The Final Initiative

9.

           A/N : Ant-man and Wasp is actually phenomenally phenomenal and I had the best time watching it. It kept me laughing the entire flipping time especially that school scene. I love Paul Rudd, plain and simple.

                                    ***

          I pushed open the main door to the compound and let everybody inside behind me. The sun shined through the glass windows and illuminated the space. It felt almost surreal to have everyone back. For some reason, I expected to see my Dad walking around with Pepper, or Peter sprawled out on one of the couches in the lobby.

I paused for a moment, imaging that things were back to normal. Dad's illusion, imaginary figure walked down the stairs, he was lost in conversation with Pepper. They strolled hand in hand past me and through the main doors to the sun lit yard. When they disappeared, my eyes dropped down to the floor disappointment.

It was pretty much a ghost town in this facility now, everyone had gone home. The only two people here were Rhodey and Doctor Banner. I shook my head to clear my thoughts and continued up the stairs to the lab where Rhodey would be waiting.

Natasha walked beside me, and Wanda was helping Vision up the stairs and down the hallway. Steve walked behind with Sam. When we all reached the lab, Rhodey was standing by the table and speaking with a hologram form of Secretary Ross. The habit to roll my eyes almost took over. Even though Ross cleared my name and let me go free, he still annoyed me to no end.

"Mr. Secretary" Steve greeted, coming to stand in front of all of us. Ross didn't seem that surprised to see all of us standing here. His narrowed eyes looked over all of us.

"You got some nerve" he muttered under his breath, glancing over to Rhodey "I'll give you that"

"You could use some of that right now" Steve replied. You know that vine where the guys are jumping and cheering because their friend just roasted the hell out of someone? That's the thought that crossed my mind while watching this conversation unfold.

"The world's on fire. And you think, all is forgiven?"

"I'm not looking for forgiveness" Once again, that vine "And I'm way past asking for permission" Steve walked through the hologram of Ross and entered the lab "Earth just lost her best defender. So we're here to fight" he turned to face the Secretary "And if you wanna stand in our way... We'll fight you, too"

I gave an approving smirk.

Ross took a deep breath, not wavering his gaze from Steve until a few moments had passed "Arrest them" he ordered Rhodey abruptly.

"All over it" Rhodey rolled his eyes before sliding the device that shuts down the holograms. Ross disappeared from the room. He set the device down and let out a sigh "That's a court-martial"

"It's great to see you, Cap" Rhodey shook Steve's hand.

"You too, Rhodey"

Rhodey then greeted the rest of us "Well. You guys, really look like crap. Must've been a rough couple of years" he spoke to everyone else here, I saw him like two days ago.

"Yeah" Sam shrugged his shoulders in response "Well, the hotels weren't exactly five star" I recalled my two months living from hotel to hotel, right before going to Laura Barton and her home in Pennsylvania. I wonder if she's doing alright, her and her kids.

A shadow appeared in the corner of the room then, I immediately recognized him as Bruce. He was awkwardly approaching all of us while fiddling with his fingers "I think you look great..." the room went quiet for a moment. I saw Natasha's mouth fall slack for a split second "Yeah. I'm back" he nodded with a light chuckle.