"I think Reva knows you need some love.", Bucky chuckled as he looked back to Tara. "I wonder if she dreams the same as me...", Tara wondered as she had a warm smile.
"Maybe... Quantonium is a funny thing at times...", Bucky replied. Tara chuckled, "That, I gotta agree with.", before asking softly, "Stay with me?".
Bucky smiled, "I wouldn't dream of anything better than that, my aurora. Now, go to sleep. It's okay, I'm right here with you.".
"I love you so much, James Barnes.", Tara kissed him again, sighing contentedly as she rested her head on his chest, and Bucky lovingly caressed her hair, "I love you too, Tara Murphy.", forever content to repeat this phrase as long as Tara needs to hear it until there's a moment that she is finally feeling perfectly comfortable and safe, where Derek wouldn't cloud her memories anymore.
Soon, with Reva settled back to sleeping in the womb, Tara fell asleep, right in Bucky's arms, falling asleep as well as he wrapped the blanket around them. Meanwhile, in the kitchen, Mo offered Susan a cup of his tea recipe, "Good thing that your mom got the herbs I was looking for...I hope you like it...It was a favorite back in the day on Skull Island.".
"Somewhat surprised you could find it here.", Susan smiled as she took a sip of her drink. "Wow, that's very nice...".
"Thanks.", Mo smiled. "So... you know since we're alone now...", looking a bit nervous. "We have to talk about today, for sure now.", Susan chuckled. Mo couldn't have nearly died and said he loved Susan without them at least having a long discussion about it now that everything worked out and calmed down.
Mo looked at Susan, "I would never lie, Susan...I fell in love with who you are, not what you are. I would die for you if I knew you would be safe...as you now know...", referring to the fight earlier...
"Well, I know that for a fact that you're not just exaggerating.", Susan smiled as he put a hand to her cheek. "I'll be honest myself, Mo... I actually did have eyes for you when we met, but I dismissed that at first as just; I'm single and any other single guys will catch my eye.".
Mo chuckled lightly, "I wouldn't blame you there...I know I am attractive and good looking, not that I'd brag about it, but I know either way, thanks to my tribe...".
Susan rolled her eyes and chuckled, "True, thought I don't like a braggart. But you are very handsome... and over the past few weeks, yeah, the longer we got to know each other, I was starting to feel more and more comfortable with you; in an almost pre-romantic sense...".
"And now?", Mo asked as he raised an eyebrow before Susan placed a hand on his cheek. Susan smiled softly, "For some reason, I don't want to be labeled as a girlfriend...what does your people do in this situation?".
Mo exhaled, "My people, when in this situation, they call each other their partners or soul mates.", with a little nod. "I certainly like partner or soulmate compared to girlfriend.", Susan chuckled as Mo got even closer as Susan blushed, "Uh, Mo... what are you planning right now?".
"May I... Susan, may I kiss you again?", Mo asked. "Now that I'm not dying or anything of the sort, wouldn't you agree that maybe we should try this again?".
Susan nodded, "Yeah... I think I'd very much like to know how a kiss goes without worrying about my partner dying in the next few seconds.".
Mo smiled, "Partner...It's perfect...", before leaning in and slowly, gently cradled her cheeks as he kissed Susan lovingly and sweet.
Susan wrapped her arms around him as he leaned forward more into the kiss as they gently let her lips move amongst each other. Susan could already feel the love and passion behind them; Mo was certainly a gentle person when it came to kissing.
Mo kept his eyes closed and moved his hands down to hold her closer, and Susan, not shy for once, boldly leaped, wrapping her legs around his waist, deepening the kiss.
Mo was caught off guard for a moment there, he never truly expected Susan to be so bold in something like this, but then again, meeting her biological mother, certainly that part of her was showing at the moment as he dug himself in and was keeping her lifted as they continued to make out. Their kiss slowly changing from gentle passion to more wild youth like as they started to tongue wrestle.
After five minutes, they broke away for air, but still in their embrace, and Mo smiled lovingly, "You are incredible...I love you, Susan Carter-Rogers.".
Susan blushed pink, smiling widely yet lovingly, "You are amazing...I love you, Mo of the Gorilla Tribe.", before kissing him again, intending to make out some more, and Mo returned the kiss, tongue-wrestling her once more, intensely passionate, glad that his inner gorilla strength is helping him hold her up in his arms, his legs trying to keep up, pinning her against the island counter.
Causing him to instinctively grind against her, shaking the counter and the cups of their tea, and of course, eventually, one of the cups fell over and crashing into the floor, startling Mo and Susan. They stopped, panting from surprise and elation, with Mo looking at her not like a predator or something, but rather a woman of strong hormones which is driving him crazy.
Mo gave a sort of gorilla growl, "Not here...I wish I could, but I can't...I may be super-powered, but I ain't looking to have Carl looking at me with disappointment if I broke his rules...literally in his own house...", frustrated to feel really bent up for the first time, his gorilla instincts kicking him in the back of his head, telling him to mate her, to make her his alpha female, to thump his chest in announcing to Skull Island that he's clearly taken...
"It's alright...", Susan panted as she was trying to calm down from the rush of energy and pleasure that was already shooting through her. She quickly got down to start cleaning up the mess. "I'm not ready myself... I'd much rather wait until a better time... maybe after we really start working this whole mating thing out.".
"You mean we should go on some dates?", Mo gave a light chuckle. "Well, it'll help.", Susan gave a teasing smile.
Mo smiled warmly, trying to calm down as well as best as he could, but he knew he'd have to use the bathroom first thing before going back to sleep. Mo knelt down to help Susan clean up, "I'd be honored to take you on a date...".
Susan looked at him with a shy giggle, "Day after tomorrow?", and Mo smiled, "Sounds perfect.", and soon, they got finished with the mess, heading back to the bedrooms, unknowing that each other had slipped into the bathrooms to take care of themselves, as quiet as possible.
In the morning, having slept in a bit since they were all awake for a bit around midnight, they headed down for breakfast, with Bucky picking up the scent of Mo on Susan, but not quite excessively, and there's something different. Mo told him that Susan and he has taken up to be partners, not wanting to be labeled as boyfriend and girlfriend, and with embarrassment, they gratefully stopped before it went too far.
"And I was supposed to be the one worried about self-control?", Bucky teased as Mo rolled his eyes. "Easy, easy!", Steve tried to squeeze by as the kitchen and living room was somewhat of a mess with everyone around.
"I swear, this is like Christmas or Thanksgiving with so many people...", Wendy smiled as Tara chuckled, "It feels that way, Mom, since only two people here aren't 10ft tall.".
Carl smiled, "She has a point there, Wendy. Of course, it will be even more crowded with Reva later on, until you're planning to get a house, Tara...After all, there are tall-framed houses.".
Peggy nodded, "A tall-framed house works really well. I and Steve found one ourselves after the war. Of course, it was given away and sold by now.".
Henry babbled as he played with some blocks and some Lego, and Steve chuckled, "It was literally perfect...Now, we would have to work to find one as well...Unless we could ask this General of yours, Monger, for maybe some help on that.".
"Depends on where you want to be though, Dad.", Susan said. "I don't know if you want to be back in that area of New York where the house was before. One of the rougher neighborhoods I've looked up.".
"We'll still have to decide on that one, but one thing is for sure, I really want to see the modern New York in person... maybe our old neighborhood too.", Steve hummed, nodding.
Bucky nodded, "That, I am heck as curious as you...I really missed the city.", with a smile, and Tara reached slightly to squeeze his hand, "Don't worry, we will be there sooner or later...After all, I still got time to see places before this cub of ours is ready to come.", warmly rubbing her baby bump, and chuckled as she felt a kick.
Wendy nodded, "That's true, and with the baby attuned to your size-changing, you can literally walk anywhere as 50 ft tall. Just be careful, hmm?", and Tara smiled, "Don't worry, I intend to stay here for a while before doing anything, probably by next week. After all, we got some people here to show around.", smiling at Peggy, Steve, Mo, and Bucky.
Peggy grinned, "That'd be great, and to think, this is our first day...What do you wanna do, Susan?", and Susan smiled widely, "Can we play baseball, oh, and hang out at my usual ice cream place? Check out the playground for Henry?".
Steve laughed heartily, "Wow, sounds like you have a plan of a day already, Sue-P.", having already explained to Carl that his nickname for Susan is his title of princess as he calls Peggy his queen.
Henry squealed happily, clapping his hands, and Susan grinned, "Yep, you're gonna have a fun day, baby bro.", going to ruffle his hair, and Henry dodged it by shifting into his fledging eagle form, fluttering his wings, chirping at her proudly.
"No matter how many times you do that, it's awesome, Henry.", Susan chuckled as Henry showed her yesterday, and Henry chirped happily before trying to flap his wings, going for Peggy, and almost succeeding, but landed with a tumble into Peggy's lap, shifting back to human form.
Peggy smiled, "That was a good one, one of your best test flights yet, darling.", and Henry smiled toothily, and Wendy chuckled, "I think he still needs a bit more time, Peggy. He's definitely determined.".
Henry beamed proudly to hear that, and was about to climb down, to head and walk up to Tara when an echoing bellow was heard, and all heads looked up in surprise and shock.
"What the heck was that?", Carl asked as everyone kept looking up at the ceiling. "I don't know... but it was something loud...", Susan said as Mo sniffed the air.
"No... can't be...", Mo was the first one to start moving towards the front door. Susan was concerned, "Mo?", and Mo heard the bellow again, and cried out, "Insecto!", opening the door furiously, and gasps came from Tara, Bucky, and Susan.
Susan got up to run to follow Mo out, with Bucky helping Tara up, with the others already getting up and going out, with Peggy holding Henry in her arms.
It was almost a mad dash to get outside; especially for the four that knew Insecto. After a few moments, everyone was out on the front lawn and looking up into the air; shocked at the sight they were seeing as sure enough, Insecto was somehow alive after seemingly dying... but not exactly the way he was before.
Instead of being a caterpillar bug, he is now a butterfly, and after sniffing the air again, Mo and Bucky realized that it's not he, but rather she.
She bellowed again, flying gracefully, landing with a light thump, lowering her wings down, with Link laughing as he slid down, followed by Dr. C and B.O.B.
Link looked surprisingly happier than in decades, smiling widely, "Hey, gang! Turns out it was a metamorphosis with that white stuff. Say hello to Butterflysaurus aka Bea.".
"Didn't know she had it in her.", Bucky chuckled in disbelief as Tara and Susan gave him looks. "He's she apparently. Couldn't have really figured that out before.", Mo explained as the girls nodded.
Bea bellowed out happily, and Link chuckled, "Bea says she's really happy to see you guys, and she's so glad to fly now without hurting anything or anyone by accident.".
Tara smiled, "That's really wonderful...Bea, you look beautiful!", and Bea purred, rumbling like she's blushing in joy. Dr. C smiled, "Indeed...Oh, my, no offense, Miss Tara, but you're 10 ft tall, and well, bigger with the baby...", looking at Tara with surprise and curiosity.
"Long story, Doc. Are you hungry? We were going to dig into breakfast soon.", Tara smiled nervously yet warmly as she squeezed Bucky's hand, and Link grinned, "Sounds great to me! Hey, Bea, take care, okay? Don't eat too much of the trees, okay?!".
Bea bellowed, and fluttered up, taking off, and B.O.B. asked, "What did she say?", and Link replied, "Bea said that she's going for the offshore islands and wild valleys.".
"So, I guess she didn't die but finally cocooned and molted.", Tara chuckled as Link nodded. "We sort of figured it out during the night when she was in a giant cocoon; couldn't think of any other explanation but that.", Link admitted.
Bucky grinned, "Dang. Well, looks like we beat you there, story-wise as of yesterday.", with Wendy and Carl already knowing about the others, relaxed, with a bit of anxiety as they don't know them yet, with Wendy calling out, "Let's head in!".
And so, over the duration of breakfast, the boys were told everything, well, everything that's not as personal as other things, and were congratulating the quartet on being together respectively, and got to know everyone else.
Henry distracted B.O.B. when the bad stuff was mentioned, and perhaps after watching patiently on how Dr. C reacted and everything, the stone finally came to attention, shaking in Steve's satchel.
"Uh, Mr. Rogers, man, your satchel's moving.", Link pointed out, and Steve glanced over, blinking in surprise, "Well, I'll be...", bringing out the stone that's now glowing stronger than earlier.
"Something wrong?", Carl asked as Steve shook his head. "I'm not too sure... but... it's done this a few times before.", Steve explained as Bucky looked at Carl.
"Well, first, it was mostly to give me power, then it was to keep us in contact when we were separated...", Bucky pointed to himself and Susan. "What could it be this time though?".
Steve frowned, "Let's see here and ask. Are you going to give your energy to someone here in this room?", and the stone pulsed.
"Is it one of the monsters?", asked Steve, and the stone pulsed again, and the monster boys blinked in surprise, still waiting for another answer, and Steve nodded, "Is it Link?". A buzz. "Dr. Cockroach?", a pulse.
Dr. C widened his eyes, "Me?", and Peggy replied, "The Quantonium, even if cousins or anything, are only responsive for someone worthy because they saw something inside them, like how it did with Bucky, us...They hate to be taken by force like with Eris.".
"That was that hostile giantess, correct?", Wendy recalled as the group nodded. "But why me? What exactly did I do to earn this... honor?", Dr. C wondered. It's not like he had done anything truly above and beyond, it was about equal share between him, Link and Bob in many ways.
Mo replied, "Oh, I don't know...How about that incredible dream of helping people survive a nuclear crisis? Or bringing technology to the 21st century as one of your rewards? Or being there for all of us when we were sad, bored, and more? Or the fact that you partly saved the world?".
Link nodded, "Those are very good points. I mean, would a selfish person do all of that?", and Dr. C shook his head, "No...He wouldn't...I only wanted to make the world a better place, and more.".
The stone pulsed stronger, and Steve blinked, "That's it. That's what it was looking for.", with a smile at Dr. C, and he exhaled, "Well, it couldn't be any worse than this.", gesturing to his head.
"I would say be careful what you wish for... but honestly with this stuff, I don't think you have much to worry about.", Susan gave a small smirk as Doc nodded, "So, I've noticed...".
Steve smiled, "Well, you know where the hallway bathroom is.", gently passing the stone over to Dr. C's hands, and Dr. C chuckled, "Indeed. Thank you, Mr. Rogers.", leaving the room, heading to the hallway bathroom.
He closed the door, and sighed deeply, looking at the pulsing stone as he put it on the sink counter, "Is it going to hurt a little?", and the stone pulsed. "Is it going to hurt a lot?", and a buzz.
"So, it's going to hurt some, but not a lot, then?", Dr. C asked, and the stone pulsed, and Dr. C took a deep breath, "Okay, let's do this.".