Carmine Jewels ║ Wanda Maximoff

Chapter 42 - A Safe Haven

The atmosphere in the Quinjet was... weird, like really weird. Usually, the Avengers were a pretty loud group, constantly joking or bickering about who was the most powerful, Thor usually being the one claiming that title. Which was why it felt even odder now when it was completely silent.

Tony had dragged Bruce with him, back in human form and clearly too exhausted or ashamed for words. So, when the scientist had practically collapsed on the floor with his back against the foot of one of the passenger seats, Keira had draped a blanket over his shoulders. Cold sweat glistened on his face and chest as he huddled up, trying to make himself as small as possible.

Steve was sitting very still in the seat where Keira had pushed him down, his eyes dancing with the ghosts of his past.

Thor, on the other hand, was restlessly pacing around while wringing his hands, clearly thinking deeply about the vision he had been shown.

Keira had placed herself on the floor in front of Natasha, mumbling soft nonsense to her in the hope that it would break her out of her trance. But the redhead didn't even appear to see her, her eyes completely blank.

They say that the eyes are a mirror to your soul, and right now, Natasha's eyes all but reflected the terrors she had seen. Keira didn't even want to imagine what nightmare Natasha might've been forced to relieve.

From the front, Keira heard Maria's voice. "The news is loving you guys. Nobody else is. There's been no official call for Banner's arrest but it's in the air."

"The Stark Relief Foundation?" Tony asked.

"Already on the scene. How's the team?"

Stark hesitated for just a moment before he answered. "Everyone's... We took a hit. We'll shake it off."

Keira shook her head faintly, never wavering in the soft words she was mumbling to Natasha and gently squeezing the redhead's hands to keep them from fidgeting. Would they be able to shake this off? She had never, ever, seen the team this rattled before. And if she was being honest, it scared her.

"Well, for now, I'd stay in stealth mode and stay away from here." Maria advised softly.

"So, run and hide?"

"Until we can find Ultron, I... don't have a lot else to offer."

Tony just sighed. "Neither do we."

Keira glanced up as Tony rose from his seat, walking over to the front, where Clint was piloting the jet. "Hey, you wanna switch out?"

"No, I'm good." Clint kindly denied. "If you wanna get some kip, now's a good time because we're still a few hours out."

"Few hours from... where?" Tony asked uncertainly.

"A safe house." Clint replied casually, only causing the question marks in Tony's eyes to grow, but he didn't elaborate.

Keira couldn't help the relieved smile that crept up on her lips. No one on the team except Natasha and Keira knew about Clint's family, both of them being welcomed with open arms from the moment they stepped over the threshold.

She could barely wait to see Laura and the kids again, not having seen them since before HYDRA got their muddy paws on her. The original plan had been to visit them after she returned home from Iceland, but that plan had been crushed when everything with the scepter and the twins unraveled.

It was ironic, really. All it took to bring the Avengers to their knees was one girl. One single girl with the ability to warp their minds.

Wanda Maximoff.