After the battle, Thor led Sif and the Warriors Three back to the location where they had originally arrived. The scorched symbol of the Bifrost still marked the desert ground.
Karl and the others followed at a distance.
Tony, in particular, was almost vibrating with curiosity. A transportation system capable of crossing interstellar distances instantaneously — not wormhole theory, not jump engines, but pure energy transit — it fascinated him far more than Thor's lightning ever had.
Sif, Volstagg, Fandral, and Hogan stepped onto the sigil.
"Heimdall! Open the Bifrost!"
"Heimdall, take us home!"
They called toward the sky.
Nothing happened.
The desert wind answered.
On the other side, Thor stood with Jane.
Their farewell was anything but subtle.
"Jane, I swear to you — I will return."
"I believe you, Thor."
They ignored the awkward silence of everyone around them and kissed.
Sif's expression hardened almost imperceptibly.
Frigga had long favored her as Thor's future queen. But Thor had never seen her that way.
After parting from Jane, Thor stepped into the center of the mark.
"Heimdall! I know you can hear me!"
Asgard — The Rainbow Bridge
Encased in ice from the Casket's power, Heimdall had remained conscious the entire time.
He heard Thor.
With effort, he broke free from the frozen prison, shattered the remaining frost giants nearby, and staggered toward the Bifrost mechanism.
He drove his sword into the slot.
The observatory roared to life.
Energy surged down the bridge.
Earth — New Mexico
The sky split open in cascading prismatic light.
The Bifrost descended.
Thor smiled faintly.
Sif and the Warriors Three stepped into the beam.
Thor turned once more toward Jane.
Then toward Karl.
A nod.
No words.
The light consumed them.
They vanished.
The desert fell silent again.
Karl turned toward Coulson.
"Tell Fury something for me."
Coulson stiffened slightly.
"Sir?"
"Jane Foster and the people around her are off-limits. Show Fury the footage from today. If he thinks about surveillance beyond standard observation, I'll consider it a hostile act."
His tone was calm.
That made it worse.
Before leaving, Thor had personally asked Karl to look after Jane. In front of him, Karl had placed a Shadow Ninja within Jane's shadow — not intrusive, merely protective — and explained its function.
Thor had laughed and promised him Asgardian mead in return.
Karl wasn't particularly interested in the alcohol.
But a favor from the God of Thunder?
That had value.
"Yes, Mr. Carl," Coulson replied carefully. "I'll relay everything to Director Fury."
Karl gave him a brief look.
He knew about the video recording. Of course he did.
Then he turned away.
He said goodbye to Selvig and Jane.
Daisy looked at him one last time.
The earlier infatuation in her eyes had shifted.
Now there was caution.
Fear, even.
Karl noticed.
He didn't comment.
Power changed perception.
With a ripple of shadow, he vanished alongside Tony and Juggernaut.
He dropped Tony back at his Malibu mansion.
Tony immediately reminded him about the vibranium.
Karl told him to visit the manor to collect it.
Tony grumbled, but agreed.
Karl then returned home with Juggernaut.
Back at the estate, Juggernaut went straight to his quarters.
Ever since the fight with the Destroyer, he had felt an unusual heaviness in his body.
Not weakness.
Growth.
The crimson magic within him was stabilizing — deepening.
Karl sensed it clearly.
Cyttorak's energy was adapting.
Satisfied that there was no instability, Karl let him rest.
When Juggernaut woke up, he would be stronger.
Karl entered the living room.
Raven was there.
May was there.
And someone else.
Gwen Stacy.
She wore her school uniform — blazer, pleated skirt, white socks, polished shoes. Youthful, bright, composed — but visibly nervous.
"Carl, you're back," May said warmly. "Gwen's here to see you."
Raven smiled faintly but remained silent.
Karl sat beside Raven, casually resting an arm around her waist.
"Oh? Gwen. What brings you here?"
He hadn't spoken much with her since the incident involving George Stacy.
Gwen clasped her hands together briefly before speaking.
"My mom… she wants to invite you over for dinner. To thank you. For saving me."
Her eyes were steady, but there was a faint blush on her face.
Karl studied her for a moment.
"Officer Stacy seems unlikely to agree."
He said it lightly.
Gwen quickly shook her head.
"I told them. Everything. That I'm Spider-Woman. Why you were there. Why you saved me."
Karl's brows lifted slightly.
She had revealed her identity to her parents.
That was not a small decision.
"My mom insisted. My dad… didn't argue."
Karl could almost imagine the conversation.
Gwen continued quietly:
"My mother said, 'Is your pride more important than your daughter's life? If you don't want to eat, then go eat somewhere else.'"
Karl exhaled softly.
That sounded accurate.
He knew George's personality — prideful, but not unreasonable. And he loved his family.
He also knew Gwen's mother had delicate health. George would never escalate tension in front of her.
"And?"
Karl asked mildly.
"And I told them the truth. That I almost died. That I shouldn't have handled that alone."
She looked down briefly.
George had reportedly scolded her for three hours after learning she faced the Lizard alone.
And for once, even her mother hadn't intervened.
Because she had nearly lost her life.
Karl leaned back.
"Tomorrow night, then."
Gwen's expression brightened instantly.
"I'll come."
He gave her a small smile.
What he didn't say was this:
Her decision to tell her parents the truth had more to do with guilt than gratitude.
And perhaps a little with him.
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