❝Whatever happens, just know that I never stopped trying.❞
. . .in which she must do whatever she can to protect the world and what's left of the ones she loves.
[BOOK THREE]
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★ ★ ★
"Please."
"No."
"Marlena..."
"Natasha..."
Marlena raised a brow at Natasha as she walked over to her dresser to grab a black, long-sleeve shirt. She pulled the fabric over her head and tucked it into her black skinny jeans before pulling her long hair into a ponytail. She brushed her bangs away from her eyes and grabbed her glasses. Of course, she'd made a trip home to retrieve another contact prescription after losing hers in the compound, but with everything going on since Clint and Thor's arrival, she found it much easier to just throw the frames on her face and head out. She didn't have to worry about getting solution everywhere or accidentally poking herself in the eye. It was easier this way.
"I don't know anything about building a quantum tunnel, and I definitely don't wanna spend the rest of the day dealing with Rocket," Marlena said to Natasha, who was sitting on the bed at the other end of the room. "And it's been days, shouldn't they be done by now?"
"They are for the most part," Natasha told her. "They're getting ready to conduct a test run."
"So, why did he send you up here to ask me for help?" Marlena grabbed a pair of black ankle booties from her closet and pulled them onto her feet. She was glad she was only a few weeks pregnant. She remembered the swollen feet and ankles when she was pregnant with the twins. She couldn't fit into any of her shoes, but luckily she had a few more months left before she got to that point. "We both know you're better suited to help than I am."
"I volunteered you," Natasha chuckled and stood up. "What makes you think I wanna deal with Rocket either?"
"Looks like they're on their own then," Marlena replied.
The two women headed out of Marlena's room and across the compound to the aircraft hangar. Immediately, they were met with the sounds of whirring and buzzing. Among many other things, Tony and Rocket and Bruce had been working on their own rendition of Scott's quantum tunnel for days. The only difference between the two was that Tony's was capable of transporting the entire team at once, rather than transporting one person at a time. It was an impressive machine, that much Marlena would admit.
"Marlena!"
Thor's voice could be heard loud and clear throughout the hangar, capturing the attention of not only Marlena herself, but of others who weren't too busy building a quantum tunnel to pay him any mind. He sounded drunk, but Marlena wasn't surprised. He'd been intoxicated since he arrived, but Marlena understood. Over the last five years, the Avengers had found their own, individual ways to cope with the loss of not only their loved ones, but the fight, and Marlena refused to judge Thor for what he chose to do to get through the pain. She refused to judge anyone.
"Hi, Thor," Marlena greeted the large man. He'd changed so much in the years since she'd last seen him. He'd gained quite a bit of weight, which was something she didn't think was possible for an Asgardian, especially when that Asgardian was the God of Thunder. Thor's people were the definition of ethereal gods, at least to her. She wouldn't have been surprised to learn Thor was born with an eight pack, but she was definitely surprised he'd lost it.
