Infinity War (Charlotte Stark)

Ch. 5 Home

Nat addresses Wanda as she starts closing the doors to the Quinjet, "I thought we had a deal. Stay close, check in. Don't take any chances."

"I'm sorry. We just wanted time." She apologizes.

"Jeez. I leave for what, a few months, and you decide to break the rules?" I ask her, slightly annoyed.

"You left?" She asks me.

"Long story, I'll tell you later." I dismiss the topic. "Look, I know you are young and in love, and that's fine, but this is about your safety."

"I know, I'm sorry." She apologizes again. I lighten my facial expression and move to sit down next to her. She places her head on my shoulder and I rest my hand on hers.

"Where to, Cap?" Sam asks, breaking the silence.

"Home." He says and we take off, heading to the compound.

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Almost arriving home, Wanda, Vision, and Sam are asleep. Steve is piloting the Quinjet, and Nat and I are sitting by ourselves in a corner.

"I really missed you. The testosterone level was especially high while you were gone." She says to me.

"Trust me, I had my fair share of that where I was."

"So you were with Bruce?"

"Yeah. He asked about you, you know?" I tell her, she looks over to me. "When he finally un-hulked. That was the first thing he asked."

"Really?"

"Yeah, but then we had to fight our way off of the junk planet and fight Thor's evil sister."

"Oh yeah, I was going to ask you, how are you not dead?" She grins at me.

"Because," I start to say, "I'm a badass."

She laughs and rests her head back. I then get up and take a seat next to Steve in the copilots seat.

"How much longer?" I ask.

"A couple of minutes."

I look off into the distance as our destination approaches.

"We're gonna stop him, Char. We always do."

"That's what I'm afraid of Steve." I say, slowly turning my head to face him. "We always win the fight. What if this time, we don't?"

"Hey, don't think like that. Any battle we go into could be our last. But it's not. Do you wanna know why?" He asks me.

"Why?"

"Because we're a team. And we're strong. Stronger than all the bad guys put into one."

"That's what Thanos is." I tell him softly, looking back out in front of me. "All the bad guys we've ever fought, put into one." He stays silent and I add, "and then some."

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We arrive at the compound and walk in. As soon as we do, I notice Rhodes talking to Secretary Ross. He's a hologram in the room, but I still want to walk up to him and give him a nice sucker punch in his crouch.

"Still no word from Vision?" Ross asks.

"Satellites lost him somewhere over Edinburgh." Rhodes replies.

"On a stolen quinjet with five of the world's most wanted criminals."

"You know they're only criminals because you've chosen to call them that, right, sir?"

"My God, Rhodes, your talent for horseshit rivals my own." Ross huffs out, rolling his eyes.

"If it weren't for those Accords, Vision would've been right here." Rhodes fires back.

"I remember your signature on those papers, Colonel."

"That's right. And I'm pretty sure I've paid for that." He walks around the table, struggling, with his electronic legs.

"You have second thoughts?"

"Not anymore." Rhodes looks over to us and we step into Ross's vision.

"Mr. Secretary." Steve greets him.

"You got some nerve. I'll give you that." He says, the hologram gets up from its seated position.

"You could use some of that right now." Nat tells him.

"The world's on fire. And you think, all is forgiven?" He asks us. This time I step forward.

"We're not looking for forgiveness. And we're way past asking for permission. Earth just lost her best defender. So we're here to fight. And if you wanna stand in our way... We'll fight you, too."

"Arrest them." Ross turns towards Rhodes.

"All over it." Rhodes ends the call with him. "That's a court-martial. It's great to see you, Cap."

"You too, Rhodey."

"Well. You guys, really look like crap. Must've been a rough couple of years."

"Well I was stranded on an alien planet for a few months. That does a number on anyone." I say, smiling.

"And the hotels weren't exactly five star." Sam adds.

"Uh, I think you look great. Yeah. I'm back." Bruce steps up. "Hey Charlie." I wave to him.

"Hi, Bruce." Nat says calmly.

"Nat."

"This is awkward." Sam states. Vision looks to him.