The King: T'Challa.

Chapter 30: A Solution?

The streets of New York City were abandoned. The boats around the dock, all abandoned. The baseball stadium, lifeless. The affects of the Decimation were evident, and Earth didn't cope well. So that brings me up to now, in an abandoned cafe looking at the words "WHERE DO WE GO? NOW THAT THEY'RE GONE.". We all suffered a defeat, not just me, not just the Avengers; the World. Steve took it upon himself to help, this time just without the suit and shield. A therapy group for those affected by the snap.

"So I, uh......Went on a date the other day. Its the first time in five years, you know?" Joe, a participant, explained.

"I'm sitting there at dinner..... I didn't even know what to talk about."

"What did you talk about?" Steve asked. Joe continued:

"Same old crap, you know? How things have changed, and..... My job, his job..... How much we miss the Mets. And then things get quiet..... He cried as theg were serving the salads."

Genuinely interested in Joe's heartfelt story I asked 'what about you?'

"I cried.... Just before dessert. But I'm seeing im again..... Tomorrow. So...."

A small, sadistic smile made it's way onto Steve's face.

"That's great. You did the hardest part. You took the jump, you didn't know where you were gonna come down. And that's it. That's those little brave baby steos we gotta take. To try and become whole again, try and find purpose. I went in the ice in fourty five right after I met the love of my life. Woke up seventy years later. You gotta move on. Gotta move on. The world is in our hands. Its left up to us guys, and we gotta do something with it. Otherwise... Thanos should have killed all of us."
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I walked into the room to see Nat begin to cry, trying to hold back her tears miserably.

"You know I'd offer to cook you dinner but you seem pretty miserable already."

I slumped over the bookshelf beside me, in the same mood from the therapy session, as Nat wiped the tears off her face.

"You here to do your laundry?"

I smiled sadly at her.

"And to see a friend."

"Clearly, your friend is fine."

I made my way over and sat beside the redhead, about to say something as none other than Steve Rodgers walked into the room.

"I saw a pod of whales when I was coming up the bridge."

" In the Hudson?" Nat questioned, still visibly upset.

" There's fewer ships, cleaner water."

"You know, if you're about to tell me to look on the bright side. Um... I'm about you to hit you in the head with a peanut butter sandwich."

With a moment of sincerity gone by, Nat jokingly smiles as Steve does the same.

"Sorry. Force of habit."

Steve threw his jacket onto the seat opposite Nat, muttered a 'hello,Em' before he sat down with us.

"You know, I keep telling everybody they should move on and... grow. Some do. But not us."

"If I move on, who does this?" Nat states.

I took her hand in mine and squeezed it slightly in reassurance, but also to make her pay attention to me.

"Maybe it doesn't need to be done."

Nat was visibly deep in her thoughts.

"I used to have nothing. And then I got this. This job... this family. And I was... I was better because of it. And even though... they're gone... I'm still trying to be better."