Second Sphere

Birdy?

I nod and leave Steve to fight it but the second I turn to try and help Vision up he has Steve on the ground and is choking him.

Vision scrambles for the aliens dropped spear and passes it to me. I shove it through the alien's back until I feel it give way through the front of its chest.

I toss the body to the side as Steve gasps for air. He looks over at us, "I thought I told you to go."

Vision responds before I do, "We don't trade lives, Captain."

We set vision up against a log and start to head back when Steve and I stop. The woods go silent and a strong breeze starts to form, it feels entirely otherworldly and unnatural.

"Everyone, on my position. We have incoming." Steve calls out on the com.

Tall, purple and entire monstrous he emerges from a cloud of energy.

"Cap. That's him." Banner says. Thanos.

Steve's shield unfolds from his arm. "Eyes up. Stay sharp." He says.

One by one we go to attack Thanos but he brushes us all aside like we are nothing more than rag dolls to him. At most we keep him busy for a couple of moments each. I get back up and fly up behind him using my spear to try and choke Thanos out while Steve attacks his front. He punches Steve out, and tosses me spear and all against a tree. I groan in pain.

Looking up I see him recreate the stone from Vision only to pluck it out and toss visions corpse aside.

Thor comes in wielding thunder and slams his axe into Thanos' chest. Landing only to bury it far deeper into his chest. And then Thanos snaps. It sends a shockwave of energy out before everything falls still.

I struggle to my feet, clutching my side. What happened?

"Where'd he go?" Cap asks Thor. "Thor. Where'd he go?"

"Birdy?" Bucky asks, he sounds frightened and I turn to him. He's starting to disappear, turn to nothing.

"No." He falls forward into me and I take his face into my hands only for it to start turn to nothing as soon as I touch his skin. The whispers of something on his lips, but he never gets the chance to say it. His gun falls to the ground.

I fall to my knees. No, I can't. I can't lose him not again. I promised I was going to protect him. A scream rips through me and sobs wrack my body as I stay there in the dirt.

I could feel every bit of fear. Every bit of pain. Thanks to our mental connection. He looked into my eyes as he went. And when he did leave there was nothing but silence in my mind. Even when we were far apart that connection was there, but I could feel it shatter in my mind. I don't know what is worse the pain in my heart or my mind.

I stay there. Curled into a ball on the ground. Clutching on to his gun because there is nothing left of him for me to hold on to. At some point Natasha and Okoye attempt to get me to my feet. Steve has to carry me instead. I can't say anything, do anything. Even the sobbing has stopped. But internally everything is collapsing.

I don't know what happens in the days that follow. I stay in my room in the main palace. The same one we got ready in. Curled on the bed and clutching his gun. People come and go but I stay like that. Completely and utterly broken.