Date: 10/10/2039
Location: Shelter 095, New York

It took us a couple weeks, but we were finally able to come up with a plan. Apollo, Ethan, Grace, Bucky, Brian, Sarah, and I had to go up there and fight. And it had to be soon. With help from Fly, Darcy, and Skye we were finally able to get a location on 'Loki.' He is currently in what used to be Washington DC. Tomorrow, Uncle Bucky was going to come down to the shelter with a quinjet that he just so happened to have. We were all (even Ethan) going to fly to the outskirts of DC and meet up with the Fantastic 4, Falcon, Spiderman, and whoever else could get there. Uncle Bucky and the others are going to stage a diversion while we make the main attack. They shouldn't expect a bunch of dead people to be attacking, I hope. Homebase is going to stay in the shelter, which I'm going to reseal on the way out. If anything happens to us, Aunt Jane will have them beamed to Asgard and Lady Sif will come with backup. It was a dangerous plan, though I tried not to think of the risks, sometimes my brain gets out of control. Ethan and I fixed up all the weapons, and he and Brian made some new ones using the Stark tech. No one is particularly happy today. Jenna, Jessie, and Sam seem to realize that this could be the last time they see us. And the rest of us, well, we know what exactly tomorrow could hold.

There was a knock on my door, I looked up from the holographic battle plans I had all over my room.

"It's open!" I called.

My brother peaked out from behind the door, "Artemis?"

"What's up?" I asked, looking back to my plans.

"Are you going to eat?"

"Maybe later."

"It wasn't really a question, come eat or I'll make you."

"What are you gonna do?"

"I could always drag you… or I could bring all the food and people in here."

I roll my eyes, he can be such a drama queen, "Fine" I shrink my plans, putting them aside, "if it means so much to you."

He gives me a sigh and grabs my wrist, leading me out to the dining room. I was surprised to see everyone else all ready out there, normally, we never ate all together. As Apollo took his seat, I noticed the spot saved for me, at the head of the table. My eyes went wide, but I quickly regained composure and took my seat. We had pizza, it was frozen pizza, but it was still good. We ate in complete silence. But it was a comfortable silence, the kind that made me realize I was going to miss this.

And then it hit me, I was content staying here forever.

I felt like an awful human being just for thinking it, but it was true. I would be just fine if we could stay here forever, safe, warm, happy, and healthy. Oblivious to the world around us.

But I have more responsibilities than that. Yes I have to protect my team. but I also have to protect the 'greater good.' The world needed the Avengers to save it, but they were dead. So we would just have to do.

No one wanted to go to bed that night, myself included. We were all sitting in the living room, not watching whatever was on TV. No one wanted to get up. I didn't want to leave my brother or my boyfriend, or the others, because I knew that there was no guarantee that we would all be together again, and so did they. But then I had an idea.

"Why don't we all just sleep out here? Like a giant sleepover?"

Grace looked up, a small smile on her face, "Yeah, we'll grab the pillows and blankets and throw them on the floor!"

"Yeah!" Jessie agreed.

We all ran to our rooms, grabbing all the pillows and blankets in sight. We coated the floor in them. Jessie, Sarah, and Sam took so extras and hung them up, making us a blanket fort.

Sarah blocked the entrance, "there's just one rule." she declared.

"Don't knock it down?" Grace guessed.

"Fine, two rules." Sarah sighed, "Don't knock it down, and no outside problems."

I smiled at her and put my phone on the floor. "Not tonight Sarah, tonight, it's just us."

She smiled back and we all crammed into the fort. It was Apollo, Grace, Sarah, Jenna, Ethan, me, Jessie, Sam, Bucky, and Brian. I cuddled up to Ethan, pulled Jessie closer and finally closed my eyes.

Date: 10/11/2039
Location: Shelter 095, New York

My phone was ringing.

I really didn't want to get up. I was nice and happy right where I was, In Ethan's arms, Jessie curled into my chest, Sam, Bucky, and Apollo within arm's reach.

But my phone was ringing.

I sighed, rearranging Jessie so she was curled up next to her brother; I slipped out of Ethan's arms and out of the blanket fort. My phone was still on the floor. I grabbed it, the caller ID said Susan Storm, but I knew that was a lie. It was my Uncle Bucky calling.

"Hello?" I ask, not quite awake.

"Artemis, I'm here"

"Hm?"

"Open up."

"Oh, yeah, right, hang on."

I stuck my head into the fort, and whistled, loud. My team jolted awake.

"What was that for?" Apollo asked, tossing a pillow at me.

"It's time."

They instantly quieted, looking at one another.

"Get ready, I'm opening the doors."

I walked over to the control panel and punched in some numbers. The others were all climbing out of the fort, and I grabbed Ethan's wrist as he passed me.

"Hang on, I need you for something."

"What."

I punched in another number sequence, and Jarvis spoke, "Are you sure you wish to abort lockdown Sir?"

Ethan shot me a glance, "I thought you said you could to get us out."

"I can. I knew the codes, I just don't have your voice, just say 'yes Jarvis'."

"Yes, Jarvis."

"Voice code recognized. Lockdown aborted."

"Did you just hack my Dad?"

"What makes you think I've never done it before?"

He stared at me as I walked to the door, releasing the other locks. He shook his head, and went to change.

I opened the door for the first time in three months.

"Artemis!" My Uncle ran in and hugged me. I hugged back. After a minute, he pulled away and looked at me, holding my shoulders. "I'm so glad you're ok."

I smiled, "Back at you." Then I walked back to the door, locking the hand locks.

"Everyone's changing; they'll be out in a sec. You can chill in the kitchen; we kinda set up a fort in the living room." He looked at the fort and raised his eyebrows, then walked to the kitchen. I began to walk to my room then looked back, yelling, "there's food, help yourself!" Then I closed my door to get changed, hearing Jessie scream "Uncle Bucky" as I did.

It's always hard to say goodbye.

When I was a child, I never wanted to say goodbye to my parents. I always feared they'd never come home if I did. So I always said something else. 'See you when you get back,' 'See you soon,' or sometimes just, 'I'll miss you.' They all meant the same thing. My dad always said something similar back. My mom, well she didn't believe in superstitions, but sometimes she'd humor me. Not the last time though, that time she'd said goodbye. Perhaps she knew, not that I would be surprised if she did.

As everyone was sitting around talking to Uncle Bucky, I pulled Jenna aside.

"You know," she said, obviously angry that I had pulled her into my room, "my brother and best friend have to go fight a suicide mission soon and I would like to have the chance to say goodbye."

"Chill out, this will only take a second."

"It's been a second."

"Jenna! Can we be serious for like five seconds, this is very important!"

"What?"

"Take this." I handed her my cell phone.

"Why would I want your phone?"

"Because It can make and receive calls from Asgard, the only one that can, besides Fly and Grace's. Your dad made them as prototypes and gave them to us for my birthday."

"Why are you giving it to me?"

"If anything happens, and I'm not saying it will, but Uncle Steve always told me to be prepared for everything…"

"The point?"

"If anything happens to us and we can't get back, call Fly. She will have you, Sam, and Jessie beamed up to Asgard and then send reinforcements. I don't want it to come to that, but if it has to, it will."

She stared at me, then my phone. She grabbed it quickly, as if it would bite her, then shoved it into her pocket. "Don't let it come to that."

"I don't want to."

She nodded, then went to the door.

"One more thing."

She looked at me.

"Never say goodbye, goodbye is forever, say see you later, that's only temporary."

She tilted her head, and then nodded again, walking out of my room.

I walked back out too, looking my Uncle in the eye and nodding. He nodded back.

I cleared my throat, immediately feeling all the eyes on me, "Time to head out."

I went to the control panel and hit one of the buttons. A picture of the Avengers on the wall flipped over to reveal our weapons, newly refurbished thanks to me and Ethan.

Bucky grabbed his shield, sliding in into place on his back.

Apollo grabbed the guns, spinning them as if he was in a western, and placing them in their holsters.

Grace and Sarah grabbed their hammers, admiring the polishing on them.

Ethan grabbed his briefcase, and looked at me with a smile as I grabbed my bow, flicking the string to quadruple check that it was perfect. Then I scooped up my arrows, filling my quiver.

I looked to my Uncle Bucky.

"Ready?" he asked.

I looked to my team, they were all looking at me.

"Yeah. Yeah we are."

He nodded, hugged Sam and Jessie one more time, and took his leave.

Grace and Sarah followed, walking next to one another, Brian followed.

Apollo gave Jessie a quick hug and Sam a pat on the head. He looked at Jenna, "Take care of them for us would you?"

"I will."

He nodded, and gave her a two finger salute, then followed Brain out the door.

Sam and Jessie ran to Bucky and hugged him, he hugged back, let go, and walked to the door, turning back and giving them one last smile, "Be good for Jenna!" he yelled, and he too, was out the door.

Ethan looked at Jenna, who ran to him and buried her head in his chest, "Be careful you big idiot."

He chuckled, "I'll do my best." he whispered, stroking her hair.

I pulled Sam and Jessie into a hug, then pulled back, looking at them. I wiped some of their tears, "See you guys later, ok?"

Sam nodded as Jessie whispered, "ok."

I turned to leave, Ethan was waiting for me at the door, we walked out.

"Jarvis." I said.

"Yes Miss. Barton?"

"Seal it."

"Of course."

I heard the locks click into place, and Ethan and I walked into the jet, holding hands.

We sat down and buckled up. No one said anything, and Uncle Bucky took off. From the window I could see the utter chaos the city was in.

This was going to be one hell of a fight, but at least we are in it together.