Chapter 8 – Reunited

'Nat?'

She looks up at the sound of Clint's voice and tries not to cry as the archer pulls her into a tight hug.

'Hey, it's alright, we're here,' he rubs her back soothingly.

'How did you get here so fast?' she mumbles into his chest.

'Strange saw what had happened on the news the same as we did. He arrived at the courthouse just as Tony was getting a car ready to take us to the jet and opened a portal here. Seems we arrived too late to be of any use though.'

Natasha pulls away enough to see the shining portal closing behind the sorcerer. 'You're all here?'

'Yeah, we're all here Nat. Me, Bruce, Tony and Rhodey. How's everyone this side?' his tone is still soft, as if speaking to a frightened animal. She gives herself a shake and, taking a deep breath, pulls herself together.

'Sam got knocked out when the attack happened, the paramedics are seeing to him now and he's just come round. But…Clint they took,' she feels her throat close up and forces the words past the painful lump, 'they took Bucky and Wanda.'

Clint freezes in front of her, his face going tight. 'What? How?'

'Wanda was knocked out like Sam when the attack first happened. Thor was in the car with her and was disorientated, it's a miracle he wasn't out cold too. Steve checked on me then went to help them while Bucky helped me get Sam out the car. Then he went to help the others when the soldiers attacked. Nakia and I got Sam into their car, then she went to help while I stayed with him. They hit us with this sonic blast, completely knocked us all, then when the others were retreating one of them shot Bucky in the leg. He was carrying Wanda and, because they couldn't hear, they didn't realise he was down until I managed to get Steve's attention. By the time he turned back there was this weird mist and…it knocked him out and there were soldiers between them and us. We couldn't get back to them. The mist was some kind of knock out gas, but fast acting. It had to be to take out Bucky that quickly. Even T'Challa's suit couldn't filter it enough. They nearly got him as well when he tried to go after them. If it wasn't for Okoye and Steve he would have been.'

'Shit,' Clint's fists are clenched at his side. 'HYDRA?'

'Must have been,' she nods. 'I…I tried talking to Steve but…'

'Tony's with him,' he reassures her, helping her stand from the bench she'd been forced to stay on since the paramedics arrived.

The two of them watch the team's two leaders. They're far enough away they can't hear what is said but Natasha can read it in their body language. Steve's agitation as he tells Tony what happened, him nearly crumpling to the floor when he tells the inventor Bucky and Wanda have been taken. Tony barely able to keep the soldier steady, pulling him into an embrace and running his fingers through the blond's hair, trying to calm and comfort even though he's barely holding it together himself.

Just when she thinks it couldn't get any harder.

'What happened?' she turns to see Loki striding towards her, Jotun form slowly melting into his Asgardian one.

'What are you doing here?' she breaths in disbelief.

'The mental link,' he waves his hand dismissively, 'Bucky's side was panicked, or as close to panicked as he can get, and then it went quiet. Unfortunately, it's taken me longer than it should to realise it was too quiet, but I was in a Council meeting. What's happened?'

'We got attacked.'

'Brother?' Thor's weak voice comes from over Loki's shoulder and the trickster spins to look at him.

'Thor! By the Allfathers! What happened to you?'

Thor briefly explains the attack, but pauses before the end. 'Brother…'

'I take it Bucky was injured as well as Sam and Wanda? Take me to the three of them and I shall see if I can be of assistance,' Loki cuts off his brother.

'Loki…' Thor tries again.

'Loki,' she cuts in, voice raw and when he turns to her, she can see fear in his eyes, 'Bucky and Wanda were taken.'

Even when they faced him in New York she wasn't as scared of him as she is now. The look on his face is dangerous, and she takes a half step closer to Clint.

'Brother,' Thor places a hand on Loki's shoulder, 'I am sorry.'

'You have nothing to apologise for, Thor,' Loki's voice is low, 'it is this group who shall be sorry they have touched our friends. The full wrath of Asgard and Jotunheim shall fall upon them.'

Thor's face, so unsure since the loss of their friends, suddenly turns determined. 'Indeed, brother, it shall. We shall not rest until they are safe.'

'Can I suggest,' Strange says, joining their group, 'that instead of planning our retribution on the street for everyone to hear, we instead find somewhere safe? We have injured team members to see to before we can make any moves. You'll be glad to hear Sam is conscious and well. Perhaps a slight concussion but it shouldn't be anything lasting.'

Nakia joins them. 'We are taking you all to the Wakandan Embassy,' she explains, 'we've sent people to collect your belongings from your hotel rooms. You'll be safer there and, I imagine, be better able to relax knowing you are among friends and are well guarded.'

'Thanks, Nakia,' Clint smiles at her, wrapping a steadying arm around Natasha's waist. 'Now how about we all head over there? Pete and Wade should be joining us soon as well.'

Peter frowns as the driver pulls up outside the building, the flags of Wakanda flying above the doorway. 'Why are we here? We're supposed to go to a hotel.'

'I was told to bring you here,' the driver replies, 'I don't ask why. I'm not paid enough.'

Peter tries to push down the nervous feeling in his gut, gripping Wade's hand tightly, as they climb out of the car and head inside. They're greeted as soon as they walk through the door and shown up three flights of stairs to where the team has, apparently, taken residence on the entire floor. The Wakandan salutes and smiles before leaving them outside of the door.

Peter's still trying to control his shaking.

'Baby Boy you sure you're alright?' Wade's voice is quiet.

'Yeah…just,' Peter takes a breath, 'when we get in, I want to check they're…you know, actually the team. Is that…is that alright?'

'Pete, you know Beck's not going to be-'

'I know,' Peter cuts him off more sharply than he means to. 'I just want to make sure. Just in case.'

'Alright,' Wade's tone is placating. 'Do you want me to check or-'

'No, I will,' he cuts him off again, before taking a deep breath and opening the door. The scene that greets them is a frenzy of activity; it seems as though the whole team is there, sitting on comfortable sofas or chairs, or sitting at tables covered in computer equipment. Off the main room lead a number of doors, which one or two members are coming in or going out of.

'Peter!' he hears Clint's call of greeting, and everyone turns to look at them as Wade comes in through the door behind him. Everyone giving him small smiles in greeting.

Peter just wants to be sick.

'Hey, you alright champ?' Tony start coming towards him, a look of concern on his face.

'Don't!' Peter backs up, nearly crashing into Wade, holding his hand up. 'Stop. Just…wait.'

'Peter? What's wrong?' Natasha asks, standing up from where she's sat at one of the tables on a laptop.

'Just…' he takes a couple of breaths to calm himself. 'Tell me something only you would know.' He looks up at Tony, trying not to break down as the fear that this is all an illusion again threatens to overwhelm him. Or what if it isn't and he thinks it is and he-

Don't think about that, he scolds himself.

'Peter what's happened?' Steve this time.

'Just tell me something only you would know,' he repeats, keeping his eyes on Tony. He sees Tony glance over his shoulder at Wade. He doesn't know what his boyfriend does, but when Tony looks back at him, he nods.

'Alright, Pete, something only I would know?' his voice is calming, like Peter's gone mad. Which doesn't feel too far from the truth right now. Tony takes a step towards him and Peter resists the urge to step back into Wade. He knows Wade isn't an illusion. He can't be sure about anything else now.

'How about this: when I first met you, back when I asked you to come help in Germany, you said you couldn't come because you had homework,' Tony finishes and takes another step towards him. 'Or how about that I still have a piece of the brickwork from the building Vulture dropped on you to remind me why I don't ever have to doubt you again?' Tears blur Peter's vision as Tony takes another step towards him. 'Or that when you found out I'd made your override code "Baby Genius 2-0-0-4" you moaned for two weeks and tried to convince me to change it.' Another step closer and Peter can feel his whole body trembling. He's just over an arm's reach away, but Peter still can't bring himself to trust this is real. 'Or that you recorded a message right before you jumped off the bridge when Venom had hold of you? But I deleted it before anyone else could listen.'

That's the one that finally convinces him, and he half falls and half jumps into Tony's hug, letting the inventor hold him so tight it nearly hurts and run a hand through his hair. 'Or,' this time Tony's voice is quiet so only he can hear, 'that the first time you called me "Dad" was when you'd had a nightmare after Wade left when you were first free of Venom and I carried you back to spend the night with me and Steve. It was the best thing I'd ever heard in my life and I promised myself I'd do everything I could to live up to it.'

Peter can't help it. He starts sobbing, only dimly aware of Wade explaining about Beck. How he'd made it so they couldn't tell the difference between reality and illusion.

Peter blocks it out, burying his head in Tony's chest. Because he hasn't been able to tell Wade about all the illusions Beck had created for him before they'd met up. He can't tell him that Beck made him kill Tony.

A/N: Hi everyone. I hope you're still enjoying this instalment, now the team is back together they may be able to make more progress on finding their missing members!

Please let me know what you think, I do like feedback whether its positive, negative or a mixture of both!

Love always,

L x

As always here's your sneak peek:

'Anyone heard from Strange?' Tony asks.

'Perhaps if you paid attention to your phone you would have done?' the sorcerer replies as he steps through a portal, Wong behind him.

'Huh?' Tony looks at his phone. 'FRI why didn't you tell me I had calls?'

'You told me not to alert you if you had calls or messages, boss,' the AI responds.

'I did?'

'Yeah, after Ross tried calling you,' Peter yawns.

'Oh yeah!' Clint grins. 'I think your exact words were: don't let anyone call me, FRIDAY. And then she asked about Pepper and you changed it to: don't let anyone other than Pepper call me, FRIDAY.'