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The next morning, Hawk felt the world shift around him. He pulled his consciousness back from his Cosmo, slowly opened his eyes, and saw Gwen, her head resting on his chest.
"Morning,"
"Morning,"
Seeing that he was awake, Gwen leaned down and kissed his forehead, then climbed off him. "Come on, get up. I brought you breakfast."
Hawk nodded.
Today was the day their two couples were heading to London.
Everyone was excited.
Their flight wasn't until noon, but by a unanimous vote—mostly from Gwen and Mary Jane—they had decided to head to the airport early, just in case they hit traffic.
Hawk and Peter, of course, had no say in the matter.
After a quick shower, Hawk got dressed and went downstairs. The first thing he saw was the breakfast Gwen had laid out on the kitchen table.
Gwen was standing in front of the fireplace in the living room, looking at it with a curious expression.
"Hawk, did you do something to the fireplace last night?"
"What?" Hawk, who had just taken a sip of the coffee she'd brought, looked over at her. "What about it?"
Gwen turned and walked toward the kitchen. "It just feels... different than yesterday."
Hawk glanced past her shoulder at the fireplace.
"Does it?"
"Maybe I'm just seeing things."
Gwen shrugged, dismissing the thought. "Come on, eat up. MJ just texted. She and Peter are already on their way to the airport."
Hawk didn't say anything. He just downed the rest of his coffee, devoured the two pancakes she'd brought, and then clapped his hands together, heading for the garage.
Gwen stared, her mouth agape, then hurried after him.
"Do you have your luggage?"
"It's in the car."
"Right."
Gwen got into the passenger seat, pulled out her phone to text Mary Jane back, and then looked at the slowly opening garage door. "Go, go, go!"
Hawk just smiled and hit the gas.
...
At noon.
The international flight from JFK to London Heathrow was on time. After a smooth taxi and takeoff, they were in the air.
It was a full flight, so they hadn't been able to get seats together.
Peter and Mary Jane were on the upper deck.
Hawk and Gwen were in a two-seat row by the window on the main deck.
As soon as they reached cruising altitude, Gwen pulled on her sleep mask. "Wake me when we get there."
It was a seven-hour flight. She wasn't about to spend the whole time staring at the back of a seat.
Sitting next to her, Hawk looked out the window at the scenery below and couldn't help but think of his last two trips.
The first time, he'd been robbed the second he'd stepped out of the airport.
The second time, he'd been stranded by a military coup.
He'd had an accident before the flight, and an accident after the flight.
What about this time?
It couldn't possibly be an accident during the flight, could it?
Hawk thought to himself.
Bad things come in threes. If something really did happen this time, it could only mean one thing.
He was never meant to leave New York City...
Fortunately...
Seven and a half hours later, they landed smoothly at Heathrow. No turbulence, no engine failures, no drama.
Hawk let out a breath of relief.
Okay. Maybe I was just being paranoid.
The next second, the cabin door opened, and a line of stern-faced London police officers boarded the plane and headed straight for the upper deck.
Half an hour later, they learned that a group of five terrorists, who had been planning to hijack the plane to demand the release of their comrades, had been thwarted by the heroic efforts of Mr. Peter Parker and Ms. Mary Jane Watson.
The moment the flight attendant made the announcement, the entire cabin erupted in applause.
Peter just blushed and smiled shyly.
Mary Jane, on the other hand, looked incredibly proud.
Gwen, who had just woken up, was completely stunned.
Hawk was silent.
Okay. It was official. He was never leaving New York City again.
No, wait...
Maybe he could. He just had to bring Peter with him. As long as he didn't have to be the one to deal with the inevitable disaster, it didn't count, right?
It was a flimsy excuse, but it was the best he could do.
...
Because of the incident, they had to spend a few hours at the airport police station giving statements. By the time they were finally released, it was one in the morning, London time.
The police, as an apology for the inconvenience, had arranged for a car to take them to their hotel near the Tower of London.
The hotel was in a prime location, close to both the Tower and London Bridge.
The night in London wasn't much different from a night in New York.
He and Gwen checked in and got their room key. After some intimate time together, Gwen—who had slept through most of the flight—was out cold again.
Hawk watched her for a moment, then gently pulled the covers over her. He grabbed his phone and opened the email Anna had sent him while they were at the police station.
A boarding pass appeared on the screen.
Erik Selvig.
He had just flown into London as well.
The same Dr. Selvig from the first Thor movie—the astrophysicist who, in The Avengers, had been mind-controlled by Loki into opening the portal for the Chitauri.
Hawk looked at the boarding pass from Anna and smiled.
It seemed he had come to London at just the right time.
If Dr. Selvig was here...
Then Dr. Jane Foster wouldn't be far behind.
And the Reality Stone...
Was almost within reach.
Hawk's mood brightened. He turned off his phone, looked at Gwen's peaceful, sleeping face, and then turned off the lights, pulling her into his arms as he drifted off to sleep.
...
The next morning at the hotel's breakfast buffet, a glowing Mary Jane was breathlessly recounting the story of the five hijackers to an equally bright-eyed Gwen, waving her hands around dramatically as she talked.
How Peter had spotted them, how he had secretly alerted the air marshal, and how the three of them had taken the five terrorists down one by one.
Mary Jane wasn't just a good dancer, she was a great storyteller.
Gwen was completely captivated by her vivid, immersive tale.
Hawk listened too.
He had already made up his mind. He was never leaving New York again unless it was absolutely necessary. And if he did, he was bringing Peter with him as a disaster shield.
After breakfast, their London tour officially began.
For five straight days, they toured the city.
The London Eye and Big Ben.
Buckingham Palace and Westminster Abbey.
Gwen and Mary Jane were having the time of their lives.
Hawk, the Marvel Universe's only Saint, and Peter, its only Spider-Man, both had superhuman stamina. But even Peter was starting to feel worn down after a few days of nonstop tourist activities.
Hawk was holding up fine.
So after some not-so-subtle hints from the guys, Gwen and Mary Jane finally called today a rest day.
They were at the OXO Tower Restaurant, a chic spot on the South Bank of the Thames, with a stunning view of St. Paul's Cathedral.
The four of them were sitting at a window table, eating and talking.
Gwen and Mary Jane were taking pictures of the cathedral with their phones, capturing the beautiful moment.
Hawk and Peter were talking quietly.
But...
When a woman who looked remarkably like Natalie Portman walked in, Hawk's attention was immediately drawn to her.
Jane Foster.
The earthly girlfriend of Thor, Son of Odin, Prince of Asgard.
Finally.
Hawk's eyes lit up.
Gwen, who had been talking to Mary Jane, seemed to sense something. She glanced in the direction Hawk was looking and saw Jane Foster, who was now sitting down across from a man.
Hawk instinctively looked at Gwen.
She looked back at him.
Gwen just smiled faintly, then turned back to her conversation with Mary Jane.
A little while later, Jane's friend and assistant, Darcy Lewis, bustled in, said a few words, and then left.
Soon after, Jane, who was clearly on a date and trying to move on from Thor, apologized to the man she was with and stood up to leave as well.
Hawk looked at Gwen.
But before he could even speak, Gwen said, "Go."
"Uh..."
"Should we wait for you?"
"Probably not."
"Okay." Gwen smiled. "Then we'll wait for you at the hotel."
Hawk opened his mouth, then closed it. He changed his mind. A slow smile spread across his face. "Come with me."
Gwen's eyebrow arched.
Hawk stood and held out his hand to her.
A brilliant smile spread across Gwen's face, and she placed her hand in his.
Across the table, Mary Jane was speechless. She watched them stand up to leave, completely bewildered.
...
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