𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐇𝐑𝐄𝐄 || 𝘗𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘢𝘴

NEW YORK AT NIGHT WAS AS SPECTACULAR AS CARTER ALWAYS BELIEVED IT TO BE. No matter the different jumps he made between universes and tweaks of the environment, the bright lights still captured his attention. And although it might not have been for everyone, the pungent scents of the streets and alleys did remind him of times simpler.

Back in the day, when he would take the metro and busses to get to where he was going, all he could see was look around and smell. It wasn't all beautiful. Many cases of people fighting in the streets, robberies, and accidents were an everyday thing for him. All of it is horrible in its own right. But it was enough for him to keep going for another day.

And a couple of blocks from Avengers Tower was this cafe tucked away from the busyness of the city. A nice little spot that very few went to and was his first stop and last stop of every day. He never could figure out what made him so compelled to go to THAT specific place. There were half a dozen closer to his workplace but none of them gave a sense of peace

That's probably the reason why he found himself standing outside Coffee Bean. Its illuminated sign made it easier for him to breathe, fixing a tiny smile across his lips. Unbothered by the strange looks given by passerby who found his fixated position in the middle of the sidewalk disrespectful.

"Oye, Locke!" His gaze flickered to the front door, finding Nova and Natasha stood waiting. Nova sporting more of a grin than Natasha's contemplated look. Lost in her trail of thought to even care about him. "You coming?"

Taking the pilot up on her offer, Carter stepped inside after the pair. The warmth enticed him to relax further into the familiarities of the joint. Relinquishing his jacket, he hung it up on the oak coat hanger just by the door where three others were hung.

Rubbing his hands together, he looked at the chalk display above the front counter. Names of drinks were labelled in colourful chalk, and their prices were adjacent. He scanned for a few moments before he smiled, pointing. "That. Pumpkin Winter."

Nova glanced at him frowning. "Pumpkin Winter?"

"I know you might think the name is strange, but they sell it more than you'd like to think. I've spent hundreds of dollars just buying that one drink," Carter explained, a beaming smile. "Maybe not the greatest financial choices, but trust me when I tell you it's God's given gift to us little Earthlings."

The woman snickered, "Alright, I trust you." She pointed to an open booth at the corner of the room. Perfectly spaced out from the overly romantic couple and the elderly woman. "How about you two get us that spot? I can get us our drinks."

Natasha, seemingly now relieved of her thoughts, looked at her girlfriend. "You know what I want?"

"Black, Natasha. You are a heathen. How could I forget the drink only consumed by heathens?" Natasha laughed, kissing Nova's temple before moving with Carter to the booth.

They both slid on the opposite sides, both sighing in unison. A shared exhaustion that had hung over the two of them for the past few days.

"Good to be out of the Tower," Natasha muttered, glancing out the window. "Never thought I would hear the end of Tony's complaining."

Carter wanted to laugh but he stopped himself. Pursing his lips sourly with his face knitting into a sense of frustration. Or confliction. "Listen, I just want to say thank you. For everything, really."

His words grabbed Natasha's attention. A faint smile danced across her face, eyes squinting with a shake of her head. "I haven't done anything."

"Sure you haven't." He toyed with a sugar packet, finding its entire existence more interesting than trying to hold the woman's gaze. "I am terrible with thanking people, but... I just want you to know that since you've fought against Tony, I might have a real chance here. With Wanda, you know?"

Natasha sat silently for a few moments. Her soft green eyes seared through Carter's almost embarrassed expression. But her attention quickly switches to Nova. The woman stood at the serving end of the counter with a smile. Talking to one of the baristas who looked twice her age.

"I'm guessing you saw Cooper's helmet?" Natasha asked, looking to Carter to find him ready to meet her gaze. She didn't wait for confirmation, already directing her attention back to the angel she was privileged to call hers. "Nova is still struggling with it. Accepting the truth. I don't blame her. If it'd been her, I probably would shut down. But I haven't seen her this bright in a while."

"What do you mean?" Carter inquired, glancing over at Nova.

In his eyes, he saw the girl he knew. His friend. But in Natasha's eyes, she saw Nova glowing. A ruminating essence of gold around her figure like a lens flare. It could just be mistaken for some irreversible level of love Natasha never thought possible. But this was always how she'd seen Nova. This light in the darkness she could always reach out to and hold close to her chest.

"She's smiling. She's laughing. She making jokes. It's been so long since I heard her laugh, I didn't even realize how much I took it for granted." Natasha's gaze drifted to her thoughts for a moment before she licked her lips and looked at the man. A smile forming on her lips, nodding, she said, "That's because of you. I don't know what goes on in my pup's head, but I know that whatever you said gave her a second wind. A chance to try and keep going."

Carter stared at the woman for a few moments. His lips slightly parted, like he was about to speak. Something, some word just dancing on the tip of his tongue. It wanted to spill out. A dismissal of such a statement. A denial of any contribution to allowing his friend a chance to heal.

But he stopped himself.

All he did was smile.

Before their conversation could go any further, Nova came walking over with three cups. "All right, I'm back." She beamed, sliding into the space beside Natasha and began to distribute the cups. "Ok, one Pumpkin Winter for you. One for me and-" she scowled at the black substance in the last cup, gagging and sliding it toward Natasha "-a cup for the heathen."

"Oh, you love me." Natasha peppered Nova's cheek in kisses, earning a slap across the stomach.

"You fuckin' wish," Nova laughed.

Meanwhile, Carter smiled, watching the pair. In every universe he went to, they always ended up together. A match made and set in stone.

He was jealous. He missed feeling what they were feeling. That undeniable, unconditional, forevermore love. For so long he'd been chasing it and always slipped from his grasp. Seeping through the cracks of his fingers like sand. Not once had he thought about what he would do when he got it back. It wasn't like he could forget what happened before. Had this been a good idea in the first place? Was this all for good reason?

Now thinking about it, the happiness he felt for Natasha and Nova soured. Carter cared about them and was happy for them both, but all he pictured was himself and Wanda sharing the same type of moment. But the likeliness of that happening was slim to none. This universe would end up being another dud and this moment would mean nothing when he went to the next.

"Carter?" The man blinked, looking at Nova with a hum. "You know Leila, right?"

Carter stifled a groan, rolling his eyes at the mere mention of the woman. "Oh, I know her for sure. Am I going to have to see her during this entire process?"

Nova shook her head, swallowing the contents of her drink. "No, she's out in London with her kids- Wait, this shit is so fucking good!"

Although he was glad to hear she appreciated his suggestion, he frowned and leaned forward. "Leila has kids? As in plural?"

She nodded. "Oh, fuck yea'," she laughed. "Azreal and Faye." Then she frowned. "Why? Did she not have any in prior universes?"

"No. She often ended up killing Thor and taking his place as the successor of Asgard. Or she was Thor's wife who had no problem using that silver tongue of hers. Got me on cigarettes, that bitch." He hummed in thought, shaking his head. "Jesus. Leila a mother? I never thought I would see the day-"

His words halted at the familiar chime above the front door. Turning just for a glance but ended up staring at the woman for far longer than either Natasha or Nova expected.

He was frozen in time. A breath could shatter everything around him and no matter how hot his chest burned, he didn't breathe.

"Carter, you good?" Natasha asked, leaning forward slightly. Looking between the woman ordering her drink and the mystery man, she asked, "Do you know her?"

Her button nose was still as adorable as he last remembered. The existence she held to him was significant yet somehow inevitable. His line of work had placed her in the position to obtain her wings far earlier than needed. "Drew." His voice hung just above a whisper of shock. The look in his eyes betrayed his closed-off facade with pain and yearning. "My sister."

Natasha frowned, looking over at the woman. She wore a large puffer jacket over top of her plaid shirt. Stressed denim jeans with a black beanie on, hiding the messy strands of hair. Her eyes were slightly sunken with dark circles beneath both. Lack of sleep or stress.

"She's your sister?" Nova whispered loudly, glancing between the woman and Carter. A whole wave of realization washed over her, eyes widening. "Wait. This is bad. Carter, have you ever seen your sister in any other universe? Have you met another you?"

The man's senses were deafened. His eyes were perverse to this. "If he interacts with her, it could throw reality into a counterbalance. It could destroy this universe," Nova muttered under her breath. "The first rule to time travelling is to never interact with yourself. But it might just extend to family as well."

The colliding thoughts floating in Carter's skull continued to dampen her words. Any form of consciousness seems depleted by his entire existence devoted to his sister.

Nova could understand. She knows that if it'd been her in his shoes, she would freeze up. If Cooper miraculously walked through the doors, unaware of the knowledge and love she had for him, she'd be running over and embracing him. But things weren't that simple. Nothing would ever be that easy, either.

Sometimes, some things were better let to rest.

Reaching across the table, Nova grabbed the man's wrist. "Carter." He turned his head halfway, now present with her. "You can't."

"I know, it's just..." He sighed, turning away from his sister and leaning back into the cushioning of the booth. Eyes fixated on his favourite drink and finding it more detestable now. His prior happiness sunken down to the other haunting memories.

"She wore that same shirt the day she died."