Chapter 5

Scott and Hope stood in the middle of the lab, their faces still staring at where their odd visitor just exited.

The ex-con stuttered, trying to come up with something to say, "Well, that was...an experience."

Hope nodded her head, her expression hard to read, "Can't say that's the weirdest thing we've seen."

"I've punched an alien whale," Scott added.

"Oh, what's that, the hundredth time you've talked about that?," Hope sarcastically replied, tired of hearing the story of how the great and powerful Ant-Man rescued half of the universe.

The duo has seen their fair share of weird, whether it be traveling to alternate dimensions or keeping giant ants as pets. Some magician popping up to them out of thin air wasn't that high on the list of strangeness.

Scott twiddled his thumbs, standing there in awkward silence before speaking up, "I mean, New York is nice this time of the year-."

"We're not joining the Avengers, Scott," Hope interrupted.

"Come on, Hope!," her boyfriend groaned, "This is perfect! Exactly what we were looking for! Us, Ant-Man and the Wasp saving the world yet again!"

"Scott, the government's finally off our backs, my mom finally got out of the Quantum Realm, and, oh yeah, we lost FIVE YEARS of our lives!", Hope pointed out, raising her voice.

Scott looked down with an expression that almost looked like shame. Cassie was left alone during the Snap for five years. He didn't even get to see her grow up. Teach her to drive, take her out on her first date, embarrass her with awful dad jokes.

"As much as I love being the Wasp," Hope explained, "Now's the time for us to lay low."

All her life, Hope wanted to be as badass as her parents. When she found out that they were superheroes, she was dying to get a suit of her own and fight crime. Unfortunately, recent events meant that she couldn't live that life, that it was safer to hide out and focus on her research into the Quantum Realm.

Scott nodded sadly, understanding his partner's point, "I know. I know It's just...it was nice being part of a team. Others having your back, saving the world together. Doing more than just hiding."

Hope sighed, remembering charging into a horde of aliens, "Yeah, it was pretty badass...Alright, how do we contact a wizard?"

…

"They're bringing back the Avengers?," MJ asked, incredulous to what her boyfriend was telling her.

"Yeah! Crazy, right?," Peter exclaimed, "And freaking War Machine just offered me a spot on the team!"

"Awesome!," Ned exclaimed. A look from MJ got him to look down and mutter, "Oh, uh, I mean, that's a lot of pressure, Peter."

The trio were spending their last day in the library, listening to Peter recounting his experience from last night.

"Pete, we're talking about the Avengers!," MJ pointed out, "That's a whole 'nother level! Are you sure you're up for that?"

Peter shrugged, "I mean, I took on a genocidal alien and a whole pack of drones! Pretty sure I could do this!"

"You do remember how both of those things went right?," MJ asked Peter, " 'I don't feel so good' and all that?"

"Man, those were some chilling last words, bro," Ned shook his head in horror.

"I got better!," Peter retaliated, "Look, MJ. In Europe, all I did was try and run away from responsibility. Now...I have to do this. Someone's got to step up. That's my responsibility."

MJ sighed, knowing exactly who Peter was thinking about when it came to responsibility.

Ned spoke up, "MJ, come on! It's the freaking Avengers! Earth's Mightiest Heroes! You can legit brag about dating an Avenger!"

The young girl sighed, "Fine."

Peter giddily yelped, "Yes! Thank you so much, MJ!"

"Though you have to answer one question," MJ lifted a finger at the hero, "Scale of one to ten, how cute is War Machine?"

"DUDE!," Peter exclaimed, lifting his arms up.

"I'm messing with you!," MJ laughed, "That look on your face. Always priceless."

...

"You're going," Nakia commanded the king.

The two were strolling through the city, Wakandan merchants working at their shops and music being played by street performers.

T'Challa shook his head, "Nakia, did you not hear me? They want me as a full-time hero. Someone who can always be called upon!"

"Isn't that the point of our initiative?," Nakia asked, "After everything with Killmonger and the Civil War, haven't we learned that we need to help out others outside of our country?"

"That was when we had less issues to deal with," T'Challa pointed out.

Nakia snickered, "I think you forgot all the work we had to do rebuilding the country after N'Jadaka's rule."

T'Challa exhaled, remembering the months spent rebuilding the labs and reworking relations between the many tribes. It was far from easy, but they were still able to find the time to aid their heroic allies in the US and start working closer with the UN.

"You could do great work with the team, T'Challa," Nakia explained, "Guard the Earth. Create new relations. Save lives. The world needs hope and the Black Panther, you, can give it to them."

T'Challa shook his head, "And what of Wakanda?"

"They were able to handle five years without you. I'm sure the council will understand your decision," Nakia smiled, holding his hand firmly, "I know that they need you."

T'Challa sighed. He made a promise to the world to provide aid to them. To use Wakandan resources to help the innocent. To make up for the mistakes of Wakanda's past.

He nodded, "Alright. Then I believe I have an invitation to accept."

…

At the top of the Sakaaran bar, Carol held a small phone to her ear, hoping to hear a response.

"Hello?," asked the voice on the other side of the phone.

Carol looked up, surprised to hear someone pick up, "Maria, is that you?"

"I'm sorry, if you're looking for my mother-"

"Monica?," Captain Danvers recognized the woman's voice, "Hey, Lieutenant Trouble, what's up?"

Carol could hear the person on the other side of the device audibly sigh.

"Carol," Monica exhaled, "What, uh...what's going on?"

"Uh, not much," Carol awkwardly said, "How's Maria doing?"

"She's out right now," Monica answered, "Why are you calling?"

Carol sighed. She spent a long time working with Talos and his family to find him a new home. Years with them made her forget that time was moving forward for everybody else. She's been away from Earth for decades and because of that, she missed years of her own child's life. Maria was a little more forgiving, but Monica...it's been harder.

"Well, I just got an offer to join the Avengers," the captain explained, "They want me to come back to Earth."

"...Alright."

"And I was hoping to talk to someone, get some advice on what to do," Carol explained, "I mean...what do you think? It could be nice. Some time back home. Earth sweet Earth and all that."

After a silent pause, Monica spoke up again, "Do whatever you want, Carol. Your life, your choice."

Carol laughed, trying to hide the awkward feeling in her gut, "Carol, huh? No 'Mama' or...hell, even 'Auntie Carol', like you used to call me in front of others. Or remember that old nickname you called me once. General Magnificent!"

Another silent pause occurred before Monica responded, "That was Mom's nickname."

A frown crossed Carol's face, "Wh...I'm sorry, I'm pretty sure that was-"

"You yourself mocked Mom for it. Bragged about it all the time," Monica made clear.

Carol shook her head. Since she first remembered her life before the accident with the Tesseract, her memories have been a jumble. Some things were concrete, but others still weren't fitting all the way together. It was like a jigsaw puzzle with missing pieces. Hell, some pieces fit, but they weren't the right ones.

"Look, Carol, I got to go," Monica said, "Just...do you, man."

The call ended as Carol looked up at the stars, tears beginning to slide down her face. She shook her head and began to float up to the stars. She reached for one of her pockets and pulled out a photo of her with Maria and Monica from a simpler time.

Carol felt like she could use a distraction. Maybe Earth could give her one.

She folded the picture back up and began to float away.

…

Wanda sat in her room, twirling her fingers around as red mist danced before her eyes. The apartment was tiny and a bit of a mess, but she needed somewhere to stay.

Thoughts of lost lovers and fallen heroes popped throughout her head as the red mist took shape. Slowly but surely, a face was formed. Then a body. Then legs and arms.

Finally, standing before her was her brother, Pietro Maximoff. One of many fallen Avengers.

The apparition began to speak, chuckling, "Shit. This is where you're living, Wanda? Even Hydra's cells were bigger than this!"

Wanda smirked, "Hey, rent is cheap. Better than the orphanages in Sokovia."

"Is it though?," Pietro questioned, "You know what DOES have bigger rooms? Avengers Mansion!"

Wanda shook her head, "Of course you'd want me to go back."

"Hey, at least you got to live there!," the man shrugged, "Me, no, I just had to save the damsel in distress!"

Wanda tensed up. She remembered Clint bringing back her twin's corpse and the many apologies she got from him. Seeing her brother talk about some events so jokingly felt wrong in so many ways.

"You have seen the world lately, right?," Wanda responded, "People like us are being called out as monsters and freaks! We are being rounded up, arrested with no charges against us, slaughtered! Why should I protect a world that wants me dead?"

Pietro shook his head with sympathy, "Remember the robot?"

Wanda shuddered, "How could I forget?"

Pietro nodded, "The world hated us then too. We still worked with the Avengers. We still risked our lives or...gave up our lives for our home. Even before our powers, when the city called us filth for being Jews and Romani, we still tried helping out where we could."

"What's your point?," Wanda asked.

"Maybe heroism is just in our blood," the illusion suggested before slowly disappearing.

Wanda groaned as she leaned her head on the wall behind her. Maybe it was time to don the red coat again.