𝗙𝗢𝗨𝗡𝗗 | bucky barnes

44: Stark

As Cat came up to the group, Wanda landed next to her and gave her a nod.

"I don't know how you're gonna get through all of that," said a tired-looking young boy as he handed the glove with the stones in over to Danvers.

"Don't worry," said Wanda to the boy.

"She's got help," said Okoye, coming over.  More and more women came toward the group.  An Asgardian behind them rode a winged horse, Shuri powered up her gauntlets, and who Cat knew to be Pepper Potts landed in front of them in her own Iron Man-like suit.  Two alien women looked forward determinedly at the oncoming army and got out weapons.  A woman with wings and a shrinking suit like Scott's appeared as well, ready to help the group fight the oncoming army of aliens.

Cat used her full power once again to create a tornado. This one was smaller than the last, though still effective enough to get through the large field. But when one of the monsters attacked her from behind, she was taken off guard and pushed to the ground. She struggled to get her hands free so she could use them, but the monster had pinned her down. She was about to get one free when the alien was punched aside by someone else— someone she couldn't see. A person then appeared from thin air and electrocuted the monster with a baton of glowing yellow stripes. It laid dead on the ground, but another was on its way to replace it.

The woman that had helped her turned around to face Cat. She wore a full-body suit with wings attached to her back. As she turned, a helmet broke itself down, away from her face. She had determined eyes and dark hair tied up into a now messy ponytail. She reached her hand out for Catarina to grab. Cat did so with a smile.

"Thanks," Cat said, brushing herself off. "I'm Catarina, by the way."

"I'm Hope," she replied.

"You a friend of Scott's?"

"You know him?" she asked, tilting her head a little.

"Sure," said Cat. "We... well, I'll call it 'Team Cap.'"

"Ah, the house-arrest incident," she said, almost to herself. "That's how you got to know the Avengers?"

"Sad but true," said Cat.

"Yeesh."

"I know, not a good time for introductions," she smiled.

"And neither is now," said Hope, looking just past Catarina. "Watch out!"

Catarina turned around, ready for the oncoming attack behind her. Before Hope could even shrink down, Cat floated the monster into the air then forced it across the ground, skidding the dirt under it and pushing away other aliens in the process. She looked behind her at Hope, whose eyebrows were raised.

"Impressive," she said.

"Been practicing," joked Cat.

As more of the alien animals surrounded them, both girls went further into fighting mode. Hope put down her helmet over her face and shrunk to bug size, her denser form giving her extra strength to punch the animals into unconsciousness.  Cat used her powers quickly, plus knives stored in her suit to fight the alien animals off.  They growled and scratched at her, though few got close enough to really touch her.  She was still weakened from the injuries from the one that had gotten on top of her— it had scratched her up quite badly.

Suddenly, there was a flash of blue light and a pulse that immediately knocked Cat over.  It weakened her significantly— she could feel that it had been some kind of energy.  She could barely look up from all the pain put together— on the (only) plus side, it had knocked all the other monsters to the ground, too.

"Catarina!" said a faint voice.  Her head hurt from the impact that had thrown her back— she could barely hear them. 

She heard a limping walk of feet, and a slight bounce in the ground near her as the person fell next to her.

"Cat," said the voice.  "Cat, come on."

The voice was Bucky's.

"Bucky," she said hoarsely.  She put her hand up for him to take.  He did so, then put his metal hand under her head and helped her to sit up.  Some yards away, the aliens were beginning to stand up again, growling and ready to fight. 

"I can't do it anymore," she said. 

"I know," he said empathetically. He kissed her on the forehead.  Both their faces were covered in dirt, and under normal circumstances, she never would have thought him to do that.   Cat saw a glow high in the air— five faint glitters arranged in a row, and one under them.  It was a hand, raised high, ready to snap. The power flowed through Thanos like electricity. Cat squinted, afraid, and let out a breath, almost glad it was over...

Nothing happened.

She looked up to where Thanos's hand had been raised, and there was a fight going on. Tony Stark pulled Thanos's hand from him, but the attempt was fruitless. The titan punched Stark aside and raised his hand again, ready to snap.

"I am inevitable," he said, with a silently evil smile on his face as he looked Stark in the eyes.

There was a cling as he snapped from his finger hitting the metal on his palm. But no one faded away. Thanos looked confusedly at the glove— from her perspective, Cat could see the problem: the stones were gone. Thanos's gaze turned to Stark, and so did Cat's.

Tony Stark knelt on the ground, staring Thanos straight in the eyes as the six stones floated onto his suit. His nanotech suit surrounded them— they fitted easily into the back of his hand. He tilted his head back as the stones' power flowed through him and lit up parts of his suit like glowing veins. His eyes were wide for a moment— the power surprised him, it seemed. But he did not look at if he was in pain, like Thanos had when the stones affected him; Stark breathed heavily, but seemed completely calm.

Cat's mouth gaped open a little. She began to get on her feet, and Bucky put his arm around her and helped her to stand and watch.

For the first time Cat had ever seen, Thanos looked genuinely afraid.

"And I," said Stark, in a low voice, "am Iron Man."

Then he snapped.

Cat looked around to see what the snap had done— Thanos's army began to fade away on the spot. His vessels, his followers, his alien army— into dust, just like she assumed she'd done. Every Avenger donned a look of relief as they watched the opposition disappear into thin air.

Thanos looked around in disbelief, then sat and closed his eyes as he, too, faded away, just like all else.

a.n.

this chapter honestly like gives me the chills. i can never really believe i wrote any of it after reading. especially if i really picture in my head an injured cat in bucky's arms, their heads down, finally accepting defeat on the battlefield of the infinity war. its so cinematic omggggg

anyways love you, dont forget to vote!!

molly