CHAPTER FOUR: ACCEPTANCE

WANDA - SHIELD HOSPITAL ROOM

Wanda sat in the hospital bed in complete shock. Without directly saying it, the doctor had just accused her of being pregnant. That wasn't possible in any way. She hadn't been with anyone. Her cheeks flushed in embarrassment as she looked at Bucky beside her. He'd probably never get a mile near her after this.

"I don't understand, Wanda. How can you have the serum?" His gentle eyes were genuinely asking her a question she couldn't answer.

"I swear I don't know. All of this just seems so… outlandish." This made Bucky shift back and focus on something. She could see the gears going in his head.

"What did the witch say to you?" Wanda tilted her head. "When she took our blood." A crippling realization dawned on her.

"I can't bring back the dead but I can help create. I'll give you the family you desperately need."

She had combined both of their blood in her ball of energy as she chanted.

"Now we have a trade."

"No," Wanda whispered as the words replayed in her head.

"Wanda, look at me." She didn't want to but turned to face Bucky. His face was stern and worried. "Is this possible?"

"No," she cried. "No, you can't just," she waved her hands in desperation, "make kids!" She watched Bucky bury his face in his hands. "You believe me, right?" Bucky sighed and peeked at her through long fingers.

"I barely believe in witches and powers. I can't tell what's possible anymore." Her heart tugged at his words. All he had done was try to help her yesterday and look at the mess she had dragged him into. This is why she had stayed away for so long.

"Bucky," she swallowed hard and put a hand over his that now rested on the bed. "I'm sorry you have to deal with any of this. I swear it was never my intention to drag you into this. I don't know what Agatha did yet but it wasn't this. There are laws and order in nature. You can't just create life." She wasn't sure if she was trying to convince Bucky or herself. He nodded slowly.

"Okay. I trust you." He put a hand over hers and gave it a squeeze. "I'm just glad you're okay." She gave him a small smile, thankful for his kindness. "I'll let you get some rest, okay?" He got up and gave her one last look before he left the room. She sat back, wild thoughts swirling around in her head. It wasn't possible. She was ridiculous for even considering it.

A few days passed by before she was finally cleared to leave. Bucky had come in to check on her each day and see how she was doing. She knew he felt bad for her, having seen her so vulnerable that night but she didn't mind some company. If it weren't for him, no one would've visited her.

She felt normal leaving the medical bay. Although Bucky had made a few jokes about her new condition as a supposed super soldier, she didn't notice a difference. She wasn't stronger and her senses stayed the same. The doctors assured her the serum had stabilized but maybe it was such a small amount, it made no difference. If Agatha had somehow used Bucky's blood she had drawn out that day, it hadn't been much.

Wanda settled into the small motel room she had originally rented out. It was moldy and disgusting. She'd personally taken all of the sheets to a laundromat before ever daring to use them. On the other end though, the place was cheap and very close to the SHIELD compound. She'd been going there every day for the past month now researching magic and runes in a desperate attempt to figure out how Agatha had used them. She combed through all of SHIELD's data as they found leads as well but nothing really seemed to pan out.

Her worry over Agatha's return was always running through her mind but as the weeks passed and she saw no sign of her, she hopelessly wanted to believe Agatha wasn't coming back. Maybe her wounds had taken her down. Or she'd miraculously moved on. That was wishful thinking, she knew.

Almost two months after their encounter, Wanda began to wake through the nights in pain. She was vomiting and exhausted throughout the days over her lack of sleep. When she broke out in shivers on a sunny, summer day, she knew she had to go back to SHIELD medical. She made her way to the compound and ran into Bucky in the lobby on his way out.

"Hey," he smiled when he saw her. It was still so strange for her to see him smile. She'd only seen Bucky in quick moments here and there around the compound. She was still embarrassed about the whole situation that happened, she'd tried to avoid him when she could.

"Hi," she returned. "What are you doing here?"

"Just got back from a mission. You?"

"Just here to do some research," Wanda lied.

"How's that going?"

"I haven't had much luck so far but I'm hopeful something will pop up."

"I'm sure it will." She gave him a small smile before her stomach began to churn again. She needed to go.

"I've got to go but it was good running into you." Bucky nodded and took off. She watched him go, somewhat disappointed. He'd really shown her kindness helping her after her nightmare and then bringing her here and staying with her. She was almost jealous of the '40's that had produced such good men.

Wanda made her way to the elevator and up to the medical floor. She asked for Dr. Mallory and when the doctor saw her, Wanda explained her symptoms. They took some blood and Wanda waited for what felt like an eternity in the small hospital room. She knew something was wrong but she dreaded finding out how bad it could be. Was it the serum messing with her body? An hour later, Dr. Mallory returned and shut the door behind her. This made Wanda tense up immediately.

"Ms. Maximoff, I hope you know that you can confide in us here. We only want what's best for you." Wanda narrowed her eyes, waiting for her next words anxiously. "We ran the tests and one came back positive."

"For what?" Wanda asked when she didn't elaborate.

"You're pregnant." Her heart dropped to the pit now forming in her stomach. She had already been nauseous and the news pushed her over the edge. She ran for the small trash can at the end of the bed and vomited. The doctor walked over, patting her shoulder before grabbing and offering her a tissue box. Wanda grabbed a few and patted her mouth in case anything hadn't made the bin. "I know this is a scary change."

"No, you don't understand. I can't be pregnant. I haven't…" she didn't explicitly explain but it was enough context for the doctor to understand what she was trying to say.

"Well, there are other ways-."

"No, I haven't done anything, any 'way', to be." The doctor just sighed.

"The fetus is stronger than normal at this age." Wanda couldn't seem to process the words. "I had them separate your bloodwork and the child's DNA matches Barnes's." Wanda fell back onto the floor. This couldn't possibly be real. "As I assumed, this was why you had the serum in your blood and it's the clear cause of your sickness. There's never been a super soldier child as the serum has always left the subjects sterile but somehow you were able to conceive. No doubt with a child this strong already, your pregnancy symptoms may be more intense than normal."

"Stop. Please just stop," Wanda begged as her chest tightened and the air got thin. She found herself having a hard time breathing. This couldn't be possible. There was no way- magic or not.

"I know this is a lot to process Wanda but it is happening and SHIELD is ready to support you, okay?" She looked up at the doctor whose brow was furrowed in worry. "I want to keep you safe through this so please let me run some tests on you and the child." After a long moment, she silently nodded once. The doctor helped her up and sat her on the bed.

Wanda sat there in complete shock and silence as staff came in and out, testing her. It's like she knew they were there but couldn't focus on anything but one word: pregnant. They sat her back and brought in an ultrasound. Sure enough, there was a small being on the monitor. They told her the child was bigger than usual but they estimated it at about nine weeks. That put her at the week of her run in with Agatha. It wasn't possible. It wasn't. When it was all said and done, all she was left with were two small ultrasound prints in her hand.

She walked out of the compound and around the city mindlessly. She kept trying to process the information and she had the proof now but she still couldn't accept the facts. This strange feeling kept creeping up on her but she pushed it aside. It was hours later when she got back to the motel and to her surprise, Bucky was waiting outside her door.

"What are you doing here?" He stood up from the nearby bench and looked at her with a perplexed expression. She swallowed hard, wanting to disappear. Wanda fumbled for her keys and walked into her room. She looked at Bucky to follow.

"I wanted to talk." She watched as he searched the dismal room. Under normal circumstances, she'd feel reluctant to let anyone see the beat up suite but she couldn't be bothered now. Nothing seemed to be able to overtake the pit in her stomach. Wanda looked up at him, waiting for him to continue. He locked his hands nervously. "I asked the staff at SHIELD to keep me updated if there were any updates on serums- especially if it had a negative effect on you. They told me you went in today with complications due to it." She eyed him, waiting for him to bring up the most obvious topic. But he didn't. "I just wanted to make sure you were doing okay." His face only showed honest worry. He didn't know.

Now her heart raced because she didn't know if the right thing was to tell him or not. He'd been, unknowingly, dragged into a fight between the supernatural and now... she was carrying his child, one he didn't ask for. Here he was now, standing in front of her and checking in to make sure she was okay.

"I'm not doing too well," she finally admitted. She ultimately decided the right choice was to let him know. He had a right to whether he wanted any of this or not. She shifted and Bucky's eyes scanned her before falling to her hand, making his face twist. She looked down in confusion to see she was still clutching tightly to the ultrasound photos.

"Is that..."

"Bucky-." She was interrupted by her front door swinging open. A red glow came to her fingers instantly and she heard as Bucky's metal arm shifted and he turned into a defensive position, holding up a gun. After a second of anxiety, they watched Agatha stroll in. Wanda's arms lit up, ready to attack. Agatha waved a hand and the door slammed behind her. She tisked at Wanda.

"Now, now. No need for that. Wanda's blood boiled seeing her. "I come in peace," Agatha waved her hands in mock surrender. She looked over at Bucky whose face had turned stone-cold as he glared at her. "I only want what I'm owed."

"I don't owe you anything." Agatha sarcastically tilted her head and pouted.

"But you do. I gave you a family- a child. That's what you wanted." Wanda's heart stopped at the admission- a child. It was true.

"I never asked for a child. This isn't possible- it's a trick."

"I'm afraid not, dear. Your child was forged with your," she looked between Wanda and Bucky, "blood. It is as real and as pure as any." Agatha took a step closer and Wanda shuffled back. "For someone with such power, you really don't know much about magic, do you?"

"I don't have magic."

"You do and now it's my turn to collect." Agatha's arms shot forward but nothing happened. She repeated the action with the same result. "What's happening?" Agatha surveyed her hands and looked at Wanda, who clenched her jaw. Wanda spread her arms out and let her magic flow to reveal runes on the wall.

"In a given space, only the witch that cast the runes can use her magic. How do you not know the fundamentals?" She repeated Agatha's previous words. Agatha's eyes went wide but before she could move, Wanda lifted her. "I may not be what you say I am, but these are your rules." Agatha sneered at her. "I knew I sensed you in the city earlier. I had set up runes in here in the case that you ever followed."

"How can you cast the runes, if you've never practiced them before?" She could see both the confusion and anger in the witch's expression. She then stood still and watched as Wanda's energy flowed around the room. Agatha reached out a hand and felt the energy. Her eyes went wide and she stared at Wanda. "This is chaos magic." She glanced at Bucky who was already looking at her. His jaw was set tight as he held a gun towards Agatha. "That makes you... the scarlet witch." Wanda's heart raced as if the words meant anything to her. Agatha suddenly lunged and Wanda whipped her hand up making Agatha collapse to the ground.

"What did you do?" Bucky warily approached her.

"She's asleep." She could see the question and caution in his face.

"What did she mean by chaos magic? or the Scarlet Witch?" Wanda shook her head.

"I don't know."