Loki paced Stark Tower’s floor, waiting for Selvig to finish setting up the cube.

Why had she done that? Why? Why did she run? Was she scared? Scared of the power, of the Chitauri? Scared of him???

He shook his head of the last thought, dismissing it. She couldn't of been scared of him, he was her father for Odin’s sake!

Maybe it was that idiot in the spangled tights. Had she gone back for him?! Loki made a mental note to kill him first.

He took a deep breath, and closed his eyes. He needed to think rationally, and not let his paternal instincts take over….

What did that fucking bastard star-spangled pretty-boy midguardian think he was doing even looking at his baby girl anyway?!?!

When Iris awoke, she was a little surprised. She could sense a form near her, and hear the slow breathing of someone sleeping that as not her own. A hand rested on top of her clasped ones that lay out in front of her, a hand that, while being large and firm, felt soft and gentle upon her own.

She opened her eyes, to have her line of vision interrupted by a sleeping Steve, who had fallen asleep in a chair by her bed. She blinked, and gave a small smile, carefully looking at his calm face, which to her looked better than his face when he had been taking her to the medics. That look of worry, and almost panic.

It had almost scared her.

But she had also saw a hint of protectiveness in there….

‘Oh stop it Iris! Pull yourself together woman!’ she thought. He would never like her. And god forbid what her father would say… she repressed a chuckle as she though of the look on Loki’s face if she went up to him and said ‘Hey Daddy, meet my new boyfriend, your enemy Captain America!’

She suddenly felt him stir, and shut her eyes sharpish.

‘Huh? Where – oh!’ There was a soft silence, in which she felt his hand gently squeeze her two smaller ones.

Suddenly, a voice rang through her earpiece.

‘Oi, Capsical, Rainbow Dash, meet me in the detention cell.’

‘Stark, Iris is resting.’ Hushed Steve crossly.

‘She can rest while you carry her, star spangled banner, just get both of your behinds here.’

It went silent and she heard Steve sigh.

‘C’mon kiddo, lets go.’ He murmured softly, as she felt his arms circle her, picking her up.

‘Steve, I can walk.’ She muttered.

She felt him jump slightly, and she opened her eyes.

‘You’re awake?’ he asked.

‘You cant really sleep through a stubborn genius demanding you meet him in your ear.’ She explained.

‘True, true. But you need to rest, so I’ll carry you.’ He said.

She rolled her eyes. ‘Whatever.’ Not that she was complaining really.

He reached the cell, to find Tony looking down at the empty space, which placed another icy needle in Iris’s heart.

‘Was he married?’ asked Steve.

‘No, no.’ sighed Tony. ‘He was a, err….’ Iris didn’t quite catch the last word.

‘I’m sorry.’ Said Steve. ‘He seemed a good man.’

‘He was an idiot.’ Stark seemed to snap back to normal.

‘Why, for believing?’ asked Steve.

‘For taking on Loki alone.’ Said Stark.

‘He was doing his job.’

‘He was out of his league. He should of waited!’ said Stark, making his way towards them

‘Sometimes there isn’t a way out.’ Said Steve, moving towards him.

‘Right! I’ve heard that before.’ Muttered Stark, or at least that’s what Iris think he said.

‘This the first time you’ve lost a soldier?’

‘We are not soldiers!’

Steve looked at Tony.

‘I’m not marching to Fury’s fife.’ Said Stark, almost ashamed of his little outburst.

‘Neither am I.’ said Steve. ‘He’s got the same blood on his hands that Loki does. But right now we’ve got to put that behind us, and get this done.’

Tony sighed, and looked at Iris.

‘What about you, Bridesmaid?’ she was a little confused at first as to why he was calling her that, but then she remembered she was wearing her Black Veil Brides t-shirt. ‘Are you marching for Fury?’

‘No.’ her response was immediate.

‘Now Loki needs a power source, if he can put together…’ began Steve.

‘He’s made it personal.’ Stark had been staring at the spot where Coulson’s stained blood was on the wall.

‘That’s not the point.’ Replied Steve.

‘But it is…’ Iris replied, realizing what Stark was getting at.

‘That’s Loki’s point! He hit us all right where we live, why?’ asked Stark.

‘To tear us apart.’ Replied Steve.

‘Divide and conquer us.’ Said Iris.

‘The girl’s got it! One of these days I shall take you to meet those guys on your shirt!’ Iris’ s face lit up. ‘He knows he has to take us out to win, right, that’s what he wants! He wants to beat us, he wants to be seen doing it!’

‘He wants an audience!’ she exclaimed.

‘Right, I caught his act in Stuttgart.’ Said Steve.

‘That’s just previews, this, this is opening night, and Loki, he’s a full tale diva! He wants flowers, he wants parades, he wants a monument built to the sky with his name plastered -…’ Stark suddenly broke off, as if realizing something. ‘Son of a bitch!’

He ran off, and Steve looked confused.

‘What on earth…’ he mulled.

Iris then twigged.

‘The Stark Tower!’ she exclaimed.

Realization dawned on Steve’s face.

‘Come on! Suit up!’

She was soon wearing her Asgardian amour. Fastening her cape, she heard a voice calling.

‘Iris!’

She ran out, to see Steve and Stark standing there. Steve was holding a package.

‘This, was on the table, for you.’

She took it, and unwrapped it. Inside, were five, shiny shruiken’s or Ninja Blades as they were more commonly referred to as, as well as a leather pouch.

‘Wha-Who…’ she trailed off as she saw a note. Picking it up, she read it.

‘Iris,

If you are reading this, then you know of your true parentage, and the world is in danger.

These shruiken were specially crafted before you were born, for you. Your grandfather then placed powerful magic into them, magic that resided in your necklace. These blades will hit whatever you aim at, and will return to you immediately, without harm to yourself. They are very sharp, and will cut through any object that they are thrown at.

Use them well, and remember that you will always be my granddaughter.

Joullin.’

‘Grandpa…’ she whispered.

She folded the note up, and placed it in the pouch, along with her blades.

‘Ready?’ asked Steve.

‘Ready.’ She replied.

‘You flying or taking the jet?’ asked Stark.

‘I’ll take the jet. There is no way I can keep up with you.’ She replied.

They nodded, and she followed Steve, who was joined by Natasha and another man.

‘Clint Barton.’ He said.

‘Iris.’ She replied.

‘I know, Loki’s daughter.’ He said.

‘Yeah…’ she muttered.

‘Don’t worry. I can see you’re a good egg.’

She smiled as they entered the Jet.

A mechanic looked up and approached them.

‘Hey you guys aren’t authorized to be in here…’

‘Son, just don’t.’ said Steve.

‘Bye bye.’ Iris said.

He was shooed out, and Natasha and Clint look front seats, leaving Iris and Steve in the back.

The entrance shut, and the jet lifted from its stand. She saw the blast that was Stark flying off and they followed.

Loki looked up, awaiting their arrival. It wouldn’t be too long.

There was a suddenly booming, and Loki looked to see the floating idiot in the iron suit regaining balance. He looked at saw him, and landed on his platform, as Loki walked inside.

‘Please tell me you’re going to appeal to my humanity.’ He said as they entered.

‘Actually I’m planning to threaten you.’ Loki chuckled at his foolishness; did humans ever learn?

‘Should of left your amour on for that.’

‘Yeah, its seen a bit of mileage, and you’ve got the glowstick of destiny… you like a drink?’ Was he trying to stall him?

Loki smirked. ‘Stalling me wont change anything.’

‘No no, threatening. No drink, you sure? I’m having one.’

Amused by this midguardian’s antics, Loki merely turned away and said ‘The Chitauri are coming. Nothing will change that.’ He turned back to the man. ‘What have I to fear?’

‘The Avengers.’ Loki raised an eyebrow – the what exactly?

‘That what we call ourselves. Sort of like a team.’ Loki smirked. Ah, them. ‘Earth’s mightiest heroes kind of thing…’

‘Yes.’ He interrupted the Man of Iron’s babbling. ‘I’ve met them.’

The Midguardian’s gave him a snarky smile. ‘Let’s do a head count. Your brother, the demi-god.’ Loki rolled his eyes, sighed and turned away; why was his baboon of a brother always brought into this? ‘A Super Soldier, a living legend, who, kinda lives up to the legend. A man with breathtaking, anger management issues, a couple of master assassins, your daughter who, while she may be small, packs a hell of a fight inside her, and you, big fella, have managed to piss of every single of one them.’

‘ That was the plan.’ Loki replied.

‘Not a great plan. When they come, and they will, they’ll come for you.’

‘I highly doubt you can count my own daughter. She’ll soon be back on my side, where she belongs.’

‘I don’t know, she seems pretty happy on our side. Although that may be a certain captain…’ Loki let a growl unintentionally slip from his throat at this point.

‘Oh, sorry, are we having daddy issues?’ If looks could of killed, that idiot would have been dead with the look Loki threw at him.

‘I have an army.’ He said.

‘We have a Hulk.’

‘I thought the beast had wandered off.’

‘Your missing the point, there is no throne; there is no version of this where you come out on top. Maybe your army comes, and maybe it’s too much for us, but it’s all on you.’ Loki shook his head slowly, deeply amused now. ‘Cause if we can’t protect the earth, you can be damn well sure we’ll avenge it.’

Loki approached him. ‘How will your friend have time for me, when they’re so busy fighting you?’

He raised the scepter and tapped Stark’s heart.

It made a clink…. But nothing happened.

He tried again. Nothing.

This usually works.’ He muttered.

‘Well, performance issue’s, not uncommon. One out of five –…’

He was cut off as Loki grabbed his throat and threw him across the floor. He had had enough of this petty whining from this annoying human. He was a God. They would obey him! They would all fall before him!

‘JARVIS, any time now…’ the man muttered.

Loki grabbed him by the throat and hissed ‘You will all fall before me!’

He threw him from the window. He suddenly heard a noise and turned in time to be knocked over as some mechanical object flew past him and after the midguardian.

Getting to his feet, he looked up in time to see Stark in his metal suit fly into his line of view.

‘And they’re one other person you pissed off. His name is Phil.’

Loki raised his scepter to fire, but was blasted back.

It was then the portal opened. His plan was all falling into place.

He made his way to Starks’s viewing platform, his amour appearing and looked round, admiring his army’s work.

‘LOKI!’ He sighed and turned to see his brother. ‘Turn off the Tesseract or I’ll destroy it!’

‘You can’t! There is no stopping it! There is only, the war!’

‘So be it.’ Growled Thor.

Giving an angry roar, he leapt from the platform, and engaged in combat with Thor, destroying part of the tower in the process.

Out the corner of his eye, Loki saw the jet. He threw Thor to the ground and blasted the jet, which set alight and tumbled to the ground.

‘NO!’ Thor was up and attacking. ‘YOUR DAUGHTER IS IN THERE!’

Loki felt his heart stop.

Iris clung to Steve, who had one hand clutching the roof off the jet and the other arm wrapped tightly round her, holding her tightly to him off the ground as the jet spun round.

The jet crashed into the ground and they all ran out, only for Iris to see the chaos, that was her father’s army.