The shadow Hunter

Part 5-Clara Rose Stark: The Shadowhunter-chapter 67

A hot blue light blinded me as the glass shattered and I felt my whole body lift into the air as I was knocked back. I think I might have heard screams, but the ringing in my ear was too loud as darkness caved in on me. When I regained consciousness I heard a rush of water, feeling it splash on my face. I opened my eyes weakly and saw the rubble that surrounded me. "I can't breathe!" I heard someone scream, I think it was Rocket but my ears were still ringing. I tried to move but found myself unable to, either I was paralyzed or too weak. "Clara!" someone screamed, just as I saw what they must have seen- a large boulder rushing towards me. I tried to wriggle away but couldn't. I squeezed my eyes tight and shielded my face, hoping somehow that would protect me. I waited for the boulder to hit me but it never did.

I risked opening my eyes and saw Rhodes above me, grunting as he caught the heavy rock and threw it into the rubble. "Clara are you ok?" He asked, I could just about  hear him above the ringing and rush of water. "I can't move." I told him. Rhodes looked down at my leg and lugged a large plank off of it. I wiggled my toes, checking I still had movement and he helped me up. "Quickly!" Rocket screamed again. Rhodes lunged over to him, finding a long pipe and using it to lever the large chunk of metal off of his body. I looked around, still struggling to piece together what had happened before I blacked out. We were in a large pit full of rubble and metal scraps. Large pipes had broken and water was pouring out, creating the rushing noise. Bruce grunted loudly under the weight of a heavy piece of rock as he stopped it from collapsing in on us. "Watch out!" He yelled. I turned around just in time to see the wave off water, knocking us over.

I screamed as the water filled my lungs. I couldn't see anything or hear anything. Then I felt a large pair of hands grab me and pull me from the water. I was placed on ground and sputtered, coughing up water and trying to force oxygen back into my lungs. "Are you ok?" It was Bruce. I pushed back my  soaked hair and winced as  the grazes on my face stung. I looked around. We weren't in the pit anymore. We were standing in the middle of what used to be the compound. I nodded and pushed myself to my feet feeling the twinge in my right leg. "Where are Rhodes and Rocket?" I asked but Bruce had no answer. "And the others?" Bruce looked back to the pile of rubble. "Somewhere in there." He said. I looked at the burning mound. "We need to get them out." I demanded but Bruce simply shook his head and looked out behind me. I turned around slowly and saw Steve rise to his feet 10 meters in front of us clutching his half broken shield. But then I saw what Bruce was looking at. Way out in the middle of the now waste land stood a large figure. Thanos. I watched slowly as an army formed out of thin air behind him. Creatures and beasts and aliens and large machines. Spaceships and metal whale-like creatures flew above us.

"How is Thanos here? I thought Thor killed him." I muttered in disbelief. Bruce shook his head again. "I don't know." He said simply. "But this isn't the Thanos we knew. I'm pretty certain this is Thanos from the past." From the past? "Nebula." I muttered. "She disappeared. I noticed right before you snapped."  And if in response, I saw Nebula step out from behind the large figure. But I was sure this wasn't the real Nebula- not the one from our time stream. "Nebula from the past must have swapped places with our Nebula and used the time machine to bring them here." Bruce uttered with uncertainty. 

I don't know why I had thought it would be simple. Of course we weren't winning this without a fight. I tapped at my controls, making sure they still worked- they did. My earpiece was still hooked up to the main channel of communication. It was then that I heard it. A slight crackle at first. I watched Steve, knowing he had heard it to as he suddenly stood up straight. "Cap-" a familiar voice buzzed. I turned to Bruce, he stepped closer to me as he tried to listen in. "Can....me" A long silence. "Captain, It's Sam, can you hear me?" My breathe caught in my throat. It really had worked. "Is that Sam?" Bruce questioned, still not convinced himself. I didn't dare nod, scared to jinx it. Steve glanced back at us, if he thought we were playing a trick on him. "On your left." I shielded my eyes as  bright orange light shone in front of me. 

It looked like the sun, bright as if you were stood right next to it- like an emulation of my lost hope. And from it emerged three figures. Silently King T'Challa, his sister and his soldier stepped out onto the battlefield. I stared in disbelief, sure my mind was playing tricks on me. Still I begged for what I was sure must come next. Both me and Bruce let out an odd sigh- of relief? Or of desperation as we both knew what was to happen? Then, like a guardian angel, Sam soured out above us. As he circled the sky, bright yellow lights ripped through the sky. Doctor strange, Mantis, Drax. All of them. I begged to see his face. I had a sinking feeling that he wouldn't come, that everyone would be here but him. But then I saw him

He swung through the sky and landed with grace in front of the pack. I shook my head, still not able to believe it was him until his mask peeled away revealing his face. Tears streamed down my face as the relief hit me, as the pain of the past 5 years slipped away. And because he was beautiful. Far too beautiful and young. He smiled slightly and then looked round, his eyes searching, before they rested on me. His smile spread further. But for the life of me I couldn't smile. Not because I wasn't happy but because I had been right. Peter was still only 18 and I was 23. How could he love me now? 

But then he started to walk towards me slowly and I walked towards him and suddenly I couldn't get to him soon enough as I started to sprint- the mere 15 meters feeling like miles. Then with only a foot between us I stopped, breathing heavily. His brown eyes stared back at me and I wondered how I had gone so long with out them. His mouth quirked up. "I love you too." He told me. I exhaled suddenly, realizing I had been holding my breath and crashed into his arms. Peter held me tightly. My Peter. I felt his hand on the back of my head and smelt his familiar scent on his neck and the tears rolled down my face faster. "You waited?" Peter asked with a tone of confusion. "Of course I waited." 

Suddenly streams of people were coming through Strange's time holes. A whole Wakandan army made up of hundreds. Troops of Asgardians on flying horses holding spears. James Barnes. A large creature that looked to be created of rocks. A large force of who I believed to be trained wizards, golden circles luminating from their palms. Behind us, Thor appeared from the rubble wielding a metal axe. A searing stream of red that was all so familiar crossed my vision and I stared in further disbelief as Wanda landed in front of me. "Wanda." I muttered in shock. 6 long years without even a glimpse of her. She beamed back at me and suddenly I felt the empty space where Nat should have been. She should have been fighting beside us. As much as I wanted to hug Wanda, reunions would have to wait. 

An unfamiliar silver and blue suit flew down and landed in front of me but when the mask lifted I was taken a back. "Pepper?" I questioned as she looked up at me. "Where's Morgan?" I asked, in unison with Tony who had appeared from somewhere. "With Happy." Pepper assured us. "Morgan?" Peter questioned. "My little sister." I told him. "If we get out of this alive, you can meet her." It was meant to be a joke but the comment suddenly scared me and I thought I should have said goodbye to Morgan properly. I should have hugged her and told her I loved her. I never should have left her for those two years. An earth shaking rumbled behind us, caused everyone to turn around as a humungous Ant-man emerged from the rubble, carrying Rhodes and Rocket on his shoulder. Everyone was here. Everyone was ready.

Peter crouched down in preparation beside me, his mask crawling back over his face. I looked at my dad on my right and he gave me a nod and I nodded back. I clicked my controllers, my mask spreading across my face. "Avengers!" Steve yelled. "Assemble."