Hoping for a Hero - part II of II [COMPLETE]

Chapter 15: The Final Battle

Steve and I looked behind him in horror as an alien army beamed down to the earth's surface from the ships above. The ground was covered with soldiers. There was no way we'd survive.

Suddenly, Steve gritted his teeth and groaned as he pushed himself up. I looped my arm underneath his and supported him as he rose from the ground. When he straightened, he breathed heavily from the effort but was filled with a determination that gave him the strength to stand. I lifted my forcefield.

Together, we faced Thanos and walked toward the army. Steve tightened the strap attaching what was left of his shield to his arm and then took my hand. We both knew we were about to be torn apart, but his action reminded me that we were still united. Connected even in the face of death.

Suddenly, he stopped walking. We both heard the voice of Sam Wilson over our intercoms, "Hey, Cap, can you read me?" His voice was clear, but we were too stunned to respond.

Steve continued to breathe heavily as he tried to process the possibility of his old friend being alive. The idea of hope had disappeared the moment headquarters was blown to bits. We had lost and made our peace with it. Outnumbered, we'd accepted that we'd die fighting for the survival of the universe. To let hope enter the equation was nearly impossible when it didn't have a place.

"Cap, it's Sam, can you hear me?"

Dazed and confused, Steve reached up to his ear to use his com, but before he could ask any questions, Sam said, "On your left." As we turned around to follow his direction, a portal grew and opened wide enough so T'Challa, Shuri, and Okoye could step through. They entered the dark battlefield from their sunny portal and our morale began to strengthen. We weren't alone after all.

As Sam flew above the Wakandans' heads, other portals opened to reveal more friends who had died at the snap of Thanos' fingers. Dr. Strange, Drax, Mantis, Peter Quill, Peter Parker.

T'Challa lifted up the "yibambe" chant that his army of warriors shouted behind him. More heroes entered from their portals. All of the realms had come to our aid and they couldn't have picked a better time.

Having our confidence restored, Steve and I turned again to face Thanos. This time, we were more evenly matched. "Avengers!" Cap yelled so all could hear. He lifted his hand and Thor's hammer flew to him. At any other time, I would have questioned this, but it didn't seem like the appropriate moment.

No long motivational speech was required for this battle. As soon as Cap uttered the word, "assemble", a loud battlecry erupted from the army as everyone rushed forward. The two seas of heroes and aliens surged and collided in mayhem.

"So," I shouted to Steve as I punched an alien and crushed his body with a solid mass of a forcefield. "Since when can you use Thor's hammer?"

Cap launched it at a creature, but this time Thor's axe returned to him instead.

"No, no," Thor said and pointed to the axe since he was now holding the hammer, "give me that." They tossed the weapons to each other in exchange. "You have the little one."

I laughed aloud as I pulled out one of my pistols. "Still always needs the bigger weapon!" I pulled the trigger while following Steve deeper into the battle.

"Cap!" Clint said over the com. "What do you want me to do with this thing?"

It took me a second to understand what he was referring to. "He has the glove!" I shouted to Steve.

"Get those stones as far away as possible!" Cap shouted as he fought an alien three times his size. The battle was getting tighter and we were nearly surrounded at the moment.