This chapter is very much inspired by and takes place during Infinity War. All credit goes to Marvel for those portions of this story.
I never knew that a person could hold such a huge part of another persons soul.
Samuel Wilson was that person. From the day we met back in 2016 after the falling out between Steve and Tony, we instantly connected. From then on, we have been absolutely inseparable, a dynamic duo, best friends, and according to Natasha, the couple that made her want to throw up from how cute we are.
"Drop to 2600, heading 0-3-0," Steve said to Sam, who sat in the captains seat.
"You'd better be right or else we won't be landing where you want us to ," Sam retorted as he followed Steve's directions.
"I'm pretty sure that of any of us, Steve would know where we are going. He HAS been here before," you say to Sam with a smirk on your face.
"Like I had no idea," Sam replied, glancing over at you with a grin. "But then again, you've been here too to see Bucky."
Once landed and the team met up with T'Challa and Bucky before Steve, Vision, Wanda, and Natasha went inside with T'Challa to find Shuri. Meanwhile, you, Bucky, and Sam were left outside.
"It is crazy beautiful here. I can never get enough of it," you said to Sam and Bucky.
"And peaceful," Bucky replied, smiling at you.
"Are you feeling okay now, Buck?" You questioned, looking up at him with an eyebrow raised.
"I am," he replied, grinning, before he pulled you into a hug.
Other than Sam, you felt connected to Bucky. He was like the older brother that you had always wanted and you were grateful for the friendship that formed between you both during the fight in Germany. He protected you with his life and you were beyond grateful for all he had taught you for as long as you had known him.
While he had taken the last two years and spent them in Wakanda, he was still great at keeping contact. He always wrote letters and you and Steve would fly in to check on his progress. Bucky was your family— all of the Avengers were.
"Hey Cap. I think we've got a problem out here," Sam said over his headset as he watched what looked like a giant meteor fall, only to be destroyed by the dome over Wakanda.
"Make that a very big problem," you followed up, your eyes staying on the sky.
"This place is the best," Bucky muttered, looking up at the sky in awe as three more ships fell.
"What in the? Are those ships?" You questioned, your eyes following the middle ship down to the ground.
In an instant, Wakandan warriors were preparing for battle all around the trio and Bucky had briefly disappeared to arm himself for battle. You stepped back on the quinjet momentarily to get your own weapons ready before joining Steve, Natasha, and Bucky on one of the carriers with Wakandan warriors to head to the battlefield.
As you stood on the hover carrier, you watched Sam and Rhodey fly above.
"Do you guys see anything from up there?" You questioned.
"It looks like our friends are back," Sam replied as he soared above your carrier, referring to your encounter with Proxima Midnight and Cull Obsidian that caused Vision's injuries.
You couldn't help but smile as you looked at him. Something about watching him fly around never failed to give you butterflies.
Once you all got to the battlefield, you stood between Bucky and Sam as Steve, Nat, and T'Challa went to speak to Proxima Midnight and Cull Obsidian at the edge of the dome.
"Once we get out of this and back home, remind me to take you to that new steakhouse that just opened up in Manhattan," Sam said, leaning over towards you.
"Someone is feeling fancy," you teased, flashing a smile over at Sam.
"Do you both really think this is the time?" Bucky asked, half teasing.
"I mean, if you really want, you can join us on date night," you whisper, clearly joking.
Steve, T'Challa, and Nat all rejoined the group.
"Did they surrender," Bucky asked Steve.
"I wouldn't exactly say that," the super soldier replied as Proxima dropped her sword to signal the Outriders to attack.
"What in the hell are those?" Bucky asked as the outriders attacked the dome, many killing themselves in the process.
"Looks like she isn't too happy with us," Natasha said with a glance towards Steve.
"I'll see you after," Sam said as he pulled his goggles back down over his eyes.
"I'll see you after," you echoed to Sam.
The Falcon pulled you in for a quick kiss before he and Rhodey took off into flight.
As some of the outriders managed to squeeze through the barriers, Bucky began to fire his machine gun while you and Nat had your pistols drawn, firing them off.
The outriders began to circle the dome and Bruce took notice. T'Challa knew there was no other choice to keep their enemies in front of them and requested for a section of the dome to be opened.
Steve and T'Challa took off into a sprint to be the first to meet the outriders, while you, Natasha, and Bucky fought off the outriders that made it past Steve and T'Challa.
"There are way too many of them," you called out over your headset as you and Natasha were back to back, surrounded by several outriders.
Sam managed to swoop down and fire his pistols, taking out a few of the outriders before a beam of light overtook the battlefield and a massive ax flew around and then back to its owners hands. Thor.
Bruce laughed loudly as he saw Thor.
"You guys are SO screwed now," he said, cackling as he lowered the hulkbuster helmet.
"Bring me Thanos," Thor yelled out, charging towards the outriders and taking them out with Stormbreaker.
From Shuri's lab where she was attempting to disconnect the mind stone from Vision, Wanda felt the ground began to shake. She looked out of the window to see threshers come up from the ground and move, destroying everything in their path.
Though it was a difficult decision, Wanda left Vision to head to the battlefield. You, Natasha, and Okoye were in the direct path of one of the threshers and all accepted the inevitable until Wanda showed up and used her powers to lift and throw the threshers into the outriders.
"Why was she up there all this time?" Okoye questioned, causing you to laugh softly.
"Guys, we got a Vision situation here," Sam said over the headset as Vision fell from the window of Shuri's lab.
"Somebody get to Vision," Steve yelled out, only to have Bruce reply.
"I've got him."
"I'm on my way," Wanda also replied, only to be clobbered by Proxima.
"You will both die alone."
"But the thing is that she isn't alone," you replied, standing to one side of Proxima.
You looked to Natasha and Okoye, who stood on the opposite side of Proxima and Wanda.
The four of you battled Proxima, only for Wanda to use her powers to toss her up into the path of a thrasher, spraying her blood all over the four of you.
Meanwhile, Bruce attempted to help Vision and managed to kill Cull Obsidian by using one of the hulk buster boosters. Vision, on the other hand, was having to deal with Corvus Glaive and struggled against him as he was stabbed in the torso. As the battle seemed to come to a close, Wanda found Vision.
"Vis, are you okay?" Wanda asked as Vision flinched. "What? What is it?"
An eerie calm descended over Wakanda and the cool breeze that drifted through the air immediately stopped.
"Thanos is here," Vision replied simply,
"Everyone, on my position. We have incoming," Steve said over his headset.
Bruce watched the blueish-black electric clouds appear and Thanos walk through them.
"Steve, that's Thanos."
It was as if each member of the Avengers took turns trying to keep Thanos at bay while Wanda and Vision argued over the destruction of the mind stone.
"Sam, no," you screamed out as Sam flew down and fired his pistols, only to have his wings give out, bending like cooked spaghetti.
"I'm good," he groaned over his headset, clearly in pain from the drop.
As everybody continued their attack on Thanos, you quickly looked over to see Wanda crying as she used her powers to attempt to destroy the mind stone. You could see the pain on Vision's face as Wanda began her attempt. Rather than helping the rest of the team with Thanos, you used your own powers to take away the pain that Vision felt.
In an instant, Wanda was successful. Your heart broke for her because at the end of the day, you didn't think you could do that if it had been Sam.
As the mind stone was destroyed, there was an explosion of energy and Thanos' eyes snapped to the source. He started walking towards Wanda, who sat on the ground mourning. You attempted to focus your power on Thanos, only to have your body thrown into a tree, causing you to black out. Sam quickly ran to your side and attempted to wake you.
"I understand your pain. I understand it better than anyone," Thanos said to Wanda, his voice almost soothing.
"You could never understand how I feel," The Scarlett Witch replied through gritted teeth.
You woke just in time to see Thanos reaching out and turning his wrist, the time stone taking effect, bringing Vision back. As Thanos smacked Wanda out of the way, you tried to lunge for her, only to be pulled back by the waist by Sam. Even now, he was trying to protect you from Thanos' determination to collect all of the stones.
Thanos picked Vision up and plucked the mind stone from his head as if he was plucking an apple from its branch. As Thanos admired his completed gauntlet, Thor brutally attacked Thanos with Stormbreaker, plunging it deep into his chest.
"I told you that you'd die for that," Thor said, pressing Stormbreaker further into Thano's chest.
"You should have gone for the head," Thanos retorted before snapping his fingers and then using the gauntlet to disappear.
"Steve?" You heard Bucky say before dropping to the ground, his body turning to ash.
Steve ran to where Bucky was and your eyes began to fill with tears as your best friend was dusted.
"Y/N," Sam said weakly, causing you to quickly turn your head towards him. "I love—."
"Sam," you whispered as he turned to ash in your hands. "I love you."
You looked around and realization hit. Half of your team was gone. Your heart shattered at the loss of not only your team members but the love of your life. You fell to your knees and a sonic scream left your lips, causing trees to bend backwards and bringing your fellow Avengers to their knees from the painful frequency.
Steve came and sat beside you in the ground and tears began to stream down your face as you stared at the spot where Sam was when he disappeared. Not even an hour prior, you were joking around and making dinner plans and now he was gone and it felt like a piece of your very soul was ripped away.
Now what were you all supposed to do? Go on like nothing ever happened. Not a chance.
"There has to be a way to bring them back," you said through sobs as Natasha joined you and Steve.
"And we will," Natasha said softly as she soothingly rubbed your back. "Somehow."