Peter and Nellie lowered Sam into the wheelchair that the nurses at the Emergency Medical Center brought out to them on the sidewalk.
He regained consciousness while doing so, and gave Peter and Nellie a nod, "Thank you."
Peter patted Sam on the shoulder, "You're gonna be alright, sir. I promise."
Nellie looked between the two of them, and reached out for Sam's hand without thinking. She gave him a reassuring squeeze as the nurses began to push him back into the center.
"Please, take good care of him!" She called out after them, though they were already halfway through the glass doors.
"Making that tourniquet. . .Nell, you may have saved his life." Peter looked down at her where they stood out on the sidewalk.
Right there, in that moment, the city seemed quiet. In reality, only a block away, there was still a fight going on -- a fight Peter was sure they would win, though. They'd seen worse. They'd fought harder.
"I don't think so," Nellie shook her head, folding her arms over her chest.
The sleek, cold metal of the gauntlet on her hand sent chill bumps up her arms.
Peter placed both hands on either of her upper arms, causing her to lock eyes with him, though his were concealed by his mask.
"You saved him, Nell. I don't doubt it for one second."
Nellie looked to the ground and nodded, the reality of the past thirty minutes really sinking in. It was more than she'd ever been exposed to, and yet, it was Peter's reality more often than not.
Sounds of the distant fight drew them back out of their daze.
"I should go back and help them," Peter began, releasing her arms from his grasp.
Nellie nodded, "I'll wait here with Sam."
Peter leaned forward and pressed a swift kiss on her cheek through the smooth material of his mask. "I love you, Nell. I'll be back."
She watched as he picked up his pace down the sidewalk, and she unfolded her arms. Holding her hand out in front of her, she felt empowered. Not because of the abilities it held; she barely understood it yet.
No, it felt empowering because Tony had known one day she would need it. This, this small piece of Tony that he had left for her, made her feel very much like he was there. As if he was still with her.
She couldn't help but feel like it pushed her to do more -- to be more. He'd given her the bracelet, knowing what it could do, for a reason. So that she may discover it in a time of need.
This was more of a time than ever.
"Peter, wait!" Nellie called out, looking up from her hand.
But he wasn't there.
She looked over her shoulder at the doors of the Medical Center, but shook her head. She'd have to trust that Sam was going to be alright. She knew, in her heart, that Sam Wilson didn't need her there. Dr. Strange and Rhodey surely didn't need her. And maybe even Spider-Man didn't need her, either.
But Nellie needed them.
Nellie needed this.
Even if she couldn't make a difference, it wasn't about that. She couldn't stand on the sidelines again with this trust that Tony had somehow had in her. She knew she had little to offer the Avengers of all people, but their team was incomplete on that day. There were so few of them, and yes, maybe they were against one enemy this time.
But there she stood, with something she felt Tony would not entrust with many other people. If he believed in her, even if it was just a tiny bit, then she needed to believe in herself, too.
So, she took off down the sidewalk, following the same path that Peter had moments before her. She figured he was up in the air by now, taking the shortcut back to the Sanctorum.
More than an additional ten minutes had passed by the time she turned onto Bleecker Street, where the Sanctorum was. During her jog through the streets, the noise had died down. Some of the cars had resumed driving, and tow trucks had arrived to tow the damaged ones away. People were back out on the sidewalks, headed to and from dinner.
It wasn't until she reached Bleecker Street that she was met with the flashing blue and red lights of police cars. They were blocking off the streets, seemingly well aware that the Avengers were inside the Sanctorum handling the situation.
It took a bit of effort to get past the officers, but her petite frame and light feet got her through better than she could have imagined. She was relieved she didn't have to use the gauntlet, still unaware of its functions. Truthfully, she was a bit scared of it.
She made it back to the spot where she had been with Sam before Peter arrived. Sam's blood had now dried on the pavement, the streetlight overhead casting her shadow across the stain. She stepped over it and rushed to the Sanctorum's door, which had remained open. Her breaths were labored, as she was exhausted from helping carry Sam to the Medical Center and then running all the way back. She figured that night, she would sleep better than she had since Tony had passed, and she needed it.
Nellie stepped through the door way, her black converse cracking a shard of glass as she did so. She removed her foot from it quickly, and looked up.
"You never stay put, do you?" Peter's voice drew her further into the Sanctorum.
A little bit further into the front room, she was able to see Peter along with the others on the grand staircase. Between them, Umar was on her back on the stairs.
"Is she dead?" Nellie puzzled, stepping only a centimeter closer to everyone.
Peter joined her at her side and pulled his mask off, running a hand through his already disheveled hair, "No. Strange just put her to sleep."
Nellie felt her lips form an 'o' shape in surprise.
"It was nothing," Strange spoke up, looking down at the woman.
Strange's friend, Wong, chuckled from the top of the steps, "No lying in the Sanctorum."
Strange shot him a serious look, but he paid no mind as he descended the stairs and lifted Umar by her underarms.
"In the end, she's getting what she wanted," Strange spoke again as he began to raise his hands.
A portal opened up at the top of the staircase, revealing a sliver of another place -- one that Nellie knew did not exist anywhere on Earth.
"She'll be reunited with her brother, Dormammu. In a never-ending time loop." Strange said as he and Wong stepped into the portal, Umar in Wong's arms.
The portal closed behind them and vanished, as if they were never there in the first place.
Nellie looked to Peter with wild confusion, but he reached out and took her hand. She relaxed only slightly.
"Damn straight," Rhodey said, pulling his mask and helmet off.
He turned to look at Nellie, raising his brow. He eyed the gauntlet on her hand and walked over to her.
"I see you found Tony's little safeguard feature."
Nellie felt Peter's hand squeeze hers' tightly after Rhodey spoke. She waited for Rhodey to scold her, only he didn't.
"Why'd you come here?" He instead asked her, a softness in his voice she had not really heard until now.
Nellie swallowed, looking between him and Peter.
There was a long pause amongst them as Nellie tried to think of her answer. Nothing good enough seemed to come up, so instead, she found it within herself to offer some of the sarcasm she could only assume Tony might have offered in a time like this.
"You could have at least waited for me."