A/N - Hello hello! This is a super long long chapter compared to the others... I think anyway. Normally I restrict them to 6 pages but because of the lovely Hedwig Girl, who is now my official beta for this story :D, I had SOOOOO much to write about! I still have so much to write about!

I absolutely loved hearing all her ideas! (She's the best :D) and she's just full of all the amazing ones :D

This chapter would have been impossibly awful if not for her support and encouragement as well as her constructive criticism! So this chapter and all others are wholeheartedly dedicated to her! Thank you and I love yo (lol got seriously soppy toward the end :P)

Chapter 4 – Just human?

"We need to act fast! This is not good enough! We have an agent compromised and probably plotting to get Loki out and our own team pitting against each other!"

I stood in the shadows of the doorway. It was an open arch so I didn't think I was intruding on anything. I think I must have entered the bridge. There was a platform with a large oval metal table with many different men and one woman sitting around it. Behind the railings and platform was a control panel looking place. Many computer screens and agents dotted around the place and the walls up to head height were covered in brightly lit buttons and levers. The wall directly in front of me was covered in windows showing the bright blue sky with fluffy clouds passing around us.

"Do you have clearance to be here?" I shrieked and jumped falling into the room. The woman who had snuck up on me moved toward me and held out a hand, her expression blank.

"I don't know." I muttered heart still racing.

"Then who in the hell are you?!" The black guy with the eye patch demanded.

Everyone on the platform was eyeing me suspiciously apart from the Captain and Thor. Steve stepped forward. "This is Debbie Fron, Agent Fron's sister. She was brought here after the attack. To keep her safe." He added.

Eye-patch turned to Steve with accusing eyes, "This is SHIELD not a babysitting service! Get her out of here!"

"Director Fury!" I recognised Karen's voice and turned. She ran up to eye-patch – I mean Director Fury and saluted. "She was a witness to the attack in Stuttgart and she has had direct contact with Loki. She's our lead."

I stared at her in shock. I couldn't decide whether she'd just sold me out to the government or she did that for my own protection. Perhaps it was both.

"Direct contact?" Fury barked. "What do you mean direct contact?"

Karen ran to a control panel, grabbed a piece of glass with two silver metal edges and thrust it in front of Fury. "You should see for yourself." She slid her fingers across the panel and a 2D image flashed above the oval table to my complete embarrassment. It was CCTV footage from the show. It replayed the event in such clarity I didn't know was possible. Thor winced visibly when he saw Loki's soft gaze on me and I crossed my arms nervously. What did this mean for me?

"Well, this is interesting." I was pulled over to the head of the table by a very stylish and obviously vain man with an extremely trimmed beard and stubble. "Tony Stark, Stark Industries." He introduced himself.

"Oh, yes, the guy with all the guns?"

His grin faltered slightly and I noticed, for the briefest of moments, the vulnerability that my comment had caused, "Yep, the guy with all the guns," His false smile was a little painful to look at but before I could analyse it too much he continued, "And the brains of this operation apparently. Want to see my lab?" He winked at me playfully which made me feel incredibly awkward.

I glanced to Karen and the Director for guidance. Just then I had the strangest thought, although it didn't really feel like a thought, more like someone was speaking inside my head.

Inferior scum!

"Mr Stark, stop flirting and get back to work." Fury barked again.

"What's the magic word?" Stark said with a smirk.

"Jail time for hacking a government system." Fury replied surprisingly calm and a little smug.

"You got me there." Stark said raising his hands in defeat. He reached for my hand and kissed it in the same place Loki did less than a week before. "I'll see you around, beautiful."

Pathetic.

Okay, there was no way in hell that was my thought. I'm so not that nasty.

Stark turned back at the last second and patted my arm condescendingly. "Oh and I'm married so let's keep the flirting to a minimum when Agent Coulson is around." A man in a crisp suit but a kind face stood next to Fury and crossed his arms looking stern. Stark looked like a naughty school boy caught red handed. "I'm kidding! I'm kidding! Pepper knows I love her."

"Debbie?" Karen was leading me over to the railings. "Debbie, what's wrong?"

I shook my head and glanced back to the others who were busy arguing. "What's the verdict? Can I go home?"

No.

"No." Karen looked apologetic. "I'm sorry Debbie, but you're evidence now."

"It was never about keeping me safe." I snapped. "You just think you can exploit Loki and I?"

That is true.

"Debbie, please don't do this. I'm looking out for the people of the world here, not just my little sister." Her face was hard but I noticed that this was hurting her, perhaps more than it was me.

I sighed and raked a hand through my hair nervously. "I'm sorry, Karen." I murmured making sure no else overheard us. "That was childish."

Her lips lifted in a half smile before a loud bark of her name from Fury sent her back into her stoic façade. She turned from me quickly. "She goes to Stark and Banner until I can decide what to do with her. Dismissed."

Stark…

I shuddered at the sudden, irrational anger at thinking that name… was it even my thought?

Captain America… I mean Steve approached us and placed a hand on my arm with a warm smile. "I'll take her up to the lab, ma'am."

I noticed Karen's eyes dart down to his hand but she didn't react. I expected as much from her. "Thank you, Captain." She said formally and saluted.

Steve rolled his eyes at her formalities and saluted with a lazy smirk. Just as she turned to leave I saw the faintest dusting of pink on her cheeks before she flew down to deal with her other duties.

"So, Steve," I said as we walked out of the Bridge down a curved corridor toward a flight of metal stairs. "How long have you had a crush on my sister?"

I smirked when I saw his blush. He was nowhere near as good as hiding it as Karen. He coughed uncomfortably and sighed. "Am I that obvious?"

"Yep," I chirped with a grin. This was so much fun. I missed teasing people, when life was simple. "You're about as subtle as a foghorn."

He laughed in surprise and shook his head. "Well, your sister isn't easy to flirt with."

"That's an understatement." I said with a scoff as we ascended the stairs. "In Sixth Form at the Winter Ball she punched a guy in the face for kissing her hand."

Steve visibly stiffened. "That seems a bit extreme."

I waved of his concern with a flip of my hand. "Yeah, it was but you're okay. The difference is she likes you."

His sudden tenseness was replaced with a cheeky smile. "I was beginning to think I'd been imagining her blush."

I opened my mouth to reply but was cut off by that same arrogant drawl from earlier. Tony Stark. "Back so soon?" He smirked at me cheekily. "I have to admit I'm not surprised."

I let out an exasperated sigh. "Has anyone ever told you you're an arrogant pig?"

Stark grinned and swiped his fingers over a transparent pad in front of his face. "Not in that adorable accent, I haven't."

I rolled my eyes dramatically. I was actually quite enjoying his banter. It was refreshing compared to all the crap that's been happening. I noticed one of the men from the oval table on the Bridge. I hadn't even noticed him leave.

The man moved forward awkwardly with a hand outstretched. "I'm Dr Bruce Banner."

I nodded with a warm smile and shook his hand. "I'm Debbie."

"I had best be getting on then." Steve said from the doorway. I turned and waved. He smiled and left with a parting glance at Stark. The automatic glass doors slid shut behind him and left me in the lab. I turned back to the room where Dr Banner had moved to one side of the room and Tony was moving his interconnecting tablets to a better position in front of him.

"So," Stark said conversationally from his monitors. "We have the pleasure of babysitting you, hm?"

"I guess so." I replied taking stock of the room. It was a very sterile looking place but I guess that's what made it Stark's toy shop. I couldn't read Banner all that well. He seemed to me like this is the last place he wanted to be. I moved around the room glancing at monitors that were strewn everywhere. There wasn't a piece of paper in site apart from on what I assumed was Banner's desk. It was messy with a couple of journal looking things on it.

"The age of parchment as come to its epic conclusion." I said dramatically as I pushed a laptop aside and plopped on a desk.

Tony smirked and moved away from his monitor. "And a new age of hypersensitive ergonomic technology has been born."

I blinked at him comically. "I have absolutely no idea what you just said."

His smirk widened and he leaned on the desk beside me. "I didn't expect you to."

He popped one of the drawers open and retrieved a small bag of chocolate drops. "Oh my lord," I exclaimed with delight.

Stark opened the packet and threw a chocolate into the air before catching it with his mouth. He chewed with a shit-eating grin.

"Impressive." I commented and hopped off the table. I back up a few steps and beckoned to him with my hand. "Hit me."

His smirk grew, "I consider myself somewhat of an expert in the field of physical motion so I wouldn't get too confident." He threw a chocolate to my waiting mouth. With practised ease (because what else is there to do in a dress making studio when you have no clients?) I caught the chocolate and chewed with a celebratory bow.

Tony clapped sarcastically. "Very well done. Try six feet now."

I moved back more with a happy smile until I glanced back at Tony and tensed. He was staring at something behind me with wide eyes. His face was frozen in shock.

Suddenly he jumped from the table and walked toward me with a confused frown. "Stand still." He commanded quietly. I obeyed.

"I don't understand why it's reacting." I heard Banner comment from behind me.

"What's reacting? What's happening? Did I knock something over?" I was panicking and rambling I know but this was frightening. Why did everything these days have to be turned into some big hoo-ha!

"Debbie," Stark's usual arrogance was back, masking his obvious curiosity in the thing behind me. "Could you walk toward me?" He must have noticed my shaking hands because he came closer and took them in his with another of his infamous smirks. "Having trouble walking, are we?"

I let out a shaky breath and scowled at him, my grip on his hands tightened as I took a step forward, then another, then another. He looked over my shoulder with another frown.

"So, it is her proximity?" Banner asked from somewhere I couldn't see.

"It must be." Tony commented pushing me backwards without warning.

"Oh, this is bloody ridiculous!" I cried and spun around to face Dr Banner.

He was hunched over something I recognised, something I'd hoped I'd never have to see again. In a knee jerk reaction I threw myself back from the sceptre which… also flew back. I had absolutely no idea what was happening but when I'd seen it, just then, it was glowing an icy blue, flashing bright and then dull.

I was breathing heavily and Tony and Banner had moved back out of the way when the sceptre crashed into the glass wall behind. I'm having a panic attack, I thought surprisingly calmly compared to my body, I should probably stop. I felt lightheaded and I couldn't stop myself from breathing faster and faster. I stared fearfully at the stand that had once held Loki's sceptre. Why? Why am I so afraid of it? Why had it affected me like that? Why had it flown across the room in response to my fear?

Before long Banner's kindly but concerned face flew into my vision, blocking the view of the desk. I was grateful for that but it didn't make me any less frightened of what I knew was only a few feet away.

"Debbie, I need you to breath deeply and slowly. You're hyperventilating." He said taking my face in his hands.

I know that! I wanted to yell in his face but I couldn't get the words past my lips which were slowly drying out. I tried my best to breathe in deeply and it was working… slowly. Gradually my breathing returned to normal and my light-headedness faded. But along with my right mind came images, images and memories I'd rather have never faced again. The fear of being trampled, the screaming, the strange connection, everything flooded back to me in such surreal clarity I choked on a surprised sob.

Stark was kneeling next to me as well with a steadying hand on my shoulder. "Are you okay?"

My eyes darted to his and I laughed manically, "Do I look o-okay?" I cried breathily, "What the hell was that?"

"Loki's sceptre." Banner supplied helpfully.

I shot him a withering look and shook both their hands from my body. "No, I recognise the sceptre. I mean what just happened?"

Impossible!

The shout caused me to visibly jump. "Did you hear that?" I said rubbing my temples trying to save my poor brain the impending headache.

Tony and Banner were both frowning in concern, whether for my sanity or their safety I wasn't sure. "Come on, Debs," Tony said tugging roughly on my arm. "Let's get you up."

With the help of Banner and Tony I was back on my feet in the centre of the lab. "Okay," Stark began and left Banner to support me. "So, we know that Debbie herself is what affects the sceptre." He tapped, what looked like a laser pointer, against his hand in thought. "And it seems to be activated by her close proximity. What does that tell her Doctor?"

"That she must emit some type of gamma radiation." Banner said incredulously. "No, that can't be possible. I have scanners in this lab that would have detected those radiation levels."

Stark went over to the sceptre and placed it back onto its stand where I continued to stare. "And what if the radiation levels she emits are too small, too subtle for our equipment to detect?"

"That would be impossible." Banner said depositing me against the desk where I leaned heavily. "Everything emits a certain amount of gamma radiation and the sceptre has never reacted so strongly. Therefore anything with a similar gamma signature to normal objects and humans would not have been detected."

"Check your readings again, Banner. I have a good feeling about this." Stark said with a smile.

My headache was steadily increasing with all this talk of radiation. I think I'm going to be sick, I thought feeling my stomach heave.

Stark came back over to me with the packet of chocolate drops still in his hand. He held the packet out to me and shook it, "Calm your nerves?" He offered.

I turned my head away at the smell of the chocolate sent it rolling again. "No thanks, I'm not feeling well."

"Want me to send for the–"

But before Stark could finish Banner interrupted him with, "I don't believe it."

Stark turned to regard the doctor again. "What is it, Banner?"

He turned to us with wide eyes as if he just remembered we were there. "Oh, well her radiation levels… they aren't normal."

Feeling my stomach settle somewhat I followed Stark into the middle of the lab where Banner had pulled out a large transparent monitor attached to the wall by a flexible metal pole. He dragged some graphs and tables from the side of the monitor and pulled them into the centre making it large and visible to us. I just saw numbers and lines. Confusing lines.

"What does all of this mean?" I asked frowning hard at the monitor.

"It means," Stark started with a small smile. "You aren't human."

I blinked at the monitor, then at Stark, then Banner. "That is insane."

Impossible.

"So's your gamma emission." Tony commented thoughtfully. "Banner, you're… sort of human, explain how this works?"

Banner sighed and alarm bells immediately started ringing in my ears. "What do you mean… sort of human?"

Banner sent a quelling look to Stark and said, "That's a story for another time. Right now we need to understand how someone who hasn't undergone any biological mutation ends up with a gamma emission that rivals mine."

"Okay, we need to do some brain scans." Stark said running over to a phone on the wall and dialling quickly.

"I'm so confused." I sighed dejectedly.

Banner offered a small, awkward smile. "I know, so are we really, we'll sort this out."

I smiled back at him but it didn't reach my eyes. "Thank you."

Over the next 24 hours I was subjected to every brain scan and test that had ever been created, people came and people went but Banner and Tony were constants. They would look me over, check I was responding okay to all the x-rays being sent through my brain and make sure I was eating well enough. It was like having two surrogate mothers the only difference being that normally surrogate mothers don't fawn over science experiments.

I'd seen Karen twice who hadn't spoken to me at all. Both times I'd been in a brain scan and couldn't even move let alone talk to her. Stark and Banner handled all the explanations which I was grateful for. If someone had told me this morning that I wasn't human I would've laughed in their faces… then maybe run for the hills.

When Thor entered with a suspiciously guilty look on his face I knew it was something to do with Loki and maybe with the voice in my head which I am now positive is not mine.

"What's up, big guy?" Stark greeted Thor without looking up from my brain scan plastered across a monitor and some graphs on another.

Thor grunted. "I wish to speak with Deborah."

Tony and Banner exchanged glances before turning their full attention to Thor. I hovered by Stark's desk with a half finished packet of chocolate drops and watched the scene unfold in safety.

"Why?" Stark asked with a raised brow. "I didn't know you'd met."

Thor glanced at me suspiciously. I rolled my eyes at his obviousness but let him answer. "We met before she arrived on the Bridge."

Both Banner and Stark had their arms crossed and eyebrows raised but where Tony was casual and nonchalant, Banner was awkward and tense. "Alright." Stark said appearing to brush off the weird conversation and turn back to his monitors with a suspicious lack of interest. I'd only known the guy for a day and yet I felt like I'd known him for much, much longer. "Whatever you have to say to Debbie you can say it in front of all of us."

Thor tensed and clenched and unclenched his fists nervously. "I cannot. I must speak with her in private."

Stark's composure cracked slightly and his piercing gaze fell upon Thor again. Realising I hadn't said anything he glanced back to me. I turned my eyes toward the ground. "I'm very good at finding out information that's being kept from me." Tony commented as he motioned for Banner to follow him. He grabbed a tablet and so did Banner, they were probably going to brief Fury on the situation. "Food for thought."

When Stark and Banner had exited the room Thor sighed with relief. "Thank goodness!" He cried stretching out his tensing shoulders. "I thought they would never leave."

I sighed and glanced around the room. "I don't think we should talk here. They're probably watching us right now."

Thor waved a hand dismissively. "I have disabled the sound for now."

I looked him up and down appreciatively, "Impressive."

He smiled at the praise but immediately sobered when he saw a woman with a tight cat suit and many pistols in holsters on her hips stared as she walked past. "I heard about the incident with the sceptre."

My gaze slipped to the sceptre still sitting innocently on the stand. "Of course you did. It's been spreading like wild fire."

He sighed and came to stand in front of me with a reassuring hand on my shoulder. "I think I know the reason for your surprising actions."

"Go on." I said eager to finally know what was wrong with me.

He sighed again. "I believe that some residual magic has seeped into you from your contact with my father… and my brother."

I stared into his sincere blue eyes realising he wasn't making this up. "Oh god," I whispered pressing a hand to my mouth, the same hand that Loki had kissed not a week before.

"However I have heard that your scans are good." Thor said with a cheery note. "Which means that the effects of the magic has not damaged your body in some way."

"And my mind?" I asked. Dread was slowly filling me up, threatening to swallow me whole. "What is happening to me?"

"I do not know." Thor said with apologetic puppy dog eyes. I sighed.

With a sympathetic pat on my shoulder, "Rest assured that we will protect you at all costs."

I nodded numbly and watch as his red leathered back returned to the corridor outside. The glass automatic doors slid shut once again and I was left with the deafening silence of solitude. I wanted Karen to hug me and tell me everything would be alright and then wake up back home and go to lunch and live.

Pathetic.

The snide thought wrapped around my thoughts like a poisonous cloak and I winced visibly. What the hell is wrong with me?

Your pitying weakness for one, came the reply. I shuddered as I felt the tendrils of something dark and cold lurking at the edges of my consciousness. Suddenly I didn't feel alone.

Who are you? I asked wrapping my arms around myself to try and stave off the iciness but nothing could thaw the cold I could feel spreading throughout my body.

Your God.

Suddenly I was jerked from the terrifying conversation by the sliding doors opening and irritated looking Stark and a tired looking Banner came tumbling in. "He turned of the communications grid! All of it for five minutes!"

"What did he say?" Banner asked as he calmly walked over to check me over. "Heart rate of 102 bpm and pupils are severely dilated, Stark."

Stark stood with one arm supporting his other resting on his chin in thought. He stared for a long time into my eyes but when it seemed I wouldn't budge he gave up… or I thought he did.

"The good thing about being me," Stark said swaggering over to his own monitors. "Is I don't trust anyone but me to provide the information."

It took me a couple of seconds to decipher what he'd just said but when I did I leapt over to him in panic. "No, listen Stark; it's really important you don't play that." I could see the recording all ready to play.

Stark stared sharply at me all presence of friendship gone. "And why is that?"

I felt like a cornered rat. Where's Thor when you need him? I wondered with a long suffering sigh. "It's… it's really complicated. I wouldn't know how to explain it."

Stark countenance didn't soften one bit. "Try."

Banner approached us at some point and was blocking the view of the sceptre. "As long as it's not compromising to us we won't tell Fury." Banner promised with a reassuring smile. I smiled back. He seemed somewhat understanding, not like Stark.

Tony sent a glare to Banner but didn't say anything else. So in hushed tones I explained what had happened with Odin and what Thor had told me about the 'residual magic'.

Stark was not happy with this response. "We can't measure magic! What do we do with this?"

Banner looked just as unimpressed with the news. "It is unpredictable but at least we know why the gamma isn't killing you. You must have undergone some sort of biological change when you were communicating with Odin. Perhaps that's how you got their in the first place."

"But it was just my consciousness there." I said with a frown and another impending headache.

Banner nodded. "The… magic could have altered your mind and through your mind, your body."

"That's…" I sighed. "a lot to take in."

"I wonder what else you can do…" Stark had that hungry look in his eyes, the same one he'd directed at Banner on more than one occasion.

Banner laughed, albeit awkwardly and without humour, "Don't push her." He warned. "We still need to test things out and take this slow. Who knows what she's capable of."

I shrugged, unconcerned. "I doubt it's much if it's just some spare little bit of magic that accidently found its way into my brain." Well, I hope it's not much…

"We'll see about that in time." Banner said. Even with his awkward and docile appearance he was taking charge of the situation, probably because Tony Stark would be too unpredictable to entrust thorough testing to him and I really didn't blame him for that assumption.

"Stark, you're needed on the Bridge."

The voice called over the intercom. With a resigned sigh Tony dragged his feet to the door, cast one longing and dramatic glance back at me and continued down the corridor with his trademark smirk firmly in place. "He is something else." I muttered as Banner went back over to his monitors.

"He is." Banner agreed flicking his finger tips over the surface.

I fidgeted where I stood not really knowing what to do with myself. I'd offer Banner some help but… I was pretty sure that kind of work is a bit out of my league.

Banner noticed my restlessness and offered me a nervous smile. "I think it's probably about time you hear my story." That certainly got my attention. "Preferably before you hear it from Loki."

I frowned at his odd comment. "Why would I hear–"

"Come here." He interrupted me pulling a monitor to face me.

Still frowning I moved forward. On the screen was a paused video. It seemed like a terrorist attack because of all the billowing dust and overturned cars. I looked closer and Banner pressed play. Suddenly a large green… something appeared and started throwing cars, destroying buildings and generally crushing everything. The thing was huge! Bigger than a van as it rampaged around the city. I glanced to Bruce for an explanation about what this had to do with him.

He sighed to himself, paused the video and pointed to the screen. "That's New York." He began. Then he pointed to the green blur. "And that is me."

I flickered my eyes from the green monster, to this awkward man, and back to the monster. Then I burst out laughing. I don't know if it was the shock because every fibre of my being was telling me that he was telling the truth, that that thing on the video really was him, but my reaction said the complete opposite. Maybe I'd developed a new nervous tick.

Bruce continued to stare at the video looking grave but not seeming the least bit concerned about my reaction. "Fury certainly didn't find it funny."

"Sorry," I said quickly, "That was more of a shocked laugh. I wasn't laughing at the situation so much as… well, you know."

He nodded. "Tony loves it. Relishes it really. He's being trying to set me off for days now." Bruce smiled at me weakly. "But it won't work."

I smiled back, just as weak. "So you're… transformation has something to do with gamma radiation?"

He nodded. "It has everything to do with it." He paused. "Would you like the short version or the long version?"

"Short." I clarified.

He sighed in relief. "I was working with gamma radiation very closely many years ago." He began. "An experiment went wrong and I was caught in the middle." He shrugged as if it didn't bother him. "I've learnt to live with it over time."

I nodded. "So what sets you off?"

"Anger." He said with a small smile. "I try to avoid confrontation as much as possible and I've been successful. Nobody's seen the Other Guy in years."

"Have you noticed my trigger?" I asked with growing dread.

Bruce nodded slowly. "It's just a theory because obviously you've only had one... incident but I think it's probably fear."

I nodded with a pained sigh. "I was afraid of that." Bruce gave a small snort of laughter and I smiled. "Pardon the pun." There was a slight pause, a companionable silence, "Can I…" I trailed off not really sure I wanted to know the answer. "Can I control myself?"

Bruce paused too. "I'm not sure. Perhaps. My condition isn't… something that can be controlled by a simple thought but you are different, your abilities are different. Perhaps you can control your telekinesis like Loki can."

I nodded my eyes going wide. "Oh yes! I didn't think of it like that!"

He smiled, "And of course if you have any more complications or questions you can come to me."

"Thank you."

Sentiment. Disgusting. My smile vanished as the coldness I'd felt before begin to seep back into my mind. I shivered and Bruce frowned.

"What's wrong?" He asked.

"Nothing." I managed. "Just feeling a little lightheaded again. I… I think I need some rest."

Bruce smiled reassuringly. I was escorted back to my room and fell asleep the minute my head hit the pillow.

So again I LOVE YOU HEDWIG GIRL! 3 3 3

Leave me reviews! Oh and if anyone else gets an epiphany idea they can't keep to themselves I'll be more than happy to read it!

Look out for more LOKIXDEBBIE in the near future ;) 3