Destiny | Steve Rogers

9

The second that his feet stepped on the ground, his eyes locked on one person.

She was staring right back, her eyes unblinking.

She stood still as she watched her teammates attack the mad titan.

She watched, as if it were happening in slow motion.

She watched Thanos decrease Bruce's density so he'd get stuck in the rocks.

She watched Thanos blast Steve to the side.

She watched Thanos catch T'Challa mid air and slam him down.

She watched Thanos break Sam's wings.

She watched Thanos crush Rhodes.

She watch Thanos cast aside Bucky, Okoye and Nat.

She watch Groot try to restrain Thanos, but watched as he broke free.

She watched Steve get back up to fight.

She watched Steve hold Thanos back as he cried out.

She watched Thanos knock her husband to the ground.

Thanos looked back at her once more.

The mad titan inched closer to the witch.

Still she stood.

Frozen.

In fear.

In disbelief.

She's the only thing that stands in between Wanda destroying the stone and Thanos claiming all 6.

Lauren takes a calming breath as she stands her ground.

Thanos gets closer and closer and closer until he towers over her.

With one quick motion, she forms a fist and punches Thanos in the stomach. He gets knocked into a tree, the impact breaking it.

" I don't think so", She says.

Thanos chuckles.

" I never thought this part was going to be easy", He says, "Haven't you ever wondered?"

" About what?"

" About your powers... and why they're so similar to the stones."

His words strike hard with her.

Lauren looks back at Wanda, and then back and Thanos.

She closes her eyes.

She takes a deep breath in, and once she exhales, everything stops.

The wind stops blowing.

Wanda remains frozen.

Lauren teleports in front of Thanos and uses her power to bring him to his knees.

She raises her fist, but stops once Thanos speaks.

" You... are not human. You are not of this earth."

She lowers her fist, for once curious about her enemy. He smiles.

"You have wondered where your powers came from. You have wondered how powerful you really are.In New York on the helicarrier, the stone wasn't hurting you... it was calling to you. Awakening you."

" Awakening what?"

" You. You are not of this world. You are not mortal. You were created in the Cosmos. You are an idea. You are a legend. Your powers are linked with the stones because they gave you life... billions of years ago."

Lauren takes a step back, her eyes never leaving his.

" You are magic. You are not a God... you're something more."

" How did I end up here?"

" An accident. A one in a billion chance. It was your soul that chose this path... a path of love. A path of weakness."

" Why tell me this? Why tell me any of this if you were just going to kill me?"

He chuckles once more.

" Oh, I'm not going to kill you... You're going to do that all on your own."

Thanos breaks free of her restraint and breaks her time stop. As soon as time resumes, Wanda destroys the mind stone.

Lauren collapses onto her knees, feeling like her entire world just shattered.

She doesn't take notice of Thanos' use of the time stone.

She doesn't take notice of Thanos removing the mind stone from Vision.

She doesn't take notice of the power surge that flows through him.

She doesn't take notice of Stormbreaker being thrust into his chest.

She only hears 7 words:

" You should have gone for the head."

SNAP

The universe shifts to white as thunder rumbles all around.

Only now does Lauren lift up her head.

Thanos teleports himself somewhere, leaving the heroes by themselves.

She looks over to her husband who watches as Bucky turns to dust.

Natasha rushes to her friend's side. Natasha looks into her eyes and sees... nothing.

The army begins to disappear.

And then T'Challa.

And then Groot.

And then Wanda.

And then Sam.

Natasha gently rock her best friend back and forth as Lauren stares off into the distance.

Lauren lifts her head once more to lock eyes with her husband.

A single thought is shared between them.

" We lost."