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[x-scarletwitch.livejournal.com]

Later in her day, Wanda winds up in Stephen's suite, working on a personal project when he comes bearing food. They discuss the future and the paths that their 'work' will take them and then wind up completely forgetting about the food.



By this time, Wanda had already been in possession of a spare key for Stephen's hotel room for the better part of the time they'd been back in the States. He'd gone out for food and she was taking the chance to do a bit of work. Well, project anyway. The Askani journals were spread out around her on the bed and she was working away as fast as she could be.

They'd taken forever to write out thanks to the lack of midnight writings but they were nearly done now. Hand cramping from writing for the last twenty minutes straight, Wanda struggled through the fog that came with the writings. She'd take the distraction and glaze over not sleeping any day.

There was a gentle cough from the doorway, where Stephen was standing, looking concerned. "I've been trying to get your attention for the last five minutes, dear heart," he said. "Are you all right?"

Wanda blinked and then rubbed at her eyes. "Oh, yes, I was just... concentrating." Putting down the pen, she waved one of the journals at him. "The Askani's full history and story, as was told to me through one hell of a brain dump right as she disappeared during the fight with Selene. The information is pretty much leaking out of my ears but Nathan managed to snap me out of the all night, completely unconscious bouts of writing."

He came into the room fully, putting down the shopping bag, interest clearly sparked. "An entire culture of the future that might never be... Fascinating in just the philosophical connotations, but there's the anthropological as well. May I?" he asked, nodding at the journal she was holding.

"Of course." Instead of one, she handed him two journals that were nearly identical. Getting off the bed to stretch and work her muscles, she explained, "One is written in Askani, the other one is the English translation. Once I'm done I am going to suggest to Nathan that we publish it as a work of nonfiction sometime down the road. Get the word out, no matter in what form, of what they stood for."

"I might know some people who could help with that eventually, although it would be a challenge to pitch..." Stephen was already leafing through the journals, sounding distracted, but then he remembered. "Oh, we have food. Little Asian place with the most amazing dishes... I thought you might like something other than room service since we haven't really left the room all that much?" To his credit, he only blushed a little at the thought of what they had been doing instead.

Grinning as she headed around the bed, she took the book back from Stephen. "My head feels less full," Wanda said, voice a little relieved as she slid her arms around his waist. "And that does sound fantastic, you always do have the best taste in food." She gave him an innocent look. "And the best taste in agreement of what we should be doing in our spare time."

It was very hard not to pout as Wanda took the book away, but finding it replaced by a rather attractive Amazon of a woman made up for it. "My rule is to always try places that are patronised by people of the same nationality as the restaurant - they know best, after all. And it helps, knowing the languages. You can avoid getting the 'stupid Westerner special'." She chuckled and he kissed her temple. "I worry about this head of yours being used as some sort of back up... thing. Like on computers. I quite like the ideas that come out of it, even the ones that don't involve us never leaving the bedroom."

The fact that even in this day and age Stephen hadn't the first clue about computers amused Wanda to no end. "Well, you did know I was brilliant when we first started dating," she teased, leaning in for a longer kiss. Pulling back, she was the one to pout slightly. "Hmm, the food will get cold if I distract us any further and I do have some news to share."

Running his finger over her slightly jutting lower lip, he raised his eyebrows slightly. "News? This sounds portentous." He had news himself, but he was wanting to delay that for as long as possible. Letting her go, he bowed, indicating the small breakfast table. "If m'lady will sit, I'll serve dinner."

"I could get used to this," she happily sighed, squeezing his hand before settling in at the table. Pillowing her head on her hands, she watched him putter around with the bags of food. "I stepped down from my place with the X-Men." Well, that certainly got his attention. "I am still in a reserve spot, in case they need me, but it is official." She grinned. "And I accepted a job offer from Remy, which followed fairly shortly after."

Well, at least he hadn't dropped the container of crispy fried duck all over the floor. "You've quit the team?" he asked, setting the box down on the table and taking a seat opposite her. "But I thought the X-Men, the work you do, I thought it was something of a personal mission for you? What changed?"

"Chthon," she responded softly, watching his reaction out of the corner of her eye. "And then the cultists. I realized that there were other things, things more along the lines of what you work with, out there and realized I wanted to go in that direction. I'm getting my doctorate..." More news, she'd just gotten the bulk of the paperwork in from Cambridge. "...and thought that was how I was going to mainly pursue it until Remy came with the offer of the job."

"Remy... oh, the scruffy man with the limp and the incomprehensible accent that Amanda sets such store by." Stephen frowned, thinking it all through. "This 'work' of mine, Wanda, you've seen how dangerous it can be. I know you're used to danger with the X-Men, but this is a whole other world. Are you sure you're ready for it?"

"Unfortunately, there is really no way of knowing until I get into." Pushing herself up from the table, Wanda grabbed Stephen's hand in hers. "I know you worry," she said softly, "but I am made of fairly stern stuff. Maybe sometimes too stern, I know. But this is something I want to do, a path that my life has been leading me too all of my life, and I cannot back down from this."

Moving his free hand to cover hers, he nodded. "Then I will help you on that path, whatever way I can, dear heart. This new job... it would be with the group Amanda and Ms. Braddock are with?"

"That means a lot to me, thank you," Wanda told him, her smile growing. "And yes, I will be working with both Amanda and Betsy, much to my delight and Pete Wisdom, though I know him less than I know Remy. It is a good group and there will be more things, I think that we will face than just cultists. But it's a start for me."

"Amanda's certainly made quite some headway on those leads I gave her - she showed me this database she'd made, cross-referencing the types of activity with known groups..." Stephen shook his head in amazement. The witch had come a long way since the time she'd been his student. "Ms. Wisdom speaks... colourfully of her brother, but given the recent rescue he enacted on her behalf I think I can trust him to watch your back, as I believe it is known." He leaned forward and kissed her. "I know, I'm a worry wart. But I've only just gotten you back - I couldn't bear to lose you again, as I thought I had that night in Nepal."

Leaning in so she could put her forehead against his, she sighed a little. "I know, that was an...unpleasant evening to say the least. Being drugged, pushing you out of a car, being slapped--" Her eyes glinted slightly. "Though I have to say that breaking that woman's nose was the best feeling during that whole ordeal. I was worried right up until the point where we got out. And it was very nice to finally have that mantra removed from your chest." She grinned.

"It was just a shame we were both so exhausted we spent that first night sleeping," he chuckled. Then he sighed. "Wanda, dearest, I hate to ruin the mood, but I have some news of my own."

"Stephen, dear, this is me you are talking to...the mood is never ruined, just postponed." Sobering up, Wanda gave him a kiss on the cheek and then went to finish pulling out the rest of the food. "Is it good or bad news?"

"It's definitely in the 'bad' camp," he said, getting up and fetching a couple of plates from the hotel room's kitchenette. "I got word from one of my friends that there's something strange going on in South America. He needs me to help him with what seems to be a resurgence in blood sacrifices in a particular mountain region."

"What is it with sacrifices?" Wanda huffed, peeking into various containers before scooping interesting food onto the plates. "Seriously, though, I can see why it would be in the bad camp, sacrifices are nothing to sneeze out. And I will miss you terribly while you are gone but we can always get back together once you are back."

There was an underlying current of tension in her words, no matter how well she tried to hide it.

"Sacrifices, particularly of an 'innocent' victim, hold a lot of symbolic power. They serve as a focus of belief - the ceremonies are almost always complicated affairs and are intended as much to bring the congregation together as to..." He caught himself lapsing into lecturer mode and stopped. "This time I'll stay in touch a bit better - the need for secrecy is less, especially if you're going to be involved in the same work. Pooling resources and all that." Stephen looked unhappy. "I truly do not wish to go - these past few weeks, with you, have been the most wonderful time in my life. But duty calls. And soon - I shall have to fly out Tuesday afternoon."

"Always so sudden," Wanda teased gently but relaxed at the staying in touch part. "But no, I understand about duty and responsibility, this time I just refuse to let what we have go. I know why we had to last time but it is not exactly something I wish to go through again." Turning around, she leaned against the counter with a smile. "Less secrecy is good, though, because it does mean we can help each other and simply just stay in touch."

"I didn't want to let us go last time, but the risk was just too great. To you, to the school, to Mr. Wisdom..." Stephen glanced at her suddenly. "You'll keep an eye on Amanda, won't you? She's come so very far, but the events of last year have done their share of damage and I think that you might have a better perspective now than most."

"Of course I will. I like Amanda and we do have a great deal in common, and much to talk about. I know she is working very hard but enjoying it at the same time." Laughing a little bit, she hoisted herself onto the counter. "And if she misbehaves, I can threaten to tell her stories she really does not want to hear..."

He joined in the laughter, crossing over to the counter and sliding his hands around her waist. "You are an amazing woman," he said, a note of wonder in his voice - sometimes he couldn't believe this beautiful, intelligent, wickedly funny woman was here, with him. "And I love you dearly." With that he leaned in and kissed her passionately.

While one hand snaked up Stephen's neck, Wanda pushed away the food with her free one. The food, she thought cheerfully, could be reheated at a much, much later date.