Caroline blinked away the harsh light that was stopping her from viewing her surroundings. She felt strangely fine given the fact she's been impaled by a sword and just used all her energy to close a multi-dimensional wall. Is this what is felt like she thought to herself, to be conscious of death? Unless she wasn't dead of course and Steve had somehow managed to save her? Was Steve safe? Making herself open her eyes fully she looked around and growled when she realised where she was. When was all of this going to end?!

"Is he alive?" she asked him and breathed a heavy sigh of relief when Braddock nodded mutely in reply. "You know I never asked for any of this!" Caroline told him once she realised she was in the circle of stones once more with him stood over her.

"I know, none of us do." Caroline laughed bitterly as she pulled herself up. "Think of your life up until this moment, you have unreservedly ensured the safety, happiness or security of others since you were small. First your Mother, then even your Father. The families you've worked for, your neighbours and friends and then Steve Rogers. Even when your life was put in jeopardy you thought of nothing but the welfare of others. You have now, for a second time, given your life for others. Did you know this about yourself? This heroism you display?" Caroline stared at Braddock, she'd never seen herself like that. She was just an ordinary person hurled into extraordinary circumstances.

"And what now?" she said, "I felt it all leave me, the power? I felt it go so why am I here?" she asked angrily.

"If you choose," Braddock started.

"If I choose?!" Caroline interrupted him incredulously. "You didn't give me a choice last time so what are you allowing me to choose now!" she shouted back at him furiously.

"You chose the Sword of Might Lionheart of Avalon and you protected Otherworld…"

"Because I allowed it to be threatened! It was my actions that allowed that power to be used. Don't give me that Braddock!" came her quick reply. "You gave me no such choice! I was angry! And dead! I'd just seen the only person I ever loved…" Caroline felt her eyes well up with tears and her throat tighten. She stopped talking and looked down at the ground, collecting her thoughts and taking some deep breaths she looked back up at Braddock. "You didn't give me a choice," she finally managed to whisper. "What happens to all of this, if I choose not to?" she finally asked him.

"It will be protected by another," Braddock answered and Caroline nodded slowly.

"Just like that?"

"You have served loyal and true," Caroline shook her head at his words, she had no idea what she'd done!

"And they'll get the same choice as me I suppose?" Braddock began to answer but Caroline made it clear she didn't want to know what he had to say. "This whole thing, what happened to me, I don't know what to think? My presence on Earth allowed the magic to grow strong there, if I do decide to remain as Lionheart I know I can't be on Earth." Braddock said nothing and the pair stood in silence, Caroline drowning in her thoughts. "All I ever wanted was…him, I didn't realise that until I saw him." Covering her face with her hands Caroline felt lost, her thoughts clouded by too many feelings. "Where am I right now? I don't mean me," she said pointing to herself. "I mean me, my body? I know this isn't real, you know what I mean!" she was becoming increasingly frustrated.

"You're fighting for your life, on Earth." Caroline creased her brow in confusion.

"So why are you even asking me what I want to do?! If I don't survive none of it matters anyway! You know I'm kind of bloody sick of your bullshit!" letting out an exasperated scream in annoyance she saw Braddock smirk. "This is funny to you!" she shouted. "You're unbelievable you know that?!"

"Only those who can possess the power are chosen to reign over the Multiverse Caroline, you have been and are now stronger than you have ever given yourself credit for. Stop. Think." Staring at him her mind raced; she knew he was telling her something but for the life of her she had no idea what it was and he'd called her Caroline? She was just so tired. "I've been in your shoes, choosing between life and love and duty. Some fates you have no power over and other fates you get to choose."

"I just want to go home," she answered wearily and as her head bowed in defeat she noticed the azure glow of power spark between her fingers. Bringing her hand up she turned it front to back in front of her face. "Braddock!" she shouted out, looking up at the man stood in front of her.

"Yes?" he answered knowingly.

"Let's cut a deal."

Caroline's body convulsed with the life that entered her and as she fought to breathe in as much air as possible she felt a set of strong hands hold her down.

"It's alright, you're alright." Steve soothed her. Pushing him away Caroline battled against the images flashing in front of her. The dimensional wall, the sword in her stomach, Steve's eyes.

'You sacrificed everything, now do what is right for the world that you know. Your true home.'

Steve watched as her eyes shot open and she sat up still gasping for air.

"Caroline!" he shouted at her, trying to get her attention and hopefully calm her down. Her eyes finally fell on him but they were full of fear.

"Did it work?" she asked and Steve smiled supportively.

"It worked," he told her quickly, nodding his head and rubbing her arms lovingly.

"It did?" she asked again still getting her bearings. Her eyes darted from him to the room and back again. She still felt disorientated and was unsure as to what was real and what wasn't. She felt like she'd been in and out of a nightmare for the longest time and still didn't trust what she was seeing before her. "Thor?" she asked.

"He's well, you did it Caroline, you did it." He repeated and watched as her whole body trembled with overwhelming relief. "I didn't think you were coming back," Steve whispered to himself as Caroline put her head in her hands.

"Oh thank God," she let out as Steve wrapped her in his arms. Her head fell into the crook of his neck and closing her eyes Caroline let out a sob. "I was so scared," she said, her words muffled.

"You did great," he replied and Caroline snorted through her sobs. "What's so funny?" Steve asked, pulling her away so he could wipe the tears from her cheeks and take in her rosy red face. He didn't think he would ever see her again and seeing her without the mask and armour, he realised that he'd missed the Caroline he'd fallen in love with.

"You, always so confident." Caroline answered and Steve grinned. "Thank you, so very very much." Placing his cheeks in the palm her hands she kissed him softly.

"For what?" he asked bemused.

"You saved my life Steve," she told him sincerely.

"I don't think I did anything?" Caroline made sure he was looking at her, she needed him to know.

"You saved me Steve, you." Pulling him to her and tightening her grip around his neck she felt him hug her back and never felt so safe in her life. Caroline suddenly looked around her and realised she was at the Avengers headquarters, it was one of the private residences but the bedroom was filled with medical equipment.

"Lionheart? Is she…?" Steve didn't know how to ask.

"I don't know?" Caroline whispered and Steve wasn't sure whether or not he felt relief or sadness.

"I think I died again?" Caroline said comically to Steve a moment later. "How long have I been out?" Turning and grabbing the glass of water on the table beside her Caroline suddenly felt incredibly thirsty and gulped the entire glass down as Steve watched on in astonishment.

"Two weeks," he answered.

"Oh wow…" Caroline didn't know what to say and then recalling that she'd been impaled on her own sword kneeled up in bed quickly and pulled up her shirt. The skin on her stomach showed no signs of trauma and Caroline looked at Steve wordlessly.

"You were critical, your wounds, they wouldn't heal and then last night. I don't know what to tell you Caroline, they just disappeared. I'd started to lose hope…" She could see on his face that he had been to hell and back, pulling him towards her she wrapped her arms around his neck again and didn't let go until she heard him chuckle, out of relief she imagined but it was the best sound she'd heard for a long long time. "Do you know what's going on?" he asked her tentatively and Caroline gazed back at him. She was about to answer but her stomach making the wildest rumbling noises diverted their attention and laughing heartily, Caroline started to get out of bed much to the protests of Steve.

"I feel fine, honestly!" she told him as she stretched her arms above her head. "Better than fine actually, starving! Are you hungry, is there a kitchen here? Can I make you something?" Caroline wandered barefooted from the room and started making her way down the corridor. Steve followed behind slowly, trying to figure out what was going on. As far as he was concerned Caroline didn't seem to be grasping the severity of the situation she had just been in no less than twelve hours earlier. Watching her flit about in the kitchen, pulling eggs and bread and whatever else she could get her hands on he creased his brow in confusion. Folding his arms across his chest gravely he watched her cautiously.

"Caroline?" he called out to her, concern lacing his words.

"Yeah?" he watched as she glanced up at him momentarily between pulling out a plate and a bowl. A quick grin graced her lips and then she was grabbing a spatula from a drawer.

"What are you doing?" he asked as she chopped a tomato rapidly.

"Making a sandwich?!" she answered as if it was the most normal thing to do in the world after just waking up from a coma.

"What happened Caroline?" he asked and then changed his mind and set off for the door. "I'm going to go get Bruce," he told her before she shouted out to him that everything was fine and not to bother. As Steve turned back and rounded the large kitchen island where Caroline was stood he picked up an apple from the bowl and without warning threw it at Caroline. Without looking up Caroline threw the knife she was using to cut the tomato in the air, piercing the apple and catching the thing in her outstretched hand by the handle. "Yeah, I'm getting Bruce." Steve told her firmly as Caroline stared at the skewered apple in her hand.

"Probably best," she agreed as she put the fruit down and followed Steve wordlessly.

"I can't... sense anything anymore, I know that much." Caroline mumbled as Bruce ran his smorgasbord of tests and Steve stood supportively by her side.

"Okay?" Bruce commented absentmindedly.

"I feel a peace now that wasn't there before," Caroline said completely lost in her own thoughts. The energy and liveliness that she had exhibited earlier had disappeared and Steve was worried she was going into shock.

"What's the last thing you remember?" Bruce asked her as he listened to her heartbeat.

"Umm, Merlin?" She answered and didn't fail to notice the look Bruce gave Steve. "I saw that," she said as she pointed a finger at Bruce.

"What?"

"That look, you think I'm crazy." Bruce shook his head in response.

"I don't think you're crazy Caroline, I just, you seem awfully calm given… given the situation." Caroline shrugged her shoulders.

"I'm sat between the Hulk and Captain America, on any other day yes, I would agree with you Doctor that I appear far too calm given the circumstances but let's take into account for one moment what I know and what I've experienced. Well, it's like making a soufflé. You try your best, know the thing will either work or not, pop it in the oven and hope for the best." Looking at the two men she knew her analogy made no sense. "I see no reason in not being calm, do you?" Steve had to smirk, since the moment he met Caroline he knew there was an underlying strength in her. The way she had stood up to him all those years ago, shouted at him for being rude, fought back when he had suspected her of being a spy. Underneath the warm, gentle, kind and shy nature had been a woman who had spirit. Seemingly this reincarnation of Caroline Holland had embraced that element of herself wholeheartedly. She had surprised him every day with what she was willing to do, willing to forgive and willing to take on in her life. So now, well he wasn't surprised at all.

Bruce cleared his throat and went back to his notes.

"Increased strength, stamina, durability? Your cells are repairing extremely quickly. In fact, the growth and repair occurs even faster than older cells breaking down and dying… It looks like you still have abilities but I'm not sure for how long and if it's permanent or not?" he said as he continued his tests.

"Well, let's take it one day at a time shall we?" Caroline grinned a little too widely and hopped off the bed. "Thank you Doctor Banner," she tossed over her shoulder as she started to leave, Steve close on her tail. When they were in the corridor Steve caught her arm.

"Caroline, are you okay?"

"I'm fine!" she snapped and then instantly regretted her words and apologised. "Can we go home?" she whispered, feeling the day's events catch up with her.

"Sure," Steve said as he wrapped his arm around her shoulders but then Caroline stopped herself and turned to him.

"I know this isn't what you signed up for," Steve tried to stop her but shaking her head Caroline made it clear she was going to finish what she had to say and he had to listen. "And I wouldn't blame you for wanting to end… this." Waving her hands between them Caroline fought back the tears. "I liked our life Steve, I liked how things were, I don't think I'm cut out for this? I don't think I ever was?" Pulling her into him Steve ran his hands through her hair and kissed the top of her head.

"I signed up for you, is that clear?" feeling her nod against his chest Steve smiled. "We'll figure this out together and whatever life you want, I'll be there. If you want me to."

Four Months Later

Caroline poured the tea and coffee into the cups lined up in front of her. Since 'waking up' she had filled her time with the most mundane and normal things she could imagine. Too much of her recent past was filled with the unreal and downright crazy! For her own sanity she needed to feel at least bored if not ordinary. Volunteering made her feel 'normal' again, as did cooking. In fact she'd thrown herself into cooking to an almost ridiculous point. Every tenant in their building had received at least two pies and she'd catered every meeting and club downtown. She ignored the feeling of power she still had inside of her and pretended to Steve like she couldn't open the jar of pickles at home simply to bring some kind of normality to their relationship. Caroline ignored the little voice inside her that started shouting about female emancipation, one thing had nothing to do with the other! She'd encouraged Steve to continue with his work, to not worry about her and allow their lives to somewhat settle back into how it had been before.

Four words kept reverberating around her head however.

"Let's cut a deal."

Even if she couldn't remember everything that had happened in that space between asleep and awake she knew she wasn't keeping up her end of the bargain. What that exactly entailed she was yet to figure out.

"Hey Jelly," turning she smiled at Sam.

"Hey Sam, how are you?" giving him a kiss on the cheek she smiled warmly at him and handed him a cup of coffee.

"I'm good, you?" Sam looked at her pointedly and Caroline rolled her eyes.

"I'm good, great in fact." She answered as she opened a tin of biscuits and slapping Sam's hand away set them out on a plate delicately.

"Glad to hear it, do you need a hand with anything?" he asked as Caroline looked around to see what else needed to be done before the next meeting.

"Can you put out some more chairs?" she asked.

"Sure, so, what's new?" Sam asked as he made his way over to the tall stack of folding chairs.

"Nothing much, I've been cooking a lot!" she replied.

"I've noticed," Sam shouted back as he reached up for a chair. "So has my waistband!" he joked and as Caroline laughed and looked up she spotted that the stack of chairs behind him had begun to topple over.

"Sam watch out!" she shouted and without thinking held her hand out towards the chairs, the azure glow sparked from her fingertips and created a shield between Sam and the chairs. Sam looked at Caroline wide-eyed and then back at the chairs suspended in mid-air, moving himself out of the way Caroline dropped her hand and the chairs came crashing to the floor. "Are you alright?" Caroline asked him, running to his side and making sure he wasn't hurt.

"I'm fine, I'm fine." Sam looked at Caroline who was shaking. "Did you know you could still do that?" he asked and Caroline nodded silently. "Does Cap know you can still do that?" again Caroline nodded.

"To a point," she added.

"And you're just pouring coffee as if you were regular old Caroline huh?" Caroline opened her mouth to answer but Sam held up his hand. "I get it Jelly, I do!" he told her. "You've been through a lot, I don't blame you for wanting to do normal stuff but I think you should be…"

"Don't say it Sam!" Caroline interrupted him.

"Why not?" he asked.

"Because I already agree with you," she answered letting out a long slow breath and pinching the bridge of her nose. Sam put his arm around her shoulders and gave her a squeeze.

"Don't worry, you'll love it!" he told her grinning.

Caroline looked in the mirror and then back to Natasha.

"This is ridiculous! I look ridiculous!" she said as she dropped her arms to her sides and let her head loll back.

"More ridiculous than you did?!" Natasha asked dryly.

"I didn't have much choice in the matter before, this I'm actively choosing to wear!" turning back to the mirror Caroline took in her appearance. The uniform was much like Steve's (thanks largely to the influence of Agent Coulson) however as an alternative to the American red white and blue the tight, harnessed jacket was adorned with the outline of the Union flag.

"It's functional, utilitarian. Trust me, I've seen worse." Natasha told her smirking. "I've worn worse," she muttered as she came to stand behind Caroline. Putting a reassuring hand on the woman's shoulder she squeezed it before setting off. "You look great," she told her and Caroline broke from her thoughts.

"Thank you, for everything." Natasha smiled a closed lip smile and left. "I look ridiculous!" Caroline grumbled before letting out a groan and waving a dismissive hand to her reflection in the mirror.

"I prefer my chef whites," Caroline bleated as she walked alongside Steve towards the rest of the team, stretching out her arms and grimacing against the tight material of her uniform.

"Stop fidgeting," he told her smirking.

"I'm not bloody fidgeting!" Caroline replied tersely and the pair couldn't help but chuckle. Caroline stuck her elbow into his ribs as they walked alongside one another and Steve pushed her back playfully.

"And don't be nervous!" Steve added.

"I'm not nervous!" the way her voice cracked as she spoke told Caroline she wasn't fooling anybody.

"Yes you are, you know everybody, you've been here before." Grabbing her shoulders as they walked Steve gave her a good squeeze.

"Yeah but not as me, as Lionheart. That was different." Steve glanced down at her and saw the same old, loving features he always had.

"Different how?" he asked, hoping that she would realise herself that there was nothing to worry about.

"I was her, no I'm… well I don't know who I am?" Steve stopped and turned her towards him.

"I know who you are," he told her confidently.

"Oh you do do you?" Caroline replied indignantly and Steve nodded.

"Yeah and you do too, now come on." Caroline took a deep breath before following him into the room, all eyes falling on the pair.

"Well look at the dynamic duo!" Tony bellowed as he clapped his hands. "Welcome to the team Ms Holland," Caroline blanched and then felt Steve take one step closer to her, by her side, where she knew he would always be.

"Or should we be calling you something else?" Sam grinned knowingly.

Caroline looked at Steve confidently who gave her an encouraging nod.

"Call me, Captain Britain."

The End