Hey guys!

There will be a brief hiatus of about a week while I sort out a few things with the last two chapters in Secrets of an Anarchist, then those will be posted. After that it's going to be quite the break I'm afraid, as I don't have book two written yet. What I can tell you is that it will called The Midas Touch, and will center around Mia better understanding and honing her powers. What I can't tell you, as of right now, is which movie it will center around.

I would like to cut straight to CA:TWS so that I can explore Steve and Mia's budding relationship, as well her finally getting her hands on the Project Midas file and exploring the plotline of the movie itself. That way, I can cut to Avengers 2 afterward—and if I keep my NaNo schedule, I should have book two written in around two weeks, leaving plenty of time for AoU to come out.

However, there may be some of you who want to see Mia in Thor: The Dark World…those of you who would like to see her interact with Loki, in a better circumstance with Steve out of the picture. She is his Intended, after all; and while his attack on New York was abhorrent, cruel and completely uncalled for, some of us understand the background events that led up to it. Some of us even sympathize…remember, this story started out as a strictly Loki/OC. I sort of changed it up midstream by throwing Steve in the mix. ;)

Anyway, I REALLY, REALLY NEED SOME FEEDBACK HERE. What would you guys like to see? If I do write Thor:TDW though I won't be ready for Avengers 2 in time… just keep that in mind. But you will get to see Mioki, and Jane and Darcy in action with Mia.

Please review!

-Ana

Chapter 16

"About damn time!" was the first thing Romanoff said when Mia materialized.

"Hello to you too." Mia redoubled her grip on the scepter. "So. This thing can shut down the portal? Explain."

"It's a built in failsafe," a man explained. Mia recognized his voice –granted, at the time it had been much tinnier from Jane's speakerphone.

"Oh my—you're Erik Selvig, aren't you?"

Selvig looked ashamed, probably in light of his most recent affiliation. "Yes," he admitted.

Next moment, the scepter was thrust into Natasha's hands, and the scientist was wrapped in a golden bear hug.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Doctor," Mia told him. It was like a little part of Darcy and Jane was with her, at the very end of things.

"Ah…you too," the confused scientist replied.

The now ex-journalist pulled back and observed the man carefully. "Is this for real, this failsafe?"

"Yes."

"Then what do we do?"

"The computer, first."

Mia set about helping the still shaky scientist set up the device on a tripod, plugging in what felt like a thousand different connections. Each moment, Steve or Tony or Thor or Bruce was out there, doing who knew what with or without backup, and the people of New York were in greater danger by the second as the Chitauri still poured through the portal.

Now that she knew why Loki had done what he had, now that she knew that it all rested on her (as usual,) Mia just wanted everything to be done. Over. Finished.

"Right at the crown!" Selvig was telling Natasha, pointing at the Tesseract's housing. As the scepter was moved towards it, a globe of blue energy reminiscent of Mia's own golden ones built around the device, encasing it.

"Tell the boys!" Mia told the assassin, trying to reestablish her COM channel.

"Can't you do it?" Natasha asked, grimacing as she shoved the scepter past the energy sphere.

"My COM got scrambled during teleportation! Just do it!"

Romanoff raised an eyebrow, redoubling her grip on the scepter. "Yes ma'am." She set a finger to her ear, her voice doubled by the COM in Mia's own ear. "I can close it," he said, her tone suddenly softer. "Can anybody copy? I can shut the portal down."

"What, is that your hero voice?!" Mia cried, irritated. The Widow had been much gruffer with her only seconds earlier.

"Shut it!" Natasha yelled in frustration, though Mia wasn't sure if she was talking to her or about the portal. She was too busy locating the correct setting on her wrist.

"…ia?" Steve's voice came through Mia's earpiece like music. "Is Mia safe?"

"I'm right here, Captain," Mia said, laughing in relief at hearing his voice. A tear actually snuck down her cheek—where the hell had that come from, anyway?

"Then do it!"

"No, wait." Tony had his serious shit tone on.

"Stark, these things are still coming," Steve yelled. Meanwhile, Selvig had finally noticed Mia's hands.

"I got a nuke coming in."

"Is that self-produced ambient energy?" he gasped, reaching out to examine her hands.

"Not time for a science exhibit, Doc!" Mia jumped away from him, taking a position on the edge of the roof . "What do you mean, a nuke?" she hollered, watching the bright red streak of Tony's Iron Man suit sailing away from the city and out over the ocean. "Please tell me when you say nuke, its codeword for something a lot more helpful and a lot less missile."

"No such luck. Worse, it's going to blow in less than a minute. If we weren't all about to die, I'd say this had all the makings of a great day in print for you, Paxton."

"Seriously?" Mia gripped her hands before firing off a few rounds of sparks at passing ships. Two tumbled out of the air, smoking.

"I'll take that as a yes," the scientist muttered in shock, eyes wide. Then he turned worriedly back to the Tesseract.

"What the hell do we do?"

"Well luckily, I know just where to put it."

"Tony, DON'T YOU DARE." Mia shot so viciously that her hands began to ache, her blistered palms crackling from the heat. She was too upset to grimace. "Don't you dare do this to me! To Pepper! To—"

"BAD TIMING, cat eyes!" he grunted. "And anyway, it's headed for the Tower."

"WHAT?!" Sure enough, the missile was rushing straight toward the mid-section of the tower.

"I'm running out of power. If I can get it up to your level, do you think you can give me a boost?"

"Stark, no! She can't, she's already—"

Mia felt her eyes flooding as she looked at the meager strands training around her fingertips. "You bet, Ironass," she said weakly, her voice cracking as she cut the Captain off. She raised her palms level, watching them swirl with sparks.

She had to do this.

As the missile rushed up past her with Tony right behind it, she released her payload, palms blasting out a huge fountain of golden sparks that seemed to caress both the bomb and the man in the Red Suit, spiraling around the Tesseract's beam like a DNA double-helix.

The pain in Mia's hands was tremendous, like coal that had been doused in gasoline, then lit on fire and placed on her palms—or like a flame-torch being applied directly to an open wound. She let out a bloodcurdling scream, her whole body arching against the pain.

"MIA!" Steve's voice was horrified, urgent.

Selvig caught Mia as she tumbled backward, away from the edge. The man stared appalled at the damage done to Mia's hands. "Oh my God."

"She's okay," Natasha told the others. "She's alive—even conscious."

"Mia?" Steve called, as if checking this information for himself.

"Really wishing I wasn't right now," Mia sobbed, clutching her hands to her chest. Her sleeves were glowing red from the elbow down.

"I'm sorry, cat eyes." Tony sounded oddly emotional.

"Stark." Steve's voice was a full octave lower with seriousness. "You know that's a one way trip—even with Mia's help."

There was a long pause, during which Mia was nearly certain he was talking to JARVIS.

"Mia?" There was a long pause. "Tell Pepper I—" The COM cut out.

"Tony?" Mia wrenched out of Selvig's grip, clutching at her earpiece in spite of the pain. "Tony? Steve, are you there?" Her voice was tight and strained as she watched Tony lead the missile into the portal. "Steve?"

"I'm here," Steve answered her. Mia felt her body go numb. "Stark's out of reach."

They heard the muffled explosion as the missile hit something on the other side of the portal. And they saw the Chitauri suddenly fall, wherever they stood. A hive mind, Mia realized. No doubt there would be many a sciency conversation about that concept between Bruce and….

Tony?

They all watched in silent anticipation, waiting for the impossible. Hoping for the impossible, praying for the impossible.

"Come on, Stark," Natasha muttered, voicing the sentiment Mia was screaming in her head.

"Don't you dare. Don't you dare make me tell Pepper that you—" Mia bit her lip to stop a fresh bout of tears. But what really tore at her was hearing Steve make the call.

"Close it."

"No!" Mia reached out a hand, tiny wisps of sparks floating from her fingertips. It wasn't nearly enough to match the Tesseract's energy though, especially as Natasha forced the scepter through to the Cube itself.

The bright beam of light from the machine ceased, the long laser-like stream of light snapping apart. The portal contracted, and began to shut, the patch of dark sky behind it disappearing from sight.

That's when she saw it: the tiny, dark speck falling away from the blue dome above, down down down towards the city.

And that's when Mia really lost it.

"TONY MOTHER EFFING STARK!" she bellowed into the earpiece. "IF YOU'RE NOT DEAD WHEN YOU HIT THE GROUND, SO HELP ME, I'M GOING TO KILL YOU MYSELF!"

"Son of a gun." Mia could hear the smile in Steve's words. But she could also see Tony free falling with no sign of firing a repulsor anytime soon.

Thor apparently noticed it too. "He's not slowing down."

"Shit," Mia swore, clenching her jaw and hissing through her teeth as she struggled to activate the bio-lock on Steve again. Her charred fingers slipped fruitlessly across the screen. "I didn't actually mean it…"

Then she vanished.

"Honestly," Natasha said with a shake of her head. "That woman needs to stop caring so damn much."

. . .

When Mia rematerialized for what she hoped was the last time that day, she found Tony already on the ground, with Thor, Steve and the Hulk standing over him. His faceplate had been wrenched off, revealing a still face. A still Tony face—that was all wrong, had 'wrong' written all over it. Tony didn't even like sleeping, according to Pepper.

"Oh, you've got to be kidding me," Mia said miserably, appearing directly behind the god of thunder and the super soldier. Immediately, all three men were aware of her presence, with Hulk giving a worried grunt and Steve immediately at her side, slipping an arm around her waist to support her as her knees tried to give out. She hardly saw him.

Mia knew it wasn't directly her fault, but still felt like it was because of her lack of strength that Tony hadn't had the power he needed for the return journey. "Come on, Tony," she begged, as Steve helped her come closer. "Since when have you ever taken my threats seriously? Don't make this the first time. Up and attem, Ironhead."

Mia," Steve began, trying to soothe her.

"No! He owes me twenty thousand bucks, because I made it through the battle. He's not getting out of debt that easy." This was a calloused thing to say, but Steve knew she was trying to hide how affected she truly was. "I am not giving you the kiss of life buddy, so wakey wakey before I make one of the blonds do it."

Steve blanched at this. Thor just looked confused and distraught.

"Lady Mia…"

"NO!" She was breathing hard now, fighting off tears. "Banner, do something!" she cried brokenly, moving aside a lock of Tony's hair. "He's your science bro." Science bro almost came out as a whimper.

"Mia. He's gone." Steve gently knelt beside her, wrapping his arm around her waist a second time as she wavered in a crouch. Mia screwed her eyes shut, trying to steady her breathing as he tucked her face into his shoulder. Steve's blue eyes came to rest on Tony's face, his previous words echoing in his mind.

I know guys with none of that worth ten of you. I've seen the footage. The only thing you really fight for is yourself. You're not the guy to make the sacrifice play, to lay down on a wire and let the other guy crawl over you.

The sacrifice play.

There, at the last moment possible, Tony Stark had proven his worth.

Above them, the Hulk's face contorted in a mixture of anguish and anger and he fisted his massive hands. Then he roared loudly at the billionaire, as if mourning his loss.

Tony's eyes flew open, lips splayed in a wide gasp.

"What the hell! What just happened?" he demanded breathlessly. "Please tell me nobody kissed me."

Steve grinned at him, eyes shining. He shook his head. "No. Paxton wouldn't let us, the spoilsport."

"She just doesn't want to share you…speaking of which, why is said anarchist hugging my torso?"

"Damn you and your last minute resuscitation," she laughed, ignoring the tears of pain streaming down her face from her gripping his suit with destroyed hands.

"So what did happen?"

Steve sat back on his haunches, looking up at the clear sky. Free from any invading aliens. "We won," he said simply.

Tony gave a cheer. "Alright, yay! Hooray. Good job, guys." He glanced down at Mia's head. "Holy shit! You've got an egg there, rookie. Let's just not come in tomorrow. Let's just take a day."

Mia lifted her bruised head up to stare at her recovered friend with happy green eyes. "Have you guys ever tried shawarma?" Tony asked them all. Steve laughed at him, as Mia leaned back against his left shoulder with her eyes closed: just savoring the fact that they were all okay. "There's a shawarma joint about two blocks from here. I don't know what it is, but I want to try it."

"Leave it to you to be thinking about food right now, Tony," Mia sighed humorously. To her surprise, she felt Steve press his lips into her hair, his arm around her again. She looked up at him—and found their lips just millimeters apart.

Steve's eyes went to her mouth, and he bit his lip. Mia found her eyes locked on his, unable to look away. She could have sworn there and then that blue eyes were destined to be her downfall.

"We're not finished yet." Whether Thor's comment was meant to ruin their moment or not, it did. Mia found herself blinking in surprise as if released from hypnosis, while Steve turned his head away, his cheeks flushed a rosy and adorable pink and his hair falling in his eyes abashedly.

"Aw, point break ruin your little moment there?" Tony still seemed to have enough energy to jibe them. "Shame. I really wanted to see Mia kiss an old guy. I mean, a really old guy. I mean, a really, really, reaaally…"

"Tony. Don't make me hate you so soon after losing you," Mia told him as Steve helped her to her feet. Their eyes locked for a split moment before flitting apart. Still, one of his gloved hands remained on her waistline.

"Fair enough."

"We must deal with Loki."

"And shawarma after?"

Minutes later, the team found themselves standing in Stark Tower, looking down at a Loki that was bound hand-and-foot. He must have regained consciousness while Mia was gone, because he was looking up at them, awake and suddenly very alert.

"Where is she?" He asked urgently, as they began to file into the room and form a group in front of him.

"Oh, missing your Intended already? Looks like you two were in for a little fun." At that moment, Steve walked in—his shield on one arm, and Mia on the other. The soldier was carefully watching her, as if she might break at any moment. "Too bad she's made other plans."

Loki's face fell, and he looked to Thor as if for sympathy. He found none.

"If it's all the same to you," he said to Tony, "I'll have that drink now."

Instead, he was met with an alarming array of weapons pointed in his face.

In the back and nearly out of sight, Mia watched the arrest with consternation. She alone knew why Loki had done what he had—what had started out as conquest had become something much more sinister, and not on his part. It made her sick to think that he would be punished for what he had done to protect her.

Then she thought of all of the innocent, unsuspecting people that had died in New York City that day, and her empathy faded.

Justice came in varying degrees of imperfection. But for once, this was a degree she could tolerate—and even support.

. . .

It was a week and a half out from the New York incident, and Mia Paxton was standing in Director Fury's office with a semi-impatient expression on her face.

She had lost the head bandage earlier in the week, along with the wrappings she'd gained in the battle. Now, she had invisible wounds to heal, both in her heart and in her life—as stupid as that sounded.

Mia knew that her situation with the god of mischief was far from resolved. She was still his Intended, and Thor had mentioned that her very existence would raise a lot of questions and concerns back on Asgard—let alone her refusal to return his affections, or strive towards any kind of reconciliation.

She also knew that her public appearance as a member of the Avengers would open up a full scale inquiry at the White House, and possibly jeopardize her alias as an ex-cop turned political journalist. These things were being made very clear to her by Director Fury, who was trying (and completely failing) to recruit her to SHIELD.

True to her mid-battle resolution, Mia hadn't returned to her job as a journalist. Not that she'd had time thus far—she just didn't intend to make it later, either.

"I appreciate the offer, Fury," she was saying, for what felt like the thousandth time that week.

"Then why do you keep turning me down?"

"Because I know what I want to do from here on out, and it doesn't involve politics or secret organizations. Not anymore." Mia didn't want to have anything to do with that element. With all of her own secrets to work on, she didn't feel the need to explore the secrets of others. "I just want to be an ordinary badge, Fury. I want to be a detective and blend in amidst a sea of blue shirts. I know that's not too much to ask."

Fury made a noise of dissent. "Captain Rogers will be disappointed," he tried.

The ex-journalist let her green eyes wander over the grey walls of the office, searching for an adequate reply. Most of the world knew about how Steve felt about her—a surprising thing, since she'd been just as shocked by the footage of his attempts to resuscitate her. There was no mistaking the emotions on his face, no hiding what was going on in his head. Steve's face was like an open book, easily read. After seeing it Mia had finally realized why she and Steve had managed not to cross paths since Loki's arrest. She did wonder, though, if it his actions were a result of stress and grief—or because he'd meant them.

As it was, she was trying to content herself with not knowing.

"I think he'll manage without me," she said finally, giving Fury a slight nod.

"I don't know about that. He's grown rather attached to you. I don't think he's been so close to anyone since waking up from the ice." The director shuffled some papers on his desk. "We're sending him to DC."

Mia furrowed her brow. "Sir, Captain Rogers is a capable man. I'm sure he will do very well in DC. That being said, I don't understand where you're going with this."

Fury glared at her. "Don't play me for a fool, Paxton. I know you're going to go after those Midas files, regardless of rejoining the force. Now, while I am sure the 12th would be thrilled to have a good detective back, I am certain of a position in DC that would place you a lot closer to where those files are kept."

"The Triskelion," Mia realized.

"Exactly. As it happens, Rogers is going to be based out of the building as well. Now, if you want any chance of recovering those files, you might consider taking my offer."

"And that offer is?"

"Lead investigator on a team of agents, tasked with recovering whatever information has been leaked about Phase 2."

Mia stared at him for a long minute. "You have got to be kidding me. Cleaning up your mess?" She shook her head. "I'm actually insulted that you think I'd stoop to that."

"Sometimes we have to do things we don't like to get the answers we want, Paxton."

"That's not a trade I'm willing to make right now. And anyway, I have people to consider. I can't just up and move to DC."

"So you'd choose Jane Foster and her intern over a chance to become Captain America's significant other?" Mia whirled to see that Natasha had entered the room. The redhead was leaning against a metal bookcase, arms crossed. "We all know he cares about you, above and beyond a strictly platonic level."

"What are you saying?" Mia asked stiffly.

"I'm just saying, if you go to DC, things are likely to escalate. If you stay in New York, well… you might be missing an opportunity."

"Steve isn't an opportunity," said Mia, anger clinging to each word. "He's a wonderful person, who deserves someone who can give him the kind of attention he deserves."

"And…why can't you do that?"

"Because number one, SHIELD isn't ." The brunette crossed her arms huffily. "B, I'm not in any position to be in a relationship—and am I honestly the only one disturbed by the fact that this conversation is happening in Director Fury's presence?"

"No," Fury deadpanned. "You're not."

"Thank you." Mia let out her breath. "Now. As much as I care about Steve, I will not be going to DC. I have plenty to do here in Manhattan, and yes, there is Jane and Darcy to consider. They're the closest thing to family I have anymore."

"I think Foster would understand. She is, after all, in a relationship with Thor. You can't get the guy to stop talking about her."

"Honestly, that's a moot point—though Jane and I will be having an interesting conversation in the near future. Friendships aside, I don't have an urge to move directly under my father's nose."

Fury sighed deeply, casting Romanoff a look that said 'let's not go here.' "Very well. You've completed your debriefing, retrieved your belongings days ago…I don't see any reason why you can't leave the Valiant." He cocked his head, peering at her with one eye. "My only regret is that I don't have some way to repay you for your services."

"Well, you could just give me the Midas files." This ploy was met with a level stare. "Right. Well, I tried. It was worth a shot, anyway."

"You will be expected to show up for Loki's transfer," Fury told her, as if she hadn't spoken. "Thor assures me that the whole thing should be relatively painless, for you. Loki might have a little trouble swallowing his pride at losing his Intended, but I think that would be a welcome sight." He actually smiled a little at the thought.

But Mia was staring at the concrete floor, disturbed. The fact that Loki had been under the control of another when attacking still stuck with her, even after the battle. Not that he hadn't started the idea of Earth's invasion himself, because from the sound of things he had. Loki's 'sponsor' had seemingly pulled the rug out from under him after striking the deal, which still made everything that had happened Loki's fault, regardless of his personal mission to protect her—by putting her into danger.

God, he really was a piece of work.

"I'd like to speak with him." Mia was surprised at the words that had come out of her mouth—she hadn't planned on seeing him again. But now, she found herself with the need to, if only to assuage her own guilt.

"Loki?" Fury scoffed. "Paxton, you know I can't allow that."

"Actually, Director," Natasha cut in. She stared her superior down. "That's not true. You can let her in to see him. You just don't think it's a good idea."

"Yes, thank you Romanoff, for the rephrasing that I didn't ask for." Fury glared at Widow irritably.

"I need to speak with him," Mia insisted.

"It's not that simple. There are security measures in place—"

"That can be overridden," Romanoff added with a dismissive shrug. "And I can provide surveillance, if it's any help."

"Plus, I'll wear the suit. And I'm always armed." To prove her point, Mia held up a hand glowing faintly with sparks.

From the look on Fury's face, Mia knew she had won. She cast a satisfied smirk at Natasha.

"Fine. Paxton, you'll get your visit with Loki, and your recommendation. Now, you two, get out of my office before I do something I really regret," the Director ordered, pointing a finger at the door while pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Right. I'd say 'see you soon', only I really hope I don't since it's probably going to mean I'm either in trouble or needed for something I'm bound not to like."

"Trust me, Miss Paxton. The feeling is mutual."