MAGIC TRICKS [PETER PARKER]

THIRTY-EIGHT

Bruce grasped Steve's forearm with his only good appendage. "Did it work?"

No one knew for sure, so Thor intervened. "Worth a shot. It's okay, it's over." He patted Bruce's head.

Nadia glanced over her shoulder, a loud buzzing coming from one of the phones on the table. Her eyes snapped to Clint, who's gaze was locked on the picture that popped up with the incoming phone call. It was Laura, his wife. The one who died in the snap.

Her body went numb. It worked. Tears shone in Clint's eyes as he answered, struggling to speak from happiness. "H-honey? Honey..."

"Guys." Nadia glanced over to where Scott had walked into the foyer, staring out the large window. "I think it worked—"

BOOM

And suddenly Nadia was sucked back to the past, the night of homecoming. Something had crashed into the compound, causing a huge sink hole and allowing debris to rain down on the Avengers. She was on her back, a fire raging above her and she couldn't move. Something pinned her legs to the ground and fear enveloped her entire body. I can't move I can't move I can't move.

A loud continuous ringing stopped up her brain, and she couldn't think straight, eyes struggling to focus on the surroundings. She began to hear a cry for help as the ringing faded, crackling fire and rough breathing close but so far. Peter, she thought, remembering how he cried out for help when the Vulture dropped a building on them both. Nadia remembered how he trembled when he saw her, how tears rolled down both their cheeks and the glittering crimson blood staining her body, just as it did now. Peter. She tried to reach for him.

Her hands went to her stomach, moving around her abdomen when she realized there was no blood. Nadia's eyes finally came into focus and she could feel again, realizing that nothing was pinning her down and the crying wasn't coming from Peter, it came from Rocket Raccoon.

"I can't breathe!" he cried, scrambling underneath the piece of rubble stabbing into his diaphragm. Nadia was shot back to the present, and she dragged herself to her feet hastily, running over to Rocket. An injured Bruce stood over him, holding up more debris with his uninjured arm, yelling, "Rhodey, Rocket, Nadia! Get out of here!"

Nadia looked over her shoulder to where Rhodey crawled towards them, away from a broken pipe that spewed water way to quickly. The hole filled rapidly, water plastering her hair to her forehead. She and Rhodey pried the debris off of Rocket, just in time for them to be engulfed in water.

"Mayday mayday!" yelled Rhodey into his comm, "Does anybody copy? We're in the lower level, it's flooding!"

They swam to the top, sputtering and struggling to keep their heads above the rising waters. Bruce grimaced, and Nadia clenched her stomach, grunting as she took on some of the weight with her powers. "Lift, lift!" she told Bruce, but even with the force behind the two strong beings, the rubble wouldn't budge.

Nadia felt tears well in her eyes and she cried out under the pressure, using everything she had to try and free them. They were so close. The debilitation device flickered white on her wrist, smoking, but still working. Bruce caught eye of it, and an idea popped into his head.

"Nadia, Nadia," he called, using his injured arm to nudge the girl. Her eyes snapped open. "I c-can't lift it, I'm not strong enough," She stammered out. Bruce's face was calm but urgent. "But you are," his eyes flicked to the device on her wrist, "The Debilitator. Take it off."

Nadia sucked down breaths, her chest heaving. The water brushed her chin now. "Y-you said I was a time bomb—"

"Exactly. And we need you to explode."

Her brow unfurled, suddenly understanding. She reached a hand to her wrist, yanking off the device so it smoked, crushing it between her fingers. Immediately, white mist swirled around her entire body, lighting up the water. Unbelievable power surged through her body, making her hands tremble with the effort of holding it back. Her eyes went white, and in a flash of light, she brought her hands down hard, water and debris erupting around them.

Nadia's eyes focused again, the white light fading from them as she lifted her friends from the hole. In front of her, hundreds of golden portals had been opened, thousands of heroes emerging from them. It worked. Oh my God it worked.

Asgardians, Ravagers, and Wakandans alike stood side by side, facing the army of Thanos himself. Nadia wasn't sure how Thanos had gotten there, but she was sure it was him who caused this. The four joined the formation of heroes, Nadia finding herself next to Bruce and T'Challa. Steve Rogers stood at the head of them with half a shield and an open hand in the air.

"Avengers!" he called, his voice booming over the battlefield. Mjölnir flew promptly to his palm. Captain America ducked his head, gritting out his next words.

"Assemble."