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Tony had explained, in scientific terms Steve only partially understood, that they needed the serum to be able to travel. Tony sounded so much like his father when he got going. According to him, Steve was the only one strong enough to endure it right now, and, in order to remake the serum, they needed a blood sample, Steve’s blood sample... from 1942. “The serum has been in your system nearly 100 years. By this point, it has fused too closely with your own DNA. And God only knows what being frozen for 70 years did to it.” Tony had scoured his father’s notes and journals to find out anything he could about the original samples. Most of the information had been lost to time or redacted on government documents, but Tony found one clue - a journal entry by Jarvis, of all people, dated 1946. “The last remaining sample of Steve Roger’s blood is now in the capable hands of Ms. Carter. What Mr. Stark doesn’t know won’t hurt him.”
Natasha called in every favor she could from her contacts who had survived. She finally got her hands on Peggy’s journal. “It’s written in code,” she commented to Steve as she flipped through, “I like her already.” A wry smile crept across her face. Thanos could take everything else, but Natasha would be damned if he took away their friendship, their banter.
She found the entry easily enough; numbers and dates were easy to break. Deciphering the rest of the text took her a few hours. She returned to Steve and broke the news. “She poured it into the East River, her own little memorial on the Brooklyn Bridge.” Bruce appeared in the doorway. “It’s a long shot, but, if we can get to her that night before she drops it,” he paused and grimaced, “damage control would be minimal.”
Steve knew what he meant by damage control. Bruce had already explained the nuances of time travel to him when they discussed going back for Dr. Erskine himself. Each person could only cross his or her own timeline. If they didn’t and interfered with anything or anyone else, a new, alternate future that ran parallel to our own was created. One too many timelines and our reality would collapse on itself. In order to destroy the alternate timelines, Bruce theorized that they needed to terminate anyone besides themselves that they directly encountered. This plan wasn’t perfect, but it was their last-ditch effort, their final hope, and, unfortunately, Peggy had provided them a specific date and time with minimal potential civilian interference. It was the path with the least amount of casualties but the hardest path for Steve to take.
He flipped open the compass once more. He knew what had to be done. He knew everything was at stake. That didn’t make it any easier. “This is gonna work, Steve.” Natasha reassured. “I know it is...” he replied, “‘Cause I don’t know what I’m gonna do if it doesn’t.”
The next morning, Scott helped Steve suit up while explaining everything he knew about the quantum realm and time portals. Scott helped design the device Steve was going to use based on his extended time in the quantum realm. He had been stuck in there for months before he finally escaped by refashioning the technology of his AntMan suit. With a few extra tweaks (and Tony and Bruce’s help), the time travel devices were born. His time in the quantum realm left an impression on Scott. Plucky as he was, some of his fire was gone. By the time he got back, everyone had gotten on (as much as they could) without half the world. He had only just begun to grieve.
“After... it happened I never go anywhere without a backup plan.” Scott patted Steve’s chest pocket. “Just in case.” Steve looked at him, confused. Before he could explain, Tony interrupted. “We’re ready for you, Cap.”
Steve proceeded to the lab where Bruce was waiting. “Are you sure you can do this? This is Aunt Peggy we’re talking about.” Tony had grown up calling her that and found it a hard habit to break. Steve nodded. “She won’t be my Peggy, right?” “No,” Bruce reassured, “from the second she sees you, she becomes a different person in a different timeline. She’s not meant to exist.” Tony’s eyes were fixed on Steve, scanning for any change in body language. He was solemn and solid like an old statue. If you looked past him, you could almost imagine him chipped away by time and heartache, weather and war.
Bruce handed him two devices. Steve slipped the smaller one in his chest pocket. He didn’t want to think about that one. The other he slid on his wrist. He breathed in slowly and pressed the button. The next breath he took was in 1946. He was home. It was so familiar yet so foreign. It seemed no matter what he did, he was a man out of time.
He froze when he heard the unmistakable click of her heels. She was already approaching the bridge. He thought he’d have more time to get his bearings, to come to terms with what he had to do. Maybe this was best. Be quick. Get it over with.
He watched from the shadows. Her soft brown curls gently swaying in the breeze. Everything she wore hugging her perfect curves. Legs that stretched on for miles. “This puts her to sleep,” Bruce’s voice interrupted his thoughts. “Just stick it to her neck.” He had explained no more than a few hours (but also 75 years in the wrong direction) ago as he showed Steve the smaller device. It looked harmless enough, almost like an earring, but Steve knew better. He didn’t ask any questions; he didn’t want to know more than he had to.
Peggy turned to look at the sunset around her. The faint beams still clinging to life illuminated her weary, beautiful face. Before he could stop himself, Steve spoke her name. “Pardon? Who’s there?” Peggy stepped toward him. He tensed. Suddenly, he didn’t feel strong or super or even mighty as Thor may have put it. He reverted into the skinny, sickly child he was when he first met her. “I’m not in the mood for games. Step into the light.” Peggy’s hand was already reaching for her weapon when he stepped out of the darkness. “Oh, Peggy, stop.” She breathed to herself as she scrunched her eyes closed. “He’s not here. He’s gone.” She repeated over and again as she had done so many times before. When she opened her eyes he was inches from her face. She gasped as she felt his hot breath. “I’m really here,” he said.
Peggy stepped back and eyed him cautiously. “It can’t be.” She muttered as she shook her head. She looked at him for a long time, and then, without warning, punched him in the arm. “My imagination isn’t that good.” She smiled. “Wait!” She stopped herself from embracing him. “How do I know it’s really you? I’ve seen a lot that I can’t explain recently.” He pulled the compass from his pocket and opened it. She could only mutter a tiny “oh” before dissolving into his arms. His warmth surrounded her, and she inhaled him. He still smelled like Colgate shaving cream. “How?” She pulled back to look at his face. “Time travel is the simple answer,” Steve replied. “Simple?” Peggy scoffed. “Let’s find somewhere to sit.” Steve decided.
They walked in silence to a nearby bench. It was dark now, and the glow of the city made everything feel even more hazy than it already was. Steve explained everything that had happened since he woke up, the Avengers, the battle for New York, Bucky, the falling out with Tony, and finally Thanos. “Peggy, in order for this plan to work. We can only cross our own timelines. By crossing yours, I’ve created a parallel. I had to in order to get the sample, but I can’t leave it like this. I have to destroy this timeline.” “You mean you must destroy me.” Smart as a whip, Peggy Carter was always ten steps ahead. Steve looked at her in shock. “What? I’ve read Wells. It’s not that hard to surmise.” It had taken Steve multiple explanations by three scientists to grasp even the basic concepts of time travel, and he still didn’t understand most of it. He just said the same words in the same order as they had. “I suppose you have a... painless way to do it too. No way a Stark sent you here without one.” Steve nodded, broken. “May I have one last request?” She asked after a long pause. “Anything,” Steve replied quickly. “The last time you saved the world you gave me a rain check. I’d like to cash it in before it’s my turn.” Steve stood and took her hand. “Oh, wait, I’ll ask the band to play something slow.” Peggy looked at him quizzically as he shuffled in his pocket. He grabbed the iPod Sam had given him and put one bud in his ear and the other in Peggy’s. Pretty soon the unmistakable sounds of Moonlight Serenade filled her head. Peggy’s mouth dropped open. “Remarkable,” she smiled and laid her head on his chest, keenly aware of every twitch of every muscle and the heat that radiated between them. Still, there was something off.
They gently swayed for a long while before Steve broke the silence. “Peggy, I...” he started. “Don’t,” She interrupted looking into his eyes. “I’m sorry I asked you to indulge me. I know it’s not the same. I’m not meant to be here. I’m not your Peggy.” A tear rolled down her cheek and she turned away to catch it, ceasing their dance. Steve took her face in his hands. He used his thumbs to wipe away the tears rolling steadily now. “You are my Peggy in any timeline, in every universe, and all realities until the end of the world.” Tears rolled down his cheeks too. She pulled a kerchief from her pocket and dabbed them. She knew neither of them could take any more. She handed him the vial. “Quickly now. The sun will be up soon, and I’ve got to save the world.” She straightened up, but her voice was shaky. Steve reached in his pocket for the tiny, lethal device when he felt something else. “Just in case.” Scott’s voice echoed in his mind. He pulled his hand out of his pocket, and his eyes widened. It was another time travel device. Without a second thought, he shoved it on her wrist. “You may not survive this, but I can at least try.” Before she could protest or ask what was going on, Steve pressed his lips to hers and pushed both buttons. He returned to the lab with an unconscious brunette in his arms. He looked up at Tony through his tears and said only one word, “Help.”
“Aunt Peggy,” Tony whispered reverently. “She’s not breathing!” Natasha shouted. She pushed Steve aside and began CPR. “Clint, get the defibrillator,” she ordered. After a few minutes that seemed like an eternity, they had a weak heartbeat. “Let’s get her to the medical bay,” Clint decided. Before long, the team had her hooked to all sorts of machines and monitors. Steve followed into her room like a lost puppy, one that had misbehaved.
“What the hell were you thinking, Rogers?” Tony chastised. “I was thinking you have no room to talk.” Steve snapped back, waving a hand at the bed next to Peggy’s. In it lay a woman, blue and mechanical from head to toe. Nebula had used her own parts to repair the ship and get Tony back to earth. Tony had spent every spare minute since attempting to repair her. Tony rolled his eyes. “That’s totally different. How do we know this terminated the parallel timeline? Our plan could be in jeopardy before it even begins!” “We aren’t detecting anything.” Bruce interrupted with Scott in tow, both carrying iPads. Clint looked up from the monitors. “She’s stable, but I don’t know when she’ll wake up. She’ll need constant monitoring.” “I’ll do it,” Natasha volunteered almost before Clint finished. “Girls gotta stick together.” She didn’t let on to any of them just how much she missed having Wanda around. Natasha pulled a book from her back pocket and plopped into the chair between the two beds. “Run along now,” she glanced side to side, “No boys allowed.”
Clint ordered Steve to go rest, but he only made it halfway to his room before collapsing in the hallway. Thor rushed into the medical bay carrying him. “His breaths are shallow. I don’t know how long he has been there - passed out in the hallway.” Natasha looked up from her book, surprised in more ways than one. Thor had scarcely left his room since the snap. He blamed himself not only for Earth’s demise but for Asgard’s and especially Loki’s as well. “I’ll call for Clint.” She looked up at the clock. “Jesus, he’s been there for hours!”
Before long, everyone was in the medical bay. “Tony, this is too dangerous. If Cap can barely survive it, there’s no way any of us can.” Bruce argued. “We have to try. It’s the only way.” Tony replied. “Listen, we’re all upset, but what about defending the Earth as it is now? We may have to come to terms with the fact that we can’t reverse this.” Natasha interjected, ever the type to adapt. “Not an option.” Clint stated. He had lost too much. “I’m with arrow guy on this one.” Scott had lost too much too. “I’ll do what I can,” Thor volunteered. Natasha looked at him sympathetically. They’d all lost too much.
Peggy’s eyes fluttered open at the sound of everyone talking. She didn’t know where she was and everyone looked more like blurry shapes than people, but her pounding headache was too painful for her to care who was there. “Could you kindly take your conversation to the hallway?” She closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose with her fingers. Everyone stopped and stared. “Peggy?” Tony asked. “Howard? I’ve just had the strangest dream.” “I... I’m not Howard.” Tony stuttered. Peggy opened her eyes once more and waited for them to adjust. Her jaw dropped. “Oh my god.”
Her eyes fixated on Steve who lay on a makeshift gurney in front of her. “Steve? Is he okay? What happened? Where am I?” “How...” Tony trailed off. “I’ll tell you how,” Natasha answered, waving the diary she’d been reading in front of his face, “She’s Peggy fucking Carter. That’s how.”
“She’s not wrong,” came an unfamiliar voice from the hallway. Everyone turned to see a blonde in baseball cap and leather jacket. “Carol Danvers.” She extended her hand, but no one shook it. She shoved it back in her jacket pocket. “Agent Carter, I always knew you’d find a way to cheat death.” She winked at Peggy, but Peggy looked confused. “You probably don’t remember me - oh my! Damn, Agent Carter, he’s so much hotter than your old photos. It’s like they took the best parts of every guy on TGIF. Is that still a thing?” “Who the hell are you?” Tony finally composed. “Oh, right, Fury beeped me, and it looks like you’re going to need my help.” Carol replied. “No offense, but we’re not taking applications at this time, so if you could...” Before Tony could finish, Carol lifted of the floor and produced fire at her fingertips. “Right, ok, you’re in, Clueless.” “You’re Tony Stark, aren’t you?” She said with a smile. “Here,” She tossed him a floppy disc, “Everything you need to know about me is on there.” “What the hell am I supposed to do with this?” Tony said, to no one in particular.
“EVERYONE,” Peggy yelled, “shut the bloody hell up and explain to me why I’m on what appears to be a Flash Gordon film set.” Natasha took charge. “Clint, get Steve on a real bed. Thor, take our new friend and gather everyone else. Tony, Bruce, Scott, gather all your files. I’ll get Peggy up to speed, and we’ll regroup here tonight.”
Peggy wouldn’t let Natasha begin until Clint reassured her no less than seven times that Steve would be fine. “He just needs fluids and rest. He’ll be awake before everyone gets back.” “What do you remember?” Natasha asked. Peggy recounted everything Steve had told her as best as she could, but it all seemed fuzzy. Natasha filled in where necessary. “I know I was expecting him to kill me. But then there’s this handcuff on my arm,” she waved it incredulously, “and he’s kissing me.” “Kinky.” Natasha raised one eyebrow. Peggy rolled her eyes. “It’s a time travel device.” Natasha explained. “Well, I assumed that much.” Natasha smiled at a sass that rivaled her own. She went on to explain who everyone was, where they were, and what they were doing; she answered every question to Peggy’s satisfaction, except for one. “What was he thinking?” Peggy wondered out loud, rubbing her temples. “I think that’s a question for the Captain.” Natasha nodded her head to Steve who was standing behind Peggy’s bed now. Natasha grabbed her book and started out the door but turned around. “No fondue-ing, you two.” She waved the diary in the air. “My diary!” Peggy exclaimed. Natasha cackled from the hallway and tossed it onto Peggy’s bed. “Oh, Rogers.” Steve turned beet red.
“Are you ok?” Steve kissed her forehead and lingered there for a few seconds, breathing down on her neck, before she could reply. Peggy’s monitor beeped faster. “That’s quite enough of that.” Peggy eyed it with annoyance as she unhooked herself. She could’ve sworn she saw Steve smirk. “Steve,” she said, “you could’ve ruined everything.” “I lost you once, found you when you could barely remember me, and then I carried your casket. I couldn’t do it, Peg, I’m sorry. I just...” He trailed off. Peggy placed her hand on his. She didn’t have the right words, so she just nodded. He turned her hand over in his tracing each of her fingers. “Might not be so bad.” His puppy dog eyes notwithstanding, Peggy added, “If it wasn’t the end of the world.”
The Avengers, what was left of them, gathered in the medical bay. Peggy’s eyes widened as a talking raccoon wearing clothes entered the room. Natasha had forgotten to tell her about that. Steve quickly and quietly explained as much as he knew. Scott handed everyone an iPad. Tony and Bruce carried in a small table and some chairs. Clint was insistent that Peggy and Steve stay in their beds, and pushed them to drink more fluids.
Clint never thought he would miss taking care of sick kids, but here he was. Even if he ever got them back, he’d be doing it alone. The EMTs found the car with Laura inside and 3 piles of ash. The look of terror on her face frozen forever. She had turned to check on them when she heard them screaming. The oncoming car had lost its driver. It wasn’t the only story like this, but it broke Clint in a way even Natasha couldn’t predict. She was the one who finally got him back though, who pulled the best parts of him back to the surface.
“I can’t stress this enough, we need to be extremely careful.” Bruce began, “This plan will only work if we are coordinated and only encounter our past selves.“ “We can’t change the past without catastrophe, but we can go back and alter the stones.” Scott added. Tony went on to explain the plan in further detail. Bruce would go back for the mind stone, giving himself the information he and Tony needed to attach it the way Shuri had suggested. Of course, Thanos would still get it using the time stone, but they’d have it out of Vision before Wanda had to destroy it. All the stones would be altered using the smallest of devices. Once installed, they disappeared into the stones’ atomic framework. Tony explained the science behind them thoroughly. For the unscientific mind, they essentially rebooted the stones’ energy. Thor would go back for the reality stone. Wong, who had only just arrived at the Avengers compound the night before along with Rhodey, would take care of the time stone. Rocket would go back for the power stone. Steve would handle the space stone. The only stone they wouldn’t have direct access to was the soul stone. “Unfortunately, we need all the stones altered at the same time and set to reboot at the same time in order for this plan to work.” Bruce stated. “Nebula said the soul stone was on Vormir.” Tony interjected. He glanced over at her lifeless robotic form. “Once I get her fixed, we may be able to find out more.”
“I, I know Vormir.” The words faltered on new lips. “I’ve been there. I can do this.” Everyone turned to see Loki. “You gotta be shitting me.” Tony exhaled. Thor scooped him up as tears rolled down his face. Tony ignored the reunion, “There’s one more problem. If we don’t figure out what’s in Cap’s serum, we can’t time travel. Right now, he’s the only one strong enough for it.” Carol scoffed. “I think you’re forgetting someone.” She motioned to Peggy. “A fluke.” Tony surmised. “That’s the best you can come up with, Brainiac?” Carol scolded. “The answer is right in front of you, and yet you fail to see it.” Everyone looked at her, confused. “Natasha, tell them. You figured it out.” “She’s a woman.” Natasha realized then added thoughtfully, “It’s estrogen.” “Give me 24 hours, and lock the damn doors, Friday!” Tony said, already clacking away on his iPad.
24 hours later, Tony delivered the rest of the plan “We’ve programmed the reset to deliver everyone to an isolated location a few miles from here. They should be safe. Thanos will only be seconds behind the reset. We’ll need to be ready. Our drop is scheduled for tomorrow. The reset will be programmed to occur one week after that. That should give us enough time to heal from the travel. Think you’ll be up for it, old man?” Steve nodded. “Keep an eye on him Aunt Peg- I mean, Peggy.” “I don’t get a nickname?” Peggy retorted. “Auntie.” Tony winked. “Won’t we need the other Avengers? For the fight, I mean?” Carol asked. “We don’t know what state they’ll be in, mentally or physically. It could be dangerous.” Bruce answered. Carol nodded, deep in thought. She left the room and sent a page.
“I’m sorry, Clint,” Natasha put her arms around his shoulders. He kept his eyes fixed on the computer screen. “We got into this by someone playing God. I don’t think we’re gonna get out of it by doing the same thing.” Came his reply. He and Tony had just finished a private conversation after the meeting. They couldn’t save Laura. Clint knew it was a long shot. They had been separated since the aftermath of the Civil War, but he was still devastated by her death. They had worked so hard to raise their kids as a team, despite the separation, and now, if he got his kids back, they wouldn’t have a mother. Natasha pecked his cheek. “I’ll help you. Whatever you need.” “If this works” Clint reminded her. He swiveled his chair to face her. “I need a distraction.” “Shooting range? Run? Pizza?” Natasha suggested. “Nat...” Clint let his hands graze her hips as he looked up at her. “Not that kind of distraction.” “Clint, I don’t... is this... I don’t think this is a good idea.” Natasha’s words stumbled out of her mouth as she moved closer. “It was a good idea in Budapest.” Clint smirked as he moved his hands around her backside and gently squeezed, remembering that night. “We thought we were going to die.” Natasha sassed but bent down. “And this is different how?” He pushed a strand of hair behind her ear. “You have a family, Mr. Barton.” The breath from her husky whisper was soft and sweet. It made every hair on his body stand up. He shook his head to clear it then looked into her eyes, sure he had her attention. “And they love you. And I, I love you too.” Natasha didn’t miss a beat. “For such a marksman, you have terrible timing.” She pressed her whole body into his and kissed him. It was everything he remembered. She sat down on his legs and pulled away for only a second. “I love you, idiot.”
Steve and Peggy finally felt well enough to move out of the medical bay and to real rooms. There were two rooms. (Tony’s idea.) But they had an adjoining door. (Natasha’s idea.) Natasha had even let Peggy borrow some clothes. She looked in the closet, and pulled out a dress only to find it had a sweetheart neckline. “Yeah, right,” she said to herself. She would surely spill out of any dress of Natasha’s cut like that. She was hanging it back up when she heard a knock at the door. On her way to answer, she spotted a tube of lipstick by the mirror, and with it, a note. ~I heard you like red. Kinky. Love, Nat~ She answered the door and let Steve in. “Looking into your future?” He eyed Peggy’s diary on the table. “Do you think you’ll miss it?” She shrugged. “How can you miss something you never had?” She spoke without thinking, but Steve’s eyes said it all. “I didn’t mean...” “It’s ok.” Steve cut her off. “I shouldn’t have assumed you wouldn’t move on. I was being selfish when I brought you here.” Peggy sighed “Stephen.” “I’d better get some rest.” He stood on the other side of the door for a long time, and so did she.
Steve had been uncharacteristically cold all morning though Peggy did notice his eyes lingering on her lips more than once. “Nat knows how to pick a shade,” she thought. She was angry at him for not letting her explain, but now wasn’t the time or place. They had a mission; they always had a mission. Bruce, Thor, Loki, Wong, Rocket, and Steve lined up for shots and final synchronization. Tony was hard at work behind a huge computer screen. Peggy looked on, hiding her annoyance and fear. She looked around for friendly faces, but Natasha and Clint were nowhere to be found. When she turned back around, Carol was there. “You won’t remember me, obviously, but you helped train me. Well, other you.” Peggy nodded. “I read about that in my diary last night. I assume you were paging Coulson when you stepped out.” Carol nodded. “Good idea.” The countdown began. Steve stared into Peggy’s eyes. 3-2-1. He disappeared. Peggy closed her eyes tight and let out one long breath. When she opened them a second later, everyone was back. Everyone but Steve.
Steve knew his destination well. He’d played it over in his head time and again - what he would do differently, what he would say differently. Of course, when he got a second chance, he couldn’t do anything about it. “Not like your last second chance has gone so well.” He said to himself. He found the tesseract easily enough. He waited for the correct time and implanted the device. His mission was to extract as soon as he could. The least amount of time spent there meant less room for error, but he heard something. A conversation he had also replayed thousands of times. “I gotta put her in the water.” “No.” He whispered. Then he heard her. “Please, d-don’t do this. W-we have time. We can work it out.” He had forgotten how shaky her voice was, how it cracked. He had forgotten how she stumbled over her words. He took out his compass at the same time his former self did, and stared at her. “Peggy.” “I’m here.” came the meek reply. His brave girl, putting on a front for him. Time had passed. Maybe she had moved on. Maybe his love for her was greater than hers for him. None of that mattered because he knew what he had to do. He had forgotten to tell her one thing that night, a regret that he had held on to for far too long. “Don’t you dare be late, understood?” “Understood,” he whispered and pushed the button.
“Where is he? Where is Steve? Stark!” Peggy screamed. “He’s installed the device.” He pointed to the computer, “I don’t know.” Tony looked worried. “Oh my god, oh my god. Send me, Stark, please. Send me to get him. I’ll find him.” Peggy was frantic, tears streamed down her face steadily. “What’s going on?” Natasha hurried in the room, Clint on her heels. “It’s Steve, he’s...” Peggy was crying harder now. She couldn’t get the words out. “Stark, what happened?” Natasha, usually the first to crack a joke, was serious. “I don’t know!” Tony yelled, the look of worry forming into full-fledged panic. Bruce, weak from the trip, tried to stand and help but stumbled back. Scott sped to Tony’s side, typing furiously. Carol and Natasha held onto Peggy as she dissolved. “Please, no, please,” was all they could make out. Tony strapped on a travel device. “You can’t!” Rhodey yelled. “I have to.” Tony was about to press the button when Loki yelled “STOP!” Steve reappeared, tears in his eyes. “Peggy,” he croaked. She looked up, all her sadness washing away at the sight of his face, only to be replaced a second later with anger. “Don’t you bloody dare do that to me again!” She raised her hand to slap him, but he caught it. With his other arm, he grabbed her by the waist and pulled her into him. “I love you.” “I love you too.” He kissed her, gently at first but then passionately. He dropped her hand and tangled his fingers in her hair, cradling her head. She rested her fingers on his hip, and threw her other arm around his neck. They didn’t realize how long they’d been kissing until Tony interrupted with a sigh of relief “Jesus, Rogers, I gave you a room for a reason.” “Correction: You gave them two rooms. That I bet you $100 they wouldn’t need. Cough it up, billionaire.” Natasha practically sang. “I agreed to that when I was drunk.” Tony defended. “Honestly didn’t think you still had it in ya, old man.” He clapped Steve on the shoulder. “I knew she did.” Natasha said in a sultry tone. “You’re one to talk.” Peggy retorted, glancing down at Natasha’s hand which was firmly holding Clint’s. Natasha smiled sheepishly at Peggy and ignored the fact that Steve’s eyebrows were practically at his hair line while Tony was going in for a high five with Clint. Then she saw Bruce shift uncomfortably out of the corner of her eye. “Alright, everyone,” Rhodey interrupted. “You have the rest of the evening to relax. Training starts tomorrow.”
Natasha caught Bruce in the hallway. “I’m sorry. I should’ve told yo-“ Bruce cut her off. “You don’t owe me anything, Tasha. Least of all that. Not after what I did.” Natasha glanced down. “I’m glad you’re happy.” He said, “Really.”
Steve and Peggy walked in embarrassed silence back to their adjoining rooms. Their very public display of affection would surely be the cause of endless teasing, but Peggy didn’t care. Her focus was on the heat radiating between them, the same heat she’d felt since since they’d met. She felt her entire body shudder as he took her hand. She looked up at his eyes, the most perfect stony blue. She inhaled deeply then exhaled. It did little to calm her. He opened the door to her room and turned to go to his. “Captain Rogers, get your arse in here. That is an order.” He smirked. God, she loved that smirk. “Listen, Agent Carter, I outrank you. I should be the one ordering you around.” “Promise?” She’d been hanging around Natasha too much, but she could’ve sworn she heard him growl. Peggy shut the door behind him and turned. She didn’t expect him to be so close or smell so good. She fell backward into the door, but he caught her, easily lifting her up. She wrapped her legs around his perfectly triangular frame, and pulled back on his hair ever so gently. His lips lifted up to meet hers. He was keenly aware of her breasts, heaving with every breath, on his chest. One of his hands moved from supporting her thigh to grabbing her rear. “Bedroom?” He gasped. Before she could even finish nodding, he’d spun around and kicked the bedroom door from its hinges. Peggy giggled at the mental image of Tony discovering their destruction. Steve paused, out of breath, “do you... care terribly... about this dress?” He stood her back on her own feet but kept the fabric firmly in his hand. She could feel his touch on her bare thigh. “No, it’s, um, it’s actually Nat’s.” “Good,” he said with a devilish grin. With one swish, like a magician and a tablecloth, Steve pulled the dress off, breaking it apart at the seams then took off his own shirt. “My god.” Peggy exhaled, her exclamation barely audible. They maneuvered to the bed, kicking off shoes and the rest of their clothes along the way. Steve ran his fingers over every curve of her body, stopping for a kiss every few seconds. Trying to focus and realizing Steve must be exhausted, Peggy pulled his chin up to her face. “You sure you’re up for this, soldier?” She pecked his cheek. “You kidding? I can do this all day.”
They spent the next week in intense battle training. They tried to prepare for anything Thanos could possibly bring, and they called in as many reinforcements as they could - Tony had Nebula up and running, what was left of Wakanda’s armies came as well as the Asgardian warriors who had escaped with Valkyrie, and even some former SHIELD agents reassumed their positions. “Oh shit.” Natasha exclaimed. “What’s up?” Carol asked. “Steve’s ex, 12 o’clock.” She replied. “Come now, girls. They kissed once, and he told me it was ‘weird.’” Peggy interrupted. “You’re ok with this? You know who she is, right?” Natasha’s turned to Carol and whispered “her niece.” “I know my value. Besides, I may or may not have made out with Howard... once or twice.” She shrugged. “You’re freaky, Carter, I like you.” Carol chided.
The night before the reset was quiet and somber. Thor and Loki traded favorite Asgardian memories with their people. Peggy fell asleep on Steve’s chest as he stroked her hair. Clint and Natasha spent the entire night in their room. From the sound out of it, they were reliving Budapest again. The science bros had grown in number. Tony, Bruce, Rhodey, and Scott were chatting quietly. Wong was showing Carol how to text as Nebula and Rocket sat in silent solidarity. The Wakandan armies and SHIELD agents had a “who has the best scar” tournament.
The next morning, they all gathered on the battlefield. “Plan B?” Peggy asked Carol. “In progress.” She replied. “3-2-1!” Tony shouted. “Stay alert!” The wind whistled through the trees. “He’s close.” Nebula yelled. A bright light flashed and there he was with an army. “Where does he get these guys?” Bruce called. Steve looked at Tony and nodded. Together they looked back at their team. “Avengers... ASSEMBLE!” “WAKANDA FOREVER!” “FOR ASGARD!” “LET’S GET THIS ASSHOLE!” Rocket shouted last. They ran.
“Someone call for an Uber?” Coulson screeched a large van to a halt just in front of Nick and Maria. “Get us to the motherfucking battle.” “What is an Uber?” Drax asked. “I think it is another word for small, handsome man.” Mantis answered, eyeing Coulson. “We’re ready to kick some ass!” Quill added, holding up Gamora’s hand. “I AM GROOT!” “Oh, hell no, you are not leaving without me!” Pepper shouted. “Wait, Phil?!”
“There’s too many of them!” Steve shouted. “Carol, where the bloody hell is Plan B?” Peggy yelled. “What’s Plan B?” Natasha asked. “THIS.” Wanda shouted. She flicked her hand, taking out at least 25 warriors, anger radiating from her eyes. “Hey, Mr. Stark!” Peter flung past. “I’m gonna hug you later!” Tony shouted back. “WAKANDA FOREVER!” Shuri and T’Challa shouted as they joined Okoye and M’Baku. “Peg?!” Bucky shouted, excited and confused. “On your left!” Sam whizzed past Steve. Strange appeared next to Stark, “Knew you’d figure it out.” “We gotta get him alone!” Hope shouted. The teams worked to separate the army with renewed energy. Nebula saw an opening. “GAMORA!” She screamed. Gamora nodded. “COVER ME!” She yelled as she ran straight for Thanos. Sliding at the last second cutting both of his legs at the same time. He yelped in pain and looked up. The last thing he would ever see was Nebula.
The mangled gauntlet fell to the ground. “I’ll take that.” Vision reached down and picked up the mind stone. “Vis!” Wanda cried and ran into his arms. “We definitely should’ve stayed in bed.”
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“Mr. Stark, this is embarrassing.” Peter whined. May snapped a photo while Happy snickered. “Everyone else gets to be groomsmen.” Tony hugged him then clasped his arms. “Maybe Cap will let you... Better get going, Spiderling. It’s almost your cue.”
Peter Parker and Shuri walked down the aisle just before Pepper, carrying rings and dropping rose petals.