Whatever had me pinned was heavy.

I felt movement beside me—Todd. I coughed, inhaling dust into my lungs. I could hear fires nearby, groaning debris moving around us.

I was pinned on my back. Through the debris caved around us, I could see dark sky. Not a night sky—a sky choked by smoke.

What hit us? I pushed against the concrete that trapped me. It barely budged. Any movement I could manage under the debris hurt more than it helped.

I rolled my head to the side. Todd was conscious, lying stomach first under the same debris.

"Todd," I rasped, coughing. My arms were free, so I gave him a few nudges. "Todd, come on. Wake up."

He stirred, groaning. He took slow blinks of his eyes. "Kiara?"

I grunted, trying to lift the piece of concrete again. I might've moved it, but not enough to allow us wiggle room out.

"What happened?"

"I don't know. I'm prepared to dig out of this and find out. What about you?"

Todd let out a wet chuckle. "I'm game. How do we do this?"

"If I push when you do, one of us can get out. If I can wiggle out, I'll lift the debris so you can crawl out. Sound like a plan?"

On my count, Todd and I both pushed—him using his back, me using my arms. The debris gave some, but again not enough. I screamed in annoyance. Come on. There are others in this wreckage too. Bruce, Scott, Rhodey, Clint, Tony, Rocket, Thor, Nebula, Steve...

Steve?

I received no answer.

Get yourself free first, then focus on finding the others. "Again," I ordered.

Together, Todd and I gave it another go. He was giving more this time around, the debris moved higher. Just enough for me to pull myself out.

I cried out in relief, my lower half throbbing in pain. I ignored the fresh waves to help Todd next. I got a good grip, and he put his back into it once more. With snail slowness, Todd crawled himself out. With a yell, I dropped the debris.

The ground shook behind us, and commotion was above. We both looked up. Pieces were moving, the stability was fading.

Todd acted before I could as more debris came crashing down. He shoved me out of the way, allowing the debris to cover him in the process. Dust kicked up around us.

"No," I exclaimed. Hastily, I dug through the debris, struggling with the heavier pieces. Come on, Asgardian strength. You're really needed right now!

Debris had Todd's lower half pinned, I uncovered the top half of him. His head was covered in blood, eyes barely moving.

"I've got you," I whispered hastily. I began to move a piece of debris from his body, but his sharp cry of pain made me stop. "What is it?"

"I-if you move it...it only puts more pressure," he grunted. "It's too much."

"I-I need to get some help." I looked to the hole above. I could easily launch myself out and give a shout or two. Whether or not anyone would hear me...that was a different matter.

"Kiara."

My eyes downcast to Todd. He looked tired. "You're not giving up," I insisted. "If I can radio some of the others, we can get you out of here."

"No time," he said through heavy breaths. A dribble of red leaked from the corner of his mouth. "Damage is done."

"Stop it." If he told me to abandon him...I'd had to make that difficult choice once before, with Phil Coulson. It had hurt so much then. I wasn't about to leave my best friend behind. Not even if he insisted. "I'm not going anywhere."

"Whatever's outside...whoever is still alive...they'll need you more."

"We will help them once I get you free." I went for the debris again but Todd stopped me with the darkest glare I had ever seen him produce. "Todd..."

"It's okay, Kiara."

Tears went to my eyes. "I'm not losing you too."

Todd smiled meekly. He let out a wet cough. "I'll give everyone's love to Nat when I see her."

"You're not..." My sobs gave way when I noticed the look in Todd's eyes. I sniffled. "Todd."

I stood, helpless, as my best friend left me. I kept calling and calling his name, in the hopes that maybe that would anchor him here with me. He wasn't acting. He wasn't faking.

A rage built in my heart. Whoever did this...I will rip them apart. An anguished cry left my lips, my body went into uncontrollable shakes. Not you, too. Not you too, Todd. Please. You're another name I'll have to tell Gracie...

Kiara?

Though I didn't expect him to peek in from above, I looked skyward anyway. I was relieved to hear Steve.

Sucking in a breath, I launched myself out of the hole, leaving Todd beneath the rubble. That will not be your final resting place, I swear it.

The skies had somehow grown darker, but it was far from nighttime. My eyes scoured the remains of the Avengers facility. In the skies was a massive, menacing ship. It was one I had never seen before.

Kiara? It was Steve again.

I'm...here. Are you okay? Where are you?

Out of the rubble.

What did this?

It's not a what, but a who. When we travelled through time...time didn't appreciate it. It brought someone to our front door.

It didn't take long for me to realize just who had decided to destroy our facility. Thanos...but from another time. We should have been rid of him for longer than five years. He's come here for our gauntlet.

Hey, Kia. It was Tony. Cap says you're hanging in there. We could really use an extra body.

I'll be in the sky. Just don't do anything stupid before I get there.

No promises.

I glanced back down into the dark hole, where Todd rested. Exhaling, I took to the air, feet and palms full of fire. Eyes searched downwards for signs of anyone friendly.

I stopped short at hearing a loud rumble of thunder over my head. Impossibly, the skies grew even darker, with spouts of lightning mixed in. Thor.

I shot myself down as I saw four figures below: three were friends, one was an old enemy that had come back to haunt us. The opponents stood, waiting for the other to make the first move.

I made the choice for them.

Fire surrounded my body as I barreled straight for the uneven ground. I landed between the two teams, my impact creating a circle of fire around the crater I had made.

"Since when can she do that?" I heard Tony ask.

My eyes were solely focused on Thanos. The purple madman in his armor, accompanied by a double-bladed weapon.

Fire vanished around me. There are a lot of words I can say to him, but I doubt I will get them out. There is only one way he will know how enraged I am. I called my retractable blades to my palms. As they sprouted, blue flames encased them. I fought back the fresh tears as I looked at Todd's murderer.

The second I started for Thanos, the trio behind me followed.

**Who ordered a plate of pain??**