The End Game | MCU FanFiction

Chapter 40

"Come on, man. Just wake up, we're going to him, you know that- ow!"

Peter shot upright in his seat, sweat dripping down his face, eyes wide. He quickly looked back out the window. They were still flying, but he could see land beneath them. The wing was fine, no fire to be seen. When he took a quick look around the plane, he saw everyone was awake and having normal conversations.

Looking to his right, he saw Harley, wide awake and looking at him with a pained and shocked expression on his face. He held his hand over his arm and looked as if Peter had just slapped him.

Oh crap, he probably had.

"Oh, em-" Peter finally found his tongue, embarrassment coloring his cheeks. "Sorry?"

Harley huffed.

"Whatever," he waved it off. "What was all that about, anyway?" Harley quickly changed the topic, a now concerned look replacing his last one.

"What was what about?" Peter said, looking at his hands.

"You were thrashing about in your chair and calling for Tony," Harley replied. Normally he would've said something sarcastic. Just the fact that he didn't this time told Peter how much the older boy really cared.

"Nothing, it-it was just a nightmare, that's all," Peter replied, the dream still fresh in his mind.

"Oh," was all Harley said in reply. But there was a look of understanding on his face as he changed the subject. "It's very flat here, isn't it?"

Peter looked outside, now noticing that it was indeed very flat. He saw large fields and big farms. When he looked further, he still couldn't see anything that even began to look like mountains.

Thankful for the change of subject, Peter started pointing out different things and they started guessing what it could be until the plane finally touched down in Schiphol Airport. Peter felt the nerves building up inside of him as he walked with Harley out of the plane. Finally, they were taking action.

--

It was chaos in Wakanda.

"We need all the help we can possibly get!" Steve exclaimed. He really started to lose his patience. "We can't do this alone, we need Wakanda to stand beside us. The Wakandan warriors are the best in the world, we need them!"

"I understand, Captain," the king of Wakanda replied, staying calm even though he too started to get tired of this. "But you have to understand, we cannot lose more warriors now. A lot have given their lives during the attack by the Killmonger. I am afraid we cannot afford to lose more for two men and a girl, no matter how much I would want to help,"

It really hurt T'Challa to say this. But as the king of Wakanda, he had responsibilities, he couldn't just go around risking the lives of his people, the best warriors in the world, to save three people, no matter how much he wanted to.

Deep inside, the Captain knew the king was right. But the selfish part of him didn't want him to be right. The selfish part of him didn't want to lose his friend again. Especially now that he'd lose two more at the same time. And one of them was a kid.

"Look, T'Challa," the soldier tried again after he'd calmed down a little. "I understand, I really do. But they have a kid, a teenage girl. She's defenseless-"

"She has the protection of two warriors," the king interrupted.

"Two warriors who have been hurt without a doubt," when T'Challa looked confused, he explained; "When they were dragged away, Buck and Stark were already beaten up and they- um, they... they knocked Tony out. He wasn't conscious when they dragged him away. And that is without the torture that almost certainly followed,"

It was as if it physically hurt him to say how his friends were taken. His look was distant, replaying that dreadful night. He was shaken from his thoughts by T'Challa's hand on his shoulder.

"I am truly sorry, my friend," the king said, eyes sad. "I cannot lend you my warriors, nor can I offer my own services. I have a kingdom to run, people to keep safe. I cannot leave,"

The Captain lowered his head, he knew he'd lost this battle. The hand on his shoulder squeezed in reassurance.

"Captain, all hope is not lost yet. You are the Avengers, you can still win this battle,"

"We aren't the Avengers without Iron Man-" Steve tried to argue, but T'Challa cut him off again.

"Of course you are," the king argued. "Yes, you are down some members, and one important one, too. But if you work together, if you fight together, you can still do this. You have to try, Captain. You have to save your friends,"

Steve nodded, taking a deep breath. It was just another HYDRA base, they had dealt with this before. Although, it would have been easier if the Hulk had been there. And Thor. But it didn't help if he would complain about who he had and who he didn't, it wouldn't save his friends.

So instead, he gave T'Challa a genuine smile, even if he didn't feel like smiling at all. He gave him a small, "Thanks anyway," before he turned around to walk away and assemble his team. But he was stopped by the king calling his name.

"And Captain," he said, a mischievous grin forming around his lips. "Don't freeze,"

--

Peter took in a deep breath once he stepped outside the airport. Harley stood next to him, fumbling with a big duffel bag.

"What's in that?" Peter asked. Harley bent in closer to whisper it in his ear. Peter's eyes went almost as wide as Harley's grin. "Why in the name of the holy cow did you bring-"

"Shhh," Harley quickly shushed the wide-eyed teenager with a hand on his mouth. "Dr. Strange's magic made it look as if it was just luggage,"

"Wow," came the response from Peter, muffled by Harley's hand. Harley nodded excitedly. He then suddenly pulled his hand back with a yelp, looking back at Peter with a disgusted look on his face.

"Did you just lick my hand?!" He exclaimed. Peter just looked back with a goofy grin on his face.

Strange gave a deep sigh.

"Teenagers," he mumbled. This was going to be a lot harder than he'd thought.