Cosmic Mix Up

chapter twelve

Billy's POV

It was hard, emotionally, to teleport the dead bodies of my friends onto the bioship. I had to keep telling myself that once we got to the Reality Stone and I set Wanda free, they wouldn't be dead anymore. She would fix this.

She has too, because I don't know what I would do if she didn't.

Once Artemis got us in the air we radioed the Mountain, nobody prepared to tell the others what had happened.

"Tigress to Nightwing, we have a major problem..." Artemis sighed, waiting for Nightwing to reply.

"Don't tell me Thanos has the Time Stone too..." Nightwing groaned through the radio.

"Yup but there's more. We experienced casualties. Dr. Strange is dead as well as all the monks at the Sanctum Sanatorium." Artemis gulped, preparing to tell the others the worst of it. "Along with Kaldur, Roy, Conner, Wally, and Tommy."

We were met with silence on the other end for a long time and I thought they had hung up on us until I heard Batman's voice. "I hope you are on route to us."

"We are, in fact, Billy was just about to teleport us to the Mountain."

Not being too thick to realize that was my cue, I summoned the blue energy within me. "Thebioshipisinmountjusticethebioshipisinmountjusticethebioshipisinmountjustice."

Like before, a blue portal opened up before the bioship and we flew through it, appearing in the hangar of Mount Justice. We all exited the ship, making our way towards the mission room to debrief.

We were met by the teary eyed stares of our remaining friends who were waiting for us to confirm the deaths of our friends. We just averted our eyes, confirming the truth with our silence.

M'gann broke down in tears as Batman listened to Artemis debrief what happened at the Sanctum Sanatorium. I avoided the stares of my teammates, glaring at the ground as silent tears flowed down my cheeks.

When Artemis was done with her debriefing, I decided now was my time to speak. "Where is the Reality Stone?"

"Billy-"

"Where. Is. It?" I grit out, feeling my body begin to glow blue as my rage started to burn up once more. Pietro silently placed the Stone in my outstretched palm. I felt my eyes begin to roll back in my head as the Stone began to pull me in, but I fought it with all my strength, grinding my teeth as I planted my feet firmly and held on to the Stone tightly before pouring my heart and soul into my chanting. "WandaMaximoffisaliveoutofthestoneWandaMaximoffisaliveoutofthestoneWandaMaximoffisaliveoutofthestone."

I felt a rush of chilly air circulate around me and I opened my glowing blue eyes to see myself floating off the ground, encased in a giant ball of swirling blue and scarlet hues. The Reality Stone was sparking in my hand and I squeezed it tighter, willing harder as I pushed more of the blue energy from inside me into the Stone.

Suddenly I felt all the energy within me rush out of me like I had the wind knocked out of me and I collapsed to the ground, not fighting it this time when my eyes rolled back in my head and everything faded to black.

Wanda's POV

It happened when I was re-braiding Scarlett's hair for the umpteenth time.

"Wanda, you are getting your dandruff all over me. Gross." Scarlett complained, yanking her head away from me.

I rolled my eyes. "If you pull your head away I can't braid your hair. Besides, you're the one with dandruff, not me." Scarlett grumbled, crossing her arms over her chest. She stayed still for all of five seconds before whirling around, her eyes widening when from a glare to comically oversized when she saw me. "What?"

"Wanda...you're turning to dust." I snorted, shaking my head in disbelief. She grabbed my hand and held in front of my face to show me that I was, in fact, turning to dust. "What the hell is happening?"

"How should I know? The other Stones haven't mentioned anything and we don't have contact with the outside world besides them." I sighed. "I guess this Thanos guy snapped me out of existence."

"Or that Billy kid is rescuing you."

"Why wouldn't he take you too?"

Scarlett shrugged. "He isn't powerful enough to take both of us yet or they are still bitter about the whole me trying to kill you thing. Either way, one of us needs to stay here to power the Stone." She smiled sadly at me. "Go. You deserve to be free."

I hugged Scarlett tightly, feeling my body becoming less corporal by the moment. "I will get you out, I promise."

"Don't make promises you can't keep." She smirked, giving me a two fingered salute as I faded from the Stone world.

The next thing I knew I was gasping for air for the first necessary time in over two years, my eyes flinging open as I took in the familiar sight of Mount Justice. I had to rub my eyes to make sure I wasn't hallucinating but sure enough standing five feet away was my twin brother. I let out a sob of relief as I scrambled to my feet, rushing into his arms.

"Pietro! Oh, my god have I missed you!" I cried into his chest, clinging onto him as I was unsure if being alive again was a permanent thing. I pulled out of his arms to see some of my teammates standing there with tears in their eyes and I felt a fresh sob escape my throat. "M'gann! Artemis! Dick! Jason!" Flinging myself into a group hug, I couldn't help but notice a few people were missing. "Where are Kaldur, Wally, Conner, and Roy?"

"Oh, sister..." Pietro cast his eyes downward and I felt my world crash around me. I shook my head as the others confirmed my fears. "They died fighting Thanos for the Time Stone."

"We were hoping you could bring them and Tommy back." I turned to one of the unfamiliar faces. "I'm Tim, by the way. Dick's newest brother."

I nodded shakily. "Show me the way to them."

"They are still on the bioship." Dick gulped. "We couldn't move them, it was too much."

We walked in grim silence to the Mount Justice hangar, approaching the bioship with a thick tension growing. I felt my nerves spike as M'gann opened a hatch to the bioship.

I am clearly familiar with death but when it is a loved one it is different. When Pietro died, it broke me. So when it is so many loved ones, I'm not sure if I will be able to push past the grief to do what is needed.

We boarded the ship and I nearly collapsed when my eyes landed on the bodies of my friends. I closed my eyes and covered my mouth, feeling nauseous. I felt a hand on my shoulder and turned into Jason's chest, letting out a little sob.

"I know, but we are going to get them back."

I wiped my eyes after a moment, trying my best to collect myself. Nodding with new determination, I turned back around towards the row of bodies. I sat crisscross in front of them and closed my eyes.

Reaching out into the scarlet energy that has lived within me for as long as I can remember, I focused on trying to muster up enough energy to revive five people.

After a few moments my eyes flung wide open and I let out a shocked gasp.

"What? What is it?" Pietro was at my side in an instant.

"My powers...they're gone."