Steve

Every part of him felt numb.

If he closed his eyes, he would see the last seconds of Spencer's smile turn to ash, he would see Bucky collapsing onto the ground before turning to ash, too. Almost three weeks later, and it still hurt-like a stab to the heart each time he remembered who was lost in the Snap. It almost felt like he was in some sort of hazy nightmare, no matter how many times he begged to wake up, he never did.

Steve stared at himself in the mirror-the beard he grew over the last two years finally gone. He stared at his reflection, whilst Frodo slept on top of the toilet, wondering what Spencer or Bucky would say to tease him about shaving off the beard, or if his two best friends would make their remarks before death-glaring at each other with silent venom.

That made him smile, because Bucky and Spencer just seemed to never get along, both of them driven with childish jealousy of claiming the title as "Steve's best friend". At least he had his memories, at least he was granted that small mercy of having memories to look back on and smile.

But the loss still weighed heavily on his shoulders, especially Spencer's.

She was gone for almost two years, was barely able to escaped Thanos, and managed to get back to them...only to get ripped away from their hands a day later. It broke his heart, it broke his heart seeing that watery smile on her dirtied, bloodied face as she was turning to ash right before their eyes.

Despite everything, she still smiled through it.

Steve lowered his head, eyes stinging with the threat of tears. "I love you both, I love-" Those words were her last, but they weren't spoken in a panic, or in a rush. No, she spoke as if she had all the time in the world, as if she refused to act as if she was fading from this world.

It was eerily quiet inside the bathroom, just for a heartbeat, before the building underneath his feet rumbled. Steve straightened up, his mirror rattling slowly at first, and then severely. It wakes Frodo up, the orange feline looking up at Steve as if silently asking, "Are you going to take care of that racket?"

Confusion clouds his mind, before rushing out of his room whilst tugging on a long-sleeve shirt, since it had been getting chilly outside. As he makes his way outside, he's greeted by Nat, Bruce, Rhodes, and Pietro. The four of them looking up to see Carol handling a large spaceship down towards them, a sense of great relief washes over Steve at the sight of Carol's familiar face. It had been a few weeks since meeting Carol and explaining who they were, and she explained who she was. It felt incredible to have some good come out of a horrible situation. Already waiting out in the field was Pepper, the older woman always looking out among the stars, waiting for her Tony to come home.

Carol lands the spaceship on the ground, seeming out of breath for her long journey. The group waits, as the entry hatch opens, and Steve has to catch himself from stumbling as he rushes forward to help Tony.

Tony looks in terrible shape, almost close to death as one could be. He's being supported by a blue alien woman, and though Steve should have been taken aback by the alien woman, he isn't. With everything he's witnessed in his life, a blue alien woman was the least of his worries at the moment.

Tony is handed to Steve by the strange, severe looking woman. Tony takes a moment to look back at his companion, a silent conversation passed between the two, before Steve leads Tony towards the compound. "Couldn't stop him," Tony wheezed with a tortured look on his face.

Steve's throat tightened, "Neither could I." He admits bitterly, sadly.

Tony pauses his stride, gives Steve a tormented look, "I, uh, lost the kid."

Steve pauses alongside his friend, momentarily confused, before realizing Tony meant Peter Parker also known as Spider-Man. After, Spencer was taken to Asgard, Tony had grown close to Peter, taking the young kid under his wing, and mentoring the youngster. So, Steve understood that Tony felt responsible for Peter.

Steve felt his mouth dry up, and he felt suddenly frustrated that it had to be him telling Tony that Spencer was gone, too.

"Is, uh?" Tony tried asking another question before Pepper finally manages to catch up to them.

Steve gladly steps back as Pepper embraces Tony, tears of relief and joy running down her face, as Tony embraces her back in a daze-as if Tony couldn't believe the nightmare he had been trapped in was finally over. "It's okay," Tony murmurs, leading Pepper back into the Compound.

Steve watches as Pietro pats Tony's shoulder with a small smile, before making way towards him.

Pietro looked better than he did last week-everyone grieved differently, and in this case for Pietro, it was to lock himself in Spencer's old room, and never come out. Pietro had refused to eat, too, which was a massive concern considering his abilities required Pietro to always be fueling his body. Steve couldn't blame his friend though, Pietro had lost Spencer, Wanda, and Vision all within a heartbeat.

But the Speedster was looking better now, after Nat had a talk with the boy. Steve had questions about the nature of this talk, but Nat just brushed Steve off without a care in the world, and with that damn cat-like smirk on her face.

"Did you tell him?" Pietro asks, quietly.

Steve shook his head, and sighed, "No, I clammed up, he lost Peter."

Pietro's severe face cringes, "At least, he came back to Pepper," Pietro says with some resentment, before the younger man shakes his head. It was strange seeing how different three weeks can change someone, Steve thought to himself. All the losses he had, hadn't changed him that much, but Pietro?

Pietro had always been mischievous, that was part of his nature.

But, now? With the loss of his twin sister, the love of his life, and Vision? Pietro hardly smiled often, his face always void of that boyish mischief, and his eyes didn't shine as much either. Come to think of it, no one's eyes shined as much either.

Steve noticed Rocket-the Raccoon that aided Thor in the last battle, slowly making his way towards the alien woman. Steve and Pietro quietly watched as Rocket walks up to the woman, who is sitting down on the stairs, and Rocket joins her.

Steve gives them their privacy, it was obvious those two knew each other, and needed a moment to grieve together. There's a flurry of chaos that sweeps through the Compound as medical attention is given to Tony, before Steve gathers everyone in the main living room, to talk about what has happened in the last twenty-three days since Thanos came to Earth and promptly left. Cooper happy to see Tony, but Tony looks at Cooper with a clear question in them, but no one has the heart to answer it.

Frodo and Cooper were picked up from Clint's farm not too long ago, Clint sent them a short, brief message telling the team to come pick them up, and when Steve, Nat, and Pietro got to Clint's farm, it was abandoned. There was no trace of Clint or his family, so the worst had to be assumed. Clint's family was all taken by the Snap.

The animals were well taken care of, it seems like Clint had left that same day. Whatever Clint was going through, at least he was of clear mind to make sure Frodo and Cooper were well taken care of before he left.

Tony is in a wheelchair, hooked up to an IV, to help him heal better. Tony eating little of what was offered to him, but that was to be expected. In the center was a holographic casualty report naming off who was lost in the Snap.

"It's been twenty-three days since Thanos came to Earth," Rhodey explains to Tony, who is watching the images of their friends pop up on the screen.

And when a picture of Spencer appears, Tony sucks in a breath. His hands tightening on the armrests of his wheelchair-as if the image of Spencer was a punch to the gut. Steve knew that feeling all too well, and sympathized with Tony. Cooper, feeling Tony in distress, rubs his muzzle against the man's arm, trying to comfort him. It made Steve's gut clench unpleasantly.

Cooper didn't know that Spencer was gone from this world, and it sometimes made Steve feel so horrible knowing that.

"World governments are in pieces. The parts that are still working are trying to take a census. And it looks like he did…" Nat murmurs, trying to ease the blow to Tony. "He did exactly what he said he was gonna do. Thanos wiped out fifty percent, of all living creatures."

"Where is he now? Where?" Tony almost instantly demands.

The question plunges another knife in Steve's gut-if only they knew, "We don't know,' Steve admits with a frown, "He just opened a portal and walked through."

Tony, not happy with Steve's answer, takes a moment to look around the room, before his tired eyes land on Thor, "What's wrong with him?" Tony demands, pointing a finger at their sullen friend.

While everyone had different ways of handling their grief, Thor's handle on his grief was anger. Thor was always angry now, always carrying the weight of their loss on his shoulders. If anyone had lost the most in this world, it was Thor.

The poor guy lost his entire family, his home, and half of his people in such a short amount of time, it was a surprise Thor wasn't off destroying planets in his rage. But losing Spencer? That was Thor's last straw. "Oh, he's pissed. He thinks he failed. Which of course he did, but you know there's a lot of that's going around, ain't there?" Rocket sneers and scoffs. Steve tries not to smile, because he knew for a fact that Spencer would love to be friends with Rocket. His sarcasm would rile Spencer up in the best way.

Tony stares at Rocket for a moment, "Honestly," Tony remarks with a bitter scoff, "Until this exact second, I literally thought you were a Build-A-Bear."

Rocket shrugs, "Maybe I am."

Steve interjects here, "We've been hunting Thanos for three weeks now," Steve runs a hand through his hair as he was anxious, "Deep Space scans, and satellites, and we got nothing," Steve crossed his arms across his chest, unsure if he should ask Tony about Thanos, but decided to bite the bullet, "Tony, you fought him-"

"Who told you that?" Tony looked at him with surprised, "I didn't fight him," Tony bitterly reclaims, "No, he wiped my face with a planet while the Bleecker Street Magician gave away the store," Tony was getting a bit riled up by Steve's question, "That's what happened, there was no fight." Tony admitted bitterly.

"Okay," Steve tried to mollify Tony.

But Tony continued, "He's unbeatable,"

"Did he give you any clues?" Pietro asks, in an unnervingly calm voice, "Any coordinates, anything?"

Tony looks at Pietro, some anger fading for a moment, before something just flipped inside of Tony, because Tony remarks, "I saw this coming a few years back," Steve closes his eyes momentarily knowing where this conversation was heading towards, "I had a vision, I didn't want to believe it, thought I was dreaming," Tony pressed, with a scoff of bitter resentment.

"Tony," Steve called quietly.

But Tony was starting to seethe now, "And I needed you," Steve froze, seeing the pure anger and betrayal on Tony's face, "As in past tense. It's too late buddy, sorry, you know what I need?" Tony stands, before pushing his food off the table with a clatter, "I need a shave," Rhodey is trying to calm Tony down now, "And I believe I remember telling all youse," Tony rips out his IV despite Rhodey trying to get him to stop.

Steve can only watch as Tony charges for him, but Rhodey is there to stop Tony, "Tony," Rhodey tries to calm him down.

"Alive and otherwise, what we needed was a suit of armor around the world! Remember that? Whether it impacted our precious freedoms or not- that's what we needed!" Tony snapped, glaring at Steve as if it were all his fault, and maybe, it had been Steve's fault, but there wasn't a point in arguing about it now, did it?

"Well, that didn't work out, did it?" Steve calmly remarks, trying not to agitate his sickly friend anymore.

But Tony was breaking, "I said, "we'd lose". You said, "We'll do that together, too." And guess what, Cap? We lost. And you weren't there. But that's what we do, right? Our best work after the fact? We're the Avengers, we're the Avengers. Not the Prevengers," Tony is being held back by Rhodey, who is still trying to settle Tony.

"Tony, okay, enough," Rhodey quietly tells his friend.

"Right?" Tony demands confirmation from Rhodey.

"You made your point," Rhodey calmly tells him, "Just sit down."

But Tony doesn't want to sit down, Tony wants to lash out in anger, "Nah, nah here's my point-"

"Tony, you're sick," Pietro tries to help Rhodey, but Tony is shrugging Pietro off.

"She's great, by the way," Tony points to Carol, suddenly brining her into the mix.

Pietro and Rhodey are trying to get Tony to sit down, "Sit down, sit," Rhodey tells Tony, despite Tony wiggling and fighting against them.

"We need you, you're new blood," Tony shakes Pietro and Rhodey away, "Bunch of tired old mules," Tony walks past Carol and right up to Steve, "I got nothing for you, Cap!" Tony's voice is a venomous whisper, and it makes Steve's heart hurt, "I got no coordinates, no clues, no strategies, no options!" Tony seethes, with a look of defeat and anger, "Zero, zip, nada, no trust, liar!"

Steve can only look at Tony, not wanting to fight his friend or agitate him any further, even though it seems like Steve mere presence had already done that. Tony glares back at him before he reaches for his Arc Reactor and rips it off his chest.

"Tony!" Rhodey gasps.

Tony shoves the Reactor into Steve's hand, "Here, take this," Tony's voice goes shaky, "You find him, and you put that on," Tony's body is shuddering now, "You hide." But Tony's body couldn't handle any more anger or stress, and Tony kneels over in exhaustion.

Steve is there to hold Tony steady, "Tony!" Steve is panicked, "Tony, please, stop, your body needs to rest."

"I'm fine," Tony snaps as Rhodey comes to his aid, "I'm-"

Tony's eyes roll back into his head, and his body becomes deadweight as it becomes limp in Steve's hand.

"Well, that went better than I anticipated," Pietro remarks in a low voice, watching as Bruce gives Tony a sedative. Pepper looks absolutely exhausted, and who could blame her?

Cooper is at his side, watching the activity inside Tony's hospital room.

Nat gives him a flat look, "You expected worse?" Nat deadpans.

Pietro has an indifferent look on his face, "Yes." and doesn't specify.

Steve shakes his head, trying not to smile, because Pietro's new attitude drives Nat up the wall. "It's like dealing with a robot." Nat once complained.

Rhodey comes out of Tony's room, "Well, Bruce gave him a sedative. He's gonna probably be out for the rest of the day," Rhodey informs them, looking stressed out by Tony's outburst.

"You guys take care of him," Carol speaks up casually, "And I'll bring him a Xorrian Elixir when I come back." Without another word, Carol strides out of the room.

"Where are you going?" Nat asks, with a frown.

And without missing a beat, Carol responds swiftly, "To kill Thanos."

Pietro rolls his eyes, while Nat and Steve exchange knowing looks, before walking after Carol. Steve wasn't particularly sure how to read or handle Carol Danvers, despite meeting her briefly for a few days back when the Snap first happened, Carol was the type of woman that intimidated Steve with her brashness and confidence. Spencer would've loved her. According to Carol, who was close with Nick, she had briefly visited earth many years ago, when Spencer was a baby.

Hearing that Nick and Spencer were taken by the Snap, well, it didn't sit well with Carol. Now, the woman was hellbent on killing Thanos to avenge Nick and Spencer.

"Hey, you know, we usually work as a team here," Nat calls behind Carol, it makes the woman pause and look back at Nat with a curious look, "And between you and me, morale's a little fragile."

Carol just stares.

"We realize up there is more your territory, but this is our fight too." Steve adds in calmly.

"Do you even know where he is?" Pietro asks coldly, arms crossed as he leans against the wall.

"I know people who might," Carol responds vaguely.

Pietro scoffs, and Carol sends him a watch yourself look, but lets his comment go.

"Don't bother," Nebula, the severe alien woman who was with Tony, speaks up grimly, "I can tell you where Thanos is."

"Good," Pietro pushes himself off the wall, "Let's get this show on the road then." They relocate into the living room.

"Thanos spent a long time trying to perfect me. And when he worked, he talked about his great plan. Even disassembled," Steve shuddered at the thought, "I wanted to please him. I'd ask, "where would we go once his plan was complete?". His answer was always the same, "To the Garden."" Nebula turned and leaned against the table that Rocket was standing on, as if she needed the support to keep her steady.

Steve didn't want to think about the horrors this woman had to go through, brought by the hands of her adopted father.

"That's cute," Rhodey scoffed, "Thanos has a retirement plan."

"So, where is he?" Pietro impatiently asks.

It was Rocket that answered, "When Thanos snapped his fingers, Earth became ground zero for a power surge of ridiculously cosmic proportions. No one's ever seen anything like it... Until two days ago," A hologram of a planet pop up, with a shockwave visibly traversing the surface, "On this planet."

Nebula looks up to look at everyone steadily, "Thanos is there."

Nat leans in towards the hologram, "He used the stones again," Nat murmurs with a bewildered look.

"Hey, hey, hey," Bruce speaks up suddenly, he had been hanging back, almost afraid to get involved until this point, "We'd be going in short-handed, you know." He points out almost frantically.

"He still has the stone's," Pietro pointed out with a frown aimed at Bruce.

"So, let's get him," Carol speaks up, "Use them to bring everyone back." That spikes everyone's interest, especially Pietro's.

"Just like that?" Rhodey asks suspiciously.

"Yeah, just like that," Steve murmurs coolly, because it was worth the chance to bring everyone back. Carol looks at Steve with a knowing look, and Steve gives a light shrug.

"Even if there's a small chance that we can undo this, I mean, we owe it to everyone who's not in this room to try," Nat pushes, her words hitting their mark, because they were true.

"If we do this, how do we know it's gonna end any differently than it did before?" Bruce asks, ever the pessimist.

Carol spoke up confidently, "Because before, you didn't have me."

Steve had to fight back a small smile, no one spoke so confidently if they didn't have the power to back it up, it reminded Steve of Spencer when they had just first started living together and doing missions for SHIELD.

Rhodey rolls his eyes, "Hey, new girl, everyone here is about that superhero life. And if you don't mind my asking where the hell have you been all this time?" He seems unsure whether to trust Carol's confidence.

Carol gives Rhodey an impatient look, "There are a lot of other planets in the universe, and unfortunately, they didn't have you guys." That was enough to silence Rhodey, and that made Steve smirk.

Rhodey threw him a glare.

Thor, who has been eating a snack behind all this time, stands up and walks over to Carol. It set everyone on edge, considering that Thor always sported a pissed off look on his face these days. Carol looks over her shoulder at Thor, as he walks up and stands closely. It's completely silent as Thor holds his hand up, and catches Stormbreaker as it flies over to him, missing Carol by inches.

But Carol doesn't even flinch, instead smiling at him the tiniest bit.

Steve had no clue what sort of test Thor was doing, but if it appeased the God of Thunder, Steve wouldn't complain.

Thor looked thoughtful, sharing a look with Carol, "I like this one," And gives a bitter smile.

The familiar feeling of hope grasped at his heart, a warm feeling he was used to in dire situations. "Let's go get this son of a bitch," Steve says confidently, knowing in his head that Spencer would have laughed and teasingly said, "Language."

It was time to get his family back.

So, I'm not going to write up the entire Endgame, but bits and pieces of it. I will definitely do the next part of this scene when they go searching for Thanos, and what happens there. I might do it in Pietro's POV, I'm not entirely sure yet. I'm debating if I want to do the scene between Clint and Nat? You know, the one where they both want to give themselves up for the soul stone? Would you guys want to see that? So, probably two more bonus chapters, before we get back into Spencer's point of view when she comes back from the Snap.

Oh gosh, I'm so excited! We're almost to the finish line, guys! :D Sorry for any errors, as you all know, I lazily proof-read after I finish my chapters, but not very thorougly xD

UPDATE: Thank you Zapper Frost for reminding me about the post credit scene! I had totally forgotten about it! I appreciate that so much! I went ahead and updated it, because it was driving me crazy knowing I goofed up XD