Angst.
Narrator's POV.
Emma woke up strapped to a chair. The last thing she remembered was laying in her bed late at night. And now this.
How did that happen?
We have to go back a little.
Truth is, Emma is one of the 'boring' humans some would refer to. Nothing extravagant in her life.
She knows she has a boring life, a lonely one even. But she can't for the life of her change it. She tried for so many years, but couldn't succeed.
It started from her childhood. Her parents were never home, never spent time with her in the few moments they happen to be there. She didn't have a babysitter, at least not after she grew up.
She was always told what to do, and more specifically, what not to do.
At school, she never made any connection with anyone. She felt like an intruder, an outsider. She wasn't bullied per se but was ignored and forgotten. Kids only talked with her about homework or other school-related stuff.
Same in high school. And she couldn't understand why. She tried to make friends, but they just couldn't see her as the 'friend type'. Plus, some of them already had friends and didn't want her in their groups.
By that time, she rarely saw her parents anymore. The only reason she knew they were still alive was from the money she got in her account, and how the bills in her house were paid.
Funny thing actually. She tried to call one of them someday and a younger voice responded. So she figured that they rebuild their lives in another place, leaving her there.
When she was 18, she inherited the house and the bank account that she was using all the time, finally was hers, officially. The bills also stopped being paid so she figured they only wanted to take care of her since she was a minor. Now that she is an adult, she can figure things out.
So at 18, with huge exams in her way, university application, and all the stress in between, she now had to look for an apartment and sell the house. Thanks to the bank account she had, she could afford the rent for a few months until she sells the house and maybe could buy a small one-bedroom apartment.
At least that was the plan anyway.
She figured she could do her uni classes online and work meantime because she didn't want to interact with even more people and just be ignored and alone in the end.
Her love life was terrible, that was expected. She only had a fling once, but the girl told her after that she thinks she is just straight but is grateful for the 'experience'. That sucked since Emma really liked her.
In the end, it wasn't hard to accommodate back into her lonely life. She was used to it.
It sucked though. It sucked so much since she had so much love in her to give. But no one to receive it.
And that is how adult Emma is living her life. Goes to work, then comes back to her apartment, watches something on tv, orders take-out, and passes out on the couch eventually. The next day is the same.
She has some nice colleagues at work, but that is just that. They are colleagues, nothing more. They do small talk at the start of the day, then do their work and leave.
As someone once said, it is what it is. This is her life, she can't do anything about it. She accepted it a long time ago.
Right now she works at a supermarket since that is kind of her only way of human interaction. Even if it lasts a few seconds, it makes her feel a little less lonely. But just a little.
So yeah, her life is boring for everyone on the outside. No family to care for her, no friends to hang out with, just her and herself.
What her parents did was messed up, but she forgave them when she grew up, and eventually, she grew to not care about them anymore. If they didn't, why should she?
Maybe she had a sibling out there somewhere, but she wouldn't know. And quite frankly, she never searched for them as well. They choose to leave her when she was practically still a child so she had to respect their decision. It was obvious they never wanted her as their daughter anyway.
One faithful day she met this kind and beautiful woman. She needed help finding some snacks that they, unfortunately (or fortunately) didn't have on their shelves. So she sought Emma's help and asked her about them and Emma in response, went in the back and brought a few boxes. This way she could restock the shelves as well.
She didn't catch the redhead's name but her emerald eyes were doing wonders for Emma's mind. She allowed herself like 5 more minutes to think about her beautiful features before going back to her boring life.
A few days later, the green-eyed was back and asked some questions about some food that they have stopped selling a few weeks ago because the company discontinued them. She seemed pretty bumped out when she heard, so Emma suggested another similar product but made by another company. Not as good as the first one, but better than nothing.
The redhead smiled so hard and thanked her.
Next week, she saw the green-eyed again. This time she stayed closer to her, maybe she will need help again.
"Hey! Um, sorry to interrupt again." She chuckled embarrassedly. "Where do you keep your batteries?"
"Hi! Come with me, they are in this direction." Emma replied easily, offering her new crush a smile.
When they got to them, Emma pointed them out then went to leave.
"Wait." Emma stopped and turned around. "Truth is, I don't need batteries, I was just looking for an excuse to talk more to you." She blushed. "Do you maybe want to go on a date with me?"
Emma instantly smiled. "Yes, I'd like that."
"I'm Wanda." The redhead said with a smile on her face.
"Emma. Nice to meet you, Wanda!"
And that is how they started dating.
One date turned into two, two into four, and so on. Soon enough they became girlfriends.
Emma was ecstatic. This was everything that she ever wanted. Someone to love. She feels like Wanda gets her, that she really cares.
She makes her life more interesting, less lonely.
"Wanda." She starts one night when they are chilling at Emma's place. "I have to be honest with you." She inhales. "I started to fall in love with you since our first date. And I, I love you, Wanda, with all of my heart."
She sees Wanda with a shocked expression.
"You don't have to say it back if you are not ready yet. I just wanted to get it out of my chest." She reassured her girlfriend.
Emma knew Wanda had a hard life as well, and that only made her more closed and guarded.
"Thank you. Thank you for loving and accepting me." Wanda finally replied.
"You don't have to thank me for that, love."
They continued to cuddle for the rest of the night.
Emma was on cloud 9, maybe Wanda didn't love her yet, but she will eventually. Just her presence made everything that Emma when through worth it. Every tear shed, every lonely hour, leading up to this. To her beautiful and amazing girlfriend.
Soon enough, Wanda introduced her to her friends/teammates. And they all considered Emma as their friends now. This is everything that Emma ever wanted, to feel like she belonged somewhere.
And she felt like she belonged here, with her girlfriend at her side and her new friends.
She no longer felt alone or tired of this life. She felt like she was reborn. Like a new chance was offered for her. God, she was so grateful for everything.
One night she decided to surprise her girlfriend. They have been dating for a while, and those have been the best months of her life. She knew her girlfriend was hanging out with her teammates, so why not surprise them with some dinner as well.
She cooked Wanda's favorite, making sure to make way more than usual, because she knew some will want seconds. She packed everything up and started making her way towards the compound placed in the middle of New York. On her way, she stooped at a flower shop and bought a bouquet of daisies for Wanda.
She can't wait to see her girlfriend, even though it's been a few days, she missed her like crazy. Wanda had been on a mission so they barely talked. Plus, the last thing Emma wanted was to be a distraction for her girlfriend and unconsciously make her fail the mission or something like that.
She entered the building and quickly asked the A.I. to not announce her presence since she wanted to keep the surprise. F.R.I.D.A.Y. already knew her from the previous visits so she knew she is not a threat and kept the information to itself.
Emma took a turn and was ready to enter the main room where she knew everyone will be. But stopped suddenly when she heard her name.
"God! How long will this mission last? I can't stand Emma guys, she is nice and all, but way too annoying and clingy." Wanda said exasperated. "For god sake's she even told me she loved me. And I have to pretend I do as well even though I don't." Wanda continued to ramble.
"Wanda we know this." Nat's voice was heard.
"I don't want to do this anymore. I want nothing to do with her." Wanda spoke again.
At that moment, Emma's heart just stopped.
"I mean, look at this. I have to lie to her that I'm away on a mission just to get away from her and be able to breathe for a few seconds." Wanda continued.
What?
"Why did you choose her to be my mission? We don't have anything in common. Every time I stand there and pretend to listen when she talks about her boring life, you don't know how hard that is. God, she talks a lot." Wanda complained even more. "No wonder why her parents left her." The last remark was quieter but Emma still heard it.
Emma wanted to leave that second, to disappear from the face of the earth, but her legs refused to move.
"That is the reason, and you know it." Steve explained. "In case the mission goes wrong and she dies, no one will question it."
"You have to keep it longer for two more weeks. You can do it Wands." Tony said reassuringly.
She never let me call her Wands, she said she doesn't like it. I guess she just didn't like me.
The more Emma stayed in hiding behind that wall, the more broken she became. It was all a lie.
"We know you can't stand her Wanda, we can't as well, but is just for a little longer. Then you don't have to ever hear from her ever again." Tony continued.
"Thank you guys, you've made this more bearable. God knows I would have left the first week." Wanda said.
That was the final straw. Emma finally got her legs to listen to her and got out of the building as fast as she could.
Fuck! Of course it was a mission, the only time she thinks someone actually likes her, it turns out it was just a mission. Just her luck.
On her way home, she stopped by a bridge where she knows a bunch of homeless people usually hang out and she offered them the food she was carrying. It was either that or just throwing the food. It reminded her too much of Wanda and her lies at that moment, so there was no way in which she would have brought it home with her.
She should've known that it wasn't real, things never work out for her.
Emma also saw an old woman on a bench admiring the fountain in the middle of the park, so she gave the flowers to her. She knew the older woman will appreciate the daisies more than Wanda ever will.
She regrets the moment when she helped Wanda, she should've said she was busy and just mind her own business. Maybe then Wanda would have left her alone and not dragged her heart into this.
Tears have stained her cheeks way before she finally arrived home. She threw away her bag, not caring about the gift box inside of it. She bought this polaroid camera for Wanda since she always talks about how much she wants one. She saw it one day on her walk back to her home and instantly talked with the seller. She got a decent price for it so she bought it.
She wanted to give it to Wanda along with a letter containing a few things about herself that no one knows. She also may have spilled her deep feelings in it. But it doesn't matter anymore. Wanda has never felt the same, and never will. She knew now.
She would throw it one of those days, but right now she needs her bed and to just cry her eyes out.
While continuing crying, she tries to recall their relationship for Wanda's behavior. But she comes empty-handed. The redhead was always kind and 'loving' with her, she never let out the fact that she was dreading spending time with Emma.
I guess she is a good actress.
Wanda must also know that her plan was working so well with Emma's thoughts. She saw nothing but pure belief for her lies. She knew she had Emma wrapped around her finger.
Fuck! I have no one to blame but me. I was the one who fell for her games. How could she love me? A person like her? I knew it was too good to be true.
So, as it turned out, everything in her life was now a lie. A good act put together by some people. So she has to return back to her life of misery and nothingness.
When she thought she has something, someone, she now has no one. Back to square one. She actually never left it, now that she thinks about it. She only thought she got out, but she just put some blinds on and pretended she did.
The first night she cried and cried. The words Wanda said were on repeat. She really thought Wanda got her, like what she's been through, that they connected and understood each other. But again, it was only one-sided.
In the morning, after getting one or two hours of sleep, her first instinct was to text Wanda good morning and wish her a good day. But she stopped herself immediately. It didn't mean anything for Wanda. So she threw her phone somewhere in the room and continued to stay in bed.
She had today off. It was initially for her and Wanda. She knew that Wanda 'will return from her mission', and wanted today to be their day.
Ha, good joke.
She also didn't feel like eating, so staying in bed it was.
After a few hours of just pain and sorrow, she got up and started to write an e-mail for work requesting the week off. She never asked for anything from her boss, so she got the confirmation pretty quickly. The last thing she wants right now is to worry about her work.
Three days later, she hasn't moved much from her bed. Barely drinking or eating. Enough to keep her going. Her phone was dead somewhere in the room but she couldn't care less right now. Is not like she has someone to text.
As far as she knows, she is making Wanda's job easier by not texting her or bugging her about meeting each other.
The only one hurting right now is Emma. And call it even more pathetic, but a part of Emma was glad that Wanda wasn't hurting in any way. After all, Emma was still pretty much in love with the redhead. The last thing she wants is any pain for Wanda, even after everything.
She is pathetic and she knows it.
She should hate Wanda for the pain she is causing her, but she can't. She literally can't. Every time she thinks about the green-eyed beauty, she can't seem to bring herself to feel something besides love.
One night she laid awake watching her ceiling when she heard her front door opening. She should have been scared since she knew no one had a spare key to her apartment. But she wasn't. She just stood there waiting for what was to come. Not fighting one bit.
Truth is, she was way too tired to try to fight for her life. Maybe a few months ago she would've tried, but right now a part of her is almost grateful that she might die.
She would leave this world how she got in. Alone.
That brings us right to the present.
She woke up strapped to a metal chair, she could see some beaten-up walls around her.
"Finally." A voice said.
Is fair to say that she was pretty disappointed when she woke up.
"For you being an Avenger's girlfriend, I thought it will be harder to capture you." The voice spoke again.
Emma almost wanted to laugh at that. If the last few days prove her something, it was that she was no one important. And definitely not Wanda's girlfriend.
But she guessed they bought the lie as well.
"Now, you will tell me everything that you know about the Avengers."
Again, she wanted to laugh. They made sure to not tell her anything about them, or their missions.
But she didn't tell them that, she kept her mouth shut.
"If you don't want to do it willingly then I have to force it out of you."
In the next second, she received a punch and another one. A kick in her stomach followed. It was so powerful that it sent her backward with the chair. Soon enough she blanked out.
"She is not cooperating. What should we do?" A voice asked.
"Continue with the torture, she will crack eventually." Another responded.
"And if not?" The first voice asked again.
"We will send a quick gift to our friends Avengers. Maybe then they will surrender."
A few days of receiving just blows after blows passed. Emma has yet to say a single word.
A camera was set earlier on the table in front of her, but she could barely see it. Her eyes were swollen and her vision was blurry.
She felt a strong hand grabbing her hair. "Who are you? Name yourself." The man said.
Her throat was aching from the number of choke-holds she has been into, in the last days here.
"I say to name yourself." The man's tight grip got even tighter.
"Emma Bartley." Her voice was barely audible.
"What got you into this situation?" The man asked sarcastically. "I'm telling you. You refused to cooperate." He grabbed a taser from his pockets and electrocuted her. "Now, this video is for your dear friends Avengers. Do you have something to say to them?"
She kept her mouth shut. She has nothing she wants to tell them.
"Interesting. Not even your lovely girlfriend Wanda?" He pushed.
Again, she clenched her broken jaw and said nothing.
"If you want her back, you should do what you were supposed to do a long time ago." He addressed the camera. "Otherwise, she dies."
She almost cheered at that world. There is nothing that she wants more in this moment.
"They won't come." She finally said.
This got his attention.
"What makes you so sure?" He asked, this time a knife was in his hands.
She tried so hard to talk but was barely able to keep her head up.
"I asked you something!" The man cut her on her arms even more.
"They don't care." She managed to say before fainting.
"You see in what condition she is. Don't doubt us, we can do worse." The masked man ended the video.
A few days passed as well and nothing happened.
"What are we supposed to do now?" One man said.
"We kill her. If she is right and they won't come, then we think of another plan. But if they do come, we will be prepared."
They cleaned the building, grabbing all of their stuff.
When Emma saw a man entering with a pistol in his hands she knew what will happen. It was over. That thought brought a little comfort over her, but at the same time, she realized they actually never cared. Not even for a simple civilian that was now losing her life.
Again, left the world how she spent her whole life. Alone, with no one caring for her.
She was left to bleed on the floor, her eyes barely open anymore, pain everywhere in her body.
When she heard some noise from outside she figured it was the men that kidnapped her, so she didn't pay much attention to it.
The door flew open and a bunch of steps could be heard. But she was too tired to try to look at what is happening.
"Emma!" A voice said.
She didn't turn though, it will take way too much energy, and is not like she has any right now.
"Emma, you're still alive!" Wanda said while kneeling beside her. She cupped Emma's face while also examining the bruises on her body.
"Come on, we need to get her out of here!" Steve spoke.
"It was a good lie. I actually believed you cared." Emma managed to say. "You can drop the act now." And with that, she finally closed her eyes.
The peace that she searched for all of her life, finally came for her.
"No! No!" Wanda yelled.
"Get her in the jet!" Nat shouted.
Wanda lifted Emma's body with her powers and quickly flew out of the room.
"She still has a small pulse." Bruce said as soon as she got to him.
"Please save her." Wanda begged.
"I will try." Bruce then got to work.
Even at the compound, with the best doctors they got, no one knew if Emma was still alive or not.
After hours Bruce finally came to into the living room.
"How is she?" Nat asked.
"I tried. We all tried." He started. "We put her into an induced coma. The wounds were way too much for her body." He tried to explain. "I don't know if she will make it."
"This can't be it." Wanda said while wiping her tears.
Then how come it is?
Okay, so I'm thinking of doing a part 2 with Wanda's perspective, especially the last part. But I'm not sure. But I know that if I were to make it, it will be sad as well.
I barely wrote this chapter. I'm sorry for the wait. Is just that, now isn't the best period for me. And if I were to write, I would only do sad ones.