T: How did this happen? Steve?

Jean opened her mouth to say something, but she felt the presence of Natasha in the building.

When Natasha entered the building, she saw a large number of Pyrons over another, and soon after, she saw Steve falling on the top of that amount of Pyrons.

Natasha stopped at the beginning of the stairs and noticed that Steve was very injured, she noticed the expression of pain on his face, she was worried with him, but he wasn't dead.

H: Natasha!

Natasha looked at Maria Hill who was already going up the stairs.

H: Come on!

Natasha still took a few seconds to finally move, she wanted to go after Steve to find out if the wounds were serious or not.

H: What are you doing? Come on, Natasha!

Natasha took a deep breath and started going upstairs running.

As soon as Maria Hill arrived at the floor where everybody was, she had her guns in her hands, and saw everyone gathered around the body of Clint Barton.

Hill was surprised by everyone's attitude, then she understood what was really happening.

Maria Hill could not believe that scene, and she herself wanted to have a proper reaction to the loss of Clint Barton, she has known him for as long as she knows Natasha, but she knows who really is close to him.

Hill turned around to try some way to prevent Natasha from seeing that scene, but Natasha had just arrived on the floor and the look on her face, indicated that she had already seen his friend, dead.

Hill put her arm in front of Natasha's belly and tried to push her back. Natasha pulled Hill's arm.

N: No!

Hill again pushed Natasha and tried to pull her away from the scene, but Natasha pulled Maria Hill's arm, and shoulders, as she screamed "No!" repeatedly. It was all she could say, she couldn't believe what her eyes were seeing. It could only be a lie.

It's not real, he's just seriously injured. Natasha thought, feeling her heart tighten and her throat becoming dry. She wanted to believe this was a lie, but the people around her and theirs expressions contradict what she wants to believe.

Tony approached the two and leaned against Maria Hill's shoulder.

T: Leave her, Maria.

Hill finally stopped holding Natasha and she ran toward Clint Barton's body, she pushed Logan and Peter Quill who were still in the way.

Natasha knelt down on the side of Clint's body and bent over his body.

Jean: Natasha...

Natasha wasn't listening or seeing anything, she put her hands on Clint's face.

N: Clint! Stop it. Wake up!

Jean: Nat...

N: Clint! Wake up! Don't you dare do this to me! That's one of his jokes... He's not... He's jus kidding...

Natasha laughed nervously, through some tears were beginning to roll down her face.

N: It's a joke! Clint, you damn son of a bitch, that's not funny... Wake up! WAKE UP!

Natasha shrugged Clint's shoulders, and then Logan approached her and pulled her to try to calm her down.

Natasha struggled against Logan, who held her tightly in his arms and hugged her. Natasha slowly stopped fighting, she went silent, then wiped the tears and left Logan's arms, demonstrating that she was more calm and controlled.

In fact, she was surprisingly calm, it seemed that she had made some discovery, some way of reversing that.

N: Okay...

Natasha took a deep breath and looked around.

N: Where is Wanda?

H: Nat.

N: Tony! Where is Wanda?

T: I think I saw Vision taking her back to the camp.

N: Call her here.

Tony looked at Maria Hill.

N: She's a witch, she can solve this!

T: Natasha, I don't think Wanda can do someth...

N: She has to try! And... And this mutant here...

Natasha looked at Jean Gray.

N: She can help, they acted together once. I saw that.

Jean got up, feeling a little awkward, and shook her head.

Jean: I'm sorry, but I don't... I don't resuscitate people. I...

N: Have you ever tried?

Jean: No, but...

N: You will try!

T: Nat...

N: SHE WILL TRY! SOMEBODY BRING WANDA HERE, NOW!

Hill shook her head and sighed.

H: I'm going to call her camp. All right?

Natasha looked at Maria Hill.

Hill walked away to make a call.

Natasha looked at Peter Quill.

N: How?

PQ: Are you asking how he died?

N: Steve? Did he do it himself?

...

Meanwhile in the Bunker, all the citizens were worried about the disappearance of a baby and an intern from F Wing. The Parents redoubled their care of their children, it wasn't known if anyone else would be abducted either.

Since most of their people went on a mission to fight the Pyrons, the population of the bunker is much more frightened. They are afraid that some new epidemic will arrive, or that someone else will freak out and will end up hurting somebody, even they having Thor, some mutants and some agents of SHIELD around.

Laura went into her room and went straight to the kid's room. She looked at Cooper sleeping on his bed, then at Lila who slept on the bunk above Francis's bed.

Laura approached Cooper and covered him better, then stroked a few strands of Lila's hair and at last she looked at Francis who was sleeping with James in the same bed.

Laura sighed and she was relieved to see that her children were fine and safe, so this anguish she is feeling must be because of Sarah, she thought.

Laura, Jane and Pepper set up some teams to make searches around the bunker to find Sharon.

There was nowhere to go, after all they are all confined and to open the bunker's door, she would have to go to the command center and having authorization.

They would search everything and every room, one hour she would have to appear.

Laura still made sure to reinforce the security of the command center, because if Sharon managed to escape from F Wing, she could try do the same there.

...

N: Was it him? He killed Clint?

Peter Quill shook his head.

PQ: I'm sorry, I wasn't even paying attention, the attack happened out of nowhere, it came from nowhere. Everything happened so fast. No one expected. When I looked at him, he was already down.

Jean: Actually, it wasn't Steve. I couldn't get into his mind when I tried... Natasha...

Jean walked over to Natasha and looked her in the eye so that Natasha could know that she was being honest.

Jean: Clint saved me.

Natasha paid attention to Jean Grey.

Jean: When I tried to get into Steve's mind, I felt a lot of pain and his mind was a mess and I had to focus more and only on him.

Rocket Raccoon: That was when I shot my bazooka, which was for the Pyrons, but one of them grabbed me at the time of the shot and I hit the ceiling above us and... It was all my fault.

Jean: No, Rocket. It wasn't anyone's fault. It was an accident. The ceiling began to fall and I was going to get hit, if it wasn't for Clint...

Natasha closed her eyes and took a deep breath. In a way, she was relieved that it wasn't Steve, but that was his intention anyway.

Clint acted as himself, he would step in front of anyone, even a stranger to protect that person.

N: He's so stupid!

Natasha said in a low tone and bit her lip.

Jean: Natasha, I know what you're feeling.

N: Don't try to get into my mind!

Jean: I'm not. Believe me. I understand your pain, but there is nothing I can do to undo what has happened.

N: You have to try.

Natasha changed the tone of her voice, from an authoritative way to one of supplication.

N: Please.

Scott Summers walked over to Jean Gray and laid a hand on her shoulder.

Sc: There are things that are out of our hands, we are mutants, not gods.

Hill returned to where everybody was assembled.

H: Vision said that Wanda is exhausted, she doesn't wake up.

N: What does that mean?

H: She can't even walk, she has used much of her powers for today, Natasha.

N: I don't care, she needs to try. Now!

H: Natasha, stop! Ok? There is no solution for death! You know that, use your head! We need you here, not in the clouds. I know it hurts but get real...

Natasha looked at Maria Hill and then she looked down.

N: What am I going to tell Laura? Lila... Cooper... They're only kids...

Natasha shook her head and put her hand to her mouth.

They all looked down because everyone started to think about his family. Everyone loved Clint Barton.

After long minutes of silence, Tony made a decision.

T: I think it's clear that this mission is not going as expected and that every day we lose more people.

Logan: Want to back off? This is for losers!

T: I don't want everyone to die! We already have bodies enough to give back to those families. I don't know what we're going to tell them.

Logan: I wouldn't even know what to tell them, if we return, without having won this war.

H: I hate when you all start to act like dumb. This is a war, they know that everyone can die.

PQ: Guys, we have something.

Logan: No one here will hear you any more. You said it was going to work!

PQ: We think so too.

T: There are more things that can influence the result of the guns we made, it's not so simple. They weren't on Earth when they confronted the Pyrons, we can't expect the chemical reaction to be the same here.

Beast: This is true. It's different environments.

H: Quill, what is this that you have?

PQ: We have a Minitrix.

Hill looked confused, not understanding what it was.

Peter took a small metal object out of his pocket.

H: How does this work?

PQ: Well, we put that in that square and say a command.

H: And?

PQ: And then we have to get out of here.

N: Why? What happens?

PQ: KABUM!

Peter made a gesture and sound of an explosion.

N: Do you want to blow up the city?

PQ: Not just the city. This explodes the city and a great area around it.

H: Why didn't you say you had something like this before?

PQ: Because you wanted to save people! You have to understand that no one would survive this bomb.

H: I think we have no option, if people don't recover, then the least we have to do is kill them all. At least we would win this battle here for now.

T: But we have to evacuate anyway.

Beast: But this Minitrix is activated by command, so someone would have to stay.

PQ: No, not necessarily.

Gamora: It's programmable. We can command it to explode a few hours later...

H: Great!

Logan: How do we know if it really works or not?

PQ: If it doesn't work, it will at least give us time to get out of here safely.

T: Great, as soon as we wake up, we begin to transport the wounded first, then we'll go with the groups we came. It gets more organized that way.

Gamora: We Guardians will be the last to leave.

PQ: Yah! We ...

Peter looked at Gamora and whispered into her ear.

PQ: Baby, why? Why should we be the last?

Gamora rolled her eyes.

G: They don't know how to use the Minitrix.

PQ: Oh! Yeah, we're going last.

N: What are you talking about? Steve is among them!

T: We lost him, Nat. Sorry, but it's the truth, you have to accept.

N: No, he wasn't dominated. He... It was different, he...

T: He's the worst of them all. He articulates and reasons, we can do nothing for him.

N: Not now, but we have to try.

T: How?

N: I brought the glass that hit him! The answer may be there. Something has to work. You can't give it up on him!

T: We would need to take it to the lab, we need to do research and none of this guarantees that...

N: Then do it! We're not going to kill Steve!

H: How do you want to get out of here, then? There are many people injured, Natasha. We would resist more if we had help, but we are alone in this.

N: We will not kill Steve! I know what he wants.

H: What?

N: Me. He wants me to join him.

T: And you intend to go with him? Are you crazy?

H: Natasha, you have James. And Sarah is alone without Steve.

Natasha sighed and shook her head.

N: I don't know what to do.

H: There's nothing you can do. We have to try to solve this situation with this thing... Minitrix. Everyone is suffering because they have lost someone important to these Pyrons.

N: I know that! Just... Just let me think! I need time.

H: We don't have time!

Natasha crossed her arms and walked over to Clint Barton's body, she looked at him and was silent. Natasha bent over and touched Clint's hand.

N: My friend! I'm so sorry! Nothing will happen to your family, I promise you that. I'll keep them safe.

Natasha got up and looked at them all.

N: Let's do as Tony said.

H: Natasha...

N: But we'll take Steve with us.

Natasha could hear the whisperings of everyone around her, talking to each other, thinking she was going crazy.

N: I'll take him.

Natasha looked at Tony.

N: One of the jets has an anti-Hulk compartment, right?

Tony nodded.

N: I'll fly into one of them. Distribute my group among with the others.

H: I'll go with you.

N: Hill, no.

H: I'm going with you, it's decided.

N: But I need you alive.

H: I also need you alive!

N: You're the only one I can trust to take care of James, please.

H: You know the boy would be unhappy with me, I'll go with you. Especially since you wouldn't shot Steve in the heart if necessary. I would.

N: But Hill...

Logan: If that's the problem, I'll go with her.

Natasha looked at Logan.

Logan: I wouldn't mind shooting him, too. And besides, the boy needs someone he knows around.

Natasha looked at Maria Hill.

N: Please.

Hill sighed and rolled her eyes.

H: Okay.

...

As soon as the day dawned, everyone followed the plan to return to the bunker. The wounded were taken to the jets first, then the groups were moving one by one.

Natasha and Hill, were with the Guardians in one of the camps. They were the last ones in the city yet.

N: Hill, you should have already gone.

H: I know, but... How are you going to get Steve into the jet?

N: I think he can feel me in a way, if he feels like I'm leaving, he'll come. I asked Logan to wait for me on the jet. I need you to get out of here.

H: It's very risky, and if there's no time for you to get out of here before this Minitrix explodes?

N: Then you will be a mother.

H: God, Natasha.

N: Don't worry, I planned this, it will work. Now go or I'll have to save you too.

Hill nodded and left the camp building.

PQ: Gee, I thought it was going to be a big hug, but... No? You both aren't of hugs, right?

Natasha was not in the mood for jokes or pretend sympathy.

As if it weren't enough to be taking back to Laura, her dead husband, she still has to deal with a transformed Steve.

PQ: I think we can go now.

N: No, let's wait. Hill hasn't arrived at her jet yet.

PQ: Oh yeah! I had forgotten. Just one question, do you think Steve will come after you, but how exactly are you going to shove him in the jet and into the cage?

N: I'll shoot him.

PQ: But non-lethal bullets have no effect on him.

N: But the lethal ones does.

Peter frowned and then raised his eyebrows in confusion.

PQ: She reminds me a lot of you, Gams.

Peter looked at Gamora and then at Natasha.

PQ: She shot me sometimes, too.

They waited almost 2 hours for Rocket finally get down to the square and allocate the minitrix in the right place.

PQ: Natasha, you need to go now, we programed this to explode in two hours.

N: I can't.

PQ: WHY? WHAT?

N: If I go now, he'll come after me and bring the Pyrons along with him. I can't let that happen!

PQ: Ham... Just now you thought about it? So you have to leave him here.

N: I'll stay in the square, I need to see him.

G: It's too risky, you won't have time to escape.

PQ: And how are you going to carry his body?

N: I have this planned. Don't worry. Go!

PQ: Oh God, I don't know if I should go. If I stay, I'm going to die, but I can't leave you here, because that wouldn't be appropriate, so...

N: Go! It's been 30 minutes already.

PQ: You're going to die.

N: Maybe.

Rocket: Well, if she's suicidal, let her be, for Thanos' sake!

PQ: We need to go, but I...

N: Don't worry, Pete.

Gamora walked over to Natasha, looked her in the eyes and nodded once, as if to say she was proud of her attitude and confidence and it was a "good luck" too.

G: Come on, Peter.

The Guardians went up to the roof of the building and their ship was already there. They boarded and a few minutes later took off.

From inside the ship, the Guardians watched Natasha leave the building and ran to the square. Then they could see the amount of Pyrons that began to crowd in the square around Natasha and no sign of Steve.

Rocket: She's so dead!

Drax: I think after losing the archer, she went...

Drax made a gesture with his finger, close to his head, indicating that Natasha was crazy.

Rocket: Such a cute face, isn't it? That's a shame. Well, let's go.

The Guardians went on their way out of town.

Natasha stopped running when she reached the center of the square, she could see the Minitrix a few feet away and around her, she only saw Pyrons.

Natasha wasn't afraid, she knew she wouldn't be attacked right away and she knew he would come, that Steve would come.

A few minutes later, through the Pyrons, a path opened and from there, Natasha could see a shadow approaching, limping.

It was him. Natasha took a deep breath and stood firm as she finally saw Steve appear among the Pyrons. Steve was devastated, completely injured.

N: They're all gone.

Natasha looked into his eyes.

N: Now, it's you and me.

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