She's Not Alone (WandaxNatasha)

Chapter 8: Decisions

(Minor spoiler warning: subtle references to information from Spiderman: NWH)

"I'm glad to hear it" the other witch smiled. "I presume you'll want to get started right away?"

"Yes, but I think first we need to have a way to know who is who? It could get confusing..." Wanda laughed quietly. "I really don't have any ideas but maybe I could give you a nickname?"

The older witch laughed, "I don't really think it's necessary but I won't fight you about it." She smiled slightly wistfully while looking out into the blank and endless distance. "How about Scarlett?"

"Scarlett?" Wanda held in a snort of laughter. "Very subtle."

"You have a problem with it?" asked the other witch but there was no venom in her voice. 

"No, no problem. Scarlett it is." Wanda gave a small bow. Scarlett rolled her eyes and stood up from her sitting position on the ground of the endless nothingness. She gestured to Wanda to come closer.

As Wanda approached her the surroundings changed and her room in the cabin slowly came into focus as red fog slowly dissipated around her floating away on an invisible and unfelt breeze. She could see her body, frozen, mid-motion falling backward as if no time had passed at all.

"We'll start simple" Scarlett explained. "I know how astral projection works better than most parts of you, I also happen to be a tad more patient than most parts of you, this is why I'm teaching you instead of well, any other part of you."

Wanda frowned, she wasn't sure to laugh or feel insulted at the not-so-hidden jab at her personality.

Scarlett ignored Wanda's reaction and continued, "I know you're probably itching to try and find out more but you need to remember that learning anything takes time. We can't rush this process. And it will take time."

Wanda smiled ruefully and murmured, "I have time."

"For starters, I'll push in and out of your corporeal form. Essentially forced astral projection, that will allow you to get the sense of what's actually happening and will allow you to more easily astral project yourself when we reach that point."

"This all makes sense. Is there some hidden catch or something?" Wanda tilted her head in concentration.

"As far as I know, there isn't a catch but I'm from only one universe. It might be different for you," admitted Scarlett. Wanda was taken aback, she had gotten so used to the other parts of her that had resided in her conscious all these years that she was a bit surprised that there would be things they didn't know.

"I'm ready to start," Wanda said into the silence that had followed Scarlett's words. "Or at least I think I am." Scarlett looked at Wanda and nodded.

"Yes, I do believe you are." And suddenly Wanda was yanked by a hook towards her motionless body. Wanda fell back, landing square on her tailbone on the hardwood floor of her cabin.

"Owwww" she groaned, wincing as she slowly got to her feet. Wanda looked around and at herself, she was back in her body. She took a few steps forward and suddenly lost her balance, falling over before she caught herself using the wall to hold her up while her head spun, making Wanda very lightheaded.

"I guess we found the caveat for this universe," Scarlett said as her form materialized in the corner of the room. "Or it's just because you're still new to this? Either way, that is something we will definitely need to take into consideration."

"Okay?" Wanda was slowly making her way towards her bed, head still spinning she collapsed onto her mattress and fell asleep instantly.

"I guess we can wait a bit to start, there's no rush." Scarlett laughed quietly and moved towards Wanda, she reached out to grab a blanket to put over Wanda's sleep-stilled body but her hand ghosted through the fuzzy blanket.

Scarlett took a step back, mildly unsettled by her lack of control in her newer environment before compromising and using her own glowing red orbs of magic to telekinetically shift the blanket to cover Wanda. She then telepathically reached into Wanda's mind and filled her mind with the same fog she had used earlier to block out their surroundings in the astral dimension. Wanda deserved a restful quiet night and Scarlett could block the nightmares. Wanda would never know, but Scarlett helped her all the same, it was the least she could do.

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The next morning, the sun rose bright and early its glistening, warm rays beaming happily into the cabin. Wanda stirred slightly as a shaft of light made its way to her eyelids the pleasant warmth waking her up from her dreamless sleep.

"I'd have made you some food but I can't manipulate anything without using magic and the magic culinary arts were never a strong suit of mine" came Scarlett's voice from the doorway into Wanda's room.

Wanda shook her head trying to clear out the mental fog that prevented her from thinking clearly. Scarlett noticed this and quickly went to dissipate the fog that she now realized didn't fade away without her command. Scarlett walked out of the doorway calling back to Wanda, "I hope you have some clean clothes and food, you'll want to be ready for today."

Wanda nearly jumped out of bed, the mental fog finally clearing. Today was her first day getting closer to safely gaining someone she could be with without impacting the world. She got changed quickly and hurried into the kitchen where she threw together some cereal and tea. 

Scarlett looked on amused. "Someone's excited," she commented dryly but kindly.

"Can you blame me?" Wanda exclaimed through a mouthful of cereal before swallowing. "This opportunity means the world to me!"

Scarlett looked down, gathering her thoughts. "You know it's funny, your reaction to all this."

Wanda looked up confusion clear on her face. 

Scarlett looked up and gestured nonchalantly, "I mean the opportunity was given to you, by you. Clearly part of you knew it even if you thought it wasn't possible or something. I guess I find it odd that you jumped right in without much hesitation."

Wanda finished her cereal and sighed. "When the first part of me proposed the idea I shut it down. But it was never intended to be permanent. The concept of safely bringing back a loved one was, well, almost too good to be true. But I also didn't want it to be a lie so I entertained the fantasy. This part of me that has always been there, I guess it was just my link to you guys, noticed that I had an increased interest in the Darkhold. At that time I was just curious after all the information that I was still, am still trying to process after the blip. The part of me that thought I was curious about its offer and went I wasn't, pushed me into my astral form. This caused the Sorcerer Supreme came to talk to me. He tried taking the Darkhold but I pushed him away and sealed him off from here. After I got Strange away, well I think you know what's happened since."

Scarlett nodded "I do have one question for you though."

Wanda looked over at Scarlett, "Oh yeah?"

"Dr. Stephan Strange isn't the Sorcerer Supreme. He lost the position due to the blip." Scarlett stated. "Is it true that Stephan visited you? Or the Sorcerer Supreme?"

Wanda was surprised. "How do you know this?"

Scarlett shrugged "Being a nexus being has its multiversal perks. You'll understand soon enough."

Wanda looked at her hands, remembering her time at Westview and her battle with Agatha. "I'm looking forward to it."