Chapter 21: Double Bluff

As far as mood killers went, Lila's voice was the equivalent of an ice-cold shower and several cups of strong black coffee. Clint and I leapt apart as if electrified, and turned as one to see Lila staring at us with a mixture of shock and disgust from the doorway. Three more pairs of eyes were staring from the kitchen with varying levels of surprise and curiosity, and I saw Coop move quickly to cover Nate's eyes even as Strange averted his gaze.

"Lila!" Clint snapped, suddenly turning beet red.

"Doesn't anyone in this house knock anymore?" I added, quickly checking my hair and dress to make sure they weren't too badly mussed, "I thought we'd raised you to be polite!"

"...sorry, Mom and Dad," Lila said, looking down at her socks, "I was just getting the scrapbook we made for Auntie Nat so I could show it to Mr. Thera. I didn't know that..."

"It's okay," I said, and felt a little bad for my earlier outburst, "Well look, since you've burst in here you might as well get it for him, but don't think we won't talk about this later!"

"Yes, Mom," she said contritely, and padded over to the bookshelf where the glittery album was stored. Coop, meanwhile, took his hand off his struggling brother's face and came bounding forward with a broad grin on his face.

"Dad! You're up! How're you feeling?" his expression turned a little sly, "I guess you must be feeling pretty good, 'cause-"

"If you're smart, mister, you'll finish that sentence right there," I said tartly.

"I'm good, Coop," Clint said, reassuringly, "Besides, you know there ain't no way to keep me down."

"But what happened?" my son pressed, "Thera flatly refused to say anything and Doctor Strange said that we'd have to wait for you!"

"Correct," Strange looked up from his coffee, which he had been studying carefully, "We agreed that we'd let you decide what you were going to tell your kids. It didn't seem right for us to get involved."

"Thanks, Strange," Clint said, and the doctor inclined his head slightly, "I'll tell you later, Coop, okay?"

"Did you kick ass?"

"Maybe a little," he smiled crookedly, "Thera helped, I suppose. In his own way."

"Speaking of Thera, where is he? Or Vi?" I said, looking around with some surprise, "I swear, if she was behind Lila bursting in-"

"Thera took her outside to get some fresh air," Strange said, and gave me a significant look, "They might be a little while."

"Oh. Oh," I said, and then added with some concern, "Is she okay?"

"She looked sad, Mom," Lila said, "And scared."

"Indeed. She was trying to hide it, but…not well," Strange shook his head, "Something was causing her some distress, but I'm not sure what it was."
"It's this house," I said, firmly, "It's something about this house. The first time she saw it she tensed right up, and then when I asked her if she could draw it she freaked out and said she didn't do... architecture..." I snapped my fingers, "Hold on a second! She drew a sketch of Nate's school with no problems!"

"...so?" Clint frowned.

"So she lied! She does do architecture!"
"Okay, hon, but...she clearly ain't in a good place right now. Why is it so important?"

"Because it feels important! C'mon, you've gotta admit it's pretty weird."

"Compared to everything else that's happened to me today, I'd say it's pretty small potatoes," he said, "And I ain't touchin' everything that's happened this month!"

"I'd have to agree," Strange said, "Laura, I'd be careful about reading too much into everything they say or do. Given what we know about her history, it may well be that she's subconsciously associating your house with something from her past."

"I gotta say, I don't reckon she were entirely in the room, if you get my drift," Maisie said, "But something was definitely spooking her."

"She called me 'Georgie'!" Lila cut in, "That's not nice! I'm not a boy!"

"Pretty sure it was short for 'Georgina', Lil. Like the Famous Five, remember? Like I said, I think she were somewhere else."

"I didn't ask you!" my daughter snapped back. While Maisie made a show of rolling her eyes, I knew her well enough to catch the flash of irritation when it came. Whatever was going on between them, it clearly showed no signs of abating.

"Lila, be nice!" I said crossly, "What's gotten into you?"

"What's gotten into me?" Lila huffed, "Why don't you ask what's gotten into her? She won't let me go with her tomorrow!"

"I've got a boxing tournament," Maisie said quickly, by way of explanation, "And like I said, Lil, it'll be really boring for you. Even when you're competin', it's a whole lot of standing around waiting for your bout followed by more standing around, assuming you ain't been beaten senseless by your opponent."

"But I want to cheer for you!"

"And like I said, Lil, I ain't ready for that!" Maisie replied, with just a hint of annoyance, "I've been preparing for this tournament for the past six months, and for most of that, you weren't even around!"

"It's not my fault I Blipped!"

"I know, Lil. But I'm already in a weird place, and the last thing I need is to lose focus in the middle of a bout! Having you cheer me on from the stands is something that I've dreamed of, but...I don't think I can handle it just yet. I need time, Lil."

"That's not fair!"

"Girls, hold on-" I began, but Maisie sprang to her feet with a scrape of wooden furniture.
"Now don't go tellin' me about what's fair and what's not," she said, in a quiet, tight voice, "'Cause fair ain't growing up with my drunk ass mom, and it ain't having to live with the fact that the only people who were ever good to me got turned to ash by some crazy alien bastard. I've taken my lumps, Lil, and I ain't gonna have my moment ruined just 'cause you can't handle the fact that I ain't gonna jump for you like how I used to."

Lila's mouth opened and shut soundlessly as she searched for her words, but I knew from experience that when they came out they would just be more fuel for the fire. As I went to say something, though, Clint held up a finger and motioned me to wait.

"You…" Lila spat finally, "I can't believe you're being so...so selfish!"

"Selfish? Selfish? Hah!" Maisie barked, "Lil, I ain't even meant to be here; I should be at home doing stretches and getting an early night's sleep! The only reason I got on that bus with you today was 'cause I heard that Zack was gonna try and take down Coop on the way home, and the only reason I stayed with you was 'cause when we went past your house I saw your Dad laid out with those two strange guys- uh," she paused, and looked briefly at Strange, "No offence, Dr. Sir, but your cloak…"

"No offence taken," Strange said, with a quirky smile, "'Comes with the territory."

"-so if you reckon I'm selfish because I put your brother's and your safety ahead of makin' sure I was ready for my tournament, then...fine! I'm selfish!" she said, and then appeared to collect herself, "Now, you can either settle down and apologise, and we can all see that glittery scrapbook you made for your Auntie, or…" she paused, "I'll just leave you be until you've grown up enough to be reasonable about this. I've managed the last five years without you, Lil; I can wait a bit longer."

"But-" Lila stuttered, and I saw the colour drain from her face, "But-"

"You ain't coming, and that's final."

"There'll be other tournaments, kiddo," I said gently, eager to sweeten the deal before Lila did anything rash, "It's not the end of the world."

"That's right," Maisie said, "An' it ain't like you won't be there in spirit. I've still got your Pink Unicorn figurine, and-"

"I want it back!" Lila shouted suddenly, tears springing to her eyes, "I want it back now, and I wish I'd never kicked your ass! I hate you!"

Before anyone could react Lila leapt off her chair and fled sobbing up the stairs to her room. A moment later, her door slammed shut. In the shocked silence that followed Maisie stared blankly after her, and then slumped dejectedly back down on her chair.

"Sorry, Mrs B. 'Looks like I've ruined your evening," she said, sadly, "I should just get goin'-"

"Hold on, Maisie, please," I replied, "I'll go talk to Lila, and-"

"I'll go talk to her. You're always the one having the 'talks'," Clint said firmly, " 'Sides, she needs someone who can give her the right perspective. Y'know, someone who didn't Blip."

I exhaled heavily and then nodded in agreement. My husband glanced quickly at Maisie, nodded at Strange, and vanished up the stairs after our daughter. From the landing, there came a gentle knock and a quiet murmur, and then the telltale creak of a bedroom door.

"I went too far there, didn't I?" Maisie said, "Some big sister I'll make, huh."

"Maisie-" I began, but she was already ploughing on.

"I meant what I said, Mrs B. It really were a dream of mine to have her cheering me on from the stands, but…"

"I know," I sat down beside her and carefully took her hand, "And you know that Lila knows that too, right? She just, well...she wants things to be how they used to be."

"Well, they ain't!" she said sharply, but then her gaze softened, "I know what you mean, though. That first year after the Snap was like a bad dream. I woulda given anything to reverse it, even if it meant I were stuck with my Mom again. Even now I reckon that if someone popped up an' gave me the opportunity to turn back time, it'd be hard to say 'no'."

"But that wouldn't be fair on you," I said, "You came so far during the Blip! Why should Lila, or myself, or anyone ask you to sacrifice everything you've accomplished just to make life easy for us?"

"Well..."

The front door clicked open, and a moment later Thera and Vi filed quietly back into the kitchen. They were holding hands, and Vi very much had the look of someone who had quickly cleaned themselves up after a good cry. When she caught me looking she gave me a brave smile and a thumbs up, but it was pretty clear that she knew that I knew what had transpired. Trailing behind them were the Wisps, and although it was hard to read too much into the motives of the little glowing balls the way they moved and flitted around Vi felt strongly protective.

"Everyone okay in here?" Vi asked, oozing false confidence from every pore, "We heard shouting."

"It's fine. Everyone's fine," I said reassuringly, "Are you okay?"

"Um…" Vi exchanged a quick glance with her fiance, "Yeah. Just homesick, I guess. Seeing your actual family, in your actual home...it reminded me how much I miss mine."

"Oh, um…" I said, and tried to ignore Strange's gaze. Maybe he was right; maybe I was reading too much into their actions, "I'm sorry, Vi. I can't imagine how tough that is."

"It's…" her eyes flickered to Nate, "Hard, yeah."

"And you'll see them again. I'm sure of it. We'll make sure of it."

"That's the plan!" she said brightly, and Thera gave her hand an encouraging squeeze.

"Oh, you have a plan?" Strange inclined his head, "I thought you were largely winging it."

"Please, mate," she snorted, "We've been two steps ahead of everyone the entire time. You knew that, right?"

"Two steps?" an eyebrow went up.

"At least," she said, "'Cause if you think you're one step ahead of the competition, you're probably actually one step behind. Believe me, Steve, we learned that one the hard way."

"Steve?" Strange gave her a slightly disbelieving smile, "My word, I can't remember the last time anyone called me 'Steve'."

"And here I thought you had a photographic memory," she said jokingly, and then nodded at the scrapbook Lila had left on the tabletop, "Hey, is that the book Substitute Georgie was talking about? The hyperactive one?"

"I think you mean Lila," I said, with a hint of irritation. Vi was talking even faster than normal, probably to cover for her moment of vulnerability, and the barrage of words was an unwelcome addition to my already existing problems, "But yeah. She-"

"-walked in on Mom and Dad while they were making out," Coop smirked, "With tongues."

"Coop!" I snapped, but it was too late. Both Thera and Vi were momentarily taken aback, but then my heart sank as they shared a distinctly mischievous look.

"Seriously?" Vi said, in a tone of newfound respect, "Laura, we left you guys alone for five minutes. Five minutes!"

"Don't look at me like that!" I said, and pointed at Thera, "This is your fault!"

"Wait a sec!" Thera held up his hands, "I just asked her if I could see that book. If I'd known you two were giving each other a...a tonsil examination, I would've asked her to wait!"

"Good thing you didn't," Vi grinned maliciously, "If she'd broken in two minutes later they'd be having a very different kind of talk, eh?"

Maisie giggled in the background, and I felt my cheeks redden.

"I'm so glad you're feeling better, Vi," I said sarcastically, "Are you sure you haven't got any other issues to work through? Outside?"

"Oh, loads," she said airily, "But I'm just impressed you've still got it after twenty-odd years of marriage! That's something to shoot for, in my view," she nudged her fiance and added, "I hope you're taking notes, Sparky!"

"Coop?" I said, "How about you take these two through that scrapbook we put together? Y'know, before I murder them."

"She's going to murder us?" Vi muttered to Thera, "That seems pretty ungracious. What do we do about that?"

"Well, we're her guests so...I think etiquette says we have to let her," he muttered back, "But it's very poor form."

"Indeed," Vi mock-glared at me, "Very poor form, Laura. The Mother Superior will be hearing of this."

"I...you…" I sputtered at her sanctimonious tone, but found myself smiling nonetheless, "Now, Coop!"

With a huff of teenage annoyance, Coop grabbed the scrapbook and yanked it over to his side of the table, leaving a trail of glitter in its wake. Thera and Vi sat down curiously on adjacent chairs, and after a moment's contemplation Strange got up and came over to join them.

"Um...so…" Coop began uncertainly, apparently cowed by the sudden celebrity interest, "This is what we put together for Auntie Nat. Um…-"

There was a puff of glitter as he opened it on the first page. Vi blinked once, and then swatted at the sparkling cloud as it drifted dangerously close to her face."

"Wow," she said, "You really like glitter, don't you-"

"That's Lila!" Coop objected, "She got it everywhere!"

"Pinky? Clyde?" Thera looked up at his Wisps, "Could you tidy it up? Let's not leave a mess."

"So, um…." Coop faltered as he watched the Wisps get to work, and then pointed to the large portrait photo that took up the entire inside cover, "That's Auntie Nat! She's...she was pretty awesome!"

"Goddess; she is gorgeous!" Vi said admiringly, "Clearly I need to get me some of that next-generation Avenger healthcare. What d'you think, dear?"

Thera said nothing, and his face was carefully blank as he stared at the photograph. His fingers, however, tightened ever so slightly around his coffee mug.

"Your silence is very reassuring," she continued, and an acidic tone crept into her voice, "I feel my self-esteem soaring already."

"Actually, I was just trying to remember if I told you how good you look in that dress," Thera said quickly, "Yellow is definitely your colour."

"Ooh, she shoots, he saves!" Vi leaned affectionately against his shoulder, "I mean, just. It was off the crossbar."

"I'll take it," Thera smiled and rolled his eyes, "So Coop, what was she like?"

"She was...nice," Coop said, with a faint smile, "Dad used to bring her back after missions, and we'd always go and do awesome things with her. Like, um…" Coop flipped through the pages, prompting another geyser of glitter and a flurry of activity from the Wisps, "Ah! Here's when we went camping under the stars, and here's when we all played football in the garden, and here…"

Strange, Thera, and Vi all looked on indulgently as they were treated to a rapid fire summation of The Family-Friendly Adventures of Natasha Romanov, and once again I was forced to re-evaluate someone I thought I had the measure of. Not once, in a million years, would I have expected Strange of all people to be quite so tolerant of my children and their escapades. It was more than tolerance, even, he was paying close attention to Coop's presentation, and while he still had the air of a slightly stern college professor his expression was strangely nostalgic, as if he was remembering something similar from long ago.

"They seem nice. You know, for wizards," Maisie broke into my reverie, "You keep strange company, Mrs B."

"Not always!" I protested.

"And this is at the water-park," Coop's voice continued in the background, "She waited an hour to go on that one in the background. See how tall it is?"

"It ain't nothing to be ashamed of!" she laughed, and then her face turned serious, "Good friends're hard to come by, y'know. Hang onto 'em."

"I know," I said, "And speaking of good friends, thanks for looking out for Coop and Lila."

"Ah, that ain't nothing."

"It's not nothing, Maisie," I said, "And look, I know a lot's changed, and we've all got to make adjustments, but you'll always have a place here. No way am I kicking you to the kerb."

"But Lila-"

"-needs to learn that things have changed, I tried to pretend they hadn't and almost came apart at the seams." I said, "We'll all need time, sure, but stop by whenever you want. It's always good to see you."

"Thanks, Mrs B," she said, and gave me a grateful look, "You really don't know how much that means to me."

"And... I think I'm going to have to talk to this Zackary kid's parents. I'm not having him keep taking potshots at Coop."

"And here's when we caught some fireflies...and made smores…"

"Um, well…" Maisie looked quickly at Coop and then lowered her voice, "I reckon Maria's moved onto her next target anyway. Zach's fighting over nothing, but then he's always been a bit of an ass."

"And this is when Dad brought her back for her birthday. We had a pinata, and fireworks, and a whole roasting pig! Mom was making pork sandwiches for ages-"

There was a gasp and then a sudden, harsh choking noise, and I turned with some surprise to see Thera bent double over the table, coughing furiously.

"Hey, Sparky, you okay?" Vi said urgently, patting him on the back, "Steve! Get him some water!"

"I'm fine…" Thera gasped, as the good doctor stepped away to grab a glass, "It's just...glitter. So much...bloody...glitter!"

"I said that Lila used too much!" Coop said, with some satisfaction, "Didn't I say that?"

"Let's save the 'I told you so's' until after my fiance's stopped choking to death, shall we sweetie?" Vi pinned Coop with a sharp stare, and he fell silent, "Thank you."

"I'm okay, seriously. Don't worry about the water, Strange, thanks," said Thera, and straightened with a final cough, "It just took me by surprise."

"I guess Lila thought there had to be glitter 'cause of the pinata?" Coop ventured, a little nervously, "I remember it took Auntie Nat a couple of swings to break it open, but I think it's gotta be pretty hard when you're blindfolded. She even hit Dad by accident!"

"Yeah," I snorted, "'Accident'."

"I'm liking this woman more and more," Vi said dryly, "Anything else?"

"Just this-" Coop flipped the page to the final image, where Nat stood alongside Clint and the other Avengers in their matching time-travel suits. This time, there was no puff of glitter. "They took it right before they went to get the Infinity Stones to...y'know, just before-" his voice cracked suddenly, and he fell silent.

"Yeah, we know," Vi said, and patted him gently on the back.

"She was... brave. Very brave. And selfless," Thera said tightly, "I don't think I could've done what she did."

"Me either. Guess that's why this is the only timeline where we're still standing, right, Steve?"

"I wouldn't be so quick to denigrate yourself, Viola; your counterparts never gave any less than their best," Strange assured her, "If you think about it, in those timelines where the Earth was destroyed it's entirely possible that Thanos wasn't able to remake the universe as he wanted."

"Pretty cold comfort, but I'll take it," Vi sighed, "This's gotten awfully morbid all of a sudden, hasn't it?"

"What, looking over an in memoriam scrapbook? Can't imagine why it would," Thera said, "But you guys did good, Coop. Did it help?"

"Um...maybe," he shrugged, "I guess it's nice being able to remember all the good times we had with her."

"Yeah," Thera agreed, "Like that water slide, right! That looked fun."

"That was pretty cool," Coop smiled, "I was terrified of it, and in the end I only went on it 'cause she was there. She was...good at making us feel safe."

"Mmm..." Vi stared at the scrapbook, "I bet I could've learned a lot from her. She looks like she was a fun Aunt."

"It just...feels weird," Coop said, "Knowing she's not coming back, I mean."

"It's going to feel weird, mate," Thera said, "And like I said before, there's gonna be days when it'll hurt like hell. Don't fight it; it hurts because you loved her and she loved you...more than you realise, probably. Cherish that, yeah?"

"...yeah."

The room fell into a contemplative silence, broken only by the faint result of paper as Thera leafed curiously through the scrapbook. A little while later, there was a creak from the staircase and then Clint quietly re-entered the room, catching my eye as he did so.

"Quiet in here," he remarked, "Did someone die again or something?"

"How's Lila doing?" I asked quickly, "Is she feeling better?"

"She'll be fine," Clint said, "Just tired an' tearful, really. It's a lot to have to deal with."

"You reckon I should go say goodbye, sir?" Maisie asked, "Or-"

"'Best if we let her rest for now," my husband said firmly, "She needs to calm down."

Maisie's face fell, and she nodded in acquiescence, "Well, I guess I'd better be on my way, then. Tell her I'm sorry she couldn't come, could you?"

"We'd better get going too, actually," Vi stood up and clapped Thera across the back, "Got a lot to be getting on with, eh darling?"

"Really?" I had to admit, I felt strangely disappointed, "You don't want to stay for dinner?"

Vi inclined her head and smiled kindly, "You've had a tough day, Laura, and in recognition of your achievements I'm going to give you something I never give anyone; an evening off!"

"She's not kidding, you know," Thera said, "You may not have noticed, but she's a total bloody slave-driver."

"That's rich coming from you, sweetie," Vi said sharply, before turning back to me, "Look, the last thing you need is Sparky and I intruding on your precious family time! Go order some takeout, chill...take it easy! Oh, and enjoy your party tomorrow!"

"Oh, right…" I said, a little evasively, "Yeah."

"Patti'll be devastated if you don't turn up," Vi gave me a stern look, "And I promised her you would!"

"No you didn't."

"You're right, I didn't. But I was thinking about it! And you said you'd 'love' to be there, so…"

"Okay, okay, we'll go!"

"Good," Vi said, and then looked over at Maisie, "How're you getting home, mate?"

"Me?" Maisie blinked in surprise, "I, um, was gonna run through the forests. There's a trail that leads right back into town, if you know whatcha lookin' for."

"Excellent. We'll run with you. Thera could do with the cardio."

"What, in that dress?"

"You think I can't keep up?" Vi laughed scornfully, "Please, mate, I could keep up with you if I was dressed like a panto dame."

"I don't know what that is, but…"

"And besides, you never know what might be lurking in those forests," Vi threw me a significant look, "What if that kid you were talking about is waiting to jump you? Going to be hard to compete tomorrow if you've got a concussion."

"Oh, Zack ain't no problem-"

I thought, briefly, about the phone call that Vi had had earlier out on the porch, and felt a chill run up my spine, "I'd let them go with you, Maisie. I'd feel safer, for sure."

"Well... okay," she said dubiously, "But I don't want to hear any complaints about your clothes gettin' ruined, yeah?"

"Deal," Vi said, and jerked her head toward her fiance, "C'mon, dear. We've got to go see a man about a chipmunk."

"What? Oh, um, sure," Thera stood up and carefully tucked his chair under the table, "Thanks for showing me that scrapbook, Coop! It was very... interesting - and well put together, too! You may have some competition here, Vi."

"If there's ever a glitter related art-movement, I'm sure they'll be quids in. Anyway, we'll go grab our boots and say goodbye, okay?"

"Sure," I said, "We'll be right through."

Thera, Vi, and the Wisps headed out of the kitchen, but as Maisie went to follow them I quickly put my hand on her shoulder.

"Hold on, Maisie," I said, "When you get home, can you send me a text? I just want to make sure you're okay."

"Sure thing, Mrs B," she said, with a brief smile, "You, uh, reckon I'll be okay with those two?"

"I wouldn't have let you go with them if I was anything other than completely certain," I said, "But...if anything strange does happen you'll let me know, won't you?"

"Building yourself a spy network, hon?" Clint grinned.

"No! It's just...something is going on, Clint, and they want us to know, I'm sure if it!" I said, "Vi said she couldn't tell me, but she didn't say anything about me finding out by myself!"

"I'm not sure that sending this young woman to do your dirty work really counts, though."

"I'm using my initiative!"

"It's okay, Mrs B," said Maisie, "If anything weird happens I'll let you know, but I've gotta get an early night for tomorrow."

"Yes, of course," I said, "You'll let me know how you do, right? I want pictures of the trophy."

"Su-" she paused, and frowned, "Hold on, d'ya hear that?"

I listened. In the silence there was something, a very faint susurration in the air, but no matter how hard I strained it was too indistinct to make out, "I-"

"It's whisperin'," she said, "From the hallway."

"You've got good ears, Maisie."

"Young ears, Mrs B," she said, and winced, "Sorry! I didn't mean it like-"

"Don't worry; I get it," I said, and crept as quietly towards the doorway as I could, "I wonder what they're talking about?"

"Seriously, hon?" Clint said, a bit disapprovingly, "C'mon, give them some space."

"I am giving them space! I'm just..." I trailed off, unable to come up with a decent excuse, "You know what? You guys keep talking, but...quietly."

I could feel his stare boring into my back as I snuck up to the side of the door, but then he sighed, turned away and started talking to Strange in a low voice. Despite his protestations it was clearly something he'd done before; his voice was just loud enough to mask my approach, but not so loud that I wouldn't be able to hear what was being said out by the front door.

"-telling you, Ell, I know what I saw!" Thera was whispering. His normally dry tones were now frantic and bewildered, and I knew immediately that I'd hit the jackpot.

"And I'm telling you that that's impossible!" Vi whispered back, "If nothing else, it's completely insane!"

"So? Which part of all of this hasn't been totally bonkers? The more I think about it, the more sense it makes."

"For a given value of 'sense', sweetie!"

"You say that like our previous assumptions weren't just wild guesses."

"True, but you do know what it means if you're right, though."

"That we've been led around by the nose this whole time?"

"Bingo!" Vi said, "But...does it really change anything? I'm not sure it does. The stakes remain the same."

"Yeah, I know."

"And we can't bug out now. Not knowing what we know."

"It'll be Katastari all over again," Thera sighed, "You know, this feels suspiciously like poetic justice."

"I'm sure that someone somewhere is having a good laugh at us, but what's new about that?" Vi said, "Look, for now I say we just focus on what's ahead. We'll worry about what this actually means on Monday; y'know, if we're still alive by then."

"Ever the optimist, Ell."

"Only since I shacked up with you, love," she murmured teasingly, "Look, we'd better hurry up and get our boots on. Laura's a newbie, but even she won't take forever to prime that Maisie girl."

"You really think she's going to do that?"

"You really think she isn't?" Vi chuckled, "You're adorable."

"And you're a bad influence."

"Well, I can't argue with that…"

With a faint sigh, I stepped away from the door and padded quietly back across the kitchen. To be fair, it'd probably been a bit much to hope that they would spill the beans while standing in my hallway lacing up their shoes, but something had happened. What had Thera seen? When had he seen it, and how had it turned their entire world upside down? Also…'Ell'?

"You learn anything, hon?" Clint asked curiously.

"That they're really good at talking in riddles and half-sentences?" I said frustratedly, "Oh, and she's totally on to me. Sorry, Maisie."

"S'okay, Mrs B," she said graciously, "It ain't so bad, neither, 'cause while they know what you're up to, they don't know that you know that they know what you're up to...unless they do, in which case do they know that we know that they know that you know that they know what you're up to? Because-"

"I believe continuing this train of thought will only end in a headache," said Strange, "Specifically, for me."

"Sorry, sir," Maisie coughed, "In any case, I suppose I should be goin', right? Otherwise they'll realise that we know that-"

"We'll see you to the door," I said quickly, and led her out of the kitchen and into the front hall while Clint and Strange trailed behind. Thera and Vi were leaning against the wall, apparently making a show about just how difficult it was to lace up their shoes.

"I swear, I need new laces," Thera said, and Vi nodded in agreement, "Or new shoes."

"I'm just glad I Blipped wearing my favourite pair," she said, "Haven't found anything nearly as comfortable 'round these parts."

"You guys having fun?" I remarked, and Vi rolled her eyes.

"As much fun as I can with shoes," she said, and pulled the right one into place with a hard tug, "Never been a fan, but people look at you funny if you walk barefoot down the street."

"Gonna need them in the forest," Maisie said, "An' I'm warnin' you, it's about seven miles up some pretty steep hills and I ain't stoppin' for nothing. You sure you up to it?"

"Seven miles? My goodness!" Vi snorted, "I might just break a sweat!"

"Yeah, we'll see if you're still smilin' at the end," Maisie slipped easily into her running shoes, and then turned back to me, "Um...thanks, Mrs B, for everything. You think Lila'll be okay?"

"She'll be fine," I said, reassuringly.

"Right…,um, well, I guess I'll be seeing you then," she said, and opened the front door with a 'click', "I'm just gonna limber up on the porch. Don't want to pull anything before tomorrow!"

"Bye-" I began, but the door had already swung shut behind her. Thera caught it just before it slammed, and then paused for a moment. When he turned back to face us, he had a surprisingly contrite expression on his face.

"Laura? Clint?" he said quietly, "Can I just say again how sorry we are about everything that's happened today? Thanks to us you were both put in mortal danger, and…um..."

"...we thought that there was a chance that we could wrap things up and...maybe get home to see our family," Vi added, "But however much we might want that, it doesn't excuse the fact that we didn't stop to think about what might've happened to you. I should've-"

"Stop, guys. Don't blame yourselves," I said, "Like Clint said to me earlier, the only people who're actually responsible for attacking us were those goons at the Blip Centre and the mercs. All you two are guilty of is trying to reunite families that got split by the Blip."

"'sides, you hired me to do a job!" Clint said, "As long as you pay up, I ain't got an issue with it."

"We will," Vi promised, "And we'll be more careful in the future. Playing around is one thing, but I never wanted you to be in harm's way. It's not worth the risk."

"In any case, thanks for the hospitality," Thera said, and put his hand on the doorknob, "We'll be in touch, I guess. You too, Strange; you clearly know where to find us, so...drop in whenever, I guess? I'll keep the kettle on."

"That's very kind," Strange inclined his head, "In return, if your travels do lead you to Kamar-Taj, I'll personally ensure that your needs are catered for and that the doors will be unlocked for the duration of your visit. You'll be free to come and go as you please."

"Oh...um," Vi blinked, "Thank you, Steve."

"That's very generous," Thera said, "Maybe we should get a fancier kettle."

"And Sparky? Wong just wanted me to let you know how much he loved your hair. 'Said he'd be willing to... die for it."

"I-" Thera's hand went self-consciously to his white-blond locks, "Thank him for his observation, would you? Anyway...you coming, Vi?"

"Just a minute," she said, "I'd like to have a moment with Laura, if that's okay."

"Oh?" his eyebrows went up, but then his gaze softened, "Oh, right; sure. I'll be outside with Maisie."

"And I'll be right through," I said to Clint, "Could you make me another cup of coffee? I think I'm going to need it."

"...sure," Clint said, and gave Vi an uncertain look, "Yeah, sure. C'mon, Strange."

Clint and Strange went back into the kitchen, while Thera carefully opened the front door and slipped through as quietly as he could. That left Vi and myself, and I felt the tension in the air grow as she shifted awkwardly on her feet. She wanted to say something - was clearly desperate to get it out, in fact - but at the same time didn't seem to quite know how to go about broaching the subject.

"What is it, Vi?" I asked eventually, compelled to speak by the yawning silence, "What did you want to say that you couldn't say in front of everyone else?"

"Well, um...I…" she stopped, and huffed irritably, "Ugh. This is hard. Why is it so hard?"

"I've no idea! I don't know what 'it' is!"

"It's just...when you were talking earlier…" she paused, "I just wanted to say that…whatever happens…"

"'Whatever happens'? What's going to happen, Vi? Something 'spectacular', right?"

She gave me a helpless shrug, but said nothing.

"Oh, right. You can't tell me," I sighed, "Okay. I won't pry, but you have to promise me something."

"What?"

"When all of this is over, you're going to tell me everything," I said, "Starting with 'why'."

"When all this is over, you'll know why," she said, and added quite seriously, "But don't stop prying, Laura; you've got everything you need to work it out for yourself!"

"You really think so?"

"I know so!" she said earnestly, "I'm telling you, it's in the bag."

"Well, it'd be a lot more 'in the bag' if for once you just gave me a straight answer!"

"I give you straight answers all the time! You just spend too much time looking behind the curtain to realise it," her teeth glimmered in the darkness, "And besides, we both know you love it."

"Yeah...yeah, I guess I do. And look, whatever it is you've got planned, please be careful…" I paused for just a moment, "...Ell."

"Ell? Hold on; you were listening to us?" Vi tensed suddenly, and then burst out laughing, "You crafty little bugger! Maybe I am a bad influence."

"And we both know you love it. So what does that stand for? Lorraine? Lydia? Laura? Your name isn't Laura as well, is it? Is that why you faked it?"

"No, but keep guessing!" she said, "You're so close!"

"I'm not, am I."

"Nowhere near. Couldn't be further away, actually."

"You could just tell me. Why the secrecy?"

"'Cause without the mystery, there's no chase," she said, and turned away to open the door, "Look. I'll...be seeing you, yeah?"

"Hold on a second!" I said, "What did you want to tell me?"

"I…um...I..." she paused, clearly paralysed by indecision, and then with a deep-throated cry she suddenly lunged towards me and caught me in a tight, almost bone-crushing hug. Her iron grip tightened inexorably squeezing the wind out of me, and I was pretty sure that I could feel my bones grinding together under the seemingly limitless pressure.

"Vi-" I tapped her urgently on the shoulder.

"You're not a failure, Laura, no matter what your mum said," she said, in a voice suddenly thick with emotion, "You're amazing, and I'm so glad I met you."

With that she released me and stepped back, and I found myself leaning against the wall, gasping for breath as little blue dots danced across my vision.

"That's it. That's what I wanted to say," she said simply, "I just...I couldn't leave without letting you know."

"Wait, I-" I reached out for her, but she danced backwards out of reach and pushed open the front door. With a rush of clear, cool air the bright afternoon sun spilled in, flooding the hallway with brilliant yellow light and reducing her to a mere silhouette against the brilliant backdrop. She stepped out onto the porch, but then paused for a moment and turned back towards me, tears shimmering in her eyes.

"Goodbye, Laura."

The door swung shut, and she was gone.

In the absence of Maisie and the Dynamic Duo the house seemed strangely small, even darker somehow, and for a while I stood there staring at the door while a mixture of feelings churned unpleasantly in my gut. I felt relief, certainly, that we'd managed to live through what Keame had thrown at us, but there was also this strange sense of sadness and longing. It felt a bit like the crash at the end of Christmas or a long-awaited party, and I, for one, wasn't quite ready for the party to end.

"Not ready to get back to a world of ungrouted showers and missing socks?" my inner voice said, "Nobody's forcing you to, you know."

"I know," I said, "It's just…"

"Part of you wishes you could've gone with them? Why?"

"Because I don't want to look for socks or grout the bathroom? And..."

"You miss Vi?"

"I know it's stupid, but...yeah."

"It's very stupid. You've been 'friends' with her for less than twenty-four hours, during which time you've almost gotten killed twice with at least one of those being through her own admitted carelessness. Don't you think it's strange how attached you've become to a woman you barely know? And If you were going to attach to someone, why did you have to pick the one who would probably win 'Devotee of the Year' from a trickster goddess?"

"I…" I had to admit, the voice wasn't entirely wrong.

"You know about transference. You learned that much at college, at least."

"Oh, come on. She's nothing like my parents!"

"Who said anything about your parents?"

"Well-"

The living room door creaked open behind me, and I turned to see Clint poking his head around the corner.

"Hey, hon," he said, "You okay out here?"

"Um...yeah," I said, "I was just-"

"Arguin' with yourself again?" he said, and grinned, "You winning?"

"...maybe?"

"Well, why don't you make peace with yourself and come have coffee instead? Strange wanted to talk to you. Personally."

"To me? Why?"

"Beats me. Maybe he wants to send Lila to wizard school."

"Somehow... I doubt that," I said, but followed Clint back into the living room. True to his word, a cup of steaming coffee was sitting next to my favourite place on the couch, while Strange sat casually in one of the armchairs, carefully sipping from a mug covered in unicorns and pink glitter. As I entered, he looked up and gave me a smile that seemed rather warmer than I remembered.

"Interesting choice of cup," I remarked, "You a fan as well?"

"Your daughter insisted," Strange said ruefully, "And I would appreciate it if this never gets back to Wong, or anyone else for that matter. I have a reputation to maintain."

"Our lips're sealed," Clint said, from the doorway, "Although I've got to say this is somethin' I won't soon forget."

"No doubt."

"So, what did you want to talk about, Strange?" I sat down and took a sip of my drink, "Ooh, that's good coffee…"

"One second," he held up a hand while Clint carefully shut the door and came to sit beside me, "I thought it'd be better to talk in private until you've decided what you were going to tell your children - if anything. I don't want to cause any ructions."

"Oh, um…" I thought for a moment about Coop's strong reaction to my previous adventure, and then nodded, "Thanks."

"Not at all," he said, "Now, I wished to thank you for intervening between my team and Thera and Vi. Although you certainly cut it close, had you not we would have been forced to admit that we were bluffing. It was...extremely brave of you."

"You...were bluffing?" I said incredulously, "You were bluffing?"

"Of course," he said. If he was surprised by my outburst, he didn't show it, "Thera and Vi are extremely dangerous individuals, should they choose to be. I would sooner back down than risk our lives in containing them."

"You were...bluffing…" I said again, and covered my mouth as a smile forced its way to the surface. Had I missed something here? I didn't think I had, but that would mean...no. Surely not!

Strange gave me an odd look, but continued regardless, "Believe me, we have no desire to imprison either of them at Kamar-Taj. Quite aside from the fact that their...capabilities may wreak havoc on our artefacts, they are also quite irritating."

"That's deliberate, Strange," Clint said, "They're tryin' to annoy you into makin' a mistake."

"Clearly, it's a skill they've honed to a razor's edge," Strange said wearily, "Still, we are now in a position where they believe that they are free to do as they wish thanks to our generosity and...modest financial support, while we have the services of a pair of individuals who can confront and defeat aggressing interdimensional entities. Having seen them in action numerous times, I have no doubt they'll perform admirably."

"You-" I took a sip of coffee, and then sprayed a jet of steaming liquid halfway across the room as I went into a paroxysm of laughter, "Oh Christ! Oh my goodness...you were bluffing too? That's too much! That's-"

"I'm...not sure I follow," I heard Strange say, "Hold on a moment. You said 'too'?"

"I'm really….I'm really not sure if I should be saying this," I said, as I struggled to contain my giggling fit, "But I've had this exact same conversation with Thera and Vi! They thought they'd tricked you into letting them stay in Missouri 'cause you were feeling guilty over that whole 'Six' thing, and...oh my god, you even have the exact same expression! You really thought you got one over on each other!"

"Are you saying," Strange said, in slow, careful tones, "That Thera and Vi were bluffing as well?"

"Yes! I…" I took a long deep breath, and felt the giggles finally fade away, "I can't believe it! I thought you were all really clever and mysterious and powerful, but you were this close to blowing us all to hell and back in a fight that none of you wanted to have? How stupid is that?"

"Are you serious, hon?" Clint said.

"Every word," I nodded, "Oh, that whole 'Six' thing really happened, Strange; Vi wasn't lying, but…"

"...a good lie always contains a gram of truth," Strange said. He looked genuinely stunned by the revelation, but then a wry smile appeared, "You know, I actually can't remember the last time someone tried to bullshit me. I definitely can't remember the last time they succeeded. I must be slipping."

"You, um, won't tell them, will you?" I said, a little anxiously, "I think Vi might actually, literally kill me if she found out."

"Of course not! Nobody's going to find out about this! If people found out what'd happened, this-" he indicated the glittery cup, "-would be very minor by comparison. Wong might even revoke my library card."

"It sounds like all the really interestin' stuff happened when I was unconscious," Clint observed, "Exceptin' that enormous explosion, of course. Never seen a Chitauri gun backfire before."

"I suspect nobody has," Strange said, "And I'm certain that our mutual friends know rather more about what happened then they're prepared to let on. Tell me, Clint, does the phrase 'Backlash Shielding' mean anything to you?"

"No, but it sounds kinda unpleasant."

"Thera didn't say anything about it? You were in combat with him."

"He barely said anything!" Clint said, "He threw a shield over us and spent the rest of the fight readin' a book! The only time he perked up was when they pulled out that 'Blaster, and...well, you know what happened next."

"Mmm," Strange nodded, "Was it at least a good book?"

"I dunno! Somethin' about landmarks in St. Louis, I think! It's just...don't you think it's kinda unprofessional? It was like he was makin' a mockery of the whole thing!"

Strange looked at me briefly, and I shrugged.

"Okay, look," Clint said, "Let's say...we're back in Schkeuditz, yeah? Everyone's there, ready to fight; you've got Cap with his shield, Stark in his suit, and then... Thera turns up, carrying a Thermos an' a crossword puzzle. In a dressing gown. It completely ruins the tone!"

"I don't...quite understand, but I'll assume that the answer to my question is 'no'," Strange said, "It's fine; just a theory I'm developing."

"Have you gotten any closer to working out where they come from?" I said, suddenly, "It's just...well, you saw how much Vi's struggling. I bet Thera is too, once you scrape away that stoicism."

"Rest assured, after today's events we'll be working as fast as we can," Strange said, "Those pills you gave us put us on the right track, but the resonant response was too weak for Hamir to get an actual location. He thought it would work if we were able to retrieve an original sample, though, and now-" a smile appeared, "-we have one."

"Oh? How?"

"You'll recall that Vi generously exchanged Thera's hat for Minoru's cowl?" Strange said, "By now, that hat will be in the hands of an ex-colleague of mine. She'll retrieve a sample, have it amplified by PCR, and then...well, we'll see what we see."

"Clever."

"We try. Minoru rarely misses a trick, and we would like for them to return home before there's another...backlash."

"And to get them back to their family!" I said hotly, "After everything they've risked-"

"Of course, of course. I'm not completely heartless," Strange said, "But given the potential dangers, I would rather pursue any future collaboration at a safe distance."

"So...use them, and then put them back in their box until you need them again?"

"That's unfair, Laura," Strange looked a little hurt, "I'm not like those people who castigate the Avengers while demanding their constant protection; this is a professional relationship. Do you invite your plumber into your life?"

"We do our own plumbing."

"'Cept the boiler," Clint said, "That thing's a menace."
"Really? Impressive," in fairness, Strange did look impressed, "Still, my point is we can work together without being 'best buddies', and rest assured nobody is going into any kind of box. Now, I was wondering if you'd been able to find out any more about that contract you mentioned last time…"

"Yeah, I did," I said, "But, um...I don't think you're going to like it."

Clint and Strange both listened intently as I relayed back what Vi had told me about their Goddess. I didn't feel great about it, and I was definitely breaking her confidence, but at the same time she had to know I was going to tell Clint; after all, we kept no secrets from each other. Telling Strange was a whole other kettle of fish, but...well, if things went sideways with their contract then maybe Strange could step in before anyone got punished. It sounded like a pretty pathetic justification, even to myself, but it was all I had.

Strange, for his part, said nothing as I talked, but the skin around his eyes steadily tightened more and more as I spoke. When I finished, he remained silent for a moment more, and then finally set the glittery cup down on a coaster with a firm 'clack'.

"So...you could almost say that she is the Eurydice to his Orpheus," he said, grimly, "Unfortunately, this is exactly what I was afraid of. Since you first mentioned this 'contract' I've been wondering about who could be behind it, and how they might be binding Thera to their will. As absurd as this sounds, it does add up with what we know."

"So it was divine intervention?" Clint said, "I was right?"

"It's certainly a possibility," Strange said, "We know full well that love is a powerfully motivating force. For example; Clint, would you have been so eager to hurl yourself through time and space using barely tested equipment, had Romanov not presented to you the possibility of resurrecting your family? Would you have fought Thanos to the bitter end?"

"Of course!" Clint said, "But...it was pretty motivatin'."

"You're saying that Thera's in a similar position?" I asked, "You know, that...would explain why he almost worked himself to death helping the people at that Blip Centre. If Vi's life was on the line…"

"Exactly," Strange said, "For all of Viola's...eccentricities, it's clear that Thera is completely smitten with her. What happens if they fail? If Vi is 're-Snapped' as a consequence...well, you don't need me to tell you how devastating it is to have your loved ones destroyed before your eyes."

"No, you don't," Clint said tightly, "You think he'd want revenge?"

"Undoubtedly, but what do you do when your target is an unassailable Goddess?"

Clint shifted uncomfortably and gave me a quick, guilty look, "He'll... find a new target? Something he can hit?"

"Or targets," Strange said. If he noticed Clint's odd response, he didn't say anything, "I understand that Thera is not a physically imposing individual, but I really cannot overstate how much destructive power he has at his disposal."

"Yeah," Clint said, "I'm tellin' you, those Wisps of his? They turned a rout into a turkey shoot. Dazzlin' mercs, throwin' dirt in their faces, trippin' 'em up, an' even runnin' off with their ammunition. It must've been like bein' attacked by that kid from Home Alone after he teamed up with Wile E. Coyote."

"They were fortunate, then," Strange said, "Specifically, they were fortunate not to be electrocuted, dissected, trepanned, or cut to ribbons by a storm of flash-calcined ceramic shards. We must avoid any scenario where he might be driven to those extremes, and if that means that we step in to complete this contract, then so be it."

"But we don't know what it is!" I protested, "Vi said they couldn't tell us! She did say that we had everything we needed to figure it out."

"Really?" Clint said.

"Really. She said it was 'in the bag'."

"Then might I urge you to put your heads together and think hard about this one? With some alacrity, please," Strange said, getting to his feet, "If you come up with anything, please let me know. We may need to move quickly."

"Sure," Clint said, "We'll do just that."

"On a lighter note, I'd like to thank you again for the coffee," Strange said, "And it was a pleasure to meet your children again. I mean that quite seriously, by the way; for some reason people always think I'm being ironic."

"You don't seem like the sort who'd like kids, I guess."

"In that case, I clearly need to cultivate a more child-friendly image," Strange said, with a brief grin, "Maybe I will invest in a...glittery coffee mug. My current one is becoming rather chipped."

"We'll-" I began, but as I went to stand up Strange shook his head.

"That's quite alright, Laura. I'll see myself out. Good day to the both of you."

The air felt heavy in the wake of Strange's departure, and the dark, oppressive feeling hanging over the house became that little bit darker and more claustrophobic. I clearly wasn't the only one feeling it, either; Clint played listlessly with the tassels of a blanket, apparently unsure of what to say next, while I turned everything that had happened over and over in my head, just in case I'd missed something.

"He always brings the best news, don't he," Clint said eventually, "You gotta tell me everythin' that happened when I was out, though. From the sounds of it, you did somethin' kinda awesome."

"It's a bit less awesome now I know they were all bluffing, though," I said petulantly, "'Takes some the wind out of my sails."

"Just because they were bluffin' doesn't mean they weren't gonna fight, hon," Clint said, "You ever read those messages that Kennedy and Khrushchev sent each other durin' the Cuban Missile Crisis? They were absolutely pissin' themselves and nobody really wanted to launch, but that doesn't mean they weren't gonna if they had to."

"I suppose..."

"You okay, hon?" Clint put his arm across my shoulders, "You worried about what Strange was sayin'?"

"A bit, but...it's more what Vi was saying," I said, "She said goodbye...like goodbye goodbye. Like she didn't expect to see me again."

"Those two? I think they'll be fine," he said, "You'll see her again."

"I hope so," I sighed, and put my head in my hands, "I don't get it, Clint. I've only known her for a couple of days at the most, but at the same time part of me feels like I've known her since forever. When I'm with her, it feels like I'm with-"

"-Nat?"

"It's that obvious, huh?"

"Kinda. She ain't nothing like Nat, though."

"I know that. She's mercurial, and adversarial, and she's constantly playing these little games, but she's fun and she cares, in her own weird way, and...I dunno! I really just can't shake that feeling."

"Well, you can't do anythin' about it right now," said Clint, "What, you gonna leap into the car an' go chasin' off to Maisie's house?"

"Christ, no. I'm exhausted!" I said, and flopped back against the sofa, "How in the world do you do this day in, day out?"

"Trainin'," he said, "An' I don't have to do the school run, so there's that."

"Trade you."

"Not a chance."

I snorted, "Well, you know what? You're completely right; I'm going to trust that they're not going to get in over their heads, and I'm going to give them that space you wanted. In fact, we're going to do exactly what Vi said; we're going to order some takeout, have some precious family time, and just chill. No TV, no electronics, just...relaxing, and tomorrow we're going to go to that party and we're going to have some fun, or at the very least not completely humiliate ourselves and our kids in public."

"Oh, c'mon!" Clint objected, "I haven't been a Dad in five years, and you're tellin' me I can't be socially awkward in front of my children at a party? That's one of the only reasons I wanted to have kids!"

"Fine...fine! Do what you gotta do, babe, but on one condition."

"What's that?"

"Later, you're going to show me where that kiss was headed," I said, and gave him a sly look, "Let's just say you got my attention."

"Oh, really?" Clint chuckled, "Nice to know I've still got it. Right now, though...I think I'm going to check in with Lila again. See if she's feeling better."

"You do that. Go be a Dad," I said, and put my feet up on the couch with a yawn, "I'm going to spend some time being a potato…"

Clint left, and in the silence that followed I allowed myself a little smile. Let Strange worry about Thera tearing up the landscape, and let Thera and Vi worry about whatever spectacle they had planned. I'd spent enough time running up and down Missouri putting out all their little fires, and it wasn't even as if they were paying me! Some quality time with the family sounded like just what the doctor ordered, followed, maybe, by some quality time with Clint…

...and after that, maybe I'd dream of mansions and angels.