V I G I L A N C E ~ (MCU) ~

C H A P T E R 2 1_

Natasha steps up a bit more as she spots it too.

It falls like a lost star from the thick clouds... slowly down onto the city.

"...There's the end of our world..." I say, greeting it like it's an old friend.

I slowly comes down as Natasha whispers, "Oh my g..." and goes back to warn the others, seeing more of them come down gradually like the sky is collapsing onto us in tears of fire...

I watch it with my hair blowing back as if waiting for the flames to consume me...

As I begin to hear the crashing sounds in the city I clutch my weapon. I will be prepared for it this time—

.

               
I open my eyes to see a dark wall... bed.

It takes a long moment before I finally frown and sit up...

Loki.

.

               
I run through the halls and shove past Steve, ignoring him when he questions me and continue down through the base until I find the training room... There at the far end looking over the table is my companion. He doesn't notice me...

"Where the hell have you been?" I demand almost in a rage as I begin to walk up to him.

He immediately shuts his eyes as if to heave an internal sigh.

I continue to approach. "I asked you a question dammit!"

"I'm going out there alone," he says almost as loud but refusing to look at me.

"You what?" I stop a couple feet from him.

"I'll go out there and find a safe path for you then bring you along when it's clear—"

"You're not stepping another foot out there before I blast your head off you son of a bitch! You had me worried sick! What makes you think you can make decisions without my consent when my life is connected to yours?!"

"If I had asked you, you would have just refused."

"Damn right I would have refused! We stay together! We're a team! You can't do this to me!"

"Do you think this is all easy for me? Do you think that I want to fight this war alone? You can't always have it your way. We need to figure something out. Something else." He walks around the table to the other side and looks things over again.

"I'm not changing our plans again! This is the only way to win! This is our only option! You said so yourself!"

"But it can't be!" he admits with his eyes shut and takes a deep breath. "There must be another way." He begins to walk towards the exit.

"There isn't another way!"

He stops when I speak.

"Why are you trying to change it all now?! Why do you want to cast me aside as if I am suddenly no help at all?! You and I do this together! Why do you want to destroy what we worked so hard to—?!"

"I can't watch you die again!" he snaps, shouting louder than I was as he turns suddenly to face me.