The Sapphire Legacy (Steve Rogers)

Chapter 20

Taylor's POV

I walk into Steve and I's Brooklyn apartment and break down into tears. I let myself scream and cry, destroying the apartment.

Knocking down the bookshelves, pictures, everything. I drop down to my knees and let out a loud sob. Bucky stands behind me and lets me get my anger out before kneeling down next to me and pulling me into his arms. "He's just gone?" I sob and he only squeezes me tighter. "Bruce will get him back. We'll get him back." I hear his voice crack a little, after all, he lost Steve too.

"Please don't leave." I whisper into Bucky's chest. "I'm not going anywhere." He says and helps me stand up, walking me over to the bed. "Get some rest. I'll be right here." I curl up in a ball on our bed, that still lingers with Steve's cologne. I hear Bucky's footsteps retreat into the living room, probably to clean up the mess I made. I cuddle the pillow and cry until I can't cry anymore.

I wake up that morning, feeling empty inside. I look next to me and see Bucky laying on the floor with a pillow and few of our blankets. "Bucky?" I whisper, hoping I don't wake him. "Yea? I'm awake." I step out of the bed and lay down next to him on the floor, curling up in his side. I needed the physical comfort. I feel him tense a little, unsure of what to do, but he relaxes and wraps his arm around me.

"I can't do this without him." I let out another sob and feel Bucky rub my back. "I promise you Taylor, we will do everything we can to get him back. Hell I'll even go in to look for him if I have to." I nod and Bucky lets me cry into his chest. Bucky continues to comfort me, rubbing his hand against my back. "We'll get him back."

- 1 year later -

I stare at the wall in Steve and I's apartment, looking at the empty bottles surrounding me. He's gone. He's really gone. I lost them both within a week. What if he's just stuck there?? No way to get home.

I turn my head towards the front door where someone knocks loudly from the other side. "Go away, Buck!" I yell.

After about two months, Bucky went into the quantum realm to try and find Steve, but came back without him. Slowly, I detached myself from everyone, drinking my problems away every night to numb the pain. Bucky, Sam, and Pepper had tried to get through to me but nothing ever worked. I just wanted to be alone.

The person knocked again and I groaned, getting up. "Buck, I said-" I paused as I opened the door, seeing Wanda on the other side. "If they sent you to talk to me, feel free to leave." "Sent me?" She gives me a confused look, "You don't know?"

I open the door further for her to come in behind me. "Don't know what?" I walk into the kitchen, grabbing a new bottle of vodka. I pour myself a shot, taking it quickly. "After Vision's death, I imprisoned an entire town in an alternate reality." I looked at her, shocked. "Wanda...I'm sorry I wasn't there for you." I felt a pang of guilt in my chest. She lost Vision just as I lost Steve. Her expression remained virtually emotionless.

"Vision and I, we had a life, kids. I didn't realize I was hurting them, the people of Westview, and I let them go." She pours herself a shot, "We had children, twin boys...I had to let them go."

She sighed and looked deep into my eyes, "Would you believe me if I told you that my kids exist in another universe?" I study her face for a minute and raise my eyebrows for her to continue. "I can feel them. They're out there. The multiverse is real. There's infinite universes where you can be with Steve. See Tony again. Universes where you and Steve have a family, kids...I've seen it." I had heard Vision talk about the possibilities of a multiverse, but I never actually imagined it being real.

I set my glass down and look at her, "Don't. Don't give me that hope."

"It's real, we can have our lives back. Let me show you." She holds out a book bound in dark leather, "We can do it together. I just need you reach your full potential. Become the Sapphire Witch."

I sigh and shake my head, "Wanda-"

"It's called the Darkhold," she continues, her gaze intense. "It's a powerful book of spells and incantations. With it's help, you can become the Sapphire Witch just as I have become the Scarlett Witch. It will show you everything. It's our destiny." I looked at her skeptically for a few moments. "Taylor, we can have them back. Vision, my kids, Tony, Steve...all you have to do is join me."

I took the book from her outstretched hand and opened it, flipping through the pages. I felt a surge of power emanating from the dark symbols and arcane texts. "Wanda, what if this is dangerous? What if we make things worse?" I sigh and shut the book, keeping it in my hands. "I know it's a risk, but it's one I'm willing to take and I need you with me. Please." I looked into her eyes and saw her desperation.

I look around my apartment for a moment. Bottles littered everywhere, empty take out boxes, books on the floor, dead flowers, broken glass, picture frames lying on the ground.

"All right," I finished my drink and set it down in front of me, "what have I got to lose. Let's do it."

Wanda smiled widely and her eyes darkened. She reopened the book and began to chant a spell. I closed my eyes and focused, feeling my energy flow through me. A surge of my power coursed through my veins, levitating me off of the ground. In that moment, I felt more powerful than I ever had before. It slowly corrupted my mind, taking over my sanity and soul, showing me everything my powers are capable of.

I look back at Wanda and see her transformed into the Scarlet Witch, fingertips black. "Do you feel that?" She asks, eyes intense. She held out her hand and and I took it lightly, "Yea." "That's the Darkhold, it's calling to us." She smirked and walked across the room to the window. "We need to go. There's a girl, America Chavez, she has the power to travel the multiverse. I've been sending hexed demons after her and she's currently under the protection of Dr. Strange at Kamar Taj. If you absorb her power...we'll be able to go wherever we want across universes. See them again."

I smiled at her and look down at my glowing blue hands. Suddenly a knock brings us out of our trance. Wanda's eyes go wide and she transforms reality around us hiding herself from the visitor.

"Taylor?" I hear Bucky yell from the hallway. I open the door for him and he walks in with a bag of Chinese takeout.

"I figured you probably haven't eaten since the last time I brought food..." He looks around the apartment and sighs. Bottles, trash, everything practically destroyed. "Thanks." I mumble and he sets the takeout on the counter. "When's the last time you've been out of the apartment?" I shrug and pour myself and Bucky a shot. I push the glass towards him and he sighs, taking it quickly. "Taylor please...Steve, he wouldn't want to see you like this."

"Well Steve's gone and probably never coming back." I snap. He sighs and runs his fingers through his hair. "I just want you to take care of yourself Taylor, this..." He motions around my apartment, "this isn't healthy."

"Thanks for the observation Buck, but I'm fine." He sighs and walks back to the front door, "Please, just think about your health." "I will." He exits and I shut the door behind him. Wanda reappears and looks at the takeout on the counter, "nice of him to bring food." I shrug and open the orange chicken he brought me, eating some food quickly. "Do you want anything?" I offer some of the food to her and she shakes her head.

I finish the food and Wanda smiles, "ready?"

I open a portal for us to Kamar Taj, "As I'll ever be."