The Third Black Widow

A Little Bit Of Comfort

It's been 23 days since Yelena died or disappeared. I'm honestly not sure what to call it. I've been keeping track of how long it's been. A few things have happened, for starters, Nat turned the guest room next to her room into my room.

Right now, I am sitting in the living room reading a book when the compound starts to rumble. I look outside and see a spaceship being carried by someone glowing with their powers.

I run outside, and everyone else is out there. The door opens, and a Luphomoid walks out supporting a man. Steve runs up to him and helps him walk.

"Nat, who's that?" I whisper. "That's Tony Stark, Iron Man," whispers Nat. I nod. He looks so weak and sickly that I couldn't recognize him.

"Couldn't stop him," says Tony. "Neither could I," says Steve. "Hang on, I lost the kid," says Tony. "Tony, we lost," says Steve.

"Is, uh...? Oh, good," says Tony when Pepper walks up to Tony and says, "Oh, my God!" and she hugs him sobbing on his shoulder. Tony kisses her cheek and says, "It's okay."

Then Nat puts her arm around me, and we all walk inside. We put Tony in a wheelchair and put an IV into his arm.

"It's been 23 days since Thanos came to Earth," says Rhodey.

We are standing in the living room and a table is projecting pictures of all of the missing people related to the Avengers.

"World governments are in pieces," says Nat as she talks a picture of a girl named Wanda shows up.

Then I think about Yelena and tears start pouring down my cheeks, and Nat hugs me.

Then she continues saying, "The parts that are still working are trying to take a census, and it looks like he did...He did exactly what he said he was gonna do. Thanos wiped out 50% of all living creatures." "Where is he now? Where?" asks Tony. "We don't know. He just opened a portal and walked through," says Steve.

Tony points to Thor and asks, "What's wrong with him?" "Oh, he's pissed. He thinks he failed. Which, of course, he did, but there's a lot of that going around, ain't there?" says Rocket. "Honestly, until this exact second, I thought you were a Build-A-Bear," says Tony. "Maybe I am," says Rocket.

"We've been hunting Thanos for three weeks now. Deep space scans and satellites and we got nothing. Tony, you fought him," says Steve. "Who told you that? I didn't fight him. No, he wiped my face with a planet while the Bleeker Street magician gave away the store. That's what happened. There was no fight, 'cause he's not beatable," says Tony.

"Did he give you any clues, any coordinates, anything?" asks Steve. "Uh...I saw this coming a few years back. I had a vision I didn't wanna believe it. Thought I was dreaming," says Tony.

"Tony, I'm gonna need you to focus," says Steve. "And I needed you. As in, past tense. That Trumps what you need. It's too late, buddy. Sorry. You know what I need? I need a shave. And I believe I remember telling all youse," says Tony, and he stands up, and he starts to take out the IV. "Tony, Tony!" says Rhodey.

"Alive and otherwise, that what we needed was a suit of armor around the world. Remember that? Whether it impacted our precious freedoms or not. That's what we needed," continues Tony. "Well, that didn't work out, did it?" says Steve.

"I said we'd lose. You said, "We'll do that together, too." And guess what, Cap? We lost. And you weren't there. But that's what we do, right? Our best work after the fact? We're the "Avengers." We're the "Avengers," not the "Pre-vengers." says Tony. "Okay," says Rhodey. "Right?" says Tony.

"You made your point. Just sit down, okay?" says Rhodey. "Okay. No, no, here's my point. She's great, by the way." says Tony pointing to Captain Marvel, whose real name I learned is Carol Danvers.