FOREVER • S.ROGERS

[42]

''What do you think is coursing through my veins right now?'' He asks Stark.

''Cheese Whiz?''

Thor shakes his head as he points at Rhodes.

''Lightning.''

''Yeah,'' Freya whispers as she grabs his hand.

''Lightning won't help you, pal. It's gotta be me.'' Bruce says from behind them.

''You saw what those stones did to Thanos. They almost killed him. None of you could survive.'' He says, walking towards the glove.

''How do we know you will?' Steve asks.

''We don't.'' He replies. ''But the radiation's mostly gamma.''

Freya looks at him closely, the Smart Hulk's eyes intensely scanning the glove before him.

''It's like... i was made for this.''

Bruce grabs the glove in his hand, the stones suddenly looking so small.

Not to be fooled, they are indeed the most powerful things on the planet.

''Good to go?'' Stark asks.

''Let's do it.''

''Okay, remember, everyone Thanos snapped away five years ago you're just bringing them back to now, today. Don't change anything from the last five years.'' Stark explains

''Got it.''

Radiating a shield from his suit, Tony and Clint keep cover behind it. Scott and Rhodey suit up as Thor keeps Rocket behind him. Steve defensively puts up his shield, an arm around Freya's waist as he holds her behind him.

''Maybe I should've worn my armour.'' She whispers in Steve's ear, making him crack a light smile as he looks at her long, Asgardian gown.

She wasn't quite ready to let that one go.

''Friday, do me a favour and activate Barn Door Protocol, will you?'' Tony asks polity.

All doors and open windows behind them lock, metal walls come before the living area and those same ones lock of the compound from outside.

''Everybody comes home.'' Banner whispers.

Everyone nervously watches as the glove starts forming around his hands. It's deadly silent.

Until Bruce's ear deafening screams start echoing of the walls.

''Take it off!'' Thor yells.

''Bruce, are you okay?!'' Steve exclaims over the sound of the sizzling stones and Banner's screams.

''Talk to me, Banner.'' Tony insists.

''I'm okay.'' He groans out.

The colourful radiation flickers over his body, his arm now bruised and brunt.

And then he snaps.

A white light impairs his vision and with a loud thud, the Hulk falls to the ground.

''Bruce!'' Steve exclaims as he sits down beside him, the rest doing the same.

''Don't move him.'' Tony is it's as he sprays some water over his burned arm.

The impact makes Bruce groan in pain and his hand squeezes Steve's arm, thats on shoulder, as an instinct.

''Bruce, are you all right?'' Freya quickly asks.

''Fine,'' he weakly says. ''Did it work?''

''We're not sure. It's- it's okay.'' Thor smiles as the door start opening again.