Variation - W.M.

Chapter 1 - October 23, 2023

I tumbled out of the transparent doorway, watching it close behind me before sighing in relief.

At least nobody was following me.

I looked around, not recognizing my surroundings at first until I noticed a tall tower that had once housed the Avengers.

"So it teleported me to New York?" I questioned, my brows furrowing as I looked around. I glanced down at the pad before shrugging and shoving it in my pocket, deciding to focus on more pressing issues. "Who of the Avengers is left? Clint? Wanda and him were always pretty close."

I nodded decisively and started to walk before realizing I had absolutely no way of getting to upstate New York, and that I had left my phone inside back at the S.W.O.R.D base.

Along with my wallet.

"Plan B then" I mumbled, pulling out the tablet. This time I took a minute to survey it, my eyes narrowing as I searched for a way to use it. "Take me to the New Avengers Facility" I shouted, turning it over in my hands before tapping the screen aggressively. "God, what is this thing from? 2016?"

The pad screen glitched a little as I tapped it before finally opening another doorway. I huffed. "Fucking finally. This thing is stupid." I stepped through the door but instead of being automatically transported like last time it felt like my brain was being squeezed, the contents of my stomach threatening to make themselves present.

When it finally stopped I lurched over, letting everything out. "Pancakes might be ruined forever" I muttered, wiping my mouth and looking around. At least I was where I needed to be; the front lawn of the facility.

"Okay, find Clint, take him to Wanda, fix everything" I listed out under my breath, checking the teleporter. The screen was completely dark. "New plan, tell Clint where she is and he will fly a jet there."

I also didn't fancy another meal coming back up.

"Who are you?" A voice demanded and I spun around, freezing when I saw the Falcon.

"Shit, I never really talked to you. You're the Falcon, right? I'm here to talk to Clint because-"

"Talk to Clint about what?" Another voice asked and I did a double take when I saw a woman with fiery red hair.

"Natasha? What the fuck? Aren't you dead?"

"Is that supposed to be a threat?" She asked, hand moving to rest on the gun at her hip. "Who are you?"

"I mean I know we didn't talk much but come on, we were on the run together. Kind of. Well you and Steve were stuck with me while Wanda was with Vision" I rambled, earning no recognition from the woman. I groaned frustratedly. "Seriously? Am I really that forgettable? I mean I know I was dusted for five years after Thanos but come on, you don't remember me at all?"

The two Avengers in front of me looked at each other before their gaze returned to me, confusion painting their features.

"Thanos? Dusted for five years?" Natasha echoed.

"Are you on drugs?" Falcon asked and my eyes widened.

"No! I'm not! I swear!" I assured them. "I just have to hurry because Wanda-"

"Wanda Maximoff?" Natasha interrupted slowly and I nodded, brows furrowed.

"Do you know another Wanda?"

"Well, no, but-"

"It's not important. We have to go because she-"

"Because I what?" I froze at the familiar voice, the Sokovian accent thick and reminding me of the first time I had met the woman. I shifted my eyes to see Wanda landing, the red mist on her hands fading but the apprehension in her stance not.

"Wanda? Why aren't you in Westview?" My eyes widened and I looked around cautiously. "Is this another hex?"

"What is Westview? Who are you and how do you know my name?" Wanda asked forcefully.

I chuckled, my nerves growing. Nothing about this situation felt right. "What are you talking about? I know I pissed you off by showing up but come on."

"If my sister says she does not know you then she does not know you." Another voice sporting a Sokovian accent sounded from behind me and I whipped around, my brain spinning.

"Okay, I-I know for a fact you're dead. I watched..." I pressed my hands against my temples, my head beginning to hurt.

"You keep saying that but they are clearly not dead," Falcon said, watching me as I began to pace.

"But they are, Pietro was killed by Ultron and Nat was killed in exchange for the stone" I muttered, speaking more to myself than anyone else.

"And who else is dead?" Natasha asked. Her arms were now folded in front of her chest, not finding me as a threat I assume.

"Tony Stark. He died saving the world from Thanos using his own gauntlet because his egotistical ass probably thought he could survive." I grimaced at my words. "He was terrible but you were always told it was bad to speak ill of the dead so don't do that" I mumbled to myself before clearing my throat and continuing. "Steve isn't dead but, according to the people at S.W.O.R.D, he's close to it. Vision's dead too but that's old news."

Falcon sucked in a breath. "Yeah, not sure how to tell you this but-"

"If they walk out onto this grass right now I'm going to fucking lose it" I warned, but I could already hear the telltale sound of thrusters. "I'm going crazy. I'm fucking going crazy. They tried to tell you not to enter the barrier, Ollie, but you didn't listen. First the purple and then the weird dissolving guys and see through doors and now whatever the fuck this is."

I was pacing back and forth at what seemed like a heightened speed, my head buzzing as I mumbled to myself like a lunatic.

But who cares, right? This was probably all in my head and I was lying almost dead somewhere in Westview.

"It seems like you need some medical help and this isn't a hospital, so why don't you leave."

I huffed and turned to face Tony Stark, pointing a finger at him. "And this is why I speak ill of the dead."

"I'm clearly not dead" he gestured to himself and I rolled my eyes.

"Unfortunately" I grumbled, running a hand through my hair. "The others I'm fine with but him I could forever live without."

"Enough. Leave here before I make you" Wanda warned and I tugged my hair harshly.

"Yeah, whatever Witchy. Shoot me or blah, blah, blah. Wake me up from whatever nightmare this is and put me back in the one you created." I said, waving a hand dismissively.

Wanda did in fact hit me with a blast of red energy.

It hurt. A lot.

Plus I was still here, not keen to take another hit.

"I changed my mind, please don't do that again" I coughed out, a hand on my stomach as I pushed myself off the ground. Wanda, of course, didn't listen, simply going to attack me again. I yelped and slammed my eyes closed, waiting for another painful force to throw me back but it didn't come. I peeked an eye open and noticed everyone staring at me with wide eyes.

Or staring at my stomach, more accurately.

I furrowed my brow in confusion before my eyes widened, watching Natasha pull out her gun and shoot it at me.

The bullets seemed to move in slow motion as they headed towards me but instead of killing me, like I thought they would, they passed through me, my torso turning transparent, displaying the bullets moving through with streaks of yellow following them before they dropped harmlessly out of my back.

"What the fuck was that?" I yelped, touching my body frantically.

"The hell do you mean 'what was that', it's your body!" Falcon yelled, and I looked around the group frantically.

What the fuck was happening to me.