⏳ --

For most of the journey, it had been freezing cold. It had been so cold that it could almost be the equivalent of being encased in the ice I'd been found in. But the further we travelled, the hotter the atmosphere got. I noticed steam floating on the dark blue horizon ahead of us.

"What is that?" I wondered aloud.

"The Hot Springs," Astra replied. "We must cross it to get to the Killing Caves. We are near our destination."

"Guys, this place is huge!" Sam called over the line.

"Well, we're gonna have fun crossing it," Barton remarked. "I hate hot places."

The Parthenope reached the ridge of the flat plains. Ahead beyond the drop, dozens of hot springs levelled on top of each other. Who knew how deep the waters went, and I didn't want to find out. And, in the distance beyond the springs, was a natural construction. The Killing Caves.

"We can't go over it, we can't go under it," Stark sang gleefully. "Oh, no! We have to go through it!"

"We're not going on a bear hunt, you plonker," Andi said snarkily.

"Yet it seemed strangely appropriate."

"Let's get this over and done with," Nat said definitively. "We're running out of time."

Astra and I led the way, our Parthenope picking its way down the drop, followed by Nat and Andi and then Barton and Wanda. The closer we got to the springs, the hotter the air became. With the amount of steam and heat wafting off the water, I assumed that the water must have been extremely hot.

"Were these springs ever used by you before all this happened?" I asked.

"The waters were certainly safe enough to use albeit a bit hot," Astra said, "but, no. We never used them. They are dangerous."

"What do you mean?"

She didn't reply, leaving me suspicious. It honestly made me realise how similar she was to Andi – the constant hesitation to answer simple questions. It was frustrating. Was it really hard to answer? But, then again, both of them also reminded me of Fury. He was the same, always hesitant to answer a question anyone could answer.

The Parthenope touched down on the rocky edge of the first pool of scathing water. How its paws weren't burning was beyond me, but I'd rather it be carrying me than letting my feet find out. It carefully treaded across the pool's rim and then stepped down onto the rim of the pool next to it. It walked as if it was walking on a tightrope – carefully, warily, and with balance and grace. I tried with all my being not to move, not to rock the boat in fear of the creature losing its balance and toppling into the scolding water.

I turned my head slightly to see the other Parthenope step down onto the lower pool's rim. The last one, Barton and Wanda's, didn't seem so confident as the other two, its wolfish face looking worried and its eyes darting around.

Our Parthenope stepped up onto the rim of the largest pool. It was the furthest they had to walk before we were to reach the two last pools.

"I've never been more glad for my wings," Sam muttered, standing on the other side of the springs with Stark.

We were half way across when I noticed a disturbance in the water of the largest pool. A saw a ripple in the purple-blue water as if someone had tossed a stone.

"Why are these springs dangerous?" I asked once more, actually fearful for what the answer might be.

I heard a pop, a bubble reaching the surface and the air piercing it, followed by another ripple from the corner of my eye. We were almost fully across the large pool, and I willed the Parthenope to move just a little bit faster.

"Seriously, Astra," I pushed. "Why is it dangerous here?"

And then a huge splash exploded from the central pool. A creature emerged from the hot water, its scaly head writhing and thrashing. It was gigantic – the head, the long body, the beady eyes and rows of razor sharp teeth. And when it roared, it was as if my ear drums exploded within my ears.

Well. That was why these springs were dangerous.

"Basilisk!" Andi screamed.

If I hadn't been holding on, I would've been left behind as our Parthenope rushed forward, claws digging into the pool's rim to keep its balanced.

And then a squeal sounded from behind me. I turned to watch in horror as Barton and Wanda's Parthenope with them on it slip and plunge into the pool. The basilisk turned to them and dove into the water after them.

I did the one thing that I instinctively knew to do. I leapt off our Parthenope and dived into the water after them. My skin burned. My eyes stung painfully. The water was so hot that it felt like I was swimming in a pot over the stove. I moved my hands around in front of me, desperate to hitch onto a hand. I found one, something wrapped around a singular finger. Barton. I pulled, yanking him towards the surface. But where was Wanda? The water was becoming unbearable. Dizziness began to take hold.

We can go home, Steve. The war's over.

Death is your mistress now, Steven Rogers. Nothing can save you.

United we stand, divided we fall.

I love you. Never forget that.

I heard water thrashing around me and the sound of blasts shooting through it. I heard a squeal. And then I felt a weak hand slide into mine, desperate for grip but too weak to hold. I felt too weak myself to try and swim. The water became less scolding, but more warm, more relaxing.

Let go, Steve. Let go. Come to me.

Peggy, I called through my mind.

Are we going to have our dance? I'm still waiting for the right partner. For you.

I'm coming, Peggy.

The warm tinge of pinkish-purple faded away to a ballroom, Peggy standing before me. She wore a stunning red dress, her hair in curls and red lips parting in a wonderful smile.

Come to me, Steve.

Don't.

Another figure materialised next to her. Andi. She wore a red dress as well with a slightly different pattern, her flaming hair also in curls and lips painted red. She didn't smile. Her expression was that of worry.

Don't, Steve. Don't leave me.

It's time to go home, Steve, Peggy said, we can go home. The war's over.

Don't you do this to me! Andi yelled. It confused me, though. Her expression wasn't one she would wear if she was screaming. Don't you dare leave me! Not like this! Not like this!

I was confused. I...I loved them both. I wanted them both. Peggy was everything to me. But so was Andi. Andi was more to me than I'd ever thought she would be.

Steve, Peggy said, urging me further to take her hand.

Steve! Andi did the same. Come back to me!

I pressed my hands to the sides of my head and slammed my eyes shut, the duelling voices causing a headache to surge in my mind. I wanted it to stop. I just wanted it all to stop.

Steve.

Steve!

Steve, let go.

Don't you dare do this to me!

And then the thought came to me. Peggy wanted me to move on. She'd married. She'd had children of her own. She'd moved on a long time ago. She wouldn't want me to take her hand. We'd missed our chance to dance, and so she'd danced with someone else. She wanted me to dance with someone else, the other person in my life that I loved. She wanted me to take her hand, not her own.

Steve, Peggy said once more, hand still outstretched.

Steve! Please! Please, don't do this to me! I need you to stay with me! Andi screamed, her expression becoming increasingly worried, her hand hungry for my own.

And so I took Andi's hand. Everything came rushing up to me. The ballroom disappeared. The heat on my skin returned. I coughed, water gushing out, emptying from my lungs. My eyes fluttered open to see flaming hair hanging over me, a face full of worry watching me, a blue galaxy swirling in the sky above me. My skin burned and my eyes and lungs stung.

My hand was in Wanda's, her coughing and spluttering next to me as well with Astra hovering over her, her own choppy hair sopping wet like Barton's who sat with Wanda's head in his lap.

Andi leaned back onto the balls of her feet. She didn't look happy, an angry glare in her eyes.

"Next time you want to risk your life, why don't you say something," she growled. She moved over to Wanda with her back to me.

I pushed myself to my elbows as Sam approached.

"You okay?" he asked, obviously worried.

"I've been better, that's for sure," I said hoarsely before coughing again.

He helped me to my feet. "She has a point, you know. Might wanna say something next time you wanna dive into hot water with a big-ass snake."

"I'll keep that in mind."

I watched Andi and Astra tend to Wanda, and I realised how much damage I'd done to my relationship with Andi.

❈Author's Note: Hey, there! If you liked this chapter, please consider giving it a quick vote! Thanks for reading!