EVERYONE was sat down in their own seat in the spaceship, each of them making sure their belts were fastened securely. Carson kept his eyes trained outside the large window at the front of the aircraft, watching intently as the sky started to get darker while the altitude increased.

"Okay." Rocket turned around in his seat. "Who here hasn't been to space?"

Carson, Natasha, Steve and Rhodey all raised their hands and Rocket sighed, along with Carol letting out a small chuckle.

"You better not throw up on my ship." Rocket quipped.

"Approaching jump in three..." Nebula began.

"Oh, shit, we're going now?" Carson asked.

"Aw, you scared?" Carol looked over her shoulder at him.

"Two."

Carson scoffed. "Oh come on blondie, this is my first time in space. You expect me to—"

"One."

Before Carson had any time to finish his sentence, his head was roughly pushed backwards against his seat due to the drastic increase of speed. His jaw clenched tightly along with his hands gripping the arms of his seat as they went through the jump, his eyes being filled with a multitude of colours.

He quickly glanced over at Natasha to see if she was okay, letting out a soft laugh at how her eyes were slammed shut. After a few more seconds they came to a sudden stop and everyone let out a breath of relief.

Carol loosened her belt and got up from her chair, smirking at Carson on the way past as she exited the ship.

The blonde flew in front of the window and turned on her earpiece. "I'll head down for recon."

Everyone started to get up and split off from one another as they each prepared to get ready. Carson walked over to the armoury and grabbed a few knives, slotting them into the holders on his belt.

Natasha walked into the room but once she saw Carson she stopped. She sighed and started to turn around to leave. "Sorry. I'll come back later." She mumbled quietly.

"Wait." Carson spoke up. "Nat, you don't need to leave just because I'm here. Can we talk?"

Natasha turned around and raised a brow at him. "Oh, so you actually want to talk to me now?"

Carson scratched the back of his head and started to walk closer to her. "Look, I know I've been... well, a pretty shit friend to you recently."

Natasha nodded bluntly and folded her arms across her chest.

"I just wanted to tell you how sorry I am Nat, really." Carson sighed. "I should've never spoken to you that way yesterday. I don't know why I said those things to you... I really don't know where it came from."

Natasha looked down at the ground. "It's okay."

Carson shook his head and reached down for her hand. "No, no it's not. I know I can't do or say much to make up for it, but I just want to make sure that you know that... what I said to you wasn't true. You were right, I didn't mean it."

"You don't have to say that Carson—"

"I'm not just saying it." Carson gave her hand a squeeze and she looked up at him. "We aren't just co-workers Natasha, we're family, alright? Ever since I stepped through those tower doors when I was fourteen, we became a family. You became my family. And that will never change, ever."

Natasha smiled and pulled him into a hug, tightly wrapping her arms around his neck. Carson let out a breath of relief and wrapped his arms around her too.

"I think that was enough to make up for it." Natasha said, her voice coming out a little muffled as she stuffed her face in the crook of his neck.

Steve entered the room and stopped in to doorway, a small smile forming on his face as he watched the interaction. Carson and Natasha pulled away from their embrace and looked over at him.

"I'm sorry for interrupting." Steve apologized. "But we're about to fly down."

They pair both gave him a nod in response and Steve flashed them a quick smile before leaving the room and returning back to his seat.

Carson inhaled sharply and started to straighten up his clothes, tucking in the chain with Wanda's ring on into his top. Natasha noticed how his demeanour seemed to deflate a little and frowned slightly.

"This is going to work, Carson." She told him. "You'll get her back."

He sighed and placed his hand on Natasha's shoulder. The blonde smiled at the contact and moved her head down to his hand, resting her chin against it.

"I really hope that's true." Carson said quietly as he looked down at Natasha. "Because I don't know what I'm gonna do if I don't."

Carson gave her shoulder squeeze before moving back into the main part of the space-ship. Natasha let out a small sigh and followed behind him.

Carol flew back towards the ship and stopped in front of the window, looking at around at them all as she hovered.

"So, what have you got for us?" Rocket asked.

"No satellites. No ships. No armies. No ground defences of any kind." Carol told them. "It's just him."

Carson nodded and sat back down in his seat. "And that's enough."

~~ ᗢ ~~

Thanos hobbled over to one of the tables that was in his hut. He picked up some spices between his fingers and sprinkled them into his cooking pot before taking it over to the fire that was in the middle of the room, carrying it with his good arm.

He sat down on his stool and placed the pot down, letting out a small sigh as he watched his food cook. However, the sound of distant rumbling caught the titan's attention and he looked up, his face scrunching in the process.

That's when a large beam of energy shot through the thatch roof. Thanos instantly raised his hand to try and shield himself. His teeth gritted together and he let out a small groan as he tried to fight against it, but the force was too powerful.

Carson flew down and retracted his energy, instantly charging straight towards him and sending a punch straight at his face which was harsh enough to knock the purple titan on his back.

Thanos scrambled to get back up but before he had the chance, that's when Carol entered the hut. She skidded along the floorboards and jumped towards him, swinging her legs over him and holding him tightly in a headlock.

The titan's breath hitched in his throat as he choked. He looked over at Carson and narrowed his eyes. "You..."

"Aw." Carson faux frowned. "Did you miss me? That's adorable."

Thanos squirmed in Captain Marvel's grip but she tighten her hold on him. Bruce emerged from the ground in the Hulkbuster suit and also grabbed Thanos' arm which wore the gauntlet. Carson smirked at the sight of the purple titan struggling and lifted up his hand, allowing his energy to shoot over towards Thanos' free hand, stopping it's movements all together.

Rhodey landed in the hut too and raised his arms, letting multiple guns from his suit extend out as he aimed towards Thanos.

And that's when Thor entered. The god burst through the side of the hut and wasted no time in swinging his axe towards Thanos' arm. Thanos let out an ear-piercing yell when Thor cut off his hand, ensuring that the gauntlet could not be used.

Natasha and Steve made their way up the steps of the hut and walked inside, their stares practically burning through the large man who was being held down by their teammates.

"Rocket." Carson addressed the raccoon, giving him a signal to get the gauntlet.

Rocket nodded and walked over to the gauntlet with a smug smile and flipped it over. But his smile soon faded. Rocket froze and mumbled something under his breath, shaking his head in disbelief at the sight that was below him.

Carson looked over his shoulder and tilted his head in confusion. "What?"

"Oh, no..." Rocket said quietly.

"Rabbit, what is it?" Carson asked, trying to ignore the feeling that was creeping up on him.

He walked over the where the raccoon stood and crouched down to look at the gauntlet, his eyes widening when he saw that it contained none of the stones.

They were gone. All of them.

"Where are they?" Steve was the first to say something.

"Answer the question." Carol told Thanos.

"The universe required correction." Thanos began. "After that, the stones served no purpose... nothing beyond temptation."

Carson's jaw locked tightly and he looked over his shoulder, glaring at Thanos. He could practically feel his blood starting to boil, his powers starting to surge through his veins.

He's lying, to you, to everyone.

He has to be.

It's not true.

He got to his feet and started to storm towards the titan. Rhodey tried to grab his arm to stop him but Carson pushed him away and barged past him, ignoring the voices of the rest of the group as they tried to get him to stop.

Carson blasted Thanos backwards and he crashed to the floor. Carol and Rhodey stumbled a little as the impact from Carson's was too close to them.

"What did you do!?" Carson shouted.

"You should be grateful!" Thanos shot back.

"Grateful?!" Carson said through gritted teeth. "You expect me to be grateful after what you did? You took everything from me."

Carson punched Thanos across the face again. The titan coughed and spat out the blood that was in his mouth onto the floor. Carson grabbed him by the throat and forced him to look at him, his now flaming red eyes glaring at Thanos.

A small gasp left Natasha's mouth. "Carson—"

"Tell me where they are. Now." He demanded.

"Gone." Thanos choked out. "Reduced to atoms."

No.

"You used them two days ago!" Bruce shook his head.

"I used the stones to destroy the stones."

Carson tightened his hold around Thanos' neck. "STOP LYING!"

"It nearly killed me." Thanos grimaced. "But the work is done. It always will be. I am inevitable."

Carson looked down at Thanos' chest and focused on his heartbeat in order to indicate any signs of him not telling to truth. But he was, he really was. The stones were gone.

They were all gone.

He let go of Thanos and stumbled backwards, his mind racing at a million miles per hour. This was his only hope, his last hope. And just like all the other times, it failed. He failed, again.

You can't get her back.

You can't.

You can't.

You can't.

"We have to tear this place apart." Rhodey spoke up. "He has to be lying!"

Nebula shook her head is disagreement. "My father is many things, but a liar is not one of them."

"Ah." Thanos looked towards her. "Thank you, daughter. Perhaps I treated you too harshly."

Kill him.

Carson grunted and shook his head, trying to push his thoughts away.

Kill. Him.

"That's why you came here, isn't it?" Thanos asked as he looked around at them all. A sick grin spread across his lips when he saw the looks on everyone's faces. "So it is. You thought you could get everyone back? It cannot be undone. They're gone for good. All of them."

Thanos turned his attention over to Carson and let out a dry chuckle at his state. Carson clenched his jaw tightly, his hands starting to shake as his power started to build up.

"And you, you really thought... that this would work? That you could get her back?" Thanos began.

He is the reason she's gone.

Kill him.

"You're little witch isn't going to come back." Thanos continued. "You will never get her back."

Do it.

Everyone's eyes widened when they saw the red glow start to emerge from Carson's hands, his veins starting to light up.

"Carson..." Natasha tried to calm him down. "I'm going to need you to breathe for me okay?"

Don't listen to her. Do not let her distract you.

Do it.

She slowly started to walk towards him with her hands out in front of her. He glanced over at the blonde for a moment but quickly looked back at Thanos.

"Just let me help you." Natasha whispered. "I'm here for you, alright? We all are."

No, she doesn't want to help you.

None of them do.

They just want to control you.

Thanos smirked. "Look at yourself. She would be so disappointed in you."

Do it, do it, do it, do it, do it.

Steve jolted forwards to grab Carson before he could do anything, but before he could make contact, the super-soldier was thrown to the side. And Carson didn't even have to move a muscle for it to happen.

"Carson, wait!" Natasha shouted.

Carson ignored her and raised his hand towards the titan, releasing all the power that had been charging up in his hands. His energy pierced straight through Thanos' chest, killing him instantly. His body was sent flying backwards and crashed through the back wall of the hut, rolling along the grass outside and eventually coming to a stop.

"What did you do..." Rocket muttered.

Carson let out a shaky breath and slowly lowered his hands, keeping his eyes trained on the lifeless body of the titan outside. He raised his hand up to his face, using his thumb to wipe off the blood that was on his cheek. "What should've been done months ago."

And with that, Carson turned around and walked out of the hut, brushing past everyone without bothering to make eye contact.

~~ ᗢ ~~

fully wrote this in the car so if there's any mistakes i'm sorry and i'll correct them later or something idk

ALSO ALSO ALSO i watched no way home on wednesday and ASKJAFLDNSKDJ fucking hell it was good, jeeeeesus

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