I Need A Hero Vol. 4 {Peter Quill}

eighteen

Gwen and Nebula sat on the ground in front of 2014 Nebula. She ignored Gwen for now as she was beating up the 2023 Nebula.

"You're weak" 2014 Nebula taunted.

"I'm you" 2023 Nebula said. At that moment, Gamora walked into the room. 2023 Nebula looked up at her. "You can stop this. You know you want to. Did you see what happens in the future? Thanos finds the Soul Stone. You wanna know how he does that? You wanna know what he does to you?"

"Listen to her, Gamora!" Gwen begged. That earned her a kick in the face by 2014 Nebula. She groaned in pain. Purple blood seeped from her nose. 

"You both disgust me" 2014 Nebula said. She held up a knife to the throat of 2023 Nebula, but trailed it upwards to remove a golden plate off of her head. "But that doesn't mean you two are useless. Gamora, bring Kamomile in here"

~

Natasha and Clint both arrived at Vormir. They climbed up the mountain that was there.

"Under different circumstances, this would be totally awesome" Clint commented.

"I bet the raccoon didn't have to climb a mountain" Natasha complained.

"Technically, he's not a raccoon, you know"

"Whatever. He eats garbage"

"Welcome" A voice startled both Clint and Natasha. The both of them drew their weapons. They turned around to see Red Skull approaching them. "Natasha, daughter of Ivan. Clint, son of Edith"

"Who are you?"

"Consider me a guide. To you, and to all who seek the Soul Stone"

"Oh good. You tell us where it is. Then we'll be on our way"

"If only it were that easy" Red Skull lead Natasha and Clint over to the cliff. "What you seek lies in front of you...as does what you fear"

"The stone is down there" Natasha affirmed.

"For one of you. For the other... In order to take the stone, you must lose that which you love. An everlasting exchange. A soul, for a soul"

~

Natasha and Clint spent some time contemplating over what Red Skull had told them. 

"How's it going? Jesus...Maybe he's making this shit up" Clint tried to convince himself.

"No. I don't think so" Natasha regretfully said.

"Why, 'cause he knows your Daddy's name?"

"I didn't. Thanos left here with the stone without his daughter. It's not a coincidence"

"Yeah"

"Whatever it takes"

"Whatever it takes"

Natasha stood up from the log that she was sitting on. "If we don't get that stone, billions of people stay dead"

"Then I guess we both know who it's gotta be" 

"I guess we do" The both of them held hands, and then they looked at each other.

"I'm starting to think, we've been different people here, Natasha" 

"For the last five years I've been trying to do one thing: Get to right here. That's all it's been about. Bringing everybody back" 

"Oh, don't you get all decent on me now"

"What, you think I wanna do it? I'm trying to save your life, you idiot"

"Yeah well, I don't want you to, because I...Natasha, you know what I've done. You know what I've become" Clint's voice became strained with his words.

"I don't judge people on their worst mistakes" 

"Maybe you should"

"You didn't"

"You're a pain in my ass, you know that?" Clint and Natasha leaned their heads against each other's. "Okay, you win" Clint knocked Natasha to the ground. "Tell my family I love them"

Natasha returned the favour by tackling Clint to the ground. "Tell them yourself" She electrocuted him and started running for the cliff. Clint got up and shot an explosive arrow, which knocked her to the ground. He ran towards the cliff and jumped. Natasha jumped after him, and hooked him up to a grappling hook. They both were now dangling off the side of the cliff.

"Damn you!" Clint cursed.

"Let me go" Natasha begged.

"No, please, no"

"It's okay" Natasha whispered her last words before she kicked the wall and fell of the rope. She plummeted down to the ground. Her body lied on the ground below the cliff. She had sacrificed herself so that they would have a chance.

A boom in the sky sent Clint to a pool of water. He sat up and opened his palm, revealing the Soul Stone. He hit the ground in anger, before activating his Quantum Suit and shrinking back to present day.

~

There was a bright flash of orange in the Soul Stone. Gamora knew what the flash was, as it had happened before when she arrived in the stone. She had found Peter and told her to follow him. 

"Gamora, where are we going? What was that flash?" Peter questioned as he followed after her. Gamora ignored him as they approached a large pool of water. "Will you tell me what's going on?"

"When Thanos sacrificed me for the soul stone, this is where I woke up. The exact same flash had happened as well" Gamora explained. Her eyes scanned the water until she noticed a woman laying in the shallow pool. "Someone else has been sacrificed"

The woman opened her eyes, taking notice of the bright, orange sky and the pool of water that she was lying in. She sat up, and took notice of Gamora and Peter who were staring at her. "What's going on? Where am I?" the woman questioned.

Gamora began approaching her. "You're inside the Soul Stone. My name is Gamora, and this is Peter Quill"

"Wait, Peter Quill?" the woman repeated the name, looking at the man in question. "As in Gwen Quill's husband?"

Peter's eyes widened as he took a step forward. "You know Gwen?"

"Yes, I do" The woman finally stood up. "My name is Natasha Romanoff"

"Why are you here, Natasha Romanoff?" Gamora asked.

"I sacrificed myself so my friend could have the Soul Stone" Gamora quirked her head at Natasha, confused as to why she would do that.

"Why would you do that?"

"Because, it's what had to be done to reverse what Thanos did" 

"Reverse the snap?" Peter spoke hopefully. "You mean, we could get out of here? We could be back on Earth? I could be with my wife and my daughter again?"

Natasha nodded. "As long as everything goes to plan"

Peter started laughing with joy. He couldn't believe it! He was going to be with his wife again. He was going to be with his daughter again. Gamora smiled at him, and she only hoped that if Gwen and everyone else manages to reverse what Thanos did, that she'd be back with her family again, considering that she got here under different circumstances.