Carol Kept Hold of the Gauntlet
As Carol sped through the battlefield, holding the gauntlet, she saw Thanos aiming for the van. Knowing she wasn’t going to get there in time, she shot straight up into the air, avoiding the explosion of the van. She looked down at the battlefield, and she knew what she had to do.
She put the gauntlet on and moved so she was above Thanos. “You may be inevitable, but you certainly aren't immortal.” With that, Carol summoned all of her strength, including her powers, and snapped. A white light covered the entire field as she was tossed from the blast to the ground. The last thing she saw was Thanos hanging his head down and turning to dust.
Natasha
As soon as Natasha saw her girlfriend shoot up into the air, she knew what was going to happen. She finished off the thing she was fighting and began racing across the field to Carol. She expertly avoided the chaos around her. When she was a few feet away, she heard her girlfriend.
“You may be inevitable, but you certainly aren't immortal.”
Carol then snapped, and the field was covered by a bright light before the army began turning to dust. Natasha reached her girlfriend as she collided with the ground. She coughed from the dust of the impact and paid no mind to Thanos who was hanging his head in defeat and turning to dust. “Carol?” Natasha croaked, kneeling next to her girlfriend and clutching her body.
“Carol?”
Now realizing what was happening, the heroes began to move closer to Nat and Carol.
“Carol? Baby? Please, wake up,” Natasha pleaded, tears beginning to stream.
Everyone remained silent, tears beginning to form on everyone's face.
“Please don't leave me. Carol, sweetheart, please. I need you. Don't leave me. I love you, you can't leave me,” Natasha whispered.
When there was no response, Natasha placed a tender and trembling kiss on Carol's forehead. She then put her head on her girlfriend’s chest and clutched her body to her tightly as she began sobbing.
Tony swallowed harshly and took a knee. Carol had saved them, all of them. Seeing her husband, Pepper did the same. T’Challa followed, then Peter Quill, Nebula, Valkyrie, Scott, Steve, Stephen, and the rest of the heroes, one by one.
Natasha was still sobbing into her girlfriend’s chest when she heard a cough. Her head shot up, and she began sobbing in relief when she saw Carol staring at her and trying to sit up. She hastily lifted herself off and helped Carol sit up. Seeing everyone kneeling, she spoke. “What are you all doing? Did someone die?”
Natasha laughed wetly before colliding into her girlfriend, pressing their lips together with such intensity Carol could feel nothing but her girlfriend. She tasted salt and realized Nat had been crying. “Babe, why are you crying?” she asked, holding Natasha’s face in her hands and brushing the tears away softly.
Natasha clutched Carol’s wrists and looked into those beautiful brown eyes, the ones filled with love and adoration for her. “Nothing, I'm just so happy you're alright.”
“Well of course I'm alright. I knew with my powers I would survive the blast. But now I’m sore all over. I would not recommend doing that on a daily basis.”
Natasha rolled her eyes at her girlfriend, but she was so happy she was alive that she couldn't bring herself to comment on it. Instead, she buried her face in the crook of Carol’s neck, breathing in her musky scent.
Carol’s arms wrapped themselves around Nat, holding her close.
“Let’s get married,” Natasha mumbled.
Carol's breath hitched. “What did you say?” she asked in a near whisper.
Natasha pulled herself away and looked into her girlfriend’s brown orbs, and spoke again, this time more confidently. “Let’s get married.”
“Do you mean that?” Carol asked, searching Nat’s face for any sign of deception.
“I do. If today has taught me anything, it's that life is short. Let’s get married, buy that house we’ve been talking about, start a family.”
Carol beamed and shot into the air, twirling them around. She laughed as Natasha was shrieking and demanding to be put down. She flew them back to the ground and kept her arms around Natasha's waist. “We’re getting married,” she said reverently, still beaming at Natasha.
“We’re getting married,” Natasha murmured, smiling softly at her fiancée, a look so full of joy and love that Carol marveled at how she got so lucky.
“I think a celebration is in order. Party at my place, 6 o’clock. Don’t be late,” Tony stated.
Pepper rolled her eyes at her husband as everyone chuckled.
“We deserve it,” said Nat.
So everyone showed up to Tony’s party. They celebrated their win while also mourning the losses of Clint, Loki, and Vision. Overall, it was one of the most fun and relaxed times everyone had during the past five years.
The next day
By Natasha’s insistence, Carol was in the lab being looked over by Dr. Cho. “Well, it appears you’ve got a few bruised ribs, five to be exact. My advice is to rest and stay away from strenuous activities.”
“How long will it take to recover? I’ve got powers and they allow me to heal slightly faster than a regular human.”
“For an average human, 4-6 weeks. But because of your powers, most likely 3-4.”
“Is that all Doc?”
“Yes, and may I say you are very lucky that that was all you sustained, even more so to be alive.”
“I’ll be sure to count my blessings.”
Dr. Cho shook her head but prescribed Carol some pain meds before dismissing her.
Natasha was pacing outside. When she saw her fianceé, she arched an expectant eyebrow. “Well?”
“I could’ve given you the same diagnosis. Just some bruised ribs,” Carol lamented.
Natasha gave Carol a stern look. Carol held her hands up in surrender. “Alright, jeez. She said no strenuous activities and to take it easy.”
“Which means I’ll have to be babysitting you, and if not me, then FRIDAY or Wanda.”
“Hey! I don’t need to be babysat.”
Natasha gave Carol the look, the one that says Are you actually trying to argue with me? “Are you being serious? Have you met you?”
“Hypocrite,” Carol muttered under her breath.
“You’re gonna pay for that,” Natasha warned before sashaying away.
Carol swore under her breath and moved to catch up with her fianceé, thinking of ways to make it up to her. Natasha smirked, knowing that holding this over Carol’s head would drive her crazy. And oh, how she loved to drive her lover crazy.