[3] Just A Mortal Girl | Avallone the Avenger [DISCONTINUED]

CHAPTER TWENTY NINE

It took hours for my mind to reel itself back to reality, to give up trying to understand what the fuck had just happened to my friends. It made no sense, and the only thing I could pin it down to was some higher force that acted without care, right?

Clenching my fists until it hurt, I breathed in and out deeply. An unbridled desire to return to familiarity ripped through me like nothing I've ever felt before. The strongest desire felt like a simple wish in the wind. I craved the comfort of Loki's arms, the familiarity, the love. But perhaps if I returned to him, to Asgard, would he be dead too?

I shuddered at the thought and then instantly began to cry. He could not he dead, surely. It had been such a journey we had shared together, and I could not imagine him dead. His mischievous laugh was always lurking around the corner, in my mind it could be no different.

Slowly, I began to gather what little we had. The determination to find my friends and the one I loved overruled the fear that made my heart turn to ice. My hands carried only a few loaves of bread we stole, and one blanket. There was one change of clothes, that I was wearing, and I felt filthy.

It dawned on me that without the other two, as harsh as it sounded, I was strong enough to teleport to the Avengers compound. Having lived so long without powers, I was struggling to remember I had them. And being chained up with magic-binding fetters, it only solidified my lack of knowledge about them.

Focusing everything in me on my bedroom at the tower, I took a deep breath. I wasn't exactly sure how it worked, but it was a matter of trial and error. The worst thing that could happen was I accidentally teleported into a wall or perhaps outside of the compound. But I could always just teleport back.

I had a clear picture of my room in my mind, and with so much energy focused on it, I let go.

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A blinding whirl that sent my stomach into hysterics, and then suddenly I had arrived. My room, the place where I had spent so many hours with so many varying emotions. It was just as messy as I left it. I dropped the bread out of my hands and ran straight for the door. I needed to know.

The compound was quiet, but I pressed on toward the top floor. The elevator wasn't good enough, maybe not even working - it was hard to tell when everything was dark. I took the stairs two at a time, my immortality making it possible to have a ridiculous amount of stamina. I wasn't even breathing hard when I pushed the door open and stepped into the hallway.

Perhaps my mind was playing tricks on me, but I swear I heard voices. But there was only silence. Flashbacks of the past few months clouded my eyes and I let out a little whimper, still feeling the pain that had felt like nothing ever before.

When the first face emerged, I thought I was dreaming, a hallucination or perhaps an evil double. I instantly stood on my guard, aware of how emotionally broken this blonde Natasha looked. "Do not touch me," I growled harshly, choosing not to trust her. Since when did Nat have blonde hair anyway? Hers was always red - it was her thing.

"Avallone," she breathed, tears welling in her green eyes.

My stance instantly changed. Never had she cried in front of me, but the voice in my head was screaming that this was her, the real Natasha. My hands began to shake.

She repeated my name, this time loud enough for anyone else to hear. Was there anyone else here? Was Loki here?

Before I realized, my arms were wrapping around her, I was crying and she smelled of blood. No, not crying, sobbing. I was clutching at the fabric of her clothes, hoping if I gripped hard enough, it would erase the past few months of torture.

Another pair of arms folded around us and I breathed in the smell of Steve Rogers. I sobbed anew, only just realizing how much I missed his stupid old spice smell mixed with a little hint of leather.

"You're alive."

I pulled back, surprised. I glanced at Natasha and Steve, astounded. "Alive? Of course I'm alive. Why wouldn't I be? Did you think I wouldn't make it out?"

Steve's eyes narrowed. "Make it out? Of where? You survived the snap."

"The snap?" I was confused. What was going on? Why was the compound so quiet? Why did they both look so broken?

Natasha placed her hand on my shoulder. "You disappeared off the face of the earth months before Thanos. No one knew where you were, and we'd all lost hope."

"Thanos?" My voice wavered, testing the unfamiliar word. It sent a small shudder down my spine, the very word emitting a sinister tone.

A deep breath and a shifting eyes, Natasha was unable to answer my question. Steve dropped his head. I hadn't noticed the thick beard that graced his face. "We have a lot to talk about. You might want something strong to drink."

Gently grabbing my arm, Natasha guided me to the lounge, the happiness gone from her step. I felt a sense of dread pulling my stomach toward my feet. "You still drink whiskey?"

"Does a person change what they drink in a matter of months?" It was like Natasha didn't know me anymore, or something was clouding her mind. What had I missed? "Yes. I still drink whiskey."

Pouring a hefty glass, more than I would normally drink, she sat down on the couch next to me, shoulders dropping.

Reaching over, I played with her blonde hair, cut short to the chin. "When did this happen? I kind of miss the red hair."

"I don't remember," she mumbled, staring out the window. Unspoken but abundantly clear, she wasn't even bothered to try to remember.

Still rather filthy, I felt embarrassed when Thor stepped into the room, followed by Bruce. The brother to the one I love, and there I was, dirtying the couch.

The moment he looked at me, he turned, fighting against Steve. "I can't do this." As his voice broke, heavy with grief, the truth finally began to settle.

Standing from the couch, I walked to him, and grabbed his arm. He was shaking. "Tell me what happened. Tell me what happened to Loki."

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- ENDGAME SPOILERS FROM THIS POINT ONWARDS -

If you have not seen Avengers: Endgame, do not continue to read this. I'm talking about major MAJOR spoilers

You have been warned

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