Chapter 12: Go Fish

"You know you have been awfully quiet," Loki spoke up, unable to stand her silence as they walked across the hallway. "Is something on your mind?"

"Yeah," Kelsey replied, observing her surroundings instead of him. "I'm trying to familiarize this castle as much as I can. With so many rooms and hallways, I probably won't remember the directions back to my room."

"I understand this is all new to you, and you feel a bit..."

"Out of place," she offered.

"Yes," Loki reluctantly agreed, "but as I said, it will come in time. I promise."

"So..." Kelsey paused to think of an interesting subject to discuss, "What is it you do here in Asgard?"

Loki chuckled at that question, "My duties are not exactly entertaining."

"Like what? Smile and wave like every other Prince Charming in storybooks?" she teased.

"If you must know, smiling and waving is not as easy as it looks."

"Really?"

"Try it for an entire day and see how exhausting it can be. The probability of not waking up with sore cheeks or a permanent grin on your face is a hundred to one." Kelsey could easily picture Loki with Jack Nicholson's Joker makeup. He wasn't wrong.

"I believe that."

"Especially when you are greeting those who haven't won your favor, and deep down, the feeling is mutual, yet you must pretend for the good of Asgard."

"Right," Kelsey nodded. It didn't sound different from her family get-togethers for holidays or birthdays. The food was the best part of those awkward three hours.

"Yes, well, not only do I attend these mandatory special events, I must set an example for the people and ensure the safety of all nine realms." It may not sound much, but by doing it, people would soon realize the stress. Kelsey would probably complain and make excuses not to perform those duties: 'I don't want to die,' 'I don't like to wear corsets and dresses,' or 'I just don't feel like it.'

"What do you like to do in your free time?" Loki opened his mouth to respond, only for Kelsey to cut him off. "Your father says that you hang out in the library a lot. Do you like to read?"

"Just to pass the time. There are other..." Loki smiled slyly, "hobbies I rather enjoy doing."

"Like what?"

His eyes fell on three men coming their way. Loki led Kelsey behind a column out of plain sight.

"Loki, what are you do-"

"Shh," Loki hushed Kelsey like a snake's hiss. She watched and listened to three men talk about their practice with Sif. Kelsey realized that they were the... What were they again? Her pounding head was keeping her from thinking. She looked closer at the man with a Garoldo mustache and immediately remembered meeting him in the medical wing... Or was it called the infirmary room? Kelsey quickly dismissed that stupid question. It didn't matter what it was called; those terms had the same meaning.

Her so-called angel from heaven faced the mirror, running his fingers through his blonde hair and curling his mustache upwards. Kelsey snickered and shook her head. This guy was too obsessed with his looks. No one could have a thicker mustache like Garoldo.

"Watch this," Loki whispered to her, sticking his hand out and aiming it right at a mirror, Fandral was facing. Kelsey watched the scene intently, unsure what she was supposed to look at, until...

Fandral screamed as he looked at his reflection in horror, making Kelsey jump at the frightful noise.

Volstagg and Hogun turned to Fandral with worry.

"Fandral, my friend, whatever is the matter?!" Volstagg asked.

"I'm bald!" Fandral exclaimed, running his fingers through his head and lips.

Kelsey covered her mouth to silence the snort.

"What?!" Hogun asked with confusion.

"My hair! What happened to my beautiful hair?!" Fandral asked himself, gawking at the mirror.

Volstagg and Hogun assured their friend that his hair remained as it should be. Loki and Kelsey were snickering amongst themselves. This was terrible, in Kelsey's opinion, yet hilarious. She couldn't help but laugh against her hand, trying her best to stay quiet. Loki took note of the sound. It was unlike any other laugh he had witnessed. Even if it wasn't muffled, he could tell by the pitch that it was different - a tease. He needed to hear more without the filter. The Warriors Three turned their attention to the sound of mischief behind the column, not amused.

"Loki!" Fandral shouted angrily.

Loki slowed his laughter and stepped out of hiding with an innocent face, "My friends, what a pleasure-"

"Loki, I'm growing tired of your dirty little tricks!" Fandral snapped, skipping the formalities. "I almost had a heart attack!"

"Spare the dramatics, my friend," Loki shrugged, still acting like he had done nothing wrong. "I was just showing the girl what I do for fun."

"A girl? Ha! Stop bluffing. I don't see a girl anywhere." That was Kelsey's cue to leave her hiding place to prove to the Warriors Three that she wasn't imaginary.

She waved at them sheepishly, "Hey."

The Warriors Three's mouths parted while Loki smirked with satisfaction. A silent but cheeky message to say, 'I told you so.'

"Ah, so the young maiden has awakened from her slumber, finally," Fandral softened his expression as he approached her, followed by his two companions. "How wonderful it is to see you again, my dear," Fandral took her hand, "You didn't forget me, I hope."

"How could I forget?" Kelsey shrugged. Fandral placed a kiss on her knuckles before Kelsey could react. She pressed her lips together and tensed her muscles, holding back a groan of disgust. The Asgardian women may adore his charms, but this was too much for the mortal.

Fandral pulled away, and Kelsey quickly wiped the saliva from her posterior. Loki took notice of her action. Most women are cheerful when they receive a kiss on a limb. However, she's from Midguard; their customs were undoubtedly different. Maybe the women in Midguard don't like a kiss on the hand.

Kelsey was forced to fake a smile and replied, "It's nice to meet you officially, Mister...?"

"You don't remember my name?" Fandral asked with disappointment.

Kelsey shook her head, "Sorry. I just remember yelling at you... Sorry about that."

"That is quite alright, my de-"

"Well, we know who you are," Volstagg stepped in front of Fandral, much to his friend's annoyance, taking her other hand and shaking it full-heartedly. "You are Kelsey, the survivor and visitor from Midguard."

'Midguard?' Kelsey thought someone explained what that meant, but her memory from what happened hours ago was dwindling. She didn't like asking twice, so she might as well go with what the big man said.

"Yes, I am. It's - Whoa!" Kelsey was taken by surprise when Volstagg lifted and spun her frame.

Kelsey laughed and patted his back, embracing the warmth until it became too much. "It's..." her voice pitched, straining through Volstagg's bear grip, "It's very nice... to meet you too."

"Volstagg, you might want to put the girl down," the Asian warrior suggested.

"Yes, Volstagg," Loki hissed. "She's a mortal, not a piece of bread."

"Oh!" The burly warrior placed Kelsey down and chuckled sheepishly, smoothing the wrinkles off her shoulders. "My apologies, Lady Kelsey."

Kelsey took deep breaths, dismissing the apology with a wave, "It's fine. I appreciate the welcome, Mister..."

"Ha! No need to call me Mister. I am Volstagg," he wrapped his muscular arms around his other male friend's shoulders. "You have met Fandral." The charismatic blonde winked in greeting as Volstagg introduced one final member of the Warriors Three. "And this is Hogun the grim."

Hogun respectfully bowed, "It is an honor to make your acquaintance, Lady Kelsey."

"Same here," Kelsey pursed her lips when a thought popped inside her head, wagging her finger at him to address it, "You know something... you look just like Jackie Chan. Doesn't he?" She asked the men around her. They furrowed their brows with confusion.

"Who is this Jackie Chan you speak of?" Fandral asked curiously.

Kelsey had forgotten that they were in Asgard, not on Earth, "Right, you guys don't have a TV." She raised her hands in apology, "My bad."

"I am no Jackie Chan, but as my dear friend declared, I am Hogun the grim," Hogun introduced, repeating the head bow. Kelsey returned the gesture with a curtsey. "And we are the Warriors Three."

"Wait!" Kelsey remembered, "Warriors Three? I thought you guys were called the Three Warriors." It was easier to say than vice versa, for Kelsey was used to having an adjective before the noun.

"The Warriors Three, my dear!" Fandral corrected proudly. Kelsey believed it was better the other way around, though she kept her opinion to herself.

"Aren't you three supposed to be fighting with Sif?" Loki asked curiously.

"We were," Volstagg replied. "Our daily practice is over, and we were about to wash up for dinner."

"Sif has mentioned you, Lady Kelsey," Hogun informed.

"Really?" Kelsey's voice pitched in a hopeful tone; her smile widened.

"Aye. She believed you would accept her invitation to come and watch us practice, yet you never showed."

Kelsey shrugged, "Yeah, sorry, I was - we..." She turned to her new acquaintance and tour guide, "Loki was just showing me around the castle."

"Yes," Loki linked his arm with hers, facing the Warriors Three with a narrowed gaze. "Now, if you, my friends, don't mind-"

"Oh, Loki!" Volstagg expressed his enthusiasm. "Have you shown her the dining hall?"

"No, I did not," Loki hissed with annoyance in his tone, but nobody noticed his agitation. If they did, nobody bothered to call him out for it.

"It's almost dinner time! The cooks are serving reindeer."

"I am a little hungry," Kelsey admitted.

"Then, it's settled," Fandral led the group, tagging Kelsey by wrapping an arm around her. "Come along, my friends. We must escort this lovely woman back to her room before we can wash up for dinner."

Hogun and Volstagg trailed behind Fandral and Kelsey while Loki stood dumbfounded. A few minutes ago, he was content showing Kelsey around the castle. Now his plans for more one-on-one time with her had changed. Thor was known to steal their parents' attention, but Fandral was becoming just as bad. Fandral knew how to charm women. Loki clenched his jaw at the thought of how far the manwhore would go to win the mortal lady's heart, precisely her virtue. With one look at the group, he noticed Kelsey meeting his gaze with a smile. It was a sign that there was still hope. Loki believed himself to be patient; soon, he would have her undivided attention again.

Loki sped-walked to catch up with them.

~000~000~000~

Inside the S.H.I.E.L.D. holding cell, Thor sat down, all dried up and cleaned from the rain and mud outside. His head lowered, and his hands folded on his lap. Thor stared at the ground blankly in silence.

"You made my men - some of the most highly trained professionals in the world look like a bunch of minimum wage mall cops," Coulson stood across from Thor, his arms folded and eyes narrowed. "That's hurtful."

Coulson continued the one-sided conversation, "In my experience, it takes someone with similar training to do what you did to them. Why don't you tell me where you received your training? Pakistan? Chechnya? Afghanistan? No, you strike me more as the soldier of fortune type. Where was it? South Africa?" The prisoner remained quiet. Patience was wearing thin, but Coulson kept a calm composure.

"Certain groups pay well for a good mercenary like you," he complimented, hoping to hear an arrogant noise, but received none.

"Who are you... really?" Coulson softly demanded, refusing to believe this crazy man was the little boy's uncle. Thor locked his gaze on the ground, not listening to Coulson. The agent sighed, "One way or another, we'll find out what we need to know. We're good at that."

A beeping pager interrupted the interrogation. Coulson studied it before he dropped the pager back into his pocket.

"Don't go anywhere," Coulson commanded as he exited the cell.

Coulson's words didn't reach Thor's ears. The prisoner turned off all his senses, too busy beating himself up for not keeping his promises. The Allfather may not be there to personally haunt his son, though his earful disappointment repeatedly rang in his ears.

'You're unworthy!'

For the first time in a long time, the fallen prince allowed himself to shed a tear.

...

Coulson picked up his tablet from a table outside the room and walked to another holding cell. He faced a two-way mirror, watching Jane Foster curse and cry on her jacket sleeve. A part of him felt sorry for her.

"Has she said anything?" he curiously asked the two agents standing outside.

"Just rambling, sir," one guard replied. "Most of which are irrelevant to this investigation."

Coulson doubted, but he nodded and ordered the guards, "Keep an eye on the man in custody. Make sure you keep your weapons trained on him at all times."

"What about the girl?" the other guard asked, gesturing to the female prisoner inside.

"I very much doubt she'll be trouble; it's the man you should worry about. Or have you forgotten what he did to Big Tom?"

Both agents silently agreed by obeying the order, leaving their leader alone with Jane. Coulson swiped a keycard in the slot, gaining access inside the cell.

Thor wasn't the only one who was feeling sorry for himself. Jane couldn't believe that she got caught. Why didn't she follow her instincts and drive back to the lab? Thanks to her selfish and stupid self, Jane now lost two children. She prayed that Erik would show mercy and come to the rescue, no matter how furious he was at her.

Jane quickly regained her composure when the door slid open. She leaned back against her seat, straightening her posture. She wiped the tears from her sleeve, sniffling her nose. The godmother put on a brave face when facing Coulson, but Jane knew that she couldn't fool him just by seeing that pitiful expression on his face that she had encountered so many times; Jane loathed that mask. The pout, the sullen eyes, the furrowed brows - this wasn't empathy. Feeling sorry for someone was one thing, yet having the experience to understand and relate to one's sorrow spoke volumes. Coulson didn't care enough to step into her shoes and endure her pain; his mission was far too critical.

Coulson drew a handkerchief from his coat pocket, handing it to Jane. She stared at the cloth, not taking it. Even though she had been caught crying, Jane refused to be a weak little girl in front of him. The man sighed, shoving the handkerchief back into his pocket.

"What you did, Miss Foster, was wrong," he calmly began by stating the obvious. "I hope you realize that. I should charge you with trespassing, obstruction, attempted burglary, and perhaps child endangerment for the icing on the cake."

Chocolate icing with a cherry on top. Jane pressed her lips together tightly, holding back the urge to cuss him out. No doubt, she was screaming them repeatedly in her head.

"You could go to jail for a long time and never see that little boy or your niece again."

More tears watered the woman's eyes. Jane turned away, refusing to give him that satisfaction.

"I spoke to the boy's uncle," his statement earned a scoff and eye roll. Jane knew where this was going. "Why don't you do yourself a favor by explaining your connection with him? The truth, this time."

"Where's AJ?" Jane demanded angrily, refusing to talk about her lie. "I want to see him!"

"He's fine," Coulson dismissively assured her. "The kid is under great care."

"I want to see him. He must be so scared-"

"I'll give you another chance to cooperate, Miss Foster. Be honest, and I will consider your request to see him."

"What's going to happen to him?" Jane asked softly. The fear was evident in her voice. "Are you taking him to child protective services?"

"Depends."

"On what?"

"On your cooperation," Coulson rested his palms on the white table across from Jane. "Listen," he whispered. "I am not the enemy here. Believe me, when I say this, we both want the same thing. If you help me, I will do whatever it takes to help you."

"Do you have kids, Agent Coulson?" His good cop act didn't convince Jane. "Or have you at least fostered a child in your life?"

"No," Coulson admitted. The only honest thing he said to her thus far in her eyes.

"Then, you don't understand why I did what I did," she bluntly acknowledged the obvious. "I won't apologize for it, not that you're the type to ask for one anyway." Coulson's mouth twitched, amused by her witty remark. "And I don't need your pity either. What I need from you, Agent Coulson, is my right to a phone call and my godson. I want to see him. Now."

"You're desperate," Coulson insisted. "You're willing to take drastic measures to get your equipment back, so you can find out what happened to your niece." Jane widened her eyes, astonished by his keen observation. Coming from him, it sounded so simple, not rocket science. Coulson continued, "I'm surprised you dragged your nephew along to your road of crime."

"I didn't bring him on purpose!" Jane argued. "He snuck into the van!"

"You should've turned around the second you found him," he retorted. Jane wanted to deny it, but he was right; they both knew it. This was the one time when she didn't use her brain. Jane sighed and lowered her head in defeat, leaning back against her chair. Coulson sat down on the empty chair across from Jane, "Let's talk about your niece."

Jane glared at Coulson sharply, surprised at his sudden change of subject. Coulson turned on his tablet to show Jane a photocopy of Kelsey's ID. He asked Jane about Kelsey's habits and hobbies. What was the kids' purpose for coming to New Mexico? What happened before the storm?

"I noticed that Kelsey doesn't have a driver's license," Coulson observed the image from his tablet. The news about Kelsey's delayed milestone didn't surprise Jane one bit.

"Well, Kelsey is homeschooled, so I guess there wasn't much need for one."

"But the boy is enrolled in Willowdale Elementary."

"Yeah, and so did Kelsey until middle school," Jane sighed, dismissively waving her hand. "Don't ask me why. I'm sure Wendy had her reasons for doing that. Would she have done the same for AJ?" she shrugged helplessly. "I don't know."

"Okay..." Coulson wrote down every answer Jane had given him. "Does Kelsey have a boyfriend?" he asked without a hint of embarrassment in his tone.

Jane shook her head, "No, she doesn't have a boyfriend... not that I know of."

"Oh really? What about your neighbor? Mister..." he paused to glance down his notes, "Garrett Bradley. What's his relationship with Kelsey?"

The aunt snorted into laughter, confusing the agent, "I'm sorry. I'm sorry, I - No." She shook her head between giggles, "There's no - there is no relationship. Believe me."

"How do you know?"

"Because he has a crush on me, that's why."

"Huh... that's good," Coulson concluded as he wrote the answer down, ignoring Jane's quizzical glare.

"Good? What's that supposed to mean?" She almost forgot about Garrett's puckered lips earlier. Her statement must've given the agent some peace of mind.

"As I said, Miss Foster. Considering his background information, it's good that your niece isn't involved with him."

"His background?!" Jane's voice raised, automatically coming to the teen's defense. "His father is a minister, Agent Coulson! Garrett's mother might be riding the high horse, but at least she knows how to raise a son like Garrett. He has been very helpful to me since I arrived. He treated me better than all the other neighbors in town. As far as I'm concerned, he's a good kid. I don't appreciate your rash judgment-"

"Miss Foster, are you aware that Mr. Bradley has a record?" Coulson questioned, refusing to let this woman defame his character.

Jane pursed her lips, shaking her head after briefly processing his question. "No..." she drawled cautiously. "Are we talking about the father or-"

"The son," he elaborated.

"Oh... well, Garrett and I are neighbors - temporarily. I don't expect him to pour his soul out to me, and I'm sure he and his parents wanted to close that chapter in his life for good, not that it's any of our business anyway..." Unsurprisingly, Coulson had run a background check on each member of Jane's family and acquaintances, including herself. Even though she said it wasn't her business, she couldn't help but ask out of curiosity and her godchildren's safety. "What exactly did Garrett get arrested for?"

"Nothing volatile, I assure you." Jane thanked the heavens for that, relieved that her judgment wasn't completely gone. "He pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor and spent most of his senior year in a correctional facility - got his GED and completed a treatment program for an early release, which is a miracle if you ask me. Most courts don't normally grant parole for drug charges. Mr. Bradley must've found himself a good lawyer or Jesus." Coulson shrugged, "What do I know? I'm Jewish."

"Treatment program? Drugs?!" Jane pitched. The words didn't sound right, not about Garrett. "Are we talking about the same kid? Garrett was caught doing drugs?"

"Caught in possession of schedule III substances," Coulson clarified. Jane's confused look forced him to elaborate in detail. "Steroids." The woman understood. All the pieces were coming to place. No wonder he didn't attend basketball boot camp this summer. "Can't confirm if they belong to him, or if he was covering up for a classmate, or if he was being framed - whatever the story is, it has nothing to do with Kelsey. Otherwise, we will be opening up a whole new can of worms for this investigation."

"But he's better now, right?" she pressed. "Is he still in treatment - or at least attending a group session at church?"

"You tell me," Coulson challenged. Jane closed her mouth, still struggling to comprehend what she had just learned about her devoted neighbor. He seemed like a good kid. Then again, addicts can be deceitful. "Do you recall Kelsey making any phone calls before her disappearance?" Coulson steered the conversation back on course.

"Yeah," she shrugged. "I assumed she was trying to get a hold of her grandmother - my mother," Jane couldn't help but scoff and roll her eyes at that, capturing Phil's interest.

He ceased the writing to ask, "I sense that you two aren't-"

"Close?" Jane falsely smiled. "Not really. We barely keep in touch. My mom remarried shortly after my father died and moved back to England. And when she does show up, the reunion is shorter than the actual flight."

"So you guys haven't talked at all, not after your-"

"No. Not since the last funeral."

"Was there any custody dispute between you two? Has your mother shown any interest in taking the children-"

"No," Jane denied instantly before Coulson could finish. "Mom and Dick," she spat the stepfather's name in disgust, "made it very clear that I must grow up and honor my sister's wishes." Coulson glanced at Elaine Foster's information on his tablet, furrowing his brows momentarily before he resumed his note-taking.

"Very well."

These questions were deep. Was Coulson serious when he said he'd do everything he could to find her? Did he lie about having children? Had he lost a child before? The more questions he asked, Jane realized how much she didn't know about Kelsey. Jane was so busy with her research that she had never paid attention to what was happening with her godchildren. Then again, she hardly had seen them much until this year.

"Has she been acting out recently?" That question earned a harsh glare. "You told me that you two had a disagreement before her disappearance. Had she made any plans or shown any signs of running away?"

"I'm going to stop you right there," Jane interrupted, jabbing a finger in Coulson's direction. "Kelsey is not a delinquent. Okay? Just because she talks about running away doesn't mean she's actually going to do it. We all say shit we don't mean, you know that! Kelsey is a good kid - no," she shook her head, correcting herself. "Kelsey is a great kid. She was... She is... gentle, and sweet, and caring - maybe almost too much. She worries over stupid things like... like..."

"Like fitting in?" he offered.

"Like, have I been sleeping well, or how much did I eat today? Did AJ finish his homework? Things like that." Coulson raised his brows. He didn't expect to hear a selfless response, not bothering to write it down. "Although there are times when she likes to be right all the time, she is hard-headed like her mom." Her eyes watered at another thought in mind, "Looking at Kelsey... I see Wendy... I see my sister through her."

Jane noticed a twitch in the corner of Coulson's lips. Was he trying to hold back a smile? She could've sworn she heard Phil agree with her as if he knew Wendy personally. It was quiet enough to think it could be in her imagination.

"And yes, recently, she does have an attitude problem; I admit that," Jane continued. "Though I can't say, I don't understand why because I do. It's not because she's a teenager or I forgot her birthday."

Coulson squinted his eyes in disbelief, processing the last bit of her sentence, "You forgot-"

"Don't!" she warned, jabbing a finger in his direction. "The point is... Kelsey is going through a tough time. We all are. This isn't my first rodeo going through this! It's a terrible thing no one should have to go through. I might've agreed to godmother these kids, but I never thought in a million years I would have to..." Jane stopped to take a breath, fighting back the tears. She was a big girl, and big girls don't cry. Coulson could see the inner struggle to cry or bottle up the emotions.

"I'm sorry, Miss Foster."

"Can I see AJ now?" she dismissed his condolences, her voice becoming hoarse.

"Soon," Coulson returned to the severe matter at hand. "What is your connection with the man in question? Who is he?"

There was hesitation on her end.

"Don't stop now, Miss Foster. We've been getting along so far."

Jane sighed, "You'll think I'm crazy if I told you."

"I've witnessed crazier things when I signed up for S.H.I.E.L.D., Miss Foster. Enlighten me."

They jumped at the screams and shotguns outside. Coulson rushed to investigate after ordering Jane to stay put. Following the noise back to the first holding cell, he watched his agents drag Thor's unconscious body back inside.

"What happened?" Coulson demanded.

"He was quiet, sir," a guard explained with grunts. His arms wrapped around the prisoner's torso, shuffling backward. His back muscles were strained by the weight and his lack of body mechanics. "Not making a peep. But when Dewey and I started talking about the scientist and her nephew, he went berserk!"

Coulson analyzed sleeping Thor, spotting the dart injected in his neck. It was clear to him that there was a connection between the mysterious mercenary and the Foster family. The trick was finding out how they were connected, not to mention the fallen satellite the man was after.

"Take him back to the cell," Coulson ordered. "I suggest you strap him up while he's unconscious."

"Yes, sir."

As Coulson was about to leave, the bald agent in specs approached him with some news. Coulson took a deep breath, mentally preparing for another surprise. It's not like he had a lot on his plate already.

"What is it, Sitwell?"

"Sir, they have a visitor."

...

"You got any aces?" Hawkeye asked the little boy.

Three unarmed officers and the boy gathered around the table to play a game of cards.

"Go fish," AJ declared with his game face on.

Hawkeye sighed as he drew a card. His frown deepened when it wasn't the card he wanted.

"Do you have any threes?" AJ asked the guard across from him.

Still covered in dry mud, Big Tom growled as he silently handed one card over to the boy, then AJ laid a group of threes on the table with a satisfied smug. The men groaned at the boy's second victory in Go Fish.

"How do you that?" a red-head guard demanded, slamming his cards in frustration.

"Easy," AJ shrugged. "I'm just good, and you're not."

The agent frowned. Everybody would say that he was a sore loser at the moment.

"How long do I have to stay here?" AJ asked as he watched Barton shuffle the cards, restarting the game. "When can I go home?"

"Until Coulson says otherwise," Hawkeye replied in a dull, dismissive fashion before asking Big Tom if he had any kings. The muscled agent handed him two cards.

"Where are Thor and Jane?"

Hawkeye raised a questionable brow at the boy, "Is that the nut's name? Thor?"

"He's not a nut!" AJ argued. "He's cool! He can kick your ass like he did to everyone else here!"

Big Tom growled at the insult, receiving a pat from his shorter companion.

"Easy, tiger," the redhead guard consoled him. "He's a kid. What are you going to do?"

Hawkeye clenched his fist, wrinkling the card in his hand, "I could have shot him outside if I wanted to. I have very good aim."

"Yeah, right! And you think that's going to kill him?" AJ challenged.

"He's a man, is he not?"

"He's more than that."

"How do you know that?"

"Cause he told me so!"

There was a long silence until the two guards burst into laughter while AJ pouted and crossed his arms, completely unamused.

"You're adorable, kid," Hawkeye shook his head; his smug remained. "Adorable and naïve."

"Yeah," the redhead guard agreed. "If your mom tells you that Santa Claus exists, you would believe her just like that!" He snapped his fingers.

AJ frowned, unsure what the guard meant about Santa.

"Yeah?" the boy offered.

Hawkeye and the guards slowed their laughter, realizing the delicacy of this topic. This kid believed in Santa. The aunt, the crazy man, and even their supervisor could kill these agents if they dare give the boy a reality check. Hawkeye took control of this situation with a light-hearted smile, clearing his throat sheepishly.

"Uh... Santa Claus appreciates the kids who still believe in him, especially in this day and age. Right, men?" his low, slightly menacing tone warned the rest of the non-believers to play along. The two comrades grumbled in reluctant agreement.

"You know Santa Claus?" AJ perked excitedly with a hopeful look in his eyes.

"Oh, yeah," Hawkeye promised casually, resuming the smile. "We were in the army together. He entrusted me to Rudolph one time."

"You rode Rudolph?! The Rudolph?!"

"Absolutely, and um..." Hawkeye leaned forward to whisper to the boy in false discretion, "Between you and me, Santa doesn't like picking favorites, but... Rudolph is Santa's favorite reindeer," Hawkeye winked.

"Duh!" AJ exclaimed as if it was most apparent, "Rudolph is the best!"

"Can't say I disagree, kid. I did pick him, after all," the sniper looked at his cards, attempting to return to their game before the boy could ask more questions or suggest going with him to the North Pole to ride Rudolph. "Do you have any sixes?"

"Go fish!"

A/N 7/2023: I hope you like the changes I made so far. Garrett Bradley was an original character I made up when I first wrote the story, but over time, I had taken some inspiration from comic characters to add depth to his character. He is not just a neighbor devoted to basketball and Jane. I saw clips of Falcon and the Winter Solider show on Youtube. You might recognize the last name Bradley if you have seen the show and read the comics. I researched the family tree, and yes, I tied Garrett into it. Also, I read about a character named Delroy Garrett (aka the 3D Man). He was a track star who got kicked out of the sports league after he tested positive for steroids. He humbled himself and turned to religion afterward. The difference between the two Garretts is that my character grew up in a religious family - a strict hypocritical one at that, and I doubt I'll grant him superpowers. Sorry. AJ was also inspired by Andrew Jackson, not the president, a comic character known as Jock Jackson, a police officer who assisted Thor in some of his adventures. I love the idea of AJ meeting and being Thor's protege at a young age. Will he grow up to be a cop, a SHIELD agent, or maybe something more? You just have to wait and see.