𝐈𝐌𝐀𝐆𝐈𝐍𝐄.

﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌
act four ━━ 𝘁𝘄𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘆 𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗲.
· 。ﾟ୧ ⋆. 𝗔𝗩𝗘𝗡𝗚𝗘𝗥𝗦 𝗔𝗦𝗦𝗘𝗠𝗕𝗟𝗘. ₊˚.༄
━━━ A QUEEN AND KING,
❝ id get on my knees an call you my queen any day ❞

• • ＳＣＯＴＬＡＮＤ

𝓜elody made her way to the tall blonde man who smiled towards her. She had arrived to Scotland just an hour before, leaving behind James Barnes. She had assured him that everything was okay, though she knew she wasn't entirely being honest but she felt the need to do it herself knowing Bucky was tired of fighting. She knew something was off with Wanda and the mind stone that Vision had possessed. Lately, he had been getting dreams and it gotten to the point where he thought he was living them, which frightened Wanda as well as Melody.

Melody rushed forwards and engulfed him in a hug, "Hi." She mumbled into Steve's suit covered chest.

Steve smiled, "Hi."

"Someone's glowing." Natasha sang out eyeing the brunette who smiled brightly running towards the short haired blonde and hugging her as well. "I'm proud."

Steve's head tilted in confusion at her words, "What do you - fondu." He whispered to himself with wide eyes looking to the nymph whose cheeks tinted pink. "Remind me to talk to Bucky." His brow rose looking to Sam who stifled an eye roll.

"Where are they?" Melody asked referring to both Vision and Wanda. Just as the words left her lips an explosion was heard across from them, a bright yellow glow illuminated the darkness of Scotland.

"Let's go." Steve nodded to the group who split up getting into their positions.

Melody followed behind the tall blonde into the train station. Her eyes narrowed hearing unfamiliar voices, nodding to Steve she hopped onto a support beam climbing up and standing on the ledge.

Proxima stares to the shadowed figure before throwing her staff at him only for Steve to catch it and step out of the shadows revealing himself.

Wanda and Vision let out a sigh of relief seeing the familiar man who glared at the aliens.

Melody let out a hum, "Heads up." She called out to Proxima and Corvus look up only for him to be kicked down by Falcon. Melody hopped down from the beam landing in front of Wanda and flicking out her wrists, a bolt of emerald green shot out from her hands sending Proxima flying backwards into the stone wall.

At the same time, Captain America throws Proxima's weapon to Natasha who engages after Corvus, ducking under his swing, stabbing him in the gut and executing a flying kick to knock him backwards to the ground.

Proxima, who has rushed back to the fight, summons her weapon back to her hand and attacks both Black Widow and Melusine.

Melody grabbed the end of the staff and shoved Proxima backwards, hitting the hilt of the staff across her head before tossing it mid air to Natasha who grabbed it and whipped the rod into the alien's abdomen sending her backwards harshly.

"Nice." Natasha nodded raising her fist to Melody smiled brightly hugging the blonde woman tightly.

During the two's small moment, Captain America leaped forward and scooped up Corvus's dropped glaive and holds Proxima off shielding the two women behind him. Turning their attention back to the fight the two slid out from behind Steve; Natasha with her escrima sticks and Melody with her daggers.

While the four are fighting with one another, Falcon returns and again kicks Proxima backwards; she scuttles over to the prone Corvus. Falcon draws both of his Steyr SPP submachine pistols on the couple.

"Get up." Proxima hisses at Corvus who winces clutching his abdomen.

"I can't." He grunted.

"We don't wanna kill you. But we will." Natasha says cooly looking down at the two.

"You'll never get the chance again." Proxima remarked as the two depart and are beamed up. The glaive is snatched from Cap's hand as well and into the light.

"Woah." Melody breathed out in awe, "That was cool."

Sam shook his head at the nymph before walking over to Vision, "Can you stand?"

Electricity shimmers over his surface, and his voice distorts. "Thank you, Captain." Vision thank'd.

"Let's get you on the jet." Steve nodded as they entered the jet.

The doors to the Quinjet shut where Natasha stood with a stern look, "I thought we had a deal. Stay close, check in. Don't take any chances." She clipped looking to Wanda who sat next to Melody who also wore a look of defeat.

"I'm sorry. We just wanted time." Wanda explained looking down.

Natasha shook her head. "And you?" She questioned the two toned girl who chewed on plantains quietly. Her doe eyes snapped to the pale blonde who rose a brow at her much like a mother, "You only call once every month."

"I was busy." Melody frowned, "Helping . . . Bucky." She murmured sticking out her bottom lip.

Natasha sighed sitting next to Sam.

"Where to, Cap?" Sam asked not wanting to hear them all argue.

"Home."

• • ＵＰＳＴＡＴＥ ＮＥＷ ＹＯＲＫ

"𝓨ou have second thoughts?" Secretary Ross' hologram questioned Rhodes.

"Not anymore."

The fugitive Avengers enter the familiar room, whilst a weak Vision is being supported by Sam.

"Mr. Secretary." Steve greeted with a curt nod.

"You got some nerve. I'll give you that." He glared at the group.

"You could use some of that right now." Natasha remarked from next to Melody whose eyes were wide on the hologram before them. She reached out to touch the projection only to have her hand be brought back to her side by Natasha who shook her head discreetly at the short nymph.

"The world's on fire. And you think, all is forgiven?" Ross questioned in disbelief.

"I'd be extra nice to us right about now, considering we're all you've got." Melody retorted with a glare on the older man's hologram no longer impressed.

Steve placed his hand on the nymph's shoulder before he spoke up, "I'm not looking for forgiveness. And I'm way past asking for permission. Earth just lost her best defender. So we're here to fight." He explained before taking a step forward, looking directly at Ross. "And if you wanna stand in our way . . . we'll fight you, too."

"Arrest them." Ross turned to Rhodes.

"All over it." Rhodes nodded and swiped off hologram; the computer beeps twice. "That's a court-martial. It's great to see you, Cap." He smiled hugging Steve.

"You too, Rhodey." He nodded as Natasha gets her own embrace from War Machine.

"Well. You guys really look like crap. Must've been a rough couple of years." He nodded looking to where Wanda, Melody, Vision and Sam stood.

"Yeah, well, the hotels weren't exactly five star." Sam joked.

"Uh, I think you look great." Bruce voiced up from behind the group. Rhodes and Natasha long round to see Bruce walking in from the opposite end of the room. "Uh . . . heh . . . Yeah. I'm back."

"Hi, Bruce." Natasha blinked at her former lover.

"Nat."

"This is awkward." Sam whispered earning a rapid nod from Melody.

"I agree." She whispered back.

After the group had settled down they were now in their old living quarters going over what they had just encountered in the last 24 hours of their lives.

Melody had listened to Bruce as he told them that Thanos was planning annihilation with the universe. She should have listened to her gut feeling, Bucky was right; it always ends in a fight.

The leader part of her thought of bringing in Kai and maybe in her father's army; but she knew they wouldn't listen to her if she didn't have a prominent role with the kingdom. She couldn't show up and demand an army to fight alongside her even if it was to save the universe. Their hatred for the landers ran deep, especially if they found out who the princess had been in bed with.

Melody rubbed at her temples; she knew this was bigger then her. And if becoming something she didn't want to be was the price then so be it. She knew she couldn't demand respect, nor did she want it, she only wanted to save everyone. What would have been her purpose on land if she stepped aside to let an alien invasion take over her home.

They all shared the planet and the universe, they might as well fight as one; she thought to herself.

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

"And they can clearly find us." Wanda added chewing on her nails.

"We need all hands on deck. Where's Clint?" Bruce asked the group.

"After the whole Accords situation, he and Scott took a deal. It was too tough on their families, they're on house arrest." Natasha answered.

"Who's Scott?"

"Ant Man." Melody answered laying on the couch upside down, "He's sweet." She smiled.

Bruce's brows rose but nodded nonetheless, "There's an Ant Man and a Spiderman? What about Kai?" Melody looked away avoiding the groups eyes. "Okay, look . . . Thanos has the biggest army in the universe. And he is not gonna stop until he . . . he gets . . . Vision's Stone."

"Well then, we have to protect it." Natasha piped up.

"No, we have to destroy it." Vision denied shocking the group, "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 could fail." Vision addresses Wanda as he nears her, who eyes him in disbelief.

"And you, with it. We're not having this conversation." She 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."

Vision took her face gently in both hands, "Only you have the power to pay it." Wanda walked away, distressed. "Thanos threatens half the Universe. One life cannot stand in the way of defeating him."

Steve looked down. "But it should." He said before meeting Visions' eyes, "We don'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?" Vision questioned.

"It's not up for discussion, Vision. It's suicide." Melody spoke up, sitting up, glancing to Wanda who gave her a look of appreciation. "We still have the others we can get to first."

Steve takes a breath, but before he has a chance to answer, Bruce speaks. "She's right. Your mind is made up of a complex construct of overlays. J.A.R.V.I.S., 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.

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

"Is that possible?" Natasha asked.

"Not me. Not here." Bruce shook his head looking over to Melody and Steve.

"You better find someone, and somewhere fast. Ross isn't exactly just gonna let you guys have your old rooms back."

"We might know somewhere." Steve nodded between Melody and him.

The group dispersed after the meeting.

Melody made her way over to Steve and spoke with him quietly, "I might be able to bring in more back up." She explained.

Steve's head tilted, "What do you mean? If T'Challa's people are in then we have their army and well, us."

"You and I both know that's enough to beat Thanos. If he's that powerful, we're going to need all the help we can get." Melody remarked looking up at him, "Just give me some time."

"Mel, I don't think we have time."

"Just, trust me on this. Two days." Melody pleaded the blonde who sighed.

"What did you have in mind?" He asked.

"I think it's time I stop playing princess." Her eyes narrowed slightly as she looked down at her ringed finger.

• • ＷＡＫＡＮＤＡ

𝓐rriving to Wakanda, Melody had left the team in Shuri's hands as she went to look for Bucky. She came across T'Challa, Okoye and some of their warriors making their way to Bucky's and Melody's temporary home.

"I see you've taken my advice?" He asked the nymph who nodded recalling the two's conversation they had a while back.

"I can always find you here when you're thinking." T'Challa's voice rang through Melody's ears who watched the waves crash below her. "I take it Atlantica does not have a view like this?" He inquired.

Melody shook her head, "Not exactly." She shrugged. "Is there something you needed?" She asked hoping she wasn't coming across as rude to her new friend, frankly she just wanted to be alone.

"Yes actually. Shuri had said, you were thinking of leaving?" He asked standing next to her now. Melody looked down, "I would recommend you to rethink your choice. But, I would like to know where it is you planned on going if you did leave Sargent Barnes here."

"I don't know." She admitted.

"You don't know if you want to be queen, you don't know if you want to be with James, what are you sure of, Melody Lockhart?"

Melody's eyes softened as she looked down, "I don't know."

"Would you like to know what I know?" T'Challa asked earning an eye roll from the stubborn princess. "I think, you do know what you want. But you're afraid to come across as selfish, needy." Melody looked down, "You want to be queen. You want to rule your kingdom the same way your mother once did. You want love and passion from a man you know your family would never approve of, but yet you can't seem to stop being driven towards either the throne or him. You want your friends and family to be safe, you want to protect both those on land and those in the ocean."

Melody's eyes burned slightly from tears.

"I apologize if it is forward but wanting such things does not make you needy or selfish. It makes you human." He said softly, "Those desires and wants are what a queen and king want. To protect those of their kind and others. You don't demand respect, you already have it. And if they don't give it to you, show them that they should respect you. That you're worthy." T'Challa smirked to the brunette who nodded listening intently.

"You're on your way to tell him?"

"To ask him." Melody corrected him, nerves blossomed in her abdomen like butterflies.

Melody walked through the grassy field and came to a halt where Bucky threw chopped wood to the ground, he glanced up wiping sweat from his brow and smiled at the sight of his girlfriend.

"Are you okay?" He asked walked to her and placing his flesh hand on her cheek.

"Is that our thing now?" She mocked his words he had used before, a smile on her lips.

"We don't have a thing." He mimicked with a smirk.

Melody shook her head, "When was the last time you showered?" Melody asked with a teasingly smile trailing her fingers against his matted locks.

"Since before you left." T'Challa called out from a smirking Okoye.

Bucky stifled an eye roll at the king. His smile faltered slightly at the look on the girl's face, "What's wrong?"

Melody bit her lip as she glanced over her shoulder where a large case sat. Bucky's brows furrowed as it opened revealing a black and gold metal arm, he met Melody's apologetic eyes then to T'Challa who smiled sadly.

"Where's the fight?" Bucky asked tiredly.

"It's coming." Melody answered softly as he approached the case. She nodded to the king and his guards who walked away giving the two some privacy. "I wanted to ask if you would come with me . . . to Atlantica." Bucky's eyes snapped towards the nymph who offered a tight lipped smile, "I've been thinking, and if we're going to win this war we're going to need all the help we can get."

"You sound more like Steve everyday and it's freaking me out." He joked weakly, his fingers trailed the metal arm before him. "You sure you want to do this?" His question having more of a second meaning.

Melody nodded meeting his eyes, "I'm ready." She nodded confidently.

"Well . . . I'd get on my knees and call you my queen any day, doll." Bucky smiled looking down at her.

Melody smiled up at the man before pressing her lips against his own, "There's also someone who wants to see you."

"Yeah? They can wait." He murmured kissing her once more, his grip tightening against her side.

"You can kiss me all you want after all this." She pulled away with a smile, "And we can go wherever you want once this is over." She said softly, a loving look in her doe eyes.

"Wherever you go, I go." Bucky stated, "Till the end of the line."

"Always?" Melody smiled up at Bucky.

Raising his hand he placed it on her cheek gently once more, his ocean eyes piercing through her doe ones. "Always."

❨ 𝐀𝐔𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐑'𝐒 𝐍𝐎𝐓𝐄 ❩
🐚ঌ ࣪₀🧺 .˚🌿✦

● 𝗲𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗱
○ 𝘂𝗻𝗲𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗱

hi i cried writing this shit and i don't remember my original idea for her going back home if it was during INFINITY WAR or before. ( i should start making notes for my books fml ) so we're gonna pretend like a few days goes by during all this shit ok? ok

i said this before an ill say it again i feel like IW was rushed and i hope ENDGAME has a long air time and goes more in depth with the new characters were getting etc

𝗐𝗈𝗋𝖽 𝖼𝗈𝗎𝗇𝗍, 𝟤𝟫𝟧𝟣