Joanna skimmed through the pages, she didn’t even process what Pietro had inquired about the book. It speaks of aliens attacking Earth. That they are monsters and enemies. Is this really how they view us in general? Not all are evil, just corrupt. She slammed it shut and Pietro saw the title. ” Ender’s Game.” he whispered to himself and knew what she was feeling. He took her hand and she looked at him with tears in her eyes. ” Hmm … Shh..” he softly said as he embraced her, slowly rocking her. Joanna let out soft, hiccuping sobs as he wrapped his strong arms around her small frame. ” Do all humans see us like this?”
Pietro gently stroked her frosted locks and remain silent for a moment before pulling away to look into her deep amber eyes. Pietro smiled softly and said, ” No, not all. But there are the few that do and the few that want aliens to come. The later can be a bit weird though.” He made a face and Joanna laughed. Pietro took her the comic section and showed her a few old superhero comics. ” See? Most see aliens as heroes depending on how they act.” Pietro zipped around her and laughed. Joanna dried her eyes and laughed at his antics.
Joanna and Pietro spent the next several minutes walking ( more like running after Pietro, much to Joanna’s annoyance.) around the library. Joanna finally caught up with him and grabbed his arm. ” Slow down, not everyone has super speed ya know.” she said panting. Pietro blushed a bit and helped her sit in a chair before crashing down onto a ottoman. ” What was Sokovia like growing up?” Joanna asked while rubbing her feet. Pietro thought for a second before speaking quietly, ” It was beautiful. Just Wanda, our parents and I. We had many friends and a great school. Until the day when the missiles came. Our parents told us to remain under the bed and went out. We heard screams from the street and held Wanda back as cried out for out parents. A missile had fallen in front of the bed and for three days it didn’t go off. That’s how it all went down.”
Joanna listened wide-eyed and dumbfounded at his story. They went through all that? At least they knew who their parents were…and yet that’s why it hurts them so much. She looked into his now sad blue eyes and moved over to him. He started to let out quiet tears and she hugged him tightly, letting out her own tears of compassion. ” Pietro, they loved you. Josh and I never will know why our parents let us…..” Pietro stopped and grabbed her shoulders. ” What do you mean?!” He searched her face for an answer. What did she mean by that? She must have known her parents before they became orphans. Did they?
Joanna brushed away her tears and exhaled. She then told her own sad tale of how the Nova Corps had found them on the doorstep with a note and how they became agents. ” It’s a bit cliché I know, but that’s what happened to us.” She shook as the wind blew in from a window, but Pietro ran over to close it. ” That’s why you can relate with us so well. You lost something of value too.” Pietro glanced at her as Joanna walked to him. ” Yes and that’s why…” Joanna searched his face for something to give her courage. His eyes urged her to continue. There. Here goes nothing. ” Я люблю тебя Пьетро Максимофф!” ( I love you Pietro Maximoff!) They remained standing still for a second then Pietro pulled her close with wide smile.
” As do I, Joanna.” he whispered as he gently kissed her lips. Joanna mentally gasped, but closed her eyes and kissed back. Pietro’s heart pounded in his chest as she responded to him. I love her and she loved me back. Wanda was right. Josh was right as was Wanda…..I hope he does well with her too. They broke the kiss and stood in each embrace as moonlight poured into the room. Pietro gently took her hand, ” Let’s go outside and find the other two. We should leave soon.” Joanna pouted a bit, but brightened. ” Yes!” They rushed outside towards the school steps.
Josh and Wanda slowly crept away to the balcony. Wanda then pulled him down the steps into the garden out back. ” Come on, they won’t spot us in here.” They ran along the red tile path lined with holly bushes until they came to a gazebo. Wanda and Josh fell onto the benches laughing at their successful escape. ” It was getting crazy in there!” Josh breathed out and Wanda nodded. ” It was and plus I love the gardens. It so peaceful here and you finally listen to your own thoughts.” Josh mused over her words, She is physic so it makes sense. We do need a place to hide in. There is another place, but a physical place is needed as well. Wanda got up and leaned against a pear tree. She gazed at Josh for a seconds, Maybe I should ask now.
” Please, tell me about your past.” Josh sat up and turned to look at Wanda. Her brown eyes begged to know the truth and her fair visage longed for him to speak. It’s not as sad as theirs, they knew their parents. But she should know, they deserve to know by now. But am I ready? At least try to. Wanda tried her best to not hear his inner self speaking and waited until Josh got up. He walked over to her and leaned next to the tree. ” You sure you wish to hear it Wanda? ” She nodded, ” You know our depressing story and we don’t know yours.” Josh smirked a bit before beginning.
” The Nova Corps found us on their doorstep when we had just been born. We were all bundled and in a box with a note on top. They never told us what the note said or why we were even there. By DNA tests and genealogy runs, we know our parents are still alive but are TBD. We basically grew up with the Corps and they put us in their Young Agent Program so we could protect ourselves. Joanna and I will never stop trying to find out more about ourselves, but we do know we have a greater identity above our parents.” Josh inhaled shakily as he finished.
Wanda had been quiet while listening, hearing his mind weep over his own tale. They went through all that and yet they act so strong. But they still have fears like Pietro and I. It’s worse for them, they never knew their own parents. It’s fantastic they believe in their greater identity, but still….to go through all of….the uncertainty of who you are. Heartbreaking. Wanda started to cry and Josh pulled her close to let it all go as he did the same. Josh’s two colored eyes spilled over with tears. You heard it all didn’t you Wanda? Yes Josh, I did.
An Open Window 