Me: OK, OK. I know! I write way too many stories! I just can't help it though! this one popped into my head a long time ago but I just now got around to posting it because I finally finished re-purposing my character, Syria Rookwood. You all might know her from my Storm Hawks story "Silent Storm" but I have to tell you this Syria is a whole different person. I hope that you all will enjoy this incarnation of my silent sorceress as much as I do. Oh, I almost forgot. This story covers the middle/ end of The Avengers and will go into Thor: The Dark World. Just thought I'd say something because I didn't exactly want to call this a cross over because it's not. It's a continuation. Anyway please R&R! Thanks guys!

Edit: I totally forgot something!

"speaking"- Sign Language

"speaking- normal speak

"speaking"- texting

Sloshing water was the only sound to be heard as a lone figure walked down the dingy sewer pipe. The person's pale scared face scrunched up in disgust at the smell. Unfortunately they had to be here. It was all because of a stupid promise she had made almost a year ago. Sighing silently the young woman continued slogging down the pipe. Eventually, though, something made her stop. It was a subtle thing at first but as she continued down the pipe it became stronger. After a couple feet she stopped again.

Tilting her head to the right a bit the young woman peered into the smaller pipe in front of her. Blue-green eyes glared at the opening as she sighed silently. The strange force was coming from the other end of this pipe but there was a small catch; the pipe was only about three feet in diameter. This job was about to get even messier than it already was. Growling silently she reached up and hauled herself into the slimy little tunnel. Progress was slow but that was only because she had to crawl on her hands and knees in about half an inch to an inch of sewer sludge. Thankfully though she was able to make it to the end without having to really stop too much. Even so by the time she crawled out of the pipe her hands and knees were covered in sludge and slime.

Glaring at the offending substance the woman started walking down the brighter tunnel. After a few feet she started bouncing around and shaking like a dog, sending slime flying in all directions. Scowling darkly at the sludge as it slid slowly down the wall the blue-green eyed woman started walking again. The thing that had originally pulled her in this direction was growing stronger by the second. Suddenly she stepped out of the tunnel into a large underground room. There was only one person in the room and he seemed oblivious to her presence. Power swirled in the air around him as he sat alone in the middle of the room. After a second or so of just watching him the young woman stepped a little father into the room. Even as she got closer the man still didn't move other than to shift the staff in his hands. Blue-green eyes widened slightly as she recognized the weapon. Fury had shown her one of the few surveillance photos that survived the destruction of the desert facility; this was the staff Loki had used when he was there. That meant only one thing. Sitting in front of her was the one and only Loki, God of Mischief and Magic, and the currently on the top of SHIELD's Most Wanted list. The sudden realization caused her to stumble a bit and scuff the bottom of her shoe across the ground.

Loki's head snapped up at the sound and the young woman froze. Several ideas popped into her head about escaping but she shot them all down immediately. There was no way she could escape from Loki. He was a master of magic for crying out loud (then again so was she but that was beside the point)! If he felt like it he could just snap his fingers and have her back even if she did escape. Sighing silently she just stood up straight and waited for the inevitable. And boy did it come. Loki turned slowly around, green eyes glowing with a sickly blue light. Stepping back half a step the scared young woman immediately felt that something was off about the God in front of her. Even when he spoke there was something off about him.
"Who are you?" he asked, voice a little harsh and grating.

Blue-green eyes widened slightly as she momentarily panicked. Biting her lip she slowly traced out her name in the air, watching Loki carefully as she did. He just stared at her for a few seconds before tracing out her name in glowing letters in the air. The five letters hung there for a few seconds, long enough for the young woman to shake her head in the affirmative before they faded away. Loki scoffed slightly before stepping closer.

"Well, Syria, why did you not actually speak? Are you so intimidated by my presence that you cannot find the words to speak?" he said, prowling closer as the strange blue glow in his eyes intensified slightly.

Syria shook her head, hat sliding slightly to the side with the frantic movement. Loki just gave her a raised eyebrow and waited. Sighing silently again Syria mimed out speaking before she cut it off quickly. The raven haired God just gave her an odd look and she did it again. Again he just gave her a confused look that was tinged with irritation. Deciding not to piss off the powerful deity she placed a hand on her throat and tried to speak. The wet rasping hiss that was her voice obscured any words she might have said and Loki actually flinched back from her. Cutting off the sound as quickly as she could Syria stood there for a few seconds, holding her throat and coughing silently i to her other hand.

"I see," Loki said after a moment, "It is not that you are afraid to speak it is that you are fully unable to speak. Interesting."

"It's a curse." Syria signed out without thinking, hands moving slowly so as to be sure of the signs.

Loki gave her a surprised look before speaking, "Oh? What kind of curse?"

His response caused Syria to look sharply at him. Here she was making a fool out of herself when he could obviously understand Sign Language! Shooting him a quick glare she told him about the curse. It was a powerful thing, really. As of yet there was no counter curse and it prevented her from physically speaking to people. It was the same as if she had been born without a voice. Loki watched with surprising attentiveness even if the blue glow in his green eyes was a little creepy. Surprisingly though, as she was signing, she actually thought she saw the blue glow fade away. When she was finished Loki put a hand to his chin and looked closely at her.

"You are a strange one, Syria. You are Mortal but you have a magical curse inflicted upon you. It is very odd indeed" he said, green eyes flashing slightly but completely free of the blue glow.

"If you say so," Syria signed out before feeling something buzz in one of the inside pockets over her coat, "I hate to cut this short but I have to go."

"Oh? Why?" Loki asked dropping his hand.

"I was down here looking for something to eat actually. I'm homeless." Syria signed out, somehow managing to keep her hands steady throughout the lie.

"Oh...," Loki sounded almost disappointed as Syria started walking away, "Wait!"

"Yes?" she asked after turning around to face the God again.

"Where did you learn to speak the way you do if you are homeless?"

"I wasn't always homeless." Syria signed back with a smile before she walked toward the other end of the room.

Loki just stood there and watched her go. There was something about the strange mortal. It was something he couldn't exactly put his finger on but he had a feeling he knew exactly what it was. While he was trying to figure it out there was a sharp pain behind his eyes. Pressing a long fingered hand to his eyes the God of Mischief tried to rub it away but to no avail. The pain grew until it seemed that it was the only thing in the world. Letting out a low hiss he dropped to one knee. When he finally rose again and opened his eyes the sickly blue glow was back but it was faint, as though what ever was causing it didn't have as strong a hold. Shaking his head Loki gave a slightly deranged smile before he walked out of the room, never expecting to see the strange, scared homeless woman ever again. Boy, if only he knew how wrong he was.