𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐕𝐄𝐋𝐎𝐔𝐒 𝐀𝐃𝐕𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐔𝐑𝐄𝐒 ✯ 𝑎𝑝𝑝𝑙𝑦 𝑓𝑖𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 ✓

The Christmas Tree - Part 2

* Elizabeth's POV *

I couldn't help to keep cursing in my mind as I walk to the lift. I press the button of the main floor and just when the doors are about to close, a hand appears between it forcing it to open again.

"Not so fast, hothead," Steve says jokingly but I can't laugh about it, not this time.

"I can handle this," I say. "Just go, I don't need a babysitter."

"Hm, and what are you going to do then? Forcing him to give the tree to you?"

"If I have to," I shrug and press the button again. The elevator starts to drop and Steve quirks an eyebrow. "You know, he did bought it. It's not exactly stealing then, is it?"

"He knew I wanted that tree! He saw me staring at it and making an arrangement with the salesman. If only that man had agreed immediately in stead of..."

"Of what?"

"Waiting for a higher bid," I mutter. "But," I continue before Steve could say anything, "Johnny only bought it to bother me."

"Perhaps he just really liked that tree," Steve suggests and I utter an annoyed sigh. I'm one hundred percent sure that that was not the matter. With a little jingle the lift opens again and I quickly walk through the hallway, outside. I grab the steering wheel of my motorcycle and push it to the street. With a thud I land on the black leather saddle and I with my right hand I squeeze the coupling. I start the motorcycle and with a loud roar the motor comes to life beneath me. In the mirror I see Steve stepping on his motorcycle too and I know I can't convince him to not come with me. I open the throttle and make my way through Manhattan, with Steve right behind me.

After a while we have reached the corner of 42nd Street and Madison Avenue, and the building on that corner is also known as the Baxter Building. The residence of the Fantastic Four and they own the upper five floors of the 35-story high building. Not as impressive as the Avengers Tower but well, we aren't all Tony Stark right? We park our motorcycles at the nearby parking lot and enter the building. We're greeted by the man behind the desk in the hallway, and I friendly ask him to call the Fantastic Four to tell them Agent Hart and Captain Rogers are coming upstairs. The man's eyes grow big when he hears the name of Captain America, he stutters something and quickly makes the call. He gestures we may step inside the lift and while I try to keep my temper, the doors are closing and up we go. I have to keep in my mind I'm only angry with Johnny, not with the rest of them.

"Captain America and the Lioness," Susan Storm greets us when we've reached the 30th floor. "To what do we owe this pleasure?"

"Sue," I greet her with a nod and a smile. "Well, what do you think?"

"Johnny?" she guesses and she sighs when I nod again. "What did he do now?"

"You mean you don't know?"

She shrugs. "If I have to keep an eye on him all the time, I'll go nuts."

I chuckle, that's probably true.

"Follow me, we were all in the lab," and with that she turns around and presses a button whereby the airlocked door a few meters ahead opens. Behind it is another lift and we go to the last floor. The floor we were at is the buffer zone, which provides heating, ventilation, air-conditioning and elevator support equipment for the lower 30 stories. The other three floors are the quarters of the Fantastic Four. Then we reach the upper floor and the door to the lab opens. In awe I stare at the rare huge and massive machine in the middle of the floor. I wonder what Reed is building but I guess that has to wait when I spot Johnny. Circling around in a office chair.

"You," I say between gritted teeth, walking with large passes to him. He stops spinning and a smirk appears on his face.

"Hi Liz," he greets me and I feel my teeth transforming in fangs. "Don't call me that," I growl. I hate shortcuts, Elizabeth is the name given to me so Elizabeth they shall call me.