2 Days Later
Everett drummed her fingers on her knees as the Quinjet thrummed in the background.
"Calm down," Clint said, a hint of laughter in his voice. "They're going to love you."
Everett met her brother's eyes. She choked back the tears that welled up in her eyes. She swiped at them, trying to maintain control.
Clint grabbed her hands and rubbed her knuckles. "I told Laura about you. At least the stories from when you were a baby. And I told her about Leipzig, and how I found out that you were the sister I had lost." Clint's eyes glistened. "My family is yours. And they have told me so many times that they want to meet you. So don't turn into a self-conscious teenager four years too late."
There was a weighty pause as Everett studied her fingers.
"How old was I when I was taken?" Everett asked softly.
Clint's eyes widened, not expecting the question. "Five months."
Everett's hands shook, but she cleared her head of the things she didn't want to think about. She couldn't let the ice take over again.
The Quinjet landed softly, and Everett grabbed her backpack and duffle bag.
Clint walked down the runway and dropped his bags at the sight of his children running towards him, he swooped Lila and Cooper up and hugged them. Everett could see the tension melt from his muscles. Nathaniel came next, wrapping his small arms around his dad.
Laura walked towards Clint, and Everett focused on the ground as they reunited.
Everett felt a tug on her hand and jumped back.
Green eyes, so like her own, focused on her.
"Are you Aunt Everett?" The little boy looked at her with curiosity. There was no fear in his eyes.
Everett nodded, too unsure to say anything.
"It's okay." Lila Barton stood a few feet away and had a smile on her face. "You're home now."
Everett let out a small laugh. "Thank you."
Cooper Barton and Lila Barton each held out a hand to her.
Everett accepted them and felt her heart settle into a new place.
This was home. And this was her family.
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1 Week Later
Everett stood in her black jumpsuit in the Stark-Potts living room, watching a projection: Tony's final message.
Everybody wants a happy ending, right? But it doesn't always roll that way. Maybe this time. I'm hoping if you play this back, it's in celebration. I hope families are reunited. I hope we get it back. And something like a normal version of the planet has been restored. If there ever was such a thing. God, what a world. Universe, now. If you told me 10 years ago that we weren't alone, let alone to this extent, I mean, I wouldn't have been surprised, but come on. Who knew? The epic forces of darkness and light that have come into play. And for better or worse, that's the reality Morgan's gonna must find a way to grow up in. So, I thought I'd probably better record a little greeting in the case of an untimely death. On my part. Not that death at any time isn't untimely. This time travel thing that we're gonna try and pull off tomorrow, it's got me scratching my head about the survivability of it all. That's the thing. Then again, that's the hero gig, right? Part of the journey is the end. What am I even trippin for? Everything is gonna work out exactly the way it's supposed to.
And Tony's hologram looked directly where Morgan Stark was sitting on the couch, and said:
I love you 3,000.
The hologram flickered away, and Everett huddled into Clint's side, barely keeping her tears from falling. Clint wrapped an arm around her, and Everett felt Nathaniel Barton's hand slip into her own.
Pepper and Morgan walked out of the cabin and down to the dock. They placed a wreath of flowers on the water and watched it float away. When Everett turned away, her eyes caught on a tall black man with an eyepatch standing on the deck.
Everett turned back to the lake, she felt Tony's presence. This was his home.
Everett put a hand softly in the air and let a tendril of energy sift through the wind. Letting go.
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Everett stood next to Bruce as he briefed Steve on what he had to do to return the Stones. The words floated in and out of her ears as she studied the faces around her. Bruce was trying to pretend he was okay. Steve was wearing his "soldier face". Sam was a mask, like always. Bucky...
Was staring directly at her.
His eyes seemed to see everything she was feeling, and he understood.
And he probably did.
They shared a bond that was so different and convoluted and weird that nothing could break it. Nothing could change it because you couldn't change the past.
Steve gave Bucky a sad smile as they exchanged words. Something familiar, Everett noticed. A sad smirk came over Bucky's face.
Steve walked towards the machine and turned toward Everett.
"See you soon, Everett," Steve said.
Everett nodded, not trusting her voice. Or her eyes.
"Hey," he whispered. "Look at me."
Everett looked up at the blue eyes that had protected her since they had met.
Steve studied her emerald eyes as they filled with tears, shimmering.
She knew what he was about to do.
And she was going to let him go.
Even if she hated it.
Everett swallowed the lump building in her throat from the tears. She had to let him go. Let him live the life he always wanted but never thought he could have.
So, Everett raised a smile, and hugged Steve Rogers for the last time.
"Tell her I say hi."
Steve nodded and gave his final salute to the girl who had become his reason for living.
Steve stepped up onto the platform. Bruce counted down, and Steve disappeared into the past.
Bruce counted down again and pushed the button to bring Steve back.
And nothing happened.
Everett and Bucky exchanged a look as Bruce furiously pushed buttons. Sam was freaking out, yelling at Bruce.
Everett turned towards the water and found what she was looking for.
"Guys," she said softly. All talking ceased.
Sitting on the bench was an old man with silver hair, wearing a tan leather jacket.
Everett stepped forward, but Bucky put an arm in front of her. He silently pointed to a round case propped up against the bench.
The shield.
And then Everett understood.
Sam walked forward, the tremble in his hands barely noticeable as he put them in his pockets.
Everett took a step back, unsure. Bucky's silver-blue eyes tracked her.
"Hey, Ev," he said. "It's okay."
Everett took a shuddering breath and nodded. She knew that it was. Without Steve, she wasn't sure how long she could delay the ice from destroying her completely.
And that might be the scariest part of it all.
"Ev," a deep voice said. Everett looked up and saw Sam. He gave a sad smile and motioned toward Steve.
Everett moved forward cautiously, coming to a stop by the side of the bench.
Steve looked up at her and smiled. "Hey kid." He motioned to the bench, telling her to sit down.
Everett sat, looking straight ahead. Looking at him...
That would make it real.
"She would've loved you."
Everett didn't move.
"You have her same spirit. The same need to right the wrongs and fix it."
A single tear glistened on Everett's cheek.
"I wish you could've met her."
Everett jumped off the bench and reeled toward Steve.
"I can't do this without you! You promised you wouldn't leave, that you would always be here to protect me," Everett yelled. But she wasn't angry.
She was sad.
No, it was more than that.
Her heart was breaking.
It was splintering and cracking and shaking.
And there was nothing to be done to stop it.
Steve nodded. "And I'm sorry I broke that promise. But I have a feeling I am leaving you in very capable hands."
Everett turned to look at Sam and Bucky. They were both standing about five feet away, arms crossed. Sam had a defensive stance, ready to jump into a fight if he needed to. Bucky was simply watching, determining the situation. Deciding whether to intervene.
Everett sighed. "I know. And I'm happy for you. I'm happy that you got to live your life. But...". Her voice faded.
Steve reached for her hand, and Everett gave it to him. He rubbed his thumb over the scars, his blue eyes studying her hand.
"You are strong, Everett. Stronger than you know. Don't let anyone ever tell you otherwise. Especially yourself."
Everett nodded, steeling her nerves for what was coming.
"I only ever wanted to make you proud," she whispered, her voice raw.
Steve smiled. "You did."
And with those words, she let go of his hand.
Everett took a step back and walked away. Walking away from the person who introduced her to a whole new family and became a part of it himself.
And she let him go.
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i was bawling my eyes out writing this
everett and her story started with steve, and now steve is no longer a part of her story.
i'm so excited to keep going with everett and her story but this is so sad to me
I HOPE YOU LOVED THIS AS MUCH AS I DID
we have the epilogue, and then we're done
LOVE YOU