Two weeks have passed since Wanda was brought to the DODC to await trial. Her allies outside still searched day and night for her children and the rest of her family, most of her family still being locked up by Chthon in an unknown location, but Vision was still on his own mission, taken by Cable to the future, and Spider-Man was still missing as well.

Throughout these two weeks, she has been treated well by everyone in the facility, thanks to Officer Victor. He visited her occasionally, talking things out, getting to know one another better, sometimes he'd simply give her some company when she felt bored out of her mind or when her troubles came to the surface again, causing her to feel a great sadness inside her.

She just couldn't get over the fact that this was really happening, and that she was constantly in the spotlight for the whole world to see. She was given newspapers to read constantly, and every 2nd page every single day was just about her. But the worst thing she couldn't shake was her family being in the grasp of Chthon and she couldn't do anything about it. But Victor always managed to see the positive in things. Telling her it will all be okay. He was always there. At this point, he became the only anchor she had. The two of them already understood each other on a very deep level. She saw a hint of herself inside him, and she knew he saw the same, but she couldn't understand why he always seemed troubled when he spoke with her.

The DODC Supermax

11:50 PM at night

Wanda was having another nightmare. Victor always stood on guard outside the cell room, and it has become almost routine to wake her up just to save her from what she was dreaming. They'd talk for a few minutes until she'd fall back asleep.

Though she has nightmares every night, some nights were worse than others. Some nightmares felt more like a premonition rather than a dream. This was one of those dreams. A dream she couldn't even wake from.

Wanda: No! No!!!

Victor opened the large steel door with a scanner and walked past the yellow line, knocking on the glass cell.

Victor: Wanda. Psst. Hey. Wake up.

Nothing worked. She was trapped, soaking wet from sweat, shaking her head, moving around in a panic state with her eyes shut closed. A few tears escaping them.

Wanda: No!!!!!!!

Victor opened up the cell and shook her awake. She jumped up and screamed in terror, then she started crying.

Victor grabbed her shoulders to calm her.

Victor: Hey hey look at me. It's over. It was a dream. I'm here.

She looked at Victor and suddenly saw a red glow in his eyes. She gasped and ripped his hands off her.

Victor: Is everything alright?

Wanda: I don't... I... What's happening?

Victor: What do you mean?

He suddenly had a torn cloak over his head, concealing his face. She backed away into the corner.

Wanda: Nonononono it can't... This isn't real! No!

He walked forward, his entire outfit changing drastically. His fingers grew sharp nails.

Victor: Wanda what's wrong?

She crouched down in the corner of the cell, screaming with her eyes closed.

Wanda: GETAWAYFROME!!!!!!

Suddenly there was no one. Just as when she spoke to Doctor Strange right after the wedding, when he suddenly disappeared as if it was all in her head. (Read Chapter 7: A Strange Encounter for a refresh)

Wanda: H-hello?

Her cell was open. Along with it, the large door towards her cell as well. She shakingly stood up and walked towards the door. Scared to death.

As she walked past the corridors, the door slammed shut behind her. She shouted and jumped backwards, with Matt now standing in front of her.

Wanda: Matt!!! Wh-what? H-how did y... What's happening!?

Matt: I told you to be careful with him, but you never listen.

Suddenly two hands from within the darkness grabbed his head and broke his neck in front of her.

Wanda: No!!!! Get away!!! Why are you doing this!!!

She stumbled onto the floor and crawled backwards, looking at the terrifying figure in front of her.

Chthon: I'm NoT dOnE wItH yOu YeT, mY sCaRlEt WiTcH.

She got up and ran. Through the maze of cells inside the prison. As she ran, multiple hands tried to grab her from different cells. Screaming things at her.

"You're his!"

"Your life belongs to him!"

"You are a lie!"

"Your family is a lie!"

Wanda: No! Get away! Get away!!!

Two hands grabbed her and pinned her against one of the cells. Chthon caught up and walked towards her again. She breathed heavily through her frightened tears. Then she snapped.

Wanda: ENOUGH!!!!

Her powers broke free and all its Fury unleashed, at full display. Her power disintegrated everything inside the facility.

Chthon: YeEeEsSs YEEEEEESSSSS!!! UnLeAsH yOuR fUrNaCe! UnLeAsH... yOuR dEsTiNy!

He held out his hand and slowly absorbed her power as it burst out. She flew away in fear, back to the only place that still felt like home - Westview. But when she arrived, everyone in the town was dead. Others walked around like zombies and more began standing back up, looking like undead figures. She flew around every corner and every street until reaching Ellis avenue. She then saw her entire family laying among the bodies, including 120 S.W.O.R.D agents, multiple innocent civilians and Doctor Strange, Agatha, Logan, and few other she didn't recognize- Robbie Reyes, Elsa Bloodstone, Moon Knight and Frank Castle. Her twin sons were trapped under rubble, with a stark bomb in front of their faces. Pietro stood in the middle of the bodies as the only survivor. He looked at her with despair.

Wanda: P-pietro?

Pietro: You did this... This is all your fault sis...

He slouched forward in defeat. Then lashed out.

Pietro: This is all... YOUR!!! FAULT!!!!

A S.H.I.E.L.D. jet began shooting bullets towards their directon from above. She then saw Clint far away, in chains. Pietro ran in front of Clint to protect him from the bullets, and it shot straight through Pietro's body.

Wanda: No!!! Brother!!!! Please!!! NOT AGAIN!!!! NOT AGAIN!!!

Chthon: WaNdA...

Wanda: No leave us alone!!!!

The skies turned red, and she saw a wormhole crack open in the sky.

Chthon: WaNdA...

Wanda: Thisisn'trealthisisn'trealthisisn'treal!!!!!

Chthon: WaKe Up WaNdA!

She collapsed onto the floor and screamed the same words.

Chthon: It'S tImE tO wAkE uP, wAnDa...

She kept screaming.

...

Victor: Wanda wake up!!!

She jolted awake from the prison cell, soaking wet with heavy breaths. She was more confused than ever.

12:00

Wanda: Wh-w... what!?!

Victor grabbed her shoulders to comfort her.

Victor: It's okay. It was just a dream. Look at me. Hey Wanda... Look at me... It's over.

She slowly came back to reality and realized that everything she just went through was a nightmare... inside a nightmare. But she still felt uneasy around Victor, after what she just dreamed.

He still held her shoulders for a while as she slowly calmed down with her head lowered to the ground. She felt something inside her still lingering... Her powers. She could feel it flowling through her veins again... Her breathing slowly turned back to normal, but that was when the emotions came through and she began sobbing.

Victor: It's alright. It's over.

Something inside him just wanted to embrace her, but he still fought himself to not do it. Every day became harder, but he could not let these feelings stand in the way. Not ever again. Not after what happened the last time he put his feelings first.

Wanda: I-it was so horrible! I... I've never had a dream like that! It felt so real!

Victor was shocked when SHE was the one suddenly embracing HIM, pressing her face into his shoulder. He had no choice but to wrap his arms around her. But deep inside, he tried everything he could not to get swooped up with empathy for her. But he was failing miserably.

Victor: It's okay... It's okay Wanda. Everything will be okay.

After a while, she sat down on the cell bed and wiped her tears.

Victor: You know... If only they could see you like this...

Wanda: W-What?

Victor: The world... They would see how... human... you really are. Vulnerabile.

He looked at the cameras recording everything.

Wanda: You really think they'd... just... Change their minds about me?

Victor: If you could see behind my mask you'd be surprised how good you are at... well... Giving others empathy.

Wanda: You're... crying?

Victor: No I didn't say that...

...

Victor: Maybe just a little.

She chuckled softly. But then she remembered the dream. He quickly took notice of her sudden change in expression.

Victor: Hey... You still okay?

Wanda: No... Y-yes... Maybe... I don't know...

Victor: Maybe get some more rest. You'll feel better in the morning.

Wanda: I-It's hard... to sleep.

Victor: I know. But you need rest. I'll be right outside and I promise to wake you up sooner this time. If it happens again... Maybe I should try water next time.

She chuckled again. Something about him just made her feel at ease, but now she was burdened with that nightmare, along with the words that Matt spoke to her two weeks ago. But she was in such desperate need for kindness and acceptance, that she didn't want it to be true. She buried it every time the thought lingered for too long.

Victor walked out and she tried going back to sleep, but the rest of the night was just hours of rolling around with her eyes open. Among thousand other things that bothered her, one thing now tickled her mind the most... She could swear she can feel her powers again, and to her shock, there was a tiny red flash of light when she secretly held her hand inside the blanket and moved her fingers as a test. Was she becoming immune to the serum? Or would it fade again when she received another dosage.

6:30 AM Morning

Early in the morning, one of the officers came in to inject her with the serum to suppress her powers. After he went away, she tried to feel it in her hands, and voila, there was still a hint of her powers present. Not at all her full power, but there was something there. Another guard then brought her breakfast in a tray, with enough water and walked away again. After eating it up, she hesitantly did her "morning business" while keeping her eyes off the cameras that seemed to leer at her.

Some time passed before Victor arrived again, with another book for her to read.

Victor: Morning, Wanda. Did you rest better after going back to sleep last night?

Wanda: Yes...

...

Wanda: No... I couldn't... sleep.

Victor: (Sigh) I wish you didn't have to get those nightmares...

Wanda: It's okay... I-I'm used to it by now.

Victor: Nonsense. You don't get used to something like that.

She looked at the book strangely. It seemed old.

Wanda: What's this book called? No title...

Victor: It belonged to my mother... She used to read it to me when I was a child.

Wanda: ... In Sokovian!?

Victor: I thought you might... Enjoy reading something a bit more close to home... And yes I... Did grow up in Sokovia.

Wanda: Really? That's... I mean... What?

She scanned through the book, and realized it was something her own mother used to read to her and Pietro when they were kids. A tear fell from her eyes onto one of the pages.

Victor: You okay?

Wanda: My... My mother used to read this to me and my brother... when we were little. (She smiles through tears) Pietro used to beg her every night to read just a little more before going to sleep. Then she'd... (Sniffles) She'd tuck us in... Kiss our foreheads... I'm sorry. I...

Wanda's memories stirred as she held the book in her hands, its worn edges and faded pages breathing life into a past she had buried deep within herself. A world where she had once been safe, loved, and full of hope.

She was suddenly back in their small apartment in Sokovia. It was a cold night, and the wind outside howled through the cracks in the walls. But inside, everything was warm. Her mother's voice, soft and soothing, filled the room as she read to them from the very same book that now lay in Wanda's lap.

Wanda was just a little girl, her head nestled against her mother's side, with Pietro on the other. They were both wrapped in blankets, their eyes wide with wonder as they listened to the story. All the stories she would read to them, were always about hope. Her mother would pause sometimes, brushing a stray lock of hair from Wanda's forehead, and smile down at her with such love that Wanda's heart would swell.

Her mother would then talk about a wonderful place, outside of Sokovia, to make them understand that there was a whole world to explore outside their home. Silently preparing them for the big move.

Little Wanda: Do you think we could ever go to a place like that, Mama?

Wanda had asked one night, her voice was filled with innocent curiosity.

Her mother smiled, the kind of smile that could make anything seem possible.

Iryna: One day, my child. But for now, you must dream of it. Dream as big as the sky, dear. There's no limit to what you can do, what you can be. As long as you keep hope alive in your heart. And never change who you are.

She touched Wanda's heart with her finger.

She tucked the blankets around Wanda and Pietro, making sure they were snug and warm. Then she kissed them both on the forehead, her lips cool but comforting, and she whispered...

Iryna: Goodnight, my little stars. Sleep well, and dream sweet dreams.

In those moments, Wanda felt like nothing could ever go wrong. The world outside might have been crumbling, but within the walls of that small apartment, there was only love and the unshakable belief that everything would be fine.

As the memory faded, Wanda found herself back in the cold cell, with Victor watching her intently. She brushed away the tears, but the warmth from that memory lingered, wrapping around her like a protective shield. She could feel her mother's arms around her. Hugging her gently but firm.

She clutched the book tighter, as if holding onto it could somehow bring back that lost time, that lost innocence. She wondered deep within her, what would've happened to her life if that bomb never destroyed their home and killed her parents. Even though she now knew they were her adoptive parents, that didn't change the love she felt for them.

She looked up at Victor, the most sincere gratitude filling her eyes.

Wanda: Thank you... s-so much. This... This is the greatest... gift... anyone could ever give me.

Victor genuinely smiled underneath his mask. He could feel everything she felt inside her heart.

She embraced him for his kindness, not even realizing how tight she was squeezing him. After she let go, he began speaking again.

Victor: You know... I lost my parents at a young age too.

She looked up at him, interested in what he was telling her.

Victor: It took me a long time to... get through that darkness... sometimes it's still there.

Wanda: I'm sorry... No one should go through that. It is why Pietro and I... Joined the protesters in Sokovia years later. We wanted to fight... to prevent what happened to us from happening to anyone else.

...

Victor: And here you are... In a cell, hated by the world for being everything that you are not.

She lowered her head again, another tear falling on the cover of the book she was holding in her hands.

There was a silence for a few minutes before Victor spoke up.

Victor: Listen, I got news that your attorney will be coming again. With a special guest. It's actually why I came here.

Her face lit up, but the fear of not knowing what was coming during the next trial was haunting her thoughts. She was happy and afraid at the same time.

Wanda: It's been a while... Do you... know who he's bringing with him?

Victor: I can't say. But it will be fine. Matt's a great lawyer. Just trust the process, alright?

He touched her shoulder while she nodded.

Victor: I'll be back later.

When he left, she looked at her hand again, playing with a small red orb of energy between her fingers, with thoughts about escape and saving her family getting ever louder in her head, but her power was not fully restored yet, and she feared what might happen if she stepped one foot out of this facility. Chthon might kill all her loved ones instantly, and the world would hate and fear her more than they already are.

3 Hours later

A few hours passed before Victor arrived to take her to a different room inside the facility.

Wanda: Is it time?

Victor: Good news... You can finally get out of this cell for a while, bad news, it's still a small room.

Wanda: What? Wait where am I going?

Victor: Matt's here. You're being taken to a room a few levels lower than this one.

Wanda: But this is already like... the 3rd lowest level...

Victor: Sounded better to say it that way instead of saying 'lowest level'. But don't worry. It's nothing bad.

Wanda: you promise?

Victor: I'm going to be just outside the room. You trust me, right?

She thought back at the dream and Matt's warning. On the surface she almost felt like she could trust him with her life.

Wanda: I...

Victor: Really? Come on Wanda you're still not trusting me?

Wanda: No it's not that... I'm just... I'm still scared.

Victor: Of me?

Wanda: No of course not... Just... everything.

She let her guard down finally and just sent all those thoughts to the back of her mind.

Wanda: But I trust you.

He opened her cell to cuff her.

Victor: Sorry. It's mandatory to be cuffed when you're not in your cell.

She looked at the cuffs and remembered where she was and why she was there. She sighed softly, her heart filled with despair, but she held out her wrists.

Wanda: I... understand.

He cuffed her gently and walked with her through the corridors of the prison. She seemed uneasy when walking past the cells, remembering the dream she had last night. They went down the elevator and entered a room almost similar to the one at the raft, where the "doctor" did his experiments. Her heart pounded in her chest and a gasp echoed through the room upon entering. She stopped in her tracks, every instinct telling her to run.

Victor: Everything okay?

She froze.

Wanda: *gulps* I can't do this... I can't do this. W-where's Matt...

Matt entered the room along with another familiar face just before she spiraled into another panic attack.

Matt: Wanda...

He immediately senses her unease, and her relief when they entered. She looked at Matt, with the Professor by his side in his wheelchair.

Wanda: Professor?

Matt: Is everything alright?

Wanda: Yes... I... I am now. This place just looked... A lot like...

Professor X knew what she meant. It did look similar to the room in the raft, from what he could see on the video footage.

Professor X: Like the raft.

Matt: Don't worry, Wanda. We're just here to help you with something that could change the course of the trial.

Matt glared at Victor once more, trying to sense something in him again.

Victor: Alright, I'll be outside to escort her back to her cell when you're done.

He walked out, handing something in Matt's hands as he passed by. Matt looked confused, but put the item in his pocket. Matt and the Professor then walked with her to the steel bed in the middle. To the side there were computer monitors and wires.

Wanda: What What w-will you... do?

Matt: It's okay... Just lay down. The Professor will head to see if he can access some of your lost memories. Is that okay?

She felt the angst shoot through her heart again, wanting anything else but to remember those memories. But she knew there was no choice.

Wanda: I... Will it hurt?

Professor X: Not at all... At least... not physically. You'll be conscious and be able to tell us exactly what you see. When the memories are all intact once again, I will be able to see it for myself afterwards.

Wanda: O-okay...

She did as they asked. The Professor touched her head to begin the process, confident that whatever they would find, could change everything...