A couple of quiet weeks later, Fury came to bother you while you were sitting on the couch in the common room with a book. "Kat, we've got some new recruits. Do you mind helping us out in the training room?" he asked. You remembered that there had been some new super teens who moved into the tower. It was teens who were most likely to gain powers after magic exploded into the world again.

Fury liked having you work with the newbies. They tended to get confused when you didn't do what they were expecting you to do and, instead, acted like a victim actually does when they're being rescued. You tended to do things like run the wrong way, burst into hysterical tears and not move, or grab the nearest item to try to help. The rookies learned a valuable lesson, you had fun, and everyone won.

"Not at all. I'll be right there," you replied brightly. You had fun messing with the newbies. Probably a bit too much fun if you were being honest. Fury nodded and went back to his newbies to get them ready.

You looked over at Loki who grinned, knowing exactly what you'd be up to, since he'd been training you for this. "Show them what you've learned, darling," he bid you and stood to come along. Of course he wanted to watch. You were wearing jeans and a t-shirt, an outfit that was just fine for this exercise. Your magical dagger sheath was secured at the small of your back, where you usually kept it. Loki didn't like you to not have it, even in the tower.

You did take your bracelet off and handed it to Loki. "Can you put this in my jewelry box? I don't want anything to happen to it," you asked him. You knew the bracelet was delicate and expensive and you didn't want anything to happen to it. You were a lot more comfortable asking for small magics over the last couple of weeks, since Loki had finally convinced you that they were no trouble at all.

The bracelet vanished. You wore it nearly all the time, so you felt kind of naked without it. You didn't want anything to happen to it, though. "Thank you," you said when the bracelet had vanished from his hand.

You walked together to the training room, waving to supers as you went. Loki took a seat on the sidelines to watch. There was a group of young teens standing in one corner being addressed by Fury. You walked over to them. "This is your helpless victim," Fury told them, gesturing to you. You smiled, this was going to be fun. "Clint and his team will play the villains trying to kidnap her. You are to stop them from doing so. Kat, get into position," he told you without more direction than that. You didn't need more direction. You'd done this a lot over the last few years. You nodded and took your usual spot about halfway between the two groups.

Fury stepped off of the floor and the match began. The villains were wearing literal black hats. It was a running joke, but made for good identification during the matches. They came up to you and Clint grabbed you. The kids came running up from the other side, but they were unorganized and weren't going to be very effective. At all.

Self-rescuing princess time.

You pulled a dagger from the sheath at your back in a well-practiced movement and held it to Clint's throat. He let you go in surprise. You pulled three more daggers in fast succession, throwing them with hard earned precision at the rest of the team. The kids just stood there shocked while you fought the supers on your own, holding them off with the skills you had honed over the last few months working every day with Loki.

Fury was laughing his head off at the confusion on both sides. "Enough!" he finally bellowed. You dropped your latest dagger and held up your hands. Everyone else was holding up theirs as well, acknowledging that the battle was over. "Peter, report. What have you learned?" Fury asked the leader of the kids' team. Peter didn't live full-time with the team, he lived with his aunt nearby, but he'd been on more missions than most of them, since he'd had his powers before magic exploded in the world.

"Never mess with Kat?" he asked with a grin. That earned him a laugh from his friends, but a glare from Fury.

"While that is correct, that's not the answer we're looking for. Gail," he picked on one of the girls, calling on her to answer next.

"Victims may not act the way you expect," she answered obediently. You had a feeling she'd heard tales from the other supers about your lack of cooperation during training.

"Correct. Whatever the victim does, you must be prepared for. Don't let her actions distract you from your mission," Fury lectured them. They all looked in awe of the lesson and shamed at the same time for not doing it well the first time. Fury turned to Clint next. "And what have you learned?" he asked. Clint's team was made up of all adults, well trained fighters. They'd either been supers in hiding from before magic came back to the world, or had been among the first to gain powers. Or in Clint's case was one of the original six Avengers.

"Not to mess with Kat," he chuckled, giving you a small bow. You laughed at that and nodded your head in a return bow to him. He sobered quickly and gave his real answer. "Just because we don't use deadly force on humans doesn't mean our opponents will hold to the same constraints,"

"Correct. You must be able to cope with the different motivations of your opponents," he told them. "Again," he ordered. You all went back to your spots and the drill started again. Clint was more wary of you this time. The rest of his team wasn't. However, the kids got to you before Clint's team this time. So you crumpled to your knees and started 'crying' hysterically, clutching on to whichever kid you could and generally being a nuisance and not helping. In the end, your hindrance broke the kids' plan. Clint threw you over his shoulder and started walking calmly off the practice court.

"Enough!" Fury yelled. Clint set you back on your feet gently.

"You ok?" he asked, making sure you hadn't gotten hurt somehow. Everyone was wary about hurting the girl without powers. You nodded and reassured him quickly.

"Peter, what is the lesson?" Fury demanded.

"She helped us last time!" Peter whined. You tried not to laugh at him. Poor kid was about to get his ass chewed. "We thought she'd help us again!!" he whined more as if that would help him.

"Don't expect the victim to help you!" Fury yelled, sounding like a drill Sargent. His roar was impressive when he felt like using it. And he felt like it then to make his point. "Most of the time, they will do what she did. They will cry and not help you. Reset. Again," he ordered and you all went back to your spots.

/Your turn/ you thought at Loki. He didn't make any movement or reaction, but you felt the change in his attention.

The scenario started again. Clint's team came up on you, beating the kids to you this time. "HELP!" you shrieked in you best damsel in distress voice. It was the ear-splitting scream of a horror movie victim.

Loki teleported into the ring, standing in front of you defensively. You watched the amazing battle of illusions, daggers, and magic bolts thrown at Clint's team. He was pulling his punches, though, dazing them instead of hurting them. Once they were all disabled, he turned to you and gave you a very thorough kiss.

"Enough, you two," Fury groaned. "Lesson, Clint?" Fury demanded while Clint groaned back to his feet.

"Don't mess with Kat," he said again with a smirk when he was standing. You laughed and stuck your tongue out at him. He chuckled. "Be aware of connections and relationships. A sensible villain won't go after a well protected target,"

"Again. Kat, defend yourself. Loki, sit this one out," Fury ordered. You nodded and the scene was reset yet again.

The battle began and you realized that you were on your own. You don't know what signal Fury had given to the kids, but they weren't helping. This was going to end poorly. You threw daggers and tried to keep your opponents distracted, but you could only manage so long. They weren't surprised anymore by your ability, which wasn't that good yet after only a couple of months. You tried to move around the field, but one of them had covered the arena in ice. You would lose your footing if you moved too much. You planted your feet and called for help, but none came. Clint stomped over. You managed to keep him at bay with daggers and he went skidding away with a well-timed throw. He'd had to dodge it dramatically and got caught on the ice.

You shrieked in pain when Electron, a super with electricity powers like Thor's, got his hands on you. He forgot to pull his attack and you were hit full blast with his lightning. There was a hand-shaped burn on your arm from where he had grabbed you.

"Stop!" Fury shouted while you shrieked in pain, cradling your arm safely.

"Kat! I'm sorry!" Electron apologized as Loki rushed over. You were already on the ground, crying in pain. Loki knelt down next to you and placed his cold hand on the wound. You sighed in relief as Loki's healing powers eased the pain quickly.

"Shh, love. It's ok. You'll be alright," he promised. He healed the wound quickly, but you were still shaky and let him hold onto you for awhile longer.

"Kat! Are you ok? I'm so sorry," Electron said again. You looked up at him and gave him a smile.

"I'm fine," you reassured him. "It was an accident." You added that last part for Loki's benefit as much as Electron's. You didn't want him hurt for accidentally hurting you.

"Where are the lessons, here?" Fury demanded once Loki helped you shakily back to your feet.

"I'm still just human," you replied dejectedly, your voice shaky.

"Yes. It's not a bad thing that you're learning to protect yourself, but don't get cocky. You will always be at the disadvantage against supers," Fury told you. He turned to Electron. "And you?"

"Don't mess with Kat," he gave you a tentative smile at the joke of the day. "Even a human can be difficult to take down, but doesn't mean we can lose control of our powers to take them down," he answered more formally. Fury nodded.

"Kat, you and Loki are dismissed. Thank you for your help today," you nodded and let Loki steer you from the room. You were exhausted and still shaky, so you didn't argue when he led you upstairs.

"Darling, are you sure you are alright?" he asked, concerned.

"That was just a lot of electricity," you murmured. "Powerless humans are not meant to be lightning rods," you grumbled.

"I understand that more than anyone with the thunder god for an idiot brother," he commiserated. He swept you up into his arms and for once you didn't protest. Even with healing you were shaken. "Come along, love, let's get you to bed," he said softly, gently. You could hear the concern in his voice.

"I'll be fine, Loki," you promised, though you doubted he believed you. He put you to bed and tucked you in. "I'll be fine, especially after a nap," you repeated. "Wake me before you go on patrol?" you asked. He'd actually gotten an assignment other than guarding you.

Loki was rummaging in your jewelry box. He came back to you a moment later and clasped the bracelet back around your wrist where it usually lived. You smiled up at him in thanks. "Of course I will, now get some rest," he bid you warmly.

*

A few hours later, you woke starving, but otherwise feeling much better. Loki was sitting in your recliner with a book. You smiled over at him. "Keeping vigil again?" you asked with a smile.

"Of course, my dear." Your stomach growled and Loki chuckled. He offered you a hand and pulled you to your feet. You giggled at him and you went downstairs together to see what Helene had made for dinner. "I'm sorry I have to leave you," he told you once you had finished eating.

"It's alright, you have to work," you replied with a warm smile.

"Come on, Reindeer Games," Tony growled from the doorway impatiently. "You aren't even dressed yet. We have to get out there for patrol."

"I'll get the dishes, you guys go on," you told them. Tony gave you a hug and Loki gave you a kiss before they left on their patrol. You hoped neither of them would kill the other while they were out there.

It was lonely in the compound that night. Everyone was out on patrol, including your boyfriend. You had forgotten how lonely your life had been before him. You sat on our couch reading while you waited for them to get home. You left the news on in the background, praying you wouldn't hear about an attack and they'd all get home safely.

It was around 3am when they finally returned. You ran to the door to greet them, so glad they came back safely. They both looked unscathed and they hadn't killed each other. It was a successful night.

"Your boyfriend is annoying," Tony grumped at you before he went up to bed.

You laughed. "What'd you do to him?" you asked Loki while the two of you walked up the stairs to your own rooms.

"I did nothing to him," Loki replied with a smirk. "He was displeased that I teleported some robbers to the police instead of letting him punch them," he shrugged. "I do not know why that is. It was much easier my way." You laughed at that.

"I'm just glad you're ok. I worry about you when you're out on patrol," you reminded him.

"And I worry over you when you are here alone,"

*

A couple weeks later, you and Loki were out on a date. The next installment of the Avengers movies had come to theaters and you had both wanted to see it. Loki even wore the full Loki costume for the occasion, including the helmet. They were introducing a new character this film, so you actually got to dress up too. The new character was Sigyn, Loki's wife. She was in the ads for the movie, so Loki could recreate her costume for you.

You tried not to think too hard about how the character looked almost identical to you.

"Look! It's Loki!" fangirls and kids all called as you walked into the theater. You had a lot of fun signing autographs for the kids. They kept asking you where the rest of the team members were from the movie and you had to remind them that the team was spread out among different theaters. The movie was fantastic as always, as was dinner afterwards, which you had at a slightly more casual restaurant, so you could go in costume. You got more attention there and had to take selfies with all sorts of fans.

It was on your walk back to where you had parked your car that you met up with some of The Harlequin's clowns. There were only two of them, thankfully. They approached and through their laughing you deciphered that they were demanding that Loki hand you over. As if that were going to happen. "Are you up to this?" Loki asked as they came toward you, laughing psychotically. You nodded and pulled a dagger from the sheath you wore on your wrist instead of the small of your back that night. "I can send you home," he added in case you weren't confident.

"If we can't handle two clowns..." you grumbled at him.

He smiled proudly. "If you are injured, you shall be quite cross with you," he told me.

"I expect nothing less," you replied with a smirk.

The fight was over in less than a minute. Loki bound one up in magic. You fought the other with your dagger, which was not an easy feat in a long dress, but you managed and subdued the crazy laughing clown. You called for backup and they came quickly to collect the clowns.

After that incident, when it was clear that The Harlequin still wanted you for some reason, Loki was pulled from patrol and put back on guard duty. Neither of you minded in the least.