Winter's solace

Rewards

Avengers Compound:

They invited Althea back to the compound. Alyssa hugged her tightly as they entered the building.

  "Thank you." She whispered to the girl.

Althea nodded. Now that they had better ability to focus, Alyssa could see Althea's features. She had long blonde hair, much like her brother's and green eyes.

   "How exactly do your powers work?" Bucky asked out of curiosity just as MJ ran past him.

  "Oh thank god!" She said, tackling Peter.

     She kissed him deeply before embracing Alyssa and pecking her on the cheek. She wiped the few remaining tears away and smiled slightly. Their dynamic didn't seem to bother Althea in the slightest as she continued the conversation.

   "I can bring people back from the dead. I can also create life easily. For example-"

A vine formed in Mj's braid and roses sprouted throughout her hair.

  "Flowers." Althea continued "I normally use my gift as a reward or to bring back those who do not deserve to die."

  "So Peter, his life was a reward for saving you?" Clint asked

  "No. Peter was saved because I couldn't bare Miss Romanov's screams."  She said "This is Peter's reward."

  She touched Peter's forehead and her eyes turned gold. Her body was once again engulfed in golden light and when it faded, a man in a suit was with her.

  "Mr. Stark?" Peter asked

  "Hey Kid, what-what happened?"

Tony looked confused.

"You-you died, two years ago."

"Then how am i-"

"Thor's sister can bring people back. I saved her. This is my reward."

  "The person you miss most." Althea said

Tony looked at him, astonished.

"You brought me back instead of Ben?" He whispered, looking at the floor. 

His head shot up.

"You missed me more than your uncle Ben?"

Peter nodded and embraced Tony.

"And you, for trying to protect a child from seeing death-" she said, turning to Clint.

The room flashed gold and a woman in a black body suit stood next to Althea.

   "Mom?" Alyssa asked

She realized she was wearing her suit and grabbed for Peter's jacket. She didn't want her mom to know, not yet.

  "Alyssa?"

Alyssa wrapped her arms around her mother and Bucky and Clint joined her.

"You look beautiful." Natasha said, running her hands down Alyssa's colorful braid. "Is that Peter's jacket."

"Yeah. He's my boyfriend."

Tony chuckled.

"You too?" He laughed

Alyssa nodded. Tony embraced Peter again.

  "They're both beautiful." He whispered to him

"I know." Peter replied. "They're also smart and loving."

   He didn't like his girls being dwindled down to one trait. Normally beautiful. Alyssa smiled at him.

   "Welcome back." Bruce said from the corner.

Natasha ran to embrace him. He breathed in, smelling her soft scent of green apples and cinnamon. Her hair smelled of mint.

  "I missed you." She said quietly

"I missed you too." He whispered.

Bucky cleared his throat, staring at Natasha possessively.

"It'd be nice if I could hug my wife?" He said calmly.

   Tony raised an eyebrow.

  "Wife?" He asked "when did that happen?"

  "Hydra." They responded.

She dove into Bucky's arms and he sighed. The weight of her in his arms was a piece of heaven he never thought he'd experience again. Bucky pulled her close, a hand in her hair.

  "This is nice." He chuckled

"It is."

He kissed her softly on the forehead.

  "I love you." He said

"I love you too."

  Alyssa gagged playfully and Peter chuckled.

  "You think you're funny." He said, playfully poking her in the ribs.

  "I'm not joking. It's gross."

"It's not gross." Mj scolded "It's sweet."

"Gross."

Natasha rolled her eyes.

"Oh really?" Bucky teased "Would you like for me to tell your mother who's bed I found you in this morning? Cause it wasn't yours."

Peter laughed and rolled his eyes slightly.

  "We. Live. Together." She said slowly "We literally alternate who sleeps where."

Bucky squeezed the bridge of his nose. He didn't need to know that. Natasha laughed.

Thor had whisked Althea away from the conversation, deeming it inappropriate.

Hours later, Natasha and Alyssa were alone.

  "Peter and MJ." She said quietly "You three look good together."

      "Thanks." Alyssa said

"You three live together?"

Alyssa nodded.

  "Why aren't you there? Why are you staying at the compound?"

"I-uh- I'm a target of Hydra." She sighed "They want me back. I was followed home the other night."

    "There's no way in hell I'm letting that happen." Natasha said.

    "Me either." Peter said from behind them.

He walked up behind Alyssa and wrapped his arms around her. He made a promise to himself that he'd always protect her, even when she didn't need it. He loved her. He wanted to spend the rest of his life with MJ and Alyssa.