Bella MacLeod's Twilight Fanfiction

The Witch and the Widows

By BetterInTexas

Chapter 56:

“Why have you been lying to me?” Kate asked.

Yelena shrugged and shook her head. “I haven’t been lying. It is just things changed. Mika needed wisdom teeth pulled out and Mama decided we should all get checked out. Other things were moved around.”

“That would have been nice to know.” Kate told her. “You could have told me but you wouldn’t answer my calls and only responded to my texts with emojis. I find out from the news that you and the widows were having a girls’ weekend in Novia Grad. You could have gotten Wong to bring me to your hotel room.”

Yelena stood and walked to her bedroom window, taking in the view while listening to the berating she was receiving from Kate.

“Wong is not our personal taxi service.”

“He brings Ava to work every day.”

Yelena nodded. “Yes, he is her personal taxi service, not ours. What is the matter? You are here now. We went one weekend without seeing each other. You act like I dropped off the face of the Earth.”

Kate walked beside her. “No, you went to the bottom of the Earth. Why did you have to take this new girl to Australia?”

Yelena rolled her eyes. “I told you, we had to get her little sister from her abusive dad. Wanda was able to find her…”

Kate placed a hand on Yelena’s shoulder. “I meant why did you have to go? There are a lot of pilots! Why didn’t you answer my calls? Damn it, Yelena… why do your curtains smell like cigarette smoke?” Kate asked, stopping her rant with confusion.

Yelena rolled her eyes. “Damn Megs smoked in here when she was telling me about Billie. I told her to go to window but forgot curtains stay smelly. I haven’t had a chance to take them off and wash them. Fanny hasn’t stopped sneezing. I told her no more smoking in house.”

“Megs? You call her Megs? I thought she was Cindy or Sin or Meggan. Now she is Megs? You let her smoke in your room? Why was she in here long enough to smoke anyway?”

Yelena nearly rolled her eyes. “Gabby was with her and she was very nervous. Megs… Meggan wanted to leave and I have already had a hard time keeping us together… what does it matter? Why do you care if someone was in my room? Girls are in my room constantly. In and out all day with no privacy. Yes, she was nervous and I let her smoke. What is wrong with you?”

“What is wrong is I feel farther away from you now than I did when we first started dating and I only saw you on the phone then!”

“I have been very busy! We have been making much headway on the Hand hideouts in past few days. We are tracking their money. Sharon Carter and Everett Ross are very good. With Maria’s forensic accounting expertise we are finding many trails leading to many places and operatives. The ones being held by Sable who came back to life are talking. Immortal life is not so good when you have no hands or feet and are under constant torture. I have asked Wanda to stay out of their heads. Considering what the sword did and demons involved, what if they have trap for her in their heads.”

Kate walked away and sat on the bed next to where Fanny and Lucky were side by side watching the conversation with interest.

“Yeah, the sword wound I found out about from Mom. The cursed wound that should have killed you. Luckily Ava’s personal taxi service was there. Why did you leave Wanda behind?”

Yelena turned to her quickly. “When did you get the idea that I need Wanda to do my job!?”

Kate quieted for a moment, surprised that Yelena had snapped on her.

“Because you are still human. Fighting immortal ninjas armed by a mystery demon seems like something Wanda should be involved in!”

Yelena wanted to agree but her pride wouldn’t let her. Yes she probably should have had Wanda come along, but the twins needed her and so did her country. Wanda had more priorities than just missions now.

And Yelena needed to prove to herself that she could still lead. Despite her sessions with Imi her confidence had taken a hit the night that Sonia and the youngest almost left. She second guessed everything she did, despite acting like she hadn’t. She refused to let her mother and father hover over her after they found out she had almost died. In the past she would have become lost in their overindulgent love but now she had this irrational need to appear strong all the time.

Kate had a way of getting through her defenses. The only person that knew her as well as Wanda was Kate and Yelena didn’t care if Wanda saw her vulnerable. Wanda was the one who gave her several baths while she was unconscious after pulling the mind control drug out of her body. Any semblance of being tough with Wanda disappeared long before she met her.

Kate was different. Kate had never seen her weak. Despite the success of the operation against the Hand she did almost die. If Wong hadn’t been there she would have been dead. Even her success nearly cost her everything. It was why she had avoided Kate as much as possible. She missed her but Yelena needed to get her head together and the temptation to dump her problems onto Kate was too great.

“I am the leader of the Red Widows. You have always known that. I have fought many dangerous things despite being human. I don’t need Wanda babysitting me. Yes, I almost died. I was lucky. That is the life I lead. I thought you understood that. I have never lied to you about this.”

Kate stood up and crossed her arms. “No, you don’t have to lie. When you keep secrets it is hard to know the questions to ask to make you lie. Do you know how screwed up it is for your girlfriend to ask to speak to your mom and your mom takes the phone out of the room and won’t say what the conversation was about?”

“No, I only recently got a mom. Tell me how bad your mama having a conversation that isn’t your business is, Kate Bishop. I told you when we explained your mother was helping us that there will always be secrets. Everyone has secrets. It is part of life but we do not keep secrets to hurt you. We keep them so you don’t have to keep them.”

Kate stepped up to Yelena. “I would prefer to keep them myself so you don’t have to carry any burden for me. If I am strong enough to fight the Ten Rings with you, I think I can handle anything.”

“You think a gunfight is the same as carrying truths you can never unlearn? Maybe it is. For me killing has no meaning. I have become immune to it. I do not hear the screams of the lives I have taken in my sleep. I do struggle with the knowledge I have that I wish I didn’t.”

“Tell me what you were talking to my mother about.”

“Ask your mother.” Yelena responded. “That is all I will say on it. It is not mine to tell.”

Kate nodded. “Fine. Maybe soon I won’t be yours to tell either.”

She walked off leaving the door open and Yelena silent.

Lucky looked at Yelena then hopped off the bed and followed Kate, leaving Fanny and her alone.

Yelena sighed. She hadn’t been handling the situation with Kate well but had no idea what to do about it. She was screwed up right now, angry, frustrated and even worse, she felt vulnerable. Nat was back and those who didn’t like her were maintaining polite distance, Yelena knew firsthand how much of a powder keg the situation could become in a second. Imi said to give it time. When Yelena asked how much, she was told it could take months or years and for some it would become grudging acceptance.

Wanda and Bucky were closer than ever before. Yelena had always considered their relationship more based on physical attraction and shared memories but the twins had brought them closer in a way she hadn’t seen before and didn’t think Wanda was capable of. They no longer shared memories but were actually making new ones and talking. In other words they were going the exact opposite of her and Kate’s direction.

Of course they didn’t have to keep secrets from each other. What was Yelena supposed to say? Kate, your daddy, the man you though was the greatest who ever lived, was in debt to the mob, had been laundering money for them and when he died your mother had to take his place or you would get hurt.

That would tear her life apart. Her belief that her father was a great man was important to her.

She sat on her chair closest to the window and buried her head in her hands, knowing she should go after Kate but not sure what to say when she found her.

Kate had walked to Ava’s room hoping to find Wong. She had hoped to ask him to portal her home and then see if Yelena would follow her or even care. Yelena was different. Every insecure part of Kate, every whisper of self-pity told her it was because Yelena was relieved she didn’t have to deal with Kate on an everyday basis. Maybe she was tired of Kate. She was tired of having to include her or make her feel as if she belonged when she didn’t. Maybe Yelena had found someone else.

Since Kate had gone back, school had been hell. Everything was foreign to her. She missed seeing Yelena’s face when she closed her eyes at night and seeing her first thing every morning. She missed the antics at the Mansion, the training sessions and movie nights and dance offs and board games. She missed her real friends. She missed feeling a part of them. She had gone from Yelena’s girlfriend to part of the family over the summer months and now was back to being Yelena’s girlfriend. The girls greeted her the same as always but they were different too. There was a strange mood around the Mansion. Having Everett Ross there was not enough to account for the changes. The new girls must have had a major effect but in what way? The youngest seemed to be fitting in, even finding parents or mothers at least.

Eleanor had told her that most of the widows were having therapy sessions with the Wakandan doctor who Kate had known shortly before she came back to school. Eleanor had said this in an attempt to get Kate to take her own therapy sessions more seriously.

Though Eleanor should have been ecstatic that her Red Widows were going to therapy, she was not overjoyed as Kate might have suspected. Apparently the rules about age limits in combat were gone. Wanda had ended them. Everyone including Stannic was allowed to fight. The only ones who weren’t were those thirteen and younger. Wanda had declared that if those girls wanted to fight in the future they would have to be approved by the Widows and then Wanda and Yelena would make the call.

That in itself was strange. Wanda had stubbornly argued in the past with Eleanor about how the house was ran but Wanda usually gave in to Eleanor’s desires. Lately it seemed as if Wanda wasn’t giving in to her mother at all. Though she and her mother didn’t talk about it, something was going on. Something had made Wanda take more of a leadership role and she wasn’t looking as much for Eleanor’s guidance.

A part of Kate wondered since the Widows had Silver Sable International intelligence services and satellites if Bishop Security would even be needed at all.

No one answered at Ava’s door and Bea stuck her head out and told Kate Ava was taking a walk with Wong in the forest.

Kate thanked her and wandered around the Mansion. Wanda was in the first floor library studying while Bucky worked with the twins. Oksana was there with Tanya and the new older widow named Gabrielle was working with two kids, one of whom must have been Claudia. She thought the other youngest looking one was probably the ten year old sister Yelena had picked up in Australia. Multiple kittens played on the floor or lounged on the table but the students and teachers were focused so she left them alone.

She walked down to the bunker and found Amanda and Sierra working out on a mat, sparring with each other but it was more for play than for training. Kate smiled at their antics. Rachel was by the monitors with Maria and Everett. The trio seemed deep in conversation so Kate didn’t want to bother them.

She stepped out the back and watched Steve and Dima work on another addition to the Mansion. Steve was moving quickly and hammering like a carpenter on fast forward. She suspected Wanda was doing much of the framing and Dima, Bucky and Steve were doing the technical work like wiring and insulation. Dima was doing a wonderful job making the additions appear as if they had always been a part of the main house.

It was a new dynamic. It hadn’t been long but to Kate it felt like years since she had been there. School and New York felt foreign and now this place was becoming foreign. How much longer until she had no place that felt comfortable.

Lucky rubbed against her leg, once again sensing her mood beginning to fall.

She was throwing a fit. She was feeling sorry for herself. She was blaming everything on Yelena pulling away. What if Yelena wasn’t pulling away? What if she were pulling herself away from everyone?

She walked along the side of the house towards the front. She smelt the smoke first and looked up from her feet.

The girl was leaned up against the mansion wall with a cigarette in hand.

Megs.

This was the first Kate had actually seen her. Yelena hadn’t described her at all.

She had dark brown hair that had been dyed blonde at some point. The roots were very dark as if they hadn’t been colored in a while. Her hair wasn’t long, hanging just past her ears. It wasn’t golden blonde like Antha’s or a deep red like Wanda’s or even the light red of Rowan’s hair. Her eyes were brown, not the exotic color of many other widows. She wasn’t lean and muscular or short and strong or had the body of a dancer. She was skinny, not much taller than Yelena and her hair was frizzy. There were freckles on her cheeks and nose. She had an eyebrow piercing and a few different rings on her fingers, though not as many as Wanda still wore.

Not one of her features was striking but taken all together she came away as beautiful. Tomboyish but with an understated beauty that drew you in.

Kate hated her.

Megs tilted her head and smiled.

“G’day. I haven’t seen you before. You must be Kate Bishop. Name is Meggan. Everybody calls me Megs. I’d shake but you probably don’t want to get close enough to breathe this and I hate to waste smokes. Can’t exactly walk around the block to the nearest convenience store, right?”

Kate stared at her for a moment longer.

“I didn’t realize the Mansion had a designated smoking area.” she decided on.

Meg shrugged. “Yelena and Wanda asked me to keep it away from the inside. Kids and kittens and puppies. I don’t want my sister getting any ideas. I’m trying to stop, be a good example and all but sometimes…”

Megs showed Kate her hand. It was shaking.

“Tremors. The Red Room never could beat them out of me. Nerves, you know. Put a gun in my hand and I’m steady as a stone. Give me a minute to think too much and I feel like I am going to fall apart. The only time my hands didn’t shake was under mind control. Billie is working with Gabby on her reading so I thought I would take a break.”

Kate walked closer to her, looking at her up and down.

“How do you train with the others if you are putting that crap in your lungs?”

Meg shrugged. “I don’t really. I’m not on any field teams. Not sure if… not sure what my place is yet. Yelena and Wanda have been great and Gabby and the others seem to want me here so I’m kind of hanging out, taking care of my little joey and seeing where I fit in.”

Kate was almost offended. The girls here all did something for the mission. They had all risked their lives or done something to help the mission like Rachel. The younger ones had been angry they had been left out of combat missions. Now they had a new Red Widow who wanted to just hang out and smoke and had no interest in rescuing others like her.

“You know what I would give to be here all the time, getting the chance to help others, to save lives? You have all these skills and you want to hang out, take care of whoever joey is and try to quit smoking?”

Meggan stepped away from the wall and slowly backed away. “Not exactly what I meant. I just… it was good to meet you, Kate. I… I should get back to my sister. Poor thing hasn’t gotten much education in her life but she is smart as a whip. She is going to go to college one day. Maybe make a doctor or something.”

Kate held up a hand. “Don’t run off on my account. Stay here and smoke. I’d rather you do it here than in Yelena’s room. I was just passing through. Are the other girls planning to be Red Widows or are they just going to chill and take up space like you?”

Meggan bent down to snub the cigarette out and placed it in her shorts pocket, continuing to back up.

“Look Kate, I’m not causing any trouble. I’m just trying to do good for my kid sister and this place is the best place for her to be. Yelena said I didn’t have to fight but if I need to for her to stay…”

“You don’t.”

Kate shouted and jumped when Wanda’s voice spoke up from inches behind her.

“This isn’t an army base and this isn’t an army. This is a home and no one has to do anything to belong here. Megs, Kate here is kind of my little sister. Little sis seems to be in a bad mood today. Enjoy yourself, Megs. It’s a beautiful day. Billie is very smart. She has been helping the other girls with math. Kate, let’s have a talk.”

Before Kate could speak, Wanda had a strong grip on her shoulders and was marching her out to the front yard and beyond.

When they were far from view of the others Wanda stopped and turned Kate towards her.

“No need to get pushy!”

“Shut the hell up!” Wanda hissed. “I get that things have not been easy for you with moving back to New York but nobody has it easy in this house! That girl was a black widow. She was abused from birth, long before Dreykov got his hands on her. Think about that. She wasn’t just taken from a home and abused by Dreykov, she was taken from one hell into a different hell! You are lucky she is a good person because you just tried to pick a fight with a woman who could gut you in less than a second!”

Kate was shaken by Wanda’s anger.

“Who the hell do you think you are to tell someone who lives here that they have to fight to call this place a home?”

Kate said nothing.

“Answer me!” Wanda shouted.

“I’m sorry! I just… damn it, Wanda!”

Wanda waited for her to answer.

“She is pretty.”

Wanda raised an eyebrow. “Okay.”

“Yelena took her to Australia. She could have seen me and…”

Wanda sighed.

“Kate… Yelena has practically worshipped your existence since she first laid eyes on you. She loved you as much as you annoyed me and that is a lot. If she is being closed off lately it isn’t because she doesn’t love you. We have a lot going on in our heads. With the Hand and new widows and missing widows and Thanos, there is just a lot of stuff going on. Her mother is about to have a baby. We have children in the house who need a lot of help. Claudia and Tanya didn’t speak for so long and need speech therapy we aren’t qualified to give them. We need more space and I’m doing what I can and Dima is working himself to the bone even with Steve and Bucky and many of the girls helping. Everett has been uprooted and… look, it’s a lot. Give her a break.” Wanda finished, turning to walk away.

Kate huffed. “I’ve been through a lot too.”

Wanda turned back quickly with a fire in her eyes that caught Kate off guard again.

“Believe me, I know. It happened to me too, remember? I know exactly what you went through. I felt what you felt! I felt our bodies being crushed. Do you know what I do now? I talk about it in therapy. I have stopped holding it inside and trying to drown it with alcohol. Maybe if you took therapy seriously you could start to deal with it instead of using Yelena as a crutch to hold you up! Do you know what some of these girls would do to have your life?!”

Kate said nothing, stunned at Wanda’s seemingly sudden anger.

“A rich teenage girl who lives in downtown New York in a building her family owns. She has a loving mother, gets to go to school and make friends if she wants or maybe play sports or just learn and not worry about taking a bullet on the next mission. Some girls here would love that. I’ve got four girls in the library that don’t know how to read and they are twelve years old! Billie is ten and she can barely read. I believe your mother told me she spent twenty thousand dollars on your preschool. Speaking of Billie, maybe you should ask her what she is going to contribute to the cause if she wants to keep living here!”

Kate shook her head. “I didn’t mean it like that.”

Wanda laughed. “Of course you didn’t mean it. You were angry, petty, and jealous and you told a girl who had been abused by her criminal father and the monsters that took her that she better do something to contribute or she doesn’t belong. Is that who you are now, Kate? I thought you were tougher than this. This summer you were doing so well but I see it now. We just enabled you. It isn’t so easy to be strong when you are on your own, is it?”

The accusation made Kate angry. “Who the hell are you to judge me?! Without Yelena you would still be hiding in the Sokovian forest feeling sorry for yourself doing nothing with all your power! You lost Pietro and gave up because you couldn’t function without him! That’s what you are Wanda! Without somebody to hold you up, you are nothing but an overpowered alcoholic!”

Kate slapped a hand over her mouth, so shocked she couldn’t speak to apologize and was not sure where to begin.

“Oh god… Wanda…”

Wanda’s face was unmoving, looking at her but also through her.

“You are right.” Wanda finally said.

“What?”

“You are right and you are wrong. I’m not one to judge and I’m not judging you. I’m telling you I see you acting just like me. That’s how I know it will get worse. You think you have hit bottom? You think things can’t get worse? You aren’t close to things getting worse. Have you started drinking yet?”

“What?” Kate asked, surprised by the question. “No! You know I don’t drink.”

Wanda smiled. “You will. Then you will push everyone away. You will forget how to care for or be passionate about anything. Maybe you will do drugs. Maybe you will take it as far as I did and find a noose around your neck one day. You won’t ever trust anyone again. You will see everyone you meet as a potential enemy. You don’t know Meg and you are already treating her like an enemy. It has begun and you don’t realize it. You will push Yelena away, convincing yourself that it is her that is leaving you.

“You will forget who you used to be. Your entire life will be defined by Central Park, just like my life was defined by that damn bomb that fell into our home. Horrible things happened to me after that but that was the start of it all. Central Park was your start. I wonder what horrible things are still in your future.”

Kate closed her eyes and shook her head, Wanda’s words filling her with dread.

“So what… I’m supposed to talk about my feelings with some woman who is getting paid to listen and that is the answer?”

Wanda shook her head. “No, it isn’t the answer. It’s just a start but it can do wonders. Imi has made me a believer. She managed to disarm Bullet Bear. Bullet Bear carries a sheathed knife instead of a loaded gun now. I asked Staci if she wanted to go to Disney Land in Paris again in the spring and she told me she wanted to go to Universal Studios in Orlando. She wanted to see what other happiness the world has to offer.

“It has helped me stop seeing myself as a victim and killer and instead seeing myself as someone who could be a mother and a hero. I’m starting to figure out that maybe I can take responsibility for other’s welfare and not screw it up, not just with the twins but with all of the girls. So yes, considering what your mother pays in therapy bills for you I would suggest you start taking it more seriously or you will be just like I was before I found Yelena. Only instead of hiding in the Sokovian forest you will be hiding in a high rise in New York City.”

Wanda looked back at the house. “I’m going back to study. I have a big test in two weeks. Nadeja gave her kittens to Claudia and Billie. I told her I was so proud of her but now she wants a puppy. I will give in. I always do. They are my kids and maybe I wouldn’t be anything without them. Maybe I wouldn’t be anything without Bucky or Yelena or any of the girls. But I am trying because I don’t want to be like me and you are anymore.”

Wanda turned to walk away.

“Wanda, I’m sorry for what I said… about Pietro and you.”

Wanda didn’t turn back and continued walking away.

“Don’t be. It’s the first time you have shown any guts since you went back to school. Apologize to Megs before you leave. Right now she thinks you are a bitch and I would have a hard time disagreeing with her.”

Wanda walked around the corner of the house out of Kate’s sight and closed her eyes and focused.

She opened her eyes a second later to find herself in her room.

Rather than celebrating a successful transportation, she sat on her bed and began to cry. Kate’s words had cut deep.

It wasn’t long before she heard the pitter patter of little feet. She wiped her eyes clear and smiled as the twins ran through the door. They were out of breath and worried.

“Mama!” Nela called out.

“What is wrong, Angel?”

“We could feel you. You were sad.” Nadeja said.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t realize I was projecting. You two are probably the only ones who keep track of my aura all day and night. I’ll work on it. There is nothing to worry about. I am fine.”

“You have been crying.” Nela said crawling up on the bed and wrapping her arms around her.

Nadeja touched her cheek and leaned in close. “Why are you sad, Mama?”

Wanda pulled her small body into her arms. “Sometimes people get sad and that’s okay. Isn’t that what Dr. Imi says? It is okay to be sad sometimes. I was just thinking about… my brother.”

Nela kissed her on her cheek. “Can we help make you feel better?”

Wanda smiled. “You have no idea how much better you make me feel every day. I have the best daughters in the world. Are you finished studying for the day?”

The twins nodded. “Bucky has our kittens. We ran when we felt you back inside. We should go get them. They need to eat and have their hair brushed. We can brush your hair too.”

Wanda nodded. “I think I would like that, but first, let’s take care of the kitties. Go be good girls and ask one of the girls to give you a box of cookies and a big glass of milk for us to share. I think we need an afternoon snack and maybe some cartoons.”

Five days later-Silver Sable International Staging Area, Switzerland

Wanda and Yelena looked around the giant fields where war games were about to commence. There were a few new additions to the group. Sable’s army had not joined nor had the Wakandan Dora Milja. T’Challa, Shuri and Okoye were here alone. Since this was a first run though, Sable didn’t see the point in bringing entire armies until she knew the capabilities of her main players.

The new additions included the Spider boy from New York who had arrived with Stark.

The other new additions were Hank Pym and his daughter Hope Van Dyne. Yelena, Sable and Wanda approached them.

“Thank you for coming Dr. Pym.” Sable greeted him. “I had hoped you would have come yourself at our first meeting rather than sending the gentleman who has a relaxed relationship with law enforcement and didn’t bother to introduce himself. Perhaps you could introduce yourself now, Mr. Lang?”

Pym shook his head and gave a slight hand signal to Scott who grew to normal size.

“How did you know I was there?” he asked.

Pym groaned. “I asked you to attend and find out what was going on. I didn’t ask you to sneak in!”

Scott shrugged. “Better safe than sorry is what I say sometimes. There was a lot of firepower there. I thought it best to remain unseen until I knew the situation. So… how did you know?”

Pym waved to Wanda. “She is obviously a telepath of some sort. Sable has a little better security system than the ones you are used to breaking into.”

“Your DNA was registered the second you entered the building and identified.” Sable explained. “I wanted you involved in this project due to your genius intellect, Dr. Pym. Your technology astounded my engineers.”

“Technology you no doubt have a full diagnostic of including the Pym particles?”

Yelena laughed. “Relax Doctor. We are not interested in small. How did you know Wanda was a telepath?”

“He guessed.” Wanda answered him. “Scott Lang may have more going for him than we know.”

“Thanks!” Scott answered.

“Are you here to observe or fight, Doctor?” Sable asked. “Or are you here to watch your protégé fight?”

“Scott wants to help.” Pym said. “I’m here to watch and understand what is coming for my planet. If I can create any tech that will help, I will.”

“Mother!”

Sable turned at Ava’s irritated call.

“Yes, Princess?”

“Don’t call me that in front of… everybody. We need to talk about where I will be and where my bodyguard will be!”

Ava grabbed Sable and pulled her away.

“One of your Red Widows is Sable’s daughter and has a bodyguard?” Pym asked.

“Your hearing is excellent. Your doctor must be proud.” Yelena told him.

“Why does a Red Widow have a bodyguard?” Scott asked. “Aren’t you ladies like the deadliest women on the planet?”

Yelena smirked.

“We have been tracking a human trafficking ring ran by an ancient cult of immortal ninjas. I fought one recently and was stabbed through a vibranium suit with a katana that had been cursed by a demon. Wanda had to search almost to the beginning of mankind to find a cure for me. Since Sable found out she has assigned Wraith to be with her at all times, even on missions. Wraith is very good with a katana, a skill all of us lack.”

Scott’s eyes widened. “You guys have the coolest lives.”

Yelena winked at him. “You think so? I could tell you about the mind control, torture, rapes, forced surgeries, chemical sterilization and serious injuries we all have suffered. Maybe that would be cool to hear about too, yes?”

Scott cleared his throat, becoming uncomfortable quickly.

“I was thinking more like you telling me about the San Francisco jail break. We can leave out the rest.”

Yelena laughed, deciding she liked this man.

“You are funny Scott Lang. I think I like you. I hope if you die it is quick and not horrible long drawn out death. See you on battlefield.”

Yelena took a look at her sister and began lining them up. She noted Meg and the other new girls had new suits Shuri had brought them. Rachel was also present.

She approached Meg and motioned Rachel over to her.

“Are you sure about this?”

“I said I didn’t want to kill people.” Rachel explained. “These aren’t humans and I won’t do any good behind a keyboard.”

“Fifty fifty chance my sister dies if he wins. I’m in.” Megs agreed. “I kind of like you guys as well.”

“Then prepare yourselves. This is going to be wild.”

Wanda stood among the middle of the field with the Widows, Bucky, Cap, Clint Barton, Everett Ross and Sharon Carter surrounding her.

The sky turned dark and very large space ships landed around them. A giant energy dome covered the hundreds of acres they were prepared to battle. The enhanced and the specially killed warriors lined up. Silver stood at the front with a very large rifle in her hand.

The portable shield Wakanda brought worked. A few Silver Sable soldiers outside the shield tried to fire rubber bullets through it and were denied.

Unfortunately the strength of the shield would need to go through much greater tests.

Silver looked back at Wanda and nodded.

Thousands of alien monsters appeared outside the gate.

“This is a first run to establish skills and not a final battle plan. Take your positions in the event of being overran!”

Wenwu stepped beside Sable. The Inhumans led by Black Bolt who would remain silent stood next to the two as well as Quake. They would be the first wave, taking the most monsters out at the gate While Sable backed up to each line to give orders while fighting. The Masters of the mystic arts lined up behind them.

Silver pointed to three ares.

“The shields will open there, there and there. “Small bottle necks. The preparation will not work. Thanos will be able to stay in orbit and watch us. Forces should appear as soon as Thanos lands and approaches or portals inside the shield. The sorcerers will need to be ready to portal all our forces inside. The Red Widows will be the bait. The rest of us will be the trap. Once they are all inside the shield, we drop it. Our jets and tanks attack the ships. Stark will scan and give us weak points and we can use a jamming signal to cut off control of the Chitauri. You can handle that task, correct Stark?”

Tony thought of saying something sarcastic but decided against it. He was looking at an army that had haunted his nightmares for years. This was the culmination of his fears, what drove him to make Ultron and then Vision.

“Yes.”

His simple answer caused Wanda to raise an eyebrow. She shouldn’t have been surprised. She had seen inside his head and used his fears against him but she was glad he was taking this seriously. She had to admit it was possibly the largest and most elaborate alternate reality hexes she had performed, right up there with the Little Mermaid one that required humans breathing underwater and swimming with fish tails in a large undersea kingdom to make Staci happy.

“Open the gates.”

Wanda did not send them all inside. In reality some would be held up and possibly killed by the Wakandans and Sable’s troops and weapons. Some would be blown apart by Black Bolt and Quake as she liked to be called.

Those with firearms did well but they were overran even by the limited numbers. Those like Jessica Jones, Luke Cage and Danny Rand did well but they could only take on one at a time. Murdoch was using a blade but it wasn’t helping him. The monsters were on the widows in seconds.

Tandy appeared beside them throwing multiple light daggers with ease while Tyrone stood next to Wanda and a box that was mimicking the Vibranium box that would hold the Mind Stone.

Though she knew it was a hex of her own making, Wanda felt sick watching her sisters being overcome by monsters while firing round after round of rubber bullets. Agatha stood beside Tyrone and protected him as he retrieved the box, opened a shadow inside of himself and did nothing.

An alien had bitten his head off and as per agreement he was frozen in his spot, dead in this simulation before he could complete his task.

Wanda looked around frantically, torn between saving her sisters or flying in the air to give herself space to fight Thanos.

She was overran by multiple alien dogs before she could decide.

She tore down the hex.

No one was happy. Wanda had succeeded in making the hex as real as possible. Those who had been killed, meaning everyone had been physically and literally shocked when killed and though it wasn’t enough to cause serious harm the idea that they had been taken out so easily disturbed each of them. These were not people who were used to losing.

Sable spoke over a portable microphone.

“This will not work. It took the enemy twenty seconds to overrun us all. That was a limited number of combatants. I have no reason to believe a greater physical force on our side will do better. Perhaps more tanks and weapons can give us thirty seconds. We will institute our primary strategy next time to Sorcerers be ready.

“Black Bolt says he could have taken out many more.” Colson spoke for the man.

“Excellent.” Sable told him. “How long can he speak before he runs out of breath? We are talking thousands. I have seen enough to evaluate. Showing up in front by portal maybe a good plan but perhaps showing up behind and flanking them could help.”

Wenwu stepped up. “The boy had no chance to teleport the stone away. Dr. Strange, how long did you last?”

Strange stepped up. “I… did not last long. However I have placed a spell on the amulet. It will not leave my neck and the spell is stronger if I die.”

Wenwu nodded. “And if I cut off your head and the amulet has nothing to hang onto?”

Strange was quiet for a moment.

“That would be a problem.” he admitted. “What if we teleported away when his army land? Thanos would follow Wanda but he could not pack up his monsters and leave at a moments notice to find her.”

Yelena did not like the sound of that. “Leave her alone to fight? Without us?”

“She would have me.” Stephen argued.

“If we are not there, she is alone. I like you Dr. Strange but you do not know our ways. We are a family, a coven. We fight together.”

“You would be in the way.” he argued. “Thanos would target you to split her concentration.”

“Enough!” Wenwu shouted. “First of all, Wanda you are a nexus being but you are a young one. Can you defeat Thanos with four and possibly five of the stones if Strange has his head cut from his shoulders?”

The entire field’s attention was on Wanda.

“Of course she can.” Yelena told him. “She is the Scarlet Witch. She will make him squeal like pig being slaughtered.”

Wenwu stepped up to Wanda and looked her in the eye.

“I am asking you, Scarlet Witch.” he told her challengingly. “Can you defeat your foe? We have seen our weaknesses in defending you. If the fate of the Universe comes down to you and you alone, if all of your loved ones have failed and lay dead at your feet, can you still fight for trillions of lives or will you give up? What will you do in your darkest hour?”

Wanda took a deep breath and held his piercing and somewhat taunting gaze.

“I will fight.”

Wenwu tilted his head and smiled. “Are you certain? This hex we fought in was of your own making. You of all people understood it was not reality. Yet when you saw the ones you loved most fall in battle you froze. You didn’t know what to do. You are the most powerful being on this battlefield yet you did nothing. You didn’t fly away or teleport yourself away in a flash as any good witch knows how to do. Think of what happened. Our nexus being was torn to pieces along with the rest of us. You had thirty seconds to read the field. In battle that is a lifetime. You saw us die and Thanos was not on your mind, was he?”

Wanda scowled at the man. “Of course he was.”

Wenwu shook his head. “No. I have seen many young warriors over my long life. I learned to recognize those who can overcome fear in their first battle and those who will succumb to it and die easily. You do not fear death. That can be a boon but in this case it is a weakness. If you do not fear your own death, fear the Universe’s death. You do not have time to mourn your fallen friends during a battle. The time to say goodbye comes afterward.”

Wanda’s eyes turned red and he clothes changed into the garb of the Scarlet Witch.

“You want me to prove my power?”

Wenwu motioned to those around him. “I want to know the child I am possibly going to die for. I want to see if she is worthy of taking on Thanos. How many of us would it take to mimic the power of Thanos with five Infinity Stones? Could my rings match his power? Could myself and the Masters of the Mystic Arts mimic his power? If your witch mentor joined us, could we then mimic Thanos’s power? Your power is not infinite. You are not the first Nexus Being nor will you be the last. You are not physically strong. You are not invulnerable. You do not posses superstrength. You have to many weaknesses. Show me how you will fare against Thanos, Wanda Maximoff. Show those you have gathered that they may willing to die to give a nexus being the chance to defeat this monster.”

Wanda nodded. “The next time we meet, we will have a battle. You, the Masters of the Mystic Arts and Agatha. They can perhaps mimic close to the power of Thanos and five Infinity Stones.”

Wenwu laughed. “Next time? The next time. Will Thanos make an appointment for this battle, oh all powerful Scarlet Witch?”

Wanda was becoming very angry. Every hero in the field was watching her, some out of curiosity, some by the look on their faces agreeing with the man and some fearful of what would happen if she lost control.

“Do not anger her, Wenwu.” Yelena warned, fearful that he was pushing her too far.

“She cannot control her anger any better than her fear?” he asked Yelena then turned to Wanda. “What kind of hero are you? The fate of untold trillions is in the hands of a child who cannot control her emotions or powers or even make a simple decision on the battlefield as getting away from a hoard of monsters or saving her friends?”

Wanda scowled. “Any time, any place you want to challenge me, any of you, all of you and I will be ready.”

Wenwu grinned and nodded. “No time like the present, little Nexus Being.”

Wanda felt the full blast of he ten rings into her abdomen. Only the chaos magic that was infused in her clothes saved her from the rings going through her.

She landed a hundred meters away.

Yelena moved to attack but Agatha held her back.

“She needs this. Leave her be.”

“This is not fair!” Yelena cried out before she could stop herself.

“Of course it isn’t fair. Have you ever seen a great amount of fairness in a true fight?” Agatha asked. “She needs this. She has to win or it is over before we start.”

Wanda got to one knee and tried to catch her breath. She felt like she had no air inside her, her ribs were cracked and her head hurt from where she had landed.

Wenwu was approaching her. The rings were not on his arms but circling him, ready to obey his commands.

He launched them again and this time she was ready, raising a shield to protect herself.

They returned to him. She kept her shield up, making it stronger and stronger until she was hit by a blast of magical energy from behind.

She stumbled and was hit by another and another. She raised both her hands, blocking another onslaught from the rings and several by the Masters of the Mystic Arts, Strange among them. She was being attacked on all sides and barely holding her own.

Agatha flew towards her and she felt a great amount of relief until purple magic engulfed her and threw her away, making her ears ring. Her ears felt swollen and her vision was becoming blurry as her eyes swelled. She reached for the sky but a tendril of energy from Strange wrapped around and threw her back to the ground.

Her body brought forth her chaos magic unconsciously, protecting her and striking out against her foes. The ground shook and she threw a red energy ball into the sky, striking Agatha.

Wanda’s fight or flight instincts were overcoming her pain and as usual her instincts told her to fight rather than run. If you didn’t fight on the streets you could only run so far before you were forced to fight. It was better to stand your ground.

The rings flew at her once more and she stopped them in midair, sending them back to their owner.

Before they could strike him, the rings froze in the air and raced back to her in a blur, striking her shield and hitting her chest.

She wasn’t sure what happened until she glanced behind her and saw Strange using the Eye. He had reversed time and made the rings return.

Wanda licked the blood off her lips. She teleported behind the sorcerers and unleashed a wave of power at them, knocking them to the ground.

Every instinct was telling her to kill but her rational mind held on, knowing she needed them.

Then she was struck by an arrow made of magic through her leg. She teleported, hoping to get to the other side of the field but ended up in the middle again with Agatha and Wenwu on one side and the sorcerers on the other. Once again she was caught in a crossfire.

“They really have you, don’t they ?” Pietro’s voice said in her ear. “Beating you from both sides, unbelievable power. Your sisters can’t become involved, I’m dead, and this isn’t Sokovia. Everyone watching wants to see you fail. Stark must be loving this.”

“Shut up!” Wanda whispered as she held her shields taking the full brunt of Kamar Taj’s warriors, the Master of the Ten Rings and her magical mentor who was not going easy on her. Would they keep attacking until she passed out? Would they make her yield while she was conscious?

The pain was becoming too much. She couldn’t breathe, every bone hurt, her head was splitting and her magic was failing. She couldn’t even think of a spell or teleport.

“Who are you and what have you done with my bitchy sister, Wanda?” he asked. “My sister would never take this. She wouldn’t play defense. She would grab the sharpest object she could find and start cutting throats. Practice or not, every fight is real. There are no fake fights. Is there a fake Wanda fighting now?”

“Shut up.” Wanda whispered again.

“Grab the sharpest or heaviest object you can find and start killing! You are making us look bad out here. You show weakness you will be fighting for the rest of your life! This is pathetic!”

“I don’t have any blades or rocks!”

“No, but you do have stones, don’t you? If you want to protect your daughters, if you want to stay alive for the ones you have claimed as your children and sisters, you have to win, not just against Thanos but here. Kill them Wanda! Do what you do best! Show them who Wanda Maximoff is! Show them the little girl who survived on the streets! Raped, beaten, starving, always sick, sleeping leaned against dumpsters and on cold concrete floors and you still survived. You became feared on the streets. Show them who you are. You must win!”

Pietro’s voice was right, not that she would tell him so. She had to win. She couldn’t fold or she would be seen as weak. Other perceptions of her being all powerful kept her and her sisters from being attacked. What if Coulson told the United States government that she could be overpowered.

Her astral form destroyed a huge spaceship on the other side of the universe.

Who were these fools that dared to challenge her?

Wanda screamed with rage and stood, red energy radiating from her in a wide circle, knocking everyone on the field off their feet. She rose into the air and reached out to Strange.

The Time Stone was torn from his amulet and flew towards her, attaching itself to the red crown she wore. She reached out to the vibranium box and tore it open. The Mind Stone flew towards her and attached itself onto her crown next to the Time Stone infusing her with more energy.

She looked towards Wenwu who carried a wide smile and looked on in awe. She reached out with her hands and the Ten Rings were ripped from his arms and came to hers, turning from silver to red.

She glowed and lifted her hands. The sorcerers, Wenwu and Agatha were all in the air, paralyzed as their bodies were spread like birds in flight, their legs and arms straining to stay on their torsos.

Wenwu and Strange flew towards her, stopping in the air feet in front of her. The others who had attacked her began sinking into the ground that was turning to quicksand under their feet.

“You dare attack me? You dare attack the Scarlet Witch?! This is my universe! You do not own these rings! They do not belong to you! Stephen Strange, you are not worthy to carry the Time Stone! Are you satisfied now, Wenwu? Should I rip you apart with these rings you are so proud of?! Strange, shall I place you in a time loop? Would you like to relive the moment your hands were shattered, over and over again?!”

The two men were slammed to the ground and Wanda landed between them. A stray magical arrow flew towards her and with a wave of her fingers it returned to its sender, striking her through the chest.

Wanda entered the minds of all her foes who had attacked her and brought forth their greatest fears and worst memories. She then walked in front of the Red Widows and those who had become part of their family.

The nightmares and horrible memories of her foes went away. She looked around at the others watching and saw what she wanted to see.

Fear. She could see it, smell is, almost taste it. They were terrified of her.

Good.

“Fight or don’t fight. Stay or don’t. I will kill Thanos. I will rip the stones from him, tear out his heart and spit on his dead body! If anyone attacks me again, I will end your life after ripping your mind apart!”

Wanda heard a groan behind her. She turned and saw Agatha on the ground, being give water by Stannic and Helena.

She drew her power into herself and rushed to Agatha.

“Oh no! I am so sorry Agatha! Are you okay? Lay still and I can heal you.”

Agatha shook her head. “I attacked you and you did exactly what you were supposed to do, Sabrina. Never apologize for your power. Own it. I’m proud of you kid! You did good! You are a goddess.”

She looked to the Widows prepared to see terrified and accusing faces.

Instead they were all smiling. “That is how you spar.” Bea told her. “Good job, Scarlet Witch. Thanos won’t stand a chance. Could you maybe put the stones back where they belong? You are still kind of glowing.

“Yeah,” Chloe agreed. “We seriously need to check you for weird radiation before you go back into the house. Aunt Agatha, what was it like to get your ass kicked?”

“Worth it.” she said happily, standing up shakily and clapping Wanda on the shoulder. “This is our Scarlet Witch, girls.”

Wanda turned away form them and looked back over the field. The sorcerers were climbing out of holes that had nearly covered them completely. Strange was looking at the amulet and then at Wanda, then back to the amulet.

T’Challa was looking at the Vibranium box that had a side ripped open where the Mind Stone had flown through it.

Wanda sent the Mind Stone back inside the box to its former place on the Vision’s head. She sent the other into Strange’s amulet.

Then she walked to Wenwu and held her arms out. He did the same and the rings returned to him, turning a golden color once again.

He could not stop smiling and patted her on the shoulder.

“Warriors of Earth, we will win this war. We have a true champion!”

To Wanda’s shock many of those around her began applauding.

Yelena walked beside her and leaned up towards her ear.

“Could you imagine what you could do if you actually exercised?”