3rd Person POV
Wanda is laying in bed under her covers
Ashely sits on her bed, chatting but her mother seems disinterested and out of it. Ashley plays with the ears of her stuffed bunny as she talks
Footsteps run down the hall and Wanda pulls the covers over her head
"Mom, are you coming down?" Tommy asks
"Mom, our game is freaking out!" Billy says
The triplets share a look
"Is she asleep?" Tommy asks, looking at Ashley
"Mommy's not sleeping, honey. She's just resting her eyes." Wanda says, her voice muffled by the blanket
"Mom, my head feels weird. It's, like, really noisy. I don't like it." Billy says
"Resting... Her... Eyes." Wanda tells her children
The triplets leave the room and run downstairs to the TV
Tommy and Billy fight over the remote
"I got to it first!" Tommy says, pulling the remote
"You always get to it first!" Billy says, pulling the remote back
Ashley holds her hand out in front of her and her telekinesis pulls the remote from her brothers' hands. However, she overestimated and the remote crashes into the armchair behind her
She grabs it and holds it up
Tommy and Billy look past her and Ashley turns around to see their mother in sweats and a flannel jacket
Wanda makes a bowl of cereal for herself, looking around at everything in the kitchen weirdly
The triplets share another look
Wanda walks over to the three
"Have you seen your dad?" Wanda asks
"Um, no?" Tommy says
"Do you wanna go look for him?" Billy asks
"Well, if he doesn't wanna be here, there's nothing I can do about it." Wanda says
"Hey, Mom?" Billy asks. "Last night, Uncle P said that thing about re-killing Dad?"
"Don't believe anything that man said. He is not your uncle." Wanda snaps
"Who is he?" Ashley asks with wide eyes
"Here's the thing, kids." Wanda says, standing in front of her children. "I'm your mom. And as such, you were counting on me to have all the answers, right? Well, I don't. I have... no answers." She says, laughing. The triplets share yet another look. "Zip. Zero. Zilch. Nada. Niente. I'm starting to believe that everything is... meaningless. You're welcome to draw your own conclusions, but that's just where I'm at."
Wanda plops on the couch in between Ashley and Tommy. Billy scoots over so Ashley had more room
There's a knock at the door
"Hi, Agnes." Wanda says, opening the door with her telekinesis and grabbing the remote to change the channel. "Come on in. I'd get up, but I just don't want to." She says with a laugh
"Hey, kids, why don't we give your mom some 'me time'?" Agnes suggests
"Agnes, are you sure?" Wanda asks
"Oh, abso-positively." Agnes says with a smile. "Come on, let's go, guys and gal."
The triplets stand up
"Do we have to, Mom?" Tommy asks
"Mm-hmm." Wanda says
"Someone needs to be here to take care of you." Billy says
"Aww!" Agnes says
"Boys, I'll be fine!" Wanda says. "Just go with Agnes."
"Mommy?" Ashley says
"You too, sweetie." Wanda tells Ashley
"I promise I won't bite." Agnes says
"Agnes, you are a life-saver." Wanda says. "Is there anything I can do for you?"
"I do have a suspicious mole on my back that I just can't see." Agnes says but Wanda looks grossed out. "Ah. Boundaries. I get it. Say no more. All right, gentlemen and lady, let's keep it moving. You know what? If one of you three could take a quick look, I'd appreciate it."
Agnes walks the three out of the house
The door closes behind the group and Wanda leans back into the couch eating her cereal
***
When Ashley saw that Agnes had a bunny, she was beyond excited
"He's so cute!" Ashley exclaims, looking at the bunny in the cage next to the couch
"You can take him out and pet him if you want." Agnes tells her, closing the door behind them
Ashley's smile grows wide and her eyes light up as she eagerly opens the cage to pet the bunny
"It's her favorite animal." Billy explains upon Agnes' look
"Ahh." Agnes realizes. "Well, you kids can start the TV, I'll get some food and drinks."
The triplets are sitting on the couch in Agnes' living room when she walks back in. The bunny is on Billy's lap as he feeds it. Ashley sits next to Billy, petting the bunny
The TV plays. The triplets had eaten most of the peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and the remains were sitting on plates on the coffee table
"Okay, who's thirsty? Brought some bevs." Agnes says, sitting in between Tommy and Billy. She looks at Tommy and Ashley who were entranced by the TV. Then she looks at Billy who wasn't as interested. "Penny for your thoughts?"
Billy looks at her
"I like it here." Billy says
"Oh, good. Is it because Señor Scratchy is such a good listener?" Agnes says, petting the bunny
"No. It's because it's quiet. You're quiet, Agnes. On the inside." Billy says
"Do you think our mom is okay?" Tommy asks, looking at Agnes and Ashley looks at Agnes as well
"Oh, for sure!" Agnes says. "Oh, you don't have to worry about your mom. Your mom can do anything. She's supermom."
A few more minutes pass
"Um, I have to go to the bathroom." Ashley says, standing up from the couch and tugging on the fabric of her simple dress over her leggings
"Alright." Agnes says. "The bathroom on this floor doesn't work but the one in the basement does."
"Um..." Ashley says, nervously looking at her brothers.
"You know what, I have to go too." Tommy says
Ashley sends him a small smile in thanks
"Billy if you have to go to the bathroom too now would be a good time." Agnes says
"Okay." Billy answers
The triplets walk to the basement door with Agnes behind them
They walk down the stairs
Then...darkness
***
Monica runs into Wanda's house
"Wanda? Wanda!" Monica calls
"What are you doing?" Wanda asks, now in sweatpants and a jacket
"Wanda--" Monica tries
"How did you get in here?" Wanda asks
"Listen to me." Monica says. "This whole thing is about Vision--"
"Get out of my house!" Wanda yells
"Hayward was trying to bring him--" Monica tries
"Don't talk to me about that!" Wanda yells, throwing her powers at Monica and holding her in the air as they go outside. "I don't wanna hear about it! The drones, the missiles. Pietro?"
"No, wait, Pietro, no, no, no, that wasn't us." Monica says
The townspeople around freeze
"All you do is lie!" Wanda yells, throwing Monica to the ground. Monica's eyes glow blue and she lands on the ground on her feet
"The only lies I've told are the ones you put in my mouth." Monica says, standing up
"Careful what you say to me." Wanda says as red wisps swirl in her hand
"Do it, then. Take me out." Monica says. Wanda stares. "See, see? That's where you and Hayward differ. He's gonna burn Westview to the ground just to get what he wants. Don't let him make you the villain."
"Maybe I already am." Wanda says
"I'm not afraid of you, Wanda." Monica says. "I lost the person closest to me, too. The worst thing I can think of has already happened to me and I can't change it. I can't undo it. I can't control this pain anymore. And I don't think I want to, because it's my truth. Wanda, you have to--"
"Young lady, I think you overstayed your welcome." Agnes says, walking over to the two and putting her arm around Wanda. "Poor Wanda's been through enough."
"This doesn't concern you." Monica says. "Wanda--"
"Run along, dear." Agnes says
Agnes leads Wanda away
"Wanda, you have to take it down!" Monica calls after her
"No!" Wanda says, turning around to Monica. "Don't make me hurt you."
"All right." Agnes says, ushering Wanda away
The townspeople resume
***
Agnes leads Wanda inside
"Oh, here. Would you like a cup of tea, hon?" Agnes asks
"Sure. Thank you, Agnes." Wanda says
"Okay. Sit down. Be right back with that." Agnes says, putting Wanda on the couch
Agnes leaves to the kitchen
Wanda looks around the room. There are three half eaten sandwiches and glasses of water and cartoons are playing on the TV. She looks over and sees a bunny and then on the other side of the room is a bug
"Where are the triplets?" Wanda asks
"Oh, they're probably just in the basement." Agnes says
"Ashley's scared of the basement." Wanda says, standing up
"She had to use the bathroom and that's the only one that works right now." Agnes says, pouring tea into a cup. "The boys went with her."
Wanda opens the basement door
"Kids?" Wanda calls down the stairs. She starts making her way down the stairs. She walks through the basement. "Ashley? Tommy? Billy?"
Wanda ends up in some underground layer
She walks around the place, looking at everything
Agnes walks in
"Wanda, Wanda." Agnes says, walking around with the bunny in her arms. "You didn't think you were the only magical girl in town, did you?" She flicks her wrist and the door slams closed. "The name's Agatha Harkness. Lovely to finally meet you, dear."
Agnes' -- Agatha's -- eyes glow purple and Wanda's glow purple
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Hope you all liked that chapter!!
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-MC