Even After Everything | Steve Rogers

Chapter 59

We all stood in a room, surrounding the new gauntlet. The six stones were in its place, glowing slightly from the immense power it held.

"All right. The glove's ready," Rocket nodded, "Question is, who's gonna snap their freaking fingers?"

Thor stepped forward, raising his hand, "I'll do it."

"Excuse me?" Scott asked, a look of bewilderment on his face.

Thor shook his head, "It's okay." He tried to step forward again, but I walked in front of him.

"Hey, Thor," I said, placing my hand on his chest to stop him. He looked down at me, and tried to walk forwards again, "No, no, no, whoa. Stop. Stop. Wait a sec. Hey, hey-" Thor stopped and gave me a sad look.

"Wait, wait, Thor, just wait," Steve said, standing next to me, "We haven't decided who's gonna put that on yet."

Thor took a step back, "I'm sorry. What, we're just sitting around waiting for the right opportunity?"

"We should at least discuss it," Scott said, looking to the rest of us, and I nodded towards him in agreement.

"No, no, sitting here staring at that thing is not gonna bring everybody back. I'm the strongest Avenger, okay? So this responsibility falls upon me. It's my duty." Thor said, nodding.

"It's not about that-" Tony started, seeing my face of surprise from Thor's comment. I mean were at least tied in strength between the two of us.

Thor cut Tony off, "It's not that– Stop it! Just let me!" I looked back to Thor, and saw him begin to tear up once again, "Just let me do it. Just let me do something good. Something right."

"Look– It's not just the fact that that glove is channeling enough energy to light up a continent, I'm telling you, you're in no condition." Tony said.

"What do you– What do you think is coursing through my veins right now?"

"Cheez Whiz?" Rhodey scoffed.

"Lightning," Thor corrected quickly.

I looked to Rhodey, and gave him a stern look. He met it for a moment, but looked down to his hands.

"No," I said, looking to everybody, "I should do this. Thor can't, but I will." I looked to Steve as he raised his eyebrows.

"No, Cora, you're not doing this," He scoffed.

"Ever since we lost, I've always felt like I failed the gods! This is my chance to bring everyone back, to make things right-"

"No!" Steve snapped. I immediately took a step back, and looked to him in surprise. Steve rarely raised his voice, but when he did he always meant it. Steve's voice lowered, "I can't let you do it."

Bruce took a step forward, "Lightning won't help you, pal. Cora, your powers wont either. It's gotta be me." I stepped back in between Tony and Steve reluctantly, "You saw what those stones did to Thanos. It almost killed him. None of you could survive."

Steve's arm wrapped around my waist protectively, "How do we know you will?"

"We don't. But the radiation's mostly gamma." Bruce looked to the gauntlet, "It's like...I was made for this."

As Bruce prepared to use the stones, Steve brought me to the side.

"Cora, I'm sorry I snapped... but the thought of- of losing you," Steve took a deep breath, "When this is all done... and we have everyone back, all I want is a life with you. To have kids, and maybe a dog-"

"Three." I interrupted.

"Of kids or dogs?"

I shrugged my shoulders, giving a small smile, "Three of each?"

"Well that's a lot... But what I was trying to say... Look, I know that you're an immortal goddess who is a complete badass who can handle herself, but after all the risks we're taking right now... I don't want to take anymore that could take you away from me."

I sighed, nodding, "Okay, I won't. I agree, when this is all done, we'll both have the life we wanted... And I don't want anything to come in between that. But I think I could handle it..." I trailed off and looked up to him, and he was shaking his head. Steve smiled and pressed a kiss to my forehead, and we got into our suits. We walked back into the room where Bruce and Tony were talking, the others surrounding them.

"Good to go, yeah?" Tony asked Bruce.

He nodded, "Let's do it."

"You remember-" I started, "Everyone Thanos snapped away five years ago and just bringing them back to now, today. Don't change anything from the last five years."

"Got it."

Everyone stood around Bruce, activating shields, helmets, or suits as needed. I formed shadow to put a shield in front of me, and planted my feet. I looked to Steve who held up his shield, and he gave me a small nod.

"FRIDAY, do me a favor and activate Barn Door Protocol. Will you?" Tony asked.

The compound immediately went on lockdown, every door and window being covered.

"Everybody comes home," Bruce nodded, and finally put on the gauntlet. It shaped around his hand, and as it fit on, the power surged through him. He groaned in pain, and I took a step forward, desperately wanting to help him. Steve stuck his arm out to stop me, and I continued to look at Bruce as he fell to the floor.

"Take it off! Take it off!" Thor yelled, visibly feeling the same I did.

"No, wait," Steve said, and lowered his arm that was in front of me, "Bruce, are you okay?"

He didn't answer, and his face contorted in pain.

"Talk to me, Banner," Tony urged.

"I'm okay. I'm okay," Bruce muttered. He let out a yell as he raised his hand, and managed to snap his fingers. He fell to the ground, the gauntlet slipping off. We all rushed forward, and I let my shield dissolve.

"Bruce!" I tried to reach for him, but Tony stopped me.

"Don't move him."

Bruce grasped Steve's arm, looking up to him desperately, "Did it work?"

"Worth a shot," Thor nodded, trying to give Bruce and himself comfort, "It's over. It's okay."

We continued to look over Bruce, as Tony put some sort of pain reliever over his arm.

"Guys– I think it worked!" I looked back to Scott, who was looking out the window. Outside the window I saw birds flying through the trees and the bright blue sky had no clouds, and I smiled to myself.

"It worked," I muttered. I looked up again, but this time saw the sky was filled with a massive ship. My smile fell as the ground erupted from the impact of missiles.