Robin's Cousin

chapter twelve

Pietro's POV

We had been wandering for what felt like hours, but was most likely only minutes due to how wonky time was in here when we stumbled upon a familiar setting. My childhood home, before it was blown to smithereens by the civil war. I gasped inaudibly, running towards the building with the others at my heels since I wasn't using my super powers. Entering the building, I took the still familiar path up to our tiny apartment and stopped when I reached the door, afraid of what I would find on the other side.

"Why aren't we going in? What if Wanda is in there?" Roy asked impatiently, trying to shove past me. I stuck my arm out to stop him, glaring slightly.

"She is in there, but I'm not sure if you are ready to see what you are about to see." The others hesitated but nodded with steely determination, M'gann putting a comforting hand on my shoulder. I took a deep breath before I shoved the door open, pausing when I saw the familiar sight; the bomb encased in Wanda's scarlet power, Wanda close to passing out as she over exerted herself to keep us alive as we hid under the bed, five year old me rubbing Wanda's back and trying to keep the sweat out of her eyes. I looked to the others, noting the horrified expressions on their faces when they saw five year old Wanda's face contorted in pain from her discovering and using her powers for the first time, and to such an extent.

"Is this...the first time she ever used her abilities?" M'gann croaked, looking as if she wanted to cradle my sister. I nodded, walking around the bomb slowly.

"She discovered them in the moment of extreme stress, when the bomb landed in front of us. At first she didn't realize it was her, but I told her whatever she was doing to keep doing it, it was saving our lives. She passed out from exhaustion soon after, nearly going into the same comatose state she is in now." I sighed, crouching next our hiding spot. I wiped some sweat from Wanda's brow, taking her attention from the bomb. She looked shocked, scared even. I smiled calmly. "Wanda, you are not back there. You are at HQ, in a coma. You need to wake up now, we need you. We miss you. I miss you. Please, Wanda, come home."

The scenery around us began to shift as Wanda stood up, facing me as her five year old self with tears leaking down her sweaty cheeks. "Don't you see? I am trying to protect you. I hurt everyone I come in contact with, including you. Let me stay here, contain the Witch, so she can harm no more."

"But Wanda, you are the Scarlet Witch." Conner blurted out before I could stop him.

I had noticed this during our encounter with her earlier, that she was referring to the Scarlet Witch as if she were not her, as if to remove herself from her powers and their actions. I'm worried that if she is this fragile that she cannot, will not, own up to her actions fully that she presents herself as a child, she may never come back to us.

Wanda's eyes went wide as she began to shake, scarlet energy pouring out of her and into the air, surrounding her in a cloud. "No! She is a monster! She must be destroyed!"

I gulped, walking into the cloud of scarlet despite all the force trying to keep me out. I fought against the current, making my way towards my sister who had collapsed to the ground as a thirteen year old, holding herself as she sobbed. I gently pulled her into my arms, patting her back as I sang a Sokovian lullaby our mother used to sing to us in her ear. "Wanda, you are the Scarlet Witch, but you are not a monster. The Scarlet Witch is a hero, especially because of her flaws."

"But Pietro, look at what I have done!" She wailed, flinging her hands out to dissipate the cloud. Once our friends could see us, they immediately joined us, huddling around Wanda in a supportive group hug. Wanda cried, using her magic to conjure up images and memories of her time as Hydra's puppet, of when she was brainwashed to kill world leaders, of our time with Ultron, and finally when the Light had its hold on her. She looked up at us with tears, whispering hoarsely so we could barely hear. "I have done great evil. How am I a hero?"