1999
SOMEWHERE IN SPACE...
A whole week. Seven days. A hundred and sixty-eight hours.
That's how long they've been in space, as well as how long it has been since the worse has happened.
Him and the other person- Nebula, had been stuck inside the ship that whole time, not being able to travel back to Earth as the ship was low on fuel.
However, that whole time, Athena was also unconscious.
Part of him thought that she had died, however, her heart beat was still evident. Both of them didn't know many things about medical stuff, only the basics, so all they could do to help her out was tend her wounds, put her in a comfortable place, and let her rest.
Though, what he did know, was that they weren't going to be living soon. Oxygen runs out within the next 12 hours, and if matters were still the same as that moment, then they were going to die.
He still had hope, somewhere in that void mind of his.
Right know, he was sitting at the driving area, the place where Quill and his crew steered the ships as there were multiple seats facing a large window. He sat at the front, and unconscious Athena sitting soundlessly beside him.
He held her hand, like a worried father would.
Speaking of father, he could only think of Athena's magical family right now. Were they also snapped away? Either way, he only prayed the best for them, praying that they were also still here.
Tony scoffed, numbly. Pray. That seems to be the only things he's been doing since half of humanity was wiped out. Praying for people, the future, his life, Athena's, many more.
He closed his eyes, his numb body seeming to the same as they stayed still. Maybe, it was time to rest. He deserves it after all. Fighting in a tiring war. Yeah, a rest sounds good.
So, as his eyes void all light and vision, he tried to place himself into slumber, expecting that this would be the final time he does so.
However, plans seemed to have changed, as a blinding light shone in front of the ship, causing Tony to weakly put his arm in front of his eyes.
There, a woman it a suit stood, light encasing her whole figure.
THAT SAME DAY, 1999
AVENGERS COMPOUND, NEW YORK, EARTH
Steve, Natasha, Rhodey, Bruce and Pepper had ran outside, as the facility had started shaking. Not only that, but a ship was also descending down, a lit figure underneath.
No threat was noticed, meaning that this ship could only mean one thing.
Running over to the entrance of the ship, Steve had helped an injured Tony down the steps- who looked back at Nebula, who knew what he meant.
The woman nodded, going back into the ship.
"I couldn't stop him." Tony stated.
"Neither could I," Steve replied.
"I.." Tony looked at Steve. "I lost the kid."
Steve gave him a sympathetic look, "Tony, we lost.."
"Is uh," as if it was the right timing, Pepper came, hugging her fiance as she let out a cry.
"Where's Athena?" Bruce came, a scared yet lost look on his face.
Nebula then exited the ship again, carrying the still-unconscious girl in her arms. Steve's eyes widened, running to take the girl in his arms.
"What happened to her?" Steve asked, almost immediately.
"It was the Stones, almost the same thing that happened a few years ago..."
"You mean when Loki..?" Steve asked, as if scared of what Tony was about to respond with.
Though he didn't respond with anything but with a mere nod. Steve let out a shaky sigh, before looking to Rhodey. "Contact Travers. Athena's back."
✎
It wasn't long until a two wizards (well three) appeared at the Avengers Compound.
"Where is she?!" James Potter yelled, a sleeping baby in his arms. The man looked like he was in a terrible state. His hair was even worse than usual, eyes and nose were red, and clothes looked like they had been put on rushedly.
"James-"
"I have no time to talk Rogers! Where's Athena?" He asked desperately, now standing in front of him. Steve just nodded, taking the man away with him.
"Is she alright?" Jericho asked Natasha, looking over to the woman. She sighed, sitting down on the chair.
"I don't know." Natasha whispered. "All major injuries have been taken care of already, but she's still not waking up. According to Tony, something happened the moment Thanos snapped his fingers. She was screaming in pain, and there was a light coming out of her chest. We all assume its the same thing that happened before-"
"What happened before?" Jericho asked.
"Five years ago, two infinity stones made contact here on Earth. They were within a close vicinity of each other, and... I guess it just somewhat triggered something inside Athena." Natasha explained, fiddling with her fingers.
Jericho was confused. "Why would that trigger something in her?"
"That's what we don't know for sure. We all think that it has some connection from when she first arrived at the Tower, when she was still a baby. But it's been years since it happened, and it hasn't happened again 'til now."
"Her powers. It's related to the stones, aren't they?"
Natasha nodded. "Started appearing once she makes contact with one of them."
"Hey Nat..." Bruce entered the room, a device in his hand. "Oh, Mr Travers. You're here."
Jericho nodded. "Doctor Banner."
"Sorry, have I interrupted something?" Bruce asked.
"Nothing super important, what's up?" Natasha asked, turning her body towards the man.
Bruce walked closer to them. "It's about Athena. 'Kay, so remember when we were searching for the Space Stone and Mind Stone five years ago?"
She nodded, Jericho crossing his arms as he sat down to listen in.
"And how we used energy signatures to find them? Well, I decided to this again on Athena, to see if any of the stone's energy signatures has changed within her..."
"Spit it out Bruce, what are you trying to say."
Bruce bit his lip nervously. "Well, Athena has multiple gamma signatures pulsating within her. A-and I compared hers now and when she first had it, and it's a lot stronger."
"No... You're not saying that-"
"Doctor Banner, how many does she have exactly?" Travers asked.
Bruce turned his head towards the wizard, swallowing a lump in his throat. "Six. Six strong pulsing ones."
✎
James immediately broke down when he saw Athena's unconscious state, and if it wasn't for him placing Teddy in Steve's arms first, he would've dropped him.
"Oh Merlin..." James cried, hugging the girl as he placed a kiss on her head. "Thank the gods you didn't leave... I don't what I would've done if you also disappeared..."
"James." Steve called out. "Are Sirius and the others..."
James didn't reply, though Steve didn't need an answer cause of his sobs intesifying.
"They're all gone..." The bespectacled man let out. "Sirius, Remus, Harry... Half-o the Weasleys are gone- and so many more people-" He stopped himself, not wanting to elaborate anymore. "When Jericho appeared at the Manor, saying that Athena's alive, I couldn't believe it. I had to see her with my own eyes- and now that I have... Oh Merlin, I'm so thankful."
Steve pulled two chairs towards Athena's bed, sitting himself down on one as James just stayed in his position of hugging the girl. It was quiet between them two, the only sounds heard in the room were the heart monitor, the vents, and James soft sniffles.
After a few minutes, he retracted himself, standing up as he wiped his glasses, sitting down on the chair. He took the sleeping Teddy back in his arms, lying the baby peacefully against his shoulder. "Sorry 'bout that. I just needed to let it all out."
Steve shook his head. "It's alright, I could only imagine the grief you must be feeling."
"Yeah..." James sighed, resting his back on the chair.
"What's his name?" Steve asked, pointing towards the baby.
James smiled softly. "Teddy. Sirius and Remus' new born son."
A somewhat shocked look placed itself on the man's face. "I didn't know they had a child, let alone them getting together."
James let out a scoff-laugh. "Trust me, many didn't know either. It happened amongst the wizarding war, both of them rushing and wanting it to happen already. I bet it was all Sirius though, despite Remus saying it was a mutual decision. The man is too impatient."
Steve chuckled, before directing his head towards Athena.
"What happened to her?" James asked, also looking at his daughter-like figure.
"Tony says the snap triggered it. The same thing that happened years ago." Steve replied, James quieting down for a while before he spoke again.
"I'm starting to think that Athena has a bigger part with these stones than we think." James started.
"Cap! Potter! We've got something!" Natasha arrived at the room, out of breath as if she was running. "And it's about Athena."