Girl Erased

Becoming Dust

"Vis," I yell, running to his side, "Oh my god, are you ok?" I ask, noticing the many gashes in his torso. He looks up at me like he's about to say something and then we both feel it. Vision reaches for his forehead and groans, feeling the entrance of our foe. I fall forward into Vision's shoulder and wait for the pain to cease.

"He's here," I say, feeling my stomach sink.

I look over to Steve who is looking around at the trees losing their leaves. There is an eerie feeling in the air. Wind is blowing through the forest and everyone knows something bad is about to happen. Steve looks back at me and we make eye contact. I just nod to him, confirming his fears.

"Everyone, on my position. We have incoming."

"What the hell?" Nat says, looking around and then a ball of lightning appears at the edge of the trees. A portal emerges from the lightning and Thanos, himself, steps out. He looks directly at me and I start up a ball of energy with my powers.

"Cap. That's him." Bruce says, turning to look at Thanos.

"Eyes up. Stay sharp." Steve breaks into a sprint, heading in Thanos' direction, the sharp corners of his shield ready for impact.

The HulkBuster comes flying toward Thanos and he doesnt even flinch. He lifts his fist, and tightens it, surrounding Bruce's suit in a purple cloud.

"Power Stone," I mumble as he throws the HulkBuster into the side of a cliff and he's swallowed up. Steve steps up to the plate and is immediately launched back by the same stone Thanos used on Bruce. I look over to see that Steve is merely bruised and nowhere near hurt or dead. Next, the panther launches himself up to Thanos and I see the veins in his suit full of power for the impact. But, alas, Thanos grips T'Challa's throat, halting him, and then he is tossed to the ground with so much force that the suit shocks the ground and T'Challa with it. Sam comes flying in, guns blazing and it looks promising until Thanos uses the stones to tear the wings apart and Sam lands on the ground just rolling past him. Then I hear Vision stirring behind me.

"Vis, stay there," I tell him

"Ruby, It's time." He responds. My eyes widen and I can feel my heart pounding in my chest.

"No." I protest

"They can't stop him, Ruby, but we can," I turn around, trying to ignore what he's asking of me, "Look at me. You have the power to destroy the stone." He says, pulling my arm to get my attention.

"Don't," I say, yanking my arm back.

"You must do it. Ruby, please." He stutters. I turn to face him and put my hand on his jaw and bite my lip, fighting tears. "We. Are. Out of time." He says.

"I can't," I say shaking my head as a tear falls down my cheek.

"Yes, you can. You can." He whispers so that only I can hear him. He takes my hand and holds it out with my palm facing the stone in his head.

"If he gets the stone, half the universe dies." My lip starts quivering and it feels like I can't breathe. I shake my head and cover my mouth.

"I-"
"It's not fair. It shouldn't be you, but it is." He says as I back away a little further, my hand still stretched out to him.

"It's alright. You could never hurt me. I just... feel you."

I start my powers and push energy into the stone. Looking into Vision's eyes as I destroy the power in his head he says a few more words to me.

"It's alright. It's alright. I love you." I get so many overwhelming flashes to every moment I've had with Vision.

When they created him and my powers stopped working, when I saw him defending Tony, every story we've shared, feeling the stone, finding my dad. When he kissed me.

I open my eyes to see him screaming out in pain and I look away. I can't do this. I see Thanos making his way over to Vision and me and I push harder, I use my other hand too and I can feel the stone cracking.

Steve slides past Thanos and grabs ahold of the gauntlet on his hand. He stands there, using all of his strength to hold his palm open and keep Thanos away from Vision. Thanos punches Steve to the ground and knocks him out and I turn to see him only a few feet from me. I twist and use one of my arms to hold Thanos away for as long as possible. He uses the power stone to make a forcefield around the gauntlet and I'm able to slide him back a little bit. He pushes forward and I focus almost all of my energy on the stone when it finally shatters. I see all of the light flow through cracks in Vision's face and the blast blows us all away from him.