The Darkest Hour (Steve Rogers) - 3

5

"You know how to fly this thing?" Sam asked as Mo looked up at him dryly from the controls. 

"What was my role in the war Wilson?" 

Sam was silent. "Ok, yeah stupid question" and headed to the back of the quinjet. 

Steve joined his wife in the cockpit, watching as she pressed a few buttons and did all of her usual checks. Two years ago she wouldn't have even known what half of them did, and would've become overwhelmed easily. Now here she was, her old self and knowing exactly what to do. "Who taught you to fly again?" He asked. 

"The RAF, oh and Nick Fury had some jets that I could play with. He worked alongside the government to design my one". He could see the same sparkle of excitement in his wife's eyes as he had done all those years ago. "What?" She frowned. 

He smiled. "You just...well you've got your spark back. It's the Lizzie I remember meeting during training". 

Mo nodded. "I had to get in the air again, not just because of what I had to do but for myself. I wasn't about to let that be taken from me too - it's who I am...all I know..." 

Powering up the jet, they set off, reaching maximum speed. Time was of the essence and they needed to get to Wakanda before Thanos and his army did. 

"No pretty loops like you did earlier, I don't think Vision can handle it". Steve smirked and looked back at Vision who chuckled. 

"On the contrary Captain Carter, they were very entertaining". 

Mo grinned at this. "Don't you worry, no fancy acrobatics from me for this journey. I'm saving all those for Thanos". 

Steve frowned, "You wanna be in the air?" 

"Have you got any other bright ideas? He's going to have ships and I'm going to be the one to destroy them - just like old times". 

"Do we even know how big of an army he has?" Nat asked. 

Bruce shook his head. "Gonna be bigger than ours for sure". 

They flew in silence for a while, all of them pondering on just how many they would be facing. It was unknown, just like it had been during the war. "How long we got until we land?" Sam now asked Mo. 

"About ten minutes if the speed is anything to go by".  She told him. 

He glanced over at Steve who was speaking to Nat and then turned back to her. "The last two years without you almost killed him y'know...sure he was ok as time went on but he was never really ok. When we first set out he just...he wasn't himself". 

Mo looked at him. "I can tell that he's changed. After everything that happened, even I would lose faith, he's hardened - and in all honesty I think it was what he needed. Not being away for that long of course, but to stick by what he believed in. That's what he's always done, and it's what makes him, him".  

Sam nodded, "I'm all for sticking up for what I believe in". 

"I'm glad, I just hope that we can defeat this Thanos before something worse happens". 

**

Of course the worst was happening, and it had come in the form of a very large army, larger than they had expected. The tribes of Wakanda had come together to defend their country, their technology helping in some ways. 

T'Challa had given Steve a pair of shield type gauntlets that he could fight with, given that he had given his back to Tony. He hadn't needed it, and if Stark had anything to do with it, then he'd probably destroyed it or something. They had to bring Tony home though, even if they had fought, Steve still cared enough to bring his friend back.

Things were looking bleak though, especially as there seemed to be more and more of Thanos's men appearing. Steve had lost sight of Mo early on during the battle, then catching her slamming her shield into the back of one of the enemy. What was even more bizarre was that Thor had arrived with a raccoon and a tree, Steve simply introducing himself to it as it sprouted roots or whatever it was, taking out some of the army. It was just nice to see Thor again, even in unfortunate circumstances. 

He moved out of the way as Mo's shield came spinning past him, knocking out a group of the rival army in front of him and then returning to her. "That bastard took one of the wings of the jet out". She huffed, "so now I have to fight on foot". 

"Welcome to my world". He smirked and looked around at the devastation, then pulling her out of the way as Bucky holding the raccoon (both armed with guns) came literally spinning and shooting at anything that came for them. "Well...that's new..." 

"It talks too - introduced itself to me as Rocket and then asked if I wanted to go for a drink after all this". She rolled her eyes. "He eats from bins for crying out loud". 

"I think that is the least of your worries". Steve said, keeping her with him. "Thanos gets this stone then half the universe dies, and Vision's out here". 

"Bugger". She muttered. Mo had seen Wanda earlier however she was unaware that Vision was now part of the battle too. "We need to get to him before Thanos does". 

Mo had never been scared of death, even now as she went up against some man who looked like the equivalent of a walking aubergine. He'd got the stone and now had placed it onto the gauntlet on his hand. As Steve had tried to pull it off Thanos had punched him in the head and sent him flying back, Mo looking on horrified until the anger flared up in her. 

Launching herself at him she began to smash her shield into the side of his head, Thanos now grabbing her and flinging her into air. Her body smashed against a tree and she dropped to the floor, hearing Steve's echoed call to her. She stumbled to her feet and looked to him and nodded, running at him again. Smashing her shield into his face she continued her assault to the best that she could. 

He was too strong for her though and now picked her up by her neck, his grip tightening and lifting her higher until he slammed her down onto the ground again. 

"Lizzie!" Steve yelled, unable to do anything else than grab his wife and pull her into him, realising that Thanos had now snapped his fingers. 

Everything began to fall silent, Bucky turning to dust before their very eyes, Groot disappearing, Wanda...everyone was turning to dust. 

Mo looked at Steve and then down at herself, seeing that she wasn't disappearing. Steve held onto her tightly until it was over. Their friends were gone, and mostly likely a majority of the earths population.  "W-what happened..." She asked shakily, looking around. 

Steve said nothing for a moment. "They're gone...they're just - gone?" 

"Steve...what do we do?" She asked, sounding all the more desperate. 

He shook his head, the familiar feeling of failure overcoming him once more, just like it had done back when he'd first lost Bucky. 

"I don't know..."