A/N:

Keep in mind that this story does not really give my idea of purgatory. In fact I don't think I even believe in most religious stuff. The dark place in this story is just a place I made up as the blank space between memories and thoughts in one's mind. I named it The Memory Purgatory because it seemed to fit into what most people feel 'limbo' AKA 'purgatory' would be like.

This is probably the biggest chapter in the story. I had more ideas involving Pietro in my head than any other character. I threw a lot of them in this fic cause it seemed interesting. Were his experiences as bad as Wanda's? Maybe.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

---------------------------------------------------------------------

'Am I awake...?' Wanda wondered to herself as she perceived only black all around; though she was certain her eyes were open. 'I'm sure I am...' She blinked the drowsiness away and attempted to sit up. Was she even lying down? She couldn't tell at all. The air was cold, and she had this odd feeling about her, like she was drifting in a sea. 'This is so odd...I must be dreaming.' She paused. 'But that firefly had to have been real! Does that mean I'm dead or something?!' The panic ended quickly as Wanda regained herself. She had to be calm, whatever was going on. 'Pietro...I wonder if he's ok...'

Suddenly, the sea shifted violently, becoming rough and pulling Wanda downward. She felt like she was being drawn into a whirlpool, down into the blackness, unable to breathe from the pressure exerted on her. Her resolve gone, Wanda thrashed around in vain attempts to break free of this force that so tightly held her. She soon lost her struggle and gave in to the sudden desire to sleep. 'This is what it's like to suffocate...?' were her last thoughts.

There was sniffling...no, crying, in the darkness. Wanda woke up from her sleep. 'I can breathe again...But what happened?' She looked around. She was in a small, bland room made entirely of metal. There was only a bed, which she was currently lying in, and a desk in the corner; both made of metal also. A digital clock that displayed army time was built into the wall, it's red digits glaring at her from above the doorway. The door was open; pale light seeping through the space. 'Where am I now?'

She noticed the crying again, it was actually kind of loud; how she'd blocked it out this little while, she couldn't figure. There was hushed conversation going on outside. The tips of two shadows were barely visible in the light on the floor. Starting to feel a bit afraid, Wanda sat up and pushed the blankets off of her. The cold of the room quickly set in on her though, and she pulled them up again, brushing her hair out of her face. 'Wait a minute...! My hair isn't long enough to go in my face!' She looked at herself a bit more closely in the dim light.

From what she could tell, she was younger; much younger. Her hands were only about half of the size they normally were, and she was quite a bit shorter. 'I'm...a child now... How did that happen?' She didn't get to pursue the matter further, as the voice of a crying child suddenly broke the relative silence in half.

"Why would you do that?! It's not her fault she makes bad things happen!" the tiny voice cried.

"She's out of control Pietro. She has to be put someplace where she can't hurt anyone. Don't you realize how easily she could kill you?" A much older, almost ominous voice replied.

"I don't care, she's my sister!" There was a whoosh sound, and then Wanda felt as if someone had slammed into her. She gasped as the wind was knocked out of her. Taking a few painful breaths, she became aware of the warmth of another body against her own.

She was being hugged, or rather, clung to, by a bawling little Pietro. 'Why is he so upset?' she could only wonder. This seemed so familiar somehow, yet also unreal. Maybe...this was part of her past. Those surreal memories she had seemed to have occurred around this time. So perhaps this was the real thing, and those memories really were dreams? This scenario seemed to fit more into what she could remember of her early life.

"I don't want you to go...I don't want you to go..." Pietro sobbed into her.

"I'm not going anywhere..." Wanda murmured in confusion as she decided to return the embrace she was receiving. The room became darker as someone obstructed the doorway. 'Father...'

"That is enough Pietro." His voice was commanding, no softness in it at all. His presence somehow made her uncomfortable, like she had something to fear of him. But he was their father, why would they be afraid? When her brother didn't move from her, Magneto tore him away by the scruff. "I said enough." Pietro still cried loudly, as Wanda became more nervous by the second.

There was a sudden, quick crack, and the crying ceased. It took a moment to register in her mind. 'Did he just slap him? He wouldn't be that cruel, to hit a little kid, would he?' But she knew the answer. This was a memory, and this was her father looming over her, with her abused brother in his clutches. She felt her deadly temper start to rise up from inside of her.

"You didn't have to hit him!" she yelled in her tiny, high pitched voice. The clock in the wall exploded, widening the doorway considerably. Magneto barely flinched, as if he were expecting something to blow up. He strode to the doorway, almost tossed Pietro out, and looked back at her.

"You need more self control Wanda." He then sealed up the room, leaving her in darkness.

The feelings of the cool room and warm bed melted away, and were replaced by the mysterious caress of the freezing sea. Perhaps it was the sea of memories. Wanda sighed. 'To think that that was what my childhood was really like; it's depressing...' And if Pietro got hit all the time, it was really no wonder that he was an ass. You can't give affection if you've never known it. 'I'm sure Magneto was a wonderful role model...' she thought bitterly.

The feeling of water disappeared as she felt ground under her feet. She was still wondering what was going on exactly, but it might help her remember her past. A familiar crying reached her ears. 'Whats he crying about now?' The scene faded in; it was the same all metal place. This time it was in a hallway. Pietro and Magneto were there, having another unpleasant conversation. Wanda looked herself over, discovering that she was normal again.

"Why'd you have to do that to her?! Those people will be mean to her! They were already hurting her, didn't you see!?" Pietro wailed to their father's unsympathetic ears. "We're your kids, you can't just throw us away when you get bored of us! I want Wanda back!"

"It has to be this way, she was too dangerous to have around. Now just forget about her; I don't want to hear any more of this." came Magneto's slightly annoyed reply.

"Forget about her?! I won't! And if you won't let me see her, then you should just throw me in that place with her!"

"No. You have a purpose to fulfill in life."

"Then why can't Wanda have one too? She wouldn't be bad..." Pietro had a spark of hope in his voice. Magneto shook his head.

"You don't understand. You will when you're older."

"No, you're just mean!" Pietro started pounding against Magneto's leg as hard as he could; which wasn't very hard. "You're mean and I hate you! I'll hate you forever! I hate you!" He was shaken off, and left on the floor to cry alone. "Wanda..." he sobbed the name over and over again.

The memory shut out like a light being turned off, and Wanda was feeling a growing dislike for her father. She didn't know where she'd gone, but it obviously wasn't good. And Pietro had been left with no one who cared, just a cold hearted father who expected too much of him.

The steady up and down tosses of the sea of memories were hardly relaxing; for she still feared having another whirlpool experience. Though she seemed to be finding a few answers, her mind was still loaded with questions. 'Where did I go exactly? And what happened to Pietro while I was gone?' The sea churned, preparing to answer her inquiry.

Like a soft light growing steadily stronger, another memory came into focus. The scene was again gloomy, though the mysterious metal building from before had gone. It was a stormy morning, with rain beating down mercilessly upon three figures. It looked like some kind of suburb; a black car was parked by the sidewalk, and Wanda recognized her father in a trench coat standing by it. At his side was a tiny Pietro, nervously grasping a suitcase that was bigger than he was. They were at the end of a driveway leading to a very comfy looking house, with a flower garden in front. Standing just outside the door of the house was a young woman in a sun dress, holding an umbrella.

"As much as I hate to have to leave you with a human," Magneto said the word with utmost dislike "I have things to do and I can't have you underfoot." He didn't exactly seem to be having a hard time giving his son away to a complete stranger. Pietro just sniffled, as he seemed accustomed to doing at that age, and shuffled forward towards his new home as his father drove away.

Wanda just watched sadly. This trip down memory lane was depressing. The memory faded briefly and then faded back in; reminding her of scene skipping in a movie. Her tiny brother was now standing in a very warm looking kitchen, dripping water on the hardwood floor. He was shivering so violently. The new step mother was kneeling, taking dry clothes out of the suit case for him. Wanda wondered if this woman was a good or a bad thing.

"Here now," she handed a bundle of clothes to him "you go change before you get sick. The bathroom is down the hall, to the left." She was about to ask if he needed her to go with, but Pietro was gone and back already before she could say much. The startled woman gasped and fell backward. "How did you...?" Pietro hung his head as if guilty.

"...I wasn't supposed to do that..." he murmured. "Now you'll send me away too...!" The distraught child started to cry loudly, yet again. Step Mother recovered from the shock and proceeded to hug her bawling step son.

"Why would I do that?" she asked. "I finally have a little boy to care for, after waiting so long; and I got a very special little boy, and that makes it even better." Pietro quieted down.

'Good, so she's not a mutant hater...' Wanda was relieved. 'Of course no one knew what mutants were back then.'

"You don't hate me...?"

"Of course not." The boy's mood lightened, though he was still wary of his new guardian.

"I'm really fast..."

"How fast?" she was genuinely interested.

"Father said I could go..." he paused. "Mach 1, whatever that means...and I could go faster when I grow up."

"Wow..." she was also genuinely amazed. She stood. "Pietro...would you like a cookie?" The little speed demon blinked up at her.

"Whats that?"

"You've never had a cookie...? It's food, a treat." She handed him one, and he stared at it for a while before taking a bite. He looked fascinated. And then his mouth started.

"OhmygoshthisislikethegreatestthingIevertastedIneverknewfoodcouldtastethisgooditssogreatitreallyisdoyouhavemoreIwantmoreIwantlotsmoreitssogoodcanIhavesomemore?" The poor woman just stared in awe.

Wanda fought hard not to laugh at this. At the same time she wondered if Pietro would still yap like that if you gave him sweets. Of course the thought of him on a sugar high scared her.

"What is it you're trying to say?" Pietro bounced up and down with his arms in the air.

"IsaidIwantmorecauseitssogooditsthebestthingeverIwantmorepleasepleasepleaseplease?" Step mom held up another cookie.

"You...want another?" Pietro started leaping up, trying to grab the morsel from her.

"YessssssssIwantmoreIwantitrightnowhurryupandgiveitIwantitgimmegimmegimme!"

In the end Pietro got his cookie and the memory faded. Wanda was thankful that the sad memories took a break, if only for a moment. 'But how will I get out of here?' she thought, serious again. 'I just can't be dead...this is really weird...'

The rolling waves brought forth a schoolyard scene, with little ones running about happily. But in one corner under a tree, a scrap was going on between some kid and Pietro. They rolled in the dirt, pounding on one another while a couple others watched. The other kid was larger than Pietro and made quick work of winning the fight. The kids snickered at the smaller boy's injuries and began walking away.

An infuriated Pietro then delivered a high speed punch right to the back of his attacker's head, knocking him on his face. He didn't get up. His buddies then went and told a teacher about how Pietro picked a fight and beat him up so badly for no reason; when of course the opposite had happened. Pietro then had to go to the Principal's office, with his antagonists laughing at his retreating form.

'Little bastards...' Wanda thought bitterly; god she hated kids. She then also realized she couldn't remember attending school at any time in her life. 'Why is there nothing there...and what is the point of seeing memories of my brother's? I need answers to my past not his.' The point of these experiences was just not presenting itself to her.

The memory changed to Pietro shuffling into the Principal's office, staring at the floor as he was informed as to why he was there; as if he didn't know. The principal was a thin, middle aged man with thick glasses, and he somehow gave Wanda an uneasy feeling as he closed and locked the door of the office...something wasn't quite right. It was like watching a suspenseful moment in a horror movie; something creepy was going on, and something bad was about to happen, but you didn't know what.

Pietro started to shudder. He didn't move otherwise, and he didn't make a sound. The strange man sat in his chair and beckoned for Pietro to come sit on his lap. Pietro started to cry silently as he did so. He'd already had the defiance pounded out of him, courtesy Magneto. It dawned on Wanda what exactly was wrong then. The pedophile rubbed his victim's belly, his hand creeping lower...

Wanda turned away sharply. 'Disgusting! That's the last thing I need to see!' She was getting angry again; especially knowing that she couldn't change the horrible images. Thinking about how hopeless he must have felt then, having his innocence annihilated, it made her feel sick. 'I don't want to know about Pietro's past, just my own. I don't care what happened to him!' She hoped whatever was causing this would somehow hear her thoughts and stop the torture.

She really wondered what was causing all of this. Someone or something felt she needed to see all of these things for some reason. She tried to calm herself and think...but she couldn't imagine what would do this. She sighed. She also wished death upon that vile pedophile that had violated her brother. 'Ok, so maybe I do care a bit...'

Another memory flowed in from the sea. Pietro's familiar cries graced the depressed Wanda's ears as she saw her brother clinging to his step mother.

"Don't make me go back! Please don't make me go back!" he begged as his guardian attempted without success to pry him off.

"Pietro, what's the matter with you? You have to go to school!"

"No!"

"Why not?"

"..."

"Why can't you go to school? You have to talk to me..." Pietro let go at last and stood there, staring at the floor.

"I can't..."

"But why? You don't have to be afraid to tell me anything..." She put her arm around Pietro, and he flinched as if her touch had stung him. "Whats wrong? I won't hurt you..."

"It hurts when you touch there..." Pietro muttered, eyes not moving from the floor.

Carefully, his step mother lifted his shirt a bit, revealing dark bruises on his hips. She was horrified.

"Pietro...where did you get these?" her voice was shaking with dread. "Did one of the teachers do this?" The little one just shook his head in silence. "Was it the principal...?" Pietro flinched again at the mention of his violator. He nodded very slowly, still afraid of admitting that anything had happened.

His step mother gingerly held him and promised that she'd make things better. Wanda wondered what would happen next. The scene faded away and was replaced with the image of a courtroom. The place was packed. At one table in front sat Pietro, his step mother and her lawyer; at the other was another man whom Wanda assumed was the lawyer of that dirtbag pedophile. She felt a bit of relief; that bastard would at least be put away for what he did.

She didn't see him though. 'Odd...' The jury stood, and one individual in front of them held up some papers to read from. They were ready to give their verdict, and Wanda listened intently. She might at least get some satisfaction knowing that that putrid man didn't get away with child molestation.

"We the jury find the defendant, Mary Anne Maximoff, guilty of Murder in the First Degree." the juryman spoke out to the anticipating courtroom. The judge then ordered for Mrs. Maximoff to be held until a punishment was decided upon.

'She killed him?' Wanda had gotten her wish.

Pietro clung to the woman as the police officers tried to separate them. She got to say one last thing to him.

"Pietro, please promise me you won't ever let anyone push you around...don't let people make you feel inferior, because you're better than they are." They were then separated as the image faded out.

'Maybe that was what caused the change in him; he seemed like such a crybaby back then...I should have been nicer...I don't know why my mind keeps telling me to hate him. It might have something to do with me being sent away, but what could he have done? He was as helpless as I was.' She drifted in the ocean of memories, almost having given up on finding shore. 'I shouldn't be mad at him, it's our father who did bad things. If only I could get out of here...I want to make amends...'

"Wanda!" A frightened cry rang out in the darkness. Wanda knew that cry well by now, but it wasn't that of a child.

A blue light appeared before her as the cry came again. Without hesitation, she stepped into it. She would find a way out of here, to be with her brother again. If they were going to suffer in life or in this place, they would at least have each other.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

------------------------------------------------------

I'm really sorry about taking so long! As usual, a ton of stuff happened at once and I was really caught up in school, and being sick, and applying to university, and my grandmother died, and it was just a hellish mess. But I'm back to working on this now, so don't fear for your favorite story ever! This is your favorite story ever right? ...Right?

I had a ton of more stuff I wanted to put in this part, but for the sake of equality between the two characters, I chopped the stuff I had for when Pietro was older: his terrible new foster home, and some stuff between him and Evan, etc. I thought I'd throw the cookie thing in to be cute, though if you really think about it, it's quite sad when a child hasn't even heard of food actually tasting good (assuming you picked apart what Pietro said).

I am also strangely reminded of this fic (especially the last part) when I hear the song 'Great Big White World' by Marilyn Manson. If you haven't heard it, I recommend listening to it; see if you get the same thing.

If you've come this far then review would ya? It helps me write better and faster. Thanks very much for your support and patience, and don't worry, you will find out what the hell that freakin' firefly was in the final piece, which will be very cushy.

Lin-sama the Super Villain (with freezing fingers)