Avengers Compound
Afternoon
"Okay, so let me get this straight," Fury said, trying to wrap his mind around it. "This Skull Rider-"
"Ghost Rider," Mack corrected.
"Burned the GH.325 out of Coulson's body when it temporarily merged with him?" Fury continued as if Mack hadn't interrupted him.
"That about covers it sir," Mack nodded.
"Well I've heard some crazy sh-stuff," Frank said, glancing over at Cassie. "But never something like this."
"This GH.325, it's what was keeping Coulson alive all this time?" Bruce asked and Mack nodded.
"How long does he have?" Natasha asked lowly.
"Days. Weeks if he's lucky," Mack said grimly to the shock of everyone.
"Isn't there anything you can do?" Steve asked but Mack shook his head sadly.
"We tried everything. We had a way to save him, but we had to use it to stop Glenn Talbot from tearing the earth apart," Mack sighed. "There is no miracle cure here and he's not looking for one. Coulson, he's made his peace with dying. It took a while, but we have as well."
In the med-bay, Bobbi was checking over Coulson.
"Your heart can't take a lot of stress, that's all. You need to take it easy," Bobbi advised him.
"I'm afraid I don't have the option," Coulson chuckled dryly. "I am glad that, despite the circumstances, I got to see you one more time."
"I just wish the others were here to," Bobbi said quietly and Coulson smiled softly.
"Me to. Bobbi, we're gonna get Hunter back. We're gonna get them all back," Coulson promised and Bobbi stared at him incredulously.
"Sir, we've lost half our team and you're standing on your last leg. How can you possibly think we'll win?" Bobbi asked incredulously.
"Call it a dying man's optimism. Simmons said something to me before all this," Coulson said and Bobbi raised an eyebrow. 'Your team always worked the problem, no matter what the odds'. I have to have faith that we'll bring them all back. You're not alone Bobbi. You're a part of something bigger. You're not just an Agent of SHIELD anymore. You're an Avenger to."
Barry walked into his old room, looking around. It hadn't changed at all in the two years since he'd left during the argument about The Accords. Barry walked over and picked up a picture of him and Wanda on their first date. Caitlin lingered in the doorway before walking in. Looking over his shoulder, she put a hand on his shoulder.
"We're gonna get them back Barry," Caitlin promised and Barry let out a shuttering breath as he put the photo down.
"I know. Because I'm not sure what I'm gonna do if we don't," Barry said and it was quiet in the room for a moment.
"So this was your room while you lived here?" Caitlin asked as she looked around, dropping her hand from his shoulder.
"Yeah, apparently Tony had the staff keep all our rooms clean. I guess he was hoping one day we'd come back," Barry said before looking over at her, a slight smirk on his face. "So. You and Steve?"
"I don't know what you're talking about," Caitlin blushed but Barry only raised an eyebrow. "Is it that obvious?"
"Only to someone who knows you both as well as I do," Barry said and Caitlin sighed.
"I went to his room in Wakanda, he seemed so…defeated. We ended up talking and…" Caitlin trailed off but Barry didn't need to hear more. "Honestly, it's taken me until now to get to a point where I'm…okay without him. Now-"
"Seeing him brought it all back," Barry said knowingly and Caitlin nodded. "You've given me a lot of helpful advice over the years. Can I give you some?"
"Sure," Caitlin said confused.
"When-not if, when-we bring everyone back and stop Thanos….I think you should stay here. With Steve," Barry said and Caitlin stared at him in shock.
"What?" Caitlin asked once she found her voice.
"Don't get me wrong, I'd miss you like crazy, we all would. But I've been without Wanda for a few days and I can't imagine a worse kind of pain," Barry said with a grimace and Caitlin's eyes softened. "And I know it's not the same thing, but I realize you've been going through the same thing since Steve left."
"Barry, I'll be okay," Caitlin assured him.
"Will you really? You just said it took you until now to get to a point where you were okay without him," Barry reminded her and Caitlin winced. "Cait…I love you, but you never put yourself first. I think you should start. You've always lived your life for everyone but you. For once in your life Cait, think of yourself and what you want."
Barry then walked out, leaving Caitlin alone with her thoughts.
Natasha was in the kitchen, going through the cabinets when Clint walked in.
"What are you doing?" Clint asked confused.
"Looking for something, provided Tony didn't already use it…here it is," Natasha said, pulling out a bottle of Russian Vodka.
"You sure drinking right now is a good idea?" Clint asked wearily.
"Probably not, but I really need a drink. You want one?" she asked as she put the bottle down on the table and Clint shrugged.
"Sure, why not?" Clint said.
Natasha pulled out tow glassed, opening the bottle and pouring two glasses. She slid one over to Clint and picked up her own.
"To Wanda and Barnes," Clint raised his glass.
"To Wanda and Bucky," Natasha toasted before she drowned her glass.
Clint drank his glass as well, humming in approval.
"That's good liquor," Clint said as he put the glass down. "Nat…how are you doing?"
"What, that the love of my life and half our friends disappeared? That Fury and Coulson have been lying to use for six years? Or that Coulson is dying, for real this time?" Natasha asked bluntly.
"All of it," Clint said calmly.
"I don't know. How can you be okay after all this?" Natasha said with a shuttering breath.
"I'm not. But I'm saving all my rage for Thanos," Clint said grimly. "Son of a bitch is gonna pay for what he's done."
"That we can agree on," Fury said as he walked in and his former agent tensed.
"What do you want Fury?" Clint asked lowly.
"To talk," Fury said simply. "I know you two are upset with me, but we need to-"
"We? There is no we Fury," Clint sneered as he whirled on Fury. "We will work with you to stop Thanos, but after that, we're done Fury."
Clint turned to leave then paused before he whirled around. Fury's head whirled to the side as Clint decked him before the archer stormed out of the room.
"I suppose that goes for you to?" Fury asked, fingering his jaw as he looked over at Natasha.
"You know, when you didn't tell me you faked your death during the Hydra uprising, I figured I'd cut you some slack because you weren't sure who to trust," Natasha mentioned and Fury internally winced. "But the truth is you don't trust anyone. Maybe that's because of whatever happened when you lost your eye, or maybe it's because you're just a paranoid son of a bitch. Either way, I don't care. The Red Room lied to me, manipulated me, made me into their weapon. And you did the same thing, made me into what you needed me to be. No more. I am not your weapon Fury and I will never be again. Once this is over, we're done."
Natasha walked out after Clint, leaving Fury staring after them sadly.
In Wanda's room, Freya was looking around. Seeing a picture of Wanda and Clint, Freya picked it up, staring at it for a moment before she heard someone enter the room. She put it down, looking over at Barry.
"Hey," Freya said.
"Can we not do the awkward small talk?" Barry asked and Freya laughed.
"Sorry, I just knew this was a lot to take in," Freya apologized.
"It was," Barry agreed as he sat down on Wanda's bed, patting the spot next to him. "Now I just want to talk."
Freya nodded, sitting down next to him.
"What do you want to know?" Freya asked.
"I want to know everything. What's your favorite color? What do you do? Do you have friends? Are you happy?" Barry rambled and Freya just laughed.
"Slow down dad. In order, red. I've really just been preparing for this. I guess you could call me an Avenger. Yeah, I've got friends. As for that last one, I'll be a lot happier once we undo this," Freya said and it was quiet for a moment.
"We don't win from where you come, do we?" Barry asked and she looked over at him. "That's why you came back."
"No, you don't," Freya said gently and Barry closed his eyes, knowing it was coming but it was still a big blow. "Things have to go a certain way in order for us to win. I'm trying to make sure that happens."
"Coulson," Barry said after a moment. "He's dying."
"And you're wondering why I brought him here if it's impossible to save him," Freya said knowingly and he nodded. "Before he dies, Coulson has to do something. Something only he can do. If he doesn't do it, then all this has been for nothing."
"What does he have to do?" Barry asked curiously and she shrugged.
"I don't know, I just know he has to do it," Freya said and she said in a way that Wanda often would when something annoyed her, causing Barry to smile.
"But this person you're working with does?" Barry asked and Freya nodded. "Who are they?"
"You'll meet him soon enough," Freya said vaguely and Barry just shook his head in exasperation.
"Well, in the meantime, I'd like to get to know you," Barry said and she smiled.
In Steve room, Steve was coming out of the bathroom, having finally shaved his beard. Steve wiped his face with a towel and tossed it in the hamper as there was a knock on the door to his room.
"Come in," Steve called out and the door opened.
"I see you shaved," Caitlin noted as she saw him. "Too bad, I liked the beard look."
"Now you tell me," Steve joked lightly before looking at her with a look that made Caitlin's heart flutter. "Is everything okay?"
Caitlin signed, shutting the door and Steve raised an eyebrow.
"For over a year, I've been trying to move on. It hasn't been working," Caitlin said and Steve raised an eyebrow, wondering where she was going with this. "And maybe I don't want to."
"Cait, what are you saying?" Steve asked and Natasha sighed.
"I love you and I know you love me to, or at least you did," Caitlin started.
"I still do," Steve assured her and the knot that was in her stomach loosened.
"Okay, good. Then…Barry said something to me earlier and I think he's right. I can't do this anymore Steve. I can't…live my life apart from you anymore. When this is over, I'm gonna stay here with you," Caitlin said to Steve's shock.
"Caitlin, I can't ask you to give up your entire life for me," Steve said immediately.
"You're not, it's my choice. I'm choosing to stay here with you because I love you," Caitlin said.
"Cait, I'm technically still a fugitive," Steve protested halfheartedly. "The UN could still try and come after me once this is resolved."
"Then we'll run together," Caitlin said, walking over and wrapping her arms around Steve's neck. "Wherever you run, I'll run with you. This is a choice I'm making for myself Steve. Because I love you and you love me. Does the rest really matter?"
For a moment, Steve was silent. Probably processing what she had dumped on him, Caitlin mused. Then, he leaned down and Caitlin closed her eyes as their lips met. It was a kiss that was full of promise of what would come. For, while they still had to deal with Thanos, they now knew they had something to live for when it was all over.