Siren's Song

Tony smiled and finished off his coffee. “Okay team. Fall in.”
I came out of the bathroom still breathing heavy, my face beet red. Tony waved me over and put his arm around my shoulders.
“Since you all decided to have breakfast without me,” he acted hurt. “I’m taking my car back and no one gets a ride.” Groans all around. “But each of you can get back however you want, be creative but don’t break anything. We’ll meet in the gym. F.R.I.D.A.Y. keeps track of who gets there first and prizes will be awarded in order of appearance. And it starts……...NOW!”
Tony made a break for his car. Tasha smiled at Clint and they started running, making it a race between the two of them. Thor went outside and started twirling his hammer which pulled him into the sky. I lost track of Bucky, Cap, the twins, Sam and Rhodey. Loki sat in his seat and looked at me.
“So, how do you plan on getting back?” he asked me.
“Taxi?”
“Amateurs,” he moaned. “Fine, come here Minx.” I stood and walked over to him. “Put your arm around me.” I raised my eyebrows. “Magic.”
I smiled and put my arms around him. He chuckled and placed his arm around me as well. Then the world shifted and spun. I clung to Loki until everything settled. I gazed up at him in wonder and smiled.
“That was so awesome!” I gushed.
“Thank you,” Loki said proudly.
“Took you long enough,” Pietro called from the mats.
Loki rolled his eyes and let go of me. He turned to leave and I grabbed his sleeve.
“Wait,” I begged.
“What would you have of me, my Lady?”
“Do you know anything about my abilities?” I asked, he raised an eyebrow at me. “I mean, do you have any ideas for ways that I could use them?”
“I might,” he answered. “Let me ponder on it and I shall get back to you.” Then he disappeared.
“That has got to be the coolest way of travel,” I said out loud.
“F.R.I.D.A.Y.?” Tony walked into the gym. “Roll call.”
“Pietro got back first. Followed by Loki and Lily. Thor landed on the roof just before you pulled in. Steve and Bucky are a block away. Clint and Natasha stopped for coffee and have offered to get coffee for everyone.”
“Shave five minutes off their time,” Tony ordered.
“Sam is landing now, as is Rhodey. Wanda is ...”
“Here,” Wanda finished. She walked in from a giant, spinning, red hole that closed behind her.
“But she came back at the same time as Pietro and then left again.”
“Tattletale,” Wanda muttered.
“What took you back out?” Tony asked.
“We did,” Tasha answered. “She came to help us bring the coffee back, that way it would still be hot.”
“She’s forgiven,” Tony announced. “Use her original time.”
“Who won?” Clint asked.
“Pietro,” Wanda said.
“What do I get?” Pietro asked Tony.
“You get to leave early,” Tony said. “Like half an hour before anyone else. I have to go pick up the Jolly Green Giant.”
“He’s back already?” Tasha asked.
“Yep,” Tony sighed. “Science conventions can be a little stressful. He noticed that his hands tried turning green a couple times and figured he needed to come home.”
“So what do I need to do?” I asked.
“Natasha is going to start your training,” Steve answered as he and Bucky came in. “She needs to be assessed and then you two can come up with a training routine. Might also have Hawkeye try her on distance weapons with you.”
“Come on kid,” Tasha grabbed my hand. “Barton!”
“Coming,” Clint jogged toward us.
“We aren’t staying in the gym?” I asked.
“Only if you want your friends laughing at how many times we knock you on your,” Tasha replied.
“Okay, I understand.” I grimaced as I cut her off.
We went to a smaller room across the hall, one entire wall was just a giant mirror. There were weights, exercise machines of various types and even some gymnastic equipment. I smiled at it all and couldn’t wait to get onto the balance beam. I hadn’t done much with any of these since high school.
“Let’s get started,” Tasha said giving me a wicked grin.
After hours of being put through each piece of equipment, testing my flexibility, checking how much I could bench, and a ton of falling on my butt, I was ready for a hot bath. I was bent forward, hands on my knees, breathing heavily when Steve came in. He shook his head at the way I was panting and smiled at Tasha.
“Hey Nat,” he greeted. “How much do we need to teach her?”
“She isn’t a total train wreck,” Nat smiled when I protested the term. “She’s great with agility, flexibility, and surprisingly strength. She knows a few dirty tricks to get away from muggers and she’s pretty fast if the need arises. But we really need to teach her hand to hand, weapons and a few more dirty tricks.”
“How strong is she?” Steve asked, curious.
“Kid, come show Cap how strong you are.”
“What do you want me to do?” I asked as I walked slowly over to them.
“Lift Steve,” Tasha smiled.
“Tasha, I don’t think.. Ahhh” he yelled as I lifted him off the ground. “What the!?”
“We discussed it and came up with an idea,” Tasha began. “Her people live in the water. Since your body works harder in water, you need to be stronger.”
“I understand,” Steve was beginning to pale. “Put me down, please.”
“Sure. Easy or hard?” I joked. I gently set him back on his feet.
“Hey punk!” Bucky called, Steve looked at him. “You let a girl pick you up? I thought we were supposed to pick them up?”
“Shut up Buck,” Steve blushed at the double meaning. “Do you know her limit yet?”
“We don’t,” I admitted. “I got to 150 lbs. and they decided to stop for a bit so we could work on hand to hand. I hate to sound like a wuss but can I have a break?”
“She worked straight through lunch,” Clint said when Steve looked at them.
“Take the rest of the day,” Steve smiled when my jaw dropped. “Right now it’s not real busy, we have a lot of down time. We will step up your training so that when that changes you’re ready. But there’s no need to work you to death on the first day.”
“Do I have to stay around the compound?” I asked.
“Going to the diner?” Tasha asked.
“I thought I’d go to the library,” I corrected. “I’m dying for a book.”
“You know there’s a library in the building?” Bucky asked.
I dashed to the door, eager to get to the library that Tony had. I could hear them all laugh as I skidded to a stop at the elevator. I went to my room to shower and change before going in search of heaven on earth. As I got dressed I realized that I didn’t even know the floor it was on, I groaned.
“F.R.I.D.A.Y.,” I called.
“What can I do for you Lily?”
“What floor is the library on?”
“The library is the entire 19th floor.”
“You’re pulling my leg,” I cried. “That is the biggest private library I’ve ever seen!”
“Mr. Stark also has cassette tapes, CD’s, records and downloadable music in various genres. In your welcome basket that Ms. Potts put together there is a laptop, tablet, phone, and MP3 player for your personal use.”
“Does everyone get one of those baskets and where’s mine?” I asked.
“Every new member gets one. Yours was delivered as you were training. It was left on the counter in your kitchen.”
I squealed happily and hurried to the kitchen. On the counter was an enormous basket with all kinds of goodies in it. I got the MP3 player and phone out, leaving the rest to go through later. Then I slipped on a pair of socks and went to the elevator to go to the library.