Antonia is walking along the stream with her arms extended, "Lucy?"

"What," the now adult carefully follows the girl with her protective focus.

"Do you believe in magic? Mom says it's real. Daddy doesn't."

Lucy squints over the sun in their faces, still on foot through their wooded path, "Child; my mom and my uncle are green, my dad's a wolf, Izzy just warped us across the universe, Riley can read our brains, and my eyes are frickin a natural yellow. We are also walking through the land of Norse mythology. I think it's real."

Antonia smiles, "Then I do too."

"Don't copy me, Anna. That's a bad decision," Lucy shrugs with a laugh, "Does anybody have a hair tie? I want one."

"Seriously,' Riley talks through her teeth, 'If your hair is as short as I remember…"

"Shorter. I want one. And you didn't warp my vape with us so it's really in your best interest to keep me calm."

Izabella reaches up to her messy short ponytail with a sigh and tugs her red tinted hair free to give her elastic to Lucy, "If you shoot it at someone, I'm taking it back."

"That's a great idea," she aims her newfound 'weapon' towards Antonia.

"Daddy says I can get a suit when I turn 10-,' Antonia is still rambling 'What color do you guys think I should make it-OW! RILEYYYY! Lucy hit me!"

"No I didn't!"

Riley snaps, "Oh my GOD! You're impossible!"

Izabella raises a hand, "No! Antonia! Don't fall to her leve-."

"-She started it! I have to avenge!" The littlest one chucks a metal object toward Lucy and she smiles widely when she's hit her mark.

"You little-!" Lucy whines over the noise rather than the sensation.

"No, it didn't! YOU SAID YOU DON'T FEEL PAIN!"

"Stop it, you lunatic,' Lucy crouches to lift the item, 'Wow! Anna totally just chucked a bullet at me."

"No, I didn't! It was a tiny rock."

"I'm holding a bullet!"

Riley frowns as she questions, "I thought you said we were in Asgard? Bullets exist in Asgard? Izzy, is that really a bullet…"

Izabella extends a hand to analyze the item Lucy gives her. She lifts and rotates, "…that is a bullet."

Riley pauses once more, digging into the back of her pant pocket, "Wait..is it one of my bullets?"

Lucy snickers, "You're literally shooting blind."

"SHIELD protocol."

Izabella fiddles with said bullet in her fist when she checks Riley's gun, "It is the same brand...style…actually, it doesn't matter...it's not a fresh bullet…"

Lucy takes the bullet back from Izabella, "Did we take too long? Did you warp us in time?"

Riley bits her lip and snatches it to feel for herself, unintentionally slapping Lucy in her blind grab.

"Excuse you?!" Lucy whines.

Riley rolls her fingers over the edge. She holds it up with her face on a downward tilt, "Tell me one thing Izzy, what happened to…you know, their stuff? Natasha's specifically."

Izabella swallows hard over the memory, "…I think Fury- Whatever Tony didn't take for testing…"

Jameson butts in with a half angry snort, "What testing?"

Riley drops her hand and tugs at her jacket, "Nothing."

Izabella swallows, "I have a few things. Riley, Violet, and I…"

Lucy crosses her arms with a lofted eyebrow as she clears her throat, "Why do you ask, Riley?"

Riley runs a hand through her hair, "You're one hundred percent sure we're in Asgard, Izzy?"

Izabella pivots, taking a breath, "I am pretty sure."

"'Pretty sure' isn't 'really sure'. I'm asking because this is from a model that relatively few people even own."

Lucy whispers, "Read her mind."

Antonia runs over, "I want Lucy to be punished for hitting me! Give her a time out!"

Izabella holds her head, " Bozhe moi! I was thinking of Asgard when I saw the bridge-!"

"What. Bridge," Lucy uncrosses her arms with another scoff.

"In my bubble."

"What bubble."

"My mist," Izabella glares.

Riley throws her head back, long black stray hair directly over her right eye, "You're not sure."

"Stop breaching!"

Lucy's jaw drops, "She's touchy. You struck a nerve Riley. Look out-."

"Lucy!" Antonia pokes at the eldest, mid squeak.

The girls all freeze, Lucy and Antonia look down over an odd symbol that encircles them.

Izabella takes a defensive stance while Lucy tightens her fists and laughs;

"Someone needs to hurry up and piss me off so my eyes can go gold-."

Riley shouts, "Look! It's your mother!"

"Where?!"

Antonia shakes and screams, clinging to her friends, Riley shuts her eyes to attempt a breach, searching for something- anything.

The glow carries the small group to who knows where. When they arrive back on solid ground the light starts to fade.

The Stark child talks first, taking in the scene and immediately releasing her choke holding grip on a patient Riley, "That was fun. Do it again Izzy!"

Izabella's eyes are wide, dropping her hands and defensive green energy, "I didn't warp us. It was not me."

Lucy taps her lips twice, "This feels like a bad trip."

"Yeah, I agree," Izabella remarks, taking a step out on the colorful bridge.

"…like- wait-Izzy?! Woah girl! Miss purity- hold up! I have questions and you have secrets."

"Wait, that's the man…he was in my head," Riley whispers and lifts a finger where she presumes he'd be standing.

Lucy whistles. "That's a huge sword."

"Why are his horns pointy? Is that Loki?!" Anna tugs at Lucy's arm.

"How am I supposed to know?!" Lucy pulls away, looking nervously around her.

The man stands still, dressed in gold, when he finally offers a kind smile to the group. He breaks his composure and gives the girls a nod, "Welcome to Asgard. My name is Heimdall, the Guardian of this Realm."

Izabella's face breaks into a proud smile glancing at her friends behind her. She whispers, "Asgard!"

Riley pushes them forward, "I'm Riley. I have mind bending questions; why were you infiltrating my head without permission? Do you not teach about consent in this 'Realm', Mister?"

"...it's not like you ever ask anyone's permission," Lucy coughs, turning her head to the side.

"Karma," Izabella shrugs and gives Lucy the high five she silently asks for.

Heimdall steps from his post, inviting the girls into his workspace, "I could sense you. You were all lost out in our forest-."

"Yes! I told you," Izabella pulls a fist to her hip, proud of herself

Lucy glares with a tilted head, causing Izzy to immediately start toying nervously with her necklace.

Antonia steps toward the sword, "Can I touch it?"

"Step away young mortal," he scolds

She whines, "I'm hungry. Can we get cheeseburgers here?"

Riley tugs at her top, "We're looking for Thor. I need to speak with him. So would you be so kind as to let him know we're here?"

Heimdall nods, "Thor is out on a very important quest that concerns the future of Asgard-."

"Okay well this is more important because it concerns all of New York, the world really. I'm on a tight schedule here."

"Patience is not one of your more prominent qualities, is it young Riley?"

"Excuse me?" She crosses her arms in defense."

"Perhaps a lesson in perspective is in order? I have seen your Midguardian problems."

"Do you have insight 'all wise one'."

Heimdall finds her stubbornness intriguing, briefly analyzing her personality, "Perhaps a bit less snark? The enemy you continue to seek out has distracted you from confronting the enemy within."

Riley swallows hard and drops her hands immediately, "I don't hate myself if that's what you're insinuating."

"They have hurt someone close to you. A friend? A sister?"

They…HYRDA

Riley and Heimdall are half breaching one another's minds, half speaking aloud.

With Linda on hers, Riley mumbles, "She's not my friend. She ruined my life. All of our lives...They must be held accountable. And I'm going to take the stupid organization down if it's the last thing I do."

"I see. And you are in need of a demigod to handle this...take down? Why would the king of Asgard meddle in such a minor mortal problems?"

Riley is channeling the firm Maria Hill, "Thor is an Avenger. He owes it to the rest of the Avengers and to SHIELD."

"I see. I have been told to send traveling mortals away-."

Izabella raises her hands with fear in her eyes, "No! Please!"

"…but you have pure intentions,' he sighs, rotates and addresses the path to their left, 'take this road until you've reached the palace. Lady Foster and her children will be there to meet you. Thor is away…on serious business."

Izabella nods tiredly, leading Riley away, "Thank you, Heimdall."

He nods and watches intently as the girls all head down their path;

"Farewell."

Antonia tugs at Izabella's arm as they reach the city, "They're all staring at us…"

Izabella looks up, regretting eye contact with the other Asgardians. She whispers back optimistically, "Well! Is that a library?! A library in Asgard?! Can you imagine what is contained in those books-! The history, the magic-."

"You're a nerd!" Lucy snorts.

Riley reaches to her right, successfully getting a handful of Izabella's collar and pulls her back to the path.

"Look Lucy, it's a theatre," Izabella smiles and tries to distract her friend, anticipating her reaction.

"Where?!"

"Nerd," Izabella sticks her tongue out playfully.

Lucy grips at her short dark hair, fingers through her longer bangs, "Ahhhh! What is that even like?! I have got to see this!"

Riley holds her head, "Focus!"

Izabella pouts, "Come on Riley, please?! We've heard so many stories about this place from Thor. There's so much to see and learn! One hour will not hurt anyone. Heimdall told us Thor was not home. It will give him a chance to get back. Please?"

"Yeah! You could have so much fun," Lucy pokes Riley.

Maria Hill's prodigy rolls her head. For the sake of Linda and her friend's favorite mentor, and for the stories Thor used to share with them, she caves;

"FINE! But we CAN'T make a scene. Mmkay?! No red zone,' she pushes the vicinity of their louder teammate, moving for the one she's depending on for guidance next, 'and no green mist! None of that."

"I am so excited," Izabella hugs Riley in a giddy yelp.

She squirms from Izabella's hold awkwardly, "We all know who wants time at the library, Lucy wants to visit the theatre- both of which I have zero interest in. So what do you want to do Anna?"

Antonia scoffs, clearly too good for this place, "I don't see a mall?!"

Lucy snickers, "Honey, you spoiled child, you're in an ancient civilization. You're lucky we can breathe the same air."

"There's no cheeseburgers here either! No tech stores, what am I supposed to do? I'm so bored already! Where is the palace! I want to see Thor's house!"

Riley settled at a bench, guided by Izabella, "It might be nap time for you, Antonia."

"No!"

Riley holds her head, thoughts on her young friend, "Violet was never this whiny…I have the worst migraine and it is not the altitude."

Antonia squeals louder, stomping her foot, "Ah! No!"

"'No' what?!"

"Nooooo!"

Lucy rolls her eyes and takes Izabella's hand, her eyes lighting up in the same way they did years ago when she would drag Izabella along for her antics and games on the beach, at the Center and through the tower;

"Come on, nerd! To the Theater first! Get up Riley or we're leaving you on the bench. Time is wasting."

Antonia mumbles from Lucy's back, "Is that...a fox?"

"Aww," Izabella crouches immediately while Antonia squirms with a gag.

Lucy cringes, "Did you just...PET that thing?! It could have rabies Miss 'I'm a nurse'! That wasn't very intelligent Iz-the-Wiz."

"Oh, stop it. She's so nice,' Izabella scratches the animal's ears, 'She has an embroidered tag, Ulfhild?"

The fox drops her jaw in a relaxed pant, her tail swaying.

Riley grumbles, "Did we reach the palace yet? What's going on? What does it look like? Izabella, stop petting that thing- I'm allergic to fluff."

"Gazuntite!" Antonia shouts.

A young girl appears at the gates, her long blonde hair braided with some elegant blue gemstones. She disappears behind the curtain screaming for her mother and yelling 'stranger danger' on repeat.

The fox is alert to her scream, running back through the gate after the child.

"Are we really that scary," Lucy crosses her arms in offense.

"I'd run from you," Riley quips.

"Riley?!" Jane peaks out from the gate, her eyes bugging out from her skull. She pushes the guards away and heads for the girls who are- minus Antonia- now the same size as she is.

Her jaw drops, "Oh my gosh- What are you girls doing here?!"

"We're here to see Thor," Riley answers first, feeling for Jane's hand she freely extends.

"Thor is going to lose his mind when he sees you- all of you-! How did you get here?!"

"Izabella warped us,' Riley mumbles, eager to get straight to the point, 'Where is Thor?"

"He's out on a- it's a whole thing. Can I get your girls anything?! Come inside! Agatha? Agmundr?...come downstairs, these are some old friends of yours."

Riley reaches forward, eager to sit down and rest some of her overworked senses, "When will Thor be back?"

Jane tilts her head from right to left, "Soon I hope. You're all so tall now. So grown up! My heart- I feel old, suddenly. Agatha?! Agmundr!"

Ulfhild circles the girls once again, following Jane.

Her son heads down first, analyzing the group with a narrowed focus, "I don't know them mommy."

"Yes you do,' Jane tussles his hair, 'don't you remember when we used to visit New York? That big building with the huge courtyard and you would play with all of those children that daddy would help train?"

He looks up at the girls, "Are you from earth?"

"We are," Izabella offers with a smile.

He passes Izabella and moves toward Antonia who is more his size. The sassy Stark has her hands on her hips since climbing off of Lucy's shoulders, "Can I help you?!"

Agatha charges over next, heading straight for Antonia and circles her from behind, "I love your outfit."

"Thanks! Not to be rude but you look about 50 millennials out of style…"

"Oh,' Agatha couldn't care less about the insult, eager for a new playmate, 'do you wanna play with us?"

"No thanks."

"Go play with kids your own age for once in your life!" Lucy gently kicks Antonia's butt and pushes her away.

Riley folds her hands, head focused forward, "Is there someone I can talk to while we wait for Thor that would be- I don't know- up for a New York war? Preferably someone who isn't terrifying and won't bring a chitauri army?"

Jane shakes her head and sits beside Riley, "What's wrong with New York?"

"It's HYRA. They've been trying to take down SHIELD since the Banners. My mom has a target on her back. I've been hunting down Linda. And because of that, we've had our house blown up twice."

"Linda,' Jane looks terrified, 'Thor's mentee? I'm going to need a backstory."

Lucy cringes, "God, I mean, demigod... you've been out of the loop."

"I've been here in Asgard trying to force my children to go to...this school, get them some sort of earth equivalent of an education and stop the twins from electrocuting each other...Hold that thought; Agmundr? Agatha? Can you get our guests some water?"

"We saw Darcy! You should give her a call," Lucy mumbles.

"Darcy? My friend Darcy,' Jane holds her head, 'What was she- Why were you at Darcy's? How is she?"

"She's chaotic."

Riley pushes through, trying to once again lead the conversation, "About some Asgardian hired muscle-."

Jane is barely following, her head spinning.

Izabella is toying with her necklace, pacing the palace while her opposite hand grazes over the bannisters, the gold trim along the walls. This whole trip feels like a dream, achieving some new level in regards to her abilities.

Her ears tingle, eyes widening over the whimper of a dog. She whips her head around to Lucy who is blissfully ignorant.

Izabella tightens her jaw and pushes through the hallway, suddenly trembling when she hears it again.

Her hand slips down from the wall to reach for a heavier blockade. It takes one more curtain before she finds the cause.

Her jaw drops, mid crouch when Alex charges forward, his tail thumping rhythmically, crying and whimpering with utter excitement.

Izabella screams, tears in her eyes while she tries to hug the shepherd and get him to settle;

"... chto ty zdes' delayesh' !"

She covers her mouth, finally able to hug his neck with his paw on her lap and his constant licks on her cheek.

Izabella hugs his head, looking around the room. The familiarity giving her chills.

"Izzy?! I'll avenge you," Lucy charges in next, mid mad rush as if she's ready to take someone out. Her eyes drop with a gasp and a scream, "Alex?! You're ALIVE?! Is that really you! You stupid dog cousin! You wrecked me you, dumbass! Broke my heart you stupid, adorable, goofball, you! Come here!"

"What the hell," Riley steps inside, the dog charging for her next, she feels a paw and hears a bark.

"It's Alex!" Lucy explains.

"He's alive? How," Riley pets the whimpering dog timidly.

Izabella is circling the space, brushing over a shelf. Her eyes are wide unsure how to to respond so she looks up and spots Foster;

"Jane? What..?! Vrach …"

Jane hugs herself guiltily, hoping to dodge any other questions the kids will have, "They're, um, they're out with Thor."

"They're not dead?!" Lucy shouts.

Izabella brushes her tears, "They're...okay?"

Jane grins and nods, "Yeah. They're okay."

"How."

"I mean it's. Not. My story to tell. Thor found them about five or so years ago over in the woodland... They've been here. With us."

Izabella is suddenly a bubbling mess, sinking back onto the floor.

Lucy laughs lightly and gently settles in front of her.

"Hey, hey. Izzy...it's okay. Look at that,' Lucy brushes her friend's tears, biting her own lip, 'You didn't kill anybody."

"... ya v shoke . I'm shaking."

"You are such a hot mess," Lucy wraps her arms around Izzy and hugs her ex best friend almost guiltily and out of nowhere as she holds back her own tears.

Izabella sinks, overwhelmed by the news and Lucy's reaction to it. Over the immediate resolution between them and Lucy's much needed and missed embrace.

Jane doesn't know what to say, looking at Riley who remains emotionless and stoic. When Jane feels a buzzing in her head, Riley's frown deepens. The scientist takes a breath and taps her side;

"I'm gonna go, check on the twins."

Riley is frequently impossible to read, but the only way to describe her current state is anger.

The way her lips tighten, fists clenching, teeth grinding. She lifts her boot- Natasha's boot, giving the solid wall a fierce kick and then turns back toward the hallway.

Izabella gently releases Lucy, running after their mission leader with one more sniffle and Alex at her heels;

"Riley, wait. What's wrong?"

The girl feels for the wall to lean against it, swallowing hard, "'What's wrong'? Are you for real right now?!"

Izabella sniffles, "They're alive Riley, Natasha is okay-."

She scoffs, "They left us! They've been alive this whole time, Izabella. Six years. I've been fighting alone, I'm the only one who stood by my mom when everyone else left. While you were searching dimensions, they never reached out. While we were mourning them…?! We buried them! There are headstones at Morningside Park."

Izabella tries to keep her optimism, "We don't know the whole story, I'm sure they can explain-."

"I can't see, but I know what this looks like; and it looks like we didn't matter. Wake up, Izzy! If they cared they would've come back for us."

"We were fine-."

"Your mind told me otherwise. You felt abandoned. So did I," she chokes on her words. She shifts to push herself off the wall.

"Why are you- ne bud' otritsatel'nym -."

Riley rejects the assistance Izabella offers, able to translate enough of the Russian. She raises her voice, "Because maybe I have abandonment issues. Maybe, I fail at reading people. They insist on hurting me and it's my own fault!"

Her friend is forced to listen, kind in her reply, "I'm sorry."

Riley screams, "Natasha is the last person I thought would leave me! I trusted her...I-! Next to Violet and Linda?! I breached her mind so many times and I never thought…"

"Riley,' Izabella kindly takes her hand, 'We don't know what happened. I don't think Natasha would mean to hurt you. I don't think she would abandon us intentionally. We love you and we would never hurt you- read our minds; me, Garrett, Brody, Lucy-."

"I can't read Lucy."

Izabella blinks twice.

"Maybe it's a hulk thing. That's why I don't trust Lucy," Riley drops her hands, sinking against the wall until she reaches the floor.

Izabella takes a breath, "It is complicated with you both."

Riley shakes her head, "That's one oversimplified way of saying 'my teammate left me blind, tried to steal my boyfriend, and has a lawyer mother who will fight mine to keep the menace out of superhero jail'..."

Izabella picks at her nail, silently judging. She can't help the expression of frustration on her face, "She's my sister, same as you. You forgave me for-."

"Because if I didn't stay on your good side, you'd warp me to Mars."

Izabella jumps over a thud. Riley groans and throws the back of her head against the wall.

"Sorry girls! I just dropped a glass! Don't mind me," Jane shouts from halfway down the hall

Riley sighs, keeping her head resting against the wall, "Natasha wanted us to be sisters. And we just. Crashed and burned without her. She knew that would happen. Everyone I trust, stabs me in the back."

"That's not true-."

"Linda."

"Okay. Linda,' Izabella shifts nervously and starts to tug at her hair, 'You two were close. We couldn't do anything about her situation, we were children! She got adopted- we could not have known. Neither could Vrach and Natasha.."

Riley shakes her head, "Loyalty is important to me. Family is important to me. Trust is hard. And I trusted Natasha...When Linda came back with HYDRA and tried to blow up the tower-when all that stuff happened? I lost everything. All I had was Maria. While you were busy searching, Maria and I were fighting for our lives. Clint Barton didn't just quit, he was hunted. Natasha literally abandoned her best friend. Linda has a hitlist. You know that."

Izabella swallows.

"Natasha let everything fall apart and left us when we needed her."

"I'm sorry I didn't stay and fight with you. I didn't come back to help you-I could not go back to the tower. I'm sorry. Maybe, Natasha felt that way too."

She shrugs, "We were kids…You don't understand- I wear her suit everyday...Natasha made a choice not coming home and it feels like a slap in the face."

"We have to trust each other if we're going to get through this,' Izabella shuts her eyes, 'Give her a chance. Please. For me."

"I like you, I do, but your optimism really makes me want to punch you in the face,' Riley taps until she can find her friend's shoulder, 'I just want to go sit on something that isn't the floor. Walk me to something that won't break my butt?"

"Okay," she bites her lip.