Walk the Line: An Avengers Soulmate Story

16. Going Home

Vanessa pulled up outside of the almost completed compound with a very nervous Rae in the passenger seat. "Do I have to go back? They saw me when I was so broken Ness. I don't know how to face them after they saw me like that. I was so scared of going back to that cell. I don't know how to face them."

It was obvious the entire ordeal was taking its toll on the young woman and Vanessa wanted to ask about each and every thing Rae had just mentioned but knew that she wasn't ready to talk about them. The redhead seemed to simply be thinking out loud and unaware of half of the things she said until someone asked her about them, which would lead to her shutting down. Victor was now in the same mutant prison as Magneto and his faction so Vanessa wasn't too worried about Rae going back and learning to deal with life, beside her soulmates. Surely, she deserved at least that much good in her life, right?

Once parked, the pair stood from the vehicle and made their way towards the entrance, never quite making it inside before there were arms wrapped around Rae in a tight embrace. All she could smell was aftershave and leather as the person pressed her face tighter to their sweater covered chest. As the fabric made itself known, Rae knew exactly who was holding her. "Fury, you son of a bitch. You're still alive?"

Fury couldn't even tell her how happy he was to see her. He felt he needed to explain before the others painted him in a bad light. He knew he hadn't handled her disappearance very well and had been trying to find a way to explain.

"You should know, you might have been there as long as you were because of me. They had taken everyone so effectively from the tower and I was terrified that if we came to them on their turf, it would be even easier. I am so sorry that I seemed to be impeding your rescue. I just didn't want to see the others used against the world they swore to protect."

Rae pulled away from him as she considered his words. Before he could say another word though, seh threw herself against him in a tight hug he hadn't expected. "Thank you for making my sacrifice not be in vain. I don't know what I would have done if any of them got hurt because of me."

"How are you?" Fury asked cautiously. He knew not to poke a bear but it was an important question, nonetheless.

She smiled lightly before turning her gaze to the woman beside her. "Ness can confirm, some days are better than others and I still have a long way to go. Is Strange or Banner here, by chance?"

Fury nodded along as she explained before pausing and hesitantly saying they were both in the compound. She asked him to show her to the med-bay and to make sure one of them could meet her there. He obliged while asking Friday to alert both of the doctors to a possible need in the med-bay. As he directed Rae through the compound, sharing tidbits as they went along, he found himself glancing at Vanessa more and more. How had she managed to convince Rae to come home and why had none of the others been able to do the same?

As they rounded the final corner, both Banner and Strange emerged from a differrent hallway. "You asked to see......." Strange went silent as Rae stepped out from behind Fury with a small wave. "I, uh, I apparently broke my wrist? I just wanted to see if there was anything you guys could do? It doesn't hurt much, but it is a fairly obvious break."

Banner was the first to step forward, taking her wrist gently in his hand. "How does this not hurt very much? This must be excruciating." As the words left his mouth, Strange sprang into action. He took her gently but quickly into the med-bay and began looking to see if there were any other breaks, what he did find on her arms was very telling. "These weren't here before." The small, circular scars adorning her forearm were obvious burns and he could guess from what but he didn't know from who. "Don't, Strange, please?" He sighed before nodding once and wrapping his arms around her. "You got my soulmate out of there. You made sure as many of our friends went home as possible. You are my hero. I am so sorry we didn't do the same for you. You deserve so much better than all of this." He couldn't do more than hold her as she cried a silently against him. Banner bandaged her wrist as she and Strange clung together in a moment of peace. Banner wanted to hug her too but he knew that Strange needed this moment more. Just as he finished with the splint and ointment for the still healing burns, the doors slid open again. Wade had been talking but froze when he saw Vanessa. Running up to her, he spun her in a circle and yelled about how happy he was to see her. Loki had been making his way to Strange but froze when he saw red hair in springing from circled arms of his soulmate. He couldn't believe it. She was here! Without missing a beat, he ran over and grabbed the little woman from his soulmate and hugged her tightly to himself. "You have no idea how grateful I am to you. Thank you for being the selfless person that you are. You are never to ask me to leave you anywhere like that again. I can't believe you're here right now."