A Time of Gods

The Avengers were assembled, and none of them were particularly thrilled about it. Loki was giving nothing away and Nick Fury was about to send in his star negotiator. Meanwhile, Cat was sitting out of the way, devouring any and all information she could. She had already learnt of Loki's plans, that he was working alongside a powerful extraterrestrial race known as the Chitauri.

When the group dispersed Cat had followed Steve, and only because of her companion did Fury take his watchful eye off her. Now, her attention was only half on the growing atmosphere between Steve and Tony as they spoke of S.H.I.E.L.D. Her focus was on the bright blue light of the scepter that had been taken from Loki, and how it was acting as a beacon for their location.

Tearing her eyes off the scepter, Cat became aware of the nature of the heated conversation developing between the men, simply put, Stark didn't trust S.H.I.E.L.D.'s motives, while Steve didn't want to believe that they could have ulterior motives for wanting the Tesseract recovered.

And while everyone was distracted, Cat saw this as her chance to get to Loki.

She stalked the corridors. The sharp light and harsh design of the ship meant that Cat found it incredibly difficult to reach her destination, but she succeeded with only minor complications. The sterile glass container she had seen on the monitors finally came in to view, basked in a venomous green glow. Cat was still out of the main camera shot, and hidden from the operatives instructed to keep watch of Loki, and so Fury wouldn't be notified of her presence there for a few minutes at least.

Loki stood facing away from her with his hands behind his back. He turned around when Cat's reflection appeared in the glass in front of him. They locked eyes and the corners of Loki's mouth rose to a satisfied smile.

Cat was aware when those piercing eyes looked past her to focus on the person approaching.

"What are you doing down here?" Steve asked her quietly, consciously lowering his tone to avoid being overheard.

"I suspect, that our mutual friend here was missing me," Loki said, a sardonic laugh brimming beneath his words. Cat stood rooted to the spot. She regretted coming here at the first opportunity. She wished Steve hadn't followed her.

"Have you met him before?" Steve asked her.

"We're very much acquainted, aren't we Felicia?" The words wrapped around Loki's tongue, "And she's told me so much about you Captain."

Nick Fury told his agents to wait, he wanted to see how this developed. Steve had taken a step forwards, but Cat stopped him with the gentle placement of her hand on his arm. She glanced over her shoulder, "Loki, don't," she asked with a plea lined with soft desperation.

Loki ignored her. "So easily distracted by a pretty face," he shook his head in mock disappointment, "Mankind believes it's such a superior race, yet you're blind to what's going on right in front of you."

"What are you talking about?" Steve took the bait. A sinking feeling had begun within his chest. What he would give to be wrong about the possibilities invading his thoughts.

"I acquired the best agents and the greatest scientific mind your world has to offer to aid me, and above all I have the Tesseract, the ultimate source of power," Loki sounded triumphant. His wordplay was not just for the benefit of Steve Rogers, who Loki believed to be idiotic when it came to comprehending matters of absolute importance, but he was speaking to all those he knew were listening.

"Then we have Ms. Hardy." Loki's eyes flashed from Steve to Cat, "How do I know of her? Well you see, this particular feline has been working for me." Loki smirked. He'd had his fun for the moment. Felicia had won Steve's heart and Loki had been the one to take great satisfaction in crushing it, relieving some of the animosity he had developed towards the Super-soldier. Loki felt he had proved beyond doubt that he was the superior being in this particular match.

The expression on Steve's face finally brought the consequences of Cat's actions crumbling down around her and she did what she always did best; she fled. Her escape re-affirmed Steve's worst fears, but he wasn't prepared to show his vulnerability in front of Loki.

"You're obsessed with power, and you sure as hell can talk the talk," Steve spoke with contempt, "but you shouldn't be so smug for someone trapped in a glass box." Steve left before Loki could make his rebuttal. He went after Cat, hoping to reach her before Fury's agents did.

Nick Fury had been watching and listening, and gave orders for Cat to be found, restrained and brought to him for questioning.

Cat wasn't thinking clearly, her judgement was hazy and she couldn't make the quick, precise decisions which usually fell under the influence of her natural skill. Her flight was clumsy, not clean and untraceable, and she hadn't gone far before Steve caught up to her.

"Is it true?" Steve asked. He wasn't so sure he wanted to know the answer, and the words came out in a throaty yell from where he stood at the opposite end of the corridor.

Cat stopped in her tracks, "I'm sorry." It was genuine, heart felt, but she knew it was nowhere near enough to eradicate all she had done. "I never meant for it to go this far. It was supposed to be just another job."

"So what, was I just a toy to play with when things got boring?" Steve moved down the corridor towards her, "Was this whole thing just a game to you? The future of the world is at stake here and you only care about what's in it for you."

"You knew I was a selfish bitch, I never lied to you about that," Cat snapped back defensively. Seeing Steve's face fall, her defiance softened and she tried to explain in some way, "Fury asked me to talk to you, and so did Loki -so I came in. I guess part of me was curious and the other part resented you, because you were the epitome of the Super-soldier serum -and I hated everything related to that formula," Cat's gaze fell to the floor, but even the cold, unfeeling character of the inanimate white floor wasn't enough to help her bury the emotion -the guilt, the self-anger, the early stages of love that she felt when she was around Steve. "Then I met you. At first I pitied you, and then something within me changed."

Steve's thumb and forefinger cradled Cat's chin so she was forced to look up at him, "It's not too late. We'll go to Fury, if you tell him everything-"

"It is too late for me."

"Why are you doing this?" Steve felt the knife twist further but he had to know, "Do you care about him - about Loki?" Cat remained silent, which was confirmation for Steve. "He's using you Felicia, he doesn't care about you. He can't feel anything, for anyone."

"Maybe he's no longer capable of caring for another, maybe that's why we understand each other," Cat said meekly.

"Don't give me that bull Felicia, there are people who you love and who love you."

"I hoped in time that I could love you," she confessed. "For a short while, you brought a light back in to my hollow life and I'll never be able to repay you for that, for helping me to feel like I was capable of something more. But I'm destructive, and when anything good comes into my world I find a way to smash it into a million pieces," Cat's words were bitter and despite his anger Steve lowered his hand and reached to take hers, but she pulled away. "I'm no good for you Steve, and someday soon you'll meet a girl who's sweet and kind and self-deprecating. Someone who will put you before everything else."

The whole time Cat had been trying to calm the tingling sensation building behind her eyes but she couldn't stop the tear which betrayed her and left a scorching trail down her cheek. It was a strange and powerful sensation for the young woman who hadn't shed a single teardrop since the funeral of her beloved father.

Knowing this was over now, Cat leaned in and kissed his lips for the last time, "Goodbye Steve."

Cat was gone by the time the agents reached him. Steve Rogers had cut off his feelings and shut down in to soldier mode.