After his interaction with Michel weeks ago, Gage kept a count on the days.
Quinn, as strong willed as she is, fell into a depression. He worried when she didn't want to tinker in the lab. In the morning she didn't come down for breakfast and couldn't be coaxed to come out of bed.
They all worried but all understood the loss she faced so young and gave her her space but Tony made sure to put a suicide watch on her just In case she gets worse.
Down in hell Luke watched though his portal with glee. The entire family was falling apart. Quinn in a state of depression, Tony and Kim worried for her, Gage nearly refusing to grieve to stay strong. Clint was the only well balanced one but they were all in a state of vulnerability and don't even know it. He laughed. "Oh tonight might be the night!" He stood. "Damian! Come here!" In moments his doors opened. "Yes father." Luke grinned. "Ready the army's of hell, it's time."
That night Gage managed to get Quinn out of her room and watch TV. He held her close, wanting her to know she's loved and safe but she suddenly burst into tears. He held her closer. "Shh it's ok." She sobbed, her knees coming up to her chin. "No...it's not. She was just a baby."His eyes watered with guilt and loss he has yet to properly express. "I know, I know."
Suddenly the lights went out. Gage was at attention, standing. "Jarvis?" But there was no answer. Quinn stood then. "How is it off? There's several back up generators and fail safes."
"Guess they're not as safe as you think." A dark voice spoke from the darkness. They both turned quickly. Quinn swallowed. "I know that voice." Suddenly there was a scream from upstairs. She ran. "Dad!" Gage followed but before Quinn could touch one stair she was screaming as a swirling blackness engulfed her like a swarm of wasps. Gage screamed for her, reaching out. "Quinn!" But She was gone and the house was silent and the lights came back on. He heard Kim sobbing. He ran, checking on her. He saw Clint holding her, looking just as upset. Gage spoke up, terrified. "He's gone too?" Kim looked up, startled. "What? What do you mean?" Gage swallowed the lump in his throat. "Quinn's gone too." Kim shook her head, sobbing. "No..he has them.." Clint spoke. "Who has them?" "Luke. The devil has my family." Gage got his pistol ready with a glare. "Not for long." He ran down the stairs as Clint went to follow. "Whoa! Gage, stop!" When Gage got outside the porch he found he couldn't go past the stairs, an invisible force field in place, Michel appearing.
"You can't cross this boundary. This land is infested with hell's armies." "Then let me fight!" "I can't! You are only human!" "Doesn't mean I'm useless!" Micheal glared, his wings out on full display along with his holy armor and sword. "Are you arrogant enough to think bullets will deter the armies of hell? You have no weapons of use in this battle. I'm sorry you have to wait instead of fight but I assure you, we will rescue your family." Gage was confused. "We?" Clint grabbed his arm. "Com'on, we have a terrified wife to make coffee for." Gage let him walk him back as Michel faced the armies of hell that were soon approaching.
Quinn fell hard on the rock floor of Hell, crying out in pain. She scraped a few joints but nothing major at the moment.
She heard another cry of pain, she looked over the small distance and saw her Dad holding his knee. She got up, running over. "Dad!" She kneeled next to him. "Are you Ok?" He shrugged. "I'm alive so I'd say so. It's just my bad knee, I fell on it when we landed. Where exactly are we?" "I think we're in hell." He gave her a look and she was serious. "No I mean we are literally in hell. This must be Luke's doing."
"Such a clever girl." They both turned, seeing Luke waking toward them with a smile. "I was always fond of the smart and feisty." She just glared. "Why are we here?" He kept walking closer and Tony stood with a wince, going to stand in front of her with a protective glare.
Like laughed. "Oh how sweet. Even at your weakest you still protect her." Tony nearly growled. "She's my daughter, Of course I would.." Luke just chuckled again. "Because you've done a great job thus far." Luke grabbed Tony's shirt and threw him a small distance away. Quinn watched in horror. "Dad!" But Luke grabbed her by her hair right enough to rip the hair from her scalp. "And why you're here? Well thats simple: you're bait." Before she could question him he threw her to the ground, kicking her in the head as Tony cried out, struggling to stand. "Stop! No!" He managed to stand only to fall again.
Although Quinn was terrified he was going to rape her as that seems to be the pattern these days, he had no intentions of doing so. He saves that fun for Damian, knowing the boy has an infatuation with her.
He stuck to old fashioned torture. She was woozy, her nose broken and bleeding. He got a small knife out of his pocket, stabbing her thigh. She screamed in pain as Tony could only watch and wonder why he was here. To watch? He was completely helpless, he could barely stand and didn't have a suit with him or a way to call one. Even if he could call one he doubts one could make it to literal hell.
When he saw Luke start cutting around her arc reactor with glee he started to move, his daughters cries of pain motivating him. While he limped Luke had managed to take her reactor out, leaving her pale with fear. Tony almost stopped in sheer terror but once he managed close enough Luke looked over with a smirk, blood splattering his hands and face, holding Quinn's bright reactor in his hand. "Oh? The iron man managed to walk? Did you think you could do something?" Luke pushed him, making him fall with a had force and cry of pain.
When the earth started to shake Luke looked up with glee, throwing the reactor to the ground, far enough away from Quinn to reach. She gasped for air, crying, attempting to reach it but suddenly something crashed though the ceiling of the cave they're in.
There was a bright light and she looked , seeing an angel, likely an archangel by her armor. She had chestnut hair and dark eyes and looked similar enough to Gage that Quinn knew exactly who it was with a lump in her throat. "Emily?"
Emily didn't hear her as she focused on Luke, aiming her sword at him. "Luke! I will give you one chance to let my family go! I won't kill you and we don't have to bother with each other again." Luke chuckled, looking between Quinn and Emily. "Oh so that stubborn nobility hasn't changed." Emily got into a fighting stance, getting her second sword, two katakanas, like her father. "One chance Luke or you will die." Luke chuckled, getting his own sword ready. "But where's the fun in that? What happens if I win?" She growled as she charged. "You won't!" Their swords clanged loudly, the energy between them sparking. She kicked Luke to the ground. While he was woozy she threw the reactor to Tony. "Help her, her time is running out." Tony caught it, ignoring the battle for hell happening as he crawled to Quinn. She was unconscious and he panicked. "Quinn!" He checked for a pulse and found a weak one. He inserted the reactor and held her.
Luke suddenly used an energy attack on Emily who fell to the ground when Michel suddenly came in, ready to defend her as Luke was readying an attack that would have killed everyone. Emily watched in astonishment. "Micheal!" He glared at her. "I told you not go in alone!" "My mothers life was running out, Time was running out, I couldn't wait for you to be done fighting toy soldiers!" Micheal glared and Luke laughed. "Oh what a wonderful family reunion. Too bad it will be your last." Micheal growled, stabbing him with the immortal sword, right in the heart while he was distracted with his arrogance.
Luke gasped in pain, feeling his body pulsate with energy. Emily and Micheal moved to Quinn and Tony. Tony looked confused. Micheal gave him a smile. "Let's get you home."
In moments they were in the living room. Clint and Kim were on the couch when suddenly they all appeared, making them jump. Clint yelled out first. "What the hell just happened?" Emily stood. "Do you have a Doctor here? Mother needs one right now." Clint shook off his nerves and got up. "Yeah, follow me." Kim could only watch as Emily, Micheal and Quinn who was being carried by Micheal followed Clint to the lab.
Kim swallowed. "Mother?" She got up, running to the backyard where she knew Gage would be.
Km saw Gage by Emily's grave site, running to him. He saw her, getting up. "What happened?" "They're back. They took Quinn to the lab, she's been hurt but..." "What? What is it?" Kim swallowed. "Micheal is here and so is another angel, she looks like you. I don't want to get any hopes up but she called Quinn mother. I...think that's our Emily with her. That rescued them." Gage shook his head. "No. No, it can't be. She was just an infant, barely." "Please, come to the lab. See for yourself." He followed her, in a daze. It couldn't be, what the hell was happening?
When they got to the hospital portion of the lab, Clint was administering first aid on Quinn, cleaning wounds and having Jarvis watch her heart.
He wanted to rush over to her but he saw who Kim had been talking about. She looked just like he and Quinn. Chestnut hair, dark eyes and can't be more than 5'5. He was frozen.
Soon all eyes were on Emily and Gage. Emily swallowed, suddenly nervous. Michel gently gave her a push. She took the hint and walked over. "H-hello father." He stared down at her, taking her all in. He blinked a few times. "Is this real?" She nodded. "Yes, unfortunately." Gage felt his eyes water. "You're...you're really our daughter?" She nodded. "I'm sorry that things had to be to be this way. If the state of the universe hadn't been at stake I'd still be your baby girl." He sucked in a breath before a sob escaped as he quickly hugged her, holding her close. "Oh my god. I can't believe this is real." She stayed silent, letting her dark eyes fill with bittersweet tears. All she's wanted was a life with her parents but she was fated for something so much bigger. "It is. I love you." " I love you too, so much. I'm so sorry, I killed you." She pulled away, a few tears of her own falling. "Please, stop blaming yourself. I was always meant to happen, extrmis or not." He looked at her. "So we still would have gone though your loss, there's nothing that could have been done?" She shook her head. "No. I'm what they call a fixed point in time. I was always going to happen and my Death was always going to happen." He took in a deep breath. "Guess you really can't fight fate." She shook her head with a sad smile. "No but if it helps I've been watching you and mother and everyone else. I've wanted nothing more than to live here and be raised by you." He gave a sad smile before looking at Quinn as Clint wrapped her thigh in a bandage. "Does she know?" "I think so." He nodded. "Clint and Jarvis seem to have this under control, why don't you meet the family?" She smiled. "Yes, please."
It felt like a month flew by for Loki and TJ. Loki frowned as he packed up the books he chose to take home along with the violin. "Will they want me back? I've caused nothing but trouble." TJ walked over from his spot, packing up some books and walking over. "Of course they do. I know you don't realize it but they love you, just as much as I do." Loki looked away. "I do not deserve it." TJ wrapped his arms around Loki. "You deserve all of it. And we're gonna make sure you know that. Don't you remember that Starks are famously stubborn?" Loki rolled his eyes but had a fond smile. "Undoubtedly." "Good, then let's keep packing cause you have a lot of books to take home." Loki smiles fondly at them. "We will have to pay Miss. Simmons back for her kindness.""I'm sure my dad won't be opposed to that."
When they returned home it was morning. He heard talking in the kitchen and laughing. Loki smiled, feeling the atmosphere so much lighter. They followed the talking and laughing to the kitchen where he saw Micheal and a new girl along with the rest of his family. The new girl smiled. "Uncle!" He raised an eyebrow as Tony stood up, limping over to TJ. "Welcome home, Loki, how are you feeling?" Loki smiled. "Much better, thank you. I am sorry to burden you with my past behavior." Kim frowned. "Don't you ever apologize for it, you can't help it." TJ pointed. "Who's the new girl?" Tony sighed. "Uh well...it's Emily." TJ raised an eyebrow again. Tony became more serious. "Your niece. She's an archangel, like Micheal." TJ blinked a few times before looking at Emily, really looking at her. "What?"
Emily got up, good to him with a smile. "It is so good to meet you Uncle TJ!" She hugged him and he nearly pushed her away. When she pulled away. "I can explain everything, come sit and you have to try this brown water drink." Quinn chuckled weakly, still recovering from last night. "It's coffee sweetie. It's like the fifth time I told you, was I this bad as a kid Mom?" Kim grinned. "Sometimes." TJ was lead to sit down by Loki and Tony sat back down as well, letting Emily share what the he'll happened in the last twenty hours and why his dead niece is now an archangel. He wasn't sure when it would sink in, right now he felt like he was in some kind of dream where his family is absolutely happy.