( avengers: endgame )

★

IN RETROSPECT, CHLOE actually had quite a few questions.

Yet, staring out across the demolished landscape that was once the Avengers compound, those thoughts fizzled in favor of processing the scene before her.

As she walked out of the portal and stepped onto the barren ground, her fellow fighters and peers stepped out from around her. From different walks of life, from different settings and― different planets?

At this point, Chloe figured, shouldn't even ask.

Across the field stood Thanos and his army, all of his elite warriors and the dogs built to overwhelm. Across from Chloe, stood the figure she believed long dead.

A mix of adrenaline and rage filled her veins, her heart pumping, her body matching the desire to go. To avenge those she lost.

Drawing an arrow from her newly stocked quiver, and making note of all the enemies she would have to go through to get to Rams, Chloe Frye steadied her hand and waited.

"Avengers! ...Assemble."

★

"Remember, you have to return the stones to the exact moment you got 'em, or you're gonna open up a bunch of nasty alternative realities."

"Don't worry, Bruce." Steve closed the briefcase and clicked it shut. "Clip all the branches."

"I've dealt with alternative realities before," Chloe whispered to Bucky, watching Bruce and Steve. "They're not as bad as you think."

"...What?"

She smiled. "You don't know everything, you realize that right?"

He made to comment, but Steve walked over with the case of the Infinity Stones in hand. "Don't do anything stupid 'til I get back."

Bucky scoffed. "How can I? You're taking all the stupid with you."

Chloe stepped back and let the two old friends hug.

"Gonna miss you, buddy."

"It's gonna be okay, Buck."

Steve pulled back and faced her, a small smile on his face. She understood it was pained.

He stepped in for a hug, and she met him halfway.

"Take care of yourself for me, alright?" he muttered, gripping her just a little tighter.

She swallowed past the tightness in her throat. "As long as you take care of yourself... alright?"

He pulled back and looked her in the eye. "I'm proud of you."

"I know."

★

It felt endless.

The dogs just kept coming, with no end in sight. Heroes around her were fighting everything in sight. She was down to her last few arrows, knives were embedded in the eyes of Thanos's minions, and her last hidden blade was caked in the blue blood coating parts of her uniform.

But she didn't care.

Her fellow heroines helped her get within shot of Rams, and dammit if she wasn't taking it. She drew an arrow and fired, growling slightly when the woman sliced it in half.

Rams pounded the sword against her shield. Chloe felt a feral grin stretch across her face. Drawing her own sword, the Assassin fell into a stance and beckoned at the warrior.

"Come at me."

★

The machine whirred as Steve stepped on, tapping a button that triggered a white and red suit to cover his body.

"How long is this gonna take?" Sam asked, glancing at Bruce.

"For him, as long as he needs. For us, five seconds."

Steve grabbed Thor's hammer as Bruce called from the control panel. "You ready, Cap? All right, we'll meet you back here, okay?"

"You bet."

Chloe held back a scoff. She and Bucky watched as Bruce counted down, and Steve disappeared into the past.

"...And returning in five, four, three, two, one..."

She looked down as Steve stayed in the past.

★

Rams and Chloe danced around each other, sword clashing against sword, will clashing against rage. One sword pressed against the other, both leaning heavily into the other.

"You killed my best friend," Chloe gritted out.

"I have killed many, human. You will have to be more specific."

"You killed my family!"

Chloe yelled, withdrawing her sword. Ducking under a swipe from her opponent, she triggered her blade and plunged it into her heart, grabbing an arrow and shoving it into Rams's throat.

The warrior gurgled as blood coated Chloe's hand, and she twisted both blade and arrow, pushing it in deeper. Finally, Rams fell to the ground, her last breath barely audible.

Fighting raged away around her. The fight for the gauntlet and the Infinity Stones were nothing but background noise to her ragged breathing. Sheathing her sword, Chloe stood over the killer of her cousin.

"Requiescat in pace, you bitch."

★

She and Bucky watched on as Sam and Steve talked by the lake. She grinned when Steve passed the shield to Sam, looking at Bucky holding a proud smile.

"You're not gonna talk about the alternative reality?"

"Well, I don't know if it was a result of an Infinity Stone, a Piece of Eden, or a crazy fever dream, but an alternative reality is up there for an explanation."

"What? I think I understood half of what you just said."

Chloe snorted. "I'm not explaining."

Sam stepped up, brandishing a fresh shield and an amused smile.

"Looks good," Bucky commented.

Chloe tilted her head. "Is it heavy?"

"A little. He wants to talk to you, kid."

She hesitated. A nudge from Bucky and she walked forward, clearing her throat.

★

She stood from the sidelines as Pepper Potts, Spiderman, and War Machine comforted Iron Man in his final moments. All heroes alike kneeled as the legend was surrounded by his family.

To her surprise, she made the slightest eye contact with the man. She nodded in respect, in thanks.

And he winked.

Smiling, she knelt as Tony Stark left behind a legacy. "Requiescat in pace, Tony Stark."

★

"Not exactly what I expected."

"But you expected it."

Chloe shrugged, taking a spit next to Steve. "I figured. Not what I would've done, but you seem happy."

The two sat in silence, watching the grass sway in the wind, the water in the lake ripple.

"And what will you do now?"

"I'm gonna pull some strings, see if I can get Nat the ceremony she deserves. Haven't heard from my people, so I'll see if I can track them down, and then..."

He nodded in approval. "And then?"

She sighed, toeing the dirt with her shoe. "I don't know. Maybe take a vacation. Go somewhere nice."

Steve hummed, a smile gracing his face. "You deserve it, kid."

"I think we all deserve a vacation after this."

"Ah, before I forget."

Steve pulled an envelope from his jacket, handing it out to her. Taking it, Chloe flipped it over a few times. It was yellowed from age, paper crinkled at the corners. Across the paper, her name was scrawled in cursive.

"Who's it from?"

"You'll have to find out, I guess."

She narrowed her eyes, slipping a finger under the material to open it. Steve placed his hand on hers before she could, however.

"Lydia Frye sends her regards."

All the air left her lungs. Her hands shook as she slowly slipped it into her own pocket.

"Take care of yourself, Chloe. And watch out for those two, if you don't mind."

She snorted, patting his hand. "I don't think I have enough bail money for that."

★

12/22/20.

howdy. happy holidays!

peace,

aidan.