Title: Power Behind the Throne Part 16 - Epilogues

Rating: MA

Author: Ethiercn

Disclaimer: As if I owned them.

Note: There is a time lapse between Part 15 and 16 as well as between each epilogue

Inside, Nita Prentiss' residence, a knock on his open bed room door woke Vance. Blinking, he looked up. Angel stood framed in the doorway. Without a word, he pulled the covers back, "Come here."

She crept quickly into his bed, huddling into him. Careful of her healing shoulder, he held her shaking body.

"I can't," she began and then paused to swallow. "I need . . . every time, every battle . . . I see . . . I see blood all the time. I don't want to let you down. . . . I. . . I'm not right. I can't . . . I need. "

"Shh. I know," he whispered, kissing her temple. "Sleep. We'll think of something." When she slept, he thought about all her years at the academy, all those years of abuse at the hands of Frost, culminating in the Randall's death in her arms, and her rebellion against the woman who had been like a mother. He thought about the two near fatal attacks on her father. He thought about the whole affair with the Upstarts, with Shaw, and the death of her father. He recalled how she steeled herself every time she went back to the house or to Frost's trial. Worse, they had barely buried Mr. Jones and then the Sphinx had attacked. If she wasn't helping the Warriors deal with the crisis of the week, Angel was dealing with Iceman's constant apologies for what Frost had done while in his body. After seeing the toll each apology took on her, Vance had called Iceman and asked him to stop. At least he had had therapy in the Vault, Vance thought, at least Nita and Nova, even Rage, had taken time off. Angel, however, had gone from crisis to crisis from emergency to emergency without rest, and here she was terrified that she would let them down.

She needed to get away, he concluded. In the morning, he decided, he would convince her to use the money, Shaw had mysteriously deposited in her account. Blood money, Angel called it, but bowed to Nita's opinion and kept it. She could use the money to get away, to rest, to recover.

And if Angel being right meant he had to take time away from the Warriors, then he that's what he would do.

(Epilogue 2)

Justice watched as the police secured the two would be bank robbers. He glanced at his watch. He needed to get to Nita's to change before catching his plane to join Angel in Spain. When they had talked last night, she had sounded better, still not herself, but better.

"Justice!"

He turned at the sound of his name and saw Captain America approaching. "Sir."

What Captain America had to say took some time and Justice found himself in the awkward position of wishing his idol would hurry up and get to the damn point.

"And the up shot is," Captain America concluded, "that due to your and Firestar's performance with the Sphinx as well as with Shaw and the Hellfire Club, a performance which Beast praised highly, the Avengers would like to offer you both places on the reserve team."

"What?" Justice choked out.

Captain America repeated the offer.

The word yes was on the tip of Justice's tongue. It was his dream, the thing he most desired with one important exception. "I would love to sir," he began, "But Firestar needs time to . . ."

"Recover from her loss," Captain America interrupted. "Beast told me."

Justice nodded, "And she needs me, sir, so you'll understand why I have to say no."

"The offer is open for when the two of you return," Captain America replied. "Think it over."

(Epilogue 3)

Vance watched as the small bear cub stalked the huge stork that was making free with the fish in the bear enclosure. The cub pounced only to watch as the stork flew easily away. The would be killer sat back on his haunches with the classic aw shucks expression on his furry face. Vance smiled. Beside him, Angel giggled. An honest giggle. Vance's smile widen, "Do you think the zoo raises the fish?"

"Like the rabbit looking thing the tigers were eating?" Angel asked.

"It did explain the large amount of fat rabbits in the children's zoo," Vance looked down into Angel's eyes. They had arrived in Copenhagen two days ago, and Vance finally saw the pain start to leave her eyes.

"Do you think they release the rabbits and let the tigers hunt them?" she asked taking his arm as they walked to the next enclosure.

"I'm not sure. But could you imagine the outcry at home?"

A short time later, they left the zoo and made their way to a nearby park where they brought ice cream and found a quiet park bench.

"Vance," Angel said slowly when she finished the last bit of her cone. "Do you think we could share a room tonight?" She blushed but kept her gaze fixed on him.

"Are you sure?" Vance asked as he took her hand.

Angel nodded, "After everything with Shaw, and if I go with you to the Avengers. . ."

"I haven't made up my mind yet," Vance interrupted.

Angel placed her warm on his lips and smiled knowingly. "I love you. I want to be with you. I don't want to regret not being with you because we waited for some magical time that never came."

He kissed her hand and then cupped her cheek, "I'm not going anywhere," he whispered. "I want this too."

"I know," she leaned into his touch. "What are you thinking?"

"Honestly? Trying to figure out if the rooms have been made up, making a note to use the "do not disturb" sign," he replied, feeling her skin flush slightly. "Feeling sorry for Rich for losing the bet."

Angel frowned, "What bet?"

"That you and I wouldn't visit the Erotica Museum. Rich said it would be too awkward. But after to night, I don't think it will be." He rose and held out his hand to Angel.

She took it, "Trust Rich to know about the Erotica Museum."

(Epilogue 4)

"Where are you going?" Vance asked, sliding his arms around Angel's waist and pulling her back into place against his chest, entangling their legs once more under the sheet.

"Our clothes are still wet," Angel poked his chest and then tucked her long hair behind her ears. "I was going to dry them, which I should have done before we got distracted."

"I'm a telekinetic, remember?"

"How could I forget after what you just did?"

He kissed her nose and then pulled their discarded clothes over to the bed. Tonight found them in a rainy Amsterdam. Vance slyly removed a small box from his jeans pocket while Angel contracted on drying his sweater without shrinking it.

When Angel dried the last item of clothing, folded it, and stacked it with the others, Vance moved the whole pile to a nearby chair. Angel lay back against him.

"Ang, I've been thinking," he began capturing her hand with his. He had planned to do this earlier, but the way she had looked, all wet from the rain had distracted him, "about the living arrangements when we join the Avengers in a couple weeks".

She frowned, "You said there was space at their mansion"

"True, but I was thinking about something together, more . . ." he faltered; he was making a jumble of everything. He sat up, forcing her to sit up as well. The sheet slide down for a moment, giving him a distracting sight, but she clutched the sheet to her chest and rested her arms on her knees as she waited for him to finish.

"Will you marry me?" he finished and held out the open jewelry box.

(Epilogue 5)

"I can't wear this," Firestar stated, looking at her reflection in the mirror. The costume designed by Wasp left too much hanging out.

Justice pulled on his boots as he studied his wife, "I think it looks good on you."

"What am I suppose to do? Stun the bad guys with my cleavage?"

"Works on me," Justice quipped.

"Give me on of your tee-shirts," she demanded of her husband with a blush and a laugh.

"Ready?" he asked when she finished adjusting the costume. He peered over her shoulder at their reflection. He kissed her shoulder.

Firestar took his hand and nodded. "Let's go. We don't want to be late."

Together, they left to join the rest of the Avengers.

Author's Note: Thanks for reading. I know joining the Avengers doesn't happen like it does in this fic. However, considering how badly Marvel broke up Justice and Firestar, and considering the very disappointing (if not insulting) Firestar plot in Marvel Divas, I thought Vance/Angel shippers deserved a happy ending.