Thunder cracked the sky and poured waves throughout the day on into the evening. Rebelling against Fury's advice, Carol, Steve, and Bucky snuck into Notre Dame, because when there was a giant and mysterious place, they always went to explore.
Bucky whistled low, Steve shushing him. Carol just stood with her head back, admiring the intricate detail of the place.
"Not bad..." Bucky said.
"Don't touch anything." Steve looked at a Bible encased in glass, reading what passage was featured. "You haven't showered in a week."
"It's not that bad, you're just hyper-sensitive."
Carol took in her surroundings, feeling a bit claustrophobic, but enjoying herself, nonetheless. The boys must have decided to go into another corridor because when she turned around, she was alone...
Or so she thought...
Without hesitation, Carol reached behind her, unsheathing a sword and throwing Captain Thor onto the ground. Thor began to sit up, clearly and literally thrown off his guard.
"Easy, easy..." He backed up slowly. "I just shaved this morning."
Carol pointed the sword right under his chin, and crept forward. "Oh, really? You missed a spot."
"Alright, alright, just-just-just calm down...just give me a chance to apologize." He looked innocent.
"For what?" She grunted as he yanked the sword from her and swung his leg, knocking her off her feet.
"That, for example." He stood up, sheathing his sword back.
Carol clenched her fist, getting up. "You sneaky son of a-"
"Ah-ah-ah, watch it. You're in a church." Thor cut his eyes to thankfully see no one around.
"Are you always this sweet," She grabbed a candle. "Or am I just lucky!" Then she swung.
The sword came out again, and they went back and forth for a bit, the echoes filling the emptiness of the hall.
"Candlelight, privacy, and music. Can't think of a better place for hand-to-hand combat." He blocked a harder blow from her, then lowered their weapons. "You fight as well as a man!" He smiled.
"Oh, really? I was going to say the same thing about you!" She threw him back a few steps.
"That's a little below the belt, don't you think?"
"No, this is!"
He saw it coming, and applauded himself when stopped her. "Ha ha!" But it was short-lived when the other end of her makeshift weapon nailed him in the head. He shook it off. "Touché."
"Hey, back off!" Steve's voice warned him.
Thor put his sword away and held his hands up. "We were just having a friendly sparring. She won, obviously."
"I'm fine, Steve." Carol put the candles down.
"Yeah, she's fine Steve, now, let's get out of here before-"
"Good work, Captain! Now, arrest them!" Thanos and an army threw the doors of the cathedral open. He moved towards the gypsies.
"Claim sanctuary." Thor whispered. Steve and Bucky looked confused, but Carol frowned. "Say it!" He pleaded.
"You set us up..." Carol said angrily.
"I'm waiting, Captain." Thanos said.
"I'm sorry, sir. They've claimed sanctuary. There's nothing I can do." Thor shook his head.
"Then drag them outside one by one and-"
"You can't do that either." Steve interrupted. He stepped forward. "So it seems to me that we're done here..."
Thanos studied him, then scowled. He shooed his soldiers away, and went to pretend to leave. When they all relaxed and were not looking, he snuck behind a pillar and waited.
"Great, now you've pissed him off too, and we're stuck here!" Bucky stormed off and Steve ran after him to calm him down, trying to explain himself.
Thor made for an apology, but Carol cut him off. "You've done enough. Just leave us alone..."
"I was just hoping I could make up for last time...clearly I've made things worse for you all, and I am sorry. I swear I'll make it up to-"
"Please...just...go..." And he did. She watched him leave, then was just about to relax when she gasped. Grunting in pain, a voice of venom whispered in her ear.
"You think you've outwitted me again..." Thanos had her arm pinned uncomfortably against her back, and her shoulder held firm against his. "But I am a patient man..." Her struggle was useless against his strength. "And gypsies don't do well inside stone walls...
A chill went down Carol's spine as she realized in horror that he was sniffing her hair, his nose and mouth caressing it.
"What are you doing?" Relief finally came, but then he spoke.
"I was just imagining a rope," His fingers then traced around the front of her neck. "...around that beautiful neck..."
She elbowed him hard in the stomach and jerked away a few steps. "I know what you were imagining..."
For a moment, Thanos stood there shocked. How. Dare. You. "What a clever witch. So typical of your kind to twist the truth to cloud the mind with unholy thoughts." With every word he came closer to her, and she leaned back in fear. "Well, no matter..." He then just walked off towards the front door. "You've chosen a magnificent prison...but it is a prison, nonetheless..." At the door, he turned around and stared at her. "Step one foot outside...and you're mine."
The door slammed, and Carol was lost.
"What have I done?"