(A/N- Originally, this chapter was going to be 11,281 words long, but then I figured that would be WAY too long of a chapter, so I broke it up into two chapters. So, the next chapter is already mostly written, it just needs to be heavily edited.
Also, I have finals in two days, so PRAY FOR ME. The way my school is set up is so freaking weird... We do this thing called block scheduling, so I have four finals in January and another four in June. It's hell.
Anyways, sorry for boring you. ON WITH THE STORY!🫡)
~~~Catherine's pov~~~
The monolith opened, and with it, so did my anxiety.
Loki still wasn't back yet.
Panicked, I reached out to him telepathically seconds before the monolith liquified and swallowed us all in a wave of white. "Loki, the portal's open! Get here now!"
There was a feeling of being pushed and pulled, a cold darkness surrounding me, and then suddenly, I was back on solid ground.
I looked around and through the dim lighting, saw May, Fitz, and Phil, who was still holding an unconscious Daisy.
But not Loki.
Of course, Jemma, Yo-Yo, and Mack were not present either, but at that moment, I could only think of Loki.
Did he not get my message? What if he teleported back but was too late? How long did the monolith stay open for after it took us?
All these questions rattled through my brain, not resting until milliseconds later when he finally appeared alongside the others who were missing.
Oh, thank God.
I ran up to him and hugged him instantly, letting out a breath of relief. "You made it."
He held me tightly before pulling away and smiling. "I made it." He kissed my forehead, his relief palpable.
Although I could see the happiness shining in his eyes, there was also a layer of...guilt. Why would he feel guilty? Did something happen when he went after our daughter?
Our daughter... God, that sounds so weird to say.
Seeing her was a shock to the system, and I don't think my brain has fully processed it yet.
I'll have to ask him what happened later because right now, we need to make sure we made it back to 2018.
"Well, that was a hell of a thing," Fitz commented, causing us to turn and look at the team that was still recovering from being sent through time again.
More like that whole thing was hell.
"I'm so glad you guys made it." Phil smiled, looking at Jemma, Mack, and Yo-Yo.
That's when I finally got a good look around the room we were in.
It was dark, but I could still make out the metal flooring, the concrete ceiling, and the rafters.
This was still the Lighthouse.
"Why are we still in the Lighthouse?" I asked, trying not to panic. There's no reason to believe the monolith didn't work. This could still be the Lighthouse, but in the present instead of the future.
May seemed to be on the same train of thought, looking around as well. "Maybe Flint's monolith didn't work."
If it didn't work, I was going to freaking lose it.
Fitz shook his head. "No, it worked. It takes you through time but to the same place." He gestured around the room. "I've been here before with Enoch. We made it."
We made it.
"We're home?" Tears of joy filled my eyes, the news almost too good to be true.
"Yeah." He smiled widely, turning to Jemma and hugging her tightly.
As the rest of the team celebrated, I looked up at Loki, still smiling. "We did it. We're home."
He nodded, smiling as well, before pulling me into a soft kiss that was filled with pure relief and joy.
I kissed him back readily, smiling as our lips met. This was the first time in a long while that I could actually savor the kiss, as we were not currently in a life-or-death situation.
I honestly wanted the moment to last forever, but we had to pull away eventually.
Thankfully, we weren't the only ones celebrating with our romantic partners. Jemma and Fitz had been kissing, and so had Mack and Yo-Yo.
That was normal.
What wasn't normal, however, was May. She was actually, genuinely, smiling.
I think I've only ever seen her really smile once before, and that was when I saw her after she and the others made it to the surface.
"I'm gonna try and find some light," Fitz said after the moment of rejoicing had passed and he moved to a fuse box on the wall. He pressed some random buttons, and the room was fully illuminated.
"It's hard to believe we're back." May sighed, still smiling. Which was again, unsettling.
Mack just scoffed jokingly. "Find me a double cheeseburger, and I'll believe it."
Yo-Yo chuckled at his words, and then seconds later, we all heard the sound of a projector clicking, and a projection of a Shield logo appeared on an empty wall.
Why is there a Shield logo down here?
We all stared at each other, silently asking the same question.
The logo disappeared after a moment, followed by a projection of a man in a gray suit addressing us.
He looked to be in his late thirties or early forties. He had dark brown hair and a mustache that looked admittedly, pretty comical.
But none of that explained his presence there.
"Welcome to the Lighthouse, the world's last bastion against the encroaching darkness." The man in the projection spoke up for the first time quite ominously.
The encroaching darkness? Well, that inspires confidence.
"If you're here, you understand the gravity of the situation. The world as we know it has come to an end."
"Alright, who is this guy?" I questioned, now a bit uneasy at his words.
As if answering my question, the projection spoke again. "My name is General Rick Stoner."
Phil raised his brows. "Rick Stoner? I've heard of him."
"As you know, certain world events, should they occur, trigger what we here in Shield call Project Reclamation. This protocol was designed as a black-ops action known to the highest-ranking Shield operatives."
The Lighthouse was a Shield base? Well, that makes as much sense as anything else.
The projector clicked again, and Stoner appeared on the opposite wall, making us turn to face him.
"Once initiated, Project Reclamation is conducted through secure communications known as electronic mail."
We all held back a chuckle, trying to figure out when this recording was made.
"Our agents were instructed to gather you, the selected elite, from a host of nations and bring you here..."
I turned to Phil as he began talking, something apparently making sense to him.
"Must have never been initiated. The 1972 Hydrogen Wave Crisis was averted."
There was a 1972 Hydrogen Wave Crisis?
"And, what? People just forgot about this place?" Fitz questioned, a brow raised.
Phil shrugged. "There's nothing in Fury's toolbox about it. I don't think he even knew it existed." He was about to say something else but then looked over at Mack, who was wincing, blood trickling down his forehead.
My eyes widened. I had been so wrapped up with everything else that I hadn't noticed Mack's battered state.
There were several cuts on his face and a large gash on his head. He had a bloody nose and the blood from an injury on his forehead had poured into his left eye, turning it red.
What the hell happened to him after he went to look for Yo-Yo?!
"Mack, those injuries need to be treated." He continued, now worried about the Shield agent.
"I'm fine." Mack insisted, even though he was clearly not.
Jemma stepped forward, almost unnoticeably shifting into her role as the medic on the team. "I'll decide that. Let's find a medical station and get you sorted."
"Maybe have Simmons look at you too, Coulson. That's a bad cut." Yo-Yo motioned to a deep cut that was on his cheek.
"We can worry about it later." He shook his head.
Jemma, however, wasn't having it. "Actually, I wouldn't mind checking everyone out. We did just experience an unexplored phenomenon." She then turned to me. "And now that we're back in the correct time period, I can do a more thorough examination. Just to make sure all is well with you and the baby."
I nodded, my hand resting atop my baby bump. "That's probably for the best, yeah."
"Alright. Sounds good. You guys head on over to the infirmary, and I'll stay here with Daisy. When she wakes up, she'll have questions." Phil gestured to my unconscious friend.
"When she wakes up, she's gonna want to kill you." May countered with a smirk, which was much more on-brand than a full-on smile.
"I see you've all brought belongings. Let's place the nonessentials in the basement storage facility. There, you will also find the latest state-of-the-art technology that Shield can offer." Stoner spoke up again, gaining our attention.
"Good. We need communications. May, why don't you take the tour?" Phil suggested.
She nodded. "Got it."
"Follow me. This way." The projector clicked again, and his projection appeared on a wall in an adjoining hallway. "See? Here I am, over here."
May rolled her eyes and walked into the hallway, calling back to us. "Fitz, you're with me."
I think she wants a witness there just in case that projection annoys her too much and she tries to destroy it.
~
Soon after Jemma got Mack all sorted out, she called me into the infirmary. And although she said it wasn't necessary that he be there, I insisted on Loki coming with me.
I needed him to be there, just in case the news wasn't what we expected.
The tests were fairly similar to ones I'd had to do during previous doctor's visits, just with Shield tech and medical supplies instead of Stark tech.
Since Loki and I are technically fugitives, we couldn't exactly go to the hospital when we found out I was pregnant. Instead, we went to my dad since he had an outstanding infirmary in Avenger Compound and was the only person there at the time.
His reaction to the news was absolutely hilarious, but that's a story for another time.
"Alright," Jemma started, pulling me from my thoughts. "I have the results."
"Is the baby okay?" I asked worriedly, my hand tightly entwined with Loki's, who was standing next to me in the infirmary.
"I'm sure she's fine." He spoke to me softly telepathically, no doubt feeling my nerves.
"The baby seems to be doing well, for now." Jemma's voice was cautious, her word choice making me internally panic.
"What do you mean, 'for now'?" Loki beat me to the question, fear immediately washing over his face.
"It's nothing serious." She assured us quickly. "It's just that Catherine's stress levels are still quite high. Even without using magic or partaking in combat, they aren't lowering. Which can be dangerous for both you and the baby."
My heart hammered inside my chest, trying to process her words. "What could help then? I haven't been using any magic since what happened on the Zephyr. Is there anything else?"
The Shield scientist shook her head. "All I can say is remain inactive for a while. I recommend that as soon as we figure out how to stop the world from cracking apart, you should head back home and stay on bed rest until the baby's born."
I sighed, not exactly thrilled with the idea of basically being an invalid for the next few months, but at the same time, I knew it was what was best for me and the baby. I wasn't going to risk her life just because I wanted to be in on the action.
"So, other than that, there's nothing else? She's okay?" Loki asked, trying and failing to hide the worry in his voice.
Jemma nodded with a smile. "Yes, both Catherine and the baby are healthy, and as far as I can tell, the baby's vitals are excellent. The only thing I found odd was their resting body temperatures." She turned to me. "Yours is a bit cooler than usual, and the baby was even colder. But for all I know, that could be completely normal. I haven't learned about Asgardian biology, and this child is half Asgardian god."
I felt Loki tense up beside me at Jemma's last statement, and I knew in an instant what he was thinking about.
"Thank you, Jemma. For all your help." I smiled at my old friend. "Do you think Loki and I could talk for a moment in private? I just think it might be helpful to come up with some ways to keep me as inactive as possible." I lied, needing to talk to him about this now without her present.
"Of course." She smiled back at me before leaving the infirmary, the door shutting behind her.
I turned to Loki the second she had left the room, my hand still in his. "Stop."
This seemed to get him out of whatever panicked trance he was in as he furrowed his brows in confusion. "Stop what?"
"Thinking whatever you're thinking." I left the real reason unsaid because I knew he knew what I meant.
He just sighed in resignation. "I just can't believe I hadn't thought about it before... We figured she would inherit magic from one of us because it's hereditary, but it didn't even cross my mind that she would also inherit my genes. She'll be Jotun. Just like me." His eyes filled with guilt, making my heart ache.
"And who says that's a bad thing?" I raised a brow, squeezing his hand tightly. "Personally, I think a little Jotun baby girl would be adorable."
He let out a small chuckle at my words, but the smile vanished after a moment. "I just don't want her to face what I did when it came to my heritage."
I knew what he was talking about. When Loki found out he wasn't actually Odin's son, it broke him. He hated himself for what he was.
"She won't. Because we're going to tell her everything from the very beginning. We won't do anything like what Odin did to you, I promise." I placed my hand on his shoulder, trying to reassure him.
He smiled softly at me, and this time, the smile remained. "What in the nine realms did I ever do to deserve you?" He tucked a stray piece of hair behind my ear, his hand cupping my cheek.
"Mmm..." I pretended to think about it. "I'm pretty sure just existing did the trick," I smirked playfully, leaning into his hand.
This time, I got him to actually laugh as he pulled me closer and kissed my forehead, his hands moving to bracket my baby bump.
"And since you're half Jotun, wouldn't that make her only a quarter?" I asked, thinking about some things I'd never really given much thought to.
He nodded. "A quarter Jotun and a quarter Asgardian since my biological mother was Asgardian."
I furrowed my brows, a realization coming over me. "How will the whole aging thing work then? I mean, you have a five thousand-year lifespan, and I have a hundred years at the most."
"You have a bit longer than that, love." He chuckled. "When you married me, you became an honorary Asgardian. You have the same lifespan as I do, therefore our daughter will inherit that as well."
My eyes widened. "Seriously? What- How does that even work? Do I just age slower now?"
"In a way. Asgardians age differently than humans in the sense that we'll age and grow normally until we are twenty-three, and then our aging just stops. Odin only aged the way he did because he drained himself, using too much magic and power in his reign as king." He explained.
"So, I'll forever look like I'm in my mid-twenties? That's actually not a bad deal." I murmured, taking in the new information. "But what about-" Before I could pose my next question, Jemma came back in.
"May just radioed in. They found something. We have to meet them in the control area of the Lighthouse." She said, holding up a small, handheld radio.
"Where's that?"
"She said it's in the same place as Grill's workshop and that you'd know how to get there." She shrugged.
Grill? Oh, you have got to be kidding me.
"Yeah," I sighed. "I'll show you where it's at."
We soon joined up with May and the rest of the team in Grill's workshop room, but instead of being filled with hazardous working conditions, it was clean and actually looked to be pretty high-tech compared to the rest of the Lighthouse.
There were several large monitors showing different aspects of the underground base and external camera footage of what was going on in the outside world. And thankfully, from the looks of it, it wasn't cracked apart yet.
Other than the computers, the first thing I noticed was another person in the room. He was wearing a suit and was kinda just standing in the center of the room not doing much.
I turned to the team in confusion. "Who's the guy?"
The strange man spoke up, now facing me. "I am Noah. A sentient Chronicom-"
Of course.
I put my hand up to stop him. "Ah, ah. I've heard enough. You're a robot, and that's all I need to know."
Not sure if you could tell, but I've had my fill of robots.
I then addressed the rest of the team. "What's going on?"
Phil pointed to a video on one of the larger monitors. "A light from the sky."
The live video showed some kind of strobe light beaming down to earth, locked on one particular building.
"This is what Voss warned me about. If he's right, then this is where it all starts. Hell on Earth."
Annnd we're back.
Loki turned to Noah, the weird Chronicom thing. "How long since it first appeared?"
"It showed up a few weeks ago and then appeared intermittently for some time after," The robot's voice was as monotone as Enoch's. I wonder if they were friends...
"You think it's alien?" Yo-Yo questioned.
Noah tilted his head to the side as if in thought. "The wavelength is unusual."
Jemma walked up to the computer monitor, closely examining the video. "Showed up where? Where was this?"
"St. Louis, Missouri."
"Well, I guess we're going to St. Louis, Missouri." Phil shrugged, turning to the rest of the team.
Umm, I'm pretty sure I'm supposed to be on bed rest, but if it's just some recon... I guess it should be fine.
"Before I cryogenically froze myself to get to the future, I left the Zephyr cloaked just outside of town. I'll show you where it is." Fitz informed the group as we all started heading for the door.
That is until Daisy spoke up. "Great, but I'm not going."
"What?" I furrowed my brows.
"If I'm responsible for ending the world, I'd rather not get near one of the first omens. Hard pass." She shook her head, her arms crossed.
She does make a good point.
"We could use you out there." Phil frowned, not wanting to leave her behind.
She shrugged. "You have Catherine. And she's just as, if not more powerful than I am."
Before anyone could say anything else, Jemma protested. "No, we don't. She can't be in the field. At the moment, she should actually be on bed rest."
"But it's just recon. I'll be fine." I reasoned, but Loki didn't agree.
"Absolutely not." He shook his head. "We have no idea what could be sending out that signal." His voice was firm, but I could see the fear in his eyes.
"He's right. The situation could be hostile. It's safer for you here." May nodded, taking his side.
"So, what? I'm just supposed to stay here while you go on a possibly dangerous mission that could get you killed?" Even via telepathy, I couldn't keep the worry out of my voice.
Loki sighed, turning to face me before looking at Phil. "I should stay back as well."
"Thank you." I smiled softly at him, the feeling of relief overwhelming. If he had gone with them, and I was stuck here, I'd drive myself insane with fear and worry.
Phil nodded at us understandingly before turning to the others. "Alright, it looks like it's just me, May, Mack, Yo-Yo, and FitzSimmons."
"So, what do we do? Just walk out the front door into town?" May raised a brow.
Mack considered this. "Well, we are wanted. We need to be covert."
Noah took this time to speak up. "You will be." He pressed a few buttons on a nearby keyboard, pulling up an image on the monitors. "The Lighthouse has a few covert entrances."
The monitors showed an underground map of the town outside the Lighthouse, showing dozens of tunnels running below the surface.
That is extremely cool.
"This place has secret tunnels." I grinned in excitement. This reminded me of the mystery books I used to read when I was younger. What can I say? I practically grew up with Nancy Drew books. "Like an Agatha Christie novel."
Unbeknownst to me, Loki had been trying to hold back a smile, finding my fascination with the tunnels, in his words, 'adorable.'
"There are quite a few tunnels, but this one takes you underground to the charming little town of River's End. From there, it is up to you." Noah explained.
"No time like the present. Let's go."
And with that, they headed out.