It was hard to find space to breath with all the Avengers bustling about the base. The place hadn't been filled with so much life in five whole years. With wires in their hands, strange technical language being spoken and sparks of electric in the air. Scott even passed her holding a box very tightly in his hand, loudly proclaiming 'to be careful because if he fell, the fate of the universe would be doomed'. It was rather dramatic.

Uselessly standing in the middle of it all was Bea.

After they had landed, Fifteen had sprung to action and found Natasha. Together, the two women were typing away at a computer screen. Thinking that's where Bea would be most helpful with her two female friends, since they all had similar skillsets, she joined them. However, she was sorely mistaken when she stood behind them and saw them firing away digits into a computer screen faster than Bea's hands could work.

Half the people there she didn't even know. A raccoon she barely remembered from the fight in Wakanda walked past her leg. She almost doubled over in fright when it winked at her. Turning swiftly, she breathed out a sigh of relief when she caught Steve's blonde hair. He scratched his head, cluelessly watching Bruce connect wires.

"Right, what the hell is happening?"

"Don't ask me. Bruce had to come over here and help me because I did my job wrong apparently."

"It was quite simple, Cap," Tony passed them with a smirk, "I said to connect the main frame work to the actual time machine. Completely simple. I even colour coordinated them for you…"

"Except the yellow post it notes you stuck on there, fell off…"

Tony walked away, shrugging.

She was just glad that someone was just as clueless as her. "I'm completely useless so if anyone has any jobs for a pathetic Avenger like myself that doesn't involve anything smart or technical… I'm willing."

Calling herself an Avenger was strange enough, but when she'd first turned up and Tony had asked her what clothing size she was because her 'Avengers suit' was being made, she almost doubled over in a fit of giggles. What was next… action figures being made of her?

Steve chuckled and wrapped an arm around her. Out of everyone he was probably the only one who could relate, but at least he had the excuse from being from the 1940's.

Bruce seemed to disagree with her assessment of herself. He looked up momentarily from his work and his green face morphed into one of disapproval, "You're not useless."

"Oh yeah?" She said, shifting awkwardly at the compliment, "Find me a job then."

Bruce narrowed his eyes, "How big are your hands? – they look quite small, good… Scott needs someone to help with the Pym Particles."

"Sure," that didn't seem like a hard job, "What are the Pym Particles?"

"They're what sends us back in time," Steve explained, "So don't drop them."

"You want me to help with the thing that will save the universe!"

Swallowing the panic down, Bruce finished his work and guided her to Scott who was like a springer spaniel on steroids. His shoulders jiggled up and down in energy with every movement he made and Bea thought it was probably best not to give the job of looking after the Pym particles that had the power to potentially send them back in time.

"We're doing a test run," Bruce told her, already moving around the room. With his enormous back turned to her, she couldn't see what he was doing but she was sure she wouldn't understand even if she did. She hadn't seen him stop moving since she'd got here.

"You're testing the time machine?"

"It's ready to go," Bruce confirmed, "We've been working all night on it."

It was just then Bea noticed the giant platform built in the centre of the base. In the recent years, Natasha and Steve had just been using this room as a storage facility and boxes piled to the ceiling had been left in there. Now, they were nowhere to be seen and a giant circular metal platform took its place. She'd been so focused on the Avengers, she completely ignored it.

"Holy shit. You guys have been busy."

"How's your daughter by the way?" Scott asked, already dressed in his white and red Avengers suit.

"She's… good?"

Brooke probably wasn't okay. She was most probably crying her eyes to sleep right now, thinking her mum had abandoned her.

She looked around, all the Avengers were there. Even Thor was tucked away in the corner with a sandwich and beer, eyes shielded by sunglasses. This was probably the biggest mission any of them had ever done. Some of them might not… no…. Don't think that, Bea. Everything will be alright.

Resisting the urge to pull her phone out and call her mum to check if Brooke was alright, she instead settled for a simple smile at Scott, "She'll be even better when we bring everyone home."

"Well that's the plan. You got the Pym particles?"

"They're here," with his large hulk hands, Bruce picked the 'Pym particles' up. It didn't look like the most important thing in the universe but a simple red test tube.

"Careful!" Scott squeaked, "Easy, Easy!"

"I'm being very careful."

"No, you're being very Hulky."

"I'm being careful!" Bruce said, but his hands were too big to hold the finger sized particles. Then he passed them to Bea who gripped them with shaky hands, "anyway that's why I brought Beatrice. She's got small hands."

"I mean, I'm sure someone else would be better," Bea said unsurely, clasping her hands together like she was doing a prayer, "Natasha has small hands."

"But you're here now."

"Okay – okay – just be careful. These are Pym Particles and ever since Hank Pym got snapped out of existence, this is it. We're not making anymore and we've got enough for one round trip, each. Plus, a test run"

"`What happens if we go back in time and then lose the second Pym Particle… or something?" Bea's mind flew off with random different scenarios.

"Then you get stuck there, so don't let it happen."

"Right. No biggie."

"Okay – I think I'm ready…" Scott paused, staring into the abyss of nothingness for a moment. Bruce clicked his fingers in his face to wake him up, "No! Yes! Yes – I'm really ready. Okay… Bea… is it Bea? Beatrice? Mrs Barnes? Are you a Mrs?"

"Uh no… it's Richardson… never married… and… and Bea is fine…." Her main goal right now was not to think too much about Bucky right now and how actually becoming Mrs Barnes might be closer than she thinks.

Shaking her head of his possibility, she approached Scott slowly with the Pym Particles in her hand. With a tapping finger he showed her where on the suit the particles needed to be placed. As steadily as she could she reached down and just as her hands went to connect the suit and particle, Scott jumped away.

"You know what… No, I'm not ready. I can't do this!"

"You just said you were ready."

"Well I'm not!"

"I'll do it," came a voice from the door. They all turned and standing there was someone Bea had only ever seen in CCTV footage and Avengers videos. Hawkeye. The fangirl inside of her danced around proudly but keeping a neutral face, she hopped away from Scott to allow Clint to take his place.

She reached a hand out for him to shake, "I don't think we've met. I'm B-"

"Beatrice."

"Right. You probably just heard Scott say my name…" She suspected he had been standing there the whole time.

"No, I hear about you all the time. You're Natasha's best friend."

Air seemed to stop escaping her, "Really?" Natasha had seen her as her best friend. It was probably the highest compliment she'd ever been paid, "Um – I'm pretty sure she sees you as her best friend but thanks…"

"You're the one whose been there for her the past five years."

He might have not been here but he didn't see Natasha cry for him every evening when reviewing CCTV footage, missing him, and wishing she could reach out and help.

Once Hawkeye was suited up and Bea successfully having put the Pym Particle in straight without dropping one, they headed out to the literal 'time machine'. Bea's lip hurt from biting it so hard, as Clint climbed up the steps. Everyone gathered around. She thought they should at least have some form of protection… even if it was just behind some protective glass… something… but no, the Avengers just stood around the time machine watching Clint about to head through LITERAL TIME!

She stood by Steve. The stiffness in her shoulders must have told him all about how she felt as a moment later, his hands held tightly to hers.

"It'll be alright."

"If this doesn't work, I don't know what I'll do…"

Steve knew no words to console her, but a squeeze of the hand was all she needed, "I know."

He understood.

Just then, Bruce flicked the switch and the machine roared to life. Bea took a step back as the floor rumbled beneath her. With gripping hands, she clutched tighter to Steve like his hand was the only thing holding her from falling through the floor. In a split second, a bright light flooded through the room. Blinking to block it out, she opened them to find Clint gone.

For a second air seized to exist. All she could hear was the clacking of Bruce banging against the keyboard. She didn't dare blink for fear she would miss it. Tony told them that only a second would pass but it felt like an age.

Why wasn't he back yet?

Just as the thought entered her head, a bright blur of blinded the air. As it faded the figure of Clint Barton replaced it.

No one wasted any time for health and safety checks, as all the Avengers sped off to meet him. Natasha got there first as she skidded across the floor to stop by him.

"Hey, hey," Natasha sung, clasping his face in her hands, "look at me. You okay?"

"Yeah," he looked around wildly at the others and raised his hand to show them the baseball glove held between his fingers. He's brought something back, and if they can bring a baseball glove back, they can bring the infinity stones back. "it worked."

Bea sung a breath she didn't realise she was holding in and her heart double beat, pumping inside her like someone had slammed their hand against it making it work again.

"Holy shit!" She cried, tears welling in her eyes, "Holy fucking shit!"

Uncontrollably and not knowing what else to do, she jumped on the closest person to her and wrapped an arm around them. Thor almost spilled his drink and his bushy bears scratched against her neck.

"Thor! Thor! We're gonna do it!"

"Uh – yes…. Yes… Yes we are milady!" He scooped her up and spun her around, his sunglasses that he still had on for some reason came off in the fast spin.

When the spin came to a stop, Thor sloppily placed her down and looked between her and the drink. He scratched the knot of his beard nervously, "I mean we still might not do it but there's… there's…."

"There's hope, Thor!" She exclaimed excitedly, unable to contain herself, "there's fucking hope!"

She had never met Thor before today, but even she could see the effect of the past five years had taken its toll. It wasn't just his physical appearance wasting away. He shuffled around more, his hands stuffed in his pockets and he kept his sunglasses on so he could avoid the stares. Perhaps he was like this before – but she heard Natasha whispering concern to Steve about it.

She felt she knew better than anyone how the last five years had almost been too much for her soul.

"Have hope," She told him with a smile, "try too at least."

Thor's lips twitched into a smile that never quite formed.

"Right we know it works, now we've got to work out the when and where," Tony declared to everyone whilst unplugging switches.