Collide (Steve Rogers)

Chapter 34

I watched as the spaceship took off...and Tony flying after it. My breath hitched in my throat, worried for my brother. For Pepper. Rhodey and the Stark Relief Foundation had showed up for damage control, but it didn't change the fact that Tony was gone and I didn't know where he was going or if he'd be back. I couldn't even track him with Friday.

I looked back at the flip phone in my hands and dialed Steve's number. The phone rang for a few moments and I sighed, thinking Steve wasn't going to pick up the phone. But then, I heard his voice.

"Liv?"

"Steve..." I breathed out, relieved to hear his voice. "Liv, is everything okay?" He asked, I could hear it in his voice that he was worried. "No...um...Steve..." My voice broke slightly as I thought about Tony. "Tony is gone. There was an attack in New York. Tony, he flew off after the ship." It was silent for a moment and I heard a TV turn on in the background. The events from the day playing. "Liv, I'm coming home."

"Before you do, you need to find Vision and Wanda. Vision is in danger. Bruce can explain it more but don't let anyone touch the stone in his head." I explained. "We'll find him and we're coming home. All of us. Please be safe, I love you." Steve said. "I love you too."

The dial tone sounded and I shut the flip phone and looked around at the damage. This was bad. Something was coming and I don't think any of us were ready for it.

-

I sat with Rhodey and Bruce a few days later while they were on a conference call with secretary Ross. I hated that man. Steve still wasn't back yet and that worried me. What if someone came after Vision and they got attacked.

Many thoughts were running through my head and Ross bored me to death with procedures and planning for the city. Suddenly, the three men paused and stared off to the right. I followed their gaze and saw Steve, Nat, Sam, Bucky, Wanda, and Vision. Vision looked injured and was being supported by Wanda. Bruce was the first one over to them and helped Vision to the lab.

I was next, launching myself into Steve's arms. His broad arms wrapped around me and held me tightly as I latched onto him like a koala. I buried my head in his neck and felt him kiss my head.

"Good to see you Cap." Rhodey said, smiling at Steve. I forget it's been a while since Rhodey has seen Steve, Sam, or Bucky. "You too, Rhodes."

Steve held me for a while before finally setting me down in the living room area and pulling me into a bruising kiss. "I missed you." He whispered. "I missed you too." I kissed him again and turned to Bucky and Sam. "Come here you two." They both smiled and we had a short group hug before I turned my attention to the new blonde.

"Nice hair." I smirked at her and she rolled her eyes. "I heard blondes have more fun." "We do." I laughed and Nat and I embraced in a hug. Soon enough Bruce came back into the room and caught every up on the whole Thanos situation and why he is collecting infinity stones, like the one in Vision's head that they got from Loki's scepter. The mind stone. Bruce then also explained how Thanos already has two stones and possibly the time stone after Strange was kidnapped.

Steve held onto my hand tightly when he felt me tense at the mention of Tony being missing. It had been hard for Pepper and I not knowing where he was or even if he was okay. It was then that I learned not only were they engaged...but Pepper was pregnant. Tony didn't know yet, but she was hoping to tell him before everything happened.

"So we gotta assume they're coming back, right? And they can clearly find us. We need all hands on deck. Where's Clint?" Bruce says, bringing me back to reality. He was looking around the room. "Says he's retired." Nat says with a shrug. "What about Scott Lang?" Sam suggests.

"Who's Scott?" Bruce asks.

"Ant Man." A few people reply. "There's an Ant Man and a Spider Man?" Everyone in the room shares a confused glance. "Who is Spider Man?" Nat asks. "Long story, but Tony found him." I said. "We can also ask the Fantastic Four for help." Rhodey suggested.

"Fantastic Four?" Sam says. "You know I forget we haven't all caught up in a while." Nat laughs. "Another group of super hero's. They went to space, came back with super powers." Rhodey explained.

"Isn't one of them that playboy, Johnny Storm?" Sam asks. I visibly see Steve's jaw clench at his name. "We don't need them." Steve says, glancing at me. He was okay with Johnny and I being friends, but he certainly wasn't his biggest fan. Especially after finding out that it was Johnny that I slept with. That wasn't a fun conversation.

"Look, Steve...Thanos has the biggest army in the Universe. We need as many hands as we can get because he is not gonna stop until he gets Vision's stone." Bruce continues.

"Well then, we have to protect it. All of us." Nat says. Everyone seems to agree with her except Vision who immediately speaks up.

"No, we have to destroy it. I've been giving a good deal of thought to this entity in my head, about its nature. But also, its composition. I think if it were exposed to a sufficiently powerful energy source, something, very similar to its own signature, perhaps... Its molecular integrity could fail." Vision says, addressing Wanda and walking near her. I watch Wanda shake her head, "And you, with it. We're not having this conversation."

"Eliminating the stone is the only way to be certain that Thanos can't get it."

"That's too high a price." I look at Steve and he squeezes my hand. The tension heavy in the room at Vision's suggestion.

"Only you, have the power to pay it. Thanos threatens half the Universe. One life cannot stand in the way of defeating him."

"But it should. We don't trade lives, Vision." Steve speaks up. Wanda gives him a thankful glance.

"Captain, 70 years ago, you laid down your life to save how many millions of people. Tell me, why is this any different?" Vision crosses towards Steve and I. Steve takes a breath, but before he has a chance to answer Bruce begins to speak.

"Because you might have a choice. Your mind is made up of a complex construct of overlays. Jarvis, Tony, me, the Stone. All of them mixed together. All of them learning from one another."

"You're saying Vision isn't just the stone?" I ask and Bruce nods.

"I'm saying that... If we take out the stone, there's still a whole lot of Vision left. Perhaps the best parts." He explains. Everyone looks around at each other for a moment.

"Can we do that?" Sam asks. Bruce shakes his head slightly, "Not me. Not here."

Bucky and Steve share a look. "Steve." Steve nods and him and he looks at the group of us. "We know somewhere...Wakanda."