Two of a Kind | Wanda Maximoff

Chapter 4: The Battle

Clint and Lily, after seeing the young girl running from the robots, ran towards her, offering her a hand. Lily's breath hitched in her throat as she saw the girl trip over the rubble in her path and fall hard of the concrete. The swarm of enemy robots didn't hesitate to descend upon her, but through her adrenaline, Lily was faster. She ran in front of the girl, ready to protect her.

"Cover your ears!" she yelled to both Wanda and Clint. Once checking to make sure they followed her command, she closed her eyes and emitted an ear-piercing whine. The robots in her path stopped their assault and shorted out as the frequency affected their programming. Lily turned back to the girl behind her, and Clint continued running over to them and helped the girl up before running back to where he and Lily had been standing a few minutes prior. Lily stayed back for a couple of seconds, checking for more danger, but soon followed Clint and the girl. Clint led them into an empty abandoned building and shielded the girl from a blast that came from somewhere behind them.

Once inside the building, the girl scrambled away from Clint and Lily and the little door where they entered. Her green eyes were wide and she had a small cut above her left eye. She was visibly shaking and fear shined in her eyes. Her breathing was fast and heavy as she was trying not to panic, though she wasn't succeeding. Tears welled up in her eyes and streamed down her face. Lily assumed that the girl was having a panic attack; she recognized the signs from being around Jemma, who got them frequently. Lily walked over to the girl and kneeled in front of her, making sure that she could see her. She then grabbed the girl's right hand, took off her fingerless glove, and rested her index and middle finger on her wrist and checked her pulse. It was fast, too fast.

"Hey, hey, hey. It's okay, it's okay," she said in a quiet and soothing voice, trying to calm the girl down. "What's your name?" The girl looked Lily in her eyes, tears still coming, and answered in a quiet voice that wavered with each pronunciation of each letter.

"Wanda." Her shaking hadn't subsided, and she had started hyperventilating.

"Okay, Wanda. I'm gonna need you to take some deep breaths. Okay? Deep breath," Lily breathed deeply, in through her nose and out through her mouth, hoping that the young girl followed suit. After a couple demonstrations, Wanda started taking deep breaths. "Good. Keep breathing, okay? It's gonna be okay. Now I want you to close your eyes, okay?"

"What's happening to me?" Wanda asked, still trying to control her breathing. Lily took her hand and gently caressed the girl's face, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

"You're having a panic attack, but you're gonna be okay. I promise." After a few minutes, more blasts and explosions boomed through the area, scaring Wanda and making her open her. Fear overtook her again.

"Make it stop," she murmured to herself as she brought her hands to her face and tried to cover her ears, shielding herself from the loud noises. Lily leaned forward and took her hands away and looked straight in her eyes.

"It's okay. Don't focus on what's outside. Focus on me. Just focus on me and what I'm saying to you, okay?"
"Okay." Wanda went back to slowing her breathing. Lily could feel her pulse slowing down to a normal pace.

"Okay. Now Wanda, what are you doing here?" She wanted to distract the girl somewhat from what was going on outside their little hideaway. The girl looked at her and turned her head to Clint, who she had forgotten was even there.

"How could I let this happen?" she mumbled. "This is all our fault." She sounded so sad. Before Lily could speak, Clint moved in front of the girl and placed a gentle hand on her shoulder.

"Hey, look at me. It's your fault, it's everyone's fault, who cares. Are you up for this? Are you? Look, I just need to know, cause the city is flying," he took a breath and continued. "Okay, look, the city is flying, we're fighting an army of robots, she can control sound and has a magic staff, and I have a bow and arrow. None of this makes any sense. But I'm going back out there because it's my job. Okay? And I can't do my job and babysit. It doesn't matter what you did, or what you were. If you go out there, you fight, and you fight to kill. Stay in here, you're good, I'll send your brother to come find you, but if you step foot out that door, you are an Avenger." Clint looked at the girl one last time, before getting up and heading to a back door.