Collide

Thirty-One

It had been two weeks since the team had been at the bar, and although a few of them reached out, and had come by for a visit, Bruce was still not allowed back at the compound, not yet. He knew that when Tony held a grudge, it could last a life time.

After his and Astrids little getaway, they had returned after two days, and Wade had called her for help, tracking down another target. Bruce had started removing all her papers from the spare room, stacking them in a pile on the desk for her. Now that she had gotten her revenge, she no longer needed them.

Loki and Thor had accepted him instantly, though Thor admitted it was more so he was afraid of Astrid than the Hulk. The two asgardians would be along later, wanting to know more of their sister, and their new brother in law.

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'I'm your best friend!..'... Astrid rolled her eyes, before punching her target in the face, as he was strapped to a chair. She turned to Wade, her hands on her hips as he pouted on the floor. He was literally sat cross legged, arms folded, his head turned away from her. She couldn't see his face because of the mask, but she was sure he was sticking his bottom lip out too.

'Are you fucking for real right now?..'.. She scolded him... 'You're really going to do it?..'

'Yep..'.. She shook her head and turned back to her target, just as Wade threw himself to the floor on his back, and started thrashing about, having a literal tantrum.

'Believe it or not, he's the sane one..'.. She jerked a thumb to the man child behind her... 'Now..'.. She pulled two small blades, spinning then in her hands, before dropping into the targets lap, and placing the blades to his cheeks... 'I want names, and I want them now..'

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Tony sighed in defeat, shaking his head. The others were right, she hadn't hurt the team, only Thor and if he had forgiven her, then Tony should too. As for Bruce, Loki made the point of if it was Pepper, wouldn't he want to the same?

Tony would ever admit that Loki was right, at all, but it was true. There is nothing Tony wouldn't do for Pepper, and Bruce hadn't hurt anyone either. Since the whole thing two weeks ago, Tony found that the Fridays matrix was more secure than he could believe. Not to mention all the files about his suits, and upgrades.

When cases started to arrive at the compound, Tony was surprised at the advanced tech inside, with a note from Astrid, stating that this would help with the nanotechnology, and the case of vibranium shocked him, he had no idea how she got a hold of that.

Walking back into his lab, he stopped dead, seeing Astrid, hunched over, holding her side... 'Couldn't ask a favour, could I?..'... She winced in pain, and leaned back against his desk, and he saw blood seeping through her fingers.

'Thought you could heal..'.. He instantly went into work mode, coming tobher side and helping her to lie on one of the stations, before going to wash his hands.

'I can heal others but not myself. What I want to know, is how the fuck they had vibranium too..'.. She pulled her top up, growling through the pain.

'I though you were an angel..'.. Tony grabbed what he needed, and moved over to stich her up.

'We can still get hurt Stark, the only thing that can kill me is one of my own kind, or Bruce..'.. She sucked in a breath as he started working on her... 'I bound myself to him, so if he told me to die, I would. He has control over me..'

'So what? That means you're his slave?..'.. Astrid fought a laugh and shook her head at him.

'If that's how you want to picture it, go ahead. I willingly gave up control to him, because I love him. I never wanted to, not in the beginning. He was meant to be a means to and end, but I did exactly what I swore I wouldn't do..'.. She rolled her head to Tony... 'I fell in love with a human. I've never had anyone love me like that before, show me what it really meant to be loved, without fear, or conditions..'

She winced again... 'Bruce accepted me, all of me. He never once tried to talk me out of anything I wanted to do, but supported me..'

'So he was fine with you wanting to kill your own brother?..'.. Tony stopped for a moment to look at her.

'You were fine with selling your weapons, not really thinking about the consequences of it all? The lives that would be taken? The destruction?..'.. She contered back, and he quirked a smile as he carried on... 'I didn't kill him, that's down to Bruce. He didn't stop me, he helped me. All I wanted was for Thor to understand what his betrayal did to me. If I wanted to kill him, I would have. Hel, I poisoned Odin fir a few years, but then stopped it..'

'You have some serious issues..'.. He muttered and she chuckled, causing her to pull on the stitching.

'I've told you everything you needed to know, and you think it's just issues? No, I'm certifiable, in fact, I have an actual certificate of batshit crazy in my apartment..'... She smirked and he laughed... 'Bruce wanted to tell you all, for years. But he didn't, more so for protecting all of you. He knows my anger can get a little out of hand, not that I've ever had him, but he's seen the destruction it can cause. He didn't want you lot near me, he wanted you safe. And me safe from all of you..'

Astrid sighed... 'You're his brother Stark. You don't fear him like the others do, he knows that, he can sense it. You treat him as you would anyone else, not the monster he believes he is. He respects and loves you, if you don't want me here, that's fine, but this is his home, his family. Don't take my actions out on him, please..'

Tony tied off the stitches, and sat back, looking st her as he pulled off the gloves... 'He can come back, but on one condition..'

'I got a feeling Im not going to like this..'.. Astrid shifted, to sit up, avoiding her stitches.

'You join the team..'.. Tony rolled his seat to the bin, tossing the gloves away.

'I got my own missions, which I won't tell you and commitments, but if I'm free, I'll assist, deal?..'.. She got off the work station, and held her hand out to him.

'Deal..'.. He shook her hand and she smirked... 'Tell Fury I said hi, and that I'll see him thursday, and that Maria still owes me a girls night..'.. She laughed at the shocked look on his face... 'Who do you think helped him become director? He knew exactly who and where I was the whole time..'.. She nodded at him... 'See you soon Stark..'

Tony blinked and she disappeared. He looked around the lab, not seeing her anywhere. What the actual fuck? Fury knew? This whole damn time? Oh, Tony was definitely having word with the former director about this shit.

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