Chapter 19

There was a slow, methodical beeping noise off in the distance. It was comforting in its consistency, a point to focus on. It wasn't so fast it was distracting and harsh. It just lazily beeped and beeped until Danny, after an endless amount of time, realized it was a heart monitor.

His eyes flew open and he shot up, noticing the bright, fluorescent lights and IVs in his arms. But before he could even begin to pull them out a hand grabbed his leg and squeezed.

Danny looked at Valerie, who looked calm and collected. She also looked tired. There were dark circles under her eyes, and he hair was pulled back into a tight bun, which she only did when she didn't wash it. But she was smiling at him, and it made her look as stunning as ever. It also brought Danny back to reality.

He had completely forgotten about the big fight he had against Freakshow, and then landing in the crater after his parents shot him. Now that he wasn't freaking out anymore, he could feel the pain throughout his body, the never ending ache in his bones. He also had a small cut in between his fingers that was driving him nuts.

Across the room, lounging in the chairs and full on snoring were his two best friends, Sam and Tucker. He sighed and settled back into bed.

"I know you don't like hospitals, but this one is the only one that'll keep everything under wraps. It's owned by S.H.I.E.L.D."

"I understand," he told her. His throat was dry, and what came out wasn't a confident young king, but an old, tired, raspy voice.

"Drink some water," Valerie told him, holding it up to his lips. He took a few sips and leaned back into the bed. At the same time, the door opened.

Dani came in, looking behind her momentarily. She was holding a bouquet of flowers. Daisies and carnations. Danny smiled at them, and at her as she placed them on the large window sill.

"Well look who's finally awake," she said, pulling her dark hair behind her ear. "Do you know how long it took me to convince them that I'm not gonna murder you?"

"Hi, Dani," Danny greeted. "How are you feeling?"

"I should be asking you that. But I'm fine," she paused, looking at him for a moment before continuing. "So are all of the other ghosts. They're more shaken up than anything, but they'll be fine. Frostbite and Clockwork got them all back safely."

"Thank you. I really appreciate it."

Just as Dani was about to give him a witty remark, someone came in.

They weren't quiet and careful like Dani had been. The door literally flew open, and Thor walked in with a tray of something in his hands. He was beaming.

"Daniel!" He greeted. Danny raised an eyebrow, because this is probably the nicest that the god has ever been to him.

"Hey, Thor," he waved at him lazily. As Thor set down the plate of what Danny noticed were cookies, slightly burnt, the other Avengers came in.

Danny had always visited them at the Tower, where they were almost always in some piece of their costume just in case anything happened. But now they were all in casual clothes, including Thor. Tony, Bruce, and Clint were going more for comfort than style like everybody else, and after the whole Freakshow thing Danny couldn't blame them.

"His eyes are blue," Tony said to Clint, holding out his palm. Clint grumbled and rolled his eyes as he dug into his pocket and handed Tony a few crumpled dollars.

"What?" Danny asked. Why on earth would they make bets about the color of his eyes when they've known him for months now?

Realization hit Danny like a brick as Natasha stared at him, her eyes looking into his very soul. She wasn't as scary as Valerie when she was angry, but that didn't mean he didn't need to watch his step.

"Surprise," Danny croaked. He held up a finger gun and pointed it at Tony. "Only half dead."

"How in the hell does that work?"

"Fuck if we know," Danny replied. Clint let out a snort and Steve rolled his eyes. But before anybody could say anything snarky, Thor stepped forward.

"You have been brave, Daniel," he said. "I am proud to know you. I am proud to call you my friend. And if you need anything, Asgard will always provide."

Danny looked at him, surprised for a moment before smiling and holding out his fist. Thor tapped it with two fingers, looking confused yet energetic.

"Thanks, right back at you. And from one king to another, you're not that bad, man."

"How come you didn't tell us you were living a double life?" Tony asked. He didn't sound angry, just curious as he sat at the foot of the bed.

"So I didn't get it mixed up in all of this. In S.H.I.E.L.D. I've had bad experiences with the government and I didn't think they would know any better. But now they know, so who gives a shit."

"That's not the only thing they know," Natasha said, speaking up. She tossed a folder at him, and he opened it.

The frown on his face was immediate as he looked at grainy pictures of himself from ten years prior, and of more recent ones taken with better cameras. There were also pictures of him when he was in the Guys in White's custody. Him in his cell, him strapped to a table, and one particularly gruesome one when he was cut open, and awake for it all. He flipped through those ones quickly, the frown on his face growing. There was a flash drive taped to the back of the folder, right after a list of all of the powers that S.H.I.E.L.D. knew about.

"What is this?" He asked, holding up the flash drive.

"A drive with some Guys in White footage on there," Natasha answered. Immediately it was up in flames in the center of his palm. The effort made his core strain slightly, as he was not nearly back to one hundred percent, but it was worth it to wipe that footage off the face of the Earth.

"You can do that to the whole thing if you want," she told him. "I've already deleted the stuff on our servers, and all of the backups. The only thing left is that."

"Why? Won't you get in trouble?"

"Nah, Fury loves me too much. But...You didn't ask for that, and you certainly didn't ask for anybody to know about it. So it's yours."

"Thank you," he said, giving her a big smile. She just gave him a small one back.

"Hey, Sam," Danny said, handing the folder. "Burn that for me?" Sam grinned as she took it from him, pulling out a small lighter as she did so.

"I'll add it to my burn book."

"What the hell is a burn book?" Clint asked, taking a step away from Sam.

"It's a scrapbook of all the things I burn. I can catalog my life through the things I burn. My grand kids will think I'm awesome."

"Or creepy."

"Say it louder," Sam said, pulling a knife, seemingly out of nowhere, a grin on her face as she pointed it at Clint. "I dare you."

Clint walked away, and stood next to the door. Just in case. Danny couldn't help but laugh, It made his whole body ache even more, and there was a splitting feeling in his ribs, and it gave him a coughing fit, but he...He had missed this. He had missed the banter and the good times and just sitting around and doing nothing. And these guys...These guys brought it back. He hasn't felt this happy in a long time.

The Avengers stayed for a little while longer, until one of the nurses came in and told everybody to get out while she checked on Danny.

As Valerie left, she kissed Danny on the forehead, and waved goodbye, and Danny waved after her.

When the nurse was done changing his bandages, Danny flopped back onto his pillow with a satisfied sigh. Moments later he was in the most peaceful sleep he has ever had in his (after)life.

Valerie came in later. Danny was fast asleep, looking relaxed for the first time in years. The tension was nowhere to be found in his body.

Which also meant he was drooling all over the pillow. She smirked as she took several pictures, and only a quarter of them could be perceived as flattering. She sent them to all of the Avengers, Sam, and Tucker, and received several emojis back.

She chuckled to herself as she set her phone down and took a page out of Danny's book. She gently climbed on the bed with him, and he wrapped his arms around her stomach, using her shoulder as a pillow.

She hummed gently as she ran her fingers through his hair until she too was asleep.