Chapter Twelve

Weight of the World

"Oh my God..." Barton said.

"That thing didn't come from God," Steve replied. He forced himself up and trudged over to his shield. Most likely, it wouldn't help him much even if he were in good fighting shape. Still, Steve was not one to just surrender and die. If he were to find a way, he would have to do every little thing that he could.

He picked up the shield and looked out over the platform. Several Dreadnoughts opened fire on the World Serpent, following their programming without any fear of the consequences. Steve felt sorry for the human mercenaries standing among them.

"WITNESS THEIR FUTILITY..." Jormungand said. The creature drew its words out, utterly unconcerned by the actions of those around it. Its voice was deep and powerful, and it resonated throughout the miles-wide cavern. "KNOW THAT EVERY ONE OF YOU WILL DIE!"

It opened its mouth wide and snapped down at the troops. Many of them vanished beneath its gaping maw. Those who did not were thrown high into the air by the impact. The serpent closed its jaws, cutting through pavement and solid rock as if it were nothing.

Raising its head again, it turned and watched as the remaining troops in the city began to flee. The serpent dove down again, sweeping them up while it mowed through entire buildings.

Above all the destruction, Steve somehow heard a man groaning behind him. He turned and saw Bruno Horgan holding his head as he rolled onto his side.

Horgan took one look at the serpent and froze. "Aw crap."

"Listen, Zemo," Steve said. "We might have our differences, but now we have to work together."

Zemo snorted. "Your attitude amuses me."

"Open your eyes. Your men are dying down there!"

"That is what pawns are for."

Zemo turned and motioned for Horgan to follow him as he walked toward the stairs. "Best of luck, Captain. I do hope we will see each other again."

"I'd like to shoot him in the back," Barton said.

"We're better than that," Steve said. "Besides, that's your last arrow." He walked over to examine the damaged portal generator, which had died shortly after the World Serpent's arrival. "We're not gonna beat that thing. Not in the shape that we're in. Sending it away is the only chance we've got."

"You know how to fix that?"

"No...But I know someone else who might." Steve pressed on his earphone to transmit. "Dr. Foster! Need you up top, ASAP!"

"Hold on..." Jane said.

The fear in her voice was apparent. Steve ran to the edge and looked down in time to see the serpent's tail slamming down on the terrace where most of his team had been standing.


Tony turned his head and saw the big platform crumbling beneath the serpent's tail. Not good, he thought, right before Chen Lu picked him up again.

The now nine-foot-tall villain growled as he powered forward and slammed him into a building. As Tony's head rocked up and down, he saw his HUD taking on a nearly blindingly bright green tint. Baring his teeth, Chen leaned in and kept him firmly pressed against the wall.

"You even see what's going on?" Tony asked. He struggled in vain, as buildings continued to collapse all around them.

Chen gave him no verbal response, and Tony realized that he hadn't said anything in a while. The once brilliant nuclear physicist was now behaving less coherently than a pissed off Hulk.

"Guess all that radiation went straight to your head..."

Multiple warning systems were beeping. The Mark VII wasn't just buckling under Chen's strength. It was overheating.

"Sir, your radiation shielding won't last much longer," JARVIS said.

"I won't last much longer!"

Tony felt another wave of panic overwhelming him. As he squirmed in Chen's hands, he couldn't help but think that he should've built a specialized anti-radiation armor. One more for the list...he thought, as if he would live to start another project.

"Stupid green man!" The Hulk grabbed Chen from behind and yanked him away.

Sliding to the ground, Tony lay there and watched them resume their fight as he tried to recover. JARVIS would find some way to get his suit operating again. He would shut down the flow of power to inoperable components and reroute the energy between the suit's remaining systems, all while working to vent the heat away. Those tasks were simple enough for an artificial intelligence to handle. A bigger challenge would be for Tony to get himself back into the fight. That he would have to do alone.


"No!" Steve cried as he watched the terrace disappear under a cloud of rising dust. He waited for his team to say something, but nobody did. Even screams of pain and terror would have been preferable to their silence. At least then, he'd know that they were alive.

He fell to his knees, and he could feel his face twisting in anguish. He had lost so many teammates over the years. So many friends and loved ones. Now, because of that monster, he might have just lost five more.

Damn you, he thought as he stood up and raised the energy pistol he had taken from Zemo.

"Wait, Steve!" Clint yelled. He ran over and grabbed his arm. "You shoot that snake, you bring it down here, and we sure as hell ain't fixing that machine!"

"It killed them..."

"You don't know that," Clint said as he stared into his eyes. Steve could see that Barton was trying his hardest to keep himself together. "We have to believe they're still alive...That she's still alive."

Steve nodded, before he lowered his arm. "Let's get down there. We'll draw the snake away if we have to."


What just happened? Natasha thought.

She lifted her heavy eyelids and tried to make sense of the dark blur in front of her. She was underneath something, with only a few thin rays of blue light shining down on her. Her forehead felt wet. It had to be blood. At least I can feel something. That's a start. She tried to wiggle her fingers and toes, and they moved. Good, she thought as she began to fight her way out.

"YOU ARE NOTHING BENEATH MY MIGHT," Jormungand declared. Its voice reverberated throughout the cavern. Given the creature's size, it was neither near nor far. It was everywhere, and Natasha could hear the devastation that it was wreaking throughout the city. The fact that the serpent was correct was the only reason she was still alive. She was nothing in comparison to it.

There were several large pieces of rubble over her. Fortunately, they held each other up, with most of her body inside a pocket of empty space.

Natasha yanked her leg free and pushed at the rubble in front of her. It took all of her strength to slide it apart enough for her to squeeze through. She crawled out and fell on her stomach. Lying still, she gasped and tried to gather her remaining strength.

Agent Hill lay on her side twenty feet away. Her eyes were closed, and her uniform was torn and covered with dust.

"Hill! Are you okay?"

She didn't respond, but she did stir and roll onto her back. Any sign of life was good enough for now.

Someone big walked over the pile of rubble behind Natasha. His breathing and the sound of his steps was unfamiliar. Playing dead, Natasha waited as he stomped over to an area beside her.

It was Skurge, carrying an assault rifle in each hand. The half-giant set his weapons down to lift a large chunk of debris. He tossed it aside before he bent down again to pull Amora to the surface.

"I am here for you, my love."

Natasha almost felt sorry for the brute as he sat there cradling Amora's body. His behavior reminded her of the devotion that she had induced in quite a few men throughout her life. Men whom she had manipulated with false promises of love.

"I'm begging you," Skurge said. "Please, wake up."

Amora moaned and cracked open her eyes. Skurge leaned in on her, but she turned her head sideways to avoid any intimate contact with him. She had done so subtly, but Natasha could recognize the look of disgust on her face.

"Your skin..." Amora said.

"Yes, I know," Skurge said as he lowered his head. "Many harsh nights on Jotunheim have worn away your enchanting touch."

Amora slowly raised her hand and pressed it against his cheek. It turned pale like that of a human or Asgardian's, and the change in color spread within seconds over the rest of his skin. Only then could she bring herself to look at him again.

This is sick, Natasha thought. Her face twisted in disapproval as she watched the painful display. She caught herself a moment too late, right after she had been seen.

"She did this..." Amora said as she weakly pointed in Natasha's direction.

Skurge swung his head to look at her. The expression on his face made clear his intention.

Move! Natasha sprung to her feet as Skurge went for his assault rifles.

He picked them up and held their triggers down, blasting them on full auto. He wasn't shooting with anything close to proper technique, but it was still scary as hell to be his target.

Natasha sprinted to get around the mound of debris, using it as cover while also leading him away from Agent Hill. It would take about two seconds for him to empty his rifles. Those two seconds couldn't pass soon enough.

She tripped and fell. Thankfully, the gunfire ceased as she hit the ground.

Enough of that, she thought as she got up and turned to face him. She pressed the power buttons on her bracelets. Nothing.

Natasha cursed as she realized that she had used up all of her juice on Amora.

Skurge walked up in front of her and tossed his rifles away. Keeping his arms out at his sides, he generated a pair of ice swords.

Come on. Stop wasting time. Natasha raised her fists and assumed a martial arts stance, refusing to let him know that she was afraid.

A man suddenly grunted nearby, right before debris flew down from the top of the mound.


"Skurge? Is that you?" Thor raised his hammer as he looked down at his familiar but strangely different foe. "You may change your skin, but you can't so easily change who you are."

"And what am I, O Prince of Asgard?"

"Someone who is twisted beyond all reason, and who threatens the woman I love."

Slowly, Jane and Darcy climbed out from behind him. Jane wrapped her arms around his side, but Thor kept staring down at his foe with a resolute look on his face.

"Be careful," Jane whispered.

Thor turned to Natasha. "Escort our friends to safety. I'll see to it that he troubles us no more."

"You got it." Natasha motioned for Jane and Darcy to follow her. Slowly, they made a wide loop around Skurge toward Agent Hill, who was still lying unconscious on the ground behind him. Thor kept his eyes on his enemy to make sure that they wouldn't move against them.

A loud crashing sound came out from behind Skurge. Thor looked up and saw Jormungand tearing into the side of one of the two big stone towers. The tower broke and fell to the ground, crushing a row of smaller buildings beneath it.

It suddenly seemed stupid for him to duel Skurge while the World Serpent rampaged around them. However, Thor had always prided himself on following through once he had resolved to do something.

"Worry not about the serpent," Skurge said. "Most likely, you will not live to face it."

He screamed and charged forward. Leaping up, he raised both ice swords high above his head.

Thor sidestepped Skurge's blades as his opponent came down on the mound. Spinning around, he went for a swing of his own. Skurge stopped him by reaching in and slashing his weapon arm before he could complete his motion.

"Aaaah!" Staggering back, Thor felt a sharp pain in his right arm. Skurge's cut had torn away several scales on his armor and sliced the skin beneath it. The wound wasn't too severe, but blood was streaming out from the gash in his arm.

He couldn't even clutch his injured arm before Skurge came at him again. Taking advantage of his dual weapons, he employed a fast, spinning attack. One sword slash flowed right into the other, and Thor had to backpedal to keep from being hacked apart.

"I'll take your head, Thor! All the Nine Realms will know that it was I who killed you!"

Thor deflected one of his swords and slipped, almost falling from the mound. As he regained his balance, he saw the World Serpent's tail swinging in their direction.

"Look at me!" Skurge yelled. "Face your death like a –"

Thor leaped from the mound as the serpent's tail smashed it apart. He came to a rolling landing on the ground, and he raised an arm over his face as debris rained down around him. Looking out, he could see Skurge rolling on the ground not very far away. His opponent came to a stop, resting on his knees. Deciding to take the offensive, Thor pushed himself up and charged in.

Skurge looked up as Thor neared him. He raised the sword in his left hand to protect himself.

Thor swung down, smashing right through the sword to strike him on the forehead. Before Skurge could recover, he struck again to send him flipping away.

"Uuuh," Skurge moaned. He struggled to get up, wobbling as Thor attacked him again. Stumbling forward, he made a wild swing with the sword in his right hand. Thor shattered it too as they passed each other.

"You are strong and brave," Thor said as he watched Skurge backing away from him. "Had you found a worthy cause, you might have achieved greatness in your life!"

"Amora is my life!"

"How tragic that you see yourself that way."

Thor charged in to finish him. All Skurge could do was generate a crude ice shield and cower behind it. Thor swung repeatedly, forcing Skurge back and cracking the shield with each blow. Sensing that his opponent was at the end of his strength, Thor charged Mjolnir with electricity and struck as hard as he could. The shield exploded, and Skurge went flying back into a large piece of rubble.

The half-Jotun lay writhing on the ground, staring up at Thor with fearful Asgardian-like eyes. Thor paused and allowed him to rise to his feet. Skurge was evil and misguided, but he had fought well and he deserved a warrior's death.

"Skurge!" Amora cried. "Help me!"

He looked behind Thor and gasped. "Amora! No!" Ignoring his own injuries, he ran right past Thor to throw himself on top of her.

The World Serpent's jaws came down next and engulfed them both.

Thor stood stunned, shaken by the manner of his enemies' deaths. His weapon arm fell to his side as he watched the serpent turning to face him.

"THOR..." Jormungand slowly lowered its head and opened its mouth again. Acidic green venom gushed from its fangs as it closed in on him.


Thunder boomed in the distance, filling Tony's ears. Looking up, he saw a tremendous surge of electricity streaming over the surrounding rooftops.

The World Serpent swung into view, shaking from the effects of Thor's lightning attack. It flailed about with its mouth hanging open, spewing a stream of venom right over the area where Tony lay. He pulled his legs in right before the acid splashed down in front of him, burning through the pavement.

Tony's HUD highlighted Thor as he flew up toward the serpent. The monster swung its head back in his direction and smacked him away. Thor tumbled backward straight through one of the taller buildings, which exploded as the serpent plowed through it in pursuit.

Two pairs of green legs stumbled by in front of Tony. Chen Lu and the Hulk were still going at it. Both of them were too battered to fight with any sort of thinking or finesse. They simply traded blows, one after the other as if they were taking turns to see who would go down first. Neither of them seemed willing to give up, even though their punches landed with so much force that they shook the very buildings around them.

This is crazy, Tony thought. It was amazing how small he was continually proven to be.

"Sir, I have restored functionality to your critical systems," JARVIS said.

"Remaining energy?"

"Seventeen percent."

Great, Tony thought. He had been under the impression that his arc reactor still had a quarter of its energy left. His suit's damaged and failing systems must have been less energy efficient than he had believed.

Reeling back from the Hulk's punch, Chen finally decided to break up the monotony of their brawl. He picked up a toppled support column, leaning back to raise all twenty feet of it into the air. Swinging his improvised weapon, he smacked the Hulk away through the wall of another building. The Hulk pounded the ground in frustration as he tried to get up. He wasn't able to before Chen hurled the column into him.

Chen stopped and raised his arms. He finally said something, as his hands lit up with wavering green flames. "Power, overwhelming..."

"Don't get cocky!" Tony said. He flew over and punched him in the back of the head.

The blow bent Chen forward, but only slightly. The villain growled and turned around with his hands raised.

"Whoa!" Tony yelled as he dodged a deadly radiation blast.

"I have analyzed your opponent, sir," JARVIS said. "Dr. Chen is not entirely stable."

Chen screamed like a madman as he spun around trying to nail Tony with one shot after another.

"You think?!" Tony asked.

"I was referring to his body." JARVIS said. "You can destabilize it with a focused laser attack, provided that you catch him at the climax of his power output."

"What, he's not there yet?" Tony juked and flew in another direction, narrowly avoiding another blast.

"Not quite, sir."

"How can I get him there?"

"I recommend aggravating him. You do have quite the talent for that."

"'Talent.' That's a nice way to put it."

Tony stunned Chen with a repulsor blast to the face. As Chen shook his head, Tony hovered down in front of him. "Hmm, your pants weren't very stretchy..." He waited for the villain to look up at him. "Think I see your junk glowing at me."

Chen grunted and went right back to shooting at him.

"Yeah, I'd be pissed too if mine were green."

"Kill you!" Chen yelled. He held both arms out in front of himself to generate an orb of burning energy. A wide stream of radiation rushed out from that orb, quickly burning away most of the building behind Tony.

"Yikes!" Tony moved again, trying his best to stay close to his opponent without being disintegrated. "Looks like he peaked!"

"An astute observation, sir," JARVIS said.

Tony spun around to take aim with the triple-lasers on his wrists. He fired them all on maximum power, keeping the beams fixed on Chen's torso as he circled around him.

The lasers lit Chen red, dumping in far too many gigajoules of energy than he was prepared to safely absorb. His skin ruptured, and Chen howled as radiation began to pour out from all over his body.

"Uggh!" Tony yelled as a stray radiation blast struck him in the chest. He spun through the air and landed about ten feet away from Chen. The dying villain looked like he was about to blow, and Tony knew that he would be caught at ground zero.

"RAWR!" The Hulk charged up to Chen, fighting through the radiation to give him a punch with such force that it sent the villain flying out of the city.

Tony looked away, right before Chen exploded. A brief but intense green light flashed down from behind him. When he turned back around, he saw a small mushroom cloud rising in the distance.

"Hulk...strongest...there is." The Hulk held his head, stumbling before he fell to his knees. Clearly, Chen's power drain had taken its toll on him.

"Don't you worry, buddy," Tony said. "We all have our off days."

The World Serpent slammed down nearby. The ground shattered underneath its weight, and the two of them were sent flying into the air.

Tony looked up after hitting the ground again. Through his flickering HUD, he saw another building tumbling down several blocks away. Luckily, the serpent was still fixated on chasing Thor.

Sparks flew from Tony's suit, which creaked as he tried and failed to get up.

"Power has fallen below ten percent," JARVIS said.

The Hulk snarled as he lay on the ground. He was eager to fight on, even if his body wasn't quite ready to continue.

Tony didn't share his enthusiasm.


Jane adjusted her footing as she helped Darcy carry Agent Hill's unconscious body.

Thunder sounded again, and she looked up to see Thor landing on a bridge high overhead. He turned around and raised his hammer to strike at the serpent, but it came down on the bridge before he could leap again.

"Look out!" Agent Romanoff yelled.

Jane grabbed on tightly to Agent Hill and yanked her away from Darcy, right before several pieces of debris landed between them.

"I'll stay with her," Natasha said. "You two get outta here!"

Turning to her left, Jane saw several buildings collapsing. Other way, she thought. She swung to her right, only to see more destruction.

"There's nowhere to run to!" Darcy yelled, taking the words straight out of her mouth.

The remaining parts of the bridge creaked, seconds before they collapsed as well. Jane looked up, frozen in fear as a sixty-foot long section of metal and concrete tumbled down toward her.

The bridge section suddenly shattered, separating into several large chunks that came down around them. Thor landed near Jane's feet, gasping and bloody.

He got up and looked her in the eyes, before he went to take Agent Hill. "Go," he said as he pointed with his hammer. "Take cover behind the debris."

The women sprinted toward the crumbled ruins of the second large tower. Come on, Thor, Jane thought as she ran behind Natasha and Darcy. She felt a silly urge to turn around and make sure he was following them. Her concerns were eased when he flew over her, landing at the ruins before the rest of them did.

Thor laid Agent Hill down, and she thankfully began to stir again.

"What's...happening?" Hill asked as she cracked open her eyes.

"Remember Yorjimon?" Darcy asked. "He's still out there."

"FACE ME, THOR. FACE YOUR BETTER."

Jormungand swept past their hiding spot without seeing them. It slithered around with its mouth open. Jane could see the length of its body pulsating as the creature swallowed up entire mounds of rubble. The damn thing was growing even bigger.

"HIDE AND I SHALL KILL ALL THAT YOU HOLD DEAR."

"Thor hides from no one," he said. He scowled as he raised his hammer.

"Wait," Jane said as she grabbed his arm. She could see the pride and protectiveness burning in his eyes, and it scared her. She didn't want him rushing back into battle, alone and with an unclear head. Especially not against the very creature that had been prophesized to kill him.

"FOR I WILL BECOME DEATH ITSELF, THE DESTROYER OF WORLDS..."

"There isn't any time!" Thor said as he looked down at her. "The monster's power increases by the minute!"

"I SHALL GROW UNTIL I OVERFLOW THE OCEANS AND SHATTER THE CONTINENTS AROUND ME! MY VASTNESS WILL BLOT OUT THE SKY!

"Please, don't. The prophecy..."

"MIDGARD WILL BOW IN WORSHIP, BEFORE PERISHING IN THE BLACKNESS OF MY SHADOW!"

"The prophecy foretold that we would slay each other," Thor replied. "I will accept that outcome, if it means saving you."

Jane's eyes welled up in tears as he stepped away from her and began to spin his hammer.

"Farewell, Jane."

Thor threw his hammer and took flight, leaving her with no choice but to watch him fight to the death.


Tony took flight while the Hulk ran beneath him. His damaged thrusters sputtered, and he wavered for a second before regaining his stability.

Jormungand wasn't even looking at them. It was so massive though that even its accidental movements could be deadly. The serpent's tail swung behind it, and Tony rolled to avoid it. Turning to look behind, he saw the tail striking the Hulk instead. The big guy disappeared underneath its girth.

Fighting this thing was stupid. So stupid that it might knock off his flight through the portal over New York...

It wasn't quite as stupid as what Thor was doing. Tony's eyes widened as he saw his Asgardian ally soaring up to the serpent's face for a head-on attack.

Thor landed on its snout and latched on with one hand. The monster tried to shake him off, but he maintained his grip. Swinging his electrified hammer, he struck the serpent again and again.

He hurt it about as much as a gnat could hurt a man. The serpent stopped and laughed, before it dove headfirst into a building.

Ouch, Tony thought. He looked down at the remnants of the building, waiting for the clouds of dust to disperse. Miraculously, Thor stumbled out from the debris.

The World Serpent swung its head down again and smacked him more than a hundred feet away. Thor skipped on the ground like a bouncing stone before he came to a stop facedown.

"FEEL MY WRATH, 'THUNDER GOD.' MY POWER IS SUCH THAT I BEND PROPHECY TO MY WILL."

Tony sighed. "Here goes nothing," he said as he flew in for the save.

"KNOW THAT ONLY ONE OF US WILL DIE TODAY."

"Are you done yet?" Tony asked as he circled around its head. "Jeez, and they say I talk too much!" Raising his left arm, he fired his last remaining missile into the serpent's eye.

The serpent roared as it reared its head back. The missile had merely irritated it though, and it turned back to face Tony within seconds. Leaning in, it blocked out everything else from his sight.

"FLEE."

"Do as it says, sir," JARVIS said.

"Uh huh..."

Tony turned and blasted off as the serpent lunged at him. He used his maneuverability to wind himself around buildings, as he had done so while being chased so many times before. Hopefully, the obstacles would slow the serpent down.

They didn't. Jormungand's strength and endurance were unreal. Compared to the World Serpent, the Chitauri Leviathans were like tadpoles.

He wanted to accelerate to supersonic speeds and get himself the hell out of there. Had he been alone, he would have done so already. Others were depending on him though, and he couldn't just fly off and leave them to fend for themselves. Don't punk out, he told himself as he turned to find Thor.

His friend was lying on his hands and knees, still unable to get up. Tony dove down and grabbed him, making sure to divert extra energy to his thrusters to make up for the added weight. Jormungand was still right behind them, and he didn't dare give up any more inches to it...

The serpent pushed itself a little more and made contact. It merely nicked Tony, but its glancing blow still hit harder than train.

"Ah!" Tony yelled as he and Thor came crashing down. He looked up and saw the serpent stretching wide its enormous jaws as it slowly bent down over them. It was taking its time to let them know just how big it was.

"Hey!" Captain Rogers yelled. "Try me on for size!"

Tony turned and saw him firing at the serpent with Zemo's energy pistol, while Barton shot a grenade from the under-barrel launcher of an assault rifle. Judging from the size of the blasts, Steve must have had his weapon on maximum power. It still couldn't come anywhere close to hurting the serpent, which turned and went for them instead.

Damn it, Rogers. This is suicide.

That was the point though, because Steve was buying time for them to get away. The way that he stood his ground, even after expending his weapon's energy pack, made that painfully clear. Steve likely believed that Tony and Thor could win this fight, should they survive.

With a heavy heart, Tony picked Thor up and prepared to take flight again. He couldn't keep himself from looking back as the World Serpent descended on his teammates. I'll make this worth it, he bitterly thought.

The Hulk leaped in and turned Jormungand back with a jumping uppercut. He then grabbed Steve and Clint, leaping away right before the serpent dove down for them again.

"A most fortunate outcome," Thor said as he leaned against Tony.

"Heh, we planned it that way." He grabbed Thor and followed the Hulk.

Together, they headed behind the rubble where everyone else had gathered. Slowing down as he flew behind cover, Tony hovered down toward an empty spot on the ground. He was about to land when his HUD and thrusters died. "Hey, what gives?!" Tony yelled as he and Thor fell several feet to the ground.

"Your remaining energy is less than five percent," JARVIS said. "I have disabled your HUD and flight systems for your own safety."

"Wait till I land next time, okay?"

"Duly noted. To conserve energy, I am also disconnecting from your suit. Good luck, and have a wonderful day, sir."

"Yeah, you too," Tony muttered. He reached up and flipped open his faceplate so that he could see again.

"Thor!" Jane cried as she ran toward him.

Thor got up and wobbled for a moment, before he balanced himself and embraced her.

"You're alive," Steve said as he went for Natasha. He stumbled and fell before he could reach her. "Thank God..."

"I'm fine, Steve. I haven't had it as bad as you." She crouched down and wiped some blood from his face, before she gave him a hug as well.

Barton remained silent as he usually did. However, even he seemed to get emotional as he walked over and placed his hand on Natasha's shoulder.

"Alright, guys," Tony said. "This love fest is –"

"That was so stupid!" Jane said. She pushed Thor away and smacked him on the arm. "What the hell's wrong with you?"

"...beautiful and all," Tony said as he turned back to the others. "But we've still got a job to do."

"You speak the truth, Stark," Thor said. Ignoring the displeased look on Jane's face, he reached out and summoned Mjolnir back into his hand. "The battle is yet to be won."

"Not so fast," Jane said. "You went out just a minute ago. That thing wiped the floor with you."

"Perhaps. But I only struck at its armored hide. If I allow the beast to swallow me, I might be able to destroy it from within."

"That's insane!" Jane cried. "You won't avert the prophecy by playing right into it!"

"Look around you," Thor replied. "Stark's armor malfunctions, the Hulk can barely stand, and our other friends can do nothing against the serpent's power! Only I can defeat it!"

"She's right, Thor," Tony said. "I know from experience that the lone gunman thing doesn't work."

The Hulk grunted and slammed his fists on the ground. "Hulk not afraid! Hulk smash!"

"Whoa there, big guy!" Tony ran over and grabbed him with both arms. Even in his weakened condition, the Hulk was far stronger than Tony's suit was. "God, am I the only one who doesn't wanna die today?" Tony leaned forward into the Hulk, but his feet just kept sliding back. "You know we're in trouble when I'm the voice of reason here!"

He looked over at Steve, who was still on his hands and knees. Come on, Cap. Get the troops in line...

Thankfully, Steve pushed himself up. "Listen up, guys."

Everyone stopped, knowing that when Cap spoke, they would do well to hear him out. Steve stood up straight with his chest sticking out, providing an image of strength despite how hard it must have been for him to do so.

"We're gonna fight this thing alright, but we're gonna do it smart. We don't have to beat it straight up. Not when we have Dr. Foster here."

"Me?" Jane asked. Her mouth widened as everyone turned and looked at her.

"We need you to fix the portal device. Can you do that for us?"

"I'll try."

Steve nodded at her. "Thor, take her up there and stay with her. The rest of us will distract the serpent. Remember, people. We're only providing a diversion until Jane can send that thing away. Got it?"

"Understood," Barton said.

"Good. Let's do this."

"Lead the way, Cap," Tony said.

The Hulk grunted and pounded his chest.


"Move out, team!" Steve lifted his shield high as he charged out toward the World Serpent. His whole body ached. He didn't know how long he would be able to keep running, but he did know that his teammates needed him to lead.

The Hulk ran with him to his right, while Stark was keeping up to his left. Their heavy feet stomped along the ground, and they were far from quiet. However, it would take far more than that to capture the attention of such a gigantic creature.

Natasha, Clint, and Agent Hill were following close behind. They were armed with guns that they had picked up from the battlefield, and there were many more lying throughout the cavern should they run out of ammo. None of their weapons could so much as prick Jormungand's skin, but they didn't have to.

Steve led his team along the creature's flank as it continued to consume entire mounds of material. It was a good thing that the serpent had found something to busy itself with. Steve had told everyone to hold their fire, for fear of alerting the serpent before they were far away enough from the main tower. It was an easy order for his teammates to follow, since everyone was naturally hesitant to attack it.

Everyone except for the Hulk. When the team had reached about three-quarters of the distance that it had wanted to go, he roared and leaped ahead to attack on his own. The Hulk landed on Jormungand's head and dug his fingers into its skin.

Everyone stopped in their tracks as they saw him striking the serpent, which raised its head and began to flail about.

Stark sighed. "Well, there goes the plan. I'm surprised he waited this long."

"We're fine," Natasha said. "The serpent's going the other way."

"Keep going, guys!" Steve yelled. He resumed his charge, even though he had doubts about how things were turning out.

Shaken by the Hulk's blows, the serpent turned and smashed its head into the side of the cavern. The cavern shook, and rocks fell from the ceiling as the serpent scraped itself against the wall. Despite the devastation, the Hulk managed to maintain his grip.

"HOW DARE YOU CHALLENGE ME!"

Jormungand swung its head again, this time turning so that the top of its head landed flatly against the wall. It pulled away, and Steve could see the Hulk pressed into the rock itself. The rock crumbled within seconds, and he tumbled down to the cavern floor.

"NOW DO YOU SEE THE FOLLY OF YOUR WAYS?"

The serpent swung its tail down on top of the Hulk before he could get up. The force of the impact fragmented the floor and sent a tremor throughout the cavern. Jormungand slowly lifted its tail and watched the Hulk struggling beneath it. Then it slammed down on him several more times.

"Hurry!" Steve yelled. "We have to help him!"

"EVEN THE STRONGEST SHALL FALL BEFORE JORMUNGAND."

As the serpent lifted its tail again, Steve could see that even the Hulk had finally had enough. He lay on the floor, motionless except for his body's shrinking. Within seconds, he reverted to Bruce Banner. One more hit and it would all be over for him.

It occurred to Steve that he and the rest of the team would likely fare no better than the Hulk. Still, leaving a teammate to his death was not a choice.

"Open fire!" Steve yelled.


Jane heard the Captain's order loud and clear in her earpiece. Knowing that the team had just engaged the serpent only heightened her tension. Overtaken by stress, she wasted several precious seconds looking around.

"Crap," Jane said as she finally bent down for the box at her feet. Inside were numerous tools and spare parts that she had hastily gathered inside Baron Zemo's lab. She had a vague feeling that she was still missing something, but she knew that the others couldn't wait much longer. She definitely couldn't.

Straining to hold the box up, she ran as quickly as she could back out toward the platform where the portal generator stood.

"Jesus!" Darcy yelled. She ducked and covered her head, as Thor jumped up and smashed a piece of debris above her.

Seeing that, Jane hesitated before she stepped out onto the platform herself. She turned to her left and saw the World Serpent's tail stretching back near their tower. The creature had gotten so big that it posed a threat to them even when it was busy across the cavern.

"We could use some extra room," Darcy transmitted.

"We're trying, goddammit!" Hill yelled. "Now shut up and get things done on your end!"

"Alright. Jeez." Darcy shook her head and looked up at Jane. "I hope you got everything."

"As far as I know," Jane said. She hurried across the platform, leading Darcy over to the broken generator.

"Do you require assistance?" Thor asked. He reached out, as if offering to take the heavy box from her hands.

Jane was so fixated on her job that she ran right past him. "Bring that console over here," she said as she set the box down near the machine. Crouching down, she began to take out her tools.

Thor put down his hammer and went to get the blasted control console. He grunted as he carried all several hundred pounds of it over to the portal generator. Jane could see that it was not from the console's weight, which was nothing for someone as strong as he was. Instead, he was frustrated to be standing on the sidelines as his friends battled the World Serpent. "I should be out there," he said as he retrieved his hammer.

"COME, THOR," Jormungand bellowed, seemingly in response.

There was no way that the serpent could have truly heard him, but the timing still gave its words an added edge. Jane could see Thor squeezing the handle of his hammer as he scowled.

"We need you here," Jane said, trying to reassure him even as she worked. Once again, she was telling Thor to hold back while others were in danger. Jane knew how much that must have been tearing him up inside.

"ARE YOU SO AFRAID THAT YOU SEND THESE MORTALS TO FIGHT IN YOUR STEAD?"

"You foul beast..." Thor raised his hammer and took a step toward the platform's edge.

"Don't listen to him!" Jane yelled as she looked up from the machine. "He's trying to bait you!"

"Indeed." Thor lowered his weapon, though the look on his face didn't change one bit.

"TRULY, YOUR APPLE HAS FALLEN FAR FROM YOUR FATHER'S TREE. WHERE IS THE COURAGE WITH WHICH HE FOUGHT SO LONG AGO?"

"You ask a lot of me, Jane. If it were anyone else but you up here, I would have already flown out to battle."

Thank you, she thought, touched by his indirect compliment. She spent the next few minutes working on the control console, feeling as if she couldn't finish it soon enough.

"What is all this stuff?" Darcy asked.

Jane sighed as she completed her work on the console. "Do you really want me to explain? Now just hold this for me, okay?" She handed Darcy one of the tools as she turned to repair the portal generator.

Looking inside, she was relieved by her recognition of how it all fit together. With its finicky manmade power source, Zemo's machine had seemed quite different from Dr. Selvig's at first. However, many of its internal systems were remarkably similar. Jane wouldn't be surprised if Zemo had simply ripped off Selvig's design after hacking into SHIELD's databases. A breach like that would explain how his forces had managed to stay a step ahead the entire time.

"YOU MORTALS ARE PERSISTENT! IF ONLY YOU WEREN'T SO SMALL!"

The tower continued to shake as Jormungand tore through the city around it. The Avengers tried to lead it away, but something so large could not be driven against its will. Jane understood that she was still alive only because the serpent didn't know what she was doing there. She kept working as diligently as she could, uncomfortable with the paper-thin conditions of her survival.

"How's it looking, Doctor?!" Captain Rogers asked.

"Just another minute," Jane said. She had Darcy shove one last component into the machine. As her friend held it still, Jane reached in and frantically tried to connect it.

"Don't know if we can last that long!" Stark said.

He yelled as Jane heard a loud crash over her earphone. That crash was redundant with the same loud sound coming from across the cavern. It shocked her, and she found herself turning around to look out at the battle.

"Hold on, my friends," Thor said with his eyes still firmly fixed on Jormungand.

Hurry up, Jane told herself. She tightened her hands into fists to stop their shaking before she forced herself back to work.

The last component had ports for three different cables. Those cables were thick and stiff, and it was hard as hell to bend them through the tangled mess inside the portal generator. Jane somehow found a way to connect them all.

"Is that it?" Darcy asked.

"Almost," Jane said. She stood up and went to the control console. She reached for the power button, but found herself stopping short of it. Please work, she thought, pausing for a moment before she pushed the button.

To her relief, the console's main display lit up. Jane immediately began to type away on the keyboard, working purely off of her memories from Dr. Selvig's notes. So far, the display didn't tell her that she was doing anything wrong...

Maybe something should go wrong, she realized. It would do little good to send the serpent off to a place where it could be retrieved, and she would never want to subject another world to the creature's horror. Jane consulted a guide on the side of the screen to find the coordinates for Earth, as well as those for a few other celestial bodies. Using Earth as a reference, she typed in her own coordinates with an adjustment of eight light minutes away.

"To which realm are you sending it?" Thor asked.

"A little place called the sun."

Thor raised his eyebrows, before he finally cracked a smile. "You have a beautiful mind, Jane Foster."

"I like the way you said that." Jane looked back at the portal generator and realized that it was still pointed up, while most of the serpent's body lay about a quarter mile away. "We'll need to turn this over."

"Allow me." Thor effortlessly picked up the machine and laid it on its side. With his strong hands, he turned the machine so that it pointed in the serpent's direction.

"Now you see why I wanted you here?" Jane asked with a smile.

"Hey Jane!" Darcy said. "Save it for later!"

"Right." Jane crouched down to activate the machine.


"Incoming!" Steve yelled. He lunged forward and grabbed Bruce, tackling him out of the way right before the serpent's tail would have come down on top of them.

"The hell?" Bruce asked. At least he was awake and talking now.

"No time to explain, Doctor." Steve got up and helped him to his feet.

"Close one..." Bruce muttered.

"It was," Tony said as he rushed over to their side. "Think about it. Does it make you mad?"

"I can hardly think at all right now," Bruce said. He squinted and rubbed his head as he spoke, almost falling to the ground as he did so.

Stark ran off, waiting until he was a safe distance from Steve and Bruce before he fired his repulsors at Jormungand again.

"Watch your energy, Stark," Steve said. Tony's arc reactor was practically running on fumes, and Steve was well aware of what that meant. It was yet another thing weighing down on him, pressuring him to win the fight.

"Those were low power shots," Tony said. Not like I can hurt that thing anyway." He leaped aside as the serpent snapped down at him. Even with a boost from his repulsor boots, he barely cleared the monster's jaws.

Can't believe we're not dead. It was an honest thought, even though Steve wouldn't allow himself to say something like that around his teammates. He hoped to God that the fight would be over soon. He would give everything he had to see that his friends would make it through alive.

"This is Jane Foster," he heard through his earphone. "I need everyone to pull back! I'm about to open the portal!"


"Here goes nothing," Jane said. She took a deep breath before she pressed the button to activate the generator.

A bright blue beam burst forth from the machine. Jane walked several steps, following its path as she watched it reach out beyond the edge of the city. It stopped a few hundred yards behind the World Serpent, and it quickly began to open a portal as she had hoped for. However, she could see right away that something was off about it.

The beam was weak and unsteady, delivering small amounts of energy that were punctuated with erratic bursts. It was enough to open the portal to a sufficient size, but maintaining it would require a far greater output of energy.

"Something's wrong," Jane said.

"You can say that again," Darcy said. She grabbed Jane's arm and turned her around.

Jane's mouth fell open as she saw sparks flying from the portal generator. "I, I can fix it." She walked back and bent down for her toolbox.

A huge burst of sparks erupted from the machine, flying by just inches from her face.

"Jeez!" Jane cried as she jumped away. She fell backward, but Thor caught her in his arms. As she leaned against him, she heard the crackling of electricity. Oh no, she thought as she looked back at the machine. Electricity was running all over its surface. The machine began to shake, violently rattling against the platform. A loud whining sound emanated from it, which mounted with frightening intensity.

"I don't like the sound of that," Darcy said.

"Neither do I," Thor replied. He set Jane on her feet and brought her over to Darcy. "Listen closely. You must hold firm to one another."

"What are you doing?" Jane asked. Without thinking, she grabbed on to her friend anyway.

"Worry not," Thor said as he wrapped his arms around them. "I will catch you."

"What?!" Jane asked.

Before she could say another word, he heaved them both high off of the platform.

"Oh shit!" Darcy screamed.

Jane looked back down as she continued to rise in the air. Thor was spinning Mjolnir, while the portal machine was now practically bouncing behind him. He threw his hammer just as the generator exploded in a ball of brilliant blue energy.

Shrapnel flew out from behind him, and Jane saw his head rock from an impact. He maintained his flight though, zooming out on a flat trajectory as Jane and Darcy began to fall.

This is too much, Jane thought. She shut her eyes and clutched Darcy even tighter. Holding her breath, she waited with the knowledge that things were beyond her control. You better catch us.

He did.

Jane breathed out in relief, and she even giggled as she heard Darcy screaming with joy. The three of them began a smooth descent toward the cavern floor, where the rest of the team had gathered.

Generator's gone, Jane remembered. She looked out at the portal, and was relieved to see that it still existed. Based on her understanding, the portal should have vanished as soon as the machine had exploded. Jane had to admit that she didn't understand a whole lot about these things after all. The portal was slowly shrinking, but it was still going strong. Strong enough that the World Serpent was fighting a losing battle against its suction. Things were looking good...

Thor's legs buckled as he hit the ground. He fell forward, bringing Jane and Darcy down with him.

Jane felt his big body falling hard on top of her, before the three of them rolled apart. She clenched her teeth as she got up, and she was about to make a remark when she saw Thor lying facedown beside her.

Most of Thor's cape had been burned off by the blast, and the back of his vest was shredded. Blood flowed from the tears in his vest, as well as from his head.

"Oh no," Jane said as she crouched down to take a closer look at him.

Fortunately, the shrapnel from the exploding generator hadn't gotten very deep. Thor's tough skin and muscles had held up rather well. Still, he was clearly hurt.

"I am...alright," Thor said with a great deal of effort.

Jane pulled his head up onto her lap and cradled it with her arms. "You saved us."

"Not...yet," Thor said. He looked out at the portal, before he went limp and lost consciousness.

"Thor! No!" Jane was about to yell for the others help him, when she heard Jormungand's booming voice.

"I HUNGER, AND I WILL NOT BE DENIED!"


The serpent's statement seized everyone's attention. They knew better than to take it lightly.

It's not going in, Steve noticed.

Jormungand was lying in front of the portal, which was centered hundreds of feet above it. The serpent had coiled up into a huge round mass, with most of its body compressed and low on the ground. By doing so, it was keeping itself at the periphery of the portal's suction effect.

Its head protruded just a little above its body, and Steve could see the evil satisfaction on its face. The portal was shrinking fast, and the serpent knew it. All it had to do was hold out for a short while longer, and its triumph would be assured.

"Alright," Steve said. "Time to finish this." Turning around, he saw Bruce slip from Tony's arms and collapse onto the ground.

Tony looked down at their friend, and the look of fear was apparent on his face. "Hey, come on, buddy." Bruce lay on the ground, groaning. Clearly, the Hulk would not be coming to bail them out again this time.

With a sigh, Tony turned to face the serpent. "No problem, guys," he said, sounding as if he were trying to convince himself. He looked up at their colossal enemy and smirked. "Let's see him hold on after this."

Sticking out his chest, he leaned back and braced himself as he aimed up at the serpent's face. Everyone watched in anticipation as he energized his main repulsor transmitter. The diversion of power was audible, adding to the suspense. Tony's circular chest unit intensified in brightness. In seconds, it would deliver the one mighty shot that could save the entire world.

It suddenly sparked and went dark.

"Okay..." Tony said, pausing as he turned to look around at everyone else. "Now we've got a problem."

"ALL YOUR EFFORTS WILL BE FOR NOUGHT. SOON, I SHALL CONSUME YOU ALL!"

"Time's running out," Natasha said. Her usual strong demeanor was gone, and she looked utterly terrified as she stared out at the World Serpent.

"Damn it," Clint said as he threw his rifle aside. "We've got nothing that can knock it in."

"That's not true," Steve said as bravely as he could. Once again, everyone stopped and turned to him for the solution. Steve did have something in mind, but the truth was that he wasn't completely sure about it.

He looked at each of his teammates, before he lowered his eyes toward Thor's hammer. What an unusual weapon it was. Agent Coulson had once told him that no one but Thor could lift it. Even the Hulk's strength couldn't overcome the enchantment that restricted its use. Despite that, Steve had been able to pick it up just fine earlier in the battle. He would have to wield it once again, if humanity were to have any sort of future.

Steve pushed his shield further up his left arm to secure it in place before he bent down to grab the hammer with his right. His hand stopped just inches from its handle, as he remembered the last time he had touched the weapon. Strange feelings had run through his head. Strange words.

Yes, someone had spoken to then. Steve didn't remember exactly what he had heard. It had all passed by so fast, as he had snatched up the hammer and hurled it at Amora.

Thinking about it again made him uneasy, but Steve knew that he couldn't hesitate for much longer. He grabbed on tightly to the hammer and pulled it up.

Immediately, he began to feel an influx of power that rejuvenated his battered body. With it came a boost of confidence. Victory was still not assured, but he took comfort knowing that at least his body wouldn't fail him before he could possibly get the job done.

The power surged inside of him as he held on to the hammer, and Steve felt stronger than he ever had before. He looked out at the World Serpent, and it was then that he heard the voice again. It was unfamiliar but friendly. Soft but strong.

Whosoever holds this hammer, if he be worthy, shall possess the power of Thor.

Steve almost trembled at the thought of that. He knew the value of power, and he both respected and feared it.

A MORTAL WORTHY OF MJOLNIR? COME, SHOW ME JUST HOW WORTHY YOU ARE!

The serpent's words were more than just a taunt. Steve knew that while he could lift the hammer, he was completely inexperienced in using it. Power was nothing if he couldn't wield it with the proper level of skill. He'd just get himself killed if he went in without thinking.

What can I do with this? During their battles together, he had seen Thor using Mjolnir to summon lightning and fierce windstorms. Steve couldn't even imagine himself doing things like that. However, it seemed far less difficult for him to use the weapon in a simpler, more direct way. Regardless of its magical properties, Mjolnir was still a hammer.

Anyone can swing a hammer, Steve told himself. Gathering his courage, he walked forward with his eyes fixed on Jormungand. He didn't look at his teammates, afraid that their concern might break his focus. There was only one thing he wanted to say before taking off. "Thank you, my friends. It's been a pleasure fighting alongside each and every one of you."

"Steve..." Natasha said as she walked up beside him. The grave manner in which he had spoken had laid bare his intentions. She looked up at him, but he kept staring forward. "If you get too close, the portal might suck you in as well."

"I'm not trying to die, Nat...I just gotta try." Against his better judgment, he turned and looked down into her eyes. "Whatever it takes, right?"

Natasha gave him a solemn nod.

"I'll do everything I can to get back to you." Steve turned to face the World Serpent again. He loosened his grip on the hammer, allowing it to slip through his fingers so that he could hold it by its strap.

Alright, Steve thought as he began to spin it. This isn't so hard. All he had to do now was build up enough momentum, and he would be able to throw the hammer and go airborne. It seemed rather simple...

Who am I kidding? This is crazy. Steve wasn't a science expert, but he was sure that flying like that broke every known law of human physics. Still, he kept spinning. Flight was possible, and Thor was proof of that. Steve just hoped that the hammer's magic would work as well for him. There was only one way for him to find out.

He threw the hammer, and it yanked him right into the air. It dragged him for hundreds of yards with amazing speed, made even faster once he entered the portal's suction. Fortunately, Steve had thrown himself on course to collide with the serpent's coiled body.

"Ah!" Steve yelled as he slammed into its scaly flesh. He bounced and rolled along its body for several seconds, before he was able to stop himself from falling off. Almost, he thought to himself. He looked up, and he saw the serpent leaning in with the intention of finishing him.

It opened its mouth, and a downpour of acidic venom rained down even before it could widen its jaws very much. Steve ducked under his shield as it splashed down over him. He didn't have time to worry if any of it had hit him though. The serpent was about to swallow him.

"Back off!" Steve yelled. He raised the hammer on pure reflex.

A torrent of electricity flew up from it and into the serpent's mouth. Jormungand stopped reaching down, and it began to shake in place instead.

Steve couldn't believe what he was doing, but he kept it up anyway. Gritting his teeth, he focused himself and intensified the lightning. It was an attack worthy of Thor himself.

Jormungand wailed as it pulled away from him. Stretching its mouth even wider, it kept crying out as it raised its head high above its body.

The lightning withered away, but Steve recognized the opportunity he had just created. This is it, he thought. He wouldn't get another chance.

Come on. One more time. He forced the hammer to electrify again, fueling it with his own willpower. It wasn't easy, and his newfound strength began to wane as he charged the hammer. Steve could once again feel the toll of his numerous injuries. It had been a long battle, and he was nearly at his breaking point.

Despite that, he knew that he had to get the job done. Doubting that he could focus himself enough to unleash another lightning attack, he screamed and hurled the hammer instead. It flew straight up into Jormungand's chin.

The serpent's head snapped back and it swung high into the air. It flew right into the portal's suction, and it began to drag the rest of the creature up with it.

Steve stumbled as the serpent's body uncoiled beneath him. He rolled along its flesh again, unable to stop his tumbling. Get outta here, Steve! Mjolnir bounced nearby, and Steve was able to see it in the corner of his eye. Can't reach it, he thought as he extended his arm. The hammer flew into his hand anyway.

Without further thought, he slipped his other hand into its strap. Pushing himself up, Steve gave the hammer two quick spins before he threw it.

Thank God, he thought as it propelled him away from the portal. Steve began to smile, when he saw the tip of the serpent's tail swinging up him.


Clint kept staring up as he ran forward with an arrow drawn on his bowstring. He paid no attention to the World Serpent as the gargantuan creature disappeared into the portal. At that moment, all he cared about was saving Steve.

His teammate had just taken a serious hit. The blow had separated him from the hammer and sent him flying up toward the edge of the portal's suction. Clint didn't know if Steve was still alive. He had seen good strong men killed by far less force than that. Still, he couldn't give up on him.

Raising his bow, he took aim with his final arrow. He had just equipped it with a special grappling arrowhead, which contained a spool of high tensile cable attached to the bow itself. Its shaft was the same one that Steve had told him to conserve earlier. Clint was glad that he had listened for once.

One shot. Can't afford to miss.

He rarely ever had, but this was a unique situation. Steve was already very high up, and in moments, he would be zooming even further away. Clint knew that he had to hit a limb, where his grapple could latch on without seriously injuring or even killing his teammate. Those factors made things hard enough, even without the uncertainty of how his arrow would fly as it entered the portal's suction. And on top of all that, Clint wasn't even sure if his line was long enough.

There was one thing he was sure about though, which was that he had to shoot. Opening his hand, he let the arrow fly.

The arrow's tip opened up into a wide pincer with the cable trailing behind it. Clint held firmly to his bow as he watched with bated breath. His arrow seemed to be headed on course for a proper intercept, but it was already nearing the end of its line. Steve had also begun to spin through the air, making it impossible to tell whether the grapple would hit him in the right place.

Please, God. Don't let him die...

As if in answer to his prayers, the grapple hit Steve's arm and closed around it.

The line immediately went taut. "Whoa!" Clint yelled as he felt his arms jolting forward. Gripping the bow as tightly as he could, he fought to keep it from flying away.

He was able to maintain his grip, but not his position. Clint began to stumble at a rapid pace. Gotta stop moving, he thought. The suction would only get worse the further in they went.

"I've got you, Steve!" he yelled in defiance. He fell forward, and he began to slide across the rocky ground.

"We've all got you!" Natasha yelled.

Clint stopped sliding, and he looked up to see her standing over him with both hands on the line. More people ran in and joined them over the next few seconds, grabbing on from both sides the cable.

Everyone's here, Clint thought as he rose to his feet. Though they had been slipping in and out of consciousness just a minute ago, Thor and Banner had come right alongside Natasha and Tony. Even Hill, Jane, and Darcy were there. Everyone was giving it their all, even with half of them barely able to stand up. Clint felt inspired to pull even harder.

"Don't let go!" Natasha yelled.

Clint's hands went numb. Just a few more seconds, he told himself. He saw his fingers loosening, but he couldn't will his hands shut again. Just a few more

The portal collapsed, vanishing in an instant with a thunderous sound and a blazing flash of light.

"Argh!" Clint yelled as he fell back with the rest of the group. Looking up, he saw that Steve was still there. However, his teammate was far from safe. "Someone catch him!"

Thor reached out to summon Mjolnir, and hammer began to fly toward him from across the cavern. It was useless though. There wasn't nearly enough time for Thor to catch the hammer and launch himself with it again.

"On it!" Tony yelled. He got up and fired his thrusters, only to come down just thirty feet away. He jumped again as soon as his feet hit the ground, this time with far too much power. Tony practically tackled Steve out of the air. Fortunately, he had the presence of mind to roll so that they would land on his armored back.

Before he realized it, Clint found himself rushing over to them with Natasha.

Tony was lying face up with his eyes closed. He didn't move, but Clint could tell that he was alright for now by the stupid smile on his face. Weakly raising his hand, he gave Clint a "thumbs up" to make it perfectly clear.

He wasn't why Clint had run over though. "You okay, Cap?" Clint asked as he kneeled down beside him.

Steve didn't say anything.

"Come on, Steve," Natasha said. "Say something." She grabbed his shoulder shook it.

With a soft groan, he slowly cracked open his eyes. "Did...Did we win?"

"Yeah, we did," she said, her voice cracking as she shivered.

Clint glanced up at her, and he thought that he saw something glistening in her eyes.

"Good." Steve closed his eyes again, and his head turned slightly to rest on the ground.

"Steve," Natasha said, looking distressed.

"I'm okay," he muttered.

"Don't worry," Agent Hill said as she walked up from behind them. She placed a hand on Natasha's shoulder and gently pulled her away as she crouched down in her place. "I'll take care of him."

Clint knew that she could. Hill had patched him up several times over the years, and she had never let him forget that.

As he stood up, he saw everyone else slowly making their way over to them. Darcy was helping Banner, while Jane did her best to hold up Thor's muscle-bound frame.

"Heck of a shot," Banner said as he came near.

"They will tell tales of this in the halls of Asgard," Thor said.

Clint gave them a simple nod as he stepped aside to let them walk by. Turning around, he saw that Natasha had walked about fifteen feet away. She stood silently and alone, with her eyes still fixed on Steve. Her face was now blank and seemingly resolute, but Clint could see right away that she was still hurting. He had to go to her.

"Hey," he said as he walked to her side. "You did good back there."

"Not good enough."

"This job is about sacrifice. We're lucky to all be alive."

"Yeah," she said, forcing her breath out in a burst of stifled emotion.

"Steve knew what he was doing." Clint paused, unsure of how to proceed. "He's a great guy. I get why you like him."

"Do you?" She turned and looked him in the eye.

"Look...I'm sorry about all that stuff before. I care about you, Nat. A lot. I need you."

Natasha looked down and sighed before she shook her head. "Don't make me your one hope for happiness." She stared off to the side for several moments, before she looked up at him again. "You're right. I do have problems connecting with people. We both do, and I'm sick of it. I want something more out of life."

"Like him?"

"I...I don't know. I'm not ready for all of this."

"Hmm." She hadn't fully shot him down, but that still wasn't what he had wanted to hear. Clint wanted to fight for her, but he could tell that it wasn't the right time for that. "Whatever you decide, whatever happens, I'll always be there for you."

"Just remember. You don't have to shoulder everything for me." She turned and looked out at the rest of their friends. "Things changed. It can't be us against the world anymore."

Clint nodded as he absorbed what she said. "I know."

"For what it's worth, I'm glad we have each other." Natasha took a step in his direction, and Clint opened his arms to embrace her.


Still lying on the ground, Tony groaned as Agent Hill pulled the helmet off of his head.

"Hold still," she said as she put her hands on his face and leaned in.

"Agent Hill," he said with a smile. "I didn't know you cared."

"All I'm looking for is a skull fracture." She pulled apart his hair and began to inspect his scalp.

"I don't think I have one."

"You will if you don't stop moving."

"Hey, while you're at it, my neck's a little stiff. A massage would be nice."

"Shut the hell up, Stark." She finished her exam and walked over to his right.

Turning his head to follow her, he saw Steve, Bruce, and Thor all lined up on the ground with him.

"No, I'm alright," Bruce said to Hill. He tried to get up and wave her away.

"I'll be the judge of that," Hill said. Putting her hands on his shoulders, she eased him back to the ground. Bruce turned to Tony and sighed.

"Just go with it," Tony said.

Bruce looked straight up as Hill examined him. "Can anyone explain this to me now? I still barely know why we're all even here."

"You are not alone," Thor said. Sitting up, he turned away from Jane and Darcy to look upon the rest of them. "I too share your curiosity."

Steve groaned as he rubbed his head. "Where do we start?"

"Does it really matter?" Tony asked. "I'm more interested in where we go from here." He laughed as he looked around at each of his teammates. "Look at us. Any of you still think we're better off apart?"

There's still so much to wrap up! Come back for the epilogue, as everyone decides what to do next!