Chapter 21: Natasha
Nat knew the moment Marvel touched down on the black sand that she bore bad news. The woman's confident stride was notably absent as she approached the team and retracted her suit's mask. Her face was grim.
Marvel had been sent to try and track Tony's captors while the rest of the team finished finding out about Thanos from Loki. She'd returned much faster than Natasha had expected. Ominously fast.
"What did you find?" Steve asked as Marvel reached the group. He looked as apprehensive as Natasha felt.
Marvel hesitated, then held out her hand. Tony's arc reactor lay there for all to see, smashed and dead.
If someone had kicked Natasha in the stomach it couldn't have left her any more breathless and stunned. Marvel's unspoken message was very clear, but she didn't want to believe it. Tony couldn't be dead.
Steve stared at the arc for a long moment, silent and unmoving. Then he looked back up at Marvel. "Was there a body?"
She shook her head. "The whole ship was blown to pieces. I only found parts of his armor. I'm sorry," she added quietly.
"No," Banner breathed.
Steve nodded acceptance of Marvel's words. Then he turned abruptly and walked away from the group. Bucky glanced after him but didn't follow.
Nat took the arc reactor from Marvel, cradling it in her hands. She'd never been especially close to Tony, but he had been with the team from the start, and he'd been a friend. She had no idea what they were going to tell Pepper.
"What do we do now?" Marvel asked gently.
Natasha sniffed, blinking away tears. "Loki?" She didn't feel like making the decisions right now.
The Asgardian stepped forward hesitantly, seeming reluctant to intrude on the team's grief. "If we return to Asgard, you can use the Bifrost to get the Aether," he suggested. "Thanos may not know where it is yet, but you don't have much time."
"Okay." Natasha turned towards Steve, but he was already moving to rejoin the group, his expression stony.
"Let's go," he said. And he led the way back through the portal to Asgard. Natasha watched him with concern. The last thing they needed was a leader whose vision was clouded by a need for revenge. And Steve definitely looked like a man on that type of mission.
Again.