The Soul Is The Hardest To Heal (October 2001)

Ava looked at Bruce. "The amulet has been in my family for many generations. It belonged to my father and then my brother Hector before it came into my possession. It grants me incredible strength, speed, endurance, and martial arts skills."

------------------------------

Isabella sighed a little and walked over to sit on the edge of the bed. She looked so tired, but she just kept going. "Well, you destroyed SHIELD HQ. Loki paid us a little visit the other night. He wanted my promise that we wouldn't attack him again in exchange for him not attacking the Tower. I had no choice but to agree. However, he still has the Tesseract and Erik. I tried to get him to give us Phil, but he would only do it if I exchanged him for someone in the Tower. Bruce Banner is here and I called T'Challa. He's on his way. I tried getting in contact with Stephen again, but he still isn't answering."

"Well it sounds like you have everything in order," Tony said with another wince. Whenever he shifted, it sent a jolt of fresh pain up his spine. He noticed that Isabella looked haggard.

"Why don't you come here?" he suggested and shifted her pillow over to his stomach. He lifted his arm toward her and patted at the pillow. The pain meds were working but they only seemed to numb the pain, not take it away. He suspected though this was as good as it was going to get...without alcohol, anyway. That, he would need to work out later.

--------------------

Everyone at the table appeared to be getting along. Logan got beers for those that wanted one and bowls of chips if anyone was still hungry. It was odd because Logan didn't normally do any of that. He got Natalya a beer and made pancakes but to openly serve others? That was a rarity. Bruce refused the beer and went to his room to retire early.

"What do you think Isabella would say if Ava and I decided to stick around a while? Helped out like we have been?" Frank asked Steve. Steve didn't have to think very long about that. They needed all the help they could get. "I think she would be delighted Frank. This is a serious situation with Loki," Steve said.

Isabella was about to say she needed to go and check on everyone else, but the thought of just lying down was too tempting. She shifted and laid down so her head was on the pillow. She felt him run his fingers through her hair. It was dirty and needed to be washed, but she didn't care at the moment.

"I really thought I might lose you," she told him quietly. 

--------------------------------------

Natalya found it strange that Logan was offering to get everyone chips and beer. That was very unlike him. He would get things for her, but she was sleeping with him. They retired back to their apartments and she looked at him after they were alone. "What was that all about?"

"Loki needed to know we weren't just going to lay down for him. His coming here...virtual or not was proof of that," he said. "I did it for you, for Serena, for everyone in the tower and for myself," he said. "I can't design in bed though...and I have work to do on those after burners for the suits. Oh man...and the sealed system upgrades, I haven't finished that either," he said with a long sigh and he laid back and looked at the ceiling. he didn't stop what he was doing with her hair though. It seemed to soothe him and her at the same time.

-------------------------

Logan took off his shirt and he actually opened up the hamper and put it in and shut it. Normally he just tossed it so it landed nearby. "Isabella asked us to step up, so...I'm stepping up," Logan said with a shrug. "Bruce certainly likes you," Logan said as he unbuckled his pants. he folded his jeans and set them into his drawer. He removed his socks and they went into the hamper.

Isabella sighed. "We'll think of something. Bruce is here so he can help you. But you're not going to be getting in that suit again for a while." She was quiet a moment before thinking about something. "Frank could do it. He just needs some training."

----------------------------------

Natalya started to get changed too. She was surprised when Logan actually put his dirty clothes in the hamper. When he told her why he was doing it she couldn't help but smile a little at him. However, when he mentioned that Bruce liked her she gave a little shrug. "We're friends."

"Good, because I think you have a jealous boyfriend," Logan said. "He's really crazy about you and wants you to himself," Logan said as he stood there in his underwear. He wasn't tall, wasn't overly attractive, had alot of body hair and was a beast of a man. but he was hers and he'd do anything for her.

-------------

Tony groaned. He was not a Frank fan but he knew Isabella could train him. "Do ya think he'll fit in the suit?" He asked as he began to feel sleepy. "Ya know...this...knee is going to be...very inconvenient," Tony said. He had other injuries as well but he was referring to having sex. He chuckled as his eyes fluttered closed.

Natalya and Logan made love and then watched some tv before falling asleep. Isabella fell asleep right where she was. The steady rising and falling of Tony's stomach as he breathed was soothing and she needed the rest. The next morning she actually got into the shower and washed her hair and body. She dried and styled her hair and actually put on some makeup. T'Challa was coming that day and though they were friends, he was still a King and she wanted to look presentable. She got dressed and gave Tony another pain pill after he ate some breakfast. 

It was mid morning when Happy knocked on their door and informed her that King T'Challa and his sister, Princess Shuri, had arrived. Isabella walked out to greet them and she and T'Challa embraced. They were good friends. She also hugged Shuri. "Thank you both so much for coming."