Chapter Text
One Year.
It had been a year since Siberia.
A year since the Avengers were torn apart and Tony Stark was doing...okay. He and Pepper were back together, engaged even, and then, of course, he had his new progeny, Peter Parker. Policing Spider-Man had become a full-time job at this point, but he was glad to do it. Not only was he making sure the web-slinging superhero was staying out of trouble and saving the citizens of Queens, but he had grown closer with the young man behind the mask as well.
Peter was a genius and had one of the biggest hearts. Tony loved the kid and felt as if it was his duty to protect him. He had spent the entire weekend with Peter, upgrading suits and messing around with some prototypes in the lab. Then, his aunt had ordered the sixteen-year-old home and Tony was alone once again.
Pepper was away on a conference for the company and Vision was still in D.C. working with Ross and Sharon Carter in hope of tracking down Banner who they could still not find. Tony was sure that Bruce wasn’t even on Earth at this point. If he was, they should have been able to locate him within the first couple of months after Sokovia. Thor was a whole other story. As for Rhodey, he came in and out of New York as he juggled his new position within the Air Force and his Avenging duties. Not that there was much Avenging these days.
Besides the incident with Adrian Toomes, not many supervillains had come out of the woodwork recently. Tony wasn’t really complaining, he was glad to have a break, but after nearly ten years of nonstop violence and fighting, he felt as if it was too quiet and it made him nervous.
Tony looked out across the silent Compound. These were the times he wished he hadn’t sold the Tower. He would much rather be looking at the glittering lights of Midtown instead of the dark and lonely grounds of the Avengers Facility. Rain pounded the windows and only increased the sense of loneliness within the residence building.
Stark placed down his coffee mug and headed back towards the lab. He didn’t think he would be getting much rest tonight anyways. He never did when it was just him. As Tony jogged down the stairs, the lights above him flickered. “F.R.I.D.A.Y.?” Tony asked.
“Some sort of power surge, Boss,” the A.I. said.
“Point of origin?” Tony asked.
“Outside the perimeter.” Tony went to the nearest monitor and brought up the security feeds from the cameras stationed around the Compound. He sifted through the screens, but he couldn’t see anything.
“Fri, scan for life signs,” Tony ordered.
“One life sign detected.”
“Where?” Tony muttered as he brought up a screen just as someone or something ducked under the camera. “Fri, engage intruder protocols.” No answer. “F.R.I.D.A.Y.?” Nothing. Tony immediately called for a gauntlet as he headed for the front door. Out on the grounds, the lights were out, but there was still power to the building. He checked his phone and he still had service. “Not a jammer,” Tony realized as the gauntlet came through the room and attached itself to Tony’s right hand, the repulsor humming softly.
Thunder rumbled outside and lightning lit up the sky with a bright flash. Tony approached the front door, his gauntlet raised as he saw a shadow moving outside the window. A small shape, definitely human. Then again, Vision looked human and he wasn’t.
The rain was deafening as Tony’s hand unlocked the door and then took a breath. He counted to three before he pulled the door open and aimed his armed repulsor at the intruder. However, it wasn’t a hostile alien or an evil android at his door. Standing before him, drenched and shivering, was Wanda Maximoff.
Tony didn’t drop his gauntlet. “You even move a finger and I’ll shoot you,” Tony warned, his eyes on her hands that hung at her side. She looked different. He could tell her hair was lighter, even with it soaking wet. She looked older too and there was something else, but he couldn’t quite put his finger on it. Thunder boomed and she jumped slightly. As the lightning followed, Tony could see a gash on her forehead, fairly new too, he figured.
“Stark,” Wanda said through her chattering teeth, “I need your help.”
“My help?” Tony scoffed. “Are you sure about that? You’re not here to drop another SUV on me?” Wanda dropped her eyes to the ground. “Aren’t you supposed to be with Rogers?” Wanda looked back at him.
“It’s complicated,” she said, her hands coming up to flick hair from her eyes. Tony’s gauntlet rose higher and Wanda froze, her eyes on the weapon before her. “I haven’t seen Steve and the others for months,” Wanda explained quickly. “I don’t know where they are either.”
“And you expect me to believe that?” Tony asked. “After everything you pulled last year? Rhodey’s fine, by the way, thanks for asking.” Wanda winced.
“I never wanted anything like that to happen,” Wanda said. “None of us did, Stark. It was messy and it got out of control.”
“You got that right,” Tony said. “And you’ve come back here, all for what, huh? Help? Because I don’t know about you, Maximoff, but I‒” Tony was cut off by a bright crimson light erupting around them. Wanda stumbled back, her hands alight. “Stop,” Tony said, aiming his gauntlet. “Wanda, stop it.”
“I can’t,” Wanda breathed. She looked at him, her eyes wide and she looked terrified. He hadn’t seen her like this since Sokovia. Tony lowered his hand slightly. “I can’t control it,” Wanda continued. “I get these surges and I can’t stop them.” Wanda fell to her knees as a bolt of energy shot from her hand and flew across the compound, hitting one of the supply trucks, sending it tumbling through the grounds.
Wanda struggled with herself for a moment longer before her magic subsided and she curled her fists, dousing the light. “How long has this been happening?” Tony asked her.
“Months,” Wanda said and then looked up at Tony and he dropped his arm completely. Blood was running from her nose. She noticed and hastily wiped it away. “That part doesn’t always happen.” Tony took a moment to look at her then at the storm raging around them.
“Shit,” Tony swore softly and then reached around the doorway and grabbed a coat that hung by the door and went back outside. He placed the coat around Wanda’s shoulders and helped her stand. “You were an idiot to come back here,” he told her as they walked into the warmth of the building. “You are one of the most wanted people in the world, you know that, right?” Wanda nodded her head, shivering. Tony reached over and moved the hair out of her eyes. In the light of the entranceway, he got a better look at her head injury. “How’d you get that?”
“Car accident,” Wanda said.
“You were in a car accident?” Tony asked as he took her through the building and to the medical wing.
“No,” Wanda whispered, “I caused the accident.” Tony faltered a few steps and looked at the young woman. She looked remorseful and Tony wanted to buy it, but he knew Romanoff had been training the witch before the team had broken apart. He wasn’t sure just how capable of a liar Wanda was these days.
“How did you get here?” Tony asked.
“Hitchhiked,” Wanda said. Tony pursed his lips. There was no way someone would willingly pick up Wanda Maximoff off the road when most of the country was scared of her. He figured she had used a bit of persuasion to aid her travels.
“So, your abilities still work, they’re just, what? Not working the way you want them to?” Tony asked as they pushed their way into the medbay and Wanda took a seat on a bed. He released the gauntlet and shuffled through the many drawers.
“I can control it sometimes,” Wanda explained, stripping the jacket from her shoulders and pulling the warm blanket into her lap. “The other times, it’s like it was when I first got them. Sometimes it’s tied to my emotions, but mostly it’s just random bursts of power.”
“Just telekinetic?” Tony asked, bringing over a tray of suturing materials and disinfectant.
“Telepathic too,” Wanda said. “But only the reading minds part,” she clarified, “it hasn’t been manipulating the mind control.”
“Yet,” Tony said as he cleaned out her head wound.
“Yet,” Wanda agreed. Tony sighed as he worked, making sure the wound was clean before picking up the anesthetic.
“Why did you come here, Wanda?” Tony asked.
“I told you, I need help,” Wanda said.
“No,” Tony said. “Why did you come here, to me? Why not Steve or even Clint? He’s up at the farm under house arrest.” Wanda winced as Tony injected the anesthetic into the cut and started to stitch the wound closed.
“You studied Loki’s scepter,” Wanda said. “You know how the Mind Stone works. I thought you’d be able to help me.” Tony stopped, the stitches half done. He pulled away and looked at her, trying to see into her mind as she once did to him.
“You’re lying,” Tony said. “Or at least you're not telling me the whole truth.” Wanda was worrying at her hands, playing with a ring on her left index finger. Tony had seen her do this before. It was her mother’s wedding ring.
“I want to stop running, Stark,” Wanda said as she looked up at him. “I am tired of running. I want to come home.” They were watching each other, neither of them quite sure of the other. Tony went back to work on her stitches.
“I don’t know how possible that is, Wanda,” he told her.
“Because of Ross?” Wanda asked. “And the Accords?”
“Yes,” said Tony, “but also because...you frighten people. Not that that’s your fault, but it’s the reality of the situation. Public opinion, it’s all changed in the past year.”
“I didn’t think it was going to be easy,” Wanda admitted. Tony grimaced as Wanda’s eyes fell closed. Tony didn’t blame Wanda for wanting to come home. He forgot at times just how young she was and how much of her innocence was taken away. Not just by Strucker, but the criminals in her own country. Pietro and Wanda had lost everything and Tony knew his weapons were at fault.
When he found out terrorist organizations were using his weapons to inflict harm, he went out and took care of the problem himself. He was willing to do what needed to be done then, so why was he wrestling now? Was it because she had chosen Steve’s side? Because Wanda wasn’t just some nameless hostile on a battlefield? Or maybe because he didn’t want to accept that the problem was never with Wanda or Sam or Clint or even Natasha. Zemo had done this to them and then the emotions grew deeper when truths were revealed.
His problem was with Steve and Barnes. Wanda was just caught in the crossfire and while he was still angry with her, turning his back on someone in need wasn’t his style. Not anymore.
“I can’t promise you I can help with your powers,” Tony said slowly.
“I know,” Wanda said, her voice heavy with fatigue.
“But,” Tony said, “I can try.” Tony tied off the last stitch and stepped back from her. Wanda was looking up at him, surprised.
“You will?” she asked and Tony nodded. He crossed his arms.
“I don’t trust you, not anymore,” Tony said. “Hell, I can’t even believe I let you in tonight. If Ross finds out you’re back on U.S. soil, he’ll come for you.”
“I know,” Wanda said. “You have every right not to trust me and I’m not expecting anything.”
“Who is after you?” Tony asked and Wanda stuttered, trying to find her words. “Don’t play games with me, Maximoff. I’ve seen enough people who are on the run in my life. You’re not just running from the government, somebody else is after you.” Wanda was silent for a moment, her jaw tight. Tony waited.
“I don’t know who they are,” Wanda said finally. “But they know me and about Pietro.”
“They know about Strucker’s experiments?” Tony asked and Wanda nodded. “HYDRA?”
“I don’t know,” Wanda repeated. “All I do know is that we were hiding in Brussels and I went out one night for a walk and got shot.” Wanda lifted up her the hem of her shirt to show Tony a bullet wound on her side. It was about six months old, he figured, maybe more. “The next day my powers started acting out of control. When the others went to prime the quinjet, I snuck away and I left. I’ve been running since.”
“And Steve really has no idea where you are?” Tony asked. Wanda shook her head.
“No, and I don’t think anyone would have guessed I’d come back here.” She had a point, Tony thought. The last place you would look for a rogue Avenger was New York. Then there was the fact that Wanda and Tony were never that close. He hated her for a while, most of them did, but he never connected with her the way Steve or Natasha did.
“That head laceration is only a day or two old,” Tony said. “That happen in New York?”
“Canada,” Wanda said. “They were following me in some big armored trucks. I managed to crash them into each other, but then my powers…” She raised her hands, frowning at them. “I was thrown in the crossfire, hit my head on the side door. I woke up a few minutes later and they were all dead. I walked for hours and then found an old fishing town where I found a truck driver and got over the border.” Tony ran a hand over his face, trying to wrap his mind around all of this.
“Okay, let me get this straight,” he began, “you got shot, you ran away from Cap and other said traitors because your powers are going haywire, mind-controlled your way across the world while armed psychopaths were chasing you, all to end up back here asking for my help to fix you? Do I have that right?” Wanda slowly nodded. “Jesus, Wanda,” Tony said as he sat in a chair next to the bed.
“I’m sorry, Stark,” Wanda said. “For everything. And I understand if you think this is a bad idea and decide not to help me.”
“I’ve already decided to help you,” Tony reminded her. “And yeah, this is a horrible idea. We could both go to jail.” Tony sighed and turned his face to the ceiling, hating what he was about to say. “But, I know that if I were in trouble and came to you or anyone on the opposite side, you’d help me.” Wanda nodded.
“We would,” she said. “I would.” Tony knew she meant it. Though they had disagreed and the bad blood between the two sides was still pretty thick, there was still that sense of honor between the Avengers. Steve had said that if Tony needed him he would be there, perhaps it was Tony’s turn to offer the same olive branch.
“Okay, I will see what I can do,” Tony said. “Tomorrow, though, okay? It’s late, I’ve had a long weekend, and you need sleep.” Wanda nodded again and he helped her stand. She wavered on her feet slightly and Tony gripped her arm as they walked back toward the residence wing. “You knocked out F.R.I.D.A.Y.,” Tony observed.
“I didn’t want you to know it was me before I could explain,” Wanda said. “Sorry.”
“A simple reboot should fix it,” Tony said, waving off her apology.
“Where is everybody?” Wanda asked as they walked through the empty halls.
“Working,” Tony said. “Vision should be back within a couple of days.”
“Oh,” Wanda said and the disappointment in her voice was evident.
“He’ll be glad to see you,” Tony said and Wanda nodded.
“Bucky is in Wakanda,” Wanda said suddenly as they entered an elevator. Tony looked at her confused. “Steve, he got them to help Barnes. Get HYDRA out of his head.”
“Why are you telling me this?” Tony asked. The last thing he’d expected to come out of her mouth was the location of the man he had tried to kill a year ago.
“I know you won’t trust me for a while, but I am willing to try, Stark,” Wanda explained. “I am trusting you with this information. Don’t make me regret it.” Tony nodded slowly. An olive branch of her own, it seemed. They exited onto the third floor and Tony took her to her old room.
“I haven’t cleaned out anything so all your stuff is still here,” Tony said as he pushed open the door. Wanda walked in as Tony hit the light and she paused. Her eyes scanned the room taking in everything from her abandoned guitar to some discarded clothes on her unmade bed. “Get some sleep,” Tony said and then turned to go, but stopped. “Wanda?” she looked back at him. Her shoulders were slumped and exhaustion weighed heavily on her. Tony wasn’t sure when the last time she slept, but it didn’t look like it was recent. “The collar,” Tony said, “at the Raft, I had no idea they were going to do that to you.”
“Wasn’t your fault,” Wanda said softly.
“It was,” Tony corrected. “I should have...I don’t know, given you a better exit plan. The fight was between Cap and me, nobody should have gotten caught in the crossfire. And you shouldn’t have been chained up like an animal.”
“I know you’ve never liked me that much,” Wanda said. “But I hope you know I stopped hating you after Sokovia. I don’t know if I ever really hated you in the first place. Anger is… a complicated thing.”
“You hated what I once was,” Tony said. “I’ve tried to make up for that.”
“And you have,” Wanda said. “I was just too angry to see it.”
“I suppose both of us have our own issues with each other,” Tony said. “Maybe we can try to fix that.”
“Starting by fixing me?” Wanda asked. Tony nodded.
“Fixing you comes first, trusting you… that may take some time.” Tony said.
“I know,” Wanda said. “Thank you, Stark.”
“I’ll be putting extra security protocols around the Compound. I’m also going to place the residences off limits for the time being and not let Fri tell anyone you’re here, but I can’t shut down the facility. If I close up shop, people will know something is wrong.”
“I understand,” Wanda said.
“You stay out of sight and we’ll figure all this out, okay?” Wanda nodded and Tony took one more glance around the room before leaving and shutting the door behind him. He headed for the lab, already trying to figure out what to do about the witch’s magic. He didn’t know how to help her and he didn’t want her here, but he knew he didn’t have much of a choice. There was no way he was turning her over to Ross and if the people after her were HYDRA, then he had to do something.
Tony entered his lab and brought up the schematics on the scepter. The Mind Stone stared down at him. He reached over and rebooted F.R.I.D.A.Y. and as his A.I. got situated, Tony opened up a new encrypted server for his new project. This wasn’t going to be easy and he and Wanda could end up tearing each other apart by the end of it, but if she wasn’t willing to go back to Steve, he had to handle it.
“Alright, Fri, let’s get to work.”