Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

You were drinking your usual coffee in your favorite coffee shop, sat down at a table by the window, looking outside and just thinking about stuff in general. Though the weather made you happy, the person sat beside you was bugging you, though he wasn't really a living person, just his ghost.

"So, nice day, huh?" He was there almost everyday, just as you were. Only that he was waiting for the guy behind the counter, who was serving customers their orders. "Ok, not really a nice day since its raining outside..." He commented. "Can you help me please?" You nodded imperceptibly, trying to not get people's attention around you. He spoke again, a smile plastered on his lips. "His shift should be over now."

Just as he said so, another girl walked behind the counter and wore a green apron, telling the guy that he was done for the day. The guy smiled and took off his apron, hanging it on the wall behind the counter and prepared to exit the shop.

"Hey?" You said to him from your seat and he looked at you, slightly annoyed.

"I'm sorry, my shift is over." He replied politely.

You smiled and shook your head lightly. "No, it's not about that... Can you please sit down with me for a minute?" He was confused, but he did just as you asked and sat down in front of you, so you began speaking. You almost took habit about this ghost stuff, but you never knew how the person in front of you would react. "So..." The ghost beside you told you his friend's name. "Marcus, you've lost a friend recently?" You already knew the answer, but you wanted to see his reaction.

His brow furrowed and leaned back in his seat. "How'd you know that?" He asked confused.

You leaned your elbows on the table and looked at him, choosing your words carefully trying not to scare him off. "I'm sort of a medium... Your friend would like to talk to you," the ghost told you his name, "Michael."

"Is this some kind of a joke?!" He exclaimed irritated. "Ok, if you're a medium, tell me something only he would know."

You turned your head around and looked at the empty seat next to you, only that it was empty for the eyes of Marcus. The ghost, Michael, he thought for a moment then spoke to you, looking at his friend with a smile. "Tell him about that time when his first kiss went terribly wrong, at Central Park... With me."

That made you chuckle softly. "Well, that sure is an interesting story..." You turned back to look at Marcus and repeated what Michael told you. "He wants to remind you about your first kiss, in Central Park, with him."

At that point, Marcus' eyes watered and he had to cover his face with both of his hands. "Michael, is that really you?" He whispered placing his hands on the table and the ghost hovered his hands over his friend's, covering them. The guy felt kind of a cold touch, but his doubts were answered.

"He want you to know that he really did love you and that you should move on, go out there and find someone else to love and who'll love you. He also says that he knows that's gonna be difficult at first, but he also knows that you're strong." You told him what the ghost wanted to say, but his voice couldn't reach his friend.

"Michael, I loved you too, and when you died my whole world crushed... But if this is what you want, I'll let you rest in peace." The poor guys was crying, catching the attention of the waitress behind the counter. She asked him if the was okay and he nodded with a smile.

"Is that..?" Michael asked looking at something behind Marcus, a bright light, warm, and it was calling him. "Goodbye, my love."

"He's seeing the light, he's ready to go and wants to say goodbye." You told him, and the other man nodded, saying goodbye. The ghost stood up from the chair, mesmerized by the light and walked towards it, passing through and disappearing.

"Thanks, you know." Marcus said, squeezing lightly your hand.

"No problem, it's kind of a daily thing for me." You told him and he left you to finish your coffee. It was something that you could do since childhood, it scared the hell out of you, seeing dead people wasn't normal and your parent were scared for you, but you learned to live with it.

As you were finishing your coffee, a girl entered the shop followed by a strange guys. She was beautiful, probably around your age, young. Her long hair was brown and her clothes were simple but still stylish, with a red leather jacket on top. The guy on the other hand was wearing a fit blue and grey vest, with black pants. His hair was white and a little long, but not too much. He looked like one of those runners you see at Central Park, but the two of them had a rough accent. The girl stood by the counter and ordered her coffee, but the guy just looked around, speaking and throwing some jokes on how he'd date the waitress. She seemed to ignore him.

You looked at the watch on your wrist and decided to leave to finish some work you had, forgetting about the two that entered the shop.

You were back the next few days, at the same time, sat at the same table and drinking your usual coffee. The girl came in every day just as you did, sometimes even ordering something different, other times leaving quickly or sitting down at one table. She always seemed to ignore the guys that followed her. While she changed clothes, the guy always wore the same outfit, probably some kind of professional runner, you thought.

Today in particular, the coffee shop was full of people and the girl wanted to sit, but there were no empty seat, beside yours. Fortunately, you came early today and managed to grab the same spot, sitting next to the window.

"Hi." A voice said catching your attention. She smiled brightly. It was the girl. "Do you mind if I sit here?"

You looked around for a moment and nodded. "Sure, I don't mind some company." You smiled back to her.

"See? She doesn't mind." Said the guy.

"I'm Wanda, but the way." She introduced herself and sat down in front of you next to the window, and the guy right next to her.

You said your name and shook hands with her. You looked over at the guy and waited for him to introduce himself. "And you, what's your name?"

Wanda almost choked on her coffee, looking at you shocked. She probably chose the wrong day to sit down with some kind of freak. She noticed you looking at the empty seat next to her so she looked too, but didn't see anything, then looked back at you.

The guy was perplexed for a moment. "Wait, you can see me?!"

You furrowed your brow and sunk into your seat, realizing what was happening. "Oh..."

"Oh? What do you mean 'oh'?" Wanda asked, setting her cup down.

"I'm Pietro, her brother. So you can hear me?! Oh my god! Finally someone I can talk to." He was talking very fast, his accent pretty thick.

The words caught up in your throat and your forehead wrinkled as you furrowed your brow, sadness in your eyes. "It's your brother." You said, almost whispering.

Wanda's eyes widened, with tears starting to well up at the corners. "Pietro..." She murmured and the first tears fell. She quickly dried her cheeks and stood up from the chair, grabbing her coffee, she went for the exit door passing through the ghost of her brother.

"I'm here everyday at the same time when you're ready to talk!" You spoke loudly, earning questioning looks from some people around me, who noticed the poor girl crying.

"Great, my only chance to talk to her and she ran away." Pietro, who was still sitting at the table with you, grunted.

"Don't worry, she'll come back." You said to him, finishing your coffee.

Chapter Text

You came back the next few days to the coffee shop hoping that Wanda would show up, but she never came. While you were ordering your usual, you tapped on the counter nervously, waiting for the drink.

"She doesn't want to talk to you." A thick male voice said next to you, making you jump in scare.

"Fuck!" You cursed. "Don't do that." You whispered when the waitress came back with your order, giving you a questioning look. You smiled nervously and paid her, taking your cup and heading out of the coffee shop, in the streets. "Did she say why or spoke to someone?" You asked Pietro. Who was following next to you.

"She spoke to the Captain, and he told her to be careful, because you might be Hydra." He replied, crossing his arms over his chest.

You sighed. "Hydra?" You asked glancing at him. "Listen, I'm not any of that stuff, I just want to help you both to move on. You're stuck here as a spirit and if you stay for too long, you could never see the light."

He stopped walking abruptly. "Does this mean I could never see her again?" The thought saddened him, and he shook his head. "I love her, she's my sister. I don't want her to be sad."

You turned around to look at him and smiled softly. "It's not like that you're never going to see her again. In the light you'll find peace, you'll always be her guardian angel."

"You were there?" He asked arching a brow.

"No, but I see it every time a ghost passes through. It's warm and bright, with the spirits of the people that loved you, who are waiting for you to find peace too." You explained to him, your sweet voice trying to calm Pietro down.

"But first," he started, "we need to help Wanda find peace. She still cries herself to sleep because of me."

That made your heart clench at the sad image. "Then if she doesn't want to come to me, I'll go to her." You smiled nodding to him. You didn't notice though Pietro did, that some people walking around you were giving you strange glances while passing by. Sure it must've been creepy to see a girl talking to herself in the street. You noticed him looking around. "Oh, don't pay too much attention to them. This world is full of people that do strange things, I just have a creepy-ass-gift that makes people jump out of their skin."

He nodded in understanding. "I'll lead you to the Avengers Facility." He started walking again, passing through you and giving you immediate shivers. You didn't mind him doing that, but every time it happens with some spirit, you felt awfully sad and cold.

"What do you mean Avengers?" You widened your eyes. "Ok, I guessed she was an Avenger but she lives there, with the rest of them?!" You were freaking out. That meant you'd be surrounded by heroes.

"What's the problem?" He asked trying to pat your left shoulder, but his hand slipped right through you. "Ah, I always forget about that... Sorry."

You didn't really want to answer that, but you feared they'd have more ghosts around them than any other person has, but that didn't stop you from shaking your head and telling him to take you there. "Let's go."

"Wait! I'll go and see if she's still there." He disappeared in a blink of an eyes, so you crossed your arms in front of your chest and waited for him. After a few minutes, Pietro reappeared.

"She's home, with the rest of the crew."

You sighed. "Great..."

Pietro stayed with you all the way to the Avengers Facility and told you that there would be two guards patrolling the entrance. "So you want me to show up, uninvited, and say that I need to speak to an Avenger? Great plan, I'm sure they won't even double check my background story." You mumbled sarcastic. You hopped off the bus that took you to the edges of the city and took a private path towards the facility. It was surrounded by tall trees but you could spot the facility as you were getting closer.

When you approached the front gate with Pietro by your side, you started swearing, hoping that they wouldn't detain you, or worse. One of the two male guards stepped out of the gate and eyed you.

"This is a restricted area." He informed you.

You nodded nervously. "Yeah, I know..." You hesitated. "I need to speak to Wanda Maximoff." You said after Pietro told you his last name.

"Do you have an invitation?" The guard asked eyeing you suspiciously.

"Lie." Told you Pietro over your shoulder.

"Yeah, I met her at the coffee shop a few days ago and she asked me to come and visit here since she was busy." You lied only making you feel more nervous, thinking that they didn't buy it.

"Great, that was a great lie." Cheered Pietro, but it didn't make you feel better, you weren't even sure if he was being sarcastic or not.

The guard in front of you turned around and looked at his partner, making a slight nod. "Wait here." He told you in the end. The other guard spoke to someone at his comm and then nodded back to the guard in front of me. "Come with me."

You nodded and followed him through the gate, then entered the facility. The place was enormous and very welcoming, for a training facility. You took a mental note of the bright rooms and glanced around a little bit more, until the guard stopped in front of a person, a handsome one.

He had blonde hair and was build up like a professional fighter. He was none other than Steve Rogers, Captain America. The guard left you there with America's pupil and he eyed you from head to toe.

"Ma'am," he said extending his arm out for you to shake hands, to which you did, "I'm Steve Rogers." He had this old manner that made you feel more comfortable in his presence, despite the fact that he could crush you with a finger.

You told him your name and looked behind you for Pietro, but he wasn't there, so you panicked. "Huh..." You bit your lower lip. "This is kind of an embarrassing situation where I say I'm a medium and people freak out." You said, chuckling, but he had no reaction, just his lips slightly twitching up in a smile.

"Well, I thought you were some Hydra agent, so that makes us pretty even." Steve replied.

That word again... "No, no... Nothing like that. In fact, I don't even know what you're talking about." You reassured him.

"She's in her bedroom." Pietro said, making you jerk again from the sudden fright.

You gasped earning a questioning look from Steve. "I told you to not do that, jeez!" You exclaimed looking at Pietro with a hand over your chest.

Steve felt goosebumps on his skin. "Is he here?" He asked furrowing his brow.

You nodded. "He told me that Wanda is in her room."

Steve still wasn't sure that you were telling the truth, so he crossed his arms over his muscled chest and tilted his head. "If you're telling the truth, then ask him to tell you how we first met." Steve demanded, thinking that he'd reveal your true intentions.

You looked at the empty spot on your left and then nodded, looking back at the Captain. "He said that he flipped you over like a pancake, in a forest."

Steve's eyebrows shot up and he let his arms fall on his side. "Well, OK, that's true... What about our second meeting?"

This time you crossed your arms over your chest and looked at him. "Listen, I don't care if you don't believe me, but I have to speak to Wanda."

Pietro chuckled next to you and you shot him a questioning glance. "Is this funny to you?" You asked him and he shrugged.

"No, I just thought about something that'll make him turn red like a tomato." Pietro confessed.

"Oh, really?" Your face lit up in a smile and you knew this one was gonna let you speak with her. "Ok," you met eyes with the super soldier, "he says that at night, before going to sleep, you have this stash of Vintage Playboy that you take out and..."

Steve began to redden in his cheeks and he turned around, walking away. "I'll call Wanda."

"See? Told you that would work." Pietro commented. "The living room is this way, if you want to sit and wait for her." You followed him to another big room that was on the right and entered a white spacious room, with luxury furniture and large tv on the opposite wall of the entrance.

You walked to the window and looked outside, a question clouding your thoughts. "Do you..." You began and looked over your shoulder at Pietro. "Do you remember how you died?" You asked him and he walked next to you, looking outside too. "Some don't remember at first, they just know that they died." You explained.

He sighed, brushing his hair backwards with his hands. "About a year ago, I guess, I don't really have a grasp on how much time has passed, it still feels like it has been just a few moment ago." You nodded. "The archer was in trouble and he had a kid in his arms, bullets coming their way. I remember rushing in front of them and then was shot a couple of times. But they survived, that's what matters."

You smiled sadly. "I'm sure they will be forever grateful."

Someone cleared their throat and I turned around, seeing Wanda and Steve in the doorway. They entered the room followed by other people, which you guessed were the rest of the Avengers.

Wanda was nervous, fingers pulling at her sleeves to hide her hands. "Hi." She said, greeting you.

"Hi." You stepped closer to her and you both sat down in front of each other on the couches. "I know how this must be a great shock to you, but Pietro can't cross the light until you speak with him." Her eyes watered and a redhead sat down next to her, protectively putting her arm around her shoulders. Wanda didn't say anything yet, she just let some of her tears fall, trying to dry them off as quick as possible with her sleeves.

You looked around at the other Avengers and felt quite uncomfortable, because you didn't know their names. After a while of silence, a man sighed and shook his head circling the couch and sitting next to you. "Ok, this is embarrassing. My name's Tony Stark, which actually makes me feel left out since I'm very popular and rich, that," he pointed to a guy with a red face, "is Vision. Then we have Natasha Romanoff," the redhead, "James Rhodes and you already met Capsicle." You mentally took a note of their names and then told them yours. "So you're some kind of ghost radar?" Tony asked.

"Ah, if you want to call me like that... Whatever. No, I'm a medium, I can see ghosts and speak with them." You looked over at Wanda and saw Pietro sitting on the edge of the couch, extending his arm towards his sister's shoulder and lightly touching her. She felt it, a cold feeling of fingers touching her.

"Pietro?" She murmured. "I miss you so much."

You took it as a cue to finally act as intermediary. "He wants you to know that he'll always love you, but he can't stand to see you cry yourself to sleep at night, just because he's not there for you." You said each words as Pietro told you and made small pauses so that Wanda could think through his words. "He says that he's gonna be ok, with your family on the other side, watching over you."

Wanda nodded, looking up from her knees to you, meeting your eyes. "Thanks you, Piet, but how can I go on without you? You were my only family..." She sobbed again, shaking her head, unable to stop the tears.

You reached for her hands and gave them a light squeeze, giving her a warm smile and repeating Pietro's words, which were about to make you cry too. "But you're not alone anymore, you have a family once again, a big one too. Pietro says that no matter what happens next, you'll always have someone to count on. Right, guys?" You looked around at the other Avengers and all of them replied with a yes, nodding their heads to Wanda.

Wanda giggled. "True, how could I not think about that?" She raised her eyes up and dried her wet cheeks with her fingers. "Thank you for having been the more adorable and troublesome brother anyone could wish for, I'm sure the ladies out there will miss you too." Everyone chuckled, Pietro too, but then he turned his head towards the window.

"I think it's time." Pietro whispered, eyes fixed on the same spot, a warm feeling in his disembodied form. He turned his attention to his sister and smiled lightly, leaning in to place a kiss on her right temple, which she felt as a chill. "I'll say hi to mom and dad from you." Pietro stood up on his feet and walked slowly towards the light. "Thank you, darling." He thanked you and disappeared, engulfed by a light which dulled after a short moment.

"He made it through." You told Wanda and she started crying again, but it wasn't sad this time, her's were happy tears.

Bonus:

You started to leave towards the front door after you've helped Wanda and her brother to move on, when you noticed an elegant lady sitting in another room, she wasn't talking but, instead, she was listening to a man that was sat opposite of her. They looked quite out of place, clothes probably from the early 90s.

You sighed slumping your shoulders. "More work for me."