Lance smiled looking around the crowds of people, they had won.
Another battle under his belt.
The bad guys, HYDRA was it? They were gone and the people were safe. He couldn't help but feel a little proud about this.
"Mum! Mum where are you?"
Lance turned to see a young girl, 5 or 6 years old, her brown hair was messy and her green eyes were red with tears.
Some people looked at her worriedly but did noting.
Lance felt his heart crack slightly, he knew that feeling, the helplessness of having no one to help.
He couldn't stand by and do nothing.
"Hey." Lance called body and mouth running before he even thought about it. He knelt down at the girls eye level. "Hey what's wrong?"
"I lost my mummy and daddy." She cried, shaking. "I can't find them anywhere."
Lance looked around, a lot of people were staring at him blankly. "We can't have that." Lance decided softly swallowing a lump in his throat. "Come on."
He lifted her up placing her on his shoulders. "When you spot her shout as loud as you can." Lance stated giving her hand a squeeze. "What does your mum look like?"
"She looks like me." The young girl admitted shakily. "I can't see her."
Lance frowned before reaching into the pouch on his hip. "Shout as loudly as you can into this." Lance smirked before he held up his gauntlet. "Let her hear you."
The little girl took the piece and took a deep breath. "Mum!" She shouted the sound echoing through the crowd.
Everyone fell silent and all gazes moved to them.
"Lizzie!"
Lance smiled brightly when he spotted the woman moving swiftly towards them.
"That's my mum." The girl cheered as Lance slowly set her down just as her mother and father appeared through the crowds.
"Oh my darling girl." The woman said hurriedly pressing a kiss to her forehead. "I thought I had lost you, I'm so sorry."
"Are you okay? Are you hurt?" The father asked.
"No daddy, I'm okay." Lizzie smiled hugging them both. "He helped me."
Lance gave a shy wave getting appreciative smiles in response.
"Thank you for helping us find our daughter." The father stated standing up to shake his hand. "I mean it, thank you."
Lance smiled. "It's no problem, but I should go find-"
"There you are." Steve sighed as he arrived next to him squeezing his shoulder. "We thought we had lost you."
"You're with the Avengers?" Lizzie's father asked with a startled look. "I didn't know, I am so sorry, I should have recognised you."
"No, it's okay really." Lance cut in swiftly. "I'm not an Avenger, I... I'm just staying with them for a while."
The father nodded before he turned back to his family.
"Come on, we want to show you something." Steve smiled wrapping his arm around Lance's shoulders.
He lead him up some stairs to where the other avengers were standing. They all smiled in his direction.
"We thought you'd been kidnapped." Clint teased.
"Who me? Nah." Lance smiled. "I'm a little smarter then that."
"Ah, there you are perfect timing." Tony grinned before his microphone adjusted. "Ladies and gentlemen, we will be providing you with as much help as we can."
Several claps and cheers.
"Now we would like to introduce to you, the blue paladin." Tony smirked gesturing to him. "He is a true hero today, everyone who had a ride in the blue lion over there will want to know that this guy was your pilot and a main part to our win today."
Steve clapped him on the shoulder with a look of true pride. "See Lance, we told you you'd be amazing."
"You were great." Natasha praised holding his hands.
"Yeah, you were way better then Goldie over here." Hulk added getting a glare from Thor.
Lance stared at them all before he withdrew his hands to himself.
Tony was talking, directing the crowds where to go to get specific help.
"Lance, you okay?" Steve asked worriedly reaching for him.
Before any of them could act Lance ran, rushing back down the steps, through the shuffling crowd and back towards Blue.
She let him in sealing the others out. Then a few seconds later she was launching flying away.
Tony blasted after him quickly followed by Thor while the others went to the jet.
When Lance landed in the hangar he was gasping for breath his chest so tight he could hardly breathe.
He made it out of Blue, who purred worriedly in the back of his mind, he collapsed with a sob that threatened to become more.
"I can't do it, I can't do this Blue." He sobbed curling into himself. "I just can't."
Hearing the tell tale thudding of Hulk's feet Lance looked away willing the tears to dry.
He knew when Hulk had entered the room judging by the solid silence that followed.
"Lance." He said softly, he could be quiet when he wanted to be and more often then not he appeared to be quieter around Lance.
"I want to be alone." Lance admitted glaring at the far side of the room.
Hulk however decided to sit next to him.
Lance growled to himself. "Hulk, I want to be alone right now." He hated how his voice croaked but he was upset. He wanted to be alone.
"Talk to Hulk?" Hulk offered.
Lance span to face him eyes blurred with anger and frustration. "Hulk, I want to be alone! Okay? I don't want to tell you, so just leave me alone!"
The silence that followed made Lance's chest ache, the hurt expression on Hulk's face broke his heart.
"Hulk." He whispered tears slipping free. "I'm so sorry, I didn't... I'm sorry I..." Lance sobbed head falling into his hands. "Please forgive me."
Hulk's large hand rested on his head ruffling his hair with surprising gentleness. "Tell Hulk."
"I never asked to be a Paladin." Lance admitted lips trembling as he lifted his head. "I never got asked, I don't want to be a Paladin anymore. I want to go home... I miss my team... I miss my family, I miss them so much, my mum, my dad... My siblings... I just want to go home but...."
Hulk's arm moved wrapping around him pulling him into a sort of hug. It was smelly and slightly awkward but it was nice.
"I'm sorry." Lance whispered again.
"It's okay." Hulk said gently. "It's okay to cry sometimes."
Lance gave a wet chuckle. "I didn't mean to-"
"You don't need to say sorry. Hulk understands. You should rest."
Lance found his eyes slipping remarkably easily, his head fell against Hulk's arm as the last few remnants of tears escaped.
When Lance woke up he was laying in his bed wrapped in warm fluffy blankets. He felt exhausted and drained.
Clearly he had been crying for longer then he thought, either that or letting it all out had taken more of a toll on him then he had planned.
That and he was still in his armour so that made sleeping a truly uncomfortable thing.
He shuffled out of bed sniffing as he rubbed his eyes. He had a headache and needed to find a drink and maybe something to eat, he didn't even know how long he had been asleep.
He stumbled into the common area to see the others all sat quietly. He didn't know if something had happened or if it was something he had done.
"Guys?" He asked softly making them all glance his way.
Steve was the first one up and moving towards him.
Unconsciously Lance flinched taking a hesitant step back. "I know I messed up and I'm sorry. I just... There was so many people, I wasn't ready and I just-"
Steve pulling him into a hug made his words fail.
"No one is cross with you." Steve promised gently. "Hulk told us everything and it's okay."
Lance sighed dropping his head to Steve's shoulder clinging onto him tightly.
"I'm sorry." Lance whispered with a sigh. "I just... I miss home."
"I don't think any of us will ever fully understand what your feeling, but we know that it's hard." Natasha said as she approached, placing her hand on Lance's shoulder as Steve pulled back.
"And I'm doing everything in my power to send you back." Tony chipped in. "We're close I can feel it but-"
"It's okay," Lance smiled slightly. "I don't... I don't really want to leave here, I like you guys a lot and... I really like it here, I just feel like I could have done more back... I don't want to come across like I don't want to be near you guys."
"Lance we know it's not against us." Clint cut in smiling. "Home is an important place to be."
"Yeah." Lance sighed staring at his socks. "There's a lot of stuff I need to tell you guys."
"Tell us when you're ready we won't push you." Tony promised.
"Aye, and until you are able to return we will continue to look after you." Thor added with a warm smile.
Lance returned the smile. "Thanks guys."
"Just for curiousity." Natasha started tilting her head gently. "Why did you run?"
Lance sighed sitting on the sofa so he could pull his knees up to his chest. "It reminded me of when I first became a paladin, people were so excited to meet us and see the lions and..."
"You miss it?" Steve guessed.
Lance shrugged. "I don't even know anymore, I just know I can't change the past."
"Well, I know that they would be proud of you." Tony smiled. "And we'll get you back to them."
"How about a movie?" Clint suggested with a smile.
Lance nodded. "Yeah, but let me get out of my armour first."