Brother
"Uncle Steve! Look!" Steven exclaimed as he sat in Steve's living room with his family.
Allie and Bucky had taken the kids with them when going to see Steve the day after Sarah's party. Steven had seemingly forgotten about what had scared him the previous afternoon. He'd instead turned his attention to trying to make the same snowflakes dance around his palm that had danced around his mom's the previous day. He'd finally managed to create something. It wasn't much, but there were snowflakes in the palm of his hand.
"That's great," Steve smiled.
Sarah sat in Bucky's lap, agitated that Steven had a cool new trick that he could do while she did not. T.J. was sound asleep in Allie's arms while she took deep breaths, knowing that she was going to have a conversation with her brother that she never wanted to have to have.
"So, you two wanted to go out and do something?" Steve asked as he turned to face them.
"I thought it might be nice to go to the mall as a family after everything happened yesterday," Bucky shrugged and Sarah seemed to perk up at the mention of the mall.
"I can imagine," Steve nodded. "Did you want to go now or after lunch?"
"I think it's fine to go after lunch," Allie suggested.
"Mom! Show me your snow again," Steven was still focused on his palm.
"I think you've been practicing long enough," Allie grinned. "We can do that later."
"But-"
"No buts," Allie gave a stern look and Steven turned to Bucky.
"You heard your mother," was all Bucky had to say before Steven frowned, crossing his arms against his chest as he began to pout.
"Let me get lunch started," Steve smiled and went to his kitchen.
Bucky let Sarah off of his lap to go and play with Steven while he moved to sit beside Allie. Watching their two oldest play, Allie was still mildly distracted by her impending conversation with Steve. She kept thinking about the previous evening.
"I have to form a team."
All eyes were locked on Allie as the words left her lips. Steve had stayed outside to take a moment for himself while the others had stayed in the kitchen. Sam and Bucky exchanged a glance as Allie told Wanda and Peter the news.
"Is this your form of recruitment?" Wanda attempted a smile as Allie nodded.
"It's nothing fancy, but I'd like you two to join the team," Allie sighed.
"It's better than almost being killed by aliens," Peter shrugged and all four of the others turned to him, concern written in their expressions.
"Peter, I'm going to ask this as nicely as I can," Allie began. "What the fuck happened to you before we were Snapped?"
"I was in space," Peter shrugged.
"Why were you in space?" Sam asked with a confused frown.
"I followed Mr. Stark when he told me not to," Peter shrugged.
"Yeah, that sounds about right," Allie muttered to herself.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Peter narrowed his eyes over at her.
"It means I know what you're like," she gave a knowing grin. "Like when you clearly needed to rest at the fight we were all in at the airport in Leipzig? Or when you came home with those stories from your school trip? Or-"
"Okay, I get it, I'm like you," he rolled his eyes.
"Now what is that supposed to mean?" she narrowed her eyes.
"Bucky's told me stories," Peter shrugged with a smirk.
Allie looked over at Bucky whose expression told her to keep him out of whatever argument was brewing. She shook her head softly and turned back to Peter, holding his gaze.
"Let's get back on track," she sighed. "Will you guys join?"
Wanda simply gave Allie a nod. It wasn't the first time that one or the other had been put into a spot of being by the other's side in a tough situation. When they'd first met, Wanda had been on of the kindest faces in the Compound. After Westview had happened, Allie was one of the remaining loyal friends Wanda had had.
All eyes turned to face Peter who nodded. He looked at his hands before looking Allie in the eyes.
"I'm there," he nodded again.
"So that makes you, me, Bucky, Wanda, and Peter," Sam nodded to the faces around the room.
"Yeah, it does," Allie nodded up at him.
"I'm going to go check on Steve," Bucky looked to the door when Steve still hadn't made his way back into the house.
"I'll come with you," Sam joined him as they walked out of the room.
Allie watched the door as the two slipped through it. As much as she wanted to go and talk to him herself, she knew that the fact that she'd been the one to tell Sharon to leave might not lead to the nicest of private conversations with him. She turned back to face Wanda and Peter. Peter had a puzzled look on his face.
"Can I ask you something?" he questioned as he looked up to her.
"Of course," Allie nodded.
"Why do you want me on the team?" he asked. "You hated when I was in these kinds of fights as a teenager."
"You're not a teenager anymore," Allie began.
"So now you want me in this?" he asked softly. "I'm happy to do it, but I'm confused."
Wanda looked between the two and made her way out of the room as well. Allie sighed and placed her hand on Peter's arm.
"It has nothing to do with age," she said. "You're right. I hated when you were brought into Leipzig and I hated when you were out there with us fighting Thanos and his army. But Peter, you've become family ever since then. So now, this isn't about age, it's about trust. I trust you as much as I trust the others."
"And if I let you down on this?" he sighed.
"You won't," she shook her head. "You couldn't."
"But if I did-"
"Peter, I'm going to let you in on a little secret," Allie smiled. "Just like my kids, you could never let me down. I might be sad or disappointed or upset at something, but you could never let me down."
"And you think I'm capable of helping take down someone like Annika?" he asked.
"You've dealt with worse," she grinned. "And you handed Bucky and Sam their asses at that airport."
"I almost handed you yours, too," he smirked.
"Wrong," Allie shook her head haughtily. "I'd have handed you yours in a skinny minute."
"Oh really? Says the woman who called a truce when she saw my face," he shot back with a remaining grin.
"Sue me for having a heart," she grinned.
As the others trickled back into the house from the porch, Allie and Peter stood and nodded to one another. Things were going to work out.
"Hey, Allie," Steve's voice pulled her from her thoughts. "Could you come help me get drinks out?"
"Uh, yeah," she said as she focused back in on lunchtime.
Walking into the kitchen, she saw that Steve had made sandwiches for everyone and had brought out a bag of potato chips for the side. Opening his fridge, Allie pulled out Steve's bottles of orange juice and apple juice. Pouring the drinks and taking them to the table, she would look over to gauge how Steve was feeling.
Lunch itself seemed to pass by awkwardly as the kids kept themselves entertained and the three adults kept to themselves. Neither Allie nor Steve knew what to say exactly after the revelation of Sharon's work as the Power Broker and her sale of the formula that caused Allie's powers.
Bucky tried to start a conversation, but neither engaged in it. They'd happily join in talking with the kids, but when left to their own devices, they were at a loss. It was even worse when Bucky decided he was going to take the kids to the car so that Allie could privately talk to Steve. A brief and silent moment had passed before Allie cleared her throat.
"How are you doing?" she asked, looking down at the ground.
"Are you looking for the truth or a lie?" he asked.
"I always end up finding out the truth anyway," she shrugged with a small attempt at a smile.
"In that case," Steve sighed. "I'm not doing the best."
Allie nodded and tapped the ground with the toe of her shoe. Sighing to herself she folded her arms against her chest and looked back to him.
"Neither am I," she admitted.
"I can imagine," he nodded. "Are you feeling alright physically?"
"Physically? I suppose," she nodded. "I really only had the wind knocked out of me."
"You handled it like a champ," he attempted a smile of his own.
The two stood in silence for a moment. Noise from the hustle and bustle of the city filtered through the apartment window, drifting around the room softly. Cars honked, people could be heard shouting, birds cooing as they flew by the window. Allie watched as Steve frowned at the floor. She took in a deep breath before she even attempted to wade into the conversation.
"You know," she said softly. "I wouldn't blame you if you went to find her."
"I'm not doing that," Steve said firmly.
"Steve, I'm just saying that if you were to go after her, I'd understand," she continued.
"That's a lie," he said. "After what she did? I can't leave my sister."
Allie looked down at the ground and nodded. She bit the inside of her cheek as she debated abandoning the question of him joining the team altogether. Instead, she took another deep breath and looked back up at him.
"In that case," she said slowly and Steve raised his brow at her. "I'm forming a team."
"Alright," he nodded. "Have you recruited people so far?"
"I have," she said firmly. "Sam, Bucky, Peter, and Wanda have all agreed to join the team."
"That's a good start," he hummed in approval. "I'd even consider contacting Clint or Scott for the team. They'd both bring a lot to the table."
"It'd be getting the team back together and adding Peter to it," Allie laughed. "Cap's team."
"And there's always others that you could contact. I'm sure if you found a way to reach out to him, Rhodey might even consider helping," Steve assured her.
"Well," she sighed. "There's someone I do want to ask to join the team."
"Really? Who?" Steve's head tipped ever so slightly to the side in curiosity.
"You," Allie admitted.
"Me?"
"Yes, you," she nodded. "I know that you're retired and you have a lot on your mind right now, but you're one of the men that I trust the most."
"Really? Are you sure?"
"Yes," she nodded.
"Allie," Steve said warily. "I don't know if I'm the best for your team. I haven't been Captain America in a long time."
"Then I guess it's a good thing that I didn't ask for him," Allie shrugged. "I'm asking for my big brother."
Steve frowned at the ground, not looking at his sister for a moment. Allie watched, her heart beating heavily. In the silence, she was beginning to regret asking him. She knew that it was a lot to ask of her retired brother.
"Alright," he finally said. "I'll join the team."
"Really?" she asked as she looked up to him.
"Yeah," he nodded.
"Steve, I know that this is a lot with Sharon not here but-"
"Allie, I don't really want to talk about Sharon right now."
"I'm just saying-"
"Allie! I'm serious. I'm going to be by my sister's side," Steve shook his head.
"Okay," Allie nodded and the room was silent for a moment.
"We should join Bucky and the kids," Steve said.
"Right," Allie nodded.
The two left the apartment and the group left for the mall. For the rest of their afternoon together, no one spoke about Sharon or the team that Allie had formed.
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A week had passed since Steve had agreed to join Allie's team. When another Sunday dinner at the Barnes family home come up, Bucky and Allie decided to talk to Grace about what had happened.
"So, Sharon knew all of this?" Grace asked as she leaned back against the kitchen counter. "Hell, I didn't even know this."
"Well, of course you didn't know this," Bucky sighed. "There are some things that we didn't even know."
"I'm just saying," she shrugged.
In the years that had passed since they'd been reunited with Bucky's side of the family the two had found that they got along with Grace, their great-niece, the most. She adored the kids, often taking on babysitting duties when the others were busy. The kids adored Grace because she'd sneak them sweets when Allie and Bucky weren't looking.
"I know," Allie nodded. "But, yes, to answer your question, Sharon knew all of this."
"Did Steve?" Grace's eyes widened.
"He seemed as shocked as we did. I think he's just in shock that it happened," Allie sighed. "She's had to have had this information for almost fourteen years."
"Fourteen?" Grace's voice came out in a hoarse whisper.
"Yes," Allie nodded.
"Good God," Grace muttered. "Well, how are you feeling?"
Allie let out the breath that she had been holding in, kicking the heel of her shoe against the floor. In the other room, the rest of the family could be heard cheering on Steven and Sarah as they put on what Allie and Bucky assumed had to be a performance of some sort.
"Not great, if I'm honest," Allie frowned. "I've got my team started, but we're waiting on leads for where Annika is."
"How are you getting leads?" Grace asked, her curiosity evident in her voice.
"Sam still works with the government and military," Allie informed her. "Anything that is discovered goes through him and comes to me."
"Oh that's right," Grace nodded. "He's basically a liaison for the military and the Avengers, right? Kind of like how you've acted as one between the government and the Avengers."
"Pretty much," Allie nodded. "But he works Avengers based operations far more than I do."
"Gotcha," Grace nodded and turned to Bucky. "So are you on the team?"
"Is that something that even needs to be asked at this point?" Bucky cocked a brow.
"I guess not," Grace grinned.
"It does lead us into a question we had for you, though," Allie tacked on.
"Which is?"
"If and when we get these leads," Allie started. "Would you take in the kids for that time? I know it's a lot to ask, but-"
"But all of the normal babysitters are on the team?" she guessed.
"Pretty much," Allie nodded.
"Even your brother?" she continued.
"Even my brother."
"I see. You know the kids are always welcome here."
"Grace!" a voice called as the footsteps of a certain little boy padded into the kitchen. "Look at what I can do!"
Instead of the small snowflakes that Steven had begun to produce almost consistently, Grace's feet were covered in a pile of snow. Allie's eyes widened as she dropped to Steven's level and shook her head at him.
"We've talked about this," she chided.
Turning to Grace, Allie didn't think as she tried to make the snow go away. The sharp pain she had felt when she tried to melt Annika's ice happened and it took effort to not yelp in front of Steven. Instead, she winced and looked back to him.
"This can be your first try at making it disappear," she instructed.
Steven tried to make the snow disappear, but it melted far faster than his hands could make snowflakes go away. Instead, Grace's feet were soaked in a cold puddle. Allie sighed and grabbed towels to clean up the water. Steven frowned but didn't make another move.
"We're setting rules for your powers," Allie frowned.
"I didn't realize that he could really do it," Grace's eyes were widened just a bit. "I thought he was making it up."
"I don't lie," Steven frowned at his cousin.
"I never said you were lying," she said. "I thought you were being silly."
"Whatever the case may be," Allie sighed. "We're setting rules. No more trying to use your powers tonight, understood?"
"Yes," Steven nodded.
"Bud, why don't you go and tell your cousins about how school is going, okay?" Bucky suggested.
"Okay!" Steven agreed and ran off.
"I am so sorry," Allie apologized.
"Don't be," Grace shrugged. "It'll keep me on my toes."
"If they aren't frozen first," Bucky shrugged.
"James, do not tempt fate like that," Allie glared.
"Regardless," Grace laughed. "We can take them in whenever you get those leads."
"Thank you," Allie sighed and ran a hand through her hair.
"What else are great-nieces for?" Grace grinned.
"Making us feel old apparently," Bucky shook his head.
"We are old," Allie's laugh was soft.
"And you'll still kick that Annika's ass," Grace assured them.
"Let's hope so," Allie sighed and she held on to that sentiment the rest of the visit.
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"Hey, Allie?" Bucky's voice called from the living room.
"Yes?" she asked from the kitchen as she continued to cook.
"I've been thinking," he continued as he made his way to her.
"About?"
"Do you remember that question that was in those journals about your powers? About being able to manipulate more than just fire and ice?"
"Yes, I do," Allie nodded. "Why?"
"Like I said," he shrugged. "I've been thinking."
"Why are you saying that in a way that makes me worry?" she smirked.
"Well, I just mean that maybe it's worth thinking about."
Allie raised her brow at him at the suggestion. She could admit that right away, he had a point when it came to the overall idea. However, Allie was still herself and remembered the fear she had had before she gained control over the fire and ice powers. She nodded her head from side-to-side as if weighing the options. Looking towards him, she gave a small sigh.
"I suppose," she agreed.
"I get why you've never bothered with it, but-"
"You might have a point whether I like it or not," Allie sighed. "Annika's strong. She was able to get me from behind and I was out cold. She managed to almost encase all of us in that thick ice before Steven got her with ice of his own."
Bucky watched as she folded her arms across her chest. She bit her lip as she focused, the rest of the world didn't seem to bother her as she continued to think. Looking at him with a determined expression, Allie firmly nodded her head.
"I think you're right," she said. "With her strength, I'd rather we find an upper hand. She's only shown off fire and ice powers as well. If I can figure out some way to have that upper hand, I think we should take it."
"Do you know where to begin?" Bucky asked her, hiding his surprise that she'd agreed with him.
"No," she shook her head. "But I know who might."