Saving Grace

Forty

After Thor follows the thing — it really needs a name — Steve turns to everyone else. "Three minutes. Get what you need."

Grace looks at Tony as everyone else clears out, and he shakes his head, gently saying, "No. You're not going."

She sighs. "I figured as much."

He seems surprised. "Really? Just like that?"

"I had a little talk with Fury," she replies. "Although, I could go and help, just... I don't know, stay kinda out of the way. Maybe be a distraction again. Whatever I can do."

Tony shakes his head again, gently. "No. No, Ultron will definitely be there, and we need to play it safe."

Grace frowns. "Yeah, I understand... I still don't wanna stay here by myself, though." Sitting here, worrying about them all while trying — and definitely failing — to distract herself sounds like absolute torture.

"I'll try to contact Fury, see what he can do."

"Okay. Thanks, Dad."

He hugs her, then turns and starts to go suit up, and Grace goes the other way, looking for the thing. She's trying to think of a name for it — or is it him? — what is it? Who knows.

She finds it talking to Thor outside, on a platform she can't reach without Savior. Wanda is watching them, almost with a look of curiosity. But she turns when she hears Grace's footsteps.

Grace comes to stand next to her, looking at Thor and the thing. Wanda turns back to them awkwardly. Finally, Grace says, "Kinda freaky, isn't it?"

Wanda seems surprised at Grace making conversation. "What?"

"The... thing. Or whatever it is."

"Oh," Wanda replies. She hesitates. "No, I... I would not call him 'freaky.' He is... remarkable."

Grace shrugs. "Yeah, I guess. I'm trying to think of a name for it- him. It'd just be easier if we had something to call him."

Wanda nods, and they both go quiet again. What she showed Grace weighs heavily on her mind — she saw it, of course. She saw them all. Finally, she says, "I'm sorry."

"You kinda already told me that," Grace replies gently.

"Not just for what I did, but... for everything."

Grace looks over at her, then. "What do you mean?"

"I saw what you saw," Wanda explains. "And I'm sorry."

Grace sighs. "Don't be. I'm learning from it all. Maybe I needed it."

After a few more moments of comfortable silence, Wanda leaves, going to get suited up for the fight to come. So, Grace resigns herself to thinking of a name for the thing. She thinks back on the conversation they all had after he first came out of the Cradle.

Then, she gets an idea.

When he and Thor come back inside, they spot her instantly. "Stark isn't letting you go, is he?" Thor asks with a hint of worry.

"Nope," Grace replies. "But I might get to hang out with Fury again."

Thor chuckles before walking off. "Good luck."