S U P E R N O V A - MARVEL

Chapter 52: Rome fell

"Not that Brutus loved Caesar less, but he loved Rome more."

Nova looked for Tony everywhere but couldn't find him. She called him multiple times but he didn't pick up. Eventually she tracked him, he was in Siberia. Why was he in Siberia? Maybe he found Steve and Bucky and went there to catch them.

Nova could've sat this one out but she didn't, something irked her. Tony was out there alone, he probably needed help anyway. She got on a jet and landed in Siberia. Tony's location was at some remote mountaintop covered in snow.

She felt nervous, it was rare for her to go on some mission alone, but someone had to look after her dad. As she exited the jet, she saw two figures outside, one sitting in the snow, one standing overhead. As she got closer the figures revealed themselves to be Helmut Zemo, and King T'challa.

She walked over to them. "Well this is awkward." she remarked, regretting it instantly. As the noises grew louder she asked, "What's going on?" she was as confused as ever.

T'challa looked down at Zemo, "I almost killed the wrong man." he said. Nova grew more nervous. "This is all you wanted? To see them rip each other apart." he asked Zemo.

"T'challa, what happened?" she asked firmly, this seemed to catch his attention.

He looked up at her. "Barnes — killed your grandparents." he said lowly.

"What?" she whispered, taking a moment to ask her next question, "Steve, he knew?" T'challa nodded inexpressively.

There weren't any more questions she needed answered, she already put it all together. A sense of betrayal and hurt seeped into her chest.

She then shifted her gaze to look at Zemo, "And you?" she asked through gritted teeth, "Why?"

He didn't look up at her, he had a phone in his hand, Nova watched as he deleted a voicemail, "My father lived outside the city. I thought we would be safe there. My son was excited. He could see the Iron Man from the car window." he began, "I told my wife, 'Don't worry. They are fighting in the city. We're miles from harm.'" he paused, "When the dust cleared . . . and the screaming stopped. It took me two days until I found their bodies. My father . . . still holding my wife and son in his arms. And the Avengers? They went home. I knew I couldn't kill them. More powerful men than me have tried. But, if I could get them to kill each other."

Everything pieced together in Nova's mind. She felt horrible, she could feel her heart hurt. Tears welded up in her eyes.

"I'm sorry." her voice cracked.

"Tell that to the dead." Zemo said vengefully as he pulled out a gun and placed it on his chin, about to pull the trigger, Nova quickly lifted up her hand, removing the gun from his hand and throwing it away.

T'challa held him back. "The living are not done with you yet."

-

Steve grabbed Tony and lifting him over his head, then throwing him down, punching him and bashing his mask off with his shield. Tony puts his arms up in front of his face out of self defence as he sees Steve about to strike down hard on the suit's core with his shield. But it is suddenly stopped as soon as it's about to make contact with the core, surrounded with blue aura.

"Enough!" they heard Nova's furious scream and looked up to see her slowly descending down, stopping themselves, panting loudly.

"I suggest you both leave before this fight becomes fair." she spoke sternly, "You've done enough here." she looked at Bucky and Steve. They were both bloody, full of guilt and for some reason didn't seem to move. Nova, noticing this, vehemently shouted, "GO!"

Play: I Know - Fiona Apple

Steve limped towards Bucky, and got him off the ground. Nova sat next to Tony's bloodied and conscious body on the ground.

"That shield doesn't belong to you!" Tony shouted, "You don't deserve it. My father made that shield!"

Steve stopped in his tracks and turned around, dropping the shield next to Nova. She watched as it rattled on the ground then looked up at him with her tear filled eyes and her downturned lips, how could you do this? He returned her a grave look and focused on her. 'I will see you again.' Steve's former words rang in her head. He did, but not in the way she had imagined.

The pair limped out the room. Nova turned to Tony, "I'm sorry, dad." she cried, "I was wrong." She put her hand on his.

He looked up at her compassionately. "So was I."