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Chapter Text

The Statesman, one day after Ragnarok,

The shadowed form of Loki glanced around. Satisfied that no one watched his passage before he turned down a narrow corridor under the sign indicating: escape pods.

Thor came around the corner after his brother, cushioning his steps and mindful to stay in the shadows. He slipped into the Pod just before the doors closed behind him.

The rumble of its engines and a jolt.

The pod had been released.

“I thought we were beginning to trust each other?” Loki turned from the console; his arms spread in a gesture of openness.

“Turn this pod around Loki.”

“I’m afraid I can’t do that.” One delicate hand waved over the console, indicating the bright blue letters and the lack of a gearstick. “Autopilot is set, nothing we can do about that now.”

The void beyond twisted for a second and the statesmen blinked from the screen.

“First jump of five. Destination: Midgard, arrival in five days.” The saccharine voice announced.

Thor had gone from caution to anger and now he settled on confusion, facing his brother, his arms crossed.

“Wh-”

His question was interrupted by the arrival of a new blip on the screen.

Blue light fazed in and the hulking form of a purple titan filled the cabin.

“Give me the tesseract.”

From the center seat of the Statesmen, Heimdall watched the projection of Thor struggling against the titan who called himself Thanos. Loki stood to one side, paralyzed. The video had popped up moments after an alert indicated an escape pod had cleared ship-space and made a jump.

“The tesseract or your brothers head?” Thanos threatened, crushing Thor’s skull in one hand. The gauntlet he brandished glowed with a single purple light. “Your choice.”

Loki held back the flinch, faking unconcern even as his eyes darted at the storage compartment in the wall between them.

Thanos grinned and dropped Thor, “the traitor betrays himself. How… disappointing.”

“You really are the worst, brother.” Thor groaned out as the glowing cube was raised in a purple fist.

Loki met his brother’s eyes, tears tracking down his cheeks as strips of metal peeled from the wall and pinned Thor to the floor. “I’m sorry.”

“How touching.” Thanos said, his voice low and mocking. “The last heirs of Asgard, dying with their planet.”

The blue gem glittered in the golden fist, and Thanos fazed away as the pod exploded.

Hulk roared and Heimdall searched for the light that would show him Thor.

All was darkness in the void of space.

“Thor has gone beyond my sight, may the Allfathers receive him.”

Loki fell to his knees behind Korg, his shoulders shuddering as he struggled to breathe. “no.” The whisper broke from his chapped lips and Loki wept for his brother.

“I will destroy Thanos, I will have my revenge.”

“Son of Odin, your people look to you now.” Heimdal spoke low, his hand on Loki’s shoulder, grief twisting the corner of his own mouth.

“Let them see my rage, I will wash the stars in his blood.” Loki breathed his hatred, his eyes glowing hard.

A cough, the shuffling wail of a child lifted above the muttering of the survivors and shocked Loki from his trance.

He looked down, a moment of shame hardening into resolve. “I have waited to be king all my life, and now… I must not fail.”

Loki rose before his people, his head bowed in open sorrow.

“Thor, Son of Odin, beloved brother and King has gone from the world. We, few that we are, most go on, Asgard will honour her dead through the living.”

He turned from the group and motioned for Hulk and Heimdall to join him. “It will take days for our ship to reach Midgard, we must send someone ahead to warn them, Thanos is going after the stones and two are already there. I must stay with my people, Hulk will you go?”

Hulk nodded solemnly and Heimdal grasped the edges of the magic to send the green giant hurtling through the bifrost.

Chapter Text

“Still want to spar or was that apple pie too much for you?” Shay teased as she entered the common room behind Steve.

“I think I can manage.” Steve grinned in answer, setting the extra pie on the counter, “how long do you think it’ll take Sam to find it this time?”

“About thirty seconds.” Shay said as Pippin came bounding down the hall, his tail wagging furiously as he snuffled into her waiting hand. “Good boy Pip, miss me? You’re just too big to ride with us on the bike you know, besides you nearly gave Nell a heart attack last time we took you with us.” She apologized, scritching the huge head, Pippins doleful yellow eyes looking into hers.

A moment later Sam rounded the corner, “Returned from your coffee date, have you?”

“You’re not jealous are you, chickadee?” Shay asked, punching him affectionately in the shoulder.

“Jealous? Of what? My two best friends going for coffee without me every Wednesday? No… not at all.”

“And who goes with you to karaoke on Fridays?” Shay questioned in turn.

Steve laughed loudly as they postured and pretended at outrage and betrayal.

“Incoming video from Mr. Stark, urgent.” Friday’s clipped tone interrupted.

“Accept.” Steve answered, as a palpable tension filled the room.

Tony was supposed to be taking the week off for wedding planning, they didn’t expect to see him until Monday.

A holograph materialized from the table.

“Bruce?” Shay and Steve asked simultaneously.

“Not now guys, we’ve got bigger fish to fry.” Tony interrupted, redirecting their attention to the wizards.

Stephen Strange and Wong explained the origin and power of the infinity stones and the Avengers struggled to wrap their minds around the truth.

The infinity stones could destroy reality itself.

Vision was in danger.

Thor was dead.

Thanos was coming.

Pip whined, snapping Steve out of his frozen expression. “I’ll take Sam and Nat.”

Nat had joined them during the briefing and now sat to one side, nodding her agreement.

“Rhodes: keep an eye on incoming threats, Friday: contact Vision and have him and Wanda ready for a quick exit-”

Rumbling beyond the holo-screen drew their attention.

Someone was screaming outside.

“Sounds like you’ve got trouble Tony, I’ll send Shay to you. Shay, take a jet out his way, it’ll be faster than your car.”

“No need,” Strange said, moving his hands in an intricate pattern and causing a portal to open just a few feet from the table, “if you’re ready that is?” he motioned her through the portal.

Sam had moved first, pulling a black backpack from a hook near the door and tossing it to Shay. “Be safe.”

Shay clipped the bag across her chest and turned to answer. Her eyes locking on Sam, Rhodes, Nat and pausing on Steve a moment longer. “Be safe.” And she stepped through the portal into the sanctum with Pippin pressed to her side. They vanished in a shower of green sparks.

A moment of wonder and the rest of the team spun into motion, gathering go bags and firing up the quinjet as Friday sent Vision the message of warning.

Outside the Greenwich sanctum, pandemonium reigned. A huge donut shaped ship had descended on a city street, wind rushing from its great engines.

Shay fell back as Strange, Stark and Wong prepared to fight. Bruce strained, trying desperately to call out the Hulk, but it wasn’t working and his shoulders slumped in shame.

“Ok. Bruce, you’re with me.” Shay’s hand wrapped around his forearm pulling him down a side street as the fight began behind them.

She tapped at a black bead on a chain around her neck, speaking rapidly to a small figure that rose from it. “Shuri, Thanos is coming, Rhodes will send you the info, we’ll need all the help we can get with this one.”

The figure nodded and dissolved as Shay pulled an extra bud from a pocket in the backpack and handed it to Bruce.

“Hulk isn’t coming Shay.”

“Then, Dr. Banner, I expect you to put some of those doctorates to work.” She smiled at him gently, her hand still on his arm. “Come on friend, we’ve got work to do.”

He stared in wonder as golden light spread from her finger tips, flickering in the dusty air. Shay followed the strands back to the street, and Bruce jogged behind her as the light led them to a group of people huddling in the alcove of a building.

“Friday, calculate a safe route out of the exclusion zone.” She raised her voice to address the group, “is anyone hurt? No? ok, follow Bruce, he’ll lead you to safety.”

Pippin whined again, his ears alert and his nose pointing down another strand of glow and Shay answered him, “I’m coming Pip. Bruce, Friday will direct you, and Rhodes is scanning cctv for more civilians, so once you’ve got these people clear, he’ll send you to the next coordinates, treat any critical injuries and get them out, ok?”

“What are you going to do?” Bruce asked, his voice pitching higher as Shay started to back away.

“Me and Pip are search and rescue, we'll find the rest.” Shay smiled brightly, and waving him on, she turned and jogged after Pippins shadowy form.

Dust soon swallowed her glowing form, leaving nothing behind but a thin strand of golden light that wrapped around his wrist.

Edinburgh, 

Steve and Nat stood over the bodies of the two aliens as Sam and Wanda helped a wounded Vision to his feet.

“We’ll take these back with us,” Steve motioned for Nat to pick up the other fallen weapon, “Wanda can you destroy the ship? or at least send it into space before some fool tries to hijack it?”

Wanda nodded slowly and looked up, “yeah.”

“Be quick about it, we need to regroup, and I don’t think we’ll have much time.” Nat said, urging them on. “Thanos could be on his way at any moment.”

The upright ring of the ship hovering over Greenwich Village began once again to ascend, this time with Strange and Stark inside.

“Ms. Wilder?”

“Yes, Friday?”

Shay had followed Pippin to yet another frightened woman and her child. They’d been blocked in by a fallen beam and Shay got to work employing the expanding jack Tony had designed for her as Friday spoke in her ear.

“Spiderman is on that ship. Stark initiated my protocol to send him back down, but the kid seems to still be hanging on.”

“Patch me through.” A soft crackle followed by the laboured panicked breathing of a teen filled her ear. “Peter, Peter its me, let go. The suit will carry you.”

“But it’s so far down, Shay, I-”

“Do you trust me, Peter?” Shay asked calmly, motioning her patients away from the glass as she kicked it in.

She muted her mic for a second, speaking to the frightened mother, “ok you two can come out, Pippin here will take you to safety, just hold on to the vest, ok?”

The woman was in shock so Shay took her hand and wrapped it around the side strap of Pippin's work vest, the boy followed suit on his other side and Pippin wuffed softly before following the brilliant white light Shay sent down the street to guide him.

“I trust you.”

Peters voice was so small and Shay steeled herself against the cracking in her throat, tapping her mic on again.

“Alright Peter, close your eyes. Can you do that for me?” She poured honey into her voice, keeping it as calm and soothing as she could. “Are your eyes closed?”

“Yeah- No. Yes. I’m not looking.” Peter’s voice trembled.

“Let go.”

“I can’t.”

“Yes, you can. You let go and we will catch you, I promise.”

“You can’t even fly Shay.”

“I will fly if I have to, I’m the Angel remember? Let go Peter, now.” And this time her words had the tone of a mother giving stern instruction to an unruly child.

“Ok.”

And Peter fell.

“Friday, can you land the suit right here?”

“Yes, Ms. Wilder.”

A streak of jet steam followed the rapidly falling figure. As the feet of the new suit touched down, Peter stumbled, and Shay caught him just in time to keep him from falling on his face.

“Let’s not do that again.” Came the faintly green sounding voice of Peter Parker inside the suit.

“Agreed.”

Bruce watched the scene with a stunned expression, having just followed the strand of light back to Shay. “Who-”

A voice in both their ears interrupted his question.

“Your quadrant is clear, Wilder; emergency crews have the rest under control.”

“Thanks Rhodes.” Shay chuckled at Bruce’s obvious confusion. “You’ve missed a lot, Bruce. Come on, we’ve got to get back to the compound, the team is on their way. Friday, please send a car.”

“Ms. Potts has already ordered one, ETA: 45 seconds.”

“Thank her for me.”

“Will do Ms. Wilder.”

“You’re Dr. Banner?” Peter had nearly shouted, his eyes bugging out as Shay introduced him.

“The Hulk? Yeah, well… part time.”

“No, I mean, you’re The Dr. Bruce Banner? Your work in Biochemistry is incredible not to mention quantum Physics!”

“Who are you exactly?” Bruce asked, trying to hide the blush that crept into his cheeks at Peter’s open praise.

Shay answered, pulling Peter into a side hug and giving him an affectionate nougie. “Spiderman, teen genius and a reckless punk.”

Pippin added a gruff ‘wuff’ to her words, and rested his head in the kids lap.

“Is that-?” Bruce’s voice cracked as he finally got a good look at Pippin. “That’s not a regular dog, is it?”

Chapter Text

“We can’t hide them forever, Thanos was able to trace the tesseracts signature through space, and I’m sure that’s how his goons found Vision and Dr Strange, he’s not going to give up.”

“I know Bruce, but what other options are there?” Rhodes asked, his head in his hands. Friday had confirmed Stark was still on the ship when it left the earths atmosphere, and he was still stunned. Peter had curled up in the corner with Pippin for comfort while the adults tried to come up with a solution.

“Hey Rhodey, we’ll get Tony back, ok? He’s probably up there talking the aliens to death as we speak.” Shay said, the corner of her mouth lifting into a half-hearted smile. Patting his shoulder she turned back to Bruce, “in the meantime we have to make a plan, can the stones be destroyed?”

“It might be possible, but the power required…” his voice drifted off as he performed calculations in his head. “Visions stone is the only one we could try it on, I have no idea where the others are, or if Thanos already has them.”

“If Tony and Strange return first, we could try his.” Rhodes said.

“I suggested that already, he was not on board.” Bruce answered.

Shay sighed. “So, it’s back to Visions stone, is there a way to remove it without killing him?”

“Maybe, I mean there’s a lot more than the stone in him, but I couldn’t do it, not here and not fast enough, we don’t have time to waste.”

A strong voice from the door interrupted their musings.

“We’ll go to Wakanda.”

Steve Rogers stepped through the doorway and Vision entered with Wanda, Nat and Sam bringing up the rear.

“Nat… hi.” Bruce spoke softly, a mixture of caution and wonder in his voice and face.

“Hi.”

The awkwardness of a first meeting after four years absence would have been far worse if the universe itself wasn’t hanging in the balance.

Vision groaned and Wanda shot Shay a nervous look.

“Let’s get going, I can have a look at that once we’re in the air, ok Vis?” Shay slung her go bag over her shoulder and wrapped her other arm around Visions back to help Wanda support him to the waiting quinjet. Shay threw a look over her shoulder to the kid who’d been uncharacteristically quiet. “You stay here Pete, hold down the fort.”

Peter’s face fell and he grumbled to the floor, “Tony would have let me go along.”

“Yeah, he would,” Steve said, setting a gentle hand on the red clad shoulder, “but he might need you back here when he returns. Vision’s got a target on his back now and we need to stay focused on protecting him. Now, Clint will pick up Scott and meet us there, so wheels up in five, full armor and extra ammunition, got it?”

The team whirled into action. And while everyone was suiting up and checking their weapons a red clad form slipped through shadows and into the jet, folding into a dark corner and melting into the jet as the suit camouflaged itself.

-

Shay grunted as the piercing pain of Visions wound shot through her own abdomen. “Sorry Vis, this is going to hurt, if you want, I can put you to sleep first.”

Vision shook his head, “just do it.”

Wanda flinched as pain twisted Vision’s face. Golden light flowed from Shay’s fingers and through the open wound and her breathing slowed as she concentrated on the feeling of the muscle fibers under her hand and in her own gut. Synthesized muscle responded to her command, stretching across the cut ends and knitting themselves back together, the red skin followed and Shay and Vision sighed in unified relief.

“Can you phase?” Wanda asked, her eyebrows still scrunched in worry.

Vision raised a hand and tried to phase through the bench under him.

“No.”

“I don’t think that’s something I can fix, there’s nothing… material left in there, Vis, but there’s an odd energy signature I can’t manipulate, it feels… wrong, oily... Maybe Bruce can figure it out?” Shay turned to where Bruce sat slack-jawed.

“I… You glow. And you healed- but Visions’ an android?”

“A lot has happened while you were away.”

Shay told him the story of the past four years, assisted by projections from Vis’s incredible memory bank:

The defeat of Ultron, the devastation of Sokovia. The New Avengers, the new threats. Zemo, the accords, the fight. Shay choked as she tried to explain what her gift had done to Rhodes.

Vision brought up War Machines video feed of the incident.

Sam landed with Shay in his arms as a helicopter drifted to the ground in the distance. Metal wings wrapped around the pair as Rhodes charged palms raised in warning.

“Congrats, you’re both criminals now. Put your weapons down.”

Green vapor pooled around their feet, wrapping around the shield of Sam’s wings, reaching for the camera, spreading like a venomous cloud.

A flash of reflected light off metal, and Sam launched himself upward, Shay came into view, lunging for Rhodes.

Rhodes left hand bucked slightly against the discharge of his repulsor, the smoke flashed red.

The screen went black.

“What- what happened?”

Rhodes squeezed Shay’s shoulders in response to her penitent expression. “No more apologies, remember?”

She swallowed and nodded, “yeah, I know.”

Rhodey continued the story from there, Shay had been hit, nearly died, gotten patched up in a Polish hospital just to be dragged out to The Raft still unconscious. Rhodes himself had been left paralyzed from the waist down.

Here Shay found her voice again and finished the retelling.

Tony and Steve’s fight in Siberia, the Rogues breaking Sam and Shay out of prison and being healed in Wakanda, returning to heal Rhodes, the intervening year of being on the run and the eventual dissolution of the accords.

“So, we got the band back together, well, short of you and Thor… Can’t believe he’s really gone. What happened?”

Shay listened with interest as Bruce explained Hulks flight out of the world and into a new one. That interest quickly turned to horror as he talked about Ragnarok and the subsequent escape.

Shay knew Nat and Steve were also listening. The constant presence of glow, that warm and safe feeling that they shared had shifted, and she felt their sympathy and grief. Nat’s emotions were tangled with relief, heartbreak, and longing all wrapped up behind a wall of steel. Her dark eyes flashed over catching Shay, and she knew Nat had noticed the compassion she’d sent through the glow. The meaning of the look in her eyes was plain.

Survival comes first.

Shay nodded her understanding, and she breathed, in and out, slower, centering herself for the work, bracing. Careful to keep the glow invisible, she reached out to each of her compatriots in turn, offering what she could.

Bruce- *courage, comfort*

Rhodes- *strength*

Steve- *Confidence*

Nat- *Peace, comfort*

And then her sense passed over someone else, someone who shouldn’t have been there at all.

“Peter. I know you’re there, get your but out here now!”

Chapter Text

Wakanda,

Shuri had passed on Shay’s warning a day ago, and now when Bucky’s kimoyo bead chimed, he knew what it meant.

They would arrive in the next half hour.

Steve, Sam and Shay, and every other Avenger they could pull together.

His stomach twisted as he looked at the new black vibranium arm, moving so naturally at his side. He’d told Shuri to keep it locked up until he asked for it, unless…

War was coming, and he’d seen too much of it already.

The peace of the last year hadn’t been without its pain, he’d cut all contact with the only people he’d really known, trying to find in himself a man worthy of their friendship, their loyalty. Trying to become that man.

He’d realized something in the year that had passed, something he’d been hiding from himself. His heart beat was the traitor in his chest as he thought about her.

Shay.

It wasn’t the butterflies of flirting with a pretty girl in the past. It was something deeper, the burning need to protect, to be with her. Every time he’d seen some new wonder in Wakanda, he’d turned to see her reaction, only to realize she wasn’t there, and the new thing had lost some of its shine in her absence.

Good or bad, he wanted to be at her side.

The White Wolf was going to battle once again, and this time he understood just how much he had to lose.

A memory sprung up behind his eyelids, so familiar he felt like he was still standing there on the farm, watching Shay prepare to go to protect the world.

Shay shook his hand, “Your life is your own now, it’s been a pleasure to know you.”

She’d just finished saying her farewells to Frank and Elaine, when a streak of pale fur flew at her from the treeline.

The white wolf, Mahikan stopped his snuffling and licking to receive her words with a sudden calm gravity.

“My friend, defender of my home, I give these *friends* into your care, I trust you to protect them.”

Shay put one hand on the furred chest.

“White Wolf, for your loyalty,” she placed the other over her own, “I give my heart.”

The wolf had taken up position on the front porch that night, howling his heart out at the black night. And the keening cry had pulled at the long-buried emotions of the once Winter Soldier. Mahikan knew, Bucky was sure, that Shay was facing death, that she might never return.

Who would guard her, as she healed and saved others?

Bucky had answered the call, and so, when the children of Wakanda began to call him the white wolf, he’d taken the call of his namesake to heart.

He prayed that whatever was coming wouldn’t cause him to fail in that promise.

Steve, Shay and Sam would die before they let Thanos rip apart the universe, and for once, Bucky wished they all had more of an instinct for self preservation.

The knot twisted tighter in his gut and the metal fingers curled into a fist.

The jet touched down before the gathered retinue.

“Welcome back to Wakanda, Captain.” T’Challa said, clasping Steve’s forearm in greeting. “Shuri is waiting in the lab, she’s deciphered the scans you sent, and is ready to begin.”

With a sweep of his arm T’Challa motioned the team to follow him.

Shay pulled up the rear of the group, corralling an overawed Peter. “Come on Pete, eyes ahead, May’s already going to kill me for bringing you here, let’s not add a snapped neck to her list of grievances.”

Peter’s shining eyes caught hers. “But Shay, this place, I mean, I’d heard about Wakanda and seen some of the tech, but this whole…” he looked behind her now, and his expression shifted to a mask of cool neutrality.

Shay’s sense was flooded with awareness and she turned, slowly.

“James.” She breathed out, her voice catching in her throat.

He looked good, there was colour and a fullness in his face that she’d never seen before.

“Shay.” Bucky opened his mouth to say more, and closed it again, uncertain.

“Sargent Barnes, is it?” Peter interrupted the discomfort of the moment, putting a protective hand on Shay’s arm and stepping in front of her. “Shay has somewhere to be, if you don’t mind.”

Bucky’s eyebrow quirked at Shay and she gave a tiny shake of the head.

“Alright Peter, I’m going.” Shay said, laughing a little. Her fingers found the top of Pippins head and she spoke a brief command to him “De motst be de yung bliewen, yo?” (you need to stay with the boy, yeah?”)

A gruff snort indicated Pips agreement and he moved to stand next to Peter as Shay turned and walked away.

Bucky watched curiously as Peter worked up the nerve to say something.

“I know you’re all, big and tough and super and stuff, but if you break her heart, I’ll- well, I’ll have to…” Peter tried to crack his knuckles threateningly, but the effect was somewhat dampened by the suit.

Bucky blinked back his surprise and Peter seemed satisfied, turning on his heel and jogging after Shay down the long corridor.

The group in the lab had gathered around a floating bed in the center.

“How long will it take to extract the stone?” Wanda asked, her hands clasped around one of Vision’s as he lay on the stretcher before them.

“Hours, maybe days. There are over 12 million neurons that need to be untangled individually.” Shuri answered, her eyes flicking over the gathered group as though searching for someone.

“Then you’d better get started.” T’Challa said gently, “we will arrange our defenses to hold off an attack as long as we can.”

Shay entered the room with Peter and Pip just as Vision sat up, a hand raised.

“I won’t let good men and women lay down their lives just to save mine.”

Steve stepped up, a gentle hand pressing Vis back to the bed. “Thanos will come, or, more likely, he’ll send an army to get the stone, there will be a battle whether we’ve destroyed it or not.”

“I understand.” Vision answered, his head settling back on the pillow. “But if it comes to my life or the lives of many, I ask you all, let me go.” his eyes searched Wanda’s as he continued. “I was made once before, and perhaps someday I could be remade, but my purpose has always been to protect human life, they do not have that chance. So, if the time comes, don’t deny me my choice.”

Chapter Text

“Several objects have entered the Earths atmosphere.” An analyst announced, looking at a screen nearby. “Trajectory would indicate Wakanda is their target, Eta approximately 3 hours.”

Shay looked to Steve, watching the pulsing of the vein in his jaw as he considered their next move.

“Three hours. Take the next two to rest and prepare.” His solemn eyes washed over the people gathered before him and he took another deep breath before addressing T’Challa, “We’ll need a place to plan, and something to eat, I assume the city has been evacuated?”

“We evacuated the civilians after we received your warning, they are quite safe in the mountain. The Kings-guard and Dora Milage will fight with us, as well as warriors from the Border tribe and the Jabari Tribe. Please follow me to the counsel hall, refreshments have been arranged.”

As the great doors swung open soundlessly, Shay took in the vast room. Rows of benches lined the outer wall and, in the center, a low table surrounded by cushions. Maps lay spread across one end next to a single empty coffee cup that read: ‘Worlds best Bro’

“Make yourselves comfortable, there are sleeping quarters just down the hall. Anything else you may need, don’t hesitate to utilize. We are at war.”

Steve and Nat settled at the table with Okoye and T’Challa. The rest filed in slowly, uncertainly after them.

How do you prepare to fight an enemy with an unknown army? The fate of not only the Earth but the entire universe rested uneasily in the hands of a dozen heroes.

The waiting was terrible. Three hours: too long to think about it and not nearly enough time to be prepared.

If we don’t keep moving, we’ll freeze up, Shay thought to herself.

She led the way to the benches on the right, Peter and Pippin on her right and Bucky following a few steps behind as a gold light threaded through the low light of the room, gathering each of the stragglers toward her unconsciously.

When they were all grouped around her, she raised her voice in gentle command: “you heard Cap, get what you need, there’s food coming, eat now if you can, sleep, shower, whatever you need to do, ok?”

Scott sat down with a little groan; his eyes nearly glazed as he heard her words. “Eat? Sleep? We have no idea what’s coming, how are we supposed to do that.”

Shay smothered her sigh and pushed an extra pulse of comfort through the glow that held them together. “You’re right, we don’t know what’s coming, that’s why we need to be at our best. Look, saving the world seems too big sometimes, at least it does to me. But all of you, this team, this family?” Her eyes glowed as she looked each of them in turn. “I will eat, and sleep, and fight, and die if that’s what it takes to save my family. And I know you would do the same for me, so let’s just do what we’ve got to do, ok?” her voice had softened and lowered as she spoke, as the words rose from her soul and the glow built around her, sparking in waves through her hair.

Sam grinned at her as the rest of them nodded, “Do you and Cap have the same speech-writer or is that just a freaky coincidence?”

That broke the tension and the gathered group chuckled and prepared to eat as trays were set on another set of benches.

Scott and Clint where buoying each other up with stories of the wild escapades of their children. Bucky had joined the war council with a plate of food for Steve, and Sam had stretched out on a bench for a nap. Wanda had remained in the lab with Vision, Bruce and Shuri.

Peter leaned against Shay, exhausted and full.

“There are beds Pete, go sleep.” Shay finally said as he jerked awake for the third time on her shoulder.

“I don’t-. wanna... Alone. worlds ending.” His words were muffled against her arm.

Fear of abandonment.

The sense she’d picked up in the jet washed over her again and she understood.

“Ok, Peter. But I can’t have you slobbering on my arm alright? Run down to the beds, grab a couple mattresses and pillows and bring them back in here, ok? Think you can stay on your feet that long?”

“I don’t slobber.” And with that indignant huff he sprung to his feet quicker than she’d expected and dashed out the door in a blur with the wolf on his heel.

Shay waved the dads over, “can you two make sure Wanda and Bruce eat something? And let them know there’ll be a dog pile here, if they need a rest.”

Scott was already over at the buffet fixing two more plates as Clint nodded patting her arm.

“Thanks.” Shay said. The word was insufficient but the glow communicated what she couldn’t.

“Look after yourself too, alright?” and the sharp look of concern he gave her made her duck her head.

“Yessir, mom.” Shay gave him a snarky salute and Clint stuck out his tongue in return. “Very mature.”

“Punk-kid.”

A pile of mattresses bounced through the door, followed by Pippin who carried a clutch of pillows strapped to his vest.

“Over here Peter.” Shay called across the hall, and the flopping mattress mound changed direction to charge at her. “Slow it down, bud, we don’t need a wildebeest stampede.”

Peter appeared from under the mound, “Wildebeest? I thought they only lived in the Serengeti?”

Chapter Text

The hall was silent when Shay rose from her spot in the corner. The maps on the table had been deserted, two of the mattresses still held the sleeping forms of Scott and Sam. Bruce entered the hall, a towel in one hand and his hair still damp from the shower, making straight for Shay. She met him at the lowest set of benches.

“Hey, uh, I’ve got a problem.” Bruce whispered.

“How can I help?” Shay’s face was open and her voice welcoming as she gestured for him to take a seat beside her.

“Hulk. He refused to show up in New York earlier, I don’t know why, but if it doesn’t work now...” His hands twisted as he stared at the floor, his fear suffused the air around them, raising the hairs on her arms. “I know you can pull me out of the Hulk, do you think it could work in reverse?”

Shay nodded thoughtfully, “it’s worth a try, just not in here, let the others rest a little longer.”

“There’s a training room on the first floor, big and soundproof.” Bucky offered quietly, melting out of a shadow near the door. “I can take you there.”

“Thanks, James, that’d be great.” The corner of Shay’s mouth turned up in the shadow of a smile.

The training room was all that Bucky had promised, wide and empty, with a cushioned floor. Unfamiliar equipment lined one wall and the other held weapons which Bucky looked askance at as Shay offered her hand to Bruce.

“Ready when you are.” She said lightly, trying to dispel his worry.

“Right, ok.”

Bruce’s hand settled into hers and Shay closed her eyes as nearly imperceptible light pulsed under her skin. Bruce’s mind was at the forefront of her senses, loud in its worry and fear and pulsing with hundreds of threads of thought Shay couldn’t read, wouldn’t have understood if she could. Way deep down in the fiber of his nerves lay what she sought. She reached for it and Hulk resisted.

Why? Shay struggled to interpret the disjointed sensations that hummed through her. There was anger and resentment, that was clear enough, but why? Communicating with someone through her gift was a back and forth of sensation and emotion rather than thoughts, but if she’d had to interpret it would have sounded something like this:

Puny Banner protection, muscle, I am. not person, not important.

*You are Banner, both are Banner, together. *

Lie.

*Friend, truth. Feel safe? See friend, truth, trust. *

Puny and Hulk? Both? Hulk: first.

*No, need brain and hulk, both, or weak. *

Weak, bad.

*Whole, good, safe*

Good. Whole strong, safe.

Shay dropped her hand and Bucky braced her elbow as Bruce stood unchanged before them.

“What happened?” Bruce asked, staring at his hands as though he expected them to sprout tentacles.

“He’s working it out, you keep thinking of hulk like a stranger, but he is a piece of you, accept that and I think it’ll work out.” She sighed with a weight that surprised both the men.

Steve strode in, looking careworn. “Hey, Nat said you’d be here: look I need to talk to you Shay.” His tone was grave and he beckoned her out to the hallway.

“I hate to ask this of you, but we don’t need you to be the healer today, there are med teams on standby, but I don’t know what’s coming and we’ll need everyone in the fight.”

“I know, Steve, we all know what’s at stake here.”

“I’m not just asking you to fight Shay, I’m asking you not to hold back.” The tumult in his eyes stopped her short. “This isn’t like anything we’ve faced before. If Chitauri show up, or anything like them, lethal force is the only way to end it, more than our world is at stake.”

Shay nodded slowly. “I understand.” She sighed again, and realized Bucky was standing just behind her, a heavy presence that grew larger in her awareness.

“I’m taking you back upstairs.” Bucky said, his tone hard and cold as steel. “Before you wear yourself out completely.”

Shay didn’t argue as she was ushered away from Steve to the nearest lift, matching Bucky’s stride and cool demeanor. The moment the lift began to rise, Bucky’s hand flipped a switch and the mechanism stopped.

Shay waited in the dim blue emergency light for him to speak, but he just stood there, glaring at the doors and clenching his fists over and over again.

“Is there something you need to say?”

Clench of fist, clench of jaw. The vein in his forehead pulsed in stark relief against the blue glow.

“I’m listening.”

Frozen silence built like an icy wall in her chest as she breathed in his fear.

Bucky’s fist tightened until the knuckles of his flesh hand shone blue. And he spoke. “You can’t die.”

She was taken aback by the crack in his voice. “I’m- I mean, I’d rather not, but that’s not exactly in my control.”

“Stay in the mountain, stay safe and out of the fight.”

“What?” the shock exploded from her in icicle shards. “I can’t do that, I’m an Avenger, Barnes, I’m not here to be safe.”

“Maybe you should be, you’re not like- you can’t heal yourself, you're already worn out just fixing everyone else’s problems, you're too-”

“Fragile? Is that what you wanted to say? You think I don’t know that? You’re not immortal either Bucky.” She was hot under the collar now, her boiling anger overriding his cold fear.

“I know.” He sighed, finally turning to her.

The mask of determination on his face dissolved and he met her gaze.

Blue lights, blue veins, ocean eyes studying hers, wondering, fearing, hoping.

“I can’t- I can’t let you go, and not.” he bit his lip, stopping himself. “It wasn’t supposed to be like this.”

“Not what?”

Shay could feel her heart pounding, feel the blood thumping through her like it couldn’t be restrained. How much longer would it beat, she wondered. She watched in sympathy as Bucky clenched his teeth, chewing on words he couldn’t say. She’d often thought of what might happen if he walked back into her life, had dreamt of the moments they’d shared, scattered across the last few years. But there had always been another problem to solve. There had always been tomorrow.

Tomorrow, she’d see him again. Tomorrow she’d say what she hadn’t said today.

Tomorrow.

Shay didn’t have tomorrow, not in her hands like a promise she could keep.

 All they really had was this moment.

“I, well.” Bucky scratched the back of his neck nervously, stumbling over words he’d once practiced. “I was going to ask you out. Out. On a- well, a date. Coffee, or dinner and a movie, or whatever I had to say to get you to agree.”

“So, ask me.”

“Ask?”

Shay nodded; her amber eyes gleaming.

He started closing the distance between them, one hand reaching for her cheek and he bit his lip. “Shay, would you-”

A flashing purple light and shrill ringing froze them as a dry voice echoed out of the kimoyo bead Shay wore around her neck.

“Sharice, your attendance is required in the war room, unless you’re otherwise occupied.”

Shay pressed a button to respond. “Thank you, Okoye, I’m on my way.”

His eyes still sought hers and she pressed one hand to his chest, his heart like a drumbeat under her fingertips. “I wish we had more time. But duty calls Sargent, and I’ve got to go.” her other hand found the switch. The light and motion of the lift returned in a blinding moment, and the moment had passed.

The lift slowed and Shay took a breath, reached up on her tiptoes and kissed him on the cheek, she spoke over her shoulder as she stepped through the opening doors.

“James, don’t die today and you can ask me anything you want, I promise I’ll say yes.”

Chapter Text

Shay took a breath, reached up on her tiptoes and kissed him on the cheek, she spoke over her shoulder as she stepped through the opening doors “James, don’t die today and you can ask me anything you want, I promise I’ll say yes.”

Bucky stood stunned in the elevator until the doors began to close again. Pushing them open roughly he jogged after Shay, catching up just as she stepped over the threshold.

“Angel, White Wolf.” Okoye nodded at them as they approached. “I need your help convincing this bunch of idiots to go back to the mountain.” Her voice was filled with her own peculiar brand of disgusted admiration as a group of seven men stepped forward, each bore a weapon and wore a purple and gold Kenté across their broad shoulders.

“T’Kazu, Kamwele, N’Gazze…” Shay choked up before she could finish naming them.

Each man saluted her with a sign of respect. Bucky looked from them to Shay, dipped his head and melted into the background.

“The Merchant tribe has few warriors, but let it not be said that we would leave our sister to fight alone.” T’Kazu spoke with authority, undaunted by the doubtful gaze of Okoye. He pounded his staff on the ground like a gavel and six others echoed his.

Azele, the youngest of the group stepped forward with a parcel wrapped in purple cloth. He laid it on the low table and carefully folded back the fabric to reveal a collection of small weapons and sheaths.

“For you.” He said simply before folding himself back into the formation.

Okoye walked to the table and laid a small case beside the previous offering, “I also have something for you, Shuri would have brought them herself, but she is still working on the stone.”

Shay sunk to her knees on the cushions, overcome with emotion, and opened the case to reveal a set of what looked like fingerless gloves, veins of gold on black. A tiny halo and wings decorated the side of each pointer finger.

“They will help you project your gift more easily.” Okoye gave a subtle bow and left.

Peter had watched all of this ceremony with barely concealed wonder and now he grinned at Shay for a moment before his face went suddenly blank and he ran full speed out the door. “I’ve got something too, how could I forget, that’s so stupid…” faded away down the hall as he left the range of her hearing.

T’Kazu settled on the cushion beside her and the warriors of the merchant tribe seated themselves on a side bench, ready and at ease. Bucky had joined Sam on the opposite bench and Sam elbowed him suggestively, whispering something in his ear that brought a fresh flush of colour to Bucky’s face as Shay smiled at them.

The sound of slinging webs returned down the hall and Peter dropped a small briefcase on her lap, as he slowly lowered himself from the ceiling.

“What’s this?”

“A suit.”

“I don’t have a suit.”

“Well, no, you didn’t, but now you do. I mean, if you want to wear it… Tony let me design it and I got a little help and well…” he shrugged, a move that looked strange where he hung still upside down. He gave a little flip and landed beside her looking eager and running a hand over the cloth on the table. “Now I know why Shuri said it had to be the right purple.”

The case opened to reveal a beaded collar, holograms popped up showing how it was deployed and listing its capabilities. Primarily defensive, with a built-in sensor to monitor her energy and pain levels and a single use emergency button that would allow the suit to fly her out of danger, set to auto-deploy if she passed out.

“It’s basically bullet-proof armor just way more lightweight, so no plasma guns or anything, but it should shield you from most projectiles and energy attacks and it’s designed to spread and minimize the impact of any blunt force attacks just like your corset does. It’s just the first prototype though so…”

“Wow, Peter, its incredible. This beading…”

“Frank sent me some pictures of his grandmother’s old beadwork so I could incorporate it into the design.”

The beads settled against her skin and warmed instantly, as though they were a part of her. She stood up slowly, not wanting to betray the emotion that quivered in her limbs. A simple double tap to the turquoise wolf that sat in the hollow of her neck and the purple fabric expanded from the beads, covering her from neck to wrists to toes.

“Tap that one for a helmet, and that one is just the headset.” Peter explained eagerly, pointing to the schematic diagram in the case. “it’s all Friday equipped as well.”

Shay alerted to the soft steps of Ayo, and turned to see her approach.

“Time is growing short; I’ve been sent to tell all of you to be armed and ready in half an hour on the tarmac, if any of you need weapons, I will take you to the armory.”

Steve stood in the doorway and raised his voice to address the entire room. “Avengers. Suit up.”

Clint had his arrows spread out over two benches, checking each for flaws and stringing an extra bow.

Scott was eating again, trying not to get stains on his suit and stuffing packets of juice and candy in every available pocket.

Nat had been sharpening her own knives and testing widow bites, and now she came to look over the new blades on the table. She used one to shave a small patch of hair from her arm and raised an eyebrow in surprise, apparently satisfied.

Steve joined Sam, Bucky as they cleaned their guns and loaded extra clips on another table, their movements synchronized and mechanical. Rhodes stepped into his suit nearby, running a pre-flight test.

Peter was already wearing his suit but he heeded Nat’s advice to pack extra web-fluid and make sure the backup suit he’d brought was fully charged and ready to self-deploy.

Shay could only assume Bruce was preparing elsewhere or making himself useful in the lab, and Wanda would of course be there, ready to blow the stone to vapor as soon as Vision was no longer entangled with it.

Time seemed to slow and the sounds around her swelled in her ears.

In a room full of warriors, no one spoke. The song was the song of whetstones and metal on metal, sequences of booted steps and the slide and click of loading guns accompanied by the charging surge of vibranium weapons.

Her fingers played over the beads on her neck, the wolf carved in turquoise.

Seventeen.

Shay had wandered into the woods alone. Her mother and brother had been gone for eleven years, her father for two. The depth of a Canadian winter cut through her clothes but she kept moving numbly on, following the big dipper until she found a clearing. There she lay in the snow, watching the northern lights play across the sky, alone, waiting for her family to embrace her.

Then the wolves had found her, instead of sharp teeth and pain they gave her life, laying across her cool body, warming her with their hot breath, tugging at her clothes until she’d finally obeyed the obvious command-bark of the matriarch. Move. She’d stumbled, only to find wolves on each side holding her frozen hands gently in their mouths, keeping her on a path they seemed to know well. They’d taken her home, and her first guardian wolf had stayed with her, bonded for the rest of his life. Two years ago, they had given Pippin into her care, knowing that she could heal the tiny puppy’s failing heart.

The smaller beads in the intricate pattern of Franks Cree ancestors, a reminder of how he and Elaine had taken her to their hearts as a child. This heritage he’d laid upon her said her blood didn’t matter; they chose her and she belonged to them.

The suit she now wore with the tiny A embroidered on each wrist proclaiming her identity. Angel, Avenger.

T’Kazu completed her meditations by tying the kenté of the Merchant Tribe around her shoulders  so it fell down her back in a way that would not impede her movements. She’d been born half a world away, where her skin was a shade darker than most, but here in Wakanda she’d felt pale and uncultured, still they had given her a place among them. She’d saved T’Kazu’s life in Lagos, but his cousin N’Daka’s wounds were more than she could heal, so she had held him like a child, taken his pain on herself and comforted him as he slipped away. And for that act of love and mercy to a stranger, she had been adopted into a new family.

Shay fitted the gauntlets onto her hands, flexing her fingers and marveling as the resistance of the sense she usually felt in her fingertips was suddenly lifted. Light coiled easily from her fingers and she quickly pressed the little halo symbol on the side of her pointer finger, sighing as the resistance returned. Best to save that for the fight.

“Hey Pete, can you grab my pack?” Shay asked.

“Sure.” A web shot across the hall to reach the strap of her bag and it flew back toward them. Peter caught it with a nonchalant grace, grinning as he handed it to her.

“Thanks.”

She again sat cross-legged on the floor, but this time she worked on slowly stretching each group of muscles in her legs and getting used to the feeling of moving in the suit. Then she retracted it, and rolling up her pant legs, applied strength tape to her ankles. She stretched, satisfied with the support and applied another a single strip of brilliant blue across the inside of her left knee, and the outside of her right. With the suit on again she resumed stretching, testing and adding additional support wherever she felt tight or strained.

T'Kazu and his men watched with more interest as Shay first equipped herself with the blades on the table, strapping the sheaths over her usual clothing, the larger knives on each thigh and a few smaller ones around her ankles. More weapons were added from the depths of the backpack, a dagger was strapped across the small of her back, spring loaded sheaths strapped to inside of her forearms released one of three blades into her palm with the flick of a wrist, a widow bite waiting in reserve. Two pointed pieces, pale as bone, wickedly curved and tipped with steel were twisted into her hair, pinning it up and out of the way so the helmet would fit.

She tested the suit again; it was ridiculously intuitive and gave her access to any blade she chose if she just brushed the hilt through the reinforced nano-fabric.

Lastly, she extracted from the pack several small packets which she slipped into two different pockets The yellow ones would dull her pain, the red ones provided a burst of adrenaline.

The orphan had walked into the wood alone.

Now she stood proud among warriors, wearing the declarations, the history of many nations into battle. Different tongues, skins and continents, they all bled the same. She would bleed in their place.

Ready.

Pippin, who had remained with Peter, now seemed to respond to the unspoken thought, giving a single bark and snapping to her side like he was magnetized. The merchant warriors rose with him, standing at attention as though they’d been commanded.

“Wow.” Peter whispered to Nat from his seat at the table where she had been encouraging him to eat a little more. “Did you feel that? It was, like a surge of static charge through the whole room, it felt. Felt like standing on the edge of a storm.”  

Nat tilted her head, trying to parse the sensations that buzzed in the air around them. “I felt something, but I couldn’t have told you what it was.” She shook her head a little, “but I think we’d better get going Spiderling.”

Meanwhile on Titan,

Peter- Starlord- Quill, Drax and Mantis found Tony Stark and Dr. Strange on Titan, standing over the dead body of Ebony Maw.

The fight had been short, ending when they realized they had a common goal.

Kill Thanos.

Strange looked through the future timelines for a chance that they could defeat the mad titan as the others discussed how they might stop Thanos from utilizing the gauntlet the way he had on Knowhere.

“How many possibilities did you see?” Peter Quill asked.

“Fourteen million.” Dr Strange answered, trying to catch his breath.

“How many do we win?” Tony asked.

“Two.”

“Better than one.” Tony quipped back sarcastically to hide the ramping anxiety he felt.

“The second chance option… it’ll cost us.” Strange cleared his throat, and locked eyes with Stark. “It’ll cost you- everything.”

“Great, so let’s not screw up plan A.” Tony said, folding his arms.

Chapter Text

Battalions of warriors stood in their lines on the tarmac waiting for orders. The avengers were grouped near the transport ships with the Wakandan generals, listening to Steve and T’Challa outline the plans and contingencies they’d laid out.

Steve was speaking, pointing to a map of rough battle lines. “If any Chitauri ships show up then we’ll need the anti-aircraft guns, so position them here-”

A burst of falling refracted light interrupted his instructions, blinding them all for a brief moment before it dissolved, revealing two figures.

Loki stood in the center of the scorched pattern. Korg stood at his side, his hands raised to the guns and spears that surrounded them.

“Ey, don’t shoot, we came to help. I might be made of rocks but I still have feelings.”

“Peace, I am not your enemy.” Loki said, raising his hands to show they too were empty for the moment.

“Loki.” Steve said grimly, “We defeated you in New York, why should we trust you now?”

For the briefest moment shame flickered in those green eyes. “I have made… mistakes. That is in the past.” With a slight shake of his head, he returned to the point. “We have a common enemy. Thanos has been the cause of many of my deepest regrets, and he murdered my brother, now he threatens the peace of the few survivors of Asgard. I am here because Heimdall saw the ships.”

He pointed up at the streaks of smoke in the sky and the others followed his movement, not seeing the green smoke drifting across the ground, lapping gently at his feet.

“Trust my vengeance, for I loved my brother.” He finished.

Steve looked at him, trying to read the truth in his eyes, Loki returned the glare and they seemed locked in a battle of wills.

“He’s telling the truth.” A small voice filtered through the legs of the circle.

Steve smiled and dropped his gaze to see the smoke now glowing gold around their feet, the spears were lowered, though the Dora still held their positions.

Loki saw the flickering light and froze. He was always shielded; his mind wrapped in layers of armor ever since the scepter had twisted it.  And no one but Frigga had ever been able to read anything in his face. His thoughts, secrets and fears were safe behind the mask he wore, so he’d thought. Now a sliver of an awareness that was not his ran down his spine. It retreated, leaving in its wake a strange warmth. Compassion.

“Where is this witch?” he asked gesturing at the retreating light, wondering who wielded such magic.

The Dora parted to reveal an ordinary woman, sitting cross-legged on the ground next to a magnificent wolf. The golden eyes of wolf and woman studied him.

“I’ve heard a lot about you, Loki.” Shay said, smoothly rising to her feet.

Worried looks passed between Cap and some of the others. The seven behind her raised their weapons as Loki studied her. She wasn’t especially tall, nothing in her figure denoted any extraordinary strength The way the others watched her, like she’d break under his gaze, spoke of some inherent weakness. No extraordinary strength or power evident in her, nothing except: the unnerving look in her eyes, and her complete lack of fear as she faced down a god of legend.

“I ask that you not judge me by the accounts of others.” he grinned, trusting to his natural charm to cover the shiver of insecurity.

“I won’t.” her eyes still pierced his. “Your actions will prove your measure, as will mine.” And with that pronouncement she turned away, dismissing him utterly and directing attention back to the map. “Where did you want those anti-aircraft guns Steve?”

Discussion continued, and coloured dots for Loki and Korg were added to the frontline.

“Current estimates have the ships touching down here on the western edge of the dome.”

“Thank you, General. We will take our positions on the hill here, hold the reserves on this ridge and watch the flanks.” T’Challa straightened up, his solemn eyes passing over his people. “If any of you do not wish to fight, you may stay without shame, I will not condemn you. We face a battle against a great enemy, and we fight, not only for our nation but for our world and for all worlds. We will stand firm together, and if we die, we will die with honour.”

A thousand men crossed their arms. A rhythmic chant began. Troops marched in time up the ramps and the first several ships sped away. Loki and Korg joined T’Challa and the Dora on one transport, and the assembled Avengers took another.

Few words were spoken. Even Peter was uncharacteristically quiet. There was no time for what they needed to say to each other, to find the words to express how each person mattered to them.

Steve broke the stillness first, wrapping an arm around Bucky and Sam's shoulders. “It’s been a-”

Nat cut him off, eyes blazing, “don’t you dare say goodbye Rogers.”

“I… I love you guys.” Steve said, emotion simmering just under the surface.

“Ok, great, but could you love us from somewhere else? You’re gonna get sweat stains on my suit.” Sam joked, pretending disgust even as he returned the steady pressure.

Warmth like the sun after a long winter wrapped the group as they exchanged hugs, patted each other on the back and shared looks of understanding, of courage and love.

Bruce had hung back at first but Nat dragged him in whispering. “You can run as far away as you want, but you will always belong here with us.”

Too soon the ship was slowing, and they leapt from the deck as it slanted to offload them.

Bruce jumped, and landed as Hulk, shaking the ground.

Masks, helmets, weapons and shields were raised, coms activated. Emotions that had struggled to break free moments ago were gone, replaced with a calculated determination as they stepped into position on the field.

The purple-cloaked warriors positioned themselves around Shay again as she knelt before the wolf. Communicating in softly spoken words in a language none who listened knew, she made him understand. He was to patrol behind the battle lines and take any wounded to the safety of the shielded medical teams just over the ridge.

One hand over her heart, the other against the quivering grey chest. His beating in time with hers, golden eyes locked.

Shay pressed her forehead to Pippins, closing her eyes and breathing in the comfort of him. Be safe, heart of my heart, protect those I love. For the space of a breath, they were both illuminated against the darker figures of the seven.

Chapter Text

They stood in the middle of grassland, watching as the ships descended one after another with an earth-shaking crash on the rainforest just beyond the barrier.

Steve, Nat and T’Challa had walked down to speak to the delegation that waited just beyond the shimmering curved wall.

Korg was bored, swinging a club in one hand and his laser gun in the other. “Just three of them, eh? Must not have printed enough pamphlets, simple enough mistake really-”

Shay looked to her left past Loki and saw the rock-man shrug.

Loki spat on the ground, bitterness twisting the corners of his mouth. “Those ships aren’t empty and their parley will be fruitless, they do not come to negotiate, they are merely using the time to assess our weaknesses.”

Okoye scoffed at that from further down the line, and Shay barely heard her from where she stood. “They will find no weakness here, only blood and dust.”

“They have blood to spare.” Loki answered, rolling his shoulders and the golden horned helm materialized with his armor and a heavy sword.

Steve, Nat and T’Challa turned to walk back, faces grim.

Battle was coming.

Shay found her hand momentarily gripped in one made of black vibranium. Emotions that didn’t belong to her, though she shared them, flashed through her.

“Don’t forget, you made me a promise, Angel.”

Then Bucky was stepping back into line beside Steve and the walls of the ships lifted away.

Beasts threw themselves from the ships to rush, mindless at the wall, crawling through even as the barrier burned their hide and severed their limbs. A few broke through and rushed at incredible speed for the center of the half circle of defenders, heedless of fear or pain.

They were gunned down easily enough, but more were beginning to spread across the great curve of the barrier, pushing through in fits and bursts.

Steve voiced the problem first, “if they break through behind us, we’ll be fighting on two fronts and there’ll be nothing between them and Vision, we need to keep them in front of us.”

“Open North-west section seventeen.” T’Challa spoke into his earpiece.

“Ready your weapons.”

Steve’s voice echoed across the field and in Shay’s earpiece. T’Kazu and N’Gazze stepped up beside Shay, and she mirrored their movements, pulling the kenté forward like a shield. T’Kazu’s left hand on her left shoulder, her hand on N’Gazze’s. The fabric stiffened and hummed with electricity the moment they connected. The front line dropped to a knee as one and gunners stepped up to aim their weapons over the shoulders and shields as the hordes rushed at them.

Wakanda was an advanced civilization, though many of their traditions may have seemed to belong to a time long passed, but they were not archaic. They did not rush wildly into the fray; the madness of battle did not disorder their troops.

They stood their ground, echoing M’Baku’s chant in perfect time to the firing guns until the mound of bodies had dammed the stream below. They moved together as gunners alternated to reload. They would not break ranks until the effective distance of the guns no longer carried the advantage.

When the battle began there had been moments to appreciate the scope of the thing. the field of gleaming shields. Rhodes and Sam flying overhead dropping artillery. Targeted blades from Loki on one side and Nat on the other took down the leaders, tripping up three or four more as the first fell over webs slung low to the ground as trip wires.

Shay waited, watching the advancing madness, content to hold the shield wall for Azele, her gunner even as the blood rushed in her ears.

The flood of gnashing teeth lapped nearer the edge.

Now.

Her thumbs pressed on the little wings of her gauntlets and green light flowed from them. she reached for the nearest thing. That was the best word to describe what she found.

A true abomination. They had incredible strength and endurance, but there were no pain receptors, no consciousness, only blood lust. A creature made by Thanos for only one purpose: to kill and destroy, mindless and cruel.

All these things registered with her in a moment and the creature dropped mid-stride.

The line was broken as the creatures dashed themselves against shields and spears. Hulk leapt forward, landing with a shuddering thud among a dozen of them and swinging his arms to clear a path, Spiderman perched on his shoulder using the vantage point to shoot webs and throw grenades.

Shay glanced to her right one last time, Bucky and Steve where there fighting side by side. A heavy blow to her shield sent a stinging pain up her arm and she turned all her attention to what was before her. Green vapor traveled out like a tide to meet the crashing wave, the moment a clawed foot touched it the creature dropped dead.

The seven moved forward, a gold light connecting them to the woman at their head. They dropped their shields and raised their weapons in unison with Shays hands. she concentrated the flow to two strands of light that zapped from one enemy to another.

Still there were too many, and they got closer and closer as they fell.

The rat-tat of gun fire and canon blasts rang in her ears, blinding her eyes. She couldn’t see any of her friends through the chaos and anxiety rose into her throat.

Shay paused only to be struck a glancing blow on the side of the head as one of the things leapt over their heads. Sinking to her knees momentarily stunned as a thin trickle of blood dripped down the side of her face. The seven closed the circle so all she could see was the wall of purple shields across their backs.

T’Kazu’s voice reached her over the din. “Focus your gift Sisi, we will cover you.”

Time slowed again as she breathed in deeply, leaning into the gift.

No holding back.

“Friday?”

“Yes, Miss Wilder.”

“Filter the sound please, coms only.”

The crash of battle was instantly muffled inside her helmet. Focusing in on the sound of her own breath, she began to glow, strands of threadlike light spreading in every direction, connecting her to every person on the field that she cared about. She drew strength from the beating of their hearts even as she took to herself the ache and fatigue they fought against.

Shay crumpled under the weight of it, and nodded. “Friday, I’m gonna need that first dose.”

“Right away.” Friday’s crisp voice seemed just a little disappointed in her choices, but still Shay felt the pinprick of the needle as the first yellow packet was injected into her thigh. The relief was immediate and she felt as though the whole world melted away. It would cost her later, but only if she survived.

She sprang to her feet. Hands out, ready.

The defenders had been slowly waning but they gained new energy as the Angel illuminated the center of the field. Two strands of green light sparked across the field.

Still the horde rushed on, undaunted.

On and on, no rest, no pause for breath.

And the strength of the light was slowly dimmed until it was barely visible against the clouds of dust and smoke.

“Miss Wilder, your energy levels are dropping fast.”

“How long have I got?”

“15 minutes if you keep using your powers this way.”

“And if I don’t?”

“Maybe 30.”

Shay pressed the halos again, and she reached for the long knife at her back as the light at her fingertips died.

Through the coms she heard the sounds of the struggle across the field. They were losing momentum, the shear number of creatures simply too great to be overcome.

Peter’s cry of pain sent a ripple of anger through the Avengers, but no one could answer, pinned down and fighting for their lives.

A strike of lightning crossed the sky, illuminating the heaving field. Three figures descended from the bi-frost. A furred animal carrying a gun, an animated tree and in the center... His eye glowed with the light of a dying star as electricity crackled across his breastplate and through his hands.

Shay saw the flying battle-axe return to the hand of Thor and heard Loki’s shout.

Her joy became fear and pain as two men fell beside her. With a single stroke the head of the creature rolled away and Shay dropped to her knees.

Azele was bleeding badly from his leg. Shay was careful not to take more of his pain than necessary as she used his own muscles to clamp down on the bleeding and brace the bone. He was in shock, and didn’t feel it yet and she couldn’t bear much more, the meds she’d taken were wearing thin.

N’Gazze hoisted him on his shoulder and dashed up the hill dodging swiping claws as Shay turned her attention to T’Kazu. He’d been stunned, the body of the creature having body slammed him in the chest. Shay did what she could to help take the edge off his pain, he would bruise terribly but nothing critical had been hit.

“I can still fight, I’m alright sister, truly.”

Her eyes met his. She nodded and they both returned to the battle.

In answer to Thor’s arrival a war machine had been sent across the field. It rose out of the earth with saw toothed wheels destroying everything in its path.

Hulk grabbed the side of the wheel, dragging his feet to try and turn it and making deep ruts in the ground as it fought forward. Scarlet light flooded across the field as Wanda threw the machine back against another and its movement ceased.

On the field behind the battle lines a portal opened and several people stepped through.

“Thanos is coming, and he has five of the six stones. Stark is injured.” Strange’s voice called into the coms.

Quill looked alarmed, raising his gun as a wolf sprang out of tall grass and bit down on the shoulder of Tony’s suit.

Tony raised his hands between the newcomers and the wolf, “he’s friendly.” And he grinned as he was dragged backwards into the grass.

“Is that normal on this planet?” Mantis asked, tilting her head at the waving grass.

“Definitely not.” Strange answered.

Steve answered in the comms. “We need to fall back, regroup so we can face-”

Shuri’s voice cut through his, the words breaking and crackling in Shay’s ear.

“The lab has been- vision- out”

“Fighting- no time- destroy the-”

“Wanda, please.” Vision’s plea tugged at Shay’s heart but she forced the walls up over her grief.

She was so tired. Too many of her knives had already been lost. Her and the five who remained stood as an island in an ocean.

The tide flowed blue across red sand.

Her legs grew weak and she was about to request another pain injection when she was thrown down, her helmet torn away.

T’Kazu lay across her. The severed claws of the creature he’d slain still embedded in his broad chest. Kamwele supported his head as the three remaining warriors created a dome of shields over them.

Shay slid out from beneath him just enough so she could sit up, cradling him in her lap, her hands scrambling frantic over the torn armor, light fizzling under her finger tips.

“No. no, no. T’Kazu. lay still. I can- just have to stop the bleeding, don’t move, I can fix this.”

There was no fear in his eyes, just a calm certainty. “My time has come.”

“No, I saved you once, I’ll do it again.” The pain tore through her chest and she shuddered, refusing to believe what it was telling her.

“Two years.” His voice was growing weak. “I was given two years… thank you.”

“No, this isn’t goodbye.” She shouted shaking her head furiously, “this isn’t the end for you.”

“It is my time, I am ready. Shay, Sisi, my Angel… Carry me home.”

She swallowed back her tears, giving him instead a gentle smile as she stole his pain, replacing it with the comforting warmth of a tender embrace. “T’Kazu, cousin, ubhuti, rest now in peace.”

She didn’t hear the pounding of mad creatures on the shields, didn’t feel the shuddering of the ground under her as Hulk tore the pile of scrabbling things off of the dome over her. Instead, she felt the soft sigh of a man she loved, the peace that overspread his face as life left him. The gentle prick of a needle administering a second dose. The physical pain lifted even as the muscles in her chest strained against a wound she did not bear.

“Take him away, brothers, let no one disturb his rest.” She answered their questioning faces with glowing eyes. “I will not need a shield now.”

Voices in her earpiece broke finally broke through her pain. They were fighting Thanos in the forest west of the city.

There was blood on her sleeves, the tiny A’s no longer crisp and clean.

Fifteen minutes.

The Avenging Angel rose above the shields, red smoke coalescing around her and rippling out like a wave, her fingers pulled the curved points from her hair and it sprung out in a halo of light around her head.

“Friday, take me to Thanos.”

The AI stumbled, shocked. “Miss, the emergency flight capability is only designed to carry you to safety.”

“Over-ride it.”

“I’m not su-”

“If Thanos wins, there won’t be a safe place left. So, the safest place for me to be is where I have a chance to stop him.”

“I can’t fault your logic.”

The suit shifted and a pair of golden wings materialized across her back, each feather ruffling out to reveal a thousand tiny propulsor engines. Her feet left the ground.

“Shay-” Starks laboured voice cut into her earpiece, “you are not flying that suit towards the crazy maniac, I’m must be imagining that, right?”

“What can I say, wearing a Stark suit, got to make a Stark play.” She half laughed as the battle shrunk away from her feet. “Don’t worry, I’ll make you proud.” And she muted the speaker, not wanting to hear more objections.

Her heart skipped a beat as she saw the flash of scarlet light in the distance that meant Wanda had done it. The mind stone was destroyed. Vision was gone.

Time seemed to slow and she felt a strange energy pulse, followed by another flash of scarlet, and a scream.

Sam met her in the air, trying to steer her from the scene.

“He’s got all the stones, he’s too powerful. Veronica and Hulk together couldn’t hold him. I can’t let you-”

“Sam.” The hardness of her tone stopped him. “You know how much I hate being told to stay out of a fight, and you won’t stop me, just like I won’t stop you. We said through fire, Sam.”

A memory of that promise broke the last shred of Sam’s resolve.

“Alright Angel, what’s our play?”

“We light him up, with style Chickadee.” Shay said matter-of-factly, grinning at him. “Friday?”

“On it.”

Music thumped in her earpiece as they flew, wingtip to wingtip.

Ba-da boom, boom, boom, another one bites the dust,

Ba-da boom, boom, boom, another one bites the dust,

Ba-da boom, boom, boom, another one bites the dust.

Steve and Bucky were thrown back as the clearing came into view.

The music faded.

Sam motioned for Shay to come in from behind as he flew in low, firing the last of his ammunition.

Thanos tore off his wings with the flick of his golden wrist, sending him rolling across the ground.

Shay descended behind him at the same moment that Thor lodged Storm-breaker in Thanos’s chest.

He didn’t feel the points pierce his neck on each side, too preoccupied with the axe and taunting the man who held it.

“You should have. Gone. For the head.” The purple face grinned for a moment before the expression shifted to one of surprise.

“She did.” Thor said nodded at Shay, clinging to the giant’s back, her wings still outspread. Green light coursed through the spikes in her hands into his neck, freezing him in place.

Shay felt Thanos’s attention shift and though he couldn’t see her, she felt as though she was being x-rayed.

“You think you can stop me? I am a titan. And you, you are weak.” He spat the word and the gauntlet closed a fraction more. “Even now your pain overcomes you. Still, I value your bravery, but the price must be paid, you’ll understand.”

Friday whispered in her ear. “Your energy levels are at 3% you have less than a minute before unconsciousness.”

“You won’t kill me, little one, you don’t have the nerve.” Thanos chuckled darkly, mocking her as she slumped further down his back.

T’Kazu was dead, and how many more had fallen? How many would he destroy if she failed.

The light in her hands wasn’t the green she used when fighting against an enemy. Nor was it the red of her rage or the natural self defence that usually lay dormant until her life hung in the balance.

The light in her hands was the pure gold of her halo reflecting off the wings at her back, the same gold that glowed under her skin and shone like pure light through the scars on her body, tracing their delicate patterns on the rich purple tapestry of her suit.

It was for love that she reached with the last of her energy towards the gloved hand.

Love that snapped the thumb and forefinger.

Shay fell and Thanos fell with her, turning to dust just before he hit the ground where she lay, her arms and wings spread wide.

The creatures and the ships they came from dissolved before bewildered fighters on the field of battle.

A silence fell, sudden and complete as death.

And in the silence, a breath was held as though the earth itself waited for an answer.

A long cry split the air.

A howl of grief.

The lone wolf’s lament.

Chapter Text

Thor was nearest to where Shay had fallen, but he stumbled trying to catch his axe and Thanos before they could fall on her.

Stark reached her first, landing at her side with his damaged suit sputtering, remnants of an I.V still hanging from one arm.

“Friday, check her vitals.”

Bruce crawled from a nearby stream, shivering and shirtless. Steve, limping faster than he should have and supporting Bucky who was bracing his ribs with one arm. Nat, Sam and Peter. Rhodes and Wanda.

Loki watched from a cliff face a short distance away, where he’d been thrown before they’d arrived.

“No heart beat detected, boss.”

“No!” Peter’s keening wail ran like a shockwave through them.

“So, we restart it.” Stark said simply, tapping a sequence on the beadwork at her neck to bring up scans.

Sam moved in next to Shay, interlocking his hands and beginning CPR as Tony swiped through holo-screens furiously trying to find a solution. “Can’t do that- no use- that won’t work- did she? Good. Administer the adrenaline.”

“There’s not enough current left in her to restart her heart.” Friday answered sounding dejected.

“My suit-”

“Not enough, and Thor would burn through her, you need a controlled source.”

“Calculate the charge. I could build a-”

The others tuned him out as he rambled on. Steve held Shay’s hand, frozen as Sam continued pumping despite the sharp cracking sound.

“Wanda.” Nat’s voice cut through Wanda’s fear and shook her from her stupor. “You can do it, pump her heart, breath for her.”

She twisted her hands, and panicked when nothing happened. “I- I can’t- I- she’s-”

“Thor.” A deeper voice rose above the chaos, and Thor looked up to see Loki standing over his shoulder. “Strike me, I’ll be the conduit.”

Thor nodded, waving everyone back.

Sam waited for the others to move back before raising his own hands. “Clear.”

Bucky found himself whispering the wish under his breath. “You made me a promise, angel, don’t you dare break it.”

Thor roared. Lightning struck. Loki gasped and sunk to his knees. Long thin fingers hovered over Shay’s chest and a spark leapt across the gap.

Sam barely waited for the current to stop before reaching in to check her pulse. He shook his head.

“More power.” Friday suggested.

Again, lightning struck Loki and he rolled his shoulders back before lowering his hand again. His fingers rested against her skin.

The world faded for Loki.

She’d breached his senses easily twice before, once to see his intention and again on the battlefield, when he’d felt the sorrow of his grief lightened, and his courage renewed. Her magic was natural, instinctive rather than his own studied understanding and yet it seemed in kind with his.

The muscles of the heart contracted. And the connection of her mind and his now flowed in reverse.

Effortlessly and without intention, he found himself wrapped in her memories. In what seemed like seconds and years, he witnessed every wound she bore. Like him, she had suffered much. Too much. But where he’d chosen to grow harder than the world he was in, she’d made herself soft for hers. He had wounded to feel in control, she had healed. Something clicked into place, a voice like his mothers whispered a balm to his heart, and he understood his error. He had thought she was a weak Midgardian, but he had been wrong. This Angel carried the strength to be tender and kind in the face of cruelty and pain.

Loki had wanted to make Thanos bleed, to hurt him for all that he’d done. The Angel had shown a mercy he couldn’t have fathomed, taking her enemy’s pain and grief away in the moment before the snap.

He severed the connection and gently brushed the hair away from her face as the colour returned to her skin.

“Is she-?” Peter whispered in the pause.

“She lives.” Loki answered softly, his voice low and brimming with emotion.

Friday interrupted the relieved breath they shared. “Miss Wilder is stable for the moment, but she’s still bleeding internally.”

Sam started forward, feeling her pulse and barking orders. “Med-bay, Steve, Bucky help me lift her. Wanda, stabilize her body if you can.”

They were still frozen in the fear of the previous moment and moved slowly.

So, it was Loki that raised her from the ground with a spell. Golden light like her own cradled her body, became a solid surface under her wings and lifted her gently into the air.

Outside of the clearing time had spun on. Wakandans, The guardians of the galaxy, Strange, Nebula and Korg. All had been fighting when the snap happened. The long howl had frozen their blood. It had taken a beat, a breath, a slow look around, for them to understand what had happened. And they had looked at their own hands, waiting, fearing that they too would dissolve. Another beat, another breath, still they stood, solid.

Nothing remained but warriors dripping sweat and blood and a river that ran blue.

T’Challa’s whispered command for transport broke the spell and the defenders began again to move, supporting injured comrades and collecting fallen weapons. One ship broke away from the pack to race towards the forest in response to a call over the coms.

The procession departed the last ship to land on the tarmac in solemn ceremony.

Pippin lead the way; his great grey head held proudly. Thor and Loki came next, their cloaks flowing like standards before a queen. On either side of the winged Angel walked Sam and Bucky, Nat and Peter. Steve followed carrying Vision’s body with Wanda at his side. Bruce and Rhodey, supporting Tony between them, brought up the rear.

Okoye motioned to Steve and he and Wanda peeled away from the group to follow her.

The Four who had been Seven stepped into the line to take their place.

Chapter Text

There is no rest for a king. T’Challa tried to sit up from the hospital bed but was pressed back by a furious woman.

“How could you not tell me? I had to find out what was happening from your mother!”

“Nakia, Nakia, you were safer in California and there was so much to do, I had no-.”

“Don’t you dare use that excuse with me, T’Challa.” In spite of her anger, Nakia smiled at the man she loved. “If I had time to fly home, you had time to call.”

T’Challa reached for her, “I am sorry, Nakia.” taking a moments comfort from her presence before pressing a kiss to the back of her hand. “I am glad you are here, but I need to get up. Our people need answers. Questions will be asked and decisions must be made.”

“You are not going anywhere, even a king needs time to heal.”

“Then perhaps it is time for them to have a Queen.”

Tony had been dragged unwillingly back to a medical bed and had made every sign that he wouldn’t stay there until Nat whispered dangerously in his ear.

“Peter needs you right now, so you’re going to sit your ass back on that bed and let him take care of you so he doesn’t go insane worrying about Shay and watching you pace.”

Tony rolled his eyes at her but he did as she asked.

“Hey Peter?”

“Yes, Mr. Stark?” Peter’s eagerness was painful and his mentor winced.

“Please kid, you’re an Avenger now, call me Tony.”

“Wha… you mea- Avenger- really?”

“You’re still my intern though, so where are my ice-chips?”

“Oh, yeah, wow. Right away Mr- uh, Ton- uh, going- I’m going.”

Nat smiled approvingly at Tony and left the room. Her first order of business was to check on Clint, who’d had his arm broken in the first half of the battle, her second mission was to find Bruce.

They had survived the end of the world; it was time for that talk.

Opposite the war room, another of similar size and arrangement waited with doors open wide to receive the dead. No low table graced the center, instead many bed rolls had been laid out. An attendant stepped forward at the sight of Steve and the burden he bore, to lay another at the farthest end.

Torches hung along the walls, casting a flickering light across the row of fallen warriors as Steve laid Vision gently on the mat. A bench was placed at Vision’s feet and Wanda crumpled onto it.

Steve sat next to her, wrapping an arm around her trembling shoulders. Vision was gone, Shay was barely alive. They had taken relatively few losses, but each man and woman laid in this hall had someone who loved them.

A lone figure stood at attention near the front of the room, the purple draped across the warrior’s proud shoulders matched the cloth laid in honour over the figure at his feet.

Shay had been laid upon a bed under a crescent shaped scanner, and her friends were ushered out to watch from beyond the glass.

She had been wounded, and she had taken so much pain into her own body that it was tearing her apart from the inside. The meds blocked her pain receptors, yes, but her muscles had already responded to what her brain believed was life threatening injury, wrapping around un-injured bones and organs to ‘protect’ her from further harm.  Every time the pain returned, they tore themselves apart to try and save her. Millions of muscle fibers ripped across each other like Velcro, creating new micro bleeds even as they cut off supply to the veins of her extremities.  

Every ounce of surgical skill, Wakandan tech and magic were needed to stop the terrible cycle.

Shuri placed a bead under Shay’s neck, and tapped at the screen. A pulsing light indicated that the temporary disruption of nerve signals had been successful, leaving only the basic functions necessary to keep her heart and lungs going. The rest of her muscles slowly unwound as Dr. Strange manipulated energy and micro nanites through her body.

It was painfully slow going and they worked intently under the watchful gaze of golden eyes.

The wolf had refused to leave and now he sat in silent vigil with his back to the glass door, Bucky slumped against the wall outside, unwilling to leave but no longer able to bear watching them work. Four Merchant Warriors took turns standing guard at the end of the hall, and Bucky could just see a sliver of the green cloaked Asgardian under the door of a nearby room.

Loki too seemed to be holding vigil, and Bucky wondered why. His demeanor had shifted suddenly after restarting Shay’s heart and the eyes that looked down at her in pity one moment, had regarded her with a strange and tender intensity the next.

Shay found herself in the clearing, standing on the edge of a small stream and looking on as Thanos fought off Loki and Hulk, throwing Steve and Bucky aside as though they weighed nothing at all.

She felt no fear and no pain, the fight before her had already been decided and she was at peace with the outcome.

Sam flew in next firing his guns. And he was floating, rolling away slowly over rough ground, his arms protecting his head.

She was not alone as she watched herself descend behind Thanos.

The angel used the distraction provided by Thor to land lightly on the Titans back. The curved spikes she pulled from her hair were made of bone with a steel core that ran through to the sharp pointed ends she now imbedded in the joining of purple neck and shoulder.

“You proved you measure.” She said calmly to the tall figure at her side before looking up at him.

Loki glanced from her face to the ground and back to the scene before them. It seemed to be frozen in the moment the angel had glowed gold.

“I… I thank you.” He felt as though he’d been called into the throne room for the first time, and embarrassment coloured his acceptance of her words. He felt that she knew him, knew how he had looked down at her at their first meeting, how he’d looked down on her race all his life. Loki was shamed.

“Why are you here?” She asked, though her eyes showed that she knew that as well.

His eyes locked on the distant image of her, winged and glowing from each scar and mark on her body. “Why?” He scoffed; at her, at himself, at the burning in his head. “I shared your rage; your vengeance was warranted. You had every reason to tear him apart for what you lost. He was a monster.”

His tone was pleading and bitter and condemning.

Shay touched his arm gently. “A monster like you?”

Her soft words felled him. His knees hit soft mossy earth and when he again opened his eyes, he was kneeling in a very different forest. Shay sat next to him on a boulder and pine trees shaded them from the hot sun.

“He thought he was right, he thought he was doing what was necessary. He was terrible, he was wrong, and he was cruel. I knew his heart and I knew that I could not let him live. But that is not what troubles you.” She smiled at him gently and for all that he had lived a millennium longer, he felt like a young child at a grandmother’s knee. “Death was a just sentence, and…” she looked at her own hands, soft golden light lingered around them. “It was just and necessary. But he lived once, was a child, felt pain and hunger and loss.”

Loki choked on her compassion. Her scars still burned brightly in his mind. “So did you.”

Shay smiled again, knowing what he left unspoken.

So did I, but you didn’t become what we became.

“Monsters are not simply: born or made, they make choices. I choose mercy.” So can you, Loki Frigga’s Son.

Loki faded out of the projection and back into his own mind, warmed, comforted and deeply shaken. The image of an Angel, her golden wings spread wide seemed burned into the back of his eyelids. He sat there for long minutes, as her presence in the room down the hall grew stronger.

His reflections were disrupted by the door swinging open.

“What is wrong brother?”

Thor’s concern broke through the last layer of Loki’s defenses.

“I thought- I believed you were dead. My fault- my greed for power, for the tesseract, even after we fought Hela to save Asgard, costed me my brother.”

Thor was amazed at the open emotion on the face that had been so long guarded, he accepted the offered hand-clasp and with a wide grin said, “you’ve faked your death too many times Loki, now perhaps you’ll know how it feels.”

Unspoken in their embrace was the love of true brothers, long divided, united once again.

“Still with the black eyepatch? I thought you might have found something with a little more… style.” Loki teased.

Rhodey and Sam, having grown restless waiting outside the operating room for news of Shay’s condition and desperately needing something to do, had taken a ship to go collect Sam’s fallen wings. When they returned it was to a city awake and alive again.

People poured from the mountain like smoke as the news spread like wildfire. In the coming days there would be time for celebrations, reporters would come and the world would dance with them. Not yet. There had been losses, not many it was true, but they deserved to be mourned and sung for.

Healing was needed, and their healer, their Angel had already given all that she had.

Inspired by the words Nakia spoke of her sacrifice in battle, the people of Wakanda got to work.

Groups of men scoured the battle field for fallen weapons, controlled fires burned away the tainted grass. The ruts created by the machines were filled in and leveled and the shallow river was set back in its proper course. Families worked together to sweep the city streets and cook great vats of stew and rice, meat and bread over open fires.

They would carry the flame through the night.

Shay sat on the boulder, alone now, and at peace. The sun set in the west and shadows bathed the clearing. Black night, clear as still-water. Stars shone and the aurora borealis danced.

They came to her there in the clearing where she’d once lain in the snow. The same clearing where they had been laid to rest.

Pipon, whose name meant Winter. And Mahikan, white wolf, pale as moonlight.

She’d carried them into battle, and they were with her when she ended it. Her guardians.

Three voices called out across the clearing.

One wolf answered, his joy ringing through a palace in Wakanda.

Chapter Text

Tony and Peter were huddled over something on the bed, their backs blocking any view from the door.

“If we adapt the fuel source from my wrecked suit, we could give it more flight time.”

“What we really need is more movement in the feathers, look, if we add a joint here and give those engines a quarter inch more space, we can maximize lift.”

Clint watched from the door, waiting for them to notice his presence as they tinkered on the Angel suit.

“Feathered wings? A bit much don’t you think?”

Tony and Peter both jumped at the sound of his voice.

“Yeah, well you’re talking to the kid who got bit by a spider and made web shooters and a spiderman onesie, subtle isn’t exactly his thing.” Tony said smirking at his protégé.

“Hey!” Peter objected from underneath the outspread wing.

“You sure he didn’t get that from you?” Clint quipped back.

Tony was about to reply, a saucy grin on his face, when they heard the wolf howl and everyone froze.

Peter pushed the wing off himself and sat up. “Tony?”  his voice was shaking and tears rimmed his eyes as the cry vibrated through him and faded. “Shay’s back.”

“What do you mean back, Pete?” Tony asked, worried by Peter’s reaction.

“Her glow, it’s back! When she fell, after Thanos dusted- it just faded out, that’s when Pip howled and he must have felt it go too, and I’d just gotten so used to it always being there, you know? I could always feel it, even across New York, but it was really gone and I thought that meant- and then she started breathing again and it still didn’t- but its back now, the glow. Shay’s really back.”

Her senses woke first, immediately aware of the presence of two people in the room. Pippin’s wet nose found her left palm and the warm current of their bond filled her with a feeling of love and comfort. She struggled to open her eyes, the heaviness of deep sleep still pressing on her.

Her right hand was suddenly enveloped in the cool air of the room and the sound of a chair being pushed back as her eyes opened.

“I’ll go tell the others.” Bucky’s voice was oddly stiff and he left the room before she could read anything in the inscrutable expression he wore.

“Welcome back.” Loki’s voice was warm as sunshine and Shay opened her eyes to see his wide smile and offered hand. “I don’t think we’ve been properly introduced.”

She accepted it and the contact of their hands glowed.

“I am Loki, Frigga’s son, brother of Thor, co-regent of Asgard.”

“Sharice Wilder-” Shay answered matching his polite manner, “Angel and daughter of Earth, it is a pleasure to properly meet you, Loki.” Her eyes sparkled with amusement at their first meeting.

“The pleasure is mine, Lady Mercy.”

Shay’s face fell, as the memory of battle returned in a rush. “How many?”

Loki told her of the eight who lay in the hall.

Tears tracked down Shay’s cheeks as T’Kazu’s last moments replayed in her mind. The natural current of her magic flowed through their connected palms and Loki shared in her grief.

Clipped tones in the hall interrupted the silence and Shay looked up as the door swung sharply open.

Several things happened at once. Pippin’s ears stiffened in alert, the lips pulling back slightly in warning growl. Loki materialized a staff and stood just out of sight of the door at the ready.

“Sharice, you’re awake!” Shuri nearly shouted, moving as though she would throw herself on the bed only to be stopped short by the broad side of Okoye’s spear.

“What did I just say, Princess? Calm and quiet.” Okoye said, her tone low and sharp as her spears tip. “Sharice needs rest, if you two can’t follow such a simple command I will show you the way out.”

T’Challa held up his hands in a show of peace and chuckled. “Okoye, you are supposed to answer to the king, not order me around.”

Okoye’s stance shifted and she stood at attention between Shay and her visitors. “I do what I must to protect the king, but the protectors of Sharice would not hesitate to set steel to either of your royal skins, if they thought you threatened her healing.”

The way she spoke made it difficult to determine whether or not she counted herself among those protectors. At her words, Loki stepped out of the shadows and Shay watched the knife behind his back vanish again as he gave a short bow to her.

Okoye returned the bow and turned back to T’Challa. “In all other matters, you know I answer to the throne. But in this case. You are king of Wakanda, but Sharice is the Angel of the world.”

“Of all worlds.” Loki added solemnly, setting his staff on the floor beside the wolf.

T’Challa did not react immediately and if Shay hadn’t sensed his thoughtful approval, she may have been worried. When he spoke, it was with a smile that lifted one side of his mouth with affectionate amusement.

“I will take that under-advisement Okoye, Shuri and I will restrain our enthusiasm, if we might be allowed to address our friend and sister?”

Loki and Okoye both looked to Shay for answer and stepped aside when she nodded her agreement. Shuri and T’Challa approached more gently.

“Sharice, how are you feeling?” Shuri asked, pressing Shay’s hand gently in her own.

“I’m alright, tired, but ok.” Shay tried to smile, but the effect was more a grimace.

“Where does it hurt? The medication I gave you should last another hour at least; do you need another dose?”

Shay shook her head, her eyes closing for a moment as tears pressed through her lashes.

T’Challa spoke for her, “it’s not that kind of hurt Shuri.”

Eight dead.

T’Kazu, Vision, one Dora, two of the kings-guard, two from the border tribe and one of the Jabari warriors.

A hundred more had been taken with serious injury to the medical tents, but their recovery was assured.

Eight Warriors laid in state in the hall of honour.

Far less than they had had reason to fear. Each man and woman who stepped onto the battle field had understood that death was more likely than victory.

They had however, been victorious.

Eight deaths were a small price to pay for the survival of all worlds. So, the statistics and strategists would say.

Eight men and women who would never again rise from their beds to embrace those who loved them. It was too high a price still for those whose arms would now be forever empty.

Chapter Text

Shay, supported by folded angel wings and with Pippin at her side walked out of the hospital to meet the waiting Enoka family.

Janda rushed from the group to pull her into a desperate hug, filling her with the conflicted emotions that shook the slim shoulders in her arms. Sorrow and relief. Shay wrapped her adopted niece in the glow as the family enveloped them.

The joy of Shay’s return tempered by their shared grief of T’Kazu’s loss could be heard as they raised their voices in song.

For three days the people of Wakanda walked in mourning.

A procession of singing and dancing to celebrate the lives of the ones they loved.

On the fourth day Vision was laid to rest with honour alongside T’Kazu in the sacred place of burial reserved for warriors.

The U.S. Secretary of Defence had attempted to claim the android’s body, but was quickly and completely shot down by T’Challa. The vibranium to create him had originally been stolen from Wakanda, and the King of Wakanda would bury Vision as he saw fit.

After the funeral Shay had retreated to the small bungalow. The constant flow of people in the palace had been rather exhausting. And after what happened… What she really needed was the quiet company of her closest friends, Steve and Sam had walked with her through the minefield of nightmares before. Nat had offered to join her too, but Shay hadn’t wanted to disrupt the tentative first steps of whatever relationship her and Banner were building.

Shay stretched out on the sofa, leaning on Steve as they watched Tony fielding questions from the flock of reporters on the tv.

“You’re expecting us to believe that some alien army showed up and there’s no evidence?”

“Was this another Loki attack?”

“Is this some kind of hoax perpetrated by the Avengers to rebuild public trust?”

Tony snorted and activated a pair of gauntlets in warning as the crowd pressed in closer. It was the fierce glare of Pepper at his side that had the crowd stepping back.

“The attack on New York was Thanos’s handiwork, he simply used Loki as his puppet. be glad none of you have endured the kind of mind twisting that sicko was capable of. As for evidence, we have plenty of footage, so if you would ‘please’ allow me to get out of the way, you can all enjoy the show and decide for yourselves.”

Steve hit the remote and the screen went black.

“Tony seems to have a handle on things.”

“He’s always been good at working a crowd, and he’s better with Pepper around.” Shay answered thoughtfully.

“They're going to want to talk to you too, once the footage is out there.”

“I know.”

The world was hungry for news, everyone wanted to know just how close the thing had been, to be reassured the danger had passed.

Steve’s jaw worked silently and the arm around Shay tightened slightly at the idea of press hounding her. “You don’t have to do it, you know, you don’t owe anyone anything Shay.”

That statement sent her mind into another unrelated spiral. I don’t owe anyone? That’s not quite the truth, is it?

T’Kazu had always been on her case about living her own life, not to waste a moment. Though the grief had grown dull, his voice still seemed to call out to her through open doors and down corridors. The memory of his laughter as he called her cousin and introduced her to some new thing- so real in her mind

"Live a little, Cousin.”

He wanted her to live. That was the first promise, the second… Well, James would have to actually ask before she could answer. And she hadn’t seen him since the funeral.

“Bucky stopped by when you were sleeping earlier.” Steve said, trying to sound casual.

Shay sucked in a slow breath, feeling like he’d read her mind, trying to understand how she felt about the distance James had put between them. “How is- is he ok, you think?”

“Bucky’s… yeah, he’ll be ok.” Steve answered slowly. “He’s been going back to see Ena. Says it’s helping.”

“That’s good. He looks… he looked good. Lighter, you know? -before.”

“He is still, considering everything that’s happened.”

“I had thought, that out here, just us three- I thought he might stay here too.” Shay half-whispered the hope that had been dashed. He’d come to visit. While she was sleeping. He didn’t stay.

“Bucky said he had to go home.” Steve repeated his friend’s excuse, but the words seemed feeble from his own lips. “Apparently there’s a herd of goats he’s got to look after.”

Several miles away Sam was watching Bucky pull apart a bale of hay as goat kids nibbled at his shoes and tried to climb his back.

“Goats. That’s your excuse? Really man?” Sam shooed the littlest blond lamb away from its contest with his shinbone.

Bucky grunted, shredding the dry grass unnecessarily fine and ignoring Sam entirely.

“You couldn’t stay with us and come down here a couple times a day to do-” Sam waved his hand around the paddock, “-whatever you need to do?”

“Drop it, Sam.”

“Ok, alright, I’ll drop it- when you tell me what’s really going on.”

Sam was staring him down, his arms crossed.

Bucky sighed, dusting his hands off and straightening up. “I don’t know what you want me to tell you.”

“Why are you avoiding Shay?”

“She doesn’t- there are enough people around who want something from her right now. She doesn’t need me.” These last words seemed to slip out without his permission and he looked at his fists, clenching.

“Shay tell you that?”

No. Bucky merely glared at Sam; his teeth clenched stubbornly against more unintended words.

“I know Shay, Buck, and I know she needs you, even if she won’t say it. She’s been trying to be ok with whatever you’re working through, but its you she asks for when she wakes up at night.”

Sam looked worried and like he knew he’d struck the knockout blow at the same time.

“Nightmares?” the word felt gritty on his tongue. “They started again?”

“They never stopped, but they’re worse now.”

Sam explained the events that led to the move out of the palace as Steve had relayed it to him.

-

“When can I leave?” was Shay’s first question at Dr. Strange’s sudden appearance.

“I’d prefer to keep you here for another night, but if everything continues as it has, I don’t see why you can’t get out tomorrow morning. I would suggest that you take it easy and not heal anyone until your energy signature returns to normal.” He checked her vitals using another hovering spell and when he was satisfied, pulled a packet of pain meds from the bag he carried and calibrated a dose.

“I don’t want it.” Shay had said quickly, struggling to suppress the pain and raising her hands as though attempting to ward off a blow.

“You are in pain, are you not?” Strange asked, confused and a little condescending as he moved closer.

Loki’s staff barred the way, and Strange took a tiny step back at the flash of anger he read in the pale face, before the Asgardian looked back at Shay with transparent worry.

“I don’t need it, please, don’t-”

Her eyes were a little wild now and Steve, noticing the signs of a panic attack leaned back away from her, splaying both his hands where she could see them.

Pippin made a low grumbling sound in his throat and leapt onto the bed, laying his full weight across her legs and torso.

“Shay, it’s ok. No one is going to hurt you, you’re safe. Breathe with me, ok?” Steve said, keeping his voice even and slow. “That’s it, just breathe, in and out.”

Shay was there, breathing in and out at his command but her eyes moved rapidly, seeing something Steve and Strange couldn’t.

“She fears the medicine.” Loki said, his voice distant as green light glimmered in his palm an inch from her foot.

“Why?” Dr. Strange asked.

“It is difficult to see clearly... She has been incapacitated before, by the designs of others.” Loki’s eyes widened and he inhaled sharply. “She would rather be in pain than without her senses.”

-

Bucky stiffened and it felt as though his teeth might break as they clenched again.

She’d told him at that party Stark had thrown, forever ago. She didn’t get drunk; it dulled her sense. He had seen the flicker of a painful memory cross her face as she’d said it, had wondered what it might mean.

Then there was the collar she’d been subjected to on the raft. Okoye had been deeply affected by the sight of it and the impression it had left on Shay, something she still brought up from time to time when she trained the White Wolf to fight like the Dora Milage. “If the Angel can fight for her life with that horrible device on her neck, you can learn to fight with one arm.”

The second attack had come as a surprise. But this time Friday had caught it on camera. Sam pulled it up on his phone, but he hesitated, not sure how well Bucky would take it.

“Show me.” Bucky demanded.

“This was just after the funeral.”

Shay had laid on the couch in the apartment suite made available to them, with Wanda and Peter in arms reach and Loki in an opposite chair watching the door.

Shay had fallen asleep quickly, exhausted. Soon she was shifting, her eyelids flickering rapidly as the dreams came on. Peter had been too quick, taking her hand before Wanda could warn him off.

And in the blink of an eye the room was filled with red vapour, and Shay’s eyes flashed open in panic.

Someone was screaming. Pain jerked through her body and Shay seemed lost, her eyes unfocused.

Loki’s voice broke through the fog though his lips didn’t move. “Peace, Lady Mercy, none here will harm you.”

And then she seemed to see again. The vapour disappeared and Wanda’s scream faded to soft sobs. Peter was curled in a ball and Loki stretched experimentally as the stiffness left him.

Shay apologized, begged to heal them. But Wanda refused to let her take back the pain and fear she had unwittingly shared. She wasn’t supposed to heal anyone yet. Peter tried to look strong, but his fingers trembled as his advanced healing flushed the adrenaline from his system.

The merest glance past between them and Loki carried Shay from the room as though she weighed nothing.

-

“She’s been doing the recalibrating- whatever. The headset thing they did with you.” Sam murmured to Bucky’s frozen frame.

Goats tugged on Sam’s shoelaces and bleated for treats as the sun warmed his skin.

“Ok.” Bucky finally answered. "I'll come back."

Chapter Text

The sessions to identify and desensitize Shay’s triggers were grueling, and she was grateful for Loki’s presence. He could sense when she was reaching her limits better than she could herself.

There was something uncanny about the bond they had formed through the nature of the magic they had in common, it continued to unnerve everyone around them, especially the Avengers who fought against him before. But Shay trusted him, implicitly. And Loki had fought with them and helped save her life. That would have to be enough for her friends.

A glance of her tired eyes and Loki was placing a hand on the technician’s arm.

“I think that’s quite enough for today, thank you.”

Deft hands flipped switches, and the cradle powered down.

Shay accepted the offered hand as she lifted herself from the chair and Loki tucked her hand into his arm in a way that disguised how heavily she leaned on it for support.

“Have you heard from Thor lately?” Shay asked as the elevator carried them to the ground level. The statesmen had been orbiting for two days now and she knew Loki was anxious about Thor’s mission.

“Yes, he called last night, he and Banner have managed to convince the Norwegians to allow our people a tract of land to rebuild.”

There was no hint of bitterness in his tone, but Shay could feel his frustration and she sent a wave of understanding comfort through her palm. The warmth of it broke through his cool façade.

“I should be there, Thor was never taught to navigate the delicacies of diplomacy, he was taught to rule with absolute authority. I don’t begrudge him the throne, not anymore, but now, here, I could be of use and I can’t even go to meet my people.”

The words rushed in a torrent from his lips and he stopped, turning to face her, willing her to see his side of things, the way he’d often tried to argue his case before. He’d been left behind in Wakanda as his brother went to secure a new home for Asgard. Loki’s history on Earth wasn’t something that could be easily overlooked, and few believed the story that he had changed sides.

“I understand.”

And she did, of course she did.

The momentary relief of being understood was broken by the sounds of shouting just outside the palace doors. Loki turned, tense, a staff appearing in his hand, ready.

“Is that Loki?”

“Why is a villain roaming around freely?”

“Angel, Angel, is Loki mind-controlling you?”

Shay placed a soothing hand on Loki’s arm and golden light crept from her other hand to test the intentions of those beyond the glass.

“Reporters. I knew they’d find me eventually.”

“They ought to leave you in peace.” Loki stated roughly, his eyes still throwing imaginary daggers at the impertinent questioners.

“No, it’s ok Loki, I’d rather get it over with,” she sighed, “besides, I’ve got something to say, and you’ll get me out of there if it gets crazy, right?” the look she gave him wasn’t doubt, just a gentle reminder that she trusted him to keep her safe, and not lose his temper.

Camera’s flashed as Shay stepped out of the palace doors on Loki’s arm. Golden light becoming a near solid barrier at waist height pushed the crowd back several paces. She raised a hand and a hush fell and the flashing and popping of camera’s stopped altogether.

Sam noticed first, having perched on the arm of the couch as Bucky settled into his old room. The TV was playing silently, replaying snapshots of the video Stark had released between Newscasters comments and questions.

A banner ran across the screen.

Breaking news: live broadcast of the Avenging Angel in Wakanda.

“Hey, guys?” Sam asked, his tone strained as Shay stepped in front of the cameras and he hit unmute on the remote. “I think you should see this.”

Steve and Bucky reached the living room just as the crowd on the screen quieted.

“I appreciate that you have questions, but I’d like to say a few things.”

Shay breathed in and out slowly and the viewers seemed to breath with her as she steeled herself to speak again.

“First, Loki fought with us, fought with me against Thanos.” Loki shifted uneasily beside her and her voice grew stronger. “Thanos was the puppet master behind the invasion of New York, and Loki was his puppet. Only time can prove to you all that he has truly changed, but I would ask you to give him that chance.”

Muttering broke out among the reporters and one haughty voice shouted, “he’s got you under a spell!”

Shay flinched, her aura flickering to green.

“Watch how you speak to the Lady, sir.” Loki’s eyes flashed dangerously at the man though he didn’t move from Shay’s side.

“It’s alright Loki, can’t blame them for not understanding.” Her soft words were barely picked up by the camera and she turned back to face the accuser. “How can I prove to you that I’m telling the truth?”

Beats passed and Shay focused on breathing and not crumbling under the pressure as she waited.

“Make him kneel.” There was vindictive pleasure in the heckler’s voice now.

“Yeah!” Several others shouted their agreement, laughing.

Loki shuddered as though the words struck him. Humiliation. Something they believed he would never do of his own free will.

“I won’t.” Shay said, removing her hand from his arm quickly. “Force him to kneel, for your pleasure? To embarrass the bully? What? We fight bad guys and then we become them? No.”

A restless shifting grew amongst the reporters. Uneasy. On the one hand, her words shamed them for their petty power fantasy, on the other hand this could just be another Loki tactic.

“A Prince of Asgard does not take a knee to those beneath him.” Loki spoke with an authority and formality that reminded them forcibly that he was raised in a royal court as rich with manners and proper etiquette as any monarchy on Earth.

The strength of his words left them entirely unprepared for what he did next.

“Lady Mercy.” Loki turned to Shay and dropped to one knee, materializing a sheathed dagger in his raised palms and bowing low. “Take this weapon as my oath, and with it, strike me down if I fail.”

The camera shook slightly as gasps rang out. There was ancient ceremony here, an offering of fealty that even the modern mind could comprehend.

Shay accepted the dagger, and smiled gently at him. “Thank you, Loki Laufeyson.”

She offered him a hand and he bowed over it before rising smoothly to his feet and tucking it into his arm. Shay was again turning to the observers. “I trust that was sufficient? Good, because I still have one more thing to say.”

She was tired now and it showed as she shifted from one foot to the other and leaned more and more heavily on the arm of the man beside her.

“I’m petitioning the President of the United States to pardon Sargent James Buchanon Barnes.”

“The Winter Soldier?” a new voice called out, confused rather than combative.

Bucky couldn’t tear himself away from the screen, though he could feel the looks Steve and Sam passed behind his back as he sunk down onto the couch.

“Sargent Barnes was captured by Hydra, held as a Prisoner of War for nearly seventy years and subjected to nearly every war crime outlawed by the Geneva conventions provision for POW’s. Hydra is responsible for what they have done, don’t punish him for their crimes.”

Shay’s shoulders rose and fell with another long breath and then she was looking into- or rather- through the camera. Bucky felt as though she was looking right through him as she finished speaking.

“Sargent Barnes is a good man, and he deserves to be free.”

The barrier wall shifted, wrapping Shay and Loki in a protective bubble as they made their way through the crowd to the waiting vehicle. From the right angle it was just possible to discern the woven gold and green brocade shimmering over its surface. The many questions that had been burning in the reporters minds mere minutes before had dissolved as the Angel spoke, replaced with a quiet kind of respect.

The impression left behind was of a woman who was tired, bearing a greater weight on her shoulders than the public had seen since her first dramatic debut, being dragged unconscious from the hospital in Poland by heavily armed operatives.

Still, though the price of their salvation had nearly cost her her life, she used her voice to champion the causes of others, to bring peace. And Loki- the monster of Stuttgart and New York, intent on subjugating a people he had seen as weak, showed deference to her.

Shay had been called by many names in her time as an Avenger.

Angel of Sokovia, Angel of Lagos, Angel of lights, the Avengers Golden Girl, and most recently, the Avenging Angel.

And while the title of ‘Angel’ would follow her for the rest of her life, the name that people would call out when they saw her in the street would from now on be Mercy.

Chapter Text

“That was quite a display.” Okoye said once the car doors had closed. “You did well… both of you.” A proud little smirk curling the corner of her mouth in the rear-view mirror as the car picked up speed.

The trill of Loki’s cellphone excused him from finding an appropriate response.

“Hello? Thor?”

Shay smiled out the window as Thor excitedly shouted down the phone.

The Norwegian diplomats had seen the broadcast, they were willing to negotiate for Loki to live with his people in New Asgard. There would be conditions as Bruce reminded them in a more subdued voice.

Shay had faith that it all would work out. Her own phone buzzed and she opened it to see a message from Nat, who was no doubt listening in on the same conversation from the other side.

N- Saw you on TV, not a diplomat hey?

S- Learned it all from you, Nat.

N- Thor’s about ready to give you the kingdom for what you just did.

S- Tell him to keep it, that crown is a little too big for me. 

N- Tell him yourself.

Thor was strolling to the car as they pulled up. The Bifrost pattern burnt into the short grass just beyond him. Sam and Steve watched from the front porch.

“Loki!”

The volume of Thor’s voice was even less restrained than it had been a moment ago, aggressive in his jubilation he embraced Loki in a tight hug. Releasing him and reaching for Shay before Okoye or Loki could intervene. Thor was seconds away from crushing Shay’s ribs when his entire body flopped limply to the ground.

His eye raced uncertainly from Shay to Loki- who looked impressed and deeply amused.

“Hey, don’t look at me, I would have used something sharper.” Loki grinned wickedly and held his hands up in a play at innocence.

“Sorry about that Thor, you scared me.” Shay said, reaching to tap his forearm and free him from the paralysis.

Thor climbed back to his feet and dusted himself off looking a little sheepish. “Please, accept my apologies Lady Shay, I was perhaps a little overeager to thank you.”

“Perhaps…” the tone of her voice was dripping in sarcasm but her eyes crinkled with laughter. “And you are very welcome.”

Thor opened his arms- half shrug, half invitation- and Shay laughed aloud, stepping into his arms for a quick hug that he returned cautiously, as though he was cradling a delicate creature that was just as likely to break as bite.

“Thank you, Shay. Loki’s oath is well given, and you will have the allegiance of Asgard as long as we live, Lady Mercy.”

“I’m glad to see mother’s lessons weren’t completely wasted on you, brother, but there are things we must discuss and Lady Shay is tired.” Loki said, gesturing for Shay to take his arm.

Loki spoke out of the side of his mouth as Steve and Sam watched them walk past. “Much as I enjoyed seeing you drop Thor like a fish, I fear you’ve overstretched yourself again, milady.”

“I think Okoye got a photo.” She said with a weak grin and though she stumbled, Shay waved away Loki’s concern. “Nothing a little rest can’t cure, I’m sure.”

He gave her a little bow at the door, “We shall meet again, Lady Mercy, until then take my deepest gratitude with you.”

“I hope it all goes well for you in Norway, and don’t forget that you can call me if you need help.”

“You’ve already done so much for me…” his voice softened and he dropped his gaze to the floor.

“Call if you need a friend. Goodbye Loki.”

“Farewell.”

Shay let the door swing shut behind her and blinked, waiting for her eyes to adjust to the dim light. Alone.

Pippin was staying with the Enoka’s; an extension of herself to protect and comfort them in their grief. She didn’t mind being alone, she was safe enough with Steve and Sam outside. The coffee mug on the table, the gym bag at the back door, a dozen things that resonated with their presence in her fading senses.

Just like old times, except… James should be here, his boots on the porch, the grip mat in the dishrack next to his favorite tin mug.

But the dishrack was empty.

Shay turned away from the heartache. Sleep, that’s what she needed. Another sense hummed under her skin pleasantly, a familiar presence as she walked down the hall. A dream surely. Her mind playing tricks. That’s all, it must be.

She knocked on the door opposite hers without thinking, as though some other power lifted her hand.

Bucky opened the door to see Shay standing there. “Hey.”

She looked at him like he was an apparition that would disappear if she blinked.

Shay opened her mouth, but the words weren’t there. Her brain had been in the scrambler and it had apparently decided now was a good time to shut down completely.

“Are you ok?” Bucky asked.

His eyebrows scrunched in worry and she shook her head to say she was fine but had to squeeze her eyes shut as the world suddenly spun, setting off angry sparks inside her skull. She didn’t flinch away when his hand braced under her elbow and she was gently pulled forward and sat on the bed.

“Shay?” The concern in his voice pulled her back to the surface and she took a breath of air like she’d been drowning.

“I’m ok, just…” she waved at her head.

“You were in the cradle.” Bucky finished, understanding. “Sam told me.”

“Brutal- Don’t know how you did it.”

It hadn’t been easy, but he’d had super serum healing to take the edge off. Shay with her hyper-sense must be in incredible pain.

“Stay here, I’ll be right back.” Bucky patted his pillow and Shay shrugged, wincing again.

“All-right.” She slurred her agreement, in no condition to refuse.

She was slumped against the headboard when he returned with a glass and a yellow packet.

“Got you some water and pain meds.” He helped her hold the glass, stopping it from spilling as her hand trembled.

Her body was going into shock, the recal-therapy and press gauntlet had exhausted her, but freezing and re-invigorating Thor had tipped her over the edge.

Bucky didn’t want to add a panic attack to the mix so he pressed the packet into her hand but it fell from her limp fingers.

“Come on Angel, you’ve got to help me out here.”

*trust*

The sense spoke for her and he tried not to let the meaning of it distract him as he read the instructions on the package, settling for a ¾ dose and hoping that would be enough. A soft hiss escaped as the packet dispensed into her arm. Bucky shifted her gently so she could lay her head on the pillow.

The sharp edge of her pain dulled to a throbbing heat and Shay sighed as cool metallic fingers brushed the hair from her face.

“Need anything else?”

“mm- no,” she mumbled.

“Okay Shay, you rest, I’ll just be outside-”

Bucky had half risen from the bed when she gripped his hand frantically, her words clear though her eyes were still glassy and unfocused.

“Please, stay?”

He couldn’t refuse her, half-delirious as she was. Stay. Nor could he tell her how that word burnt in his heart. Stay? She couldn’t know what she was asking, what he wished it meant.

“Alright Angel, I’ll stay.”

Shay settled back on the pillow, her hand still clasping his tightly.

Chapter Text

Shay woke slowly from her stupor. The headache had evaporated but the dull ache in her legs remained.

She kept her eyes closed, not wanting the dream to crumble. Bucky had come back to her, taken care of her. Most importantly, he’d stayed. Her fingers tightened around the last fragment of the dream, and found a smooth metal hand in hers. Warm.

“James?”

“Yeah?”

“Are you really here? Or is this all just happening in my head?” There was a hazy kind of panic in her eyes.

“What? No, I’m here.” Bucky answered quickly, stumbling over what she needed to know. “You passed out about an hour ago, we’re in my room in the bungalow, Steve and Sam are in the living room.”

Shay looked at him for a minute, as though struggling to believe. And then she closed her eyes, holding onto his hand like it would dissolve at any moment. When she opened her eyes and found him still sitting there on the floor, the breath she’d held back escaped in a rush.

“You stayed.” Relief washed over her face.

“I made a promise.”

He’d meant to say it lightly, but guilt graveled his tone and he looked away hastily.

“Are you ok?” Shay asked. Cautiously, gently, she continued: “I haven’t seen you since- Loki told me that you stayed, until I woke up. He said you hurt your leg, but you wouldn’t let the doctors touch it.”

“No!” Bucky jerked away from her offered hand. Seeing her shock, he quickly tried to appease her. “Please, my leg is fine, I promise. Besides, you’re not supposed to heal anyone until you’ve recovered.”

“I’m fine.” Shay said defensively. “Strange cleared me a week ago.”

“Sure, that’s why you passed out on my bed, cause you’re fine.”

Shay sighed, releasing his prosthetic hand. She pushed herself into a sitting position and ran the other hand over her face. “You’re right, much as I hate to admit it. I just- I was fine, I was ok, you know? And then…”

“Sam told me.” Bucky hastily added.

“How much did he say?”

He was relieved not to hear anger in her voice, only reserve. “He, ah… everything, I think. Panic, nightmares, recal-therapy.”

“He tell you that I attacked Wanda and Peter?” she looked at him now, waiting for the reaction: fear or pity, unsure which would be worse.

“I saw the tape.” Bucky kept his voice even, refusing to flinch away from the self-reproach that twisted her mouth. “Look, I’ve been where you are. It’s not your fault Shay, and it will get better, I promise.”

“You’ve got to stop making promises Barnes.” Shay half-laughed, but there was a bitter edge to it.

“I meant what I said.”

Shay shook her head a little and swung her legs off the bed so she was sitting a few inches from Bucky’s position on the floor. “You quit taking our calls months ago. Shuri had to explain why, I wasn’t- I’m not angry, I just… I wish you would’ve told me yourself.” she sighed and a sense of loss permeated the air around her. “None of that mattered when we showed up here because the world was ending and- and now?”

Shay’s voice dropped away and she rubbed her hands anxiously. She traced the silver scar across her left palm with her thumb and Bucky turned his back to the bed. “Now I don’t know what’s going on with you, you’ve been avoiding me for the last week and I don’t know why.”

The silence stretched between them, and a faint green-gold wisp curled from her finger tips before she curled them tightly into her palms.

“You died Shay.” Bucky barked, his voice ringing sharp in the painful silence. “I- I’m the white wolf, I swore to protect you, and I failed.” he pulled his knees up to his chest and buried his face in his forearms and his last words came out in a hoarse whisper. “I watched you die Shay, and I couldn’t do anything to stop it.”

Shay took a halting breath. Her hand hesitating over his back for a beat before she deliberately placed it on the metal shoulder. Bucky registered the strangely electric sensation of her thumb rubbing little circles, unsure if it was for his comfort or hers.

The synthetic nerves had been Shuri’s idea, theorizing that it would help the phantom pain if the prosthetic could simulate normal stimuli. Bucky had been working on getting used to the new arm all week, and though it was getting better it still didn’t feel quite right.

Bucky cleared his throat gently. “I went to therapy, after you… you needed to rest, not watch me fall apart.”

“You were trying not to burden me.” Shay said, understanding dawning all at once.

“Yeah.”

“I still worried about you; you know.” Her grip on his shoulder tightened fractionally. “Thought you were going dark on us again.”

“That’s not- not what I wanted. I needed to figure things out for myself, I wasn’t trying to-”

“I know.” Shay cut off his fumbling explanation. “Okoye kept me updated these last few months, with your training and everything... She’s quite proud of you, we all are.” She sighed and stood up, pacing a few steps away before turning back to him with a determined expression. “I missed you, James. So, if you’re going off to be a lone wolf again, I just need to know.”

“White Wolf.”

“What?”

“Not a lone wolf, the White Wolf.” Bucky rose to his feet, meeting her eyes with earnest intensity.

“What- what does that mean exactly?” Shay asked hesitantly. “Are you staying, or-”

“It means that I’m staying. With you. As long as you want me to.”

Bucky took a deliberate step forward. And then another, slower, until Shay was less than an arms length from him. The question he’d been waiting so long to ask, struggled on the tip of his tongue.

“Shay-”

“Hey yo, you two want to eat something?” a loud voice called from the hall and the door behind Shay swung open.

Sam looked from Shay to Bucky and grinned, leaning against the doorframe with his arms folded. “Dinner’s ready.”

Shay blushed and exited the room without a backward glance at either man.

“Wasn’t interrupt anything was I?”

“No. not at all.” Bucky rolled his eyes, his voice dripping in sarcasm. “Wipe that stupid smile off you face Wilson.”

“Or what? You’ll make me?”

Bucky punched him in the shoulder and the blow sent Sam stumbling into the hallway.

“Alright, alright, touchy subject I get it.” Sam said, waving his hands in submission before winking. “Just let me know when you finally get up the nerve to ask her out.”

“Shut up Sam.”

Chapter Text

“Out with it.” Shay prompted Steve with a nudge.

“What?”

“You’ve got that look on your face,” she said, “mother-hen-like.”

Steve attempted to cluck at her and when the sound caught in his teeth,  Shay laughed. He splashed soapy water at her in retaliation and she raised the drying cloth in surrender.

“Uncle!”

“First you compared me to a chicken, and now you’re calling me old?” Steve asked, his fingers dripping and ready to flick more water at her face. “I’m younger than you or did you forget?”

“Not at all. ‘Uncle’ is… it’s what we used to say as kids, like tapping out in a fight. So, we’d call Uncle or mercy and they’d have to stop.” Shay grinned at him and took another dish from the sink. “Didn’t you have a word for that back in the day?”

“Steve never knew how to tap-out, just pass out.” Bucky answered from the door.

Steve gave Bucky a look that said clearer than words- ‘come on, really?’ and shook his head at him. Sam jogged in a moment later and looked from Steve’s raised eyebrow to Bucky’s smug expression.

“I’ma get a water and then you-” Sam pointed at Bucky “-are gonna explain whatever I just missed.”

Shay turned back to the task at hand as the guys migrated to the couches across the room. There was something so comforting about the mundane task of drying the dishes. The familiar sounds of her favorite people filling the space around her.

“So, what were you going to ask?” She said as she waited for Steve to finish scrubbing the pot.

“How are you really doing?”

Steve’s eyebrows scrunched together and he regarded her seriously as she considered the answer.

“I’m alright, better now.” Shay lapsed into silence for a moment rubbing her fingertips together and analysing the ease of flow. “It was a long session today, and I hadn’t anticipated the press or Thor being a giant idiot.”

“And Loki’s gone.”

Shay nodded slowly, aware that Bucky’s attention had snapped back to them at Steve’s suggestion. “Yeah, I’m not sure that’s sunk in yet. I’m glad he’ll be with his people, where he needs to be, but I can’t deny I’ll miss having him around.”

“I can’t say I understand, but I’m grateful to him, for your sake.” Steve said, passing her the heavy pot. “I was wondering about therapy actually, if you still don’t want to go alone, I’d go with you.”

“I’d appreciate that.” Shay relaxed, smiling and bobbing her head. “Thank you, Steve.”

The gentle chime of her phone seemed to signal the end of the conversation and she set the dry pot on the counter.

Pete       -Hey, don’t know how to tell you this….

-Shay you’re trending on the web

Shay      -Oh no! I’m meltiiiinnnnnggggggggg…….

                -Aren’t you supposed to be in class?

Pete       -I am! P.s. I think my Prof has a bit of a crush on you

                -I can wingman for you if you want

Shay chuckled quietly at Peter’s antics. He had been the first to notice her increased paranoia when Bucky had cut off contact. When Shay had finally admitted the source of her unease, he’d switched from admiring the man to glaring at the poster of the howling commandos every time he saw it and he’d started nagging her to “go out and live life!” a less than subtle attempt to distract her from her worry.

“Who’s got you smiling like that Shay?” Sam asked loudly. “Secret admirer?”

“Peter’s trying to set me up on another date.” Shay answered easily, not looking up from the phone.

She didn’t see the way Bucky’s glare switched from Sam to the phone in her hand, nor did she hear the whispered “another?” that Sam hushed with a jab to the ribs.

“And… he sent a photo.”

“He cute?” Sam questioned. Again- louder than necessary.

“Don’t worry chickadee, he’s got nothing on you.” Shay laughed, slipping the phone back into her pocket and moving to the door. “I’m going to go get Pippin, anyone care to join me?”

“Bucky would love to go,” Sam answered before Steve could. “Right, Buck?”

Bucky was debating the merits of punching Sam in the face, but decided to push him off the couch as he passed instead.

Sam sputtered and flailed but still managed to shout out the door after them: “have fun kids, and don’t do anything I wouldn’t do!”

Steve leaned on the wall with his arms crossed. “You’re having a little too much fun with this, aren’t you.”

“Just trying to help the old man out. At this rate she’ll be old and grey before he figures out that his feelings are mutual.”

“You can’t rush the process Sam, let them figure it out at their own pace.”

“Yeah, yeah, I know. I just want her to be happy, she’s been through enough.”

Steve nodded as he gazed wistfully after his oldest friend and the woman who had become the sister he’d once longed for. “They both have.”

Bucky didn’t seem interested in conversation, so Shay pulled her phone out and read the last message Pete had sent and started on a response as they walked the familiar path from the bungalow to the Enoka family home.

Shay      -I’m on another continent right now Pete.

Peter     -You could come home you know

-The compound is too quiet, its kinda weirding me out to be honest

...............................................................................................  

Shay      -I miss you too, Pete.

-And I’m working on it, there’s just a few things I need to work out here first.

Shay was comfortable with Bucky’s silence, even when -like now- he seemed to be stretched as tight as a drum. So, it startled her when he spoke.

“Peter is Starks kid, the one with the webs, right?”

“Spiderman, yeah. You met him, didn’t you?” Shay asked lightly. “He’s a good kid.”

“Yeah.” He grunted once and turned his attention back to the skyline.

Pippin whined his pleasure as they met in the courtyard, half crawling over her as she knelt to embrace him.

Shay kept the visit short. Memories haunted her here. Carrying the pain to the surface again.

T’Kazu had always met her outside the gate, always helped her navigate the eager aunties, always sat at her right side around the low tables during meals. One voice, one easy laugh and brilliant smile just for her.

Shay blinked away the tears and the apparition vanished.

Mama Anhi insisted on sending an extra basket of food home with them, with remonstrances that didn’t require any knowledge of Xhosa to understand. Urgings for Shay to rest, to eat more, that she needed to look after herself.

Shay shared a rueful look with Bucky as another stack of breads were added to the basket with further mutterings of: “hungry men better not eat all of this, and Mama would add a little more for her daughter.”

Janda walked them to the gate where she hugged Pippin, Shay, and Bucky, who swung her in a wide circle that made her squeal.

Shay soaked in the joy of the moment. It was good to hear laughter here again. And James had undergone a transformation in the last half an hour. He’d spoken easily to the aunties that packed the basket, comfortable with the language and confident. That easy manner was magnified into a brilliant smile as Janda produced a pair of pictures for each of them and Bucky promised to add it to his collection.

That smile dimmed as steady steps beat against stone paving, the solid sound gave way to the soft sound of the dirt track that led home and Buck’s former brittle exterior returned.

“Something eating you?” Shay ventured when she’d grown tired of the sound of grinding teeth and the sensation of mental gears turning had saturated the air around him.

Bucky looked at her with a startled suspicion that faded to uncertainty as she stopped walking. The bungalow was a quarter mile off, its windows glowing as the sun faded from view.

“I’m starting to think…” he trailed off, his eyes darting over her face.

“That’s a good sign.” Shay said, unable to restrain the sarcasm.

He held up a hand, palm out. A plea for patience.

“Sorry,” Shay said, shaking her head apologetically. “Take your time.”

Continuing to walk, though much more slowly now, as though they could delay this conversation forever as long as the road never ran out under their feet.

“I think I might have… misread things.” Bucky ventured, watching the toes of her shoes making little divots in the dust. “The spider-kid said, well he, I think he was trying to protect you. And you’ve been- since I went dark- Shuri said you were doing well, but I didn’t know you were…”

“That I was, what?” Shay asked, feeling her own shoulders tightening, her jaw tensing. Pippin took her right hand in his mouth and she grounded herself against the soft pressure of his teeth on her palm.

Bucky opened his mouth, closed it, then tried again. “Dating- it shouldn’t, I don’t- its not that… I don’t know why I didn’t think, I mean, of course you’d date, if you wanted to… and then Loki-” he clamped his jaw shut again and risked a peek at her face.

A flicker of surprise marked her eyebrows. “Loki was never, he’s-” Shay struggled to find the right words, to explain it as Loki had. “it’s a bond of shared magic, sort of like soulmates. Not romantic, not at all,” she quickly added, “it’s more like… like the bond Pippin and I have. Loki called it something I don’t remember, but the rough translation is like: heart-true kin.”

A modicum of stress evaporated from Bucky’s posture, though his vibranium hand remained fisted.

Shay continued impassively, “and yeah, I went on a few dates, Peter was insistent and I appeased him. Don’t think I’m cut out for it anymore, not that I ever really was.” Shay smiled, a small wry grin to her feet.

Bucky racked his memory. No, Shay hadn’t gone out with anyone that he’d have known about in all the time he'd known her. But then, she’d usually been babysitting him or trying to keep them all alive. And he’d left. Too many times.

“Why not?” he finally asked.

“Before I became an Avenger, I’d have said I was too paranoid, never let anyone get close enough to give them a chance.”

“And now?”

“Now it’s a little difficult to tell if guys are interested in me or just my gift and hero connections,” Shay said lightly. “The truth is, there is a guy I care about. And nobody I’ve met ever measures up to him.”

There was that smile again and Bucky’s gut twisted at the sight of it. he couldn’t ask, couldn’t dare hope.

“I’m just waiting for him to ask the right question.” Shay finally looked at him, the soft curl of her lips tempting him. “I made a promise Barnes, and one day, when you’re ready, I’ll keep it.”

Chapter Text

“What the US is offering is not something you should dismiss out of hand, Ms. Wilder. The presidential medal of freedom, medal of honor and,” Everett Ross said. He leaned forward confidentially; his hands folded together on the glossy surface of the table. “there’s talk about awarding you a purple heart as well.”

“I’m not U.S. military.” Shay said, her arms folded tight across her chest and sitting stiffly upright against the curved back of the chair. “And I’m not interested.”

“I understand that you’ve not had the most… convivial relationship with the US Military, but this is an olive branch, an opportunity to repair the governments relationship with the Avengers.”

“And a PR stunt that’ll make them look good to the public.” Sam added cynically. He’d been standing over Shay’s shoulder for the last ten minutes, glaring daggers at Ross.

“I won’t deny that’s part of this whole song and dance, look, you know how it works Sam, the public needs to see their heroes and their government can cooperate in the interests of national security. And we both know that Ms. Wilder has more than earned the accolades she’s being offered.” Everett spread his hands wide and straightened up. “All we ask is that you attend the award ceremony Miss…”

“I’d rather not.” Shay stated bluntly, uncrossing her arms and leaning back, “and you can call me Sharice.”

Everett mirrored her posture and raised an eyebrow. “Is that your name? Sharice Wilder?”

“It’s the one on my ID.”

“That’s not exactly what I asked.” Everett waited for a count of four and when she didn’t offer more, he waved it away. “Alright, Sharice. What will it take to convince you?”

“To attend a fancy party and be given shiny medals for killing someone?” Shay’s tone was dry and even, her face impassive. But she wasn’t fooling anyone. Her fingernails were gauging into her palms and her heel had been tapping a staccato beat into the floor ever since she sat down.

“For risking your life to save so many more.” Everett answered, his expression softening. “You did what you had to do.”

Shay looked down sharply and the tapping stopped.

“What does Shay get out of this?” Sam stepped forward to say.

“What do you want?” Everett directed the question to Shay.

Shay chewed on her lip and her fingers began the distinct winding motion, calm filled the room like an evening breeze. “I’m not the only one who fought Thanos, I shouldn’t be rewarded just because I was the one that succeeded.”

“Would an address to thank the Avengers for their service suffice?”

Shay nodded slowly, “if you include Sargent Barnes and Loki.”

“Loki is on house arrest with the Asgardians, but I suppose if Thor attends..." Everett considered the possibilities. Having Loki acknowledged by the US as a redeemed villain. "We can work with that. As for Barnes he will be arrested and brought to trial the moment he steps foot on US soil.”

“Bucky was a p.o.w. for seventy years, he is not responsible for Hydra’s actions.” Sam objected, restrained fury evident in the tight coil of fists and the tension in his jaw.

“And he’ll have the opportunity to prove it, at trial.” Everett responded.

“That’ll take years, and what happens in the meantime? He goes to prison?”

“He’s a flight risk and dangerous, we can’t exactly offer him bail.”

“That’s not good enough Ross.”

“I understand this is difficult but justice requires a trial.” Everett said, gritting his teeth.

“And the wheels turn slowly, you know that.” Shay sighed and leaned forward, suddenly intense. “I will attend your fancy party, and I will accept your shiny awards, but these are my conditions: The Avengers are recognized, including Loki, Sargent Barnes and Dr. Strange if he wishes it- and Barnes is pardoned and given the pension he was due as a Sargent in the forties.”

“That’s a big ask, Sharice.”

“I’m not asking, Everett.” Shay said with cool finality, rising as Sam pulled out her chair. “Those are my conditions.”

“I might be able to convince the higher-ups to hold a trial at short notice but Barnes will still have to be held until the verdict is given.”

“Do better.” Shay said, holding her head high and staring him down.

Everett shifted, folded his hands and finally blinked. “Trial to be held in Wakanda, if you’ll be his surety.”

“Done.” Shay answered, offering her hand.

Everett Ross stood also, eyeing her hand with apprehension for a long moment before matching her grip and shaking firmly. “I’ll be in touch with the details, thank you for your time.”

“Likewise.” Shay dipped her head in acknowledgement and exited the room.

“I’m not saying you were wrong back there, but Shay, if things don’t work out?” Sam said, panting a little as he caught up to her a minute later. “If they put out an arrest warrant for him and he doesn’t surrender, you’ll be on the line for it.”

Shay didn’t slow, just glanced at him and over her shoulder once. “I know.”

“The Accords would send you to the raft for assisting a convicted ‘gifted person’ Shay, come on, slow down, we need to talk about this.”

Shay stopped and faced him. “I know the risks Sam. And he’ll win his case, he has to.”

“And if he doesn’t?” Sam insisted. 

“If he is convicted"- Her eyes darkened and Sam felt the tingle of dread that signaled her defensiveness. It wasn’t directed at him but it still brought the hairs on his neck to attention. -"They'd never find either of us."

Sam put a hand on her shoulder. “Again, I’m not saying I disagree, but Bucky won’t risk it, not if you put yourself on the line like that. He’d rather go to prison than be the reason you’re under fire.”

“Then we’d better make sure that he never has to make that choice.” Shay swallowed, dropping her gaze and began nodding slowly. “Do you have any connections at the VA that could help? And we’ll need a good lawyer, I’ll talk to Tony.”

“Bucky’s not exactly Tony’s favorite person…” Sam hinted.

“Maybe not, but I’m pretty high on his list at the moment.” Shay smirked wickedly as she pulled the phone from her pocket.

“Tony, am I catching you at a bad time?” Shay asked as she studied the ruffled hair and half lidded eyes on the screen.

Tony rubbed a hand over his eyes with a groan. “It’s 6am Shay, what do you think?”

“Friday wouldn’t have sent the call through if you’d been asleep, I was expecting to leave a message.”

The irish lilt of the AI echoed on Shay’s end. “It’s true Boss, the call was directed as not-urgent. And you have been staring at that worktop for twenty minutes.”

“Traitor,” Tony muttered mutinously, “alright Shay, I’ll bite. What’s up?”

Steve was riding high on the hope Shay and Sam had brought back with them. Strategy was his wheelhouse and planning a defense gave him something to apply himself to.

Bucky wasn’t similarly satisfied, though he didn’t object, unwilling to pop Steve’s cheerful bubble. Instead, he clenched his fists until the knuckles of his right hand shone white. Sam met his deadly glare and refused to blink as he explained the deal that had been reached that morning.

Shay would serve as surety on his behalf, and if he failed to attend court or submit himself to their ruling, she would pay the penalty.

She wasn’t looking in Bucky’s direction, appearing to be preoccupied with the steaming mug of chai in her hands instead of the discussion a hand. Those hands were steady when she lifted the cup to her lips. No hint of regret or worry.

“I’ll be heading back tomorrow,” Sam said, “It’ll be easier to coordinate with the VA in person.”

Steve nudged him with a wink, “not to mention that pretty brunette in Louisiana.”

“I won’t deny that’s an added motive.” Sam grinned and shrugged, “so Bucky, there’s going to be an opening in the night rotation.”

“What?” Bucky asked. He had only been half listening and the mention of his name pulled him from his contemplation of Shay’s face.

Shay raised her hands placatingly, “it’s alright Sam, I’ll be fine on my own. I need to learn how to sleep alone some time, and now’s as good a time as any.”

Steve looked concerned, Sam smirked and Bucky caught her eye and then looked away, the pulse visible in his tense jaw.