Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Wanda’s Pov:

Wanda pushed open the door to the bar, leaving the cold January air behind as the familiar warmth of the place embraced her. It was a little after noon, and the bar, sparsely populated, suited her just fine. Despite only frequenting this place for a little over two weeks, Wanda had already found her favorite time to visit - just after noon, when you, the bar owner, extended even more of your gracious service. Without delay, you poured her a glass of vodka as she settled in, occasionally going above and beyond by preparing a small meal from the ingredients behind the counter. If Wanda were to be candid, it had been ages since she'd eaten anything besides the array of microwave meals filling her freezer. Your unwavering kindness stood out, especially considering her tendency to lose herself in drinks, yet you never once made her feel judged or unwelcome.

Wanda, eager to escape the haunting nightmare that had stolen any hope of sleep, craved the solace of a comforting drink and meal. However, her yearning was abruptly shattered when, just as she closed the door behind her, the echoes of shouting jostled her brief respite.

“That’s absurd. I’m not bothering anyone and I haven’t done anything!” Someone is yelling, and they're yelling at you. An uncomfortable feeling builds in Wanda’s chest, lodging itself perfectly at the start of her vocal cords. She doesn’t like the tone you’re being spoken to in, not one bit. But the innate need to behave herself and not do something that will change the way you see her prevents her from speaking up as she goes to sit exactly two seats away from the brunette giving you an earful. 

You don’t even pretend to be the least bit phased by what the woman is saying to you as she spews empty threats from her lips about how unfair you’re being.

“Wanda,” You turn and greet her with a small smile, and Wanda does her very best to return one as she waits patiently for you to sit her usual in front of her… but you don’t. Instead, you turn away from her and begin tending to some other person whose just gotten your attention. Wanda’s eyebrows pull impossibly close together as she tries to understand the interaction she just had with you. 

“She’s cutting us off.” The brunette two seats away says. Wanda turns and looks at the woman with questioning eyes. She knows this woman, she very briefly recalls sharing an Uber or maybe it was a rideshare or something with her one night after one too many vodkas. 

“What do you mean?” The brunette sighs rather loudly before glaring daggers into the side of you’re head.

“I mean, she’s kicking us out, we’re not welcome here anymore.” Wanda’s eyes immediately leave the woman's and find yours, sending you her most displeased look. 

Once the customer you're engaged with goes and finds another seat in one of the booths, you turn your attention back to both women. “I’m not kicking you out. You are both more than welcome to come here whenever you’d like.” Wanda’s brow smoothens out just the slightest bit as she takes in the genuineness in your voice and the calm expression on your face, but that all fades away as you say, “But I’m not serving you both any more alcoholic beverages. And I’ve already alerted my staff that they are not allowed to give you anything unless it’s food or water.”

What? That makes absolutely no sense. This was a bar . People come here to drink… how could you tell them they're welcome to come to a bar to do everything but drink? And suddenly it clicked why the brunette had been yelling and throwing you harsh looks. 

“That makes… absolutely no sense.” Wanda spits, feeling her Sokovian slip right back into place as her anger rises. She didn’t like the idea of being kicked out of this bar. You were usually so kind and inviting towards her and the brunette. She had seen it, the way you tended to the two of them and made sure they weren’t bothered by drunks looking to get laid like clockwork. So what changed? 

“That’s what I said.” The brunette nods her head in Wanda’s direction, giving you a sharp look and an eyebrow raise.

You sigh, throwing the rag that you were using to clean the top of the counter to the side as you began pulling out what looked to Wanda like the ingredients of a sandwich.

“Sit down.” You instruct Wanda, not even bothering to look behind you to ensure that she does as you ask. But you don’t have to, because she does. Wanda does not do well with being told what to do, especially when she’s not getting her way, but you… you seem to be her only exception to that because begrudgingly, she’s seated.

“It’s ironic that I own a bar because I hate alcohol. And I rarely ever drink.” Wanda and the brunette share a look, confusion written on both of their features before you start talking again. “My mother was an alcoholic. When I was younger a tragedy struck my family, and my mother was devastated after it. So she did the one thing she thought would help her, she poured herself a drink. And then another. Eventually, she started drinking beer like it was coffee and she needed the energy to get her through the morning.

“I opened this bar just shortly after she got clean because I wanted the bar to be a place where people could come, feel welcomed, and have a good time without alcohol being the focal point. That’s why there’s music, karaoke, and a small arcade corner. So yes, this is a bar, but it’s also a safe space for people who need it the most.” 

Wanda listens intently, the anger slowly dissipating as she processes your words. She can’t exactly explain why, but right now in this moment, she feels like a scolded child who has done something wrong as the shame creeps up her gut.

“You’re going down a path that I know too well and I just… I can’t let you. I won't let you. So no, I will not be giving either of you any more drinks.” You say with finality.

“Fine, then I’ll just go somewhere else. There is nothing wrong with wanting to have a drink. We’re not alcoholics just because mommy didn’t know her coffee creamer from her chasers.” Regina says, the sarcasm coating her every word as she grabs her tailored, long black coat. You roll your eyes so far back into your head that you let out an incredulous low laugh, shaking your head.

“You’re right. You’re not alcoholics, not yet anyway. But with an attitude like that, you’ll find yourself there sooner rather than later. Now sit your ass back down.” Wanda had never heard you speak in such a manner towards anyone. You were always so kind, especially towards them. Even with drunks who got handsy with your customers or people who refused to pay up, you handled the situation with grace and a smile always on your face. But not today. Not right now. 

The brunette stares at you, hard, for only a moment as she bites the inside of her cheek and sits down. Wanda is in a bit of awe with the way you speak towards her but even more so with the fact that she listens to you. 

You go back to making the two plates, she takes note of the way you cut one sandwich straight down the middle, but with the other one, you cut it diagonally. You put barbecue chips on the plate with the diagonally cut sandwich and salt and vinegar chips with the sandwich cut straight down the middle. “Do you even know who that is?” You turn around with both plates in your hands, setting the one cut straight down the middle in front of the brunette and the diagonally cut sandwich in front of Wanda. Your question was directed toward the dark-haired woman, who sighed before looking at Wanda and giving her a once-over. Wanda took the time to do the same.

The brunette had long black curls that stopped just below her shoulders, she wore dark red lipstick and diamond earrings, and her eyebrows were perfectly tended to. Underneath her long black form-fitting coat, she wore a blue satin button-up, tucked into black trousers. This was the complete opposite of Wanda, who wore nothing on her lips, and had on a grey oversized sweatshirt and matching grey pants; her most comfortable pair of shoes on her feet. 

“Not personally, but she’s here as often as I am.” The brunette responds before looking back towards you, “What does that have to do with anything?”

“It has to do with everything. The fact that you two don’t even know each other yet I've witnessed you introduce yourselves to one another at least three times is the point. Never mind the fact that you’ve both ridden together in the back of my car on multiple occasions in the past two weeks.” 

“Your car? I only take Uber’s or Lyfts or something.” The brunette replies confusion was evident in her tone. Almost as if she’s not completely sure that it always is an Uber or a Lyft.

“You think that I’d let either of you leave out of here that late into the night in an Uber? It’s New York. There’s no telling what those drivers might do to you when you’re that vulnerable, and you’d never even remember it. No, I take you both to your respective hotels and make sure you make it inside safely.” Well that all but confirms for both women that you had given them rides, otherwise you wouldn’t have known where either of them had been staying.

Wanda's mind races as she takes in the situation. The revelation that she's been repeatedly introduced to someone who also seems oblivious to their shared history ignites a spark of curiosity. She glances at the brunette, just barely recognizing her from those blurry, hazy nights after excessive vodka consumption. The recognition on the brunette's face isn't registering, and it adds to the perplexity of the moment.

As the tension in the air thickens, the brunette shifts uncomfortably in her seat, her demeanor guarded yet inquisitive. Wanda observes the exchange, finding herself increasingly intrigued by the unfolding drama within the bar she once considered a temporary escape.

“Listen, I’m not saying all of this to shame either of you or… or make you feel bad. I just want you to understand so that you’ll let me help you both.” You say as you slide two glasses of water towards both women.

“I don’t need any help,” Wanda says defensively before she can even register that it is her who spoke it.

“Uh, I second that. I’m perfectly fine despite your nosy perception of me. You don’t know me.” Neither women have yet to touch their plates as they watch you intently. You shrug nonchalantly, moving away from the two women to tend to a male customer who is asking you about using the restroom, you direct him towards the men's wing, fully aware that both women have their eyes on you the entire time.

Once the man is long gone and in the restroom, you barely even give both women a second glance as you resume cleaning up the counter, working around them and their untouched plates. Eventually, Wanda grows tired of waiting for you to say something, anything really, and she starts to gather her things and get up. Maybe she’d be lucky enough to stumble upon another bar whose owner captivates her the way that you have in the last two weeks and doesn’t cut her off.

“You’ve lost something. Something unimaginable. The only reason I know of that people lose their way like you seem to have is because of loss. Maybe a lover, a child, or maybe both.” Your words hang in the air, echoing within Wanda's thoughts like a chilling whisper. The abruptness of your statement freezes her in place, causing a shiver to crawl down her spine. The intensity in your tone and the directness of your observation catch her off guard, stirring emotions she had buried deep within.

“How or why… I don’t know and I’ll probably never know it unless you tell me. But you can tell a lot about someone based on their alcohol intake.” You say, still scrubbing away at a stain that appeared on the counter last night that you could not for the life of you figure out how it got there.

“Whatever it is you’re going through Wanda, it's fresh. Maybe it happened two weeks ago or maybe it happened a month ago. But when you first came in here, you never knew what to order, so you tried everything until finally settling on the fact that you like vodka. That alone tells me you’ve never been much of a drinker if at all, up until something so heart-wrenching happened that you felt like all that was left for you to do was forget.” Wanda’s eyes glassed over as she bit the inside of her cheek, staring furiously hard at the glass of water before her.

“And Regina, you’re not new to drinking… No, you came in here and all but demanded that Charlotte bring you three glasses of whiskey. All of them filled to the brim. You’re no stranger to hiding your feelings in a drink, but something recently threw you so far off your game that you keep drinking.” 

Regina, the brunette, shifts uncomfortably, her facade of composure faltering for the first time since the interaction began. She glances at Wanda, searching for some sign of validation or disbelief, but Wanda's expression mirrors her shock and confusion.

The weight of your words uttered with a conviction that leaves no room for doubt, strikes a nerve in Wanda. The memories she has struggled to suppress surge forth, flooding her mind with fragments of sorrow and loss. She feels exposed, and vulnerable in a way she hadn't anticipated when she stepped into the bar seeking respite from her turbulent thoughts.

Before she can process or refute your claim, you turn away, continuing your tasks with an air of detachment, leaving both women grappling with the revelation that you seem to know more about them than they've openly disclosed. The subtle but undeniable accuracy of your statement leaves an unsettling impression, challenging Wanda's defenses and stirring Regina's curiosity.

Regina looks more than upset, her eyes have something dark in them as she stares at you. Despite her reservations and shielded posture, she lets out a long sigh, “How could you possibly help.”

‘I don’t know you, either of you on a personal level.” And you were right. You knew absolutely nothing of the world you were opening yourself up to. You had no idea that Wanda was a witch. A harbinger of chaos magic not even from your world, which caused so much loss and destruction. She was no one who deserved any kindness, especially not from you who knew nothing about the way she was reading your mind right now. You were a good person through and through — patient with everyone you knew, a great boss who treated her staff with all the respect in the world, and an even better daughter despite the hardships your mother put you through at such a young age. Wanda had just learned so much about you just by looking into your mind, but you knew absolutely nothing about her.

“But I want to. I want to know you. And I want to help you… I can’t explain the way that I am drawn to both of you or why I feel the need to guide you but I do,” You take a deep breath and close your eyes before opening them again with determination as you say, “Come live with me.”

“What—”

“Excuse me??”  

Wanda and Regina's responses come in almost perfect unison, both women wearing expressions of sheer disbelief at your unexpected proposition. The bar, once a haven of quiet contemplation and fleeting reprieve, now brims with an unspoken tension, leaving the air heavy with uncertainty.

Wanda's mind whirls, trying to process the surreal sequence of events that have unfolded in mere moments. Your sudden insistence on knowing and helping them, followed by the staggering proposal to live together, feels like an unprecedented leap into a world she wasn't prepared to confront.

Regina, who had shown glimpses of guarded vulnerability moments ago, now wears a mask of incredulity mixed with a hint of suspicion. Her dark eyes bore into yours, searching for any hint of jest or insincerity in your proposal.

You stand behind the counter, your gaze is unwavering, a blend of earnest concern and an unexplainable draw toward these two women, a feeling that transcends logic or explanation. The weight of your words hangs in the air, leaving both Wanda and Regina grappling with the implications of your unexpected offer.

“Live with you?” Wanda blurts out, breaking the tense silence that enveloped the bar. The notion of upending her secluded routine and aligning her life with someone she barely knows rattles her already fragile sense of stability.

Regina's skepticism, on the other hand, manifests in her steely gaze fixed on you, as if waiting for an elaborate punchline or an explanation to rationalize such an outlandish suggestion.

You take a step forward, your expression resolute, yet tinged with an indefinable vulnerability. "I know it's an unusual proposition. I can't fully explain it myself, but something tells me that we're connected in ways we don't yet understand. You both came here, to my bar and ever since you got here I haven’t been able to stop myself from trying to figure you out. Let me help you. Just give me three months. And if by the three months, you decide that it’s getting you nowhere, you can go, and I’ll lift my ban on you both so you can drink here as much as you’d like. But at least try, if only for three months.”

Wanda looks at you before shifting her gaze to her water once again. She feels unbelievably vulnerable in this moment and she can’t decipher if she likes it or not. If it were anyone else who came at her like this, she might have taken their head clean off their shoulders, but with you, she couldn’t imagine laying a threatening hand on you — not when you're being so earnest with her.  

Regina’s defenses flicker briefly, and Wanda can hear her inner battle as she reconciles with your offer, before eventually saying, “I don’t even know your name.”

“Y/n. Y/n Y/l/n. Now you do.” You smile in Regina’s direction before turning to meet Wanda’s gaze. “So? I know it's unusual but… what do you say?” You say to both women and for the first time, you show a sliver of insecurity as you chew on your bottom lip as you await both women's answers.

Wanda and Regina share a glance at each other, Wanda’s not even sure what for. But she does know that the single sliver of trust she has in you is reflected in the eyes of the brunette. You had gone to extreme measures to care for the women in the last two weeks without them even being aware of it. And now here you were, laying all your cards out for them to see, and doing what neither women could ever do — let someone in.

Regina exhales, but it’s not as intense as it has been before, as she opens her mouth to say, “Okay.” Her voice is small— not as snarky as it once was, but also not without its reservations. This is hard for her, and Wanda can see that. 

“Just three months,” Wanda says, finally picking up her glass of water and taking a sip, she desperately needed to do something with herself to settle her nerves. 

You smile a toothy grin at them, “Good. Now eat your sandwiches, they've been sitting there this whole time and neither one of them has been touched. Once you’re finished I’ll clock out and we can go.” Wanda and Regina nod towards you, both reaching for their plates at the same time, but as Wanda decides to go for her chips first, Regina grabs at her sandwich.

This was going to be odd. Or fun? Oddly fun, Wanda settled on as she bit into her first chip. 

Chapter Text

Regina’s Pov: 

You take them both around back with you to grab your things. Regina followed behind you, her curiosity piqued, as you led them to your back office. Stepping into the room, she scanned the surroundings keenly, noting the meticulous organization and the thoughtful arrangement of the space. It reminded her so much of her own office back in Storybrooke, never a paper out of place or a loose nail in sight. 

Regina found herself subtly drawn to the way you maintained order in this room, an order that extended far beyond the physicality of the space. The air in your office carried an air of purpose like each item had its designated spot, each paper held significance, and every trinket had a story to tell.

Once you got what you needed to from the office and let Julien, one of your most trusted employees, know that you were taking some time off for the next four days; you led both women around the back way of the bar and to your car.

It all becomes increasingly familiar to Regina when she gets into the car, it indeed had been you driving her back to her hotel almost every other night in the last two to three weeks. She distantly recalls looking up from her seat and seeing your head full of hair… and she’s remembering wanting to play in it. She dismisses the notion just as quickly as she remembers it— it held no relevance so why dwell on it? 

As Wanda settled into the backseat of the car, her demeanor shifted between uncertainty and an undercurrent of curiosity. She sat in contemplative silence, her eyes wandering around the interior, absorbing the details of your car. Regina couldn't resist stealing occasional glances at the woman seated beside her. Wanda was unlike anyone Regina had encountered before.

Earlier, when Regina had mentioned your decision to prevent their return to the bar, she witnessed a profound change in Wanda's disposition. At that moment, something shifted within Wanda, evident in the subtle transformation of her demeanor. Her eyes darkened, and an unexpected sharpness settled over her features. It was a side of Wanda that Regina hadn't witnessed before. Not once since Wanda had appeared, a week after Regina's arrival, had she seen this depth of emotion. Yet, today, Regina caught glimpses of herself reflected in the enigmatic demeanor of this stranger.

Regina’s attention was brought away from the strawberry blonde and towards you, as you began to speak. “I know it's a lot to process, and I appreciate your willingness to entertain this offer. I’ll take you each to pack your things and we can go to my house. You can pick whichever room you’d like and do with it what you want. There's no pressure, we can do everything at your own pace."

Regina nodded, offering a composed yet tentative response, "I suppose it couldn't hurt to try. But just to be clear, we don't owe you anything beyond these three months."

You met her gaze with understanding, a hint of reassurance in your eyes. "Of course, I wouldn’t expect anything more than what you're comfortable with. Take your time to settle in. I'll give you both some space to acclimate."

You take note of Wanda’s silence. Of the two women it became very clear to you that you’d have to bring Wanda more out of her shell than you would with Regina.

“You okay back there?” Your eyes find Wanda’s in the rearview mirror. Wanda sends you a very curt nod but gives nothing more than that. “Words, Wanda. I need you to use your words so that I know how you’re feeling.” 

A deep shade of red spreads its way across Wanda’s cheeks as she averts her gaze and instead chooses to look out of the window. Regina feels a slight smirk settle on her face at witnessing the other woman's flustered state. “Yes.” She hears Wanda mutter, barely audible but just loud enough for you and Regina to hear it. You offer Wanda a reassuring smile as you pull up to the first hotel, Regina’s. 

The entire exchange is quick, you and Wanda wait in the car for Regina to return with her belongings. She couldn't be bothered to sit there and pack everything by hand, hence why she asked you both to remain in the car. After using her magic to speed up the process, she made sure to stop at the reception to slip the desk lady 250 dollars. “Even though I'm checking out, would you mind trying not to book room 318 out? I like the view and should I happen to come back, I’d like the same room. Put it under Regina Mills.” The lady gives Regina a kind smile before writing it down on a notepad and accepting the money from Regina.

You try not to question why she was able to pack all of her things when she comes out of the hotel with two suitcases. 

“That was quick.” You comment, receiving nothing more than a side glance from Regina as she mutters something about having never unpacked. You can tell she’s lying by the way she refused to meet your eyes, but you weren’t going to push her on the subject. All that matters is that she is packed and ready to go.

Wanda took a little longer to get her things together but you did not comment on it as you and Regina waited for her to return with her belongings. She came back with only one suitcase with her and what looked like a map of something tucked into the pocket of her suitcase. 

Once both women are back in the car and you’re heading towards your home, which is just outside of New York and in a smaller area, it became very clear to Regina that you were well off because the houses were beautiful with enough space between them to not be disturbed by any neighbors. 

“We’ll be there in maybe ten minutes. How about you guys share a little bit about yourselves? Before we get there? I let you both stay quiet for the ride but, I think it may be a good way to start by getting to know one another.” Regina’s mind automatically begins reeling. She’s not entirely sure what she should say about herself. Should she reveal who she truly was? Or was it too soon to tell you that she came from another world? That she was only here because all magic came with a price, and she was paying for it. She shouldn’t. She couldn’t.

You wait patiently for someone to say something or offer to go first, and when neither woman does, you decide to break the ice yourself. “Alright, I guess I’ll start. I’m an only child. My father passed when I was younger and you know about my mother since I shared a little earlier. I am from Boston but I moved around a lot as a kid. And… my favorite color is red.” You supply, hoping that showing initiative will prompt Regina and Wanda to share as well.  You all sit there for at least a minute but it felt like more, but you didn’t make either woman feel rushed or like they needed to answer right away. You simply waited. 

“Okay fine. I guess I’ll go next. The silence is killing me.” Regina sighed, trying to carefully pick apart her story and decide what was good enough to share. “I'm Regina Mills," she stated, a hint of snark in her voice. "I'm not exactly from around here, but I've been... navigating this world for a while now. I’m used to being in charge, I dabble in politics – sometimes literally – and I don't appreciate people who waste my time. My favorite color is black, just like my coffee. That enough for you?" Regina leaned back, her words carrying an air of both arrogance and self-awareness.

As Regina finishes her introduction, you nod appreciatively, acknowledging her contribution to the conversation. The sarcasm lacing her words doesn't go unnoticed, but you choose to maintain an atmosphere of openness. "That’s plenty. Thank you for sharing," you reply with a genuine smile, aware of the underlying tone that Regina seems to use with almost every sentence.

Regina shoots you a sideways glance, her sharp eyes narrowing slightly. "You're welcome," she retorts. "Now, Wanda, your turn to spill your life story. Or do we have to drag it out of you?"

“Regina,” you caution, your gaze shifting from the road to Regina before finally settling on Wanda, “Take your time; there's no rush.”

Wanda shifts uncomfortably in her seat, glancing briefly at Regina before redirecting her gaze to the passing scenery. The subtle tenseness in her posture betrays the internal struggle to decide how much to reveal. After a moment, she speaks, her voice calm but carrying an underlying intensity. "Wanda Maximoff," she introduces herself, her eyes avoiding direct contact. "I'm not from anywhere you’d know or remember. I have… I um, I had a brother. He was my twin. And um– I… I don't have a favorite color." Regina almost felt bad for her previous remark towards the other woman. It was clear to her that this was hard for Wanda, and despite her little outburst of aggravation a the bar, Wanda was way more reserved than Regina had initially perceived her as. 

“Thank you, Wanda, you did great.” You say just as you begin to pull into the driveway of your home. 

You all get out of the car and you help Regina and Wanda take their things inside. Even though Wanda insisted that she could take her single suitcase inside herself, you still ended up letting both women go inside first to get a glance around while you brought their stuff inside. 

“So, it’s very clear to me that you don’t need to bartend… but you still do. And so far from your home too, why?” Regina asks once you’ve finally brought everything into the house. You set the last suitcase by the rest at the bottom of the staircase and focus your attention back on Regina and Wanda.

“Well, I already told you why. I want to provide safe places for people. And I own more than just the bar, but the bar is where I dedicate most of my time. I also have property a little closer to the bar but… I don’t mainly live there.” You supply as you nod for both women to follow you. “Come on, I’ll give you both a tour, and you can pick which room you want.”

The interior of your home strikes the perfect balance — not too spacious, not too cramped. It radiates a comforting warmth, and as you guide them through each room, Regina finds herself appreciating the tasteful decor and meticulous attention to detail.

The first floor unfolds with a welcoming foyer leading to a cozy living room centered around a fireplace, a dining room adorned with an elegant table, and a well-appointed kitchen. A small library or reading nook offers a serene retreat. Two bedrooms on this level showcase unique styles; one boasts soothing hues and rustic accents, while the other exudes a contemporary vibe. For those inclined towards physical well-being, a compact workout room or gym is available.

Ascending the staircase to the second floor, the minimalist design ethos continues. Three bedrooms, including yours, are each designed to accommodate guests while emanating distinctive personalities. The second floor also houses a home office for work and a small theater room.

Your house feels like a haven, providing comfort without overwhelming its occupants.

“Woah,” Is all Wanda can mutter as she takes in everything that you’ve shown them. Your house is beautiful, and it reminds Regina so deeply of her own home back in Storybrooke. She misses it deeply.

“I want that second room you showed us downstairs,” Regina says, her eyes narrowing as she surveys the options. The first-floor bedroom with soothing hues and rustic accents seems to resonate with her, perhaps offering a touch of familiarity in this otherwise unfamiliar setting.

“Works for me,” you respond with a nod. Turning to Wanda, you inquire, “And you, Wanda? Any preference for the rooms?”

Wanda shakes her head no, and Regina and you both notice the way she picks at her fingernails, peeling the skin back from time to time. 

You reach for her hands and take them into your own to prevent her from further damaging the skin. "Are you sure? There wasn't one room that made you feel even a little at home?" You question. Regina watches as Wanda's eyes fall to the ground, something unreadable to you in her eyes as she shifts her weight from foot to foot. But for Regina, it had been readable because she had that exact same look in her eyes many many years ago... before her curse. Wanda didn't feel like she had a home. And it became painstakingly apparent to Regina. 

“Oh for the love of drama," Regina interjects with a roll of her eyes, breaking the somber atmosphere that enveloped the moment. "Just give her the room with the least amount of frills. I don't think she's one for decor decisions."

Wanda offers a faint smile, appreciating Regina's attempt to lighten the mood. You nod in agreement, leading them to a room on the second floor that maintains a simplicity in its design. It's devoid of unnecessary embellishments, yet its ambiance exudes a quiet comfort.

"There you go, Wanda. Simple and clean," Regina remarks, almost too casually, though her eyes convey a subtle understanding. "Now, if you don't mind, I'm going to attempt to recover from the trauma of sharing personal information. This place is nice, but I've had enough bonding for one day."

“Alright but at five I would like for you both to join me in the kitchen.” You say to Regina who lets out a rather loud sigh.
“And might I ask what for?” Regina says with a raised eyebrow, a clear hint of skepticism in her voice.

“Well for starters,” You begin, eyes darting from Regina to Wanda and back again, “I think that we should set some ground rules… Just some things to make this run more smoothly.” Before Regina can even put in her protests you cut her off to continue your statement. “I would also like for us to cook and have dinner together.” 

Regina rolls her eyes dramatically, muttering something under her breath that neither you nor Wanda catch entirely. She seems resistant to the idea, but you can sense an underlying curiosity in her skepticism. Wanda, on the other hand, appears quietly contemplative, her expression revealing a mix of uncertainty and guarded interest.

"Ground rules? How thrilling," Regina deadpans, crossing her arms over her chest. "Do enlighten us on the riveting regulations of this cozy little abode."

You share an amused look with Wanda, appreciating Regina's flair for sarcasm even in the face of what she perceives as unnecessary formality. "We can discuss them at dinner," you reply with a smile on your face, your tone holding a note of finality that dares Regina to argue further.

Regina starts to head out of now Wanda’s room, you following behind her to allow both women to settle in, but Regina stops just short of exiting the room, her eyes landing on Wanda’s suitcase that is set by the door. The map thing that Regina saw earlier has fallen out and onto the floor next to the suitcase. ‘To grow old in,’ Regina reads quietly to herself before picking it up.

“To grow old in? Seems to me like Wanda doesn’t plan on staying very long—” Regina starts, but before she can even finish her quippy remark, Wanda has pushed past you rather aggressively to reach for the paper Regina currently inspects.

“Give it here,” Wanda says with so much conviction it honestly shocks Regina that Wanda has the ability to be calm and so assertive simultaneously. 

Regina raises an eyebrow, pulling the paper out of Wanda’s reach which seems to really piss Wanda off more. “I said give it to me. I won’t tell you again. I don’t take your trinkets from Storybrooke, do I?” Wanda’s accent comes back in full force. But it’s not the accent that has Regina’s eyebrows pulling together. No, it’s what she said that does it.

“What did you just say?” Regina questions, with anger filling her voice. You can feel that things are about to go very south, so you try to put some distance between the two by grabbing onto Regina’s arm and pulling her away, but your attempts are futile. She’s not leaving.

“N-nothing. Just- just give me the damn paper.” Wanda says, her defenses faltering slightly.

“Nuh-uh. I never ever told you or Y/n where I was from.” Regina’s voice was absolute as she shoved Wanda’s shoulder back to put distance between the two.

“Regina—” You try but it’s no use.

It’s Wanda’s voice that cuts you off now. “You did… you told us—” 

“That I wasn’t from around here. And don’t try to convince me otherwise dear, I’m not as gullible as you think.” There is something dark in Regina’s eyes when she says, “You know things I didn’t tell you. What kind of witch are you? Who sent you?” You watch with bewildered eyes as Regina lifts her hand, and it becomes engulfed with fire. It’s like a flip has switched within Wanda and her eyes turn a vibrant red.

“Don’t call me that.” Wanda all but demands, her face contorting between pain and anger. Regina's eyes narrow as the flames dance in her palm. The atmosphere in the room shifts, heavy with tension and unspoken mysteries. You, torn between the two, attempt to intervene.

"Regina, Wanda, let's just take a step back and talk about this calmly," you urge, trying to mediate the escalating confrontation despite the way your heart is pounding in your chest. You had no idea what you planned to do to intervene, your thoughts were a mess as you witnessed what seemed impossible. Regina, however, is unyielding, her gaze fixed on Wanda with a mix of accusation and anger. 

Wanda's eyes continue to burn with an otherworldly intensity, and you can almost feel the magical energy crackling in the air. Regina, holding onto her own formidable power, doesn't back down. The room becomes a battleground for forces you can't entirely comprehend, and the air thickens with the weight of unspoken histories.

“I don’t know who you think you are, but I’m not one to be threatened, witch." Regina hisses, her fire intensifying as she meets Wanda's red gaze head-on.

Wanda's voice wavers, a mixture of defiance and desperation. “I told you, don’t call me that. I'm not what you think.” 

“Okay, woah, um that’s— Ladies! That’s enough.” You say, deciding that this… whatever it was has gone on too long. You step in between both women, hoping and praying that despite them barely knowing you, they are less likely to want to harm you amid their fight. 

Regina tries to get around you, she doesn’t want to hurt you, but the same could not be said for Wanda. But just as Regina begins to move around you, so does Wanda in the opposite direction. 

“I don’t want to hurt anyone,” Wanda declares, her hands engulfing in a red ball of energy, “But I won’t let you hurt me either.”

“Then I suggest you start explaining yourself. My patience is running real thin right about now.” Now Wanda was the one near the door, with you in between them. The door slams behind you and Wanda, Regina’s eyes narrowing slightly. “Don’t even think about trying to leave.”

Regina begins closing in on Wanda, but there you are shielding Wanda from Regina as she backs Wanda and you into the door. Wanda’s back hits the door harshly as your entire backside comes flush into her front side. Wanda attempts to reach around you, clearly not ready to back down, but you grab both of her wrists, pulling them down to her sides.

“I won’t tell you both again to stop!” The room falls completely silent as both women’s eyes bore into one another. “Okay, so I guess we’re starting rules a bit earlier than expected.” You’re breathing hard right now and Regina briefly wonders what this must look like to you. You welcomed two people into your home, only to find out that they are both powered individuals. 

“Rule number one, words. You use your words and not… whatever the hell that was! And number two, no more of whatever the hell that was!” 

Regina's fiery gaze doesn't waver, but she begrudgingly takes a step back. Wanda, though still tense, also relents, the red energy around her dissipating. The room remains charged with an uneasy tension as you continue to stand between them, maintaining a delicate balance.

“Now, I want both of you to take a deep breath and step back,” you say, the firmness in your voice cutting through the lingering animosity. Wanda, seemingly grateful for the intervention, obeys and takes a step away from the door. Regina, her eyes still fixed on Wanda, reluctantly complies.

“Thank you,” you mutter under your breath, more to yourself than to them. You release Wanda's wrists, and she glances at you with a mix of gratitude and uncertainty.

“I'm not done here,” Regina asserts, crossing her arms over her chest. “I want answers.”

“And you'll get them,” you respond, directing your attention to Wanda. “But calmly, without the theatrics. We're all in this together now, like it or not.”

Wanda nods, seemingly willing to cooperate, and you turn to Regina. “Let's go to the living room. We need to have an open conversation, and accusations and powers won't get us anywhere.”

Regina eyes you for a moment before finally relenting. “Fine. But this better be worth it.”

You begin to lead both women back down the stairs, your heart beating wildly. This is way more than you thought you’d be getting yourself into. 

Chapter Text

Multi POV:

“In this house, you will express yourself with words, not magic, and not sarcasm or quippy remarks. You don’t make anyone feel bad about themselves because that will get you nowhere.” You stand pacing back and forth in the living room. Wanda and Regina sit quite far from one another listening to you.

“When that sense of… of anger or mistrust arises, you say ‘I am feeling,’ or ‘I don’t or do like when you do this,’ and you let the other person know how you’re feeling. When you need or want something, you say ‘I need this’ or ‘I need something from you.’ That’s how you communicate with each other and with me. It’s about respect.” You don’t even know how you’re able to keep your voice steady and absolute right now. You’re still reeling from the magic show you witnessed about 10 minutes ago.

“We’re not ten.” Regina rolls her eyes.

You shoot Regina a stern look, making it clear that you won't tolerate any defiance of the rules you're laying down. "Regina, the fact that we're not ten is exactly why we should be able to communicate like adults. If you can't handle that, then I suggest you find a way to cope, or this is not going to work. Is that clear?"

Regina hesitates for a moment under your stern gaze but ultimately nods in reluctant agreement. "Okay." She deflates under your gaze.

"Good," you respond firmly. "Now, I want both of you to share what's going on. No more secrets, no more half-truths. Lay everything out on the table."

Wanda glances nervously at Regina, who seems to be stewing in silent frustration. You can sense the reluctance in the room, but it's a necessary discomfort. The truth needs to surface for any semblance of understanding and cooperation.

“I don’t even know where to start,” Wanda confesses, her gaze shifting between you and Regina. “It’s just... complicated.”

"Start with the basics. Who you are, where you're from, and how you ended up at my bar. Let’s just start there,” you suggest, offering a supportive tone. Regina eyes Wanda with a scrutinizing look, clearly eager to unravel the mysteries surrounding Wanda.

“And this time… don’t lie,” Regina adds, her voice carrying a weight of seriousness that hadn't been present before.

“Regina.” You say softly.

“Fine, I’m… I apologize.” You watch as Regina inwardly cringes at hearing herself say she’s sorry. Clearly, it’s not something she’s used to doing. You plan to change that.

Wanda takes a deep breath, her eyes reflecting a mixture of relief and tension. “I wasn’t lying before. My name is Wanda Maximoff… I do have a brother.” Wanda begins, her voice unsteady as she tries to find the right words. “I’m not from this world… I don’t know what world I’m in or if this one has my country in it but I am from Sokovia. It is um,” Wanda’s eyes are glassy, you can tell she’s trying to hold back a world of emotions that you hope to be able to help her heal. “It’s in Central-Southeastern Europe, where I come from. But it was destroyed many years ago in a war of sorts. That is also when I lost… my brother. My twin brother.” Wanda discusses her power and how for most of her life, she believed she got them from being experimented on by a terrorist group, but about two years ago she learned that she’s always had these abilities, they were just brought out of her forcefully. Wanda tells you both about how she lost her brother, eventually joining a group she calls the Avengers before losing her love, Vision. That loss was unimaginable to her and caused her to go down a very dark path, one that she claims led her to this world and your bar. 

As Wanda finishes sharing her story, the weight in the room feels palpable. Regina's eyes reflect a mix of sympathy and a newfound understanding. You notice that Regina's defensive posture has softened, at least for the moment.

"Thank you for sharing, Wanda," you say, offering her a reassuring smile. "It can't be easy to talk about these things, but it's a step in the right direction."

Wanda gives a small nod, appreciating the support. Regina, surprisingly, doesn't immediately jump in with a snarky comment. Instead, she seems lost in thought, processing the information she just received.

"Now it's your turn, Regina," you say, redirecting the focus to the other woman in the room.

Regina sighs, running a hand through her hair as if trying to collect her thoughts. "Fine. My name is Regina Mills. I'm from a town called Storybrooke. It's a small town, isolated from the rest of the world although I’m positive it’s not in this universe. I used to be the mayor there. I learned how to wield magic very long ago, from my mother and a man who… is quite complicated to explain."

Wanda raises an eyebrow, intrigued. Regina continues, delving into the intricate web of her past, the curse she cast, and the consequences that followed. She speaks about her adoptive son, Henry, and the struggles she faced in her quest for redemption.

"I was trying to find happiness, to rewrite my story. But it seems that no matter what I do, my past keeps haunting me," Regina concludes, her gaze meeting Wanda's with a shared sense of pain. “I tried… to find the person responsible for why I always seemed to lose, and I did that using magic. But all magic comes with a price, and I paid for it by being permanently separated from the only thing that ever matters, my Henry.” This is the first time you’ve seen Regina show anything resembling vulnerability. Her voice carries a weight of regret, and her eyes, usually so composed, reveal the lingering ache of a mother separated from her child.

Wanda, sensing the raw emotion, offers a sympathetic nod. The understanding shared between the two women transcends their different worlds and the complexities of their magical abilities.

"I never wanted to be evil, but my actions spoke louder than my intentions," Regina continues, her words heavy with the burden of her past choices. "I've tried to change, to be someone Henry could be proud of, but it's not easy shedding the shadows of a dark past."

You observe Regina's vulnerability with a newfound perspective. Her journey is a complicated one, filled with pain and redemption, much like Wanda's. The room becomes a shared space of empathy, where two women from different worlds find common ground in their struggles.

"Thank you for sharing, Regina," you say sincerely, breaking the heavy silence. "We're here to support each other through the challenges. No one is alone in this."

Regina gives a small, appreciative nod, acknowledging the unexpected camaraderie in the room. Wanda, too, seems to soften further, realizing that despite their differences, they share common threads of loss and the pursuit of a better future.

Wanda looks to Regina with the utmost sincerity when she says, “I wasn’t trying to read your mind before. I promise. I just… people's thoughts are sometimes so loud that it's hard not to hear them. I apologize.” Regina nods her head, offering Wanda a faint smile. 

“Okay. not that we’ve gotten that out of the way, let me reiterate the rules so we’re clear. Rule number one is to use your words, always. Number two is no use of unnecessary powers, it seems to me like it has done more harm than good so I think it may be good to find yourself outside of who you are with your powers. And number three, we eat together. I’m not going to force you to spend every minute of every day with me. It is completely fine to want to spend the day alone or by yourself. You’re not bound to spend every moment in this house or with me and one another, but we will eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner together. That’ll be the only time I ever request your presence.” You look between both women, “Does that sound okay with everyone?” You ask.

Wanda and Regina both nod their understanding of the rules, and you smile to yourself. You feel like you handled that situation way better than you initially thought you would. 

“Okay, I’m starting dinner in about 3 hours. If you want to join me in cooking, you are more than welcome. If not then I’ll see you when it’s time to eat.” 

Wanda seems to contemplate for a while, “I love cooking. I haven’t gotten to do much of it in years but… I’m tired and I would like to be alone right now.” Wanda is struggling with the part of her that wants to stay here and cook with you, and the part of her that needs reprieve from the afternoon she has unexpectedly had. This is the most interaction she’s had with other people in months that didn’t spark from her trying to hurt or kill them. Maybe even years.  

“You can rest. The offer will be here every day for the next three months. You’ll have plenty of time to cook with me or just cook by yourself.”

Regina doesn’t say anything as she gets up and heads towards her room, thankful that she had chosen the room on the first floor because it makes her walk toward isolation that much shorter. She is exhausted in the mental sense. She has spent so much time today trying to figure you and Wanda out, judging you both silently while also trying to keep her stories her own. It was a lot to manage, especially when she hadn’t had anything to drink in her system that day. 

Her entire reasoning for going to your bar today was never to engage in any of this; it was to forget. To forget about all the ways she had failed Henry.. And Robin. And even Emma. She wanted to desperately find the author and make him give her what she felt she deserved but she lost everything that she knew she never deserved. Her family.

Chapter Text

Wanda’s Pov: 

In the realm of Wanda's memories, routine was a rarity. The last few decades of her life had been spur-of-the-moment events that took her from one traumatic experience to another. 

But it wasn’t always this way. She can recall in her earlier years, back home in Sokovia, every Friday night her papa would return home from a long day of work and let her and Pietro pick a film or show left over from the DVDs he hadn’t been able to sell that day. She remembers the way she lit up the second she heard the jingle of her father’s key in the keyhole, her little body moving faster than her feet could carry her as she ran to greet him at the door. She remembers  Sunday mornings with her mama when the two of them would bake or cook everything they could get their hands on, turning every meal into a mother-daughter bonding experience. Or when the neighbor from two floors above them would come and knock on their door every day at 3 to ask if they’d come outside to play with the other kids, to which her mama would always tell her to be back home before the first street light came on. This was routine. It was something she could count on to happen. Until she couldn’t count on it anymore. 

With the passing of her parents, the rich tapestry of routine began to unravel. The once-familiar thing became scarce, a fleeting echo of the home she once knew. In the company of the Avengers, and even in the arms of Vision, attempts at routine and normalcy felt strained, lacking the natural ease and warmth that once defined it. 

So to say that these last two weeks have been a lot for Wanda, would be an understatement. You, with your laid-back demeanor and reassuring smile, had been slowly but very surely building a routine for the trio. And even though Regina seemed to love the unestablished system that had been set in motion, Wanda has yet to be able to determine how she feels about it. Some days, she loves that she can rely on knowing how certain events will play out. Other days, it feels suffocating, reminding her too much of the routines she once had with her family, routines that were torn away from her so violently. She does not like the idea of this being taken away from her again. 

It hasn’t been happening long but it’s been happening enough for Wanda to know that she doesn’t want to lose moments like now, when you all stood in your kitchen, with you and Wanda moving throughout the kitchen pulling ingredients and finding measurements as Regina sat on top of the counter reading the recipe for the apple pie you were all making together. Wanda's mind wandered as she carefully peeled and sliced the apples, her thoughts drifting back to Sokovia, to her parents, to the simplicity of Friday movie nights and Sunday baking sessions. She couldn't help but feel a pang of nostalgia mixed with a tinge of sadness for what once was.

"You're risking a finger if you keep going like that, Red," Regina chided as she hopped down from the counter, her hand instinctively covering Wanda's just moments before the knife could meet her thumb. Red. It was a nickname Regina had spontaneously bestowed upon Wanda in the past two weeks. Initially, Regina had playfully used a variety of terms instead of Wanda's name, but noticing how flustered Wanda became whenever she referred to her as Red, the nickname seemed to stick. Wanda's cheeks flushed even deeper as Regina deftly took the knife from her hand, gently setting it aside before turning Wanda to face her with a sigh. “Do you ever use that brain of yours for anything besides daydreaming?” 

Wanda has gotten quite used to all of Regina’s quips and remarks. Wanda's cheeks remained flushed as she met Regina's gaze, a mixture of embarrassment and gratitude swirling in her eyes. She appreciated Regina's concern, even if it came packaged with teasing remarks. With a soft chuckle, Wanda shook her head lightly.

"Sometimes," she replied with a small smile, her Sokovian accent lending a softness to her words. "But daydreaming is much more pleasant than the alternative."

“Amen to that,” Regina says, stealing an apple slice with her magic. She also picks up another one that she offers up to Wanda, “But I don’t think Y/n would be very pleased if you cut off your fingers in her kitchen.” Wanda’s nose scrunches up in the affectionate way it always does when she feels particularly fond of something, and she accepts the apple slice with a small laugh. 

“I absolutely would not like it.” You say, giving them both a playful stern look. Both women laugh it off and go back to doing their tasks to help make the apple pie and the weird feeling that had been drowning Wanda in her thoughts slowly faded away.

But that fade did not last forever, as, after dinner and dessert, you had suggested watching a movie before everyone went off to their room. Regina had agreed to it on the condition that she got to pick the movie and have a whole couch to herself, she likes to be able to stretch her toes she claims.

You agree to Regina's movie choice, allowing her to have her way as she settles on "Mean Girls." As she heads to her room to retrieve her favorite blanket, you swiftly prepare popcorn for everyone. The blanket is a white knitted blanket with purple ribbons along the edges with the name ‘Emma’ inscribed on it and a cute purple bow on the edge. The blanket isn't particularly large, and it doesn't fully envelop Regina's frame, but it holds a special significance for her, having been brought from her home. Wanda can't help but empathize with Regina's attachment to it; if she were fortunate enough to possess even one memento from her life in Sokovia, she knows she wouldn't let it go easily, even if it were just a DVD of one of her father's films. 

And there it is... the odd feeling that settles in the pit of Wanda's stomach, lingering like a ghost from her past. It's a sensation she can't quite grasp, like trying to catch smoke between her fingers. Part of her wants to push it away, to bury it deep within the recesses of her mind where it can't touch her. But another part of her is drawn to it, curious to explore its depths, to uncover its meaning because she desperately wants to be able to name this feeling she had and know whether it is a good feeling… or a bad one.

Wanda feels the couch dip beside her as you sink onto the couch, presenting the bowl of popcorn to her. Regina has her own bowl of popcorn that seems rather plain compared to the honey and salt that was drizzled in the bowl that you had for the two of you.

It had been established earlier this week that Regina was ‘more refined’ and therefore gets less seasoned popcorn, though Wanda suspects it has more to do with Regina's preference for simplicity rather than refinement.

The movie starts and you all settle into your seats, enjoying the movie, and Wanda swears that one of the characters looks like someone she knew… but then again, this is a different universe. 

Despite the slight recognition, Wanda ends up enjoying the movie. About a quarter of the way through it though, her eyes start to feel heavy and she can’t seem to keep her head up. It bobs and sways as she fights off her tiredness, determined to finish the movie. But it’s no use, she loses the battle before she can even really put in a good fight, and she’s asleep before she knows it.

Wanda's heart pounds in her chest, the echo of her sons' names reverberating through the darkness as she calls out to their figures. She's running, desperate to reach them, but the distance seems insurmountable. "Billy? Tommy?" Her voice cracks with fear as she calls out to them, her legs moving as fast as they can, yet they remain out of reach. Their cries and pleas for her are the only ones that keep her moving despite the ache she feels in her legs. 

But it's no use. Every step forward only pushes them further away, swallowed by the void. Panic claws at her chest as she watches helplessly, her mind consumed by the fear of losing them.

And then she sees him.

Thanos.

His looming figure casts a shadow over her boys with visions neck in a vice grip, his presence like a dark cloud suffocating her hope. She watches in horror as he flexes his hand, the glint of the Infinity Stones sending a shiver down her spine.

"No," she pleads, her voice barely a whisper against the deafening silence. "Please, no."

But he pays no heed to her desperate cries. With a cruel smile, he snatches her sons and Vision away, their forms disappearing into the abyss. “Please! Don’t take them from me! I need… I need them. Please.” She’s sinking to her knees, not caring about how badly her legs ache from the running. 

Wanda's scream tears through the darkness, a raw cry of anguish and despair. She reaches out, her hand grasping at nothing but air as the darkness threatens to consume her whole.

In the shadows, the other Avengers stand, silent witnesses to her torment. They watch with vacant expressions, unmoving, as Wanda feels her whole heartbreaking.

“You don’t deserve to have them.” A voice startles her. It’s one that brought her comfort many years ago— but now the voice fills her with immense guilt and dread. It is her mama. “You left us. You’re replacing us after everything we’ve done for you. After all the ways we’ve kept you and your brother safe. And for that, you will pay.” 

“No. No Mama that’s not true–” Wanda is cut off by Pietro speeding past her parents and directly to her, anger reflected in his eyes as he stands before her, with bullet holes piercing his entire body.

“You failed me.” Her eyes widen as tears begin to pool in them. She hadn’t failed him. She hadn’t. She hadn’t failed or left behind any of them… had she? She felt the regret eating away at her from the inside out. Tears slipped out of her eyes quicker than she could catch them and to be honest, she didn’t care to. Because she failed her family. She left them. She left them all and dared to think she ever deserved anything good to come to her. 

But just as the darkness threatens to overwhelm her, a gentle touch breaks through the chaos. A hand rests on her shoulder, grounding her in reality.

"Wanda," a voice calls out, its sort of echoey and she can’t make out the figure hovering over her other than their hand that rests firmly on her, cutting through the haze of her nightmare. "Wanda, wake up.” She looks around, unsure of what to do next. “Wanda!” 

With a gasp, Wanda's eyes fly open, her chest heaving as she frantically looks around. The darkness of her nightmare recedes, replaced by the soft glow of her room. She doesn’t know how she got here, or how long ago the movie ended, but she doesn’t care about any of that right now. 

And there you are, concern etched into your features as you gently shake her awake. Wanda shoots up in the bed, almost colluding with you as you were leaning over her to try and shake her.

Wanda’s eyes roam frantically around her, taking note of Regina, who stands nervously in the doorframe, fiddling with the hem of her pajama shirt, and you, who are both looking at her with worry etched on your faces.

"Wanda, it's okay," you say softly, your voice a soothing balm against her racing thoughts. "It was just a nightmare."

Regina steps forward, her expression softening as she approaches the bed. "Yeah, it was just a bad dream," she reassures, her tone gentle yet firm.

But Wanda can still feel the echoes of her nightmare lingering, the weight of her fears pressing down on her chest. Your voices mean nothing compared to the voices of her children screaming for her or her mother’s disapproval.

“No. No, it is not just a bad dream it’s— it’s my fault. It’s my punishment. I left them. I left them all and I hurt them and—” She can’t stop it. Can’t stop the tears that stream down her face without her consent or the thoughts that race through her mind a mile a minute or even the way her breathing seems to become more labored and she feels as if she’s taking in less air than before with each inhale.

You sit down on the bed, unsure of what you could possibly say to Wanda right now that wouldn’t set her off more. So, you do the one thing you think might help. You hold her. 

You feel Wanda's body trembling beneath your touch as she succumbs to the overwhelming weight of her emotions. Her tears flow freely, unchecked by her attempts to hold them back. Your heart aches for her as you wrap your arms around her, pulling her close in a gentle embrace. Your hands start to weave through Wanda’s hair, trying to calm her and ease her worries.

But this doesn’t ease Wanda at all. She tenses. Because the feeling of your hand in her hair, sends her right back. It sends her straight into her living room. And she’s ten years old again, sitting there with Pietro and her mom as her mother runs her fingers through Wanda’s hair affectionately. The unease and shame and make a permanent home inside of Wanda as she pulls away quite forcefully. “No!”

She can barely make out your concerned figure or Regina’s unsure posture as she stands very distantly in the corner of Wanda’s room because a fresh set of tears is now waiting to be released from their prison behind her eyes. 

“Wanda… talk to me. Tell me what you need from me right now.” You voice is calm and soothing despite the rejection.

Wanda's breath comes out in ragged gasps as she struggles to compose herself, her whole body shaking with the intensity of her emotions. She wants to tell you what she needs, but the words catch in her throat, choked by the weight of her guilt and confusion.

Regina takes a tentative step forward, her expression filled with genuine concern. "Wanda, sweetheart, can you tell us what's wrong? We're here to help you."

But Wanda feels lost, adrift in a sea of overwhelming emotions she can't name. She doesn't know what's wrong with her, why she feels this way, or what she needs to make it better. All she knows is that she's drowning in a whirlwind of guilt and fear, unable to find solid ground.

"I-I don't know," she stammers, her voice barely above a whisper. "I don't know what's wrong with me. I-I don't know what I need. I don’t— I can’t stop the feeling."

“What feeling, honey?” You ask, making sure not to reach out and touch her, but also letting her know you are still here by giving her your full attention. 

“It’s… I don’t know what it is… but it’s wrong. It has to be.” Wanda cries out, and she can’t take it. She feels suffocated. Like her sheets are trying to swallow her whole and she throws the covers off of her terribly fast. She’s standing and pacing within minutes.

“Okay, do you know when you start to get the… feeling?” Regina asks cautiously. 

Wanda paces back and forth, her mind racing with a million thoughts and emotions. She tries to pinpoint the exact moment when the feeling overwhelms her, when it creeps in like a shadow in the night, but it's elusive, slipping through her fingers like sand.

"I-I don't know," she admits, her voice trembling with uncertainty. "It's... it's like it's always there, lurking just beneath the surface. But sometimes it's stronger than others, like tonight... during the movie or when we were baking after dinner. Sometimes even when Y/n is being affectionate, which doesn’t make any sense to me because.. I have always craved that. But Mama.. she was so upset with me… so hurt. And Pietro— I failed them and left them behind.” Her voice breaks at the end as she stops her pacing, her eyes falling to the ground as she sobs. 

What is happening to her? Why can’t she let this feeling go? 

“What do you mean she was hurt?” You question.

“In the dream… she um, she said to me that I didn’t deserve my boys. That I had left her and papa behind and replaced them.” Wanda recounts the anger and resentment present on her parents face in her dream. 

As you listen to Wanda's tearful recounting of her nightmare and her confusion over her emotions, a realization begins to dawn on you. You can see the pain etched into every line of her face, hear it in the tremble of her voice, and feel it in the way her body shudders with each sob. 

You sit there in silence for a minute, seemingly taking your time to put something together. Wanda isn’t sure what and she can’t even really focus on that at the moment as she is too busy in her own head. 

"It's... it's safe," you say softly, the pieces starting to click into place. "The feeling you're experiencing—it's safety."

Wanda's head snaps up, her tear-stained eyes meeting yours in disbelief. "Safe?" she echoes, her voice barely above a whisper.

You nod, your heart aching for her as you piece together the puzzle of her emotions. "Yes, Wanda. The feeling you've been struggling with—it's safety. Feeling safe and protected."

“I don’t understand…” Wanda says, looking up to you. 

You take a deep breath, trying to find the right words to explain the complex emotions swirling within Wanda's heart. "Wanda, think back to when you were a child in Sokovia," you begin gently. "You were surrounded by your family, your parents, your brother. You felt safe with them, didn't you?"

Wanda's gaze softens as she nods slowly, memories of her childhood flooding back to her. "Yes," she murmurs, a hint of nostalgia in her voice. "I felt safe with them. They were my world."

“And you were theirs.” You assure her, “Wanda I think that that feeling of safety, of being protected and loved unconditionally, it's something that's ingrained in all of us from childhood. Or at least it should be. And when you lost that… when you lost them , I don't think you've been able to experience that feeling of security again up until now."

Wanda's eyes shimmer with unshed tears as she takes in your words, a flicker of understanding dawning in her gaze. "But... why does it feel so wrong?" she whispers, her voice laced with confusion and pain.

It’s Regina who speaks up, a distant look in her eyes as she speaks. “Because you don’t believe that you’re allowed to feel good about it. Not after what you’ve lost and certainly not after what you’ve done.”

You glance at Regina, recognizing the depth of her words, and then turn back to Wanda, your heart heavy with empathy. "Regina's right, Wanda. You've been carrying so much guilt and shame for so long that it's become second nature to you," you explain gently. "But feeling safe, feeling loved—it's not a punishment. It's a gift. And you deserve that gift, Wanda. You deserve to feel safe and protected, just like you did when you were a child."

Wanda's breath catches in her throat as she struggles to absorb the weight of your words. For so long, she's been trapped in a cycle of self-blame and regret, unable to see past the shadows of her past. But now, with your guidance and support, she's starting to see a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel.

"I... I want to believe that," she whispers, her voice barely audible above the soft hum of the night. "But it's hard. It's hard to let go of the guilt, of the shame."

“You don’t have to solve it all in one night, Wands. You’ll get there. You both will. And I’ll be there the whole time.” Regina’s eyes meet yours with unshed tears at the acknowledgement of her own silent battles that you know she’s fighting. Her heart swells and she gives you a soft nod.

“I think… I think it’s time we all go back to bed. We need rest.” Regina says, clearing her throat. You and Wanda nod at her as Regina makes her very prompt exit. You want to follow behind her, to check in on her but just as you turn to leave the room, Wanda’s voice stops you.

“Could you… I am feeling… I feel scared and I need you to– I need you to stay. Please.” It’s broken and takes Wanda quite some time to fully get out, but you sit and listen to her the whole time anyways. You let her voice what she needs from you and give her the time and patience she needs to do it.

You turn back towards her, nodding reassuringly at her, before heading over to her bed, taking one of her pillows from her side and conveniently placing it behind your head all the while Wanda stands there awkwardly, unsure of what she wants to do now. “Are you getting in or what, Red?” You say lightly, trying to ease her anxiety, you know you’ve done so when she smiles at you with her adorable nose scrunch. She gets into the bed, a considerable distance away from you as you both settle into your respective place. 

Silence falls over the two of you as you lay there, and Wanda can hear you release a long breath as you settle more prominently into the bed.

She thought that just having you here, in the bed with her, would help. She thought it was enough to just feel your presence. But it’s not. No, it’s not nearly enough. She needs to feel more than just your presence… she needs to feel you. 

And she wishes she knew how to… ask for that without feeling embarrassed. She had just pushed away less than thirty minutes ago, who knows what you’ll say to her if she asks for the very thing she yelled at you for giving her.

So she sits in complete silence. Eyes wide awake and mind craving to say the thing she can’t bring herself to do. 

As you lie there in the silence, you can sense Wanda's inner turmoil, her need for comfort and reassurance palpable in the air. Despite the distance between you, you can feel the weight of her emotions pressing down on both of you, a heavy blanket of uncertainty and longing.

You turn your head slightly to glance at her, noticing the tension in her posture and the apprehension in her eyes. Your heart aches for her, knowing that she's struggling to find the words to express her needs. You want to help her, to ease her burden, but you also understand the complexity of her emotions and the difficulty of asking for what she truly wants.

With a gentle sigh, you shift closer to her, closing the gap between your bodies as you extend your hand towards her. "Wanda," you say softly, your voice barely above a whisper. "It's okay to ask for what you need. I’d never deny you anything you need."

Wanda's gaze meets yours, a mixture of vulnerability and hope flickering in her eyes. She hesitates for a moment, her breath catching in her throat, before finally reaching out to take your hand in hers. The warmth of your touch sends a wave of comfort washing over her, easing the tightness in her chest and the knots in her stomach.

"Can you... can you hold me?" she whispers, her voice barely audible in the quiet of the night.

Without hesitation, you nod, a soft smile playing on your lips as you wrap your arms around her, pulling her close against your chest. Wanda exhales shakily, burying her face against your shoulder as she allows herself to melt into your embrace, finally surrendering to the safety and warmth you offer her.

Together, you lie there in the darkness, cocooned in each other's arms, finding solace in the simple act of being together. And as sleep gradually claims you both, Wanda finds herself listening to the soft melody of your heartbeat. 

Chapter Text

Regina’s POV: 

Today was a rough day for Regina, to say the least. She remained holed up in her room during breakfast, hardly budging despite numerous attempts to coax her out. When she finally emerged after what felt like endless calls, her demeanor was far from pleasant. She barely touched her food, responding with snide remarks whenever questioned about her mood. Recognizing the tension, you and Wanda decided to give her space, understanding that she needed time to work through her emotions. Regina's sour attitude wasn't intentional, but it was affecting everyone's mood, including Wanda's, despite her efforts to remain upbeat.

She just wasn’t feeling it today. She just wanted to be completely and utterly left alone to sit and contemplate her life choices. Specifically, the ones that cost her her son. She missed him so much that she felt the ache in her chest physically. Truthfully she missed more than just Henry… she missed Emma and everyone else she was forced to leave behind. And today it hit her harder than other days. And with the absence of any alcoholic beverages it seemed to hurt a lot more than it had before. 

She knew that all magic came with a price, and she had expected the price of trying to rewrite her own story to be a hefty one. She was in no way prepared for the townspeople of Storybrooke and more importantly, her family to also have to pay that steep fee. It was an absolute last-minute decision for her to trade her life for theirs, ensuring that as long as she stayed far away from Storybrooke, no one would have to be torn away from their home and families. It was way easier to cope with this reality when she was consistently drinking her feelings away rather than right now when she had nothing but the bitter taste of her tears to console her.

Regina lay in bed, lost in a haze of thoughts, unaware of the passage of time until your knock broke the silence. She didn't offer an invitation, nor did she stir from her cocoon of blankets as you entered unannounced.

"Hey, just wanted to give you a heads up that I'll be heading out soon," you said, oblivious to the turmoil raging within her. Regina fought against the impulse to rise and unleash her pent-up frustrations on you. Why leave now, of all times? Though too proud to admit it, and uncertain if she even knew how to express it, she needed you. Your imminent departure seemed entirely unreasonable.

And she wanted to tell you that. She longed to protest, to rail against your absurd decision. But she remained motionless.

“I have to go back to the bar and a couple of other places, so I’ll be away for a while. But if you need anything you can call, I left my number next to the house phone. I don’t think I’ve seen you or Wanda use a phone yet so I don’t think either of you has one.. I’ll stop and pick up two on my way back here and I’m rambling now to prolong this for whatever reason even though you’re not looking at me or anything… So anyways I’ll be back later.” Don’t go. Don’t leave.

As you quietly closed the door behind you, Regina allowed the tears to flow freely, her weakness laid bare. It was unlike her to feel so fragile, unable to voice her desires. She was accustomed to speaking her mind, regardless of the consequences. So why was it so difficult for her to articulate what she truly wanted right now? 

Regina indulged in her sulk for a few more hours, her emotions a tangled mess. Alongside the sadness she harbored for her home, a new wave of anger surged within her, directed inward. She berated herself for what she perceived as a weakness in her when it came to you. It confounded her, for even with Emma, someone she undeniably had a soft spot for, she had never struggled to speak her mind, especially when it concerned something that upset her. 

Sometime past noon, Regina finally emerged from her room and made her way to the kitchen. Frustration mounting, she rummaged through your cabinets, rearranging items in search of something specific. Finding her quest fruitless, she moved on to the dining room, her determination unyielding. Surely your house wasn't completely devoid of drinks... or was it?

"What are you up to?" Wanda's voice broke through the quiet, her form nestled in the living room beneath a long, white fluffy blanket. The glow of the TV illuminated her face as she indulged in the nostalgia of old sitcoms, courtesy of the DVD set you had recently acquired at her mention of how she used to watch sitcoms as a child with her family on their DVD set. 

Regina's frustration bubbled to the surface as she scoured the cabinets, her movements becoming more frantic with each passing moment. When Wanda's voice interrupted her search, Regina turned sharply, her eyes narrowed in irritation.

"I'm looking for drinks. Do you know where they might be?" Regina's tone was terse as she continued to rummage through the lower cabinets, her patience wearing thin.

Wanda hesitated, her fingers fidgeting with the remote control as she glanced nervously at Regina. "You really shouldn't be doing that... Y/n won't be happy," she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper.

Regina's glare bore into Wanda, causing the redhead to shrink back under her gaze. "Oh, please. What is she, our mother now? I don't care if she won't be 'happy'," Regina retorted sharply, her frustration palpable. With a forceful motion, she slammed one of the cabinets shut, the sound echoing through the room. "She shouldn't have left."

Wanda swallowed hard, the tension in the air thickening as Regina's words hung between them. After a moment of uneasy silence, Wanda cleared her throat, mustering the courage to speak.

“She’s coming back. You’re making it seem like she left for good… she just went to go run errands and if she comes back and finds you searching her house for drinks—" Wanda's gentle tone was met with pure rage as Regina turned to her with anger.

"I don't give a damn about what will make her angry because she clearly doesn't give a damn about what makes me angry," Regina spat, her frustration boiling over. Wanda's eyebrows furrowed in confusion as she paused her show, the tension in the room palpable.

"Regina, calm down," Wanda urged softly, her voice tinged with concern. "Y/n cares about you, you know that. She's just trying to give you some space to sort things out."

Regina scoffed bitterly, her hands clenched into fists at her sides. "Some space? More like abandoning me when I need her the most," she muttered, her voice laced with hurt.

“This morning you told her she should find herself a hobby that didn’t include bothering you…” Wanda's reminder pierced through Regina's anger like a knife, the weight of her own words hitting her with a painful clarity. She felt a pang of guilt twist in her chest as she realized the impact of her harsh dismissal of Y/n earlier that morning.

Regina's anger deflated, replaced by a heavy sense of remorse. She averted her gaze, unable to meet Wanda's eyes as shame washed over her. "I... I didn't mean that," she mumbled, her voice barely audible.

Wanda's expression softened, her concern shifting to empathy as she patted the seat next to her. “Come sit. We’re missing the best part” She nods towards the TV that is still paused. Wanda's gentle gesture broke through Regina's turbulent thoughts, offering a glimmer of solace amidst her turmoil. Regina hesitated for a moment before slowly making her way to the couch, her steps heavy with the weight of her emotions.

As she settled onto the soft cushions beside Wanda, Regina couldn't shake the gnawing feeling of guilt that consumed her. She had let her anger and pain cloud her judgment, lashing out at Y/n in a moment of vulnerability. Maybe that’s why you left. Maybe it’s why you couldn't sense that she needed you to stay. Because she had been so cold and distant during breakfast. And maybe it’s also why she couldn’t ask you to stay. 

They sat in silence and watched the show, Wanda smiling softly to herself at parts she found particularly funny or while she quietly recited lines that she had memorized for years.

Regina, despite being still very upset, is content to just sit and watch Wanda while she watches “I Love Lucy”. There’s something about the way that Wanda so comfortably immerses herself in the show that brings a sense of peace to Regina, if only for a moment.

"You know, you can be very mean sometimes," Wanda remarks as the episode nears its end, the characters resolving the chaos that ensued.

Regina leans forward, ready to retort, but Wanda raises a hand to halt her. "I just mean that... sometimes the things you say don't seem to reflect how you truly feel," Wanda clarifies.

Regina bristles at the implication, dismissing it outright. "That's not true," she insists, refusing to entertain the idea that she might be emotionally inept. Regina prides herself on her competence in all matters.

"Okay, then what did you say to Y/n when she mentioned she was running errands?" Wanda probes gently.

"Nothing," Regina snaps, her voice edging towards defensiveness.

Wanda sighs audibly, frustration evident in her demeanor as she reaches for the remote, preparing to turn off the TV. It's clear she feels she's getting nowhere with Regina and doesn't want to absorb her foul mood.

But just as Wanda shuts off the TV and begins to head upstairs, Regina's voice pierces the silence. It's soft and vulnerable—qualities Wanda has rarely witnessed in Regina during their brief acquaintance.

"I said... nothing," Regina murmurs, her admission hanging heavily in the air. Wanda stops and looks at Regina, seeing the pain in her eyes. She sits back down and faces Regina, giving her all of her attention. “I- I don’t know why because I wanted to say something. I wanted to tell her how stupid she was for deciding that today of all days she was gonna run off and do whatever. I wanted to yell at her for being so… so idiotic.” Regina fumes.

“Did you really want to yell at her?” Wanda asks, and Regina knows deep in her gut what the answer to that question is. And based on the way Wanda was looking at her, she knew it too.

“No… no I just.. I wanted her to stay.” Regina finally admits and it feels odd to voice something like that out loud. Even if she wasn’t directly voicing it to you. 

Wanda listens intently as Regina's words spill forth, each one heavy with emotion and vulnerability. She can sense the turmoil raging within Regina, the struggle to articulate her feelings laid bare for the first time in Wanda's presence.

"I wanted her to stay," Regina repeats, her voice filled with a raw honesty that resonates deeply with Wanda. It's a confession that carries the weight of Regina's longing, the desire for connection and support she so desperately craves.

"And why didn't you ask her to?" Wanda inquires gently, her eyes full of compassion.

Regina lets out a bitter laugh, the sound tinged with self-deprecation. "Isn't it obvious?" she begins, frustration evident in her tone. She sees the confusion in Wanda's expression and sighs heavily. "You said it yourself, I say the crappiest things to people all because I don't know how to... say things the way that I need to say them."

Regina's discomfort is palpable as she shifts uneasily in her seat, her admission laying bare her insecurities in a way she's rarely allowed herself to acknowledge. She feels exposed, vulnerable in a way that makes her skin crawl with discomfort.

"I'm not good with words, Wanda," Regina continues, her voice trembling with uncertainty. "All I know is what to say to protect or defend myself... I don't know how to be like Y/n. And what happens when my words fail me? What am I meant to do if I say the wrong thing and she just decides I'm not worth helping anymore?"

Tears threaten to spill from Regina's eyes, her composure crumbling under the weight of her fears and doubts. She feels a sense of shame wash over her, a deep-seated belief that she is unworthy of the kindness and understanding she so desperately seeks.

Wanda reaches out a comforting hand, gently squeezing Regina's shoulder in a silent gesture of support. "Regina, nobody expects you to be perfect," she says softly, her voice laced with empathy. "Least of all Y/n. I’m starting to learn that she asks us to come here because she sees who is underneath all of the despair and… hardships. She sees more than just the Evil Queen and the Scarlet Witch. She sees Regina and Wanda. But she also knows that the things we’ve done, the way that we lived, and the choices we made are a part of us. I find it hard to believe she accepts Regina without first accepting the Evil Queen.”

Regina's breath catches in her throat as she absorbs Wanda's words, her heart heavy with the weight of their truth. For so long, she had struggled to reconcile the different facets of herself—the powerful queen, the vulnerable woman, the wounded soul. And yet, here was Wanda, offering her a glimpse of acceptance and understanding that she had rarely allowed herself to hope for.

"You really think she sees me like that?" Regina whispers, her voice tinged with disbelief.

Wanda nods gently, her gaze unwavering. "I do," she affirms, her voice filled with certainty. "Y/n sees the whole picture, Regina. She sees the darkness and the light, the strength and the vulnerability. And she accepts it all because she sees the person behind the titles and the masks." Wanda’s eyes shine with tears for reasons unknown to Regina. “Sometimes… it gets hard to remember that. Trust me, I know it. But you just have to be willing to take the chance and show her these parts of yourself.” 

“What do you mean?” Regina wipes away the tears that have escaped without her permission.

“You have to tell her. When she comes back you need to tell her what you didn’t say earlier.” Wanda takes Regina’s hands in hers and squeezes it. But Regina pulls away, panic rising in her. It was easy for her to talk to Wanda about this but the thought of bringing it to your attention struck fear in her despite everything Wanda just said.

“But what if I fail? How will she know how I feel or what I mean? What if it comes out in a way that sounds condescending or—”

“If your words fail… she’ll understand,” Wanda says, and the look on her face is enough to calm the storm brewing inside of Regina. She doesn’t know why, but she believes her. Regina believes Wanda. 

It’s many, many episodes of “I Love Lucy” later when you finally come back home. Wanda is asleep, her face tucked partially behind the blanket to shield her eyes from the bright television light as she sleeps. Wanda was sprawled out on the couch with her legs lying in Regina’s lap, who was sitting quietly and watching the sitcom.

Regina hears the sound of you dropping your keys into the bowl and taking your shoes off. Her heart is pounding in tandem with the sounds of your steps as you make your way to the living room. Wanda is stirring in her sleep as she also hears the sound of the door closing and the keys hitting the bowl but she hasn’t yet opened her eyes.

You enter the living room, your presence casting a warm glow that fills the space with a sense of comfort. Regina's gaze flickers to you, her heart skipping a beat as she takes in the sight of you standing there, bathed in the soft light of the room.

"Hey," you greet, your voice carrying a gentle warmth that washes over Regina like a soothing balm. "I'm back."

Regina swallows hard, her throat suddenly dry as she meets your gaze. "Hey," she replies, her voice barely above a whisper. She feels a knot forming in her stomach, the weight of her unspoken words pressing heavily on her chest.

Wanda stirs for the final time beside her, rubbing the sleep from her eyes as she blinks up at you. "Hey, Y/n," she mumbles, her voice thick with drowsiness. "Did you get everything sorted out?"

You nod, a small smile tugging at the corners of your lips. "Yeah, everything's taken care of," you assure her, your gaze drifting to Regina. "What have you two been up to?"

Regina hesitates, her mind racing as she searches for the right words to say. She feels Wanda's hand slip into hers, offering a silent gesture of support that bolsters her resolve. Taking a deep breath, Regina meets your gaze, her heart pounding in her chest.

"We've just been watching some TV," Regina explains, her voice steady despite the turmoil swirling inside her. "Wanda fell asleep, so I decided to keep her company."

You smile warmly, a fondness shining in your eyes as you look between Regina and Wanda. "That's nice of you," you comment, your tone filled with genuine appreciation. "I'm glad you two have been keeping each other company despite the rough morning."

Regina nods, a small smile gracing her lips as she meets your gaze. "Yeah, it's been... nice," she murmurs, her voice soft but sincere. She feels a surge of courage welling up inside her, fueled by the warmth of your presence and the support of Wanda beside her.

"I, uh... there's something I wanted to talk to you about," Regina continues, her words hesitant but determined. She feels a flutter of nerves in her stomach, but she pushes through, knowing that this is her chance to say it.

You tilt your head, curiosity flickering in your eyes as you regard her. "What is it?" you ask, your voice gentle and encouraging.

Regina takes a deep breath, her heart pounding in her chest as she gathers her thoughts. "I... earlier, when you mentioned you were running errands," she begins, her voice wavering slightly but steadily. "I wanted to say something, but I... I didn't."

You listen intently, your eyes fixed on Regina as she speaks. Wanda squeezes her hand reassuringly, offering silent encouragement as Regina gathers her courage to continue.

"I... I wanted you to stay," Regina admits, her voice barely above a whisper. "I wanted to tell you how much it meant to me that you were here, even if you weren’t necessarily in the room with me. The point is I needed you to stay and you didn’t.” Regina could hear the sharp edge in her tone from her last sentence and she cringed. She’s fucking this up. She knows it and if she doesn’t reign it in right now, she'll screw it up entirely. Regina's voice falters, her words trailing off as she struggles to articulate the depth of her emotions. She feels tears pricking at the corners of her eyes, but she pushes through, determined to finally let you know how she feels.

"I was so scared to tell you those things because I knew I probably would say it wrong. But Wanda helped me realize that... that maybe it's okay to be vulnerable sometimes," Regina continues, her voice trembling but resolute. "That maybe it's okay to admit that I... that I need you. Because I do, Y/n. I need you more than I've ever wanted to admit."

Regina's confession hangs in the air, the weight of her words echoing in the quiet of the room. She meets your gaze, her heart pounding in her chest as she waits for your response, her entire being trembling with anticipation and fear.

You stand there, absorbing Regina's words with a mixture of surprise and tenderness. Her vulnerability touches something deep within you, stirring a swell of emotions that you hadn't anticipated. You can see the sincerity in her eyes, feel the raw honesty in her voice as she lays her heart bare before you.

For a moment, there's silence in the room, broken only by the soft sound of your breath and the gentle hum of the Tv that Wanda had turned down. Regina's gaze is fixed on you, her expression a tumultuous mix of hope and fear as she waits for your response.

Slowly, you step closer to where Regina sits, lowering yourself so you are crouched right in front of her, your heart beating a steady rhythm in your chest. You can feel the weight of her words hanging in the air, heavy with the unspoken longing and yearning that fills the space between you.

"I... Regina," you begin, your voice soft but filled with emotion. "I had no idea... I mean, I knew things were difficult for you today, but I didn't realize..."

You struggle to find the right words, overwhelmed by the depth of Regina's confession and the intensity of the emotions swirling inside you. You reach out a hand, gently cupping Regina's cheek, your touch a tender reassurance of your presence.

"I'm here," you whisper, your voice barely above a breath. "I'm here, Regina. And I'm not going anywhere. That goes for both of you.”

Regina's breath hitches at your words, her heart soaring with a mixture of relief and disbelief. She gazes into your eyes, seeing the sincerity and warmth reflected back at her, and a sense of peace washes over her like a gentle tide.

"Thank you," Regina murmurs, her voice trembling with emotion. "Thank you for understanding, for being here... for everything."

You offer her a tender smile, your thumb gently brushing away a stray tear that trails down her cheek. "Always," you reply softly, your voice filled with unwavering commitment.

Wanda watches the exchange with a soft smile, her heart swelling with affection for both of you. She squeezes Regina's hand reassuringly, silently offering her support and solidarity.

“Now, make room. I’m way behind on this show.” You joke as Wanda sits forward, allowing you to take place where she was before lying down in your lap. Your hand makes its way into her hair as you play with it, using your other hand to turn the volume up on the Tv. Regina smiled to herself before settling more comfortably onto the couch.

Chapter Text

Wanda’s Pov:

Wanda smiled eagerly at the sound of a knock on the door. "Oh! That must be them! I’ll go get the door, you keep on," she said to Regina, who was helping her with dinner. Regina had been reluctant to start dinner without you being home but Wanda insisted. Dinner started every night at 6 for the three of you. And Wanda liked having that routine set in stone. Even if it wasn’t always the three of you present… dinner still started at 6. 

Plus tonight's dinner would be special. You had invited a group of your friends over to meet Wanda and Regina. You presented the idea to them the other day when one of your friends mentioned having a get-together and you realized that you hadn’t gotten around to introducing your friends to Wanda and Regina. For the last month in a half… you’ve kind of just kept them to yourself. But that all ended today because now they were coming over for dinner and games. You left out about a half hour ago so you could pick up a few essentials for the night, including more board games after Wanda learned that the only games you have are Monopoly and Uno cards. 

As Wanda took off her apron and wiped her hands, Regina shot her a displeased look before exiting the kitchen. Opening the door, Wanda was greeted by two individuals: a tall blonde with striking blue eyes and deep dimples, accompanied by a shorter blonde with equally mesmerizing eyes. There was a subtle resemblance between the two.

The taller woman smiled charmingly at Wanda, extending her hand. "You must be one of the lovely women staying with Y/n. It’s nice to finally meet you," she said warmly.

“Wanda. The pleasure is mine! Please come in. Y/n’s not back yet, and we were just finishing up dinner,” Wanda replied, leading the guests inside. Suddenly, the clatter of metal hitting the floor caught her attention.

She glanced incredulously at Regina. “I hope you didn’t just drop our dinner like that,” Wanda scolded, hurrying to pick up the thankfully empty pot. It was clear to Wanda now that she had been heading towards the sink to discard the dirty pot when it fell.

Regina's eyes widened in recognition, her suspicions intensifying as she stared at the taller blonde. "What are you doing here? How... How are you here? How did you find me?" she asked, her tone laced with disbelief. She tugged on Wanda's arm, prompting her to straighten up with the pot in her hand, instinctively positioning herself protectively in front of Wanda.

"Regina? What are you talking about?! You’re being rude to Y/n’s friends," Wanda chided gently, her confusion evident in her voice as she moved past Regina to set the pot down. It is not unlike Regina to be rude to guests… but she had expected that Regina wouldn’t outright show her ass to your friends . 

Regina hesitated, torn between her gut feeling and the reality in front of her. "Ingrid— I thought that you— But... they can't be here. It's impossible," she murmured, her gaze flickering between the strangers and Wanda, searching for some semblance of understanding.

“I’m sorry? My name is not Ingrid… it’s Anna. You must have me mistaken for someone else. And this is my sister Rhea.” the taller blonde, Anna says, shyly moving to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear.

“Anna. How ironic.” Regina mumbled to herself.

Wanda glanced between Regina and Anna, a furrow forming on her brow. "Regina, darling, are you feeling alright?" she asked, concern lacing her voice. "Anna and Rhea are just Y/n’s friends.”

Regina shook her head slightly, her mind swirling with confusion and suspicion. "Anna... right. And Rhea. My apologies, it's just... uncanny," she mumbled, trying to compose herself.

Anna offered a sympathetic smile, though a hint of confusion flashed in her eyes. "No worries at all. People often say I have one of those faces," she quipped, attempting to lighten the mood.

Before Regina could respond, the doorbell rang again, interrupting the tense atmosphere. Wanda shot Regina a concerned glance before moving to answer it.

Wanda goes to open the door, and the smile on her face is completely wiped away. “Oh dear god,” Wanda muttered to herself when she was met with the face of none other than Darcy Lewis. And beside her… Sam Wilson? She doesn’t even want to get into the fact that she has never seen the two in a room together.

“I’m sorry?” The Sam look-alike spoke up, confusion evident on his face. Wanda straightened up immediately.

“My apologies, I just assumed it would um, be Y/n returning home. Anywho come in.” Wanda ushers them inside with a tense smile, leading them to where the others were in the kitchen. “So how about you all head to the living room… we’re just going to call to see where Y/n is and finish up with the food in here and we’ll be right out,” Wanda suggested, her smile strained. 

Her eyes quickly glanced over to Regina beside her who was still looking a bit bewildered at the blondes. She elbows Regina in the arm a lot less discretely than she had intended and Regina straightens up, mumbling a soft ‘ow’ before smiling oddly at the guest. 

“Alright..” Anna says before leading herself and the others towards the living room. 

It isn’t until everyone is out of earshot that Regina finally speaks up, “One thing I have never been is crazy. I know those two Wanda. I’m telling you. They come from the enchanted forest—”

“Five minutes ago I probably would've told you that you're insane but… I literally just welcomed people who look just like Sam and Darcy.” Wanda says, pacing back and forth in front of Regina.

“Who the hell are Sam and Darcy?” Regina asks.

“Not important. What’s important is that Y/n get back here because I’m starting to freak out and I don’t want to freak out with guests here— least of all Y/n’s friends. But it’s just so odd. What are the chances that Y/n’s friends are people that we know? Or at least look like people that we know. It’s insane and unlikely—”

“Okay, you’re rambling. Stop it.” Regina stops Wanda from pacing, looking her straight in the eyes.

“Right. Okay. Alright, let’s uh... Call Y/n to see where she is.” Wanda says matter-of-factly, heading for her phone that is on the counter. She dials your number as Regina paces the length of the kitchen. Her pacing was not really helping the unease Wanda felt but before she could comment on it, she heard your voice.

“Hey, what's up?” Wanda hears you say along with some shuffling of what sounds like bags.

“Hey. So um… a few of your friends have already started showing up and you know without you here to kind of,I don’t know, be the buffer it’s just a little odd. Plus you know we just feel a little strange and—”

“Oh for Christ's sake!” Regina rolls her eyes and pulls the phone directly out of Wanda’s tight grasp. “Y/n, please do me the favor of hurrying the hell up and getting back here! You can’t just leave us here with unknown people. Or at least people who claim to be unknown.” Wanda reaches for the phone again, honestly kind of thankful for Regina’s interruption of her rambling.

“What do you mean they claim to be unknown?” The question is evident in your tone.

Wanda’s heart pounded in her chest as she exchanged a worried glance with Regina. She could sense Regina's tension mirroring her own, and the unease in the air seemed to thicken with each passing moment. Regina handed the phone back to Wanda, who quickly tried to regain her composure.

“Y/n, please just hurry back. We’ll explain everything when you get here,” Wanda pleaded, her voice trembling slightly.

“Alright, alright. I’ll be there in fifteen,” you reassured, sensing the urgency in their voices.

Wanda sighed in relief as she ended the call, but her relief was short-lived as the weight of the situation settled heavily upon her. She turned to Regina, her eyes searching for answers they both knew she couldn’t provide.

“What are we going to do?” Wanda whispered, her voice barely audible over the sounds of distant chatter coming from the living room.

Regina shook her head, her expression troubled. “I don’t know, Wanda. But we need to be prepared for anything.”

As they made their way to the living room, Wanda couldn’t shake the feeling of impending dread that hung over them like a dark cloud. The sight of your friends mingling with Anna, Rhea, Darcy, and the Sam look-alike only intensified her unease.

Anna noticed their approach and flashed them a warm smile. “Everything alright?” she asked, her tone laced with concern.

Wanda forced a smile, though it felt strained. “Everything’s fine. Y/n will be back soon,” she replied, though her words felt hollow even to her own ears.

Regina remained silent, her gaze fixed on the strangers before her. Wanda could see the gears turning in her mind, trying to make sense of the impossible situation they found themselves in

“Well, while we wait, why don’t you ladies tell us about yourselves? I mean Y/n gives us little tidbits about you guys but never what you do, why you’re here. You know, things other than your favorite cereal or how long it takes you to get ready.” Anna smiled encouragingly towards Wanda and Regina.

Wanda exchanged a glance with Regina, silently conveying her uncertainty about how much to reveal. But with the tension thick in the air and the sense of impending danger looming, she knew they couldn't keep evading the truth.

"We... we're not exactly from around here," Wanda began cautiously, her voice tinged with apprehension. “We visited the bar a lot and Y/n seemed to take notice of that and offered us a place.” 

“Ah, so you two were friends before? Where are you from?” The Darcy look alike sits forward in her seat as if she already knows the answers to both questions, leaving an uncomfortable feeling in Wanda’s chest. 

“Oh please. Us? Friends before this? Maybe if she developed a better sense of fashion that wasn’t so 1950’s housewife and grew a backbone or two… then sure, in another life we were the best of friends.” Regina smirks, earning her an elbow jab.

“Hey! There's nothing wrong with the way I dress. And the other day you told me you liked my purple romper.” Regina simply shrugs her shoulders, muttering about how both statements can be true at the same time. 

“So then you’re not from the same place?”

Just as Wanda clears her throat to try and find a way to respond to that line of questioning, there's a knock at the door.

“That better be Y/n or so help me–” Regina starts and Wanda is quick to grab her by the arm and pull her towards the door.

“Is this what behaving yourself looks like? If so.. Do a better job!” Wanda scolds. “Do you really think I dress like a 1950’s housewife?” Wanda stopped just short of the door in the foyer, crossing her arms over her chest. Suddenly she wasn’t so sure about her choice of clothing. Maybe the dress was too much? Or perhaps the shoes...

“Darling, I meant that as a… somewhat compliment. Just because I couldn’t fathom putting it on doesn't mean you don’t make it work.” Regina assures Wanda, pulling her arms from around her waist just as you come bursting through the door.

“God, what took you two so long? You didn’t hear the knock?” Wanda and Regina exchanged a glance, a mixture of relief and apprehension washing over them as you entered the room. Wanda rushed to greet you with a tight hug, while Regina stood back, her gaze fixed on the newcomers still sitting in the living room.

"We... uh, we didn't hear it. Sorry," Wanda said, her voice slightly muffled against your shoulder.

You pulled back, studying their expressions with concern. "Is everything alright?" you asked, noticing the tension in the air.

“No! Everything’s not alright. Your friends are the spitting image of people we know. And Anna? Something feels off about her.” Regina whispers to you, pulling you away from the foyer and into the kitchen with Wanda trailing behind. 

“What are you talking about?” Your eyebrows pull together concerningly.

“Well, you know that we’re not necessarily from your world. But those people out there, they look like people from ours. It’s bizarre and ridiculous.” Regina recounts.

“Mhm sure, and why Anna specifically.”

“Well if you only knew the drama surrounding that. Anna looks like the evil snow queen who, as crazy as it sounds, tried to kill off her niece so she could replace her and become her other niece's sister. And you know what her niece's name was?” Regina looks between you and Wanda as she speaks, her voice rising in pitch slightly.

“What was it?” Wanda asks.

“Anna!” Regina whisper-shouts.

“Oh my gosh, this all but confirms Lor’s theory that there are different versions of us walking around living separate lives. God she’s going to be so stoked when she finds out about this. Have you guys met her yet, is she here?” You ramble on.

Regina smacks your arm, hard. “Y/n! This isn't funny. I’m serious. It's seriously unnerving.” you paused, realizing the gravity of the situation. The tension in the room was palpable, and Regina's words struck a chord with you. They were spooked.

"I... I'm sorry, guys. I didn't mean to make light of it," you said, your tone somber. “But I can assure you. My friends are all good people. I've known them forever. So they look like some people you know. I’m sure it’s just as I said… doppelgangers of familiar faces. Who knows, maybe there's a version of me that was in each of your universes that you never got to meet. This is… no different.”

Regina and Wanda exchanged a skeptical glance, uncertainty clouding their expressions. The idea of doppelgangers and honestly not completely lost on them, even with how uncomfortable it felt. But they could see the sincerity in your eyes.

"I understand that it's hard to wrap your head around. Believe me, everything that’s been happening since I met you has felt that way.," you continued, your voice tinged with empathy. "But trust me, everything will be fine. My friends are harmless. Whatever resemblance they bear to people from your past, it's purely coincidental."

Wanda nodded slowly, her expression softening as she took in your words. "I suppose... it's possible," she conceded, though her unease still lingered beneath the surface.

Regina remained silent for a moment, her gaze fixed on the floor as she processed your reassurances. Finally, she looked up, a determined glint in her eyes. "Alright. We'll give them the benefit of the doubt... for now," she said, her voice firm.

You smiled gratefully, relieved that they were willing to trust you and your friends. "Thank you," you said sincerely. "Let's try to enjoy the evening, alright? We'll deal with any... oddities later."

Wanda grabbed your arm just as you and Regina were getting ready to exit the kitchen. “Before we go back in there… Do you think I dress like a 1950’s housewife?” Wanda worried her lip in between her teeth. 

You chuckled softly and shook your head, “You have got to stop listening to everything Regina says. I think you dress fine.” You reassure her.

“I never said she doesn’t dress fine! There’s nothing wrong with dressing like a housewife.” Regina shrugs, defending herself. 

“What does that even mean ?” Wanda exaggerates. You let out another chuckle before the doorbell rings again. 

“Come on… let’s go get the door and feed our guests.” You tug Regina and Wanda behind you, listening to them bicker about clothes the entire way. 

Chapter Text

Your POV:

“Yes. I will be there in another 30 minutes, and then I can meet you at the venue to take a look. Okay, that works.” You hang up the phone, a notepad balanced on your knee, as you hurriedly jot down tasks that need handling by the day’s end. The list is for Julien, who’s become your second-in-command over the past two years. Julien handles the bar seamlessly, mirroring your standards in every way—organized, clean, and meticulous. He's stepped up even more lately since Wanda and Regina have taken up much of your free time recently. And while you are so grateful for Julien’s help, you know that you need to hire more help so that the bar can continue to work smoothly in your absence.

The bar isn’t your only responsibility, after all. In addition to owning it, you run a catering service and serve as a director on a nonprofit board helping recovering people with an addiction. It’s a juggling act, but that’s why you began training Julien long ago—one day, you knew someone else would need to oversee things here.

Finishing your notes, you lock up your office and step out. Julien is in his makeshift workspace; you don’t waste a moment. “Julien, hey, I have some things I need to take care of today, so I’m leaving you in charge,” You start rambling on as you hand over the list, “Something came up with this big catering event, and they need me to come down to the venue to check it out. I need you to have these things done for me, please. Oh, and there’s also supposed to be an interview or two today for new hires. I’m sure you could get Sandra to do it, but you know how she is. It’s your call.” Julien rolls his eyes with a smirk. “Didn’t you say you have somewhere to be? Don’t worry. I’ve got it covered. You’re wasting time.”

You chuckle, nodding. “Alright. I’m off then.”

Sliding into your car and pulling up the GPS, you barely get a chance to pull out of the parking lot before your phone rings. Regina. A sinking feeling settles in your stomach as you answer.

“Hey, are you going to be back home anytime soon? The movie starts in about an hour and a half.”

Shit. Dinner and the movies—you completely forgot. You squeeze your eyes shut frustratedly and mutter about how stupid you are. You completely forgot that you had promised Wanda and Regina that you’d take them out to dinner and the movies.

They have been particularly unhappy with you for the last three weeks because your work schedule has been getting busier and busier by the day. While initially, they understood your demanding roles, it started getting tiresome when you would make plans with them only to bail out at the last minute with unexpected work duties. “Is Wanda with you? Can she hear me?” you ask, rubbing your temples. When Wanda hums into the phone, you take a breath and park outside the venue.

“I’m so sorry, but I must take a raincheck. You can still go without me—the tickets are online, and I’ll send the email. The dinner reservation is in my name, and you can take the Camaro.”

“You can’t be serious.” Regina’s tone cuts through the car speaker, and you can practically see the look on her face right now, and you cringe inwardly. “You promised. You said this time would be different,” Wanda’s voice is soft, but her disappointment stings more than anger.

“I know, I know. And I really intended to keep that promise.” You look down at the time on your phone. You need to be heading in right now, but if you just hang up on them before they can express themselves, you’ll come home to a house of moody witches, which you do not want. “Listen… I’m sorry. Something has–”

“–Come up with work? Yes, we know.” Before you can even get a word in, Regina hangs up on you, effectively silencing whatever words of apologies are getting ready to tumble out of your mouth. You sigh, resting your head against the steering wheel.

A knock at the window startles you, and you look up to see Christie, your head chef, standing outside. Taking a deep breath, you step out of the car and follow her into the venue. “So, what’s the emergency?”

“The venue owners informed us of a power outage that knocked out refrigeration,” she explains, eyes shifting nervously.

Your steps falter. “What? Have they called anyone to fix it?” You glance around at the prepared food, dread knotting in your stomach.

Christie shrugs helplessly. “I don’t know, but the food is at risk if we don’t resolve this quickly.”

You nod, managing a calming smile. “It’s not your fault. Let’s get everything ready for transport, just in case.” *Time Jump*

As you finally make it home, exhaustion grips you, weighing down every step as you push through the door. Your heart sinks the moment you spot them: Regina standing with her arms tightly crossed, an eyebrow raised in silent judgment, while Wanda is seated on the couch, her gaze fixed on the floor, expression unreadable. The air in the room is thick, and you know immediately—this won’t be a quick apology and forgiveness moment.

Before you can get a word out, Regina’s voice slices through the silence. “Nice of you to show up. I almost forgot what time the dinner and movie was supposed to be,” she says, sarcasm dripping from each word.

“Regina—” You begin, but she doesn’t let you finish.

“No, you don’t get to ‘Regina’ your way out of this,” she snaps, her arms unfolding as she steps forward. “Do you have any idea how long we waited for you tonight? We thought maybe this time—this time—you’d actually keep your word. And I really can’t stand liars.”

“Look, I know this is frustrating. Believe me, it’s not how I planned tonight,” You say, your voice edging toward a plea. “I didn’t expect things at the venue to spiral like they did, and I thought I’d be home sooner until I got called in—”

Wanda cuts in, her voice quieter but somehow more piercing. Wanda’s voice is barely above a whisper, but it cuts right through you. “You always think you’ll be home sooner. Every time, you promise you’ll be here, and every time, you aren’t. It wasn’t like this before.” She lifts her gaze, and the hurt in her eyes hits harder than any words could.

“Wanda, I know it feels like I’m letting you down, but it’s not because I don’t care,” You say, your voice faltering as you reach out instinctively. But she shifts just slightly, and your hand falls back to your side.

“Not because you don’t care?” Regina echoes, scoffing as she crosses her arms again. “You could have fooled us. You knew how much tonight meant, how long it’s been since we had even a moment to spend together. But here we are, waiting for you again. It's like we’re some afterthought, and you can pick it up when it’s convenient.”

The weight of her words sinks in, each one pressing into you with uncomfortable clarity. “It wasn’t supposed to be this way—I didn’t want to leave you both hanging. I’m juggling so much right now, and I keep thinking I’ll find a way to balance it all. But tonight… tonight just got away from me.” You start pacing, scrambling to find anything to say to make this all okay. “I’m trying, you know? At work, I’ve already started looking for candidates to lighten my load, and I really think that if you just give me more time—”

Regina’s laugh is humorless, her expression somewhere between disappointment and frustration. “Do you hear yourself? You’re the one who’s leaving us hanging, and you’re still justifying it.” She shakes her head, and you catch the flicker of something in her eyes—resentment, maybe even regret.

Wanda speaks up again, her tone softer, but the edge is unmistakable. “You’re making time for everything else—your work, commitments, hell, even your friends. But us?” She glances at Regina, her expression shadowed with something you can’t quite place. “When do we get to matter?”

You open your mouth to respond, but the words don’t come. Because how can you tell them they’re wrong when they’re right? You had gone out to lunch last week with Ingrid, but it had been purely coincidental. You happened to be simultaneously at the same place, but that didn't matter to Regina and Wanda. What mattered was that you had managed to squeeze her into your “tight schedule,” but not them.

The silence stretches, heavy and dense, as the reality of what you’ve let happen begins to settle around you. Regina’s expression hardens, her eyes narrowing as she takes in your hesitation.

“Save it,” she says, her voice cold. “If you can’t even tell us what we mean to you, then maybe that says enough.” She brushes past you, her footsteps fading down the hall until you hear her door close with a resolute thud.

Wanda stands too, her gaze flickering to you for just a second before drifting away, like she’s searching for words she can’t quite bring herself to say. She doesn’t look angry, exactly—that would be easier to handle. Instead, there’s a soft, broken sadness in her eyes, a quiet pain that roots you in place, leaving you almost paralyzed with guilt.

“Wanda,” You begin, your voice catching as the weight of everything you want to say presses hard against your throat. “Please… try to understand. I swear, I don’t mean to keep letting you down or to be this… this distracted all the time. There’s work, and my friends constantly need something, and—”

“Stop,” she whispers, her words laced with resignation. “Please, just… stop.”

She glances down, a bitter smile pulling at her lips as she tugs absently at the sleeves of her sweater. Her fingers move like she’s trying to ground herself, like the words she’s saying are more challenging to bear than you know. “Regina’s angry, yes,” she says softly, still not meeting your eyes. “But me? I’m… I’m just confused. I don’t know what to think anymore.”

You’re bewildered, staring at her, wanting to refute whatever she’s about to say, to somehow reach out and undo all of this. The look in her eyes makes you want to quit everything, drop all your jobs, leave all the work, stop everything you’re doing– hell, stop the world from spinning just to be here, exactly how they need you to be. But you can’t. You can't just abandon all the years of hard work you put into your jobs. There was once a time when these responsibilities were the only thing you had to remind yourself that people can turn their lives around. There's a happy ending just around the corner if you can get support. And you were that support for so many of your regular bar customers or long-time clients for events. Not to mention the immense amount of help you’ve been with the nonprofit organization for people with an addiction. To abandon all those responsibilities feels… selfish in a way you can’t get past.

Her eyes finally meet yours, and they’re shimmering, pained, her voice raw. “You asked us to come here. You said you’d be here for us, help us through everything… you promised. And I wanted to believe you, to feel like we finally mattered to someone. And for a while… I sort of did. I mattered. So why all of a sudden has that changed?” She lets out a shaky breath, looking away again, her expression tightening with something that cuts into you deeper than anger ever could. “And… Why would you say all of that if you knew you didn’t have the time? Why would you make us believe you’d be here when you knew you’d always be somewhere else?”

The silence stretched painfully, each word she left hanging in the air settling like a weight you don’t know how to lift. You try to speak, to find anything that could make this right, but nothing feels enough. Her question is all that remains, like a quiet devastation between us that you can’t reach across. Wanda just watches you for a second, her face soft with a sadness that’s impossible to bear, before turning and disappearing down the hall.

And you’re left alone, the hollow ache of her words echoing in the silence, realizing that for the first time, maybe she doesn’t believe you anymore.

You wake up the next morning feeling heavy, the weight of last night pressing down with a relentless ache that makes it hard to breathe. Your phone buzzes on the nightstand, a reminder that the world outside your thoughts is still moving, still pulling you forward.

Reluctantly, you reach for it, squinting against the bright screen as Julien’s name flashes. You hesitate, knowing that whatever he’s calling about is only going to pull you further from where you want to be right now. You exhale slowly, then swipe to answer.

“Julien?”

“Hey,” he says, his voice edged with urgency. “So I did as you asked and interviewed those candidates you’ve lined up. Sandra and I did an equal number of interviews to cover the ground more quickly, but you know how she is. We can’t come to an agreement on which candidate is perfect. I want you to come in and review them and their resumes. I was hoping you could come by for a few hours to sit with them. Your input would be huge here because I know you want this place to be a haven for people who need it. I think it’s important we find that perfect match.” You guess your lingering pause is noticeable because Julien adds in, “I promise not to keep you long, just a few hours.”

A couple of hours. It sounds so simple, so easy, but all you can think of is the quiet hurt and the unspoken words from last night. Part of you wants to say no, to tell Julien to handle it himself. But then you feel that familiar pull, that responsibility, the nagging feeling that something crucial might slip through the cracks if you don't go.

“Alright,” You say finally, forcing some brightness into your tone. “I’ll be there soon.”

The line clicks off, leaving you alone in the stillness of the morning. With a sigh, you push yourself out of bed, going through the motions of getting ready with that same heaviness pressing on your chest. Every small task, from brushing your hair to buttoning up your shirt, feels heavier, each step taking you further from what you need to make right at home.

As you head downstairs, the smell of breakfast fills the air, warm and inviting in a way that only makes the knot in your stomach tighter. Rounding the corner, you see them—Regina at the stove, flipping pancakes, her movements calm and precise, while Wanda plates a fresh batch of scrambled eggs. They’re standing close, exchanging quiet words that you can’t hear, and something about the quiet familiarity between them tugs at you, reminding you of everything you're still on the outside of.

Clearing your throat, you take a step forward. Both turn, but the tension is immediate, settling like a wall between us.

“Good morning,” You manage, trying for a smile, though it falters under their expectant gazes. “I… just wanted to let you know I’ll be heading out for a few hours. Julien needs my help with interviewing the candidates for the manager position.”

Wanda’s gaze falls, and though her face is calm, her shoulders tighten. Regina’s expression shifts, a familiar flicker of exasperation crossing her features as she sets down the spatula with a clatter, crossing her arms.

“Of course he does,” Regina says, her voice edged with barely-concealed frustration. “Wouldn’t be a normal day if something didn’t need your attention.”

The words sting, even though you know she’s right. “It’s just for a few hours,” you say softly, almost to yourself. “I’ll be back by early afternoon.”

Regina raises an eyebrow, her skepticism clear. “You say that every time. ‘Just a few hours,’ ‘just a little longer.’” Her tone is laced with bitterness. “But we both know how that usually goes.”

Wanda stays quiet, her eyes focused on the counter as she slowly finishes arranging the food. She says nothing, but the silence itself is heavy, filled with words she won’t say.

You feel the urge to explain yourself, to justify why you have to go, but there’s no point; you’ve been here before, and it’s always the same story. With a nod, you turn toward the door, each step echoing with a hollowness that makes it hard to keep moving forward. But you do, pushing open the door and stepping out, leaving them behind, knowing that with every minute, you’re slipping further away from what matters most. As you step out, closing the door behind you, the morning sun feels jarringly bright against the gray cloud in your chest. Your home, which once felt like your sanctuary, feels increasingly like a place you’re intruding on rather than returning to.

You take a deep breath, steeling yourself for the day ahead, but a sense of dread gnaws at you even as you try to shake off the heaviness. Every step you take away from home feels like another promise you can’t keep. Their words echo in the silence like they’re carved into the air around you, their weight following you into the car, settling in the passenger seat like a haunting presence.

For a moment, you hesitate. Your hand rests on the gear shift, your thoughts slipping back to the kitchen, to the brief flicker of hope you caught in Wanda’s eyes before you let her down again. You could go back inside right now. Tell Julien you’ll find another time; your priorities must be here. But a quiet, stubborn voice—the one that keeps you loyal to the demands of work—reminds you how much Julien needs you and how you’ve built this life with a certain dedication you can’t just ignore.

With a reluctant exhale, you pull out of the driveway, the empty promise lingering in the rearview mirror as you drive toward yet another obligation.

Chapter Text

Unfortunately, I am here today to let you all know that I can no longer continue this story. I no longer know what direction I want to take this story in and everytime I am open the doc, I am frustrated to find that I no longer have anything to say for this fic. I no longer hold the same ability to convey the thoughts and emotions of these characters the same way I once did. and I have decided to orphan this work and discontinue this story. But I am offering this story up to any writers more talented than I who have any ideas for this, I am now taking a step back from this fic and I am so sorry to all those who have waited patiently for an update and to all those who commented to keep me encouraged. Love you guys the most <3.