Ties Between Time and Space

✦02✦

Chapter Two
Killer Christmas Tree

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Jackie was on the phone when the elevator's bell dinged and out rushed the trio. Emma was the first one in the living room with Mickey and Rose right behind her. She jumped down the steps and stumbled over the couch as she grabbed the phone out of Jackie's hand.

"It's only Bev," her aunt said, looking at Emma in surprise.

"Hello, Bev," Emma greeted politely enough for being so out of breath. The woman's voice on the other end screeched in her ear but she paid no attention. "Yes, look, it's going to have to wait," and with that Emma hung up.

"What's going on?" Steve asked as he and Natasha came back into the room, Pepper and Tony not far behind.

"Right, it's not safe here anymore," Rose declared, gaining curious looks all around.

"We've got to lock this place down," Emma said, panic in her voice, "and tight. No one in and no one out."

"Why what happened?" Natasha asked, descending the steps.

"Emma?" Steve questioned.

"We just have to do it, please," Emma looked at them and as if a switch flipped, the Avengers bolted into action.

"Okay, Friday, I need you to close off the tower," Tony ordered, "shut the doors, windows, and all other entryways and exits down. Make sure this place is like Fort Knox, got it?"

"On it, Boss."

"It's Christmas Eve!" Jackie exclaimed as Steve went to grab his shield and Natasha pulled out her gun from her ankle strap. "What is going on? What are you two girls babbling about?" Jackie demanded.

"Mum, you just have to listen to us, okay?" Rose said, trying to calm Jackie down.

Emma opened her mouth but before anything could come out of it she caught sight of the living room Christmas tree that was not there when they had left only an hour or so ago.

"Uh... guys?" Emma asked, still staring at the green plainly decorated monstrosity. "Where did you get that tree?"

"Really, now you want to discuss Christmas objects?" Tony retorted.

"Didn't you send it here?" Pepper asked, now frowning.

"Me?" Emma asked, confused, "why would it be me?"

"Well, you three went shopping," Natasha pointed out.

"And about 30 minutes later it was delivered here," Steve finished for her.

"No, that wasn't us," Rose shook her head.

"Alright," Tony said, "if it wasn't us and it wasn't either of you, because it definitely wasn't me with how poorly it's decorated, then who was it?"

"I... don't," Emma started before the small star Christmas lights that were wrapped around the tree began to flicker on.

Rose instinctively pulled Jackie by the arm and closer to her and Mickey as all of the Avengers, including Pepper and Emma, turned to face the mystery tree in question.

"You have got to be kidding me," Emma murmured, and a second later different layers of the tree started to spin.

"Oh my God!" Pepper gasped as it gained speed.

"What the hell, Emma?" Tony inquired, pressing the nanotech on his Iron-Man suit and as fast as the tree was spinning, his red metal suit was now fully encompassed around him.