We followed Banner to the lab on the lower floors. We could hear Stark's laughter echoing from the lab, another deep male voice mixing with his as we grew closer, though this one was completely unfamiliar. 

    "Chill Hank, just because I made it safe for the Hulk in here doesn't mean I need you to damage the equipment." 

    "Apologies, Mr. Stark, it's just... these rafters are rather cozy."

    Eibhlin glanced between Banner and me, pausing in the hallway still far enough away from the open windows of the laboratory. She flattened her beautiful ears, quickly braiding her hair over them. "You won't need to do that," Banner told her gently.

    "That is not someone we know," she responded with confusion.

    "Trust me."

    Following behind Banner my eyes instantly locked on the blue blur sailing through the air toward us. It muttered a surprisingly polite 'excuse me' while soaring over Eibhlin's head. I pulled her into me for safety as Rogers and Romanov entered, a smirk pulling at the redhead's heart-shaped lips. 

    "I see you've met Doctor McCoy."

    "That thing is a doctor," I balked, staring as the blue ape-like being in a charcoal-colored three-piece suit came to a rest near Stark; its large, nimble feet holding it to the rafters above while his head and shoulders dangled down beside the grinning billionaire. 

    "I am also a rather respected politician," the blue beast smiled, extending his hand. "Hank McCoy, a pleasure."

    I looked him up and down, an eyebrow raised as I glanced between his hand and golden eyes. "I don't shake hands."

    Beside me, Eibhlin scoffed reaching out to take the blue beast playing as though he too was a man's hand before he could completely recoil from my harshness. "I do. It is a pleasure to meet you as well, Doctor McCoy."

    "Lady Eibhlin, if I am not mistaken. Forgive me for staring, I had been told that we shared a few... Similarities." A small, nervous smile overcame her lips as she hesitated before reaching up to unbraid her hair and shake her ears free. The hairy, blue beast released his grasp on the rafter, flipping himself over to land on his feet as he came to look closer at her ears. "Extraordinary. And you have no other features; no tail, or fur," he asked, his hand lifting to touch her ears. 

    I snarled, pulling her back and tucking her protectively behind me. "Keep your paws to yourself."

    "My apologies, Prince Loki; I met no offense."

    "Just ignore him, Hank," Stark muttered, patting him on the shoulder. "Reindeer Games is a little protective."

    "Why is he here," I snapped back, ignoring Eibhlin's whispered requests for me to stop.

    "Strategy. Plus, he sort of owes me a favor, one I was thinking I could pass on to the two of you."

    Every alarm went off in my mind. "What have you done, Stark?"

    "Me? Nothing, well besides putting my signature on some rather important political documents regarding mutant rights."

    "Mutant rights?"

    The man called McCoy smiled at Eibhlin. "I am a mutant, specifically what is referred to as a Beta Mutant."

    "And you think that Eibhlin is some type of mutant," I glared.

    "No, not at all," the blue man reassured me, as I felt Eibhlin take my hand. "The reason why this is significant and important to explain is that Mr. Stark has suggested, and Mr. Rhodes has confirmed, that she has been struggling with her rapidly developing abilities; more so as none of you seem to know quite what she is."

    "She is right here," Eibhlin snapped bitterly. "And I have control."

    "I apologize, yet I would have to disagree." He nodded toward her left hand, the one not clasped in mine, that same swirl of prismatic light dancing along her fingertips as it had done nearly four days ago. Eibhlin gasped softly, shaking her hand as the light projections bounced around the room. She blushed as something glass shattered nearby, wincing as a small crash followed. 

    "This is why we have insurance," Stark sighed. "Evie, I think you might benefit from spending a little bit of time with Hank and his friends."

    "Friends?"

    The beast nodded. "My initial meeting with Mr. Stark was to discuss Wanda and Pietro. They belong with us, those who understand them and can help them to understand themselves."

    "They belong here, with their family," Eibhlin said firmly. "Your kind cast them out, just as non-mutants did. You all abandoned them. We did not."

    A heavy sigh came from the blue man. I knew he could not argue her words, though I was curious how she knew such things. "You are not wrong. We are not Magneto, though; even if originally we did partner with him when our school was founded."

    "School," Rogers asked from the background where he remained cozy beside the Romanov woman. "There's a school for you- for people like you," he corrected as the redheaded assassin elbowed him hard. 

    "Yes," Hank said flatly, ignoring his attempted jab either out of politeness or having become apathetically desensitized to such comments. "Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters; I teach both science and mathematics there."

    "Eibhlin knows what she must-"

    "And by Asgardian standards, I am sure you are both quite scholarly, yet if you are to be present here more often, you would do well to learn more of our history; and yes, that does include Mutant history."

    She chewed on her lip, her weight shifting from side to side as she placed her left hand over mine as I continued to hold her right. "You wish me to go to this school?"

    "I wish you to do what you think is best, just as I want Wanda and Pietro to do as well. That said, I think it would be of some benefit for you to come and meet others like yourself, others who are learning about their abilities just like you who may be able to offer assistance in acquiring better control. And I may know of some individuals who could help you to better understand both who and what you are."

    Silence filled the room as the weight of what was being offered fell on all of us. On the one hand, I did not like the idea of her leaving with a group of strangers; on the other, though, I could not deny that this was a much better option to hide her away than the Jotunheim would be. Hesitating, I finally turned to face her, my thumb running over her knuckles. 

    "I think you should go."

    Her eyes widened and she shook her head. "No. No, we talked about this. I will not-"

    "There may not be another option, and with this at least I could regularly see you. And you would not be alone."
   "Reindeer Games is right, Evie," Stark pipped up; "I know if you're going that'll make it easier on the wonder twins. And, much as I hate to admit it, Sky Daddy doesn't know anything about Xavier's. It's a pretty nice place to hide out in, too; not as nice as this place, but you know... Not everything can be Stark made."

   A collective eye roll overtook us all as I watched Eibhlin sigh. Her ears drooped, that small wrinkle present between her eyebrows as she weighed everything over. Finally, she looked up and around at everyone. "May I have a day to think?"

   "Take as long as you need, Lady Eibhlin."

   Stark groaned just as I did, though his was perhaps louder. "Alright Magilla, you can stop laying it on so think; the lady is after all spoken for. Now, how about we go and find the scotch and some of Evie's leftovers and we can talk shop for a bit before Nat here can take you back to Westchester County?"

   "Sounds delicious, I look forward to it."

   As they cleared the room, I noticed Banner lingering; his face saying that he wanted to say something but was unsure. After a moment longer he approached, only to hesitate once more. "Look, I'm not going to pretend to understand what you're feeling, I will say though that had I had someone to show me what you could learn from these guys? Well, I'd probably still be welcome in Virginia..." He nodded then, leaving things there before he quickly left the lab, dragging the redheaded spy with him. 

   Rogers and I exchanged a look as well before he shook his head and walked away, leaving us alone. Eibhlin turned almost immediately and wrapped me in her arms. "I don't know if I can do this."

   "You can, Little Dove; you have done things far more difficult than this."

   She sighed, nuzzling her nose against my throat; I could feel her inhaling deeply. "Where will you be?"

   "I shall return to Asgard," I said after a moment, my hand softly stroking her head, thumb brushing the edge of one of her ears. "I will say that you have gone off with Thor, buy us more time."

   "Odin will punish you..."

   "And? He has done nothing but punish me my entire life, I see no reason for him to change course now." Her soft chuckle soothed my weary soul. I didn't want to let her go; the thought of not being near her threatened to break me yet I knew this might be the only opportunity we had to safeguard her from the forced marriage looming over her head. As much as I hated this, it was the best chance we had. "I think you should go..."

   "I know... I wish you could come."

   "I would only be a hindrance. You will do well, you always do." I tilted her head up, my thumb once more dragging across her lip before I pulled her to me for a deep kiss. 

   I had once been ill-equipped to protect her yet far too arrogant to acknowledge such; this time, while I was still ill-equipped to protect her, I was no longer too arrogant to admit it. Eibhlin would go to this school. She would go and she would learn about her abilities, about herself, and she would come back stronger. Of this, I had little doubt. What I did doubt though, was my ability to live without her.