The Mystery Stark

Chapter 40: This House is NOT a Home

Nat's POV

A month after the snap, Tony had been alerted to a surge of energy that had been mapped to a tiny planet, that mirrored the likes of the surge on Wakanda when he'd first snapped all those weeks ago.

Wanda, Thor and I along with the remaining "Guardians" and Carol flew out with us to confront Thanos.

"This is going to work, Natasha." Thor asserts

"I know it will.Because I don't know what I'm going to do if it doesn't."

"No satellites, no ships, no armies.
No ground defenses of any kind. It's just him."
Carol suddenly says over the comms.

"That's enough." Nebula ominously states.

"Where are they?" I seethe, as I bring myself face to face with the titan, while Carol brings him to his knees, while holding him steady in a chokehold.

"Answer the question!" Carol shouts, not taking this any better than the rest of us, after finding out Fury and Hill were dusted too.

"The universe required correction.
After that, the stones served no purpose beyond temptation."

"You murdered trillions." Carol shouts, while tightening her hold.

"You should be grateful." Thanos arrogantly replies.

"Where are the stones?" I shout, desperation ever present in my demeanor

"Gone. Reduced to atoms."

"You used them two days ago!" Rocket, the raccoon, shouts.

"I used the stones to destroy the
stones. It nearly killed me. But the work is done. It always will be."

" No...they can't be gone..." Wanda shakily whimpers, speaking for the first time in days.

"He's lying." Thor states, almost in question, as he wills it to be the truth.

"My father is many things. A liar
is not one of them." The human robot hybrid, Nebula, pipes up.

"Thank you, daughter. Perhaps I've
treated you-"

Before he could even finish his sentence, Thor swung his axe in his direction, and Thanos's head went rolling.

"What did you do?" Rocket gasps.

"I went for the head." Thor says, no emotion in his voice, as he walks out and settles into the back of the ship.

Turns out Thanos has destroyed the stones, and subsequently my chances at happiness...

Everyone followed suit, returning to the ship with varying emotions on display. Wanda, Thor and I all shared the same sullen expressions, not a word was said between the three of us. Nebula and Rocket were flying the ship back as the raccoon appeared to be crying. Carol said her goodbye's outside of Thanos's hut, as every other planet was in equal disarray.

"I'll be in touch." She mutters, as she flies off towards space, and I simply just nod.

Wanda and I returned to the apartment in silence, she went to her room, and I went to the kitchen. I heard her heart wrenching screams as soon as her door had slammed, and I saw hues of scarlet from beneath her door. I just couldn't bring myself to deal with her current breakdown, all I could do was move to drown my sorrows.

I opened the fridge for the first time in weeks, my face dropping instantly when I saw the takeout container of those stupid egg rolls.

"Y/N's! Do not touch! YELENA, I KNOW YOU CAN READ ENGLISH SO DON'T TRY ME! ... Natty, you can have one if you want. <3"

"I'd love to have one, however I am not trying to die from food poisoning, I have to work to get you back detka..." I chuckle out, as unconsented to tears fall down my cheeks, and I reach up to grab the vodka from the top shelf before retreating to our room.

Sleeping alone had always been something I'd loved, having the space to myself, to do as I pleased. Whether I wanted to sleep in the starfish position, or the nude, I thoroughly enjoyed my freedom. I never had that growing up in the red room, I was forced into tight living quarters with other girls, given a tiny cot to lay upon, while being handcuffed in place. When I finally had my freedom, and first started sleeping in my own bed, I was uncomfortable, I literally had to handcuff myself in place for a sense of normalcy.
Once I'd grown comfortable, I'd stopped using the handcuffs, and found my life to be peaceful for the first time ever.

However, it's just not the same anymore, I don't crave freedom or space, I actually fear it. It leaves me wondering if I'll ever feel her close again. I want nothing more than to be held down by her body, to feel as her breaths would fan out across my skin. The sounds she'd always make as she's waking up, whether it be a grunt or a squeal. Her warmth she always provided me, and GOD, her morning voice always did do a number on me. I desperately miss being woken up to her gently kissing my face, and requiring bonus cuddles, because 'I need to be awake to enjoy them' was her mantra. As if she needed an excuse, I'd lay in bed with her all day if life had permitted it.

Without her now, I seem to require vodka just to escape the nightmare that has become my daily life. Most mornings I'd wake up to find Wanda curled up beside me, clearly craving closeness, but mostly I just think she was looking to be close to Y/N as that was her side. When I actually do laundry—when I'm out of her hoodies—I use Y/N's detergent, then I spray a hoodie with her perfume and leave it for the little witch to steal. As much as this hurts me, I know with her powers she's feeling everything twice as badly.

—

Months fly by in a blur, and somehow we're two years into this hell. I spend most of my days at the compound, keeping in touch with everyone that I can, while trying desperately to bring order to the chaos around us.

"You get a reading on those tremors?" I turn my attention to Okoye

"Minor subduction in the African plate."

"Do we have a visual? How are you handling it?"

"Nat. It was a mild earthquake. In the ocean. We handle it by not handling it." Okoye deadpans.

I just sigh, rubbing my hands down my face, then turn towards Rhodey's hologram as he began to speak.

"I can have NASA redirect a satellite, do a sweep just to make sure."

"Thanks. Carol, you're still coming
our way next month?" I question the blonde

"Not likely."

"Getting another haircut?" The raccoon pipes up.

"Listen, fur-face, I'm covering a lot of territory out here. The things that have been happening on Earth have been happening everywhere else. On thousands of planets. You might not see me for a long time"

"All right. Everybody keep keeping
their eyes open. This channel's always active. Anything goes sideways, anyone makes trouble where they shouldn't, it comes through me."

Everyone closes out their hologram, except for Rhodey.

"What's up? Where are you?"

"Mexico. Got some news."

"Okay..."I reluctantly sigh, not entirely wanting to hear the words he has to say.

"Federalés found a room full of bodies outside Juarez. Cartel guys. Guns still in their pants."

"Could be a rival hit-"

"But it wasn't. Same MO as Marseille. And Kiev." ...  "It's definitely Barton."

I nod, reluctantly accepting the truth that my best friends on a vigilante rampage.

"What he's done here...what he's been doing...I got to tell you, part of me doesn't want to find
him."

"Find out where's he going next." I plead, before Rhodey concedes then closes out the call.

I sit there for a moment, before throwing my plate of food at the wall as I collapse in on myself. I move my broken down body to the couch in the conference room, and fall into a restless sleep...

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1,317 Words

❤️‍🩹 Kaitlyn 🥺