To Find Love: Romanogers One-Shots

It's Better Now

Summary: When Steve arrives at Vormir to return the last stone, he has a plan: he's getting Natasha back no matter what it costs him.

Steve blinked as he arrived on Vormir. It was his last stop in returning all the infinity stones and he'd purposely planned it that way. He'd decided before he even entered the time machine that he was getting Natasha back and he was willing to do whatever necessary. Clint hadn't told them much about what had happened other than the fact that Natasha had sacrificed herself to get the stone and he'd woken up at the bottom of the hill alone and with the stone. Steve looked up at the long climb ahead of him and took a deep breath before starting up the steep trail.

He wasn't sure if he was even going the right way, honestly. It was dark out and he could see two tall towers at the top of the mountain, so he just continued towards them. He figured they would lead him to the right place and if they didn't, he had all the time in the world to search Vormir for the right place.

At the top of the mountain, he paused to look around. It was absolutely deserted. He was pretty sure Clint had said something about a maniac meeting them but as far as Steve could tell, he was completely alone. At least, he was until a cloaked figure appeared in front of him.

"Steve Rogers," the figure said. Steve frowned at the familiar face, trying to see their face from under the cloak. "God's righteous man. You bring back the soul stone."

"Who are you?" Steve asked, refraining from reaching towards the stone he kept in his pocket. "Where's Natasha?"

"You cannot take her back," the figure growled, moving closer. Steve got a look under the hood and immediately recognised the red face of Johann Schmidt, the Red Skull. He took a step back in surprise and Schmidt grinned. "You know not the power these stones bring. You were not enough to kill me and you cannot do it now."

"I'm not here to kill you," Steve told him, clenching his fists. He looked past Schmidt at the tall towers. "Natasha. Where is she?"

"As I said, you cannot take her back," Schmidt said. He floated backward and Steve followed him. "She sacrificed herself for the stone you hold now. Her life cannot be returned."

"Bullshit!" Steve yelled, lunging for Schmidt. He floated out of Steve's reach and high enough Steve couldn't grab him. Steve glared at him fiercely. "You will bring back Natasha in exchange for the stone."

"The stones don't make bargains," Schmidt hissed. Steve clenched his fists so tight his nails broke the skin of his palms. He took a deep breath to try and calm himself, but it didn't work.

"I don't want the stone," he told Schmidt, pulling it from his pocket. "I want Natasha."

"You should have thought about that earlier," Schmidt replied. Steve gripped the stone tightly and looked over the edge of the mountain. The drop was long and he nearly choked when he realised Natasha had fallen from there. Her body wasn't below, but he could vaguely see a dark stain he assumed was her blood.

Tears sprang into Steve's eyes as he listened to Schmidt tell him it was impossible. He couldn't have both and as long as the soul stone was in someone's possession, the sacrifice remained. Tears rushed down Steve's cheeks and he bit his lip to keep it from trembling. He couldn't go back without her. He wouldn't.

"Fuck," he screamed, throwing the stone with all his strength off the cliff. He fell to the ground as it fell down the chasm and dissolved into a sobbing mess. He looked up at the dark sky, considering throwing himself off the cliff as well when a strong force threw him back from the edge of the cliff. He rolled backward, blinking rapidly as a bright orange glow shot up from the bottom of the cliff. Before Steve could try and see what it was, the world went black.