Well Well Well, look who uploaded a new chapter. :D Chapter Nine is even finished but I won't throw it up until after Ten is done and Ten is quite possibly going be a pain to write if I can't get time to do it properly but I'm trying.

By the way, your reviews make me smile so much so thank you!

Anyway, SPOILERS! (Of course) Can we just assume at this pint that there will be spoilers? And did I put a disclaimer in at the beginning? Whelp. Disclaimer: I do not own anything but the plot and my OC. There. Done.

Enjoy! :)

. . .

Mariana missed her home. She missed her family and she missed them like hell. It physically pained her at that point to be so close to them yet at the same time so far. She had now met Matt, Foggy and Karen but it had been 11 months since she had last seen her super-hero siblings. Hell, they'd even missed her nineteenth since she'd celebrated that particular birthday with Markus.

She missed their continuous banter, missed training with Natasha – yet Matt had promised to teach her plenty about using her senses and adapting her fighting style if she could ever make the time - missed tai chi with Bruce, Tony's rants, Steve's cooking, Thor's stories, Clint's hugs and pamper days with the girls.

She didn't want to take the risk of putting them in danger. She wanted to protect them no matter what and had for at least a little while thought the best way to do so was to stay away. She realised now she was wrong. Foggy had happily pointed out that the Avengers could look out for themselves, though it was a nice gesture.

It was time to go home.

. . .

The tension in the tower could have been cut with a butter knife at that moment.

Bucky had been doing everything he could and making every suggestion he could to help the other Avengers in their search for their missing sister, as was Sam. Yet still they watched as the team made no progress.

Thor wandered through the tower like a lost puppy most days and Steve was almost always feeling down and Bucky did not like it at all. You'd like her Buck, he had said one day. She was the key to making this whole thing work. Without her, there would be no Avengers, just a bunch of people in costumes working alone at the same time. She made us a team.

Tony spent most of his time in his lab and his fervent rants about his genius inventions were much less frequent and energetic. Natasha was wound tighter than usual, getting increasingly snappy with practically everyone. Bruce was struggling to contain the Hulk. He refused to go out in the field stating that if he let The Other Guy loose now he wouldn't be able to contain it.

Pepper was rarely around the Avengers anymore. She went on the odd shopping trip with Natasha and spent time with Tony, but being around the others reminded her of the most important piece that they were missing. Clint was arguably the worst off of the lot. He was becoming increasingly reckless and spent almost all of his time in his nest, the vents or at the range when no one else was there.

Sam tried to get all of them to talk on several occasions. Eventually Steve had just silently shaken his head and looked at the floor.

Sam had backed off.

Bucky had not.

He loved hearing Steve speak so passionately about his memories of Mariana and the weird stunts she had pulled, or stories she had told. But he had quite frankly had enough of the wallowing, of the division in the team.

All it took was one moment. He and Steve had been watching re-runs of some mind-numbing hospital show in the communal living room when Steve had snorted and quoted one of the lines as it was said.

At his friend's raised eyebrow the Captain had shrugged. "Mariana used to love this show."

'Used to'.

Fucking 'used to'.

"Stay here," the ex-assassin demanded before storming over to the elevator. "JARVIS?" he called out once inside.

"Yes Master Barnes?"

"Tell Thor, Widow, Wings and Banner to meet Steve in the communal living room. Pepper too, if she is available. Also, grant me access to Tony's lab. Override code Blackthorne."

"You are not authorised for this override code Master Barnes."

Bucky sighed. "Has Stark eaten in the last 24 hours? Drank any water? Got any sleep? What I'm about to do is for everyone's own good. In fact, please ask Wings to make Stark a sandwich or something."

There was a pause before; "Override accepted." Bucky smirked.

The elevator doors opened and the ex-assassin walked out and straight through the unlocked door of Tony's lab. The genius' head sprang up at the intrusion and he frowned.

"The hell did you get in here?"

Bucky shrugged. "Shut down whatever you're pretending to work on and get your ass upstairs. Team meeting."

"Get out."

"Get up."

"Out!"

"JARVIS shut it all down."

Stark almost growled when all his screens went black and he knew there was no use arguing but he sat back in his chair and crossed his arms. Instead, Bucky took a fistful of Tony's shirt and hauled him up, pushing him into the waiting elevator as he followed behind.

"Drop me at the range and take Mr Stark here up to the others if you would JARVIS."

"Certainly, Master Barnes."

Tony muttered something about turning his own AI against him.

Bucky found Clint exactly where he thought he would, emptying a quiver into a series of targets at the range.

"Barton," he said softly, knowing any confrontational tone the archer would jump at, he was at that stage of looking for a fight anywhere he could find one.

"Barnes," was the clipped reply.

"Team meeting. Living room." Simple. Short.

"No." Decisive. Hard.

Bucky sighed.

"Don't make me drag you."

"I'd like to see you try."

Five minutes later the elevator doors dinged open on the communal floor. Everyone was there - including Pepper who looked exceptionally pleased to see Stark chowing down on a BLT – and everyone turned to the elevator at their arrival. Bucky shoved the archer forward slightly while said blonde mumbled about grouchy assassins and temper tantrums. He was sporting a new black eye.

Natasha rolled her eyes and retrieved some ice for her partner. "Was that necessary?"

Bucky shrugged. "He wouldn't listen and then he took a swing at me."

"Okay well, we are all here so what is this team meeting about exactly?" Bruce's question had everyone turning to face Steve who merely shrugged and pointed at Bucky who in turn flopped over the back of the couch into his previous seat beside Steve.

"Movie night."

There was silence for a few moments as he flicked through the movie selections slowly.

"I'm outta here," Clint rose angrily and started for the elevator.

"Lock the floor down JARVIS."

"Yes Master Barnes."

There was a sound that could only be described as a growl from behind him.

"What the fuck Barnes?"

"Sit down Hawkeye."

"Not until you tell us what the fuck you are playing at!"

Bucky calmly rose to his feet and turned to face everyone at once. "What is going on is that we are all going to sit down and watch a god damn movie like you lot haven't done in two months. We are going to sit, like a team – a family – and we are going to continue the tradition you have all just seemed to give up on."

"That was Lady Mariana's tradition."

"No," Bucky told the Norse God. "Stop talking like that, all of you. You've been fighting for months, searching for her absolutely everywhere yet in the past few weeks not one of you has mentioned her in present tense. You don't want to admit it but you've given up on her and it's tearing you all apart."

"Bucky is right," Sam spoke up from his place leaning against the wall. "This will be good for you all, you need this. You need to feel close to her and this is her thing."

It took a few minutes but eventually everyone settled and at Pepper's suggestion they had put on Mariana's favourite movie. It was a kid's movie but it gave all of them a good chuckle. Bucky sent a small smile to Sam as they both felt the tension slowly dissipate from the room.

Then Clint's cell phone rang.

JARVIS paused the movie.

"Unknown number," Clint muttered. "Hello?"

There was a harsh in-take of breath on the other line but no words spoken. Steve and Bucky were able to pick up on it only because of the serum enhancements.

"Who is this?"

There was a choking sound, as if someone was biting back a sob and stranger or not, Clint felt a little awkward. Then there was another voice, male, but not speaking directly into the cell, in the background.

"You can do this,"

Then a woman's voice. "Foggy, give her a moment. She's okay."

"Is anyone going to answer me?" Impatience was creeping into Clint's voice now. "I'm hanging up."

But before he could there was a choked "Clint," and he froze for just a moment. Steve stiffened up. The Avengers watched the archer's expression shift from frustrated to shocked to hopeful in a flash and wondered what the hell was said on the other line. Until he spoke.

"Mari?" Then all of their faces displayed the same emotions just as quickly. But that appeared to be all Clint could get out as he just sat there, shocked, until Tony and Natasha dived for the cell at the same time. Tony got there first.

"Kid? Kid is that really you?"

"Tony," Mariana breathed and there was no mistaking that it was their little sister.

"Thank God. Where are you? I'll come get you just tell me where you are."

"No, I…" She sighed. "Listen, I'll come to you I just need a minute to get myself together here. I wanted to call and give a heads up so I didn't give Steve a heart attack or invoke the Hulk from shock or something."

"Well I think you broke the Hawk anyway so good plan."

Mariana gave a short laugh. "I'll be there soon, just, keep everyone calm, please? There is a lot of explaining to be done. Five minutes, communal living room." She hung up.

Tony put the cell down and suddenly all of the Avengers were standing in his face.

"What did she say?" Natasha.

"Is she hurt?" Bruce.

"Mariana will be returning?" Thor.

"Stark, talk to us here." Steve.

"Where is she Stark?" Clint.

"Everybody be quiet!" Pepper exclaimed and they all instinctively backed up a little bit. "Now explain Tony."

They all stared at Tony as he opened his mouth to tell them all everything that had been said throughout the duration of the call but he didn't utter a word. Bucky was on his feet and instinctively holding a defensive stance while Sam was also rising from his seat. They went unnoticed by everyone but Tony as the others were facing the other direction. The two were facing off against Mariana who stood awkwardly in the centre of the room.

"Dammit Tony, I said keep them calm!"

Mariana stood there, wearing clothes they didn't recognise as her ever having owned but not exactly looking brand new. She was wearing blue boyfriend jeans, a plain black T-shirt and a red plaid shirt, unbuttoned and sleeves rolled up over the top. She was wringing her hands nervously and shifting from foot to foot uncertainly.

Her left eye was marred with a nasty bruise and her face covered with several small scratches as well as a busted lip and a cut above the eye, held closed with a butterfly clip. There was a bandage wrapped on her left forearm and she seemed to be hunched in on herself, as though protecting herself. Sam assumed her ribs were injured.

Bucky's entire stance relaxed when Steve was the first to surge forward, being the closest, and enveloping the young girl in a fierce hug, lifting her feet of the ground. In return she wrapped her arms around his neck and held on for dear life. The lack of painful reaction suggested the soldier had noticed her stance and was mindful of her injuries also. Then the others were on her too and it was like a game of pass the teleporter.

And so followed the first wave of questions:

"Where the hell have you been?"

"We have been so damn worried!"

"Don't you ever do that to us again!"

"Oh God, I'm so glad you are safe Kid."

"Mighty Quantum you have returned!"

"You are never leaving my sight again."

"You are so grounded. You are never leaving this tower."

And the second:

"You're hurt!"

"I want names."

"Who tended to your injuries?"

"Were you injured in battle Lady Mariana?"

"Oh God, we didn't hurt you did we?"

"Sweetie sit down."

"Geez, hope the other guy looks worse Kid."

Bucky and Sam watched on from the side-lines, after a moment Sam leaned in. "So, uh, ten bucks says that's Mariana."

Bucky snorted and walked toward the group. "Sorry to interrupt but are you planning on introducing us to the lady or making us play a game of guess who?"

Steve laughed. "Sorry. Bucky this is Mariana Hadley, also known as Quantum. Mari, this is Bucky Barnes."

"Nice to meet you Bucky."

"Ah, you're the little miss whose been missing all year."

She waved sheepishly. "Yup. That would indeed be me."

"I'm Sam by the way. Sam Wilson."

Mariana smiled. "You must be the Falcon I keep hearing about. I may be a bit late but thanks for DC."

"Happy to help the good Captain."

"Not the rest of us?"

"The rest of you didn't bug the hell out of me during my morning runs for two weeks."

Mariana gasped. "Cap!"

He raised his hands in surrender.

"What happened Mari? Where did you go?" Everyone sobered up at Bruce's tentative question, afraid of the answer.

"Let's sit down, shall we? It's a long story."

. . .

Mariana explained how she got caught, how long she was with HYDRA, what happened when she was a child, the training, the suppression of her powers, her escape, the threat and her saviour, Daredevil. Of course, she left out that she knew his identity. She also skirted around the topic of Markus and his 'punishments'.

Pepper had started crying and even Bucky and Sam who didn't really know Mariana felt their blood boil because she was barely an adult when they had taken her and they had experimented on her as a child and – Jesus Christ HYDRA are despicable.

Mariana also asked about Fury after a while and had been more than relieved to discover he was still alive.

"I'm just glad to be home," she sighed. "And while I would love to get to know you two," she indicated Sam and Bucky "I would much rather get some much needed rest."

"That I can get behind," Tony yawned.

Everyone smiled indulgently at the genius.

"Oh, one more thing!" Mariana directed her attention to Pepper. "I want to hold a press conference at some point in the next week, preferably soon."

"What? Why?"

"I want it cleared up that I'm no longer MIA and that I'm indeed not dead. I want the public to know what happened, not the details, but enough."

Clint blinked. "You want to call out HYDRA?"

Mariana grinned. "They held me prisoner, cut off my powers, tried to turn me into a weapon and threatened my family. I'm not afraid of them and I want to make sure they know that. I wasn't sure about coming home," she admitted. "I thought you guys would be safer if I stayed away. But I came home and we all know I don't do things by halves. I'm home and I want everyone to know that. Especially HYDRA."

"You were right Punk," Bucky said to break the silence, "I do like her."

"Me too." Sam grinned.

Mariana merely grinned and relaxed a little into Clint's side.

. . .

The whole time with HYDRA Mariana slept without nightmares. It was her theory that the reason she didn't have nightmares anymore was because at the time, she had been living the nightmare. Or maybe her mind was over-taxed each day by her constant planning of escapes and thoughts of Markus and worrying and maybe she just hadn't dreamt at all.

But that first night back at the tower, after she had untangled herself from her family members and retreated to her own floor – with much protest from the protective Avengers – she woke up with a scream lodged in her throat.

It took a few moments to recognise that she was home, safe and no, JARVIS. The others do not need to be informed, it was just a nightmare. But then she was throwing the covers off of herself and dropping the knife she had pulled from under her pillow onto the side-table. She groaned as she tugged her fingers through her tangled hair.

"Get a grip, Mari," she whispered harshly to the empty room. "You're home. You're safe."

But no matter how many times she said it, her heart was still beating frantically and the images were still in her head and her throat was bone-dry and she desperately needed a drink.

"JARVIS?"

"Yes Mariana?"

"Are any of the others awake?"

"Everyone remains on the communal level Miss. Would you like me to inform them of your awakened state?"

"No thanks buddy." She glanced at the digital clock beside her knife. 3:07am I've been asleep for four hours. What is everyone still doing up? Slowly, she crept out of bed, mindful of her injuries, and slowly moved toward the elevator.

When it dinged open on the communal floor she was greeted with an empty living room but could see there was a light on in the kitchen just off to the side. Creeping over slowly she could hear the others speaking softly to each other. Taking a deep breath she straightened her shoulders and pushed the door open.

Everyone was gathered around the kitchen island talking. Pepper's head was leaning on Tony's shoulder, Bruce looked half asleep and everyone else looked quite sombre. Everyone's gaze turned to her and Bruce looked a little more awake now.

"Mari?" Clint asked with a hopeful tone.

She shrugged, going for nonchalance. "Couldn't sleep anymore. No hot chocolate left on my floor." With that she turned and flicked the switch to start boiling the kettle and reached up into the cupboard for the purple jar.

"Nightmares?" Natasha asked.

Mariana shrugged noncommittally.

Pepper cleared her throat awkwardly. "So, uh, I'll make some calls in the morning about that press conference. I'm thinking we can set it up for Tuesday."

Mariana nodded. "Thank you, Pep."

There was silence in the room after that other than the rumblings of the kettle as it finished boiling and then the clinking of Mariana stirring her drink. When she turned back around with the mug in her hands she found everyone staring. She sighed.

"I know, alright?"

"Know what?" Steve asked innocently, as though he wasn't thinking the exact same as everyone else.

Mariana rolled her eyes. "You're a crappy actor Steve." The soldier shrugged guiltily. "I know this is weird. For all of us. You all thought I was dead and then-" she held up a hand when several of them tried to protest, "and then here I am. Sipping hot chocolate like nothing at all happened. But things did happen and I'm not ignoring that I just-"

She stopped and stared down into the depths of her mug, unable to articulate everything she needed to right now.

"Don't know how to deal with it all? Don't want to?" Sam suggested. Mariana nodded and he stood up to approach her. "Man have I been there. You just kind of want to move on but you don't think you can, not after everything."

Mariana stared at him as though he had just read her mind and he smiled softly.

"So, like, I run this VA thing on Thursdays so I'm used to listening to people talk about things they've been through – difficult things – with a non-judgemental ear. I've been told I'm quite good at it too. Point is; You ever need someone to talk to? Even just vent to? You can always come to me. And I know we don't exactly know each other well yet but, maybe that could help."

Mariana stared at him for a long time and said nothing. Then she placed her mug on the counter and for a split second Sam worried she might hit him. But she hugged him instead.

She hugged him and whispered a quiet 'thanks' into his shirt.

And suddenly everyone knew that everything was a little more okay than it had been before.