Is Love Forever? [1]

A Sacrifice

As it came closer, they could see its face. 

They kept their guard up as they walked over to the edge of the cliff. 

"What you seek lies in front of you, as does which you fear." It said. 

"So, it's down there?" Hope asked, looking down, past the edge. 

"For one of you. For the other... In order to take the stone, you must lose that which you love. An everlasting exchange. A soul for a soul." It said. 

(I am telling this from how much the characters know. So like right now, we know that's Red Skull, but Scott and Hope don't know who that is, so to them, he's just a weird red ghost-dude.) 

"Who are you exactly?" Scott asked. "I am not who I used to be, but I can still remember my past life." It said. "In my past life, I was known as Johann Schmidt or The Red Skull," Schmidt said. "I....." He stopped. He seemed distracted, and Scott noticed this. He followed Schmidt's gaze, and to his surprise, he was looking at Hope. 

Hope noticed this as well and backed up slowly. "You. You have it." Schmidt said pointing at her. "Have what?" 

"I may have not been on Earth for over seventy years, but I know my work when I see it." He said, walking closer to her. Scott saw this and stepped between them. "What do you mean?" 

"During my time at Hydra, I discovered and created many weapons and poisons. There was a particular poison that I created, it was a neurotoxin. Once the blood was exposed to it, it started to take effect. It went to the brain and reaches into the amygdala and ignites one of the most severe fears it can find and then, well, considering you somehow got the poison, you should know what happens." He said. 

Scott and Hope were both speechless. Before this trip, this is what they knew about Hope's attacks. 

1.) Michael poisoned her

Now, this is what they knew after an entirely coincidental conversation.

1.) Red Skull/Johann Schmidt, who worked for Hydra, created the poison over seventy years before  

2.) The poison was a neurotoxin that targeted Hope's greatest fears

3.) Michael had somehow gotten the poison and used it against Hope

Hope's breathing got heavier. Not only did they not know what the trigger was. She was poisoned by a seventy-year-old Hydra experiment. "Hope, it's okay," Scott said, trying to calm her down. "Perhaps I have said too much..." Schmidt said. Scott walked Hope over to a fallen tree, and she sat down. "Hope, I don't know what fear triggers the attacks, but we don't have the medicine here. Just try to stay calm."  

~~~Meanwhile, On Morag~~~

Nat, Clint, Rhodey, and Nebula had just retrieved the Power stone and were about to head back. They just had to put the lock-pick back in Quill's bag. On the way over, Nat asked, "I wonder how the others are doing right now?" 

"My guess is that Rocket and Thor are getting sidetracked as hell," Rhodey said. 

"Tony, Bruce, and Steve are most likely talking to their past selves and giving them advice for future battles like, "In six years, when a purple alien and his army come to Earth, don't hesitate, just cut the guy's head off," Clint said. 

Clint and Rhodey walked ahead and talked, while Nat and Nebula stayed back. 

"Okay Nebula, your turn. What do you think Scott and Hope are doing right now?" Nat asked. Nebula's face rarely showed emotions, but now, it just showed guilt and worry. 

"Nebula, what's wrong?" Nat asked. "It's about the Soul stone..." Nebula started.

~~~Vormir~~~   

Back on Vormir, the doomed couple were trying to figure things out. Hope had calmed down, but being in that environment wasn't helping. 

"Now the question is, how are we going to get the stone?" 

"You heard him, Scott, don't pretend that you didn't," Hope said. 

"A soul for a soul...lose that which you love..." The words echoed in his mind. 

"Thanos left here with the stone, and without his daughter, that's not a coincidence." She said. "And Nebula wanted to tell us something about the stone but never got to. She wanted to warn us."  

"Hope, this is crazy. I...I can't..." He stuttered. 

He knew what Schmidt meant. One person would have to jump, and the other would get the stone. 

"I have to do it." She said, walking up to him. "What? No, no, no, you're not being serious." He said, panic taking over. 

"She's right," Schmidt said. "Scott, you know my attacks are getting worse, we both know it's just a matter of time before it kills me. At least this way, I'll be helping you." 

"The poison has already become fatal, this is the least painful way for her to die," Schmidt said to Scott. 

"No. I won't let you." Scott said. 

"I'm sorry." She said with tears in her eyes. She kicked his legs out from under him and ran to the edge. Scott pulled a blue growing disc out and threw it at a rock. The rock grew in front of Hope, blocking her. This gave him a second to stop her. 

He grabbed her and pinned her to the ground. "Hope, I'm not going to let you kill yourself." He said. "Tell Cassie I love her."

"Tell her yourself." She said, reaching for the button that would make her shrink. Scott saw this and grabbed her hands. "I'm not going to lose you again." 

He pushed her back towards a huge rock. He took that chance and ran to the edge. "I love you, Hope." He said, and then he jumped. "No!" She yelled. 

Time slowed. As he jumped, he turned his head to look at Hope one last time.  But as he turned, he saw her collapse and he could hear her coughing. She was having an attack. His heart stopped. 

Not because he was mid-jump, jumping off a thousand-foot cliff. It was because he realized that if he died, Hope would die from the attack. She didn't have the medicine and no one was there to help her get back to the present. 

Scott wished with all his heart that he could stop himself from falling and save Hope. But he couldn't. 

                                                   Author's Note

Sorry about the cliffhanger, but I need you guys to come back to keep reading! I promise you. THIS IS NOT THE END OF THE STORY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!