Natasha woke up nestled in Steve's arms. He was already awake. He pulled her impossibly closer to him and kissed the top of her head. "I was wondering when you were going to wake up."

"Didn't exactly get much sleep last night," she smirked, moving a hand across his chest. "One thing has me really baffled."

"Yeah, what's that?" he asked, his face contorting back into a frown. "About the soul stone?"

"No, that's your obsession, not mine. I'm at peace with what happened before. It almost seems oddly fitting in a way. This is more personal." She leaned up and put her elbows on his chest, so she could look him in the eyes. "All those years and this never happened," she said, "not even once?"

"Not even once," he said, visibly relaxing slightly. "Second biggest mistake of my life. There were so many times when I'd see something in your eyes-a challenge, maybe. I almost went for it a few times. The last time was not long before you died. You were living here alone. I came to visit, challenged you to get a life. You said I had to get one first. We were both a mess. I almost suggested we get one together then Scott showed up with a plan."

"The ant? If it helps, I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have shut you down. I know things were different, but I've never known anyone like you before. I've never felt this way about anyone."

Steve sighed. "It doesn't exactly help, but it's nice to know, too. I never want to lose you. I can't face a future without you again, Nat."

"I can't promise nothing will happen, but I promise I will be careful. Whatever happens in the future, we have right now. We have what we have when-

"We have it," he said. "You've said that to me before."

"And, I was right. I'm going to fight for us though. I like what we have. I want a lot more of what we have," she said, winking suggestively.

Steve groaned. "I was wrong. You can definitely keep up with this old fossil."

"Well, soldier, I'd say we still have a lot of time to make up for, wouldn't you?"

Steve grinned and pulled her back down to him. They'd barely started kissing again when there was a knock on the door. Steve grimaced. "Think whoever it is will just go away if we ignore them?"

Natasha pulled away from his embrace and sat on the side of the bed. She grabbed the nearest shirt-his. As she pulled it over her head, she laughed. "Yeah, I'm sure our friends are just going to go away and come back later. That completely sounds like something they'd do." She gave him a quick kiss on the cheek before gathering her things and heading for the bathroom. "You should answer. I wasn't the only one worried about you last night. You really threw us all for a loop. Captain America wanting to destroy a whole planet didn't sit well with anybody."

"Didn't mean to cause a panic," he protested, but Natasha wasn't surprised when he got up to go to the door.

She could hear the voices as she tried to make herself presentable. It was Clint. She would have thought it would have been Tony.

Steve was obviously still trying to get rid of him, so they could resume their makeout session. "It's a little early, Clint. Can we talk about this later?"

"I'm not here to see you, Cap. Where is she?"

Natasha smirked when Steve tried to pretend she wasn't there. It was so like him. Ever the gentleman, he was probably trying to protect her reputation. "She might still be sleeping. You know she likes to sleep in the morning after a mission."

"She might have slept in if she'd ever gone to her bed," Clint said, "but we both know she didn't."

"Do we?" Steve asked.

Natasha thought about staying in the bathroom a little longer and letting Steve sweat it out with Clint, but she knew Steve was out of his league. Clint obviously knew she was there. He wasn't going anywhere until he was sure everything was alright, so she stepped out of the bathroom as soon as she was dressed-acutely aware he would recognize the clothes she'd worn the day before. "It's okay, Steve. No reason to protect my virtue. What do you need, Clint?"

Clint looked her over. He knew, but she didn't care. "I wanted to make sure everything was okay," he said. "Didn't see you again last night, and, no offence, Cap, but things were off."

"They were," Natasha said, moving her gaze towards Steve, "but he's better now. I think he'll be able to have a grownup conversation about the best way to handle the stones."

"Haven't changed my mind," Steve said, grumbling slightly under his breath as he pulled a clean t-shirt from the drawer.

Natasha walked over to him and pulled his face down so he was looking her in the eyes. "Steve, whatever we decide to do about Vormir, it'll be the right thing. Nobody has to die there. It's your turn to trust me. Can you do that?"

Steve didn't answer verbally, but Natasha took his slight nod as a yes and kissed him. Clint gave another of his fake coughs, and Steve pulled back slightly. "I'm still in the room, you know. Look, I'm glad you guys finally got your heads out of your-" Natasha shot him a look, and he stopped talking. "I'm glad you figured some things out, but I really don't want to watch you play kissy face before breakfast."

Natasha gave Steve a wink. "I'm going to go downstairs with Clint. He and I will start breakfast and have a little talk. Get your shower and join us."

Steve nodded again, and Natasha led Clint out of Steve's quarters. As Natasha pulled the eggs from the refrigerator, Clint stared just at her. She started humming as she got out a bowl to crack the eggs. "What? Not going to help. We've cooked breakfast together before. "

Clint shook his head, but he reached for a skillet anyway. "We've cooked breakfast together many times. We've just never cooked breakfast together after you hooked up with someone."

"He's not just anyone, you know. He has a name, and you were very pro Steve. I'm not sure what the issue is here." She added a dash of salt and went back to the refrigerator for some milk. "Is there a problem?"

"No, yes, well, maybe."

Natasha stopped and looked at Clint. "Well, spit it out. Get it off your chest, so we can move on."

"Tasha, we were all a little concerned about Steve's mental state last night. He wasn't exactly acting very Captain America like. You said you'd handle it." Clint stopped talking and poured some oil in the skillet. "Was that what this was about? Were you handling Steve or-"

Natasha let out a deep breath and added some milk to the eggs. "You think I seduced Steve to keep him from destroying a planet. Clint, this is unbelievable. Of everyone, I thought you would understand." She started whisking the scrabbled eggs, much harder than necessary, thanks to her anger. "I love him."

Clint came up beside her and stopped her whisking. "I know. That's why I had to ask. I don't want you rushing in head first to complete a mission. I want you to only go there with Steve because it's something you want for yourself."

"It is. Last night wasn't about Thanos or that planet or those damn stones. Did I go in there to talk some sense into him? Yes. Is it why I slept with him? No, it's not."

"Good, because you obviously didn't talk any sense into him," he paused. "I'm happy for you, Tasha, but the guy at dinner last night wasn't exactly being very rational."

"I know."

"So, what are we going to do about your boyfriend?"

Natasha poured her concoction into the skillet. "I have no idea. It's complicated."

"Because someone died. I get it, but destroying a whole planet. Banner's not wrong to be worried about the effect it could have on the entire star system. Vormir might be empty, but what about the other planets near it? Are they vacant, too?"

"I'm not sure. Steve isn't thinking clearly on this one."

"Make him."

Natasha turned back to face Clint. "I'm the last person who can do that. It was me. I died on Vormir. You and I went to retrieve the stone. We fought. I couldn't let you not make it back to the family. I died. He blames the soul stone for what happened to me-for why we never-"

Clint looked like he had just been hit by a truck. The devastation on his face made Natasha wish she hadn't told him anything at all. She had heard the pain in Steve's voice as he recounted the others' reactions to her death, but it almost felt like she was witnessing it as she looked at Clint. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said anything. It didn't happen to me exactly, well, not this time. I'm right here."

"Oh, Tasha," Clint said, pulling her into a hug. "I'm so sorry. God, he's right. We have to blow that planet to hell."

Natasha pulled back. "Seriously?"

"Absolutely. There's a universe out there where I had to tell my kids Auntie Nat wasn't coming back. I'm with Cap. Planet's got to go."

"Let's hope the others are a little more rational. Now, hand me the spatula and get the toast started."

Natasha sat silently beside Steve as the Vormir debate resumed over breakfast. Instead of dealing with one agitated Avenger, now they had two to contend with. Steve seemed pleased to have Clint on his side, and Tony was flip flopping. When Bruce would say something about environmental impact on the galaxy, Tony would jump in and agree. When either Steve or Clint would bring up what happened during the time heist, Tony would scratch his head and say they couldn't risk it ever happening again then look at Natasha and frown. She really didn't know he cared so much.

Bruce was the only one who made sense to Natasha. Destroying the planet was overkill. She was quick to agree with everything he said until he said the one thing she couldn't fully agree with. "Knowing what happened before is enough to prevent it from happening again," he declared, before nodding towards Natasha for confirmation. "You know not to go there, no matter what the possible gain is, right?"

Her answer didn't exactly make any of them happy, but it was the truth. "I know I have no desire to go there, and I'm sure I wouldn't unless there was no other way."

Bruce frowned and sunk into his chair. "What about everyone else? Surely, none of you would go after the stone, right?"

No one said anything. Clint, who hadn't really touched his breakfast, started moving the scrambled eggs around the plate. It reminded her of Cooper when he wasn't hungry. Steve sat his glass of juice down more forcefully than necessary and stood up. "And, this is why we have to destroy it. As long as it exists, any of us could decide things are too dire not to go after it, regardless of the costs."

Bruce looked like a whipped pup. "I can't risk other planets' ecosystems, but you're not wrong. So, what do we do?"

It was Natasha who finally figured it out. "Both," she said, "we do both. We put a force field around the planet then we destroy it."

"The field would prevent debris from travelling," Bruce said, pulling a small notebook from his pocket. "This could theoretically work."

"It's the right call," Clint agreed.

"Not going to be easy. I'm good, but this is a planet we're talking about," Tony said, scooting closer to Bruce and taking his pen and notepad. "We'll need a spaceship and explosives, and I'm not sure there's a force field that could contain all this. Science has its limits."

"You invented time travel," Clint said.

"In another time line," Tony said, "and this isn't time travel. It's a planet."

"Maybe we need to involve the Ancient One," Steve said, sitting back down and taking Natasha's hand into his own. "maybe we need to combine sorcery with science." He gave her a quick kiss. "You figured out a way."

Tony groaned. "I'm glad you two got your act together, but save the make out session for your own time. We've got a universe to save, and this thing between you is going to take some getting used to."

Steve put an arm casually over Natasha's shoulder and smiled. Natasha could see his relief over the Vormir arrangement on his face. He winked at her before facing Tony. "Get used to it, because I plan on kissing my best girl as often as I can. We wasted enough time."

Natasha gave him a kiss on the cheek. "Speaking of getting used to things, what are we going to do about the twins?"

Steve frowned. "I guess trying to protect Wanda from the other time line wasn't the right way to play this. She's not going to do well with what I have to do. Mind tagging along?"

"Sure," Natasha said. "This is one time where the truth is probably our only option-no matter how much it hurts."

Wanda was just finishing her breakfast when Steve entered her cell. Natasha watched through the one way glass. He'd asked her not to enter until he gave the signal, but he knew she was ready to intervene if necessary. Thinking back to the two women's first encounter in the other time, he really wanted to avoid Natasha's trauma.

Wanda didn't even look at him as he entered the room. He forgot how young she was when they met, but she was acting like ever bit the sullen teenager she was at the moment. Nineteen was a lifetime, or several, ago for Steve. He didn't know how to relate.

She was still licking her wounds from his display of his sorcery skills. He could tell she was seething even as she tried to ignore his presence. "Food okay?" he asked. "I know you prefer your eggs fried over easy, but scrambled works better for a crowd." She looked up at him and frowned, but she didn't acknowledge he was right. "I get it. We've already established I know more about you than you know about me. That didn't exactly get us very far. I'm here to fix that. Ho ahead and read my mind. You aren't going to like what you see, but you're probably not going to trust me until you see my memories for yourself. I won't resist."

She hesitated. "How do I know they're really your memories? This could be a trick."

Steve moved closer to her and sat down. "You'll know. Pretty sure what's in my head isn't exactly the kind of thing anybody could make up. Don't be afraid. Just take a look then we'll help you deal with what you see."

Wanda bit her lower lip and slowly put her hand on Steve's shoulder. As she saw what he knew, Steve tried hard to keep his focus on Wanda instead of reliving the past. It was harder than he expected, and she probed deeper into his mind than he thought she would. His brain felt like it was going to explode. He passed out.

When he came to, Natasha was standing over him while Wanda sobbed in the corner of the room. "Are you alright, Steve?" Natasha asked, gently rubbing his cheek.

Steve nodded and tried to focus. "How long was I out?"

"Not long," Natasha said, glancing towards Wanda. "Pretty sure she saw what she needed to see."

Steve stood and took Natasha's hand. They walked over to Wanda. The girl threw her arms around them and cried. "It felt so real. It felt like I was there. All your emotions, all of the time we spent together, it was like I lived it. I've never felt that strongly before. How did you do that?"

Steve shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe it was because I didn't resist. I wanted you to know it was real. I didn't mean for you to feel the full weight of everything that happened. I'm sorry, Wanda. Hurting you wasn't my intention."

She nodded slowly. "I guess I didn't make it easy on you. It's alright. Confusing, disorienting, but I think I needed to feel it to really understand. Pietro?"

"Still in the next room," Natasha said, obviously uncomfortable with the girl's sudden need to touch her.

"You were gone. I didn't get to say goodbye," Wanda said, suddenly letting go of Steve so she could fully embrace Natasha. "We were like sisters then I disappeared and returned to find you dead. Vision! Oh my God, Vision!"

Natasha gave Steve a puzzled look. He'd mentioned Vision, but he hadn't thought to tell her about the relationship between the Scarlet Witch and the android. He patted Wanda's back as she continued to cry in Natasha's arms. "He hasn't been created yet, but Tony has a plan. This time, we won't be so dependent on the mind stone. If all goes well, we can still have Vision and stop Thanos."

Wanda let go of Natasha and landed back in Steve's arms. "How did you do it? How did you cope with all those years? Do you really believe we can win?"

"I have to believe it."

"You saved Pietro," she said, as if the realization finally hit her. "You didn't have to save him. You did that for me."

"It was the right call. Ultron will never exist, Wanda. You and Pietro will never do those things. You're home. We're going to figure this out then you'll have a much better life. We all will."

Wanda stepped back. "Can I see my brother? I need to explain this to him. I'll get him to understand."

"Of course," Steve said, looking at Natasha, who was still on the quiet side. "We'll take you to him now then we'll get you settled in your real rooms as soon as he feels ready."

Once Wanda was settled in Pietro's cell, Steve took Natasha's hand and led her to his room. She was still on the quiet side. "Penny for your thoughts?" he whispered.

"Not sure I can gather them enough to collect that penny. It was terrifying watching her with you. She was practically in a trance, Steve. I tried to pull her away from you, but I couldn't. I thought she was killing you then suddenly she was hugging us. It's like the two of you have this odd connection now. You know everything that happened and so does she, and the way she clung to me, it was like I was her lifeline." Natasha sat on his bed. "I don't know how to be the person she thinks I am, but I have this feeling she needs me to figure it out."

Steve smiled. "You didn't know how to do it the first time around either. You and I were training these superheroes who needed us to lead them, and Wanda was reeling from her brother's death. It was hard on you, but you opened up to her. She just saw that in my memories, but you haven't experienced it yet. You will. You were good with her, and she was good for you. This is so much more than a team, Nat. This is a family."

A Few Months Later

Natasha stretched out on Steve's bed as she watched him dress for the day. He looked like a kid on Christmas morning. It wasn't so surprising to see him excited. He hadn't seen his best friend in months. It had been years since he'd seen a fully restored James Buchanan.

During Thor's visit a few weeks earlier, he told them James Buchanan was doing well enough to come back to Earth, and today was the day. "Gray or blue?" he asked, holding up a couple of t-shirts.

"Gray," she said, grinning at his nervousness. "Relax, Steve. He's your friend, not a blind date. You'll be fine."

"I know. It's a just so much earlier in the timeline, and this isn't the way we did it the first time. The last time Bucky and I really talked, I was a dying old man. I left him, all of them behind after we lost you and Tony." Steve sat on the edge of the bed, slumping his shoulders. Natasha sat up behind him and caressed his back. "Guess I'm feeling guilty for not thinking of fixing things the first time around. I could have done everything we've done then but I copped out.

"Because you didn't realize you had another option," Natasha said, working his tense shoulders over as she spoke in the calmest tone she could manage. "Nobody blames you for your choice."

He turned slightly so he could face her. "I do. We could have had this sooner. Being with you is the best thing that ever happened to me, and without the help of the Ancient One and whatever mysterious force sent me back here, I'd have missed it."

She smiled and kissed him. "We are good together. I never expected to have this. I didn't think I was capable of a relationship like this one, but it's good. I do think there's something we should change though."

Natasha felt Steve tense up a bit. "What's that?"

"I was thinking about James. He's going to need you to guide him through all of this. Wanda's doing great. She clings to me more than you nowadays anyway, and Pietro is happy training with Bruce and Clint when he's around." She paused. "I don't think putting James in the room on the other wing is such a good idea. The rest of us have rooms on this side of the complex. He needs to know your close by."

"We're a little short on real estate. The only empty room on this side is the one we plan on putting Vision in, and Tony and Bruce are going to want to monitor him for awhile. I guess I could ask Sam or Rhodey to move," Steve said, "but they won't like it."

"I was actually thinking James might be better off taking my room. It's closest to this one." Natasha bit her lip. This was harder than she thought it would be, but she couldn't just come out and say it.

"There are some real advantages to having you next door, Nat. I love Bucky, but-" Steve wangled his eyebrows and moved close enough to nibble on her ear.

She laughed as she pulled away. "When am I ever next door? Steve, I haven't used my room in months for anything but a closet. You've listed a lot of Avengers. If they ever all show up at once, some are going to have to double up. Why don't we start with us?"

"Natasha Romanoff, are you trying to ask if you can move in with me?" Steve asked, his grin stretching across his face.

"That was the idea. Couldn't exactly wait around for my favorite fossil to ask. Old-fashioned values and all," she teased.

Steve pulled her in for another kiss. "If we had a little more time, I'd show you how old-fashioned my values are. I think I like your idea. No, I know I like it. Want to move in now, Nat?"

They spent the next hour turning Steve's room into their own. Steve marveled at the way their clothes blended in the closet. Seeing her toothbrush beside his wasn't new, but knowing it was staying made it special. He watched as she took over half his dresser. This was the life he wanted. He was relieved it was the one she wanted, too.

They hadn't been finished long when Thor and Bucky arrived, marking up the yard with Thor's signature design. Tony didn't even bother commenting on the lawn this time. Things were really progressing with the team.

Bucky was introduced to Wanda and Pietro as Steve stood back and watched. He knew whatever they'd done on Asgard had worked. His friend was whole again. They didn't get to talk much with everyone around, but Steve made it a point to help Bucky settle into his room privately.

As Steve was handing Bucky a pile of shirts they'd picked up for him, Steve listened to Bucky's stories of his time on Asgard. "Frigga was great. Odin was a little busy most of the time," Bucky said.

"Ruling the realms has to be a full time job," Steve said, remembering his own visit to Asgard.

Bucky nodded. "I'm sure it is, but he was busy with his sons. I think he was trying really hard to help them patch up their differences. Seemed to be working. Thor told me his old man's been different since your visit. Guess you had something to do with that, huh, Stevie?"

Steve bristled at the childish nickname, but he was pleased to hear Odin was making an effort. "I just showed him what could happen. It was his call to make sure it didn't."

"Well, it's an amazing place. Sif took me riding. She showed me the sights. Actually, we went riding quite a few times. She's an amazing woman. Never met one like her on Earth. That's for sure."

Steve smiled as Bucky continued to talk about Lady Sif. His friend was obviously smitten. It made sense in a way. They were both warriors, and Bucky was always good with the ladies. "I'm guessing leaving her was the hard part."

"It was what I had to do. You need me here, at least until we finish off those stones," Bucky said, "but afterward, well, I wouldn't mind going back."

"I bet she wouldn't mind either."

Bucky smiled. "I don't think she would."

Jarvis's voice came over the intercom as the two old friends laughed together. "Captain Rogers, you are requested in the lab. Dr. Banner has the calculations complete. It would appear it is time for me to leave my current form."

"Thank you, Jarvis. On our way." Steve looked at a puzzled Bucky. "Time for us to watch the birth of a hero."

Bucky gave him a puzzled look, but Steve didn't even bother looking behind him as he walked to the lab. He knew Bucky was on his heels. His friend wasn't going to want to miss this one.

Steve nodded at Dr. Cho and Maya. Steve was grateful to have Maya on board. She really seemed on board with bringing Vision to life, and she was eager to make a mends for her past mistakes with Killian. Bruce was excited, too. Steve told him what Shuri had said in Wakanda about individual synapses, and Bruce ran with the idea. He and Maya were constantly bouncing ideas off of each other, and Steve had a good feeling about the pair's ability to make things work on just about anything scientific.

Tony looked happy, too. He and Pepper were living at the compound now. They moved in right after the wedding, and she was completely in favor of the plan to fix a future that had left another her a widow.

Tony was pretty excited about creating Vision. His plans for Ultron were actually solid ones in a lot of ways. Steve could see how his friend came to the conclusion it would be a good idea, but knowing how things turned out, he was grateful Tony was willing to shift gears and put the research into Vision.

The trickiest part had been acquiring the vibranium. It's not like they could just go to Wakanda and get the material they needed for Vision's body. Wakandan technology was still top secret. Steve doubted that was something they could change in a simple conversation, but they found a way.

Thor's last visit served as an Avengers' mission, Wanda's first, to pay Klaus a little visit. The team fought their way through his illegal vibranium filled fortress, took the vibranium they needed, and dropped the rest off in Wakanda. They also presented the king and T'Challa with another gift-Klaus, himself. It was an odd meeting with Wakandan officials, but it went well. It was a small start towards a necessary alliance.

Now, all the Avengers were on hand for the birth of Vision. Steve felt more confident than ever as Tony gave a little speech. "The greatest battles aren't the ones we fight on the battlefield. They are the ones we manage to avoid fighting in the first place. Today, we are giving the planet, no, the universe, a real chance. Not only will Vision be a valuable member of our team, he will also be a symbol of hope. If we can really prevent Thanos's reign of terror and still save our friends, old and new, then we will have lived up to the legacy of our name. We will be worthy of the title. We will be Earth's mightiest heroes." Tony held up a glass of champagne. "To the Avengers. May we face less battles and more peace than those who came before us."

Everyone raised their glasses and drank except Steve. He appreciated the sentiment, but he also remembered those battles. He didn't raise his own glass until he looked at Natasha. She was watching him, looking for signs of distress like she always did. He smiled at her. "To the Avengers," he said, guzzling the beverage. This was a time to celebrate, not a time to look back.

Things moved quickly after the toast, and they all waited for Vision to open his eyes and speak, but nowhere more anxious than Steve and Wanda. Wanda was standing on the opposite side of him from Natasha. She was holding Steve's hand tightly. He was grateful he had shown her the memories. It was nice to have someone else in the room who could fully appreciate Vision and his sacrifice.

Vision didn't immediately speak when his eyes opened. Instead, he stood, reached for Thor's hammer, raised it, and handed it to Thor. "I thought it best if we suspend the formalities on this occasion," he said. "I have full understanding of our circumstances with the help of Jarvis's knowledge, and I understand what must be done. If it is unsuccessful and I do not survive, I want to thank you for trying to give me a chance."

Vision's words were enough to make Wanda let go of Steve's hand and rush into Vision's arms. He let her hug him for a moment before backing away. "Please forgive me for not reciprocating your feelings. You seem to have the advantage over me, Ms. Maximoff. I am privy to the information, but I have yet to experience the emotions our predecessors felt for one another." He paused and looked her in the eyes. "I do look forward to getting to know you, but I am very young. It is the day of my birth."

Wanda laughed. "I look forward to knowing you better, too. Happy birthday, Vision."

There were several birthday wishes for Vision from the rest of the team before Tony finally called a halt to the moment. "Alright, now, let's see if we did this right. Vision, if you're ready, we need to remove the infinity stone."

"As you wish," Vision said, sitting on the table his body had laid lifeless on an hour earlier.

Bruce carefully removed the stone from Vision's forehead and placed a vibranium plate over the hole it left. Vision continued to speak as they worked. "Are you finished, Dr. Banner?"

"Last screw," Bruce said. "There. How do you feel?"

"Like myself," Vision said. "Of course, I have only been myself for a short time. Shall I?" he asked, pointing to the hammer.

"Of course," Bruce said, "whenever you are ready.

Vision raised the hammer once again. Everyone cheered. "We did it," Tony said. "Now, we have all but three of the stones in our possession and as soon as the time stone gets used by that surgeon, we've got four. We really have a chance here."

Steve smiled. Natasha put her arms around him and looked at Tony. "Of course, we have a chance." She leaned in closer to Steve and whispered into his ear. "Good job, soldier. You just saved one of the ones you lost. It's gonna work, Steve."

Steve kissed her. "I've got a feeling you're right."