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Cammie had felt her death. She had felt her soul leave her body. She even saw her bloody body as she left. It almost made her cry.No...no...This wasn't what she wanted!All Cammie had wanted was for everyone to be happy. Peter, Bucky, Steve, Tony, everyone. But...now they would never be happy.And...What about Hannan?What would Han say if he saw this? After so many years of telling her to fight, so long of helping her. It was all wasted now."Han, Peter..." She began to cry, as her spirit left the living world. "Bucky, Steve, Tony, Clint, Nat...""I didn't want this!" She screamed, standing up. "Let me take it back! I need to do this right!"But you already gave up your one chance. The disappointed voice of her father said in her ear. You can't take it back."Oh, please, Father..." She whispered. "I'll do anything. Anything, just let me set things right."
I don't know if I can, child. I know you meant good, but you committed a great sin.
"I'll take it back. I'll take everything back. Everything bad I said to anyone, all of the pain I caused..." Speaking aloud was a slight comfort to her, since it was her last tie to life. "Just let me protect my friends."
There may be a chance, child, for you to come back to the World of Living. But, it's nearly impossible for even the most experienced Mura.
"I don't care. Just give me a chance to return to my friends. Give me a chance to set everything right." Her tears began to lighten. A new feeling came across her body.You have one chance, child. Her father told her, in a gentle but hard voice. Please succeed. I want you to be with your friends once more.--A week had passed since Cammie had...died. Already, they had a funeral. It was only the Avengers and Ned, who had met her once for a binge-watch of Star Wars."Why was she living with the Avengers?" He had asked Peter during the funeral. "Was she another intern?"Tears had been rolling down Peter's face as he answered. "No. She...She was a superhero. Silent Strike." He hiccupped, and Ned put his arm around his best friend. "She took on Thanos...by herself....and she snapped...and...and..." He had began to cry.That day was as hard to go through as the last two funerals he'd gone through. But, because he couldn't part with it, Peter had kept Cammie's magical bracelet. It stayed around his wrist all the time, but it never gave him anything. It was just a memento of the good times he'd had with her.Everyone in the Compound was negative. Wanda, Strange, Nat, and Pietro were upset. Dr. Banner, Steve, Clint, and Peter were regretful. But Bucky and Tony were angry.Tony was angry that Cammie had done what she did. He usually didn't feel sadness, but the anger was his sadness. He had begun to spend every day in his lab, away from everyone.Bucky was angry because he didn't do anything to help her, since he'd known to almost full extent of what she was going through.It was nearly unbearable to be near anyone, but they were the Avengers. The death of someone couldn't keep them down. And no one had known that Cammie had been staying with them, so they couldn't even ask for any. Today, they had to go on a mission. There was a secret Hydra base that had been discovered, and it was there job to take the base out."I don't know why you guys are mourning," Director Fury had told them. "But cut it out so you can do your job!"They all almost got angry, but Steve had calmed them all down. "Can't we just have, maybe, another day?"
"Fine, one more day, but then we need everyone except the Spider and Thor on the field."
Peter was relieved that he was staying, but he also kind of wanted to go. To get his mind off of everything. But he never could. It was impossible. Her face, her smile, kept filling his eyes. Her gentle laugh. Her bright eyes. Her long hair and was messy when it was down. Then as the hair was cut short. He remembered the day that they all went out to breakfast, and they sat together. When Peter had finished what she didn't eat. How they were quickly becoming friends.He remembered the day when he found her in the alley, the day that he'd saved her. She looked so much like a Jedi. It was amazing.Then, he remembered the night when they had slept together, after Cammie had killed Mortem. It had been, warm. It had felt right.He would give anything to see the girl again.
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Cammie had appeared on a small little island, alone. Is this the beginning of my journey?
Yes, little one. You must find the green-clad man and he will begin your journey.
She began to explore the island. It only had a few trees, and a huge pile of rocks on one side. She was scared to look behind the rocks, but did anyway.A somewhat familiar face looked up at her, his black hair messy. He had pale skin, and wore a loose green tunic and black pants."Prince Loki?" Cammie asked the man, grabbing the hem of her shirt.Loki stood up, and smiled at the girl. "Ahh. You...you are Camilla Laurin? The young woman who was living with my brother's little team?""Yes." She let go of her shirt and stared him dead in the eyes, trying to seem tough."Why are you here, Lady Laurin? In the realm in near death?"She resisted the urge to look away from him. "I died, and I need to get back. My father said that you could help me. Can you?"Loki thought for a second. "Ahh, I see. I know what you did. You want to apologize for what you've done? Make your friends happy again?""Yes. Please, Loki, I need your help." She begged. "I can't let them live with my choice. I don't want them to suffer.""But you're alone. They never listened. Why do you want to make them happy?""Because their all great people, great in their own ways. Maybe not to me, but to everyone else. They don't deserve this."Loki looked away and took a few steps toward the water. "Do you know what you're getting yourself into?""No. But I don't really care. I'm doing it."He laughed. "So you'll suffer through all of the pain you've ever caused just to see your friends again?"She hesitated. What was she getting in to? "I have to, Loki. It's the only way.""Alright." He faced her, crossing his arms. "I'll get you on your way. But, you won't like it. And it will ruin your life.""But it'll make everyone else happy." Cammie crossed her arms back at him.Good luck, child. Her father whispered, as the island around her disappeared. Her insides began to turn to dust, and she screamed. --Peter needed to get away.Since he was 18, and not on a mission, he was able to do so.So, quickly after everyone else had gone off onto their mission, he got his phone out and texted Ned, giving him directions to the Compound. He wasn't sure if he would be able to drive, and he really didn't want to.When Ned finally got there, Peter met him at the entrance. He tried to look happy, but it was really hard. Ned didn't comment on it, only marveled at how amazing the Compound looked. "This place is way to amazing. You are so lucky." Ned told him as they went to the common room."Ya, I should have let you come earlier." Peter smiled slightly, adjusting the bracelet on his wrist. "Sorry about that.""Nah, it's fine. I don't want Mr. Stark to get angry.""Well, now that I'm an adult, he can't stop me."Ned laughed. "Dude, you'll never be an adult.""I hate you."They both went to the couch. "What do you want to do?" "I have no clue, dude."They sat there for a second, then Ned got an idea. "What video games do you have?"They decided to play Star Wars Battlefront. They worked together in a wave game, but neither of them were any good. Normally, Peter was a decent player. But now he just didn't bother trying to do anything good."This game is hard!" Ned said after about an hour playing."I need to play this more often." Peter replied, shooting a stormtrooper in the head.Ned looked at Peter's wrist. "That's...Isn't that Cammie's?""She doesn't need it." Peter replied, near the point of anger."Sorry, sorry..." Ned whispered, looking back at the game. They were quiet for a bit longer.Peter cursed. "God, I'm sorry, Ned. There's a lot going on, and I can't handle it.""Of course you can." Ned told him. "You're Spiderman.""That's not enough. You weren't there." Peter remembered seeing her fall. Hearing her last words. Seeing her lay, dead, on the ground. The nightmares he'd gotten from that scene."Well, you aren't alone." Ned rested his arm around Peter's shoulders. "You have me, and Mr. Stark, and everyone else that lives here."Peter gave him a weak smile. "Thanks." Then he stood up. "I'm hungry. Want to order pizza?" "Mr. Stark'll let you?""Tony won't care. If he did, he would have told me." Peter grabbed the phone, and dialed the pizza place's number.He only ordered one large pizza, since there was only two of them. Ned would probably eat three pieces, and Peter would eat the rest.They continued to play, and Peter was playing better. They actually got somewhat far. When the pizza came, they stopped playing and sat in the kitchen to eat. Peter found juice and poured some for both himself and Ned. They sat together and began to eat, talking about Star Wars. Just like the old days.And for a little bit, the dark hole in Peter's brain disappeared. But just for a little bit.--After that day, they decided that, a few times a week, Peter and Ned would hang out somewhere. It helped Peter feel better, and Ned missed his best friend, so it was easy for the both of them. And once the Avengers came back, they quickly agreed to it. It was helping.The darkness began to slowly dissipate. --But, during the two months of the Avengers getting better, Cammie was only getting worse.Finally, the pain of her organs turning to dust was gone, and she slowly pulled herself off of the floor. Stumbling to get up, she looked at where the sky should be."It stopped." She whispered. "I'm ready for the next test!"
Not yet, child. Sit down, and take a breath. Heal yourself before your next challenge. Or you might not be able to pass the next challenge.
"Fine...Father." She fell to the ground, resting her head in her hands. One challenge done. How many more to go?Don't think about that, Cam. Just think about what you'll go when you return. Think of every word you'll say. Think of every scenario, the good and bad.How would Peter react? How would Bucky react? Steve? Tony? Hannan? Who should she talk to first? How should she act? How long will it be since she left? A month? A year? Ten years? Would they be dead? Would they remember her? Would they have moved on?No. They would be there. They would remember her. Maybe they'll have moved on, but they'll let her back in. Because they're her friends.
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By three months after Cammie had died, everyone was already feeling close to normal. It still hurt to think of her, but the atmosphere had gotten more positive. Everything was back to the way it used to be.Except for Bucky.He spent most of his time outside, walking around the area. He couldn't stand being in the places that the girl he'd failed had been. He was haunted by her smile, her voice. The day she begged to die. The fragile bubble that she had held on to. Every night, Bucky had nightmares of her. Seeing her die, over and over again. Seeing her smile and disappear. Hearing her cries that he couldn't stop.It made him not want to sleep.Everyone was worried about him. Steve kept trying to talk to him, trying to bring him into the positive feeling of everyone else. But Bucky resisted. If no one else would morn over the girl, then he would. He'd failed her.That night, Bucky laid on his bed, eyes wide open. He didn't want to fall asleep. He didn't want the nightmares to return. His door opened, and Steve walked in. Without a word, Steve sat on the edge of the bed, and looked at his best friend. Bucky just closed his eyes."You need to sleep, Buck." Steve told him, watching him. "Exhausting yourself isn't going to do anything.""I'm fine, Steve." Bucky said loudly, putting his arm over his face. "Go away.""No. I'm going to stay here, until you fall asleep. Because that's what you need." Steve moved next to his friend, leaning his back against the headboard. He crossed his arms and watched Bucky."I hate you." Bucky rolled over onto his side, hiding his face. "You know why I'm not sleeping. I don't want to see her face again."Steve's hand lightly rested in his shoulder. "I know, Buck. None of us do. But you have to sleep. She wouldn't want you to be like this.""Oh, and you knew her so well?" Bucky turned to face his friend. "You never saw what I saw. I could have helped her. I could have prevented this. But I didn't. It's all my fault.""No, it's not. We all messed up. But we have to move on. She's not coming back.""I know that." Bucky turned his face away again, back into his arms. "But that doesn't mean she's going to leave." Steve was quiet. Not knowing how to answer, he just rested a hand on his best friend's shoulder. Keeping to his word, he sat there and waited for Friday to say Bucky was asleep. Then, he left, walking back to his own room.He hoped that his friend would be okay. --Bucky had a weird dream that night.At first, it didn't even feel like a dream. Steve was shaking him awake. "Buck, Bucky, wake up..." He said quietly. Surprised, he opened his eyes slowly. "Wh...What do you want?""There's a kid here, and I have no clue what to do." Steve waved at the shadows. "Come here, kiddo."Out of the shadows walked a little girl, holding a stuffed bear. She had to be six or seven. She wore a light blue nightgown and had messy brown hair. Her bright green eyes shone up at him.Bucky couldn't help but think of Cammie. She looked so much like her..."Hey, kid." He whispered, trying to seem normal. "Where are your parents?""I don't know." The little girl replied, hugging her bear. "I was...just here.""What's your name?""C-Cammie."Bucky froze. It was Cammie, just a much younger version of her. Why was he seeing a kid version of her? He moved into a sitting position, and the girl's eyes followed her metal arm. "Do you want to lay down?""You have a metal arm." She pointed to his arm, her eyes filled with wonder. "Can I touch it?"On the verge of laughter, Steve picked up the girl and set her on the bed. Cammie crawled over and brushed her hand across Bucky's arm. "It's cool." She whispered, happily. Then, she laid down, covering her face with her bear. Bucky watched the kid, happy to see her so peaceful.Steve brushed her hair back and asked, "Do you want to sleep here?""Can I?" She asked hopefully. As Steve nodded, she moved her bear and tucked her arm under her head, like a pillow. Bucky grabbed the blanket and covered her with it. Steve, trying to make her feel better, laid down on her other side. Cammie looked at Bucky in the eyes, and smiled. "Thank you." She mouthed, and closed her eyes. Quickly, she fell asleep. Bucky closed his eyes, and fell asleep next to her, her calming quiet breaths pulling him under.--As Cammie became strong enough to get on with the next part of her journey back to life, she stood up and walked around in the void where she'd been. Her organs didn't feel like dust anymore. They still hurt a bit, however. Are you ready, child? Her father asked, his voice filling her with strength."Of course I am." She replied sarcastically. "What torture am I going through next?"
I'm not fully sure. But, it may be something horrible.
She cursed. "White fire. Mortem. God, this is going to hurt."As she finished talking, the void began to heat up. A huge wave of white fire rushed up to her, moving at a quick pace.She closed her eyes, and took a deep breath."This is for you guys." She said, thinking of the Avengers. The fire hit her skin.But...it didn't hurt.Her body began to turn into ashes, but it never hurt. It was so painful, that she went numb.Falling to the ground, she hugged herself. Her body wasn't actually turning to ashes, but it felt like it. But this is what she had to do. To return. --When Bucky woke up in the morning, he almost expected to feel the younger version of Cammie sleeping next to him. But then he remembered that it was just a dream. A tear fell down his face as he remembered the child's face.He sat up on his bed, running his hand through his hair. God, he just wanted to forget about the girl. Forget ever meeting her. Just have her be another face in the crowd, nothing of importance. Another death that he could just brush off.But he knew that he would never stop missing her.Sighing, Bucky got up and changed into a t-shirt and sweatpants. He felt like wandering around again, maybe going to the city and exploring. But first, breakfast. He left his room and began walking to the kitchen, where Dr. Banner, Peter, and Steve already sat, eating cereal. Bucky grabbed a box of whatever was close and poured a bowl for himself. Then he sat down next to Steve, who watched him carefully. Bucky ignored him. "Dr. Banner?" Peter asked, breaking the silence. "Do you mind telling Tony that I'm going to hang out with Ned today at his house? I'm going to be leaving soon, and I want him to know where I am.""Sure, kid." Bruce replied, smiling at him. Bucky, already done eating, stood up and set his dishes in the sink. Then, he left the room, planning on going to the garage. Then, as he was walking, a hand was set on his shoulder. "Hey, you want to do something?" Steve asked."Not really." "Too bad. Come on, I'm driving." He walked next to Bucky, smiling slightly."I hate you.""Just looking out for you, buddy."
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Cammie laid on the ground, slowly recovering from the fire that had burnt through her body. Even though her body felt like ashes, her blood like power, she was perfectly normal. Not a scratch was on her body.How much more was there? How much more could she take?
Only one more step, my child. Just one more. Keep fighting, you can take it.
How long have I been here? How long have I been dead, Father?
Six, almost seven months.
What? No, it hasn't been that long! It's only felt like a month at most!
Time moves differently here. What feels like a month here can be any amount of time in the living realm. But don't worry, your friends haven't forgotten about you.
Thank God. She pulled herself to her feet, against the pain that flared up in her legs. She had to keep moving. She had to leave, and see her friends again.
Breathe, child. Take your time to recover. You'll need it.
She fell back to the ground, sighing. "Fine. But not for long." Laying down, she closed her eyes. She imagined being young again, back when she was a kid.She looked back to the day she'd meet Hannan. --The first grade classroom was full of things that little kids loved. Short stories, a colorful rug, and different colored chairs and tables.Cammie had hated it.One morning, while she was waiting for the teacher, Miss Brown, to finish teaching everyone about addition, a sudden intake of breath pulled her out of her trance."Okay class, we're going to be doing a math project!" Miss Brown pulled out a stack of papers. "We're going to be doing a color-by-number worksheet! With partners!"The whole class cheered besides Cammie cheered, but she did smile. She would just make her partner watch her as she did the worksheet by herself.As the class broke up into groups, a chair was pulled back next to her. Startled, she looked at who had moved the chair. A boy, with light hair and bright eyes, hesitated. He wore a orange t-shirt and shorts. "Can I be your partner?" He asked softly, still standing.Knowing he was scared, Cammie gave him a smile."Of course you can." She told him. He slowly sat down. "You don't have to be scared of me.""Thomas told me that you were mean, a-and that you hurt people." The boy said quietly, his voice shaking.Cammie frowned. "Don't listen to Thomas. He was hurting my baby sister, so I defended her. I won't hurt you.""You're Camilla, right?" "Yes. And you're the new kid? What's your name?""Hannan." He replied, watching as the teacher handed them two pieces of paper.She smiled at the both of them. "Good luck!" Miss Brown told them, with fake happiness. Then she left to give papers to another group.As Cammie began to solve all of the problems on her piece of paper, Hannan watched her. "How are you so smart, Camilla?" "Huh?" She looked at him, stunned. "You don't know how to do this? It's pretty easy. Let me show you."She grabbed his piece of paper, and found one of the easiest problems. "If you can't solve them in your head, you can make dots or just count on your fingers." She explained to him how to solve some of the problems, and he took all of the words she said to heart."Thank you, Camilla." He smiled, going back to solving his own problems. It was slow, but he was getting them done. "You're really smart.""No, I'm not." She told him. He gazed up at her, surprised. "Only by first grade standards, I'm smart and strong. But, I really don't know much.""You know more than me.""Well, maybe you are dumb." She flashed him a wide grin. "But that's okay. I'll help you!"She helped him through the rest of the problems, and then they both began drawing together. Hannan told her about his favorite books, and the books that his mom read to him. Cammie told him about all of the trouble she'd caused while helping her mom bake a birthday cake."I dropped all of the flour, and the kitchen turned white." She said, and they both laughed hard. "I can't bake."They turned in their papers just before the recess bell rang, and then they walked outside together."Hey! Hannan!" Thomas yelled from the monkey bars. "Come here!"Hannan hesitated. "Do you want to come?" He asked Cammie, but she shook her head."None of them like me. They'll just pick on you. Don't worry." She began to walk away, and she waved back at him. "I'll see you later, Hannan!"She hurried to the empty swing set. Not many of the first graders could get on the high swing sets, and not many of them even liked them. But Cammie pulled herself up with ease and began to push herself with her foot. After a few minutes, Hannan came back over to her. "Can I swing with you?" He asked, a sad look in his eyes. Cammie quickly stopped the swing."What's wrong, Hannan?" She said, jumping out and grabbing his hands. A tear fell down his face."Thomas was angry that I was talking to you...and...and he said that I can't play with him anymore if I talk to you." He looked at her, his eyes glowing. "But I want to be your friend, so he made me leave.""You didn't have to do that, Hannan." Cammie told him, with a hard tone. "You can go play with him."He gave her a small smile. "But you need a friend. And I'm going to be that friend!"Hannan pulled her into a hug. She hesitated before hugging him back. She wasn't really use to hugs, and she wasn't sure if she liked them.Breaking the hug, Cammie gave him a big smile. "Can you get on the swing by yourself?"They climbed onto the swings and began to talk again. Cammie learned that Hannan wasn't a bad person. He was really funny, although he wasn't all that smart. When the bell rang, they jumped out of the swings and began to walk back to class."Hey, Hannan, if we're going to be friends, can I call you Han?" Cammie asked him."Sure, Camilla.""Oh, and can you call me Cammie? Or Cam?" He looked at her surprised. "Camilla sounds too formal.""Cammie." He tested out the name. "I like it. It suits you."And after that day, the two were as close as siblings.--Cammie smiled as she remembered the little boy she'd met all those years ago. It'd been hard, getting used to having the same partner for everything, and having someone to eat lunch with. But, he was amazing. When she got back, she was going to apologize to him. God, he must think she's long dead.Well, he was right. Over the time she'd spent remembering the sweet memory, she'd gotten strong enough to walk around. She did, moving her hair from her face and trying to get a good look around. The void looked a lot like space, but it had to end somewhere. Right?Are you ready, child? Her father asked, making her stop."As I'll ever be. Let me at it." She stood strongly, ready to face whatever pain she'd get next. Knifes? Drowning? She'd lost track of all of the things she'd used magic for, even though she'd only had it for about five months. Those were five long months. But, instead of any pain, the void disappeared into a small forestry place, with a few flowers and long grass. Her clothes were changed into a light t-shirt, a blue jacket, and jeans. Her hair was cleaned and brushed, tickling her neck.Looking around, she marveled at the surroundings. How was this torture? Was she cursed to live here for what would feel like a year? She could live with that.Then, she heard a gasp. Turing around, a familiar face looked back at her. Two faces. Four."Mom!" She screamed, running to them. "Dad! Chris! Jaye!"When she met them, her mom pulled her into a hug. Then her dad joined them. Jaye hugged Cammie's waist, and ever Chris patted her shoulder."So, you're a superhero." Chris said in a joking tone. "Amazing. I even heard you had a thing with Spiderman. Care to tell Han?"She glared at him. "Shut up, Chris. You're just jealous that I got to work with the Avengers and got to meet them."Her dad laughed. "You should have trained with her, Chris. Your little sister is more amazing than you.""I hate you all." Chris said, blushing. Jaye giggled."Cammie, we're proud of you." Her mom told her, running her hand in her hair. "You deserve to go back."The hug was broken, and Cammie's dad grabbed her shoulders to look at her. In a very serious voice, he said, "What you did, it wasn't right. But you know that. You understand that. And you fought, for years. I should have known about this, but I didn't. I'm right in saying that only Hannan knew?""Well, know the Avengers know," She muttered. "But, yes, he was the only one who knew before.""When you get back, can you tell him thank you? For all of us." He gave her a smile. "He kept you alive, for long enough to have you save the world."Cammie smiled back at him. "I'll get past the last challenge, and then I'll tell him. I promise."Then she looked up at the sky. "What's this last thing I have to do?"I'm so sorry, child. Her father whispered. But...
You must kill your family.
--
Today was the forth of July, and they whole Compound was getting ready for the huge party that they were going to throw. Since Peter was still underage, they were saving the alcoholic drinks until after the fireworks, so that he could still enjoy the party, too. In the huge clearing that they were going to watch the fireworks in, a bunch of different things were already being set up. A few small games that everyone would play, entering a very complicated competition. Tables were there would be drinks and food.It was going to be a fun night.Before the party, Peter sat in his room, holding Cammie's bracelet in his hands. He rarely went through the day without wearing it, but today, today he decided to leave it off. He opened his drawer and dropped it in. A tear fell into the drawer as he looked at it.Shutting the drawer, he walked out of the room, feeling the excitement for the night come back.When he got down to the clearing, it was already filled with people. Clint had brought his three kids and his wife, and even Scott Lang brought his daughter. Thor and Loki were there, playing cornhole. Strange had brought someone with him, and they were talking in the distance. A few people were drinking at one of the tables.A great night was brewing."Hey, kid..." Sam asked, walking up from behind him. "Have you seen Bucky? Steve's looking for him.""He's probably in the city. I don't think he wanted to come." Peter said, sadly. Bucky was an amazing person, but he wasn't himself anymore. Everyone was worried for him."Great." Sam sighed and walked away.Peter quickly walked to the table with the drinks and grabbed a soda. Then he walked over the cornhole games to play against the God of Thunder and God of Mischief. It was something that he loved to do.It was going to be great.--Cammie stared at her family, after hearing what her father had to say."What? No...No, I can't!" She said aloud, not knowing if they heard what was said. Then, her mom grabbed her hands."We know what you have to do." She whispered, smiling sadly at her young daughter. "And it's okay. We're all ready for it. Do what you have to."A sword appeared at Cammie's feet. Shaking, she slowly grabbed it. It was the one that she usually used when she was fighting. A white sword with red gems lining the middle. It was beautiful. But, it had only taken one life. "I can't, Mom." Tears began to fall from her face, and she wiped them away. "I can't kill you."Surprisingly, it was Jaye that grabbed the sword hilt. "Cam, you have to. We're already dead, so you aren't killing us. But you are much more important than us. You've saved countless lives."Cammie, nearly sobbing, held the sword in her right hand. "I love you guys." She said, her voice cracking. The sword stabbed through her little sister's body. Jaye's last smile filled her vision, and the girl fell to the ground. Without a word, she moved to her dad. Doing the same thing, she began to cry. Then she did the same with her mom. Then, as she faced her brother, Chris smiled. "I love you, sis." He said, tears in his eyes. "I deserve this. For not being the brother I should have been. I'm sorry.""I love you too, Chris." Cammie whispered, and stabbed him in the heart. The man fell, blood draining out of his body. Cammie dropped the sword, and hid her eyes from the sight. She had just killed her family. They were dead. They were already dead, child. You just let them move on. Her fathers voice was louder than normal. These are my last words to you, child. I send you back to Earth, where you will be reunited with your friends. Let them help you. And forgive them for whatever they say. The ground under her disappeared, and Cammie was sent falling to the ground. Back to the living world.She kept crying, even as she landed on the buildings of the city.--The streets of New York were very busy. The night was setting in, and everyone was trying to get to firework shows. Well, not everyone.In the busy crowds, Bucky was able to weave through unsuspiciously. Having his metal arm hidden under a jacket, he looked just like a normal person, hurrying to get somewhere. But, in reality, he was just trying to forget everything. Today wasn't a good day for him. After about 3 hours of walking, he needed to sit down. He found an empty alley between two buildings and walked a good distance in, leaning up against a wall to close his eyes.The sound of footsteps surrounded him. Opening his eyes, he saw six people, all dressed in black, with batons, around him. They were trying to mug him.Smiling slightly, he ran at the nearest one, punching him with his metal hand. They fell to the ground, and they didn't move.A fight broke out. Five versus one wasn't very hard for Bucky, but these guys weren't your normal muggers. They had some training.A grunt came from behind him, and throwing the man he was holding to the ground, Bucky saw a small figure, also dressed in black, push someone into a wall. They were fighting pretty well, besides being scrapped up against the wall once. When they had taken down one of the figures, they jumped at another, punching them in the stomach and elbowing their throat. They fell to the ground.As the last one went down, Bucky faced the figure.Finally getting a good look at them, he saw that they had a black hoodie on, and ripped blue jeans. One of their hands were at their face, and the other hung at their side."Hey, thanks for that." Bucky told them. "I could have done it without you, but you were a good help."They didn't answer, but they gave a soft whimper. The hand that was on their face dropped, and something dripped off of it. "Are you okay?" He walked up to them, setting a hand on their shoulder. Slowly, he turned them around.Their eyes were downcast. Then, taking in a long breath, the face turned up at him.A familiar pair of dim green eyes looked up at him. But his eyes glanced around her face, seeing a large scrape on her forehead. Bucky cursed, and sat the girl down on a box nearby."Cammie..." He muttered, in disbelief. He ripped off a bit of his sleeve and held it at her face, covering her scrape. Tears fell off of her face, and she moved her hand to where Bucky held the piece of his sleeve. Once she was holding it, Bucky pulled her into a hug. She hugged him back with one arm, still crying."I can't believe it. You idiot." He said, holding her tightly. "I feel like throwing you off of Stark Tower myself, kid.""I...understand that." She replied, her voice cracking. But then he sighed. "But I also want to lock you up in your room so you'll never get hurt ever again."She tried to laugh. "That's not going to happen.""You're an idiot. You're insane." He vented, still holding onto her tightly. "You're crazy. I should be angry at you.""How are you not?"He pulled away, and looked at her. There was blood all over her face. "Because it wasn't your fault. And because you're one of the sweetest people I know."She shook her head. "No. No, I'm not sweet. You don't know what it took me to get back here.""But you got back. Somehow, that I don't know. And I don't know what you faced." He gently grabbed her shoulders. "But you aren't leaving. Not for a long time. I'm not going to let you."She smiled slightly. "Okay, Dad." She said sarcastically."Right. I'll be your dad." He smiled back at her. "Because that what you need.""God, you've known me for two months." She sighed."No, I've known you for almost nine. You've only been there for two." Bucky glanced out to the streets. They had emptied most of the way. "Come on, we need to get back to the Compound."He stood up, and helped Cammie up. "What day is it?" She asked, still holding the cloth to her face. "July Fourth. There's a party going on at the Compound. If we hurry, maybe we can still make it there." He joked, knowing that they couldn't move that fast."I need to apologize to everyone." She told him, walking to meet his quick pace. "For what I did.""If that's what you need to do. But no one's going to be angry at you. Well, maybe Tony will, but that's how he shows that he missed you, okay?"She laughed quietly. "I'm happy to be back.""I'm happy your back." They walked quietly for awhile, finding their way through the city. Then, bright headlights filled Bucky's vision and a car pulled over."Finally!" Sam said from the car. Bucky sighed with a smile. The passenger door open, and Steve climbed out. Not seeing Cammie, he pulled Bucky into a hug."God, Bucky, you should have told me you were leaving..." He said, sounding relieved.Bucky hugged him back. "I'm happy I left, Steve." Then he broke the hug and put his arm on Cammie's shoulders. "Look who I found."Steve looked at her, and his mouth opened in shock. Cammie tried to smile, but it didn't really work. The hand at her forehead twitched, the cloth almost covering her eye. There was still blood all over her face."Hey, Steve." She told him, with a small wave. "Hey, Sam!" She said a bit louder.Sam got out of the car, recognizing the voice. "Cam? How the heck are you alive?" He asked, stunned."Long story. Very, very long story." She replied quietly. "One that I won't tell many times. But, I'm alive."Steve broke out of his trance, going into Captain America mode. "Okay, get in the car. We'll talk when we get back. Right now, we need to take care of your scrape."They all walked back to the car. Bucky sat in the back with Cammie, helping her clean her scrape."I know how to clean cuts, Bucky." She mentioned as he pulled the wet cloth from his hand. Moving the cloth that had been stopping the blood, she gently brushed the cloth up against the cut, taking in a sharp breath as it his the wound. But she slowly cleaned it as they drove back to the Compound. Soon, it was given a horrible excuse for a bandage and they parked in the garage of the Compound. Then they climbed out, and Sam got on the phone. They walked inside, and Cammie carefully took off her hoodie to find a dark blue shirt underneath.They were going to take her to Med Bay when she stopped."I want to watch the fireworks." She said, out of the blue."You need to get checked up on." Steve told her, sternly."No, I'm not hurt. Besides for my forehead, and I've gotten worse." She gave him a small smile. "Trust me on this. Also, I haven't seen a fireworks show in three years. Don't make this the forth."As Steve was about to explain every little reason why that would be a stupid idea, Bucky interrupted. "Good kid." He patted her head. "Come on, you need to reunite with your boyfriend.""Thank you." She said politely. The two walked towards the exit. Sam ran to catch up, and, with a sigh, Steve followed them.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Sam led the group to where everyone was getting ready to watch fireworks. The sun was almost gone, the last pink clouds fading into the night. They could all hear the music and shouting of the party as the got closer. It made Cammie smile, knowing that she was finally home.No one noticed that they had come when they first arrived. Everyone was doing their own things, talking, drinking, playing games. A few kids ran around, playing. There was tables all lined up, full of food and drinks. Cammie wasn't really hungry, but she knew she was just getting over everything. Someone caught her eye. She noticed it was Loki, and he gave her a small smile. She smiled back and continued to look of Peter."Steve! Sam!" Tony cried out, looking at his two friends. "You found Bucky! Congratulations!"Steve, Sam, and Bucky laughed. "Not just Bucky, Tony." Steve said, looking over to Cammie, who was watching them. She looked away, but there was a smile on her lips."Cam?" Tony said quietly, watching her. She had no choice but to look back. She gave him an awkward smile and wave."Hey Tony!" She said, and walked closer. "Do you know where Peter is? I kind of want to talk to him.""How are you alive?" He grabbed her shoulders, shaking her. "People don't just come back to life. And what happened to your face?""I'm fine, Tony. I'll explain everything tomorrow. But now I want to scare Peter. Can you tell me where he is?"Tony grabbed something out of his pocket. "Ya, ya, he's by the cornhole games. Trying to beat Thor, probably." He held out his hand. In it was earbuds. "Can you give him these? He needs them to watch fireworks.""Sure. Thanks, Tony!" She waved as she began to walk to where a group stood, around a cornhole game.Peter was playing against Thor, and it was pretty funny. Thor clearly couldn't play very well and there was sparks around his face. Peter was smiling as he beat the God of Thunder in another round. Everyone laughed as the sparks around Thor's face grew. Cammie was about to walk over when something tugged at her shirt. "Who are you?" A little girl asked. Cammie bent down."Cammie Laurin. And you are?""Cassie Lang." She smiled. "Did you just get here? You don't look familiar.""Yes. Does your dad happen to be Scott Lang?" Cassie nodded. "Well, your dad is amazing.""Are you a superhero?"Cammie thought for a second. Was she? "Yes, but you might not know me. I'm Silent Strike.""Daddy told me about you!" She said loudly. "But...he said you died?""Well, I'm back. Now, I need to go play scare a friend of mine." Cammie smiled at the girl. "I'll talk to you later, Cassie."The little girl ran off, probably to go tell her dad. Cammie waited for the next match to be over before walking up behind Peter and wrapping an arm around his shoulder. He screeched and jumped."Tony told me to give these to you." She held out the earbuds, and waited to Peter to recognize her. When he did, he bolted around, almost smacking her. "Cam!" He pulled her into a hug. She was quick to put her arms around him. It felt...right. Then he pulled back, and looked at her forehead. He cursed. "What happened to your face?""Seriously?" She complained with a smile. "I see you after seven months of literally being dead and you ask how I got a scrape on my face?" Peter instantly looked embarrassed, which was the reaction Cammie was looking for. "I helped out Bucky when he was going mugged.""Bucky needed help?""No. I just felt like helping." Peter looked around at everyone. They were all looking at the two, most of them with smiles. A few people gave thumbs up, and someone, most likely Tony, whistled. Peter grabbed her wrist and they walked away from everyone, with a nervous expression on his face. Cammie tried to hide a smile as the sat down a good distance from everyone. For a few minutes, they watched everyone flow back into the party."I am so happy your back." Peter said, not meeting her eyes. Cammie smiled, and laid down. "I'm happy to be back. And...I'm sorry for anything I might have caused. I didn't mean for any of it to happen.""None of it matters any more." He finally looked down at her, his brown eyes filled with joy. "You're back, and that's all I care about." Then he looked at her forehead. "God, that thing looks terrible.""It's not back, really. Just a big scrape. It'll heal soon." She brought one of her hands up to the bandage. "This is what happens when you try to bandage a forehead by yourself in the dark while in the back seat of a moving car without a mirror. It also didn't help that Sam, Steve, and Bucky kept trying to talk to me.""I imagine that conversation went well?""Three men trying to figure out what's going on inside the head of a distressed teenage girl? It went perfect."He laughed, and Cammie sat back up. This...This is what she came back for. This is what she needed.Everyone started to head to the middle of the clearing. They took it as a sign and stood up. Together, they walked to an relatively empty part of the clearing. It was really dark out, and since Peter could at least see somewhat, she had to grab his arm a few times to avoid getting lost. When they finally found a spot, they sat down and stared at the horizon. Their shoulders were almost touching, but not quite. "How long do these things last?" Cammie asked as everyone settled down."About three hours. It's New York. But we should leave in an hour. After that, everyone gets restless and Tony pulls out the 'good drinks'. I'll tell you when it's time to leave. But you'll have to be my ears. I have to use earbuds because of my super hearing.""Peter, I have normal hearing and the sounds still break my skull." She laughed and watched as Peter put in his earbuds. The fireworks started. Music was still playing, and it was turned up so people could still hear it. Cammie squinted at the bright lights and began to hum to the music. The fireworks hurt her ears more than usual, which was probably due to the fact that she hasn't heard them in almost four years. One was so loud that the instinctively covered her ears. Suddenly, cool hands met hers over her ears, and she slowly moved them. Turning, she saw Peter's nearly invisible smile. She knew he was blushing. But she let him keep his hands over her ears, blocking out most of the super loud fireworks. After what seemed like a half hour, a few people began to move. Peter moved his hands, and began to stand up. "It's time to go." He whispered, and Cammie stood up with him. Together, they began to walk out of the clearing, Cammie keeping a light hold on Peter's arm. There was so many light blots in her vision, and she was feeling slightly dizzy. When they were almost at the Compound, Peter stopped to take out his earbuds. Cammie closed her eyes for a second and followed him inside. The dizziness didn't stop.She opened her eyes when they were inside. Shielding her eyes from the bright light, she followed Peter to wherever he was going. They were probably going to his room.Cammie was right. Peter opened his door and they both walked inside. Cammie fell onto his bed, her feet still on the ground. She brought her arm up to her face and smiled. Peter quickly laid down next to her, in the same way. But both of his arms stayed on the bed. They were quite, but it was soothing. Cammie had to let her ears stop hurting. Her eyes were closed, and it looked like she was sleeping. She opened her eyes barely and saw Peter's hand right next to hers. She softly grabbed it. Peter froze for a second before squeezing it back."Did you like the fireworks?" He asked, keeping his voice low."I've never been to a show that was longer than fifteen minutes. And even then I always fell asleep half way through until I was ten." She smiled, seeing images of the memory. "Those were great times.""Are your ears done ringing?""Yes. They just hurt now." She turned her head to face him. He faced her, with a smile. "Thanks, by the way.""Agree to never mention it ever again?""Agreed."They stared at each other for a second. Then, they looked away, both red in the face. It was stupid. Then, Peter quickly sat up, still holding her hand. Cammie sat up too, a little slower, wondering what he was doing."I missed you so bad." He whispered, a tear landing on his leg. "I...I can't help but think this is a dream. You can't be alive."Cammie gathered her courage and smiled. "Of course this isn't a dream. Because why would this happen?"She lifted his head up a bit and kissed him.It was short, since she wasn't that brave, but she still did. Once she pulled back, she quickly moved back, giving him space. His eyes were bright. Shocked, surprised. He looked back at Cammie, who was trembling. He reached out and grabbed her hand. She stopped breathing, and watched him. Calmly, he pulled her into a hug. She took a deep breath and dug her head into his shirt."I'm a idiot." She muttered. Peter laughed."Well, you're a brave one." He began to run his hands through her hair. "Braver than me by a long shot."She didn't reply, instead she sat there, happy to be back in the arms of someone she'd loved, someone who was alive. How long had it been? Much too long.Eventually, Peter pulled her head up. With a small smile, he touched her cheek. "You are amazing, Cam. I know I've already said this, but I'm happy your back. Everything feels right now." His brown eyes were calming."Well good. That's just what I wanted." She smiled up at him. "For everyone to be happy.""Now that your back, everything will be perfect. Maybe it'll take time, but everything will be normal." He kissed her cheek, and let go of her face."Well, if that keeps happening, then it'll never be normal." She joked, turning her face away to hide her ever-reddening cheeks. "I'm so happy that everyone's still at the party.""Friday?" Peter asked the AI. "Please delete all footage of...what happened in here.""Okay, Mr. Parker." Friday replied, and was silent. Cammie looked over her clothes. Her shirt and jeans were dirty, and the tips of her sleeve were a bit bloody. "I need to change."Peter stood up, and walked over to his dresser. "Are you fine with just wearing something of mine?" He asked, embarrassment in his voice."Sure. Thanks, Peter." She waited until he tossed her a pair of clothes and then she walked to the bathroom. Quickly, she stripped out of her dirty clothes, cursing when the shirt hit her forehead. Quickly, she tugged the clean shirt over her, knowing it was going to be big even before she put it on. She quickly changed into the sweatpants and grabbed the door knob.But she didn't open it. Instead, she faced the mirror.Her once-bright green eyes were dim, almost soulless. Her skin was pale, and her face had lost much of it's old roundness. There was still hints of blood around her bandage. Her hair was messy, and it was weird seeing it in the mirror.It was the first good time she looked in the mirror since her parents died. She wasn't ready to face herself. It hurt her, inside. She wasn't the person she was two years ago, depressed but still happy inside, spreading light to the ones who deserved it.A tear rolled down her face, and she wiped it away. She didn't want to cry anymore. She was done crying. She was ready to be happy for a whole day, not in agony. Not missing what she'd lost.A light knock hit the door. Cammie jumped and picked up her clothes, opening the door. Peter smiled at her, and she smiled back. "Just set your clothes on the floor. I'm fixing that stupid bandage. It's horrible." He said, walking into the bathroom. She set down the clothes a few feet away and walked back in, sitting at the edge of the tub. Peter grabbed a few things from the cabinet and knelt in front of her."I could just fix it myself." She said, complaining as he carefully pulled off the bandage. She winced, clutching onto the sides of the tub."I'm just trying to be helpful." He carefully cleaned the scrape. "Dr. Banner taught me how to clean cuts and how to wrap them when I first became an Avenger. It really helped, you know. I get hurt a lot."She closed her eyes, the scrape stinging. Peter stopped, moving the washcloth. Then, gently, he brushed the cloth around the scrape, doing his best not to hurt her. He looked down at her hands. He stopped to grab her hands, relaxing them. "You're going to dent the tub. It'll stop hurting, I promise. Just let me clean in, okay?""Okay." She whispered, taking a few deep breaths as Peter finished cleaning the scrape. Then he rubbed something on it, and covered it with a piece of cloth. Taping it down, he stood up. She opened her eyes and looked up at him. Then she stood up and walked out, her eyes staying on the floor. She grabbed the wall, shaking. Facing the sink, she grabbed a cup and filled it. Peter grabbed her arm, and she quickly drank the water. "Do you have a headache?" He asked gently. She nodded, her eyes closed shut. Peter waited until she was done drinking a few cups of water until leaving with her. They laid on the bed, and Cammie covered herself with a blanket. Peter asked Friday to shut off the lights, and he put his arm around her. He waited until her breathing was normal before closing his eyes.--Peter woke up first, at about 8 in the morning. Cammie had moved her face closer to his chest, and most of the blanket was off of her. Peter smiled and slowly climbed out of the bed. After getting dressed, he left the room, asking Friday to tell him when Cammie woke up.He walked down to the kitchen. Already, Clint's kids, Scott's kid, Steve, and Dr. Banner were in there, eating pancakes. They ignored Peter until he sat down with them. Then Steve gave him a small smile."Everyone else probably won't wake up for a few more hours. Is Cam awake?" He asked."No. She's still sleeping. I didn't want to wake her up." Peter looked at the four kids. "I'm guessing you got babysitting duties?""Yep. Tony figured Bruce and I were the best for the task.""Well, he's right." Dr. Banner looked over at him. "Is there anything wrong with Cammie?""Not really. I cleaned her scrape, and she had a headache, but that was from the fireworks, and probably dehydration. I think she'll be fine."Dr. Banner sighed. "I am still going to check her in Med Bay after she eats. I need to get her something for...that." He didn't need to name it.The four kids were quiet, but clearly listening to the conversation. Nathanial, the youngest, was picking apart this pancakes. Steve got up and looked at the kids. "You guys done eating? Let's go do something!" The kids' eyes lit up and they all cleaned up quickly to follow him. Both Peter and Dr. Banner smiled at them. After a few minutes, Dr. Banner stood up. "Once you're done eating, can you wake Cammie up and have her eat something small? Then can you take her to Med?""I will." "Thanks, Pete."He left the room, and Peter was alone.He finished eating, and went back to his room.--When he got back to his room, Cammie hadn't moved an inch. He hated having to wake her up, since she looked so happy asleep, but she needed to be awake.He carefully shook her shoulders, but she just moved out of his way. Then, he shook her harder. Her eyes slowly opened, and after a few minutes, her eyes went wide and she looked up at him, scared."Don't worry. No one knows. Come on, Dr. Banner wants to talk to you after breakfast. I already ate." He waited for her to sit up, and then she smiled."Today's going to be a weird day." She whispered, and stood up. Peter grabbed her hand and pulled her to the kitchen.