Wanda had always had the strongest of bonds with her twin brother. The two looked out for each other. Though they disagreed in some matters, they pushed their differences aside. They were always a team.

Until this very moment.

Wanda didn't know how, but she knew something had gone terribly, terribly wrong. It was like someone had invaded her body and ripped her heart in half. Some piece of her suddenly ceased to exist.

In the midst of protecting the core, Wanda's mind stopped. Any Ultron-bots should have been glad they were not within the vicinity of the witch. Her knees buckled, and with a heartbreaking scream, Wanda Maximoff fell to her knees. Upon impact with the ground, a red blast shot from the witch, causing nearby structures to tremble and crack.

Something was wrong. Something was very, very wrong.

"P-Pietro," Wanda gasped out. Her heart beat like someone was punching her in her chest cavity. The pain...

Wanda looked up with tearful eyes. Though they were miles apart, she felt her brother's pain. The biggest shock was then feeling nothing at all.

In her aching heart, Wanda Maximoff had the most dreadful feeling that her twin brother had been killed in action.

***

Wanda felt covered in sweat when she pulled herself from her nightmare. Groaning, she put her palms against her eyes, rubbing gently. She couldn't win. She didn't win when she didn't sleep. She didn't win when she did sleep.

Wanda put a hand against her forehead in exasperation. Another day without her twin. Another day without his smartass remarks. Another day without being near her speedster, silver-haired brother.

Half of a whole, Wanda told herself. That's what I am. The Avengers stole the other half from me. I can't get him back, but I can damn well make sure I get justice.

Wanda faced the hotel room window. Sunrays shone in, almost aligned in Wanda's vision. Behind her, she heard Helena snoring softly from the safety of her own bed. I need to show her what they've done.

An idea popped into her brain, though she wasn't sure how well Helena would take to it. Wanda could show Helena what the Avengers did; she could show the girl the recent events in Sokovia and around the world. It would be simple enough to do...in theory.

Not many liked the idea of being invaded, let alone have someone push their memories into someone else's brain. But I don't have to touch her to show her the memories. Wanda quirked her lips at Helena's own little quirk. She refused to have any physical contact.

I may not understand her powers fully, but it's that potent?

Slipping out of bed, Wanda went to the sun-filled window. From where the hotel room was, she could make out the Avengers Tower in the distance. Though...that wasn't the current location of Earth's Mightiest Killers. They'd relocated to a new facility, farther up in the state of New York. Wanda knew this because she had escaped from there.

"Whoa, someone's a morning brooder."

Wanda half-turned to Helena. "What?"

"You have a brooding look about you." The raven-haired girl headed for the bathroom, shutting the door.

Brooding? I don't brood. Wanda ran a hand through her brunette hair.

When Helena came out from the bathroom, she stopped in her tracks. Worry creased her brows. "What is it?"

"I know I wasn't very...forthcoming with you, about my stance on the...the Avengers," Wanda started slowly, fully turning to Helena now. "The thing is...they're a difficult subject to speak about. Many paint them as saints, but I've gotten close enough to see that that is just a smokescreen."

Helena cocked her head. "I don't understand."

Wanda sighed. "I know, because you weren't there. You only know what they've done based on the news coverage. Clearly, you favor the broadcasts that paint them as the good guys."

"Like I said, we're not enslaved by aliens or robots, so having them around isn't such a bad thing."

"It's what you all see, those who see them as heroes." Wanda spat out the last word. "I...I can give you insight for what they really do when they 'save' the world."

"Unless you got facts to back it up, I'm sorry, but I don't think we'll see eye-to-eye on them." Helena crossed her arms.

"I can give you more than facts...I can give perspective. However, it requires me to...get inside of your head."

Helena took a step back.

Another sigh came from the witch's lips. "I will not invade your mind without your consent, Helena. If you want to see my view, you will need to allow me to do this."

Helena's face became unreadable. Without prying into the girl's mind, Wanda knew she was in hard debate. She must think I'm shitting on her heroes. I'm not doing that. She needs to see them for what they truly are.

It was a long minute before Helena's body posture slumped. "Okay," she said, though her voice warbled. "Show me."

"Let's not have you stand up." Wanda nodded towards Helena's bed.

The two climbed on, Helena sat on her knees while Wanda remained cross-legged. She called her magic to her, creating red, wiggling wisps at her fingertips. Helena's green eyes watched the magic cautiously.

"You're sure?" Wanda asked.

Helena merely nodded.

Taking her time, Wanda let the red wisps flow to Helena. Helena's body stiffened as the wisps got closer, but when the two locked eyes, she relaxed. When the wisps came into contact, Wanda saw Helena's eyes glow faint red.

Wanda shut her eyes, calling upon her recent memories. She focused primarily on Ultron, the crazed robot who wanted to make the Avengers extinct. She focused on his plan, to make Sokovia a crater. She allowed Helena a prime view, through her eyes.

Wanda opened her eyes, examining the girl. Helena had now relaxed enough to shut her eyes. Her face would twitch as Wanda showed her some perspective.

Suddenly, the magic went haywire. Instead of showing Helena more about Ultron, the Avengers, and Sokovia...it now began to dig through the girl's mind.

At the sudden opening of her eyes, Helena picked this up fairly quickly.

"Get out!" she screamed, a sudden terror filling her face.

Wanda didn't, not right away. The magic wouldn't tear itself away. Wanda saw flickers: a happy family. Helena discovering her powers for the first time...when her parents were within the blast radius which at the time had been tiny. Helena's grief struck Wanda hard in the chest, reminding her of her current grief over her twin brother.

"Get the fuck out!" Helena screamed. Her ferocious temper made the green irises start to turn black.

Frightened, Wanda snapped the connection of her magic to Helena's mind. Helena breathed heavily, Wanda put her hands to her mouth. "I-I didn't mean to."

Helena put her face in her hands. "I gave you consent to show me your side, not for you to discover my damn origin story!" Furious, she got off the bed and headed straight for the door.

"Helena!" Wanda tried to dash after the stricken girl, but the slam of the door in her face was enough to stop the witch.

In anger, Wanda smacked her fist against the door. That wasn't what I wanted to do. She trusted me enough to allow me inside, and I mangled that. I burned the damn bridge.

Wanda put her forehead against the door, exhaling loudly. She may not come back. I could have just lost my ally in this. Wait...

The lightbulb went off for the witch. Helena's power...it acted like a tracking beacon. I can follow her power in the air. I can find her.

But now the important question lingered in Wanda's mind: did Helena want to be found?