Before she knew what was happening, Aubrey was thrown back, and down. Her head reverberated off of something and she blacked out.

After a moment, she felt herself coming to and an animal-like noise came from her mouth. Rocks and rubble held her to the ground. Someone else was nearby though, she could hear his noises. A groan tore its way from her mouth as Aubrey attempted to push the rubble off of her chest.

"You good?" Barton asked, coughing as he got to his feet.

"I'm alive-" Aubrey hacked a piece of gravel out of her mouth as she got to her feet. Every joint and muscle in her body ached. "-You?"

"Same here" his voice sounded grim as they assessed the situation. Something had happened, whatever it was, did not seem good. They seemed to be in the bottom part of the Avengers compound. Pipes lined the walls and water had started to fill up the floor. Barton leaned over a pile of dirt and inhaled sharply. He started to say something but a growl interrupted his words. Aubrey whirled around, bow forming as she shot a flaming arrow down the hallway behind them. Nightmares flashed behind her eyes as they took in the sight of the same grisly beasts from five years earlier.

"I've got the gauntlet," Barton murmured.

"Go, I'll try to hold them off."

He nodded and took off. The creatures immediately started to follow him. Aubrey notched an arrow and shot one before reforming the bow into a spear. She had to both run and fight them at the same time, trying to let Barton getaway. But more began flowing from connecting hallways and she was forced to take off after Barton, slashing holes in the pipes and sticking detonating arrows in them as she went. The mini-bombs went off, slowing their pursuers as she and Barton were pushed by the flames into a T-shaped hallway. An elevator shaft rose above them. Barton shot something upwards as Aubrey's wings formed. The shaft wasn't quite big enough to spread them, but she was able to scale the walls as Barton used a grapple to pull himself up, gauntlet safely in hand. Creatures scrambled up after them and Aubrey felt something grab onto her boot, pausing and leaning over, her talons grew and slashed its face. Barton fought two of his own and they slowly pulled themselves to the next level. He rolled onto the floor, panting as she sat heavily down, wings drooping. Gently, Aubrey pulled the glove from his grip and heaved a breath. Footsteps sounded and Nebula rounded the corner, a grim look on her face. The humanoid came closer, immediately reaching for the glove. Warning bells went off in Aubrey's mind but panic weighed down heavier. Neither of them knew what had been happening but maybe she did.

"Oh...hey...we know you" Barton groaned, hand motioning that she could take the golden glove.

Before she could move, the cold barrel of a gun was pressed into her forehead and the gauntlet was tucked into Nebula's arm. A slight gasp made it from her mouth as Nebula spoke.

"Father, I have the stones."

"What?" Barton made the move to sit up but Nebula placed a foot on his chest and produced another gun, pointed at him.

"Stop" came a voice she hadn't heard. Nebula stiffened, whirling around. A green-skinned woman stood there, gun pointed at her. Aubrey took advantage of her surprise and knocked one of the guns from her hand. Grabbing it, she scurried to the shadows, assessing, watching.

"You're betraying us?" the blue woman breathed, gun still aimed at Barton.

Until another Nebula stepped from the shadows.

The gun moved until it was pointed at the other Nebula. Aubrey grabbed Barton's arm and pulled him into the adjoining hallway.

"You don't have to do this," the new Nebula said.

"I am this"

"No, you're not-" That's when she realized the green woman was Gamora, one of the Guardians.

"You've seen what we've become"

"Nebula, listen to her" Gamora's eyes focused on the Nebula who had taken the glove. "-You can change."

"He won't let me" pain sounded in the original's voice and she moved to shoot Gamora.

But never got the chance. The other Nebula had shot her first. The glove dropped to the ground. Barton straightened and retrieved it, Aubrey a step behind. Gamora nodded at them before heading towards the remaining Nebula.

"I'll go on ahead, clear a path. If you're good here" Aubrey turned to him, wings reforming as she rolled her shoulders.

"Find the others-" he nodded "-is your comm working?"

"No"

He pulled something from his pocket and handed it over. "-Always keep an extra on hand."

"Thank you" Aubrey put the comlink into her ear before heading to the hole that went through the floors. It was slow, half climbing, half flying up past rubble and boulders. But she emerged just in time to see a horrifying sight.

Thor being thrown to the ground by Thanos repeated punches being delivered to his face.

Thanos.

A million emotions worked their way through Aubrey and before she could control herself, she had taken a flying leap off of the debris and launched at him. Her talons grew, shimmering in the smoke-filled light as she barreled into his back. Thanos was pushing StormBreaker into Thor's chest. Aubrey growled and raked her talons across his exposed neck. Purple skin peeled away, leaving spurting blood. Rage fueled her as Thanos let out a growl and reached for her. He grabbed ahold of a wing and flung her to the ground. Something sharp pierced her back but adrenaline covered the pain. He placed a foot on each wing before bending over and inspecting her face. Aubrey's hands shot forward and she felt a small rush of satisfaction when she left scrapes across his skin. A malicious grin lit Thanos's face as he threw a punch at her face, snarling,

"You wreck my skin, now I'll wreck yours." Her face stung and bone crunched beneath his fists. Agony pulled at her back as Aubrey struggled to retract the wings. She could already feel her face swelling and saw as Thanos raised his double-edged sword.

Before he could plunge it into her abdomen, he was gone.

She felt blood blocking her nose and Aubrey's wings retracted as the ground rumbled. Coughing and spluttering, she was able to lean up against a chunk of rock. Pain tingled throughout her body. Gently, Aubrey felt along her face, finding a broken nose and shattered skin. One of her cheekbones felt either broken or shattered. Another rumble brought her pain-filled gaze to where she had lay just moments before.

Captain America was fighting Thanos with his shield...and Thor's hammer. Lightning flowed from the hammer to the Titan as the two were locked in battle.

For just a moment, her heart rose.

Only to be thrown back onto the ground as awe turned to horror.

Cap's shield was being shattered into pieces by Thanos's sword and with one mighty throw, Captain America was launched into the air and landed on the ground with a thud further away. Spitting a wad of blood onto the dirt, she began the task of getting to her feet.

"In all my years of conquest...violence...slaughter…. It was never personal. But I'll tell you now, what I'm about to do to your stubborn, annoying little planet...I'm going to enjoy it...very, very much." His words were aimed at Cap. Aubrey felt terror rising up as blue light flashed behind him and the ground shook with force. Millions and millions of alien troops gathered on the hill. Pod-like ships hit the ground and beasts twice the size of the original ones came out. Movement out of the corner of her eye caught Aubrey's attention. Cap's face was painted white yet he still started rising from the ground. Puffing a breath out of her lips, Aubrey straightened and pushed off of the boulder, summoning forth her wings and bow. She limped over to Cap, who tightened his shield strap with a hiss of pain. He met her eyes, panting, and nodded once. Aubrey returned it with a grim smile.

Chitari poured through the skies.

Enemies surrounded them on all sides.

Aubrey felt the fear rising...but she also felt proud. That she had had the honor of being able to stand and fight with such heroes. She knew this could very well be the end...unless somehow there was a miracle. Cap took a step forward, adjusting his helmet.

And then, their miracle sounded through the comm lines.

"Hey, Cap, you read me?"

A/N* Such a gut-wrenching place to end, I know. And I am sorry for it...kind of.

Just a little note from me, chapters will hopefully continue to come out on a regular basis even though school is starting. At least that is my hope. I'm taking some college classes alongside my regular high school but I'll do my best to keep everything running!