A GODS WEAKNESS [l.laufeyson]

FORTY ONE

{endgame}
[twenty two days later]

     Tony and Nebula are sat playing table-top football while Astrid studies the game from the side. Nebula flicks the paper sending it through the goal, winning the game.

"Good sport. Have fun?" Tony holds his hand out to Nebula as she studies it, confused. She finally shakes it before Tony turns to Astrid. "Want a game?"

"No thanks. I think I'm just going to lie down, I'm not feeling good." Tony looks at the girl concerned. She hasn't slept properly, she hasn't eaten, and she looked like the walking dead. He looks to Nebula signalling her to follow. Nebula has turned out to be quite a good first aider while they've been stuck in space.

Meanwhile, Tony who is currently thin and haggard heads to the flight deck before kneeling in front of his broken Iron Man helmet. He hits a switch and a light blinks.

"This thing on? Hey, Ms Potts. Pep. If you find this recording, don't post it on social media. It's going to be a real tearjerker. I don't know if you're ever going to see these. I don't even know if you're still... God, I hope so. Today's day twenty-one, no... twenty-two.
You know, if it wasn't for the existential terror of staring into the literal void of space, I'd say I'm feeling a little better today. Infections run its course, thanks to the blue meanie back there. You'd like her. She's very practical. And only a tiny bit sadistic...
And then there's Astrid. Loki's wife, just... the complete opposite of him. You'd like her too, she's sweet. I kind of feel bad for her. Thanos killed reindeer games in front of her, and I know he caused some trouble but, I feel for her. She's not doing too good though. The blue freak is doing all she can to help her, but she's deteriorating in front of us and I fear it won't be very long now. She needs proper care."

As time goes on, Tony eventually switches the helmet off, staring into the depths of space before drifting off. Nebula finds him sprawled on the floor. She helps him into Quills chair, he's slumped down and completely still while Nebula leaves him in peace.

After not much longer, a light appears slowly growing brighter. Nebula appears from the gallery, shading her eyes while Tony's flutter open. Finally he looks out to see Captain Marvel.

~

The moon hangs huge over the earth. The silhouette of the Benatar propelled by Carol Danvers. Below, Steve Rodgers, Bruce Banner and Natasha Romanov watch the woman lower the ship to the ground. Behind them, Pepper Potts walks up to the group. Steve races up as Nebula helps Tony down the ramp.

"I couldn't stop him."

"Neither could we."

Tony then stops in his tracks, turning to face Steve. "I lost the kid."

"We... lost." Steve was finding it hard to say anything at all. Still unable to process the death of his friends.

"Is Pepper?..." At that point, Pepper runs up to Tony throwing herself in his arms.

Not far from them, Nebula helps Astrid out. As they reach the bottom of the ramp Astrid collapses onto the ground as familiar arms grip her into a hug.

"Thor?" She's barely awake but recognises her brother-in-law from anywhere.

"Astrid! You had me worried sick..."

"I'm so sorry." She cried.

"She needs help." Nebula interrupts their little family reunion. "She grows weaker every second, she needs proper care."

Without another word, Thor carries her to HQ calling for Banner to help him. Nebula sadly watches from the side before sitting down, Rocket joining her grateful that she is safe. She placed a hand on his furry head.

~

Astrid lays in a bed in the headquarters. She's been on Earth for a day now and has been grateful of the support of Thor's friends.

"Knock knock." Astrid looks up to see Pepper waiting by the door with a tray of food and water. Astrid smiles upon seeing her, she reminded her a lot of her mother.

"Ms Potts!"

"Please hun, just call me Pepper." She places the tray beside her bed, helping her sit up. "How are you feeling?"

Astrid looks back down at her rings fiddling with them again. Everything surrounding her reminds her of what happened and what she has lost. "How long does this feeling last?"

Pepper looks at the girl sadly. She couldn't imagine what it would be like to lose everyone she loved. The only family Astrid had left was Thor. "This feeling, will never truly go away. But that doesn't mean it doesn't get better. You will adjust, in time."

Pepper hugged the girl stroking her head, but Astrid couldn't cry. She was all cried out.

"You should try to eat so I will leave you to it. Thor said he will come see you within the hour." Pepper placed a gently kiss on the top of her head and walked towards the door. Before shutting the door, she turned around once more to the girl.

"I know it's not my place to ask, but did you come up with a name for your child, before..." Pepper couldn't bring herself to finish the sentence, but she didn't need to for Astrid to understand what she was implying. She thought hard. Her and Loki never really found the time to sit down and talk about it, and that saddened her. But when she thought harder, she remembered Loki telling her how blessed they were for their child. That's when a name suddenly popped up.

"Selig."

"Selig?"

"Yes. Selig. It means blessed." Astrid smiled to herself of her memory. Her and Loki, stood with their fingers intertwined. His other hand on her stomach. Talking about their future with their child they had been blessed with. Her tears suddenly resurfaced but didn't fall.

"It's beautiful." Pepper smiled one last time before leaving. Astrid drifted off to sleep again. It seemed to be the only place she was reunited with Loki. They were only memories. But they felt so real.