Heroine ϟ Marvel [3]

10.2

CHAPTER TWO

The Garden

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AVENGERS FACILITY
NEW YORK

"What are you still doing up here?"

Ana tore her eyes away from the black sky to find Thor standing beside her, hands stuffed into his grey hoodie pockets with a small frown on his lips. She was sitting on the edge of the facility's rooftop, wearing only black sweatpants and a long sleeved shirt with the Avengers symbol stitched onto it. She didn't know how long she had been sitting there, but she got to watch the sun set and the stars fill up the darkness. She didn't concentrate on the temperature drop or the fact that her stomach was growling at her to be filled with food. Ana felt she couldn't stomach anything yet. Not until she knew they were safe — Tony, Stephen and Peter.

Ever since Carol left a couple days ago to search for their whereabouts, Ana couldn't sleep. She didn't want to miss it. Ana wanted to be there when they arrived. More than anything, she wanted to hold Peter in her arms again, knowing he was safe. She kept thinking how she was going to break it to him that May and Ned were gone. Part of her didn't want to tell him. She only wanted to shield him from further pain and suffering. He took it hard when Ben passed away. Losing May and Ned would only pull him back into the deep, dark waters of mourning and grief. Ana was worried she wasn't strong enough to help him deal with his losses when she was struggling to come to terms with her own.

"I, uh..." Ana swallowed thickly, shaking her head to rid herself from her own hazy mind as Thor sat down next to her. "I'm waiting up for them. That's all."

Thor noticed Ana fiddle with her fingers in her lap. He reached over and held one of them, placing them both on his knee. "You haven't slept in days." He said.

"That's because I can't." Ana bit out. She lifted her chin and turned her head away. She felt the cool breeze graze her jaw, and breathed out as it passed on. "Every time I close my eyes, I see them. I see my father. Marc was the only one I saw it happen to. I was holding him so tight, thinking that I could stop it somehow. I felt him drift off. I felt him leave. I think... a part of me left with him." Ana's eyes met with Thor's. He blinked the blur away from his vision and ducked his head, concentrating on their hands. "I just don't know which part of me is left..." She whispered.

Thor didn't hear that last part.

"I know." Thor mumbled. "I don't blame you. It's easy to lose hope, even harder to find it again."

"But I have to try." Ana's shoulders slouched forward and she shook her head. "If not for me, then for everyone else. We have one more chance to stop him and bring them all back. I heard Rocket earlier. He's closer than ever in tracking him down. Using those parts from the alien ship that was in orbit helped him expand his parameters."

"You aren't aware of how that ship came to be?" Thor questioned.

Ana shook her head. "I think we were all preoccupied with Thanos. I did some digging with Natasha. Turns out that Inhuman called Quake was responsible. She was dealing with some retired Air Force general who wanted to pick the planet apart for Gravitonium. I doubt she did it on her own — not that I'm undermining her skill set — which was why I reached out. Sent her an encrypted message. If there are more allies out there, we're gonna need them in the long run. Especially someone with the power to destroy the world." She explained to Thor.

"Has this Quake sent word back?"

"No. Still waiting on a response."

Thor tugged at Ana's hands to get her to face him, and when she did, he frowned. "When we face Thanos again for the last time, you have to promise me something."