Hold On Soldier ✔️ | marvel

101. Bring them back

Scott is boiling with rage and his face turns with confusion. I settle a hand on his shoulder in compassion and he meets my eyes. I smile warmly as his chest heaves less.

"Thanks Cold Shoulder." Scotts face softens.

"You can call me Isabelle, Scott." I ensure.

"Alright Isabelle, I guess we're ordered to head back then." Scott tries to smile.

"They'll make it, I'm sure of it." I nod as we ready ourselves. We both hesitate in our position.

"Damn we're screwed." Scott says and I scuff out a nervous laugh as we are sucked into the quantum realm. Suddenly we're on the Quantum platform along with the recovered stones. I frantically try to find Tony and Steve and exhale grateful when our helmets undo. My eyes shoot to Steve and then scan to find Tony too.

"Did we get them all?" Bruce asks as he notices the stones.

Rhodey is shocked as we confirm they're really here, "You telling me this'll actually work?"

There's a silence that forms, as that happens I count each person. My stomach twists when I don't find Nat. Bruce also noticed the absence, "Clint, where's Nat?"

"Clint?" I repeat as he doesn't answer. He looks dreadful standing there, guilty eyes that are burning with tears. The mission was completed but at a dire cost it seems. I clasp my hand over my mouth as my stomach completely drops. Bruce falls to his knees and pounds the floor in grief. The thud shakes the platform and I shakily drop to my knees as well. Gaging up tears I scurry for hope in my mind. Is it true?

-

Outside there's a beautiful lakeside beside the HQ. I'm staring out at it while the others are gathered behind me. Tony, Steve, Thor, Clint, and Bruce are mourning as well. I question if I should allow myself to shatter in this moment or cast the walls back up. But I squeeze my lids shut and propose a gift. My gift to Nat is to not bottle these feelings up.

"Do we know if she had family?" Tony breaks the swollen silence.

It's quiet as the lake purrs, "Yeah. Us." A single tear runs down Steve's cheek.

"What?" Thor blabs.

"I just asked him a question-" Tony defends softly.

"Yeah, you're acting like she's dead. Why are we acting like she's dead? We have the stones, right? As long as we have the stones, Cap, we can bring her back, isn't that right?" Thor roars through the sad delicacy of our meet up, "So stop this shit. We're the Avengers, get it together."

Clint's voice is hoarse as he answers, "We can't get her back."

"Wha– what?" Thor is not accepting it.

"It can't be undone. It can't." Clint repeats in sorrow.

"I'm sorry. No offense, but you're a very earthly being. Okay? We're talking about space magic. And "can't" seems very definitive don't you think?" Thor offensively laughs.

"Yeah, look, I know that I'm way outside my paygrade here. But she still isn't here, is she?" Clint tells.

"No, that's my point-" Thor begins to argue but Clint raises his voice.

"It can't– be undone. Or that's at least what the red floating guy had to say. Maybe you wanna go talk to him, okay? Go grab your hammer, and you go fly and you talk to him!" I hunch my back and I cradle myself as Clint's anger returns to grief, "It was supposed to be me. She sacrificed her life for that goddamn stone. She bet her life on it."

Bruce throws a bench across the lake in anger, "She's not coming back. We have to make it worth it. We have to."

"We will." Steve nods laying a palm gently on my back. I shiver as tears pour down my cheeks, he brushed my back comfortingly. The others eventually stomp or drag themselves back to HQ. I stay with swollen eyes and Steve doesn't pull his hand away, "I'm sorry I told you to not hold back your feelings."