Tears of an Angel

She was nervous the longer they stayed in the room. There was no next mission, no next kill, and no more Thanos.  After a lifetime of being his pawn, she thought she'd feel something more after his execution. But there wasn't anything. She felt nothing. Could she even get back to her own time?

"So," She looked over to the Terran, Scott she believed he was called, as he sat down. "How are you doing?"

Nebula stared at the man who gave off the same man child vibe as Quill.

"This has all been pretty crazy right?"

Why was he still chattering?

"I mean, I was trapped in the Quantum Realm for like five years, but it only felt like hours. I'm still trying to wrap my mind around that."

Was he expecting her to respond?

"And it feels like only last week my daughter was 10, and now she's a teenager. I mean I feel like a pretty bad dad for that."

"There are worst fathers." She couldn't help but say.

"Oh right. I'm sorry he treated you that way. No one deserved that."

Was he pitying her or trying to get under her skin?

"Scott." The man looked over to a woman who was in armor similar to his own, but in black and yellow.

"Hope." Scott quickly stood and enveloped her in a hug. "It's so good to see you again."

"You know Cap told me what you did." The woman- Hope- said as they separated.

"What I did?" Scott glanced over to the man referred to as 'Cap' before looking back to her.

"You escaped the Quantum Realm." Hope said with a smile. "You told them about it. It lead to all of this. You did it."

"Hope," Scott put his hands on her shoulders. "I can honestly say that I wouldn't have been able to do any of this without you. All of this is because of you."

Hope smiled before leaning forward and kissing Scott on his check. Scott lit up, a smile encompassing half of his face as he removed his hands from her shoulders.

"I better go call Hank." Hope said, her cheeks slightly red. "He's probably freaking out by now."

"Right." Scott cleared his throat. "You go do that."

Hope smiled again before walking away. Scott placed a hand on his cheek where he was kissed, a wide smile on his face.

"You good man?" Quill asked walking over.

"Yeah." Scott said dreamily.

"Whipped." Quill muttered to himself, before he turned to look at her. "Do you know where Gamora went?"  

"What are you planning on doing with us?" Nebula demanded.

The room fell into a tense silence. As if they hadn't consider what they'd do with their new prisoners, the daughters of Thanos.

"What do you want to do?" The man with a metal arm said.

For decades all she wanted to do was please Thanos the way Gamora seemed to do effortlessly. When she didn't want to please him she wanted to kill him. There was no other purpose for her.

"We don't belong here." Gamora spoke up, walking back in from wherever she had tried to sneak off to.

"What do you mean?" Quill said, a note of desperation in his voice. "Of course you do."

"This isn't our time, isn't our history. I'm not who you're thinking of." Gamora said plainly. Which based off Quill's stunned look from earlier, he should've remembered, especially considering where she hit him.

"Then find out who you want to be." The metal arm man said.

"There is no next mission." Nebula said mostly to herself.

"There's one." The green giant said walking in with the man in blue.

"How is she?" The red head woman -Natasha if she recalled correctly- asked standing from her place next to the little girl. Distantly, Nebula wondered how she'd look with red hair.

"Resting." He looked to the red  head, "You can go see her if you want, Nat."

Nat smiled before whispering to a couple of men and walked down the hall the others had gone through.

"What did you mean there was another mission?" Nebula asked.

"The Infinity Stones need to be returned to the exact times we took them." He explained. "If not other universes could be destroyed, thrown into chaos. And so could ours."

"What makes you sure of that?" The man with wings asked curiously.

"That's what the Ancient One told me."

"She trusted you?" Strange said in a pleased tone.

"You wouldn't be here if she didn't." The green pointed out. He then looked to her. "If you're really looking for something to do, you can try that, and maybe you'll be able to find something greater for yourself too."

She looked over to Gamora who seemed to be contemplating the choice too.

"And if we don't except this mission?" Gamora finally asked.

"We'll find you somewhere to stay in this time." The man with the broken shield said. "Or we'll help you get back to your time if you want."

They could stay here. They could go back and return the stones, or they could just go back to their time. But what then?

"How long do we have to decide?" Nebula asked.

"Take your time." The Cap said kindly. "It's your choice."

And somehow that was the scariest part of all this.

*******

"How is she?" Pepper looked over to see Natasha in the doorway.

"As well as can be expected." Pepper said motioning for Natasha to come in closer.

Natasha looked around the room. On the window seat was an asleep Tony. He must be exhausted, she realized. To him it must have felt like walking into a fight right after finishing one.

Johnny was on a chair on the other side of Payton, his head resting on crossed arms, asleep. And what must Johnny be feeling?

"How long have they been asleep?" Natasha asked sitting next to Pepper on Payton's left. Like everyone, she seemed to be avoiding looking at the remaining stub.

"Few minutes." Pepper smiled shyly. "Right after a Wakandan nurse gave them a special drink I ordered for them."

Natasha smiled. No one ever believed it when they said Pepper was just as sneaky as her sometimes.

"I'm sorry." Pepper finally said. "About Clint."

Natasha sighed tiredly. "It feels like I've been mourning him for five years too. But unlike the others, I always expected him to come back. And he finally did, only to leave again. He had saved my life. None of the good things that happened to me. SHIELD, the Avengers. None of them would've happened if he hadn't decided to spare me. And I never even knew why he did it."

Pepper gently held her hand. "He could see you were an incredible woman. He could always see things others couldn't."

"How did you move on after Tony was dusted?" Natasha softly asked.

"At first I just waited for them to come home. It was hard, but I knew I had to be here for whenever they returned. Then Payton needed me, someone. I couldn't leave her. And I needed her just as much. By the time Morgan got here, it was easier. Hard but not as bad." Pepper said honestly. "I don't know what I would've done without them."

Natasha smiled softly, thinking back to the first time she met the girl. Well technically she met Spider Girl first.

"This was your plan?" Natasha asked as they met up before the airport fight. She stared at the tiny girl, who was animatedly talking to Rhodey, in shock. And yes, this was definitely a girl, not a woman.

"I didn't exactly have much of a choice." Tony harshly reminded in a hush tone. "She was the only person I could think of."

"How old is she?"

"Doesn't-"

"Yes it does."

"Old enough." They looked over to see Spider Girl was now in front of them, trying to look taller. "Mr. Stark didn't force me to come. I wanted to."

Natasha stared at the girl emotionlessly. "You heard that?"

The girl shrugged, probably smiling under her mask, "Enhanced hearing."

"Of course." She stepped closer to the girl. "This is your last chance to leave. If you don't your in this. No matter what happens."

The girl to her credit, didn't hesitate. "Why would I leave?"

"I like you." Natasha decided, the girl immediately perked up. "But from one spider to another, try being a kid when you get back from wherever your from."

"Oh I'm from Queens."

Natasha's lips twitched slightly. This girl could actually be good for them.

And years later she proved her right.

Over the last five years, Payton inspired her to continue helping others. Natasha had helped find a series of orphanages for displaced kids after Thanos Snap. Even arranging for a 'special' visit from Spider Girl a couple of times. She wondered what would happen to the adopted ones now. They had no way of knowing their families would return, and even if they did, they needed a family now.

Payton also inspired her to not only reform the Avengers, but make it stronger. While Nat and Rhodey may have been the only original members left, they grew to not only have members all over the world, but all over the galaxy. Even though Rocket and Nebula still called themselves Guardians.  

Payton almost single handedly fought people like Beck, Electro, Scorpion. That inspired Flash and Harley to join the superhero business too. Even Matt and Wade stepped up their game. There were also rumors of other vigilante's coming out to help, but none of them had made their presence widely known as of yet.

So if Payton could do all of that, she could easily get better from this.

****

She didn't know how long she had sat besides Pepper, watching the girl rest before she felt her phone buzz again. Natasha stared at the phone in her hands as she left the room.

20 missed calls from Laura Barton.

She needed to tell them. She couldn't do it over the phone. Payton would want to talk to them too. Should she wait for her? No, this wasn't something that could wait.

"Miss Romanoff." She looked over to see Doctor Strange looking over at her shyly, a bruise already forming on his face.

"What do you want?"

"I was wondering if you could tell me about her." Strange said shyly.

"About who?"

"Payton." Strange took a deep breath. "I just... I need to know if she... I saw a certain future with the Time Stone... Every future I saw with her living had... something happen. And I need to know it won't happen. That she hasn't- That it won't happen."

"Why should I tell you anything?"

"I can get you to the Barton house and bring you back to be with Payton." He offered walking closer, desperation in his eyes. "I'll do everything I can to help her heal."

Natasha sighed tiredly. "What do you want to know?"

"Has Payton had any involvement with the Osborn's?"

Her parents did, not that she knows. "No. Oscorp is all but bankrupt at the moment. Pepper mentioned that Stark Industries may be buying them out soon, but nothing's for certain at the moment."

"So she and Norman Osborn have never met?"

"No." Natasha said shortly. "Now before I punch you, take me to the Barton's."

"Of course." Strange moved his hands in a circle motion as Natasha grabbed the bow and sword secured them in place.

She silently walked through the portal, Strange quietly behind her. She didn't bother to see if he had continued to follow her as she walked towards the Barton farmhouse.

"Nat." Laura rose from her spot on the porch, rushing towards her. "I've been trying to reach you and Clint for hours. What's going on? The news is-" Laura cut herself off. "Where's Clint?"

Her eyes stung with unshed tears as she took off the bow and sword, handing them to Laura. "He wanted to be here."

Laura swallowed hard as she grabbed the bow, her knuckles turning white. "No." She clutched it tightly to herself a light sob escaping her throat. "No!"

Natasha caught Laura, slowly lowering her to the ground. Sobs shook her.

"No! Not Clint! Not him!"

Natasha glanced up to see Lila standing at the door. She could see Cooper and Nate, clutching Cooper's leg, standing behind her. 

"Auntie Nat?" Lila mouthed, tears streaming down her face. 

Silently, Natasha lifted an arm towards them. Instantly the three ran towards them. 

"What happened?" Lila tearfully demanded, tightly clinging onto both Natasha and her mother. "What happened?!"

*******

There was a distant beeping sound. It was rhythmic, hypnotizing almost as she swam towards consciousness. Yet even that was hard. As if she was swimming through molasses.

Her limbs felt heavy as if her bones had been replaced with lead. It hurt. Especially on her left side. Her skin felt tight as if there was something wrapped around her. There was definitely something in her mouth. And her eyes felt as heavy as tons. Where was she? Why couldn't she open them? What had happened before?

She was on the battlefield. Staring down Thanos as lightning coursed through her arm, seconds before she snapped. Johnny had stared down at her fearfully. She had to comfort him. She had to see Tony. She had to let Pepper know she was alright. She promised her she'd come home.

"Payton." She heard a soft, feminine voice say. "Come on Payton, wake up."

So she did.

Everything was a blur. She slowly moved her eyes around the room trying to focus on anything. Her eyes slipped close.

"Not so fast kid." A man's voice said. "Open your eyes. Please."

"Come on honey." She heard another female voice say desperately. "Please."

Payton managed to pry them open again, her vision swam for a moment before finally focusing on the figures leaning over her.

Sue let out a breathless laugh as Tony sighed, his shoulder visibly relaxing, Pepper besides him.

"Good to see you awake, Underoos." Tony smiled down at her.

"Payton." Her eyes shifted over to see Sue step back and let Johnny come closer to her. He moved to hug her before stopping abruptly, cupping her cheek instead as he sat on her right bedside. "Don't scare me like that again. I thought I lost you."

She wanted to hold his hand, hug him, kiss him, comfort him. But her body refused to cooperate, a small whine of frustration escaping her.

"It's alright kid." Tony assured in a soft tone she doesn't remember him ever using before, as he gently brushed her hair back. "Don't strain yourself. The Doc's on their way."

What happened after she snapped? She wanted to ask. Where were the others?

"Miss Parker." Her gaze shifted as T'Challa came to stand next to Tony. "I'm glad to see you're doing better."

Distantly she heard another person walking around the room.

"I think I speak for everyone when I thank you for what you've done these last few days. My doctors are telling me you're healing remarkably well. We should be able to remove the breathing tube by the end of the week."

Breathing tube? She thought as an unfamiliar voice spoke in what she recognized as Xhosa. End of the week? How long had she been here?

"Rest now, Payton." T'Challa continued as her eyes grew unbearably heavy.

"I'll be right here when you wake up." Johnny promised as her eyes slipped shut. 

*******

The next time Payton opened her eyes was much easier, and the breathing tube was gone as promised. Does that mean it's been a week since she last opened her eyes? The left side of her face was covered, obscuring her vision slightly.

She glanced around the room to see Natasha sitting at the window seat, Flash was on her right side, and Harley was on her left side. None of them actually looking at her.

Bruce's arm had looked burnt after he had snapped. It was only Harley's quick thinking that had helped it. But with the ensuing battle she wasn't sure what his looked like now. What did hers look like?

She shakily stretched out her right arm to feel her left, letting out a small breath as she did. Her fingertips only met mattress and blanket. Where was it? Maybe she was more disoriented than she thought. She moved her hand to her left shoulder, sliding down to the rest of the arm- Only for it to end abruptly. She turned her head and saw her left arm was gone.

"It's alright." She looked up to see Harley had finally noticed her moving. Behind him, she could see Natasha getting up and walking towards them.

"What happened?" She rasped out. Her mouth felt thick, as if she was talking with cotton in it.

"You saved us." Harley said with a tight smile. "But the damage to your arm was too intense, even for Wakandan medicine." He sighed, his smile dropping. "Their only choice was to amputate."

Her eyes began to sting as she swallowed, looking back to her stump. It was wrapped in white bandages. She let out a small breath.

"You alright?" She looked over to Flash who had moved closer.

"How long have I been asleep?"

"Almost two weeks."

"Oh." Payton said softly. Was she really asleep that long? What happened during that time? "Where are the others?"

"Tony, Pepper, Morgan, Rhodey and Happy are eating. A bunch of the others went back to New York. Some to rebuild the Compound, some to rebuild the Quantum Tunnel. And the rest went to their homes."

"And Johnny?" She asked shyly.

"Look." Flash smiled before standing to the side.

Payton lifted her head slightly, ignoring the slight pain to see Johnny was sleeping in a chair propped against the wall, head tilted back against the wall.

"He hasn't left in days." Natasha said coming closer. "You found a good one."

"I'm going to go let Tony and the others know your awake." Harley said standing. "Morgan's been asking when you're going to wake up at least three times a day."

Payton smiled, ignoring the slight pain in her cheek. She had almost left her little sister. Almost broke her promise to Pepper.

"Flash." Natasha said softly. "Can you go get a doctor?"

"Yeah of course." Flash said standing. He paused before placing a hand on her shoulder. "It's good to have you back Payton."

Payton looked back to her mentor as Flash left the room. "Have- Have you told the Barton's?"

"Yeah." Natasha pushed the hair behind her ear gently. "Took it as well as can be expected."

"I'm sorry I wasn't-"

"You're still in recovery." Natasha reassured. "No one expects you to instantly be up and ready to go. But Laura does want to talk to you when you're up for it."

Payton lifted her hand to her mouth. "How do I face her?"

"She doesn't blame you."

"She should."

"Payton." Natasha sat on her bedside. "All of the original Avengers have major guilt complexes. And I see it in you too. But I need you to promise me you won't let this consume you."

"I let him go." Payton reminded. "He didn't slip out of my grip. He didn't trip. Didn't just fall. I let him go. I killed him to get that stupid rock. How am I any better than Thanos?" Payton looked away.

"You once asked me what happened between me and Bruce." Payton looked back to Natasha, unsure where she was going with this. "The truth is I thought I was falling in love with him. When Ultron took me, it was Bruce that got me out. We were surrounded by falling rubble when Sokovia was being lifted into the air. He wanted to run, he didn't want to bring the Hulk out and fight anymore. And I pushed him off a cliff to summon Hulk and win the fight against the Ultron. He ended up being stuck as Hulk. He lost two years of his life because I pushed him into being the Hulk. But do you know what I felt after he left?" Payton shook her head.

"Nothing. I wasn't heart broken like I thought I'd be. I missed him like I missed Clint. And I hated myself for how I felt. I felt like I had just led him on like I had so many of my targets. It took me over a year to get over that, to know what I felt what was real. But I did. And I moved on.

"In this line of work, we're sometimes forced to do things for the greater good. Things that we wouldn't want to. Payton." Natasha cupped her cheek. "If you want to retire from this, no one will blame you. You've done more than enough. You don't owe the world anything."

"Maybe I don't owe the world anything." Payton agreed, "But I owe Clint. I owe Aunt May. And I promised Uncle Ben. Just give me some time, and I'll be back out there."

Natasha smiled at her as the door opened. She quietly got up as Tony and Pepper rushed in, a Wakandan doctor behind them, Harley and Flash behind her, and Shuri and T'Challa at the end.

"Payton." Pepper cried happily rushing to her right side.

"Hey." Payton smiled softly. "How's it going?"

"Don't scare me like that."

"What were you thinking?" Tony asked in an almost desperate voice.

"That we had to stop Thanos." Payton plainly explained. "I did what I thought was right. You would've done the same."

She thought she saw Tony flinch, but before she could question it, he put on a cocky smile. "I thought I told you I want you to be better."

"How are you feeling Miss Parker?" The Wakandan doctor asked with a soft smile.

"Tired." Payton explained. "Achy." She looked to her left stump. "And my shoulder itches."

The doctor's lips twitched slightly. "That is to be expected. However you are healing remarkably well."

"I do have an enhanced healing." Payton noted.

"Yes." The doctor agreed. "But based off your readings, we may be able to release you in a few days. Do you have any questions Miss Parker?"

"Are you sure I can't leave sooner?"

"I'm afraid not."

Payton shrugged as best as she could. "Worth a shot."

The doctor spoke softly to T'Challa in Xhosa as Shuri stepped forward. "I am glad to see you doing better."

"Thanks." Payton looked to her curiously. "Do you remember what happened while y'all were gone? Just curious."

"It was like blinking." Shuri said matter of fact. "One second I was in my lab, the next it was five years later. But I didn't come to talk about me." She lifted her bracelet, revealing a hologram of a prosthetic arm. "Stark and I have been working on this for the last couple of weeks."

"For me?" Payton asked looking closer at the schematics.

"Of course." Shuri said as if it were obvious. "It hasn't been physically made yet, but we've been doing designs and trials to make sure it would be good. We would've been done with it sooner, but we wanted to add a couple of more features in it."

"Like?"

"We wanted to make sure you could still retain your strength. But even more we wanted to make sure you kept your sticky ability-"

"You were able to make my prosthetic sticky?!" She asked excitedly.

Shuri chuckled. "Of course. And I must say it has been by far one of my hardest projects. What did you use to make your suit sticky?"

"My stickiness it natural."

"Bast, really?!" Shuri excitedly proclaimed.

"You made artificial stickiness. That's awesome!"

Shuri released a small, excited laugh. "I rarely get a challenge like this. It was worth it. But back to the arm. We'll be able to design it so it will make and shoot your webbing as need be, and still function as well as a regular arm."

"I- This is too much-"

"Nothing but the best for you, kiddo." Tony said with his usual swagger. "Besides, this is a royal gift."

"And it would be rude to reject such a gift." Shuri teased.

"Well I wouldn't want to be rude." Payton guiltily smiled. "Is it fire proof?"

"Are you asking because of the handsome man sleeping in the corner?"

"Is it?" They looked over to see Johnny was awake and smiling widely at the group, his eyes locked onto Payton. "Just wondering."

"We can make it so." Shuri assured.

"Cool." Johnny walked over to them.

"How long have you been awake?" Pepper asked curiously.

"Since y'all came in." Johnny shrugged. He looked to Payton. "You ready to go home?"

"Actually," Payton smiled up to him. "I distinctly remember being promised a romantic date with a Wakandan sunset where you feed me strawberries and massage my feet."

"Is that how that conversation went?"

"It's what I remember."

"We'll see if I can sneak you out later."

"No." Tony, Pepper, Natasha and T'Challa said at once.

The young couple chuckled.

"Johnny," Pepper spoke up. "Sue wanted me to tell you to call her when you got a chance."

"I'll be back." Johnny promised before leaving.

"So you and Johnny..." Tony looking awkward for the first time she's ever seen him. "You two... Fondue?"

Payton chuckled. She was with family, friends and the guy she loved. They successfully brought back everyone and defeated Thanos. This felt right.