Chapter Text
It was warm. Uncomfortably so, and getting warmer. Then it was like fire- no, actually fire- she was on fire, and falling. Quickly. She figured as much, anyway, and she knew she was gone, knew she left, she just didn't know where to. And then everything was dark.
*
“Did you secure it?”
“Well, yes.”
“‘Well’?”
“It's more of a her, sir.”
“Shit.”
“Heading towards you. The team isn't going to let this one out of their sight.”
“I can imagine. Report back with any changes.”
*
There was talking. All muffled, but it was definitely voices. And she was starting to-
“She's waking up.”
“It might be best if you wait outside, Cap.”
“All due respect, sir, but my team and I need some answers. You can't say this doesn't feel familiar.” Steve smiled weakly, shrugging his arms and watching the girl’s eyes flutter, trying to open.
Fury shrugged, “Depending on what she tells us, you might be a pretty good person to help her acclimate.”
Fury? Steve? Shit. Fuck. There's no way these people are who I'm thinking they are, right? She slowly opened one of her eyes, only to see Steve looking right at her.
“Fuck.” She basically gasped the word and immediately closed her eyes and opened them again, checking that she was really seeing what was in front of her.
Fury chuckled as Steve frowned, “I bet most in your position think that same thing when they wake up in a hospital room, but no one we’ve had to talk with has immediately said it.”
“No offense, sir, but I don't think you've ever met someone in my position. That sounded really obnoxious, but I promise it's true.”
“Sir? Do you know who I am?”
“I have a pretty good idea, yeah. And I know who he is too,” She motioned to Steve, “but I'm sure that's not as surprising.”
Fury eyed the girl skeptically, then walked to the door and motioned for someone to come inside. When he entered, she laughed.
“Do you know who this is too?” Fury asked.
She nodded yes. Fury cursed under his breath.
“I can already warn you that this is going to sound insane. Well, more than insane, but I'm afraid I can't think of a better word than that at the moment. But it's nice to meet you, Coulson.” She gave a weak smile and Steve knit his brows together.
“How do you know Coulson?”
She opened her mouth and closed it again almost immediately. “I honestly can't say that I have a great explanation for any of this. And it's a very long story.”
“Well let's start with who you are.” Fury motioned for her to continue talking.
She laughed, “That's the most complicated part. And I already know that you've all seen some things and can probably bring yourselves to believe in a lot, but-” she took a deep breath, “this one’s gonna be a stretch.”
Fury laughed without any real humor, “We’re ready whenever you are.”
“May as well get started then. Any of you know what a nephilim is?” They all stared blankly back at her. “Yeah, neither did I until a couple of years ago. As it turns out, I'm one of them- half human, half…”
“Half?” Steve asked, looking at her with intense curiosity.
“Angel.” She heaved a sigh that would have sounded over dramatic if she weren't so seriously drained. “Half human, half angel. I only found out when I was on vacation with my family and this crazy guy, well, an angel, tried to kill me. Called me an abomination, too. Not a great family, as it turns out, I mean-”
“Wait,” It was Fury who interrupted, “I'm sure there are many things lurking out there, but I'm pretty damn sure angels only exist in books and crappy Christmas movies.”
She laughed, “I'm pretty sure you would've said the same about Thor, well, minus the bit about Christmas movies.”
Steve’s eyebrows shot up, “How do you know about-”
“Sorry,” She interrupted, “We’re getting there. Promise.” She looked at Fury to see if she should continue. He motioned for her to keep going. “I found out I have these...abilities. I guess. Well, I'm sure I have them, I'm just not sure if that's quite the right way to phrase it. Anyway. After that first attack it just...kept happening. I met another angel, his name was-is- Castiel. He explained what I am, and why all the other angels wanted me dead. Heaven was basically in the middle of a war. A civil war. With tensions so high, one of the more...radical groups was trying to make a point by, well, ‘purifying’.”
She stopped when she heard Steve scoff. “Yeah, Cap, I guess you've heard that before, huh? Um.” She stopped.
“Something wrong?” Fury asked.
“I'm just realizing how crazy this must sound. I haven't even explained how I'm here, and why you don't know any of-”
“Then tell us. You can come back to the war in heaven or whatever this-”
“Right.” She interrupted, then noticed the look on his face. “Sorry.” He motioned for her to continue.
“Castiel was a rebel. That sounds very dramatic, but it's the best way to explain who he is. Many of the Angels wanted to follow him, but at the end of the day, he wasn't like them. He was friends with humans. Two in particular. They became like family to me, the three of them, especially since it wasn't safe for me to be around my actual family anymore. But they were different. They were hunters.” She took a deep breath to steady herself for what she had to explain.
“Can I get you something? Water? A snack?” Steve looked concerned still. She was pretty sure he thought she was crazy, but he was kind anyway.
“Water would actually be great.” She smiled.
Steve began to stand when Fury motioned him to stay, then went to the door and sent someone else to retrieve it. A nurse came back with a cup and a pitcher of ice water. The girl gulped down an entire cup, thanked the nurse, and prepared to continue.
“Where I come from, Angels aren't the only things that exist. Demons do too, and ghosts, vampires, werewolves, witches,” She laughed, “Hell, even leviathans. I was pretty surprised about that one, to be honest-”
“Where the hell are you from?” Fury interrupted.
“Treat it like a bandaid I guess,” she took a breath, “Another universe?” She meant to state it, but the inflection at the end made it sound more like a question. She waited for them to argue with her, to ask her questions.
Coulson chuckled, causing Fury and Steve to look at him questioningly. Coulson shrugged, “That would explain why she was free falling through our atmosphere and managed to live.”
She nodded, “The falling was a surprise. I can't say I really knew what to expect, but it wasn't that.”
“Alright,” Fury started, “So why did you leave?”
“Well, every angel wanted me dead. That wasn't really fun. But that's not why I left. Honestly, I didn't have too much of a choice in the matter. One angel, one who really hated my existence, Metatron, was planning on performing a spell. The spell would cast all the angels out of heaven, binding them to earth. As much of a contradiction as it sounds, all hell would've broken loose. Angels aren't exactly fond of humans either, and they would've went right along waging their war on earth, regardless of the civilian casualties.”
Everyone noticed she stopped. She felt like she was going to throw up. Just talking about it. About everyone she lost, everyone she left behind, and all because of one person. One angel.
“Fury, I think she needs a minute.” Steve stood, gesturing towards the door.
“No.” She said, everyone turning to her. “I'd rather just get this over with.”
Steve nodded, and handed her another glass of water.
She laughed, “Honestly, you all seem to be handling this much better than I thought.” Silence. “Metatron’s spell,” she went on, “has a very specific first step. It requires him to cut out the heart of a nephilim.” Steve’s eyebrow rose and she chuckled, “I know, not fun. Before long I couldn't step outside without being bombarded by Angels after my heart. And not in the sweet way.”
Coulson laughed, and she smiled, “Thanks for that, man. Needed that.” She sighed, “It was all too much. People were getting hurt. My friends were getting hurt, some of them really badly. I just-” She took another breath, “I had to leave. No one could hurt anyone close to me anymore, and no angel was going to cut out my heart. Win-win.” She laughed sadly. “So I cast a spell of my own and came here. I knew I was leaving, but I didn't realize where I was landing.”
“So how do you know us?” Fury asked. “I need to know if we have a national security breach on our hands.”
She shook her head, “That’s not it at all. In my universe, well, I kind of grew up reading about all of you. You were stories, comic books, movies even. I'm just as surprised to be here as you are to find me.”
Fury shrugged. “Next I need to know exactly how powerful you are, and if you're willing to join us.”
She laughed. “You're joking, right?”
“I'm completely serious.”
“What I just told you is crazy. I don't understand.”
Fury nodded, “Let’s just say we have a certain someone who was in your head before you even woke up. She already told us your story, and you just confirmed it.”
She laughed, “Wanda?”
Fury nodded, “So what do you say.”
“Well,” She began, “it's not like I have anywhere else to go.” She shrugged in Steve’s direction, he continued to stare at her, before snapping out of it.
“And your name?” Steve asked.
“(Y/n). (Y/n)(Y/l/n).”
“Welcome to the team. We'll begin training as soon as you're well enough.”
*