A/N: So I had two endings come to mind when I was writing Endgame. One of them is the final product that you all read, of course. And the other... well... let's just say this may be the SADDEST shit I have ever written. Read the first sentence and you know what's going on. I was hesitant to publish it, but I just loved it so much that I had to share it. So, uhh... you might need some tissues... because I did... enjoy? AND I APOLOGIZE IN ADVANCE! IT'S LONG AND SAD. Also, idky this published in the middle of the book I'm sorry, I republished so that it was AT THE END WHERE IT BELONGS

The three of us sat in the Benatar. Clint and Nat sat at the front of the ship, and I was sitting in one of the back passenger seats. The ship took a jump through space and sped up tremendously. The force of the jump pressed me back against my seat, though I had gotten used to the feeling since our last trip into space five years ago. Nat and Clint looked at each other, smiling.

"We're a long way from Budapest," Clint stated and Natasha laughed.

I smiled at their inside joke, still oblivious to the meaning behind it, as was everyone else. I guess what happens in Budapest, stays in Budapest.

The Benatar arrived at the coordinates Nebula had given us, the planet Vormir. As we stepped off the ship, we stared up at the enchanting mountain that lay ahead of us. Snow fell from the violet-colored sky, giving us mixed signals as to what kind of place this was. 

"Wow– Under different circumstances, this would be totally awesome," Clint mused.

Natasha and Clint took the first steps forward towards the mountain while I remained standing still, staring up at the peak, wondering what awaited us at the top. I felt a pang in my gut and my face scrunched in discomfort. Nat and Clint turned around to face me once they realized I wasn't following. 

"You alright, El?" Clint asked.

"Yeah, I just... Got a weird feeling." I took a few steps forward to join them.

"Well, we are on a different planet in a different year," Natasha said as we continued towards the mountain.

"Yeah, that's true." I nodded, dismissing my gut feeling.

We reached the deep slope of the mountain and thankfully there were stairs, steep stairs to be exact. None of us were too happy to be making this climb.

"I bet the raccoon didn't have to climb a mountain," Natasha grumbled as we came closer to the peak.

"Technically, he's not a raccoon, you know," Clint corrected and I scoffed.

"Whatever. He eats garbage," Nat finished and I let out a laugh. 

We reached what seemed to be some sort of entrance to the mountain peak when we heard an eerie, echoed voice speak. 

"Welcome."

Clint drew his katana, Natasha pulled out her gun, I formed a blade of ice and we got into our defensive positions. A dark, cloaked figure floated towards us from the entrance. His face was hidden by the hood of his black cloak, and the ominous appearance made my heart race. 

"Natasha, daughter of Ivan." The figure said and Natasha's expression dropped. "Clint, son of Edith." Clint remained defensive. "Eleanor..." The figure paused before finishing my introduction,  "daughter of Wallace. It surprises me to see that you are still among the living." I scowled, curious as to how this unknown being knew who each of us was. 

"Who are you?" Natasha questioned. 

"Consider me a guide. To you, and to all who seek the Soul Stone." As the figure glided closer to us, his face came into view and I almost dropped my blade. 

"What the hell?" I questioned as I stared in shock at the Red Skull who hovered before me. "How?" 

"When I sought the Stones... I held one in my hand. But it cast me out, banished me here, guiding others to a treasure I cannot possess," he explained and the grip I held on my ice blade got tighter. 

"Oh, good. You tell us where it is. Then we'll be on our way," Natasha said, keeping a calm composure. 

"Ah, liebchen– If only it were that easy..." The Red Skull replied before turning away from us. 

We took this as a signal to follow him, with caution, as he led us to a cliff at the top of the mountain. The Red Skull turned to face us and we took slow steps towards the edge. 

"What you seek lies in front of you... as does what you fear," he continued as we reached the edge, turning ourselves as to not fall. The cliff was high, which didn't surprise me as we were at the top of a mountain, but the height made me feel sick to my stomach. 

"The stone is down there." Natasha glanced at the Red Skull. 

"For two of you. For one..." He paused before continuing and I began to think that the sick feeling in my stomach wasn't because of the heights. "In order to take the stone, you must lose that which you love. An everlasting exchange. A soul, for a soul." 

My eyes flicked up to look at the horizon of Vormir. The dark purple mountains blurred together when my mind pieced together what the cost of getting the Stone was. I closed my eyes and breathed out, feeling the vapor cloud around me. 

"Shit..." I muttered. 

~~~

Natasha sat on a log, she rested her chin on her folded hands and stared at the ground in deep thought. Clint stood to the side with his hands on his hips, watching the Red Skull. I stood a few yards away from the cliff, my eyes still fixated on the horizon. I don't know how long we had been standing there, but it was long enough for me to weigh out the options... my options. 

"How's it going?" Clint nodded to the Red Skull and walked towards Natasha while exhaling impatiently. "Jesus...Maybe he's making this shit up."

"No. I don't think so," Natasha said, quietly. 

"Why, 'cause he knows your Daddy's name?" Clint scoffed. My eyes flicked over to glance at him before I stared straight ahead again. 

"I didn't," Natasha stated. 

"Clint," I spoke up. My voice was even and calm, the most it had ever been since 1942. Clint had never heard such a tone come from me and he turned to face me. "Nebula said that this is where Thanos killed her sister... He left with Gamora and returned with the Stone... It's not a coincidence-" 

"Maybe she put up a fight, we don't know what-" Clint continued, trying to dismiss what was coming. 

"Clint, we all know what has to happen," I finished. Clint stood upright, his jaw clenched and I looked forward again. 

"Whatever it takes," Natasha said and Clint turned to her. 

"Whatever it takes," he repeated. 

Natasha stood from the log and walked up Clint. "If we don't get that stone, billions of people stay dead." 

"Then I guess we both know who it's gotta be." Clint breathed out and I took in a deep breath. 

"I guess we do," Nat replied. 

There was a bit of silence between them and I exhaled. 

"I'm starting to think– we mean different people here, Natasha," Clint uttered. 

"For the last five years I've been trying to do one thing: Get to right here. That's all it's been about. Bringing everybody back." Natasha's tone became serious and my eyes scanned the horizon. My options floated through my mind again as I began to have feelings of doubt. 

"Oh, don't you get all decent on me now," Clint said. 

"What, you think I wanna do it? I'm trying to save your life, you idiot-"

"Both of you," I spoke up and their heads turned in my direction. "Stop." 

There was silence as they both waited for my next words. I hesitated for a moment, closed my eyes and clenched my jaw. I made a slight nod with my head. 

"I'll do it." My eyes opened. 

Clint made a quick pivot and moved to stand in front of me, I looked up to make eye contact with him, keeping a determined expression. 

"Ellie, think about what-" He began. 

"Oh, I have. Plenty of times believe me," I said. "Clint, it has to be me." 

"No-" Clint swallowed before his voice broke too soon from the thought of what I was saying. "No, it doesn't have to be you, that's a terrible reason-" 

"Then why should it be you?" I questioned. 

"It doesn't have to be either of you," Natasha spoke up. 

I glanced at Nat and shook my head. "It's going to be me." 

"Ellie- Ellie," Clint put his hand on my shoulder and turned me to face him. "You are leaving this place with the Stone, and you and Nat are gonna bring everyone back-"

"No, Clint." I pushed his hand off my shoulder and pointed at his chest. "You, are bringing your family back. You and Nat are leaving this place with the Stone." 

"It can't be you," Clint shook his head. 

"Clint, the things I have done..." I paused. "It can't be redeemed, this is it..." 

"We've all done bad things." Clint gestured to Nat. "Both of you know what I've done. You know what I've become."

"Clint-" I started. 

"What? You used this as a reason, why can't I?" Clint's voice raised. 

"Because you weren't doing it for almost 30 years!" I raised my voice as well. "Do you know how many people I assassinated- I murdered, Clint? 98 assassinations, 136 completed missions, and 48 in base accidents." 

"Those were not your choice!" Clint shouted. 

"But I did it!" I rebutted. "And people who died because I couldn't do any better? I'm returning quite a few favors, you included." 

Clint took a step back out of frustration before he stepped forward again. I held my ground to make a point. I was determined, it was a decision that I made. And we weren't getting anywhere arguing like this. 

"What about Buck?" Clint asked and I exhaled out of my nose impatiently. "You've gotta see him again-" 

"Stop before you change my mind-" 

"What do you think I'm trying to do, you dumbass?" Clint let out a pained laugh at the end of the sentence. 

"Clint, I have made up my mind-" I began but he continued to protest. 

"El, you have a chance to have him back for good-" 

"Clint-" I put my hand on his arm. 

 "To be with everyone you love-" he continued. 

"I made up my-" I raised my voice. 

"You get to live your life with him-" Clint raised his to an equal volume. 

"I've lived my life!" I shouted over top him and the bickering came to a stop. I held out my arms in an open gesture to make a point before I let them fall at my sides again. "Clint, I've lived it."

Clint pursed his lips and glanced away at Nat, who all this time watched our argument in suspense. 

"As shitty as it may have been, I wouldn't want to change it. I'm 101, I should have died when the Avengers were formed, but SHIELD decided to keep my cold-ass." I ran my hand through my hair. "Clint, you have a family." He turned his attention back to me. "You be the one to bring them back." I paused and Clint opened his mouth to say something but stopped. I glanced at the teary-eyed Nat and gave her a pained smile, finally fully accepting this decision. 

Clint opened his mouth again, going for the punch in the gut with his words. "You fought so hard to be with Bucky, so many years of fighting and searching-" 

"I'm not selfish, Clint..." I stopped him. The tears were now forming in both our eyes. "As long as he, and my family, are alive... Then I know I did something right." 

"But when he comes back-" Natasha said and the first tear from my eyes fell. 

"Nat..." I began. 

"And you're not there..." She continued. 

I let out a frustrated groan and threw my head back. I turned away from Clint and took a few steps... Just to make it look like I had changed my mind. As soon as I heard Clint exhale, I knew that his guard was down. I whipped back around, crouched down and swung my leg out under his feet. Clint hit the ground with a hard thud and I stood up. Natasha took a step towards me and I thrust out my hand. A patch of ice hit her foot that held her in her place. Clint reached for my ankle, I turned to run towards the cliff but he quick to grab my ankle. He pulled back as I went to take a step and I fell flat on my face. 

"You're a pain in my ass, you know that?" Clint grumbled and stood up. 

I rolled over onto my back and kicked my feet up. My boots him in the chest and he was knocked back to the ground. Clint wheezed from the loss of air and shut his eyes in pain. I got back to my feet and saw that Natasha was breaking through the ice with her batons. Clint groaned and I glanced down at him, a bit of regret filling me. I shook my head, remembering that I had a mission to follow through with and turned to face the cliff. I took the first step in my sprint towards the edge. 

"I do believe zat Eleanor can do great things."

I took the second step and then the third, racing to reach the edge and fulfill this plan. 

"Natasha!" I heard Clint shout as if he cued her to do something. 

There was a click, then a zap of electricity and I felt the shock waves of one of Natasha's widow-bites hit my back. My body shook as I hit the ground, the electrocutions brought me distasteful memories.

"When you do not comply, there are punishments." 

I grimaced and reached behind me to attempt to pull the widow-bite off. Once I got a good grip on the small disk, I pulled it off my shirt. The electric waves resonated through my fingers and I cried out in pain. 

"Bring a storm!" 

Frost came from my fingers and engulfed the small disk, thus ceasing the electrocutions. I looked up at where Clint and Natasha were and saw that they were both making their way towards me. I stood up and made the final move that would complete my final mission. 

"You're stronger than you think you are, Snow Angel. I know it."  

My right foot lifted from the ground and I pushed off with my left. Part of me had the urge to turn this leap into an axel. I lept from the cliff with no turns or tricks. Just one jump that would be my swan song. There was a twang behind me that sounded like an arrow leaving a bow and panic filled my body. A sharp pain shot through my right shoulder as I had barely begun my descent down the cliff. A gasp escaped my lips and my fall was stopped. My body lurched to a halt and I twisted around to face the cliff. I felt a hand grab my right arm, then slide to grasp my wrist. I looked down at the bottom of the cliff, my vision was blurred from tears of confusion and anger. My eyes trailed up to the arrow that stuck out from my shoulder, the arrow's point was completed with a grappling hook to ensure that it stayed in me. A rope extended from the nock and was attached to Clint's quiver. Clint tightened his grip on my wrist and I cried out in pain from the arrow. 

"Clint, what the hell..." I breathed out.

"It'll heal," he said through gritted teeth. 

"It won't have to," I said. 

It was then that I realized that Clint was dangling upside down by his left foot that was tied with a cord coming from Natasha's belt. She was currently anchored at the cliff's edge with each foot planted on a rock and her hands desperately gripped the cord. We all knew that she would not be able to hold it for much longer with both me and Clint hanging on. 

"Clint, let go," I demanded. 

"No, dammit!" Clint readjusted his grip on my wrist. 

"Clint, please," I repeated. Tears were now streaming down my face. "Nat won't be able to hold on." 

"Eleanor, I won't-" Clint began and shut his eyes tight, holding back tears. "I won't let go." 

I glanced down at the bottom of the mountain, shut my eyes and took in a deep breath before I looked back up at my friends. The man who became a father figure to me, and the woman who became my sister. 

"Clint," I began and he looked at me with such sadness in his eyes that I almost didn't say the next words. "You tell James..." 

"No..." Clint shook his head. 

"Ellie, don't-" Natasha said with a strain in her voice. 

"You tell James, that everything's going to be okay..." My voice began to break and I gripped Clint's hand. "And that I love him, with all my heart... Could you do that?" 

"No. Please, no." Clint was now crying and I had to look away before I made the next move. 

"It's never minimal damage with us, is it?" I said as frost began to leave my hand and trail up his. 

"Ellie..." Clint's eyes got wide when he realized what I was doing. "Eleanor, stop."

I stretched my free hand out to the side and tightened my grip on Clint's wrist. 

"Freeze," I said aloud. 

A blade of ice extended out from my left hand, frost shot up Clint's arm and stopped at his shoulder. The sudden cold temperature and pain caused Clint to gasp and open his hand in reaction. His face showed instant regret of that move. 

"Ellie, no!" Clint shouted and reached for my hand. 

I swung my ice blade over, cutting the cord that was connected to the arrow.

The wind blew around me as I plummeted to the ground. Clint and Natasha's distraught faces disappeared as I went further and further in my descent. I slowly closed my eyes and exhaled. Vapor clouded from my mouth one last time. 

~·~·~·~

There was a boom in the sky followed by a bright light lead to Natasha and Clint laying across from each other in a body of water. They both sat up, their hair wet from the water, their faces wet with tears. Clint opened his hand and revealed a glowing, yellow stone. The Soul Stone. Natasha closes her eyes and allowed more tears to fall. Clint hit the ground with his fist and there was a quiet splash from the water. Their Quantum Suits activated and they shrunk back to the Quantum Tunnels, soon joined by the others returning from their journey.

~·~·~

2023

On the Quantum platform, everyone looked around to see all the recovered stones. Their helmets retracted, a few of them look very pleased with themselves, all except for two.

"Did we get them all?" Bruce asked. 

"You telling me this actually worked?" Rhodey looked around in amazement.

After a moment of relief, there was a pause as everyone started to realize that someone was missing. Usually, there is a laugh of excitement coming from one of the members after a completed mission. Everyone looked at Natasha and Clint, who stood still in their places having not moved since they got back with minus one companion.

"Where... Where's Ellie?" Steve began, his brows furrowed.

Natasha's knees buckled and she collapsed to the ground. A sob escaped her lips. There was barely a reaction from Clint as he stared straight forward with a stiffened, distraught face. This told them all they needed to know. The mission was completed but at a dire cost. Sadness instantly overtook the atmosphere. Steve turned himself away from everyone, tears welled up in his eyes at the realization of what just happened. Tony felt his heart palpitate for a few seconds and he gripped his chest in an attempt to keep himself from collapsing. Bruce stared at Clint as he tried to process this. Thor's grip on Mjolnir tightened and he gritted his teeth as tears formed in his eyes. 

The Avengers had lost their Snow Angel.

~~~

Steve found himself standing in Eleanor's room, not knowing what to do with himself except allow every tear that came from his eyes to leave until he couldn't produce anymore. His eyes fell upon the top of her bedside dresser. He walked to it and scanned the nostalgic items that were organized so perfectly and handled with such care that one wouldn't know that they were over 100 years old. 

The very first item to the left was a collection of letters, stacked neatly and tied together with a string. All of them were letters from Eleanor's parents during World War II. Steve smiled. He figured that she still read these after so many years, that she was still homesick and this was her comfort. The next item on the dresser was a Captain America war bond, something that brought Steve so many memories just to look at. It made him wonder if when Eleanor looked at this, if it made her smile because of the memories, or laugh because of how ridiculous he looked in that suit. It probably made her laugh. Steve moved on to the next antique item, a framed photo of the Howling Commandos. Every member looked so serious in this photo, which perfectly reflected the horrors of the war that they had seen. There was a quick change of tone from the next photo of Steve, Bucky, and Ellie. The photographer had perfectly captured the three of them mid-laughter. Steve couldn't remember why they had laughed, but he remembered that picture being taken. 

His eyes flicked back and forth between Bucky and Eleanor, a pained smile spread across his lips. When they had only just met during the war, Bucky had always looked at Eleanor with such fond eyes. He was in love during such an inconvenient time and it had been inconvenient from then on. Steve knew that he was going to have to tell Bucky, or at least one of the team had to. There was no way around it. 

"I'm gonna marry that girl, Steve." 

Steve blinked, allowing another tear to fall as he moved on to the last photo on the desk. The photo of him and Ellie standing in front of the frozen Chitauri leviathan in New York. Their thumbs were pointing at its carcass with playful grins on their faces like they were standing in front of a tourist attraction. Steve smiled, missing those happy days with Ellie. His smile disappeared when he remembered their fight five years ago. 

"I'm not telling you to give up." 

"Then stop telling me to move on, Steve. Because if I move on, I'll forget, and I don't want to forget." 

Steve exhaled and guilt washed over him. He glanced at the bed where he sat as Ellie yelled at him. They never got closure. There was never a moment when they addressed what had happened. They never apologized- he never apologized. Steve looked away from her empty bed and his eyes fell upon the dog-tag that sat on her dresser. He picked it up and turned to sit at the edge of Eleanor's bed as he read the worn engraving. 

"I'm so sorry, Ellie," he whispered. "I was wrong-" he stopped and looked up. "Dammit, why did you do that... Please come back..."

Steve's fist closed around the dog-tag and his head fell to his hands. 

~·~·~

Clint's heart just about shattered when he set his eyes on Bucky who stood a few feet away in the rubble. He was searching. Turning his head every which way to find her but to no avail. Clint took in a deep breath and began the walk towards the soldier, knowing that he had to fulfill Ellie's wishes.

Barnes wasn't even facing Clint when he reached him. He was still looking, hoping that she would magically appear and come running to him just as she always did. 

"James," Clint said.

The soldier turned, his brow was furrowed and lines were in his forehead. He was losing hope and Clint was about to take it all away. It wasn't long before Bucky recognized who Clint was and his face softened before it turned to a look of deep concern.

"You're Clint," he said.

"Yeah." Clint's answer came out as a whisper as he struggled to break the news to him.

"Where's... Where is Ellie?" Bucky asked and looked around the destroyed Compound grounds again. 

He prayed to God that he wouldn't find the white hair and blue suit among the dead that lay scattered. He hadn't seen her throughout the entire battle, and this gave him terrible anxiety. His eyes set upon Steve who stared directly at him from across the field. The expression on his face was one that Bucky had not seen in a very long time.

"She..." Clint hesitated and Bucky jerked his head to look back at him.

"Clint, where is she?" Bucky asked again with a pang of desperation in his voice.

"Ellie-" Clint stopped before he finished the sentence. Bucky stared at him in pained anticipation. Clint swallowed and remembered what he was asked to do. "James, she wanted me to tell you-"

"Why isn't she telling me herself?" The soldier asked and panic reached him. At this point, Steve began to make his way across the field. A lump formed in his throat. 

"She wanted me to tell you that everything was going to be okay," Clint finished with strain in his voice and glanced away from Bucky's look of anguish. 

James let out a heavy breath as the weight of what Clint had said and possibly meant hit his chest. He turned himself to the side and took in deep breaths, just as she would tell him to do if she were there. Tears stung his eyes and he reached behind him with his left arm for something to grasp before he would collapse on the ground. His metal fingers grazed over a boulder of concrete and he leaned back to rest himself against the rock before he collapsed to take a seat on the rock. Steve had reached Clint and James and rested his hand on his best friend's shoulder. He looked at Clint and nodded to encourage him to continue with Ellie's final wish. Clint took in a deep, shaky breath. Tears once again ran down his face. 

"She loved you-" Clint swallowed. "With all her heart." 

James looked down and nodded slightly, his hair covered the tears that left his eyes. Steve saw his shoulders shake and James' hand reached up to grip the dog-tag that hung around his neck. Steve had never heard James cry like that before, and his heart broke again. 

White Wolf had lost his Snow Angel. 

~.~.~.~

Steve, Bucky, Sam, Wanda, Clint, Natasha, Thor, and Bruce stood just outside the ruins of the compound that were currently being cleaned up by construction. The shining sun was a nice change from the clouds of smoke that hung over the grounds a week ago, but this did not change the group's melancholy state. Steve had changed into his suit shortly after he left Tony's funeral, though everyone else was still in their dark attire. They stood in an arc and stared down at a small hole that was dug in the ground at the base of a tree. 

In Bucky's left hand, he held a small wooden chest about the size of a shoebox. Steve and Sam looked at him and he opened the chest, where inside were already small items that everyone from Tony's funeral had placed in Eleanor's memory. Different things that were important to everyone's relationship with her. The eight of them still had their respects to pay. 

Sam decided to be the first to go and reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a necklace with a silver pendant of a small bird. 

"It's a snow bunting," Sam explained as he gazed down at the pendant. "It's an arctic bird. When El would jump with her skates, she said it was like she was flying, and no one can fly better than Falcon." This got a quiet laugh from the eight of them. "So I called her Snow-Bird, and I got her this for her birthday... I don't want her to not have it." There was a strain in his voice as he finished and he placed the necklace in the wooden-chest. 

"Thank you, Sam," Steve said and Bucky nodded silently. 

Wanda put her hand on Bucky's arm in comfort and pulled from her cardigan pocket a folded sheet of lined paper. She unfolded it and scanned the faded, clean print of Eleanor's handwriting. She folded it again and looked up. 

"When I started as an Avenger, I was unsure of myself and found myself having terrible dreams after the death of my brother, Pietro..." Wanda paused. "Ellie was by my side during most of my training, helping me find ways to cope since she had immense experience with loss." She unintentionally glanced at Bucky, who nodded knowingly and Wanda continued. "She wrote me a list of methods to use when I was stressed out or unsure of myself. She was a great help to me." Wanda breathed out and placed the paper into the box before she whispered: "Thank you, sister." 

Wanda gave Bucky a short hug, which he returned with his free arm before Wanda went to stand next to Natasha. 

Thor cleared his throat and from his pocket, he withdrew a silver pendant. Thor gave a small smile before he spoke. "I told many stories of Eleanor upon my return to Asgard after our battle in New York, and my family questioned whether she was the Goddess Skadi in disguise, which she was not. For those of you who are unfamiliar with Skadi, she is the Goddess of Winter, very fitting for Eleanor, though Skadi and Eleanor are very different people and Skadi was very scandalous-"

"Thor," Steve spoke up to stop him from rambling. 

"Yes, sorry," Thor apologized. "Well, I told Eleanor of Skadi's stories and she found collections of poems written about the Goddess which brought her more understanding of my people's culture. Here I had a pendant carving of Skadi, and I believe that Eleanor would have liked it and so I am... giving it to her now." Thor placed the pendant in the chest and smiled lightly. "Eleanor was a very brave and strong warrior, she would have had a great place among the Valkyries had she been from Asgard." Thor paused for a moment and felt the lump in his throat form. "I will... miss her dearly." 

"Thank you, Thor," Steve smiled. 

Bruce walked up to Bucky and smiled softly down at him. In his hand, he held a black notebook. It was much smaller in his hand, which led to everyone's guess that he had owned it before he had combined himself with the Hulk. There were dog-ears on some pages, while others were marked with sticky-notes. Bruce glanced down at the book and looked at the sky. 

"As a scientist, I always have to make a hypothesis about everything I see and try to understand everything around me. If something is undiscovered, I discover it myself and find answers as to why this thing exists and how it works." Bruce looked back down from the sky and looked at his notebook again. "Of course when I met Ellie I was intrigued by her abilities and I wanted to know more, but even she didn't know, neither did Dr. Erskine." He glanced at Steve. "Throughout my entire career as a scientist, I have always found solutions and answers. But, Ellie is my one mystery. I kept a notebook of research about her abilities, how they work, what triggers them... I got nothing. She's extraordinary." 

Bucky smiled thinly up at Bruce, his eyes sparkling at the thought of his Snow Angel. The group all stood in silence and Bruce placed his notebook in the chest and stepped back. 

Clint took a step forward and pulled out an envelope. From the fold creases on its corners and crinkles in the paper, you could tell that it was old. Anyone who stood close enough could see that the writing on the front was Eleanor's handwriting. Clint held up the envelope and looked at it, hesitant to speak. Nat put her hand on his back in comfort and he inhaled sharply. 

"When Ellie was brought out of the ice I was assigned to look after her, help her move her into her apartment and I became her Supervising Officer at SHIELD," Clint spoke. "This is a letter that she wrote a week after moving in... She could have texted me but she didn't have that figured out yet." There was a quiet laugh again from the group and Clint continued. "It was a letter thanking me for being there for her and being helpful... It meant a lot to me as a SHIELD agent so I kept it. And now, it means a lot to me as her friend. Ellie was like a daughter to me..." Clint swallowed and his eyes slowly became red with tears. "I'm returning her thank you." He placed the envelope in the chest and nodded to Bucky. 

Nat let out a shaky breath as she stepped forward, she stuck her hands stuck in her jacket pockets. Tears were already in her eyes as she looked at the wooden chest. She glanced at Bucky, who nodded his head once. Nat nodded back and looked up at everyone, giving her iconic sly smile. 

"I spent a lot of time with Frosty after the battle in Wakanda five years ago. It was just the two of us in the compound and my God, she can be a pain in the ass." The laugh that came from everyone was louder than the last and Bucky grinned for the first time in a week. "And not because she's annoying, not at all... she is just so... headstrong that she is stubborn- and Barnes, I don't know how you do it- and Steve you had an apartment with her- like golly!" Natasha shook her head with a smile. "And that's what I love about her, she doesn't take no for an answer..." Natasha paused and dragged one of her feet through the dirt. "She didn't take it for an answer on that mountain in Vormir..." The atmosphere quickly changed and tears formed in Natasha's eyes again. "If she had, a lot of people wouldn't be here right now... She made that final decision and followed through. One thing that she told me when she started at SHIELD, she said: 'You've got to make sacrifices... big or small. And you have to do it because no one is'."

There was a bit of silence from the group. Bucky was looking down at the chest to hide the tears in his eyes. Natasha breathed in before she continued.

"She made that sacrifice even though Clint and I were ready to do it too... But, she felt that it was her time... And she is really strong for doing that." Natasha pulled a broken earpiece from her pocket. "This is from my first mission with Ellie... this is her earpiece that fell out after she beat up a bunch of cartel guys which was pretty awesome. She was clumsy in the process, that's why it fell out. But, it's funny because Fury told us 'Minimal Damage'. It's never minimal damage with us three." Clint forced a smile through his tears and Natasha placed the earpiece in the box. "Take that, Frosty." 

Once Nat had returned to her spot, Steve let out a deep sigh and smiled thinly. He looked down for a moment before he looked at Bucky. They exchanged glances, knowing looks for their time with Eleanor. Steve looked around at everyone before speaking. 

"Believe or not I was a little bit shorter than Ellie when I first met her," he said. Everyone smiled lightly. "I've known her for a long time, she's like my sister. She was- is my sister, that is what she is. I don't know what I would have done without her helping me adjust after I came out of the ice... She has been by my side with several gap years since World War II and my world and all of our's would have been so different without her." Steve paused for a moment to hold back the inevitable tears. "She was a friend to all of us, she was family. Her and Tony's sacrifice helped bring everyone home... and both of them would be happy to know that." Steve turned to grab his leather bag and pulled out a file. On the front, it was labeled Eleanor Flint/Frostbite. "This is her army profile from the S.S.R. I was able to retrieve it along with the other files that survived the assault on the compound. It contains her information and every successful thing that she did. Buck and I took the time to add in a few more things, just to make it more factual. And I think that she would like to have it, to know that she did great things over the bad." Steve folded the file vertically so that it would fit in the chest before placing it. "I'll miss you, Eleanor. We all will." 

There was silence from everyone as they took that in. But there was one last person to pay their respects. Steve looked at Bucky, who stared at the small wooden chest filled with everything about Eleanor in his hand. He remained silent as everyone waited for his contribution. After a few moments, Steve put his hand on Bucky's back. 

"It's your turn, Buck." 

"Yep..." His voice came out as a whisper. 

He kneeled and set the chest on the ground in front of the small hole before he again and let out a breath. 

"Where to start...?" Bucky pressed his lips together and bit his inner lip in thought. "This girl saved me... Multiple times. In World War II, my unit was captured by HYDRA and taken to a prison camp. When I was about to lose all hope, the girl with white hair showed up and gave us hope. When she couldn't save us then, she came back with my best friend. In 1945 I fell in love with a girl who could create snow and ice. She said she was a bad dancer, but that was half true." Everyone quietly laughed. "In 1945 I fell off a train and watched my best friend and romance disappear from my eyes... and memory. In 1961, I didn't know it, but I had been reunited with her through very unfortunate events that seemed like they would never end. They did end, eventually, but only to be met with more problems, but she was there with me. She helped me remember the things that I couldn't. She helped me figure out who I was after losing myself. And I helped her gain courage for herself." 

Everyone stood silent and listened as Bucky told this tragic story. More tears formed in their eyes that they paid no mind to. Bucky looked down at the box again and took in a deep breath. "While staying in Wakanda, I told my best friend that I was going to marry the girl I love. A week later I asked the girl I love to marry me..." Everyone looked at Bucky, this was new information to everyone but Steve. "She said yes... But only when things get better for everyone. When the government didn't hate me and when we were free from the world. Things are better now..." Bucky's voice broke and he stopped for a moment. "And Eleanor isn't here." 

Steve put his hand on Bucky's back again. Bucky wiped a tear before it fell from his eye and he reached into his jacket pocket. His fingers brushed over a folded piece of paper before he pulled out the dog-tag that completed the one around his neck. He held up the chain and sniffed before he spoke again. 

"This is one of Ellie's dog-tags. She gave one to me while I was in Wakanda, as a way to always stay connected to one another. I always wear it around my neck. Hopefully, the connection is still there." Bucky placed the dog-tag in the chest and stood upright. "Uhm, before we put the chest in the ground... could I have a couple of minutes, please?" His eyes did not leave the wooden chest. 

Everyone exchanged glances before they broke off from the tree and walked to another spot in the compound ruins. Bucky glanced around to make sure that they were all gone before he kneeled in front of the chest and hole. He reached into his pocket and pulled out the folded piece of notebook paper. 

"After escaping HYDRA, Snow Angel," Bucky spoke softly. "I kept a notebook to help remember who I was, who Steve was, and who you were. This is the page I had dedicated to you." Bucky unfolded the paper and looked over his desperate scribbles and notes. Some words were crossed out and rewritten again, some words were circled with red ink as if to say 'this is right!' Bucky looked at the wooden chest again. "Took me a while to piece together who you were other than my mission partner with HYDRA. I knew there was something else, there had to be. Before you and Steve showed up at my apartment, I had figured that there had been something between us. I would remember bits and pieces of you. Your smile, your eyes... sometimes your voice would come to me... your voice when you were happy. Then when you knocked me out with that lead pipe-" Bucky laughed quietly. "All of you came back. All of Steve came back. But I was still missing." Bucky pressed his lips together, his brow was furrowed in thought before he turned the page over. He looked over the small writing that covered the entire back page. "While staying in Wakanda, your visits were the things I looked forward to the most. There were things I wanted to tell you, about how I felt but I guess I was too damn shy to say them..." Bucky looked down at the notebook page in his hand. "So I wrote them down, in a letter to you... And I'm going to read it now, so you listen up, alright?" 

Bucky adjusted his kneeling position before he changed his mind and sat himself down in front of the chest. He bent his knees and rested his wrists to hold up the paper in front of him. Bucky cleared his throat and breathed in before he read. 

"Eleanor, Ellie, Snow Angel, whatever fond name I call you, this is how I feel.

 When I first saw you in that dark room of the HYDRA prison, there was something about you that gave me hope. Maybe it was the fact that Wes confirmed that you were Americans, but for ol' time's sake, I am going to say that it was you who gave me hope. You give me hope. When I first saw those sparkling, blue eyes in the light, I was enchanted. When I first saw your smile, I melted. When I first danced with you, I fell in love. You are not a bad dancer, you have only stepped on my feet twice. Your happiness is important. Nothing is your fault." 

Bucky glanced up from the letter as if he were going to see Eleanor sitting there in front of him. He looked back down at the letter and continued to read. 

"My biggest regret in life is being there with you at your worst and not being able to help. That was living hell. But I will help you now, and I promise to always be there to love and care for you. Please don't forget that. I will help you as you have helped me remember who I am. Part of me is still gone, but it does not matter when I am with you. When I am with you, I feel whole again, which sounds sappy but it's true. I love you. I wish I could say it every day, but you are not always here. I love you, I love you, I love you and that is the truth. I love you more than anything and I hope you know that. I love your smile, I love your eyes, I love your voice, I love when you stumble over your words. I love everything about you... Even your cold hands." 

Bucky smiled lightly and his eyes blurred with tears, but he continued to read. 

"When this is all over I will take you with me to move into an apartment in New York and I will marry you. That is a promise. I will love you forever and I will make sure that nothing ever hurts you-" 

Bucky's voice cracked and he exhaled. 

"I will care for you and I will stay by your side and never leave, for you are my Snow Angel. And this is what I wish from you, though I will not hold you to it because I am a man of respect. I hope that you will love me as much as I do you, I hope that you will stay by my side as you always have until the end of our days. And I can't say "end of the line", because that is Steve's line, it's ours, we coined it. 

I suppose what I am trying to say is that no one has ever made me feel the way you do. You are the most important person to me and I never want to lose you."

At this point, tears were freely falling from Bucky's cheeks as he read the letter, knowing that his Snow Angel would never hear it. He paused for a moment to catch his breath and recover. Bucky wiped his face again and took a deep breath before he finished. 

"You are my one and only, my Snow Angel. 

Love, your Sergeant Barnes." 

Bucky folded the letter and let out a shaky breath. He glanced to the left where he saw the rest of the group standing with their backs to him. He figured he should wrap this up so that they could finish their service. Bucky looked at the wooden chest and placed his letter in before he closed the lid and set the chest in the ground. 

"I'm gonna miss you, doll," he said as he kneeled once again. "I'm gonna miss you a lot, a whole lot. It's not gonna be the same without you. But, I know that you did this to save me and everyone else..." Bucky struggled to speak. "I know that. So I'm not complaining... this was your choice and that's okay... that's okay..." The group slowly began to make their way back towards the tree and Bucky placed his left hand on the wooden chest. "I gotta say goodbye now... Which is going to be hard, but it's what has to happen." Bucky breathed out and managed to smile, knowing that it would have made her happy to see him smile. "I love you, and you know that by now. I'll dream of you... every night. Just like the song... just like our song." The group was soon going to reach him so he said his final words with hesitation. "Goodbye, Eleanor." 

James stood up just as the group had reached him. He didn't bother to wipe the rest of the tears from his face and he looked at Steve. He had also been crying, as had everyone else. 

"You ready?" Steve asked. 

James looked down at the small wooden chest. "I'm ready." 

Both he and Steve kneeled and began to cover the wooden chest with soil until it was completely buried. Steve patted down the soil so that it was smooth and placed his hand on James' back, then spoke in a voice so low that James could barely hear him. 

"She isn't gone forever." 

~.~.~.~

"Soul for a soul, right?" 

Steve looked up from the cliff at his age-old enemy. Snow fell around them and all that was on Steve's mind was the scene that he had just witnessed, and the mission that he had to complete. 

"The stone has already been claimed-" The Red Skull began. 

"And I have come to return it," Steve interrupted and held out his hand to display the glowing, yellow stone. "A soul for a soul. I return yours, and you return mine. It's only fair."

"You were always one to talk about fairness and justice," The Red Skull said. 

"But I'm right," Steve snapped back. He determined to get his way. "This is a fair deal, you can't argue that. A soul for a soul." 

The Red Skull looked down at Captain America. He did not want to admit that he was right. "Very well." 

The Soul Stone glowed brightly in Steve's hand. It became so blinding until Steve could no longer see anything but white light. There was a boom and Steve plummeted to darkness. 

~~~

What was once darkness turned into a bright light, there was a ringing sound in my ears that replaced the calm quiet. Air entered my lungs and I gasped. My eyes opened and my chest heaved from lack of oxygen. I regained feeling throughout my entire body and my blurred vision focused on a face that leaned over me. I was cradled in his arms and I felt safe and calm. The calm feeling was suddenly replaced with panic and I looked around. 

"I'm not dead!" I cried out. "Why am I not dead!?" 

"Ellie, Ellie." Steve held me tighter to his chest. "It's okay-" 

"Did it work? What happened? Are you dead too?" I tried to sit up but quickly stopped from the pain in my shoulder. 

"Ohhh, you're bleeding- El, stay still-" Steve put his hand on my shoulder. 

"Steve, what happened!" I shouted and Steve looked down at me. 

"Ellie, take a deep breath," he soothed and I inhaled through my nose, then exhaled through my mouth. A large amount of vapor clouded out. "We won."

"What?" I questioned. 

"We won. Everyone is back," Steve repeated. 

 He leaned back and placed his hand on my back to help me slowly sit up. I grimaced in pain and looked around at the body of water around us. In the distance was the mountain where I had plummeted to my death and I looked back at Steve in confusion. 

"How are you here and how am I alive?" I asked. 

"It's a long story, but I'm returning the stones, and I traded a soul for a soul," Steve explained and I tilted my head. "I traded the Soul Stone for you." 

I looked away in thought and pieced together what had just happened. It worked. I looked back at Steve, who smiled down at me. Tears welled up in his eyes and I frowned. 

"Why are you crying, Steve?" 

"You were gone..." He answered. "And now you're back... I'm just so happy to see you again." 

Steve pulled me in for a tight embrace which I returned. This being our first hug in five years since our fight. My eyes opened as a thought came across my mind. I turned my head slightly towards Steve. 

"Is... Is James..." I began. 

Steve pulled away from our hug and placed both his hands on my cheeks. "Yes, Ellie, he is." 

"Oh, God, did Clint have to tell him-" I began. 

"That doesn't matter, you're going back to him," Steve said. "But, first, I have to do something, and I'm going to need your help." 

Steve began to stand and he helped me to my feet. I held onto his arm for support and did not take a step until my legs stopped shaking. We walked out of the water and to a rocky shore. Steve turned to me and held out his time-watch. I realized I was still in my suit and held out mine. 

"You're gonna help me with my final mission, alright?" Steve explained and I nodded. But I still did not understand what he meant. "Do you trust me?" 

I looked him in the eyes and remembered everything that we had been through together. 

"Of course I trust you." 

~~~

"And returning in 5... 4... 3... 2..." 

Bruce hit a button and Sam and Bucky looked at the platform expectantly, but no one was there. Bruce looked around the equipment in a panic. 

"Where is he?" Sam asked. 

Bucky scanned the area around the platform. He kept a calm composure as his hand gripped the dog-tag around his neck.

"I don't know. He blew right by his timestamp," said Bruce. "He should be here." 

"Well, get him back." Sam turned to face Bruce. He was becoming more worried and agitated. 

"I'm trying," Bruce said.

"Get him the hell back!" Sam shouted. 

Bucky turned from the platform and gazed towards the lake. His stomach flipped and his heart raced. He found himself speechless and unable to alert the two men behind him. 

"Hey, I said I'm trying!" Bruce shouted back at Sam. 

Ellie's left arm released its grip on the case held to her chest and she grasped the log behind her. Her eyes scanned the familiar lake and she breathed in the familiar smell. Her hair was still wet and stained red from the blood that ran down her shoulder. 

"Sam," Bucky spoke up and the bickering ended. 

After a few moments of silence, Ellie turned her head to look behind her. Her eyes fell upon two men who stood a few feet away, staring at her in shock. Ellie turned fully to face them and Bucky took two walking steps forward before it turned into a run towards her. Ellie set the case she held to the side just as Bucky reached her and held her tight to his chest with no intention to let go anytime soon. 

"Oh, my God," Bucky breathed out and pressed his lips to the top of her head. 

Bruce walked around from behind the panel and stood next to Sam, joining him to stare in shock. 

"Well, I'll be damned..." Bruce mumbled. 

Bucky placed his hands on each side of Ellie's head and tilted her head back so that he could look at the face he thought he'd never see again. His eyes were blurred with tears that he blinked away only to see Ellie's own eyes welling up with tears. She smiled up at him and he kissed her forehead, then cheek, then nose, then all over her face before he landed a kiss on her lips and stayed there for a few moments. Bucky pulled away and rested his forehead on hers, taking in the moment for fear that she would disappear from him. 

"Hi, James," Ellie whispered and his heart melted to hear her voice again. 

"Hi," Bucky breathed out and he wrapped his arms around her again. "What-what happened?" 

"Steve traded a soul for a soul," she answered. 

Bucky quickly let go and his hands gripped Ellie's shoulders to hold her back and look at her. His eyes were wide and tears came to them again. 

"He what?" His face had a look of fear and Ellie immediately began to shake her head. 

"No, no, no, he's okay. I meant the Soul Stone," Ellie explained. "He returned the Soul Stone." 

Bucky's grip on her loosened and his look of fear turned to confusion. "Where is he now?" 

A small smile spread across Ellie's lips as she looked up at the love of her life. Bucky narrowed his eyes and tilted his head. He liked the smile that came from Ellie but confused with its meaning. 

"He had a dance to catch, Buck," Ellie answered. 

Bucky chuckled and glanced away. "Son of a bitch..." 

Ellie got on her tip-toes and kissed his cheek and hugged him again as tight as she could. Bucky returned the tight embrace and kissed her head again. His heart fluttered with happiness, knowing that he had the girl he loved again. 

"I missed you so much," he whispered. 

"I missed you too," Ellie replied. 

Bucky's eyes fell upon the round case that Ellie had appeared with. His brows furrowed in confusion and he kissed Ellie's temple to get her attention. 

"Ellie," he mumbled against her hair. 

"Hm?" Ellie replied. 

"What's in the bag?" Bucky asked. 

"Oh!" Ellie pulled away and looked past him to Sam and Bruce. "Sam!" She called him over and he stepped forward with no hesitation. 

"Hey, Snow Bird," Sam smiled and gave her a tight hug. "Nice surprise, that was." 

"Thanks." Ellie smiled and turned to the bag. "Steve wanted me to give you this." 

Ellie unzipped the zipper that ran down the rounded bag and pulled out a large disk. She turned it over to reveal the star and stripes. Sam raised his eyebrows and looked at Ellie, unsure whether he should take it or not. Ellie peeked her head up from behind the shield and looked at Sam. 

"This thing is pretty heavy, so you better take it before it takes me down," she strained. 

Sam took the shield and slowly put his arm through the straps while Ellie watched with anticipation. Once it was on, Sam looked down at it, then at Bucky and Ellie, unsure of how he felt holding it. 

"You look good," Ellie said. 

"She's right." Bucky nodded. 

"Wow," Sam breathed out. "And Steve said..." 

"It's yours... Captain." Ellie smiled. 

A/N: Welp. At this point, you see me in a "Shy Girl" stance... Congratulations to those of you who read through the whole thing, this is the longest chapter I have ever written. Hoped you all liked it. This is nothing like what I have written before and I have no regrets. It is all your decision if it is canon or not, because like, Ellie is alive now either way, though I do not think I will address it in future books. But it was still fun to write!