Bound By Purpose

Devastation

Bucky and I are still clutching each other as the wave of power subsides. When I open my eyes Thor is frozen in front of Thanos his axe embedded in his chest. "What'd you do?" He yells angrily. "WHAT'D YOU DO?!" With a weakened glance he uses his gauntlet once more and teleports away. Stormbreaker falls to the ground with a bellowing clank leaving Thor in disarray. 

Bucky and I hold hands and take a few steps forward as Steve stumbles into the clearing, holding his side, clearly distraught. "Where'd he go? Thor..." Thor has sunk to his knees. "Where'd he go?"

"Evelyn?" Bucky's grip has loosened. He stumbles to his knees. I grab his shoulders hard as I sink beside him. 

"Steve!" I scream out. I look up into Bucky's eyes searching for the pain, for what's ailing him. He grabs my shoulder and then releases. In a blink he's fallen to my feet. He's collapsed into dust. I scream out again and fall to my back. Steve is at my side instantly. He eases me back up and then touches the ground where Bucky's ashes evaporated. 

I hear people, my friends, behind me calling out the names of other friends. Steve leaves my side but I hardly notice. My focus is all at the ground in front of me. With a shaking hand I reach out and feel the dirt between my fingers. I clench my fist and lift what I can. Opening my palm I see what used to be, what could've been. A light wind blows and the top layer of ash blows from my hand into the air. 

I had seen it. In nightmares, in visions.  I turn to see if Wanda is still standing to see if she has remembered as I had. She's gone. I watch as Steve lets himself fall to the ground, for a moment I fear the worst, but he stays intact. 

As Rhodey enters the clearing begging for answers I bury my face in the crook of my arm and let the darkness of my thoughts and emotions consume me. There are no tears, just devastation.