THE EPILOGUE IS HERE FOR YOU!

Just a short glimpse into where everyone now stands...yay!

There is a gap on purpose...that I may or may not fill later...with a sequel, maybe, but definitely not right now!

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Avengers. Hadley belongs to me, but I give all credit for the rest of them to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, they rock!

5 years later

"So we meet again."

Hadley sent the Realm Council an easy smile, her stiff formalness that she'd used to meet them with bleeding away after years of such meetings.

"I see that we do. How fares the Realms?"

"They are active and needy, but for the most part at Peace." Sir Council answered brightly.

"In large thanks to you, my dear." Lady Council added with a soft smile.

Hadley smiled at that, inclining her head in thanks.

"We thank you for agreeing to meet with us on such short notice." Lord Council began, "especially considering," Lord Council left his sentence hanging, changing the subject abruptly. "We know the past three years since your official retirement from the Realm Council was not an easy one."

"We have kept track of your progress," Sir Council added, "And we see that in the last year things have settled down for you."

Hadley nodded. "There was much left unsaid after Odin departed from us; and many enemies that had been thwarted during my orchestrated attack eventually returned to earth for Revenge. It took quite a lot out of us to deal with such a threat, and much time to recover from the ensuing attack. We lost a lot of good soldiers during that fight." Hadley spoke sadly. "They will be much missed." The Realm Council nodded in respect.

"We understand that you recently met with Odin once more?" Lord Council spoke up. Hadley nodded.

"We met for the first time since your decree almost five years ago. He was most helpful in rebuilding the damage done during the war, and I believe he has much softened since he'd crowned his heir."

"Ah yes. Lady Sif's coronation was not a year ago, was it not?" Hadley nodded, beaming.

"Asgard's first queen, Queen Sif of Asgard. She will do quite well."

Sir Council grinned. "We tend to agree. How fares your Father and Uncle?"

"Father is quite well. Uncle is expecting his first child with his human wife, and is quite excited. He believes himself ready for fatherhood, having helped with me when I was an infant. Father likes to laugh at him when he says as much, though."

The Council laughed. "Yes, he will be quite surprised at how different your own child is." Lady Council mused. "How fares the rest of your odd little family?"

Hadley beamed. "It has grown, by leaps and bounds. We've had spouses and four children in the last three years added to our little group. It is quite loud in our residence, but after all of our grief, it is a well-deserved change to the chaos and battles of long ago. I assume you did not ask me here just to catch up?" She asked inquiringly.

Lord Council nodded. "You know very well that I aim to retire." He slid a sheaf of papers in her direction. Hadley sat down, and read through the first few pages.

"You'd like me to replace you?" She asked slowly.

"No." Lord Council smirked.

"I want you to replace me." Lady Council spoke up.

Hadley's eyes widened. "You want me to-"

"Yes."

Hadley's mouth opened in shock. "That is an honor, to even be asked, Lady Council."

"Don't say you are going to refuse."

"I would have to speak with my husband-" Hadley began, but Sir Council grinned.

"We knew you would say that, and we've already mentioned this possibility to him. He's all for this new position."

Hadley narrowed her eyes. "Do I want to know how you got ahold of my husband?"

"NO." The Lord council answered. "Now, you know what the position entails. Are you amenable to accepting?"

Hadley was speechless for a moment, before she began to beam, and she nodded.

"I accept!"

The Realm Council smiled as one.

"Wonderful! You may take over in…" Lord Council eyed Hadley's stomach, "Eight months."

Hadley frowned. "I assumed you'd want to retire immediately…"

Lady Council also sent a telling glance at Hadley's stomach. "We can wait that much longer."

Hadley smiled bashfully.

Lord Council coughed lightly. "Speaking of… How does Loki react to the idea of his own grandchildren?"

Hadley smirked. "He adores helping with the infants, all of them, but he is not so happy with the idea that HIS baby is having babies."

Sir council eyed Hadley's stomach with a smile. "This will be your third?"

Hadley nodded. "Third and fourth. Twins." Hadley laughed. "James and Justice are quite excited for two babies."

"And your husband?"

"He's in panic mode. You'd think having two children would have made him easier to handle. It seems with each pregnancy that he gets antsier, though."

Lady Council nodded understandingly. "Men."

Hadley laughed. "A more correct statement has ever been uttered! For a man who helped declare to all other Realms that Midgard was not to be trifled with, he's terrified at the idea of childbirth!"

"To make a statement of strength, or childbirth?" Sir Council wrinkled his nose. "I would pick the statement any day."

"Not a statement, Sir Council,"

Sir Council scoffed. "Please, we are to be working together. Call me by name; Alonso."

Hadley smirked. "Alonso; it's not a statement."

"It's a promise."

"So? Did you accept?"

"You punk! You knew what they were going to ask me!" Hadley swatted her husband in the stomach and he chuckled, rising from where he'd leaned against the wall waiting for Hadley to exit the Realm Council's chambers.

"Of course I did! But they told me to keep it a secret; they wanted to surprise you."

"Well they did." Hadley muttered.

Steve wrapped an arm around Hadley's shoulders with a smile and pulled her close. "You accepted, right?"

Hadley snorted. "Of course I did. Now c'mon. Let's go home."

Steve grinned. "Home. I like the sound of that."

Hadley made a face at her husband of four years.

Home.

She liked the sound of that too.

Children, Marriage, Family, a lot of changes.

Hopefully specific enough for you all but vague enough to leave it open-ended for a sequel maybe later.

This is where we leave Hadley, Loki, Thor, and the rest of the Avengers for now, though.

This was an amazing journey, and I am so awed by all of the support I got.

Thank you, from the very bottom of my heart.

Keep an eye out for His Best Decision, a oneshot of epic proportions, detailing Loki's adventures in Fatherhood; a prequel, if you will.

Once again, I love you all.

Signing off on this story for the final time...

~CLC~