Scars

The Party was over long ago the music had died down, and now it was only the Avengers and a few close friends. Sam and Bucky had already left for their mission and would be radio silence for about a week. Alice and Loki were tucked away in her room, hoping not to be disturbed. But, of course, the odds were against them.

"Ms. Stark, Your father requested your presence."

"Oh no," Alice jumps at the sound of Jarvis's voice " I... I'm coming, I'm going" Alice quickly jumped out of bed fixing her oversized sweater and hair making sure she looked presentable for her father.

She turned back when she noticed Loki sitting on the edge of the bed staring at her. He pulled her in between his legs tilted her head down and gave her a soft sweet kiss. He wanted to say something he wanted to tell her to say but instead, he said "Come back to me soon"

"of course"

Alice looked back and blew him a kiss before leaving.

-

Alice hesitantly rounded the corner to see everyone gathered around a seating area, the room had been rearranged for the party. There were two new faces among the Avengers.

"Sweetheart, come, join the after party," he waved her over she was slowly walking at first, but eventually, she rounded the couches to sit in the farthest single seat. " So this is Dr. Cho, my assistant and our secret agent/ spy Ms. Hill. And this little angel is my daughter. Say Hi"

" Maria Hill, I work for SHIELD, not you're father"

" Helen Cho, I don't work for your father either"

Alice just nods at the ladies in greeting and then sinks into her chair as they get back to their conversations. Somehow the conversation leads to everyone taking a turn picking up Thor's Hammer. Everyone failed, Steve sort of got it but still failed, and they drank to their failures.

"Hey Alice, how about you give it a go" Clint encouraged her, but she didn't budge she just shook her head.

"leave her alone," Natasha smacked him on the back of the head " You don't have to, kid."

Everyone continued to argue about Thor's hammer and how no one was worthy but him. As everyone was laughing and talking amongst themselves. Alice was curled up in her chair, feeling very uneasy and anxious. More so than usual, something was about to happen, something bad.

A loud high, pitched sound rang, making everyone stop and cover their ears. Heavy footsteps were heard, and a broken robot from the iron legion.

"No, how could you be worthy you're all killers" The Robot spoke.

"Stark," Steve said sternly.

"Jarvis"

"I'm sorry," the robot ignored them and continued speaking, " I was sleeping, or I was a-dream"

"Jarvis, reboot Legionnaire OS. We got a buggy suit," Tony demanded, but Jarvis still didn't answer.

"There was a terrible noise. And I was tangled in... in...strings. I had to kill the other guy. He was a good guy"

Alice gasped hearing this- the machine's words he had killed someone, someone was dead. Someone in the tower was dead, but who? How?

"Wouldn't have been my first call. But, down in the real world, we're faced. With ugly choices"

"who sent you?" Thor asked

Then a voice was very familiar, it was her father's voice " I see a suit of armor around the world." Alice choked as she heard it she covered her mouth she slid off the chair onto the floor. It was her father's voice. Her father made this, what was it?

"Ultron," Bruce answered her unasked questions.

"In the flesh, or, no, not yet" Everyone took a moment to look at Bruce and Tony before turning back to the threat in front of them. "Not this chrysalis. But I'm ready. I'm on a mission"

"what mission?" Natasha dare asked

"Peace in our time."

All hell broke loose the Iron Legion busted into the room, flying Alice screamed and jumped to her feet she ran upstairs to the upper floors one of the Legions came crashing through, knocking her into the back wall of the bar and to the floor. But that didn't stop her she got up and kept running as a member of the legion started firing all around. She slides off the stairs to the lower floors. She sees Dr. Cho crouched down behind the piano and sees a Legion crawling towards her as Steve runs up and tosses the legionnaire away, Alice runs by, taking Dr.Cho's hand and running for a better hiding spot together.

Running, the two stop as a Legionnaire land in front of them "Oh no" Alice whimpered as she pushed Dr.Cho behind her as the machine walked forward. Two steps in, and then it just dropped behind it stood Loki. He didn't waste any time pulling the ladies along, hiding them behind the bar.

Loki was about to walk away from them and fight with the others when he felt something tug on his leg he looked down to see Alice pulling his leg " Please," she had tears in her eyes, trying so hard to stay grounded as a panic attack was nearing. Loki kneeled down, cupping Alice's cheek he gave her a soft kiss, "I'm here," and he stood back up again and in front of the bar. At that moment, the two forgot and did not realize that Dr. Cho was right there watching the entire thing happen she said nothing.

" I'm sorry. I know you mean well. You didn't think it through," they heard Ultron speak. Loki put a finger to shush them. " You want to protect the world, but you don't want it to change. How is humanity saved if it's not allowed to evolve? With these? These puppets. There's only one path to peace. The Avenger's extinction." The girls jumped, heard a loud bang, and held each other's hands.

The confidence Alice was running around with earlier was long gone, and she was shaking like a leaf, and her heart was pounding in her ears her head was dizzy. Honestly, if it weren't for Cho right here holding her hands, she would have fallen into a panic and passed out by now.

"I had strings, but now I'm free."

Everything started to calm down again, everyone realizing or trying to understand what just happened.

"Alice, Doc...Alice, ALICE"

"Here," Cho said as she tried to crawl out from under the bar pulling Alice along, but she wouldn't budge. Loki stepped forward, taking Alice's hand and snapping her out of it again she said nothing. Loki also gave a hand to Cho, helping her stand but said nothing to her.

"Hello again," he said casually as he brought Alice to her feet, gently rubbing her knuckles even through his mouth said one thing his eyes translated into 'Are you okay?'

"Hi," she whispered standing and squeezing his hand it translates to " I'm okay" he dusted her sweater ' a little blood and bruises'.

For a moment, the two forgot about the others in the room, they forgot they weren't allowed in the same room. They forgot they were supposed to be a secret as she leaned forward, laying her head on his chest.

"ALICE" they snapped out of it she immediately let go of his hands .

"I-I'm okay" she stuttered noicing everyone's eyes on her.

"You're bleeding," Loki said, looking down at her feet. Unfortunately, Alice was without shoes and made the decision earlier to crawl so her feet and knees were bleeding. What the others didn't see, thanks to her long black hair and sweater, was the blood dripping down her neck and back. She said nothing they had bigger problems to deal with.

A few people took noticed how Alice and Loki acted around each other they acted almost familiar like this wasn't their first meeting. Something was up between them but they had bigger problems to worry about.