He grabbed the center chain, looping under the edges of the container, and interlocked into the web of chains to snap into the leading chain, and commanded, "Go!", as he jumped into the back handles of the container, holding into them.
"Hang on for dear life, Milo!", Sweet shouted as the volcano began to truly come to life and magma started to fill the chambers in a hurry.
"Mole... how bad is this thing going to be for the city with how close it is to the volcano?", Peggy asked as Mole had a dark look on his face.
"Depends on the waterfalls and how much it can hold back the tide... but filling the chambers with magma and a complete eruption...", Mole bit his lip.
Steve commented, "At least Hydra won't ever find it again that way.", as they have no idea how powerful the Heart of Atlantis is, only Milo, as the swarm of flyers, both crew and warriors flew fast, heading for Atlantis.
Milo can see the waterfalls slowly coming back to life, along with the flames of the torches, and seeing the people's crystals glow back to normal as they got to the center of the city, and Milo shouted, "Right down here, Sia!", as Sia directed the Ketak to lower the container on the center of the city's platform.
"What do we do now?", Steve asked as he and Milo helped place the container upright, "Steve, lend me your shield there, we've got to pry her open out of this!".
"The fissure, it is about to eject its pyroclastic fury!", Mole cried out as everyone could see the waves of lava flooding out from the far-off caves.
Sweet translated, "Milo, Mole says that it's going to blow!", as Milo grabbed the shield, wedged it into the edge of the container, and with a massive grunt as he moved forward, the container broke open, and then came a blinding crystal-blue sight as Kida floated, nearly causing the crowd to back off, gasping and with Milo and Steve nearly covering their eyes as they backed away.
Milo saw a noticeable baby bump, crystallized as the rest of her, and if he wasn't mistaken, he can see a small black shape, and his heart skipped a beat as he prayed, seeing Kida gesture, floating the container panels away, hearing a soft rumbling sound that got louder and louder as the sound got closer.
He then shouted in surprise as one of the stone carvings from the crystal chamber broke through, along with the others, and they joined Kida as they zoomed up to the sky, soon making the stones whir around her, faster and faster until it became a bright blue planet in shape, as the crew and the city watched in shock, awe, and amazement, as the Heart of Atlantis then zapped out in one direction, and Milo turned around to watch, seeing the beam landing on a Atlantean head of a statue, activating it as it came alive.
The statue then revealed just how towering it was as it slowly started to stand up, practically engulfing the temple/city in its shadow.
"How many years do you think to carve that?", Steve whispered to Milo. "Centuries, has to be...", he answered back in shock.
Milo then looked back at the Heart of Atlantis, creating more beams, shooting out at more statues in the lake, and they all also started to stand up as well, with the volcano's fury becoming more threatening as it got closer, with all the magma and such.
They watched the statues walk to all the borders of the great waterfalls, and like on a silent command, the statues clapped together into a thunderous booming sound, creating crystal-blue shields, growing and growing, covering beyond the statues' persons, and Milo widened his eyes, realizing that this is how they did it last time.
"They're creating an entire lake-sized shield, like last time!", Milo exclaimed, and Steve commented, "Except it was a water tsunami last time, and now a lava tsunami!", as the shield grew and grew, connecting with the Heart of Atlantis at last with a flash, and incredibly, the shield stood up as the lava over swarmed the isle of the lake and city, covering it all, as darkness was now engulfed, with the Heart of Atlantis flashing over the lava/magma, turning it solid.
And then two minutes later, there were sounds of solidified magma crackling open in blue glowing spiderwebs in a way, with light coming back as the solidified magma fell down, sliding over the shield, falling to the cavern floor around the isle, crashing as there is now lava waterfalls and tubes from several caves on the other side, and large pieces of the solidified magma crashed between the statues as the shield came down to the statues, breaking open the waterfalls out more faster and bigger than before, draining the lake some, with inlets of resurfaced Atlantean ruins creating more waterfalls like a tier.
"Was... was that it?", Jacques panted as the rush of everything really did cause everyone to get very worried and excited. "I think so... I'll be damned... we actually survived...", Audrey admitted.
"I can't believe it...", Peggy said as she reached over to Steve to hug him; thankful that now it all seemed to be over.
Milo smiled, and then looked up with concern as mist was clearing away around the city, seeing light through the sky, and his breath caught as he saw Kida emerging in a light blue beam, human again.
He sprinted to the beam spot, watching Kida as she got closer and closer, unconscious, with her noticeable baby bump, clearly 2 months along, and got into the beam to hold her as Kida floated down into his arms, her hair and clothes still floating momentarily before the light blue beam vanished, giving Kida back her center of gravity as her head rested back against Milo's chest, breathing deeply.
Milo watched her, listening as her breathing changed, sighing softly, fluttering her eyes open, and Milo exhaled in relief to see her beautiful blue eyes open, whispering, "Kida...".
Kida looked up, blinking in awe, whispering, "Milo?", and Milo gave her a bright smile, "Yeah...I know...But it's still me...I love you...", as Kida smiled back at him, happy to see his familiar smile, "I love you too...", before realizing that she had something clutched in her hand.
She looked down, opening it up as she brought it up close to her, revealing a bracelet, her little bracelet she had so long ago, with a charm of a train into the bracelet as well, and Kida's eyes watered, smiling, "Mother...", as Milo looked down at the bracelet, "That train charm...".
Kida whispered, "Mother said that your parents are proud of you, and they love you...", and Milo gave a watery laugh, realizing that his parents truly has watched over him and Thaddeus and his family...
"Kida...You're pregnant...", Milo whispered, and Kida then widened her eyes in shock, now realizing it as she saw her small baby bump, stroking it, feeling flutters from inside, and she gave a relieved sob, "They're alive...The Kings of the Past...They kept them safe...They're not kicking for real yet, but they're moving...", before looking back up at Milo with tears and then kissed him on the lips in a long-needed reunion way.
Milo held her as they kissed, wrapping their arms tenderly around each other, and after a minute, they broke away, and Milo smiled softly before seeing something beyond them, and looked at Kida with a blinding smile, gesturing to her to look.
Kida, a bit confused, turned around, and her eyes widened, gasping in disbelief and joy as she sobbed happily, "Atlantis of the past...", as she looked at the incredible view, way better than before, barely noticing as the others joined into the view.
"It's not like what you remember...", Milo replied softly, and Kida shook her head, squeezing his hand, "No...It's so much better than I imagined...", before she nearly collapsed into Milo's arms, "Kida! Sweet!", calling Sweet over.
Sweet ran over to check Kida, "She's alright, Milo...She's majorly exhausted after all of that. Best to give her some food, and a lot of rest, especially with that baby.", as Kida protested half-heartedly, "But...Atlantis...".
Milo replied, "We have all the time we want to see the newly returned ruins and all, Kida, but doctor's orders...And hold on a minute...", before commanding the warriors in Atlantean to tell the people to get back to their lives, and the warriors nodded, "Yes, our king!".
Kida then exhaled, tears falling as she realized, "Father...He gave you the Kings' Crystal...Did he suffer?", choked up sobs for she never got the chance to say goodbye to him.
Milo tried to think before Sia came up, hugging Kida gently, "No, he didn't suffer, dear sister. And he wasn't upset for he loved you so much, loved us so much...I'll...take care of the arrangements before I head to bed. You heard Dr. Sweet and your mate. You need to rest.".
Kida nodded silently, and Milo then glanced at the crew, and Sia smiled at him, "Don't worry, Milo. I will see to it that they will have rooms...It has been a long day and night...They can stay as long as they need.".
"I think we certainly have a lot to work through for the next few days in the least... what with where present company will be going and all.", Milo said as Sweet chuckled.
"So fast to kick us out now, huh? A little power and it goes right to your head.", Sweet teased. "Well, I get the feeling that there are some amongst what remains of our little band that will probably want to go back home than hang around here.", Milo replied.
Audrey replied, "Still, it wouldn't hurt if we stay for a few days. I don't know about you, but I really want a bed and a real shower, especially after being on the road for literally a week!".
Sia chuckled, "Indeed. Come, my friends, I'll take you to some available rooms.", leading the way, as she knew she will have to be a bit busy with arranging her father's funeral and all as Kida is exhausted after saving the whole city and such.
A couple of hours later, Peggy couldn't sleep easily, rolling over a few times before she sighed deeply, sitting up as she glanced to see Steve sleeping, and she smiled warmly as he still is cute when he sleeps without any worry in the world.
She got out of bed, walking to the open-air window, to look over the city that is faintly celebrating with feasts and parties, not that she would blame them as the city was literally saved twice over, and she sighed, recalling the battle with Helga more clearly than she was, since she had adrenaline, fury, and such, but now since everything is calming down, she can't stop thinking...
Everything had changed so much in such a short time; especially regarding Steve... it felt so strange now that he was practically a new man. Sure, personality and all, nothing much had changed, but for these past months, she was just getting so used to what he was before.
"Peggy?", a soft voice asked in concern, and Peggy looked back to see Steve walking up to her, as they are dressed in Atlantean guest clothes, and she gave a small smile, "Hey...I thought you were conked out after everything...".
Steve gave a small chuckle, "Oh, I was, but I felt you rolling around in bed...Are you alright?...Is it me?", rubbing his neck.
"Oh, no, I'm not avoiding you, Steve...I suppose I was so much used to being the taller one and all in our...situation...I suppose I felt protective over you...And now...You didn't treat me like a helpless dame, and you knew I could handle Sinclair...Still, it feels strange to feel...well, small now compared to you...", Peggy sighed deeply.
Steve grasped her hand, "Peggy, I would never see you as fragile...You are incredible and an amazing woman...I admit I'm rather different than other men, since I can cook for you and sketch you, but all the same, I'd always fight for you, and I'd love to fight alongside your side more often as you were a badass fighting those Stormtroopers and all...And you handled Sinclair too by yourself too!", with a proud grin.
Peggy giggled, smiling as she blushed, looking into Steve's eyes, "Thank you, Steve...We sure make a great team, don't we?", and Steve smiled, "Yep...", pure belief in that comment. Peggy's heart swelled before she recalled Helga's words, and a frown came to her as she rested against the alcove edge, glancing back over the city.
"There's something else bothering you, isn't there?", Steve whispered softly, and Peggy bit her lip before exhaling, and nodded, as tears prickled at the corners of her eyes, and she whispered, "Would you blame me if I was reckless, losing...losing your baby?".
"What brought that on?", Steve asked as she sighed, "Helga... she... she kicked me pretty damn hard in the abdomen during the fight; I, more than likely, wasn't pregnant with all the stress of the journey and all that, but...".
"She said something about that, right?", Steve nodded gently, looking at Peggy, squeezing her hand softly.
Peggy choked back, "She called our hypothetical baby a halfbreed, and said that you would walk out on me if you found out that I intentionally came to fight while pregnant and losing the baby...as she called you...a sentimental fool for wanting a family...She was literally happy, threatening, saying that the baby would die and it would be my fault...It crossed the line for me, and I wailed on her, punching her and all..".
"She had it coming then.", Steve said as he had a small smirk. "She brought that one on herself by doing it... my guess was maybe you'd get so angry you'd make a mistake... obviously that backfired.".
Peggy replied, "You'd be right on that...But I still can't stop thinking about...", and Steve then widened his eyes as he now realized what is truly bothering Peggy, and he went to caress her cheek, "Peggy, yes, it's true I'd be a bit upset if I found out you risked yourself while pregnant, but I would never walk out on you. I love you so much, and I would never push you to try again for another baby unless you're ready, after losing the hypothetical baby and grieving...Yes, I'd be sad that that hypothetical baby would never have a chance to live, but I'd always try to convince you that my mother would always take care of any lost children from us, no doubt about it...".
Her heart pounded at the firm words Steve said, as her tears broke away from her eyes, and Peggy touched his hand, whispering, "Steve...I never thought I'd deserve a man like you...".
Steve smiled tenderly, whispering, "Strangely enough, despite feeling strong and tall, I still can't believe I'm so deserving of you, Peggy...", and Peggy exhaled, "Then I will have to convince you of that...Is that offer of making out with me still on the table? I want to love you all over again...", remembering what Steve said after that abrupt, passionate kiss on the gondola, with a blush.
"Of course...Through that means a few months of doing it all over again...dates, making out, making love...", Steve lowly replied, and Peggy smiled, "A few weeks or a few months, I don't care as long as it's with you...Kiss me, Steve...We don't have to rush now...After all, you heard Milo...A few days of freedom down here with you...", huskily whispering.
"Then duty, more than likely, calls... but right now... the war can at least wait... not like we're going anywhere in a hurry at the moment.", Steve chuckled as she smiled. "Think you'll need those pills?", Peggy coyly asked.
Steve laughed warmly, "Nope, as I'm already getting hard when you suggested the idea...", before kissing her passionately, and Peggy moaned, her hands moving to grab him closer, feeling him easily pick her up, wrapping his arms around her lovingly and tenderly firm, and Peggy knew she's going to have an adventure to explore Steve's new body in their making out tonight, just happy with the compromise of having pleasure time with him as Steve knew that she was sore from today earlier of their lovemaking, and of course, the whole action following with Rourke and Helga's betrayal.
Meanwhile, Sia is in her nightgown, not bothered by the chill, or the occasional guard as she couldn't be able to sleep, for she kept hearing the gunshot and seeing her father fall, and she, knowing that she cannot be rude on Kida and Milo's privacy, especially when Milo had been worried out of his mind all this time for her and their baby during his leadership, even if he was calm on the outside most of the time, she went to one of the wings of the palace as both wings also had guest bedrooms next to the nearby towering buildings.
Walking in the east wing, she was conflicted as she knew she wasn't mates with Jacques, yet Jacques had been there for her when she collapsed for a short time of grief when her father passed away and all, and she is worried if this is intruding on his privacy as he was a surfacer, not a Atlantean, but she felt safe, better in his arms...