Trust Issues

"Soooo...What do ya think about my penthouse? Pretty nice, right?" Kate stared at Tony with a mixture of horror and confusion before bursting into hysterical, uncontrollable laughter at his utterly ridiculous, and completely irrelevant, question, her head thrown back in mirth and her hair blowing in the wind as they flew down towards the street, his metal encased arms wrapped securely around her. She laughed because she knew if she didn't, she would likely burst into tears. Tears of hate. Tears of confusion. Tears of...loss. She had picked her side, and it wasn't Loki's. That insufferable, helmet wearing, spear carrying, power hungry psychopath who had shown a side of himself to Kate that she would never have thought existed. Loki could care. He had proved that much to her when she had shattered into a million pieces in his arms, clinging to him like some love sick fool and then falling asleep wrapped protectively in his arms. The feelings he stirred scared the hell out of her. At this thought, Kate laughed even harder.

"I know I'm a pretty funny guy," Tony commented as he approached the pavement, "but I'm not THAT funny." At his comment, Kate got control of her emotions and cleared her throat awkwardly before extricating herself from his arms and landing gracefully on the street.

"Sorry about that." Kate muttered. "Just had a bit of a breakdown." She swore she heard Tony snort behind his mask. "Thanks for catching me by the way."

"I never could resist a damsel in distress." Tony replied. "Especially one being held prisoner by a psycho like Puff the Magic Dickwad." He nodded his head back towards the direction of Stark Tower. "Did he do anything to you?" Tony's voice turned serious, as his mask lifted to expose his equally serious expression. It was on the tip of her tongue to blurt of the truth, but she just shook her head.

"No. I'm fine." She lied. "Just a little rattled I guess." Tony opened his mouth to reply, but was interrupted by a loud blast and a burst of bright blue light coming from the direction of Stark Tower. Both Kate and Tony looked up towards the roof of the skyscraper right as a beam of blue light shot straight into the sky, a dark hole forming where the beam ended. A portal. THE portal.

"Shit." Tony muttered as he stared at the sky with a mixture of horror and awe. "SHIT!" He repeated again more forcefully as creatures started swarming out of the mouth of the portal and down towards the city below. He turned back to face Kate before muttering, "Showtime." His mask slammed down to cover his face as he shot off the ground and towards the oncoming assault. "Find Rogers, Barton and Romanoff!" He yelled over his shoulder, then almost as an afterthought added, "And don't get killed!" He then pushed higher into the sky, his gold and crimson armor becoming smaller and smaller with each passing second. A moment later a black quinjet flew by over head and Kate smiled knowing who the passengers of the jet would be. She pushed herself into a sprint, her eyes raised towards the sky as she both followed the jet and monitored the sky for an oncoming attack, realizing with annoyance that she had no weapons of any kind. With that disturbing thought, she picked up her pace and ran as fast as her feet would carry her down the now chaotic streets of New York, pushing her way through hordes of screaming, helpless civilians towards the direction in which she saw the black quinjet disappear.

She turned onto Park Avenue, spying the jet in the distance heading Stark Tower. She ran forward as fast as her legs would carry her in that direction, but a moment later something was fired at the jet and it started spiraling towards the earth, one of it wings flaming. The pilot, who she was guessing was Barton, managed to pull the nose of the jet up right as it passed dangerously close over Grand Central Station. The ruined jet hit the ground and slid on its belly, ripping up the concrete and asphalt with it, as it came to a stop in front of the infamous train station. Kate watched as the ramp on the back of the jet lowered and three battered, but alive, Avengers ran out, guns blazing. Kate had almost reached them when out of nowhere, something swooped down and knocked her painfully to the ground. Kate quickly jumped to her feet and turned to face her attacker. Her mouth nearly dropped open. The creature was hideous. Skeleton-like and grey of color, the alien towered over her, its spear like weapon pointed at her chest. "So your a Chitauri, huh?" Kate muttered. "Your one ugly son of a bitch, aren't you." Kate lowered herself into a battle stance and she could have sworn she heard the creature snicker at her.

"What?" Kate taunted. "You think I'm funny?" With a fierce yell, she launched herself at the creature, effectively catching him by surprise as she knocked it's feet out from under it with a quick swipe of her leg. It fell in a heap on the concrete, what could only be called a guttural curse erupting from him as he struggled to stand. Kate took that opportunity of confusion to grab the creatures spear and plunge it through the things eye socket and into its brain. "Am I funny now, asshole?" She muttered as she yanked the spear out of the still twitching alien. Not wasting another second, Kate bolted down the street again and towards the trio of allies who were taking on about a dozen of the creepy ass aliens. On her way, she felled two more of the creatures with the spear she had "confiscated" from the first alien, discovering with no small delight, that the spear also doubled as a gun of sorts. When she finally reached Rogers, Barton, and Romanoff, she was out of breath and covered in black blood, the spear gripped confidently in her hand.

"What took you so long?" she questioned as she stared at friends.

"We could ask you the same thing." Clint shot back.

"Ha ha." Kate replied dryly. "So, whats the plan?" She asked before adding, "Besides not dying."

"Well, we should start by closing that thing." Captain Rogers said as he pointed towards the portal. "No matter how many of these things we kill, more just keep coming."

"And how do you suggest we do that?" Kate questioned. "The thing has its own personal force field according to Stark."

"Where there's a will, there's a way." Rogers stated confidently.

"Thank you, Captain Cliché." Kate muttered. "I'll be sure to remember that." Just then, a loud roar echoed through the city street and the four of them looked towards the portal with a sense of dread. The roar belonged to a massive whale-like creature that once making its way through the portal, proceeded to wreak absolute havoc on the city and its many building.

"Stark!" Captain Rogers yelled into his communicator. "Are you seeing this?"

"Seeing." Stark replied. "Still working on believing. Have you seen Banner yet?"

"Banner?" Steve questioned.

"Just keep me posted." Tony replied before cutting off the communication. They all turned back to the rather...large matter at hand. As the behemoth approached the streets, more of the alien warriors detached themselves from the beast's side and landed in the streets and on the walls of buildings, destroying everything in there path. Kate began shooting any of the aliens that came near her and covered Barton as he helped civilians to safety. Captain Rogers went off to roust the police force and form an evacuation plan as Kate and Nat fought side by side, saving each others lives multiple times over the course of only a few minutes. Steve returned and joined the fray as well as Thor who swooped down, lightning announcing his arrival.

"Whats the story upstairs?" Rogers asked.

"The power surrounding the cube is impenetrable." Thor replied.

"What else is new." Kate mumbled.

"Thor's right." Tony's said through their communicators. "We gotta deal with these guys."

"How do we do this?" Nat questioned.

"As a team." Cap replied.

"I have unfinished business with Loki." Thor stated.

"Ya?" Barton scoffed, fiddling with his arrows. "Well, get in line."

"Save it." Rogers chastised. "Loki's gonna keep this fight focused on us and thats what we need. Without him, these things could run wild. We get Stark up top..." But the Captain's plan was cut short when they heard the revving of a motor behind them, turning as one to see where the noise was coming from. And sure enough, Dr. Banner was getting off of a beaten up motorcycle and walking calmly towards them, his clothes practically hanging off of him.

"So. This all seems...horrible." He stated calmly.

"I've seen worse." Natasha stated.

"Sorry."

"No. We could use a little worse." Nat replied with a slight smile.

"Stark." Captain Rogers stated into his communicator. "We got him."

"Banner?" Tony questioned.

"Just like you said."

"Well tell him to suit up." Tony stated. "I'm bringing the party to you." Just then, Stark came speeding around the corner, giant whale-like alien in tow.

"I-I don't see how thats a party." Natasha mumbled and Kate couldn't suppress a small giggle.

"Dr. Banner?" Steve addressed Bruce. "Now might be a really good time for you to get angry."

Thats my secret, Captain." Bruce said, turning and walking towards the oncoming beast. "I'm always angry." Kate gasped as she watched the soft spoken doctor transform right before her eyes into a giant, green...well, rage monster as she had heard Tony describe. The Hulk then proceeded to beat the absolute shit out of the huge monster and Kate couldn't help but be impressed. Tony finally found his soft spot and fired a small missile into the side of the beast, blowing it up and effectively covering them all with gooey alien bits.

"Ewww." Kate groaned as she wiped herself off in disgust. The air filled with the sound of the other aliens screeching at the top of their longs as if mourning the loss of one of their own. Hulk answered back with a blood curdling roar of his own. They all gathered in a circle, loading their various weapons and preparing for battle. All of them together. Kate smiled to herself. She wasn't supposed to be a part of the Avengers, yet here she was, fighting side by side with them. Who knows? She thought to herself. Maybe Fury will give me a promotion...If we survive, that is. Kate's musings were interrupted by the sound of more of the behemoth-like aliens coming through the mouth of the portal and straight for them. Natasha look over at her and offered a small smile, reaching for one of the many guns strapped to her legs and handing it to her.

"Don't shoot your eye out." She muttered sarcastically.

"I'll try to resist the urge." Kate shot back and winked at Nat and Clint who was standing next to her.

"Call it, Captain." Stark urged.

"All right, listen up." Steve said as he assed the problem. "Till we can close that portal, our priority is containment. Barton, I want you on the roof, eyes on everything." Barton nodded. "Call out any patterns and strays." Steve then turned to Tony. "Stark, you've got the perimeter. Anything gets beyond three blocks out, your turn it back or you turn it to ash."

"Can I get a lift?" Clint asked Tony.

"Right." Tony answered. "Better clench up, Legolas."

"Thor." The Captain turned to face the Thunder God. "You gotta try and bottle neck that portal. Slow 'em down. You got the lightning, light the bastards up." Steve then turned to face Nat and Kate. "We stay on the ground, fighting here." The two women nodded and took there various battle stances. The last one Steve addressed was Hulk, and he was short,sweet, and to the point. "And Hulk?" Hulk grunted. "Smash." Hulk smiled. Then with a massive roar, launched into the air, taking down an alien every couple seconds. Natasha, Steve, and Kate took out dozens of the Chitauri, but it didn't seem to be doing any good, they just kept coming...and coming. Kate at just broke the neck of a particularly brutal one, when she looked over and saw Nat and Captain Rogers talking. She started walking back towards them, but stopped in her tracks as she watched Natasha run towards the Captain and jump onto his shield as he pushed her into the air. She attached herself to one of the alien vessels that was fling over head and sped out of sight. Kate broke into a sprint.

"What the hell was that about." Kate yelled as she reached Steve. He turned towards her, cuts covered his face and his chest heaved as he caught his breath.

"She needed a ride to the top of Stark Tower, so she hitched one with one of those things."

"And you let her?" Kate fumed. "Are you crazy! She may be an amazing agent, but last time I checked she couldn't fly. What happens if she falls?"

"War requires sacrifice." He replied morosely.

"Says the solider who can't die." Kate shot back. "Well, if thats how you feel, then I'm gonna go do some sacrificing of my own." Kate head back the way she came, taking down any stray Chitauri she came across. She was just rounding the corner onto 42nd street when she felt an odd tingling sensation playing on the back of her neck. She tilted her head to look up towards the sky, and her eyes widened when she spotted Loki riding one of the odd alien crafts and heading straight towards her, a look of anger mixed with determination written on his pale face. Kate didn't think twice but turned and ran as far and as fast as she could back the direction from which she had just come. "No matter how far and fast you run Kate, I will always find you." She could have sworn she heard Loki say. But when she looked up and over her shoulder, he was still high about her, following her at what appeared to her to be a leisurely pace. He was in her mind, playing tricks with her brain. Kate shook her head, trying to rid herself of his voice, but it kept repeating over and over again.

"You are mine. You are mine. YOU ARE MINE!" Kate let out a frustrated scream as she sprinted down the rubble strewn street, spotting Rogers and Stark in the distance, taking on a few dozen aliens. When she finally reached them and joined the battle, she chanced a glance towards the sky and spotted Loki just as he flew overhead, one last phrase echoed through her mind.

"You belong to me. My Queen. My Kate." His voice filled her mind like a seductive song.

"Hey, Katie!" She felt Stark nudge her arm, effectively bringing her back to the real world. "Whats up with you, space cadet?" He voice tinged with a bit of worry. "You get clocked on the head?" Kate opened her mouth to reply but was cut off by the sound of Nat's voice on the communicator.

"Loki's staff can shut down the portal! We need to get it!"

"Try Stark Tower." Barton replied over the communicator. "I just sent Loki flying with great velocity into the penthouse a few seconds ago." Barton stated smugly.

"Jealous!" Stark whined like a petulant child.

"I'll go." Kate spoke up before thinking. Tony and Steve turned to face her and Nat and Clint went silent on the com. "I'll go get the staff." She elaborated. "But I'll need a lift." She said, turning to look at Stark.

"But what if tall, dark and creepy is still up there?" He questioned.

"It might be nice to get a little payback for what he's put me through." She stated, her voice shaking slightly at the prospect of facing him again. "If it makes you feel any better, you can stay with me and be my knight in..." She looked down at his gore and scratch covered suit, "not so shining armor." Stark just nodded before stepping forward to wrap and arm around her. Before the took off, Steve muttered,

"Good luck." Kate nodded before her and Tony promptly flew into the air towards Stark Tower.

"I see the staff!" Kate exclaimed as they reached the Tower. The staff was lying on the balcony in plain sight, just waiting to be taken. Stark swooped down and Kate scooped up the staff. It felt odd in her grip, it was cool yet hot at the same time as well as it being lighter than it looked. Kate stared at it as she switched on her com.

"Nat, we got it. You still on the roof?"

"Ya." She replied simply.

"We're on our way." Tony flew up towards the roof, Kate wrapped safely in his arms and Loki's staff safely in her grasp. When they reached the roof, Kate dropped the staff down towards Natasha who promptly caught it and headed back to where the portal stood. Tony was making his way back towards the street, when a Chitauri came out of no where and barreled into them, knocking Kate from Tony's arms and onto the balcony 15 ft bellow. Kate groaned as she stood, checking for broken bones and any other injuries. She looked around for Tony, and spotted him a few hundred yards away battling it out with 15 or so Chitauri.

"You ok?" Tony ask through the com.

"Ya. I'm fine. Just a little bruised."

"You want me to come get you?" Tony asked, genuine concern lacing his words.

"No, your a bit busy as the moment. I think I'll just head back towards the roof and help Nat."

"How do you plan on getting up there?"

"I'll take the stairs, dumbass." She replied, making Tony chuckle.

"Stairs? Never heard of them." He replied with feigned stupidity. Kate laughed tiredly before turning to head into the penthouse, but when she reached the door, she stopped dead.

Loki turned his head at the sound of the door from the balcony opening. Pain shot through his whole body, but when he saw who had just come through the door, his pain disappeared almost instantly.

"Kate?" He murmured hoarsely from his very own self made crater in the middle of the stone floor of Stark's home.

"What the hell happened to you?" Her voice came out as a gravely whisper. Loki pushed himself into a sitting position.

"I had a bit of a confrontation with the green beast."

"Hulk did this to you?" Kate questioned. Loki nodded, wincing at the movement. Kate approached him hesitantly, a reluctant look of concern on her beautiful face. "You must have really pissed him off." Loki tried to laugh but it turned into a jarring cough instead.

"I seem to be doing that a lot lately." He replied hoarsely before raising his gaze to meet hers. "Kate..." he began, but he was cut short by a noise behind Kate. She turned to see what it was and was suddenly thrown backwards in a flash of bright blue light. A Chitauri warrior stood by one of the broken windows, his gun still raised and steaming.

"NO!" Loki yelled as he sprang to his feet and towards Kate, his pain forgotten. When he reached her she was gasping for breath, a gaping hole sat right in the center of her chest, still smoking from the blast of the Chitauri's gun. Loki bellowed with rage as he threw himself at the snickering Chituari and broke its neck in one swift movement, throwing its body out the broken window. He then turned and dropped to his knees next to Kate, whose breaths were becoming more and more labored. He put his hands over her wound and started muttering a healing spell, but his magic was to weak from the battle and her injury to far gone. He took her in his arms and cradled her against his chest.

"You cannot leave me, Kate." He murmured hoarsely into her hair. "I will not let you."

"Loki?" He heard her whisper. He looked down into her once vivid blue eyes, growing dull now as the life slowly left her body.

"Yes, my little warrior?" She opened her mouth to say something but ended up just raising her hand to rest briefly against his cheek, a small smile playing on her lips. Then her eyes slowly closed and she went still, her hand dropping from his cheek. Loki filled with rage and anger and hate. His eyes grew cold as he clutched Kate's body to his chest. Every shred of feeling, every scrap of humanity he had previously possessed, however minuscule, died with the women in his arms. It was not over. Midgard would be his. He may have lost the battle, but there were many battles in a war. And this war was far from over.