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Disclaimer: I do not own Marvel. I own Addison Carter.
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When I woke up, I recognized my bed in the Tower. There was an IV next to my bed and a needle stuck in my arm, but I was no longer in Sokovia. I sat up, still sleepy, and rubbed my eyes. My phones were on my bedside table. I grabbed the personal one.
I had so many missed calls and texts from Wade and James. I sent them both a short 'safe' as I sat up.
"Miss Carter." I jumped at the female voice coming from the ceiling. "I am FRIDAY and now replace JARVIS. I was asked by Boss to tell him when you're awake."
"Then do FRIDAY," I replied quietly, the dull pain of a headache in the back of my skull.
It was the kind of pain not that painful but constant.
However, the moment my feet touched the floor, pain ran through my entire body. I moaned in pain and fell back on the bed. I moaned again because of the impact.
"You're barely awake and already looking to hurt yourself?" I looked up at Tony at the door. I waved weakly at him and he pulled me in a sitting position. "How do you feel?"
"Huh...everything hurts but I'm good. Oh, and I can talk fine now."
"You did sleep for three days." I raised my brows.
"What about Sokovia? Did Pietro make it?"
"He's running around the Tower, it's annoying. On the good side, he's slower than before for now." I sighed in relief. "As for Sokovia...I am still overlooking how people are taken care of. We caused a lot of damage with the whole...flying city situation."
"Anything else?"
"We're in the middle of moving to the compound." I nodded. I knew it was almost finished and would have more space for us. "Huh...Bruce's missing." I widened my eyes in alarm. "The Hulk went in the quinjet Ultron tried to use to flee. Romanoff tried tot convince him to turn around but the big guy shut her off and the jet disappeared. We're looking for him."
"He just...left?"
"It seems so. Oh, and Cap wants the twins to join the Avengers, and other people." I frowned.
"The hell?"
"My reaction," he said, sitting down next to me. "Apparently, they showed their heroic qualities in Sokovia."
"You mean when they fix a mess they helped creating?" He took a deep breath.
"Yeah, I guess. And they hate me too. Like a lot. They think I killed their parents."
"Wait what? Is that why they hated the Avengers?"
"Pietro explained that two missiles from Stark Industries destroyed their apartment. The first one killed their parents, the other one never blew up. I mean, I know my weapons killed a lot of people but I doubt I can track if it was me or Obie who..." I made a face at that name.
I never liked the guy. He never liked me either. I was glad when I heard he died.
"You're not responsible for the Sokivian issues though, you didn't use that missile. I know you had your eyes opened after Afghanistan." He shuddered at that. "But even if you control who you sell weapons to, you have no guarantee they won't sell them on the black market afterward."
"Making weapons for a living and promote it as 'peace making' is not the solution either."
"I've never said that. I've always hated your earlier...business anyway. Governments will be like 'we want weapons to protect ourselves from potential threats' and in the blink of an eye it turned into 'well we wanted to take care of it before they could become potential threats'." He looked at me. "Point is, if a guy kills someone with a gun, you don't go for the gun or the one who made the weapon, or even the one who sold it. You go for the one who used the weapon and actually killed someone."
"They apparently think otherwise. Cap also thought about Rhodey and his friend, Sam Wilson, to join the team. I mean, I agree for these two, but the twins...they willingly became HYDRA."
"We don't all start on the good side," I reminded him with a smirk.
"You realized what you were doing was wrong."
"They did as well. I doubt NATO would just let them become Avengers anyway."
"They want them behind bars. They'll never be able to remove 'HYDRA' from their resumes, that's for sure. However, if they are a part of the team, it will place them under surveillance so it could be a good thing."
"Does that mean I'm under surveillance as well?"
"Well...in a sense." I widened my eyes in shock. "You're not really allowed to quit the team. I mean, Fury made a deal with you before SHIELD fell, so that little adventure in college doesn't count anymore but your terrorist days were not erased. Fury wanted you on the team because he thought you'd be useful here, find a purpose or something. The US government likes you here because we can deal with you if you cause troubles again." I rolled my eyes. "But all three of you could be taken prisoners if you...go back to your old selves. The main difference is that you never tried to kill the Avengers unlike the twins so..."
"You have no real way to know if they're loyal or not."
"Exactly. Cap wants to have faith in them. I'm not sure we can do that right away knowing they wanted our heads just a week ago."
"It will be a PR nightmare."
"Yeah. You'll be asked for your opinion on the matter because if they join, you'll be in charge of training them."
"I..."
"I know. Xavier also mentioned his interest in them, at least to make sure they can use their powers properly because they have no training with them." He hugged me with one arm. "I'm glad you're okay. You scared us when you wouldn't wake up but turns out, you were too exhausted."
"I think my mutation is constantly evolving," I muttered quietly.
"It seems so. We ran a few tests while you were sleeping. It seems that...there's an additional layer of protection around you? You're more resistant than a regular human being, that's for sure. We need to keep an eye on it." I nodded.
For the next day, I stuck around Tony or Rhodey during moving. They were almost all at the compound already anyway, it was just that once I was awake, the medical team could go there as well.
I looked around as my car entered the compound after Tony's. I knew it used to be old Stark Industries' warehouses...it looked nothing like it now.
It was...awesome. I wouldn't say we have more space per say, but as it was not a skyscraper, it looked like it. We had a lot of green spaces as well, it looked more...homey.
I was barely out of my car that a blur of silver exited the building. I leaned against my car when Pietro stopped in front of me with a grin.
"I was told you were slower for now!"
"It was two days ago!" I started to head to the building, Pietro next to me. "I wanted to thank you. Clint told me you saved my life."
"Well I'm pretty sure you wouldn't have survived being turned into a meat shield. I mean...did you think or just acted?"
"I saw them and acted," he admitted, rubbing his neck. "Wanda yelled at me when I woke up."
"You bet, you're her only family. I was told there was a reunion, where..."
"Follow me." He led me to a room with glass walls. The rest of the team was already inside, minus Doc.. I entered.
"Hey Sleeping Beauty," Clint greeted me. I waved at them and sat down next to Thor.
"Addison, I believe Tony explained to you what was happening?"
"The twins." He nodded.
"Now fighting HYDRA is over, Thor is leaving and Clint is retiring." I shot Clint a surprised look but then remembered he had a pregnant wife and two kids waiting for him at home. "Tony stated he would take a step back from the Avengers as well. With Banner missing, we need new members. Sam and Colonel Rhodes are two good choices we all agreed upon already." I nodded.
"Agree."
"Now we have the Maximoff twins and Vision."
"Vision has the Mind Stone. You guys need to keep him around," Thor stated.
"He'd be a great new recruit. We just need to teach him how to...act like a human being," Natasha spoke out, her voice unwavering, not betraying any emotion. "As for the Maximoffs..."
"They're kids, and they proved they could be trusted in Sokovia," Clint pointed out.
"They're nineteen and willingly joined HYDRA. No matter the reason, they stopped being kids at that moment," I contradicted him. "World governments will not treat them as kids, might as well make sure they realize that as well."
"So what, you give them to NATO?" he asked me sarcastically. "Because I'm pretty sure everybody deserves a second chance."
"She didn't say they didn't deserve one," Thor pointed out. "And would your governments know how to handle them?" I scoffed quietly.
"They came up with ways to control mutants, I'm sure they'd be more than eager to adapt these ways to them," Tony said.
"We do need new blood though," Black Widow reminded us before looking at me. "Are you sticking around?"
"Not likely, I have side gigs." I caught Steve's glance. "Mutant business Steve, if it required your intervention I would have told you okay."
"It means that only Steve and I would permanently be around." Natasha pursed her lips. "And they would all need training. The twins would be good additions if they stay on our side."
"They want to redeem themselves and saw we were fighting the right fight," Steve said firmly. "With some training, I'm sure we could trust them with our lives."
"Midgard needs new protectors."
Ultimately, we all decided to let the twins in the team. It was better than sending them in a cell for threatening global security. We could use their powers for good.
Avengers Facility, New York, May 2015
"Powers are closely related to your emotions. At least that's true for you Wanda, I'm still not sure for you Pietro. In any case, there are more ways to use them than the one you are using now." They shared a look and I pointed at Pietro. "For instance you, Mister I-don't-think-before-acting!"
"Hey!"
"She's not wrong..." Wanda whispered for no one in particular. Her twin shot her a betrayed look.
"You told me yourself that when you saw Clint and the kid being shot at, your first instinct was to dive in and take the hit for them. Admirable, yet stupid. I'm not criticizing though, your powers are still relatively new. It took me months before I learned how to turn off my telepathy. I'm sure it must be the same for you Wanda, or how you Pietro have to slow yourself down to be on the same level as us regular-speed people." They exchanged a knowing look.
I scrolled through the information Beast sent me about the original Quicksilver. It was a wild shot HYDRA took with trying to replicate the guy.
"Point is, you need training to better control your powers. Not just that, but regular training provided by Steve and Natasha will train your other senses and the more you're aware of your surroundings, the less likely you are to make a stupid decision." I pointed at Pietro. "You. You're fast, instead to taking the hit you could have moved Clint and the kid, or moved the bullets."
"Yeah, why didn't you do that?" his sister asked him, her arms folded across her chest.
"Alright, I already said I was sorry!" I smiled faintly at the display.
"I think Cap and Natasha will start group training in a few days, until then we'll focus on your powers."
In all honesty, I was not even surprised their rooms were close to mine. On the day the compound was officially opened, Thor found me in a hallway.
"You're going back to Asgard then?" I asked him, my eyes still looking at the huge green spaces through the big windows of the wall.
"No, not yet," he replied. We started walking.
"You're worried about the Infinity Stones, aren't you?"
"Four of them appeared in the past couple of years, so yes. It is bigger than Earth itself, so I'm going to look for them. Actually, I wanted to ask you to keep an eye open for them as well. I mean, maybe there's another one on Earth after all."
"Why me?"
"Because you figured out there was a Stone in the Scepter and I think it has something to do with the Aether hitting you." I raised a brow at him. "The twins' powers come from the Mind Stone, but through experimentation. It is not your case. The Aether...the Reality Stone hit you and modified, improved your powers and something tells me there might be a reason behind this."
"What kind of reason?" He pursed his lips, a grim look in his eyes as Steve and Tony left a room meters in front of us. We stopped in our tracks and turned toward each other.
"I can't say, but I fear the worst." I looked down.
"Four out of six appeared. That Tesseract..."
"The Tesseract's on Asgard, it's safe."
"Maybe, but you're right about the fact a lot of them appeared in a short amount of time. Maybe...there's something happening behind the scene, something big."
"And in that case, it's a possibility the Reality Stone chose you to warn us. You were...at the right place at the right time." He joined Tony and Steve.
Was I? I ran to catch up with them and waved Thor goodbye when he left once we were outside.
"That guy has no respect for lawn maintenance," Tony commented as his orange car rolled next to us. "I'm gonna miss him though. And you're gonna miss us. Right Addie?" I shrugged.
"I'll miss you both," Steve admitted.
"Yeah? Well it's time for me to tap out. Maybe I should take a page out of Barton's book. Build Pepper a farm, hope nobody blows it up." I smirked.
"She'd love that," I said. Tony glanced at me.
"I know right!"
"The simple life."
"You'll get there one day."
"I don't know," Steve replied. "Family, stability...The guy who wanted all that went in the ice seventy-five years ago. I think someone else came out."
"Is that a bad thing?" I asked him. He looked at me above Tony's shoulder. "Time doesn't wait on anyone. Is that a bad thing?"
"I don't know," Steve answer honestly, looking at the compound. We heard new recruits shouting nearby. "But I feel like I'm finally home." Tony nodded and opened his car door. "What about you Carter? You really can't stay for a while longer?" I smiled at him.
"I'm flattered by the offer, but as I said, I do have other business to attend to. Other people who need me. I'm only a phone call away Steve. Just...you know, if it's a random mission don't call me. Wait for an 'end-of-the-world' situation."
"It's noted then." I shared a brief hug with Tony and we watched him leave in the distance. "Your car doesn't pick you up?"
"Shuddup Rogers," I mumbled as I walked to my car with him. "Seriously though, I gave the twins my number, don't hesitate to call me if you guys need it. If I'm unavailable, then I'll ask someone from the Institute to come. They happen to have a lot of experience in dealing with young people with powers."
"Only a phone call away," he repeated as I unlocked my car.
"Exactly." I frowned at the concern in his gaze. "Steve?"
"You're okay, right?" I raised a brow. "You seemed pretty shaken after Seoul, I just want to make sure you're well enough to leave." I patted him on the shoulder.
"I'm fine." He did seem concerned.
"I'll text you Sam's number. He used to run a PTSD group. If you ever feel like you need to talk, don't hesitated to call him." I nodded weakly.
"I will." I returned his embrace, looking at the sky because of how tight he was hugging me. He really was concerned. "You know about the kid, don't you?"
"I overheard Pietro talking about it with Wanda yes," he whispered back to me. "There's nothing you could have done for the mother."
"Even if it's the truth, I think a part of me will never accept it." I broke our embrace. "I should go now, my roommate might chew my head off." I had only texted him once. He replied by saying he had watched the news about Sokovia with Wade.
I was dead.
"See ya Stevie!" I told him once I was behind my wheel. I drove off.
I went home. However, I decided to visit every district of New York before. I was born in Manchester, lived in London between the age of one and five before moving with my grandparents in Staten Island. I knew New York pretty well, even if I still did not consider myself a true New Yorker. I was American through Mom and British through Dad.
I considered myself British before American as Grandma raised me and Grandpa was French, so it was European still.
I had two passports though, that was cool. I could take a posh or French accent in the blink of an eye as well.
I stopped in front of a particular house in the North Shore of Staten Island. It was a two-floor house, similar to the other ones on the block. It was the house I lived in up until Grandma died. Although she gave me everything in her will, to my relatives' displeasure, Tony, or Pepper, took care of everything until I turned eighteen. Even then they never really mentioned it and I never really showed any interests in it. Pepper just told me that the day I wanted to get the house, I would get it but until then, it was being taken care of.
I turned off the engine and grabbed my face before leaning against my steering wheel. Shit, Sokovia was dawning on me. Seoul was dawning on me.
Shit shit shit shit shi…
I jumped in my seat when someone knocked on my window. I turned my head and froze at the blond woman looking at me in joggers and a sweatshirt. I gulped when she gestured me to get out of my car. I shot my keys a look and she knocked harder on my window.
"Get out Addison, I'm not...you have no reason to be scared of me," she almost pleaded me. I took a deep breath, grabbed my keys and did.
"Sharon," I greeted her without an ounce of emotion in my voice. I wasn't even meeting her eyes. She sighed.
"I guess I deserve this kind of treatment after all." She stepped back. "Come in, I can make you something to drink." I shot the house a doubtful look. "My parents don't even know I have the keys to this house."
I was relieved in a way. Her parents...they were the worst.
I followed her, taking in the house. Nothing had changed. The furniture were the same, the pictures were still there. I quickly took a seat at the kitchen island.
"Anthony, well his assistant Virginia, said that you were not interested in the house for now and asked me if I could do some house sitting when I was in New York." I nodded weakly as she was making hot cocoa. "I accepted, I didn't want that place to rot. There...there are a lot of happy memories here after all." I looked through the kitchen door's window.
Sharon and I would spend hours in the backyard during summers, playing games we would come up with.
"But the moment you want the house I'll leave, it's not a problem," she added quickly.
"It's fine, I have a house of my own now."
"Really?" She paused. "You're almost twenty-five after all, you're not a kid anymore I guess." She gave me a fuming mug of cocoa. "I...I heard about Sokovia. I'm glad to see you're alright." I nodded.
"Thanks." The silence between us was uncomfortable. "I...I wasn't even planning on coming here, I just didn't want to go home right away."
"It's fine." We drank in utter silence. Once the mugs were empty, I cleared my throat.
"So...what have you been doing since SHIELD fell?"
"I...I joined the CIA."
"That's...cool..." She chuckled slightly.
"Well, you're an Avenger, I think it's cooler."
"I didn't choose to be one," I replied dryly, killing the mood.
I got up abruptly, the legs of the stool scraping against the floor.
"I should go, thanks for the drink." I almost ran to the door.
"Addie wait!" I froze at the door. The nickname...it was painfully familiar. "I...sorry for calling you like that, it slipped out. I know I don't have the right to anymore. I know...I know you don't want my parents or I in your life anymore. I just...I wanted you to know that I'm glad to see you have found a family who cares for you like you deserve. I failed at that and I'll always regret it." I swallowed, a painful lump in my throat.
I left the house without a word.
When I finally got home, I closed the front door quietly and dropped my dufflebag. I stared in front of me for long, long seconds. I took a deep breath, the smell of the house making me realize I was finally home after a long month and a half.
"Addie?" I raised my eyes to James, who just left the basement. I smiled weakly at him.
"I'm home." He almost ran at me and engulfed in a tight, warm hug.
"You're alive..." he mumbled in my hair. I hugged him back, my fingers digging in his back. "Fuck, you're really alive…" I nodded against his shoulder.
"Not for long," another voice stated sternly. I looked up. Wade was leaning against the door leading to the basement. James raised his head but kept hugging me.
"Shut up Wilson," he snapped at him, glaring at him. Wade glared back and walked to us. I pushed James aside.
"Sorry for worrying you," I mumbled quietly. He opened his mouth, but exhaled in frustration.
"That fucking city was flying Addie. And you were on it. You..." I hugged him.
"I know Wade, I know." He was angry, breathing fast to keep himself from snapping for good.
"You're troublesome," he ended up saying, hugging me. I scoffed.
"So are you Mister Pool."
I was home
Thank you all for reading! Don't hesitate to leave a review! Thanks to Cassie-011 and Gprothero67 for the reviews! WandaVison was awesome and TFAWS is gonna be awesome too, but I'd like to watch Black Widow one day, don't you think? Anyway, there was a hiatus, I don't know how I will update, how often, depends on my inspiration. I hope you're all okay and looking after your loved ones and yourself too during this pandemic, hopefully we'll see the end of it one day.
Bye!