"It will be," she agrees, just as quiet. She's spent so long keeping her hopes up, believing Nick and Selvig would come through, or that Howard would. But if Howard Stark can't find a way to bring her back, who could?

Maybe she should leave a message in a bottle for Tony to find – not that he'd have any idea who she is.

As they step past the camp boundaries, she leans her head against his shoulder, tired down to her bones after weeks of keeping her head up and her thoughts optimistic. "One way or another."