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  FIVE YEARS HAD COME and gone, half of the universe's population still dusted away. Life still went on for the people who survived, but it wasn't without its hardships. Irina rarely saw Yelena, if ever, but she had moved in with Marcus. The choice for him to move into her place or for her to go to his was surprisingly easy. The flat she shared with Rosalie held too many good memories, too many reminders of what she lost. So she moved across the country to New York City, into Marcus's two-bedroom apartment.

It was a sunny day when she revived a call from Yelena — the first one in a year and a half. "Hello?" Irina answered, confused.

"...Irina..." Yelena breathed. She sounded shocked.

"What?" Irina felt her annoyance slip through. "Why are you calling me? I assumed you wanted nothing to do with me anymore."

Yelena gulped. "No...it's just...you need to see the news."

"Huh?"

"Just do it!" Yelena snapped.

Irina jumped at the sudden yell but reached over to grab the TV remote anyway. She clicked it lazily, watching as the screen lit up. As she read the headline, she nearly dropped the phone. THE BLIPPED RETURN.

"H-How?" She choked out.

"The Avengers..." Yelena shuddered. Her voice cracked and soon Irina heard sniffling. "I tried contacting Natasha. None of them are picking up..." She shuddered again as she took a deep breath. "Irina...she's back."

Ending her call with Yelena, Irina quickly dialled Rosalie's old number. She couldn't bring herself to delete it in those five years without her. It picked up after one ring. There was silence. "R-Rose?" Irina asked hopefully.

"Rina? What's going on? Where are you?" Rosalie's voice came through clear as day. Irina let out a scream of shock as she dropped her phone. "Irina? Are you okay? Are you dying?"

Tears were flowing down her face — she couldn't believe it. After years of believing she'd never see her love again, she was back, concerned for only Irina, as always. "Rose!" She sobbed. "Stay where you are! I'm coming!" Picking her phone back off the ground, she grabbed only her purse as she ran out of the apartment. She called Marcus, who had a CIA jet prepared for them. It almost felt like a cheesy Rom-Com to Irina as she raced across the country for her true love.

When they finally arrived at her old flat, they could hear Fanny barking, the sound alone making more tears fall from Irina's eyes. But then she heard Rosalie, even clearer than she was on the phone. Her knees nearly gave out on her. Her heart pounded out of her chest as the door unlocked and Rosalie stepped outside. She looked the same as she did the day she turned to dust. Her black hair was still shining and her eyes were still bright.

But as Irina saw her standing there, right in front of her, she found herself unable to move. Rosalie took the first step forward. "Rina..." She smiled. "Is everything okay? You look like you've seen a ghost," She chuckled nervously, fiddling with her fingers.

Irina gulped. "I have- am! I am!" She took a slow step forward. "Rosalie...do you remember what happened?"

Rosalie paused. "Yes?" She hesitated. "I-I remember getting all sleepy and then I...I turned to dust," Her eyes became unfocused as the events returned to her.

"Is that all?" Irina took another step forward. She could see the gears turning in Rosalie's head as she tried her hardest to remember. She nodded. Irina sighed. "Rose...it's been five years. You've been gone for five years." She took two more steps and shuddered, as she was now in touching distance.

"F-Five?" Rosalie stuttered. Her face paled. "Five? Are you sure?" She shook her head.

Irina took her final step, taking Rosalie's hands and holding them tightly. Feeling her soft skin after so many years of longing for it, nearly made her crumble. "Y-Yes, my Angel. But you're here now. That's what matters."

Rosalie frowned. "You've been alone for five years?" Her heart broke.

"No!" Irina shook her head. "I had Marcus and...Yelena."

"Yelena! That's why she called me crying!" Rosalie realized. "Where is she?"

"Ohio, I think," Irina shrugged. Her hands gripped Rosalie tighter.

Rosalie looked up into her eyes and smiled sadly. "You wanna hug?"

"Very much so," Irina nodded.

Laughing, Rosalie pulled her into her arms and squeezed tightly. Irina let her tears fall against her shoulder as they swayed together, finally reunited.

FOUR DAYS LATER

  Yelena got to the Avengers Compound as soon as she could. She had gotten a call from Steve, frantic and shaken. He said it was about Natasha. She already knew what she would find when she arrived, but there was still a part of her that hoped that her sister was alive.

The state of the compound when she pulled up was horrific. The whole building was destroyed, blackened and covered in smoke. You almost couldn't tell that a building used to stand there if it weren't for the rubble. She saw Steve and what looked like a mix of Bruce Banner and the Hulk standing, waiting for her. She parked the car and got out, tears already brimming. "Is she dead?" Yelena called as she approached the men.

Steve's hesitancy and Bruce's shudder gave her an answer. "I'm sorry, Yelena," Steve's head dropped. "She gave her life to save the universe. She's a hero."

Yelena sniffled. "I k-know..." Her words were weak. She remembered the last time she saw her sister, how she lied to her about her job, how happy she was despite the loss of half the universe. She doubled over, clutching her stomach as she vomited. Steve and Bruce stood there watching, unsure of how to console the woman.

Yelena straightened back up and wiped her mouth, her taste buds now coated with old cereal and orange juice. She swallowed back the acid and cringed. Steve cleared his throat. "We uh...don't have her body, but we still wanted to hold a vigil."

Yelena nodded. "Yes...that's good. Where will it be?"

Bruce stepped forward. "Pepper Potts has agreed to hold it at her home. You can invite anyone you'd like."

"Thank you, Bruce, Steve," She smiled sadly. "I appreciated it. When will it be?"

"In two days," Steve answered. "I'll send you the address and exact times later."

"Thank you," Yelena said once again. "Thank you."

The call to Rosalie was hard, and both women shed some tears. She, Irina, and Fanny would fly out with Marcus and when they arrived at the temporary Avenger Compound, they would inform Melina and Alexei.

Rosalie could barely stay seated on the jet, pacing and biting her nails. Irina sighed, grabbing her hand to stop her as she went to walk by. "Angel..." She shook her head. "Sit down."

"I-I can't, Irina," She shuddered softly. "For one, I haven't seen Yelena let, we've only called, and two, Natasha is dead!"

Irina sighed. "Rose, I know this is hard," She tugged softly on her hand, pulling Rosalie down into the seat next to her. "I miss Natasha, too. She freed me from the Red Room, I am forever in her debt, in life and in death. But you need to be there for Yelena. She needs you."

Rosalie sighed, leaning her head on Irina's shoulder. "Yeah, I know," She gulped, her throat suddenly feeling dry. "But-"

"No buts!" Irina cut in. She carefully pushed Rosalie from her shoulder, taking her face softly in between her hands, forcing eye contact. "I know you don't think you can do this, but you can. You are the strongest woman I know, you can do anything. I know you will be there for Yelena."

Rosalie melted into her touch. "You're hands are so soft..." She sighed with a lopsided smile.

Irina chuckled, shaking her head. "I missed you, Angel," She leaned in, kissing Rosalie fully and passionately, keeping her face secure in her hands.

"Gosh, get a room!" Marcus jokingly gaged as he returned from the washroom. Irina didn't pull away, his discomfort only causing her to deepen the kiss.

Rosalie couldn't help her laugh. Her stomach hurt as she pulled away from Irina, face beet red. "I'm so sorry, Marcus!" She was hysterical now, unable to stop her laughter. It was contagious. Marcus and Irina couldn't help joining in.

Slowly, it died down, and the dread returned. Rosalie's wide smile shrunk to a frown as she took deep breaths. "It will be okay, right?" She looked up at Irina.

Her lover nodded slowly. "Eventually, yes."

"Don't doubt yourself, Rosalie," Marcus piped up, sliding into the seat across from them, where Fanny had been fast asleep. "You and Yelena will get through it."

"Okay..." Rosalie nodded, rolling her head to look out the window. All that she could see was blue sky and translucent clouds and she wished she never had to come back down because what was waiting for her on the ground would be the hardest thing Rosalie ever had to do.

  Pushing down her nerves, Rosalie wrapped Yelena in the largest hug she could muster as soon as she got off the plane. For Yelena, it was their first hug in five years, so she savoured the moment. "I'm sorry, Yelena," Rosalie sniffled.

"No..." Yelena shook her head deeper into the crook of Rosalie's neck. "It's okay. You're here now."

Her words broke Rosalie's heart. She hugged Yelena tighter and she could feel a small wetness build upon her shoulder as Yelena slowly began to shake. Rosalie shushed and cooed her, rubbing small circles on the small of her back, allowing the blonde to feel her emotions. "I'm here..." She whispered softly in Yelena's ear.

A loud and sudden bark interrupted the sweet moment. Fanny came bounding down the steep steps of the plane, heading right for Yelena, who gasped, pulling away from Rosalie. "Fanny!" She cried, dropping to the ground with her arms open wide, allowing the Golden Retriever to smother her. She laughed as Fanny licked her face and nuzzled. Rosalie had a small feeling that that was the first time Yelena had laughed in a while.

"Rosalie..." A deep voice called her name. She turned around to see Steve Rogers standing sheepishly before her. "It's...good to see you," He smiled. "When I heard you dusted...it broke my heart a little."

Rosalie smiled sadly. "I'm sorry I couldn't be there to help. If I could, I would take Natasha's place."

Steve shook his head. "Don't say that. There are people that need you," He looked softly over at Irina, Yelena, Fanny, and Marcus. Rosalie looked back that them from over your shoulder. "I'm glad you're back."

She turned back to him, her smile slightly wider. "I'm sure it must've been hard, five years knowing..." She stopped herself.

"Knowing we failed?" Steve finished for her with a laugh. "Yes. It was."

"N-No I..." Rosalie sighed, dropping her head. "But, I guess it was all worth it in the end? Everyone is back."

"Yes," Steve nodded. He took a step forward, placing a large calloused hand on Rosalie's small shoulder. "It was."

"Come here, big guy," Rosalie laughed, pulling Steve's arm to wrap him in a hug. He squeezed her tighter than expected, his super-soldier strength nearly knocking the wind from her. She patted his back and he let go. She looked up at him with a wide smile. "Nat did the right thing, didn't she?"

"She did," Steve nodded. "But that doesn't mean it doesn't hurt." His eyes glazed over.

Rosalie grabbed his hand and squeezed. "So...where is this all happening? I assume not here," She chuckled, pointing at the damaged compound in front of them.

Steve's face slowly lifted as he chuckled as well. "Yes. Pepper Potts agreed to hold it at her house, where Tony's was."

Rosalie's jaw dropped. "Tony? Steve, I-I didn't know-"

"It's okay," He shook his head. "It was nice. We're hoping to have something similar for Nat."

"Good," Rosalie nodded. "Then, shouldn't we get going?"

"Yes," Steve smiled sadly.

Pepper's cottage was the perfect setting for a funeral. They gather by the dock — Steve, Bruce, Clint, Thor, Rosalie, and Yelena, holding an iPad with Alexei and Melina — and Pepper stood on the very end, reading the eulogy.

"Natasha Romanoff was more than an Avenger, she was a friend, a sister, and a daughter. To know Natasha was a gift to be treasured because if you were her friend, you had a companion for life. She would never let you down and she'd fight to the end," Pepper took a deep breath, shuddering. "And that's what she did. She sacrificed herself for the Soul Stone so that the Avengers could bring back the blipped, and that is exactly what they did. So, thank you, Natasha. We will forever miss you."

Yelena held shakily onto Rosalie. The iPad with Alexei and Melina had to be muted due to the loud sobs of the Russian super-soldier. Steve stepped forward. "Thank you, Pepper. That was lovely,"

The crowd dispersed, but Rosalie and Yelena didn't move. Irina stayed at a distance to allow them time alone. "You did so good, Yelena," Rosalie whispered softly into her ear. "So good,"

Yelena shuddered, her grasp on Rosalie tightening. "I miss her," She whispered shakily in Russian.

"Me too," Rosalie replied, softly stroking her blonde hair.

Yelena sniffled and shifted slightly, looking into Rosalie's deep brown eyes. "Thank you, for being here. I missed you so much. Never leave me again."

Rosalie chuckled, leaning down to kiss her forehead softly. "Never."

AUTHORS NOTE
and here I am, crying. I cannot express all the love I have for all you readers and supporters. This book absolutely means the world to me and I'm so glad I got to share it! There is an epilogue and then it's finished, so this isn't a final goodbye and who knows, maybe I might write a sequel???