Games of Deception (Hawkeye/Avengers)

Chapter 30 - A New Beginning

-Jacqueline's P.O.V-

 I never really have been one for goodbyes. The sentimental stuff just doesn’t really float with me.

“So, what happens to him now?”

But yet there I stood, with the people I’d been obligated to call a “team,” preparing to see Thor and Loki return to Asgard, their home realm.

To think that these other realms truly existed was a bit crazy to me, but then again I’d seen a lot of crazy things lately. When Thor told me a bit about his home on our way over to the park where we all were now, it hadn’t surprised me as much as I would’ve thought.

“I will put him before our father, and he will see to Loki’s punishment.” I glanced back to where Loki stood, hands and mouth bound by some form of Asgardian wear that restricted his abilities.

Thor sighed lightly when he added, “I suspect he will pay for his crimes for a considerable time. And quite harshly.”

I only nodded in acceptance as a reply. As insane as it may have seemed, I knew that somehow Thor still deeply cared for Loki, despite what he’d done. I didn’t exactly share the same concern, but I didn’t make this verbally known. After all, despite everything I’d done, I still had someone. It was something I still didn’t understand, but I’d come to accept.

We then took a moment to watch in silence and Bruce and Tony approached with a heavy case in hand. The Tesseract was held inside. After brief discussion once we’d captured Loki, it was decided that the Tesseract would be kept best if it were far out of Earth’s reach. Thor would be returning it to Asgard, along with his prisoner brother.

“Ready when you are.” Bruce stated when they reached us. Thor nodded, then held a hand out to me. I looked up to him and firmly took it without hesitation.

“Best of luck, Jacqueline Adams.” He said with a small smile.

I nodded in reply. “Thank you.”

“Yeah, well, get out of here before Legolas gets jealous.” Tony commented from beside us, looking at me with a sly grin. I rolled my eyes at him, and Thor chuckled lightly. Clint, who now stood next to me, ran a hand through his hair almost nervously and sighed.

“You’re hilarious, Stark,” he muttered, but wrapped his hand around mine as he said so, and this time I didn’t bother to hold back the smile that escaped my lips. I was happy. Truly happy.

But I was still anxious with uncertainty; now that my brief agreement with S.H.I.E.L.D. was over, I was clueless as to what I would do next. If Fury found my contribution satisfactory, I would be let free despite the blood on my hands. Or, at least, that’s what I’d been told. This was S.H.I.E.L.D., after all…

Figuring out where I would go, what I would do, I had no idea where to start. The place I’d been living while in New York had been totally obliterated, and my only remaining possessions were the few things I’d left on the Helicarrier. I’d always had a plan, always knew my way, until then.

But, I had my life. I had new reason to want my life. I had Clint, at least in that moment. I had friends, something I never even bothered to care about having. But they surrounded me now, and I looked briefly to each of them and wondered if this truly would be the last time we would meet.

“You okay?” Clint asked, bringing me out of my own thoughts. I nodded slowly, meeting his eyes.

“Yeah, I’m good.” I answered quietly. I knew he had to be wondering the same things that I was, but he said nothing in reply and only continued to keep our fingers intertwined as we stepped closer to where Thor now stood, across from Loki with a container holding the Tesseract in his hand. There was a handle on each side, and as Thor grasped one he held out the other to Loki. The dark-haired god glanced between the rest of us who stood watching, then took it into his grasp as well, then looked away from us. Thor bid us goodbye with only a final, silent nod in gratitude, then they were gone in a flash of light and gust of wind.