I do not own any of the original Avengers characters.
Preparations
"I seem to remember your signature on those accords, Colonel," a voice that Damian was hoping to never hear again was saying as they walked toward the door.
"That's right," Rhodey said. "And I think I've payed for that."
"You have second thoughts?" Defense Secretary Ross asked.
"Not anymore," Rhodey said, just as they opened the door and walked in.
The hologram Ross's face was priceless. A mixture of shock, rage, and disgust.
"Mister Secretary," Steve greeted him.
"You've got some nerve, I'll give you that," Ross said. walking over to stop in front of them.
"You could use some of that right now," Natasha said.
"The world's on fire," Ross said. "And you think all's forgiven?"
"I'm not looking for forgiveness," Steve said. "And I'm long past asking permission. Earth just lost its best defender. So we're here to fight. And if you want to stand in our way, we'll fight you too."
"Oh, please stand in our way," Damian muttered under his breath, Wanda smirking, the two of them supporting Vision, since he was understandably still weak.
"Arrest them," Ross growled, looking to Rhodey.
"All over it," Rhodey said, ending the call, the hologram of Ross, along with the long table to the left with several other people, who were taking no part in the conversation, all disappearing.
"Wow," Damian said. "He wants you alone to arrest all of us. You must have really stepped up your game since we left."
"Apparently he forgot who he was dealing with," Rhodey said. "Well, since I just earned myself a court martial, it's great to see all of you."
Steve smiled, shaking his hand and Natasha walked forward, giving him a hug.
"You guys...really look like crap," Rhodey said.
"What are you talking about?" Damian asked. "Cap's beard looks great. Kinda liked you better as a ginger, though, Natasha."
"Just worry about your ginger girlfriend," Natasha smirked. "No flirting with me,"
"Oh please," Damian snorted. "I got tired of your flirting from the hallucination of you that I got stuck with after the desert. Well, in between times of the Hulk and Colonel Fury having tea parties, that is."
Everyone laughed.
"Kinda miss it, to be honest," Damian said. "Made situations like this much more manageable."
"We'll be fine," Wanda said. "Come on. Vision looks like he'd like to sit down. Plus I should see if I can get him to heal anymore."
"Let's head to the living room," Rhodey said.
"I can take him, if you want," another voice said from off to the side, Damian and Wanda's heads snapping around to see Banner standing on the other side of the room, having entered through that door. "Yeah, I'm back."
Natasha stared at him for a moment before finding her voice. "Hi Bruce."
"Hey Nat," Bruce said.
"This is awkward," Sam muttered.
"Bruce," Damian said. "Thor and the others..."
"Thanos destroyed the ship," Bruce said. "Heimdall was able to send me away before the end, but...they're gone. Thor, Loki, Heimdall, Valkyrie, Hogun. Everyone's gone."
Damian nodded. He turned, carrying Vision to the living room with Wanda and setting him on the couch, allowing her to scan hi before sighing, shaking her head.
"I ca't help any more than I have," Wanda said.
Finally, Sam walked in, forming a hologram of the two creatures they had fought.
"So we gotta assume they're coming back, right?" Sam asked.
"And they can clearly find us," Wanda said.
"We need all hands on deck," Banner said. "Where's Clint?"
"After the whole Accords deal he and Scott took a...deal," Natasha said. "Must have been tough on their families."
"Who's Scott?" Banner asked.
"Antman," Steve said.
"There's an Antman and a Spiderman?" Bruce asked. "Okay, look. Thanos has the biggest army in the universe. And he is not gonna stop until he...he gets...Vision's stone."
"Well then we have to protect it," Natasha said.
"No, we have to destroy it," Vision said. "I've been giving a good deal of thought to this entity in my head, about its...nature. But also its composition. I think if it were exposed to a very powerful energy signature, something very similar to its own signature, perhaps, its molecular integrity could fail." He looked to Wanda and Damian.
"Yeah and you with it," Wanda said. "We're not killing you."
"Eliminating the stone is the only way to ensure Thanos can't get it," Vision said.
"That's too high a price," Wanda said.
"I'll destroy the stone," Damian said, Wanda staring at him in disbelief, everyone else looking toward him as well. "However, I agree with Wanda, we're not going to kill you. And we might not have to."
"What do you mean?" Steve asked.
"Wakanda," Damian said. "If anyone can get that stone out of your head, it's T'Challa sister, Shuri. Besides, when Thanos comes for the stone, we'll have to assume he'll bring his full army, and we'll need help fighting them off."
"That's not a bad plan," Steve said. "It's Vision's choice. Do it now, or try to get that thing out of your head first?"
"If there is a chance to do this without losing a life, we should do it that way," Vision said. "However, if they arrive before we can finish, and we cannot hold them back long enough to finish, I need one of you two there to destroy it regardless."
"We should have the better fighter on the front lines," Rhodey said. "I'm sorry Wanda, but you'll have to destroy the Mind Stone ourself, and Vision with it, if it comes to it."
Wanda remained silent and Damian sighed.
"Wanda, don't worry about it," Damian said. "There's no way I'm letting anything through to interrupt."
Wanda nodded slowly. "Okay. I'll do it."
Damian nodded and they all headed out to the jet, climbing on while Damian called T'Challa, filling him in on the plan and what they needed.
"I will make sure everything is ready," T'Challa said. "And I will gather all the forces we can. You should call for anyone you can think of as well."
"We have," Damian said. "We'll all be there in a couple hours."
T'Challa promised to be ready and ended the call and Damian sat down, remaining silent for a while. He glanced up at Steve, who was watching Natasha as she copiloted the jet, Steve standing behind the pilot and copilot seats, Sam flying. Damian sighed. He kind of wanted to help Steve out with his obvious feelings for Natasha. But then he'd feel bad for Bruce, who had been with Natasha briefly before Hulk had decided to leave.
"How many stones can we realistically expect him to have when he gets here?" Damian asked.
"We should be prepared for him to have five of the six," Steve said. "He have to assume that Vision's will be the last one."
"So we need to assume we can't beat him," Damian said. "Good. Banner, can you still turn into Hulk?"
"No," Banner said. "I tried in New York when Tony was fighting two of Thanos's generals, but he wouldn't come out. He actually refused."
"He's afraid," Damian said. "I'll see if I can talk him into it once we get there, but we might need the Hulk Buster armor for you instead."
Banner nodded, and everyone fell silent again, settling in for the rest of the flight.
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