Our little family (sequel to Baby Captain Widow)

Chapter 1: Captain Marvel

A small device stood behind glass, surrounded by glowing blue tubes. It flashed with an unfamiliar symbol to the small group of surviving avengers and guardians, but they had found it by Fury's car, meaning that it was of some importance.

Suddenly, despite plugged into its charging point, it shut down and the signal was lost.

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Nat and Steve stood monitoring a holographic projected screen, Nat with Lily in her arms, the young baby asleep, Steve leaning his weight on his hands that were resting on the table in front of them. Eyes full on concern, hypnotised by the rising numbers of those declared missing. Steve's eyebrows were furrowed, worry lines appearing permanently sketched in his forehead. "This is a nightmare." He declared quietly, not able to tear his eyes from the screen.
"I've had better nightmares." Nat murmured in response, eyes brimming with tears, entranced by the rising figures. She held Lily tightly, immensely thankful that she hadn't lost her as well. But she could not show this joy, as it was cast into the shadows of grief, anger, guilt, regret.

"Hey." Rhodey entered the doorway, standing still. Nat and Steve both broke their gaze to look at him, yearning for any sign of good news. "Okay, so that thing just stopped doing whatever the hell it was." Steve turned to look at Nat, her gaze now fixed on Rhodey. He could see how exhausted she was, even if she didn't want to admit it.

"What have we got?" She asked, marching into Banner's lab, Steve by her side, stopping in front of the glass case.
"Whatever signal was sent has finally crapped out." Banner said, depressed.
"I thought we bypassed the battery." Steve verbalised, wrapping his arm around Nat, stroking his daughter's tuft of hair as she snored softly into her mum.
"Oh we did, it's still plugged in, it just... just stopped." Rhodey responded, standing next to the super soldier.
"Reboot it." Steve ordered. "Send the signal again." His voice decreasing in volume.
"We don't even know what this is." Banner pointed out.
"Fury did." Nat muttered. "Just do it please. You tell me the second you get a signal. I want to know who's on the other end of this thing." She commanded gently, turning away, and coming face to face with a strange woman.
"Where's Fury?" She asked, her eyes full of worry.

"I'm sorry, but who are you?" Rhodey interjected, stepping forwards towards the woman.
"Carol Danvers. Now, where's Fury?" She replied, her voice wavering slightly.
"He disappeared, like half of the universe." Banner responded, removing his lab coat.
"You're the person on the other end of this thing." Steve concluded, pointing to the dead device behind them.
"Yes, Nick and I made it so that if earth was in grave danger, then he could contact me immediately."
"How do you and Fury know each other?" Nat interrogated.
"We met when I had a mission to destroy the Skrolls, a race of alien which I refused to complete. He helped me defend and protect them."
"When was this?"
"1995."
"How old were you?" Banner intercepted.
"Why does that matter? I wasn't a child, if that is what you're asking."
"I don't understand..."
"Time acts differently in different parts of space. I thought everyone knew that?"
"Makes sense..." Rhodey responded.

Just then, Pepper walked into the room, eyes red from crying, tear marks still etched on her pretty face. "Any sign from Tony?" She asked, her voice breaking on his name. Her eyes fell on Carol. "Who's this?"
"Pepper, this is Carol Danvers. She's... from outer space." Rhodey introduced Carol, moving over to embrace his best friend's wife, comforting her slightly.
"Have you seen Tony?" She pleaded over Rhodey's shoulder, tears dripping down her face.
"I'm sorry, no." She replied sadly.
"Oh god!" Pepper burst into a fresh flood of tears, Nat handing Lily over to Steve and embracing her.
"Carol, Tony Stark has been lost in space. He's been gone for 22 days now." Steve explained, holding his sleeping daughter, and looking down at Lily's beautiful face.
"Have you tried using the ship's homing beacon?" She suggested, looking at the group.
"I... didn't even know that it had one of those..." Banner responded.
"Come on, all ships have a homing beacon." She sighed, as she moved over to the tracking station in Banner's lab, and started to type into the keyboard.
"Um, who's this?" Rocket entered, reaching Steve's knee in height.
"Rocket, this is Carol, Carol, this is Rocket." Banner said, rushing over to the computer she was standing at.
"He's a raccoon?" She questioned, looking down at him.
"Hey! I am NOT a raccoon." He retorted.
"You kinda look like one to me?"
"I am a genetically enhanced creature, I'll have you know!" He corrected her, angrily.
"So, a raccoon?"
"Why, you- " But before he could continue, he was held back by Rhodey before he got the chance to lunge at her. Carol smirked, but then turned her attention back to the others.
"Any one know the ship's homing system code?" They shook their heads. Pepper looked up at her.
"I know my husband's suit's homing system code."
"Excellent. Type that in." She commanded, Pepper obeyed. "It seems as though the ship they're in won't be habitable for much longer."
"That appears to be an understatement, Carol." Banner pointed at the ship's oxygen levels. Pepper yelped in fear, and began to hyperventilate.
"Pepper, calm down. We'll find a way to get him back." Nat reassured her.
"I'll be back soon." Carol said, exiting the room swiftly.
"Uh, where are you going?" Rhodey queried, furrowing his eyebrows at her.
"To go and get your friend."