Steve Rogers Imagines

The Snap (Part 5)

The following day the news broke about spaceships in New York again and that Tony Stark was missing, Steve had texted Jen to let her know that they had Wanda and that they were on the way to Wakanda. Since then her phone had been silent.

Jen hadn't been able focus on anything, she just sat in front of the TV waiting for news, sometimes she'd pace staring at her phone.

After a fitful night's sleep she got up and grabbed her running shoes and headphones figuring she'd try outrunning her panic, it didn't work.

***

Steve raced towards Thanos desperate to stop him from using the gauntlet on his friends, he'd already seen him throw Rhodes away like an old tin can and send T'Challa and Bucky flying backwards with a wave of his hand.

He reached him just in time, reaching up he gripped the gauntlet tightly forcing Thanos fingers back from his palm, screaming with the exertion he was having to expend.

Steve was so focused on the gauntlet that he didn't see Thanos' other fist swinging towards him until it collided with his head knocking him out cold.

Shaking his head groggily Steve got to his feet this was no time to be resting, he needed to get back into the fight. Looking across the clearing he saw the team either trying to get to their feet or trapped by some obstacle or another. A scream from Thor ripped through the clearing "NO" a flash of blue light and Thanos was gone.

Steve raced towards the shell shocked Thor "Where did he go?"

"Steve?"

Turning he saw Bucky stumbling towards him turning to dust as he walked, his gun clattering to the floor.

Steve raced towards him as he fell into nothingness, his hand brushing the floor where his friend should be.

The horror was too much he couldn't process it, had they lost?

Nat tore into the clearing just as Steve fell to the floor by Vision's lifeless body, her hands rushing to her face as she fought back sobs of pain.

"What's happening?" Rhodey asked from somewhere behind him, but no one answered the deafening silence this answer.

They could hear confusion and panic in the distance as people called out for their comrades on the battlefield, watching them turn to ash and float away on the wind.

A hand clamped down onto Steve's shoulder clutching at him "Steve!"

The panic in Nat's voice forced him to look up his eyes growing wide at the look on her face "Jen!" She choked out unable to continue.

Steve leapt to his feet pulling his phone out of his suit and hitting speed dial with a shaking hand "Come on, come on" he grated, as his call continued to go unanswered.

Nat watched in horror as he paced the clearing, unable to reach the woman he loved, growing more agitated by the second.

He pulled the phone from his ear as it went to voicemail, intending to call again but then he noticed the message icon on screen.

Tapping the button to call his message service he sighed in relief when Jen's anxious voice spoke

"Hey Steve, I'm sorry I know I should let you focus but the lack of news is killing me here. I need to know you're all ok..." the message trailed off as he heard screaming in the distance, unconsciously he gripped the phone a little tighter as her voice turned panicy, making her voice shake.

"Wait what?.. oh my god Steve something's happening here... Oh my god what is this?..." The message ended abruptly cut off with the sound of the phone falling to the floor at the other end with a clatter.

Steve couldn't look at Nat, he felt like he'd crack if he saw her tear stained face, wordlessly he held out the phone to her.

She took it gingerly as if it might explode, hit play and held it to her ear, her eyes widening impossibly as she listened.

The toll this day was taking was never ending, first Bucky now Jen "Wait where's Sam?" he asked looking around wildly as if he would appear as if by magic at his words.

Rhodes shook his head sadly.

"Oh God No" Nat choked out as she hit the floor, clutching at her hair crying unashamedly.

Steve's eyes were clouding he couldn't see clearly anymore, his breath becoming laboured he looked skyward attempting to control the impulse to scream.

No one spoke, those that were left, that had survived, clustered around one another but unable to even consider looking at each other for fear of seeing their own grief reflected back to them. There was almost no sound just the wind rustling the trees, it was almost peaceful except for the distant cries of people looking for those that were missing and the sporadic heart-breaking sobs that escaped the team.

"Steve" Nat breathed finally getting a hold of herself "Steve look at me" she said gently.

He shook his head gritting his teeth suddenly wildly interested in the tree to his right as he collapsed onto the floor once more.

Nat got unsteadily to her feet moving to stand in front of him, moving into his line of vision giving him no choice he focussed on her determined face.

Remembering a conversation from hours before though it appeared a lifetime ago son much had happened since Steve muttered absentmindedly "What was she going to tell me? I never found out"

Nat shook her head unable to deliver that news, to make his grief worse.

"Tell me" Steve intoned forcefully, his thunderous expression brooking no opposition.

Dragging in a lungful of air Nat knelt in front of him "Steve, Jen's... she's... she was... pregnant" she whispered.

He lost it, a strangled sob escaping his throat as he fell to the ground, Nat immediately wrapped her arms around the shaking soldier, doing her best to console him even though she knew there would be no comfort for any of them right now, because they lost., they failed.

"We'll get her back Steve, we'll get them all back" she declared determination in her voice as she looked to the rest of the team.

One by one they wiped their eyes and nodded at her, grief giving way to anger, twisting their faces and drying their tears, they would fix this.

Word Count 1067

28/10/2020