Tears of an Angel

With a mighty battle cry the combined armies ran towards Thanos'. Thanos lifted his large double blade sword, unleashing his own army as he stood in the center.

"Flame on!" Johnny let himself be engulfed in flames as he shot through the sky, grabbing Payton's arm and tossing her into the oncoming army. Payton carefully flipped herself so she landed on one of the larger aliens, launching it into the ground, before flipping off and into the face of another. She looked over to see Ben take a punch from one of the larger aliens, causing him to skid back several feet. She ran forward, jumping onto the alien's back before using her stickiness and forcefully flipping him over.

"Got to admit kid." Ben said as she rose. "Wasn't expecting this when Johnny said you asked for him to come."

"Got to admit adult." Payton grabbed the gun of an oncoming Chitauri, crushing it in her grip, before kicking it away. "Neither was I."

The two exchanged a smile before jumping back into battle. Duck. Punch. Kick. Jump. Flip. Punch. Spin. Kick. It almost felt like a dance.

Payton glanced up, smiling as she saw Pepper and Tony back to back unleashing their fire power on anything they could get their sites on. Harley flew by them as he blasted an orb shaped ship with spikes to oblivion.

Payton grabbed a gorilla like Chitauri, flipping him over before flinging him into the sky. Before it could land, Johnny blasted it. Payton looked over to see Brunnhilde on a flying Pegasus, slicing at the leviathan. Scott swatting other leviathans like flies. See even saw Sue and Reed back to back fighting multiple opponents.

She looked over to see Tony Stark get punched to the ground by who she recognized as one of the aliens that they fought that led to them getting on the donut ship. He towered over Tony, raising his weapon to strike Tony.

Payton shot webs at his back, pulling him away. The creature landed on the ground, barley beginning to rise - Giant-Man stomps him flat. That wasn't part of the plan but that works,

"Mr. Stark!" Payton yelled rushing to Tony as her mask came undone. "You will not believe what's been going on. Do you remember when we were in space?" She helped him to his feet. She had to make this fast, they were in the middle of a fight after all. "Well, it's been five years. There's so much I've got to tell you. And people I want to introduce you too. Harley and I graduated MIT. And then Scott came and we came up with this crazy idea so that we-"

Tony seemed to not even be listening to her, almost like he was looking through her.

"What are you doing?" Payton asked confused as he squeezed her left shoulder lightly.

"It's really been five years?"

"Yeah." Payton lightly grabbed his hand, "There really is a lot that we need to catch up on."

"Can't wait." Tony pulled Payton into a hug. She took in a deep breath. This was real. He was real. He came back.

Payton clung onto him with a shaky breath.  "Oh, this is nice." She smiled softly. "I've missed you."

"I'm here now kid." He assured. "I'm here. And I'm not going anywhere."

*******

Natasha had quickly found the gauntlet among the rubble after the explosion.

"Does anybody copy?" Natasha called out into her comm as she began walking down a random pathway.

She heard another voice, but couldn't clearly make anything out. Her comms were damaged in the fight.

"Payton." Natasha tried again. Can you-" Pure static. "Damn it." Natasha muttered shutting off her comm.  

Growling came from behind her. Natasha turned to see a dark tunnel.  She released an electrified widow's bite that  produced just enough light to reveal dozens of the creatures she fought at Wakanda crawling towards her. Some were scaling the walls and ceiling, fifty times creepier than when Payton crawled like that.

Natasha quickly turned, running as far as she could, ignoring the heavy breathing and growling behind her. It didn't take long for her to find a spot for her to start climbing. And a stream of gas spilling out from who knows where. As soon as she reached the top, she shot a widows bite at it, ducking as the explosion went off.

Natasha released a tense breath as she stood in relief. She had to find the others. Before Natasha could move something hit her hard from behind causing her to drop the gauntlet. Natasha turned, pulling out her batons, freezing as she saw Nebula there.

"Father." Nebula said in her comm as she grabbed the gauntlet. "I've got the stones."

Before Natasha could rush her, Nebula pulled out a gun, her eyes staring at the woman in a strange mixture of fury and pity.

"Stop!" The two of them looked over to see a green skinned woman walk out of the shadows, holding her gun up at Nebula.

"You're betraying us?" Nebula sneered as Nebula came up next to the green woman.

Wait, Natasha looked up towards the unarmed Nebula then back at the armed Nebula. Oh. That makes more sense. Barely. What the heck happened on Morag?!

"You don't have to do this." The unarmed Nebula said softly.

"I am this." The unarmed Nebula said her grip starting to tremble ever so slightly.

"No, you're not." The green woman said softly lowering her weapon.

"You've seen what we become." Nebula said persistently.

"Nebula listen to her." The green woman begged.

"You can change."

"He won't let me." The armed Nebula desperately said.

"He doesn't define you." the unarmed Nebula said softly. "Look at my memories, see what we could become."

The armed Nebula stared at her counterpoint for several moments. "Father would kill me if I failed again."

"Then is he really your father?" Natasha said slowly.

The armed Nebula stared at her with wide eyes, before lowering her weapon. "Promise me we'll kill him."

Natasha smiled. "With pleasure."

The armed Nebula dropped the gauntlet with a resounding clang.

"Wow." The four women turned pointing their weapons at Venom who was crawling towards them from the top of the surrounding wreckage. "What did I walk in on?"

"Stand down." Nebula said as she and Natasha lowered their weapons, "He's with us."

Hesitantly the other two did.

"Have you seen Payton?" Natasha asked walking forwards. "Or anyone of the others?"

"Yeah," Venom said. "We found her with Harley and Thor. They were going to fight Thanos."

"We have to get to them." Natasha declared grabbing the gauntlet from off the ground.

"Question." Venom said looking at the others. "Which Nebula is ours?"

The Past Nebula pushed a button on her wrist that transformed the red top that was identical to their Nebula's into a purple muscle shirt.

"Cool." Venom mused with a pointed teeth smile.

"Where is Thanos?" The green skinned woman demanded walking closer.

"Follow us." Venom wrapped an arm around Natasha's waist before shooting out a tendril and swinging away.

"Good to see your safe kid."

"We do have thick skin." Venom smiled.

Natasha took a glance back to see the three women running after them, easily launching themselves off different pieces of debris. They did it almost as gracefully as Payton did.
It took only a few minutes for them to find Thanos standing in the center of a field, backed up by an army. Opposite of him were dozens if not hundreds of portal being opened unleashing Avengers, Wakandans, Ravengers and God knows what else as Steve stood in front of them all.

Venom smiled widely. "This is incredible. Let's go!"

Without waiting, Venom launched forward, leaving the quartet of women behind.

"What is that?" The green skinned woman asked as they rushed to the group.

"That's our army about to go against Thanos." Natasha explained as they went to stand with the rest of the army.

"I mean that." She pointed to Venom.

"They say it's a symbiote."

"Who's they?" Past Nebula asked.

"Long story." Natasha said as they got in position. "We survive. We'll compare notes."

"Avengers!" Steve's voice echoed over the battlefield. "Assemble!"

With a mighty battle cry, the armies rushed into battle. Natasha was almost instantly lost in an endless dance as she entered a Killing Calm. She could remember her teachers in the Red Room saying only the best could enter such a place. That the best slipped into it like one does into a dance. Admittedly this one was much harder to slip into with an oversized gauntlet in her grasp.

"Cap!" Natasha called out, pulling out Clint's sword before slicing at Chitauri who got too close.  "What do you want me to do with this damn thing?

"Get those stones as far away as possible!" Steve ordered through the finally working comms.

"No!" Bruce argued. "We need to get them back where they came from."

"Well our time machine's kinda broken." Harley grunted. "So it's going to have to wait."

"Hold on!" Scott protested. "That wasn't our only time machine."

Natasha vaguely heard the song La Cucaracha play. Scott's van!

"Anyone see an ugly, brown van up there?" Steve asked as Natasha slid under another swing.

"Yes!" Brunnhilde said. "But you're not gonna like where it's parked!"

Shit. Natasha thought to herself.

"Scott, how long you need to get that thing working?" Harley asked.

"Maybe ten minutes."

"Get it started." Steve commanded. "We'll get the stones to you."

"We're on it, Cap." A feminine voice said. Hope Van Dyne?

Suddenly Natasha was surrounded by Outriders. Before they could reach her, T'Challa landed in front of her, the impact creating a purple blast sending them back.

"Natasha!" T'Challa said his mask coming undone as he looked towards her. "Give it to me."

Natasha gladly passed the weapon off to the monarch. She turned around as he ran, slicing several Chitauri that came after her. She ducked under one swipe before jabbing it in the side with her widow bites, only to be knocked to the ground, by another swing.

Natasha pushed herself to her elbows, looking up in time to see one about to leap onto her- Only to be hit midair by Thor's hammers. She got up as the hammer flew back into Steve's grasp.

"The least surprising thing I've seen today." Natasha commented.

Steve smiled at her, before he was quickly pounced on by an outrider, causing him to drop the hammer. He grunted pushing up against the creature with his broken shield as it clawed and snarled at him.

Suddenly it was knocked off him with the hammer. Steve looked over as the hammer was summoned back to Natasha. She looked down at the weapon in shock.

"Nat..." Steve smiled at her.

She smirked up at him. "I guess I am always picking up after you boys."

*******

Payton could see T'Challa being lifted up and engulfed by a pillar of rocks, desperately trying to keep hold of the gauntlet. The Squidward Looking Telekinetic Alien!

Payton jumped on top of the pile. "I got it!" She webbed the gauntlet to herself before rushing off, twisting mid air to avoid more projectiles the Squidward Looking Telekinetic Alien sent towards her. She landed on the ground with a light thud, about to take off- Only to find herself surrounded by more Chitauri. "Shit."

"Duck!" Johnny landed in front of her. As she did what he ordered, he unleashed a huge blast of fire, incinerating the horde that surrounded them. 
He looked to her as he deflamed. "Are you alright?"

"Would it be too corny if I said that was 'hot'?" Payton asked standing up, pulling him close with one arm before giving him a kiss.

It was like the battle disappeared for a moment. It was just the two of them. Now this, this was nice.

"Hey!" They split apart as Harley flew over them, blasting oncoming Chitauri. "You two mind saving the smooch fest for later?"

"Jealous?" Johnny teased as he let out a blast of fire. Payton shot a taser web at more Chitauri.  

"Screw you, Storm!" Harley said as one of Johnny's blast hit an alien that almost hit Harley.

"Maybe later!" Johnny laughed.

"Hey!" Payton said flipping a gorilla Chitauri over onto it's back. "I called dibs."  

"Keep it in your pants, Johnny!" Pepper yelled in her CEO voice.

"Yes ma'am." Johnny quickly said as he picked Payton up,  flying her away from an oncoming horde. "I got ya!"

"My hero." Payton teased, firing webs at various creatures, pulling them away before they could hurt their target with one hand, the other arm wrapped around his neck, still holding tightly onto the gauntlet. "My, my how romantic, hot head."

"Oh if you think this is romantic," Johnny smiled, using one hand to blast at creatures, as she used her stickiness to hold on. "Just wait until I'm able to sneak you away from Pepper and Sue. I was thinking we sneak off to see Wakanda. Maybe even have a romantic dinner. Cause a little bit of trouble."

"Hmm." Payton mused as she leaned closer to his ear. "That sounds nice. Or maybe you can keep flying me around like we're Superman and Lois Lane. And then we can-"

"We can still hear you!" Sue cut off. Payton laughed softly as Johnny made a sputtering sound. "And please never share the plans you have with my brother again."

"Agreed." Harley said disgusted as Tony made spluttering sounds.

"What the-"

"Let the record show, that we-" Payton stiffened with a small gasp, the hairs on the back of her neck stood. Danger! "Move!"

Before Johnny could, a barrage of cannon blasts rained down from Thanos ship like hellfire. A blast landed right behind them, the force of which sent them both sprawling towards the ground. She lost sight of Johnny in the dust.

Pepper flew by catching her midair. "Hang on. I got you, kid."

"I have to go back for Johnny." Payton begged as Pepper lightly dropped her onto Brunnhilde's Pegasus.

Before either woman could respond, another cannon blast landed close by, sending her off the Pegasus. Payton landed on the ground with a thud. The gauntlet inches from her. She quickly grabbed and curled around it, clutching it tightly to her chest as the barrage continued like a hail storm.

Don't let him get it. Payton silently prayed, squeezing her eyes shut as the onslaught of bright blue blasts began to blind her. Please, make sure everyone I love lives. Each blast landed with the force of a hundred thunders, the ground shaking like a leaf under her.

Suddenly everything was silent. The ground stilled. And the blue lights ceased. Was this it? Was she dead? What of the others?

As the silence persisted, Payton hesitantly uncurled, looking around to see the barrage had stopped. She sat up, looking around to see everyone in sight was looking around equally as confused. She looked up to the ship to see the cannons were aiming upwards.

"What the hell is this?" Sam asked.

"FRIDAY, what are they firing at?" Tony asked.

"Something just entered the upper atmosphere." She relayed over their comms.

Payton smiled softly as the cannons started firing upwards. There was only one bad ass she knew of that could scare anyone this much.

Carol Danvers, in a burst of yellow energy, flew through the ship twice, resulting in an explosion, the ship crash-landing in the lake.

"Oh, yeah!" Rocket excitedly exclaimed.

"Danvers," Steve said as Payton turned onto her back, panting heavily. "We need an assist here."

It took only a moment for Carol to land in front of her, her glow dissipating.

"Hi." Payton smiled guiltily as she still tightly held gauntlet, like a teddy bear. "Uh... Sorry I missed the last meeting?"

"Not a problem." Carol smiled down at her, holding out her hand. "You got something for me?"

Payton gladly took the older woman's hand, passing her the gauntlet as she stood. Both women looked at the oncoming army. "Any ideas on how we get through all that?"

"Don't worry." Wanda said as she arrived, Brunnhilde flying on her Pegasus right behind her.

"We'll help." Okoye said as Pepper landed next to her.

Mantis, Shuri, the Wasp, Sue, Gamora and both Nebulas quickly came up. Both Nebulas? Well that's new. Questions for later.

Natasha strutted in front of all of them twirling her twin batons. "Let's go kick some ass."

Thanos' army charged at them. Gamora easily took out a Chitauri Gorilla, while Okoye stabbed a man with a staff and a hood in the stomach flipping him over. Wanda used her magic to hold back two leviathans, Brunnhilde flying up to tear through them. Sue held back oncoming forces with her shields, pushing them back with a yell. Natasha easily took out two Chitauri by hitting and undoubtedly destroying their knees, before bashing them in the head. Payton flipped over shooting taser webs at more Chitauri Gorillas that got too close.

Carol, with the pathway cleared, started to fly towards the van with the Gauntlet. Thanos started running towards Carol only to be stopped by Pepper, Shuri and Wasp blasts that send him skidding backwards. Thanos, seeing Carol fly over, threw his double blade sword at the van.

"NO!" Payton yelled. She shot out a web towards the double sword. It latched onto the blade closest to her just as it tore through the van destroying it. As if in slow motion, Payton watched as the van was engulfed in an explosion. A surge of energy raced up the web and through her arm. The blast sent everyone in 100 yard radius flying back several feet.

She opened her eyes with a gasp. She blinked, a distant part of her realizing her mask was partly destroyed, her right eye exposed. She had landed on her stomach. There was a ringing in her ear as Payton slowly lifted her head and looked around, breathing heavily, her right arm felt as if it were on fire. From the distance she could see countless soldiers fighting even more soldiers. She winced slightly at the near by explosion. In the bright yellow blast she could see the silhouette of people flying from the blast. She couldn't tell if they were human or not. She could hear them screaming, muffled as if through a wall as they died. More explosions sent people sprawling.

Payton turned her head the other direction as she tore off the mask. Thanos smacked Tony away, knocking him back. Thor arrives with Stormbreaker and Mjolnir trying to pin Thanos' arm down, Steve rushing to assist only for Thanos overpowers them, sending them both sprawling.

Payton forced herself to roll onto her hands and knees. "Come on Spider Girl." She shakily pushed herself to her feet as Carol punched Thanos who was holding the Gauntlet.  "Come on Spider Girl." She whispered looking down to see her right web shooter was fried. Payton screamed as she tried to make a fist with her right hand, the pain nearly sending her back to her knees. She doesn't know what compelled her to do so, but she turned her head, spotting Doctor Strange.

Doctor Strange was looked at the Tony, who was barely lifting his head off the ground, with sorrowful eyes. He shakily lifted a single finger.

How many did we win?

One.

She looked back over to Carol. Only to see Thanos tear the Power Stone from the gauntlet and used it to hit Carol Danvers. The force of with sent her flying away.

Payton looked over to see Tony struggling to his feet farther away. Looking at Thanos with fear unlike any that she's ever seen. Thanos puts the Power Stone back into the Gauntlet, yelling as energy coursed through him.

No! Payton rushed forward grabbing onto the gauntlet with both hands, gritting her teeth, and ignoring the pain that coursed through her right arm.

Come. She willed the nanobots to shift the Stones to her armor. She dug her feet into the ground as she continued yanking the gauntlet. Come!

"Payton!" Tony yelled.

She didn't see Thanos other arm coming to back hand her. The force sent her skidding back several feet, flipping her onto her stomach. She looked up to see Tony  falling back to his knees. Thanos was smirking down at her, like she was nothing but a bug.

"I am inevitable." Thanos said with a wide and smug smile as snapped his fingers, nothing happened except a metallic clink. With a puzzled look, Thanos smug smile fell into confusion as he turned his gauntlet over to see the Stones were missing.

Payton smirked as she shakily pushed herself to her knees. Holding in her screams as the Stones arranged themselves on her left arm. "And I–" She let out a breathless laugh. "We are the Avengers."

Payton snapped.

Suddenly she was surrounded by orange, kneeling in water. She stood up. The gauntlet was gone. Everyone was gone. Wait. There in the distance...

She slowly walked forward, spotting what looked like a blanket fort, the flap opened.

"Hey!" Payton exclaimed as she rushed forward. "Hey. Can you help-"

She came to a stop as Richard and Mary Parker crawled out. "There you are." Mary cooed, laughing softly.

"Mommy?" Payton said, tears in her eyes. "Daddy!" She rushed forward, enveloping the two in a hug.

"There you are my little panda bear." Richard said petting her hair softly.

"I've missed you both so much." Payton snuggled closer into her parents embrace.

"What about us?" A voice teased from behind.

Payton let go of her parents, turning to see Ben and May smiling at her. "Uncle Ben! Aunt May!"

She wrapped them in a hug too. "I'm so sorry. I've missed y'all so much and-"

"It's alright Payton." May said softly. "You know how much we larb you."

"You have nothing to apologize for." Ben said softly as they separated, Richard and Mary coming closer to them too. "I know you were angry. I just wish you had told me of your abilities. I could've helped you. Well help you as best as I could."

"But if you hadn't rushed after me then-"

"There is nothing that would've stopped me from going to you. Whether that was going to your room or going after you."

Aunt May knelt in front of her. "I knew you would do something amazing."

"Payton." She turned to Richard, who lightly cupped her cheek, looking into her eyes. "Look how big you've gotten."

"I wish you could've seen me. That you could've been there with me."

"Then come with us." Mary said gently pulling  her away from Richard, and towards the blanket fort.

"What?"

"Come with us." Richard said again. "And we can be a family again. All five of us."

Payton thought back to the last memory she had of them all together. It was the day her parents left on the trip. They were having a family dinner. And she was going to spend the night at Uncle Ben's. He always let her stay up late watching movies.

Mom was teaching May how to cook. The two playfully fighting Ben and Richard who were sneaking her deserts before dinner, Especially after she gave them large puppy eyes.
Payton glanced over at the blanket fort.

'I don't even know if it's real.' She had told Clint. Clint who had sacrificed so much for them. So they could live happy lives with their families and friends. So Morgan could have a full family.

"I can't," Payton said softly stepping away, sliding her hands out of her mothers grip, tears pooling in her eyes. "They need me."

"I know." Mary relented, tears shinning in her eyes. "And I'm so proud of the woman you've become."

"We all are." Ben assured.

"Payton." Richard gently pulled closer, holding her hands. "We'll always be with you. We'll be with you. May will be with you. Ben will be with you. Mary will be with you." She felt Ben put one of his hands on her shoulder, May a hand on her other. "And now you have more family and friends who will be there for you." Mary wiped away tears that had spilled down her face. "But never forget how much we love you."

Richard gently kissed her forehead as Payton closed her eyes.

Payton gasped as she opened her eyes. The world was nothing but a blur. Sounds came to her first. But also as if they were coming through a tunnel. Her left side felt like it was on fire.

"-Ayton... -An -Ou -Ear me?"

"Payton." She gasped again as something touched her face. Her vision swam before settling on Johnny's blurred worried face.

"Johnny." She whispered. Or at least she thinks she whispered it. She felt like she could barely move her lips.

"Payton." Johnny gathered her in his arms. The movement causing her to squeeze her eyes shut with a pained gasp. "I'm sorry. It's alright. You're going to be alright."

"Kid." She looked over to see Tony walking over a stunned look on his face as he and Pepper walked closer. Pepper's face was pale. "Kid what'd you do?"

"Had to..." Her eyes slid over to Pepper. "Morg.. Mor-"

"She's fine." Pepper assured, running a hand through her hair. "She's safe because of you."

Payton smiled as her eyes grew heavy.

"Medic!" Johnny desperately yelled as her eyes began to close on their own accord. "We need help!" He looked back to her. "Payton please hang on." Johnny began to rock them softly. "You're going to be alright. I'm right here. I'm... I love you."

I love you too. She thought as the world fell away into nothingness.