Ch 90 Guardians in Knowhere

"What's gonna happen now?" Tony wondered.

"Now some old friends will return." Odinson said and all wondered who he was talking about.

In Space, the Benatar was flying as 'Rubberband Man' played. Inside, Peter Quill was chair-dancing and lip-syncing to the song with Gamora while Drax was sleeping and Rocket was yawning. Mantis just sat there as Teen Groot was playing a video game.

"Oh! Them!" Scott said and all burst out into joyful smiles on seeing them again.

"Been a while since they appeared after their two recordings." Natasha said.

"With Thanos coming around, they are gonna be involved as well." Steve said.

"Sounds right to me." Fury said.

Rocket asked why they were doing this as Gamora said it was a distress signal and someone could be dying and Rocket asked why they were doing it again so Quill said because they were nice and the person would give them cheddar cheese for help.

"All these years and they're still the same." Bruce said and all groaned.

"Only Gamora has sense out of them all." Clint said.

"And Quill has bits of it." Thor said.

"Distress signal?" Loki said out loud and they realized what was about to happen.

Gamora added it wasn't the point and Quill agreed as he said they would take his ship if he didn't pony up. Gamora looked at Quill with a raised eyebrow but he shrugged.

"There is nothing for you to take." Thor said sadly.

Mantis said they were arriving and Quill told them to put on their mean faces, which Mantis did.

"You look very mean." Hill joked and all chuckled.

Groot was still playing his game and Quill told him to put it away.

"The Defenders game." Peter said.

"I am Groot." Groot said and everyone was shocked, with Rocket telling him to mind his language.

"What did he say?" Sam asked.

"He said 'Fuck you, asshole." Odinson said.

"Arnold Schwarzenegger style." Logan added and all laughed.

Rocket said Groot was a d-hole now and he'd smash the game to pieces if this was kept up. The Benatar decelerated into regular space and they saw Thanos' devastation in front of them. Bodies were seen floating around with pieces of the destroyed ship.

Everyone tensed again, the funny atmosphere all gone.

"My people." Thor muttered.

"They got the signal." Hope said.

Mantis asked what had happened and Rocket said they weren't getting paid as Gamora looked around and realized who had done this. And then Thor's body hit the ship's hull with a thump, startling them all as Rocket asked to get it off with wipers but Thor's eye opened and they gasped.

"You're alive!" A relieved May said as all sighed in relief.

"Of course I am." Odinson said.

"Still, nice to see you're back." Pepper said.

"I don't think you will be well though." Loki said as he put a hand on Thor's shoulder in concern and he nodded in appreciation.

The Guardians later put Thor on a table as Quill wondered how this 'dude' was still alive and Drax said he wasn't a dude but Quill was while Thor was a handsome, muscular man.

"Please kill me." Thor groaned.

"He has a crush!" Hope said and all laughed.

"You two would look good together." Loki joked and all laughed while Thor and Odinson sighed.

"Well, you are a handsome, muscular man." May muttered, only for all to stare at her. Peter and Benjamin looked incredulous.

"Never mind." She said.

Quill said he was muscular but Rocket said he was one sandwich away from fat and Drax said he had gained a little weight.

"He looks the same to me." Bucky shrugged.

Gamora moved around the table and looked at Thor as Mantis put a hand on his head and said he was anxious, angry and felt tremendous loss and guilt.

"I'm sorry." Steve said as all looked at him in sympathy.

"Don't blame yourself." Loki said to Thor and Odinson, "It was my choice."

Drax said it was like a pirate had a baby with an angel.

Everyone burst out laughing until Fury said, "Focus!"

Quill said he was gonna commit and get some dumbbells. Rocket remarked one couldn't eat those as Gamora lifted Thor's bicep and remarked how they were made of Cotati Metal Fibres. Quill told her to stop massaging his muscles and she dropped it.

"Someone's jealous." Wanda said as all chuckled again.

"What is it about me?" Odinson said again.

Quill asked Mantis to wake him and she did with her powers. Thor shot out of the table violently before noticing them behind him and asked, "Who the hell are you guys?"

"The Guardians of the Galaxy." Tony said.

Later, Thor was eating soup with a towel wrapped around him as Gamora said, "The entire time I knew Thanos, he only ever had one goal. To bring balance to the universe by wiping out half of all life. He used to kill people planet by planet, massacre by massacre." Drax added, "Including my own." Gamora said, "If he gets all six Infinity Stones... he can do it with the snap of his fingers", she snapped her fingers to emphasize her point, "….like this."

"And kill half of all life." Rhodes said with everyone pale and tense.

"Even if we just stop him from taking one, this won't happen." Sam said.

"Destroy my Stone." Vision said selflessly.

"No." Wanda said as all turned to him, "It will kill you."

"We won't destroy you." Steve said.

"Captain Rogers, you were willing to give your life to save millions, how is this any different?" Vision asked.

"We don't trade lives." Steve said.

"Especially not of those we care about." Tony said.

Thor noted Gamora knew a lot about Thanos and Drax revealed she was his daughter. Everyone was alarmed as Thor looked at her angrily.

"By Odin, I hope he doesn't do something I will regret." Thor said about his on-screen self.

"He doesn't look happy." Peter noted.

Thor got up and growled her father had killed his brother. Quill said he was a stepfather and she hated him as much as him. Gamora looked nervous but Thor's gaze softened and he clapped her shoulder, saying families could be tough, saying his father had told him he had a half-sister in Hel before his death.

Everyone sighed in relief as Tony said, "You two are relating."

"Both of us have messed up families." Odinson said.

Thor then said how she had returned and stabbed him in the eye so he had to kill her and this was life, going round and round and he felt her pain.

Everyone looked at the two in sympathy.

A jealous Quill moved between the two, saying it wasn't a competition but he had been through a lot too, with his father killing his mother and him having to kill his father which was harder than killing a sister and he came out with both eyes.

"You're making it look like a competition." Wanda said in amusement.

"Well, he has been through a lot." Thor simply said.

"All of us have messed up families." Loki said.

Thor said he needed a hammer, not a spoon as he started fiddling with a console. He asked how to open this thing and when Quill, asked he said he was taking their pod.

"You woke up and you're taking their pod." Pepper said.

"What a boss!" Hill added and all chuckled.

Quill deepened his voice and said he wouldn't be taking their pod.

"Now he is trying to match your voice." T'Challa said to Thor while all were amused.

"He feels jealous and short in front of the seductive God of Thunder." May said and all stared at her incredulously again, "I'll just shut up."

"I can't believe this." Peter groaned.

"I'm scarred." Benjamin groaned too.

Rocket asked if he was making his voice deeper. Quill denied but Drax said he was imitating God-man. Quill denied and again and Mantis said with a gasp he did it again. Quill said this was his voice. Thor strode up to him and towered over him, being taller and stronger and asked if he was mocking him.

"Now you're dead, Quill." Hope said.

Quill asked back if Thor was mocking him as the two started complaining.

"They almost drove me mad." Odinson said.

"I can see that." Loki said.

Gamora told them to stop and said they needed to know where Thanos was going next. Thor said he was going to Knowhere and Mantis said he had to be going somewhere when Quill realized he was talking about Knowhere.

"The Reality Stone." Natasha said in realization.

"Easiest Stone to get right now." Tony said.

Thor rummaged through their stores and took their food, annoying Quill as Gamora asked why Thanos would go to Knowhere and Thor said the Reality Stone had been stored safely with the Collector. Quill said only an idiot would leave it with him but Thor said a genius might too.

"I have no idea." Fury said.

Gamora asked how he knew Thanos wasn't going for the other Stones and Thor said Thanos had stolen the Power Stone last week after decimating Xandar and stolen the Space Stone from him after slaughtering half his people while the Time and Mind Stones were on Earth, safe with the Avengers.

"He'll come for me when he has the other five." Vision realized as Wanda wrapped an arm around him.

"Looks like he saw the Time Stone with Strange." Steve mused.

Quill didn't know the Avengers and Thor explained they were the Earth's Mightiest Heroes. Mantis asked if Kevin Bacon was one and Thor said he might be but he had no idea.

"You still have a lot to learn." Clint noted while all laughed.

"Then teach me." Thor said.

Thor said no one knew where the Soul Stone was so Thanos won't get it. Gamora made a face.

"She knows." Natasha said as realization hit everyone.

"She found out and is hiding it from everyone." Tony said.

Thor said Thanos would go to Knowhere to get the Reality Stone and Gamora decided to go there but Thor said they would go to Nidavellir. Drax said it was a made-up word and Thor said all words were made-up.

"That is true." Peter quipped.

Rocket was awed that Nidavellir was real, remembering the legendary weapons and decided he wanted to go there. Thor said the rabbit was correct and the smartest of them all, while Rocket was confused on being called 'Rabbit.'

"And now he has been called a rabbit too." Fury noted.

Thor said only Eitri the Dwarf King could make the needed weapon and asked Rocket if he was captain. Rocket said he was perceptive as Thor said he was a noble leader and asked him to join his quest. Rocket sarcastically said he'd ask the captain before saying he was and moved with them.

"He is still so full of himself." Sam said and all laughed.

"And I think he is a leader." Thor frowned.

"Not my best moment." Odinson said.

Quill said he was captain but Thor shut him up and took his backpack too as Rocket told him to sit down. Quill asked what kind of weapon they were talking about. Thor said the 'Thanos-killing kind.' Quill said they should all have one but Thor said they lacked the strength to wield it and their bodies would crumble as their minds collapsed.

"Stormbreaker." Thor's eye lit up.

"Stormbreaker." Odinson confirmed.

"Does that have an enchantment?" Steve asked.

"No." Odinson said, "But it is too powerful for mortals."

Rocket asked if it was weird he wanted to do it more and Thor said a little as Gamora said they needed to go to Knowhere to stop Thanos or he'd be too powerful. Thor said he already was and Rocket said they had 2 ships and a large assortment of morons so him and Groot would go with the pirate-angel while the morons would go to Knowhere. Quill said he knew Rocket was going to Nidavellir because Thanos wasn't there.

"Busted." Hill smiled.

Rocket told Quill not to talk to his captain that way and told Groot to come with him and put the game away or it would rot his brain. They sat in the pod as Thor called them 'morons' and said good luck before bidding them farewell as the pod closed and flew off.

"You insulted them without even knowing it. Nice!" Logan said as all laughed.

Wanda and a human Vision were in a room together in Scotland, hiding out as the Mind Stone glowed and Wanda asked if it was the Stone again. Vision said it was speaking to him as she walked to him and asked what it said. He said he didn't know but felt something. Wanda used her powers but just felt him so they kissed.

Wanda looked a bit uncomfortable and so did Benjamin but they rolled with it as Rhodes said, "The Stone is working."

"What happened to your accent?" Tony suddenly asked Wanda.

"I phased it out." Natasha said and all chuckled.

"You can turn into a human?" A shocked Sam asked Vision.

"Yes, I learnt to do it recently." Vision said.

Later, the two were strolling down the streets as Wanda said he could have a 10 AM train so they could spend more time together. Vision asked what if he missed it. She said there was one for 11 AM. He asked what if he missed all the trains and didn't go back. She reminded he had given Stark his word but he said he'd rather give it to her.

"As much as I appreciate it, Viz", an uncomfortable Wanda said, "Stark needs you too."

"Right you are." Vision agreed, puzzled by his behavior just like the others.

Wanda said people were expecting her too and they'd made promises. Vision said for 2 years they had stolen these moments and insisted her to stay with him before realizing he was overstepping.

"Give her a moment to think for God's sake." Clint said with a glare at Vision who wisely didn't say a word.

Wanda and Vision then looked at the news on the TV at the kebab shop, with a picture of Tony Stark as the alien attacks were spoken of.

The atmosphere was tense again as Steve said, "I really hope all of you return to Earth safely."

"I hope so too." May said, holding Peter tightly.

"Wizard must be rescued first." Tony said.

Wanda asked what they were and Vision said what the Stone was warning him about. He decided he needed to go but Wanda said it wasn't the best idea. Vision was about to respond when Corvus Glaive stabbed him from behind and lifted him up, making him scream in pain as his real form appeared while Wanda screamed, "Vision!"

"Oh boy!" Peter said as all gasped in horror.

"Vision!" Wanda screamed just like her on-screen self.

"How did that thing penetrate you?" Tony wondered.

"They actually snuck up on you." Natasha said, worry flooding her.

"No, no, no." Steve was muttering.

Wanda was about to attack when Proxima Midnight blasted her away from behind, knocking her across the street and a window.

"Damn it!" Sam said.

"I'm gonna kill her." Clint sneered at Midnight.

Vision struggled to his feet as Glaive and Midnight pinned him down and the former dug his glaive into Vision's forehead, trying to rip out the Mind Stone. Vision yelled in agony.

Everyone pressed their fists angrily, glaring into the two as Wanda was almost in tears. The relationship wasn't going to work out, but she still cared for Vision.

Wanda got up and shot out two hex blasts, throwing them both back before grabbing Vision with telekinesis and propelling them both into the air, soaring over a building to another street. She landed on the ground as Vision tumbled and she swiftly brought him to her.

"That's my girl." Clint said as all sighed in relief.

"Very good." Natasha said and she smiled.

"These things do not look like they want to give up." T'Challa said.

Vision said the blade had stopped him from phasing to her shock as his systems were failing.

"How can that be?" Bruce asked, "You weren't supposed to be fallible."

"These aliens have ways of extracting Stones." Vision simply said.

Wanda knit his wound back together with magic as Vision joked they should have stayed in bed.

"Not the time." Natasha said as all groaned while Wanda and Benjamin looked uncomfortable.

Glaive suddenly appeared and knocked Wanda aside as Vision angrily grabbed him and flew them both up, slamming into several walls. Glaive pinned Vision against a wall and said they'd spare Wanda if he gave up the Stone. Growling angrily, Vision pushed off the wall and flew Glaive to the roof of a church, ricocheting off the church onto the roof.

"Now he's pissed." Rhodes said.

"Would that work?" Pepper asked and all tensed again.

Wanda and Midnight fight, evenly matched before Midnight blasts Wanda away with her spear. She leapt down, trying to slash Wanda but was held back by her powers.

Everyone was on the edge of their seats.

Vision pinned Glaive against the tower and started pummeling him before throwing him across the roof. He then fired a beam from the Mind Stone but Glaive deflected and split it into several beams that hit the surrounding area. Wanda and Midnight were still fighting and narrowly avoided one.

Everyone gasped in shock as Hope asked, "What is that glaive made of?"

"Alien tech." Tony simply said.

Glaive redirected all beams at Vision, sending him back. Wanda blocked another strike from Midnight and hearing Vision's cry, she threw Midnight over her into a burning lorry sliced in half by Vision's beam.

"Take that!" Scott cheered as all clapped.

"Yes!" Peter cheered too.

"Now they'll get a taste of their own medicine." Clint smirked.

Wanda flew up as Glaive tried to rip out the Mind Stone from Vision. He turned around as Wanda told him to get his hands off and blasted him into the church with a hex blast before grabbing Vision and flying off.

"How do you like that?" Hope mocked as all cheered.

Midnight fired a blast and Wanda tried to deflect but the impact made them both crash into the roof of a station. Wanda crawled over to Vision who begged her to leave but she said she was staying and asked him to get up which he couldn't. Glaive and Midnight crashed through the roof and advanced on the two with their weapons. Wanda stood up and stood protectively over Vision as her hands glowed red with magic.

Everyone held their breaths, anticipation for what was going to follow high. Clint was especially worried about Wanda. None of them saw Benjamin, Odinson and Logan smirking.

An express train passed behind Wanda and Midnight cocked her head to look at it. Wanda also looked over in confusion. As the train passed, a silhouette was seen on the far side of the platform.

Everyone sighed in relief as they realized who it was standing there.

"Thank God." Clint muttered.

Midnight threw her spear but the figure effortlessly caught it. Midnight glared as he then stepped out of the shadows, revealing himself to be a bearded, rugged and furious Steve Rogers. Wanda and Vision smiled in relief.

"YES!" Peter cheered as all broke out into relieved applause.

"Best entrance ever!" Bruce said happily as the clapping continued.

"It was just epic." Sam said, "We're here."

"Thank you." Clint said gratefully.

"Thank you." Wanda said too as Vision nodded.

"Where did that beard come from?" Tony asked.

"I shave every week. It grows pretty fast." Steve said.

"Now we're beard bros." Tony said and Steve groaned.

"I'd never hear the end of it." Steve said.

"Nope." Bucky agreed.

"You like that look, don't you Hill?" Hope asked.

"I do actually." Hill said and Hope was shocked, "What? Cap asked me out. No need to be embarrassed now."

"I lost my biggest weapon." Hope groaned.

"Tough luck, Hope." Scott said.

"You have someone else to tease." Natasha said as she pointed at Steve who groaned.

Sam Wilson swooped in and kicked Midnight across the platform through the café's gate. He fired at Glaive with small projectiles which he deflected with his glaive when Steve tossed Midnight's three-pronged spear to Natasha Romanoff who jumped into the fray.

"The Secret Avengers have come." Logan said as all started cheering again.

"Wanda and Viz are saved." Tony sighed in relief.

Natasha caught Glaive by surprise and ducking under his swing, stabbed him in the gut as he roared in pain and she knocked him away with a flying kick.

"Now that is what makes me proud." Fury said as all clapped more.

"It looks epic." Benjamin said.

"That's my girl." Bucky said as the two exchanged a smile.

Midnight rushed into the fight and summoned her weapon back into her hand and attacked. Steve leapt forward and rolling, grabbed Glaive's glaive to hold her off. Natasha joined with her batons and as the three deflected each other's attacks, Sam swooped in and kicked Midnight away. She crawled to Glaive as Sam held out his two Steyr SPP Pistols.

"Now your ass is kicked." Scott said and all cheered again.

"Taste of your own medicine." Thor sneered, pleased to see them being beaten after what they had done to his people.

Midnight begged Glaive to get up but he couldn't.

"Oh my how the tables are turned." Tony said and all laughed.

"We don't want to kill you, but we will." Natasha sneered but Midnight said they wouldn't get the chance again as the two were beamed up with Midnight's spear while the glaive was snatched from Steve's hand and beamed up too. The Q ship flew away.

"Damn it!" Natasha said.

"And they got away." Steve sighed.

"They were pretty skilled and resourceful." Odinson pointed out.

"These children need to be dealt with carefully as well." T'Challa said and all nodded.

Sam helped Vision back to his feet and he thanked Steve who nodded and said they'd get him on the jet.

"This is why we stay together." Natasha grumbled to Wanda who looked sheepish.

"Sorry." She said.

"No going away next time." Steve said to her and she nodded.

They were in the jet as Natasha said they were supposed to stay close and check in with no chances. Wanda apologized, saying they needed more time while Sam asked Steve where to. "Home." He said.

"New York." Rhodes said in realization, "Now we need to table our feelings and fight Thanos."

"I hope they understand." Tony said about their on-screen versions.

"They will." Steve assured.

In a flashback, a little Gamora was shown crying as a sobbing woman held her. A massacre was going on outside. Gamora screamed as the door was kicked open.

"That Gamora?" Natasha asked and the future people nodded.

"Thanos." Fury said and all felt their hatred for the Mad Titan grow at what he was doing.

The Chitauri and Leviathans massacred stuff outside as a Chitauri dragged Gamora but she hit it and it went somewhere else as an armored Thanos arrived and looked down on her.

"Their first meeting." Vision realized as all watched.

As Maw spoke in the background, Gamora asked where her mother was and Thanos asked her name. She said it was Gamora and Thanos said she was quite the fighter. He then kneeled down and showed her a two sided knife, balancing it on his fingers, "Perfectly balanced, as all things should be. Too much to one side or the other... " He asked her to try as Maw said, "Now, go in peace to meet your maker." The Chitauri slaughtered the people and Gamora tried to look but Thanos returned her attention to the knife.

"This monster." Hill said as all were shocked and saddened by his slaughter again.

"And he killed half." Clint said as all noticed the people on the right hadn't been killed.

"He thinks he is doing some service to the Universe by balancing it but he is only making it worse." Steve said.

The bodies lay as Gamora continued balancing the knife and Thanos said she was learning.

"So you can make her do what you want." Natasha sneered, remembering what the Red Room had done to her as Bucky held her hand, uncomfortable himself as he remembered Hydra.

In present day, Gamora was looking at the knife as Quill arrived and asked about some weapons he needed to hang from his belt. She said she had a favor to ask and he agreed. He tried to interrupt but apologized as she said, "If things go wrong... If Thanos gets me... I want you to promise me... you'll kill me."

"WHAT?" Peter gasped as everyone's eyes went wide.

"But why?" May asked.

"She knows where the Soul Stone is." Fury said, "She doesn't want to tell Thanos."

"Then why go where he is?" Hope wondered.

"They were hoping to kill him by catching him by surprise." Logan said and they understood the reasoning.

"Still, pretty stupid if you ask me." Clint said.

"If he beat my brother, me and Hulk like that, they are no match for him." Loki said and all agreed, remembering that scene with shudders.

Quill was shocked as Gamora said she knew something he didn't and if he found out, the entire Universe could be at risk. Quill said he should know too but Gamora said only if he wanted to die. Quill asked why somebody had to die in this scenario and she told him to trust her and possibly kill her. Quill joked he'd like to and she made him swear to her on his mother.

"Can't get out of that." Tony said, remembering his own mother as Pepper held his hand.

Quill agreed and the two kissed.

"Looks like they got a relationship after all." Scott said.

Then they heard crunching and turned to see Drax eating stuff. They asked how long he'd been there and he revealed an hour to their shock.

"Is he serious?" Tony asked as all looked amused.

"Just watch." Benjamin said, struggling to control his laughter.

Drax said, "I've mastered the ability of standing so incredibly still... that I become invisible to the eye. Watch."

Everyone burst out laughing as Fury realized, "Teenage Treebeard did a number on him."

"Yeah, he can't see incredibly still stuff so he's trying it out." Sam said as the laughter continued.

Quill said he was eating a zarg-nut and he said his movement was slow until Mantis greeted him while Quill and Gamora shook their heads. He walked off dejectedly.

"Tough luck." Steve said as all laughed.

"This should be a meme." Peter said as the laughter increased.

The Benatar arrived at Knowhere and flew over it as Quill said it looked deserted but Drax was reading movement. They stopped at the 3rd Quadrant and snuck into Collector's museum.

"Thanos is still there. They might stop him." Tony said as all sighed in relief but the future people knew what was about to happen.

Quill raised his fist to stop the others but they walked past him.

"You were supposed to raise it higher." Steve grumbled in annoyance.

"How have they survived so long?" Natasha wondered.

Thanos was seen standing over Tivan and saying how he would sell his own brother if it added to his collection and knew he had the Reality Stone. Giving it to him would spare him a great deal of suffering. Tivan said he had sold it and asked why he would lie. Thanos said it was like breathing for him.

"He is a greedy hoarder. He won't give up anything." Loki said. But for some reason, he could feel something off about the situation.

As Thanos continued interrogating Tivan, Drax brandished his knives and said Thanos would pay for the deaths of his wife and daughter while Quill tried to stop him.

"Control yourself!" Tony snapped, not wanting Drax to make the same mistake as him in an even worse situation while all were tense.

Quill tried to stop Drax and reason but he muscled past him and was about to attack till Mantis put a hand on his head and made him sleep. He fell to the ground with a clang which Thanos heard.

Everyone gasped as Rhodes said, "Oh no."

"He's alert now." Thor sighed.

As Thanos threw Tivan off, Quill told Gamora and Mantis to go right but Gamora still charged and leapt at Thanos. She struck him with her blade but he grabbed and shattered it. She still managed to stab him in the neck with the broken and piece and taking out the dagger he had made her balance all those years ago, stabbed him in the heart.

"She did it!" Peter sighed in relief.

"It was easy." Steve said, "Too easy."

"Thanos isn't sloppy." Thor agreed and all paled again as they remembered Vision's fate.

"Damn it!" Sam said.

Blood poured out of Thanos' mouth as he collapsed and died, asking why Gamora as she sobbed while Quill noted that was quick and Tivan started clapping, saying it was magnificent.

"Shut the fuck up!" Logan said, annoyed by him while all were tense again.

"Is that sadness I sense in you, daughter?" Thanos' voice suddenly spoke as Gamora looked up in shock.

"What the hell?" Scott gasped as all were horrified.

"I called it." Loki said.

"In my heart, I knew you still cared."The voice said as the dead Thanos and the surroundings faded with Tivan, revealing the entire place burning badly and destroyed.

"Thanos already got the Reality Stone." Steve sighed and all paled even worse.

"Three now damn it!" Tony said as Pepper held his arm for comfort.

"He is too powerful now." Bruce said, tense.

"But one never knows for sure. Reality is often disappointing." Thanos said as he finally appeared, "That is, it was. Now... reality can be whatever I want." He revealed the Reality Stone in the Infinity Gauntlet with the Power Stone and the Space Stone.

"Oh no." Natasha said and all sighed, "He is taking them all one by one."

"You all have to stop him before he gets them." Fury said, "Together."

They nodded firmly.

Gamora realized he'd known she'd come and Thanos said he'd counted on it, saying they needed to discuss something as he disarmed and grabbed her.

"He knows that she knows." Clint said and all felt a pit in their stomachs.

Drax roared at him but Thanos used to the Reality Stone to turn him into pieces and a scared Mantis into strips.

"What the fuck?!" Hill said as all watched, horrified.

"If he can do that, then he already has mastered these Stones already." Thor said, remembering even Malekith had failed to do that.

"Yes, he has studied them a lot and is a fast learner." Odinson sighed.

Quill arrived, pointing his blaster at Thanos, telling him to let her go and calling him 'grimace.' Thanos recognized him as the boyfriend but Quill joked he was the Titan killing long-term booty call and said he'd blow the nutsack off his face. Gamora reminded him of the promise and he lowered the blaster to her face reluctantly.

"Will he do it?" Tony asked as horror and sadness for Quill and Gamora filled everyone.

Thanos said Gamora expected too much from him and pushed her into the blaster, telling Quill to do it. Quill angrily said how he had told her to go left. "I love you, more than anything." Gamora said. "I love you too." Quill said and pulled the trigger but only bubbles flew out as Thanos had used the Reality Stone and the blaster turned to bubbles as well.

"He was just playing a psychological sick game." Natasha said as all glared at Thanos with anger and disgust.

"I keep hating him more and more every second." Scott said.

"I like him." Thanos said before opening a portal with the Space Stone and disappearing with Gamora.

"Oh shit!" Sam said as now Thanos had 3 Stones as well as Gamora.

"He will do anything to make her talk." T'Challa said sadly.

"Was he serious when he said he liked Quill or was he joking?" Tony asked.

"He was serious." Odinson said before quoting Thanos to his own disgust, "Because the hardest choices require the strongest wills."

Quill looked around in stunned disbelief as Drax and Mantis reformed and got up while Quill picked up Gamora's broken blade as Knowhere burnt around him.

"Another world destroyed." Bucky said as all watched sadly.

The Quinjet descended near the Compound as Rhodes was in a holographic meeting with Ross and other officials. Ross asked if there was no word on Vision and he said satellites had lost him over Edinburgh. Ross added he was with four criminals in a stolen Quinjet as Rhodes said they were criminals because he had chosen to call them that. An annoyed Ross said how Rhodes' talent for horseshit rivaled his own.

"No, nothing rivals you." Tony said as all groaned angrily on seeing him again.

"This Secretary Jackass." Logan groaned.

Rhodes said Vision would have been here if not for the Accords and Ross asked if he was having second thoughts. "Not anymore." Rhodes said as Steve, Natasha, Sam, Wanda and Vision arrived. Ross said they had some nerve and Natasha said how he could use some of that. "The world's on fire and you think all is forgiven?" Ross asked.

"Is this guy serious?" Rhodes asked as all were stunned by his response, "Aliens are attacking and he still wants to arrest you guys to show off his power?"

"I can understand wanting to arrest us, but maybe do it after Thanos is dealt with." Steve said and all nodded.

"I'm not looking for forgiveness. And I'm way past asking permission. Earth just lost her best defender. So we're here to fight. And if you wanna stand in our way... we'll fight you too." Steve declared firmly as he held Ross' gaze.

"Awesome response, Cap." Clint said and all started clapping while Steve smiled humbly.

"How do you like that, Secretary Jackass?" Tony asked mockingly and all laughed, "You really consider me Earth's best defender?"

"Yes." Steve said respectfully, "I am the leader but I do like the ideas you have to defend Earth. If they're discussed with the team, they might even be perfectly executed. So you are the Earth's best defender."

"Thanks Cap." Tony said humbly too, flattered by the praise.

Ross asked Rhodes to arrest them and he was all over it as he shut the meeting off and said this was a court-martial. Steve happily shook his hand as Natasha hugged him and he said they looked like crap. Sam joked the hotels weren't exactly five star.

"No. Three was the best we got." Sam joked and all laughed.

"At least he knows what's important." Rhodes said about his on-screen self and all nodded, happy that this reunion had gone well.

Bruce arrived and said they looked great as they looked at him in shock and he said he was back. Natasha greeted him as Sam said this would be awkward.

"Yeah, the cringe is killing me already." Natasha joked and all laughed.

"Me too. What were we thinking?" Bruce wondered.

"Stop talking about it!" Tony said as the laughter increased.

They stood together as Rhodes said they were coming back and Wanda added they could find them. Bruce asked where Clint was and Natasha answered, "After the whole Accords situation, he and Scott took a deal. It was too tough on their families. They're on house arrest."

"Yeah, I am." Clint said.

"I still if I remember right." Scott said, "Though it's about to get over."

"So we're not in these." Clint said and the future people nodded.

Bruce asked who Scott was and Steve said he was Ant-Man. "There's an Ant-Man and a Spider-Man?" Bruce asked.

"He missed a lot." Bruce joked and all chuckled.

"Bug bros." Scott said and shared a chuckle with Peter and Benjamin.

Bruce said Thanos had the biggest army in the Universe and wouldn't stop till he got Vision's Stone. Natasha said they had to protect it but Vision said they had to destroy it.

"Here we go again." Tony said and all tensed, knowing the coming conversation.

"I've been giving a good deal of thought to this entity in my head. About its nature. But also its composition. I think if it were exposed to a sufficiently powerful energy source... something very similar to its own signature, perhaps... its molecular integrity could fail." Vision said as he looked at Wanda.

"You want me to kill you?" She asked in horror, "No!"

"It's the only way." He said.

"No!" She said again.

"Yeah, and you with it." Wanda said, "We're not having this conversation." "Eliminating the stone is the only way to be certain that Thanos can't get it." Vision said. "That's too high a price." Wanda said. "Only you have the power to pay it." He said as he put his hands around her but she walked away, "Thanos threatens half the universe. One life cannot stand in the way of defeating him."

"I can't do it." Wanda shook her head as all watched her and Vision with sympathy.

"But it should." Steve said, "We don't trade lives, Vision."

"No we don't." Steve agreed with his on-screen self.

"Captain, 70 years ago, you laid down your life... to save how many millions of people?" Vision said, "Tell me, why is this any different?" "Because you might have a choice." Bruce said as all looked at him, "Your mind is made up of a complex construct of overlays. Jarvis, Ultron, Tony, me, the stone. All of them mixed together, all of them learning from one another." "You're saying Vision isn't just the Stone?" Wanda asked.

"No, you are a sum of many parts." Tony said, "A lot of stuff mixed together. You're right, Bruce."

"It is a difficult process though." Bruce said.

"I'm saying that if we take out the stone... there's still a whole lot of Vision left. Perhaps the best parts." Bruce said. Natasha asked if they could do that but he said not here and Rhodes said Ross wouldn't let them have their old stuff back. Steve looked up and said, "I know somewhere."

"Wakanda." T'Challa realized with a smirk.

"Yes. Wakanda." Steve agreed.

In Wakanda, T'Challa and Okoye walked together and spoke in Xhosa, saying the Kingsguard and Dora Milaje had been alerted and they had to send word to the remaining Border Tribe as well as the Jabbari as M'Baku liked a good fight. "And what of this one?" Okoye asked. "This one may be tired of war but the White Wolf has rested long enough." T'Challa said.

"I'm in too." Bucky realized.

A one-armed Bucky was feeding goats as a case was opened in front of him.

"Where did the arm go?" Pepper asked.

"Prototype arms keep being changed until a final one is developed." Bucky said and she nodded.

Bucky looked at a Vibranium arm inside the case.

"Whoa!" Peter said as all looked awed.

"Thank you." Bucky said to T'Challa who nodded graciously.

"It was all I could do for you, Mr. Barnes." T'Challa said.

"Where's the fight?" Bucky asked. "On its way." T'Challa said.

"The biggest fight of our lives." Bucky said and all nodded, knowing this was about to get even worse.

"Let's keep watching." Logan said as the recording continued.