Avengers: Don't Get in My Way
Chapter 9
"Okay, we need to figure out our game plan. If we're going to stop her, we're going to have to hit her hard and fast, and keep her off balance," said Rhodey as he looked around at the others. "We're not trying to hurt her, just stop her."
His expression was grim and serious. It was obvious from his face that he was absolutely convinced that this was the right course of action. If he was the only one that could see that, so be it. He was going to do whatever he had to do to keep the universe safe from another round of Infinity Stone bullshit, even if that meant going against his best friends.
The conversation had fallen into a silence before Rhodey's sudden proclamation. Eyes turned towards him and a scowling Thor stepped forward, obviously annoyed. "Perhaps you did not understand our words, Rhodes. We had spoken of confronting her, and speaking to her. We were to observe her and decide whether our action taken should be to stop her from her task, or to let her proceed, and even aid her if we should so decide. We were not of the mind to challenge her unless there was no other choice."
Doctor Strange sighed and shook his head as this argument began once again. It seemed as if it would never end, for each side was unwilling to concede the battle between them.
"Maybe you were not of the mind to challenge her," said the Sorcerer Supreme as once more he entered the debate. He paused and took another breath, and then made another attempt to entreat the Asgardian to see reason. "Thor, you said yourself that she's dangerous. That's not something we can just shrug off lightly. Good intentions or not, this will very likely turn into something more dangerous than it would be beneficial."
"Look, Thor, we can try to go in without hurting her, but there's a chance there's going to be some collateral damage," Rhodey chimed in as he pushed off from the wall. "We can sit here and argue until we're all blue in the face. Maybe she'll realize just how crazy this is and she'll listen to reason. Maybe we might have to take her down. If it comes to that, we'll try and do it as calmly and gently as we can, though I have to tell you, I'm not optimistic that it'll go that well."
"It all comes down to this," added Strange with a grim expression of his own. "We'll try it your way. We'll try it like that. But you have to accept there's no guarantee that it won't get ugly. We don't want that, but we have to accept the fact that it could go unfavorably."
Bucky stood abruptly, and put a hand lightly on Clint's chest. Clint had stepped forward with a furious expression and that was only going to make the conflict worse than it already was. Bucky felt calmer and able to speak coherently without punching both Strange and Rhodey. Maybe I'm calmer than Clint, but not by fucking much, Bucky thought.
Bucky's voice rang out from their left, "Take it from somebody that's been in plenty of wartime battles. If you go in with that attitude, that's how it's going to go down. You're going in expecting it to go that way. It's almost like you want it to go that way. You're not even seriously considering the remotest possibility that she may be right, that what she's doing is the right thing."
"You've already decided that she's wrong and you think you're going to do everything you can possibly do to prove to us that she's wrong and that you're right," piped up Pietro. His voice shook with the anger that was evident on his face, and his fists clenched slowly and tightly. "I'd rethink that strategy if I were in your place. You may find your ass kicked before your ears have even caught my words. So, ironic as it might sound coming from me, slow down and think about it carefully before you go marching off to go up against my sister."
Tony had had enough. He turned from where he'd been examining his holographic model of reality and slammed a hand hard down on the table. The action stunned the argument into silence.
"You know what? The kid's right. Sister or no sister, that doesn't mean he's wrong. You keep saying that she 'might' be crazy, but you've already got it in your heads that she is crazy. 'Crazy' is kind of a relative term, don't you think? Don't you think you should at least give the idea that she's not crazy a little bit of mulling over before just summarily deciding that she is crazy?"
Thor released a heavy breath as he listened to all this and looked around the room. The few that doubted Wanda bristled at Tony's admonition but remained quiet. The rest scowled in aggravation that they just couldn't seem to wrap their minds around the concept they were trying to drill into the doubter's heads.
"You think that she's lost her hold upon her reason and senses still then?" Thor asked in a quiet tense voice. "Let us see once and for all if that is indeed the case. Let us have or leave no doubt as to Wanda's state of mind. I know how to discover just this very fact, and leave no doubt in either case."
Before anyone could ask the Asgardian what he was talking about and what he had in mind, Thor strode purposefully through the door and outside onto the compound grounds. He cast them all a hard, determined glance, and then hefted Stormbreaker and rose into the air like a rocket. In seconds, he disappeared from their sight.
The others looked around at everyone else with an expression of confusion. Whatever Thor's plan was, they were all mystified and clueless as to what it might be. An odd feeling spread amongst the remaining heroes.
X
Once the rest of the group had returned to the main room, Steve stroked his chin in thought. Finally, he came to his decision and then stepped forward to where the others were talking amongst themselves and grabbed Tony by the elbow. With a gentle but insistent force, he dragged the billionaire from the clustered group.
Steve remained silent as he continued to guide Tony by the arm. They exited the main room and walked along the corridor before exiting the building through the nearest door. The door closed and Tony stopped as Steve moved them towards a bench and sat down.
"Okay, out with it. What's on your mind? What gives, Cap? You didn't tug me out here to play checkers. So, give it. Let me have it," Tony said in his normal irreverent manner, but considerably quieter than he might normally say such a thing.
The man, much much older than Tony remembered him before they had returned from the past, stared out across the grounds of the compound for a long silent moment. His lips tugged upwards slightly as he turned his attention and gaze towards Tony.
He paused a moment longer, then said, "Tell me what you think about all this, Tony. What you really think, not what you think I want to hear. I know you, and when you're this quiet, it means you've got something serious going on in that mind of yours. You don't believe Wanda is crazy at all, do you? I know you said you agreed with her, but you've been known to change your mind from time to time."
"Ah, Cap, you know me too well. Now Pepper is going to be asking you for pointers. That's a bad, bad grandpa," Tony joked quietly as he regarded his friend. "But you want to know what I think? Really? Okay, I'll tell you. I'm not going to lie, I think we have to be careful. If it turns out that Wanda really has bought a ticket for the crazy train, then things are going to get messy.
"But I tell you, Cap, I don't think she's crazy. Not even close. I talked to her when she brought me back. I listened to her, not just to what she said, but how she said it. I looked the kid in the eye. Believe me, I looked for any indication that she was whacko, and I didn't see any sign she was nuts. Honestly, I think she's more sane than all of us are."
Steve chuckled and nodded. He rested his elbows on his knees, folded his hands one over the other and rested his chin upon them. His gaze returned to the grounds once more. "You might just be right about that, Tony. Wanda's a good kid, she's got a good heart, and I believe that it's in the right place. I believe what she is doing is not only what she thinks is right, I feel it is right.
"My heart and gut tell me with every single fiber of what I am that she's not only got good intentions. What she's thinking, what she's planning…I have to say it, it seems logical to me. It feels right. For better or worse, I believe her, Tony. If I'm wrong…that's just something I'm going to have to figure out how to deal with. But I know she's right. It might not make much sense scientifically, but then again they said the same thing about Doctor Erskine's idea and experiment. For better or worse, his idea is sitting here next to you."
Tony regarded his friend once more in silence for several moments. Steve may have a sort of naïve "giddy optimism" about him, but as much as he hated to admit it, the man out of time was often right. Sometimes far too often. This was one of those times that Tony thought it wasn't too often that Steve was right. For whatever else he and Tony might disagree on, this was something they were definitely on the same page together with.
"You know what? There's probably a war as bad as our fight with Thanos going on in there right now. We might ought to go in there and do something about that. I think so, don't you?" Tony asked with his signature glib smile as he rose from the bench.
Steve laughed briefly as he stood as well. "I think we just might. We're lucky that the building hasn't exploded I think. Fuses were rather short," he replied.
X
The sky over the mansion secluded behind trees and hills in Westchester, New York suddenly darkened with a storm cloud. A bright flash of jagged lightning lanced across the sky, and the rolling crack and rumble of thunder rattled the windows of the mansion as Thor touched down on the ground. Immediately, the sky began to clear and return to it's bright, wispy clouded state that it had been in only moments ago.
As he looked up, a young woman turned towards him with a half smile gracing her lips. The woman had skin that was tinted a color roughly the shade of milk chocolate. Her long flowing white hair fell to her shoulders and her crystal ice blue eyes settled on the Asgardian as she stepped forward to meet him.
"I thought that might be you," she said in a silky voice with only the vaguest touch of an accent as she stretched up on her toes and hugged the large man affectionately. "Who else has to announce his arrival so dramatically? What brings you to Westchester?"
The large Asgardian hugged the svelte young woman fondly and chuckled softly as they began to walk along the path leading back to the house together. "Storm, it is so very good to see you again. It has been some time, indeed." His face grew more serious as he stopped and turned towards her. "I am afraid it isn't simply for pleasure, regrettably. I must speak with Charles, it's rather urgent, I fear."
The woman called Storm's delicate brows drew together in a crinkle as she started walking again towards the house. "That's a shame. I know everyone would enjoy seeing you. I'm sure Charles will be happy to give you all the time you need. I'll let him know you're here, though my money is on him already knowing you're here."
Thor chuckled softly once more and nodded as they entered the house and stood in a large foyer with an elaborate staircase leading up along the wall. "Little escapes Charles' attention. I am quite sure he knows I'm here already, as well. I thank you for your help, dear lady. As always, you are as kind as you are lovely," Thor said with a more pronounced smile than he previously wore.
Storm slowed her pace and glanced over her shoulder with a quick wink and grin. "Flattery will get you nowhere, Thor…well, almost nowhere anyway," she said laughing softly, a musical sound. "Come on, you can wait in his office. I'll go get him for you. Relax and make yourself comfortable."
Thor followed the young woman down the hall and into a very elegant room. A massive, heavy wooden desk with a highly polished top dominated half of the floor. It was surrounded by finely crafted bookcases, stuffed full of magnificent volumes encompassing many subjects. He sat on the large and comfortable plush couch and rested Stormbreaker carefully against the arm of the couch with it's heavy head on the floor.
He didn't have to wait long. A few moments later, the door opened, and the whirring sound of Charles' motorized wheelchair met Thor's ears as he came into the room and stopped before the tall man with his hand extended.
"Thor, my friend, it's good to see you again. Considering what we've all endured the past few years, any pleasure, no matter how small, is to be treasured. A visit from a friend, even an urgent one, is a welcome thing," the older man said as he firmly shook Thor's hand.
Thor stood and returned the older man's gesture before sitting down once more. Charles wheeled around him to stop behind his desk. As always, he regarded Thor with a kind gaze, but a gaze also full of understanding. Charles would never read anyone's mind without their consent, but being one of the strongest telepaths in the world, it understandably must be difficult for him to block out all thoughts all the time.
"Indeed, my friend. The prompt for my visit is not only urgent, but also imperative," he answered. "I fear things are quite dire and decisive action must be taken quickly to keep your world safe. I…we require your help, if you are willing to give it. This affects all worlds and all reality itself, and must be handled both delicately and expediently."
Charles sighed softly and nodded. "It has to do with Wanda, doesn't it?"
Most would have asked how Charles could possibly know, but Thor was more than aware of Charles' abilities. It would make more sense to ask how he didn't know if he were unaware of the situation's existence at the very least.
"I fear it does, my friend. Since her return from the nothingness that Thanos condemned her and countless others to, her grief at Vision's death, and rage at the state of the universe that Thanos caused has swept her along on its currents.
"She has retrieved the Infinity Stones and is wielding them with the intent to put right the devastation that Thanos wrought upon the universe. It is her intent to use the Stones to repair this damage, and then scatter the Stones to the universe's width and breadth."
Charles listened to him, absorbing every word with the utmost concentration and gravity they deserved. He steepled his fingers before him and regarded Thor with a serious gaze. "I have felt the power of the Stones when they found their way back to Earth. I wasn't aware that Wanda had them. She is one of very few beings that could hope to wield them without causing their own demise. Tell me more, please, Thor," he said in a soft and calm voice.
Thor collected himself and leaned forward from the couch, a sign of his determination and need. "She has harmed no one, and has caused no destruction. She has, however, brought both her brother and Stark back from the arms of death. The Avengers are divided. Some favor her intent and actions, and seek to aid her to realize them. Others vehemently oppose her intent and actions, and seek to prevent her from accomplishing her goals. They believe her absent of mind and senses, they believe that she is insane and is a threat that must be stopped. It is their belief that she represents an incomprehensible danger to the fabric of space and reality itself, and that she will cause destruction never before seen in all the realms of the universe," he answered with more speed than he had intended.
Charles took the information in and thought intently on each word that Thor had said. "It seems that they believe the same thing about Wanda that we were faced with several years ago, when Jean was possessed by the Dark Phoenix entity. She nearly destroyed the world, and would have caused unfathomable destruction throughout the universe," he answered the Asgardian finally.
"I haven't felt any sort of psychic disturbance of that magnitude, or any disturbance reaching any catastrophic magnitude that would present a threat to us. If such a disturbance did, in fact, exist, I am sure that I would have detected it's power by now. Such thoughts cannot be contained in anyone's thoughts. Even Thanos couldn't hide them when he was here, they were readily detectable. I can't believe that Wanda could hide such impulses and thoughts any better than Thanos could. With the involvement of the Infinity Stones, the chances of my not having felt any such danger is absolutely impossible."
Thor nodded in understanding and agreement. "You speak the truth, my friend. I knew this would be the case. I have come to ask a favor of you, if you are willing. A favor that shall put to rest once and for all that Wanda is not mad as several have decided. I do not believe her to be insane, and will not believe her to be so unless I can be shown without the slightest shade of doubt that she is in fact insane," he stated with a steely conviction.
Charles nodded softly as he listened. Finally, he said, "Of course I'll do it, Thor. I don't believe Wanda is insane any more than you do, not from what you've told me and what the absence of major destruction shows me. You know where she is, I presume?"
"Aye, I do," nodded Thor. "She is in Wakanda at the palace of T'Challa. She seeks Shuri's help in restoring Vision's body so that he may be resurrected to his rightful state of living."
"As I would expect," Charles answered. With the slightest of frowns, he reached out with his thoughts, Clarice, my dear, would you mind coming to my office? A friend and I require your assistance if you would be so kind.
Charles wheeled himself from behind the desk as he got an affirmative from Clarice. Seconds later, she entered the office through the door. She started when she saw Thor, obviously expecting someone else. "Um, hello, Thor. I'll be happy to help, Professor. What do you need me to do?" she asked as she recovered her composure.
"You remember Clarice, don't you, Thor? She's going to save us considerable time and trouble by assisting us," he said as he came to Thor's side.
"Indeed I do. Well met, Clarice…or do you prefer Blink? I am appreciative of your help and in your debt."
"Either is fine," she replied with a slight blush to her cheeks. "It's no problem, really. Where am I sending you two?" She was already centering herself to create a portal.
"Wakanda, to the palace of T'Challa," replied Thor as he took the handles of Charles' chair. "You have my thanks once more, Clarice."
Clarice nodded softly and then concentrated. An opening appeared in the air before her and it grew larger. Its fiery pink corona crackled as the Wakandan palace became visible through the opening. She gave them a light smile as they moved through the portal and far away to the African nation of Wakanda.
X
Wanda stood near the table, watching anxiously as Shuri continued to work. An array of laser beams was helping to structure pathways and seal synaptic nodes to accommodate the seating for the Mind Stone once it could be returned to Vision's body. The young woman's face was a study in concentration as she carefully manipulated trillions of connections with an artist's deftness.
Wanda waited until Shuri paused for a break, and asked quietly, "I don't want to pester you, but how's it going? Is everything going as planned?" Her eyes sought out the eyes of the young scientist, searching them for any sign she could find. A sign of anything, good or bad, that she would carry in her eyes.
Shuri could see the anxiety on Wanda's face. She could literally feel it filling the room, a cloying, claustrophobic push that seemed to thicken the air. Shuri sighed, and then smiled wanly.
She is extremely anxious, but wouldn't I be in her place? The love between her and Vision is very strong, and easy to see. When she was here last fighting Thanos' forces, I could see and feel it. I see and feel it now just as strongly. I can't blame her for being anxious. The burden she has placed upon her own shoulders is unimaginable. It only shows the will and strength of her convictions. We should all love so strongly. Love our significant others, and love for everyone else, love enough for them all to risk what she's risking, to try to find the strength to do what no one else can hope to do, she thought as she stretched and let her eyes rest.
Shuri shook herself from her thoughts and nodded as she rubbed her forehead. "Everything is going wonderfully. The pathways are reconstructing very well, and they are accepting the seat I'm building to allow the Stone to be situated upon his brow. The synaptic bridges are connecting and functioning as designed. Vision will soon be whole again," she said with an excitement in her voice. "The rebuilding of his brain went exceptionally well. The design of the synthetic organs integrated with the circuitry is astonishing."
The tension in Wanda's face and body washed away to be replaced by relief for a few moments. Her voice shook as she gazed at Shuri in awe, "Thank you, thank you, Shuri. That's so wonderful to hear. I can feel the fist squeezing my heart loosening some finally. Soon, very soon, I can make things right again, make things be as they should be. I'm so grateful to you."
The young Sokovian hugged the Wakandan princess tightly for a moment and let go. Shuri felt the tension that eased from Wanda ease from herself as well. "I am more than pleased to be able to help you both. It's an amazing opportunity from a strictly scientific point of view, and I would be glad to do it for that alone, but it's much more than that. You both are my friends, and it pains me to see you in such pain because he's lost to you. I will do everything I can to help you both, Wanda."
Wanda fell silent and seemed to be listening to something far away, or trying to interpret some feeling she was suddenly having. Shuri chose not to disturb whatever Wanda was dealing with at that moment. The young woman's lovely features had hardened into a resigned scowl.
It is a wonderful thing to know that we shall soon be reunited, my love… unfortunately, it appears that it will have to wait even a bit longer than planned… The others have arrived and are approaching the palace… We can only hope that this will not devolve into a confrontation comparable to the last meeting we had…
"I pray that they won't insist on making a difficult scene out of all this," Wanda whispered half to herself, and half to the voice of Vision in her mind. "I hope they are beginning to see that this must be done. We can't leave things as they are. I can't leave things in this hell that Thanos created."
With a sad sigh, she walked to the large window and looked down towards the main path leading to the palace. She was surprised to see Carol walking their way, apparently to greet them at the gate, so to speak.
Outside, Carol sauntered up to the approaching group looking very relaxed and at ease. She glanced at all of them in turn and then shook her head, tsk tsking them as she did so. "What, no flowers and chocolates? Really? And here I thought you guys were supposed to be gentlemen. You guys look like a military parade coming up here like this. What's on your mind, boys?"
The group of Avengers stopped in surprise. They hadn't expected Carol to be there, and certainly didn't expect her to be as at ease as she seemed. While it wasn't the entire team, there were enough of them to look like this visit was more than a social call.
Rhodey glanced at the rest of the group and stepped forward. Apparently, he was appointing himself the spokesperson for the group at the moment. "Come on, Carol. You know why we're here. Wanda's here. We've got to meet with her, and get this all straightened out before it gets too tangled to straighten out. She needs to come out now, surrender the Stones, and come back with us. Nobody's gotten hurt up to this point, and we'd like to keep it that way. She has to see reason," he said with a resigned tone.
"Don't mind Grumpy Smurf here. I think he forgot to wear his underwear and the armor is probably chafing his willy. Really irritating when that happens. The armor definitely isn't Armani," Tony said as he came up and put a hand on Rhodey's armored chest.
"We just want to talk to Wanda, and make sure she's okay, Carol. We're worried about her, and we want to try and understand exactly what she wants to do. Maybe if we understand it better, maybe we can convince those of us who aren't exactly on Team Wanda to consider what's happening before just assuming the worst," Bruce said as he stepped out from behind Rhodey as well.
Carol looked them all over carefully, gauging their intent from the clues on their faces. She knew Tony, Bruce and several of the others understood what Wanda was trying to do, and wouldn't lose their minds, but it seemed like Rhodey still hadn't climbed on board yet. Judging from the expression Doctor Strange wore, it was obvious that like before, he and Rhodey were still the ringleaders of the "against Wanda" side of the board.
"You know, this is all getting pretty tiresome. I mean, seriously, come on. You said it yourself, nobody's gotten hurt. That doesn't seem like the evil, diabolical, self proclaimed empress of the universe some of you are trying to make her out to be to me," she said in what almost sounded like a bored tone.
"Instead, it sounds like a bunch of insecure guys threatened by the fact that a woman has the strength and resolve to do something you know you can't do and you want to shut her down as quickly as possible. You can't get over your goddamned bloated self images long enough to even think about considering that maybe she's right? That this cosmic shit show that Thanos left us with needs to be corrected and reset?
"Think about it. You're telling everyone, you're telling me that you want to stay hip deep in this shit that we're calling a world instead of trying to make it what it's supposed to be, and not this bullshit? You know as well as I do that if Thanos hadn't come along and waved his tiny little purple dick around, things wouldn't be anything like this. What you're living in now, that's the fucking disaster, not what Wanda intends to do," she ranted in a low growling voice.
Doctor Strange suddenly pushed some of the others out of his way and came to stand beside Rhodey. "Okay, that's enough. I've heard all of this that I need to hear. Miss Maximoff, no matter how good her intentions are, is wrong. There's no debate, no discussion, no 'town hall meeting' that's going to make what she's doing right. She's messing with forces she can't possibly comprehend, and threatening to destroy everything that is. The time for talking is over," he said in an exasperated tone, glaring at Carol.
"And you think you can comprehend them?" asked a voice from behind Carol. Wanda came closer and stood slightly in front of and to the side of Carol. "Are you arrogant enough to think that because you wear that cape and that gold amulet, and wave your hands around that you are the only one that can possibly understand the universe and the workings of reality?"
Wanda's eyes glowed a vivid gold that was rapidly shifting into a hellish red, the same sort of red her powers manifested in. She stepped forward a couple of steps and fixed Strange's eyes with her own.
"Ohhhh shit," murmured Clint as he moved closer to where Wanda was standing. He had seen enough of her powers, been around her enough to know that the stronger and more primal her emotions got, the stronger and more powerful her powers got. As pissed off as she is at this moment, she doesn't need the goddamned stones to turn his reality inside out. His mouth is about to write a check his ass can't possibly hope to cash, he thought as he tried to catch her attention and take it away from Strange as quickly as possible.
"I comprehend them better than you can hope to, Miss Maximoff. I'm the Sorcerer Supreme. It's my job and calling to not only understand them, but to protect them as well," Strange said in a cold tone. His own temper was obviously flaring as they faced down one another.
"Are you really?" asked Wanda with a cutting sarcasm. "Let me congratulate you on your absolute failure to do just that when Thanos twisted the universe into this."
She had ignored Clint completely for the moment, and raised her shoulders in a shrug while she lifted her arms with her palms upwards, indicating the universe at large. The move was in no way threatening, but it was the spark that lit the fire.
Before anyone could say another word, Rhodey fired his repulsors at Wanda, and struck her hard. The young woman was caught off guard and flew backwards from the concussive force of the weapons. Instantly, Rhodey followed up with several miniature rockets, modified for this particular instance and threat. They exploded against Wanda's chest and shoulders, and knocked her further backwards as the Stones whirled rapidly around her wrist.
Strange immediately stepped forward and made arcane gestures with his hands. Mystic energies surged from him and tried to slip in between Wanda's wrist and the Stones. He was attempting to pry them off, as Rhodey kept her busy.
In the confusion, many of the others hesitated and then moved to help subdue her before things got truly ugly. Whether they agreed with her and were on her side or not, Rhodey's attack had angered Wanda and they knew they had to calm her down before she decimated them all.
"Stop! Don't do it!" yelled Tony as he grabbed Rhodey's arm and jerked it back from it's position firing at Wanda. "Are you fucking crazy? She shrugged!"
Pietro stood shocked and frozen in place, unable to believe his eyes. Wanda had taken no aggressive action, and suddenly he was surrounded by fighting, engulfed in the conflict. He wanted to move, to get involved, to help Wanda but his legs wouldn't work. He was too shocked by the ridiculous attacks on Wanda.
"Fuck!" yelled Clint as he drew his bow and nocked an arrow. With practiced speed, he let it fly. It struck the ground in front of Wanda and a very dense cloud rose from the ruptured arrow head, obscuring her from their vision, and keeping her from seeing them as well. "Now you've done it, goddamnit! You thought she spanked your ass before, just wait until she gives you her second lesson!"
As soon as the first repulsor blast was fired, Steve leaped into action. Even at his age, the super soldier serum in his body served him well. He snatched up the shield and jumped into the fray between his friends and Wanda. With a quick movement, he threw the shield.
Instantly, it flew towards Doctor Strange and struck him in the chest and knocked him back onto his ass in the grass. Before he could hit the ground, the shield bounced off him and struck Rhodey's free hand and spoiled his aim before ricocheting back into his hands.
A harsh gust of wind suddenly sprung up and cleared the air of the cloud that Clint's arrow had produced. An unseen force grabbed all those that had attacked her and held them suspended ten feet off the ground, rendered helpless. They were thoroughly neutralized, unable to move or get free.
"Are you guys fucking insane?" bellowed Bruce as he stopped in mid attempt to prevent the sorcerer Wong from casting a spell to help Strange try to pry the Stones from Wanda's possession. When the portly man was suddenly suspended, he turned and glanced at the battlefield, because that's precisely what it had become. "She wasn't attacking! We came here to talk to her!"
Rhodey grunted in frustration as he tried to free himself from the unseen grip and resume his assault on the young woman. Try as he might, he made absolutely no progress. "I can't move!" he growled out in impotent anger.
Tony looked up at his friend and shook his head. "It serves you right, you idiot. Like the big man said, we came here to talk to Wanda. You've heard the phrase 'I do my talking with my hands instead' a couple of times too many. Jesus, what the hell is wrong with you guys? I'd say you guys jumped the gun, but that wouldn't cover it. You jumped the goddamned nuclear warhead," he said in exasperation.
Wanda composed herself as she stood once more, and brushed her hair back from her face. At that moment, everyone that carried a weapon saw their weapons disappear into thin air, as if they'd never been there. With another wave of her hand, Rhodey's armor disappeared and he slid to the ground where Tony caught him. He couldn't move because of the damage to his spine from several years earlier.
"Your weapons, and Rhodey's armor, are back where you keep them. They are undamaged and safe, just as you are undamaged and safe," she said sounding winded. She wiped a small trickle of blood from the corner of her mouth with the back of her hand.
Steve took advantage of the slight lull in conversation and moved out to stand in the middle of the entire group. He was an imposing figure, even at his advanced age. His gaze swept over all of them, and his eyes focused on each person's eyes for a moment.
He exhaled a long breath and kept sweeping his gaze over them all. "Well, that was probably the most ill conceived assault I've ever seen enacted, I think. What were you thinking? Wanda made no kind of threatening move whatsoever. She shrugged, for God's sake. Someone shrugs, and you try to blast them as if they were Thanos? How did that work out for you, huh?"
Nobody said a word, leaving a silence hanging in the air, so Steve continued, "Like Tony and Bruce said, we came here to talk. That's it. That's all. It doesn't matter if you think she's right or wrong. It doesn't matter if you agree with her or not. It doesn't matter if you think she's dangerous or not. What matters is that she's one of us. She's as much a part of our team…of our family… as any of the rest of us are.
"If it were someone else, another one of us that had the Stones and could use them, would you think they were crazy and wrong? Or would you at least have the courtesy to hear them out? None of us, not one of us, gave her the chance to tell us what she was doing and why she was doing it. We just assumed that she was going to destroy the universe because she was messing around with the Stones. We never gave her the chance to explain herself.
"Even those of us that felt as she feels, and that agreed with her, we didn't give her the courtesy of asking her the first damned question about what was going on. We just made our snap decisions and then we leaped into the pot without looking to see if the fire was burning under it.
"Would you have done that if it'd been Tony, or Bruce, or even me? Probably not. So why do it to her? Wanda's powerful, all on her own. Terrifyingly powerful, if I'm being honest. Add the Stones to that, and her power makes Thanos' power look like lousy half dead batteries. And it makes her an extremely frightening individual if she were to lose control of that power, or decide to use that power indiscriminately.
"But she hasn't. She won't. I know this because I know Wanda. She's a good person and we should give her the same benefit of the doubt that we'd give any of the rest of us. She's one of us. Remember that the next time you decide to make a mistake that big again. How about we start making up for those mistakes by hearing her out before we just arbitrarily decide that she has to be stopped," Steve finished as he ran his hand back through his hair.
Even as Steve spoke, a whirling circle of pink light began forming and expanding near the group. Wanda released her friends and let them settle back to the ground as shadows started to emerge from the round opening in space. Three figures appeared from it as the opening shrank quickly and faded.
Thor, accompanied by a bald man in a wheelchair and a young woman with brightly tinted hair, stopped near them all. "It seems we have arrived late for the festivities. No one looks much the worse for wear, at least. I believe most of you know Professor Charles Xavier. This fair maiden is one of Charles' students, Clarice," he said as he eyed the group with a wary gaze.
A low murmur hummed about the group as they exchanged pleasantries with the new arrivals. Movement caught Rhodey's eye as Wanda moved closer to him, and she knelt next to where he was propped up with Tony's help.
The apprehension in his eyes blazed like the sun as she came within arm's reach of him. Then she surprised him. She gave him a light smile, a slight curling of the corners of her lips and she touched his shoulder. He stared at her in surprise and swallowed before he asked, "What…what are you doing?" It was obvious he thought she was going to harm him.
"I'm giving you a gift I had intended to give to you much sooner, but there were all the misunderstandings that distracted me. I'm sorry you don't understand what I'm intending to do, Rhodey. I truly wish you did, or would at least try to understand. But if you can't, I don't hold any ill will for you, my friend," she said as she slowly stood once more. She gave him the enigmatic smile once more before turning and walking away.
Rhodey looked up at Tony in shock, only for Tony to shrug with an expression as mystified as his own. It was then that he felt it. There was a sharp tingle in his lower back and his legs felt like he was being eaten alive by fire ants for a couple of seconds. Afterwards, the sensations melted away, and there was no more pain.
"Did she just paralyze me? I can't feel the pain anymore," he said in a near panicked voice. "It's just…there's nothing but…what the hell?" He gripped his thigh with his hand a moment, and then moved down his leg, doing it a couple more times, switched legs and started the squeezes again.
"What is it? What's wrong?" asked Scott. He had come over moments before to try and help Tony with Rhodey. Rhodey wasn't nearly strong enough and hadn't regained enough mobility to move without the exoskeletal apparatus that he normally used to walk. It stimulated the nerves in his back and assisted him with the movement of the lower part of his body.
Shock contorted Rhodey's face a moment, and then realization set in, a little at a time. "She…I don't believe it, I think she…she fixed my back and legs," he half whispered in amazement. He cautiously tried moving his leg and felt none of the excruciating pain he expected to feel. The leg moved with perfect range and mobility.
"Holy shit," he breathed raggedly. "She fixed me, after I…I…I attacked her," he said in a completely confused and awestruck voice.
As Rhodey was marveling over his miracle, Wanda made her way back to the larger cluster of people. Xavier raised his brows and smiled lightly at her. "I understand that there's a rather convoluted misunderstanding here, concerning you and your intentions, my dear," he said in his smooth English accent.
She nodded slowly, and glanced around at the others before meeting his gaze once more. "Yes, you could say that, I suppose," she replied as other conversations around them fell silent. She felt a sudden apprehension. "Why do you ask? Do you fear me too?"
Xavier laughed softly and shook his head with slow confidence. "Not at all, my dear. Quite the opposite, I think. I've been asked to come and help the others understand your intentions and determine your state of mind, to assuage their trepidation," he replied.
Thor gave her an encouraging look and whispered, "I thought the best way to prove to everyone that you're not mad as a lot of them believe you to be was to have someone literally look into your mind and discover its true state, with your permission."
Xavier met her surprised expression and once more smiled at her, "Thor's correct, Wanda. I wish to help you answer the questions that everyone keeps asking, and prove to them definitively whether or not you are impaired, if you would give me your permission? You are under no pressure to give your permission, or to allow anything you would not wish to have occur."
Wanda was surprised by the request, but wasn't frightened by it. In fact, it may be exactly what was needed to end this sad conflict, just as Thor thought it might.
She drew a deep breath and let it out slowly. Her gaze never wavered from his as she answered, "You can do it. I don't mind. In fact, I think it might set everyone at ease, including myself. So, please Professor, I allow you to enter my mind and for you to probe anywhere you feel it necessary to. I have nothing to hide from you or anyone else."