Venus | James B. Barnes✔️

lvi. 𝚝𝚘𝚗𝚢'𝚜 𝚏𝚎𝚎𝚕𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚜

"GET OUT of here, Evelyn," Tony told her with a sneer on his lips as she walked over to help Tony once she was sure Steve and Bucky were far enough away. Tony watched her not say a word as she crouched down and tapped his arc reactor—what was left of it—three times to have the suit open. Tony's face was the worst that she could see. Evelyn placed her hand in front of his gaze, waiting for him to take her gesture. Tony did, though hesitantly, and she pulled him out of the suit to sit next to her. Both were quiet as they sat there until he said, "Why didn't you go with them?"

Evelyn stared at the sky through the pillars. She could see the sky covered in clouds as the snow brought her back to the mountainside when looking for Bucky. She was afraid of snow if anyone could believe it. All it reminded her was of the biggest failure in her life. "Because you needed me more right now," she said, moving her hand to grab his. He hissed in pain when she moved over a scar, but he refused to let her hand go when she tried. "Because even if you never forgive him, which I don't expect you to, I want you to remember that you're not alone. We're family, Anthony."

Tony let out a shaky breath. "Yeah? So, why're you forgiving him?"

Evelyn looked down at her hands. "Because it's my fault he became the Winter Soldier. It's my fault for not looking harder when he told me he heard me screaming for him in those mountains. It's my fault for giving up when we both could have survived had I gotten to him in time. I could have sent a radio transmission to Howard for him to find us, and we'd have lived happily ever after. No muss, no fuss, no deaths. I blame myself. And Hydra, of course," she told him honestly. "So, I forgive him."

Tony hummed but said nothing else.

"I'd rather you blame me, actually. James has had enough blame put on him to last a lifetime," she said before standing up. She extended her hand to him again. "Let's get you home, Tony."

Tony grabbed her hand and stood. She let him keep an arm around her to help him walk. She reached down and picked up Steve's shield, handing it to him without saying a word. Tony had his suit set to self-destruct, and they were on their way. The pair struggled to walk, Evelyn's ankle hurting more than ever from the falling and jumping she had done. Evelyn was glad to see their jet still sitting there, though she wondered how Steve and Bucky had gotten out of Siberia.

Making sure Tony was strapped in when they made it inside of the jet, she sat down in the pilot's chair—beginning the flight.

Tony stared at the shield for a while before saying, "If Ross sees you, you're going to jail. You know that, right?"

Evelyn smiled wryly. "Guess he'll have to catch me first."

Tony smirked a bit at her words. Evelyn flew them all the way back to New York to the new Avengers Compound. Landing on the roof, she watched as Vision appeared, eyes narrowed as if to assess whether or not there was a threat. When Evelyn opened the hatch to show herself and Tony, who was holding Captain's shield, Vision's head tilted slightly.

"Mrs. Barnes," Vision greeted, his tone full of confusion.

Evelyn helped Tony get off the jet as she replied, "Hey, Vis." He seemed thoughtful for a moment, and she said, "Don't worry. I'll be on my way shortly. I just had to make sure my nephew was all right. You understand, don't you?"

"I do," Vision replied with a small smile on his lips. When they got to Tony's bedroom, Vision watched as Tony simply stared at Evelyn as she cleaned his wounds. She did not dare tend to herself as she made sure Tony was perfectly okay. "You are sure you will not stay here?"

Tony's gaze softened as she said, "No, I can't. I have a few other matters to attend to, and I know Ross is searching high and low for the three of us." She paused. "I am sorry, Vision, that Wanda was taken."

Vision looked aside as Evelyn finished wiping Tony's face. "I am sorry for the catastrophe that happened in the airport."

"It was a catastrophe, wasn't it?" Evelyn said with a slight laugh as she backed away from Tony. "I'm going to shower if you don't mind," she told Tony as she added, "before I have to leave."

"Go ahead," Tony told her. Before she could leave, he grabbed her arm. "I'm sorry for hurting you and for almost killing him."

"Don't apologize," she told him softly. "Your feelings were justified. I do not expect you to forgive him for my sake."

Tony nodded curtly as she walked off, looking like a different version of herself. She used to walk with confidence, standing tall. Now, she seemed defeated. Tony rubbed his wrist with a scowl as Vision stared at him.

"Mr. Stark?" he asked softly.

"Her hubby killed my mom when he was the Hydra agent," Tony told him in summary. "I'm not sure what to do about it anymore."

Vision sighed, his voice sounding like Jarvis and saying wise advice that Tony could hear Jarvis telling him. "There are some things best left untouched," he told Tony. "Maybe this is one of them."

"Forget about it?" Tony asked with a scoff.

"No," Vision said quickly. "No, but you should not let revenge fester inside of you—growing until it takes you over completely. There will be a day where you will be in the same room as Mr. Barnes again whether you like it or not. For the sake of Evelyn, what will you have to do?"

Tony sighed now, his voice defeated as he said, "I get it."

Evelyn stepped out of the bathroom, clothed in jeans and a nice shirt. She wore one of Bucky's jackets she had left there once before as she slipped on boots with a small heel. She dried her hair, staring at herself in the mirror. The bruises and cuts were prominent, but she did not care so much. She grabbed a pair of sunglasses, not bothering with fixing her hair.

Evelyn looked down at her hands, seeing Bucky's metal hand punching Howard repeatedly in her mind. She took a shaky breath, looked back up, and almost screamed when she saw a woman standing behind her.

The woman was bald, dark-skin. She wore a red outfit that looked like a warrior preparing for a battle. Evelyn turned and frowned. "Hi?" she said questionably, a little afraid by the weapon in the woman's hand. It was a large spear.

"My name is Ayo. I am here in regards of the Dora Milaje in Wakanda," she told Evelyn, stepping closer. "You are Evelyn Barnes, yes?" she said, accent thick to show she did not speak English as her first language. Evelyn felt another fight brewing, and she hoped the woman was not there to hurt her. She could not take another battle that day.

"I am," Evelyn whispered before she raised her voice. "Why are you here?"

The woman's steely facade fell as she let a smile make its way onto her face. "Your husband and friend are in Wakanda waiting for you. We must leave soon."