Turning Gears [Loki x OC] //DISCONTINUED\\

Two

It was nearly a year like this. The nearly entirely glass walls of her little lab were covered with thick curtains and the doors fitted with a special lock of her own creation. The every so often knocks and pleads for her to at least get some sun or fresh air. Even Happy tried a couple times, but he wasn't as resilient. Tony attempted to hack into her locking system, but she was too clever for him. It exasperated him and made him proud simultaneously. 

She had finally gotten every inch of her vision right. She was at the point of building them and making them actually work properly, and debugging the systems. Today, nearly exactly 10 months after the attack on New York, things resumed as usual. Aspen woke on her little cot she set up in the corner of her lab, then limped over to the mini fridge and little hotplate she had on top of it to brew some coffee. Tony wasn't giving up on her, not when she was still doing work she was there to begin with. He sent her supplies whenever she requested. Just a simple message through JARVIS via ANA and she had everything she needed times three. 

The first few months after the attack, after she initally locked herself away, she worked to make herself a leg. It wasn't aesthetically pleasing, but it worked. Nearly as good as her real leg did, but it wasn't perfect. Hip down she was all metal on her right side. It was ironically beautiful. The mechanics of it worked just as any muscle, sinew, and skin would. 

The cold concrete of New York City made her miss the green rolling hills of Scotland. Her home. She had a big, stock photo of the countryside of her home pasted onto one wall. Originally, leaving her tiny village was a blessing, but now the city made her feel constricted. She could hardly breathe with the congested, polluted air. The picture alone made her at least feel her lungs could function. 

She sipped on her coffee as she sat at her workstation, preparing her tools for the day. She decided today was the day she would finally weld some pieces together instead of staring at them like a confusing puzzle she couldn't figure out. She knew this puzzle like the back of her hand, she was just terrified to actually put it together. The idea of failing the team and Tony again was not acceptable. Once she started welding pieces together, it was do or die. If it failed, she would have to start all over again. So, today, she got the gumption. She set aside her coffee and settled into her work, being as careful as she could. 

It was barely an hour into the work. It was going smoothly, everything fit the way it should. Then, the typical knock on the door. It happened at least once a week. Someone would come up and try to have a conversation with her. She huffed and set down her torch, lifting the welder's mask from her face. She stole a glance at her calendar, big red X's marking passing days. Written in blue under today was just a simple "Cap". Great. Only once a month, without fail, two days before the anniversary of the Battle, Steve Rogers would appear. 

"Aspen," he said, starting gently. She could practically visualize him, all muscle, standing in front of the door, a thin frown on his face. 

"Go away, Cap," was all she said, already in motion to move back to her work. 

"No, Aspen. Its been a year nearly. Enough is enough. This is not healthy," he said, putting on his best dad voice. He never failed to be the leader. Take charge and parent everybody into doing what's best for them. Captain fuckin' America. 

She couldn't help the exasperated sigh that escaped her gritted teeth. "Doesn't this get old? The same shit different day? Why won't you give up?" she finally asked, pushing herself away from her station. 

"I could ask you the same question," was his simple reply. Of course he had a point, she knew it. She knew deep down she was overreacting and acting childishly. She was raised better than to just hide in a hole when hardship comes and knocks her down once. It wasn't just about her. She kept thinking about how if she had worked better, quicker, faster, maybe so many lives wouldn't of been lost that day. If she just didn't focus on the small details, they would have been prepared. Then Tony wouldn't of needed to fly into the wormhole himself to end the chaos. If her work was complete, she knew her robots could do exactly what he did. Save him the PTSD. 

She bonked her head against the table, huffing. She had no words. She just wanted to work and finish this. Maybe, if she was left alone, she would be further along. 

"Okay, I get it. Silent and brooding. But I just thought you would like to know that Loki is back in the city. He's in SHIELD custody," he said, his footsteps already beginning to recede. 

That got her up and on her feet quicker than she knew she had in her anymore. She limped hastily to the door and yanked it open, ripping the curtain in front of it right off its hold. Steve stopped right in his spot and turned right there. She noticed the triumphant glint in his eye, despite his stoic face. Damn Captain. 

She didn't even bother considering how she looked at that moment. Long black hair reaching past her lower back in two unwashed braids, welder's mask still attached to the top of her head,  dirt and grease covered coveralls unbuttoned and revealing a white tank top, and black hands leaving handprints on the doorframe. She didn't have a single thought other than one thing, "Take me to him. Now."