"Love Me Like You Do"

Chapter Nine

By darthelwig


Three months. They kept up the cycle of separating and rejoining, moving from place to place, never staying in one location for more than a week at the absolute longest, Vision's frequent absences becoming a routine part of their lives. Neither particularly liked it, but they grew comfortable with how things were.

Maybe it was that comfort level that caused them to make a mistake somewhere along the line. Maybe someone recognized them. Maybe Ross just got lucky. Whatever it was, their peace was abruptly shattered by Ross' forces as they converged on the couple in an open square in Munich.

"Wanda Maximoff," came a voice over a loudspeaker as armed men pushed through the crowds. "You are ordered to surrender. Failure to comply will result in the use of deadly force."

Wanda and Vision were already on the move, and he took out two men with quick blows so they could escape the circle closing around them. Vision couldn't understand why Ross would come after them like this, in broad daylight, in a square full of people. His mind was spinning, running through possible scenarios as they sought to escape. He heard a couple of shots fired and Wanda ducked instinctively, but Vision grabbed her hand and pulled her forward.

People were screaming now, running for safety and mindless in their panic. So close to it, Wanda was overwhelmed, her vulnerable mind blanking out in the blind fear of those around her. Vision could sense the turmoil in her, and he looked at her, startled, but she didn't seem to be aware of him. She didn't seem to be aware of anything around them. Her eyes were unfocused and her movements were becoming jerky and disjointed.

Vision picked her up and continued running. He could have easily flown them out of the crowd, but he and Wanda had discussed this before. He was unrecognizable in his disguise, and it was best that way. If they were discovered, no one would be able to trace him back to Tony and make any trouble for anyone else. So he couldn't blow his cover. He had to stay on the ground if possible.

He shook Wanda a bit, trying to rouse her. He spent what concentration he could afford trying to pierce the haze around her mind. It seemed to be working, after a while.

"Vision?" she said, looking up at him blearily while he took cover with her behind a nearby car. He wasn't winded, but he wanted to take a moment to regroup and survey the approaching forces. The men didn't seem to know where they were at the moment, Vision having lost them in the swarms of people, but that advantage wouldn't last much longer. The crowd was thinning quickly. They needed to move.

"Can you walk?" he asked her, and was relieved when she nodded, seeming more present than before. Though that was probably also due to the fact the crowds of panicked people were dispersing.

They ducked into a group of tourists hurrying by, hoping to be absorbed into their ranks. Vision put himself between Wanda and the men searching for them so she was less noticeable, but one of them saw her anyway, because suddenly there was gunfire and a few of the tourists lay dead or moaning on the street next to them. His body was the only thing that had saved Wanda from the same fate.

Before Vision could even truly register the reality of Ross authorizing the use of deadly force against civilians, Wanda was throwing up a defensive shield around them, and he had only a second before a concussive blast threw him away from her and into a nearby building. He hadn't phased in time, and took the full force of the blow without altered density. If he hadn't been made of vibranium, he would've died. As it was, his functionality was hampered by injuries, and he was experiencing what he thought might be pain. He could barely move from his prostrate position on the ground.

He had to move. Wanda needed him.

He couldn't even see her. There was too much smoke and debris in the air at this point. He hoped she hadn't been blasted away as he had. He didn't want to imagine her like that. With great difficulty, he pushed himself up, watching as soldiers went by, guns up, searching for Wanda. He forced himself to move, one arm braced on the wall next to him, sliding around the building onto a side street. The soldiers were all focused away from him, he doubted they even realized he was the same person who had been running with Wanda. No, their only goal was the capture or death of the woman who held his heart.

That couldn't happen, but he didn't know how to stop it.

He tried to reach out mentally, hoping Wanda was close enough and able-minded enough to sense him, but he couldn't feel her. Their connection had been broken when the blast occurred. How Ross thought he was going to get away with blowing up part of Munich, Vision had no idea, but the man was clearly insane. And dangerous.

Vision refused to give up. He had to find her. In his desperation, he even tried to fly, but he was more injured than he thought, because his flight was shaky and he could barely make it off the ground. That was out of the question. So he ducked back out into the street in search of his love.

The soldiers either ignored him or pushed him to the side. He was staggering and obviously injured, and none of them took him as a threat. None of them saw through his disguise.

He did, at one point, glimpse Secretary Ross among the soldiers, apparently overseeing the operation. He hadn't realized Ross was so personally involved. That would bear remembering, and he tucked that piece of information away.

He searched and searched, but didn't find her. He couldn't keep it up, or the soldiers would notice and become suspicious. Eventually he settled for watching from a distance, waiting to see if they found her. He would be there the moment they did.

He waited, and let his body begin its repairs. It would take some time to get everything back working as it should, but he would heal. He waited all night, watching emergency vehicles come and go until Ross had given up and called off the search, before breathing easier. They hadn't found her. He didn't know where she was, but she wasn't in Ross' hands. He only hoped she was safe. She needed to stay safe until he could find her.

The next thing he had to do was contact Tony. He needed to know what Ross was up to. This was a bold move from the man, and would have severe consequences for him, especially seeing as he came out of it empty handed. Ross wasn't a stupid man. He had to have a plan, and that worried Vision.

He pulled out his phone, Stark tech that was, perhaps unsurprisingly, still working after all of that, and dialed Tony's number. While he waited for the call to connect, he said a silent thank you to Tony for finding a way to keep their communications from being monitored again.

"Hey. What's up, lover boy?" Tony said, music blasting in the background.

"There has been a complication," Vision said, as calmly as he could. "Secretary Ross located us in Munich and attacked. Wanda and I were separated during an explosion."

"Are you serious? That was him? He went in guns blazing?" Tony had turned down the music now. Vision liked that much better.

"Yes. There were civilian casualties. Nothing good will come of this." He didn't add that nothing good had come of this already. Wanda was missing.

"Okay. Listen. Here's what we're gonna do. You're gonna get back here pronto, and we're gonna see what Ol' Thaddeus has to say about this. All the news reported was that it was a terrorist attack. They didn't have any details. You can bet Ross is gonna give them all the details he wants. We need to know what his plans are."

"I do not think you understand. Wanda is missing." Vision couldn't leave. He couldn't leave her here alone.

"No, you don't understand," Tony said, suddenly firm and almost angry. "If you don't get back here before he does, he might figure out we've been helping her, and then we're screwed. Just as much as she is. If that happens, we've got no chance of helping her. Period. You've gotta come back, play nice, and pretend we're doing everything we can to help. Understand? That's the best way to help her right now. She's a big girl. She'll be fine on her own."

Vision could debate that, seeing as how he didn't even know what physical condition she was in, but he supposed if she was in good enough condition to make it away from the soldiers, she would be alright at least until he could get back. Tony was right. Wanda was entirely capable of taking care of herself. He just hated to leave her to do it. It felt wrong.

"As soon as I am able to fly, I will head back. I was...damaged during the attack." He hated to admit that. If he'd only been faster, this wouldn't have happened. Wanda would be by his side.

"You got hit?" Tony sounded worried now.

"I was thrown into a building by the blast." There was a pause, then Tony sighed. Vision could picture him running a hand over his face.

"Alright. Just hurry up. I mean it."

"I understand. I will contact you again if the situation changes." They cut the call and Vision looked out over the ruined street, where emergency personnel were still struggling to pick up the pieces Ross' men had left behind.

"Where are you?" he whispered.