Vormir did not give a great first impression. Nebula's description of the planet prior to our teams breaking off on their missions didn't help either. It gave off a foreboding feeling.

I kept a small flame in my palm as we made our way through the sands, past shallow waters, towards a high mountain. The closer we got, the temperature plummeted. The dark sky offered us little light. We kept at a decent pace to make good time. We didn't want to linger too long in the event things went to hell.

The mountain became riddled with snow the higher we hiked. Light flakes swirled around us. Take away the mission aspect, and the view would be a little bit nicer.

"How much further?" I asked. My legs were screaming. I'd half a mind to fly us both up there. I wasn't sure why it wasn't considered to begin with.

"What, not enjoying the hike?"

I swatted at my husband. "Not very much, no. I'll like it more when we've got the Soul Stone and we're back in our year."

"That we can agree on."

"You know, take away our mission, this place is kinda beautiful, in a creepy way," I said mildly.

"Always trying to find a bright spot."

The snow tapered off once we got to the top. I let my flame disappear. The sky was purple and gloomy up here, it was easier to pick out the color.

"Nebula never did say what lives here," I said.

"Maybe because she doesn't know," said Steve.

"Welcome, Kiara, daughter of Roman. Steven, son of Sarah," said a new chilling voice.

Steve had his shield in front as I pulled and activated my blades, igniting them with fire. Ahead, floating, was a dark, ghostly form. I squinted to try and make out a face.

"Who are you?" I demanded harshly.

"Consider me a guide," said the raspy tone. "To you, and to all who seek the Soul Stone."

"What the...?" Steve's question trailed off.

I cast a glance at Steve before I looked back to the Keeper of the Stone. Past the hood, a hollow, dark red skull looked right back at me.

"Steve, is there something you wish to tell me?" I asked him quietly.

"That's the Red Skull, Kiara."

"And that's supposed to mean something?"

"He was the head of HYDRA back in the forties."

"Oh. Wonderful." As much I wanted to know more about the history of my husband, now wasn't the time. We were on a schedule. I kept an eye on Red Skull. "You said you can help us find the Stone. How about you just tell us where it is? Better yet, do you have it on you? We'll just take it and run."

"If I told you where it was, then this would be easy. As you should know by now, nothing is ever easy." The Keeper of the Stone turned his back to both of us, ghosting out towards a cliff. Steve and I exchanged looks before cautiously following behind him. "What you seek lies in front of you...as does what you fear."

Cryptic. Great.

The Keeper floated aside as Steve and I scoured around the cliff. Overturned any rocks that we could. We knew what the Stone was supposed to look like, but naturally, it wasn't nearby.

"Do you have any more cryptic hints for us?" I asked the Keeper.

"If you do not see it here, where do you think it could be?"

"The bottom," Steve murmured, his blue eyes looking over the cliff's edge. "It's there, isn't it?"

"For one of you," the Keeper confirmed. "But in order to obtain the Stone, you must sacrifice that which you love. A soul, for a soul."

I sputtered at the price. He's bloody kidding, right? There's just...

"What did you say?" Steve asked the Keeper slowly.

"I did not stutter, Captain Rogers. The price is as I said."

"Does it necessarily have to be someone we love?" I asked through gritted teeth. The Keeper of the Stone just looked at me. "Can that not be a prerequisite and we fling you over the edge?"

"You're the first to ask. But no, there is no way around it."

When I looked to Steve, my body tensed. This was the piece we were missing, how to get the stone. And we...

A light dizzy spell started in my head. "Don't lie to me, stone keeper," I snapped to the man with the red face. "This is just some sick game to you, isn't it?"

"Life can be cruel. If you have not already learned that, then you've been sheltered too long from the world's horrors."

As if he would know. I began breathing heavily, I almost expected my mouth to start frothing. I would sooner find any other way than let Steve go over the edge.

Whatever it takes. And I knew he was thinking the exact same thing. The look in his eyes said it all: the determination mixed with a sad tone. No one had to be a mind reader to know what his next move would be. He'd put himself into ice for the greater good decades ago, and now—

"Get that look out of your eyes right now, Steve Rogers," I said sternly.

"If we don't do this, the Stone isn't ours," he said gravely.

"I refuse to have one of us not be there when we bring everyone back. We'll figure out a way."

"We don't have that kind of time."

"Sure we do."

"Kiara...This isn't what we expected. But it has to be done. To think something wouldn't happen would be too good to be true, because it's us."

"But haven't we been punched enough?" I pleaded. "Thanos dealt a pretty nasty one five years ago. This one...this one is way more personal than his ever will be."

"If we don't do this, everyone who dusted will stay dead. Do we really want to be selfish right now?"

"Sorry if maybe that for one second that I do want to be!" My voice rose in slight hysterics. "We didn't come all this way for our marriage to end by one of us cliff-diving!" I started to pace. I felt the eyes of the Keeper of the Stone on my back.

"This isn't the time to be stubborn. We're on a schedule."

"Yes, well, our marriage is on a schedule, too. This is not supposed to be where and how it ends."

Steve interrupted my pacing, stopping it actually, by putting himself in front of me. My skin grew warm from the anger bubbling inside. He took my hands in his, I refused to meet his gaze. I couldn't promise that I wouldn't cry if I looked into his eyes.

"We can't..." I tried.

"Whatever it takes," Steve repeated softly. It was our current Avenger mantra. I hated it.

"Not you," I whispered. "You already did your heroic sacrifice. It should be me. For all the mistakes that I've made. For allowing myself to believe Loki could change. For allowing myself to trust someone I barely knew to cure me when he was behind all of it. For...for letting HYDRA think for one minute they could control me. For all the blood I've got on my hands."

"Kiara, you are nowhere near the bad person you're trying to talk yourself into being. You'll walk out of here with the Soul Stone."

"I'd rather walk out with it and you. In a perfect world."

"When has it ever been perfect?"

I inhaled deeply. "I think we'll be here awhile." I tightened the grip on Steve's hands when I feel him try to step backwards. "Don't."

"If we wait until we're ready to say goodbye, we never will be."

I dug my heels into the ground as hard as I could. "You're an original Avenger."

"And you're not?"

"I wasn't on the freaking list!" I quickly moved my hands to his wrists for a better hold.

I didn't account for Steve having the audacity to head-butt me. I nearly lost my grip on his wrists, barely hanging on. He dared to go for a second try. The second impact sent me reeling for the hard ground. Steve's charging form towards the cliff was blurry in my vision.

A blue wall of fire spread across the length of the cliff. The anger and frustration inside was definitely more than I felt.

Steve, thankfully, stopped himself before the flames could lick him. The look in his eyes said it all. He had to do this. Let him do this.

Lower the wall, Kiara.

No. I stepped closer, maintaining the blue flames. We need to find another way. Come back to me, Steve. Don't jump through the flames. I know you've got your moments of bravery, but that's borderline stupid.

Kiara, you need to let me go.

As if you would let me go so easily.

I would. It'd hurt, it'd tear me up inside, but I'd let it happen.

Without warning, Steve launched his trademark shield at me. The second I caught it, I realized what the son of a bitch had done.

I attached his shield onto my back, dashing after Steve, who dived off the cliff. I launched myself off the edge, making myself straight as possible on the way down. He was not going to hit that harsh, rocky floor. I was not going to let him die.

The gap was closing.

My fingertips brushed his, but that was as close as I was able to get.

Steve collided with the ground. I cried out, shooting flames from my palms to prevent me from meeting the same fate. I lowered myself down, crumbling to my knees. I shook Steve vigorously.

"Don't you dare leave me, Steven Grant Rogers," I hissed at him through tears. "You didn't allow me to go in your arms, you shouldn't go here."

He never stirred. A warm pool of red blossomed behind his head.

"Damn you," I whimpered. "Damn you!"

Above, the skies grew lighter, as though Steve's soul was being sucked upwards.

In a blink, Steve was no longer in my arms. I was no longer at the bottom of the cliff. Instead, I floated in a shallow pool of water, one that I had seen when we first landed on Vormir. The skies had reverted back to darkness.

I sat up in the water, hands remaining under. I lifted my right hand, currently a fist. Opening it, I hiccupped a fresh sob.

In all its orange, small glory, was the Soul Stone.

I closed my hand around the gem, pushing my fist against my forehead. I wanted to destroy it in the hopes that maybe it would allow Steve to come home. That wasn't the mission. The plan won't work if one Stone is missing.

Gathering myself, I rose from the water, droplets falling from my body, mixing with my own tears. I want to bring him home, but there's no time. Though he was no longer with us, my mind's eye forever saw Steve's broken body on the rocky ground, that red pool around his head.

**Ow, ow, ow, ow, fucking ow, brain. Why do you do this?

I mean, thank the gods it's not real, but somewhere, in another reality....

If anyone was in need of a good cry, I hope this gave you it.

Depending on when you read this, there may or may not be a song attached to this part. If there isn't, pick perhaps the most painful song to accompany this one shot for the full effect.**