Chapter 10
When Wanda woke up, she felt odd. Her skin felt soft and smooth and her body felt light. Cleanliness, something that was so foreign that it felt heavenly. The room was warm and even the air smelt clean, not the usual damp mustiness that she had grown so accustomed to. But she was only granted a few moments of peace before she felt all that had happened crash into her. She bolted up only for her head to protest with a splitting headache.
“It’s okay, Wanda” she heard the calm and sweet voice of her brother.
Her body relaxed and she allowed herself to fall back down to the soft downy pillow she was blessed with.
“Daj was right,” her brother said with such glee and joy that it seemed to brighten the entire world. “Tata came back! Tata saved us.”
She felt a strong and calloused hand gently brush her face and she couldn’t help but to lean into the loving touch.
“Tata” she whispered.
“Yes, my baby, I’m here” her father’s voice responded.
A blanket was pulled back up over her chest which seemed to ach more than it should. For a moment, she was confused; but then she burst into tears.
“My babies” she cried, “I killed my babies.”
Pietro’s arms as well as her father’s wrapped around her as she thrashed in agony. They tried to whisper comforts to her but she could not hear them. All she could hear was the cries of her children that she had heard for only a brief moment. She hadn’t gotten the chance to name them or hold them against her heart or tell them she loved them.
“I killed my babies,” she sobbed.
Her powers began to creep out of her and threw her family away from her. Her father surged towards Pietro and managed to use himself to shield the boy before they hit the wall, cracking through the drywall.
“No,” she scratched, trying to regain control before she killed the rest of her family.
Her powers did not listen. Instead they strengthened and began to flood out of her, ripping through anything they came in contact with. Her fear overtook her as she saw everything around her turn to dust before it all stopped.
“Wanda Maximoff” a strong yet calming voice spoke in her head.
“W-Who are you?” she asked.
“I am Charles Xavier” it responded, “I am a friend of your father.”
“W-What are you d-doing to me?”
“Fear not, little one. I have simply made a telepathic link between us; but don’t worry, I can not see any more of your thoughts than you can mine.”
“You're like me” Wanda realized, “Like us.”
“If by like you, you mean mutant, then yes”
“I… my babies”
“I am deeply sorry for you lost, Wanda” Charles mourned, “I know you loved them deeply but understand that none of this is your fault.”
“I was the one who killed them” she wept, “It was me!”
“No, it was them. They were the ones who did this to them and you; and I am sorry it took us so long to find you.”
Wanda looked around the room at her powers that had been frozen in place. While most of the medical equipment had been turned to ash, her father stood in front of her brother, shielding them both with his powers.
“How is he doing this?” she wondered.
“Erik was given the gift to manipulate electromagnetic fields,” Charles explained, “He is quite powerful, like you.”
“Do you think he could teach me?” she asked, looking at her hands. “To control them, I mean.”
“I do not know but I have no doubt that he will try”
Wanda couldn’t help but smile.
“I have a school” Charles said, “For gifted youngsters like yourself. Erik works there with me and many other mutants. There are quite a few children like you that go there. Would you like to see?”
Wanda nodded and the room was replaced by an open yard with lush green grass and colorful flowers. There was a fountain that glittered in the sunlight in front of a giant stone mansion. Dozens of children of all ages and some adults were in the yard talking and playing. Wanda walked up to a brunette with a white streak and leather jacket laughing with a ginger.
“That is Anna Marie and Jean Grey” Charles materialized in front of her. “Jean was one of my first students and Anna Marie- well she prefers Rogue- is new to the school. I think you three would get along quite well.”
“And that?” she pointed to a man with a strange pair of glasses looking at the ginger.
“Is Scott” Charles smiled, “He and Jean are dating.”
“Like my Tata and Daj”
“Maybe one day”
Wanda began to walk through the school and examined the different people. There was a man completely made of ice, another was blue with a long tail, and a rapid looking guy smoking a cigar. They all were so different, like her, like Pietro.
“There are over a hundred kids at my school” Charles said, “Some live here all year round while others only during the school year. They learn the basics, maths, literature, science, as well as how to use and control their gifts.”
“And after they graduate?”
“They are welcome to stay or they can leave. It’s really up to them. Take Ororo”
A tall woman with white hair materialized in front of Wanda. She reached out to touch her but her hand went through the woman’s arm.
“This is merely an illusion” Charles explained, “An imagine that I am sharing with you.”
“So none of this is real?” Wanda sighed.
“My school and these people are real but just aren’t here” Charles explained, “Anyways, Ororo is one of the many who have chosen to stay with me. She teaches at the school and helps guide and comfort the young mutants that come and go.”
A red glow emerged from Wanda’s hand and the woman burst into red before fading away. The young girl shuttered back and the illusion began to get darker.
“I’m too dangerous to be here” she muttered, her eyes wide with horror.
The ground around her began to crack and the red glow began to snack around her.
“Maybe Pietro could find peace but I’ll hurt these people”
The ground shook underneath Wanda’s feet and she tried to run away but found that she couldn’t go anywhere.
“Wanda!” Charles called out, panic clear in his voice. “Wanda, you need to find a way to relax.”
“I’m too dangerous,” she cried, whipping her tears. “I’m a monster.”
The illusion exploded and Wanda was back in the ward with her powers surrounding her. She could see her father straining to protect himself and her brother. Pietro gripped their father’s leg trying to shield himself. The walls were being ripped apart slowly and she could see frozen people rushing towards the ward.
“Wanda,” Charles's voice said again, but much calmer.
Wanda turned around and to her surprise, she could see a bald man looking at her.
“Wanda, you are not a monster”
“Look at this” she gestured to the room, “Look at this!”
“You’re scared. Mutant abilities heighten when they are scared, and you deserve to be scared.”
“Because I’m a monster?”
“Because of everything you had to endure”
Her powers completely froze. The silence was deafening as she stared at the man. She reached out to him but just like Ororo her hand passed through him.
“You have suffered more than anyone should” Charles looked down at her sadly. “You have lost so much but yet you have a selfless heart. Remember Scott?”
Wanda nodded tearfully.
“Before he knew of his mutation, he was defending a young orphan from some bullies. It got out of hand and he accidentally blew up the orphanage. No one was hurt, thankfully, but he was forced to go on the run. When Jean discovered her powers, she and her family had gotten into a car crash. Her telekinesis smashed the colliding car, killing the driver. Rogue was on a date with her boyfriend and her powers killed him. Were any of them monsters?”
“No,” Wanda said.
“You’re not alone,” Charles assured her. “You are and will never be alone. I will not lie to you and say that your life will be easy but I promise you that there are many who understand and will help you.”
“How do I stop this?” Wanda asked, looking at her powers which were ripping the room to shreds.
“Relax” Charles said, while the image of him faded. “Relax and feel. They are you.”
Wanda took a deep breath and was able to slow her heart rate and she felt as her powers faded with her panic. Time seemed to have been restarted and her father and brother looked at her with concern.
“Wanda?” Pietro broke the silence.
“The school” she muttered.
“What?”
“There’s a school,” she explained, “Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters”
She marched over to Pietro and her father and grabbed their arms. She pulled them through the, well, she didn’t know where they were but she followed the psychic trail that Charles had left behind.
“Come on” she said, pulling them out of the med bay. “We need to go see Charles.”
“How do you know who Charles is?” Erik asked.
“He talked to me”
Before her father could ask further questions, Wanda stopped at a large meeting room where several people in colorful costumes stood. When she opened the door they all looked at her in dead silence. A strange feeling filled her and she slipped behind her father as they continued to bare down at her.
“Hello,” the blond man in a red, white, and blue outfit waved kindly.
Wanda didn’t respond.
“It’s good to see you two up” a red haired woman in a black jumpsuit smiled.
“Hello, Wanda” the familiar voice of Charles greeted.
“Charles,” she said with relief. “Where are the others?”
“The others?” a man in red armor quirked his eyebrows.
“Jean, Scott, Rogue, Ororo”
“They’re at the school” Charles answered, “We’ll be going there soon, once you two are ready.”
“We’re ready now,” Wanda said in confusion.
“I don’t know” the man in the suit disagreed.
Wanda decided she did not like this man. She glared at him but he did not seem phased.
“We don’t know what HYDRA did to them. They could have put some weird subliminal message that could cause them to go nuts and kill everyone.”
The glass shattered as the metal frame was compressed.
“Maybe the professor could search their minds like he did mine,” the silver armed man suggested.
“That’s if they’re still using the same tactics,” a blonde woman pointed out, “When Natasha escaped, the Red Room changed their way of controlling the Black Widows.”
“And seeing that HYDRA supplied the Red Room with their equipment it would stand to reason they would change” the Red haired woman, probably Natasha, agreed, “Still, they are children and I don’t like the idea of probing their minds, especially after everything that has happened.”
There was a murmuring of agreement amongst them.
“If you are done interrogating my children, what of the HYDRA agents that were recovered” Erik growled, pushing the twins farther behind him.
“I read the minds of our captives,” Charles said, “They seemed to have no goals beyond weaponizing their powers.”
“The usual,” Erik snarled with disgust. “I request that I have a way to transport my kids to Charles’s school. Preferably now.”
The people exchanged looks nervously.
“Is there something you’re not telling me?”
“SHIELD has requested that the twins be taken to headquarters” the armored man said, “They want to…”
“Stark!” Erik roared, floating and allowing his powers to shake the room. “I have told you that my cooperation with you has been purely out of the wishes of my friend…”
“Erik, please calm yourself” Charles pleaded.
“If you intend to take my children and use them as your little experiments, I assure you that there will be no peace for you or any that are a part of this.”
The armored man, Stark, extended his hand out which lit up. Wanda felt herself panic and without thinking, sent a red blast to the man knocking him into a TV which exploded. The rest of the people looked at her with horror and the crushing feeling of shame fell on her.
“I-I’m sorry” she apologized.
Her father landed and looked down at her with pity. He took her hand and pulled her into a hug.
“I thought he would hurt you,” she sniffled.
“He couldn't but thank you,” her father pressed his forehead against hers.
“And relax” Stark grunted, dusting himself off. “It wasn’t my idea. Surprisingly, my fake heart doesn’t want two traumatized kids to be in the hands of a government organization that isn’t overly the best at transparency.”
“We believe that it might be within the twins’ best interest to stay with you at the school” the red, white, and blue man said, “It will give them an opportunity to enjoy what little bit of their childhood they can and keep the government off your back as well as ours.”
Wanda gave a slight smile to the professor who simply nodded knowingly back at her.
“As for you Mr. Lehnsherr” a black man with a strange looking contraption on his back walked forward. “You know well to remain within your parole agreement.”
“Of course” her father glared back viciously.
The man looked as if he was going to say another ominous thing but refrained and stepped back.
“It’s important that you keep a clean record so you can keep your children” the red, white, and blue man said with concern.
Wanda and Pietro gulped in unison. What does that mean? Their father seemed aware of the twin’s unease and crouched down and wrapped his arms around them.
“It’s okay” he whispered as they snuggled into him. “I won’t let them take you away.”
“I will talk to Fury and try to stall SHIELD” Natasha declared, getting up.
“I already have my lawyers working on getting you custody on paper,” Stark said, “If you could help with that, Professor, it’ll go a lot quicker.”
“Of course,” Charles obliged.
“And the rest of us?” the blonde woman asked.
“Continue business as usual” the red, white, and blue man shrugged. “We don’t want the board thinking we’re up to anything.”