To The Sun [3] Endgame

Fifteen

Chapter Fifteen:

Her feet landed on solid ground, and when she looked up she saw everybody on the platform. They had made it back, and they were in Headquarters safe and sound.

"Did we get them all?" Bruce was the first to say something. "Did we do it?"

"You're telling me this actually worked?" Rhodey questioned taking a step forward. Everyone's travel suits crumpled away, and Hazel was scanning their group. The platform lowered beneath them, and they filed off of it.

"Wait." Hazel raised her voice, looking around. "Where's Nat?"

They all looked at Clint who refused to meet anybody's gaze, with tears welling in his eyes. He didn't have to say anything for them know that Natasha hadn't made it. Hazel frowned, shaking her head.

Not Natasha, who was like a big sister to her. Not Natasha who always went out of her way to make sure everyone was alright, or always made sure Hazel knew what she was capable of and made sure she felt safe. Natasha who always comforted her, and joked around when things got tough.

"No." Hazel muttered, "Why?"

Clint said nothing as he made his way out of the room, and a few minutes later everyone else followed. Hazel wiped at her eyes, ignoring the tears that fell. This couldn't be, they weren't supposed to lose anyone on this mission.

Hazel watched them all go, everyone went in various directions. When everyone had gone, Hazel slowly made her way out as well. She walked down the hallway and walked up the stairs, leaning over the landing just as she had done nights before. But Natasha was no longer sitting there eating a sandwich, and Steve wasn't standing across from the women and comforting her. With a deep breath, she continued her way to her bedroom. Hazel wiped her eyes again, letting the tears fall. Natasha and Hazel had grown even closer after the snap, and with those five years she couldn't even picture a time where Hazel hadn't been without the older women for an entire day.

She saw Steve turn the corner, and he walked right past her.

"Steve." She called out, watching him stop on the first step of the staircase. He turned and looked over at her, saying nothing.

"Are you ok?"

He nodded, "Don't worry about, Hazel."

"It's hard not to." She walked towards him, "Since you never worry about yourself."

"How are you feeling?" He tried changing the subject.

Hazel sighed, "You two were close. I know you were, and you can't tell me you're ok because you keep losing people, Steve, and I don't know how you cope—"

"We're meeting at the dock, Tony wants us all out there to talk about the mission."

She nodded, wanting to make him feel better because she knew he was hurting. "Back in 1970, when I was with Peggy..." His eyes soften at her name, Hazel took a deep breath. "She said she loved you. And that she could never stop, and that she wished you could know that."

Steve's face fell, and a few tears fell from his eyes. Hazel never saw Steve cry, he was always the one who put up the strong exterior when everyone needed it. She walked over to him and stepped down onto the step he was and hugged him, feeling his arms hug her back.

"I'm so sorry."

"Why are you sorry?"

Hazel sniffed, "You've lost so much. You deserve so much better, Steve. You really do."

He chuckled, "And you deserve the world, Hazel."

She snorted pulling away from him, wiping her eyes with her sleeve. "You're so old."

He raised his hands, an amused look in his eyes. "What does that have to do with anything?"

She shrugged walking down the steps, content with taking his mind off of serious things even if it was just for a split second. She looked out the window and saw Bruce's large figure walking towards the dock, Hazel frowned as she made her way outside. The air was much cooler then when they left, and she felt much colder. It was probably from the fact that Hazel was still wet from the water pipe incident, and she was surprised people were still hugging her when she was filthy.

She took a deep breath of fresh air, or just air. It didn't smell very fresh, and the pollution from the city seemed to be wafting its way over. She walked with Steve all the way over the bridge in silence, and he took a seat on a bench and just stared out at the water. Hazel leaned up against a support beam and crossed her arms, watching as Tony situated himself. Clint was sitting on the other bench, rubbing his hands together and shaking his head.

Nobody said anything for a little while, Bruce kept walking back and fourth at the edge of the wooden planks.

Tony was the first to speak. "Do we know if she had family?"

"Yeah." Steve's jaw clenched and unclenched, "Us."

Thor brushed last Hazel and she jumped, haven't even noticing him. He wore a jumpsuit, and had what looked like crumbs in his beard.

"What?" His eyes went wide, all intimidating like.

Tony stood up and turned to the other man, "Huh? I was just asking him a question—"

"No, you're acting like she's dead. Why are we acting like she's dead?" Thor stepped closer to Tony, "We have the stones, right? As long as we have the stones—" He looked down at Steve, "As long as we have the stones, Cap, we can bring her back. Isn't that right?"

Steve only looked down, eyes watering once again.

"So stop this shit!" Thor seethed, "We're the Avengers, get it together!"

"We can't get her back." Clint's voice sounded softly, he was still staring out at the water.

"Wha— What?" Thor stuttered.

"It's can't be undone. It can't."

Hazel glared as Thor began laughing, looking back at everyone for reassurance. When he didn't get any, he turned back at Clint.

"I'm sorry. No offence, but you're a very earthly being. Okay? We're talking about space magic and 'can't' seems like a very odd thing to say, don't you think?"

Clint stood up, "Look, I know I'm way out of my pay grade here. But, she still isn't here, is she? That's my point, it can't be undone." His voice cracked, Hazel took a deep breath trying not to cry again. Today was supposed to be a good day, and look how fast that plan when to shit. "Or that's at least what the floating red guy had to say. Maybe you want to go talk to him, ok?"

When Thor said nothing, Clint continued, yelling. "Go grab your hammer, and you go fly and talk to him! Because she is gone! Gone!" He paused, catching his breath. "It was supposed to be me. She sacrificed her life for that goddamned stone. She bet her life on it."

Bruce let out a yell and picked up a stone bench, hurling into the lake. They all stared at him as he turned to face them, "She's not coming back."

Hazel pushed off the beam and stood straight up, "Then we have to make it worth it. We have to."

Steve stood up, eyes set with determination. "We will."

"We're going to win, and we're going to bring everyone back and she's going to smile because it was all her." Hazel declared, "When we win, it's all because of her."

She felt an arm wrap around her shoulder and she looked up to see Tony, "You have a way with words, kid."

Everyone took off up the bridge, and when they were all out of ear shot Tony sniffed and let go of her, "You really need to shower, Barnes. You smell like a sewage plant."

He took of towards the building as well, rushing after him with a string of curse words chorusing through her head.