THREE
Returning the five other stones had gone smoothly. When he was in Asgard he witnessed the exchange between Thor and his mother, Freya. Steve was glad to see his friend having the chance to see his mother once again and her knowing that he was from the future. He was able to get that one last hug from her, which made him think about Natasha. He was still hoping to get her back but remembered Clint saying that the exchange was permanent and how hard Bruce tried to get her back when he snapped everyone back. He thought that maybe he could have one last moment with her when his plan does not work out, but he dismissed that thought because once he see her again, he knew very well that there was no way he’d let her go ever again.
Vormir, the last stop of his time hopping mission, it was the place that took Natasha away from him and he will do anything to get her back. When he finally reached the top he saw the last person he expected to see, never in a million years did he expect to see Schmidt ever again, he thought he died decades ago. He remembered Clint telling them they met a weird red guy floating on the strange planet. “So he meant red skull,” he thought to himself and he was floating like some kind of ghost.
“Steve Rogers, son of Sarah.” His anger towards the man didn’t even give him enough energy to deal with him, all he can think about is Natasha’s dead body somewhere in the abyss of the cliff, and the thought felt like another jab straight to his heart. “I see that you came here to do something that has never been done before, you are here to return the stone, unlike the others that have come here before you.”
“I am here to take back what you took! A soul for a soul right? Well, here is your soul stone, now return what you took.” He exclaimed handing the stone back to the red skull, which he paid no mind to.
“That stone has no use for me, as you can see it has tied me to this forsaken place.” Steve couldn’t detect any emotion in his voice it was like he was void of any emotion like he was stripped of his humanity and turned into well this, like nothing that must’ve been the punishment for trying to possess the stone.
“As I’ve told the ones before you, the exchange is permanent, no do-overs. What’s done is done, now if you are still willing to return it, drop it on the cliff.” As the red skull said this with finality Steve realized that there was no way for him to take her back. He went to the edge of the cliff trying to see the bottom of it but it was pitch black, he even thought of jumping off with the stone just so he could be with her, but he thought of it better. He knew that Natasha would never want this and may never forgive him.
“I can’t stay here any longer,” he thought to himself and let the stone go from his grasp as he said goodbye to her. The minute he dropped the stone a flashing bright light lit up the whole planet and blinded him. After a few moments, he found himself in a solemn yet peaceful place, he was surrounded by shallow water and what might have been sunset on the horizon filled with different shades of red in the sky. He felt like he was with someone yet he was all alone. The most bizarre thing was what he was hearing, it sounded like a gentle yet strong heartbeat, which oddly gives him comfort. It made him feel like he had to protect that sound and started wandering around to find its source but before he could even go further he found himself back to where he was before dropping the stone but he couldn’t find Schmidt anywhere.
He weighed his options on whether he’d go back to the others or not and finally made the decision to go back to a different timeline because he wasn’t ready to face the world without having Natasha in it. That sound had a weird pull to him urging him to stay longer, but he dismissed that feeling because the more he stays in this place only emphasizes him losing Natasha. He took off and left ignoring the nagging feeling he had, it was telling him to wait and that he was making the biggest mistake of his life, but he shrugged it off and went forward.
If only he had stayed a minute longer he would’ve seen Schmidt ascending from the abyss of the cliff with Natasha’s body floating along with him.
Natasha felt her whole body being lifted by some unknown force and tried hard to open her eyes, when she successfully did she was able to take a glance at Steve’s retrieving figure before he completely disappeared. She tried calling out his name but, couldn’t find her voice to do so like she had used up all her strength. She felt like she had fallen off a thousand floors of a building and her body felt so exhausted. She didn’t understand what was happening, all she knew was she wasn’t supposed to be breathing, yet here she is, feeling alive yet dead tired.