Turning The Tides (Prequel to The Bad Wolf Chronicles)

Chapter Fourteen

Well, not quite into the twenties, but hey, this book went by pretty fast . . . you know, after I started writing it again. :P

This goes to the legacy scene of the movie. :) Enjoy!

+++

"You know," Nick Fury, director of SHIELD, began as he walked up to where Loki was once again restrained in the middle of an abandoned New York field, the Avengers and Coulson's team surrounding him, "I was really hoping he would die this time."

"For what he wished to do to Jessie, he should," Thor admitted from where he stood by the girl. "But my mother wished that he be returned alive. That is what I will do."

Fury turned to consider the two newest Avengers. Saleen met him with a frosty look while Jessie just kept looking long and hard at Loki. When he had heard two teenage girls had been added to the Avengers roster, he had immediately flown out to dissuade the Avengers in charge. When he had seen what they were capable of, however, he grudgingly admitted they would be good for the team. His second in command, Maria Hill, was already working on their SHIELD clearances. "Well, just make sure he doesn't invade this planet again," he told Thor.

He smirked. "He will be placed in a much better cell this time around."

Fury nodded, then walked off to where Maria was waiting at the edge of the field. As Thor walked up to Loki to take him away, Grant leaned down to whisper in Jessie's ear. "Fury's usually like that. Don't let him get under your skin."

Jessie merely quirked an eyebrow, chuckling humorlessly as Thor picked up the case the Tesseract was in. "Compared to what happened to me, Loki doesn't even begin to bug me."

Grant shook his head as they turned to look back at what was happening in front of them. "Does anyone else on the team know?"

"The Avengers do. Currently, you're the only one on yours."

When they had made it back to the Tower, Jessie had told Grant everything. Unlike the Avengers, whose reactions had ranged from horrified to speechless to livid, Grant had merely nodded and offered his . . . rather scathing opinions on what had happened. He wasn't babying her, and she doubted he ever would. He just took it in stride and didn't treat her like some delicate glass piece.

That made her respect him even more. Robot be damned - he had his own way of showing he cared, and it was not through sunshine and rainbows and daisies.

Thor looked around the assembled Avengers and SHIELD agents before giving her a small nod. Jessie smiled back, then watched him twist one end of the Tesseract's case. Thor and Loki were surrounded by a blaze of silver-rainbow lights, then abruptly vanished. Saleen looked down at the new pattern in the lawn and snorted. "Tony?"

"That man has no respect for proper lawn care," Tony rolled his eyes, but it was said fondly. "I'll cover it."

"You know, it was good to be around to see him get his ass kicked this time," Coulson remarked as they walked away from the circle, heading for the multitude of cars that were parked by where Fury and Maria were.

"And it's good to know you're alive," Steve gave him a look.

"That was Fury's call, not mine," Coulson held up his hands.

"Does he always have a permanent scowl like that?" Saleen asked innocently.

Snorts all around. "His name is Fury," Clint reminded her.

"So we saved the world today," Jessie nodded, stopping by the car she had arrived in with Tony, Bruce, and Grant. "What do we do now? Wait for another world crisis?"