My Life with the Avengers

The Destroyer Part 2

That night, Caleb had a million questions for me about Asgard. He asked me about Thor, how the Bifrost worked, Loki, the Frost Giants, Lady Sif and the Warriors Three, the list just went on and on. I answered them to the best of my ability, but to be honest, I didn't know a whole lot of the answers. For example, when Caleb asked how Heimdall could see everything and anything all at the same, I had to tell him that I just simply didn't know. Note to self: Ask Grandfather how Heimdall's powers work.

Eventually the time came for both of us to head to bed. And when Caleb came to say goodnight to me, in the guest room, he came in at just the right moment to see me take out a very old, very loved teddy bear. "What's that?" Caleb asked. I whipped around and quickly hid my bear behind my back. "Nothing." I said a little too quickly.

Caleb smiled. "Come on, Jackie. I saw the bear."

I looked down at my feet sheepishly and brought my bear out in front of me so Caleb could plainly see him. The bear once had very fluffy fur, pink cloth inside his ears and a little blue shirt. But after year and years of being hugged and played with, his shirt had a few small holes in it, he wasn't quite as fluffy anymore and one of his ears had been sewn back on. But I loved him all the same.

"How long have you had this little guy?" Caleb asked with a smile.

I smiled and held the bear close. "For as long as I can remember." I told him. "My uncle Phil got him for me."

"Your uncle Phil?"

I nodded. "He was my dad's brother. After my parents died, he took me in."

"Do... you even remember your parents?" Caleb asked carefully.

I sighed and shook my head. "No. I don't. My first memories are with Phil. We were really close, I actually started calling him dad."

"What happened to him?"

"He..." I started to choke up. "He was killed when I was six. Right before the Battle of New York."

Caleb was silent for a moment. "I'm sorry Jackie. I know how it feels to lose someone you love." I raised an eyebrow and Caleb explained. "My little sister Ellie passed away a few years ago from cancer. She was only four."

I tried to hide my initial surprise, but Caleb still saw my eyes wide. "I'm so sorry, Caleb." I said softly.

"It's okay." Caleb said. "I know I'll see her again someday. And that's what keeps me from losing hope."

"You really think we'll see the people we love after this life?" I asked.

Caleb nodded. "I know we will. I'll see Ellie and you'll see your uncle again. We just can't give up. We have to stay strong."

I smiled and Caleb gave me a hug. "I'll see you tomorrow." He said, getting up and walking to the door.

"Goodnight." I said. Once he was gone, I laid my head down and went to sleep.

For the next two weeks, while I was staying at Caleb's house, we had a blast. As soon as we got our homework done we would go outside and play with his baby sister Hannah, or we would grab our bikes and ride down to the arcade down the street, or watch Doctor Who in the family room in his basement. It was probably the most fun I'd had in a long time.

School was okay. I would still go to practice after school and we were starting to get ready for our regional tournament. The only thing that was really starting to get on my nerves was Ashlyn. She had started making it a point to belittle me every single day. Her comments about my clothes, how she thought no one really liked me, and how she got a few people convinced that I had faked getting hurt on the football field when Mitchell beat me up, weren't exactly hurtful. But they were so constant that it just started getting super annoying. I tried telling her off a few times, but she somehow managed to throw it all back in my face.

But the best part of every day was when I got a call from Clint. Every day he would give me an update of what they had been doing and how everyone was. Then I would tell him what I had done that day and how things were going back at home. The only part of the calls that bugged me was that they came at totally random times. The other day, Clint called when I was in the middle of a math test. I had to explain to my teacher that it was extremely important that I took that call and I had to practically get down on my knees and beg him not to take my phone away.

Then the calls just stopped. For the first few days I dismissed it as nothing. I thought: Oh they're probably busy or something and they'll call tomorrow. But they never did. It wasn't until Thanksgiving was coming up that I started to wonder if something had gone wrong.

One night, after everyone else had gone to bed, I grabbed my computer and called up Jarvis.

"Shouldn't you be asleep right now, ms. Jackie?" Jarvis asked.

I rolled my eyes. "Yes, but this is important." I said. "When was the last time Tony contacted you?"

"I haven't had contact with Mr. Stark in at least three days." Jarvis said. "Or any of the other Avengers. What about you?"

"I haven't heard from any of them in almost three weeks." I said, starting to get really worried. "What was the last thing he told you?"

"The last I heard from them, they were leaving Asgard and heading to another one of the realms in search of the thief that stole the Destroyer."

"They went back to Asgard? That's news to me." I said. "I thought they were still–"

"I'm getting a transmission from Mr. Stark." Jarvis said urgently.

Tony's garbled voice suddenly came through the computer. "Jarvis come in... we need..." The transmission was so bad that I could only make out about every other word. "We found... Destroyer... call... Jackie... Thor and Steve... everyone else... captured..." In the background of the call, I could hear what sounded like a battle. Then, the call cut out and I was left staring at my computer in silence.

"Everyone else has been captured?" I thought to myself. "They're in trouble." I started rushing around my room, throwing things into my backpack.

"Ms. Jackie, given the current situation and the information that has been given to you, I have come to one conclusion as to what you're about to do. And I have to advise against it." Jarvis said.

"I'll take note of that." I said, changing out of my pajamas and putting on some street clothes.

"You're still going to do it." Jarvis said. It was more of a statement than a question.

"Yes, I am." I said, I put in an earpiece that Tony had given me and I could hear Jarvis through it. Suddenly, there was a knock at my bedroom door and Caleb poked his head in. "Jackie, what are you doing?" He asked, looking me up and down. "Are you leaving?"

I sighed and nodded. "I'm going to Asgard."