The Broken One

Chapter 11

Flashback

We had arrived at the top, out of breath and our muscles screaming. We saw the edge of the cliff and looked over, not seeing anything obvious. As we looked to each other confused, we heard a voice. "What you seek is down below, but it will not come without cost," the voice said, making us spin around with fists raised. We saw a floating being wearing a torn cloak. His skin was red and so sunken in it was like Saran wrap around his bones. "In order to obtain the stone, you must sacrifice that which you love the most, a soul for a soul," he said and it clicked in my head. Nat and I looked to each other and I knew she was thinking a out doing the same thing I was. We sat and I knew we were both trying to figure out a way to keep the other from jumping. I stood up and began acting as if I was just pacing back and forth. Once I was angled the way I wanted to be I stopped and looked at Nat. "You know what has to happen," I said and she looked at me before nodding. Before she could grab me I sprinted to the edge. Just as I was about to leap she grabbed a hold of my arm and yanked me back.

I flew back and smacked into a rock. As I looked up I saw her running to the edge and I quickly took a shot with my energy ball and made her fly back away from the cliff. I jumped to my feet and ran as fast as I could, looking at her with a soft smile as I kept from the edge. I didn't see her jump to and hook a grappling hook to my back. I caught just as the hook caught and grabbed her wrist before she fell past me. I tried to reach for the hook but couldn't. "Damn it Nat," I said feeling the tears start to build. She looked up at me her eyes shining. "It's ok, let me go," she said making me shake my head. "It's ok," and before I could react she kicked off the wall and broke free. I screamed as she fell unable to catch her with my power before she hit the ground. I stared in disbelief before I was surrounded by a bright light. When the light subsided I was knelt in water holding the stone in my hand. Anger swelled inside me and all I could think about was everything I had lost. I knew Eric could feel me and would be worried not knowing what had happened. I knew Thanos would find a way to us from another timeline and when he did I would make him suffer for what he's done.

We were all sitting at a dock watching the sunset in silence once I'd finished telling them what happened. Clint tried to put a hand on my shoulder but in my still boiling anger I pushed him away. Just as the sun finished setting I felt a rush of wind as Eric and Godric joined us. "He will come for us, I don't know how but I feel it and when he does, he's mine," I said coldly as I turned and went back to the compound alone. Everyone looked after me all with sad looks. Eric could feel the pain and anger radiating from me and it felt as if his dead heart could break into a million pieces. Godric watched after me knowing all too well the pain and anger I was feeling. Eric went to follow, but Clint was the one to stop him. "As much as I know you want to, don't nothing you can say will make this one better," Clint told him still watching me walk inside. Eric growled but stopped as soon as Godric put his hand on him too giving him a shake of his head.

Eventually we were all gathered around the gauntlet that Bruce and Tony had designed and waiting as Bruce prepared to make the snap to bring everyone back. I stood next to Tony with Eric and Godric behind me. The others stood around us. At some point Steve and I had a discussion before this. Eric had watched suspiciously as Steve hugged me, but noticed how my body tensed in the hug. Tony looked to Bruce as we all braced for the snap. "Remember everything we've lost, nothing we've gained. Bring everyone back to now," Tony said nervously as Bruce nodded to him. As Bruce placed the gauntlet in power surged from the stones and began traveling up Bruce's arm. He screamed in pain as his skin began to burn. I started to step forward, but he called out he was ok and struggled to snap his fingers. When he finally did bright light surrounded us and I could feel a shift in energy. Once the light was gone we looked to see Bruce laying on the ground in agony. "Bruce!" I yelled at I ran to him. I dropped down and yanked the gauntlet off of him pushing it away. Tony came over and sprayed something on him to help him and I heard him weakly ask if it worked.