Hello everyone,

Here is Chapter 87, enjoy.

New Jersey

1970

Immediately upon entering 1970, Three groaned and rubbed her forehead as a sharp spike of pain hit. Because of the timeline, several of the Avengers were not born yet, thus she could only sense Steve and Tony because they were right next to her. It was disconcerting to find those other connections missing, even though she knew they were alive and in other points in time. Oddly she had experienced this type of disconnection back when the SHIELD agents were in the future. She knew they were alive and the connection was still there... just blocked. This time though it felt different and Three could not fully grasp why. At least it wasn't like when Thanos snapped half of all her friends and loved ones out of existence.

"Kat, you okay?" Steve asked concerned when he saw her discomfort.

"Yeah... it's nothing." Three lied, they had bigger problems to deal with than her little headache. They needed to sneak onto a Military Installation and steal both the Tesseract and some Pyme Particles. First off though they needed to dress the part, not to mention their own clothes slash suits were sure to get them noticed. So they had to break into a store. Since it was the 1970s store security was easy to bypass. While Tony found a dress shirt and trousers, Three decided despite disliking it on a black skirt, blouse, and matching black jacket. Naturally, she would wear a pair of shorts underneath the skirt. While Steve was off looking for some casual clothing to wear, Tony and Three were in the changing room. When they would get on the base, Steve was planning to 'borrow' a private's uniform.

Since it was a small store Tony was in one changing stall and Three was in the next. While changing Three pulled out the coin Tony had given her back in 2012 and looked more closely at it. It wasn't a quarter or a normal coin. It looked rarer than that, and as she examined it she wondered where Tony got it and why he would give it to her in the first place.

"Strange coin you gave me." Three commented before setting it down and resumed changing her clothes.

"Yeah, not your normal coin," Tony replied as if to shrug off the importance of it, but if that were the case... why not just give her a quarter? However Three noticed a pattern from talking her into the time heist to voting for her to go, and this latest act of giving her a coin and telling her a little crazy never hurt. Tony acted like none of those actions were a big deal even though they were. Then it occurred to her, Tony was still trying to make up for before.

"You have more faith in me than most right now. No need to downplay it, Tony." Three replied. She could have said several things, but trying to tell him to stop lugging around this guilt seemed wrong. She put on the white blouse, then the black shorts. "Also, you already apologized for before so..."

Tony chuckled in the next stall. "Is this your way of saying 'Thanks for the weird coin'?"

Three frowned as she stopped a moment, Tony was trying to change the subject. "I am trying to say thanks for having my back... multiple times. For talking me into this, for voting me to do this... and yeah for giving me a weird coin."

She heard a slight laugh from Tony as she pulled on the skirt then straightened as Tony replied trying to make light of it at first, but the words were serious. "Well it was the least I could do since nearly killing you, and after you helped me out before with the Mandarin... I am sorry about before."

"You already apologized." Three said picking up her jacket.

"Yeah, well it felt like a feeble half-hearted apology." Tony replied clearly not used to apologizing, "So... I am sorry I almost killed you and tried to kill Barnes."

"Okay, please stop apologizing."

"Why? Am I making you uncomfortable?" Tony asked sounding amused.

"You apologizing is unheard of, yet I count three apologies from you." Three replied equally amused.

"Well, I have yet to hear you say 'Apology accepted'," Tony replied.

"I thought that went without saying..." Three answered pulling on her coat.

"It does not go without saying, kit-kat. C'mon, throw me a bone here."

"Oh no this is too amusing-"

"So you're not accepting my apologies."

"I didn't say that I am just enjoying this. Three apologies from Tony Stark... that's gotta be some sort of record." Three said amused as she pinned up her hair in the mirror.

"Ha-ha, very funny."

"I'm gonna have to run tallies against the other Avengers when we get back." Three picked up the coin and put it in her pocket not wanting to lose it as she knew it held more importance than Tony was letting on.

"I will deny everything," Tony replied.

"Aida is recording everything." Three laughed and Tony grumbled. Still, it was very amusing for both of them because even if Kat had not said the words she had accepted Tony's multiple apologies, and it became clear that both were becoming good friends. Even then Three imagined that this would become a running joke between them if they survived the time heist.

Coming out of the changing room both Three and Tony looked at each other. "Going for a secretary look?"

"Safest bet." Three replied, "I doubt they had a lot of female scientists or military at this time. Besides, you got scientists covered, and Steve is going in as military personnel."

"Good point," Tony replied and put a tie on as Three put some heels on, then adjusted a colour clip in her hair to brown. She then tilted her head at a glasses rack and put on a pair of nice-looking purple framed glasses. They looked rather nice then she looked at Tony. "Going for the nerdy secretary look?"

"Better than a dumb blonde secretary." Three replied.

"You guys ready?" Steve said coming up dressed and ready to go. Once they picked what they were wearing the trio left the store. The next stop was the military compound, again security was not that hard to slip past, nor was it hard for Steve to find a disguise. Tony even found a jacket belonging to one of the scientists there. The group casually walked along one of the buildings acting as if they belonged there.

"Clearly you weren't actually born here, right?" Tony asked.

"The idea of me was," Steve replied.

"Claiming Captain America was born here is just a term, Tony." Three replied as they walked along. Tony gave her a look as if to say: 'Speaking from experience.' Which in part she was, she was never born at the HYDRA facility in China, but she was made who she was there.

"Right, well imagine you're SHIELD running a quasi-fascistic intelligence organization, where do you hide it?" Tony asked.

"In plain sight," Steve said nodding to the building ahead. Both Tony and Three looked to the building ahead. Tony used his glasses to scan the building, while Three looked around briefly before following Tony and Steve to the building. The trio were soon on the elevator but not alone as another lady got on holding a file and looking at it. She then looked up from her file to take note of them, and Three began reading her mind. She was noting Tony's goatee was out of place, then she was trying to place where she had seen Steve before. If she focused too long she might clock who Steve was. Then she looked at Three wondering if she was the new secretary but could not remember her name right off.

Tony then moved forward thinking that was the appropriate response for the 1970s, and Three wanted to facepalm herself. When the elevator dinged Tony turned to Steve and said. "Good luck on your mission captain."

Sadly both Tony and Steve were unaware that this woman was noting everything strange about them. "Good luck on your project, Doctor."

Finally, once the doors closed the lady asked. "You new here?"

"Not exactly." Wrong answer now the lady was looking more closely at Steve. Yep, she was definitely close to guessing who Steve was. Thus Three used this moment to turn and smile at the secretary. "Excuse me, I am new here. Recently transferred... is Sergeant Mickelson on the eight or ninth sub-level?"

Immediately the woman smiled at her. "You must be the new secretary."

"That's me." Three smiled picking thoughts from the woman's head.

"Sergeant Mickelson is on the ninth sub-level."

"Thank you, I don't want to make a fool of myself on the first day." Immediately the woman seemed to remember the new secretary's name, and that she was supposed to arrive tomorrow! "My name is Fiona Thorton, I was supposed to start tomorrow, but arrived early so am merely being given a tour today so that I don't get lost tomorrow."

That immediately crushed any concerns the woman had. "Ah of course. Well, you should be fine then."

'Steve go on without me. I'll catch up.' Three thought to Steve who did as she asked. Luckily all the woman could do was note what floors Tony and Steve got off on. Soon they were alone and the elevator opened on their floor. Three smiled at the lady as they both got off and she pointed out where the Sergeant's office was located. "Sergeant Mickelson's office is just over there."

"Thank you so much." Three replied and looked to head that way, but once the woman was out of sight she slipped back onto the elevator and rode it back to Steve's floor. As she got off the elevator she stepped off and nearly ran into someone in a lab coat. The man was in a hurry and his tag read Doctor Hank Pyme.

"Excuse me!" He said pushing past to get to his destination.

"Hey Hank, what's your hurry?" Another called after him and Three froze at the sight of Doctor Vincent Vermonte. Still, Pyme didn't stop to answer questions, and Three moved forward passing Vermonte and... some short balding guy with glasses.

The tag on his jacket said Zola, then Vermonte spoke to her. "Don't mind him ma'am he is always that rude."

Three forced a smile onto her face as she looked to the two HYDRA doctors that had spoken to her. She had faced worse than a rude doctor and was picturing how these two ass-holes die later on. "I'm sure."

Forcing herself forward she then made sure no one was looking as she slipped into Hank Pyme's lab.

"Have any trouble?" Steve asked when he saw it was her that came into the lab.

"Nope, what did you say to Pyme to get him running so fast?"

"Leaking dangerous package," Steve replied getting a laugh from her as they searched the lab and a second later Steve called out. "Found it."

Looking his way he was already retrieving the vials of Pyme particles. Quickly they left the lab before Pyme came back and were moving down the hall rather quickly. It would not take long for the woman from the elevator to raise the alarm or for Pyme to realize he had been tricked into leaving his lab.

"And you never seen these two men before?" Someone asked up ahead and Three groaned. As both she and Steve tried to think of what to do and where to go.

"No, I've got an eye for this. The two men looked fishy."

"Can you describe them?" The security officer asked.

"Well one of them had a hippie beard."

"Hippie. Like Bee Gees or Mungo Jerry?"

"Definitely Mungo Jerry." Immediately Steve and Three went into an office to their right avoiding the approaching woman and security.

"Yes, this is Chester. I need every available MP to sublevel six. We have a potential breach." They heard the guy reporting. While Three was watching the door and listening for the woman or guards' thoughts Steve looked around. After a moment Three straightened.

"They're gone. Their thoughts are too far to read now. We should..." Three trailed off looking up at the name on the door. 'Margaret Carter, Director.' "Steve.."

Three looked back at him as he was holding a framed picture in his hand and looked to the door to see what she saw. Before they could say anything they heard a voice Three thought she would never again hear—Peggy. "I said bring them in."

"They're trying, ma'am but Braddock's unit has been stopped by lightning strikes." Another agent holding a file replied.

"Oh, for the love of... I'll look at the weather projections." The conversation didn't really matter as both Steve and Three came closer to the window to see a younger Peggy. They watched her come closer and pick up a file to look at then she resumed conversing with the agent that was with her. Three stood there stunned she only ever remembered an old retired Carter and the pictures of Peggy being younger. To see her like this was amazing since the last time she saw Peggy was when she gave her the first injection from the Mastermind serum. Before they knew it she was walking away saying. "It's not lightning strikes we're looking at."

And just like that, she was gone again. Looking to Steve, Three didn't need to mind read him to know he loved her even after all this time. Peggy would always be the one he loved, not even Sharon would be able to compete with that.

"She's beautiful." Three said looking at Steve.

"Yes."

"Maybe when this is over, it'll be time to give up fighting and go home... to her." Three suggested gently as she put a hand on Steve's arm getting his full attention. Before she had shipped Steve and Sharon, but her friend was dust, and clearly Steve's heart belonged to Peggy. There just was no changing that, so maybe this was what Steve needed. "I mean it's now possible..."

"We had best get going," Steve said wanting to change the subject, "Is the way clear?"

Three stopped a moment listening to the thoughts in the area before nodding in agreement. "Yes, we're clear."

Both left Peggy's office and managed to slip out of the facility to the base above. They weren't up there long before they both spotted Tony talking to a man. It didn't take much to put the pieces together that the man he was talking to was none other than Howard Stark. For a second Howard moved away and Tony pointed to the briefcase he held which most likely held the Tesseract. Then Tony turned back to Howard who took the flowers and sauerkraut jar off of him. Then Tony hugged him which Howard must have found odd.

Tony made his way over to them, and Three groaned her headache had been largely ignored but now it was growing. To top it off people's thoughts were getting more frantic as the alarms had been raised. The base was close to a lockdown, they needed to go—now!

Moving down between two of the buildings and away from other people, Three seemed to get more irritable and none of them noticed a security camera aimed right at them. "You guys got the Pyme particles right?"

"Yeah, we did," Steve said still a little dazed after seeing Peggy.

"Great, mission accomplished," Then Tony noticed the look on Steve's face. "What is it?"

"We saw Peggy." Three replied.

"Ah," Tony replied.

"Look I am glad you got to see your dad, Tony. And I am glad we also got to see Peggy, but this base is about to be locked down and I don't want to end up being Vermonte's lab-rat again so can we please get out of here?!" Three said then winced the pain was getting worse.

"Yeah, that is probably for the best. Sync up." Immediately they suited up in their time suites and synced up to go back to the present day. On the count of three, the trio left 1970 behind once more.

Avengers Compound

August 12th, 2023

Upon returning to the present, Three sighed in relief as she sensed the others. 1970 had had its moments but the feeling of those mental connections being 'distorted' was very unpleasant. Immediately the time suits disappeared and the group looked around at one another. While Three focused on those mental connections returning... Steve, Tony, Banner, Scott, Thor, Rhodey, Rocket, Clint, and...

Where was Nat?

"Did we get them all?" Banner asked as the machine powered down.

"Are you telling me this actually worked?" Rhodey asked smiling. However, Three wasn't paying attention. Where the hell was Nat?! Looking to Clint since he was the one with her didn't help. Something had gone wrong... very wrong. Barton fell to his knees gaining the others' attention.

"Clint where's Nat?" Banner asked, but the look he his face said it all. As Three saw into his mind, she saw the cliff and the pair fighting each other to be the one to make that ultimate sacrifice—Nat won in the end. Next, a loud thud came as Banner punched the platform they were on. It was clear Nat wasn't coming back leaving them stunned and at a loss. While they had collected all the stones it was at a very heavy price.

Clint explained what happened, even though to Three no explanation was needed she had seen it. Somehow they moved from the platform and placed the Infinity stones in a safe place until they could be used. Numbly Three changed her clothes in her room and upon returning to the garage Rhodey and Rocket gave her the Aida watches to return the copies of Aida to herself. Somehow she did that but still could not believe what had happened. She kept pulling on the tether of where Nat should be but there was nothing there. It was while leaning on the table that Clint came up.

"Nat she uhh clipped Aida to me..." Clint said as he held out the watch to her. Shortly after returning Aida learned what happened to Nat, and had grown very quiet. For a few minutes, Three stood there holding her watch just looking at it. Nat obviously would have attached it to Clint since it held a copy of Aida. Had the AI argued with them not to? Begged Nat not to jump? Would Aida even want these memories and knowledge?

Eventually, Three called out to Aida. "Aida? Clint gave me Nat's watch. Do you... do you want me to?"

Aida knew what Three was asking, but still, there was a long pregnant silence before Aida responded. "I want to know...please."

Three nodded and pressed the watch to the hub where the data was transferred back to Aida, no doubt this information recorded everything that happened including Nat's death. Again there was a long silence, so Three called out to Aida worried. "Aida?"

"I want to be alone for a while." The AI replied, and seemed to leave before Three could even get the word 'Okay' out. The garage was suddenly very quiet as Three gripped the watch and released a shuddering breath as tears came to her eyes. Rhodey must have been close by for he came up and placed a hand on her back.

"It's okay. It's nothing you did... Nat and Aida have grown close these last five years. She never really left Nat's side." Three could only nod understanding that Aida while an AI had become close friends with Nat. No law said Aida could not be just as upset for losing a friend.

"I understand," Three said not upset or angry with Aida at all. In fact she was also upset Nat was gone too. She even understood Aida's need to be alone right then. "Excuse me..."

Three stepped outside wanting air and took a walk around the compound to think. Eventually, she found her way to the lake by the compound where the other Avengers Steve, Tony, Thor, Banner, and Clint were. She came over in time to hear Tony ask. "Do we know if she had family?"

"Yeah. Us." Steve said looking down. Three came to stand by Clint and put a comforting hand on his shoulder. While Thor came over to Tony.

"What? Huh? What are you doing?"

"Just asked him a question." Tony pointed out.

"Yeah, no you're acting like she's dead. Why are we acting like she's dead? We have the stones right? As long as we have the stones, Cap. We can bring her back. Isn't that right?" Steve bowed his head thinking the exact same thing Three was. Her soul was traded for the Soul stone making her death that much more permanent. "So, stop this shit. We're the Avengers. Get it together."

"Can't get her back," Clint said.

"What's he...? What?" Thor asked confused.

"It can't be undone," Clint said then finally looked to Thor. "It can't."

Thor laughed before responding to this still thinking that because they had all the Infinity stones Nat could be brought back. "Look, I'm sorry. No offense, but you're a very earthly being okay? And we're talking about space magic. And can't seems very definitive. Don't you think?"

"Yeah look. I know that I am way outside my pay grade here. But she still isn't here is she?"

"No that's my point," Thor replied.

"It can't be undone. Or that's at least what the red floating guy had to say. Maybe you want to go talk to him, okay?" Clint said getting upset with Thor, "Go grab your hammer and you go fly and you talk to him!"

That seemed to wake Thor up to the reality of the situation. It would have been nice and wonderful to believe the stones could fix this, but that wasn't how all this worked. As Three had long since come to learn reality wasn't a Disney movie where everyone lived happily ever after. Nat was gone, and there was no getting her back.

"It was supposed to be me. Sacrificed her life for that god-damn stone. She bet her life on it." Clint said as Three looked down and Banner finally lost it throwing a stone bench across the lake. Before turning to the others.

"She's not coming back. We have to make it worth it. We have to."

"We will," Steve said and Three looked up at him hoping he was right. Nat had given them the chance to undo what Thanos did, and the only way forward was to ensure her death had not been in vain.

"I'll go get the stones ready..." Tony said after a moment and moved past the others to head back to the compound. Gradually everybody else but Clint headed back, so Three came up to see how he was doing.

"How is Aida doing?" He asked before she could speak.

"She... she wanted to be left alone after I uploaded Nat's watch. I think she left the compound... not sure where she went." Three replied looking out over the lake.

"She kept telling us to wait, that there had to be another way," Clint said after a moment, "Didn't even know Nat had clipped her to me until after..."

For a long time, they stared out at the lake. "All I know if that damn stone better be worth it."

Three could only nod in agreement, then Clint sighed. "We better head back."

"Yeah." The pair headed back to the compound, and Three went to her room suiting up. Who knew what the stones were liable to do once placed together in a gauntlet. Returning to the lab she got there about the same time as Clint.

"All right. The gloves ready," Rocket said as he and Tony stood closest to the newly formed Infinity gauntlet, "The question is who is going to snap their freakin' fingers."

That was the million-dollar question, the gauntlet last time did a lot of damage to Thanos, whoever put it on would suffer the same. Three frowned worried none of them could handle it. "Whoever puts that gauntlet on most likely won't survive..."

"I'll do it," Thor volunteered, he immediately went up and the group had to stop him.

"Excuse me?" Tony asked.

"It's okay."

"Wait, Thor just wait. We haven't decided who's gonna put that on yet." Steve said as he and Tony blocked him from it.

"Oh, I'm sorry. What we're all just waiting around with the right opportunity?" Thor asked.

"We should at least discuss it." Scott pointed out, getting Thor's attention.

"Look sitting here staring at that thing is not gonna bring everyone back. I'm the strongest Avenger so this responsibility falls upon me. It's my duty..."

"It's not about that." Tony was already talking to him. "It's not that. Hey buddy."

"Stop it! Just let me do it. Let me do. Just let me do something good. Something right."

"It's not just the fact that that glove is channeling enough energy to light up a continent right now. I am telling you you're in no condition." Tony said trying to get his point across.

"What do you think is coursing through my veins right now?" Thor asked.

"Cheeze whiz." Rhodey offered, and he wasn't far off. Maybe Thor could have handled the gauntlet five years ago at max strength, but now? He was out of shape, drank too much, and was not as strong as he once was.

"Lightning." Thor corrected.

"Lightning won't help it, pal. It's gotta be me." Banner said coming closer, "You saw what those stones did to Thanos. They almost killed him. None of you could survive."

"How do we known you will?" Steve asked.

"We don't, but the radiation is mostly Gamma. It's like I was made for this." Banner said looking down at the gauntlet.

"It could still kill you, Banner." Three pointed out worried.

"But it will be less likely then if any of you put it on. I need to be the one to do this." Those words made Three give a worried look back at the gauntlet, then at the others.

"Okay," Steve said after a long moment of thinking. He too looked worried, but once it was decided that Banner would undo this they let him pick up the gauntlet and move towards the centre of the conference room.

"Good to go? Yeah?" Tony asked.

"Let's do it." Banner answered.

"Remember everyone Thanos snapped away five years ago. We're just bringing them back to now. Today. Don't change anything from the last five years." Tony instructed.

"Got it," Banner agreed. Three moved to stand with Steve as he was prepared to block anything that came from the gauntlet with his shield. Next to them, Scott closed his helmet as did Rhodey. Rocket went to hide behind Thor, while Clint stood behind Tony in his Iron Man suit as he activated a shield to safeguard them.

"Friday, do me a favour and activate barn door protocol, will you?" Tony asked his AI. Immediately all windows and doors were sealed shut as an added precaution for what was to come.

"Everybody comes home." Banner said as he pushed his hand into the gauntlet. Thanks to the nano-technology the gauntlet reshaped and grew to fit Banner's large green hand. No sooner did it fully form to Banner's hand did he cry out as he dropped to one knee. The electrical surge from the stones showed just how they were reacting.

"Take it off! Take it off!" Thor called worried for Banner, and Three was tempted to come around Steve and help him get the gauntlet off.

"No wait! Bruce, are you okay?" Steve asked gesturing for Thor to wait as he looked to Banner.

"Talk to me Banner," Tony added.

"Bruce please tell us your okay!" Three called out.

"I'm okay, I'm okay." Banner managed, then with an almighty cry he raised the gauntlet and managed to snap his fingers before collapsing to the ground.

"Bruce! Don't move him!" Tony ordered. The gauntlet fell off and Clint kicked the thing away as Thor, Steve, and Three knelt by him. Tony used some sort of fire extinguisher spray-on Banner's injured arm as he gripped Steve's wrist. Three placed her small hands-on Banner's chest to keep him still while Thor placed a hand on his head.

"Did it work?" Banner asked that it was a very good question. Just as Three was wondering that she cried out and gripped her forehead. The brief pain was like live wires jumping around inside her head then just as quickly those wires found their connections and seemed to reconnect.

Vaguely she heard Thor say. "We're not sure. It's okay."

"Kat, what's wrong?" Steve said looking to her. But for a moment she was shocked. After five agonizingly long years, she pulled on the mental tethers and felt the people at the other end. "Kat?!"

"I.. I feel them..." She whispered still unable to believe she could feel them again. She tugged on each tether feeling the person at the opposite end. T'Challa, Shuri, Sharon, Sam, Wanda, and so many others. Then she pulled on the two connections she was afraid to because she was afraid they weren't there. First pulling on Tess' tether and feeling Tess made her gasp, then Bucky's. She smiled at sensing them then looked to Banner. "It worked. They're alive, it worked."

Three had not noticed the doors and windows reopening, nor that Clint had gone to answer a phone call. She was still overjoyed and crying to finally sense them again as she looked down at Banner grateful to have them back. That was when Banner looked up as a shadow moved over the ceiling window, and she saw the shocked look registering on his face. Immediately Three looked up to see a ship above the compound. Before she could think to react multiple blasts rocked the compound. The blast knocked her back onto the floor only for it to start to give out beneath her. Rolling to the side she called out one of her wrist daggers and rammed it into the floor as she dangled precariously over a now large whole. Sadly as the structure became less stable the floor where the dagger was gave out. Three gave a cry as she fell down the black hole below.

August 12th, 2023

Wakanda

Like most days the General of the Dora Milaje focused on her duties and tasks. It was getting towards late afternoon when she had finished and decided to head for the small hut, at the edge of a village, that belonged to Myra Wilson. Did Okoye need to visit the former HYDRA agent? Not really, but both women shared the grief for what happened five years ago. Both felt they failed in a big way, and both missed those lost. It helped them both to hold on to their sanity, by visiting one another and to be there for each other. However, Okoye would never verbally admit to that. To many, she made it out to be an obligation to check in with Myra. Or she was doing Nat and Steve a favour by making sure Myra was okay. The truth was they needed each other to get through the painful loss and failures they both felt.

Myra as was usual could be found outside her hut sitting on a bench watching some of the village children play while their parents would soon be finishing their work. Myra had become a type of nanny and offered to watch the children for the locals. Often some of the parents offered to pay her in the form of food and clothing, but Myra often declined. Okoye guessed this was her way of atoning for losing Tess. Many including Okoye tried to tell her Tess' death was not her fault, there was no way Myra could have prevented Tess from vanishing, like so many others. Sadly that was not the only death that broke Myra's heart, Sam Wilson had also died. Later Myra had admitted that with Shuri's treatments the pair were trying for kids, but after Sam vanished she had wanted to be made sterile again.

Casually Okoye came and sat beside Myra. "Hello, Okoye." She said without meeting her eyes.

"Myra," Okoye replied and for a few minutes, the pair watched the village children running around laughing and chasing each other.

"Busy day?" Myra asked.

"The usual," Okoye replied then asked. "You?"

"Same as always." Again it went quiet as the pair watched the children until their parents came to collect them. Some came up and thanked Myra. By then the former agent was used to the language and both spoke and understood it easily. One parent insisted on giving Myra some fruit, which she hesitantly accepted. "Want some?"

Myra offered some fruit to Okoye, who smiled and pulled out a bottle of wine for them. "Even better a fruit and wine party."

Myra went inside and retrieved two cups while Okoye opened the bottle. Once the wine was poured the pair sat eating some fruit and sipping some wine while they made light conversation about their daily activities. The pair avoided talking about the past or those lost like the plague.

"How are things in the palace?" Myra finally asked, and Okoye sighed.

"The elders still speak of wanting M'Baku to be named King, he refuses since T'Challa never named a successor. He insists that each has a voice and that decisions are reached together." Myra nodded, there had been talks like this for some time, but each time M'Baku shot down attempts to name him king. Years before Thanos he might have accepted the mantle had he defeated T'Challa in combat, but he did not want to be made king this way. Sadly the Elders were not letting up on the issue, they had been urging M'Baku for years to become king.

"Maybe they should-" Myra started to say, but Okoye's beads beeped from an incoming halo-call. The General rolled her eyes and answered.

"Yes?" It was Ayo that appeared looking disturbed.

"General, something has happened."

"What is it this time?" Okoye asked annoyed as Myra sipped her wine.

"I am not sure..." Ayo looked down and to her left. Before Okoye could demand an explanation a local woman ran up practically screaming in Xhosa. Some of it sounded like pure insanity while the rest was too fast for Myra to fully understand. Both women looked at each other then rushed for the field the lady had been yelling about and pointing to. Coming up over the rise were people getting up as if they had been taking a nap. They looked just as confused as Okoye and Myra. Most Okoye recognized as those that had vanished when Thanos snapped his fingers!

"These were the people that vanished five years ago..." Myra added stunned.

"If that's true then..." Okoye looked to Myra and both ran across the field heading towards the city where they could acquire a faster mode of transportation. From there Okoye took a hovercar and Myra hopped in before it sped off towards where five years ago the Battle of Wakanda took place to confirm their suspicions. In this moment Myra felt more alive than she had been the last five years but also frightened. Was she overreacting? The entire time Okoye's kimono beads were beeping, which told the former agent she was not the only one hoping this was real, both were more concerned with what they would find.

They reached the edge of the field and stopped the hovercar by the building that often featured in Myra's nightmares. Both hopped out to find many that were waking confused in the field as if just waking from a nap. When they spotted Ayo coming out of the building they stopped by with two very familiar faces. Both stopped stunned then moved closer. Sure enough, Myra recognized the little girl in a SHIELD baseball cap easily while Okoye recognized the young Wakandan teen princess.

"They just appeared in the lab. Frightened one of the maids senseless." Ayo called out as Tess ran up to Myra hugging her. Instinctively Myra hugged her back glad to feel the solid real girl. So many nightmares featured Myra trying to grab Tess, to protect her, but as soon as she would touch the little girl Myra's hand would pass right through her. Meanwhile, Okoye could not help it she pulled Shuri into a tight hug glad to see her. Right then protocol and decorum went right out the window, she just needed to make sure Shuri was real! Then a moment later Okoye realized what she was doing and released Shuri straightening up.

"General? How is this possible?" Ayo asked still not quite believing what was happening.

"How is what possible?" Shuri asked confused.

"Princess, it has been five years since... since we faced Thanos," Okoye replied gently, but Tess still heard her easily.

"Five years?" The little girl asked surprised now understanding why her protector did not want to release her. However, once released Tess' next target for hugs was Okoye. The little girl ran up hugging the General's waist and making Okoye smile. Okoye had missed many over the five years from T'Challa and Shuri who were not just royalty but good friends. Tess though had become equally important to the General and had a big soft spot for her. She leaned down hugging Tess tightly, for months after the girl vanished Okoye and Myra had gone to the practice grounds wishing they could see Tess practicing only to be heartbroken to see the vacant spot Tess once stood in. They might have continued this way but during the reunion, they had not spotted the approaching group until a familiar voice called out.

"What goes on here?" T'Challa called out trying to understand what happened. Okoye immediately straightened and Tess released the General's waist. The last T'Challa recalled he was helping Okoye up then passed out? Before the king of Wakanda could fully grasp what was happening he was being hugged by his general then she was apologizing and releasing him. Meanwhile, Myra could only stare at Sam stunned to see him after all this time, she looked like she was about to burst into tears. Seeing the look Sam rushed over wanting to know what was wrong with his wife.

"Myra? What's wrong?" The second he touched her she practically threw herself into his arms as she burst into tears. "Hey hey, what's wrong?"

"Okoye says five years have passed," Shuri explained, while Tess rushed over to her dad who scooped her up into a hug.

"Five years?" Sam asked both confused and stunned.

"It's true, Thanos had won and destroyed half of all life in the Galaxy. Five years ago..." Myra said tearfully as she hugged Sam. It didn't take a genius to put two and two together. They had been the half to be destroyed. Bucky tightened his hold on Tess as he realized Kat had not woken with him and the others in the woods. He had been close to panicking when he didn't see her, or Steve, or some of the other Avengers. He was going to ask Tess where Kat was, but the little girl beat him to it.

"Daddy? Where is Mommy?" Immediately he looked to the others for answers and stopped at Okoye who looked like she had sucked on a lemon and was about to tell them some terrible news.

"No one knows, Katrina Barnes... Kat, she disappeared shortly after Thanos was killed." The General said, but there was more to it and both she and Myra knew it.

"General?" T'Challa asked wanting all the details.

"After Thanos, she had to be placed in a mental asylum after she attempted to take her own life... she escaped months later and hasn't been seen since." Getting those words from the General was like trying to get blood from a stone. She had not wanted to cause a panic but knew they had a right to know what had happened and why Kat was not there.'Mental asylum?! Kat tried to-' Bucky hugged Tess tightly not able to accept this, but five years had passed? What if? Oh god!

Before a full-blown panic could settle in furthermore were arriving led by M'Baku who was glad to see T'Challa. While the others talked Bucky tried to calm a scared and worried Tess that wanted her mom. Sadly Okoye could not say those words without Tess hearing. "I want mommy."

"I know, don't worry we'll find her. I promise."

"But they said it's been five years... that's like forever. And the other stuff..." Tess said starting to cry. About then the tree figure that had originally arrived with Thor and the Racoon came up.

"I am Groot." He spoke gently as he introduced himself. However, it did kind of sound like he was saying something else. Groot held out his hand growing a small flower in the centre and then plucking it to offer it to Tess.

"Thank you, Groot," Tess said wiping her eyes and accepting the flower. It helped to cheer her up a little.

"See? Don't give up, Tessi." Myra added, "Your mom can sense you remember? She probably senses you right now and is racing to get here to you."

"Really?" Tess asked hopefully.

"Yep, you should know by now nothing comes between her, you, and Bucky. And if anyone tries..." Myra gave a shiver, "They are so dead meat."

As Tess started to giggle then a strange noise hit their ears. It sounded like a sizzling whooshing noise that got them looking as a round circle of sparkling light appeared about five feet from them. Immediately Bucky put Tess behind him as a heavier set Asian man stepped through. Sam looked to Bucky and T'Challa as if to make sure what they were seeing was real then looked back as the man approached them.

"Good, you're here. We need to hurry." The man said.

"Who are you?" T'Challa asked.

"Wong." He replied.

"What do you want?" Bucky asked warily.

"To stop Thanos," Wong replied. This got the group looking at one another as T'Challa looked to Okoye.

"I thought you said Thanos was dead."

"Not the Thanos you know," Wong added, "The Avengers were successful in undoing Thanos' snap. But a past version of Thanos is here now, and the Avengers need our help otherwise they will fail again."

"It seems our battle with Thanos is not yet done," T'Challa said after a moment.

"Is mommy with the Avengers?" Tess asked Wong hoping that she was there.

"Who?" Wong asked.

"Lady in a blackish-purple ninja looking suit with wrist daggers," Sam added and Wong seemed to recognized the description. Ever since fighting half the Avengers in Germany nearly seven years ago, Three's iconic Purple-ish black ninja suit and wrist daggers were well known as the gear worn by the Guardian Avenger.

"Oh, the Guardian Avenger? Yes, she is currently fighting alongside the Avengers." Well, that was something at least. "We must hurry though. Gather your armies and prepare to fight, otherwise they will fail once more."

Author's Notes:

First off Thank you all for the lovely review and sorry for the delays in posting. As usual, at times I find it difficult to write for this story, but appreciate those sticking with it.

Of course, I do feel I need to address comments and questions posted in the reviews. I am glad Fin-Fish Jun-Tenshi is looking forward to the KariXLoki story I have been working on.

Sorry, WeirdZombieGirl. The closest Three came was how close Steve did to seeing Peggy. It was nice for her to see the Carter lady though.

HogwartsBestAvenger, I hope the changing room scenes where Tony and Three were talking in separate stalls were what you were looking for. I will say this much... Scenes with just Tony and Three will be very important later at the end of Endgame and you'll see why.

SomebodyWhoCares, To answer your question yes. There are two Marvel stories I am thinking about and writing bits for. The first is obviously the Loki fanfiction, and the second is another fanfict involving Bucky and Three... only it is a darker alternative universe story which asks the question: 'What if Three never escaped HYDRA?' We know the second Doctor Strange movie is called Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness, so it makes sense there would be a universe where Three did not escape. Sadly that universe would be Kat's own personal nightmare, but it is interesting to see the effects had those events transpired.

smilin steph, Glad you enjoyed the last chapter and hope you enjoy this one.

Well onto this chapter...

Steve, Tony, and Three end up going to the 1970s where Three and Tony grow as friends, break into a military installation, and Three has to refrain from killing two HYDRA doctors. Some might ask why put Zola in the scene? Doesn't he die around that time? Nope, he receives a terminal diagnosis in 1972. Also before meeting Tony, Howard Stark was looking for Zola in Endgame. So he's still sadly alive and so is Vermonte...

Another thing to note was at the end of their field trip to the 1970s when they synced up to port out, they were caught on camera. I did this because 1.) All three of them were distracted. And 2.) Because like with Agents of SHIELD season 7, who were back in the 1930s and will be influencing events later on in the timeline. So too are the Avengers, which also kind of lead up to the divergence of the events in 2012 where we were introduced to Agent Kari. I wanted to show more branched timelines by simple mistakes being made. Yes, it was old technology, but they were still caught on camera begging a lot of questions for ones like Peggy, Howard, and Pyme. So while it isn't a huge deal right now... it may be later.

Next they return to the present to discover Nat has died during the heist. As mentioned in the previous chapter this hits home for a lot of them, but also for Aida whom doesn't stick around long after receiving the memories from Vormir. While very upsetting to lose a friend of five years, this was also done so that Aida would be unaware of the dangers posed by 2014 Nebula. Naturally, things happen just like in Endgame with Banner undoing the snap, and Thanos attacking.

The next scenes with Okoye and Myra are to show the effects of the snap being undone, and how a number of sorcerers call those to action. I had originally thought about doing a scene where the SHIELD agents are on the Zephr One and in-flight after their mission when one of the sorcerers appear and warn them of Thanos attacking the Avengers compound. However, I thought it more important to show the after-effects of the snap being undone.

Anyway, I do hope you all enjoyed this chapter and hope to read your reviews. Also if it helps... my birthday is coming up soon and love getting reviews. So... review away, please.

Lesliezin