|Towards the Endgame|

•Chapter 20• Avengers Assemble

"Clint, where's Nat?"

He just let the tear roll down his cheek. He was not going to hide his grief. There was no point. "It was supposed to be me," Clint said, his voice breaking. After he had told everyone what happened, the Avengers got out to a little dock. She was gone. And she wouldn't come back. A little tear slipped from Steve's eye, rolling down his cheek. "She sacrificed her life for that goddamn stone. She bet her life on it." Clint said. Another tear trailed down his cheek. He bit the inside of his cheek, trying to keep calm. One of his closest friends was now gone. A part of the team had been ripped away. And she wasn't coming back. Bruce grabbed the bench sitting by the side of the platform. He ripped it from its place and tossed it out of anger. He turned around. "It can't be undone. She's not coming back. Ever. We have to make it worth it. We have to." He said. Steve glanced up at him. "We will." He promised. The soldier looked up at the genius. "Can you do it?" He asked him. Tony nodded in response. "I'm gonna need some help." He said quietly.

A while later, Rocket, Tony, and Bruce stood inside the lab. Tony used his machine to carefully place the stones in the gauntlet he made while Bruce and Rocket watch his movements closely. He was nervous. Not just because he didn't know what would happen if he misplaced one of these stones, would the machine explode? Would they all get blown up? But he also worried about his daughter, Peter, and everyone else they lost. Could this work? Could this be the thing to get them all back? Tony quickly snapped himself out of his thoughts and focused on his hands again. Rocket and Bruce watched with big eyes as the stones attached to the gauntlet made by the brilliant man standing between them. Tony let out a relieving sigh when he could let go of the machine.  "Boom!" Rocket suddenly calls out. Both Bruce and Tony jump at the sound. Rocket can't help but laugh at them as they glare at him. They were not amused. Tony turned back to the gauntlet. "Do you think this will work?" He started. "Only one way to find out," Bruce replied. He carefully placed his hand on Tony's shoulder. The millionaire turned his head to look at his friend. Bruce noticed the broken look in his eyes, now more than ever before. "She's coming back, Tony." He assured him. "I hope so," he replied, "Because I have no idea what I'll do if she doesn't." He added. Bruce noticed a slight threat in Tony's comment. He removed his hand from his shoulder and watched as his friend left the room. "What's his problem?" Rocket questioned. Bruce shook his head and sighed. "I'm worried about him." He admitted. The raccoon looked up at the smart Hulk. "He won't kill anyone, right?" He asked. "You clearly don't know, Tony," Bruce replied and turned back to the gauntlet. 

The remains of the Avengers gathered around the gauntlet. Everyone was very nervous about doing this. The amount of energy that was held within the stones could easily kill them all. But this was their only shot at getting their loved ones back. Natasha sacrificed herself so they could get this far. "Alright, the glove's ready. The question is, who's going to snap their fingers?" Rocket spoke up. The God of Thunder stepped forward and cleared his throat. Everyone turned their attention to him. "I'll do it," Thor answered. "What?" Scott quickly replied. "It's okay," Thor assured them, but they all protested against him. Steve shook his head as he looked at his friend. "We haven't decided who's going to put it on yet." He tells. Thor put his hands together. "Are we just going to sit here and wait for the right opportunity?" He asked. "We have to discuss this." Scott cut in again. Thor shook his head and pointed at the gauntlet. "No, sitting here, staring at that thing is going to bring everyone back. I am the strongest Avenger, okay? So this responsibility falls upon me. It's my duty." He protested against his friends. "It's not about that," Tony tells him sternly. At this point, the God of Thunder started to tear up due to all the emotions running through his head. "Just let me do it. Just let me do something good. Something right." He pleaded with a quiet voice. He put his hands on Tony's shirt, gripping it tightly. Tony carefully placed his hands on Thor's and pushed them away. "Look, it's not just the fact that that glove is channeling enough energy to light up a continent, I'm telling you, you are in no condition." He tells him. But he wouldn't come down from this. He wasn't going to sit and watch from the sideline. Not this time. It's true, Thor blamed himself for everything. He could've killed Thanos before he snapped his fingers, and when he did it was already too late. "What do you think is coursing through my veins right now?" Thor questioned. Rhodey raised his eyebrows. "Cheez Whiz?" He guessed. "Lightning," Thor tells them.