a simple encounter

you've handled it so well

"This is gonna work, Steve," I say, trying to comfort him

"I know it will. 'Cause I don't know what I'm gonna do if it doesn't," Steve replies

I place my hand on his shoulder as a sign of comfort and sit back in my seat. Soon after, Carol approaches the ship and speaks into the comms.

"No satellites. No ships. No armies. No ground defence of any kind. It's just him," Carol states

"And that's enough," Nebula replies

We fly in and land slightly far from a small cabin that Thanos seemed to be staying in. Carol flies in first to make sure he's unarmed and defenceless when we arrive. Banner and Rhodes go in second to restrain him and make sure he's down. Thor then flies in, cutting the gauntlet of, along with his hand. Steve, Nat, Rocket, Nebula and I approach soon after. Thanos screams in pain as his hand lays on the ground beside him. Rocket flips the gauntlet over only to reveal that the infinity stones were gone.

"Oh no," I whisper

We all look down at the empty gauntlet in shock. Thanos groans in pain with Carol's arm wrapped around his neck.

"Where are they?" Steve asks

"Answer the question," Carol continues

"The universe required correction. After that, the stones served no purpose beyond temptation," Thanos states

"You murdered trillions!" Banner yells while pushing Thanos across the room, thanks to the strength of the 'Hulkbuster' suit.

"You should be grateful," Thanos replies

I walk up to him as he lies on the ground before me.

"You, I remember you," he states

My body fills with rage and my fists ball up, causing my knuckles to go pure white. My eyebrows furrow and my skin feels hot. I swiftly quick him directly in the face, making sure my heel hit him right in the eye causing him the wince in pain. I began hitting him and kicking him relentlessly with tears streaming down my face before I detach my blade from my waist. I raise my blade in the air but I am soon stopped by Steve as he grabs my wrist, lowering my arm. He looks into my eyes and I understand why he stopped me. We needed answers still.

"Where are the stones?" Nat asks, her voice slightly breaking mid-sentence as tears filled her eyes

"Gone. Reduced to atoms," Thanos replies

"It shows you used them two days ago!" Banner yells

"I used the stones to destroy the stones. It nearly killed me. But the work is done. It always will be. I am inevitable," Thanos states

"We have to tear this place apart. He has to be lying," I say in disbelief

"My father is many things. A liar is not one of them," Nebula states

"Ah. Thank you, Daughter. Perhaps I treated you too harshly," Thanos states

Before he can continue, with a swift move I see Thor wield his axe, decapitating Thanos. Thanos's body collapses to the floor as his head rolls across the room. I don't blame Thor for his actions, Thanos took everything he loved from him, but we still needed Thanos. We needed him alive. Now so many questions will remain unanswered.

"What did you do?" Rocket states in disbelief

"I went for the head," Thor states

Thor then walks out and heads for the ship. We all stare at each other in disbelief. Nat's eyes fill with tears as she looks at the ground. I place my hand on her shoulder and she quickly turns, burying her head against my body, crying into my shoulder. I wrap my arms around her to comfort her more.