In the past nineteen hours he's had a gun pointed at him by a woman who by rights should be three billion light years away, discovered the possibility of a route back to Earth, been involved in several blazing rows with a man who's tried to kill him on more than one occasion, and a couple more with a USAF General. There was also a rather eye-opening crash course in recent Earth history re: alien invasions, with specific reference to who exactly their guest is. Today's been an interesting sort of day.
Greer, standing guard outside their guest's door, gives him an impassive look as he approaches and stands aside with the facial equivalent of a shrug.
"They got through," he confirms with a nod, the door sliding shut again behind him. "SHIELD were very happy to hear you're still alive. And less happy to hear that if they want you back they'll have to work for it."
Relief floods through Natasha and allows her shoulders to slump forward as she exhales shakily. Thank god. Of course, it'd be stupid to take his word for it, and Natasha has never been especially trusting. But, for now, she shoots him a quick, if pale, smile.
"Well, research and development have to earn their keep somehow." Unlike the Red Room, SHIELD cares about its agents. If one is lost they do try their damnedest to retrieve them. Natasha? Isn't just any agent. She's an Avenger. If they can get her back, they will. If anyone can figure this out it's Tony or Banner. And if they can't, there's a whole horde of researchers, scientists, engineers and even physicists at SHIELD's disposal. Someone is bound to have a very clever idea. If they don't, there's Thor and all of Asgard. Surely someone must know how to make the tesseract open a portal for her. Or, hell, Thor's people can travel in space. They might be able to get something sorted. Hope crowds her throat and the back of her tongue and for a moment her eyes shine with it. But
( ... )
"They're flying in a Dr Selvig to consult," he continues, leaning against the wall and folding his arms. "Apparently he's SHIELD's expert on the device that sent you here. I'm meeting with him tomorrow." After years of determinedly avoiding the communication stones unless it was important, being back on Earth had been exceptionally strange.
He nods. "There was a message for you, actually," he confirms, and quotes directly with a raised eyebrow; "'Missing you already, Foxy, send me a postcard or something'."
Selvig. That's good. He's the only human on Earth who's had some quality time with tesseract. Even before Loki took over his mind, Selvig had worked on it for months in New Mexico. He'll find a way-- Natasha digs her nails into the fleshy parts of her palms and stops that thought before it finishes. Getting home can never be a certainty in her mind. That is just too dangerous. Here and now, that is all that matters. "Selvig's a good man," she confirms with a slightly stiff nod.
Natasha's eyes light up for the barest of moments. The message sets her mind at ease like nothing else could. Clint's the only one who could've sent it, and he's the only person she trusts completely. He wouldn't use that nickname if things didn't look legit on their end. "My partner," she says, by way of explanation, fighting a smile. "He's an idiot." She scoots back in the bed and leans against the wall, looking over at Rush, looking more relaxed than she has since getting here.
"Think you could do me a favor and get a message back to him?"
Comments 8
Greer, standing guard outside their guest's door, gives him an impassive look as he approaches and stands aside with the facial equivalent of a shrug.
"They got through," he confirms with a nod, the door sliding shut again behind him. "SHIELD were very happy to hear you're still alive. And less happy to hear that if they want you back they'll have to work for it."
Reply
"Well, research and development have to earn their keep somehow." Unlike the Red Room, SHIELD cares about its agents. If one is lost they do try their damnedest to retrieve them. Natasha? Isn't just any agent. She's an Avenger. If they can get her back, they will. If anyone can figure this out it's Tony or Banner. And if they can't, there's a whole horde of researchers, scientists, engineers and even physicists at SHIELD's disposal. Someone is bound to have a very clever idea. If they don't, there's Thor and all of Asgard. Surely someone must know how to make the tesseract open a portal for her. Or, hell, Thor's people can travel in space. They might be able to get something sorted. Hope crowds her throat and the back of her tongue and for a moment her eyes shine with it. But ( ... )
Reply
He nods. "There was a message for you, actually," he confirms, and quotes directly with a raised eyebrow; "'Missing you already, Foxy, send me a postcard or something'."
Reply
Natasha's eyes light up for the barest of moments. The message sets her mind at ease like nothing else could. Clint's the only one who could've sent it, and he's the only person she trusts completely. He wouldn't use that nickname if things didn't look legit on their end. "My partner," she says, by way of explanation, fighting a smile. "He's an idiot." She scoots back in the bed and leans against the wall, looking over at Rush, looking more relaxed than she has since getting here.
"Think you could do me a favor and get a message back to him?"
Reply
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