(1)The Avengers: The Lost Goddess

11

I woke up in a panic. When I realized I was fine in bed, though, I calmed down. After a minute of gathering my wits, I stood up and started walking to the door. Voices on the other side stopped me.

"You have no right."

I pressed my ear against the door so I could hear better.

"You find out she's a goddess and now you want to be with her?!" That was Thor.

"That's not what I'm saying. I've always wanted to be with her." Steve?

"You met a few weeks ago!"

"So?! Time does not govern love."

"Well whatever it is, you picked a terrible time to finally admit to it."

"Thor, listen to me. I would love her no less if she were a human. But, maybe we were meant to be. Is it a coincidence that she's a goddess?"

"She belongs to Asgard! She is not meant to walk on this planet. Do you not see?"

"Yeah, and do you know her? Which goddess is she?"

There was a moment of silence.

"Maybe she's a minor deity?" Thor questions. "The point is, you cannot have her. It was not meant to be."

There was a moment of silence and then I heard glass shattering. The sound of footsteps coming my way caused me to jump back to the bed and hold my hands out in front of me, ready to use my powers.

In burst Peter. He slammed my door and clung to the ceiling.

"Cel, they're killing each other out there. Go do something!"

"Why do I have to do something?"

"Because they're killing each other over you!"

"Me?!"

"Just get out there!"

I got up and peeked around the door. Thor had Steve by his throat against a wall. So I lifted my hands and blasted Thor with a red beam of power. He flew across the room, shattering bottles of liquor.

"Ah she awakens...and destroys all my liquor," Tony said, raising a glass towards me.

"What are you doing, Thor?" I all but growl.

"He wants you now because he knows you're as old as him, hell, older than him."

I walked up to Steve. "That is not okay. If I was not good enough before, why am I suddenly good now?"

"Thor is twisting my words around."

"Come back to me when you figure out what the hell it is you want. And stop fighting! Both of you."

I pushed him back but he didn't even stumble. Before walking into my room, I glanced back at him to see him holding his hand over the spot I put my hand on. Boy oh boy was he fit. I could feel how toned he was. I shook my head and shut my door behind me.

Peter dropped from the ceiling to my bed.

"Pansy," I mumbled.

"I'm sorry but when a guy who can control lightning gets mad, it's every man for himself."

I just smiled and shook my head.

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That night was rough. Everything hit me. My dad was gone, Ariel was gone, I'm a goddess but I have a human father? Thor and Steve were fighting over me, and even worse: Steve wants me now that he knows I'm as old if not older than him.

So I raided Tony's liquor. I just sat and drank all night, staring off at nothing. I didn't even realize the sun was coming up until someone startled me out of my daze.

"You're up early."

I jumped and turned around to see Tony looking out at the gray morning.

"More like up late," I stared down at the contents of my glass.

"I see you got into my liquor."

I put the glass down. "Why do you treat me like a child? I am old enough to drink, you realize."

He turned and looked at me as I waited for an answer. It never came. So I turned back to my drink and took another swig.

"You aren't the only one who hates me, you know. I hate me too."

He came around the bar and poured himself a drink.

"A little early, don't you think?"

"Helps training slip by. I don't hate you, Celestial. This is very selfish, stupid, and childish of me, but I was hoping if you didn't feel welcome, you would leave. Peter is in danger every day and I couldn't stand to see another child be in danger."

I was about to protest but he held up his hand. "I know you aren't a child, but you're young enough to be mine. I saw you go after Thor to try and save him and I saw myself in you. I've always thought myself a hero, but I never realized until I became an Avenger that it was just a persona of mine.

"My father taught me at a young age that you must not show more emotion than necessary. I learned it the hard way after my parents' deaths. I fear you had to learn the hard way as well."

"Listen, Mr. Stark. It's nice of you to try and cheer me up, but I'm way beyond cheering up. After my dad passed, I tried killing myself but I wouldn't die."

I pushed up my sleeves to show three healing cuts on both arms.

"I tried cutting myself but somehow missed every major vein in both arms. Sure I bled, but it stopped eventually."

I pulled the neck of my shirt down to show a scar just above my heart.

"I tried shooting myself in the heart but my hand jerked at the last second. My dad was my everything and she just waltzed in and snuffed out his life."

"She? Who?"

"Ah forget it," I mumbled, taking another drink.

"Why don't you go to bed? I'll help you up."

He came around the bar and helped me stand but gave up and just picked me up. The world turned every which way and my eyes rolled up into my head. He gently put me in bed and pulled the blankets up onto me.

"I'll stay until you fall asleep. You will always have a family with all of us around. Never forget that you are loved and wanted here, Celestial."

He kissed my forehead which was not something I had ever expected him to do. I fell into a shallow sleep soon after.