Blue Moon| Book 1 | An Avengers fan fiction series| *under editing*

62- Loki's Kitten

Hewo!!! :D

Hope you like the chapter... 

Chapter Sixty-Two

~Nobody's POV~

Loki is still glaring at Thea as the three of them run away from the collapsed cave, which Thea gleefully ignores. 

By the time Steve and Tony move the stone door back to the entrance of the Mantra's former dominion, nearly everyone is panting. Most everybody is either scraped, cut, or bruised somewhere, so the party halts to get a grip on themselves. 

"Is that it?" asks Jack, who is sidling up to Thea. He has an ice pack held to his forehead, where a large welt is forming. His breathing is slightly wheezy, but otherwise, his eyes are bright and he looks just as normal as ever. "I mean, besides all of that epic fighting, that was pretty easy."

Thea raises her eyebrows at him. "Seriously." 

"Okay maybe not easy. But I thought there would be more of them." 

"Evidently not."

"Will there ever come a day when you are not sarcastic?" 

"Evidently not." 

"Would you shut up?" Jack is grinning.

"Evidently no-" Thea is interrupted, because Jack hugs her in such a tight squeeze, she has her breath stolen from her. When they separate, she whispers, "For the record, I don't even know how old you are." 

He looks like he is trying to come up with a witty response, but Jack's ears ringing and he fails. Finally, he gives up. "I'm fourteen." 

"Ew you're ancient." Thea teases. 

"Not as ancient as Kyle." he points out. 

"Hey!" calls Kyle. "Who's calling me ancient?" 

They both ignore him. Thea leans against him, thankful that this is over. It's funny to think about, this month or so that has gone crazy. But it's all over now. The Mantra is gone, the Imeldi are vanquished- although there are probably still a few of them left. Thea's world has been turned upside down, mostly for the worst, but there has been some good things thrown in there as well. 

She's learned to trust, somewhat. She has opened her heart to others, and she's learned that being mean to people isn't the way to get what she wants. 

Bruce, who has miraculously managed to keep his calm during the last fight, pulls Thea away from the lanky Jack to tend to her wounds, which are few but painful. 

"Um, thanks for everything Bruce." she says. 

He looks up at her from where he is re-wrapping her arrow-shot arm, surprised. He doesn't comment, but lets her continue. 

Thea, who isn't accustomed to making these sort of pronouncements, says, "Watching you...it really helped me."

Bruce frowns, not understanding. "Watching me...?" 

"You know," says Thea hastily, her face turning red. "I watched you. You helped me learn to control it."

"Ah." he nods. Patting her leg, he stands, "You did most of it on your own. But you're welcome." 

Someone grabs her in a bear-hug from behind and Thea turns to see Kyle who looks no worse for wear, although he's still drenched in sweat. "Thanks for abandoning me." he says with faux-anger, playfully smacking the back of her head. "Now what would you done if I had died?"

"Hey!" Thea exclaims defensively. "I couldn't help it! That...that thing backed me up and-"

Kyle's laughter rings through the room. "I was kidding, you idiot."