Chapter Sixteen
Bucky

"These suits feel weird." Jo complains.

"I don't think comfort was in mind when Ana and Shuri made them, honey." Lena comments with a roll of her eyes. All of the kids are now suited up in their time portal uniforms, as are we. With a click of a button we'll all be back in our own time. I see mixed reactions about this, and I can't help but feel pretty mixed about it myself. Sure this trip wasn't planned, it was dangerous and terrifying at times, but we all got a missing piece of us back when we arrived here, and now we're forced to part with that piece yet again. Maybe for good this time.

My eyes fall onto Steve, who approaches me with a pained smile. "I don't think I told you this yet, but I'm honored you named your son after me. He's an incredible young man. Olivia and Liam are exceptional as well. I'm glad I got to meet them."

"I always wished you could have met them, I'm grateful you got the chance to," I feel tears sting my eyes, and my throat grows hoarse as I say: "Promise me you'll try to find some peace of your own. Don't look for the next fight your whole life. Actually live your life."

He nods, grabbing onto my shoulder and pulling me into his embrace. I feel tears line my eyes as I hold onto him, knowing that this might very well be the last time I ever get to. "I love you, Steve."

His voice is thick from tears as he says: "I love you, too, Buck. I'm so happy for you, and so proud."

My own tears fall as I pull back from him, feeling the ache in my chest grow too painful for words. I just nod to him and step back, welcoming the feeling of my wife's hand in mine. She clearly wants to give a hug to Steve and Natasha, but she doesn't, she just sends them all a smile and nod. They return it, and Tony is the one to say:

"Thank you for warning us about Thanos. We'll make sure he doesn't lay a single finger on those stones."

"I don't doubt it."

Tony hesitates for a moment before asking in an uncharacteristically uneven tone: "What happens to me in the future?"

Lena smiles at him, but I know it's only a mask to hide her pain. "You'll have to wait and find out."

"Good luck." Nick Fury wishes us.

All nine of us click our helmets into place, then double check that our time space gps' are all locked onto the right time. They are. I keep eye contact with Steve, watching a couple more tears fall down his cheeks, trying his best to hold himself together. I'm doing no better than he is. He nods to me, I nod back, then we will press the button.

-

Josephine

The last time we traveled through time I felt like I had been thrown off a building, I didn't remember much of the experience, but this time, this time I remembered everything. There were all these blue tunnels, and I literally felt myself shrinking as I was thrust through them. I saw flashes of people and places, times and eras historians would kill to witness. It felt like going down a roller coaster where you can't see the end of the ride, where you're constantly wondering whether this drop or this loop will be your last. It was crazy. I hope I never have to do it again.

"Oh thank god." I hear a familiar voice say. It's Ana, she's running over towards us, Aunt Shuri right behind her.

"Are you guys okay? We were so worried." Aunt Jade exclaims, smothering all of us in hugs.

Home. We're actually home. I look around and see the familiar white tile, glass walls, and chaotic work stations of the lab. Actually, the work stations look even more chaotic than usual. Every surface, both tables and floors, are covered in tools, plans, and various mechanical parts that I'm sure were used to recreate the time portal, which we are currently standing upon. It looks just like it did before we destroyed it, if I didn't know better, I would say it never broke in the first place.

"How long were we gone?" Aunt Soroya asks, hugging onto Aunt Jade tightly.

"Five seconds." Aunt Shuri says with a relieved sigh.

"How are you feeling? Nauseous? Dizzy? Maybe we should run some tests." Ana suggests.

Aunt Shuri nods. "Probably a good idea."

"Oh dear god, please, no tests." Dad protests.

Ana glares at him. "If you start bleeding from your eyes or get paralyzed from the waist down don't come crying to me."

Dad places his hand over his heart. "I didn't realize how much you cared, Ana. How touching."

She flips him off, he just grins.

"I'm so glad you all are alright," Uncle Sam wraps an arm around Aunt Jade's waist and smiles at us. "How was it? How was...how was Steve?"

He has the same sadness in his eyes that Uncle Bucky has right now, the same grief. Uncle Sam probably stayed behind to watch over things while Aunt Soroya was gone, it's not smart for both directors of the Avengers to go on a trip back in time. But he clearly wanted to come, he clearly wanted the chance to see Steve and have the same closure Uncle Bucky got.

Uncle Bucky steps forward and envelops him in a hug, and over his shoulder I hear him say: "We'll tell you all about it."

"Maybe after we get some food? I'm starving." Stevie exclaims.

Lee nudges him playfully. "You're always hungry."

"How about we go out to dinner and we'll tell you all about it." Aunt Soroya suggests, pressing a kiss to Stevie and Livy's cheeks.

"Then afterwards we run tests." Ana insists.

Like a child who doesn't want to go to his doctor's appointment, Dad whines: "But I don't want to."

"I'll use one of my forcefields to hold you down if that's what it takes, Dad." I warn him.

He looks at me aghast. "Betrayed by my own daughter."

I give him the same look. "Get over it."

Baba wraps his arms around both of our shoulders, squeezing us against his sides, the upmost love and affection in his gaze. "It's good to be home."

I roll my eyes at Dad one more time, then I lean into Baba's embrace, nuzzling my head against his chest. "It sure is."