the 22nd. It’s a bit much.”
Thor didn’t know what that meant. For once, the others didn’t seem to know either. Loki had his back to them, but he could tell he was listening. Some reality program was on the television.
There was another knock. This time, Steve opened it. On the other side was a woman with glasses and dark hair. Were those pink streaks on the ringlets? Tony sighed.
“So, they sent you,” Phil said with a nod.
“Yes, an active SHIELD agent in my home,” Loki complained, putting on a ballcap.
“Sorry, I don’t know you,” Thor apologized. Steve shrugged. She walked in.
“This is Victoria Hand,” Phil explained. “Her security clearance is as high as mine.”
“Obviously,” Tony retorted. The door hadn’t been shut behind her and Thor heard running in the hallway. It was Clint. He ignored everyone until he reached Clint.
“I’m so sorry I fucked up about today.”
Hand rolled her eyes.
“No, it’s better this way. I realized the truth and now everyone knows,” Phil said with a nod.
“And now you act like it’s not a problem?”
“Why should it be? Does it ruin some other plan of yours?” Steve asked.
“I’m going to remind you all that the Avengers Initiative was SHIELD’s idea. We own it. Nothing you do gets by us unless we allow it. This was fun, but now Coulson needs to leave. You still have medical conditions that should be monitored.”
“I could have Jarvis do that. He monitors mine,” Tony suggested. Loki laughed.
“Going from one master to another.”
“What’s so special about today?” Steve asked.
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Darcy sighed. There was a lot more paperwork to working for SHIELD than she imagined. She wanted to be out in the field, not behind a desk. Even with Jane, there hadn’t been this many forms and things. Her phone meowed. That meant Jane had texted. She wasn’t supposed to check her phone at her desk, but she was that bored. Her iPod wasn’t even allowed. Jane could just be texting her about Sukkot. Jane was such a good Jew and Darcy could barely make it to temple.
Thor says Coulson is alive, he’s with him now
Darcy had to read that text several times before it sunk in. Here’s where the office job would pay off. She’d keep looking and hacking until she found out more.
“Agent Lewis.”
Damn, nothing sent a cold wave up her spine the way Fury’s voice did especially right behind her. His brown eyes bore into her even without turning around.
“You’re not thinking of tracking down Agent Coulson?”
“Agent iPod Stealer? No, why would you think that? Besides, he’s dead. Everyone knows that,” Darcy said, squeezing an old plush bunny also on her desk.
“Good.”
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
“Where are we?” Clint asked as Phil pulled the door shut behind them.
“One of Loki’s other rooms, I guess for his non-existent guests,” he explained.
For a moment, Clint felt constricted, like he couldn’t breathe. Then, he reminded himself that Phil was killed by Loki and seemed to have no problems. There were bigger issues.
“What’s going on with you? You wouldn’t miss checking in on me unless it was important.”
Clint nodded.
“Yes, important, very important,” Clint said, making eye contact at first. He couldn’t keep it with his next statement. “Jess had to see me. She’s pregnant.”
“And it’s your’s?”
Clint rolled his eyes.
“No, Vange’s dragon form has a dick. Yes, it’s me. We’re having a baby,” he said before whispering. “Again.”
“Clint.”
Phil took him in his arms. It felt good and comforting.
“She also told me they don’t plan to name it Barton.”
Phil pulled away. His blue eyes were sympathetic.
“No, it’s better. We Bartons are cursed. Maybe it shouldn’t even be born, like their brother. My dad did such a good job when he-“
“Clint,” Phil cut him off. “All my reassurances then still apply. You’re not your dad. You’re not your brother. You’re one of the best people I’ve ever known.”
Clint found that hard to believe. However, Phil was so earnest. He couldn’t argue back.
“You’re a good person.”
His words made Clint tear up.
“What if? What if we lose them again?”
Warm arms were around him once more.
“It can’t be too early. She must be close to the second trimester if it’s the time I’m thinking of.”
Clint knew his cheeks were red.
“Yes, it was that time. She waited to tell me, but I still can’t help thinking about everything that could go wrong like last time,” Clint complained.
“I wish that I could promise that it won’t, but I know lots of people have rainbow babies.”
Clint shook his head, tried to laugh.
“It isn’t even born, and you just assume it’ll take after me and Jess that way?”
“Probably, but I wasn’t referring to you being Bi. A rainbow baby is a baby born after the couple lost a child before. This will be your rainbow baby,” Phil spoke. “Rainbows aren’t just pretty. They’re about the promise of hope after the storm.”
It was a good silence after that, just sitting on the bed. Clint was in his workout clothes and Phil in his suit like always. Each made sure their shoes didn’t touch the quilt. They were almost the same height.
“I guess they sent Victoria to bring you back in.”
“Over my dead body, oops I guess they did that already,” Phil complained. Clint waited to see if he wanted to get into that. Clint didn’t. He was relieved when the other man didn’t press the issue.
“I’ll figure something out, at least Tony knows now. Between him and Pepper, I shouldn’t just turn up missing.”
After another pause, Clint asked, “Do you really think I could be a good dad?”
“I do,” said Phil with a smile. It made him feel better. The door opened with an annoyed Loki.
“Don’t leave me alone with them and her. Thor ate all the sausages.”
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Blade cut the vampire’s head off. It was another disappointing night. They seemed no closer to finding his mother’s killer. Dracula just enjoyed killing others of his kind he found unworthy. He was beginning to reconsider their partnership.
“Patience,” Dracula hissed. It had been less than a month. Tracking down Dracula alone had taken a couple of years.
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“I’m not going back with you, Vicky,” Phil spoke. She pursed her lips at the hated nickname. “I’m staying.”
As he expected, Loki came closer. He wasn’t the same. Phil felt little fear in his doing that.
“I never agreed to that,” the Asgardian whispered. Not a single whisker was on his smooth face.
“No, but I need a place to stay. You have extra rooms and do you want me or a stranger they’ll place on the floor below you? My being here could prevent SHIELD from worse spying.”
Loki frowned, but gave the slightest of nods.
“Go back to Fury and tell him that I won’t be lied to or babysat anymore,” Phil spat. They all stared at her until she left. Sue wouldn’t have worked as an option at this rate.
“So, coma buddies?” Happy asked.
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“Lang is nine months into his five-year prison sentence,” said the news announcer. “VistaCorp’s merger with the Roxxon Corporation should be approved tomorrow.”
Skye turned the television off and shook her head.
“We should be doing more.”
“And end up in prison? I can’t do that,” Micro spoke. “We have to be careful.”
“But-“
“Skye, you’ve done so much. You’ve been so important to this team. You were the only reason we found out about that Chitauri Neural Link,” Miles argued. She was distracted for a moment by how good he smelled.
That had been some impressive work on her part.
“We’ll get them,” Micro tried to reassure her, squeezing her shoulder. The electronics hummed.
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Phil slid his hand over the smooth red finish of the 1962 Chevrolet Corvette. Lola had been another thing kept from him. He wasn’t an idiot. Lola and the team were bribes to stay with SHIELD.
Then again, SHIELD was all he had ever known. He’d burned his bridges with the FBI. The only other options were Stark or SWORD. It was the easy thing to do; accept Lola and his personal team.
Phil would never be naïve again though. The team would have at least one spy, maybe Melinda May herself. He would stay living with Loki as protection.
His phone chirped. With a smile, he saw that it was Pepper Potts.
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i_llbedammned !!!!! Sorry, it's late. The One with George Stephanopoulos
September 22, 2013
Phil took a shaky breath. The phone went black, but he could still see the lock screen declaring that it was September 22, 2013.
No one had called. Pepper always called. Of course, she hadn’t last year while he was still in a coma or whatever. Now he was awake and fine.
No, that wasn’t true. Pepper hadn’t talked to him at all since everything happened. He’d received messages that were supposed to be from Pepper, not Pepper herself. There had been excuses why she was busy or why Phil wasn’t dealing with Tony anymore. It wasn’t just Tony though…
Clint and Tash had been the only Avengers he’d been in personal contact with. Phil felt like an idiot. This had been going on for months after his rehab stint had ended. He should have noticed sooner. The old Phil would have noticed right away. He ran a pale hand through his thinning brown hair.
Phil looked around the SHIELD issued apartment, including the new phone. Not since his academy days had he been this controlled. This was no better than what they had done to Steve. He checked his weapon. The bullets were real. They trusted him that much. He fit what he could in a briefcase; a duffel would be too suspicious with no missions planned. He picked up the sunglasses. Then, he left.
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Tony kept Happy close as he entered the Baxter Building. Birds chirped from the small trees. Reed Richards was a brilliant scientist. However, he was also known for being secretive and even less willing to play with others than Tony. It was an odd invitation. The secretary directed him to a formal office on the first floor. It didn’t look used.
After eighteen minutes, Tony turned to Happy, “I’ve heard that if the teacher doesn’t get here in twenty minutes, class is cancelled.”
“I always hated school.”
That’s when the door opened and a man about a decade younger than Tony entered. His suit was rumpled and spotted. He held his hand out and Tony withdrew further. The other took his hand back. Tony knew this was Reed Richards. His blue eyes were nervous.
“I’m sorry about being late. I could blame it on some new discovery, but it was my son. He wanted to know why the sky was blue so of course, I had to-“
He shook his head. The brief smile disappeared.
“Never mind that,” Reed said, taking out his phone. He set it on the desk and a hologram of an older man appeared. He looked familiar although Tony couldn’t place him.
“Don’t accept any story he tells; Richards is chronically late. I’m Charles Xavier. I run a school for gifted students, but there’s far more to it than that,” Charles explained. “You seem to be setting yourself up for leader of the Avengers.”
“Well, there’s also Steve. I was just first with this business before he got defrosted-“
Happy coughed which sounded a lot like ‘Hulk’.
“Yes, well, Reed and I have decided you should know the truth about us-“
“Oh, is this like a Poly Hunger Games thing?”
The hologram was good enough to make out his eye rolling.
“Mutants have existed for hundreds of years. SHIELD knows all about us. We have a deal. I take care of things-“
“Your gifted students are mutants?” Tony interrupted again. They were surrounded by lights mimicking sunlight, but no actual windows.
“Precisely, their gifts can be a danger to themselves or others. We teach them how to control it and protect them from those who would harm them.”
Part of that would be protecting their existence from the general public. The secrecy made sense, but one thing he didn’t understand.
“Why are you at this meeting?” he asked Reed.
“Why indeed,” Reed seemed to agree before reaching for the hologram button. It was across the room at that point. Tony didn’t understand his movement until he realized Reed’s arm was elongating.
“We’re not on an elevator, are we?” Happy asked.
“No, is that what happened in space? The solar flare attack?”
“There was more to it. If not for Charles, we’d be dead. I’ll be forever in his debt. The others were changed, too. Come on up and I’ll show you a tour of the real Baxter Building,” Reed suggested with a sad smile. Tony nodded.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Clint didn’t know why he was so nervous. Then again, it was a public place. Jess didn’t like being in public like that. Maybe Vange was good for her in ways Clint couldn’t have been. He reached for the ring that wasn’t there. The divorce was final even though the last time they’d met-
They hadn’t acted that divorced together. He wondered if she had told Vange. He stood up from the bench and started stretching to get his mind off things. What did Jess want?
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Reed watched Tony’s expression. Despite being Stark, he could tell he was impressed with what he saw. Reed took pride in their R&D floor, even more so with his family around him.
“That’s my brother-in-law, Johnny. He’s testing out some flame-retardant ideas,” he said, pointing to the fiery corner of the room.
“I don’t see Sue,” Tony explained, looking around after noticing Johnny.
“No, you wouldn’t,” Reed said with a chuckle. Then, he heard the sound of Johnny moving and groaned.
“A guest? Tony Stark himself, nice, make sure he doesn’t steal all the unfinished prototypes,” Johnny spoke. Tony just nodded with a polite smile.
“Did you mean that literally? Sue has invisible powers. Johnny has flame properties. There was another on that ship, Christian Anderson?”
“Ben Grimm, he’s developed super strength,” Reed said with a nod. He was never sure how much Ben wanted said to others. Maybe now they could be more public, including him.
“And a rock-hard orange dick,” Johnny joked. “Seriously, why do you never lead with that? The man is a giant rock monster now.”
Tony was biting his lip, as though to keep from saying anything. Happy had been fine with not being in the top-secret lab. Reed once again restrained his murderous thoughts towards Johnny. How could he and Sue be so different?
“As much as I could stay here all day, let’s go rescue Happy from your nursery,” Tony suggested.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Phil kept expecting someone to stop him. By Central Park, it was evident that he either lost them or his leash was longer than he thought. He knew Avengers Tower was out of the question though. SWORD was a possibility, but would be seen as a betrayal and would she even talk to him again? Charles was too far away. There was only one person left to trust: Sue Richards.
Just as Phil reached the Baxter Building, a man caught his eye. He wore a brown ballcap to hide the hair and a green t-shirt, but he saw through the disguise. It was Loki. Phil watched as he entered the building across the street. The old male door attendant nodded at him. Loki lived there. It was the one place that SHIELD would never think to look.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
One of Johnny’s favorite things in this life would always be annoying Sue’s husband. Sue had steeled herself against all his ways. Reed appeared incapable.
Johnny had to follow them to the nursery where Agatha gave him a stern look as though she could read his thoughts. Happy was sitting on the floor with Franklin hitting him with a plastic doctor’s hammer.
“Franklin here-“
“Not Franklin, Doc McStuffens,” the boy corrected him. He tapped his shoes so they blinked.
“He says I’m a stuffed bear,” Happy explained. It must be his height and weight. Hadn’t he been in a coma? It didn’t seem to affect his weight. Tony studied his nephew; all three feet of him.
“Your genetics weren’t changed?” he asked Reed.
“Not that we can tell, thank God,” Reed answered back. Tony nodded.
“Can’t see,” Franklin complained. He was trying to see inside Happy’s ear. “Unca Johnny!”
“No, no, we have flashlights. Let me get one,” Agatha stated. As she turned her back on them, Johnny made a small flame in his palm and Franklin lit up.
“You should use your powers for good. We could use you in the Avengers,” Tony suggested. Johnny laughed.
“We have a name, the Fantastic Four,” he said before holding the flame near Happy’s ear. Happy yelped and stood up. “I wasn’t anywhere near your skin.”
“Why haven’t we seen anything? Read anything?” Tony asked. His goatee was immaculate.
“We’ve been working with SWORD. We didn’t want to be too public. This was two years before you started being Iron Man. What if everyone said we were freaks? Or it meant that mutants went public?”
“The mutants can’t stay hidden forever, but what’s SWORD?” Tony asked. Franklin pulled on Happy’s coat to lean down again.
Johnny held back, grinning at Tony doing his job for him.
“Oh no, you’re too close to SHIELD for me to tell you about SWORD.”
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Loki was annoyed. He had definitely killed the man in front of him and here he was, walking into his penthouse.
“What do you want?”
“Just a place to stay while I figure out what to do,” the man spoke. It wasn’t magic like his mom’s return from the dead. Even without his powers, he could sense that much. Loki narrowed his green eyes.
“SHIELD has bases and properties worldwide. Why not use one of them?”
“Because that’s who I’m hiding from,” the other admitted. Loki realized his brother had always mentioned son of Coul or Phil in the past-tense. This man had been kept hidden. The Avengers, including his brother, might all still think him dead. This could be fun.
“I suppose you could stay for now,” Loki agreed.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Jasper finished fastening the diaper before signing ALL DONE. He felt confidant for a couple of seconds before worrying that he’d gotten the fingering wrong. Then, Darwin signed it back. Jasper smiled in relief.
WHAT DO YOU WANT TO DO NOW?
Darwin signed something back that Jasper didn’t recognize. They were both still learning. He picked him up to find Jazmine.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Phil thought it would be safe to watch television. Loki had a large one. It was a little surprising. Thor never seemed to have the attention span.
“I lost my own mother to breast cancer at a very young age when I was in my 20s and I know that Gary feels incredibly sorry for his kids because they no longer have their mother around with them,” said the Supernanny.
He thought again of today. Tears started coming down. He tried to rub them away. Loki looked at him. His expression was confused.
“Are you-“ Loki asked, paused. “Broken?”
Phil wished he was surrounded by those who understood.
“It’s today. It’s the 22nd. When I was nine, my dad died. When I was twenty-eight, my mom died. They both died on the 22nd.”
Loki put a hand out before taking it away. His mouth opened and closed with a sound. Then, he buried himself in his iPhone. Phil kept crying.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Steve took one more look at Peggy asleep, put the ballcap on and left the room. It always made him sad to see her this way. She led a full life without him, but now her mind was gone. In the hallway was Tommy Saunders with his dark hair freshly chopped.
“Steve, I kept hoping I would see you again,” the man said with a smile. He still wore his uniform just like the first day they met when the aliens attacked New York. “I have some photos I want to give you. I know you said SHIELD gave you some, but they’re not family.”
Tom reached into his jacket pocket for two photos. Steve took them from him. His hands looked pale in comparison. Tommy’s mother must be Italian.
“Ally my grandparents, my aunt gave them to me. Don’t worry, these are copies.”
“Thank you,” Steve said.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Tony’s phone buzzed; not work. Only a few people were supposed to have that number.
“Sorry,” he apologized to Reed before taking it out. It was a text.
Come get him.
Attached was a photo of Phil Coulson. He gasped; not something he did much anymore. It looked like Phil, but the hair was different, and the face looked older. The blue eyes were tear stained. Tony pushed a button.
“Jarvis, tell me what you can about this photo and number.”
After a moment, Jarvis replied, “The photo and text are both less than an hour old. Both were taken at the same location. My guess would be the penthouse across the street.”
Tony ignored Reed and the others as he hurried to the closest window opposite the building Jarvis meant. There were two figures in the penthouse. One with the build and height that could be Phil. The other tall with black hair. It had to be Loki. He considered Iron Man, but the broken windows would be rude and call too much attention. Tony ran for the stairs.
“Tony! Tony! I will meet you downstairs,” Happy called. Tony almost didn’t hear it as he ran down. After ten minutes, he gave up and went for the elevator.
“Jarvis?”
“Floor eighteen has an outdoor terrace to use the suit.”
“That’s better,” Tony spoke, setting the button. He still didn’t want to put Phil in danger-
Again.
If that was Phil who was supposed to be dead, but this was SHIELD who made weapons without telling them-
SHIELD that was co-founded by his father.
They were capable of anything.
Tony landed on the sidewalk. The suit undid itself. It didn’t make him feel as vulnerable as it did before.
“Tony Stark! You should let me interview you sometime,” George Stephanopoulos spoke, appearing out of nowhere. His lip gloss glistening in the sun.
“Happy?” he asked. They must be on their way. “Uh, speak to Happy Hogan. I have something else to do.”
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Bowen Lafayette smiled and nodded at his thirty-month-old daughter, holding the storybook with her hands. Jillian had painted her nails blue. It matched her t-shirt and leggings.
“One day in class, Dun-can went to take out his-,” Lunella paused. Then, she looked up at Bowen, asking, “What’s this word?”
“Crayons, that’s a hard one. You can’t really sound it out, can you?” he remarked. She shook her head. He tried not to let show, but inside, he still couldn’t believe their toddler could be so smart.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Steve was at his apartment when he took the photos out again. Peggy was equally happy in both. Her husband, Daniel Souza, appeared to have been a good man. Angie had moved in after his death to help with the children. They were old friends. No one suspected different. They should have been allowed marriage, too. Instead, Angie Martinelli’s true role was hidden from the world, even now. For such a modern, progressive world, it still wasn’t legal for two women to marry across much of the United States. It was disgusting. His phone buzzed. He took it out to see a mysterious text and photo.
“Coulson?”
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Jess saw Clint coming and went to meet him easily in her running shoes. Her heart pounded as she directed him to a secluded bench in the park. A large white egret strolled past, looking for junk food. She shooed it away. It complained with a guttural cluck.
Her expression gave away her turmoil.
“What? What is it? What’s wrong?” he asked, going for her hand before taking it away.
“No, nothing’s wrong, just-“
She took a deep breath before blurting it out, “I’m pregnant.”
Last time, she had done the dinner and the carefully planned reveal, but they both knew how that turned out. She saw the same gamut of emotions run across his face.
“How far along?”
“Almost the second trimester,” she uttered, watching him. He nodded. They both knew that meant miscarriage was significantly lessened, but last time had proved how it was still possible.
“Would you have told me?”
His green eyes were earnest. They weren’t good at lying to each other.
“I don’t know.”
He nodded.
“Uh, we haven’t decided on the last name, but I don’t think we’re going to use Barton.”
Jess watched once again for the thoughts reflected in his face. They weren’t there this time. Then, his phone went off. It felt like a lifeline thrown to him, the way he snatched it out to look.
“I have to go, we’ll talk later,” he said. Now, she was the one who nodded before watching him disappear.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Even through his tears, Phil realized Loki was up to something. There had been too much activity on his phone. He wouldn’t bring SHIELD to his door. However, he would use this knowledge against Thor. Loki had probably told the Avengers.
It was what he wanted, right?
Would that include Clint and Tasha? He didn’t want to confront them yet about their parts in everything. What did have Clint so preoccupied today?
“Have you eaten?”
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
“I could get used to this,” Luke Cage spoke, clutching the woman he loved in their bed.
“You should, you’re free now,” Reva Connors uttered.
“And in six days, we’ll husband and wife,” he reminded her. It felt like a dream.
“Everything is so perfect, sometimes, I worry I’ll wake up and you’ll still be in prison,” she whispered. Even their thoughts were alike.
“I’m right here,” he said and kissed her.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Thor landed on Loki’s balcony. He kept tabs on Loki but hadn’t visited before. The window had already been blown open.
“Son of Coul!” he boomed. He didn’t believe his eyes at the man in a hug with Tony Stark. The scientist broke from the embrace as soon as Thor said anything. “I know this can’t be your doing.”
Loki was in the kitchen area, messing with things. The plain t-shirt and jeans were surprising. He was hit with the feeling that Loki was avoiding him. No matter, the man in front of him was more important right now.
“Thor, I’ve even missed you, but call me Phil.”
Thor grinned and picked the man up into a bearhug.
“Oof, too much.”
Thor set him down again.
“My apologies,” he said, looking from him to Tony and back again. “How is this possible?”
Thor wished he could feel magic the way his mother and Loki could.
“He claims the miracles of modern science.”
Tony’s tone was disbelief, but why would the Son-er, Phil lie to them. Then again, -
“Why the secrecy? And why didn’t you mention your war criminal brother was living here in New York City of all places?”
That’s when there was a knock on the door. They looked at Loki.
“At least one of you has manners,” he replied, going for the door. It opened to reveal Steve.
“Is it true?”
Phil waved. Steve’s mouth gaped open in shock. He didn’t step inside. Loki shut the door.
“Loki!”
“Fine.”
Loki opened the door and Steve came in.
“Did they lie to us again?” Steve asked with a hard edge.
“They lied to all of us,” Phil admitted in a defeated tone.
“What?” Tony spat.
“They’ve given me messages from all of you with various excuses why we couldn’t meet in person.”
“Catfish,” Tony said before shaking his head.
“I’m here,” Happy said in the doorway, catching his breath.
“I don’t know what that has to do with this current situation, but I would love some catfish. Fury had some at Steve’s birthday party.”
Everyone gave Thor that look like they did when he said something stupid. Loki’s look turned into a smile.
“What now then? Should I offer you a job?” Tony asked. It didn’t seem completely sincere.
Phil laughed.
“We’d kill each other. I haven’t gotten that far. Today’s the 22nd. It’s a bit much.”
Thor didn’t know what that meant. For once, the others didn’t seem to know either. Loki had his back to them, but he could tell he was listening. Some reality program was on the television.
There was another knock. This time, Steve opened it. On the other side was a woman with glasses and dark hair. Were those pink streaks on the ringlets? Tony sighed.
“So, they sent you,” Phil said with a nod.
“Yes, an active SHIELD agent in my home,” Loki complained, putting on a ballcap.
“Sorry, I don’t know you,” Thor apologized. Steve shrugged. She walked in.
“This is Victoria Hand,” Phil explained. “Her security clearance is as high as mine.”
“Obviously,” Tony retorted. The door hadn’t been shut behind her and Thor heard running in the hallway. It was Clint. He ignored everyone until he reached Clint.
“I’m so sorry I fucked up about today.”
Hand rolled her eyes.
“No, it’s better this way. I realized the truth and now everyone knows,” Phil said with a nod.
“And now you act like it’s not a problem?”
“Why should it be? Does it ruin some other plan of yours?” Steve asked.
“I’m going to remind you all that the Avengers Initiative was SHIELD’s idea. We own it. Nothing you do gets by us unless we allow it. This was fun, but now Coulson needs to leave. You still have medical conditions that should be monitored.”
“I could have Jarvis do that. He monitors mine,” Tony suggested. Loki laughed.
“Going from one master to another.”
“What’s so special about today?” Steve asked.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Darcy sighed. There was a lot more paperwork to working for SHIELD than she imagined. She wanted to be out in the field, not behind a desk. Even with Jane, there hadn’t been this many forms and things. Her phone meowed. That meant Jane had texted. She wasn’t supposed to check her phone at her desk, but she was that bored. Her iPod wasn’t even allowed. Jane could just be texting her about Sukkot. Jane was such a good Jew and Darcy could barely make it to temple.
Thor says Coulson is alive, he’s with him now
Darcy had to read that text several times before it sunk in. Here’s where the office job would pay off. She’d keep looking and hacking until she found out more.
“Agent Lewis.”
Damn, nothing sent a cold wave up her spine the way Fury’s voice did especially right behind her. His brown eyes bore into her even without turning around.
“You’re not thinking of tracking down Agent Coulson?”
“Agent iPod Stealer? No, why would you think that? Besides, he’s dead. Everyone knows that,” Darcy said, squeezing an old plush bunny also on her desk.
“Good.”
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
“Where are we?” Clint asked as Phil pulled the door shut behind them.
“One of Loki’s other rooms, I guess for his non-existent guests,” he explained.
For a moment, Clint felt constricted, like he couldn’t breathe. Then, he reminded himself that Phil was killed by Loki and seemed to have no problems. There were bigger issues.
“What’s going on with you? You wouldn’t miss checking in on me unless it was important.”
Clint nodded.
“Yes, important, very important,” Clint said, making eye contact at first. He couldn’t keep it with his next statement. “Jess had to see me. She’s pregnant.”
“And it’s your’s?”
Clint rolled his eyes.
“No, Vange’s dragon form has a dick. Yes, it’s me. We’re having a baby,” he said before whispering. “Again.”
“Clint.”
Phil took him in his arms. It felt good and comforting.
“She also told me they don’t plan to name it Barton.”
Phil pulled away. His blue eyes were sympathetic.
“No, it’s better. We Bartons are cursed. Maybe it shouldn’t even be born, like their brother. My dad did such a good job when he-“
“Clint,” Phil cut him off. “All my reassurances then still apply. You’re not your dad. You’re not your brother. You’re one of the best people I’ve ever known.”
Clint found that hard to believe. However, Phil was so earnest. He couldn’t argue back.
“You’re a good person.”
His words made Clint tear up.
“What if? What if we lose them again?”
Warm arms were around him once more.
“It can’t be too early. She must be close to the second trimester if it’s the time I’m thinking of.”
Clint knew his cheeks were red.
“Yes, it was that time. She waited to tell me, but I still can’t help thinking about everything that could go wrong like last time,” Clint complained.
“I wish that I could promise that it won’t, but I know lots of people have rainbow babies.”
Clint shook his head, tried to laugh.
“It isn’t even born, and you just assume it’ll take after me and Jess that way?”
“Probably, but I wasn’t referring to you being Bi. A rainbow baby is a baby born after the couple lost a child before. This will be your rainbow baby,” Phil spoke. “Rainbows aren’t just pretty. They’re about the promise of hope after the storm.”
It was a good silence after that, just sitting on the bed. Clint was in his workout clothes and Phil in his suit like always. Each made sure their shoes didn’t touch the quilt. They were almost the same height.
“I guess they sent Victoria to bring you back in.”
“Over my dead body, oops I guess they did that already,” Phil complained. Clint waited to see if he wanted to get into that. Clint didn’t. He was relieved when the other man didn’t press the issue.
“I’ll figure something out, at least Tony knows now. Between him and Pepper, I shouldn’t just turn up missing.”
After another pause, Clint asked, “Do you really think I could be a good dad?”
“I do,” said Phil with a smile. It made him feel better. The door opened with an annoyed Loki.
“Don’t leave me alone with them and her. Thor ate all the sausages.”
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Blade cut the vampire’s head off. It was another disappointing night. They seemed no closer to finding his mother’s killer. Dracula just enjoyed killing others of his kind he found unworthy. He was beginning to reconsider their partnership.
“Patience,” Dracula hissed. It had been less than a month. Tracking down Dracula alone had taken a couple of years.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
“I’m not going back with you, Vicky,” Phil spoke. She pursed her lips at the hated nickname. “I’m staying.”
As he expected, Loki came closer. He wasn’t the same. Phil felt little fear in his doing that.
“I never agreed to that,” the Asgardian whispered. Not a single whisker was on his smooth face.
“No, but I need a place to stay. You have extra rooms and do you want me or a stranger they’ll place on the floor below you? My being here could prevent SHIELD from worse spying.”
Loki frowned, but gave the slightest of nods.
“Go back to Fury and tell him that I won’t be lied to or babysat anymore,” Phil spat. They all stared at her until she left. Sue wouldn’t have worked as an option at this rate.
“So, coma buddies?” Happy asked.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
“Lang is nine months into his five-year prison sentence,” said the news announcer. “VistaCorp’s merger with the Roxxon Corporation should be approved tomorrow.”
Skye turned the television off and shook her head.
“We should be doing more.”
“And end up in prison? I can’t do that,” Micro spoke. “We have to be careful.”
“But-“
“Skye, you’ve done so much. You’ve been so important to this team. You were the only reason we found out about that Chitauri Neural Link,” Miles argued. She was distracted for a moment by how good he smelled.
That had been some impressive work on her part.
“We’ll get them,” Micro tried to reassure her, squeezing her shoulder. The electronics hummed.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Phil slid his hand over the smooth red finish of the 1962 Chevrolet Corvette. Lola had been another thing kept from him. He wasn’t an idiot. Lola and the team were bribes to stay with SHIELD.
Then again, SHIELD was all he had ever known. He’d burned his bridges with the FBI. The only other options were Stark or SWORD. It was the easy thing to do; accept Lola and his personal team.
Phil would never be naïve again though. The team would have at least one spy, maybe Melinda May herself. He would stay living with Loki as protection.
His phone chirped. With a smile, he saw that it was Pepper Potts.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
