---Bucky's POV---
"Evelyn?" I say again with a breath. I can still feel her touch on my shoulders and yet she's not here. Looking around from where I sit in the dirt I realize that I don't feel as I had a moment ago. Wanda and the tree sit across the clearing from me, but they're the only two in sight. Wanda is holding her hands out as if she were still holding Vision. Clearly distraught she turns violently searching the ground around her, as if she'd merely misplaced him. Frantically she looks around until she finds me. Steve, Sam, Eve, they're nowhere in sight. "Evelyn?" I cry out as I push myself up from the ground. I run a hand through my hair as I desperately search the tree line for any sign of life. "Evelyn?" I call again. I jog towards Wanda still looking for any sign. Wanda's pulled her knees to her chest and buried her face in the crook of her arm. When I realize no one is around I stop in my tracks between my two companions.
I watch as the tree pull himself to stand. "I am Groot?" He asks. He too looks around in search of someone he's lost. I can feel the panic within myself growing. Evelyn.... our child. They were all here a second ago.
"Bucky?" I turn at the sound of a familiar voice. Sam wanders into the clearing with T'Challa on his heels. I let out a sigh of relief and approach Sam who is equally unnerved. "What the hell is going on?" Sam asks as he shakes my hand. I give T'Challa a curt nod and he returns the favor as the three of us turn to Wanda who is still curled into a ball, rocking back and forth.
"I just blinked and then..." I think back to every detail of Evelyn's eyes, the last thing I had seen. "They were gone."
"This doesn't make any sense." Sam says turning in frustration. "Where'd Thanos go?"
"They didn't go anywhere." I look back down to Wanda who has raised her head, her eyes glow red as tears fall. "We did."
"What?" I say. I know she had abilities but this is all too strange.
"Thanos won!" She yells.
"What, you think he did what he said he was going to do, and killed half of all life?" Sam seems scared.
"That's the only explanation." T'Challa says looking between us. My head spins again. How could she be gone? We hang our heads as the realization hits. We'd lost... I'd lost, everything. Eve's smile illuminates my mindscape and her laugh echoes through my ears. I could stay in this state, stay asleep where she still resides, but there's a static sound that forces me to open my eyes and let go of my vision of her. Sam pulls me back as the air in front of us explodes into sparks.
A window to another place opens and a man walks through. He glances around at us and doesn't say a word until his gaze lands on Wanda. She's standing now, her hands glowing, ready to fight if necessary. "My name is Wong." He says plainly. "A friend told me to come tell you to get ready to fight." My stomach leaps at the slim chance that that friend just might be Evelyn. Just like that he turns to go back through his portal but Wanda steps in his way.
"Who sent you here?" She asks her fingers dancing around a ball of energy she's summoned.
"It's been five years." He turns back to me. "They were able to reverse what Thanos did but now they need help." Five years? I'd abandoned her again and this time it wasn't just her but our child as well. It's all too much.
Wanda disengages. I see her eyes dart to where she sat before, "Where's Vision?" She asks clearly.
Wong turns to her but doesn't answer. "Get your army together and be ready at the field where you made your last stand." I look to the guys. T'Challa stands straighter realizing he'll have to step up and be the king of his people once again.
I peak behind Wong and see that the portal leads to a living space. "Take me there now." I say, thinking only about Evelyn. Once again his departure is interrupted.
"I can't." He says tight lipped.
"Like hell!" I say. This time I reach out for him and grab his arm. "You take us there now!"
He seems completely unbothered by my advances. He shakes his head, "This is the way it has to be."
"Says who?" Sam says, coming to my aid.
"The man who made this all possible. There's only one way this works so do what I say and get ready." I let go of him and step back. Who am I to judge the messenger? I don't fully understand what's happened in my time away but what I do understand is that if I have to wait in order to successfully get back to Evelyn then so it will be.
As Wong crosses back over to his side he closes his portal with the wave of a hand. The five of us are left looking back out across the trees waiting for T'Challa's orders.
---Evelyn's POV---
The shifting of the debris has stopped but the muffled yells of those trapped somewhere above me have not subsided. "Hey!" I call out to the void. I don't get a direct answer. Okay. I tell myself. Think. "JENNA? You didn't leave me did you?" I kick out my legs but nothing moves.
"I've been rebooting systems. I tried to contact Mr. Stark, but all comms are down."
"I assume a past Thanos somehow found us." I say kicking again. Something at my feet moves but it causes a chain reaction causing a beam to jam itself harder against my thigh. I groan in discomfort and shift myself so it's a little less painful.
"There were several ships in the atmosphere at the time of the blasts."
"Shit." I say under my breath. "I've gotta get back up there."
"I sense movement." I stop moving immediately and listen to JENNA's warning. Craning my neck I'm able to see out into the open space, I see a beam of light and then I see Clint. I struggle out of excitement and call out to him. I see his flashlight shift and then hear the footsteps against the floor come closer.
Clint slides a few feet across the flooded ground. His face appears through the twisted metal. My eyes squint as the flashlight comes across my face. "Evelyn? Thank God." He sets his flashlight aside and reaches through as far as he can to reach me.
"I can't move." I say, praying it won't all collapse down on top of me.
"I'll get you out." He says removing his arm. He meticulously starts to move away the twisted metal and rubble. "You'll never believe what I found."
Still focused on how the weight of things are against me I answer him half heartedly, "Yeah what's that?" When he doesn't answer me I look back at him. Through the cracks I can see the glint of the red gauntlet and the glowing stones. "We've gotta get back up there!" I move suddenly and sweep my left leg out causing another monumental shift.
"Easy! Easy!" He says doing his best to hold his side up. I take his advice and take a deep breath. He takes a step back and studies my cage. Shifting a few more pieces from where he sits he comes to a conclusion, "If you can reach me I think I can pull you free." I nod. By bending my left arm close to my stomach and then over my head I can just touch Clint's fingertips. I shake with nerves as I latch onto his hand. "Hey, I got you." He gives my hand a reassuring squeeze and then starts to count. On three he yanks my arm hard. Once my other hand is free I'm able to push myself along. Gripping onto Clint he pulls me the rest of the way while my legs gain traction and free me. I hear a crack and then the destruction that had rested over me moments ago crashes to the floor. Clint wraps his arms around me and pulls me into his lap. Throwing my own arms around him I try to calm down.
Laying my head on his shoulder I squeeze my eyes shut and tell myself I'm safe. "Thanks." I say into the fabric of his shirt. Clint doesn't get to answer. There's a growling clicking sound coming from somewhere above us. We untangle ourselves from each other and with one glance we both know we're in for trouble. We're in sync without speaking, both of us moving slowly. Clint reaches for the glove and I click my helmet shut. Looking up Clint softly loads an arrow and lets it fly up the cavern. I shrink back as it reveals at least a dozen of Thanos' monsters.
I scramble to my feet ad with Clint next to me we sprint down the corridor. "How we doing on that reboot JENNA?" I ask as I wade through the ankle deep water. Clint shoots an arrow that explodes on impact killing three dogs.
"It's tricky. You hit the ground pretty hard. Everything's out of whack."
A dog tears at my heels, "Just get it up as quick as ya can... Defense first, comms second." I turn and bring my fist down on the thing's head hard. It falters but not before I kick it back where it came from. I sprint once again making sure I keep Clint in sight.
"Should I send a ping to Mr. Stark?" She asks.
Glancing behind me again and seeing I have bought some time I answer, "No he's gotta be preoccupied. Don't distract him." Looking back up ahead of me I nearly run into Clint and his loaded bow. Ducking to the side he lets it fly and it successfully explodes, bringing down the tunnel walls and separating us from the danger.
Lowering my arms that had shielded me from the collapse I notice that Clint has fallen to the floor. "Oh my God! Clint?" I drop beside him, but he's already sitting up. He's clearly shaken, but he's awake. I put a hand on his chest, "You're alright?" I ask. He nods slowly and blinks his eyes collecting his bearings.
"Oh, hey...I know you." I'm confused until I realize he's looking beyond me. Nebula has already reached down and grabbed the gauntlet. He turns away.
Remembering that she hadn't been with us I stand up sensing something's amiss. "Nebula?" She turns. "Where..."
She brings her wrist up to speak "Father. I have the stones." I feel my knees go weak.
"What?!" I hear Clint say from beside me. He struggles to stand. I grab step in front of him as Nebula... Not our Nebula raises her blaster.
"Stop!" Two more people come around the corner. Our Nebula and a green woman enter with their blasters raised.
I see the fake Nebula falter a bit at the sight of the green woman, "You're betraying us?" She says unsurprised.
"You don't have to do this." Our Nebula steps forward. It was the same person standing in front of me, but from two times.
"I am... this." The other Nebula says. I know how she feels. If I were to confront one of my past selves, I know I would say the same thing.
"No, you're not." The green one steps forward slowly as if she were a sister coming to aid a troubled sibling... It all clicks.
"Gamora?" I say under my breath.
"What?" Clint has finally found his feet again.
"They're Thanos' daughters." I remember the hurt in Peter Quill when he'd discovered she had died by Thanos' hands.
"You've seen what we become." Present Nebula says taking a stand next to her sister.
"Nebula, listen to her." Gamora pleads.
"You can change." Nebula insists to her younger self.
She shakes her head clearly conflicted, "He won't let me." She raises her gun at her traitor sister, but our Nebula raises her own and shoots herself. I jump back at the sound. Looking to Nebula I expect to see a damaged and hurting person but instead what I get is a determined woman.
"Whatever it takes." She says turning to us. She gently removes the gauntlet from her own dying hands and give it to Clint. I open my mouth to thank her but my comms spring to life. I turn away quickly trying to focus on the orders, but it's all broken with lots of static. Glancing up at Clint I realize he's getting the same thing.
"Is my suit back up JENNA?" I ask hoping for the best since comms were somewhat back up and running. I look up hoping that I can get back up there to help.
"Functions running normally." She says before disappearing back within.
I let my helmet fall as I turn to break the news to Clint. The last thing I want to do right now is leave him, but... "You have to go." He says reading my mind once again. I nod. "You go save the rest of 'em, find Cap, and tell me what I need to do with this thing." He waves the stones in front of me.
"Stay with them..." I say pointing to the sisters. "I'll..." I'm almost brought to tears as I avoid his eyes. We'd both lost Nat earlier today... Clint's words on the dock echo through my head: I won't lose anyone else. I can't and I won't. "We aren't losing anyone else. We finish this once and for all. All or nothing." I say looking up again. He's nodding and his free hand has found my own.
"Go." He gently rests his chin on my head and hugs me once before pulling away. "Go." It takes everything in me to turn away from him and engage my thrusters. I blow out the ceiling above me and find a hole the collapse created that sends me outside once again.
It's a scene from the apocalypse. The base has been burned to the ground and the forest to the south has been blown to splinters. It's a wide open battlefield with only the river giving any sort of break to the plain. My thruster stutter reminding me to focus. Looking down over the battlefield I don't see an army on either side, instead I see Thanos. Thor and Tony take him on. I panic when I don't see Steve but there's no time to search for him any longer because Thanos has thrown Tony to the ground.
All I feel is rage and all I see is Thanos. Clenching my fists I build up the power and then start for him. I scream as I will my suit to take me faster towards him. I'm a rocket he's not ready for. I collide with him hard sending him staggering backwards. When I get my footing I drive my fist at his chin. I duck as he swings his blade at me and then give a quick jab to the throat. It's enough to make him step back once more. I feel all the pent up rage and hatred come through as I wind up for one more hit. I send a straight punch to the side of his face but it's too ambitious for my own good. While the contact was a success my momentum keeps going, enough so that he's able to recover and swat me away.
I fall to the side. He raises his blade over his head and brings it down hard, but the blow never comes. Thor and his axe have come in between me and my death sentence. I use my legs to push myself out of reach and am forced to watch in horror as Thanos overpowers him, sending him to the ground. I immediately turn to Tony who's lying with his back towards us. I let my helmet fall and crawl quickly to his side. I reach him just as I hear Thor yell out in pain. I fear the worst when I turn my head back to him. He's using everything he's got to keep his own axe from impaling himself. I lift my gauntlets and ready them to fire, but then something whizzes by me. Following the blur I see it land in Steve's hand. My mouth drops open as Cap sprints forward, shield and hammer in hand. I roll Tony onto his back I rest my hands on his chest plate for a moment. He's surely knocked out cold. Seeing Steve back in the fight with no backup I too pick myself back up. I walk forward and hold my gauntlets up careful to keep my body between Thanos' swings and Tony's helpless body.
I sidestep as Thanos and Steve go back and forth. I watch as Steve throws the hammer against his shield creating a shockwave and knocking Thanos off his feet. I take the opportunity and jump forward hitting him with a repulsor blast. Using my cover Steve goes on the offensive using both shield and hammer to summon lightning on Thanos. I go to Steve's side as we admire our teamwork. We take one moment to acknowlege each other and it costs us majorly. Thanos throws himself back to his feet and in a rage comes down upon me. Knocking me to the ground this time his blade connects. I feel the blow to the chest, but then the weight is off of me. Looking over myself I see that my main chest plate took the full force of it. "JENNA?"I groan and shards fall from my suit as I sit up and see that Steve has again saved me.
"We're in reserved power, boss. We'll need a complete restart to revert power back to the repulsors." Her words are distant to me as I watch as Thanos stabs Steve on the leg and knocks the hammer out of his hand. He proceeds to bring his blade down on Steve's shield once and then twice effectively cracking it. I let out a gasp of horror as Steve continues to shrink back. I hold up a gauntlet but there's no power. Determined I push myself to my feet. I take a deep breath and sprint. All or nothing. No suit, no power, no protection, just me. I scream trying to distract him. It works. He turns his head and upon seeing me he throws out an arm that connects with me sending me reeling across the field.
I land on my back, sliding several feet before coming to a stop. My head is ringing with the cries of my children and pounds with the blood of all those we're about to lose. Fight. I remind myself. Fight. I open my eyes to the smokey sky and with leverage I'm able to roll to my side. Propping myself up with my right elbow I can see out over the battlefield. There stands Thanos' army. I search frantically for my allies. I only find one. "Get up Steve." I whisper to myself. "Get up!" I say again a little louder. He does. He slowly get's back to his feet with nothing but his broken shield and his determination. I would stand alongside him, even now if I could, but right now he stands alone in the face of death. We all do. I lay my forehead on my hands that rest on the ground and prepare myself for the end.
"Steve..." I say into my ear piece. I'm not sure if it's even working or what I'll say. Whatever I could say he already knows. With nothing but static on the other end I let my body drop to the earth.
"Cap, you hear me?" The voice goes back to static but it's enough for me to lift my head. I swear that sounded like... "Cap, it's Sam. Can you hear me?" There's a fizzing sound and then the space behind me and to my right ignites with gold. "On your left." Sam says to Cap as he swoops in with T'Challa and his army. I can't hide my smile. We have a chance again. As Falcon flies by dozens of these yellow rings reveal themselves. Looking down the line I see Doctor Strange float through with the revived Guardians and Peter Parker. My heart leaps at the thought of Tony's reaction.
It's not long before the space directly behind me opens up. Searching the faces my eyes rest on the only one that matters and the all the hurt from the last five years dissipates with one glance. By the time I get over my shock and finally push myself to my feet he's made it to me. We're inches away only blocked by the air between us. There is a brief moment of uncertainty as he stares deeply into my eyes. Would he find something different there? Something he didn't remember before that he wouldn't like? Those questions are squashed immediately as he throws himself at me, encasing me in a hug that seems to say that he'll never let me out again. I throw my own arms around him clasping at my wrist in the back. I breathe him in and feel the curve of his back, all unchanged. I feel his hands find my hair and then the light kiss on my neck before he pulls back. He rests his palm against my cheek. Oh to feel his touch again. I tilt my head into it and close my eyes, but I find I miss him already so I open them again. He holds it there for a moment and then seems to remember the last conversation we had. He rests his hand on my stomach like he'd done years ago. "Our child?" His voice resonates softly against my ears.
"Children." I say with a smile. He seems to be relieved by the sound of my voice as well because he lets his hand drop my cheek and grab my hand. "Thomas and Margaret." I say with pride. He looks up at the realization and beams with pride. He leans down for a kiss but as he does there's a large thundering noise that startles me. Still locked in his arms we both look to the only remaining portion of the Avengers' headquarters and see Scott emerge from the roof ready for battle. Hand in hand the both of us fall back into the ranks as we hear Cap just barely over the sounds of the impending battle.
"AVENGERS..." I watch as Mjolnir finds its new owner once again. "ASSEMBLE." At Cap's cue every single one of us run forward ready to show Thanos what five years of pent up anger and madness look like.