Into the Unknown

9 to 5

Nick arrives the next day to my surprise. It is still the weekend, Sunday to be exact, so I am just sitting in the living room relaxing and watching TV when I hear the elevator ding. I look over the back of the couch to see him step out.

"I was told that there is something important you need to tell me." He says as he glares at me.

I know he still doesn't trust me yet so maybe this would help. I stand up from the couch.

"Yes. Very important. Give me a second." I run to my room and retrieve the Aether.

Nick is still standing in the living room when I return. I sit the Aether on the kitchen island counter.

"This is the Aether. If you saw what happened in London, then you know what it can do."

Nick steps closer to the Aether.

"This is very dangerous. Even in the right hands."

He looks at me. "And why are you telling me this?"

"Because I want you to take someplace safe. Somewhere only you know about. Not even Agent Hill can know."

He narrows his eye at me. "Do you not trust her?"

I shake my head. "I trust her, but the less people who know about this, the better. This needs to be treated like the One Ring. Keep it secret, keep it safe."

He doesn't look away from me.

"Look, I once told you that Loki wasn't the one behind the attack on New York. That he was being forced. Well, the one who forced him, wants this," I point at the Aether, "and will stop at nothing to get it. I'm still trying to figure out how to beat him without anyone dying and that's why I'm asking for your help."

Nick stares at me for a very long moment. "I know of a place."

As he reaches out for the Aether, I grab his arm. "Whatever you do, don't open this. It will kill you. It almost killed Jane Foster."

He nods and picks up the canister. I walk him back to the elevator.

"How's Phil?"

"Heading his own team." Nick presses the button and the doors open.

"Agents of SHIELD?! Awesome!"

He steps inside. "I know I should be surprised that you already know about that, but I'm not." The doors close and he is gone.

"One down. Five to go." I say. I run back to my bedroom and pull out my small notebook in my bedside table and write down the locations of all the Infinity Stones. Or at least where I know they will end up. It was time to start thinking about how to get them. I have a plan forming but it's turning out to be a slow process for me.

~~~

The next morning I wake up to my alarm going off. I shut it off and let out a huff. One day you're helping to save the world and then the next, you're back at your office job. I yawn and stretch as I get up out of bed and get ready for the day. Once I am dressed, I push the button for the elevator and then push the button for the floor where I work.

I don't have an office, just a cubicle like the other people here but I don't mind it. I get to listen to music all day and I'm getting paid by Tony Stark! Couldn't really ask for anything better than that. I sit down in front of my desk and turn my computer on and hear my name being called.

"Morning Amy." I say to her as she hurries over to my desk.

I liked her. She was shorter than me, had curly red hair and wore glasses and was very beautiful. She was also the "office busybody". If there was something going on anywhere in the building, she knew about it. Though luckily, no one else knew that I lived in the building and was helping the Avengers.

Amy sits down in the seat next to me. It's not her cubicle but that didn't matter to her.

"What were you doing in London over the weekend?" She asks.

"What do you mean?" I try to sound innocent.

She pulls out her phone and pulls up a picture of me running with Jane and Erik from some Dark Elves.

"Umm..." I try to think of a quick answer.

"Did you see Thor? Do you know this woman? Was it scary?" She begins to ask rapid fire questions.

I raise my hands to quiet her down. "Amy, it was just a case of wrong place, wrong time. And no I didn't see Thor."

"Oh." She sounds so disappointed. "Well that's boring." She sighs and I laugh.

I turn back to my computer.

"So, what were you doing in London anyway?" She asks again.

"Umm...just visiting." I answer her.

"And you're back already?" She asks again.

I look at her. "Well, getting attacked by aliens will send anyone running."

"Yeah I guess you're right." She gets up and walks away.

I let out a sigh of relief and put my headphones on and que up my music. The morning passes by uneventfully. I am walking back to my desk when I see the manager, Dave, talking with a new person at the cubicle next to mine. Dave looks at me.

"This is Susan. She's going to be working here from now on." Dave says.

Susan stands up and offers her hand and I take it and introduce myself.

"I'm Susan, but everyone calls me Susie." She says.

I nod in response and let her get back to learning what to do for her job. Susie was tall, thin, long blonde hair, and bright blue eyes. Luckily Dave stayed with her for the rest of the time so I didn't have to talk to her too much. When it is almost time for my workday to be over I get a text from Pepper.

Pepper wants to have dinner together so I happily accept. Even though she was extremely busy she still tried to take a night off or two for us to spend time together. She was quickly becoming my best friend. I wait for everyone to leave so I can take the elevator up to the top floor.

Tony passes by me as I step into their private apartment. "Getting kicked out again?" I smirk at him.

He rolls his eyes. "Enjoy your girl's night."

"I will."

I love our Girl's Nights. I think it's one of the only times Pepper can actually relax. And I needed this as well. It is well after midnight before I am back on my floor. I shower and change for bed. As I lay down I open the drawer of the night stand and pull out the dagger Loki had given me. I had ordered a really cool sheath for it so it should be here soon. I look up at the sky and can't help but wonder what he's doing right now. I hope he's, for once, staying out of trouble.