Chapter 2
Wanda examined her reflection, smoothing out invisible creases in the full-length dress she wore. She considered that she appeared dressed for a funeral more than for dinner, albeit with a billionaire. Taking off the black cardigan because it was too much, she reached for the crimson-coloured one that lay previously discarded upon the bed, exhaling a small sigh as she put it back on.
She had been grappling with doubt ever since making the call to Stark's number, first being greeted by a small voice which had made her smile. If Stark himself had answered then she may well have given up at the first hurdle.
The thought of him evoked so many complicated emotions, hurt and hatred a part of her was still grasping onto. The first English words she ever read – Stark Industries – written upon missiles, legible amongst the endless amount of wreckage that destroyed her home country. He had been her reason to survive, placing herself into the hands of the unknown, back in the time when her grief was characterised entirely by the desire for vengeance. He had kept her prisoner for longer, claiming that it was for her own good as much as for the world at large. He had turned her into a fugitive when they were supposed to be united for a bigger cause.
He had wielded the power of the Stones, six instead of one, not that it made the value of his life any greater.
She caught herself before she tipped over the edge into dangerous territory. Forced her mind to become serene. Took in a deep breath.
As she exhaled she reminded herself that Tony Stark was not her enemy, something that it had taken her a long time to realise, and not without help. She fought back tears thinking of Vision and how he found the good in everyone. It was understandable that he held a special regard for Stark, even when he sought to defy his own loyalty.
She arrived downstairs clutching onto her bag, Clint emerging from the front room with a reassuring smile upon his face.
"Can't you come with me?" she asked him, grasping desperately. "You know him. You'll know what to say. I'm afraid of what I might."
He pretended to consider the prospect for all of three seconds. "It's a little late to call Laura. She's probably just about to arrive at her mom's, if the traffic hasn't held her up."
"Cooper's old enough to look after the others."
Clint shot her a look that was almost as sharp as one of his arrows.
"I'm sure they wouldn't get into too much trouble…"
Within a hopeless minute, and under the weight of Clint's stare, she relented.
"Okay," she sighed, "I know."
"You'll thank me afterwards for not holding your hand. Not that you need it." His gaze softened as he slumped himself against the support of the doorframe. "Remember, he's nothing other than a huge dork underneath it all. He just has the misfortune to have that wrapped up with an unhealthy share of narcissism."
He had the time to place his hand upon her shoulder and utter some further words that she guessed were meant to put her at ease before a knock came on the door, a man in a suit calling himself Happy – even if he looked far from that particular emotion – announcing that the car waited outside whenever she was ready.
She wasn't, but there was nothing else to do.
Being in the limousine made her feel uneasy, especially when it was just her. If it was Pietro he would have had no problem in taking full advantage of the amenities, stretching his legs out upon the plush leather seats and turning on the movie player while breaking into a can of diet soda. Instead she looked out of the window and watched the world outside skim by, bag placed firmly in her lap, answering the few questions that Happy asked as he drove at a speed that was acceptably a little too fast.
He was in her mind more vividly than was usual, smiling and sending comforting thoughts. She turned her right hand upwards, a small smile coming upon her face as a beaming ray of golden sunlight fell upon her side on the empty bit of seat next to her.
I really wish you were here, Vizh.
Of course, she considered that if he was then she would have less reason to make the visit. It would have taken the world to persuade her away from leaving her bed, and Vision's embrace within it.
When the car pulled up and Happy opened the door for her to emerge she had wondered if he had taken a wrong turn somewhere along the way. The house was pretty much the last thing she expected, looking not dissimilar from the Barton residence, if just a touch bigger and better-groomed. She followed Happy as he opened the door, things looking more modern but still homely inside. He issued her with some basic information about where things were but she was a little too dazed to notice, taking all of the details in and feeling incredibly surreal that she was standing so casually in Tony Stark's home.
Happy had disappeared somewhere when she heard the voice of the man himself, getting closer to where she was, barely a few inches past the now-closed door.
"Pep, it's fine. What did the doc say? That I gotta make use of it, else I'm probably going to end up with deep vein thrombosis. And that's not going to be fun for either of us."
When he stumbled into view, still talking to his wife in another room, Wanda was taken aback by his appearance. She felt bad for doing so but the first thing she noticed was the cane. Being Tony Stark it didn't appear to be an ordinary cane but that seemed to be beside the point. As he turned to face her she was confronted with the true extent of the changes. Though it had been five years he looked as though he had aged triple that, his frame noticeably thinner and his hair, including his trademark goatee, nearly completely grey.
His smile hadn't changed; indeed, it was wider than she had ever recounted it when she had been in his company.
"The guest of honour has arrived. I'm glad you got here okay." He shuffled over to her, as fast as his feet would allow, and she found herself bridging the distance, wanting to do what she could to ease the pain. "Was the ride comfortable? I hope Happy wasn't intrusive."
"It was fine," she answered, reaching out her hand on instinct, "you needn't have gone to the trouble. I could have got a cab."
"Our visitors travel in style," he replied, more casually than the occasion should have dictated, "that much I can still take care of."
He was still holding onto the hand she had offered without thought, neither of them registering it properly until the mutual discomfort began to sink in, though not to as great a degree as she would have expected.
"Can Happy get you a drink?"
He unfurled his grasp slowly, placing his hand back on top of the other settled upon the cane, and she could feel how slick with sweat her palm had become.
"I'm fine, thank you."
A smaller pair of footsteps hammered upon the floor, accompanied by calls of "Daddy, Daddy!"
"Hey there, trouble," Tony turned himself to the little girl with a wildness of dark hair upon her head, which had worked itself loose despite Pepper's attempt to tame it back with a bow. "You come to say hello to our friend? This is Miss Maximoff."
"Call me Wanda," she said with a gentle smile, lowering herself to the little one's eye line. "You must be Morgan."
Morgan promptly disappeared behind her father's legs, peeking her head out to take a curious look at Wanda after a moment.
"Now don't you get all shy," Tony uttered, the affection for his daughter clear in his tone, "Wanda and I go way back. She's still an Avenger, so that makes her much, much cooler than I am."
"But you're an OG, Daddy!" Morgan shrieked, peering up at her father.
Tony chuckled. "You gotta stop picking up on the things Daddy says, kiddo. I mean, it's true and all, but what did I tell you about giving new people a chance? Because you don't know what they can teach you that you don't already know."
Wanda's smile deepened as an idea came to her mind that she hoped would put the little girl at ease.
Curling her fingertips over the outstretched palm of her other hand she was calm and easy as she let the scarlet tendrils sprout, forming into the shape of a butterfly which floated into the air.
"Wooooow," Morgan exclaimed, her eyes brightening, "that's so cool!"
She scurried forth, reaching up to try and catch the bright red butterfly. When that proved to be impossible she placed her small hand into the centre of Wanda's open palm, causing a warm ripple to wash over her closed-off heart.
"Wanda can do lots of cool stuff," Tony remarked from above, "but some of it you can't know about until you're older, okay?"
Morgan nodded eagerly, her gaze transfixed, watching for more scarlet sparks which Wanda was at that moment unable to bring forward, too moved by the faint tickling of Morgan's fingertips against her palm.
"We better make tracks before the food gets cold, and Mommy gets annoyed," Tony announced, breaking the trance that Wanda had fallen into. She stood to her full height, accepting Morgan's hand into her own as the little girl pulled her forward into the open-plan room. "I wasn't sure what you liked, so I ordered a little bit of everything. Don't worry, it won't go to waste."
There stood a huge array of dishes upon the wide table, too many for her to take notice of.
"Um, cheeseburgers would be good."
"Yay!" Morgan exclaimed happily to Wanda's choice. "They're mine and Daddy's favourite. Mommy thinks they're okay, but she likes pasta better."
"They're both good," Wanda smiled down at the little girl.
"Cheeseburgers it is," Tony said, waiting to sit down after Wanda had. "But you gotta keep it to one and a half, kiddo."
"Awww," Morgan frowned.
"Listen to Daddy," Pepper's voice came through to the room seconds before she did, aiming a gentle smile towards Wanda, "else there won't be space for dessert."
Morgan's voice raised yet higher at the prospect.
She made her way through dinner, her appetite increasing as the meal went on, probably thanks to Morgan's presence. After she apologised for not getting in touch sooner she felt herself grow at ease. Pepper was a calming influence, tempering Tony's somewhat over-compensatory chatter. Wanda didn't mind it so much, though.
When the conversation inevitably moved to Vision she didn't find it as difficult as she thought she would beforehand. On the contrary it came as a relief. She didn't need to probe too much as Tony was open when it came to filling in the gaps, the years that she as well as so many others had missed.
On his return from space and during his first recovery the other survivors had informed him of what had happened, although it didn't take much to know that Vision was highly sought due to his possession of the Mind Stone. He had unearthed his old notes, called up Banner to provide the information he didn't have immediate access to. Vision's body had been held in Wakanda and he made plans to go over in the hope of restoring Vision. The first and most significant problem came in the shape of the extensive travel restrictions that had been put in place since the Decimation; borders were tightly controlled and Wakanda had even more barriers than most countries, given that they had lost both their sovereign and princess in the global disaster. Nobody was allowed in or out, not even those with money to spare – bargaining was of little use.
Speaking of Princess Shuri, Tony explained that without knowing the extent to which she had copied Vision's programming and consciousness it was impossible to know whether the plans he had drawn up would be of any help or, as was more likely the case, would overwrite the progress that had been made and cause more trouble than success. She had taken all knowledge with her, leaving his hopes and ambitions desolate before they had a chance to come to fruition.
Even if the outcome had not been what she wanted to hear, it heartened Wanda to know that he had tried. For someone else to care about Vision while she had been gone, to be willing to make the efforts to bring him back…it meant more than she could put into words.
She thought that she really had underestimated his capacity for kindness – or for simply being human – all of these years.
It didn't feel right to let him in on the times they had together, but she was happy to reveal some of the more general details, such as their trips to museums and galleries, recounting the sights and exhibits that had fascinated Vision. He was especially happy to know that Vision had paid special attention to displays of science and technology, spending hours examining structures that she herself had been quite indifferent to.
It was so good to talk about him, without thinking someone was going to cut in the next second and ask if she was alright, that she could stop if it was getting too overwhelming.
"I've been thinking," Tony began once she had exhausted the memories that she was willing to share, "and I wanted to run it by you first, for obvious reasons…but I feel like the time might be right, to honour Vision properly. The last I knew they didn't give him a burial in Wakanda."
Wanda frowned, feeling icy shock slice through her.
"And that's good…what I mean to say is that he belongs here. It was where he came to life, and I'd like to think it's where he should rest. Unless you know any different. You did know him better than anyone else, after all."
She needed time to process what was being suggested, the world falling away around her. She hadn't known about the plans to bring Vision back until not much more than half an hour ago, still not having digested what could have been possible.
Not really believing that hope had been fully extinguished.
"Wanda?" Tony's voice shattered the silence that had engulfed her. At the other end of the table Pepper wore a wistful look of concern.
"Sorry, I…um, I…I hadn't really thought…"
"You don't need to explain," he was quick to reassure. "We'd take care of all the expense, the ceremony. If you want one, that is. The where, why, what; it's entirely in your hands."
The conflicting thoughts warred within her head and heart, one in particular fighting its way to the top with rasping breath. She looked with an intent stare into Stark's eyes. "Isn't there anything…any chance that he might…?"
She couldn't bring herself to say the words, knowing too well that they were about to be dashed.
"There's nothing that you can do?" she asked in a quieter voice, as though that would make the difference.
His expression was solemn as he returned her gaze. Something told her that it was a question he had returned to himself many times. He struggled for the words for a few moments, looking over towards Pepper for strength.
"The Stones are gone, and they took most of me with them," he finally returned, causing Wanda to lower her head, thinking of the almighty sacrifice that he had made. "Without a comparable energy source that might take years, even decades, to discover, I don't know how it would be possible. Not to mention the technological advances in the meantime that might render him...well, you can imagine, I don't need to spell it out for you."
She nodded her head, trying her best to understand as she felt the remainder of her spirit numb.
"The Princess would be the best shot. She was the one working on him while he was still here. I'd think that if she had significant news she would have given it by now."
His voice lowered on the last sentence, almost as if he didn't want to admit that the final hope was lost. Resignation wasn't something he was used to, not even now.
"I'm sorry," she murmured, raising her gaze, "it was selfish of me to ask."
He shook his head. "Not at all. I'd be disappointed if you didn't."
She managed a weak smile. Somewhere in the background she registered Pepper getting up, asking her if she wanted anything. A glass of water was all she could manage, her stomach twisting at the thought of ice cream.
"I tell you, it was a good thing that the banks decided to write off a lot of debts afterwards," he said, coaxing her with a starting smirk. "I got a shock when I checked his card accounts. I mean, I know I had a hand in his creation and everything, but I didn't expect that he'd pick up on my tastes for five-star establishments."
She laughed genuinely as he recounted some of the locations around Europe where Vision had splashed out on the top hotels, all for their rendezvous and in particular for her benefit.
"I told him every time," she replied, with the ring of fond amusement in her remembrance, "that I didn't need the luxury. All I needed was…"
Her tears came expectedly as she thought of Vision, the simple mention of him catching in her throat, guilt overcoming her as she couldn't even acknowledge him properly in that moment.
"Wanda, you're sad."
Morgan's innocent voice came forth from her seat, not seeing her father shaking his head.
"It's okay," she stuttered in reply, bringing her balled fist up to wipe at her eyes.
"That's right," Tony replied, opening his arms to allow Morgan to climb from her own chair into his lap gently, "it's okay to be sad sometimes. And it's especially okay to cry when you're sad."
"But I don't want Wanda to be sad," Morgan replied quite firmly, her clear-eyed gaze going towards Wanda on the other side of the table. "I'll tell you some jokes to make you happy again."
Neither of them could dissuade her, so Wanda sat back in her seat and waited patiently for the little girl to begin.
"What did Iron Man say to Ant-Man?"
"I don't know, what did he say?"
"Stop bugging me!" Morgan exclaimed, raising both arms into the air.
"That's because Captain America's his favourite," Tony stage-whispered into his daughter's ear, tucking an unruly lock of hair back into place before giving her a loving squeeze.
"What day do The Avengers like the most?" Morgan continued, not quite pausing long enough for Wanda to venture a guess. "Thor-sday!"
"Okay, that one's really funny," Wanda laughed, putting on her best smile to appease Morgan.
"Yeah, we've got a comic on our hands here," Tony said as Morgan wriggled, climbing down. Before Pepper came in with the ice cream, the little girl ran around to give Wanda a hug, scrambling up into her lap and throwing small arms around her shoulders.
"Please don't be sad," she said into Wanda's ear, her dark eyes going bigger up close.
"I'll try," Wanda replied with a whisper, the tears threatening to spill and break her promise before she could make it properly.
She excused herself to get some air, the emotions that the evening had brought out in all their forms getting a little too much and making her head begin to hurt.
The night was a beautiful one and although she didn't know the way, her feet carried her to a spot not too far from the built-up house which overlooked a small lake. It was a peaceful place to be, the breeze falling gently – just the remedy she needed at this very moment. It would take a little while to come to terms with everything she had learnt tonight, and although part of her was doubting whether she should have come in the first place most of her knew that it was a good thing. At least, it would be, when she had the time to process. She was sick of doing that, though.
She was about to head back when she saw Pepper standing behind her, both of them a little startled and then letting out small laughs at the encounter.
"I thought I'd come and check on you while those two are occupied," she said, wearing an easy smile. "I hope Morgan wasn't too much."
"Oh, no, not at all. She's great."
Pepper beamed, the perfect picture of a proud and happy mom. It was a role that suited her well.
"It's been good for me to get out. I don't really…well, I've never been much good at being social." It had been another reason for her to hide away, although she suspected that a lot of people hadn't wanted to see her, keen not to feel awkward in her presence. "You have a lovely home. And you've been very welcoming when…well, let's face it, I haven't given a lot of reasons for you to do so."
"Oh, no, Wanda…" She moved closer, standing beside Wanda at the edge of the lake. "The past is a distant place, and it's only worth revisiting the good stops. My mom used to tell me that all the time, because I used to fixate a lot. I mean, I still do from time to time. But since the…" She stopped herself short from saying the name that had been used so much in the media that it had almost become meaningless. "Well, my fixations don't seem all that important anymore."
She smiled at Wanda before they both looked out at the horizon. Pepper was a lot quieter than her husband, which Wanda was grateful for.
"When they came here for the first time, Steve, Natasha and Scott, I was so angry. I couldn't believe they even had the nerve, after Tony said he was done and they just didn't want to listen. I figured that so much had happened, the world had moved on and so had we. Things were great for us, in our little bubble. And then I realised how selfish I was being. If there really was a chance to travel through time…which I still do not get, no matter how many times Tony explains it to me. I always fall asleep before he gets to the important bit."
She paused, leaving Wanda to turn her head.
"And now I'm rambling," Pepper looked back at her with a smile. "But what I wanted to say is, thank God for people like you, and Tony, who look past all of that to be truly selfless and do what is good for the world. For several worlds, which I also had no idea about until all that recently."
Wanda wanted to argue that she wasn't selfless. If she would have destroyed the Stone when Vision had asked her to the first time and not waited until the most bitter of ends, then everything could have been avoided, all of the pain and suffering that had been unleashed upon the world. Vision could have died the way he had wanted, peacefully and knowing nothing except her love.
"I just want you to give yourself more credit than you do. There are so many people who look up to you. Little girls who are going to have you as their role model in life." Pepper broke into another grin. "One of whom is now pleading with her Daddy to tell her everything he knows about the Scarlet Witch."
She returned the smile genuinely, feeling her heart lift with a different kind of hope. She recalled Vision's words, ones he had often been at pains to point out to her and which she should have accepted sooner, so that he could have said so many other things instead.
You are someone monumentally special, Wanda. In your hands, you hold an incredible gift.
She remembered him caressing and kissing her hands over and over, to emphasise his point, but also to comfort her.
One day, the world will know what you are capable of.
"Thank you," she answered, to Vision's memory just as much as to Pepper.
She stayed long enough to see Morgan before her bedtime, even if the little girl did protest a little. Her mother was able to soothe her, leaning her towards her father for a kiss. He promised that he'd come straight up for a story once he had said goodbye to Wanda but Morgan nestled into him anyway. Her words were whispered low, Wanda only able to make out the number 3,000.
Pepper wished her well and a safe journey back, with Happy waiting faithfully in the car. Before she took an increasingly sleepy Morgan upstairs she kissed Tony on the cheek, resting there for a moment or two. Wanda felt like she ought to look away from the private gesture but she also found herself transfixed.
"Thanks for stopping by, Maximoff," Tony said, which caused her to smile wryly, "don't be a stranger, hey? Not now that you have a new fan."
"I won't be," she replied, even if she wasn't sure when her next visit might occur.
He nodded, giving her a closed-lipped smile. "I won't do anything without your blessing. It's your call; you just give me the word, whenever."
"Yes. I'll let you know. And thank you, for telling me."
"No worries," he said, waving his hand. "I just wish I would have had better news for you."
It wasn't his fault. Even Tony Stark wasn't able to win all the time.
She didn't get back until gone midnight, and she fell quickly into a deep and largely dreamless sleep, with thoughts upon thoughts needing the space to settle in her mind.
"So, you never said how it went."
Clint had joined her on the porch, having given Lila enough supervised practice with the bow and arrow. He was slowly learning that he needed to let go and let her get a feel for it on her own, although it was hard for him to heed Laura's words to take a step back. He had thought perhaps she needed a little more coaxing but it was plain to see that rather than fearing the weapon she loved it as much as her father did.
As they watched from their vantage point it was also obvious that she had a natural aptitude.
"It was good," Wanda replied, her gaze upon Lila's artistic pose. "A little weird at first, but good. You should take the kids. Morgan needs a playmate."
Her eyes drifted to Nate, running around at a safe distance from where his sister was firing at the target.
"Maybe," Clint said, leaning his arms up against the porch. She could tell he was antsy, not quite having relinquished his former mantle completely. Or perhaps it was the mention of Tony that made him uneasy. "I don't want to think we'll be in the way."
"It's not as bad as you imagine," she smiled, catching his eye, "he's doing okay."
He took what she said with a quiet nod and bow of his head. There was so much wrapped up there that she couldn't begin to truly fathom, the ending of the original Avengers not having gone the way that any of them could have envisioned. Clint had admitted more than once that he never expected that it would go on forever but then he stopped before he could say anything more. Even if she didn't understand completely Wanda knew the agony he was carrying, silently, like it was his responsibility to do so.
It was the very same kind that was surging through her, coming up from the very depths of her soul.
"There's nothing he can do," she noted again, the recollection battering her with another blow, "for Vision."
"I'm sorry, kid." Clint's voice was heavy, and right then she appreciated the term of endearment, needing more than ever to know she belonged. His arm went around her shoulder, pulling her against his side.
She didn't need to thank him, for giving her a home when she had nowhere else to go, for treating her as though she was part of the family.
For understanding what it was like to lose someone you would have given your life for.
"He did mention something," she said, shoring up her strength. Saying it out loud would give more weight to the idea, bring it a step closer to being real. "About bringing his body back. For a funeral."
She had turned it over and over in her mind, not yet coming to a decision. It seemed like the best thing to do; she wanted to honour him in the way he deserved and give him a place to be at eternal peace. She hadn't settled upon where that place would be but she was picturing herself there, tending to the spot with beautiful flowers and sitting beside him. It needed to be somewhere where he could have the best view of the stars in all of their glory.
Something in her heart was reluctant, clinging onto a thread of hope that was imperceptibly thin.
"What do you think?"
Clint hadn't spoken about the idea, and she wanted to know his opinion, his assurance meaning everything to her in this moment.
Finally, he broke his silence. "It's up to you. You know what he would want."
She hoped that she did but her mind was in such disarray, she couldn't be honestly sure. He wanted her to be happy. To stay with him, and to give her his word.
He hadn't wanted to die, but he wanted her to be the one to kill him.
It was selfish of her to keep him preserved somewhere he barely knew, for the slim chance that her deepest desire might have the possibility of coming true years down the line.
"I was thinking that it could be a memorial for Nat too." Her eyes were full of concern as she said the words, a little uncertain of what he would think. "I'd like that, and I know that Vision would too. We could let them know that we won. We did it. They could rest together."
His gaze was focused on the horizon, following the path of the arrow that Lila had drawn back and held, held, until the time was right. It took the space of a second to land in the centre of its target.
Wanda saw his lips quirking the tiniest amount, until shadow cloaked the expression in the next second.
His name was suspended upon her tongue; she didn't want to push the point any more than was necessary.
"I…I don't think I'm ready for that. Not yet, anyway."
It was his choice and she respected it, though she could feel her heart sink within her chest. It would have been easier to face if she hadn't been alone, with all of the attention focused on her. She wanted to do it for Nat, show her eternal gratitude and say goodbye properly.
It wasn't her decision to make.
"We'll be here to support you every step of the way, whatever happens." His hand rested on her shoulder for a couple of minutes before he stepped down from the porch. "Just don't rush into anything. Tony might think he has all the answers, but there are a few of us who know otherwise."
She felt herself frown, watching his back as he moved away, gravitating towards Lila. Vision was gone. She had known it before the dinner with Stark, pretending to herself that there could be a chance for her own selfish need for survival. To give herself a real shot at life something had to be done, and it was already certain that she would never forget him and what he had done for her.
He once told her that she had made him all he had strived to be. She only wished that he could have known how he had made her who she was now, so much better than the person she might have been once, hard and incapable of love. Thanks to him a flame would always burn within her, even if it was only now an ember.
She watched as Clint took up the bow again from Lila, his smile brighter than it had been in over a year as he looked down at his daughter.
Red began to spark from the tips of her fingers, pulsing with greater force as the arrow shot through the air, hitting its bullseye effortlessly.
Lucky shot, he said later.
Something made her smile as she suspected differently.
She couldn't stop herself from smiling at the perplexed look that had settled upon his face, his irises, while not whirring, portraying his confusion as he attempted to process, gaze fixed firmly upon her.
"You're not disappointed."
Though he stated it as if it were an absolute truth – and to her, it was – there remained a hint of questioning disbelief in his tone, which only made her grin wider.
"No, I'm not," she replied simply, before adding, "well, I am a little bit, but only for you."
He was the one who bought the tickets for the outdoor show, which advertised itself as 'an evening of magic and mystery'. It had not been a knowing reference to her abilities, even if he did apologise needlessly once the connection was made. She doubted very much the display would bear any resemblance to the kind of things she could conjure, else the audience would be in for a great surprise.
It had been raining since before the sun had risen, not that it could be seen all that well behind the heavy grey clouds that covered the sky. They kept their hopes up that the weather might turn but, if anything, it got worse as the day lengthened, and as such the show was cancelled. At least the price of the tickets would be refunded, a promise from the vendor, but that had not given Vision much consolation.
In the last few months he had become incredibly adept at identifying the complexity of human emotion, no longer needing to rely upon her for explicit direction or explanation. By now it was more about reassurance, and indeed nine times out of ten he was better able to quantify than she was. He felt everything to such a fine degree.
He came closer to her, one hand covering hers and placing the other delicately upon her cheek.
"You're happy."
She watched as his expression shifted from confoundment to show awe instead, and as she continued to stare up at him his eyes shone towards her, reflecting the pure affection he felt for her.
A smile shaped his lips, so clear and incredibly beautiful.
Feelings were not always easy to understand or explain. Most could be reduced down to a basic, primal form which he could connect with, disappointment being one of them. Anger, frustration, amusement and fear were similar bedfellows. Out of them all, happiness was the hardest to define. People could be happy for reasons that were sometimes inexcusable, such as when another person met misfortune. Humans could be awful sometimes; some of them a lot of the time. A child's happiness was a much better point of relation, and she found that she wanted to keep that definition close, feeling that it best fitted Vision. Films and fairytales were other good examples. It was a shame that he couldn't eat or drink as she thought that nothing summed up happiness better than a warm, freshly-baked piece of bread or a cup of hot chocolate dusted with cinnamon and sugar.
Really her inadequacy came from the fact that she was the last person who could accurately say what it was to be happy. For her the emotion was long-forgotten, lost and broken into pieces so small that she couldn't hold them in her hands for longer than a few seconds. For such a long time she had thought herself undeserving of happiness, so when he first asked her what it felt like she was conflicted. She couldn't lie, not when the mere concept of lying was foreign to him and she was unwilling to be his teacher in that respect.
She still wasn't sure whether she was worthy, but at least now there was no way that she could possibly deny the feeling.
She shifted her hands, taking hold of his, her gaze not leaving his face. "You know why, don't you?"
"I believe so," he answered her promptly, "though I confess I cannot fully comprehend the reasoning."
She wanted to shake her head but instead she got onto her tiptoes, smiling at the way he steadied her with hands upon her waist as she met her lips with his softly.
"Drop the disguise, Vizh," she whispered against his mouth, even as she peppered kisses upon the illusory skin of his jaw. "There won't be any need for it tonight."
They spent the hours as evening moved to night curled up in bed, watching films until she started to fall asleep, Vision speaking to her softly and her murmuring in reply, reluctant to let him move so far as to switch the television and light off. While he didn't sleep as such he had found a way of imitating the action and did so with such accuracy that if anyone else had observed, and if he did so whilst inhabiting his disguise, they would be none the wiser.
She woke in the early hours, watching him from the pillow and smiling. The chink of moonlight that came into the room between the little gap in the curtains made his burgundy skin shimmer slightly and the vibranium appear even more striking. He looked so peaceful, and though a big part of her wanted to rouse him, pained by the lack of time they were always afforded together, she couldn't bring herself to do so.
Instead she brushed her hand like a feather against the side of his face, marvelling at him in all of his perfection. Her heart responded to the sweep of her fingers, leaping higher the longer she touched and stared, finding herself mesmerised.
He was the first one to see her and, rather than run in fear or question or condemn, cherish all that he found.
"Miy Vision," she bent to whisper to him, holding her hair back so it didn't tickle against and disturb him, "moye shchastya tse ty."
When he was awake again she would try and explain, but she knew that she never could accurately explain to him all that he meant to her.
She could only hope that he would feel, in the same way that she always did with him.
Sam and Bucky had come to the farm for the latest training session, along with Scott, who had decided that the time was right for him to get back to being Ant-Man. Though she hadn't joined in today Scott told them that Hope was willing to volunteer herself for future missions alongside her work with her reunited parents. They were compiling quite the formidable team for the new incarnation of The Avengers.
Wanda took a while to get into things, going through the motions for a good half-hour. Her sleep patterns were messed up to a huge degree, not helped by the dreams she had started having recently, which were about her having to single-handedly save the world against a number of almost undefeatable villains. Vision didn't always figure in them, to her sorrow, and whenever he did she could never get to him in time.
Her mind was obviously set on torturing her for the rest of time, which meant that she needed to work her body harder.
She paired with Sam against Bucky and Scott, and once she hit her stride it was hard to stop. Scott shrank down to a speck, his launching himself from Bucky's vibranium arm going unnoticed until he landed upon Sam, jumping from his left shoulder to his right ear. Wanda focused her energy in finer strands than she was used to, having trained herself to go bigger. It was good practice to get herself into another headspace, and she smiled despite the effort when a glowing scarlet ball enclosed Scott's miniscule form, bouncing it around the air.
Her attention was so intent that she didn't hear Clint's knocking against the barn door. Only when he raised his voice did it break, sending the bright red burst zooming upwards and crashing to the ground just as fast, Scott reforming to normal size with a groan of pain.
"Sorry for interrupting," Clint began, his eyes widened at the waves of crimson energy that continued to pulsate, mirrored in Wanda's eyes. "Wanda, there's a visitor here for you."
"Give us a half-hour to finish up," she responded, annoyed that she had been stopped just as she was getting to the peak of unleashing her powers completely. The electricity was thrumming in her veins, overwhelming her in the way she wanted, giving her the destruction she craved.
"Uh, it's kinda important, so…"
Clint's stance was rather helpless, his gaze going to the others to seek their co-operation. He didn't need to try so hard; she relented quickly, lowering her arms and restoring calm, the blazing scarlet light burning to nothing within seconds.
As they made it back to the house in a line, Wanda at the head, she could hear Clint murmuring to Sam.
"Does she always go that hard?"
Sam let out a chuckle in response. "You saw what she did to Thanos. There's no holding the Scarlet Witch back when she's pissed as hell."
She didn't know who to expect, other than Pepper on behalf of Tony, politely enquiring about what taking her so damn long in making the call to bring Vision's body back for the final goodbye. Instead her heart stopped for a couple of seconds when they were met by the figure clad head to toe in black, arms crossed at his chest in the distinctive greeting.
King T'Challa smiled towards her, stepping forward to offer his hand in a gesture they were all more used to.
"Your Highness," Scott uttered in a low, reverent tone, bending to bow towards T'Challa, who bit back the look of amusement that was about to break on his face.
"Yeah, you don't do that," Bucky placed his hand upon Scott's shoulder, urging him up before going forward to throw his arms around T'Challa. It was unlike Bucky to be so familiar, but Wanda supposed that it wasn't so strange, given that he knew the royal better than the rest of them. "How are things?"
"They are getting there," T'Challa replied, his voice calm and composed, "we are learning to thrive now, rather than simply survive. Wakanda's strength lies in our endurance. And you?"
He looked past Bucky in their close proximity, his gaze falling squarely upon Wanda.
"Pretty much the same," Sam came to the rescue, "there's a lot we have to learn, but some of us are faster than others, so it evens out."
T'Challa smiled at Sam's answer, his head bowing in a gesture of understanding.
"Well, I should leave you guys…" Clint's voice echoed in the background, causing Wanda to turn to look at him, "…to do whatever you have to do. Let me know if you need anything."
She nodded towards him, knowing that the offer was specifically for her benefit.
"Miss Maximoff." T'Challa's address made her bristle slightly, though he wasn't to know.
"Wanda, please."
He nodded his head, smiling again and putting her at ease. "Wanda. I hope you don't mind my unexpected arrival."
"No," she uttered, still in a daze. Despite her attempt to rein it back a part of her had already leapt up in what she was sure was misguided hope at the royal's presence. She didn't know how many more times she could fall without shattering irreparably.
She wasn't completely sure that it wasn't the fate she longed with every fibre for.
"Good," he replied smoothly, "for once my sister was adamant that technology would not do."
That sliver of optimism grew to absorb her whole being in the space of a second.
He took another step forward, refraining from reaching out but fixing his eyes upon her. "My sister should really be the one to inform you fully, which is why I have transport waiting. It is not quite up to the standards of your Quinjet but it offers enough comfort for the journey."
She found it within herself to ask, though it felt like her body was completely paralysed.
"You're saying…this is about Vision?" Her heart hurt to utter his name when she had gone so far down the road of resignation. "And he…"
T'Challa nodded. "He is not completely restored. Shuri was keen that I let you know of that fact."
Wanda lowered her head. "I understand." The spark within her began to waver.
"But she assures me that it is close, which is why she did not want to delay your visit. If you are able to come with me."
She looked up again, her eyes wide and eager, her emotions struggling to keep up.
"Yes. Yes, of course."
"We'll go with you," Sam stepped forth from behind her, and Wanda felt grateful. "Bucky and me. Just to make sure…" He looked towards T'Challa, realising he might have spoken too soon, "if that's okay?"
"We would be delighted to welcome more than one friend of Wakanda," came the royal's easy response.
While Scott made his apologies, explaining that he had to get back to Cassie, Wanda went to tell Clint the news, her hands trembling as she did so.
"Don't be in any hurry to get back, kid. Everything will be here for you, we're not going anywhere." He gave her a smile before leaning forward to press a light kiss to the crown of her head. "Safe travels." He paused for a moment before adding, in a quiet voice, "and good luck."
The four of them boarded the jet that T'Challa had brought quickly, Wanda reminding herself to breathe as she got herself settled, half-expecting that she would wake in the next moment.
She had never dared to dream that this outcome could be possible.
"I was told to give this to you."
Wanda looked up to see T'Challa standing in front of her, handing a small device consisting of a singular button over into her palm. Before she could question he had returned to the compartment towards the front of the jet, where Bucky was also seated. Sam had taken another pod in the same style as the one she occupied to himself, giving her the space she needed but being close enough at hand if she preferred the company at any moment.
She turned the device over, holding it between her finger and thumb. If it hadn't come from the Princess then there was only one other person she could think of. She hesitated for a few moments before lowering her thumb, activating the button with a firm press.
Tony Stark – or rather, a hologram version of him – appeared, seating himself across from her. How he could have known the dimensions and specific outlay of the jet was baffling, but not something she was immediately concerned with.
"I'm just gonna stay here. Keep my distance. Though I think I'm safe from those powers of yours."
Her lips curved into a crooked smirk. You'd better hope so, Stark.
In her lap she curled her fingers, scarlet crackling from the tips.
"Who knows, they might actually do me good. Maybe we should road-test that theory when you get back. Okay, not what I'm here to say."
His hands knotted together as he dropped his gaze to the floor momentarily. She wasn't entirely sure but she felt like Pepper was calling to him from another room, telling him to get to what mattered.
"I told you one last lie, and it was a pretty significant one. I can only say that I'm sorry and I hope that you can forgive me for it, after the bridges we started on building. I feel guilty as hell for doing it. Everything else I said was true, about me trying to go over there, doing what I could to get things started again. I felt a responsibility…no, more than that." He paused for a painful moment. "Vision looked to me for answers and I was always too busy with other things. Things that didn't matter. Looking back I don't think I was ready, I couldn't comprehend the magnitude of it all. Not to mention that the media were looking for any opportunity to label me as the mad scientist, and well, I suppose I thought that Vision provided the perfect ammunition there. I neglected him because of my own self-obsession, and…yeah. You've heard the story before, and it's not about me anymore. That all stopped years ago."
She was half-tempted to press the button again, not in the right frame of mind for his explanation. She stopped herself from doing so, feeling she owed it to him to hear him out.
"If you need someone to blame, then you're looking at him. I'll gladly take the hit. I told the Princess not to contact you, not until things were as secure as they could be. I know what it's like to be given hope too soon and then feel how much it kills to have it ripped away. It had to be right, the pieces falling into place, the stars aligning. God, it feels good to get it out there. I kinda wish I could see your face right now, I'm hoping you've moved past the rage and the glowy eyes, even if they are pretty cool. She got in touch when I was out of it to let me know what was happening. It was still early days back then but things were moving in the right direction…I really should leave the explanations to her. You know, there really isn't a better pair of hands that he could have been in. Mine included. I did pass on all I had to offer but there's no way I can take the credit, not after everything."
She still found herself grateful to him for caring enough in the days when the world had too many other problems to contend with.
"So, again, I'm sorry. I don't know what I would have done if you would have called to say you wanted the funeral to go ahead. Played for a little more time, I guess. Luckily the Princess is a whizz, and when it had been over a month and you hadn't sent word I figured it'd all be fine. No more secrets, you have my word. I hope you do forgive me because I've got a kid here driving me and her mom crazy asking every five minutes when she's going to see you again. And to appease her I might have said that you'd bring her big brother back with you too when you do come. I mean, God, that'd be perfect. I've got everything crossed for you. But uh, what am I even tripping for? Everything's gonna work out exactly the way it's supposed to."
He stood up, smiling towards her.
"Godspeed, Maximoff. We'll see you both soon."
The hologram cut out abruptly after he uttered his last word, leaving her staring at the space he had vacated, still taking her steady breaths in and out, in and out.
Nothing about this made any sense, and somehow it all did.
The King's Guard and some hundred of the Dora Milaje were lined up as they touched down, bowing to T'Challa as he led them into the palace. Wakanda looked as breathtaking as it always had, the evidence of the magnitude of loss the country had suffered not at all visible to the naked eye.
Sam and Bucky were either side of her, backing her up as they made their way to Princess Shuri's quarters. Wanda wanted to tell them that while she was grateful she didn't need their protection, not when she was getting closer to the only thing she had wanted since she was brought back to this existence that was insistent on being relentlessly cruel to her.
The three of them waited for a few moments, feeling rather awkward until the Princess emerged, descending the staircase that led from her lab to meet them.
She greeted them all with enthusiasm, but her focus was directed towards Wanda, outstretching her hands to take Wanda's in a gesture that wasn't in the slightest uncomfortable or out of place.
"Uh, we'll make ourselves scarce," Sam announced, nodding towards Shuri. "Buck, you can take me on the guided tour. If you need anything…"
"I'll be fine," Wanda assured, wearing the best smile she could manage.
She felt a little more relaxed when she was left alone in the presence of Shuri, though she didn't know where to begin, so many questions whirling in her head.
"I'm sorry that it has taken so long," Shuri said, her voice laden with regret, "I don't know what my brother has told you, but it has not been easy to rebuild from the ground."
"You don't need to explain. I got Stark's message, so I know that it wasn't down to you."
"Ah yes, there was that too. It was a good thing really, though I did feel guilty that you didn't know anything. It inspired me to work longer and faster." She smiled at Wanda, open and genuine. Wanda did not hold anything against her; it was impossible to do so in the circumstances. "I was also lucky enough to have some help at hand."
Shuri took them up the stairs into her lab, showing that she wasn't alone. From a desk that appeared tiny next to his huge frame, Bruce Banner – or perhaps she should call him Hulk Banner now – stood, moving towards her.
"Wanda," he said, "it's good to see you. We weren't sure whether you could make it so soon."
"The world would have to be breaking at the seams to stop me."
Shuri and Bruce exchanged a smile between themselves. Wanda found herself looking around the vast lab with all of its lights and holographic screens, hopeful to find some trace of Vision on display. As it was, there was nothing immediate.
"We won't keep you wondering any longer," Bruce uttered, as though her very thoughts had been projected onto one of the screens in front of them. "Like Shuri said, it's been a long process. Longer than we hoped. At times we didn't think it was possible, no matter what we came up with…"
"Come on, Bruce," Shuri interjected, her tone lively, "we're not here to be negative."
"You're right. Force of habit, I'm sorry." He schooled his expression into one which better reflected the outlook of the situation. "Did anyone offer you something to drink, to eat? It's quite the journey."
"I'm fine," Wanda replied, getting increasingly impatient though she tried not to make it too obvious. She twisted her rings around her fingers, back and forth. "I just…I'd rather just know, if that's okay."
"Of course it is," Shuri replied, deciding that it was best she take things forward. "I would have rather we brought you here sooner, but the time wasn't right. Now, as far as we're both concerned, it is."
Shuri took another look towards Bruce, and then turned to face Wanda straight, a bright smile overtaking her features.
Wanda felt dizzy, having breathed in and out too much in a short space of time, her stomach clenching and her heart feeling as though it was going to burst from her chest.
"After a lot of work discarded, we're confident we've found it," Shuri continued, taking a step nearer to Wanda and grinning yet wider, "the formula we need to bring Vision back to life."
A/N: Ukrainian (Sokovian) to English:
Miy Vision, moye shchastya tse ty = My Vision, my happiness is you
I maintain that Shuri is our saviour.
Also, Morgan is adorable (she was one of the best parts of Endgame). I think I've made her a little advanced for her age, whoops, but then again she is Tony Stark's daughter.
