Because I find it absolutely hilarious this gif came up when I typed in "erik selvig gif" and another one of Sam Winchester showed up further down the page. Just felt the need to say that. XD

The battle commences! Enjoy, everyone!

Trigger warning for some crude language at the end.

+++

Saving the world was quite tiring when Jessie managed to take a second to think about it. Then Chitauri were swarming her again, and abruptly, adrenaline kicked in and sent her moving again.

In time, she was, for the first time ever, thanking any god that existed for giving her the ability to phase enemies through her, because she couldn't count on her fingers and toes how often she would have been dead meat if she didn't have that power. Most of what she did was shoot and hope she hit an enemy and not an ally. The only problem with fighting aliens was that she had no idea what it took to kill them. If it had been humans, that would have been a lot easier.

"You appear to have something on your mind!" Thor grunted as he dodged a blow.

"Currently my mind is shouting 'stay alive!' at the top of its lungs!" Jessie slid underneath a Chitauri and aimed a shot right in its eye, bringing it down.

"I thought brains didn't have lungs!"

"It's a figure of speech!"

"Are you two having a debate or something?" Clint's voice broke in.

"Shut up!"

"Then take your own advice, Vertigo!"

Jessie growled and phased through a Chitauri spear, grabbed it, and flipped the alien over her shoulder, Thor blasting it with lightning. "Noted."

"Have you found Loki?" May asked.

"No," Saleen answered, and Jessie caught a flash of light reflecting off ice nearby, two Frost Giants slamming into the sides of buildings. "I thought he'd be reveling in this."

"He's probably guarding the portal," Natasha grumbled.

"Well, how do you make him stop guarding the portal?"

"Well, the Hulk smashed him pretty well last time," Coulson recalled.

The Hulk's roar echoed across Manhattan, and Thor and Jessie exchanged glances. "Think he'd be up for it again?" Jessie asked.

"He's probably expecting that this time," Steve cut in. "It'd be better to give him something he doesn't expect."

Jessie just barely rolled out of the way of a Frost Giant that landed in front of her, then delivered two quick bullet shots to its chest. It jerked back a few steps, then Thor threw his hammer, and the Frost Giant fell to the ground below. "Would I fit that category?"

"No way in hell!" Tony finally broke in for the first time. "You are not giving yourself up!"

"Vertigo, you give yourself up, you're dead," Clint snapped.

"I'm very aware of that, thanks," Jessie frowned, standing up and doing a quick scan of the area. No aliens nearby. So she turned to Thor and said, "I didn't exactly plan on taking him on alone."

Thor turned to look at her. "Are you certain?"

"You promised to protect me," Jessie said as she double checked how many cartridges she had left for her gun. With that done, she checked the weight of one of the Chitauri spears. "And since I'm going to go have a chat with Loki . . . " She took one of the Chitauri knives while she was at it. "I guess that means you're going to have to come with me."

She could hear the SHIELD agents' snickers and laughter on the other end. "Fair point," Thor acknowledged, holding out an arm. "Shall we?"

"Agent Nightshade, if you ever get married, you are going to have that man completely wrapped around your finger," Coulson chuckled.

"Was that an offer, AC?" Skye asked snidely.

"Hell, no."

"Good thing I don't plan on getting married any time soon," Jessie giggled as she walked over to Thor. She flinched only slightly as he wrapped his arm around her, but he only made sure he held her tight enough so he wouldn't drop her.

"Nightshade?" Grant's voice came over the line. "Seriously, though . . . try not to die. I'm still holding you to what you said earlier."

Right. Her decision that she would, if she came out alive, tell Grant all about what happened to her. The full story. "Well, then," Jessie tucked her head into Thor's chest as he took off, heading for the Empire State Building. "I better not die, then."

+++

"Focus," Darcy said as she and Ian went around to place Erik's gadgets around a library in Greenwich. "This is important. We have to hammer them in all around the site, and then Jane and Erik will activate them from the tower."

"They're taped together!" Ian struggled to separate them.

Darcy looked at them. "Do you even know what these things do?"

"No," Ian admitted.

Darcy sighed. "Neither do I." Ian finally got rid of the tape, and Darcy started shoving the gadgets into the ground. "Come on, come on!"

"Fine!" Ian moved to help.

Then there was a roaring noise, and they spun around to see a huge ship that was definitely not from Earth appear above the Thames. "Holy shit!" Darcy sputtered.

***

Jessie tilted her head, watching the ship plow through the library grounds. "I think it missed he parking lot."

Loki snickered from next to her. "Only you would find humor in this situation, Jessie."

"Oh, it's just barely keeping me from freaking out."

Malekith and his Dark Elves stepped off the ship and approached the library, only to stop when Thor landed in front of them. "You needn't have come so far, Asgardian!" Malekith narrowed his eyes. "Death would have come to you soon enough!"

"Not by your hand!" Thor shook his head.

"Your universe was never meant to be," Malekith held up his hands, the Aether smoking to life around them. "Your world and your family will be extinguished!"

Malekith thrust his hands forward, and Thor was catapulted backwards as the Aether slammed into him. Jessie made to run to help, but Loki held her wrist in a vice-like grip. "Stay down," he hissed.

***

"We're running out of time," Erik mumbled as he and Jane set up the gravimetric device.

"Almost there," Jane narrowed her eyes in concentration, peering closer at what she was doing.

"Are you sure this is going to work? These devices were made to detect anomalies, not cause them."

"Oh, come on . . . " Jane looked outside, and her eyes widened when she saw the battle going on with Thor and Malekith, Loki and Jessie waiting for their moment to jump in. "Come on, Darcy," she hissed, standing up and running outside.

***

Thor finally dug his heels into the ground when Malekith hit him again, sliding through the grass before getting back to his feet. "You know . . . " He wiped his mouth off before eyeing Malekith. "With all that power, I thought you would hit harder."

Malekith scowled, gathering the Aether up in a huge cloud, then Thor threw his hammer at Malekith, the hammer breaking through the Aether and into Malekith's chest, sending the Dark Elf back into the library.

***

Jane turned back when she saw Ian put the last device in the ground, then Darcy gave her a thumbs up. Jane nodded and ran back inside. "They're done," she reported.

Erik nodded. "The Convergence will be in full effect in seven minutes."

Jane looked back towards the window. "That just means we have to keep Malekith busy for eight." She turned back and fiddled with the device. "OK . . . you might wanna hold on to something."

She activated the device, and suddenly, Dark Elves started disappearing. Her phone started ringing, and when she answered, Darcy burst into excited chatter. "That is awesome! How did you do that?!"

"Well, gravitational fields interact with the weak spots between worlds, creating - " Jane began a long technical explanation.

"Oh, there's a guy with a sword!"

Jane quickly used the device again, only to watch as Darcy and Ian disappeared. "Oops," she winced.

Then Loki teleported there and stabbed the Dark Elf through the chest, and Erik gripped Jane's arm. "Let's go."

***

Darcy blinked and looked around the new part of London they were in. "What the hell just happened?" Ian was about to answer when more Dark Elves started appearing, and Darcy blanched. "Move!"

Ian could only follow as Darcy grabbed his hand and dragged him off.

***

Jane and Erik ran down the steps of the library, heading for outside, when they saw everyone inside rushing to see the battle taking place outside. "What are you all doing?" Jane screeched as she watched. "You need to get out of here, now!"

"You're joking, right?" one of the students grinned. "That's Thor out there waving his hammer around and everything!"

Jessie skidded to a halt when Thor and Malekith just suddenly vanished. "Where did they go?" she asked, looking around.

Loki closed his eyes. "I can't sense Thor," he looked around. "One of the other Nine Realms." He paused, then shook his head. "They're appearing in and out."

Jessie looked up at the sky. "How long do we have?"

Loki took a deep breath. "Not long enough."

Jessie nodded, then looked around. "Thor has Malekith handled. Who's handling the Dark Elves?"

Loki smirked, conjuring up one of his knives. "I think that would be us."

"What are you doing?" Erik asked when Jane stopped, smacking her device.

"My signal's lost connection," Jane answered in annoyance.

Erik looked past her, and his eyes widened. "Jane, come on!" he shouted.

Jane looked behind her, eyes wide when she saw the Dark Elves approaching -

Three knives thrown in unison pierced their necks like they were butter, and as they collapsed, Loki and Jessie ran to the scene, jumping from the windows and charging the Dark Elves head on. Jessie reached them first, phasing through it and then karate chopping it in the leg, flipping the Dark Elf head over heels before Loki's hands flashed with green-gold magic, slamming the Dark Elf into the wall. He and Jessie moved back to back, weapons flashing in sync as they fought the Dark Elves with ease, giving Erik and Jane time to escape.

***

Darcy nearly ran right into a squad of Dark Elves coming for them, when a car suddenly rammed into them, throwing them all back. Darcy blinked, then turned to see Ian standing behind her, looking shocked. "Are you all right?" he asked her.

Darcy could only stare. "You saved my life."

"Yeah," he nodded. "Yes, I did."

***

Jane smacked her device again, then brightened and activated it again. She nearly dropped it when Darcy and Ian appeared behind her, wrapped tightly around each other, kissing. "Darcy?" Jane blinked.

"Jane!" Darcy started, dropping Ian in shock.

"Ian?" Erik blinked.

"Selvig!" he nodded.

"Loki," Jessie deadpanned as she ran up.

"Jessie," Loki added. "Are we done?"

Out of nowhere, Thor's hammer spiraled past them. "Meow-meow!" Darcy pointed after it.

Jessie groaned. "Oh, that can't be good."

Loki tilted his head, then shook his head. "I will return."

He disappeared suddenly, and Erik snorted. "Want to bet he won't?"

He yelped when he was smacked on the back of the head. "Watch it, Selvig," Jessie warned.

Malekith suddenly warped into existence in front of them, bringing his hands up, the Aether swirling in a dark cloud around him. "That's not good," Darcy pointed at him.

Jessie's gaze slid upward, and her eyes widened when she saw the swirling portals with the Realms beginning to line up. "That's really not good."

"We're out of time," Jane whispered.

Loki suddenly reappeared on the grounds, his hand on Thor's shoulder. "Thor! Loki!" Jessie ran to join them, the two looking up at the Convergence. "Problem!"

"We're too late!" Jane added as she ran up.

"The Convergence is at its peak," Erik nodded.

Thor ground his teeth, then perked up when he saw the gadget spears Erik was carrying. "Can those things stop him?" he asked.

Erik looked at them, then shook his head. "Not from here."

"We can't get close enough," Jane shook her head.

Thor and Loki looked at each other. "Are you with me?" Thor asked.

"Always," Loki nodded.

Thor held out his hands for the spears. "We can."

Erik handed the spears over, then Thor was nearly knocked off balance when Jessie hugged him tightly. "You listen to me, and you listen well," Jessie looked him in the eyes. "You come back, and you come back alive." She turned to give Loki the same hug. "Both of you."

They kissed the top of her head together. "We will," Thor promised.

"You better."

+++

Predictably, Loki was waiting for them when they arrived at the top of the Empire State Building. "Ah, Lady Nightshade," he smirked as they walked up. "Come to surrender?"

"I'd just as soon spread my legs for your entire army," she spat.

Loki raised an eyebrow. "That could be arranged."

"That will not happen," Thor narrowed his eyes, bringing his hammer up. "We will close that portal, Loki, and you will never attempt to invade this world again."

"Do you truly believe that?" Loki chuckled before he made a throwing motion towards Jessie.

She immediately raised her arm instinctively, ready to phase, but she was stunned by the sudden pain going through her entire arm. She cried out in pain, bringing her arm down, eyes wide in horror as she took in the silver knife glinting, her blood dripping down it.

A blade had actually cut her. And there was only one metal they knew of that could hurt her.

"That is just one of a few vibranium daggers in my arsenal, Lady Nightshade," Loki smirked, even as Jessie hastened to add the dagger to her belt and try to stop the bleeding. "All I need is one drop. Do you truly think you could come here, face me, and win?"

Jessie exchanged a look with Thor. "He's your brother," she reminded him.

He took a deep breath. "It has to be done."

Loki held out his hands, smirking, his scepter appearing in one hand, another vibranium knife appearing in the other. "It will be your funerals."

Jessie just held up a knife of her own, Thor tightening his grip on his hammer, before the two parties charged each other.

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You guys are lucky. The next chapter will be up shortly so the battle is officially over. ;)

Tune back soon!