AN: Enjoy!

For the next few days, everyone continued to prepare as well as they could for the arrival of Ronan and his army. Quill and his friends kept up with training the townspeople, and despite the awkwardness of their first attempt, Wanda and Vision continued sparring together.

Nights were spent going over the plan, repeatedly, making sure that everyone knew where they were supposed to be and what they were supposed to do, to lure Ronan's forces into Rocket's traps.

Like everyone else, Vision listened, making sure he knew the details inside and out. Still, as the supposed day of Ronan's attack grew closer, Vision found himself growing increasingly nervous. For what reason, he couldn't explain. As a Bounty Hunter he'd been caught up in many fights, some of them against scary, dangerous people. He was used to danger, the valuable metal that made up his body, coupled with the rare golden stone in his forehead, meant it had been following him for most of his life. Vision had never been so worried about entering a dangerous situation before.

What was different this time?

It wasn't until the night before Ronan's expected arrival that Vision realised exactly what the problem was. They'd been to their final meeting, done their last big run through of the plan. Everyone had headed off to bed to get a good night's rest before battle, save for Rocket, who was putting a few finishing touches on his traps, and Gamora, who had taken the first shift keeping watch.

Vision took a few extra minutes to look over the plans again himself, before he made his way back to the hut he and Wanda had been sharing during their time on the planet. There he found Wanda getting Tommy and Billy ready for bed, changing them and tucking them into their little cots, smiling, and humming softly to soothe the two little boys to sleep.

Vision's heart warmed, and the truth hit him, like a ton of the precious metal he was made from.

He knew exactly why he was suddenly afraid to face danger, when it had never bothered him much before.

He knew exactly why things were different.

Now, for the first time, Vision had something he truly cared about.

Now he had something to lose.

Vision felt suddenly dizzy, struggling to catch his breath even though he did not really need to breathe at all, and rushed outside to see if fresh air would help.

Though she had not actually looked at him, Wanda had known, somehow, that Vision was there, and frowned when she heard the sound of him running away, feeling the sudden distress come off of him in waves.

Once Wanda was sure that the twins were fully settled and sleeping, she followed Vision outside, and her heart broke. He was pacing, shaking a little, and Wanda very much wanted to reach for him, to hold him close and whisper comfort the same way she did for the twins, but she didn't, unsure what the boundaries were after their conversation a few days earlier.

"Vizh.." she asked gently. "Are you okay?"

"Of course I am, I am perfectly.." He paused, sighing. "Actually, no, I don't think I am.."

"What's wrong?" Wanda took a few steps closer.

"Well.. I'm actually rather scared.."

"That's okay.. I'm scared too."

"You are?"

"Mmmhm" Wanda nodded. "Not too long ago, I felt like maybe I was ready to die, if not for Tommy and Billy. But now that there's more than pain and torment every day, now that we're free, now that there's a chance at a good life for the boys, and happiness, and, well, you.." She blushed a little, "I really don't want to die Tomorrow. Not right when I'm getting a chance to really live."

"There's still time to run" said Vision. "We could pack up the boys, get back to the Side of Life and.."

"Vision" Wanda shook her head. "No. That's not you. I don't think either of us would ever forgive ourselves if we left this planet to ruin just because we were a little afraid of dying."

"It's not my own death I'm afraid of" Vision huffed. "For a long time I've been resigned to the fact that one day someone will tear me apart for my Vibranium parts. Yes it's terrible, but losing my own life is a reality I've accepted. But now… I've never had anyone I really.. Anyone I really cared about before, anyone I was afraid to lose. But now there's you, Wanda, and Tommy and Billy, and if anything happened to any of you, I.."

"Nothing is going to happen to us."

"What?"

"Nothing is going to happen to me, or the twins. We are all going to come through this absolutely fine."

"Wanda" Vision frowned. "You can't know that."

"I don't need to know it. I've decided it" said Wanda. "Just now. The boys and I are going to be okay.."

"Wanda.." He tried again.

"And so are you" She cut Vision off, turning to face him, her green eyes sparkling in the starlight. "No one is going to be tearing you apart for parts, because I won't let them. And yeah, of course I'm still scared. There's a big fight coming Tomorrow, and yeah, I know that I can't know for sure what will happen.. But for once, I want to believe the best instead of the worst. Maybe.. Maybe you can try and do that too?"

Wanda looked so determined, so hopeful, and he didn't have the heart to ruin that for her.

"I can try" He managed a small smile.

"Good" Wanda grinned. "Because I really, truly believe that maybe the universe owes us one. You and me, the twins, we all deserve better than the hand we've been dealt so far. And I think, if we can win tomorrow, maybe we'll get it."

Well, Vision thought, that was at least partially true. He wasn't sure that he, being synthetic, really deserved anything. But Wanda and the twins definitely deserved better. So, he managed another smile for her, trying not to think of the many ways everything could go wrong.

"Maybe we will."