Take me home : Natasha Romanoff x fem reader

Pt 5 Chapter 17 - The truth about losing

Y/n's POV

The funny thing about losing everything is that it's hard to remember most of the stuff you had. It shows you what is really important and what you need in life, not the things we think matter. It's not until you've lost the one thing you hold dearest, do you finally realise what you were living for. It's when that thing is gone, that's when you feel like your life no longer holds a great deal of purpose. That is when you are willing to throw your life away so that the people around you can keep what they hold dearest to them. Each and every one of us that stood on the crumble of the compound would more than likely have given their life to protect the one that they held dearest. And that's what made me understand why I had done it and why it had been such an easy decision to snap. I needed to protect my daughter, and I needed to bring back her mother.

When my fingers snapped there was an inkling of hope that I could bring Nat back. Not only did I think about destroying Thanos and his army, but I also thought about my wife. I prayed the snap would reunite me with my lover. It did but unfortunately not in the way I had hoped. When I came back to my senses I had a moment where I felt fine before the pain hit me again. 

"You didn't think it was that hard to get rid of me." I smirked. Wanda who was now the closest to me looked up. I had never seen her so happy. Everyone who was left gathered over the following minutes. The land was destroyed, our home, our belongings, our past. Everything we had worked to build was nothing but dust and a few remaining scraps. Anything we held dear to us was burnt or buried. Society was back, but for some of us our life was all but lost.

Anyone who did not live here or close by were given a portal home, thanks to Dr Strange. One by one people returned to the safety of their homes and their reunited family. All that remained was our team. Our small family of heroes who had now lost everything but each other. I stayed on floor, Wanda and Pepper knelt beside me, talking to me to keep me conscious.

We heard sirens in the distance and helicopters flew overhead. I knew what was to follow.

"Please, if you can all of you leave the um... battle area." We heard secretary Ross's voice come from one of the helicopters which was hovering above us. Thor simply raised his hand, giving the helicopter his middle finger.

"Fine, when you are ready. We have help waiting for you all where it is safe." Ross called.

I sighed. For the most part our family had come out unscaved. I however seemed to be the most battered. 

"Rocket?" Clint mumbled.

"Yes?" He looked up.

"Do you reckon your ship survived?" He asked. Rocket reached into his pocket and pulled out a small figure.

"Can we borrow it, to get Y/n out of here." Clint asked. Rocket nodded and threw the figure in the air. It landed and expanded to its full size to the left of where I was laid. Steve's strong arms slid underneath me and lifted me off the floor. It was agonising but I hid the pain with a deep breath. My hair was stuck to my head from the blood and my legs felt like jelly. There was a sharp pain in my head and chest but it was just about bearable. 

"Stay where you are!" Ross called.

"Piss off." I mumbled. I hated that man.

"Just wait." I whispered. Steve paused.

I looked out across the bleak land, wanting to take it all in. Fire still crackled and the dust had not yet settled properly. Where the compound had once stood was nothing but rubble. Tony was holding Pepper, Wanda was coming over and the others were all hugging one another. My team had been reunited, we were finally safe.