It Was Always You (Universe 163,729)

Chapter 8

Bruce, Rocket, Rhodes, and Scott are stuck under a piece of concrete.

"I can't breathe. I can't breathe! I can't breathe."

"Canopy. Canopy. Canopy."

"Rhodey, Rocket, get outta here!"

"Hurry up! Hurry up! Come on!"

"Rhodey!"

A giant wave of water hits them. They yell in terror as they are swept away.

"Mayday, mayday! Does anybody copy? We're in the lower level, it's flooding!"

"What?"

"We're drowning! Does anybody copy? Mayday!"

"Wait! I'm here! I'm here, can you hear me?"

—————————————————

Clint is stuck in the sewer system with the gauntlet. He looks up to see Outriders trying to get in.

"Cap?"

He shoots an arrow into the dark. More Outriders. He starts running.

"Damn."

The Outriders start chasing him. He runs in the opposite direction trying to avoid them.

————————————————————

Tony looks at Steve who is on the ground.

"Come on, buddy. Wake up. That's my man," Tony hands Steve his shield, "You lose this again, I'm keeping it."

Steve gets up and stares at Thor.

"What happened?"

"We messed with time. It tends to mess back. You'll see."

Thor observes Thanos, who has been sitting on a rock for the past ten minutes.

"What's he been doing?"

"Absolutely nothing."

"Where are the stones?"

"Somewhere under all this. All I know is he doesn't have them."

"So we keep it that way."

"You know it's a trap, right?"

"Yeah. And I don't much care."

"Good. Just as long we are all in agreement," Thor summons Mjolnir and Stormbreaker, "Let's kill him properly this time."

They walk towards Thanos who looks up at them.

"You could not live with your own failure. And where did that bring you? Back to me. I thought by eliminating half of life, the other half would thrive. But you've shown me that's impossible. And as long as there are those that remember what was, there will always be those that are unable to accept what can be. They will resist."

"Yep. We're all kinds of stubborn."

"I'm thankful. Because now, I know what I must do," He stands up, "I will shred this universe down to its last atom, And then– With the stones you've collected for me, create a new one. Teeming with life, but knows not what it has lost but only what it has been given."

"Born out of blood."

"They'll never know it. Because you won't be alive to tell them."

He attacks them. Steve uses his shield, throwing it at Thanos. Tony fired his repulsors at him. Thor hits him with Stormbreaker.

————————————————————

Rhodey and Rocket are struggling to breath. Scott is hurrying to find them.