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It was a surprise for everyone. Doctor Strange saw that the Scarlet Witch was easily tearing through everyone’s defenses, without even breaking a sweat. She was emotionally driven, backed by a dark force telling her she was not in the wrong. After all, she was just being reasonable. He had an idea. It could be a bad one. After all, he had a feeling that she was willing to go through anyone. Steven Strange just hoped that a certain archer with a mohawk was the one exception in this universe.
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I was having a great day. With having my family back, repairing a newfound friendship with Yelena, and saving another wayward child, I had a great Christmas. Kate Bishop definitely had a lot to work through, but a lot to look forward to as well. If I had to, and mean absolutely had to, she would make a great protégée.
We were now well past Christmas. Summertime was in the air and was a great time to practice. Nathaniel had just got into baseball, just like his older brother.
“Remember, form when throwing is what you want to focus on. It’s the foundation of what you need. Speed and strength come later.” I lobbed a soft throw back at him, demonstrating the angle of the arm through the throw itself. He caught it, nodding along to my instructions. He carefully picked the ball out of the glove and took a deep breath, focusing on his form. He suddenly paused.
“What is that?” He pointed down at my feet with his glove. I looked down as sparks began to appear in a circle around me. It was a tell-tale sound of magic, as the gold ring solidified, sparking upwards. I was then dressed in my combat gear, bow in hand where the baseball glove used to be. I felt the familiar weight of my quiver on my back, already loaded with arrows.
“Dad?”
“Sorry Nathan.” I took a steadying breath, notching an arrow, “It looks like Steven needs my help. Tell your mother I will be back as soon as I can. I love you.”
“Okay!” He smiled at me, “See you later! Love you.”
I shoot him a grin and a wink right as the scenery around me changed. Explosions rocked the ground as I dropped down to one knee, pulling the arrow half-taut. Screams filled the air. I did not even see Doctor Strange. Fuck meddling sorcerers.
I did not recognize the building that was collapsing around me, I glanced over to my right and saw a young kid scream again, reaching out to me, his eyes blown wide in panic. A wave of red energy came over his body, instantly incinerating him. I had a horrible feeling that this fight was definitely out of my ballpark. Of course it was.
I rose to my feet, pulling the arrow all the way taut, and leveling it toward the threat. It clicked why I was summoned alone. Dressed in all red, with a crownlike head piece was a more grown version of the kid I helped in Sokovia. Her hands were glowing with red power, and the tips of her fingers were painted black. Huh. That was new.
She froze when she saw me, almost like she was looking at a ghost. I relaxed the bow, lowering it down to my waist.
She let out a chuckle that sounded painful, “He really thinks that you are able to stop me.” She spat out the sentence like it was poison.
“Hello Wanda. Nice new look.” I half shook my head, “A little scary for the kids, don’t you think.”
“Get out of my way Clint. Please.” Her voice cracked at the end. The thing that stuck out the most was how sad her eyes were. Her accent was back as well. Obviously, some shit has gone down. I was in the way. Probably keeping her from incinerating more people. Definitely lacking the knowledge of whatever the hell led to this decision, and undeniably am lacking the firepower to stop her. My bow skills were completely useless if she did decide to fight me, but I kept the arrow notched anyways. Some spy habits are hard to break.
“What are we doing here kiddo?” Might as well try to figure out what was wrong.
“What I have to. You are not going to stop me!” She vibrated with rage and grief. Her hands were steady as she opened one at a time, glowing with sparking red power.
“Stop you from what?”
She blinked away tears. “My kids. I need them back, and you are blocking the way to the one person who has the power to bring them back.”
“How? How can that person bring them back?” I asked carefully. I know about Westview, and how she had a life there. My heart broke then, knowing that if I was in the same situation I would end up with the same conclusion. I did. Ronan was proof of that.
“She can travel the multiverse. They exist in every other reality. I dream of them. Every. Night.”
“I am guessing you are not going to ask for help.” I noted dryly, “Or permission.”
“I don’t need permission.” She hissed out raising a hand towards me. I raised my bow instinctively. Red energy flew out directly at me. I never let the arrow fly. Her power burned up my bow and arrow and destroyed the quiver and arrows on my back. It snapped my arms to my side and forced me on my knees.
“You cannot win.” She warned. She flicked her hand to the side, and I was thrown to the side, skidding on the ground before hitting the wall. She walked forward.
I groaned lightly. Rolling to my feet, I moved to cut her off from the doorway absolutely unarmed. This might be the stupidest thing I have ever done, and trust me, I have done a multitude of stupid things.
“Wanda.” I stood up to my full height in front of her. “I don’t know what your plan is, but this is a mistake. You may have destroyed and killed who knows how many people to get here, but this is where you stop. This is not right, and you know that. There is no getting back what you lost. I am sorry for that. Going down this road will bring you nothing but pain. Trust me, I know.”
She tilted her head to the side and shot out another wave of energy that immobilized me where I stood. “You know?” Her voice shook from the anger, “What do you know of losing everything?!” Red wrapped tighter around me, restricting my breathing, and pulling my feet of the ground. I breathed gently, trying to calm my racing heart. She could very easily kill me. At least I could still talk.
“Come back when you have lost your kids and am in the same spot I am in now!” The pressure around me felt similar to a snake choking its prey.
“I was.” I kept calm. Not raising my voice. “Wanda, I lost everything in the snap. I lost my entire family. I lost my way. I lost you as well.” Surprise flickered over her face and the pressure lifted slightly. “I decided that since I lost everything, so should everyone else. Everyone bad. I killed them. I had Thanos. They had me. It never made that gaping hole better. It only hurt more and more and more. I became someone I couldn’t recognize. Someone my children could no longer look up to. No longer be proud of. I become the villain, Wanda. I was ashamed to even talk to you at Tony’s funeral because I had let you down. Let everyone down.”
The red energy faded, and I was set back down on my feet. “I am trying to save you from that fate.”
Wanda looked at me. Tears started to from and fall down her face. Her arms were back at her sides, limp. “I just want them back. I am tired of losing.”
I walked quickly over to her and pulled her into a fierce hug. “I know kiddo, I know.”
As, I pulled away, she looked up sadder than ever, “Please.” She choked out, “Please don’t hate me.”
I brushed the tears away. “Never. I could never hate my family. Besides, family doesn’t judge each other on their worst mistakes.”
I offered a hand, “Ready to go home Wanda?”
She took it with a sniffle, “Always.”