The Other Rogers

Chapter 51

The Avengers found themselves back at the HQ, all of them beaming and clapping each other's backs at their accomplishments.

Bruce smiled, "Did we get them all?"

Rhodey grinned jumping up and down a little, almost unnoticeable, in excitement. "You telling me this'll actually work?"

They stayed on the Quantum platform and looked around, making sure all had returned without injuries. There was a pause as everyone started to realise something was amiss.

Bruce called out noticing Natasha and Clint with their backs to the group. "Clint, Nat, where's Anya?"

The man in question turned around and laid Anya's unconscious body down.

Steve screamed in grief as he fell to his knees and crawled towards her. The silence from Clint told them all they needed to know. The mission was completed but at a dire cost.

Sadness overtook everyone. Bruce copied Steve and fell to his knees and pounding the floor in grief.

"We fear she died." Natasha stood behind her husband and hugged him.

Steve barely noticed she was there, all he saw was his sister, pale, and white, a scene that was all too familiar to him. Ever since she tried to kill herself after the Snap, he had nightmares of finding her. She looked the same, there was streaks of blood in her hair, and he struggled, resisting the urge to hunt down whoever did this to her.

Why did this keep happening to her?

If his sister's life was under the mercy of a writer, Steve would be refinancing the burning of greats Texts, burning everything the author had, to retaliate in defence of Anya.

His thoughts disappeared as he heard Clint move forward.

"What happened?"

Clint and Natasha both sighed. Clint spoke, his voice rough with emotions. "There was this guy there. He was apparently our guide; Anya knew him, so I am guessing you did to."

Steve looked up to see Clint almost flinch, his eyes brimming with unshed tears. "Who was he Clint?"

His friend gulped and turned to Natasha who nodded before walking away.

Clint turned back to Steve and Anya, "He had a red..."

Steve's snarl cut Clint off, the sound inhumane. "Red Skull, Johann Schmidt."

Everyone circled around them.

Pietro cried, clinging to Tony while the billionaire stared at the woman.

Bruce stayed on the ground while Scott and Rhodey watched from the side.

Thor and Rocket stood next to the others and watched as Natasha came back into the room, holding a bucket filled to the brim and a washcloth.

She started cleaning Anya's face while Clint told the others on what had happened.

"Anya managed to talk the Red Skull dude into sacrificing himself, apparently she saw something in him, because just before he jumped, she forgave him. Said, 'For all your wrongdoings in life, may this one be your redemption. I forgive you Johann Schmidt' and that was it. But as he jumped, his eyes turned dark and he grabbed Nat dragging her with him, Anya stopped him, and used her magic to place us both safely up top but fell with him."

Steve sobbed, his body trembling with tears that threatened to tear him apart. "He was willing?"

Clint nodded, "Yes, she landed on top of him. Then all three of us were transported back to a lake and then home."