Quinn Greene pulled her blonde hair back into a ponytail, pulling on a pair of track pants before padding softly down to the small kitchen.

Sam Wilson sat on one of the kitchen stools, sipping periodically from his coffee mug while staring at the wall opposite him.

A lot had changed over the last two years but thankfully the majority of it was for the better.

The small house that they were currently staying in mostly keep five people under the roof relatively comfortable even if that meant they were often a little too close together for comfort the majority of the time.

But considering that the five of them were constantly moving while on the run the smaller conditions were much more manageable.

"What are you doing up so early?" Quinn asked, heading towards the coffee pot herself.

"I could ask you the same thing you know."

"I know but I asked first after all."

Everyone within the group had changed a lot. Natasha had cut her hair off, dying it blonde while Aquila had also cut her hair shorter. Steve now had a beard in place of his usual clean-shaven appearance, something that Quinn was still quite undecided whether she preferred it or not. But arguably the person who had transformed the most was Quinn herself.

Going on the run with the others meant that Quinn needed to be able to defend herself with more than just a flashlight or a baseball bat. And after months of Natasha, Aquila and Steve also swapping turns to try and teach her everything they knew, Quinn could easily hold her own in a fight. Not that meant she would be taking Steve down in a spar anytime soon, but even Natasha struggled against the super-soldier.

"Well I'm surprised to see Steve isn't down here with you." Sam said with a playful smile. "He never seems to leave her side these days."

"Well he looked like he needed the sleep, so I let him."

"Well have fun with that. I'm not saving you when he comes down here demanding why you let him sleep in."

"Of course you wouldn't. Sam Wilson doesn't risk his arse for anyone else other than himself." Quinn teased.

"I just don't want to get in the way of an angry super soldier."

"He won't be angry, probably thankful." Quinn began but soon stopped when almost as if on cue Steve's voice reverberated off the walls reaching the kitchen.

"Quinn!"

Quinn shot a warning glance Sam's way before diving into one of the empty kitchen cupboards, her small frame easily fitting inside before shutting the door behind her just as Steve entered the kitchen.

"Sam, have you seen Quinn?" Steve asked as Quinn held her breath trying not to breathe in the thousands of dust particles in the air when her hand suddenly brushed against something squishy.

"Yeah, she just came through here." Sam covered for Quinn before a muffled scream came from the kitchen cupboard that Quinn had just dived into.

"Oh my god, there's a dead rat in here!" Quinn screamed before crawling rapidly back out of the kitchen cupboard shooting an innocent look Steve's way.

"Oh, man. I was trying to cover your arse here."

"There was a dead rat," Quinn replied matter of factly before turning to Steve. "Hey, when did you get up?"

"Just before, only to discover that someone was gone."

"I wonder who that was. Oh yes I know she just went that way." Quinn replied with a smile pointing back down the corridor.

"That's funny because I'm pretty sure that's she is standing in front of me."

"Oh, really?"

"Uh-huh," Steve replied before peppering Quinn's face with kisses must to Sam's complete disgust.

"Ugh."

"Don't 'ugh' me, Sam." Quinn teased, kissing Steve once more in return before turning back to Sam. "You knew very well that you would be going on the run with two couples yet still chose to anyway."

"By the way, you promised to wake me up when you did but you didn't," Steve said, turning to the blonde who was still trapped between his arms as Sam grumbled in the background.

"You looked like you need to sleep, so I decided to leave you."

"Well, I as much as I appreciate that-" Steve started but Quinn soon interrupted him.

"See, Sam, exactly as I said." She said smugly.

"You went back on your promise."

"Ha!" Sam exclaimed in victory.

Steve opened his mouth to say something in return but their playful banter was soon interrupted by a beeping sound emitting from Steve's phone.

Quinn's eyes narrowed as Steve pulled the phone out, already thinking what the other two males were also thinking. Tony Stark was the other end of that phone.

The tension in the room grew at Steve answered the call, everyone waiting to see why Tony was calling now of all times.

"Bruce. What do you mean that he's missing?" Steve asked, his tone full of concern and worry. "We'll go get Vision. And we will be there soon." Steve said, before hanging up the call.

"Bruce?" Quinn clarified. "As in Bruce Banner, who's missing?"

"Yeah," Steve replied. "Quinn, can you go get Nat and Quila up and tell them to suit up. It's time to get back to work."

Quinn looked up as the Avengers compound appeared through the window of the Quinjet. Although she had never stepped foot in the compound before she knew plenty about it.

And with Vision and Wanda now back in tow after a brief scuffle in Edinburgh, Quinn was more than ready to help in any way she could.

"It's good to be home." Aquila sighed loudly, walking ahead with Natasha and Steve while Quinn, Sam, and Wanda supported the injured Vision.

"God, this place is amazing," Quinn whispered to Sam as she looked around in wonder at the structure.

"I keep forgetting that you've been here before."

"Yeah, well I'm not exactly an Avenger."

"After the last two years I'm pretty sure that you are classified as one now," Sam replied with a smile that Quinn soon returned.

However, their whispered conversation soon came to a halt as they reached the conference room where Keira and Rhodey were talking with a hologram of Secretary Ross.

"Mr. Secretary." Steve greeted.

"You've got some nerve. I'll give you that."

"You could use some of that right now," Natasha said.

"The worlds on fire. And you think, all is forgiven?"

"I'm not looking for forgiveness. And I'm way past asking for permission. Earth just lost her best defender. So we're here to fight." Steve said, taking a step forward, staring dead into Secretary Ross' eyes. "And if you wanna stand in our way. . we'll fight you, too."

"Rhodes, Stark, arrest them!" Secretary Ross ordered.

"All over it," Keira responded, swiping off the hologram just after Aquila shot the middle finger in his direction.

"Stark?" Steve questioned looking over to Keira.

"Soon to be," Keira replied. "You guys missed out on a lot. But it's really good to see you all."

Quinn stood back with Sam, Wanda and Vision as the three of them quickly greeted Keira and Rhodey.

But it didn't take long for Keira to also notice Quinn, pulling her away from the others and into a tight hug.

"Look at you!" Keira exclaimed, looking Quinn up and down. "Not a touch of boring Tour Guide left in you is there?"

Quinn only rolled her eyes before holding onto Keira tightly. "God, I missed you so much."

"Wow, you guys really look like crap. Must've been a rough couple of years." Rhodey said.

"Yeah, well, the hotels weren't exactly five stars," Sam chimed in from the doorway. "Besides I also had to deal with these four on their individual honeymoons." Sam continued gesturing towards Quinn and Steve and Aquila and Natasha.

Quinn only rolled her eyes at Sam, her lips raising in a smile as she thought about that morning's banter, turning to Steve who was looking at her with the usual affection and fondness reflecting across his face.

"Uh, I think you look great."

Silence filled the room, the tension rising as Bruce Banner entered, everyone, turned to greet him.

"Uh. . . heh. . . Yeah. I'm back."

"Hi, Bruce," Natasha said eventually breaking the silence.

"Nat," Bruce replied, nodding his head in her direction.

"This is awkward," Sam whispered into the room, the sound of Aquila slapping his arm echoing through the room.