The Ancient Sorceress ~Loki x Bucky AU~

Chapter 68

Steve and Tony both stood between their wood piles, hanging their heads and sifting through their thoughts like an overstuffed filing cabinet. For whatever reason, Shadow seemed to be extra sensitive to their thoughts. She wondered if it had been from healing them from the young witch.

"We cannot fight like this. We cannot let them win. You both know that." Shadow sighed, still leaning against Bucky. He kept his arm around her waist, holding her up, whether she needed it or not.

"I was just trying to do something right. I was trying to help the Avengers...us. I didn't mean for it to end up like this." Tony shook his head.

Steve continued to listen. Shadow could see what was going through their heads and knew what she needed to tell them.

"Clint, Laura...go spend time with your kids. I got this. Loki, go check on Banner and Nat." Loki nodded and took off immediately.

Shadow's head still hurt, but she knew that whatever it was she was feeling, would subside. "I need you both to understand something. Wanda...her powers are to literally play off of your fears. Tony, what you saw wasn't real." Shadow kept her stern eyes trained on him. "She can make you feel like what your seeing is real, like it happened or like it would happen. You and I both know you didn't or won't cause what you saw."

Tony nodded, hanging his head again, but was appreciative that Shadow wasn't disclosing what he had seen. Shadow turned over to Steve. She understood why he was so worked up over his vision. "And Steve...I know that what you saw was something you both wanted, and feared. Peggy is still your leading lady...but that reality is not the reality you want to be in. You would've lost everyone."

Shadow felt bad for talking to them like this, but she needed to be truthful. She couldn't lie and drive the wedge further between them. She needed to help hold the team together. She began to step towards the two men, taking it slow as to not overwhelm her senses. Once she was within arms length of the two heroes, she held out her hands.

"I know that this is going to be hard, but we have got to stick together in order to defeat Ultron. We are all better together. I cannot lose any of you." Her voice began to crack, her vulnerability was shining through. This team was her family and she couldn't lose the only family that she had.

Tony and Steve both placed their hands in hers. Shadow let a protection spell wash over them, calming their minds and allowing them to relax. They both smiled at their witch, grateful to have someone to bring them to their senses. Footsteps could be heard from behind them.

"I'm sorry. Mr. Stark... Clint said you wouldn't mind, but our tractor doesn't seem to want to start at all. I thought maybe you might-," Tony politely interrupted Laura with a smile.

"Yeah, I'll give her a kick..." He slowly let go of Shadow's hand and started towards the barn.

Shadow looked between Laura and Tony, immediately picking up that the tractor was just a ruse. She trained her hearing carefully, picking up the slow breathing of someone in the barn waiting for Tony. She looked into Laura's head, curious as to who was here. She immediately saw a flash of an eye patch, smiling at the thought that Fury was here to check on everyone.

"Steve, why don't we all go inside and freshen up. We need our minds and our bodies taken care of in order to figure out what to do." Shadow smiled up at him, her hand still holding his. Steve felt calm in the presence of his older friend. He knew she was right and there was no doubting her wisdom.

"I'd like that."

Shadow, Steve and Bucky all walked back into the house. The team spent time helping Clint and Laura fix up their house. While some of the others took showers and changed clothes to be more comfortable, Shadow and Loki teamed up with their magic to help making the repairs easier. Tony even helped with some of the technological repairs, even though there weren't many in this off the grid house. Fury had come in after his talk with Tony, checking in on everyone else as to not leave them out.