Time Unchanging

Chapter 126

The flight to their new destination was silent until Clint saw an old cabin appear in the distance. He sighed at the audacity of his former colleague.

"This is more Death Widow's style," he said. "Will Loki and Evelyn be okay?"

Both of them came up to see what he meant. Eva just stared. The image of Valentina kept playing in her head, so the building didn't register in her mind.

Loki rolled his eyes and replied, "We'll manage."

Thor took his lover's hand. The dark-haired god was shaking, but the comfort a simple gesture brought was enough. The golden god went back and sat next to Bucky.

"Lady Evelyn seems upset," he stated. "What happened?"

Bucky looked at the other man and said, "She took a life for the first time and with her powers."

Never in all the years he had known her had Eva so much as hurt a fly. She would threaten and come close to ending someone's existence, but she had never crossed that line. Yet, in a moment of fear and pain, she did just that. She hadn't touched the woman, her powers being more than enough to snuff out Valentina's light.

"I am sorry she is going through that," Thor responded in a genuine tone.

Sam said, "But she saved thousands of lives. She should be proud of that."

Bucky sighed, looked at his boyfriend, and replied, "She will in time, but it's new to her. She's processing it. It was a violent death on top of it." He had to admit, even he felt sick at the sight. "I doubt she thought she could do that to someone, accident or not."

He shared a look with Loki. Both had hoped that Eva would be spared the more gruesome side of the hero's life. They would have taken the woman's life for her. But they had been that little bit too late. And now, she too had blood on her hands.

Clint called out, "We're landing now. Let's give 'em hell."

Loki and Bucky's heads snapped to Eva. She was shutting down, trying to act strong. Steve needed her and that's all she wanted to focus on. Bucky cursed himself and his training, knowing that she got that from him when they first bonded.

"Let's get this over with and bring my fiance home," she ordered, heading to the doors.

"Lokes?" Bucky asked as they watched her walk past.

"I feel it, too," Loki confirmed nervously. "We'll watch her."

Eva turned back, a dark look on her face as she asked, "You ladies coming or what?"