Chapter 12
The firing of missiles started again, but no explosions rang out from the battlefield around them. James moved around the pile of rubble with Danielle following a step behind. She gripped the shirt at his waist, not wanting to let him go.
They stepped around the pile and looked up to see Thanos' ship firing into the sky at a globe of light. The globe grew closer to the ship until it crashed right through it, cleaving the giant ship in half. The globe swung back around and hit the ship again. The massive ship broke into many large parts, crashing into what was left of the lake.
"We have to get to Steve." James looked her in the eyes. "Are you with me?"
Danielle held his gaze. "Always."
They took off across the battlefield, taking shots at any stray creatures and aliens from Thanos' army. James kept his pace steady so Danielle could remain at his side. They moved like a well-oiled machine, knowing each other's tendencies and calling out their reloads. They traversed the battlefield quickly. The sounds of the battle grew closer until they entered a clearing and saw the havoc before them.
Bodies of Thanos' fallen army littered the ground, smoke floated from fires in the debris, and Steve was fighting a group of Chitari. James and Danielle took aim as they crossed toward Steve. They fired at the creatures until Steve dispatched the last one and turned to see who had helped him.
"Bucky?" Steve's eyes widened under his mask.
James simply nodded and stepped closer to his friend. They embraced for a brief moment, knowing now was not the time for heartfelt reunions. Danielle joined them and Steve shot her a small smile.
"What now, Captain?" She teased, if only to bring a little levity to the direness of the situation.
"Danvers is taking the stones to the van to get them away from Thanos. We have to finish off his army." Steve looked around at the chaos surrounding them.
"We've got your six." James confirmed.
Steve took the lead and the three of them fought their way across the battlefield. Above them Wanda and the Valkyrie took out two Chitari war ships as they led the way for Danvers to the van. Danielle focused her attention in front of her and fired at the creatures trying to close in on them. They topped a hill and saw Thanos charging Danvers with his sword raised, but before he could reach her, the Wasp, Shuri and Pepper shot three blasts of power at him and threw him backwards into the dirt.
Danvers had a straight shot to the van.
The sword flew so fast Danielle barely registered what it was before it struck the van and the explosion radiated across the ground and up to them. Danielle wobbled on her feet, but James steadied her. Danvers went sprawling in the other direction.
"Where's the gauntlet?" Steve scanned the battlefield.
At the same time that Danielle saw the glove, the mad titan did too. He started toward it, then a smaller red and gold figure hit him in the side.
"I have to help, Tony." Steve said.
"We'll cover you." James replied. "Go."
Steve didn't hesitate and took off in his accelerated sprint toward Thanos. James and Danielle set up like snipers and killed the remaining creatures and Chitari going after Steve. Looking back to Thanos, Danielle could see Thor swinging his axe and his hammer and wearing his purple foe down. Thor had his weapons crossed forcing his axe closer and closer to Thanos' neck. Steve had reached the fight and jumped on Thanos' back to pull the axe into his neck from the other side. The two Avengers struggled against him, but the mad titan was not ready to give up the fight.
He head butted Thor, knocking him out instantly. The weapons dropped and with his hands free, Thanos grabbed Steve from his back, threw him to the ground, and punched him in the head, knocking him out, or even killing him. Danielle couldn't tell.
She didn't have time to contemplate as something grabbed her foot and drug her down the hill. One of the many creatures that roamed the battlefield had gotten the better of her and now had her foot clamped in its jaws. She screamed as she grabbed at the rubble, but nothing slowed her down. James chased after her. He raised his gun, but he didn't have a clear shot.
As the creature ran sideways trying to drag her along the ground, she did what she could to protect her head. She heard other snarls growing closer and realized she was going to die being torn to shreds by creatures akin to space wolves.
She had accepted her fate, when her body stopped and her foot dropped to the ground. Danielled laid partially on her side, trying to catch her breath.
A hand touched her arm and she threw her hands up ready to punch.
"Easy, Dani. It's me." James said, just out of reach from her fist.
She raised up a little and looked around. "What happened?"
"They turned to dust." The grave tone in his voice sent a shiver up her spine.
She looked past his face and saw particles floating lazily in the air.
"Does that mean…"
James stood and helped her up. "Someone used the stones."
Steve.
They both knew he was exactly the type to sacrifice his life for the greater good. He could survive a lot because of the serum in his veins, but could he survive the cosmic power of six infinity stones?
James put an arm around her waist to support her as they walked back to the last place they saw Steve. He couldn't be dead. He had survived World War II, Hydra, alien attacks, and a civil war within his own team. He deserved the happy ending that they had envisioned for each other. She couldn't lose Natasha and Steve in the same week.
As they reached the clearing they had last seen him, they noticed the other Avengers were converging on the spot too. They stepped slowly through the crowd until they saw a familiar blue suit standing in the front. Tears welled in Danielle's eyes as they reached him and when she went to speak his name he looked at her and James.
His eyes were red-rimmed and filled with tears.
Danielle and James looked forward to see Pepper kneeling next to Tony, who was propped up against a pile of rubble. Half his face was blackened and burned like Bruce's arm had been. She followed the destruction down his arm, stopping at the glowing gems adorning the glove of his Iron Man suit.
Tony Stark had sacrificed himself for them.
Danielle turned into James and clung to him for support. He wrapped his arms around her as silent tears fell from his eyes.
Tony Stark was gone.
