-Jarvis- said Tony- I need to know the apartment number of 51st Avenue 2085 12th floor southwest corner-
-Right away sir, it would be number 1204-
They had all agreed that flying through the hole in the windows wasn’t a good idea, so they got into the building lift.
-I didn´t needed all you come- Loki said feeling rather crowded
-We know, but then we´d missed out the fun – Tony replied a smirk on his face as they got out.
-You should turn left Sir; the apartment is two doors away from you on the right-
-Thank you Jarvis-. Tony replied
-Here it is- he said to Loki inviting him to knock
With a frustration sigh Loki went ahead and knocked.
-I´ll open, I´ll open – a child’s voice could be heard responding to the door knocking.
As a little girl roughly six years old opened a woman´s voice could be heard cautioning her daughter – Samantha, I´ve told you a million times to wait for me to open the door, you don´t know who´s knocking- as Diane finished her sentence she caught up with her daughter who was staring in amazement at the committee at her door.
-Loki? – Diane said her voice reflecting as much surprise as her daughter´s face.
-Umm, yes – Loki stammered being caught off guard, then Tony gave him a little shove and step at his side- Hi, we understand our friend made an emergency landing on your bedroom and we´ve come to help him with the repairs-
-Off course- Diane said still very surprised then she hold her daughters shoulders and moved aside to let them in – I´m sorry, come in-
-Mum, then it´s true? Loki did crash in your bed? I thought you were kidding me- Samantha turned and ask her mother
-Well, now you see I wasn´t- Diane replied to her with a smile- That´s why I didn´t let you go to my room. It´s not safe for you to go in right now-
Samantha was delighted, did she have a story to tell tomorrow at school, the Avengers we´re on her living room. She couldn´t stop staring at them, she would have to take a photo, or no one would believe her.
-Sorry for the intrusion mam- Steve picked up the conversation- I hope we aren’t disturbing you or your husband. We´ll be swift with the repairs and leave you alone-
-Please call me Diane- she answered him then noticed his remark about a husband and clumsily added while looking distractedly to Loki – You aren’t bothering us, it´s only the two of us… I mean … I´m not married any more… I´m divorced- she blushed it was the first time she said it out loudthen changed the subject – Samantha is clearly thrilled by you being here, I´m surprise she hasn´t started asking for your autographs yet.
Tony had discretely poked with his elbow at Loki’s ribs at Diane´s comment and raised an elbow inviting him to seize the opportunity which made Loki utterly uncomfortable although he was deeply relief Diane wasn’t married.
-Could you? Can I have your autographs? – Samantha hadn´t thought about it yet until her mother mentioned
-Of course –Tony said smiling at her
-I´ll go and get my notebook- she replied as she went running to her room for a notebook.
Then Tony added – Diane, could you guide us to the bedroom, I´d like to see the extend of the damages-
-Certainly it´s over here- Diane walked him towards her bedroom and opened the door that had been locked as a precaution to avoid letting Samantha in.
As Tony got in he shouted in disbelief – Holly crap! Loki, what did you do?
Loki got in as soon as he heard Tony and answered angered by his remark: It´s not my fault. I just happened to crash in, it´s Doom´s fault for throwing that been at me in the first place-
-But how on earth did you manage to wreck everything? – Tony added
-But I´m here to fix it am I not?-
-Yes, but …- Tony keep ranting at the state of the bedroom as Steve said to Diane – I´d better get in before they get at each other´s throats and make even more off a mess- as he walked into he shouted to everyone´d amusement– Oh, my God! Loki, what did you do?-
-It´s not my fault- Loki whined
-Can I go and see mum? – Samantha asked curious at the state of her mother´s bedroom
-I´d rather you didn´t- Diane answered
-How about you show me your room? I´m sure you have lots of interesting toys-Natasha said to Samantha
-Ok-Samantha answered cheerfully as she grabbed Natasha´s hand and guided her to her room.
As discussion sounded a bit more heated in Diane’s room Thor and Clint excused themselves and went in. A few moments later it all seemed to calm down.
Bruce and Diane stayed outside, not sure of what to say Diane asked him –Are you joining them?-
-I´ve never been good at the arts and crafts thing- Bruce admitted he, well the other guy was more in the demolition business he thought to himself.
-Ok, how about cooking?-Diane asked
-That I can do- Bruce answered with a smile
-Perfect, will you join me in the kitchen Dr. Banner?-she said to him as he showed him the way to the kitchen
-Please call me Bruce-then added – After you-
Meanwhile they finally settle on a plan for the reconstruction.
-Ok-Tony said –Thor, Steve and I will start with the repairs of the window, Loki and Clint will first clear out the debris from the rest of the room, then I guess you’d better go shopping for some furniture these are useless- then as he think it over added- On second thought, Loki you should take Natasha shopping and let her choose everything-
-You don´t think I can pick up some furniture?-Loki said sounding angry
-Oh! I´m quite sure you can, but we need a woman´s touch- Tony smiled trying to make Loki feel better
-Ok- Loki said not wanting to get into another argument.
Having cleared the debris out of the room Clint took Natasha´s place as Samantha´s playmate, who was thrilled and kept trying to make Clint show her some of his shooting skills, he finally yield but to Samantha´s disappointment he didn´t used his arch although to her delight manage to make a rather enjoyable shooting ring out of her toys.
-Jarvis, what´s the delivery time on the list I gave you earlier?-Tony asked the IA
-The materials you ordered should arrive within 15 minutes sir- Jarvis replied
-Perfect, we´ll have the windows frames fixed by then-
-Mm, what´s that smell?-Clint asked Samantha
As the girl shut her eyes and sniffed she replied- Mummy is cooking pizza. She makes the best pizzas-
-They certainly smell good? Should we take a look?-
Samantha nodded as she and Clint headed for the kitchen where Diane and Bruce had finished cooking and were busy cleaning up. Seeing her daughter Diane told her – The pizza won´t be ready for another 10 minutes. You´ll have to wait a bit-
-Oh! Ok.-Samantha pouted – It´s just that it smells so good…- then lingered as she could change her mother´s mind.
Diane laughed – You know I can´t make it cook faster, you´ll have to wait or we´ll end up with a half cooked pizza, Why don´t you help us set the plates? – She proposed knowing she wouldn´t be able to get her child away of the kitchen.-
-All right, you´ll help me? –Samantha asked Clint
-Of course, just point me to the dishes- he answered with a smile. It was nice to spent an afternoon off their routine and relax.
As the cooking alarm went off indicating the pizza was ready Bruce told Diane – I´ll go get the others-
-All right- Diane answered as she pulled the pizzas from the oven.
Loki and Natasha had just teleported in a few moments ago with their purchases before Bruce went looking for them- Dinner is served-he told them then exclaimed –Wow! You´ve done quite a good job, you´d never know a Norse god crashed in here-
-For the last time, it wasn´t my fault-Loki replied pouting
-Don´t worry brother –Thor said to him as he put his arm over his brother shoulders in an embrace –Bruce is only joking, and we all know it wasn´t your fault-
-Let´s go eat- Tony interrupted- I´m famished. What´s in the menu?-
-Pizza- Bruce replied with a smile
As they all sat at the table Diane walked out and placed the second already sliced pizza in the table, then warned her daughter –Careful, they´re still quite hot-
-Ok, mum-Samantha said then asked for a Hawaiian pizza slice.
-Mm, this is quite good-Tony said taking his third bite –Where did you buy them from?-
-I cooked them- Diane answered slightly blushing – me and Bruce-
-You´re kidding me!-Tony blurted –Are you a chef?-
-No- Diane said laughing- No, I just love cooking and little gourmet here – she said pointing at her daughter- is very picky-
-I´m not- Samantha replied –I just like your cooking better- she said blowing her mother a kiss.
They seemed to be like a family, well, a rather peculiar one Loki thought remembering Irina´s family gatherings. He was glad all of his team mates were there, although he longed for a moment not too long ago where he felt something that still made his heart jump as he watched Diane laugh at Tony silly comments.
As they finished eating Bruce volunteered to help Diane with the dishes and Samantha whispered something at Tony´s ear.
-I think we can do that- he smiled at her in complicity the asked her mother –Diane, would you mind if we made a few improvements on Samantha´s room?-
-As long as it’s not a carrousel I don´t see why not-she answered jokingly to him-
-Sorry kid, no carrousel- then winked his eye at her –Come on, let’s take a look- then asked Steve-Can you bring the leftovers from the construction materials?-
-All right-Steve said then asked to the rest of the team- Can you finish the bedroom without us?-
-Of course, it´s not much left to do-Natasha replied -and Clint can help us – she added.
Tony didn’t hear the rest of the conversation as Samantha was pulling him enthusiastically towards her room.
As they had finished washing and drying the dishes Clint came in – We´ve finished, care to take a look?-
-So soon?-Diane asked then nervously walked to her room
-I hope you like it-Loki said welcoming her at the entrance
-Oh, my God! – She exclaimed as she placed her hand´s over her mouth in surprise then gave Loki a hug- Thank you. Thank you. It´s beautiful- she thanked him as she kissed him on the cheek.
Her reaction took Loki by surprise as he blush feeling his heart beating faster.
-Oh! I´m sorry- she said as she herself blush as she noticed Loki’s reaction and broke her embrace- I got carried away. It´s just so beautiful. It´s too much. – Then said to all – I can´t thank you enough-
-There is no need to thank us Diane-Thor replied-We are glad to have helped-
They were indeed happy to have helped; they rarely had the opportunity to help someone they knew. Loki´s and Diane´s shy smile as their blushing faded was payment enough.
As they left Diane and Samantha waved goodbye to them from their apartment’s door as the elevators door closed.
Diane asked her daughter as she closed the door–So, what did you asked Tony for your room?-
-A secret hideout – she answered with glee
-Oh, my little bunny, let´s go find it- she said as she carried her giggling daughter into her room.