Chapter Text
The Quinjet glided smoothly through the air, cutting across the sky with a quiet, persistent hum. Inside, the atmosphere was calm, though heavy with unspoken tension. Wanda Maximoff sat in one of the sleek, metal chairs, her arms tightly crossed over her chest as if trying to protect herself from the world outside. The inside of the jet was spotless and minimalist—its high-tech design. The low blue glow of the controls in the cockpit, the soft hiss of air systems, and the steady thrum of the engines were the only sounds breaking the silence.
Wanda stared blankly out the window, her mind a storm of thoughts. The sky was a pale blue, the kind that made everything seem deceptively calm. Below them, the sprawl of New York City began to take shape, with its towering skyscrapers and never-ending streets of glass and steel. The city was foreign to her, She had been here once before, with Pietro… Pietro…
The Quinjet’s path tilted slightly, signalling their descent toward the Avengers Tower, the massive structure that loomed over the skyline like a modern-day fortress. To Wanda, it wasn’t just a building; it was a symbol of everything that had happened. Everything that had led her here. Her life in Sokovia felt like another world now—a world shattered by Ultron, by war, and by loss. Pietro , she thought, her chest tightening at the memory of her brother. It was impossible to think of Sokovia without thinking of him. The pain of losing him was still raw, like a wound that refused to heal.
“Wanda… Hey, kid, we’re here. Welcome to the States,” Clint’s voice came from across the cabin, gentle but hesitant.
Wanda blinked, startled out of her thoughts. She turned her head slowly toward him, but her eyes remained distant, unfocused. The thick Sokovian accent was unmistakable as she responded, her voice quiet and strained. “Already?” She had barely noticed the passing of time on the flight.
Clint watched her, his brows furrowed with concern. He had seen that look before—the thousand-yard stare of someone who had been through hell and was still trying to claw their way out of it. Wanda had been through more than most. He knew the darkness she was struggling with, and though he wanted to help, he also knew there wasn’t much he could say to make it better. He had his own demons. “Yeah,” he said softly, glancing out the window. “It goes by quickly.”
Wanda didn’t answer. Instead, she turned back toward the window, the towering figure of the Avengers Tower now dominating the view. Her fingers unconsciously tightened around her arms, gripping her sleeves like a lifeline. Her mind raced. Not even a week ago, Pietro was here with me. We were fighting together. Now I’m alone. What am I supposed to do here? How am I supposed to live in this place?
Beside her, Vision sat silently, his posture as composed and poised as always. Though he didn’t speak, Wanda felt his attention turn to her every so often. His crimson face was calm, his blue eyes fixed on her with a kind of careful curiosity.
Clint sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “You’re with us now, Wanda. You don’t have to figure it all out today.”
His voice was soft but insistent, and for a brief moment, Wanda turned her eyes toward him, acknowledging his words with a small nod. She appreciated Clint—he was the first to make her feel like part of something, even when she hadn’t trusted herself to belong. But no amount of words could ease the pain that gnawed at her.
The Quinjet touched down with a subtle lurch as they landed on the platform high above the city, the unmistakable Avengers logo looming large on the helipad. As the doors opened with a hydraulic hiss, the brisk spring air rushed in, carrying with it the distant hum of the city below. Wanda’s heart began to race. The city was so close now, and the noise and chaos of it were reaching her even up here. She could sense the lives of the people below—millions of them, each going about their day, completely unaware of the battle raging within her.
She rose slowly from her seat, but her movements were stiff, almost reluctant. Clint and Vision were already moving toward the exit, their steps sure and confident. Wanda lagged behind, her feet dragging as if the weight of everything was physically pulling her down. She stepped out onto the platform, her gaze immediately drawn to the towering figure of Avengers Tower in front of her. The wind tugged at her hair, and for a moment, she stood frozen, the sheer scale of the building and the city beneath it pressing down on her.
It was too much.
She could feel her heart pounding in her chest, her pulse quickening as the noise of the city seemed to grow louder in her ears. She hadn’t expected it to feel like this—so overwhelming, so suffocating. Sokovia had been a world of ruins and silence, a place where the threat of war had been constant, but it had been her home. Here, everything moved so fast, so loud, that she felt like she might be swallowed by it.
Clint noticed her hesitation and paused just before the door, looking back at her with a gentle smile. “One step at a time, Wanda. That’s all you need to do. Just take it one step at a time.”
His words were meant to be reassuring, but Wanda couldn’t help but feel like she was drowning in the enormity of what lay ahead. One step at a time , she repeated to herself, though it felt hollow.
Vision hovered nearby, always the observer. His gaze followed her closely, his expression inscrutable but not unkind. He didn’t say anything—perhaps because he didn’t know what to say, or perhaps because he understood that nothing needed to be said. He simply waited, patient as ever, his quiet presence a stark contrast to the chaos that raged inside her.
Taking a deep breath, Wanda forced herself to move forward, her steps slow and deliberate. The wind whipped around her as she followed Clint and Vision inside, the warmth of the building contrasting sharply with the cool air outside. The hallways were sleek and modern, glowing with soft lights that made everything seem even more sterile. It was the opposite of everything she had known—cold, impersonal, yet somehow... safe.
But as they moved deeper into the tower, Wanda couldn’t shake the feeling that she didn’t belong here. She was a step behind everyone else, literally and figuratively, trapped between the world she had left behind and the one she was trying to step into. What am I even doing here?
Clint glanced back at her one last time, offering another reassuring smile, but the worry in his eyes remained. “You’re with us now, Wanda,” he said again as if trying to make her believe it.
Wanda nodded, but the uncertainty still clung to her. The weight of her powers, her grief, her anger—it all felt like too much. The future was a blur, and for now, all she could do was follow Clint’s advice: one step at a time.