The Shadow // Natasha Romanoff x OC

Chapter 21 - The Muppets' Ghost of Christmas Future

Azara's pov

"So, let me get this straight: you were offered immortality but you refused so we could... beat Thanos? He won 5 years ago, Azara, there's no changing that," Steve admits gravely, after I finish my recount of my time on Olympus.

"How did you lose, Steve? All of you there and you couldn't kill him! EARTH'S MIGHTIEST HEROES COULDN'T- you couldn't beat him..." my voice breaks as I slump down onto the sofa.

"We tried, Azara, you have to believe us when I say that. But we lost," he sits down calmly, opposite to me.

"But we didn't do that together, did we? We lost as a fractured team," I look up, feeling tears well in my eyes. It wasn't my 'sacrifice' that I was angry about, but the lies. If they had fought together, like they had in Sokovia; in New York and every other time they had a villain to defeat, they would've won.

"Do you remember New York, 2012?" Natasha is stood, leaning against the wall on the far side of the room. I don't respond, hanging my head in dejectfull recollection.

"Tony admitted how much you reminded him of himself; we could all see it as well," she pauses, standing off the wall and approaching in my direction, "he couldn't accept the fact that we had lost. He wore himself into the ground trying to find a solution but one day... he just, gave up. He now lives happily with Pepper and their little girl, Morgan Howard Alarie Stark."

At those last words, my head snaps up to meet he eyes.

"He has a kid?" I ask hopefully.

"Yeah, she turned 4 a month back," she smiles.

"I'm happy for him: he deserves it," I look down at my hands, twiddling my thumbs absentmindedly. My initial gusto and confidence is quickly dwindling away as I come to terms with the world I'm now in.

"He says that he's done. That he's done fighting; he's done risking everything because now he has his family," Steve sits forward, gaining my attention.

"So, what? We just... give up?" I ask quietly.

"Even if we found a way, I don't think many people would be gain to risk everything they now have and have worked so hard to build," Steve sighs.

"But half of the population of every living thing in the universe is gone. How can people be so-"

"Selfish?" Natasha finishes, "Az, the world is finding its new normal. People are focusing on what we can do. It's been 5 years and no one has come up with a solution past praying to whatever God they respect to voodoo magic them back."

A contemplative silence falls between us.

"Why didn't you stop? I heard some of your conversation with Steve and... you haven't given up," I glance up at her.

"Because I have nothing else. The Avengers are split, Clint is... gone and Steve has more of a life than he's had in over 90 years," Cap smiles a little in agreement, "Az, you were gone and I had no one. So I clung onto the last, fraying threads of what we'd built over my decade working with Tony and Fury."

"We will find a way to bring them back, and I don't care if I have to accept that immortality to have enough time to do it," I abruptly stand and walk out of the room, angered and not in understanding of how such resilient and defiant people have given up.