This is the second to last chapter! Sorry for the long wait. So, many things have happened and I couldn't write.
Everything seemed to be perfect.
We were finally happy. No danger, no having to look over our shoulders. We were finally happy.
Then the war happened.
Bucky left after a brief call with Tony and Steve.
I knew my brother was there.
So, imagine my surprise when Charlie arrived with little Bella.
"Charlie? What are you doing here?" I asked frowning.
Bella quickly smiled before heading to play with Jamie and Becca in the living room.
"They need your help." He told me.
"What do you mean?" I asked confused as I rocked Nattie while Joey slept.
"The team. They need you." He replied as he pulled out a tablet and handed it to me.
I could feel my jaw drop as I watched a video of the situation play out.
"But what about—?" I asked.
"I'll stay with them. They drink formula?" He asked, eyeing them.
I nodded, "Yes, though I have frozen breast milk to last a few weeks or so." I told him.
He nodded as he extended his arms to take Nattie from me.
I handed her over to him, before rushing up the stairs to my room.
I quickly walked into my closet to dig up what I needed before I changed into my tactical suit.
A few minutes later, I rushed back down to the living room.
"Are you sure you're going to be alright?" I asked him.
He nodded, "I'll be fine." He said.
"We'll be back as soon as we can." I told him before rushing out the door.
As soon as I stepped out through the front door, I closed my eyes and teleported to where I knew the battle was happening.
This was it.
As I stood, I could tell the amount of hostiles we're overwhelming the team. From what I could tell there was even extra help that had arrived.
I watched as Tony fought off the large purple hostile.
In their hands, they fought to take the gauntlet which held the familiar stones.
With a flip of his wrist, Tony had the stones on his armor.
I suddenly knew what I had to do, without them realizing what was happening, I snapped my fingers allowing each stone, coming towards me.
Everyone froze as they finally noticed me.
"Arie?" Clint called, shocked.
"Angel, what are you doing here?" Bucky called, wide-eyed.
The purple man, who's name I now knew was Thanos, tried to rush towards me, only for me to lift my hand in his direction, causing him to lift in the air.
"The Stones. Give me the stones." He commanded angrily.
"No, they don't belong to you." I replied calmly.
"You are fighting a losing battle." He told me as he tried to break out of my hold.
I knew the stones were floating above me like a crown now.
I knew it was only a matter of time before everyone found out what I could do.
"Who are you?" He asked me.
"I am your worst nightmare. The reason you should have stayed away." I told him as I waved my other hand, causing all his army dust, before turning to him
"What have you done?!" He cried out in anger.
"Arie, don't." Bucky begged.
I knew he was coming closer, I could practically feel his presence as he did.
Something was telling me that I had reached the turning point. There was no turning back now.
"What is she going to do?" I heard someone ask.
"She's going to eliminate the threat ..." Bucky said.
"Can she do that?" I heard Steve ask, surprised.
"Not without consequences." Bucky informed him.
I turned to look at him, knowing I could possibly lose my life by eliminating this man.
But there was no other way, the world needed to be protected. I couldn't allow something like this to happen again.
"I'm sorry, love." I whispered, feeling as the tears began to flow.
"There must be another way." Clint said.
"There isn't. Any other way, someone else dies. Someone we care about gets hurt. This is the only way to protect you all." I said.
Without another world I began to feel myself lift off the ground, power flowing through my being as it did.
"I am inevitable." Thanos said.
"No, you are disposable." I retorted, as I pushed my other hand in his direction.
As I did, I watched him gasp in pain.
A smirk formed on my lips, as I watched small lights begin to light up within his body,moving towards his chest, until eventually all that was glowing was his chest.
"Why do you care?" He weakly asked.
"This planet has good people. What you were about to do, erase them, is something I couldn't allow it to happen. You messed with the wrong planet, threatened my family and friends, and for that you shall pay with your life." I told him, closing my hand.
I watched as he too began to dust until eventually there was nothing left.
As soon as I was sure that he was gone, I felt as I began to fall back to the ground.
Darkness began to sleep into my vision as I did.
"Why'd you do it, angel?" I heard Bucky ask.
"I— I had to. Didn't want anyone to be hurt." I whispered weakly.
The Stones still floated above me. I could feel them as if they were apart of me.
Tony tried to touch them, only for him to gasp when they burned him at the touch.
"Don't touch them." I chastised weakly.
"What's going to happen now?" Bucky asked as I heard someone rush in our direction.
"The Stones need to be stored somewhere." I heard Tony say.
"We need to move Arie, she's hurt. She needs to recover."
Before anyone else could say anything, I was pulled into the darkness.
I woke up a short time later in a white lab, Shuri was doing things around the room.
Shortly after I woke up, Shuri informed me of everything that happened.
Following Thanos' death, a lot of repercussions followed.
Though the Avengers were being given an award for saving the world.
There were many who thought they were to blame for all of the rules in the first place.
Luckily, Tony was able to help throw his weight around to help all of the team.
Shuri told me that a Hydra base was discovered, she and T'Challa wanted my help to take it down.
"What do you want to do?" She asked.
"Well, first off. I need to hide the stones. Then, I need everyone to think that I'm dead." I replied.
She looked at me shocked. "Are you sure that's the best idea?" She asked.
I nodded, "It'll be temporary. Just until we know that there is no more danger." I told her.
"How will we be doing that?" She asked.
"By placing an illusion on their minds. We need them to believe it." I told her. "But first… where's vision?" I asked her.
Before she could respond T'Challa and Steve walked in.
"Hey, Ar, how are you feeling?" Steve asked me.
"Better." I replied, biting my lip.
Shuri smiled, "I'll go find out what you asked, be right back. Steve, why don't you come with me?" She asked as she pulled him out of the room.
T'Challa raised a brow before he turned to me. "Why do I feel like that was a way to elude something? Is there something you need?" He asked me.
"I do." I confirmed.
He sighed, "What is it?" He asked.
"I have a plan and I need your help. " I told him.
And then I told him of my plan. The entire time he stared at me with a thoughtful expression.
He looked at him, unblinking before sighing and nodding. "You'll have one week." He told me.
A short time later, I was safely hidden in a room, while I cast the illusion, waiting as it played out.
A pained cry resounded as Bucky heard of my 'death'.
A few tears slipped down my face, as my hand covered my mouth so I wouldn't be heard.
I could feel his pain and grief. Hitting me like a ton of bricks.
The next hours blurring.
I tried to busy myself by staying hidden in the secret part of the lab, helping Shuri as she went to bring Vision.
Shuri had given me a medallion which had a hidden compartment to hide the stones.
As soon as she brought Vision into the room, we got to work. She repaired the damage that had been done by taking out the stone, before she moved and allowed me to work.
I slowly moved my hands over him, replacing all the machinery with vital organs, officially making him a human.
A small gasp left his lips as he sat up looking around the room.
"Arie? Where's Wanda?" He asked.
"She's left. She's gone back to New York with Tony and Pietro." I told him. "Shuri can call Tony and explain the situation. Don't tell them I was involved. Everyone thinks I'm dead." I explained.
Shuri nodded, before leaving to get the phone.
"What are you planning?" He asked me.
"To take down Hydra, once and for all." I told him.
"Do you need help?" He asked.
A smirk pulled at my lips, "You know what I think I do."
~Two Days Later~
"How is he doing?" I asked through the comm, as I stood a few meters away, hidden within the thick foliage by the trees.
I could see my friends and family standing in front of the lake as both of my brothers and little Bella slowly bent down to place thick bouquets of flowers onto the water.
Everyone slowly began placing their bouquets on the water as well.
"He's still in shock." Steve replied, frowning as Nat walked over to him. "When will—?" He asked softly.
"When I know that there is no more danger for my children and Bucky." I cut him off.
"He is going to find out. He says he can feel that you're here. So, be careful." He cautioned.
"I know. Give him the letter. Maybe that will help him." I replied as I moved farther away from their location.
"Come home soon, missy." Nat said, as I reached my destination.
A car was waiting for me as I arrived.
I climbed into the car, and closed the door, closing my eyes as I tried to hide the pain.
"Who knows?" Shuri asked.
"Your brother, T'Challa, and Steve, Nat… along with Jamie and Becca." I replied.
"Are you certain that your kids will keep the secret?" She asked as she drove us to the airport.
I nodded, biting down on my lip as I looked at pictures of my little family. "They promised." I whispered as tears began to fall again.
"It'll only be a week or so." Vision said.
"I know. But it's still hard." I whispered.
"Let's get this done so we can go back to living our lives." Shuri said, with a sigh.
The road seemed to stretch out before us as we made our way towards the airport.
