Time After Time (Book 3)

Saviours and Sacrifice

Silence.

A heartbeat.

The noise of the world flooded back in and Betty stared at her hands in shock as they reformed from the ashes.

She gasped.

Her head flew up and she looked around desperately, searching...  She let out a sigh of relief as she saw Bucky, looking just as disorientated as she felt, and she stumbled towards him on unsteady legs.

"Buck!" she cried, almost sobbing.

His eyes flew up, finding hers, and he met her halfway, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her tightly to his chest.

"Betty," he breathed against her hair.  "What's happened?  Thanos...he...snapped his fingers.  I saw it."

"I...I don't know.  Y-you turned to dust!  Disappeared!  Then I did too.  But we came back."  She looked up at him, eyes watery.  "I thought I'd lost you again."

"Never," he said, bending his head to kiss her, soft and reassuring. 

His lips grounded her, allaying her rising panic somewhat, and giving her back the capacity to look around at take in their surroundings.  The vegetation seemed denser than before; the tree cover thicker, and the atmosphere was eerily silent.  An unnatural calm lay across the land.

Sam stumbled towards them, looking every bit as disorientated as they felt.  "What's going on?" He mumbled.

"I'm not sure," came T'Challa's shaky voice.

"Is anyone else here?" Sam asked.

"Where's Steve?" Bucky followed with his own question.

The walking tree that had been with Thor sidled up to them, eyes looking lost.

"I am groot?" He spoke, obviously a question from his tone.

"Hi, I'm Betty, this is Bucky," Betty said, trying for a reassuring smile.

"I am Groot," the tree replied.

"Your name is Groot?" Betty asked for confirmation and he nodded somewhat sadly.

"I am groot?"

"I don't know what's happened Groot, or where anyone else is but we're gonna find out.  Stick close to me and Buck, OK?"

"I am groot," he nodded again.

Bucky was looking at his wife in awe.  "How do you know what he's sayin'?"

"I don't, but I figured he's got the same questions as the rest of us." Betty shrugged.

"Good point.  You got any weapons?  All mine have gone."

Betty shook her head as she felt for the knives she'd stashed but finding them all gone.

"Same," Sam confirmed, although he still had his wings. "I'll fly around, assess the situation." He took to the skies.

"We must head for the palace." T'Challa suggested.  "I can't hear any battle sounds. White Wolf, can you hear anything?"

"No.  No fightin', no aliens, nothin' that shouldn't already be here." Bucky stated, his head tilted to the side.

"White Wolf?" Betty asked, curious. It was the first time she'd heard the King refer to Bucky by that name.

"It is an honoured title," T'Challa smiled warmly at them. "It means Protector of Wakanda."

Bucky was beaming with pride, his shoulders straighter than Betty had seen them in years. She couldn't help but feel emotional at the expression on his face.