"You know you won't find him, so why are you trying?"

Sarah opened her eyes and looked across the table at the woman. The chess set had long been forgotten. Two pawns, one from each side, had been moved forward but that was all. The woman sitting across from her looked about twenty five with long, mangy black hair. Her eyes were glowing red and the smile on her face looked manic.

"I could help you find him."

"Yes, but then I wouldn't care why I was trying to find him anymore."

"Occupational hazard."

"I don't need you."

"Yes, but I need you. I need you to give up." The last two words were hissed. The chess pieces rattled.

"They need me."

"No, they don't. You are useless to them, more than useless. You are a burden on them and you know it."

"I am not!" She slammed her fist down on the table and only one of the pieces moved. The pawned moved forward one space.

"Now we are getting somewhere." The witch tilted her head a bit and took Sarah's pawn.

"No. I need to find Thanos and help Dad…"

"If you ever wake up they will arrest you."

"My family wouldn't let that happen."

"Your family is the one planning it."

"Why?"

"You killed those things, trying to help Tony. You didn't realize your magic wasn't completely under control did you? Those things were ripped apart in their cells. You know how I know I am going to win?"

"How?"

"You are a little bit happy that they are dead."

"Hi…" The quiet, shy voice cut off both of them. "That is a lame way to start that out but I don't really know what else to say."

"Who…" The Mad Witch looked around the barren space, suspicious.

Sarah felt her hand grow warm, as if someone was holding it.

"You don't know me… I don't really know you either… They told me stories about you though. The Black Widow told me about how you'd stay up all night when they'd be gone and have breakfast waiting whenever they got back, like you knew when they were coming. She looked like she was going to cry when she ran her hand through your hair. Hawkeye said that you'd show up in the archery range and fix arrows for him, listen to him when he needed someone to talk to about a hard mission and Natasha wasn't there. He said that you helped pick her ring out, one that she could wear most of the time that wouldn't get caught on things.

They said that they are going to adopt me, those two. That it'll be hard living with all of them but that hopefully I would like it, as much as you seem to have.

Thor... he said that you showed him parts of the city that amazed him. You took him to places that your mother took you before everything happened. You showed him paintings and helped him get used to the city. He said that you showed the restaurant that he took Loki to when he popped the question. Loki said that you sit for hours with him, listening about the old days back on Asgard. He said that he taught you spells a lot whenever you both had time.

Those two… They looked like they were blaming themselves. Loki always looks so calm and collected but before he left the room, when he thought no one was watching, he let a tear fall.

Iron Man woke up when they brought me in here to see you. He seemed calm. Everyone was kind of shocked that he was so calm considering what he just went through. He told me about the day that they found you, him and Bruce. He said that if you could be happy after everything that happened to you… maybe he could too. Bruce, the Hulk, he said you would sit with him in silence for hours and just… watch him work, bring him food when he needed it. Captain America… he told me about the time that you opened up to him, he painting that you made for them the night that Tony proposed. He said that you had a way of finding true beauty in your art, even with everything that happened.

Sarah, they love you. And I think… I think that I might need you… So please wake up. Don't leave me alone… Like everyone else has."

Sarah looking across the table at The Mad Witch one more time. In her palm was the black king.

"Well I think you know what happens now."

"Yes, but you'll be back. I will be waiting."

Sarah stood and started to walk away. She spoke over her shoulder, "I know, but today, I won." Then she was gone.

Slowly, Sarah's eyes began to open. Just a twitch of her eyelids and then they were staring at the ceiling. A blink, two, and then she was turning her head to take in the room. A somewhat skinny boy with brown hair and hazel eyes sat next to her and held her hand. Behind him, the Avengers stood, they waited to see who their girl would be when she woke up.

A small smile spread across her face. Her full attention onto Peter and for a moment, he couldn't breathe. The full weight of this girl's attention was awe inspiring, so pure and healing yet with an edge.

"What's your name?" Her voice was rough after the silence of a day.

"Peter, Peter Parker."

"Nice to know. My name is Sarah, you already know that, but it's nice to be able to introduce myself."

"Sarah…" Tony approached the bed slowly and Peter backed off, letting her hand drop.

"Dad. How are you?" She sat up and turned so that her feet dangled over the side of the hospital bed.

He took her face in both of her hands and brought their foreheads together. "I'm just glad to see you awake."

"Dad, you should lie back down." He shifted on his feet and winced. "You're still recovering."

She stood up and gently directed him back into the hospital bed next to her own.

"You know, I haven't had any nightmares since…" He looked up at her, begging her to understand.

"I know, Dad. Now get some sleep." When he finally drifted off with the help of more painkillers, she started to walk toward the door, motioning for the others to follow her.

Steve stayed behind, while the others, including Peter, followed her down the hallway and into an open meeting room.

She took a seat and turned to watch the others sit around the table.

"What happened? I know that I have been gone for 24 hours. I need to know what happened."

Loki spoke first. "The captives were ripped to shreds. I found the planet that they came from. Their leaders didn't seem to care about their deaths. No one can figure out how to find Thanos. For now… We are simply picking up the pieces."

Sarah nodded sadly. "So we just go about our lives like usual?"

"For now. As much as we can."

Loki looked her in the eye and she knew, he was giving her a job. Now she needed to stay, and complete it.