Hey everyone! Sorry I haven't been updating regularly, I've been busy with school and other stuff. Anyway, I think we're nearing the end with this story! Maybe one more chapter and that's it. I don't know when the next update will be though.
Anyway, I don't own the characters or their history.
Enjoy!
X_X_X
Wanda stood on the sidewalk as she looked at the remains of her childhood home. The wind blew through her hair gently and with it, carried the smell of goulash. Her stomach growled.
"It's almost time for dinner," she heard Pietro say beside her.
Turning to look at him, she saw a skeleton with skin stretched out tightly against his bones.
"I can't stay," she said.
He ignored her and walked closer to the ruins, opening the door laying on the floor. On the other side she heard mumblings and laughter.
"Come, I want to show you something."
Wanda took a deep breath and followed him. Crossing the threshold, she walked into the room she had in the palace. There was James on the bed, and a replica of herself was on the desk chair. It was from earlier in the day.
"What is this?" she asked.
"A dream. Something you could have if you came with me."
Wanda shook her head. "This already happened, Pietro. Like, three hours ago."
"No," he said. "This is not real."
"Then what is?" she asked with a roll of her eyes. Honestly, she was getting tired of the same thing every time.
"This is," he said, and the scene shifted.
Wanda saw herself locked up on the raft, right after she was taken in for helping Steve escape. She saw herself with messy hair, dark circles around her eyes, and overall, crazed as she laughed at nothing.
"That never happened," Wanda argued.
"It's happening right now," Pietro said.
"I got out."
"No, that's only what you thought up to help yourself cope. Steve never came back, Wanda. No one did. They left you there."
Tears stung at Wanda as she glanced at herself once more. Being locked up like that, being tied up like that was one of the worst moments in her life. Could she really have dreamed everything up to escape her pain?
No! she though, clenching her fists. I know what's real!
"If you know what's real, then go there," Pietro mocked.
"I will! I'll wake up and be in the palace with Steve, who did come back for me." Wanda clenched her eyes shut and counted to three before opening her eyes.
She was in the cell.
"No!" she yelled, rising to her feet and slamming against the metal bars. "This isn't real!"
Closing her eyes, Wanda cried. Names fell from her lips as she went through every Avenger, hoping that one of them would hear her and wake her up.
Wanda's powers shimmered around her and she directed them towards the bars. They melted upon contact and she walked through the barrier, sighing in relief when the scene changed once more.
"You were easier to manipulate a few weeks ago," Pietro said.
Wanda turned around to face him and glared.
"I'm not falling for your lies. You're not Pietro."
He grinned and grew until he was nearly seven feet tall. His bones popped out in unnatural angles. Wanda gasped as his eyes turned black and hid skin peeled away to reveal rotting muscle underneath.
"Fine. We'll do this my way, then," the creature said and lunged for her.
A scream tore out of Wanda lips as she ran from the figure, not noticing until it was too late that it was exactly what he wanted her to do, if the smile was anything to go by.
She stumbled and realized she was standing in mud. It started moving and hands began to reach out, grabbing on to her clothes and pulling. Wanda grumbled as she tried to pull away but it felt like the more she struggled, the fasted she sunk.
"Why are you doing this?" she yelled. The creature grinned and slime fell from its mouth as it answered.
"Because you reek of fear and insecurity. Devouring you will be my greatest feast, and when I'm done, you'll be nothing but a shell of who you once were. Nobody will love you, no one will even want to look at you. It'll be perfect for spreading onto others."
Wanda coughed as the mud started to make its way into her mouth. Closing her eyes, she had no choice but to let Death pull her under.
Or up? she thought as she was lifted upwards.
"Wanda, are you okay?" a familiar voice asked in a panic. He shook her harshly and she opened her eyes to see James standing in front of her with his hands on her shoulders.
"James? What-?" she paused.
Looking around, she noticed she wasn't in the mud anymore. Not even a speck of dirt was on her. Instead, she saw her bed, wrinkled as if someone had been sleeping in it.
"Oh, another one," she mumbled.
"What are you talking about? Another what?" James asked.
"You're not real," Wanda said, reaching up to caress his cheek.
He shook her again.
"Snap out of it! We need to find a way out."
In all of her dreams, he never said anything like that.
"Where's Wendy?" she asked him, because she didn't want another repetition of what had happened in her previous dreams. Nightmares. Whatever.
"How the hell am I supposed to know? I don't even know her!" he groaned as he took her hand and dragged her to the door.
"No, wait, I know how this goes, you don't have to take me there. I know you don't like me, there's nothing you need to prove," she struggled against his hold.
"Damn in, Wanda! What the hell are you talking about? We need to get out of here, now!"
James opened the door and there stood Wendy, in all her naked glory.
Wanada felt her heart sputter as James stopped to look her.
Wendy grinned. "James, baby, come back with me. I'm lonely without you in bed." The woman ran one hand over her chest and the other one trailed down her stomach, fingers dancing down to her core.
"Wendy…?" James asked.
The woman's green eyes sparkled in lust as she inserted one finger into herself and pulled back, putting her glistening finger into her mouth. Wendy moaned in delight.
"You thought I'd prefer that over you?" James asked in clear disgust as he turned to glare at Wanda.
Words stuck in her throat. Wanda watched in awe as James pushed Wendy aside and ran through the door, leading her away from the room.
"What the fuck is going on?" she mumbled to herself.
"That's exactly what I'd like to know," James said in a pinched voice.
"Follow me," came Pietro's voice from behind her. Whipping around, she saw her brother, exactly like she remembered him.
"Like hell we will!" James argued, wrapping an arm around her defensively.
Wanda looked into Pietro's eyes. Mischievous blue twinkled back at her, but she could also see the worry around the edges of his eyes.
"Or not," he smirked. "We could waste our time standing around, waiting for those assholes to come find us."
Wanda's lips twitched. She looked up at James and wondered which dream he came from. Should he stay behind? Did it make her crazy for wanting to drag him along with her, even if he was just a figment of her imagination?
"He's not," Pietro said.
"Not what?" James asked.
Wanda felt the blood drain from her face as Pietro's words clicked in her brain. James was in her mind! And to think that all this time he was worried that she'd enter his brain without invitation. She'd come back to this once they got out of her head.
Pietro took hold of her hand and they suddenly found themselves standing in an open field.
"Are we back?" James asked.
"Kind of," Pietro said. "You still have to wake up."
Wanda shook her head. "What are you talking about?"
"This is a dream," Pietro explained.
"No shit, Sherlock."
Pietro rolled his eyes. "Look, you're over there."
Turning, James and Wanda saw themselves kneeling on the ground, surrounded by what appeared to be her powers. Black climbed up both their knees and tears were streaming down Wanda's face. James had a scowl on his.
"He was dragged in here with you."
"What? Why would you do that!" Wanda exclaimed, turning to glare at James.
"Like I was going to let you deal with this on your own? I meant what I said, Wanda. I'm here for you."
Wanda didn't know whether to smack him upside the head for being so reckless or to pull him in for a kiss for being to ridiculously caring.
"I'd take option number one," Pietro said.
Wanda rolled her eyes.
"What?" James asked with a tilt of his head.
Shaking her head, Wanda grasped James' hand. "Don't mind him, he's just invading my privacy by reading my thoughts."
"We're one in the same in here, Wand. There's no escaping me."
Wanda bit back her smile as she looked at her brother.
"Look, I came to help. Like always, you get yourself lost too deep inside your head and can't get out. It requires tough love and a hard tug to get you out of there. You should take notes, lover boy," he said, elbowing James.
Wanda felt flames spread across her face. James grinned in response.
"Now, you have to get out."
"Will I see you again?" Wanda wondered.
Her twin frowned. "I can't, Wanda. I'm dead, and I only came this once to get you on the right track. But I have to go back, Mum and Dad are waiting for me."
Wanda choked as many emotions rained down on her.
"You found them?"
"Yeah," he said. "And they're waiting for you, too. But not right now, Wanda. You've still got so much more to live for. You have a new family who needs you out there. We miss you, but we can wait for you to come home."
"Pietro…" Wanda reached out to him. His hand in hers was soft and his nails just a little too long. Wanda bit down on her lip as her eyes began to sting.
"Watch over her?" Pietro looked over her shoulder.
"I'll keep her safe," James promised.
"I'm not ready," Wanda confessed.
Pietro's mask cracked and she could see a tear slide down his cheek.
"Wanda. Darling, I know it hurts, but you're so strong and brave. I know you can make it. Out of the two of us, you were always the strongest one. If this had been reversed, and you were the one who died, I would've followed you within seconds. But look at you, you're out there living your life. You became an Avenger, Wanda. You made great friends and you have a new family who will do anything to protect you."
Wanda cried more as his image blurred in front of her. Coming closer, Pietro used his thumbs to wipe away her tears.
She remembered she was holding James' hand when she felt the metal arm gently squeeze her hand.
The twins both glanced at him.
"Yeah. You'll be in good hands," Pietro said, smiling at James and Wanda.
Letting go of James, Wanda wrapped her arms around her brother. "I miss you. I love you. Don't haunt anyone without me."
Pietro laughed. "I love you, too, Wanda."
Taking a step back, Pietro gave the pair a teary grin before fading from view. Wanda took in a shuddering breath, feeling like everything around her was falling apart.
"Come here," James said, wrapping his arms around her. "Let's go home."
Wanda calmed herself down. Taking another, more relaxed breath in, she cleared her mind and focused on her surroundings. Closing her eyes, she could feel the negative energy tangling itself into her brain, destroying everything she'd fought to make of herself and magnifying all of her faults. Deep within her, she could feel something living, growing, and infecting her with poison.
Letting anger course through her, the blackness hummed in delight. Wanda smirked and used her powers to pull at the dark, tearing its vines from her being. It fought back and ripped at her insides, leaving burning gashes behind.
James tightened his grip on Wanda as she shook in his arms. Seeing her face contort in pain, he wanted to shake her out of whatever trance she was in, but something, perhaps Pietro's lingering essence, held him back.
Red burst from Wanda's hands as she let out a deafening shriek.
