𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐄𝐍𝐇𝐀𝐍𝐂𝐄𝐃| 𝐒. 𝐑𝐎𝐆𝐄𝐑𝐒 |

twenty four

PRESENT DAY

Before long, everyone manages to retun back to the compound in the present timeline. 

"Did we get 'em all?" Bruce asks, looking around the group.

Rhoedy chuckles. "Are you telling me this actually worked?"

Clint puts his weapons down, his face striken with greif. He then falls down onto his knees, staring out into space. 

"Clint, where's Nat?" Bruce asks, notcing she isn't there.

Despiute hearing Bruce's question, Clint doesn't answer. Instead, he shoves the stone into Bruce's hands and storms off outside. Silence then washes over the group when they realise that Natasha didn't make it out alive. 

"Do we know if she had family?" Tony asks when the Avengers join Clint outside.

 Steve replies. "Us."

"What?" Thor questions, getting dangerously close to Tony.

"I just asked a question."

"No, you're talking about her as if she's dead, why are we doing that? We have the stones. As long as we have the stones, we can bring her back isn't that right, Cap? So stop this shit, we're the Avengers. Get it together."

"We can't get her back." Clint explains, sitting down on a bench forlornly. 

"W-what? What's she..." Thor stammers.

A tear slides down the archer's cheek. "It can't be undone."

Thor then starts chuckling, angering you a little bit. "I'm sorry no offence, but you're a very earthly being and we're talking about space magic. 'Can't' sounds very definitive, don't you think?"

"Yeah, look I know that I'm way outside my pay grade here. Natasha still isn't here is she? It can't be undone!" Clint starts to raise his voice. "Or at least that's what the red floaty guy had to say! Maybe you want to go talk to him, okay? You go get your hammer and you fly to go talk to him!"

"It was supposed to be me." Clint continues, calming down. "She sacrificed her life for that goddamn stone, she bet her life on it."

Bruce-Hulk roars and throws an empty bench far into the river in a fit of rage. "She's not coming back. We have to make it worth it."

"We will." Steve stands up, keeping a strong face. "Let's get to work."

-

The Avengers, plus Rocket, begin working on the brand new guantlet that they'll use to house the infinity stones. When it's ready, Rocket places it on a counter top, staring at it for a few moments. 

"Alright, it's all ready. Question is, who's gonna snap their fricking fingers?" He asks, looking around the group.

"I'll do it." Thor volenteers.

Tony furrows his brows. "Stop, stop, slow down."

"Thor, just wait." Steve puts his hand on his arm. "We haven't decided who's gonna put that on yet.

"Why are we just sitting around, waiting for the right oppourtunity? Staring at the thing is not going to bring everybody back." Thor scolds. "I'm the strongest Avenger. So, this responsibility falls upon me."

"Normally, you'rte right. But it's not about that." Tony shakes his head.

Thor groans, tears welling in his eyes. "Just let me do it." He begs. "Let me do something good."

"Look, it's not just because this glove is channelling enough energy to light up a continent, I'm telling you, you're in no condition."

Thor gets up all close and personal into Tony's face. "What do you think is coursing through my veins right now?"