Illusions (The Avengers)

Epilogue

Tristan stared, watching as helicopters and flashing lights circled the tower. He'd expected it, but he didn't know that he'd feel so...betrayed. His world, that he'd fought for for as long as he could remember had now branded him a war criminal. The Avengers were fixing to go into hiding, it was the only way to survive and still be able to do what they did. Tristan had always had a feeling that it would come to this one day, but now that it was here...he didn't want to leave; he'd grown up here, this was his home.

Since T'Challa was the King of a sovereign nation, they'd most likely move to their facility on Wakanda. Their next year was most-likely going to be spent cutting off the remaining heads of Hydra since Hive was now dead, which wouldn't be too difficult. The only problem that remained was Chloe.

In the past twenty minutes, there had been an unsuccessful debate about what to do with her, then Ambur's people showed up. The Nature Queen Tristan had met, Angi, her cousins Diamond and Jace, plus Kiasta Kenobi had given them another option.

"We could take her back with us," Diamond had said in her oddly rich, satisfying voice," It would be safer for her and you."

"Plus, I think we all know that she'd be happier somewhere far away from this dimension," Jace had added, clearly not happy to be here.

Natasha had been the first to voice doubt," How do we know that you won't kill her the second you get your hands on her? As you said- she is dangerous."

Angi sighed heavily,

"Because we have honor," she replied harshly," We don't kill innocent people, this ability was forced upon this girl; what we have planned will help her control what she can do."

"Yes, we swear to you that our intentions are good," Kiasta had said," She will be safe."

After a few more minutes, it had been decided that Tristan would be the one to give Chloe the news. He wasn't dreading it, but what he did not look forward to was having to say goodbye.

"You want me to go up with you?"

Tristan smiled as he turned to find his sister staring at him, still dressed in her battle armor and her eyes quite large with sympathy.

"I think I'll be okay," he assured," thanks, though."

He ruffled her hair before striding down the hall, taking a deep breath before entering Chloe's room.

She was still in her flapper dress and was sitting on her bed looking down at something, silent as death. Tristan walked over slowly, careful not to alarm her. In her shaking fingers was a picture of herself next to her mother.

"Hey," he said as he sat down next to her, his hand instinctively moving to run his fingers through her hair. She didn't say anything at first, nor did she move. When she finally looked up at him, her tear-stained face brought him a sadness he didn't think he'd ever felt before.

"You know, the party was just a distraction," she told him, her voice quiet," I thought I could escape everything. I thought that if I found a way to distract myself, I wouldn't think about what happened. I wouldn't think about the fact that I was an experiment for two months and remembered every second. I wouldn't think about my mom, and how I'm the reason she's dead now-"

She was sobbing now, cut off by him wrapping his strong arms around her. He leaned back into the pillows, her curled up on his chest. He was exhausted; could've gone to sleep then and there...a part of him wanted so badly to do so. He could have fallen asleep knowing that she was safe in his arms. But that wasn't an option.

"What happened to your mom was not your fault," he told her quietly after a few minutes of silence," Maro is a monster, and he tried to use you to his advantage."