Archive of Our Own

Previously in Iron Man & Mrs. King, at the Stark wedding reception:

“Excuse me, Mrs. Stark?” Tony interrupted Y/N’s conversation with Maria and Phil Coulson. “There’s something over here that needs your attention.” Tony pulled her away to the dance floor.
“What needs my attention here, Tony?” Y/N asked, smiling up at him.
“Oh, that would be me.” Tony answered cheekily. Y/N sighed happily and wrapped her arms around Tony’s neck as he led her in a slow dance. Foreheads resting together, they were completely unaware of the many pairs of eyes on them as their friends stood watching them dance.
“Do you think they’ll last?” Sam asked Steve.
“I think they stand a chance if Tony doesn’t screw it up,” Steve answered.
“More of a chance than most of us in our line of work,” Bruce responded.
“I’d hate to have to kill him if he hurts her,” Bucky added.
“Get in line,” Nat said.
“I do not believe Lady Y/N will allow Stark to do anything untoward,” Thor added.
“I’ve taught her a few tricks that I’m sure will come in handy if he does,” Loki grinned. “Y/N is very special, in ways that even she does not yet realize.” All heads turned to Loki as he continued to watch Tony and Y/N dance. Taking a sip from his glass of champagne, he looked back over the line of heroes and smiled. They had no idea just how special Y/N really was or what the future had in store for her.
As Tony and Y/N finished the dance and moved to the balcony for some privacy, Loki and Bucky had their own private conversation in the corner of the large room. Loki filled Bucky in on what he knew about Y/N and tried to explain a little of what Bucky might need to watch for until Loki could return. Being magical himself, Loki knew exactly what he saw in Y/N and knew how to help her when the time came. Poor Tony wouldn’t know what hit him and they needed to be ready because once it started, it was going to happen fast.
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Two days later, Monday, 3:30pm, Stark Tower

“Picture in your mind something you want,” Loki instructed as he stood with Y/N in the music room in Stark Tower that she always felt so safe in.

“Like what?” Y/N asked, a light laugh on her lips as she questioned the dark god.

“Anything you want. Just try it, ma choupette” Loki cajoled sweetly. Y/N smiled at his term of endearment. Loki had recently been fascinated with the French language and had taken to calling her ma choupette. Y/N knew just enough French to know it meant “little cabbage” but was a common term of endearment basically meaning “favorite one”.

Y/N closed her eyes picturing a chocolate covered doughnut in her mind. She focused on the look of it, the feel of it in her hand, and the taste of the chocolate in her mouth. She then remembered Clint telling her how much he loved chocolate covered doughnuts.

“Great,” she muttered. “Now I’m craving a chocolate doughnut.”

“Open your eyes,” Loki said. Y/N opened them to find Loki staring down at her with a slightly confused frown on his face.

“What happens now?” Y/N asked innocently.

“Now you wait,” Loki said after a long pause. “I want to make sure you feel comfortable here before I leave.”

“What do you mean?” Y/N asked. “I’m very comfortable, Tony takes amazing care of me.”

“Listen, ma choupette,” Loki began, taking both her hands in his. “I know that Stark loves you and only wants the best for you. But his idea of what’s best won’t always match with your idea of what’s best. If anything happens that you don’t like or want, I need you to let me know.”

“How?” Y/N questioned, tilting her head slightly. “Are you getting a cell phone?”

“Hardly,” Loki scoffed. “I’ll show you.” He stepped behind her and held his hands on either side of her head without touching her temples. “Think of me, let your mind empty of every thought except me,” he commanded. Y/N sighed as her eyes closed. She tried to clear her mind of everything that wasn’t Loki. It was easy to do while he was standing right behind her. She focused on the warmth of his chest at her back, envisioned his hands at the sides of her head, and attuned her ears to the tenor of his voice. Her experiences of abuse with her ex-husband had left her with an over-awareness of where every male stood in any room she was in. She still found herself keeping more than an arm’s length away from any man except Tony, Bucky, and Loki.

“Good,” Loki praised as he saw her mind clear. “Now, see my name in your mind. Let it grow until the letters fill your mind and when there’s no more room for it, speak it.” Y/N saw the four letters of his name grow in her mind, filling her head until she actually felt pressure on her temples. Taking a breath, Y/N opened her mouth and whispered “Loki” and in an instant, Y/N felt the reverberating wave of the whisper filter throughout the cosmos and then it came back on her, pushing her back into Loki’s solid chest.

“What just happened?” Y/N gasped, half expecting the Avengers in full tactical gear to burst through the door in response to the noise of Loki’s name sounding through the tower. Loki chuckled and, after setting her back her feet, moved around in front of her.

“That, ma choupette, was just a spark of what I believe you are capable of.” Loki said with a wide grin that to the average onlooker might appear dangerous. Y/N knew better. It absolutely was dangerous but not when directed at her. “I believe that you have untapped potential, Y/N. There’s magic in you.”

“Magic? Like what you have?” Y/N asked skeptically.

“Possibly so, but we will need to wait until things settle out to see what you will become,” he replied.

“That’s very ominous, Loki,” Y/N replied, her eyes narrowing.

“Don’t worry too much about it too much right now. When you call for me, no one else will hear you except me and possibly Heimdall, if he’s paying attention. If you need anyone, you can call them like that and they will be compelled to come to you, they won’t be able to help it really. But it will take time for them to travel from wherever they are to you. I must return to Asgard but I will come back as soon as I can. Do not hesitate to call out to me if you need anything,” Loki looked sternly into her eyes, making sure she understood his meaning. “I do not believe that Stark would do anything to hurt you, and certainly Barnes would take him to task if he did, but know that I can be by your side in an instant if you call to me.”

“Okay, Loki,” Y/N nodded through her confusion and watched as the god left the room and shortly heard the bifrost hit the top of the tower. Loki was gone. He had quickly become one of her protectors and this was the first time Y/N was without him. She jumped slightly at the sound of the door opening again but relaxed immediately when she saw her husband stroll in.

“Reindeer Games go home?” he asked, sitting down on the piano bench and pulling her into his lap.

“Yes,” Y/N giggled. “He said he would be back though. And I really don’t like that you call him that,” she chidded him gently.

Tony smiled and nuzzled into her neck playfully. “I know that Loki has become your watchdog and, contrary to popular belief, I’m thankful. But between him, Winter Boy, and the Widow, I’m lucky that I get to be in the same room with you. But enough of that, I really did have a question for you when I came in here.”

“And what’s that, Mr. Stark?” Y/N asked, her eyes twinkling.

“Are you ready to go on your honeymoon, Mrs. Stark?” Tony asked, standing with her in his arms. Just then, Clint burst through the door, completely out of breath and carrying a box of chocolate covered doughnuts for Y/N with a confused smile on his face.

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Two Months later, Friday, 5pm, Avengers Compound

Bucky watched as Y/N paced back and forth in front of the massive windows of the Avengers Compound in upstate New York. Everyone else had gone on a mission and Bucky remained behind to stay with Y/N. Since she and Tony got married, whenever a mission came up, someone stayed behind with her. She had been through so much with her abusive ex-husband, Wayne King, that she wasn’t yet ready to be left completely alone for more than a few hours. Tony himself wasn’t ready for Y/N to be left alone either. For the first few weeks after their honeymoon, Tony stayed behind but Iron Man was needed on this mission. Y/N was working very hard to keep her nerves in check. She knew it was a pretty cut and dry situation but she was still worried about Tony.

Bucky had been such a good friend and was a calming influence in her life. She loved all the Avengers and even though Y/N tried hard not to have favorites, Bucky meant alot to her. Being left at the compound with him should have been okay but Y/N was struggling with it more than she could articulate at that moment. It had been a wonderful two months being married to Tony. He doted on her and made sure she always felt safe and comfortable. She had never felt more loved. But a few things had been happening recently that Y/N hadn’t had the courage to tell Tony about yet, but Bucky, for some reason that Y/N couldn’t quite figure out, kind of knew already. He came right out and asked her about some of the things that had happened around the tower and, to Y/N’s shock, suggested that she might be responsible.

“Doll?” Bucky called from his chair. “You’re going to put a path in the floor and that’s impressive because it’s a concrete floor.”

“Sorry, Buck,” Y/N replied as she flopped down on the couch and continued to stare out the windows. “I’m worried but I can’t seem to nail down why I’m so worried. My mind is too scattered, I can’t think about one thing in particular. I mean, it should be an easy op, right?” Bucky nodded silently. “And I really should trust Tony to take care of himself and the others to take of him?” Bucky nodded again. “And my worrying won’t help anything at all.” Bucky nodded a third time. “So I should just chill out?” Bucky smiled and nodded. Standing, he grabbed Y/N’s hand pulled her to her feet.

“Let’s take a walk, doll, and work out some of that nervous energy you’re radiating,” he said as he pulled her down the hallway toward to the large training room. Steve and Bucky had been working with her on basic self defense. After being beaten by her ex-husband, Y/N wanted to be able to protect herself. Tony didn’t love it, but he understood her desire and made sure Steve and Bucky were careful with his wife. She had already seen more violence than Tony was comfortable with and felt she deserved some peace.

Bucky got her situated on the mat and began running her through punches and blocks. Y/N began to loosen up and lose herself in the repetition and effort of throwing punches and blocking Bucky’s light punches. They then moved to sparing. Grabbing her from behind, Bucky was surprised when Y/N quickly flipped him over her shoulder.

“Where did you learn that?” he asked getting off the floor.

“Nat,” Y/N shrugged a shoulder.

“Huh, I’m going to have a little talk with her about not telling me what she’s teaching you.”

“What’s wrong, Buck?” Y/N taunted with a smile. “Don’t like being tossed around?”

“Oh you just wait,” Bucky replied as he lunged at her and caught her in a hold she couldn’t escape from. He then taught her how to escape from it. By the time they were done, Y/N was dripping sweat and her muscles ached. Bucky was barely winded and decided to go for a quick 10 mile run around the compound.

After watching Bucky walk to the outdoor track, Y/N hopped in the shower and, once she was dried and dressed, stood in front of the living room windows with a steaming cup of tea. Her mind drifted back to the last time she saw Loki a few days after the wedding. He had told her that she had magic, although he wasn’t sure what it would ultimately look like. Y/N still had no idea what that meant, but it might explain some of the things that had been happening. People and things Y/N had been thinking about just randomly showing up. Her mind drifted back to her husband. She didn’t want to focus on him too much, just in case she actually did have power to bring him to her, she didn’t want to distract him.

Living with the Avengers came with its own set of pros and cons. She loved them all and was so thankful that she finally felt safe and loved. She was also thankful to have someone who allowed her to love them, who needed her to love them. Tony wanted and needed her love. Y/N was so deep in thought that she didn’t hear the door behind her open and soft footsteps enter the room and come to a halt behind her. It wasn’t until the steam from her tea cleared slightly on the window that she noticed the reflection of her husband behind her. Turning to him, setting her teacup down on a small table, Y/N threw her arms around Tony’s neck and held tight.

“Hey there, beautiful,” he said into her neck as he held her. He was only gone for a couple of days but it felt like years. He’d had to work hard to keep his mind on the mission, it kept wandering home to Y/N.

“I’m so glad you’re back safe,” Y/N replied, pulling back to look him over for injuries. “Are you hurt anywhere?”

“No, honey, I’m fine,” he replied, taking Y/N’s face in his hands and kissing her until they were both gasping for air. “Are you alright? I was worried about you.”

“I’m okay, I was so nervous. I’m not sure why I was so nervous for you to go, I just had a bad feeling about this mission,” Y/N explained, turning back to pick up her tea again so that she missed a strange look pass over Tony’s face. When she turned back, he was just smiling at her.

“I have to go to a quick debriefing, might take an hour, I’ll be back as fast as I can,” he promised, kissing her cheek, letting the back of his fingers trail down her cheek before turning and heading to the conference room one floor down.

Steve was already in the conference room, looking over a few of the files they had managed to get from the HYDRA installation they infiltrated. No one had seen the most important one though, Steve told Nat to keep it until they were all together to discuss it. Tony sat down a few chairs to Steve’s left with a huff, dragging his hand over his face.

“Everything okay?” Steve asked, not looking up from his papers.

“I think so,” Tony said. “Y/N’s alright, she was just nervous about this mission. Said she had a bad feeling about it.”

“Did you tell her what happened?” Steve questioned, raising his eyes to Tony sharply.

“No. I didn’t say anything,” Tony was quick to reply.

“We need to discuss this with everyone and then make a decision on where to go from there.” Steve declared in his best Captain America voice. It didn’t take long for everyone else to file into the room. Bucky was the last to come in, laying a hand on Steve’s shoulder in greeting. Steve quickly reached up and touched Bucky’s hand, returning the silent greeting. Bucky sat while explaining that he had been helping Y/N turn on the complicated TV to the most mind-numbing show she could find. Tony raised an eyebrow, Bucky just shrugged.

“Alright everyone, we need to talk about what happened and make some decisions about what to tell Y/N,” Steve began authoritatively. “Let’s start at the beginning and walk through the whole thing.”

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Friday, 9pm, Avengers Compound

“JARVIS, begin recording and transcribing,” Tony instructed, nodding at Clint to begin.

“Nat and I entered first,” Clint began. “We cleared the first two rooms and the hallway before heading to the computer room.”

“Nothing special,” Nat supplied. “Just the usual thugs and useless soldiers. They fell like dominoes. Looking back, that should have been a sign that things weren’t quite as they seemed.”

“Agreed,” Steve replied. “But you didn’t see or hear anything out of the ordinary?”

“Nope, nothing,” Clint said with a shrug. Nat confirmed with a nod.

“Alright, Sam, you went in next,” Steve kept the replay rolling.

“Right,” Sam started, leaning on his elbows on the table. “I came in and saw the downed HYDRA guys and that seemed completely according to plan so I didn’t even think about checking them. I moved through the cleared hallway and went to what JARVIS thought would be the weapons locker but it was empty. At first, I thought it was a little strange but once I gave it a little thought, I figured that everyone had grabbed guns and ran when we blew the door open. Then, I went to make my way back outside to help out there when I heard the blasting start and building began to shake.”

“And when you came out,” Tony picked up the story. “I was dealing with a few tanks that had rolled in from nowhere and a couple garrison's worth of HYDRA goons.”

“Where did they come from?” Sam asked, rubbing the soreness out of the back of his neck.

“I still don’t know,” Tony shook his head. “But I have JARVIS going over every inch of footage to try to figure it out.”

“Alright,” Steve took control again. “So, Sam, Tony, Hulk, and I are outside the building being mostly surrounded. Nat and Clint are pulling files. And what happened next?”

“An explosion,” Clint supplied with a shrug. “Nat and I grabbed what we already had and scrambled outside, Cap was unconscious on the ground. Sam’s wings were smoking and he was heading back the jet. Tony swooped down, picked up Cap, and we all ran to the jet with Hulk making a path for us. HYDRA stayed close behind us though. Sam got the engines started and the instant our feet hit the ramp, he took off.”

Steve gently rubbed the bump that had formed on his head, Bucky watched him with concern. Nat leaned back in her chair and stretched, trying to relieve some of her own aches and pains. Bruce remained huddled in his chair, his arms and a blanket wrapped around his body tightly. He never handled these debriefings well, he didn’t like hearing about the Hulk’s more violent activities.

“And the files you two managed to grab? I have most of them already. Let’s have the last one,” Steve said hesitantly. Tony’s eyes shifted back and forth from Steve to Nat as she tossed a single file folder onto the table. The name was clear on the label in broad, black strokes as if it were shouting at them. Y/N King Stark.

“Why the hell does HYDRA have a file on my wife?” Tony demanded as he stood and began pacing. “And what the hell does it say about her?”

“We haven’t looked yet, Tony,” Clint said. Everyone stared at the folder for a second, as if they were waiting for it to open itself and start talking. Steve sighed, pulled the folder over to himself and flipped it open. Tony moved and started reading over his shoulder. Everyone else leaned forward, all eyes trained on the pages as Steve flipped through them.

“Nothing out of the ordinary yet,” Steve mumbled the waiting room. “They know all about her past. About Wayne, although they have him listed as ‘missing’ so they don’t know he’s in Asgard.”

“JARIVS, get scans of all this,” Tony instructed the air.

“Yes, sir,” replied the AI politely.

“What’s that?” Tony asked, pointing down at a particular line in Y/N’s profile pages.

“It says ‘Classification: possibly not human, powers unknown’,” Steve read for the sake of the rest of the room.

“Not human?” Nat questioned. “Does that mean what I think it means?”

“It means that HYDRA thinks Y/N has powers,” Bucky spoke for the first time, causing the whole room to look at him. “And they might not be wrong.”

Y/N stared at the TV and let the sitcom’s laugh track numb her mind. She couldn’t shake the feeling that something was happening. She thought it might be something happening to Tony, she knew just from being near him that the mission hadn’t gone as planned. But then, when do they ever? The more Y/N let her mind rest on the fact that she knew more than maybe she ought, the more her anxiety rose. She hadn’t felt this jumpy since she was married to Wayne, waiting for him to come home drunk and belligerent.

She let her head lean back against the couch and closed her eyes, trying to remember what Loki had told her a few months ago about calling him. Did this count? Surely not, surely he meant something bigger than a bad feeling. Taking some deep, calming breaths like Bruce had taught her to calm down, Y/N let her mind drift off into a fitful doze and didn’t move again until a warm hand rested gently on her shoulder.

“Honey,” Tony whispered. “Come to bed, babe, it’s after midnight.” Y/N opened her eyes to see her very haggard looking husband sitting on the coffee table in front of her.

“What happened?” she asked, rubbing her hands over her eyes in an attempt to wake up.

“You fell asleep,” Tony smiled and held out his hand to help her stand.

“No, your meeting, it was supposed to be an hour,” Y/N replied, letting him pull her to her feet.

“Things took a little longer than we expected, it happens sometimes,” he explained, pulling her toward their bedroom.

“M’hungry,” Y/N said, pulling back slightly to get him to stop at the kitchen.

“Alright, love,” Tony stopped at the kitchen and, after lifting Y/N up to sit on a counter, rested his hands on either side of her thighs and looked up into her eyes. “What can I get for the most beautiful woman in the world?”

“Don’t lie,” Y/N sniggered at him lightly, her cheeks heating with his compliment.

“Never, darling,” Tony replied, cupping her cheek in his hand. “Now, what would you like to eat?”

“A bowl of cereal?” Y/N suggested with a shrug. Tony had discovered in the first couple days after marrying Y/N that she had a penchant for late-night cereal binges. He, of course, was happy to be her enabler.

“Coming right up!” Tony declared, turning to gather bowls, spoons, and milk. “What is my lady’s pleasure this evening?” he asked as he opened the extensively filled cereal cabinet.

“Coco puffs and Lucky Charms, please,” Y/N replied, laughing at Tony’s flourishing around the kitchen.

“Excellent choices, Madam,” he exclaimed as he pulled the boxes down and set them next to her on counter. He watched in amusement as she opened both boxes and started carefully pouring both into the same bowl together, not spilling a single crumb. The only one on the compound who could compete with her delight of cereal was Bucky. More than once Tony had found them in the kitchen in the middle of the night, eating cereal and talking out their nightmares. He had never once interrupted them or let them know he even knew about their midnight meetings.

“Tony?” Y/N said around a spoonful of cereal.

“Yes dear?”

“What’s going on?” she asked, swallowing her bite.

“What do you mean? We’re having a midnight snack,” he replied, quickly putting his own spoon in his mouth.

“That’s not what I mean. Something’s happened, I feel it. Are you okay? Is everyone else okay? Did the mission go badly?” she questioned, setting her bowl down to stare him down. Tony sighed and stood in front of her. Putting his bowl next to hers, he held her hands and stood in between her knees. Looking into her eyes, he knew what he needed to do, even if no one else agreed with him except Barnes.

“Darling,” he started. “This mission didn’t go so well, but that’s not really what’s got me twisted in knots.”

“Tell me,” Y/N demanded gently, squeezing his hands.

“We found a file on you, a file that HYDRA operatives have been putting together for a few months, by the look of it,” Tony replied, pulling his phone from his pocket and putting it on the counter. “JARVIS, pull up the file please.” Above the flat phone glowed the pages of the file. Pictures of Y/N on the street with Nat when they had gone shopping, a full dossier on Y/N’s past including Wayne. She used her finger to swipe the glowing images to see more.

“What does that mean?” Y/N pointed at the same classification line that Tony had noticed.

“Ah yes, that. Apparently HYDRA thinks that you have powers of some kind,” he replied, watching her closely. “And Barnes agrees.”

“Loki thought so too,” Y/N said softly, not taking her eyes from the image.

“Wait, what?” Tony asked, gently pulling Y/N’s chin until she looked at him and softly pleaded with her. “Talk to me, babe.”

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner,” Y/N gushed quickly, her breath coming in short bursts, tears beginning to form in her eyes. Her hand flew to her throat and she fingered her tiny Arc Reactor necklace nervously. “I didn’t really understand what he was saying or why and I still don’t know what he was talking about. He said that he thought I had magic, kind of like his but different. He taught me how to call him and it kinda blew me away a little bit. He said he wanted to make sure I was safe and comfortable with you and I told him I was. I mean, it’s you and I love you, how could I feel anything but safe and comfortable? Please don’t be mad, I’m so so so sorry.”

“Whoa, whoa, slow down honey, breathe,” Tony took her face in his hands and waited for her to breathe normally again. “It’s alright, sweetheart. I couldn’t ever be mad at you,” he gently rubbed his hands up and down her arms, calming her and gently pulling her to the edge of the counter. Wrapping his arms around her and laying his head over her heart, he held her until he felt her heart rate return to something more normal. “I’m sorry babe, I never want you to be afraid to tell me anything. I promise I won’t be angry at you, no matter what.”

“I’m sorry too,” Y/N sniffled, her arms wrapped around his head. “I wasn’t really afraid to tell you, I just didn’t understand it and I was confused. I honestly thought Loki was wrong and maybe a little crazy.”

“It’s alright babe,” Tony comforted, pulling his head free of her arms and gently setting a chaste kiss on her lips. “Let’s get some sleep and address this again in the morning.”

“Should I call Loki?” she asked, lifting her face to look at him.

“Not just yet. Let’s talk with the rest of the team over breakfast and then see if we want to call him in.”

“Okay, I agree,” Y/N nodded.

“You still wear the necklace I made for you?” Tony asked, his eyes honing in on the small piece of jewelry that was actually a tracker.

“Always,” Y/N replied and let Tony help her hop off the counter and lead her back to their bedroom. Snuggled under the soft comforter Tony wrapped her tight in his arms, running in his fingers through her hair, massaging her scalp. He knew that whatever was coming would test them, test him. He was thankful that Y/N still wore the necklace, it was a small comfort that he would always be able to find her as long as she wore it.

Y/N sighed and let her eyes drift closed. She wasn’t bothered by the fact that HYDRA had a file on her, she kind of expected it being married to Iron Man. She was bothered by the fact that HYDRA seemed to know more about her than she did.

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Saturday, 8am, Avengers Compound

Tony stumbled into the kitchen because his nose promised him that there would be coffee there. He found the stainless steel room filled with people. One leaned with his back against the counter and another one leaning on his shoulder. One at the stove cooking something that smelled like breakfast food. One sat hunched over at the table, one was cutting up some kind of orange-ish fruit, one filling up their a cup of coffee, and his wife standing in front of him. His sweet, wonderful Y/N. How had he managed to do anything within a million miles of deserving her, he would never know. In her beautiful, strong hands she held his coffee cup, full to the brim of steaming, black goodness. She set it on the counter in front of him and navigated him onto a stool by his coffee. He let his eyes close as he took a sip. Allowing the caffeine and other various stimulants in his fortified beverage work their magic, he reopened his eyes to see all the people in the kitchen turn into his friends.

Steve leaned with his back against the counter and a blurry-eyed Bucky leaned his head on Steve’s shoulder. Both held coffee. Sam stood at the stove frying bacon and sausage links, Clint finished cutting a cantaloupe and was moving to wash the knife. Nat stood with her coffee surveying the room in general. Bruce sat hunched over his cup of herbal tea at the table, reading a newspaper spread over the tabletop.

“Good morning, husband,” Y/N whispered near his ear, her hands wrapping around his waist, a kiss landing on his shoulder.

“G’mornin’ wifey,” he mumbled with a slow grin. He loved having a wife. He turned slightly and snuggled into her, letting her scent and warmth seep into his skin and his soul.

“Breakfast y’all!” Sam announced too loudly and too cheerfully for Tony’s liking. The super soldiers were first in line to load up on scrambled eggs with cheese, bacon, sausage, and fruit. Bruce was quick to follow, needing to replace some energy from his Hulking out yesterday. Arrow Guy and Widow followed quickly, hoping there was something left. Sam meandered around the kitchen while Y/N filled plates for herself and Tony. Everyone sat at the large table, Sam finally joining with his food. Silence fell over the room as forks moved and mouths chewed.

“I guess we should talk about stuff now?” Bucky asked when most plates were half empty. His already having been licked clean.

“I told her everything,” Tony mumbled. Steve glared at him for a second before softening his gaze at Y/N.

“I want you to understand why I didn’t want to tell you about this so soon, Y/N,” he began. She nodded for him to continue with a gentle smile on her face. Steve, the consummate Papa Bear, was so transparent to her. “I wanted to know more about this, about why HYDRA is interested in you enough to have this information, why they suspect that you have powers and what powers they think you have. I didn’t want you to have to deal with the stress of not knowing why this was happening. You’ve already been through so much, maybe it was selfish of me, but I wanted to protect you just a little bit longer before bringing you in on this.”

“I understand completely, Steve,” Y/N replied. A collective sigh of relief sounded around the table. “However, you all need to know that I’m stronger than you think I am. I love you all very much and I know that you want to protect me, but this is something that needs to be dealt with.” Y/N took a deep breath and looked around to make sure she had everyone’s undivided attention. “Because HYDRA is not wrong. I do have some kind of power, although it’s still manifesting itself and I have no idea what it will ultimately become. Even Loki didn’t know.”

“Well, well,” Clint leaned forward on his elbows on the table. “What do you think you can do?”

“Do you remember the day that Tony and I left for our honeymoon and you brought me chocolate covered doughnuts?” Y/N asked him with a mischievous glint in her eye.

“Yeah, I just suddenly had the urge to do it and before I knew what was happening, I was handing you the box of doughnuts, I didn’t even steal one! It was very unlike me.” Clint exclaimed.

“I had been thinking about doughnuts and then remember that you loved them too,” Y/N explained. “Loki told me to think about something I wanted and you popped into my mind along with the doughnuts and then there you were with a box of them!”

“Wait,” interrupted Nat. “What about that time I randomly brought you pizza and we had a girl’s night on the roof?”

“Same thing, only that was an accident. I was craving pizza and missing you,” Y/N said with an embarrassed blush.

“So you can summon people and make them bring things to you?” Tony asked, still cradling his coffee.

“Apparently. I can also call Loki, so I think I could call anyone I wanted and they would be compelled to come to me, wherever I am,” Y/N guessed. “And as for bringing me things, I guess I could also make people do things for me, although I’ve never tried that.”

“I wonder if you could control the big guy?” Bruce mused. Y/N shrugged.

“Why now?” Steve asked the room. “Why are these powers coming out now? You would think that the trauma of being with Wayne would have brought this out in you.”

“Perhaps, but I’ve been doing some reading on PTSD stuff,” Bucky supplied.

“You have?” Steve asked gently, concern written all over his face.

“Yeah, and I’m learning that it’s after things kind of settle down and you are faced with the quiet of life that things start to come out. Nightmares stick around, emotions can finally be expressed in a safe environment, and in Y/N’s case, since she doesn’t have to suppress anything anymore, because the fear was so great, the powers are seeping up,” Bucky finished with a small shrug. Steve reached over and took his hand with a sweet smile.

Everyone thought on what Bucky had said for a second. Y/N nodded and smiled at Bucky. They had had so many late night conversations about their nightmares. Sam stroked his chin as if he had a long beard and mumbled a soft agreement.

“So, the question is,” Y/N broke the quiet, “what do we do now?”

“First, we need to know more about your powers and help you deal with them,” Steve ticked off on his fingers. “Second, we need to find out who at HYDRA is so interested in you and what their plans are. Third, we need a plan to deal with that threat.”

“Should I call Loki to help me with these powers? He was trying to train me a little bit before he left but I wasn’t getting it and I think it might have frustrated him a little bit,” Y/N said. Steve looked at everyone and received nods all around.

“Yes, call Loki,” he sighed. Loki wasn’t his favorite person because he tended to be a bully, although he had never bullied Y/N, quite the opposite in fact. Steve knew Loki was trying to play nice, but he still didn’t fully trust him and maybe never would.

“Now?” Y/N asked, rising from the table.

“Yep, no time like the present,” Steve replied. Everyone stood and followed Y/N to the living room. She sat on the couch and everyone moved around to stand in front of her to watch.

“I’ve only done this once and he was standing right behind me, so this might take some time,” Y/N explained and waited. No one moved, they just stared at her. “So I’m going to need some space,” she hinted softly. Everyone jumped and moved out of the room, each mumbling about something else they needed to be doing. Bruce nodded at Tony and went directly to the lab. Tony sat himself down in a chair with his coffee.

“I won’t stare at you, babe, but I’m not leaving,” he said firmly but gently. Y/N smiled and nodded.

Taking a deep breath, Y/N focused on Loki. She saw his face in her mind, the constant mischievous glint in his eyes, even the slightly minty scent of his magic. She saw his name in her mind. The four letters grew until she felt pressure in her temples and forehead. Taking a breath she whispered “Loki”. Y/N gasped as she saw the word fly through the entire cosmos, she rode it like she was surfing a wave. She actually felt it hit Loki in back of his head. She saw him turn and smirk. With a nod and a wink, he flicked his hand back at her and she was suddenly back in her own body. Y/N opened her eyes to see that Tony was leaning forward, elbows on his knees watching her with a concerned frown.

“What happened?” he asked.

“He’s coming,” Y/N responded.

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“I’m here,” Loki’s voice floated from behind Y/N. She stood up from the couch and quickly turned around toward Loki.

“How did you get here so fast?” Tony asked. “I didn’t hear the bifrost drop you off.”

“No, I followed Y/N’s call back. It was powerful enough to pull me back with it,” Loki looked at Y/N and grinned proudly for a moment before becoming concerned. “Are you alright, ma choupette?”

“I think so,” Y/N answered with a slight wobble in her voice. Tony was by her side in an instant, helping her to sit back down on the couch. Her face had gone pale and her whole body was trembling. “I feel a little… shaky.”

“What do you need?” Tony asked, hovering over her, not letting his hands leave her for an instant. He wished his touch alone could heal her or bring her comfort. Y/N closed her eyes and pulled him closer. Tony sat down next to her, pulled her into his lap, and wrapped his arms around her. Y/N snuggled into him with a sigh.. Tony pulled the fluffy throw blanket from the back of the couch and wrapped it around her.

“I need this,” she whispered, closing her eyes briefly. “And….”

“And what?” Tony asked anxiously. A moment later, Steve appeared in the doorway with a steaming cup of tea. He silently sat it on the coffee table in front of Y/N with a confused frown. Loki smirked.

“Thank you, Steve,” Y/N said as Tony brought the cup to her hands.

“I don’t know why I did that,” Steve mumbled. “But you’re welcome.”

“I see that your powers are growing, ma choupette,” Loki said softly, sitting himself down in a chair across from the couch crossing his legs and steepling his fingers. “What else can you do?”

“I don’t know, Loki. People bringing me things and calling you are the only things I have done,” Y/N answered, shivering in the circle of Tony’s arms.

“We need to talk,” Steve began as the rest of the team started to filter into the room. Bucky and Loki nodded at each other but Loki paid no attention to anyone else except Y/N. Bruce was the last to come in. He had a tablet in his hands and he was frowning at the screen.

“Tell me,” Loki commanded softly once everyone seemed to be settled into various chairs around the room.

“HYDRA has a file on Y/N and they know that she has powers, but not specifically what her powers do,”
Steve explained, cutting right to the chase. “We need to know what powers Y/N has so that we can figure out why HYDRA is so interested in her.”

“And you would like me to bring this HYDRA to justice?” Loki asked, his eyebrows raising excitedly.

“No, no no.” Steve corrected him quickly, not wanting him to get any ideas. Loki pouted and huffed slightly. “We need you to work with Y/N on her powers, help her develop them in a safe environment. We will handle HYDRA.”

“Is that what you want, ma choupette?” Loki asked Y/N. She looked at Tony, who still held her close.

“Your choice, babe,” Tony said softly, rubbing her arms gently. “I support any decision you make and I’m here for you always.”

Y/N looked around the room and felt nothing but support from everyone. Laying her head on Tony’s shoulder, she took a breath and nodded at Loki. He grinned and rubbed his hands together gleefully. Steve started to glare at him but stopped when Bucky nudged him with his elbow.

“We will begin tomorrow,” Loki instructed as he stood. “I have a bit of business to take care of in the meantime. Excuse me, ma choupette.” He bowed to Y/N and strolled outside where the bifrost whisked him away, leaving a patterned circle burned into the grass.

“What do we do now?” Y/N sighed, leaning into Tony and closing her eyes wearily.

“We’re going to get to work,” Steve said.

“But you should get some rest, doll,” Bucky suggested. “You look worn out already and this is just the beginning.” Y/N nodded and Tony helped her stand. As soon as she put weight on her feet, her knees gave out. Tony scooped her up in his arms and carried his bride to rest in their large bed. Once he had her snuggled into the blankets, he laid down next to her on top of the comforter and rested his head on his hand to chat with her.

“How are you feeling, babe?” he asked softly, admiring Y/N’s beauty even then.

“I’m tired,” she replied, turning to look at him. “I guess that took more energy than I expected.”

“Are you sure this is what you want to do?” he asked, taking her hand in his and kissing her knuckles. “We could just forget about all this, fly away someplace where HYDRA would never find you and live out our days on a beach.”

“Oh Tony, you could never live like that,” Y/N smiled. “We have to deal with this. And my powers can’t be ignored. I have a feeling that they would surface no matter what we did.”

“Why do you think they are surfacing now?”

“I think it’s kind of like what Bucky was talking about over breakfast. Now that I’m safe and my adrenaline levels are normalized, everything that had been suppressed is bubbling up. I guess this is all part of dealing with my past,” Y/N turned and stared at the ceiling, a single tear rolling out of the corner of her eye and into her hair. Tony kissed it away.

“I’m with you, babe, always. No matter what. Even if you start turning into a green rage monster like Banner,” Tony promised.

“You would enjoy that too much, I think,” Y/N grinned back at him.

“You know me so well!” Tony exclaimed and kissed her lips. Y/N leaned into the kiss and tilted her head to deepen it, putting her hand around Tony’s neck to keep him close. He pulled back to look into her eyes.

“I need you, Tony,” she whispered.

“Are you sure? You still look a little pale.”

“Then let’s get the blood flowing a little. Please Tony.”

“Your wish is my command.”

“I love you, husband.”

“I love you too, wife.”
-----

Loki leaned against a wall near the training yard, covered in shadows as he watched. He didn’t need to stand in the shadows because he kept himself invisible, he just liked it. Sif grunted as she threw a pathetic male across the courtyard. The man, Wayne King, stood on shaky legs, took a deep breath, and charged her again. Sif tossed him aside like a rag doll. He did not get back up this time, he simply laid on the ground breathing heavily. A loud laugh echoed around the training courtyard and Loki looked up to see Fandral standing on a balcony watching the skirmish.

“Fandral,” Loki said, suddenly appearing behind the warrior.

“GAH!” Fandral jumped and turned. “Don’t do that, Loki!”

“So much for warrior instincts,” Loki taunted.

“What do you want?” Fandral demanded, plopping down in a chair and picking up his chalice of mead and found it empty.

“When was the last time you were on Midgard?” Loki asked, waving his hand to refill Fandral’s drink.

“A little more than 200 years ago, I think,” Fandral answered. “Why?”

“I may have discovered one of your progeny,” Loki said rather smuggly.

“What? They must be ancient!” Fandral exclaimed. Loki rolled his eyes.

“The woman may be of your line, her magic smells a bit like you.” Loki explained.

“Her magic? I don’t have magic but one of my ancestors did. Just out of curiosity, what does it smell like?” Fandral asked, smelling his arms and tunic.

“You smell like bad decisions and garlic. She smells a little bit like honey mead. She has no idea that she could possibly have any connection with Asgard,” Loki explained, staring over the balcony at the training still going on in the courtyard.

“Who is she?” Fandral questioned, standing next to Loki.

“That man down there is her former husband,” Loki said through gritted teeth.

“THE WIFE BEATER!?!?” Fandral roared. “He dared lay a hand on one of my progeny!?”

“Calm yourself,” Loki urged. “We do not know for certain that this woman is of your line. I merely suspect it. She has requested that I train her and help her develop her magic.”

“Do you think she is powerful?”

“She has much potential, but it will take time to harness her energy so that she can use it instead of it draining her. If she is yours, do I have your permission to be her guide and teacher?”

“I can think of no better teacher when it comes to magic,” Fandral shrugged.

“Do you want to meet her?” Loki asked, his shoulders feeling a tension he didn’t like.

“I don’t think so,” Fandral said slowly with a sigh, thinking it through. “I don’t think I can do anything to help her that you can’t do.”

“Very well,” Loki replied and began to walk away.

“Loki,” Fandral called, turning his head to look over his shoulder. “Take care of her. And behave yourself.”

“Like always,” Loki assured him with a wide grin that made Fandral shudder just a little. Perhaps he could ask Heimdall to keep watch on his little human descendant. Fandral eyed the human man in the courtyard below with disdain.

“Hit him again, Sif!”
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Saturday, 5:30pm, Avengers Compound

Y/N woke to an empty bed. Tony had dozed off with her, she thought, but now the sheets on his side of the bed were cold. Looking at the clock, she saw that it was evening, she had slept the entire day away. Getting out of bed, Y/N stretched. Her muscles were sore even though she didn’t really do anything. Summoning Loki had taken more out of her than she would have ever expected. Wrapping a thick sweater around her t-shirt and jeans, she padded barefoot to the kitchen.

The noise from the kitchen fluttered down the hallway and Y/N paused to listen as a smile grew on her face and she listened to the voices of her family.

“Watch that knife, Barton!” Sam warned.

“Move over, Sam!” Clint grunted.

“Is something burning over there?,” Nat said.

“I’m just gonna stay out of the way,” Bruce intoned.

“This is a bad idea, I don’t know what I’m doing,” Steve grumbled.

“You’re doing great, Stevie,” Bucky encouraged sweetly. “Just keep stirring.”

“Guys, any time now!” Tony said.

“This is why I cook alone, people,” Sam exclaimed.

“You cook alone people? How Soylent Green of you.” Clint asked mockingly.

As Y/N rounded the corner she had to slap her hand over her mouth to contain her giggles when she saw the most beautiful, horrifying sight ever. Steve stood in front of a large pot of something bubbling on the stove. His white apron was covered in red splotches. Bucky stood behind him, looking into the pot over Steve’s shoulder, his white apron also covered in red. Clint and Sam were cutting vegetables on the same cutting board, each fighting for space. Nat was sitting on the counter, a safe distance away from all four men, with a cup of coffee and a smirk. Bruce stood against the wall, as far away from the action as he could get and still be in the room. Tony was bent over, staring into the oven, his eyes narrowed to slits as he watched something bake, bright pink oven mitts at the ready to take whatever it was out. Flour seemed to have exploded all over the kitchen and the large sink was full of random dishes that were dripping with the mysterious red substance that Y/N prayed wasn’t someone’s blood.

“What is going on here?” Y/N asked. Seven pairs of eyes turned to her as everyone froze.

“Darling!” Tony exclaimed loudly with an exaggerated smile. He tossed the pink oven mitts over his shoulder to Nat and quickly walked across the kitchen to Y/N. “How are you feeling?”

“I’m fine, what’s going on in there?” Y/N asked, trying to look back over Tony’s shoulder as he shuffled her out of the doorway.

“Oh nothing to worry about, come talk to me, wife,” he said quickly, pulling her into the living room and onto a couch where she could no longer see the kitchen.

“Tony,” Y/N said warningly. “What are you all up to?”

“Up to?” Tony questioned slowly but then began to babble, picking up speed as he went. “Why would you think we would be up to anything? To be fair, we are the Avengers, there’s always something going on but I can’t think of anything in particular happening right now, at this very minute, this instant. Let’s talk about you, I wanna hear everything you are feeling and thinking. Right now. Don’t leave anything out. Go.”

“Ready!” Bucky yelled from the dining room just as Y/N was taking a breath to speak.

“Oh good, let’s go!” Tony grabbed Y/N’s hand and pulled her into the dining room. The large table was set for everyone present and one extra place. Steaming bowls of chili and plates of cornbread sat at everyone’s place.

“What’s this?” Y/N asked, inhaling the delicious scent of the chili and warm bread.

“We wanted to cook for you,” Clint shrugged.

“It’s not much,” Steve began as everyone sat. “The chili is what Buck and I could remember from my mother’s recipe and, well, cornbread is cornbread.”

“Hey,” interrupted Tony. “My cornbread is a delicacy.”

“It’s smell amazing, thank you all so much!” Y/N replied, smiling at everyone. “But who’s missing?” She gestured to the empty place setting. Just then, a boom shook the room slightly.

“That would be him,” Nat said, rolling her eyes at the theatrics of the entrance.

“FRIENDS!” hollered Thor as he burst into the room.

“Thor!” Y/N exclaimed as she jumped up to hug him. She hadn’t seen him since the wedding. He enveloped her in his huge arms and lifted her off her feet into a hug.

“Hello little lady!” he bellowed. Returning Y/N to her feet, Thor sat down at the empty place and everyone dug into their chili while updating Thor on everything that had happened. When he heard how Y/N had called Loki, his eyebrows raised in surprise.

“I know my brother is fond of you, Lady Y/N, but you must be careful. Loki is full of tricks and will not hesitate to use them, it’s his nature,” Thor warned.

“I understand, Thor. I trust Loki but I know who and what he is,” Y/N replied. The rest of the night was filled with laughter and love, everyone did their best to make Y/N understand how much they loved and supported her, no matter what.

Sunday, 10am, a small field outside the Avengers Compound

Y/N stood in the sun with Loki. He had decided that outside was the best place to begin her training, it would cut down on repairs to the building he said. A large truck had been placed in the center of the field and Loki faced it, waved his hand, and it disappeared. A flick of his wrist brought it back again.

“It has less to do with what the thing is capable of doing and more to do with what you want it to do,” he explained. “I wanted it to hide itself, and so it did.”

“So you can make anything obey you?” Y/N questioned.

“In a manner of speaking. Try this. Try making the truck move a little,” Loki instructed. Y/N sighed and looked at the large vehicle. “You have to want it to move. Picture in your mind what you want it to do. Don’t ask it to obey you, it might say no. Simply understand that it has no choice. It must obey you.”

“Okay,” Y/N said and focused on the truck. She tilted her head slightly as she considered it. Without thought to the mechanics of the vehicle or that it wasn’t even running, she simply decided that it needed to roll forward five inches. Y/N raised her hand and willed the truck to roll. She flicked her wrist like Loki had done and saw a wisp of silver light wrap around the truck and it rolled backward seven inches. Y/N sighed with frustration.

“What do you want right now?” Loki asked, taking a different tact.

“To disappear,” Y/N responded softly, her head bending low.

“How would you do that? Chose and focus.” Loki pushed, walking slow circles around her. Y/N considered how she wanted to disappear at that instant. Simply not standing here wasn’t really what she wanted. She wanted to be there, she just didn’t want to be seen failing. Finally, an idea came to her head and she focused on it.

From the window, Tony watched as his wife bowed her head and became surrounded in wisps of silver light emanating from the palms of her hands. He couldn’t take his eyes off of her as the ribbons of mist swirled and eddied around her, never being still and constantly changing. He almost ran out to her but stopped when he saw a massive wave of fog roll in through the trees. His jaw dropped as he watched the fog come out of nowhere and completely cover the field, the truck, Y/N and Loki. Thor laughed and slapped Tony on the shoulder.

“Your little wife is quite powerful, Stark!”

Tony nodded silently and decided it was time to talk to Bruce. He turned and left Thor watching over the training session.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Tony burst through the double doors of the lab, causing the door handles to slam against the walls and causing Bruce to jump and whip around nervously.

“Sorry,” Tony mumbled as he plopped down on a stool next to Bruce. “What do you have?”

“Well,” Bruce started, gesturing to the computer screen which showed different scans of Y/N while she was calling Loki. “Different areas of her brain were activated while she was using her powers but they went dormant again when she stopped.”

“Why was she exhausted after?” Tony questioned.

“Simple energy drain. Her brain pulled massive amounts of energy from the rest of her body to remain active. Loki said that her call was powerful enough to pull him back with it, I think once Y/N learns how to control the amount of energy using her powers takes, her brain won’t just pull it from her body, it might actually give some of it back.”

“Is she in any danger physically from using her powers?” Tony asked, his eyes narrowing at the screen.

“Not that I can see.” Bruce shook his head. “Her heart is strong and as long as she remains healthy and takes care of herself, I don’t see any problems. The only thing I would caution is to be careful and start slowly. Build up a tolerance, kind of.”

“Do you think any of her past injuries are going to be affected?” Tony questioned, his heart tightening at the thought that Wayne’s abuse could still affect her physically.

“Her bones and muscles have healed. There are a few places that didn’t heal quite right and have some scarring but they should be okay. Who knows, maybe she could heal herself,” Bruce shrugged.

Tony sighed and stared at the screens, his mind racing with possibilities. On the one hand, if Y/N could hone her powers, it could be the most effective method of protection imaginable. Much better than any suit he could build for her. On the other hand, if she doesn’t learn to control the amount of energy her powers pull from her, she could exhaust her body’s supply quicker and leave herself helpless. Either way, Tony knew he needed to formulate a plan, some kind of system so that he could monitor her vitals and keep track of her. The necklace he had given her before they got married tracked her movements as long as she wore it and she had never taken it off. He knew he needed to do better than that though. He was just about to ask Bruce his opinion on an idea he had when the doors burst open again and Tony’s heart stopped. Loki entered carrying Y/N in his arms with Thor close behind. Her hands lay in her lap, her head on his shoulder, and her eyes were closed.

“We’re here, ma choupette,” Loki whispered down to her as he laid her in Tony’s waiting arms. Y/N opened her eyes and looked up at Tony, weariness showing in the bags under her eyes.

“Did you see what I did?” she asked weakly, leaning her head on his shoulder.

“I saw, babe, it was amazing,” he replied with a gentle smile. “Are you okay?”

“M’fine,” she mumbled as she closed her eyes again and slipped into unconsciousness.

“JARVIS?” Tony said sharply, adjusting Y/N in his arms to stand and lay her down on one of the medical beds they kept in the lab.

“She is sleeping, sir,” JARVIS replied. “I will run secondary scans.”

“Run a comprehensive brain scan too,” Bruce instructed. “One overlayed in green and one in red.”

“Yes, Dr. Banner.”

“What will that show?” Loki asked. Tony and Bruce turned back to him, they had nearly forgotten he and Thor were there.

“The red will show me what parts of her brain are active right now and the green will show any residual energy left over from her powers,” Bruce explained. “I have determined that her brain is where her powers emanate from.”

Tony leaned over Y/N on the bed. He brushed a strand of wayward hair from her sleeping face. He couldn’t lose her and he would do everything in his power to keep her safe. But even Tony knew that he wasn’t a magician, despite what he let other people believe. He needed some help with this and, thankfully, he knew just who to ask. Making sure Bruce was watching over Y/N, Tony pulled Loki out of the small room into the hallway.

Bruce leaned over Y/N, his eye trained on the screen where JARVIS was showing each scan as they were completed. He noted the expected parts of a normal, active human brain in the red overlay of the brain scans. On the green overlay, he saw something that seemed familiar to him, but he couldn’t quite place it.

“JARVIS, the activity to the left of the amygdala on the green overlay, does that occur anywhere else in the files of known Avengers, Inhumans, or, well, anybody?” he asked. Thor looked on curiously, not knowing what he was looking at or what to do about it.

“Indeed, Dr. Banner. It occurs in this scan as well,” the AI replied, filling a second screen with a different scan. Bruce noticed the name of the brain’s owner and blinked confused. He rubbed his eyes, blinking a few more times and looked again. The result was the same. He pointed the name out to Thor, but Thor shrugged and only looked more confused than before.

“Tony!” Bruce called, not taking his eyes off the screen, not seeing Y/N jerk awake but remain silent. Tony rushed back into the room, Loki sauntered in much slower. Even though Y/N’s eyes were closed, Loki sensed her alertness and awareness of the conversation around her. He smirked. Thor looked at him confused.

“What?” Tony asked, “what did you find?”

“Look at this on Y/N’s scan,” Bruce pointed to the green area lit up on Y/N’s brain scan. “And look at this one in comparison,” Bruce pointed to the same area on the other scan that JARVIS brought up. Tony’s eyes flitted back and forth between the two scans before he noticed the name on the second scan. His eyes grew large and he whipped around to Loki.

“Why do my wife’s brain scans match yours?!” he demanded. Loki smirked again and gestured to Y/N, whose eyes were now wide open as she sat up.

“Answer him, Loki,” Y/N demanded in a voice that she didn’t entirely recognize. Loki bowed to her slightly before beginning to speak in calm, measured tones.

“I believe that if you have your machine examine the results more closely, the two scans are not identical, just very similar. The reason they are similar is because our magic works in similar ways, both emanate from our desires,” he explained while moving to Y/N’s side, explaining it more to her than the rest of the room. Her heart rate was elevated and he wanted to do what he could to lower it to safer levels. He began to doubt that training her was a good idea at all, she seemed so fragile.

“JARVIS?” Tony asked, wanting Loki’s words to make some sense.

“Confirmed, sir. The scans are a 78% match, there are subtle differences.”

“Why, Loki?” Y/N asked softly, laying her head back on her pillow and reaching for Tony’s hand for support. Tony squeezed himself onto the bed, wrapping his arm around Y/N’s shoulders. She leaned into him and they both looked at Loki who crossed his arms over his chest and began his explanation.

“I began to suspect your lineage the first time that I taught you to call to me, but I thought it might have been my imagination, so I left it alone. When you called to me a second time, the scent of your magic was much stronger and it propelled me to action. My time with you today and these primitive scans have proven it to me. You have Asgardian blood in you, Y/N. Fandral’s to be precise,” Loki explained as he leaned against the wall.

“Fandral?” Thor questioned. “Fandral doesn’t have magic. And when was the last time he was even on Midgard? ”

“His ancestors had magic and he hasn’t been here in quite some time,” Loki supplied. “Magic is selective, it skips generations and one never knows when it’s going to pop up or how it will manifest itself. Y/N’s magic smells like him, which is why I suspected him. I spoke with him and he gave me his permission to train you.”

“So this Fandral is my ancestor and through him, I have magic?” Y/N clarified, her eyes wide with wonder. “And he’s a good guy?”

“Fandral is one of my most trusted warriors, Lady Stark,” Thor assured her. “He is just and true and I trust him with my life.”

“Yeah, yeah, I’m sure he’s a regular Robin Hood,” Tony broke in, “but what I want to know is how all this is going to effect Y/N?”

“Thus far, the only effect has been these emerging powers,” Loki replied, he smiled sadly at Y/N. “Forgive me, ma choupette, if this is indelicate but it’s clear that you do not have the strength or healing of an Asgardian. I do not anticipate any other effect than these powers. How far they progress, I believe, is entirely up to you.”

The room fell silent as everyone took in this new information. Tony’s mind swam with questions that he kept to himself for the time being. Bruce was still studying the scans and Thor just looked slightly uncomfortable and, after a minute, excused himself. Loki sat in one of the few chairs in the room and took Y/N hand.

“I don’t want you to be upset, little one, this news could be an encouragement to you that you have a family and a people should you chose to leave this world,” Loki said, trying to be helpful.

“Oh Loki,” Y/N replied, shaking her head. “I have a family and a people in this world. You are part of it. I’m not saddened or distressed by this news, I’m just taking it in and allowing myself time to process it. Would you mind if I talked to Tony alone for a minute?” Loki and Bruce nodded and silently left the room. Y/N snuggled into Tony’s arms.

“Husband?” she whispered.

“Yes, my little Asgardian warrior?” Tony replied, a small smile gracing his lips. Y/N snorted.

“Shut up.”

“Yes, dear.”

“What do you think of all this?” Y/N asked.

“It doesn’t change anything for me,” Tony replied firmly. “You’re my wife and if you think you’re getting out of that by developing some powers and having Asgardian blood in your veins, then you are mistaken, woman.”

“Thank you,” Y/N replied softly, turning her face into Tony’s chest. His strong arms held her close and she let the safety and warmth seep into her bones and she quickly fell asleep. Tony held her for a few minutes, loving the way she fit in his arms and how it felt to have her head resting securely on his chest. He resolved in his heart that she would always be his to love and protect, he would never let her go. It felt a little selfish but Tony needed her. Desperately. He didn’t know how badly he needed her until he had her and now couldn’t imagine his life without her. He would use everything in his power to keep her safe and as Y/N slept in his arms, Tony began to plan and design exactly how he would protect her.
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Monday, 5pm, Avengers Compound

Y/N and Loki had been training nearly all day. Loki focused more on teaching Y/N how to control her power and keep it from draining her. She watched as her magic swirled around her while she stood in the field. The silver ribbons of mist swirled and eddied around her. It investigated the grass and when it touched a small bird, Y/N called it back to her palm. The sparrow lighted on her hand for a moment, chirping happily before flying off into the blue sky. Y/N laughed with delight, looking at Loki in amazement. The afternoon had continued in much the same way. Y/N used her magic to do little things around the field until she began to grow tired, then Loki took her inside to rest. While they were in the field, under Thor’s watchful eyes, Tony worked hard in his lab with Bruce. He had a promise to keep to himself to protect Y/N to the best of his ability.

Loki finally called it a day, saying he would return in the morning. Y/N was just pulling a couple of lasagnas out of the oven in the kitchen when Bucky found her.

“Hey doll, how’s the magic training going?” he asked, hopping up on the counter.

“It’s great!” Y/N’s smile could have brightened the darkest of rooms. “Loki is really helping me control it and use its energy instead of it using me. I think once I really get the hang of it, I will feel so much better.”

“That’s good,” Bucky replied, looking down at his swinging feet.

“What’s up, Buck?” Y/N asked, knowing when Bucky needed to talk.

“I, um,” Bucky rubbed a hand down his face. “I guess I’m just worried about you, Y/N. I mean, I’m not too worried about Loki. He is who he is, but he loves you. I guess I’m most concerned about what we don’t know yet. About why HYDRA is so interested in you. You’ve been through enough, doll, you deserve to just live in peace.”

“Oh Buck,” Y/N hopped up on the counter next to him and took his metal hand and held it between both of her hands in her lap. “I love you so much, you sweet man, but you gotta stop worrying about me. You have all helped me be a stronger person, to live a normal life. This is my normal now and I wouldn’t trade it for anything. Loki is going to train me how to use my powers and I’m going to be an asset, not a liability.”

“You’re never a liability,” Bucky interrupted, pulling on her hands so that they were now in his lap and she met his eyes. “You deserve so much… a better future than maybe we can give you. I mean, shit, I can’t even help you through your nightmares without igniting my own.”

“You and I, we might always have nightmares,” Y/N said softly. “But we will also have each other and the loves of our lives to help us. I’m not worried about the future, Buck, and I don’t want you to worry either.”

Bucky smiled and slowly nodded his agreement. Y/N rested her head on his metal shoulder and he kissed the top of her head. Tony and Steve strolled into the kitchen, Steve pointing at the something on the tablet they were discussing. The two men stopped at the sight of Bucky and Y/N sitting on the counter.

“Ummm, should we be worried?” Steve asked.

“Hands off my wife, Barnes,” Tony demanded with a smirk.

“No, she’s mine, you nefarious evil-doer!” Bucky responded with a laugh, wrapping his arms around Y/N, whose laughter rang out through the kitchen and down the hallway.

“I’ll save you, ma’am,” Steve declared, moving in to put his arms around Bucky’s shoulders, pulling him away from Y/N and off the counter.

“My hero!” Y/N responded to Steve while wrapping her arms around Tony’s shoulders as he pulled her down from the counter and into his embrace. Each couple seemed lost in each other for a moment. Tony dropped a light kiss on Y/N’s lips and Steve ran his hand through Bucky’s hair with an adoring look in his eyes. Bucky responded with a goofy grin for Steve. The sound of a clearing throat pulled all four from their moment as Clint and Sam walked in.

“Hey y’all, what’s for dinner?” Sam asked.

“Lasagna,” Y/N replied, moving away from Tony toward the food. The next few minutes were an ordered chaos as everyone chipped in to set the table, toss a salad, and pull together the garlic bread.

Tony took advantage of the busyness and pulled Y/N into the hallway. He gently pressed her against the wall and sealed his lips over hers. Y/N tilted her head and wrapped her arms around his neck, encouraging him to deepen the kiss. Tony slowly pulled back, leaving little nibble-kisses on her lips and cheeks.

“I love you and I will always protect you,” he promised in a whisper.

“I love you too and I will always let you protect me,” Y/N responded. Looking into his eyes, Y/N could see that Tony was struggling with something but decided to wait to ask him about it. The call that dinner was finished shook them out of their moment. Tony took Y/N’s hand, kissed her palm, promised her that this moment wasn’t over, and led her by the hand into the large dining room to sit with everyone to eat a family style meal.

Y/N loved eating together as a family. She watched the interactions, the teasing, and the loving glances between these people that she loved so much. Tony caught her eye more than once and her heart started doing flips at the promises in his eyes. Steve and Bucky seemed connected at the elbow and excused themselves quickly after the meal was eaten. Nat volunteered Sam and Clint to be the clean up crew and Tony took the opportunity to pull Y/N away to his lab.

“What are we doing in here?” she asked as the lights flared on and Tony’s hand quickly covered her eyes, pulling her back against his chest. “What are you up to, Tony?”

“I have something for you,” he said softly into her ear, his voice almost tentative and tense. “I just want you to know, before you see it, that I meant what I said. I love you so much and I want to protect you.”

“Alright, Tony.” Y/N replied softly, leaning back against his chest. “I love you too. Now, show me.” Tony took a breath, praying she wouldn’t get mad at him. He slowly removed his hand and released her. Y/N gasped. In front of her stood what looked like a Iron Man suit but it was smaller. It was mostly matte black with a few shiny black and silver accents. Next to it, on a Y/N-sized mannequin, a black leather jacket hung.

“Okay, I’m ready for you to explain this,” Y/N said, looking back to her husband. His eyes were wary but held hope as she smiled at him.

“Right! Okay,” Tony clapped his hands once and launched into his explanation. “I very nearly made you an Iron Wife suit but decided that that was too much. I know, right? I decided something was too much! See? I can grow! Anyway, the jacket is for you. It’s lined with the thinnest layer of vibranium that JARVIS could make. It’s completely bullet proof at a distance but not so much at point blank range. You won’t die but it will hurt. It’s got multiple pockets full of goodies that I’ll explain later. It’s got a great range of motion so you can do your thing and not get hung up. Cap’s suit always looks so tight I’m shocked he can even throw a punch.”

“I love the jacket, Tony. But what about Mini Iron Man here?” Y/N asked, pointing to the metal statue standing next to the mannequin.

“Ah, yes, this is Clara,” Tony said, leaning against his work bench. “I knew you wouldn’t want a suit of your own but I didn’t feel like the jacket was enough. Clara’s main operating system is linked to JARVIS’. They work the same way but Clara reports to JARVIS who reports to me. There is a tracker in the jacket and in your necklace that Clara is linked to at all times, even when she’s sleeping.”

“And I can talk to her like I talk to JARVIS?” Y/N asked.

“Yep,” Tony replied, pleased with himself and his creation.

“And will she tell JARVIS everything I say and do? And then JARVIS tells you?” Y/N asked, pinning Tony to the bench with her stare. “Is this your high tech way of spying on me?”

“Wait, what? No!” Tony began to babble, panicked. “I just wanted to protect you… I wasn’t sure how you would like this, I knew this was a stupid idea. I’m sorry honey, I just needed to do something, anything, to help you and make sure that you’re safe. I can’t lose you, babe, I just can’t.”

“Tony,” Y/N sighed and leaned against the bench next to him, shoulders touching. “I know you’re trying to protect me the best way you know how and I love you for it. But this is a little overwhelming. The jacket is great, I love it and I will wear it. Clara is a bit much though. I don’t want a robot following me around, reporting everything I do and say back to you.”

“You’re right,” Tony sighed. “I’m sorry sweetheart, I went too far. So much for growth.”

“Babe,” Y/N turned to Tony and put her arms around his neck, kissing his cheek as he stared at the offending robot. “Thank you for taking care of me and wanting to keep me safe. How about we compromise?”

“How so?” he asked, wrapping an arm around her waist and pulling her close, inhaling her scent.

“Take Clara out of the big, black robot and give her to me in a much smaller package, something I can access through the jacket or a watch or something cool like that. She can still be with me, but I control how much access she has to my life and when she talks to JARVIS and you. How does that sound to you?” Y/N suggested diplomatically.

“If I make her smaller, will you promise not to go anywhere without her? Like the necklace?” Tony asked.

“If you can make her into a watch or something else I can wear like that, I promise to always wear it,” Y/N replied.

“Alright, I’ll work on that,” Tony agreed, nuzzling his face into Y/N’s neck. “Forgive me for going overboard?”

“Always,” Y/N laughed and shoved his shoulder so that he looked at her. She put her hands on either side of his face and squished his mouth a little. With a giggle, she planted a chaste kiss on his lips. “Now, take me to bed, Mr. Stark.”

“My pleasure, Mrs. Stark,” Tony replied with a grin, picking Y/N up bridal style and walking out of the lab.

“Yes, I’m sure it will be,” Y/N replied cheekily.
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Wednesday, 10am, Field outside of the Avengers Compound

Y/N and Loki were training hard. So far, Y/N had learned to move objects as large as a truck, make flowers grow, and have Clint bring her water with just a blink of her eyes. Most importantly, Y/N had learned to use her power and have it give her energy instead of stealing it from her. She was still tired at the end of the day, but not nearly as exhausted as before. Tony was working hard to put Clara in something small enough for Y/N to wear. He knew the robot was too much even as he was designing it, but his need to protect his wife overroad his common sense. He couldn’t really explain his sense of urgency, just that he needed to get this done as quickly as possible. Tony knew that this brief peace they were experiencing was going to end and he needed to be ready. He needed to make sure Y/N was ready.

Steve and Bucky had stopped giving Y/N self-defense lessons until today. Loki called them into the field to continue their training with Y/N but he kept interrupting them to have Y/N defend herself with her powers instead of her muscles. Y/N stood, waiting for Steve to attack from behind and Bucky to come at her from the front. Both super soldiers were told not to pull any punches but they were still hesitant. Y/N glanced over her shoulder as Steve rushed up from behind her and, with a blink and a thought, threw him twenty paces backward. As Bucky came at her in a frontal assault, Y/N shook her head slightly and Bucky flew to the left, landing on the ground a safe distance away. Try as they might, the soldiers couldn’t get within five feet of Y/N. Even when they attacked simultaneously, she simply closed her eyes and they both flew at each other, slamming into each other’s sides. Loki smiled gleefully. Steve and Bucky picked themselves up slowly.

“Are you okay?” Y/N asked, concerned to see super soldiers limping.

“We’ll live,” Bucky smiled at her. “Right, Stevie?” he asked as he slapped his partner on the shoulder.

“Yeah, sure,” Steve mumbled with a smile for Y/N. “You’re progressing better than anyone could have imagined, Y/N. I know Tony is worried about your safety but I think you’ve got this well in hand and can take care of yourself.”

“Thank you, Steve, that means a lot coming from you,” Y/N beamed.

“But, still, always be aware of your surroundings and who is close to you,” Steve warned. “All this is for naught if you get taken by surprise and knocked unconscious.” His warning was cut short by the ringing of a phone in his back pocket.

“Stevie,” Bucky said from a step behind him, “you’re butt’s ringing at me.”

Steve rolled his eyes as Bucky giggled. Answering the phone, a sudden seriousness filled the field as the tension in Steve’s shoulders tightened. Bucky stepped closer so that he could hear what was being said on the other line. Snapping the phone closed, Steve addressed everyone.

“Emergency meeting, now. Nat’s got something.”

Wednesday, 5pm, Conference room in the Avengers Compound

“I’M GOING!”

“YOU’RE STAYING!”

Y/N and Tony had been arguing for the past 30 minutes. Nat had found who at HYDRA was so interested in Y/N and had even found where they were hiding. Some general, high in the ranks of HYDRA, suspected that Y/N had the power to grant wishes and decided he needed that for himself. The mission was set to get him and bring him back to the compound and all the files on Y/N that HYDRA had compiled. Y/N wanted to go too. Tony wasn’t having it.

“Tony, I have a right to go,” Y/N argued. “This is my life and I have a right to know what’s going on and who is trying to take it from me.”

“I don’t disagree with you, babe,” Tony said, trying to defuse the situation. “But I can’t handle you being on a mission with us. Stay here and let us bring the bastard back to you and you can confront him here.”

“I can take care of myself, Tony,” Y/N said, her eyes conveying her hurt. “I won’t be controlled by anyone again.”

“I’m not trying to control you, Y/N, I’m trying to keep you safe,” Tony explained. He looked around the silent table. “A little help here?”

“Y/N,” Bucky stood and walked over to Y/N and put his hands on her shoulders. “Tony’s trying to protect you. I understand that it feels like you’re being controlled but that’s not what this is. Please, doll, you are the heart of us and we can’t afford to lose you.”

“Give her the puppy eyes,” Tony whispered from behind Bucky. Y/N snorted as Bucky gave her his best pleading look. The look that Steve always caves to.

“God, alright fine, turn off the eyes, Buck,” Y/N said with a sigh. “You owe me though.”

“Thanks, doll,” Bucky grinned and smacked a kiss on her cheek. He and the rest of the team left to get ready but Tony stood in front of Y/N, unable to pull himself away yet. He took her hand and put a band in her palm. Y/N looked at it. It looked like a cross between a fitbit and an apple watch.

“Here’s Clara,” Tony said softly. “Please wear it.”

Y/N put the watch on the table behind her and pulled Tony into her arms and held tight. “I hate fighting with you,” she said, tears springing to her eyes.

“Me too, honey, I’m so sorry,” he replied, rubbing her back soothingly. “I love you so much.”

“I love you too, now go do your thing,” Y/N replied, pulling away from Tony. “Bring that rat-bastard back here so I can get a good look at who’s trying to take over my life.”

“Oh, I love it when you get feisty,” Tony grinned as he dashed out the door. Loki appeared just inside the conference room, leaning against the wall with a smirk.

“Well, I suppose you want to go too?” Y/N asked with a pout. Loki simply smiled. “Alright, go on then.” Loki grinned, nodded, and hurried to catch up with the rest of the team. Y/N sighed. Being left behind sucked.

Once all the goodbyes had been said and the jet was out of the hanger, Y/N felt at a loss. They didn’t know how long they would be gone, they just said that they would be in touch. With a sigh, Y/N went back to the conference room and picked up the watch Tony made for her to house Clara. Putting the band around her wrist, Y/N jumped when the band automatically tightened itself around her wrist and adjusted until it felt comfortable. Tony didn’t give her any instructions on how to operate Clara, so Y/N tapped it twice like it was a fitbit.

“Clara?” she asked the watch.

“Yes, ma’am,” replied a pleasant, British accented female voice. The watch’s screen lit up to reveal a tiny map with a silver dot at the compound and a red dot flying away. Y/N bit her bottom lip nervously as she watched Tony’s dot fly away.

“Clara, we’re going to take a very confidential trip.”
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Thursday, around 3pm, Somewhere in Eastern Europe

Steve ducked as a HYDRA soldier went flying past his head and turned to toss a glare over his shoulder. Bucky merely grinned back with a wink and a shrug as yet another group of soldiers came at them. Iron Man swooped wide above them, drawing fire where he could. Nat, Clint, and Sam were already inside the underground base trying to root out the general interested in Y/N. Even though Loki could have used his magic and just walked straight through the din of fighting, he was allowing himself the enjoyment of throwing some punches. Hulk found some tanks and trucks to smash and flashed a wicked grin every time one of them exploded.

“Steve,” Nat’s voice sounded through the coms. “You and Tony better get in here.”

“On our way,” Steve replied, tossing the soldier on his back to the side. Tony flew low and landed by the door. The men made their way down the few stairs into the underground bunker that wasn’t much more than an empty room with a computer on an old desk against the far wall. Walking through the empty room, Tony’s visor flipped up.

“I expected more,” he said, his voice echoing off the cinder block walls.

“Yeah,” Clint agreed. “It’s quite a let-down until you get to the computer.”

“Whatcha got?” Steve asked Nat, who was seated at the computer. Sam stood watch by the door.

“The hard drive is mostly empty except for the files on Y/N. Based on what I’m reading here, their plan was to kidnap Y/N and then fly her to the General, wherever he is, the location isn’t precise,” Nat explained, her fingers flying over the keys.

“When were they planning on this happening?” Tony asked, tapping a control panel on his arm to make JARVIS scan and record everything.

“Right now,” Nat answered gravely.

“Wait, what?” Steve asked. “The General isn’t here somewhere?”

“Looks like we’ve been led on a wild goose chase, Cap,” Nat responded.

“JARVIS,” Tony barked as he turned and ran out of the room. “Find Y/N, she should have Clara with her. If not Clara, track the necklace.”

“She is not at the compound, Sir,” JARVIS replied.

“Shit! I don’t care where she isn’t! Tell me where she is!” Tony yelled back, snapping his visor down and fly into the air to get back to the jet. He vaguely heard Steve call everyone back to the jet.

“Scanning,” JARVIS said in his other ear. Tony scanned the results of JARVIS’s search as he landed on the walkway of the jet and ran into the main cabin. Nothing. Opening up the Iron Man suit, Tony stepped out and began powering up the jet. Loki ran up the ramp as the first evidence that the rest of the team was on their way. Tony turned to speak to him but his voice was cut off when suddenly Y/N’s face swam in his vision. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she reached out and called his name. Without hesitation, he reached for her floating, nearly imperceptible hand and was pulled out of his plane of existence.

Loki blinked once then smiled briefly before frowning again. He knew Y/N had pulled Tony to wherever she was but that could only mean that she was in danger and reached out to the first person she thought of. He imagined Y/N was hoping Tony would still be in his metal suit though. Jeans and a black t-shirt didn’t offer much armor or firepower. Much to Loki’s surprise, the empty Iron Man suit snapped itself closed and turned toward the door, the foot jets activated and the suit flew down the ramp and disappeared into the sky.

Steve ran up the ramp, having to duck to miss the Iron Man suit flying out.

“What’s going on?” he asked, slightly winded.

“Y/N called to Tony and pulled him to wherever she is. Unfortunately, he wasn’t in his metal suit at the time,” Loki explained, turning to tap some buttons to start the jet’s engines. The rest of the team arrived just in time to catch Loki’s explanation.

“Can you follow them?” Bucky demanded. Nat shoved Loki out of the way and got the jet in the air with a couple flicks of her wrists.

“We can track the Iron Man suit,” Nat supplied. Flipping on the radar screen, a red dot flew swiftly away from them, Nat turned the jet to follow as fast as they could.

Thursday, around 4pm, a dark room somewhere in Europe

Tony groaned as he slowly came back to consciousness. His head was pounding and pain shot through his left arm. He looked around the dark room, squinting as if narrow eyes could see in the dark better. He was on something cold and hard but not stone or concrete. He controlled his breathing to listen. Nothing. Not even the hum of electronics. He pulled himself up to lean against what he thought was the wall. Closing his eyes, his memory flashed back to him. Y/N had pulled him. Riding the wave of her power was a rush but the landing needed work. He remembered slamming into the wall, his left arm still reaching for her. As he landed on the floor, the last thing he remembered was flicking his right wrist to call for JARVIS and the suit. Having no idea where he was, Tony didn’t know how long it would take for the suit to arrive or if the signal even sent.

Y/N. She had called him, she must be here somewhere. Tony slowly stood, his head spinning. Leaning back against the cold wall, he tucked his left arm against his middle and put out his right hand to follow the wall. Ten paces and the wall turned sharply to the right. Ten paces it turned right again. Ten paces, right again. Ten paces, right again. A square room, but where was the door? Tony put his hand up on a hunch and felt the ceiling a mere 6 inches above his head. He walked around the room again with his hand on the ceiling and finally found a door in the ceiling near the far corner from where he started. A hatch. He hoped he was in some kind of underground bunker and not under water. He didn’t like being under water all that much. Whatever he was in, he was there alone. No Y/N.

Weak and in pain, Tony sat back down in a corner. His arm throbbed and his head didn’t feel much better. He felt like he needed a gatorade or something. Maybe being pulled through whatever he was pulled through by Y/N’s magic took some of his electrolytes. Leaning his head back against the corner, he sighed. Nothing to do but wait. If the suit was on its way, the team should be close behind. He didn’t know where Y/N was but she had to be close. His adrenaline drained slowly and his eyes slipped closed, wanting an escape from the pain and desperately wanting to know that his wife was safe.

Unconsciousness took him so deep that he didn’t hear the hatch open and didn’t even feel himself being pulled out of the hole of a room.
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Tony jerked awake when someone yelled his name. He tried to raise his arms but quickly realized that they were handcuffed to the bed rails. Bed rails? He looked around and found himself in a hospital bed but not in an actual hospital. The small room he was in had three concrete walls and no windows except for the fourth wall, which was all glass. On the other side of the glass stood a woman in a black leather jacket. Tony blinked to clear his vision and was finally able to focus on his wife. Her hands were on the glass, tear streaked face watching him closely. Behind her stood an angry looking man, about 50 years old, with a large belly and even larger snarl.

“Tony,” Y/N sobbed softly.

The large man jerked her arm and told her to shut up. Tears flowed down her face as her hand pushed against the glass, trying to get in the room. Tony tried again to sit up but the handcuffs kept him down. Pain shot through his left arm every time he moved, making him grunt in pain.

“There,” said the large man in a heavy New York accent. He jerked Y/N around to get nose to nose with her. “You see your man, he’s fine. He’s receiving the finest medical care available. Now, you will give me what I want!”

Y/N struggled against the man’s meaty hand, her eyes wild with fear. She looked back at Tony desperately. How could he help her, he was stuck. Y/N let out a sob before turning back to the man, her body trembling, and nodded. He laughed in triumph and shoved her into a straight-backed chair. Standing behind her as she faced Tony, he put his hands on her shoulders, holding her down in the seat.

“Now then, little witch,” he started, “you will give me anything I want, when I want it, or a lot more will be broken on your man than just his arm.” He eyed Tony through the narrow slits his eyes cut into his rotund face.

“Who are you?” Tony gargled out, clearing his parched throat. “And what do you want?”

“I’m General Stavros,” came the snarling reply through the glass wall. “You are in no position to make any bargains, Tony Stark. You may have money but what I desire, only your little witch can give me.”

“Are you sure?” Tony quipped. “I’ve got friends in high places.”

“Quite sure,” Stavros replied. A door opened behind him and a thuggish man came in and took Stacros’ place behind Y/N. A much dirtier pair of hands now rested on her shoulders, keeping her in the chair. Stavros moved around so that he could see both Y/N and Tony. “And now, my dear, please take a look at your husband. You will notice that he is hooked up to a curious little box.”

Tony and Y/N’s eyes landed on the small black box next to him at same the time, then they connected with each other. A wire came out of the side of the box and wrapped around Tony’s thigh through a large rip in his jeans.

“That lovely little device,” Stavros began to explain, “is my insurance that you will do what I ask without question. If you do not do as I ask, if you even hesitate, electrical current will course through his system. At first, it will only cause intense pain. But if the box stays on for too long, it will, unfortunately, start a fire and he will burn alive in his bed.”

Tears streamed down Y/N’s face as she never took her eyes from Tony for an instant. Tony’s determined expression never once wavered. He could handle pain and the Iron Man suit and the rest of the team should be there any second, he just had to wait it out or stall. Without missing a beat, as if she could read his mind, Y/N’s gaze shifted to Stavros, angry making her eyes flash.

“What do you want?” she asked through her clenched teeth. Her hands flexed in her lap as she held back her anger and fear.

“Let’s start with a small test, shall we my dear?” Stavros asked, leaning down so that his rank breath blew across Y/N’s face as he spoke. “Something small and simple to make sure you know how to follow instruction. I would like you to make me a cup of coffee.”

“Seriously?” Tony asked under his breath before he could stop himself. Y/N would have smirked at Tony’s reaction if Stavros’ face hadn’t darkened. He took a small remote from his pocket, aimed it through the glass, and pressed a button down with his fat thumb. Tony jerked as electricity surged through his thigh, down his leg, and up his back. The jolt only lasted for a couple seconds but it was enough to confirm that his threat wasn’t empty.

“Now, my dear,” Stavros continued, putting the remote back in his pocket. “The coffee if you please. Black, two sugars.”

Y/N looked into Tony’s eyes and saw his pain and, with a glance back up at Stavros, bowed her head and closed her eyes in concentration. A misty stream of silver light emitted from her hands to the corner of the room. A small round table with a steaming mug appeared through the mist and settled into reality as Y/N exhaled with weariness. Stavros picked up the mug, blew across the top, and sipped.

“Oh dear,” he said sadly, putting the mug back down and pulling the remote from his pocket. “I’m afraid you have forgotten the sugar.” He aimed the remote through the glass and pressed the button. Y/N watched in horror as Tony jerked, his teeth clenched, as the current coursed through his body. Stavros let the machine run longer this time, but to Y/N it seemed to be an eternity. When the current stopped, Tony fell back onto the bed, his eyes closed as he struggled to catch his breath. A sheen of sweat had popped up on his forehead.

“Try again, my dear,” Stavros leered. “Tony and I have all day.”

Y/N watched her husband try to recover and look over at her. Tony met her gaze and tried to give her an encouraging smile but his lips lifted in a strange sort of grimace. Y/N’s eyes shifted from Tony to Stavros and back to Tony. Tony watched as something changed in his wife, something deep enough to cause a complete change in her countenance. She sat up straight under the dirty hands of the thug. Her worried and tired expression changed to one of eerie calm. If it were possible, even her hair seemed calmer.

“No,” Y/N said softly.

“What?” Stavros demanded, his voice raised in surprise.

“No,” Y/N repeated, stronger and with more conviction.

“It’s his funeral,” Stavros shrugged and aimed the remote at Tony again. Tony braced for the shock, but none came. He looked at Y/N and saw her hand raised in his direction and a silver stream of mist had surrounded him. The box was on the floor in pieces, the wire no longer wrapped around his leg. The handcuffs fell off his hands and the pain in his left arm stopped as he heard more than felt the bones repair themselves.

Y/N’s eyes flashed silver as she turned from her freed and healed husband to her captors. Stavros sputtered as his face turned bright red with anger. The thug behind her tried to hold her down in the chair but, with a flick of her wrist, he flew against the stone wall and fell unconscious to the floor. Tony threw himself against the glass wall but it held steady.

Stavros lunged at Y/N, trying to wrap his meaty hand around her throat but before he could reach her, all three were thrown back against the walls of the small room when an explosion blew the door behind Y/N away. The Iron Man suit swooped into the room, burst through the glass and wrapped itself around Tony. Stavros leaped to his feet and lunged at Y/N again where she was sprawled on the floor. Her eyes opened at the last second before Stavros landed on top of her and she flung her hand up.

“STOP!” She yelled. Stavros halted in mid air, surrounded by Y/N’s flashing silver mist. Y/N slowly stood, keeping her hand raised, keeping Stavros suspended in the air. As she stood, Stavros rose toward the ceiling. Loki and Bucky ran into the room, the sounds of fighting following them as the rest of the team dealt with Stavros’ men, a skidded to a halt at the sight in front of them.

Tony moved to stand next to Y/N. Stavros leered at them both, blood and sweat trickling down the side of his face.

“I’ll have what I want, witch,” he growled from the air.

“No,” Y/N replied, her face remaining calm but her eyes flashed and silver sparks crackled at her fingertips. “You won’t. No one will hurt me or anyone I love ever again.”

Stavros fought against Y/N but he might as well have been beating his fists against a concrete wall. He tried to kick his legs or move his arms but he was held completely immobile.

“What are you going to do with him, dear?” Tony asked from behind the Iron Man mask.

“Give him to Loki, of course,” Y/N answered with a smile that made Stavros quake with fear. “Sif’s warriors need another punching bag. He will fit right in with Wayne.”

Y/N closed her raised hand into a fist and pulled it close to her chest. Stavros began to lower down until he floated a couple inches off the floor right in front of her.

“Listen, and listen well,” Y/N ordered Stavros, her eyes flashing with determination and anger. “I am done being afraid. I am done being used. I will never let anyone hurt me or the ones I love again. I will never be used again. You and your kind have no power over me.”

Y/N opened her hand and Stavros slumped to the floor, wrapped tightly in silver cords and gagged with a silver cloth. Loki and Bucky each grabbed one of his arms and hauled him to his feet and out of the room. Tony and Y/N followed and found the rest of the team in the heat of battle against Stavros’ army.

“ENOUGH!” Y/N yelled, her arms flung wide. Each of Stavros’ men simply disappeared, leaving the Avengers with no one else to fight.

Tony flipped up his mask and looked at Y/N, pride and love shining in his face. His wife had changed right before his eyes. She was always beautiful to him and one of the strongest people he had ever known, but now she was living into her strength and her beauty magnified a thousand times over. Her hair was slightly tinged with the same silver as her magic, her eyes remained the same color he had grown to love, she held herself with confidence and power that she reserved for only a select few.

“Well done, ma choupette,” Loki murmured. Y/N sighed and bowed her head tiredly.

“Can we go home now?” She asked Tony.

“Yes, darling, lets go home.”

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6 months later, Stark Tower

Y/N sighed as she walked into the kitchen and saw the mess. This was absolutely the last time she lets Bucky cook by himself. She started in on the pile of dishes with vigor. This wasn’t the only thing she had to do today and she already felt tired.

“You don’t have to do that by hand, you know,” a deep voice sounded behind her and hands wrapped around her middle.

“Magic doesn’t solve everything, Tony,” Y/N responded, leaning back into his strong chest.

“I mean the dishwasher, darling,” Tony replied, nuzzling his nose into the side of her neck.

“Oh,” Y/N paused and looked at the shining stainless steel machine to her right. “I guess you’re right.” Y/N sighed and began loading the dishes into the dishwasher.

“Are you feeling alright?” Tony asked, moving to lean on the counter next to her so that he could see her face.

“I’m tired,” Y/N replied, still loading the dishes and not looking at Tony.

“What else?” Tony prodded. Y/N had been having nightmares since the incident with Stavros. She still hadn’t told anyone what he had done to her before Tony woke up. She did tell them that she had demanded to see Tony before she would do anything for Stavros and Tony can only imagine what Stavros put her through before he finally agreed to her terms.

“I don’t know,” Y/N finally paused and met Tony’s eyes. “I just don’t feel quite right.”

“Let’s go let Bruce check you out,” Tony passed her a hand towel, which Y/N eyed dubiously. “Please honey, for me. I just want to know that you’re okay.”

“Fine,” Y/N huffed and dried her hands. Tony smiled in triumph and wrapped an arm around her shoulders to lead her out of the kitchen. As they walked through the living room, they passed Bucky and Steve who were watching TV.

“What’s going on?” Bucky asked.

“Just taking Y/N to see Bruce, she’s not feeling well,” Tony explained, keeping Y/N moving through the room.

“Oh no,” Bucky said softly. He turned off the TV and they both followed Tony and Y/N to the elevator where they met Sam coming out.

“What’s up guys?” Sam asked.

“Y/N’s sick,” Bucky replied, his face tense. Sam nodded his understanding and held the doors open while the group entered and then pushed the button for the lab floor.

“I’m not sick, I’m just tired,” Y/N protested to the elevator's ceiling. Four pairs of arms crossed over four chests as the men promptly ignored her protests. The doors opened onto the lab floor, revealing Nat and Clint standing in the hallway.

“Oh, are we doing a group activity?” Clint asked.

“Y/N is very sick,” Sam answered, his face a mask of seriousness. “We’re taking her to Bruce.”

“Oh my god, I am not sick!” Y/N yelled at everyone in the hallway. Bruce’s head popped out of his lab, his eyebrows raised.

“Who’s sick?” he asked.

“Y/N,” the group answered, en mass.

“No I’m not!” Y/N stomped her foot and tears began to form.

“Sweetheart, you’re not yourself,” Tony rubbed his hands down her arms soothingly. “I just want Bruce to run a couple of tests and make sure you’re just tired, then we can all let this rest.”

“Fine,” Y/N huffed. “But you people stay out here and leave me in peace.”

The group nodded, each Avenger leaning against a wall and just sitting down on the hallway floor. Tony took a breath and followed Y/N into the lab with Bruce.

“What do you think is wrong with her?” Bucky asked no one in particular as he leaned against Steve’s shoulder.

“Maybe it’s her powers going wonky,” Clint suggested.

“Maybe she really is just tired,” Sam shrugged.

“She told me that she’s been having nightmares recently, more than before,” Bucky said softly. Steve put his arm around Bucky’s shoulders and gave him a comforting squeeze.

“Maybe it’s got nothing to do with any of that,” Nat supplied but then went silent as they all waited what felt like an eternity.

Finally, Tony stepped slowly out into the hallway as if he were in a daze. His face was tense and it took him a while to lift his eyes to his friends. His hands trembled slightly.

“Well?” Steve asked. Tony seemed to struggle to focus on Steve enough to answer the question. Everyone stood at attention, ready to hear the hard news that made Tony react so strongly.

“Y/N... “ Tony began. “I…. we…. I don’t know how... “

“Tony,” Nat barked. “Spit it out.”

“We need to baby-proof the tower.” The words tumbled over themselves out of Tony’s mouth but everyone heard the word “baby” crystal clear. Tony flashed a small smile and quickly ran back into the lab to Y/N, letting the door slam closed behind him.

“A baby.” Bucky whispered, his flesh hand unconsciously rubbing up and down his metal arm, worry etched on his face. Steve gently took Bucky’s metal hand and lift it to cup his face as if to prove to Bucky how gentle he could be with his metal hand.

“You’ll be fine, Buck,” Steve whispered with a sweet smile. “Imagine, a baby Y/N.”

“Or a baby Tony,” Sam added with a smirk.

“Either way, we’re all going to have to step it up around here,” Nat warned the men.

“Can we get a dog?” Clint asked. Nat scoffed, giving him serious side-eye. “What? Kids love dogs.” Clint defended himself. Bruce stepped out into the hallway, saving Clint from Nat’s scowl.

“How is she?” Bucky asked.

“She’s fine, better than fine actually,” Bruce answered. “I’m no gynecologist, but I think she’s nearly two months along and everything looks fine.”

“Will the baby have powers?” Clint asked.

“It’s too soon to tell,” Bruce replied. “Y/N didn’t manifest her powers until well into adulthood, who knows what the baby will do. We are going to bring the Asgardians in to consult.”

“So, how should we proceed?” Steve asked, already formulating a plan of attack on baby-proofing the entire tower.

“For right now, we should all relax,” Bruce said, sensing the collective determination to get every just right. “From what we all know of Y/N, we’re going to have to be sneaky about taking care of her. I don’t know what her powers are going to do while her body grows a child so we should be as prepared as we can without being too obvious about it.”

“I’ve read that dogs can have a very calming effect,” Clint put in. Nat slugged him on his shoulder.

“You’re not wrong,” Bruce allowed. “But I don’t think a dog in the tower is the best way to prepare for an infant of unknown power.”

“Damn,” Clint mumbled. All eyes flew to the lab door as it opened and Tony walked out with his arm around Y/N’s shoulders.

“Well,” Y/N start, her face splitting into a huge smile. “I guess we know why I’ve been so tired recently.” A few tears of joy trickled out of her eyes and she was suddenly surrounded by super soldiers, assassins, and other arms wrapped around her. Even though she could barely breath, Y/N wouldn’t have it any other way. Surrounded by her family as one more beloved member grew inside of her, Y/N’s heart felt like it might burst with happiness. From being a housekeeper, abused by her husband and hiding her pain, to being free from that man, finding a new love, a new family, and now, a brand new addition to that family. No woman could be happier.

Clint pushed his way through the arms and bodies to reach his arms around Y/N and pull her into a hug all his own. He pulled back to looked into her shining eyes with a smile.

“I’ve heard that dogs make great pets for infants.”