"I've broken my promise once, and the only way it will happen again is if I'm six feet under."
- in which Bucky and Indigo Barnes fight to protect their broken lives
Mature Content 18+
[Final Book, Book 3]
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3 Weeks Later...
"Since when did you become an expert at building something like this?" Natasha asked, her gaze fixed on the Vortex they had been working on for the past few weeks.
Indigo looked up from her computer, where she was busy rerouting the compound's energy into the Vortex. "Well, I did pick up a few things from Shuri," she said with a chuckle.
"And she has a genius brother," Tony chimed in, emerging from beneath the glass platform with a smirk.
Indigo rolled her eyes, her patience wearing thin. "How much longer do you think it'll take, Tony?"
"I'm almost done under here," Tony said, dipping back beneath the glass platform. "As long as you can get the power routed properly, we should be finished soon."
Indigo took a deep breath, feeling the weight of their mission bearing down on her. She was so close to potentially bringing back her family. As she turned, she noticed Thor watching her intently.
"What's up, Thor?" she asked, taking in his disheveled appearance. He had clearly let himself go—his weight had increased, his hair and beard were long and tangled, and he was frequently drunk. It pained her to see him in such a dark place.
"What if this doesn't work, Lady Indigo?" Thor asked, raising his beer can and finishing it off in one gulp.
"Then we go home," Indigo replied firmly. She knew better than to let her hope consume her entirely. As much as she yearned for Bucky's return, she had a daughter waiting for her, and that thought kept her grounded.
Thor shrugged, his gaze drifting around the room. "What if I don't want to go home?"
Indigo stepped closer, gently taking the beer can from his hand and setting it down at her workstation. "You can come stay with me and Gracie, then."
Thor gave her a weak smile. "You're truly one of the sweetest people I've ever met."
Indigo nodded towards Rocket, who was struggling with some equipment. "Why don't you go see if Rocket needs help with those tubes?"
"As you wish, Lady Indigo," Thor said, offering a small salute before trudging over to Rocket.
Indigo turned her attention to Steve and Natasha, who were huddled together, their faces lit up with wide grins. The sight of their shared joy gave her a glimmer of hope amidst the tension.
"What are you two so happy about?" Indigo asked, taking a seat at her desk and turning her attention back to the computer.
"Clint's getting ready for a test run," Steve replied with a smile.
Indigo quickly finished typing and hit enter with a sigh of relief. The Vortex was ready.
"Perfect timing," she said, spinning around in her chair. "Tony? You ready?"
