Worthy

Part 50 - The Girl

Bursting through the door of the compound, you're met with the intense heat and carnage coming from where the Milano struck the ground. It had just missed hitting the compound. As you try to run towards it an immense sound of engines roar, turning your attention to the sky a gigantic spaceship hovers above you - stopping you dead in your tracks.

The rest of the team arrive behind you, both taking in the spectacle of the crashed Milano and the behemoth ship in the sky. "Thanos." Vision blurts out, face contorted in pain.

"Get out of here Vision," you hear Steve order. "Wanda. Pietro. Barton, stick with him." You feel a hand on your shoulder. "I'll check the wreckage..." But you don't hear the rest of his sentence as your brain finally catches up. You dart forward, heading straight for the crashed ship, stopping only briefly as you notice someone clambering out. You struggle to see through the smoke, but based on the size of the figure you can tell it's Drax, clearly holding something in his arms. You bolt up the wing of the ship, now embedded in the ground, almost creating a ramp. Startled by your approach, he finally recognises your face as he turns and places Rocket in your arms; Groot cuddling into his small body, completely terrified.

"Where's Peter?" You question, just as a hand pops up, grabbing onto Drax's leg.

"I'm here Katie." You hear his voice, coughing and spluttering as Drax helps him up, making you sigh in relief. Making your way gently down the ramp with Rocket, Steve meets you at the bottom, helping you carry Rocket and Groot back to the compound. Bruce immediately taking over. As soon as your arms are free you turn and throw them around your brother, nearly knocking him off his feet. "I'm ok," he sighs but his voice is broken.

"What the hell happened?" You hear Tony ask. You give Peter another tight squeeze before letting him go. He instantly kneels next to Rocket, terrified as Groot clambers over to you, tugging on the leg of your jeans. You gently lift him, letting him nuzzle into your chest as he clings on tightly.

"He's going to be fine Groot," Bruce reassures him. "But I'm going to take him into the med lab, just to be sure." You feel Groot nod into your chest, but he holds onto you tighter.

"It's Thanos," Drax finally blurts out, his voice full of disdain and anger. "The monster ambushed us."

"He took Gamora," Peter voices breaks a little further. "And Nebula. Made a promise if they went willingly he'd let us go. We got hit pretty badly. My first thought was to warn you." He wraps an arm around your shoulder, pulling you closer. "But the ship was too badly damaged. Didn't think the son of a bitch would follow us. If it hadn't been for Rocket we wouldn't have made it."

Once again all of your eyes are drawn to the large ship, still simply hovering above you. All standing on eggshells waiting on some movement from it. "Why hasn't he attacked yet?" Steve asks.

"From what Loki said, it's not his style." You reply, putting a hand up and gently patting Groot. "If anything this is just a stare down, but he has to be after Vision."

"Well we won't let him get him without a fight." Steve straps his shield on his arm tighter. As if reading his mind a large light beam illuminates the ground, coming directly from the ship, leaving in its wake five colossal creatures, all of whom stand mimicking Steve's strong pose.

You have to pry Groot from your arm before handing him to Nat. "Take him to Bruce and Rocket. Keep him safe." She looks at you questioningly, but you're determined, despite being completely terrified. Groot looks hesitant too, but you give him a little smile as Nat walks away with him.

Steve, Tony and Rhodey start taking a few steps towards the group. You following with Quill, Drax and Parker, the latter reaching over and gently grabbing your hand, seeking the comfort. He was nervous, you squeeze his hand back, reassuring him before he lets go, and stands a little taller.

The group are a mixture of the ugliest creatures you've seen, but based on their sheer size and determined grins, you actually start to let the fear in. Thanos is clearly the one leading the group, the gigantic purple man decorated in golden armour. "Ah, the Avengers." He let out a slight chuckle. "Earth's mightiest heroes." He takes a step forward. "How disappointing." The grin on his face turns to a snarl.

Quill can't help but take a step forward, Drax right at his back, the only thing stopping him charging forward is Steve, who puts a hand up. "Where's Gamora?" Quill shouts out, pain clear in voice.

"Back where she belongs." He retorts, slamming his sword into the ground.

"What do you want?" Steve demands, but you all know the reason why. He was here for Vision and Strange, for the stones.

"Believe it not, I'm here for your help. Specifically one of you. Daughter?" Slowly, stepping out from behind Thanos you see Nebula, slumped with her head down. "Which one?"

Nervously she lifts her head, looking over all of you until she meets your eye. The stare she gives you is cold, but also apologetic, before she raises her hand and points at you. "The girl." Her robotic voice is cold, before her head slumps down again and she takes a step back. The fear running inside you turns into full blown panic. What the hell could Thanos want with you?

Thanos extends a hand your way, making everyone turn and look at you. "Time to go little one." He gives you a disgustingly smug grin.

"Not a chance in hell," Tony yells, suddenly standing in front of you, armoured and ready for a fight. You can feel Quill right at your side too.

"I wasn't asking." Thanos tilts his head, before raising his sword. "But if it's a fight you want." He raises his hand, making the group behind him start heading towards you. "I'll take the girl and the stones right now."

"I'd really like to see you try." Tony blurts out before firing rounds over the Children of Thanos. Rhodey copying him. There's an eruption of dust, met with a stony silence as they stop. "Well that was easy."

"Yeah," You hear Quill nervously beside you, grabbing your hand. "If all you wanted to do was piss him off." He leans over and whispers in your ear. "You need to run, now. Don't stop. Don't turn back, just run." But you're frozen in place. "Katie!" He pulls you to face him. "I can't protect you if you don't go. NOW!"

"He's right Kate," Tony responds, not daring to look at you. "Get to the lab." You look over his shoulder, and see a mass of figures starting to make their way through the smoke. "Get Bruce, I'm calling a Code Green."

You slowly start to back away, Parker watching you carefully. Difficult to read his eyes under his mask, but you can tell he's panicked. "Give him hell kid." You yell to him before you break out into a run back to the compound.

As you get to the door, Nat meeting you, you have a thought. Looking up at the stars, barely visible through the smoke, you close your eyes and hope he can hear you. "Heimdall!" You almost shout. "I need him, NOW!"