"I sincerely hope you have prison bitches on Asgard, and that you, Loki, become one." Miriam muttered to Thor as she stood on the other side of the previously mentioned prisoner. Her hands were tightly locked over his wrists, keeping sure that he didn't try anything and since his mouth was bound shut with another Asgardian device the only thing the adoptive brother could do was roll his eyes at the women's gloating smile.

Thor had asked her to help him guide Loki to where they would be transporting out of Earth and where they would also be meeting the rest of their team, The Avengers. After a disastrous day yesterday they'd all gone their separate ways mainly because they did not want to get arrested and it seemed like the better option then sticking around the destruction that was New York. They were walking through Central Park which was empty since yesterday's mayhem on the small island.

The rumble to two cars and a motorcycle advancing made them aware they were nearing the destination.

Thor tilted his head, long enough to find her face with his expression of confusion, " prison bitch?"

She nodded her head, patting Loki's back a little to roughly, "something your dear brother here would be owning if I had anything to say about his punishment."

The rest of their team approached them, including Slevig who was transporting in a high tech van, no doubt that carried a device worthy enough to hold the Tessaract.

Everyone nodded at one another, ready to be done with the situation once and for all. Miriam dropped her hold on Loki, walking towards Nat and Clint who were leaning against a black car. "How are we feeling today?"

"Like we were rammed by a bus," Nat responded dryly, clearly not happy with the fact Miriam was able to heal much faster then them both. "Where you headed to next Miriam?"

"A funeral," she answered, knowing very well the two knew of her intended destination.

"I meant after," Nat retorted.

Miriam thought it over, relaxing her shoulder, "I don't know. I'm kind of over the jungle now that I think about it."

"You're actually thinking about leaving Colombia? And your kids, the Reapers? You're gonna leave it all behind?" Clint said with doubt.

"Of course not, it took me years to build that up but I'm not opposed to a relocation. I think I'd be good for the reapers, be closer to their families and I'd like to be close to you guys." Miriam clarified with a smile.

"Are you sure you're not just saying that for Stark?" Clint was suspicious.

At the mention of billionaire Miriam turned in his direction, they hadn't talked since the previous day, they were all so tired and in need of a serious change so it was only natural that they didn't feel like discussing life changing decision. The hero was opening a very thick briefcase that carried the tessaract, allowing Dr. Banner to move it from its place and into the secure case Selvig had built. Tony wasn't paying attention to the eyes on him so Miriam allowed a smile to grace her features, thankful that he'd come back in one piece. She looked back to the duo of friends, both with raised brow and even more convinced that this was because of him. She rolled her eyes in response and states, "it may seem that way but I promise it's not. I think it's time I stop running away from the world I left behind and start accepting that I need to step out of my comfort zone."

"Well, whatever the reason may be I'm glad." Natasha nodded. "Barton isn't the best person to talk to about relationships."

Miriam chuckled, turning on her heel when she began to hear that the transfer was complete and the trip to Asgard was near. Thor was handed the device, holding one side while he held out the other to Loki.

"Miriam!" The blonde brother called out just before they left. The brunette walked closer, raising a brow of interest, she had to have known that he wanted to speak with her. He kept giving her this look, and the way Loki's eyes brightened indicated that he had already known what was happening. When she was close enough, and it seemed like the rest of the Avengers were also listening he continued. "I think it would be wise of you to come with us, or at least consider taking a trip to Asgard."

She pressed her lips together, finding interest in his words. "Why is that Thor?"

"Because Miriam, you're of Asgardian descent." He stated calmly after a brief moment. Although this probably wasn't the best moment to state it, he couldn't exactly keep this to himself. Loki hadn't just come to this world of his own accord, yes it had been the Tessaract to open the portal but Miriam's energy over the world had also sparked it.

"What?" She said, swallowing the lump in her throats as his words broke through her mind and added yet another layer of baggage.

"My father Odin sent you to this realm as a favor for your father, I think it's time you come home now." Thor went into brief detail. "I promise once there you will get an entire explanation."

Miriam pressed her lips together, this was more then she could cope with, more then any person to take in. Her fingers clenched, pressing together as if to release some energy from the stress. When she finally found her voice her decision had been made up, "thank you Thor but I think I'll stick around here for awhile. That's a lot to take in and I'm not sure I'm entirely prepared to deal with that. Some other time."

Thor respectfully nodded his head while Loki seemed to drop his shoulders as if he expected a different response. The movement didn't go unnoticed so Thor shoved his brother a little to gain his attention and then went back to the brunette, "Miriam, you're always welcome on Asgard, have no fear."

She nodded, waving her hand steadily despite their overwhelming sense of nerves hitting her body. There was a reason she'd never chosen to dig into her past, and in the back of her mind it had always been something life altering but to not belong to the one planet she had known her whole life was on a different plane of incredible.

Loki and Thor disappeared in the blink of an eye leaving the rest of the group silent. After some time they all began to look between one another, realizing that it was probably best to forget Thor's last words for the moment. Miriam smiled at her fellow heroes, putting the discovery at the back of her mind.

"Are you okay?" Natasha whispered into her ear when they hugged one another.

Miriam nodded her head, "probably not wise to think about it right now but yeah. I think that might have helped me clear some decision up now."

Clint was next, wrapping the petite women into a firm hug, "well, you're always welcome to join us, come home soon though. It's nice getting the band back together."

"I'm not sure the worlds ready for that type of mayhem again," she joked, pulling apart. "I'll see you two very soon, I promise no more running."

Banner was next, after he'd retrieved his bag from Natasha the man shook both the agents hands and then followed up with her. "Miriam, thanks for the Capri Sun."

"Thanks for not killing me." She retorted.

Steve followed up after, dipping his head to the brunette in a very gentlemen way. "Miriam, I'm gonna miss you."

"Oh Steve, I won't be gone that long, promise, besides I think you are gonna like what I have in store for you." She answered cheerfully with a wink.

"I sincerely hope that means you're taking me clothes shopping soon and that it doesn't involve anything with the word skinny jean." He responded, sounding less then enthusiastic at her devious smile.

"I was thinking more along the lines of partner in crime, but shopping will be our first stop!" She answers back, pushing him in for a tight hug.

Steve walked off and got onto his bike, leaving only Miriam and Tony to say goodbye.

Tony lifted the keys to his convertible, "need a ride to the airport?"

Miriam's legs were moving faster then she could process, already getting in the car before she had fully understood the situation she was about to place herself under.

The others of their group drove off, Bruce having even bought himself a motorbike to get around.

Tony drove for awhile, pulling onto the nearly empty highway as the silence droned out between them. He couldn't stand it, not from her and he was certainly not going to keep silent much longer so he turned his head to look at her. "So where are we headed?"

"We?" Miriam responded with a cocked brow.

"Yes, where is this funeral? Adrian did you say?" Tony engine purred harder, pushing towards one of the airports.

"Tony—"

"No, don't do that." He cut into the conversation. "Conversations like that usually end with someone telling me they're pregnant, which thank god it wasn't my baby, or separation which I'm assuming is gonna happen now."

Miriam offered him a smile, turning in her seat. His eyes were on her despite driving at an accelerated speed but she didn't worry, there wasn't any cars on the road. "Tony, you have a girlfriend."

"Yes, but things are different with you." He once more decided to interrupt.

She eyes him after a second, waiting for his lips to shut, "I'll fly off if you don't let me finish speaking."

He debated speaking, even opening his lips but when nothing came out she knew the game was over. Miriam kept silent a minute longer and then said, "what I'm trying to say is we both have lives that could never flow. You have a girlfriend Tony, and she's really sweet. Pepper does deserves at least a conversation and I have Reapers waiting for me on another hemisphere, we can't just abandon everything to be with one another."

Tony's lips pressed together firmly, hand tightening against the steering wheel as everything inside him said she was right. Of course she was right, there wasn't a women in his life that wasn't right. He sighed, moving his eyes over her features one last time because he knew there would be some time before they spoke. "You're right." Miriam proceeded to cover his hand that was on the shift with her own. He thought over how much he enjoyed having her hand with his and gave her another glance. "You know I like that you caring."

"I like that you're understand Stark."

"Am I no longer an egotistical asshole Morales?"

"You're working on it." She admitted, once more brandishing a smile.

The car came to a stop in the middle of the bridge, both of them simply staring at one another in complete serenity as they knew it wasn't a goodbye. They would see one another again and the next time would be more definitive then this.

"I should get going if I want to meet up with my team." She admitted.

"Take the car."

"I can fly."

"I know, but take the car." Tony insisted.

"How will you get home?" She raised a brow.

Tony lifted his watch, "Jarvis?"

The back door opened, a fully functioning Iron Man suit building by the car. Once it was done he stepped out of the vehicle, Miriam following shortly after with her arms crossed. "You do realize this cars worth like 10 million dollars right?"

"If I can trust you with my life in the middle of an alien battle I think I can trust you with a car—besides then you have a reason to come back to me." The lost words were said softly, almost shyly which was a complete 180 to the Tony Stark she was used too.

Miriam bit her bottom lip feeling his palm push the keys into her palm gently. He waited for a response, the only one she could think was fair and so she responded, "I'll come back, and not because of the car."

"See you soon, Saint."

"Bet on it T."

|•|•|•|•|

6 MONTHS LATER

"Mercury, make sure that shit is sent straight to the helicopter no stops! Marks I need you to secure our positions in Istanbul, if our covens been blown then we've got to destroy everything! Lee, Infierno secure the prisoner!"

Miriam walked through the navy vessel aboard the Mediterranean, yanking off the gun holsters and bullets proof vests she was forced to wear every time her and her team went into a mission. Steve was beside her, unclasping the Captain America that he wore every time.

"Don't you ever get tired of wearing that thing? The whole word knows who you are, what's the point of hiding anymore?" She questioned with a raised brow, looking away from the stacks of paperwork she needed to review and then sign.

The blue eyed male looked down at her, "don't you ever get tired of poking at my wardrobe?"

"I'm just getting in my last jabs before they upgrade your suit, I'll no longer have anything to make fun of then." She retorted, multitasking by skimming through the pages.

"You'll always have that god awful wardrobe he bought himself." Nat came up to them, nodding her head as a greeting. "I take it Barcelona went well?"

"Flawlessly," Miriam responded before pretending to shiver, "and don't even remind me. I'm so glad I stole a key to your apartment and donated them to the Red Cross."

"I liked them," Steve deadpanned.

"So did Abraham Lincoln." The brunette joked.

Before anyone could say another world, or in Steve's case justify his outfits choices, one of the agents from SHIELD walked up to them, a large phone in hand. "Ma'am I hate to interrupt but Mr. Stark is on the line and he is insisting to speak with you, he threatened to tell Fury about me and I'm terrified, please tell him not too."

The young man held out the device with a shaky hand, unaware of the devilish looks Natasha and Steve were now giving Miriam. She stared at the phone, taking it from his hands, "Fury won't touch you Connors, I promise. Thank you."

He walked away with a simple sigh of relief and a mouthed thank you.

Miriam looked between her two friends, watching as they pretended to be distracted. She turned on her heel, walking inside the vessel and into one of the rec rooms. The tv was off and no one was in so she locked the door and sat down near the remote.

"Stark, what have I said about threatening the agents?"

After a second of static a very distorted Tony comes through the line, "well it got you on the phone didn't it?"

She doesn't think much of the static considering she was far off any coast, they were used too this and no matter how much the billionaire offered to come and fix the issue she refused. It irritated him to no end not to be able to see her face as often as he'd liked but she preferred the simplicity in technology, a trait he endure for her sake.

"Any particular reason you've called T?" She questioned after a brief chuckle at his words.

"You haven't been watching the news lately have you?" He muttered, once more a loud static cutting, barely letting his words be understood.

"No, I've been deep in the mountains of Spain trying to keep 6 SHIELD scientists out of the hands of crazy mercenaries hell bent on killing them, forgive me if I'm not up on the times." She deadpanned, and when Tony did not laugh at her sarcasm her worry spiked. "Why Tony? Is there something wrong?"

"I—I think you should turn on the tv." Was his only response.

Miriam scrambled to bring power to the small television, waiting impatiently as it started up and connected to the satellite. The image was distorted, barely recognizable as she quickly flickered towards the news station but then it soon appeared. On tv the headline read "BILLIONAIRE TONY STARK DEAD AFTER TAUNT AGAINST MANDARIN LED TO BOMBING OF MALIBU HOME." The live footage was of his home burnt to ruins, cliff caving in itself as the waves took what was left of his crumbling home, there was pieces on fire and law enforcement combing through it all via water or land.

Miriam dropped the control, standing straight up and rushing towards the tv as if the image would change if she got closer. For a moment she entirely forgot the Tony was okay and he was on the phone with her at the very moment. She swallowed the lump of a sob that threatened to escape as she calmed down and finally managed to speak,
"Tony—"

"Don't freak out—"

"—don't freak out! Are you fucking kidding me! The whole world thinks you're dead! Your house blew up! Who is this Mandarin! Where is he? What is he? Where are you? Are you okay? Am I gonna kill someone soon? Tony!" Her questions were so quick Tony wasn't able to get in a word before she was already demanding rapid answer.

"I'm fine, I'm okay! Miriam, I called you so you wouldn't freak out but it appears I should have done this after. Don't come out here, you're safe where you are and not anywhere near him." Tony ignored many of her questions, leaning against the lawn chair he was reduced to sitting in. "As for where I am, well I think it's better you don't know because even I don't fully know. I'm okay though, and I will take care of this by myself!"

"YOURSELF? You were nearly killed yesterday and you think you've got this shit handled Stark!" She yelled into the phone, turning away from the television screen because if she continued to watch she would get nauseous.

"I do!" He retorted. "If I didn't then I'd be Fury, advising you that your very handsome boyfriend was dead and you were a widower."

"I never said you were my boyfriend." Miriam scoffed. "And to be a widower we'd have to be married."

"Yeah you did, I have a few drunk videos from Freddie to prove so and that last part could be arranged with a very quick drive thru a Vegas chapel."

"They do those?"

"Vegas does."

"Tony—"

"—Steve seems to be as holy as a clergy man... besides the you know... killings during the wars but his celibacy should make up for that."

"You're way off topic now, and frankly I'm gaining a headache from this discussion. Back to the topic, why the hell did you call me if it wasn't for my help?" Miriam pressed her free hand to her forehead, making a mental note to find some ice after this and maybe even a nice alcoholic beverage.

The line went silent, and she could see him looking to the sky and pumping himself up to say the next words. He did this a lot she noticed, Tony wasn't usually the reserved one but when things over emotions came up he seemed to need time to process. He came back though, "I just wanted you to know from me that I was okay, and I needed to hear your voice to know you were okay."

Miriam pressed her lips together, ignoring her melting heart. "Tony, are you sure you've got this?"

"As sure as I am that we're in need of that Sweden vacation." He retorted.

Despite her worry she decided to not intervene and for once allow him to do this his way. "Give 'em hell T. I'll see you soon."

"Thanks Saint for the motivation."

|•|•|•|•|

FINISHED WITH BOOK ONE!! IM SO HAPPY RIGHT NOW! THANK YOU FOR ALL OF THOSE WHO SUPPORTED MIRIAM UNTIL NOW! I LOVE WRITING FOR HER AND HOPEFULLY YOU WILL CONTINUE ON INTO HER NEXT BOOK WHICH IS CALLED OPEN GRAVES AND IS UP ON MY PAGE RIGHT NOW!