The Eye of the Storm

It will be Worth it

I pulled out a gun, and paced around the platform. Just one minute. Just one minute until everyone came back with the stones and we could fix all of this mess. I just had to hold down the fort for sixty seconds.

Sixty seconds seemed to take years to pass. No one attacked during that minute. Which was probably why I was left behind. Or maybe they really did need someone to protect the base.

Finally, a minute passed and the machine started to make noise again. The light shone and figures materialized.

"Did we get them?" I asked.

"Yeah," said Bruce. "Clint where's—?"

"It worked!" I looked to Dad with the biggest smile on my face.

I stopped short. His face was dark and defeated, I frowned, then turned to look at mom. But she wasn't there.

My heart dropped to the pit of my stomach.

"Dad...?" I asked in a shaken voice.

He didn't meet my eyes. No one would meet my eyes.

"Where is she?" I ran onto the platform, standing in front of the empty space. "Where is she?"

I dropped to my knees and stared. Just stared. The room was so quiet a pin could drop. She was dead. My mom was dead. Nothing would ever be the same. I would never see her again. Ever.

I started shaking. My heart started to pound faster and faster. My breathing quickened and my fists clenched. I punched the ground.

The sound echoed through the silent room.

"Where is my mom?" I whispered. Tears fell on my bruised hand.

"Say it," I cried, turning and looking at the others. Then a rage bubbled up from my gut.  "Just say it!"
My head fell and all the breath seemed to leave my body.  "Please."

Dad knelt on the ground in front of me, and put his hand on my shoulder. I looked into his eyes and saw the sadness and self loathing.

"Your mom sacrificed herself to get the soul stone. It was the only way."

"The only way," I repeated bitterly.

"Let's talk about it on the dock," suggested Tony. "She liked the dock."

"That's a good idea," Dad said.

We all walked to the deck in silence. Dad had his arm over my shoulder, but it was hard to say who was leaning on who.

I sat down on the edge of the dock and let my legs dangle off the edge.

"Did she have any other family?" asked Steve finally.

"My grandmother," I said. "I'll—"

I stopped suddenly realizing what I would have to do. I would have to tell grandmother that her daughter died. That my mother died.

"We will contact her when this is all over," said Dad.

"Why are we acting like she is dead?" demanded Thor. "We have the stones? Let's just bring her back!"

"It doesn't work like that," snapped Dad. "She gave her life for the soul stone. It can't be reversed. Or at least that's what the big red floaty guy said! Maybe you want to go talk to him! Go get your hammer, and go talk to him!"

I pulled my legs close to my chest. Bruce slammed a chest on the ground and threw it into the lake. I watched it sink and the bubbles disappear.

"She's not coming back. We have to make her death worth something," said Bruce.

I looked around at the five original avengers, Mom's closest friends.

"We have too," I said and stood up.

Steve looked me right in the eyes. "We will."

~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~
Hey Everyone, hope the feels didn't kill you too.

Forever and Always,

Me.