Two Ghosts

Chapter 22

-Watch it!-I yell as I witness Sam falling on his ass against the wall right next to Rhodey for the tenth time during this training session. I think I might be too strong for him.
-Dude, it's not fair!-he gets up retracting his wings and walks up to me.-I wasn't lookin'.
-That's on you, dummy.-I reply, flicking his forehead with my middle finger.
-Oh, that's it.-he throws himself at me and I stop him putting both of my hands on his shoulders. I fall to my knees grabing his gear from the collar as I turn around and make him flip in the air and crash the floor with his back.
-That's enough.-Steven interruptus the fun, as usual, and indicates me to walk away. I just chuckle and go get my bottle of water.-Why do you challenge her if you know she'll beat you?
-You're the worst instructor ever.-Sam complains as he stands up.-Someday I'll win.
-In your dreams.-I answer from the other side of the room.
-Is it my turn?-Wanda arrives in her sports wear, surprising everyone with her presence.
-You wanna give it a try?-Steve raises his eyebrows to confirm and she nods with enthusiasm.-Okay. Jade, you're up.
-This is gonna be interesting.-I smile.

I move my body into a fighting position, and Wanda stands tall with her hands on both sides of her body. Her hands and eyes start shining with her characteristic scarlet red glow. I intend to make the first move, but my arms seem to be frozen, my legs, too. I look down and the red smoke is holding me into place. She smiles very proud of herself, but when one of my hands breaks free from her magical grip, the smile goes away. The rest of my limbs are set free eventually when I use all my strength to jump towards her. I land right in front of her as she hits the ground. I think she fell when I broke her...spell? What ever it was. She breathes rapidly and she gets up after I offer her my hand to help her.

-That was good.-Steve comes near us, earning a very serious look from Wanda.-It was.-he insists.
-I'll be in my room.-she rolls her eyes and intends to turn around, but I stop her.
-Don't go.-she frowns.
-So you can humiliate me some more?-she teases and I shake my head.
-That was a great move, it just needs practice.-I say, dragging her back to the center of our training space.-Do it on Sam.
-What?-he lifts his head from the other side of the room. She looks at me unsure and nervously playing with her fingers.
-You got this.-I encourage grabbing her by the shoulders for a second.-Sam, get ready!-he exhales and prepares himself, but I think he does not know what he is preparing for. Wanda uses her magic on our friend, freezing him just like she did to me before.-Good! Now, Sam, try to move.-judging by his face, he is using all the strength in his body, but it is impossible for him to break free.
-Oh, c'mon!-he yells, making us laugh.
-What now?-she asks, again with her proud and shiny smile.
-Lift him.-I whisper so only she could hear.
-What'd she say?!-Sam is freaking out over there. Wanda nods excited, and moves her hands upwards until Sam is not touching the floor anymore.-What is happenin'?-Rhodey bursts into laughter by the show we have put on, and Steve joins him.
-Higher.-I giggle, and she does it.
-Okay, put him down. He might pee his pants.-Wanda listens to the words of Steve and gently places Sam in the ground. He throws himself to the floor and takes deep breaths.
-I hate you two.-he complains.-Why didn't this happen to you?
-What? Turn into a crying baby?-I mock him.
-I can barely breathe, man.-my smile vanishes and my feet take me to his side to help him get up.
-Are you serious?-his hand goes to his chest as he tries to breathe normally again.
-I was being compressed.-he makes a ball with his hands, explaining his feeling.
-Let's take you with dr. Cho.-Steve takes him to see the doctor, and when I turn around to check on Wanda, she is already gone.
-She ran off.-Rhodey tells me.-She didn't look good.-I leave the training room to find her, but she is not in the kitchen, hiding in a bathroom or her own room.
-I recommend you give her a few more minutes to be alone.-Vision appears behind me, and I exhale.
-Did you see her?-I ask.
-Yes. She asked to be left alone.-I roll my eyes and walk past him but he gently puts his hand on my shoulder.-Miss Williams...
-She doesn't need to be alone, Vis.-I turn to face him.-She's scared. She thinks she's dangerous. I can't leave her alone while she feels like this. So I'll ask one more time: where is she?
-The, um...-he seems to process what I just said. Sometimes he works just like a machine.-The gym.-he lets go of my arm and I walk fast to where she is.

I find her in a corner of the gym, sitting on the floor and crying her eyes out. Some sort of energy, magical field surrounds her, making random objects levitate on her sides and above her head, all connected by her scarlet smoke and lights. If this was not a result of the fear she has, it would be a beautiful thing to see.

-Wanda.-I whisper, giving silent and slow steps in her direction.
-Go away.-she sobs and hides her face between her knees.
-I'm not leaving you.-I am almost in front of the field she has created.
-You should me pissed at me, furious.-I try to get my hand near her, but her magic gives me a shock and I pull away.-I almost killed Sam.
-But you didn't.-I try again, it stings harder.-You were under total control.
-Are you crazy?!-she suddenly stands up and her magical field pushes everything away from Wanda, including me. I crash against the wall and face the floor.
-You didn't know you were hurting him.-I remind her. I notice she is walking in my direction, so I get up and straighten my clothes.-He didn't say a thing about pain, you didn't know he was hurting.-her eyes go back to her normal colour and the tense air around us loosens. She is in control of the whole environment...-You didn't mean for this to happen.-the tears come back, but they seem to be relieved tears this time.
-It didn't mean to.-I only saw the things floating around us when they hit the floor once she relaxed. I take a couple of steps forward and hold her in my arms.-I'm sorry.
-It's okay.-I murmur. After a minute, she calms down, which is my opportunity to talk to her.-You can work this out.
-What do you mean?-she pulls away and dries her tears.
-You can practice that thing you do with your magic and make it...safer.-I tell her, but she frowns. She is not convinced.-You are very powerful, Wanda, your powers are just new to us. If you practice and master your abilities, you'll be under control of yourself and more confident about what you can do.-she just dried her eyes, and now they're filling up with tears again.
-You really think so?-she asks with trembling voice.
-I know so. You got this, love.-I assure her, and she hugs me once again.

This connection that Wanda and I have is one that I did not know I needed. I see so much of myself in her, little details of character or huge chunks of personality between us are quite alike, and somehow, I find it easier to help her and be patient and compassioned with her than with me. Why do I prefer to be there for others and not for me? Bucky would constantly ask me that. He saw that I could be very harsh on myself sometimes. Oh, Bucky. Again, I find myself thinking about that stubborn man with ocean eyes and golden soul. The man that has found the way to stay the owner of my heart for over seventy years. He is not as he used to be, he has changed a lot, but behind the trauma and the nightmares, he continuous to be the sweet guy I fell in love with so many years ago. The new things I have learned to love, and the things tha remain from his past self I treasure in the deepest corners of my heart. I do not know how we have made it to this point, after all we both have changed and we still feel things for one another. We are just lucky, I guess. Ignoring every fucked up situation that we were put through, of course.

Once I am in my room, alone, I take out my wallet the piece of Bucky's letter that he sent to me during war. "A lot has changed, but not my love for you", I read in my head, trying to imagine his voice as I do. He uses a deeper tone now for some reason, which I find so attractive it makes me guilty. I imagine his lips moving and his voice saying this words and I smile. Maybe someday he will remember and he will say this to me, and I will not have to keep imagining. I put the letter away and plan to go to the gym to hit the sandbag again. I go downstairs to do that often, and everyday it gets harder to keep the bag in its place. My strength is growing. I do not know if this is a good thing or a bad thing, but it is happening. I am grabbing my punching gloves when I am interrupted.

-Miss Williams.-Vision comes...through the wall into my room and makes my jump scared and gasp.
-God, Vis.-I put a hand in my chest and sigh.-Don't do that anymore.-I chuckle.
-Do what?
-Come in like that. Next time, use the door.-I explain signaling the entrance.
-Oh, okay.-he nods and lands on the floor. He was levitating before.-May I ask you a question?
-Sure.-I sit in my bed and turn my face to him. I thought he was going to sit, too, but he stays on his feet.
-How did you know what miss Maximoff needed?-he sounds curious, but I never really know with him. He is part machine so I am never certain.
-Well, let's say that I know how she felt.-I move my head as I talk.-I just did what I would've liked someone did for me.-he nods slowly and gets lost in his mind.
-Pardon me, all of this is new to me.-Vis takes a few steps around my room as he thinks.-What do you think would comfort her?-I raise my eyebrows in surprise. He is showing a lot of interest in Wanda lately. I wonder...
-Maybe...talking, or the company of someone, or a big cup of ice cream.-I suggest and he moves his head in agreement.
-Thank you.-he goes to the wall again, but stops himself and heads to the door.-Good evening.
-Night.-I wave at him as he walks out.

How peculiar.