After a couple of hours, Zariah finally woke back up; Thor still by her side asleep in a chair. The lights blinded her a bit as she looked around; then reality hit.. He was gone... Loki was really gone. She started to cry again which in turn woke Thor up "Zari..." He quickly grabs her hand with a concerned look on his face "It's okay.." She tried to stifle her tears about to no avail "Thor.... He's really...gone... isn't he?" she asked softly with tears falling.
Thor's heart clenched; he's never experienced losing his soulmate even though Jane is mortal. "I'm sorry Zari... it will be alright. You have me and the Avengers." Thor said as he caressed her cheek softly. In return she smiled slightly "I'm glad you're my family Thor. You're like a big brother I never had..." This made Thor smile as he stood up "Let's go see the others." Zariah sat up and nodded at him taking his hand.
*Time Skip to the Conference Room*
In the room; Natasha, Steve, Bruce, Tony, Pepper, Nebula, Rhodey, the woman that rescued them and a strange raccoon that Zariah never met before. Tony was hooked up to iv; looking a bit better than he did before. Zariah took a seat as Thor took one next to her, still holding her hand for comfort. Zariah looked at Tony as he nodded to her as if saying "I'm okay" then she looked to Nebula "Are you okay Nebula?" She nodded softly giving her a soft smile. Tony spoke up "You okay Zariah?" the goddess nodded at him with a small smile.
At the front of the room, the holographic screen was on with the casualty report listing with the names and faces of people who have disappeared due to Thanos. There were thousands of them and it was still counting. Loki's face came across the screen as Thor looked at Zariah; who had tears in her eyes. He moved to wrap his arm around her holding her close in comfort.
Natasha looked at Zariah with a sad smile as she spoke "We heard what happened Zari... We are so sorry... We've lost a lot on our end too..." Zariah looked at her "Who else?" Steve sighed "Wanda, Vision, T'Challa, ..... Bucky..." he said sadly. "Where's Clint?" She asked and Natasha quickly responded "He's okay... but his whole family is gone, he's off the grid.." Zariah nodded a bit as she looked back at the screen. So many people; Women, Child and Men alike. "So, it's been 23 days since Thanos came to Earth." Rhodey spoke up as he was standing by Tony. "World governments are in pieces. The parts that are still working are trying to take a census. And it looks like he did...exactly what he said he was going to do. Thanos wiped 50% of all living creatures." Nat said in a grim tone.
Tony was angry, fuming. He had Peter disappear in his arms and it hurt him a lot. It hurt him a lot that so many lives were lost "Where is he now? Where?" he asked in a bitter tone.
"We don't know. He just opened a portal and walked through. We've been hunting him for three weeks now. Deep space scans, satellites, and we got nothing. Zariah, Tony, you fought him." Steve replied. "Who told you that? We didn't fight him. No, he wiped our faces with a planet while the Bleeker Street magician gave away the stone. That's what happened. There was no fight." He shot back bitterly.
Zariah; still upset, shook her head as she spoke with a hoarse voice "Tony.... That's not true..." Tony looked at her in frustration; he wasn't mad at her and she knew it. But he was upset because they failed. Steve, who clearly wanted to avoid an argument "Okay..." Tony huffed "He's unbeatable"
"Did he give you any clues, any coordinates, anything?" Steve asked. Tony sharply took a breath in annoyance. Pepper could tell he was getting irritated and placed a hand on his arm to try and calm him. "I saw this coming a few years back. I had a vision. I didn't wanna believe it. Thought I was dreaming" Tony continued.
"Tony, I'm going to need you to focus" Steve told him with a calm voice. Zariah and Bruce shifted uncomfortably in their chairs, telling Tony to calm down at this point in time, is like trying to tame a rambunctious bull that's ready to charge. "And I needed you. As in past tense. That trumps what you need. It's too late buddy, sorry. You know what I need?" Tony said loudly and in a pissed off tone, standing up and starting to push things off the table, "I need a shave. And I believe I remember telling all of yous- "Tony suddenly lunged for Steve; Nat, Bruce, Pepper, Zariah and Thor all stood up as Rhodey got to Tony first. "Tony... Tony... Tony- "he said, holding him back firmly as he tried to calm him down as Tony continued "-alive and otherwise what we needed was a suit of armor around the world! Remember that? Whether it impacted our precious freedoms or not- that's what we needed!" Tony was now rambling, frustrated, weak and tired.
Zariah went to Tony to try and calm him down but he shoved her back as she fell to the floor. Thor quickly ran to her helping her up "TONY! Do not shove her! She's with child!" before it was realized it slipped out his mouth everyone looked at Zariah shocked even Tony. Zariah grabbed onto Thor's arm giving him a look "Thor... this wasn't the time..." she said softly. Nat stepped forward "Is it true? You're pregnant?" Zariah looked at her sadly and nodded as she looked back down; Nat couldn't help but pull her into an embrace, happy for her. Tony looked at Zariah with eyes widened as he shook his head as he turned back to Steve "I said we'd lose, you said we'd "do that together too" Guess what Cap, we lost, and you weren't there. But that's what we do, right? Our best work after the fact? We're the Avengers, not the Pre-vengers." Tony continued furiously.
Thor helped Zariah back to her chair, making sure she was alright as Natasha sat on her other side taking her hand. The goddess was still weak and tired as she watch Tony come apart. They were both ready to say goodbye on the Benatar. Rhodey getting tired of Tony not listening "Okay, you made your point. Just sit down." He ordered Tony while still holding him back. "Okay..." Tony muttered but quickly started back up again "Nah, nah, here's my point, you know what?" Tony continued as Rhodey cut him off again "Tony, you're sick.
"She's great by the way." Tony said, gesturing to the woman that saved them; whose name was Carol Danvers. Rhodey was getting tired of Tony now "Sit down. Sit" he said sternly. "We need you. You're new blood. Bunch of old tired mules!" Tony continued to speak to Carol as he then walked to Steve with Rhodey behind him "I got nothing for ya, Cap. No coordinates, no clues, no strategies, no options. Zero, zip, nada. No trust." Tony said as he ripped his Arc Reactor from his chest, shoved it into Steve's hands "Here you take this. You find him, and you put that on. You hide." Tony spat as he then collapsed. Zariah quickly got up to go to Tony but Thor stopped her "Please sit Zari..." Before she could say anything, Rhodey and Bruce carried Tony out of the room with Pepper and Steve following behind.
*Time Skip to Living area in Avengers Compound*
Steve, Natasha, Rhodey, Zariah, Bruce, Rocket, Thor and Carol gather watching Nebula as she speaks "Thanos spent a long time trying to... perfect me... When he worked, he talked. About his great plan. Even disassembled, I wanted to please him. I'd ask, where would we go once his place was complete? His answer was always the same: "To the Garden" Zariah looked at her as Nebula stared at her robotic hand, the goddess reached for it and held her hand as Nebula looked at her and smiled.
"You're saying Thanos had a retirement plan." Rhodey asked. "Where's this garden?" Steve chimed in. Rocket then brings up Earth on a Holo-Map as a bright surge of energy envelops the planet; emanating from Wakanda. "When Thanos snapped his fingers, Earth become ground zero for a power surge of ridiculously cosmic proportions. No one's seen anything like it." He shifts the map, crossing billions of light years, to an identical surge enveloping a mysterious orange planet "Until two days ago" He finishes.
Zariah looked intently as she spoke "You're saying he snapped his fingers again. Where?" Rocket looked to her as he zooms the holo-image towards a cluster of star as Nebula spoke "The planet is unnamed, but inhabitable. Rich atmosphere, good soil- "Zariah and Steve cut her off "A garden.."
*Time Skip to boarding the Benatar*
Everyone started to board the ship as Thor stopped Zariah "You cannot go with us..." he said sternly. She looked at him as if he grew two more heads "Excuse me? If there's a chance we can get every one back... get Loki back, I am going" she said with a serious tone as Thor put his hands on her shoulders "You have a little one to think of. Please Zariah. For me...I don't think I could handle losing you as well as my niece or nephew..." Thor's voice was full of genuine concern. She looked at him and nodded. "Get the stones... We need them back... Promise me..." Thor pulled her into a hug as he goes to board the Benatar "I promise" and then the ship took off to where Thanos was.
Zariah stood there a moment as she watched the sky, thinking about Loki and everyone they have lost. She took a deep breath "We have to get them back... I have to get him back..." She said as she placed her hands lovingly on her stomach "Well, let's get something to eat, shall we little one?" She turns and enters back into the compound.
1900 words
*SURPRISE SHAWTAY!!! Here's another chapter for ya! My plan is to get this story done first before my Thor fanfic! This story has been recommended for the 2021 Wattys! yay!*