Hey all, better late than never haha, but nevertheless, hope you enjoy this chapter as much as I did writing it :)
Chapter Six
Emma doesn't know how long or how far she has been flying for. Countless trees and buildings pass by her view but she only finally comes to a stop in front of a crystal clear river.
She gazes into the water with a faraway look in her eyes. Her heart is heavy with emotion and a part of her wants to cry out in frustration and sadness.
However, she doesn't.
Instead, she stares at her neutral reflection in the water.
Dark circles are prominent under her sleep deprived eyes and her brown hair splays out all over her sides in an unruly and unkempt manner. Following Ultron's appearing act, Emma, like the rest of the Avengers, barely had time to recover or clean up at all.
She only had time to change out of her party dress into a simple white V-neck shirt and black jeans and what little make up she had on is now a smudged mess on her face.
She sighs heavily and sinks down onto the floor into a cross legged position.
And her mind drifts back to the time when she first met Wanda.
Emma is on her way back to her cave after a 'grocery' trip to the city when a slight noise to her left alerts her senses.
Alarm seeps it's way into her bones and Emma drops the bags of items she stole onto the floor in caution.
"Pietro? Is that you?" calls out Emma warily.
Her eyes narrow slightly.
But silence ensues.
"Who's there?" demands Emma calmly but coldly in Slovak this time.
When she receives no reply, she switches back to English in a final attempt to call out her boyfriend.
"Pietro, if this is your idea of a sick joke. It isn't funny."
As soon as Emma finishes speaking, she catches wind of a swift movement out of her peripheral vision.
Her head jerks right.
And she spots it.
Right between two pine trees stands a peculiar female about her age.
Her hair is reddish-brown and her eyes are dark. Upon her slim figure adorns a red jacket and black top and bottoms.
Peculiar. Her features make her look so doll like that Emma would stare at her in envy under normal circumstances.
But this was anything but ordinary.
She looks vaguely familiar but Emma cannot place where she has seen this girl before.
And upon seeing the cold emotionless look upon the girl's face, Emma's distrust of this stranger skyrockets instantly.
"Who are you?" asks Emma with a raise of her brow.
But the girl does not reply.
"Can I help you?" asks Emma who decides to try a nicer approach in hopes of getting a response out of the girl.
The girl merely blinks at her.
Otherwise, she is so still that she seems like a life size doll and if it weren't for the gentle risings of her chest with every breath she takes, Emma would never mistaken her for a wax figure.
After staring at each other for a an indefinite amount of time, the girl's lips turn upwards into a small smirk.
"Yes, there is something you can help me with," says the mahogany-haired girl in a accented tone right before red mists emerge out of the palms of her hands and head towards Emma.
Shock permeates Emma's mind but fortunately, her sharp reflexes kick in instantaneously.
She propels herself up towards the sky and forwards towards the girl.
Emma grabs the dagger from her boot while mid air and lands in front of the witch instantly.
Before Wanda even had the time to blink, she finds a dagger pressed dangerously to her throat.
The cool metal stings her throat but she doesn't flinch. Instead, she stares into the eyes of her aggressor and smirks in amusement.
Emma sees her smirk and is torn between feeling annoyed and intrigued at the stranger.
Is she crazy?
Firsts she attacks Emma out of no good reason and now she seems to be in delight even though she is at a total disadvantage.
Emma is at a loss for words but her eyes remain firm.
"Who are you?" asks Emma softly again with an underlying threat to her voice.
"Relax, I did not seek to harm you, I merely wanted to test your reaction," says the girl as her eyes flicker down towards the blade pressed against her neck before moving back up to look Emma in the eyes.
"Test me?" repeats Emma in confusion. "For what? Who are you?"
Suddenly, the girl's eyes flashes red and Emma's dagger is swept out of the palms of her hands into the ground a few feet away.
"What the - " gasps Emma in surprise as her eyes follow the dagger.
"Forgive me for my...unorthodox methods," shrugs the brunette offhandedly as she brushes off a few twigs on her shoulders. "But I wanted to be certain."
Emma's eyes flash furiously. "Certain of what? Is this your idea of fun? Cause it really isn't."
The girl in front of her narrows her eyes marginally but schools her features into a neutral gaze again.
"Of course, where are my manners? I am Wanda." Then, she smirks. "But you will probably know me as Pietro's sister."
"Wanda Maximoff?"
"Do you know others?" retorts Wanda with a playful eye roll.
"No..." trails off Emma in confusion, "But I'm utterly perplexed as to why my boyfriend's sister just picked a fight with me."
"To test your self defense," answers Wanda easily as though she did not just have a dagger pressed to her throat.
Emma wrinkles her forehead. "And the purpose of that was to...see my abilities?"
"Silly girl," spits out Wanda, not spitefully, but out of frustration. "I had to be sure you could protect my brother in times of trouble."
Emma frowns. "Pietro can take care of himself. He's fast."
If steam is able to come out of Wanda's ears, it would have. Her face is so red that she looks like she is going to lash out at Emma at any moment.
But as quickly as it comes, her anger disappears into a impenetrable mask.
The witch sighs deeply.
"These are dark times, Emma Ezekiel. I sense something big - but I do not know what, is coming, and I do not feel good. I am worried, more so for Pietro than myself," says Wanda softly with her voice cracking at the mention of her brother.
"I don't understand. You're worried for Pietro - I get that, but you're speaking as though you're not going to be around in the future or something."
Wanda chuckles darkly.
"Perhaps. I-I...cannot be sure," says Wanda as her face breaks out into a helpless defeated expression. "These few days, I have felt...off. I think 'forlorn' is the apt word to describe this feeling and I need your word to protect my brother should something happen to me."
Emma blinks her eyes a few times to see if she was hearing correctly. The strong fearless girl Wanda presented herself to be was gone. In her place stands a scared and worried person.
Emma has never seen someone look so lost before.
"Of course," agrees Emma sincerely. "Pietro is someone very important to me. He - he helped me through a dark time and nothing I do will ever match that."
Wanda's forlorn eyes lift to meet hers.
"I know. You love him," states Wanda with a sad smile. Just as Emma is about to deny the truth in Wanda's statement, Wanda continues, "You may not realize it yet - both of you, but your love for each other is something even a heartless man can see. And for that, I am eternally grateful and in your debt."
"W-what?" stutters Emma with a faint blush on her face.
"You may not know this, but the first time you wandered into these woods, Pietro fell for you right away. I had never seen my brother so besotted with a female before - we only ever had each other, you see. But when he told me to make you forget, I knew. I knew that you two were meant to be, so I made your memory loss temporary."
Emma's eyes widen in realization.
"You were to remember him, if and only if, your heart desired him upon your next meeting. You had to be ready to accept it - Pietro's love. I have always been a believer of fate, Emma. So when Pietro returned one day to tell me of how you remembered him, I knew you were the one for him. I knew that I could trust you with his life," explains Wanda seriously.
Emma chuckles nervously, "That's kind of a big thing to take in, Wanda. What you're essentially telling me is that Pietro and I were destined to be together? Do you even realize how crazy that sounds?"
Wanda shakes her head with a calm expression. "I do not believe in destiny, only fate."
"What's the difference? They both sound the same."
"Destiny is something you cannot change. Fate, however, is something that is predetermined but not yet set in stone. It is entirely up to you to dictate what happens after that," says Wanda. "You and Pietro are fated but what happens after, relies upon your choice. This is why I am pleading with you to tell Pietro how you feel once you realize it, and to protect him with your life. You are the determinant of your fate."
As the great extent of Wanda's words start to set in, Emma notices Wanda's eyes flash red.
As soon as the red flash dissipates, Wanda's expression is almost frantic.
"Promise me that you'll protect my brother with your life," demands Wanda desperately.
Emma's eyes widen as Wanda grips her wrist tightly. "Promise me, Emma. I have to go - they are searching for me, but I need your word."
"I promise," agrees Emma firmly to ease the distraught witch's worry.
Emma has just enough time to see the relief which floods Wanda's face before a cloud of red smoke surrounds her.
Her vision blurs and she coughs at the fumes.
When her senses are clear of the smoke, she reopens her eyes to find that Wanda is gone.
Emma has only ever met Wanda that one time, but she remembers that experience vividly.
Protect Pietro with your life.
Sadness overwhelms her when she thinks of her boyfriend who is halfway across the world but she isn't ready to go begging to Stark for help yet.
Emma is still angry Stark meddled with Loki's scepter because now they have another problem out there in the world to fight. But it shouldn't be her problem. Stark should repair the damage he cause himself. After all, she isn't an avenger and finding the twins is her main priority.
Yet, why does she feel guilty?
Emma knows the other avengers aren't to blame for Ultron either but they should've known better than to trust Stark. Right?
With Stark's history, it shouldn't be surprising that he has set the world down another path of destruction.
After all, Pietro's lucid account of his sister and him being first hand recipients of Stark's inventions should be clear evidence that he does nothing but destroy.
But why does Emma feel uneasy - like she is wrong?
Not all who wander are lost. And not all who are lost wander.
Emma's eyelids flutter tiredly as she remembers the exact phrase her mother once crooned to her as a story when she was a baby.
Her Vanir memory lets her recall a lot from the short time she had with her mother and this particular saying resonates extremely well with her right now.
And an epiphany hits her like lightning. Stark wandered but he wasn't lost. He only thought he was doing what he thought was right.
How can she blame him for his mistake? He, like everyone else, did not know what the outcome would be. But he was brave enough to try it anyway.
At what age did Emma lose her compassion? She wonders. Perhaps a year ago, she would've forgiven Stark right away. But now, she finds it hard to do the same.
She is empathetic towards him but it does not give him reprieve for his actions. She is critical and she finds herself battling with her emotions.
What should she do now?
Emma doesn't know.
She is exhausted but she is also slightly unhinged.
She aches to do something but her mind is too overwhelmed to comprehend anything.
Perhaps they are doomed down the blasphemy Stark set them on.
Perhaps nothing could save the world from its demise.
But surely every problem had a panacea to it.
Destiny and fate are not the same things.
Wanda's words ring loudly in her mind and suddenly, the answer is clear.
The beginning of the end does not mean it is the end of the beginning. Although Stark may have started something disastrous, there is still a chance to salvage it.
Pietro and Wanda are important to her; and if Emma helps stop Ultron, she is going to create a better world for Pietro.
Protect Pietro with your life.
Emma had promised.
And now she was doing it with the purpose of something additional. She was going to help other people.
She stands up with determination and lifts herself off the ground into the air with her destination in mind – the path to salvation.
"Hey," murmurs Emma quietly as she steps into the view of all of the Avengers standing on the roof of Stark Tower getting ready to board the Quinjet.
They stare at her cautiously, too stunned to speak. They all thought she was never coming back.
"Hey," speaks up Steve in reply.
Emma looks down meekly in awkwardness. "Where are you guys heading to?"
"Wa – " begins Steve in reply but he is cut off by Natasha who interrupts coldly.
"That's classified," says Natasha.
"Oh."
Emma looks away, embarrassed. Her plan of helping the Avengers sounded so much better in her head. This was not what she had hoped for.
Steve shoots Natasha a warning look but is surprised to see a tiny smirk on the Assassin's face. Clearly, she is up to something.
And he catches on to her plan instantly.
"What Nat meant was that the mission is classified unless you're an Avenger," clarifies Steve.
Not catching onto his drift, Emma's face displays her hurt.
However, she's not deterred because she's come too far to turn back now.
"Could I somehow, join you on your mission?" pleads Emma.
Steve smiles warmly and is about to say yes when Natasha cuts him off once again.
"No," she says flatly.
However, Natasha continues on a second later with a small smile. "No we don't just want you to join us on the mission. We want you on our team."
"You do?" asks Emma in surprise.
"We do?" questions Tony stupidly.
Clint rolls his eyes and waves Stark off.
"Yes we do, I think you've proven yourself enough, Emma. You deserve to be a part of the Avengers," adds in Clint with a small grin.
"But I attacked Stark in a moment of anger!"
Natasha rolls her eyes at Emma's statement. "Please, all of us would've done the same to Stark if you hadn't. Besides, you didn't even harm a strand of hair on him. You put him in his place and honestly, I have to say what you did worked wonders because Tony was literally a changed man after that."
"Hey! I resent that statement! She threw me on my butt – that hurt!" refutes Tony indignantly in a playful tone.
"Well, it changed him during the time you were gone because he's back to his old self now," mutters Natasha.
"So you're not angry at me?"
"Of course not, young Emma," beams Thor in a deep tone. "We are most delighted for you to be a part of the Avengers!"
Emma's lips turn upwards into a smile.
Suddenly, a loud alarm sounds, drawing all of their attentions.
"That's just the signal that the Quinjet is ready for take-off," explains Tony.
"Then we better get going then," says Clint as he heads up the ramp to the Quinjet.
The others follow suit and Steve motions for Emma to walk beside him.
"Where exactly are we going?" asks Emma curiously.
"Wakanda," says Steve while glancing at Emma out of the corner of his eyes. But he does not divulge anything further.
Not satisfied, Emma presses. "So where is Wakanda and what's in Wakanda?"
Steve sighs and his face is solemn. "It's in South Africa and it's the home of the strongest metal on Earth."
Emma's eyes widen in realisation as she connects the dots for the pieces of information in her head.
She doesn't pry any further.
On the way to Wakanda, Emma sits quietly in a corner of the Quinjet after Steve fills her in on all the details and their plan of attack. She is pensive and she wonders if the twins will be there. If they see her working with the Avengers, she knows they will be greatly upset.
However, she hopes that she can convince them to leave Ultron. Her heart aches for Pietro and she can't help but think about Wanda's words about fate. If they are surely meant to be, then perhaps Pietro will understand why she is working with the Avengers.
She won't give up so soon.
"Hey," a deep voice breaks her train of thoughts and Emma is taken aback to see Tony standing in front of her.
"Listen, I know you're probably still angry and you said that you won't forgive me and all, but I – er," trails off Tony as he scratches the back of his neck nervously. " – I wanted to apologise. You're right about how I don't think things through and I am sorry about what I've done to accuse you for anything and for the creation of Ultron. For all it's worth, I know saying sorry doesn't solve anything but I just wanted you to know that I never intended to hurt you or anyone. And for what happened to your boyfriend's family, I never meant for that to happen either. Years ago, someone close to me sold my weapons to terrorists without my knowledge and though that's not an excuse, it's something I will deeply regret for as long as I shall live."
Emma's face softens at Tony's apology. She knows it must have taken a lot out of him to do so because he was as proud as a peacock. And she appreciates the small gesture.
"I didn't say I wouldn't forgive you forever, Tony. I said I wouldn't forgive you in that moment. But hearing you speak to me now has made me realise that I already have forgiven you. It's tiring for me to hold a grudge – I'm just not that kind of person and I've seen too much pain and suffering that comes with it to do the same. I've decided to let go of the past, Tony. You should too, don't blame yourself for Ultron. Look forward and help make the best out of this situation."
Tony blinks in astonishment. Here he is, admitting he was at fault and expecting all the resentment to be shown to him but yet, instead, he is blessed with forgiveness and gifted with such wise words from the victim of his wrongdoings.
He has never been religious but for once, thank god for everything.
"Thank you," mutters Tony before he awkwardly pats Emma on her back. "You sure you're not secretly a hundred years old or something?"
Emma sticks out her tongue playfully. "What? Are you jealous of my wisdom, old man?"
"You wish, kid. You wish."
A familiar mechanical voice echoes throughout the metal ship, letting the Avengers know that they have found their target.
Natasha and Clint split up to gain a higher vantage point while the rest of them, save for Bruce, make their way as stealthily as they could to where Ultron was with Ulysses Klaw.
"Don't compare me with Stark!" shouts Ultron in utter repulsion. "He's a sickness!"
Groans of pain can be heard and the Avengers know it is time to move in.
Of course, Tony is always one for grand entrances.
"Aww junior, you're breaking your old man's heart."
Everyone in the room turns to face the Avengers and Emma recognises instantly that Ultron is clearly in no mood for games.
"If I have to," says Ultron coldly right before two familiar figures step up beside him.
Wanda and Pietro are here.
However, only the latter notices her presence.
Emma's heart leaps to her throat and her eyes water slightly at the sight of her lover.
Pietro's eyes meet hers instantly and she watches as the emotions reflected in his eyes changes quickly.
At first, he is in disbelief but then joy sets in. However, once Pietro realises who Emma is with, his eyes fill with betrayal and he averts his gaze away from her, breaking her heart.
"Nobody has to break anything," says Thor as he tries to diffuse the situation. It is clearly a lost cause because it makes Ultron smirk sardonically.
"Well clearly, you've never made an omelette."
"He beat me by one second," says Tony jokingly to Thor.
"Is it funny, Mr Stark?" speaks up an all too familiar voice to Emma.
She lets Pietro's deep accented voice wash over her as she closes her eyes before opening them in seriousness.
"It is what? Comfortable? Like old times?" continues Pietro coldly.
"This was never my life," says Tony in remorse. But Pietro doesn't believe him.
And neither does Wanda. She rolls her eyes. "Oh please."
"You two can still walk away from this," says Steve warningly.
Wanda smirks. "Oh, we will."
"I know you've suffered – "
"Captain America," spits out Ultron in disgust. "God's righteous man. Pretending you could live without a war. I can't physically throw up in my mouth but – "
"If you believe in peace, then let us keep it," interrupts Thor, almost pleadingly.
"I think you're confusing peace with quiet."
"He's not," speaks up Emma for the first time since she stepped aboard the ship. "You're the one who's confused."
"Emma?" speaks up Wanda, baffled. "What are you doing here?"
Pietro scoffs angrily but his eyes depict his sadness. "Isn't it obvious, sister? She's with them."
Wanda's eyes narrow and she glares daggers at the freckled face brunette.
"Pietro, I can explain – " begins Emma but she is cut off by Ultron.
"Ah Emma Ezekiel. We meet again. Have you perhaps reconsidered my offer? After all, your beloved is here with me. Are you certain you are on the right side?" asks Ultron in his attempt at a sympathetic voice but it just comes off as fake to Emma.
As Emma is hesitant to reply, Steve speaks up for her. "She can make her decisions just fine."
Sensing the brewing tension, Tony attempts to buy some time.
"Yeah, right. So moving on, what's the vibranium for?" asks Tony even though the answer is clear.
Upon hearing Tony's words, Ultron's robotic face breaks out into a malicious grin. "I'm glad you asked that because I want to take this time to explain my evil plan."
As soon as he finishes speaking, Ultron blasts Tony into the wall and all hell breaks loose because the Iron Legion appears out of nowhere and starts attacking the Avengers.
Once again, like the time when she was back in Stark tower, all the Avengers but Emma, are preoccupied in the fight.
She looks to the spot where Ultron, Pietro and Wanda once stood to find them all gone.
However, she hears a whizzing sound and feels the wind being knocked out of her as a force carries her at top speed. Everything blurs around her and when she regains a clear vision of her surroundings, Emma finds herself face to face with Pietro in an empty part of the ship.
His face is hard and Emma thinks he is going to attack her because he starts to walk towards her intimidatingly. However, she is wrong.
As soon as Pietro closes the distance between them, he wraps his arms around her waist and pulls her into a deep kiss. Emma responds instantly and grips Pietro's jaw in her palms to pull him tighter against her, her lips moving passionately with his.
This kiss isn't like the ones they've shared before, it is desperate and their lips are moulding together so fervently it seems as though it is their last.
At this very moment, they aren't on opposing sides of the spectrum.
They're just Pietro and Emma – two people in love.
When they finally break apart, they are gasping and breathing heavily to repay their oxygen debt.
Pietro leans his forehead against Emma's and murmurs, "I love you. I can't bear to hurt you, no matter how much you've hurt me."
"Pietro – I love you too, and I can explain everything to you!"
"Shh," croons Pietro as he embraces Emma tightly, not wanting to let go. "There is time for that later."
"What do you mean?" asks Emma in confusion as she wrinkles her nose.
However, she does not get a chance to hear a reply because her vision fades to black as she slumps down into Pietro's arm.
Wanda stands in front of Pietro, behind Emma, with her eyes glowing red. She has knocked Emma unconscious once again.
"Does this feel familiar, brother?" asks Wanda sarcastically with her arms folded across her chest.
Pietro ignores Wanda's taunt and focuses on lifting Emma carefully into his arms with gentle shifts.
"Have you taken care of the Avengers?" asks Pietro.
"All but the archer and the big one. Shall I finish the job?"
Pietro shakes his head in disagreement. "Let us focus on escaping. Ultron got what he wants. We have no use here."
"Don't you mean you got what you want?" retorts Wanda as her eyes dart towards Emma's sleeping form in Pietro's arms.
He ignores her comment once again and motions for her to jump onto his back – which she does with a roll of her eyes.
And in a matter of milliseconds, the spot where Pietro, Emma and Wanda once stood, is now empty.
Thanks for reading! Till next time!