Red Winter: Timeline

Chapter Thirty-Four: Back to School

Wanda was sitting on her bed in her room, she was making the paper weight that sat in front of her on the bed float in the air. The mental toll that the possession took on her was heavy, she felt vandalized and dirty, like someone reached right into her mind to pull her strings. Since she got home, she had been meditating more than once a day. Their trip to Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters had been put on hold for a couple days, at least until Wanda gained her footing. Pepper was still in the hospital, but she was awake now and under twenty-four hour protection. Happy and Morgan were staying at the compound, also under protection. Bucky made his way toward Wanda's room, he pushed the door open lightly and watched as Wanda spun the clear paper weight around in front of her. As he approached her, he sat on the edge of the bed and put his hand out, Wanda trailed the paper weight along the air and placed it gently in his hand, she looked up and smiled kindly at him. "You ready?" Wanda nodded as Bucky took the paper weight and set it on her nightstand, holding out his hand for her to take.

As the team loaded into the quinjet Happy and Morgan stood to see them off. "You keep an eye on your momma, got it?" Peter was hunched down in front of the young girl, his hand poking her cheek.

"100%!" She smiled, Peter and her did a secret handshake and he got to his feet. "Take care of my girl!" He looked at Happy and held his hand up for a high five, but Happy just smirked at him, Peter nodded and let his hand drop.

"Let's go bug boy!" Bucky called out from the drop door.

Peter looked over his shoulder and sighed, "Spider boy! MAN! SPIDERMAN!" He shook his head and jogged over to board the quinjet.

The flight wasn't going to be that long, just under an hour, but traveling on the ground could be easily tracked. Sam wanted to be as stealthy as possible, so he decided to fly. Wanda sat in her chair, she hadn't spoke to anyone besides Bucky since the ball, Sam tried to have a conversation, but she kindly brushed him off. Although even the soldier couldn't seem to dig at what was eating at her, he promised himself he would, but only when she was ready. So as she sat, her head leaning back into the seat, she watched out the large front window, watching the clouds pass by in a blur. Bucky reached over and let his flesh hand tough her thigh softly, she didn't look over at him, but she did shift her hand over on top of his. As they landed, Sam gave his team a speech. Talking about being polite as they were guests here, asking that they get along with the other team, and letting them know he too would have to work at accepting change. Sam, Bucky, Wanda, Scott Lang, Peter, Bruce, and Vision all stepped out as the drop door opened and they were greeted by Professor Xavier along with a large blue furry man. "Welcome." Professor X nodded, "This is Hank McCoy. He is a teacher here at the school. Bruce Banner, I do hope you and Hank can share some...intelligence." Professor X smiled kindly as Bruce and Hank shared a coy look with one another. Wanda and the team looked past the two, seeing that large mansion behind them. In the distance they watched as a woman approached, her dark skin with starch white hair matched her black and white outfit. "Storm." Professor X didn't even look behind him, he didn't have to, "Would you kindly show our guests around?"

The tour was long, Wanda admired the school more and more as they continued. From the classrooms, to the pool, then the tennis courts that covered the underground garage where the quinjet was parked, everything was well thought through, much like their facility. "And this hallway is your rooms." Storm put her hands on her hips, "There's three rooms. One with a king bed, one with two twins, another with three fulls." She pointed as she spoke, "Choose what you'd like. Dinner is served at five. We train tomorrow. You'll meet the team then." Sam thanked her before she had the chance to leave the hall.

"Alright." Sam turned to the team, "Bucky, Wanda, take the king. Peter and Scott can take the twins," Peter sighed, "Vision, Bruce, and I can take the fulls."

"Wanna trade?" Peter nudged Bruce, but the look on Bruce's face said it all, "Ok." Peter shrugged.

They all retired to their rooms, Wanda walked over to the large window that overlooked the tennis courts. There were kids on them now, Wanda smiled watching them play. Bucky walked over after placing his jacket on the bed, he pushed the curtain back more and watched as the students ran around. "It's like a whole different world."

"Not to them." Wanda smiled, "This is normal for them, their powers and abilities. They don't know any different."

Bucky looked over at her, "And you did." He reached over to touch her arm, "What's on your mind?" Bucky clenched his jaw.

With a large breath she turned to him, "They remind me of myself, before..." Wanda lifted her hand and let magic dance from her finger tips, "this..." Bucky watched the red dazzle around her hand, "I understand it more, but there is still so much to learn." She looked up at him and smiled.

Bucky took a step closer to her and pulled her close, "You'll get there, I know you will."

Wanda rested her head against his chest while she continued to stare out at the students, "Did you ever want kids?" Her question surprised him, the image that Strange had showed him played in his mind.

"I had a plan," He looked out the window with her, "Win the war. Find a girl. Marry her. Have children. Grow old while I relax...all along side Steve." Bucky chuckled softly, "Course that bastard ruined that." Two out of five down, he thought. "You?"

"It wasn't much of a thought I entertained after our parents died. I thought...I thought I wouldn't, Vision couldn't after all...and I imagined my life with him." She felt Bucky take in a deep breath, she lifted her head so she could look up at him, he stared down at her with a soft expression, "My future seems very different now."

"Is that a good thing?" He felt...nervous all of a sudden. The way her eyes were reading him, his heart began to beat heavily.

"It isn't bad, it's different." She smiled, "It's good." She reassured him.

"I wanted kids." He smiled, "I still do."

Wanda smiled back, then rested her head on his chest to look out the window, "Good."