Sacrifice
Pairing: Wanda Maximoff x Nicole Blake
AU: Bad Ending
Warning: major character death; self sacrifice; spoilers for Endgame (if you haven’t seen it yet); massive angst
She had never been to space before. Five years prior when the team went to confront Thanos in the hopes of bringing everyone back, Nic didn’t go. She couldn’t bring herself to get out of bed, even at the hope of possibly getting Wanda back. When they came back empty handed Nic gave a curt “I told you so” to Steve before going back to her bedroom. But when Scott Lang proposed time travel, opening that old wound and giving everyone a possibility of hope, it was Clint who convinced her to join the effort. He didn’t want the false hope either, but he understood her pain and was the only person on the team who was able to get through to her.
Nic immediately agreed.
And now they were on Vormir attempting to retrieve the soul stone. The only issue was that the only way to retrieve it was to lose the one you love.
A soul for a soul.
Natasha and Clint’s argument became muffled by the sound of her own heartbeat in her ears. Nic inched closer to the edge of the cliff, peering over. Her hands grew sweaty, heart picking up speed. She always had a fear of heights, it was typically overlooked during missions, the usual adrenaline preventing that fear from ever catching up to her. But right now it was palpable. It swelled in her stomach. As did the grief. She spent two years mourning Wanda— honestly she still did even today. Everyday she did little things to honor her lost girlfriend. This was the one chance to bring her back, but Nic knew she wouldn’t be there to greet Wanda.
This mission was bigger than her, bigger than the strength of their love. There was only one thing to do.
Looking back over her shoulder, her vision became blurry as she looked at Clint and Natasha. Neither had noticed Nic’s movements, that she was standing one step away from plummeting off the edge. A strange calmness came over her.
“Tell Wanda I love her,” Nic told them, loud enough that the two spies managed to hear it over their own heated words. Their heads snapped in the direction of Nic. Immediately they began to move towards her. Her, the girl they’ve known since she was barely a teen. The girl who spent many nights curled up on the couch of Clint’s home, asleep from a day of playing with his kids. The girl who gave Natasha the chance to feel motherhood. Their girl. “And tell her I’m sorry.”
“Nic, no!” Clint reached out to grab her, but he was too late, too slow. She stepped off the ledge and his fingers missed any grip that could have been held onto her. Natasha did the same, attempting to grab any part of her. The Black Widow threw her body to the ground as she reached, but the gravity of Vormir pulled Nic down, out of their reach.
The distance between them and her grew, and a strangled scream escaped Natasha as Clint fell to his knees beside her.
The bright light blinded them, took away their vision until it felt as though they were waking up from a dream. More like a nightmare. The pool was shallow, and the pair sat up. Tears streaked down both of their cheeks, and Clint lifted his hand. The glowing orange stone was in his palm. They completed their mission, but at a terrible cost.
Neither said a word as Natasha pulled him closer against her, Clint burying his face in her neck. He had already lost his wife and children. Nic was the last part of his family.
Now the least they could do was ensure she didn’t die in vain.
Tony was gone. The compound was destroyed. But they won. It didn’t feel like it though. It was a Pyrrhic victory.
The aftermath of the battle was beginning, reunions— though emotional and sad —were taking place. Wanda was fighting through the crowd, looking for Nic. Looking for her girlfriend. She tried to reach out with her powers, feel for Nic’s mind. Wanda was met with nothing, and as she pushed through everyone she saw Natasha and Clint leaning against each other as they sat on the ground. Her feet quickly took her over to them.
“Where’s Nic?” She asked worriedly. “I can’t feel her, I– I don’t know where she is.”
As she approached, Clint and Natasha groaned, picking themselves off the ground. At the mention of their former protégé, their family, tears began to form in their eyes. Clint didn’t look up at Wanda at first, not even when she stood a few feet away from them.
“Where’s Nic?” Wanda asked again, this time, though, her fear of the worst was setting in. Her voice broke as she spoke, and finally Clint looked up at her.
“She– She wanted us to tell you she loves you—”
“No!” Wanda shook her head, body shaking as she fought the urge to sob. Clint immediately stepped forward and caught her as her legs gave in.
“—and that she’s sorry,” he mumbled, resting his chin on her head.
Wanda clung to his uniform, sobbing into his chest. Natasha came over to kneel beside them on the ground, hugging them both. There were no words to be said. The Scarlet Witch’s hysterics were enough. She was voicing how they both felt. She had come back after five years and the love of her life wasn’t here to greet her.