In The Shadows | Loki

I'M NOT THE BIGGEST FAN OF SECRETS

 "You're actually going with Stark?" Fury's voice sounds slightly muffled, though that was mostly because I was digging through my closet, pulling out different clothes to pack. I wasn't taking everything, just in case I needed to come back here for a while. "Why?"
        "We just went through a battle that could've changed the fate of the human race. I've been doing nonstop training and missions since I got here nine years ago. Think of it as a vacation that.... just doesn't stop. You can get ahold of me whenever, it's not like I'll be that far." I hear Fury let out a long sigh, and I walk out of my closet, shoving things into my suitcase.
        "Romanoff and Barton are considering the offer too." He mumbles, and I nod. 
        "On top of it all, I was just told that Phil died." My hands rest on my suitcase as I think it all over. "I just need to not be here." I look up at Fury, who nods in understanding.
        "They're taking his body to Tahiti." Every part of me tenses, and my eyes snap up to meet his. 
        "Is that what he wanted?" I ask after a second. Fury stays quiet, which is enough of an answer for me. I turn back to my suitcase, continuing to pack. "Yet another reason to take a break from this place." I mutter, snapping my suitcase closed. 
        "I'll call you if we need you."
        "I'm sure you will." I grab my suitcase and duffle bag, walking out of my room and away from Fury. I walk outside to where Tony is waiting in his car with Bruce. Tony opens the trunk, coming around to help me with my bags, but I wave him off. "It's fine. I've got it." 
        "Fury say something?" He asks.
        "Doesn't he always?" I shut the trunk and go around to the backseat door. I slide in, and Bruce glances at me from the passenger seat. 
        "I don't know if it was a good idea to agree to this." He murmurs, making me laugh.
        "Yeah, I know. But you can't deny that it won't be.... well, interesting." He nods, turning back to the front as Tony gets in.
        "Home sweet home." I hear Tony murmur as he throws the car into drive. It doesn't take long to get to the tower from where the Helicarrier was at the moment. The top part of the tower still looks destroyed, though there is clearly construction work happening.
        "Okay, so we're going to have to be parked on the guest floors for the next few weeks. It shouldn't take terribly long for everything to be fixed and set up." Tony says as he pulls into the garage. It doesn't take long to grab Bruce and I's bags, and haul everything to the guest floors. 
        "Anthony Stark, where have you been?" A woman I recognize as Pepper Potts struts into the room, clearly frustrated. "You told me it would take an hour, not three!"
        "Blame Shakespeare." He says instantly, pointing at me. Pepper glances towards me, blinking in surprise as she takes in the scars decorating my face. I turn to Tony.
        "Wow, okay." I cross my arms over my chest, giving Tony a long look. Pepper slows down was she reaches us. I think it's only just then that she realizes Bruce and I are there. 
        "Oh, hi." She falters. She glances towards our bags, then to us, then to Tony. 
        "He didn't inform you that he asked us to move in, did he?" I ask, letting out a long breath. She turns to glare at Tony, crossing her arms over her chest. 
        "Okay, not that I don't think living with you won't be great, it's just....." She shakes her head. "Really Tony?"

       "Sorry?" He offers. She lets out a long breath, running a hand through her hair.
        "It's fine, it's fine." She says after a few moments.
        "Steve  will be here tomorrow." He adds after a second. The glare she sends him could've blown up the rest of New York.
        "Hey, Pepper." I say,quickly distracting her. "Could you show me around? Tony  didn't really do well explaining what is on which floor." She relaxes a little, looking glad to have something else to do.
        "Yeah, of course." She says, walking forward. "Tony, you get Dr. Banner situated in a room." She turns her attention to me. "Okay, this is kind of awkward,but what is your name? Tony only ever called you Shakespeare."
        "Ophelia." I supply as we walk to  the elevator. "Which explains the whole Shakespeare thing." She nods in understanding, hitting the down button on the elevator. She holds out her hand, and I quickly shake it.
        "It's nice to meet you Ophelia."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

        

        It took around three weeks for the construction to be finished in the tower, and about two months for something interesting to pop back up. 
        Nat and Clint moved into the tower right after the construction had finished, only infuriating Fury even more. Steve had moved in when Bruce and I had, though he kept disappearing to go on SHIELD missions. Pepper and I had connected really well, and ended up hanging out quite a bit, though she was on business trips all the time.
        Everyone was there the night I got the call though. 
        "No, I don't believe that." Tony says. "I'm sorry." Nat shrugs, taking a sip of her drink. Tony lets out a long, very dramatic sigh. "All you SHIELD agents hide things."
        "Excuse me?" I laugh. "What have I hidden from you? I distinctly remember this situation, except we had had a lot more drinks."
        "Where was your last mission? Before the battle?"
        "Ecuador." I reply with a shrug. Clint just shakes his head, leaning forward to grab another piece of pizza. 
        "So you'll tell us anything?" Pepper asks.
        "I'm not the biggest fan of secrets. Especially keeping them from my friends." 
        "How'd you get your scars?"
        "TONY!" Pepper exclaims, smacking him upside the head. He turns to look at her, startled and a little hurt.
        "What?" He asks innocently. I can't help but let out a snort of laughter.
        "It's not a big deal." I shrug it off. "I fell in the tiger pit of the zoo when I was five." Pepper looks startled by my answer, but Clint loses it next to me. Nat just shakes her head, a smile dancing across her lips.
        "Don't listen to her Stark." Nat murmurs. "She's never told anyone that. She makes something up every time."
        "My favorite was the one where you said that you had startled Wolverine on april fools." Clint chuckles.
        "You just said you don't like keeping secrets." Tony points out.

        "I'd tell you what happened to my face if I remembered." I say with a small shrug. "But I don't. I woke up in the hospital a long time ago, bandages covering my face, and doctors telling me how lucky I was." Pepper's expression turns to one of pity, and I look away. "It's no big deal. I've gotten used to it."
        "Okay, new question." Tony begins. "What-"
        Tony is cut off by my phone suddenly going off, and I quickly slip it out of my pocket, glancing at the number. I frown at the caller ID, quickly standing and answering it. "Charles?" I ask, stepping away from the group.
        "Ophelia. How are you?" He asks pleasantly. I frown at that.
        "Why are you calling?" I ask. "You haven't called in six months." I know everyone is listening in, though they are trying not to show that they are.
        "We have a mutant here that needs some help.... adjusting." He says after a moment.
        "And where do I come in?" I ask. "I thought Storm was helping the kids adjust to the school? And Jean?"  
        "She isn't having problems adjusting to the school, it's her powers." He sighs. "Her powers are similar to yours in a sense. Is there any way you can come down to the school for a few nights?" 
        "I..." I glance towards the group, hesitating. "Sure." I say after a moment. "Yeah, I can be there. When do you need me there?" Nat frowns, looking over at me with concern.
        "As soon as you can." Charles replies. "Her name is Rouge."
        "Okay. Can you have Jean send me any details I might need? I can be on a plane by tomorrow." Charles says goodbye quickly, and I hang up. 
        "Everything okay?" Pepper asks. 
        "Yeah, I'll just, um, I'll be gone for a few days. I have to go down to the school."
        "The school? Xavier's school?" Tony asks, looking excited. "The one for mutants? Do you know how cool that would be to visit?"
        "No." Pepper and I reply at the same time. "There's a student that needs some help."
        "And they need you?" Nat asks. Jean's email pops up on my phone. I open it, scanning it quickly. I'm surprised by what is in the email.
        "The student is kind of like me. Except, she can only hold onto people's powers for a limited amount of time, and if she keeps skin on skin contact with anyone for longer than a few seconds, she can kill them. She has no choice or way to control it." I purse my lips, frowning. "Okay, this is going to be fun."