Thank you to Aragorn II Elessar for his help with this chapter.

Green Hal37: Glad to hear it. Well, I'll try my best on that front. Not really. Wanda's an Avenger just like him. I think Clint has sort of made his peace with the fact that Wanda will go into situations he's not comfortable with and there's nothing he can do about it.

Ellie Bishop: I think it would be an adjustment but I think each of the Bartons would come to see Wanda as a member of the family like they do with Natasha. In Arrow, from how JJ tells it, that was more down to Diggle's crappy parenting than anything Connor or JJ did. Guess so LOL! Well, Wanda doesn't know. In Assemble, Barton was very careful never to reveal the identity of Scarlet's husband and never even mentioned to Wanda that she was married. tgoing to be a wild ride, that's all I'll say right now.

SageQ: Glad to hear it.

Guest 1: No, this is Patrick.

Guest 2: Glad to hear it.

Wakanda

Night

In the cave where his ancestors had received their powers before him, T'Challa laid in the red sand, waiting as Zuri prepared the Heart shaped herb. After a few moments, Zuri walked over, carrying the liquid in the bowl.

"Allow the Heart shaped herb to restore the powers of the Black Panther and take you to the Ancestral Plane," Zuri said gently as he fed T'Challa the purple liquid.

T'Challa only managed a nod as he felt a powerful burning sensation sweep through his body. He had prepared himself, but it was still the most painful thing he had ever endured. As he began to be buried in the sand, something which he was only vaguely aware of, several images from the recordings flashed through his mind: his father's death, his battles with Killmonger, the Wakandian civil war, and his own death during The Snap. As he felt the red sand begin to cover his face, he felt a strange tugging sensation, as though he was beginning forced somewhere even through his body did not move.

When he opened his eyes, T'Challa found himself buried under dirt. Sitting up, the dirt fell to the ground as T'Challa found himself in the Ancestral Plane. It looked exactly as it had in the recordings.

As T'Challa got to his feet, looking around in awe, a panther suddenly jumped in front of him. T'Challa looked at it curiously, knowing this was not his father. As it stared at him, its eyes holding a certain wisdom, it hit T'Challa.

"Lady Bast," T'Challa muttered, falling to his knees in a bow.

"Rise, little Panther," Bast said although her mouth did not move. "A king does not belong on his knees."

"Yes, of course," T'Challa said as he got to his feet, in a bit of awe. "It is an honor."

"The honor is mine. I sense you have many trials ahead of you T'Challa," Bast said knowingly. "They shall shape not just the future of Wakanda, but of the earth and the entire universe. I foresee that you shall become Wakanda's great king, it's most legendary Black Panther."

"What must I do Lady Bast?" T'Challa asked after a moment.

"Trust yourself and those around you. I sense much doubt in you. Doubt is not necessarily a bad thing, but you must not let it rule you. I sense you have heard this advice before, but I will tell you anyway. You're a good man T'Challa. And it's hard for a good man to be king," Bast told him sagely.

T'Challa came to with a gasp, shooting up, the red sand falling off him. As he stumbled to his feet, Zuri suddenly grabbed him by his arms.

"Breath. Breath T'Challa," Zuri told him gently as T'Challa took a moment to calm himself.

"Bast. I saw Bast," he said after a moment, to the shock of everyone in the room.

Avengers Compound, next day

Morning

In the room he had been supplied by the Avengers, Loki sat on the bed, deep in thought as he absently fiddled with the handcuffs. He was deep in thought, reflecting on the events of the last few days when he heard the door to his room unlock. Under the Captain's orders, the room had remained locked. Given his history, Loki could understand their caution.

Loki looked up as the door opened, revealing his brother on the other side, holding a plate of food.

"I thought you might be hungry," Thor said as he walked over, placing the food on a nearby desk.

Loki remained silent for a few moments. When he finally spoke, Thor had to strain to hear him.

"I never meant for this to happen. I never meant for father…" Loki trailed off.

"I know," Thor said gently, sitting down next to his brother on the bed. "I know you didn't plan for what happened to father. It's just in your natural."

"You really think that little of me?" Loki asked, sounding wounded.

"Loki, I thought the world of you," Thor said honestly as he looked over at his brother. "I thought we were gonna fight side by side forever. But at the end of the day, you're you and I'm me."

As Loki looked taken back by Thor's words, Thor tried to remember what he had said in the recordings.

"Loki, life's about change, about growth. But you, you just seem to wanna stay the same. You'll always be the god of mischief. But you could be so much more," Thor said and paused. "Anyway, I'm off to see an old friend. I'll hopefully be back by tomorrow. Then, we should be heading home."

Loki merely nodded, clearly still in thought. Thor gave his brother a concerned look before rising to his feet. Whatever Loki was going through, Thor knew he could not help him this time. Loki would have to figure this out for himself.

Outside on the front lawn, Steve, Natasha and Wanda waited for Thor, Wanda dressed in her Avengers gear. The trio looked up as Thor exited the Compound, Mjolnir in hand.

"Well, we should be going little witch. We will return with Banner in toe," Thor said, directing that last part to Steve and Natasha.

"Watch out for her," Steve ordered and Thor nodded.

"If you don't, I have a feeling Clint will kill you," Natasha said only half joking and Thor chuckled.

"Well, let Barton know she will be safe with me," Thor said before looking over at Wanda. "Are you ready?"

"As I'll ever be," she said dryly. "How are we getting there?"

"Very carefully," Thor said as he walked up next to her, raising Mjolnir into the air.

Wanda's confusion only lasted a moment before the Bifrost came down, striking the pair. After a moment, the two Avengers had vanished, leaving only a scorched symbol where they had stood moments earlier.

"Huh, Tony was right. He really doesn't have regard for lawn maintenance," Natasha muttered.

In the Bifrost, Wanda's hair flowed as the Bifrost moved her above earth. It was an indescribable feeling, she felt like every molecule in her body had suddenly been electrified. Suddenly, Thor wrapped an arm around her middle rift.

"Hang on little witch!" he shouted over the roar of the Bifrost.

Thor turned and, clutching Wanda to him, crashed right through the Bifrost. Wanda didn't know how long they fell, but she was aware of wind roaring so hard it bruised her skin before she saw ground. Thor turned around so he'd take the impact of the fall before they crashed landed on the ground.

"Are you alright?" Thor asked as he let her go.

"A little warning would have been nice," Wanda said gruffly as she got to her feet, swaying before Thor helped settle her.

"If I'd asked you, you would never have come," Thor pointed out.

Wanda was seriously considering making Thor think he was an eight year old girl when she heard something crash into water. Looking up, she saw debris falling into the ocean nearby and realized they were on Sakaar.

"Well, we're definitely here," Thor muttered as he looked around.

Hearing the roar of engines, Thor and Wanda looked up as a familiar ship landed in front of them. Its doors opened up and the aliens Thor had first encountered on Sakaar in the recordings stepped out.

"Are you fighter or food?" the leader asked.

"Neither," Thor said as glanced at Wanda. "Little witch."

She nodded, stepping forward. The aliens eyed her curiously before she raised her hands, which glowed with red energy. Wanda made a shoving motion and then they were all pushed back violently. Wanda raised her glowing hands and the aliens watched in shocked horror as their ship was torn in half.

"Go away. Or I'll do the same thing to you," Wanda said calmly.

The aliens didn't need to be told twice, running in the opposite direction as fast as they could. As Wanda lowered her hands to her side, the two Avengers heard the roar of engines. Looking up, they saw a familiar ship land a few feet from them. The ramp lowered and Valkyrie started to walk down it. Or rather tried, as she drunkenly stumbled off the side of the ramp. The pair watched as she crashed into some debris before managing to pull herself to her feet.

"This is painful to watch. Just do it," Thor told Wanda, humiliated for his (future) friend.

Wanda nodded as she raised her hands. As Valkyrie looked up, Wanda hit her with some red energy. Valkyrie gasped as she was taken into a vision.

She was with her sister Valkyrie, riding to stop Hela as she attempted to escape her confinement. When Hela sent dozen of swords at them, Valkyrie was knocked off Aragorn.

After falling to the ground, Hela approached as she lay with the bodies of her fellow Valkyrie. Rising to her feet, Valkyrie tried to attack as Hela threw a sword at her. But another Valkyrie pushed her out of the way and Valkyrie watched in horror as the sword went through her armor, piercing her heart.

Valkyrie gasped as she went down on her side, overwhelmed by what she had just seen. Wanda lowered her hands, staring at Valkyrie sadly. She hated doing it, she just hoped Thor's plan worked and it hadn't been for nothing.

Wakanda

Later in the morning

In his room, T'Challa stared out the window, deep in thought when he heard someone knock on the door to his room.

"Enter," T'Challa said as he turned around to face the door.

The door to his room opened and his father walked into the room. As the door closed behind him, T'Chaka started to bow.

"My king," T'Chaka stated respectfully.

"You need not bow for me father. What is it?" T'Challa said neutrally.

"Zuri, he said you saw Bast in the Ancestral plane," T'Chaka said, a look of awe crossing his face at T'Challa's nod. "Extraordinary. Bast has not appeared to a king of Wakanda in centuries. What did she say to you?"

"She advised me on the trials ahead," T'Challa said after a moment.

T'Chaka nodded, sensing his son was holding back much of the conversation. But he did not push; he knew he did not have the right. Not anymore.

"I have a question, if I may ask," T'Chaka said after a moment.

"Of course," T'Challa granted.

"Will you ever forgive me?" T'Chaka asked uncertainly, taking his son aback for a moment.

"Of course I forgive you Baba," T'Challa said immediately. "But…I do not think I will ever forget. It will never be quite what it once was between us. But, in time…I think I will learn to trust you again. Given time."

T'Chaka nodded, knowing that was as good as he was going to get. And it was probably more than he deserved.

"I understand. My king," T'Chaka said, giving a slight bow before turning and heading out the door.

T'Challa stared after him for a moment, wondering if things would ever be able to reach a point similar to what they once were with his father.

Sakaar

Same time

Thor and Wanda sat across from Valkyrie in her ship as she took a drink.

"So, you're the prince of Asgard," she said after a moment, looking over at Thor.

"Acting king, but yeah," Thor confirmed with a nod.

"You saw inside my head, made me see…things," Valkyrie muttered as she looked at Wanda.

"Yes and no. I made you see things, but I didn't look inside your head. I looked into mine," Wanda said, confusing her.

"It's complicated, but we were shown a version of future, one where Hela escapes and Asgard is destroyed," Thor explained to Valkyrie's alarm. "And those are only some of the horrible things that happened in this future. Needless to say, we wish to prevent that."

"This future sounds pretty awful," Valkyrie noted.

"It is," Thor agreed. "I know you have no love for Asgard, but Hela in a menace."

"Agreed," Valkyrie said before taking a drink. "So, how do you plan to stop her?"

"I'm working on it. But for that, I need your help. I need you to get me into the palace, us into the palace," Thor said as he glanced at Wanda. "We need to see the Hulk."

"The big guy? Why do you wanna see him?" Valkyrie asked interested.

"Behind the Hulk is a man, Bruce Banner. He's a friend, one who has the skills I need to put Hela away for good. But I need your help to do it," Thor said and Valkyrie was silent for a moment.

"Well, if it'll make sure that murderous hag stay locked away forever, I'm in. But you need to do exactly as I say," Valkyrie said before telling them her plan.

Earth, Stark Mansion

Same time

"Yeah. Yeah, that sounds great," Tony said as he talked on the phone. "Okay, thanks Pep. I'll talk to you tomorrow."

Tony hung up, feeling pretty good when a voice spoke up behind him.

"Sounds like things are going as you want."

Shocked, Tony turned around, all the blood draining from his face as he saw who stood behind him.

"Hi Tony. We need to talk," Phil Coulson said.

At long last, Coulson has made his story debut. Didn't intend for it to be so long, but other things kept getting in the way.

Hope the way Valkyrie came around made sense.