In the early hours of the morning, Samantha had woken up from a recurring dream regarding her final hours in the Caribbean before being kidnapped from that timeline to one three-thousand years ahead.

The blonde awoke in a pool of her own sweat, her nightdress soaked and the brisk chilly air condensed the fabric of her clothing to reveal her more sensitive parts as it stuck to her body. Samantha sat upright and looked over to her left where she found her lover, Wanda Maximoff, still fast asleep, lying with her back to the blonde woman letting out staggered breathing at two thirty-eight in the morning.

Samantha's blue orbs surveyed the darkness of the room where the moonlight slipped inside from the opened blinds. She closed her eyes to concentrate on reducing her heart rate as well as get her breathing under control. In order to quench the thirst in her throat, Samantha got out of bed and, assassin-like, fled the room and headed to the kitchen to acquire a glass of water.

A specific path to the kitchen from her room was illuminated by the ceiling lights with the help of F.R.I.D.A.Y., who remained online twenty-four/seven.

Finding a glass, Samantha held it under the tap and filled it almost to the brim before she chugged it all down her throat. By the time she reached the kitchen, her nightdress had gradually separated from her body, allowing more privacy to her sweaty body.

"Can't sleep?"

A voice came out so suddenly that it startled the blonde, almost causing her to yelp.

"Jaysus!" Samantha cursed in a loud whisper. "Don't do that, Natasha. You gave me a fright. But aye. What the devil are you doing up at this hour?"

The orange-haired woman sat in the adjoining room on the one-seater, directly facing Samantha in nothing but a black gown.

Natasha offered a comforting smile as she spoke softly. "Just one of those nights, you know? Lot of past trauma coming back to haunt you... things that you wish you could've prevented from happening. In my case, it was the Red Room."

"Aye. I read your report – well, as confidential as it was, I managed to decipher a few things, or at least make some of it up so it made sense."

"So you know why I'm doing this. The blood in my ledger."

"You can't let the venom of guilt poison you forever, Natasha. You've done plenty to wipe the book clean."

The smile on her face instantly disappeared, like a shadow in the night. Natasha stared unpleasantly at Samantha as she stood up and made her way into the kitchen.

"There's nothing I haven't done to make you think otherwise."

"But you're better now than you were before. You escaped your past, and here you are. Victorious in saving the world from an alien invasion, a robot invasion, and countless espionage missions that saved the lives of hundreds of thousands. I've done no fair share of heroism, for my gains have done nothing but benefit a republic doomed to fail because of lacklustre turncoats... curse the lot of 'em!"

A minute of silence fell, creating slight tension as neither were able to contribute anything worth conversing about until Natasha put forward a question regarding Samantha's history in piracy.

"What was it like? Living in those days. I mean, you lived in a period with the most infamous pirates that ever lived: Charles Vane, Anne Bonny, Jack Rackham, Mary Read, Edward Kenway, Blackbeard, Bartholomew Roberts. Spill the beans!"

"Well, my upbringing was not a stylish one, birthed to a privateer and the daughter of a plantation owner from Bath. My mother died of syphilis when I was an infant, leaving me in the care of my mother's family while my father was out at sea, trying to make a fortune with gentlemen sailing under King George's flag. My father press ganged me into his fleet of irate pirates under the title of Andrew Dawson, but under no circumstances was I to relent from my mother's maiden name."

As she explained her life story, Samantha broke eye contact from Natasha every so often due to unhealed emotional trauma.

"So I disguised myself and I sailed with my father before being recruited with another pirate captain. Captain John Auger of the Neptune's Revenge. I sailed for about a year, year and a half, before I met my most memorable love, Anne Bonny, a waitress at the local tavern of Nassau. We fell in love, but that was before I found out she was already someone else's lass. But I didn't care at the time. She never loved him anyway."

Natasha frowned as she could feel the heartbreak build up within her.

"In April of 1721, one of my dearest friends died from disease while we were rotting in a Jamaican prison in Kingston. A few months or so before, I'd learnt that my 'beloved' Anne had bedded with one of the most reckless, incompetent, perverted pirates I had the displeasure of knowing... Jack Rackham."

It was out of habit that Samantha almost hocked saliva on the floor, but she quickly remembered where she was and how things had changed throughout the years. She stopped herself from spitting saliva on the floor to curse Jack Rackham's soul before continuing her story-telling.

"Never saw Anne's child – the poor child was torn out of her arms, never to be seen again. I'll never forgive her for betraying me. I have Wanda now, and she's all I could ever want. But I do miss my old friends. By God, I miss them. Even my father. For the heinous treatment I'd shown him, I truly did care for him, deep down. I just wish he knew..."

"He does, Samantha. I'm sure they all do."

The two agreed to part ways for the time being in order to gain rest for an upcoming mission later that afternoon.

Samantha found herself in the comfort of her bed, colder than before, but relieved that she was now relaxed and able to fall back asleep with her girlfriend in her arms. Snuggling up against her girlfriend's back, Samantha took a deep inhale and a slow exhale as she gradually drifted back into slumber.

Now in the later hours of the morning, the sun was out and the room was much brighter than before. Samantha woke up before Wanda again and decided to shower so that she could freshen herself up for a better day ahead.

'As I was out walking one morning in May
I spied a young couple who fondly did stray
One was a young maid so sweet and so fair
And the other was a soldier and a bold grenadier

And they kissed so sweet and comforting
As they clung to each other

They went arm in arm along the road
Like sister and brother
They went arm in arm along the road
'Til they came to a stream
And they both sat down together
To hear the nightingale sing

Out of his knapsack he took a fine fiddle
And he played a merry tune that you ever did hear
He played her such a merry tune that the valley did ring
Oh, soft cried the family as the nightingale sings

And they kissed so sweet and comforting
As they clung to each other

They went arm in arm along the road
Like sister and brother
They went arm in arm along the road
'Til they came to a stream
And they both sat down together
To hear the nightingale sing

Well, I'm off to India for seven long years
Drinking wines and strong whiskies instead of small beers
And if ever I return again it be in the spring
And we'll both sit down together
To hear the nightingale sing

"Well then," says the fair maid, "Will you marry me?"
"Oh no," says the soldier, "How well can that be?"
For I have my own wife and the banks of the D
And she is the fairest damsel that you ever did see

And they kissed so sweet and comforting
As they clung to each other

They went arm in arm along the road
Like sister and brother
They went arm in arm along the road
'Til they came to a stream
And they both sat down together
To hear the nightingale sing...'

There was never a fairer delight for Wanda to wake up to the graceful, angelic singing of her girlfriend. The bathroom provided backup for her singing as if it were a choir performing for the brunette who'd woken up without her girlfriend lying beside her.

Wanda climbed out of bed and observed her girlfriend from the adjoining room where she could peek at the fair maiden bathing under steaming hot water. While the condensation prohibited Wanda from the glorious sight of her lover and her curves, she decided to educate herself with the intricacies of every inch of Samantha's body from inside the shower.

Removing her clothes, Wanda entered the shower and massaged Samantha's back with soap. Her body pressed itself bare against her back and added extra detail to cleaning between Samantha's legs.

"Ahoy, love." Samantha greeted the brunette's lingering touch in her inner thighs.

"Mmm. Hey, you." Wanda nipped at Samantha's neck. "You sing so beautifully. How did I get so lucky?"

"You flatter me, darling."

Samantha pursed her lips but the moan that came from her was undoubtedly orgasmic. The sheer ecstasy from being held so dearly by her girlfriend made Samantha buckle at the knees as a result of feeling her magical touch and her body pressed against her.

After having a soothing shower, both Wanda and Samantha made their way to the kitchen to have breakfast. Nobody else was around, so they occupied the room with the sound of music from the bluetooth speaker propped between the toaster and coffee machine; Samantha operated the coffee machine while Wanda loaded the microwave with bacon.

They both danced and jumped to the melody playing an upbeat tune. Though modern music wasn't entirely Samantha's cup of tea, she was partial to some that took her interest, but not everything: certain songs by artists or limited genres.

Samantha couldn't take her eyes off of the brunette as she danced jubilantly, without a care in the world. The rhythm to her dancing was eloquent in ways that proved she was truly more talented than she claimed herself to be, for Wanda believed that through her own self-awareness, boasting about such things would leave her an outcast and ashamed amongst others, especially those whom she called friends.

By the time the song was over, Samantha never realised how long she'd been staring until a hand waved at her, snapping out of her thoughts, drawing her back to reality.

"Miláček (Darling), are you having the visions again? Do you need me to-" Wanda cooed as she cupped her lover's cheeks and whisped magic into Samantha's mind.

What she found, she did not expect.

Wanda did not immediately retract herself out of Samantha's thoughts, for she was blessed with praise and all sorts of love and affection regarding her beauty and aptitude.

"Nothing grievous plagues my mind but you," Samantha answered quickly. It was evident in her voice that she was confident and strong and reassuring.

Relieved by the reassurance, Wanda repositioned her arms so that they were hanging over Samantha's shoulders. From what she had in mind to say, Wanda found no sufficient amount of courage to get out a proclamation of her love to her. She said nothing and stared deeply into her ocean-blue eyes, their minds absent from the breakfast waiting for them.

Once they'd snapped out of their haze, the two women retrieved their meals and sat themselves down at the dinner table, directly opposite each other with Samantha sitting with her back to the kitchen and Wanda to the opposite wall.

Eating was peaceful. On previous occasions, Samantha had to endure surviving on rations aboard a vessel or in a crowded area with drunkards, courtesans and a rebel band who were always changing their tune whenever a glass bottle exploded or a table shattering into splinters under the weight of a large pirate. She fondly remembered the strange ambience, as well as eavesdropping on conversations from time to time.

After breakfast, Wanda and Samantha revelled in each other's company before Wanda would have to leave for her mission later that afternoon. So to ensure they got the most out of the day together, they lingered indoors to watch some of Wanda's favourite oldies.

It was around half past four in the afternoon when Wanda got the call to arrange her things for her mission with Natasha, Sam and Steve in Lagos, Nigeria, to intercept former S.T.R.I.K.E. Force and Hydra agent, Brock Rumlow. The mission requirements asked her to apply civilian clothing, specifically a hat and sunglasses.

While the brunette finished putting on appropriate incognito attire, Wanda looked over to where her girlfriend laid, lying on top of her bed with her hands underneath her head, staring blankly at her figure.

"Better close that mouth of yours, or else you're going to attract flies." Wanda teased playfully.

Samantha rolled her eyes and sat herself upright.

"Nervous?"

"Mhm. A little."

"This isn't your first mission, Wan. You'll be just fine." Samantha assured her so as to suppress her anxiety. "Remember to stay focused and be mindful of your surroundings. Always be alert and don't drop your guard. Believe in yourself as I do."

Wanda fiddled with the rings on her fingers, giving a clear indication that her anxiety was gradually increasing but to a limited amount, for she had the confidence she needed to stay composed for the mission ahead.

"I-I'll try," a smile formed, appearing weak yet brave. "I should probably get going. Knowing Steve, he'll want to make sure we have enough time to prepare for the mission to cover all the routes and stuff like that."

"Come back to me, love."

"I will."

As Wanda made her way out of the room to part ways, she headed straight for the hangar while Samantha lingered in Wanda's room before making her way outdoors to oversee the Quinjet – the Avengers' aerial transportation; modified to feature a hovercraft mode, perfectly accompanied with a turret to provide aerial support.

On the south-west porch, Samantha walked outside in time to hear the engines of the Quinjet roar as it ascended into the sky before it went into flight mode and soared off to disappear beyond the trees. Samantha lingered before she decided to go for a stroll.

It was a long walk to go around the entire building, but far longer to go around the perimeter of the entire compound. Regardless, Samantha enjoyed the cool breeze and staring at the Hudson River which helped her reminisce her days out on the open water, sailing for weeks on end before seeking proper rest in Nassau.

But something felt off. Something didn't sit well with Samantha.

It was quiet.

Too quiet...

A rush of muffled footsteps rapidly approached Samantha from behind, causing her to wonder what the commotion was until she found herself being charged at by a woman wielding a sword pointed at her chest.

Samantha's eyes widened as she only had a split second to react. By doing so, she clapped her hands together, only just catching the blade, causing a halt in their movement. The tip of the blade shook between Samantha's hands as it hovered inches away from her chest. Samantha growled softly as she pushed the blade away before the tip could turn crimson.

"Why... is everyone so... fascinated with me?!" Samantha strained as she managed to push the blade completely away and successfully dodge several swings from her weapon.

Both Samantha and her attacker stood three feet apart from each other, pacing around in a circle, anti-clockwise, with unbroken contact. Being at a steady pace, Samantha observed her attacker more closely.

The woman had long, golden hair, braided and hanging down her body, reaching her waistline. Such hair was a prominent quality of her appearance, granted that she was a warrioress and in Norse Mythology, a goddess. Her lips were vibrant red, as was her battle dress and boots. She sported a crown with a ruby in its centre; a type of crown that represented the highest esteem bestowed to an Asgardian warrior.

"Where is it? The Piece of Eden – where do you hide it, pirate?" The woman asked belligerently.

"You know who I am?"

"Aye. You are the guardian of the Mind of Eden. And you will tell me where it resides, or else I shall tarnish this land until I have found it."

Samantha lifted her hand up, requesting a proper standstill. "W-Wait a bleedin' minute. Who are you, lass?!"

"Lady Sif," she bowed. "Look, just give me what I ask and I shall be on my way. I did not walk a mile just to come here for nothing."

"And why is it you desire the Mind of Eden so desperately? What prompts you to believe that I am the guardian of the Mind of Eden? Hell, I don't even have a proper clue as to where it could be! And here you stand before me, demanding I provide you that which you seek, when I do not possess that which you seek."

Sif dramatically sighed and indulged her in regards to Asgard affairs; how Odin Allfather ignored his sworn duty to guard the Nine Realms that are now in chaos. A further explanation brought Samantha insight on the Nine Realms themselves, as well as why she desired the Mind of Eden so desperately.

"You could've started with all that, y'know?" Samantha chuckled. "I have questions that need answering, and I believe that if we help each other, we both get what we desire. I come with you to Asgard and I help you with your predicament, you help me find knowledge on the Mind of Eden. Folk here have been claiming that there's a map to the Piece of Eden, but with all this nonsense, I very well think that it could be inside of me."

Sif lifted an eyebrow, surprised that Samantha made such an offer to her. The golden-haired woman hummed and lifted her head up a tad.

"Very well. Brother!" Sif cried as she leaned her head back to look up at the clear, blue sky. "I call upon you to return us to Asgard!"

Samantha looked up into the sky and watched as a colourful beam crashed down on them both, sucking them into the sky and across the cosmos.