The White Phoenix 10: An Avengers: Endgame Fanfiction

Chapter 5: Remembering What I'm Fighting For

Tony was washing the dishes after dinner that night. After almost dropping one of the dishes, he pulled a photo off of the shelf next to him. It was a photo of Peter and him with his Stark Industries Internship certificate. He gave a small smile, fully remembering what he was fighting for. He decided then and there he was going to do something about it.

Meanwhile, in my bedroom, I was packing to leave for Tokyo. Clint Barton and I had a few things to attend to, a kill mission really. I rifled through my things, placing stuff in a backpack. As I went through my stuff, I pulled something out of the bottom of my desk drawer. Bringing it to the lamp light, I fully saw it for what it was. It was a photo of Bucky and I, kissing, while taking a harmless selfie in the midst of Washington D.C. Then there was another photo, one of me and Erik, during the ten years that he had been leading the Brotherhood after Cuba and I was in charge of both the X-Men and the school in Westchester. I remembered those days with fondness.

Several years ago (in a flashback)...

'Come on, James!' I yelled, laughing, dragging him through Washington D.C. He was almost uninterested in the scenery. We had just gone to the Smithsonian, and I assumed that he was thinking a heap about what he had just seen. After he and I got ice-cream, we were sitting on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, looking out at the Potomac River. The water was smooth and glassy and the trees were reflected up above. Sneaking my hand towards his, I held it in mine. His warm, human hand intertwined with mine, feeling my small, slender, but strong fingers in his. He turned to me. 'Take a photo with me,' I said. He just stared at me, then looked around him. Taking his cheek in my hand, I angled him towards me. 'Bucky... no one's gonna hurt you. As long as I am with you, no one will come after you. You're safe.'

'Do you fear that they'll come for us, Adelaide?'

'No, not really. I'm a wanted dead woman already. If they wanted me so bad, they would have come after me by now.'

'So you want a photo?'

'Yes.' I retrieved my phone from my pocket and turned it on to show a photo that had been on there since, oh, I didn't know how long. It was a photo of a black jet. I didn't know why that was my screensaver on my phone, I just kept it on. It reminded me of so much that went before me. I turned it on to the camera.

'Are you sure it's okay to do this?'

'Of course, love.' I kissed him, then snapped the photo. Putting the phone in my lap, we kissed harder and yet more passionately. We released, our foreheads and noses touching. I breathed and he did the same.

'That was good,' he said softly. 'You kiss good, Phoenix.'

'So do you, Winter,' I whispered. Turning back towards the water, he put his arm around me and I leaned my head on his shoulder and we stared at the setting sun together... always.

Many more years ago (in 1965)...

I giggled as I tried to keep up with my father. We were walking in Central Park in New York City, being careful. He was wearing one of his long trench coats, and he wasn't wearing his helmet. Thank God. I held his hand as we walked through. There was a relaxed stride, but he was still quite fast, even when he was relaxed.

'Good Lord, Erik! Slow down. Do you know the definition of walk?' He turned to me with an amused look, his deep blue eyes twinkling.

'As a matter of fact, I do know what 'walking' means. If you wish me to slow down, I will.' I finally caught up to him, breathing hard. I linked my arm through his and we strolled, not strode, among the autumn leaves.