AVENGE THE FALLEN | AN ENDGAME READER INSERT STORY

part six

She nodded and wrapped you up into a tight hug again. 

"I'm sorry," you cried. "I am so sorry-"

"You have nothing to apologize for. I am so proud of you, sweet girl. So proud-"

"We couldn't beat him," you kept going, the guilt consuming you. "We weren't strong enough to beat him-"

                                                                                  ***

"Thanos did exactly what he said he was going to do," Nat was saying. Everyone was gathered in the main room. "He wiped out half the universe. So far all former Avengers and SHIELD survivors are right here in this room. Earlier, Steve and I went through the list of missing persons. Fury was on it."

You dropped your head, shutting your eyes. 

Steve pulled one of his arms out of their crossing position. "But we found this. It has a symbol on it that neither of us recognize. So take a look, guys."

You pulled yourself from Pepper's arms, where you'd been comfortably staying. Everyone peered over the table to look at the small device. 

"Is that a pager?" Bruce asked. "Fury was still using those?"

"Do you think that symbol has a meaning?" Thor asked. "To us? A message for us?" 

"Maybe a message to someone else," you said. "Someone who could help us?"

Steve sighed. "Not sure. All we know is that we need to keep it in a safe place until we get answers."

"So we're just sitting here, waiting?" Thor asked. His face went red. "Thanos is out there. He just killed half the universe, he killed our friends. My brother, my best frie-"

"What do you suppose we do?" Nat asked. "We couldn't beat him. Now we've lost, what, five of us that we know of? Who knows what's happened with Tony and the others. There's nothing we can do right now." Her eyes, full of guilt, flickered to yours. 

You crossed your arms to your chest. "Maybe my dad will have answers when he comes back," you said. 

Nat nodded. She touched the pager with her fingertips. "If Tony comes back-"

"When he comes back," you corrected. 

Rocket scoffed. "What's with all this sudden confidence that your dad is alive?" He climbed up on one of the chairs at the table. "Last I saw, you were all weepy."

Hurt flashed in your eyes, but you looked at the table and ignored him. "So my dad was with Spider-Man and Doctor Stephen Strange. Strange had the Time stone, but... I'm not sure if he would be alive, since Thanos had it."

"I, uh, got some people," Rocket said. "Four more people. I can, uh, try to contact them." 

Nat nodded. "Let's work with what we've got, hunker down, wait, and see what we can do." 

Her words weren't powerful. They didn't inspire anyone to keep working hard. The fight was over, you'd lost. 

"Is there somewhere I can work on making a communicator?" Rocket asked, scratching the top of his head. 

"Yeah," you half whispered, "I can show you." You looked at Cap, almost for permission, but he just looked away from you. "Is that all?"

He nodded. "Yeah. There's nothing more to say." 

You swallowed thickly and looked around you. Everyone had their eyes cast to the ground.

"Okay," you whispered. "C'mon." You waved at Rocket, gesturing for him to follow you. He hopped off the chair and did. 

As you went by Bruce, he touched your shoulder gently. 

                                                                                         ***

You took Rocket into one of your father's favorite places to work. The lights flickered on as you stepped inside. The raccoon hurried straight for one of the tables, grabbing equipment from where ever he could reach. 

You walked along the outsides of the table, looking at the projects your dad had been working on. Arms crossed, you slowed. On the edge of the table was a blueprint. You moved it closer to you. It was a sketch of a suit similar to yours, but with improved aspects. 

You almost smiled, but your eyes filled with tears.

Rocket grumbled, "I'd prefer to work alone. But if you seriously have to stay in here and babysit me, then knock off the whole cryin' thing. It's gettin' real annoying real fast." 

You looked up at him and glared. He wasn't looking at you, so you were just shooting daggers at the back of his head. "What's your problem?" 

"My problem?" he asked, hands stilling. He looked up. "Oh, what is my problem? Hm. Let's start thinking about this, yeah? Let's go over today's events." He stood up and turned to you. "I come to this disaster of a planet to save the world. Get the freakin' crap beat outta me, lose Groot-" He started to choke on his words. "Then I have to stay here with a bunch of Terrans that I don't know. Now I have to build a frickin' communicator so I can tell my friends that one of us didn't make it. So maybe that is my problem. Maybe. Just an idea!" He threw his arms up in exasperation. 

"In case you haven't realized, Rocket, you and I are pretty much having the exact same day," you said. "Except for me, I have no way of communicating with my friends, because I have no idea where they are." You started to walk out of the room, then stopped. "And I am sorry that you lost Groot. There's nothing else to say but I'm sorry, 'cause none of us know what to do about who we lost today." 

Rocket's ears lowered slowly. He wasn't looking at you. 

You just left, tears spilling from your eyes. Pepper was in the hallway. She said your name, but you raised your hand and shook your head, telling her that you were fine. 

"I just need time," you choked, and you pressed your hand to your mouth. 

You went to your bedroom, went to shut the door-

And standing in there was Thor. 

"What-"

He turned. "I, uh. This used to be mine." 

Your eyebrows furrowed. "Oh, yeah. Sorry. Dad moved your bed to the one across the hall there." 

Thor nodded. He took in your appearance as you sat on the edge of the bed. 

"It's so stupid," you breathed, elbows on your thighs, head dropped. 

"What is?" he asked. 

You gestured out the door. "That..." You stopped and wiped your nose. "How long have you known Rocket?" 

"Barely longer than you have," he said. 

"Well, he's a jerk."

He took a seat next to you. "He's grieving."

"We all are," you said. 

He nodded. "Yes. We all are." 

"I'd never seen anyone I love die before," you said. "And today I saw Wanda go. Sam. And I saw the looks in everyone else's eyes... and I just keep asking, why?" 

Once again, Thor nodded. "I keep asking myself that, too."

You looked behind you. On the bed was the remote for your TV. You grabbed it and turned it on. You remember leaving it on one of those free movie channels, but that wasn't what played when you turned the television on. After a flicker of static, you saw an urgent news report. Clips of people disappearing. Cities all around the world in chaos. 

"Do you think we have a chance at recovering from this? Honestly?" you asked.

"I am not sure anymore," he said.