New memories

Chapter 30

"Why the noise?", I ask when we get to the dining room for breakfast the next morning. Nanna is running around, and Steve is chasing her. "I'm going to get you. I'm going to get you.", he keeps saying to her, and she keeps laughing and running around. Suddenly she stops and Steve swoops her into his arms. "Mommy, Daddy!", she shouts. Steve lets her go, and Nanna immediately runs to us and jumps into my arms.

"You have become a big girl.", I tell her. She keeps smiling while I give her kisses all over her face. Bucky then steals her from me and starts to play with her. She seems happy to be back to us. I go to sit next to Nat, who has almost finished breakfast. She pours me some coffee and then asks me silently, "How was it?". I look at her and first I thought that I need to pretend that I don't know what she is talking about, but I can't. It's Nat. "Amazing, like always.", I whisper to her, and we both start laughing.

"So, what are your plans?", I ask her. I know that this is the first time that they have been here for this long. Nat looks at Steve, who is with Bucky and Sam, and now playing with Nanna. "I don't know yet. It depends on things.", she tells me and smiles at Steve. I knew it all along. We talk for a while. Everyone eats breakfast and then me and Nat take Nanna for a stroll. The dragons and the phoenixes have gotten more used to people now and even Nat is now able to join me to visit the dragons. We spend some time with them, after all they were helping us a lot in the battle against Hela.

The dragons always emit this healing and soothing warmth. It makes Nanna fall asleep right next to Lisha. "Do you think that they will be friends when she grows older?", Nat asks me while looking at them. I don't even need to think my answer. "They are friends now, of course they will be friends when she is older. Besides they are all our friends.", I tell her.

After a while, we continue our stroll to the phoenixes. Lately, we have had this same stroll daily because Nat likes the phoenixes and also she is getting more interested on the dragons. When we get to the phoenix nest I realize that there is an egg. "It's beautiful.", I say out loud. Nat walks towards me and the egg. She is mesmerized. "How can such a delicate thing become a creature that guards love for someone?", she asks. I don't have an answer to her. She strokes the egg, and it moves. "I am sorry, I didn't mean to hurt it.", she apologizes immediately. The phoenix close to her looks at her and it looks like it is telling her that it is ok. While we are admiring the egg, Bucky, Sam, and Steve have joined us. Steve walks to Nat and asks her, what is going on. He put his hand on her hip gently and then sees the egg. Nat is still holding her hand on the egg and now Steve moves his hand on top of hers. We all hear a slight crack. They both get scared.

"Don't worry. It's just starting to hatch.", I try to calm them down. We all look at this little egg opening even more. In short while, a tiny little bird comes out of the shell. When phoenixes are born they don't look like other birds. They already have their feathers on, because in the feathers there is some of the magic that these creatures possess. The little phoenix looks at Nat and Steve and then suddenly, it jumps into Nat's arms. "I think she likes you two.", I say out loud. Bucky looks at me and he realizes, "So, you too are actually in love, right?", he says. Nat and Steve look at each other and then Bucky.

"What do you mean?", Steve asks. As I start to explain, Funí flies on my shoulder. "Well, because phoenixes are the embodiment of love, they are born only when love is born. It seems like this little one, has been born from your love. It wouldn't have hatched from your touch if that wasn't the case.", I tell Steve. Steve immediately asks, "But Funí wasn't born when you two met. How is he the embodiment of your love?". I shake my head and laugh. "There is more than one type of love.", I tell him. I have found out more about the phoenixes and their pasts lately. "Funí was actually born the same day that I was.", I tell them. Even Bucky is confused now, and he opens his mouth to ask something, but I continue, "My mother was the goddess of love. Her love towards my father, my brothers and me, was the one thing that helped Taran, Spjalli, and Funí to be born. It is not coincidence that Taran means 'thunder', Spjalli means 'friend', and Funí means 'fire' in old Norse. They were born from our mother's love. And what comes to Funí, he was reborn from mine and Bucky's love. That is why he looks different now. I hate to say it myself, but this is the embodiment of true pure love.". Bucky comes to me, takes my hand, and kisses it. I smile at him.

Nat looks at Steve, and he smiles. "Well, I guess we were going to tell you eventually about us.", he says. I look at Bucky and Sam and in unison we all say, "We already knew.". We start to laugh, and Steve and Nat look at us and they are both confused. Apparently, they both thought that the boys didn't know about things, but they were wrong. Nat looks at me and asks, "Did you tell them?", and I start to respond but Sam interrupts, "You aren't that good at hiding your feelings towards each other.". Nat and Steve look at each other and then they kiss. The little phoenix in Nat's hand shrieks softly.

Nat looks at me and asks, "So everyone in here has a name that describes them? What about Nanna, what does her name mean?". I look at Nanna. She has woken up and is now playing with two young phoenixes in her stroller. I look at Nat and tell her, "Nanna means 'brave' and 'daring'. I think it suits her. She is daring and trusting. Her presence makes everyone happy.". Bucky looks at me and tell everyone what we have noticed lately. "Hailey is right. Nanna has the power to make everyone around her happy and relaxed. She is our little bundle of joy.", he says, and I continue, "Her powers are already showing. One day she will be known as the Goddess of Joy and Peace.". Sam, Nat, and Steve are all looking at Nanna. She smiles at them, and they all smile back. "You see it now, right?", I ask them. Nat looks at Steve, and they both realize that they are smiling. "So, if every name has it's meaning in here, what shall we name this little girl? You are the protector of the phoenix fire, do you decide her name?", Nat asks me.

"She is the embodiment of your love. It is not my job to name her. But I have a suggestion.", I tell Nat and Steve. They both look at me for a while but finally Steve says, "We trust your judgement. What is your suggestion?". I look at the little phoenix and gently pet her head. "Welcome to the world Sigrun, the secret victory.", I say out loud and look at Nat. She is smiling and nodding.

We are all there for a while, admiring the phoenixes. We start to get back to the palace because Nanna starts to get hungry. Not that I wouldn't mind eating something, but I have noticed that Nanna is a great excuse to get something to eat. On our way to the palace, Sam asks us a question, "So you all are going to stay here, right?". We all stop. I look at Bucky, Nat looks at Steve and the guys are looking at each other. No one says anything. Bucky pulls me close to him and says, "I think that this is where we belong. Asgard is the place where Nanna can grow up learning her powers. This is the first place that I actually feel like is my home after the whole Hydra-thing. It doesn't mean that I won't came to help you if needed. But for now, I need to concentrate on my family.". I hug her and rest my head on his chest while he places his chin on top of my head.

"I have lived in war and battle for too long. I need a break. I think we need a break.", Steve says and looks at Nat. She looks at Steve and says, "I have always done what I was told. It's time that I do something for me.". Steve kisses her on her forehead. Sam looks at us and turns around looking at the scenery of Asgard. "It is looking pretty in here, but I think that my place is back on Earth.", Sam says. Steve and Bucky both walk to him, and they both place one of their hands on Sam's shoulders. Steve then says, "It's good that you feel that because I think that the Avengers need a new leader.", Steve says whilst looking at Sam.