a/n: lil bit of a longer chapter! things start happening! here we goooo
The moment Maggie sees Coulson, she buries her face in his chest in the tightest hug she's convinced she's ever given him. He returns the hug with all the calm in the world—classic Coulson.
"Do you have an ETA on Nat and the others?" Pepper asks from behind.
"Not quite, but she says they have the situation handled," Coulson says, just as calm as his hug. He pulls away from Maggie carefully. "I'm not the only one here to see you."
Just as he speaks, the doors behind him open to reveal Daisy. Maggie lets go of Coulson and throws herself into Daisy's arms.
"Hey, it's gonna be okay," Daisy murmurs, rubbing the back of Maggie's head.
"Natasha asked us to come to wait with you two," Coulson says. "Just for some peace of mind."
"Why?" Maggie asks, looking up at Daisy. "What happened to them?"
Daisy glances at Coulson before answering. "They ran into more aliens on their way. But your mom says it's nothing they can't handle."
Her family has fought aliens and come out victorious before, Maggie reasons. But the aliens they saw in the city today…Maggie shudders at the memory. That was a whole different level of "aliens."
She suddenly remembers those aliens have Tony and Peter somewhere in space now, and buries her face back into Daisy's chest.
A few hours later, Maggie's parents and the others finally return to base safely, after May picked them up.
She holds herself back from running into their arms once she sees them because they all look…terrible. Wanda and Vision can't even stand on their own, Sam and Clint are both limping, and Natasha's holding a blood-soaked rag over her arm. Only Steve seems to be somewhat recovered.
"Everyone into the med bay, now," Bruce says before anyone can speak upon their reunion. "Treatment first, debrief later."
Daisy and Coulson take over helping Wanda and Vision, freeing up Steve's arms. He quickly turns to Maggie, opening his arms to her. She takes the invitation quickly, launching herself into his arms with a sob.
"We made it, that's what matters," he says quietly.
"But Uncle Tony is gone," she says.
"We're going to get him back."
Despite Bruce's instructions of medical treatment first before debriefing, the debrief starts in the middle of the med bay after Rhodey walks in. Maggie's seated on a bed next to Natasha, who's icing her head now that her arm's been bandaged properly. Rhodey sighs.
"So we gotta assume they're coming back, right?" he says.
"And they can clearly find us," Wanda says, leaning back in the bed she's sharing with Vision while Bruce tends to her wounds.
"We need all hands on deck," Clint says.
"We need Tony back," Pepper murmurs. "And Peter."
Maggie feels Natasha wrap an arm around her at Pepper's words.
"Thanos has the biggest army in the universe. And he is not gonna stop until he gets…" Bruce trails off as he finishes applying a bandage to a particularly nasty cut on Wanda's thigh. He looks up at Vision. "Until he gets Vision's stone."
"Well, then we have to protect it," Natasha says with no hesitation.
Wanda nods, then winces in pain. Vision squeezes her hand and shakes his head.
"No," he says. "We have to destroy it."
Steve steps forward. "Vision—"
"I've been giving a good deal of thought to this entity in my head, about its nature. But also its composition," he says. He slowly pulls his hand from Wanda's and rises from the bed, standing before everyone. "I think if it were exposed to a sufficiently powerful energy source, something…very similar to its own signature, then, perhaps…its molecular integrity could fail."
He doesn't need to look at Wanda for everyone to know he's talking about her.
"And you, with it," Wanda quickly protests, trying to push herself up from the bed, but Bruce gently stops her. "We're not having this conversation!"
Vision meets Wanda's eyes directly. "Eliminating the stone is the only way to be certain that Thanos can't get it."
Wanda shakes her head. "That's too high a price, Vis."
"And only you have the power to pay it."
His words are met with silence, and even Maggie knows he has a point, as horrific as it is. If the decision comes down to Vision's life or the entire universe, then…
Wanda stares down at her hands in her lap.
"Thanos threatens half the universe," Vision continues, as if he read Maggie's mind. "One life cannot stand in the way of defeating him."
Now Steve is shaking his head. "But it should." He steps to face Vision directly. "We don't trade lives, Vision."
"Captain, 80 years ago, you laid down your life to save how many millions of people?" Vision says. "Tell me, why is this any different?"
Bruce, stepping away from Wanda's bed, speaks up now. "Because you might have a choice. Your mind is made up of a complex construct of overlays. JARVIS, Ultron, Tony, me, the Stone. All of them mixed together. All of them learning from one another."
Wanda raises her head, hopeful. "You're saying Vision isn't just the stone?"
"I'm saying that if we take out the stone, there's still a whole lot of Vision left," Bruce says with a small smile. "Perhaps the best parts."
Natasha looks among the group. "Can we do that?"
"Not me," Bruce admits.
"We better find someone fast," Rhodey says. "It sounds like we don't exactly have a lot of time."
Maggie notices her parents exchanging a look.
"I know someone," Steve says.
Despite her worries about her parents, Maggie makes an effort to give them space. They're fully back in work mode pretty quickly, and she doesn't want to get in the way.
Steve's calling and arranging for his "someone" to arrive by the morning while Natasha's helping Bruce and Vision prep the lab—despite Bruce trying to convince Natasha to rest, given her concussion. Clint reviews defensive protocols with the others in preparation for Thanos himself coming to earth. Pepper finally manages to get some sleep.
That leaves Maggie with Wanda in the lounge, even though it's way past her bedtime. She doesn't want to sleep until her parents settle down for the night.
Wanda's been pretty down and out since earlier, despite their newfound hope of separating Vision and the Mind Stone. About an hour has passed since Maggie first sat down on the couch with her, watching old Disney Channel sitcom reruns, but Wanda's barely spoken or emoted in that time.
Maggie glances at Wanda now, only to find her curled up under a blanket in the same position she was an hour ago, her eyes staring at the TV, unfocused.
The credits roll.
"We can watch something else if you want," Maggie says, reaching for the remote on the coffee table in front of them.
"It's okay," Wanda says quietly. "I like these shows."
Maggie turns her eyes back to the TV and catches the Hannah Montana logo. "These shows are pretty old."
"I used to watch a lot of shows like these, even older shows, when I was your age," Wanda says. Her lips form a small smile as the Hannah Montana laugh track suddenly swells in the background. "With my family."
Maggie doesn't know a lot about Wanda's life before her parents met her, though she remembers their stories of the mischievous speedster who gave his life to protect Clint. He was Wanda's twin brother—her only living family—until he died in the battle against Ultron.
"We would watch them together for hours to learn English," Wanda continues, the soft glow of the TV reflected in her eyes. "And after I moved in with the Avengers, I would sometimes watch them with your family."
"With my parents?" Maggie asks.
"And you, though you were a toddler." Wanda's smile grows. "I got to watch a lot of new shows—many of which your father hadn't seen either, so it was fun to experience them for the first time together."
Wanda suddenly laughs, startling Maggie, until she remembers Hannah Montana is still playing on TV. She turns to find the characters yelling at each other, with screams of laughter from the live studio audience in the background.
"If you ever wanna watch a sitcom together," Maggie ventures, "I'd be down."
Finally, Wanda's eyes move from the TV to meet Maggie's.
"I'd love that," Wanda says. "Once we sort all this shit out. And don't tell your parents I said 'shit.'"
Now Maggie's the one laughing.
The next morning, Steve wakes Maggie up at an ungodly hour. It's barely even light outside when she opens her eyes.
"Why?" Maggie grumbles into her pillow, after turning away from Steve and the bright light shining through the blinds he so helpfully opened.
"You have a flight to catch."
At that, Maggie's eyes fly open, and she turns to look at Steve for real.
"What?"
Steve sits at the foot of her bed. "You and Aunt Pepper are going to California."
"Calif—why?"
"It's too dangerous for you two to stay here," Steve says. "Those aliens could come looking for Vision again any second. As long as the Mind Stone is here, it's not safe."
"But we're safer together," Maggie says.
"Not always." Steve sighs. "This time is different."
Maggie sits up. "What about Uncle Tony? And Peter?"
"We're still not sure where they are," Steve says. "Or how to get to them."
"I feel so bad for Aunt Pepper," Maggie says. "I'm scared for them, too."
"Even if we can't get to them now, we have to trust them to take care of themselves out there, especially your Uncle Tony. And as soon as we destroy the Mind Stone, we can focus completely on finding them—if they haven't found their way back to us by then, yet."
Maggie just nods as Steve stands from her bed.
"Uncle Phil's taking you and Aunt Pepper to San Francisco in an hour," Steve says.
That catches Maggie's attention. "San Francisco?"
"Scott and Hope said you can spend the night there, with Cassie."
A part of Maggie is ecstatic at the prospect of spending so much time with Cassie out of nowhere…but the circumstances that got her to this position quickly bring her mood back down.
"How many nights?" she asks.
"I don't know," Steve admits. "Until it's safe."
It makes sense; Maggie understands the situation. In addition to safety, she's sure she'll only get in the way of whatever the Avengers need to do.
"I wish you could stay here," Steve says when Maggie doesn't respond. "Mama and I both do. But we need to do what's best for you—and for Pepper. Tony would want us to keep her safe, too."
"Yeah, I know," Maggie says. "And I can help protect her, too."
"Exactly. I knew you'd understand." Steve leans over and kisses her forehead, then moves toward the door. "I have to get back to the lab and make sure everything with Vision is going smoothly."
"Wait! Who did you call?" Maggie slides out of bed. "They're here already?"
"Why don't you come see for yourself?"
Thanks to the clear glass around the lab, Maggie's able to watch Shuri work without disrupting her. It's been a while since she last saw Shuri, but Maggie knows she's good friends Peter; she's hit with a sudden pang of sadness at the reminder of his absence.
In the lab, Shuri and Bruce are working on some way to separate the Mind Stone from Vision, based on some scientific theory so complex Steve couldn't explain it to her. Also outside the lab are T'Challa and Okoye, who Maggie doesn't see very often either. After a quick "hello" to Maggie, they're deep in conversation with her parents.
Maggie, once again, finds herself beside Wanda, who's also watching through the glass.
"Do you think it's gonna work?" Maggie asks, then realizes she shouldn't add onto Wanda's own stress.
"It's okay," Wanda says, detecting Maggie's thought process. "You can always ask me questions."
Maggie nods. "Is it working so far?"
"Yes, but it's going to take some time," Wanda says. "Vision's body is complicated, so they need to be careful."
Shuri's entire face is tight with concentration as she works on Vision, Bruce standing off to the side, ready to assist at any moment. Maggie notices Wanda's intense gaze locked on Vision in their reflections in the glass.
"Are you scared?" she can't help but ask.
"Of course," Wanda says, then smiles. "But I have to trust Shuri."
Maggie offers Wanda her hand for emotional support, which Wanda takes graciously. They watch Shuri work in silence for a few more moments until Natasha comes to stand beside them.
"Don't forget to pack for Cassie's," Natasha says, wrapping an arm around Maggie's shoulders. "We'll hold down the fort here while you're gone, kiddo."
Maggie smiles up at Natasha. "I'm just glad Vision's gonna be okay. And then you can save Uncle Tony and Peter."
"That's the plan."
Suddenly, the room quiets as a strange sound pings from Okoye's bracelet—kimoyo beads, Maggie remembers them being called, after Shuri explained them to her once. In the reflection of the glass, Maggie watches Okoye press a button on the bead and pull up a diagram of the globe.
"Something's entered the atmosphere," she announces solemnly.
Wanda's grip on Maggie's hand tightens while Natasha's arm disappears from her shoulders, everyone in the room processing Okoye's words.
Sam suddenly rushes into the room with Bucky, who Maggie hadn't even realized was here.
"Cap, we got a situation outside," Sam announces in a rush.
"Some alien ships," Bucky adds, looking just as bewildered as Sam.
T'Challa rushes into the lab to warn Shuri while Okoye, Sam, and Bucky rush back outside.
"We need to lock down the base," Natasha says.
"And put up the shield," Steve says.
"And…"
Natasha trails off as she looks down at Maggie.
"Vis, what the hell!"
At Wanda's sudden outburst, Maggie turns and sees Vision trying to sit up, Shuri barely managing to keep him down.
Maggie can hear Vision's voice through the glass as he yells, "We need to destroy the stone now!"
The adults all rush into the lab, leaving Maggie no choice but to follow. Natasha hurries to Vision's side.
"Vision, keep your ass on the table," she says.
"We will hold them off outside," T'Challa adds, nodding to Shuri. "Work as fast as you can."
Shuri pushes Vision back down onto the table. "Stay down until I'm done."
"Wanda, as soon as the stone's out of his head," Steve says, "you blow it to hell."
Wanda nods quickly, coming to stand on the side of Vision opposite Shuri. "I will."
Natasha takes Maggie's hand. "We need to get Maggie and Pepper to safety."
"The bunker," Steve says. He presses his finger the comms link in his ear. "Activate the shield."
Before Maggie can even process what just transpired, she's being whisked out of the lab by her parents. She awkwardly tries to keep up while Natasha pulls her by the wrist.
"We have a bunker?" Maggie asks. "And a shield?"
Her parents don't respond. They run through swarms of S.H.I.E.L.D. agents running every which way. Normally, the agents try to stay out of the Avengers' way as much as possible—but given the situation, that hierarchy within the base seems to have been completely thrown out the window. Maggie and her parents narrowly dodge countless agents during their run.
As they pass a window, Maggie sees an alien ship slam into an invisible wall. "What is—"
"It's a giant force field around the base," Natasha explains hastily. "We borrowed the idea from Wakanda."
"The bunker's just straight ahead."
At Steve's words, they come to a stop at an intersection of hallways that is strangely devoid of agents running around. Steve's clearly going to head down a different hall than Maggie and her mom. Maggie tries to swallow back the nerves she feels rising as the entire base shakes from another blast against the force field outside.
"I'm going to take you there and stay until Pepper gets there," Natasha explains quickly. "Then Coulson and May will be with you."
Maggie just nods along numbly, at a loss for words. Her mind's racing with everything going on, between Vision's operation, the impending alien attack, the fact that Tony and Peter are still lost somewhere in space, Wanda's determination to do anything to save Vision—
"Hey, Mags, look at me." Steve meets her at eye level. He takes her free hand and squeezes it gently. "You still with us?"
She nods again, unable to form proper words. She takes a shaky breath instead.
"You're going to be safe, okay? The bunker is underground and impossible for strangers to find. Only we know how to get inside," Steve explains. "While you're there, the rest of us are gonna fight off these aliens just like we did the others yesterday."
"Just think about all our plans for your birthday, remember?" Natasha joins in. "You're gonna have two parties, and now you'll get to see Cassie early, and for even longer than we first planned. It'll be so fun."
Maggie feels absolutely frozen—in place in this hallway, in this moment in time, everything. She may not have Peter's Spidey senses, but…something in her gut insists this isn't going to go the way it should. Instead of words, she pulls both of her parents into a hug, curling her arms protectively around their necks, if even just for a moment while the storm outside rages on.
After a moment or two, she finally finds the strength to whisper, "I love you."
"I love you, too," her parents chorus in response, squeezing her tightly against themselves.
Though it feels like an eternity, it still feels all too short, as a blast outside rocks the ground beneath their feet, reminding them what's at stake here.
Steve pulls out of the hug first, Natasha following suit soon after. He steps toward the hallway that leads to an exit.
"I'll see you on the other side of this, okay, Maggie?" he says.
She tries to stop herself, knowing it's unfair to trap her parents in guilt like this, but still asks, "Promise?"
Steve meets her eyes calmly for a moment before nodding. "Promise."
Then he's off.
Maggie doesn't have more than a second to watch him off, as Natasha resumes pulling her toward this supposed bunker.
At the end of the hallway, Natasha hastily unlocks a door with her ID for the base. She and Maggie step inside, and the door closes almost immediately after them, startling Maggie. Natasha squeezes her hand.
"Almost there."
They go through another series of doors—three to be exact—leading underground. Maggie isn't sure how far down they are by the end of it, but the sounds from outside the base are completely muffled now.
The bunker is bigger and more hi-tech than Maggie expected, matching the interior of the rest of the Avengers facility. There's a common area with furniture and a small kitchen, plus doors Maggie assumes lead to a bathroom and bedrooms, as if they planned for people to live down here for a long time.
Natasha releases her hand to walk farther into the room. She checks the cabinets of the kitchen area, making sure they're stocked with food and other supplies. After that, she moves to a keypad on the wall and types in a code. The wall panel opens to reveal a collection of TV screens, sparking to life. Maggie hurries over to look at them.
"What is that?" she asks. As the screens power up, they display various areas of the Avengers facility—security camera footage.
She frowns as she watches the Avengers huddle up outside, countless S.H.I.E.L.D. agents behind them with weapons. T'Challa approaches the Avengers with Okoye and a large mix of Wakandan warriors, including some of the Dora Milaje, the Border Tribe, and M'Baku's tribe, behind him, chanting. He must've known the Vision operation had a strong chance of going south quickly, so he came prepared for a fight.
Thinking of Vision, Maggie scans the screens until she finds a live feed of the lab. Shuri is still hard at work on Vision's head, with Wanda waiting anxiously off to the side. She looks up at Natasha.
"Do you think they'll get the Mind Stone out in time?" she asks.
"I don't know," Natasha admits, which is not the answer Maggie wants to hear. She must pick up on the way Maggie hesitates at her words, as she manages a smile. "I trust Shuri and Bruce. If anyone can do it in time, they can."
"And Uncle Tony," Maggie says, feeling her shoulders slump. "If he was here."
The door suddenly opens, Coulson and May hurrying in with Pepper in tow. All three look as frazzled as Maggie feels, but their presence eases some of the tension in the room.
"How's it looking up there?" Natasha asks.
"I think you already have an idea," May says, gesturing to the security feeds.
Pepper pulls Natasha into a hug. "Nat, are you—"
"I have to," Natasha says. After a moment, she breaks the hug. "The Avengers need me. Coulson and May will stay down here with you guys."
Maggie looks toward Coulson, who just shrugs with his usual smile. "Last time I fought an alien, I died. So, I think I'm good to sit this one out."
"That's why I'm here," May says, coming to stand beside Maggie. "To protect all three of you."
Another boom shakes the base, this one loud enough to rock the bunker, too. Maggie looks at the security feeds, watching as several ships land outside just outside the force field.
"I gotta go," Natasha says, and Maggie feels her heart plummet once more. She looks between Natasha and the ships on the screen.
"Mama, wait," she says, grabbing Natasha's hand once more. Her fingers brush against the Widow's Bites, the cold metal meeting her skin serving a cruel reminder of today's events.
Natasha pulls her into a hug, tighter than any Maggie can recall.
"I'm gonna be honest," Natasha murmurs into her ear. "I don't know how today's going to end, Maggie. I'm a little scared."
"Mama—"
"I know that you know that I love you—more than words can ever describe. But I want to remind you again. I love you so, so much, Maggie."
This feels like…
Maggie hugs Natasha back as hard as she can. "I know. I love you, too."
After several moments, Natasha pulls back, revealing tears in her eyes—the same tears Maggie knows currently sit in her own eyes. Natasha's hands cradle Maggie's face as she presses a kiss, so soft compared to their hug, to her forehead, holding her head for just a moment.
"Happy birthday, Maggie. I can't believe you're a teenager already."
Natasha pulls her hands away. Maggie just blinks up at her.
"It's tomorrow," she says.
"I know." Natasha manages a small smile as she starts to turn away. "But just in case."
With that, she walks.
Before Maggie can realize the gravity of her words, the implications behind them, the doors are already closing behind Natasha.
a/n: ok LISTEN i just,,, rly hated that they introduced the awesomeness of wakanda in black panther and then the (predominantly white) avengers just came thru and IMMEDIATELY trashed it in the next movie 2 months later so like LMAOOOO i'm sorry but no (heart emoji). and as always ty for reading and reviewing uwu
on another note, anyone else watching the falcon and the winter soldier? we are only 1 ep in but i'm already obsessed AHHH