The One Shot Chapters (18+)

Steve Rogers - Black Magic AU (PT 2)

It had only been the blink of an eye, but within that time five years had apparently passed since Thanos had snapped Steve and half the world's population into dust. They'd come back straight into the midst of battle thanks to Tony and the others who had 'survived' as such, but the world had become a different place. Even now as he stood debating with Nat and the others about what the plan should be, he felt a little helpless.

She'd have never gone down the path she had if he'd have not been there to help her. Now Susannah was ultimately what he'd been years before. A fugitive - one who had killed General Ross in "cold blood" so it had been said. Steve knew her better than that. She'd have needed to have a valid reason to do such a thing. Now he was preparing to track her down and bring her back.

There had been sightings of her. The government were actively hunting her and had been doing so for the last couple of years. Everytime they'd come close she had managed to avoid being caught.

Secretly Steve was pleased.

On getting a possible location from Hill's intel, the group headed out to a now abandoned site that SHEILD had once used. Of course Susannah would have known about it considering that she had been working with information such as this while Steve had been on the run. She would have known where to go if he was right.

They'd taken the jet, landing a little way out of the site in general and then continuing on foot before the rolling mist set in around them.

"I think she's here pal" Bucky muttered to Steve who nodded in agreement. The mist was thick, and he could barely see the others through it until he heard her voice.

"Did they send you to bring me back?"

He turned, seeing the mist around them turning purple, enveloping on him and her. She looked different. Dressed in a dark catsuit type suit. Her eyes had changed colour too, also now purple as opposed to the brown that they had been before. He remembered her eyes so well. "Susannah..."

She smiled weakly. "You shouldn't be here..."

"Tell me, just tell me what happened with Ross".

"Why? You wouldn't believe me - just like they never believed me either. Men. All men who condemned me once and now have condemned me again! Even after centuries nothing has changed!"

He now saw the purple sparks flare through her hands. "Just tell me why". He asked calmly.

She smirked to herself. "Because he deserved it, and because I liked it". Her eyes went to his. "I had my reasons, and I don't regret it one bit. It's just a shame that I didn't make him suffer more".

"What reason?"

"He's been trying to lock me up ever since I was found. After the snap he seemed to try and justify it because there were barely any people left, and that I still posed as a danger to all. So I ran, and he hunted me like a dog. So one day I let him find me, and then? I made him watch as I killed all of his men in front of him - and then I did the same to him.

Steve sighed. "I'm sorry I wasn't there. I could've helped you".

Susannah shook her head. "I'm beyond help Steve, as is Wanda. Did no one think to check on her after she lost her true love? She is grieving, but from that she is certainly on the path to becoming something great. I'm the only one who has seen her, and I seem to be the only one who cares".

They'd been trying to find Wanda since they'd got back, but she'd all but disappeared, just like she and Vision had when they had been on the run. "We've been unable to find her. We've wanted to..."

"Perhaps it's wise not to".

"Come back with us, please - we can figure this out".

"How can I ever trust anyone again? I can't, not even you, Captain". Her expression darkened slightly. "Let me go, live my life - I'm not going to bother you or the others? I just want to be free and practice what I did long ago".

Now he was faced with a decision. He could either do as she'd asked and just let her leave, or he could try and take her back along with the others. They'd tell him that she needed to go with them, and with how she was? She was extremely dangerous. He didn't know the full extent of her power.

But he could still show that he trusted her, and believed her - because he found that he did.

"Then go..."

She looked at him with some surprise. "You would let me go?"

"I would. Because I know you, and you wouldn't have done what you did without it being valid. But they'll always be looking for you".

Susannah approached him cautiously, stopping in front of him before leaning in and brushing her lips against his. "You could come with me, be finally free of duty..." She whispered as she pulled away. "you've always put others before yourself".

It was tempting, but he knew that he couldn't. "I'm sorry..."

She took a step back and nodded. "Thank you, Steve. You're the only person who has actually shown me any real kindness or trust.

Then in a swirl of mist she was gone, leaving him standing there before the others finally came into view?

"Anything?" Tony asked, looking around. "There wouldn't be a creepy mist here for nothing.

Steve shook his head. "No...just a decoy. She's not here and there hasn't been any signs that she has been, from what I can see anything".

"Alrighty then, let's move out and head back to the compound". Tony announced.

Steve could sense that Susannah was still there, watching them as they boarded the jet, and he could only hope that maybe one day, and under different circumstances, that they would see one another again.