Chapter 13
When I'm sinking like a stone
At least I know I'm not alone.
When it pulls me under
Will you make me stronger?
-"Deep Water" by American Authors
Warnings for talking about self-harm.
As the days passed and there was no sign of Hydra, all four of them grew increasingly tense and on edge. They took turns listening to the bugs they'd placed. James accidentally crumpled the metal door knob three times. Steve went on runs several times a day. Sam and James bickered constantly. Wanda was so jumpy that Beatrice started to notice when they were baking together in the mornings.
After Wanda nearly jumped a foot in the air when the timer went off for the cookies they were baking, Beatrice set her tea cup on the counter with a hard thud and fixed her with a terrifying look.
"Hana, que se passe-t-il? [Hana, what is going on?]"
"Je suis désolé. [I'm sorry.]" Wanda said automatically.
"Je n'ai pas demandé d'excuses. Je veux savoir pourquoi tu es si nerveux. [ I didn't ask for an apology. I want to know why you are so nervous.]"
Wanda felt herself shrinking in her seat as Beatrice glared at her.
"Mon ex-petit ami a essayé de me contacter. [My ex-boyfriend has been trying to contact me.]" She said, thinking fast. "Il veut que je revienne. [He wants me to come back.]"
Beatrice looked even more fierce at that. "Pourquoi n'est-il pas en prison pour ce qu'il a fait? [Why isn't he in jail for what he did?]"
"Il... il a des relations et de l'argent. [He…he has connections and money.]"
Beatrice made an angry noise and began viciously scrubbing the counter. "Sait-il où vous êtes? [Does he know where you are?]"
"Non. [No.]"
Beatrice looked slightly mollified. "Bien. Veuillez rester ici aussi longtemps que vous en aurez besoin. Vous m'avez tous été d'une grande aide et j'ai encore beaucoup de travail à faire. [Good. Please stay here as long as you need. You have all been a great help to me and I still have a lot of work to do.]"
Wanda smiled fondly at the elderly woman as she aggressively washed the dishes as though she were imagining Hana's ex-boyfriend under her sponge. She'd come to really look forward to her mornings helping Beatrice in the kitchen. They'd spent all day yesterday canning various vegetables and fruits and it had given Wanda small flashes of memory of her own grandmother. Antónia Maximoff had died when she and Pietro were six, and she didn't have many memories with her. But she did remember the jars of canned vegetables in their pantry with her grandmother's spidery script written on them.
"Demain, ce sont les funérailles du père Gauthier. [Tomorrow is Father Gauthier's funeral.]" Beatrice said suddenly.
"Vous comptez y assister? [Are you planning to attend?]" Wanda asked curiously.
"Toute la ville sera là. [The whole town will be there.]" Beatrice scowled into the distance. "Alors je le serai aussi. [So I will be too.]"
Wanda dried the dishes that Beatrice had put in the drying rack, thinking carefully. If the whole town was going to be there, it would be the perfect time to scan for other Hydra plants.
"A quelle heure est le service? [What time is the service?]"
"...L'ordre ancien est passé :
accueillez-les au paradis,
où il n'y aura ni chagrin, ni pleurs, ni douleur,
mais plénitude de paix et de joie..."
At the front of the sanctuary in Ascension de Notre-Seigneur [Ascension of Our Lord] , an ancient priest was leading a prayer. At the foot of the altar was Father Gauthier's coffin, white and gleaming and surrounded by flowers. A giant portrait of the man was sitting on an easel beside the coffin. Wanda was trying not to look at it.
They were sitting in the very back of the church. Beatrice on the end of the pew with Sam beside her, then James, then Steve, and finally Wanda. Wanda had requested to be as far away from Beatrice as possible as she attempted to use her powers. Just in case something went wrong. Wanda took a deep breath. Her hands were trembling. Steve quietly placed his hand over hers, squeezing gently.
You can do this. Wanda told herself fiercely. You can do this.
She cleared her mind and focused. She pictured herself casting a wide scarlet net across the entire room and slowly pulling it back in. At first the net caught and snared as people's minds filled her head. She'd never attempted to scan so many people at once. It was so loud that she had to fight the urge to let go. But slowly she managed to sift through, pushing aside the things that didn't matter, until she had stripped everything down to each person's core sense of loyalty. She dragged her mental net through the crowd. It was tedious, examining each individual. By the time she finished, she was sweating and nauseous.
As she came back to herself, she realized she was gripping Steve's hand so tight, her nails were digging into his skin. She relaxed her grip, offering him an apologetic glance. He raised an eyebrow, clearly asking if she'd found any Hydra agents. She shook her head slightly, frowning. Nothing. Not a single person here was loyal to Hydra.
Steve frowned back at her. She could see James watching out of the corner of his eye. Sam leaned over and whispered something to James and he shook his head. Wanda wanted to scream with frustration. She had hoped that she would find something. She hated sitting around and waiting for Hydra to show their hand.
The rest of the service crawled by. Wanda didn't pay much attention. It struck her suddenly that the last funeral service she had attended had been Pietro's. They'd had a small graveside ceremony at the Avenger's Compound. It had been very short, but everyone had attended. Steve, Clint, Tony, Rhodey, Natasha, Thor, Vision, and even the people who had never even met Pietro like Sam, Pepper Potts, a man named Happy, Maria Hill, and the terrifying Nick Fury. Steve had read something. She couldn't even remember what it was. They'd asked if she wanted to speak, but she couldn't. What would she say about her brother to these people who were practically strangers? Her only request had been for the flowers. She wasn't sure who had been responsible for the beautiful bouquet of white chrysanthemums and lilies on top of Pietro's simple wooden casket, but she had deeply appreciated that small bit of home. She felt guilty for not burying Pietro in Sokovia next to their parents, but she had been too selfish to leave him so far away.
Even as she had stared at the casket containing his body, she hadn't been able to stop reaching out for his mind. It was something she'd done without thinking since they'd received their powers. It was like trying to reach for someone's hand and finding nothing but emptiness. A void where the other half of her soul had been. She had cried silently through the entire service, not even bothering to wipe the tears running down her face. No one had been surprised by her sorrow, but she'd been grateful they couldn't see the rage burning inside her. She hadn't wanted to be there, standing next to her brother's coffin. She hated Vision for saving her when Sokovia fell. She'd wanted to fall with it. She'd felt something like peace in that moment, knowing she was about to die. That had been ripped away from her the moment Vision had caught her in his arms.
After Steve's reading, they had lowered the casket into the ground. Wanda could still feel the handful of cold, damp dirt she'd sprinkled on top of the beautiful flowers. Everyone had slowly filed away, many of them casting concerned glances at her as she stood silent and red-eyed next to the hole in the ground. Only Clint had stayed, quiet and steady at her side, until Wanda finally gathered the strength to say goodbye to her brother for the last time and walk back to the Compound.
Steve squeezed her hand and she blinked back to the present. She realized there were silent tears streaming down her face. All three men were casting concerned glances in her direction. She reacted instinctively, reaching out to their minds.
Just thinking about Pietro.
The jolts of shock she felt from all of them startled her and she realized what she'd done.
What the fuck. Sam's face was an almost comical blend of shock and confusion.
Wait. Did you just…telepathically link all of us? Steve's brow was furrowed.
James was silent, his entire body tense.
I'm so sorry. Wanda was horrified at her own intrusion. I did that without even asking. I'll stop it.
She quickly cut the connection, feeling guilty but also shocked. She'd never done that with anyone but Pietro and one desperate time with Clint when they were on The Raft. She had no idea that she was even capable of linking more than one person together. And it had been so easy, like breathing.
After the service the four of them walked with Beatrice back to the hotel. Beatrice was quiet, but claimed she was just tired when Steve asked. Wanda wondered if the last funeral the elderly woman had attended had been her husband's. Beatrice said goodbye to them at the door and they walked around the house to their exterior door.
Steve unlocked the door and they walked inside only for James to suddenly growl out, "Stop!"
James had a knife in each hand although Wanda had no idea where they had materialized from. Steve and Sam were immediately alert. Wanda stood frozen just inside the doorway, her heart pounding. James prowled forward, beckoning to Steve. The two of them cautiously checked the rooms as though they were looking for an intruder. Sam had retrieved his gun and was standing ready next to Wanda, watching. It wasn't long before James and Steve were back, both looking grave.
"What is it?" Wanda asked anxiously.
"Don't know." James said, looking frustrated. "Just felt like something was off."
"I felt it too." Steve frowned. "But there's no one here."
Wanda shivered, feeling uneasy.
"Check and see if you're missing anything." Steve finally said.
They spread out, checking their meager belongings, but nothing was missing. All their weapons and surveillance equipment appeared to be untouched. The more they found nothing wrong, the more on edge James got. Wanda stood next to him as he surveyed the room, his eyes narrowed, and brushed her fingers along his. He looked down at her and his expression relaxed slightly.
"Sorry." He said quietly, linking his little finger with hers. "Maybe I'm just being paranoid."
"It's ok." Wanda murmured. She glanced over at Steve and Sam. "I'm sorry for getting in your heads during the service." She said to all of them. "I didn't even know I could…link people like that."
"That could be super useful, actually." Steve said, brightening. "Better than comms."
"Yeah, Wanda, you don't have to apologize! That's an asset to the team." Sam added.
Wanda looked back up at James. He was the one she was most concerned about. She'd promised to never go in his head without permission, and yet she'd done exactly that twice.
"It's ok." James said, smiling a slightly crooked smile. "Just startled me is all. They're right, it's really fuckin cool."
Wanda felt her face warm, pleased.
"We should practice with it." Sam said. "See how long the range is and if you can hold it even if you're fighting."
Steve nodded in agreement, and Wanda could see his mind already creating drills. She smiled slightly, noticing how everyone's spirits seemed to have lifted with the idea of a goal, of something to do. And it felt surprisingly good to use her powers in a way that was helpful.
The next few days, they established a comfortable routine. Wanda still spent her mornings in the kitchen with Beatrice, but in the afternoons they practiced with the telepathic link. The range was surprisingly long. Wanda could sit in their hotel room and still communicate with all three men, even when they were each nearly 2km away in different directions. After about 2km, she would lose them, but Steve theorized that she might be able to expand the distance with practice.
It was several days after the funeral that Wanda was alone in the hotel room, practicing holding that mental link as Sam and Steve and James all slowly moved further away in different directions.
I'm 1.9km away now. James' voice was clear in her head.
Well some of us run at a normal human pace and are only 1km away. Sam groused.
You're both slow. Steve was clearly smiling. I'm already 2km away, how's the signal, Wanda?
Still clear. Wanda grinned.
Are you doing something right now? Steve asked.
Wanda scowled, even though he couldn't see it. Yes, I'm cleaning the bathroom. You all DO know I'm not your maid, right?
Steve wanted her to try doing something as she kept up the link. Nothing too complicated that took a lot of mental space, but something that would challenge her ability to hold the link and be able to do things at the same time. There weren't a ton of things available to do, so she'd been slowly deep cleaning the hotel room.
James' connection felt like it sizzled and Wanda paused, worried she'd lost him.
James?
Still here. He responded immediately. Sorry got distracted.
Sam immediately groaned. Man, get your mind out of the gutter.
Shut up, Sam.
Guys. Steve's Captain America voice rang through the link.
Wanda let it go, rolling her eyes as she opened the cabinet under the bathroom sink, looking for cleaning products. The movement of crouching down and looking in the cabinet jogged something in her memory and she froze. Her eyes went to the space behind the pipes, looking for the towel she'd used to staunch the bleeding in her leg. It was gone.
She crouched there for a moment, staring at the empty spot and trying to calm the panic in her chest.
Did any of you find a towel in the bathroom under the sink? She asked casually.
All three men said no in similar tones of confusion. She felt her stomach drop. Maybe it was nothing. Maybe one of them had thrown it in the laundry and just forgotten. Maybe Beatrice had found it.
You ok, Wanda? James' asked, sounding alert.
Yeah, I just… Wanda bit her lip. She didn't want to make a big deal out of nothing. You're sure none of you took a towel out from under the sink?
Wanda, what is it? Steve asked.
It's fine. We can talk about it when you get back. Wanda forced lightness into her tone.
It had occurred to her a few days after her talk with Sam that she didn't know if Steve or James knew about the marks on her legs. James had been helping Sam remove the shrapnel from her leg, so there was a good chance he'd seen them. But she had no idea if either of them had said anything to Steve. She hadn't had a chance to ask Sam about it. Now she was faced with having to explain why a towel with a substantial amount of her blood had been hidden under the sink. A towel that was suddenly gone just a few days after James had sensed that someone had been in their hotel room during the funeral.
She shivered, suddenly wishing she was not here alone.
On my way back. James immediately said.
Me too.
Me three.
She considered reassuring them that she was fine, but the words stuck in her head. She left the bathroom and went back into the living area, perching anxiously on the couch and listening for their return. James got there first, far too quickly. He'd obviously run too fast to get back in such a short amount of time. She frowned at him anxiously. Running at super soldier speeds was not exactly "blending in."
"How fast were you running?"
James didn't answer. His eyes were scanning the room carefully as he made his way to her side. He sat down on the couch next to her, pulling her tightly into his arms.
"You ok?" He asked, his voice muffled by her hair.
"I'm fine." She closed her eyes, enjoying his closeness. They hadn't had much alone time together in the past few days. A few stolen kisses here and there. He'd been having trouble sleeping, so often she slept on the futon with Steve. It seemed like every day they were stuck waiting for a magical after where they would have time and space to just be together. He pressed a kiss into her hair and she could feel his heart pounding in his chest. "Sorry I scared you."
"What's this about a towel?" He pulled back to look at her.
Wanda faltered and his gaze narrowed on her face. She wished Sam were here.
"There was a towel under the sink that, um, had some of my blood on it."
He looked confused. "Are you hurt?"
"No. I put it there a while ago. But it's gone."
"Why'd you put a bloody towel under the sink?"
Wanda ran her hands down her legs anxiously and tried deflecting. "James, I think whoever was in our room during the funeral took it."
His entire body went still, and she could see the possibilities flashing through his mind. They'd both seen enough of Hydra to know that a blood sample in their hands could be a problem. Once upon a time, Hydra had an entire stock of blood samples from her body. She assumed they'd all been destroyed with the base in Sokovia.
The door opened and Steve came in, followed by Sam who was breathing hard and sweating.
"What's going on?" Steve asked, scanning the room quickly like James had.
"Whoever was in our room during the funeral took a towel with Wanda's blood on it." James said.
Steve looked at Wanda with a confused and concerned expression, but realization flashed across Sam's face.
"A towel with Wanda's blood on it?" Steve repeated slowly.
"Wanda, why was there a bloody towel under the sink?" James asked again.
Wanda looked at Sam pleadingly. Sam took a deep breath.
"Ok." He said. "Everybody sit down."
Steve sat down on the sofa beside Wanda, scanning her like he was checking to make sure she wasn't currently bleeding. James was watching Sam with laser focus. Wanda's stomach felt like it was full of rocks.
"Wanda and I talked about this in the park that day." Sam started slowly. "She's been struggling with self-harm."
Steve and James both looked confused. Sam looked at Wanda, his face questioning. She could practically hear him asking how much she wanted him to say. Wanda pulled her legs up against her chest protectively.
"I cut my legs with a razor blade." Her voice sounded distant, empty.
Steve and James were both looking at her now. She could feel their eyes heavy on her skin, but she kept her gaze on her knees.
"It's a coping mechanism." Sam was explaining. "An outlet for when everything felt like too much. I'm sure you guys saw plenty of unhealthy coping mechanisms during the war."
"Wanda." Steve said softly.
"I accidentally cut too deep. I had to use the towel to stop the bleeding. But then I couldn't get all the blood out of the towel, so I put it under the sink." The words fell out of Wanda's mouth like she was reciting something she'd memorized. "I forgot about it until today, but it's gone."
"How long has this been going on?" Steve asked quietly.
"Since I accidentally pulled you into that flashback in Wakanda."
In the silence she wondered if Steve and James were both remembering how she'd disappeared into the bathroom. Her cheeks felt hot and she wished she could just disappear. It was so humiliating to have the worst parts of herself on display like this.
"Have you done it any more since we talked at the park?" Sam asked.
Wanda shook her head. She'd been tempted a few times, but she'd been so busy it hadn't been too terribly hard to distract herself.
"Hey, that's great." Sam said in a warm voice.
"Wanda." James said gently.
Wanda couldn't look up. She was suddenly terrified about what she might see in his eyes. Who would want to be with someone who was so damaged? James had been through enough. He didn't need to be constantly dealing with someone else's trauma.
"Wanda."
James' warm fingers curled under her chin, tilting her head up to look at him.
"How can we help?" He asked quietly and those steel blue eyes held nothing but genuine concern.
"We want to help." Steve added.
Wanda felt a surge of affection for all of them. She didn't really know how they could help, but the fact that they wanted to made her want to cry.
"I don't know." She said honestly, tears prickling in her eyes.
"Well at the risk of sounding like a broken record, we're here." Steve's warm hand covered hers. "And we'll keep saying it as long as you need us to."
She took a deep breath and let it out, hoping her wobbly smile conveyed how grateful she was. "I don't know what exactly Hydra would do with my blood, but I don't think it's anything good."
"Yeah, definitely nothin good." James muttered.
The four of them fell silent. They didn't need a telepathic link to know they were all thinking the same thing: shit.
Now that Hydra potentially had some of Wanda's blood, Steve, James, and Sam didn't let her out of their sight. One of them stayed with her at all times. Beatrice raised an eyebrow when she showed up to the kitchen the next day with Sam, but didn't comment. When Steve was with her the following day, Beatrice simply handed him the mixing bowl and instructed him to fold in the dry ingredients. The third day when James took a seat at the kitchen table, Beatrice crossed her arms and fixed them both with a stern look.
"Que se passe-t-il? [What's going on?]"
James sat back in the chair, lounging casually in a somehow terrifying way. "Je voulais apprendre à faire du Bœuf Bourguignon. [I wanted to learn how to make Bœuf Bourguignon.]"
"Je ne te parlais pas. [I wasn't talking to you.]" Beatrice said fiercely.
Wanda had to bite back a smile, watching the two of them glare at each other. She wondered if Beatrice would change her approach if she knew she was speaking to the Winter Soldier. Probably not. Wanda was barely containing her grin.
"Désolé, Béatrice. Mon ex-petit ami essaie toujours de me trouver, alors je suis coincé avec trois gardes du corps surprotecteurs. [Sorry, Beatrice. My ex-boyfriend is still trying to find me, so I'm stuck with three overprotective bodyguards.]."
Beatrice glared at James for a few more seconds before turning and grabbing a cutting board and knife and setting them in front of James with a thud. "Alors rendez-vous utile. [So make yourself useful.]"
Half an hour later, Beatrice had begrudgingly stopped glaring at James after he perfectly chopped (one-handed) all the vegetables she handed him. Wanda stood at the stove stirring the wine and beef stock in with the cubed beef.
"Assurez-vous de gratter les morceaux brunis. [Be sure to scrape off any browned bits]." Beatrice instructed as she expertly peeled the small pearl onions, and Wanda obediently used the wooden spoon to scrape the bottom of the pot.
James was quartering the fresh mushrooms. Wanda could tell that Beatrice was examining him carefully. James had a black leather glove on his vibranium hand and was keeping it tucked in his lap as he sliced with his human hand.
"C'est une prothèse. [It's a prosthesis.]" James said suddenly without even looking up. "J'ai perdu mon bras en Afghanistan. [I lost my arm in Afghanistan.]"
Beatrice made a scoffing noise. "Quelle guerre inutile. [What a useless war.]"
"Je suis d'accord. [I agree.]" James agreed calmly.
Beatrice blinked, looking surprised. "Bien. Je suis content que vous ne fassiez pas partie de ces Américains pro-guerre. [Well. I'm glad you aren't one of those pro-war Americans.]"
Wanda had frozen, watching the two of them anxiously.
"Comment peut-on mener une guerre contre le terrorisme alors que la guerre elle-même est du terrorisme? [How can you wage a war on terrorism when the war itself is terrorism?]" James looked up, his gaze sharp. "Comme l'a dit Howard Zinn. [As Howard Zinn said.]"
Beatrice actually smiled. "Pierre et moi avons marché lors des manifestations à Montréal. [Pierre and I marched at the protests in Montreal.]"
James smiled back at the elderly woman and Wanda felt herself relax. Who knew that the two of them would bond over anti-war sentiments? She watched them converse and smiled softly to herself. Hydra would hate seeing their Winter Soldier like this, calm and cooking and talking about the philosophy of war. Maybe that was the goal now. To live in a way that went directly against all the evil Hydra had tried to instill in them. Maybe it was that simple. If James could use his skills as an assassin to perfectly dice an onion, maybe she could use her powers to do simple, everyday, good things as well. A quiet rebellion against who she was meant to be.
James caught her eye, his brow furrowing in concern at the tears in her eyes, but she just smiled.
I'm ok, I promise.
It was storming the night Hydra finally made their move.
A bolt of lightning lit up the dark sky and almost immediately the power went out. The four of them had been sitting in the small living room watching an old black and white movie that was on one of the six tv channels. As the room plunged into darkness, a loud crash sounded from upstairs.
Wanda gasped and felt Sam jump beside her. Steve and James were on their feet and soon a flashlight illuminated the room.
"Beatrice." Wanda said frantically.
"Stay here." James said, handing the flashlight to Wanda. "Sam?"
"I got this." Sam said gravely, drawing his gun.
Steve and James slipped silently through the interior door to the stairs. Wanda turned off the flashlight and she and Sam stood pressed together against the wall in the living room, listening. Too quickly Steve and James were back, their expressions dark.
"They took Beatrice." Steve said angrily, waving a note.
Wanda snatched the note from his hand and turned the flashlight back on to read it. It was simple black text on white paper.
"Let's make a trade. The Winter Soldier for Madame Béatrice Côté. Ascension de Notre-Seigneur."
Wanda's breath caught raggedly. "We have to save her."
Steve put a warm hand on her shoulder. "We will." He said fiercely.
"They're here for me." James said in a low, angry voice. "I should turn myself in."
"NO."
"Absolutely not."
"No way, man."
Wanda, Steve, and Sam all spoke in unison.
"There's a good chance Hydra doesn't know that Wanda removed the programming." James argued. "I could-"
"No." Steve interrupted firmly. "We go in together."
"What about Wanda?" James' eyes flashed. "Hydra probably used her blood to make a weapon specifically for her."
Steve hesitated, glancing at Wanda. She balled her hands into fists and glared at them.
"I'm not staying behind."
"Ok, how about Steve and Bucky go in the front and Wanda and I go in the back. You two get their attention and Wanda and I will try and figure out if they're hiding anything." Sam cut in.
James didn't look happy about it, but Steve nodded slowly. "Alright. Wanda, can you keep us all linked?"
Wanda established the link immediately as the three men armed themselves. She called twin flames to her hands, and they only shook a little bit. She focused on picturing Beatrice and the trembling slowly eased. If they hurt her. She thought fiercely.
They won't hurt her. Not yet. James replied as he strapped countless knives to his body.
We're gonna get her back. Steve holstered his loaded gun.
It hadn't started to rain yet as they crept through the dark. James somehow knew when the lightning was about to light up the surroundings and would warn them to take cover. The thunder made Wanda flinch every time. The church loomed out of the darkness like a giant beast.
Let us go in first and make some noise. Steve instructed. Then you two slip in the back.
Wanda couldn't help gripping James' human hand tightly. Please be safe.
We will- Steve began, but then James pulled Wanda tight against his chest and kissed her fiercely. The telepathic link crackled like radio static and Sam and Steve both winced. Wanda kissed him back hungrily, trying to ignore the fact that it felt dangerously like a goodbye. He pulled away suddenly, leaving her slightly breathless. His eyes glittered in the darkness.
"Come back to me." She whispered, her voice cracking.
His human hand brushed her face gently, and then he was gone. Steve shook his head like he was trying to clear it. Uh. Ok. See you soon. And then he was off.
You gonna say good luck like that to all of us? Sam sounded amused.
James practically growled through the link.
Sam and Wanda watched James and Steve opened the church door, a crack of light appearing in the darkness and then vanishing as they slipped inside.
They're in the sanctuary. Steve reported shortly. I make eight hostiles. Beatrice is here. She's unconscious.
Ten. James corrected. Two hiding in the choir loft.
"Welcome, Captain." An unfamiliar male voice called out with an American accent. "I see you got our message."
"Let her go. Your fight is with us." Steve said, his voice hard.
Sam tugged on Wanda's arm and together they crept through the darkness around the back of the church.
"You brought her into this, Captain." The male voice responded, sounding smug. "You know, the world is starting to notice your pattern of sacrificing civilians for your friends."
"I'm not sacrificing anyone." Steve said shortly.
Who is that guy? Sam asked, his face a grimace.
Don't know. James replied. Never seen him before.
Sam pulled the back door open slowly. Wanda took it and Sam went in first, gun up and ready. When he motioned to Wanda she followed, softly closing the door behind them. They paused for a moment, listening.
Let me scan to make sure no one is hiding. Wanda said, holding onto Sam's arm.
She cast her powers out, searching for any life forms. The hallways were clear, but there was one person standing behind the stage and their signature was…strange. Her powers seemed almost tentative to get near them.
Someone is behind the stage. She told everyone. Maybe an enhanced.
"So have you come to return Hydra's property?" The man was asking. "I am a man of my word, Captain. If you simply hand over the Winter Soldier, we'll release Madame Côté."
"And who the fuck are you?" James snarled.
The man laughed and switched to Russian. "Я вижу, нам есть над чем поработать, Солдат. Вы забыли, кто вы. [I see we have some work to do, Soldat. You have forgotten who you are.]"
They're not trying the trigger words. Wanda said, suddenly alarmed. They must know they won't work.
"Я не принадлежу тебе. [I don't belong to you.]" James growled.
"Мы сделали вас. Ты будешь принадлежать Гидре, пока не умрешь. [We made you. You will belong to Hydra until you die.]"
Wanda and Sam moved silently through the hallway towards the back of the stage.
I'll get Beatrice out of the church. Steve's voice was clear and authoritative. James, you take the soldiers in here. Wanda and Sam, take out the enhanced. Whoever it is is probably the ace up their sleeve, so be careful.
"Sounds like Bucky said no, pal." Steve said out loud. "Guess you need a lesson on consent."
We're ready, Steve. Wanda and Sam were on either side of the door leading to the back of the stage. Wanda could feel the strange presence radiating through the wooden door.
Go.
Wanda and Sam burst through the hallway door, Sam with his gun drawn and Wanda with red light in each hand. On the stage, gunshots and shouts rang out, but Wanda was focused on the singular person standing quietly in the dim light of backstage. It was a woman, about middle aged with soft brown hair framing her face. She whipped her head towards them when they came through the door and her eyes were wide with fear. Sam and Wanda both paused, uncertain. The woman held up her hands in surrender, trembling.
"Please help me." She whispered.
Sam and Wanda exchanged a glance. Bullets suddenly came flying through the wall from the fight on the other side, sending splinters of wood and plaster flying. The woman dropped to the floor, her hands over her head. Wanda and Sam dove to the side, barely avoiding the spray of gunfire. There was the distinct sound of a bone cracking and someone on the other side screamed in pain.
Wanda locked eyes with the woman on the floor. She looked terrified. Sam, go help James. She told him. I've got this.
Sam nodded and quickly moved towards the door to the stage. Wanda crawled towards the woman, reaching for her.
"It's ok." She hoped her voice sounded calm and reassuring. "I'm not going to hurt you."
The woman grasped her hand and Wanda pulled her to her feet, hurrying them both to the side.
"Are you hurt?" Wanda asked and the woman shook her head. She looked dazed.
"Ok. I have to help my friends." Wanda told her, glancing towards the door to the stage. She couldn't see Sam any more, but she could clearly hear the fight still raging.
"Please don't leave me." The woman pleaded, gripping her hand tightly and cowering at the sound of gunfire.
Wanda bit the inside of her cheek hard. "Ok." She finally said. "But stay behind me."
Enhanced is non-hostile. She informed the others. We're coming out.
Together they crept to the stage exit. Wanda peered out. Sam was close to where they stood, crouched behind the piano and firing at two Hydra soldiers who had taken cover behind the altar. James was in the pews exchanging blows with a Hydra soldier who moved swiftly. There were three unconscious or dead Hydra soldiers on the ground. On the far side of the stage, a young man around Wanda's age was standing casually, a smirk on his face as he watched. Three Hydra soldiers were surrounding him like bodyguards, their guns aimed at where James and the man were fighting. Steve and Beatrice were nowhere to be seen.
Wanda took a step, ready to launch a fiery ball of scarlet power at the men shooting at Sam. As her foot left the doorway, her entire body shuddered as though she'd stepped through something.
Wait- She gasped, pausing.
From behind, two hands hit her square in the back and shoved.
Wanda stumbled out onto the stage, catching a glimpse of the woman standing in the doorway, her arms still outstretched and a wide smile on her face. Wanda raised her own hands and then gasped as she realized they were empty. She tried to summon her powers back, but there was nothing. Panic rose in her throat, choking her.
Sam had turned when she'd stumbled out onto the stage, his eyes widening. Wanda tried to speak through the link, but it was also gone. Suddenly his body jerked, blood spurting from his shoulder. As he went down backwards, Wanda started to run towards him, but then she was in the air, her arms bound behind her back and something tight and burning around her neck. She saw the woman walking forward, her arms moving. Purple tendrils drifted from her hands. The air around the stage suddenly glimmered purple.
"Wanda, Wanda, Wanda. It's so nice to finally meet you, dear!" The woman said cheerfully. There was no trace of the frightened woman from just a moment ago.
Sam was on his back, gasping, his hand pressed to where blood was oozing from his shoulder. He got off another shot at the approaching Hydra soldier, who fell backwards and didn't move again, but then the remaining soldier disarmed Sam and stood over him, a gun pointed at his head. The young man across the stage started walking towards them, grinning. His guards moved at his side, weapons down but ready. Through the purple wall, Wanda saw James finally knock the man he was fighting to the ground. He followed it with a swift punch to the head with his metal arm and the man stayed down. James looked up and his jaw clenched when he saw what was happening on the stage. He didn't hesitate before charging towards them. Wanda tried to shout a warning, but the bindings around her neck tightened painfully. She was forced to watch James hit the forcefield at full speed and get thrown backwards through the pews.
"Wow, you were right." The woman said, watching James with an amused expression.
"Of course I was right." The young man sneered. His gaze flickered hungrily over Wanda and fear made her head swim.
"No offense, of course." The woman added, a cat-like smile curling around her lips.
Wanda tried desperately to summon her powers, but it was like grasping for empty air. The woman's purple powers that were curled around her neck and wrists felt similar to her own, but much colder. The way they moved didn't feel like a warm flame, they felt like writhing snakes. Having something around her neck and restraining her arms was causing panic to build in her head. It's not the collar. It's not the jacket. She tried to remind herself, trying to breathe normally. The woman tilted her head, watching her.
"Oh honey." She said. "Didn't you notice? The basic protection spell on the wall? No? Nothing?"
Wanda looked where she was pointing. Through her blurry vision she could see purple symbols glowing on the walls around them. She stared at them blankly, panting. She had no idea what they were.
"These are runes, Wanda." The woman said as though she were speaking to a particularly stupid child. "In a given space only the witch who cast the runes can use her magic. How do you not know the fundamentals?"
"Who are you?" Wanda choked out.
"Who are you?" The woman hit back, one elegant eyebrow raised. Wanda just stared at her, using all of her strength to hold back the panic attack building in her chest, and the woman let out a dramatic sigh. "The name's Agatha Harkness, dear."
"Agatha." The young man cut in, sounding annoyed. "Save the chit chat."
James was climbing to his feet, shaking his head like he was trying to clear it. At the end of the sanctuary the door burst open and Steve came running to James' side, his eyes widening at the scene in front of them.
"Oh look, both toy soldiers are here now!" Agatha sounded delighted.
Their focus on James made rage cut through the thick panic in Wanda's head.
"I won't let you take him." She snarled, pulling uselessly against the bindings on her wrists.
Agatha and the man looked at her, eyebrows raised. Then Agatha tilted her head back and laughed.
"Oh how precious." She cackled. "Do you want to tell her or should I?"
The man took several steps forward until he was just inches away from Wanda. "We're not here for him. " He said smugly. "We're here for you. A simple misdirection was all it took. All of you were so focused on protecting him, it was so easy to get to you." He gently brushed the hair that had escaped her ponytail out of her eyes. "You know, I prefer you as a redhead."
Something slammed into the forcefield and they all looked to see James had thrown an entire church pew at it. The pew was in shattered pieces on the floor, but the forcefield didn't even have a dent. James was breathing hard, his expression hard with fury. Steve grabbed his arm, pulling him back.
"Who are you?" Steve yelled, his eyes on the young man.
"The name's Werner." The young man said calmly. He turned and looked Wanda directly in the eyes. "Werner von Strucker. You may have heard of me."
Wanda stared at him, wide eyed. He looked expectant. "Strucker?" She repeated blankly.
The young man's expression flickered with something like uncertainty. "As in my father was Baron Wolfgang von Strucker."
Wanda gaped at him, her mind spinning. She'd had no idea Baron Strucker had any children. He'd never once talked about a family. She had assumed he had none. He studied her expression and his face darkened further.
"He told me all about you, Wanda Maximoff." He was trying to sound unbothered, but Wanda didn't need to read his mind to know he was greatly bothered that she didn't know who he was.
"He didn't mention you at all." She curled her lips up in a way that she hoped looked like James' scary Soldat smile.
Sam chuckled weakly from the floor. "Oh shit."
One of the soldiers kicked him, hard, and his laugh died in a pained wheeze.
"Stop it!" Wanda cried.
"Werner. What do you want?" Steve tried again.
James was pacing back and forth along the force field wall, his eyes locked on Wanda. She held his gaze, desperately wishing she could speak to him telepathically.
Werner tore his glare away from Wanda to look at Steve. "I have what I want."
"Bullshit." James snarled. "You want me, so come and get me."
Werner smiled at him, maintaining eye contact with James even as he reached up to stroke Wanda's cheek. "Why would I want the Soviet's broken toy when I can have something so perfect?"
James slammed his metal fist into the forcefield. The purple lights flickered and bulged inward under the weight of the vibranium fist. The surface of the forcefield seemed to thin as he pushed, like a bubble about to pop. Werner's smug expression quickly changed to fear, but Agatha just looked intrigued.
"Any day, Agatha." He snapped.
"Fine." Agatha pushed out her bottom lip in an exaggerated pout. "This is just so entertaining."
She waved her hands and purple light exploded. Wanda desperately found James' eyes again. He was still straining to push through the forcefield. Wanda could see the glint of his metal arm starting to poke through. His eyes were frantic on her, mouth open like he was shouting something. She sucked in a breath to scream his name, but everything went white.
AN: *evil cackle*
Fun fact: made myself cry writing about Pietro's funeral.
I'm obviously taking some very creative liberties with some characters from Agents of Shield and WandaVision. It was Agatha all along!