Anthony dared not look back as he raced across the hills with Carol.
"Anthony?" She huffed. "Wait! Anthony!"
She pulled him to a stop, and he pressed his chest, in pain already from the sudden endurance rush.
"I gotta get you out of here!"
"We can't just leave them!"
"I know, but..." He was torn. Even though it was two on one, Thanos was a force to be reckoned with. But what were they to do? Last time they faced off, Carol was a mere pawn being tortured right in front of their eyes.
"Anthony...run..." Carol said in horror.
He was confused by the sudden need to run, but saw what was pursuing him and was shocked. Thanos was coming towards them, blood on his face and a wound on his side that did not look good.
But if he was here, then where was-
"Oh, no..." His heart sunk and they bolted away. "I've got an idea..." They changed directions, and went back towards Paris. I do not like this...I do not like this...but Steve was right...I should've listened...
He saw Thanos' black horse pattering around in fright, and he hopped onto him. Reaching his hand out, he hoisted Carol up, and off they went.
Back to Paris...
Back to where it all began...
"Anthony?" Carol asked worriedly.
"Do you trust me?" He turned around and looked at her, his scarred face looking completely distressed.
"With my life..."
"We're going back..." He said as if it pained him to say it out loud. "It's the only place we'll be safe."
"Are you sure? It didn't stop him last time..."
"The Church will not allow anything like that to happen...I promise...I will keep you safe..."
"Ok..." She dreaded going back for his sake. She wanted to find Thor and Steve and- "What about-"
"They're fine..." Anthony said through tears. "Thanos doesn't want them, he wants us...the farther we are away from them, the safer they'll be..."
She hoped he was right.
Night fell as they approached Notre Dame. Her stature seemed threatening this time, but Anthony tried to ignore that.
"This time, for once, she is our sanctuary..." He mumbled. He knocked on the door, and a few moments later, it opened.
"Anthony, my dear boy...please..." The Archdeacon ushered them in. "What is happening?"
"Minister Thanos...he's...he's..." Anthony tried to speak but could not, he was shaking and out of breath, and his chest...he collapsed.
"Anthony!" Carol dropped down with him. She looked up to Maw for help. "He was wounded...in his chest..."
"Yes, I tended to him-"
"No, just the other day! He saved me...he..."
"Come...let's take him in here..." Together they brought him over to the same room from twenty years ago, and the dread that overcame them both was unpleasant and discouraging. But they pursued.
A few hours later, Anthony's eyes shot open...new bandages, still sore...
"Carol?"
"Anthony." She cried. "You have got to stop scaring me so much..."
"But we're..."
"You're safe, here. No harm will come to you as long as the Church stands." Maw assured him.
"Thank-you again..."
"Think nothing of it...be at peace..."
Another knock on the door alerted them, and Carol looked to Anthony in dread.
"It's alright...it's probably just another soul that has come for confession...I've been very busy lately..." Maw said as he shut the door behind him, shushing them silently beforehand. He moved down to the entrance and- "Minister Thanos, what a surprise, I-"
Thanos pulled the dagger out from the Archdeacon's stomach, blood pouring out.
"Forgive me, Father, for I have sinned..." He kept walking, the door still open to show the world the body laying in the doorway of what used to be the safest place in the world. He was thankful the halls were empty...no need to pray when half of Paris had nowhere to live after he was through purging the city...she was here, right back to where they began...where he realized what he desired...
He quietly ascended to where Anthony and Carol were hiding, and tried the door.
Locked.
He tapped softly on the door. "Anthony, let's not do this...all I want is the gypsy, and I will forgive you and you will be free to go. You can run off with your very own gypsy...you never have to see me again..."
As he went on trying to negotiate, Carol gripped his hand, her knuckles white with fear. She looked to him for help, a desperate plea in her eyes he had never seen from her before.
"Do you trust me?"
She nodded.