𝐒𝐀𝐑𝐂𝐀𝐒𝐌━︎━︎ W. Maximoff ✓︎

𝐓𝐰𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐲-𝐅𝐢𝐯𝐞

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE:
A BAD FEELING

SALEM SAT THERE IN WANDA'S room, sitting on the bed as Wanda allowed a Sitcom to play in the background. Salem hadn't spoken a word sense she had joined Wanda in her bedroom, instead she sat there with Wanda's head in her lap as she mindlessly played with the woman's head, her lip twitching upwards every time Wanda let out a laugh at what happened on the television.

Steve was currently in London at Peggy's funeral, and she wanted to be there for the man, but he claimed that she was better her with Wanda, knowing how much the woman was going through. So, that's what she was doing. Except, she was doing a poor job of it. Her mind was running and running non stop, it was giving her a headache.

Noticing her absent mind, Wanda turned on her back so that she was looking up at Salem. Wanda looked at the girl for a moment, cocking her head slightly as she grabbed Salem's hand, interlacing their fingers and wondering what was on the girl's mind. But whatever it was, she could tell it was making Salem panic. There was nothing but fear racing within her eyes and it made Wanda frown. She sat up, making Salem blink in surprise.

     "Hey, what's on your mind?" Wanda softly asked.

     "Everything." Salem admitted, shaking her head slightly. "I just. . . I have a bad feeling Wanda. I don't know why. But my stomach is churning with nothing but nausea from the situation we have been presented with. I don't want to sign that stupid accords, but I fear if I don't, the only family I know is going to fall apart and I can't have that. Wanda, I just can't-" Tears filled the girl's eyes, trickling down her cheek and making Wanda deeply frown.

She carefully swiped the tears from her cheeks, meeting her eyes. Sometimes Wanda forgot that Salem had gone through hell just as she had. She sometimes forgot that Salem had been one of HYDRA's experiments because the girl was so lovable and was constantly laughing as if nothing bad had ever happened to her. She hid her pain so well, that no one ever seemed to notice she was in any. But in this moment, as Salem allowed her emotions to be exposed, Wanda could see all of that pain, and fear, and trauma. She could see it all, and she just wished that she could help.

     "I know." Wanda nodded her head. "Come here." She switched positions with Salem so now the girl's head was laying in her lap and she was messing with her hair with one hand and had her arm placed gently over her stomach with the other hand securely wrapping around her waist as if to protect her from all harm. She wouldn't let anyone hurt Salem. Like Salem had said a few days prior, she'd rather die than allow someone to hurt Salem.

     Tears were still threatening to roll as she laid there. "I'm scared Wanda. I've never felt so much fear since I was with HYDRA. I can't lose any of them. I just can't. They're all I have left in this world." She swallowed, shaking her head. "They're the first group of people that made me feel wanted, that made me feel loved. I won't lose that over some stupid accords."

Wanda knew the possibilities of what could happen. She did. She knew how often Steve and Tony would butt heads, and she had a feeling that they were going to do so on this as well. It pained her to hear Salem sound so broken. The girl always seemed so strong, filled with sarcasm. But not right now. Right now Salem sounded distraught and sarcasm was yet to fall from her lips.

And as she sat there, she couldn't help but think back to the vision Salem had had almost a year ago. Tears almost sprung to her own eyes. Salem had already seen all of this happen, and the girl remembered absolutely none of it. She clenched her jaw, silently cursing HYDRA for placing this on the girl. Wanda couldn't break it to her that her worst nightmares were destined to come true. She couldn't watch the girl cry anymore. So, she kept it to herself in hopes of keeping Salem from more heartbreak, knowing later on that that was possibly one of the worst things that she could've done.

     "Hey, Wanda?" Salem spoke up again, making Wanda look down at her with a gentle smile.

     "Yeah?"

     "I love you." Salem's words were something Wanda wasn't expecting. She sat there, almost wondering if she had imagined those three words. But, Salem was quick to force that thought out of her mind. "You don't have to say it back. I just wanted you to know."

     "I love you too, Sal." Wanda softly responded, making Salem look away from the television and up towards the woman. Wanda offered her a small smile, gently caressing the girl's cheek with her thumb. "And no matter what happens, I will be right by you all the way. We're in this together."

     "Hell yeah we are." Salem allowed a gentle smile on her face before puckering her lips, making Wanda chuckle before leaning down and giving her a soft kiss and then pulling away. Wanda smiled as soon as she saw Salem's smile, glad to have given the girl a moment of happiness. For the rest of the night, the two laid there, watching Sitcoms and laughing at the show they found way too amusing. It would be their last moment of true peace. At least it would be for a little while.