Bound By Purpose

The Mission

I find myself on the platform once more. But this time I'm wearing my new suit Tony made for me and I'm surrounded by my friends. I try to mentally prepare myself for going back in, but Steve interrupts me. He's the last to join our group. 

"Five years ago...." I look up and we lock eyes for a moment, "We lost. All of us. We lost friends... We lost family... We lost a part of ourselves." Breaking our line of sight I look at each individual around me. Steve is right, we all have a piece in this fight and we're going to do everything in our power to make it right. "Today, we have a chance to take it all back. You know your teams, you know your missions. Get the stones, get them back. One round trip each. No mistakes. No do-overs. Most of us are going somewhere we know. But it doesn't mean we should know what to expect. Be careful. Look out for each other. This is the fight of our lives. And we're gonna win." Our circle grows tighter as we each lift a hand to the center. Our coordinates appear on our wrists. Steve continues once more, "Whatever it takes. Good luck." I look around once more and take in the faces. Any one of us might not make it back in one piece. Nat stands next to me. When I catch her attention I wink and she smiles back at me. For years she had wanted back in and in a way I think I've felt the same. 

Rocket is to my other side he looks up and confesses, "He's pretty good at that." I roll my eyes slightly and look away, they have no idea.

"Right?" Scott says a little late and a little too excitedly. 

"All right. You heard the man. Stroke those keys, jolly green." Tony points to Banner. As the machine warms up with a whir side quick side conversations take place. I speak to know one. My final thoughts here belong to my children. I close my eyes for a moment and picture both of their little faces before turning myself on to the focus needed. When I open my eyes Steve is staring across, but he isn't looking at me. Glancing over at Nat I realize his focus is on her she returns that focus with a sweet smile. Their eyes are locked and in that I see a spark I haven't noticed before. It's sweet and honestly it's something they should have made official a long time ago.

"See you in a minute." Nat says excitedly. It's the last thing I hear before our helmets come down and we get sent our separate ways.

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"That's Jane." Thor says, his face igniting with a smile. We'd spent a good ten minutes getting over our sickness... Well Rocket and I handled it fine, Thor struggled quite a bit. Now we're huddled behind a column trying not to be spotted. Rocket and I look at each other. We both understand the trauma he's been through but we can't have any slip ups, not now.

Rocket takes a deep breath and then climbs up the column. When he sees that he's in the clear he lays down the ground rules, "All right. Here's the deal, Tubby: You're gonna charm her and I'm gonna poke her with this thing," He points to the little device we brought to contain the Aether. "and extract the Reality Stone and get gone, lickety-split."

None of this seems to have stuck because he turns his attention down the hall "I'll be right back, okay? There's a wine cellar, that's just down there. My father used to fish huge barrel of ale. I'll see if the cellar has a couple of..." I'm not annoyed at him anymore just sad for him.

"Hey! Hey! Aren't you drunk enough already?" Rocket says.

I set a hand on Rocket's small shoulder. "Ease up a little bit." A door opens down the hall and all three of us jump back into the shadows. A few women enter. Thor tenses up next to me and takes a step forward.

"Who's the fancy broad?" Rocket asks, stepping out as the danger passes. 

"It's my Mother." He says seemingly sober for the first time. "She dies today." I clench my eyes closed, I'd been through the exact same thing hours ago.