"Come on, Viz, Dad won't' ever let me do it, he says that it's too dangerous."

"Your father is correct," he argued. The two of you were standing on the compound lawn, not long after Vision had come into your life, and you had taken the opportunity to test your limits with the newest member of your family. JARVIS was a part of him now, but he was a muted part and not likely to tattle on you if Vision could be convinced to go along with your request. "(Y/N), I feel as if I agree, I am betraying a trust."

"I'm not asking for you to fly me across the world, okay? Just maybe across the lawn," you smiled coyly. "Just a few feet off the ground, that's all. Just enough for me to feel what it's like to fly."

Vision paused silently, his eyes shifting around as if he were reading the thoughts scrolling through his mind as he played out the risks; it was highly improbable, but he could drop you, or you could get scared and throw off his concentration, now that he had recently realized that he could easily be distracted when he thought it impossible. He was so ready to decline your request, and was ready with his litany of reasons why, but he had made the mistake of looking down at you. He had barely come to know you beyond the essence of JARVIS that he carried with him, but even in this very short time the bond was made, and he quickly understood why Tony had such trouble denying you anything.

"The length of the lawn," he finally relented, "no further."

"The length and back?" you asked hopefully. "Otherwise we have to walk all the way back and that just doesn't make sense."

"The length and back," Vision nodded, "and then it's bedtime, my dear."

"Yes! Thank you!" you exclaimed, pushing up on your toes and grabbing his arms. You stretched to your limit to reach his cheek, planting a quick kiss on it before pulling away in surprise at your own actions. It was a reflex that came naturally with Tony, but this was strange and completely unexpected. "I'm...I-I'm sorry, I don't know what that was..."

"It's quite alright, (Y/N)," he whispered, his hand gently brushing his cheek, but not so heavily that he dared to wipe away the kiss you had left behind. "Thank you."

"For what?"

"For making me feel..." Vision stopped, introspective, "...for not being afraid."

"Afraid of you? I'm not."

"But there was a time? Was there not?"

"Sure," you shrugged, "but I didn't know you then, and to me all I could see what that JARVIS was gone and then there you were. I didn't understand. I'm sorry that I was bad to you, Vision."

His hand was still hovering just over his face without making contact, and it looked to you as if he were able to cry, he would be as he considered the full meaning to this moment. It was the first time that you had shown such decisive, uninhibited emotion with him, and it was the greatest moment of his short life thus far. "Please, never apologize to me, (Y/N). There is nothing that you could ever do to me that would require it. There is no one who will ever mean so much to me as you do right now."

~~~

Tony had no idea how long he had been gone from Earth. Not for sure, anyway. He had some idea, simply by the fatigue and hunger that was beginning to torment him on a planet that had absolutely no sign of life other than the group of humans and aliens that he was standing with now. Peter had been an ever-present companion, never leaving his side, but Tony wasn't certain if that was because the kid was scared to be alone, or if he was scared to leave Tony alone. Other than you and Pepper, Parker was the only other person who could see past his bravado and knew that it was all an intricate act that he had yet to fully perfect.

"Mr. Stark, you okay?"

"Hmm?" Tony jolted to attention, quickly making himself look busy with a broken piece of insignificant metal on his suit. "Oh, yeah, totally. I'm always okay."

"I'm sure that Cap is protecting Vision down there. They won't let Thanos get the mind stone."

"Right."

"And I know that he would never let anything happen to (Y/N). No matter what's going on between you two, he's going to keep her safe until you can get home."

"You think?" Tony asked genuinely. "Even after everything between us, I still have that little voice in the back of my head telling me to doubt the guy."

Peter took a step forward, his hand raised to give his mentor a touch of support, to try to calm him when he could see the turmoil that was tearing his heart apart right before his eyes. This situation had brought out the most emotion that Pete had ever seen from Tony, and he was at a loss as to how to handle it. Tony Stark was his idol, who he emulated for knowledge and strength, and in this moment, he felt as if he were actually the stronger of the two. Without any more thought, he reached out and held Tony's arm. "I know that he hurt you, sir, but this is one thing that I know for sure he wouldn't fail on. If you can't imagine him doing it for you, then just think of him doing it for her."

"He's a good guy, right?" Tony asked meekly. "She's my daughter, Pete...and I'm not there to keep her safe like I always promised her...okay, listen, just say that he is and I can get through the next few minutes before I ask again."

"He's a good guy, Tony. So are you. If you need to convince yourself of something, then convince yourself of that, because we already know it."

~~~

You had barely a moment to step from the jet with the rest of the Avengers, and not a second to spare looking at the wonders of Wakanda first hand, before all hell had broken loose and you were the one left to hold Vision's hand while Shuri worked to remove the mind stone. There was something terrible happening on the grounds below the lab, and there were guards everywhere you looked. Even Bruce had left to join the fight, which you never would have expected once you had heard that the Hulk was refusing to help. Wanda had stayed with you and Vision for as long as she could, but once the battle had become too much for the rest of the team, she had to make a choice, and she left his side for the first time.

"You do not need to remain if this is difficult in any way, (Y/N)," he tried to reassure you gently, holding his head so still that even his eyes barely moved to look your way.

"I'm good. I don't want you to be scared."

"Thank you. I have to admit that I am feeling somewhat apprehensive, but knowing that you're here is helping considerably."

"Viz, please be okay. I do love you, even though I don't say it much."

"I love you too, darling. Always."

A loud yell came from the hallway just beyond the doors, and your grip on him tightened. Shuri's focus nearly faltered, but she held steady and so did you, though your grip on Vision's hand strengthened just slightly. "What was that?"

"Go," Vision urged, pushing you back gently, "run and hide, (Y/N). Anywhere that is safer than here. Please, go now."

"I want to stay with you!"

"(Y/N), please, for me. I cannot protect you like this, and I cannot guarantee that I will not have to join the battle below. Please, go." When the screams grew louder and the barrier had finally fallen, Shuri broke her connection and turned to fight the aliens off and away from Vision. When she was taken down quickly, Vision turned and grabbed the giant man, tossing them both through the window and tumbling to the ground as they bounced off the sides of the building.

"Guys, we have a Vision situation here!" Sam called out to the rest of the team, watching the action only a few feet from him.

"Someone needs to get to Vision!" Steve answered, though abruptly knocked down and out of the conversation. You ran to the window to try to see where they had gone, but your attention was gripped by the Captain looking back towards you.

"There's no one up there with (Y/N)!" Bruce added, also unable to break away to help.

"I'm on my way," Wanda finally responded successfully, but the confidence was quickly shattered as she too was knocked to the ground, helpless to defend herself, much less to be able to save you from whatever was happening in the lab where you were supposed to have been safe. Even as she struggled to push herself to stand, and as her body began to falter, all she could think was how she was failing you and Vision both, and it nearly broke her will to continue. She wished it had, because within minutes she was forced to make the most difficult decision of her life, and you would have to be witness to it.

You would be witness to the beginning of the end.

~~~

"If he gets the stone, half the universe dies," Vision began. "This isn't only about us, Wanda. We have to help (Y/N). She deserves the chance to grow up without fear, and she will still have you. She's lost too much already, Wanda, and you need to keep her safe now. You need to be a mother to her, please, do this for me."

"I...I-I c-can't," she whimpered, though her hand was up and ready. "There has to be another way..."

"We can stop him, it's alright. You could never hurt me."

As she finally gave in and realized that he was right, her hand shook terribly but her aim held steady on the mind stone, her power struggling to break through it to destroy it and the person she loved more than anyone else. Her body was showing signs that she could break at any moment, made worse when her gaze locked with yours for a flash of a second. She wished that the words would come to her so that you would understand, so that she could console you, but there was no time for that; Thanos was getting closer and they were out of time.

The lab had been overtaken and there was nowhere safe for you anymore, and you had stumbled your way out onto the landing pad where you had arrived barely an hour before. You could see the battle clearly, and you could see exactly what Wanda was doing. Your heart felt as if it were shattering along with the stone, but Vision had warned you that this could be the only choice, and that Wanda wasn't at fault. Even from the distance, you could see the tears streaming down her face as her power overtook Vision's ability to move, but you couldn't see his face. It was likely a blessing, because this was destroying you along with him.

You could feel yourself change as you watched, the joys of childhood darkening, and the future that had once been promised to you by your father was nothing but a lie. You were impotent to help, and the fear that had stifled you was shifting into a rage that you didn't want to quiet.

"W-Wanda...stop..." you tried to scream, though your voice was broken and lacked power, the sound barely coming out as a pained whimper. "I can't...not Vis too...please."

When the stone finally erupted and sent out a shock wave strong enough to knock you down, you scurried back to your feet to search for any sign that Vision had survived. What you saw instead was a momentary glance your way from the monster at the center of it all; your gaze locked with Thanos, but you didn't try to run from it. You held your ground so that he would understand. So that he would see that when the day came to get revenge, you would be right there at the front of the charge, and no one would be able to stop you because he had taken everyone you loved.

What more could you lose?