The Valiant (The Seventh Avenger)

Chapter 76

I stayed in bed for the next three weeks. Every so often, I would try to summon flames but the pain would only greet me. Eventually, though, I had the capability to hold onto them for a little while before the strain consumed me. I sometimes find myself rubbing my arm where Evan's designs used to be, I miss him so much and didn't keep so many of my promises. The hope began to waver in my system about a week ago, but it's still there. Barely.

A knock sounds at my door and I slowly lift myself up to look at Bruce. A small smile tries to comfort me but it doesn't reach his eyes. My hand unwraps itself from Bella's puppy collar and quickly hides it under the pillow.

"Hey, Grace," Bruce sits down on my bed and places his hand on my leg to comfort me. "We have a slight situation." My eyes flick up to meet him to show I'm listening. I can't remember the last time I spoke, the last time I laughed or smiled or acted like a normal human being. "The communication device you brought in after Fury turned to dust, stopped doing what it was doing."

I fling myself out of bed and I'm already taking off down the hall. The floor ripples and sways under my feet from the quick movement but I only go forward. My arms graze the walls and arms wrap around me to hold me up. Bruce and I walk, more like Bruce carries me, into the room and stands by my side to hold me up. The small device we attached to the computer to bypass the battery was off.

"What happened?" The words escape my mouth barely a whisper. My throat is dry and my jaw cracks at the movement.

"We circumvented the battery, it's still plugged in but it just stopped," Rhodey says. The last of my hope disintegrates, whoever this was sent to Fury clearly trusted. Whoever this was or is a powerful person who we can believe in.

"Reboot it, send the signal again," Steve commands. All our gazes remain on the device not knowing what to do with it.

"Yeah, well we don't even know what this is," Bruce points out. I turn my head towards him and nod my head showing that we can trust it. Fury did and he knew that we would need this person's help in getting them back.

"Fury did, just do it please," Nat states next to me. A binder rests in her hands, across it reads "Детский дом для сильных" Orphanage for the strong. She started it when children began to get found more and more often. She is the reason for my hope that used to be in my chest. "And tell me the second you get a signal. I want to know who's on the other end of that thing."

Natasha begins to make her way out and Bruce and I follow to go back to my room. My chest ignites when a woman with a red, blue, and gold uniform matching the design on the device stares at Nat. I can't help but smile at the two words she offers us knowing this woman was the on Nick trusted.

"Where's Fury?" She asks. I take a step up, shaking Bruce off of me. A spark begins to flicker in the back of my brain. There's something about her as if it was déjà vu like I've met her somewhere before. I bring my hand up to touch hers and energy courses its way through me. I can't help but giggle at the familiar feeling. She pulls her hand away and stares me up and down before walking over to Steve to repeat the question.

"We don't know," he simply states because it is true. We don't know where the dusted had gone or when or if or how they would be back. Bruce tries to lead me out of the room but I push his hands away. My legs wobble when I take a few steps.

"Fury turned to dust with half the universe, but if we get Tony back then we might have a chance to bring everyone back," I croak, her face transfers between pain and hope in a matter of seconds before shifting to anger. Everyone in the room stares at me and I realize this was the first time I mentioned that Tony is alive.

"What's so special about this Tony?" This woman asks, her eyebrows raise as she looks me up and down.

"He is the only one who could help us bring everyone back and he is the only one who would know what to do," I explain but the look on her face says it all, why should she listen to me? Her eyes linger over me and stop at my arm with the designs on it.