One Choice Book 2

Part 15

"I'm still confused." Peter Quill says scratching the back of his head.

Stephen pinches the bridge of his nose taking a deep breath to keep his cool.

"Look- how it happens doesn't matter too you guys okay? What you need to know is that we need to make a portal and a piece of Thor's hair will make it possible." Bucky says just as exasperated as Stephen.

"My hair can make portals?" Thor questions.

"No." Bucky groans. Him and Dr. Strange had been talking to Thor and Quill for a good while now. And they still weren't seeming to understand.

"It's more like an ingredient in order to get to a certain place." Stephen explains.

"Okay, but how can we get to Asgard when it's been destroyed?" Thor asks.

"While the city and pretty much everything is gone, the plane of existence is still there. It's just empty." Stephen says.

"Loki is being held as a prisoner on a sort of space ship thing that The Scarlet witch created." Bucky says.

"The evil one." Thor says with a nod.

"We don't know exactly what she's planning. But I have a hunch that it's something to do with making a portal to another reality." Stephen says.

"And that's not good?" Peter asks. "Why can't we just let her leave?"

"She has my brother." Thor says.

"Yes, for one thing she has Loki. But that's not the only problem. The force of cutting through realities will shatter this one. There's minimal chance for anyone to survive the backlash." Stephen says.

"And you didn't lead with that?!?" Peter Quill says exasperated.

"Well."

No one had a response to that. Especially not Stephen. It didn't occur to him until now that he was quite literally putting Loki before the entire universe.

"Alright team, we're gonna save the universe." Peter says as he walks out to talk to the others.

Thor walked up to Stephen, pulled out a few strands of his hair and handed them to him. "Good luck wizard" he says, patting his shoulder.

"Thanks." Stephen says, barely paying attention.

"You good?" Bucky asks the two of them once again alone.

"I.." Stephen trailed off puzzling in his head. He ran a shaky hand through his hair, his eyes darting from one point to another as if looking at a book in front of him that no one else could see. "Did it ever occur to you that this plan was a way to stop the scarlet witch?" He asks.

"Yeah. Why?" Bucky asks.

Stephen fell silent again, his hand subconsciously going to his pocket. No not his pocket, what was in the pocket. The cufflink.

"Oh." Bucky says with a knowing sort of a smile. "It didn't occur to you, did it?"

Stephen hesitated. Looking at the small black jewel in his hand, he was finally piecing it together. "All I've been able to think about is him." His brows furrowed. "It's my fault. Everything.. it's."

"Stephen." Bucky cut him off putting his right hand on Stephen's shoulder. "I'm not gonna tell you it's okay. Because, It's not. But if anyone can make it okay, someone who's a genius doctor and a sorcerer who helped save the world on multiple occasions has the best shot."

"Thank you." Stephen says with slightest of smiles, dispute how unsure he really was.

"No problem." He says giving his shoulder a pat. He then pulled the book out of the satchel. "Now let's get this thing working."

Back on earth- everything was in chaos.
The subway systems had been hacked. Bank alarms tripped. Cameras seeing Nat being the one who did it every time.

"Okay this ain't working." Sam says landing where the rest of the avengers were. "we've been at this for hours now, we gotta try something else"

"I can't keep up with her." Bruce says. "Sam's right. We need a plan B"

An explosion could be heard, yet another bank alarm going off.

"What is going on?" Sam says exasperated. "What is this, the fourth bank?"

"Fifth." Wanda corrected as her and Sam flew up into the air

"Something doesn't seem right." Bruce says as he and Clint ran to catch up.

"I know." Clint says.

"Why go through all the trouble to set off bank alarms, and not steal anything?" Bruce asks.

"Oh we really are idiots." Clint says with a sigh it finally hits him.
"Everyone fall back" he says into the coms

"What why?!?" Sam says from the roof.

"It's a distraction. Everyone head back to base, Wanda you got clearance for your plan. I'll handle This." Clint says.

"You got it." Wanda says flying away.

Everyone left except Clint who rushed into the bank coming face to face with Nat.
He barely was able to keep his cool.
It was demented honestly. Seeing his friend who sacrificed herself for the good of the world, Now standing before him eyes glowing red.

"Alright Nat.. let's get this over with already." Clint says.
She didn't say a thing, she didn't move an inch. Clint had no choice but to make the first move. So he ran up to her for an attack. Of course it couldn't be that easy. It was still Natasha. Her skills, the way she fought. But it wasn't her. Clone had to constantly remember that as he avoided her blows. At one point they were in grapple. Clint forums himself reminded of the final moments they had on Vormir. Where they each fought for the other's life.
He struggled against her as he was forced to the ground. "Nat- please" he choked out as her hands were around his neck. "If there's any part of you left.. fight this."
She blinked and her eyes stopped glowing for just a moment, shining only with her tears.
"Nat!" Clint managed to turn her over now holding her down. Only for her to kick him off of her with a surprising amount of force.
Clint panted as he got back to his feet, cursing under his breath.
Natasha hesitated, her eyes flashing between glowing red and not. Clint panicked and the next thing he knew he'd already thrown the punch.
She reeled back and her hand went to her face. "Ow!!! Fuck that hurt." She curses looking down at the blood on her hand from her now bloody nose.
"Nat..?"
She blinked. Then it all hit her- and she started laughing.
Clint practically threw his arms around her and she hastily returned the hug.
Neither of them said a thing. Just holding each other. Letting reality sink in as they let go to look at each other.
"I've got a lot to catch you up on." Clint says.

"You and I both. I don't know everything- but." Nat says.

"We'll fill in the pieces." Clint says. "Unfortunately- we'll have to make time for that later. We need to catch up with Wanda in the others"

"Wanda's the one who was doing this." Nat says,

"No- well. Yes, kind of. But not exactly. I'll explain on the way." Clint says. "Now we really gotta go."

"Never a moment's peace huh?"

"Nope!"