different » marvel ¹

thirty-nine

I laid on the bed in silence. The past two days had gone by rather quickly as Bucky and I decided what to do with the baby.

We decided to keep it.

Bucky and I had been through a lot in our lives, both together and apart. We took care of each other and were pretty damn good at it. We could take care of a baby. That wasn't to say I was underestimating how difficult it was going to be, but from everyone I'd talked to about it—including Shuri's mom, who'd said that we'd want to see the kid grow up—the trouble we'd go through would be well worth it in the end.

I let out a shallow sigh as I nestled myself further into the blankets.

As my eyes closed, my mind began to feel like it was being pulled and tugged at. My brain felt warped and the occurrence was discomforting. The sensation held a familiarity that I knew, though, but it didn't feel like I was on this side of it before. I squeezed my eyes shut further, if that was even possible, and slowly opened them, hoping that the feeling would subside.

But when I opened my eyes, my surroundings were covered in shadows and darkness. "What the hell?" I turned on my heel to see my mother crouched in the corner of what I realized to be a spaceship of sorts. "Mom?" I gasped as I slid to her side. "What—what happened?"

"I summoned you here." She stood on her knees and pulled my face into her hands. "You need to get ready. Warn your friends! He's coming and you need to be ready to fight, Raven." She pressed a kiss to my forehead and pulled me into a rushed embrace before letting me go and getting into a crouching position.

"Who is coming? Mom! Who's coming?" My brows furrowed as I demanded more information.

"The visions that I gave you, Raven! The destruction that you see is caused by him!" She jabbed out her pointer finger behind me. I turned and pressed my back against the wall of the ship, my mouth falling agape as I saw the scene before me.

Thor was restrained on his knees, metal wrapping around his body and mouth, keeping him still and quiet. My eyes drifted to what the man stared at. A large alien man stood above everyone, the familiar figure of Loki in the grip of his hand as he lifted him up in the air. "Loki!" I cried out, my hand shooting into motion. I tried using my powers, but nothing happened. I turned my hand to see my palm. It was as if the ability didn't exist. "C'mon," I muttered, pushing my hand outward again and trying to focus on my powers. Nothing. "Why aren't my powers working?" I asked. My mother shook her head, silently saying they wouldn't work in the form she summoned me in.

My eyes fell upon their figures again and I had to watch as the alien wrapped his hand around Loki's neck. I could see his fist slowly tightening as the Asgardian thrashed in his grip. Loki clawed at his hand, but to no avail.

"No," I muttered painfully. Tears began to sting in my eyes as I turned away from the scene. I could hear Thor's muffled screams as he sobbed, but I couldn't do anything. "Mom, do something!" I yelled at her, but the woman ignored my plea.

I forced myself to focus on what needed to be done. I had to pull myself together. If these were my visions coming true, I couldn't be emotional and vulnerable. I wiped the tears from my eyes and took a deep breath. Like a switch, I turned myself into the soldier I used to be.

"What's his name?" I asked forcefully, ignoring the crack in my voice.

I watched as she clambered into a remaining ship with a few other survivors. "Thanos," was the last word she uttered before I felt my mind being pushed away and let go.

   My eyes involuntarily shut before opening again seconds later. Surveying my surroundings, I found myself on the floor, my back pressed against the wall of the room with my palms radiating the purple energy of my power. I looked up, only to be met with the worried eyes of Bucky.

   "Raven," he said slowly, his gaze scanning over my figure. "Sweetheart, could you—could you maybe calm that down?"

   I let the aura sink back into my skin and disappear as if it were never there. "What happened?" I asked as I looked over the room. The sheets were torn off the bed and strewn across the room, the lamp from the beside table now adorned the floor in a few pieces. My jaw slacked. "Did I do that?" Bucky didn't respond as he crouched in front of me. "Buck, what happened? I didn't hurt you, did I?"

   "No! Of course not. You were just—you used your powers in your sleep. You threw the lamp, but I woke up and kinda got you to sit down."

   "I wasn't sleeping." I let out a breath, thinking back over what just happened. "My mom, she summoned me." My breaths became shorter and shallow as I talked. "Her—they were on a ship and this guy was—" My brows furrowed as I looked up to Bucky. "He killed Loki." I pushed myself to my feet and began rushing around the room.

   Bucky stood and watched as I did so. I realized that I must've looked crazy, but there was nothing I could do about that now.

   "Raven, slow down. What do you mean she "summoned" you? And you mean the guy from Asgard?"

   I pulled on a grey shirt, jeans, and my boots. "Thor's brother, yeah. And it's this thing some Asgardians can do. It's like astral projection, but she pulled me there. I was here physically, but mentally I was wherever she was," I explained quickly. "The point is, she warned me. Thanos is coming."

• • •
A FEW HOURS LATER

   "The fight is on its way. We need to figure out where everyone is," I said to T'Challa.

   "I believe your Captain is already on his way. A call came in early this morning saying that they were flying in," he informed. The information made me think back to my vision. It was like I could never outrun it. This was actually happening.

You've fought battles before, I reminded myself, keep fighting; it's what you do.