Shadowed Past: Visions of Affliction

by Savplanet

(SEQUEL TO "SHADOWED PAST") After the battle with Ultron, Alex is plagued with horrifying flashbacks that prevent her from living out her life. Digging deeper into her past, Alex and the others uncover more about what could be causing the corrupted visions. Alex's origin is darker and more vile than anyone ever expected. PART 2/3. (Final part:"Shadowed Past: Swan Song")

12. The World will Never be The Same

Shadowed Past: Visions of Affliction

Chapter 12: The World will Never be The Same

---

Piper and I walked for hours, through endless miles of what used to be thriving fields and woodlands. Now everything was dead. The ground was solid, cold, dry, dusty, lifeless. The sun had finally began to set behind all of the clouds, and the darkness of the night began to rise. Fast.

"What are we going to do for the night?" Piper asked, breaking the silence that had fallen between us.

We couldn't start a fire, we couldn't build any sort of shelter, and there didn't seem to be any sign of civilization anywhere nearby. I had forgotten how remote the base actually was.

"Alex?"

I was shaken from my thoughts. "I don't know. I think we're just going to have to keep walking as long as we can."

"We can't just walk all night!"

"What are we going to then, Piper?! Just plop ourselves down in the middle of nowhere and sleep?!"

"Yes! At least that's what I was thinking!"

"That's dangerous! We'll wake up in Loki's clutch and then who's going to save the world?!"

"It might not be us if we keep screaming at each other!" Piper snapped.

Silence.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to shout." I muttered.

"I'm sorry too. But seriously, what are going to do? It's going to be so dark soon and we won't even be able to see each other."

I grinned deviously before lighting up a field in my hand. Piper looked down, embarrassed. "Oh shut up." She mumbled, resuming her walk, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Hey! I didn't say anything!" I called after her, snickering.

"I said shut it!"

---

Our hike continued long after the dim light of the sun vanished into pure darkness. We both lit up fields in our hands again for some light, but it wasn't much. I had felt insanely nauseous for the majority of the hike, and I'd dry heaved a good three times. Assuming it was stress, I tried to put it aside and focus on the main task at hand.

"How do you feel? Are you gonna upchuck anymore?" Piper asked, breaking the silence that had fallen between us yet again.

"No, at least I don't think so." I replied. "Where do you think the others are?" The silence had become deafening, and I wanted to talk about something other than just my vomiting. There were no crickets or owls, nothing alive for miles except for Piper and I. Whenever we walked and didn't talk, the only sounds were our breathing, our feet padding against the dead ground below, and a very faint hum from our force fields.

"I don't know. The fact that I couldn't see them worries me."

"Loki certainly isn't stupid. The first thing he would take away to weaken us would be the people we love. I think that's why he tried to kill you."

Piper nodded slightly.

"Yeah, I agree with you there." Piper paused. "Alex, can I ask you something?"

"Anything."

"Are you jealous of my abilities?"

I had to laugh at her question. "No, of course not, why would you ask? I'm happy for you!"

"I was just wondering. I feel less like an odd man out now."

"What do you mean?"

"Ever since we started housing with the Avengers, I've always felt excluded. Only because I couldn't do the cool things you guys can do. I wasn't a mutant, or created to be special. I just felt like a paper slave, or a secretary, or, something. Whenever there was a mission I always had to stay behind. I don't know, I just felt, different. Like an outcast, I guess."

"Piper, why didn't you say anything before? And you're not an outcast, everybody loves you!"

"I know, and, I just never thought it was right. Like it never felt like the right time to say it." She said. "But it seemed like the right time now."

"Why?"

"I think you know." Piper replied softly.

I did know. And I dreaded thinking about it. Chances of surviving this one were small.

"Yeah, I do." I muttered. "Well, if we do make it through this one alive, and there's any chance of things being remotely close to what they used to be, I promise you won't feel left out anymore. I'll make sure of it."

A small grin appeared on Piper's face. "Thanks, Alex."

---

Third Person POV

Thor fought Heimdall for what felt like forever, until he finally knocked him out.

Thor returned to Midguard, only to land where the base used to be. Thor acted quick, flying off into the sky straight for the source of the lights in the distance.

---

The prison was dark, and cold. The chains bore the heaviest of weights, specially designed for their kind. All was silent. Just the hum of their presence rang through the dimly lit dungeon, no words were uttered from anyone's lips.

A door creaked open, causing a few of them to jump. Footsteps followed, slowly entering the dungeon hall. One step, after another, after another, until they stopped.

"I find it ironic." Loki began. "How does it feel to be in my place?"

Three more footsteps.

"How does it feel, to lose?!" He screamed, his voice echoing off the cement walls. He waited until the silence engulfed his voice, only to speak again. He laughed to himself, "I, personally, think it's...hysterical." He laughed again. "The Avengers, "Earth's Mightiest Heroes", plus some, finally in my grasp. The Nine Realms rightfully mine to rule, my father or brother not here to stop me...none of you to stop me." Loki began walking. He continued to walk in such a manner so that every single one of them could see him as he spoke. "Ever since I was a young boy, my family always told me I would fail. Except for my mother. All my life, I suppose, I was looked down upon. My brother was always popular with all of the townsfolk, and I preferred to be engaging in my studies rather than boasting and bragging with other forms of life. It all seemed wrong to me. Knowledge grants one power. Power to lead, power to rule, power that could be rightfully mine. And now I've got it. All I've ever wanted, in my hands, all thanks to this little beauty." He held up the crystal.

"We haven't lost. Not yet." Steve spoke up.

"And how is that, Captain? Because your wife is still alive? I can assure you that she will not be breathing for much longer. And I'll make sure that you get to look into her eyes and she dies from the curse that his father bestowed on her!" Loki pointed at Tony. "Besides, I've already scorched her pathetic other half. Such a weasel. Couldn't tell right from left if she was given a chance."

"How could you?" Bucky grumbled, his voice low, eyes menacing. Tears had begun to swell in all of their eyes.

"It's called survival of the fittest, soldier. You of all psychopaths should know."

"She was only a kid!" Bucky screamed, lashing out. The chains restricted him, and he only began to hurt himself by struggling. Loki walked over to Bucky's cell.

"A child who had no place on this Earth, or anywhere." Loki watched Bucky struggle, looking into his eyes. "What does it matter to you, Sergeant Barnes? Is it because, you fancied her presence? No no, wait, I've got it. It's because she didn't fear you. Is that it, James? You thought you had a chance with this girl because she wasn't afraid of you?"

"Shut up." Bucky growled.

Loki chuckled to himself. "Pathetic. You were made to feared, James. You were made to slaughter without leaving a trace. Your job is to kill. You cannot love, you cannot feel. You are a machine that is destined to burn in Hell for all of the blood on your hands."

"Shut up!" Bucky screamed.

"Buck! Don't listen to him!" Steve shouted.

"Well I have got good news for you, you'll see her again, at the gates of Hell. And you know what's going to make that even better? I'll be the one who torments you, while she watches. And then I'll torture her, and you get the front row seat. I'll make sure that you watch her, and so many that you love die over and over again to remind you of the true pain and suffering that you deserve."

"I said, SHUT UP!"

The only sound was Bucky's harsh breathing, and small breaths coming from Wanda's sobs.

Loki lowered himself down to Bucky's level, his eyes not moving off of Bucky's. "See, James? One does not need to end your life because you are already dead."

Bucky looked away, and Loki stood, returning to the others. "So you see, Captain, you have lost." Loki walked towards Steve's cell. "I'll make sure that your wife never sees the light of day again. You don't need her, especially not to create more of you. The last thing this world needs is another Rogers, another false leader."

"You didn't need to kill an innocent girl to prove your point. You have no room to sit there and accuse another of murder." Natasha spoke up, her voice cracking.

"Oh, but I did, Ms. Romanoff. I believe I've proven my point. Love is nothing but vengeance. Vengeance nurses on love, until that love is ripped away. Death is simply the guide, who takes the love away when it's time. But if death takes the love away too early, you see, the vengeance goes mad. It simply cannot accept the loss and move on. No, it has to slaughter another's love in return for empathy, or, slaughter the source of their loss. The vengeance will blame whoever it was that took away their love, physically. But in reality the vengeance is blind to the fact that it's fate who took their love away. Fate is in charge of death, and death cannot be captured. Fate is invisible to the mind, even to that of beasts such as yourselves. Life is simply growing towards death. Imbeciles are the ones who make attachments along the way. The only way to live is without ties, without strings. I live without strings. The few strings I did have were cut long ago. And look who wound up on top? It's such a beautiful thing, isn't it, Avengers? Ah, even your name has vengeance written all over it. The Avengers, created to avenge death for others who cannot do it for themselves. To avenge, means to fail. And to rule, means to win. I have won, you have lost, there is no other way to put it. And how have I won exactly? Because there are no strings on me!" Loki screamed, his voice hoarse.

His footsteps seemed to vanish, and the door slammed behind him. The silence engulfed them all once again.

"I hate that guy." Clint muttered.

"Is everybody alright?" Tony asked gently.

"Bucky? Talk to me." Steve called.

"He's right." Bucky said softly.

"No, Bucky, stop." Steve warned.

"He killed Piper..." Wanda cried from her cell. Sam'd heart dropped hearing the words. Everyone's heart dropped.

"Wanda...listen to me..." Vision began softly. She continued to sob, her breathing sporadic.

"What?" She whimpered.

"Everything's going to be okay."

"No it's not! You heard him! We lost! It's over!" There was a loud thud, and a bright flash of red.

"Wanda?!" Bruce called, his cell adjacent to hers.

"Wanda?!" Sam shouted, his cell adjacent to the other side. "Wanda, answer me!"

She began coughing after a moment, and relief flushed over the team.

"What happened?" Sam asked.

"I don't know," Wanda muttered, sniffling. "But it didn't feel good."

"Loki wants us all to go mad, we need to remain calm." Tony called out. "Whatever you do, don't let him get to you. Don't let anything get to you."

---

First Person POV

Another day had been risen to life. The sun providing us with some relief with it's bright white glow illuminating through the clouds.

"How much farther?" I whined.

"Not too much. We should be there in due time." Piper answered.

"Love is nothing but vengeance."

"Piper, did you hear that?"

"Hear what?"

"Vengeance nurses on love, until that love is ripped away."

"There's somebody talking! How can you not hear that!"

"What are they saying?"

"Death is simply the guide, who takes the love away when it's time."

I suddenly felt a burning pain on the underside of my right forearm. "Ah, ow, ow! Piper! It hurts!" I shouted, grasping my arm.

"What's wrong?!" Piper called, running to my side.

"Stop! It's getting louder!" I screamed, holding my head in my hands. My skull was throbbing from the inside out, this voice ringing loudly inside. My ears felt tight and cringed with every syllable. The burning on my arm returned, the pain intensified. I fell to my knees, my fingers wrapping themselves tightly in the hair above my ears as my palms covered my ear lobes. My eyes were closed tight.

"Alex!" Piper cried.

"Fate is in charge of death, and death cannot be captured."

I wailed, as loud as I could, my throat and lungs burning like fire.

"Life is simply growing towards death."

With those final words, everything stopped. My breathing was heavy, my head felt light, my chest as if it weighed a thousand pounds. I took deep breaths, and held my head in my hands.

"Alex! What was that? Are you alright?" Piper asked, concerned.

"I'm fine," I panted. "I think."

"What's on your arm?"

We both looked down to see a snowflake like symbol now tattooed on my arm in black. It appeared as eight simplistic spiked tridents growing outwards from each other, with three dashes near the top of every staff and a circle surrounding where they all connected at the base, the center of the symbol.

"I have no idea."

All of a sudden, there was a loud swoosh overhead, and a loud explosion of land about 50 feet behind us.

Piper and I exchange a look, before she quickly grabbed my arm and pulled me up from the ground. We both took off running as fast we could, until we heard a familiar voice.

"Lady Alex! Lady Piper! Wait!"

We froze.

"Thor?" Piper gasped.

Our eyes scanned the thinning clouds of dust, waiting for movement. And then, out of the ashes, came the god of thunder in the flesh.

"Thor!" I screamed with joy, running straight on towards him.

We embraced in a tight hug, his large muscles almost choking me to death. It reminded me of Steve's hugs, only making my heart ache even more.

"I have been coping with the worst of fears ever since we departed on the bifrost." Thor said, releasing me. "I was horribly concerned that you had not returned safely."

"Well, we did. But there's a bit of a predicament if you haven't noticed."

"Bring it in, big guy-" Piper said, Thor's arms cutting her off before she could finish.

"Have you seen any signs of the others?" Thor asked.

"No, nothing. Not even a sign of life."

"We haven't eaten in two days and I'm starving." Piper whined.

"Well, I suggest we get to moving then. Loki is in the city. I can feel it. He probably has the others as well."

"If they're still alive." I mumbled, looking off at the lights in the distance.

"Alex, don't say that." Piper retorted, pain heavy in her voice.

"Lady Alex, what marking occupies your arm? Where did you get that?"

"Actually, just a few minutes ago. Do you know anything about what it means?"

Thor took Alex's arm in his hands and studied the mark closely. "It is the Helm of Awe, an old Norse marking. The symbol represents fear, and is used to strike fear into the heart of an enemy before an attack. You say you just got this now?"

"Yeah, we were just walking, and I heard this voice in my head...and my arm starting burning, and then the next thing I know it's all over and I've got this thing."

"I believe that Loki has cast this upon you as a warning. With the crystal in his possession, he nearly has all control over whether you live or die."

My heart sank. How relieving. "So he can just snap his fingers and I'm dead?"

"I'm afraid so. Howard had done something good by destroying that crystal. It may be one of the most dangerous weapons in all of the realms."

"Great." I huffed. Piper had fallen silent, looking at us with concern and sympathy.

"We must hurry to Loki quickly, and we must find the others. Hold on tight, ladies."

"Oh boy." Piper sighed. "Nightmare at 20,000 feet here with come, minus the gremlin."

We both held on to Thor for dear life as we took off like a rocket, shooting through the sky at what felt like the speed of light.

---

Third Person POV

The dungeon had fallen silent again. Not a single movement or sound was made.

"I'm sorry."

His words made them all jump from their gazes.

"What was that, Buck?" Steve answered, his voice cracking. He had been crying.

"I said I'm sorry. That goes for all of you."

"It's okay to lash out. It's part of what we do." Natasha chimed in.

"I shouldn't have acted like I did, and I'm sorry."

Steve, knowing that Bucky wouldn't stop apologizing unless he gave him an answer, said, "It's okay, Buck. Don't worry about it."

Silence.

"I haven't felt like that for as long as I can remember." Bucky continued. "I felt...so defeated, torn apart when he said that Piper was...dead. I haven't felt that, I don't think ever. Not that strongly."

"You love her." Wanda added. "We all do."

Bucky let out a small chuckle, barely audible. "Love?"

"I know what it feels like. To have your heart ripped out when you find out a person that you love is dead."

Bucky began to think things to himself: "How could I love her? I've barely talked to her before...how could I ever love again? How could she love me? I'm a killing machine. She doesn't deserve me. Nobody deserves to have to deal with the mess I've become."

All of a sudden, there was a noise. An earth shattering rumble that shook the entire dungeon.

"Is everybody okay?" Tony called out after the small earthquake.

They all froze, listening closely. There was silence before a blood curdling scream broke it. Crashes, screams, cracks, thumps, clangs, nearly every sound effect possible started echoing simultaneously.

"What is that?" Wanda asked.

"Shh, sh." Steve whispered.

There was one distinctive scream that Steve noticed immediately. "Alex?" He gasped. "Alex!"

Suddenly all was silent, just before the dungeon doors blew open with an explosion that rattled the entire place.

"Honey! I'm home!" Piper called in.

"Piper?" Bucky muttered.

"Piper! You're alive!" Sam called. Bucky felt his protective instincts awaken when Sam called Piper's name. He wanted to keep her safe. He wanted her to be his, and his only.

"Sam!" Piper cried. "Bruce! Bucky! You're all here! Alex! They're down here!"

Piper began busting everyone out, and they all watched in awe. "Piper, you have abilities now?" Wanda grinned.

"Aether manipulation. Loki tried to kill me but he actually just helped us out. Sucks to suck." Piper hummed under her breath happily.

The soft padding of Alex's feet echoed off the walls as she ran down the stairs. "Steve-"

"Alex!" Steve called.

Alex sprinted towards Steve's voice, falling to her knees when she saw his eyes. He leaned against the metal bars, relieved that she was alive. His heart quickly sank when he noticed the discoloration of her skin, and how the violet in her eyes had faded to a pale lavender. Her once lush lips were pale and dry, and her breathing was heavy.

"Honey, are you okay?"

"Steve-" Alex breathed, her eyelids struggling to stay open.

Piper blasted the lock off Steve's cell, and got the chains off of his hands just in time so that he could catch Alex in his arms. Piper went back to freeing the others.

"What's that mark on her arm?"

The Helm of Awe on Alex's arm had grown, her veins turning black and her flesh turning white as the mark expanded.

"Oh no, it's happened already-" Thor breathed.

"What's wrong with her?!" Steve snapped.

"The mark has gotten worse. It is all part of the curse. The Helm of Awe is the sign of fear, the final sign of the curse. Her body has been sentenced to death, the only place she still lives is in her mind."

"What do you mean, sentenced to death?" Piper said through clenched teeth, walking over to Thor. "You didn't mention that earlier!"

"I did not want to strike even more fear into the heart of Lady Alex. She was already fearing enough, she did not need, and could not hold any more weight on her shoulders."

"What I want to know is how everything changed so suddenly, and now Loki's in power?" Natasha asked.

"He reassembled the crystal and changed his own destiny so that he rules all." Thor replied.

"How did Loki get the crystal shards?" Vision asked.

Piper and Thor exchanged looks. "He tricked us." Piper mumbled.

"Loki had disguised himself as Odin, and he's been stomping around dressed as my father for quite some time I imagine. He fooled many, not just us, Lady Piper."

Off the to the side, Bucky gently grabbed Piper's arm. "I thought you were dead." He began, looking deep into her eyes.

"I almost was-"

"He told us you were dead." They gazed into each other's eyes before Bucky pulled her into a tight hug. "I'm so glad you're alive."

Suddenly Bucky jumped out of their grasp, and they both turned to see Clint grinning from cheek to cheek. "Hey there, hot stuff."

"What was that for?" Bucky grumbled.

"I've been tied up for too long. I had to bother somebody." He shrugged.

"Why did you have to grab my-"

Bucky was interrupted by Tony.

"We need to get out of here, now. It won't be long before Loki realizes that we're free."

"My brother has vanished from the premises." Thor spoke up. "None of us could find him here."

"That doesn't mean he won't be coming back." Sam added.

"Alright. We're going to split up. Sam, Wanda, Piper, Bucky, go with Steve and Alex. Bruce, Nat, Clint, Vision, and I will go together." Tony ordered.

"Yes but what is our plan of action?" Vision asked.

"We get out of here, meet up, and save Alex. To do that we need to get the crystal out of Loki's hands."

"And then what?" Steve muttered, his eyes and cheeks red, tears staining his face.

"How do we prevent this curse from doing any further harm to her?" Vision asked, looking up at Thor.

"My father cast the curse on Alex...he can surely remove it."

"What? I thought that Howard did that." Piper added. Tony glared at her. "Sorry, Tony."

"No. Howard changed destiny's web so that his daughter, Alex, would have a child with his greatest creation of the future, Captain America. Creating the most powerful superhuman known to mankind." Thor looked at Steve.

"Wait, Tony, Alex is related to you?" Sam questioned.

"Apparently so. Her mother and my father had somewhat of an affair while they were working together."

"Same father, different mothers." Bruce muttered. "Interesting."

"Where is Odin now, Thor?" Steve asked, his voice stronger now. He remained on the floor, cradling Alex's lifeless body.

"Still in Asgard. I will have to return and retrieve him, please forgive my sudden absence." Thor said before exiting. Seconds later he shot off like a rocket into the sky.

"So, I guess we'll go minus one." Tony broke the silence.

---

First Person POV

My eyes shot open, my eyelids quickly closing when my pupils were met with a bright light. They gently eased open again, and I took in the sight of one of the most beautiful forests I'd ever seen. The trees seemed to reach towards the sky for miles, the floor was coated with beautiful green plants and mosses, and the sun allowed everything to shine bright in all of it's glory.

I stood slowly, a smile spreading across my lips.

But then I remembered.

The last thing I could remember was knocking out a bunch of guards.

And Steve's eyes. His beautiful blue eyes.

Suddenly there was a rustling coming from, somewhere. I instinctively armed myself. "Who's there?!"

Silence.

"Answer me!"

There was no answer.

I began to walk forwards, keeping my eyes peeled, fields ready. With every step, I noticed that the sky started to fade. So did the sun, the colors of the plants, until all of a sudden, everything was dead. It was winter. Dead leaves scattered the floor, the brisk air nipped at my skin, the trees reached towards the sky with their thin and bare branches appearing as if they were dead hands reaching from their graves.

I kept walking.

Everything stayed dead, but I noticed the temperature seemed to rise a little with each step.

Thunder crashed. Seconds later, it began pouring down rain. It was spring now.

"What in the-" I looked forward to see something off in the distance.

I quickly ran towards it, my feet sloshing in the mud and puddles rupturing when my feet stomped through them.

It was a door.

So I opened said door, stepping in slowly.

"Piper! Get up here!"

"Hold on, Alex!"

I was in Piper's old house now, the house her and I grew up in. I turned around to see that the door I'd come through had turned into the closet door in the room that we used to share as kids. I opened the door to find clothes. The forest was gone.

I observed the scene, soon remembering it.

"Piper!" 'I' cried.

I was only seven in this memory.

"I'm coming!" A small Piper called back.

This was the day that Piper and I moved into our new room together at the apartment we lived in until we graduated high school. Then we went to college and moved up to New York City.

"It's amazing!" I cried, falling back onto the bed.

Piper rounded the corner, her eyes lighting up when she saw the room. It was a decently large bedroom, with two beds, a conjoined bathroom, and window nook on the far side. One bed was on the left of the door, the other on the right, the conjoined bathroom was at the foot of the bed on the right, and the small nook with the overhanging window was on the opposite wall of the door. My bed was the one on the right, and Piper claimed the left. The walls were a light tan color, new wooden floors glistening in the sunlight that poured through the window. I barely remembered seeing the room so new, so clean. Piper and I had the place completely trashed only weeks after inhabiting it.

"Wow, look at that!" Piper squealed, eyeing up the window. I quickly released that I, normal-me, the ghost of me, whatever I was, was standing right in her way. She darted for the window, running straight through me. Little me soon followed her.

"I think I'm gonna like it here." I breathed, looking out the window with Piper.

I smiled, feeling a few tears prick at my eyes. That had to be one of the best days of my childhood. Piper and I stayed up for almost two days straight just unpacking and decorating, building a fort, pillow fights, and all of the above.

"Alex-" I heard a voice whisper. I spun around, eyeing up the door. I walked over, peeing my head out slowly. I heard it again. "Alex-" A voice called, dry, a whisper, rather creepy. This time it was clear that it was to my left, where the stairs were.

I made my way down the apartment stairs, looking over through the living room to the kitchen to see Piper's parents unpacking happily. I remembered her parents. They ended up being like my own, they were my own. They were two of the sweetest people I'd ever known.

My observing was interrupted when the house door creaked open, a bright white light illuminating from the doorway. I took one last look before slipping into the white light.

I couldn't see a thing, so I just took baby-steps through the white that now surrounded me. Within a few more steps, I noticed that the brightness slowly began to fade. I darted ahead, and the next thing I new, I was only inches away Steve's face. I gasped, "Steve?" "Steve!" I leaned in to hug him, but I went right through him.

I spun around to see me, a little younger me, standing and looking at Steve where I was standing a few seconds ago. Agent Hill was there, Piper too.

"Miss Cooper," Steve said.

"Mr. Rogers," I replied.

We both shook hands. It was the first time I met Steve.

His eyes, his beautiful blue eyes. As bright as an untouched tropical ocean, with little white streaks that made them shine, and the smallest hint of green on the circumference of his irises. That was this memory. I could get lost in Steve's eyes for eternity and be beyond content. I remembered that day unlike any other. I couldn't take my eyes off of his, my heart felt like a cloud, so light, but so full at the same time. My stomach twisted into knots, and it felt like I'd known those eyes forever.

The scene froze. Our eyes froze. Locked in time. Forever.

I could've stayed there forever, too.

Suddenly, there was a consistent thumping from the door to the right. It was the door to the training room, but I had a deep feeling that I wasn't headed to the training room at all. I opened the door, and slipped into the white light yet again.

This time, I emerged in Avengers Tower. The consistent thumping was the bass of Tony's insanely loud party music. As I made my way through the people, the music slowly began to fade out, until I was standing alone. There was a laugh from the level below, and I walked over to the stairs, slowly making my way down them. I remembered as soon as I saw it. We were all sitting in the den, talking, chatting, having a grand old time after the party had cleared out.

"Clint, do us all a favor and grow up already." Tony said smoothly, making all of us cheer and rant.

"Just apply cool water to the area of burn." Natasha teased.

"What's so wrong about playing truth or dare?"

"Tell me one good thing that comes out of that game." I piped up.

"Spin the bottle?" Clint gave a cheeky grin.

"Seriously, what's up with you and all these kissing games. Clint if you're that horny there's a bar two blocks away." Tony added.

Everyone went back to talking and laughing all at once, and I couldn't help but smile. I was sitting on the couch close to Steve. His arm was draped over my shoulders, and we were glued together at the hip. We were both secretly wishing to just get out of there and spend some time with ourselves. I wish we would've known that things were going to change like they did. We both surely would've treasured the moment a little more. The memory-me looked up to see Bruce, scared for his life. I remembered that, too.

"Bruce," I said softly, "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, I just don't, socialize well-"

"See, Bruce needs to learn how to hang loose-" Clint began. "And there's no better way to hang loose than a good old game of spin the bottle."

"No I think there's a better one than that." Nat mumbled, biting back a grin.

We all looked at her questioningly. "Seven minutes in Heaven," She laughed halfway through her phrase.

Another uproar began, some agreeing, some disagreeing, all of the above.

"Wait, wait!" Thor boomed. "What is this, seven minutes in Heaven? Must we really slaughter each other only to come back to Midguard in seven minutes?"

We all burst out laughing, even Steve tried his hardest to suppress a laugh. "The game doesn't involve everybody killing each other..."

"At all-" Piper added with a giggle.

I missed those days. The original crew. Tony, Steve, Bruce, Thor, Nat, Clint, Piper, and Me. Just us against the world.

Suddenly, we all froze. The memory froze. My eyebrows furrowed, looking around for an answer. Just then there was the little clink of glass on glass, and I spun around to see Loki pouring himself a drink at Tony's bar.

"Has your little stroll down memory lane been memorable enough?"

"I suppose. At least it was, until you showed up."

"Ouch, was that supposed to be offensive?"

"Hm, a little sarcastic for the god of lies now, aren't we?"

Loki laughed out loud, putting the bottle down on the table with a light clink. "You can be rather adorable when you get angry, no wonder the captain fancies you so. Well, fancied, I should say."

"What's the deal? Am I dead?"

"Well, unless your friends pick up the pace out there, I would say so." He grinned smugly, taking a sip of his drink. "Prior to your onslaught of questions: You have fallen into a coma. That little curse coursing through your veins has almost reached your heart, and unless they," He pointed at the group of heroes frozen in the memory, "-can figure out how to save you, you best be prepared to say goodbye to everything and anyone you have ever loved."

I felt sorrow overtake my form, and I looked back at us all laughing like that, frozen in time. Where did the time go?

"Where are we right now then?"

"Inside your head." He said, leaning against the bar counter, pointing to his own skull.

"So this like, one of those things that people go through right before they die. They see all of the people they love one last time."

Loki clapped slowly. "Took you long enough."

"I still don't understand-"

"What now?" Loki sighed, scoffing.

"Why?"

"Why what?" He practically rolled his eyes.

"Why, everything? If I had never agreed to work with the Avengers, none of this would've ever happened."

"Not necessarily. It was already too late. Howard Stark had already changed your destiny. You were destined to be with the great Captain America that he would create someday, and bear a child, just as you already do."

I froze.

"What?"

Loki looked up at me. "What?"

"What did you just say?" I growled through clenched teeth.

He rolled his eyes. "Surprise!" He slammed his glass down, straitening up. "Might as well let you know since you are about to take that little beast to the grave with you anyways."

"Am I-?"

"Pregnant? Yes. I guess Howard Stark's dreams would have become a reality if Odin had not placed this lovely curse upon you."

I looked down in shock, placing a hand over my abdomen, even though that wasn't technically where the child was growing. I was going to die with Steve and I's precious little baby, and he would never know. I was speechless. My head ached, like a bullet had just been plunged into my brain. My stomach twisted into knots. I could still feel physical pain since my body wasn't a corpse just yet.

"I am genuinely surprised that you had no idea." Loki chuckled to himself. "All of that nausea surely should have been quite the hint, darling."

I remembered then, that time I had the hallucination at Sam's place. I thought I was throwing up blood but I was just flat out puking. That's when it all started. Ever since then I've been experiencing nausea on and off...and other things that could be classified as signs of pregnancy now that I think about it. I just never took them into consideration because of how hectic things have been.

"None the less, it appears that some good has come from this mess after all." Loki sighed.

"Good?" I snapped. "How could any of this be good? Maybe for you it is!"

"Exactly. Sometimes a little sacrifice is all it takes to make the world a better place."

"Little? Excuse you but I don't believe that my child and I classify as a small sacrifice."

"Ohh, look at you, got an ego now? As I mentioned before, adorable."

Loki and I were now face to face, spitting our harsh words at each other like daggers into flesh. Anger overtook me, and I quickly tried to use my force fields against him, but I no longer possessed any power.

He smirked, "Your body possesses your power. Not your conscious." There was a small pause. "Well, I suggest you make yourself comfortable. Explore your last few memories of your flesh before they are gone forever. Meanwhile, I have a chicken fight I must attend."

Before I could say anything, he was gone. The memory unfroze and laughter echoed through the room once again.

---

Third Person POV

Steve carried Alex in his arms bridal style.

Sam and Bucky both offered multiple times to carry her so Steve could rest his arms, but he refused every single time.

They weren't really sure where they were headed. Sam, Steve, Wanda, Bucky, and Piper walked the streets of what used to be the bustling New York City at a somewhat normal pace for once. The only task they had at the moment was to meet up with the others again, and Tony said to meet in Times Square near 45th street.

Piper's eyes caught a glimpse of Alex's lifeless face over Steve's shoulder while they were walking, and she felt a knot form in her throat, hot tears threaten to fall from her eyes. She quickly wiped them away before anybody could notice, or at least that's what she thought.

"Hey, how are you holding up?" Bucky asked Piper softly. He had been on her right side the entire walk.

"I'll be fine." She mumbled, her voice cracking. Wanda wrapped an arm around Piper from the left, while Sam and Steve exchanged empathetic glances. Steve had been fighting back tears the entire walk, and refused to let anymore fall to add to the ones that had fallen earlier.

"Everything is going to be alright, I promise." Wanda added. "She is very strong, and she will make it."

"I'm just worried, that's all. Don't worry about me, please. You've all got enough on your shoulders."

"Piper, of course we're going to worry about you." Sam added.

"When Loki told us that you were dead, we all lost it." Wanda said, looking over at Bucky, who looked back at her quickly before averting his gaze again.

"You mean a lot to each and every one of us, Piper. Remember that." Steve finally spoke. He could sense that Piper didn't feel loved.

"Thank you." Piper said softly. Steve was right. She had always felt that she wasn't important, that she could practically disappear and they wouldn't notice. It was comforting to know that she had just been overthinking half of the time.

All of a sudden, the temperature dropped rather noticeably.

"What's happening?" Sam asked.

Ice began to form on the edges of the streets, and snow began to fall from the grey clouds above.

"He's here." Steve said. Suddenly Alex's body began to glow, and she vanished into thin air in Steve's arms. He panicked, bolting in nearly every direction a few feet looking for an answer.

"If you want an answer, Captain, sometimes you just need to look up." Loki called from the top of a building.

Just then, the Tony and the rest of the team jogged up behind them.

"Where is she?!" Steve screamed.

"Safe." Loki smirked. He then noticed Piper. "And how are you still parading around, Williamson?"

She didn't answer him. She simply glared into his eyes with pure hatred.

"The silent treatment, hm? Fair enough. Well, now that I have you all excited, I do believe the time has arrived for a little fun." He placed his fingers to his lips and whistled, long and high pitched.

All was silent for a moment. A moment too short. The snowflakes began to fall from the sky more heavily, and just as the breeze kicked up and the weather was dense, the earth began to rumble. The rumbling got louder, harsher, faster, until they saw them.

Frost giants, of every shape and size flooded from every street and avenue, surrounding the team entirely.

"Hold!" Loki called, each of the icy beasts halting to a stop.

"There are so many of them-" Wanda trailed off, panting heavily with fear.

"I won't let them hurt you." Vision mumbled in her ear softly, just loud enough for her to hear. She looked into his teal eyes, noting every gear and tiny mechanism that filled them.

"What now, Elsa?! A snowball fight?!" Tony yelled up.

"Tony, what an excellent idea." A wicked grin appeared on Loki's lips. "Well, you heard him!" He called down to the frost giants, who immediately resumed their charge.

The Avengers prepared for defense, except for Piper.

Piper panicked. She'd never really used any of her abilities yet. She hadn't the time. Her heart raced in her chest, sweat ran down her back spite the freezing cold, and her nerves cringed in every way possible. She found it hard to breathe, her mouth then drooping open slightly as her breathing became heavier with every second. She saw the beasts getting closer and closer, some close to her own size, some three times as large, and some in between. She then felt heat building in her palms, and saw purple electricity sparking from her finger tips. She still had Alex's abilities. Eyes wide, confidence shallow, Piper stepped back, standing in the middle of the circle the team had formed. She quickly shot her arms out, opening her hands and picturing the massive force field in her head. It quickly spawned from the ground up, shielding the entire team from the beasts. The frost giants began to slam into the field as soon as it was up.

Piper screamed. Her muscles began to ache and tense with unimaginable pain. Every blow the frost giants unleashed on the force field tested her muscles. When they pushed on it, she felt her arms threatening to fall inwards again. The air could not seem to stay in her lungs. It was as if they had just shrunken in size, and they burned with the cold air that rushed quickly down, in, and back out again.

"Piper! Drop it! You're going to hurt yourself!" Steve yelled.

She couldn't just drop it, they'd get torn to shreds! "I can't!" She cried.

Just then, more and more frost giants began to pile on top of each other, crawling up the force field. Piper felt the weight on her shoulders now, and cried out in pain. A thousand needles found themselves in her shoulder blades and upper back.

"Do it for Alex," Piper whispered to herself, gaining a sudden amount of liquid courage. "Duck!" She screamed.

Everyone looked at her oddly, sympathetically. "Get down!" She roared, her voice burning in her upper throat. They did as she said.

Piper quickly thought about everything. All of the good times she used to have with Alex, growing up with her, how much she loved her, and then she saw Alex's lifeless body. Her skin nearly blue, her lips agape and dry. Piper saw Loki, laughing manically. Her life literally flashed before her eyes and she felt a fire build from her core, getting hotter and stronger. She felt the anger overcome her head and rush down her body. The forces on her muscles slowly began to ease as she screamed at the top of her lungs, pushing with every ounce of strength and energy she had until a glow began to illuminate from her. The field began to glow seconds after. White bolts of energy shot from her fingertips and she forced her head to look up. Her blood curdling scream soon was drowned out by the hum of the energy, until the light got so bright no one could look into it.

And then the field exploded. Frost giants were flung hundred of feet back into the sides of buildings and some out of sight.

When everything cleared, the team looked up to see Piper standing there, breathing heavily, eyes burning red and the light still fading away into her skin. They only got to admire the scene for a few seconds. "Look out!" Piper shouted, darting forwards and knocking a few more giants away.

They were all quickly on their feet, fighting off frost giants in every direction.

Loki looked down on Piper with great disapproval. "One of them now, are we? Well, that is an easy task to handle."

Steve noticed as Loki slipped away from the edge of the building, walking away from the scene of the crime.

"I've lost visual!" Steve shouted.

Vision quickly shot off the ground, headed for the top of the building where Loki was standing.

The circle soon got disoriented as waves of frost giants fled in at different times. Steve and Sam were fighting them off on foot. Tony had flown to the sky to take them out by diving in and knocking them down like bowling pins. Bruce had gone hulk at some point in the madness and was treading through them like nothing. Piper and Bucky had sided with each other, Bucky punching and kicking for dear life while Piper got to have a little fun with Alex's abilities and many others that she was still piecing together. Wanda was taking them out in pairs of two and three, slamming them into nearby buildings and tossing some thousands of feet into the air only to have them come crashing down on more of their own kind. Vision was keeping Loki busy, who had replicated about eight more of himself to join in on the fun. Clint was almost out of arrows, and Nat was having a grand old time shocking them to death, literally.

Wanda became so engrossed in her defenses, she didn't realize that she was being cornered. Soon enough, she shot herself a level up onto a large gap in the building that had been formed from the battle. The small frost giants quickly began crawling after her so she continued to climb even higher. Little did she know, she was falling right into their trap. Just as she landed on a higher level, there were a few of them already waiting for her. Before she could act, one of them struck a blow to her face, sending right over the edge of the building.

Panic overtook Wanda as she fell rapidly towards the ground. She tried to do something but she knew it was too late. She closed her eyes and waited for the hard impact of the concrete below, only to stop falling. She felt a pair of arms around her, and she opened her eyes slowly. "Pietro?" She gasped in awe.

He smiled. "You didn't see that coming?"

There was a roar from behind and he spun around to see a group of rather angry giants, being that Pietro had ruined their plot to take out Wanda. He shot off like a rocket, only leaving a little blur behind.

Piper and Bucky soon found themselves cornered as well, the waves growing in size with every passing second. They soon backed up into each other, surrounded on all sides by giants. Piper turned her head to the left, Bucky turned his to the right. They were both breathing heavily, and their presence calmed one another. Piper panted, "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

"Guess we'll have to find out." Bucky responded. He bent his arms to a ninety degree angle, Piper linked her arms with his at the elbow and bent hers as well. She put her back to his and they did they same thing with their other arms. "Hold on!"

Piper turned her arms inward so she wouldn't lose grip as he started moving. They built up speed in two rounds, and soon Piper's feet were off the ground and they were doing 360's rather quickly. She quickly emitted a field of aether from her core that burned all of the oncoming frost giants to crisps in seconds. Bucky gradually slowed down and Piper released her grip, landing at his side. It took her a second to find her balance.

Bucky looked at her and smirked, holding up his metal hand for a high five. Piper reciprocated his actions, grinning wildly thereafter. Just then Sam swooped in, landing only a few feet away. He lifted his googles, looking around at the damage and smirked, turning back to Bucky and Piper.

"I'm impressed."

All of a sudden, Pietro was standing there next to them with Wanda in his arms.

"Are you guys seeing this too or am I just losing my mind?" Sam commented, Pietro rolled his eyes before letting his sister's feet drop to the ground.

"I'm sorry I don't believe we've met before." Pietro responded.

"I mean, you were supposed to be dead so I-"

"Hey guys, I know you're tired and everything but can we get a little help up here?" Tony panted through the intercom.

"Where are you?" Sam responded.

"Uh, you see that really big building on your right?" Just as Tony finished, there was a massive explosion from the top of said building.

"Yeah, we see you." Sam went to fly off, but Piper grabbed his arm.

Piper looked into his eyes for a moment, she remembered how good Sam had been to her. Hopefully he'd be good to her one more time. "Take me with you."

"Piper, no." Bucky spoke up, walking up to her side.

"I have to take him out. I can't just sit back and watch." Piper snapped.

"It's not safe up there. You need to stay down here."

"Look, Loki gave me these powers. Who's to say that they aren't the best weapon against him?"

"You're not going up there." Sam replied.

"Sam-"

"I said no!" Sam boomed.

"She's my friend, Sam! If she dies on my watch I'll never live it down!" Piper fired back. There was a pause. "You know what it's like to lose a friend. Please be on my side, let me do this."

"Sam-" Bucky threatened.

Sam saw the look in Bucky's eyes. Bucky loved Piper. Sam remembered how Bucky responded when Loki told them that Piper was dead. And Sam treated Bucky like a brother, even in the short time span they'd come to know each other for real other than before when Sam was hunting him down 24/7. Sam knew what Bucky had been through, how much he'd lost, and Sam also knew that he didn't deserve to lose anything else.

"Piper, I can't do it." Sam responded quietly, lowering his eyes.

"Why not?!"

"Because I love you, Piper!" Bucky quickly caught his words. "I mean, we love you."

Wanda noticed how Bucky became flustered, retracting into a small portion of his shell because of his words. She knew that was uncommon for his character, especially what based on what Steve told her about him.

Piper looked at Bucky questioningly as Tony's voice came back on the intercom. "Guys! Help! Please! JARVIS 2.0 and I aren't holding up too well!"

"I'm sorry, Piper." Sam said, taking off.

"I have to save her. She saved my life." Piper whispered, watching Sam land on the building. She did her best to hold back any anger. She knew it was because they cared, but she was also sick and tired of being treated like a child. "You saw what I could do. He won't hurt me."

"We can't take that chance."

"We? Or just you?"

Bucky froze, looking down, not sure how to respond. He couldn't just come and say that she was right, because then he knew that she would be upset with him, and he couldn't stand to even let the thought cross his mind let alone it actually happen.

"Piper, when Loki came in and told us you were dead, we all sobbed. We just want you to be safe."

"I understand that, and I'm beyond thankful. But I'm a part of this now, I'm in this battle. I can't just stand on the side lines and cheer you guys on, you need me."

Just then Nat and Clint ran up to the group. Clint stopped about two thirds of the way there. "Pietro?"

Pietro swung out his arms, "In the flesh."

Clint ran up to Pietro and they engulfed each other in a bro-hug.

Natasha was worried about the mission at stake. "What's the status, how are they doing up there?"

"Sam just left. Tony and Vision aren't holding up too well." Bucky responded.

Just then, all three of them went flailing off the top of the skyscraper.

"Tony!" Nat cried, darting off as soon as she saw him go crashing to the side of a nearby building. Hulk followed her to retrieve Tony. Pietro darted off in Sam's direction, who was rapidly falling towards the pavement. Vision caught himself, and joined the rest of the team in the middle of the street.

"I believe the frost giant scare is over. But Loki is not pleased."

"Did we lose him?" Steve panted, panicking.

"I'm afraid so, Captain Rogers." Vision replied.

"We need to get back up there."

"Wait, no, he's gone. His presence is gone." Wanda piped up.

"Great." Clint huffed.

"Are you sure he's just no tricking you?" Steve asked.

"She's right. I don't feel him either." Piper added. Steve looked at her questioningly. "I'll explain later."

All of a sudden, there was a loud crash from behind them. They all spun around, watching anxiously as the dust cleared.

"Well, I suppose there is no good news here then." Thor said, seeing all of his friends beaten up and bleeding. Thor wasn't alone this time. Odin was with him.

"Where is the victim?" Odin asked.

Steve's eyes shot daggers. His jaw clenched, and his muscles tensed. "Your son has her. And her name is Alex."

"Loki is not my son."

"What's the plan of action, fellas?" Clint asked, crossing his arms across his chest.

"Wait, where's Piper?" Bucky interrupted. "Piper!" He called. There was no answer.

"Piper!" Wanda called next.

"When did you last see her?" Steve asked.

"She was here just a minute ago!" Bucky exclaimed.

"She probably ran off when they landed." Wanda added. "She wanted to fight Loki on her own."

"But I thought that he was gone?" Steve questioned.

"Piper's abilities are stronger than any of ours combined. She can locate anything or anyone with ease."

"Can you find her, Wanda?"

"I don't think so, she's masked herself in order to prevent herself from being found."

"Vision, can you get us an overview of the city, see if you see any commotion?"

Vision nodded, heading up to the sky.

"Father, what do you need to lift the curse?" Thor asked.

"The crystal, the victim, and no interference by Loki."

Hulk then rounded the corner with Nat in one arm and Tony in the other. Pietro returned with Sam soon after.

"My scanners sense movement in the Upper East Side. East 96th Street. Just near Park Avenue." Vision said over the intercom.

"That's not far at all." Steve added. "Head up there, backup's on the way."

Pietro grabbed Wanda. Sam spread his wings. Hulk grabbed Natasha and Clint. Tony ignited his blasters.

And off they went.

Steve and Bucky looked at each other, and then looked up at Odin and Thor.

"If this was a game of capture the flag, where would Loki hide his flag?" Steve asked sternly.

Bucky snickered to himself. Steve was being dead serious, but his metaphor wasn't the best of choices for said situation in his eyes.

"The place that any of us would never look because we would never dream that he would hide it there." Thor replied.

Odin contributed. "Where would you least expect Loki to hide the vic-" Odin froze, noting Steve's glare. "Lady Alex?" He corrected himself.

Ideas soared through Steve's head as his eyes went from side to side as he tried to think of a plan. Talk about the god of tricks. Riddling as the question at hand was, time was short, and Steve began to feel fear awake in him that he had not felt in ages.

Bucky's mind was distracted as well. Bucky had gained enough of his own mind back to make his typical sly comments and remarks like he used to. He could remember names and faces upon learning them. He remembered bits and pieces of the war, but they were still very faint. Memories of the war would always come back as horrific flashbacks in nightmares that would awake him in the dead of night. Out of everything, he remembered the most about Steve. And the part that scared him the most, was knowing that the Winter Soldier was still inside him. He wasn't gone. Bucky knew that for sure after seeing what he did to some of the frost giants. He just attacked without even having to think about it. He wrapped his mind around the present, and he felt himself longing to follow after the others. He felt an odd connection with Piper. Much like how he felt for Steve, except all different at the same time. He felt that it was his job to protect her. He felt attached to her, from the moment they locked eyes for the first time when he was all tied down and could barely remember his own name. He could tell by looking at her eyes that she wasn't afraid of him. And at the time, that was the most soothing of all feelings. Her presence calmed him, took his own fears away, halted the raging storm inside his head. He needed her.

---

The second the team was distracted, Piper tried something new. She focused all of her energy on Loki. On his energy, on a different location. She had to save Alex. She couldn't let them hold her back. They saw what she did to the frost giants earlier. Why couldn't they just let her end it once and for all. Besides, she owed Alex this. Alex saved her life not only just recently, but everyday since they were kids. Alex had been the one who was there for her. Now it was Piper's job to return the favor.

All of a sudden, everything was silent. Piper opened her eyes, and she was somewhere else in the city. Then she saw the street sign. E 96th St.

"And what do you think that you are trying to escape from, Miss Williamson?"

Piper froze. "I wasn't trying to escape from anything." She said, her voice low yet strong.

Loki chuckled.

"Where is she?" Piper snapped.

"Safe." Loki raised his voice. "Just as I told you heathens earlier."

Now it was Piper's turn to laugh. "You're calling us the heathens?"

Loki paused. "I know what you're thinking. You are thinking that the aether pumping through your veins is a gift. You can finally call yourself one of them. But allow me to correct your mistake, because that aether is nothing but pure evil. And unless you give it back, you, everyone, and everything you have ever loved is going to suffer. And how could you dare cast that upon those innocent people?"

"I guess it's best to give you this power, because you are the most responsible." Her sarcasm was thick. "After all, what do you want with it, Loki? Just more power so you can safely rule the universe and not have us on riding your backside 24/7? Aww, is the poor boy afraid? Afraid of what your mistakes can do to you?" Her last question was spat out through clenched teeth. Piper's body began to illuminate a deep burgundy, her dark eyes piercing Loki's green ones. She slowly began to approach him. "Well, I'll let you in on a little secret." Piper felt invincible. The rage whirring through her system empowered her like nothing had before, and she loved it. She chuckled, leaning in towards Loki. "I'm the best mistake you've ever made."

Loki went to throw a simple punch to Piper's face. Piper's arm shot up in defense, stopping his attack in an instant. Her eyes glowed bright. "Where's the crystal?"

"None of your business!" Loki growled, striking Piper across the face. She barely even winced.

Before Piper could utter a response, she was struck with something hot, like lightening. Her body went flying back into the side of a building, then collapsing on to the pavement. The glow illuminating from her body faded as she lie there motionless.

Loki began to clap slowly, walking up to her. "Congratulations, you are the very first to feel the wrath of my new staff. How do you like it?"

Piper pushed herself into a sitting position to the best of her ability, her entire body throbbing with pain. "It's lovely."

He twirled the staff in his hands, observing it closely. "Made it myself." He paused. "Now, back to this crystal matter." He reached down and grabbed Piper by the jaw. "You gave such a lovely little speech, but let me assure you something. You have always been a mistake. And just because my attempt to end your life ricocheted the first time does not mean I will allow something like that to happen again. Said little mishap does not make you special, it just makes you lucky. I will let you in a little secret. Your luck has run out."

Little to Loki's knowledge, Piper was building up an energy source in her palm while he rambled to her.

"Has it?" Just then Piper released the energy from her hand, and it was Loki's turn to go flying back across the street. Piper had just enough time to get herself off of the ground before he fired again. She leaped out of the way, instantly aiming her hands towards him, firing raw aether towards her attacker. She couldn't kill him yet because she needed to retrieve the crystal first. But she couldn't focus long enough to try and read his mind to figure out where he was hiding it. Then, she got an idea. She vanished into thin air.

"That's what your going with?" Loki called out.

As Loki worked on finding where Piper was hiding, she remained still, focusing on nothing except the crystal. Revealing the crystal, it's energy, the touch of it in her hand. Finally she felt its presence. It was definitely on Loki's person, she just had to figure out where. She concentrated even harder, and then she saw it.

He was wearing it around his neck, and the crystal itself was tucked under layers of leather and armor that he was wearing.

Just perfect.

"Come on, show yourself you little fiend." He hissed.

Piper took that as her chance to get to work. She aimed a field at his scepter, and blasted it out of his hands. She then leaped on him from behind, wrapping her thighs around his neck. He quickly reached behind, and grabbed her just above the hips, trying his hardest to pull her off. He was strong, and she felt his grip fracture a few of her lower ribs, causing her to cry out in pain. Seeing that Piper was pretty well latched on, he started stumbling his way towards his staff.

"Don't even think about it!" Piper cried out, wrapping her arms around his skull in such a way to easily snap his neck.

"You cannot kill me." He grunted. "I cannot suffer the same wounds of those of the mortals."

"I'm not stupid, and neither or you. You know that nothing can survive a beheading."

"What about leviathans? Those wretched creatures can recover from an anything."

"But you're not a leviathan. Bite your tongue." Piper then wrapped her right arm around his throat, proceeding to choke him.

Out of nowhere, Loki whipped out a dagger. Before Piper could act in defense, he shoved it through her right forearm. She crippled off of his back, and he took this chance to retrieve his staff. Just before he fired at her again, she put up a force field. She felt her left arm growing weaker, being it was the only arm holding up the field. Her wound didn't seem to heal fast enough. She felt as her flesh slowly clung itself back together, all of her fractured bones relining themselves before melding back to their original place.

Loki saw her field getting weaker, so he continued to add energy to the massive bolt reaching out of his weapon.

Just in time, Piper shot up her right hand, providing strength to her only source of protection.

"You can't hide behind there forever!" Loki shouted over all of the buzzing electricity.

Piper was stuck. She couldn't just drop the field, because then he would win. She didn't have the power to implode the power and reverse it upon him like she did to the frost giants earlier because she didn't have enough power to do that again so soon. She was trapped. And until she got the crystal back to the team, so was Alex.

All of a sudden, Loki was struck with something from the sky. It struck him right across the face, and its density smacked him to the ground, his scepter landing a few yards away. Piper quickly dropped the field, running towards him. But she wasn't fast enough. Just as she went to reach for his scepter, her face met the pavement when he swept her feet directly out from under her with one swing.

Before Loki could grab his scepter, Vision landed and swung at Loki, knocking him out of the way. Loki returned in seconds, and Vision kept him busy as Piper crawled her way towards the staff. Loki aimed a hand out, and it started moving towards him slowly, lifting up off of the ground out of Piper's reach. She growled when it passed over her head, only to duck when it suddenly got knocked down the street much further by a red orb. Piper turned over and looked behind to see possibly one of the best sights she'd ever seen. The team, headed for an attack on Loki. Piper's eyes quickly scanned for Bucky, but he wasn't there. She didn't feel his presence. Worry suddenly flooded her mind. Had he been wounded? Why wasn't he there too? And what about Steve?

Piper's thoughts were interrupted by Sam. "Going up!" He called, grabbing her hand and pulling her to her feet.

Before Piper could answer, Tony was at her side, his mask up and the folds of metal practically melting off of his right hand as it the armor became compact. His left hand grabbed her right, and held it up slightly. He took his right hand and swatted her palm. "That's for being stupid." Tony spat.

Piper then felt guilt add on to her wave of emotions. She shouldn't have run off like that, leaving them behind. Before she could apologize, Tony's mask swung back down and he spun around to hit Loki with one of his blasters.

Piper then remembered the staff. She looked over her shoulder to see that Natasha already had it in her grasp. "Hey kid," She said, walking up to Piper. "You can do the honors." They both looked over at Loki, who was currently being beaten to death by Hulk. They walked over as Hulk finished up his round, smashing Loki into the pavement.

"Tie him up." Piper looked at Nat. She tossed the staff to Pietro.

In seconds, Loki was thrown against the side of a building. Hands tied behind his back, feet tied together, blood seeping from many wounds. Wanda kept him pushed against the wall with her fields. Piper walked up to him slowly. His eyes were locked on hers, burning with just at much hatred and rage she had for him, if not more.

Piper stood over him, gently tucking a cluster of stray hair behind his ear, tracing her fingers gently from behind his ear down his jawline. She stopped just before she got to his chin, winding up and smacking him harshly. Bending down, Piper took that as her open window to grab the crystal from his neck. Crystal back in her palm, Piper smiled. "One last thing," she cooed softly. Holding the crystal in her palm with her thumb, she put both hands on either side of his head and tried something that she was rather unsure of. She thought solely of Alex, where he was hiding her, and soon her vision went black, but her eyes remained open. Loki hissed in pain as the energy shot through his skull. Piper was racking through his mind, images flooding her own until she finally saw what she wanted to see: Alex's pale body, lying motionless on a hard surface. She continued to dig, seeing a few more images until finally the infamous Avengers' Tower A shot into view. He was keeping her at Avengers Tower. Or, what used to be such. Piper then gasped, stepping back. "Thank you for your cooperation." She hummed, turning to face the others. "I'm going back to Steve. I know where Alex is."

"And about Reindeer Games?" Tony asked.

"Have your fun, but keep him under constraint. I'm sending daddy and his big brother over soon." Piper grinned, looking at Loki one last time. Then she concentrated on Steve, closing her eyes, and she faded into the air.

"She's different. I don't like it." Sam spoke up.

"It is the power of the aether you imbeciles," Loki spat. "No one survives raw evil such as that."

"Did we ask you?" Tony sassed, crossing his arms. He snapped his metal fingers, pointing to Loki. "Wanda, you know what to do."

Wanda moved her hands just the slightest, sealing his pale lips.

"Thank you, darling."

---

Piper opened her eyes to see Steve, Bucky, Odin and Thor not far away, but they weren't exactly close either. That was odd. Her precision hadn't been that much off before. "Steve!" Piper screamed, her voice hoarse and dry. She saw his head snap up, and she waved her arms in the air as she started jogging towards them. Bucky rushed towards her, Steve not far behind. With every step, Piper could feel her legs getting weaker and weaker. Her muscles burned and her feet ached with inexplicable pain. Her lungs seemed to have shrunk in size and she could barely pick her feet up to continue her already slow jog.

Steve and Bucky weren't got closer by the second, and just as Piper felt her legs give out, a strong pair of arms caught her before her face met the pavement yet again. "I got you." Bucky panted hoisting her up onto her feet again, holding her close.

"Are you alright?" Steve asked, studying Piper's condition with deep concern.

"Yeah, I'm fine..." Piper panted, her head drooping as she nearly blacked out. Bucky pulled her head back up adjusting her stature again as she continued to lose her balance. Before Steve could ask another question, she held out the crystal. She sniffled and swallowed among her rapid panting. "Alex...at...Avengers...Tower." She dropped the crystal into Steve's hands.

"What's wrong with her?" Steve snapped at Odin.

Odin studied Piper's condition as Bucky hoisted her up into his arms, bridal style. "Her body is struggling to adjust to the aether. She has used too much of her power in too close of a proximity."

Bucky almost gasped audibly with fear. "Is she going to be alright?"

"Eventually. She needs to refrain from using the aether until her body can properly adjust." Odin said, turning to Steve. " And I see that she has brought us the crystal."

"Alex is at Avengers Tower. That's just south of here." Steve began.

Odin turned to Thor. "Go handle your brother. You know what needs to be done."

Thor nodded, stepping back before taking off into the sky.

"I can poof us there..." Piper panted, her breathing uneven.

"No, you can't." Bucky retorted.

Odin turned back to Steve. "May I see the crystal?"

Steve hesitated, but knew he couldn't question Odin's authority. Once the crystal was in Odin's hands, he closed his eyes and worked his magic.

In the blink of an eye, they were in Avengers Tower. Steve jumped back, almost horrified. They were in the old den, where the bar used to be. He looked around at the old place, until his eyes fell on Alex's body on the floor. "Alex!" He gasped, rushing over to her and falling to his knees.

Odin was right behind Steve, and also got down on his knees to prepare to remove the curse. "I suggest you and your friends dismiss yourselves from the room. This can be quite an ugly procedure."

"I'm not budging." Steve retorted.

"The curse has been etched into her soul," Odin began. "And in order to free her from such, this procedure literally exposes the human soul in order to remove the curse from it. Much like exorcising a demon from its vessel, if you will."

"I made a vow to stay by her side no matter the circumstance," Steve said. "And I'm certainly not going to leave her side now."

"Your loss." Odin muttered.

Steve looked over his shoulder at Bucky. He tilted his head to the side, signaling that he should take Piper out of the room. She, on the other hand, didn't need this. He knew Piper, and she was a tough cookie, but she's always been all happiness and sunshine ever since the day he met her, and he knew that deep down, she still was. Even if she covered it up well. She couldn't take too much. Steve knew that Piper would not be able to down the sight of her best friend going through the amount of pain that she was about to endure.

Bucky nodded in response. He started to take her out, but she rejected. "No," she said softly. "I need to stay."

"Piper, it's for the best." Bucky replied, the pace in his strides picking up as soon as he heard Odin start muttering words in a language he couldn't decipher.

"It's okay, baby, everything's going to be okay." Steve muttered to Alex, gently brushing some hair out of her face. Steve couldn't cry anymore, because he had no tears left. "Just stay with me, please stay with me."

Steve continued to mutter sweet words into Alex's ears as Odin began his ritual.

Meanwhile, Bucky finally reached an old spare bedroom somewhere down the hall. He put Piper gently down. She immediately tried to get back up. "Piper, don't."

Just then, Alex's screams rang through the deserted halls. Piper began to fight with all the energy she had left, but Bucky kept her down. "Don't hurt her!" Piper screamed, tears streaking down her face. "Stop it! Make him stop! Please make him stop!"

Bucky bit his lip slightly, not knowing what to do. Empathy wasn't something he'd gotten back yet. He wasn't good at comforting people, especially in this sense. "Piper please, she'll be alright. He has to do this."

Piper continued to scream and cry, and she almost slipped through Bucky's fingers. She got up, only to have Bucky grab her by the waist and hoist her back down on to his lap. It was then when she finally gave up, collapsing into the embrace Bucky hadn't even realized he'd created, and began sobbing into his shoulder. Bucky let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding in. He took his flash hand and held her head against his shoulder gently, trying his best to calm her down. Alex's screams seemed to get worse by the second, and even Bucky found himself closing his eyes and trying to drown them out.

---

First Person POV

I wasn't sure how many memories I'd visited. I wasn't sure how much time I had left. But I decided to remain calm, because there was nothing I could do. I had to wait for help on the outside. In the meantime, I'd probably never get to experience this again-whether I made it through this or not.

I'd just finished watching an old memory of Piper and I in high school when the next door caught my eye. I slipped inside, and it didn't take me long to realize where I was this time.

The door swung open, slowly and tauntingly revealing where we would be staying next. My shoulders drooped as I let out a disappointed sigh. "Kinda, small, don't you think?" My eyes studied the small bedroom and conjoined bathroom.

"It's not the tower, but, it's better than nothing." Steve said, stepping beside me and into our new living quarters.

I dropped my duffel and walked over to the bathroom, flicking on the light. "Aw! This is like, motel bathroom small! No way!" I whined.

Steve shot me a smug grin over his shoulder.

"What!" I retorted.

"Nothing." Steve chuckled. I just think that Tony has officially spoiled you."

"You're not wrong." I sighed. I made my way back to Steve. "Why did we have to leave the tower? Everything was perfect." I took Steve's hand in my own.

"Except for the rioters, paparazzi, and reporters waiting at nearly every ground level exit."

"Yes, but the endless long halls-" I took a step back, raising my hands in expression, "and massive open stairwells, and endless windows, the kitchen, the bars, the garage was even nice!" I spun around, catching myself before continuing. "And now we don't even have JARVIS! He's stomping around on two feet!"

Steve held my shoulders. "I know, honey. I know. But, everything will be great here. You just have to give it a chance."

"I know, I feel bad for complaining. I just can't help it sometimes."

"I still love you anyways." Steve said, kissing my cheek before turning to leave.

"Anyways?" I teased. "What's that supposed to mean? And where are you going?"

"Need to run a few errands, set up training schedules, you know, the usual. You coming?"

"Nah, go ahead. I'll catch up with you. I need to check on Piper, make sure she doesn't break anything."

"That's fair." Steve chuckled. "I just need to make sure you don't break anything."

I bashed my hand. "Don't worry about me." I walked over to him.

"I have to," he smiled, giving me a quick peck on the lips, "that's my job."

"Get outta here." I teased, tapping him on the rear as he walked out into the hall. He flashed me one of his bright smiles, teeth and eyes shining, cheeks blushing the slightest shade of red, meanwhile putting his hands in his pockets. He smiled at me over his shoulder, and I reciprocated.

"Alex!" I spun around only to dodge Piper, who was running towards me rather quickly.

"Piper! Calm down!" I hissed.

"Don't you just love it here?! I've already been around the place twice!"

"We only got here an hour ago!"

"Yeah, and?"

"Nevermind."

"Come on! I have to show you everything!" Piper exclaimed, tugging at my hand, putting emphasis on "everything".

"Okay, okay, chill." I chuckled, pulling the door shut behind me as she began yanking me down the hall.

Piper took me all around, showing me some of the best places to hang out and relax. There were many large open training rooms, hangers for jets and planes, a cafeteria, basically a college campus for assassins. Later in the hall, we passed Natasha, who was busy clicking away at her touch pad.

"Hey, Nat!" I grabbed her arm gently. "Did you ever find Bruce?"

"No, and we lost the plane on the radar. He must have turned the satellite off."

"I'm sorry to hear that." I trailed off. "He'll turn up eventually. Bruce isn't one to play hide and seek for very long."

Natasha grinned. "Yeah, hopefully."

Piper and I took a few more laps, this time passing the training room that Steve was working in. Natasha was there too. I gasped and flinched when Wanda tore through dummy after dummy with just the energies illuminating from her hands. She looked menacing from where I was standing. But I knew that she was in good hands. My heart ached for her. I barely knew her or her brother, but it was awful to hear that we'd lost him so soon. Sam amused me with his wings, which I fully intended to tease him about later. Sam and I weren't the closest, but we were friends. Mainly because we really hadn't had time to get to know each other before. Rhodey didn't need much training from what I could see, but every bit counts. Tony had introduced me to Rhodey at one of the many parties at Avengers Tower, and he seemed to be a gentlemen. I wasn't sure how he put up with Tony, but then again, we all did. And last but not least, was JARVIS. The Vision. It still hadn't registered in my mind that JARVIS had two legs and two arms, plus a cape. I was going to nag on him about that cape. I guess it fit him, though. Without it he might look kind of weird just flying around in a tight suit.

"Are they joining the team?" Piper finally broke the silence. We'd both been watching them train so intently that we had forgotten of each other's presence.

"Yeah, yeah I think so." I responded.

"They seem cool. We'll have to invite Wanda in on one of our girl's nights sometime soon. I think it would be good for her."

I nodded. "We'll see. I don't want to rush her."

"Distractions are the best things after losing somebody."

I looked at Piper questioningly, and she shrugged. "I'm just saying."

"I agree with you. It was just different hearing you say that, I guess." I muttered, more so to myself.

Piper and I parted ways for the night not long after that.

After changing into some comfortable night clothes, I splashed my face with some cold water. Something didn't feel right. Nearly every muscle in my body was tense, but that wasn't completely uncommon after saving the world. It was beyond the highest of blessings to walk away from a fight like that with just some pulled muscles, cuts, and bruises. I looked at my reflection in the mirror, and suddenly felt chills run down my spine. Goosebumps rose on my arms and chest in seconds and a small shiver shook my body. I exhaled gently and rubbed my arms to soothe the tense skin as I walked back into the bedroom. I saw Steve lying in bed, propped up against the headboard, reading the newspaper. I couldn't help but smile. "Don't need your spectacles, grandpa?"

"Nope. Not yet, anyways." He replied, putting the paper on his small nightstand and flicking the lamp off as I crawled into the bed next to him. He laid on his side facing me, and I did the same.

"I saw you running around with Piper earlier. Do you like the place any better now?"

"I'm warming up to it a little. I think it's mainly because deep down I know there's nothing we can do about it."

Steve chuckled. "It'll be fine."

"I miss our old room." I drew small circles in the sheets as I spoke, "It was so much more...I don't know. It was just different."

"Maybe because it was our first bedroom?"

"Maybe, I don't know."

Steve took my hand in his, lacing our fingers together. "I don't care where we are. As long as we're together."

"Forever and ever." I grinned, kissing his hand. We both laughed softly at our cheesiness.

"Your hands feel cold. Are you getting sick?" He put his palm against my forehead.

I shrugged. "No idea." I bit my tongue about the weird feeling I had in the bathroom. The last thing I needed was Steve hanging over me even more than he usually did worrying about my well being. I was glad that he cared, but sometimes he cared just a little too much.

"If you start feeling ill, there's a medical ward about 40 yards down the hall from here."

"How comforting." I rolled my eyes teasingly, yawning shortly after. "It's that time." I grinned.

Steve smiled in return, making room so I could turn on my opposite side and curl my back against his muscular torso. He wrapped his arm around my midsection, kissing my head gently. "I love you."

"I love you too." I breathed. My eyes fluttered shut soon after.

---

I had strings, but now I'm free.

I've got no strings

To hold me down

To make me fret

Or make me frown

I had strings, but now I'm free.

There are no strings on me.

---

My eyes shot open and my body jolted rather harshly. My lungs and throat constricted as I gasped for air. My mouth was dry, the small amount of saliva amounting for a distasteful effect. My head throbbed, my vision straining as the pain came in sudden waves upon my skull. After another minute or so, I felt my entire body aching, more than it ever had before. My hearing was magnified, my ears popping uncomfortably. My eyes were irritated, burning a little. I felt an odd feeling in my bones as well. They were nearly creaking like old floorboards as they seemed to come back to life, my tendons and joints slowly moving for the first time in a long time. It was then I remembered what had happened.

My life seemed to flash before my eyes. Everything from the earliest moments I could remember to the last thing my eyes saw before I blacked out. I blinked rapidly, putting my hands on either side of my head to try and soothe the throbbing aches and wipe that blasted lullaby from my conscience.

Suddenly there was a voice overpowering all of the ruckus bashing against the inside of my skull, and everything stopped. I blinked a few more times, and then a dimly lit room that I was all too familiar with came into focus. It was Steve and I's bedroom at the Avengers Base.

"Alex, honey, look at me." Steve breathed, taking my chin in his hands gently and turning my head to look at him.

"Steve?" Before I could say anything else, he wrapped his arms around my upper half gently.

"Shh, don't talk. Just rest." His voice cracked. "Everything's going to be okay."

It took me a moment to determine if this was real, or just another dream. I obeyed his request, and didn't say a thing. I reciprocated his action, squeezing my arms as tightly as I could around him, which wasn't very much. I could feel every mountain and valley created on his skin from his muscles, his ribs expanding with every breath of oxygen his lungs inhaled, and then slowly deflate. I pulled back, taking his face in my hands. I noted the tears in his eyes, the warmth radiating from his skin. I was horrified to ask if it it was a dream. If I had yet again been deceived, and I was in another dream, I must be dead. And this must be Heaven.

I opened my mouth the slightest, feeling my throat tighten and tears well in my eyes. "Is this real?" My voice came out in a whisper.

"What do you mean?"

I swallowed deeply. "Am I dead?"

Steve's face dropped. "No, no-" He breathed, a small smile on his lips now. He took my hands in his.

I cut him off before he could utter anything else. A sob overtook my body, many followed after as I gathered as much of Steve up in my arms as I physically could. And we stayed like that for a while. Holding each other, rocking back and forth slightly, crying softly.

After a while, we eventually regained ourselves. He laid me back down against the pillows gently, and sat on the edge of the bed by my legs. "How much do you remember?"

"Enough," I said, furrowing my eyebrows. "So many things...almost too many things at once." I looked down at my arm and ran my fingers over it gently. The mark was gone. That feeling in the back of my head that something was wrong had seemed to have vanished as well. No trace was left behind except for the memories being played back in my head.

Thinking of the mark then led me to think of Piper. "Where's Piper?" I gasped. "Is she okay?"

Steve chuckled at my rapid-fire interrogation. "She's...recovering."

"Recovering from what?" I tensed up.

"She's not hurt, don't worry. She just wore herself out."

I looked at Steve questioningly. He exhaled. He was holding something back. I could see it in his eyes.

"She," he paused." She went a little over the top. Got a little reckless, but she's okay now."

A sigh of relief escaped me. "I'm not surprised. Sounds like Piper. As long as she's alright."

Steve paused before continuing the conversation. "I didn't know she had it in her. I've never seen Piper so determined to kill a man."

"How bad did she get?"

"It wasn't anything uncommon for a revenge fueled fire, but, for somebody like her, it was a but surprising to see her like that I guess. Bucky's been keeping an eye on her. Those two have something going on. I don't know what it is, but it's something."

I chuckled. "Classical Piper. She was onto to Sam, but, then Bucky came along and...yeah. That's nothing new. Her interests change very quickly, they always have. What about the others? Nobody lost a limb or anything right?"

"No, everybody's fine. Minor wounds, but nothing horrible. No deaths, no need to make any extra prosthetic limbs." He laughed. "Oh, so get this. Pietro is alive and well."

My jaw dropped. "Are you serious?"

He nodded. "Swooped in out of nowhere."

"How?" I asked, shocked.

"No idea." He shrugged. "I'm sure Wanda will find out soon enough, and she'll pass it on. And, to answer anymore of your questionnaires, Thor and Odin took Loki back to Asgard for quite the whooping, as we used to say."

I laughed. I loved it when he used slang from the 40s. It just reminded me how old he actually was.

"And Odin has the crystal. He got rid of the curse, too. Everything's finally back to normal out there." Steve sighed.

"I'd hope so. He cast it in the first place."

"Because of Howard's actions, but, yes I agree with you. I wasn't fond of him. He seemed hard headed, kind of ruthless."

I grinned. Steve could be very hard headed sometimes. Nine times out of ten he was going to be hard headed about something.

"And how are you?" I asked.

He looked down, folding his hands in his lap. "I'll be okay. Don't worry about me."

"I have to, that's my job."

We shared a smile, and an awkward silence fell. "Well, Bruce told me to come get you once you were up. I'll be right back, do you need anything?"

Right on cue, my stomach growled viciously. "Food?" I smiled.

"Sure thing."

Only a few minutes after he was gone, the hunger really set in. I was beyond starving. I ran my hand over my stomach. My eyebrows furrowed when it felt larger than normal. And then I remembered.

"Am I-?"

"Pregnant? Yes. I guess Howard Stark's dreams would have become a reality if Odin had not placed this lovely curse upon you."

I was pregnant. Or was I? I didn't know that for sure...Loki was the god of lies...of course he would lie! But would he really lie about something like that? That would just be another motive for me to live and that was the last thing he wanted...he wanted me out of the way. Oh man he's still alive, he's gonna sit there in prison and plot more ways to kill me when I'm least expecting it. He probably even-

"Alex, how good it is to see you alive and well." Bruce said, startling me back into reality.

I just smiled, trying to shake off the millions of things running through my mind in the background.

"How have you been feeling?"

"Well, for the hour that I've been conscious pretty good, I suppose. For almost dying, really good." I chuckled. "My head kinda hurts though, and when I woke up everything was blurry. I was like, really lightheaded."

"For the amount of time that you were in that coma that's not too uncommon. Any nausea?"

"No, not much more since that episode back a while ago. But I do feel kind of bloated, and I haven't eaten anything yet."

"Have you had any soreness?"

"Nothing out of the ordinary...I'm sore about 24/7. But yeah, everything hurts."

"Okay. Well if you continue to feel bloated, any out of the ordinary fatigue, nasuea, just let me know. I think I'll keep you on the IV for 24 hours and we'll continue with a few pain medications. You should be back to normal in no time, kiddo."

"Thanks, Bruce. I feel like I've been your regular patient lately."

"Well, you were cursed. What can you do, right?"

We shared a short laugh, and then he left. I was left alone again. I sat back in bed, relaxed, and tried to clear my mind. Steve was going to be back soon with food, and that's all that was important right now.

---

Third Person POV

Out in the hall, Bruce pulled Natasha aside. She has been checking in on Piper and had wanted to see Alex, but she wanted Bruce's consent first. "Well, how is she?" Nat asked, crossing her arms over her chest.

"She looks fine. But she did describe a few things that concern me." Bruce replied softly.

"About? What we said, or something else?"

"What we said. I think Wanda was right."

"I mean, how long can Alex be pregnant and not find out? She has to know. That nausea mishap was nearly two and a half months ago, she's going to be showing soon."

"I know, I know. What am I supposed to say? Hey welcome back from nearly dying, I think you're pregnant." Bruce through his hands up in exasperation.

"I mean surely by now she's missed two or more menstrual cycles. How does she not notice that?"

"I don't know, Nat. She's been pretty busy with being cursed."

Natasha looked at Bruce disapprovingly. "Women don't forget about that of all things. It's the one thing that we notice when it doesn't happen."

"Okay, okay." Bruce said in defeat. "If Wanda said she sensed the life growing inside of Alex, I'll just say something to Steve and-"

Nat cut him off with a slap to the face. "No! He's the last person you'll say a word to! He'll freak out!"

"Well he's probably the father!"

"Alex will tell him when she's ready. That's her business and hers only."

"Alright, just don't hit me again." Bruce put his hands up teasingly in defense.

Natasha sighed. "I'm sorry." She muttered softly, so soft it was practically a whisper. "Alex will figure it out on her own time, and we'll just go from there. Nobody says anything, including Wanda."

"She's distracted by Pietro. I don't think we need to worry about her."

Nat nodded in agreement.

The two shared a few final words and parted their ways.

---

Piper was lying in her bed, watching a romantic comedy off of Netflix when she heard the softest of knocks at her door. She had to wait for it to make the noise again to be sure it just wasn't part of the movie. She paused said film, and got up to answer the door. Opening the door slowly, she looked down as she opened it a little less than halfway. She was slightly taken aback when she saw Bucky standing there.

"Hey, uh, what's up?" Piper asked.

Bucky seemed uncomfortable. His eye contact wasn't strong and he seemed to be tense. "Can I come in?"

"Sure?" Piper answered, confused.

He walked in and she shut the door behind him. "Is something wrong?"

"I just wanted to check on you. See how you were doing."

"Oh," Piper felt heat rise to her cheeks. She was flattered that he was concerned about her. "I'm doing fine, still just tired and honestly really lazy." She chuckled. "Are you sure something else isn't bothering you?"

He shrugged. Piper could see in his eyes that he wanted to say more, but he couldn't bring himself to do it. She tried reading his mind in a very subtle way, but she couldn't make out just any one message. Too many thoughts were bouncing all around, it was hard to make out anything distinct.

"If you just need somebody to talk to, I'm here for you. I know Steve's busy with Alex." Piper said softly.

Bucky looked up at her, surprised, shocked even.

Jackpot Piper thought. She decided to break the awkward silence. "You know, I never really got the chance to just talk to you. We just kind of, teamed up in the midst of all this trouble."

"Piper, I, I just don't want to be any trouble."

"Spending time with you would make my day, my week, the entire month!" Piper chuckled. "You're not any trouble, exactly the opposite. Ever since Steve and Alex got married, dated even, I've been so alone. Things were a little better once Wanda joined, because I someone to talk to who wasn't busy. But now she's busy all of the time. I'm like the only one without a thousand things to do."

Bucky smiled. An honest, warm, genuine, smile. "So, what should we start with? Favorite foods or from the very beginning?"

"Let's start at the very beginning."

Piper and Bucky talked for hours. They got comfortable on Piper's small couch and the sparks flew. Piper started, explaining the adventures she had with Alex when they were little all the way up until practically now. When they moved to the new base. "Can I, ask you something?"

"Shoot." Bucky grinned.

"Do you feel something, when we're together?"

Bucky grinned wickedly. "Elaborate."

Piper blushed. "When I'm around you, or, in whatever circumstance. I feel attached to you. Ever since I looked into your eyes, when you were stuck to that magnet under Sam and Steve's watch, I've felt connected to you. Like-"

"It's my job to protect you." They both spoke simultaneously, sharing a laugh after.

"So I'm not alone on this, then." Piper blushed. "No matter how cheesy that sounds."

"No, you never have been." Bucky responded.

Piper laughed nervously, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. She wasn't sure what to say, until it popped into her mind. "Alright, it's your turn."

He grinned, sighing in defeat. "I was afraid you were gonna say that. Where do I begin? Alright, so it's 1925, I'm eight years old. I'm walking home from the general store my mom always sent me to get her the paper from, and out of nowhere I hear somebody crying in an alleyway. Being the curious trouble maker I was, I decided to go check it out."

Piper was intrigued in Bucky's story, watching his facial expressions closely as he recalled such an early time in his life.

"So I finally come across the source of the noise, and, next to a dumpster, is this real small blonde kid. I didn't know what to do, I looked around and he was completely alone. So then I finally just ask if he's okay. I scared him, first off, which made me feel even worse. He looks up at me, and he's got this huge black eye and his nose is all bloody. Then I ask him what happened, why he's alone, crying, in an alleyway. He looked like he was afraid of me. I mean, he appeared to be a lot younger than me so I assumed that was why. But then he finally was able to pull himself together, I helped him up, and he told me that some kids a few years older than him started making fun of him because of his size, and he picked a fight with 'em. He tells me that he's nine, and I was stunned. The poor kid looked to be six, maybe seven if he was lucky. And then, I finally get a name. Steve. Steve Rogers. I offered to walk him home, and at first he denied. I told him I wouldn't beat him up or anything, which got a little chuckle. He finally agreed, and so began our friendship."

"That's how you met Steve?" Piper was blown away.

"Yep. He's always been like a little brother to me ever since. Even though he's the older one."

Piper laughed. "That's how I feel about Alex. Even though I'm the messier one. She's cleaning up after me most of the time."

Now it Bucky's turn to chuckle.

"Do you think that's why we're so attached to each other? You're Steve's best friend and I'm Alex's?"

"Maybe. Or we just-

"Have feelings for each other?" Piper finished his sentence. He nodded. "But, I don't understand how we felt it the first time we met. You didn't even know I existed." Piper finished.

"Yeah but you knew about me. The horrible thing's I'd done."

"No, I knew you as Steve's best friend who he was desperate to save. Not some serial killer on the newspaper headlines. It wasn't even really you, Buck. You know that, right?"

Bucky's heart warmed at the nickname "Buck". "Yeah, but at the same time it was me. How am I supposed to live when I can distinctly remember every person I've ever killed?" The pain in his voice was prominent.

An idea popped into Piper's mind. "I think I can help you with that."

---

Pietro held Wanda in his arms as she drifted off to sleep on her bed. He felt awful for the pain that she went through, and that he couldn't have come to her back sooner. It was his job to protect her, and he felt like he'd failed. He had failed. Pietro shifted slightly, trying to put her in bed for the night, but she awoke upon his movement.

"Go back to sleep." He whispered.

There was panic in Wanda's eyes. "No, don't leave."

"I won't be going anywhere." He kissed her forehead. "I promise."

She nodded. "No. Stay. Please."

Pietro caved in. He stayed. "You did amazing out there." He said, sitting on the edge of the bed next to her.

"Yeah, I'd be dead if you hadn't caught me."

He didn't really answer her, because they both knew that she was right.

"Where were you?" Wanda spoke up.

Pietro was silent. His muscles tensed and he kept his eyes down. "I can't tell you."

Wanda sat up. "What?"

Pietro rose. "I'm sorry, but you have to trust me. It's for the best."

"No. You can trust me. Nothing is supposed to keep us apart, remember?" Wanda was beyond hurt, she felt the hot tears brimming her eyes. It killed her that Pietro didn't trust her.

"Wanda-"

"You can tell me anything, Pietro. I won't tell a soul." Her voice cracked harshly.

"Just not this." Pietro sighed, walking out of her room.

Wanda felt the tears slide down her cheeks, and she curled up into a ball on her bed. She leaning back into the warmth of the mattress from where Pietro was lying only moments ago. She felt as if she'd been run through by a dagger straight into her heart. Her chest was heavy, her head and body ached, and her skin felt cold. Thousands of thoughts raced through her mind. Something was wrong about Pietro coming back to life. Nothing felt right. It was all like some crazy dream, and now the clouds were turning from white to grey as the storm began to brew.

---

First Person POV

A week passed.

I could walk on my own two feet again, but I had to rest nearly all of the day. I was slowly gaining my strength back, but I took quite the internal beating. And to top it all off, the possibility of a child growing inside me had me on pins and needles. I was having trouble sleeping at night, and I tossed and turned all day long.

I'd finally gained enough strength to the point where I could take a few walks each day on my own to gain some muscle back. As I took my walks, I would think. For the first time in a long time, I had time to just think. I could sit and watch paint dry if I wanted to, and I was glad.

I couldn't remember the last time I could just, relax.

"Hey honey, how are you feeling?" Steve's voice shook me from my thoughts. I was lying in bed, just zoned out. I hadn't even heard him open the door.

"Fine, I took a few walks this morning. I think I'll be back to normal in a few more days."

"Well, don't rush. You have all of the time in the world to get better." He kissed my forehead.

I wish I had all of the time in the world. I thought to myself. Steve must have noticed my reaction. He quickly changed the subject. "So, did you get any dinner yet? I'm sorry I've been busy with training-"

"Don't feel bad. And yeah, I had some of the leftovers from the other night." I hadn't eaten a morsel since earlier that morning. I'd lost my interest to eat, even though I was starving.

"Well, you need to make sure you stay on top of that, okay?"

"Okay, mother." I teased, earning a look from Steve. Sometimes when he babied me I got agitated. I quickly retracted. "I'm sorry, I just don't know what to do with myself. Being bed ridden kind of has me in a funk, I guess."

"I feel bad I can't spend more time up here with you." Steve said, crawling into the bed with me and holding my hand.

"Don't feel bad." I repeated myself. "You have to do your job, Steve. I honestly can't wait until I can do mine again."

He looked down, nodded his head a little. "Here's an idea, I go get some popcorn and we watch a movie?"

"No, please stay. Thank you for the offer, but, I'd rather just lay here with you." I laughed at how corny it sounded out loud.

Without words, Steve got under the covers and pulled me close to him. "I'll never get tired of this." He muttered into my hair.

"Neither will I." I hummed.

Later that night, Steve was sound asleep next to me. I slipped out from under his arm and froze. He stirred, and I waited until he ceased his movements to continue mine. I dashed into the bathroom, and quietly shut the door behind me, turning the lock. I dropped to my knees and swung open the cabinet doors that were below the sink. I stretched my hand all the way to the back and began feeling around for a small rectangular box. Once my fingertips finally brushed it, I grasped it and whipped it out. I froze, and read the face of the box once more. First Response: Pregnancy Test. This wasn't any sort of first response type of scenario, I needed an answer...as fast as I could could get one.

---

Two lines.

Two solid, orange lines.

Loki wasn't lying for once.

I was pregnant.

I felt overcome with excitement, and love, but yet so much fear. What if my baby had been injured during with that curse inside of me? What if he or she was going to be born with some sort of defect because of all of the tasseling I put my body through? Let alone the many blows that had been made to my abdominal region lately. What about Steve? I knew he wouldn't be mad, but, what was he going to think of all this? Was he going to be upset that I didn't tell him sooner? That I'd almost died with our child? How am I going to tell him? Should I just, say it? Or surprise him in some cute way like they do in the movies? How far along am I? What if I haven't been eating enough? Is the baby healthy?

I stared blankly at the wall in front of me as I hugged my legs while sitting on top of the toilet lid. The pregnancy test was still in my hand. Millions of thoughts and fears were racing through my mind, but I was frozen in time. My eyes wide, my breathing shallow, as I sat in silence.

---

Third Person POV

The chains dug at Loki's wrists as he glared at Thor and Odin through old and rusted bars.

I had strings, but now

Sam tossed and turned in bed while horrific thoughts plagued his mind of his friend's death.

I'm free

Wanda rocked back in forth in her bed, tears streaming down her face. She was infuriated, yet broken, that her brother wouldn't trust her.

I've got no strings

Piper looked at her hands, and then up at her reflection in the mirror. She saw herself, but she was dead. Her skin burnt to a crisp, her eyes glossed over, features unidentifiable.

To hold me down

Bucky shuddered, cringing as the thoughts of the murders he committed raced through his mind. He could still hear their screams, see their eyes as he watched them die, and even feel their blood on his hands.

To make me fret

Steve was lost in his dreams, horrific flashbacks of the war and the constant playback of Alex's screams echoed in his mind as he tossed and turned endlessly in bed.

Or make me frown

Bruce thought about his purpose, how things would be if he never existed in the first place. He tried to think of pros of being alive, but he couldn't seem to find any. Just cons.

I

Natasha remembered where she came from. Trained on endless hours to be selfless, and kill because that's what she was told to do. No strings attached.

Had

Clint was back home with his wife and kids, but he feared that they were in danger. He ignored the thought, but at the same time he could not. No matter where they were, he wouldn't be able to protect them from what was coming.

Strings

Vision hung his head low. They'd won, but they'd also lost. He could sense the future, and all he could see was darkness.

But

Tony decided it was time for a break. Recent events had proven that this line of work was taking a toll on him. It always had. He didn't want to leave Alex behind, now knowing of their blood relation, but he also couldn't help it. He was doing what he felt was best for everyone, and himself. He knew the team would be okay without him for a little while.

Now

Pietro couldn't rest his mind. He could not live knowing that he'd hurt his sister, but he couldn't tell her where he'd been. That would destroy her even more. He was doing his best to protect her, even if that meant tearing apart their relationship.

I'm free.

Alex trembled at the many thoughts racing through her mind. Tears stained her cheeks and her breathing was sporadic. She could barely keep the pen steady as she wrote out the final sentence that completed the newest section in her journal:

There are no strings on me.

---

A note about the ending: If you recall the ending of the first installment, Alex keeps a journal and logs all of her life events in said journal. So, she was logging the events that took place in this installment in her journal at the very end, along with the newest addition of her confirmed pregnancy.

The Helm of Awe is a real thing from Norse Mythology and is said to inspire fear and awe. I got all of that information from the page titled "The Helm of Awe" on Norse Mythology for Smart People (it's a really good website) and just wanted to make sure I gave credit for that.

The next chapter of this installment is a teaser for the third and final installment of this wild ride, "Swan Song", and should be read before the first chapter of the next story.

Thanks so much for reading and following along!