I Thought You Were Different: Part 5

Alone

"Wanda, please," Clint continued, his arrow still drawn back, "come on."

By now Tony and Steve had rejoined the four of you, with a shield and a suit to help them, pushing their way in between Wanda and Wade to try to break the connection. Tony's body jolted and FRIDAY began to fail under the intense power and the suit began to immediately falter around him. "(Y/N), get outta here!"

"I can't," you answered painfully, your body barely back under your own control. "I'm too weak."

"I've got you, (Y/N)," Wade struggled, with hardly enough strength to move himself, much less you, but he managed to lift you to him and push you both towards the door.

"Wanda, listen to me," Steve tried, once he felt you were clear of danger, "I know that your heart won't let you understand this, but you know that it wasn't her. It wasn't Brooke. They would never do that to Vision, you have to realize that you know this." He held his breath and pushed forward, taking a stand to protect Tony with his shield in front of him to keep her waves of power away from each of you left behind. He took one step closer, and then another, and another, until he had pushed his way to within a mere foot of her; the deep red glow was bouncing from the Vibranium, but it wasn't all contained, and he began to feel his own muscles begin to sting and ache under the strain. "You're not alone in this."

"He was...my person..." she answered softly, wavering in her resolve to fight, "he was the one. I am alone now, Steve. You know how this feels."

"We won't let you be alone...I promise you. I promised him that a long time ago, too."

She knew better than to look back over her shoulder, to where Vision was lying motionless and vacant, but it happened anyway, and the sight of him shattered her. To know that Vision had gone to Steve and that conversation had taken place was too much. It left her hollow and dark where her heart used to beat for him, and the pain she felt was like nothing that she had endured since the loss of her brother. When she turned back to face her Captain again, she finally allowed her powers to abate and fade away, the collective sigh of relief echoing throughout the room. Scott appeared at the doorway at just the right moment, his arms open for her to run to, which she did readily with her sobs wetting his shirt.

"Steve's right, Wanda," he whispered against her hair, "don't forget, it's not just you anymore."

~~~

The next day would bring news from around the world that disasters were happening one by one, in both major cities and small countries with no pattern that anyone could discern. No one wanted to jump to the immediate and likely obvious conclusion that this was the doing of Thanos and his Black Order to signal the start of the war, but it wasn't far from anyone's minds. The events were too disastrous and vile, cruel in their intent and execution, and it had to be them just by that virtue.

Wade was staying with the team only until you were up and moving, which was later that very first day despite the orders to stay in bed for at least another two. He knew full well that trying to keep you down was a pointless endeavor, so he decided that he would at least be at your side if nothing else, but of course, you had other plans for him back at the compound.

"We're at the drop zone, Cap," Sam called out from the front of the jet. "T-minus sixty seconds to target."

"You good?" Steve asked, looking down at you cautiously. He reached up a hand to help when your own fingers weren't cooperating enough to secure the final latch of your parachute. "I'm okay with you sitting this out."

"Open the door, Sam," you called out instead, turning away from Steve as if he had said absolutely nothing. You didn't have anything to prove, and you could have stayed behind, but if you were asked to give the truth about why you were there, you'd have to face it yourself; being with your kids would only put the rest of your team in danger, and one, if not two of them were already dead since no one had yet to hear from Thor. This was keeping a safe distance for everyone's sake but your own.