Coulson looked at his phone since he was waiting on the president to become available. He muttered a few swears, sending back orders to Melinda. "This is going to be bad." He was shown in. "Sir, I'm aware that you wanted to talk about putting a new head in charge of SHIELD. Are you aware of the plot to keep the Avengers out of the US as well?"
"There's a plot?" he demanded sarcastically. Coulson got the information from Skye, showing him. "Oh, that is. Who is this one the FBI wants to use?"
"Barton. Hawkeye."
"He won't sign up?" he asked, looking up at his minion.
"No, sir. He didn't really want to work for SHIELD when we recruited him and he doesn't want to work for any other agency at this time."
"We can force it."
"Slavery's still illegal in the US, sir. Conscripting him without reason is slavery."
"He's got a few felonies I'm sure," he said smugly. "Like when he took down the helicarrier."
"He was under possession by whatever was in Loki's staff at that time. For that matter, Loki was under possession by whatever was in his staff at that time. He was absolved of that incident since he was not in control of himself."
"So if it was drunk he'd be in jail," the president sneered.
"Exactly. Being drunk is a choice. Being possessed because he tried to keep Loki from leaving the facility in New Mexico was not. Loki got him during that fight."
"Oh." He grimaced. "I see. I'll tell the head of the FBI that so he amend his plans."
"Sir, Clint Barton will not ever work for the FBI. They've proven themselves inadequate when he had to work with them in the past. They've proven themselves very petty and annoying when he had to work with them in the past. Also, he's a sniper and the FBI doesn't deal with things that would need one. And before you suggest the CIA or the NSA would, he would bring them down from the inside due to many of their questionable actions. He does have a strong code of conduct he lives by. That's why he nearly quit SHIELD five times in a year."
"I don't like your tone, Coulson."
"I'm sorry you don't like the truth, sir, but that's not my fault. If people knew what those two agencies did they would be horrified. Barton has seen that up close and personal when they tried to take him out while on missions because he was doing his job."
"He could."
"He nearly died twice thanks to them. He won't, sir. Ever. He'll expose them to the press. He won't work for or with them. Nick Fury put him in jail for six weeks for refusing an assignment because he'd have to work with them. Then he found out that they had planned it that way to look heroic by taking out the sniper that was there for their target. Fury congratulated Barton on having sense." The president glared at him. Coulson stared back. "Also, most of the avengers members are US citizens. There's no legal way to keep citizens from the country."
"We can rescind it."
"All but Natasha were born in the US," he corrected. "You can't unmake their births."
"I hear things about wish demons."
"You can attempt that but I can guarantee you won't like the outcome since that would mean that HYDRA would've taken over the US." The president stared. "Or we would've lost World War II since Steve Rogers was included."
"I don't like this talk."
"It's not my fault you don't like the truth, sir. I can only point out the truth and then deal with the fallout since it got reported on social media."
"We can remove that."
Coulson looked at twitter. "Stark's statement is trending. Fifth in the top ten at the moment. They put it out approximately forty minutes ago." He got into that tweet, glancing over the replies. "Most of them are 'I hope we don't get attacked while they're on forced vacation' and a few 'the army can do their job instead' and one that's bitter that Steve Rogers hates the US's actions." He looked at the president. "Also, be aware that Miss Potts has said that doing this voided all the contracts with the US government. Including the new body armor and shielding technologies they have in the making for us. In fact it voided the contract to keep SI in the US to help protect it. The Iron Man contract Nick Fury worked out." He put his phone back up. "So your military won't have updated body armor."
"We can remake those," he sneered.
Coulson shook his head. "No you can't. Pepper Potts isn't going to do a thing that you want."
"It'll ruin the company."
Coulson smirked slightly. "Like when Tony Stark announced they wouldn't make weapons anymore? This is only ten percent of the company's business, sir. They diversified since then. It won't hurt SI any outside the hatred by pro-military people for not giving them upgraded body armor to protect the military. So even if she is nagged into renegotiating it, it'll definitely be more of a cost and benefit them more than the US."
"She's just a woman." He waved a hand.
"Yes, one who has put up with the most annoying man in the world today at close range for over fifteen years. You and whining generals have nothing on Tony Stark's attitude. She can withstand him, and did for years while cleaning up his messes. She won't fold just because people complain at her, sir."
"I say she will. She'll be forced to."
"SI is a privately held company. They don't have to do a single thing for anyone. Especially not since she's one of those being denied entry back into the US."
"She was over there?"
"She and the others went for Thor's wedding." The president stood up, glaring at him. "I'm told it was a sweet, small ceremony with their friends and family there."
"It is not legal, Agent Coulson," he said firmly.
"It is legal. The minister over there said it was. They made sure."
"He's a demon!"
"He's a man from another realm," Coulson corrected. "You may be able to make a case for illegal alien but there's no formal way of granting visas from Asgard at this time. The State Department thought about setting up an embassy but they weren't happy that their ideas were considered weird. A few were also considered insulting. At least they asked someone who had some knowledge but that was about the only good point of that idea."
"He is not human!" he shouted.
"According to many good geneticists, all humans show some Asgardian DNA. They found six markers that had to come from Asgardian DNA. It was reported at the recent conference at Culver University. I can have someone forward a copy of that tape if you wanted to see it."
"They were wrong!"
"It was peer reviewed before being submitted to the conference. Others found the same markers and traced it back using a few samples of blood SHIELD had on file. When some of the scientists fled the falling in of all the agencies, they took their information and files with them."
"That was classified information. We can arrest them for that and take that information."
"It wasn't that classified. Barely a level four classification, sir. It's also went to nineteen universities. Some of it was also in that information dump from SHIELD's servers. You can't remove everything from the internet."
"We can stop those universities. It's a danger to the US."
"Sir, all but six of the universities are outside the US. They're a mix of private and public universities. We tried to get a bit of information that was truly classified about actual aliens back but we would've had to fight Cambridge and the university in Germany that has it. If we had went to court, it would've still been in court when my great-grandchildren could've fought it. Then it'd be appealed."
"We're the government, we can work faster," he sneered.
"If you wish to spend the budget for the Pentagon on a court case, sir, I can't stop you but that would be per university per country. Only one university has cooperated by classifying it but they have let a few worthwhile projects access it because it was important to humanity. Two were cancer research if I remember right and the other one was a genetics project that had nothing to do with this topic but was about seeing if they could copy and paste some specific genes into our DNA to fix some fatal birth defects. Even Nick Fury couldn't argue about that one when he heard, sir."
"He's dead."
Coulson shook his head. "He's been off hunting HYDRA. He showed up somewhere recently and got put online asking who he was. Maria Hill removed it within minutes but I have no idea who else saw it. I'm told they beat him with a bat."
"Do we know who did that?"
"Yes. She's presently suing Maria Hill for interfering in her career to the point of refusing to let her graduate college." The president winced. "He broke into where Thor was about to be married, sir. Which is owned by someone who was Council."
"They're getting together?" he asked, looking disgusted.
"The team has worked with the slayers in the past during bad events. As they're near one that's coming up they would hop into that battle if necessary. They've already offered."
The president shuddered, backing away from him. "That's disgusting."
"So were the ones who invaded Poland and half of Europe during the war, sir. An invasion is always wrong and disgusting."
"Your people didn't stop one recently."
"They were fleeing a despot that reminds me of a few Republican senators, sir. We got immigration to talk to the refugees about what was going on. During that, the despot attacked them while laughing on his flying throne. Which was when the team showed up to kill the despot, thereby fixing the need for most refugees. A few still wanted to be here so they could go to another plane and immigration worked that agreement out since they didn't want to stay here. Our air is toxic to them with all the smog. They were only in LA for six days."
"Still disgusting."
"Yes, sir, the problem that made them run from that despot was," Coulson agreed blandly. "What are we going to do about this plot against the team, sir? Before all my people die defending New York the next time."
"Your agency can die," he offered. "You're getting a new head anyway."
"If you wish, sir, but it could also derail any rebuilding we have going on at the moment. The last one you tried that with was HYDRA. He tried to biobomb the agency and the CIA."
"This one won't be but your people have problems, Coulson." He grimaced. "Including supporting the slayers."
"It's our job to protect the world, sir. It's theirs too. I'm not going to lose humanity because I can't work with young women who are mystically chosen before they're born by some higher celestial beings with ideas."
"Dismissed," he said, waving a hand.
"Fine. Permission to fix that problem?"
"Denied," he sneered. "They can stay somewhere else."
"Fine. We'll talk after the next attack, sir." He left, going to tell his people the bad news. A new head and they'd be attacked soon. The slayers were already getting visions recorded about an attack in DC. Coulson wasn't happy but he warned the few friends he still had there. He sat down behind his desk to call two people. "It's Coulson," he said. "Xander, any visions about the upcoming attacks?"
"Two," he said. "Not the ones that're being given to the slayers. I've got one in Canada, I think Montreal. Can't tell for sure but a few signs I saw were in french. It's in six hours. I've already warned their embassy locally. They don't like to listen because I'm not Council anymore. And the other one I've seen is in that nice, grunting person's kingdom and it'll be other sorts of aliens. The one in DC isn't really planned ahead, it's a take advantage of it moment. And they'll move the time to make the slayers look like idiots probably."
"Great," Stark said. "The one where your sister's hiding?"
"The one in a few days? It's...probably going to be covered. We've got the local military involved already in that one and the next portal event next month. Though I have asked Darcy to please ask Jane when that event will actually be, and the time if possible. It's based on a solar thing."
"Okay," Stark agreed. "So you won't need us?"
"Unless someone jumps in to take advantage of it? No. If they do, hell yes, please."
"Does that happen often?" Stark asked.
"Yeah. That's what happened in Portland and in Palau about three years ago."
"I have not heard a thing about that one," Coulson said.
"Not too many cameras down there. Or you would've heard screaming that I let the demon take the ones who had summoned it to sacrifice their kids. I didn't let him take the kids but the parents... it saved a bunch of people. The locals screamed until I noted that they summoned it to take their kids and I didn't let them take the kids. Or take out a local children's hospital. Or an orphanage. It made people quit complaining that he stomped a few cars, a house or three, and ate the parents that summoned it."
"You do such weird things but I agree in that case, it's better," Stark said. "How soon before you know if one of the local events will be that big?"
"During it."
"Hell. It'd take us at least a half hour, kid."
"I know and I hate that but if you want to sit on the side of the battle and make sure, go ahead. Just don't bring my sister. Please! I foresaw me getting cut at the least and she'll scream and rant and break out in magic then destroy things and become the next Rosenburg by accident."
"Yeah, we don't need that," Stark agreed. "Is Dawn safe?"
"Yup, sure is. Spain's still wary about Mortimer but the locals loved that her little kraken saved her from an assassin sent by another demon trying to take her out so they can demoralize Buffy."
"Does it never stop for you guys?" Stark asked.
"If I make a wish of that, humanity would fall when all the slayers quit," Xander complained. "Then we'd probably lose humanity within four days. Oh, fuck, she's here, Coulson."
"Willow?"
"Yes!" He huffed. "I'm talking to agents, you can wait, Willow." He sighed. "Was the wedding nice?"
"Very," Stark agreed, sounding happy. "It was cute and tender but not too mushy. She offered to show him the math about how much she loved him."
"Awww," Xander quipped. "That's sweet. Now if only my sister could find a nice guy to date."
"She asked Heimdall to find you one," Stark told him.
"I wouldn't mind," Xander quipped. "Most of mine are tired of me at the moment. Pity when Egypt has one in two weeks." He laughed a bit. "Because they won't let us handle it. Sorry!"
"Do I have an email?" Coulson asked.
"Yup, and so do they and they warned us not to come in to handle it. That they could. I agreed and gave them what I found out about that demon lord and his minions. It's a beheading one. The head guy needs to be dismembered and set on fire to end him and he's got a possession sort of hold over his army, that will run nuts once he's dead. I told them if they needed a sudden consult I would have my phone on that day or hand it to someone who could answer. I also noted that a former watcher, an old liner, was about three countries over if they wanted to talk to him instead." He yawned. "They said they'd call if something weird happened. Or get him in."
"Do they hate you because of your job?" Coulson asked.
"The last time I was there I had to use a magical artifact to lock up the problem. It freaked them out since it was humping an ancient statue of Horus." He sighed again. "So damn stupid but two days of talking to me about that and how I had warned them but they hadn't wanted to listen and they said next time to tell someone specific and they'd handle it instead so I didn't have to come back and confuse the loyal Muslims."
"Their religious leaders screamed?" Coulson guessed.
"Yup. Especially since I had to take the artifact into the desert to release it and send it home and the thing's fit uncovered the tomb of a former court mage. A full mage that was half-demon born. Even the guy's statues in front of his tomb showed that. And he was the guy that seriously did magic because his tomb was glowing with it once it got uncovered. Thankfully no mummies that came to life, but so much magic. I got one of the younger coven members who was MI-5 to come help them with it so they could hide it."
"Hey," Willow complained. "They can...."
"Egypt, Willow," Xander told her. "Muslim countries don't like magic. They put people who read tarot cards to death for heresy." You could almost hear the eye roll in his voice. "I think they might go to her in the future for information so I sent her the info on that upcoming problem they'd have in case they call her. It did let her meet a very nice guy and I think they're dating."
"That would probably work for them," Phil agreed. "Any others you've heard of? And is that grunting one the prince?"
"Yes," Stark said. "He even complained that Xander called him that when he greeted him during a battle. I'll call him in a minute. Did you warn him?"
"Sent it to their embassy," Xander quipped. "They'll have aliens that actually have ships they flew in."
"Oh, great," Stark agreed. "I'll call him in a few to make sure he's heard. Anything else we have to be aware of?"
"Yeah, there's a higher, non-evil demon lord who thinks Pepper's hot and wants to have her as a wife. He's down here somewhere so he'll probably show up to talk to her and try to court her."
"She's mine and I'm more possessive than Thor," Stark said dryly.
Xander was grinning, you could tell in his voice. "He could offer her a lot. Including a consort spot if he overthrows his big brother. Who is a pretty decent ruler of his demon realm. She could run a whole realm instead of just your company."
"I'll warn her later and make sure she's not drooled on. Thanks, kid."
"Welcome. Have fun." Stark hung up. "All right, Willow, what's wrong?"
"Are you done?"
"Mostly. I need to inform Agent Coulson of what's about to go on. So what's wrong since that could take an hour?"
"You bought a house?" she demanded. "Down here?"
"I inherited a house from an ex that died of cancer, Willow," he said patiently. "My sister's presently hiding there with her boss and her boss's new husband. The US had fits about Thor being from Asgard."
"It's not real," she said firmly.
"And yet, been there, had a few battles there," Xander quipped. "Saved a training academy from some of the teenage slayers who tried to take it over to get captive boyfriends too." The sound of a slap. "Willow, you ever hit me again and I'm going to kill your ass like you're the bug you're acting like," he said coldly. She snorted and her voice was coming closer. Coulson winced at the sound of a gun coming out of the holster and the safety being taken off. "You think I won't? You're a danger to the world, Willow. Have been for years. I stopped you last time." She huffed and apparently disappeared. "Sorry you had to hear that but with her addiction speaking again you were a safety measure," he said more quietly.
"I agree, that's a good idea. Is she back in the US?"
"She's not supposed to be anywhere near the US by judicial order recently." They both heard a beep. "That's an incoming call." Another beep. "I'm talking to an agent, Darce, so what's happened and if it was Willow, beat her ass."
"Okay, thanks for the permission. She's in a closet with Fury. Which agent are we on with?"
"Me, Miss Lewis," Coulson said. "What did she do?"
"Appeared and told me I was trespassing on slayer property."
"I didn't know my ex left his house to the slayers," Xander said dryly. "Darce, she was full blown black magic when she showed up here and slapped me. I about shot her. Watch her around Thor and Jane?"
"That's why I put her in with Fury. He congratulated Thor on the future baby. I don't think he'd let her hurt Jane."
"Still," Xander warned. "I'll be there in the morning. I've got a meeting in a bit or I could be out really late tonight." He had heard a door breaking and then a shout. "Be safe. Please be safe? I'm down country." She hung up as she was yelling to warn Jane. "Coulson...."
"If I had an agent nearby I'd send them, Xander. I'll tell the team to send Barnes. He can handle her and is somehow immune to magic."
"The effects just wear off faster thanks to the healing."
"I can do that. Be safe and call her back in a few moments. Debrief with me after the upcoming battle." He hung up and made sure no one was in that area. Barnes agreed he could hurry back to help them. Coulson considered it then called the only good witch he knew. "We need to talk about Rosenburg." She said something. "She's attacking people again. Harris said she's full blown black magic again." He listened. "Please do. Africa. With Thor's people trying to attack them for one of the people there being related to Harris. No, that's not his girlfriend," he sighed. "That's his older half sister. They're at his house. He inherited it. Not the Council. Thank you." He hung up and rubbed his forehead. "I wonder if Thor's people have ways of curing her addiction."
***
Dawn got a video call and answered it since she was at home petting Mortimer. "What's up?" she asked, smiling at Stephen Strange's face.
"Willow is using a lot of magic somewhere but I can't pinpoint it."
She concentrated on Willow feeling magic, grimacing. "She's presently trying to kill people at Xander's inherited house in Africa." He groaned. "I'm so going to smite her ass."
"Please do."
"Do you have a spare closet?"
"I'm not sure if she would thrive in it."
"I'm not sure I care," she admitted. "Do I really care?"
"It's unethical," he said.
"And she's a menace, Stephen. That's why Xander warned you about her."
"Point. If you can chain her up, I can put her in one until an appropriate fix is created."
"Thanks. Give me ten." She hung up and tapped on something she had picked up locally. She put Mortimer down with a pat. "Let me go fix Willow again." The genie popped up, looking amused. "I need to go contain Willow. She's trying to kill Thor."
"More like Thor's wife and child," the genie admitted. He handed over a bag. "Unending and bottomless. She'll nap while she's in there." He handed over a nugget of metal. "To come home."
"Thank you." She used it to get down there. "Willow," she growled. "Leave Thor's wife alone! You dumb cunt!" Willow turned to attack her but she turned it aside and hit Willow instead. "I owe you dozens more of those, Willow. So just stop it! You're an addict and slipping again!" Willow shrieked and pulled up magic so Dawn slugged her again.
"Hey!" Buffy complained as she appeared in a bikini with a towel. "What are you doing, Dawn?"
"What are you doing?" Sif demanded.
"This is a slayer house," Buffy defended.
"Xander inherited it from an ex," Dawn told her. "It's got nothing to do with the slayers, Sister. His ex died of cancer." She shrugged then hit Willow again when she tried to throw more magic. "I've had enough of your bad things looking bad on the rest of us. I hate having to remind people I'm not you." She hit her again until Willow was crying and begging for help. "Darcy, help me put her in the bag. It's got a stasis spell on it." They got it around Willow's head and then down the rest of her when she went limp. Dawn sighed, pushing back her sweaty hair. "Jane, you okay?"
"I... I hope so. Sif blocked the hit at me."
"Who're you?" Buffy asked, sounding confused.
Darcy looked at her. "This is my boss, Buffy. We're hiding from the US because they want to dissect her husband and baby."
"You're Xander's sister," she said. Darcy nodded. "Oh. Willow told us this was a slayer house."
"No, it's his house. You can't confiscate it just because you want to and I'll be damned if Willow's going to harm my friends or me. Or hell, even Fury. She just tried to attack Xander again too."
"Stephen's going to hold her for now," Dawn said more calmly. "Until someone can figure out how to detox her from the magic again."
"But..." Buffy started.
Dawn stared at her. "I don't care. She's dangerous, Buffy. She tried to destroy a few other people on the side of good recently. Hell, even Loki doesn't want her on his side." Buffy started to sniffle. More slayers showed up. "Willow lied to you. This is Xander's house and he's letting his sister hide here from the idiots who want to kill her and her friends. Go home." A witch squeaked and took them with her. Buffy too. Dawn popped her neck then flexed her fingers. She looked at Jane. "Let's make sure you're okay, Jane. Sit down for me? I can do a checking spell without the magic doing more than skimming your body. It won't infect you or the baby with magic." Jane nodded, getting helped into a seat. Sif watched her as she did it. "It looks like you're a bit stressed. The baby looks okay but I got a notice that the heart rate's a bit high. Can you meditate to bring both of your blood pressures down?" Jane stared at her, nodding. "Okay, go try that and if not, call your OB. I'm only field trained like Xander is but I know blood pressure spikes are bad in pregnant women."
"Thank you, Dawn," Jane said. "Why is she like that?"
"She's a magic addict. She really likes how the black magic makes her feel and burns her clean. The first time she went this way she skinned the guy who had killed her girlfriend next to her and then tried to end humanity." Thor stomped in and headed for her. "Hey! I stopped Willow. You attack me and I'm letting out the Key to destroy your ass. I don't need this shit on top of Willow's." She looked at Jane. "She probably came here because Xander nearly killed her for hitting him a few minutes ago. She apparently lied to my sister earlier, because it takes her at least an hour to get into a bathing suit so she can shave and shower." Jane grimaced. "I don't know. I'm not sure I want to know. I'd really love to banish Willow into space by herself but I can't do that and it's not ethical. Thankfully Doctor Strange is willing to hold her for now until we can figure out how to detox her and cut her off magic completely."
Thor stared at her. "Dawn, what happened?"
"Willow," she said. "She apparently decided this was slayer property and tried to get it from Xander by force. That's why a few slayers showed up in bathing suits."
Thor squeezed his eyes shut. "Oh, no."
"I did a checking spell. Jane's blood pressure is a bit high, and the baby's too, but she should be okay. Have her OB check her soon. Go to the ER if she can't bring it down?" He nodded once. "I've got Willow in a static state inside the bag the genie gave me."
"Why would such help you?" Thor asked, looking confused.
"I freed it from some nuns that were yard saleing things they found in a closet at a former nun's house." She smiled a tiny bit. "It was happy to be freed partially. It likes soap operas when I'm at class and likes Mortimer. They talk all the time when I leave him at home."
"That's weird," Sif told her. Dawn grinned. "Very weird."
"Yeah but it's kinda normal to me." Buffy reappeared by herself, and this time she was in clothes. Though you could see the bikini top's strings under her shirt collar. "Hey."
"What's going on? More calmly now."
"Well, apparently Willow lied to you," Darcy said. "This is Xander's house. He inherited it from a former lover who died of cancer."
"She told us this was slayer property."
"Why would Xander buy slayer property?" Dawn asked. "He's not Council, Buffy." Buffy glared at her. "Not my fault you ran him off! You've been trying for years, wish granted, sister. Not that he doesn't still handle things, he just doesn't get paid for it."
"Whatever," Buffy said. "This isn't slayer property?" Dawn shook her head. So did Darcy and Jane. "Then why are you guys here?"
"For the same reason you would've seen letters calling for Thor's death and experimented on body to be presented," Darcy said.
"I don't read the paper," Buffy admitted. "It's depressing. I only read the obits to see how many we have to stake that night."
"That makes sense," Darcy agreed. "But the US is all about declaring Thor a danger and using him like those NID people did to demons. Xander warned me about them."
"Oh, okay," she agreed. "I don't want that and if we can help let us know. I mean...." She looked at the bag then at Dawn. "Is she in there?"
"Bottomless, stasis spell," Dawn said. "Safe. She hit Xander."
"I..." Buffy sighed. "Why?"
"I don't know," Dawn admitted. "He's meeting with someone about the upcoming battle."
"He said he's down country," Darcy said. "Or he'd already be here."
"He called us to come back sooner," Thor said. He pulled Jane up to check her over then cuddled her. "You'll be fine."
"I can't feel any magic infecting her," Dawn said. "I'm not sure about the one who got in Willow's way." She pointed at Sif. "Or anyone else she hit."
"I can get a healer down." He ran outside to call for Heimdall, who appeared with a healer already coming. "A witch lost her mind and tried to kill Jane Foster," he told the healer. "Darcy and Sif protected her."
"We can check them all," she said. She walked inside. "Lady Jane."
"Ma'am" she said. "Dawn did a spell check but Sif took some magical hits for me."
"It would infect the babe you carry," Sif said. "It's best for warriors to take battles."
"I'll check all of you, even if you weren't here in case some was laid in a time delayed curse," the healer said. "I can feel it floating around." She looked at Dawn, who shook her head. "Not yours?" Dawn pointed at the bag. She tested it and frowned. "That witch has the feeling of slime."
Dawn pulled out something. "This slime or slime like infects my sister?" she asked with a point at Buffy.
The healer tested both things then nodded. "Both and more."
"Great, she used both hellmouths," Darcy complained. She looked at Buffy, who was looking helpless again. "Hey, you can't control an addict. It's her choices and her decisions that got her in trouble, Buffy. All you can do is help and offer to listen." She patted her on the arm. "Willow has to be responsible for her own problems."
"I know but I don't know why she did this."
"She's full of dark magic again," Dawn said. "Strange is going to hold onto her until they can find a way to drain her. In the bag she's basically magically asleep. She won't get hungry or anything, Buffy."
"I get that. I'll miss her."
"You can ask him if you can visit to talk to her once she's awake." Buffy nodded, looking really sad. "C'mon. Let's go take her to them." She took the bag and her sister out back then used the stone to get to Stephen's house. He was waiting in full sorcerer getup with his staff and a sword on his back. She handed over the bag. "My little genie friend I rescued made that. It's got a stasis spell."
"I don't want her hurt, I just want her better," Buffy begged.
"If we can drain her to safety and cut her off from the hellmouths she will be safer," he told her. "Too much magic can warp your body, Buffy. Come, I'll show you where she'll be." He took her off. "Dawn, we'll talk about you having a genie hostage."
"I freed him from the nuns!" She smiled at Stephen's helper Wong. "I'm going back to Mortimer before he drinks from the toilet again." She rubbed the stone and went home. She handed the stone back to the genie and sat down to cuddle her pet and sulk.
Stephen looked at Buffy, shaking his head. "She does bring some brightness from insanity into many lives."
"Yeah, she does. That's why I don't understand her too well," Buffy admitted.
"Perhaps talking to her could help." He gave her a pointed look. "You treat her like she's infantile in body and mind."
"She's young. I don't want her to make the same mistakes I did."
"She's already avoided many of them by not dating vampires. She complains a lot about that habit of yours."
She grinned. "It's easier sometimes."
"It's wrong," he said. "It's like a wolf dating a sheep."
"Maybe. Still easier."
"Hmmm." He stared at her but he put Willow's bag in a closet. "Once she's been in there for a while it will change to support a living being. It'll be like living in a cloud that won't let her out." She nodded, leaning down to say something to the bag. He blocked any magic coming toward the bag and took Buffy out so she could head home somehow. That closet got noted and he settled in to relax. At least he hadn't had a battle this time.
***
Buffy showed up at the tower. "Hi. Can I talk to Maria Hill please?" They got her called down. "Hey, Hill." She shook her hand. "Can you ask the guy in the bathroom if he knows how to help Willow? She broke onto the bad side again. She tried to attack Thor and his honey and their future kid and stuff. I just want Willow to be healed."
"I'll see if Loki knows how to help her," she agreed. "I'm not sure if even Asgard has a way to cut Willow off from magic." Buffy pouted. "Like an alcoholic, she'll have problems if she goes back to magic. Alcoholics can't drink once they give it up or they backslide."
"I get that. I...we might need her help but I want what's best for her but I can't endanger the slayers either."
"Can't the coven cover for her?"
"I don't know and I'm not sure if she hasn't done something to them. They seem to only blame others for whatever Willow does. Especially Xander and Dawn."
"Maybe he knows how to unbind all of them." Buffy smiled. "Go home. Let me ask him. I'll let you know if we find out anything and pass it on to the Sorcerer Supreme."
She nodded. "Thanks, Hill." She texted someone and got taken home. She looked at Giles since he was waiting. "Dawn put her into a bag that has some sort of stasis spell and Doctor Strange has her in a closet." He groaned. "She tried to attack Thor's honey and future baby. She lied about that house being slayer property. I asked Hill to see if Loki knew how to help her." She sighed. "I talked to Xander's sister since she's down there. Apparently they're hiding from the US wanting to kill Thor and his baby."
"I've seen that in the news," he admitted. "Are you all right?"
"Pretty bummed. Apparently Dawn defeated her."
"Good of her."
"She's back at home. I don't know what to do, Giles."
"I know, Buffy. It's difficult when a friend goes off the deep end of addiction. Like those who take drugs, it's not healthy for those around them or them. Though I doubt she could OD and die from it as they seem to." He gave her a hug. "We'll work on it." She nodded. "Maybe I'll have someone who can talk to you ladies about addiction as well. There is a therapy group for those who are family of addicts if you think it'd help."
She looked up. "I doubt they'd understand."
"It's a matter of level," he said. "She has tried to steal and harm others. She's just went beyond that because she has access to much power."
"The healer that showed up said that she was touching both hellmouths."
"We'll see if we can block that off first before it opens and is unclosable." He took her back to the office to talk to her about what had happened. He needed to take notes on it for later generations so they knew what magic addiction truly looked like.
***
Darcy came out the next morning, smiling at the healer. "I'm making tea. Would you like some?"
"Please, child." Darcy put on water to warm. "Are you Lady Jane's lady in waiting?"
"I'm her assistant. I basically organize her lab and her life when she loses it to science." She turned to look at her. "I make her notes make sense and make sure she eats."
"It's much the same duty," she decided. "So you are in charge of her diet?"
"Yes and I'm making sure she eats a lot more than usual. She's the reason that Thor likes poptarts." The healer shook her head quickly. Darcy smiled. "She's had a lot of fruit and low caffeine tea because it helped her stomach."
"That's good."
"Is there a reason why Thor and her relations make the morning sickness stop?"
"I do not know," she admitted.
"Okay. I had a few questions I've been trying to make plans for. Can you answer them?"
"Probably."
"Killer." Darcy pulled the hot water off the stove and poured it into mugs then brought out the tub of tea bags. "Here, pick which one you want." She put her own tea bag in and let it steep while she got into her list. "Okay, this is the list of things I thought up so far. Tell me if it's not complete." She let the healer see it.
She read it over first then came back. "Are your children born very small?"
"Seven pounds or so and about twenty-one inches."
"That is smaller than ours."
"And Jane's got tiny hips. I know we can do C-sections and that there may be later concerns because of it." She sipped her tea. "And do you guys allow pain killers during labor?"
"Yes. It's up to the mother, child." Darcy smiled. She went back to the list. "Hmm. A blessing ceremony would be done by the family. He'll have to introduce her to the people of course. That would be up to the palace instead of the family. Rituals associated? How do you do blessings?"
"That can depend on the religion. Among the Christian one, it's a religious ceremony with water being poured on the baby's head. Or sometimes they're dipped in some versions."
"Dipped?"
"Dunked," Darcy explained. She pulled up a video on youtube for her. "That's the more dunking one. In the ones I've seen water is scooped up and poured over the baby's head during the ceremony."
"Ah." She watched it. "That's interesting. They do adults and children?"
"Yes. In some versions you can only be baptized once, in others it's done to reaffirm your beliefs."
"Interesting." She handed the phone back so Darcy could get back to her list. "You have the nursery straightened out."
"Do you guys have safety things that you demand? Ours say nothing in the crib but a sheet for safety reasons. We have babies that die in their sleep."
"We sleep our children on their backs usually, though the crib isn't usually bare. At the very young ages, many mothers use a smaller area to let them sleep in so they can't wiggle too much. A basket is often used."
"I've seen that and a bassinet. That didn't come down so maybe we'll find her a nice basket she can carry the baby around in for a bit." Thor came out. "Morning, Thor. I haven't made food yet."
"I'm not that helpless, Darcy. Clint's taught me to make eggs." She smiled at him. "Your list?"
"Yup."
"It's many good thoughts to worry about, both cultural and more oriented on Jane's health. I worry about many of those myself."
The healer smiled at him. "It's normal for fathers to worry, Thor." She went back to the list. A few she could go over with the young lady in waiting. It would ease her worries and any worries on Jane's temper. Apparently the future queen hated to be fussed at.
***
The healer reported to the Council when she finally got to come home. It was after two battles, and the lady in waiting's brother showing up to tell her the lie that he was all right after both of them. It took some figuring out, but she had managed to heal him then he got summoned to another battle, which Thor had went to help with. Then she got to heal both of them, the Warriors Three, and Lady Sif. Twice in a few cases. Thankfully they had still won. She presented herself to report once she was fed, had a drink, and had freshened herself up. "Our future queen's daughter grows strong and normally," she reported. They all stared at her. "Our prince nearly died twice in one day thanks to a demon's battles. He had won and I was healing him when another showed up to take advantage of it. That's why I got to heal him, Lady Sif, and Hogun twice, plus Lady Darcy's brother from the first one." A few grimaced. "That was the second set of battles within a week thanks to that sort of duty."
"What of Lady Darcy's brother? Why heal him?" the head of the council asked.
She stared at him. "He was the one that saved the healer's college that time with Heimdall." That one blinked hard a few times. She looked at the others. "Plus he used to train the Midgardian Valkyries. That one nearly died as well but her faster healing was protecting her while he took over for her to save her. He nearly died the second time, but his sister showed up with some higher weapons and the teammates that Thor claims as his battle friends. The demonic female decidedly died in pieces but she did die and not regenerate. Mjolnir got much work and is no longer pouty as our prince put it. Also, I saw that someone else could wield it. She had to beg for a moment but she did pick it up and threw it nearly successfully at someone's head. Thor summoned it when he woke from being bashed on the head and hit that one better than she had. Clearly Lady Darcy does not take battle training."
"The lady in waiting of our future queen used Thor's hammer?" one of the council said, standing up. "How? She's not one of us."
"The hammer picks the wielder it finds worthy," she told him simply. "Lady Jane was able to move it when she asked politely. I know not if it's the child she carries or not. Lady Darcy is most vibrant and has a lot of questions about things she worried about planning for our future queen. Including cultural needs for the princess' blessings."
"It's interesting to hear," that councilor said. "Are we sure she can wield it again?"
"She picked it up to clean it while I healed Thor's head. Then her brother's chest. Though she did threaten her brother with it. Thor even put it onto him so he could not move out of the couch he slept on so she would quit complaining and fussing at her brother." She smiled slightly. "He is quite the young warrior but fairly tired and ready to find a good mate. Unfortunately not one down there suits him that is on the side of light." She clasped her hands in front of her. "Jane Foster heals well and is carrying easily enough, though we may have to remove the child from her womb for ease of birth. As pointed out, her hips are not wide and Midgardian children are born smaller."
"How much smaller?" the head of the council asked. "Will it cause problems with a later birth of a son?"
"Carrying, probably not. Birthing...I know not," she admitted. "If they take the babe out down there, it will leave scarring but it is possible. Usually they do not encourage a normal birth after such surgery so she would have to have another." They all nodded at that. "Otherwise, she is going to wait a few years before having a son."
"Are they still married?"
"Thor makes her make much noise. Nightly." She smiled. "They are in the sort of love that skalds speak of. It's only been a month."
"Will she come up here for the birth?" one asked.
"If we can manage it and won't harm the babe," she agreed. "I suggested that and Lady Darcy sighed in pleasure because that would mean less stress on Lady Jane's tempers. She does not like being fussed at but Lady Darcy is excellent at it because Lady Jane's science is more important to her than most things, including eating. Or sleeping. Then Lady Darcy had to rest so made her brother nag in her place while she slept. It did mean she went to bed rather quickly because he was sending suggestive messages to a friend of his and letting her read them. She pounced our prince and made him yelp but then her shriek multiple times."
"Did Lady Sif complain?" the head of the council asked.
"No. She smiled at the others and thanked Xander for making Jane rest. Apparently they are loud often. The Warriors Three all smile at the noise."
"Thank you for that report. How long before the princess is born?"
"Three more months. If we must take it, it should be done a bit early to spare her. She really must gain some weight." She bowed and left, going to make notes on the pregnancy for the other healers. Just in case she couldn't attend the birth. Though she did stop at Heimdall's post. "When and if we get to remove Jane Foster's child up here, you must allow the Lady Darcy."
"I cannot by Council decree."
"She will not come up if Darcy does not attend. It could mean her life."
"Then talk to them about it. I have no problem with her attending the birth or any other event. They threatened her life should she appear up here."
"I'll make that note. Let me know if you catch her in labor, Heimdall. Our babes are much larger apparently." She went back to the healers. They really had to handle some stupid things the Council was doing.
***
Xander got a warning from a poker buddy he hardly ever talked to. The guy was mute, tortured into not being able to speak, and he had physically called in a grunted warning that contained two words. Rosenburg. Thor. Xander sighed as he hung up, looking at the slayer he was checking up on because she had just had a huge battle nearby. "It's bad when beings who cannot speak thanks to torture grunt the word Rosenburg at you."
She shuddered. "I.... Let me go stop her yet again." He texted someone. He got back a huffy answer so he explained why he needed to be in New York. They sent him before he could even grab his gear bag. Thankfully it got sent after him by his slayer's sister-in-law. He picked up his pack and looked at the two staring people. "Sorry," he said. "By the way, Rosenburg's going to be doing something. I'm stealing Loki from his bathroom." He went down to that floor and knocked then opened the door. "Let's go before she ends the world this time."
"I've felt that witch's workings ramping up," Loki admitted.
"She's going to do something around or to Thor."
Loki winced. "That could start a war."
"Yes, but we'd hand her over first. C'mon, we've got to go see the Sorcerer of the bad cape." He took Loki with him, ignoring the agents Hill tried to sic on him. They tried to stop the cab so Xander looked at that one. "Rosenburg." He backed off, hands up. "Thanks." He paid for the fare and they got dropped off at the nice house, smiling when Dawn opened the door. "He in?" he asked.
"He's setting up his scrying pool." She let them inside without an invitation. "What is she doing?"
"Gregory managed to grunt out Rosenburg and Thor. Just the two words."
"Fuck," Dawn said. "So we're looking at a possible diplomatic incident too. Charming!" She walked off petting her Mortimer. "How did she get out of the closet?" she asked when they walked into the work room.
"A poker debt," he said dryly. He looked up. "Loki. Harris." Xander nodded back. "Do we have any idea?"
"No," Xander admitted. "But damned if I want to be hit with more black magic like the last time I had to stop her. Or the other two times." Dawn patted him on the arm and Mortimer flowed over to cuddle him. "Thank you, baby. You're a very sweet little guy." He moved closer, helping focus the pool. They stared at what Willow was working on. "Her journal's red, not purple."
"Let's dispel illusions," Loki decided, doing that. He stared at what he saw. "Oh, dear." He looked up. "She's going to be making Jane Foster miscarry."
Dawn leaned closer. "That's a temporal spell. She'll make sure she never got pregnant." She leaned on the lip of the pool. She looked up. Stephen shrugged. She looked at Xander and Loki, who were grimacing. "Willow," she whispered into the water. "If you cause a diplomatic incident we'll have to give you to Asgard to punish. I doubt they're just going to lock you in a mystical closet." Willow flinched. "Stop it. Before I have to talk to people about you again." She stood up, breaking the contact. Willow was glaring at her ceiling. "I want an anvil," Dawn muttered.
Xander looked at his bag, reaching down to pull out something. "Mystical cannonball that's charmed to hit the target you select? I was going to use it against some minor demon queen coming down here soon but I think this might work better."
Dawn took it and concentrated on the spells then threw it at Willow's head. The redhead flinched and yelped but still got hit. Loki summoned the cannonball back, handing it back to Xander. Stephen took the cannonball to test then handed it back with a head shake. "Cold iron is usually useful in his field of interest," Loki told him. Willow was still crying while chanting. "What is she saying?"
"Her pronunciation is horrible," Xander complained. "Oh my god." He patted himself until he found his phone then called Giles. "Go. Stop. Willow. She's misspeaking Latin while casting and was about to rend Asgard into parts. Her room." He hung up. Giles rushed in while she was still casting and yelled at her. Xander threw the cannonball this time. Willow's scream ended her spell. Giles pulled her up to yell at her some more. Loki summoned back the cannonball, handing it back with a smirk.
And then Willow reached toward her desk and schoolbooks for a tissue.
And the bottle behind the tissues she tipped over on purpose.
Xander and Dawn sighed when they saw the demon that came out of the bottle. Stephen looked at Dawn. "An explanation of that sigh?"
"That's a wish demon," Dawn said quietly. "Oh god." She called her sister. "Go rescue Giles from Willow! Now! Before she makes a damn wish!" Buffy rushed in a second later and pounced Willow to stop her but Willow managed to moan something. The demon laughed loudly and everyone winced at the 'wish granted' intoned. Then the demon disappeared.
Dawn looked at Loki then at Stephen. "Can you send me to Darcy?"
"Of course." He sent her down there. Then he looked at Xander and Loki.
"She's a worse problem than even I ever could be," Loki said happily. "They'll be highly displeased."
"So will his hammer," Xander said. "Want to go deliver her to the Council?"
"I may not go back up there," Loki reminded him.
"Let me go deliver her to the Council." He sighed, walking off. "Fuck!" he said once he was outside. Mortimer's tentacles fluttered around his throat to pat him. "Thank you, Mortimer. I love you too. I'm just stressed because Willow caused a huge problem. Never let her do anything to you. She's mean." A demon walking past them sent him to Cleveland. "Thanks," he called with a wave at the sky. He got a cab to the slayer house, knocking before walking in. Faith stared at him. "She cast a wish to destroy Thor's innocence so he's not worthy of his hammer and to break him and his pregnant wife up."
"I'll go put on clothes to make the formal apology," Faith sighed, going to get dressed in real clothes.
Xander went up there, leaning in the doorway. "So she wanted Thor to be a baby daddy too?" he asked dryly. Giles stared at him. "No, she's just screwed up things for Asgard. We can go ask for mercy for her before I throw that blessed cannonball at her again."
"Is that Dawn's kraken buddy?" Buffy asked.
"Yup. He's keeping me calm before she gets this realm invaded." Buffy slumped. Giles frowned at him. "Think what would've happened if she had screwed up that way with the Royal Family in England?"
"She'd be on death row within minutes," Giles admitted. "Are they that sort?"
"I don't know," Xander admitted. "I knew she just screwed up their crown prince. Who has to be worthy of his mystical weapon to rule." Giles winced. "Faith's putting on real clothes so she can make an apology."
"I'll ...let others know," Giles sighed, going to call higher people within the government.
"Get a last hug, Buffy." She nodded, hugging Willow and whispering in her ear. Then she handed her to Xander before walking off looking pissed off. Willow reached for something. "I doubt they'll let you have that picture in prison, Willow." He walked her off. Andrew and Faith met him out back. "Hey, Drew."
"Xander." He nodded. "C'mon, let's see the armor wearing sort." They stepped out of the protections around the house and Heimdall appeared, already glaring. "It wasn't us. We do not condone her actions. We didn't want her to do it. Xander tried to stop her."
"While it furthers the agenda of some, it was not a good decision on her part," Heimdall said.
"Can I bring a picture of my former girlfriend?" Willow asked.
"No," Heimdall said. "You have nearly started a war between our realms, Willow Rosenburg." He looked at Xander. "We can take her."
"We can come offer a formal apology since we didn't want her to do that. I think most of the slayers think that Thor and Jane are a living fairytale." Faith shifted. "If I had heard, I would've knocked her stupid."
"Aye, many would have. We will find out who is encouraging such actions and punish them as well," Heimdall said. "Xander, it would probably not be safe for you to appear."
"Yeah," he said dryly. "Unfortunately I'm on call for a few problems. Would you like them to show up and me not show up to kill them?"
"No. I will talk to others."
"I can make the formal apology," Faith said again.
"Were Odin found, that may help. The Council is another matter," Heimdall told her. "I will pass on your apologies for her addiction being fed." He took Willow and disappeared.
"Go prepare the girls for Asgard coming to visit because their Council would react even though they might've prompted her," Xander said quietly. "They hated Jane and Thor being together and him getting a daughter."
"Damn glad I'm not a princess," Faith said as she headed back to talk to the girls.
"Should we work on a binding?" Andrew asked.
Xander looked at him then shook his head. "If they prompted it, they might try to take her out. We'll see what we can find out and blame them if they started it."
"Thanks. Have fun."
"You too." He left, going back to the airport so he could go back to New York.
***
Dawn appeared at the house, looking at the group. "People, we have a major problem that Willow just caused. Thor, please move three steps away from Jane for a moment?" He frowned but did so and the spell was coming. "Willow made a wish," she told a growling Sif. "To split them up. It was probably encouraged. Xander's going to turn her over to Heimdall. We tried to stop her since her original spell was a temporal one to make sure Jane didn't get pregnant." She winced. "Instead, it stripped that bit of innocence from him to make him leave her and the baby."
Darcy sat up, looking at her. Then at Thor. "Thor, try your hammer?" He frowned but tried to pick it up and couldn't. "Oh, damn." She looked at Dawn. "Undoable?"
"She had a trapped wish demon she made the wish to. No idea yet. Even Loki tried to stop her. Xander threw a cannonball at her head. So did I." She looked at Thor, who was staring at his hammer. She charmed a mirror so they could see what the scrying had.
Thor licked his lips then nodded. "Whoever prompted her is in deep trouble," he decided. He looked at Jane, who was sniffling. "I do not want to leave you."
"Will you not harm her?" Fandral asked.
Thor moved closer to kiss Jane on the lips and flinched away, wincing at what the spell was making him feel. "I feel I may."
"Then the only reasonable course is to go find a cure. Is there a cure?" Darcy asked Dawn.
"To negate the wish? Yes. I don't know what it is. I'm not that sort of magic worker. I'd start with Stephen or go kick some ass to find out who helped her."
Thor grimaced. "I should," he agreed. He tried his hammer again but it didn't budge again. "I..."
Darcy looked at the hammer. "Hey, MewMew, it's a spell," she told her. "We don't know what to do." Now she couldn't move it either. "Great." She looked at the Warriors Three. Who were all glaring at Dawn. "Not her fault."
"No, it's not," Sif agreed. "If he had been near her?"
"She would've probably died or miscarried," Dawn said. "That much magic would harm her and the child."
Sif nodded once. "That makes much sense and is the best solution in this case. We must protect the babe." She looked at Jane. "We can come back to guard you while we help Thor fix this curse."
"That's fine," Jane said, swallowing hard. "It's more important."
"Hey, you've still got me and Eric. You know he'll show up to fuss over you too," Darcy said, giving her a hug.
"Yeah, that's a good thing," Jane said, nodding but staring at Thor. He touched hands with her. "You should go get that fixed. Hopefully it'll mean just beating up on the demon."
"I hope so," he agreed. "If not, I will be back for the child."
Darcy looked at him, shaking her head. "No. If the baby's not with you or your family," she said with a inclusive point at the warriors. "It's in danger from the same people who prompted that wish."
"She is still mine, Darcy."
"Yeah, and if you have to run off to fight something, then who's going to watch the baby? And are you really willing to cut Jane off totally from her daughter?"
"I..." He frowned. "I had not thought of that." He looked at Jane, who was shrinking in on herself some. "You and I will be back together soon." He took a quick kiss, fighting the curse to hurt her and the baby. "Soon, my Jane." He stomped off with his friends following. He looked at Sif. "Darcy is correct," he said quietly.
She nodded. "She is and the babe is still in danger, Thor."
"You can stay to guard them," Thor offered.
Sif shook her head. "My job is to guard you, not your unborn babe. We will find a wiling guardian for it. And Jane."
Thor nodded, looking back. "And Darcy because she will jump in front of Jane." They looked up as Heimdall appeared. "Is she talking about who prompted this foulness?" he demanded.
"Nay. Not yet. They have not asked," he admitted. "They probably already know even if she does not." He let them onto the bridge. "We can break it so you are worthy again, Thor."
He nodded. "Aye, we will. I will miss my hammer until I have her and my Jane back." They disappeared.
Darcy shut the door, walking Jane off so she could lay on the couch. "It'll be okay. We've been through worse."
"We...we have," she agreed. She looked at Dawn. "Protecting me?"
"Staying out of the way so I don't go smite Willow." She sat down. "I can put more protections on you, Jane. I can also find a pretty thing to put the hammer onto or into so it's protected and no one can get to it."
"We can't move it," Darcy said.
"There's methods to move the stuff underneath it."
"Not really," Jane said. "It'll weigh down things."
Dawn grinned and winked. "There's ways." The ladies nodded. "So, let me go report to Stephen and we'll work on the protections." Jane nodded once. "Hey, Willow was trying to make it so you didn't get pregnant, Jane. That you two never married."
"No, this is kinder and some day he'll be able to come back to meet his daughter." She looked at her stomach then at Darcy. "We're probably going to need an OB sooner since I'm not sure if we can count on getting help from a healer."
Darcy nodded, texting that to Stark. Who was barely allowed back in the US. He sent back a quip so she told him all that had happened. He sent back a groan. "Stark's sending Barton to come watch over us until we can safely go back to the US." She looked up. "Because SHIELD's trying to get him to go back to work for them again."
Jane nodded. "That's fine. He knows how to get out of the way of science."
Dawn frowned and went to look outside at the feeling of magic. "Hi."
"Oh, you're ...Xander showed me your picture." The young woman smiled. "I'm Navine."
"Dawn." She shook her hand. "Did Xander send you?"
"He did send me to help ward this house with the native magics."
"That's cool. Come meet Xander's half-sister Darcy." She let her inside and Darcy smiled, shaking her hand. "This is Navine. She's the sister of a localish slayer."
"That's really cool," Darcy said, smiling at her. "What's up?"
"Xander asked me to come help ward the house to protect you two and the baby."
"Her husband just got put under a curse by Rosenburg," Darcy said.
"Oh, that poor baby." She smiled at Jane. "We'll protect you. How far do you usually need to use?"
Darcy got up and helped Jane up, taking Navine outside to show her the places they'd need to go while studying. Navine was a fussy, nice girl, like a nicer version of Darcy.
***
Dawn went to talk to Stephen. "I need an ethics swat upside the head. My mother would be appalled but it'll cause less pain than it's presently being." She stared at him.
"If you know it's unethical...."
"I can go back to change Willow's wish on her. Make it a temporal one instead that would have stopped the wedding and the baby."
He considered it. "Which could change other things. It may not stop the outcome. They may still be broken up and his innocence could still be stopped."
She grimaced. "Hadn't thought of that." She sat down, pulling Mortimer out of her hair to cuddle him. "They haven't even asked Willow who encouraged or talked her into it."
"Of course not. They already knew," he agreed, staring at her. "You cannot act against them either."
"No but I could expose them," she offered.
"Which would be acting against them and may be the start of a war."
She considered it then shook her head. "No, it would be punishment against our person who did stupid shit."
"Even getting the one who prompted her may not get them all so he'd still have snakes in his council."
"Point."
"And right now they're without a higher power to judge anything without Odin."
"He's with the light elves on the fire realm."
He sat up, staring at her. "How do you know?"
"I felt him. He was playing with another stone." She grimaced. "And we still have to worry about that purple one coming."
"Don't remind me. I don't need another battle soon."
She grinned. "Oh, it'll be more than you and Xander and the girls. Or the Avengers."
"Point. Especially with how he was locked up by your blood."
"Thanks to Willow," she reminded him. He nodded he remembered. "And unless they can teleport the blood out, I'll probably be missing that battle."
"Could be," he agreed. She gave him a pointed look. "Probably," he agreed. She smirked. "Which would release your powers."
"Not likely. They're tied up in my physical form. So if I die, they're supposed to go with me. And that's also a good reason." She petted her kraken baby. He nodded slightly to show he understood. "So what's the ethical thing here outside of going back to beating Willow?"
"I can't see a good, tactical, ethical road from this point. Ethics being the major concern may or may not change anything enough. Tactical thought would be to do something that was at least slightly unethical but may or may not change anything. Can you get to Odin?"
"Yeah. And go tell him to suck it the fuck up." She stared at him then sighed. "Where are his sons?"
"Home and back in his bathroom prison I believe."
"I can go there. Let me change clothes." She put Mortimer onto his desk and used her charm to get home so she could change into something better, then came back to pick up her baby and go there with the artifact she had crafted for traveling. She heard him huff at that artifact but oh well for now. She looked at the warriors with bows pointed at her. "Don't start. Next time I won't save your asses." She pushed her hair over her shoulder. "I come seeking another traveler who has idiots left in his seat. Where's Odin this time?"
The head elf stomped forward. "Who are you...." She stared at him and he flinched back, shaking his head. "Dawn!" She grinned and nodded. "You have grown some."
"Some," she agreed with a grin. "I'm an adult now. Unfortunately Odin's council has caused Willow to almost start a war with Asgard at their prompting."
He winced. "That's truly a bad thing."
"It sucks huge, Bro. So I need to go find him."
"He wishes solitude," one of the warriors huffed. "Who be she?"
"She be the one who took out the goddess that wanted your maidens as a sacrifice," Dawn shot back, staring at him. She looked at the head elf again. "Oh, this is Mortimer, my baby." She petted him with a grin. "He's very protective of me."
"I can see why. The traveling must have stunned him." The kraken waved a few tentacles at him. "Oh, my." He reached out and Dawn nodded, letting him pet the baby kraken. "I expected them to be more slimy."
"He's not a water living one." She grinned. "He's a good boy and helps me study."
"That's good. Come, I will lead you to the seclusion village so you can talk to him." She nodded, walking off with him. "How many years has it been on your realm?"
"Six. I'm twenty-one in a few months." She grinned up at him. "I'm in school now to study artifacts."
"That's interesting work and you do well with them." He pointed. "The warriors guard the seclusion village."
She nodded, patting him on the arm before walking over. They glared but she stared at one who got out of her way with his head bowed. She walked into the village and sat down beside the old man staring at the fire while trying to meditate. She petted her baby until Odin huffed. She patted his hand. "I will not disturb your thinking but we must talk."
He stared at her. "You are Midgardian."
"Nay, Odin, I'm the same artifact that made the ones you're not hiding very well." He flinched, shaking his head. She nodded. "There is much you have ignored in your grief and it has stripped your eldest son of his hammer and his pregnant wife." Odin slumped, staring at her. She handed over the notes she had made. "On all that has happened in a year." She went back to petting her baby. Her mother's form showed up scowling at her. "I know that's not the true form of my mother," she noted quietly and calmly. "As my mother has been reborn. So you're a lie." The spectral being flinched but disappeared. She tested and frowned. "Magic is gathering, Odin," she said quietly.
He tested the feelings and groaned. "Go warn them," he ordered, standing up.
She stood up and put a hand on his arm. "We can fight," she reminded him.
"It is Hela."
She grimaced. "She'd like my sister more than me."
He looked at her. "You are too pure to risk, child."
"I'm still Dawn Summers, Odin, and the sister of a slayer." She gave him a pointed look. "Though I will warn others." She went to warn the guards, finding them downed. She tested one's throat, no pulse. She sighed and summoned an imp. "Go warn others. Hela comes for Odin." The imp fled and went to warn the others. Including his son. She looked back when the goddess appeared. She concentrated, sending a 'come help me please, and bring weapons' to Xander.
"That's an interesting pet. I would like to see it," Hela said from behind her.
Dawn turned to look at her. "No. My Mortimer is my pet, Hela. You may have worship from my sister, the slayer, but I am not one. I'm a force of life. Not of death." The goddess laughed. Dawn hit her. "Your breath stinks like you've been giving corpses blow jobs, Hela. Back off." Hela glared. Dawn stared back. "Don't make me call things to me. You won't like it."
"This realm can be dead by then, child."
Dawn smiled and shook her head. "I can rebuild anything you kill off. Including the world tree. You are no threat to me." Hela grabbed the mouthy young one's arm, trying to kill her. It started to work but then Dawn's magic came out to heal her. Hela screamed as the power backflowed into her, making her burn. "We are not natural enemies, Hela. We are only enemies because you demand it to be so. For that matter, your lover may not come either. I don't want to rebuild everything to thwart his purple skanky ass."
Hela glared at her. "You are a child," she spat.
"No, I'm not. I'm an adult."
"You hold a comfort thing," she sneered.
"He's my pet. Mortimer is good for me. He helps me and loves me until I can find a lover of my own." She shrugged. "If a mate can't accept my pet then they certainly can't accept my gifts." Hela gave her the strangest look. "It's true."
"Fine," she sneered. "You will go."
"You can't make me, Hela. I'm not ruled by you."
"You will still die."
"Yeah, when I'm ready." She shrugged but smiled. "Until then I've got shit I gotta do. Including going to unwarp the witch that the Council of Asgard warped."
"Asgard is just waiting on death," she sneered. "I will be there next."
Dawn smiled, patting her on the cheek. "No you won't." She opened a portal behind her and let it suck her in. "Not yet you won't." She waved before closing it. "Odin, we must leave," she ordered. "We only have days."
He looked at her. "You should not be in that form."
She smiled. "Blame the monks, Odin. They sent me to this form to protect me from an insane hell goddess." She shrugged. "Glory was really stupid."
"Yes, she was," he agreed. He stood up. "We must go save Asgard. My son will need his hammer."
"Yeah, your Council had him cursed so he lost it. And the curse would make him harm his pregnant wife."
He winced. "Why?"
"They tainted Willow and somehow got her to do it. They're not even pretending not to gloat. From what rumors we've heard, he's killed a few of them."
"My son does have a mean temper," he admitted. She took him with her. "Hold, Heimdall," he ordered when he tried to stop Dawn. "Do not touch her."
"The Council...."
"Is dead because I just sent Hela to a side realm," Dawn quipped, smiling at him. "Howdy, Heimdall." She kissed him on the cheek. "C'mon. It's going to get nasty. Xander didn't get to answer."
He looked in the distance. "He is protecting the dwarves from Hela's forces," he admitted. "Oh, dear." She grinned, walking between the two men. "Dawn, what did you do?"
"I sent her to a bare realm. One that was already killed. It should hold her for days."
Heimdall hummed. "That is a good delay. We may need Loki. He has strong magic."
Dawn looked up then concentrated, pulling Loki. "Get presentable. I just stopped Hela for a few days."
Loki snapped new clothes onto himself, pushing back his hair. "How did you do that?"
"A dead realm." She shrugged. "It'll work for a few days. She wanted to kill my pet and I got all offended since she took out the elves I've helped save in the past."
Loki blinked at her. "That was you?" he demanded.
"Yeah. Willow sent me by accident and I fell on top of that goddess then sneered until she huffed off like a teenage girl. It saved the village." She opened the door. "Shall I go announce you?"
"Yes," Odin ordered. He looked at his younger son. "I do not like what you have done."
"He was possessed," Heimdall told him. "You punished him for that, Odin. He has paid greatly for that. Including his last incarceration."
Loki glared at him. "At least I had the necessities, even if it was a bathroom. I could lock the door so Thor could not bother me by trying to talk about things."
Odin sighed. "You two fight much."
"That was not my doing," Loki told him.
"Stop it before you're all gerbils," Dawn warned from up the hall.
Loki smiled. "She is rather feisty. Xander has trained her well."
Odin nodded. "I can see that. Come. We will see how bad it is."
Dawn kicked in the locked door on the second try. "Really, that's rude," she told Thor, smiling at him. "I present Odin, returned from his grief leave. I present Heimdall, who is escorting us. And I present Loki, because I just locked Hela in a side realm for a few days."
Thor sat up, staring at her. "She was where?" he demanded.
"The elves. She came for your father in the grief village, Thor." She got out of the way. "The king returns."
Odin walked in and stared. Thor smiled. "We will talk, son." He walked up to the seat and touched the arm then looked at Thor. "Nay, I do not want it back yet. It caused me to miss much that I now regret," he said quietly.
"I understand. At the moment I also miss much."
"I have heard. This curse?" Thor said something quietly. He grimaced. "The witch? She has had a trial?"
"We cannot unwarp the compulsions on her," Thor admitted. "Brother, can you?"
"Only some. Some are longer lasting. She prayed to Hela to regain her mate when she died," he admitted. "It marks her. They used that."
"Great," Dawn sighed, rubbing her forehead. "Willow Rosenburg, I summon thee," she ordered, pulling the magic here to do that. Willow appeared in a flash of light, making her look at her. "Well, fuck! I didn't see that on earth, Willow."
"It was clouded," Loki agreed. "The magic up here is more pure." He walked around her, nodding some. "We can do that but it would mean taking memories of her mate from her."
"Which is cruel," Dawn said. "Though I leave that up to her." She woke Willow up from her stupor. "Hey."
"Dawn?" she asked, blinking at her. "What are you doing up here? They'll kill you."
"Willow, I'm a force of elemental life. All they could do is hurt my Mortimer and I'll destroy them for harming my pet." Thor laughed. "Or you." She stared at her. "We can remove some of the compulsions but it may rob you of some memories of Tara," she said quietly. Willow sobbed but nodded. Loki stepped forward with one of the healers to do that. Dawn stripped a few more off. By the end, Willow was free. She remembered some about Tara but it was very filmy. Almost a fantasy. Dawn stepped back. "It is done. The compulsions I can find are gone."
"The ones I can see are gone," Loki agreed, looking at the healer.
She shook her head. "There are three marks left on her. One is a higher being. One is powerful. One is a heart mark."
Dawn considered it. "She alone closes and channels the hellmouths when they open on Midgard."
"That is one," the healer agreed, testing them. "Can others?"
"No," Dawn admitted. "My magic is not suited to that. I can't use it that way. It'd take a whole coven to replace her. The one of her heart is a male?"
"One who is dead."
"Jesse," Willow said, looking at the healer. "I miss him. He would have kept me and Xander from being this way."
"Instead he was the reason you protected yourself and others," Dawn reminded her. "Including me." Willow nodded, looking down. "The other, the Powers That Be, who're over the slayers? Or some other higher power?"
"Some other one. The ones you mentioned were removed," the healer admitted. "They had hatred built in."
"She helps keep the slayers strong and living," Dawn said. "So humanity wins. They probably hate me too." The healer nodded, smiling at her. "Oh fucking well." The healer laughed, nodding. "Is that a bad link or a good one?"
"More a neutral one. Child, has anyone told you that you hold a bad link?"
Dawn pointed at Willow. "She locked Thanos' chains with my heart's blood." Thor winced. "So yeah, probably." The healer looked at Willow then at Dawn. She said something uncomplimentary in Norse. Dawn grinned. "Anyanka taught me that language so we could talk without Willow realizing we were swearing at her magic addiction."
The healer bowed her head. "The one who punishes?"
"Yup. She dated my buddy Xander."
"That poor man." She walked off shaking her head. "She is free enough to have free will, Sires." She looked at Odin. "We have built a memorial for your wife," she told him. "It is full of her garden's favorite things."
"I thank thee for taking care of that for me," he said, patting her on the hand. "Warn others. Hela has appeared." She nodded, running off.
"It is a beautiful memorial and a good statue of her is being built," Thor said. "I paid for the statue." He looked at Loki. "The one who did the miniature of her in your rooms is doing so." Loki nodded at that, looking outside. Thor looked then at his father since it was Loki looking into air. "Father, I will call the military."
"Do so, Thor. We must all battle. And fire the Council." Thor smiled a tiny bit. "Your pregnant wife?"
"Jane, Father. Willow cursed me to harm her and our child. My hammer refused me because of it." He sighed. "I would not want it to be so. They are right, I cannot even be trusted to do more than visit the child because it would get her harmed."
Odin looked at him. "A father...."
"We have people who prompted that curse, Father. One who attended my wedding to Jane and knew of her pregnancy then."
Odin winced. "Many need to be on the front lines to sacrifice themselves for others who are better beings." He touched the throne's arm again then looked at his sons. "We must battle but many have pain that would make them give up."
"We would not want to miss more," Loki said. "Mother would be appalled if we gave up due to grief. Any war brings grief and she will bring the most."
Thor nodded. Dawn said it. "She already has. She killed the elf village near the grief village. She also called up false spirits because I saw my mother, who has been reborn."
Thor bowed his head. "I mourn their deaths. I hope it was peaceful." He grimaced. "Let me get the military, Father." Heimdall waved a hand that he had already summoned them. "Heimdall, do her people appear other places?"
"Yes. That is why Xander is guarding the dwarves. Especially the heirs. They had twins recently."
"Put them with the slayers?" Willow suggested.
"Nay, they'll be attacked," Heimdall said. "They would be on the front lines of her getting to Midgard."
"Others need warned," Dawn said, looking at her cellphone. "I get reception up here. That's cool. Thanks, Heimdall." She sent out a mass text message to her whole contacts list. It got some of her professors but they had to know anyway. It also got to a few agents, who weren't liking it but better to be warned. Stephen sent back a grimace. It was a picture of him grimacing and a 'I'll be on the watch for that portal to open here.' Xander's back was a swearing about his one-night stand. She frowned at that. "Xander slept with her? Huh. The really dangerous do like him."
Loki spun to look at her. "What?" he demanded. She showed him that message. "That boy is insane."
"Only the deadly and dangerous like him. Some of us were taking bets about you liking him," she quipped, smiling at him. "Do you feel the lusties for Xander?" Willow burst out giggling.
"I find him amusing but too much a warrior," Loki said sarcastically. Dawn grinned. "Stephen should lock you in a closet."
"If they take out the house, that'd be a problem."
"Point. Though you should find somewhere safe."
"I'll go visiting if I have to, Loki. Not like I haven't been there before thanks to Willow." She shrugged but grinned. "Can I summon those unicorn princess warriors to help? They're supposed heros."
"We do not need them," Odin said impatiently. Dawn grinned at him. "I met their representative. My wife thought they needed more training."
"Me too. Especially about important things. They summoned me to take out their enemy. They're more flighty than my sister."
Thor burst out laughing. "I met them when they stopped at the tower." He shook his head. "Oh, dear."
Dawn nodded. "But hey, more warriors is good."
"Perhaps," Odin agreed. He looked at the military people coming in, raising a hand when they pulled weapons on Willow. "She was under multiple compulsions from some of us. I will deal with them later. Right now, we face a battle. Hela was found earlier. She was sent into a portal but it may not last for more than a few days."
"Some of her people attacked the dwarves," Heimdall said. "The warrior that saved that academy is guarding them."
"We lost at least an elf village," Dawn said quietly when they stared at her. "She came for Odin there. We had words but I sent her into a dead portal for hopefully at least a few days."
The head general looked at Odin. "She is but a girl."
"So is Sif, and she beats you in sparring," Thor warned him. "Do not discount Dawn or others. Asgard faces its worst threat yet with Hela appearing soon. We must protect her and the peoples."
The generals all nodded. "We will, Lord Thor," they promised, mostly together.
"We must all work together," Odin warned. "Loki?"
"I cannot rule a dead realm," he said bluntly. "I would not have Asgard fall."
Thor nodded. "When you pretended to be our father, you did good for Asgard for the most part. People have wanted you back for that." Loki smirked at him. "Seriously. A few wished to have you back because I do not have the patience to deal with petty things yet."
Dawn moaned and held her head. "Damn it." She was put into a seat. She blinked at Loki. "There is another of you, a half sister. She is with the one who holds gladiator things. She will capture your brother so he may fight like a Roman. He has the Hulk. We may need him. And the dwarves are going into hiding. That was a direct sending from one of their mages." She looked at Thor then at Loki. Then back at Thor. "Someone tried to send a demon to attack Jane. Xander ended it but they're trying to make sure the child lives. It had poisoned claws," she said, getting up to walk over to him. "I'm sorry if she miscarries, Thor. They're trying very hard."
He slumped but nodded. "I can see that, Dawn. Who sent the demon?"
"I don't know. The one who sent that at me didn't know. The healer that the dwarves sent protected Jane's life and healed Darcy's injuries from trying to protect Jane." Thor slumped but nodded once. "They're trying but wanted you warned. It was against you, and only you."
The godling looked at her. "Was it one of us?"
"She did not know."
"I'll ask then. The demon?"
"Beheaded. Xander did it with one of the twins in his arms actually." Thor smiled a tiny bit. "Apparently the heirs have colic."
He smiled. "I hear that is a bad thing." He walked off. "I'll be back."
"Thor, that half-sibling of whoever, she's a lot like you but was taught to hate like Loki."
"I'll take that warning, Dawn. Thank thee." He went into the gardens.
Loki frowned. "Who?"
"She calls herself Valkyrie." She touched his hand. "Can you read it?"
He cast that spell and frowned. "I know of her parentage." He put up an image of her. Heimdall choked. He looked at him. "Could be the other's."
"Could be," he admitted. "Where is she?"
"The one who holds gladiator style games and has the Hulk, Heimdall."
"He may be useful," Loki said, considering it. "He is also another with healing gifts."
"Get him," Odin agreed. "You two can work on that. Get her as well, see if she will help us against Hela."
"I can," Loki agreed, walking off. "I know of him. We've had tea."
Dawn sat down again, looking at Odin. "Where can I help, Odin?"
"I know not," he admitted. "You should be safer, Dawn."
"I should be but my children do call out for me. You have two stored."
"We have three stored," Heimdall said, frowning.
"You have two stored," Dawn corrected. "The Key can feel her babies, Heimdall."
He frowned as he ran to the vault to check. He came back. "One has been removed," he announced. "And I talked to the Collector. His demesne were attacked."
Odin sighed as he sat down. "That is not good. With all five, someone could use the gauntlet."
"No, one's still hidden," she said. "One's near Groot. Awake and I felt it but it is there."
Heimdall smiled at her. "I had not heard that."
"I felt it when I got shoved there by accident," she said dryly. "Then when I sent Groot home, I felt the echo of it. That one of my babies is happy that others talk to it. The staff is still lonely but tainted by the one who wants them all to give death to his girlfriend, Hela."
Odin winced. "That is truly insane." Dawn nodded. "You could go to Midgard."
"I'm no safer there than I am here, Odin, and I could be of some help. Heimdall wouldn't have the time to get me. And I don't have classes for another two weeks. I'm between semesters. I was going to do a report on some of your artwork that holds magic for my artifact studies classes." She grinned.
He snorted but looked amused. "That is a good reason but you will flee, child."
"If possible and I'm in the way," she promised.
"Good. Gather the military here tonight," he ordered. The military leaders nodded and bowed then left. Dawn went to look at the paintings in the hall. Odin looked at Heimdall. "Are we ready?"
"One can never be ready for Hela or Death," he reminded him. "But we are warriors and we will fight until Death claims us."
"Can we be called back by her?"
"Not that I'm aware of. I will ask the healers."
"Thank you, my friend."
"We all miss your wife, Odin. She would have walked into a side-chamber to have a fit then come back to start sending orders." Odin smiled but nodded. "Rest for now." He left, going to warn others and make sure he would know if she appeared anywhere.
***
Dawn called on a portal mirror, smiling and waving. "It's super hugely evil," she said in greeting, making the slayers moan and Stephen grimace but sip his tea. The others were groaning. "Thanos' girlfriend, Death, is coming for everyone. He wants to gift her more of her special area, which is why he's coming. We'll have him on Midgard. We'll have her here on Asgard and possibly some of the other realms. Sister dear, you're screwed. Oh, and we removed all the compulsions from Willow."
"Great!" Buffy complained. "How soon?"
"Could be days on Hela. Could be weeks on Thanos. No one's sure on him. But the highly powerful artifacts," she said with a pointed look at Stephen. "He wants them to be more powerful. There's one missing." He winced but nodded once and finished his cup of tea. "And the guy who had another one thinks he's still got it but he was attacked." She looked at the other mirror. "You guys were there and had the other stone we're talking of."
"Super glowy and powerful?" the racoon asked.
"Yup," Dawn quipped. "And he's psychotic and wanting to give his girlfriend Death more of it." She grinned at him. "It's got to stay out of his hands."
"Can we destroy it?" the human asked.
"No." She shook her head. "Not unless you really want to annihilate your reality and/or part of the universe."
"Great!" he said, then groaned. "How bad, how soon?"
"Could be any time now." She put up a picture of both bad guys. "Bad guys du jour."
"Got it," the human said with a nod. "Army, warriors?"
"Her, yes. Him, he's immortal. And supposedly locked up somewhat." Stephen winced at that. "So...." She looked at her sister. "She's Hela, the Goddess of Death."
"Crap," Buffy said. "She's got a cult here locally."
"Have fun with that," Dawn said. "Really." Buffy sighed but nodded. "Talk to the big hitters, Buffy. Ask the guys in the armor."
"Yeah, I can do that. That's not a bad idea. How soon? Are we in deep?"
"Willow might have to call on the hellmouths," Dawn said. "There's going to be panicking. She can appear. She is not human, she's Asgardian."
"So iffy if we can do more than drive her off. Where's Xander?"
"Protecting some dwarves who needed him," Dawn said. "And Thor's wife and his own sister."
"Oh. Okay. That's good. Are they coming here?"
"Him, yes. Her...probably not but not totally certain."
"Okay, we'll send out an all points. If you hear from Xander, have him come home?"
"He might have some way of defeating her, not totally sure," Dawn admitted. "But I've sent a message to him a few times." Buffy sighed but nodded again. "So, yeah, huge big bad evil things coming." She grinned and waved. "I'm here on Asgard for now. I'm going to do what I can to help up here then I'll be back."
"That's fine. If you have to run back here, go into hiding," Buffy ordered. "Try to bring back Willow and Xander if you can." Dawn nodded. Buffy hung up and went to talk to the others. "Huge news from Dawn and it's worse than an apocalypse," she announced as she walked into the living room. "Get the others." A few slayers pulled out phones to summon the others. "Including the old liners. They might have a clue to help." She flopped down with a sigh.
Dawn looked at Stephen. "The hiding areas you set up are still good. The ones down here?"
"Hidden," she admitted. "I don't know where he hid them."
"All right. I'm assuming something like that bank?" She nodded. "Then we can watch over those areas. I'll spread the information about, Dawn. Do be safe." He hung up.
She grinned at the last mirror. "Make sure it's safe?"
"The ones guarding it won't talk to us," the human said.
She smiled. "You can warn them of all this but he's going to kill everyone that he can. It gives his girlfriend happy times. Oh, and she's a leather catsuit wearing, pain is great sort." She looked behind her then at him. "Be safe. Tell Groot Mortimer said hi." She hung up and rolled to get away from the woman standing there. "Valkyrie."
"Who are you?"
"I'm Dawn. I was warning some allies. Including my sister."
"Why would you warn her?" she demanded.
"My sister's the senior slayer. The Chosen One who fights vampires and other nasties." Valkyrie groaned. Dawn grinned. "Yeah, kinda necessary. She can get others in to help with that battles on Midgard. The other one was a warrior group I've sort of helped in the past and they'd be on the front line this time."
"That makes much sense. I was summoned to come here."
"C'mon. I'll lead you to the throne room." She walked her that way, nodding at a few snotty looking bitches on the way. "Don't worry, you guys will pay for disrespecting Thor's honey that way," she told one sneering one. "We'll have popcorn when that happens." The woman stomped off. She looked at the other woman and smiled. "She's a stupid cunt."
"Many are. They seem to think with them," Valkyrie said. They walked into the throne room, her nodding at the man standing there. "I know of you."
"Doctor Banner," Dawn said, holding out a hand. "Dawn Summers."
"I remember you." He shook her hand. "Thor was telling me how bad it's going to get."
"Yes, and it's multi-area. Unfortunately." He nodded at that, grimacing. "This is Valkyrie if you hadn't met her and this is Mortimer," she said, petting her baby kraken.
He looked then smiled. "He's cute, Dawn."
"He's very cuddly and protective." She looked at Odin. "Have they found her?"
"No. She is still trapped. Her forces were stopped by the dwarves. Many were lost but not all and most of the vulnerable were hidden with your warrior friend." She nodded at that, grimacing a tiny bit. "He is well so far."
"That's good. He does much of the planning for the slayers for battles. My sister wanted him and Willow back if possible for the battles."
"Her trial showed that she was compelled to curse Thor and do other things. She is under watch but not in jail at this time," Odin said. "We have much to plan for."
"Can I help with the evacuations?" Dawn asked. "That way the vulnerable are safer?"
"They've already been moved," Thor said as he walked in. "I made sure earlier. Some didn't want to but the young warriors and the children had to be moved for their own safety and to carry our lines on." He looked at Dawn. "Have you talked to your Xander?"
"Just a quick text message. He said he survived the first battle and she yelled and ranted he was there."
Odin frowned. "She cared that much for him?"
"I have no idea why they're drawn to Xander's panties but they are, Odin. He dated Anyanka once. Nearly married her. When she got her powers back, she found out he had prompted her to have a conscience for her granted wishes."
Odin shuddered. "I saw a few of her workings."
"She got fired and they dated, then he got told they'd be horrified and miserable while married so he walked away from her. It got her powers back but it took about six months for her to lose them again for having a conscience. She died in the final battle that took out Sunnydale, with the First Evil."
"I feel much sorrow if he draws dates like her," Thor admitted, shaking his head. "Xander is a very unusual man and very strong."
"My sister's nagging made him stubborn," Dawn admitted.
"I remember your sister as well, and her nagging," Thor agreed. Dawn grinned at him. "Are they prepared?"
"As much as they can be. I warned the group that is near the other one as well."
Thor nodded. "That's a good idea. Are they safe?"
"I don't know," she admitted. "She said someone is guarding the thing that won't let them anywhere near it." She shrugged, pulling Mortimer down to cuddle and pet. "I have no clue but they'll warn them."
"That's reasonable," Thor agreed quietly. He looked at Loki. "Can you tell if she comes, Brother?"
He looked back, nodding. "She's still fighting to get out of that realm. It will be days but not that long." He looked at Dawn. "He could use you."
"Thanks to Willow he knows I'm around. She locked him to my heart's blood, Loki." She shrugged a tiny bit. "I'm hoping I can be healed when he shows up." He tipped his head but nodded once, looking outside again. She looked at Odin then at Thor. "Where can I help by wearing some of this energy out?"
"We'll get you a bed, Dawn." He walked her off. His mother's maids all huffed off. He looked at her. She shrugged back. "You had words?"
"I told one that I know was in on the curse, because it backlashed into her, that I'd have popcorn when it came due on her. I like Jane and Darcy. They're neat and nice ladies."
Thor smiled. "They are. Though, Jane is quite strong."
"Yeah. Darcy's a lot like her brother only without the battle axe."
He laughed but nodded. He got her into a room and she nodded, going to rest for now. He went to talk to Loki. "Can you remove the curse from Jane?" he asked him.
"I have only glanced at it but I may not be able to do more than mitigate it," he said, looking up at Thor. "I have no idea about your child or if it would transfer over."
"Would anyone know for certain?"
"He is not nearby so I couldn't ask," he said. "It's manageable until we can remove it, Thor. I have sent that one a message about the curse. I know he was not in on it."
"Thank you, Loki. She is important to me."
"They may get their wish and have you two broken apart," he warned. "But you may be able to not harm her."
"If that is what must become, then we will handle it," Thor decided. "Thank you for the help."
"It is no problem. I would have no child raised as I was." He walked off.
Thor got Bruce to a room and went to talk to his father. He understood his grief, he had it over his mother and his wife. Maybe his father had learned something wise from his grief leave.
***
Darcy watched the hammer wiggle on the floor. "Mew-mew, need something softer to rest on?" she asked quietly. Jane was in bed. The healer had stuck her in it and told her to rest to try to hold off the miscarriage. She moved closer to it, petting the handle. "It'll be okay. He's trying to end the curse, baby." She went to sit outside and tried not to think too hard about her brother being in the way of huge problems again. She hated that her brother risked his life that way. She understood why, and she'd do the same thing if she had to, but it still sucked hugely.
She looked up. "You get dead, Xander, and I'm going to revive you and then kill you again," she murmured. "And then maybe a few more times too." She sulked, thinking hard about things. Jane was moaning again so she went in to help her into the bathroom. Then into the tub she ran for her. She went to make her some tea to help with the pain but that was about all she could really do to help her. She looked at the hammer then back at the teapot.
The hammer wiggled again and Darcy went to check on it again. Nothing was bothering it. It was on a nice table that had been cleared of magazines and books. "Hey, baby. It'll be okay." She petted it again. This time it shocked her. She glared at the hammer. "Keep it up, watch me cover you with a pillow case so you never get dusty or any sunlight." It zapped her again. She swatted it and it moved into her hand. "Oh. Um..." She picked it up, staring at it. "You sure you want me?" It wiggled, flying with her help. "Hey, Jane's not in good shape," she protested. "Don't make her hurt more." The hammer went in to cuddle to Jane, who petted it, giving it strange looks. Darcy shrugged. "It got wiggly." She handed over the mug of tea. "For pain."
"Thanks, Darcy," she said quietly. She looked at the hammer. "I'm sorry about it too, Mjolnir." It zapped her, making her yelp.
"Hey!" Darcy warned, taking the hammer and putting it onto the floor. "You're not hurting Jane. She's got enough shit to deal with right now." The hammer hit her on the ankle so she swatted it back. "Keep it up," she warned. "I can put you in the pool." It settled down. "Thank you!" she snorted. She looked at Jane, who was smiling. "I doubt you needed electrocuted in the tub."
Jane sipped her tea, looking at the hammer. "You could go back to Thor." She got a negative feeling from it. "Why are you talking to me suddenly?" It rocked toward her. "Huh. Do you need us to get you to your next holder?" she asked. The hammer seemed upset with that thought. "We can ask someone to get you to Asgard." It hit the side of the tub and Darcy threw it out into the hall this time. "Thanks."
"Welcome. You need the hot bath to heal, Janey." She went to stare at the hammer. "Jane does not need this shit. She's not healthy, she's not happy, and she's got to grieve and things. If you need someone, use me until she's better, but until then leave Jane alone."
"I'll be okay," Jane said.
Darcy looked back at her. "Of course you will." She shrugged. "Doesn't mean this isn't a bad time for him to get cuddly."
"Point. I could use some rest." Darcy helped her out and back to bed. "I'll see you tomorrow, Mjolnir. When I'm better." It zapped her lightly then flew at Darcy, making her catch it. Darcy's clothes changed. "You go help your brother. I heard you muttering about him."
Darcy looked at her and nodded. "I'm going to beat his ass if he dies from this." She looked at the hammer. "Fine, we'll go help my little brother Xander. He's with the dwarves." The hammer flew off, taking her with it. "Hey, slow down! I've only seen Thor doing this! I have no idea how to get anywhere or land!"
Jane laughed, shaking her head. "It does mean I'll get to sulk alone for a bit," she said, sinking back into her bed. "I need some time to think."
***
A Harris and a Half.