Note: *deep breath* Here we go! The final chapter. Let me just say that I am incredibly, incredibly thankful for the amount of love and support you've all shown to this book. It never fails to amaze me.

The 'Brendon's POV' chapters will be out fairly soon, so don't remove this book from your library just yet.

Once again, thank you, my loves.

✧ ✧ ✧

ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ᴛʜɪʀᴛʏ ғɪᴠᴇ: sᴍᴏᴋᴇ

❝ ʙʀᴇɴᴅᴏɴ. ❞

✧ ✧ ✧

YOU AWOKE WITH A JOLT, EYELIDS FLYING OPEN AS YOU HASTILY SCANNED YOUR SURROUNDINGS.You were still in a standing position and from what you could see, you were settled slap-bang in the middle of some sort of three-dimensional square with walls that glowed a brilliant blue.

Your gaze steadied on an unintelligible figure a little distance away from you, and you squinted to try and decipher who it was. The first instinct you had was to call out Brendon's name, but you realised that the possibility of it being him was zero to none.

However, as soon as the figure started towards you, every semblance of possibility and impossibility went out the metaphorical window.

"Dad?"

"Hey, snowflake."

An incredulous giggle leapt up and out of your throat as your eyes began to water. "It's really you?" you choked out, voice thick from the lump in your throat, "You're here?"

"I'm here," he smiled softly, reaching out to touch your cheek as reassurance, "It's so good to see you, little one."

You opened your mouth with the intention of saying something in response, but all you could manage to get out was a strangled cry; you flung yourself onto your father, wrapping your arms around his neck and gripping him tight.

He returned your embrace, wrapping his bigger arms around your shaking frame and resting his head on top of yours, mumbling soft shushes into your hair.

"I'm so sorry, (Y/N)," he whispered, his own eyes now brimming with tears, "I'm so sorry about everything. I wish that we could've done things differently, but-"

"Don't, dad," you interrupted, shaking your head gently as you pulled away so that you were looking at him, "You don't have to explain yourself. It took me a while but I-," you paused, sighing, "I understand. I understand why you did what you did. You just wanted what was best for me."

Your father smiled weakly as he cupped your face in his hands. "You have no idea how happy it makes me to hear you say that. (Y/N), all I ever wanted was for you to have a good life, and I'm sorry that things worked out like this."

You scoffed. "Things were always going to work out like this. You can't tamper with destiny, dad."

"Believe me," he chuckled before placing a kiss on your forehead, "I know. And I also know that destiny could not have chosen a worthier recipient of such magnificent powers than you. Snowflake, I am incredibly proud that your mother and I raised such a wonderfully strong woman, but I am even prouder of the person you have become over these past few months, and I have no doubt in my mind that you are ready for this."

"What if I screw up?"

"Oh, sweetheart," he cooed, stroking your hair, "You will screw up. Numerous times. But from your screw-ups, you will learn and you will grow. And you will rise up stronger than ever before."

A stray tear trickled down your cheek and your father wiped it away with his thumb. "I wish you were there to help," you spoke softly.

"I wish that too. More than anything. But, (Y/N), you have people out there who care about you. You have family. And you will learn just as well from them as you would from me."

Your face crinkled as you knitted your brow. "Family?"

"It's time, snowflake." Your father took a step back, inhaled deeply, and closed his eyes. "All-fathers, obsecro vos," he waited a few moments before continuing, "Before me stands Skadi, Goddess of Winter and of The Hunt, daughter of Vili, and niece to King of Asgard, Odin. Bestow upon her her birthright, and grant her use of her abilities, so that she may make good on Asgard's promise to defend mankind, for as long as they need defending. Guide her so that she strays not from the path of goodwill, and let the light of Asgard shine upon her always. Ad honorem. Dictum factum."

Before your father's words had even properly sunk in, you felt a warm sensation crawling its way throughout your body and when you looked down, noticed a bright blue illuminating your veins as you felt the power pumping through them. It was a feeling unlike any other – you felt invincible. You felt all-powerful.

You felt like a god.

Soft, awe-filled breaths left your mouth as you felt yourself become rejuvenated, and you shut your eyes to better focus on the ecstasy of it. When you re-opened them, you noticed that your hair had undergone a dramatic change, too – a transformation in color from your natural shade to a sharp platinum one.

With wide eyes, you looked to your father, who smiled back at you proudly.

"Good luck, snowflake. I love you more than anything."

"I love you, too," you whispered as you fought back another onslaught of tears.

"It's time to wake up now, (Y/N)," he spoke, "You've gotta wake up."

Your vision started to blur and you could hardly make out the features of his face. Shaking your head, you staggered forward to try and get closer to him, but he started fading. "Dad? Dad, what-"

"You've gotta wake up, (Y/N)," he repeated, voice sounding awfully pleading. "You've gotta wake up."

Everything faded into black yet again and a moment later, you felt yourself being shaken.

"You've gotta wake up, (Y/N)," Brendon implored, hands working to rouse you awake, "You've gotta wake up."

Your bodyguard's frowning face was the first thing you saw when you opened your eyes, and you offered him a weak smile. "Hi."

He closed his eyes and breathed out in relief before cocking his head slightly and looking at you. "Hi."

The vivid lights from the lab illuminated his face in a way that made him look angelic, and you – still delirious from hopping between dimensions – decided that now was the perfect time to comment on it.

"You look pretty," you cooed, reaching up to touch his cheek.

He stifled a scoff and cocked one brow. "Thank you; so do you. I like the hair."

You let out the most girlish of giggles and turned your head to the side; Brendon then carefully gathered you in his arms and lifted you onto your feet. Once you were up, you had a view of the entire lab and its surroundings, the sight of which sobered you up instantly.

"Woah," you murmured, looking around at the hoard of Hydra agents lying lifeless on the ground, "I did that?"

"You sure did," Spencer piped up, walking over to grab your arm and guide you towards the Tesseract, prompting you to pick up the cube and place it into the briefcase he was holding. Once the cube was secure, he led both you and Brendon out of the facility. "Indirectly, of course," he elaborated with a tilt of his head, "They all went down as soon as you touched the cube."

"Is everyone else okay?" you questioned in concern.

"Yes," Brendon answered, "and they're en route to the quinjet as we speak."

The three of you made quick haste of getting to the jet, but when you arrived, were immediately met with panicked voices yelling across all of the vehicles.

Corvey was standing just outside one of the side entrances to the base, and waved you over when he saw you, needing your help with an injured agent.

"I've got it," you said to the two other males, running over to Corvey as they made their way to the others.

"What's happening?" Spencer quizzed, skidding to a halt in front of the jet your team had arrived in and peering inside at Coulson, Nat, Maria and Aaron.

"There's a bomb," Maria informed, rubbing her face in frustration before correcting herself, "Four bombs, actually. One on each quinjet we brought here."

"Fuck."

"Fuck, indeed."

"Can we disarm them?" Spencer asked, entering the jet along with Brendon.

"There's not enough time," Brendon shook his head as he noted the timer on the bomb that indicated five minutes was left until detonation. "We have to get them out of the jets."

"Okay, and then what?" Nat threw her hands up and frowned hopelessly, "Even if we get it inside the base, or wherever, five minutes is not enough time to get everyone into the air and out of here."

A tense silence fell across the jet as everyone wracked their brains for a solution to the problem. A moment later, Brendon spoke up.

"Help me gather all the bombs onto this jet," he instructed, rushing out to get the explosive from the neighbouring jet and bring it back to your one.

"Wait, what's your plan here?" Coulson hurried after your bodyguard, holding out his hands.

"There's no way everyone survives if we leave them on the ground. So, I'm taking 'em up." Brendon grunted and bit on his lower lip as he collected the weighty contraption in his arms, his muscles straining under the burden.

"Brendon," Natasha pushed a firm palm against Brendon's chest after he had set the bomb down in your jet to prevent him from getting the next one, "that's suicide."

"Yeah," Brendon nodded, "and if I don't do it, everyone else dies and that's essentially homicide."

"She won't let you do this."

He scoffed, removing his colleague's hand from his chest and pushing past her. "Why do you think I'm not telling her?"

"You don't have to do this," Natasha appealed, following him, "We'll figure something out."

"In four minutes? Unlikely. Nat," he stopped momentarily and sighed, "This is something I have to do, okay? Please just trust me to do it. You know I wouldn't do some stupid shit like this for nothing."

Natasha chewed on her bottom lip before shrugging hopelessly and finally resigning. "Alright. Okay. Just know that this'll wreck her, and you'll be responsible for that."

~

"What the hell?" you mumbled, gazing up confusedly at the quinjet that was hovering in the air. You stood up swiftly and sprinted to your team, keeping your eyes on the jet all the while. "Guys, what's going on?"

No one answered, which prompted you to finally tear your gaze from the sky to look at your group. After eyeing them, you noticed that someone was missing, and when you realised who that person was, your heart sank.

"No," you whispered, starting to shake your head, "no. Tell me he's not on that jet."

Again, you got no response. Everyone either looked at you with apologetic eyes, or avoided your gaze all together, and you weren't sure which one made you feel worse.

"No. No. No, no, no, no, no. Brendon, no," you cried out; the tears were free falling, and your body was trembling, but you didn't care. "No. Please, no."

Turning to your team, you shot them a hateful glare. "How could you let him do this? How could you?!"

"(Y/N)," Natasha stepped up, "I tried to talk him out of it, I did..." she trailed off, not knowing what else to say that wouldn't worsen your hysterics.

But nothing she said could've ever worsened your hysterics at that point, because the explosion that resonated throughout the sky did a fantastic job at that on its own.

With a heart-wrenching sob of your bodyguard's name spilling from your lips, you fell to your knees, open palms hitting the ground with a solid strike that plunged the entire landscape into ice.

✧ ✧ ✧

Seven days later. A military cemetery, Washington D.C.

Standing in front of the burial site, you stood completely motionless, not even batting an eyelid. The stench of freshly dug soil and the slight scent of rain in the air invaded your senses and made your stomach twist, but despite the sensation, you felt utterly empty.

The funeral had ended well over an hour ago and everyone had already left, except you – you chose to stay. For whatever reason, you didn't know; sulking by his graveside was not going to bring him back. But neither was anything else, so you figured might as well stay and bask in morbidity as you cursed Hydra over and over.

"I know that you're immune to cold and all that," Fury's voice snapped you out of your trance and you turned your head to watch him trek through the yard to get to you, "but I've been told that my specialty hot chocolate warms more than just the body."

Gratefully accepting the travel mug he held out to you with rickety hands, you brought the drink to your lips and took a sip.

"Mm," your brow furrowed in shock as you swallowed, "I can see why that is. Is there vodka in this?"

"Maybe," he responded, turning his body so that he was facing the grave, "Maybe not. But if there was, it would be whipped cream flavour."

"Noted," you gave a hint of a smile for the first time in a week, "Thanks, Uncle Nick."

"I gotcha, sweetie."

The two of you stood in comfortable silence for a while, both just staring at the abundance of flowers stacked atop the soil.

"You wanna talk about it?" he offered.

"Nope," you declined, taking a gulp of the spiked chocolate, "Not now, not ever."

"Fair enough," he muttered before giving you side-eye, "Just promise me you won't let it screw with you."

"I promise."

Both of you knew that was a lie, but sometimes it was easier to just pretend otherwise.

"I saw what you did at the base," Fury informed, "Both in the lab and outside, when..."

"When Brendon died?" you finished the sentence he was too scared to finish himself, "It's okay, you can say it. No need to walk on eggshells around me."

The Director gave you a sceptical look. "Right. Anyway," he shook his head lightly to get himself back on track, "Looks like you pack one hell of a punch there, kid. How do you feel?"

"I feel," you inhaled sharply before answering honestly, "good. Better, somehow. I don't know, I can't really explain it... When it happened, it kinda felt like new life was breathed into me. And I can feel the power – it's prevailing, but not uncontrollable. I think I've got a decent grip on it, considering I just got them. Although that grip does falter when my emotions heighten; I'll have to work on that."

"Comes with practice, I suppose," he mused and you nodded in agreement, "Hey, listen," you raised your brows to indicate that you were in fact listening, "I wouldn't be doing my job if I didn't offer you a position at S.H.I.E.L.D. How do you feel about being Agent (Y/L/N)? The newer, better model," he joked and you chuckled along.

"I'm flattered, I really am, and maybe somewhere down the line, yeah," you sighed, "But right now I think I need to focus on this," you cautiously wormed the fingers on one hand and a swirl of blue eddied between them, "Ask me again in about a year's time and my answer with almost definitely be yes."

"We can work with that," Fury skewed his mouth momentarily before arching his brows, "In the mean time, though, S.H.I.E.L.D and all it's amenities are available for your use, if you so please."

"I appreciate that." You reached out to hug him.

"Least I can do," he mumbled, soothingly rubbing your back, "I haven't exactly been the poster boy for perfect godfather."

"You did alright," you grinned, nudging him in the stomach as the two of you started for his car, away from the grave.

He scoffed. "Here's hoping that from here on out I'm more than just 'alright'."

You held up the mug you were drinking from. "I think you're making good progress already. And it would be even better if you made me another one when we get back to HQ."

"Easy there, kid," he chuckled, disarming the alarm on the SUV so that you could both climb in, "Save the binge drinkin' for tonight."

You buckled your seatbelt and tossed him a perplexed look. "What's tonight?"

Fury glanced at you in disbelief. "You're kidding."

You shook your head to show that you weren't.

"It's Stark's party. Ya know, the one where you're the guest of honor."

You groaned and hit your head against the window. "He was serious about that?"

"He's always serious about parties. It's one of the only things he's serious about, actually."

"Can't you get me out of it?" you breathed tiredly, "It'll earn you major godfather brownie points if you do."

"No can do, sweetheart," he chuckled, starting up the engine, "No one gets out of a Stark party. Believe me, I've tried."

Another groan came from you, and Fury reached over to pat your head in reassurance.

"It'll do you some good to get your mind off of him for a while," he spoke lowly with a hint of hesitancy.

"I can't get my mind off of him. But maybe you're right," you shifted in your seat before sighing and rolling your eyes, giving in, "I'll go. To have one last night of enjoyment before..."

Fury looked at you in surprise. "Before what?"

You smiled gently at the rolling scenery on the other side of the window.

"Before I avenge him."

ᴇɴᴅ ᴏғ ʙᴏᴏᴋ ᴏɴᴇ