When the flames fell back they were back in the Sanctum. Harry didn't have a specific location in mind, but his magic had taken him to a full meeting room. The reaction was immediate- averted eyes, blushing, and awkwardly turned heads. Harry belatedly became aware of his state of dress- or lack thereof.
"Er, shite. Sorry." He mumbled, blushing. At least he'd landed in a group that was mostly his closest friends, including many he was already sleeping with. However, Rogue's cheeks were quickly taking on the shade of a tomato.
Tony Stark, however, wasn't phased in the slightest. "So, you're in charge around here? Is the dress code optional, boss?"
Harry rolled his eyes and formed a simple set of robes around him. Skye pouted playfully. "Good to see you, Tony." Harry said. "What did I miss?" Judging by the people present, and the fact that Carol was clearly free, the mission had gone well. "Did everything go according to plan?"
"Not exactly, but it worked out. The Hydra has been decapitated." Skye said. "The prison rescue became kind of a clusterfuck, but we were able to get most of the casualties out, and we're healing them now with elixir."
Harry nodded. "And I see that we've gotten Tony and Carol." He glanced at the two Avengers. "Anyone else?"
"Bruce Banner." Skye said. "Rogue helped take him down, actually." Rogue, her cheeks still pink, nodded quickly. "We also found Bucky." Harry grinned approvingly. Steve would be so happy to see both Peggy and Bucky, when they pulled him back. "Peggy found your kids fighting him."
All other thoughts fell away. "She what?"
Skye glanced at the door. "Nat and Shuri are already chewing them out, but I assume…" Harry was already walking. Of all the foolish, reckless stunts! He hated how much his kids took after him sometimes.
"Kids?" He heard Carol ask, and that made him pause for a moment.
Harry turned back to her and said. "With Nat and Shuri." Tony wolf-whistled. "I want to catch up, Carol but first…"
"Go." She waved him on.
"Don't worry, Harry." Wanda interjected. "I'll help catch her up on things."
Harry pushed through the door, stepping into a hallway. It was less crowded than the room he'd just vacated, but he could hear Nat's voice, muffled behind a door. He followed it and continued on into a small sitting area. Nat and Shuri were lecturing a group of six teens, two of which Harry didn't recognize.
Nat stopped mid-sentence and glanced at Harry. "Harry." She said sweetly. "Would you care to guess what our dear children have been up to while we were working?"
"Skye told me." He grunted. "Though I don't know the details." He regarded Lily and T'Chone who cringed as he entered, expecting another outburst, before glancing at Septimius who seemed to be curling in on himself, and finally at the three newcomers. He knew Peter Parker, though not well. Tony had always been more involved with the kid than Harry. Part of him wanted to be happy that his kids had made more friends, but he was too furious with them to care. He refocused on his two children. "What happened?" He asked them.
"Well, uh." Lily stumbled. "T'Chone, Septimius and I, uh, sorta, went through a portal? And fought Hydra people? And rescued Peter, Gwen, and Miles, and then there was this guy with a metal arm and-"
Harry held up his hand. "Didn't we talk about this? You agreed to sit this one out. Was this a spur of the moment thing, or did you just lie to me?" He stared Lily down, and she looked at the floor guiltily.
"I see." Harry said. He couldn't help but feel disappointed. He'd lied to adults in his life when he was their age, but most adults in his life hadn't listened to him the way he had to Lily and T'Chone.
"We wanted to help." T'Chone said feebly.
"Didn't I involve you?" Harry asked. "You went into Hogwarts on your own. I've included you in meetings." The sort of meetings he'd always been barred from. "We've been training." The sort of training Dumbledore had never given him. "And the first time I set a boundary, you ignore me. You lie to me. If it weren't for Peggy you… you…" They both were stricken, and Harry looked away. He could have so easily lost them today. Even though he was livid, part of him wanted to clutch both of them to him. He didn't know what he'd do if that happened, or how far he'd go.
"Dad." Lily tried. "I'm sorry."
Harry gritted his teeth, reining in his emotions. Neither reaction- reckless shouting, or hugs and tears- would be useful right now. "I think you should go to your rooms, kids." Nat said. "We'll discuss your punishment later." Lily, T'Chone and Septimius filed out, leaving the other three teens standing there awkwardly. Nat took mercy on them. "Peter, Gwen, Miles- I'm sorry you had to see that. We'll get your rooms next to theirs."
-----
The meeting had broken up not long after Harry left to deal with his children. Carol wondered if it was odd, to realize that Harry was a father. On the one hand Carol had no doubt that he'd be- he was- a wonderful dad. The patience and forgiveness he'd shown her told her that much. At the same time, Carol had only ever known Harry as someone who was alone, who'd lost everything. The tragedy of losing Lily had weighed so heavily on both him and Natasha, and it had nearly torn them apart.
Here, he had a family, not just a found family, but a real flesh and blood family. She was happy for him, but where did that leave her? In her first life, she'd essentially thrown herself at him when they were both at their lowest points. It hadn't been her proudest moment, but part of her regretted that he didn't take her up on her offer. She'd assumed there'd be time to figure things out between them after they undid the snap. She'd been wrong. There had been no 'later' for them to figure things out. Harry had gotten himself killed, and then- then-
Well, now they were here, and Carol didn't know what to do with herself. She'd spent so much of her life as a lone wolf, never staying in one place for long, and certainly never returning to Earth. She was sure if a shrink looked at her, they'd point to all the obvious sources of trauma. And now, of course, she had even more of that to heap onto the pile. Most of her life under Hydra's thumb was a blur, but those points that did stick out made her time under the Cree seem pleasant.
"Fuck this world." She muttered to herself.
"You said it." Carol startled at the voice, turning to face an unfamiliar redheaded woman. Carol supposed she should have expected that she wouldn't have privacy here. After all, this was Harry's quarters. She hadn't dared go into his bedroom, not after the last time she'd ambushed him in his bedroom unannounced, but they also had a sitting room and several offices to themselves, so she'd propped herself up on a couch and stewed.
"I'm Ginny." The woman introduced herself. "Ginny Weasley. I'm Harry's… well his first girlfriend, from his wizarding school." The pieces clicked into place. The implications of this world having wizards hadn't fully registered with her until now. Harry's old friends were all here.
"Carol." She nodded in return. "I'm… I guess I'm his friend."
"He's been worried about you ever since he realized what happened to you." Ginny said. "You're his friend, at the very least." Carol mulled her words over. They seemed to leave an opening for something more.
"I'm surprised you're so fine with him getting other partners." Carol said.
Ginny shrugged. "Growing up here changes your perspective. Like you said, this world sucks. I would have become a brood mistress for some wizard who was rich enough to get out of combat. In contrast, this is quite nice." She furrowed her brow. "Though with all the women vying for him, and how busy we are with the war… I wish we had more time together."
"I guess I'd just make that worse, wouldn't I."
"I didn't- I wasn't trying to imply anything." Ginny grunted with frustration.
"I mean, what place would I even have here?" She knew him the least, spent the least time with him, and was the last to know him. She'd never held down a real relationship in her life, preferring no strings to tie her down, even before aliens got involved. Maybe she was meant to be on her own, maybe it'd be easier for everyone.
"Harry cares about you." Ginny said. "I'm not trying to push you away. I'm also not trying to rope you in, like Wanda is." Carol smiled. Wanda had been a little much, which is why Carol had begged off early. "You have a choice. I don't really know you, so I can't say what's right for you, though." She shrugged.
"But if I did want to be with him… that'd be okay with you?"
"What's one more traumatized person for our weird little family." Ginny chuckled dryly. There was a moment of silence. "I'm just glad we could get you out of there. I've been there before."
"You have?"
"I was eleven." She said, looking down. "Harry saved me." There was a story there, but Carol knew not to touch it. "The point is. There are people who understand. And if you feel like you aren't worthy of being loved because of what happened to you- that's utter shite."
Carol snorted. "Message received."
The door opened, and Harry walked in. Carol couldn't look away from him, and his troubled features softened at the sight of her. "I'm sorry about that, Carol. My kids…"
"Are being little shits." Shuri snorted. "I can't believe them."
"They really do take after you." Ginny said, with some fondness.
"Yeah, except I included them far more than we ever were." Harry grumbled. "I don't know what to do about them."
"If they want to go into the field, then take them seriously." Wanda said. Nat and Shuri bristled, but she continued. "We can put them on an… appropriate training regimen."
Harry scratched his chin. "That's not bad, actually. But we can work that out later." He turned to Carol, causing her heart to flutter. It was easier to say that it might be best to not be with Harry when he wasn't around, but when he was looking at her with those eyes, it was very hard for her not to sink into them. "Carol, it's been too long."
She nodded.
"I'm sorry, I wish we could have gotten to you sooner." Harry shook his head. "But I'm glad Nat and Wanda were able to bring you back."
"Wanda is impressive." Carol said. "I may need a rematch."
"Bring it on." Wanda smirked. "Winner gets Harry for the night."
"Don't take the bet, Carol." Ginny said. "This is her thing. She wins either way."
Carol was blushing, but she also wasn't one to back down from a challenge. "Oh, it's on."
"Ladies." Natasha said. "Save the sparring for another day. The Ancient One will be pissed if you level the Sanctum, and even you two wouldn't want to piss her off."
"You're lucky." Carol jibed.
"Well, I'm certainly getting lucky." Wanda said airily.
"You're irrepressible." Harry said. "Carol just got here, give it a few days before you try to seduce her." He was right, she knew. The night after being freed from brainwashing wasn't the time to throw herself into Harry's arms. She knew that, logically, but a large part of her just wanted to forget it all, and sex seemed like a great way to do that. Then the door opened, and Daisy sauntered in.
"Speaking of irrepressible." Natasha muttered.
"Wooh!" Daisy cheered. "Mission success, lets fuck!"
"You're drunk." Harry noted.
"Maybeee." She draped herself over Harry. "Are you going to punish me daddy?"
Carol coughed uncomfortably, and Ginny looked at her sympathetically. "Why don't you… put her to bed." Ginny said. "I'll take care of Carol."
She felt a pang, and she realized that she didn't want this. She didn't want to sleep alone. She wanted to fall asleep in Harry's arms, the way she did in those final nights after the snap. "Carol." Harry called, leaving a pouting Daisy behind. He gathered him into her arms, and she couldn't help the happy sigh that escaped her. "Welcome home."
"They do have a bit of a dynamic." Ginny admitted, as she led Carol away. "It takes some time to get used to it."
"Do you feel… like an outsider around them?" Carol wouldn't have guessed that. Ginny was Harry's first girlfriend, after all. Then again, it did make sense. She'd missed a lot of Harry's life, where he built relationships with other women.
"Sometimes." Ginny admitted. "But they try to include me. There's surprisingly little drama."
"Really?"
Ginny shrugged. "Natasha is very practical, no drama there. Wanda loves involving more women, maybe a little too much. Skye is incredibly bi. And they're all so hot." She winked. "It all works somehow."
Ginny would leave Carol with her own room, and a lot to think about. She tossed and turned for a few minutes, her dissatisfaction growing. She didn't want this, she didn't want this. Then there was a knock on the door. In a flash, she was up and opening it.
"Harry." She breathed, taken by him. With just the two of them, it was all the easier to get sucked in by him, his presence.
"Carol." He said. "It didn't feel right, to leave you alone."
Carol swallowed. "Yeah?"
"Would you like to talk, and cuddle?"
-----
When Ginny returned, Harry had taken Skye to bed and tucked her in. Shuri had also retreated to bed. "I'm going to check on Carol." Harry said. "She can't be alright, not with everything that's happened to her. I might be a while."
"I thought you weren't planning on having sex with her yet." Nat teased.
"I'm not." Harry said. "Really, I'm not. I just want to be there."
Ginny waved him off. "Go. I bet she'll be happy to see you."
With Harry gone it was just her, Nat, and Wanda. "I'm sorry, Ginny, if we ever make you feel excluded." Wanda said suddenly. That her words pierced through the heart of her insecurities pricked Ginny's suspicions.
"Were you rummaging through my mind?"
"No, Nat was eavesdropping." Wanda said, instantly ratting the spy out.
"Hey!"
Ginny rolled her eyes. "Of course, can't keep a secret around here. Want to know anything else about me? I had a dream last night about-"
"Oh, I know all about those." Wanda smirked.
"Was she always like this?" Ginny asked.
"No, she's worse now. Much more shameless." Nat said.
"I spent years having sex dreams about Harry and all of you. So what if I'm more… open about what I want?" Wanda shook her head. "But that's not what I wanted to talk about. Ginny, you belong here, more than most of us."
"Just because I was first?" She shrugged. "We were technically broken up when Harry left, I don't have a claim on him."
"I'm not talking about that." Wanda said decisively. The conviction in her words drew both Ginny and Natasha in. "When Harry brought me back, I saw what happened to me, in a world where Harry didn't exist."
"What do you mean?"
"There was another version of me, from a version of my world where the only difference was that Harry wasn't there. She… I fell."
"Everyone makes mistakes." Nat said. "I have a ledger dripping with blood."
Wanda shook her head. "You don't understand. I went mad. I turned on my friends. I killed people. I tried to murder an innocent girl. I would have burned down the multiverse, murdered an alternate version of me, anything to get my way. I was a monster, and when I realized it, I killed myself."
Ginny and Nat were stunned into silence. "I'm not saying this to wallow." Wanda continued. "I'm making a point. Nat, what do you imagine your fate would have been, if not for Harry?"
"I don't know." Nat said. "I'd probably be an Avenger still, but I don't know how we'd handle Thanos- or half the fights we had- without Harry."
"He took your place, Natasha." Wanda said.
"What?"
"Who do you think was meant to die on that cliff? You, you were meant to make that sacrifice, until someone even more self-sacrificing than you stepped in to take your place. You died, Nat, and the world never even gave you your due because everyone cared more about Tony Stark."
"Oh."
"And you're the same, aren't you Ginny? What would have happened to you, if not for Harry?"
She went cold, momentarily dropped back into her horrible first year- feeling that she was losing herself, realizing with horror that she was behind the attacks, her horrible powerlessness against something she didn't even understand, the world going black around her, and the nightmare ending as she woke up with Harry at her side.
"I'd be dead too." She said simply. "Is that what you're saying? We'd all be dead if not for Harry?"
"The others love Harry, and Harry loves them. But without him they'd have lived good lives. Skye would have made a home with her Shield team. Carol would have learned the same lessons with different people and less terrible consequences. Shuri would have lost a lot, but she'd also do incredible things. But us? We're different, we need him. However the timelines work out, we can't be parted from him."
"That's kind of messed up." Ginny said. "But… that's how I feel. I don't know how this is all going to shake out, but I refuse to be separated from him ever again."
"Exactly." Wanda said, glancing at Natasha.
"You know I agree." Nat relented. "But the execution is the tricky part. It always is."