A Time of Gods

The gym was located in the basement of Felicia's building and it was where she could escape the threat of stress, whilst blocking out the rest of the world. Being that she rented it along with her apartment, it was her private sanctuary of sorts.

Felicia had been training as a gymnast since she was a little girl. It was a passion her parents had encouraged, believing it would help her focus and promote discipline and patience. It wasn't until her early teens that she discovered martial arts and both of these hobbies greatly improved her natural fighting ability and the agility she had inherited from her father, the infamous Cat burglar.

Yet after the super soldier serum flourished in her system, Felicia found that her once fluid motions became weighing. She became stronger than she ever could of imagined and found it impossible to get lethargic -regardless of the activity, but it took her months to re-train her muscles. To gain back her feline reflexes and balance.

Not usually one for strenuous work, Felicia took pride in her skill and had a smile on her lips now as she walked the length of the high beam with ease. From the corner of her eye she spotted her visitor, just as she had heard the elevator come to a halt in the tiny hallway outside.

"To what do I owe this pleasure?"

"I just stopped by to see how you're doing Ms. Hardy."

"Drop the formalities Phil," Felicia glanced at him over her shoulder and shot him a smile. With an effortless elegance, the young woman flipped and landed without fault on the mat below the beam. She picked up the cream gym towel and patted the glisten off her face, arms and hands.

Agent Coulson crossed the floor to her.
"How's business?" He enquired in a genuinely friendly tone.

"Slow," she sighed at the fact, "what with the economy the way it is, but I'm doing ok."

"Art dealing can be a risky business." Phil smiled at the meaning behind the words. It was common knowledge within the organization that Felicia wasn't in a legit profession. It wasn't for them to deal with, she was small fry, so they left her alone.

"I do enjoy your company Phil, but I know this isn't a social call. You didn't even bring me a present."

"Unexpected visit, sorry."

"Fury sent you." Felicia concluded. Though if she had the choice, she preferred Coulson over Fury, he wasn't so over-bearing and seemed to regard her as a friend. While Fury felt a sense of responsibility to her that Felicia didn't exactly appreciate.

"We want you to come in."

"Why? I've already told Fury that I don't want to be a part of whatever it is he's cooking up. He knows I'd be a terrible team member, he only wants me around so that he can keep an eye on me," Felicia didn't care that she acted like a brat when it came to Nick Fury.

Coulson didn't even try to deny that what she said was true. He had more pressing matters to deal with.
"You know that Captain America has been found."

"I may have heard it through the grapevine," she said placidly, adjusting the band which was keeping the hair from her face.

"He's awake."

It was difficult to catch Felicia by surprise with admissions alone, but he had succeeded.

"We want you to speak to the Captain."

"Me?" She turned to Phil, who now had her undivided attention for the first time since walking in.

"He's disconnected with the world and we don't have time to wait around until he accepts his situation."

"Disconnected? A slight understatement don't you think? He's woken up to find that he's jumped 70 years through time." Felicia shook her head. "And what possible effect could I have on him?"

"You're similar to him Felicia."

"In the way that we're both bi-products, but that is all we have in common. I am nothing to him." Her voice fell softly now, "Steve Rogers is a selfless hero, he chose this, he was chosen for this. I wasn't, I'm just..."

'a poor reflection.'

She turned away form him and began collecting up her things.

"Just come in Felicia, speak with Nick."
Agent Coulson left her with that, knowing there was nothing more he could say to persuade her. Felicia had to decide things for herself, there would be no use ordering her to come in, but he hoped that by coming down here and speaking to her personally she had been swayed a little.

Felicia began shoving things in to her gym bag. She was now too distracted by her own thoughts to concentrate on what she was picking up, until she dropped her empty water bottle and it was caught by another hand.

"Two visitors within the hour, I am popular." She tried to radiate her usual confidence, but it was clear to him that something was off.

"I've come for your answer," he smiled tightly.

Felicia straightened up in a obsolete attempt to put herself on an even par with her second guest of the evening. He was real now, not the shade as he had appeared to her before and he stood before her in full, domineering presence. The scent of mint swirled about her, driving her lightheaded.

Loki smirked at her new daunted reaction.

"Before I accept, you should know that I'm not one for hard work. I'll only serve to be your glamorous assistant, though I expect better pay." Felicia made an attempt to regain the control his true state had stolen from her. She would still make her demands regardless of her unease.

"You've made a wise choice Felicia."

"Now will you tell me what this is all about?" She asked.

"You will go to S.H.I.E.L.D. as requested by that foolish man."
That was all the information she was going to receive from him at this meeting.

Felicia pouted, "Are we going to be playing mind games with agents?"

Loki simply smiled. He reached out with a hand and it took resistance to fight the violent urge coursing through her body that screamed at her to flinch away. The tips of his slender fingers brushed along her jaw in a sweet gesture she knew could turn deadly, as those icy fingers grazed the creamy skin down to her delicate neck.
"I'll see you soon Felicia."

The lights flickered with his departure.
Felicia was left to battle her pulsing heart for the second time in as many days and the euphoric sensation left on her skin from where Loki had touched her.