Steve's POV:
Group therapy. Charlie has since stopped coming. She's been busy between raising our daughter and continuing her training. I know that she speaks with Nat on a more personal level, and opens up to me when she feels the need. She also knows that this is something I need for myself, and the people in the group. Almost as if carrying on Sam's legacy. Nat informed me of Charlie's continued feelings about Bucky, but assures me that Charlie is in fact happy with our life.
The world is very different five years later. Half of the universe's population obliterated in a single snap. New alliances have been formed, there's less poverty, but the pain of missing loved ones, family, friends, lovers, is still palpable. Some things are the same, some different, some better, and some so much worse.
We sit in our small group in a circle, listening to one another. Helping each other to cope through our now "normal" lives. "So, I uh...I uh, went on a date the other day. It's the first time in five years. You know? I'm sitting there at dinner. I didn't even know what to talk about." I'm reminded how some have had it much worse than Charlie and I. We've had each other, and even some of our teammates. We've continued to try and keep us all together, acting as normal as we possibly can.
"What did you talk about?" I ask him. Keeping our conversation light, but wanting him to know we're all here for him.
"Eh, same old crap. You know, how things have changed, and my job, his job. How much we miss the Mets. And then things got quiet...then he cried as they were serving the salads." He looks down at his feet.
"What about you?" Another member of the group asks.
"I cried just before dessert." A comfortable silence settles over the room, only for a moment. "But I'm seeing him again tomorrow, so..."
I nod my head reassuring that this is in fact a step forward. None of us left behind can forget, but if we constantly move forward, go through the motions...it helps. "That's great. You did the hardest part. You took the jump. You didn't know where you were gonna come down." I nod my head approving his actions.
I look around towards everyone, some haven't made that leap to move forward. Some lost everyone and are barely hanging on themselves. It's unfair that Charlie and I were able to have some semblance of a normal life. To find some happiness in all this darkness. "And that's it. That's those little brave baby steps we gotta take..." I address the whole group. "To try and become whole again, try and find purpose."
I bite my lip, looking over at the first man who opened up about his date, "I went in the ice in '45, right after I met the love of my life. Woke up seventy years later." Charlie walks in the doorway holding our small toddler. Emotionless, just listening to my words. She knows my feelings of Peggy's, much like I do hers with Bucky's. I'm assuming that's why we'll never get married.
I shrug, and turn my eyes to my little family. "You gotta move on...gotta move on." I pause looking at the floor, not knowing what to say, but knowing that I can't leave the group with those thoughts, or even Charlie. "The world is in our hands. It's left to us, guys." I look up at my two girls with a weak smile. "And we gotta do something with it. Otherwise...Thanos should've killed all of us."
I end the session. Charlie and Maggie walk closer to me, and I embrace them in a deep hug, kissing Maggie's head, and then kissing Charlie's lips. "You ready, Rogers?" She asks me with a half-hearted smile. I nod taking Maggie in my arms and we head out to the car.
"How much did you hear?" I ask her. I strap Maggie in the back and Charlie sits in the passenger seat.
"Enough." There's an awkward silence between us.
"Look, Charlie, I'm..."
"Don't. Steve in order for us to make this work we have to be honest with one another. Do you not think I know that you consider Peggy the love of your life?" I look over to her. "Do you remember five years ago what we decided?" She doesn't allow me to answer. "We decided we were going to try and make this work. I think we've done a good job. We've got a beautiful daughter, a home, a life. And until there's an impossible discovery that we can change all this, you're more than enough. You know that right?" She places her hand on my thigh and draws little circles.
"I know, but we don't talk about Peggy. And I just don't want to hurt you. I do love you."
"I know that, and I love you. To be fair I never met Peggy." She glances back at Maggie who's just sitting in the back rocking her chubby little legs up and down playing with a toy.
"To be fair, we never talk about Bucky either." I look over at her, she can finally hear his name without her eyes watering. "You don't want to talk about him though."
"It's not that, it's just that...my first meeting with him, in Bucharest, I remember looking at his eyes, and it was as if..." her eyes grow distant as she looks out at the road before us.
"As if what?" I ask, my hand finds the top of hers.
"It's stupid, but as if I had met him before. But how? He was held captive in Hydra, and was on the run when I met you guys."
"Maybe in another life." I smirk over to her.
"You know Rogers, I wasn't trying to be funny."
"Maybe he was the love of your life. Your soul mate?"
"Maybe." She whispers. That's the most we've ever talked about Bucky or Peggy. It's an odd feeling. "What was Peggy like?" She smiles over to me.
"Well, she was beautiful. Of course, that's just the first thing you noticed. She was strong willed, smart, caring, always wanted to lend a helping hand. She kinda reminds me of you honestly." She rolls her eyes at me. "I'm serious. That's probably why I was attracted physically to you. Peggy was one of the few people who saw me as Steve first. Everyone was interested after the serum, she cared before I became this."
"And Bucky."
"Yeah, he cared too. She was the first woman who never paid any mind to Bucky. Any girl I was ever interested in was always so charmed by him." I see her shift uncomfortably, realizing how she was one of those girls. I think back on the time that Charlie lied to spend time in Wakanda with Bucky, she chose him over me. Although, she knows I would choose Peggy over her.
"We don't make sense Steve, but we work somehow. And we made a pretty baby. Even though she looks just like you." She laughs, clearing the air. We ride peacefully the rest of the way to the house.
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Charlie's POV:
We haven't been to the compound in a few days, or seen Nat. There just always seems to be so much going on. Steve is occupying Maggie as I pack us some bags to spend a few days at the compound, our second home. The anniversary of the blip is among us, and I know that Nat is feeling every bit of it lately.
"You ready, Captain?" I ask with a smile as Maggie walks over to me. I pick our toddler up smiling at her precious face. God, she looks so much like Steve, softer features yes, but her eyes are like staring into her daddy's eyes.
"Yes, just gonna grab a book for Maggie James. She'll need her bedtime story."
"Have you seen her room? Nat has plenty of books to read to her." I smile over to Steve as I head to the door with Maggie.
"Yes, but she's really been liking 'I Love You to the Moon and Back'." Maggie's legs kick around in excitement, as she reaches for Steve. "See? She loves it." I stand on my tiptoes and kiss Steve's lips before we walk out into the car and drive to the compound for a few days.
Steve and I go into the control room quietly, hearing Nat talk with Rhodey. A hurtful nagging feeling hits my chest when I hear about Clint. Nat was right, his pain has turned destructive. When Rhodey's hologram walks off, we make our way out of the shadows.
"You know, I'd offer to cook you dinner...but you seem pretty miserable already." Steve breaks the silence. Nat's hands fall from her face and onto her lap as I see the pain and tears that have settled on her face. She's pale and tired. A shell of her former strong self.
She fakes a smile and looks at us, "You guys here to do your laundry?" She remembers that our washing machine went out.
"And to see a friend." Steve says quietly. Maggie kicks her legs and I set her down. She runs over to Nat who grabs her up, placing her in her lap. Maggie brings her forehead to Nat's as one of her chubby fingers pets the side of Nat's face. Her features soften to Maggie's touch as a tear rolls down her face.
"Clearly, your friend is fine." She tells us. Her face never leaves Maggie's angelic face. She just scans her eyes around Maggie's.
I walk over to the table where Nat sits and take one of her hands in mine. "We're going to stay for a few days. We needed the company."
Steve still leans up against a shelf, "You know, we saw a pod of whales when we were coming over the bridge."
Nat gasps at Maggie, before looking back up to Steve, "In the Hudson? How exciting little one."
"There's fewer ships...cleaner water." I answer.
"You know, if you're about to tell me to look on the bright side...um, I'm about to hit you in the head with a peanut butter sandwich." I fake offense to her. Maggie gets excited about the word peanut butter, which Nat saw. She picks up her sandwich tearing off a little piece of it before handing it to Maggie.
"Sorry it's a force of habit. I could make you see the bright side. But one of them you're already holding, and getting into your head is like breaking into Fort Knox." We all laugh, and Nat hands Maggie another bite of her sandwich before taking a bite for herself.
Steve finally makes his way to the table sitting down with us. Nat pushes the plate with the remaining sandwich over to Steve. He breathes in deeply before looking at her. "You know I keep telling everybody they should move on...and grow. Some do. But not us."
He looks over to me, leans across the table reaching for my hand and I meet him halfway offering him my hand. There's been a shift between me and Steve. As much as we love one another the pain is still there. We still blame ourselves, just like each of the remaining team. We could have done more.
"If I move on, who does this?" She asks looking between Steve and myself.
"Maybe it doesn't need to be done." He tells her. While our life is far from perfect, there are moments. Moments that are so peaceful, perfect, and normal. Moments where our little family is all we're thinking about.
She shakes her head, tears forming again, looking only at Steve, "I used to have nothing. And then I got this. This job. This family." She kisses Maggie's forehead. "And I was better because of it. And even though they're gone...I'm still trying to be better. Not all of us can do what you guys did. You've created an amazing life."
"It's not perfect." Steve answers, looking at me, "But we make our dysfunction work, and worth it. I think we all need to get a life, outside of this." He motions around the room. The past year all of our focus has been at the compound, training, helping Nat cope, and pretending that the blip never happened, but knowing that it did, and we're empty.
"You first." She smirks between us. We smile amongst us.
"Daddy. Pea-butter." Maggie's little voice calls out turning to Steve. Nat puts her on the floor and she walks over to Steve, and he hands her another bite of the sandwich.
"She makes this life worth it." I whisper over at Steve and Maggie, Steve gives me a toothless smile.
Nat's computer chimes. She flicks a hologram over to expose a video, "Oh, hi, hi!" Scott Lang, Ant-Man. "Uh, is anyone home? This is, uh, Scott Lang. We met a few years ago at the airport...in Germany?" Steve looks back at the hologram, Nat's mouth drops open, and my body is frozen watching him. "I was the guy that got really big. I had a mask on. You wouldn't recognize me." Steve stands and walks closer.
"He was part of the ones that went missing." My breathing becomes shallow as my chest heaves. Maggie looks over at me, "Mommy." She says, wanting Steve to put her down. He's frozen and can't.
"Is this an old message?" He asks.
"Ant-Man? I know you know that."
"It's the front gate." Nat whispers.
"I really need to talk to you guys." His voice still echoes from the hologram.
Steve's eyes meet mine, and he realizes his daughter is wanting me to hold her. He walks over to me, kissing my temple before we make the switch. Nat runs to the front to bring Scott to us.
"Steve?" I whisper, not knowing what else to say.
"I know princess, let's hear what he has to say before we jump to conclusions."
Nat leads Scott back to where we are, and he gives a confused look between us three. I'm assuming since Steve's arm is still draped around me while I clutch a giggling Maggie. He begins pacing around the room, muttering, and making no sense at all. I can feel Steve's frustration growing as he wants more answers.
"Scott." Steve's deep smooth voice calls to him. He continues his confused pacing. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah." He pauses. Placing his hands over his eyes and adding pressure. "Have any of you guys ever studied quantum physics?" Steve and I shake our heads as Maggie giggles at him.
"Like Tito." She says and points at him. This is a serious moment, but I can't help but smile at the small child. She's heard that word from her Uncle Tito, apparently.
"Only to make conversation." Nat answers flatly.
"Alright, so...five years ago, right before...Thanos...I was in a place called the quantum realm. The quantum realm is like its own microscopic universe. To get in there, you have to be incredibly small. Hope. She's my, um...she was my...she was supposed to pull me out. And then Thanos happened...and I got stuck in there."
"I'm sorry, that must have been a very long five years." Nat tells him. Both of us are less excited, thinking that whatever happened with Scott isn't going to help us.
"Yeah, but that's just it. It wasn't. For me, it was five hours." My eyes meet Steve's as both our brows furrow, trying to understand what this means. "See, the rules of the quantum realm aren't like they are up here. Everything is unpredictable." Steve and I look over at Nat. Her eyes haven't left Scott. "Is that anybody's sandwich? I'm starving." He goes over to the half sandwich that Nat and Maggie hadn't eaten off of. Picking it up and shoving a bite in his mouth.
Maggie goes to protest, and I shh her quietly, before tearing another piece of the eaten side and handing it to her. "Scott." Steve is trying to focus Scott's attention on whatever revelation that Scott's made. "What are you talking about?"
"So..." His voice is muffled from the peanut butter sandwich, and he swallows. "What I'm saying is...time works differently in the quantum realm. The only problem is right now we don't have a way to navigate it. But what if we did?" Scott's pacing around the room continues, causing another giggle out of Maggie. "I can't stop thinking about it. What if we could somehow control the chaos...and we could navigate it? What if there was a way...that we could enter the quantum realm at a certain point in time but then exit the quantum realm at another point in time? Like...like before Thanos."
I look over at Steve, wanting to believe everything that Scott is saying, and also not wanting to get our hopes up. "Wait. Are you talking about a time machine?" I ask him.
"No. No, of course not. No, not a time machine." He's realizing just how crazy this sounds. Nat just stands absorbing all this information. "This is more like a... yeah, like a time machine. I know, it's crazy. It's crazy. But I can't stop thinking about it. There's gotta be...some way..." He lets out a sigh. He's only been dealing with the after effects of the blip for a few days. We've been dealing with it for five years. "It's crazy." He sighs looking down at his almost eaten half of the sandwich.
"Scott. I get emails from a raccoon...so nothing sounds crazy anymore."
"So, who do we talk to about this?"
"Tito." Maggie screams, causing everyone to look down at her.
Scott walks over to her looking between her face and Steve's, "Why is there a mini you." I roll my eyes. "And who's Tito."
"She would be my daughter. Our daughter." Steve wraps an arm around me. "Tito is Tony Stark." Maggie's legs wiggle around, hearing his name usually means we're going to see him.
"If he's going to listen to anyone, it's going to be you, princess. He's pretty content though."
"We have to try, Steve. We owe this to everyone. What if this crazy man is right?"
"Tito now!" Maggie pouts at us.
"What just happened." Scott looks between me and Steve.
"They can talk in each other's heads." Nat casually says. "So, let's go see Tito little one." She smiles over to Maggie, and Maggie reaches for her, and Nat swings her around as we walk to the garage to get in the car. We take our car, since Maggie's seat is already in there. Nat and I take the back with her, while Steve and Scott sit up front.
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Charlie's POV:
We pull up at the Stark cabin, unannounced. We usually try to call first, but in this instance, it just feels like we should show up. Tony gets excited when he sees our vehicle, but when he sees Nat and Scott get out of the car with us, his smile fades. He's holding Morgan on his hip, and without a word he turns to walk up the front steps.
"He isn't going to like this. You saw how he changed when they got out." I cast over to Steve. He grimaces but gives both me and Maggie a kiss.
Once Tony is on the porch, he turns back to look at us. His eyes fall on Nat and she waves her head at him, he returns the gesture and goes to take Morgan inside, "Charlie you better bring that baby in to see Pepper since you've brought everyone here."
I follow him inside quickly. Pepper takes Maggie out of my hands, and I pick up the little Stark, "Morgan, before you know it, you'll be as big as me."
"Who are all those people with you and Uncle Steve?" She asks me.
"People? Charlie, Tony? What's going on?" Pepper asks looking out the window.
"You're not here for a chat, are you?" I shake my head no at Tony. "What's this about, and how do you have Lang with you?"
"You should really listen to what he has to say, Tony." I plead with him. "Pepper do you mind watching her a bit?"
"Not at all. Are you hungry little one? Come on Morgan, let's go eat with Maggie James." She follows Pepper into the dining room before Tony and I gather up a tray of cups and a pitcher of chocolate milk, and then walking outside.
"You're awfully comfortable here." Scott says to me.
"That's what happens when you come and visit me." Tony looks over to Nat. Nat just shrugs. "So, what exactly are all of you doing here?"
Scott tries to explain everything to Tony as he pours cups for the group. "No. We know what it sounds like." He finally ends.
"Tony, after everything you've seen, is anything really impossible?" Steve asks.
"Quantum fluctuation messes with the Planck scale...which then triggers the Deutsch Proposition. Can we agree on that?" He walks over to me and Steve handing us a cup. "Thank you." We whisper. He looks over to Scott, "In layman's terms, it means you're not coming home." He's trying to shut down the plan before it ever happens.
"I did." Scott answers. He's not backing down.
"No. You accidentally survived. It's a billion to one cosmic fluke. And now you wanna pull a... what do you call it?" Tony walks over to Scott but looks at me.
"A time heist?" He answers, unsure.
"Yeah, a time heist. Of course." His focus is back on Scott. "Why didn't we think of this before?" Tony's focus is now only on Steve. "Oh, because it's laughable. Because it's a pipe dream."
I sigh about to say something, Steve squeezes my hip before saying, "The stones are in the past. We could go back; we could get them."
"We can snap our own fingers. We can bring everybody back." Nat finishes.
"Or screw it up worse than he already has, right?" He looks at me, "Charlie, you have a daughter now."
"I don't believe we would." Steve answers sternly. He must have seen Tony trying to communicate by casting words at me.
"Gotta say it. I sometimes miss that giddy optimism. However, high hopes won't help...if there's not logical, tangible way for me to safely execute said time heist. I believe the most likely outcome will be our collective demise." Tony sits down in one of the chairs.
"Not if we strictly follow the rules of time travel. Alright? It means no talking to our past selves...no betting on sporting events." Scott answers, sitting across from Tony.
Steve sets down mine and his cups before standing behind me, wrapping both arms around me. "You realize that we're probably going to need you to say something to Tony to make him agree to helping us."
"I know. But he's not happy with me, with us. He told me we have a daughter now. He thinks this is a stupid idea."
"I'm gonna stop you right there, Scott." Tony lifts his hand up to him. "Are you seriously telling me that your plan to save the universe...is based on 'Back to the Future'? Is it?"
"No." Scott huffs out.
"Good. You had me worried there. Cause that would be horseshit. That's not how quantum physics works."
"Tony." Nat whispers. "We have to take a stand."
"We did stand. And yet, here we are." He calmly answers. Nat turns away from us looking in the distance.
"I know you got a lot on the line. You got a wife, a daughter. But I lost someone very important to me. A lot of people did. And now, now we have a chance to bring her back...to bring everyone back, and you're telling me that you won't even..."
"That's right, Scott. I won't even. I can't." Tony is holding back tears.
Morgan comes out onto the porch, immediately going over to Tony's lap. "Mommy told me to come and save you."
He scoops her up in his arms, "Good job. I'm saved...I wish you were coming here to ask me something else. Anything else. I'm honestly happy to see you guys, all of you guys. I just...oh, look, table's set for eight."
"Tony." Steve removes his arms from around me and walks towards Tony, "I get it. And I'm happy for you. I really am. But this is a second chance." Steve reaches for my hand, pulling me beside him.
"I got my second chance right here, Cap." He looks down at our hands. "So do you. You can't roll the dice on it. If you don't talk shop, you can stay for lunch...Charlie."
Steve kisses my temple and I follow Tony inside to get Maggie. "Charlie, I'm sorry I really am. But why are you wanting to get involved in this?" He drops Morgan down as she rushes to play with Maggie. I shuffle around not knowing what to say. "Please, don't tell me this is about Barnes. You and Steve are good."
"I didn't say that. You act like I want to put everything at risk for one person, instead of billions of people Tony."
"You see that little girl in there? That is your billion right there. She's there in front of you right now."
"I know that, but other people lost their billion. What about Peter." Tony shakes his head at me. "Strange, Wanda, all the Guardians, Sam? And those are just people we know. I think it's more selfish not to try anything at all."
"I'm sorry. I can't..."
"I know, and I don't think anything less of you Tito." I smile kissing his cheek. "But now, I need to get my daughter. We have a lot to do."
"Maybe you should let her stay awhile. It's been so long since you and Steve had time alone anyways. And she hasn't been here long."
"Are you sure? We didn't bring any overnight stuff."
Tony rolls his eyes at me. "As if we don't have anything here. And we can always make a run to the store. Be careful. You don't have to follow your Captain everywhere."
"I know, but he has no intentions of hurting me." I say my goodbyes to the Stark's and pick up Maggie giving her some love and taking her out to Steve so he can give her some love before I take her back and we leave.
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Steve's POV:
I hope that Charlie can say something, anything, to make Tony change his mind. Nat, Scott, and myself walk out to the car and wait on her.
"Well, he's scared." Nat states on the walk.
"He's not wrong." I answer, thinking about what he casted to Charlie about having a daughter.
"Yea, but, I mean, what are we gonna do? We need him. What, are we gonna stop?" Scott asks.
I sigh looking back at the cabin, "Hopefully she can change his mind."
"Who? Charlie? How can she change his mind?" He asks.
"She's one of Tony's soft spots. He would rather help her, then we do this without him and she get hurt. And if she can't change his mind...I wanna do it right. We're going to need a really big brain." I look around, glancing up to see Charlie holding Maggie as she stands in the doorway talking to Tony.
"Bigger than his?" Scott asks confused.
Charlie walks down and informs me that Maggie is going to stay with the Stark's for a while. I hold her and give her kisses telling her to behave for Tito. She carries the toddler back up the stairs before returning and buckling up, this time in the front with me.
"Well?" Scott asks.
"At the very least, he's thinking about it. I can't guarantee he'll help, but he doesn't want me to get hurt either."
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Steve's POV:
We meet Bruce at a restaurant for breakfast. Nat sits beside Scott just staring up at a now combination of Bruce and Hulk at once. Charlie leans up against me in the booth. My arm lazily drapes around her shoulder, and her arm rests on my thigh. Her fingers constantly trace shapes on me, soothing herself, and me in the process.
"Come on, I feel like I'm the only one eating here." Bruce says looking amongst us. "Try some of that. Have some eggs." He pushes a very large bowl of eggs towards Scott.
He furrows his brows at Bruce, "I'm so confused."
"These are confusing times." Bruce chuckles.
"Right, no, no. That's not what I meant." Scott stutters out.
"Nah, I get it. I'm kidding! I know, it's crazy. I'm wearing shirts now." Bruce looks over at Nat and his eyes linger.
"Yeah. What? How? Why?"
"Five years ago, we got our asses beat. Except it was worse for me...'cause I lost twice. First, Hulk lost, then Banner lost...and then we all lost."
"No one blamed you, Bruce." Charlie says, kindness in her eyes like always.
"I did. For years, I've been treating the Hulk like he's some kind of a disease...something to get rid of. But then, I start looking at him as the cure. Eighteen months in the gamma lab. I put the brain and the brawn together...and now, look at me. Best of both worlds."
A group of kids walk up, causing an awkward scene about taking pictures, and they not knowing who Scott is before Bruce focuses back on the table. "You know, after I delivered Margaret, I wanted to be a better version of myself. I couldn't be that in the shape that I was in. I appreciate you letting me be a part of that guys." He nods over at me and Charlie. "Seeing her, meant that there was hope in this crazy world."
I smile at him, but want to get back on topic. "About what we were saying."
"Right. The whole time travel do-over? Eh, guys, it's outside of my area of expertise."
"Well, you pulled this off." Nat says looking at him. "I remember a time when that seemed pretty impossible, too."
Bruce smiles at her, and then agrees to help us with this impossible task at hand. We gather in the vehicle and head back to the compound.
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Steve's POV:
"Okay, here we go. Time travel test number one." Bruce says loudly. Scott is dressed in his Ant-Man suit, and Charlie and Nat stand closer to Bruce, while I am readying the power around the compound to make this work. "Scott, fire up...the uh, van thing." Scott walks over to the van and opens the back door exposing the entrance into the quantum realm.
I check a few things and answer, "Breakers are set. Emergency generators are on standby."
"Good, because if we blow the grid, I don't want to lose, uh, Tiny here in the 1950s." I walk over to Charlie, standing behind her and wrap my arms around her waist. She tilts her head back looking at me and I place a quick peck on her forehead.
Scott turns looking at us, finally registering what Bruce said about losing him. "Excuse me?" He says a bit concerned.
"He's kidding." Charlie answers with a fake smile. "You can't say things like that, Bruce." She playfully smacks at his arm.
"It was a bad joke." Bruce stammers out.
Scott not looking too convinced, but ready to accept it heads closer to the van. "You are kidding, right?" Nat whispers to Bruce.
"I have no idea. We're talking about time travel here. Either it's all a joke, or none of it is." He whispers to Nat, and then turns to Scott with a thumbs up, "We're good! Get your helmet on. Scott, I'm gonna send you back a week...let you walk around for an hour, then bring you back in ten seconds. Make sense?"
"Perfectly not confusing." He answers with a wave of his hand.
"Good luck, Scott. You got this." I try to reassure him.
"You're right. I do, Captain American."
Charlie giggles, "He's still obsessed with you."
"Don't act you're not, princess." I bite at her neck.
"Would you two be serious for once." Nat calls back at us.
"On a count of three. Three. Two. One." Bruce pushes a few buttons, and flicks a few switches. The machine whirs and fires up. A body comes through the back of the van, and it's a young boy.
"Uh...guys?" He asks. "This doesn't feel right."
"What is this?" I ask. Charlie grabs tightly on my arms.
"Is that Scott?" Charlie asks.
"Yes, it's Scott." The young boy says exasperated.
"Wait, what's happening?" Nat exclaims.
"Hold on." Bruce says overwhelmed. He pushes a few more buttons and the boy goes through the machine in the van. Bruce pushes more buttons.
Nat looks around his set up to see all that he's doing. "What's going on, Bruce?"
"Oh, my back!" We all turn to see who came out of the machine.
"Oh, great, now he's old man Scott." Charlie says
"What is this?" I ask, clearly this isn't going well.
"Hold on a second." Bruce tries to calm everyone. "Could I get a little space here?"
Bruce comes over to where Charlie and I are standing, "Yeah, yeah, yeah." We both move to be in front of the controls. "Can you bring him back?" I ask.
"I'm working on it." Bruce's voice raises a bit. He messes with the controls a bit more, this time instead of pressing them, he's almost hitting them. His movements are a bit more chaotic.
The old man Scott goes back through the van and we all stand there frozen, waiting to see what's coming next. "It's a baby." I deadpan.
"It's Scott." Bruce says.
"As a baby." Charlie's voice raises as she looks at Bruce.
"He'll grow." Bruce tells her.
"Bring Scott back." I answer.
"When I say kill the power, kill the power." Bruce tells Nat.
"He better bring him back. I can't raise another baby, Rogers."
"And, kill it..." Bruce shouts to Nat. She twists a lever and he hits his fist on the controls. The present-day Scott comes through the van. Charlie and I both breathe a sigh of relief.
"Somebody peed my pants." Scott stands looking at us.
"Oh, thank God." Nat let's out, throwing her hand over her chest. This did not go well.
"But I don't know if it was baby me or old me. Or just me me." Scott awkwardly looks around.
"Time travel!" Bruce shouts excitedly throwing his hands in the air. Charlie and I both glance at him. She rolls her eyes and starts to walk out. "What? I see this as an absolute win." I turn and follow Charlie outside.
When I find her, she's leaning against one of the pillars outside. I walk over to her; one hand goes around her waist while the other rests on her cheek. I use my thumb to caress her face and pull her in for a fleeting kiss. She smiles up at me, and pulls me closer. This kiss reminds me of our earlier days, sneaking around the compound, making out any chance we got. Oh, the innocence of that time.
We both hear a car and tires squealing, as we look at the entrance to the compound. Tony's Audi comes flying down the road. "If he has my child with him, I will murder him in his sleep." Charlie answers, scowling in the distance.
We both watch, as he continues to speed around the driveway. I pull her off of the pillar as we stand waiting on the crazy man. The car stops, a bit too far in front of us and then reverses and stops with the driver's window by us. The window rolls down and we hear a giggle from Maggie in the back seat. "Tony, you're dead." Charlie opens the back door and pulls Maggie out of her car seat. She checks her over to make sure she's fine.
"Not even a scratch Hunger Games." She scowls over to him before placing a kiss on Maggie's head and giving her a big hug. "Let me guess, he turned into a baby." Tony looks between us. Charlie rolls her eyes and he knows the answer without anyone saying anything.
"Among other things, yeah. What are you doing here?" I ask him.
"It's the EPR Paradox. Instead of pushing Lang through time, you might've wound up...pushing time through Lang. It's tricky, dangerous. Somebody could have cautioned you against it." He ignores why he's here.
"You did." I tell him.
"Oh, did I? Well, thank God, I'm here. Regardless, I fixed it." He brings up a watch to show us. "A fully functioning time-space GPS. I just want peace." He throws up the peace sign and then grabs at Maggie's leg, gently pinching it.
"You did it princess." I smile to her, kissing her temple.
"We did it."
"Turns out resentment is corrosive, and I hate it."
"Me, too." Charlie responds. I wrap my hands around my girls.
Tony pauses looking at us, "We got a shot at getting these stones, but I gotta tell you, my priorities. Bring back what we lost, I hope, yes. Keep what I found, I have to, at all costs. And maybe not die trying. Would be nice."
He walks closer to us. I unravel my arm from Charlie, extending it to Tony, "Sounds like a deal." He looks at my hand briefly before shaking it.
Tony looks over to Charlie acting like he's going to say something, but chooses to stay silent. "Daddy! Prize from Tito!" Maggie shouts.
"The little pip squeak ruined the surprise." Tony turns to the trunk and opens it. I look over at Charlie and we follow. He pulls up my shield, tilting it so some toys can fall off. I let out a sigh looking at it. I didn't realize how much I missed it.
"Tony, I don't know." The last time I saw it, Tony had told me I didn't deserve it. He was angry at me, Charlie, and even Bucky. He felt betrayed by us.
"Why? He made it for you. Plus, honestly, I have to get it out of the garage before Morgan takes it sledding." He holds it out for me and I slip my arm through, holding it. Charlie looks over to me, biting at her lip.
"Thank you, Tony."
"Will you keep that a little quiet? Didn't bring one for the whole team. We are getting the whole team, yeah?"
"We're working on that right now." Charlie answers.
"Can you put that up? I feel like Charlie's trying to undress you with her eyes." Charlie blushes looking over at me. Tony grabs Maggie out of her arms with an eye roll and walks inside.
Charlie looks me up and down, "You are quite sexy with that shield."
"It's only the shield that makes me sexy?" I back her towards the pillar we were leaned against earlier. She stops when her back touches the post. "What's the matter, princess? Don't have anything to say?"
"Kiss me." I crash my lips into hers. My free hand traces the outline of her body.
I feel her shift her dress up. "Charlie what are you doing?"
"Tony knows, he won't let anyone come out here." I briefly look around. She tugs down her panties, bringing them up with her foot before stuffing them in my pocket, and pulling my body close to her.
Our lips meet again, and she shuffles around trying to undo my belt and pants, once she's successful she gets on her knees, and licks up the length of my dick. After a few teasing licks she places my dick inside her mouth before bobbing her head on me. Once she's satisfied, she stands back up placing her leg around me, and guiding my dick into her pussy. I push her body up against the pillar as I pump into her. She sloppily kisses all over me. I press her harder against the pillar and her face buries into my neck and I feel her pants with each thrust into her body.
"Tell me how much you need me." I growl on her.
"I need you Captain. I need you to make me cum."
"My princess wants to cum, huh?" Her doe eyes look at me as she nods her head. I speed up my thrusts crashing into her over and over again. She pushes her head against the pillar and I bring up the shield, adding a bit of pressure to her neck. She wickedly smiles before I feel the tightening. I add a bit more pressure, and her arms pull me by my hips closer to hers as I feel her body relax. I remove the shield from her neck and go a bit faster with my thrusts, until I feel my own release fill her up. Her head falls on my chest as we both heave breaths together.
___________________________________________________________________
Third Person POV:
A dark and rainy night in Japan finds a worried Natasha Romanoff. She was sent with the task to bring in a darkened Clint Barton. He's scarred from the after effects of Thanos' snap. So much so that he kills nonstop. He knows that the killing cannot bring his family back, but he can't sit in an empty house with their memories. He's well aware his niece survived the snap, but she's taken care of. Nat will see to it that she is and even Steve.
Natasha watches over Clint this night. She doesn't want to move too quickly. Wants him to get in one more kill before she tells him of the plan, and of the baby. No one has been able to reach Clint to inform him of Maggie's existence. She's unsure of how he will take both of the news, but she knows she can't give up without telling him. She needs him by her side. Her partner in crime.
At the final kill of the night, Nat watches the man beg Clint for his life. She watched him quietly in the shadows, and now she wants to make her presence known to the now Ronan. She hears him say, "What I want, you can't give me." He plunges the blade in the man, finally ending his suffering, and killing him. The unfortunate part is Clint's suffering still hasn't ended.
She watches her friend clean his blade on his arms. She walks forward, holding am umbrella over her head, standing behind him waiting. The man removes his hood and then his mask. As if knowing the woman was watching him, he tells her, "You shouldn't be here."
"Neither should you." She tells him, emotionless.
His body finally turns facing him. Like herself, he's a shell of the man he once was. His eyes are sunken and deep, laced with anger, regret, and depression. "I've got a job to do." He tells her, he's wanting this to end, so he can do live another day, killing, hoping to die himself.
"Is that what you're calling this? Killing all these people isn't going to bring your family back." She tells him, walking ever so closer to her friend. "We found something. A chance, maybe."
His anger fades for a moment and is replaced with sadness. "Don't." His voice breaks. He refuses to let the tears he's held in for five years fall down his face.
"Don't what?"
"Don't give me hope." Maybe he's crying, maybe it's the constant rain falling on his face, but he desires to have the hope that she's offering.
"I'm sorry I couldn't give it to you sooner." His eyes fall from Nat's face. She reaches out a hand to hold his own, that's covered in so many people's blood. He's been nonstop killing for five years. He doesn't deserve the forgiveness she's offering; she offers it anyways.
He returns the hold that she's extended to him, "How is she? Charlie."
Nat smiles softly at him, "She's good. She has a little surprise for you. Come on, let's go."
The man follows her onto the jet. Mentally and physically exhausted. The hope she's suggesting is the only thing that's keeping him going at the moment.
When they land at the compound Nat looks over to him, "You should shower, I'll get Charlie." She tells Clint.
He goes to shower and when he finishes, he waits on the bed. He hears a soft knock on the door. Without answering it creaks open and he sees his niece, Charlie. It's been five years since they last saw each other. While his features are pained, hers are still bright, full of hope and light, a bit of sadness in her eyes, but still the same loving Charlie he remembers.
In the five years since they last met, she's changed. Her small body before was that of a young lady. Now he sees she's grown into a woman's body. She's curvier than he remembers, even her clothes seem more grown up. "How are you papa bear?" After five years, he let's all the tears he's held inside fall down. Charlie wraps her arms around him. Holding him. Without saying a word, they both understand.
They hold this stance for what seems like for hours. He finally pulls away from her. "Nat said you had a surprise for me." Charlie's face softens. He looks down at her hand, seeing a diamond ring on her left hand. He's sure that this is the surprise. Charlie walks to the door and welcomes Steve Rogers in. He's holding a tiny toddler that reaches out to Charlie.
One look at the baby's face and he knew, that she was Charlie's daughter. "Clint, I would like for you to meet you great niece Margaret James Rogers." Clint's face finally eases as he looks at the little family. Margaret reaches out to Clint as a little "Papa." Escapes her mouth. "That's right Maggie James that's your papa." The tiny toddler with eyes that mimic her father's smiles at Clint, and his heart begins to repair from the last five years.
"Do you want to hold her?" Steve asks the man. "I know you have to have a ton of questions."
Clint walks closer to the trio; Maggie reaches her hands out to the man and he brings her to his chest. "Wow, you guys did good."