The White Wolf

XXXVII

Clint stood up, placing his hands on his hips as he began to grow angry with the God of Thunder. "Look, I know I'm way outside my pay grade here. But, she still isn't here, is she?"

"No, that's my point-"

"It can't be undone." Clint said again, his voice shaking with emotion as it began to raise. "Or that's at least what the red, floating guy had to say. Maybe you wanna go talk to him, okay?" Ava flinched, feeling Steve's hold tighten around her as Clint began to yell at Thor. "You go take your hammer and you fly up there and you go talk to him!"

Thor stepped back from Clint, his different-colored eyes going softer. He knew Clint was right. He did. They all did. But it still hurt to actually hear it. Clint licked his lips, puffing out his breath as he put his hands on his hips and looked back out at the water. "It was supposed to be me." He finally relaxed again. "She sacrificed her life for that goddamned stone. She bet her life on it."

Bruce let out an angry yell and picked up an empty bench from beside him, chucking it out across the lake as far as he could. He took his time turning around to face everyone, his eyes downcast. "She isn't coming back. We have to make it worth it."

Ava sniffed and wiped at her cheeks, doing her best to compose herself. Bruce was right. Natasha would hate seeing them all so melancholy. She died to help them win- to help them bring back everyone Thanos killed. She stood up, stepping out of Steve's comfort as she looked at Bruce. "We will." She nodded. Whatever it takes.

**********

"I hate you!" Ava blurted out suddenly, her gaping eyes rising up to Natasha's smirking face from the game board. The red-head out-stretched a hand and waggled her finger as if to say "pay up".

"Next time, don't steal my monopoly."

Steve looked between the two women with raised eyebrows and a smile. He settled on Ava's flushed face. "Ava, give Nat your 200 dollars. You landed on her property." He shrugged a single shoulder. 

Ava scoffed and shook her head while she crossed her arms over her chest. "No. She is in jail. I will not give money to a criminal."

"That's not how you play." Natasha rolled her eyes, her smirk turning into a grin. 

The blonde shook her head and pursed her lips. "I do not care."

"You don't get to complain after you just stole my last railroad!" Steve exclaimed. 

Ava's eyes crept open, a ghost of a smile lingering on her chapped lips as the sun dripped in from the window and across the pillow surrounding her head. Nat's pillow. Nat's pillow in Nat's room. Her bed. The smile on her lips drifted away with the happy memory she'd dreamt of. Perhaps it was a happy memory sent to her by Nat to give her a break from her usual nightmares. Even if it wasn't, she was grateful for it. 

The thought of getting out of bed made her body turn to lead, and a sigh escaped from her nostrils. She wasn't even planning on getting out of bed. That is until there were three gentle knocks at the closed door. "Come in." She mumbled as she sat up and pushed her hair back from her face. The silver knob turned and the door opened to reveal Steve standing behind it with a plate of toast and eggs. 

"I know you're going to say you're not hungry, but you should eat anyway. Rocket, Tony, and Bruce are working on a gauntlet to hold the stones. We're going to try to... bring everyone back... As soon as they are finished. We aren't really sure what to expect."

Ava looked up at him as he approached the bed and sat on the edge beside her, offering out the plate. He was right. She wasn't hungry. But she was too tired to argue with him. Too tired of losing. Too tired of feeling alone. Steve and Natasha had been there for her more than anyone after she left Wakanda. She was close with them both, and they were both close with her and each other. Steve was hurting, too, and she knew it. But he wasn't going to show it. He was going to stay strong for her sake. Ava wasn't stupid, either. She knew what he was doing. And she owed it to him to be there for him too.