Chapter 4

Central Park was lovely this time of the year and Wanda Maximoff was going to make the most of it. She had her headphones on and was reading a nice novel. As she sat on the bench, enjoying herself, Wanda sighed, content with herself.

Of course, someone had to ruin her day.

"Gotta say, that's a good book," Sam Wilson grinned, "I mean, I hear Xavier's earlier work was better, but that's a good read too."

"I really can't have any free time, can I?," the witch groaned, "Can I help you two?"

"Have you made up your mind about our proposal?," the ex-pilot asked.

Wanda snickered, slowly getting up, "I thought I made it clear how I felt about bringing back the team?"

"Well, a lot has changed since the whole Thanos thing," Sam chuckled.

"Yes. Things have gotten worse and worse," Wanda sarcastically agreed.

Since the war against Thanos's forces, a lot has occurred across the world, one of the biggest being the increase in the mutant population. This caused the public to become more aware of the existence of mutants. Of course, when they found out that the former criminal/former Avenger/living time-bomb known as the Scarlet Witch was a mutant, they were quick to turn on her. Though it wasn't like they weren't against her before after Lagos.

"C'mon, Wanda, we're all that's left of the old team," Wilson sighed, "Bruce, Steve, and Clint are out and Nat, Tony, and Vis…"

Wanda cringed at the mention of her fallen lover. Many saw him merely as an android or a machine playing human. But Wanda was the only one who really understood him. He was as human as everyone else. As caring as everyone else. As loving as everyone else.

"The last of a dying race, I suppose," Wanda remarked, before standing up and beginning to walk off.

Sam began to walk after her, "Wanda, you've lost a lot. I understand that. I just think showing a united front would work. Give the people the hope they need."

Wanda scoffed, "Sam, the world doesn't want hope…"

Slowly, red smoke slowly creeped from her hands and covered the world around the two. Wanda's eyes glowed as the area changed around them. Instead of a sunny day in Central Park, the two were now in the middle of a mob.

People with protest signs were screaming at them, hatred in their eyes. They were shouted spiteful terms like "freak" and "mutie". A few were even throwing bricks and rocks at them, trying to hit them right in the head.

Wanda shook her head, "The world wants someone to hate. Someone to blame for everything they've lost. Someone to gang up on. Bringing back the team isn't going to fix that. If anything, they're just going to come for us."

Sam looked around warily, but he never flinched at any of the times an object was thrown at him. He's been in Wanda's illusions before when he trained with her back in the old days, so he's gotten used to these. Still, seeing his friend spiral downwards with grief wasn't something he wanted to see.

The illusion slowly dissipated and the two were back in sunny Central Park. Wanda looked Sam dead in the eyes, anger in her eyes. The ex-pilot recognized the look in her eyes. That same look of rage that he saw in the veterans he helped out. He knew that he couldn't just push the issue onto her.

Sam sighed, "Alright. If that's what you want, I'm not gonna force you into it. I just think that...after everything that's happened, we need to step up."

Wanda exhaled, trying to calm herself, "Well alright then."

Sam nodded and began to walk off before stopping and turning around, "You know, if you ever want to talk about...anything, you can always come by my place."

"Thanks, Sam," the mutant nodded.

As Wilson walked off, Maximoff looked around. What was once a beautiful afternoon now felt dour and lifeless. She picked up her book and walked off, trying to clear her head of thoughts of bombings and gunshots.

…

Sam walked into his room, locking the door behind him. He crashed down onto the bed, feeling like he was carrying the weight of the world all day.

He stared so hard into the ceiling it almost looked like he was carving a hole into it. He had hoped Wanda would say yes to joining the team. The two were able to work off of each other well and he knew that before everything went sideways, she actually liked saving lives and helping people. Now, she wanted nothing to do with the hero life.

The man's focus was broken when his phone started ringing. He rubbed his eyes as he picked it up.

" 'Yello?," he mumbled.

"How're things going back in the states?," the voice replied. Sam recognized it instantly: Bucky Barnes, formerly known as the Winter Soldier.

"Well, hello to you too," Sam rolled his eyes, "They're...going. We've got a few members lined up right now. Strange says that T'Challa, Tic-Tac, and his partner in chaos are thinking the offer over. Brunn says Danvers is still on the fence too. Really, the only one who's said yes so far was that Parker kid."

"Oh, that asshole," Bucky groaned.

"Hey, who was the one who kicked his ass?," Sam smirked.

"That was your stupid bird robot."

Sam cringed, remembering Germany, "Details, details."

"And Wanda?"

"...Same response," Wilson sighed, "I think it's best to leave her out of this. She needs time."

"Yeah, that makes sense," Bucky agreed.

Of course Bucky agreed. He could also relate to Wanda. He knew what it felt like to have blood on your hands. To have the world against you and calling for your head. That's why Bucky said he didn't want to join the team. He needed a break from the insanity. Some time to find himself and calm down.

"Do you really think this is going to work out?," Sam wondered.

"Honestly no," Barnes replied.

"Well, great vote of confidence," Sam sarcastically groaned.

"But hey, they said the same thing about the original team," Bucky added, "Maybe you'll surprise us all, Captain."

Sam rubbed his eyes, "Told you not to call me that, Barnes."

Bucky chuckled over the phone, "I'll see you around, soldier."

Sam hung up the phone and laid down, staring back at the ceiling. After the battle with Thanos, he received an offer not too different from the one he gave Wanda. The offer to become something bigger than even himself. However, since he got that offer, he hasn't been able to take it.

He looked over to the side of his bed, where a red, white, and blue shield was gathering dust next to his shelf. He sighed to himself as he put a hand to his face.

"Time to step up, hero," Sam whispered to himself.