Home Sweet Home

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Hours have passed, and we are still at the castle. The rains have calmed down now, many drops and streams flowing over the ruined walls and onto the ground. Some of the puddles lent their way into streams that leaked inside. One particular stream reached the unconscious hand of Secretary Ross, who laid face down on the floor after suffering a blackout from the shock waves from all the chaos. As the water washed under him more, the more the cold feeling of it alerted his senses and stirred him awake. He moaned and groaned as he felt all his senses come back to him. His muscles and joints ached as it took him some time to finally stand. When he did, he was able to survey the overall damage and death that was spread out around him. His soldiers were all gone, he was the only one left with the skin still on him. A lucky fate for him, not so much for his small army. He left the castle walls, wondering of the whereabouts of Wanda and Vision, only to get a hint when he reached the city limits. One of the black SUV's that were used to transport the squadron was taken. He sighed, frustratedly, and sat there wondering how he was going to get out of the wrecked town.

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Meanwhile, Wanda was driving calmly, but with an eagerness to get somewhere far away as quickly as she could. It felt like she had been for an eternity in the SUV she had taken from the fleet. In the passenger seat next to her, she had strapped Vision's body in with the seatbelt. He flopped over to the side, almost like he was sleeping on the glass of the window. She didn't know whether it was a good idea to bring him along or not. The only thing she knew was that she needed his presence to help her determine her next steps. Even if his inclusion in this new life she had chosen had brought manipulation and destruction to it, he was still the shining light of it all; her north star guiding her down the path that she feels most comfortable.

After a while, she started to feel tired from a lack of sleep. She pulled into the country town of Cornwall and found a small, very quaint house that was very secluded from the rest of the world. Acres upon acres of fields and wood filled up the surroundings, showing that it was the only place of settlement within a few miles. The house was only one story with yellow walls and a red roof, almost resembling a cottage. The roof shingles were made of clay, giving the appearance a very warm and welcoming personality.

Wanda drove up the long drive up to the front of the house. She noticed that there were no cars in the driveway, nor were there any decorations or knick-knacks around the front porch of the cottage. She nervously considered that nobody was home, or that nobody lived here at all. But the long and overdue stress of no sleep made her dire for sleep. Therefore, she proceeded inside carrying Vision with her telekinetic abilities. Thankfully, the cottage was vacant, but it was decorated like a show-house. It was filled with vintage furniture; a chesterfield sofa, a turn-dial microwave, and a gas stove were among the many details that gave the place some character. Wanda felt a subtle feeling of comfort seeing something that would feel like home, even if it was only temporary.

She set Vision down gently onto the couch, his body sitting upright with his head resting on the back. He looked so still as Wanda ceased her scarlet hexes. As she looked down at him, she felt that there should be something she could do. She walked around the couch, standing behind his head. She brought both hands to his forehead and created a cocoon above Vision's dull Mind Stone. With a heavy heart, she summoned all feeling and ability she had to revive her former teammate. A bright red beamed from the inside of her hands as she worked her magic, a tear well formed on the inside of her eyes, and her heart pounded hard.

After half a minute, she gives up. She hopes something will happen. A flicker of the Mind Stone, the sound of a glitch in his circuits, and flutter of his eyes, and flinch of his muscles, anything to give her some sign that he was alive. Sadly, nothing happened, and the well in her eyes flooded over onto her cheeks. And with barely any energy to do anything else, Wanda cries for her failures once more. She cries for the friend that she has lost. And she cries for the recurring trend in her life that tragedy must always follow her. "I'm sorry... I'm so sorry, Vision" she weeps, bowing her head on his. Her tears start falling onto his vibranium skull and her gentle touch graces over his cold temples. The house is silent, other than her mournful crying.

Where They Are: A Wanda Maximoff and Vision StoryWhere stories live. Discover now