The lake outside the Avengers headquarters was eerie. The team gathered together and were silent during their moment of mourning. The Infinity Stones sat separately back in the compound, all gathered from different timelines and alternate universes. But the cost had been severe. 

Clint returned to the compound alone and filled with grief. Natasha hadn't made it, as the sacrifice for the Soul Stone was a merciless exchange. One soul had to be taken for the Stone to appear, and Natasha ensured that it would be her life that would bring it to light. Clint had fought against this, but the Romanoff had made her choice.

'Do we know if she had a family?' Tony broke the silence.

'Yeah. Us,' Steve answered, and Thor turned to the man with a raised brow.

'What?'

'I just asked him a question-'

'Yeah, you're acting like she's dead,' Thor stepped forward, the denial thick and heavy. 'Why are we acting like she's dead? We have the Stones, right? As long as we have the Stones, Cap, we can bring her back, isn't that right? So, stop this shit. We're the Avengers. Get it together.'

'We can't get her back,' Clint was hurt and betrayed, but the guilt was heavy in his heart. 'It can't be undone. It can't...'

'I'm sorry. No offense, but you're a very earthly being. Okay? We're talking about space magic. And 'can't' seems very definitive don't you think?' Thor was adamant about his theory and the team were growing irritated, but no one chose to voice this. They were too shaken at the loss of Natasha. She had been there from the beginning. She had touched everyone whether it be emotionally, or through a friendship that was incomparable. Thor knew this and refused to believe that her absence was definite. To him, anything was possible with the Infinity Stones.

'Yeah, look, I know that I'm way outside my paygrade here. But she still isn't here, is she?' Clint growled and Thor faltered.

'No, that's not my point-'

'It can't be undone. Or that's at least what the red floating guy had to say. Maybe you wanna go talk to him, okay? Go grab your hammer and go fly and talk to him!' Clint grew angry and pointed into the distance, but his fury didn't last. 'It was supposed to be me... She sacrificed her life for that goddamn Stone. She bet her life on it.'

Bruce hurled a bench across the lake. Natasha was important to him. She was the one who helped control The Hulk when it was uncontrollable. Her lullabies and faith in Bruce changed him. But like everything, the good was taken for what they hoped would be a greater future. Bruce's large shoulders heaved, before his face churned into a sad one. He couldn't lose himself now. None of them could.

'She's not coming back,' he stated. 'We have to make it work it. We have to.'

'We will,' Steve reassured, his leadership needed in the trying time.

'At least someone was saved today,' Tony spoke up and the team turned to him. He stood with his arms crossed and his eyes on the lake, the thought of the unconscious woman inside the compound occupying his mind. Hearing that Natasha didn't make it made Tony fear that Sue had suffered the same fate. He had to have hope in the Storm's return as it was his only comfort. If he thought too much about Natasha, he would begin to lose sight of their goal.

'Is it true?' Scott questioned. 'Was Sue really the one that saved her brother in space?'

'There's never been another explanation,' Bruce pondered, trying to think through his grief. 'But I don't understand how she was able to change the future while going into the past. It just doesn't make sense. I thought I had this worked out...'

'Doesn't matter,' Tony moved his stare from the horizon to the team. 'She came back. That's all I care about.  But we still have a job to do, no matter what we've lost. Half the universe needs saving now.'

'And we're going to save them, Tony,' Steve did what he was best at and restored the team's hope. 'We will.'

Back in the compound, the team gathered in the lab to assemble the Stones. They had made a gauntlet, which contained titanium-alloy and sported the same hot-rod red that was commonly seen in Tony's Iron Man suits. Silver details wrapped around the wrist and onto the back of the hand, leading up to where the six Stones would sit. Bruce and Tony had done their best to replicate the original gauntlet that Thanos had used in his deeds, and they had done a decent job of it. 

'Boom!' Rocket cried as Bruce and Tony placed the Stones into the gauntlet. The two jumped and glared at the creature, who was unaware of the reaction of his joke of poor taste.

Once it was done, the team sat in silence. The Infinity Stones were placed securely in each groove, and it was now down to the final step. Thanos had been the one to snap his fingers five years ago, but someone would have to take his place to do it again. Thanos was larger than everyone in mass and power, but even he had been scarred by the Stones' after using them twice. Whoever would put on the new gauntlet and snap their fingers, would suffer their wrath.

'Alright. The glove's ready,' Rocket stated. 'Question is, who's gonna snap their freaking fingers?'

'I'll do it.'

Thor crossed the room without hesitance. The demigod had thought about nothing but making things right, as his aim during the battle in Wakanda had resulted in a heavy cost. His matted hair swung into his face as he stomped over to the table, but the team held out their hands to stop him before he could grab the gauntlet.

'Wait, wait, Thor, just wait,' Steve was the loudest over the calls to stop. 'We haven't decided who's gonna put that on yet.'

'I'm sorry, what, we're sitting around waiting for the right opportunity?' Thor sarcastically said with his hands up in feign defence.

'We should at least discuss it,' Scott tried but Thor spoke again.

'No, no, sitting here staring at that thing is not gonna bring everybody back. I'm the strongest Avenger, okay? So, this responsibility falls upon me. It's my duty.'

'It's not about that-'

'Stop it! Just let me!' Thor boomed before crumbling. 'Just let me do it... just let me do something good. Something right.'

'Look– It's not just the fact that. That glove is channelling enough energy to light up a continent, I'm telling you, you're in no condition,' Tony said, and Thor laughed humourlessly.

'What do you-what do you think is coursing through my veins right now?'

'Cheez Whiz?'

'Hah, Johnny would've liked that one,' Bruce snickered and Rhodey hinted a smile.

'Lightning,' Thor corrected.

'Lightning won't help you, pal,' Bruce shook his head. 'It's gotta be me. You saw what those Stones did to Thanos. It almost killed him. None of you could survive.'

'How do we know you will?'

'We don't. But the radiation's mostly gamma. It's like...I was made for this.'

At the mention of radiation, Tony inwardly flinched. When Sue appeared on the platform in the testing room stinking of radiation, he was beside himself. Bruce forced him to stay back at the fear of intoxicating everyone, while the Banner was able to power through due to his previous exposure. It was painful for Tony to watch Bruce scoop Sue off the floor, her body limp in unconsciousness after her few words. While in the large green man's arms and covered in sweat, Sue was carried carefully across the platform and down the stairs. Bruce told everyone to stay back as he passed, but Tony caught sight of Sue's prominent veins and pale complexion.

'FRIDAY, what's Sue's condition?' he had asked aloud and the AI's voice filled everyone's earpieces.

'Miss Storm's heart is functioning at a rapid rate and her vitals are off the charts-'

'What does 'off the charts' mean? How can vitals be 'off the charts'?' Scott cut off the robotic voice and everyone turned to the frantic Lang with a glare.

'Shoosh!' Rocket hissed and Scott zipped his lips with wide eyes. Tony rolled his eyes in irritation before putting his finger to his ear to repeat FRIDAY's relay of Sue's data.

'Miss Storm's system is flooded with cosmic radiation, boss. I can't make sense of her condition, but she's alive. I will continue to monitor.'

The team watched Bruce take Sue out of the room, one of her arms swaying from his steps. They weren't sure if they should be worried or relieved that she was alive, but in an unreadable state. But the news of Natasha's absence sunk in, and the team chose to mourn what they knew was gone. 

Sue was taken to her allocated room. Bruce made sure she was under the covers before he left to join the others at the lake outside. FRIDAY displayed a screen of her vitals next to her bed, each of the lines showing her heartrate, energy levels and radiation dosage; all of which were at their highest possible reading. FRIDAY searched for solutions to lower each of Sue's hyperactive readings, but the lack of information and knowledge of her condition made it difficult.

Back in the lab, Bruce prepared to put on the gauntlet. Everyone had suited up to prepare for the unexpected and Tony gave the run down despite his growing worry for Sue's condition.

'You remember, everyone Thanos snapped away five years ago and just bringing them back to now, today. Don't change anything from the last five years.'

'Got it.'

FRIDAY activated the Barn Door Protocol, which locked down the entire compound. Shutters rolled over every window and all the doors were covered by four-inch-thick steel. Every precaution was taken, and they wouldn't make the mistake of leaving even a singular square-metre unprotected. If the Stones let off enough power, it could harm nearby civilians or cities. They couldn't be responsible for any more deaths.

'Everybody comes home...' Bruce took a deep breath and picked up the gauntlet. It expanded and reformed to fit his large wrist, the compartments moving and reconfiguring. The Stones glowed and Bruce flinched, the power running through him and giving him a buzz of energy.

'Take it off! Take it off!' Thor immediately cried at the Banner's expression.

'No, wait,' Steve stopped him. 'Bruce, are you okay?'

'I'm okay. I'm okay...'

Bruce fought through the intense surge and raised the gauntlet. With each Stones gleaming and buzzing, Bruce willed for the past tragedy to be reversed. The Stones combined and they each used their individual abilities to grant their user's wishes. Using the universe's Mind, Soul, Power, Time, Space and Reality, Bruce snapped his fingers with every piece of his strength.

The team rushed forward as Bruce fainted, his huge body slamming against the floor of the lab. The gauntlet, used and flaming with smoke, fell from his arm and clattered to the floor next to its user. Clint planted his foot into it and sent it out of the way, giving the team more room to gather around the Banner that was unresponsive to their calls.

'Did it work?' Steve questioned, crouching over his friend.

'Worth a shot,' Thor shrugged, not wanting to show his disappointment at the lack of immediate results. 'It's over. It's okay.'

In Sue's room, FRIDAY displayed the icon of a phone that rang with the name 'Pepper Potts-Storm' written above it. It rang and rang, but Sue's rising and falling chest was all that could be heard in reply. The call went amiss, but a message icon appeared in its place and FRIDAY's automatic response filled the dark room.

'Voicemail left by Miss Potts-Storm,' a click was heard, and Pepper's frantic tone disrupted the peace.

'Susan! Sue, oh my god. I-I can't believe it! She's back! Morgan's back! She just appeared in her cot! I was downstairs a-and Ruby said she heard crying, a-and I found her in there, a-and – oh my god, I can't believe it! It worked! Whatever you and Tony did, it worked!'