Synopsis
It's a continuation of the celebratory New Year's Eve party for the Young Avengers and all their young allies.
Last issue ended with Tommy Shepherd (Speed) mysteriously reappearing from who knows where, and Kate Bishop (Hawkeye) agreeing to dance with him rather than ask questions. Now Noh-Varr (Marvel Boy) knows he's really lost her love. He returns to the mixing desk he's sharing with Broo (the X-Men's genius young Brood alien) and pours out his soul. Kate really was the girl for him but when his ex Oubliette seemingly reappeared (too) he'd let himself be tempted because the time with her was the last time his life made sense. But he knows you can never go back. But Broo hasn't been listening because he's working on an auto-DJ system that would play the right tunes by sensing the mood of the crowd.
Noh-Varr sends him off to dance with someone and picks out 1 of his favourite old vinyl singles Be My Baby by the Ronettes to play next. But then he thinks he ought to pick something *Kate* would like, but creates some sort of hologram cube of the same track.
Now we backtrack to follow a thread from early in last issue when David Alleyne (Prodigy) ran outside to investigate something. It turns out to be Loki who he accuses of stalking the YA. But it seems that the trickster god has financed the party with Asgardian treasure. They try to out do each other in the most disliked stakes. Loki claims that they'll soon forgive David for trying to split Billy Kaplan (Wiccan) and Teddy Altman (Hulkling) up. And actually they'd probably forgive *him* too for being the man behind the whole mess in this series. That's why he's leaving because he couldn't stand *that*.
Loki then compares his life to a story in which he has to play his role. He used to be evil Loki who then killed the good young Loki to take his place, but now he's inherited a conscience. But he can't completely avoid the old him. He's thought about suicide but he's afraid he'd return as someone worse. So he'll just try to be the best story he can. David points out he saved the world, but Loki counters that it was from himself. David thinks that's typical of superguys. Loki then suggests sex, adding that sexual identity isn't a big thing in Asgardian culture. David turns him down because it's good guys he goes for. Loki vanishes away.
David is then joined by the mysterious fake Patriot (who made Speed disappear in #6 and has been messing with the YA ever since) with 1 of his catch phrases "Tic-tock". David proposes a theory that Patriot is an echo from the future where Billy becomes the Demiurge, sent back to ensure that the present becomes that future. Further he thinks that the Patriot is 1 of the current YA who sacrifices himself for this purpose. Patriot replies enigmatically as usual but David takes it as confirmation and asks if Patriot is *him*. Patriot answers almost plainly "You'll find out".
Then he starts to dissolve away but David stops him and asks where Tommy is. Patriot gives another of his stock replies "Denial". Then they kiss ... and Patriot is replaced by Tommy who isn't into boys. Then he realises he's not in the warehouse which is the last thing he remembers (#6). But there *is* a party which he rushes off to join (and dance with Kate which is where we came in).
The party breaks up in the early hours of New Year's day. The YA with Speed leave together. David explains that he got him back by kissing Patriot, and also he thinks Loki made a pass at him. America Chavez is turned off by all this boy kissing. Kate asks didn't she have a thing with the male Ultimate Nullifier (when she was in the Teen Brigade)? America says she tried it but it didn't stick. Noh-Varr claims that the Kree (at least in *his* alternate universe) are generally bisexual. Kate asks if she's the *only* straight member of this team? America says "Princess. I've seen the way you look at me. You're not that straight." Billy hugs his 'brother' Tommy goodbye and then the YA go for breakfast via 1 of America's star-portals.
Loki surreptitiously snaps a shot of them leaving. And he also looks wistfully back in his phone at another pic of the team when he was still in the Kid Loki body.