Chapter 8

Vision

Tony stormed into the room and tossed the arrow onto his workbench.

"Mr. Stark, are you all right?" Vis asked phasing through the wall. Tony glared at him.

"Hawkeye's in town." He nodded his head toward the arrow.

Vis's circuits surged. He didn't know if he was excited or anxious… maybe both.

"Wanda?"

Mr. Stark's glare softened. "I didn't see her." Vis nodded. Tony's eyes hardened again. "Hawk shot me," he whined. "I was trying to help the kid, and he shot me."

"You were trying to help someone who didn't sign the Accords?" Vision asked. "An action that surely would have seen you arrested… and he shot you?"

Mr. Stark blinked. "You don't think..."

"I do."

Mr. Stark turned to the almost working grid on his workspace. He pulled out a couple wires and rerouted them.

"I should probably get the space ready for the group tomorrow."

"Probably."

"Will you be around? I hear the best friend is a huge fan."

Vis watched him twist two wires together. "I will come and say hello."

"Good."

…

…

…

"He still shot me."

Wanda

"Shot through the heart, and you're to blame. Darlin' you give loooove a bad name (bad name)," Scott sang in her ear.

"Skip," Wanda muttered as Lester turned to the board to write out their homework.

"What? No Bon Jovi, today? Ok, ok, I got this." He jumped up and down in the crook of her sleeve and cracked his neck. "I put my hands up, they're playin' my song, the butterflies fly awaaay. Movin' my hips like yeah. Noddin' my head like yeah."

Wanda coughed through a laugh. Lester turned around and glared before returning to the board. The team always tried to keep her distracted during his class. She had to admit. It worked.

"Jeez Scott, you're almost worse than Clint," Natasha crackled over the comms.

"Nope, not possible," Sam said. "I'll take Miley any day if it keeps Clint away from the stereo."

"You have no appreciation for a classic, but I accept the support." Scott lifted a hand. "Long distance fist bump."

"No."

"But-"

"I'm not fist bumping to Miley Cyrus."

"But I thanked Red Wing."

"… Fine."

"Did he do it? Someone has to prove it. Oooh, you could snap a pic."

"Oh, come on," Sam complained.

"Nope, pic or it didn't happen."

The bell rang. Wanda let out a relieved breath and packed up her books as Scott scrambled back up to his place under her lapel. MJ was waiting for her by the door by the time she stood up.

"Oh, Ms. Belova," Lester called. She froze. MJ's brow furrowed in worry making Wanda think she didn't completely keep the flash of fear from crossing her face. "Could you hold back a sec?" He turned to MJ in the doorway. "She won't be long, promise."

Wanda's heart pounded in her chest. She didn't want to be alone with him. The last time it happened, he was in an interrogation room adding to her collection of bruises and burns. Only Scott's weight under her lapel kept her calm enough to control the red energy pulsing through her core. MJ tossed her one last look. Wanda forced her face to relax. It must have worked because MJ turned and left.

Lester stared at her. "I see you have a new bag." His eyes flicked to the backpack slung over her shoulder. Wanda forced herself not to hug it tighter.

"The other was a spare." She shrugged. "I didn't realize American teachers were so interested in our accessories."

Lester's eyes narrowed. "That's right… you're Sokovian, yes? You know..." He rounded the desk, and Wanda was suddenly aware there weren't any barriers between them. He leaned back to rest against it. "I knew someone from Sokovia once. Her accent was very similar… almost identical." Sweat gathered on Wanda's palms. She ignored the urge to wipe them on her jacket.

"Are you made?" Cap crackled through the comms. "Wanda, say the safe word, and we'll be there."

"No, she's fine," Natasha said. "He's just fishing."

"I don't suppose you knew her," Lester continued from his place against the desk. His eyes bore into hers. "Wanda Maximoff."

"I'm moving into position," Cap said. "Sam?"

"I'm ready, just tell us when, Wanda."

"Sokovia is a big country," she said instead, not breaking Lester's stare.

The substitute hummed. "So it is… Surely, you've seen her on the news though. Dangerous, deranged, she blew up a building in Lagos and killed more than a dozen people. A monster really."

Wanda quirked a brow, focusing on not letting the guilt fill her eyes.

"What an ass," Scott grumbled from under her lapel.

"I'm sorry Mr. Lester, did you need something for class?"

He stared at her. His fingers tapped the top of the desk once, twice.

"Your last pop quiz was sub-par. You'll need to complete all of the problems on page 573 instead of every other." Wanda's mouth dropped. What a petty son of a- Thanks to MJ she got a B on the last quiz. He pushed off the desk and walked back to the board. "Due tomorrow."

Wanda turned and did not storm out of the room.

"What happened?" MJ asked as soon as she was out. Wanda couldn't stop the glare before she saw it. "That bad, huh?"

"I can't wait to meet our real teacher. Any chance he'll be returning soon?" Wanda asked, knowing it would never happen.

"Ned heard next week."

Wanda looked at her.

"Yeah, I didn't believe it either." MJ stopped at her locker and threw her books in before pushing it closed. "Peter and Ned went ahead. They're waiting by the car."

"The car?" Wanda looked up surprised.

"Yeah, apparently the internship has some pretty major backing. Probably some arms dealer with blood money." MJ shrugged. "They sent a car."

"Well… we better not keep them waiting."

When MJ said car, she meant limo, and when she meant limo, she meant a limo with all the trappings, tinted windows, a driver, the works. Wanda stared. She hadn't seen anything as extravagant since Tony took her to see Stark Tower. Her heart ached and she buried the memory.

They piled in. Wanda caught MJ sneaking peeks at Peter and decided to slide in next to Ned to help her out. Peter and MJ ended up next to each other on the back seat. Clint was right. It was nice when a plan came together.

Wanda settled back to enjoy the ride.

"So how far is it anyway?" Ned asked.

"You mean you don't know either?" MJ asked, still sore the boys were holding out on them.

Ned shrugged. "Some details are better left for later… like the boring ones."

"Not far," Peter said. "The compound's just outside the city."

That didn't sound too bad.

Wait… Compound?

Wanda looked around with new eyes. Did all limos have back massagers and pull out foot spas? She didn't know. She'd only ever been in one.

The partition started to lower. Wanda took a breath. It was fine. There were plenty of compounds. Surely, Peter didn't mean the same one. She lived there for over a year, and she'd never seen him. Everything was fine.

"You kids ok? Wanna stop off for a burger or something on the way?" A voice drifted through the open partition.

Oh, shit.

Peter looked around at them. "No, Happy, thanks. We're fine."

"Not fine," Scott yelled through the comms. Peter's brow furrowed, his head snapping in her direction. Through the panic, Wanda threw up a hasty cloak. "Not fine. Definitely, not fine."

"What's going on?" Cap asked.

"Code iron," Scott yelled. "We have a code iron."

The drive was enough to calm Wanda's nerves. She was still jittery, but with some coaching from Cap and Natasha through the comms, she didn't feel completely out of her depths. The compound came into sight and an irrational relief filled her. It felt safe. It felt like home. It felt like Vis.

She reached out without thinking, unable to fight the urge. A feeler brushed his mind and the reaction was immediate. He tugged at her, enveloping her in warmth and comfort. She sunk into him unwilling to let go.

The car stopped.

They climbed out, and he was there. She buried her tears, buried her joy. Her face was a mask. He looked on in surprise.

Would he turn her in?

No, never. The thought brushed by her, seeking contact. She took a measured breath… and let him in.

"Mr. Parker," Vis said in greeting, "we're happy you and your friends could make it."

Ned looked like he was going to hyperventilate. "You're..." He looked back at Peter, and Peter grinned back. "You're The Vision." He stepped forward, took Vis's hand, and started shaking it. "It's an honor to meet you, sir. Do I call you, sir? What do you prefer? I'm flexible. I can say whatever. Oh, man-" he looked back at Peter –, "this is so cool."

Vis looked confused, and Wanda couldn't stop a laugh from falling out. MJ's normally reserved mask was about to crack too, so it seemed like a normal reaction.

"Vision is fine," he said, eyes lighting when he saw her smile. "Though my friends call me Vis."

Warmth spread through Wanda's chest.

"Hey, Vision," Happy said, coming around the car. "I didn't know you were joining us."

"Mr. Stark asked that I make an appearance." He looked down at Ned still shaking his hand. "It seems he thought I may be a welcome addition."

"That was very nice of you, Vis," Peter said, putting a hand on Ned's shoulder. Ned reeled in his inner fanboy and jumped back a step. "Thank you."

Vis bowed his head in acknowledgment. "Mr. Hogan, I can take them from here."

"Sounds good to me. May asked me to grab some coffee."

"Wait, what?" Peter's head snapped in his direction.

"Catch you later, Parker."

"But..." He looked back at them. MJ tried to hide a smirk. "Aunt May?"

"If you will all follow me?" Vis offered. "Perhaps it's best we head inside."

"Right," Peter muttered, watching Happy's back as he walked away. "Ok, yeah."

MJ tugged his elbow, and he fell in line.

Are you ok? The question drifted through Wanda's head. She sent a shot of warmth across the connection.

I am, she projected. The team has made sure of it. Are you?

He felt her concern about Secretary Ross and sent her reassurances.

Mr. Stark won't let them take me.

She couldn't stop the spark of anger at his name. It didn't matter what she told Clint, what Tony did hurt, and it was harder to bury through their connection.

Vis hesitated. He caressed her mind. He truly is very sorry.

She simmered against him. I'm not sure I care.

At least, not then. She wasn't ready to forgive him. Vis backed off, deciding not to push. She could feel his joy at seeing her, his disappointment at the realization she would have to leave. Even if she and Tony reconciled, she couldn't stay. They would both be arrested and Secretary Ross would have free rein over Vis. She would never let that happen.

They walked into the lab. It took effort to keep her steps steady. She didn't suck in a breath like she wanted. Tony sat at his workbench, something sparking as he soldered it into place. Light glinted off a metal ring lying next to him on the desk.

Her mind sizzled.

"Is that?" Scott asked from under her lapel, tone unusually soft. He couldn't hide his disgust.

Peter's ears perked. Wanda didn't have the control to cloak. She was using everything she had not to let the power bursting through her core destroy the room. She could feel the energy gathering in her hands and hid them behind her back. Hopefully, it was enough to hide the glow. She ran a finger over the bracelet Natasha gave her.

Breathe. Vis let his hand drift near hers. He squeezed her pinky in comfort, releasing before anyone could see. Remember what Sam taught you.

Stark spun on his stool to face them. He clapped his hands, and Wanda forced herself not to jump. Vis's presence at her back helped her grasp some control. She reeled her power in and felt the energy in her hands recede.

"Peter… and friends." He took the time to study each of them. "Great timing." He tapped a screwdriver on a piece of the grid on his desk. It sparked. "I thought you all might find my new project interesting… Plus, Peter promised free labor." He shrugged. "Who am I to argue?" He looked back at them. "First things first, names?"

"Peter," Peter said, raising his hand. Stark's eyes lit. He shot him an indulgent smile. "-er, I mean..." Peter sent MJ a desperate look.

She smirked but didn't make him wait. "Michelle Jones, but everyone who matters calls me MJ."

Stark cocked a brow. "I'll strive to live up to the honor."

Natasha crackled through the comms, "Wanda, play up your accent. Make it thicker. He may not make the connection."

Right, her voice…

"Ned Leeds, sir, Mr. Ironman, sir. Can I just say, it's an honor. I'm a huge fan and-"

"Ned," Peter whispered. He gave a small shake of his head and sent a quick, sheepish smile to Stark.

Stark turned to Wanda. She resisted the urge to swallow. Here went nothing. "Ana Belova." She laid it on thick, saying as little as possible. MJ sent her an odd look. The boys didn't seem to notice.

Stark blinked. "Let me guess," he pointed the screwdriver at her, "Sokovian."

She smiled focusing to include her eyes. "Genius."

"That I am." He returned her smile. "A woman of few words. I respect that." He spun back to the desk. She couldn't keep her gaze from drifting to the collar.

Stark reached out and grabbed it. She felt something in her twist.

"This..." He said turning back to them and holding it up. Wanda felt Vis hovering behind her sending warmth and comfort through their connection. "Is an abomination." Wanda's mouth didn't fall open, as she felt the disgust spike through him. She didn't know what she expected, but that wasn't it.

"It's cheap, dirty, inelegant, and unnecessarily cruel. The man who designed it should be hung and quartered."

Wanda worked to keep her face blank.

"Our over-reaction to the supposed enhanced individuals threat, no doubt," MJ quipped.

Tony tossed the ring to the side not caring where it flew. "Got it in one." The collar clattered against the floor.

He turned back to the grid sitting on the desk. "Your goal, ladies and gentlemen, is to improve it."

"Improve it?" The words were out before Wanda could process she said them. It felt like whiplash. Her stomach turned. She felt like she was going to be sick.

"Yep." Stark didn't turn around. She used his distraction to glare daggers at the back of his head. She didn't care how many laps Natasha added onto her next training session. "You're going to create something that suppresses an enhanced individual's abilities… without injuring them."

Wanda's glare softened… a little.

"Unlike the other design." MJ raised a brow.

Tony breathed out a laugh. "Yeah, kid, unlike the other design," he muttered. He spun back to them, and Wanda hid her anger under a blank mask. "This is your blueprint." He pointed the screwdriver back at the grid. "It has the basics, but some serious-," he touched the tip to one of the metal clusters. It sparked – "electrical engineering issues." Stark tossed the screwdriver to Peter. He caught it without looking already absorbed in the design. "Nothing you can't handle, I'm sure."

"Mmhm," Peter hummed, dropping his bag on an empty chair, and moving closer to the prototype.

"Right," Stark watched him with a knowing stare. He shook his head and turned to the rest of them. "You lot, I let Peter bring you with conditions."

"Conditions?" MJ crossed her arms.

"Yep, only one, super easy, if anyone asks, you tell them exactly what Peter is working on here. Some sketchy government types might approach you about his internship. If they do, your condition for being here is to tell them the truth. Capeesh?" He walked to the door. "Good talk. Looking forward to working with you." He turned before leaving. "Good luck."

"Sketchy government types?" MJ asked the room. She turned to Peter. "Your life is so weird."

He flicked a glance up from the grid. "You have no idea."

Peter

The afternoon progressed like most of their study sessions. Peter doled out tasks and obsessed over the design and circuitry. MJ sat in the corner working through some calculations he needed. Ned and Ana grabbed the computer and announced they were on research duty. Peter suspected Ned was looking up more movie trivia than engineering solutions, but that was ok. He and Ana seemed to be having fun, and they always found the answer when he asked a question.

Vis kept coming in and out, too, which was pretty awesome. That's right. He was on nickname basis with an Avenger. His superhero career was really looking up.

Peter erased a section of the drawing he was working on and redid the circuits. He motioned for the design to transfer to the holo-table. That should work. He zoomed into a tricky section and examined it. Yeah, it should definitely work.

Now, all he needed was-

MJ tossed the notebook she was working on down in front of him.

Yes! The calculations. He could kiss her. Wait. No. What? He meant… uh.

He felt his cheeks flush.

"Thanks," he said.

She smirked. Her eyes drifted around the room. She leaned against the desk.

"I'm thinking about going on a snack run. Stark mentioned the possibility of popcorn… Anyone interested?"

"I'm good," he said, excited he had everything to try his new idea.

"I'm in," Ned jumped at the chance. "Ana?"

"I'm ok, thank you, though."

"Suit yourself."

They left, Ned going on about the latest trailer he saw for a new Star Wars movie. Peter turned to the grid and started rerouting power and circuits to match the new design.

"She wanted you to go with her."

"What?" Peter looked up in surprise. Ana was studying him a playful glint in her eye. "Who MJ? Nah, she was just… going for a snack."

"Mmhm." Ana didn't seem convinced.

"Really..."

"Ok." She shrugged, turning back to the computer. They worked in silence for a couple minutes.

"You think?" He couldn't keep the hopeful edge out of his voice.

Ana smiled, her eyes crinkling. "Yeah, Peter. I think she likes spending time with you."

He couldn't stop the grin from spreading across his face as he turned back to the grid. He twisted a couple wires together and plugged a new sensor chip into the board. It should be enough to withstand a basic test run. Done.

"Want to try it out?" He asked motioning toward the grid.

She raised a brow. "How?"

Oh, right. As far as she knew, there weren't any enhanced individuals to test it on.

"Well, we could turn it on and see if it doesn't explode at least." She didn't need to know if he confirmed the results.

Ana breathed out a laugh. "Sounds promising." He shot her the grin that always made Aunt May bring out the fire extinguisher. She laughed harder. "You know my brother used to smile like that. Nothing good ever followed."

She has a brother? He tucked the knowledge away to examine later.

"Then we better live up to his legacy." Peter caught the crinkles around her eyes fall despite her smile as he turned to the grid. "Now, for the collar design, the sensor essentially malfunctioned when it read a calibrated psionic energy, delivering a shock to the subject when detected." He swallowed and stretched his neck. He couldn't imagine if it were calibrated for him. It felt like his skin buzzed with radioactive energy constantly. It was what gave him his crazy accurate senses, and he didn't know how to turn it off. Peter shot a wary look at the metal circle lying unassuming on the floor where Mr. Stark threw it.

He shook himself. "Our design," he continued, "should detect all foreign energy, not just psionic, and disperse it as it's released, rendering any subjects within a ten foot radius incapable of using inhuman capabilities. Ready?" Peter looked up. Ana looked nervous. She nodded.

He grinned, then flipped the switch.

Pain.

It thrashed through him, burning every cell in his body, clawing scratching, sizzling with nowhere to go. He felt his body collapse. A scream stuck in his throat as he lost control of his muscles.

The air fizzed. Something exploded. Suddenly, a red mist was cradling him, shielding him. Peter coughed. His head lulled to the side.

"Ow," he groaned.

The grid sat smoking on the desk. He really did blow it up. Mr. Stark was going to kill him.

Ana. His eyes grew with worry. They darted around the room, trying to find her. She stood in a defensive stance in the middle of the room glaring at the grid. Red tendrils snaked from her hands making her hair float as her eyes glowed with the same energy.

No, not red… Scarlet… Like Scarlet Witch… Ana was Scarlet Witch? But he fought her. Ana didn't look anything like her... and didn't Mr. Stark say her name was Wanda? What was-

"I couldn't exactly attend school as myself," she said, voice strained. Her face shimmered showing the features he remembered before shimmering back.

Oh, right. The whole criminal thing.

She flinched.

And she could read thoughts… Good job, Peter.

"Sorry," he said, dragging himself up to sit against the desk.

A smile ghosted across her lips as she straightened. "Occupational hazard." She shrugged, staggering a couple steps to collapse into a chair. "Are you ok?"

He laughed under his breath. "Yeah, you?"

She didn't answer. He glanced over. She looked pale as she fiddled with a bracelet around her wrist. "Ana- uh- Wanda?"

She blinked. Her eyes flicked to his. "Fine."

Vis phased through the wall, searching the room frantically. He flew to An- Wanda's side. She relaxed into his arms. "I wiped the videos," Peter heard him whisper. "The only thing left is..." They both looked over to him.

Peter's eyes widened. She couldn't just read thoughts. She could change them. He held up his hands.

"It's ok Peter," she said getting up and taking a step closer.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, come on, you don't have to do that. I know how to keep a secret," he pleaded. "I won't tell anyone, promise."

She hesitated, looking back at Vis.

"It's up to you," he said.

A-Wanda turned back to Peter. "It's dangerous if you remember," she warned.

"You've looked in my head… I'm used to danger."

She stared at him with a blank face. It was eerie. She nodded, and he let out a breath. Vis gave her another squeeze on her shoulder before he turned and phased through a wall.

Peter couldn't believe it. He'd been hanging out with Scarlet Witch. Him, hanging out with an Avenger. That had to be a step in the right direction. They even buddied up after the bank robbery… His brow furrowed, eyes drifting to his book bag. Wait.

"Have you wiped my memory before?" He asked.

Wanda shifted on her feet, eyes darting away. "I saw your suit," she admitted, "and you saw. I made you not worry about it, but that was it."

Peter nodded. It made sense. It was still creepy. Something fuzzed in his brain, and he remembered.

"Whoa, that's weird." He studied her and realized he didn't actually know her very well. "You're not going to like… burn me at the stake or something?"

She looked at him like he was crazy.

"I just mean because the book Mrs. Lille assigned made it seem like..."

"That wasn't how it… Did you actually do the reading?" She asked, exasperated.

Peter looked down and scuffed his toe against the floor. "I may have skimmed the Sparknotes." He looked up and she was smiling. He returned it. "I had a lot going on that week."

She laughed. "Uh huh." She turned her attention to the smoking prototype. "So… what are we going to do about that? It seems pretty broken."

He shrugged. "Come back tomorrow and fix it?"

She shot him a smile. Her eyes crinkled. "Sounds like a plan."

MJ and Ned walked in and froze staring at the disaster on the desk.

"So… what did we miss?"