𝐷𝑒𝑎𝑑 𝑡𝑜 𝑚𝑒~ 𝐵.𝐵𝑎𝑟𝑛𝑒𝑠

FIFTY

The next week or so I spend almost all my time with Thor, everyone else focused on something that Nick had left behind and tracking everyone who had dusted whilst the two of us really just stayed around each other, if not we kinda just stayed alone and quiet lost in our thoughts.

"I'm sure they'll be fine rocket." I assure the raccoon who was worried about his family, the guardians of the galaxy they called themselves. "I already lost Groot and I don't know if I could handle the rest of the morons being gone too." I pat his head, "let's not dwell on things we can't control, it may just drive you mad. Now come on you guys wanna help me make lunch for everyone else?" I had really taken to just taking care of the others it helped keep me occupied. Thor nods with a smile whilst rocket shakes his head mumbling something under his breath as he walks away.

"So what should we make?" I ask Thor from across the counter, "cupcakes." He says brightly making me smile, "well cupcakes aren't exactly a proper meal but what the hell."

• • •

"Do you think that we should be helping the others?" Thor asks me seriously I meet his eye and nod, "yeah we probably should be." I murmur as I stop decorating the cupcake in front of me. "But I think that making them food and cleaning up after them is helpful." I say making him nod, "very helpful." He agrees but I know that we were just lying to ourselves to make us feel better.

• • •

"Reboot and send the signal again." I hear Steve say once I join the gang in the chamber where they'd been fixating over Nicks thingy. "We don't even know what this is." Bruce says as I take a step forward and look at the old pager, "Fury did." Nat says, "I do too." They all turn to me but I'm lost in thought.

"Just do it, please. You tell me the second you get a signal. I want to know who's on the other end of that thing." Natasha says as I continue looking at the old thing. "Where's Fury?" I hear an old familiar voice I turn to see Carol face to face with Natasha.

"Carol?" I ask in disbelief I never thought I'd be seeing her again, "Rosalie?" She says in a sort of relief at seeing a familiar face amongst the crowd. "Wait hold up, who is she and how do you guys know each other?"

"You haven't aged a day." I say letting out a small laugh as she hugs me, "neither have you." Steve and Nat share a confused glance, "hold on a second." Steve says, "who is this?" He asks, "this is Carol Danvers the person on the other end of Fury's pager."

"And you know her how?" Carol and I share a glance, "back in the 90s when Nick tracked me down it was because he wanted my help with helping Carol."

• • •

Carol had left to go and find Tony who we hoped was still alive in space. The ground starts shaking very badly making us all run out to see Carol carrying a spaceship. The landing gears deploy as they touch down. The entry hatch opens, and Tony and a blue lady walk out, Tony being supported by the lady. Steve runs to Tony to help him stand up. Tony grips Steve's arm as he joins him.

"Oh, my God! Oh, my God!" Pepper says as she runs to embrace him, I smile slightly as I watch them but I notice the absence of Peter and rockets family. I turn to see him sat with the blue woman, I frown as I watch how he takes her hand, both silently mourning their losses.

• • •

We were all sitting in a living room area at the compound, Tony at the table, getting blood for healing. A holographic casualty report lists the names and faces of those lost to the Decimation. I look away unable to see the faces of so many loved ones, "It's been 23 days since Thanos came to Earth." Rhodey says "World governments are in pieces. The parts that are still working are trying to take a census. And it looks like he did... he did exactly what he said he was gonna do. Thanos wiped out fifty percent, of all living creatures."