Cold Enemies, Warm Romances

Chapter Ten - DoT

Written by TashaRayBartonWest! ENJOY!

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            “What… so your telling me Loki wants our blood because we have like super mutated genes and that could make his watchamacallthems invincible?!” Saleen asked surprise written over her face. Bruce and Tony nodded. Saleen groaned. “Greeeeeeeaaaat. We can’t let them get Jessie. If they manage to get her the entire army can get upgraded with me they can only upgrade half. I doubt that those Snow Mans or whatever can take on my DNA…” Saleen said defensively. She would rather die than let anyone harm Jessie ever again.

            “Loki’s not going to get either one of you.” Bruce replied to her. “You guys are family now and we take care of our own.” There were various words of agreement from everyone in the room, except Fury which just nodded. Saleen blushed slightly smiling.

            “Thanks everyone,” She replied. “So… how do we get Loki off our tail? I mean I don’t feel like running my entire life.”

            “I don’t know yet but, we’ll figure something out. I promise I won’t let anyone hurt you or Jessie.” Bruce stated determinedly. Saleen smiled appreciatively.

            “Nor will we.” Clint added gesturing towards the other members. Everyone nodded in agreement. After a while everyone was still silent. “So… what’s next?” Clint asked. As if on cue Jessie groaned and shifted. Her eyes fluttered open shortly and then they opened again.

            “Jessie!” Saleen and Clint exclaimed along with Bruce and Tony. Natasha, Thor and Steve smiled, happy she was awake. Fury though was nervous slightly yet calm.

            “Can’t a girl with a concussion wake up without being yelled at?” Jessie joked lightly. Her entire body ached.

            “Nope!” Saleen said smirking. Jessie rolled her eyes and tried to sit up. Clint helped her and then she looked at all of the Avengers, studying them as if she was trying to decide whether or not to ask them a question.

            “So… what happened after I passed out?” She asked seriously. Saleen stopped smirking and everyone just looked at Saleen.

            “Wow. Thanks for the backup guys!” She exclaimed and threw her hands up dramatically. “Then she turned to Jessie. “Well… You don’t have to worry about Rick, or Alex, or anyone bothering you ever again. Bruce and I made sure about Rick.” Saleen answered.

            “What do you mean… Made sure?” Jessie asked eyeing the two suspiciously.

            “Well after we arrived and you pasted out the other’s easily took out the other football players so then all there was left was Rick. I said a few words about making him pay and all that and he was surprised to find out I was Icicle… well then I froze him… and ‘The Other guy’ smashed him…” Saleen explained cautiously. She didn’t want Jessie to flip out.

            “So are you saying he’s dead?” She asked quietly. Saleen nodded. “It’s finally over…”

            “Yep, no more looking over your shoulder.” Clint told her.

            Jessie nodded as if she was still processing this. Which Saleen knew she probably was considering what Vertigo had been through the past few years. Jessie looked up at everyone and smiled gratefully. “Thanks. All of you, Finally I don’t have to worry about him attacking me again.”

            Everyone said various words of welcome. Suddenly the TV broke the mood. ‘The frozen body of the sophomore Rick Johnson was found outside Stark Tower today, along with the bodies of a few of the student’s friends. An eye witness captured this video on his camera phone,” The screen switched to a slightly burry video which was quiet shaky but The Avengers could clearly see Icicle sliding down and blasting Rick. Once the van exploded the video ended. ‘Eye witnesses say that not only was the sophomore attacked but Ice-Girl but the Avengers were also on the scene. Also the mutant by the name of Vertigo was there. The Witnesses say she started the entire thing and they believe…’ Then newscast was interrupted by Saleen turning the TV off.

            Jessie was innocent and didn’t need to hear any of that. Saleen’s hand was iced over. She relaxed as Bruce placed a hand on her shoulder again. Tony snickered and Natasha just rolled her eyes, but Bruce, Bruce growled at Tony. Tony placed his hands up in surrender and backed up slightly. “Stupid humans.” Saleen mumbled. The quickly corrected herself. “Not you guys of course but everyone else that hates mutants.”

            “It’s alright.” Natasha spoke up.

            “So does that make Saleen and I wanted for murder?” Jessie asked.

            “Well yes and no.” Fury said stepping up. “You are agents of SHIELD and that was self-defense. I’ll call in a few favors and get them to run a different story. You guys won’t be hunted anymore.”

            “That won’t change people’s opinions about us though.” Jessie replied.

            “It will if I say that Rick was wanted for sexual assault on a federal agent and that he attacked out agents again so we defended our team. If they have a problem with that then we will just have to prove them wrong. Mutants are people too.” Nick said to Jessie. “Also I apologize for my actions earlier. They were wrong and I realize that now.”

            “Thank you Nick and that’s alright… That’s how almost everyone feels at first.” Jessie replied. A silence spread through the room.

            “Now… onto more depressing news…” Tony stated disrupting the silence. “We found out why Loki wants you two.”

            “Why?” Jessie asked looking up at Tony.

            “Bruce ran some blood tests while you were out and he was testing for everything. He found out that your mutant gene is like a super mutant gene, In other words if Loki got ahold of any of your blood then he can infuse the Chitauri and Frost Giants with it and give them you mutation making them virtually indestructible. We believe Saleen’s mutation is like yours but… she won’t let us check.” Tony shot a slight glare at Saleen; she met him with a triumphant smirk. Jessie held in a slight laugh.

            “So…  the solution is simple… Don’t let Loki touch us.” Jessie said hopefully.

            “Well kinda but it’s also more complicated than that.  We can’t let him get ahold of anything that has your DNA on it.” Bruce cut in trying to help.

            “Oh…” Suddenly JARVIS interrupted everyone.

            “Sir… The NYPD are hear and want to ask you and the fellow Avengers some questions…”