The Pink Ghost

Sixteen

Gwen looked around the lab, unaware of Shuri slipping out when Steve showed up. She followed Steve outside and across the large field where she saw the quinjet sitting. As they walked closer, Gwen's advanced hearing picked up voices on the jet.

"Is that Gwen?" She heard Natasha ask.

"I'll be damned, she's pink." Tony stated with amusement.

"She's beautiful." She heard Bucky whisper, making her heart flutter.

As they neared the ramp, Peter took off running towards her. Jumping into her arms with such force, Steve was forced to grab her and hold her up, Gwen laughed as she hugged him back.

"You look amazing, Gwen!" He pulled away to look at her again, "Put a full head mask on and you'll look like a cross between me and Nat. And this hair! You look like a badass!"

"Thanks, Pete." She laughed as he hugged her again.

"I've missed you. We all have." He started. "Are you coming home?"

Gwen looked over Peter's shoulder at everyone else waiting for her. Tony and Bruce stood furthest to the left, Thor and Loki stood next to them. Nat and Clint stood smiling with Wanda and Vision, their arms around one another. But what surprised her the most was, Bucky and Sam standing next to them. Bucky and Sam were smiling, which caught her off guard. Those two couldn't get along when she left.

"I've obviously missed a lot." Gwen spoke as she looked at the two.

Sam chuckled as Bucky rolled his eyes. Natasha was the first to walk towards her. Gwen looked at her nervously, she wasn't sure how this reunion would go since the last time she saw her, Nat told her she didn't deserve to be a part of the team.

Staring at her with her famous unreadable stare the entire time.

"Nat." Gwen greeted her when she stood in front of her.

"You look good, girl." Nat smiled.

Gwen let out a breath of relief and accepted the hug Nat was offering.

"I'm sorry," she whispered.

"I'm sorry, too."

Nat turned her around and walked her towards the rest of the group where they all gathered around her.

Everyone greeted her with hugs and smiles. When she reached Tony, she hesitated.

He reached out grabbing her shoulder, "Hey, Kid." He grinned.

Gwen rolled her eyes, knocked his hand off of her shoulder, and crashed against his chest. He engulfed her in a hug, holding her just a little longer than everyone else did. He was also the first one to speak,

"Listen, the things that were said..."

Gwen pulled away to look at him.

"...I was kind of a jerk." He shifted his weight and looked everywhere but her. When he glanced down at her, she was grinning mischievously.

"Come on, kid, help me out here. I'm trying to apologize."

She stepped back, crossing her arms, "I'm not stopping you." She quipped. She knew he was horrible at apologizing.

"Gwen," he warned as the inside of the jet filled with laughs.

"Take it, doll. That's about a good of an apology as you're going to get from tinman." Bucky spoke, finally.

Gwen's attention was immediately pulled to Bucky. He stood, arms crossed, waiting. Gwen looked at Tony who nodded, telling her he was ok that they end their conversation. Walking towards Bucky, not looking at anyone else, she smiled nervously.