Ice Princess

2

"Aren't you a little young to have this many degrees and doctorates?" Which was the question she always received. This answer required no acting.

"Not hard if you tried." To her it really wasn't, Mina just pushed her oversized glasses up the bridge of her nose. The tight bun she had braided her hair into to keep it out of her face, was already driving her up the wall. It got her the response she was hoping for, the lab tech left her to her work. Just blend in, just blend in, don't cause any waves. And that's what she did... as much as she could for six months.

______

"You have to be the shortest lady I've ever seen." Love said walking up to Mina's area of the lab.

"Are you... are you supposed to, no allowed to be in here?" Mina asked looking around.

"Daddy and Uncle Bruce said it is ok if I don't bother anyone." Love twisted her toe into the floor. "Why are you so little?"

"Um, does it matter that I'm short?"

"No, I just want to know why." Love pushed herself up into the lab chair.

"Well, some people have parents who were both tall or parents who were both short, and some people have parents who are one of each."

"So, was your mommy and daddy short like you?"

"How about we go find your dad or your uncle?" It didn't matter, she didn't know the answer to the little girl's question.

"Your hair is so long. How long did it take to grow like that?" Love asked hopping down.

"How long do you think?"

"A thousand years."

"Feels about right."

"Are you a thousand years old?"

"Love, you know it's not polite to ask people questions like that?" Thor said taking the little girl's hand. "Thanks for humoring her and trying to bring her back to us. I'm Thor, this is Love by the way."

"Oh, I'm pretty sure everyone on the planet knows who you are sir." She said as she made her way back to her work station. "Is she really allowed in here?"

"Sometimes, if Love is really good. But she knows she's supposed to be with an adult and not wondering around." Thor said looking down at the little girl.

"Sorry, daddy."

"Well, if it's ok with you and Dr. Banner, she can stay a while, I don't mind. Perhaps I could help her ask the right questions and not the impolite ones. I'm Mina Wild by the way."

"Nice to meet you Lady Mina." She shook his hand. Mina knew he was holding back but he nearly knocked her out of her chair with the handshake. The jostling caused Mina's glasses to slip and a few strands to fall out of her braid. She was able to adjust everything before Bruce got there as well. While Bruce didn't like it, he was her go between for her and Fury and she needed to play the game or end up being in a safe house for who knows how long. Meek and mild, Mina, don't stand out, was her silent mantra in her head.

"What can I do for you Dr. Banner?" She kept her head down focusing on her work. Which was what she would have normally done anyway, but she would have at least smiled and been a little more personable. Inwardly she sighed, this was so much a farce. Be quiet, small, meek, keep your thoughts to yourself. Mina missed her farm, she missed her friends. What few she had, she had them though. While she was quiet before, she really wan't any of those things.

"Mina does great work for us, I'm glad she's on the team." Bruce told Thor. Wow, a compliment, and not even one to her face but to Thor about her.

"Miss Mina said I could visit her if it was ok with you and daddy." Love said getting Bruce's attention.

"I'm sure she did, but let's not take up too much of her time. She has plenty of work that needs to get done." With that he walked away. When they were far enough away, she started massaging her temples. Mina knew Bruce was a really nice guy and would call her into his office to apologize and tell her to her face she was doing a good job. It just had to be this way.

______

Two months later....

"You look completely miserable." A voice said from behind her.

"Really, because I'm not." Actually she was enjoying herself. What she was working on was quite interesting and whoever was talking to her was lucky she heard him.

"No, overall." The man sat beside her in an unoccupied work stool, unasked. "Do you realize how many events we have had here and I've been present for and you haven't been to?"

"Not really, all things considered...". The man started to play with the tools on her desk. "Could you please not do that?"

"Considering what?" She could see out of her peripheral vision that he had stopped playing with her tools.

"Considering how I'm so much fun to be around and no one's invited me." She was hoping to be left alone, but still it was nice someone had stopped to talk to her who wasn't in elementary school or her boss.

"Well, I think our lead analyst that puts together the mission profiles deserves a night off." He put a copy of the invite on her table. "It's black tie only."

"Thanks, I'll be sure to wear one if I go."

"I'm counting on it." He said leaving her to work. "You can tell me why our analyst is also working in Bruce's lab." She sighed deeply after he left, picking up the invitation and turning it over in her hand. Quietly she finished up what she was working on and went to Bruce's office. She knocked.

"Dr. Banner, may I come in?" She waited until he gave her the go ahead, closing the door behind her and sat down.

"Mina, what can I do for you?"

"Houston, we have a problem." She said sitting the invitation on the desk.