Chapter Text
Experience- like the swirling of the clouds, the twirling of the hurricane and the sparkle of the ocean. Experience… like roses with thorns and crowded space still remaining space- and stars filling the sky, multitudinous yet distinct. It’s like order, it’s like chaos and the space in between hurt and healing
She fell through deep waters and lost her breath. Scars, blood and filth. Wanda remembers the words her other self said. How she looked and how she cared.
Know that they will be loved
It was like her heart soaring up after being freed from the heaviness she carried. It was overwhelming. It wore off eventually though, like how happy moments fade away in the face of anguish. It took hours for it all to settle in. Her tiredness, her guilt. She’s alone, in her bed. Left with all her pain. Barely a week after destroying the Darkhold.
She grieves for the hurt she put the girl, America, through. She grieves the scared faces of her children or at least her variant’s children.
She lives, even though she doesn’t feel like living or breathing or screaming.
The sun sets outside Wanda’s room, the last ray of sun light grazing her face before even light leaves her to darkness. Wanda sleeps, all alone in her room- in battle armor looking ready to fight a war, looking like a soldier marching home, but with no welcome at all.
She closes her eyes, and her dreams accept her.
—
“Stephen. Stephen!”
Strange wakes in the dark, the peaking of dawn barely there. He dreamt of light. He dreamt of Wanda, her light, snuffed out by the presence of the Scarlet Witch’s dark. He dreams off the dark and how it surrounds the spark of light remaining.
He wakes now, amidst the cover of night, all light gone, dazed and confused. He aches and opens his eyes with an exasperated sigh. No rest to come again- for now.
“Morning, America”.
“Sounds like a bad drama”, She said with a smirk.
“Cheeky as always”. He smiles. “To what do I owe the pleasure?” Stephen said with a softness in his tone. He’s known America only for so long, but his many interactions with her have been a quiet pleasure, one he would never admit to of course, yet one he silently took solace in. It’s been so long since he interacted with a child. Or maybe he just couldn’t remember.
“Wong asked to speak with you at Kamar-Taj”, America said, looking a bit worried. "It's about the Scarlet Witch..."
"Hmmm. That can't bode well". With their recent parting in mind, Strange worries. He had worried for quite sometime now, but he'd put it off, until it came back, taunting him in his face. Strange hadn't known her for too long since their meeting before the Blip, but he knew her now. His first impression and perhaps her last, though Strange suspected that to not be the case, weren't too endearing to recall- to say the least. But, he understands now.
After the ashes of Kamar-Taj was cleared and the many death's the Scarlet Witch brought to a place he likens to his home- Strange understands. Grief and isolation can do that to one.
Are you happy?
Strange had been on that ledge a couple of times. When he crashed his car, facing Dormammu, losing Christine, even after everything. Wanda asked, and he lied. The Darkhold truly was tempting then- using it's powers, feeling a force that could give him everything he sought. He would want it too, he wanted it and wished for it. But now it's gone, thanks to Wanda's sacrifice. Not the Scarlet Witch, Wanda.
"Stephen! You're wandering again." America said with certainty. "I asked if you could, you know, train me when you're done with whatever he needs you for?" An hint of worry and shyness, deviating from her normal confidence.
He stops his train of thoughts and allows himself to be drawn back to the present. He can put that of for the moment, at least till he speaks to Wong about it.
"Of course. How's training coming along?"
"Pretty good, I would say. At least for starting only a couple of days ago. Still, need to master my powers though."
"You'll get there in time. Like you said, you barely started, I know you will do just fine. You've grown much since..."
"Yeah. You're right." She said with a solemn smile. "Also, after- after, let's get ice cream? Who knew 616 ice cream could be so much better than other universes ice cream?" Bouncy and energetic once more.
"Yes, yes. Now, can I...?"
"Oh, right. I'm leaving now." She said with a dopey smile.
—
"Wong, you summoned me?" Stephen said, as he stepped out of the portal and into the Library, Wong already turned to face him, body as still as a rock. Stephen mock bowed.
Wong, unimpressed, none the less began: "I have reasons to believe the Scarlet Witch lives. When we returned, to Mt. Wundagore to bring you back home, there remained a significant and potent amount of Chaos magic. An amount which she did not use against us in her battle..."
"I suspected the same, but that doesn't entirely prove she lives."
"Yes, which is why I sent some of the sorcerer's to find out, after Kamar-Taj had been taken care of, if there were traces of teleportation or anything that could prove that she escaped."
"And?"
"It seems they were not just able to find out that she escaped, but were also able to track her to where she resides. It seems she's yet to leave the place at which you found her."
"I assume you haven't spoken with her yet?" An affirmative, "Then let me go. I must speak to her and convince her to come to Kamar-Taj. You and I both know that such power, should not be without guiding hands. And from her recent encounter with Agatha and what she did when left alone, we can only hope we get to her before anyone else does or should the Darkholds corruption still somehow grow."
"And if she refuses?"
"Something tells me she won't. She was lost then, in grief and loneliness, but she's been brought closer to being whole and back to who she once was. Just like I was."
"You won't relent will you?"
"Nope."
"Even though Kamar-Taj may refuse her once I discuss this plan with them?"
"They probably will. But then, I have the Sanctum. I will bring her there with me."
"This will be your responsibility then Strange, to guide the Scarlet Witch."
"Not the Scarlet Witch anymore. Wanda Maximoff, a protector and an Avenger."
"Very well, I will be sure to provide assistance, should you need it."
“You probably know that I will. Maybe down the line- if not immediately. Things get out of hand when it comes to me being me- strange.”