Divided |2|

seventeen

Once they had landed the jet, they clambered into the van they previously rode in.

Wanda sat in the front, while Victoria sat behind her. She was staring at her broken phone again. She hadn't heard anything more from Pietro. It was tearing her apart.

"Okay, what did my idiot brother do now?"

"Sorry?"

Victoria looked up and found that Wanda had turned herself around in her seat to stare at her. Wanda had a slight frown, but she still wore a small smile to comfort Victoria.

"You have been staring at your phone for ten minutes now, about to cry. And whenever I have asked my brother about you and how you are, he changes the topic or stops speaking to me. So, I ask again. What is going on?"

"We're being idiots."

"About?"

"About the Accords. About life in general. About us."

"What happened?"

"We've been fighting, Wanda, ever since I came back. It's about big things and stupid, little things. And it always happens when I think that everything is fine and we can be normal again. And we'll say things to hurt each other... And I'm scared, but I just don't think that this is healthy, you know?"

"I'd hate to break to you, kiddo," her dad sighed. "You and Pietro? It's never going to be normal for you two. You're superheroes, babe. If life is normal, that's when you should start to worry. That's when something bad will happen."

"I just wish that we had met before all of this. Maybe everything would be normal if we had."

"I do not think so." Wanda looked down. "I think all this is fate. My parents—their fate had been sealed. Pietro and I were meant to become enhanced. We were meant to meet you. All of this, it happens for a reason."

"You've been around my father for too long, Wanda. You're starting with his speeches, too."

Wanda let out a laugh, before turning to Victoria seriously again. "Just... Be patient with my brother, Vic. He is difficult—trust me, I know—but he is just as scared as you are."

"Thank you, Wanda. I'll keep that in mind."

"That is all I ask of you."

Victoria looked down to her phone again, sighing inwardly. She tapped on the unread messages from Pietro and started to compose a new one.

I'm fine, don't worry about me. I love you, Pietro. And I'm sorry.

She sent it and placed her phone next to her, sipping her coffee. As she took the last sip, her dad pulled into the airport. He drove into the parking lot and Victoria frowned at all the empty spaces.

"Uh—dad?"

"Yes, Victoria?"

"This is an airport, right?"

"Yes, Victoria."

"Then why aren't there any travellers—or cars—around?"

"I don't know, Vic," his gaze was drawn to a beaten-up VW that drove into the lot. "If I see one, I'll be sure to ask."