The Widows Daughter

Part one-hundred and twelve

(Chloe's POV)

"So we gotta assume they're coming back, right?" Rhodey asked rhetorically.

"And they can clearly find us," Wanda added.

I sat down on a chair and covered my face with my arm as a migraine started. "We need all hands on deck. Where's Clint?" Bruce asked.

"After the whole Accords situation, he and Scott to a deal. It was too tough on their families. They're on house arrest." Mom explained.

"You can thank me for the deal." I pointed out raising my arm half-heartedly.

"Here," I uncovered my face to see Sam with a glass of water and two pills.

"Thanks." I took the pills and glass from his hands.

"Who's Scott?"

"Ant-Man," Steve told Bruce.

"There's an Ant-Man and a Spider-Man?" Bruce asked in disbelief.

"They're both annoying." I groaned rubbing my eyes.

"Okay, look. Thanos has the biggest army in the universe, and he is not going to stop until he gets...Vision's stone." Bruce hesitated at the end.

"Then we have to protect it," Mom announced, although it was obvious that that was what we were going to do.

"No, we have to destroy it." Vision countered. I looked at the Android from where I sat. He was leaning against the wall holding his side. "I've been giving a good deal of thought to this entity in my head. About its nature. But also its composition. I think if it were exposed to a sufficiently powerful energy source, something very similar to its own signature, perhaps, its molecular integrity would fail." Vision walked to Wanda and held her arms gently.

Holy crap.

My mouth dropped at what Vision was asking of Wanda. There was no way she would agree to it. Certainly not after the past two years.

"Yeah, and you with it. We're not having this conversation." Wanda shook her head.

"Eliminating the stone is the only way to be certain that Thanos can't get it."

"That's too high a price," Wanda whispered.

I looked away from the two of them, feeling as if I was intruding on a private conversation. "Only you have the power to pay it," Vision told her. I heard Wanda walk away and I looked up. "Thanos threatens half the universe. One life cannot stand in the way of defeating him."

"But it should," Steve spoke up. "We didn't trade lives, Vision."

"Captain, seventy years ago you laid down your life to save how many millions of people? Tell me, why is this any different?"

"Because you might have a choice," I said looking at Vision.

Bruce nodded. "Your mind is made up of a complex construct of overlays. Jarvis, Ultron, Tony, me, the stone. All of them mixed together. All of them learning from one another."

"You're saying Vision isn't just the stone?" Wanda asked, hope lacing her voice.

"I'm saying that if we take out the stone, there's still a whole lot of Vision left. Perhaps the best parts."

"Can we do that?" Mom asked.

"Not me, not here." Bruce looked down at the floor.

"Well, you better find someone and somewhere fast. Ross isn't just going to let you guys have your old rooms back." Rhodey warned us. I looked up at Steve and raised my eyebrows. He nodded knowingly and I looked at the table.

"I know somewhere." He said.

"Where?" Bruce asked.

"Wakanda," I told him.

"The same place that makes Vibranium?" He asked.

"They make a lot of other stuff apparently." Mom said.

"Then what are we waiting for?" Wanda asked.

"The cloaking device on the Quinjet is broken, and I don't think our resident cloaker is up for it." Sam looked at me.

"Is that my new name? Really?" I groaned in annoyance.

"You come up with a better name, and I'll call you that. Until then, yes." Sam patted my shoulder.

"I hate you so much." I laid my head back down in my arms.

"What do you mean?" Bruce asked.

"Her powers are..." Mom started.

"They're killing me essentially. You were right. When I first joined you told me that my powers might end up killing me, and now they are." I told him.

Pain flashed over Bruce's face. He grabbed my elbow gently and pulled me up, hugging me. I stood frozen in shock but returned the gesture once I realized what was happening. "I'm so sorry."

"It's not your fault. I'm fine though. I've got it covered." I smiled hoping to stop him from feeling guilty or anything.

"Okay well if we're going to go soon we should get working on the cloaking device right?" Rhodey spoke.

"Yes. I can help with that." Bruce nodded.

"Chloe, go get some rest." Steve pointed at me.

"Don't have to tell me twice," I said and started walking in the direction of my room.

———————

It was the same as the last time I was here. My bed was still made now, however, so someone had been in here. There was a layer of dust on every surface making it clear no one had touched my room in two years.

I ripped the comforter off my bed, dust flying into the air. I coughed as I breathed in the dust. The tiny particles floated in the air, visible in the streams of light coming from the windows. I crawled into my bed, the smell comforting to me as I curled under the blankets.

I laid in bed for a while just relaxing. I was home. I was safe. No matter what was going to happen next, I was okay. I was going to be okay because I got to go home.

No matter what came next, no matter what was thrown at us, no matter what happened next, we were going to be okay because we were together and home.

Except for Tony.

I rolled over and sighed. I closed my eyes and focused on my breathing. Slowly I drifted off to sleep and my body calmed and relaxed. For the first time in a while I was able to sleep soundly.

I was home.

Hey, I finished the chapter! I'm proud of myself. I love in movies and tv where they have this super climactic line and then it cuts to the next scene because it must be so awkward after they call cut.😆 Anyways, I hope you guys like it.

Also is anyone else finding it hard to believe it's almost 2023? Or just me?