Survivor's Guilt ~ A Marvel Story

~25~

"You should really stay," Natasha said, looking at me intently. "We could use you."

I shrugged. "You've got a good lineup in there." I nudged toward the room holding the new 'recruits'. 

Steve stood beside me. I had just said goodbye to Thor who insisted that he needed to find out what was going on with the appearance of the Infinity Stones and thinking that there may be a bigger scheme going on than what we are seeing. 

In all honesty, I didn't want him to go. After almost losing him in the water I realized how little time we had had with each other. If he had drowned a week ago, I never would've forgiven myself. 

"None of them are Gods," Steve interjected. 

"Stop acting like I'm leaving forever," I chuckled. "I'll be back, I swear." Steve and Natasha gave each other a knowing look. "Oh, guys come on."

Natasha smiled. "Please, you're going to get back to Asgard and remember how beautiful it is compared to Earth and then you're going to be all like 'Earth is so ugly I'm never trying to save it again'." She tried mocking my Asgardian accent and failed horribly. 

I shook my head, laughing under my breath. Even Steve chuckled a little. "My people are without a Queen, their prince, their heir, and their princess. They need me right now. If things really do go to shit, I'll come help."

"Fine," Natasha caved, nudging me with her shoulder.

"I'm going to miss you," I said after a moment of silence to both of them. "I don't know what I'd do if you didn't trust me."

Steve looked down at me and put an arm around my shoulder. "You earned that trust."

After my last goodbyes, I skipped down the stairs of the new Avengers compound they had built. After the Ultron attack and my attack, they thought it would be safer to have a more secretive building to house their weapons and superheroes. 

I closed my eyes, hoping that Heimdall had returned to his post as I murmured the words to summon the Bifrost. The streak of rainbow light surrounded me and a child-like smile found its way on my face.