Chapter 10: Avengers Assemble
Wanda sat at the small dining table, a cup of warm tea tucked between her palms. Natasha was beside her, silently picking through a bowl of fruit. Steve was bustling around the stove, probably burning his toast based on the smell.
"You're seeing Thor off today?" Nat spoke up, selecting a berry and plopping it in her mouth.
"Got one more meeting with him and Stark, then he's off." Steve said without turning, waving smoke away from the pan he was using. "You still set to start today?"
"Don't see any reason not to." Nat said, casting a glance at Wanda who sipped her tea nonchalantly. "You ready to get started?"
"Looking forward to it." Wanda answered leaning forward on the table. "Is it true we start today?"
"Looks that way. Everyone's here right now, but it won't stay that way for long." Steve said, sitting down across from Nat, placing his plate of slightly questionable food in front of himself. Wanda saw him wince as he bit into his blackened toast.
"How long you gonna be with Tony and Thor?" Natasha asked, pushing the half-finished bowl away from herself and standing up.
"Not long, just got some quick things to discuss. You know how he is, pretty straight forward guy and he's eager to be home. I'm sure it won't be longer than an hour." Natasha nodded at this, raising an eyebrow at Steve's cooking attempt.
"Alright, I've got to check up on something first. Shouldn't take long."
Steve shot her a knowing look that she ignored, stepping through the automatic door and leaving them alone.
"That all you're gonna have?" Steve asked, motioning to her cup. Wanda looked down into it, following the swirling tea dregs with her eyes.
"I don't usually eat in the mornings." She said simply, realizing it to be true. She wondered when that had become a habit.
"Well," Steve glanced at his plate, where half the food remained un-eaten. "Can't say I blame you. At least you're probably better at this whole twenty-first century cooking than I am." Steve rose, dumping the remains in the trash and washing off the plate. "I'll shoot you a message when we know when and where to meet."
After Steve left, Wanda sat in silence, contemplating the day's possibilities. Sam's promise to teach her to control her emotions had echoed in her head since she'd woken up. She was feeling more confident in her abilities after the night with Vision. But she still felt as though there was something she needed to find within herself.
Making her decision, she pulled out her data pad, finding Sam's name in the contacts and pushing call. She propped the screen up so she had a clear view when he answered. Sam appeared in the window of the screen, he greeted her with enthusiasm and she repeated what Steve and Nat had said, asking if he had time to meet up now.
"Good call." Sam said, rubbing the back of his neck absentmindedly. He looked around at something off screen before turning back to her. "Why don't you head on over now. We might be able to get a lesson in before we get the call."
Wanda nodded her agreement and ended the transmission. It took no time at all to find his room, though she'd never been there before. Her map had informed her it was only one corridor over from hers and when she knocked on his door it was with hopeful intent.
Sam's room was incredibly homely. He'd tacked up posters of his favorite teams all along the wall. There were also several plants in pots sitting around the room. Each one was wide and green and full of life. He'd left the window open so that sunlight streamed into the room, making it seem brighter and larger than it actually was.
She hovered awkwardly by the door, unsure what to do now that she was here. Sam noticed and smiled soothingly. Reaching under his bed, he pulled out a rolled up green mat. With a light toss it landed in her arms. She looked down at it in confusion, looking up to see that he'd removed a blue one for himself.
"Since you're not into running." He said, unrolling the mat and laying it out on the floor. "We need another way for you to find your Zen."
"Zen?" Wanda said uncertainly, laying out her mat a foot away from his.
"Yes, Zen." Sam said, taking a firm seat on his mat, legs crossed, indicating for her to do the same. Wanda did, folding her legs in front of her, fingers linked in her lap. Sam waited for her to get in position before continuing. "I'm going to teach you the art of mediation."
Wanda stared at him blankly, a single eyebrow raising in disbelief.
"You think mediation is what will help me?" She was skeptical about such philosophies but she was willing to try if he really thought it would help. It certainly couldn't hurt.
"Actually, I'm sure it will." Sam leaned toward her, his tone entirely serious. "Your problem, Wanda, is that you think too much."
He let that hang in the air for a moment and she could not deny that it was true. He smirked, knowing he had her.
"What you need to work on is clearing your mind. Moving forward with clarity, instead of mingling the present and the past. There is nothing you can do to change what has happened to you in life. But you have the full ability to control your future."
He leaned back, placing his hands on his knees and closing his eyes. After a second's hesitation, Wanda followed suit.
"Clear your mind." Sam said, taking deep breath and releasing it slowly. "It's not going to be easy the first time. Especially with everything you've got going on in there. But let's see what you can do."
Sam stopped talking, letting her focus. Wanda inhaled deeply, trying to understand how she could clear her mind. First she cut off any flow to her powers. It was easy considering she only had a small channel going to be aware of her surroundings. Turning it off was strange. She could no longer sense Sam's presence except for the feel of him physically near her.
There was nothing in her mind but herself now.
She started deleting things from her consciousness. It was not an easy process. The hardest thing for her to shut down was the worry for her brother that she always carried with her. She had not realized it was there. Without it she felt blank. Numb. Without it there was nothing.
"Embrace the emptiness." Sam said softly as though he knew what processes her mind had just endured. "Do not fear it. It's a part of you."
She pushed down the thought of her brother again. Holding on to the blackness of her own mind. Trying to focus only on the feel of it.
"Wanda." Sam's voice sounded strange, it pulled her from the darkness and thoughts came flooding back into her mind. Her eyes snapped open and found Sam's. He was staring at her in amazement. Quickly she looked down, surprised to see that a soft red glow was emitting from her. It did not stop with her hands, but extended up what was visible of her arms. Instinctively she knew it covered her entire body and she felt her mouth open and close soundlessly in her own astonishment.
It only lasted a second longer before the coloring faded away, leaving them both in surprised silence. Finally Sam spoke up, his eyes wide.
"I gotta say," He said, looking her up and down, obviously impressed. "The eyes. Woah."
Wanda chuckled lightly, a hand reaching up to prod gently under her eye. She knew they turned red when she used a large force of her power. But it must've been something to actually see it. Especially when her entire body glowed red with it.
"I think we're on the right track." Sam said, still wide eyed. He was shaking his head slightly in disbelief, but he did not seem afraid. Something Wanda was thankful for.
"I did not even feel it." She said, still astonished. Her powers had never consumed her entire body like that before. Until now, it had only ever been her hands that had glowed with its use.
"I'm not an expert or anything." Sam said, one hand unconsciously rubbing his knee. "But I think you just connected with yourself on a whole new level."
Wanda smiled then, sitting up straighter. She finally felt like she was on the right path. At Sam's insistence, they meditated in small intervals. Each time she'd cleared her mind of all though, her body glowed red in response. She felt like she was connecting with her powers in a whole new way. Maybe it was just her imagination, but she felt like she could reach into them more than ever before.
By the end of the hour, Wanda could hold her mind blank for almost a full minute.
"Practice, practice, practice." Sam said as he stood, rolling up his mat tightly and pushing it back under the bed. "I want you practicing. At least once a day." Wanda made to hand him her own rolled up mat but he pushed it back towards her. "Keep it. I want you holding a full five minutes next time by this time next week. And don't try and skimp me, I'll be able to tell if you don't practice. And not just because you glow red." He winked at her and she laughed, tucking her new mat under her arm.
A loud chiming distracted them both. Each of their tablets was displaying the same message. Wanda looked up from it to meet Sam's eyes. It was from Steve. Only a few words but the message was clear. Suit up.
"Looks like we timed that perfectly." Sam reach into his closet, pulling out his suit and tossing it on the bed. "Same time next week sound good?"
Wand nodded, moving toward the door. Sam called out just as she was opening it.
"Oh, by the way, did you find someone like I asked you too?" Wanda turned guilty to look at him. He shook his head, seemingly unsurprised.
"I got busy." Wanda said as an excuse. In truth she'd pushed the project from her mind. Unsure how to go about it.
"I'm serious when I say it's important. You're going to need it soon. You can practice meditation all you want but we can't move forward until you've got someone you can talk to."
Wanda shrugged half-heartedly, ashamed of her meager efforts. Perhaps she would give Clint a call later.
"I'll figure it out by the end of the day." She stepped out of the room, pulling the door shut. "I promise!" She added before snapping it closed behind her, cutting off his reply.
The walk back to her room was quick. Her mind was racing, catching up on all the thoughts she'd been pushing away for the past hour. Steve's message had instructed them all to suit up and meet him on the first floor.
It was with great care that Wanda pulled her suit from the closet. She dressed quickly, excited to see the finished product in action. The suit was snug but not tight, hugging her in all the right place. When she was done changing she turned to the mirror. She could hardly recognize herself.
The women in the mirror had her face, but there was a look of confidence on it she had not had before. The suit made her feel powerful. She pulled the wrist guards tighter, flexing her fingers to make sure they had full mobility. She cast one last glance at herself, committing the sight to memory before heading out.
She was on the third floor, where most of the residents shared living space. But she knew of a balcony that looked down to the first floors entrance hall. She made for it, gripping the railing and looking down.
"Not as great a height as it once seemed." Vision stepped up lightly beside her, cap flapping lightly around his ankles.
"Not anymore, thanks to you." Wanda said, shooting him a quick smile. He flashed her one of his slow, timid smiles, gesturing over the edge.
"After you." He said politely. Wanda tilted her head in thanks, opening the flow of her powers and rising up to float over the edge. She glided down quickly, rocking slightly on her landing. Steve and Natasha where up the stairs on the small terrace that overlooked the hall. She heard Vision land lightly beside her. A distinct roar signaled the approach of Rhodey, who landed nearby, visor sliding open. Sam glided down last, wings folding neatly at the touch of a button.
"Avengers assemble!" Steve yelled down at them.