anyastark:

Word about certain things spread fast in the cape community and Anya learned that Vernique and Svalin were getting married, in Asgard, and Svalin was expecting a baby. This of course meant one thing. There had to be a party to celebrate both things and Anya was the perfect one to throw it. Anya had known Vernique since forever and there had been many marathon shopping trips.

She sent invitations out to the female members of the X-Men, Champions, Avengers, West Coast Avengers, Defenders, X-Force, Alpha Flight, Excalibur, Fantastic Four, Sammy and Alice in SHIELD, Kelly and Melissa. It was also the first get together the Thunderbolts would be hosting.

The renovated firehouse in Cambridge was cleaned from top to bottom and supplies were laid in. Stephanie was given cart blanch on the menu and snacks. Anya and Molly went shopping for the drinks and for gifts for Vernique and Svalin. Since the crowd was very varied they got a wide selection of sodas, juices, beer and also picked up a lot of water. Anya even booked rooms at a nearby hotel just in case people didn't want to make the trip home that night. Anya had spoken to Irina and arranged for pick up of the various team members around the world.

Saturday rolled around and Anya was up at the crack of dawn double checking everything. Then she headed down to the lab until the first ladies arrived.

swashbuckler:

takes place on March 3, 2011

One of the things Steve had most regretted about his time away, outside of losing Anya, had been losing touch with Jack.  He'd liked the guy a lot, and felt sorry for him for reasons he couldn't quite but his finger on.  He hoped he'd gotten the help he needed.

Steve's day had been busy.  He'd spent most of the morning  working on re-securing his admission to ESU.  He'd been fortunate that the Avengers legal team had been able to help with that.  Being gone for a relative four-moths/two year span would have, under normal circumstances, just told him to forgo any kind of further education.  But being  a leader of men and women in a time of war had made him realizing that everyone needed to be able to do something when the wars were over.  Pursuing a degree in criminology would give him a lot of options and would help him currently too.  Maybe he'd design security systems.  Maybe he'd work as a consulting trainer to security programs and government agencies.  But he wanted to do something that meant less people died, when beating up the killers became less of an option.

After that had been taking his sky-cycle down to Boston to meet his wife for lunch.  So far, the plan seemed to be alternating weekends for where they stayed.  NYC one weekend, Boston the other, and plenty of phone calls in-between.  And he could still surprise her in the meantime.  Honeymoon was coming up, and what they'd do over the summer was still up in the air.

Afterward, it had been back to NYC for doctors appointments.  One with Samson--reasonably productive--and one with Doctor Foster--regular check-up considering everything he'd been through--and then a short stint on monitor duty.

Finally, however, he was able to head out on patrol.  Took his sky-cycle out to an area of the city, picked at random, set it down, and started across the rooftops.  He'd find trouble, sooner or later.