Agony (Wanda Maximoff)

Chapter 23

||"There was a wall inside of her mind that was protecting her from the truth."||

Vision didn't stay long, even though she wanted him to. But instead of returning back to the farmhouse before everyone woke from their sleep, she decided to stay in the woods near the cliff for a little while longer. 

Wanda gathered the grapes that were scattered across the ground and placed them back in the bowl. She thought of walking down to the water to wash them off, but when she noticed two squirrels walking around her, she chose to feed them. 

They were hesitant at first, but eventually gave in. They were tiny, but quick, and every time Wanda rolled a grape towards them, she giggled. Both of the squirrels ran around her in circles, grabbing grapes as they went. Wanda hadn't realized how loud she was laughing until she heard a twig snap in front of her. 

When she looked up, she saw him. 

Pietro. 

Her face went blank, and the squirrels scattered off. She wanted to look away, but she was afraid that if she did, he'd disappear. Very slowly, she stood from the ground. Her legs began to tremble, but she forced herself to keep her balance. 

He was so close.

"Pietro?" she asked quietly. Wanda felt her heart pound with life like never before, and she was about to step forward, but she saw his lips move, mumbling something she couldn't hear. But he was gone before she could even take a step closer. But she chased him, unwilling to let him go.

She ran, quickly, through the crowd of trees and brushes. Her breath staggered as she picked up her pace, not wanting to lose sight of him. But as she cleared through a path, she saw nothing but a plain field. She didn't understand, and she didn't want to accept her insanity. There was something different about seeing her brother standing there; some force of connection that  flickered between them.  

Wanda looked around the field, wishing Pietro would just appear so she could tell herself she wasn't crazy. But there was nothing in her sight. No trace of his bright hair and scruffy face. She was alone. 

She fell to the ground and began to cry; a downpour of tears that felt too hot and heavy. She stared down at the field and let her tears end on their own. The flicker of connection still lingered inside of her, and she held her stomach as a wave of nausea took over. 

She could have sworn on her life that her brother was standing right in front of her, that  he was physically there, able to touch and hold. Something was different this time, she could feel it in her spine. It was in the way he looked at her, and in the way he sped away, like he was afraid that she'd seen him. 

But if he really was there, Pietro would have never run away. He would have hugged her until the end of time. Pietro would not have left her alone. 

Wanda stood, her head hanging low as she walked back through the thick woods to the farmhouse. And as she disappeared into the crowded woods, the building in the field slowly came back into view. 

It took Wanda some time to return to the farmhouse, but when she arrived, she saw Steve pacing on the front porch. He was wearing a flannel that looked peculiar on him, and she wondered if he borrowed it from Clint. And as she made her way towards him, she silently hoped that he wouldn't question her for being gone for so long. 

She eased her way onto the porch, and Steve turned to her, eyes screaming with worry. But it only took a second for him to sigh in relief, and he walked over to her and pulled her in for a hug. She froze, unsure if she should hug him back. But when his arms pulled her closer, she finally wrapped her arms around him, digging her face into his chest.