Fighting The Past - Book Two

Chapter Twelve

Pure undiluted fear and pain, it erupted suddenly through Wanda like a volcano, causing her to double over, she grabbed onto a wall to stop herself from completely falling to the ground. What the hell was happening?

This wasn't her panic that she was experiencing though, even if it did feel like she was right there. Then a completely desperate yell for help filled her mind before she could do anything to figure out how it had happened.

'Wanda!.... Wanda if you can hear me!... I could do with some help right now!... Please Wanda, help me!'

Minutes that had all it had been since Wanda had gotten up and left the coffee shop, leaving Y/N sat there. What on earth had happened in that time? And why could she feel and hear Y/N so clearly? That was something she'd have to figure out later, right now she needed to get back.

Wanda summoned her magic, the portal forming in front of her. Before she stepped through she mentally sent an SOS to Steve, who she knew would be at the compound with the others. She also sent the same thought to Maze, who Wanda knew was still in town.

Walking through the portal, Wanda stepped out into the chaos that had erupted around the coffee shop and the park. She threw a shield up around herself quickly and then immediately scanned the area. Where the hell was Y/N?

Wanda then spotted a trail of blood, it was smeared along the sidewalk, there was a lot of blood. That was never a good sign.

"Shit, what have you gotten yourself into this time Y/N..." Wanda murmured to herself as she moved quickly, following the trail. 

Turning a corner, Wanda saw the blood lead into the alley that ran behind the coffee shop. They could still feel pain, which had to be a good sign, it at least meant Y/N was still alive, even if Wanda would have liked them to have stopped shoving their feelings into her head as it was starting to physically hurt her.

Slumped against the wall of the alley, Y/N's breath rattled in their chest as they fought to keep themselves alive. They weren't sure if it was the poison or the more than likely collapsed lung, but breathing was becoming harder by the second.

A normal person would have been dead by now, but the mutant gene that Y/N possessed was buying them a little more time. How much longer that would hold out though was becoming questionable with each moment that slipped by.

"Y/N..." Wanda rushed over, dropping down in front of them, her hands reaching for their face, "You are not allowed to die? Do you hear me, no damn dying okay?!"

'Wanda what the hell is going on?! Where are you?! Where is Y/N?!'

Nat's voice filled Wanda's head as she tried to evaluate the damage to Y/N's body. She was no medical professional but Y/N was in a horrid state.

'10th street, by the coffee shop, alley behind it. I've got Y/N. I don't know what's happened or if there's still a threat here. Tell Tony to get Dr Cho ready. I'm sorry Nat, I tried to get here as fast as I could'

Holding either side of Y/N's face, Wanda let her magic follow through the tips of her fingers, connecting to Y/N's mind. She filtered through their recent memories, replaying their conversation, trying to see if Y/N had caught sight of who had attacked them.

Wanda flinched as she reached the memory of Y/N being shot. One moment they had been standing up from the table, the next they were on the floor in agony. There was nothing to indicate who had fired the shots, Y/N hadn't seen them.

Pulling back, Wanda caught Y/N as they slumped forward toward her. A grown of pain slipping through their lips.

"You're okay Y/N, I've got you, you're going to be okay" Wanda reassured them as she held them in her arms, ignoring their blood soaking her jumper and hands, "Just hold on a little bit longer the others are on their way."

"W-Wanda..." Y/N wheezed between laboured breaths, "W-why do you... h-hate me?"

Wanda looked down at Y/N, she fought back tears. None of this had been what she'd wanted, she'd just tried to do what Y/N had asked of her that day.

"I don't hate you Y/N..." Wanda hesitated, knowing that what she was about to say would risk everything but she couldn't stop herself, not if this might be the only chance she got to say it.

"I love you Y/N... I'm in love with you..." Wanda spoke the secret quietly, she watched Y/N for their reaction but their body had gone limp, their eyes rolling back.

A tear rolled down Wanda's cheek, this couldn't happen, this wasn't how things were meant to be. Not after everything they had all been through. It couldn't end like this.

Wanda moved quickly, laying Y/N down and beginning CPR, just as Steve and Clint had taught her all those years ago when she'd joined the Avengers.

She didn't know how much time passed, she just kept going until the sound of footsteps filled the alleyway. Glancing up she saw Steve, Nat and Maze come rushing toward her.

"No.... Oh god no... Y/N!" Nat cried as she saw the state of her lover, laying on the floor of the alley, "Please, please Y/N don't leave me..."

"I've got it from here Wanda you can stop now, it's alright, you've done a good job" Maze said as her hands began to glow, with a warm yellow light, her healing powers taking over the CPR.

Wanda moved back, watching as Nat held Y/N's hand, tears streaming down her face. Guilt hit Wanda hard, after everything Nat had been through, the last thing she needed was her best friend being in love with her other half. Nat seemed to sense Wanda's gaze and looked up at her.

Nat hadn't paid attention to Wanda when she had entered the alley, her focus had gone straight to Y/N. Now though as she glanced over at her friend, seeing them for the first time in weeks, Nat couldn't help but notice the tear stains on Wanda's own face, Y/N's blood coating her hands and clothes, and the way Wanda had been looking at Y/N. Like she was absolutely terrified of losing them.

When their eyes met, Wanda almost instantly looked away, a flicker of shame crossing her face. Nat knew then that there was something her best friend wasn't telling her. She pushed the thought away for now though, her focus going right back to Y/N.

Sam has got the jet hovering just over the park, Maze can you keep them stable long enough for us to move?" Steve asked as he moved over to them.

"Yeah, but we'll need to move quick. My abilities are struggling to repair the damage, I can't stop whatever has entered Y/N's blood I can only slow it" Maze said as she glanced between everyone, all of them registering just how bad the situation was.

"We don't need the jet" Wanda said finally pulling herself out of her thoughts.

Standing up Wanda used her magic to once again create a portal, this one opening up right into the medical bay at the compound. Dr Cho and hear team all jumped back in shock at the sudden appearance, even Tony had been caught off guard as he worked with Bruce on various screens in the room. She'd have opened a portal sooner, but her focus had been on trying to keep Y/N's heart beating long enough for the others to get here.

Clint and Steve didn't waste anytime in lifting Y/N up from the ground, both Maze and Nat staying on either side as they passed through the portal. Wanda didn't follow them, instead she closed the portal, she doubted any of them would notice her absence immediately. She just needed a little time to pull herself together, she had seen the way Nat had looked at her. 

The tears she had fought to stop from falling, fell freely now as Wanda stood alone in the alley, looking at Y/N's blood that coated her hands. She hoped that she had gotten here quick enough, hoped that Dr Cho and Maze could work together to keep Y/N alive. 

Someone had come for Y/N and Wanda was sure that they had somehow used her as bait to get Y/N out in the open and that would make this all her fault. Maybe if she hadn't just walked away from Y/N then whoever was after them would never have had the chance to take those shots at them. 

Wanda would find them and they would pay dearly for what they had done. For now though she needed to go to the compound, the others would notice soon enough if she wasn't there and no doubt Steve and Tony would have endless questions for her. The first one no doubt being where had she been, quickly followed by why she was with Y/N. 

Before dealing with any of that though she needed to wash the blood away, she couldn't bare to look at it any longer.