Psych the Avengers Out

Cerebral Chemistry

"What is it?"

"The readings just went completely through the roof sir."

"You mean to say..."

"Yes, I think it worked sir. "

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The knocking on the door to the room she slept in rattled her brain. Ow, no, please just go away, Jay wants to scream at them. It's Barton or Stark, it can't possibly be anyone else. Why? Why the fuck did it have to her? Normal people have it so easy, they don't even understand how blessed with ignorance they are. The knock comes again and she wants to throw something at the door. Frustrated, she focuses in on the clock on the nightstand.

Before she has realized what has happened, the clock has flown across the room, smashing against the door and shattered into a thousand pieces. She didn't touch it at all.

"Jay?" comes Tony's voice from the other side of the door. "What exactly are you doing in there that sounds like you are destroying electronics?"

Her laugh is breathy and desperate and she sinks to her knees with a shaky little sob.

The door opens and Tony regards the broken clock on the floor. Demolished seems to be the better word. Jay looks up at him, her eyes demanding he deny everything that's happening to her. "Can you zap me with an ultrasonic pulse?" she asks with a desperate giggle and then puts her head in her hands and tries to hold it all in.

Tony doesn't know what to do, this is not his strong suit. He knows that hugging her and telling her it will be alright is the stupidest thing he can do though because she'd sneer and then castrate him where he stands for lying to her. And honestly, it never seemed to him like telling someone in this much pain that it will all work out, was like the stupidest thing anyone could do. Especially since movies make it seem like it always work. So instead, he kneels in front of her.

"If I zap with the ultrasonic pulse, you'll just get an even worse headache, kiddo," he says. She looks up at him through bloodshot eyes. He called her kiddo, not Xena. He sighs and sits down next to her, leaning back against the bedpost. "Ow, blood uncomfortable," he mutters and shifts his shoulders. Jay watches him, unsure what to do with this strange man in the room.

"So, what's your favorite movie?" he asks her.

She looks completely thrown. The look in her eyes is guarded and still soaked in despair but at least now she doesn't look as if she's going to fall off the edge at any second. Tony meets her eyes with that sassy cock of his head that she's come to associate with crazy billionaires. "Seriously, favorite movie," he asks. He regards her with critical eyes that are used to looking at mechanical parts. "How about Star Wars, everyone loves Star Wars?" She just looks baffled.

"Are you trying to cheer me up?" she asks, thoroughly confused.

"Well, maybe," Tony says, picking at the threads of the bedspread. "I just figured you didn't want a pity party so I didn't throw one."

She laughs. It makes Tony smile to himself because it finally doesn't sound so high pitched and forced. "You really don't strike me as the type that likes hugs and mushy comfort," Tony goes on. "So I figured, let's just talk about something else. Take your mind off it."

Her eyes darken again. "See, there you go," Tony says. "None of that."

"But-" Jay starts.

Tony cuts her off, "We'll run lab rat tests later and pick apart your brain when Fury comes down here to blab at you." Her eyes search him. "Right now, you are going to tell me what your favorite movie is and we are going to then go download and watch it."