When lightning always strikes, you know she's not far behind.
Kidnapped at a young age and recused seven years later, Avalyn Stark is forced to try to navigate a new world far from what she remembered. With threats around every corner, she was nev...
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2023 NEW YORK
Avalyn stood at the platform in Avengers HQ, her eyes drifting to each Avenger. Her heart pounded, each beat a stark reminder of the uncertainty that still loomed. She glanced around at the others, her gaze flicking over faces filled with exhaustion.
But a creeping feeling spread in her chest, an unease that seemed to settle heavily over the room. Bruce Banner broke the silence first, his voice low and uncertain.
"Did we get them all?"
"You telling me this'll actually work?" Rhodey crossed his arms, eyeing the stones warily.
Pietro and Avalyn had unconsciously moved together, hugging each others like their lives depending on it. This was it, their chance for Wanda.
A pause settled over them, one that grew thicker by the second as they each glanced around, the realization dawning like a slow fog. Avalyn's brow furrowed, the heavy silence pressing in on her, making it hard to breathe. She knew what they were all sensing, and dread tightened around her heart.
"Clint, where's Nat?" Bruce's voice broke through the quiet, his tone laced with a disbelief he could barely voice.
Clint's silence was answer enough. The weight of it settled into Avalyn's bones, an unspoken truth sinking in. She clenched her fists, feeling the raw ache of loss settle in the air. Across from her, Bruce crumpled, falling to his knees, his fists meeting the floor as he released a shattering cry of grief.
It followed them outside, beside the lake near HQ, as some of the Avengers stood together, their faces etched in sorrow. The weight of Natasha's sacrifice bore down on each of them, a bitter taste of victory that felt hollow in the absence of their friend. Tony kept his eyes trained on the water, his voice quiet as he broke the silence.
"Do we know if she had family?" he asked, the words hollow but heavy with grief.
Steve looked down, a sad smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.
"Yeah," he replied softly. "Us."
A confused frown tugged at Thor's brow, his expression growing darker.
"What?" He turned to Tony, frustration building in his voice.
"I just asked him a question—"
"You're acting like she's dead," Thor pointed out, anger flashing in his eyes. "Why are we acting like she's dead? We have the stones, right? As long as we have the stones, Cap, we can bring her back, isn't that right?" His voice rose, his desperation spilling out. "So stop this... This isn't us. We're the Avengers—get it together."
