(A/N: this is the longest chapter yet I think but I didn't want to split it up. Also I have no idea how to write sad stuff so yeah, enjoy and comment if you did ;) )
Meanwhile in Wakanda...
"These guys just keep coming out of nowhere," Steve panted before getting hit across the face by an alien.
"Hey you guys, we got a Vision situation," Rhodey called from the skies.
Wanda's voice came through the comms, "I'm on my way." Vision was flying out of the window with one of Thanos's servants, clashing about on the way down. They had been doing well, but all the fighting was beginning to get overwhelming.
They were being swarmed, barely able to breathe when another one was coming their way. Most of the Avengers were on the floor now, until they were met with a surprise....
A hoard of lightning stabbed the ground like knives from the clouds above, and from that came an unfamiliar axe, swinging and defeating the aliens nearby. The axe was then caught by a strong arm. The team looked over to see what was happening, and were met with such relief when they saw Thor - and two others they didn't recognise - joining the battle with them. Bruce Banner cried out in joy, Thanos was completely screwed now.
"Bring me THANOS!" Thor shouted, running towards the enemy.
Not knowing in the slightest that Thanos was already dead.
——————-
The jet rumbled loudly as it neared the floor of the Avengers Compound. Once they landed, the odd group stood for a moment in silence, still wallowing in grief and guilt, before Drax spoke up first.
"I've never been to Earth," he spoke, watching as the rear opened up into steps leading onto the grass.
"Yeah well," Tony tapped his lap before standing up and leading the rest down the steps, "It's really nothing special."
"I think it's kinda cool," Peter said, following behind 'Mr Stark' like a lap dog. He was so close that Tony jumped at the sound of his voice.
"Jesus, kid. Shit I forgot you were here. I'll call Happy once we get inside to take you home, I'm sure your Aunt's doing laps around your apartment." He spoke with a stern voice but turned around and stopped for a second, pulling Peter in for a quick hug. "You're still on probation for following me to damn space. I've had enough of this friendly neighbourhood Spiderman bullshit, you've literally been to space."
"Yes Mr Stark," Peter tried to keep calm, but his voice came out more of a squeal than a whisper.
Tony rolled his eyes, before clutching the gauntlet tighter and speed walking up to the comms room.
———————
"Where are your...friends," Nebula asked Iron Man, her face illuminated in the light of the blue hologram. They were searching for Steve's coordinates.
"It's saying unavailable for all of them, Steve, Nat, Sam, Vision..."
"Maybe they're in a protected space?"
"No, no I mean nowhere on this map is off limits, except..." he paused, thinking.
"Except what?" Nebula continued.
With his face buried in his hands, he muttered lowly, "Wakanda. They're in Wakanda."
"Where the hell is that?" Quill grumbled from the corner.
"It's uh, well that's complicated. Luckily we've got the coordinates," Tony replied before turning to Strange. "Are you coming?"
"Would love to, but no. I have my own responsibilities back at the sanctum, and I still have the time stone so it needs to be kept somewhere safe," he replied in his usual monotonous voice, before adding, "I assume this won't be the last time I meet you, so, thank you Tony Stark." He offered his hand which Tony took, before watching the sorcerer turn and leave silently.
"Okay, well, this was fun and all, but I have to find the rest of my team and all, so me, Drax and Mantis are leaving. Nebula as well, if she wants."
"Uh, stupid idea, as per usual," Tony rolled his eyes. "They were with Thor right? Thor would've came to help us, they probably went with him, blah blah blah, they're in Wakanda."
"Fine whatever. When do we leave?"
"Now of course. You do realised Thanos's gauntlet with several Infinity Stones is just sitting there in our hands, we gotta do something. I'll get a jet up and running, meet me out there in ten."
—————-
It was a strange dynamic of a group, Tony Stark willing to see his friends but still immensely worried at the fact that Allura hadn't shown up yet, and that he may have to break the news that she had been alive all this time. Quill, heartbroken but still starving for vengeance, Mantis, honestly she was just happy to be apart of something, and Drax, well, he was just his good old self.
It wasn't evening yet, the sun still shone through the forests they passed as they neared the country. The Quinjets certainly didn't waste any time getting to their destination.
"You do realise we're going to bump right into those trees," Mantis pointed out, before squealing loudly and covering her head when they neared the boundary, but looked up in confusion moments later when she wasn't met with death, instead a beautiful city, although it seemed quite empty.
Tony grinned, it was his first time coming to Wakanda too. But it quickly faded when he saw the lack of people. He steered the jet over to a field that seemed to have a lot of destruction littered over it. Weird broken machines. Dead unearth-like creatures scattered. He found a large grass spot that seemed bare enough and landed there.
"So, I mean T'Challa said we were always welcome but we did kinda come unannounced, so uh..."
"Is that them over there?" Drax gestured through the window to a large group of people sitting around a bonfire. Some were talking, some sleeping, some taking care of each other's injuries. But many of them had a cautious look on their face as if they were waiting for something.
Tony rushed to the window. "Yeah that's them. I reckon we just approach gently-"
"OH LOOK! THERE'S ROCKET AND GROOT!" Drax yelled, before sprinting over to open the bottom of the jet.
They weren't too far away, but they were quite hidden by the trees, and jets were always flying over so the team must not have thought it any strange.
"Shit, guys no," Tony began, but stopped after he saw the three sprinting over, immediately catching the attention of the Team. It would be a great reunion and all, but they were still here for important business, Tony thought, glancing over at the safe that they had temporarily placed the gauntlet in. He decided to call Pepper just for a few minutes to explain that he was okay and he would be there with her soon, but that this was a matter of life and death.
He ended the rollercoaster of a call after he managed to calm Pepper down a little, and observed what was going on before he stepped off the jet. Some of them seemed confused, but it was the first time he saw Quill smile when he approached the... raccoon? If he thought that was unusual he was in for a surprise when he saw a tree running over to Drax and extending his branches to him.
Tony stepped out, doing a half walk half jog in his black clothes he had been previously wearing before he was in his suit. The first person to notice him was of course Rhodey, who let out gasps of laughter in disbelief before rushing to him. The rest of the team were alerted by this, standing up waiting for Tony to make his way over. When he did, Steve gave him a warm welcome, then giving him a "it's good to have you back pal" kind of hand shake.
Natasha then strided over with a "where the hell have you been," expecting a straight answer from the man as he'd totally missed the whole fight, but it wasn't that simple. "Also, how the hell do you know these guys?"
"It's a long story..."
"Well then you best begin," Nat interrupted with furrowed brows.
"Well, okay where do I start? Donut ring thing lands right next to me, looking for the Time Stone, which the wizard guy Dr Strange had....
"Ah, I met him once," Thor butted in, to which Tony turned around in surprise. "Thor? You're back!" Thor nodded with a small smile, before slumping down onto a tree log. Tony was slightly confused, he expected to be met with a bone crushing hug, but instead he decided not to question as the God of Thunder seemed to have a lot on his mind.
"Anyways... oh yeah flying donut. Sorcerer taken by Walmart-version Voldemort, I'm guessing Bruce told you guys that though. I followed the donut, and then the kid showed up out of nowhere and stupidly decided to follow me,"
"Wait," Steve said. "The kid, as in Peter?"
"Yeah, crazy right. Then we got wizard back and then landed on some planet where we met them guys and then Thanos came," he gestured to the Guardians who were stood behind him listening carefully as if some of them hadn't been there the whole time.
"Wait," Steve interrupted again, "You fought Thanos... and you're alive?"
Quill then stepped forward, "It was actually quite easy. You see we followed my plan..."
"Yeah and you almost fucked it up if it wasn't for Allura," Tony rolled his eyes before clasping his hand to his mouth.
"Tony." Steve began.
"Yes."
"It's okay that you're still accidentally bringing her up sometimes. I do it too, we all miss her, it's not a bad thing that you're thinking about her," Steve placed a hand on his shoulder.
"What? No..."
"Really Tony, you're not the only one. I'm always thinking of her to be honest, but there's nothing we can do."
"Steve," a voice spoke up behind Captain America and he turned to see Bucky, gesturing over to a ball of increasing light on the border of the forest to their left.
Steve squinted at the light and took a few steps towards it, still keeping a distance. "Who's out there?" He called, but shut his mouth completely when the light grew even more and turned a certain shade he hadn't seen in a long time.
Vibrant purple.
It transformed and expanded, slithers of black energy dancing around, until the white light disappeared, and was replaced with...
a shadow.
"Who...is... out there," Steve spoke shakily, although it came out as barely a whisper. The shadow stepped forward into the light, and Steve felt as though he had been hit in the chest. His breath hitched in his throat and he blinked a few times, trying to see if his mind was playing tricks on him. He had imagined this so many times, that after all this time searching for her that she would just appear out of nowhere, and life would be as it should be. How he wanted it to be. Allura controlled his dreams every night, if he ever did manage to sleep, and even when he was battling his enemies it seemed like she was always there, supporting him and keeping him alive.
When he did imagine it though, it wasn't like this. Time seemed to stop as he studied her. She was exactly the same, but completely different. Her eyes seemed darker, not physically but in the way she looked at the team, as if she hardly knew them. It was like the first time they brought her in, Steve recalled. Not to mention the obvious change was her captivating purple energy didn't seem to control her and guide her, it was the opposite, the black and purple strands intertwining to her will.
The whole team stood there in awe, not sure if what they were seeing was real.
"Allura?" Steve managed to choke out. He was worried, but as soon as she looked at him her whole body seemed to relax and her eyes softened. She was breathing heavily, her eyes raised in concern. Allura felt so many things, but the only thing she needed right now was to be close to Steve.
She ran to him, but before she got close, a burst of something strong flooded her brain causing her to fall to the floor, groaning. Steve fell forward immediately, catching her head before it hit the ground, and holding her whilst she cried out. What was going on? The scream that Allura had heard not long ago on the planet with Thanos repeated in her mind, as if it was telling her that it didn't matter what she wanted, she had to be somewhere else at this very moment. She looked up at Steve, when a tear from his eye dropped onto her cheek as he was leaning over her.
He wiped it with his thumb and tried his best to smile, even though he could see how much pain Allura was in.
She stared into his eyes, and weakly whispered to him:
"Steve."
Before suddenly it felt as thought it had all been a dream as her energy engulfed her and she disappeared, leaving Steve kneeling on the ground. Next to nothing.
His watery eyes turned to Tony, silently pleaded for an explanation.