Avengers Tower

Thor sat on the sofa along with the warriors three, while Lady Sif sat alone staring at Thor. By the Tony mixed himself a drink, as Peter Parker sat on a stool sipping a soda. The Vision stood by the bar. Filling out the room was Bruce, who sat alone in a armchair, Clint, Wanda Maximoff, Scott Lang, Sam Wilson, Rhodey, Jennifer Walters, also known as She-Hulk, and Dr. Strange, as well as new invitees Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, and Danny Rand. They had reached out to others, but so far this was the lineup they had to deal with.

The elevator doors opened and Steve, dressed in his new black Wakanda made stealth suit with red and green trim, and his new shield on his back, exited along with Nick Fury, Director Coulson, T'Challa, and Natasha. Steve walked into the center of the room with Natasha, Coulson, and Fury stood behind him.

"Gentlemen and Ladies, I take it Tony told you that we will be working in two teams. The Avengers and a SHIELD backed team led by me," stated Steve.

"The warriors three, Lady Sif, and myself will follow you, Captain," said Thor.

Steve smiled and nodded.

"Thank you, Thor," said Steve. "Also my team will include Natasha, T'Challa, Clint, Scott, Wanda, and Sam."

"We wish to be part of your team, Captain," Daredevil spoke up.

"Okay that leave me with Vision, She-Hulk, Hulk, Dr. Strange, Petey, and myself," said Tony. "Sounds like the A Team to me."

"Actually, Tony, you will be the number one team with the primary job of protecting Vision. The mind gem must remain with him. If we lose it then this war won't end here," stated Steve.

"Captain," Dr. Strange spoke up, "I believe I could be of value in keeping Vision and the mind gem safe. If he is in danger, I can shift him into another dimension where they can't get to him."

"Sounds like a good backup plan," said Steve. "If the mind gem is as important to Thanos as we've been told then wherever the Vision is located will be ground zero, so I purpose we get him out of New York and to someplace less populated."

"I recommend the SHIELD facility in the Mojave Desert," Fury said.

Steve looked back at him and nodded then said, "Sounds good."

"I better up the air conditioning in my armor and Rhodey's," said Tony.

"Regardless of the mind gem, they intend on enslaving earth. This is Thanos way according to Thor. We won't allow this. Once the battle is won here, we will take it to whatever realm Thor believes the battle will continue. But when that time comes it will be based on a volunteer basis. I don't expect all of you to want to carry this war beyond earth," Steve told them.

"I am glad to have you in this war, Captain," said Thor with a big grin lighting up his face.

"I guess we'll have reason to drink Asgadian mead, my friend," smiled Steve.

"After our victory, we shall drink Asgardian mead until drunk," laughed Thor.

"Yeah," Tony cheered sarcastically.

Steve looked at Natasha and she nodded to him. Steve smiled at her then he looked at Tony.

"Tony, may we speak in private?" he asked.

"Why not, Captain Wakanda?" Tony answered. "Balcony."

Steve and Tony headed to the balcony. They exited then waited for the door to shut before speaking.

"I know we may never be friends again and you'll probably never forgive me, but I still need to apologize to you," Steve said. "I'm sorry for not being the friend I should have been to you."

"Sorry for your buddy killing my mother and father, too?" asked Tony.

Steve looked at the ground for a moment then up at Tony.

"Your father was my friend. Besides Bucky and the Howling Commandos, I didn't have many friends. If I was around, believe me, I would have stopped the Winter Soldier from killing your parents, but I wouldn't have killed him because behind all the conditioning and brain washing there was Bucky. You can't understand it, but Bucky is like a brother to me. He was there when I was sickly ninety pound weakling, who got into fights against bullies and couldn't get a date. He patched me up after the fights and took me out on double dates. Of course, he usually ended up with both girls," smiled Steve.

Tony didn't want to but he grinned.

"Like I'll never lose faith in you, I'll never lose faith in Bucky," said Steve.

Steve offered him his right hand for a handshake. Tony took it.

"Good luck to you and your team, Tony. I want us to succeed," said Steve.

"I want to forgive you, Rogers, but I can't. Not yet," said Tony.

"I understand," said Steve then he turned and went back into the building.

Tony looked out over Manhattan and sighed then said to himself, "Sad but I probably would have gotten along with Bucky."

The battle between Thanos' storm troopers under the leadership of Geatar was fierce and deadly. The Fantastic Four joined Steve's team, as well as others. Death was all around them, but human troops, Steve's team, and the Avengers wouldn't stopped. In the choas of battle, heroism bloomed.

Thor broke through the storm troopers battle lines and caught up to Geatar. They battled. Geatar was able to disarm Thor of Mjolnir leaving him vulnerable, but Steve was able to pick up the hammer and threw it to Thor, who used it to defeat Geatar. With their leader defeated Thanos' troops retreated leaving the aftermath of a bloody war. Steve and Natasha caught a right in a Humvee to the area where The Avengers protected the Vision. What they found there was devastating?

Tony knelt beside the dead body of Rhodey. He looked up at Steve with tears in his eyes.

"He wouldn't give up, kept fighting, even though his armor was breaking down," he growled.

Steve saluted the fallen body then said, "He was a good soldier. I'm sorry Tony."

"You say that a lot lately," Tony mumbled.

"Where's Vision?" he asked.

Just then She-Hulk carried Vision in her arms. The mind gem was missing and his body was lifeless. Wanda saw the Vision and sobbed. A battered and bloody Daredevil took her in his arms and held letting her cry on his shoulder.

"He died trying to keep them from taking the gem, but they overwhelmed us," she said.

"Where's Dr. Strange?" Steve asked.

"He ended up battling someone named Mordo. They disappeared and he hasn't been seen since," she told him.

"Damn it," growled Steve.

Natasha reached for his right hand with her left and held it. She knew that Steve was exhausted and had taken several injuries which he needed time to allow to heal, but he was in full captain mode now. His troops' welfare meant more than his.

Suddenly they heard a loud groan of anger then noticed Bruce in his Hulk form was glaring at Natasha and Steve. Steve immediately understood what was on the Hulk's mind. Steve had stolen his woman. He pushed Natasha as far away from him as he could, pulled his shield off his back and went into a defensive position, as the Hulk attacked him. A giant green fist made contact with his shield sending Steve into the side of the Humvee leaving a Steve shaped dent.

Getting up he groaned from the pain and waited the Hulk's next attack. It came fast and was even harder. His shield absorbed the punch to a point. His body was sent flying again.

Ben Grimm tried to stop the Hulk but was knocked aside. The Hulk came at Steve again, but this time was stopped by Thor, who hit him with several bolts of lighting followed by his hammer. The Hulk stumbled back. Steve tried to stand up but couldn't. He fell to the ground His beyond needed healing, needed time. Natasha ran up beside him and held him in her arms. The Hulk roared with anger.

Finally. Dr. Strange reappeared. He looked worn out and beat up, but he made it back. It took him only a few seconds to sum up the situation. With a deep breath and concentration he opened up a dimensional portal around the Hulk and sent the raging beast into another dimension. Dr. Strange then looked around and saw the Vision.

"I have failed," he said.

"We have battled," stated Thor. "There have been victories and there have been loses, but the war is not over. The battle will continue for those who wish to fight it."

"I will be one of them," said Strange.

"Count me in, Goldilocks," said Stark, who had allowed medics to take Rhodey's body away.

"And I shall be there, too," added T'Challa.

Many of the heroes spoke up and threw their fate in with Thor and the next battle against Thanos. He looked over at Steve, who Natasha held in her arms.

"I'll be there," moaned Steve.

Thor grinned then said, "The Avengers will be there then. I suddenly feel more confident in the outcome of the next battle."

Natasha kissed Steve's forehead.

"And I'll be there with you," she said.

"I'd rather you sit it out," he sighed.

"No way," she stated. "Where you go, I go."

"Let's hope if Bruce is there then he's in a better mood," smiled Steve.

Natasha smiled. A normal life for them would have to wait for now.