I refuse to let you go, loving you is in my bones

There was a moment - no not a moment. Longer than that, at least in the real world it was, but for those who didn't exist in this plane, it was shorter. So the word 'moment' was both correct and incorrect.

I digress.

Back to a more important point - souls were real. And powerful. And they refused to simply cease to exist no matter what the infinity stones dictated.

They needed to go somewhere once the bodies ceased to exist.

They went to heaven - it wasn't really heaven. Heaven was just a nice name to call it. It wasn't filled with angels and it wasn't paradise, it was just... A place. For souls to be. Heaven was just one of the most recognized names for it - and stayed there while the rest of them ceased to exist.

Because they ceased to exist, those that were killed by the Snap, or the Blip, could not visit to watch over those that they loved.

Half the world was left in suspense, holding their breaths, wondering how long it had been, wondering what had happened. Some were still crying - Peter, the poor young boy that he was - and some were so desolate and in peace it terrified others. Her, Wanda Maximoff. And kind of also Bucky, to an extent.

But mostly her.

And it was while she was sitting like this, her knees close to her chest, staring into the distance, knowing full well that although Pietro and her mother and father were here, wishing to talk to her, she was choosing to do this instead.

But they just wouldn't understand. They had gotten to leave sooner.

They weren't there.

For any of it.

They would just be even more detrimental to her already fragile mind, that still hadn't had the break she wished for. She was fragile, and they were reminders of a better time she couldn't handle. Not when she was already cracked and missing pieces.

It was while she was moping that someone new came along - her mentor, her lover, her teammate, her supporter. Her light and life - Natasha Romanoff.

The joy was so strong at that point, because it was this woman.

This woman that had been there for everything, that understood.

The woman of her dreams. That was who was standing in front of her, with a different hairstyle again - god her hair was long again, how long had it been down there? - with the red hair growing back in.

She reacted for the first time in who knew how long. She got up, and threw herself at Natasha, wrapping her arms around her lover's body.

It hadn't clicked yet.

She was still happy.

"Hi, moya solntse, I missed you. How are you here?"

Something pained came to Natasha's light, before disappearing, making way for a genuine, soft, smile. The sort that always made Wanda's heart skip a beat.

"I'm here to save you. To bring all of you back."

"How did you guys do this?" Wanda asks, amazed. "How- oh my god." She doesn't finish her sentence, too desperate to pull her in again. Take in the feeling of her, the sight, the smell, the touch. Everything. Her powers aren't here, so she doesn't hear the buzz of Natasha's mind, and for the first time she misses her abilities.

She needs her sixth sense to really take in everything she can about Nat. Nattie. Her love. Her little spider. Her home.

She was never taught a lot about religion. She doesn't know exactly what here is, and she never really talked to the others. The ones who called this 'place' Heaven. Of course she could recognize it if she properly heard it, but she hasn't.

Not yet.

"Listen, Wanda, I don't know how much time I have. I don't know how time passes...here in comparison to Earth, but - I love you. And I wish we'd gotten the life we wanted. I wish we could have married. But it's okay. We'll be okay. It's gonna be okay. You're gonna be back before you even know it. We're all working on it."

Wanda smiles sadly. She doesn't understand. Not really. "I wish we had that too. But you're gonna bring us back. We'll have it all. I could... I could meet Melina and Alexei. I - I think Yelena's here, but I didn't want to meet her without you, I could meet her too."

Natasha smiles. Tears fill up her eyes. She assumes it to be tears of happiness.

"I would love that, my sunshine. You have no idea how much I would love that."

Her hands clench tighter around Wanda's. It starts to hurt a little, but she refuses to complain, too content in the feeling of getting to hold Natasha again.

Wanda smiles. "We'll have two boys. Science has advanced. We'll name them... Tommy and..."

"Billy?" Natasha asks, chuckling wetly.

"That's perfect. God, I love you."

"I love you too." Natasha smiles.

Her hands start to fade. Not Natasha's, but hers. It's like when she was snapped.

"Nat-" She says, scared. Natasha's hands aren't fading. "What's happening?" She cries out. "Why am I - where am I going?"

"You're going back." Natasha smiles. "They did it."

"What about you-? What?-"

"We belong in Heaven, I see that now. I'll see you back up here, when it's really your time."

It clicks.

She hears the word.

She realizes where they are.

Her hands are gone, but she tries, oh so desperately to cling to Natasha anyway. She wasn't this sad about her death, but now she doesn't want to go. Not back there. Not where Natasha is. It's the same torture, just a different place.

"I- I can't do this. I don't wanna go without you. I don't wanna wait."

Natasha is dead, she realizes.

And soon, Wanda won't be.

Once more, they'll be separated again.

"I'm sorry." Natasha sounds genuinely guilty. Proof she knew that she knew Wanda was clueless, and had used it to get her goodbye. Wanda didn't even know they were saying goodbye.

It wasn't fair.

"This isn't fair."

"I know." Natasha cries. "I'm really sorry, my love. Goodbye."

And then she's revived. Torn apart from her Heaven.

It's later, when the battle's done. They've won, and lost, all at the same time, it's Steve who comes up to her - before he returns the stones - and he confirms it.

"I'm sorry, Wanda. You deserved better, she did too - but... but Natasha's dead."

She thinks of their last moments. Natasha's unfairness. The goodbye she didn't get to say.

"I know."

"I'm really sorry, Wanda."

"Goodbye."

Steve leaves.

Wanda weeps.