The Life of Veronica Stark

Chapter 23

Roni's POV:

Dahlia smiles at me. "You just do. You've been able to do so all along, but your mind was terrified of what would happen when you woke up. But for further instruction, find that power, deep within you, and just, open you eyes." She says.

Then, I am no longer sitting on a bench in a white area. Everything is black again. "DALIAH!" I call out, but nothing. Taking a deep breath I close my eyes. 'Come on Veronica, you can do this. Your family needs you.' I tell myself. The more I concentrate the harder the pull in my gut is.

Suddenly, my eyes flash open and I sit bolt upright in bed, a wave of energy flows off of me and is so powerful, it knocks over a vase of flowers next to my bed and pushes the drip in my arm back a ways before it's pulled by it's cord connected to me.

My breathing is heavy and my eyes are wide. I am sitting in a hospital bed in a room in the compound. I know it's the compound because when I look out the window I see the imprint from the bifrost Thor left all those years ago.

"Dahlia?" I call out, wondering if everything that just happened in my subconscious was real. 'Right here Veronica.' Her voice calls back, but in my head. I'm used to this because of Wanda. I let out a sigh of relief. At least it wasn't a deal and I'm not going crazy.

"What's happening now? Where are my friends?" I ask. "Right now your friends are in Wakanda, preparing to face off against Thanos' army. You need to hurry." She says. I nod. "Wait, my suit. Where is it?" I ask. I can basically feel her smiling when she says, "Check the closet."

Confused I go over to the small closet in the tiny room. I open the doors and smile. "Tony or you?" I ask. "Call it present." She says. Smiling I grab the uniform and quickly change. I stare in the mirror for a second. "Looks good. Now, time to get to Wakanda." I say.

Closing my eyes I feel the familiar pull in my gut and smile. I open my eyes and begin to create a portal, but something is different. My magic is coming out in white tendrils instead of gold like usual. "Dahlia?" I ask.

"While I am with you, your powers will not be gold for that is the power of the Cosmic Stone, it is white. Pure like it's host." She says. I nod. "Ok, let's go reunite with my fellow Avengers." I say, stepping though the portal.

When I get to the other side of the portal I'm am greeted with a lavish lab. I get so lost in my awe I don't notice the crowd in the room. "Turn around and state your name, intruder." An accented voice demands.

Sighing my hands go into the air and I turn around only to be met with the shocked faces Steve, Nat, Bruce, Wanda, and Vision. "Roni?" Steve breaths. Smiling I race forward and tackle the shaggy looking super soldier into an enormous hug. "You grew a beard." I notice.

"What? When did you wake up? What are you doing here? How did you know we were here?" He asks me. Before I can say anything I a pulled out of his arms and into Natasha's. "You scared us so much V. Don't you dare do that again. EVER." She says, pulling away.

I nod, smiling widely at her. I then am pulled into a hug by Wanda. "I've missed you Roni." She says. I pulled away. "You're so grown up Wanda." I say, looking at the young girl who is probably in her twenties now. She smiles. I turn to Bruce. "You're back!" I say, hugging him.

"I'm confused." He says. "It's a long story, I'll explain later." I say. Then I turn to Vision who is laying on a medical table. "What happened?" I ask. "It's a long story." He says. "Thanos." I mutter. "Wait, you know about Thanos?" Nat asks me.

"Not much, just who he is and what he's after." I say. "How?" Nat says. "Again, I'll explain later. So what's going on right now?" I ask, looking at all the tools surrounding the table Vision is sitting on.

"Long story short, we're taking the stone out of Vision's head and then destroying it before Thanos gets ahold of it. If we have enough time then Vision can still live normally without the stone." Steve says and I nod.

"Ok, let's do this." I say, looking at the shocked King who I have just realized is in the room along with woman dressed as warriors. One of the women's bracelet's beep and she raises her wrist before flicking a bead into the palm of her hand. A hologram pops up.

"Something's entered the atmosphere." She says. Suddenly there is a crashing sound and we look out the window to see giant triangle shaped ships landing on and around the dome protecting Wakanda. "Cap, we have incoming."

"There's more incoming outside the dome." Sam and Rhodey's voices call. "It's too late, we need to destroy the stone." Vision says, trying to get up. "Vision, get your ass back on the table." Nat says, going over and making the guy lay back down.

"We will hold them off." T'Challa says. "Wanda, as soon as that stone it out of his head, you blow it to hell." Steve says. She nods in understanding. "I will." "Evacuate the city, engage all defenses. And get this man a shield." T'Challa says, pointing to Steve.

"Wait, what happened to your shield?" I ask. "Tell you later." He says, smiling at me. I nod and we exit the lab onto a deck outside. That is when I spot him. "James?" I call. The metal armed man turns to look at me, stunned. "Roni?" Smiling I run over to him.

I hear him drop his gun so he can scoop me up into a hug. He spins me around before placing me on my feet, pulling around and placing his hands on either side of my head. "Your awake. How did you get here?" He asks, looking me over for any pain I might be feeling. I laugh a little.

"Didn't you hear? I'm magic." I say. He smile at me and hugs me again. "How are you?" I ask. "Better. They got Hydra out of my head. I have my own thoughts now." He says. I pull away. "That's amazing." I say, grinning widely. He smiles down at me like he still can't believe his eyes.

I am suddenly ripped out of his arms and pulled into another set. "Hey baby Stark." Sam says. "Sam, it's so good to see you." I say, pulling away. I then hug Rhodey. "Your brother will be happy to hear that you've woken up." He says. "That reminds me, where is Tony?" I ask.

Everyone looks at the ground. "What?" "There was an attack in New York earlier today and Tony, he uh, he's in space with the Time Stone." Bruce says. My eyes widen. "What? Is he ok?" I ask. "We don't know, but we think he is." Steve reassures. I nod. "Everyone ready for this?" I ask.

They all nod. "The lets go kick some alien ass...again." I say, smirking. They all nod in agreement. Nat, Steve, James, and T'Challa then all get onto some hovering Wakandan ships to take up to where we'll be fighting.

Sam, Rhodey, and I fly over head and Bruce is running along side everyone in the Hulk-Buster armor that Tony and I fixed up. "I've got two heat signatures breaking through the tree line." And so it begins.