Author's Note: My last official holiday story of the year! I made it! This story was written for Enchanted Wonder 2018, hosted by Marvelously Magical Fanfiction. I hope everyone has a safe and lovely New Year! As always, thank you for reading! Be sure to check out the other stories in the Enchanted Wonders collection!
Thank you to SquarePeg72 for alpha reading and GaeilgeRua for allowing me to use her grammarly subscription to beta read this. Any other mistakes you find are definitely my own. Much love, xxDustNight
Disclaimer: All non-original characters, plot points, and information belongs to those at Marvel Studios, Warner Brothers, or J.K. Rowling. The story plot and dialogue belongs to me. I do not write for profit.
Midnight
Pairing: Darcy Lewis/Ron Weasley
Rating: T
Summary: Sometimes you have to sacrifice everything to save the one you love.
Prompt: Snowglobe/Obliviate
. . . .
Midnight
. . . .
Tick-Tock
There were always going to be minutes, seconds even when Ron wondered if this would ever come to an end. Somehow, when Thanos had snapped half the universe into nothingness, he'd lost his entire family, Harry and Hermione included. He and Neville had ventured out into the wreckage of the Muggle world to find those that may be able to help them. Or, who they might be able to help anyway.
The Magical and Muggle worlds united, along with the handful of Avengers who remained after the dust had settled. That was how he met her. She was the one bright spot in the complete darkness that had fallen around them. Darcy, well, she'd lost Jane and Selvig and everyone else who truly mattered. It was what brought them together all those moons ago.
Now, though, now things had taken a turn for the worse. Or better. It depended on which way you looked at it. Ron had just finished talking to the doctors. There was nothing further they could do. He had suspected as much. Rummaging around in his robes, he found the magically extended pocket and withdrew a golden snowglobe. Turning toward the door from which his heart would not return, Ron took a deep breath and then walked inside.
Tick-Tock
Years of research using Jane's old findings coupled with information tucked away in Doctor Strange's archives led them to the time vortex. It would be both a blessing and a curse. They could alter the past and save the future, but it would cost them. At least, it would cost one of them everything. Darcy. It was like Marie Curie all over again unless they acted quickly. One too many trips through the vortex, and now her body was killing itself as it tried to discover what time it really was for her.
The only way to save Darcy was the defeat Thanos and restore order to the galaxy. It was something they all knew had to be done, but sacrifices would have to be made. In the end, the team was formed. Ron would join Tony, Steve, Natasha, and Neville in the task. They just had to wait for the right moment. Only Ron knew when that time would come. He would be waiting.
For now, he stood by Darcy, who he loved desperately, and waited for her to speak. She was on probably what would become her last trip into the vortex before the time illness took her. It made his heart race in a panic to think this could be all for nought. There was too much at risk, and it was enough to drive him mad. As if knowing he was losing his composure, Darcy broke the silence.
Staring around at the chaos in the time vortex, Darcy took hold of his hand and squeezed. "Promise me something."
"Anything," Ron told her as they prepared to return to the present. He hated the dark circles under Darcy's eyes and the way she swayed where she stood. She was sick. Dying. The time vortex was killing her. "I'll do whatever you need me to."
"When the sickness becomes too much for me, and my memory starts to fade, bring me something that will help me remember." She paused, coughing so hard that her hand become stained with red when she wiped at her lips. Turning her startling blue eyes upon him, she added, "And then take it all away."
Cupping her cheek, he swept his thumb over the soft skin as he contemplated her words. They'd discussed this before, but now he knew there would be no other way. Nodding, he agreed, "Anything for you." And as the clock struck midnight in the time vortex, they were swept back to the present where they would await the end.
Tick-Tock
Ron knew when he found her lying on the bathroom floor that the end was near. He'd hurried to text the others, telling them that they had to go tonight or not at all. Everything Darcy had done, she'd done for the sake of the future. If she died before the work was finished, there would be no point in going at all. And so the others had responded in kind. They would go, but only once Darcy was safe.
Their plan was set into motion, and Ron hurried to get Darcy to a regular Muggle hospital. The doctors thought she had stage four cancer. They were close… She was dying a slow death, but it wasn't from a tumour. It was from being ripped apart in the time vortex one too many times as she searched for an answer to what Thanos had done.
Coming back into the room after speaking with the doctor's Ron handed Darcy a snowglobe, praying that her addled mind would remember the meaning behind it. After all, she'd asked this of him even if she had no idea the consequences when she'd done so. That had come later after further calculations had been figured out by Nat and Neville. Sighing heavily, he stopped beside the bed and placed the snowglobe in Darcy's lap.
"Ron," she whispered, staring at the snowglobe in her lap. Swallowing thickly, she ran a finger over the familiar glass. Inside, the reindeer sparkled, just as golden as ever. She knew what this meant and hated that knowledge. Glancing back up at him, she found it difficult to speak. "I'm not sure I understand. Does it have to be now?"
"It's the only way," he said simply, hating how harsh his words were. Running a hand through his hair, he tried to calm himself and started again. "I have to go away and help defeat Thanos. He can't know you exist and that your research helped. If he did, you would already be dead."
"I'm dying now, Ron," Darcy snapped and then winced as pain flooded her abdomen. Breathing slowly, she asked, "The damn research infected me so what's the point?"
"The point is when we find Thanos and have him reverse the damage he's done, you'll be cured. Time will rewrite itself, and you'll be healed," Ron explained for the hundredth time. Not only was Darcy being eaten alive from having travelled through the time vortex one too many times, but her memory was also deteriorating. Quickly. Sighing heavily, Ron sat down on the edge of the bed and took her hand in his. "There's not much time, love. We have to do this. The others are waiting."
"I don't want to forget you," she whispered, squeezing his hand.
Ron nearly changed his mind right then to do what was required. Only, this was the only way despite what his heart was telling him. He had to think with his head this time. Releasing his hold on her hand, he tapped the top of the snowglobe. "Do you remember when we got this?"
"Yes," Darcy said, scrunching her head up as if it hurt to remember. It probably did, and that made things even worse. "It was New Year's Eve three years ago. Right before we went into the time vortex for the first time."
"Exactly. It was midnight. I kissed you-"
"You told me you loved me," Darcy said, eyes lighting up as she remembered. "And I said it back because it was the first time I truly felt it. Please, kiss me now?"
He didn't need to be asked twice. Leaning forward, he gingerly took her face into his hands and kissed her softly. She deepened the kiss as she always did and he allowed it if only for the briefest of moments. When they parted, he kissed her once on the forehead and then smoothed back her hair.
Standing from the bed, he said, "Your research is going to save everything, Darcy. Don't worry."
"Will you come back for me?" Darcy's question was quiet, almost as if she knew what was to come.
"I love you," he said in answer, withdrawing his wand from the pocket of his robes. Darcy didn't flinch at the sight, but his own heart lurched. They'd discussed this forever, but that didn't make it any easier. Instead of fretting over what he would need to do shortly, he waited for the reply that would help him through his mission.
"I love you," she told him, closing her eyes in preparation of what was to come. Now Ron could move forward, and so he did, raising the wand as he went.
"Obliviate," he murmured, a single tear sliding down his cheek. As his heart shattered into a million pieces, somewhere a clock chimed midnight. Tucking his wand safely away in his robes, Ron slipped from the hospital room and found a place to disapparate. Darcy would be better now. Safe.
Exiting the hospital, Ron took a deep breath and then walked toward Tony, Steve, Natasha, and Neville. They were waiting for him. One last jump through time would defeat Thanos and fix what had been broken. The only consolation? They wouldn't be returning to see the future they had fixed.
Tick-Tock