Song: "Good Things Come to Those Who Wait" by Isak Danielson

******

I stumbled back a step in shock. "What? No. No he wouldn't. He didn't."

Pietro frowned. "I know you think these people are your friends, Anya, but they only want you for what you can give them. Your powers. Your skills. Tony Stark isn't your friend."

"That's not true. And my name is Avery," I corrected, clenching my fists.

"You cannot deny your family, or from what you were named at birth. Or your past," Wanda said gently. "I know this is confusing for you, and that you're hurt. But please. Join us, Anya."

I stepped back from her, her words feeling more like a kick to the stomach than anything welcoming. "You mean a family I don't remember? A family that left me at a hospital? A family that left me to live in a hell for years?" I demanded. "You don't get to call me Anya, and I don't care what you have to say to me!"

"It's too late for you and your new friends, Anya," Pietro said, his face contorting in grief for a moment, but then hardening into a glare. "Because I remember you as our older sister, who protected us for the year we were on the run, and when Tony Stark's bombs hit and killed our parents. You do not know who it is you are breaking bread with. Living with."

"Then why are you with Ultron?" I demanded. "He wants to destroy the human race. And that includes you, you know that? You're just a means to an end to him- literally. He's not capable of human emotion. I know because I was there with Bruce and Tony when they built his programming. He was meant to keep peace. And instead he's destroying the world, thinking that with no humans, that will be peace. I choose to save the world, not destroy it in the false idea of peace."

"And the Avengers destroyed our world. Even if you have the luxury of not remembering," Wanda hissed, her eyes misting with tears, voice cracking. "And so, to make you see the truth, I'm going to take them from you, so you have no choice but to come back to us."

"Wanda, don't," I said severely. Then, I watched her eyes flick over to where Bruce was standing and her hands began to glow red. "No!" I shouted, running for her, but Pietro ran in front of me and knocked me back several feet and I landed hard on the ground, but I rolled, up on my feet and wings spreading out.

"Bruce! Run!" I screamed. Our eyes met, and I watched in horror as Wanda got ahold of his mind. I was too late. Anger coursed through me, and I gathered my power and threw a wall of white tendrils out to her that threw her across the clearing. Pietro grabbed her, sending me a sad look, then disappeared in a blur of blue and gray.

I turned to look at Bruce, who was turned into the Hulk now, grunting and clawing at his face, terror and anger flashing in his eyes.

"Bruce!" I called and he turned an angry look on me, releasing a roar. He didn't see me, I realized with horror. I also wondered if he'd hold back after our conversation from earlier. He was mad at me before, and now...

I raised my hands and took a step back as he took a stomping step in my direction, throwing his fists into the ground and unleashing a roar. Dirt and rocks flew into the air as he gripped the earth, preparing to charge.

"Bruce, listen to me," I said calmly. "Hear my voice. Come back. Wanda doesn't own you." I felt my voice break, feeling deep down that whatever he was seeing in his head, whatever anger or rejection he had felt earlier, was now aimed at me tenfold.

He let out a roar and picked up a large rock and threw it at me. I lifted my hands and smashed it with my powers, watching it explode in all directions. He didn't seem to like that and charged at me. I took to the air, flying high above him, his hand just missing my leg. He looked up, eyes glazed red as he unleashed a roar, jumping into the air to try and bat me to the ground, but I flew out of his reach.

I began to hit at the com at my ear and yelled desperately, "They got to Bruce!"

"We are kinda caught up here, Avery," Clint's voice crackled on the other side. "They're all down for the count."

A flash of fear hit me at that, my mind flashing to Steve and the rest, wondering if they were ok...

"I'll be right there," Tony said and I replied,

"Hurry!" 

Bruce was still swiping at me, and threw something up at me again. I dodged sideways to escape the projectile rock, just barely, as it hit my wrist and a snap sounded out as it connected. I sucked in a sharp breath and held my wrist to my stomach, tears stinging my eyes.

"Bruce! Stop this! It's me!" I cried.

Suddenly, Tony appeared in his suit as a rocket from the atmosphere came around us to help us contain Bruce. He was not at all happy to see Tony and was roaring up at him as he flew steadily closer.

"Avery, can't you use your mind powers and calm him down?" Tony asks over the com.

"I-I don't know what to do. I've only read minds before, not controlled them! I don't know how Wanda did this to him!"

A tree was thrown at me next, and I barely made it out of the way in time as it flew past me, a branch cutting my cheek as it passed.

"Well, maybe you could try to figure it out! We need to keep him away from the city," Tony said desperately. I looked up and saw the buildings in the distance. "I know you can do it. You've surprised me and yourself before with what you can do. You've got this."

"I have an idea," I said at last and flew down and landed softly on the ground, holding my hurt wrist to my stomach.

"I hope you know what you're doing, Avery." Tony said, the anxiety apparent in his voice, but he kept his distance.

Hulk spun around to me, releasing a roar and slamming his fists into the ground, sending tremors that shook me to my knees. The redness around his eyes was still there. I merely held my good hand out to him, waiting. "Bruce. It's me. Let's go home, ok?" A tear slid down my cheek.

I looked up and said, "Tony don't interfere, it could set him off."

"If he hurts you any more Avery, I'll interfere, and you can't stop me." He says seriously.

I closed my eyes and focused on what it felt like to read people's minds, and began to read his. I saw flashes of violence, scary images, explosions, bullets and gunfire flashing across my thoughts as I read through his memories. And then I found one, deep and buried behind all the fear and hate, and I began to tug on it. It was us, laughing as he brought me medication when I had just arrived. He was telling me cringy puns. It felt like an eternity ago now.

I began to tug on that memory, forcing the other scary memories back as I lifted my hands and they began to glow white.

"C'mon, Bruce," I whispered hoarsely.

Hulk thrashed, grabbing at his head, but I didn't stop. I found a memory of him making sandwiches for the others and laughing, listening as Thor and I made inappropriate jokes, and tugged on it, as if it was lodged somewhere and my powers were a rope. I found another I never knew of where he was looking at me sleeping when I first arrived, the memory sending a pang of guilt deep in my stomach as I read into the emotions accompanying the memory. The view changed to me and him and Tony laughing when one of the robotic arms knocked over a box of screws. I tugged on that one harder.

Hulk stumbled around and fell to his knees, tearing chunks from the ground. A rock was thrown in my direction and I side-stepped it, now knowing his every movement as I got deeper into his thoughts and memories, digging for the right one...

The memory surfaced when he and I sat on that bench in the garden just last week...

I stepped closer to him as he thrashed around, my hand still glowing white. I took another step, a tear falling down my cheek as he threw his fists up and hit the ground again, roaring in agony. A stick flew at me and cut my cheek and I winced.

"Bruce. Come on, let's go home," I said as I reached him and lifted my shaking hand to his face. I met his eyes and my hand glowed even brighter as I kept it on his large, green cheek, his brown eyes staring widely into mine. I watched the redness begin to fade around his irises, his racing thoughts of anger, grief, and violence fading, and his whole body shuddered.

He pulled away from me, shaking all over as he collapsed, green fading as he began to slowly change back. Tony appeared next to me with a blanket and I wrapped it around Bruce as finally, all the green faded from his eyes and skin and he was Bruce again.

I took a step back from him, holding my arm to my stomach. "Hey. Welcome back."

He looked at me, mouth slightly open in shock. "You... you did it. You... got me back out, and you..."

"Didn't I say I would?" I asked tersely. I couldn't help it, I was feeling more hurt than anything at what he had said, and how he had responded to me. I was shaken up by how he had attacked me with such ferocity, and for the first time since I met Bruce Banner, I was afraid of him.

His anger reminded me of the outbursts Max had. He learned I didn't feel the same, and his behavior scared me. I didn't owe him anything. He was hurting, but that didn't make his reaction to me ok in the slightest.

He nodded and dropped his head into his hands. "You did. You did say that. I'm sorry." 

I took another step back and he stood, too, his eyes taking in my disheveled appearance, and I instinctively clutched my injured arm to myself more, my wings curling around my body. "Avery, your arm... your wings... Oh, gosh, I did this."

"No. You didn't," I say softly, but didn't move closer. "Wanda did by getting into your heard. But, it happened to me instead of that city over there. And that for me is a better option."

He looked like he wanted to say something, but I turned my back on him and walked with back to the Quinjet.

Tony flew the jet to the building and I helped him and Clint lead Thor, Steve, and Natasha into the craft and sit down.

I went to each of them one at a time, holding their heads in my hands as I brought forward their good memories, whatever Wanda had done to them vanishing.

Thor's mind returned to thoughts of happiness and jokes with friends in Asgard, Natasha's with memories of a tree swing and milk and chocolate chip cookies. Clint surprised me as his mind returned to thoughts of a wife and two kids.

His eyes met mind and I merely winked at him, silently promising I wouldn't say anything.

Went over to Steve and sat next to him. His hand came up gently to my cheek and he frowned. There was a deep pain in his blue eyes. I moved my hand to his cheek and pressed a kiss to his forehead as I helped ease away his nightmares. One of his arms wrapped around my waist as he released a slow breath, leaning into me as I pushed away the nightmares.

His hands moved to mine and I flinched slightly as his eyes studied my wrist. Without a word, or so much as a glance in Bruce's direction, he tended to my injuries and gently slipped my hand into a brace, and applied bandages here and there where they were needed.

I knew he'd have more to say about it later, but now wasn't the time. I looked around the Quinjet at the sullen faces, though they were less severe than before.

"Where are we going to go?" I asked. "I don't think the Tower is a good idea right now."

"I know a place," Clint said from the cockpit and lifted the craft off the ground and we took off.

I leaned my shoulder into Steve's as he held my hand in both of his. I refused to look over at Bruce, even if I knew he was watching us. I needed space from him. I needed him to just... leave me alone, and that feeling hurt me deeply.

"So, Avery," Tony said suddenly and I lifted my head off of Steve's shoulder. "What did the Maximoff twins have to say to you? Did you figure anything out about your past?"

I nodded slowly, swallowing hard as I sat up. I was suddenly nervous to bring it up. "Yeah. It turns out that we are siblings. And while I don't remember much, they are under the impression you killed our parents. It's why they hate us and are working for Ultron. They said bombs came down on our hometown, and they were from Stark Industries. My parents were killed. And after we escaped, I was too injured and they had to leave me at a hospital, where I then ended up at the foster home. So not much clarity, but some."

Tony didn't say anything, staring at the floor, seemingly for the first time in his life to be stunned into silence. "Oh..." he said softly.

"You don't really believe that Tony did that to your family, right?" Steve asks, gently squeezing my hand.

I shook my head immediately. "No. I don't, because people can buy the stuff from the Industry, but it doesn't make a Tony responsible. But bombs with his name were used to wipe out my village, and even though it wasn't you personally, Tony, they can't see it that way. Not yet, at least."

I stood up and walked over to him and rested my hand on his shoulder. "But they don't know Tony Stark like I do, just the name Stark Industries, and the people who bought from you. They are not one and the same."

Tony seemed a little relieved and offered me a strained smile, then said, "I'm sorry."

I shook my head and pulled him into a hug. "No, don't be. It's not in any of our control to change the past now, so we just have to look to the future. There's nothing to forgive. I can't be angry for parents I never knew."

He smiled a little sadly at that. I returned to sit next to Steve and his fingers tightened around mine and I squeezed his hand back. I'm ok.

******

We arrived at a small house a few hours later surrounded by a large plot of land with a barn. Clint landed the Quinjet and the others got out ahead and followed Clint. I walked with Steve at the back of the group towards the white farmhouse.

I watched Clint run up to the door and open it, then followed him inside, looking around.

"Honey?" He called out. "I'm home."

A woman appeared, several months pregnant, and pulled him into a kiss. I smirked as I watched everyone around me stare in shock.

"That is an agent," Tony said next to me with a nod and I merely rolled my eyes at him.

"Daddy!" A little girl's voice called, and she appeared around the corner and leapt into Clint's arms. A boy slightly older than the girl ran into Clint to hug him as well.

"And those are smaller agents," Tony said and crossed his arms.

"Sure, Tony," I said with a small laugh and nudged him.

"Everyone, this is my wife, Laura, and my kids Cooper and Lila," Clint said.

"Well, I'd have introduced myself sooner if I knew you existed," Tony said awkwardly.

"I know all your names," Laura said with a smile, then her eyes fell on me. "Well, except for yours."

"Avery," I say and extend my hand and she takes it and gives it a squeeze, smiling at me, though her eyes flicked to my wings. I tucked them in tighter to my back and stepped back next to Steve again, taking his hand.

"Well, I'm sure you can all make yourselves comfortable," Laura said. "We have a few guest bedrooms that you can all stay in. Bathrooms upstairs with towels you can use."

I nodded and just stood still as I looked at Clint with his family, then up at Steve's slightly saddened expression, Nat smiling and talking to Lila who was hugging her and giggling at "Auntie Nat". I looked at Thor who looked unsettled, and then at Tony and Bruce who looked just as uncomfortable in the house as I felt.

But, it was because we didn't have a family.

After a few moments, Thor stomped out of the house and took off without another word, Steve watching him leave with a slightly dejected expression.

I squeezed his hand and stepped around Clint and his family, and went upstairs to the guest rooms, gently guiding him to follow me.

I found the first guest room and went in and he came in behind me and I closed and locked the door behind him. I leaned my forehead against the door, knowing fully well there was only one bed in the room.

I fought back the memories, telling myself we had slept together before. We had never done anything besides sleep next to each other in the same bed. And I was comfortable and felt safe both times. This was Steve. My Steve.

"Avery?" He says from where he stood behind me.

I lifted my head and turned to look at him. "Yeah?"

He began to wring his hands together anxiously, before setting his shield down on a chair under a window. He cleared his throat, then said, "You know we don't have to share a room. I can sleep somewhere else. It's ok."

"And make you share a room with Tony or Bruce?" I joked half-heartedly. "You know I don't mind you in here with me. It's just... weird now."

"Why?" He asks softly, his eyebrows furrowing.

"You know now," I whispered, wrapping my arms around myself, my arms crossed as I supported my injured wrist. "You know about my past..."

"Avery, that doesn't change the way I see you or feel about you. I love you," He says and holds a hand out to me, letting me decide to take his hand or not. I moved my hand out and took his hand and he gently pulled me closer to him. I dropped my head on his chest and wrapped my arms around his waist.

His arms came up around me and he pressed a kiss to the top of my head.

After a moment, I looked up at him and said, "In a way, you not knowing was easier. Because there wasn't the challenge that you'd some day just get up and leave me because of something else. I don't know, it's complicated."

"Well, I'm not going anywhere," He says seriously and looks into my eyes. He lifts a hand and tucks some hair behind my ear. "And now, I know how to support you, how to love you. I'll never understand your pain, but I will always be there to help you through it."

I smiled and reached up and pulled his face down to me and I kissed him. His arms moved around my waist as he kissed me back, seeming to melt slightly into my embrace.

I pulled away reluctantly, my arms still up around his neck and our foreheads pressed together. His blue eyes searched mine, then he whispered,

"What are you thinking?"

"I was thinking I didn't want you to stop kissing me," I admitted, my cheeks turning pink with embarrassment.

He raised both eyebrows, then said softly, "You choose. I won't do anything unless you give me permission, Angel," He says seriously.

I stared at him for a moment, then said softly, "I'm going to take a shower. Then you can take one. And afterwards we can just sit together? Watch a movie or something?"

He nodded and kissed my forehead and said, "Of course, Avery."

******

I brushed through my hair in the mirror, dressed in sweatpants and a tank top to allow my wings to dry, Steve changing in the bathroom.

A few moments later he left the bathroom in sweatpants and a t-shirt, drying his blonde hair with a towel. He set the towel down, folded neatly, and then sat down on the edge of the bed, before leaning back onto the pillows, closing his eyes, looking absolutely relaxed.

I finished my hair then climbed onto the bed next to him and laid down facing him. He opened one eye to look at me and I poked his nose. "You look comfy."

"Very," He replies and rolls over to look at me. "So do you."

"Yeah, I'm a little cold." I say and hold my arms out to him.

He moves closer, a smile on his face as his arms moved around me and he rests his head on my shoulder, smiling up at me. A smile of my own crossed my face and I lifted my hand to comb through his hair. "You're cute."

He rolled his eyes and lifted his head and pressed a kiss to my neck and mumbled, "Sure I am."

I scoffed. "You totally are. What were those puppy eyes for?" I teased and he met my eyes, raising an eyebrow.

"Puppy eyes?"

"Don't pretend you don't know what I mean."

He smirked. "I don't know what you mean at all. I can't look at you like you're the best thing that's ever happened to me?"

I blushed and covered his eyes with one of my hands and mumbled, "Damn you, Steve Rogers, and your endless flirting."

"Hm. You love it, though, Angel, and it's all for you," he says with a grin.

I kissed his lips and said, "Yes. Yes, I do."

******

Quick note: I think Steve and Avery may be my favorite Wattpad Fanfic couple of mine, will confirm this. Aaaaannnddd I just realized no one would know about that bit about Tony and the bombs and Wanda and Pietro's background if you didn't watch Wanda Vision on Disney+. I highly recommend the show if you have not seen it, and oops- sorry for the spoiler!

ALSO thank you so much for reading this fanfic!! It means a lot that you are reading and commenting and voting! I hope to see you in the next updates :).

Love always,
~ Cora Knight xoxo