Santana (B.B)

Nat

Back in 2023. At the compound. 

We were all on the platform. 

Bruce looked around "Did we get them all?"

Rhodey " You telling me this'll actually work?"

I asked confused "Nat? Where's Nat?"

Clint looked down. 

I shook my head, in tears "no no no no no no"

Bruce fell to his knees, sad. 

Outside. At the lake. 

Tony "Do we know if she had family?"

I nodded "Yeah. Us."

Thor asked confused "What?"

Tony " I just asked him a question–"

Thor "Yeah, you're acting like she's dead. Why are we acting like she's dead? We have the stones, right? As long as we have the stones, Cap, we can bring her back, isn't that right? So stop this shit. We're the Avengers, get it together."

I looked down in tears. 

Clint "We can't get her back."

Thor "Wha– what?"

Clint "It can't be undone. It can't."

Thor scoffed "I'm sorry. No offense, but you're a very earthly being. Okay? We're talking about space magic. And "can't" seems very definitive don't you think?"

Clint to Thor "Yeah, look, I know that I'm way outside my paygrade here. But she still isn't here, is she?"

Thor shook his head " No, that's my point–"

Clint "It can't– be undone. Or that's at least what the red floating guy had to say. Maybe you wanna go talk to him, okay? GO GRAB YOUR HAMMER, AND YOU GO FLY AND TALK TO HIM!"

Steve put an arm around me and pulled me against him.

Then he looked down in tears "It was supposed to be me. She sacrificed her life for that goddamn stone. She bet her life on it."

Bruce grabbed the bench and threw it across the lake "She's not coming back. We have to make it worth it. We have to."

Steve nodded " We will."

Inside. At the lab. 

We all looked at the new gauntlet. 

Rocket "All right. The glove's ready. Question is, who's gonna snap their freaking fingers?"

Thor walked to us " I'll do it."

Scott "Excuse me?"

We all looked at him and stopped him "No, no, no, whoa. Stop. Stop. Wait a sec. Hey, hey–"

Steve "Wait, wait, Thor, just wait. We haven't decided who's gonna put that on yet."

Thor " I'm sorry. What, we're just sitting around waiting for the right opportunity?"

Scott "We should at least discuss it."

Thor shook his head "No, no, sitting here staring at that thing is not gonna bring everybody back. I'm the strongest Avenger, okay? So this responsibility falls upon me. It's my duty."

Tony shook his head " It's not about that–"

Thor " It's not that– Stop it! Just let me! Just let me do it. Just let me do something good. Something right."

Tony " Look– It's not just the fact that that glove is channeling enough energy to light up a continent, I'm telling you, you're in no condition."

Thor "What do you– What do you think is coursing through my veins right now?"

Rhodey " Cheez Whiz?"

I held back a laugh. 

Thor "Lightning."

Bruce "Lightning won't help you, pal. It's gotta be me. You saw what those stones did to Thanos. It almost killed him. None of you could survive."

Steve " How do we know you will?"

Bruce "We don't. But the radiation's mostly gamma. It's like...I was made for this."

---

Tony "Good to go, yeah?"

Bruce "Let's do it."

Tony "You remember– everyone Thanos snapped away five years ago and just bringing them back to now, today. Don't change anything from the last five years."

Bruce nodded "Got it."

We all suited up.

Tony created a shield and Clint hid behind it. 

I hid behind Cap's shield with him. 

Tony "F.R.I.D.A.Y., do me a favor and activate Barn Door Protocol. Will you?"

F.R.I.D.A.Y."Yes, boss."

The compound went on lockdown. 

Bruce "Everybody comes home."

Then he put on the gauntlet and we saw the power running through him. 

He fell to his knees as he felt the power while groaning in pain. 

Thor "Take it off! Take it off!"

Steve " No, wait. Bruce, are you okay?"

The power was burning his arm. 

Tony "Talk to me, Banner."

Bruce "I'm okay. I'm okay."

Then he snapped his fingers before blacking out.

The gauntlet flew off his hand. 

Steve " Bruce!"

Tony "Don't move him."

Bruce groaned out "did it work?"

The compound turned normal again. 

Thor "Worth a shot. It's over. It's okay."

Suddenly we heard birds outside. 

I raised an eyebrow. 

Scott " Guys– I think it worked!"

Suddenly the whole place exploded.