Gem tossed and turned in the empty bed. It had been 5 years since the snap and ever since she had struggled to sleep. Not always it was usually when Steve was not with her. This was the second time this week Steve had been called for by one of the code reds. Every time he left the dreams would come no matter what she did. It had been happening for months, but she hadn't told her husband. He was under enough stress as it was. She didn't want to put more on that man's shoulders.
Just like in the others her father stood in front of her. This time they stood at the shore looking out to where the sea kissed the sky. Her father lifted his head to look at the stars. "Look up my little Gem. You see that bright star there?" He asked, pointing it out as he went to stand behind her. "There is a place on Midgard where if you stand exactly in the centre of its cliff you can see that star, yet all the others here are in the wrong place."
"How is that possible?"
"It's not, yet that star shines just as bright there as it does here."
"Where on Midgard father?"
"Tonsberg, Norway." Loki knelt next to her. "It was where your grandfather found me and where you were born. Your mother chose that place. To this day I believe she knew her fate." Her father kissed her cheek. "Tonsberg."
The dream faded and Gem sat bolt upright in bed. The feel of his lips on her cheek still lingered. "Tronsberg." She whispered. It was not a memory. Just a dream but why was her father talking about her mother in her dream. He had promised but never got the chance. Was her heart truly missing him so much that it made things like this up in her dreams?
Life had carried on, but not in the same ways had before. You had to find happiness where you could. Steve and Gem try to keep themselves busy, Steve was still trying to help people cope with it, trying to help them move on. Gem had taken to making sure people ate, she ran a soup kitchen in the same building that Steve worked out of. He came to her as she was washing up, he noticed there was a container on the side, she was planning to visit Nat.
"I'll come with you." Gem smiled at him.
The drive to the compound was always a hard one. It was still home in many ways, but it also had bad memories. Gem went to the kitchen and started to tidy up and put away the new meals she had brought over. Steve had gone to talk to Nat. It wasn't long however before Steve came running into the kitchen looking shocked. Gem took his hand worried at what kind of news Nat could possibly have given him. "What's wrong?"
"Scott is here?" He replied sounding unsure of himself.
Gem stared into his eyes, how was Scott here? He had disappeared during the snap. "Come on let's get to the bottom of this." Gem said, gripping his hand a little tighter and began to walk towards the door. When they arrived back in Nat's makeshift office, she had brought Scott in. He spoke so fast at first, explaining he had been in something called the quantum realm. To Gem it sounded so much like the Bifrost. Heimdall had explained it to her once while she had been sitting waiting with her grandmother for Thor to come home from one of the nine realms Odin ruled over. "It is like a corridor princess. We stand here at the main door and when you go through many other doors open up. The trick is to pick the right one. if you get it wrong not only could you end up in the wrong place and out of sight but also in the wrong time."
Gem had lost concentration during the talk. her thoughts of Heimdall and the way he used to summon the Bifrost had brought back many other memories of her dear friend who was now gone too. When she did refocus on conversation at hand there was talk of Tony visiting. He was the one person who would know if this was possible.
…..
After they arrived back at their apartment, Steve was very quiet. Gem knew that going to see Tony again was going to be hard on him. Their relationship had never been the greatest. Gem cooked their teas, watching him, he was trying to read, but he hadn't turned a page in about 10 minutes. They were heading to Tony's the following morning. Was he worried just over that or was it something else? Steve looked up from the book and saw her watching him, she gave him that half smile, the one that he loved so much. He watched as she worked away in the kitchen, she kept taking small sips from her glass of wine. if they could really jump in and out of time, was there a way to bring her family back for her. They had spoken about it, whether she missed her life, and her family. she always said the same thing, he was her family.
The following morning Nat picked them up, the car ride was filled with questions, but as they pulled into Tony's driveway, the car went quiet. As they got out of the car, Gem saw Tony stood with a child in his arms. They had known him, and Pepper had had a child, but seeing her in his arms, made it all seem more real. Her and Steve had never spoken about kids. The women on Asgard, couldn't wait to give their husbands children, but Gem had always been a warrior. They made their way to Tony, his daughter smiled at them as tony put her down, she grabbed Gem's hand.
"Will you come help us inside?" The girl asked with that sweet innocence that made it almost impossible to deny a child anything.
"Of course." Gem answers looking to Tony first.
Tony nods at her, and Morgan takes her inside. Pepper is preparing lunch in the kitchen when they enter the house, she smiles at Gem.
"Hey Pepper."
Pepper puts down the knife and washes her hands before going to hug her. "Is Steve here too?"
"He is, he's outside talking to Tony. Nat and Scott are here too."
"You want him to help with something?" She asked, clearly hoping the answer would be no.
"They do, to be honest I don't fully understand the science of it all." Gem picked up a knife and started helping Pepper. She was showing Morgan how to chop up some apples for the cheese board. The little girl watched every move Gem made. "Do you want to see something special?"
"Yes please."
Gem makes the apple spin in the air; the skin comes off in a perfect spiral and lands in front of Morgan. It then splits into 8 equal pieces, Gem lifts a plate and the apple lands on it, she places it in front of Morgan who smiles at her. The spiral of peal is looking up at her and she picks it in her right hand.
"You're a witch."
Pepper gives Morgan a look.
"It's ok. Yes, I am in a way. but I only show it to very special people." she watches as Morgan eats the apple.
Pepper looks at the unwanted part of the apple in her hand. "Do you want me to put that in the bin?"
"Oh, actually there is something I always do with the peel before I throw it away. It will sound silly but well my grandmother taught me that if I throw it to the ground while asking for something the peel will land in a way that will give a clue to the answer."
"That does seem a little odd but go ahead." Smiled Pepper.
Gem closed her hand gently and pictured her father's face. Do my dreams of him hold more than they seem? She asked within her mind as she let the peel fall. opening her eyes, she saw something truly shocking. The peel had entwined itself into…
"It looks like an eight." Stated Morgan looking from it to Gem. "What did you ask?"
"A... just about a dream…"
"That doesn't make any sense. Must not have done it right." Said Morgan dismissively with a mouth full of apples before walking away.
"You and Steve thought about kids?" Pepper asked, shaking her head.
"No. We haven't even spoken about them." Gem picked up the apple waste and put it in the bin.
"Would you like them?"
"I'm not sure. maybe. When I was on Asgard, I just wanted to be a warrior like Thor, go off and win great battles. now…." Gem looked over at Morgan sat colouring, did she want this?
"Morgan go rescue your dad?"
Morgan ran off, Pepper put her hand over Gem's. "Don't wait forever."
….
Gem got back into the car with everyone. Tony wouldn't help. They were now thinking about going to speak to Bruce. Gem offered to stay at the compound, they still had people that needed them. She spent most of her time, tiding the place. God love Nat, but this place was a mess.
A few days later they arrived back with Bruce, who scooped Gem up into a giant bear hug. "Hey Bruce."
He placed her back on her feet. there was so much work to do. She watched as they built what could only be described as a time machine. The day came to see if this crazy idea was going to work. Gem watched from the side lines as Scott came back in the various stages of aging. She knew Heimdall would have found this funny, as would her father. Steve went outside out of frustration. Gem was going to follow him, but then she heard the car and she saw Steve coming back in with Tony.
"Morgan sends her love." He said as she hugged him. She was so happy to see him.
"She keeps staring at apples. Says she wants to be just like you."
Gem smiled. Tony explained what they needed to do and that they needed the whole team to do it. Bruce looked at Gem, they needed to go get Thor. She had not visited him for a while, he had retreated into himself. He wasn't the same warrior she had known as a child. Rocket arrived to take them to New Asgard.
The drive was a pretty long one once they landed in Norway. Its countryside was truly beautiful. As they came round the second tight corner in a round Gem spotted the coast in front and then the sign came into view. 'New Asgard, Tonsberg' Gem's breath caught. Her dream. Her father.
They all headed down to the shore where Valkyrie was there to greet them. She bowed towards Gem. Bruce and Rocket had noticed that most people bowed towards her. "We are here to see my uncle..." Gem began but was interrupted.
"He won't see you" She said putting up her hand.
"He will see me." Gem stated and started in the direction to his home.
"You two go ahead." Gem stood outside; she could imagine their faces when they saw her uncle. He was very different. She looked out over New Asgard; their people had made a home here.
Finally, they came out with Thor. "Niece."
"Uncle, before we leave here, there is something I want you to show me if you can?"
"Here? Well I suppose. What is it you wish to see?" He asked more than a little confused as his niece had yet till this day come here nor wanted to.
"The exact centre of the cliff which looks out over the largest beach."
"Ah. I have a feeling that I know what this is about." He looked out over the small town. "Come on then." The two promised that they would return shortly to the ship then left for the cliffs.
Gem looked out over the sea. "I wish it were night." She said sadly.
"Give it a couple of hours and it will be."
"We don't have time." She sighed. "However, I know where to stand now when I return." Gem looked up and then to Thor. "He said he was found by grandfather here and that mother gave birth to me here."
"When did he say this? My brother hates to talk of this place."
"In my dream. I have many these days. They are odd dreams. They feel so real uncle. When I woke from this one, I could still feel his kiss on my cheek and the blossom. Oh, dear Odin in the first of these dreams, father was looking straight at me. He placed a cherry blossom on a pillar next to me when I went to touch it felt real and when I woke it was in my hand."
Thor looked shocked. "How many of these dreams have you had?"
"They started not too long after he died, but now they come more and more frequently." She answered watching Thor begin to pace. "And uncle...there is one more thing."
"What is it?"
"I asked for answers from fates using an apple peel."
"What did you ask and what did they give in answer?" He placed his hands on her arms and the look of worry in his eyes unnerved her, but she continued truthfully.
"I asked if the dreams of my father had more meaning to them than I could see while envisioning him. When the peal landed, it landed in a figure of eight, a perfect set placed on top of each other like two entwined snakes."
Thor took a step back from her. "You tell no one of this Gem. Not a word to anyone, not even your husband. I do not ask as your uncle. I order it as Thor Odinson, king of Asgard."
"Uncle? Why am I…"
"The entwined snakes is your father's symbol child. If the fates are to be believed as well as your dreams this could signify truth in his last words to me. It could mean that he is alive."
Hope flooded through her like a damn breaking. "Alive?"
"Not another word we must return to the ship. We will talk about it another day when we know more." Gem agreed and he pulled her into a hug. He kept his arm slung over her shoulder as they went to the ship. Gem knew his mind was a million miles away but just by his pace and the set of his shoulders she sensed that the god of thunder was back.
"The rabbit said there was beer." He said greeting the others
"Then the rabbit lied."
Thor went to get up and Gem pushed him back into the chair. Thor looked up at her, she was more forceful than she used to be. He settled a little moody, but he seemed better from hearing about her dreams. They chatted a little on the way back to the compound and Gem filled him in on what they were hoping to pull off. If this worked, they could get everyone back.
They were the last to arrive back, inside Gem was greeted with so many faces, some she hadn't seen in such a long time. Clint stood back from everyone. Gem walked over to him.
"We've missed you."
Clint gave her a light hug. "I've been working through a few things."
"I know." Gem squeezed his hand lightly. She wished she could help with the pain he felt. She listened as they went through what needed to be done.
…..
The night before they were due to go through time, Gem was sitting in the living area waiting for Steve. He saw her sitting there, it had been a long few days and it showed on her face. He knelt in front of her. "You look like you need to sleep?"
"I do. But can we go home and sleep in our bed? In our home, we don't know what is gonna happen tomorrow, and I want one normal night with my husband."
Steve takes her hand and stands, pulling her up with him. "I think we can do that." Gem fell asleep in the car, Steve picked her up and carried her inside. He laid her on their bed, she looked so peaceful.
Gem woke early, Steve was laid next to her, his arm casually laid over her stomach. She needed a drink, she slowly got out of the bed. Gem noticed she was still dressed; she must've fallen asleep in the car. She noticed Steve was laid naked, she went to get a glass of water and then stripped off when she got back climbing in next to him. His arm automatically pulled her to him. He planted a kiss on her head.
"Where did you go?"
"I needed a drink." She returned the kiss, softly on his lips. Steve placed his hand on her cheek. Tony had said something the day he came to help.
"Bring back what we lost, I hope, yes. keep what I found, I have too, at all costs." He had to keep her; he couldn't lose her. they had kept each other going the last 5 years.
Gem brought him out of his thoughts. "Make love to me, Steve."
Steve pushed her lightly onto the bed and kissed her, running his hand down her body. He knew what she wanted, she wanted to go soft and gentle. To take their time together, they didn't know what was going to happen tomorrow, so they both wanted to remember this moment.
When they woke the light of morning was shining through the curtains. They dressed, quietly and drove back to the compound, Gem had her hand in Steve's the drive there. Tony had made them all suits; they changed and joined the others. Gem was going with Thor and Rocket to Asgard. Steve was going with Tony, Bruce and Scott. Nat was going with Clint.
Gem gave her a hug. "I'll see you soon."
Nat nodded at her. She then walked over to Steve. "Don't do anything stupid. Don't let this one, talk you into anything."
"Scouts honour to bring him back in one piece."
Gem smiled at Tony and kissed him lightly on the cheek then she turned back to Steve. "I promise. I'll see you in about 10 seconds."
"I know, but it will feel longer than that."
Steve kisses her. He knew she would be fine. She after all was going home. Gem stood next to Steve; Thor stood on her other side. Then it happened, they were taken through time.
When Gem looked round, they were in the palace in Asgard. Thor and Rocket knew what they had to do, and she had her own plan, she wanted to see her father. He would be in the cells. However, as she was making her way there, she walked headfirst into her grandmother.
"Gem, what are you doing here?" Frigga looked at her face. she was older, she took hold of her hands, and caught sight of the wedding band. "You're older." Her grandmother stated, choosing to ignore the ring for now.
"I am." Gem was not sure how much time she had left nor how much she was actually allowed to say to Frigga without ruining everything.
"Who did you marry?"
"A kind wonderful man. father and uncle approved."
Frigga looked at her, she had seen her father. "Did you make things right with him?"
"I did. I have so much I want to tell you. But I don't have the time."
Frigga pulled her to her. "As long as you are happy, that is all I need to know." She let her granddaughter go not knowing the reason as to why or how she was her, but however it happened clearly, she had a plan.
Gem headed to the cells. At that moment, it dawned on her that the Loki in this time would not know her. His memories had been taken from him. Still she needed to see him and maybe even see if she could get him to talk to her.
She snuck past the guards and was just about to go to the cell when someone grabbed her. She was dragged into a dark corner. Gem pulled her dragger out and had it at the person's throat in seconds.
"You were always so very quick with that dagger." She lowered the blade at the familiar.
"Father."
Loki lowered his hood, allowing a small amount of light to case onto his face. He smiled at his daughter. Gem embraced him; Loki put his arms around her. Then pushed her so she stood at arm's length from him. "I have so much to tell you, and we don't have much time."
Gem could only nod not being able to trust her voice.
Her father began to explain how he had been able to contact her through her dreams and that the timeline she and the avengers were messing with was actually the reason that he was alive. There was so much to it. Gem listened to every word trying her best to understand as much as possible knowing Tony and the others might find it useful. When he was done and sure that she had understood Loki looked at her hand, she had on her mother's wedding ring.
He smirked and looked her in the eyes. "So, you married the soldier?"
"I did, 4 years ago." Gem said with a smile.
"And he makes you happy?"
"He does. I love him."
"Have you made me a grandfather yet?"
Gem blushed brightly at her father's question. "No. I'm not sure if kids are in our future."
"They are, and you will be an amazing mother." He kissed her forehead.
"Thank you, father." She could hear Rocket and Thor shouting her over the radio. As much as she didn't want this moment to end Gem knew it must if they wanted to bring back the lost "I have to go... "
Loki grabbed her arm. There was one more thing he had to tell her. "There is going to come a time, during all this, that you are going to have to make a decision about the soldier. Remember you will outlive him by many lifetimes' sweet daughter. I know you love him greatly, but there may come a time, when it is kinder to you both to let him go."
"I don't understand. What do you mean by let him go? I…."
Loki places a small vile in her hand. "This contains the same magic used on me and Thor to erase our memories of you. Take it and if you wish, you could use it on the captain."
"But…."
"It is better to have loved and lost, then never to have loved at all. Is what you once told me. I'm giving you an option."
Gem steadied his face. There was no mischief in his eyes, this wasn't a trick. He then handed her two things, his cloak and his spear.
"Kick his arse, for me." He said with a wink. Laughing at her father's Midgardian language she kissed him on the cheek and left.
…...
When they arrived back at the compound, Steve came over to stand right next to her. It was Bruce however that spoke when people started to do a head count and realised that…
"Clint, where's Nat?"
The look on Clint's face told Gem all she needed to know; their friend was gone. Steve took her hand and squeezed it. She said nothing and pulled her hand away after a few seconds and began to walk to the back of the compound. Placing the cloak and spear her father had given her on the table in the ready room. She knew she didn't have long before they would be heading out to finish what they started but Gem felt like she needed to somehow say goodbye to Nat.
Natasha's room was a lot smaller and more bare than her own had been even before Steve. She stood in the middle and looked round, on the bedside table was a picture taken at their wedding, Nat was dancing with Steve and her. Gem picked it up, the memory of that day came flooding back. it had been just as Thor passed her back to Steve that Nat had come skipping over shouting it was her turn to dance with the bride. They had all stayed up dancing for at least three or was it four songs before Nat stumbled off cursing her shoes. Tears began rolling down Gem's cheeks at the thought of not ever seeing her again.
Steve found Gem sitting on the bed in Nat's room. "It's time." He held his hand out and she took it. As he wiped the tears from her cheeks he whispered into her hair. "I miss her too"
"I know." She recognized before sighing. "Let's go bring everyone else back."
…...
They began to suit up with everyone else. Gem ran her fingers over her father's cloak thoughtfully. The last time she wore this was their reunion. He had given it to protect her modesty back then. She smiled remembering the way his eyes had betrayed his horror at realising that his baby girl was wearing nothing but another man's shirt, one that only just arse. Picking it up she threw it around her shoulders. If she was going to die today, she would die wrapped in his arms. Gem not really paying attention reached out to pick up her dagger only to see the colour of her suit had changed from navy blue to a dark emerald green. Where it had once had bronze it was now gold. It was his armour that appeared on her. She picked up his spare. Valhalla was calling her and her father's words from when she was a child rang through her head as clear as a bell. "Pick your battles. Save your power for when it matters the most and don't be a hero. Hero's die young."
Steve stared at her as she turned round. She was the spitting image of her father standing there in her Asgardian armour and golden helm and spear. "Now that really does suit you." Gem smiled and followed him out of the door.
They joined the others, the argument began as to who should wear the glove, but it was Bruce who won out. They all took a step back, Steve took hold of Gem's hand, gripping it tightly as they all watched as Bruce put on the glove Tony had made. They all braced themselves as he snapped his fingers. They all looked around, had it worked. Gem heard Scott shout something and then there was a loud resounding boom, the whole building exploded. When Gem came too, she found herself underneath Steve, he'd used his shield to protect them from the blast. They tried to reach everyone on comms, it was then that they spotted the ship.
Thanos wasted no time in attacking them, the chitarry launched from the skies and descended upon them. The fighting started. They needed to keep him away from the stones. Clint called out over comms confermining that had the stones, but that he also had company. They were throwing everything they had at Thanos, Gem hoped it was enough. She saw him send Thor's hammer flying, and it landed at her feet. It was then she noticed that Thanos had her uncle pinned, she didn't have a clear shot, but Steve did. she picks the hammer up and throws it towards Steve. As it landed at his feet, and he started to pick it up, she heard her uncle.
"I knew it."
Gem continued to fight her way through the hordes of aliens as she went to help the others, Thanos threw stormbreaker at her when she finally managed to get in range of him and she was sent flying. When she came too, she watched as Steve got up off the floor, tightening the shield on his arm. She then saw the portals opening behind him, those they had lost were back and they were here fighting just like before only now they all knew what was truly at stake and what it would be like if they lost, and this time there would be no redoes.
She joined her uncle at Steve's side and smiled as he summoned Mjolnir to him.
"Avengers…. assemble."
They ran towards Thanos' army. Gem used everything she had been taught on Asgard as well as the things she'd learn from Steve. Every now and again she would get a flash of Steve or Thor. This made her fight harder, fight for this world, and for this very dysfunctional family she had become part of.
Then it happened, one moment she was breathlessly pulling her dagger out of the eye of her enemy the next she was standing in a pile of ash. She turned watching as the rest of Thanos' army slowly faded to nothing. Slowly Gem made her way over to where the others were slowly beginning to group, when she reached them, she couldn't believe what she saw. There lay Tony, he was slumped unmoving, Pepper was kneeling in front of him, she watched as Steve dropped to one knee, she followed as everyone slowly began to do the same.
The next few weeks went by in a blur, it was mainly spent filling in the time laps for those that had been gone and helping people cope with being back. When the day of Tony's memorial came. Steve was standing in the kitchen; he was leaning on the counter. Gem wrapped her arms around his waist, resting her head against his back.
"We can get through today."
Steve turned to face her, she looked up at him. "We can. Tony wouldn't want us to waste our lives. He did this so we could all live." He pushed a stray piece of hair behind her ear. He kissed her forehead.
The car ride to Tony's home was quiet, Bucky and Sam were sitting in the back, and Gem held Steve's hand most of the way. As they got out of the car Gem saw everyone stood about, Steve reached for her hand again, he gave it a light squeeze as Bucky and Sam went ahead. "You ok?"
"I've never done this before." Gem stated.
"What do you mean?"
"I've never attended anything like this. What do we do? What do we say?"
Steve pulled her to him. She was nearly a thousand years old and, in some ways, she was still so young. "You grieve for your friend, there is nothing you can do or say to help. Pepper has lost her husband and Morgan has lost her father. Things no person can truly heal from, but you learn to live with it." Gem looked up at Steve, what her father had said about letting him go had played on her mind. He kissed her lightly and began to lead her down the path.
They greeted everyone, Gem spotted her uncle and headed towards him. He pulled his niece into a hug. "You still need to come visit everyone at New Asgard. Your last visit was rather short."
"I promise to come soon. I need to talk to you about a few things." Thor gave her a puzzled look but knew today was not the day to push her.
Gem found her way back to Steve, who held her close and didn't let go of her hand. She knew this had hit him hard. For all their differences, he and Tony had always wanted the same thing, to help those that couldn't help themselves.
As Gem looked around, she saw their extended family, the people they fought besides, all held in the same grief, at the loss of a great man. Gem noticed that Clint was standing with his family, he was so thankful to have them back, the grief of losing them had done something to him, but here he was with them. Gem laid her head on Steve's shoulder, he was chatting to Bucky and Sam. She wasn't really paying attention to what they were saying. She was watching Clint with his family, his kids, his wife, the way he looked at them and the way they looked at him. She then saw Pepper with Morgan, it was the same, they may have lost Tony, but they had each other. Her mind turned to what she had lost, her mother, though she didn't remember her, her grandparents, then of course her father, though it seemed he was alive, somewhere in time. He was out there somewhere, and she wanted to find him, to have more time with him. Her and Steve may have lived longer than most, but the one thing all this had taught her was that life was never truly long enough and you have to cherish every moment.
…...end of chapter 11.