The Lazarus experiment incident was a good test to show what the New Avengers were capable of, as someone was present in the church at the time of the fight and filmed it. Including the entire conversation between Lazarus and Hayden.

It wasn't a planetary threat, but a human turning into a big scorpion-like monster much like Bruce Banner becomes the Hulk, it had the makings of an internet sensation.

There were obviously some people who blamed the team for the degradation of the church. But the team didn't care, finding that facing a monster was more urgent than protecting a church.

Hayden was one of those who went to the medical ward and saw Dr. Helen Cho treating Wanda. The witch had acquired a gash on her forehead from the debris that had knocked her out.

"Hayden. Glad to see you're okay too." Helene greeted as she applied the bandage to Wanda. "Do you need anything?"

"If you're busy, it can wait." Hayden replied as he held his side.

"It's okay. Helen is done with me." Wanda interjected. Dr. Cho nodded as she threw off her gloves to get new ones.

"What do you need?" She asked the young man.

"It's just a gash I have here." Replied Hayden as he pointed to his left hip.

"All right. Let me see it."

Hayden took a breath as he removed the top of his tactical suit. Wanda found herself looking at the Avenger's toned physique, and quickly looked away once he turned to place the shirt on the chair.

"Gonna have to sew up the suit your outfit too. That's a problem." Hayden added.

Dr. Cho applied antiseptic before dressing Hayden's wound. She discarded the set of gloves and returned to the duo as Hayden put his top back on.

"Thank you, Helen." Said Wanda.

"No problem. Good night." She replied, and walked out of the room. Wanda was sitting on the examination table while Hayden leaned against the one next to him.

He noticed her in his thoughts and turned to question her.

"What's on your mind? If you don't mind me asking." He said.

Before she answered, Hayden thought about what it could be. Was it the fight against Lazarus? Was it how he acted during the evening where his speech at the church?

"Lazarus..." Wanda began to say. Hayden nodded now that he knew what she was thinking. "He was willing to kill people for his own survival."

"Some people, when they survive, can be marked to the point of doing anything to escape death." Hayden explained.

"Are you saying I could have ended up like him?" Wanda insinuated.

"No, no..." Hayden rebutted. "You realized that it was the death that was the problem. Not the death itself."

"Maybe... if I hadn't had Pietro with me... things might have been different." Wanda said, lowering her eyes.

"But he was there." Hayden retorted. "You had support to deal with what you went through."

"And Ultron took him from me..." Wanda recalled.

She remembered the moment she had ripped Ultron's heart out of his body. She wished she could have done it more to make him feel the pain he was causing her. Slaughtering Ultimo was her outlet.

"Hayden... Is that bad? To channel all this... rage... into my powers?" She asked.

Hayden crossed his arms.

"I don't think so." Hayden replied. "Those feelings don't go away over time. They just get hidden until they can be brought out and finally acted upon. All I can advise you on is when it will be useful to unleash it."

"Yeah..."

Hayden didn't want to dwell on the battle of Sokovia and Pietro's death. He knew Wanda didn't like to remember it. He tried to think of something else.

"Uh... We had a pretty crazy mission. Between a science experiment that almost exploded, and facing a giant scorpion... We need a day off." He said.

Wanda turned to look at Hayden. The young Avenger tried to think of what else to say as the woman's eyes fixed on him.

"How about... we, uh, go to Central Park? Take a little walk? I think there might be a concert there too."

Wanda gave a slight smile, which made Hayden a little nervous as he wondered what her answer would be.

"If you want. We could do something else... or stay at in the complex." He said.

"Are you asking me on a date?" She asked, knowing she would embarrass him.

"No. No. It can be an outing... with friends." Hayden quickly replied.

Wanda could hear the thoughts in his head, which always made her laugh.

"Is this a date? No maybe. It could be. Goddamn it, man. Stop taking the lead."

Wanda appreciated everything Hayden did for her since she became an Avenger. He even went out of his way to show her respect before that, during the events of Sokovia.

He was the shoulder she leaned on after Pietro died. He was the one who helped her become fully integrated into the Avengers. He never wanted anything else in return, he just wanted to be a good friend.

Like Hayden to her, Wanda was developing feelings for him too.

"All right. What time?" Wanda agreed.

"Um. Let's see... Three o'clock...is that okay?" Hayden offered, rubbing his neck.

"Then it's settled." Said Wanda as she stepped down from the exam table.

She walked over to him and planted a kiss on his cheek, which took him by surprise.

"Good night, Hayden." Said Wanda with a smile, and walked out of the infirmary.

Hayden sighed, trying to process the fact that he asked Wanda Maximoff on a date.

It's been so long since he's had one. The last time... he couldn't even remember. He was going to need some advice. He'd ask Steve, but quickly realized that Steve was probably less experienced than he was in this matter.

"Well... I'll improvised..."

Hayden tried to keep the rendezvous a secret from the rest of the team, and succeeded by scheduling the rendezvous from his TARDIS. Even though he didn't really use it anymore, the ship was still his ultimate private domain. Since once locked, even Vision could not get inside while out of phase.

Wanda was wearing a black top with jeans and a sweater. She would have liked to take her leather jacket instead, but it was still scuffed from yesterday's mission.

Hayden was wearing a black shirt and ash-colored pants. It was an outfit he wasn't used to wearing, but it looked good on him.

They had left the facility with Hayden in the car for Manhattan. Wanda offered to take him there, but Hayden had declined. He joked that he could go in the TARDIS, but that a British police phone booth might attract attention.

The couple arrived in Central Park. They walked the winding paths, passing joggers and cyclists. They saw other couples and families spending time together, i they even spotted an influencer recording from time to time with his camera.

To their surprise, few people recognized the two Avengers. There were a few people here and there, but overall they were left alone, which they appreciated.

This was Wanda's first time experiencing the city. She enjoyed the cool breeze and the sounds of the park. In Hayden's case, he didn't go to Central Park. It was nice to see people get up and enjoy their day without being threatened by aliens.

After walking for a while, the two sat on the lawn in the sunshine. They looked at the people crossing the bridge in front of them.

"This is nice, you know?" Said Hayden.

Wanda turned to him, sitting in a cross-legged position.

"What?" She asked.

"Seeing all this. People enjoying life. I feel like it's worth it." He replied.

Wanda understood him. She knew how selfless he was. Hayden does what he does because he wants people who can't do what they do to be happy.

"I'd like to think so too." She said, looking down at her hands. "In Sokovia, it wasn't like this. Every day there was a gunfight outside. It was like the war was never going to end."

Hayden looked at the witch, feeling sympathy.

"My parents were killed in an air raid when I was ten. Pietro and I were the only survivors. We hid under our bed for two days, waiting to die." She explained.

Hayden moved closer to Wanda. He made sure she was comfortable before putting an arm around her.

"I'm sorry you had to go through that. No one at that age should have to."

The young man looked down and thought about his home world.

"... On my home planet, Gallifrey... there was a war... The Time War. I should have joined that conflict, but I ran away. And when I went back after the war was over... I saw all my people decimated... and I was forced to witness the murder of my mother... I don't even know why the person who did it did it." Hayden explained.

Wanda remembered seeing the Time Lord genocide play out in Hayden's head when she mentally manipulated him back when they were adversaries in South Africa. She didn't want to act like this was new information to her.

"I know, I'm sorry." She apologized.

"What?"

"I made you relive it at the scrapyard. I felt your grief...your pain. I'm sorry." She said.

She was genuinely sorry and felt guilty. But Hayden wasn't angry with her and never would be.

"Don't be, Wanda. We've all done things we regret, and it's best not to dwell on them." He said.

Hayden looked ahead and saw a man helping a couple out of a carriage. That's when an idea popped into his mind.

"Enough of this gloom." He said as he stood up, also helping Wanda to her feet. "Have you ever ridden in a carriage?"

They rode the carriage through the park in the direction they parked the car. They enjoyed the sights more and even took a picture after the ride was over.

The couple then went to eat at a nearby pizzeria. They sat at one of the tables outside and enjoyed their food.

"This guy shrunk to the size of an ant. Sam couldn't even find him, and he even got into his bag to disable his winged ones." Said Hayden, telling the story of Falcon's encounter with a man with the nickname Ant-Man, which he witnessed when he was in the room where the complex's video surveillance was being broadcast.

"Really? Who else knows?" Wanda asked, intrigued by this.

"Only Nat and me. But believe me, I'm going to tell Steve as soon as I get a chance." He replied.

"Who could it be?" Wanda wondered.

"I have no idea. Sam said he'd look into it... maybe he could be a new recruit?" Replied Hayden.

Wanda nodded her head in agreement.

They finished eating and returned to their car. They returned to the complex afterwards and entered the empty recreation area.

"Surprised no one was waiting for us." Hayden remarked.

There was silence as Hayden placed the keys on the counter. Wanda walked over to the nearby refrigerator.

"Well, I had a good time." Said Hayden.

"Yeah. Me too." Added Wanda.

"Okay..." Hayden fiddled with his hands and moved closer to her. "Maybe we can do this another time... if you're up for it of course."

Wanda placed her hands on the sides of his shoulders and walked in and kissed him. Their lips met and the couple savored the moment.

"I'd love to." Wanda replied once the kiss was over, which made Hayden smile.

Nearby, Rhodey and Natasha were in the security room doing their daily check-ins. They witnessed the young Avengers' romantic moment.

"This is better than TV." Rhodey remarked.