Frost Bite

Allies

They were going through the club's records in Loki's apartment later that day, when there was a knock at the door.

"Get that, would you Pet?" Loki didn't look up. He was going through the membership database looking for any clues as to who could be linked to Fisk and, therefore, Hydra. So far, nothing had come to light.

Amy got up, running her hand gently along his shoulders as she passed. He turned his head and kissed it lightly, smiling. His breath hitched, and his insides clenched as he felt yet again how much he loved her.

Watching her walk to the door, his mind clouded with the thought that Hydra were after him and by implication her. He couldn't bear the thought of her being hurt, and it made him all the more determined to get this nipped in the bud.

He was shaken from his reverie by a booming voice from the door.

"By all the Gods! What Thor said is true! There is someone else mad enough to put up with you, Loki, AND she's pretty!" A huge mountain of a man stood, clad in armour with long red hair and a beard to match. From behind him, a smaller, dark-haired figure equally armed emerged bowing to them both.

"Volstagg! Hogun! Good to see you both!" Loki jumped up and crossed the room as they walked in, kissing Amy's hand in turn as they did so. There followed much manhugging and back slapping. Amy just stood back, grinning as she watched Loki greet them. This was a side to him she had never seen. In all dealings, he was a loner. Only the interactions with Thor breaking his solitude.

"Gentlemen!" Loki crossed over and put an arm around her, guiding her into the room again, "THIS is Amy. She is my PA here in Midgard and my Queen in all the realms." he smiled at her, and she could see the pride in his face. Suddenly she realised just how important this was to him. He could show them he was capable of being loved.

"Lady Amy," Volstagg took her hand and bowed. " Anyone who can tame this slippery serpent is a formidable woman indeed. Queen Frigga would be proud." He smiled at Loki, who nodded, a small sad smile on his face.

"Yes. I believe she would" was all he said. From the tone and the look, Amy knew not to ask more. That would come later in private.

"Mylady," Hogun stepped forward. "It is an honour to meet you." He was more reserved than Volstagg, but his smile and greeting were no less genuine. Instantly, Amy liked them both.

"Thank you, gents. I am flattered and honoured. May I offer you a drink?"

The three exhanged looks, and instantly, she knew. She nodded.

"I see, all of you are..?" She wasn't all that surprised and in no way intimidated. "Would make sense," she shrugged. "Be a bit inconvenient if one  of you died and broke the team up!"  For a second, they looked at her in surprise, then Volstagg roared with laughter.

"I LIKE this one, Loki. You have excellent taste!"  They all moved to the sitting room and were just relaxing when the door sounded again.  Amy looked at Loki, who nodded, and she rose.

"Excuse me, please."

Opening the door, this time, a tall, striking brunette stood with her back to the door. As soon as she heard it open, she turned and, with a wide smile, said, " Amy? Gods above Thor was right. You're very beautiful!" For a second, Amy was dumbstruck. This Valkeryie of a woman paying her a compliment? It could only be the Lady Sif.

"Sif? Please, come in. Loki told me all about you! I'm so pleased to meet you, " they hugged, and Sif laughed.

"I bet he didn't tell you about the time he cut my hair as I slept!" She looked across at the now squirming Loki and pointed at him. "You will pay for that one day, Laufeyson - grovelling on your knees!" There was much hilarity and teasing.

For a few minutes, they sat and chatted, exhanging pleasantries, and were it not for the fact 3 of them were clad in full armour, it would have simply been a group of friends catching.

"So, we are almost complete. Does anyone know where the other two are?" Loki asked, sitting back on the sofa, his arm resting along the back of it, fingers playing with the hair at the nape of Amy's neck. She loved how relaxed he was around them. She guessed it may not have always been so.

"We're here!" The door had opened quietly while they had all been talking, and now the familiar form of Thor Odinson stood at the door to the sitting room. Beside him, looking to Amy for all the world like a blonde Errol Flynn, stood the last member of the Warriors Three.

With a smile, she rose and walked over. 
"Thor," she reached up and kissed his cheek. "How are you?" He hugged her,

"I'm good, Little Sister." he smiled and walked away to sit with the others.

She turned to the last of the group "And by a process of elimination,.you must be Fandral. " she extended a hand, which he kissed in the same fashion as the others had. He, however, kept his eyes trained on hers.

"The pleasure is all mine," he said smoothly. She smiled and laughed gently. It seemed someone had been taking lessons from Loki in the charm stakes.

"Please, sit, we have much to discuss, I think, Fandral. Loki has to make a plan, and he needs you all more than ever."   She took his arm and returned to the sofa where she sat between him and Loki.

Turning to Loki, she whispered in his ear, " he may be a charmer, my love, but compared to you? A mere boy. " she winked and kissed his cheek. Loki said nothing out loud, but she heard a soft voice in her head saying

"Thank you, my love. I will show you just how much more of a man I am later."

She smiled and blushed, looking down at her hands, a small flame igniting in the pit of her stomach with the promise of delights to come.

That flame was extinguished, however, with Loki's next words.

"Friends, Brother, we need to form a plan. Hydra are back in business, and we need to stop them. Bad enough in itself, but we have a new problem. One that is, to be honest, a game changer. They have Tony Stark in their thrall. We don't know why, but we can be sure if they've recruited him, we're in for trouble."

The faces round the room looked incredulous. Thor gave voice to the concern

"But Tony is Ironman. An Avenger. Does that mean???" He stopped, and Loki nodded.

"Yes, as of now, we can trust no one. Only the people in this room. No exceptions. From this point on, we are at war with Hydra."

Amy felt herself break into a cold sweat. This was only going to get worse before it got better.