Date: 7/14/2039
Location: Shelter 095, New York

My brother and I arrived at the shelter that Uncle Bruce and Uncle Tony had built on the outskirts of New York; it was like an underground bunker. It was 3 giant circles, around the edges of the middle circle were our rooms, clock wise it was mine, Grace's, Sarah's, a bathroom, Jenna's, Jessie's, Sam's, Bucky's, Brian's, a bathroom, Ethan's and Apollo's rooms. The center of the shelter was a living room, between mine and Apollo's rooms was a hall to another circle, which was the kitchen/dining/storage room, then between Jessie's and Sam's rooms was another hall to yet another circle, that was divided in two, target practice range on one side and a gym on the other. It was stocked with enough food to last a year. JARVIS was fully installed and there was tech everywhere. The shelter was designed to be sealed for 5 month increments; I knew that I could be connected to the outside world, through SHIELD and TV among other things, but yet it was still intimidating to be locked away for so long.
As soon as I walked into the shelter, all those thoughts flew out of my mind as I saw my best friend lying unconscious on the floor with a giant scrape across his chest. I zoned out for a second, not hearing Jenna's cries, Grace and she ran to hug my brother, Sarah and Bucky running around for Brian as he tried to help Ethan, or even Sam holding Jessie as she cried for their father. Right then all I could see was the replay of the scene in the ally, my parent's and Uncles' lifeless bodies, as I watched my best friend in the whole world fight for his life.
All of a sudden there was a hand on my shoulder, "Artemis" my brother's voice came through the fog.
"Hm?"
"You have to seal us in."
All of a sudden reality hit me hard, all of the noise, yelling, screaming, crying, hit me. "Oh yeah."
I walked over to the tech headquarters in the living room, "JARVIS, seal us in."
"Are you sure Miss. Barton?"
"Yes."
I heard the clanking of the locks as JARVIS announced that the doors were successfully sealed. I turned around and looked at my team, who had all momentarily stopped to look at me. I gave them a smile, "We're gonna be ok guys, I promise."
Jenna chuckled, "Yeah, sure Artemis, will you protect us the same way you protected my dad, or my brother?"
"Jenna." Apollo hissed.
"No, she's right." I said, pulling on my brother's sleeve, keeping him away from Jenna, "I failed, but I will not fail again, no matter what the cost."
"Artemis you did not…"
"Yes I did Apollo. I was there, and I saw, and I did nothing."
"Artemis! Loki is basically a God, there was nothing you could have done!"
"I'm sure there was something!"
All of a sudden, I felt Gracie grab my shoulders, "No Artemis, I reviewed the footage, Loki used a technology that was beyond your people. Not even Mr. Stark" she sent a hard gaze at Jenna, "was prepared for it."
I glanced to the side. I believed Gracie, I really did, but I can't help but feel guilty.
Jenna huffed and glanced down at her brother, she wiped some hair off his forehead and kissed it, then walked into her bedroom, closely followed by Sarah, desperately trying to comfort her friend. I walked over to Brian, put a hand on his shoulder, "Let me help you," I whispered.
"What do you know about medicine?" he was holding back tears.
"Enough to patch my folks up on more than one occasion."
He nodded. I could tell he was missing his dad, a feeling I now painfully familiar with.
Apollo and I helped Brian disinfect Ethan's wound, then we bandaged it. Apollo lifted him up and laid him in his bed. Jenna had since emerged from her room and was now sitting in there with him. I knew all we could do was wait and cross our fingers, but I wished we could do more.
We sat there for awhile, in the living room. I held Jessie in my lap, she had been crying when she had ran to me earlier, but she was sleeping now. Sam was on my left, Bucky on my right, Apollo next to him, and Gracie after that, Sarah was using her sister as a pillow and she had her feet up on Brian's lap. No one said a word, they didn't have to, we all knew what everyone else was thinking. At about 10:00 I sent everyone to bed, I carried Jessie to bed and tucked her in, Apollo did the same with Sam. While Grace and Sarah were in the bathroom, I peeked into Bucky's room, and then tucked him in too, though he would never admit it. After he was asleep, I was able to get into the bathroom and changed into my PJ's, when I was done, I walked into the living room and saw my brother on the couch.
"Watcha doin?" I asked, evidently waking him up.
"Waiting for you." he rubbed his eye, "You take forever though."
I chuckled, "Thanks, but what do you want?"
"Just wanted to tell you good night."
"Haven't done that in a while."
"Figured now's about time to start."
"Nice to see you care."
"You're my sister, of course I care."
I hugged him, "me too."
"Don't stay up too late with him."
I chuckled, "How do you always know when I'm up to something?"
"Twin telepathy."
"Of course it is."
He laughed then walked into his room, I rolled my eyes.
Then I faced Ethan's door, hesitated for a second, then turned the knob and walked in.
"Jenna."
"Go away."
"I'll watch him, you go to sleep."
"No, I don't trust you."
"Look Jenna, I'm sorry ok. I don't know what you think I should have done, but I'm sorry I didn't do it."
"You promised me you'd protect him."
"I tried, but there is only so much I can do, I don't have an Iron Suit, and I can't fly, I don't have super strength, or special DNA and I am most certainly not a Goddess. I have no idea what I could have done Jenna, If I could trade places with your brother, I would, but I can't so please, please, just let me help you."
She looked up at Artemis, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean it, I just, miss my Dad, and my Mom," She looked down, "and my brother."
I hugged her close, "I will do everything I can to save your brother, and I have Fly protecting your mother, don't worry."
"Is she safe?"
"I can try to call and find out."
Jenna looked at her hopefully.
I dialed my cell phone, "Fly?"
"Artemis! I didn't know I got service here!"
"S.H.I.E.L.D phones are special. Did you follow orders?"
"Yes Mam! I got Mrs. Stark, Mrs. Banner, Mrs. Rogers, Mrs. Foster, Ms. Lewis, Dr. Selvig, Fury, the rest of the Council Agent Hill, Director Coulson and his team up here in Asgard and the Biofrost is sealed."
"How'd you do it?"
"Had Ms. Lewis call up this 'Lady Sif' person, and had whole the Helicarrier sent up here. It was pretty awesome actually."
"Glad you had fun Fly."
"Sorry. Fury is pretty T-ed off but I think they are running S.H.I.E.L.D just fine from up here."
"I'm sure they are."
"There are other heroes fighting Loki by the way, perhaps you should get in touch?"
"Others?"
"Only had the Helicarrier sent up here. Other heroes are down there, you know, Fantastic 4, Spiderman, the X-men…the Winter Soldier."
"The Winter Soldier?"
"Yeah. Went to see if he was here, he wasn't but his phone was."
"Hm, I'll look into that." I looked down at Jenna, my arm still around her as she looked up at me, teary-eyed, "Hey is there any way you can give the phone to my Aunt Pepper?"
"Yeah sure, let me find her."
I sent Jenna off to bed with my phone, as she spoke to her mother in a soft voice. I couldn't help but be a little happy, at least they were safe and I had made peace with Jenna, for now. With that thought in mind, I took her spot in the chair next to Ethan's bed. After a while I heard him whimper, so soft, I bet I was the only one who ever would have heard it without being right next to his face. I started to run a hand through his hair whispering softly that it was going to be ok. I supposed it worked, because he looked more relaxed.
Until this moment I never knew just how much I needed Ethan. We had been best friends since I was 6, and ever since then he had been trying to get me to "lighten up." I needed that right now. I needed him to tell me it would be ok, to joke with me, make me laugh, and roll my eyes at. He made the hard times easier and the easy times harder. And reflecting on all that now, after all that's happened, I can't help but start to think that my brother was right, maybe I did like Ethan as more than just my best friend.