Steve Rogers (Marvel)
Steve laid on the bed and stared at the ceiling in his guest room unable to sleep. Pepper had been gracious enough to let anyone who attended the funeral to stay. He, though, was here for a few last missions. He looked over at the silver briefcase that rested on the dresser across the room and wished he could crush the stones with his bare hands for the pain they had caused. The universe survived but untold billions perished after the Snap as collateral.
He could do nothing for them now but he was desperate to see those he called family not be filled with so much grief and pain. Pepper was a strong woman with a burning fire in her eyes who reminded him so much of Peggy. But he saw the lines on her face, the way the spark in her eyes had died the moment that Tony did, and the cracks in her mask she put on for Morgan not to see her come apart at the seams. And, oh god, Morgan. She was only five and a genius just like her father. But she would never get to see him again or the way his hands would look like they were dancing when he was in his workshop working away on his newest idea.
Clint was a man who always found a way to survive. But he saw the guilt and the joy of his family coming undusted dulled by the loss of Natasha. He remembered the pure devastation on Clint’s face, tears streaming down, as he told with a hitching breath how he had fought with all he had against Nat to be the one to make the sacrifice. Steve, himself, had staggered back and found himself on his knees with tears streaming down his own face at the news. The regret of never telling her that he loved her.
Thor had changed throughout their acquaintance but the death of Loki had broken him beyond recognition. He no longer cared for himself and Steve could see the self-loathing in his eyes at not being enough to save his people, to even save just his brother. When Thor had one too many drinks, Steve had learned things about Loki, like the fact his eyes were green, not blue and how he had one of the greatest minds in tactics. The next day, Steve had come to a halt in the compound’s hallway at the sudden realization that Loki had purposefully butchered the attempt at taking over Earth. He shuddered at the thought of what an all-out invasion headed by one of Thano’s children would have looked like. The causalities would’ve been in the tens of thousands.
Steve turned away from the briefcase and closed his eyes in regret. There was nothing short of using the stones to bring them back, and even then, Bruce had tried for Natasha and she had not come back. He didn’t have much time left with them anyway, putting them back in their correct timeline with the Pym Particles.
Pym Particles, he thought and sat up in contemplation.
“FRIDAY?” Steve called out quietly.
“Yes, Rogers?” came FRIDAY’s lilting voice.
“How would you like to do one last mission for Boss?”