S N A P !

- - - - -

Bucky reached for Ana when he finally joined the team. His Vibranium hand settled on her lower back, circling around to stand beside her. They were all standing together on the edge of the jungle at a clearing where Vision had crashed into, with Corvus Glaive's body laying limp and cold on the ground a few feet from him with his own weapon in his chest. His fate had mirrored his wife's. The trees were tall and broad, leaves spreading out to reflect the sun away from the ground below, providing them with some shade. The air was a lot cooler there. Crisp and light. Ana had noticed her father and Thor stayed behind to finish off the rest of the Outriders that were planning to flee the planet unharmed by boarding their ships. Lightning and plasma blasts filled the air as more vessels dropped out of the sky in ruins.

No one uttered a sound. They were all too preoccupied feeling the change in the air. The dead leaves at Ana's feet were wafting off the floor when an abrupt gust of wind came out of nowhere. She stepped back and followed them as they travelled through the group and towards an empty part of the clearing. The cluster of dead leaves were followed by the low hanging branches on the trees as they shifted towards the area as if the air was sucking them in. Then the dirt and small rocks lining the earth moved towards it too.

Natasha had paid attention to the odd action. "What the hell?" She muttered.

Ana shifted in her position. She had taken Proxima's sword before meeting up with Steve, and released the hilt from a hook on her belt, gripping it tightly. It wasn't her Sword of Light. It could never compete with what it used to be. But it was a weapon, and a sharp one at that. Though, part of her knew it wouldn't make a difference. Nothing would. Before moving forward, and becoming the Warrior to protect Wanda and Vision as they debated on destroying the Mind Stone right then and there, regardless of Vision dying, Ana turned to the man at her side. Bucky was already gazing at her.

"Stay with me." She said. It was more like a desperate plea than a demand.

Bucky nodded, lips pressing together. "Always." He replied softly. So soft that Ana wondered if he even said anything. He reached up to hold the side of her face for only a moment. His breathing matched hers. It wasn't slow and steady, but short and rapid. Ana's eyes were glassy. They knew what was coming. They were afraid. But even with all of that on their minds, Ana and Bucky were relieved that they were together.

Ana's eyes zeroed in on the black and blue clouds forming out of thin air. They swirled around, growing into a large circle, big enough for someone to step through. The portal flashed with a blinding light, before revealing their foe. Thanos' hand that wore the Infinity Gauntlet was the first thing they saw as it emerged. Each Infinity Stone shone in unison, having felt the presence of their missing member. The Mind Stone blinked in response, earning a painful cry from Vision as it sent a surge of power throughout his artificial systems. Ana's heart refused to stand still. She could hear her own blood rushing through her veins. Yet, she remained where she was, stationed in front of Vision and Wanda. Everyone else positioned themselves as tiers of defence, with Steve at the head of the team.

Bruce was standing on the side. His armour had seen better days. Fortunately, it was still holding. He looked back at Steve, nodding his head. "Cap, that's him." He said, confirming everyone else's suspicions.

"Eyes up. Stay sharp." The Captain ordered.

T'Challa and Okoye were right behind Steve with Sam and Rhodey in the air. Bucky and Natasha were a few metres apart while Groot roamed the grounds in front of Ana. The others hadn't wasted time and attacked Thanos with everything they had and more. Ana could hear Vision and Wanda talk to each other, with Wanda growing more emotional by the second. Ana thought she was capable of separating herself from feeling the same way. That was until she saw the Time Stone among the rest of the Infinity Stone's on Thanos' hand. And just like that, she started to unravel.

Stephen is dead.

Tony is dead.

Peter is dead.

"If he gets the Stone, half the universe dies." Vision reminded Wanda.

Those words pulled Ana from her frozen state, and she looked to Wanda, eyes wide. She placed her hands on the Scarlet Witch's upper arms, and breathed out, "Wanda, the moment he obtained two of the Infinity Stones, Thanos made sure it would be impossible to beat him. No longer do the laws of nature bind him. His will can bend the very fabric of reality. He is all and all there is is his to command. Thanos is now more powerful than any force in the universe. With the Mind Stone, he will end half of everything with a single thought. Without remorse. Without wasting another moment. We have to end this now otherwise there will be nothing left." Ana hurried to say, head continuously looking over her shoulder. Her team were doing their best to buy them some time. Unfortunately, even with their combined might, they were no match against the Mad Titan.

Wanda looked to Ana, disappointed and angry. That wasn't what she wanted to hear. Ana always had another way. Another choice. This time was different. This time, there was no loophole. No fault to utilise. It was only now or never. Understanding Wanda was dissatisfied hurt Ana. She wished she could give Wanda the right answer. However, Ana was all out of ideas.

If Ana was being honest with herself, she was still shaken to the core about the fact that Thanos had the Time Stone. When she first took on studying the Mystic Arts, Ana sword an oath to protect the Eye of Agamotto. She failed. She remembered Stephen casting a protection spell on it, and seeing as his magic was only as strong as his will, the dark thought of Stephen lying dead in the middle of nowhere crawled its way into her head any chance it could. And that meant Tony and Peter would be in the same state. Ana shook her head when it felt like it was being pulled apart and stalked away from Wanda, breathing heavily. She abruptly stopped when she saw Thanos advancing in front of her. He had taken down the Black Panther. Enclosed Rhodey in his own suit. Grounded Sam to the dirt with broken wings. Natasha was trapped underneath debris with Okoye lying on her back in pain not too far from her King. Bucky had fallen at the base of a tree, cradling his arm. Bruce was stuck in a rock wall behind Thanos. And Steve, he hadn't backed down yet. He stood up and struck Thanos in the leg, surprising the Titan. Thanos threw his gloved fist at Captain America, only for the Steve to catch the fist with both of his hands. With straining effort, Steve held the Infinity Gauntlet back.

The moment Thanos punched Steve in the face with his other hand, Ana aimed Proxima's sword at the Titan's head and snapped her wrist forward, having used her super strength to send it flying. Thanos used the Space Stone to ensure it phased through him and stalked forward. Ana heard Wanda's powers intensify as she used them to destroy the Mind Stone. She could feel the power radiate through her as it grew and multiplied. Ana had to buy time. She had to shield Wanda. Using the Mystic Arts, Ana summoned the Crimson Bands of Cyttorak. She unleashed them on Thanos. The pulsing bands wrapped themselves around him, trapping him. The Titan grinned.

"You complement the Supreme Sorcerer's thinking. Too bad it didn't work for him." Thanos said, and formed a fist with his gloved hand underneath the bands, shattering them completely.

Ana had already broken into a sprint, and leapt into the air. Thanos reached out and grabbed Ana by her left elbow when she was close enough. He stared at her, grin growing as he tightened his grip. Ana's face contorted from the pain of her bones breaking entirely. She struggled, then gritted her teeth, and kicked both her feet out and nailed him in the chest with everything she had. Thanos dropped her and fell back with a grunt. He was quick to recover, as was Ana, and was shot in the face with a raging plasma blast. The Power Stone glowed. Thanos stood up and stomped towards her. Ana matched his steps by walking backwards, continuing to shoot at him with her good hand as her broken one hung loose at her side.

"Wanda!" Cried the Warrior, voice booming throughout the jungle. Loud enough for the Sentinel to hear. Thanos used the Power and Space Stone to force Ana to the ground, and went for Wanda. Ana shivered when she felt warm blood ooze from the wound on the back of her skull down her neck.

Wanda threw one hand out to form an energy shield to prevent Thanos from getting any closer. Thanos pounded his fists against the scarlet barrier, only it wouldn't budge. He curled his lips in frustration. He was so close to the Mind Stone, yet it was cracking into pieces right in front of him. And he was being held back by a human. This fuelled Thanos' determination, and he formed a fist with his Gauntlet, igniting the Space Stone to move forward before the Mind Stone was destroyed.

In a blazing trail of cosmic blue, the Sentinel arrived, having heard his daughter's cry and felt the Mind Stone that had been with him for decades come undone. Before he could even acknowledge Thanos, Wanda finally did it. Wanda destroyed the Mind Stone. As a result, a powerful surge of it's remnant yellow energy shot out and pushed everyone back. Ana dropped her hand that shielded her eyes to look at where Vision last was. She swallowed thickly, seeing as he was no longer in sight. The explosion had take him out completely, leaving nothing behind. The ground Vision had been kneeling on was scorched black and the fallen tree trunk behind him had broken into two. And Wanda, she was on her hands and knees, weeping into the ground.

Thanos approached Wanda. He reached down and touched the top of her head, as if he was consoling her. "I understand, my child. Better than anyone."

Wanda's eyes flashed red. "You could never."

"Today, I lost more than you can know. But now is no time to mourn. Now is no time at all." Thanos said, walking closer to the area Vision had been only seconds ago.

Ana felt a pang in her chest. She shifted in her position on the ground. Eyes went wide. Heart seemed to stop. All senses paused when she realised what Thanos had planned. The Titan curled his fingers into his palm, and Ana watched the Time Stone shine. It was as if he had stolen Stephen's way with the Mystic Arts when he took the Time Stone from him. The green symbols formed around his wrist and palm as he lifted his hand. Thanos reversed time, focusing on the area he last saw the Mind Stone. And just like that, all fragments from far and wide returned to each other to reform the Vision. When fully completed, Vision opened his eyes to find Thanos staring right back at him.

Wanda screamed, "NO!"

Thanos blasted Wanda away from him, her body flying across the clearing. Ana's stomach dropped and she scrambled to her feet. Marcus was faster and caught Wanda. Meanwhile, Thanos grabbed Vision by the throat and lifted him until his feet weren't on the ground anymore, and he used his other hand to pull the Mind Stone out from his forehead. Vision's body went limp just as it faded to grey. His body was dropped by Thanos, and the Titan stepped back, admiring the golden hue of the Mind Stone.

Ana looked to her father, discouraged. "We have to do something."

Marcus didn't respond.

Thanos hovered the Mind Stone of the final place on the Infinity Gauntlet that had yet to be filled. The Stones glowed equally at the sense of another one of their kind. The last one. Thanos dropped it in, and instantly, a wave of unlimited cosmic power flowed right through him. Never before had this been done. At first, it made him throw his head back at bellow at the heavens. His veins sparked with each colour of the Infinity Stones as the energies settled into him. Then, he raised his Gauntlet.

Before Thanos could even see it, bolts of fiery lightning hit him square in the chest at a rate so strong it swept him off his feet. His body was dragged against the ground as Thor flew in, redirecting Stormbreaker. Odinson launched his weapon at Thanos, cutting through the blast that came from the Infinity Gauntlet as it closed in on the Titan. Marcus then moved, and held Thanos in place. If they were going to do something, they had to do it fast. His hands took hold of Thanos' biceps and he planted his feet firmly on the ground when Stormbreaker embedded itself into the Titan's chest.

Thor dropped in front of Thanos who was unable to catch his breath or even get a word out. Ana's hand reached out to find Wanda's. They were leaning against a base of a tree, out of breath and hurt in ways that made it difficult for them to get back up again. Wanda looked down at their hands, and she closed her eyes, tears streaming down her face. She heard Ana tell her that she was sorry. And she nodded, a muffled cry escaping her lips.

"I told you you'd die for that." Thor pushed Stormbreaker further into Thanos' chest, causing him yell in pain. After a few seconds, he stopped. And he went silent.

Ana switched her attention from Wanda to listen to the words Thanos tried to say. Her frown deepened. Was he whispering his final words? A plea for mercy? Ana didn't think Thanos was the type. Which was what made her so intrigued by what he had to say next.

"You...should have... you should..."

With another intake of breath and more volume, Thanos lifted his eyes to look Thor right in the eyes. He even smiled, "You should have gone for the head."

Ana stood up abruptly.

Marcus reached for the Infinity Gauntlet.

Thor's eyes went wide.

S N A P !

. · 。 . · ゜ ✭

When the light faded, Marcus wondered where he was. For a moment, his mind pushed him to wonder who he was. What was he doing? Who was he staring at? What made it so his whole being felt... sick all of a sudden? He was beginning to think he had lost an arm or leg. Maybe a chunk of his flesh. But no. He searched himself. Everything was there. So what was missing? What had disappeared from his soul? Or better yet, what was taken from him?

Marcus didn't feel like the Protector of the Universe. As everything came flooding back in milliseconds, Marcus realised what a failure he had been. First came the familiar emotion of despondency. But it was then diminished by the feeling of his own wrath. Towards the monster that snapped his fingers and willed half of all existence in the universe to disappear into nothingness. Thanos wanted them all dead to fulfill his self-proclaimed destiny. For a balanced universe.

"What did you do? What'd you do?!"

Marcus looked up at Thor as he roared the question in Thanos' face. It was then he smelled the burned Uru metal that used to be the metallic gold Infinity Gauntlet. It was burnt into Thanos' hand as a reminder of what he had accomplished. And yet, the Infinity Stones were unscathed.

Thanos' eyes darted around. He did what he had to do. Now, he had to leave. Again, he raised his rotting Gauntlet and formed a fist. The Space Stone glowed. He was getting away. A portal was forming behind him, and he stepped one foot into it. Marcus went to stop him, only for the Titan to punch him in the chest, sending him flying across the clearing. Marcus recovered as if it was nothing, and sprinted forward, fists pulsing with energy.

Ana saw, and acted without thinking. She couldn't let Thanos teleport across the galaxies without answering for his villainy. They would never have a chance at finding him if he took off. Time seemed to slow down. Ana could hear her own ragged breathing as her feet pushed against the ground, powering herself forward. She thought she heard someone call her name. Sparing a glance over her shoulder, Ana saw Bucky. He was gripping his right arm with his Vibranium hand, face pale from the pain he was in. His eyes went wide when he realised what she was doing. He shouted her name again. And again. Voice growing louder. Desperate for her to stop. Deep down, he knew this was always going to happen. Ana would stop at nothing to make things right whenever they went wrong.

I'm sorry, Ana thought to herself with a frown, and turned her head away. By now, Thanos had entered the portal completely, and it was closing. Marcus and Ana were approaching it on either ends, a determined cry escaping their lips as they jumped into the portal before it blinked out.