The ride back to Apache Junction was awkward with minimal talking. The three women arrived at the small motel they were staying at in the small town of San Pedro to find that the rest of the team already paired up the rooms. Jemma flinched when she found out that her and Wanda would be sharing a room together with Claire because of the odd number of people.

The team split up and went to their rooms, eager to get some rest after the events of the last few days. Wanda, Claire, and Jemma entered their room and Wanda and Jemma stood a little shocked at the two beds. Claire didn't notice their hesitation and entered further into the room and flopped on the bed, letting out a loud groan. She laid there for a little bit before sitting up and hoping off the bed.

"I'm gonna go take a long ass shower and rinse the prison off me, so if you need to get in there, now's your chance," she said as pulled out clean clothes from one of the bags that Steve brought with him when he rescued them. Neither Wanda no Jemma moved, and refrained from looking at each other. "I mean it guys; this is your last chance. I'm gonna be in there for a while, and I don't want to hear one of you banging on the door trying to get in."

"We're fine, Claire. Just go take a shower," Wanda said, nibbling on her thumb nail; a trait she picked up from Jemma. She moved to sit on the edge of the bed furthest from the door. Jemma still stood in front of the door, not sure what to do.

"Alright..." Claire said as she walked into the bathroom and closed the door. The sound of water running was heard soon after, and Wanda and Jemma were left to fester alone in their awkwardness.

"I'm sorry," Wanda said. "I didn't know that they paired us up; I would've said something..."

"No, this is...fine." Jemma shifted, feeling uncomfortable in the silence. "So, who's Claire? I don't recognize her."

"She's...new, I guess? She's a friend of Bucky's and she fought with Steve in Germany. Bucky is a friend of Steve's." Wanda stopped chewing on her nail and ran a hand through her hair. She cringed as she felt how greasy and matted her brown hair had become and made a mental note to hop in the shower once Claire got out. Jemma nodded her head in understanding, though Wanda knew she wanted to ask more questions. "She was also my cellmate when I was in the Raft. She's...the only thing to that kept me sane in there. Without her, I'm sure I would've lost my mind."

Jemma crossed the room and sat on the edge of the second bed, turning her body to face Wanda. As if she was looking at the brunette for the first time, Jemma noticed how much Wanda had changed in the short two weeks she had been away. She could see that Wanda had lost a lot of weight, especially in her face and her usual rosy cheeks were now pale. The dark circles under her eyes grew darker the longer she went without sleep, and her green eyes didn't glisten like they used to.

Jemma felt a lump form in her throat as she made out the fading bruises on her face and neck from the various beatings that she was subjected to either by men looking for information or because they felt like it. She saw the large scar around her neck left by her shock collar. She saw where the straitjacket cuffs dug into her wrists, cutting into her skin the first few days she tried to break free. She saw Wanda flinch whenever someone touched her upper arm, guessing that there was another bruise there from being handled too rough. Jemma placed her small hand on Wanda's knee, taking the young woman by surprise.

"Wanda, what did they do to you?" she asked in a whisper, the lump in her throat getting bigger as she tried to fight the tears. Wanda looked away, wiping her eyes.

"First...they tackled me to the ground at the airport and forced my arms into the straitjacket, and when I resisted because they were going to shoot Claire, they shot me with a tranquillizer dart. When I woke up, I was in my cell with the straitjacket on restricting my arm movement and a shock collar around my neck that sent strong volts of electricity through me whenever I did so much as talk." Wanda paused, inhaling a deep breath before continuing.

"Ross and his men would sometimes take me out of my cell, bringing me into this...conference room. They would take the jacket off but leave the collar on while they strapped me to this chair. Ross...would ask me questions about Steve and Bucky's whereabouts, but I didn't know. Whenever I gave an answer he didn't like," Wanda made a zapping noise with her mouth, imitating Ross pushing the button on the remote to the collar. "Most of my answers he didn't like. When he wasn't shocking me for information, some of his men took it upon themselves to try to beat the answers out of me. To be honest, I think I preferred the beatings."

"I'm sorry you had to go through that," Jemma whispered, not knowing what to say.

"You have nothing to be sorry for," Wanda said smiling at Jemma. "I'm sorry I left. I'm sorry I looked in your head; I shouldn't have done that, and I shouldn't have left without telling you."

"It's okay. I'm just glad you're here now, safe and sound."

○○○

The room was quiet except for the sound of the small TV sitting on a dresser. Wanda and Claire sat next to each other on the first bed with Jemma taking the second one for herself; Wanda figured it was best to give Jemma her space even though the two practically made up.

Wanda could feel Jemma's eyes land on her every couple of minutes, staring at her, though she never met her gaze. Wanda continued to stare at the television, not focusing on the show, but focusing on not focusing on Jemma. Things were still a little awkward since her confession, and she was sure that the awkwardness rolled off them in waves, making itself known to the rest of the team, at least she hoped the rest of the team didn't notice.

Claire noticed the awkwardness. She felt it and the tension between the two women as soon as she stepped foot out of the bathroom. It reminded her of when it got really humid in the summertime, how the moisture hung in the air, making everything feel sticky and uncomfortable; that's what the tension and awkwardness felt like, and like humidity, there was nothing that Claire could do about the lack of comfort except wait for it to pass.

She tried to focus on the TV show they were watching, but it was hard when she felt Jemma's eyes staring at Wanda. Claire didn't know what that was about, and she couldn't help the low growl that emitted from her throat. She knew her eyes were glowing brighter as Jemma's stare unnerved her. She blinked a few times, trying to get rid of the lavender hue, but no matter how many times she blinked, Jemma's stare burned her and irritated her. Another growl escaped her lips, causing Wanda to turn her head and look at the redhead. Her eyes widened when she noticed Claire's posture and eyes.

Claire instantly stood from the bed, the sudden movement causing Jemma to jump in her seat. She looked over at the redhead as she walked towards the bathroom and paused, pacing back and forth, trying to calm down. Wanda got off the bed and walked over to Claire, holding out her hands to not startle her. Jemma sat further back in the bed, looking at Claire in fear.

"Claire? Claire, are you there?" Wanda asked as she approached her. Claire's head turned and looked at her. She let out another low growl, her claws extending. "Claire, what happened? Tell me what's wrong." Claire pointed at Jemma.

"It's her fault," she said, her voice low. Her purple eyes continued to glow brighter as Claire was losing the battle for control. Her wolf was minutes if not seconds from taking over.

"Alright, Claire, I think you need to calm down, okay? Why don't you go into the bathroom and cool off, and then when you're calm, we can all talk. Okay?" Wanda asked as she led Claire into the bathroom and closing the door.

Claire gripped the sides of the sink as her claws continued to extend. She watched through the mirror as her shoulders rose and fell, matching her quickened breathing. She blinked more, attempting to settle her wolf down. Calm down, Claire. Calm down. She slowed her breathing down, inhaling for ten seconds and exhaling for ten seconds, continuing to do so until she started to calm down. Her claws had retracted and she didn't feel the urge to shift anymore, but the glow of her eyes remained; her wolf was still present.

"Why do you continue to shut me out? After everything we've been through, you continue to lock me up in this cage," her wolf asked her through their mental connection. Claire continued to stare at her reflection in the mirror. She started shaking in fear. While her and her wolf were partners and had somewhat of an understanding, Claire feared the beast that she turned into. She feared the power that she possessed and she feared what she could do with that power. Her biggest fear was hurting those that she loved, which for a time only included Bucky, but now somehow included Wanda.

"You know why I shut you out; you have no self-control. If I let you out, you'll hurt people, kill people. You're a monster." She heard her wolf laugh at her words.

"We both know that we're one; bonded for the rest of our lives. If I'm the monster, then so are you."

Claire shook her head, trying to drown out the mocking voice of her wolf, as she whispered to herself, "No, it's not true. It's not true. It's not true." Her grip on the sink tightened as she started to panic. She lowered her head and stared at the drain in the sink. She heard Strucker's voice, in her head, praising her for her destructive work, explaining how she would make a wonderful weapon. Her wolf laughed in from her mental cage, taunting Claire and weakening her resolve to allow for her to escape. Her claws extended once more, her grip denting and cracking the ceramic counter.

"You try to be a hero, you try to make me a hero, but that's not what we are. We were made to be so much more. You try to protect them, but what are you protecting them from? What are you trying to protect Wanda from?" Claire's head snapped back up to the mirror at the mention of Wanda's name and her light purple eyes stared back at her; she's never seen them this bright. "More like, who are you trying to protect her from? Ross? The government? No, not them. We both know there's only one true person you fear that could hurt her; yourself, me...us."

"That's not true. I would never hurt Wanda; I would never hurt anyone." Claire shook in fear, fighting hard to keep her wolf at bay. Her wolf howled with laughter, not convinced of Claire's words.

"Oh, please! You're pathetic!" she growled feeling angry. "A disgrace! Hiding from true power in this weak shell! Let me out! Or I promise the last thing you'll see before I shut you out for good will be my claws buried deep in that little brunette's throat." Claire could hear her snarling as she pounded against her mind, breaking free. Claire ran out of the bathroom and back into the bedroom, fighting against her body as her wolf started to take control. She could feel the painful breaking of her bones as she started to shift, though she caused herself more pain by fighting against it.

"Claire, are you okay?" Wanda asked as she stepped closer. Claire held up her arm, stopping Wanda from walking closer as she took a step back.

"Stop," she said, her voice tight and filled with pain. She stumbled towards the door and left the room, Wanda following close behind. Claire, standing outside, grabbed hold of the railing and threw herself over it, landing on all fours on the ground below her. She was losing the fight, and her bones continued to break as they adjusted to the wolf's structure. She took off running as she felt her black fur sprout on her skin.

Her hands and feet changed to paws as she ran away from the motel towards the desert. She let out a loud howl of pain as the transformation started taking more form. She stopped running and stood on her back paws and began clawing at her face, thinking it would stop the transformation.

Wanda watched Claire shift in distress from the motel. Jemma ran out and joined her, watching in horror as a giant black wolf stood in the distance where Claire had just been.

"What is that?" Jemma asked as her hand flew up to cover her mouth. Without skipping a beat, Wanda answered her, not taking her eyes off Claire's wolf.

"That's Claire." Wanda wasn't used to seeing her wolf, having only seen it the one time at the airport in Germany when it was under so much control. But now, now she had broken free from her cage and she was angry and in full control.

The wolf stood, back on all fours, still and breathing hard. She lifted her big black head into the air and sniffed, inhaling the scent of its location. Catching Wanda's scent, the wolf turned and looked back at the motel. By now, the other ex-Avengers heard the commotion and joined Wanda and Jemma on the open hallway as they stared at Claire in shock and fear.

"What the..." Sam muttered in disbelief. Natasha covered her open mouth with her hand. Clint just stood frozen. Steve looked over at Wanda.

"Is that...?"

"Claire," she finished his question, confirming what they already knew.

"What happened?" the Captain asked.

"I'm not sure. We were watching TV and she started getting angry. She went in the bathroom to calm down, but when she came out she was worse." Steve ran a hand through his hair and sighed.

"I don't think it worked," he mumbled under his breath. "Stay here," he instructed the team as he made his way to the steps. He walked down them and headed in the direction of Claire's wolf.

The wolf's light purple eyes followed the Captain as he walked towards her, taking his time. She sent him a low growl, stopping him in his tracks for a moment, before he continued walking. She lowered herself down, glaring at Steve. She growled again, this time louder than before, warning him not to get too close, but Steve didn't listen. As he got closer, he held out a hand to her, reassuring her that he wasn't there to fight. He didn't understand that Claire wasn't in control.

"Claire? Are you in there?" Steve asked. The wolf growled again at him, snapping her jaw, and stepped back. Steve quickened his pace, hoping to settle the beast before him. "It's okay, I'm not going to hurt you." The wolf only narrowed her eyes. "Claire, I need you to shift back before someone gets hurt."

Wanda watched from her spot on the hallway, a sudden feeling of dread washing over her; something about this didn't feel right. She ran down the steps, following the path of Captain America, ignoring the cries of the rest of the team telling her to come back. She made sure to stay out of Claire's line of vision, or else her plan wouldn't work. She crept up on the wolf from the side, grateful that Steve was keeping her distracted, otherwise she would have sensed Wanda coming.

"Claire, please, shift back now," Steve pleaded with her. The wolf sent him what looked like a smirk before she pounced at him. Wanda watched as the wolf leaped at Steve and moved towards them, waving her arms bringing the familiar red mist around her, shooting the magic bolt at the wolf. The red blast slammed into the wolf's head, knocking her to the ground, losing her rhythm.

The wolf's eyes burned a dark red as Wanda's magic clouded her mind. Incapacitated, the wolf laid on the ground, writing in pain and anger as the magic crept further into her mind. Wanda took hesitant steps further, watching the wolf, and raised her hands again. Now, standing in front of her, Wanda sent a small wisp of red mist into the wolf's head, and muttered, "Sleep."

The wolf's giant head collapsed onto the ground as it fell into a deep slumber. Wanda stood up straight and released the breath she didn't know she was holding. Steve jogged over to her and the sleeping wolf, fear and panic in his eyes.

"I thought...I told you to stay...with the others," he breathed out as he tried to catch his breath and steady his heart rate. Wanda laughed a little looking into his blue eyes.

"If I listened to you, you'd be dead." Steve gave her a little smile. The two watched as the wolf's body started to transform back into Claire. Her bones broke and shifted, and the fur disappeared. Claire's curly red hair spouted as she returned to normal. Steve bent down and picked up her small body and led the way back to the motel.

○○○

Claire slept for about two hours before the magic holding her wore off. When she woke up, her wrists were tied to the arms of a swivel chair and her legs were tied to the spokes of the wheels. Claire struggled against her bonds, pulling and pushing her arms against the zip ties, creating painful burns from the friction. The sound of a throat clearing snapped her from her panic. Looking around the room that she shared with Wanda and Jemma, she noticed that she wasn't alone; Steve sat in front of her on the bed with Wanda and Jemma on either side of him, Natasha stood the closest to her, standing to her left, and Clint and Sam stood to her right, blocking the door.

"What's going on? What's the meaning of this?" Claire yelled. Her voice was harsh, though it wavered a bit. She never liked being bound; it reminded her of Strucker and of being in the Raft. It made her feel weak and helpless. Natasha grabbed the back of the chair and spun her around, bringing her to face the Russian redhead. Natasha bent down and stared straight into her purple eyes, examining them with an intensity that made Claire want to shrink away.

"Nat," Steve said bringing Natasha's focus to him. She looked at him, remaining silent, and turned her around to once again face the Captain. "It's okay, Claire. No one here is going to hurt you, but you need to calm down." He spoke to her, the words light but stern, but Claire couldn't focus. The room soon became too bright for Claire and she hissed in pain and turned her head away from the light in the room, closing her eyes tight. Wanda stood up and walked over to her, kneeling before her.

"The pain will go away soon. I'm sorry, I had no other choice," she whispered. She didn't like the idea of using her powers to control others; not after when she used that magic to show the Avengers their worst fears and deepest desires.

"What happened?" Claire asked again, sounding calmer than before.

"You shifted and my guess is you lost control," Steve said in the same gentle voice as before. "Wanda managed to subdue you, and when you shifted back we brought you here." Claire lowered her head, hiding from the rest of the team.

"How...how many people did I hurt?" she asked, her voice low and wavering; she lost control only once before and it wasn't pretty. Wanda placed her hand on Claire's left hand.

"You didn't hurt anyone." Claire brought her head up and looked into Wanda's tranquil green ones. She felt the anger rise in her again, but this time the anger was directed at herself, at her wolf. She never wanted Wanda to see that side of her, that primal animalistic side of her that raged beneath her. Claire turned her head away from Wanda's and looked at the floor.

"I need you to tell us what happened, Claire," Steve said, gaining her attention. "What caused you to get that angry in the first place?" Claire's eyes moved from Steve to Jemma. Her eyes narrowed.

"It's because of her."

"I haven't done anything to you," Jemma said as the ex-Avengers looked between Jemma and Claire.

"Yes, you did. When we were watching TV; I saw you staring at Wanda. I felt the tension between you two when I came out the shower. I don't know what you did, but I'm not gonna let you mess with Wanda." She let out a little growl of protection, though her eyes didn't change. She had control once again. "She's been through enough pain, and I intend to keep her from anymore."

Jemma stood up and folded her arms across her chest and said, "What do you know of her pain? I didn't see you in Sokovia when she lost everything."

"I didn't see you there, either."

Steve pulled Jemma back while Wanda rubbed her thumb across the top of Claire's hand. The tension between them was growing, engulfing the rest of the team. Sam looked down and focused on the pattern in the carpet while Clint stared straight at the opposite wall.

"Do you guys mind giving us a minute?" Wanda asked the rest of the team. Steve nodded as he stood up from the bed and signaled for the others to follow him out, leaving Wanda alone with Claire and Jemma.

They were quiet for a minute as Claire and Jemma continued glaring at each other. Wanda stood from Claire's side and sat in front of her on the bed.

"Claire, listen," Wanda said drawing Claire's attention away from Jemma. "It's not Jemma's fault that there was tension between us."
"It's not?" Claire asked, her gaze softening.

"No, it's mine. I didn't always live with the Avengers; I lived with Jemma, and I left without telling her, and when she tried to contact me, I ignored her. Flying back to New York was the first time I had seen her since I left, and she was angry at me, which she deserved to be. It's not her fault, it's all mine."

"So, you guys lived together? What, were you...together?" Claire asked, scrunching her nose a little and furrowing her brow. Jemma coughed and cleared her throat while Wanda shook her head.

"No, no we weren't together. I lived with her after Sokovia. We were both going through a tough time, and it helped to have someone who understood what the other was going through."

"Oh."

"You can trust her; she's a friend. A very good friend who helped my during a really dark time in my life. Kind of like you and Bucky," Wanda said, her words soothing Claire's worries. She didn't trust easily. Claire looked back over at Jemma, looking her up and down, sizing her up before sighing.

"Can you get these off me?" she asked the both of them, referring to the zip ties around her wrists and legs.

"Are you good?"

"Yeah, I'm good." Wanda stood up and walked over to Claire and undid the ties. Claire stood from the chair and rubbed her wrists. She took a step toward Jemma, holding her right hand out, a gentler look in her eyes rather than the harsh glares she had been giving her. "I'm sorry for wanting to rip your face off." Jemma's eyes grew large as she reached out and grabbed Claire's, shaking it a little. Wanda stifled a laugh.

"Yeah..." Jemma cleared her throat. "Yeah it's fine."