Chapter 104
hey everyone I just finished the next installment of the story. Just a heads up some people will be upset and others won't be. Just keep an open mind. There's some smut which as always I marked in case you want to skip. Okay with that here it is. Let me know what you think. Enjoy ;)
"Are we there yet?" I complained.
"Just five more minutes." Happy groaned.
"I feel funky." I said. "I'm just going to…" I said unbuckling myself and teleporting to the compound.
"Nora?" Steve said confused.
"Spangles." I greeted starting to get a bit dizzy, Steve notices and quickly moves to hold me before I fall.
"You okay?" He said.
"I-m okay." I slur.
"Are you drunk?" he said.
"Tiny bit." I said pinching my fingers and giggling. "Happy New Year!" I cheered.
"It's not… oh." He said.
"What is she doing here?!" I hear someone shriek. I look over and see the blonde from before.
"Not so loud." I groaned.
"Why is she here Steve?!" She shouted.
"Why wouldn't I be?" I slurred. "My Dad does own the place."
"You know why? You promised." She told Steve. There was a glow and Aya showed up. She pointed two fingers at the blonde and she froze.
"Thank you." I said relieved.
"Why did you have to drink so much?" Aya complained rubbing her temples.
"Why do you think? It's the last New Years I'm spending with Wren." I said crying. "Why is this happening Aya?"
"Hey, Friday said something about a Code Cronus?" Bucky said as he walked in with Natasha. "Doll are you okay?"
"I don't want Wren to die." I cried. Bucky just gave me a sad look before pulling me in for a hug.
"Give us a minute." Natasha said.
"Nat…" Steve started but Nat gave him a glare that shut him up.
"You should get her out of here." She told them looking at Sharon who was still frozen.
"Aya why is she drunk?" Natasha asked.
"Because I let her. Nora has zero filter when she's drunk and it's the only way to talk sense to her." Aya said.
"Save Wren." I said.
"Huh?" Aya said.
"Save Wren, you're the all powerful time stone reverse it or stop it from killing him." I said.
"No." Aya said.
"No? What do you mean no?" I said outraged.
"I can't save Wren because his death is a fixed point in time. It was always going to happen and there's nothing to be done." Aya said.
"Then what the hell are you here for?!" I said raising my voice.
"I'm sending you back." She said.
"No you're not." I said. Her eyes started glowing and then I did but before it got to be too much I blasted myself with an energy blast. The glowing stopped but I felt really dizzy.
"Are you okay?" Natasha said.
"The room's spinning." I said.
"Sit down." She said but then there was this loud ringing.
"AH!" I said clutching my ears.
"Nora?"
"It's too loud." I cried. Before everything went black.
Third Person POV-
Natasha waited outside of Nora's room in the medical wing of the hospital. Doctor Cho and the rest of her team were checking her over but as she already knew, they wouldn't find anything wrong with her.
Steve and Bucky ran out of the elevator and went directly over to Natasha.
"What happened?" Steve asked.
"Is Nora okay?" Bucky asked.
"She's fine. She was about to time jump but she blasted herself to stop it." Natasha asked.
"Damn it." Bucky said.
"Why would she do something like that?" Steve said frustrated.
"You really have to ask?" Natasha deadpanned. "She's a wreck, and judging by what she said it wasn't that hard to put two and two together."
"And?" Bucky asked.
"New Year's Eve before Wren died." Natasha said.
"The nine months from hell." Bucky said.
"What?" Steve said confused.
"Her best friend died, her other friend left to go put himself together and her husband who she's in denial about being in love with is dying." Natasha said.
"How do you know?" Steve asked.
"Girls night." She said.
"We need to talk to her." Bucky said.
"And tell her what?" Steve said.
"To be honest and live her life." Bucky said.
"What?" Steve said.
"When I died I wanted you two to move on and live your lives together like we agreed but you didn't. Instead you crashed a plane and Nora had to deal with her life alone. She held herself back and waited even though it made her miserable." Bucky said.
"No." Steve said. "You can't possibly mean it?"
"Calm down." Bucky said.
"I can't do that." Steve said. "I won't."
"You're not angry at Nora for staying away, you're not even angry at her for getting married, you're mad because unlike you she didn't use someone as a distraction she is honestly in love with Wren and the only reason she's holding herself back is because she thinks she's betraying us." Bucky said. "We don't have a right to be mad because it's our fault she in this mess to begin with." With that he walked into her room and sat down beside her.
Steve stayed outside.
"Just because she loves Wren doesn't mean she loves or cares about you any less. Don't be an idiot, well not again." Natasha said before leaving.
Nora's POV-
I woke up to the annoying beeping of a heart monitor and the return of my hangover.
"Uh." I groaned trying to get up.
"Whoa, no you don't stay in bed." I heard Bucky say.
"I'm okay." I muttered.
"No you're not. You passed out after you blasted yourself to stop a time jump." Bucky said.
"The hangover isn't helping." I said.
"Do I even want to know?" He asked.
"New Years." I said. "Don't even remember half the night."
"I figured. You want to talk about it?" Bucky asked.
"I'd rather not." I said.
"Well too bad. I left and you're going through a lot. I should have been there but I wasn't and I'm sorry. But you're not alone and you know who I'm talking about." Bucky said.
"Can we not do this? My present day is a shit storm. My best friend's dying and I'm trying to be strong and I'm trying to make the most out of it but I can't because every time I start enjoying myself it's just a constant reminder of how it's probably the last time we're going to be doing that." I cried
"Doll, sh it's okay."
"It's not! You left you cause to leave just like he did and I can't be happy because everyone leaves. And I'm weak and pathetic and this is a never ending cycle of me being left behind and it's not fair!" I cried.
"It's not and there's nothing I can do to help you doll but I can tell you what I would do if I was in your situation, be with Wren tell him how you feel, how you really feel and enjoy ever day you have left with him and don't take them for granted." He said.
"Why are you telling me this?" I said.
"Because I want you to be happy and if it had to be anyone else for you to move on with it'd be Wren. He loves you, I've seen the way he looks at you."
"But I love you and Steve." I said.
"You can love more than two people. Wren was the one that kept you going when you didn't want to keep going. I know how important that is to have and that's why I know that the bond you two have is why this is tearing you apart." Bucky said. "If you want to be with Wren, it's okay the only thing I care about is you being happy."
"I can't do that." I said.
"Why not?"
"I'm just going to lose him." I said.
"Nora, that's going to happen one way or another. Would you rather him die and never know or be together what ever time he has left and make the most of it?" he said. That's when I started getting the chills.
"Fuck." I said as I started glowing.
I appeared in my room wearing the dress I wore to Vegas. I teleported downstairs where Wren was sitting down typing something out on his Starkpad.
"Hey." I said sitting down.
"Hey, where'd you go?" He asked.
"Future, saw dad, and Steve, Bucky and Natasha." I said. "I blasted myself again."
"You what?" He asked.
"I stopped a time jump by projecting an energy blast at myself. I've tried everything Wren. I tried calling every clinical trial I could think of that might buy you more time, I tried going to Asgard, and I even tried asking Aya for help. I can't do anything." I said.
"It's okay." Wren said.
"No it's not, this wasn't supposed to happen." I said.
"It's a brain tumor no one could have known." Wren said. "You're the strongest person I know and you can do some pretty amazing things but you can't save everyone. I taught you that remember?"
"Doesn't make it any easier." I said tearing up.
"I know." he said pulling me into a hug.
January 15th 2015-
We had just gotten back from a picnic with the kids when there was a knock at the door.
"Were you expecting anyone?" Wren asked.
"No you?" I said.
"Wait here." He said. He walked over to the door and looked through the window. He visibly relaxed and opened the door.
"Hi." I heard someone say. Next thing I know Wren is hugging them. I walked closer to the door and saw who it was.
"Sam?" I said.
"Hey." He said with a small smile I walked over and pulled him into a hug.
"I missed you." I said.
"Missed you too sis." He said.
"Get in here." I said.
"Auntie Nora?" Connor said walking over.
"Hey buddy." Sam said.
"Dad?" Connor said.
"Yeah." He said walking closer. "You got so big."
Connor backed away and ran to his room slamming the door.
"Connor!" I shouted.
"It's okay, he needs time." Sam said.
"How about I get us something to drink." Wren said.
"Sounds good." Wren said.
"I'll be back." I said as I heard Ellie started to cry.
I teleported in to the nursery and picked her up. I changed her diaper and walked her to the kitchen.
"I think there's someone you've probably been waiting to see." I said.
"Hi sweetheart." Sam said standing up. Ellie was a bit scared and huddled close to me.
"Here, hold her and let her get used to you." I said handing her over to Sam.
Ellie cried and cried. Sam rocked her and eventually he got her to calm down.
"There we go. You look so much like your mom." Sam said tearing up.
"It's time for her bottle." I said handing it to him.
"Thanks."
Wren and I backed away to give Sam some space. It was good to see him back and better than when I last saw him. He grew out his beard and his hair a bit.
"Where can I put her down?" Sam asked.
"Oh follow me." I said.
"I'm going to try and talk to Connor." Wren said teleporting to his room.
I walked him to the nursery and Sam gently put Ellie down.
.
"This place is amazing." Sam said.
"Connor had his own room decorated the way he liked it. We thought it was only fair Ellie had the same." I said.
"That's a good picture." Sam said pointing to the framed photo of Jess holding Ellie. The only picture of the two of them together.
"Thought it was the best place for it." I said.
"It is." He said.
"She had Jess' eyes and hair." She said.
"She's going to be a heartbreaker." I said. "Come on I'm sure you're probably hungry."
"For a home cooked meal yes I am." Sam said with a smile.
"Lucky for you we have tons of left overs to choose from." I said.
"Any of your pesto tortellini?" He asked.
"Today's your lucky day." I said. "So I know you probably don't want to talk about it but I need to ask where have you been?"
"I've been everywhere. I started off in Dublin probably not where I should have started. I left and went up North to Canada for a few weeks. Stayed in this cabin in the middle of nowhere to clear my head before going down to New York." He said.
"Canada, you see any moose while you were up there?" I asked.
"Caribou no moose." He said with a smile.
"Are you back or is this just a run through?" I asked.
"I'm back. I have a lunch meeting with my boss next week to work through some of the last details." He said.
"That's good, we missed you." I said.
"I know I missed you guys too." He said with a small smile. "How's everything?"
"Every things… as well as it can be." I said.
"What was that?" Sam asked.
"What was what?" I said.
"You know what. You paused and I know that means something." Sam asked.
"I'm not the one the one you ask about that." I said.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Sam asked before Wren walked in with Connor at his side.
"Look who decided to join us." Wren asked.
"Hi buddy." Sam said kneeling down.
"Hi." Connor said quietly.
"I missed you." Sam said.
"Okay." Connor said. Damn, Connor was amazing at giving people the cold shoulder.
"Hey Connor why don't you show your Dad your Lego death star. You just finished it right?" I said.
"You bought him a Lego Death Star?" Sam said.
"And Millennium Falcon." Wren added making Sam give us a look.
"It was Christmas." I said with a shrug.
Sam followed Connor to his room. They stayed and talked until it was time for Connor's bedtime.
"Dad did you know Aunt Nora's a time traveler?" Connor asked.
"I did, we saw her disappear into thin air when you were a baby." Sam said. "It was a bright light and then she was gone."
"Cool." Connor said with a sleepy smile.
"Good night buddy." Sam said tucking him and then walking out. The three of us were out sitting on the porch talking about the kids and what was going on with them.
"I'm going to call it a night, No doubt Ellie's going to be up in a few hours." I said. "Night guys."
"Night." They said.
February 2015-
Sam took back custody of the kids and they moved back into the house. It was a bit of an adjustment. I never really noticed how big the house was until it was empty.
Sam took the news of Wren's imminent death as well as could be expected. There were tears shouting and finally acceptance. Wren had made it a point to emphasize that he didn't want us tip toeing around the subject. He wanted to live the last of his days as if nothing was wrong and making the most of everyday. Sam took that to heart and called us over for dinner which we had done everyday no matter what part of the world we were currently gallivanting in.
We ate dinner happily and then after the kids were in bed the real reason Sam called us was addressed.
"So, I don't know how to say it so I'm just going to blurt it out. I'm moving." Sam said.
"You're moving houses?" I said.
"I'm moving to New York." Sam said.
"What?!" I said.
"I can't be here Nora, Everywhere I look I see jess. It's just too hard." Sam said.
"You just can't pick up and leave Sam. You life and job are here. The kids school and daycare is here. Connor's friends are here. We're here." I said.
"They have schools and daycare in New York. I don't have a job yet but there are tons of firms I can work for. I want to do this." Sam said.
"I can't deal with this." I said before teleporting out of the house.
I ended up in Florence at the Plaza de Michelangelo. It was still pretty early there and there were a few tourists but it wasn't completely crowded.
My best friends was leaving to New York and he was taking my niece and nephew. On the plus side he wasn't running off on his own. Down side I still couldn't be in New York without risking running into Steve.
Everyone was leaving and I was falling behind. I wanted to be mad but I was just sad. I loved having the kids around and Sam too. I was going to be alone. It was only a matter of time before Wren wasn't around anymore.
That didn't mean I couldn't stop by for visits and weekly dinners. Sam still didn't have a job and I had to make sure he lived in a good area so Connor could go to a good school and that Ellie got into the best daycare center. Or I could just get him a Nanny…
"You done throwing your tantrum." Came Wren's voice from next to me.
"Just about." I said. "Have to make a few calls" I said pulling my phone out.
"Hello." She answered her phone.
"Hi Pepper it's Nora." I said.
"Nora, I haven't talked to you in months how are you?" She said happily
"I'm good I actually called to ask for a favor, are you free by any chance?" I asked.
"Uh, I'm currently in Berlin." She said.
"Really, You eat dinner already?" I asked.
"Uh no I was just going to order room service." She said.
"Well how about We go out and we talk." I said.
"Sure, I could use a night out." She said. "I'll get us a table. Can you be at FACIL at Potsdamer Strabe, around nine?"
"That's perfect, I'll see you then." I said.
"What was that?" Wren asked.
"I'm making arrangements." I said.
I teleported home and got dressed in a black cut out body con dress and some black pointed toe heels.
.
I had recently gotten my haircut again to something a bit more edgy and started parting it to the side.
.
I pinned part of it back and grabbed a tan trench coat. I quickly hacked Sam's laptop and printed out what I needed before teleporting to Berlin. Pepper was just getting out of a car when I showed up.
"Wow, you came out of nowhere." She said.
"Teleporting." I said.
"I forgot," She said before greeting me with a hug. "It's been so long. You look good and you're hair."
"I thought it was time for a change." I said. "You look good too. Best-dressed CEO I've ever met.
She was wearing a tailored black dress with a cutout and loose tan sleeves.
.
"Don't let your father hear that." She said making me laugh.
We sat down and we ordered dinner. Pepper ordered a very expensive bottle of wine before we finally started talking.
"So what's that favor you wanted to ask?" She asked.
"The favor isn't actually for me well not entirely. I have a friend he's a lawyer a really good one. He almost got a perfect score on his LSAT. His wife passed away a few months ago and he took some time off to put himself together before going back to work. The thing is he wants a fresh start and he wants to do that in New York." I opened up my clutch and pulled out Sam's resume that I may have hacked his computer for.
"Wow, your friend is very qualified." Pepper said. "You said he specializes in Corporate law but has also done a bit in civil law and patents by the looks of it."
"He did, he was actually one of my attorneys when I got sued last year." I said. "And also when I sold my app. He made me a lot of money."
"I'll forward this to head of legal and I'll forward you the offer. Does he have a place already?" Pepper asked.
"No he's still looking, wants to stay close to work but in an area with good schools and day care for his kids." I said.
"Well Stark Industries has a top rated daycare in the building for all employees free of charge and we make donations to a lot of schools in the area, How olds are the kids?"
"Connor's three almost four and Ellie's three months old." I said.
"I know just the school. I'll have my assistant make all the arrangements, they'll be overnighted to him." She said.
"Actually, would you mind having them sent to me? I kind of didn't take the news of him moving well and I kind of need to apologize." I said.
"Is this friend by chance a boy friend?" She asked.
"Oh no, no no no, no." I said laughing. "Sam's like a brother to me, that's… no."
"So does that mean you and Wren finally…" Pepper asked making hand gestures for me to finish the sentence.
"That's complicated." I said.
"You're already married, how is that complicated?" Pepper asked.
"You ever dated your best friend?" I asked.
"No but I'm dating my boss so…" Pepper said.
"Right, I guess it's like I know I feel something but I'm not sure exactly what it is and He's going through some things right now so I don't want to tell him and get his hopes up if it turns out that that isn't the case but there's kind of a time limit and I don't know what to do." I admitted.
"Is he involved with someone else?" Pepper asked.
"Not since he broke up with his girlfriend to marry me." I said.
"And have you two gotten closer since you got married?" Pepper asked.
"Well we live together and sleep together." I said making her almost choke and start coughing.
"You slept together?" She asked.
"Not like that. I mean we sleep in the same bed, not that." I said. "Our niece and nephew stayed over for a while and we stayed in the same room since it was the only one on the same floor because it was easier in case they needed us."
"And you kept doing that because?" Pepper asked.
"We both sleep better together." I answered.
"I think you have your answer." She said,
"I know I just don't know how to do this." I said.
"Do what? Tell him you love him?" Pepper asked.
"I have told him I loved him but I always made it very clear that it was strictly platonic."
"Then tell him you love him just make sure to not add the platonic part." Pepper said.
"So I should just go up to him and say Wren I love you and see what happens?" I said.
"That's how it usually goes." Pepper said.
"I'll let you know how that goes." I said taking a sip.
The rest of dinner was pretty fun. We talked about some of the hilarious stunts we had seen dad pull. She mentioned something about a twenty foot stuffed rabbit they couldn't even get in the house.
When dinner was over I had Wren show up to take me back to keep up appearances.
"How was dinner?" he asked before we sat down on the couch.
"It was fun. We talked, a lot actually." I said.
"I noticed." He said before turning on the
The Next Day-
Pepper had kept her word and over nighted me Sam's job offer and housing and school arrangements for Connor. I figured after my tantrum last night I owed it to him to make it right. I teleported to the house and knocked at his door.
"Nora." He said,
"Hey Sammy can we talk?" I asked.
"Are you going to yell because I just put Ellie down?" He asked.
"No yelling I promise." I said. He opened the door all the way so I could come in. "I thought a lot about what you said last night and I was completely out of line. Jess dying was hard on all of us but what you felt was ten times worse than what Wren or I did. It's hard and this place is everything you and Jess built together."
"I shouldn't have sprung it on you especially after I left for three months." Sam said.
"Sam you don't have to apologize you're not the one that screwed up here. You need a fresh start and I get it so it's okay go." I said handing him the envelope.
"What's this?" He said.
"Your fresh start." I said.
"Stark Industries?" He said.
"I called in a favor and they were really impressed with your resume." I said.
"Is that?" He said pointing to his starting salary.
"Yeah, that's before taxes and not including bonuses." I said.
"And a townhouse? Private school?" He said.
"Tuition free education courtesy of Stark industries." I said. "they offer free child care in the building so that shouldn't be an issue."
"I-I don't know what to say." Sam said tearing up.
"You don't have to say anything. I'm just letting you know right now Wren and I are going to be over all the time so get used to it."I said.
"You fucking better." He said pulling me into a hug. "Thank you."
"Don't mention it." I said.
"I need your help with one more thing." Sam said.
"Sure what is it?"
"I need you to help me tell Connor." Sam said making me sigh.
March 11, 2015
Sam settled in to his job at Stark Industries and he loved it. He was a bigger nerd about the law than I was about Star Wars. Wren and I dropped by all the time. We picked Connor up from School when Sam was in the middle of his depositions or helping with a hostile takeover.
Before I knew it, it was Wren and I's one-year anniversary. The Paper anniversary.
The night before our washer broke and I had a pile of laundry. I was out of my normal geeky pjs and had to sleep in one of jess' gifts from my bridal shower/ bachelorette party. It was a navy lace slip that I had never worn and wouldn't have worn if I didn't have a choice.
.
I put it on and walked into the room trying to get under the covers as fast as I could.
"Wow, I feel under dressed now or is it over dressed." Wren said.
"Not a word." I said. "It's all I had clean."
"I'm not complaining." He said getting under the covers. "Night."
"Night." I said curling onto my side of the bed.
"Nora?"
"Hm.." I groaned.
"Happy Anniversary." He said.I looked at the time on my phone and saw that it was past midnight.
"Happy anniversary." I said smiling.
The Next Day-
I woke up with Wren's arms wrapped around me and he was spooning me. I suddenly felt something poking me from behind and I realized what it was. I was trying to figure out when suddenly Wren woke up with a gasp.
"Uh." He said.
"You okay?" I asked.
"Yeah just… had a dream." He said.
"Pretty vivid one huh?" I said with a smirk.
"What? Oh." He said when he realized what I was talking about. "Sorry."
"It's okay, I probably wasn't helping." I said looking at the pretty exposing pajamas I was wearing.
"Oh you were helping." He muttered.
"I was in your dream?" I asked.
"uh.. kind of?" Wren answered.
"And what were we doing in this dream?" I asked.
"I'd rather not say." He said.
"Oh that bad huh?" I said.
"Depends on your definition of the word." He said making me laugh. He took a lock of my hair and tucked it behind my ear before leaning forward and kissing me.
Smut-
. /edfaa5c50ab83459f23da3a66dae64c7/tumblr_ormb0p4iq21v99polo1_
I put a hand behind his head and threaded my fingers through his hair. I opened my mouth and deepened the kiss. He moved his hand behind my back and pulled me closer as he rolled over on top of me.
.
I trailed hand to the back of his neck and my other hand behind his back bunching his shirt. Wren got the hint and stopped kissing me to pull his shirt off. We were both panting when Wren leaned back in and kissed me again. It was one of those kisses that left you breathless.
.
I put my hands around me and I put my hands in his hair and on his shoulder. Wren was lying in between my legs and grinding against me at just the right spot making me moan.
"Wren." I moaned and that just spurred him on he started kissing sown my neck. I through my leg over his hip and pulled him closer. I rocked my hips against him making him groan.
.
I slowly moved his pajama bottoms and boxers down his hips. I got them low enough for Wren to kick them off.
.
He started kissing lower and lower until he finally got to my hip. He slowly traced the elastic of my panties lifted my hips off and slid them off. Wren started kissing my thigh but I pulled him back up to kiss him and rolled him over to his back.
"Relax." I said kissing him and scooting lower. I wrapped my hand around him and stroked him a few times making him groan. I leaned forward and kissed him before lining him up at my entrance and slowly lowered myself down on him.
"AH!" I gasped.
"Fuck." Wren gasped. When our hips met and started rocking my hips. "Nora, please."
I put my hands on his stomach and started bouncing myself up and down his lengths groaning at how all the right spots were getting hit. Wren moved his hands up and down my hips. Finally he sat up and thrusted up into me. Making me gasp. He held me close as he kept up his pace.
story_
He pulled down the straps of my night gown and started sucking on my breasts making me arch my back
"Please." I said.
"What do you need baby?" He asked.
"Don't stop, give me more." I begged.
Wren moved my legs up so they were bent a little more changing the angle before I knew it I was shouting his name. I came shouting his name. Wren rolled us over and pounded into me.
.
"One more, we're so close." He begged kissing me. I dug the heels of my feel into his but and spurred him on I felt myself getting close. Wren felt it too and moved a hand down to draw circles on just the right spot.
"AH!" I shouted.
"I love you, I love you!" Wren shouted as he came. He collapsed on me and panted. He rolled off of me and we laid in bed until we caught our breath.
End Smut-
"Fuck." He said.
I couldn't help but smile.
"Yeah," I said. "Happy anniversary."
"We should… We should talk." He said.
"Yeah." I said "You…"
But we were interrupted by my phone ringing.
"Friday is it urgent?" I asked.
"Yes boss, it's the hospital." She answered. I sat up and answered.
"Hello." I said.
"Nora, it's Chief Matthews." He said.
"Hey chief, how are you?" I said.
"I'm okay I was wondering if you were free today. We're really short handed and there was an accident on the interstate..." he said.
"I can be there in twenty minutes." I said.
"Perfect thank you. I'll meet you in the lobby." He said before hanging up.
I quickly got out of bed and grabbed a robe.
"What's going on?" Wren asked.
"There was an accident and they're short handed, Chief asked if I could go in." I said.
"Right now? I though we could you know talk." He said.
"Uh yeah and we will but lives are at stake. How about dinner?" I offered.
"I'll get us reservations." He said.
"Perfect, I'll call you when I'm out." I said. Teleporting up to my room to get ready.
I showered and got into a pair of dark wash jeans a striped top and an olive peacoat with some black shoes. I grabbed my purse and my keys before teleporting to the hospital.
.