She was welcomed back briefly by her superiors before being told to write her debrief report behind locked doors in an interrogation cell. It was not the welcome back she was expecting, she sat there looking around the plan white room. Her mind drifted back to Loki, knowing that it was really over between them now. There was no way he was allowed or able without his full magically powers to get to earth. She sat back from her report for a moment chewing on the end of her pen. Part of her wondered why Loki had gone to his mother. In what way did he think that was a good idea. His mother was obviously aware of the affair, she even had the nerve to suggest they would get married. She shook her head pushing such thoughts from her mind knowing it was pointless to think about it now.
She kept it to the basics, explaining about Loki's punishment and Asgard, she felt no need to go into detail. She sat there chewing on the end of her pen looking at herself in the glass mirror deep in thought. She knew there were probably half a dozen people staring at her behind that glass. She narrowed her eyes in thought, she would guess Fury, a medical doctor, a psychologist, perhaps another agent or two. She just stared at the glass mirror in front of her for a number of moments.
The door suddenly opened to see Clint standing there and looking at her wide-eyed. He looked good, in better form than the way she had left him. She realized then in that moment, how much she actually did miss him. She just stood up, grinning before she threw her arms around his neck hanging onto him. He slowly wrapped his strong arms around her, lifting her off the floor. They held each other for a good few minutes not saying a word to each other.
"God its good to see you." She sighed holding onto her brother resting her head on his shoulder closing her eyes and enjoying the feeling being back with him. It was something that she needed after all was her brother. She knew that she relied on him so much years ago and now she was back he was all she wanted again.
"Fury said you were back." Clint pulled back staring at her his eyes examining every aspect of her. "You've changed so much, look at you."
"Have I?" Leah frowned before looking at the reflective glass windows. She was definitely thinner and her normally shoulder length bronze hair was now long to her elbows and wavy. "I guess I let things change, not on purpose though."
"It's a good look, you look well." He replied smiling putting an arm around her and pulling her closer to him so he could kiss the top of her head. "You finished your report yet sis."
"I think its all I can cram in for now, my head is hurting from thinking about ever detail. You know me and debriefing reports never go well." Leah smiled at him with a huge cheeky grin. "I guess they have been watching me?" She indicated to the glass not looking at it though.
Clint just smirked at her and nodded "Just wanted to make sure that your you. Right well better hand this in to the new handler I guess."
"Nothing really new about him now." Clint shrugged sounding a little cold, where normally with Phil who he had great respect for it was fun. "Still no Phil, but Aiden seems like an alright bloke. Come on the sooner you hand this in the sooner I can get you out of here."
Leah handed her paper to the guard outside the cell door before following Clint out of the base. He took her to the nearest bar buying her a beer before sitting her down. She sat there looking at the beer before her, she felt a weight lifted off her shoulders just being back to what she classed as normality. She finally looked up at Clint who was watching her every move.
"You weren't due home." Clint began taking a sip out of his own bottle eyeing her up. "I mean, Is everything okay or something happen?"
"Everything is fine!" Leah glanced at him defensively before relaxing slightly knowing that he would pick up on her change of emotions. She wasn't expecting him to be like this with her, she just thought he would be happy to have her back but it seemed not to be. "I just felt home sick I guess, Christmas has been and it's another year we weren't together." Leah played with the bottle without spilling any of the beer. "I needed out for a bit, I got fed up of being the outsider surrounded by well Gods."
"But nothing happened?" Clint continued obviously seeming a little doubtful about her answer as he lent forward on the table his eyes not leaving her.
"No, what is with the 101 questions." Leah snorted looking up at her brother who was staring speciously at her. She just rolled her eyes at him before leaning back in her chair and crossing her arms at him. "Any way what is the news here, Where is Nat?"
"Working, everyone is separated at the moment, have been for a while, we are scattered across the world." Clint explained thinking for a moment taking another sip of his beer "Nat I have no idea when she is back, The Captain I think is due back soon on leave and the others well."
"It would be good to see Steve." Leah smiled weakly thinking fondly of her friend. "It seems strange to think how long it has been. I have kind of forgotten that you guys must have been busy too."
"Something is different with you Leah." Clint began his eyes assessing her but a concerned expression plastered across his face. "I am not sure if I like it."
"I have grown up Clint, become more independent I guess. I have also been on a different world for over a year it seems and that will have made changed." Leah sighed at him drinking from her bottle, her mind drifting back to on of the many nightly activities her and Loki part took together. She knew if Clint even got a inkling of what happened he would not hesitate to kill Loki at all. Not that needed any more of a reason to after New York. Leah just put the bottle back down smiling at the thought before remembering that part of her life was over, her smile disappearing. "I am not your just little sister any more."
"I missed my little sister though." Clint smiled warmly at her.
"I missed my big brother." Leah laughed at him.
They headed back to base later ton that evening after a few beers, she was placed in a temporary room. She crashed down on her bunk and laid there for while before pulling her bag apart. She got out one of the books which the queen had given her and continued to read about the history of Asgard, finally getting to the part where Asgard and Odin fought the frost giants on earth. She looked at the date seeing that Asgard said the Midgard called the date 965 A.D. That was the best part of 4000 years ago, her head could not really make sense of that. She remember that the Scandinavians had a lot to do with the norse mythology, but it was amazing how much of it was true.
Morning came and she had not slept at all, she knew the dreams would return without him being beside her. She was not in the right frame of mind to sleep, she couldn't go through any more hurt and pain. She heard a knock at the door making her sit up as a man she didn't recognize entered. She just sat up eyeing this man up, she guessed who he was but still didn't trust him.
"Hi I am Agent Aiden Ward." He introduced himself. He just stood there in a white shirt, black tie and suit. He was young must have been around her age early twenties. He wasn't tall as such but was well built and kept well by the looks of things. He wore no wedding band but that didn't mean much within SHIELD. She knew he was trained for the field by his build which may be a good thing. She also noticed that he carried a file, which she expected carried her report and profile in it.
"Ah Phil's replacement." Leah nodded standing up and stretching slightly looking at the man standing before her. "Good to meet you, my brother explained your our new Phil."
"I know you and Agent Coulson were close." Aiden began trying to sound sincere but it wasn't rubbing off on her.
"Yeah we were." Leah sighed remembering him for a moment but pushing those memories to one side so she could keep her focus on him. "But Phil's gone and you're here. What can I do for you?"
"Do you have your written reports on Asgard?" He asked opening the file and looking into it.
"No." Leah shook her head. "I wasn't exactly planning to come home so soon. It was quick in the moment thing."
"Right." Aiden eyed her suspiciously "I have read your entire report and you will need to go through a medical as its been over a year since your last check over and there are further questions I would like to ask?"
"Of course." Leah muttered not really liking this Aiden guy at all. He seemed cold and distant, not like Phil who would at least ask how they were. She could see why her brother was still obviously reserving judgment. "When."
"Your usual Doctor Walter is off on leave at the moment." Aiden began looking at her seriously "And I will choose when I am ready to talk to you."
"I won't see anyone else but Doctor Walter." Leah shrugged at him smiling playing this man at his own game. "So I will have to wait won't I."
"Of course, I have been told that your stubborn" Aiden commented his eyes narrowing at her as she smiled. "You are not to leave this base unaccompanied at all, all leave will have to be passed through me and you will be watched the whole time."
"Brilliant." Leah replied sarcastically sitting back down on her bed putting her feet up.
Leah watched him leave before she got changed into a crop top and lycra bottoms that had been supplied. She headed to the gym and started to run, her head was still a complete mess. Things had changed here then again she was gone just over a year it seemed her timings were completely off. She had nothing but her brother now and for some poor reason that was not enough for her. She had been running for god knows how long when she heard some one mutter.
"Clint was right you have lost a lot of weight."
Leah stopped the treadmill before turning around seeing Nat standing there her arms crossed. Leah jumped off the treadmill almost flying over to give her friend a hug.
"Your disgusting." Nat commented laughing at her "but its good to see you."
"Why are you back?" She paused looking at her friend suspiciously before realizing "What has Clint said?"
"He was worried about you. He said you guys spoke last night but you were distracted and acting weird was his terms" Nat shrugged staring at her, her eyes giving her the once over. "He wasn't able to put a finger on it. Something is different with you? He's just worried before you take his head off."
"I am fine." Leah said knowing it was a lie. Nat just frowned at her suspiciously. "Look how about we chat this out, I will get cleaned up and changed and we can have a coffee?"
"Okay." Nat nodded before picking up a bag and handing it to her. "I swung by your lock up, brought some more civilian clothes you left behind. Thought you could use them."
Leah took the bag heading to the showers, she changed into the clothes Nat brought, her skinny jeans were a size to big and just sat on her hips while her top hung loosely on her. She headed out seeing Nat looked at her again.
"Did Asgard not have food?" Nat asked her sounding a little concerned. "You need to eat better."
"It did, mainly fruits, meat and bread. It was actually very nice." Leah answered smiling slightly at her friends worried expression on her face. "I just had time on my hands to work out, I have learnt new fighting techniques it has been good experience."
They headed silently to the mess hall and got two coffees before sitting in a quiet and secluded corner. They just sat quietly for a while till Leah sighed. Natasha could read her better than Clint could and one slip would mean more questions and Natasha was good as getting answers. So she knew she had to be extra careful around her.
"I met Aiden ward." Nat just raised a questioning eyebrow at her. "No phil, I don't know there is something that I don't like about him."
"I know." Nat shrugged drinking the coffee "But he does his job well enough. So why did you come back Leah, we weren't expecting you? Well at all really, Fury was surprise how sudden your return was."
Leah looked down at her steaming coffee before she took a sip, she made a face as she realized that the bitter taste wasn't how she remembered Coffee. It was kind of disappointing that something she did miss didn't taste how she remembered it and she didn't like it any more. Leah set the cup down and looked up at Nat who was still watching her, Leah knew she needed to play these cards close to her chest. There was one reason why her brother had obviously called Nat, Nat could read the both of them like a book. Leah found it almost impossible to lie to her friend, Clint always brought Nat in when he was concerned about her.
"I missed you guys." Leah mumbled staring at her friend.
"Only now you returned though?" Nat continued staring at her, her eyes assessing her every move. "You have been away for over a year and you only missed us now?"
"Its not like can't you and Clint just believe me for once." Leah hissed getting a little defensive again. She hated that everyone seemed to be giving her a hard time about her return. "I wasn't expecting to get the third degree from both of you. It would have been nice at least to say hi, been a long time not why are you back now."
"You turned up unexpected Leah." Natasha muttered keeping her cool tone "I can see why your brother is worried, you are different. Your report has told us a lot about Asgard and that the people see good and Loki has been punished but that's it. There is nothing to show why you suddenly returned."
"Can't a girl miss her friends and family?" Leah snapped not really wanting to tell either of them her true reason for coming home. She hated that even her closest friends and her family doubted her, she felt her anger boil under her skin. She just wanted to forget everything but she was beginning to realize that being here she was going to have to relive and think about it over and over. As the people around her kept asking questions and interrogating her. "I just wanted to come home for a bit, have a break with my family and friends, next time I won't bother."
Leah got up and headed back to her bunk, she lay back down and continued to read. Not really in the mood to carry and listen to people interrogate her about her reasoning for coming home. She knew she could tell no one about her relationship with Loki, no one would understand and secondly she would probably be seen as a traitor to shield.
Leah spent most of her time after that alone, trying to avoid any one with questions. She went to the gym but missed the morning air and beautiful views of Asgard she got when she use to run. She had no company when training only a punch bag and herself. SHIELD would not allow her any weapon training till she had passed all there evaluations. So over all she had very little to do, feeling like a caged creature and nothing to help clear her mind of Loki. This was not how she expected her return home to actually go but it wasn't going to change now.
Nat and Clint visited her again only briefly though, just to tell her that they were off on a mission and would be back soon. She guessed they were giving her space after her out burst which she kind of appreciated more than the questions. She knew they were only concerned but she knew if she told either of them the truth they would have to report it, she would be hauled in front of Fury, people would look at her mental state and then she would be placed in containment. She wasn't going to risk telling any one about what happened on Asgard.