She's Gone {Avengers}

Steve Rogers: The Captain's Girl

Grace's long, elegant fingers swept up her dark hair and fixed it up and out of the way. "What've we got?"

Barton was leading the mission, his voice coming through on the earpiece. "Like we said in the training block. The target should be on the third floor, and it belongs to a tall man with red hair."

"As in orange-ginger or red like mine?" Natasha Romanoff.

"Orange-ginger." Grace heard the nervous intake of breath over the earpiece and saw Barton from across the block subconsciously put his right hand into his pocket. She and Natasha had gone on a 'mission' to see who it was: it turned out to be a photograph of his girlfriend Freya, who had no idea that he was an Avenger, or worked for SHIELD at all. "Okay, let's move in."

"Yes, sir!" Three voices. Hers, Natasha's, and Steve's.

  Steve held his shield defensively in front of him as he crept forward over the military facility's roofs. He kept an eye on the soldiers patrolling the streets, and the other eye on Grace. He was not going to lose his girl on a relatively simple mission. Or any mission. Or just, ever, going to lose her. Since she was half Asgardian, she was going to live just as long as he was if she wasn't killed, and he intended to make that happen.

Barton spoke into the earpieces. "Right, here's how it's going to work. I'm going to assassinate the man with my bow from here, Romanoff, you're going to take the target, and Rogers, Lokidottir, you make a distraction. Got it?"

"I can't carry the target by myself, I'm going to need either the super soldier or the half alien."

Grace could almost hear the gears working in Barton's mind. Considering which options would get the optimum result. "Right, Rogers, go with Romanoff. Lokidottir, you'll have to distract them by yourself."

Steve made as if to argue but Clint anticipated it. "Rogers, I know you don't like it, but you've got to think about the mission."

"I can look after myself, Steve," she promised. "I'm a spy, not a defenseless child."

"Alright," he agreed reluctantly, "but Barton-"

"If she dies on this mission, you'll have my head, Loki will have yours, and then he's going to rampage through the Earth. We've been through this, now can we GET ON WITH THE MISSION, PLEASE!" he hissed in frustration through the link.

"Yes, sir!"

With all the elegance, power and speed of her alien half, Grace climbed down to the "streets" of the army camp. Only when she landed, there were about 50 of her. All over the place. She was Loki's daughter, after all. "Hello!" yelled all of the Graces. "It's me!" Soldiers poured out from every direction.

Steve couldn't help but worry. She was the daughter of a villain, and she had Loki's magic, sarcasm and, it had to be said, evil side. But he couldn't help but love her, and couldn't help but wish he hadn't done as he'd done two years ago, when he'd been the only one to have her win his trust and get her into SHIELD. Without him, she'd still be with Loki. Evil, possibly, angry, possibly, hating him, possibly, but safe.

"Rogers!" Natasha's voice reminded him that there was a world out there. "Let's get a move on, please?"

"Yes, ma'am," he replied automatically, following her over towards the building containing the target.

Clint's voice came in. "I have eyes on Ginger."

"Don't shoot, we haven't got the target yet," Natasha ordered. "Rogers, grab it."

Steve's blue eyes fell on the massive metal box and he grabbed it just as men burst into the room. Natasha cursed as she suddenly realised the effect Grace's diversion would have - immediately, security would run to protect their greatest asset. Idiots!

Steve grabbed the box and lifted it up, the weight proving a struggle even for Captain America. Romanoff shot at the security, covering his escape, before both swung out of the window and climbed up the building to the roof.

"Some buildings are about to explode, Block A-7, don't worry it's just an illu-" Grace's voice suddenly cut off as a building burst into flames and smoke.

"Grace!" yelled Steve, hand moving reflexively to the earpiece as static burst through it. He looked to Natasha desperately.

She just paled. "That wasn't Block A-7."

"Grace," he repeated, beginning to get up.

"Rogers!" Clint commanded. "Remember the mission! Ginger is down, now evacuation is in order! Rogers, don't you dare-"

Steve leapt off the building, hurtling through space, before landing with a sickening jolt on the concrete. He didn't break stride, running towards the block where the explosion had taken place.

  Suddenly, a shimmering figure appeared before him: the figure of a girl, Grace, easily recognizable by her mixture of her father's black hair and her mother's startling blue eyes. "Fo - ol - low," muttered Grace's voice, weak and croaking. The illusion shimmered and flickered. This was enough to make Steve yearn to run, but he couldn't when he was following her. Suddenly the Grace-illusion pointed to a building and then disappeared.

  He broke into a run. "Grace!" he called, trying not to attract any soldiers. There was no response.

  He rushed into the building, and she was there. Cold. Lifeless. "No." She lay unmoving, the lower half of her body blackened and burned, a bullet wound in her chest. "No." He remembered Tony Stark's face after Ava's death and the way that even he had wished for the old Stark back. "No." His girl was gone, his voice hoarse, his tears dripping. "No."

  He didn't even get to say goodbye.

*

  "Father!" yelled Loki. Openly challenging. "I have stayed in my prison for years. I have done everything that you have said to keep my wife here. Those - those Avengers -" he spat the word out like an insult "- have let my daughter die. I demand vengeance." His green gaze searched Odin's face for sympathy with his cause. "You loved her too, Allfather! How can you sit there on your throne and allow this?"

  "Father," Thor implored. "They are good people. They did not kill Grace - one of them loved her!"

  "And he will die first," Loki interrupted viciously. "He was there - and Barton and that mewling quim!"

  "Enough, Loki," warned Odin. "Let Thor speak."

  "They are suffering grief already, Father. They just lost Tony Stark and his wife, and they have lost Grace too - she was one of them as much as she was of Asgard."

  Odin looked down upon his sons with his one good eye. "Thor, you make a good point. But Loki is right - A princess of Asgard, entrusted to their care, and they have allowed her death! Forever would Asgard be in shame if they allowed this and did nothing!"

  Loki grinned. His first smile since the news came. "Thank you, Father!"

  Thor took a step forward, his expression alarmed. "Allfather, I beseech you-"

  "My decision is made, Thor, and do not question it." Odin shifted on his throne. "You will remain on Asgard and are to have no further communication with the Avengers or anyone on Midgard. I will ready the army. As of now, we are at war."

This actually has a sort of plot! Amazing, I know!

I don't think this one was as good as TS: TBP, but idk.

Who shall I crush the heart of next? I'm thinking either Clint or Bruce.