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The team had a lot to consider and reconsider as they came together in the ruins of the Avenger’s compound that day. They had come a long way from that airport in Berlin, a smashed reactor, a brainwashed assassin and a man who threw away his shield not once but twice because of HYDRA.
They had come a long way from a penthouse suite, cryotube, and the remains of a life stopped mid motion. So many promises unfilled and hearts wanting fulfillment. The team decided it would rebuild and maintain its presence. There was still so much to do, a lot of forgiving and forgetting, burying of hatchets and maybe even healing of hurt feelings. Yet so much to be celebrated, after all they’d all managed to survive. Someone had smiled favorably upon them and given them another chance.
They would seize it!
—
On that destined day they were watched.
Death watched her most favorite child as he laid on the ground, fist clenching tight around the gauntlet, the large sword that bisected his sternum clearly in view.
There was only one way… She mumbled the words, feeling half of her favorite child’s light dimming. She still remembered the day she gave him to the Earth. Her beautiful Merchant of Death; future savior of the human race, moreover the Universe. He was the half that had been destined for the light.
She hummed the tune she used to call all souls back to her. She could sense he was tired and wanted so badly to rest. And she wanted to give him that, a place to rest, a time for healing, maybe even a moment to reconnect with his other half. There’s a flash of blond hair and blue eyes, a snarky attitude and a lack of morals. They had been apart for so long. Her bringers of death upon the mortal realm.
Her melody was interrupted by a firm hand on each of her shoulders. Long flowy black hair parted to make way for the ethereal glow of her siblings. She turned to the left to see flaming red hair and then to the right to see short golden strands, Bridget and Velinoa.
Death turned back to viewing the final battle; would he choose to stay?
—
Steve slammed Mjolnir down into the ground, rocking Thanos away from Tony and crossing the field quickly.
Tony shook his head and snapped his fingers.
There is only one way…
“Tony no!”
The field was suddenly covered in an all-too-familiar black ash…
An all-too-familiar feeling of emptiness.
Friday’s words echo through it, “Vitals critical.”
—
“There was only one way. He was born for this…” Death began drawing in a breath. She was preparing to take in these new souls as a result of her merchant’s decimation.
Velinoa smiled as she drew the flower of life into the air and opened her gateway of souls. “It is not his time. There is still much to be done.” Her eyes paused for a moment on the scruff faced former assassin with the bionic arm. She traced his movements as he ran through the ash and helped ease the bleeding merchant to the ground.
Bridget only offered a smile, both Death Goddesses long knew of her love for Steven Rogers. She’d been protecting him since she sent him to the mortal realm. Given him all the lessons to test his resolve. Was her merchant just another test?
Death merely smiled;life was always a test of endurance.
—
Tony laid in a medically induced coma, his chest bandaged and stapled together, dialysis and infusion machines; working on overload. Monitors monitoring other monitors that beeped and sighed. His face bandaged swollen and bruised. Oxygen being pumped in through a machine.
It was a wonder Death just didn’t claim him. There must be a reason.
A blond man wearing the same face as the man that lay before him stood in a white suit and a black tie had walked through the medical ward, flashing a high level badge and let himself into Tony Stark’s hospital room.
They had been separated at birth and moved to live completely separate lives, with the same mission. Sell death, destroy lives, save as many as you can. A counterproductive mission but that is Death. She is often contradictory and unbiased in her decisions.
“I swear… you get yourself into the worst situations without me…” the blonde man complained as he readied a syringe. He prepped the needle and injected it’s content into Tony’s IV then pulled up a seat and waited.
Tony woke up two days later, healed with a mechanical itch under his skin.
—
All this brings us to the present, Thanos is now a distant memory. In his wake the Avengers returned to defending Earth. At their lead was, of course, Steve Rogers, the great Captain America and his seconds-in-command, a recovered Winter Soldier and Iron Man. Things were different now, and yet the same.
*****
Different in the way Steve woke up with Tony in his arms and Bucky usually hanging off the other side of the bed. The same in that Tony and Steve still fought about what the “best” move was and Bucky was a safe place for them to go too. Tony now looks like he’s younger than Steve and Bucky. Steve and Bucky are still the peak of human physical perfection. Unbeknownst to the humans the three goddesses still watch over them seemingly holding them in their favor.
—
Steve had been getting headaches and then one morning at breakfast his nose began to bleed.
“Shit Stevie!” Bucky said grabbing a napkin and helping Steve hold his head back.
“Lanwage.” Steve chided as used one hand to hold his head and the other to plug his nose.
Ever the prim and proper Captain…
Tony comes up from the workshop to see the two super soldiers leaning over the sink. There’s blood on the kitchen table and on the counter in front of the sink.
“What happened here?” He asked as he sees Steve wipe his face.
“Nothing just a bloody nose…” Steve replied pinching his nose to keep the bleeding at bay. It was already starting to slow down.
“That can’t be normal punk. When’s the last time ya had a bloody nose?” Bucky looks concerned.
Steve shrugged, “ I can’t remember…”
“Did someone punch you?” Tony asked his brain immediately starting to analyze.
“No, it just started bleeding.” Bucky replied noticing Steve was starting to sway.
Bucky was barely able to catch Steve as he came crashing to the ground.
The elevator ride couldn’t have gone any slower, blood was starting to leak out of Steve’s ears. Tony parted the way for Bucky as they entered medical, Friday having already alerted their impending arrival.
Steve was quickly hooked up to several machines and they began monitoring a failing heart and dropping blood pressure.
By the time Bruce and Helen made it up to the medical floor they were giving Steve a blood transfusion. They’d already had to use an AED to shock him back to life.
Bucky and Tony were standing outside of the room unsure of what to do.
Tony turns to Bucky, “Was it magic? Did something happen to Steve?” He didn’t have enough sleep to deal with this.
It was decided for Steve’s overall health and attempt at preserving him they put him into a Cryotube until they could figure out what was wrong with him.
--
Tony fidgeted throughout the debriefing. He was wearing two day old clothes still partially covered in Steve’s blood and motor oil. He couldn’t leave Steve’s side. He had to know what was wrong… how to fix it.
Helen was currently speaking about her and Bruce’s findings on Steve and he wished now one of his 7 PHDs had been in Genetics or Biology.
Helen pointed to a photo on the screen, “Captain Rogers’ cells last week appear like normal human cells, they regenerated at a much more rapid pace than yours or mine but still very healthy.” She clicks a button in her hand and points, “These are Captain Rogers’ cells collected yesterday both internally and externally. The cells are not healthy and have already entered into necrosis. And it appears to be spreading. I don’t think Captain Rogers will live another 24 hours once we remove him from Cryostasis.”
“No…” Bucky had said quietly clenching the table so hard his metal hand left indents. “No. Stevie can’t get sick. He can’t die… The serum-”
“The serum caused this…” Helen replied. “It’s unprecedented. Massive cellular death like this should have killed him instantly. It’s a miracle he’s still even alive, that he made it to medical at all.”
“How do we fix it?” Tony asked noticing how the nanobots in his body hummed under his skin. They carefully cared for his organs and maintained his body. He’d even regressed in age back to his twenty-eight year old self. It had been nice to be younger than his two lovers.
“There’s no way to fix it.” Helen replied quietly. “You can’t reverse necrosis. It’s a terminal condition…” Her voice sounded strained like she didn’t want to say anything. It was the kind of news no doctor wants to give a grieving family.
“What?” Tony replied blinking not even turning when Bucky snapped part of the table off in his grip. “He was fine the day before yesterday! Why is this happening?!”
Bruce tried to calm Tony down, “We’ll keep him in suspended animation okay. We’ll contact Thor maybe there’s something they can do?”
Tony was quiet, “If you can’t fix this I will.” He said, storming out of the debriefing and heading to his lab.
--
Steve slept once again on ice.
Tony hardly slept at all attempting to find something, anything that could qualify as a loophole, a trick of the light, a cure… anything to save Steve.
Bucky did his best to take care of the overworked engineer and at the same time be there for Steve.
Days to weeks and weeks lead to months… Still the three goddesses watched.
--
It took six months for word to reach Thor deep in another galaxy. He came at once to see what had befallen his shield brothers. He arrived moments after being told of his friend’s ailments.
He arrived in the newly constructed Avenger’s complex and was immediately taken to the tower. He was greeted by an exhausted looking Pepper. The normally well put together woman was wearing an oversize gown and her stomach was rounded with child. She offered him a tired smile. “Come sit,” She said motioning towards the couch. “Friday please let Tony know Thor has arrived.”
“Boss is currently sitting with Sargent Barnes and Captain Rogers.” Friday replied, “He does not wish to be disturbed.”
“Friday, override code Meet Virginia.” Pepper said rubbing her stomach. A hologram screen opened to show two cryo pods laying side by side and an exhausted Tony laying on a bed between the two.
“He just got to sleep Ms. Potts.” Friday’s voice is quiet.
Pepper nodded, “Come Thor we will talk, Tony will wake soon enough.”
Thor listened while Pepper explained what had happened. Steve’s bloody nose lead to Bucky’s seizures and both of the super soldiers being placed into cryostasis to preserve their lives.
“At least,” Pepper sighed, “Barnes had a choice. He was able to consent to it. Steve, well... Tony and Bucky had medical proxy for Steve.” She signed knowing Tony wouldn’t be able to let Steve or Bucky go. If not for the nanos currently running through her friend she didn’t think he’d even still be alive himself. He barely ate or drank anything;slept only when he passed out. She was doing her best to care for him but in her current state things had become difficult.
Thor listened and then told her he would return soon. He thought he knew just the person whom woul d have an answer for what befell his shield brothers. But sometimes big sister wasn’t forthcoming with information.
+++++
Hela was sitting in a field of stargazing lilies the white blooms a sharp contrast to her black hair and armor. She did not look up when her brother appeared and continued sitting crossed legged in the field.
“Little brother,” she began when he turned to her.
“I need a way to defy death.” Thor said straight to the point. Anthony looked frail in the images he’d seen. Even with his enhancements without a will to live his body would surely die.
“Hasn’t Death already given your friend's life? Why does he want for more?” Hela asked opening one green eye to take in her younger brother, the king of Asgard. “Why do you come here to Death’s door to ask for more?”
Before Thor could speak a large owl swoops down and offers a basket to Hela.
The woman looks at the basket and makes an annoyed face before turning, “A gift from Lady Death herself. She must have been expecting you.” She offered him the basket.
Thor opened the basket and gasped, Iðunn’s apples.
“They are a gift from Death to her favored child. She will come with a message for him soon herself.” Hela offered waving him off. “Now begone before the stench of death attaches to your clothes.”
Thor activated the bifrost and took himself back to Earth.
------
Tony was talking with Pepper about why she hadn’t woken him if Thor had been there, when Thor arrived, this time summoning himself directly onto the tower’s helipad. The exhausted brunet looked at the Thunder God.
“Did you learn anything?” He asked urgently matters aside.
“Yes,” Thor replied motioning to the basket in his hands. “Lady Death has sent this to you in the form of a favor.” he offered the apples. “But Tony bargaining with death can be-”
“Will it save them?” Tony asked cutting him off.
“Iðunn’s apples can restore even the worst forms of sickness.” Thor replied, “But Tony, to take a favor-”
“Then we will do it. How do we prepare them?” Tony asked taking the two apples into his hand. “Bucky can be awoken and be fine but Steve was already almost comatose when we froze him.”
“Let’s call the medical team first. I’m sure they’ll have an idea.” Pepper offered and Tony nodded, suddenly full of life and energy.
If this worked they’d come back. He’d have them back and things could go back to how they had been.
In the end it was decided they would prepare one apple to be placed via feeding tube directly into Steve’s stomach and Bucky would be awoken to eat his. They would test it on Bucky first, as his cells were still far more stable than Steve’s.
--
Bucky awoke slowly, eyes feeling heavy and skin still chilled. It took him a moment to remember he was safe with Tony and not waking up from cryostasis in Hydra’s clutches. He was James Barnes and not the ghost assassin The Winter Soldier. He sat up looking at Tony, “You did it doll? You found a cure?”
Tony shook his head, “We don’t have a lot of time. Can you eat this for me?” He handed Bucky the golden apple.
“I’m more a plum guy but yeah.” He took a bite of the apple noting the strong snapping sound it made as he pierced it’s flesh with his teeth. He wrinkled his notes. “It tastes interesting…” He said feeling the flavors of honey and milk wash over his tongue. What a strange flavor…. He thinks as he takes another bite and then another until it’s all gone.
Tony is watching his watch the whole time. Twenty minutes later Helen comes in to take a blood sample. She greets Bucky and smiled during the whole process.
An hour later, Bucky didn’t have a seizure and his cells were not showing signs of advancing towards necrosis. Quite the opposite they appeared to be functioning on a higher level than even before.
Tony kissed Bucky, “We have a cure indeed.”
Now all that was left was fixing the Captain.
Steve’s defrost and placement of the feeding tube happened simultaneously in an area of time suspension held up by Strange. Tony did not want to ask why the good doctor was being so helpful with this. He was too excited to have Steve back to care.
Twenty four hours after the surgery, Steve woke up. Tony dropped the cup of coffee he’d been drinking when he looked over to see Steve starting to sit up by himself. He had wanted to believe it would work but at the same time he needed to see it for himself.
Steve yawned and blinked a few times, his voice is scratchy from disuse. “Why am I in medical?”
Tony breaks down and starts sobbing. Bucky who walks out of the bathroom takes a moment to hug Stevie and then console Tony.
—
Sometime later...
The three goddesses continue watching over the humans whom they hold in their favor.
“Now is the time to call in our favor,” Bridget said as the snow begins to fall in New York. A blue portal is opening in Central Park.
Velinoa smiled and nodded her head as she searched through the divine souls ready for reincarnation. It was the same process they’d done to bring their favored to the mortal realm.
Death smiled as she summoned forth her daughter, “Lady Death, you will take this child to your brother on Earth. It is time for the next phase of our plan.”
Lady Death nodded and took the baby,Velinoa had made for her chosen spirit.
“This is the price for earning Death’s favor?” Lady Death asked as she summoned a basket to carry the child in.
The three goddesses just smiled.
Death waved her away, “It is the merchant’s job to sell death, destroy lives, and save as many as you can. That child will be a beautiful example of a Merchant. They will learn from the best. Now deliver them. A threat is already approaching.”
Lady Death nodded and departed to the human world.
She looked at the baby in the basket, dirty blond hair and hazel eyed with olive toned skin and an already bright smile.
“Come little one let us introduce you to your new family.” She teased, turning a corner to what could only be a war zone. She hummed a low hymn as they walked.
Iron Man and Falcon flew overhead and arrows shot through the sky from a vantage point even she had trouble finding the source of. The scent of smoke filled the air as ashen debris filtered by.
Lady Death would speak to Tony, give him knowledge of the coming danger and hand over the child. The child was to be his responsibility. It was his payment for the favor Death had given him. He would accept it. She already knew.
She waited for the red suit to come rocking into a building before entering it calmly. Ah mortals were always so dramatic...
—
Death had saved them to prepare them for yet another battle, one none of them was truly prepared for.
Tony figured he’d always be the first of them to die. He wasn’t even sure if Steve or Bucky could die.
He knew now the truth as he sat in medical with the baby in his arms and the weight of intense knowledge swimming through his mind.
He was the first to die. Steve and Bucky could die. But they couldn’t and wouldn’t so long as they had work to be done.
“Have you decided what to name her?” Steve asked speaking quietly. He didn’t want to wake the sleeping child.
Bucky was recovering from being flung out of a window and getting glass shards throughout his human arm. He was currently asleep in the bed beside Tony.
“Morgan…” Tony said quietly rubbing the baby’s back as he looked out the window at the stars. He’d tell them tomorrow. He’d tell them everything Lady Death had shared with him.
All about the approaching enemy, his apparent twin and their role in this and of course this child in his arms. But for now he just wanted a moment with his family.
It could wait till the morning.
—
Morphallaxis : A Remix of Necrosis
Complete