Retribution ★ Avengers

Do You Forgive Me?

Marlena stared up at the ceiling in her old room. The room was just as she'd left it, which made her a bit nostalgic considering she hadn't lived at the compound in years. She figured Natasha would've given the room to Nebula or Carol or even Rocket, but that definitely wasn't the case. She appreciated it, though, as Marlena still had a place of her own to escape to that wasn't her shared apartment with Steve. The room was all Marlena had left of the life she'd left behind five years ago, and while she would've found herself uncomfortable with it three years prior, being inside now, laying across the bedspread she was sure Natasha asked the compound housekeepers to keep clean for her, she felt at home.

After a few more moments of staring at the ceiling, Marlena looked to the corner of the room where her dresser sat. She got up and slowly made her way to the opposite end of the room. She pulled open the second drawer, and her eyes immediately fell upon a familiar piece of fabric. It was a wrinkled black t-shirt Marlena very vaguely remembered shoving in the drawer years ago. It was one of Bucky's she'd stolen from their house before leaving for a mission with Wanda. She'd forgotten about it until now. She thought she'd destroyed everything of his years ago after their final confrontation with Thanos, but she was thrilled to know that wasn't the case.

With a deep breath, Marlena brought the fabric to her nose and sniffed. It didn't smell like much, especially after sitting in a drawer for five years, but she could still smell him, and that alone was enough to send her mind into overdrive once more. Marlena missed Bucky so much, and the pain of that was enough for her to reconsider her apprehension related to the mission. Steve was right. She hated how right he was. They had to try, not only for their sake, but for the sake of those across the universe who continued to feel the agonizing pain of missing someone the way Marlena did.

Marlena walked back over to her bed with the shirt still in her grasp and sat down. She tinkered with the familiar fabric and removed her glasses when warm tears began to blur her vision. She placed a trembling hand on her head and cried softly. She had to bring them back—she had to bring them all back. She couldn't fail them again.

The sound of footsteps caught Marlena's attention and she looked over to see Steve at the doorway. She let out a breath and looked back down at the shirt in her grasp, while Steve made his way inside the room to her.

"I guess I'm glad Natasha decided not to throw all of my stuff away," Marlena continued tinkering with the shirt in her hands.

"She kept mine too." Steve sat down beside Marlena, his eyes meeting the dark fabric in her hands. He knew the article of clothing belonged to Bucky, but it didn't bother him. "I guess she always knew we'd find our way back here."

"I wonder what would've happened if I'd stayed here with her instead of moving in with you," Marlena sighed sadly. "I wonder if we'd be together or still just friends trying to hide our feelings for each other."

"Is that what you want?" Steve asked her. "For us to be just friends?"

"I've wanted us to be more than friends for years," Marlena glanced over at Steve, "I don't think I could ever go back to that."

"Me either."

A few moments of silence passed as Marlena continued playing with the fabric of Bucky's shirt, and as Steve thought about what he wanted to say to Marlena. He could still feel the tension between the two of them and he hated it. He didn't need that between them, especially not now.

"I'm sorry about what I said, Marlena," Steve apologized to the brunette.

"I didn't know I've been such an issue over the last few years," Marlena remarked, her tear-filled eyes flashing over to him.

"Don't do that," Steve shook his head, "You know I don't feel that way and I never have. I just needed you to understand that I'm doing this for you, too, Marlena. I know we've both settled into this life we've created with each other, but I also know you'd give anything to have the rest of your family back, and that's perfectly okay. I'm willing to do whatever I can to bring them back for you, but also for myself and for the rest of the universe."

Marlena sniffed and grabbed his hand, wrapping it tightly in her left hand, while Bucky's shirt remained in her right. "You know you're not gonna do it alone, right?"

"I trust Tony, and I trust you, but you aren't leaving my sight, Marlena," Steve said quietly. "If anything happened to you or to the baby, I don't know what I'd do."

"I'm gonna be fine," Marlena smiled softly and ran the pad of her thumb over his skin. "It's only time travel, what's the worst that could possibly happen?"

Steve groaned and wrapped his arms tightly around Marlena. "Don't say things like that," he said to her.

"Sorry, Captain," she chuckled softly.

"Now, that is something I might get used to."

Marlena smiled, and her grip on Bucky's shirt tightened slightly. "Don't forget what Tony said outside, Steve—we bring back what we had but we have to keep what we have."

"Whatever it takes, Mar."

"Good to know we're officially on the same page."

Marlena leaned her head up to press a kiss to his lips, and Steve brought a hand to her cheek, brushing his thumb gently across her flawless skin. "Do you forgive me?" he asked, pressing another kiss to her lips.

"I just might if you forgive me for being a brat," Marlena teased him, though her words were very true and he knew that.

"I do."

"Good, then I forgive you too."

Steve moved to kiss her again, but he pulled away when Scott's loud voice sounded at the doorway.

"Yes, Scott?"

"Didn't mean to interrupt, but Natasha told me to come get money from you for the taco man before he leaves, Marlena," Scott said nervously, his eyes flashing back and forth between the two.

"Really?" Marlena raised a brow and pulled away from Steve to stand up. "Tony's the one that wanted food in the first place. Why can't you get money from him?"

"The only cash he had was a twenty," Scott answered. "The bill was $43."

Marlena wiped her eyes and grabbed her wallet. "Did Bruce order two party packs?"

"He ordered three of them."

"Wow, okay," Marlena handed Scott two twenty dollar bills and tossed her wallet back into her bag on the floor. She would've given anything for a nap in that moment, but she couldn't go to sleep just yet. The team still had a bit of work to do. "He can keep the change."

"Great! Thanks!"

Marlena turned back to Steve after Scott disappeared and sighed, running a hand through her long hair. "They're a mess, Steve," she told him.

Steve smiled and grabbed Marlena's arm, gently pulling her back down to him. "They are, but they're our mess."

"The one mess I don't think I wanna clean up," she chuckled softly.

Natasha was leaving to retrieve Clint, and after Rocket and Nebula arrived, he and Bruce would be off to fetch Thor. Marlena couldn't wait to see everybody back together after so many years, this time to finally correct the loss of those around the universe. It was the fight of their lives, and she refused to lose. They would bring them back...no matter what it took.