The Seventh Avenger - (Marvel x OC)

CH 2.22 The Heartbreak

"Baby? Wha-- What's wrong?" Andrew stuttered. Confusion and worry clouded every thought he had. "You're startin' to scare me."

"I can't, Andrew" Carol said in a low voice. It felt like she was swallowing rocks...as if her body was fighting against her mind.

"Can't what, Carol?"

"I can't do this" Carol whimpered and a tear fell down her cheek. "I can't be with you."

Andrew was sure he was going to throw up. Where had this come from? Did he do something wrong? He thought they were so happy...he...was so happy.

"I don't u-understand" Andrew sputtered. Andrew fought back tears and his legs felt like they were made of cement.

"It's not fair" Carol forced words out of her mouth. It felt like she couldn't breathe...she fought a mental and physical battle just to get three words out.

"What isn't?"

Carol couldn't reply.

"Talk to me, baby...please" Andrew pleaded as the dam keeping his tears back caved in.

Carol opened her mouth but no sound came out.

"Is it something I did?" Andrew asked, he needed to know what the problem was...he needed to fix this. "If it is, I'm sorry...so so sorry."

"It's...not"

"Then what is it?" Andrew asked as he dropped to a knee to be even with Carol. "Tell me...please."

Carol looked down at Andrew holding her hands...and pulled them away.

Andrew's eyes widened...this had to be a nightmare. Some sick and twisted dream that his brain had concocted to screw with him...it couldn't be real...Carol wouldn't...would she?

"It's me" Carol muttered as tears soaked into her jeans. She brought her tank top strap up to her face to wipe a tear off her chin. "My p-past."

"But it can't be you" Andrew cried. "I love every part of you...your--"

"S-Stop" Carol sobbed. "Please"

"Why? I love you, Carol Danvers. I love you more than anything!" Andrew insisted.

"I can't let you in" Carol replied with shortened breaths as tears flooded down her face. "My brain won't let me! I have too many defenses up and I--...I can't tear them down."

"Then we do it together, Carol! Like we have been...we can get through this!" Andrew sobbed.

"We can't" Carol cried.

"You're wrong" Andrew argued, his tears falling on his arms. He refused to lose another woman he loved...not again. "We've been through worse."

"No, we haven't, Andrew. I've been trying for months"

"Why didn't you tell me?" Andrew whimpered.

"How was I supposed to tell you I couldn't love you the way I wanted to?!" Carol wailed.

"You tell me you love me every single day...that was all a lie?"

Andrew felt his heart crack and crumble. He'd never felt like this before...

"I love you" Carol cried. "I love you so much...but I can't love you the way you deserve to be loved."

"But you love me and I love you...isn't that all that matters?" Andrew sniffled as tears formed wet splotches on the long sleeves of his shirt that he'd rolled up to his forearms.

Carol didn't reply...she just silently cried.

"Carol" Andrew continued to sob. "Please"

"I can't"