One Last Chance |6| The Ascension

Chapter Twenty: Promises Kept

For Steve Rogers, things were going well. Zosia hadn't had a Thanos-related nightmare in over a week, Daisy and Gabriella seemed to be serious about each other, and Izaiah had come out as asexual. Everything was good, even if it had taken Steve a few hours on Google to fully understand what exactly his son was saying. So when the TARDIS materialised in the gardens of the brand new facility, it really was the icing on the cake.

***

Wanda stepped outside, yelping with laughter as she was immediately tackled into one of her brother's familiar hugs. "Piet!"

Zoë wasn't far behind him, smiling fondly as McKenzie came out next. "Welcome home."

McKenzie opened her mouth to reply, only to find herself sandwiched in two hugs—one very warm, the other very cold. "Oh, hello, you two," she grinned.

"Zay, you're frosting her hair," Steve called, him and Zosia joining them all at a more leisurely pace.

Izaiah let her go, wincing. "Sorry!"

Daisy flashed a grin at the dark-haired girl beside her, a young woman with dark, earthy skin and rich brown eyes. "Bri, this is Nana."

McKenzie smiled. "Please, call me Kenzie."

Zosia seemed to sense the trepidation in her mother's eyes. "What is it?" She clocked Wanda and McKenzie sharing a look. "Where's Dad?"

Wanda hesitated. "He's fine."

Pietro's eyes narrowed. "Why is that not reassuring?"

Steve, too, was frowning. "Where's the Doctor?"

Before anyone could explain, the TARDIS door opened once more, revealing the Doctor. "The Doctor? Doctor who?"

Leaning against the other door, McKenzie rolled her eyes fondly. "Still dramatic, then."

Zoë was the first to recover from the shock. "Dad?"

The Doctor grinned. "Hi."

***

"So what happened?" Zosia asked later as they watched the kids showing off their powers to the Doctor and Wanda.

"Oh, you know, the Daleks," McKenzie said, waving a hand. "Amongst others. It's a long story, but we're all fine now."

"And how's Clara settling in?" Zoë asked, her lips twitching. "I hear she and Wanda are really getting along."

McKenzie grinned. "They're wonderful. Clara's good for her, and vice versa. They make each other happy."

"It is good to see her smile," Zosia admitted.

"Kez! Kez!" They all looked up to see the Doctor heading over excitably.

"What is it?" McKenzie asked, smiling fondly.

"Pietro just bet me a tenner you can't still lift Steve!"

Like a shot, she was on her feet. "He did what?!"

The Doctor grinned. "Exactly, we can rinse him! Come on!"

She grabbed his hand and they sped over to the kids, where Steve and Pietro were waiting. Zoë sighed. "Absolutely the same man."

"Come on," Zosia told her, getting to her feet. "We'd better stop them before they get overexcited."

"Definitely," Zoë agreed. "If nothing else, my bank account is in danger."

And together, the sisters ran over to their family, to their siblings and their parents and their husbands, and to a competition that would surely end with a whole lot of food.

***

Hours later, Daisy and McKenzie were starting up the barbecue while the others chatted. "So... Bri, huh? She's cute."

Daisy grinned. "Yeah. She's... yeah. She makes me happy." Her fist burst into flames and she ignited the barbecue.

"Good," McKenzie beamed.

***

"So when are you bringing Clara?" Pietro asked casually.

Beside him, Wanda almost choked on her drink. "What? Clara?"

"Your girlfriend, Clara," Pietro smirked. "Remember her?"

Wanda poked her tongue out at his expression. "Who told you? Was it the Angel? I'll get her back."

Pietro snorted. "You told me, Wands, the second you saw Daisy and Bri and thought of her. So... is it a thing?"

She sighed. "I don't know. Kind of. I met her dad and her gran, I guess."

"But?" he prompted.

"But... everything's been so hectic recently. With the Doctor changing and everything... we haven't really stopped to talk about us. I wanted to be sure before I inflict you upon her."

"Hey!" he complained.

She laughed. "You know what I mean."

***

"Gallifrey's safe..." Zoë shook her head, her eyes wide. "You have been busy."

The Doctor smiled, watching his wife and granddaughter absently. "It was your mother really. She reminded me who I was. She always does.

Zoë hesitated, seeing the love in his eyes. "How is she? You know, after everything."

"She's good," he told her. "Not all the time, but... We spent nine hundred years on Trenzalore. Had a lot of time to think about Will. I mean, it's never going to be okay, but we did get to raise children. And I think that helped her to accept that it wasn't her fault."

"Good," Zoë nodded. "That's good."

***

"Are you happy now?" Steve asked, his arms around his wife's waist as they both watched their family.

She sighed contentedly. "Yeah. Did you hear back from Sam and Buck?"

"They're fine," he assured her. "Everyone's fine, for once. How about that?"

"Except for Izaiah," Zosia corrected.

Steve blinked. "What do you mean?"

"He just froze Zoë's drink again," she told him, pointing unconcernedly. "She might actually kill him this time."

"I can't believe your son would do that," Steve said innocently.

"My son?" she echoed, her eyes widening. "No, no, no, no, no, I didn't teach him that. That's all on you."

"That's a scandalous accusation!" he protested, grinning.

"It's the Brooklyn genes," she teased.

Steve scoffed. "No way. It's definitely the London genes."

"How dare you?" She laughed. "That is slander!"

"What're you gonna do about it, Captain?" Steve asked, raising an eyebrow.

Zosia grinned. "This." She kissed him.

~~~