Universal Headaches - Revised

Chapter 11

Nothing improved as the week went on. Tony and Bruce grew more frustrated with their lack of supplies, technology, and connections. Her kitchen was a constant disaster zone that she stopped trying to tidy up, and the living room wasn't much better. Sometimes a member or two of the team would disappear from the house and she didn't know where they went, except that they couldn't go too far because they hadn't resorted to stealing her car yet.

Sutton bet it was only a matter of time before they did if they couldn't get home soon.

Clint downloaded a pirated copy of Photoshop and attempted to make them all fake IDs. He complained a few too many times about Sutton's lack of laminator and she could tell another shopping trip loomed in her future.

Why not rack up the debt while she was already on a roll?

For the time being, though, she tried not to think about it.

And, to top it all off, she could swear that there was one particular vehicle parked outside her work nowadays that hadn't been there before. It might not have caught her attention, except that it was always in view of her office and the windows were so tinted she couldn't see who was inside, or if anyone was at all.

It made going to work worse than usual and Sutton no longer lingered to talk to co-workers. Just in case.

No need to drag them into any of her problems if she was right in her suspicions about being watched by INSOL.

What was even up with their acronym? INSOL. It sounded like a shoe insert brand.

At least SHIELD sounded cool.

It was a relief that the gang had finished watching the entire Marvel lineup; though Sutton had to remind herself that it definitely was not her fault if things in their world now got messed up. The upside was she didn't have to awkwardly walk in on them watching their own stories and pretend not to notice or care.

Only now she'd walk in to find them watching increasingly stranger things. Or, at least, it felt strange to know superheroes were watching it.

How It's Made. Full House reruns. The weird side of the History channel.

Natasha put on a show about hunting Bigfoot as others went about their own established routines, and Sutton took up residence next to her on the couch. It was a better time than being in Tony's way while he cursed about equations and uncooperative equipment.

One of the show's investigators let out a call and gasped a moment later when he heard an "answer".

"How does he know what Bigfoot sounds like?" Sutton asked. "He's never seen one."

Nat turned to look at her with a crooked smile.

"What? You're not a believer?" She asked.

"Not really."

Nat shifted her body in a more conversational position, her amusement obviously taking over.

"Even now? With us in your house? That doesn't make you stop and wonder; even a little?"

Sutton kicked up her feet onto the coffee table and shrugged.

"Look, I have to draw the line somewhere."

Nat chuckled.

"At least we're better company than he'd be."

Sutton shot back a smarmy grin.

"You at least smell better, I think."

"I do," said Natasha. "Not so sure about Thor."

Thor scoffed in insult from across the living room. He seemed mostly unfazed by the teasing; probably because his princely hygiene clearly proved otherwise. Sutton stopped herself from making a comment about Loki's greasy movie hair.