Well, ladies and gents, here's the final chapter of Ei Diafol. It's been a wild ride, but an amazing one, and I want to thank you all for everything. I'll do more emotional stuff when I post the Epilogue at some point (sadly not today). 

*Remember to read chapter 19 before this, in case your notifications didn't show it! *

Thank you for sticking with Thea's story. Hope you like the chapter! 

~Music~

Long Live (Taylor Swift)

Cadillac, Cadillac (train)

Vuelie (Frozen soundtrack)

~Edit~ me 

Part XX

An hour later, while Tony is with Pepper, booking Thea a very last-minute plane to Boston, Thea, Jack, and Peter take over one of the living rooms and turn on the Wii.

"We have to make you a Mii," Peter informs Thea as he navigates around the Wii menu, "Before we do anything."

Ten minutes of extreme bickering, Thea groans. Jack and Peter have lavishly made up a Mii for Thea, which only remotely resembles her in the fact that she has green eyes. She now has a mohawk, a beard, and a very large nose.

"No," says Thea, trying to wrestle the Wii remote from Jack's hand, "There is NO WAY I am playing like that."

"Oh come on," says Peter as Thea tackles Jack against the couch and tries to grab the remote, "You look great! I didn't realize that mohawks looked so great on you."

"They really accentuate your eyes," adds Jack, who is trying to decide if he wants to push Thea off of him or not. He finally solves the debate by flipping her over on her back so that he's hovering over her, the shark tooth hanging from a leather cord around his neck brushing against Thea's face.

Thea and Jack look at each other. Thea can smell the minty freshness of his breath on her face.

Peter snaps them out of it, "Anyway, I was thinking that we could add freckles to make it more realistic, if you really insist."

"How is that Mii realistic at ALL?" demands Thea as Jack finally gets off and settles next to her on the rather plushy couch. "I. Have. A. Beard."

A bit later, Tony finds them playing Mario Kart. They seem to be in the middle of a rather vicious race on the Bowser's Castle track. Klaka, who was an instant hit with both Peter and Jack, is watching eagerly, his tail wagging and prancing around the couches.

"JACK!" shrieks Thea, "DID YOU JUST SEND THAT SPIKEY SHELL TO ME?!"

"Yes I did," says Jack gleefully as his character (Koopa Troopa) barrels down the course.

"I was about to get first pl- PETER, DID YOU JUST HIT ME WITH THAT RED SHELL?!"

"You knocked me into the lava earlier!" exclaims Peter as he maneuvers Mario over the finish line. "First place for the win!"

"I WAS BEING A DEFENSIVE DRIVER!"

"I wouldn't complain," says Peter, leaning lazily against the couch, "You got fifth place, but Jack got eighth."

"I wouldn't have if Thea hadn't squashed me with the giant mushroom, Bowser hadn't knocked me into the lava, and you hadn't sent those triple red shells at me!" exclaims Jack.

Thea opens her mouth as if to protest, but Tony talks instead, "So sorry to interrupt the Grand Prix, but Thea, your plane leaves at two. That means that you're going to have to leave in about an hour."

"But she just got here," groans Jack, all competitiveness lost.

"Chill out," says Tony, "She'll be back soon. Max and Kyle are thinking about moving to New York."

"But she just got here," repeats Jack.

Tony glances at the large TV screen.

"Damn, Jack, what happened to you? Aren't you usually Speedy Gonzales on this thing?"

Jack pouts, "As I was just explaining to Peter, there is no doubt that I would have won if Thea hadn't squashed me with the giant mushroom and Peter didn't use bloody triple red shells on me."

"Don't forget Bowser knocking you into the lava," reminds Peter.

Jack throws his hands up, "It's like you two are working against me or something."

"Except for the fact that after I got blown up by you, Peter smacked me with a red shell and stole my victory," retorts Thea.

"It's called sweet revenge," says Peter.

Tony looks mildly interested, "Sweet. Carry on with your acts of betrayal. Thea, an hour, don't be late."

"Okey dokey," says Thea, and Tony leaves the room.

One thing that is extremely evident to both Jack and Peter is that Thea is nonnegotiabley happy. She's laughing a lot, and the previous ghost in her eyes has vanished. There is still something wary in her behavior, as if she's slightly on edge, but Jack and Peter assume it's just aftershock from everything that's happened.

(They're only half right.)

With Jack and Peter shadowing, and Klaka following, Thea packs her things from her room downstairs. There's not much, only a few suitcases, but Thea is cheerful the whole time, although she does often glance out the window.

"All right," says Peter as Thea zips the last duffel bag shut. "Done. And just in time, we have five more minutes."

"She literally just got here," pouts Jack, "And she's leaving."

"I'll be back," promises Thea, "And I'll text."

"You better," says Jack. He points first at Peter, then at Thea, "There will be NO MORE not-texting from my two best friends. Okay?"

"Okay Jack," says Thea in a teasing voice.

"I'm bloody serious!"

"So am I," says Peter with a straight face.

"I hate you both," says Jack.

Thea's phone is actually with Tony. He's been upgrading it, apparently. When the three kids get downstairs to where he's waiting, he says, "Here you go, kid. You ready?"

"Yep," says Thea. She looks at the phone. Neither Max nor Kyle had texted her, leading her to wonder if Tony is surprising them or not. She doubts it, mostly because the Calen brothers would probably kill Tony if he had kept something like that from them. "How long is the flight?"

"About an hour and a half. You can just chillax on the plane. Take a nap. Something."

"Okay," says Thea. "What about-"

"Banner's got Klaka in a cute little kennel. He'll be fine. And either one of the dudes will be able to get him right after the flight lands. And by the way. Your sword and dagger presented me with a really difficult problem, because the U.S. government hates me, but I got it cleared. It's a separate package though, you won't be able to carry it on."

"Sounds great," says Thea, then hugs him, "Thanks Tony."

"Yeah, sure, no problem," says Tony, "You be sure to see us soon."

Clint drives Thea to the airport, with Peter and Jack tagging along. Thea lets Klaka out of the carrier during this time so that he doesn't get cooped up for longer than necessary. During the drive, Jack insists on Clint turning up the radio so that he can sing very loudly. Thea and Peter, and eventually Clint join in, and so it's an extremely chaotic drive, especially when Jack keeps correcting everyone on the lyrics of basically every song.

The airport is busy, but not ridiculously crammed, which makes Thea feel slightly better about flying by herself. Clint helps her unload her stuff, and the four of them head inside.

"I'll see you in two hours," says Thea, reaching her finger through the wire opening of the kennel and stroking Klaka. The puppy had been surprisingly well-behaved in his kennel, probably partially due to Fandral's training sessions.

While Clint checks in Thea's bags- including the weapon's package and Klaka's kennel- Jack and Peter say their farewells.

"Bye," says Jack glumly.

Thea hugs him. She feels his heart beating through the cotton shirt, "Bye Jack. I'll miss you."

"What about me?" asks Peter, enfolding them both so that they're in a group hug.

"You too, Pete," says Thea, reaching over Jack to take Peter's hand.

"The group chat starts as soon as you step foot inside that security line" says Jack.

"I'm never going to have peace of mind now," says Peter with fake dismay. "If either of you texts me past midnight, I'm blocking you both."

"Got it," grins Thea.

Jack had been right. As soon as Thea hugs Clint, waves goodbye to the three of them, and walks towards the security line, she feels her phone vibrate.

Jack: COME BACK SOON

Thea: I JUST LEFT.

Jack: COME BAAAAAACKKKK SOOOOOOON

Thea: Is that a song?

Jack: I'm sure it is somewhere. I'll look it up.

Thea: omg seriously

Jack: here are our options

Peter: no jack

Jack: Andrew Peterson

Thea: who's that?

Jack: I don't know

Jack: Young Gunz

Peter: I don't even want to know

Jack: Arabella Harrison

Thea: who's that?

Jack: How should I know?

Thea: I'm going to run out of battery

Jack: too bad so sad

Thea: If I run out of battery, I won't be able to text you on the drive from the airport back home

Jack: WHAT

Thea: too bad so sad

Jack: ABORT MISSION ABORT MISSION

Jack: NO MORE TEXTING

Peter: Thea, you're a miracle worker

Jack: STOP TEXTING THEA

*

During the plane ride, Thea spends her time listening to music and looking out the window. She had gotten a window seat, and is sitting next to a college-aged young woman who doesn't appear interested in Thea any more than Thea is interested in her.

Also during the plane ride, Thea has time to think.

She is hopeful that Wairua hadn't been intercepted, seeing as she is currently not bothered by Loki. Still, she hasn't heard anything back from Wairua which presents its own set of problems. She glances down at her necklace, unseen by anyone else. She tugs at it, not expecting anything to happen, but still feeling slightly morose at it too.

Thea is still reeling from the realization that she is Loki's daughter. She had pushed the thought away, but now that she has plenty of time to herself, the thought keeps creeping into her mind. She knows that Loki will one day want to take her back to Asgard, perhaps to rule at his side. But having just spent time with Peter and Jack for the past few hours, she realizes that she doesn't think she wants to.

Her heart is split in two. She loves Peter and Jack and everyone else on earth, and would never want to leave them. Although she is furious with Loki, the tiny push of her heart tells her that she will miss him too. She doesn't know if she can choose both halves of her heart. She doesn't know how she feels about anything.

She does know that she is frustrated. And she does know that she is scared.

As for Videl, she really doesn't know what to think. She doesn't remotely trust him, but he had been right about Loki, at least partially. He is vicious, sarcastic, and cold-hearted, yet he is the one person that knows about the spell, besides Myrinea, who is not reachable. And if Myrinea is being threatened, she is even less able to be relied upon. It takes Thea a long time to figure out why Myrinea had picked Videl.

It is because it is the last person Loki would even think to suspect.

The problem with this logic, of course, is that Thea has to decide if Videl can be trusted. She won't have to make that choice now, but she will soon. And she knows it.

*

Thea, for all her thinking on the plane, has a feeling of excitement and nervousness as she walks off the plane. It's been a month since she's seen Max or Kyle. What if they don't really care anymore? Kyle had been dating Emmaline for a couple months now, and maybe they were getting serious, and wouldn't need Thea around anymore. Max had sent her to Asgard, after all. What if she is nothing but a burden to the brothers anymore?

These thoughts of doubt in her mind, Thea drags her feet forward as she follows the stream of people out of the terminal. Tony had told her that she had to head left, and up an escalator to get to the place where the Calens would be waiting (and hopefully with Klaka).

With a pit in her stomach, Thea walks past the busy people and up the escalator, fiddling her backpack straps with her fingers.

She finally reaches the right place, or at least, she thinks she does. There are lots of people here greeting loved ones and family, some of them with those claiming signs. Nervously, she looks around, but sees no sign of the loved ones she is looking for.

And then she sees them.

Kyle is leaning against one of the white columns of the airport, his green eyes darting around the crowd. He's wearing a blue cotton shirt, his sunglasses hanging from the top, and a navy New York Mets baseball cap. He looks scruffier than normal, with fine bits of facial hair around his chin and under his nose, but this makes him look even more charming.

Max is next to him. He's wearing a green jacket over a blue shirt, but unlike Kyle, he is clean shaven. But like his brother, he is looking around the airport, looking hopeful.

"Kyle!" Thea exclaims, pushing through the crowd, "Max!"

They jerk their heads up simultaneously, and their faces break out into smiles as they see her.

Kyle reaches her first. He grabs her and spins her around in a squashed hug. He smells like the faint scent of cologne, and his arms are around her,  and then Thea is crying as Kyle mutters, "Oh my god, Missy."

Thea is still crying as Max enfolds her in his arms and holds her close to him, as if afraid of letting her go. He kisses the top of her head, and Thea feels like her heart is about to explode.

She may not know about anything that will happen, and she might be unsure about herself, but she knows one thing.

She's home.

*

~Thea's POV~

That evening, after I shower and change into shorts and a long t-shirt that nearly goes over my shorts, I sit at the kitchen table, working on a math worksheet as Kyle cooks dinner. Apparently, it's going to be chicken parmesan and salad with garlic bread. My mouth waters. Max is next to me, working on his laptop. "Cadillac, Cadillac," by train is playing softly in the background, on Max's iPad.

Klaka is at my feet, resting. He and Lucy have gotten along well so far, although Lucy has made it clear that she's the boss of the house.

"Hey Missy, help me with this salad, will you?" asks Kyle, who is busy making the tomato sauce, "Emmaline's going to be here in half an hour, and I would really like to have this done."

I get up from the table, nearly trip over Klaka, and walk into the kitchen.

"Ah, ah, ah," says Kyle as I reach for the refrigerator door, "Wash your hands first."

I groan, "My hands are clean!"

"Your hands are never clean, whether literally or figuratively," says Kyle, pushing me to the sink, "And pull your dripping wet hair up."

"I don't know why you hate drying your hair so much," muses Max as he types, the screen illuminated on his face, "If I had that much hair, I wouldn't want it dripping all over me."

"Or over my food," adds Kyle.

"It wastes time." I say as I wash my hands as quickly as Kyle will let me and pull my hair up in a messy bun. The water splatters my face, "And by the way, I've never made a salad, so I'm probably going to screw this up big time."

"Making a salad is like the easiest thing to make in the kitchen," says Kyle, "I already made the dressing too."

"You made the dressing?"I demand as I open the refrigerator and take out the tomatoes from the vegetable bin (Kyle keeps our refrigerator ridiculously organized), "You're impossibly annoying."

"Hey, don't insult the chef. Be appreciative that you don't have to get brand name crap."

I cut the vegetables in little chunks at the counter as Kyle prepares the raw chicken on the island, "That chicken looks disgusting," I say.

"You're hurting the chicken's feelings," says Kyle as he whisks together a mixture of cheese, salt, eggs, and breadcrumbs.

"The chicken is dead," I say, "It doesn't have feelings."

"Ouch, you're a mean one."

"Mr. Grinch," adds Max.

"Oh please don't," I say as I push the onions and tomatoes into a bowl. "I'm really a very nice person."

"Oh c'mon, if you insult dead chickens, how much more heartless can you get?" asks Max, getting up and inspecting my progress

Well, you could always threaten to kill my entire family if I tell a murderous secret and fix this stupid golden necklace around my neck like ten minutes after you inform me that you are in fact, my father, but does that really count?

"You could get much more heartless, trust me," I say. Then, I squawk as Max takes a knife and begins to cut the diced eggs, "NO, I am making the salad!"

"We're running out of time," says Max, pushing away my hand as he slices the eggs at record speed, "Kyle will have a heart attack if the food isn't ready before his sweetheart gets here."

"YOU DIDN'T EVEN WASH YOUR HANDS!"

"Did I not?" asks Max mildly, "Whoops."

I groan, and concentrate on slicing the cucumbers as quickly as I can.

"Thea, if you cut your finger because you're trying to beat Max, then not only am I, as the only PHD, going to have to administer first aid, but I'm also going to have to sterilize this entire kitchen counter."

"Shut up Kyle," I say, finishing the cucumber and throwing the pieces into the bowl. Max has moved on to sprinkling the cheese. "Where's the dressing?"

"It's in the refrigerator, idiot," says Kyle.

I want to kick him, but he's still handling the raw chicken, and I would rather not get infected with salmonella.

Max and I finish the salad more or less without bickering any longer, just as Kyle sets the chicken onto the saute pan to cook, and just as the doorbell rings.

"I'll get it!" I yell, as Kyle flips over the chicken cutlets on the pan.

Emmaline, a pretty girl with bright blue eyes and wild blonde hair, is dressed in  jeans and a white shirt, with a patterned navy and white scarf which basically makes me feel extremely underdressed. She smiles when she sees me, "Hi Thea! It's nice to meet you!"

Oh right, I haven't actually met her.

"Hi!" I say, letting her in and trying to restrain Klaka, who is very excited by the fact there is a new person for him to meet. "Nice to meet you. Kyle's been telling me loads about you."

"Hopefully all nice things," she smiles as she takes off her ankle boots and leans down to pet Klaka, "Who's this? He's adorable!"

"This is Klaka," I say, "He's mine."

"What kind of dog is he?" she asks, stroking Klaka's thick fur. Klaka, loving the attention, licks her fingers, "A husky or malamute mix, right?"

No, actually, he is half Asgardian royal hunting dog, and half Asgardian wild timber wolf, thank you for asking. 

"Something like that!" I say brightly.

I lead Emmaline into the kitchen, where she sniffs appreciatively. "Mm, Kyle this looks so good."

"Doesn't look so good as you," says Kyle, leaving his station at the stove and wrapping an arm around Emmaline's waist before planting a kiss on her cheek. "Thea, please don't gag, I'm being charming."

"But not sincere," I say, setting out plates on the table.

"I am so sincere," says Kyle, looking hurt. Then, he says, "Oh, you were referencing Into the Woods, weren't you? Not," he adds, "That I've ever seen that before."

"I love Into the Woods," smiles Emmaline, helping me with the silverware.

"I've seen it twice," says Kyle.

*

After dinner, while Emmaline and Kyle watch a movie and while Max gets on a conference call, I head upstairs to get ready for bed. When I check my phone, I have fifty five messages from the group chat (which Jack had named "The Three Musketeers" waiting for me. This is because right before I went downstairs, I had informed Peter and Jack that Max, Kyle, Emmaline and I are moving to New York in two and a half weeks, right before my fourteenth birthday, and then promptly left the room.

It's true. Max is getting an apartment just for me and him, while Kyle and Emmaline will be taking the next step in their relationship and moving next door. Max and Kyle already have apartments picked out, and according to them, they're "pretty sweet" (Kyle's has a pizza oven.). Plus, they're only about a twenty minute walk from Stark Tower. And I think it's only about ten minutes from both Jack and Peter, who live in the same neighborhood.

I finish unpacking, while playing my Maroon 5 album from my phone, which is on its charging dock, and then fall back against the bed. Klaka leaps up and cuddles against my pillows, wagging his tail. He's tired too. Within seconds, he's sleeping, occasionally twitching his paw.

I hear movement at my open window, and when I look up, I breathe a sigh of relief. Wairua is sitting at the windowsill, peering at me with those amber eyes of his that almost glow in the dark. There's a piece of paper in his sharp beak. Wairua lets me take the paper, and with a soft hoot, takes off into the night.

I unfold the paper.

Thea,

Wairua is not a pigeon. Don't ever send messages through him again. Not only is it suspicious because we are not in the third century, but it is also really annoying to both Wairua and me.

I know I am right. You didn't need to tell me that. I told you that you would regret being a little bitch to me.

As for your plea for help, just try your very hardest not to be killed, because if you do, he will think that I did it, which I might do if you don't shut up, and then I'll die too. The world is already short of Phoebuses.

Don't bother me again. You're being watched.

V

I hadn't really expected anything better than this, but I admit it's still slightly dismal and a little more than irritating to be called a bitch by the person who killed my sister.

Unfortunately, he's right. To send messages via a giant white bird would be a little more than suspicious.

I crumble up the piece of paper and stare at the ceiling.

At that precise moment, I hear the sound of scratching coming from the corner of the room, where a pile of books is stacked- and an Asgardian journal.

I debate for a couple seconds. Then, I get off the bed, drag out the journal, and open it.

Remember. If you say a word, Jack will die.

Hot fury runs through me.

I grab a pen and write quickly.

You don't need to tell me again. I know. I also know that you are a tyrant, and that you will never be my father. Never speak to me again.

I let those words seep through the pages and then take the journal into the bathroom and put it in the bathtub. Taking a deep breath, I summon all of the energy and fury inside me, and direct it at my fingers.

The flames pour onto the journal, and I grit my teeth, concentrating. The journal is magical, and hardy, but my fire is stronger. I hear scratching, quick scratching, desperate scratching, but I laugh and ignore it.

I burn the journal. I burn it and burn out all my hatred at it.

I will not let Loki dictate me any more. I will not let him get to me, or threaten me, even if he is trying to do what he think is best. I will live my own life, and I don't need him anymore.

My mother named me Theodora after the Byzantine empress. She also named me Athena after the goddess of wisdom. I will be strong, like Theodora and be my own ruler. I will be clever, like Athena, and surprise those who doubt me.

Apparently, I am not Theodora Fossil. But I am definitely not Theodora Laufeyson.

I'm just Thea. But I'm Thea who is actually going to beat a particular green-eyed god of mischief.

Sorry Loki.

I don't need you anymore.

As the flames die down, I smile as I look at the bathtub. As the Asgardian journal, with its intricate leather binding, the "unconquerable" journal with its sinewy bindings, burns, I smile.

It is nothing but ashes now.

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