"Now, hold on. How many calls did you make, exactly?" Bruce questioned as we stepped into the Avengers headquarters.
"Called Steve, Vision, an aunt, a king, and the current secretary of state," Jess rattled off, her hand diving into a bag of Chirps.
"Are those… chips? Since when are you into junk food?"
"Since my fiancé is currently trapped in space with a high schooler trying to save my newest best friend who's a wizard, and we're about to go to war with the biggest, most powerful purple grimace in the universe. I think I'm allowed to binge on an old stress eating habit," she snapped, shoving the bag into his hands as she moved into the meeting room where Rhodes was eyeing her uncertainly. "Besides, they're crickets. Better than chips."
"W-What!" Bruce exclaimed, looking at the bag in shock. "How could you—"
"Don't ask. I seriously don't have time to ramble on about strange eating choices. I've got a meeting in…" She glanced at her watch. "Now."
A holographic image of the Secretary of State along with other men of power appeared and Bruce felt something in him ache at seeing how easily Jess was able to push aside every physical display of stress off her face. Her clenched jaw loosened, the pinch in her forehead relaxed and her back straightened. It was a complete 180 to how she had just been acting as she stuffed her face with cricket-flour chips with a hint of frustrated fury.
"Still no word from Vision?" Secretary Ross asked.
"Hello to you too," Jess said shortly. "And I told you when Tony and I allowed you to keep your position as Secretary of State. I deal with the Avengers' whereabouts and provide their location when they agree. I know where they're at and he's safer than he would be anywhere you suggest."
"With four of the world's most wanted criminals."
"You know they're only criminals because you've chosen to call them that, right, sir?" Rhodes protested, but Jess held up a hand.
"And he's the only one who considers them such. Or need I remind you, sir, the contract we agreed upon. They were pardoned by any and all nations, and are now supported by the Wakandan government, meaning they're untouchable. And I believe you will find I'm not in the mood for dealing with your games right now, so do me a favor and get to the point of this meeting."
"There was another attack."
"Obviously, and any and all casualties were out of anyone's hands. I kept the numbers down, as my proposal promised, and my company will be dealing with the damages already. Mind you, this has little to do with the Avengers. These… aliens were simply trying to get their hands on something, and we happened to be nearby. Vision was the only exception to that, and only because he unknowingly had it in his possession."
"And 'it' would be?"
"None of your damn business," Jess said shortly. "Trust me, it's already been proven to be too much for the government to handle, so you can expect to remain out of the loop on this one, sir."
"The president—"
"Has my number and can contact me personally if he wishes to discuss more. At the moment, we're currently busy preparing for a possible third attack and don't have time for you and your bureaucratic bullshit."
"A third?"
"In an area with little to no civilians and out of the U.S.'s jurisdictions. What you should be worried about, is the aftermath of this if we fail."
"Are you expecting to fail?"
There was just enough hesitation that Bruce could tell Jess was lying about what she said next.
"No one expects to fail," she said seriously. "But one should always be prepared to. Now, if you'll excuse me. My two o'clock just stepped in."
They turned to see Steve Rodgers step in with Sam, Natasha, Vision, and Wanda.
"Mr. Secretary," Steve greeted, giving Jess a glance as she turned away.
"He was just leaving."
"Miss Norris—"
"Leave, now," Jess all but snarled and the man stiffened at her over-the-shoulder glare before turning and nodding to someone, ending the call.
Everything was silent for a moment as those who'd just entered wondered what to make of what they'd just seen. Rhodes thankfully broke the tension by clearing his throat.
"It's great to see you, Cap," he smiled, shaking his hand.
"You too, Rhodey, Jess."
Jess gave a small wave, not turning around as she combed through a file from the desk in front of her.
"Wow, you guys really look like crap," Rhodes commented. "Must've been a rough couple of years."
"Yeah, well, the hotels weren't exactly five star. At least three, thanks to Jess," Sam nodded to her, but her back was still turned, and an awkwardness enveloped the room once more until Bruce stepped into view.
"Uh, I think you look great," he said sheepishly. "Uh… heh… Yeah, I'm back."
"Hi, Bruce," Natasha greeted.
"Nat."
"This is awkward," Sam murmured as Jess shooed them off, turning around but keeping her eyes glued to the file.
"Vision's room is still open and there's medical supplies in the med bay, as always. Hot water's still running, kitchen's fully stocked. Get comfortable while you still have a chance."
They nodded, all heading off and catching up except Natasha paused, looking at Steve—who'd yet to move. He waved her off and she nodded, stepping out and leaving him with Jess, who remained stubbornly silent—ignoring his presence.
"You okay, Jess?" He asked, knowing the answer, but hoping she'd admit it to him.
"Course, I'm fine. Why wouldn't I be?" She bit out, still refusing to look at him as she moved to set the file back down.
"Because you haven't looked at anyone since we walked in, and Tony is apparently missing before your wedding."
"The wedding was his idea," she grumbled, hands fisted on the desk as she bowed her head. "Stupid, egotistical moron. What the hell am I supposed to do while he's up there in fucking space dealing with some, some all-powerful alien giant who's probably going to jump right on down here a-a-and—"
"Jess. Jess, deep breaths," Steve said, reaching out for her but hesitating upon remembering how finicky she was about being touched while in the midst of a panic attack.
So, he grit his teeth for a second, pulling his hands back and clenching them into fists, wishing there was something more he could do for her. This was a woman who was fighting to hold it all together and he hated the fact that she felt required to do so in front of him and the team. He called this place home for a reason and, despite their disagreements, they were a sort of family to him. Jess especially so. She'd helped them all in so many ways. He only wished he could do the same.
"You're doing your best, Jess," he urged her as she fought to take a deep breath. "That's all any of us can hope for."
"This isn't going to end well. It won't. I-I've seen it, Steve. T-Those damn stones… They keep saying I can change it, b-but I don't know. I don't know how. I-I don't know where to start. I-I can't even d-deal with him b-being gone f-f-for—"
He couldn't take it anymore. She was physically shaking, tears building up but her own stubbornness refusing to let them fall as her voice shook and her breathing only became more ragged in her panic. He reached forward and pulled her to him tightly, hugging her despite knowing that it may not have been the best thing for someone with her past. But she was hurting, and this was the only way he knew how to help. Surprisingly enough, her arms wrapped around him as well, clinging to his shirt as she finally allowed a small sob to break through.
"I'm sorry this has happened," he said. "I wish I could have been there to help."
She shook her head, pulling away and he let her go as she pawed at her teary face. "It w-would have only separated us more. W-We need to get everyone together. Then… maybe we stand a chance."
He raised a brow as she tried to pull herself together. "You have a plan?"
"Y-You said I should use my visions to help. Tony…" She winced slightly before continuing. "Tony suggested I start writing them down. I work better with the written word when it comes to breaking it down bit by bit. I had one last night and…" She lifted her phone slightly. "It gave me a few things. I've set things in motion, so we have a minute until they get back to me."
"You'll be okay?" He asked, still uncertain about leaving her in this state to clean himself up.
"For now," she murmured, managing a small smile. "Thanks, Steve."
"You know he'll be all right," he pressed, still seeing some uncertainty in her gaze. "Stark is made of some pretty stern stuff."
"Yeah. I just…" She hesitated before shaking her head. "Never mind. I'll let you all know in the morning. Go. I'm sure you need rest too."
"You should rest too, Jess. You could definitely use it after all this."
"Yeah…" She murmured, and he hated leaving her like this, knowing she wasn't going to sleep much at all.
She and Tony were alike in that way. Overworking themselves to the point of exhaustion in order to avoid dealing with the emotions and stress piling up. He just hoped her earlier words didn't come true. She'd helped keep the Avengers out of trouble thus far, but if this thing turned… If it all went wrong? He feared she would be the first one targeted, and he wasn't sure she could handle that on her own. Without Tony.
"So, we gotta assume they're coming back, right?"
"And they can clearly find us."
"We need all hands on deck. Where's Clint?"
"Not coming," I responded, drumming my fingers on my arms to ease my fidgeting—though the Big Gulp of Coke didn't help my already fried nerves. "He opted to retire, basically. He's got family to take care of. Same with your Ant friend."
"Who?"
"Scott," Steve replied. "Ant-Man."
"There's an Ant-Man and a Spider-Man?"
I rolled my eyes. "Point is, Thanos is going to bring an army."
"And you know this because of your visions, right?" Bruce tried to confirm, and I nodded, sliding over the printed version of my notes about the vision I'd had that morning.
Parts of it, anyway. I wasn't about to give them personal stuff that I needed to sort through, nor future consequences.
"From the bits and pieces, all I could tell was there weren't just a few aliens, but thousands, maybe more. No details, unfortunately, but it was certainly an army."
"The biggest army in the universe," Bruce confirmed from his experience with Thor and Loki.
"And we can trust your visions?" Natasha pressed, not doubting me, per se, but uncertain.
Bruce came to my defense, waving a sheet. "This is exactly what happened when I was up there with Thor and Loki. Not everything that happened, but it's accurate. Safe to say the rest is too. Thanos isn't going to stop until he gets Vision's stone."
"Then, we have to protect it."
"No, we have to destroy it," Vision argued, looking to the group as he leaned against the wall nearby, holding his injured side. "I've been giving a good deal of thought to this entity in my head. About its nature, but also its composition. I think if it were exposed to a sufficiently powerful energy source, something very similar to its own signature, perhaps…" He approached Wanda and understanding dawned on me, making me rub at my brow. "Its molecular integrity could fail."
"Yeah, and you with it."
She won't do it. There's no way, not unless it was a last resort. "Even if we managed to destroy it," I cut in before an argument could be started. "He still has the others."
"We don't know if he's collected them all yet," Steve tried.
I shook my head. "He had the Power Stone when Thor, Loki, and Bruce were fighting him. He gained the Space Stone after. He sent minions after the Mind Stone who failed, but the others took Strange with the Time Stone. Not that I don't believe Tony would be unable to stop them, but we have to look at the worst possible scenario. The only reason he didn't show up personally, is because he undoubtedly went after the other two stones."
"And you have a connection to them, much as I do," Vision explained, eyeing me as I gazed back solemnly.
"They… talk to me in a way, sure. The closest ones, anyway," I murmured, wincing when I looked at the golden jewel in his forehead as it flared briefly. "Yours still doesn't like to cooperate, but I can sort of… feel it, if that makes sense. They're gathering. The stones. I wouldn't doubt Thanos already has all the other stones or will by the time he drops in with his army. Even if Wanda did destroy this one, it wouldn't stop him. Not by a long shot."
"But it would make him weaker than if he had all of them."
"Vision," I said shortly, surprising him with my intensity. "Realize what you're asking her to do. It's not easy for anyone to take the life of a loved one. Even when you hate them…" I pursed my lips, glancing away. "And especially when you love them. If it came down to it, she might, but for now, let's leave it as a last resort."
He hesitated, glancing over at Wanda's teary expression before bowing his head in agreement, letting the topic drop.
"However…"
All eyes went back to me as I sighed, rubbing at my face.
"God, I'm not sure it will work, but we could try… I guess?"
"Try what?" Steve pressed, taking a step forward.
"There's a possibility that we could… remove the stone. Vision has a chance of living and we can destroy the stone separately."
"Can we do that?" Natasha asked, hopeful and Bruce stepped up.
"It's possible. Vision's mind is made up of a complex construct of overlays. Jarvis, Ultron, Tony, me, the stone. All of them mixed together. All of them learning from one another."
"You're saying Vision isn't just the stone?" Wanda asked.
"I'm saying that if we take out the stone there's still a whole lot of Vision left. Perhaps the best parts, but…" He ran a hand through his hair. "I can't do that. Not me, not here."
"Well, you better find someone and somewhere fast," Rhodes countered. "As much as Jess has power over Secretary Ross, it's Tony who has the biggest pull. With him gone, its going to be a lot harder to deal with him and I doubt he wants to just give you guys your old rooms back."
"Which is why, I've made so many calls," I sighed, leaning back in my seat and tipping my head back.
"The aunt?" Bruce questioned, making my head snap back down.
"What? No! I called the aunt so she wouldn't panic about her kid who's currently up in space fighting with Tony because he just couldn't be bothered to listen to instructions and go home," I grumbled, before shaking it off and standing. "No, no. I called a king."
"A king?"
"More specifically, the Wakandan king," I purred, enjoying the shocked looks on everyone's faces as my phone buzzed and I checked the text. "What better place to get an army, use advanced technology to remove the Mind Stone without harming Vision, and have a war far away from any possible civilian or U.S. government contact?" I waved the phone. "He wants to meet us this afternoon. Who's flying?"
Tony looked down at where Strange was hovering with numerous icicle-like needles aimed his way. He was struggling to come up with a plan. As much as Strange grated his nerves, he wasn't about to just let the man die and have the stone taken by some alien whoever. And yeah, a part of it was because Jess knew him. Something tapped his shoulder and he whipped around, ready to blow it to pieces only to see Strange's cape holding up its arms(?) in surrender, making him let out a sigh of relief.
"Wow, you are seriously a loyal piece of outerwear, aren't you?" He muttered, only to turn as someone else spoke.
"Yeah, uh, speaking of loyalty."
"What the…" Tony swore he was going to strangle the kid who landed on the platform in front of him.
"I know what you're gonna say," Peter tried to get out.
"You should not be here."
"I was gonna go home."
"I don't want to hear it," Tony snapped, continuously cutting him off.
"But it was such a long way down and I just thought about you on the way—"
"And now I gotta hear it," Tony complained, rolling his eyes and wishing Jess was here to give Peter a proper scolding.
He was never good at being the bad cop when kids were involved. Gave in too easily.
"—and kinda stuck to the side of the ship. And this suit is ridiculously intuitive, by the way."
"Goddammit," Tony hissed. Jess is going to be pissed to find out he's still here. I'm just glad she'll be the one calling his aunt and not me.
"So, if anything, it's kinda your fault I'm here," Peter argued, making him frown at the boy.
"What did you just say?"
Peter, unable to really offend someone and mean it, quickly doubled back—Strange's coat even looking surprised at the accusation. "I-I take that back. And, and now, I'm here in space."
"Yeah, right where I didn't want you to be," Tony stressed, approaching him so he understood how serious he was. Trying to be anyway. Taking a note from Jess's book. Don't let them see how relieved you are. I could actually do with his help, but he needs to understand the risks. "This isn't Coney Island. This isn't a field trip. This is a one-way ticket. You hear me? Don't pretend you thought this through."
"No, I did think this through," Peter tried to explain.
"No, you didn't."
"I did think this through!"
"You could not have possibly thought this through."
"You can't be a friendly neighborhood Spider-Man if there's no neighborhood," Peter said, causing a moment of silence before he shook his head. "Okay. That didn't really make sense, but you know what I'm trying to say."
Tony took a deep breath. "Jess is going to kill me," he murmured under his breath before turning. "Fine. Come on. We got a situation, and don't tell Jess. If she finds out I let you help and gave you an active role, we'll both be getting lectures when we get back."
"Right," Peter muttered with a wince, having seen Jess's lecturing first-hand and hating how her disappointment made him feel like the tiniest speck in the universe.
He really didn't want a second dosing of that.
"See him down there?" Tony said, gesturing to Strange and the alien in front of him. "He's in trouble. What's your plan? Go."
Peter knelt down, looking back to him in surprise that he'd ask his opinion on a plan. "Um, okay, okay… Uh… Okay." He stood back up. "Did you ever see this really old movie, Aliens?"
The jab at his age was none-too-subtle, but after a quick run-through of what exactly Peter's plan was, he had to admit… it was good. Simple, but effective. So, he got into position, wincing as Strange cried out in pain, before landing a bit behind the alien and arming himself.
"And any one of them… could end your friend's life in an instant," the alien threatened, turning and lifting some scattered parts of the ship.
"I gotta tell you, he's not really my friend," Tony complained. "My fiancée has more connections with him than me, so I'm kind of obligated to save him on her behalf. She'd really string me up otherwise and I'm not really into kinky stuff."
Strange struggled to resist a groan for fear of causing himself further pain, but the alien paid Tony's quips no mind.
"You've saved nothing. Your powers are inconsequential compared to mine."
"Yeah, but the kid's seen more movies," Tony hummed, firing a few rockets to punch a hole in the side of the ship, forcibly sucking out the alien, his dangerous needles and parts into airless space.
Strange himself was nearly sucked out as well, slipping out of the grip of his cape and Peter nearly losing him as well, if it weren't for the spider-like appendages that came out of his suit and helped him pull Strange back in. Once the hole was sealed up, they were able to relax, and Peter landed by Strange happily.
"Hey, we haven't officially met," he greeted the cape, offering a hand to shake, but it took one look and floated off to Strange. "Cool."
Tony shook his head, removing his suit with the threat gone as Strange caught his breath and stood back up.
"We gotta turn this ship around."
"Yeah," Tony scoffs. "Now he wants to run. Great plan."
"I want to protect the stone," Strange argued.
"And I want you to thank me now. Go ahead, I'm listening."
"For what? Nearly blasting me into space?" Strange snapped, the two already arguing without Jess's interference.
"Who just saved your magical ass? Me!" Tony said loudly.
"I seriously don't know how you fit your head into that helmet, nor how Jess tolerates you."
"Don't you talk about her," Tony growled, taking a step towards him with a glare. "I don't know what happened between you two in Nepal, but she is literally the only reason I even bothered to help you. I flew up here to keep that knucklehead safe, not you." He jabbed a finger at Peter, who fidgeted nearby, eyeing the two uneasily. "Admit it. You should've ducked out when I told you to. I tried to bench you, you refused."
"Unlike everyone else in your life, I don't work for you," Strange grumbled.
"And due to that fact, we're now in a flying doughnut, billions of miles from Earth with no backup while Jess is stuck down there trying to prepare for a damn army alone!"
"I'm backup," Peter offered.
"No, you're a stowaway. The adults are talking."
"I'm sorry. I-I-I'm confused as to the relationship here," Strange said with a shake of his head, looking to Peter. "W-W-What is he? Your ward?"
"No," Peter said, holding out a hand. "I'm Peter, by the way."
"Doctor Strange," Strange greeted, still confused.
"Oh, you're using our made-up names. Um, I'm Spider-Man then."
Strange eyed him for only a second longer before heading to where Tony was as the man spoke.
"This ship is self-correcting its course. Thing's on autopilot," he grumbled, begrudgingly setting aside their argument after his last comment about Jess.
He knew Jess was capable of a lot of things, but he also knew she was just getting into a sensitive part of her life where she was beginning to work out her past. She was already vulnerable—him adding the question of having kids before this mess having probably only added to her stress—and without him there, he worried. She was the best thing to happen to him in a long while and he was determined to make it back in one piece to make sure she was in one piece. Yes, her abilities would help with that, but the unease wouldn't settle. He could only be certain if he was there at her side and if he was this bothered by their separation, he could only imagine the stress she was in.
After so much of her life having been her struggling on her own, she'd finally allowed people to break in past her barriers. She had friends with the Avengers and was a partner to him, and he knew her biggest fear was losing the people she cared about and being left on her own again with nothing. He wouldn't allow that to happen while he was around, which meant getting back to her. Even if it meant working with the prepubescent spider-brat and her newest friend.
"Can we control it? Fly us home?" Strange asked, having come to a similar conclusion that serious arguing and infighting would get them nowhere in this situation. "Stark?"
"Yeah?"
"Can you get us home?"
"Yeah, I heard you… I think I'm not so sure we should," Tony mumbled, thinking now about the potential risk to the planet if they returned—bringing the second stone to Earth who was undoubtedly struggling to protect one.
"Under no circumstances can we bring the Time Stone to Thanos. I don't think you quite understand what's at stake here."
"No, it's you who doesn't understand that Thanos has been inside my head and Jess's for six years," Tony snapped, losing his patience once more. "Since he sent an army to New York and now he's back! And I don't know what to do. So, I'm not so sure if it's a better plan to fight him on our turf or his, but you saw what they did, what they can do. At least on his turf, he's not expecting it and whatever people who would end up in the way on Earth aren't going to be placed on Jess's conscious like all the others she blames herself for since that damn New York attack. So, I say we take the fight to him, Doctor. Do you concur?"
Strange took a deep breath. "All right, Stark. We go to him, but you have to understand if it comes to saving you, or the kid, or the Time Stone… I will not hesitate to let either of you die. I can't because the universe depends on it."
"Nice. Good, moral compass," Tony praised, patting his arm. "Except, if there's one thing I know…" He cracked a slight smile. "Jess wouldn't be friends with someone who always followed their moral compass."
Strange resisted a small smile as well as Tony stepped over to Peter.
"All right, kid." He tapped Peter's shoulders in resignation. "You're an Avenger now."
Peter's eyes went wide before a smile cracked its way over his face as well. He couldn't wait for Ned to find out.
"So, you've been to Wakanda before?" Steve asked Jess, who rolled her shoulders and let out a grunt as she stretched.
She'd been napping on the flight over, much to his relief, though the stress was still very visible on her face. Still, any sleep from her was an improvement to earlier.
"Nope, never. The last king liked me for who knows what reason, though our meeting was brief—"
He winced at that, remembering the screw up that had caused the meeting in the first place had technically been their fault.
"—but T'Challa is like the rest of you lot. Stubborn, but smart and needing a nice kick in the pants by someone who won't put up with his 'I'm a king' nonsense. You were there for that bit. Guess who put him in place and left an impression?" She waved with a serious face. "Needless to say, I've since become the go-between for Wakanda and the U.S. government simply because he likes me better than them. So, while I may not have been to Wakanda, I probably know more about it than you lot. No offense."
They finally landed the Quinjet and Jess sighed, getting up and moving to the front of the group.
"I take it you're all fine with me doing the talking? It's a lot of information, not a lot of time to explain it, and I still have to convince him to help."
Steve raised a brow. "You don't think he will?"
Jess cracked a smirk as the back of the Quinjet opened. "Oh, I know he will. It's his commander I have to convince and his people. This is, after all, the first time Wakanda has opened its doors to the outside world other than for helping you lot with Bucky."
Steve nodded, eternally grateful that Jess had managed to set that up, but knowing she was right in this case. While he was Captain America, that title meant little to the Wakandan people and proper diplomacy was needed to ensure they understood what was at stake and whether or not to join them. That being said, he raised a brow when they stepped up to the king and Jess crossed her arms over her chest briefly before grinning at T'Challa and stepping into a hug with the man.
"Nice to see you again, T'Challa," she smiled, apparently on more than good terms with him as he chuckled.
"And you, Jess. Thank you again for your gifts. Okoye rather enjoyed the coffee."
Said woman scoffed as Jess smiled innocently.
"Thought it'd give you a chance to add a Starbucks before actually opening your doors."
"She gets it," Okoye grumbled, shooting T'Challa a look that made him smile awkwardly.
"Anyway, these are the morons I babysit. You already know the Captain," Jess introduced, and Steve bowed his head before T'Challa spotted Bruce bowing.
"Uh, we, we don't do that here."
Jess rolled her eyes, knowing Rhodey had messed with him as T'Challa gave her a look.
"Babysitting?"
"Trust me, it's an apt description."
"So, how big of an assault should we expect?" T'Challa asked as they began to head inside and Bruce—being the one who'd seen the army—spoke up.
"Uh, sir, I think you should expect quite a big assault."
"Biggest army in the universe, apparently," I replied. "How's your end?"
"You will have my Kingsguard, the Border Tribe, the Dora Milaje, and…" He gestured to Bucky as the man headed over with a smile.
"And a semi-stable one-hundred-year-old man."
Steve stepped forward with a grin, hugging the man and catching up as Jess looked to T'Challa.
"And do you think you can help us with him?" She gestured to Vision as he awkwardly held his side and trailed behind them. "We're thinking with your technology, you might be able to get the stone out of him without, you know, killing him."
"I'll see what we can do," he hummed, nodding for them to enter the main facility and leading them to the lab where Shuri gave Vision a scan.
"Whoa," Bruce mused at seeing the image she'd conjured up with the scan, making Jess snort.
"You and Tony. Always loving the tech."
Bruce shot her a small smile, glad she was still speaking of Tony as if he were fine. He'd been worried about her earlier, and while he knew she was still hiding her concern for the man, he was proud she was working through it.
"The structure is polymorphic," Shuri commented, looking thrilled herself.
"Right, we had to attach each neuron non-sequentially," Bruce explained, having the most knowledge on Vision right now.
"Why didn't you just reprogram the synapses to work collectively?"
Vision raised a brow, looking to Bruce who managed a grimace.
"Because we didn't think of it."
Shuri smirked. "I'm sure you did your best."
"Can you do it?" Wanda asked.
"Yes, but there are more than two trillion neurons here. One misalignment could cause a cascade of circuit failures. It will take time, brother," she informed T'Challa as Jess ran a hand through her hair with a sigh.
"How long?"
"As long as you can give me."
"We'll need everyone we can on the front lines," Jess mused, looking to T'Challa. "But I suggest leaving someone here for their sake."
"Who do you suggest?" T'Challa hummed.
"I'll stay," Wanda offered.
"Course you will," Jess snorted. "I never expected you not to. What I meant was that I'll stay. Give me some binoculars and hand out some comms. I'll give you lot a bird's eye view of what's going on and do my best to help from there."
"You won't fight with us?" Okoye questioned, brows furrowed in suspicion and Jess held up her hands.
"I'm honestly not amazing at fighting. I try and have a few tricks, but it's really all just spontaneous. I'm more of the planning strategic type. Natasha can whip my butt in hand-to-hand in ten seconds."
"Less," Natasha joked. "Though that's true with most people."
"Besides, I have no doubt they're waiting for Vision to be alone. They know Wanda is his best defense, but most people overlook me."
"Which is advantageous for us," Steve agreed, giving me a smirk. "They won't know what's coming."
"Then, I trust you to take care of Shuri," T'Challa mused.
"With my life," Jess answered seriously, giving Shuri a reassuring glance. "Though I hope that won't be necessary."
Shuri smiled a little in return before an alarm went off and Okoye checked her bracelet with a frown. A small hologram of the Earth appeared, and she eyed T'Challa with worry.
"Something's entered the atmosphere."
"Hey, Cap? We've got a situation here," Sam announced over the comm just as something slammed into the barrier around Wakanda.
"We've got more incoming outside the dome," Rhodey announced as well, as the group moved to the window to look and Vision sat up slowly.
"It's too late. We need to destroy the stone now."
"Vision get your ass back on the table," Natasha demanded as Jess nodded.
"We still have time."
"We will hold them off," T'Challa declared as they began to head out.
"Wanda, as soon as that stone's out of his head, you blow it to hell," Steve declared, giving Jess a nod as they all left and T'Challa handed out orders.
"Evacuate the city. Engage all defenses and get this man a shield."