STARGIRL

twenty-two.

"This place looks deserted." Peter commented, after the ship flew through the massive creature's eye socket for a second time, and Eleanor was still not overjoyed about it.

"Dad, please be careful." she said to him, her voice sounding much smaller than she was.

Drax spoke, "I'm reading movement in the third quadrant."

"Yep, I'm picking that up too." Peter replied, "Let's put down right here."

Eleanor followed after her dad and Gamora as they got off the ship. Mantis and Drax were behind her. Her heart was pounding against her chest about the fact they'd have to fight against Thanos.

Eleanor crouched down as she scurried along behind Gamora. Peter signalled for the others to follow after him. Eleanor heard the hushed voices of both the Collector and Thanos. Peter paused, holding up his fist, but everyone else just snuck past him anyways.

"I know you have the Reality Stone, Tivan," Thanos spoke, and Eleanor could see the massive purple Titan from where she was hiding, "Giving it to me will spare you from a great deal of suffering." he placed one massive foot on the Collector's chest and started to press down. The Collector's mouth dropped open as he groaned out in pain.

"I told you," the Collector replied, his voice strained, "I sold it. Why would I lie?"

"I imagine it's like breathing for you."

The Collector smiled, "Like suicide." Thanos smiled in return, "You do understand. Not even you would surrender something so precious."

"I didn't know what it was."

"Then you're more of a fool than I took you for."

"It's him." Drax whispered, and Eleanor looked over to see him pulling long swords from his trouser pockets. Peter held his hands up to him, "Drax, wait. Not yet, not yet, not yet."

He slid over quietly to Drax, stepping in front of him and placing two hands on his chest. Gamora signalled for Eleanor to move over with her, and the girl did so with her legs shaking slightly. "He was your dad?" she whispered, "He's terrifying."

Drax fought against Peter, but Mantis reached her hand out, "Sleep." Drax fell forwards, making a loud thud as he landed on the floor. Everyone hid as Thanos looked over, and Eleanor's eyes widened as she saw his little smirk. He grabbed the Collector and chucked him away. Eleanor silently gasped as she spotted Thanos walking over. His feet made the loudest noise.

"Okay," Peter whispered, holding up one gun, "Gamora, Mantis, you go right." he pointed to his right.

Gamora stood and headed her right. "The other right." Peter muttered, as Gamora missed swiping a sword at Thanos' neck. She went to swipe at him again, but Thanos grabbed her sword and smiled down at her. His hand crushed the sword, and he went to punch Gamora.

However, she stuck her smaller sword into his neck and he gargled. Gamora grabbed her other pocket knife and stabbed him right in the chest. He groaned as she pulled the one from his neck out. Eleanor smiled as blood poured down from Thanos' neck wound, and he looked down at his chest to see the pocket knife poking out.

He placed his hand around the pocket knife and looked down at Gamora, "Why?" Blood had started to seep out of his mouth.

He collapsed down onto his knees and fell backwards onto the ground. Gamora looked at her father with tears clouding her eyes. "Why you, daughter?" Thanos asked, holding his gloved hand out at her. Gamora dropped to her knees sobbing. Eleanor's heart dropped hearing her cries. "That was quick." Peter commented, and the Collector began to clap.

"Magnificent! Magnificent! Magnificent!"

Eleanor jumped as Thanos' voice came out of thin air, "Is that sadness I sense in you, daughter?" Gamora lifted her head, her mouth hung open in shock, "In my heart, I know you still cared."

The Collector waved goodbye as the whole building warped back to its normal reality. Everything was either broken, or on fire, or both.

"Reality is often disappointing."

Eleanor covered her mouth in absolute horror so she didn't cry out as Thanos appeared. Gamora turned around to face him, "You knew I'd come."

"I counted on it," he replied, "There's something we need to discuss, little one."

Gamora went to grab the sword abandoned on the floor, but Thanos quickly grabbed the back of her jacket, holding her in the air.

"Thanos!" Drax yelled, trying to run at him. Eleanor tried to not throw up as Thanos used the red Stone to turn him into broken blocks. He turned to Mantis and used the red Stone to turn her into lines of paper.

"Let her go, Grimace!" Peter yelled, as he and Eleanor walked towards them both with guns pointed towards Thanos.

"Peter." Gamora said, with tears clouding in her eyes.

"I told you to go right." replied Peter, also looking teary.

Gamora sobbed, "Now? Really?"

"You let her go!" Peter yelled, and Eleanor stood beside him, glaring up at Thanos with tears forming in her eyes, "Let her go!" she added.

"Ah, the boyfriend and his daughter." Thanos smiled.

Peter gritted his teeth, "Let her go..."

"Peter." Gamora interrupted.

"I'm gonna blow that nutsack of a chin right off your face."

"Not him." sobbed Gamora, and then it hit Eleanor. Her hand started to shake as she put her hand down, lowering the weapon from Thanos' face. Tears started to roll down her cheeks as she stared at Gamora.

"No," she whispered, loud enough for Gamora to hear, "You can't be serious. You can't be."

"You promised. You promised." Gamora told Peter, and he slowly brought the weapon to her. Her expression was mixed between fear and relief.

Eleanor's breath began to get shaky, "Dad, no, you can't. I need her. I need her." Her breath got caught up in her throat and she choked on her own oxygen.

Thanos cocked his head to the side, "She's asked, hasn't she?" he pushed Gamora closer to Peter's gun and Eleanor took a step back from him, "Do it!"

"I told you to go right." Peter said, his voice shaking.

Gamora's lip quivered, "I love you two more than anything."

"We love you too." replied Peter, closing his eyes. His hand shook as he shot his gun at her neck. Eleanor closed her eyes also, waiting for the bang of the bullet being released.

Peter gasped as he opened his eyes, causing Eleanor to squeeze her eyes shut even more hoping that she wouldn't have to see Gamora's dead body.

"I like him." Eleanor opened her eyes to see Thanos and Gamora disappear in a cloud of blue smoke.

"No!" she screamed, "Bring her back!" she turned to Peter, grasping his shirt, "Dad, where did she go? Where did she go, Dad? Dad?"

Peter was too stunned to reply as his daughter wailed to him. Her cries shattered his heart into tiny pieces and brought blood to his eardrums but he didn't know how to comfort her. He didn't know where Gamora was going.

Sobbing, Eleanor dropped to her knees, placing her hands on the cool floor to try balance herself.