Chapter 29: the calm

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Late Afternoon

The remaining Avengers, Bucky, Cisco, T'Challa, and Laura and the kids waited in the waiting room as Wanda was in the med-bay. Doctors were working on pumping whatever drug was in her system out while T'Challa's sister, Shuri, was working on getting that collar off her neck.

Barry sat alone, away slightly from the others, his hands clasped together on his knees as he stared straight ahead at the doors to the med-bay. Cisco walked up to him, looking at Barry for a moment before sitting down next to him. Barry barely registered his presence, too consumed with worry.

"She's more than a friend to you, isn't she?" Cisco said and Barry finally looked over at him. "Wanda."

"What she is …is beyond definition," Barry said, paraphrasing what he had once said to Iris in Flashpoint.

"But you love her," Cisco noted and Barry let out a humorless laugh.

"I thought I knew love Cisco. I thought I knew it with Iris. But the last year, being here, away from everything and everyone, being with Wanda…it's taught me a lot. What I had with Iris, that's not love. Its obsession, it's fixation, it's a lot of things, but not love. I never loved Iris, not really. I don't think I was capable of loving her or any woman until I was ready to acknowledge that I didn't love Iris. I didn't really love another woman until Wanda. So yes Cisco, I love her," Barry said passionately.

Cisco simply stared at him, trying to process this as the doors to the med-bay opened. The Avengers and T'Challa jumped to their feet as Shuri walked out.

"How is she?!" Barry and Clint demanded as they rushed forward.

"Excuse them," Steve said politely, shooting a look that said 'you're being rude' at the two men before turning to Shuri. "We're a little worried. How is Wanda?"

"She will be fine Captain," Shuri said, not appearing fazed by Barry and Clint's outburst. "We managed to get the collar inhibiting her powers off safely. Mr. Allen was wise not to cut through it, it has a failsafe that could send thousands of electric volts through her body, enough to paralyze and even kill her."

Barry paled, realizing if he had indeed decided to cut through her collar, he would have killed his girlfriend. Clint clenched his hands at his sides so tightly that they began to draw blood as Steve, Natasha, and Sam were filled with righteous and murderous rage that promised Ross a very painful death.

"And the drug in her system?" Steve asked managing to keep his voice even despite his inner rage.

"It is what you call anesthesia. A specific amount, just short of making her lose consciousness but enough to make her appear comatose," Shuri explained and relief shot through The Avengers.

"Can we see her?" Sam asked hopefully.

"One at a time. She may be a little, how you say, groggy at first. A goodnight sleep should be all she needs," Shuri said and they nodded.

"Thank you. Both of you," Steve said as he looked from Shuri to T'Challa.

"You should not thank me Captain. I let my emotions get the best of me, nearly killed the wrong man," T'Challa looked over at Bucky before back to The Avengers. "I owe all of you a debt for the wrong I have done you. You will always be welcome in Wakanda."

T'Challa then walked off, his sister trailing behind him.

"You should go first kid," Clint looked over at Barry, knowing Wanda would want to him first, no matter how much he himself wanted to see Wanda. "She'll want to see you."

Barry nodded his thanks, understanding Clint's dilemma and sped into the room. He saw Wanda lying on a bed, she still appeared a little out of it but much more aware of her surroundings than when he and Bucky had gotten her out of her cell. As he stopped next to her bed, her hair blew a little due to the breeze he caused when he stopped.

"Barry," Wanda said as she looked up at him, blinking a little as if to clear the fog from her mind.

"Hey," Barry said as he sat down in the chair next to her bedside.

"You came back," Wanda said slowly but her emotion was clear in her eyes.

"I told you I would," Barry said as he took her face in his hands.

Wanda smiled slightly as he lowered his head to her and they shared a kiss.

Clint sat in the waiting room, still agitated but significantly calmer now that he knew Wanda would be alright. He knew Barry would be in there for a while but he preferred not to think about what they were doing in there. Somethings were best left to the imagination. Laura sat next to him, smiling slightly as she saw the kids playing with Scott.

"You were really worried about her," Laura said and Clint sighed.

"I know it doesn't make sense but…when I saw that video of her, it was like seeing one of the kids get hurt," Clint attempted to explain but Laura simply smiled as she took her husband's hand.

"Love doesn't make sense, especially a parent's love," She said and Clint looked over at her. "You brought Natasha into the family; I guess I can accept another woman in your life."

"God I love you," Clint laughed as he kissed her, earning cries of disgust from their children who saw.

Bucky watched all this with a wistful look, memories of times long passed flashing through his fractured mind.

"You okay?" Natasha asked as she walked up to him and Bucky nodded slightly.

"Just remembering things, another lifetime," Bucky said before looking over at Natasha. "We met before, didn't we? Not in DC, but…years ago."

"I wasn't sure you remembered," Natasha started and Bucky shrugged.

"It's just bits and pieces really. Training, a kiss every now and then, stolen nights spent together. I wish I could ask you to help me remember it…but there won't be enough time," Bucky said and she looked confused.

"Come again?" She asked bewildered.

"T'Challa is gonna put me back on ice," Bucky explained and she looked startled, a fleeting emotion on her face before it was gone so quickly Bucky couldn't name it. "Everything Hydra put in me is still there. T'Challa and Shuri are gonna try and find a way to remove Hydra's programing from my brain. I figure until then, I should go back under. It's best for everyone, so no one can use me again. I haven't told Steve yet."

"Why are you telling me?" Natasha inquired.

"Because you seem like a good friend to Steve. He could use those, someone to watch his back and keep him centered," Buck said and Natasha looked up at him with an unreadable expression on her face.

"Years ago, what drew me to you was that you were dangerous. It excited me. But I wish I had gotten to know this version of you instead. You're a good man Bucky Barnes; don't let anyone tell you differently."

Natasha then puts a hand on one side of his face and leaned up, capturing his lips in a gentle kiss that was a far cry from the passionate and rough ones Bucky recalled from his fractured memories of her.

Cisco was sitting on a separate couch, deep in thought as Steve walked over to him.

"Something on your mind Cisco?" Steve asked as he sat down next to Cisco.

"A lot actually," Cisco said lowly and Steve nodded.

"Does it have to do with Barry?" Steve asked and Cisco looked over at him. "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to, we don't know each other that well. I'm not expecting you to spill your deepest secrets. Just offering a friendly ear."

"I don't know what I expected to find when I came here, but this isn't it," Cisco finally admitted. "Barry…he isn't like I remember. Whatever happened to him here, it made him…a different person."

"It was a long road for him," Steve said and Cisco raised an eyebrow. "He went through a dark period where he was convinced he didn't deserve to be the Flash, wanted nothing to do with his suit, he even told me to get it away from him."

"What changed?" Cisco asked and Steve shrugged.

"I don't know honestly. He never really told us why he decided to put the suit back on. But the point is, a year ago, a speedster landed here, on our earth, with no way to get back home. Maybe someone different is leaving," Steve said and Cisco looked thoughtfully.

"Maybe," Cisco said softly as Shuri approached.

"Captain Rogers, may I speak with you? Privately," she asked with a pointed look at Cisco.

"Of course," Steve said as he got to his feet, walking over with Shuri to a secluded corner. "What is it Shuri?"

"When we were working on Ms. Maximoff and finding out what was done to her, we discovered something in her blood work," Shuri began.

"Is she alright?" Steve asked, immediately panicking.

"She is fine," Shuri was quick to assure him and Steve calmed down. "I didn't say anything when we were speaking with the others because her condition is…private."

"Private how?" Steve asked wearily.

Shuri sighed before opened her mouth and telling him.

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