ASCENDANCY / P. MAXIMOFF

epilogue

"When Tony Stark created Ultron, he meant for the machine to be a savior. To end all intergalactic and intra-worldly threats at the push of a button. Although he had great intentions, the droid found a mind of its own,  thinking that destroying the world and starting new was the only way to find true world peace. It was only a month ago today that the Avengers put a stop to this death-bringing, destructive robot once and for all, destroying any traces of him, and in turn, destroying their team. Thor, having returned to his native planet, shows no signs of coming back to Earth any time soon. Tony Stark has spent the last month creating a new building for the Avengers Initiative, so that his own tower would be superhero free.  Elementa, the teenage wondergirl who had been reportedly dead earlier in the year, along with her comrade, Pietro Maximoff, had been missing in action for the past month alongside Bruce Banner, A.K.A. The Hulk. What is left of the team? Have they recruited more members? Find out more after this commercial break."

Wanda watched her brother warily, his wilted exterior, bruises painted underneath his drooping, swollen eyes. He hadn't slept soundly in weeks, he had spent that time thinking himself nearly to death. He had spent that time in her room, crying when he thought no one could hear him. Pietro made Wanda promise that she would never read his mind without his explicit permission, but she had been breaking that promise time and time again within the last month. His thoughts were filled with flashes of her from his memory, words she had said, the times he had held her, all the times he longed to kiss her, but did not. His mind was swimming with misery and regret.

"Pietro," Wanda mumbled, placing a gentle hand on his face. He flinched away from her touch. "Brother, you do not have to watch this."

"There is nothing else on to watch anyways."

"Sure there is," Wanda told him, grabbing the remote out of his hands. She flipped the channel to a cartoon channel, where a show about a talking sponge was streaming. The corners of Wanda's mouth hesitantly tugged up into a wry smile, though finding the cartoon completely idiotic and dissatisfying, she watched for her brothers sake, knowing that it could possibly lift his spirits. But it didn't. A single tear rolled down the plump of his cheek. Wanda went to wipe away and this time, he did not flinch away from her.

"Pietro, you have not talked to anyone about what happened. Maybe you-"

"No."

"Pietro-"

"No! I do not want to hear about it! I do not want to read about it! I do not want to think about it and I certainly do not want to fucking talk about it! I am sick of hearing people talk about how much they will miss her! How they give me their condolences, letters and emails and calls on the telephone. Never in person. I am so sick of it I could die. Anastazya is not dead! I don't want to talk about where she is, or think about it! She is just busy!" Pietro bellowed, standing to his feet, his face flushed red with anger. After taking a few deep breaths, he let out a defeated sigh, slumping back onto the couch, more tears forming in his eyes.

"But you have, haven't you?" Wanda whispered. "You've been reading articles, watching news broadcasts, looking for something you could have missed. You've been thinking about her nonstop, haven't you? Regretting not holding her one last time. Regretting not telling her that you loved her. Haven't you, Pietro?"

"It's just-she promised me she would come back. She promised me. She can't be dead, she promised me she would come back to me," He sobbed, brokenly, wrapping his arms around himself.

It was his fault. He should have just grabbed her, left the stragglers to die, if there was any in the first place. If he had done that, she would be in his arms, and his heart wouldn't be so mangled.

But he trusted her.

Before Wanda could even make a move to comfort him, the TV let out a high-pitched screeching alarm. The TV broke away from the program it was previously broadcasting, the headline 'Breaking News' pixelated across the screen.

"Breaking News, coming from the CNN journalist team. The lost Avenger has been found! It is December 29th 2015, and while Sokovian citizens were sifting through the wreckage of one of their major buildings, the Catholic church, the body of Anastazya Dmitriev, also known as Elementa, was found in the rubble. She is in critical condition, but is currently on an aeromedical evacuation helicopter, on her way back to the United States, where fellow member of the Avengers Initiative, Helen Cho, is expected to treat her right away. The legal guardians of the girl are being informed although by now it has been over a week since the girls 18th birthday. This has been a CNN Breaking News Update. Thank you."

Wanda gasped out loud and started calling the other Avengers into the room, but Pietro was starstruck, walking closer to the TV, pressing his hand on the small image of her, being picked out of the rubble and put onto a stretcher.

"They have found her! They have found Anastazya!" Wanda shouted.