What comes after lightning...
The three spent the rest of the storm in the Capitol building, not going far from the light. By the time the storm had completely passed, it was dark again.
They packed up and returned to the APC parked outside, never noticing the figure watching them from the upper level of the rotunda as they crossed.
Scott looked out at the mall from the top of the steps.
“It’s sad, really. Leaving this place empty.”
“It was empty before I got here.” Lincoln reminded
“Still, he’s right. It feels weird.”
“Then again…” Scott said as he started walking “We could always come back and…”
He didn’t get to finish his sentence as he was suddenly crashing into the ground and tumbling down the stairs.
“OWWW.” He said in a daze.
“Scott!” Daisy screamed “Are you alright?
“Who put these stairs here…” He said. He moved slightly and pulled something out from under him.
Captain America’s shield.
“Just what I always wanted to do… trip over a national treasure…”
“Do you think this was put here for us to find two?” Lincoln asked
“No, look at the damage around here.” Daisy said moving her flashlight.
“That’s not weathering.” Scott noted “The final battle was here.”
“Astute observation, young warrior…” A voice said, a deep, man’s voice.
The three jumped.
“…Thor…” they said in unison as the figure stepped out of the building into the headlights of the APC.
The mighty thunder god stood before the three young Inhumans. His beard long, his hair a mess and his eyes sullen.
“How are you… What…”
“I should ask the same question of you.” The Asgaurdian said “I have been trapped here since that wretched Titan slew my comrades and this planet’s people with little more than a snap of his fingers…”
“Your comrades? The Avengers?” Daisy asked.
“Verily.”
“You found Captain Rodgers I assume, but who were the others?”
“Dr Pym, Lady Janet and young Master Stark.”
“We’re from another Earth, one where you didn’t arrive until a few years ago. One where Thanos was defeated.” Daisy said, holding Scott’s hand “Our friend here is from a similar Earth.”
“Travelers of realms… I see.”
“Did you turn on that light?” Lincoln asked
“No. I thought it was your doing.”
He turned and looked out into the darkness.
“Every year I return here.” He told them “It’s my penance for my failure. When Thanos killed them all, Mjölnir fell from my hands. I was no longer worthy. They died because of me. Thanos specifically chose to keep me alive so it could suffer for my stupidity. I was waiting out the storm in one of the museum buildings when I saw that light come on. Once it had passed I went to investigate.”
He walked down the stairs and knelt. The three followed him.
“Hello, old friend” he said to the hammer, lying there.
“You haven’t tried to move it?” Lincoln asked.
“I can’t. I’m not worthy of it.”
“Because of what it says or because of what your say?” Daisy asked.
“Daisy… babe… thunder god…” Scott reminded her “best not to piss him off.”
“No… I failed. Whether the hammer thinks I’m worthy is of no consequence. I failed. I had the chance to end this and I didn’t.”
“You chose to stay here. You exiled yourself.” Lincoln said “you could go back to Asgard.”
“Yes. I could call for the Bifrost, but I chose not to. So long as the people of this world remain dust in the wind, I shall not set foot in those golden halls.”
“You were going up against someone with the powers of the cosmos in his finger tips.” Scott said “You’re chances were slim to none. But there is still a chance you could do something about it.”
“Like what?”
“Take the gauntlet. Unite the stones yourself.” Daisy said.
“We’re going to go now.” Scott said “Let you be alone with your thoughts. But, we could always come back. We’re looking for some people who were kidnapped and a woman with purple eyes who might be behind it.”
“Purple eyes…” Thor thought. “That’s sounds like a Siltavion. If it is a quest you are on then...” Thor said, getting up “I think that shield might come in handy. The Captain would probably prefer it to be used to help those in need, not sitting here, a relic of disaster and death.”
Scott picked it up and handed it to Daisy.
“You hold on to it.” He said to her.
“Why me?”
“OK, you want to carry the parts for the car instead?”
“No... I’m good…”she said, slipping the shield onto her arm.
“Besides…” Scott began to say
“No.”
“Come on… You’d be great.”
“Great at what.” Lincoln asked
“Being the boss.” Scott said “Coulson has been trying to get her to take on a leadership role.”
“Well, if you’re anything like my Daisy, you should be great at it.”
“You two are crazy…” She said walking back to the APC.
“Fair thee well…” Thor told them as they climbed into the truck. They drove down the hill and back over the grassy mall.
“Take on Thanos myself?” Thor muttered to himself. “Daft…”
“It’s not the craziest thing” Hank Pym said standing next to Thor.
“You again…”
“Yes, us again, big guy…” Tony Stark said, putting his arm on Thor’s shoulder. Still the young man Thor knew.
Thor was unsure whether these were the spirits of his deceased friends or simply his mind trying to cope with both the loss and the loneliness. Frankly, he no longer cared. He had a home to return to before it got cold again.
“You’ve spent almost thirty years beating yourself up over us” Pym said “Those kids are probably right. You’re only unworthy because YOU think so.”
“I had him. He yielded and in my stupidity I stopped attacking. If I had a drop of sense, I’d have finished the job.”
“That wasn’t stupidity” Steve Rodgers said “That was nobility. It was honor. Thanos had none.”
Thor looked around again. The specters of his past were gone again.
“Honor…” Thor said to himself as he started walking back to where he’d made camp “What good has it done me?”
He didn’t see his hammer twitch as his hand passed over it.