Carol failed to make it to the hidden safety of the woods as Thanos jerked her back by her hair. She squealed in pain and fought with all of her strength, but to no avail. A muscular arm snaked around her neck and tightened to keep her steady.
"I always win..." Thanos said in her ear. He inhaled slowly her sweat and moaned in pleasure. "If I can't have you...he can't either."
Her eyes widened in slim hope as she saw her knight and friends coming to stop him.
"Thor..." She breathed.
Thanos was not surprised, or he did not reveal he was when he wrapped his other arm around Carol's waist.
"Well, well...isn't this my lucky day..."
"Thanos..." Thor jumped down from the horse and made his way forward cautiously. "Release her, unharmed, and I swear on my father, I will spare you."
"How noble..." Thanos laughed. "You have yet to determine where your loyalties lie, boy." He turned his attention to the others. "It seems I was wrong about you, Steve...your bewitching of Anthony is strong, and-"
"Stop calling them that! They're not witches! They're not evil! They're human!" Anthony barked. "And so am I...I'm not some monster that deserves to be locked up...and no one is coming after me...I have no one to fear in this world but you. Now let my friend go!"
"You have developed quite the temper...I know this has been a stressful time for you...but if you must learn your lesson the hard way, then so be it." Carol gasped as he let go of her neck to unsheathe a sword from his scabbard and hovered it mere centimeters from her throat. "Defiance against the laws of the land set by our God must be punished."
"Then come forward and meet your judgment." Thor swung his sword threateningly.
"One more step, and I'll make it painfully slow..." Thanos grinned wickedly, Carol shaking from fear, unable to move without risking injury. "Because I am a merciful man, gypsy...I'm giving you one. last. chance." He caressed her neck, and she shivered.
"You will die for that..." Thor promised.
A dagger grazed Thanos' arm, dangerously close to Carol, and she used that split second to her advantage and broke free. She fell backwards, and much gentler arms found her and pulled her back towards the others.
"What-" Thanos saw Wade and Peter reveal themselves from the tree line, smirking like the mischievous boys they were.
"You mess with one of us..." Wade said. "You mess with all of us."
"Way too cheesy, man." Peter whispered.
"I know..." Wade said. But you love that, don't ya?
Thanos got back up on his horse, shaking his head. "You all think you're better than me? That you deserve to be respected? That you deserve love? Think again." He threw a dagger straight for Carol's heart, but Anthony dove in front without hesitation.
"NO!" Steve fell to him, assessing the damage.
Anthony's breathing quickened, the pain from all those years ago flaring up again, overpowering the chronic pain he had learned to live with. He could feel it all throughout his chest. After careful attention and healing, praying, meditating, breathing exercises...
It was all for nothing.
"No, no..." Carol found strength through fear and surveyed the wound. "Anthony, you stupid...why-"
"You're my friend..." He managed. "Thanos has done enough...I-"
"Shh...easy...just focus on breathing..." She soothed. Tears welled up in her eyes.
"What do we do?" Steve panicked.
"Here!" Peter stripped his shirt off and started tearing it apart. "Wade! Go get some water!"
"Be right back!" Wade darted off as everyone did what they could to keep their friend alive.