Bullets || Peter Parker

Twenty eight

Clint was waiting by the ship for him. The man was lying in the sand staring up at the purple sky above as tears poured down his cheeks. He raised his head as Emil walked over and sat down next to him. "Did you get it?" He asked, voice horse from crying and near silent. Emil could barely draw up any energy, the grief weight too much.

In response to his question, Clint raised a small round ball. It was made of reinforced glass to contain the power of the infinity stone. The orange stone glowing brightly inside. Looking at it brought Emil no joy. That thing had cost Nat's life. He wasn't even sure if it was worth it.

The journey back to the present day and time was all a blur to Emil. He reappeared on the platform in the avengers headquarters in the exact same position he left. Around him, the other took off their helmets. Each of their faces showing relief at the success of their own missions. Emil mindlessly pressed the button for the deactivation of his time travel suit, barely absorbing his surroundings.

"Did we get them all?" Tony asked.

Rhodes let out a small whoop as he held out the container for the power stone. "Are you telling me that this actually worked?" Scott laughed giddily.

Next to Emil, Nat no longer standing between them, Clint fell to his knees on the platform with a thud. Everyone turned to face them in surprise. "Clint where's Nat?" Bruise asked. Clint couldn't reply. The look on his face said it all.

Steve took a step closer to them. Emil, who had been trembling like a leaf, began to sob. Dry ugly, painful sobs that seemed to echo round the room in the stunned silence as everyone absorbed. Bruce folded. Huge frame slowly sinking to the floor. His fist collided with the platform with a sharp thud. The impact and Emil's whimpers being the only sounds.

Tony was the first to speak. He crossed over to Emil and took him gently by the elbows. "Emil, kid, what happened?" Steve was by Clint's side, helping him to his feet. He threw one of the man's arms around his shoulders as Clint seemed too numb to move.

"It was the only way", Emil choked out between harsh inhaled breaths and rattling cries. "A soul for a soul. She wouldn't let us. She should have let us!" Emil couldn't continue. Tony pulled him into a hug, wrapping Emil in his arms. Around them, everyone was deadly silent as it sunk in. There was always a price to this mission, they had known it.

"We can't stay here", Steve sighed, grief laden in his voice. He was right. The whole complex was full of Nat. She and Emil had lived there for the past five years. They needed to get out.

"Let's get outside", Tony offered. "I need air". Steve was openly grateful at the offer. It was a relief not to be in the avenger headquarters.

"Rocket, Scott. You take the stones", he instructed. "Lock them up. We'll deal with them later". Rocket and Scott both nodded and began walking around and collecting each of the stones. They disappeared off down the corridors followed by Nebula and Rhodes.

Tony sighed deeply and ran a hand over his face. Emil was wrapped in his arms but his sobs had quietened. His was still shaking and Tony has a feeling that it might take a while for him to stop. "Come on kid", he muttered as he began steering Emil down the platform steps. "Let's get you somewhere safe". Behind him, Steve followed with Clint. Thor and Bruce trailing after them.

——

Emil stared at the water listlessly, mind else where. He was curled up on a bench overlooking the lake behind the Avengers building. There was a little jetty that reached out along the water. All the original avengers where there, looking out at the clear sky and lush landscape with a grief filled mood. The greenery and sunlight at odds with the sorrow surrounding them.

"Did we know if she had family?" Tony's sigh broke the silence. He rolled his fingers over his face in a weary gesture. There had been too much death.

"Yeah. Us". Steve's voice was harsh and guilty. He winced and breathed out deeply. Thor, who had been pacing backwards and forwards behind Emil's bench, turned to them.

"What? What are you doing?"

Tony stood up as Thor drew closer. "I'm just asking a question".

"No! Your acting like she is dead. Why are we acting like she is dead? We have the stones right? As long as we have the stones we can bring her back. Were the avengers so get it together". Emil pitied Thor's blind hope. Steve did not reply. He merely bowed his head.

"We can't get her back", Clint stated.

"What?"

"It can't be undone", Emil mumbled, too tired to raise his voice much louder. Thor heard him anyway. "It can't".

A weak forced chuckled sounded. "Look, you're a very earthly being but we're talking about space magic. And no seems very definitive don't you think?"

Clint threw up his hands in frustration, glaring at Thor. "Look! I know that I maybe out of my comfort zone but the terms were clear. She's still not here isn't she! It can't be undone. At lest that's what the giant red floating guys says. How about you go talk to him! Go grab your hammer and you talk to him!" Clint blinked were eyes and turned away to look out over the lake. Thor backed off a step, hopefulness fading as the truth settled in. Emil huffed his legs closer to his chest.

"It was supposed to be me", Clint was visibly crying now. "For that god damn stone. She bet her life on it!" He wiped the tear tracks on the back of his sleeve with a sniff. Emil was weeping softly too but he made no noise. Silently, Steve got us and walked over to sit next to Emil on the bench. He wrapped a large arm around Emil's skinny shoulders and pulled him into a hug. Emil's tears creating a small damp patch in his shirt.

He jumped as Bruce let out a angry grunt. He picked up a empty bench and threw it across the lake in a furious movement. Emil wondered if that felt better. He wanted to cause damage too. He wanted to scream about the unfairness and throw a tantrum. Already, he could feel the bubbling of energy welling up under his skin. He had better control over it now and had not gone off in a few months. But the energy still swelled and pulsed as it did whenever Emil felt strong emotions. Resolutely he pushed it down. Going off would not help anything.

Bruce turned to face them all, green skin sallow and pale. He met their gazes challengingly. "She's not coming back", he said. A fact and a promise. "We have to make it count. We have to".

Steve nodded, features hardening as he turned his attention back to the mission at hand. Nat would want them to do this. This was what she died for and they could not let it go in vain. "We will", he answered. He stood up, Emil stumbling to his feet at his side.

"For Nat and everyone who Thanos has killed", Emil forcefully wiped the leftover  tear tracks off his cheeks. For Peter, he added in his mind, so that all his friends could come home. So that Nat could bring them home.

Unedited