Stars Dance

Nick Fury is Furious

I knew it. As soon as i saw them begin shift. It was Astella. The whole thing. It was one big giant illusion inside of another illusion. Stupid! How could i not see it! How could none of us see it! "Well that explains some things." Tony says as we stare out across the destroyed part of town. I glared at him. "What? Loki had some new powers. It was weird." he was right. I was just angry at myself for not seeing it.

"How are we getting back?" i asked quietly rubbing my forehead with my hand.

"The craft probably still works. Just needs a jump start." Natasha muttered putting her guns away and marching towards it. Clint hoisted Astella up before handing her off to me. I gave him a thin smile as I carried her back to the plane. Already the news reporters had arrived clamouring for interviews and shouting out questions as the police tried to hold them back. "You're good with the press Tony. Why don't you deal with them." Natasha mocks lightly. He took it literally though and flew off toward the crowd.

"She was kidding!" i shouted at him. Tony turned lifted his helmet and winked at me.

"Everyone please! Settle down!" Tony cried out. They obeyed immediately.

"How can he do that?" i muttered watching as he wooed the crowd.

"Natural talent for getting people to like him." i scoffed and rolled my eyes.

"He's a deceiving, manipulative jerk." Clint smirked.

"Some people find that attractive." i chuckle lightly and bring Astella on board and watch as Natasha tries to reboot the systems.

"If i could just.." she mumbles under her breathe before taking her fist and slamming it down against the control panel a couple of times. The machine roars to life. "Ah ha! Here we go boys!" Natasha cries out flipping a few more switches as we shakily rise in the air. "Strap her in Steve. It's going to be a bumpy ride." she switches on the com-link and tells Tony we're taking off. He makes some snarky remark as i buckle in Astella then myself as we blast off back toward S.H.I.E.L.D headquarters. Unfortunately when we get there we're met by all the personnel we have on sight. Which amounts to about twenty people all together including Coulson, Maria, Banner and Nick Fury who i am surprised to see is standing, well leaning on a cane, outside the building.

I put Astella down on the waiting stretcher and watch the four Doctors rush her away. Nick Fury just glares at us. "I told you, she would be a problem." he says loudly glaring at Coulson then turning back to us.

"She's not a problem. She's sick." Fury let out a sarcastic laugh.

"First it was her families dead, then she can't control her powers. Now it's she's sick?" he demands.

"Really sick?" Tony offers. I glare at him and scowl. He is not helping this situation.

"That girl should be put out of her misery." I snap, and turn around to glare at him.

"You think killing her is the answer? We don't do that!" i shout.

"She destroyed all of downtown L.A and had my team fighting shadows!" Fury shouts back. everyone shifts uncomfortably. Coulson slowly dismisses everyone and they walk away turning their heads to look at us every now and then as they go back to whatever they were doing before. The only people that remain are the Avengers, minus Thor and Astella, Nick, Maria, and Coulson.

"Director Fury can we take this inside please." Coulson says touching his arm. He's still glaring me down with his one eye and i have to admit it's a little uncomfortable. Nick finally scoffs and begins hobbling back inside with us on his heels.

"She needs to not be our problem anymore." Fury says as we head down the hallway. I don't know where we're going but I'm hopping it's back to whatever hole he dragged himself out of down here. He shouldn't even be out in the open much less up and moving around.