To The End [Steve Rogers]

8 - In Our Final Moments

Hulk jumps from building to building again while Jessica screams in his ear. He swats at her when she siphons a noticeable amount of energy, but she really can't help it. Thankfully, he recovers quickly.

They land abruptly beside Steve and Thor. Hulk takes out the attacking Chitauri easily before allowing Jessica to climb off of him.

"Never again," she breathes, kneeling on the concrete to catch her breath.

Steve stands beside her, "Are you alright?"

Hulk interrupts her response, "Noisy girl."

He grunts, then takes off back into the sky.

"I would consider that a compliment," Thor states with a smile.

"I'm surprised to see you back in one piece," Steve says.

A band of incoming Chitauri creeps towards them as they speak. One aims its weapon at Jessica, but she absorbs the shot and latches onto the creature's arm. She swings it around, knocking three more incoming soldiers down like bowling pins before she finally throws the original down the street.

"Better than that, Captain," Thor grins at her.

She chuckles lightly. The strength she stole from Hulk flows through her, and, because she was connected to him for so long, she uses it liberally to fight off the Chitauri. The other two heroes fight at her side, all of them becoming increasingly drained as time goes on.

They make a triangle with their fighting tactics. Thor and Steve throw their weapons at the incoming Chitauri and Jessica takes on any stragglers that make it through them.

In the corner of her eye, she sees Steve throw his shield, catch it, then turn abruptly. She notices the advancing Chitauri before he does, but she is also not fast enough to shield him. A blast hits him in the stomach, sending him down hard.

Jessica rushes over to him, allowing for the rest of the blasts to hit her instead. Thor helps them by using his hammer to flip a nearby car, which holds enough force to wipe the group of aliens out.

"Steve?" She calls.

She's careful not to touch him, though that also means she can't help him up for fear of making it worse. Thankfully, Thor meets them, and helps him to his feet.

"You ready for another bout?" Thor asks, concerned.

Steve holds a hand to his torso, "What? You gettin' sleepy?"

All three of them breathe heavily, though relieved that they have a second to do so.

"I can close it! Can anybody copy? I can shut the portal down," Natasha announces in the coms.

"Do it!" Steve and Jessica respond together.

"No, wait!"

"Stark, these things are still coming!"

"I got a nuke coming in," Tony tells them. "It's gonna blow in less than a minute... and I know just where to put it."

Jessica looks at Steve who seems to have also had the same thought.

"Stark, you know that's a one-way trip?" Steve asks.

There's no response.

They wait for only a few seconds before the Iron Man suit flies over them. He carries the missile on his back as he guides it higher and higher into the sky.

"There must be another way," Jessica mumbles, her heart pounding in her chest.

She can't lose another friend. Her hands shake as she squeezes them into fists, the sharp ends of her fingernails piercing her skin, but her limited knowledge of nuclear blasts keeps her eyes towards the sky.