Carmine Jewels ║ Wanda Maximoff

Chapter 73 - Reduced To Atoms

Tony had been rushed to one of the medbays after his collapse, not the one in the basement that Keira had woken up in after the whole ordeal in Wakanda though. Pepper sat by his side, holding one of his hands and slowly stroking the back of it when Rhodey exited the room. "Bruce gave him a sedative. He's gonna probably be out for the rest of the day." He announced to the room at large.

Keira, who stood between Natasha and Steve, noticed how the supersoldier glanced down at the floor at these words. If she read his body language correctly, she guessed it was out of shame. He felt like he was the main reason why Tony had gotten so riled up, and finally, collapsed.

Feeling the guilt emanating from him, she reached out a hand and gave his arm a soft squeeze. Meeting the supersoldier's eyes, she mustered a somewhat honest smile.

It wasn't his fault. Just as much as Steve could've been here to try and prevent Thanos, just as much responsibility lay on Tony, who could've called him.

It was on both of them, and neither was to blame.

"You guys take care of him, and I'll bring him a Xorrian elixir when I come back." Carol spoke up for the first time and turned on her heel, walking with determined steps towards the door.

While Keira hadn't gotten a chance to get familiar with the new blonde, she quickly caught up with her, placing a hand on Carol's shoulder, and halting her movements as she spun around. "Where are you going?"

Carol glanced down at Keira's hand but did not make a move to remove it. "To kill Thanos." She answered simply. Keira couldn't help but feel her respect for the blonde grow. The confidence and the simplicity of her statement was just so different from what Keira was used to, and maybe Tony had a point.

They needed someone like Carol, a bit of new blood.

"Hey." Natasha caught up with the two women, focusing on Carol. "You know, we usually work as a team here and, uh... between you and I, morale's a little fragile." She trailed off, glancing at Keira's hand on Carol's shoulder.

Keira couldn't help but be amused by the words and shook her head, letting her hand fall to her side. What must Carol think? The famous Avengers, Earth's Mightiest Heroes, nothing more than a broken group of humans, bickering like children.

Steve came up behind Natasha, joining the conversation. "We realize up there is more your territory, but this is our fight too." Keira nodded along with his words. They all needed to get revenge on Thanos.

Rhodey, who was leaning against the doorway, was clearly more skeptical of the new woman, and was doubting her abilities. "You even know where he is?"

But Carol wasn't perturbed. "I know people who might."

"Don't bother." Nebula's voice echoed from behind Carol and Keira, who both spun around. The woman's black eyes were watching them intently, void of any emotion. Judging by the fact that Thanos had snapped her team, her family, away, Keira could only imagine the anger and sadness the blue woman must hold. "I can tell you where Thanos is."

"Could've said something sooner." Keira muttered under her breath, not loud enough for Nebula to hear, but she did receive a small smirk from Carol as they all walked back into the library. The room had turned into headquarters for everything Thanos-related. They had shut off the hologram that showed them the people who had disappeared, however.

No one needed a reminder of all the people they had lost.

Keira once again settled down in a chair. Even if she would never admit it out loud, just staying up on her own two feet was exhausting. And just like before, Natasha's hands landed on her shoulders, as if trying to protect her.