Work Text:
“Walk away.”
Carol stood in the doorway of the Sanctum, glaring down at her old friend, who stared back with open hostility. She didn’t care, not in this moment, not when all they were trying to do was heal and move on from the hell they had just endured. Fury didn’t get to show up making demands of Stephen and Tony after everything they did to save the world and his life.
“Carol, I didn’t come here to start a fight.”
“I know, they sent you so that you could help them avoid one. I’ve never been stupid Fury and I know why you wanted to talk to me, but I will not help your organization get their hands on the Time Stone.”
He sighed, defeat written in his posture, “you don’t think all the stones should be destroyed? That it isn’t too much power for one man to have on this planet.”
“No,” Carol answered honestly. “He’s proven himself again and again. The stone chose him just like how I got my powers all those years ago. We can trust him, and we might just need the stone in the future. So, I’ll say it again, no.”
Something in the air between them eased abruptly and despite the years he aged, Fury looked like her old friend again, confident and calm and understanding, “I hear you Carol but Shield wants that stone…you get me?”
She nodded, “I’ve got it.”
“Good.”
Without another word Carol watched him walk away. She hoped that had been convincing, not that she didn’t mean any of the words. Carol knew Shield was collectively shitting themselves since the truth came out about her, Tony, and Stephen’s relationship. She didn’t blame them; they were pretty scary when they were all focused on the same thing. Fury hadn’t really wanted the stone, she knew that, he’d just been there to give them a heads up.
If they knew Stephen had both her and Tony on his side it might deter Shield for a little while, at least until Stephen got back on his feet, or so they hoped. Slipping back inside, Carol followed the sound of familiar voices to be met with a satisfying sight.
The living room was filled with bodies, laughing and conversing and simply reveling in what it meant to be alive. Peter and Aunt May were on one sofa while Rhodey and Wong spoke with Tony, who was currently curled up around their sorcerer on the other sofa. Today was a good day and Carol had no intention of letting Shield ruin it.
Stephen met her eyes as she drew closer, smiled when he narrowed them suspiciously and dipped into to kiss him for a long moment. When she pulled away she couldn’t keep her eyes from flicking toward the stone hanging around his throat. He hardly took it off these days, not that she blamed him. Baby steps.
“How are you feeling?” she asked softly.
Stephen grimaced, “like I’m getting really tired of hearing that question.”
Tony smacked his shoulder reproachfully. It turned out doctors really did make the worst patients, luckily there was an army of people to keep him on bed rest while his magic recharged and his mind slowly adapted to one future he was actually living in.
“I’m fine,” he grumbled miserably.
“That was convincing,” Carol commented.
Tony laughed, “he’d good for a little while longer I think.”
“You do realize I’m right here.”
Carol smiled at Tony, held a moment longer and she nodded, answering his silent question. They could discuss it later. Stephen huffed between them, “you now you two really aren’t subtle at all.”
“He’s right,” Wong cut in. “What did Fury have to say?”
Now both her and Tony frowned making Stephen roll his eyes in decided irritation but before he could protest the lack forthcoming information, Tony put up his hand, “no, nope, we’re not discussing any serious things okay? We’re just going to enjoy ourselves and that’s all…we’ll go over it tomorrow or something.”
Both Wong and Stephen did not seem pleased by his statement in the slightest. Carol took a seat on the arm of couch and reached over to carefully skate her fingers through Stephen’s air. Softening her voice and allowing herself to plea with him, just a little bit, she continued, “this is a good day Stephen. You are up and out of bed, you’re feeling good, you’re present here with us and the last thing we want is to talk about Shield. We’ll tell you if its something serious, we swear but for now just let us enjoy ourselves. Tony and I can take care of things for a little while at least.”
Stephen sighed heavily and leaned into Tony’s side, eyes going a little distant before focusing in on where Peter sat. The kid smiled encouragingly and that apparently was all he needed because he relented with a small nod. A quick look at Wong revealed that he too was willing to let it drop, for now, not that she blamed him, he had Kamar-Taj to answer to.
“See?” Tony commented. “That wasn’t so hard.”
“Don’t push it,” Stephen grumbled, though he was smiling a bit.
Carol let the sensation of contentment and home and love wash through her. It was relief to be back on earth and feel like she belonged. Things had been so bad for so long that she hadn’t been sure when they might be good again, but she needn’t have worried, because it seemed like Stephen knew she was coming all along.