Steve and Sarah reappeared in a massive, open room with no lights aside from the afternoon sun streaming in through the windows beyond exposed beams. Sarah looked around, wondering if this was once an open office space, but now it was haunting and abandoned. She wondered if it was the last thing she'd ever see.
Sarah looked down when Steve's clammy hand grabbed onto hers, feeling dizzy by how weak his grip was. She'd spent her entire life thinking there was something wrong with her, only to realize now that she was the only member of her family who was normal.
Except she wasn't.
Sarah squeezed Steve's hand and he looked to her as she closed her eyes, focusing her mind on who she was looking for, slowly turning until she stopped and opened her eyes. "He's here." She whispered and Steve used the shield to block her from the man that stepped out of the shadows.
"Captain Rogers." Schmidt bellowed as he approached, spreading his arms in a welcoming gesture. "And this must be your daughter. We haven't had the pleasure of meeting."
"Leave her out of this, it's me you want." Steve said confidently as he took a step closer to put some distance between the impending fight and his little girl. Despite his best efforts, Sarah stayed glued to his back, arms wrapped around his stomach as if he was her shield.
Schmidt's eyes roamed up and down Steve before muttering, "So, you are the good man Erskine decided on. He took one look at you and said you could be the perfect soldier. I believe you said you were just a kid from Brooklyn?"
"I'm more than the serum." Steve growled, curling his hands into fists as he bopped up and down on the balls of his feet, "I won't let you hurt my daughter."
"I have no need to hurt your daughter Steven, it's you I want to hurt. That being said, when I suck out her soul and you're unable to stop me, I think it will cause you a great deal of hurt." Schmidt sneered with a wicked grin. "Amora thinks she has more power than me, but the Soul Stone is the most powerful of the Infinity Stones. When your strong-willed wife inevitably overtakes the Enchantress, I'll add her soul to my collection as well. I have dreamed of the anguished look on your face when I destroy your life"
Steve swung his right hand at Schmidt's face and the creature didn't even flinch at the hit. Steve shook out his hand in pain, his expression still hard as his determination to win, "If you want my family, you'll have to go through me first."
Sarah widened her eyes, leaning back to look at Steve in disbelief. She loved her father more than anyone in the world and she believed in him long before she realized he was Captain America. But hearing him threaten the Red Skull in his current state was by far the most ludicrous thing she'd ever heard leave his mouth.
Steve swayed a little, trying to get into a fighting stance. This time when he went after Schmidt, he used his shield and the metal alone smacked him back a step, causing Schmidt to retaliate with a punch of his own.
He hit Steve on the cheekbone, sending him back a few feet as the pop echoed in the empty room. Sarah flung herself over her father as he wiggled his jaw back and forth before climbing back to his feet, taking a slight running start to attack Schmidt again. He tried to upper cut Schmidt with his right hand, but the Red Skull caught his fist and used his free hand to sock Steve in the face twice before kicking him back to the ground.
"Dad!" Sarah cried as Steve laid on his back, groaning loudly and grabbing his stomach. "Dad, you have to stop, you can't-"
"No." Steve breathed, grunting as he sat up. He locked eyes with Schmidt and stumbled to his feet, Sarah holding his side to steady him. He narrowed his gaze at his enemy and forced forward a smug grin, "I can do this all day."
"No, no you really can't." Sarah argued, but Schmidt was already crossing toward Steve, who just put his shield up to block the hit, then pulled it back quickly and smacked it against Schmidt to knock him back a step.
"As much as I enjoy knocking you down, Captain America, I have other things to do today. So I'm afraid I'm going to have to finish things up here," The Red Skull motioned to the three of them before decking Steve in the nose, then grabbing his shoulders with both hands and kneeing him in the stomach. As Steve doubled over, Schmidt took the final hit, punching Steve so hard in the face he flew backwards and smashed into one of the pillars.
This time though, he didn't get back up.
"Dad? Dad, can you hear me? You gotta get up!" Sarah whimpered as she shook her father's shoulders lightly. She grabbed both of his cheeks, seeing the bruises starting to form as his nose bled, surely broken from the hit. The only thing that eased Sarah's nerves was the slight rise and fall of his chest as he breathed through his broken lips.
Sarah looked up to see Schmidt walking toward them, head low and jaw clenched. Sarah knew he'd kill her before he killed her father, so she had until he woke up to try and escape. She flipped over her dad's arm and quickly unstrapped the shield from his forearm so she could hold it up in front of both of them. She rose quickly, standing over her father bravely, "Stay back."
"Wake up, Captain. I want you to see what's about to happen next." Schmidt called, kicking Steve's boot in an effort to stir him awake.
Steve's eyelids started to flutter open, momentarily forgetting where he was. The lights gave him a pounding headache, and his body felt heavy. It took a moment to realize it wasn't heavy, he just didn't have the serum anymore and he was tired. He kept thinking he was seeing Sarah standing in front of him, holding his shield, but that couldn't have been real. He had to get up... he had to get up and fight Schmidt.
Schmidt.
Sarah.
Steve's eyes widened just as Schmidt threw his hand out to blast Sarah and she gasped, letting the shield drop with an echoing thud. She screamed loudly as the power of the Soul Stone pummeled into her, trying to rip her soul from her body. She fought it, but closed her eyes, wanting it all to just end already.
"Sarah?"
Sarah groaned a little, keeping her eyes slammed closed.
"Sarah, wake up."
"No." Sarah murmured, shaking her head a little as the voice persisted. Perhaps the angels could let her rest a little longer. And deal with whatever loose pipe was filling Heaven with water around her ankles.
Sarah finally pried open her eyes to see two of the three women from her visions standing in front of her. Tiffany and Natasha stood before her, but the green warrior was gone. "What's happening? Am I dead?"
"No, not yet." Natasha answered bluntly and Sarah squinted up at her from her place on the ground. Nat offered her hand and pulled Sarah up, adding, "You need to defeat the Red Skull."
"Me? Are you kidding? Look at me! Do you think I have what it takes to defeat that?" Sarah gestured to herself, feeling like an idiot in her dark red suit, "I can't."
"Yes you can." Tiffany urged, grabbing her hands and giving them a squeeze, "You are the only one who can. If he takes your soul, he'll have all the Soul Stone's power. Then nobody will be able to stop him."
Sarah shook her head rapidly, pulling away from the two women, "I don't want this. I didn't ask for this, I don't know why I have this power because I can't use it. I can roam around in people's memories, he can suck out human souls. I'm no match for him." Sarah argued, crossing her arms across her chest as she hunched her shoulders, "I'm the embarrassment. The person everyone looked down on because I wasn't beautiful or strong or perfect like the rest of my family. I can't be what you think I am."
Tiffany looked to Nat expectantly and the Black Widow slashed through the air with her hand to create an image of Stark's Infinity Gauntlet. Six tiny mechanical arms placed the Infinity Stones into their spots, and behind the glass Kayla stood in a trance, "Ever since your mother first laid eyes on the Soul Stone it called to her." The image changed to show Steve holding open the briefcase with the six stones, preparing to leave. Nat studied Sarah's nervous expression as Steve lifted his gaze to address Bruce, which gave Kayla the opportunity to swipe the Soul Stone. "She just couldn't let it go, no matter what hurt it caused her." The image flashed to Steve staring down at her on the bench. There was disappointment on his face as her eyes glowed a warm orange hue. Then there were flashes of Kayla using the power of the Soul Stone on Steve and Tiffany before fighting with Wanda.
Tiffany wiped her hand through the image, pulling up the moment when Kayla resurrected Natasha on Vormir before Schmidt attacked her, "Kayla was never meant to wield the Stone, she has too much darkness in her heart. She's too selfish and brash. Her soul wasn't pure enough to handle its power, so the Red Skull took it for himself."
"Or so he thought." Natasha finished as Kayla wept wildly in the hospital bed, holding her small bump as she sobbed over hurting her unborn daughter.
Sarah looked up at Natasha in shock, "But why me? Why not James?"
"The Soul Stone has its own sentience. It chose you, because it knew you would be able to handle its power. Your brother," the image now showed James raising his hands to a crowd as they cheered his name, "has always known his power, even before he knew what he was, but you had to learn the hard way. To pick yourself up when the world pushed you down." Nat smiled as the image briefly showed Steve before the serum, climbing to his feet with his fists raised to fight.
Sarah gasped, feeling her heart clench as Steve took another punch to the face before standing up again. Natasha sniffled and nodded, missing her partner, "The Soul Stone chose you Sarah, because like your father, you have the humility to do what's right. You are good, inside and out, and only you can unleash the stone's full power."
"Take back what's yours, and free the souls he stole." Tiffany whispered, staring at the girl as her resolve hardened. Natasha leaned in so close that Sarah could feel her breath on her ear.
"You're the only one who can save your family now."
Sarah opened her eyes to see Schmidt pushing towards her, attacking her with his power. Sarah felt her legs quiver, but heard her dad yelling behind her, pleading the Red Skull to take him instead
Sarah clenched her jaw and pushed against the blast of power, digging her thick heels into the ground as she raised her right hand. She took a deep breath and focused, feeling her own power grow as she called to the Soul Stone.
Come back to me. I'm the one you chose. I can set things right.
Schmidt laughed as he got closer and Sarah spread her arms, taking in all the power he gave to her until he stopped. She collapsed on the ground and Steve was over her in an instant, sobbing as he turned her over.
"Sarah! Sarah please- I'm so sorry, Baby I'm so sorry." He wailed against her as Schmidt hovered over them, "She was just a kid, she didn't deserve this!" Steve screamed, cradling Sarah in his arms tightly as Schmidt stared down with a bored expression.
"Then I'll take pity on you." Schmidt said, raising his hand to Steve, "I'll kill you now instead of making you watch your wife and son die. I'll show mercy for the great Captain America."
Steve didn't even look up, he just held Sarah tighter as Schmidt threw a wave of power at him, but nothing happened. The Red Skull stepped back and looked at his hand, then tried again. Nothing. He closed his eyes and tried to summon his power, but nothing happened. "This isn't possible."
Steve finally looked up as Schmidt looked down at them in horror, and he felt Sarah shift in his arms. "Sarah?" He asked, pushing back her hair from her face as she groaned lightly, "You're alive."
"Not for long."
Steve's gaze rose up to see Schmidt aiming his gun at his head, finger on the trigger. Steve looked to his shield and lunged toward it, but the shot rang out before he could reach it.
Steve's eyes widened, unsure what happened as he looked over his shoulder to see a force field blocking the bullet from reaching him. He grabbed the shield and scrambled to his feet, looking to Sarah as she began to float above the ground, "The Soul Stone was never yours to wield." She said, opening her golden eyes as her voice echoed. "But now I have what is rightfully mine, and you will not bother my family again."
Schmidt shot at her, but she dropped to the ground, shooting him twice with her power. When he took aim again, she reached behind herself and clenched her fist, taking a chunk of the pillar to throw at him. As Red Skull dodged the metal, Sarah reached out and used her power to grab his gun, smashing it against the wall and pulling the concrete down to bury it.
Without his weapon, Schmidt charged at her, dodging her blasts until he was next to her, then he kicked her hard and sent her flying back. She lost her footing and fell hard on her ass. Screaming in frustration, Sarah pushed her hands down and floated up, grabbing more concrete to pummel the Red Skull.
She charged toward him, planning to blast him at close range, but a searing pain in her chest caused her to stumble and fall. Sarah cried out in anguish, trying to figure out where the pain had come from, but Schmidt took her moment of weakness to bring his fists down on her.
Steve slid in from behind Sarah, holding up his Captain America shield before the Red Skull could pummel his daughter, but the raw power of the Nazi super-Soldier was too much for Steve and he crumbled under the hit.
"No!" Sarah screamed as she thrust out her hand to blast Schmidt away, her free arm cradling her chest. She scooted herself over to Steve and carefully massaged his arms in an attempt to ease his broken arms. "Dad, you're gonna be okay. You're gonna be fine, I know it." Sarah cried, feeling her sorrow fill her more than the pain, "Dad, please, something's happened. I need you to get up."
She pressed her hand to his chest, feeling his faint heartbeat. "Please..." She closed her eyes and focused, willing her father's soul away from the darkness. "Come back."
She pushed hard on his chest and Steve sputtered awake, sitting up and hugging Sarah as he winced, "In hindsight there are better ways I could have handled that."
"You almost died." Sarah croaked, allowing herself this brief moment while Schmidt was nowhere to be found. "You scared the shit out of me."
"Language." Steve mumbled, turning his body and letting out a pained growl, "Sarah, what happened to you?"
"I think- Look out!" Sarah threw up an energy shield as Schmidt raised Bucky's rifle toward them and began to shoot. Steve pushed himself to his feet, grimacing as the pain ran through his arms and back, but he scooped up his shield and took off running just the same.
"Come on, we have to get to your mother and brother!" Steve called as he pulled open a door, finding it to be the stairwell. He looked back to see Sarah trying to keep her guard up as Red Skull continued to gain ground on them, "Sarah, let's go!"
Sarah looked back at her father, not letting her shield down until he was in the stairwell, "Go, I'll catch up!" Steve paused for a moment and Sarah flung one of her hands towards him, causing the door to slam and lock him away from Schmidt. Once her father was safe, Sarah turned back to the Red Skull standing on the other side of her shield. He ran out of ammunition and tried to use the rifle to smash the energy shield, but she dropped it and grabbed the gun instead, flinging it against the wall as she had done with the first one.
"You know, it's a good thing you took my serum before I was born. Being a super-soldier is the only reason this is almost a fair fight." Sarah taunted, but Schmidt lunged at her and she wasn't fast enough to get away as he grabbed her suit and picked her up, "Okay, that was out of line, I'm sorry!"
Schmidt chucked Sarah as hard as he could against the stairwell door and she grunted as she pushed herself onto her hands and knees. She panted as she scrambled to her feet and moved into the stairwell, jumping over the railing and floating down to the floor below where her father was waiting.
"I was scared you weren't coming." He told her quietly, and he grabbed her and pulled her into a hug, "I don't know if I'll get another chance." He murmured into her hair, smoothing it down softly, "I'm so proud of you."
"I just can't get the upper hand. I don't know how to subdue him."
"You don't subdue him honey, you have to kill him." Steve said gently, pulling away and placing his hands to her cheeks as she shook her head, terror in her blue eyes, "I know. I know, but we can't leave him alive. If you get the chance, take it okay?"
Sarah nodded weakly, pushing open the door to the floor below. When she looked to her left, she saw Wanda still hanging in her shackles, "I can get you out of here." Sarah said as she lifted her hands, but Wanda screamed through her gag and gestured her toward the middle of the room.
"Dad!" James yelled, causing Sarah and Steve to turn, and gasp as Amora blasted James.
***I couldn't post today without remembering our fallen King T'Challa, Chadwick Boseman. I am in shock and I am devastated. You still had so many more stories to tell us and so many more lessons to teach us. We never realized just how hard you fought and how brave you were. And I'll forever be haunted that I wrote a character passing of cancer in Wakanda, and that there was nothing T'Challa could do to save them. Oh how I wish there had been something to do to save him. Rest in Peace and in Power- A role model for us all not only in the characters you played, but in the bravery you showed by being what we wanted you to be, despite how hard it must have been for you.***