i n f i n i t y   w a r  

ELEANOR

New York City

'Let's go back to your mom's place.'

The cafe was withdrawn due to the utter hollowness of it. Since the exceptional Tony Stark was having coffee in this cafe and—as he had put it—the Beatles kind of popular, he ought to hire out the cafe for a few hours. It showed odd to relate him, a superhero in a tin can suit who saved the world, to a world-famous band. They had nothing in common other than fame. Being with Tony was like willingly taking on a god complex. To be bathed in the lights of cameras and the mutter of voices, it was uncomfortable but he was sure to make me feel at ease. Of course, he had taken that concept too far when he had bought out the shop for us.

A coy smile perked on my lips as I blew into my piping cup of coffee. The smell stirred me awake, bringing my senses alight to approach his question with a clear mind. Tony seemed earnest as he toyed with the edges of the blueberry muffin, plucking out crumbles as if devouring it manually, I cast it a pained look.

'I mean it,' Tony verified, popping a tiny crumb into his mouth. 'Let's grab Margo, go to your little Preece farm and... I dunno—take a break?'

'A break.'

'Pluck apples, rear cows, start a larder... Ellie, don't laugh at my sincerity. What, you can't imagine your three-time doctorate genius petting chickens?'

I let my laughs die out to a faint smile. 'We don't have apples. Oranges, mangoes—'

'Even better. C'mon, let's do it. I'll give you a week to settle in.'

His teeth caught his lips with a hopeful grin, his eyes looking more resilient than ever. I laughed out softly when he started to remind me of an infatuated teen, shaking my head while taking a hot sip.

'I'd love to,' I said and he feigned exasperation when he caught a pensive look in my eyes.

'Of course, there's a catch. What's up?'

I hesitated for a moment.

'Oh my god, babe,' he murmured when I bit my lip, 'did you max out my credit card?'

'I would never,' I said, offended. I breathed deeply, finding the envelope that I had hastily fit into inner pockets of my blazer and placed it on the table for his view. He caught it, not before licking his fingers clean of the crumbs. As if something exploded in his head, he blinked fervently with evident panic.

'You're not filing a divorce, are you?' He muttered. 'I swear, I only dropped Mags that one time—'

'Tony,' I clucked my tongue, a little worried about the baby-dropping situation. I let it slide, approaching the bigger matter. Tony started to drum his finger over the looming emblem of the university. It was a sub-professor post in the literature sector. The faculty had gotten ahold of my thesis statements I had published a long time ago, accepting my application as soon as the connections were linked. 

'You miss working,' he observed quietly. 'Not that I mind. I know how much you love building your career.'

A grin tugged on my lips. 'I do. But, I don't think I should—'

'I think you should give it a shot, hon,' he cut in with a meek glance my way. 'I don't want familial commitments to hold you back from what you want.'

'What I want,' I confessed, 'is to be a good mum for Margo.'

'Yeah but you'd be a real dynamo on the job,' he pushed with high expectation and taking a bite into his muffin, 'and imagine it. People who walk up to me—I'd be compelled to introduce you as Professor Stark.'

'Preece,' I corrected and he glared playfully.

'Mrs Stark,' he urged, taking my left hand in his to give an affectionate little pat over the imposing rock that perched over my finger. The direly expensive Cartier diamond glimmered even in the minimal lighting, bringing a prideful glow to Tony's face.  

'Forget about momliness for a sec, okay?'

I laughed out through my nose. 'Alright.'

'Trust me.' He grabbed the small envelope, folded it further in half and tucked it into his sports jacket. He patted the pocket safely. 'I'll handle this. I've got Margo covered and you just have to do you.'

I wrapped my fingers around his hand. 'Are you certain about this? What about rearing chickens and plucking oranges?'

'We've got all the time in the world,' he shrugged, 'if we make slip-ups, we'll just figure it out from there. Zero blows. It's going to be fine, Elle.'

'Mhmm?' My lips played with a bemusing smile and soon, lifting one on his own. 

'Mhmm. C'mere.' 

He leaned forward, grabbing a lapel of my blazer to bring me closer for a kiss. His lips moved with mine, easing me under his spell for a hot minute until he rested his forehead against mine. His warm breath caressed my jaw when he spoke.

'Apropos of that, we should take off,' he murmured. 'Dinner anywhere you want. I was thinking of a jet back to Cali, candlelights, satin sheets, pearls, fishnets—'

A sudden crash near the opposite end of the cafe alerted us, breaking us apart. I turned on my seat to acknowledge the distraction, seeing a crackling annular cavity start to tear open out of nowhere in the most distant wall. Stephen Strange walked out unabashed, arrayed in the mage attire as always. He had a nascent look before tossing me a small smirk. The gateway on the other side was the Sanctum Sanctorum, a few figures peering in. I couldn't recognize anyone but Stephen.

'—or ditsy magicians,' he finished. 'Way to go.'

'Tony,' Strange nodded at him and then, at me. 'Elle. I see that well-wishings are in order.'

'Yes,' I shrugged, 'about nine months they were.'

'I'm sorry, you bust open an interdimensional portal just to announce that?' Tony said, rising from his seat to fold his arms over his chest. I followed suit, taking Tony's side in amusement. 

I waved to Strange to which he mirrored kindly. The last we had seen of the sorcerer was the night we accomplished the unthinkable. Along with two other fellow teammates, we brought Tony back to life. Not going to lie, I never thought I would see him again.

'We need your help,' the doctor stated in all importance. 'Look, it's not overselling to say the fate of the universe is at stake.'

My ears perked up. 'Who's we?'

A figure emerged from behind Stephen, clothed haggardly as if woken up from a rough night. His salt-and-pepper hair had been tousled, light eyes were dreary as he strolled forward gradually.

'Hey, Tony.'

Astonishment was evident in Tony's tone. 'Bruce?' 

'Elle,' Bruce Banner breathed out simultaneously, leaping into Tony for a despondent embrace. Tony didn't think twice to return it, tossing me another shocked look as he rubbed his favourite scientist's back. The raging man had disappeared back when Ultron had struck the Avengers, gone missing for nearly two years until now. Well alive and distraught from something bothering he had perceived.

A more portly, Asian-looking figure dressed similar to Stephen ushered us into the blazing portal which spun rings of fiery sparks. I prodded a finger at it which didn't have an effect, whirling to a full-stop with the man's flick of his wrist. It vanished into thin air. We arrived at the entrance of the Sanctum Sanctorum, the flight of now, demolished stairs behind me that dramatically ascended to the quarters I was more used to. 

'Wong,' the man introduced.

I smiled in courtesy. 'Eleanor. I—You can call me Elle.'

'We know, Mrs Stark,' a similar simper twisted on his lips. 'Congratulations on the labour. I hope the child is all well and good.'

Before I could reply, Bruce had his eyes wider than saucers and waving at me with a borderline hysteric look. His gaze narrowed on the ring on my hand and placed a hand over his chest. 'Child? Who—'

'Yeah, great news, Banner,' Tony announced in sheepishness. 'We got hitched. Had a baby in the process of it. Her name's Margo. Margaret Stark—you'll love her.'

'Oh my god,' he wheezed out, kneading his temples. 'It's been what, two years? And you both are parents.'

'Yep,' he popped his lips. 'Still getting used to it.'

'I don't think I ever will,' Bruce scoffed and raised a palm at me, 'no offence, Elle.'

I shrugged with an easy-going grin, rubbing a warm hand over Bruce's shoulder. His eyes were so sunken in, it didn't take a genius to know he had gone through some extrinsic incidents out there in the world. Or galaxy. Bruce seemed to calm down with my touch.

'So... cosmic destiny?' Tony glanced at Strange, taking a seat on the couch at the farthest end. I offered him a stern glance, discretely asking him to behave. 

Strange gave a quick nod at Wong who conjured a spell with his hands. A mist of a projection kindled up above us, curtailing all our confusion when the vision of the universe itself came into sight. I blinked between the sorcerer's hands and the prediction, willing myself to believe that it was true. 

'From the dawn of the universe, there was nothing. Then, boom,' the projection showed a blast and eliciting six, unevenly shaped orbs which I later realized were actually stones. 'The Big Bang sent six elemental crystals, hurtling across the virgin universe. These Infinity Stones each control an essential aspect of existence.'

Stephen walked closer, naming them all solemnly. They all lit up consequently—blue, red, purple, orange, yellow. 

'Space, Reality, Power, Soul, Mind...'

The sorcerer siphoned the talisman that hung over his chest with a simple charm, activating the Eye of Agamotto. I controlled a wow of wonder when it glowed a brilliant, emerald green from within.

'And Time,' he finished. The amulet shut down in a flash and it was my immediate instinct to glance at Tony. His reaction was unreadable, paying close attention to every word Stephen had mentioned. Deep in thought, he escaped my gaze and met with Bruce's.

'Tell me his name again.'

'Thanos,' Bruce replied, his expression imploring. He continued to ramble about how he took what he wanted, painting us a good mental picture of the celestial, merciless antagonist who wanted to wipe out half the population and informing us about Loki's invasion being his call.

'Wait, Loki?' I mused. 'The attack was really Thanos?'

'He's a plague, Elle,' he beseeched. 'A mindless killing machine.'

Tony's whisper resonated even though it was meant for his ears only. He walked past us, his eyes vague and giving off nothing. I wanted to comfort him but given the audience, I kept to myself. He looked to Banner, again.

'This is it,' he rubbed the region between his eyes, his tone foreboding. 'I knew it.'

'What's his ETA?' I asked in favour.

'No telling,' he responded wearily. 'But he's already got the Power and Space Stones. Once he gets all six of them, Elle—'

'—he can destroy life in a scale hitherto undreamt of,' Stephen concluded for him. I cocked a brow at his strangely stated words. Tony, unlike me, approached the peculiarity.

'Did you seriously just say "hitherto undreamt of"?'

I called out softly. 'Tony.'

He looked at me in acknowledgement, clamping a hand over a dismal cauldron and stretching his calves as if warming himself for a workout. The container screeched dangerously and Stephen snorted.

'Are you seriously leaning on the Cauldron of the Cosmos?' Before Tony could respond with a witty retort, his burgundy cloak tipped out to smack his arm. I almost thought it was his ass, biting back laughter. Tony mused under his breath, something about 'allowing it' and straightened up.

'If Thanos needs all six,' he started seriously, 'why not just stick this one down the garbage disposal?'

'It's an ethereal article,' I rolled my eyes. 'Not your every day, dead pet situation.'

'She gets it,' Stephen pointed to me in gratitude. 'We swore an oath to protect the stone. With our lives.'

Tony sighed at me. 'Elle, honey, you remember when I swore off dairy and the Ben&Jerry's named a flavour after me—'

'How is that even comparable?'

'Stark Raving Hazelnuts,' Stephen answered indifferently. I cast them a notorious glance, taken aback when Wong and Tony continued. 

'It's not bad,' Tony mumbled. 

'A bit chalky,' Stephen rubbed his fingers together to explain his stance. While I was, still, in disbelief.

'A Hunka-Hulka Burning Fudge is our favourite,' Wong shrugged.

'Star-Spangled Stracciatella wins, hands down,' I input anyway. Tony subtly glared at me, soon shaking his head to approach the bigger matter.

'Whatever. Point is: things change.'

'But, it might be the best chance we have against this alien bloke,' I added in Stephen's favour. Tony didn't seem to budge when I stood my ground. 

'Conversely, it might be his best chance against us.'

'We can use it to sustain ourselves,' I stated.

'Or collectively grovel as he snatches it away.'

My anger rose to the surface. 'The universe is in for a paling—'

'Guys, guys, can we please table this discussion, right now?' Bruce input, breaking up our vendetta. I took a step back, frowning at my feet. 'Fact is we have the stone. Vision is out there with the Mind Stone so we've got to find him, asap.'

An air of discomfiture took over us. Tony stirred up the courage to speak for us all and my gaze falling on Bruce who was in obvious neck-deep confusion.

'That's the thing,' Tony breathed out softly, 'two weeks ago, Vision turned off his transponder. He's offline.'

'Tony, Tony,' Bruce stressed. 'You lost another super bot?'

'I didn't lose him,' he justified. 'He's more than that. He's evolving.'

'Fine. Who can find him now?'

Tony's eyes fell away to the ground. He mumbled a curse under his breath, turning his back to us. I already knew who we needed, bucking up the strength to inform Bruce and the others.

'Maybe Steve Rogers,' I told slowly. 

Stephen invoked a dramatic sigh at my words and Wong pressing into his forehead in exasperation. All their expressions spelt out everything along the lines of great and oh boy. Bruce glimpsed at me with a simple, 'Call him.'

'Not that easy,' I clucked my tongue. 'See, sunshine over there and Cap broke up. He helped Tony for... well, reasons but still. Had a sad fallout.'

Stephen cast me a knowing look, inciting the events that occurred approximately a year ago. Bruce, being clueless to the literal war between Cap and Tony and the revival of the latter person, blinked at us.

'Broke up? Like the band? Like the Beatles?'

'Eh, more or less,' Wong shrugged. 

Bruce, unfazed, walked up to Tony and grabbed his shoulder as if to shake him out of it. Tony watched him meekly as he started to explain what was at stake.

'Tony, I get it,' he said, drained. 'You've got a family in line. But listen to me. Thor's gone. Thanos is coming so it doesn't who you're on speaking terms with and not.'

I tried to remain calm as I heard Bruce inform us about Thor's perishing. Biting my lip, I shuffled closer to place a hand over Tony's neck to get him to look at me. I could see the regret and confusion in his eyes, given the things he had in line at the moment. And, he did with his eyes swimming with disappointment. I forced a comforting stare, nodding.

'Remember when I supposed apocalyptic?' He nodded along. 'I think it's happening.'

He was hesitant as he tapped his pockets to bring out the cellular, ancient, flip phone. I attempted to hide back a laugh at which I failed and Tony glowered at me. His finger hovered over the call button before we heard muffled thundering from beyond the street. I looked to the gaping, three-foot hole above our heads where strong winds seemed to carry rubble across and watched the two sorcerers look around in confusion.

'Say, doc, you wouldn't happen to be moving your hair, would you?'

I watched a thin tuft of hair that curled over Stephen's forehead move with the nonexistent breeze in the room. It was my impulse to shoot from his side to the door and yank it open to view the street. 

It was the complete illustration of turmoil—people screaming, running as fast as their legs could carry them and away from the west intersection of the street. The gale had an air of ominosity to it, picking up debris along the way as cars jangled up in traffic and crash quicker than a blink. A startled woman ran into me, knocking both of us to the ground. I grunted as she lagged away, offering a hand to support her up but she escaped past Tony who aimed to the same with a man trapped inside a crashed car.

'FRIDAY, what am I looking at?'

The AI's answer must've been fruitless hence, the grimness on Tony's sunglasses-bound appearance. I clamped a hand over his shoulder as he walked toward the intersection, his hand going to my waist as he held me back from peering into the street.

'Hey, doc, you might wanna stuff that stone into your pocket!' Tony called out as he continued to view the scene.

'You might wanna use it,' he objected, calling for a charm that formed orange, bands of spells around his forearms. A loud, more rumbling drum reached our ears and he lead us further into the intersection where a large something floated over the west-end of Bleeker Street.

'What in the world?' I whispered. 

'Okay, nothing can top this,' Tony replied and the cocked his brow at me in mischief. I sensed a sexual joke in the midst. 'You. Got something to say?'

'Ew,' I sent him a disgusted smile. 'There's a time and place for that.'

It was a massive spaceship, ranging from almost two to three thousand metres in diameter and extent. It was ring-shaped, had zero windows and something out of a patchwork craft of dying silver panels. Iridescent lights travelled in the same annular motion on the inside of the ship, alerting us on its slow, forward motion to the ground. It floated over the earth and sentient in its own right. FRIDAY was given instructions just as quickly by her boss, Tony's priority the innocents around the destruction. Strange was on duty, too, generating a powerful surging spell which was able to stop the ship from hitting the ground with a strong gust of wind. Tony and Stephen shared amusing looks when the first beams of the teleporter hit the earth.

Two, scrawny looking aliens exited the beacon. One was lanky, his face pinched at add angles and almost resembling a weird squid. The other one was tall, resembling a warthog and honing a halberd-like hammer and swinging it over his palm in a threat. They were dressed as if into cultism, missing fingers and held what looked like sneers on their faces.

'Hear me, and rejoice,' the lanky one spoke in a nasally, overbearing voice. 'You are about to die at the hands of the Children of Thanos. Be thankful, that your meaningless lives are now contributing to—'

'I'm sorry, Earth is closed today. You better pack it up and get outta here,' he shirked in, failing to conceal the utterly chaotic and defiant nature of that notion. He could have started an interplanetary war. For some reason, the squid didn't seem intimidated. 

'And, we see you—boys?—have got your extra-large spoon to stir up trouble,' I added, quirking a brow at their weapons at hand.

'Gender-neutral, gender-neutral,' Tony chanted in a hum from beside me.

'I mean I respect all sexualities,' I called out again, correcting my mistake. 'You just seem...'

'Boyish?' Tony commented.

'I was going to say alien-gay.'

'Stonekeeper,' the squid creature said, referring to Stephen. 'Do these chattering animals speak for you?'

Tony was easily offended when Stephen replied with indifference. 'Certainly not, I speak for myself,' he took a step forward and with a simple motion of his arms he had readied glowing shields around his fists. 'But, you're trespassing in this city and this planet.'

'It means to get lost, Squidward!'

I burst out laughing and partook in a fist-bump with an equally amused Tony. The lanky alien shook his head in desolation and murmured something to the angry one who responded in an unknown tongue. On cue, he started his ascent towards us.

'Hey, Bruce,' I leaned in to whisper to him, 'need an assist here.'

'No, I don't want to but when do I get what I want?'

It was all very comical. Bruce had his hands form tight fists as he furled into himself in a vain attempt to release his alter ego. The Hulk was someone I was terrified of but in circumstances like this, we needed that terror. He made noises of muffled impairment and almost resembling a constipated patient. His neck turned green but further than that, nothing.

'Bruce?' I was hesitant to touch him. 'You good, love?'

'I just need to,' he huffed, 'concentrate here. One sec. C'mon, man. Hng!'

'Where's his guy?' Tony fizzed.

'I don't know, we've sort of been having a thing,' he filled in hastily, continuing to squeeze the Hulk out of him. I wanted to laugh, I did.

'There's no time for a thing.'

'Ssh, Tony, you're hurrying him,' I scolded as Bruce struggled with his other personality. 

'Good because there's the thing right there, Elle. Banner, let's go.'

Bruce gave up with a loud groan of pain, planting his hands over his knees. I cooed under my breath, rubbing his too warm back in a gentle motion. I failed to see Stephen stare at Tony in incredulity. Tony looked to Bruce with humiliation in his shaded eyes while the animal-like alien continued to come at us.

'Dude,' Tony murmured, 'you're embarrassing me in front of the wizards.'

Bruce faltered, panting. 'Sorry, Tony. I-I can't, I don't—'

'It's okay, hey, stand down,' he said to him patiently, patting his shoulder. He looked to Wong with a nod. 'Could you keep an eye on both of them, please—'

'I got them,' Wong replied, sticking out a hand and leading us away. 

'But, I—' I started to stubbornly comment before Tony silenced me with a glare.

'Not now. Babe, just go with the wizard.'

Gosh, darn it. I really thought I could fight with them on this one and use the Iron Maiden after the little break. Giving Tony one last reluctant glance, I followed Bruce away from the trio who stood to defend themselves from the imposing alien who approached them.

We all shared the same fascinated looks when Tony tapped the reactor on his chest, which seemed like a housing unit of nanites which started to materialize and build around his body. It bled into the colours of the Iron Man, taking on the structure of the exoskeleton of muscles in the human body and fitting him like a second skin. From his melee of weapons, the nanites coalesced to form a sizeable buffer over his arms and parry a hit from the alien's halberd. In a quick instant, the shield reintegrated back to his repulsors and a part detached from a panel on his back, forming something like a cluster cannon to direct a powerful explosion at the alien.

'Woah,' was all that left me. So that was the thing about nanotech he had built in the workshop. Oh, it was so worth it.

'Where'd that come from?' Bruce blew out.

It sounded like he was smirking. 'It's nano-tech, you like it? It's a little something—' 

Tony never got to finish that sentence. With a stroke of the squid alien's arms, a peg of cement from the ground had sent Tony careening through the air. The sorcerer duo was attacked with a rain of rubble, extracted trees and streetlamps. They deflected the hit and I pushed Bruce aside as a tree came hurtling right at us.

'Thanks,' he mused as I helped him up with a grin. Stephen was looking right as us when Tony kept the squid alien distracted, sighing out loud.

'Sorry, Elle. Banner, if you're green friend won't be joining us...' He uttered out, forming a portal from the sling-ring between his fingers. The ground beneath our feet started to tear open with the growing fiery portal and dropping us carelessly onto the grass of a nearby park on the intersection. Banner rolled away before a destroyed, half a taxi ploughed him into the ground.

'I could've helped!' I yelled to the portal which spiralled to a shut. Bruce and I were on our feet, looking to the commotion that echoed from the intersection faraway. 

'Hey, so,' Banner sounded from beside me, 'wanna tell me about the baby?'

'No,' I glared. 'I want to help.'

'But, the baby—'

'Are you going to hulk out, Bruce? Are you?'

'I am!'

'You are not!'

'I am! I'm trying to—oh,' he hummed in realization, shaking a finger at me. 'I see what you're doing.'

'Sweet fucking Jesus, Banner, just try!'

My scream was muffled when something rammed right past me and slammed into a tree trunk with a metallic clang. On closer inspection, I realized that it was the Iron Man.

'Tony,' we cried out in unison, rushing to assist him up and plucking away the thatches of grass that lay littered around him. Banner breathed out sharply.

'How're we doing, man? Good? Bad?'

'Really, really good,' he said in all sarcasm, 'you plan on helping out?'

'We're trying,' Bruce looked to me, 'but he won't come out.'

A loud roar of an animal sounded behind us, turning to a see the alien hammer plunging at us in a breakneck speed. I felt a hard mass of object fall over me to block me from the hit and Bruce falling on his back as Tony slammed a leg into his. I was straddling Tony when the alien came for him again, scrambling away as a beam of bright lazer cut through the air and into the hammer. It was deflected, slicing through the apartment nearby and slowly ploughing past the tree. It was knifed and the tree tilted heavily only to splay its leafy branches over Bruce.

'Banner, oh my god!'

I scoured past the braches, breaking some until I spotted Banner who crawled his way up with a weary grunt. He slapped himself on his cheeks, trying to awaken the sleeping beast.

'What're you doing to me, Hulk? Come out, come out, come out!'

I screamed a little when he rose off the ground with a growl, half of Bruce's face mutating into his feral counterpart. The Hulk roared out denial and sucked back into Banner who fell back into the leaves with an exhausted breath. I held his shoulder, crouching by him.

'What do you mean "no"?!' He shouted at his analogue, laying a hand over his eyes. He groaned audibly.

'Ssh, easy, Bruce,' I said in a slow hum. 'Leave it be.'

'I don't know what's happening, Elle, I'm really trying,' he said with evident fear and concern. I tried to offer him a grin, holding his cheek in comfort.

'I know, sweetie. We'll figure it out.'

I propped him up and slowly, we started to make our way past the destroyed intersection and towards the Sanctum. Above us, the spaceship was leaving the atmosphere and no sight of Tony, Stephen or the web-slinging hero on the ground. Peter Parker had appeared out of nowhere, offering Tony a helping hand as they battled out the extraterrestrials. 

I watched the annular ship start to diminish in size, my heart racing for Tony. Palming the phone inside my pocket, I slipped it out and dialled his number in a haste. Bruce watched me quietly.

'Tony?' I heard him exhale as if in pain. 'Oh my god, baby, where are you? Are you—are you hurt?'

'No, I'm fine,' he spoke softly, his voice crackled with the bad interface. I fought hard to hold back a sob, knowing what was coming for me. 'I might need a raincheck on that dinner I promised you.'

'You can't,' I shook my head, 'I'll kick your arse if you don't make it.'

'I know, I'm sorry,' he inhaled sharply. 'Elle, keep Margo safe. I love you both, okay?'

'No, no, no,' I murmured, 'you're not on that ship. You're—'

'I am. God, I'm so sorry.'

I didn't pay heed to his words, a hand going to my mouth to control a cry. Tears had already started to well under my eyes.

'Get off that ship right now, and come back. Come back to me. To us. She needs you—Margo needs you—Tony?'

'Elle? E—Elle—?'

'H—hello, Tony?' 

The line sputtered out in pants and I continued to call out his name to the now, deadened line. In a spurt of anger, I let the phone crash into a mass of rubble with a loud grunt. The screen split and smashed to pieces and my hands going to my face in the utter anguish of losing him all over again. Why couldn't we just catch a break? 

'Elle,' Bruce rubbed my back slowly, 'he'll be back.'

I swiped the tears off my cheeks, thinking of Margo who was under Rhodey's supervision at the headquarters. But first, we had to make a call. I stopped Bruce before he followed Wong into the portal back to the sanctum that stayed unguarded without its sorcerer supreme.

'Wait.'

He turned to see me red-eyed, holding out the flip-phone that I had knicked off Tony a while ago. With every hope gathered in him, he took the phone out of my hands and snapped it open. He was thoughtful as he clicked on the caller and tossing me a small grin.

'Home sweet home.'

∞

Sleep was the farthest thing on anyone's minds back at the Avengers headquarters. My time to be alone had come once again and the feeling only tripled a tier when I watched my little girl doze off with her head fit between my neck and shoulder. My world had avidly collapsed with a million cracks, the only adhesive holding it together was Rhodey and Margo. The loss and anguish came for me in slow waves, even the mere thought of Tony bringing a fresh batch of wetness to my eyes.

Just as I pushed a tear out of my eyes, Rhodey walked into the openly-planned sitting area with a tight smile on his lips. Shifting Margo, I balanced her in a way so he couldn't see my tear-streaked face. 

'Hey,' he murmured, catching the sheen of glossiness in my eyes. I looked away quickly. 'You okay?'

I shook my head fervently. 'Just tired.'

'Want me to take her?'

I nodded, passing the knocked-out Margo into his outstretched arms. He settled her over his arm and she snuffled in a small voice when he adjusted her wrongly. Gently forcing her head into his shoulder, he let her nap quietly. Margo's hair stood out in a crazy mass of curls, almost like brown springs. She wasn't chubby for a tot, flat-cheeked and doe-eyed. 

He grinned, placing his cheek over her head softly. 'I am not ready to see her grow up.'

'Me neither,' I replied, mirroring his expression forcibly. 

'The rest of them came in just now,' he murmured, tilting his head to the door that opened to the meeting room. 'Got off the line with Secretary Douche when they walked in.'

I knit my brows together. 'The rest?'

On my word, the said rest walked in quietly in a slow line. Steve Rogers and Natasha Romanoff lead the lot, their gaze lifting to shock when they fell on me and then, the baby in Rhodey's arms. Falling closely behind them was Wanda Maximoff and Vision who was supported by Sam Wilson. Bruce fell into step with them quickly. The android had a deep gash slicing through his side as if someone had tried to impale him in the most gruesome way possible. From the synthetic matter seeped out of him and I dragged my eyes to the smiling eyes on the Falcon.

'There she is,' Sam Wilson called out. 'Good to see you, London girl.'

I smiled, not bothering to correct him about me not being from London. 'Hello, Sam. How're the wings?'

He squinted. 'You know I like them spicy.'

I chuckled. 

Nat was quick to cross the floor and haul me in for a tight hug. I wasted no time in returning it, fitting my nose into her shoulder and revelling in the warmth. She pulled back with a glowing smile. Her hair had changed from the usual fiery red to a platinum blonde, still managing to look the hottest in the room. Wanda smiled warmly when I sent her one myself.

'Thank god you're not in space with the other asshole,' Nat said softly. Her eyes flickered to the sleeping Margo behind me, her grin widening. 'Is that her?'

'Asleep, though,' I said with a nod. 

'I promise I'll be quiet,' she said with a grin, walking past me to Rhodey who held Margo in his arms. She brushed Margo's cheek with a short laugh and my attention was moved when I felt someone flank my left.

'Eleanor,' Steve said quietly.

'Cap,' I nodded. 

I regarded his unshaven yet raw, masculine glory with an appreciative eye and looking back to Nat who continued to fawn over the sleeping baby. Steve had his usual uniform rugged and dark as if blending in with the soot to show off his unlawful behaviour. Nothing was criminal about Steve Rogers. According to me, he was just trying to do what he thought was right. I held no grudge toward the captain and I don't think I ever will. He helped save Tony's life—I owed him my own.

'Can't say I'm not hurt that I wasn't invited to the wedding,' he muttered, looking to the ring that perched over my finger. I formed a fist around it and forced a smile for his.

'There was no marriage,' I said in a soft breath, 'it was a Vegas night.'

He laughed in an undertone and pointed his chin to my baby. 'What's her name?'

'Margo,' I said. 'Margaret Stark.'

'Oh,' he breathed out. 'Margaret, huh?'

I nodded with a grin. 'I know what you're thinking, Steve.'

'She's adorable,' he mused. 'Looks a lot like him.'

I swallowed down hard, diverting my eyes to my feet. I felt an assertive hand lay over my shoulder and tighten slowly. As if trying to channel faith, he breathed out and murmured something too quick to catch. I turned back to the waiting couple once Nat walked out of the room and Rhodey put down Margo on the wooden cradle as slowly as possible. He followed suit, standing tall to obey anyone's orders.

'They are coming back, right?' Rhodey put forward first, referring to the alien ship that had entered the atmosphere hours ago. Apparently, one had appeared in Scotland, too and managed to attack Vision and Wanda without notice. If it weren't for Steve, Sam and Nat, they wouldn't have made it.

'To assume the worst.'

'And they can and will find us,' the dark-haired witch added.

Bruce was hasty to fill in the gaps. 'We need all hands on deck. On that note, where's Clint?'

Nat answered with a tough breath. 'After the whole Accords situation, he and Scott took a deal. It was too tough on their families, they're on house arrest.'

'Who's Scott?' I asked with scrunched eyebrows. Bruce nodded along, just as confused.

'Ant-Man,' Steve shrugged. 'He can shrink... and stuff.'

Bruce was in awe. 'Wait, there's an Ant-Man and a Spider-Man?'

'Peter Parker,' I informed. 'Fifteen, Queens, can shoot webs.'

I had met Peter a few times especially since Tony had taken such a huge liking to the boy. His very definition of potential could be seen in him and he mentored him as and when he liked it. Built him an entire suit, had him help out with the accords situation. Peter Parker was a soft kid, very respectful and adored Margo. I remembered one time when he came into the mansion for the first time, Margo must've been six months, and he swooped her right into his arms. 

'Okay, look,' he waved it off with a shake of his head, 'Thanos has the biggest army in the universe. And he is not gonna stop until he... he gets... Vision's Stone.'

I cast it a quick glance and assumed that it was the Mind Stone. It glowed a faint yellow on his forehead, activating only when he used it. His mechanical eyes fell on Steve with an unreadable expression.

'Well then,' Nat said, 'we'll protect it.'

'No, we have to destroy it,' Vision himself finalized.

A silence fell over the room, waiting for him to give an explanation.

'I've been giving a good deal of thought to this entity in my head, about its nature,' he said, vaguely pointing to the stone. 'But also, its composition. I think if it were exposed to a sufficiently powerful energy source, something, very similar to its own signature, perhaps...'

Vision neared Wanda who stood quietly whilst shaking her head. A gash rested on her head, probably from the fight earlier in the night.

'Its molecular integrity could fail.'

'And you, with it,' she stressed. 'We're not having this conversation.'

'Eliminating the stone is the only way to be certain that Thanos can't get it.'

'That's too high a price,' she said, her voice ending in a plea.

Vision directed a comforting look at her, taking her face in his hands. She visibly leaned into his touch, her eyes despondent. My heart broke for these two - in love but not ready give up just yet. 

'Only you have the power to pay it,' he murmured and Wanda, evidently distressed, walked away from him with a surge of passion. 'One life cannot stand in the way of defeating him,' Vision stated calmly. 

'We have to try,' I replied just as easily. 'Even if it's one life, it still matters.'

'She's right,' Steve agreed, looking at Vision with terse eyes. 'We don't trade lives, Vision.'

Vision wasn't ready to back down just yet. 'Captain, seventy years ago, you laid down your life to save how many millions of people. Tell me, why is this any different?'

Because that was seventy years ago, I had the urge to scoff. Steve was in an obvious loss for words, diverting his gaze to his feet. Bruce, as hasty as ever, spoke up from deep contemplation.

'Because you might have a choice.' 

We looked to Banner, expectant.

'Your mind is made up of a complex construct of overlays,' he explained, motioning to his articulate brain structure. 'JARVIS, Ultron, Tony, me, the Stone. All of them mixed together. All of them learning from one another.'

Wanda was the first to reflect with Banner, the most hopeful of us all. 'So Vision isn't just the stone?'

'Even if we do take out the stone,' he said, 'there's a whole lot of Vision left. Maybe the best parts. It's like a reactor modding,' he looked at me with a smile, 'you still have a lot of yourself left.'

I managed to grin back and Nat expressed her concern curtly. 'So it's possible?'

'Not me. Not here.'

Rhodey put forward the first dilemma we would be facing. 'You better find someone, and somewhere fast. Ross isn't exactly just gonna let you guys have your old rooms back.'

Steve nodded, the lost hope in his eyes returning as he looked to us. 'I know a place.'

∞

In the Quinjet, I sat quietly listening to the hum of the rotors as the jet continues to dip and rise. Outside, the world was light and brightly illuminated due to the tracking lights on the wing engine. Margo slept like a log in the baby basket carrier, all tucked in and turned sideways. I was pensive about leaving her behind in the headquarters all alone and Happy was nowhere within reach. Forced to bring her along to a zone that would soon be brimming with war because I had no one left to trust. Those I did were fighting, leaving me with no choice but to lead her onward. 

All the while, Nat stuck to Margo like glue. She wouldn't leave her side for a second, keenly watching her and smiling without her knowledge as she did. I understood why finally, seeing that her past wasn't too kind on her maternal gifts. The instinct was too tough to eradicate hence, the drive to feel obligated to protect a child at any cost. Just when I rose to approach the duo who loomed over the basket, Nat reached out to brush her finger over Margo's cheek. Once again, a smile overtook her face. Wanda glanced at her, amused.

'It's nice to have a baby around,' Nat tried to prove and looked at me. 'This one takes my heart. Does she ever cry?'

'One of the golden babies, huh, Elle?' Sam called from the pilot seat, clicking a switch over his head.

'It eventually gets worse,' I replied with a sigh. 

I internally shivered at the thought of her first colic when she was three months in. Her cries were always there, making Tony and me not catch a wink of sleep. It was the worst month of that year.

'She's so quiet,' Steve muttered, casting a stare into the carrier. 'It's almost like she's dead.'

The warnings and disagreements came at once.

'Dude!'

'Cap, no.'

'Blunt much?'

Rhodey, Sam and Nat had blurted out at the same time, Steve raising his hands in surrender and turning back to the cockpit. After pitching me a pleading glance, he responded to an urgent call from Sam. I focused back on Margo who stirred lightly, her blue eyes coming to sight with a slow blink. A low snuffle left her as she coughed out a small cry.

'Uh-oh,' Nat whispered and another cry left her lips, this time louder. 'Rogers, we better be landing.'

He grinned over his shoulder with a nod. 'We're here.'

∞

[ yo, honestly fuck this, man. ]

edited!