"Careful..." Steve hoisted Anthony up after he tripped over a tree root.

The smaller man blushed from being even more helpless and vulnerable...reminded him of when he first arrived at Notre Dame. When his life was on the line, and he had no choice but to put his trust in a stranger.

But there was something about Steve...

"Thanks...I've gotten pretty clumsy recently..."

"I forgive you." Steve winked. "Let's go back."

"No, no, it's fine. I'm fine. Just a little trip, nothing to worry about."

"You're sweating..."

"It's hot outside..."

"Not as hot as today..."

"..."

"..."

"Fine, carry me like a dame off yonder!"

Steve shook his head, but obliged. "It would be my pleasure."

"And then we tried to stick flowers in Matthew's boots to make him look like a fairy, but Bucky swears he's a wizard because we were quiet, and he still heard us!" Carol was out of breath from laughing so hard trying to tell the story, one of many pranks she, Steve, and Bucky would pull on Matthew and Fury.

Thor was loving every minute of it. "I must aid you next time, as I have plenty of military tactics that might work!"

"Perfect!" They laughed until they could not anymore.

"Come with me!" Carol took Thor by the hands and over to the edge of the woods. She studied the trees, and found the biggest one. Turning around, she winked and began to climb with ease.

"I'm not sure I can make it all the way up there..." He patted his stomach. "Had a big breakfast..."

"Don't be scared!"

Thor frowned. "I'm not scared!"

"You should be..."

Thor whipped around to see a sword inches from his neck. He slowly backed up against the tree.

"How dare you show your face here..."

Thanos smiled. "I do not appreciate the way you have thwarted me, over and over again...like children, you need to know your place, gypsy..."

Thor snorted. "I'll take that as a compliment."

Carol peaked through the branches to call out, but she choked on her words. She dove back into hiding and hugged the trunk, her heart racing.

"Where is she?"

"That's none of your concern."

"I know you two are quite fond of each other, and after our...incident...any decent man would never leave someone who went through what she went through behind alone, and defenseless, and afraid."

"I told you once, and I'll tell you again. Leave. Her. Alone."

Carol was lost as to what to do. She had no weapons on her, and no one was around to help. She went over the branches, trying to find one that was easy enough to break free, but strong enough to defend themselves.

As she struggled with the branch, Thanos looked up.

"Well, if it isn't my lucky day..."

Thor charged with a battle cry and slammed Thanos back onto the ground, knocking the sword out from his hand. They wrestled and tumbled over the terrain, each desperate and out for blood.

"Oh my...THOR!?"

Thor did not hear Steve nor did he hear the tree above them shift and sway as Carol climbed down as fast as she could.

"Anthony...run..." He saw Carol and then locked his gaze with Anthony. "Take Carol, and get out of here!"

"I'm not leaving you!"

"Yes, you are! Thanos wants you two, not us! Now go! Carol!" Steve shouted. She landed ten feet away from him, staring at the fight. "Get out of here! Go!"

"Steve?" She had no time to argue as Anthony grabbed her hand and they ran away.

Thanos spat on the ground, and weighed his options against Steve and Thor. He looked to the two disappearing in the distance.

"That was a mistake..."