"You don't get another chance, life is no Nintendo game."
- Eminem
Song: Home Sweet Home by Motley Crue
"I'm on my way. I'm on my way, home sweet home."
*************
As if no time had passed, Harlow remembered waking up and finding Laura and her kids, then finding Sam, before Doctor Strange-a wizard dude she just barely met, came and brought them back to their reality. Again they were fighting Thanos, but this time it was different, everyone that hadn't dusted seem to have aged immensely.
"Harlow," Steve greeted, and the woman smiled.
"Captain," She replied, giving him a nod.
She grinned as she looked around and seen everyone there and ready to fight. There were even new people she didn't know before the fight.
"Avengers assemble!" Steve exclaimed, before everyone charged at Thanos's army.
Harlow attacked the aliens just like she did before; like her life depended on it. She fought until her arms and legs grew tired, and her body hurt like hell, but she didn't let that stop her. She had to win this time, and she refused to lose again.
When she was given a moment to breathe, she gasped as soon as she seen Clint. Quickly the woman ran over and wrapped her arms around Clint.
"Hey," He murmured, a chuckle leaving his lips, as he hugged her tight and buried his face in her hair for a moment.
Clint had grown close to Harlow over time, so she was almost as close to him as Natasha had been. Losing Natasha made him incredibly upset, especially when he knew his family-which included Harlow and Jodie-were gone, and he had no one left. Feeling Harlow in his arms made everything even more real.
"I'm so happy you're here," Clint murmured,"I didn't know if I'd ever see any of you again," He said, making her sigh quietly.
"I promised Laura I'd find you again, I'd get her back here," Harlow told him,"I just didn't expect to feel so emotional seeing you myself," She joked, and he chuckled.
"We've got a big, purple alien to defeat, we can get back to our reunion later," He commented, and she nodded.
Harlow and Clint stayed close to each other as they faught the chitauri. Harlow didn't know that Natasha was gone, not yet, and Clint planned to be the one to tell her the moment the battle was over, and she was reunited with her family.
"I am inevitable," Thanos said, causing Harlow's heart to hammer in her chest.
"And I am Iron Man," Tony retorted, before he snapped his own fingers.
"No," Harlow mumbled, as she watched Tony stumble,"he shouldn't have done that. He's just killed himself," She said, looking over at Clint.
"He knew what he was doing, Harlow, even if it's horrible," He replied, making her eyes water.
Harlow and Clint stood side by side as Tony took his last breath, and they were the first to kneel in respect for Tony Stark. He was a real hero, and they were going to give him the respect he deserved. Pepper, Peter, and Rhodey were the saddest, and Harlow could tell that even from a distance. Everyone in the battle had a form of respect or love for Tony Stark, and Harlow planned for Tony's family to feel it the most.
"Harlow!" She heard, as everyone began to disperse and give Pepper and Rhodey privacy with Tony.
Looking over, Harlow's heart skipped a beat when she seen Bucky. Quickly the girl ran over and wrapped her arms around the man.
"I didn't see you during the battle," Bucky commented, causing the girl to chuckle.
"I stayed with Clint. I figured it was safer for us if we stuck together," She replied, and he nodded.
"Let's go find Jodie," He said, making her grin.
"Oh! Jodie's with Laura, I don't know what strings Strange pulled, but he let her go back there," Clint announced, and Harlow quickly turned to Clint.
"Let's go see our family!" She exclaimed, walking a little faster.
"Wait, slow down," Clint called, catching up with her,"there's something you need to know before we get there," He said, making her frown.
"What's wrong?" She asked, causing the man to sigh.
"To get you guys back, we had to get all of the infinity stones. To get the soul stone, a person had to die; a soul for a soul. Nat and I went to get the soul stone, and..." He trailed off, as Harlow's heart broke,"It was supposed to be me, but she forced me to live. She tricked me, and I lost her," He said, a tear rolling down his face.
"Oh, Clint," Harlow cooed, as she pulled the man into her arms,"I don't blame you. She did what she thought was best. She wanted you to return to your family. She did exactly what I would've done for you," She said, as the two hugged tightly.
Bucky didn't say a word, as he watched the two friends embrace. He knew what it was like to lose someone, though he never actually lost a friend as close to him as they did. He had lost his family, and that hurt like hell, but he knew losing Steve would've been a hell of a lot harder on him.
"Let's go see the kids and Laura," Harlow murmured, and Clint nodded.
Harlow held on to Clint's arm the entire walk back to get a vehicle. Bucky didn't say a word, he simply held Harlow's other hand and let her comfort her friend. The man needed the comfort, especially after losing someone he was so close to. Bucky knew what it was like to hate himself and blame himself for something he had no control over. That type of pain could eat a person alive, and he could tell it was doing so for Clint. He just hoped the man wouldn't spiral like he almost did for months after HYDRA...
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Apartment 102 (B. Barnes) (AU)
Fanfiction*The story has been edited and revised* Bucky Barnes had finally ran away from HYDRA, but he was in hiding. He was too worried, and a bit scared, to go to his childhood friend, Steve Rogers, so he tried to hide from the blonde as well. Bucky had jum...
