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Wanda found herself walking in a field. She didn't know how she got there, the last thing she remembered were those people crashing Steve and Caitlin's wedding. After that, it was all a blur.
"Hey sleeping beauty."
Shocked, Wanda whirled around. Pietro was standing a few feet from her, looking exactly as he had the last time she had seen him.
"What, you didn't see this coming?" Pietro joked as he walked over to her.
"Pietro," Wanda said shocked. "Am-am I dead?"
"No. But you are in a sort of coma. You were shot with something designed to knock out the Hulk. It's keeping you asleep. It's how I can talk with you instead of taking you over," Pietro explained.
"What's wrong? Something's happening, isn't it? That's why you're talking to me now," Wanda realized and Pietro nodded.
"The first battle of the Apocalypse will be fought today. Barry and your friends, they need you. Wake up Wanda. Wake up!"
And Wanda's eyes snapped open as a gasp of breath left her lips. As she breathed, she tried to make sense of her surroundings.
She was in a med-bay of some kind, she didn't recognize it though. As she sat up in the bed she was lying in, she was hit with a dizzy spell. Groaning, Wanda shook her head as her vision cleared. Throwing the blankets off her, she got to her feet. Walking out of the med-bay, she had to use the walls as support. As she walked down the hall, she realized she was at The Playground.
Hearing voices at the end of the hallway, she followed them. In the briefing room, everyone was talking when entered the doorway, using it for support. It was Natasha who noticed her first.
"Wanda," Natasha said in surprise.
Everyone stopped as they followed Natasha's gaze, seeing Wanda in the doorway.
"Wanda," Steve said in a mix of relief and surprise.
"What happened? What happened at the Tower? Who were those people?" Wanda asked.
Suddenly, her legs collapsed underneath her. Barry sped over and caught her before she fell to the floor, picking her up bridal style.
"Take it easy, you've been shot with…well, we're not really sure what with. Caitlin," Barry called out and the doctor walked over.
"Let's get her back to the med-bay so I can check her out," Caitlin ordered.
"But-" Wanda stated to protest.
"Babe, you've been in a comma for half the day. We need to get you checked out," Barry said in a tone that left no room for argument.
"Fine," Wanda said with a sigh, seeing she wasn't getting out of this.
New York
Not long after
In a warehouse, several bodies with arrows sticking out of them laid around the room. Malcolm lowered his bow, smirking as he walked further into the room.
The Playground
Night
Sara sat on the couch in the sitting area, mindlessly flipping through channels as Oliver watched worriedly.
"Are you gonna just stand there or come in?" Sara asked tonelessly. "Don't tell me this isn't my fault."
"Wasn't going to, I know a lost cause when I see one," Oliver said as he walked over, sitting down next to her. "You made the best decision you could have at the time. You couldn't have known about Apocalypse."
"Whether I did or didn't, the Legends and I still unleashed Armageddon on every earth. I used to say we screwed things up for the better. What a joke," Sara said with a scoff.
"And what are you gonna do about it?" Oliver asked suddenly and she looked at him confused. "Are you gonna sit here feeling sorry for yourself or are you gonna do something about it? We all mess up Sara. What defines us isn't our mistakes, but what we do in the face of them."
"As far as pep talks go, that wasn't bad," Sara said and Oliver was relieved to see a bit of the woman he loved shining through.
"I've had a lot of practice, except I'm usually on the receiving end of them," Oliver said as he looked at his girlfriend concerned. "Are you gonna be okay?"
"No. But you're right; I can't just sit here moping. That won't help anyone. So what do we do now?" Sara asked.
In what was the Playground's version of Star Labs' Cortex, Harry and Cisco were running facial recognition for Alexei and Malcolm on every traffic cam and social media outlet all over New York, hoping to turn up a lead. Roy watched silently from the doorway when Thea walked up behind him.
"No leads so far," Roy said without turning to face Thea.
"Can I talk to you? Alone?" Thea asked as she gestured towards the hallway.
Roy wanted to say no. Now wasn't the time for this. But still, he knew getting into it in front of Cisco and Harry wasn't going to help either. So he nodded as he walked out of the room with Thea.
"What is going on with you? You've been avoiding me since the wedding," Thea demanded once they were out of hearing range.
"Let's not do this right now, not with everything going on," Roy tried to reason with her.
"No, let's do this now. If something's going on, I can't focus on the job. So what is going on Roy?" Thea demanded and Roy was silent for a moment.
"At the wedding, before things went to Hell…seeing Steve and Caitlin standing up there, able to declare to everyone how much they love each other…I started thinking about our future. Specifically, about our lack of one. We can't even walk the street in Star City. Weddings, kids…we can't have any of that," Roy said dispassionately.
"I don't care about any of that Roy," Thea said immediately.
"Maybe not today, but in five or ten years, you will. I can't give you the things you want, the things you deserve Thea," Roy said sadly.
"You think I haven't thought about this?!" Thea exploded.
"I know you haven't. Because you haven't wanted to, neither have I. You walked away from the team, from the life. I don't have that option Thea. You deserve more than this, more than I can give you," Roy said his voice thick with emotion.
"Who are you to tell me what I deserve, what I want!? I want a life with you," Thea said, her voice softening as tears run down her cheeks.
"I don't," Roy said simply.
Thea took a step back, looking like Roy had struck her. Roy fought the urge to go to her, knowing it would not help the situation any.
"So that's it then? We're just…" Thea trailed off, unable to bring herself to say the words.
"We're done," Roy said softly, hating the pain he was causing her. "I love you Thea. I love you enough to let you go."
"Screw you Roy," Thea said angrily, trying not to let the tears fall. "You're not doing this for me. You're doing this for you! Go to Hell!"
Thea then turned and stormed off while Roy stared after her sadly.
In the med-bay, Wanda was being checked over as Caitlin made her follow the light from a small flashlight with her eyes. After a moment, Caitlin shut it off.
"You're weak but you seem fine. Take it easy for a few days and hopefully, whatever they shot you with will wear off," Caitlin said as she put away the flashlight.
"Not sure I have that option," Wanda said, trying to sit up but Caitlin pushed her back into the bed.
"As your doctor, I am telling you that you are in no condition to be going out into the field right now. I will sedate you if necessary," Caitlin said in a voice that left no doubt that she was serious.
"But-" Wanda started.
"Wanda," Barry said from where he was watching off to the side. "You just woke up from a sleep we weren't sure you were gonna wake up from. Just do what Caitlin says. Please."
"Fine," Wanda said with a sigh.
"I'll give you two some privacy. Make sure she doesn't do anything stupid," Caitlin said with a glance at Barry before walking out.
"How long have I been out?" Wanda asked once Caitlin was gone.
"Six, seven hours, give or take," Barry said as he walked down, sitting down next to Wanda as he took her hand. "I was afraid you were never gonna wake up."
"Hey, I'm right here," Wanda said as she took his face in her hands. "I'm right here."
Barry clung to her, allowing the emotions he'd put aside to focus on Hydra to come to the surface. For a moment, they just stayed like that, allowing their presence to comfort each other. Then, Wanda spoke.
"Something's happening," Wanda said and he pulled back, looking at her in confusion. "I saw Pietro while I was asleep. It wasn't a dream; it was just like before, when I saw Thor and Thanos before Rhodey contacted us. He said the first battle of the Apocalypse would be fought today."
"Normally, I'd say it was just a dream. But today…I don't know," Barry said with a sigh.
"What's going on Barry?" Wanda asked as Barry looked away from her.
"Hydra is under the influence of a being known as Apocalypse," Barry said surprising her. "He has the power to prey on the darkness in us to make us slaves to his will. And they have Bruce and Sam."
"What?! Why aren't you doing anything?" Wanda exclaimed horrified.
"We're doing everything we can but these guys are like Ghosts. We've been searching the city all day; the Guardians are still out there looking and nothing. But we will find them. I'm not losing anyone else again," Barry said with force.
"Hey," Barry and Wanda at the doorway where Roy stood. "We might have found something."
A few minutes later, everyone but Wanda, who was still resting in the med-bay, stood in the briefing room as Cisco brought up footage of Malcolm heading into a warehouse.
"Traffic Cams finally caught him," Cisco said.
"So, we spent all day looking for him, nothing, and then we just happened to find him on a traffic cam?" Scott said skeptically.
"I believe what Mr. Lang is trying to say is that this is a trap," Stein said.
"Of course it's a trap. Apocalypse would have his Disciples lure us into traps the first time as well," Thor said.
"It doesn't matter if it's a trap or not," Steve said as they all turned to him. "Hydra has our friends. And we have no others leads. If we go into it knowing it's a trap, at least we're prepared."
"Next move, spring the trap," Cisco said and Steve nodded.
"Suit up, we have a Disciple to stop," Steve said grimly.
New York
Later
Steve, Oliver, Natasha, Clint, Thor, Tony and Sara stood outside the warehouse, the others waiting in the shadows for back up. After a moment, Barry sped back out, a look of shock and horror in his eyes.
"You are not gonna believe this," Barry told them.
Barry led them inside and the others stood in shock at what there were seeing. Dozens of bodies littered the floor, black arrows sticking out of them. It was like a scene out of a horror film.
"If there was any doubt that Malcolm was being controlled, it's gone now," Oliver muttered.
"Seems like his MO. He killed those scientists before The Undertaking and he set Thea up to murder me," Sara pointed out.
"Those were both part of a bigger plan, there was always a method to Malcolm's madness. This…this is just evil," Oliver said grimly.
"No, it is Apocalypse," Thor said darkly.
"So this was what, a warning?" Tony asked in disgust.
"No, it was a message," Barry said as he gestured to the back wall.
Following his gaze, they saw a message on the wall, seeming written in the blood of the victims.
"'Meet me at the place where it all began'," Natasha read, looking over at Steve. "Do you think it's meant for you?"
"It's possible. They crashed my wedding, took Sam. Everything they've done except taking Bruce seems to have been to send me a message," Steve said with a frown.
"Do you have any idea where 'it all began' is?" Clint asked and Steve frowned before his eyes lit up in recognition.
"I might," Steve said before their Comms blared to life.
"I need backup! I-" Thea said before there was static.
"Thea? Thea?" Oliver called desperately over the Comms but got no answer.
Outside, Roy, Bucky and Sif converged on here Thea was supposed. But there was no sign of her, save one thing. Roy leaned down, picking her bow off the ground.
"Scott was right, this was a trap. But it was never about us. It was about taking Thea," Roy said as he held the bow in his hands. "They have her Oliver. They have Thea."
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If you enjoy please support me on my patreon Future 80+ chapters at patreon.com/Darkphoenix11
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