A/N: MONDAY! Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own Marvel, Disney, ABC or the Avengers.
Songs used in this chapter I Will Always Return by Bryan Adams and Rise Up by Andra Day
"You don't remember me, do you?"
"I do. I'm sorry, that night was such a blur."
"Yeah, I don't even think I gave you my name." The doctor smiled at me.
"It's Kyle Anderson, by the way." The old one night stand said, and I sighed.
"It's nice to see you again Kyle."
"You too Sera. I'm really sorry I didn't call you after that night. It was a really stupid move on my part. I want to thank you, by the way."
"Why?"
"Because I learned something about myself. You were so open and brave about your sexuality in University, that I thought I should be too. After our night together, I finally realized why I was never as comfortable around girls as I wanted to be."
"You came out." I said, a small smile starting on my lips.
"Now, I'm married." He said, holding up his left hand to show his wedding band.
"I'm glad for you Kyle."
"You're a superhero, huh? Not many guys can say they were with a superhero."
"Actually, on my part, a lot of people can say that." I laughed, making him smile.
"Well, I don't judge. I was doing my residency and still found time to have one-night stands. It's how I met my husband."
"You know how I met mine," I smirked as I watched Peter and John talk.
"I have to tell you something. It's been my little secret for years, but it finally came out about 6 months ago. After our night together, I was pregnant."
"What? I have a child?" He said, absolutely floored.
"It didn't last though. I was on my way to my first pre-natal appointment when I was mugged and beaten. Miscarriage."
"Sera. I'm… I'm sorry. If I had known-"
"Neither of us would be happy together. It's not like you had to marry me."
"But I might have been with you, in the sense of walking with you to your appointment, and I could have defended you."
"I hadn't been trained at that point in my life. I was only 17, remember?"
"Yeah, you were the smartest person at school."
"But it was that attack that set things in motion for me. I learned how to defend myself. I became cold, and it hardened me. It was the push I needed to get on the right path. If I had never met you, I might not have ever worked for SHIELD, or met my father, my husbands, saved the world. So, I've been waiting for the last 8 years to say this: Thank you."
"I don't know how to say your welcome to that." He said, confused.
"I would have loved that baby, but fate had other plans. You set me on the right path, and for that, I owe you. Anything you need, please don't hesitate to call." I said, handing him a card.
"Would you believe that I need a reference?" He said, a small chuckle escaping his lips.
"Where at?"
"New York Pres. I've got an interview there in two weeks."
"I will call the Chief of Surgery myself if I have to." I replied. I looked back in on Peter and he was sitting next to John, watching him sleep. Kyle's eyes followed where mine went and sighed, "His liver-"
"Is failing, I know. That's his long lost grandson in there. He was abducted from Earth the same day his mother died."
"What?" Kyle said incredulously.
"Yeah. Even after alien invasions, killer AI's and Hydra, I'm still surprised by certain things."
"You've desensitized yourself to a lot."
"Yeah. But as a psychologist, I have to."
"So what's your specialty?"
"I'm actually a general surgeon. Mr. Quill is my patient."
"What can you share? He's not receiving another liver, correct?"
"No, he is not. He has chosen to die."
"Do not resuscitate," I sighed.
"Correct."
After I had returned home, sans Quill, I carefully walked up to our apartment to find Steve bathing one of our kids. As he heard me, Steve looked up and gave me a small smile, before going back to talking to Callie about bubbles. She was responding in babbles as usual, and he would continue to show her how to make a bubble beard. Bucky was changing Elijah in the nursery, making farting noises on his bare stomach, and my boy squealed from the tickling stubble of his father's chin.
"Superhusbands!" I said, taking a picture of both and posting it on Instagram. Making sure the picture was not traceable to our location first.
"Come on babe," Steve groaned playfully as he wipe the bubbles off his head.
"I think it's cute," I winked.
"Superhusbands, huh?" Bucky said, bringing over Elijah, who practically launched himself at me.
"Silly monkey," I teased, nipping his neck playfully.
"Duh." I replied, kissing him sweetly. He pulled back and carefully tilted my head to the side. As I realized what he was doing, I pulled back saying, "Bucky, I'm fine. You didn't hurt me."
"I had some time to think about what happened, and what could have happened." He started, and I went to object and he covered my mouth with his left hand. I narrowed my eyes at him and he said, "Let me finish?"
"Steve brought up a good point after you left this morning. What if we hadn't known you were pregnant, and my actions towards you effected that pregnancy?" He said sitting me down on the couch.
"But I'm not. At least that I'm aware of." I said, counting backwards to my last period.
"My point is, I need to learn to get control another way. We are already rough on your body when we…"
"Fill both holes?" I teased.
"Yes. And I don't want to use you like that. You are my wife, not a punching bag."
"You aren't using me like a punching bag. But if this is your decision, I can respect that."
"Okay Mommy, bedtime," Steve said, coming out with Callie all bundled up in her onesie pajamas.
"Hi baby girl."
"Mama," Elijah said, giving me a grumpy look.
"No buts little love, it's bedtime for you two. We can snuggle tomorrow morning." I smiled, picking up both and bringing them back to their nursery. As I laid them down, and pulled their blankets over their little bodies, they fidgeted.
"How about a different song tonight?" I whispered and they looked up, excited.
I hear the wind across the plain
A sound so strong - that calls my name
It's wild like the river - it 's warm like the sun
Ya it's here - this is where I belong
Under the starry skies - where eagles have flown
This place is paradise - it's the place I call home
The moon on the mountains
The whisper through the trees
The waves on the water
Let nothing come between this and me
Couse everything I want - is everything that's here
And when we're all together - there's nothing to fear
As I got my voice got softer, I leaned down to gently kiss their smooth foreheads, brushing back Callie's forming dark curls and Elijah's blonde tuft.
And wherever I wander - the one thing I've learned
It's to here - I will always...always return
As my voice faded, I backup slowly, putting on their lullabies, and closing the door gently. I turned to see Steve looking up at me from the couch. Narrowing my eyes at him, I bit out, "Don't think I don't know what you said to him."
"It was a valid fear that I expressed. On top of your safety."
I looked at him for a moment before shaking my head, and entering our closet. Throwing on my dancing shorts, my purple sports bra and a flowy tank top, I kissed Bucky's cheek, while picking up the monitor slowly.
"Where are you going?" Steve asked softly.
"To clear my head." I responded, walking out of our apartment.
I passed Loki and Maria in the lounge, laughing with Sam over something. Jane and Darcy had pulled Thor and Fitz into the movie room, while Jemma and Pietro were content to cuddle on the couch in the lounge. As I walked past the training rooms, I saw Brock lifting while Wanda practiced moving objects with her powers. Daisy was sparing with Trip and Lincoln with May. He was improving. Natasha and Gamora were sharpening their knives while watching their surroundings. I smiled as I past them. Natasha needed more people like her to relate to.
As I entered the studio, I said, "ARSENAL."
"Yes Ma'am. How was your trip?"
"Sad. It reminded me of when my mom died."
"I am displeased to hear that ma'am. If I had arms, I would offer a hug." She said, making me smirk.
"Thank you for the thought A," I sighed, looking up at the ceiling.
"May I inquire why your neural scans show an influx of melancholy?"
"I miss my mom," I whispered. A moment of silence beat, before a video played on the mirror. My tears fell before I even realized what it was.
"Baby, don't cry," My mom's voice said as I held my cut knee. I remembered the first time I ever rode a bike. She let me go, because I needed to learn without her. And she wanted to get it on video.
"What happens when we fall?" She asked, as she brushed off my wound and placed a large Band-Aid over it. Putting down the camera, I noticed it got us both in the shot as she tilted my chin up and looked in my eyes. The 'me' in the video looked confused, until she said, "We rise up and try again."
"Thank you ARSENAL. It thought that was lost to the sands of time," I cried, as the video cut and I saw my mom's smiling face, looking down at me.
"You are welcome. Might I suggest a song Ma'am?" She said.
"I trust your judgment A. You've never steered me wrong before." She said as I shed my top and took a deep breath. The music started and I knew why ARSENAL had picked it.
You're broken down and tired
Of living life on a merry-go-round
And you can't find the fighter
But I see it in you so we gonna walk it out
And move mountains
We gonna walk it out
And move mountains
And I'll rise up
I'll rise like the day
I'll rise up
I'll rise unafraid
I'll rise up
And I'll do it a thousand times again
And I'll rise up
High like the waves
I'll rise up
In spite of the ache
I'll rise up
And I'll do it a thousand times again
For you [4x]
When the silence isn't quiet
And it feels like it's getting hard to breathe
And I know you feel like dying
But I promise we'll take the world to it's feet
And move mountains
Bring it to it's feet
And move mountains
And I'll rise up
I'll rise like the day
I'll rise up
I'll rise unafraid
I'll rise up
And I'll do it a thousand times again
For you [4x]
All we need, all we need is hope
And for that we have each other
And for that we have each other
We will rise
We will rise
We'll rise, oh oh
We'll rise
I'll rise up
Rise like the day
I'll rise up
In spite of the ache
I will rise a thousand times again
And we'll rise up
High like the waves
We'll rise up
In spite of the ache
We'll rise up
And we'll do it a thousand times again
For you oh oh oh oh oh [3x]
As the last note was sung, my wings spread of their on volition. Feeling the muscles ripple underneath the soft tips of fire, I felt more empowered than I ever have in my life. Not when I graduated early, finished University before I was 20, learnt I was the daughter of a genius. Not when I was named an Agent, an Avenger, a mother, a wife.
A hero.
"Rise and rise again, until lambs become lions," I said, as a shadow in my peripheral vision became clearer.
"Wanda, hey. How'd you get in-" I said, before I realized she still came in here to dance occasionally. She had a code.
"I sensed your hurt."
"It's nothing." I said, brushing away a bead of sweat as my wings folded into my back.
"Missing your mother?" She asked, and I smirked.
"This reading people's minds thing? It's not very fair," I teased.
"Come on, I need a moment outside. It's a beautiful night," She smiled, taking my hand and I grabbed my tank top. As we walked down the stairs, I noticed the training rooms had pretty much emptied, except for Brock waiting for Wanda. He smiled at me and said, "Glad you could join us."
"Join you?" I smiled.
"Brock and I wanted to ask you something," Wanda said, nervously.
"Oh god, did he knock you up?" I teased, and Wanda blushed, "No."
"Would you witness for us?" Brock asked, making my jaw drop to the floor.
"Hell yeah!" I smiled, hugging Wanda. I pulled back to find a petite Emerald cut Ruby, on a thin silver band.
"Red is her color," Brock smiled before I launched myself to hug my cousin.
"When? Where?" I asked, excited.
"Friday. We have a minister coming up for a small ceremony."
"Can I suggest the perfect place? I found it on my ride with Sunchaser the other day. It overlooks our valley, and at sunrise, it's beyond perfect." I said, imagining it.
"It sounds perfect." Wanda smiled.
"Do you have a dress?" I asked, and as she was about to answer, I heard a loud voice cry out from the monitor, "Mama!"
"I was hoping they would skip this stage." I sighed, as I turned the volume down, "I would love to talk to you guys tomorrow about this."
"Oh, Sera, Natasha was looking for you too. She seemed nervous, and I don't like it when she is. She unpredictable." Brock said as I kissed both their cheeks.
"Thank you for the heads up."
