"Heimdall! I come bearing gifts, my friend," Thor makes his way into the golden room and leaves a bag near the door.
"Of the Midgardian sort, no doubt," Heimdall acknowledges with a smile.
"Indeed," Thor steps forward, looking over his city, "Tell me everything. Lady Sif gave word of trouble."
"Trouble indeed. Even more troubling is that my vision remains clouded. As if the cosmos were colliding in upon itself repeatedly. My once clear foresight reveals multiple outcomes and current paths."
"What would cause such a thing?" Thor crosses his arms, asking much more seriously.
"I haven't an idea. Have you felt the shift in time?"
Thor laughs and checks his footing, "All I've felt is a migraine; a gift from my son."
Heimdall hums next, eyes closing, "The trouble in Midgard- your friends are missing."
"Missing?"
"Vanished. The girl searches for them."
"Ah! The one with the magical hands, no doubt. Are they in trouble?"
"It is difficult to see."
"Tell me what threatens us in the northern woods. Perhaps I may come to a resolution before returning to Midgard in search of my friends."
"This creature you seek is of no threat to Asgard. I do not sense destructive intent in its wake,' he concentrates, focused on his duties while he talks with his higher up, 'And it is not alone."
Thor pivots in his pacing, "So there are two? Not one but two of these confusing beings…"
"…two travelers. The creature seems as though it is not always a threat. It fades, hides, It goes and comes back. I cannot always see it. The other…so fragile. Human."
Thor's eyes light up with a clap and a potential realization going off in his head, "Oh my Odin! I shall take my warriors up to the north in the morning!"
"What has changed your mood?"
Thor smiles, "I shaunt speak too soon. You will see! It is possible these are friends of mine. I will uncover the truth of these peculiar matters at sunrise! I need a horse!"
Romanoff sighs when she sees Bruce at the door with his arms crossed on his chest;
"After all these years, you still think you can hide things from me?"
She stands straighter over being caught mid dressing her kill and lifts a shoulder, "You were sound asleep."
He shakes his head, closing his eyes in disappointment, "And you still think I will judge you for being you."
She rolls her eyes, wiping her hands on her skirt, "You're a passive vegan, hippie, no offense."
He smirks with a half laugh and watches her work, "Hippie huh? We can blame that one on Aunt Susan."
"Can I blame her for your OCD too?"
"That one is all me...subconsciously making up for a childhood founded in disarray, anyways,' he moves closer to where she's standing, 'Tasha, we're in this together. You're all I've got. I don't want you to feel uncomfortable being yourself. You're feeling guilty because you have a craving? That's dumb. Don't waste your bullets."
Natasha laughs and looks down at her work. Alex has already smelled it and is circling the vicinity.
Her thoughts are suddenly elsewhere when she mumbles;
"Where did we go wrong?"
He doesn't acknowledge right away. They've individually replayed that same night over and over again, only referring to the accident with vague references and remarks.
Natasha will talk about Linda only as 'she' and 'her'. And if Linda is in HYRDA's grasp, who else is? How many other metas have they accidentally handed over to the enemy?
Bruce bites at the inside of his cheek without answer, "I should find some more firewood."
"Okay," she sits back on her heels.
Banner circles her makeshift wooden workstation, intrigued by the smashed up carcass, "What did this thing look like before it met you?"
Natasha grins suspiciously...there's her scientist.
"Just like you. Sad and lonely, without a purpose."
He glares, "Hilarious."
She shrugs, taking slabs of her meat to the nearby fire and answers his prior question, "Kind of like a turkey. He looked plump, I was hungry, sorry not sorry. I'll find you a new pet some other time."
The couple look up over a noise off in the distance. It sounds like voices and they're getting closer. Natasha gives Bruce a look and checks to ensure her gun is on her hip and flips her knife forward.
Banner bites his lip and crosses his arms after sending Alex to the door, hoping the Hulk won't need to come out and destroy everything they've only just fixed.
They take a stance, she waits behind him while his fingers twitch with a bit of anticipation.
Natasha narrows her focus with her legs far enough apart for a charge, holding her blade out in the same way she would a baton back home.
Natasha nearly drops her knife on her own foot in shock when they call in unison;
"Thor?!"
The demigod has a huge smile, a small militia beyond him when he yells back and leaps from his horse.
His cape flows a bit, greeting a barking Alex first;
"My friends!"
Bruce smiles honestly, welcoming the hug his teammate is all too quick to provide. Natasha cringes a bit when it's time for hers.
A woman on a horse behind him clears her throat;
"Is this the green monster or do the handsome hunk and his mortal have a secret pet inside of the...whatever that is."
"Do you want to try that again?," Natasha glares.
Thor rotates and addresses the woman;
"In a manner of speaking this must be our monster! But we do not call him a monster, his name is Hulk! Valkyrie; These are my friends," Thor beams.
Valkyrie looks unimpressed, signaling for the rest of the troops to stand down.
"And what brings you to Asgard?" The woman asks.
"Izzy," Natasha answers casually.
Thor crouches once more to pet Alex, "Izzy? Wh- Oh! Lady Mikhailov!"
"Our apartment sort of, exploded," Bruce shares with a shrug.
Thor narrows his focus, "An explosion?!"
"HYDRA. You haven't been on Earth in a while," Natasha deadpans.
"No," Thor adjusts the top of his uniform, "I have not. How long have you been in my realm?"
Bruce crosses his arms and checks in with Natasha;
"…six months? We didn't...exactly realize we were in Asgard...?"
Bruce is somewhat impressed with a thought for Izabella. If she knew, girl would be giddy with excitement to breach another realm...
"It's been a long time," Natasha answers.
"This is no place to reside! Allow me to take you to my home. Jane will be delighted to see you! We regret not fetching more horses." Thor waves as if it's a give in that the couple will now be his guests, an automatic response to care for his teammates.
It's not quite Earth but Natasha is happy to have running water of sorts. And the meal provided has enough protein to last her and her mutt five years.
Alex is just as happy about it as Natasha, playing with Agmundr and his twin sister around the palace.
Jane is preoccupied with conversations on scientific advancement with Bruce while Valkyrie and Sif are entertained with Natasha's spy stories.
Thor boasts in front of his friends, lifting a glass at the wide table, "I suppose you are anxious to return home."
Natasha stops eating her meal. What she was once excited to see on her plate suddenly feels like a twelve pound rock sitting on her stomach. Her head tucks.
Bruce quickly loses his appetite as well and turns to check in with his wife.
The thought of returning makes them both physically sick. To face the children, to handle HYDRA, Linda in particular- a child they'd raised in some odd way…
Natasha is a fighter who has never been known to shy away from a challenge, but she is tired. She loves the kids and being an Avenger. But confrontation is exhausting and the idea of going 'home' is unsettling.
"This is going to sound a little crazy. At least coming from me," Romanoff starts, fiddling with her napkin.
"Oh, boy," Bruce whispers, stroking his chin.
She looks up at him, "Are we really in a rush to return?"
"I mean…that's…home. Right?"
"Normal people have vacations every now and then. We have a right be normal...don't we?"
"I guess," Bruce looks indecisive.
She hugs her elbow and continues to whisper as if no one else were at the table, "...all we need is each other, right? Or have you changed your mind. Do you need more?"
"Natasha, that's not it-I don't need anything but you to feel complete, I just-. Well I guess,' he sits back, 'I mean I'm not really in a rush to go back either...per say…"
Thor interrupts, "I have a bit of a dilemma if that intrigues you, Lady Romanoff. I know you are a master spy! Warriors in Asgard are trained more in combat than the spy things you and Barton are so famous for. I am in need of a warrior such as yourself here in Asgard. There are some new recruits of whom you could aid in training, testing loyalties. That sort of thing…If you are interested?"
Valkyrie spits her drink across the table. "You're not serious about having this mortal join us?!"
The redhead narrows her glare to the woman, leaning forward on the table;
"I'm interested. As long as…"
Natasha taps at her elbow, watching Bruce analyze her every word. She clears her throat and repeats herself;
"As long as Bruce has a job with Jane. And our whereabouts are kept a secret. From Stark, Barton…I need to live without guilt."
"Tasha," Banner seems to disagree with a glare. He shakes his head 'no'.
Thor has already agreed, smashing the table with his hand, "It is done! Lady Romanoff shall join the warriors at dawn! And Banner will mingle in the laboratory."
Jane raises her own glass with a bit of sarcasm, "I can sense the excitement."
Bruce swings his jaw to the side, shaking his head.
Foster can sense every apprehension, trying her best to ease his worries, "There's a lot to learn. And it's a safe space for the hulk…"
Bruce shakes his head faster, "I appreciate it but I'm not really interested-."
"He will be,' Natasha forces a grin, 'That's way healthier for you. You've earned some peace, Bruce."
"Is this peace?"
She forces an exhale and a fictitious laugh that's only half convincing, "I need this Vrach. It's a new opened door. A fresh start."
"Fresh start…how long are we talking about staying,' he gestures, forcing a grin, 'I get it- I just. Worry."
"About what? I'm the frickin Black Widow."
Bruce keeps his eye contact no matter how intense it may seem, "…that's not my primary reason for caution here."
Natasha swallows in her place. She crosses her knees and then her arms.
"What's the alternative?" She asks stoically, "We show up unannounced with no promise of purpose? We could do good here; me, you…the hulk. Give it a chance? For me. For us. And no one needs to know. We could have peace. We could be ourselves here, without the pressure."
"They'll worry about us," Banner chimes in.
"Some good we've done for our teammates and those kids so far. Riley's blind, Izabella took a bullet, and we sent Linda to HYDRA."
Bruce focuses on her eyes and reaches for a mug full of Asgardian liquor. He mumbles something half in Italian, half in Hindi. That in itself tells Natasha that his brain is a jumbled mess. The way he downs his drink confirms her suspicions.
Bruce swallows, leaning to get Thor's attention, "Is Izabella okay?"
"Who?" The demigod chuckles, clearly finding the young dirty blonde unbelievably forgettable.
Bruce is less than impressed, "What about Jen? Is Jen okay?"
Thor checks over his shoulder, "I will gather intel on your acquaintances if you so desire?"
"Quietly."
"If you so choose, I shall respect your wishes for privacy and complete silence. Heimdall watches Midgard."
Jane interrupts with a soft focus, "If something horrible happened, we would know about it."
Banner nods slowly and judges the eagerness in Natasha's stare. He can't blame her for wanting some sort of peace, addressing Jane in his next remark with glossy eyes, "How much is there to study here, exactly? Science wise?"
"There's enough," Jane remarks as if she can read Banner's insatiable curiosity.
"Is that a 'yes, we can stay'?" Natasha asks with her head down.
Bruce sighs quietly, "I. If it makes you happy Tasha, yes. For now."
It hurts the both of them to make their decision, but hiding feels like the easy way out.
Everything happens for a reason- is Natasha's justification.
"The press is outside," Pepper Potts finally breaks as she holds the door handle of Tony's private office.
Stark exhales and adjusts his black suit. He stands momentarily in the mirror to check his tie and address his wife and CEO, "Thank you."
The ginger bites at her cheek and looks down at her black pumps. The tower's silence is deafening but Stark's quiet nature hurts the most.
Pepper keeps her distance for his sake and holds the door open as he passes by. He's borderline emotionless as he steps with his wife at his side.
Pepper takes his hand when he extends it backward toward her in search of support. She's grateful to hold it, standing at his side as he approaches the doors.
The front of the tower is lined with reporters, questioning the strange activity in the tower and the absence of two important heroes. Pepper squeezes his hand with a whisper;
"I'm here."
Tony's mouth opens emotionlessly as he eyes the mic and then the wide audience.
Pepper stands beside Tony Stark, Nick Fury flanking his other side, as they step outside to face the crowd.
The questions sound mostly like white noise to him, the flashes from the local cameras like a persistent slap to the face.
"HYDRA took away two of the good ones,' Stark shakes his head, 'and this isn't over…Not for me, not for our She Hulk. For Captain America, Hawkeye- not for anyone here today."
Izabella has her eyes shut tight at the back of the podium as she stands beside Steve Rogers in her black dress with her hands twisted around one another.
When her eyes open, they find Riley and Maria standing numbly in attendance. Jennifer is alone a few rows over with her face completely drained of all green and pale. Her hair is drenched and winded from the impending storm and for the first time in her life she couldn't care any less.
Tony's demeanor changes when he addresses the camera, brutal in his threat to shred apart anyone with negative intentions that comes within one hundred feet of him and his family. A vow of vengeance with a desire to Avenge his fallen teammates, his closest friends.
Clint may be missing but Garrett is present in the back with a plain tan coat and an umbrella he gladly shares with Laura.
The headstones may be for the public, but the last figure to linger is far from anonymous; Nick Fury. He leaves a black stained rose for Natasha Romanoff and rubs at his eye. The only figure to outlast him at the site is the girl dressed in black.
"You should go home to your aunt, mal pauk. There is not point in remaining," he lectures gently.
"They are my home," Izabella tearfully answers with a tug to her crystal and the gems that hang around her neck.
She is comforted by the light breeze and a soft hug from ex-director Fury.
Tony decides to leave New York after he realizes it's all too much for him to stay. He needs a break from being a hero. And Antonia deserves a fresh start with her father close to her.
The Starks sell the tower and move to Malibu.
Steve Rogers decides to stay, helping Jennifer Walters with the few meta kids who linger.
Maria Hill heads SHIELD with her adopted daughter at her side when Nick Fury officially retires.
Clint Barton switched his focus to family and personal development. For the first time in his life, he enrolls in therapy and finds solace in his cabin/truck renovations.
Brody Mikhailov enlists in the army on his 17th birthday while Izabella pursues a nursing degree. Violet Perez is decides to take a year post graduation. Amelia is on route to become a successful engineer and Micheal embarks in a career focused on art therapy.
Kat opens a funeral home states away while High School dropout Lucy Elaine Jameson serves a juvenile sentence via community service. It puts a bit of a dent in Jen's perfectly clean record and suddenly finding clients it's a challenge.
Thor has gone missing from Earth and suddenly the old Stark tech is unable to reach the demigod. It's as though the line has gone dead, much to Steve's dismay.
When Maria Hill goes through the file on the Avenger's initiative next, she makes the decision to pull certain records. The Black Widow, Hulk and demigod are removed and filed away.