Harrison and Amanda was quite awestruck, for it was much more beautiful compared to London or even Whitland and its countryside, almost exotic yet familiar in a way, and Brookyln was literally pressing her face on the viewing windows upon Bucky's shoulders after asking eagerly, with Peggy soon holding a cooing and wide-eyed Asher as he wiggled lightly in her arms at the window as well, with Marina gurgling quietly in awe as Audrey gently adjusted the incubator sling of her daughter's view.
Rebecca smiled, glancing at Dazis as she held Helena to her shoulder, "It's so good to be home, Dazis...", and Dazis smiled so widely, hearing those wonderful words for the first time from his mate, as it was the first time for her to be out of the city, to reunite with Bucky in her hopes, and now, with a loving look, he kissed her on the cheek, "Yes, we're home, Becca...You sure you ain't going to want to settle anywhere else?".
"Dazis, how many times must I say this from now on? You and Helena are my home, and Atlantis is our home...I'd never thought I'd feel like I'm finally home right here, right now, yet I am.", Rebecca proclaimed happily, surely, and full of content bliss as she gently yet lovingly pecked her mate on the lips with a wide smile, and to prove him even more, Helena gurgled happily, smiling at her daddy.
"Sorry; still sometimes hard to believe and get used to.", Dazis apologized. "It's alright.", Rebecca kissed him on the cheek.
Dazis smiled, nodding, glad that he has such an understanding mate in her, loving her even more, and focused on driving the narwhal more carefully as they approached the city, getting closer and closer to the city center, seeing swarms of people waving and smiling and racing the shadow of the narwhal.
Amanda replied, "Wow...it's even more beautiful up close, and all those people...Somehow, I'm relieved that they didn't have to suffer an attack like London, yet a bit jealous that they are in paradise.".
Peggy said, "Actually, they had suffered centuries of forgetting their culture, their language and such...so, I think that's worse than an attack, or worse, an attempted invasion of Hydra.", and Amanda winced slightly, "That's more than fair...I'm no longer jealous...You're right...", with a nod.
Harrison chuckled, "Our daughter's witty and smart, dear wife.", as they held on slightly with the narwhal going to land right smack in the middle, with Dazis turning off everything from his crystal, and lowering the ramp, before the royal extended family and such.
"Peggy; you alright?", Bucky asked. "I mean, if you're having second doubts…", concerned for his sister-in-law, watching out for her as he had promised his brother.
"No; this needs to be done… and I can't afford to waste much time, not after what HYDRA has at least accomplished. Whoever is left still will remain such a great threat.", Peggy said firmly.
Bucky nodded, and gently lowered Brooklyn from his shoulders as she grasped her mummy's free hand, joining her side by side, "Let's go, Mumma!", with an excited smile as she couldn't hold still, almost bouncing on her feet.
Peggy chuckled, "Alright, alright.", as she held Asher a bit more securely to her side in her other arm, waiting for the others to go first.
Bucky joined Audrey, with Marina's incubator sling adjusted to her chest, not daring to jar her off like a handy bag, following the trio of Dazis, Rebecca, and Helena first, heading down the ramp.
Peggy took a deep breath, and walked down the ramp, glad to have her parents following behind them, faintly hearing the confused yet curious buzz of the people, and she knew with a pang to her heart that the people were expecting to see Steve by her side, though they were twittering with curiosity to see the children.
Brookyln turned shy, "Mumma, why they staring at us?", holding her hand so tightly which Peggy returned with a gentle smile, and Peggy spoke warmly to reassure her that she's with her while explaining, "It's the first time they are seeing some of their heroes' children from the surface, as Audrey, Bucky, me, and your father saved Atlantis, and they are honored to have a brand-new surface baby like Marina, and of course, you and Asher for you are not just British, American, but Atlantean and a special Atlantean at that.", as she and Steve has said that she is special for her abilities, not outing the super soldier serum exactly as they couldn't risk that if Brookyln talks about it casually, yet telling her that talking about Atlantis is only in the family.
"It'll be alright; don't feel the need to hide anything here. They can all be trusted.", Peggy added as she kept smiling. Brookyln looked at her mummy for clarification, "Really, mumma? Me be myself?", widening her eyes, and Peggy nodded, "That's right, no more holding back, but mind your strength, darling. They are human like me right now, okay?".
Brookyln smiled widely, nodding, and then waved, "Hi! Me Brooke, child of Mumma Peggy and Dada Steve, and this Ash, miracle baby of Mumma Peggy and Dada Steve, and me brother!", earning the people to coo and smile at the bubbly toddler, making Peggy proud, choking back a little sob, imagining Steve's proud and beaming face if he saw this.
"She's getting better… it's almost scary.", Bucky whispered to Audrey. Audrey smiled softly, "You have to admit that she couldn't really be herself back up there, with the risk of being found out, and with her age, it's not normal per sec, either.", and Bucky nodded in understanding.
Kida opened her arms warmly, "Welcome, old and new friends! It's so good to see familiar faces, and an honor to meet new faces in such precious children, and new elders too! Preston and Manuel must be busy, yes?".
Bucky replied, "Yeah, as far as we know, your highness. We introduce Marina Rosaline Barnes-Ramirez, our miraculous and precious baby girl who is as much as newborn as she is, for she has been born in a stressful time of a premature birth under an attack, which Dazis has told us that the Heart has informed you of things going wrong last month.".
Kida widened her eyes in shock and horror, "Oh, my! I hope you didn't have too much tearing or such, Audrey.", and Audrey sighed, "No, nothing like that which was a relief, but it was stressful...The danger the Heart sensed, they must have sensed our desire to save her properly from getting sick prematurely as they made this incubator sling for her...She's getting better and lasting longer to be in the outside world from the sling, but still needs it, along with healing baths for her badly bruised foot that was tangled in the cord.".
"Where did the attack happen?", Milo asked as he held the hand of a bright-eyed and curious Toki who was looking at Brookyln, and Bucky sighed, "Over London, Milo...And it wasn't even the end of it...The elders you see, your highness, they are Peggy's parents, Harrison Carter.", as the said man respectfully bowed his torso, "And Amanda Carter.", with the said woman curtseying in respect, as Bucky continued, "They welcomed us back into Peggy's hometown away from London, to keep the children safe...But it didn't last long, for we all felt like we're on alert, waiting for something else while trying to help Peggy's homeland recover...I and Steve, and soon Peggy, was in battle, when the second thing you must have felt going wrong, when London was slighted by a monstrosity of a flying machine called the Valkyrie, created by Hydra, far worse than the zeppelin, Milo, we had warrior teams for different things, fighting it, and we couldn't keep up with ammo running out, and London losing lives in warriors and citizens alike when...my brother came up with an idea...an idea that led to...", with a deep sigh, looking down with tears, as Audrey squeezed his hand.
Sia frowned, "Sister, this must have been where the Levithan had left post to help Steve...as we both felt in our royal crystals and Milo's royal crystal that the Levithan was angry at enemies, enemies that was intent to put harm on the world and our kingdom...How did the Levithan get hurt in this battle? Did anyone see him?".
Peggy quickly reassured her, "No, nobody saw the Levithan, Sia, your highness...It...it was over deep sea, as the Valkyrie was on the course of attacking S-Steve's homeland across the sea...Steve literally had the idea to throw himself into the Valkyrie...He...he destroyed means that was to head for my hometown where our children were, with my parents, along with other lands, as the other day before it came over the Channel to London, it had attacked Rome, Paris, and other cities that is important to the lands.", knowing that the people were hearing this.
Joshua, Milo, Jacques shouted in horror and dismay, hearing the horrible news, as Jacques held little Jen to his chest, with Vinny holding into Kory's hand as he was horrified that Italy was in danger too, next to Jacques who loved France, and with Joshua and Milo, having loved America, of course, with nearby of Abraham and Thaddeus, horrified as they held Klaus and Rachel in their arms.
"And Steve?", Abraham spoke up as Peggy turned to look at him. "You know exactly why I'm here now, Abraham.", Peggy said, "Only one other option, was it? Still enough for one more person?".
Abraham widened his eyes in horror, "No...He...he must have escaped! He loves you and the others so much!", and Peggy replied, "And that's why he did it...He...he knew that stopping the Valkyrie would save the world and Atlantis, but yes, most of all, for all of us...He...he...I don't know if he truly escaped...it...the power behind the Valkyrie and Hydra's weapons was powerful and strange for us, but familiar for you...".
"The Tesseract...", Abraham whispered in horror, and Peggy nodded with tears in her eyes, "It...it was nothing like we had never seen before, as the Levithan was helping with Atlantean energy, not even comparing to the explosion within camp or the Zeppelin...Even if we were far away, we were able to see it...it was like the sun exploding on itself, except smaller, I suppose, but we had to hide our eyes and ears as it was that blinding and deafening...I...Bucky found his compass...", taking out the compass, and closed her eyes in grief.
Bucky whispered, "It really didn't leave nothing much except Hydra goon remains, and Schmidt, he was killed by the Levithan in the sea just smack under the Valkyrie...after Steve fought with him in the cockpit...where we had...a conversation with him for the last time.. We heard him planning to do something, and I think he went for the death button for the Valkyrie...after that, he cut the radio off, running...I think the Tesseract and the Atlantean energy the Levithan went into killing Schmidt had gone into the Valkyrie, had fought...".
Abraham was beyond overjoyed to hear of Schmidt's death, breathing easier as he sobbed in relief as the man who had personally given the orders of killing his wife and his children the first time before coming back to him, had burdened him so much, and Thaddeus wrapped his arm around him, shushing him gently, kissing his forehead.
Harrison and Amanda were shocked to see such a casual gesture that the people were so used to, having heard a few personal things from the others, while Kida grasped Peggy's shoulder, "If this explosion killed human lives and ultimately destroyed the machine, leaving remains, it couldn't make sense for a small thing to survive, unless covered in Atlantean energy...".
Bucky widened his eyes, "Actually, it was...It gave a soldier trouble when he tried to open it, and when I recognized it, I felt the familiar buzz of Atlantean energy, and then it was gone when I went to open it successfully...", and Kida nodded, "Give it to me, Peggy...", with a warm smile.
Peggy widened her eyes, tears falling in hope, "You...you think you could find him? I...I tried when I got it from Bucky...", and Kida replied, "I'm the queen of Atlantis, and able to be part of the Heart. I'll do my best.", gently showing her hand patiently, and Peggy took a shuddering breath, placing it into her hand.
Kida chanted in Atlantean as she pressed her crystal to it, "Great Kings, help me find Warrior Steven Rogers, to see if he's alive or dead, and if he's dead, we will honor him with a hero's funeral in our traditions, yet if he's alive, hint if you could, feel his crystal. By your will, Great Kings.", as the Heart above the city glowed brighter and brighter, the stones of the Great Kings rumbled, rolling a bit faster, and a beam then landed upon Kida, not quite entrancing her or taking her up, but just shimmering into Kida as her eyes glowed.
Harrison and Amanda froze in shock as Audrey whispered to them, "It's okay, she's communicating with the Great Kings of the Crystal Heart up there.", as the people went silent, watching their queen, taking a couple of minutes, before the beam vanished, with the Heart becoming peaceful again, with the stones slowing down to normal pace, with Kida's eyes back to normal as she swayed slightly, taking a deep exhale.
"He's not dead, or in danger of dying...But I can't tell where he is, or how he is, for he perhaps is working through his healing time in a coma, surviving through the land he is in, or having his memories lost to him, just that he's very far.", Kida proclaimed.
Peggy felt the largest sigh of relief come from her in her life upon hearing that. She almost wanted to break down and cry again but with joy this time at the news. Sure, he was still missing and all; but at least he was alive!
"Son of a bitch…", Bucky said. "The hell would it take to kill him?", he chuckled as Audrey slugged his arm. Bucky playfully winced, grinning at her as she rolled her eyes, with Marina making her first giggle in the incubator, and they looked at her in joy, hearing that the giggle was not shy or weak, but strong, smiling as Bucky kissed Audrey's tears away.
The others were beyond relieved, and the people twittered, cheering in relief, and Abraham replied, "It's not over yet...He's still missing, and if he needs time to recover, it's best to give the world some needed relief...Are you really sure you want to take up the mantle of being a super soldier, dear Peggy?", looking at her.
Peggy took a deep breath, looking at him, "The world needs help, and Hydra isn't stopping, and I need to protect the children, my friends, and all the lands that means a lot to me and Steve.", looking determined.
"Then give me a week so I can get the dust out of the equipment, see if I can adapt Atlantean tech to the machine and such, and of course, having to run a few trials of power and such first, and checking to make sure the second and final batch of the serum is still functional. I know they are in proofed vials and all but can't afford to glance over a crack and things like that. I cannot risk cutting corners and risk your death, Peggy, and make the children partly orphans, and make Steve heartbroken... Is that clear?", Abraham looked at her seriously and firmly.
Peggy exhaled, and looked at Bucky as he shrugged, "A week is barely a nick in time, and you know Phillips got everything in charge up there as it was a miracle that he gave me a month of leave, and since we finished two weeks, I still have one more week after this week, and I can help you train up and such.".
Peggy nodded, and then looked back at Abraham, "Crystal clear, Doctor. Good thing that I had practice at being patient all my life.", and Abraham gave her a warm, satisfied smile, "Good. Shall we go up for dinner, your highness? I'm sure Nola and the others are waiting for Joshua and all of us, as the triplets must be keeping Nola and Joshua's parents on their toes.", glancing at Kida.
Kida smiled, "Of course.", and after dismissing the people, and arranging a warrior to take and park the narwhal into one of the clearing spots used for Ketaks, Martags, and the mini-sub and the Narwhal, the extended group went up into the palace, and Peggy, her folks got to know Nola, Joshua's family, while the little ones made friends quickly with each other, creating a kids' table of sorts with parents helping here and there.
And so, after receiving the compass back, and after a wonderful meal, knowing the way by heart, Peggy took the kids and her parents, to the bell-shaped tower of a building where Peggy and Steve made it their temporary home during the few days they had stayed after the battle and before leaving for the surface, after hearing that the last time Audrey and Bucky was here, they asked Kida to arrange the nursery and clean up the bedrooms in the bell-shaped tower, including Peggy and Steve's beloved room where they first made love when Steve was his old self.