Someone commented last chapter that this seems more actiony and angsty than my usual fare. You would be correct. In a way, this is me processing and coming to terms with everything that has happened in our world this year. We are living in our own personal Snap. And, as far as "write what you know"...I do know how to write grief. I have dealt with death. It sucks and I hate it.
Two notes:
1) I don't own Infinity War. There is once scene of this that is basically a novelization of the same movie scene with a couple things changed. It is a credit to the Russo Brothers that I have nothing to add.
2) The title, from Ecclesiasties 9:11- "I have seen something else under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, or the battle to the strong...but time and chance happen to them all."
Let's roll.
Chapter Two: The Battle Not to the Strong
Loki stood with Wong and Heimdall, surveying the broken city streets.
Lovely. Stark, Strange, and Parker, all gone into space. This is exactly how I planned this…
Not.
He sighed.
Wong straightened. "I must stay here, to protect the Sanctum. I will call the other sorcerers to fight. What will you do?"
Loki looked at Heimdall. "My mother...the others. Where are they?:
"Somewhere in Norway, my prince. They are bruised, but safe. I ought to go to them, and you as well. They will have need of you, in your brother's absence."
Loki sighed. He longed to go and fight. But perhaps Heimdall had a point. "Will they accept me?"
"They will follow your mother. And you are no longer the man you once were."
Loki nodded once, and then turned to Wong. "Then I wish you the best of luck. I must...look after my people."
Wong gave him a solemn nod in return. "Fare well, Loki of Asgard. May you become what you hope to be."
Loki shook himself, as he prepared to transport himself and Heimdall.
He couldn't know my greatest hope is to be someone people follow. Right?
"My prince? Shall we go?"
Loki dragged himself out of his thoughts.
"We go."
"Christy, for the last time, the answer is no!"
Sharon Carter-Rogers stood in the corner of their temporary palace apartment, feeling very much like a third wheel.
It was a natural (though unintended) consequence of marrying a man that already had a child. Steve had six years of parenting under his belt. She had barely a year, if one was being generous.
Sharon was unaware that there had once been a similar argument between Steve and Christy that had been solved by the compromise of a certain archer. But Clint wasn't here this time.
And Christy wasn't backing down.
"Dad. I've been training for three years, solid. And more than that on-and-off. That's more than Peter."
"Peter is seventeen and has powers."
"I have a suit that means I don't need powers! That's why Shuri made it for me!"
Steve clenched his jaw hard. Sharon guessed he was trying very hard not to swear.
"You're a child!"
"Am I?" Christy asked, quiet.
"You're young…" Steve started to protest. But something in Christy's tone made him stop and look her over.
She was fourteen now. Fourteen was young. Fourteen was not an age anyone would deem ready to be a soldier.
But yet...
"I'm not asking to fight all the time." Christy said. "I'm not asking to...to be an Avenger or use the Shield, or be reckless and stupid. I'm asking for the chance to defend my home, my world from an evil alien. Please, Dad, let me fight."
Once, not too long ago, Christy would have fired off a long list of her abilities and called in fighting prowess witnesses.
But not today. Today was different. There was no bravado in her voice. Just resignation and a burning, deep desire to protect what was hers.
And where did she learn those things, Rogers, huh? This is your own damn fault entirely.
He looked over at Sharon, naked fear in his eyes.
Please, Sharon, help. This is my little girl!
Sharon gave him a sad smile in return and placed her hand on his shoulder.
"I can't save you, Steve. This is your call. But if this is the end of everything...what part do you want her to play?"
Steve blew out a long breath. "You can't make this easy for me, can you? Neither of you?"
"Nope." Sharon replied firmly.
Silence. Long, painful silence.
"...Christy. You know that Shuri is trying to get the Stone out of Vision's head?"
"You want me to stay with her."
Christy's tone was accepting, even if the bright light in her eyes dimmed a bit.
"This isn't a pity job." Steve said quickly. "This is important. One of the most important things. They cannot get to Vizh. If someone does, you and Shuri will need to protect him. Understand?"
Christy nodded and stood straight, almost at attention. "Yessir."
Steve felt his heart melt a bit. "Christy…"
"That was your Captain voice, Dad. I had to say 'sir'!"
Steve tried to laugh, but it came out as a wet, weak chuckle.
Christy buried her face in his chest. "I love you, Dad."
A sudden lump appeared in Steve's throat.
"I-I...I love you, too, baby." He snaked his arms around her back and pulled her close. "I love you more than you will ever know. And I know you want to fight. I-I'm sorry for being such a paranoid dad."
"No...you were right. I don't think I was really ready before now. I don't even think I'm ready now. But I'm going to do it anyway. No psycho alien is gonna mess with my home an' not get a fight from me."
"Or me." Sharon added, stepping closer. "I may not be much for combat fighting, but I've been a bodyguard a time or two. Think the princess could use some more guarding?"
Steve gave a half smile. "The princess can hold her own, I'm more worried about Vizh."
"Ah, so android in distress, got it."
That coaxed a full smile from Steve. Unfortunately, it dimmed quickly.
"I dunno what this is gonna be like…" he whispered shakily.
"None of us do." Sharon said. "This is nothing normal. All we can do is our best."
Steve grabbed her and pulled her close as well. "My two best girls…" he murmured. "Just please stay safe."
"We will." Sharon assured.
"We'll try." Christy admitted.
Steve gave a hollow laugh. "That's all I can ask, I guess."
Space was turning out to be a lot more terrifying than Peter Parker had ever expected.
I guess that's what I get for hitching a ride on a Space Donut.
He hadn't really, truly meant to grab onto the ship, but he also really, truly had. It wasn't a conscious decision. He'd meant to obey Mr. Stark and go home. But he couldn't.
This is about my home, too. I may be a Friendly Neighborhood Spiderman, but I can't do that if my neighborhood is smoke and ashes.
Mr. Stark wasn't happy about his presence. And Mr.-Doctor-Strange-the Wizard Guy seemed to be annoyed at everyone that wasn't his magic Cloak.
Both men were too annoyed to notice the metal ball rolling into their ship.
"L-look, I just wanna say, if aliens implant eggs in me and I eat one of you, I'm really sorry..."
Tony spun around, finger extended. "I do not want another single pop-culture reference to come out of your mouth for the rest of the trip, do you understand?"
"I'm trying to say that something is...coming…"
The silver ball wheeled right into the middle of them, knocking them all back with a single blast. A man in an iron mask with red lights and a killer-looking gun burst into the dilapidated ship yelling, "Thanos!"
The man looked normal but he was flanked by a weird blue guy with orange body veins carrying an ax, and a lady with weird forehead tentacles.
For a few moments it was pure chaos. The crazy mask guy went after Tony, and the Tentacle Lady started on Peter. He crawled backwards as fast as he could.
"No, no, no, please don't put your eggs in me!" he yelped, realizing at the back of his mind how incredibly stupid he sounded, but too terrified to think of anything better to say.
And then Mask Guy was shooting at him and sending weird metal tightening cords around his body, while Cloaky tried choking Orange Veins.
"Die, blanket of death!" he cried.
Before he even realized what was happening, Peter was in Mask Guy's death grip, and the man had a gun pointed at Tony.
"Alright, everybody stay where you are, let's chill the eff out." he pressed a button and his mask disappeared revealing the (thankfully normal human) face of a man in his late twenties. "I'm gonna ask you this one time. Where's Gamora?"
Who's Gamora? Peter thought. Is this guy after Thanos, too?
Tony gasped out in shock, "Yeah, I'll do ya one better: who's Gamora?"
"I'll do you one better: why's Gamora?" Orange Veins panted.
"Tell me where the girl is, or I'm gonna french-fry this little freak."
Tony's chest swelled. "Oh, yeah, well let's do it; you shoot my guy, I'll shoot yours!"
Peter found himself fervently wishing that Cap was here. Or Dr. Banner. Or Natasha. Or anyone to cut through the swirling mass of elevated ego.
"Do it, Quill!" Orange Veins gasped. "I can take it!"
"No, he can't take it!" Tentacle Girl cried in horror.
"She's right." Dr. Strange quipped. "He can't take it."
"Oh, yeah, you don't wanna tell me where she is?" Quill spat out. "Well that's fine, I'll shoot all three of you and then beat it outta Thanos myself."
"Alright that's...Thanos?" Strange questioned. "Alright, let me ask you this one time. What master do you serve?"
Quill made a face. "What master do I serve? What am I supposed to say, Jesus?"
"You're from Earth." Tony said quickly, echoing their own thoughts.
"Yeah, I'm from Earth." Quill answered.
"So what're ya hasslin' us for?" Tony asked.
"So wait, you're...not with Thanos?" Peter muttered.
Quill looked offended. "With Thanos? Nah...I'm here to kill Thanos, he took my girl...wait, who are you guys?"
He finally removed his arm from around Peter's neck.
"We're the Avengers, man…" Peter said quietly.
"You're the ones Thor told us about!" Tentacle Girl cried.
"You know Thor?" Tony asked, eyebrows raised.
"...Yeah, Thor. Tall guy, not that good looking…" Quill answered.
Strange fought not to roll his eyes.
Why am I surrounded by idiots?
"Where is he now?" he questioned.
Quill shrugged. "He said somethin' about getting a new hammer. Two of my crew went with him. Somewhere called Nivagadeer?"
"Nidavellir." Mantis corrected promptly.
"Right, well, that means precisely nothing to us, so we can't be counting on Thor." Tony said, with more bravado than he felt. "Let's uh...maybe get off and explore this place?"
Slowly, they trooped off the ruined ship and carefully stepped onto Titan.
Quill took out something that looked like an orange glowstick. "Woah...what happened to this planet? It's eight degrees off its axis."
Tony was already in full plan mode. "Well…" he muttered, surveying the ragged group, "we've got one advantage. He doesn't know we're here. We'll use that. I have a plan, it's pretty simple. We draw him in, get what we need, definitely don't wanna mess with this guy...are you yawning?!"
Sure enough, Orange Veins was yawning, face tilted toward the sky.
Tony felt a wave of tiredness sweep over him.
Dammit, where's Steve when you need him?
"In the middle of this, while I'm breaking it down?!" he cried.
"I stopped listening after you said 'I have a plan'." Orange Veins admitted.
Tony sighed. "Okay, so we're clearly not on the same page."
"See, not winging it isn't something we really do." Quill explained.
"And what exactly is it you do?" Peter questioned.
He still wasn't quite sure he liked these guys, whoever they were. They felt like the characters in an old movie he'd seen, Three Amigos. The main leads were washed up actors who only played fighters, but were called upon by a backwater Mexican town to fight off gangsters for real.
These guys seemed like they belonged in some quippy action flick. Not here, not now, with the fate of the world at stake.
"Kick names, take ass." Tentacle Girl responded. Orange Veins nodded seriously.
Peter felt like bursting out crying. Tony looked ready to fall over dead.
"Okay, Mr. Lord, can you get your folks to circle up? We gotta take this seriously. 'Cause if all we do is come at them with a plucky attitude…"
"Dude...don't call us plucky. We don't know what it means. Look I like your plan, it's great, except it sucks, so let me make the plan, and then it might work."
"Tell them about the dance off to save the universe." Orange Veins whispered.
"Dance off? Like in Footloose?" Peter questioned.
"Yes, exactly like in Footloose! Is it still the greatest movie of all time?"
"It never was!" Peter cried out. "Look, can you idiots just shut up and listen to Mr. Stark so we can all avoid dying? 'Cause I would really like to not die!"
"Uh...excuse me?" Tentacle Girl said. "Does your friend often do that?"
Dr. Strange sat cross-legged, jerking like a bad automatron. Green mist surrounded him, from the Time Stone around his neck. Suddenly, he crashed to the ground with a great cry, and his eyes jerked back into focus.
Tony rushed over and knelt in front of him, the others close behind. "What happened?"
"I went forward in time." Strange replied. "I saw all the possible futures that could occur."
"How many did you see?" Quill asked.
"Fourteen million, six hundred and five."
"...and how many where we win?" Tony asked.
"...one."
Shuri stood at a table, feverishly working on Vision. Christy and Sharon paced the room equally feverishly, trying not to look at the conflict below.
Wanda stood nearby as well, her red tendrils pulsing the way they did when she was nervous.
Almost everyone she cared about was fighting out there. And the four remaining people were with her.
She watched from the high window as giant machines plowed up the ground below her, terror clawing at her heart.
I have to stay here with Vizh. I have to protect him. I'm the only one with powers…
But the machines rolled in faster and faster.
"I cannot sit here!" she cried, horrified. "I must go!"
"Go!" Sharon said. "We'll hold down the fort here. They need you, Wanda!"
Wanda raced to an open window and in seconds was stopping the metal grinder from rolling over Natasha and Okoye. She levitated the machines high and smashed them onto the oncoming aliens.
Natasha gave her a proud smile. Okoye looked floored.
"Why was she up there?" she demanded.
"Wanda shrugged. "I had a friend to protect. But he is safe. You need me here."
"Damn right we do." Natasha muttered. "You fight weird magic with more weird magic. Let's do this."
Back in the lab, Sharon and Christy were startled to attention by the sound of a guard crying out in the hall. Both slipped into defensive positions. Christy had her suit, Sharon was currently in an outfit similar to Natasha's spy clothes, and they both carried knives and pistols.
Shuri winced and tried to move faster, but it was no use. The tall, imposing alien moved into the room.
Christy, Sharon, and the Dora Milaje guard tried their best to fight him off, but they only bought a minute or two of time. Shuri quickly realized she needed to 'fold up' her work.
"I must stop." she hissed. Vision nodded.
Shuri folded away her work digitally and blasted at the alien. Vision swooped in and dragged the man out the window.
"We gotta go." Sharon said quickly. "They need all the fighters they can get. Got any more of those blaster guns?"
Shuri nodded. "The armory. Let's go. I must arm myself as well."
On the field, Sam called out, "Guys, we have a Vision situation!"
"Somebody get to Vision!" Steve echoed through the comms.
"I got him!" Bruce answered.
"On my way." Wanda echoed, before suddenly landing sidefirst in a dusty ditch. A rough foot turned her over.
"He'll die alone, as will you." A woman's cold voice intoned.
Wanda's heart froze, even as her mind rebelled. How could that voice know her deepest fear?
But, quick as lightning, there was another voice.
"She's not alone."
Natasha.
After that was a threatening swish that could only come from Okoye's spear.
Wanda felt her heart unclench.
No, I am not alone. Whatever happens, that is now the truth. My family is too big to die.
I will never be alone again.
And in that knowledge, she found the strength to stand up and fight.
Fifteen minutes into her first battle, and Christy was a thousand times grateful her dad had never let her fight before.
She had never thought that battles were something glorious. She knew that people got hurt and died and that they were exhausting.
But somehow, no one had told her that sweat perpetually would get in her eyes, or that her arms would ache from blasting at alien goons.
The suit was nice, and she was happy to have it, but it couldn't protect her from being thrown around completely.
And her fingers ached from pulling the trigger one too many times.
"Are all fights like this?" she called to Sharon.
"Nope, usually less terrifying!" Sharon called back. "You're doing great, keep it up!"
The praise gave Christy enough strength to fire another blast.
They had followed Shuri to the armory to equip themselves before hurrying out to join the fray. Christy had seen her dad's panicked face that had morphed into acceptance from across the way.
Don't worry, Dad, I'm gonna be fine.
I just really need a bath later.
If we get a later.
She blasted another alien.
We'll get a later.
"You should've gone for the head."
The purple Titan snapped his fingers, and a shockwave reverberated around Wakanda.
"What did you do?" Thor howled. "What did you do?!"
Thanos said nothing. He gasped, briefly, and then opened up a portal of shimmering blue and black. In a moment, he was gone.
Thor sank to his knees.
I'm an idiot. Loki was right. And now I don't even know if he's alive. If any of them are alive…
He felt strange, besides his throbbing heart. Almost weightless.
And then he looked down at his hands.
They were gray ash.
For the second of two times in his life, there was no problem for him to hit. And all he could do was scream.
"Anish…" Shanta whispered. "Is it over? What was that shaking?"
Anish glanced at their Dora Milaje guards, who looked as confused as they were.
"Is it over?" he asked them.
They shook their heads as one, and moved to the window.
"It is too quiet." one said. "This is not the sound of victory."
"Akyini!" the other cried. "What is happening to your hands?"
Shanta let out a bloodcurdling wail and clutched at Anish as the woman faded to a pile of dust on the floor.
The remaining guard, still gaping in horror at the remains of her fallen comrade, shepherded them onto the bed.
"Stay here, little ones. We will not leave this room until we know what is happening. Your Mama and Baba will come for you."
But what if they're gray ash, too?! Anish thought, his heart thumping as though it would burst from his chest. He held Shanta tightly.
She looked at him with massive brown eyes, and he could tell she was thinking the exact same thing.
"Shanta…" he whispered. "W-we still have family."
Their guard paced nervously before the door, but she heard his frightened tone and spared a smile for them.
"Even if those you love are gone, you can stay here. Wakanda will always stand."
Anish took a deep breath and tried to smile back. Maybe living in a place like this wouldn't be so bad. Uncle Bucky liked it a lot, and so did Christy, and the King and Princess and Queen Mother were very nice…
"Thank you." he croaked out.
The guard nodded. Anish couldn't be sure, but he could swear there were tears building in her dark eyes. He bit his lip.
Ma, Baba...where are you?!
Nick Fury was in a car when it happened. Driving along, listening to Hill update him on the rapidly escalating situation.
"Any word from Stark?"
"No, not yet." Hill replied. "We're watching every satellite on both hemispheres but still nothing."
Hill's tablet beeped an update.
"What is it?" Fury asked instantly.
"Multiple bogeys...over Wakanda."
"Same energy signature as New York?"
"Ten times bigger."
Fury shook his head in horror. "Tell Klein we'll meet him at…"
He never finished the sentence. A car skidded right in front of him, crashing into the line of cars parallel parked on the curb.
Both of them instantly got out to see if the driver was alright. Only, there was no driver.
Then, in a scene eerily reminiscent of 9/11, a helicopter crashed into a tall tower, careening to the ground below.
"Call Control…" Fury murmured in a daze. "Code Red."
"Nick." Hill said, short and scared. He had never heard her talk like that before.
He turned around just in time to see her turn to gray ashes before his gaze. And she wasn't the only one. All through the street, it was happening.
Internally swearing, he fumbled in his pocket for the one thing to contact the one person who could possibly understand this mess entirely.
Carol, you better get your ass to Earth, and fast, or I swear to God…
He pressed the button. The old pager beeped quietly. And lines of red and blue, with a white star, lit up the screen.
"Steve?" Bucky called, walking anxiously through the thick foliage. "Steve, where are you?"
He found Steve in a clearing, staring horrified at a pile of ash.
"Steve? Steve, what happened?"
Steve grabbed Bucky as though his life depended on it. "It was Thor. He just...disappeared. I don't know what that purple bastard did, but he's gone and…"
"Steve!" Bucky yelled, thrusting his friend away from him.
Steve's legs were floating away in the wind. His eyes went wide.
"I love them." he spit out instantly. Like a man who had contemplated his last words again and again, like practice drills. "I love them both, and I'm so proud of Christy and Sharon...she's amazing. They're amazing, Buck, and you and Sam...all of them. Don't cry, do what you can. Save the world…"
"Steve, no, you can't…"
"Buck...I'm gonna miss ya, jerk."
And with that, Steve Rogers was gone."
Bucky sunk to his knees, too in shock to howl or cry.
Steve...Steve, no. It was supposed to be me. Not you, never you! Steve come back…
"Give him back, you bastard!" he screamed to the sky. "Give him back! GIVE HIM BACK!"
He was dimly aware of wailing around him, and a pair of small arms enveloping his shoulders. His shirt was wet, but it wasn't from his tears.
Sharon caught his eye, when he finally looked up.
"We'll get him back." she said, in a voice full of quiet assurance.
"H-how?" Bucky choked. Christy was still sobbing into his shoulder.
"I don't know. But I do know two things. One, there is nothing the Avengers can't do, when they put their minds together. And two…" she took a deep breath, shaking with her own tears. "Steve Rogers never dies."
Bucky, chest hollow with grief, nodded. He tugged Christy to her feet.
"C'mon, kid. Let's find the others. Let's find Sam, huh?"
Like a bolt of lightning, Christy jumped to attention. "Sam? SAM!"
She wrenched herself from Bucky's grip and started bolting through the trees.
"Sam? Sam! Sam, where are you? Sam, please, Sam!"
"Christy!"
And suddenly, she was found and safe.
"S-Sam!"
Sam clutched her tightly, eyes massive with grief. "Bucky! Sharon! What the hell just happened? Rhodes just...vanished."
"Thanos happened." Bucky answered shortly. "And Steve…"
He didn't have to say any more.
"No….no…"
"Yeah."
Sam inhaled sharply. "What are we gonna do?"
Bucky shrugged. "Regroup. That's all we can do. Where're the others?"
Sam sighed. "Bruce is gone. T'Challa's gone. Vizh is gone."
"Wanda?" Bucky cried, horror striking his face.
"Wanda's okay. Pietro, too. And Shuri. God, poor Shuri...she is not ready to rule."
"Rhodes is gone?" Sharon questioned gently.
Sam nodded, face clouding over in sorrow. "And of course, we haven't heard from Stark."
Christy, eyes red and swollen, finally looked up. "W-Where's Aunt Tasha?"
"Back here." Sam assured. "Everyone is gathering up in the clearing. We should go." he sighed again. "I dunno what we can do."
Bucky's lips gave a faint, ironic twinge. "We live. And we avenge."
I will never forget seeing this scene in theaters. I got yelled at for softly screaming "no...no!" multiple times. It was horrifying. If I have transmitted even a bit of that horror onto you, my readers, I am satisfied.
Aren't I evil? ;)
Tune in next time for: Damage Control, regrouping, and yet another shock.
Reviews are Steve's last words.