Narrator's POV.
This time Wanda's side.
"Wanda, we have a mission for you." Tony started one day.
That is how it all began.
"This is Emma Bartley, she is the main target. She is perfect for this mission. No family, no friends, no one in her life pretty much. If the mission fails, then there won't be someone to miss her." He explained. "She will be your cover for Hydra. Your mission, for now, is to get to know her, and eventually make her your girlfriend. You will have to pretend Wanda. It's for the mission."
Wanda looked at the picture of this woman and didn't find anything exciting about her. Just a boring female it looks like.
"Yes." She accepted. "What do we know about her so far?" She asked.
"Everything that is important. Parents left when she was young, never had any real friends. She just blended in. She is attracted to women hence why this is your mission. She works at a supermarket and that is where you will make contact. Do you understand?" Tony asked making sure her friend knew what she was supposed to be doing.
"I think so, yeah. Go in and get her attention." She explained.
"Maybe she is desperate enough to fall for it." Sam joked.
"Uncalled for, really." Nat shoots him a glare. "We want her to be interested in Wanda."
"When do I begin to show interest in her?" Wanda asks again.
"As soon as possible." Tony said.
"We know her schedule, don't we?" Nat asks.
"Yes, so we can know for sure when to send Wanda." He explained.
And so it started. A few days go by and she is now in the supermarket thinking of an excuse so she can get Emma's attention.
Wanda also tried to read her mind when she was close enough. What she found was not worth mentioning. The woman was singing some random song while stoking up the shelves.
She does seem pretty boring.
But Wanda has to push over those thoughts and focus on her mission.
After she finally gets her attention, is just a matter of time before they will get together. She already knows that Emma finds her at least beautiful, her thoughts were too loud. Even after Wanda left the aisle.
Mission is a go.
She texted Tony to inform him.
Tony
Good.
Next interaction will be in a few days. We don't want to seem suspicious.
At their 3rd encounter, she finally ripped the band-aid and 'confessed' her feelings. Emma was more than ecstatic to hear Wanda admitting her feelings and the both of them started dating pretty soon after that.
Emma was... Emma was okay. She did have some qualities here and there, but the flaws were like blinders in Wanda's eyes. So that made her ignore the cute things Emma did for her.
She had a mission to follow, so with rehearsed questions and conversations, fake smiles, and interest she tried her best on the job.
"She is getting attached that is good." Nat said one day.
"Hydra is up our asses, they demand the files or else 'there will be consequences'. Steve read the letter they sent a few days ago.
"It doesn't matter, the mission is ongoing, we will finish it." Tony explained.
"Do they believe Emma is your girlfriend?" Nat asked.
"We don't know yet." Wanda answered.
"We have to sell it more. Invite her here one of those days. This way they will be way too focused on this charade than to pay attention to us digging in their files." Tony explained some more.
The next few days, Wanda was spending the night at Emma's place. She didn't want to admit she has fun with her girlfriend, so she will only say that there are worse things she could do.
"Wanda." Emma starts nervously. "I have to be honest with you." She inhales.
Instantly Wanda's mind goes to the wrong places. There is no way Emma knows about the plan. Right?
"I started to fall in love with you since our first date. And I, I love you, Wanda, with all of my heart" Emma confesses.
This shocked Wanda. She had no idea that her girlfriend had already developed deep feelings for her
"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.
Outside her team and her family, who sadly wasn't around anymore, no one loved her. Hearing Emma say this made something turn in Wanda.
"Thank you. Thank you for loving and accepting me." Wanda replied after a few moments of silence.
"You don't have to thank me for that, love."
That was the first moment Wanda regretted this mission. They were toying with an innocent woman's feelings.
God, she really hopes this mission will end soon.
But 'till it ends, she has to stick up with the plan. So, eventually, she introduced Emma to her friends, as she was supposed to in order to maintain this facade.
Emma instantly be-friend them. She was sweet with everyone and tried to get on their good sides, knowing that they mean a lot to Wanda.
As time went on, it got harder and harder for Wanda to do this mission. Emma didn't deserve this.
The girl was way too sweet to Wanda. Every morning she texted her girlfriend something sweet, does romantic gestures and did pretty much anything Wanda can think of.
Before, Wanda had never received as many flowers as she did since her relationship with Emma. Never actually had someone's full attention, the way Emma acts when she tells a story or complains about something.
And that is how the guilt starts to settle.
It makes her more frustrated, more annoyed, and less attentive. The guilt transforms into hatred towards poor Emma. It was her fault that Wanda was feeling like this. Before they met, she had no problem doing a mission or playing with someone's mind. But now, she felt so frustrated with herself, with Emma, with the mission.
She hates it. She shouldn't feel guilty because they are destroying Hydra from the inside. They are doing something good in the meantime. So why does she feel like they are the villains here?
Too much in her head, she tells Emma she is away on a mission so she can have some time for herself.
So, one night she lets her frustrations out and rambles to her friends. She rambles on how she doesn't want to do this mission anymore, that she doesn't want to see Emma anymore, how she is done with everything. She does say some things that make her regret saying them as soon as they are out of her mouth.
She does get a bit comforted when they tell her it will be over soon. And they have the same feelings as her. They want it to end as well.
That makes her feel better. So, before she goes to bed she checks her phone cause Emma always texts her 'good night'. But frowns a little when she can't find the text. Shrugging she goes to sleep, Emma must've fallen asleep as well.
The next morning, same thing, Emma hasn't texted her yet which is weird. But she shrugs it off and shoots a text herself.
But it's way too quiet from Emma's side. Usually, her girlfriend texts her at the most random times throughout the day. She must think that Wanda is still on her mission. Yes, that is the reason why she hasn't said anything.
It goes like this for 3 days, even after Wanda texted her that she is home. There is radio silence from Emma.
When the calls stopped going through Wanda had finally taken Nat to Emma's apartment to see what has happened. She knew that they haven't fought before Wanda went on her 'mission' so that was not one of her worries for the silence she was getting.
"Someone's been here." Nat said as soon as they stood in front of Emma's apartment door.
"What?" Wanda asked panicked.
"The lock has been forced. Just lightly for it not to look suspicious." She pointed to some slight marks right next to the keyhole.
For the usual people that would just blend in. Maybe Emma got drunk one night and couldn't get the key through the right place. But not for them. They looked at each other and then Nat opened the door, which surprisingly, wasn't locked.
"Something's wrong here." Wanda said as soon as she stepped foot in the apartment.
The atmosphere was almost dark. Long gone was the joyful feeling she usually gets when she is here.
"Emma?" Nat calls.
But no one answers.
"Let's look around the apartment, maybe we will find something." Wanda suggested.
"Did she say anything about leaving? Going on vacation maybe?" Nat said.
"No. She hasn't returned my texts these past few days." Wanda replied almost sad.
"That must explain." In the next second, Nat pointed to Emma's phone on the floor, next to the wall.
"It is off." Wanda said as soon as she tried to open it.
"Plug it, maybe we will find something on it."
"This is not like Emma at all. She doesn't go anywhere without her phone." Wanda was now scared.
"Let me look through her laptop. Maybe there is something we are missing." Nat said not wanting to think about the worst-case scenario.
"Nothing on her phone." Wanda said after a few minutes of just looking in it.
The only things she found were Emma's ideas for dates with Wanda, photos of Wanda or both of them together, and finally, the texts from Wanda that she just now received.
Something is definitely wrong here.
"I'm gonna look for more things around the apartment." She said before leaving the room.
She doesn't want to think of something happening to Emma. No, that can't be possible.
What she finds next almost sends her into a crying fit. When she looks in Emma's bag she finds a box with 'For Wanda' written on top. Her curiosity gets the best of her so she opens it immediately.
There is this polaroid camera that she wanted so bad. She is always telling Emma about it, and it looks like she bought it for Wanda.
But next to it she finds this note, recognizing Emma's writing she reads it in the next second.
'Dear Wanda,
I'm writing this letter while being very anxious. I hope you love your present. I know you wanted this polaroid camera so bad, so I did my best to buy it for you.
Now you will be able to capture every beautiful scenery you will see on your missions or beautiful moments with your family.
I'm not nervous because of the present, I'm nervous for what I'm about to say. Or write.
Truth is, I'm in love with you Wanda, but you already know that. What you don't know is the extent to which my feelings for you go.
I feel like you complete me, in a way I never was. In a way I never thought was possible for me. I never dreamt of loving someone as much as I love you, simply because it wasn't possible for me.
Knowing my life and history, I thought I will end up somewhere alone like I've been all of my life. But then you appeared in my life and showed me that other things are possible for me. You brought me a joy that I never felt before. You make me feel whole. And I'm hoping that for as long as you'll have me, that I can make you feel even a fraction of it. I will try my best.
Before you, I was living because I had to. Every day felt mundane and tiring. It has gotten to a point in which every day I will be disappointed I woke up in the morning. I used to have nobody close to me.
When I was young I never fit in, I always felt like an outsider. I didn't belong anywhere that I went. But then you came along and made me feel like I matter, like I finally belong somewhere. And that is with you.
In the months that we have been together, you made me happier than I was in all of my life. And I mean that. So I made it a promise that for as long as we are together, it will be my duty to put a smile on your face, no matter the circumstances.
I know you had a hard life as well. You deserve every beautiful thing this world has to offer. And I promise you that I will try my best to give them to you.
Thank you for everything you did and showed me, Wanda. You had made my life worth living again.
So, at the end of this letter, I planned on asking you on another date. I thought we could go hiking since I know how much you love outdoor activities. I have found this trail that is not that popular, but the scenery is beautiful.
You can even bring your new camera with you. And who knows, maybe you'll capture a photo with both of us and the nature around us.
I'm waiting for your text.
Love you, Emma.'
"Wanda, I found something." Nat came into the room but stopped abruptly. "What happened? Why are you crying?"
"She. Um, she wrote a letter to me." Wanda wiped her tears. "What did you find?"
"She sent an email to her boss 4 days ago asking for the rest of the week off. She said is a personal matter." Nat explained. "Did the letter say where she went?"
"No, she told me that. Um... Here, read it yourself." Wanda gave her the letter before wiping her tears again.
"I put Jarvis to work in her laptop, he is looking for the recording of her writing that email. I feel like it will explain some things." Nat explained before starting to read the letter.
By the end of the letter, she had some tears in her eyes as well.
"Um, so she didn't leave on her own. That is for sure." Nat concluded.
"Do you think Hydra took her?" Wanda asked the question they both have been afraid to ask.
"Possibly." Nat answered.
"Miss Romanoff, I think I found something." Jarvis' voice was heard.
"Show us." Nat said.
A clip started playing. It showed a teary-eyed Emma writing the email. She was definitely crying, and from the looks of it, she most definitely had been crying for a long time.
"Do you have any idea as to why she is crying?" Nat asked.
"No. She didn't tell me anything." Wanda responded quickly.
"Something must've upset her. Jarvis, keep looking." Nat said.
"Yes, Miss Romanoff."
"Also, please tell the team that Emma might be missing. We gotta look for her."
They spent the next few days looking for Emma, but she couldn't be found. It was like she disappeared.
"Guys. You need to see this." Steve said one day.
"What is it, Rogers?" Tony asked.
Everyone on the team tried their hardest to find Emma. They were all worried for her.
"Hydra sent us a message." Steve said.
"Jarvis, play the video." Nat spoke.
The video started playing. It showed a beaten-looking Emma. She had her head down, her whole posture was weak.
Wanda wanted then and there to find those who did this to Emma.
Suddenly, a masked man appeared on the screen.
"Tony, track the file. Find from where it was sent." Nat demanded.
"Way ahead of you. Jarvis, I hope you are recording this. We need every detail possible." Tony said.
"Of course sir." The A.I. spoke.
The man on the video grabbed Emma's hair and finally spoke.
"Who are you? Name yourself."
But Emma looked way too weak to be able to respond.
"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?"
But Emma didn't say anything. She didn't even flinch when he electrocuted her.
"Interesting. Not even your lovely girlfriend Wanda?" He pushed.
This time a small detail could be seen from her. She clenched her jaw even tighter.
So she doesn't like the fact that he mentioned my name. Wanda figured. But why?
"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."
This only made everyone in the room tenser. The last thing they wanted was for someone to die.
Even though the mission started the way it started, Emma dying was the last thing on their list.
"They won't come." She finally said.
Emma talked, which surprised everyone. But what was more confusing was what she said.
"What?" Clint asks confused.
"What makes you so sure?" The masked men asked, this time a knife was in his hands.
Emma looked so weak and tired in those moments. Her face was full of bruises and dried blood. She could barely 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.
She thinks we don't care? Why? How? Wanda wondered.
"You see in what condition she is. Don't doubt us, we can do worse." The masked man ended the video.
"We gotta hurry up! I don't know how long Emma's gonna last there." Tony exclaimed!
"Why is she thinking we don't care?" Steve asked confused.
"They must've some ideas in her head." Sam thought.
"I wouldn't be so sure." Tony suddenly sighed.
"Why? What makes you say that?" Wanda finally spoke.
"Jarvis, play the security footage." Tony rubbed at his eyebrow. "I found this right before the message from Hydra."
And there it was, the reason why Emma was crying while writing the email, why she didn't respond to Wanda's texts, and most importantly, why she thinks the Avengers don't care about her.
They saw her coming into the building with flowers and a bag of food. Wanda's heart skipped a beat at the sight. But then she realized what day that was.
Emma was sat around the corner, listening to them complaining about her. The distress was very visible on her face.
We did that. Is our fault.
"She was here?!" Clint spoke after the video ended.
"Looks like it." Steve let out a sigh.
"We have to find her. To prove her wrong. We do care about her!" Wanda said desperately.
"We will do our best, Wanda." Nat let out a distressed sigh as well. "Any luck with the file's location Tony?"
"Still processing. It might take a little."
FUCK! If she dies because of me, I will never forgive myself.
"Wanda, you alright?" Bruce asked.
"No. I'm not alright. The woman that loves me is god knows where thinking that she doesn't mean anything to me. That I don't care about her. That it was fake." She finally let out her worries.
"Wanda." Nat tried to talk to her, but Wanda wasn't done.
"It might have started as a mission, but it ended being one long time ago. I was just too proud and stubborn to accept it. And now she is paying the price. Fuck!"
"We will find her Wanda. I promise!" Tony said.
But Wanda left before she starts to punch things out of anger.
A few days passed and they had no progress. Emma might as well be dead at this point. And if it is true, she died believing that she is alone. That she has no one.
She must be heartbroken.
The guilt inside Wanda worsened. She came into Emma's life with a reason behind her motives, made her fall in love with the redhead, and now she might be dead because of those reasons.
Fuck! Emma really loved her and her friends. She actually believed she belonged somewhere for the first time in her life. Everyone could see her happiness. But now she believes that everything was just a facade.
But she was wrong, the Avengers really cared about her. They spent day and night searching old and abandoned buildings in hopes of finding the one Emma is in.
"I have the location!" Tony yelled. "Everybody gear up as fast as you can. We don't have much time."
Everything until the moment she found the room in which Emma was is, was a blur to Wanda. She destroyed everything in her way. She had one mission. Find Emma.
She blasted the door and quickly scanned the room. There she was. Emma was sat on the floor in a pool of her own blood. From the looks of it, it was pretty recent. They might have a chance in saving her.
"Emma!" Wanda yelled.
But Emma didn't respond. She was still breathing, and that was a good thing at least.
"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.
NO! I won't let you die on me.
"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.
The journey to the quinjet was way longer than Wanda remembered it to be. But she focused on getting Emma to safety.
She didn't want to look at her. The once happy and joyful Emma was a memory. The one she was carrying didn't resemble one bit. And is all their's fault.
"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.
The whole journey, Wanda never left Emma's side. She tried her best to help Bruce patch up the wounds, even though she is not the biggest fan of blood. She did it for Emma.
When they arrived at the compound, the best doctors they could get, took Emma and put her into surgery immediately.
It took hours upon hours, but no one would say anything in regards to Emma's health.
"Wanda, you need to sit down for a bit. Emma is a fighter. She will make it. She has to." Nat comforted her friend.
"And what if she doesn't? She dies believing it was all a lie." Wanda let her tears out.
"Maybe deep down she believes we did care for her." Sam suggested.
"She doesn't. You weren't there. If she dies you know what her last words will be? 'It was a good lie. I actually believed you cared. You can drop the act now.' Right before closing her eyes. So don't tell me she believes deep down that we care for her, 'cause she doesn't. It's our fault she is in this situation." Wanda yelled frustrated.
"She said that?" Tony asked with tears in his eyes.
"Yes, right when I touched her cheeks. She spent all of her time there being tortured. But she never once sold us to them. She was loyal even when she believed she never meant something to us, something to me! Fuck!"
After a few more 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. "I want to see her."
"She is in medbay. I think is alright if you go in there." Bruce said exhausted.
Wanda went in the next second. She needs to see Emma.
There she was, her precious and strong Emma, being held alive by some machines.
They did this.
Leaving this with an open ending. I want to read your conclusions and theories, so drop them in a comment here.
I wrote those 2 one-shots in a way in which they are separated from each other. If you like the first version, then you can pretend this is happening in another story. Or if you like both of them, then you can read them back to back.
I don't think is as angsty as the first one, to be honest. I was dealing with grief when I wrote the first one. I needed to express my sadness somewhere, and that is how that one shot was born.
As always, I'm looking forward to any feedback. What you liked, and what you didn't. Did you want this version to be any different? Like, Wanda not caring at all, or stuff like that? I don't know.
Also, I might or might not have installed an Avengers game on my Xbox, so now guess what I did this weekend? Besides writing this, of course.
I'm rambling soo, byee.