A Heart Break In Time

I'm Trying To Save Your Life, You Idiot.

"All right. Here's the food court. Get whatever you all want, I'm getting pizza." I walked over and ordered a slice of pepperoni.

"Anything else?" The girl behind the counter asked.

Kai spoke from behind me and I jumped, not realizing he was there. "Yes. Two plain slices please."

She told me the total and I paid. Kai and I waited silently at the counter until she handed us the pizza. I handed Sam the credit card so he could get the rest of their food, while Kai and I sat at a large booth.

"So." I said after chewing my first bite. "Vegetarian?"

Kai nodded. "Yeah, have been since I was a teenager. I went to a chicken farm once and saw how they were treated. I haven't been able to eat meat since." He shrugged.

"Well don't I look like an ass."

My comment mixed with me taking another bite caused Kai to laugh. "No, not at all. Just different experiences."

I smiled at that, and then we were silent for a bit until Angel, Eva, and Sam joined us. After that I didn't speak much, but Sam made sure to fill the entire time with talking. He and Angel were certainly getting along well. As I thought that, Angel turned her head and smiled at me.

I let Sam drive the car back, Angel stayed in the passenger seat so I got in the back in between Kai and Eva. The entire drive home I was overly aware of Kai's left leg touching my right. As everyone talked, I couldn't think about anything other than how close he was, and how he smelled amazing. Angel kept looking back at me and smiling, which I would try to change my thought process each time, and fail.

Kai and Sam insisted on getting all the bags but Eva laughed. "Which one of you has super strength? Okay then, give me the bags."

Kai didn't argue with her, but Sam still insisted on carrying bags back in, even if Eva carried twice as much in. Angel and I linked arms since we were free, and walked back into the compound. "We have any plans for the day?" Angel asked me.

"Nope. Another relax and get to know your new home day. Whatever you wanna do."

"Can we do another movie night?" Kai asked, walking up next to me.

I didn't look at him when I answered. "Yeah sure, you can go to the movie room whenever. Just tell FRIDAY what you want and she's got it."

"Sweet." Angel smiled.

Flashback

We sat in the living room, Tony was hooked up to an IV that took way too much convincing to give him. We sat and watched a holographic casualty report lists the names and faces of those lost to the snap.

Rhodey was the first one to speak. "It's been 23 days since Thanos came to Earth."

Natasha cleared her throat. "World governments are in pieces. The parts that are still working are trying to take a census. And it looks like he did... he did exactly what he said he was gonna do. Thanos wiped out fifty percent, of all living creatures."

"Where is he now? Where?" Tony asked and I looked at him with pity. He looked so weak, so small.

"We don't know. He just opened a portal and walked through." Steve told him.

Tony pointed to Thor, who had just been sitting and staring at the wall, unmoving. "What's wrong with him?"

"Oh, he's pissed. He thinks he failed. Which of course he did, but you know there's a lot of that's going around, ain't there?" Rocket shrugged and slumped in his seat.

Tony turned to him in surprise. "Honestly, until this exact second, I literally thought you were a Build-A-Bear."

"Maybe I am."

Steve stood up and looked at Tony. "We've been hunting Thanos for three weeks now. Deep Space scans, and satellites, and we got nothing. Tony, you fought him."

"Who told you that?" Tony scoffed. "I didn't fight him. No, he wiped my face with a planet while the Bleecker Street Magician gave away the stone. That's what happened. There was no fight." I reached my hand out to grab his but he ignored it.

"Okay."

"He's unbeatable."

Steve still stood, emotionless. No sympathy for Tony, just in Captain America mode. I hated it. In this moment, I hated him. "Did he give you any clues, any coordinates, anything?"

Tony stood up quickly and grabbed the arm of the chair to steady himself. "Pfft! I saw this coming a few years back. I had a vision. I didn't wanna believe it. Thought I was dreaming." I stood and grabbed his arm to hold him up as he turned to Steve.

"Tony, I'm gonna need you to focus."

"And I needed you. As in past tense. That trumps what you need. It's too late buddy. Sorry. You know what I need?" He took a wobbly step to Steve. "I need to shave. And I believe I remember telling all yous-." He stood another step towards Steve and I righted myself grip on his arm.

"Tony, Tony, Tony! Come on." I begged and he ignored me.

"Alive and otherwise what we needed was a suit of armor around the world! Remember that? Whether it impacted our precious freedoms or not- that's what we needed!"

"Well, that didn't work out, did it?" Steve snapped back. I wanted to scream at the men, this was not what we needed. We already lost everything.

"I said, 'we'd lose.' You said, 'We'll do that together too.' And guess what, Cap? We lost. And you weren't there. But that's what we do, right? Our best work after the fact? We're the Avengers, we're the Avengers. Not the Prevengers. Right?"

I sighed. "Tony. You made your point. Just sit down, please."

"Nah, nah. Here's my point. You know what?" Tony pointed to the blonde woman from before, Carol. "She's great, by the way. We need you. You're new blood. Bunch of tired old mules!" There was venom in his voice as he stepped closer to Steve. "I got nothing for you, Cap! I got no coordinates, no clues, no strategies, no options. Zero. Zip. Nada. No trust. Liar." Tony ripped the arc reactor from his chest and shoved it into Steve's hand. "Here, take this. You find him, and you put that on. You hide."

Tony collapsed and I quickly got in front of him holding him up. "Tony!" Steve and I both yelled.

"I'm fine. I..." Suddenly all his weight was on me as he passed out.

*

Everyone went to their rooms to put their things away, I grabbed the stuff I bought for Wanda and made her bed up for her. I really hoped she'd be back sooner than later. Especially since I am so curious about how her and Angel will get along.

I made her bed then went back to my room. I laid down and turned the tv on for some noise but it wasn't long after when I heard FRIDAY talk. "Miss Aimilios, your presence is being requested in the movie room."

"Thanks, FRIDAY. Tell them I'll be right there, please."

"Certainly."