Chapter One: Little Nightmares
It had been another long, hard day in a series of long hard days for America Chavez. Early morning practice with portals, which she had yet to fully master, much to her frustration, led to an afternoon of sparring with her classmates, which had ended with her flat on her back more often than not.
"You're all dismissed for the evening," Wong's voice brought her to the present. "But I recommend everyone tries to get a good night's sleep; you all have a long day ahead of you tomorrow," America couldn't help the involuntary sigh that came out as she eased her aching body out of her seat. "Patience, young one," Wong said, noticing the defeated look in the girl's eyes. "You'll get the hang of it," He did his best to encourage her.
America forced a smile and nodded. "I know," She agreed with a nod before heading off to her room. Sitting on the edge of her bed, America stared out her window as the sunset on the mountains; a single thought came into her head. "Will I, though?" Magic was not coming to her as easily as she'd hoped, and it was more than a little discouraging. America reclined back on her bed, exhausted and too comfortable to move; America allowed her eyes to close and drifted off to sleep.
The sound of waves lapping against the shore made America open her eyes. She was standing barefoot on a beach, staring out at a vast ocean that stretched out as far as the eye could see, blurring in with the brilliant orange and purple sky. It was hard to tell where the horizon was; it all seemed to blur together into a wall of dense clouds. America rubbed her eyes, trying to figure out where she was. "Where am I?" She said aloud, taking a few cautious steps forward until the gentle waves greeted her feet. She had seen many beaches, but this wasn't one of them. That much she was sure of.
"Is-" The waves covered her feet, and she smiled at the sensation. "Is this a dream...?" America asked herself again. The interdimensional traveler had never dreamed, as there was no other reality for her to peer into.
"That's as good a word for it as any," America stiffened at the voice, her muscles tensing and her hair standing on end. She swallowed hard and forced herself to turn around, her body still stiff as a board. "Hello, America," The Scarlet Witch greeted with a smile as she strode across the sand toward her.
The waves picked up suddenly and drastically, crashing hard against the shore. The sky, which had been bright and beautiful, darkened. "No..." The word came out involuntarily as she took a step back away.
Wanda slowed, the smile fading from her face, hands raised. "America, wait," But the girl didn't, her fight or flight kicking in suddenly. She turned and took off down the beach. She wasn't sure where she was going, the coastline didn't seem to end, but all her mind could process was AWAY! Wanda's hand caught America by the arm. "Please-"
"LEAVE ME ALONE!" She yanked her arm free, falling straight backward and-
America snapped out of her sleep, sitting bolt upright, gasping for air, and drenched in sweat. Her eyes darted around her darkened room, searching for the Scarlet Witch. But the room was empty; the full moon's light proved that, yet still, America's heart hammered inside her chest for several minutes. A single thought came to her as she sat there in the dark, trying to catch her breath. "I've never dreamed," Her hand unconsciously rubbed her arm where Wanda had grabbed her. "Why now, why Wanda?" She wasn't sure she wanted to know the answer.
Morning came after a long and sleepless night for America. The nightmare had left her unable or unwilling to fall back to sleep, even though she wasn't sure which.
"You okay, America?" Someone asked as she stared into space, unconsciously rubbing her left arm.
"What?" She turned to find Rintrah standing beside her. At first, she only saw a wall of green fur until her eyes met two giant brown eyes filled with concern. "Oh, yeah, fine," The towering creature didn't look convinced. "I just didn't get much sleep, is all," It wasn't a lie, but it wasn't exactly the whole story either.
Rintrah snorted, still unconvinced but not pushing harder. "Oh, well, I'll go easy on you if we spar today," He gave what for him was a light pat on the back, but he was so strong it nearly took her off her uneasy feet.
They did spar that day, and Rintrah did go easy on her, but he still bested her every single time. Usually, it would have been frustrating, but today all she could think about was what was climbing back into her bed.
But one thought plagued her. "Will she be waiting for me again?" That thought kept her awake, despite her bone-deep exhaustion. She watched the clock on her nightstand, ticking, minute by minute, hour by hour. Her eyelids eventually shut just after 3 a.m.
America was again standing on the beach, the one she had never seen prior. But the sky was dark, and the sea was again pounding against the shoreline. The traveler immediately started searching for the Witch, her heart hammering hard against the inside of her ribs. A gale began, blowing sand and cold, salty sea water into her face. "America..." The wind muffled the voice, but she found its source quickly—little more than an outline in the haze created by the wind, but she could tell Wanda was getting closer.
"What do you WANT!?" Her voice cracked ever so slightly as she began to retreat.
"To talk," That caused America to pause. "Just to talk," The Witch started towards her again, slowly, carefully.
Wanda came entirely into view through the haze, just a few steps away from America. "You're lying," America took another step back.
Wanda let out a hard, almost pained, sigh at the words. "No..."
"You still want my powers!" As she had the night before, America turned to run.
She only vaguely heard the low growl of frustration escape the Witch's throat. "Would you just LISTEN!?" She hissed, teleporting into America's path. The girl slipped and fell into the muddy sand, the Scarlet Witch standing over her.
As she had the night before, America snapped from her nightmare and sat upright in bed. It didn't take her as long to adjust back to reality, though her body stayed in flight mode. She wiped the sweat from her forehead and tried to get her breathing back under control. The girl laid back on her bed; eyes fixed on the blue light of dawn. "She's going to keep coming," America hated the shuddering breath that came with the thought. 'She'll be waiting every night when you go to sleep," She took a cold shower and mulled the thought over.
"Well, then I just won't sleep!"
And so she didn't.
Exhausting days lead to sleepless nights for America, her body practically begged her to sleep, but she refused. The Witch would be waiting for her if she fell asleep.
After her fourth, no, fifth night without sleep, America found she lacked the desire to eat. There was an omnipresent feeling of nausea that intensified with each passing hour. So America skipped breakfast in favor of coffee and was a wreck through her morning lessons. She failed to open a portal to the other side of Kamar-Taj for her partner to use as an escape route. Wong watched her intently as she struggled more than usual.
"Young one?" He called to the girl. No response, she continued to flounder, creating an arch of yellow sparks but no portal.
"Fuck!" America swore under her breath, still unaware of Wong standing beside her.
"America?" He grabbed her shoulder.
The girl literally jumped at the contact. "WHAT!?" She hissed.
Wong blinked. "What's going on with you?"
America shook her head slightly and averted her gaze. "N-nothing," The Sorcerer Supreme looked less than convinced, folding his arms over his chest. "Just tired is all," It wasn't exactly a LIE, but it wasn't the truth either.
Wong didn't say anything at first, just taking note of the deep, dark circles beneath her reddened eyes. She looked beyond exhausted. "Come," He ordered softly, taking her to his study. "Sit," He ordered in the same soft tone. America hesitates; the chair is big and looks very comfortable, and GOD, is she tired. "America?" Wong brings her attention back. "Sit down," She sighed but did as she was told. "Now," Wong leaned on the edge of the desk in front of her, arms again folded over his chest. "Tell me what ails you, young one," He asked.
America shrugged and looked down at her hands. "Like I said, just tired," She wasn't looking at him, but she felt Wong's gaze intensify. "I've been having trouble sleeping, alright? No big deal..." She couldn't bring herself to tell him about the Witch that had suddenly started plaguing her dreams. Or even the fact that she was HAVING dreams.
"When was the last time you slept?"
"What's today?"
"This isn't a joke, America," His voice carried a warning tone.
"I wasn't joking..." She sighed. "I don't know, 4 or 5 days,"
Wong sat upright at that. "If you're having trouble sleeping, we have remedies that can put you to sleep-"
"NO!" The response was visceral and immediate, telling Wong there was, in fact, something America wasn't telling him. "No, I just-" She raked a hand down her face. "Just no, thank you," The study fell silent after that; the clicking of a wall clock was the only sound.
"Okay," Wong knew he wasn't getting anywhere with the girl, not on his own. "To your room, young one, to BED," Wong told her, even though he knew the girl wouldn't. America stood from the chair and wobbled slightly on her feet. Wong waited for the girl to leave before opening a portal and stepping through.
"Wong!" The familiar voice greeted him immediately. "To what do I owe the pleasure?" Strange descended the stairs to the Sorcerer Supreme.
"It's America..." Wong sighed again, thinking back on the exhausted girl he was sure wasn't sleeping at that moment either.
Stephen frowned. "What did she do this time?" He asked.
"It's what she's not doing, I'm afraid. She hasn't slept in nearly a week," That caused the doctor to stop in his tracks.
"Why...?"
"She wouldn't say, but it occurred to me that America might be willing to talk to you,"
Stephen racked his brain for a logical explanation for America's sudden insomnia, if it could be called that. "I'll see what I can do,"
America found herself hunched over the toilet, gripping the porcelain and emptying her stomach. There wasn't much, and she allowed herself to drop to the cold tile beneath her. America let out a whine as she lay on the bathroom floor; she wasn't sure how long she could physically stay awake. Sleep deprivation was quickly taking its toll on her body. "It won't matter what she wants if I die of sleep deprivation... I'm trapped between...?" The traveler stood up from the floor, trying to recall the saying. "A rock and a hard place... That's what this is." She said aloud as she opened the bathroom door.
"Is that why you're not sleeping?"
"GAH," She jumped back, slamming against the wall, hand clutching her heart. "STEPHEN! Are you trying to give me a heart attack!?"Stephen Strange sat on the foot of her bed, unmoved by America's reaction.
"By the sound of it, you're trying to give one to yourself and Wong," America closed her eyes and took a few steadying breaths while Strange took in the sight of the girl. "Sit down, America," The girl let out an agitated scoff.
"I don't want to sit down." She was already sick of Stephen and Wong telling her to sit down. Stephen snapped his fingers, and America found herself seated on the bed beside him. "Neat trick, but I still don't want to sit down..." America stood back up and began to pace. Stephen didn't speak or force her to sit back down as she thought he would. He simply watched her pace back and forth, waiting for her to tell him what was wrong. He believed she wanted to, and he was right. "She's back." The girl finally blurted out, not stopping her endless pacing.
"Who? Who's back?" Stephen leaned forward, confused.
"WANDA! Who else!? Every time I fall asleep, that witch is waiting for me!" America snapped tears of frustration, exhaustion, and fear welling up in tired her eyes.
"Wait, slow down; when you fall asleep? I thought you didn't dream?" Stephen was less concerned about the Scarlet Witch; after all, she was dead, wasn't she? The dreams were what concerned him; when and how had they started? What did they mean? All questions he would deal with later; right now, America needed his full attention.
She glared at him. "I DIDN'T! Until she started coming after me again!" Her voice quivered slightly, she was on the brink of tears, and he could tell.
"When did this start?"
"A week ago,"
"And that's what she said, that she wants your power?" Stephen kept pressing forward for information.
"Well, not exactly," America finally stopped pacing, wrapping her arms around herself. Stephen gestured for her to go on. "To talk she said, but I don't believe that! Why the hell would she want to TALK!?" America finally sat down, resting her head in her hands.
"I don't know, kid," Stephen admitted. "I wish you'd told me all this sooner. I mean, what was your plan here? Stay awake until your die of sleep deprivation?" He kept his tone light. She was stressed enough; she didn't need to be scolded.
America giggled at the question because she hadn't thought that far ahead. "I don't know," She shrugged. "So what should I do?" America finally met Stephen's eyes.
"I think you should get some sleep," America opened her mouth to protest, but he stopped her with a raised hand. "And I'll figure something out while you do. I'll be right here by you, I promise." He wasn't exactly sure what to do, but he knew America needed sleep. America conceded with a small, nervous nod.
The Sun had just begun to set on Nepal when America climbed into her bed. "You promise you'll wake me up if anything goes wrong, right?" America asked as she pulled the comforter over herself.
"For the 100th time, YES," Stephen replied. "Now, will you lay down? I can't do anything if you're still awake." The girl made a slight noise in the back of her throat as she settled into the bed. She was bone tired, and despite the anxiety that still lingered around thoughts of the witch, she was quickly carried off to sleep.
Stephen watched her back's steady rise and fall, accompanied by soft snoring. He quietly cast a protection spell over the child, just in case, before settling back into the chair. "Here goes nothing... Wanda? If you're out there, if you can hear me." The sorcerer wasn't certain this would work; hell, he wasn't even sure Wanda was out there. Let alone if she could hear his thoughts. But maybe if he called out, she would come to him as she had come to America. Stephen closed his eyes, focusing on his breathing. "Please, Wanda,"
Stephen's eyes opened, and he found himself standing on a foreign beach. The tides were calm, and the sun was bright and warm on his skin. "Hello, Stephen," Wanda's voice came from not far ahead of him. She was sitting on her hip, propped up on one arm, staring out at the vast and endless ocean. "Will you sit with me?" Stephen swallowed before going to sit beside the younger woman. "Thank you," He only nodded in reply, continuing to take in the scenery around them and the Scarlet Witch herself. She still donned the armor, complete with the red tiara.
"Where are we?" He finally asked. It wasn't the first question he had, but it felt like the safest.
"I'm not sure, really," Wanda answered truthfully, though she wasn't sure the sorcerer beside her would believe her. "I woke up out there," She pointed out to sea. "But eventually, I washed up here. Where ever HERE is." It gave Stephen more questions than answers.
"How did you reach America's mind? I mean, aren't you-uh-" Stephen wrestled with the word.
"Dead?" She finished it for him but didn't answer that. "As for America, I tried to reach your mind first, but yours was well guarded." Wanda shrugged.
He decided to take that as a compliment. "But why?" He saw what he could only describe as regret in her green eyes.
Wanda drew in a long breath and looked down at her hands. "To talk," She told him what she'd told America. "I understand why you're both afraid of me; I know I became a monster-"
"I never thought that, Wanda..." Stephen interrupted, bringing her gaze to his.
"You didn't?"
He shook his head, thinking of what Professor Xavier had said. "Just because you stumbled, lost your way, it didn't mean you were lost forever." Wanda gave him a small grateful smile before they fell back into silence. Both of them watched the steady rhythm of the waves against the shore until Wanda spoke again.
"Stephen?" He only made a small 'Hmm?' in reply. "Was there really no other way?" Wanda was making a conscious effort to stay out of his mind, but still, she felt the sudden pang of guilt and sadness. But she knew the sadness wasn't for him... It was for her.
"There was..." He admitted for the first time out loud what he'd always known. There was another way, OF COURSE, there was. "But I didn't see it," The time stone had allowed him to not only view all those 14 million outcomes but to live them. To die on that battlefield billions of miles from home over and over with Tony and...? His mind drew a blank, and he wasn't sure why his heart suddenly felt heavier. Wanda felt that, too, and it drew her attention, but she said nothing.
"I'm sorry, Wanda," His voice cracked with the words. "I'm sorry for everything I cost you..." The woman reached out and took Stephen's hand, pressing their palms tightly together.
"If America won't speak to me, I understand,"
A slight shake of the arm snapped Stephen awake, his eyes meeting America's look of concern. "Are you okay?" She asked, noting the tears that were rolling down his cheeks.
"You need to talk to her,"
Author's note: So there's chapter one of a story I've had rolling around in my brain since multiverse of madness came out! I enjoyed writing this chapter even though I know it's on the slow side. I don't plan on the dream talks to go on forever and I have a good idea of where I want to take this and who my antagonists will be. But let me know your thoughts on the dreams? Also, I want to be clear the hand holding isn't meant to be romantic, more of a platonic 'I forgive you, and we're here together' but draw your own conclusions on it! the multiverse will be featured heavily in this story but I will do my best to keep it from being confusing! Please read and review!
If you're reading my other story 'Lost and Searching' I haven't abandoned it I just wanted to work on another project.
