"Stephen?" Sam called as he stepped into the building, quickly closing the door behind him. He looked around, seeing there were grand split stairs that led to an upstairs part of the Sanctorum. A set of stairs between the split stairs led downstairs to a basement.
It was quiet and Sam had no idea what to do. He had tossed his phone so he couldn't be tracked, and it wasn't like there was a bell he could ding to get Sorcerer's attention.
He decided he might as well start searching the place. His best bet would be to find a library if there was one. He knew there was one in Kamar-Taj- he had seen it. But he had no idea if there was one here.
Probably, right? Stephen ran the place.
"Sam?" Stephen's voice laced with surprise said at the top of the stairs. He floated down to him with the red cape and settled in front of him. "What's wrong? Your face." Stephen touched the bruise lightly with his fingers. "We have ice in the k-"
Sam fell forwards into Stephen, wrapping his arms around him tightly, and just breathing in his scent.
"What's wrong bubs?" Stephen asked softly, pulling Sam back so he could look him in the eyes. "What happened with the Avengers?"
"How much time do you have?" Sam asked wryly.
"For you I have all the time in the world." Stephen smiled a little.
Stephen led him to the bedroom, which was huge. Sam and him sat on the bed and he reiterated the entire story. He started with the mission in Lago with Rumlow, mostly because it ended with Rumlow. It seemed fitting that way, almost poetic.
He released a deep breath when he reached the end. "I couldn't. . . If Steve hadn't shown up she would have been. . . right in front of me and I couldn't do a damn thing. I felt so useless."
"It's okay." Stephen kissed the top of his head. "It all worked out in the end. Do you know if she's okay?"
"Steve took her to Wakanda." Sam sighed. "I hope she is okay."
"I can find out for you." Stephen said softly. "Stark is a very public person after all. I'm sure if anything happens one way or another it will be made public."
Sam sighed and nodded, "Thank you." After a moment he said, "I need to pack."
"Pack? Why?" Stephen asked, confused.
Sam chuckled, "You were listening, right photographic memory guy? I'm a criminal now. On the run. I can't stay here."
Stephen smirked, "You did forget I'm a Sorcerer right?"
"Wizard." Sam corrected and Stephen rolled his eyes.
"This building is protected. No one can get in. You're safe here. Well, safe from non-sorcerer's. Now if some bad sorcerer's attack that another story." Stephen sighed, "But I don't think there's many of those left."
Sam looked at him. "And I can stay?"
"Of course you can." Stephen said, pulling him completely into his arms. "I'll keep you safe."
Sam smiled, turning his head into Stephen's chest. "I love you Steph."
"I love you too bubs." Stephen said softly, kissing the top of his head again. "Get some sleep. I'll be here when you wake."
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"You sure about this?" Steve asked as he approached Bucky, who was sitting on the examination table. He was wearing a white tank top and white sweatpants, matching the white aesthetic of the room. His metal arm had been removed and capped with black cloth.
"I can't trust my own mind." Bucky answered. "So, until they figure out how to get this stuff out of my head, I think going back under is the best thing." Steve nodded, "For everybody."
Steve did his best not to cry. He'd promised he wouldn't do that so Bucky didn't feel any guilt or feel bad about going into cryo. But Steve had just gotten him back, he didn't want to lose him so soon. Who knew how long this was going to take?
Well, he had waited many years before. He could wait a few more years. And who knew? Wakanda was more advanced than anyone suspected. Perhaps it would be only months.
He stepped closer, leaning in and lightly kissing Bucky on the lips. "I love you."
"I love you too." Bucky said, then pulled Steve into a deeper kiss. "That's how you do it punk."
Steve smiled.
But his heart felt as heavy as a rock as he watched the glass shield rise up before him, air hissing as Bucky closed his eyes, turning to ice.
T'Challa found him staring out the windows onto the Wakandan plane. "Thank you for this." Steve spoke first, looking out at the beautiful forest. Y/N was even on her way home, in fact she might've even been hugging Tony at this moment. Steve smiled a little, thinking of the Princess of Asgard and how much she would have liked Wakanda too.
"Your soulmate and my father, they were both victims. If I can help one of them find peace. . ."
"You know, if they find out he's here. . . they'll come for him." Steve fretted.
"Let them try."
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"Y/N" Tony hugged you as tightly as you stepped off of the Wakandan air ship. General Ross was waiting in the background, official paperwork in his hands. "Fuck I'm so glad that you're okay."
"Mommy!" Everleigh came toddling over the grass, a barbie doll in her hands. She was crying as you scooped her up into your arms. "Mommy you're home!"
"Hi sweetheart." You whispered, crying yourself, kissing her forehead over and over again, "Yeah, I'm home."
"You are aware that you left The Raft, where you were imprisoned." General Ross said, stepping forwards, clearing his throat.
"Not in front of my daughter." Tony hissed under his breath to the General. "We said we wouldn't do it in front of our daughter."
General Ross sighed and raised his eyebrows. You looked down at Everleigh, wiping her tears from her cheeks. "Where is your Uncle Rhodey?"
"He's inside." Everleigh answered.
"Can you go join him for a moment? Daddy and I will be inside in a moment. We just have to talk to Mr. Ross, okay?"
You put her down on the grass and she toddled back off to the Avengers Compound. General Ross opened up the paper.
"Are you aware," You started angrily. "That Brock Rumlow, who you declared deceased came into The Raft, broke open my cell, half beat me to death while trying to rape me? And that the only reason I'm okay is because Steve Rogers saved me?"
"He cut Rumlows' head off with a shield." General Ross bit off.
"Good." Tony snapped. "He deserved it."
"Stark has managed to persuade the judges to not put you back in. If you agree to a court date and sign these papers, you will stay out. You will be put under house arrest for five years."
Five years without stepping off the Avengers Compound? You sucked in breath and sighed, "Fine."
You were given the paperwork, which Tony immediately took from your hands, "We'll send it in." He hooked his arm over your shoulders, steering you away from the General.
"Next time I see Rogers I'll have to thank him." Tony said once you were inside the building, coming to a stop and pulling you into a tighter hug than before. "Fuck I was terrified when I heard."
"I'm okay." You smiled, "It. . . is kind've blurry if I'm going to be honest. Steve was there pretty quickly. And they took very good care of me. . . where we went." You said, knowing that the entire place was probably under surveillance now.
"Y/N! Hey!" Rhodey greeted you. He was wearing a leg brace on his left leg, though not on his right.
"Hey." You said, hugging him tightly and then checking him out. "How are the legs?"
"Fine." Rhodey waved it away. "Your friend is a good healer."
You smiled a little and then looked around. It seemed a lot quieter than before, emptier as well. "Who else is here?"
Rhodey hesitated and then answered, "Just us."
"Not even Vision? Or Nat?" You asked in shock, trying to remember who else had been on Tony's side of the war. The spider kid probably had his own family and he had never been in the Compound before anyways.
"Visions gone. We think he might've gone underground with Wanda." Tony sighed. "It makes sense considering they're soulmates. And um, Nat's on the run too. She turned on T'Challa to help Steve and Barnes escape."
You wanted to scream and rip your hair out at the same time. The Accords had torn you all apart. But you were still certain that you had been on the right side. The Avengers shouldn't have to give up their rights as heroes. General Ross had wanted to put Tony in jail just for not bringing them in. That was what you and the others had been trying to stop.
"I'm sorry." You sighed. You looked between the two of them. "I'm sorry you got hurt, both of you. I'm sorry I had to fight the two of you but. . . but I would fight it again. Because I feel that I fought for the right thing. I'm sorry we disagree."
Tony sighed, rubbing your shoulder, "I understand Pumpkin. I really do. And maybe. . . yeah maybe I saw some concerning things afterwards. Maybe I do see why you didn't want to sign. But I also think I'm still on the right side. We just have to live with that."
You smiled a little and then said, "Alright. That's settled. Now, how about we go and find Everleigh and just. . . be a family again? All of us?"
"That, sounds like an amazing idea." Tony said.
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"Where's Thor?" Elizabeth asked as she stepped into the library. She rolled her shoulders, feeling exhausted. She hoped that Bucky got the treatment that he needed from T'Challa and that he and Steve lived a happily ever after like they deserved.
"Is that really how you greet your master after being on Midgard for so long?" Loki purred, a smirk on his face to show he was- mostly- joking.
Elizabeth came over, wrapping her arms around him and kissing his cheek, before looking over his shoulder at the scrolls he was reading. "What are these about?"
"The foreseeable downfall of Asgard." Loki sighed. "Odin is gone, Thor is off fighting Surtur, trying to gain what we need to stop the fall of our kingdom."
Elizabeth smoothed his black curls away from his face, "How long have you been up sweetheart?"
"I didn't want to sleep without you." Loki admitted softly. "You know I can't."
"I'm sorry." Elizabeth said, sitting down next to him.
"No." Loki shook his head. "You did what you needed to do. And I wasn't going to stop you. That man you went to help. . . James. You did it because of me."
Elizabeth looked up at him under her lashes and smiled a little. "Yeah, I did."
Loki rolled up the scroll and set it away, reaching for her hand, "And did you do what you needed to?"
"Yes. There is a new man there, his name is Vision. He's the robot that Thor created and he has the yellow stone- the mind stone- in his forehead. I can't see any way of removing it without killing him and Wanda, his soulmate, is to powerful to stop. Sam's soulmate, Stephen, has the time stone. But those are the only ones on Earth I believe." Elizabeth said calmly.
"We are fighting two battles pet." Loki sighed. "And we may lose one."
Elizabeth leaned into him, closing her eyes. "But, we have today. So let's go to bed and be together. This can wait a few more hours."
Loki picked the scroll up and then stood up. Elizabeth went with him. "Just for a little while then."
Elizabeth slipped her hand into his and the two of them left the library.
"Are the kids asleep?" She asked as they neared the bed chambers. Guards lined the doors, nodding to them- her- as they passed.
"Yes, do you want to see them?" Loki asked, pausing in front of their daughters door.
"I won't be but a moment." Elizabeth squeezed his hand. "I'll meet you in our chambers. . . master."
Loki smirked and strode down the hallway. Elizabeth slipped into her childrens room. They were both fast asleep and she kissed their foreheads. They stirred, but didn't wake, and she thought about Earth.
She missed the planet. It had been wonderful to be back down there again. She sighed, smoothing her daughters hair back from her forehead and leaving the room slowly.
Bucky.
Steve.
She paused in her tracks and sighed, looking out at the glorious moon through the glass windows.
Well, it didn't matter anyways. She was happy here. She loved Loki more than anything or anyone besides her children. Bucky and Steve were not meant for her anyways. If they were, she would have been soulmated to them in the first place.
She chuckled a little to herself and then hurried down to the bed chambers.
Besides, she loved Loki more.
And they had a long life together ahead of them.