The Five Years (Romanogers)

Chapter 23: Sam

(Natasha's POV)

Well shit

"What are we going to do?" I twisted my braid nervously.
"I don't know..." Steve trailed off.

"Maybe I can just go back to present day and get another suit. But... uhh, we don't have enough Pym Particles. That would mean we would have to go back to the 70's first, then 2023, then back to 2014 Vormir." Steve rambled on.

Gamora looked immensely confused.
"Um, what? 2014 Vormir? Pym particles?"
"Oh, well me and Clint had to go before Thanos got the stone and Nebula and Rhodey needed to get the Power Stone from Peter so we all just went at the same time." I tried my best to explain the concept. I made weird gestures trying to make it make more sense. She still had a look of confusion but heck, I don't even know half of what I'm saying.

"Pym particles make us able to go back in time. There are limited amounts of them however and we can't re-make them, well technically Bruce is trying to make them." Steve explained but talked toward me about the Bruce thing.

"But at the moment I can't go back to the correct time. Bruce hasn't quite figured it out yet, needless to say, it might be another sorta-works-but-doesn't type of thing." I roll my eyes remembering the stupidity of Scott's failed time travel experience.

"Okay... So you have to go back in time to get these time travel things, then go to the 'real' time and get another suit then come back to 2014?"
"Yes." Steve said casually like it was no big deal.
"So why am I here if it's technically 2014?"
Steve was quite and looked at me.
"Uhh.. pfft.. I guess the soul realm is just being a little piece of shit.." I answered unconfidently. Steve shamed me for the lauguage. I playfully rolled my eyes.

"So, pretty much..." she trailed off and sighed,  "Okay, I have no idea what's going on but I trust you two to get us out of here." Gamora half joked.

"What are we going to do Steve?" I turned towards him with my arms crossed.
"I have two pimp particles left and you have one. You can go back and grab Nebula's suit and then take the single extra Pym particles. Then come back here. Then I'll go back for the other Pym particles and then return here. Got it?"
"Nope but okay!"
"Just get another suit and the left over Pym particle."
I nodded and gave Steve's hand a squeeze.

My suit fired up and took one last look and smiled at Steve before going into the time tunnel.

(Steve's POV)

I hope this works. I can't loose her again. I just got her back. My stomach is churning and my palms are sweaty. I cross my fingers and take some deep breaths, trying to regain my confidence.
"How long will see be gone?" Gamora asked.
"She'll be back in.. 7 seconds." I nervously smiled.
Gamora's eyes got huge and she mouthed 'okay'.
——-

(Natasha's POV)

I'm back. I look around and see Sam and Bruce looking extremely confused.
"Where the hell have you been? I thought you were dead!" I jumped down and Sam smiled at me before giving me a quick hug.
"I missed you too. I can't believe it actually worked." I beamed.
"Nat?" Bruce softly said.
I looked over and gave him a small smile.
"You are alive. I thought... it couldn't work." Bruce mumbled his ramble.

"Well, I guess it did." Sam and I chucked but Bruce still looked shocked. He walked towards me and never blinked.
"It's really you." He said in disbelief. I nodded unsure of what to do.

"Where's Steve?" Sam asked breaking the very awkwardness of Bruce and I.

"Oh right, so I need Nebula's suit and the leftover Pym particles."
"Why?" Bruce asked.
"Her sister is alive! The real one. We have to get her back." I walked over to the work station and continue talking, "Yeah, so.. those extra Pym particles...." I looked around some more.
"Yeah..." Sam looked at Bruce and put his hands in his pockets.
"Well, they're gone." Bruce nervously said and rubbed his hand behind his neck.

I froze and turned my attention back to them.
"G-gone?" I questioned coldly.
"Yes.. ma'am." Sam respond scared.
I clenched my fists.
"Okay.." I took a few deep breaths.
Sam and Bruce looked at each other scared.
"Uh... well." Bruce started to say.
"I need those particles." I interrupted.
"Yes I know but I don't know how to make them."

"Why don't you just figure it out. You are a genius after all." I sourly said.
"Well it's not that easy!" I raised his voice.
"Ugh!" I threw my hands up.
"Believe it or not I'm not a genius in time travel!" He yelled.
"I never said," I stopped talking, this wasn't worth my energy.

And he wonders why I didn't look for him after her left. At least I didn't have to deal with his mood swings in that time.

"Well, we still have a problem. No particles. I have to get back to Steve and Gamora." I tried to get back on topic.
"You have plenty of time Natasha, to them it won't seem long remember." Sam reasoned with me. I nodded back.
"Why don't you guys just go find the maker of the particles." Sam suggested.
"Perfect." I gave him little finger-gun hands and smiled.

"Hank Pym" Bruce read from a sheet of paper.
"That name sounds familiar... Oh no." The realization hit me.
"What?" Bruce and Sam both said in confusion.
"Well, lets go find Scott." I hesitantly said. Sam rolled his eyes.

"That guy?" He make a small pinching gesture to signify that we are taking about the Ant-sized hero.
"Yep, That guy."
"Great." He sarcastically said.
"I don't see a problem with him..." Bruce added on as we went to the car. Sam and I snickered.

"We will be back soon, Bruce. Don't let anything happen to that portal while I'm gone." I said getting into the driver side of the car.
"Got it Nat."

-—-

"Dang, I knew y'all were a thing once but man."
"Well after someone leaves for almost 4 years and wants things to 'be like they were before" , you kinda don't want to spend time with them." I joked.
"Yeah, that's understandable."

"So, what was it like being... dead... for 5 years?" I asked as nicely as I could.
"Wow, really getting to the sensitive stuff I see." He sarcastically remarked.
I rolled my eyes, "You know what I mean."

"Well, it was odd being tuned into literal dust." He laughed at his own stupid joke. I gave him a 'Really' look and he smirked in return.

"Well, I was very confused at first. But the odd thing was, I was only there for about... 5 minutes tops. Well it felt like that." He looked out the window.
"I guess it felt like I passed out. I don't remember anything though."

We sat in a moment of thought before I spoke up again.
"Wow, that's really lucky. The reason I'm here, ya know, she didn't have such a good experience."
He looked at me and furrowed his eyebrows.

"Well she could see all you guys and she thought you all got to talk to one another but I guess not. She was there too, and so was I. But we could talk to each other and move."
"Ya know, I think I liked everything a lot better when we only had to run from Ross and Hydra agents more than all this death and Thanos shit now."
I laughed at him.

"I couldn't agree more. Oddly enough, I think the time when we were 'criminals' had some of my favorite memories."
"Like what?"

"Oh, I don't know." I thought for a moment.
I laughed, "The time you," I laughed again, "when.. that one pull out mattress.." I couldn't finish because I was laughing too much.
"Aw come on man! Don't remind me of that! I had a bruise for weeks!"
I erupted into more laughter.

"Ah, I missed you Sam."
"I missed you too, even though it was only a few days for me. You know, when Steve told me about your death, I may have shed a tear or two."
I fake gasped, "You mean, THE Sam Wilson cares about me!" I laughed and Sam flicked me.
"Hey, I know I don't show it but I do care for you, Steve makes me."

We both laughed and shared more memories of each other, Bucky, Wanda, and Steve until we reached Scott's house.