"All right. The glove's ready. Question is, who's gonna snap their freaking fingers?"

Scottie and Natasha shared a hesitant look as everyone looked between themselves, trying to figure out who the best person for the job was. Scottie knew that even if she did think she was the right person for it, none of them would let her volunteer and the warning glance Steve sent her way was enough for her to stay in her spot and keep her mouth shut.

"I'll do it," Thor immediately said, sauntering towards the glove despite the protests that erupted from around the room.

Scottie zoned out as she looked at Natasha. She still couldn't believe she had done it. She had saved her friend and now they were about to save everyone.

"You saw what those stones did to Thanos. It almost killed him. None of you could survive," Bruce said, causing Scottie to snap back into the conversation.

"How do we know you will?" Steve interrupted him, not sure if they had the time to be taking risks like this.

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

Natasha had a protective hand on Scottie's shoulder as Tony readied Bruce for the glove.

"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. Everybody comes home."

Everyone moved to protect themselves as Bruce slid the gauntlet on to his hand, waiting for the power to consume him like it had Thanos. He instantly fell to his knees, screaming and grunting in pain as the team watched all of the veins in his body light up as if he was on fire.

Scottie stumbled slightly, also falling to her knees as the soul stone seemed to suck the energy from her as it directed its attention to the gauntlet. Unlike the mind stone, the soul didn't seem to have any interest in holding off on doing what it was asked to do on Scottie's behalf.

Natasha dropped to her knees, pulling Scottie against her as the rest of the team debated whether or not they were going to take the gauntlet off the struggling Bruce. Tony wanted to rush over to Scottie but he had his shield up to protect Barton and he knew the woman wouldn't forgive him if anything happened to Clint.

The second Bruce snapped his fingers, all the energy instantly returned to Scottie. The girl looked up at Natasha who smiled at her, lightly helping her back to her feet. Scottie looked over to see Clint kicking the glove away from them all, the stones still shining slightly.

"Did it work?" Natasha asked the room, her eyes darted around as she looked for any sign that they had succeeded. Clint's phone ringing seemed to almost answer that question.

Scottie felt an unease in her stomach, one that she hadn't felt since 2018. She furrowed her eyebrows, unsure what the feeling was as she looked around the room to see the reactions of everyone else.

Her eyes fell on Clint, his hand hovering over his phone that seemed to vibrate angrily against the metal table. It had been a long time since that had happened - and the word 'Laura' on the screen caused Scottie to turn to Natasha with a grin across her face as the red head noticed the same thing.

"Guys– I think it worked!" Scott shouted, watching as the birds on the tree outside all seemed to be frantically interacting as if they were seeing an old friend. Scottie let out a cheer as they all began to realise that maybe this was it, maybe they'd actually done the impossible.

Closing her eyes, Scottie looked up to the sky in amazement.

When she opened them, she watched as a missile came flying straight towards where they stood.

________
"Hey kid," Steve's voice broke through the slight ringing in her ears as she felt a warm hand latch on to her arm to lift her to her feet. "Get up."

Scottie stumbled slightly, her eyes watering slightly from all of the smoke that surrounded them. She didn't know where the rest of the team were, but Steve and Tony were with her and that helped her anxiety slightly. Tony grabbed her face between his metal Iron Man hands, making sure she was fully responsive before moving back from her and motioning for her and Cap to follow him towards where Thor was waiting for them to join him.

Scottie hadn't seen Thanos since he had left her for dead on the Wakandan battlefield all those years ago, but he looked no different to how she remembered him. She wasn't dumb - she knew this was Thanos from before he had taken everything from her - but it still send a shockwave of pure anger and hatred through her as she thought about how the man had killed Vision and taken Wanda away from her.

"What's he been doing?" Tony asked Thor as the four heroes all looked at the man who simply sat on a rock, as if he had been waiting for them to go to him.

"Absolutely nothing," Thor admitted, his knuckles turning white from how hard he was gripping Stormbreaker in his hand. Scottie noticed this, and her eyes trailed over where Steve was also gripping on to his shield as if it was the last thing holding them here. Tony didn't have a weapon to hold on, but she could see in his eyes that the one thing holding him there was her.

"Where are the stones?" Steve asked, his mind instantly turning into planning the offence.

"Somewhere under all this. All I know is he doesn't have them."

"They're still working," Scottie mused, ignoring how the other three all turned to look at her in amazement. She figured they had forgotten she was standing at the end of their line. "I can feel the soul stone's energy from here."

Everyone nodded at her words, turning to look at how Thanos was staring up at them with a small smirk on his face. Scottie's fingers twitched at her side as she felt her body start to warm up with that familiar energy she had felt before - but this time she felt so much more powerful than ever. The soul stone really was giving her more than the mind stone ever had.

"So we keep it that way."

"You know it's a trap, right?" Thor checked, knowing that no matter the answer they would be barging down to stop the Titan anyway.

"Yeah. And I don't much care."

"Good," Thor said, his eyes shining slightly as the dark above them darkened. "Just as long we are all in agreement."

Scottie ducked slightly as Mjölnir flew into his other outstretched hand, the two godly weapons amazing her. She let out a low whistle and rolled her eyes as Thor shot her a cocky wink, both of them not being able to help themselves. His raggedy clothes transformed into his old armour and cape, and Scottie noticed the armour seemed to shape itself around his beer belly.

"Let's kill him properly this time."

Scottie walked slightly behind the other three as they climbed down the debris to meet 2014 Thanos in all his glory. Her eyes latched on to the huge sword that rested against his knee, knowing that that was going to be the most lethal to her out of all of them since she didn't have enhanced healing, or armour.

"You could not live with your own failure. And where did that bring you? Back to me. I thought by eliminating half of life, the other half would thrive. But you've shown me that's impossible. And as long as there are those that remember what was, there will always be those that are unable to accept what can be. They will resist."

Scottie and Tony sent each other a pointed look, knowing fine well that Thanos was stalling for some reason.

"Yep. We're all kinds of stubborn."

"I'm thankful. Because now, I know what I must do," Thanos admitted, standing up so that he towered above them all, almost laughing as he noticed Scottie's hand let off a small warning spark when he looked in her direction. "I will shred this universe down to its last atom. And then– With the stones you've collected for me, create a new one. Teeming with life, but knows not what it has lost but only what it has been given. A grateful universe."

"Born out of blood," Steve noted, his disapproval lacing his tone. Thanos slid his helmet on as he slowly turned to look at Steve, making sure that all four heroes were still within his line of sight.

"They'll never know it, because you won't be alive to tell them."

Scottie jumped to the side as Thor and Tony launched themselves straight for Thanos, Steve grabbing her arm and moving her out of the way for a second. He nodded to her and she nodded back, allowing an orange tint to take over her eyes as her skin began to burn. If they hadn't been in the middle of what might be the longest battle of their lives, Steve might have made a comment about Scottie was literally glowing - but they didn't have time for that.

She watched as Tony and Thor tried to use the energy from Thor's weapons slamming together to take out Thanos, even letting out a scream as Thanos used Tony as a human shield to deflect from Thor's next attack.

Scottie charged towards the man as he batted Steve aside too, the purple Titan letting out a humourless laugh as he looked at the young woman raising her hans at him. Scottie discharged her energy, causing the mad Titan to stumble back in surprise at the power and force of the blast - and the small ounce of pain he felt when it touched his skin. She threw herself to the ground as his sword came flying towards her, so close that she swore it almost cut some of the hairs on her head.

He turned his attention back to Thor, choking the man and beginning to press the Stormbreaker axe against his chest just how Thor had done all those years before. Scottie struggled back to her feet, spitting blood from her mouth as she prepared herself to shoot another blast of energy at the man.

A sudden whoosh of energy behind her caused her to lose her focus, a gasp of confusion leaving her body as Mjölnir came flying back towards her from where it had just knocked the Titan off of Thor. Spinning round as it sped past her, Scottie couldn't help but let out a surprised laugh at the sight behind her.

Steve Rogers was worthy after all.

Scottie looked around for Tony, unable to find the man in the fight. Thor was knocked out now too, having been thrown across the debris by the man. It all happened so quickly.

Steve was on the ground now, his infamous shield split down the middle. Scottie gasped at it, having believed that the metal was unbreakable. Thanos' sword suddenly seemed a lot more daunting than she had previously imagined.

He swung towards Scottie, making the blonde stumble as she tried to avoid his movements. Sure he had the strength, but she needed to remember that she was much quicker than the man. Her hands were alight with the sunlight energy that shot from her palms, hitting the man when she wasn't having to throw herself out of the way of a swing.

She noticed Steve trying to get up in the corner of her eye and that was the only distraction Thanos needed. The man grabbed her head in between his hands, looking at her with a sick grin as he squeezed. Scottie screamed in pain, aware of her hearing starting to go fuzzy from where the man's strength had cracked the nano tech that rested in her ears as earring aids. Noticed that she was beginning to slump, Thanos threw her across the battlefield and caused her to slam directly into Steve who cushioned her blow. 

"In all my years of conquest– violence– slaughter– It was never personal. But I'll tell you now– what I'm about to do to your stubborn, annoying little planet– I'm gonna enjoy it. Very, very much."

Scottie wheezed as she rolled over, noticing the huge army that had began to form behind Thanos. She couldn't see Thor or Tony anywhere, and she was sure that her hearing was almost destroyed.

"You alright, kid?" Steve asked, helping Scottie to his feet as he tightened his broken shield back on to his arm. The blonde girl nodded, her face covered in blood and dirt as she rose with his help, her skin tingling as it began to warm up in anticipation for the next fight. His arm wrapped around her to steady her as she swayed slightly, her nano tech hearing aids struggling to pick up certain frequencies due to Thanos' rough right hook.

"My hearing is fucked," she swore, noticing that Steve was now holding on to her the way Tony had done at the start of the battle. They all just wanted her to be okay.

"We can do this," Scottie muttered to him, although Steve was well aware it was more of an affirmation to herself than to him. They both knew there was no way the two of them were going to be able to hold off against not just Thanos but his entire army - but they had no other choice. Scottie could almost hear the soul stone calling out to her, something that the mind stone had never really done before - but it was almost soothing and encouraging rather than threatening.

"We do it together," Steve said, his hand squeezing hers in comfort. Scottie looked up at him, taking in what might be the last time they ever would have the chance to look at each other.

"Whatever it takes."

Just as the two began to move, they both jumped as the comms unit in their eyes began to crackle. Scottie took a slight moment longer to register what had just happened, but Steve seemed to have recognised it straight away. His hand latched around her arm, causing her feet to dig into the dirt as she felt the static in her ear. Pausing, she cautiously lifted her hand to press against her ear, trying to focus on the words. She focused hard, just managing to make sense of what she was hearing.

"Cap, it's Sam. Can you hear me?"

Scottie turned to look at Steve instantly, her mouth opening wide as she realised that they had managed to save everyone - despite her initial worry. Noticing the yellow circle begin to form from behind Steve, she nudged the man and pointed at the portal in awe.

"On your left."

Steve and Scottie stared in amazement as three familiar figures stepped out of the portal, an entire army in the distance behind them. She recognised Okoye immediately, having been in contact with the woman over the years and she smiled once she realised the two figures next to her. Shuri was back and so was her brother. Scottie scoffed in amazement as T'Challa nodded to the duo, Steve's hand resting on her shoulder as he tried to keep her standing.

They must have looked a sight. Steve with his broken shield and Scottie with blood pouring down her face from various cuts on her head from where Thanos had ripped her skin.

A set of wings soared above their heads, Steve letting out a deep breath as he noticed Sam soar in a circle. He and Scottie looked at each other, tears pooling in their eyes as they realised they had done it. Their friends were coming back.

Scottie tried to list off all of the heroes as she saw them, although there were a few she imagined must have fought the battle on Titan as she didn't recognise them. Doctor Strange descended in with those she imagined must have been Rocket's friends, before a huge smile spread across her face as Peter Parker in his Iron Spider suit landed on the ground next to them.

He was alive. They all were.

She saw a beautiful woman on a peagsus, something she didn't even know was actually real. Bucky. Groot the tree that she had met on the battlefield five years prior. Some woman who she imagined was this Hope that Scott had spoke about since she was in what seems to be a wasp version of his suit. Pepper appeared, in her Rescue armour Tony had been working on.

She couldn't find Wanda in the crowd. There were just too many people and her eyes couldn't quite find the red head amongst them - but now that she had seen everyone else she had no doubt in her mind that Wanda was alive in here somewhere. It gave her a new purpose to survive this fight. Five years of suffering almost left her body, an invisible weight she had been carrying leaving her shoulders as she looked at all of her friends.

Before her or Steve could even think anything else, there was a loud crushing noise as Giant Scott burst through the remains of the building, his outstretched palm holding more of their friends that she hadn't know if they were alive or not. She let out a cheer as she noticed Rhodey, Rocket, Bruce and Natasha all standing on his palm - even if Natasha looked significantly less impressed than the others about the height.

Giant Scott moved his hand closer to the ground, allowing Natasha to gracefully jump off and run over towards Steve and Scottie. The woman scowled as she took in the sight of Scottie, noticing how the girl already had her hands up and was signing that she could barely hear. Natasha nodded as she pulled the blonde into a hug, lifting her hands as she looked back at Scottie.

'Wanda's here, I saw her.' Natasha signed, reassuring the blonde that it had worked. Scottie grinned widely, noticing that Pepper was now hugging Tony who had appeared on their side. Tony nodded to Scottie in a silent agreement that they wouldn't leave the other.

"You ready?" Scottie asked Steve as she came to stand at his side, the duo grinning to each other as they looked back to where Thanos was standing in nothing but anger. His smug smirk was gone and now he seemed to glare across the field at the two.

"Together," Steve repeated what he had said minutes prior, giving the girl's hand one last squeeze before turning to her ready to move.

"AVENGERS!" He started, his hand lifting as he summoned Mjölnir into his hand. Scottie was sure she heard Bucky yell out in surprise but they would talk about that later. Sending Scottie one more smile, Steve opened his mouth to finish his sentence.

"ASSEMBLE!"

_______

omg so i don't usually do author's notes but i was reading through comments the other day and someone had literally said they wanted me to kill off Scottie, and i know as an author i probs should be offended but i actually have been sitting here laughing for twenty minutes straight now like ??????

incredible scenes truly, thank u for making my night!

also i don't say it often but i acc hugely appreciate everyone's comments and votes on this story n i'm always so surprised to see that people actually really love this story!! sad to say it's coming to an end in the next few chapters but I'm so glad at how much love i've felt while writing this even if its taken me almost three years!