Avengers: Don't Get in My Way
Chapter 12
Charles' eyes fluttered open as he gradually broke contact with Wanda's mind. The experience he'd just had was unlike anything he'd ever had before. The memories, the feelings, the sounds, all of those were normal and familiar. It was the conversation with the phantom that was both Vision and the Mind Stone, but yet wasn't either/or but some combination of both that was very unusual. Most would have probably disregarded it as some sort of elaborate deception, but Charles knew the differences between a human mind and an incredibly different and very alien presence all together when he was in proximity to one.
He had excellent recall, almost eidetic memory, but there were times when some details would slip through the cracks. Those times didn't happen often, but they had been known to happen, occasionally. The experience he had just returned from, however, that was one he remembered in vivid detail.
Even the minute little things that everyone usually overlooks due to their being inconsequential to the overall event were firmly etched into his memory. The entire experience was firmly centered in his mind. Charles reasoned that was probably the Mind Stone/Vision construct's doing.
Wanda's eyes opened seconds later, and she seemed even more disoriented than he was. She blinked and looked around the room in confusion, and finally settled on Charles. It was clear that she was sluggish. The journey had taken as much of a toll on her as it had on him it seemed.
"Professor?" she asked finally. Her voice sounded far away and under water to her own ears. She could only imagine what it sounded like to him. "That was…unique."
"I couldn't agree more, my dear," answered Charles as he adjusted himself in his chair and got his wits back about him. "Despite the fact that it was extremely disconcerting, it was also very illuminating and fruitful. I believe it shed some light on some crucial details."
Wanda nodded softly and fell silent. She stared into her palms and traced every line in her palms before she half whispered, "Please be blunt, Professor. Am I crazy? Have I lost my hold on reality and slowly pushing towards the edge?"
The question elicited a quiet laugh from the older man as he reached over to place his hand on her wrist. He caught her gaze and didn't waver as he responded, "No, Wanda, you are not crazy. You are far from it. Though, in all honesty, most people would most likely have lost their hold on reality if they had experienced what little I saw among your memories and felt from your inner being. It speaks very strongly of the strength and resilience of your mind. I don't believe you are aware of how truly powerful you are on your own, without those to bolster you." He nodded towards the slowly rotating stones circling her wrist.
She exhaled a heavy breath and placed her face in the palms of her hands. Her body shook for a long moment before she managed to creak out, "I'm beginning to learn, Professor. And it terrifies me, the way it feels, the things I see. Every second is a war to hold onto my mind and not allow it to just…explode. Self destruct. I can feel my strength slipping, Professor. I'm close to my breaking point, I can feel it. I'm dangerous, to everyone that I care about, to everyone period. I understand why Rhodey and the others are so scared, why they want to stop me now while they still have hope of doing so."
"Wanda, I want you to listen to me very carefully," Charles said as he turned completely towards her and held her hands to give her an emotional anchor. He could feel her anxiety rising and the balance of her emotions starting to tip to one side.
When she nodded, he continued, "First, you possess abilities that can be dangerous, but that does not make you yourself dangerous. Your powers are not you, nor are you them. You are in control; they obey your commands.
"Yes, they can escape your control. The same is true of anyone that possesses abilities such as ours. It is a possibility. That's all it is, a possibility. I believe that if it were to somehow happen that you did indeed lose control of your powers that you wouldn't harm anyone. You are stronger than you think, and in such a situation I believe your subconscious would manage to guide your powers away from such a consequence," he finished as he searched her eyes for signs of understanding and acknowledgment.
Tears started to well up in her eyes and her gaze seemed to stare through his eyes into something very far away. She whispered through a choking sob, "That I wouldn't harm anyone? Like I didn't harm anyone in Lagos? Like I didn't harm anyone when I almost destroyed Clint's house and nearly killed him and his family in the process?"
Charles sighed. He had seen flashes of those incidents in her mind, but they were occluded by the stronger memories and feelings that comprised the storm that he managed to weather. He felt the massive knot of emotions while he examined her mind, and he felt them now. They were strong enough that he could feel them as if they were a physical force.
"You didn't kill Clint and his family. They are alive and well, because you managed to wrest back control." He paused and touched her cheek softly for a moment. "The deaths in Lagos were tragic; no one could deny that fact. You have to realize, though, that their deaths weren't caused by you losing control of your powers. Outside forces broke your concentration and your control.
"This isn't some sort of excuse, Wanda. Do you think that the same thing hasn't happened to anyone else? I can assure you that it has, even to me. It took me a very long time to come to grips with it, but I eventually did come to grips with it. It doesn't reverse it, it doesn't excuse it. Bad things happen to good people as much as they do to bad people.
"I would surmise that your plan for undoing the things that Thanos did isn't intended to make things a bed of roses for everyone in the universe? That wouldn't be the natural order of things, and it would indeed upset the balance of the universe, as unfortunate as it is."
She shook her head softly. "I want to make everything perfect. I really do. But I know that I can't. Everything happens as it happens for a reason. In order for there to be good, there must be bad. I know that. I plan to reverse everything he did, to bring back everyone that died as a result of his madness, to restore what was destroyed, to make everything, good and bad, exactly as it was. The only real exception would be leaving Thanos and his army in the same oblivion that he sent us to. I can't possibly let this all start over again because he pursues the same madness he did before," she said in a quiet tone.
Charles could feel her pain and he understood it. It was harsh and overwhelming, and he was amazed at her ability to stay in control for as long as she had. Her control was slipping, he knew that, but he still had faith that she would persevere. He knew the strength she had, even if she didn't. She will overcome it. If anyone could possibly overcome it, it's her.
"That alone speaks volumes about you…and the question of your sanity. We can talk more later if you wish. Right now, I think perhaps we should let the others know what we've learned during our journey."
X
"Let me get this straight," Bucky said as Peter, Hope and Scott reentered the room. He fixed Charles in his gaze. "You want permission to go into my head, stick something in there, and then everything is five by five?"
"Whoa, whoa, wait…what?" asked Scott as he glanced at everyone. "What's this about sticking something in somebody's head? Isn't that kind of…you know…dangerous?" He was somewhat bewildered, since he'd entered the room in the middle of a conversation he hadn't heard the beginnings of.
Wanda sat slightly apart from everyone else, and was so far silent. The expression on her face was hard for everyone to read, but it was obvious that she'd been crying recently. Charles was situated neutrally between her and the rest of the people in the room.
Tony held up his hands in a T formation. "Okay, okay, time out. Let me get Scott up to speed so he knows what's going on, and the questions will be at a minimum," he said.
Turning to Scott, he said, "Okay, let me break it down for you, Fruity Pebble. I'll give you the Cliff Notes version, okay? Wheels over here —excuse me, sorry Professor— Professor Xavier, that's the guy in the wheelchair over there, is a psychic. I don't mean a Gypsy fortune teller or some two bit Vegas whack job, he's the real deal. The real McCoy.
"Anyway, he just took a garden stroll through Wanda's mind. I don't know if it was a moonlight stroll or not. His job was to get in there and see if there were a couple of loose bolts, or a blown gasket. If all her cylinders were hitting in time, okay? So he went in, and since it'd take too damned long to tell us with a whole bunch of talk, he's going to be a time saver, and he's going to deliver it UPS, Federal Express, get it to us one day delivery.
"He's going to go into our heads, and put a copy of Wanda's greatest hits in our heads so we can play it back. We'll see and hear what he saw and heard. Lord, I hope she wasn't thinking about anything embarrassing. He just wants our permission before he just goes in and sets up shop. Are you with me here, Scott Rod?"
A low grumble was barely audible in the background, "You should have given him the 'See Jane. See Jane Run' version, and made sure to use the pictures." Hank tapped his fingers impatiently on a console.
When Janet and Hope both rounded on him with angry expressions, he held up a hand, "Okay, okay, I'm sorry. I take it back, Scott."
Scott looked over his shoulder and briefly glanced at Janet and Hope before he shrugged. "It's okay, Hank. I got used to you ages ago. I take your snark and grouchiness as expressions of affection and endearment. If you were nice to me, I'd know you hated me."
He turned back around, and nodded at Peter with a wink as he answered Tony, "Okay, so the Professor is going to share what he saw and heard with us through telepathy. Right, got it. You've got my permission, Professor."
Thor moved to stand beside Charles and let his gaze sweep the room before he said, "For those who are uncertain as to the safety of this, I can vouch for this man personally. Several of us know Charles Xavier well, and know him to be a man of honesty and honor. If he says he will not intrude or cause harm to your mind, you can take his word as if were written on stone in your hands, or bound in iron."
Steve stepped over to where Bucky stood and laid a hand on his shoulder. "Hey, Buck," he said quietly. "I know you're a bit touchy about the whole mind thing. Like Thor said, a lot of us know Professor Xavier. What Thor said is true. Do you trust me?"
Bucky glanced from Steve to Charles to Thor and back. Finally, he nodded. "Yeah, of course I do. So if you tell me that this Professor won't fuck around up there, I'll take it as gospel."
Steve smiled lightly and clapped his friend on the shoulder as he replied, "Then you might want to warm up your pipes before Sunday, because you've got choir practice. The Professor is exactly what he says he is. I trust him, so you can trust him."
The pair of lifelong friends shared a wry smile and quiet chuckle between them as the others responded to the question. There were varying degrees of apprehension and hesitation, but one by one, they agreed until they hit Dr. Strange.
"I'm sorry, Professor, there's no offense intended, but I have to say no. It's far too dangerous to allow anyone to enter my mind, with all the defenses of our reality readily available in my mind if someone decided to borrow that kind of information," Dr. Strange said in a defensive tone.
Carol pushed off the wall and crossed her arms over her chest as a smart assed smile came to her lips. "Aww, what's the matter, Dumbledore? Are you afraid of the big bad guy in the wheelchair rolling over your mind like a lawnmower over tall grass?"
"Yeah," chimed in Pietro as he approached Strange. "If you're so powerful and all knowing, the great and grand 'Sorcerer Supreme' I think you called it, what do you have to fear? You're the 'Master of the Mystic Arts,' no one can possibly get over on you," he sneered with more than a little hostility.
"You have nothing to worry about, Doctor," added T'Challa as he picked up his helmet and tucked it under his arm. "The Professor is a friend to me, and was a friend to my father and Wakanda before me. If he were a threat, I would be the first to raise a hand. My hands remain at my side."
"So unless you're a mystic chicken, buckle up, Buttercup. You wanted confirmation one way or the other, here it is. You're about to get it, and we all know that if you don't see it and hear it for yourself, you're just going to decide you're right anyway, and to hell with whether or not you're wrong," said Clint, who had remained silent and bitten his tongue for a while. At this, though, he was wearing thin on patience.
A voice rang out with a commanding timbre from behind the group with a statement, "If I were you, Doc, I'd listen to the man. The man says he can show you the answer, you might want to take a peek. Xavier's a lot of things, all of them pretty good, at least from where I'm standing. Besides, when he can, if he chooses to, read every damned mind in the room and tell you what color Fruit of the Looms you're wearing, what you're planning on doing two weeks from now, and what brand of toilet paper you use, I'd think that pretty much establishes him as the man with the most reliable intel."
"As I live and breathe, how are you, Nick my friend?" asked Xavier with a mild smile gracing his face. "It's been some time. If I recall correctly, I owe you afternoon tea. It seems you were otherwise occupied being shot and dying. The little inconveniences, eh?"
Nick Fury strode casually into the room. His long black trench coat billowed about him as he finally stopped near Charles' chair. Though everyone in the room knew him to some degree or other, his very presence commanded silence and attention.
"Yeah, they tend to get in the way. Take my advice, my friend. If anyone ever offers to shoot you, politely decline. It's a really shitty experience, and tends to fuck up your favorite shirts," he commented offhandedly as he pulled up a chair and sat down.
"So, is this a private party, or can you handle a gate crasher?" he asked after a moment of silence. "Speaking of intel, I'd like a serving of that as well, if you don't mind, Charles. I like to stay on top of things, as you well know."
Finally, the room grew silent. Charles moved his chair to the center of the room, and made eye contact with everyone, one by one. In a serious tone, he said, "A great deal of what you are going to experience is extremely intense. It will not be an easy thing to observe at many points as well. I don't wish to trample on Wanda's privacy, as some of what you will see is of an extremely personal nature."
Wanda shook her head softly and interrupted, "I doubt there's little there that they either don't know or suspected already. If this will help them understand, and will help resolve all this, I am perfectly willing for them to experience it."
Charles nodded as Clint came to Wanda's side and wrapped a reassuring arm around her shoulders. He whispered something to her, and the young woman smiled for an ever so brief moment.
"Very well, then. Prepare yourselves, this will not be pleasant," Charles said.
His eyes closed and he concentrated. Each person felt a tingle in their heads, and a pressure that reached into their minds themselves. Suddenly, each person in the room was seeing vivid and fast moving images, hearing overlapping sounds, and witnessing everything that Charles had experienced himself.
The experience was intense as Charles had advised, and even then most of them weren't prepared for the magnitude of the entire occurrence.
"Holy shit…" whispered a voice that Charles recognized as Carol. In her particular corner of the room, her eyes were closed and she wore an absolutely stunned expression. She shook and it was obvious she was feeling the same feelings that Wanda had whirling about in her thoughts.
Another voice whispered, "Oh, my God…" and was followed by stunned silence. Much like Carol, Hope was shocked by the sheer devastation that permeated the memories that played through her mind.
All around the room, there were some whispered words of shock at what they were seeing and hearing. A few of them had tears on their faces, while some that were particularly of the mind that they were tough enough that they could handle it were surprised to discover that it wasn't as easy to observe as they thought it would be.
Even Strange, who had finally relented after a bout of badgering and consented to be given the account of what had been in Wanda's mind fell into the cold devastation that Wanda was feeling. In the almost complete silence of the room, sympathetic mumbles could be heard coming from his own mouth.
On and on the silence went until finally, quite some time later, everyone's eyes opened once more. Tears fell from Janet's cheeks in empathy for the young woman, and around the room, similar reactions were observed from most, though they manifested in different ways. The mood of the room was quiet and somber.
Peter wiped his nose and turned around to place his hands on a counter spread wide, and lean forward. His body shook a little, and there was distinct sniffling heard from where he stood. The young man had never experienced anything that had prepared him for what he had rolling over and over in his mind. He'd never experienced feelings that were so strong for someone like she felt for Vision, and the rage and anguish that he now knew she experienced continued to send shock waves through his entire being.
"Now that everyone has observed what happened, heard what was said, and saw for themselves the memories Wanda has, we can address the answer most of you were looking for when my assistance was requested," Charles said. The emotion in the room was thick enough to cut with a knife. "As I'm sure you have realized by now, Wanda is by no means insane. Devastated and feeling utterly destroyed, perhaps, but not insane. That question should have been answered sufficiently to leave no doubt behind as to its accuracy."
Even Clarice had drawn her knees to her chest, and buried her face in her arms that hugged them. She shook violently and there was no doubt that she was shedding a prodigious amount of tears in sympathy for the young woman. Charles knew it would be some time before she could gather herself enough to raise her head from the protective hole her arms and legs created.
More silence followed as the echoes of Charles' words rang throughout the room and soon died to silence again. Bruce stood completely still for several moments before he walked to where Wanda was sitting.
He patted her shoulder in silent acknowledgment that he understood, and turned towards the window to stare out it into the lush jungle beyond it. It was the same sort of pain that he felt because of the loss of Natasha. He knew it wasn't exactly the same, of course, but it was close enough that it didn't take too big a stretch of the imagination to empathize with her.
Sam, who like many had been silent for the most part, stood up and looked around the room. "Okay, it seems to me like this whole argument of whether or not she's crazy, whether or not she's right, and all that jazz is over. I think we have a pretty good picture of the actual situation. So, now the question is, if we're all on the same side again, what the hell are we going to do about it?" he asked the silent room.
Carol crossed her arms and leaned back against the wall. "I think it should be pretty damned obvious. She wants to fix it, she's definitely got the means, the will and the motivation to fix it, so as far as I'm concerned, we let her fix it. This could have been over weeks ago, if it weren't for all this 'should we, shouldn't we' bullshit.
"I'll say it again, if it were me that was able to use the damned things, I would have fixed it all as soon as I had them all, and we'd all be sitting under an umbrella on the beach, sipping drinks and laughing about how we all stomped the shit out of the ugly purple bastard," she answered. Her tone was direct and blunt, but not hostile.
Rhodey had been listening a lot since Wanda had repaired his back. It was as if it had never been injured. He was happily surprised to discover that he didn't even have pain from stiffness. He wore a thoughtful expression as he moved over to where Wanda sat.
"Listen, Wanda," he began as he sat in a chair in front of her. "I know a large part of all this stink is on me. I started the ball rolling. I'm sorry about that. It wasn't that I don't like you, or I don't trust you, or anything like that.
"It was because we've all seen and heard what these things do to people that have them. As bad as your emotional state was, and honestly still is, it was a risk that the power would simply be too great to resist with all that pain, and wonder why stop at fixing things, why not make it better?
"Or maybe you'd think the power is yours, you already have it, so why give it up? I think we were afraid if that happened, 'better' would mean a lot of bad stuff. It wouldn't have helped if you were lured in by that power.
"I know I should have had more faith in you, it's just my reflex is to assess potential threats, and whether I liked it or not, I couldn't say you weren't a threat. I hope you understand. I would have done the same thing no matter who it was that had the ability to use the things. It wasn't personal. You're my friend and I didn't want to see my friend disappear in the black hole that extreme power can be."
Wanda's eyes lingered on his as he spoke. She understood what he was doing, and even why he was doing it. She understood all of their reservations and fears. "Rhodey," she finally replied. "I understand why you did it, and what you were doing. I was ever only angry at Dr. Strange, not everyone else. And even that anger was really more annoyance than actual anger."
"You didn't hurt anybody, or put anybody in danger, Wanda," Bucky said as he glanced over from where he and Steve had been talking quietly. "I can't say the same thing when all of you first encountered me. I know Steve is the only one who felt that things weren't what they looked like, because he's the one that knew me. But, in the grand scheme of things, it didn't take long for the rest of you to trust Steve enough to start giving me some room for doubt. Once you did, you accepted me as one of you. Except Sam, of course." He chuckled and winked at his friend.
Sam laughed and folded his arms in mock indignation. "Oh, so that's how it's gonna be, huh?"
Bucky let a wry smile cross his face. "But even you finally started trusting me, because you trusted Steve. It just took a little while longer is all," he retorted as he turned back towards Wanda.
"Anyway, my point is that you did a lot less damage, and gave everybody a lot less reason to mistrust you than I gave them. So, even I could figure out that it'd finally come down to them trusting you. I just wish it'd happened a lot sooner is all. But be that as it may, you've got the whole pack of us behind you. So, what's the next move?" Bucky finished.
At that moment, the door slid open with a swishing sound, and Shuri came into the room. Her expression was elated as she looked towards Wanda first, and then everyone else.
"It's finished, the additions are complete and in place!" she exclaimed as she practically bounced on the highly polished floor. Excitement flowed through her; this was the first time she'd attempted something like this and it seemed to have been a good attempt as far as anyone could tell.
Wanda's face grew hopeful but she tried to not let things go too far, not until she heard everything from Shuri. "Is he…will he be okay, then? Will he be able to do what I asked you about, Shuri?"
"Yes!" answered Shuri immediately. "He is dormant right now, of course, because he needs the Mind Stone to be properly himself, but his body is just waiting for it. Everything checks out, and the extras you asked me about will work absolutely perfectly."
"Good work, Shuri," T'Challa said as he regarded her with a proud smile. "As usual, you have done what was asked, and surpassed it."
Wanda leaped up from her seat and hugged Shuri fiercely. Her face grew wet rapidly with tears, but they were tears of joy and relief more so than sadness now. "Thank you so much, Shuri. I don't know how I can ever hope to repay what you've done…what you've given me…given us."
Tony tossed a blueberry into his mouth and approached them both. "Seems like all that's left is to zippity zap the sparklies to prepare for the Snap 4.0, and then get Nat, give Vision back his glow rock, and tell the others to go take a flying leap into infinity," he said with a bemused expression. The sides of his goatee stretched upwards as a smile formed.
Strange looked around the room at everyone. Everyone seemed to have forgotten the danger that surrounded those stones. He waited for a lull in the conversation before he broke in, "I'm very pleased to hear that you weren't truly angry with me, Miss Maximoff. I admit, I had wondered why you had done nothing more severe than make my cloak bind me."
Everyone enjoyed a small laugh, including Strange, when he reminded them of that. "I apologize to everyone if I sounded a bit…severe. As the Sorcerer Supreme, it's my duty to keep and protect the Time Stone. Needless to say, I was concerned as I know just how potent weapons the stones can be, especially the Time Stone."
Wanda turned from the conversation with some of the others, and regarded him with a cool expression. Only Pietro could guess at what was going through her mind, and even he didn't think he was certain what it could be.
After several moments, she drew a breath and cast him an understanding nod. "I understand your concerns and why you had them, Doctor," she answered. Her expression softened a little as she continued, "I don't bear you any ill will. In your place, I'd probably have done the same. But if you are hinting about the fate of the Time Stone once I'm finished, you needn't worry. I will return the Soul Stone to Vormir once I exchange it for Nat, I'll be returning the Mind Stone to Vision, of course. And I will be entrusting the Time Stone back into your care, where it's supposed to be. The rest, I'm going to scatter to far corners of the universe where I hope they will remain hidden forever, or at least long enough for them to become simply legend and myth once more."
Strange nodded in acknowledgment, but didn't speak any further. The room was much more animated and alive than it had been just moments ago. The room was once more filled with the spirit of camaraderie, and voices not laced with extreme gravity and tension. It was a pleasant change that seemed to lift enormous weight off everyone's shoulders, especially Wanda's.
"Shuri, would it be okay if I…well, if I saw him? Before I get started, I mean?" she asked in a slightly quavering voice. Her hands were shaking and she had to clench her fists to stop them. It had been so long since she had seen him whole, except for her memories.
Shuri smiled and took her arm gently. Wanda's hand tremors weren't unnoticed, but she said nothing. She began to lead Wanda to the lab. "Of course it would be okay," she said cheerfully as they walked quickly down the corridor.
After a few moments, they arrived at the lab. Wanda wondered how Shuri navigated it with so much equipment and so many projects, but she knew exactly where everything was at any time.
Near the door was the same table that Vision had been upon when the city was attacked by Thanos' forces. She covered her mouth and slowly approached him. Wanda's eyes welled up but no tears fell at that moment. All she could was stare at him for long moments. Shuri understood and gave her some space. This was a very meaningful moment for Wanda and she didn't want to disrupt it in any way.
Finally, Wanda's fingers traveled like feathers over his cheek, over his lips, along his arm and chest, and back again. Part of her couldn't believe it, even though she knew it was real. Except for the absence of the Mind Stone, he looked perfectly normal, as if he were sleeping.
Wanda's hand wrapped around his and she bent down to whisper to him, "Soon, Viz. Very soon you'll be whole and awake once more, and we'll be together. You are everything to me. My heart, my love, my life and very soul. Without you there has been nothing left. But soon, we'll have it all back. All of it."
Her eyes moved up to his forehead and she inspected the enhancements she'd asked Shuri to make. Everything seemed exactly as she imagined it, and it looked like it would do everything she requested. "You did a wonderful job," she called back to Shuri over her shoulder. "Thank you so much. Thank you from both of us."
Shuri felt her own eyes growing a little wetter than normal. She knew that Wanda had been in unbelievable pain, and now she seemed so much lighter and brighter. This is the way she should have always been. If I was able to help her return to that in the least way, I am very happy to have done so. In my heart, we are friends, despite the fact that we've known each other only a short while with limited contact. Yet there is a bond, whether it's me helping her with Vision, or something else, it doesn't matter. Not to me.
Aloud, she nodded as she went to the head of the bed and checked her instruments that were monitoring Vision, "You both are so very welcome. I'm glad that I could help in some way." Shuri continued after a moment of silence, "If you'd like to remain here a little longer before you go to complete your task, it is perfectly fine with me. I can only imagine the relief you must be feeling."
The young woman smiled softly and gave the Princess a slow nod. As Shuri went about her business with the other projects she had in progress, Wanda caressed Vision's face, touching each and every line, curve and dip.