Red, White & Blue | Bucky x Reader

Chapter Twenty-Five

I glance at Steve, but before I can ask him if he heard it as well, the voice returns in our ears. "Cap, it's Sam. Can you hear me? On your left."

We turn to our left as a yellow portal opens, allowing three figures to step through. Okoye, Shuri, and T'Challa nod to us, fully restored and ready to fight. Above them, Sam flies through the portal in his Falcon armor, and around us, more portals open as hundreds of soldiers and warriors filter in from all over the universe.

I whip my head around the battlefield, gasping when I finally spot him. "Bucky..."

"Go," Steve urges.

I smile in thanks as I sprint away, building momentum before jumping into the in-between, teleporting straight into Bucky's embrace.

"You're here," I breathe. "You're really here."

Bucky pulls away, brushing a tear from my cheek with his thumb. "Yeah, Doll, I'm here. But now isn't the best time for a reunion."

"Right," I agree, falling into line with the other soldiers.

Nearby, a giant Ant-Man emerges from the rubble of the Compound, gently placing Banner, Rhodes, and Rocket on the ground, and around, Avengers, Guardians, Wakandans, Asgardians, and Ravagers take up battle positions, ready to face down Thanos' forces. For a split second, the Mad Titan seems nervous, not expecting us to have a large army to oppose him.

"Avengers!" Steve shouts from the head of our team, summoning Mjolnir to his hand. "Assemble."

Thor and T'Challa let out a battle cry, leading the charge as we run forward. Thanos points his sword toward us, signalling his army to attack. Both sides meet in a collision of fists, bullets, blades, and blood, and I keep my blows quick, trying to conserve what's left of my energy.

As we fight the alien army, Barton's voice rings in my earpiece. "Cap, what do you want me to do with this damn thing?"

"Get those Stones as far away as possible!" Steve orders.

"No!" Banner cuts in. "We need to get them back where they came from."

"No way to get them back," Tony reports. "Thanos destroyed the Quantum Tunnel."

"Hold on!" Scott urges. "That wasn't our only time machine."

Off in the distance, a horn plays the tune of 'La Cucaracha,' and I quickly glance toward the sound before sending a bolt of energy through a nearby Chitauri.

"Anyone see an ugly, brown van out there?" Steve asks.

"Yes!" A woman replies. "But you're not gonna like where it's parked!"

"Scott, how long you need to get that thing working?" Steve demands.

"Maybe ten minutes," Scott answers.

"Get it started," Steve orders. "We'll get the Stones to you."

Bucky and I fight through the army, shooting and knocking down everything in our sight. A few moments later, T'Challa sprints past, carrying the Gauntlet under his arm. He doesn't get very far, stopped by Thanos as he throws his double-edged sword at him, T'Challa ducking out of the way just in time. The sword boomerangs back and Thanos catches it just as Wanda lands in front of him, fueled by anger.

"You took everything from me," she states, her eyes glowing red.

"I don't even know you who are," Thanos replies.

Wanda tilts her head as her eyes narrow. "You will."

Wanda uses her powers to pick up the debris around her, surrounding Thanos with it and attempting to crush him.

At that moment, one of Thanos' aliens rips the Gauntlet from T'Challa's grip, running off into the chaos.

"I got it!" Peter Parker shouts, swinging after him.

Thanos breaks out of the rubble and swings his sword at Wanda, but she pushes it away before surrounding Thanos with energy and lifting him into the air, slowly crushing him.

"Rain fire!" Thanos orders.

"But sire, our troops!" one of his men reasons.

"Just do it!" Thanos demands.

Above us, the spaceship cannons appear from within and begin firing down at us. A blast hits the ground next to Wanda, sending her off her feet. I thrust my hands upward, projecting a shield over as many heads as I can as more cannon fire rains down. Around me, Masters of the Mystic Arts do the same, covering most of the battlefield with shields.

My focus remains on keeping the shield up as Bucky turns on his toes, firing his rifle at any alien that gets too close. As I see a group of enemies coming straight for us, I risk dropping the shield, swirling it around my body as I turn it into a wave of energy and launching it at the opposing army.

Suddenly, the cannons stop firing, and they turn, firing at something in the sky.

"What the hell is this?" Sam asks through the communicator.

In answer, a bright streak of thundering, yellow energy surges down as Danvers makes her appearance, smashing through the ship in an explosion of fire and sparks.

"Danvers, we need an assist here," Steve informs her.

I see Danvers fly over to help Peter as I return my focus to the fight, the sounds of battle echo around us. Slowly, Bucky and I drift toward the van, close enough to hear the crash as Thanos destroys it. Between blows, I risk glances over my shoulder to see Danvers wrestling Thanos for the Gauntlet, forcing his hand open to keep him from snapping his fingers.

Thanos tries to headbutt her, but it does nothing, and Danvers begins to gain the upper hand. However, Thanos changes tactics, using his free hand to grab the Power Stone and using it to punch Danvers away. Now free, Thanos returns the Stone to its setting.

"He has the Gauntlet!" I shout to Bucky, sprinting toward Thanos.

For decades, I've been afraid. Afraid of my powers, afraid of losing control, afraid of not being strong enough to protect those I care about. However, as I charge toward Thanos, everything falls into place like the pieces of a puzzle, and I realize that the drive I needed all along, the one stronger than my anger, has been right in front of me this entire time. Love. The love I have for my friends, my family, is much stronger than any anger I've ever felt, and I finally understand what I have to do to protect them all.

Tony lunges for Thanos as I teleport in, but we're both swatted away by the Titan.

"I am inevitable," Thanos states, snapping his fingers.

Nothing happens, and Thanos turns his hand to discover his Gauntlet is empty. I see the surprise on his face as I lift my own hand, showing him the Infinity Stones swirling around it, held into place by my powers.

"And you messed with the wrong family," I spit, and I snap my fingers.