Doesn't Play Well With Tricksters

20 - Her Brother

Before they could get into just how interesting their shared magic could get, Jarvis interrupted. "Mr. Stark would appreciate your presence in the conference room."

"On our way." Rachael answered, motioning for Loki to let down the shield.

His eyes darkened with a promise she could all but read. "We'll pick this up later."

She nodded, relieved when he waved his fingers to dismis the shield and turned to lead the way.

She watched him as he walked in front of her, his long, elegant stride showing his regal upbringing every bit as much as his high held head.

"Stark," Loki greeted as they entered the room.

Rachael rolled her eyes as she took her place at the table, annoyed that the smug look on Loki's face was sure to give Stark ideas. Ideas that were pretty damn true.

"We have a problem." Stark started as everyone filtered in.

"Other than the obvious?" Clint grumbled, glaring at Loki.

Loki smiled sweetly, as if he didn't have a care in the world.

Rachael fidgeted when a hand brushed against her thigh, sure Banner hadn't meant his hand to brush against her.

"As you all know, there are quite a few new, magical threats being thrown around."

Rachael shuffled back, putting more space between her and Banner when a hand brushed her leg under the table again.

"What's the plan?" Banner asked, reaching forward to grab a glass and a pitcher of water.

Rachael nearly jumped out of her chair when the phantom hand rubbed across her knee at the same time Banner was passing the pitcher of water toward Clint.

"I was hoping our resident magic weilders would be able to come up with something." Stark answered as Rachael glared accusingly at Loki.

He smiled back, moving the phantom hand higher and allowing the fingers to dip between her legs.

"We may be able to create a sheild for each of you." Loki suggested, turning toward Stark as he trailed the phantom hand higher.

Rachael turned her attention away from Loki's wondering hands and addressed the group as a whole. "The problem is, we don't know how these curses work. The best way to learn how to counter a spell is to learn it."

"I agree." A deep voice added from the doorway.

Rachael turned, her face erupting into a warm smile when she saw the man standing there. "Stephen!" She all but squeeled, jumping up to hug him.

Dr. Strange hugged her back, smiling. "It's good to see you too." He nodded toward Stark. "Tony told me you've been having trouble."

Rachael huffed. "Understatement."

He motioned for her to sit back down, using his magic to pull a chair up next to her.

"I shared the footage of the curses with the good doctor and he agreed to help."

"We don't need his help." Loki glared.

"I think we do." Rachael countered. "It can't hurt to have another set of eyes on the subject."

"The magic you're dealing with is new to me as well." Strange told them. "It's not like my magic. It's not anything like what I've seen of Rachael's. We're dealing with something none of us have ever seen before."

"Speak for yourself." Loki answered in a huff.

"Really?" Rachael answered defiantly. "You've seen this kind of magic before? You know how it works and how to counter it?" She motioned to the empty space of the table. "Please, enlighten us. Or stop being snarky toward the person offering to help."

A flash of emerald green magic appeared where Loki once was.

Rachael let out a frustrated growl and turned to Strange. "I'm sorry for the less than stellar welcome."

"Not your fault."

She turned toward Tony. "Can you show him to my office? All my research is there."

Stark nodded, for once not answering with something witty.

---

It took the better part of a half hour, but Rachael finally found Loki hiding out in his new office. "There you are. You want to tell me what that was all about?"

"I could ask you the same thing."

Rachael took a moment to study his face, taking in the stony expression and cold eyes. If she didn't know any better, she would swear he was jealous.

"You have to be kidding me." She laughed, thinking only about how ludicrous Loki being jealous of anyone but his big brother was.

He turned to storm past her and she quickly used her magic to slam the door.

"Oh no you don't. You're going to sit down and listen to someone other than yourself for once." She slid him a chair and waited until he sat down before pulling a second chair close to him.

"I was broken when Stephen found me. I was scared of the magic I suddenly had. I was afraid I was going to hurt someone. He spent the next six months healing me. It's kind of what he does." She took a deep breath. "So, yes. I care about him. In a completely non-sexual, he might as well be my brother kind of way."

"Siblings do not throw themselves at each other the way you did him." He countered.

"Oh, how would you know? You have one brother you have a very confrontational relationship with." Rachael scoffed. "Here on Earth, family comes in a lot of different shapes. Some your born to, some you find, and some find you. My family all but disowned me when Aunt Nicola transferred her magic to me, scared I would spread it to the rest of them like a disease. The only people I still have, asside from the people who live in this tower, are my cousin, who is Nicola's daughter and constantly reminds me of her, and Stephen, who adopted me and helped put my sanity back together."

She stood and sent her chair to sit against the far wall. "If you can't accept that, then we're done here." She stormed out of the room without a backward glance.