AVENGE THE FALLEN | AN ENDGAME READER INSERT STORY

part fifteen

It was the night before the Avengers would board the Milano and take off to the skies. It was a night of bittersweet feelings. Some of the heroes wondered if it would be their last night of peace. Others were too focused on preparing to care about what that meant for their lives.

Other than a bottle of expensive wine being passed around, there were no celebrations. Your dad gave a toast, ending with a pledge to avenge the heroes lost in the battle before.

You filled the weapons Rocket had built alongside you with your power. Rocket had built a huge gun, one that was bigger than he was. He picked it up off the table and tested the weight.

"Oh, yeah," he said.

Nebula upgraded parts of her body - her hand, her eye, her brain. After she attached her new parts, you passed by her and touched her arm - one of the few places with unharmed skin.

"When I take the gauntlet from Thanos, you choose how we kill him," you said.

She swallowed. "Thank you."

You nodded and started to pull away. She grabbed your hand a little too roughly. "I want him to die slowly, to feel every bit of pain I felt when he raised me by torturing me until I was good for him. And trying to pin my own sister against me. And then using me against her... then killing her."

"Then that's how he will die, slowly and painfully," you said. "There will be no mercy. We will do it all for your sister. And Nebula, I will do everything in my power to bring her back."

She blinked, and then she took a step towards you and leaned against you. Confused, you started to stiffen, but you realized that this was her hugging you.

"You remind me of her," was all that she said.

You pressed your hands to her back and closed your eyes.

Then she pulled away and went back to work, avoiding looking at you, Rocket, or anybody else.

Your dad walked over to you, a piece of tech - probably a single inch of a chip - in his hand. He pushed your hair away from your ear and pressed it there.

"Upgraded my suit?" you asked.

He nodded. "Touch here," he said, gesturing to his chest.

You did, and a white and red suit covered your skin. You looked down at your hands, smiling.

"I'm not gonna get all scientific on you, but when you use the Time Stone, we will all go with you in time. Everyone is connected, so none of us will fall out of the, uh, time traveling loop."

You nodded. "That's pretty awesome."

"Pretty much the most awesome," he said.

You looked at Rocket, who had one on, too. He shrugged. "Not bad."

You flashed a grin at him.

Things were pretty much ready.

Besides Natasha, who had given up on finding Clint. She'd searched without end for days and days, even though the odds were stacked against her. He was most certainly gone; another victim to Thanos.

It was raining outside, and she was sitting on a bench in the courtyard, just staring at the ground. You passed by the door, wanting to stop to ask if she was okay... but also knowing better.

As soon as you turned away from the window, she was walking back through the door, shaking the rain out of her hair. Her eyes met yours and she said, "I'm going back out there. One more time." Even though she was already soaked, she grabbed her umbrella and headed back out the door.