Luke pushed himself up from the table, the chair scraping softly against the floor as he stood.
"Fury is not wrong," he said, voice steady. "Right now? You guys have no team energy."
Before anyone could fire back, the door slid open.
Clint walked in, one hand pressed to his temple, face pale and clearly still paying the price for being mind-controlled. "Am I interrupting something," he muttered, "or did I show up right on time?"
A few heads turned toward him.
"You're fine," Natasha said. "We were just wrapping up."
Luke glanced at Clint, then back at the others. "Good. Saves me from repeating myself."
Luke paused, then gave a small shrug, like he was brushing off something heavier than he wanted to admit.
"Well, I don't really have the right to lecture any of you," he said. "If we're being honest, I might be more selfish than most people in this room. I act when I want to, leave when I want to, and I don't answer to anyone."
He looked around at them—Steve, Tony, Natasha, Clint, Thor—his expression calm, almost certain.
"But there's one thing I know."
He tapped the table lightly with a finger.
"In the future, you save a lot of lives. Not as separate pieces, not as egos clashing in the same room—but as a solid team. When it actually matters."
Tony tilted his head, studying him. "You saying that like it's a fact. Don't tell me you can see the future too."
"Sometimes," Luke replied simply. "Not everything. Not details. Just… outcomes."
Steve frowned slightly. "And in those outcomes?"
Luke met his eyes. "Earth keeps standing because of you. Because when things get bad enough, you stop pulling in different directions and start backing each other up."
That would be true for a long time—until the day disagreements turned into lines in the sand and the team broke apart during Civil War. But that was still ahead, still unwritten. And Luke had no intention of letting history play out the same way this time.
Tony leaned back a little, arms crossing. "So that includes him too?" he asked, glancing at Thor.
"Because I can picture everyone else here sticking their necks out for Earth. Still getting used to the alien god part."
Luke followed his look. "Yeah. Him too."
Thor didn't react much, just stood there, calm.
"He wouldn't be here if he didn't care," Luke added. "He's not subtle about it, but he does."
Thor gave a small nod. "Midgard matters to me. That is enough."
Luke looked around the room and spoke evenly, not pushing, just stating the obvious. "See? Your reasons are different, but the goal is the same. None of you want to see Earth in danger. None of you want innocent people paying the price."
Silence followed, not tense—thoughtful.
Steve spoke up after a moment, calm and direct. "If people need protection, I'll stand there. That's it. That's the job."
Tony didn't argue. He just gave a small nod, arms crossing loosely as if he'd already made up his mind.
Natasha inclined her head, subtle but certain.
Thor watched them, then gave another firm nod.
Banner hesitated, then slowly raised his hand, like he wasn't even sure he should be speaking.
"Umm… I don't think I can really help," he said quietly. "The thing inside me causes more damage than it saves. Wherever I go, people get hurt."
Luke looked at him for a moment, then spoke without judgment. "That's true—he causes damage. But calling him a monster isn't right either."
Banner frowned. "You saw what he did. He destroys everything."
"Hulk isn't evil," Luke replied evenly. "He's a misbehaved child with too much strength. When he's scared or angry, he lashes out. The difference is… his tantrums level buildings."
Banner shook his head. "A child doesn't leave cities in ruins."
"No," Luke agreed. "But a child also doesn't choose to hurt people. Hulk doesn't wake up wanting to destroy. He reacts. Big difference."
Banner fell silent. He'd spent years hating that part of himself—trying to erase it, cage it, or kill it. Hearing Hulk described as misguided instead of evil unsettled him more than anger ever had.
"So think about it, Banner," Luke said calmly. "Has Hulk ever gone out of his way to kill innocent people? Not soldiers chasing him. Not people trying to cage him. I mean intentionally."
Banner opened his mouth, then stopped.
"A monster hunts," Luke continued. "It chooses victims. Hulk doesn't. He reacts. He swings back. There's a difference—even if the damage looks the same."
Before Banner could respond, Luke's phone buzzed.
"Sorry," Luke said, pulling it out and glancing at the screen. Jill.
He tilted his head slightly. "I've got to take this—family call."
He stepped a little aside and answered. "Hey, Jill. What's up? Did the shopping finish? You guys reach the new place?"
There was a brief pause as he listened.
"Oh, you arrived already? Good. You like it?"
Another pause.
"What's Wanda asking about me?"
Luke listened for a second, then replied, "I'm busy right now, but tell her to stay calm. No overthinking, no letting her emotions spiral. She'll be fine. I'll explain how to control her powers properly when I get back."
He paused, then added lightly, "Yeah. Bye."
The call ended.
All eyes turned to Luke.
He raised an eyebrow. "What?"
***
At the same time high above New York, the air split open.
A portal tore across a rooftop, cold pouring out as a woman stepped through. Ice spread beneath her boots, thin and sharp.
Her military uniform clung tightly to a curvy figure, cinched at the waist, the short skirt leaving her long, pale thighs bare to the night air. The fitted jacket strained over full, heavy breasts, buttons holding by design rather than mercy.
Long ice-blue hair fell down her back as she straightened, confident, unbothered. The temperature dipped when she lifted her head.
Cold blue eyes swept the city below. A slow, satisfied smile formed.
The portal snapped shut.
She set a gloved hand on her hip, chest rising calmly, like the world already belonged to her.
"Let's see," she murmured, voice smooth, dangerous, and faintly amused,
"whether this world has something entertaining…"
Her eyes glinted.
"…or someone who'll can finally catch my eye "
*****
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