Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction using characters from Marvel. I do not own any part of Marvel; I am just a fan of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, this story is for entertainment only, and is not part of the official story line.

CHAPTER 16

Captain American lay against the ground as his body ached and bled from the injuries he has sustained while battling Thanos. His body demanded that he rest but he knew that if he didn't stop Thanos here then once again the entire universe would suffer. Gritting his teeth he slowly got to his feet slowly as the gash on his left thigh bled openly and Thanos's army gathered far behind the mad titan. He registered the deep cut in his forearm and with a shaking hand yanked down the strap to tighten his now jagged shield.

Steve knew that he was going up against odds that were impossible to beat but he wouldn't give up. The Avengers had all fought to get to this point and there was too much to lose. Earth and the entire universe was once again on the line and there was no other choice but for him to face the enemy.

He limped forward a few steps as his eyes took in the growing army and Thanos waited patiently for him to approach knowing that this would be his last battle. But then Steve stuttered to a stop as the bud in his ear buzzed to life.

"Hey, Cap, you read me?"

Steve heaved in deep breaths as he thought his ears were playing tricks on him before the call came through once more.

"Cap, it's Sam. Can you hear me?"

Raising his hand to his ear Steve knew his equipment wasn't malfunctioning and hope began to build in his chest as Sam called out, "On your left." Steve turned to see golden sparks forming a circle and three individuals soon appeared.

Okoye, Black Panther, and Shuri walked in unison out toward the injured Captain America as he heaved in breaths. His eyes clouded over with tears at seeing them and Black Panther gave him a small nod a moment before Sam flew out from the golden circle and dozens more circles simultaneously started to appear behind them.

The armies from Wakanda started to march through many different portals while Wakandan airships hovered high in the sky above them. The Asgardians marched out in sleek lines led by Valkyrie on her white pegasus, Dr. Strange and the Guardians appeared from Thanos's home planet, and wizards from all over the planet joined the growing throng.

Steve looked around at all who had come to fight their planet and the rest of the universe and hope overflowed in his chest at seeing everyone returned and ready to defend what was theirs. He turned back around to face Thanos and his army hell bent on destroying them as Thor and Tony joined the front lines once again ready for battle.

"Avengers!" He called out over the crowd as he called Miljnor back to his hand, "Assemble."

Thor led the first war cry and immediately dozens of voices joined him as they began their charge on the invading army before Thanos beckoned his army forward and two armies charged each other to clash in battle.

Orla moved through the enemy crowd with the other Asgardians who she felt like she should know better but due to the snap and them returning did not. There was already a sense of understanding between them all as when Orla had been suiting up many of the younger Asgardians who had started training because of her insistence that Valkyrie train her visited her with their older siblings or parents who were there to fight as well. That alone was enough to build the trust between them and Orla didn't think any more upon it as the first wave of enemies reached her group.

Orla felt heat burn up through her hand the moment she touched the naked staff and swung it into an aliens head as it approached her. It shocked her for a moment as it was the first life she took and her body responded without thinking and she knew that it was Valkyrie's training along with the Berserker abilities imbued in her father's staff. A bellow erupted from Orla's throat as the next surge of enemies approached her quickly splintering group but within the next few moments the aliens were defeated. Orla's throat was raw from the bellow that she didn't know she possessed as she sucked in a quick breath and yanked her staff from the aliens chest she had lodged it in.

She took a moment to scan the field for any oncoming enemies and wounded members of their army before a piercing scream wrent the air around her. Flipping she spotted the wizard enclosed by multiple enemy aliens and their franic spell casting. She began her run toward the wizard in need of help but blue bolts of lightning beat her there by multiple paces as Thor had spotted the wizard in dire circumstances. His lightning instantly fried all the aliens surrounding the wizard and he took a moment longer than he should of to survey the wounded wizard as one of the large four armed warriors charged Thor's exposed back.

Thor felt the ground shaking and turned to see the alien leap into the air in preparation to tackle him but they never made contact as a staff whistled by Thor's head and into the large alien instead. The force of the throw knocked the alien clean out of the sky and back down to earth where it skidded to a stop several feet away. The clearly made Asgardian staff vibrated from the throw and pinned the large alien to the ground as it thrashed one last time before taking it's last shaky breath.

Thor whipped his head around to see the outstretched arm of his rescuer before seeing the small Asgardian warrior be set upon by multiple Chitauri warriors. A few long strides put him amidst their attack as the small warrior tried to fight back with their bare hands but collapsed under the weight of their attack. He swung Stormbreaker in a wide arch, cleaving two of the Chitauri in half before the third jumped away and Thor lunged over the balled up warrior to smash the remaining one with a devastating punch. The alien flew backward into a wall and disappeared in a cloud of debris and Thor finished stepping around the curled up warrior. By the time he turned around the warrior was climbing to their feet but their head was still a good foot shorter than his. He looked down with surprise knowing that this warrior was able to throw their staff with enough force to knock down and kill an alien four times their size.

The small warriors hair was braided tight against their scalp and as they looked up Thor's breath caught in his throat at seeing a face he could never forget look up at him as she quickly raised her hand to touch his face. The well known memories of heat from her touch reverberated in his mind even as she slid her hand up his cheek and the heat flooded through his body healing him.

"You big dummy," she sighed softly as she felt her knees tremble from reaching up to his face and his injuries healing instantly from her touch.

At her words he snatched her hand away from his face even as he felt her touch leave him. For a moment he glowered down at her as the memory of her trickery remained fresh in his mind before he softened his grip on her clothed wrist. Her hands and head were the only thing uncovered and for a moment he caught himself just staring at her, taking the sight of her in as memories of their past together clashed with who he saw now.

Orla remained still as she gazed up at him, wondering what he was thinking about but their moment together was disrupted by the onslaught of enemies rushing toward them.

Thor took out the first wave as Orla darted quickly for her staff and they fought around each other as enemies surged towards them.

Orla paid little mind to where Thor was headed as she had accomplished her goals for this battle already; find Thor and heal his indubitably injured self. She glanced around and saw him holding his own now that he was freshly healed and she rushed toward the injured wizard. With a quick brush of her hand over their hand they were healed and looking at her with amazement before she rushed off to smash the next alien.

The fighting was intense as both sides desperately hurled themselves at each other in the all out brawl until a clear victor became apparent. The odds shifted sharply to Thanos when his ship started its assault upon the battleground even though his own troops were caught in the crossfire.

Orla stumbled across the shaking ground as she ushered her allies toward a wizard who had created a shield to protect themselves and others. Tripping over her feet and the rolling ground from the blasts and it's shock waves Orla heard the war cries of her enemies closing in on their group. Gritting her teeth as she fell forward Orla used her staff to reverse her direction and threw herself into the enemy wave as she attacked. Rage burned in her blood even as she was set upon by multiple enemies because she was a lone and easy target.

Knowing that if she didn't focus all of her attention on the enemies quickly surrounding her then she would be done for before any blast got her and Orla gave up on trying to watch the sky for any incoming missile launches. Giving her full attention to the immediate danger she was in, Orla prayed that she would be lucky enough to avoid the random missiles slamming into the ground all around the battlefield as she defeated the enemies attacking her. Her luck ran out when some of the enemies coming at her suddenly reversed direction and ran from her as they saw the incoming blast.

With barely enough time to start running out from under the missile Orla began to panic as she sensed her impending demise. Instant tears filled her eyes as she knew that she was nowhere fast enough to clear the blast that was headed directly for her. Everett and Darren's faces flashed before her eyes as she screamed out the fear in her heart.

Thor's heart shuddered in his chest at the sound of a shrill scream, leaving a hollow echoing in his ears. His eyes searched around the chaos of the battlefield as his heart and gut clenched at the still echoing scream, knowing that this person cried out of more than just fear. He knew because his heart had made that sound the day he lost his mother, his father, and his brother. Instinct drove him forward as he spotted Orla sprinting out of the blast zone she was under. Before he could question his motives for rescuing the human enigma of his life he was swooping under the blast with his whole body screaming at him to hurry.

The blast slammed into the ground and obliterated everything it hit as the battlefield remained one bloody chaotic mess. Out of her mind with fear Orla was unresponsive in the safety of Thor's arms as he flew straight toward a group of magically shielded allies. Another missile blast cut off Thor's access to the group and he swerved erratically to the side. With Orla and her staff pressed against him it threw off his ability to maneuver and Thor slammed into the battlefield.

Rolling and bouncing across the dirt Thor eventually skidded to a stop as he slammed into a pile of debris. Dust shot up into the air around them and they were completely obscured from the view of others as the battlefield remained chaotic as missiles went off all around. His body acting as a shield and his arms branded around her like a protective cage Thor felt his heart beat in his throat as he raised himself into his elbows to put a sliver of space between himself and Orla. His arms clenched the metal armor around her body and slowly he could feel the slow rise and fall of her chest from her breaths as he studied her for any injuries.

Feeling the dust falling against him he grew acutely aware of Orla'a softness hidden inside of the metal armor. Memories suddenly assaulted his brain as he vividely he remembered the taste of her in his mouth, the feel of her skin against him, and the love that they had shared for two short months. A realization began to form in Thor's mind and he began to earnestly pull himself off of her as she still lay unconscious underneath him. He moved slowly as he viewed the woman who very clearly still cared about him with unjaded eyes. Maybe he had misjudged her actions and himself all those years ago when he had been so lost in grief. Determining to work through the past and have a real talk with her after this was over Thor raised himself to his knees as dust settled onto her face and she coughed. Surprising even himself Thor wiped the dust from her face as she coughed and slowly began to wake from the lethargic state she was in.

Coming awake slowly, awareness crept back into Orla's body as her lungs heaved in her chest. Barely understanding what was going on Orla went along with her natural body needs as she huffed in quick breaths to clear her throat from the small particles irritating her breathingway. Feeling particles on her face Orla forced her eyes open but then had to rapidly blink as the dust floated down onto her filled her eyesight. Blinking a few times to clear the layer of dust over her eyes a shadow passed over her and she felt something rub across her face. Jolting at the feeling and memories flooding back in of battle and enemies Orla tried to sit up quickly.

Thor halted Orla's jolt upward before she could smash into his face as he still remained kneeling over her. She thrashed against his hold and he saw the panic in her face as she tried to force her eyes open.

Clearing his throat Thor spoke calmly, "It's okay, I've got you."

Orla froze as his voice hit her and almost didn't believe it was him until she was finally able to see through the excess water in her eyes.

Thinking she was crying due to the tears running out of the sides of her eyes and down her face Thor cupped her cheeks in between both of his hands to immobilize her head as he looked her over, "Are you hurt?"

Orla blinked rapidly as Thor held her face in place and leaned over her. An unseen electric zap went through her and she fought the squirm it brought on along with memories of them together.

Feeling her small squirm underneath him Thor froze as he locked eyes with Orla. He felt the change in the air around them as both of them remembered the time that they were intimate with each other. Even without the lust spell they were finding themselves responding to each other.

"Are you two alright?" A voice called out that jolted both of them out of their bubble. Thor straightened himself off of Orla as a female wizard accompanied by an Asgardian warrior approached them.

Thor got to his feet quickly without a word as he looked out across the suddenly still battlefield. His eyes were drawn upward by the still continuing sound of the firing missiles. He squinted his eyes as he saw something impact through the side of Thanos's ship and then change direction as Captain Marvel made her appearance.

The sound of Orla climbing to her feet beside him drew his attention to her briefly as she joined him in watching Captain Marvel fly straight up into the main guts of the ship causing massive explosions. Orla shuffled on her feet uncertainly as she wound an arm around her torso to hold onto her painfully aching right ribs as she gripped her staff for support.

Feeling the call of the battlefield surging through him along with the need to put some space between Orla and himself Thor raised his hand and called Stormbreaker back to him. "I need to go. You two, stay with her and don't let her out of your sight." Thor jabbed a finger at each of the allies with a quick glance down at Orla before looking away quickly. He stepped away as Stormbreaker whizzed toward them and he caught it easily before taking off leaving the trio behind.

Orla remained standing, although she leaned heavily upon her staff, as she watched Thor grow smaller and smaller as he put distance between them.

"Well…," the female spoke as she turned to study Orla and how she clenched her ribs. "Let's see what's going on here. " Before Orla could protest the wizard cast a spell over her torso and hmm'ed at the results. "I don't see any fractures on your ribs so it's probably just a sprain."

Orla opened her mouth to protest the imminent removal from the battlefield and to request a compression bandage when the wizard cast a second spell that momentarily took her breath away.

"I just cast a spell on the area to control the pain and keep you in the fight." The wizard smiled up at Orla and Orla nodded back down to her.

"Thank you." Those two simple words were not sufficient enough for Orla to express her gratitude to this unknown wizard who had sensed her unwillingness to step off of the battlefield.

"How does that feel?"

Orla felt a warm tightness engulf her ribs which numbed out the sharp pain in her side and she straightened from her slouch. "Much better, thank you again." Orla hefted her staff up and started to walk away from them but they both kept pace with her as she headed back out onto the battlefield.

A short while later Orla eyed them both as they held their own against the onslaught of enemies they were facing as they had kept pace with her the entire time.

"You know… I don't need an escort. I'm perfectly able to defend myself."

"Our king ordered me to stay with you m'lady and there is safety in numbers." The man spoke in a low gravel without a hint of being out of breath as the wizard beside him huffed in air as she rushed to keep up with them.

Orla hmm'ed quietly to herself but didn't comment further as they continued to battle the never ending waves of enemies. They joined another small group of allies when a blast shook the air causing Orla's heart to speed up in her chest and she looked around but didn't see the cause. Sending out a silent prayer for her allies safety she went back to the fight.

The enemy, sensing the unease the blast created, went into a frenzy. Their attacks went to a whole new level, none of which the allies were prepared for. Hope flickered in their hearts and fought to remain steady as they were relentlessly beat upon by the invading aliens.

Orla gasped for breath as she swung her staff in a semi circle in front of her to clear the immediate area between her, her allies, and their enemies. The spell on her ribs was still holding strong but the enemy grew bolder in their attacks and she fought to keep oxygen in her lungs while protecting herself and those around her.

The Asgardian warrior stepped into the void she had created and quickly took care of the more eager enemies. He was just beginning to step back to Orla's side when he quickly and purposefully stepped in front of her. Just as she was beginning to wonder what he was doing blocking her view he shook violently. He stepped back almost into Orla but held his ground as the female wizard stepped up and cast a spell that pushed the enemies backwards. It was at that moment he dropped to a knee as he took another blast. The female wizard started screaming and rushed to pull him behind the first line of defenders as Orla stepped forward, eyes blazing with a fury that she didn't know where came from and hurled her staff directly into the enemy Chitauri who had fired the energy shot.

She was a few steps behind her staff as it connected with the Chitauri and it collapsed with the staff through its skull. Rage burned in her eyes as she ripped the staff from it's corpse while not seeing the distance she had put between her and the defending line. She was exposed on all sides as was unaware of the horde of enemies approaching her.

"M'lady!" The injured warrior gasped out as she turned with her staff at the ready.

As soon as her staff connected with the closest one she was lost in the midst of the enemies and a heartbeat later the earth shook with an invisible shock wave. Everyone froze in their tracks as their hearts thundered in their chests while they waited for the result of the stones being used again.

Orla lay with her back pressed into the dirt as her staff propped into an aliens chest. She had collapsed under the weight of their combined attack and that had thought for sure that she was done for that time until the wave shook them and they froze. She remained frozen with them and counted as many quick heartbeats pounded in her chest as she waited for something to happen.

"M'lady!" The warrior called out to her before he was overcome in a coughing fit as Orla was obscured from their view. The wizard was sobbing next to him as she pressed a golden circle over his chest and a fellow wizard took pity on them and started waving his hands around to cast the spell to blast the enemies off of the probably wounded warrior. He stopped his cast weaving when he saw the enemies in front of him go grey and slowly start to flake away.

"They are dusted!" He cried out with jubilation.

Orla heard the cry and squinted as the sun broke through the now disintegrating enemies. She looked around her as she began to sit up and gripped her staff as it slacked from the disappearing enemy on top of her. As soon as she caught sight of the fallen warrior she dropped her staff and stumbled over to him as the female wizard sobbed.

"Please help him. I don't know how but please fix him like you did me!" She sobbed loudly and her circle wavered above him.

Orla blinked rapidly as recognition dawned her, this was the same wizard she had healed right after meeting Thor on the battlefield and healing him.

Once the wizard had noticed she wasn't bleeding out on the battlefield and realized that it was because of the small female Asgardian warrior she had set her sights to thank her and fight by her side, but she had to find her first. She had tracked around the battlefield while continuing to battle but had been saved once again when the ship had begun to fire. The warrior that had saved now lay under her weak magic spell and she knew she couldn't lose him. They had instantly connected in that moment of battle as she tried to shield herself from the blasts and fight against an enemy attack and he came to her rescue. Her spell wavered as the thought of losing him was more than she could bear to think of.

Orla shuffled her legs under her kneeling position and stretched out her hand to grasp the fellow warrior's bare hand. Instantly she felt the familiar drain on her body as she watched his face flush red with heat. She clasped her free hand onto the shoulder of the wizard as she felt herself weaken and head into a negative power supply from her body.

The wizard was still sobbing until Orla clasped her on the shoulder and she blinked past her tears at her.

"He'll live," she stuttered as she pulled back from his hand. Her body wavered even though she was kneeling on the ground.

"My queen," the warrior struggled to sit to catch her but the wizard had already clasped onto her as Orla's eyes rolled into the back of her head. Together they lowered her to the ground as the wizard cast an energy spell on Orla to revive her.

A mere moment after passing out Orla blinked herself awake and was instantly alert, "What did you just call me?" She asked immediately. Her body had recovered thanks to the power and revival spell from the wizard a few moments ago.

The warrior flushed and the wizard eyed him while thinking the very same question.

When he didn't answer Orla began to sit up, "I am not your queen."

"Sorry m'lady, I thought it was because of Thor coming to your rescue and your history in the village that...but I assumed wrong."

Orla gasped aloud, "Thor!" She had forgotten about him but now that the battle was over he was probably in terrible condition. "I have to go, there are others who need me." She climbed to her feet and hurried to her fallen staff. She kicked it up and caught it midair before continuing forward out onto the clear battlefield.

"Go get him," the wizard whispered as she watched Orla bolt away from them and smiled as she felt the warriors presence stand beside her and watch as well.

Orla scoured the visible landscape around her for any sign of Thor and the other leaders of the Avengers turned Revengers. Stumbling over the loose debris Orla hesitated for a moment to straighten her feet and clear her semi fuzzy head. The battle along with multiple healing injects had drained Orla of her energy and she hadn't had time to eat something to boost her stamina. She paused for a moment to swing her head in a wide arch as she dug around in her pocket for a protein bar. Her eyes landed on a group that was gathering quite a distance away but she saw a distinct red cape. The opened protein bar fell from her grasp as she took off at a run toward the group. As she ran she could see a figure leaned against a pile a debri and even from her distance she would see the charred mess of his right side. A blonde female was crouched in front of him and Orla pushed herself harder, she had to make it to him.

Her feet pounding against the uneven ground Orla was closing the distance to the group and her heart soared, she was so close and knew that healing this man would knock her unconscious but she had to help. She had this powers for a reason and now they were needed more than ever.

Orla neared the group and was almost there when she was suddenly halted mid run. "Stop," Dr. Strange's cloak wrapped around her waist and held her off of the ground by a few inches. "You can't help, it's too late."

"No I can, I will, it's not too late."

"No Orla."

"Let me try, I can heal him. I will save him."

"He's already gone Orla."

"No, I'm right here. I can do it." She pulled at the fabric around her waist but it clenched tighter.

"You can't kill yourself to bring him back." Dr. Strange stated as he turned Orla away from the group.

Her face froze as she glimpsed the lifeless corpse and the blond woman in the silver metal armour suit cry over him. Those gathered all had tears in their eyes as they mourned their fallen friend and guilt slammed into Orla. She was right there, all she had to do was touch him and heal him, that's all it was. Orla still fought the cloak but the cloak wrapped around her to immobilize her as her dormant Berserker blood raged. Her face turned red from the fury she felt at her failure and she struggled against the fabric as it detached itself from Dr. Strange's neck.

"I will not let you kill yourself to bring a dead man back, let it go Orla." His hands moved in front of her face as her failure took root in her body. "Let it go." His fingers touched both her temples and simultaneously she passed out.

Dr. Strange sighed heavily as his cloak remained wrapped around Orla's body as it lowered to the dusty ground. He didn't think her first reaction would be anger but it also didn't surprise him as he knew her background. He was pondering his over when he felt a pair of eyes on him and Orla. Looking up and across the group of gathered companions he saw Thor watching Orla with knowing eyes. Sighing at the irony of the situation Dr. Strange knew that she was going to be okay even though she would live with this 'failure' in her soul for the rest of her life.

Raising his head up to the sky Dr. Strange looked out across the battlefield to the rejoicing allies and the mourning ones closest to him. They had reversed the effects of the first snap bringing everyone back and won the fight but the cost was high; a sorrowful victory that it was.

A/N: I totally binged, on repeat, the entire final battle scene to be able to get this chapter down. The music of the final battle helped set the mood for it since I was following along with the movie pretty closely there at the beginning but I also turned to Epic World Music channel on YouTube for inspiration. Also I wasn't sure where/how to end this chapter so there is it, just like that.