Found Again

Forty-One

-Narrator POV-

        Tony looks down, completely horrified.

He slowly kneels on the ground, just staying there in shock. He turns off his coms, ignoring Natasha's questions.

"I-I should've been able to catch you... I should've been able to save you..." Tony whispers.

After the initial shock wears off, Tony stands and returns to the quinjet.

"Where's Y/N?" Natasha asks.

Tony looks down as tears fill his eyes, "She's gone."

Natasha gasps, "Sh-She's de-?"

Tony nods.

"...Oh my god... how do we tell-?"

"I don't know... I can't believe she's gone... one minute, she was fine, but the next minute she gets hit and... falls off of the cliff..."

Natasha's eyes mist over, "We need to leave."

Tony looks over at Natasha.

"But we can't leave her body, Nat..."

"I hate to say this, but we have to leave her." Natasha sighs, "I guarantee it won't be a pretty sight, Tony. And it'll be hard to find her."

Tony looks down, "I know, but just knowing she's... she's dead down there..."

"I know, but we can't find her. It's a far drop, Tony. She won't be in... in one piece."

Tony winces at Natasha's harsh but truthful words.

"I-I know... I just want to be able to bury her..."

"Me too, Tony."

They sit in silence for a bit until Natasha goes to the front of the quinjet.

"We have to get back now and tell everyone. When we get back, I'll hand the case off to S.H.I.E.L.D. and notify Fury of her death." Natasha explains quietly.

Arriving at the compound where the team is now, they dread delivering the news.

When they open the door, they see Loki run out of the compound with a smile. His smile drops when Tony walks out instead of Y/N.

"Um, Loki..." Tony starts.

"What's wrong? Where's Y/N?"

Tony takes a deep breath before continuing, "I have to tell you something..."

Loki raises an eyebrow.

"Y/N isn't here."

Loki's fists ball up, "Did someone take her?" He asks angrily through clenched teeth.