A/N I feel bad for not posting chapter 7 for days so I am forcing this chapter outta my head and into your goddamn entertainment

"Is this house haunted?"

The realtor froze.

"Who told you that?" The realtor asked.

Alicia took Henry's hand then went toward the open door.

"Too good to be true," Alicia said, into the void.

Alicia bolted up from bed.

"No!" Alicia shouted, panting in the dark.

Alicia slid the bed sheet over then got up moving toward the window. She moved the curtains aside to reveal several buildings, coconut trees, and what was her place of residence. She was going to get back on to her feet, repay SHIELD, take care of  Henry in some way that gets him a new friend when she was at work  (someone reliable, trust worthy and would call in someone should they have to leave for some reason), and be up on her feet again. What was the purpose of bringing her and Henry here? What was the purpose? Not just to spoil Thor and Loki regarding  the future in little comments. Who-ever did it didn't need to transport them somewhere else to save their lives but to move the flying bus in such a way that it would land safely with no questions asked.

She folded her arms.

It just seemed . . . Not right. 

Wrong, even.

There was one thing that Alicia missed about having a partner; the feel of someone being there holding on to her figure who she trusted, loved, respected, cared for, and knew. She missed that. Someone that she could hold tightly and never let go. Then again, the last part could apply to having children, animals, toys, and pets. She remembered how her last relationship had been on the highs until it hit a very steep low. It made her shudder recalling how it ended. It was the first argument about accepting the bus driver gig. They had heated words. The first of many arguments that lead to the downfall of the relationship. Married for two years  (living together for twenty)  then one year later flying a broken in half bus toward Ironman's tower in the front seat was the metaphor of their relationship. She crashed it directly into the glass wall taking on a job that a man would normally have after losing her other half getting there.

It was a fast divorce after the relationship had fallen apart.  She kept her ex-wife's last name because she liked it.  Ex-wife one, Victoria Louise Gold. A name that rang like a bell. A single gentle touch to her exposed left shoulder brought back memories. Warm stirring memories that brought her back to anniversary nights and her smile looking down toward her eyes with trust and affection. Her bright blue eyes reminded Alicia of a image of a super blue giant only smaller and full of whirring small clouds that twirled around the black hole that somehow remained there in place without absorbing in the giant. She can remember the feel of the woman's cream hands stroking down her left shoulder and a hand cupping her large breast. She can remember how passionate their nights were together.

She had a strong desire to hold someones hand, a desire that was so innocent, a yearning.

It didn't have to be romantic but merely platonic.

Victoria and Alicia reverted to 'just friends with benefits'.

Turned out, they worked better that way.

It worked in their favor going on their separate lives. Alicia kept her phone open for the woman to leave a wall of text featuring swearing about something that had obviously gone wrong that day working in her line of field.  Sometimes, having to just vent to someone who gets you helps that  anger turn into uncontrollable laughter and feeling about yourself or the situation. And in turn, being a friend for them comes with its own rewards doing what they did for you. Victoria wouldn't believe this situation. Victoria just wouldn't until Alicia took a selfie with either Odinson, Laufeyson, Fury, Coulson, and Tony Stank then sent it to her.  She would see gibberish in her instant messages then coherent text along the lines of Victoria demanding to know how she got to befriend their actors and whether she had tickets for Avengers: Endgame for the premiere. Alicia had her phone placed into storage at SHIELD including with what other jewelry or futuristic technology that she had on her person. She had a new phone, a flip-phone, that was familiar and easy to re-adapt to using again.

The puzzled looks on the agent's face picking up the padd device and asking, "Did you get this off the set of the new Star Trek?" cracked her up.

It still did making her feel not as alone and unsure in the room with laughter around her.

Alicia crawled back into bed then closed her eyes and covered herself up with the blanket. 

She only reawoke what felt like ten minutes later feeling a small figure scoot beside her on the blanket.

"Uuuh," Alicia said. "what's wrong, Henry?"

"I had a nightmare," Henry said. "That we were in Infinity War."

"Sssshh," Alicia said, combing through his hair. "We're not. . . we're not." She soothingly hummed to the boy placing her hand on to his side. "You are never going to feel not so good around me. You are not going to turn into dust. Because I won't let you," she softly talked to the boy. "I'll fight that moron Thanos for you, using the gauntlet to make more resources, bring you back, and then take us home."

Henry softly snored to her ears.

Alicia returned under the of sleep.