Hoping for a Hero - part II of II [COMPLETE]

Chapter 14: The Gauntlet

"Amber?" Steve walked into our apartment later the next day and called my name.

I answered, "In the kitchen!"

His footsteps carried him from the door to the island counter. "Can we talk?"

"Yeah," I answered with a furrowed brow. I was cleaning the countertop but stopped when I heard the serious tone in his voice.

He reached a hand up to his neck and anxiously rubbed it while his eyes dropped. "They finished the glove," he said.

"Well, that's a good thing, right?"

"It is," he finally looked up to meet my eyes, "but I don't think you should be there when we use it."

No surprise. "Steve, do you think it'd be safer for me not to be with you?" I asked. He opened his mouth to reply, but I quickly continued before he had the chance, "I went to Tony and asked him to enhance the protection of my suit."

He seemed surprised but didn't protest.

I walked around the counter to take his hands into my own. "I'm not leaving your side, so don't bother trying to push me away."

With a sigh, he closed his eyes and nodded. "All right," he then opened his eyes and lowered his chin to look at me sternly. "But you need to stay with me."

"Always."

Having won him over, we suited up and headed to the lab to join the others. Tony, Banner, and Rocket stood over the gauntlet as the raccoon said, "All right, the glove's ready." He looked up at everyone gathered. "Question is, who's gonna snap their freakin' fingers?"

Thor volunteered, all too eagerly, "I'll do it."

"Excuse me?" Tony disagreed.

"It's okay."

Both Steve and Tony extended their arms to prevent him from coming closer to the glove. "Hey, stop, stop, stop," Stark protested.

"Thor, just wait," Steve laid a hand on the god's chest. "We haven't decided who's going to put that on yet."

"I'm sorry. What, we're all just sitting around waiting for the right opportunity?"

Scott spoke up, "We should at least discuss it."

"Look, sitting here staring at the thing is not gonna bring everybody back."

"Thor," I said, "this kind of stuff takes time to discuss. This is a situation you can't rush."

My argument didn't sway him. "I'm the strongest Avenger, okay? So, this responsibility falls upon me. It's my duty—"

"Normally, you're right," Tony interrupted.

They talked over each other for a moment so their individual arguments were indecipherable. "Guys!" I shouted and pressed myself between them. "Sitting around isn't doing anything, but neither is arguing. Can we please have a mature conversation for once?"

Thor looked into my eyes and earnestly grabbed my arm. "Just let me do it," he pleaded. "Just let me do something good. Something Right." He moved aside and desperately grasped Tony's hand.

"Look," Tony argued, "it's not just that that glove is channeling enough energy to light up a continent. I'm telling you, you're in no condition." No one liked to admit that the god we had known years before was not the same one who stood before us. This one was wasted in his grief, lost in his dependence on alcohol and video games.

"What do you think is coursing through my veins right now?"

"Cheez Wiz?" Rhodes piped up.

Thor pointed a finger to him in agreement, but continued to speak intently to Tony, "Lightning."

"Yeah," Tony inwardly rolled his eyes. "Lightning."

"Lightning won't help you, pal," Bruce said. "It's gotta be me."

Thor gave up and let Tony go. He stared dejectedly at the ground.

"You saw what those stones did to Thanos," Bruce walked over to the glove. "They almost killed him. None of you could survive."

"How do we know you will?" Steve asked.

"We don't. But the radiation's mostly gamma. It's like..." he stared a moment as he thought, "I was made for this." His mind was made up as he picked up the gauntlet.

Tony looked at his friend and asked, "Good to go, yeah?"

"Let's do it."

"Okay, remember, everyone Thanos snapped away five years ago, you're just bringing them back to now, today."

"Don't change anything from the last five years or other realities will form," I added.

Bruce nodded. "Got it."

As the anticipation grew and Banner prepared to put on the glove, the group circled around him and prepared for some type of impact. Those who had masks activated them. Tony equipped his Iron Man suit. Steve pulled me beside him, holding up his shield. I lifted my hands and a forcefield appeared around us. Whatever happened, we were ready.

"Friday," Stark said to the intelligence system, "do me a favor and activate 'barn door protocol', will ya?"

At his request, steel doors activate to cover every door and window. The entire headquarters was sealed in tight. Protected from the outside world and whatever we might inflict from the inside.

"Everybody comes home," Bruce said before the glove expanded to fit his hand and he placed it over his arm. As it activated, light from the stones flashed and streaks of color flew up his arms like sparks. He groaned in pain as the power increased. It was difficult to watch.

"Take it off!" Thor shouted. "Take it off!"

"No wait," Steve ordered. We couldn't stop now. Not when we were so close. "Bruce, are you okay?"

"Talk to me Banner," Stark said.

Bruce continued to groan and struggle. Between heavy breaths, he managed to confirm, "I'm okay, I'm okay."

The lights flickered as the power from the stones increased and Bruce cried out even louder than before. I braced my forcefield and its surface thickened as my worry increased. When he managed to snap his fingers, the glove was eroded and Banner collapsed from the effort.

I lifted the forcefield as we all rushed to his body.

"Bruce!" Steve shouted.

"Don't move him," Tony ordered.

I placed my hand on Bruce's head as Tony released a medical spray on his damaged arm. His face contorted in pain. "You did great, Bruce."

"Did it work?" he asked through clenched teeth.

Thor bent down beside me and patted his forehead. "We're not sure. It's okay."

I stayed beside him as the steel doors opened, too focused on making sure he was alright to leave his side. When I saw his eyes enlarge in surprise, it was too late. There was no warning before the incoming missiles decimated the building. No time to grab Steve's hand as we slipped down the split tilted floor into the earth's open mouth. No time to cover him with a forcefield. No time to fulfill my promise.