In Darkness, Be My Light

Infinity War - Part 3: Fragments of You

Her eyes fluttered shut, her head rested against the seat. Him across from her. Her mind searched and exhaled into his with a slight misalignment, almost missing his peace because of the distracting chaos pumping through her blood. She smiled when she found the reassurance she needed to focus on what was important; the mission. She found his comfort, but let go of her happiness, relationship, and child, anything that made her weak and she made herself cold and neutral for the sake of half of all life. She ignored his plea to not give up on her life and love and enjoyment, but she found herself doing it anyway. She needed to focus no matter how hard the weight of the situation might be. She needed to feel no emotion.

But he poked and prodded, studying her as she found rest in his mind, needing to release her anger and sadness before going dull. He held on to her sanity as if it was the thing solely keeping him alive, keeping him in perfect balance. He gave her his happiness, his strength, to not let go of her emotions, no matter how hard they were pushing against her tear ducts. And a single droplet found its way out of the corner of her eye, down her cheek, staining it with its silvery trail. Her horrid fear was opened to him, and he knew how afraid she was. She couldn't lose everything she just found; him, her baby. She lost so much already, but he kept her in check while also reminding her that her sadness and anger wasn't anything to be ashamed about. It was okay to cry, but not to lose that ability by making yourself emotionless.

She opened her eyes, fixated on the ground before staring up at him, frown on her face, eyes saddened, hand on her abdomen. And he smiled at her, a small reassurance that she did not need to worry, they were fine. Everything was fine.

"Hi," she whispered, a smile finally reappearing on her face despite the overwhelming disappointment she felt. "Are you ready for this? Life without the Stone?"

He nodded, hands neatly folded across his lap, steadily sat up straight, posture organized. "Yes," a simple reply. "But are you?"

She hadn't considered how it would affect her, their connection. But she knew that it didn't matter, their mental capabilities to connect because she loved him. "I think so, but I don't know if I'm ready to face the outcome."

He huffed as he closed his eyes. "I believe that you will be just fine, my dear. There is nothing to worry about." He risked a quick glance at one of the jet's compartments and steadied himself. He kept the engagement ring and its box that he had for her inside that small compartment. He kept it with him at every place they traveled to, not knowing if it will be the right time. This time, he kept it there as he could not carry it with him while dressed in his battle suit.

When the trilling of the Mind Stone reappeared, she sat next to him, facing him, cradling his cheek. He looked down at her, moving her hand over to his mouth and kissed it. "Tell me what you feel." He placed her palm over the stone.

She pulled her hand back slightly, using her scarlet tendrils, a small ball of energy in the middle, to connect with the stone. She studied the feelings for a moment before deciding what she felt.

"I...I just feel you," she whispered.

He cupped her face and kissed her.

And when they arrived in Wakanda, Wanda nervously glanced around, greeting King T'Challa and thanking him for his generous actions in the past, and walked with Vision to the lab which was prepared for his arrival.

She held onto his hand tightly as she was overcome with anxiety about having to experience change. The change she experienced in the past wasn't always for the better. Her parents, the foster homes, Pietro, the Raft. Everything that had happened to her before usually ended up in an inconvenience to her.

Vision was the only thing that hadn't been necessarily corrupt. He was the one that helped her, cared for her in her worst times, visited her knowing full well that his freedom could be at risk. He was selfless when it came to his love for her, and she wasn't sure that she could ever prepare herself for this change to the one thing that has been perfect in her life. She was so familiar with the stone, and she had to destroy it. She wasn't sure how she could even get past the eventual tears, but maybe crying wouldn't be so bad, maybe it would help her as she tore the thing with her magic, even if she wasn't sure how she could face the post-destruction.