AVENGERS Incursion War (Secret Wars Saga)

Chapter 16: Two sides of the same coin



Wanda was seated on the steps outside the building, engulfed in a tumultuous emotional state, as tears trickled down her cheeks. Her thoughts were consumed by the mishaps that had plagued her entire existence, from losing all those dear to her, to the constant snatching away of her glimmers of happiness. Every wrongdoing that she had committed, even those not influenced by the darkhold, also weighed heavily on her heart. Her grief was compounded by the fact that she could potentially be responsible for the annihilation of two entire universes.

Despite all this, the one thing that occupied her mind was the return of Vision after a long and arduous three years, rekindling her hope and will to live, only to have him die before her eyes again in a brutal ambush. She recalled how she had tried to take her own life by walking into the ocean, and the thoughts resurfaced, the urge to follow through with it became more pronounced. "Why am I still here? I should be dead. I want to be dead," she mused, but Strange's assurances that she had the power to avert the incursion lingered, knowing she might be their best hope.

Peter, upon noticing Wanda's distressed state, was moved with concern, even though she appeared to want to be left alone. He could see the anguish in her eyes, and sensed that she needed help. He was troubled that nobody had checked on her in her time of need. This reminded him of a saying his aunt May had once imparted to him, "If you help someone, you help everyone." Although he didn't grasp its true meaning at the time, those words had become a life philosophy for him, and one of the factors that had contributed to shaping his identity. It was now apparent to him that those words might hold greater significance than he had initially thought.

Slowly and quietly, Peter exited the room and approached Wanda, who was curled up in a ball on the steps outside, weeping. She looked up as he drew closer, her eyes conveying the emptiness and despair she was feeling.

Wanda: What are you doing here?

Spider-Man: I know we don't know each other very well...

Wanda: (Interrupts) Please just leave.

Peter didn't respond, choosing instead to let out a deep sigh, before settling down beside her on the left. Wanda was too exhausted to argue or try to make him leave. She buried her face between her knees and continued to sob quietly.

Spider-Man: Look, I'm not going to pretend that I understand what you're going through...

Wanda: (Interrupts) You don't... (sniffling, as she runs her fingers through her hair) No one ever will.

Spider-Man: ...But I do think that I understand better than most.

Wanda: You could never.

Peter, who could empathize with her to some extent, knew that she felt like the world was conspiring against her, and that life only served to dash her hopes repeatedly. He took a deep breath and began to speak.

Spider-Man: I've lost... a lot throughout my life too. I think I might understand...

Wanda: (Interrupts) Stop. You have no idea what I've been through. Don't try to tell me you do.

Peter recollected how he had reacted similarly to another Spider-Man from the multiverse (Peter#3, played by Andrew Garfield), when he had tried to comfort him after the death of his aunt May. He closed his eyes, taking a moment to comprehend her pain.

Spider-Man: Okay, I won't... Is it okay if I just sit here with you for a while?

Wanda remained silent, feeling drained and not wanting Peter to be there, but unable to muster the energy to stop him. They sat together in silence for some time, both lost in their own thoughts.
As Peter sat beside Wanda, he could feel the weight of her sadness and despair. He knew that he couldn't just leave her there, alone and hurting. So, he stayed with her, not saying a word and giving her the space to grieve.