Aaaand...here it is...


Previously

***MORAG(2014)***

Team Three and Four had made it to 2014 and were on Morag. After getting set up, the two teams were about to part ways.

"Be careful," Nebula said to Sam, bringing a hand to his shoulder. There was worry but also care in her voice.

"We will." He nodded back to her, patting her hand and nodding to Riri, Cassie, and Kamala before running to join Frankie, Kate, and Nikki on the ship.


On the Benatar, following Rocket's instructions, Sam flew the ship above the ground and into the sky and stars above.

Kate looked down out the windows of the ship and waved to their friends below who were waving to them.

"Long way from the yard, huh?" Frankie joked to the girls.

To which Nikki and Kate smiled at him and laughed.


***VORMIR***

It had taken a while, but they had finally made it to the planet, Vormir.

Once they landed, they shrunk and pocketed the ship, which Kate held onto. They wouldn't need it when they were done here as the plan was to had back to the present after they retrieved the Soul Stone. The same was for the others back on Morag.

Carrying on, they came to the mountain that Nebula had mentioned. The Stone was supposedly at the top. So all they had to do was climb... and it was a long way up.

About halfway there, they all stopped to take a breather.

"This a lot... of hiking!" Sam heaved with exhaustion.

"Why are you even hiking, can't you fly?" Frankie shot.

Sam shrugged at that. "Yeah. I just didn't wanna make any of you feel bad."

Frankie rolled his eyes at that while Katie shook her head and Nikki scoffed. "Well, why not fly us up there then?" She suggested.

That hadn't really occurred to Sam. He was about to answer that, when-

"Welcome." The sudden, booming voice calling out surprised them all and made them all turn towards the sound with their weapons drawn and at the ready. Looking to who spoke, they could see a person in what seemed to be a cloak standing...or floating, a few feet away from them. Once again, he spoke and his voice echoed along the mountain. "Francis, son of Clinton and Barbara. Katherine, Daughter of Derek and Eleanor. Nicole, Daughter of Steven and Natasha. And Samuel, son of Jesse and Eva."

The shock of someone else being there was one thing, talking with a booming voice was another, but saying all of their names and the parents names was a whole different monster. Safe to say, these four were a little freaked out.

"Uh, anyone else getting stalker vibe?" Frankie asked.

They all nodded as they watched the cloaked figure float slowly towards them.

"Who are you?" Kate called out to him.

"To you, I am a guardian of what you seek." The figure stopped and his face came into view from his dark hood.

All of their eyes widened at the sight of his face, but Nikki's were wide for a different reason. She recognized this person! When she did research on files on her father when he first became Captain America, this...man, was his main enemy as he fought HYDRA. But that was over half of a century ago, this person should've been dead by now. Yet here he was and there was no mistaking it was him.

The dark red complexion, the lack of a nose and the voice that was once tyrannical. It was the Red Skull.

"Red Skull?"

The figure seemed to stop where he "stood" and surprise came to his face.

"That is a name I haven't heard for a long time. Nor have I been referred to as."

"So then what do we call you?" Sam asked him.

"You may consider me a guide to the Soul Stone."

"Oh, good." Kate added, "You tell us where it is, and we'll be on our way."

A light chuckle came from Red Skull as he stepped towards them again. "Ah, little liebchen. You will find that it is not that easy."


Red Skull, as he said he would, guided them the rest of the way up the mountain until they came to the top. Stepping up, they saw two massive pillars erecting from the both sides of the flat area, and a cliff not too far from them.

Their guide walked towards the edge before stopping right at it. "What you seek, lies before you...as does what you fear."

The four young Avengers cautiously walked towards the edge and peered over to the huge drop below.

"The Stone's down there?" Nikki said. It was more of a question than a statement, but it was answered all the same.

"For three of you." Red Skull replied, "But for the other...In order to take the stone, you must lose that which you love. An everlasting exchange. A soul for a Soul."


The four had sat down to contemplate what their next move would be, and it wasn't an easy one. Just as Red Skull had warned them.

"What if he's making it up?" Sam suggested.

But Nikki, with her mind focused, shook her head. "He's not."

"How do you know? He very well could be."

"Well, he did know all of our names. And our parents names." Kate offered, agreeing with Nikki. "He said them without hesitation...he knows."

"So what if he does?" Frankie cut in, "What does that prove?"

He wasn't convinced. Either that or he was in denial. But Nikki, she knew. Thinking back to what Nebula told them when they were studying for this mission, it became clear to her. "Remember what Nebula said? Thanos came here with her sister, just the two of them. And Thanos left with the Soul Stone...but her sister didn't. That can't be a coincidence."

Now hearing that, Sam and Frankie couldn't argue with that.

They slipped back into silent contemplation for a moment before all looking to the cliff's edge and the drop that awaited one of them. And in that moment, that same thought came to them.

"Whatever it takes..." Nikki said in an undertone.

"Whatever it takes." Frankie echoed.

A somewhat of a silent understanding passed between them as they all looked to the edge.

Slapping his hands against his legs, Sam stood and exhaled nervously. "Okay, I'll do it."

Nikki objected though. "No, Sam. You're one of the hard hitters of the team, we're gonna need you in case something goes sideways."

"Oh, and this isn't sideways?" The space hero gestured to the cliff's edge and shook his head. "Things are already starting to heat up."

"Which is exactly why the team is gonna need you."

"She's right...I'll do it." Kate stated. All heads swiveled to her in shock.

"What?!" Frankie shouted, "Like hell, you will!"

"Hey, I know it's not ideal. But it's gotta be done. The universe needs that Stone, and they need you guys too... Plus, heh, it'll be a pretty big first step as a superhero..." Kate smiled nervously, but understood what needed to be done.

"Still though, I can't let you do that... I'll do it."

Now it was Kate's turn to be shocked and in objection. "What?!" she exclaimed. "Frankie, no! It-"

"Kate, it's the right choice. It has to be me."

"Why? How is this the right choice?"

A look of remorse came to Frankie's face and he lowered his head. "...You know the things I've done...who I've become...this... this is how I make up for it."

Tears formed and began to fall from Kate's eyes. She didn't care about what Frankie had done, she didn't. She just didn't want to lose him. "No, no there has to be another way. There has to be."

Before she could object anymore, Frankie cupped the back of Kate's neck and pulled her into a full fledge kiss. The action caught Kate by surprise, but she soon eased into it and kissed Frankie back.

Meanwhile, Sam and Nikki watched, not necessarily surprised at the kiss itself, but more on the timing of it.

"Wow," Sam said under his breath, "smooth. Not exactly the best time or place, but still, smooth."

Nikki playfully backhanded him on his shoulder at that and shook her head as they watched the two archers break their kiss.

"It's gonna be all right, Katie..." The young Barton whispered. "Tell my family I love them for me?"

Kate sniffled and reluctantly nodded. "You should tell them yourself though..."

She had just gotten Frankie back, she didn't want to let him go now. She couldn't... not again.

As they held their heads together, Nikki watched them and saw the pain and worry in Kate's eyes as she feared losing Frankie. Seeing this, her thoughts began to drift off into her past.

All her life, she had suffered. Physically, emotionally, mentally...and it had been hell. As it had been for most of everyone across the universe in her time. But for her? Nikki always wished there was more she could have done than just hide. Regardless of her age, she wished she could have done more.

Well she wasn't going to hide away this time. She wasn't going to sit idly by as someone else suffered...not this time. This time, she was going to step up.

'Whatever it takes.' she said to herself.

Now, with her mind made up. Nikki knew what she had to do.

"I'll do it." She stated firmly.

All heads swiveled to her and almost instantly, Frankie shook a finger at her.

"Oh no, no way! Uh uh, absolutely no way!"

"Frankie-"

"Out of the question, little sis. That ain't happening!"

"You can't leave Kate behind, I won't let you. Plus, you need to be with your family."

"And you don't? Jamie would kill me and I couldn't live with that! I'm doing it, and that's the end of it."

Though she wanted to object, Nikki could tell that Frankie wasn't letting her do it. And if she just tried to run for it, she knew he'd catch her. There was nothing she could do... again.

A tear came to her as she lowered her head, sniffling a little. But she was embraced in a hug by Frankie who held her tight. She returned the hug and cried into his shoulder. They held the hug for another few seconds before Frankie reluctantly let go and smiled at Nikki and let her go.

He nodded to Sam, who nodded back, and turned to face the cliff ahead. His nerves were shaking like a leaf and his heart was beating like drum on his ribcage. This was crazy.

He looked to Kate one more time, giving her a smile, or the best smile he could in this situation. She gave him a sad one in return, the words "I love you" on the tip of her tongue.

And with that, Frankie began walking towards the edge. Nikki walked over to Kate, holding her and felt her return the gesture.

As they watched him take a few steps, the anxiety went up for everyone. Especially Nikki and Kate.

The blonde felt her heart race as she watched Frankie go. She racked her brain for some other alternative, something, anything! Suddenly, it hit her!

"Frankie wait!" She called out to him, motioning for him to come back towards them. "I've got an idea."

Slightly relieved his "sacrifice" was being prolonged, Frankie walked back over to them with Kate running up to him and hugging him so tight. He hugged her back and they then looked to Nikki.

"Well, Nikki, what's the idea?"

"And does it include us surviving?" Kate added.

"Yes... yes it does." Nodding at their questions, Nikki turned to Sam, "Sam, can I see your helmet please?"

Unsure as to what she wanted it for, the space hero reached behind him and handed his helmet to the blonde teen spy.

Feeling and knocking on it a few times, Nikki was certain her idea would work.

"Okay, so here's my plan." She said before suddenly swinging it at Sam, bashing him in the head with the helmet, resulting in him collapsing to the floor unconscious. Then Nikki swiftly threw it to Frankie. He caught it on reflex, but didn't realize it was a distraction for Nikki to stun him with a Widow's Bite and firing two more at Kate, sending both of them to the ground.

With her teammates down, Nikki lowered her head in sorrow. "I'm sorry, guys."

And with that, she took off running.

The Widow's Bite on Frankie wore off and he jumped up as quick as he could and went after Nikki, tackling her just before she reached the edge.

"Told you, I'm not letting you do this," he whispered to her before kicking her back away from the edge.

With her out of the way, Frankie rolled to his feet and jumped over the edge. But Nikki was on a mission, and she wasn't about to let it go. She got up and dove over the cliff after Frankie.

Nikki straightened herself and dove quicker, gaining on her friend. She soon was right on him and grabbed onto him. The two struggled a little until Nikki swiftly grabbed Frankie's right wrist, flipped him over midair, and fired a wristbow from his wrist at the mountainside.

The grappling hook from the wristbow hit the mountain and dug into it. The line connected to it jolted as the two at the end reached the end of the grappling line and hung alongside the mountain.

"Ahh!" Frankie groaned from the pain in his arm as he and Nikki hung from the line connected to his wrist. Looking up and then down to Nikki, his faced showed frustration and fear. "Damn it, Nikki!"

"Let me go!" she told him.

But Frankie didn't let up, rather tightening his grip as best he could. He tried to life her up, but the strain of hanging from his arm and holding Frankie was just too much. "Ahhh, dammit!"

The two looked at each other, the pressure on and the anxiety high... but not for Nikki. For the first time in her life, she was anxiety free and knew what she had to do.

She had to let go... Frankie had to let go.

"Frankie, you have to let me go."

But the young Barton still shook his head and tried to pull her up again, but to no avail. As she dangled there, Frankie holding onto her hand, Nikki looked down to the abyss where the fog covered a rocky ground below. Though it wasn't how she would have preferred to go out, she knew it had to be done.

Whatever it takes.

Looking back up to Frankie, Nikki had a look of acceptance and love. Acceptance of what had to be done, and love for her friend and "brother"/"cousin", Frankie.

"It's okay... Frankie, it's okay..." she whispered to him, tears forming in her eyes.

Frankie shook his head, tears of his own coming up. "No... no! Please..." And then, he felt it. The grip in his hand was slipping, he was losing her! Nikki wiggled her fingers more and more until finally, Frankie's grip was gone entirely and Nikki fell into the abyss. "NOOO, NIKKIIII!"

Nikki heard him cry out to her as she quickly descended. She felt her stomach flip and she shed a tear as she fell.

As she neared the rocky ground below, the last thing that went through her mind...'Mom...Dad...Jamie...Peter.'

And that was it.

Up above, Frankie cried and wailed at the sight of his dead "sister"/"cousin" below. He was torn apart by it as he hung there, helplessly.

Higher up, at the edge of the cliff, Sam and Kate limped toward the edge. But as soon as they looked down, Kate covered her mouth in horror at what she saw. Sam was wide-eyed and shocked as well.

Thunder clapped as a cloud surrounded the top of the mountain above them. It circled the top and a bright light ascended into the cloud as if being sucked into a vortex.

The two looked up and began to worry, but Frankie below was oblivious to all of this as he still hung down below.

Suddenly, a bright flash of light came and everything went black.


Darkness. Wetness. That's all Frankie, Kate, and Sam saw and felt before opening their eyes. When they did, they realized they were laying in something wet, which when they sat up, they found they were in a shallow pool of water. Looking around, they saw the mountain they had just climbed. And yet, here they were.

"Wha-what the hell happened?" Sam groaned, his voice a little hoarse. Looking around, he realized they were one person short as well. "Wait... where's Nikki?"

Kate, remembering what she saw back on the cliff, looked to Frankie and noticed something glowing in his hand.

"Frankie..." she gestured to the young Barton's hand.

Following her pointed finger, Frankie saw the glowing from within the cracks of his balled up hand. He lifted it up and opened it to see an orange, glowing gem. It was the Soul Stone. They got it!

But instead of feeling accomplishment, all they felt was pain, failure... loss.

As they looked to the Stone in Frankie's hand, tears flowed as they all had the same thought. The same thought of the same person. The one who sacrificed themself to get it for them...

Nikki.


And so it's done... it is done. 😔😔

To all of you who were hoping it wasn't Nikki who took the fall... I'm sorry. I really am. It literally hurt to have to write this, to see it in my mind... I was a lot. But I feel as though it kinda brings Nikki's story full circle, ya know? It was away for her to deal with her anxieties, to fulfill something she's always wanted to do: help people. And... it's just crazy it had to be this way...

Yes to those of you who noticed, I did repost this chapter. I was so confused to post it earlier or right now after the others, but I'm glad to repost it so you guys can get a bit of a reminder, hehehe. So, hope you like it even though it was hard to after that, but still.😅 Moving forward, it'll get better. Trust me.

Til next chapter, guys. 👍