Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

A Snap Of His Fingers

“...leaving Charm City trailing Nashville by four points at halftime. And now to the news with Ryan Mitchell and Mike Reynolds.”

Peedee stood at the counter at Beach Citywalk Fries, cheek resting on his hand as he gazed boredly out at the Boardwalk. On the other side of the room, Ronaldo was sitting by the radio, waiting excitedly for the news to come on. Ever since that UFO had appeared in New York, he'd been desperate for any information he could get - and even less focused on helping with work than ever before.

“Welcome to Delmarva News On The Hour, I'm Ryan Mitchell. Reports of alien craft hanging over Africa have not been confirmed by NASA, despite rampant speculation about a second invasion. Mike?”

“Thanks Ryan. The Wakandan Ambassador to the United States was observed entering the White House at about lunch time, but the State Department claims it is a routine visit. President Ellis…”

“Hey Peedee.”

Peedee looked up. Jane had arrived at the counter, carrying a book bag over her shoulder. Ronaldo grinned and stood up.

“Jane-sama!” he exclaimed, running over, “Did you bring the book?”

Jane smiled at him and handed him the bag.

“UFOs and You by Barney and Betty Wells?” she replied.

Ronaldo beamed, taking the bag.

“Yes!” he exclaimed, “This book’s gonna contain all the answers! Come on, Jane - we’re gonna expose the truth!”

“How about you expose those potatoes to the fryer?” grunted Peedee, pointing to a sack of peeled potatoes.

“Peedee! There are more important things at stake!” declared Ronaldo, “Besides, you can do it, right?”

“Ugh, you're impossible,” grunted Peedee, rolling his eyes.

He tuned Ronaldo out as he went to let Jane in, focusing instead on the radio again.

“...elections in the country to be held in September. And now for local news, Senator...ah, sorry, lost focus for a moment…"

“Looks like you shouldn't have skipped your coffee, Mike, heh heh...wait...Mike?”

Peedee glanced at the radio, eyebrow raised. The reporter’s tone sounded odd to him, as if he was surprised by something.

“Mike, you've got a bit of...oh god, oh god, Mike! What the hell-somebody get security in here! He's just - oh my god, get help!”

“What in the name of…” mused Peedee.

There was a sudden loud crash. Peedee jumped, watching in horror as a car sped onto the boardwalk and slammed into a pole. A second later, he heard a scream from down the road, although he couldn't tell who it was.

“What the hell?” spluttered Peedee.

He clutched his head, his thoughts racing - don't panic, there's been town meetings, we just need to get to shelter. Grab Dad and Ronaldo and get to shelter, everything will be fine.

He turned around.

Ronaldo stood near the door, gazing at his hands. He was shaking visibly, his eyes wide.

“Ronaldo, get dad, we gotta go!” exclaimed Peedee.

“Peedee,” replied Ronaldo shakily, “I…”

“Ronaldo, shut up and -”

His shout was caught in his throat.

Like dust caught in the wind, Ronaldo’s hands began to flow apart into small particles - they looked and smelt like ash. It quickly spread up his arms, consuming his body.

He looked up at his brother - his eyes were glassy and Peedee could sense a deep, primal fear in them.

“Peedee,” he whimpered, “Help.”

Jane tried to grab hold of her boyfriend’s shoulder for support, but her hands simply ran through a cloud of dark, sickly ash. Peedee watched, shaking, as his brother's face disappeared like dust in the wind, and all traces of his body vanished into nothing.

Jane stared at her hands, now covered in ashes. She had turned a sickly pale.

Peedee stammered, his throat dry.

“Dah…dah...DAAAAAAAAD!”

The back door flew open. Mr. Fryman stumbled in, falling to his knees in front of Peedee. He clutched his son’s shoulder’s, squeezing so tightly on them that it stung.

“You're alright,” he wheezed, almost deliriously, “Thank god, you're alright…”

“Dad, something happened to Ronaldo, we have to - NO!”

Peedee yelped as his father’s body disintegrated right before his eyes.

He stepped back, feet unsteady. He reached into his pocket and pulled out an old phone, stabilising himself against the sink with the other hand. He glanced briefly at Jane - she was catatonic but at least she seemed intact - before speed-dialling a number.

The phone rang twice.

“H-hello?”

“Jeff! It's Peedee. I-I-I need to know you're alright, okay!”

There was a long silence.

“Come on, Jeff, say something!” Peedee shouted.

“I-I'm scared,” Jeff sobbed, “I can't...I don't want to...I don't wanna leave y…”

His voice cut off, and Peedee heard a sickening crack on the other end of the line.

His strength left him, and he dropped the phone. Shaking, sweating and tearing up, he leaned over the sink and threw up.

They were sitting at Fish Stew Pizza when they first realised something had gone horribly wrong.

The Cool Kids had been sitting around their table, cheerfully talking about whatever came to mind, when a scream split the air. Jenny turned her head just in time to see Suitcase Sam finish fading away.

“...what?” quizzed Sour Cream, confused.

There was another scream. Next to the counter, Mr. Smiley clutched the counter in terror as his body slowly evaporated. He turned to Kiki and reached out for her in desperation - Kiki screamed as his body vanished.

“Kiki!” Jenny heard Kofi shout from the kitchen, “What's going on out there?”

Kiki ran to the kitchen as a few other customers, none of whom Jenny recognised, disintegrated into nothing. By now, screams were filling the air, not only from inside the restaurant but outside as well.

Buck ran outside - Jenny and Sour Cream exchanged a worried glance before following him.

The boardwalk was a scene of pandemonium. A light wind blew fragments of ash through the air, and car alarms sounded in the distance. Far out to sea, Jenny could see a seaplane hurtling down towards the water.

Something knocked into her, nearly sending her sprawling. She turned…

...and yelped at the sight of a slowly crumbling Barb, panic and confusion in her eyes.

“Sadie!” she exclaimed, “I've gotta find my…”

Her face collapsed and her ashes blew away.

The door behind them burst open. Kiki emerged, her eyes wide.

“Dad’s gone!” she exclaimed, “It...it's taken Dad!”

Immediately, Sour Cream took out his phone, frantically calling home. Buck began to do the same, but quite suddenly he stopped.

“Oh no,” he said.

Then, like a cloud slowly drifting away in the breeze, he fell apart and vanished.

“What the hell is this?” exclaimed Jenny, stepping back in shock.

“They're not answering,” said Sour Cream, his voice shaking, “Mom and Yellowdad, they won't pick up…”

Jenny swallowed, shaking her head.

“What is this?” she asked hoarsely, “What is going on?”

Sadie was sitting on a park bench in the town square, reading a magazine. It was a sunny afternoon, and she felt more relaxed than she had in a long while.

Quite suddenly, she heard a frantic mumbling. She looked up - Onion was pointing frantically down the footpath.

“Onion? What is it?” she asked.

She looked where he was pointing - just in time to see a man (Ian, she thought his name was?) vanish into dust.

“Oh,” she said.

She got up, grabbing Onion’s hand as her fight-or-flight instinct kicked in. She had to get somewhere safe - she had to get home. She began to scroll briskly down the path.

Not far away, she saw Nanefua and her bodyguards climbing onto a park bench. The mayor had her megaphone out.

“Everybody stay calm,” she ordered, “Get to shelter immediately. I…”

Her megaphone toppled to the ground as her arm faded away. As she and the guard to her left began to disappear, she began to shout.

“Do not panic! Get to safe…”

And then she was gone. The other bodyguard screamed and bolted, and Sadie could hear pandemonium from the boardwalk.

She didn't remember how she got home - she had just about gone into autopilot. But she soon did, and turned to Onion to reassure him.

“Okay, we’re safe, it's gonna be…”

Onion was gone. Sadie opened her hand and looked numbly at the small coating of ash that covered it.

Doug winced as another car smashed into the back of his, but paid it no mind as he leapt out of his car. He was outside the hospital, and it seemed the world was collapsing all around him.

He had been on his way to the hospital to check in on Priyanka in his lunch break - two of his co-workers, Frank and Maggie, had hitched a lift with him, as they were on shift at the building that afternoon.

It had all happened at once. Maggie had disintegrated, and then the road had turned to chaos as cars suddenly lost their drivers. Frank was staying in the car, desperately radioing for help, as Doug raced to check on his wife.

He burst into reception, wincing as the receptionist disappeared in front of him. He bolted in the direction of Priyanka’s office, shoving past another doctor on the way.

“Mr. Maheswaran, wait! You’re…”

Doug ignored him, turning a corner and seeing her office just a head of him. He picked up the pace, reaching for the knob.

He never made it, his body exploding like a clod of dirt as it hit the door.

It was probably for the best. For inside the office, Priyanka had already faded into nothing.

“...who’s a good pumpkin? You are!”

Peridot cheerfully gave Pumpkin a rub in the Burning Room, while Garnet and Amethyst checked the status of a corrupted gem they had bubbled earlier.

“Yep, she’s looking good to me,” said Amethyst, looking over the bubble, “Nice and snug in her…”

She trailed off as the gem faded, replaced by a small cloud of black dust.

“...okay, that’s new,” she said, “This some kind of dirt gem, Garnet?”

Garnet didn’t reply. She was looking up at the bubbled gems - watching as roughly half of them fell apart in the same away. Amethyst swallowed as she saw the same thing.

“Uh, Garnet?” she asked, “Is this some kind of Homeworld thing? Are they taking…”

“Pumpkin! ”

Peridot jumped back, clutching her head as Pumpkin disintegrated in front of her. There was a high-pitched, distressed yelp, and then she was gone.

“Where’d she go?” demanded Peridot, “Where’d she go?! ”

Garnet shook her head, covering her mouth with her hand.

“Peridot,” she replied, “I’m sorry, she’s…”

She clutched her head, and with a flash of light, Ruby and Sapphire were lying on the ground.

“Geez, Sapphire,” grunted Ruby, “You’ve gotta warn me before…”

Sapphire was gazing at Ruby, her hair parted way from her eyes. She was shuddering violently.

“No, not like this,” she was saying, “Please, not like this…”

“Sapphy?” Ruby asked worriedly, “What’s wrong?”

She gasped as Sapphire’s arms began to flow apart - just like the bubbled gems.

“Wait, no!” she exclaimed, “I’m not letting them take you! Whoever’s doing this Sapphy, I’m gonna find…”

“There’ll be nothing to find.”

Ruby trailed off, her eyes wide.

“What? No, you can’t mean … ”

“Ruby, I lo…”

She faded away.

“Ruby? Amethyst? What’s going on?” Peridot shouted, running over to them.

“Okay, calm down, Peri, it’s gonna be okay,” said Amethyst, pulling her into a hug, “I’m here, I’m not going anywhere.”

Peridot closed her eyes and held Amethyst tight.

“It’s gonna be okay, Peri, just breathe for me, alright? Just br...:”

Peridot felt her grip slacken. She opened her eyes, just in time to see the faintest afterimage of Amethyst disappear like a black cloud.

“Amethyst! ”

She looked around, desperately searching for any trace of her. Her eyes locked with Ruby’s - the look of confusion, horror and despair in her face probably matched her own.

“...this is an emergency broadcast for all persons in the Beach City area! We have confirmed reports of mass disappearances throughout the region and the nation. The phone lines are overwhelmed, so do not use your phone. Please stay indoors until told otherwise. I repeat, this is an emergency broadcast…”

The phone didn’t even ring this time. An automated voice simply told her that she couldn’t connect.

Pearl pulled the phone down again, pressing the green button under Sheena’s name once more. She was alone in the Beach House - Garnet, Amethyst and Peridot hadn’t come out yet. Cat Steven was resting on her lap, as if nothing bad was happening.

“Come on, please pick up,” muttered Pearl, lifting the phone up again.

This time, the phone connected. And not far away, a cracked, abandoned cell phone on a deserted apartment floor rang.

“What the heck is Knowhere and why are we getting distress calls from them?” asked Lars.

“I don’t know, Captain,” replied left-Rutile.

“The signal’s old, though,” added right-Rutile, “It’s probably too late to help them.”

“Well, it’s probably for the best, right?” shrugged Rhodonite, “I mean, it would’ve been dangerous , right?”

“Yeah, probab...whoa.”

“Twins? What does ‘ whoa’ mean?” asked Lars, concerned.

“We’re getting distress calls from all over the Empire,” replied right-Rutile.

“I mean, every single planet ,” added left-Rutile.

“What? ”

“Captain!” an unfamiliar voice yelled.

Two small gems that Lars didn’t recognise (Peridots, weren’t they?) raced out of the engine room in a state of panic.

“Who are you?” demanded Lars, “Where’s Fluorite?”

“We are Fluorite!” exclaimed one of the Peridots.

“The others, they...they turned into dust!” shouted the other.

“C-Captain?”

Lars turned to Rhodonite, just in time to see her split into her two component gems - a Ruby and a Pearl. The Pearl screeched as the Ruby began to disintegrate.

“Captain!”

Lars turned again. Now the right-hand Rutile was flaking apart, although the left twin seemed fine. He watched in horror as both she and the Ruby disappeared into a cloud of ash.

“Okay, what is going on here?” demanded Lars, “Who’s taking my friends?”

“C...Captain…”

He turned to Padparadscha. She was shaking, and tears were flowing from her covered eye.

“Padparadscha? Wh...what can you see?” asked Lars.

“A being called Thanos,” replied Padparadscha, “Is about to destroy half the population of the universe. S...so many people...Rhodonite, Flourite, Rutile...”

Silence fell on the bridge of the Sun Incinerator, and Lars released his hands were shaking.

“He’s completely beneath our concern,” scoffed Yellow Diamond, crossing her arms as she regarded Blue Diamond through the Diamond Communication Network, “This ‘mad titan’ can’t possibly hope to match the power of our empire and our fleets. Even if we lost a couple of low caste gems, they’re expendable.”

“If he really does have the Infinity Gauntlet, Yellow…”

“It’s a myth, Blue,” snorted Yellow Diamond, “A tale designed to give would-be emperors like this Thanos ideas above their stations. I wouldn't be worried. Now, is there anything important…”

“M-my Diamond!”

“Pearl, are you speaking out of line?” demanded Yellow Diamond.

She looked down at her Pearl. Her lips pursed as she watched her flow apart, staring in utter horror at her disappearing body.

“My Diamond, please, help!” she exclaimed.

Not even a second later, she was gone. Through the communication link, Yellow Diamond saw Blue Pearl cover her mouth and step back, but neither Diamond regarded the incident with much horror themselves.

“Huh,” grunted Yellow Diamond, “That’s annoying.”

“It’s clear, then,” snapped Blue Diamond, “Thanos has gotten what he wants. We need to…”

She trailed off, lifting her arm. Just like Yellow Pearl, it was flaking away like dust in the wind.

“Blue? ” asked Yellow Diamond, her tone dangerous.

“Well,” said Blue Diamond, “It seems we are not above Thanos after all.”

She closed her eyes and sighed as she began at vanish.

“Perhaps now I can have peace…”

Yellow Diamond’s eyes widened as her fellow diamond disappeared, leaving her Pearl standing alone in a quickly vanishing black cloud.

For a long time, she said nothing.

“Pearl,” she said, her voice dangerously even, “Get me your ship’s captain. I want your ship here now. I need it to crush Thanos like the insect he is.”

Sirens rang out. From the town, Steven could hear people screaming. He could hear a helicopter spinning out in the distance, and the radio played the harsh, ear-piercing tones of the Emergency Broadcast System.

He huddled in the back of the van, head buried in his knees. Connie rubbed his shoulder with one hand, holding her sword at the ready with the other. Greg stood at the back door, watching the panic. He called to ex-Mayor Dewey as he ran by.

“Bill? What’s going on?”

“No time, Universe, I need to find Buck!”

Greg nodded and turned around, closing the van doors behind him.

“Okay, Steven,” he said, kneeling down, “Look at me.”

Steven looked up, still shaking.

“It’s gonna be okay,” he said, “I won’t let anything happen to you, Stu-ball, I promise.”

Steven swallowed and nodded.

“I just wish I knew what was going on,” he said, “I mean, the radio said mass disappearances? Is it Homeworld? Is it Aqua-”

“Uh, Mr. Universe?” interrupted Connie.

She pointed at the bottom of his hair. It was collapsing into nothing - and the effect soon spread to his body. His eyes widened as he watched his arms start to disappear, but he quickly swallowed and turned back to Steven.

“Dad…” croaked Steven.

“It’s gonna be okay, Steven,” assured Greg, “It’s gonna...it’s gonna be okay! Garnet, Amethyst, Pearl, they’re gonna look after you! It’s gonna be okay…”

His face disintegrated and he was gone. A small coating of ash sprinkled Steven’s face - he rubbed some of it off with a finger and gazed at it.

“No,” he said, starting to sob, “Not Dad...not Dad… ”

“Steven?”

She pulled Steven into a hug, rubbing his back as he began to sob.

“I’m here,” Connie whispered, “I’m here…”

It was a while before either was confident that she would stay there.

It took hours for people to work out the significance of what had happened, and days to truly appreciate the scale. A great hole was ripped in the very heart of the cosmos, from Earth to Homeworld, Sakaar to what remained of Xandar, the Jungle Moon to the Human Zoo, and nothing would ever be the same.

For in a small forest on Earth, a madman with the Infinity Gauntlet had snapped his fingers. And just like that, half the universe died.

Chapter Text

The Day After

Calvin Winslow was about as distraught as anyone else in the world after the event. Though he had no living family to be taken from him, the existential dread of what had happened still weighed heavily. All he could do was do something, anything, to distract himself.

On the first day, among the panic and shock, he helped anyone he could. He was a veterinarian, not a doctor, but he could at least help with first aid. As the fires started dying down, he had a different goal.

Half of all people… And half of all pets and animals had disappeared. He spent most of the day after breaking windows of locked cars whose drivers had vanished to rescue dogs, cats, and babies. He was grateful it hadn’t been particularly warm out or he’d have found a lot more bodies. The children he handed off to police and EMTs. The pets, well… what kind of veterinarian would he be not to take them in and feed them?

He cradled an elderly toy poodle in his arms as he stepped out of his van towards his practice. She seemed to have injured her hind legs when the car had wrecked. He was so focused on planning how to treat her, he made it all the way to the door without noticing the young woman who sat on the sidewalk under his window. Her eyes were bloodshot, but focused on him. Her mouth twitched, as if she was trying to force a smile but couldn’t overcome the other emotions. She had shoulder length brown hair and wore an all black outfit, save for what appeared to be metal braces on her forearms.

“Hi…” she said.

“Uh… hello.” Calvin answered. “Are you ok?”

“Is anyone?”

Calvin nodded as he reached for his keys. Everyone on Earth was grieving. He didn't mind if this woman wanted to do that on his sidewalk. He'd bring her some water or something as soon as he set the poodle down.

“Let me get the door for you.” She reached out with one hand and snapped her fingers. He saw the door handle vibrate lightly, click, and then swing open of its own accord. About two years ago he would have been shocked, but he'd seen the news from the last few years.

“Thanks.” He carried the wounded animal inside, and after a moment's hesitation, the woman followed him inside. “Are you one of those Inhumans they talk about on the news?” He began to tend to the animal. He didn't feel a drop of hostility from her… it even felt like they'd met before.

“Yeah actually. I'm Daisy,” she said. “You seem really calm about that.”

“Well, I strive not to be prejudiced.” He smiled. “Everyone's lost people… I'm believing in the best of people right now to keep me going.” Behind him, Daisy smiled, sighed, and wiped away a tear.

“You’re a good man Dr. Winslow… which is why I'm really sorry about this.” She paused. Calvin turned around, but before he could respond he was asked a question. “Have you ever been to Tahiti?”

“Yeah, I went for a week to celebrate my college graduation. It's a magical place…”

He added that last bit without meaning to. “Wait… why did I say…” His brow furled.

“You've done amazing here Cal… I just wanted you to have a normal life and be happy…” Daisy told him. “But now everyone's dead.” She began to cry. “Coulson… May… Fitz and Simmons… I'm the only one left and I don't know what to do!” She sounded helpless and angry. “That's why I need you to come back to me… Dad…”

Calvin didn't have a child. That he knew of. But this woman was distraught and mistaking him for someone else. As a human being he couldn't help but try to comfort her. But ever since she had brought up Tahiti, a voice was ringing in the back of his mind. 

Daisy, Daisy, give me your answer do…

I'm half crazy, oh for the love of you...

“Calvin Zabo…” Daisy said to him. “Disengage Tahiti protocol, 0039.”

For a brief instant, Calvin felt like he'd been shot in the head. And from the “hole” in his frontal cortex, memories came flooding out.

His time with Doctors Without Borders in rural China. His meeting, loving, and marrying an Inhuman named Jaiying. Her apparent murder and the kidnapping of his infant daughter. And then twenty years of violence and insanity in search of his daughter and revenge. How he'd worked for HYDRA to make that happen. How when he finally met his daughter she had powers like her mother. And how, despite the monster he'd become, his daughter had pulled strings to have his memory erased instead of being sent to prison to die.

He was not Calvin Winslow… he was Calvin Zabo.

Formerly the villain Mr. Hyde.

 There was nothing left of King T’challa to bury. Between those killed in the battle and those killed by Thanos, Wakanda was even more desolated than the rest of the world. None of the tribes wanted anything to do with challenging for the throne… and even if they had, the heart-shaped herb had died with the king. There could never be another Black Panther.

The de facto leader now was Princess Shuri; last survivor of T’Challa’s bloodline. She refused to take the title of Queen. Now was not the time for titles and politics. Instead of the throne room, she and the Avengers and their allies were convened in her laboratory, assessing the situation and determining their next move. While everyone in the room was participating in the conversation, she and Dr. Banner multi-tasked and continued to repair the War Machine suit. The Hulk Buster suit would take significantly more work, and Dr Banner assured her he could get modular replacements from Stark’s workshop.

But no one knew whether Tony was alive or not. Dr. Banner had been the last to see him, as he pursued one of Thanos’ ships out into space. Even his AI Friday, which Shuri was shocked had managed to break through HER security to reach her, knew nothing beyond this.

“Our first priority must be locating and overcoming Thanos.” Thor insisted. Okoye said nothing, but added a simple but resolute nod.

“With what?” Rocket said. “Your planet is way, way, WAY behind on space travel you know.”

“The same way we got here…” Thor gestured at the axe on his hip. Rocket flinched slightly at the sight of his dead friend’s arm that served as the axe handle. “Stormbringer can open the Bifrost.”

“Yeah… but we find him and then what?” Natascha asked.

“Nat’s right.” Banner said. “He’s got the whole gantlet now. If we go straight at him and he feels threatened, he can just kill the other half of the universe.”

“So we got to sneak attack then.” Rhodey said. “Find him and get one clean swing at the neck while he’s asleep or something.”

“No.” Steve stopped them.

“Excuse me?” Thor looked at him in disbelief. “What?”

“We have other problems to deal with first.” He said. “When we go for Thanos we only get one shot. It has to be perfect. We need a plan. We need time to prepare. And in the meantime there’s a lot that needs doing here.”

“Such as?”

“How about…” Shuri stepped away from the suit and started manipulating holo screens around the room. “The riots and anarchy all over Europe…” A video started playing to her right. “Or how Ryker’s island prison in New York had a jail break last night, including several incarcerated villains.” News chopper video played to her left, showing a large figure charging directly into a police barricade and flipping one of their cars over. An instant later, a figure flew directly at the camera, wearing a brown jacket, gas mask, and large mechanical wingsuit. The camera cut as he smashed onto the helicopter. “And then there’s the old shield facility in the arctic… Bruce, you know who’s there, right?”

“Blonsky?” He asked. Shuri nodded.

“And lastly… we lost yesterday… even though we had an army. And now we have about ⅓ an army.” Shuri turned to Black Widow. “Natascha, you were a spy for SHIELD before… I’m sure you know of some enhanced individuals who are under the radar. If they’re still alive, their help would be much appreciated.”

“I’ll do some recruiting.”

“The rabbit and I will go to space and start scouting for Thanos’ location.”

“Once the suit is done, we’ll try to calm things down wherever we can.” Okoye nodded at Rhodey.

“Bruce and I will go head back to New York. While you get the Hulkbuster back online, I’ll work on hunting down those enhanced escapes.” Steve finished.  “I know we’re got a lot to avenge right now… but saving lives comes first.”

“Time to go to work.”

Tony awoke, his heartbeat elevated. In his sleep, he had relived the disaster in full. Right up through the brutal beating. Thanos’ departure. The guardians dissolving into ash. And then Peter...

Tony pulled himself from the rock face with a pained groan - mostly from the near fatal wounds from the previous day, not helped by sleeping on rocks. He looked around for the other survivor; the alien named Nebula.

They’d only talked briefly before Tony passed out. She has been “adopted” and then tortured by Thanos to the point she was now mostly machine. She has been trying to stop him too, to no avail. They weren’t friends now or anything, they just had a common enemy.

An hour later, the sun was setting as Nebula returned with a mesh net slung over her shoulder, loaded down with parts salvaged from the various ships. Her own ship, the guardians’, and of course the one Tony, Strange and Peter had hitched a ride on; all of them had been reduced to scraps and shrapnel in the battle. He might have built his first suit in a cave with scraps… but building a spacecraft the same way was an order of magnitude too much to ask.

“You build things, right?” She asked bluntly.

“They usually get smashed up pretty quickly.” He gestured at the depleted remains of his armor, the last of it’s nanobots holding his stomach wounds closed like a metal medical brace. “But I dabble.”

“Good. Help me with this.” She dumped the net full of salvage onto a table height flat rock. Tony stepped over and looked at the assorted alien technology. Most of it was obviously foreign, those he recognized what a handful of then might be. Parts from Thanos’ old ship were similar to Chitauri technology he had dissected for study after the first Battle of New York.

Nebula had also gathered combustibles while he was asleep, with which she started a small bonfire to provide light and warmth. With her mostly cyborg body, Tony didn’t think she needed either, so it was mostly for his benefit. Small talk between then wasn’t attempted as they worked. What else was there to say?

“Done.” Tony closed a panel on the crude scrap device. It was an sos beacon. He had no clue what it’s range would be but it was better than nothing. Entering a code on his chest plate, the storage unit for the bleeding edge armor disconnected, and he plugged it in. The suit itself may have been nanotech, but the chestplate was still a highly refined arc-reactor. It was their best chance to get a signal far enough out.

After the transmission was started, both of then sat by the fire, saying nothing. Tony didn’t even try. He just kept thinking about Peter. If his Aunt was alive, confessing to her how this was his fault would be challenging. And back on Earth… who else was dead? Did they lose Bruce just as quickly as they got him back? Was Rhodey alive? Happy? Pepper? Two hours into the silence, his new companion spoke up.

“Sucks to lose everything, doesn’t it?” Nebula asked.

“Understatement much?”

“When Thanos killed my family and took me… I felt like I had lost everything… but I was wrong.” She ran her left hand across her right forearm. “First a limb… then an eye… then another limb… internal organs… and so on.” She said. “Every time I thought I’d hit bottom Thanos just broke out a shovel.” She stared up at the stars. “Years ago… when he ran out of parts to replace… I thought I’d never have to deal with that feeling again. But I was wrong.”

“Are you talking about... “ Tony tried to remember the name that had put Quill into a rage. “Uh… starts with a G?”

“Gamora. My sister.” She looked like she wanted to cry… but her mechanical parts just weren’t equipped for it. “He was killing me… she led him to the Soul Stone to save me… and then he killed her.”

“Why didn’t she just let me die?” She said. “If she had Thanos would never have gotten the stones.”

“That’s love.” Tony said, before immediately realising how sappy that had sounded. But it was still true.

before he could muster a follow up, a ship passed over their heads, looking for a clearing to land.

“And that’s hopefully our space uber.”

“Our what?”

"Earth thing.”

The two walked cautiously towards the yellow spaceship, whose rear ramp was lowering. Just above the descending ramp, the name “The Sun Incinerator” had been sloppily hand painted in black on the hull.

Descending the steps came four aliens. Two small, nearly identical aliens with green skin and yellow hair flanked a lanky red alien with darker red hair, who had only one arm. This frontline of the three were carrying weapons and looking nervous, but not aiming at them.

Behind them came one that appeared human… save for the bubblegum pink color of his skin and hair. He had a scar over one eye, and wore a flamboyant black outfit with a cape. The four stopped at the bottom of the ramp.

“We picked up a distress signal. Was that you? The pink one asked them, shouting slightly to be heard over the distance.

“Yeah, hi!” Tony tried to put on a genial expression.

“Captain, we already knew it had to be them. They were the only life signs on the planet.” Said one of the green ones.

“I know Perry, it’s called fishing for information.” The pink one said.

“What are fish?” The other green one asked.

“Uh… remind me later Purdy, it’s not important right now.” He said. “Alright I’m gonna go talk to them, just keep me covered.” The three broke ranks as the seemingly unarmed pink alien approached them. As he grew closer in the dark, Tony noted just how human he looked besides the color. He even appeared to have gauged ears.

“So, what exactly happen-” he stopped mid sentence, eyes focused on Tony. “TONY STARK!”

One of Tony’s eyebrows raised. Not even HIS ego expected to be famous out in space, this far away from Earth.

“Uh… yeah. How do you know me exactly?”

“How do I know you!?” He sputtered. “You’re IRON MAN. You are literally one of my childhood heroes!”

He stepped up and grabbed one of Tony’s hands, shaking it with both of his. Tony looked a mixture of annoyed and confused, causing his hand to be released.

“Not a handshake guy, sorry!” He stepped away like he’d committed a social faux pa. “My name is Lars Barriga and I know this looks weird,” he gestured at his pinkness. “But I’m from Earth. Trying to get back right now actually. But what are you doing here?”

Chapter Text

Pearl crossed the deserted beach slowly, Sheena’s motorcycle slung over her shoulder with one hand like a coat. It’s existential weight far exceeded it’s true mass; its owner was gone. Like the billions of others. She carried it up the steps and set it on the patio.

Sheena has wanted to teach her how to ride it. While Pearl was confidant she could teach herself, now she didn’t want to.  She stepped into the house.

Ruby lay face down and silent on the couch. Stevonnie was cocooned in blankets in Steven’s bed. So that was unchanged since yesterday. The only sign time in the beach house hadn’t frozen in her absence was Peridot. Sitting in the space between the warp pad and temple door, surrounded by dissected phones and laptops “salvaged” from a dozen different beach city residents, Peridot was building something with grim determination.

The metal tower was taller than she was, requiring her ferrokinesis to make fine adjustments above her own reach. Atop the tower the Wailing Stone had been set in place, with Greg’s old audio equipment still in its central receiver.

“Pearl!” Peridot called to her, but not loud enough to wake the others. Pearl crossed the room to her.

“How’s it coming?”

“Almost there.” She said. “If we can tap into homeworld frequencies, we can find out what’s going on out in space, and whether this phenomenon is localized on the Earth or not. As well as…” She leered sadly at the purple gemstone set in the temple door. “... who or what did this.”

“Do you need more parts?”

“Not Earth parts.” Peridot glanced up Steven’s room. “But I’m pretty sure Lars has everything I need on his ship. I probably wouldn’t even need to build a frequency scanner if…” Up in the loft, the cocoon of blankets squeezed into a tighter ball. “I KNOW YOU CAN HEAR ME!”

“Peridot!” Pearl snapped, stepping between them. “Leave them alone!”

“No!” Peridot crosses her arms defiantly. “Amethyst is GONE. Garnet is GONE. But have I been lying there paralyzed for two days? NO! I’m trying to solve this, and NONE.” She struck her fist on the machine. “OF YOU.” She kicked it. “ARE HELPING!”

Part of Pearl wanted to slap her. But with the tears that came out of the small green gem, she also wanted to hug her. They all had to find ways of coping… be it silent withdrawal or loud tantrums. Pearl herself had spent a good eighteen hours in her temple room doing just that the previous day… and had felt guilty to emerge and see Stevonnie instead of the kids. They said that they just couldn’t deal with this right now. Not alone. And Pearl had left her team alone whether she meant to or not.

“Peridot…” She hugged the smaller, crying gem, "It’s gonna be ok…”

“How… how can you say that?”

“Because I’ve been through it before.” Pearl also cried, but with a bit more control.  After a moment’s pause, she let her go and glanced up at the loft. “I’ll go talk to them.”

Greg was dead.

Doug and Priyanka were dead.

Amethyst was dead.

Sapphire, and therefore Garnet, was dead.

Who else were they going to find out was dead? What were they supposed to do? In their mind Stevonnie felt like they were in a prison cell, getting a newspaper every hour that announced the deaths of more of their friends and family. And they could do nothing.

In faint echoes outside the prison walls they could hear Peridot talking. About Lars. Schrodinger's Lars; thought the Connie part of them. They didn’t know if he was alive or dead: he was simultaneously both until such time they observed one reality or another. And they were both terrified to open their eyes and look.

“I KNOW YOU CAN HEAR ME!” Peridot yelled. They felt their prison walls close in. They didn’t want to look… they just couldn’t. Not so soon after everyone else… “NONE!” There was banging on the cell bars. “OF YOU!” The walls closed in more. “ARE HELPING!”

How could they help? They were helpless. Helpless to help their friends. Helpless to save their families. Helpless to do anything else but cry in each others shoulders. So helpless they were beginning to wish it had…”

“Stevonnie.”

Pearl’s voice rang clear, as if she was standing just beyond the bars. They felt a warm touch in the palm of their hand and forced their eyes open. Through a small gap in the blankets they saw Pearl sitting on the side of the bed, holding their hand.

“Are you… doing ok?”

“No.” They responded.

“I understand.” Pearl said nothing for a while but just held their hand. She eventually continued.  “The unknown can be… scary. I understand that. And a horrible truth you just don’t want to acknowledge… that feels so bad you feel like you’ll die if you do…” Stevonnie couldn’t see her face, but knew she was also crying. “The longer you deny it the more it hurts… but we can’t stop living. Your parents wouldn’t want this for you. Amethyst wouldn’t want this for you. I don’t want this for you. So please…” Pearl’s grasp on their hand tightened. She never finished that sentence… never declared what she wanted them to do, but the sentiment was understood.

“I don’t even know where Lion is.” Stevonnie shifted in the bed, preparing to sit up. “I know he’s alive… he helped us get here. But it’s not like I’ve gone looking for him.”

“When you find him… we’ll be here with you. Ok?” Pearl assured them. Stevonnie’s bare feet dropped to the floor.

“Ok.”

“Thank you!” Peridot interrupted from the living room below. She grunted as she struggled to drag her new machine across the wood floor. Apparently it was too heavy to move with her power. “At least you’re starting to make an effort!”

“Efus he.” A grumble came from the couch, muffled by Ruby face down in a pillow.

“Wha-”

“Excuse me.” Ruby lifted her head and repeated herself, quickly swinging into a seated position. “Are you implying something?” She glared angrily at Peridot.

Peridot glanced up at the loft. Stevonnie vigorously shook her head “no” while Pearl made hand gestures she recognized as meaning “no, stop, bad idea”. She glanced back down at Ruby.

“Well… I mean… you haven’t really done anything since…”

“ ...if you’re just joining us, it has been confirmed that Secretary of State Thaddeus Ross has been sworn in as acting President following the deaths of President Ellis and much of his cabinet two days ago. The new president is currently en route to undisclosed location aboard Air Force One… ”

Sadie sat on her bed, listening to the radio drone on.

An oppressive darkness had fallen over Beach City, seeping into everything and everyone. Not a single person on the Boardwalk hadn’t lost somebody, and there was no escape from the misery in solitude. The radio, television and internet only offered a constant stream of bad news - cities in chaos, angry government people shouting at each other, the endless updates to the lists of the missing and the dead.

Yet that was still better than silence. Silence gave her time to think. And thinking always lead to the same things - Onion’s ashes in her hand. Her mother never returning home. The call from Jenny confirming she was gone. The endless worry about what might have happened to Lars.

She lay on her back and sighed. She picked up her phone - she had been reading a rambly, angry screed from the editor of the Daily Bugle , although she agreed with nearly nothing she had said. She quit the internet app and checked her messages.

There were two there - one each from Sour Cream and Jenny.

its too quiet - come ovr? i don’t want to be alone 

Kiki not doing well. U heard anything new bout this?

 Sadie closed her eyes. Everybody was so lost and confused right now - and with Nanafua gone, there was nobody to take charge. It all felt to hopeless.

Unless…

She opened her eyes, sat up and started a new message, tagging both Jenny and Sour Cream.

Think everyone needs help right now. Town meeting? I mean, I guess we need to band together???

A few seconds later, Jenny sent a reply.

Let me check with Kiki but I thnk we can hold one outside the store? On the brdwlk?

Sadie nodded, quickly sending a message back.

Sounds good! How does 5 sound?

Sour Cream replied next.

i like that. least then we can be sad together? idk

Before Sadie could reply to him, another message from Jenny came through.

Ok we’re good. Send it out?

 Sadie opened another message, sending it out to as many contacts as she had.

TOWN MEETING 5PM. Outside Fish Stew Pizza.

She sent it out and lay back down again. She felt a little less miserable; maybe it was a long shot, but maybe they could work out a plan going forward now. At very least, everyone might get a support group out of this.

Another message from Jenny came in.

so does this make you town leader or something, then?

Sadie read it back a couple of times, her face paling.

Oh. Oh.

What had she just done?

“Let me at her Steven, she has is coming!” Steven found himself defused and holding Ruby back by the wrists, her gauntlet out. After a few quick exchanges of words, the argument has escalated. A lot.

“I lost them too you clod, but at least I’m doing something!” Shouted Peridot across the room, where Connie was similarly restraining Peridot.

“You two both need to stop.” Steven said.

“We can’t start fighting each other! Not now!” Connie urged.

“YOU LOST THEM? YOU?” Ruby yelled, ignoring the young pair. “YOU’VE BEEN HERE A YEAR. YOU LOST NOTHING!” With a surge on anger she broke free of Steven and stomped across the room, burning the wood floor as she crossed. “I knew her for 6000 YEARS! LONGER THAN YOU’VE BEEN ALIVE! And you think you can judge me?” Connie pulled Peridot and herself away before her gauntlet smashed down and obliterated the kitchen island.

“Ruby, stop!” Pearl shouted.

“Stay out of this!” Ruby yelled.

“Look I’m sorry!” Peridot yelled at the furious red gem.

“Not yet you aren’t…”

“Ruby wait!” Steven yelled as he ran towards them. As Ruby drew back her fist to swing at Peridot again, water shot into the room through the screen door, capturing Ruby in a floating sphere.

Lapis Lazuli opened the door quietly and stepped inside. Everyone was stunned. Silence, save the faint struggling of Ruby in her bubble.

“C’mon…” Lapis screwed her eyes closed and recoiled. “Say something…”

“Lapis…” Steven whispered. He saw Peridot’s intense focus on her as she stepped away from Connie and stood in front of the blue gem.

“I known… I ran away.” Lapis wavered. “I don’t deserve to be here and if you want me to leave-”

Peridot squeezed her around the waist, tears streaming down her face. Lapis saw that her visor had dropped to the floor.

“You’re alive!” She cried. “You’re alive! You’re ok... “ she kept repeating the sentiment as her speech dissolved into gibberish. Lapis ran a hand through Peridot’s hair as she started crying to. Her focus elsewhere, the sphere with Ruby collapsed to the floor.

“So SHE’S alive.” Ruby grimaced. “That’s… FAIR.” She spoke the last word with all the spite she could muster. Steven wanted to say something to her… but he was again at loss for words.

“Slag this.” She muttered before picking herself up and shuffling onto the warp pad.

“Ruby wait!” Pearl called out, but she departed into the warp without a response.

After an awkward silence and Peridot had calmed down, Connie was the first to question Lapis.

“What made you decide to come back?”

“Out in space…” She hesitated. “I heard about what happened. I was worried about you… and then I found out it wasn’t just on Earth… it’s everywhere. I realized no place I could run to would be safe from… whatever is happening. So I came back.” As Peridot let go of her, Lapis pressed her fist into her other palm for a moment. “That reminds me!” She reached behind her into her gem, and pulled a red gem out. “I got the Roaming Eye back.” She handed the gem to Pearl. “Would you mind?” Pearl silently took Navy’s gem and bubbled it away. Steven stared at her, hesitating to speak.

“You can talk to her later.” Pearl assured him.

“Once I had the ship again, not only could I get back here faster, I could pick up Homeworld transmissions.” Lapis told them. “And that’s how I found out that Blue Diamond disappeared too. Along with half of homeworld’s forces.”

“Blue Diamond is gone?!” Pearl shouted in surprise.

“Whoa.” Connie said.

“So this wasn’t localized to Earth… or something the diamonds did!” Peridot exclaimed, getting the answer she’d been hunting the last two days.

“But if it wasn’t the diamonds… how did all this happen?” Steven asked.

“No one knows. But if it could just casually wipe out Blue Diamond…” Lapis shuddered. “... There’s nothing any of us can do.”

Steven, Connie and Pearl’s phones all went off simultaneously, each with different alert tones; Steven played a chord from Sadie Killer’s “Ghost” song, Connie’s a default beep, and Pearl’s with her own voice saying “New Message Received”.

TOWN MEETING 5PM. Outside Fish Stew Pizza.

“Sadie’s ok.” Steven sighed with relief. “We should probably go.” Steven added hesitantly.

“Yes.” Pearl said. “Thanks to Lapis’ info at least we have something to tell them. Even if it’s not exactly good news.”

“What about Ruby?” Asked Peridot, staring at the warp pad.

“I think she needs her space.” Connie told her. “But you’d better apologize when she comes back. Sincerely.”

“Yes… I know.” Peridot looked guilty. “I’m sorry about the way I acted to you… and you.” She addressed Steven and Connie. “I was being petulant.”

“It’s ok. We’re all on edge right now.” Steven said. “But we’re gonna miss the meeting if we just stand here apologizing all day.”

“Steven’s right. We should head out.” Connie said, before the two pairs headed out the door leaving Pearl last in the house. She glanced at the warp pad and tried to think of where Ruby might have gone… but she knew from experience that Ruby didn’t want to be found right now.

The jungle. Where they’d landed that day. Every hundred years or so Garnet had come back here. So much so the location was ingrained in both their memories.

Ruby had never come here alone before.

Take a moment to think of just

The voice rang on her head. Memories. It hurt so much. She lay down in the grass of an open area… gentle rain falling on her whole body. She spoke the thoughts aloud, and they came out in song.

Here comes a thought 

that does alarm me

That you are gone,

But nothing harmed me

What fate had planned  

Was me in mourning

And, oh, now I can’t see, now I can’t feel

Nothing to do

Now that I’ve lost you

…

Take a moment, remind yourself

Take a moment and find yourself

Ruby’s fist clenched around the grass at her side, the rain the only thing stopping it from burning.

“But I can’t…” She interrupted the song. “Because this is where we fell apart.” She flipped over onto her hand and knees. “And you’d always tell me things were going to be ok…”

But it’s not, but it’s not, but it’s not, but it’s not, but it’s not

It’s not okay, it’s not okay, it’s not okay, it’s not okay, it’s not okay

And I’ve got everything in this life to fear

Ruby wrapped her arms around herself, clutching her chest as she collapsed.

You’re not here… not here… not here...

Chapter Text

“I understand Mrs. Barton.” Natasha spoke into her phone from the back of a quinjet. “We’re gonna do everything we can to fix this… please be safe.” She paused and listened to the teary response. “Goodbye.” Natasha put the phone down, took a deep breath to center herself, and headed for the cockpit.

“Clint’s gone.” She told Steve and Bruce. There was silence between the three of them for a moment.

“His family?” Steve asked.

“They’re all ok.” She said. Steve nodded.

“I know I didn’t know him as well as you…” Steve said. “But I think he would prefer it to the alternative.”

“No… you’re right. He would have given himself up to save any one of them.”

“We’re coming up on the coast soon.” Bruce checked the flight displays. “You sure you don’t want to come to HQ with us?”

“No, drop me off south of DC.” Natasha said. “I’ve got one lead to check on, and then I’ll go check the Index archive at the NSA.”

A few minutes later the quinjet hovered over an empty coastline highway, and jettisoned a motorcycle from it’s cargo bay. It’s rider started driving up the coast towards a seaside town. Minutes later, Natasha rolled into the small town of Beach City. Even in this now fractured world it felt peaceful and serene. The kind of place one retires too. She understood why he picked this place. In such a small town it didn’t take long to find the address. She stood in front of a store called “Suitcase Sam’s”. She knew that was not the proprietors real name.

His true name was Barry Barton. And after his brief stint as an international criminal named Trickshot, she and his brother Clint had stopped him. He’d served his time, turned over a new leaf, and assumed a new identity as luggage salesman.

He wasn’t as good as Hawkeye… but his help would still be valuable. If he was alive.

And his storyfront seemed deserted. Most of the boardwalk did in fact, except for a gathering of people outside a single building further down the strip. She supposed she’d have to ask the locals.

The quinjet flew ahead of her aiming for the Avengers HQ in upstate NY.

“So what do you think about these guys who got out of Rykers?” Bruce asked Steve, looking through some printed dossiers. “Rhino, Vulture, Scorpion… when did these guys all get together and decide on an animal theme?”

“Not sure. But none of them are actually enhanced. They just use advanced tech.” Steve pointed out. “And they all had their tech during the breakout, which wasn’t stored on site. So they had someone on the outside helping them.”

“Is there an Ant-Man or something who shrunk down and slipped them the keys?” Bruce joked.

“There IS an Ant-Man. He’s on our side.”

“... You’re joking.” Steve shot him a raised eyebrow. “Really?”

“Do you know Dr. Hank Pym?”

“Not all scientists know each other Steve.” Bruce feigned offense. “But I have heard of him yeah.”

“Well…”

An alarm went off on the console. Steve stopped what he was doing. It was an alert beacon. The quinjet tuned into police frequencies for New York.

“10-65 10-33!” A panicked, static-laden transmission came through. “Center street and Sanford! Subject is armed and wearing body armor!”

“Bank robbery. And armored.” Steve said. “Could be one of our guys.” He veered them off course.

“Uh, about that. The suit’s still wrecked and Hulk still won’t cooperate.”

“I know. I think I should be ok by myself against one of them.” Steve stood up and let autopilot take over. “Go on to the HQ. If you can get another suit running, come back and help.”

“You’re the captain.” Bruce shrugged.

Steve slipped on the dual shield gauntlets he’d been given in Wakanda. The cargo bay opened as they approached Queens.

“Come on out Spiderman!”

The armored figure stepped through the broken glass window in the front of the bank. His armor was a green painted metal segmented over a black bodysuit, not covering his whole body but looking more like loose scales. His back supported a large mechanical tail. The man glanced to his left, seeing a policeman peeking over a squad car at him. In an instant, the tail jerked in the direction he was looking, and an energy blast fired from it, burning a hole in the car’s windshield glass as the officer ducked away with a yell.

“Mr. Gargan!” Someone yelled at him. He turned, as did the tail. A man with a short beard and black suit walked fearlessly towards him. Though colored in black, a star was faintly visible on his chest. Gargan recognized him by reputation. Steve Rogers.

“Stay back!”

“Hold on a sec. I just want to talk.” Steve yelled back. Scorpion raised an eyebrow. Seriously? But then again… hadn’t Rogers become an international fugitive last year? He had been seen fighting Spiderman at that airport…

“Go on.”

“That’s an interesting suit you got there.” Steve pointed with one hand. “I don’t think you had that before lock up… where’d you get it?”

“Look, I’ve got no issue with you.” He ignored the question. “I’m only here for Spiderman.”

“Well that’s gonna be a problem.”

“Bullshit.”

“In case you haven’t noticed the world changed a few days ago.” Steve said. “You must have seen. We all need to be working together now, not stealing from and killing each other.”

“Yeah… right.” He said incredulously. “Well, Capn’,” He said mockingly. “If Spiderman’s outta town I’ll just be on my way.”

“Afraid not.” Steve started walking towards him again.

“What, your fugitive ass is gonna bring me in?”

“Pretty much. I don’t think these folks will care too much.” His shield gauntlets expanded and blocked the first shot from Scorpion’s tail. “Good talk.” Steve charged.

Sadie took a deep breath.

She was standing outside Fish Stew Pizza, waiting for everyone to show up. Steven, Connie and the Crystal Gems had just arrived - they were missing a few, same as everyone else, but she was glad Steven was okay. He had a knack for brightening things up, even at the worst of times - and make no mistake, these were the worst of times.

Jenny, Sour Cream, Kiki and Peedee had gathered together - none of their parents were there, and she wondered how they were coping. Was Peedee living alone? (She knew Sour Cream and the Pizzas were.) Next to them, Bill Dewey stood alone. There were a few others she recognised - one of the Mayor’s bodyguards, Dante and Martha Barriga, Ronaldo’s girlfriend…

In the back of the small crowd, she saw Kevin. Typical , she thought, that a jerk like him would survive and…

No. Kevin might not have been her favourite person, but he didn’t deserve to be erased from existence.

Her phone beeped. She swallowed, stepping onto a small box in front of the door.

“Um… hey everyone,” she said, “I’m Sadie. I know this is a bad time for everyone, but I thought we needed to meet up and work out - well, what’s going on, I guess. And with Nanefua gone, might as well be me, right?”

There was a long silence. Somebody coughed.

“Okay, so I know this is gonna be hard,” she continued, “But we need to work out who’s here and who’s… gone . I’ve got the start of a list here…” She waved a sheet of paper. “But if I’ve missed anyone, let me know.”

She took a deep breath and started to read down the list.

One by one, the names of the dead rolled off her tongue. Some were more painful than others - she hadn’t been close to, say, Mr. Fryman or the Mayor’s other bodyguard, but reading off Greg? Ronaldo? Her own mother? It was truly draining. Still, she forced herself to keep reading - somebody had to do this.

“Suitcase Sam,” she eventually read, “Uh, does anybody know his full name?”

“I dunno, Samuel?” grunted Kevin curtly, “Who cares?”

Sadie closed her eyes and breathed in. Keep calm, he’s just being a jerk .

Dewey spoke up.

“He was part of some kind of SHIELD witness protection thing,” he said morosely, “I can’t remember his exact name… Barry Burton? Bateson? Barber…”

“Barton.”

A woman with blonde hair had spoken up from the edge of the crowd. She’d arrived in the middle of the meeting, getting a few looks from the crowd that Sadie had missed.

“Yeah, that was it.” Dewey confirmed. “And who…” He tried to question the woman.

“He was a friend.” The woman sighed, and stepped back towards a parked motorcycle. But she found a teenage girl standing between her and the bike. Wide-eyed. With a big sword hanging off her back.

“Natasha Romanoff…” Connie seemed shocked. Natasha was taken aback for a moment. Sure, she was one of the Avengers. But she wasn’t one of the flashy guys on the front line. She didn’t get recognized in public like Tony or Steve or Thor. Even the bootleggers who made the unlicensed action figures had left her out. In fact, she couldn’t recall anyone ever recognizing her while she was trying to travel as a civilian.

“Uh… hello.” This was a new experience. For the first time in decades of spy work she wasn’t sure what to say.

“You know her Connie?” A short, stocky boy in a red shirt asked the girl.

“Know her?!” The girl turned to him incredulously. “I wrote a paper for school about her! She’s one of the Avengers!”

“WWWHHHAAATTT!?!” The boy went starry eyed for a second, in what was probably the first brief moment of joy she’d seen from anyone in the last few days.

The fight was easier than Steve expected. As he guessed, Gargan wasn’t used to using his suit yet. By keeping in close quarters, he couldn’t fire the blaster without risking damage to himself. And every time he got some distance, every shot was remarkably telegraphed by the way he jerked his head about. His suit also seemed cobbled together, at least compared to the kind of craftsmanship of Tony’s, as well placed blows with the vibranium shields caused whole sections to fall off.

After just a few minutes Scorpion was winded. Steve took the opportunity to tackle him, pinning the tail under Gargan’s own body. He tried to knock him out with some square blows to the head, but the tail managed to lift both of them in the air, throwing Steve to the ground and putting Gargan on his feet. The tail raised up for a blast. Cap raised the shield to block.

But it didn’t fire. It extended. The tip flew just over the tip of the shield with bullet speed, and Cap could just barely spot the blaster head had folded away to reveal a very large metal needle. Cap raised the shield to knock it away but a split second too late as the needle dug into the left side of his neck. The needle broke as the vibranium edge of the shield thrust upward. Scorpion backed away as Steve tried to catch his breath. But he felt burning where the needle had struck him. It wasn’t just a piercing wound. There was something on that needle. And it was acting very quickly. Scorpion smirked.

The battle quickly turned. Steve got a few more small hits in… but after another few minutes he felt weak; as weak as he had been rehabilitating after the ice.

“Anti-enhanced poison.” Scorpion said as he stared down Steve, who had begun to hyperventilate. “Targets and burns out powers before attacking the rest of the body. Impressive right?” Steve’s mouth felt dry. He couldn’t talk back. “Old Shield formula actually. Just so you know who to thank.” As Steve fell to his knees, Scorpion loomed over him. “I’m going to enjoy this…”

Chapter Text

“Nat!” Bruce’s voice came through the intercom in her ear. He sounded distressed.

“Bruce, what’s wrong?” She started talking, turning away from the star struck children.

“We’ve got a problem. Steve went after one of those enhanced criminals. They got him with some kind of poison though.”

“Poison shouldn’t work on him.” Natasha furled her brow.

“Well, apparently this is because he’s losing the fight.” Bruce told her. “How fast can you get to Queens?”

“Not that fast.” She started walking towards the bike, the kids parting to let her pass. “How close are you?”

“I turned around as soon as I got the sos but I’ve got no suit and no Hulk.” She got on the bike.

“I’ll get there as fast as I can.” She gunned the throttle and went nowhere, though the bike shook as the wheels spun violently with no traction. They were suspended about a half-inch from the pavement.

“Whoa whoa whoa! Hold up Miss Avenger!” A small green skinned woman entered her line of sight. She held one hand up at eye level, as if lifting a serving platter. “We’re still talking here!” Nat put things together quickly. Green skin. Levitating bike. Hand up as if lifting. She was some sort of alien, or at least enhanced. She would be worth stopping to talk to… if Steve wasn’t in danger.

“You need to put me down.” She said firmly.

“We have important inf-” Peridot started, before a tiny disc shot from Natasha’s wrist gauntlet, landing right on her chest diamond. “-whahgudjkgjh” she recoiled from an electric shock. The watching crowd recoiled too. The bike dropped down.

“It was just a stunner. She’ll be fine in an hour. Sorry, just really bad timing.” She told the blue gem who rushed to Peridot’s side, who glared daggers at her. Natasha and the bike took off towards the northern highway.

“Peridot, are you ok?!” Steven said as he and Connie ran up. Peridot blinked and groaned.

“Did anyone get the number of that cl-” *POOF* Her stone landed in Lapis’s outstretched hands. And they started shaking.

“Lapis…” Connie got ready to calm her but didn’t get a chance.

“She is getting a piece of my mind and a kick in the ass!” Lapis’ wings appeared and she tried to kick off the ground, stopping when Steven grabbed her ankle.

“Lapis calm down!” Steven shouted. Connie stared at both of them, noting the tide on the beach behind them rapidly come in.

“Let me go Steven, I’m going after her!”

“WE’RE going after her.” He asserted. “We need to tell the Avengers about what you heard in those space transmissions. And then I’m sure she’ll apologize.” Lapis’s expression softened a bit as she came down. The tide went back out some.

“I just don’t get how that poofed her.” Connie said. “Didn’t a boulder fall on her? At Beta?”

“I dunno… maybe she was just tired this time. She hadn’t rested since… hmm…” Steven cut himself off. “Anyway…” he held one hand out to Connie and his other to Lapis. “Let’s go.”

Pearl had stopped on the porch when the others left. They had it handled. She wasn’t really up for human interaction at the moment. Her moments lost in thought were interrupted by a peculiar sight. Lapis flew towards the beach house. At high speed. Riding on her back… Stevonnie. Who was shouting to Pearl but could only be heard for a brief moment as they passed and as they did dropped Peridot’s gem which Pearl instinctively caught. All she heard from the fusion was:

“...got poofed! We’re going after Black Widow and gonna tell the aven…” Pearl saw them disappear over the horizon of brooding hill and out of sight.

“What?” Pearl looked down at Peridot in her hands. She set her down on the patio table. “Come back soon, I need an explanation.”

Steve was losing a fist fight against a normal human for the first time in 75 years. Once the poison had taken effect, Scorpion had stopped using the tail of his suit and had just started overwhelming him with punches and grappling. This poison was something else. Scorpion lifted him over his head, before slamming him roughly onto the hood and windshield of a car. Despite his best efforts… Steve couldn’t get back up.

Once he was certain he was down, he backed away. He stooped over to retrieve the bank bags.

“Well Captain, it’s been fun.” He said. “This will be one hell of a story. But for now, I’ll just take my haul and…” He was interrupted by the sound of repulsor jets approaching. “Oh you are kidding. I thought you two hated each other now!” Scorpion said to Steve.

A suit descended between them. It had a red and silver color scheme, and was one of the sleeker, less bulky builds, but still unmistakably Iron Man.

“Well… if it isn’t Mr. Stark! You know Spider-brat right? I need to have a talk with him.” His armor tail returned to it’s blaster configuration and shot at the armor several times. To no effect.

“Mr. Stark?” A female voice spoke from inside. “Well… you’re half right.” Both hands were raised and a volley of repulsor blasts crippled his suit, blowing off the tip of the tail and the last remnants of armor protecting his torso. The suit rushed forward, punching him twice in the chest and then throwing him to the ground, where a punch to the face knocked Scorpion out. The faceplate of the armor folded away, revealing a blonde woman.

“That’s Mrs. Stark.” Steve was dazed and confused. Tony had gone missing in space. How was he… oh… the suit ran up to him as he saw the face inside. Pepper. Huh. Complex thoughts were becoming difficult. Tired…

“Bruce, I’ve got him but he’s unconscious.” Pepper hefted Steve into her arms, noticing the bleeding hole in his neck. “He’s just barely breathing.”

“I’m on my way and so is Nat.” Bruce came through her ear piece. “Get him to a hospital we’ll meet you there.”

“Roger.” She picked up Steve and closed her helmet, starting low altitude flight. According to Friday, there was a doctor at Metro-General who had some meta-human experience.

“So… we gonna talk about this?” Lapis asked about a minute into the flight.

“Talk about what?”

“YOU TWO CAN FUSE?!” the flight hit turbulence at her reaction.

“Oh uh…” Stevonnie stumbled. “Wait… they didn’t tell you?”

*inside Stevonnie’s mind*

“You never told her?!”

“It never came up.” Connie deflected.

“And when it comes to fusion, Lapis… kinda…” Steven started.

“Is an emotional time bomb.” Connie stated.

“Yeah that.”

“Well light the fuse and leave me here why don’tcha?!”

*outside Stevonnie’s mind*

“What’s it like?”

“Huh?” Stevonnie was startled.

“Fusion… with someone you don’t hate…” Lapis asked hesitantly as they glided down after cresting a hill.

“Well… how do I explain…” Stevonnie stroked their chin. “Well I mean I don’t really have a frame of reference for… the other thing…” they frowned. “But since all this happened I’m kinda thinking about things a different way now.” Lapis glanced over her shoulder at them, stoic.

“I suppose it’s… comforting. It’s trusting someone with your own vulnerabilities… but they trust you the same way and you both help each other. You do things you can’t do on your own… or don’t want to on your own.” Of Garnet’s three keywords, Stevonnie knew which one Lapis needed to hear.

“Trust.”

Lapis turned her head away from them, though Stevonnie noticed the glint of guilt in her eye before she faced away.

“Well… I’m not sure if I’m cut out for that…” She said somberley. “We’re catching up…” She said before Stevonnie could object, as they swooped down on the highway.

“Nat, got an update for you.”

“Go for it.” She listened intently as she gunned down the highway.

“So… we got some help. Pepper’s got one of Tony’s suits. She just took out the guy who poisoned him, and she’s getting Steve to Metro-General.” Nat was impressed.

“She just happened to have a suit?”

“A lot of stuff fell outta the sky when pilots disappeared. She’s been helping the emergency responders with search and rescue.”

“Good on her. Does she know what happened to Tony?”

“He went up on the first ship with Strange. That’s the last she heard."

“HEEEEEEYYYYY!!!” Natasha heard a yell behind her over the wind. She glanced back… she saw someone riding on the back of the blue alien from Beach City. They were matching her speed… no, gaining… flying on water wings?

“Nat, who’s that? I heard that.”

“WE NEED TO TALK!” Stevonnie shouted.

“Steve’s out of danger right?”

“Well I mean he’s poisoned but he’s not getting beaten to death anymore...”

“Then I’ll call you back.” Natasha cut the call. She veered right onto an off ramp.

“This ain’t Xandar.”

“To be fair, this is only the second time I’ve done this.” Thor told Rocket.

“I think your aim just sucks.”

“I aimed a straight line from Earth to Xandar, it’s not my fault if there’s a space station in the way.”

That morning they’d departed Wakanda using the Bifrost, now generated by Stormbringer. Their intended destination, Xandar, was where Thanos had started his rampage. He’d sacked the planet and stolen the Power Stone. But despite being devastated by him, Xandar was still the seat of the Nova Corp, one of the largest police forces in all of space. If anyone could help them locate Thanos, they were a good bet.

Instead, they’d landed on some kind of space station. The floors were white and blue tiles. The walls were pink metal. It seemed deserted.

“Well I’m sure glad there weren’t any freaking suns in the path!” Rocket chided.

“Think there’s anyone alive here?” Thor asked.

“Maybe, maybe not. Not super relevant right now.”

“But you still wanna look… don’t you?”

“No I don’t.” Thor crossed his arms and smiled. “Ok, I do kinda wanna poke around.” Rocket headed down a hall. “Who paints their space station hot pink?”

“It’s really more of a pastel.” Thor followed casually behind.

“Even if there’s no survivors, there might be some interesting loot around…” they came to an open door leading to a high ceilinged room with many pillars. The primary draw of the room was about a dozen pink bubbles floating in the air, each housing large gemstones bigger than Rocket’s head.

“Humina humina. Those are some big rocks.” Thor leapt into the air and grabbed one of the bubbles, pulling it down to their level.

“Interesting.” Thor looked at the gem through the pink bubble.

“Well? Is it a diamond? A big ruby?” Rocket rubbed his palms together. “How much do you think…”

“HALT!” A stern voice shouted from the hallway they’d just come from. Thor and Rocket whipped around, drawing weapons. In the hallway stood three figures. There was a thin, pale blue one with long hair obscuring her face. There was a muscular purple one with a mane of white hair and sharp and shiny teeth. In the middle, a darker blue figure carrying a whip. She cracked it against the floor threateningly.

“WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU’RE DOING?!” The whip user demanded.

“Robbing you?” Rocket answered sarcastically. “Maybe?” He added, but only after his companions disapproving glance.

“What… are you?” She asked Rocket, dripping with disgust.

“Lady, you don’t wanna go there.”

“We were just passing through, we weren’t sure if there were survi-”

“Silence human!” She cracked the whip at him. “You’ll speak when spoken to!” Thor’s genial smile dropped.

“I think there’s a misunder-” The whip cracked against his chest. It didn’t hurt. “Ok.” Thor stepped towards her. She whipped at him again, but he caught it smoothly in his hand. “Stop.” The woman gritted her teeth, as Thor felt voltage run through the whip. Enough to hurt a human, certainly. But him… “Cute.” He ran his own electricity back through at about 5x power. He expected her to cry out and drop the whip… not explode into blue smoke. The other two figures recoiled as a blue gemstone clattered to the floor. He had a moment of realization.

“GEMS!” Thor exclaimed, clapping his hand against his forehead. “Of course!” Rocket was a bit taken aback by the joy in Thor’s voice. “Mother told me stories of your race when I was a boy! I thought you were extinct!” Rocket was left holding the bubble as Thor stepped towards the other two. The purple one recoiled slightly as Thor grabbed her hand and shook it with a smile.

“I am Thor Odinson, king of Asgard… well I was.” He looked down at the innate blue stone. “Sorry for the misunderstanding, I did not intend to destroy your physical form there.”

“Thor, did you just talk to that rock?”

“They are rocks!” Thor told Rocket. “Sort of. Not like Korg, he was made OF rocks, but your race is so interesting…” Thor turned back to the remaining gems. “What are your names? And we noticed this place is mostly deserted, do you need assistance?”

Steve Rogers was critical. Bruce couldn’t find a way to stop the poison. It was like nothing he’d encountered before, and Dr. Palmer was also helpless. Pepper had left to seek out Wong and a potential supernatural cure, but hadn’t been able to locate him. Bruce wasn’t sure if he was even alive.

Natasha never had called him back. Instead she walked into the hospital room followed by a pair of children.

“Nat, it’s not good. We haven’t been able to stop the spread.” Bruce told her, but before he could ask her about the children, the children stepped past him with a determined look.

“It’s a long shot, but this boy says he has healing powers.” Natasha told him.

“Seriously?” Bruce asked. “Where’d you find him?”

“They found me.” Natasha answered. “I thought it was too good to be true, but if you’re out of ideas…”

“This is where the poison was injected, right?” Connie pointed at the blackening spot on Steve’s neck. Bruce nodded.

“Yes, but by now it’s spread through his whole sys- whaaaat are you doing?!” Bruce reacted as the boy spit in his palm and applied the saliva to the wound.

“Give it a minute.” The girl said. Bruce and Natasha were both at a loss for words. But as the seconds passed, the black spot regained a fleshy tone.

The once comatose pace of the heart rate monitor accelerated. His whole body convulsed for a moment before he awoke with a choking cough. He sat up in bed, hyperventilating briefly before before steadying himself. Bruce and Natasha looked on amazed.

“Told ya.” Connie said. As Steve got his senses back… he realized he was safe in a hospital bed. Nat and Bruce had a confused but relieved look and a girl he didn’t recognize was talking to Bruce. In the chair next to the bedside, a bright-eyed boy was staring at him.

“Captain America…” He said with awe. Steve wasn’t sure what was going on… how he got here or how he’d been healed but for the moment he would roll with it. He extended a gloved hand to the boy. He shook it.

“Steve Rogers.”

“Steven Universe.”

Chapter Text

Earth - Somewhere in Jersey

“I never thought I’d break into the same base twice. In daylight this time.”

“Life’s funny like that.” His daughter said.

Daisy and Cal surveyed the base from a van a few miles away. The base was one of many to house SHIELD resources after it had been dismantled. Then Daisy helped rebuild it. Then it got dismantled again. The she became second in command to rebuild a third time. Then everyone else died.

“I mean… I guess I’m the default Shield Director now… is it really stealing?”

“Government says yes.” Her father said.

“Well let’s not get caught then.”

Space - The Sun Incinerator

These were by far the friendliest aliens Tony had ever met.

It probably helped that their ‘Captain’ had Parker-level hero worship for him that rubbed off instantly. It also helped that the two ‘Peridots' were curious little scientists.

They had excitedly bombarded him with questions about his Iron Man tech, that they described as a “full-body limb enhancer”, and were very impressed by the nanotech. They reciprocated by telling him all about their ship and it’s physics warping engine. Once he grasped the mechanics it was actually pretty brilliant, and despite everything that had happened his mind couldn’t help but race to theoretical applications and the potential of working with it himself back on Earth.

After Tony had finished recounting the circumstances around Thanos to Lars, Lars had told both Nebula and himself a story as they jetted away from Titan. About more of these ‘gem' aliens living under the radar on Earth. About his abduction, death, and apparent resurrection by one ‘Steven Universe’. That last bit gave him pause, and then disappointment upon the revelation that it was only possible with an intact body present.

Were he not on board their ship, Tony would be skeptical about all of this. Especially the idea of aliens living unnoticed in Delmarva for 200 years. Surely SHIELD would have found something out about it sometime in the 20th century… maybe Fury did know and kept it a secret. Wouldn’t be the first time.

Nebula had been fairly quiet. Always watching, always listening, hardly ever speaking except to correct points of Tony’s story about Thanos where she had information to add.

Lars told him they were about two days out from Earth. He dreaded what they would find when they got there.

Earth - Metro General, NYC

“So this Thanos guy is the cause of all this…” Steven reaffirmed.

Unfortunately, the information Lapis had from space that they thought would help the Avengers… turned out they already knew. And more. Natasha told them about the mad titan and how they'd fought and failed to stop him from getting the Infinity Stones.

They had the name of an enemy. The one who had killed so much of his family… and all of Connie's. But if he was as powerful as they described… what could they actually do?

“I'm sorry about shocking your friend. I was in a hurry to get here when I heard Steve was poisoned.”

“Yeah… what exactly were you trying to get here for? What could you do about poison?” Lapis leaned on the hospital room window with her arms crossed.

“Well, he was also still getting attacked at the time.” She explained. “Was she ok?”

“No. She wasn't.”

“Lapis, she'll be ok. She just needs to regenerate.” Connie reassured her. “And after this week, she could use the rest.”

“I'm… gonna go back and check on her. Can you two get yourselves home ok?”

“Probably. We'll call Pearl if we need you to come back for us.” Connie said. “Ok with you Steven?”

“Yeah.”

“Alright. Careful you two.” Lapis opened the window and extended her wings. “Oh, and 'Avengers’...” She addressed them with menace. “Anything happens to these two while they're with you… consider yourself drowned.” She dived out and flew off into the skyline. Steven stood up to close the window behind her during the awkward silence.

“Is she always that dramatic?” Bruce questioned.

“She just has… trust issues.” Connie told him.

Steve had listened quietly to the extended explanation the children had provided. About how their blue friend had just returned from space with news of how the snap had affected the universe beyond Earth. About how their own families had been turned to dust. And lastly, after some promoting from Bruce, Steven had explained his history, the source of his powers, and about his surviving family, also with powers. Nat might not have been able to track down Clint's brother, but she'd stumbled across new powered individuals nonetheless.

“That form you two had when you caught up to me… what was that?” Natasha asked.

“That was Stevonnie.” Connie explained hesitantly. “It's called fusion. Steven and I sorta… become one person.” Bruce raised an eyebrow.

“Can you demonstrate?” He asked. Connie glanced over at Steven, who still seemed a bit shell shocked at the confirmation that everyone had been killed rather than just died. He was staring at the floor, despondent.

“Maybe later.” Connie answered, readying an excuse. “It's a little strenuous to do multiple times a day.”

“Alright… Nat, lets go check in with the rest of the team…” Bruce nodded out the door. Natasha immediately picked up the signal for a private conversation and followed him out. Connie also picked the signal up… why would both of them need to 'check-in’? She excused herself to the restroom with the intent to eavesdrop, leaving Steve and Steven alone.

“I'm sorry about your family.” Steve told the boy. Steven nodded.

“You tried your best. That's all we can do right?” Steven said as he turned away from him.

You can't manipulate me Rose Quartz!

Steven sank to the floor next to Steve's bed, knees up to his chest as the memory of Jasper's corruption popped up.

“You can't save everyone…” Steven said quietly. After a quiet moment, a hand gently ruffled his hair.

“But you always have to try.” Steve said. Steven smiled as he stood up.

“I just… I can't believe I'm actually meeting you!” Steven switched topics. “When I was little… before I started getting my powers… I fantasized about what kind of weapon I would have…” He suddenly found himself sharing something he never had shared with the gems. “I wanted a really cool sword or maybe a big axe or something…something that could really hurt a monster of a bad guy. But then I learned about you.”

He'd watched plenty of TV as a child while the gems were away on missions. 8-year old Steven had been home alone when the Battle of New York happened. He'd seen news coverage of the Avengers in the aftermath. He's begged his Dad to take him to see the Captain America exhibit at the Smithsonian the next year. And two years after that, when his gem had finally started to glow…

Steve watched the boy hold out his arm. A faint glow came from under his shirt, and then brighter from his arm. Suddenly, floating just above the boy's forearm, was a shield. Pink, and with a curving floral pattern, but practically the same size and shape as his own.

“It was my Mom's, but now it's mine.” He said. “And a younger me would have been disappointed because it wasn't really a weapon… but because of you I thought I was the luckiest kid in the world.”

Space - Homeworld

“White!” Yellow Diamond emerged forcefully into White Diamond's chamber.

“Nice to see you too dear.” White said, unmoving.

“You know about what's happened?”

“Certainly.” White smiled. “Nothing on this planet escapes my notice. Certainly not half our kind dissolving.

“Then you know that Blue…” Yellow started to say but stopped. There was a flash of anger in White's eyes. For but a brief instant. Then the calm, emotionless stagnation returned.

“Pity.” White said.

“WHAT?” Yellow bellowed, fear overcome by outrage. “Blue is gone and that's all you have to say?”

“Now now… no need to get so worked up. That worked out so well for us last time.” White told her.

“She was killed! She and half of all our kind! And the creature responsible…”

“The last time we sought out retribution, we set the empire back by thousands of years.” White told her. “Between razing Earth and Blue's mourning. And while yes, we have lost some numbers… the resource shortage is solved. With all the organics that were wiped out, a great many planets are now vulnerable for colonization.”

As White spoke on about how this was all actually a good thing, Yellow trembled with anger. With every fiber of her being she wished to smite White with all the lightning she could muster. Two things stopped her: she knew it wouldn't be enough. She knew that if she tried White would lock her away for a few hundred years to think about what she'd done. She couldn't afford that.  Yellow turned to leave the room, not speaking a word to the matriarch.

“You'll come around dear.” White told her. “This will be the start of a beautiful new era…” 

Earth - Jersey Again

As Cal rolled up to the front gate in the van, armed with nothing but a fake story to keep their attention, Daisy propelled herself over the barbed wire fence, rolling silently behind a transport. The base seemed somewhat understaffed compared to what she expected… for understandable reasons. A few small items falling over 'unprompted’ was all it really took to sneak past them and into the warehouse.  She found a server room and locked herself in, plugging in a device of her own design. It automated a lot of the grunt work of hacking, which was great when under fire. And compared to places her missions had taken her before, this was relatively low security. After a minute or two of uneasy waiting, she had access to manifests for the warehouse.

Wow.

She had come here mainly to reclaim “The Index”, SHIELD's database of empowered individuals. As well as anything too dangerous to fall into the wrong hands. And there.were some very dangerous things here.

They had Fitz's research here. They also had some test model LMDs they'd produced using it. Those would be too big to take… would have to destroy them. But the more surprising thing… they somehow had Terrigen crystals. Couldn't let those stay here. And then she saw… her face made a weird contortion as good and bad memories smacked into each other. She didn't expect to find that here… but she couldn't just leave it. She set the drive to download and then wipe the LMD data, then noted the locations of her targets. She'd reclaim the drive on her way out.

“I'm away Daisy.” A signal came through her ear piece. “I could only pretend to not understand the directions for so long without making them suspicious.”

“Cal, they've got Terrigen Crystals.”

“Yikes. Weren't there when I broke in.”

“And they are not responsible enough to keep them.” She stated as she pulled the large black briefcase off the warehouse shelf. “This place is like a ghost town. I haven't seen any security since I got inside.” She pulled open a large metal locker, with three robotic skeletons inside, motionless.  With a firm press of her hand they were pushed back into the locker until the metal loudly crumpled. 

“What was that?”

“Trashing their LMDs. Thought we were done worrying about those.” Daisy looked around suspiciously. That had been noisy. Where was everyone?

“I don't know what that is. You'll have to explain later.”

“I'm headed for impound.”

“Careful.”

At the impound… she found some guards… already knocked unconscious. She kept a defensive stance as she snuck through the garage of vehicles. She heard sounds from outside. Gunfire. Yelling. Smashing concrete. The impound building rattled.

“Cal what's happening?”

“Something just ran into the base! Through the wall! What is that?” Cal was shocked. “It's big like the Hulk but… grey and metal?”

A hand grabbed Daisy's shoulder… and by reflex she grabbed the wrist and heaved the attached body over her shoulder, flipping the man onto the ground. May's training never goes away. She had her fist drawn back to strike before she realized who it was.

“Robbie?”

“Hey Daisy.” The young man grinned with a pained look on his face. She hadn't seen him since… well there was time travel involved so she wasn't sure exactly how long. Since before the time travel started anyway.

“What are you doing here?” Daisy pulled him to his feet.

“Here specifically, or in this dimension?”

“Both.”

“Well, half the universe was murdered. HE didn't give me much choice.” Robbie explained as the building shook and gunfire erupted outside. “Also I want my car back.” He nodded at an impounded vehicle a few rows down, a black muscle car with exposed engine block. There was a familiar red Corvette parked next to it.

“Yeah, I'm getting a car back too actually. Catch up after we get out?”

“Yes.” Robbie affirmed as they both made a beeline for the cars.

“You make a friend in there?” Cal came back in her ear as the building shook again. “Because you need to get out. That thing is taking the building down!”

“Whatever that is out there… we've got the firepower to stop it.” Daisy fired up the Corvette. It lifted itself off the ground, the wheels folding into hover engines. She glanced over at Robbie, who gripped the steering wheel of the charger. “And I do mean fire.” The fire began in Robbie's eyes. It spread across his face and as it did, the rubber wheels of the car burst into the flames and a column of the same erupted from the engine block. The rest of Robbie’s face burned away, exposing bone.

The Ghost Rider took over.