Today was the day. The day the Avengers were to assemble once again. Or at least that was the plan

Sam had sent out a message to all invitees a few days before telling them all the same thing: Wednesday, 10 o'clock, New Avengers Compound. Training for active members will begin.

Now all he had to do was wait.

A small part of him acknowledged the genuine possibility that no one would arrive, that of all the people they invited none would show up. Not that it would be too bad. With Pietro up and about, raring to go, that brought their number to five. When it came down it, five Avengers were better than none.

Still, it was the principle. Sam was the one who promised to lead the team; if he turned out an empty house it would reflect just as much on him. Their lack of confidence wouldn't just be in the group itself, it would be in him. Sam knew that he shouldn't take it too personally - they all would have their reasons for not showing up - but he couldn't help the creeping feeling of inadequacy. This would the first time he made a proper appearance as the new Captain America, after all. The previously grey and red suit he used to carry on missions had been given a more patriotic makeover, combining the best parts of Steve's old uniform with his own unique twist.

The first time he saw the new design, Sam couldn't help the tear that came to his eye. Not that he would ever admit to crying, especially not to Barnes. Although, Barnes looked pretty wistful himself, seeing the red, white and blue again.

Sam would definitely have to get used to throwing the shield mid-air, through - god, that was difficult. He thought, watching Steve throw it so effortlessly, that it had a mind of its own in a way, like a computer guidance system that helped him out a little. No, turns out that son of a bitch worked out all the angles on the fly. And now - Sam cringed at his own pun - so would he.

Putting on the suit, Sam remembered feeling surprisingly dignified, considering he was now all the colours of a July 4th party. He reckoned he would look far more respectable with the Avengers behind him, all in their equally colourful outfits. If the Avengers ever decided to show, that is…

His anxieties were shattered as he heard the familiar loud horn of an ugly, brown van. The vehicle made its way up through the drive of the compound, stopping just in front of him. The doors slid open, and from inside clambered out a welcome sight. Both Scott Lang and Hope Van Dyne were smiling courteously as they climbed the steps towards him.

"Are we late?" Scott greeted, shaking his hand, taking a moment to admire Sam's new armour.

"Actually, you're both right on time," he smiled. "It's good to have you."

"We thought it was about time we stepped up," Hope added. "We couldn't stay in San Francisco forever.

"I hope you don't mind," Scott continued, "we brought a stray."

"A stray?" Same asked before he noticed movement from within the van.

A third person shuffled awkwardly out of the vehicle, her lengthy, black hair hiding her tan face, her eyes dark, alert and striking. Scott turned to her, gesturing for her to follow them.

"Her name is Ava," Scott explained. The woman nodded in affirmation.

"Ava Starr," she clarified hesitantly.

"She's a… friend of our's," Hope said carefully, tipping Sam off to exactly what kind of friend she really was. "I know this is short notice, but—"

"Relax," Sam called. "We're used to short notice, comes with the job." He took a few steps towards the new recruit, who stared at him with wide eyes. "So, Ava- can I call you Ava? What makes you wanna be an Avenger?"

"Because I've made a lot of mistakes," she replied solemnly, in a way that reminded Sam far too much of the first time he properly met Barnes, "and I've hurt a lot of people. I want to be more than that if you'll have me."

Sam examined her for a moment.

"So," he hummed, "do you shrink too?"

She smirked, laughing nervously.

"No. I phase."

Sam raised his eyebrow.

"Phase?"

"Through objects." She shrugged. "Like a ghost."

"I'm sure we can work with that," Sam smiled, clapping her on the shoulder. "Welcome to the team. Try to make friends, it's easier than you think."

She gazed curiously at him.

"Just like that?"

He nodded.

"Yep," he nodded. "Oh, before I forget, we're gonna need a codename."

"Codename?"

"You know like 'Falcon', 'Ant-Man', 'Wasp'. What do I call you on the field? "

"I used to be called 'Ghost'," she murmured.

"And what do you wanna be called?"

She pondered for a while, staring at the ground.

"'Silhouette'," she offered. A bit of a mouthful, maybe a bit on the nose, but it was a good start.

"We'll work on it," he grinned.

He turned to the others, addressing them as a group.

"Go on," he gestured to the compound. "Get yourselves comfortable."

Before any of them could react, the sound of a roaring engine pierced the scene, a shadow passing over them. Sam raised his head, gazing up into the belly of a giant spaceship, the same one that he had seen during his trip to New Asgard. He smiled, realising precisely who was onboard.

Sure enough, the ship's bowels opened, and a small figure launched themselves out, landing on the grassy plains beside the building. She was carrying a small bundle, wrapped in blue material.

He smiled, adding one more to his growing mental list.

The face of Brunnhilde, the last Valkyrie, peered up at him as she strutted across the lawn, her sword and armour wrapped in the blue fabric of her cape.

"Wilson," she called, smirking amicably.

"Look who decided to show up," he shouted back, crossing this arms.

"I'm only doing this to prove you wrong."

"You're here, aren't you? That's good enough for me."

The pair looked each other up and down, before offering one hand and shaking.

"Thanks for inviting me," she said sincerely.

A shout from the treetops at the border of the compound interrupted whatever Sam was going to reply. Soon, the sight of a lithe young man, clothed in a red and black bodysuit, swinging past the security barrier accompanied the sound. A pair of big, white eyes stared at the pair as he landed on a nearby railing, balancing perfectly.

"Sorry," he gasped, "got here as soon as I could. Had to ride a truck for some of the way. The driver wasn't a fan."

"Hey, kid," Sam greeted. "How was the field trip?"

Parker nodded behind the mask.

"Eventful," he replied cryptically. "But, look, I got a new suit!"

He stood up, his limbs stretched outward, showing off his new costume, so similar to the one for the airport, but the black worked well in place of the blue.

"Looks good on you, man," Sam nodded.

"Thanks, dude." Sam could hear his smile. Noticing the Asgardian by Sam's side for the first time, Parker lit up behind his mask, his lenses widening comically. "Hey, it's you!"

"It is," Brunnhilde grinned. "Spider-Boy."

Parker's head turned silently towards Sam, who was calmly studying the architecture of a nearby building.

"Did you have something to do with this?" The mask squinted.

"I've no idea what you're talking about."

Shaking his head, Parker readdressed Brunnhilde.

"So, are you gonna be one of the Avengers?"

"That's the plan," she shrugged.

"Sweet!" he pumped his fist. "I can't wait to start working with you, ma'am."

"Call me Brunnhilde," she offered, smirking, "Spider-Boy."

"Spider-Man," he tried correcting her. She merely shook her head.

"Pretty sure it's Spider-Boy."

He sighed.

"If you say so…" he murmured, before quickly adding, "your Majesty."

She froze, rounding on him.

"What did you call me?"

He recoiled, his palms held high.

"Nothing!"

She grinned, chuckling heartily, clapping him on the arm.

"That's what I thought."

Parker relaxed, vaulting off of the railing onto the steps, following her into the facility, leaving Sam with a renewed sense of optimism. The only ones missing were now T'Challa and Strange, the people he knew were the least likely to show - T'Challa had duties of his own, running a country and all, and Strange… well, Strange was probably too busy doing wizard shit. Whatever that was.

Regardless, the sensation of marching through the doors of the compound, seeing the gathered arrivals all chatting amongst themselves, was one that filled Sam with pride. He scanned each of the faces, counting them as five new members, practically an entire team. Adding them along with the five that he already had made the new Avengers team a healthy ten. Ten of the Earth's mightiest heroes, ready to protect the planet.

Sam could only hope that Steve would have been proud.

He smiled. Then he paused. Thinking of Steve reminded him that each of them would have to be trained, briefed and guided, all in their own ways. That was only going to take time. A lot of time. Time that they were currently wasting.

Scanning the room, Sam noticed that they were missing only four more people: the locals, in fact. Before he had a chance to call for them, a streak of blue came rushing into the room.

"Sorry, sorry," Pietro greeted, wearing his new streamlined running armour. "I was getting dressed."

"It's ten o'clock, man," Sam scolded.

"Yeah, and I was dead a few weeks ago," Pietro smirked. "Cut me some slack."

"That's not gonna work every time, kid."

Pietro nodded slowly.

"Oh, I think it's still got some mileage in it," he replied slyly.

Sam merely shook his head.

"Where's Wanda?"

Pietro shrugged as if to ask why he would know.

"Where's Barnes?"

"Same difference," Sam murmured to himself, glancing around the facility for the pair in question.

"There they are," he heard Pietro say, and by the time Sam turned to ask where, a trail of blue light was all that remained, leading him to a flight of stairs the speedster had sprinted up only seconds before.

At the top of the stairwell, arm in arm, looking slightly bemused, stood Bucky and Wanda, kitted out in their uniforms.

"Hey, you two," Pietro called, appearing in front of them, "you gonna join us? Today, perhaps?"

Wanda rolled her eyes.

"Give us a second," she urged. "Not all of us can run faster than a train."

Pietro sighed, tutting at her apparent tardiness, but still retreated back down the staircase, leaving the two Avengers alone once again.

"Sorry," she said to the man on her arm, who smiled.

"It's fine," he replied, "I had to look after Steve for most of my childhood. I have an idea about how annoying siblings can be."

"I can't complain," she murmured. "At least he cares."

The couple gazed out over the railing of the stairwell, seeing the gathered group new recruits.

"What do you know," Bucky noted, "this is starting to look like a team."

"Hmm," Wanda hummed, gazing out onto the scene, her head resting on his shoulder. "They'll need some work."

"We all do," Bucky replied sagely.

Wanda could only nod in agreement. Her gaze fell to Pietro, who was back to winding up Sam, skipping around him to entertain himself. His beaming face sent a surge of relief through her, thanking any higher power responsible for his lightning recovery. Not a month ago he was a thin, weary shadow of himself. Now, his muscles were healed, the colour in his face had returned, and his hair - now having been subjected to several thorough washes - was shining as it used to. Not only that but the way he seemed so comfortable in his new uniform, standing side by side with Captain America, was a stark contrast to only a few weeks ago.

Wanda remembered the day he was cleared to walk by himself again. It was the same day she caught him packing a bag of what little possessions he had left.

"You're going to stay with them, aren't you?" he asked her after she confronted him about the open suitcase.

"Why wouldn't I?" she retorted.

"I just thought, after all that's happened to you, you'd want to get away from it all."

"Get away from it all?" she parroted, crossing her arms. "You mean like a vacation?"

"I meant leaving," he replied, "and not coming back."

She stared at him, her brow furrowed.

"Is that what you want me to do?"

He sighed in frustration.

"Wanda, I just want what's best or you," he said, taking a step closer to her. "You know? As you brother?"

"So, you want me to run away?"

He shrugged.

"It's what I'm planning to do."

He flinched, noting her face, caught somewhere between anger, sadness and disgust.

"Wanda, I was lucky," he explained, holding her arms, forcing her to look him in the eye. "The next time, I might not be. And you might not be too. I know what happened to Vision. You think I could live with myself if that happened to you?"

She waved her hands casually. A shield of red light pried his hands away from her biceps.

"I'm more than capable of protecting myself," she seethed. Pietro shook his head, his eyes staring into nothing.

"I thought that as well."

Wanda frowned. She could count the few times when she had seen her brother express real fear or anxiety. Usually his cavalier attitude to pretty much everything was as much for him as it much for her. It helped make her feel safe, at a time when nothing was guaranteed for them. Now, after three years of surviving without him - thriving, even - a sombre, unspoken truth was that she didn't necessarily need her brother anymore, not like she used to. And that was clearly weighing heavily on him.

"Pietro…" she sighed. She reached forward, grasping him in a tight, familiar hug. "I can't just leave them. There are people out there who need me. I made a commitment, to Sam, to James, to the team. I can't go back on that, not now."

She felt him nod.

"I see."

She leaned back, staring at him intently.

"You can stay," she promised. His eyes widened. "We'd be happy to have you." He still seemed unconvinced, his body naturally stiff in her arms. "Pietro, you want me to be safe? Then fight with me. Help me."

By the sudden shift in his posture, the new-found purpose in his eye, Wanda confident she had hammered the point home.

And so, Pietro stayed. He was reluctant at first, shifting from day to day; she could sense his anxiety, the reflex urge to run and not stop. Surprisingly, it only took a few days to fully convince him that he belonged as one of the Avengers - if she could pinpoint the exact moment he decided to stay, it was when he was shown his brand new suit. It was a beautiful thing, a combination of blue and silver so similar to his old tracksuit, except this design had an under armour and padding on the outside. They were also assured that this version was bulletproof.

Pietro would never let anyone hear it from him, but he fell in love with the suit. Every time he wore it, Wanda could feel a rush of pride flood through his brain. It was enough to make her grin, every single time. He wasn't perfect, by no measure. There were plenty of insecurities still left lurking around in that head of his, but that was okay. Because, just as James said, they all needed some work. Speaking of which…

Wanda bringing herself out of her musings, turned to the man on her arm, squeezing to grab his attention.

"I was thinking we start tonight," she whispered. James' eyebrows flew up in surprise

"Are you sure?" he asked.

"Absolutely," she nodded, causing him to straighten up.

"Alright," he replied, gazing straight ahead as if to keep himself composed. A splash of red sprinkled his cheeks, blossoming into a light blush that made Wanda smirk. A small idea planted itself in her head. A very, very dangerous scheme, indeed. She reached up, placing her lips to his cheek in a light, teasing kiss. His eyes widened, his face glowing red. "What was that for?"

"Just a reminder," she chirped into his ear.

"Of what?"

She unravelled her arm, striding ahead of him, looking back over her shoulder to smirk.

"I think you know," she whispered. His jaw tightened, glaring at her.

"How am I suppose to concentrate now?" he growled.

"How indeed?" she shrugged. He laughed.

"You have no idea what you do to me, doll."

She flashed him an intense look that fixed him to the spot. Raising an eyebrow, she stepped just out of his reach, her lips parted ever so slightly. She couldn't have been more provocative if she tried.

"Oh, I think I do." Her hands glowed, propelling her upwards. "Come on, we have newbies to train."

And with that, she pushed herself over the guard rail, gliding gently towards the new recruits, with all the grace and poise of an angel. At least, that was what she looked like to James. It was amazing how much control she had over him, and her eyes never showed a hint of red. It was only as he descended the steps, into the central atrium that he realised what had just happened.

That was flirting. Wanda was flirting with him. She was looking at him in a way he had never seen her look at anyone before, especially not him. He didn't know that Wanda knew how to flirt, let alone be that good at it. And now, the two of them would be spending long, intimate nights together. Regularly, in fact. Of course, he knew that all they would be doing was for therapeutic purposes only, completely platonic. Or so he thought, because if she was ready to take their relationship in that fact direction, or at least hinting that she was considering it…

James couldn't help the wide, dumb smile that appeared on his face.

"You alright, there?" Sam asked, nothing his usually stoic friend sporting a manic grin. A grin that vanished as soon as he noticed Sam's presence.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Bucky quickly schooled himself. "Absolutely fine."

"Right…"

Bucky coughed audibly.

"You ready, bud?" he asked, shifting attention towards the gathered crowd of heroes. He spotted Rhodey, enveloped in his War Machine armour, who nodded to him, signalling that the group was ready to begin. Sam inhaled.

"Ready as I'll ever be." He adjusted his stance, standing tall, gripping his gleaming shield to his side. He smirked eagerly, gearing himself up for his big moment. He glanced at Bucky, who was smiling warmly at him. "I've always wanted to do this." He took a step forward. "AVENGERS…"

The room fell silent. All eyes fell upon him expectantly. Sam felt his heart swell, remembering the sight of Steve, Natasha just behind him, speaking the same mantra years ago. Now it was his turn, his time. Sam was glad he had survived to see it.

He exhaled, pausing for dramatic effect.

"AS-"

"ASSEMBLE!" Bucky shouted from beside him, prompting a cheer to erupt throughout the room. Sam's face fell. He swivelled, revealing Bucky's shit-eating grin. "God, you're right, that feels awesome!"

Sam smiled.

"Barnes."

"Yes, Captain?"

Sam placed a warm hand on Barnes' shoulder, staring neutrally at him.

"Run."

THE END

A/N: Yes, this is the end of this story, but don't worry, I already have a lot planned. My next story will focUs on Wanda and Bucky's therapy, as welL as them slowly falling for each other. I also have a sToRy planned where a certain team frOm the future turn up to help the Avengers save the day, and yes, it will include a certaiN character many people have been asking for...

For now, I shall be taking a break to Write it all, so I won't be updatIng for a whiLe. If you want to be notified when those two stories are coming out, feeL free the follow me.

This isn't the end, meRely the completion of another episode, as it were. I hopE you all like my new line-up for the Team. It's fairly big compared to the Usual number of six, but then again, with so many awesome characters around in the MCU, I couldn't keep the numbeR so low! I'm pretty certaiN it will look very different from the one in the next Avengers film, but it's my story, so my rules.

My choice to include Ava is probably pretty controverSial, but I didn't want to just gO with the obvious. Besides, I see her having a very interesting redemption arc, and her being given the opportunity to do some good will Only lead to some entertaining team dyNamics.

Anyway, that's all I've got time for. Thank you so much for all your support, I hope you've all enjoyed reading. I'll see you all next time.