Always Fight | Bucky Barnes |

40

In order to stay sane during the long five years of wanting and searching and waiting, Natasha and I often dreamt of what this moment would be like.

We must have come up with thousands of different scenarios, each more brilliant and heart-warming than the last. It was our way to not lose sight of what we were doing it all for, and it became one of the many things that permanently bonded us together. Of every scenario we could fathom, none of them even come close to this one, the one I'm living. As I watch portal after portal open and countless more faces that were lost return to fight alongside us, a soul-touching elation that I cannot even begin to describe with words blankets me. 

And I know that if Nat were here, she'd love every second. I can almost feel her beside me as I watch it play out before me.

Tears slip down my cheeks as I watch person after person emerge, people I thought I'd never see again. The tears are of exhaustion and giddiness and pure, utter victory. We may not have won yet, but this moment makes every day for the last five years absolutely and undeniably worth it. 

My eyes search the crowds for one face, one face that I know is out there. With the hundreds of thousands present, I can't seem to find him, but I know he's there. Bucky Barnes is here, he's in the same space as me and I can hardly focus with the thought of how close to me he must be. Even if he's miles away right now, it's closer than the last five years. 

And that's enough for me to settle with for now until this fight is over. 

Even though every part of me burns to drop everything and find him, I know that there's an army of enemies waiting to slaughter us all and repeat what we have spent five years overturning. If I can just hold on a little while longer, I can solidify Bucky staying with me for good. Just a little longer, I order myself. Just fight a little longer. Just be strong a little longer. Just a little longer.

A new hope settles into me, and I know that we can win this time. I turn back towards Thanos and his army that awaits, a triumphant look upon my face. We aren't out of this yet, but I have a renewed vigor in my bones. Without being told, the multitudes of us prepare for battle. The bottom half of my mask comes up, and with fire in my heart and victory in my sights, I take my stance. I grip my whip tighter and crack it loudly before me, letting my venom crawl around me, ready to strike. 

"Avengers!" Cap's voice carries through the air, rallying us together as Thanos has the good sense to look afraid. Then, with Mjölnir in one hand and his broken shield in the other, Steve whispers one last word. "Assemble."

A rallying cry from Thor leads us surging forward, the multitudes of the Avengers storming like an earthquake, looking for redemption. Even though the enemy army of Chitauri come charging at us, fear is not in any of our beings. 

Once more, we clash.

|||

The infinity gauntlet is our priority.

The plan is to get it through the time machine we have left in Scott's minivan. If we can do that, we can return the stones to their rightful places and Thanos will never get them back. That's how we win, for good. 

Right now, the gauntlet is with T'Challa. As for the rest of us, our priority is defeating Thanos and overcoming his infantry.

As I'm taking down another group of alien soldiers, I hear over my comm link that T'Challa is passing off the gauntlet to Peter. My heart takes a leap, and a part of me can take a breath. Peter's back. Peter's here. Just to hear his voice is enough to bring tears to my eyes.

But the sentimental moment abruptly ends when I hear him calling for help.

I look around swiftly, my eyes sweeping for him to see if I'm close enough to help. To my relief, I see him a couple hundred yards away, "I'm coming, Pete. Hold on!"