Longing •Bucky Barnes•

• Thirty One •

We followed the hooded figure to the top of the mountain and as we followed I relaxed slightly. He didn't exactly seem to be preventing us from getting the stone, if anything he was leading us to it. Maybe he knew why we were hear and wanted to let us take it to save everyone.

I kept my guard up as I always do, but deep down I hoped I was right. This place didn't feel right, maybe it was the suffocating air or the near dead silence, but something felt wrong. I followed behind Clint and Nat was behind me.

We finally reached the top of the cliff and I felt the winds whipping around me. I could see for miles of this planet and it was honestly so interesting. I had never seen anything like this before, but I wasn't entertained when I didn't see the Soul Stone anywhere around here.

"In order to take the stone, you must loose who with which you love... an everlasting exchange." He said coldly as we looked over the edge of the cliff. "A soul for a soul."

I turned to look at Nat and Clint and we all turned ghastly pale. The hooded figure stepped off to the side and left us in silence. I looked to the two of them and we all looked very worried.

"We can't go back without this stone. Without it billions of people stay dead." I said looking at the edge of the cliff.

"I guess we all know who it's gotta be." Clint said and I nodded and looked to the two of them.

I bit the inside of my lip and knew what I had to do. I don't know how Bucky or Tony could ever forgive me, but I couldn't let them show up empty handed. I looked to the two of them and I saw a set of confused faces.

"I'm starting to think we're thinking different people here." Clint said and I furrowed my eyebrows.

"You think I want to do it? I'm trying to save the both of you." Nat said coldly.

"Yeah well I don't want you to." I said grabbing her wrists.

"Natasha you know what I've done." Clint said stepping in. "I know what I've become."

"I don't judge people by their worst mistakes." Nat said.

"Maybe you should." Clint said softly.

"You didn't." Nat said emptily.

"Nat no, you're not doing this." I said adamantly.

"You're not going to do it, you've got too much on the line." Nat said shaking her head.

"No I don't, not as much as you both do. Nat you and Steve run the Avengers and Clint you have a whole family." I said shaking my head.

"You have a family Val, I'm not letting it be you." She said looking at me. "Who do you think helped Bucky pick out that ring? The answer is no, not you."

"You're a pain in my ass, you know that?" Clint said looking at Nat.

Nat gave him a small nod and I saw them hug each other tightly. I thought on the fly and started running for the edge. I heard Clint slam Nat into the floor and all of sudden one of his arrows blew by me and the ground exploded in front of me.

I went flying to the side and I nearly had the wind knocked out of me. I let out several coughs and tried jumping to my feet but Nat was shooting one of her electrical disks and I landed on the ground as I was grunting in pain. I ripped it off and tackled Clint who was trying to run towards the edge. He went stumbling back and he struggled under my grasp. He however, pinned me on my side and shoved my face into the stone floor.