Hello everybody and welcome back to "To Eternity, My Witch". Life has been a long series of hardships these last few weeks. I found out about three weeks ago I have a back injury and it's taken a toll on me mentally. Ironically this chapter is on healing. I hope y'all are doing better than me right now to be honest.

I DO NOT Own any of these as they are and were created by their respective creators. Marvel is owned by the late Stan Lee via Disney. Phantom of the Opera (PotO) is owned by Andrew Llyod Weber. LofZ : TP and OofT by Shigeru Miyamoto. Fire Emblem by Shouzou Kaga. Black Butler by Yana Toboso. And finally, Inuyasha by Rumiko Takahashi.

~Chapter 31 Healing Hands… ~

~At the Twilight portal to the World of Light…~

James and Wanda approached the portal and before going thought, Wanda paused.

"James, once we get back, are you willing to go straight to Asgard to face Ganon?" Wanda asked hesitantly.

James shook his head, pain lacing his voice, though he didn't reveal he was feeling rather weak, "No, I need to be healed and I am beyond exhaustion, Wanda. Although I can see if Kagome, Rin, and Zelda can heal me enough to keep me going until this nightmare is over."

Wanda nodded in agreement, sighing, "Alright then, my James. We need to tell the others of the news as well."

"Of course. And with prospect of Amelia being alive still, will give meaning to end this War of Twilight swiftly." James agreed, hope rising at the thought of Amelia being alive. Though as he stood there, he started feeling the rush of pain go through him. He started to feel the warmth of his blood soaking his shirt and his sleeve. He closed his eyes and placed a hand to his head, trying to keep the room from swaying.

Wanda nodded, "Come! Steve and Clint are waiting for us." She hid as his shadow and James stepped onto the portal circle. Transporting through the portal, James arrived in Arbiter's Chamber, giving him a view of the room. He groaned in pain as he saw Steve was pacing the length between the door to the prison below and the platform as Clint was staring into the flames of the fire, a deep worried expression on his face.

Clint noticed James first, exclaiming as he jumped up and raced over to embrace him, "JAMES! Thank God you're back! You have been in there for nine days now!" Steve came racing over and gave Bucky a large hug.

"Nine days?! Wow, I guess that time is skewed in there." James said in shock as he looked back to the portal, his pain deepening at Steve hugged him, feeling blood soaking his shirt further underneath his ruined armor and reaching down to his hips. He groaned, his vision blurring, and head buzzed with pain, as he tried his best to focus on what Clint and Steve were saying.

"Yes, we have grave news. The enemy sent another army wave at us. The war against the twilight beasts and monsters surrounding the palace is not going well. We just received news from Stefan a few hours ago that Loki is again gravely injured as is T'Challa. Both are expected to recover, yet Loki will forever be scarred on his face and T'Challa will forever have to use a prosthetic hand." Steve sadly explained, running a hand through his hair.

Wanda appeared, horrified, "T'Challa lost a hand?! WHEN?! HOW?!"

Clint shook his head, sitting down, "It was about this time four nights ago. T'Challa, Pietro, and Link were out on a reconnaissance mission to take out a large supple convoy of monsters and evil beasts. They succeeded, but at the cost of the commander of the convoy cutting off T'Challa's hand. Pietro and T'Challa were near hysteria, but Link was able to stop the bleeding and race back to Trondheim to Kagome, Rin, and Zelda.

"Stefan even had to intervene. It was a crazy time. Loki, on the other hand, was away on a solo mission to scout in secret. He was able to take out a least five dozen assassins and scouts around the palace, which will aid in our assault on the palace. But as he traveled back to Trondheim, Loki was ambushed by a corrupted cave troll. They battled, Loki coming out victorious, yet he suffered a deep facial wound. Fortunately, it was just outside Trondheim and the guards heard the ruckus."

James sighed heavily, sitting down on the stool both in weakness and weariness, "Seems Ragnar's death has caused many issues. First T'Challa and then Loki… what next? Pietro dying again?" He groaned in pain, wincing.

"RAGNAR IS DEAD?! Praise the gods. How did you…?" Steve exclaimed, both him and Clint giving shocked, yet happy expressions.

James looked up, feeling dizzy, feelings of anger and sadness raged against each other inside him, "Between Wanda and I… we were able to defeat him. The… battle much have been much longer… than it seemed. He no… less than transported us to five different locations… around the realms to try to kill… us. I ended up cutting off his arm, which… I could tell would have been fatal, had it not been for Wanda." He groaned as the wounds started to bleed more and pain becoming worse. The world started to wobble and spin and his vision blurred further.

Wanda blushed, yet it died when she sneered, "Ragnar started taunting James and I. I became enraged, and in the process, the powers of the fused shadows came into play with my own and I used them to kill Ragnar. By stabbing him through the chest." She crossed her arms, not the least bit guilty for doing so.

Steve and Clint both let out relieved breathes. But when they saw that James was swaying on his feet, his head swivel in no order, and his eyes glazed over, both became instantly concerned. Steve ordering, almost in a panic at James' wounds and his lethargy, "Let's get back to Trondheim and get those wounds healed James. You look terrible and unable to stand. Even with your super-soldier status"

James let out a mirthless laugh, groaning in pain afterward, "I've… I've had worse, punk." He tapped his arm and rose painfully, with a still wave of dizziness. He grunted in pain, trying to force the dizziness away. He was having a difficult time standing straight and seeing things in full.

Clint's eyes widened in worry, panic setting in. "James, those wounds are major, and they need stitches and the amount of them looks as if you've lost too much blood already. Wanda!" He turned and practically screamed her name, ordering her.

When Wanda turned to him after getting some meat to eat, Clint ordered, panic written on his face at the sight of James' blood, "Transport James back to Trondheim. NOW! He needs to see Kagome, Rin, and Zelda immediately. He's lost too much blood! They've set up a triage hospital in the field bordering the town. Once they see him, they'll immediately look at his wounds and get him stitched up. Steve, you and I will pack up and head there as quickly as we can, which shouldn't take more than two or three hours via horseback."

Wanda nodded in agreement, not noticing her husband's pain and dizziness until now. He lost too much blood, a puddle forming at his feet. She started to panic, "James, come! Let's get you to Trondheim." She pointed to the ground and created a portal for him to step into. James nodded gratefully as he limped haphazardly over to the portal. She and James gave her father and Steve a nod before she quickly transported him to the inn's entrance.

James fell to his knees, groaning in pain. "JAMES! Someone please! Help him!" Wanda screamed out as he did so. Shuri, Pepper, and Pietro racing out of the inn to see the ruckus.

"JAMES! WANDA! You're back!" Pepper's eyes went wide at the shear amount of blood on James, who looked like he had been to hell and back. She shouted orders, "SHURI! Go get Kagome, Rin, and Zelda. James has lost too much blood from the looks of it, and he needs immediate emergence care. RUN! NOW!" Pepper ordered Shuri ran as fast as she could into the field where the triage hospital was located. Pepper and Pietro raced down to James, and they struggled immensely to support him inside and to his room upstairs. He was starting to mumble out deliriously, most likely due to the amount of blood he was losing and had already lost.

Stefan came racing up with his three daughters to the room, shouting orders as he and his daughters made to heal James. Chaos ensued as Stefan shouted orders to his daughters as he changed into his dragon form. Pepper, Shuri, and Pietro quickly vacated the room and downstairs. Pepper went to the lounge to rest due to the baby.

Fortunately, the lounge was across the from the door to the kitchen, the stairs leading to upstairs were right at the door's swing. Pietro and Shuri joined her. "He looks terrible from the looks of it." Shuri quietly mentioned. Rin and Kagome rushed down the stairs, disappearing into the kitchen, and they were gathering supplies and water from the supply room before racing back upstairs.

Pietro placed a protective arm around Shuri, nodding, "Yes, the battle he probably did against Ragnar must had been a tough one to boot." He grimaced in worry, watching as Rin again raced down with bloodied rags and back up with new ones. She looked panicked.

Pepper placed a protective hand on her protruding stomach, now six months pregnant. "No one is invincible, even James, despite his super-soldier status. Though under Stefan's care and his daughters, he'll make a quick recovery… When have you two decided to do your ceremony?" She asked, purposefully changing the subject.

"Father said he would do it this evening if he gets back so we would have the chance to start our life together. We thought with the events with Ragnar, we wanted to get married ASAP in case of the worst-case scenario. T'Challa is going to be the best man as Sam and Scott will be groomsmen. You'll be Shuri's Maid of Honor?" Pietro half-smiled as he looked down to Shuri who blushed until his gaze.

Pepper smiled, "Yes and I am sure Thalia and Laura will enjoy being bridesmaids. I warned you though, just make sure you two aren't too loud later tonight. I doubt T'Challa would appreciate the sounds, nor would anyone else." She laughed when Shuri blushed majorly, and Pietro simply smiled.

Though their conversation was interrupted when Rin came rushing down with bloody rags for a third time as she disappeared into the kitchen, only to reappear moments later and rushing back upstairs to Wanda and James' room where screams of pain started. She looked to be beyond worried. Panicked still, near to hysteria even.

Pepper frowned, as did Pietro and Shuri. Laura appeared in the doorway of the kitchen, pale, the children trembling around her with fearful eyes. Scott, Sam, and T'Challa appeared from different places, all were pale. Peter and MJ appeared from their room, worried. All were wondering what the heck was going on with the screaming. They all joined Pietro, Shuri, and Pepper with T'Challa favoring his left arm with his new prosthetic hand. Loki was still asleep in his room. Thor, in Loki's place, was working with Frostein and his Frost Giants in battling the forces around the palace along with the Asgardian army.

"What's going on? Why is James screaming?" Peter asked hesitantly, hearing the groans and screams of pain coming from James upstairs. Suddenly, James cursed loudly in Russian and Wakandan speech. Everyone shuddered and scrunch back, the ladies letting out fearful whimpers, when they heard Stefan roar and growl loudly, his daughters shouting and growling as well in strange, foreign language, as James loudly screamed in pain. Something horrible was happening. Several pf the men pulled swords or axes from their belts, worried James was about to charge down the steps.

Pepper hummed, hand protectively on her stomach, "He must have had a hard battle against Ragnar. He obtained many large and deep lacerations on his torso and two on his right arm. I assume there is little if anything they can do, besides Stefan restraining him, to give him pain relief in this case as of his super-soldier status. Rin, Kagome, and Zelda are tending to him and stitching the wounds up now, which is why he must be screaming in pain. He must be lost in his memories with how delirious he was acting."

T'Challa shook his head, his right arm around his sister Shuri, trying his best to speak over the screaming, "Well, if what I saw with Rin just now, those wounds must have been large and deep. He must have lost a great deal of blood. And from this session of healing, he will be in grave pain."

Shuri nodded against her brother's shoulder, he looked to her, "He did seem deliriously out of it, and he also appeared quite light-headed as well. I wouldn't be surprised if it will take him several more days, if not a week or more, to recover before we make our full assault on Asgard."

Sam scoffed, "He better get healed. With all the pain and horror that we've had the last twelve weeks in this madness of Twilight and whatnot, I wouldn't mind another vacation. Between Thanos and Ragnar, I doubt any of us want too much excitement for years to come. I…" Suddenly James screamed one last time in pain, the loudest yet, before going silent, causing all present to pale and go quiet. None of the family there decided to speak after that, too worried to speak.

Tony was due to arrive back in Trondheim later that day with Reila who had gone with him back to Earth to prepare. Steve and Clint were on their way back from Arbiter's Grounds. Natasha was just arriving back from the market when Kagome came down from the room upstairs, pale as a ghost and haggard, worry on her face. She had blood all over her hands, clothed, and some on her face. Her arm had a needle in it, filling a bag with blood. She was most likely there to breath a moment as the blood bag filled. She looked around as if looking for someone or something.

Natasha frowned, wondering what had happened while she was gone, grave concern showing on her face, "What happened Kagome? Where are James and Wanda? And why are you covered in blood?" She knew something was up as everyone had pale faced worried expressions written on their faces, the room was as silent as a tomb, and Kagome looked tired and haggard from working on someone in danger of death. Plus, she had blood all over her hands, arms, face, and clothes to add to her appearance.

Kagome frowned, pausing, worried, "James is unconscious, and he's lost a lot of blood from the wounds he sustained from the battle with Ragnar. However," She huffed, looking down at her hands, unsure of how to put the news from upstairs.

"However what sis? Will he be alright?" Natasha inquired, fear lining her voice as she came forward to grab Kagome's free hand.

"He will recover, though it will take days, perhaps weeks, for him heal. It took dad turning into a dragon to hold James down as Rin, Zelda, and I quickly, chaotically, cleaned and stitched his wounds. All four of us had to donate at least two pints of blood with the amount he lost. And more is needed. I need Link. I need him to donate some blood to help James recover what blood he lost." Kagome let out an ever so slightly relieved sigh, mentioning to the blood bag in her hand.

"How is Wanda taking it? Why didn't you put him under or say one of his words?" Sam asked, pale compared to his normally dark-skinned self.

Kagome, Pepper, Natasha, MJ, Laura, and Shuri all gave Sam withering death glares that made him shrink back in shame and fear at his insensitive comment. Pietro looked to Sam with a sneer, even though he and Sam didn't always see eye to eye, knowing his insensitive comment was wildly inappropriate. Peter growled in warning, sending a web at Sam to hold his arms down, just like in the airport a year and a half prior. Scott simply frowned and T'Challa stayed impassive at the comment.

Kagome gave another pointed glare to Sam as she sneered at him, lecturing him with disapproval, "For one, Sam, remember James is a super-soldier, it would have taken far too long to get the anesthetics for him and plus, with the amount of blood he was losing, he wouldn't have survived the drugs even with his status. As to his words that he was subjected to, no. None of us in there as we were working were willing to stoop to the level of HYDRA's foul deeds to do that to him. He trusts us to not use those words on him. Ever. Even as they have lost much of their power over him.

"Not only that, but Wanda was also fiercely against that suggestion when Rin mentioned it as well. He'd rather go through the pain, with Stefan restraining him in the process before those words would be used again on him." Sam looked away ashamed, knowing he should be gone to think on what he had said. He left from where he was in the room to sit in a corner somewhere, contemplating life as he was trying his best to get out of the web Peter had slung at him as well. He chose a corner of the library, which was just opposite of the kitchen. The corner he chose was just inside the door, close enough to listen to everything.

Kagome sighed, wanting to comfort Sam but left him alone, turned to Natasha again, her glare disappearing and giving her sister a comforting look, "Sister, I suggest you go up and comfort Wanda with Stefan's help. Zelda, Rin, and I have done all we can to encourage her, even though we are sure that James will recover quickly with our skills in healing. The reason I came down was to get some more bandages and medicinal herbs. Now get on upstairs with you, and Scott…" She ordered, looking over to the man.

Scott stood up and bowed, asking silently what she wanted. Kagome sighed, saddened, "I hate asking any of you, even you Scott to do anything with what you had to go through with the Raft, but would you be willing to go get Link from his post and relieve him for now, please? I need to draw blood from him for James." Scott nodded, smiling, patting her shoulder, before disappearing into the kitchen and pantry. Kagome looked to Natasha and nodded again before disappearing into the kitchen herself to grab more supplies that were needed upstairs.

Natasha turned to Sam, who had poked his head inside the room again, giving him a pointed glare causing him to shrink back further into the library, "You… better think on your choice of words and something to say to apologize, Sam, not only to Stefan's daughters, but to Wanda." Natasha's gaze turned soft and empathetic, letting Sam know she truly loved him like family, "Sam, I say this because I know you know better. You know him just as well as we all here that his indoctrination and brainwashing through HYDRA lead him down a horrible path… Would you want him to relive those memories further?"

She paused again, clearly seeing in Sam's eyes, face, and body language that he understood her perfectly clear. Smiling to try to comfort him, she continued, "Now, once you get those webs off, go help with dinner as I know you know how to make a killer meal. Until later." She gave the groceries to Shuri and Pietro before climbing the stairs and walking to the closed door to James' and Wanda's room. Knocking, Natasha heard the quiet, weak call from Wanda, "Come in." She opened the door and closed it again, coming face to face with a scene she hadn't seen since the day Thanos forced James to kill Wanda. It shocked her to her core.

James, unconscious, was on the bed shirtless. In his right arm was a needle, blood dripping down the tube and into James. At least fourteen long, large, deep stitched up wounds covered his chest, abdomen, and back with two more lacerations on his right arm. Stefan, in his greenish dragon form, much larger and far more masculine and handsome and dragon-like than Amelia's form, held him up to allow Zelda and Rin access to his back, chest, and abdomen with clean rags and needles to finish stitching up the wounds. Not only that, bruises and a multitude of cuts also adorned James' lacerations. She made eye contact with Stefan; whose reptilian jaws held onto James' vibranium arm. He smiled despite having his jaws full and having James' head resting on his shoulder.

Wanda sat as close as she could without getting in the way. She looked pale, even with her twilight markings. Her powers were snapping off in tiny waves around her. Kagome pushed past her and, with Rin and Zelda's help placed poultices to the wounds to prevent infection. Soon, they had James' torso and arm bound with many poultices and bandages. As they did so Natasha silently comforted Wanda.

Rin and Zelda cleaned up the supplies and left, not before Wanda thanked them profusely. Stefan gently let go of James' arm from his jaws full of deadly teeth and, he carefully shifted James on the bed to make sure he was laying on it comfortably and that the blood bag was dripping before changing back into human form. Another bag, full of nutrients and fluids, dripped into another vein. Having replaced the empty blood bag with the full one she herself had filled, Kagome finished with the blood bag, and she was checking Wanda over for wounds, which were quite minor compared to James' lacerations. A cooler with five more blood bags was next to the bedside table.

Stefan grunted, clearly tired from the effort he put into restraining James. Natasha went over and placed a hand on her father's shoulder, "You alright, old man?"

Stefan gave her a tired smile, rolling his left shoulder as he rubbed it with his right hand, "No, even as energized as I am as a dragon, restraining James down took quite a bit of effort. Especially when it was meant to help him with his wounds. He did a good job to prevent himself from harming us, though his actions were probably a PTSD reaction to what he went through with HYDRA's sessions in breaking and torturing him. I wouldn't be surprised if it was the Soldier within that was fighting with me. I unfortunately had to use my jaws to hold his arm down with my own right hand. Thus, the reason why I roared and growled was because he started to have a flashback, turning into the Soldier, and I had to change further and hold him down."

Wanda interrupted quietly, shocking those in the room, "That's the thing, Stefan… The Soldier is gone."

Natasha and Stefan looked to Wanda in wonderous shock. Both were stunned into silence for several minutes before Stefan cautiously inquired, "Does that mean all that was him responding to us then?"

Wanda tearful nodded with a slight smiled before it disappeared into fearful concern, "Yes, it was. He most likely will remember everything later. The Soldier is gone. James made peace with his past and the Winter Soldier while he was in the Realm of Twilight after we killed Ragnar. Thus, James was all there while you were helping him and that was a normal PTSD reaction and his memories to the pain."

Natasha and Stefan both were elated, knowing the soldier was truly gone and that James' words would never trouble him again. Stefan looked down to the unconscious sergeant before he looked up, pulling Natasha into a bear hug. She noticed several visible scratches on James' metal arm where Stefan held on to him with his jaws. It seemed dragon teeth were harder and much more resistant to breaking than vibranium was. Having to go against dragon, even in human form, was pointless. Even as a super-soldier.

She simply sighed, "I wouldn't doubt that James is elated at the Soldier's departure. This healing will lead him to having a nightmare from it later. Kagome? Do you have a sleeping tea or sedative that you can use on James?"

Kagome thought for a moment before giving a slow answer. "Hmmm… Yes… I know of several herbs and spices that would work even better than a modern-day sedative. It's from our world, despite our medieval ways we're far more advanced in medicine and science than even here. And it doesn't have the addicting effects of modern-day drugs. Wanda, you lay yourself down and get some rest, dearie. You're basically half-asleep already." Kagome ordered as she gathered the rest of the supplies and patting Wanda's shoulder before disappearing out the door.

Natasha went over to Wanda, who in turn was tearing up. "What's wrong, Wanda?" Natasha asked as she sat down on a stool. Stefan crossed his arms and listened, leaning against the wall as he watched the young woman on the bed.

Wanda let the tears fall, "The battle with Ragnar was beyond terrifying. James gained many wounds as you see. I believed he could go straight to the palace to face the evil therein, yet I didn't realize how wounded he was until papa ordered me back with him and when we arrived, he started to sway and went to his knees outside the inn. I didn't even realize my powers were acting up until then as I couldn't read into his thoughts. How could I have not noticed he had gotten hurt so? I am…"

Stefan cleared his throat and interrupted Wanda's triad about herself, gentle and loving in answering her, "Wanda, you couldn't have known. Besides you've known since you found out about being pregnant that with your hormones and the growing babies would cause your powers to disappear as it progressed further and further. And it's not your fault for not knowing young daughter. As for James getting hurt… You must realize, in the actual Twilight Realm, normal armor is weak to weapons of twilight, often the person of light can easily get wounded as if he didn't have armor on…"

Stefan stepped forward, kneeling in front of Wanda as she cried. Touching her check and tipping up her chin gently, Stefan wiped away the tears, "This nightmare will all be over soon, my dear, don't give up. Either of you. Both of you need rest. Natasha, even you need it. You're now four months pregnant and need to take it easy." Stefan raised a brow and looked to the assassin who pouted.

"Don't give me that look, daughter, you know full well what is good for you. Wanda…" Stefan looked back to the distraught woman on the bed, "I love you. Both of you. And James here. When I married and mated Amelia millennia ago, I gained Inuyasha and Sesshomaru, her sons and later I gained Zelda and Link as children, adopted by the Angel of the Dragon.

"Both Inuyasha and Sesshomaru had rough lives like James, both of their stories too long to talk about in even a few hours. Or Link and Zelda, both had difficult lives in their Hyrule. And I am grateful for every single one of you. I wouldn't doubt if the Angel of the Dragon touched you three to be Amelia and my children. Even Steve. Like my own four children Amelia and I sired together, Stephanie, Scarlett, Cassandra, and Jonathan." Stefan finished, pulling both women into a bear hug.

That's what Kagome came in on, Stefan hugging Wanda and Natasha. She cleared her throat, "Dad, the Angel most likely would, I have a feeling of it. But right now, Wanda and James need their sleep. To recover. I have the tea for them both, perhaps Wanda can administer it to James?"

Wanda stood on the bed, her hand outstretched, "I will try; however, with him being unconscious, I doubt he'll drink any of it. I think it best to leave him alone for now." She looked down to James who was out cold and pale.

Kagome nodded, "Very well, I will come up in about an hour to see if he's awake or you Wanda. But I would like you to take it when I come back. You are more than likely as exhausted as he is, and you will need a few days to recover yourself with the use of the fused shadows." Kagome turned to Natasha, a concerned look in her eyes, "Sis, I need to look you over again. I want to make sure that you and your child, my nephew, are doing well. It's been several days. Come, Father, we need to let Wanda rest." She tapped his arm before Natasha dutifully followed her out.

Stefan shook his head, shoulders slumping, "If he awakens, tell James I am sorry for any pain I caused him when and if he wakes Wanda. I am afraid I may have caused any unnecessary mental pain. Now rest." He saw her nod before he left the room.

Wanda laid down on James' chest, sadness filling her where her shame had been from earlier. She did feel quite tired. She closed her eyes and tried to sleep. It took a while to do so, as she listened to James' slow breathing. Soon she knew no more, sleep falling over her eyes, never seeing Stefan and Steve sneak in to take shifts of watching over just two hours later to make sure to keep James safe if he acted out in sleep.

Again, I hope y'all are doing well. Please drop a review and favorite if you like the story. Let me know what y'all think and if there are any grammatical errors that need to be fixed.

Until later,

WS. Z.