Avengers: Divided We Fall

The Prodigal Son Returns

Dean Allen flew across the sky, his body streaked with radiant light. Though flight, like so many abilities he'd recently acquired, was still fairly new to him, he'd taken to it with relative ease. It helped that his fiance could fly and made a habit of carrying him around while he did it.

Thinking about Thor made the emotional ache he'd felt since he'd left hurt a little more. Staying busy with missions with the Avengers and training to hone his abilities had distracted him enough to numb the pain. But now, with no missions to accomplish and his powers mostly mastered, he found his mind wandering back to Thor. He'd left shortly after the revelations of Dean's past had been uncovered, resulting in him gaining super powers and a new title- Prince of Atillan.

Dean smiled as he thought about the recent events. He'd be recounting them with his family soon. It had been far too long since he'd sat been to his childhood home and shared space with his family. The last time he'd been there was when he'd gotten word that Samantha, his niece, was dying. And he hadn't seen any of his family since the funeral. Seeing them again was something his soul needed.

He spotted the large expanse of farmland he'd grown up on and his smile only broadened. He could smell the air and it immediately took him back to childhood. Gathering eggs from the chicken coop, riding the horses. He closed his eyes and he could feel the wind on his skin and the steady gallop. He hovered high above and stared at the big yellow house. Tears entered his eyes as he realized just how much he'd missed home. He remained there for a few moments, just taking in the sight, before he decreased his altitude. As he dropped down to earth, he caught sight of his parents, siblings, nieces and nephews clambering out of the house.

"Uncle Dean!" the kids screamed at the top of their lungs as they surrounded him and fought to be the first to hug him.

"You're glowing!" Sarah exclaimed as she reached out and held Dean's hand. His skin was shimmering lightly. The little girl grinned up at him.

"I like your uniform," Caleb appraised as he touched the deep purple and red sleeveless suit. Dean spun around, showing off his suit as the kids asked him to use his powers. As he turned, he caught sight of Jacob, Samantha's younger brother. The little boy stood a little ways back from the others. His expression was cheerful but there was a sadness in his eyes. Dean gently moved through the kids and knelt in front of the boy.

"Hi, Uncle Dean," Jacob said.

"I hear you've been bringing home very good grades these days," Dean said as he gently ran his fingers through the boy's hair.

"Guess so."

Dean ruffled his hair and stood up as his parents and brothers and sisters walked toward him. Rosie pulled him into her arms for a hug. "I'm never letting you go again," she sobbed.

"I'm okay, mom. I'm in one piece."

"When Thor comes back he's getting a talking to," Rosie said as she stood back so that Jack could move in for his hug.

"Honey, Thor may be his fiance but Dean's a big boy," Jack said as he winked at his son. "It's good to see you again, Skip."

Dean smiled. It had been a while since he'd heard his childhood nickname. He looked over at his brothers and sisters and shrugged his shoulders. "I guess I have some explaining to do, don't I?"

Coffee mugs sat untouched around the big dining room table as Dean's family listened to his tale. Under ordinary circumstances they might have thought he was unhinged. The notion that Emma Bolt, a woman everyone had known as a grandmother, was actually Emmaquilan Boltagon, the princess of a race of humans experimented on by an alien race, might have been incredibly difficult for them to accept. But they lived in a world where the Avengers existed.