this takes place after the events of Civil War

ooh hot takes on civil war up ahead hisss

* * *

Did Stark read through that booklet before signing? Doubtful, Wanda figured as her hands were cuffed and a collar was placed around her throat. Because if he had, he would've known about the Raft.

The Raft: Underground and Underwater, built especially for superhumans, and Wanda's personal hell. At least, that's what it would be. The people who had sided with Cap were just arriving at the Raft, and had no idea what was in store.

Clint, Sam, and Scott were led into cells immediately. No questions asked, no prodding fingers grasping at your subconscious. Wanda, though? She was led down a little, poorly lit hallway away from the rest of the group, into a little, poorly lit room, with tools and weapons made for getting soldiers to comply.

And Wanda?

The pain that the Scarlet Witch went through was unimaginable. The men could hear her screams, her yells, her pleading to be let go.

She's just a kid, They begged. What are you doing to her, she's just a kid!

To her captors, though? She was not a kid, she was not even human. To the people that held Wanda Maximoff in chains and shock collars, she was a weapon. A means to a way. She was everything that they needed.

When they brought her back to her cell? The one that had remained ominously empty for hours? That woman was not Wanda. That was the Scarlet Witch, defeated and broken.

Her eyes were bloodshot, her hair snarled. Her eyes, oh her eyes. They held tears, they held wishes that would never be, they held entire universes where everything was the same except she was not here. Her legs were weak, and yet the guards shoved her roughly into her cell, leaving her helpless and slamming the door.

When the men looked at her, hoping for her bright smile? They saw Pietro's sister, clad in a shock collar and a straitjacket, her mouth bound and her hands restrained.

That was not the Wanda that had fought so bravely against her love for Bucky's freedom. That was the Wanda that had seen what the Winter Soldier had, that was the Wanda that wished that she had died with Pietro.

That Wanda?

That Wanda was torn in two, helpless and utterly, desperately, alone.

~

Clint, Sam, and Scott watched as Wanda retreated into herself, unresponsive to everything. She could barely eat, barely sleep.

When Tony Stark came by and saw how they were treating her? Oh he had fought in vain, yes, to help her, but what good did it do? After all, what good is regret to a dead man?

So Wanda sat, silently, as the world continued to rotate without her.

She had accepted her fate.

* * *

Steve Rogers and Bucky showed up, of course they did. Who were they if not the people to keep going back into the rain of fire to help others get out? Who were they if not soldiers, ready to fight and yet so, so tired of it all?

They came back for their team, came back for their family, and yet when Wanda looked upon them, she did nothing but avert her eyes and blink back tears.

After all, her pain was ceaseless, her nightmares endless, her life was just one big mistake.

Bucky kneeled down in front of her. "Wanda?" He spoke softly, realizing just now how much she had paid for his freedom. He knew that look. He had looked in the mirror and seen it plenty of times. "Wanda, I'm gonna get you out of these, okay? It's going to sting a little, alright?"

Wanda squeezed her eyes shut, and gave the tiniest of nods. She was ready.

When she opened her eyes again, she was on a plane, flying to who knows where. She closed her eyes again, and didn't dare hope that she was actually free.

* * *

The Rouges? That's what the world was calling them now? As if they were the enemies?

New York, 2012. The whole island of Manhattan was going to be nuked and yet the Avengers, who saved so many lives that day, are the ones that the government accuses?

Lagos? Wanda saved many lives by directing the blast away from a densely populated area, and they enslaved her?

Sokovia. Possibly the entire world was going to be destroyed and yet even though the Avengers saved so many lives and gave one of their own, the government is upset over some buildings?

Wanda Maximoff looked out upon a sea of reporters, desperate to catch a word of the Rouge Avengers as they were pardoned to the public.

Wanda didn't speak. Instead? She found the smart ones, the good people, and showed them what had really happened. What good were her powers if she couldn't use them to show the world what monsters led it?

Tony Stark was still mad, upset, he didn't like the Rogues.

Tony Stark was a good man, and he was hurt, that Wanda understood.

And yet, who had taken Steve's shield to hurt him, only to be clueless to the fact that Steve didn't need it anymore? His mission had been Bucky, and he had finished that mission. Steve had his best friend now, he didn't need a silly costume. Steve had his family, he didn't need to put on a show for the world only to be criticized for it.

Tony Stark was not a villain, he was a good man.

And yet, who had shot down Sam Wilson, who had selflessly dived down to catch Rhodey? Who had shot down Sam Wilson, a Para-Rescue soldier with medical experience, who would have been able to help? Who had shot down Sam Wilson, who had just been avoiding a hit, and yet let Vision get off easy even though he had shot it?

Yes, Wanda loved the Vision. Had loved.

See, that's the thing about love. The stories only ever tell you about love that last through hardships, the love that will last even after one of the hearts had died, the love that was meant to be, written in the stars, sung about by the heavanly hosts.

They don't tell you how it feels to love someone so much, only to realize that although you gave everything into that relationship, they only thought you an experience. That they had never meant it to be anything serious. That although you loved them and would have done anything for them, they only loved you as long as you were useful.

They don't tell you about how mad you feel, after all is said and done, once you realize that you were just a tool. They never tell you about how you have to force down and muscle through your rage for fear of being called psychotic.

Yes, Wanda had loved the Vision, but they believed in different things and she wasn't about to change her beliefs for some toaster in a superhero outfit.

So, yes, tensions were high in the Avengers Compound. Wanda avoided people as much as possible, because yes, once she had loved, and hoped, and thought that everything was going to be okay, but now she knew that nothing that she had once thought was true.

At least, she did. She had hidden successfully until one night when she had left her room late. Someone else was there. Peter Parker, she would learn. That's who that person was. Peter Parker was the one who smiled at her because he saw what she needed. He had introduced himself, not as Spider-Man, but as the friend that she needed.

Peter Parker had made her waffles, of all things, at an ungodly hour on a school night, simply because she didn't want to be left alone with her thoughts.

What use is regret to a dead man?

Stark could apologize all he wanted to the wood coffin of Wanda Maximoff's heart, but the fact remained that it wasn't coming back without a fight, and he didn't care enough to revive it. But, Peter?

Peter Parker did.

* * *

im sorry to display Tony is a bad light. I am 100% on team cap and i agree with what they believe, but both sides made mistakes. tony stark is not a villain, but neither are Steve and Bucky. not actively making a part 2.