Two of a Kind | Wanda Maximoff

Chapter 22: New Home, Sweet New Home

The ride back to Apache Junction was awkward with minimal talking. The three women arrived at the small motel they were staying at in the small town of San Pedro to find that the rest of the team already paired up the rooms. Jemma flinched when she found out that her and Wanda would be sharing a room together with Claire because of the odd number of people.

The team split up and went to their rooms, eager to get some rest after the events of the last few days. Wanda, Claire, and Jemma entered their room and Wanda and Jemma stood a little shocked at the two beds. Claire didn't notice their hesitation and entered further into the room and flopped on the bed, letting out a loud groan. She laid there for a little bit before sitting up and hoping off the bed.

"I'm gonna go take a long ass shower and rinse the prison off me, so if you need to get in there, now's your chance," she said as pulled out clean clothes from one of the bags that Steve brought with him when he rescued them. Neither Wanda no Jemma moved, and refrained from looking at each other. "I mean it guys; this is your last chance. I'm gonna be in there for a while, and I don't want to hear one of you banging on the door trying to get in."

"We're fine, Claire. Just go take a shower," Wanda said, nibbling on her thumb nail; a trait she picked up from Jemma. She moved to sit on the edge of the bed furthest from the door. Jemma still stood in front of the door, not sure what to do.

"Alright..." Claire said as she walked into the bathroom and closed the door. The sound of water running was heard soon after, and Wanda and Jemma were left to fester alone in their awkwardness.

"I'm sorry," Wanda said. "I didn't know that they paired us up; I would've said something..."

"No, this is...fine." Jemma shifted, feeling uncomfortable in the silence. "So, who's Claire? I don't recognize her."

"She's...new, I guess? She's a friend of Bucky's and she fought with Steve in Germany. Bucky is a friend of Steve's." Wanda stopped chewing on her nail and ran a hand through her hair. She cringed as she felt how greasy and matted her brown hair had become and made a mental note to hop in the shower once Claire got out. Jemma nodded her head in understanding, though Wanda knew she wanted to ask more questions. "She was also my cellmate when I was in the Raft. She's...the only thing to that kept me sane in there. Without her, I'm sure I would've lost my mind."

Jemma crossed the room and sat on the edge of the second bed, turning her body to face Wanda. As if she was looking at the brunette for the first time, Jemma noticed how much Wanda had changed in the short two weeks she had been away. She could see that Wanda had lost a lot of weight, especially in her face and her usual rosy cheeks were now pale. The dark circles under her eyes grew darker the longer she went without sleep, and her green eyes didn't glisten like they used to.

Jemma felt a lump form in her throat as she made out the fading bruises on her face and neck from the various beatings that she was subjected to either by men looking for information or because they felt like it. She saw the large scar around her neck left by her shock collar. She saw where the straitjacket cuffs dug into her wrists, cutting into her skin the first few days she tried to break free. She saw Wanda flinch whenever someone touched her upper arm, guessing that there was another bruise there from being handled too rough. Jemma placed her small hand on Wanda's knee, taking the young woman by surprise.

"Wanda, what did they do to you?" she asked in a whisper, the lump in her throat getting bigger as she tried to fight the tears. Wanda looked away, wiping her eyes.

"First...they tackled me to the ground at the airport and forced my arms into the straitjacket, and when I resisted because they were going to shoot Claire, they shot me with a tranquillizer dart. When I woke up, I was in my cell with the straitjacket on restricting my arm movement and a shock collar around my neck that sent strong volts of electricity through me whenever I did so much as talk." Wanda paused, inhaling a deep breath before continuing.