The shadow Hunter

chapter 52

The bright yellow light felt like an awakening. I suddenly felt air rip through my lungs and I gasped for breath. I gulped in oxygen desperately. I felt the ship suddenly jolt and move. I used my new found breath to call out to Tony. "Dad?" My voice was still barely a croak. I crawled to my knees and saw him lying on the floor. Suddenly, as if someone had breathed life into him, he too came gasping for air. "Clara." He coughed. "What's happening?" He asked but I didn't know. The last thing I remembered was watching my dad die and then slowly slipping away myself. "You were..." I started to say, but couldn't finish the sentence. "We are moving?" Tony stated with confusion. "Someone is carrying us down to earth." Nebula spoke suddenly, stepping out of the shadows. 

I shielded my eyes as the light became brighter. Through my fingers I saw a figure. A woman. She wore a black and red suit with a star embossed on the front. Her blonde hair seemed to glow and so did her eyes, light was oozing out of her. "Who is that?" Tony muttered.

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I saw the solid, domineering symbol of the avengers as we returned to earth. The compound seemed dark, like all life had been sucked out of it. Maybe it had. Maybe no one was left, maybe they all disappeared. I felt the clunk as the woman landed us on the solid ground. Nebula struggled to hold both me and Tony up, too weak to walk by ourselves. The ship opened and I stared out at what was left of us. Steve rushed forward, holding my dad's arm as he struggled down the stairs. I watched him, like a frail old man struggle to put one foot in front of the other. "I couldn't stop him." Tony said and I heard the guilt in his voice. "Neither could I." Steve said as he walked him across the grass. Tony stopped suddenly and looked at Steve, "I lost the kid." He muttered. 

Nebula gripped my bony arm as I took a labored breath. After a year with out a sight, Natasha Romanoff was now rushing to my side. Her hair bleached blonde- an attempt at hiding away. Behind her I saw Bruce, Thor and Rhodes and a Racoon which would have surprised me but after the past 21 days it didn't. "Clara." Nat muttered, reaching out, guiding me down the stairs like an old woman. I wanted to tell them both to stop, to let me do it myself, but I knew if they let go I would likely collapse. 

When my feet hit solid ground, Nat stared at me for a moment before hugging me tightly. "I'm so glad you're here." She told me. I wasn't. I wished it was Peter standing in my place. "Where have you been?" Is all I could say. A year of thinking about her, checking the news, leaving stupid messages on her voicemail that I knew she wouldn't receive. Now she was standing in front of me again. "You know. In the shadows." She said. Over the past year, I had made mental notes whenever there was something that I wanted to tell Nat but they all disintegrated. Nothing really mattered anymore. "I'm glad you're back Nat." I said. "I'm glad you're still here." I weakly smiled. For a whole year I had yearned to have my best friend back but after everything I had just lost, having her back didn't feel like it should have. It just felt like one less wound. 

"Pepper." Tony uttered. Pepper wept softly as she held Tony's face in her hands. "Oh my God, you're still here." She cried. I guess they had assumed me and Tony had disappeared too. My eyes travelled in the same direction as Tony's- down to her stomach. Her pregnant belly was no longer pregnant. "The baby..." Tony muttered in fear. "She is inside asleep." Pepper said. Tony stared in disbelief and if he hadn't been so weak maybe he would have cried or at least grinned. "She?" Tony said. I had a baby sister. I should have felt happy but all I felt was fear. "Morgan. Born 20 days ago." Pepper told him. The day after Thanos won. Pepper let go of Tony's face and pulled me in towards her. "Clara." She whispered. I rested my chin on her shoulder and felt her warmth. I placed my arms around her, hugging her back and suddenly didn't want to let go. I wanted to hold onto what I had left. But I did let go.