(Y/n)'s P.O.V.

I thanked all the stars above me when I found out that the science lab had been fixed and as Fury said, the tesseract was perched on one of the tables in all its glory. I approached the cube slowly, evaluating its measurements as I came closer.

Right when I was about to get the accurate measurements, the door to the lab opened with a whoosh.

"Ummm... What are you doing?", Tony asked pointing at my posture. My left eye was closed, my index and thumb forming a perfect L along with my body leaning towards the object.

I straightened myself up in a hastened manner and stood there with my hands behind my back. I looked at the three men at the door sheepishly before placing both my hands on my hip with a smirk on my face.

"I am preparing for an experiment." Both scientists in the room seemed interested and came inside.

"What experiment?", Bruce asked.

"I am going to try and extract the space stone from the tesseract.", I answered. I fully expected Bruce to go ballistic about my attempts and be like 'it's too dangerous' or 'it's useless' but Bruce Banner apparently was not done with surprising me today. He put his hand on his chin and looked at me thoughtfully.

"Interesting...But how are planning to break through the culumb barrier? It will require a lot of heat." A smile spread across my face when I saw that Bruce was on board with my plan. Quickly, I took out the tissue paper containing Chitauri blood and handed it to the world renown scientist. He looked at me quizzically.

"What is this?"

"Blood. Chitauri blood to be precise."

"Okay that's disgusting.", Tony commented in a matter of fact way. I chuckled.

"Tony? What if I told you that this disgusting thing can break through the culumb barrier due to it's high temperature of 210 million kelvin?", I asked with a confident smile on my face. The eyes of both the scientists in the room widened in surprise.

"Is that... Is that possible?", Tony stuttered. I twirled the white tissue paper between my fingers and answered.

"Bien sûr! (Of course in french). In the world of science anything that has enough evidence is possible. You should know that better than me.", I replied, though I wasn't finished yet. I walked over to the cabinets to collect the materials I would need for the process.

"Since the time I had wiped off the blood on this, I felt it get hot suddenly. So I had given this to Sri for testing just before we went for Shawarma. She ran a few tests on this tissue" I held up the object to emphasize on my point. "and she said that I felt this because of the temperature of the blood. She put a coating of liquid helium which froze the atoms of the blood."

"In short converted it from liquid to Bose Einstein Condensate, right?", Tony asked coming inside and taking out his tools. I nodded my head.

"Partially, yes."

"What do you mean partially?", Bruce asked taking his place next to Tony on the table.

Steve decided it was his moment to speak after all these moments of silence.

"What do you mean by any of this?!", He exclaimed spreading his hands. I laughed at my friend's naivety while Tony groaned.

"Seriously Rogers, you are a creation of science yourself but you don't even get basics of science? Now that's an oxymoron." The American hero looked at me with fear.

"This is basics?", He asked in disbelief. I shook my head and went up to him.

"Look Steve, in simple language we have found a way to transfer the space stone safely to my kingdom.", I assured. He nodded indicating that he understood.

"Do you need me to help you?", He offered.

"Not here in the lab, no but I would certainly be grateful to you if you handled the things outside." "I shudder at the very thought of the amount of paperwork we'll have to battle.", I said comically earning chuckles from around the room. He gave us a nod and left us to our research.

*Time Skip*

Author's P.O.V.

(Y/n) held a light blue stone in between her forceps, looking at it in awe. The substance she was holding right now had the power to take her anywhere she wished through the universe.

"Tony? In my pocket, there is a box. Take out please.", She said getting reminded of her plan.

"Which one?", The confused billionaire asked.

"Left." Tony swooped his hand into the girl's pocket and when his hand came in contact with a velvet box, he fished it out, curiousity enveloping his conscience.

His eyes went wide with shock. None the less, he placed the box on the table while (Y/n) asked Bruce to open it.

Inside, there was a band of silver and a space to put a gemstone but the catch was there was no gemstone. Both the men shared a befuddled look with one another.

The girl holding the stone realized that and smiled to herself.

"You know I have a PhD in gemology?", She said placing the stone in the provided place.

"I do.", Bruce said.

"I don't.", Tony confessed. The elemental removed her protective glasses and looked at the man in the smoke grey t shirt.

"Well, I do and in that we are always taught that a true gemologist is always prepared for anything that comes her way. So, I carry an outline for a ring with me anywhere I go and as fate would have it, it came to use." She removed the ring from the box and wore it in her finger.

"I have half the mind to keep it with myself.", A voice commented from the door. The lean figure of Natasha Romanoff walked in and admired the ring.

It was placed perfectly in the space and if not looked too closely, anybody would have mistaken it for an aquamarine ring owned by the young heiress, which was not a suprising thing, considering her bank balance.

Just then Steve walked into the lab to check on their progress.

(Y/n)'s P.O.V.

"Steve. What's going on outside? As in the proceedings?", I asked getting reminded of the mess I had deal with outside the lab. Steve sighed.

"They are preparing to send Loki back to Asgard along with Thor which means there is a pile of paperwork for us of course. Then Fury was talking about some press conference." My eyes detached themselves from the ring I was about to place back in the box instead, focusing themselves on the American man in front of me.

"What sort of press conference?", I inquired.

"It's about the aftermath of the Battle. People are stressed. Terrified even, of the surprise they received.", He informed.

"They are demanding answers. So S.H.I.E.L.D. is asking if we" He said gesturing to the both of us. "are up for a press conference along with the team." Before I could answer a voice resonated in the room.

"Can you blame them?", Bruce asked from the other side. "They just saw a monster tear their city down."

"I agree. Loki did do a number on New York.", Tony confirmed.

"Who said I was talking about Loki?", The other said under his breath in a dejected tone. Tony, Steve and I shared a worried look with each other. I walked over to my best friend's table.

"Bruce, you didn't tear the city down. On the contrary you rescued it.", I reassured putting a comforting hand on his arm.

"Right. By unleashing a beast of pure rage." Tony clicked his tongue.

"Bruce desperate times call for desperate measures.", Steve tried.

"How desperate were we Steve? Huh? How desperate were we to allow an abomination such as the Hulk to break loose and do as be pleases? What if I lost control of him and ended up killing one of you? Ended up hurting a civilian? Then what? What if---"

"But you didn't.", Natasha interrupted. "And Bruce that's what really matters. Knowing your flaws yet to keep them under control for the sake of other people."

"She's not wrong, doctor. At least you were able to control your actions unlike me. Imagine not being in control of your actions. To just yell from the back seat don't do this but instead of hitting the breaks, you hit the accelerator. And when you get the steering wheel back in your hand, to see destruction caused by your own hands even when you pledged to not do so."

Clint's words moved me greatly. I had no idea what he had gone through and to be honest, I never will.

"I gravely apologize on behalf of my brother's actions, my brothers and sisters. If only there was something different that could be done I would have stopped at no lengths to do it, that I assure you.", Thor added.

"But it wasn't entirely his doing either Thor.", Steve cleared. All of us left what we were doing and stood there in the brooding silence.

Steve was right. New York's fate wasn't entirely Loki's fault. According to the alibi we received from him, he had no idea about anything that was going on around him. He only remembers the blood curling warning given to him...

You think you know pain? He will make you wish for something as sweet as pain...

I clenched my fists at the thought of this intergalactic band of bullies but then I realised that crying over spilt milk would be pointless.

I looked at my teammates' faces. Thor and Clint were filled with guilt while Natasha was fuming with rage. Bruce seemed to be in the depths of despair and Tony? He was trying to comfort his friend but it was in vain. Steve looked as if his thoughts were afar and jumbled.

"Steve's right guys.", I declared before the silence in the room became deafening.

"We have won the battle of New York but at the price of New York itself. There have been several casualties, both mental and physical. Rather than being happy that their city has been saved, civilians have become more panicked after seeing their heroes." I saw Natasha, who was sat on a bar stool in the lab, gulp to suppress a sob.

"Now we have 2 options: a) keep mourning and repenting on our deeds or b) clean up the mess we so skillfully made. At least as much as we can.", I concluded. The red head of our team stood up from her seat. I narrowed my eyes and looked at her steps which were moving towards the door swiftly.

"Where are you headed?", I inquired.

Without stopping to glance back, she said "To prepare for Thor and Loki to leave for Asgard. He has to come back soon as he has a press conference to attend." A smile broke across my face and I looked back at the others.

"Right. Even I will call up Pepper and ask her what the Stark Relief Foundation can do about it." Bruce nodded agreeing to Tony's notion.

"I will go and tell Fury that we have successfully extracted the space stone.", My brother informed opening his lab gear.

"I am going with Nat.", Clint said looking at me. "We will need a certain entourage for Mr. Real Power." The air quotes the archer made, got me to burst out laughing.

Thor swung Mjolnir in his hand once.
"I'll send a message to Father then, that he will be expecting us soon." I nodded in approval. Getting reminded of the nightmare people call paperwork Steve and I have to complete, I moved my body towards him to ask him to have that sent here so that I can work in peace.

"Steve would you---"

"I have already asked Percy to bring in the files and a cup of the best tea they have on the ship." I smiled at my splendid fortune as I had such wonderful friends.

"Thank you, Steve. In fact thank all of you.", I said putting my hand on my heart. All of them, including Thor lined up in front of me.

One by one all of them bowed down, not gracefully but it didn't matter to me at all at this moment.

My hands went to cover my mouth and I had tears of joy flowing out of my eyes.

Over the years, many people had bowed for me because of my status. It was the most usual thing for me. But now---- seeing the planet's mightiest heroes bow for me, made me feel as if I was in cloud nine and didn't really deserve it.

These peole were way more skilled than I was or will ever be. Both mentally and physically.

One was an American war legend. One was an esteemed member of the elite society globally. One had the most brilliant brains the world perhaps had ever had the honour to witness. One was a master assassin and a survivor of mental torture. To have her kneeling in front of me, was an honor. One was an extremely skilled archer and fighter. One was a demigod.

I looked up at the ceiling and thanked every divine power in this universe for allowing me to have this team.

That day, I made a silent vow.

I will protect this team with my dying breath if I have to.

Amidst the overload of my emotions, I didn't notice the concern in a certain pair of brown eyes. Bruce got up from his position and engulfed me in hug.

"(Y/n) sweetie! What's wrong? Did you not like what we did? Well, I am sorry." I snifled into Bruce's shirt while he kissed my hair. I took my face out and he released me from his tight embrace. I smiled and wiped my tears with the help of the handkerchief he gave me.

"Yeh to khushi ke aansoo hain, pagle. (Translation: These are tears of joy, you idiot.)" My big brother smiled fondly at me as he understood what I said but my team looked as lost as Bruce was with the matters of love. I didn't waste any more time in explaining to them what it meant as we had already lost enough time as it is. I turned to them and bowed down too.

"Dismissed.", I said once all of us were up on our own two feet and everyone scattered across the heli carrier, carrying out their tasks.