The days after the engagement were much like they were before, except...the world had changed, once again. This time, though, it was Steve's choice to go through with the change. And Holly's, to accept it as well. With the time off of work, they spent as much of it together before he had to return to New York. Being close to her, he could never get enough of that, and he was happy beyond belief that one day, he wouldn't have to go without it. At least, not for very long. They shared the news with her family, though it was no surprise, given how Steve had asked her father for permission. Upon discovering the conspiracy, she laughed, saying he was more of a spy than he claimed to be. Sarah was at least genuinely shocked and surprised when she was phoned (Sam's prior knowledge was his little secret). It was new, and different, and exciting, crossing into territory that neither had been to before. And a little frightening, but when one faced down aliens and terrorists and Nazis at alternate points in life, it was easier to handle.

Thus far, they had agreed to put off some of the major planning. The date was speculated on, but that was as far as it went. Well, that, and a quick jaunt to the jeweler's to have the claddagh resized (a little too small, after all this time; Holly was barely able to squeeze it past the knuckle, and she didn't want to lose her finger in the name of her engagement once it cut off the circulation). Soon was what they had agreed on, though how soon would remain to be seen. It was enough for now that she had said yes.

And soon enough—the first of April, to be exact—Steve found himself on the road once again, a lightness in his heart and the secret no longer simmering on the back burner. All that remained was figuring out how to break the news to the team, something he'd been putting off. As much as he esteemed and respected his friends, they were such a mixed bag, the variety of reactions that could come about made him pause. Now, though, he had no excuse to continue to keep them in the dark.

He frowned to himself as he thought about it. 'Business first, when I get back. I don't need to sound like a gossiping hen out of the gate.'

Resolved on his course, he set out to do just that once he made it back to the Tower, his bags deposited in his quarters, a meeting request forwarded to him by JARVIS. Arriving on the top floor, Steve first noticed the lounging beauty on the far couch, the rest of the team nowhere in the vicinity. Her leg was slung over the arm and her face was obscured by some magazine. A cheap rag, if he had to guess, but she seemed to be enthralled with it. Having known her for some time, Rogers could never recall Natasha being at all interested in those things.

"What are you reading?"

Lowering the magazine enough so that her baby blues peeked out over the edge, she merely exhaled theatrically. "Oh, just the latest in tabloid journalism. Some interesting things have been reported this week. Including this."

She flipped the magazine open, pointing at the article on the left page. It was of him and Holly, walking along the street only a couple of days ago. They appeared to have been laughing about something, her hand curled around his bicep as they went along. A circle had been traced around her hand, blown up in a bigger circle to reveal the blurred outline of a ring. The glaring yellow headline screamed about the idea of trading in the Liberty Bell for wedding bells, or some other such nonsense (whatever American-themed headline that could be found, they always applied it to his activities, whether it fit or not). He was not paying attention to that. Rather, he was more concerned with the fact that, as unobtrusive as her ring was, people had noticed the difference immediately. That little bubble that had formed in those few days had popped.

He sighed inwardly; well, they'd had a solid four days of privacy on the matter. That better than nothing, especially in the world of high exposure he inhabited. Steve dipped his chin once, casting another glance at the picture as he sat down on the couch opposite her. When she tossed the magazine on the table between them, he didn't pick it up.

"Of course."

Natasha studied him for a moment, her smirk transforming into a real grin. "So I was right: it's true."

There was a glimmer in his blue eyes, his half-smile spreading. "You gotta get one every so often."

If he was hoping to find surprise in her expression, he was doomed to disappointment. Instead, she had satisfaction at being accurate in her supposition and pleasure for his choices decorating her face.

"Congratulations," she enthused, rising from her seat and going to him, wrapping her arms around his shoulders. The gesture slightly unnerved Steve. As a rule, the Black Widow was reserved, cool, distant, but every now and again Natasha would throw a curve, disrupt her image. It kept people on their toes around her, something she preferred, but having worked in close proximity to her for a long time now, he knew she was fully capable of displays of affection. She just saved them for right moments. Gingerly he reached up, patting her arm and smiling once she stepped back. Her eyes darted to the left, and when he followed her gaze, he wasn't terribly surprised to find Tony and Clint there, Thor and Bruce bring up the rear, the former pair sporting twin looks of confusion on their faces.

"What?" Barton crowed, flicking glances between the two.

"What are we congratulating?" Bruce asked, coming around and looking at Natasha curiously. She said nothing directly to him, just gave the scientist a knowing smile before squeezing Steve on the shoulder.

"I'm very happy for you," she murmured, the deliberateness of her tone inviting him to play along.

"What's going on?" Tony interjected, brow furrowing.

Steve gave her a discreet wink. "Thanks, Nat."

"I do not understand," Thor muttered, approaching Barton. Knowing the fellow would be able to shed some light on the matter in question, he flicked a few fingers in Natasha's direction and continued, "This outpouring of affection from her is strange, is it not?"

She tossed her hair, refusing to give up the game. "Don't be jealous, Thor."

Clint snorted, nodding confirmation. "Not so much strange as it is unexpected at times."

Tony spread his arms wide, face contorted in a mix of irritation and bemusement. "Okay, seriously, what the hell is going on?"

A finely shaped eyebrow quirked up questioningly. Once Steve inclined his head, Natasha cleared her throat to tell.

"Cap's gonna get hitched." Off the god's befuddled look across the room, the ex-agent elaborated. "Married. Wed."

The last word broke through, Thor's eyebrows rising as he acknowledged what she said. The others had nothing to say at that moment, though Bruce's attention was caught on the magazine flipped open on the table. When he glanced up, he caught the mirth dancing across the captain's irises, and his tiny shrug of confirmation. However, eventually one of them spoke up.

With a careful smile blooming, Stark nodded, his dark eyes rolling to the ceiling. "Oh, I get it. April Fool's. Good one."

Nonplussed by his reaction, Steve raised his chin, expression turning a mite frosty.

"Actually, it's not a joke. I asked Holly when we got back from Africa four days ago."

His protest, mild as it was, did not sway his teammate's skepticism.

"So she's going along with it?"

Steve snorted, Clint and Thor squinted at his reaction, while both the doctor and the Black Widow shot him glares with various degrees of heat in their eyes. Turning his hands palm up, he waited with his silent demand of proof.

"Figures you wouldn't believe me." Digging in his pocket, he withdrew his wallet and shuffled through it. Finding a thin piece of paper pressed in the bills, he held it out to his friend. "Here."

Taking the proffered slip, the billionaire glanced down at it. The receipt came from a jeweler's in D.C., a sizeable amount for the resizing of a woman's ring on it. The captain's signature was clear as day at the bottom, and wordlessly, Banner came around to show him the magazine photos. Tony's gaze flicked back and forth between the offered pieces of evidence, head turning comically as he did so.

"Oh, you're…you're not joking," he breathed then, glimpsing the brief flash of smug contentment settling on Steve's features.

"Even if he were pulling a fast one, I think the human lie detector here would have called him out rather than corroborate his story," Bruce observed, hooking a thumb at Nat while a gentle grin played over his lips. Proudly, she inclined her head in silent agreement of that assessment. A few more seconds of silence passed, as the truth sank in for everyone. Suddenly, Thor strode across the room, the beam on his face intensifying as he crushed Steve in a bear hug.

"Well done, friend!" he roared, letting ago after a few arm slaps and a blatant cough compelled him to do so. Deadly serious then, he queried, "I assume she comes with a grand bride price, your Holly?"

Unsure of how to answer that, the captain looked to the others, Clint and Bruce stepping in to offer their praise for his decision at a milder pace than their compatriot's. Romanoff shared a grin with Maria, who had overheard the commotion from the floor above and came down to see what had happened. When she looked back, she noticed the slightly pale cast to Stark's face, the wide set of his eyes as they blinked slowly, absorbing the information presented yet saying nothing.

"Tony, you okay?" she nearly whispered, stepping up to him and laying her hand on his shoulder. Jerked out of his reverie by her light touch, he cleared his throat, shaking his head and plastering on a smirk. However, it did not seem genuine to her eyes.

"Yeah, super. Congrats, Steve," he intoned, offering his hand to shake and letting his friend do most of the work there. Handing over the receipt and the magazine, he went on, "Tying the knot, big step, well done."

The click of heels warned of Hill's approach this time, drawing their collective attention away from the news to the brunette as she inclined her head, touchscreen in hand and a folder under her arm.

"Hate to interrupt this happy moment, but I've got some updates in regards to Strucker," she said, sharply exhaling as she tapped along the screen to retrieve some of the digital files. "Or more specifically, to the good Doctor List."

The mask of a stoic leader came over Steve then, and he gestured for her to continue. "We're all ears, Hill."

Doctor List's movements had increased since his last appearance on their radar, she reported almost blithely. Particularly as he had evacuated along with the other rats when they were jumping ship nearly a year ago. Still, sightings of him cropped up along the eastern seaboard, in a couple of places in and Europe, and Texas, oddly enough (that raised a few eyebrows). He seemed to be gathering labor, parts, anything that could be transported across borders without attracting too much unwanted attention. The last sighting put him squarely in the neighborhood of his old office; most likely he was returning for secreted documents and lab notes. Not surprisingly, he left the building empty-handed, Maria's knowing smirk stretching wide. Whatever errands he was being sent on, he seemed to be mustering up last reserves for his leader to work with. The destroyed insurgence in Africa was a bitter blow, and whatever was left of HYDRA was dwindling fast. The Avengers had accelerated events, and it seemed it would only be a short matter of time now before a final confrontation was reached.

Taking that in stride, Bruce posited that he would fine-tune the calibrations on the tracker for the scepter, see if any traces of it could clear up the trail. The others set about memorizing stolen personnel files, speculating as to Strucker's and List's true plans in regards to the human experimentation and other rumored indignities in the reports. Muttering something about repairing the engine damage to the quinjet, Tony meandering off, running a hand through his hair and sighing under his breath. The click of heels followed him down the hall, but he ignored them in favor of indulging himself in his own thoughts.

Maria hesitated for several long moments on the landing platform, giving Tony the illusion of distraction before approaching again. Knocking politely on the metal overhang before entering the quinjet, she offered him a deferential dip of the chin.

"Hey, boss."

Tony, stationed at the control panels towards the front, glanced over his shoulder at her. "You got something specifically for me?"

Neither confirming nor denying that she did, Hill decided to take the opportunity and stepped further into the hasty sanctuary. "You seemed a little shaken earlier by the marital developments."

A noncommittal shrug and a snort were all the answer she was given. Tilting her head to the left, she watched Stark's tight movements, his concentration and focus latching on to anything but her.

"Concerned that Holly's going to take Cap away from you?" she wondered facetiously, earning a mock scowl from her employer.

"Don't project your secret shipper fantasies onto me. I just..." He paused, tapping his fingers idly along the open screens. The damage reports were filing across as his touch skittered across, multiple areas demanding his attention. "…Something like this makes things a lot more obvious in your life."

Maria looked at him curiously. "Such as?"

He sighed, but still would not meet her gaze. "Certain people, and the length of time you're involved with those people without...taking a step like this."

The uncertainty in his voice was sharp, a jagged edge cutting at her without meaning to. He was pleased for Steve, really. Honestly, the Cap was just the type of guy who would gladly accept settling down, and given his years of service and devotion to his vocation, it was something he deserved to have happen. But Tony...well, comparisons would inevitably be made, and while he could bear the scrutiny of strangers, it was the scrutiny of those closest to him that set his teeth on edge. Particularly, the scrutiny of one person made him nervous.

Coughing once, his dark eyes swept up, mouth twisting in a sour grin. "Pepper's going to ask some questions after all this, and I'm not sure I have answers for her."

Maria breathed slowly out her nose, her calm gaze steadying her employer. She'd worked in tandem with Stark for nearly a year now, and while she couldn't deny his brilliance, it was also painfully obvious how skewed some of his perceptions were. That he would do whatever he could to make things come out well, she could expect. He would do it his own way, and that way didn't always mesh with the world around him. Lifting a shoulder, she waved a hand at the open air, brushing away the thick blanket of concern swallowing him.

"Well, if she asks, you better think of some answers. But then again, she might not. Marriage isn't the be-all and end-all for every woman, you know," she confessed, her veneer smooth as he threw a derisive glance at her. Hill sighed, coming closer still, reaching out to pat him gently on the arm. He accepted her butterfly comfort, rarely given and therefore precious. "Sometimes being together is enough."

Soon enough, she stepped back, all coolness and authority in her posture once again as she spoke. "That being said, I actually do have a few things to go over with you."

Realizing in that moment just exactly what she'd done, Tony's jaw dropped. "You nosy little..."

"Starting with the tech conference board," she drawled over him, pulling up a calendar on her screen, "they need an answer regarding your attendance and the opening ceremony."

Snapping his jaw shut, Tony groaned. "That's not until next year."

"That's not my problem," Maria told him succinctly, the brightness in her eyes increasing twofold. "Yea or nay?"

xXxXxXx

Sitting alone in her room, she stared at the barren, cold walls. Beyond, beyond the stone and the trees, lay home. She had not seen her home in so long, and to have it just out of reach ate at her. It seemed that her manipulations had backfired, somewhat; she had hoped that with Strucker's acquiescence to move the remaining cell members to Sokovia, she and Pietro would have more freedom of movement. The place held so much sorrow, tears and brokenness, a name that was a byword for terror branded forever on her mind, but it was what she knew. Though the anger and the sadness of her memories remained, the vestiges of home had not. But with their new gifts, perhaps the darkness could be lifted. If they could just go out, be among their people...but no. They would be trapped behind the walls, for their protection, Strucker had said.

But that was not what he meant. It was for his protection. He feared what they could do, out of his grasp. They may have been green, inexperienced, but he knew they were strong. He knew they were more than he wanted them to be. And in his mind, she could see figures, six of them, and how he would be left with no choice to but to surrender to them if the Maximoffs strayed from his side. Yet at the same time, the itch to let them loose burned beneath the fear. He wanted them to frighten others, like they did him. He wanted the world to see the might of his creations, and to tremble.

Wanda dropped her gaze to her hands, twisting the rings on her fingers. Her mother's, recovered after the dreadful days trapped in the dust and rubble. Though her family was taken away, she had these, at least, and the memories. The red aura around them was a shimmering mist, dissipating with the last of her disappointment. Inhaling deeply, she cast her focus to the ceiling for a second or two before her eyelids fluttered shut. Bitterness laced the air, and more besides.

The fear, the longing, was palpable long after the baron had left her presence, denying her quiet requests to go out firmly but for the snake of doubt deep in his eyes.

It would only be a matter of time, she knew that much. All the pain, the suffering, the horrors they had endured, they would soon be in the past. A great and terrible future was on the horizon, one that would be bent to their will. Revenge and retribution were close at hand. All she had to do was wait for the precise moment.

Soon, soon.

A/N: Bit of a shorter chapter, less intense than the last one, but I still enjoyed writing it! It's been a busy week...Sorry if it was a little girly for some of your tastes, but we'll get back to the action soon enough.
So the gang all knows...and yeah, Tony is a little leery of the whole situation. Because, whether he likes it or not, he does have a long-term girlfriend who is going wonder what's up. Oh, well. Also, the bride price thing Thor mentions? Look that up. I'm not sure what Holly's would be, but...eh, it's interesting.

Wanda, oh Wanda...just like Bucky, you like to sneak in and sneak out at the end of a chapter.

I don't own anything from the MCU.

And thanks for all your kind words in regards to well-wishing my family problems. I am glad to report that for the most part, they appear to have been resolved. I appreciate the support you guys have given me. :)

Thanks for reading, please review, and I'll see you all for the next one!