Chapter 29:
-Nick Fury-
Layla had just left the room, escorted by Agent Romanoff. Fury, along with everyone else in the room, had watched in shock as the Layla of the Fallen went and did the impossible. She healed Tony Stark back to perfect health. She didn't just heal Tony's palladium poisoning; she also healed the gaping hole in his chest and all the shrapnel near his heart. Fury could actually see the tiny pieces of metal scraps sitting right there on the floor after they magically phased out of Tony's chest.
"You alright there, Tony?" Fury asked Tony. Tony was examining his own perfectly healed torso with a look of disbelief on his face. He was patting the center of his chest in disbelief as there was no longer a hole there.
"Ok, what the fuck was that!?" Agent Barton blurted out.
"Hey, there's no need for such crass language," Steve Rogers said. Fury raised his lone uncovered eyebrow at that before he remembered Steve was born in the 1920s.
"Sorry," Barton said to the captain. "But still! Stark over there had an hour to live tops! And now, he looks to be in perfect health."
"I feel really good," Tony admitted. "I think she also healed my liver while she was at it."
"I still want an explanation of what's going on. Did the world go crazy while I was asleep? Don't get me wrong, I've always been a believer, but I never actually expected to meet an actual angel," Steve said. "You know Peggy was an atheist. I would have loved to have seen her reaction to this…" He added with a sad far-off look.
Fury sighed. He would have loved to have seen her reaction as well. Peggy Carter was his mentor and the previous head of SHIELD. She passed away only a few days ago after meeting Steve again for the first time in 70 years. Steve seemed to be her final regret on this plane that she was finally able to let go of. Fury could have also really used her advice right about now. The world was currently teetering on the brink of anarchy after all.
"Nevermind any of that. What I am more concerned about right now is that Layla has gotten more powerful since the day before yesterday." Fury said.
"She has?" Stark asked.
"Yes, ever since we discovered her, SHIELD has been combing through all ancient religious texts. One thing always stayed consistent in them. The more wings a supernatural being has, the more powerful they are. Layla gaining an extra pair of wings right after such a hard-fought battle is no coincidence." Fury explained. That was part of the reason he was so shocked upon seeing her enter the room. He thought he had her threat level properly assessed from watching the race track recording. Now, he'd have to throw all those estimates out and start over.
"That should be a good thing, right, sir?" Coulson asked. The others in the room seemed to be somewhat in agreement. Fury could tell that Barton was still a bit hesitant, which was a feeling Fury felt as well.
"Maybe, maybe not. You're all forgetting her full name. It's Layla of the Fallen. She is not a 'good angel' as they say." Fury noticed that realization finally dawned on everyone else in the room when he explained that.
"Oh," Steve said as he looked a bit uncertain. "So she's evil?"
"She's obviously not evil," Tony cut in. "Why would she bother saving my life? Multiple times I might add!"
"Fallen are supposed to be Angels who fell from Heaven due to sinning, right?" Coulson asked the important question. "So why did she fall?"
That was the million-dollar question that Fury had been wondering. She must have done something to piss off… her dad–And the fact that such a being existed almost sent him through an existential crisis.
"I might have an idea…" Barton trailed off.
"Well, don't leave us all in suspense, agent. What is it?"
"Um… I think she fell due to lust. Nat had told me that Layla had been not-so-subtly checking her out the first time they met." The archer explained.
"Hahaha!" Tony's laughing echoed around the room. "I knew I felt a sense of comradery with Layla. She's a woman after my own heart!" Tony exclaimed.
"Didn't we just send Natasha and Layla off together on a mission?" Coulson cut in. The room went quiet with his statement… until Tony started laughing again.
"Hahaha. We did, didn't we? I'm sure that'll go just fine." Tony said between his snickers.
"Wow… That's just… Wow." Steve muttered quietly to himself. "Both of those dames were so gorgeous and now they're…" Fury noticed Steve was blushing up a storm as his imagination clearly took off…. Fury wondered if he should find a way to get the captain laid… A 70-year dry spell couldn't be good for his mental health…
"Nats a professional, she wouldn't do that… during a mission." Barton declared, defending his friend.
"Even when she's by herself with Layla. Who I might objectively add is the most beautiful woman I've ever met." Tony teased.
"Careful, Tony. What would Pepper think?" Fury said.
"Pepper said the exact same thing."
"Huh? Well, I can't say she's wrong…" Coulson trailed off.
"Should we send someone after them?" Steve asked. "They're supposed to be infiltrating the heart of the evil wizard's territory." He said.
Tony just waved him off. "They're just going to 'a run-down magic shopping district.' As Layla described it. She said it was like two streets total with only a handful of shops and a lone bank. They're not going to attract any trouble." Tony said. Fury made a mental note that Tony seemed to be completely on 'team Layla' after she healed him.
Fury also facepalmed as Tony blatantly tempted fate with his statement. After all, when did any SHIELD missions ever not go tits up? In his mind, Fury was already starting to prepare backup plans for when things inevitably went south and they had to send in the rescue squad for Layla and Agent Romanoff…
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