Chapter Seven
Jade

"Naomi!" I yell, running up behind her. I asked five different people where I might find her and I finally got an answer from Matthew, who informed me that she is ending a meeting with Zy'aire. She was just about to exit the palace when I caught up to her.

She smiles at me as she turns around. "What's up?"

"One of the newcomers I was assigned to help settle, a little girl named Christine, told me that she thinks her parents are still being held captive. Her parents were apart of the project but didn't show signs of powers, so they were let go. One day her father used his powers during his job and was reported, the three of them were arrested and she said she hasn't seen her parents in a few years now."

This wipes the smile right off Naomi's face. "Really?"

I nod. "I also talked to a young boy and he said the same. According to him, his father was killed during the project and soon afterwards he and his mother were out in prison and he doesn't know where she is."

Naomi's jaw tightens, her nostrils flaring. "I had hoped that the government officials would obey the new accords like they did the last, but it looks like some are maneuvering around the law."

"What do you mean?"

"You said the girl's father was reported? The reason for him still being in jail could be because the government official in charge could be spinning a tale that he and other enhanced prisoners are dangerous criminals."

"Well, what are we going to do?"

Naomi pauses, pursing her lips as she thinks. After a moment of deep contemplation she responds with: "I'll go to New York and talk with Fai. The princess and Everett Ross are there now, that's what the meeting with King Zy'aire was about. Princess Shuri gave Fai the estimated amount of materials needed to build the three buildings and Fai has given the funds needed. He's being very cooperative, he's our best bet for freeing the other enhanced still incarcerated."

"Is there anything I can do to help?" I ask, trying not to sound too desperate.

Naomi places her hand on my shoulder and shakes her head, her voice firm and generous as she tells me: "Since I'm now going to New York, Johnathon and Matthew are going to get the F.E.P members and bring them here. They'll need help getting everyone here, especially since the former king and queen are not coming. They are instead going to set up a welcome party for the enhanced newcomers, it will give everyone a chance to relax and enjoy their freedom. Will you help Johnny and Matt?"

I nod, not attempting to hide my relief at being given this task. "Absolutely."

-

Soroya

The rebel leaders left again to bring even more people to Wakanda, taking Jade and Sam along with them. T'Challa and Nakia are currently setting up the event room of the palace for a welcome party, and as much as I want to assist them, I find myself distracted by an idea I received while helping the enhanced newcomers. It's a risky idea, and I don't even know if it would work, but I want to try. All of us have a moment to catch our breaths, so I take this opportunity to propose my idea to my family. We're all in the family room of our house. Bucky is standing beside her couch, with Livy, Stevie, and Liam sitting on the actual couch, waiting for me to speak. They all look nervous after I said I wanted to have a family meeting, and these nerves don't fade as I finally speak:

"I want to contact Wanda and see if she can allow me to speak with the Savage."

Stevie blinks. "What?"

"I want to confront her, I...I need to confront her."

"Can you even do that?" Livy inquires, glancing between Bucky and I.

I honestly shrug. "No idea, but I need to try. I thought about going to see Alaric Hale, but that won't do anything. His powers may have been causing the Savage to stay in control, but it was her that did all those horrible things. It's her that haunts my dreams and keeps me from closing the wounds she created."

"Couldn't you talking to the Savage risk her taking control of you again?" Stevie asks, nervousness transforming into dread with that single question.

I shrug again, wishing I knew the answer. "I don't know. Liebchen, if you could confront the Winter Soldier wouldn't you? If it were possible?"

All eyes flicker to Bucky, who is staring at me with a clenched jaw, his eyes filled with the same dread and worry as the kids. Despite this though, he nods. "I would. Healing internally is only part of the equation, you have to confront what happened to you. I think you talking to the Savage is a good idea."

I smile at my husband, grateful for his support. And now that he's in support of the idea, the kids seem to be as well.

"If you think it will help, Mom, then sure." Livy says, still sounding a bit unsure.

"I'm good if you are." Stevie responds with a mostly convincing smile.

Liam gives me a small smile. "Do whatever you feel is right, Ms. Roberts."

I wave him off. "I told you, call me Soroya, none of that 'Ms. Roberts' business."

Stevie elbows him and gives a firm nod of his head. "You're on a first name basis and you've attended a family meeting. That makes you officially part of the Barnes clan."

Liam's cheeks flush red. He says nothing, his eyes falling to the carpet, the corners of his lips twitching upward. Stevie notices and begins to blush as well, making Livy and I share a smirk. Bucky walks away from the couch and towards me, gripping onto my hands, looking me firmly in the eyes.

"I'll call Wanda while you call Alex. I know he'll want to do this, too."

I lean forward and kiss him gently on the lips, earning various noises of disgust from Livy and Stevie. I ignore them. "Thank you for supporting me on this."

"Always."

-

Alex

As soon as Soroya told me her idea I was immediately on board, I'm kind of annoyed I hadn't thought of it before. Khari, Jo, and I immediately made our way to Soroya and Bucky's house, where we have been waiting for a couple hours now. T'Challa, Nakia, Okoye, Everett and Zy all offered to be there as well, but they have too much to do between the welcome party of the other enhanced newcomers arriving soon. Shuri is here though, she wants to make sure someone with medical knowledge is here if such knowledge is needed. Analiese is here, and she offered to take Shuri's place since she too has medical knowledge, but Shuri insisted. Not everyone has warmed up to Analiese yet. Usually I would be just as cold towards her, but after she helped us escape from Dr. Theodore Fai and risked her life for us, I find myself warming up to her. I won't tell her that though.

Bucky took a Wakandan ship to go pick Wanda up, and it's close to dusk when they arrive at the house. We share short greetings before Wanda gets down to business, explaining: "Bucky told me what you want to do and I can do it, I have done things like this before. I did this once for Bruce."

Soroya and I share a shocked look, with my sister replying: "Really?"

Wanda nods, stretching her arms and hands in preparation. "Yes. I don't want you to worry, it won't hurt and there isn't a chance of the Savage or the Shifter taking control of you. All I'm doing is putting your two conscious minds in the same plain in your shared subconscious mind. It's simple."

"Yeah, totally." I mumble.

"Now the one question I have is what do you want to see when I take you in your minds," Wanda asks, and when we both give her skeptic looks, she explains: "I am assuming you don't want to be wandering around a dark void. I can create an illusion so you see yourselves and your alter egos in a park or an office or something else."

"I want to be in our childhood living room." She responds quietly, her arms crossed firmly against her chest, her eyes distant.

"Me too." I say, glancing from her to Wanda, the latter of which nods and gestures for us to sit down on the couch.

"I will also give the illusion that the Savage and the Shifter look like you. In reality they don't have a true form, their forms are many, so you will be looking at a clone of yourselves."

I nod, anxiety beginning to rise in me, my breaths shaking, my palms sweating as I begin to walk towards the couch. Khari stops me though with a gentle pull on my hand, placing a quick but tender kiss on my lips, assuring me: "I will be here the whole time, my love."

"So will I, Dad." Jo says with a wink.

Bucky, Livy, and Stevie hug Soroya before she sits down, the three of them moving towards Khari and Jo to give us space. Shuri and Analiese stay next to the couch, waiting nervously to see if something will go wrong. This certainly doesn't help with Soroya or my nerves. My sister looks just as anxious as I do, her adrenaline is pumping like crazy, it's emanating off her like a space heater. I'm sure I'm the same way.

Wanda stands in front of the couch, her hands extended out towards us, red waves spilling from her palms. "Relax," She instructs with a soft voice. "Close your eyes and picture your childhood living room clearly in your mind."

I do as she instructs, shutting my eyes gently and letting the image of our old living room flood into my room. Of course the tainted image of the living room filled with ugly curtains and ceramic cats comes up first, but I shove that image aside in favor of the beautifully decorated room my mother designed. I imagine the pink floral wallpaper, the ugly yellow curtains Mama refused to get rid of, the pink couch with matching yellow pillows, the quilt rug, my toy trains scattered across the floor, vintage records scattered across the coffee table.

Slowly, the picture in my mind stretches and forms into a three dimensional image. I'm no longer looking at it, I'm now in it. I'm now sitting on the pink couch, I turn around to see the yellow curtains, I feel the pillows behind my back, I see the toys and records throughout the room. It feels so real, how can this feel so real? Wanda's powers continue to amaze me even after so many years have gone by. My shock at her abilities increases as I spy a familiar face sitting in the chair on the other side of the room, the one Papa also used to sit in while he read his paper every morning. It's me, or the Shifter looking like me. He has thick iron chains wrapped around him, keeping him to the chair. I'm guessing this is apart of Wanda's illusion, maybe something she added to put me more at ease.

"Alex." The Shifter greets with a tilt of his head.

I audibly gulp. "Shifter."

"It's interesting that you chose here," He says causally, glancing around the room. "Your childhood home."

Your childhood home, mine, not his. I guess this was never his home, his was the base I was held in for fourteen years, the one he was allowed to thrive in while I was left helpless in the mental prison he's in now.

"I don't know why I chose here," I tell him honestly. "I guess I wanted to go someplace simple and comforting. Those are two words I'm not used to these days."

The Shifter chuckles darkly. "Tell me about it."

"Thank you," I tell him after a short pause, sincerely meaning it. "For what you did for Jo."

"You shouldn't thank me, I didn't do it for you."

"I know you didn't, but I'm grateful all the same," I stand up from the couch and walk closer towards him, now standing a few feet away, one of my old train sets at my feet. "Why did you do it? Why would you sacrifice your freedom for her?"

"I thought it was obvious. She's my daughter. I love her."

"The Savage loves Livy and Stevie, yet she would never have made the sacrifice you did."

"My sister says she loves Olivia and Steve, but she only holds regard for them because they share blood with her. She doesn't really love them, like she doesn't really love me. My sister is driven by revenge and hate, it's corrupted her heart."

"And you're not? Corrupted by revenge and hatred?"

"Not as much as she is. She had more time to let hers fester, I did not. If you recall, I was allowed to be in control for fourteen years before Soroya taught you how to get rid of me. My sister got the rug swept out from under her from the second she was created. It's changed her."

I may be curious about the psychological analysis of the Savage, but I'm not here to talk about her. I'm here to talk about me and him. I take another step forward, the Shifter now forced to look up at me from his chained chair, giving me a reassuring sense of control.

"Do you have any idea how much you've haunted me the last several decades?" I whisper.

"No, but I'm sure you're going to tell me."

"You don't know what it was like. Being a fourteen year old boy waking up from a blackout, covered in someone's blood, the taste of their flesh in my mouth? It was traumatizing enough that you killed those people, but even worse you ate them too. Your feasts would make me sick to my stomach for days at a time, would force me to expel human flesh and bone from my body. I would have an anxiety attack whenever I would use the bathroom because I was terrified of what I would find."

The Shifter just stares at me, not saying a word. I touch my cheeks and feel tears there, and I'm curious whether these tears are real or are just part of the illusion. I guess it doesn't matter, the sorrow and pain that's creating the tears is real and that's what matters here.

"I hated you for so long. I hated myself, hated what I was. It took so long to be able to look at myself in the mirror without feeling revolted, and you threw me right back into that mess. When you were in control of my body, you ate a couple people, and it was far worse than it was last time. Last time I blacked out and didn't remember anything, but this time I was forced to watch, to listen, to smell everything you did to them. I want to hate you for it, but I can't, not after what you did for Jo. And I hate most that I don't want to get rid of you. I should, but I don't. Whether I like it or not you're part of me and I'm part of you."

The Shifter stares at me for a long moment, and just when I think he's not going to say anything, he says: "I guess that's one thing we agree on. I want to hate you, too. You have forced me to live in this prison for decades. You say I'm caused you trauma? You've caused me trauma too," He says, glancing down at the chains around him. "These chains aren't real, the ones I'm bound in are far more confining, impossible to escape from. But with that being the case, you have loved and cared for Jo, and for that I cannot hate you. You are better for her than I am, that's why I made the sacrifice I did."

I'm shocked he'd admit something like that, but at the same time I'm not shocked at all. The one thing I can trust is his love of Jo, and unlike the Savage, his love for her is true. That's why he can be so honest, so unselfish.

"So we can't hate each other but we can't like each other either." I surmise.

"It would appear so."

"For what it's worth," I tell him, surprising myself at my own sincerity. "I'm sorry for the pain I caused you. I didn't even know you were an actual entity. I didn't know my control meant your imprisonment."

He nods slowly. "For what it's worth, I'm sorry, too. I'm not sorry I ate those people, people taste really good, but I'm sorry it hurt you."

I guess I'll take what I can get. I nod to him, turning my back to him to head back towards the couch. As I sit down, the Shifter's voice cuts through the room:

"Will you tell Jo I love her?" The Shifter asks, his tone nothing but earnest, his eyes wide as he pleads this request. "And tell her I'm sorry, for everything."

I nod, a small smile grazing my lips. "I will."

Once I'm seated on the couch, I glance around the room and begin to wonder how to get out of my head. I raise my voice a little higher and say to no one: "I'm ready to come back!"

This seems to work, because my childhood living room, the ugly yellow curtains, my toy trains, and the Shifter fade away bringing me back to my sister's living room.