the strongest avenger (2)

ten

I head towards the nearest bathroom and quickly strip out of my clothing and will my suit to appear. My brows furrow as I look down to find it perfectly clean.

That's pretty cool I guess.

I leave the bathroom and drop off my clothes in the laundry room.

"Hey! Lia, hold up."

I turn around and spy Steve walking towards me, wearing his suit. His eyes quickly run over me as I wait for him to say something.

"You okay?"

"No."

"Right...well, how are you doing?"

"I'm at the point in my life where I want to either kill something or just go to sleep and never wake up."

He pauses for a second, and I can tell he's not sure what to say. "Come here." Steve pulls me into a hug, and I accept it.

I've missed my best friend, so I hug him tight.

"We're gonna kill him." He mutters.

"I know."

"Was that you—the earthquake?"

"Yes," I back away from the hug. "Sorry."

"It's okay."

I look at my best friend. "It's a shame..."

"What is?" he asks.

"You shaved your beard. It was really working for you."

He huffs and laughs as he shakes his head while we start heading towards our meeting area.

"I can't believe you're an adult now." He mumbles.

"You told me that I acted like an adult when I first came to Earth."

"I did."

"Well now the only difference, is that I look like one too."

***

We boarded the ship and strapped in. Carol's flying separate after we get to the nearest jump point. It's morning now, the sun peeking through the cloudy sky.

Rocket drives, Carol on his right. Steve and Thor behind the raccoon, Nat, Rhodey and I behind Carol. Nebula and Bruce are off to the side near the controls.

"Okay," Rocket starts as we exit the atmosphere. "Who here hasn't been to space?" He turns and looks back as Steve, Rhodey, and Nat raise their hands.

"Why?"

"You better not throw up on my ship."

"Approaching jump in three, two, one." Nebula says.

I'm pressed back against my seat as we fly forward at an incredible speed. I'm used to this type of stuff, I remember my flight classes back on Hala.

As we come out of the jump, Carol leaves the ship and I move up, taking her seat next to Rocket.

"I'll head down for recon." Carol's voice says over the speakers.

I watch as she zips forward towards the planet. Steve and Nat get up and walk over towards me, looking out the large window to my right.

I turn and see Steve looking at his picture of Peggy.

"This is gonna work." Nat says, meeting Steve and mine's gaze.

"I know it will. Cause I don't know what I'm gonna do if it doesn't." Steve says.

I unbuckle and stand as Carol flies back to us. "No satellites. No ships. No armies. No ground defenses of any kind. It's just him."

"And that's enough."