NOTE: When I first started writing this story, didn't know how long I was going to make it. Now, here we are 14 chapters later and over 15,000 words. I'm content with how this story has gone so far. This chapter and next will be emotional! Thanks again for reading, and thanks especially for those who took the time to review.
Wells walked down the hallway with the tennis ball in his mouth. It was still pretty early in the morning so he didn't think he was going to find anyone. So he was surprised when he saw Clint sitting in the kitchen drinking coffee.
"Coulson's going to bring by Lena's belongings today. He wanted me to tell you since you didn't answer your phone. He said it's just a couple of boxes." Clint said.
Gunnar exhaled deeply. He just stared up at him. He dropped the ball and walked back out of the room. That news had killed the good mood he had desperately worked for and he didn't want to bother asking anyone to throw the ball for him.
He didn't know how much longer he could keep all the emotions inside. He felt like he was going to explode at any second. The last time his emotions got the better of him, he attacked a fellow agent. He didn't want history to repeat itself.
He decided to go back to his room. He slipped through the door and crawled under his bed and put his head on the ground. He didn't know how long he had been under there because he fell asleep.
He woke up to Clint bringing in a couple boxes and setting them near the wall by the door. He stood waiting for a few seconds and then turned, walked out and shut the door behind him.
A few minutes later Gunnar got out from under and stared at the boxes marked with her name. He wanted to open them but the ache in his heart pulled him away.
2 DAYS LATER:
Gunnar mostly stayed in his dog form. He didn't want to talk about what happened during the mission. They didn't take a lot of recovery time and started training again. It had been a couple of long and tiring days in the gym which Gunnar loved because it was a distraction from his real problems.
Steve walked up to the study which had been deemed Bruce's for the amount of time he spent up there.
He walked through the doorway and sat down on the couch. Bruce looked up from the book he was reading.
"Cap. Whats up?" He asked.
"I'm not the only one that has noticed agent Wells has not made an appearance, right?" Steve questioned.
"Yeah... I did notice. I wouldn't worry too much though. Everyone has their own way of coping. He did freeze pretty badly towards the end of the mission. He's probably just upset about that." Bruce explained.
"I didn't know he froze... That must have been why Coulson pulled him aside." Steve said with a puzzled look on his face. He rubbed his hands together slowly and leaned on his elbows onto his knees.
Bruce put his book down on the desk and pushed it away from him.
"So what happened?" He asked.
"I saw it on of the camera's I was monitoring during the mission. Thor brought out a girl from the building and I'm guessing it freaked him out when it wasn't you. He just stood there still for about 30 seconds and then ran in to go get you." Bruce explained. "Maybe you
should ask him what happened."
"I would if he turned back in to a human. I just don't know..." Steve said while talking with one of his hands.
"Maybe I'm not the best partner for him. Maybe he needs to go back to Coulson. He won't talk to me. The rare couple times that he did, I had to practically force him..." Steve said exhaustedly.
Bruce sighed. "It was about Ava." He said. "I think anyway. You read the file Steve... She died in a similar situation. They were getting agents out of a building after an attack but it collapsed. He made it... she didn't."
Steve wiped his hand over his face. "Why didn't I make the connection! " He replied. "That makes so much more sense."
"He needs you Steve. Don't give up. He doesn't have anyone left and him going in that building after you means theres some part of him that cares. Even if he hasn't told you." Bruce explained. "When he first got here he told me that he wouldn't get attached. But he has, and he's angry at himself. He doesn't want to get hurt again."
Steve leaned back against the couch. After a few minutes of silence and thinking said "I'm going to go see if he'll talk to me. Thanks Bruce." Bruce nodded.
"See you later for dinner?" Steve asked.
"Yeah, yeah." Bruce replied.
LATER THAT DAY:
Steve walked by Gunnar's room and could hear two distinct voices talking. It was Thor and Well's. He stood outside the door but he couldn't make out the conversation. He stood there debating on if he should go in or just stay out of it. He moved closer and listened to the entire conversation.
"I want to know everything about wargs." Wells said.
"Well in your language it means "wolf." Not all wargs can change into another form like you. Your ancestry is special. They are marvelous. Cunning, prideful, loyal creatures. You should be proud of where you came." Thor explained with a smile on his face.
"So you don't know how I got here on earth?" Gunnar asked.
"That, my Asgardian brother, I'm sorry to say I do not have an answer for you. I will not stop looking until I have an answer, I promise you that." Thor replied.
"Will I ever get to go home...?" Gunnar asked.
"Someday. Maybe sooner than later. I will have to talk to someone who can give me direction on what happened. I will to do everything in my power to get you back." Thor answered.
"I really want to see Asgard. I want to meet my real family." Gunnar said.
"Asgard is a marvelous place! There are so many wonderful things I want to show and teach you... I will do my best to get you there." Thor replied.
"I don't remember anything from that part of my past. I wish I could... My first memory is of my handlers and Shield. I didn't have a choice on joining, I was just adopted into the program." Gunnar explained.
"Your loyalty belongs with Shield and protecting Earth. That needs to continue to be your priority even if I do take you back to Asgard to learn about your culture. Loki could never accept being a part of our family knowing he wasn't blood." Thor replied.
"I thought they were. But Coulson lied to me this entire time..." Gunnar explained.
"Sometimes we have to make hard choices when we see the big picture, and not everyone can see it in the same way. I'm sure it wasn't easy for him. He's a good man." Thor said with a meaningful look.
"I know." Gunnar looked down. "Thanks for talking to me Thor. I really do appreciate having someone who understands and can give me some kind of answer about being a... warg."
"I will always be here if you need council young one." Thor replied.
Gunnar felt glad that someone was finally able to tell him about a part of his life that had always been missing.
Steve was happy that Gunnar wasn't shutting everyone out.
Steve heard the conversation end so he moved quickly away from the door and walked down the hall towards the kitchen. He decided to brew a pot of coffee and while he was waiting for it, Wells walked in, as a human for the first time in three days.
"Hey! Nice to see you without all the fur." Steve said smiling.
"Yeah, Thor and I had a talk about Asgard... But you knew that already." Gunnar replied.
Steve looked down at his coffee cup and shifted his weight from one foot to the other.
"I do have the hearing of a dog, you know. I could practically hear you breathing outside the door."
"I'm sorry Wells, I didn't mean to be nosey. I just wanted to see if you were okay." Steve explained.
"It's alright. I can't get too mad because he door was cracked and there are 7 people living here... and it wasn't like it was classified information."
Tony appeared in the doorway and chimed in. "Technically WE are classified information. So anything that happens here is classified." He walked over to the fresh pot of coffee and poured some in his mug. Gunnar rolled his eyes and rummaged through the refrigerator for something to drink.
"Any requests for dinner?" Tony asked.
"Does it really matter? Because you always ignore it and order what you want anyway." Steve shot back. Another perk of living with a eccentric genius.
"True." Tony replied.
LATE THAT NIGHT:
Gunnar was alone again sitting on his bed looking at the boxes. He was contemplating looking in them. He paced around his room a few times, inhaling and exhaling deeply and saw the letter on the ground. He picked it up and started to breathe more heavily, his heart pounding.
He opened the letter and read what was inside.
Steve shot up out of his bed. He had been asleep for a couple hours. A very loud bang penetrated through his walls and his heart was racing because of the rude awakening. He heard another loud sound but this one sounded more like glass. He ran out and saw the others in the hallway just as confused by the sounds.
The only person that wasn't standing with them was Wells and Tony.
NOTE: HA! Cliffhanger! ;) I will update soon! This chapter was emotional but next will be even more deep. Hope you guys liked it!