My first attempt at Carol...based on the after-credit scene from Captain Marvel

"Where's Fury?"

"I'm sorry?" Steve asked, shocked by the new and unknown voice added to the already tense conversation, coming from a woman who appeared as if out of nowhere behind Natasha. The remaining Avengers had been desperately discussing if there could be any hope of return of the friends and family they had lost, and right now there only hope was the mysterious message that flashed across Nick Fury's abandoned pager. Without much of a warning, the recipient of that page was standing before them, looking both determined and unimpressed.

"Where's Fury?" she repeated. "He paged me, so I'm here. We agreed that he'd call me only in the worst-case emergency. He knows I'm too busy to stop by for coffee, so something's wrong."

"Well, you're right, but who are you?"

"Carol."

The cold and curt reception wasn't sitting well with the group, and the introduction was severely lacking any sense of reassurance. Steve pushed himself forward and away from the group, taking an authoritative stance with arms crossed over his chest to make his position known. This new person in the uniform no so unlike his own, with the shiny star emblazoned across the chest and the reds and blues worn but still bright, stood her ground as well; it only put his nerves on heightened alert. "As nice as I'm sure it is to meet you under normal circumstances, Carol, like we said he's not here."

The newest Captain in the room took his cues and moved to meet him, now standing toe-to-toe with your leader. When her hands clenched into fists at her sides and began to emanate a bright glow that travelled up her arms, he took a long step back. "It's really cute how you think standing with your chest all puffed out like a strangely hot and angry rooster is going to sway me in any way, but that's the pager I gave Nick, and there's no way that he'd just give it to you. Tell me where he is, or else you're about to get hotter and I'm not talking about that freakishly chiseled chin or those pools of blue you call eyes..." she paused, squinting to take in the sight further. "Seriously, it's like they animated a Ken doll. Who the hell are you?"

"Steve Rogers."

"No shit," she gasped, the glow in her hands beginning to fade as a smile began to grow, "you mean like Captain America Steve Rogers? Didn't you turn into a Bomb Pop like eighty years ago?"

"Um, sure...I suppose that's one way to put it? But clearly, I've been thawed out."

"Clearly."

"Excuse me," you broke into the moment, "but I'm still not clear on who you are. How do you know Nick?"

Broken from her trance, Carol turned from Steve and towards you with a renewed energy, "that's not a concern, I just need to know where he is. Someone needs to start giving me answers." Once again, the faint glow began, this time not nearly as vibrant, but there nonetheless. Only this time, you were the focus of her attentions.

"Okay, Carol...there's no reason to get all twinkly or whatever's happening there. Believe me, we want to see Nick as much as you do, but that's not gonna happen. We can tell you what we know, but why don't we all just sit down and talk this out, alright? Maybe a proper introduction without all the threats and fireballs? I'm pretty sure that we're all on the same side here."

"I haven't decided that yet."

"Given that you and Cap have almost matching uniforms that ooze patriotism I get the feeling that I'm right on this one."

"Cap, huh?" she smirked. "I think we might have a small problem on our hands then."

"Why is that?"

Carol turned and extended her hand to Steve, allowing the power within it to fade, "Captain Rogers, it's nice to meet you. I'm Captain Marvel."

~~~

After a long, painful, and utterly terrifying conversation that revisited the events played out by Thanos, Carol was comfortable that yes, you were on the same side, and that you needed her there more than ever. What she couldn't understand was that if the snap was instantaneous in removing half of all life, how did Nick manage to get a page to her? She knew the man was determined, but this was a whole new level even for him.

"Alright, so what's our play?" she asked. "It's obvious that Nick wanted me here to lead the way, so tell me what you've got so far."

"Hold up," you answered, "what do you mean to have you lead the way? I'm sorry, but we just met and have no idea what you can do, so why we should just defer to you because you say so? That's not how we operate here."

"(Y/N)," Steve tried, but you cut him off short.

"No, Cap, really. What do we know other than that she has sparkle fingers? Have you seen anything that would tell you-"

But that was as far as you got. Carol stood and her hands raised, filled with fire and aimed your way. You stood in kind and braced yourself, but you had a few tricks up your sleeves, too. Steve tried to move to stand between you, but you pushed him aside with a simple wave of your hand without touching him once. "Bring it, Powerpuff."

"You have no idea what you're asking for," she warned.

"And you have no idea who you just pissed off."

"Guys, this isn't necessary-" Bruce tried next, but the glare you shot him shut him down faster than you had done to Cap only seconds before.

"I think it's very necessary," Carol answered flatly, her energy focused and ready to strike. You could feel the shift and crackling electricity in the air around you just as she was about to unleash her power, so you raised your hands and projected a barrier to protect yourself. When her force simply bounced off of it and dissipated into nothing, she was left completely silent, staring at you with her mouth agape and her eyes wide. "What are you?"

"I'm not easily pushed over," you said, "and this isn't a dictatorship. We work together, or not at all, is that understood?"

Steve had completely changed his stance, now smiling a little too widely as he watched you work, his stature filled with pride in his teammate. Natasha leaned in next to him with a gentle nudge of her elbow, trying to get him to focus on the seriousness of what was happening, but he couldn't help it. The moment of levity in the midst of so much tragedy was welcomed. "I love it when she does that," he whispered.

"Does what?"

"Uses one of my speeches."

You and Carol had yet to move, both of you still with hands raised defensively as you regarded each other and considered your own next moves. A long moment passed this way with the room silent around you, and breaths held in anticipation of either a common understanding or the start of yet one more battle and yet another destroyed living room.

"We good?" you finally asked. "Can we maybe come up with a real plan and get this done?"

"We're good," she nodded, her hands lowering to her sides.

"I like this one," Thor joined in, drawing Carol's attention. With a skeptical glance his way, she turned to and crossed the room to join him as you took a seat next to Steve. One thing was clear to everyone around you, however; you were barely taking your eyes off of one another despite the new distance between you.

"I like her, too," you whispered to your friend. "She's different...strong...p-pretty..."

"And there it is," he chuckled, "the real reason you're going along with her staying. You were just showing off back there, weren't you?"

"Shut up, was not."

On the other side of the room, a very similar conversation was taking place between Carol and Thor, though your other friend wasn't nearly as subtle in the observation as Steve had been. "You are attracted to her," he offered matter-of-fact. "That's why we enjoyed the light show, is it not?"

"Not completely why. But yeah..." she mumbled under her breath, "she's definitely got my attention. I can't stop looking at her, she's so powerful. Did you see how easily she stopped me? Like it barely phased her. That was amazing."

"She is one of our strongest, yes."

"So pretty, too..." she continued quietly, chewing on her lip as she watched. "Damn...Thor, I think I've had a revelation."

"Being?"

"I'm totally gay."

Thor smiled gently and stood, grabbing his half-finished beer to take the rest down in one swallow, "I've known you for barely an hour and I could've told you that. I think I now see why Nicholas called for you."

"Wait...what do you mean?"

"To bring the two of you together," he shrugged. "Not only will your powers combined be remarkable against Thanos, but he has a very high rate of successful matchmaking."

"Yep, that sounds like Fury," Carol scoffed. "There was no way that he was going to die and not get the last word on being right."