Tragic Hope

05

SCOTLAND

Wanda and Vision were sharing a room. Wanda was in bed while Vision, in a human form, watched out a window.

A high-pitched trilling sounded.

Vision gasped and held his head to the Mind Stone in pain.

"Vis?" Wanda called. "Is is the Stone again?"

"It's as if it's speaking to me," Vision replied.

"What does it say?"

"I don't... I don't know. But something..."

The stone trilled again and Vision flinched. Wanda took his face in her hands. Vision turned his head so he could kiss her left palm, then pressed Wanda's hand to the Mind Stone.

"Tell me what you feel," Vision told her.

Wanda gestured, her hand emanating her red swirling energy and said in a confused tone, "I just feel you."

The two kissed.

LATER

Wanda and Vision were on a stroll.

"So there's a 10 AM to Glasgow to give us more time together before you went back," Wanda said.

"What if I miss that train?" Vision asked.

"There is an 11."

"What if I missed all the trains? What if this time, I didn't go back?"

"You gave Stark your word."

"I'd rather give it to you."

"There are people who are expecting me too, you know. We both made promises."

"Not to each other." He put his hands on her shoulders. "Wanda... for two years, we've stolen these moments, trying to see if this could work. And... I don't know." He stammered. "You know what, I'm just gonna speak for myself -- I, I... I think..."

"It works."

"It works."

"Then stay. Stay with me." She looked down, but then her eyes and attention drifted to her left.

Vision grew uncertain. "Or not. If I'm overstepping..."

Wanda stepped over to a better view of the TV in the kebab shop at which they'd stopped, drawing Vision with her. The TV showed coverage of the invasion of New York, the alien antagonists, and the disappearance of Tony Stark.

Wanda, in a fearful tone, asked, "What are they?"

"What the Stone was warning me about," Vision replied, kissing her hand. "I have to go."

"No, Vision. Vision, if that's true... then maybe going isn't the best idea."

"Wanda... I-"

Corvus Glaive suddenly appeared behind Vision and stabbed him through the back. Vision screamed, lost his glamour to return to his green, red and gold appearance, and was thrown into the street.

"Vision!" Wanda cried. She circled her hands, gathering up energy for a counterattack when Proxima Midnight blasted her from behind, knocking Scarlet Witch across the street and through a bistro's window.

Glaive pinned Vision down and dug the point of his high-tech glaive into Vision's forehead in an attempt to extract the Mind Stone.

Scarlet Witch committed her own surprise attack, blasting both aliens away, then lifted Vision and herself into a nearby courtyard, from where Scarlet Witch dragged him to rest in a concealed alleyway.