As I said in my other story, sorry for the long break but my cat got ill and I had to put him to sleep a few weeks ago. I wasn't in the mood to write. I brought him as a kitten from the shelter and he was 16 years as he died.

And the story did take a turn I didn't expect *shrugs.

Chapter 11

It was a forceful entrance but Sara noted with amusement how both men stopped short as they saw that all people in the room sat peaceful together and were drinking coffee. Clearly, they had thought they were walking in a dangerous situation.

"Captain Rogers, Mr. Banner, so nice that you could join us so promptly and without me having to call you", said Fury with more than a little sarcasm.

"Director, Agent Coulson", replied stiffly the bigger of the two men who had entered the room. "Natasha, Clint, it is good to see you again." This time the tone in his voice was more genial.

"Cap", replied Barton and stood up. "Take a seat." He retreated to the wall where he had everyone in his sight.

Without hesitation took Steve Clint up to his offer, he knew that the archer preferred to be in the background anyway. The mousy appearing man with the brown hair took the remaining seat.

"Let me introduce our guests from another reality. This is Captain Sara Lance, she commands the ship which crash-landed here. This is Nate Heywood, a historian, who will tell us more about their reality.

Another member of the crew, Miss Zari Tomaz, their mechanic, is in the machine room to evaluate if we have the technical means to help them. We do by the way. They will come with their ship on board of the helicarrier to repair it.

Captain Lance, Captain Steve Rogers and Dr. Bruce Banner, two other members of the Avengers."

"So it is not another invasion?" asked Bruce visibly relieved.

"No, Dr. Banner, they only want our help to return home."

"Then welcome to our earth", smiled Steve Rogers. "Forgive us our dramatic entrance. We thought our friends were in danger. If we can do something to help you, feel free to ask."

"Thank you, Captain Rogers, this is very kind of you", replied Sara.

"Captain, Dr. Banner, what we now talk about can't leave this room otherwise it would put us all in danger", said Fury seriously and told the two newcomer everything that had been spoken in the room before their entrance.

The faces of both men grew more fierce with every world.

"I didn't know that the situation was so tense", said Steve finally softly.

"Ever since Loki first escaped with the tesseract and then was recaptured, the situation in SHIELD grows eerier and stranger", said Barton quietly.

"I don't know if I can trust some of my colleagues anymore, they act weirdly. They are hostile and I don't mean in the 'You worked for Loki, sabotaged the helicarrier and got other Shields agents killed' kind. It is as if they view other Shield Agents as enemies, as if they are double agents." Barton shook his head distraught. "And they act weirdly in your presence too, Steve."

"I noticed. They have become oddly helpful and smile at me as if we have a secret together." Steve shuddered. "And there is the encounter with my doppelganger. I first thought it was Loki but the timelines don't match. When I now think about him, I believe that it was me but from the future, he was older than me. And he said that Bucky is alive."

Coulson leaned forward. "You never told us that."

"I thought it was a trick to overpower me and I didn't want to talk about it."

"Like Barton said there has become something weird about SHIELD and it is especially conspicuous where the Strike Teams are concerned. There are more weird apples there than normal." Natasha looked spooked.

Coulson and Fury exchanged worried looks.

"Why did you never talk about it before?" asked Coulson curious.

"I thought at first that it was because of what I did under Loki's control and I have still some trouble to trust my own judgement after Loki's mindfuck", explained Barton taciturn. "But some of the things you said here started me thinking."

"I understand", answered Coulson gently.

"Barton, you are one of the sharpest men I know. You notice things and draw conclusions from them in a way, which no other man I know can do. You knew that the tesseract was a door, which opens to both sides before Eric Selvig and all the other scientists did.

The only ones who can keep up with you are Cheese, Natasha and Dr. Banner. Next time you notice something which you find weird and are concerned about, tell me", said Fury solemnly.

Barton looked down, evidently embarrassed. "Will do, boss."

"I agree", said Steve and smiled at Barton. "We really should look into it but let us first help Captain Lance and her crew to go back home."

"I am scientist; perhaps I can help you with the repair of your ship." Banner smiled bashfully. "And of course I would love to see your ship and the engines which allows it to time travel."

"So we all agree on this course of action?" asked Fury the Avengers. Everyone nodded and Fury smiled grimly. "So, let's do it."