Complete summary: In the aftermath of the Ultron Offensive, Wanda Maximoff is trying to adjust to her new life as an Avenger. As she slowly grows close to the Captain himself, Wanda discovers that he is trying to locate his best friend, Bucky Barnes. Suddenly, Wanda is faced with an inner predicament: the aching feeling that she has met Bucky before. When Bucky is finally found, via being framed for the UN Vienna conference bombing, Wanda tags along with Steve Rogers and Sam Wilson to get him back – a decision that divides the Avengers right down the middle.

Characters: Wanda Maximoff, Steve Rogers, Bucky Barnes, Sam Wilson, Natasha Romanoff, Tony Stark, Vision, James "Rhodey" Rhodes, Clint Barton, T'Challa, Scott Lang, Peter Parker, Sharon Carter, Maria Hill, Nick Fury, Brock Rumlow, Helmut Zemo, Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross, Everett K. Ross, Pepper Potts, Jane Foster, Laura Barton

Setting: June 2015 - June 2016


June 2015 – New Avengers Facility, Upstate New York

Once Wanda Maximoff took a step outside, the hot summer humidity instantly dampened her skin. If it was any other day, she would've gone right back inside and taken refuge in the coolness of the A/C. Sokovian summers were one thing, but New York summers were a whole different beast. The heat was simply suffocating, and Wanda hated feeling that way. She kept her head low and sweat was already forming in the crease of her forehead and above her lip as she continued downhill.

Today marked the first month anniversary of her twin brother Pietro's death.

Right after the Ultron Offensive, Wanda started arranging the burial. She was against having him buried in their native Sokovia – not when that place held so much pain and sorrow. She also knew he wouldn't mind not being buried in Sokovia, which brought her some peace of mind. She then thought of cremation, but it made her mad to think of her brother's body reduced to ashes.

Then Tony Stark and Steve Rogers suggested that Pietro be buried on the property of the New Avengers Facility. Wanda cried for three straight nights.

"It's the least we can do," Steve smiled.

"Cocky and annoying he might've been, but he is deserving of the honor," Tony concurred.

And so, Pietro Maximoff was interred as an Avenger on a warm May afternoon within the hundred acres of the facility. Steve, Tony, Clint Barton, Sam Wilson, James "Rhodey" Rhodes, and Nick Fury served as pallbearers. The men carried the silver metal casket down the grassy hills to the awaiting tombstone. Wanda, dressed out fully in black topped off with a veil over her dried round face, followed in solemn silence. In tow were Natasha Romanoff, Maria Hill, Pepper Potts, Jane Foster and finally Laura Barton, who was carrying her infant son Nathaniel Pietro Barton. As per the Eastern Orthodox religion, the coffin was reopened one last time. An already fatigued Wanda nearly fainted when she saw her brother's pale face, and had to be held by Steve and Natasha for the duration of the service.

A month later, and Wanda was still trembling as she had that day walking to the gravesite.

Suddenly, no matter how much heat the sun's rays were bringing, she felt cold. She bit her lip, a chill going up her spine as the tombstone came into view. She wrapped her arms over her chest and swallowed to keep from sobbing.

Wanda kept a few feet away from the tombstone. It was simply scripted with his name: Pietro Django Maximoff. No date of birth or death – Wanda had a feeling that he would rather be remembered as a man who gave up his life protecting humanity, rather than a twenty-something whose life was cut short.

Her mouth twitched; she still thought it was odd to talk aloud.

"Hello again," she whispered as she sat crisscross on the warm grass. Wanda's head remained low, her shoulders hunched over. She was glad that the surrounding trees were shielding her from the bright sun, though it didn't help the growing shivers in her arms, which was covered in goosebumps.

"I know I haven't come back here since… you know," she started. "But I'm going to tell you why. I'm officially an Avenger –" Wanda momentarily giggled as she imagined the shock on her brother's face. "Who would have thought, me, as an Avenger? Not me, and certainly not you! But am I. I'm still getting used to the whole title thing, and I still haven't gone in any undercover missions or things like that. I've just been training with Steve, Natasha, Sam and Maria. And let me tell you, I don't think I will ever be as good and skilled as them."

She was quiet for a couple seconds, nonchalantly picking at the grass roots.

"It will also take some getting used to living here in America. Again, who would have thought that I would be making my life here?" Wanda scoffed, and then gently added, "Or you be buried here." She shook her head to stop from getting emotional. "I think you would have liked it here. Every country has its problems, but this is not Sokovia. I can understand now why I hated America so much. A part of me was jealous. Jealous that their people weren't going through what we were. Jealous of the freedom that a democracy offers. America is everything that Sokovia is not, and I hated that.

"I don't feel that way now. In fact, I don't feel any hate for anyone or thing. What is the use of hate in a life when you get a second chance at it? I should be in prison, or worse, but I have been giving a miraculous second chance and I won't take advantage of it. I am going to enjoy, as much as I can. For the both of us."

Wanda raised her eyes and stared at the tombstone. Her throat became dry, and it wasn't because of the simmering heat. Her stomach felt heavy.

She extended her hand and barely touched the stone with her fingertips. It was mildly cool. She bit down hard on her lip, but it didn't do anything to the trembling that was wrecking her body. She had promised herself she wouldn't cry, but sitting there, speaking with her dead brother, how could she not?

"И мисс иоу брата (I miss you brother)," Wanda choked out. "Дакле, толико (So, so much)."

The lone twin stayed for some more minutes, thinking back on the millions of memories she had of Pietro. She missed everything about him – his cockiness, his self-assuring ego, his teasing and womanizing ways, his hugs, his kisses on her hair, his protectiveness. He was the last person on the planet whom she truly loved, who she would have done anything for, from good to bad, to keep him safe.

Her better half was gone. Without him, nothing really made sense. The Avengers were there to keep her breathing and fighting, but it was all she could take. Because part of her is dead, buried in the dirt with Pietro. She'll never be the same.

A slight vibration brought Wanda out of her grief-filled reverie. She wiped off some tears and dug into her workout jacket pocket to grab the high-tech cell phone provided by Stark.

It was a text message from Steve.

Coming to practice?

Wanda sighed, and turned to the tombstone.

"Captain calls," she said as she waved the phone in the air with a sad smile. "До следећег пута, љубави (Till next time, my love)."

Wanda leaned forward to kiss the top of the stone, sniffed, and jogged back to the facility without looking back. She was glad that when she entered the training room with red eyes and a stuffed nose, no one asked her. They all knew.


July 2015 – Barton homestead

For Independence Day weekend, Wanda joined Natasha off to the reclusive Barton farm. Wanda initially felt a tinge of guilt leaving Steve alone for his birthday (no one turns 97 twice), but as Sam had so eloquently affirmed to her – "Oh you better believe that he won't be alone; he doesn't even know what's gonna hit him!" – then she realized that it might have actually been a very good idea that the facility would be left to the boys.

Once the little two-story farmhouse came into view from the long-winded road, Wanda couldn't stop smiling. It was so simple yet so picturesque. It was everything that she had envisioned about a farm: a white front porch, green shutters adoring every window on worn-out pale yellow paint foundation, endless lands of grass and trees surrounding it, and of course, an American flag waving smoothly against the wind. The only thing missing was the actual barn and livestock.

The Barton children, Lila and Cooper, were lively, energetic and carefree. While welcoming to Wanda, they unknowingly also provided painful memories of her and her own brother as kids. They were mirror images of the young Maximoff twins. Raised by a loving mother in Laura and a hard-working father in Clint, just like Marya and Django Maximoff. Wanda deeply enjoyed their company, but sometimes it just became too much for her to handle. The innocent aura that radiated off them was so sacred and so immaculate that it often overwhelmed her, forcing her to excuse herself. She didn't want to cry in front of them, didn't want them to experience suffering just yet. Unlike her and Pietro, whose childhood came to a horrific end at age ten, these little ones deserved to grow up in their own skin and not be thrown into the fire without any guidance.

Wanda also liked that the children naturally floated to their Aunt Natasha. It was quite a sight seeing the redhead, a world-renowned spy and assassin, melt into putty at the feet of Lila and Cooper. Anything they asked for her, she did it and more. Whether it was playing outside for four hours straight in the dirt, to playing a football videogame with Cooper or competing with Lila on Just Dance, Natasha was at their beck and call. Wanda knew that Natasha's avid interaction with them came from inability to have her own children; she could practically feel the longing that Natasha exuded whenever the kids were in her arms. This made Wanda want to leave the room, because she felt intrusive at knowing just how much Natasha wanted the chance of motherhood.

It was in those times that Wanda went to curl up with little Nathaniel Pietro. Just like Natasha and the two elder Barton siblings, Wanda drifted to the youngest. It does have something to do with him being Pietro's namesake, but he was also the most cuddliest, the most bubbly and precious baby she had ever laid eyes on. With him, Wanda felt totally at ease. She forgot about the Avengers, Ultron, everything that had ever bothered her. Nathaniel was the epitome of ethereal chastity, and Wanda wanted to get lost in that unsullied world. She felt protected by Nathaniel in that sense, which the total opposite when concerning Lila and Cooper. She actually believed that with Nathaniel living, nothing would harm Wanda again. It was foolish thinking, but Wanda thought it was better to believe that than to believe in nothing. She'd go crazy if she didn't have someone else to hold onto.

~.~

A planned weekend stay lulled into an entire week. And it quite an eventful one for Wanda.

It was her first Fourth of July, and having watched several American films, she had an idea of what to expect of the festive holiday. Clint woke up everyone by bellowing "The Star-Spangled Banner" while waving two miniature flags. For lunch, they had a barbeque and a picnic filled with food that Wanda had always heard of, like apple pie, peach cobbler, potato salad, and macaroni and cheese, but had never tasted. She found she especially liked Clint's baby back ribs and Laura's flag-designed cheesecake.

Afterwards, they retired into the house until it was evening. Lila and Cooper played around with firecrackers, and then Clint and Natasha helped arrange the fireworks. As it went off, one by one, colorizing the twilight sky in bright red, blue and white sparks, Wanda didn't think of anything. She simply laid back on the blanket strewn on the dry grass and just looked up, enjoying the sound of the kids' laughter. The loud, quick blasts of the fireworks droned off in the background as Wanda soaked in the placid family moment. She wanted to remember the sensation of feeling totally serene, the absence of world salvation on her shoulders, even if for a second.

She wrinkled her nose at the distant noise of shuffling feet growing from her left.

"Are you feeling okay, Wanda?" she heard Laura ask her. She didn't miss the slight worry edge from her question, and for once, she appreciated Laura's instinctual mother tendencies. Wanda never much liked it when Pietro did it, but now that he was gone, she found herself liking Laura a lot because of it.

Without opening her eyes, she smiled and simply replied, "Yes."

For in that moment, nothing could ruin the waves of peacefulness, a first since Pietro's death.

~.~

On their last night at the farm, Wanda was finally able to wash the dishes after dinner. The Bartons' never-ending hospitality had managed to break for Natasha twice, but they refused to allow Wanda to be near the kitchen. So, she was quite relieved when Laura relented, but of course Clint joined in tune with his wife by opting to help dry.

A summer quiet befell around the house as Laura went to put the kids to sleep and Natasha retreated into her room. There was the occasional chirp of the insects coming through the half-opened window in front of the sink.

"I know we haven't been given much time to talk in between us, but I'm glad you came, Wanda," Clint said.

Wanda smiled. "Me too. You have a beautiful family."

Clint shrugged, though Wanda saw the immediate sparkle in his dark eyes. "Some of us are lucky, others aren't. I'm just thankful to keep them safe."

"You have done that, and so much more," she answered, handing him wet silverware. She thought it was amazing that he could manage to keep them out of harm's way for so many years, given his profession.

"Yeah, but don't think I'm fooled. Luck's been involved, too, and I won't take advantage of that. Not when you're standin' there, remindin' me."

Wanda swallowed. Clint, sensing her ridge, slowly took the plate from her slightly trembling hand and sandwiched it in between his hard-skinned ones. She kept her head low though she knew if she stayed in that stance, tears would fall.

"I'm sorry to bring that up… but it's true. I'm alive because of Pietro, and you don't know how much I thank him for each day that I'm breathing and in the company of my family. I thank him because he stopped my luck from running out. And you remind me of that, of him and his sacrifice.

"So if you ever need anything, and I mean anything, don't hesitate. Call me. You know how to reach me. Your brother died protectin' me, and there's nothin' on this Earth that I could repay him except keepin' his sister safe."

Wanda stared at him, a ghost of a smile forming on her lips as her eyes reddened in emotion.

"It's all I can do," he added solemnly.

She nodded once and thought about hugging him, but held back. Her hands were damp, and she didn't want to get his shirt wet, even if he didn't care. He released her hand and swiftly returned to drying off the remaining plates. Wanda sighed softly under her breath, the smile twitching to widen at the corners.


New Avengers Facility

When Wanda and Natasha returned to the facility, they were rather alarmed and amused at seeing a disheveled Sam, in full Falcon gear, arguing silently with two security men. When one of them caught sight of the women, he nudged Sam on the shoulder and with large eyes, flicked his shin behind Sam.

"Is something wrong?" Natasha asked with a playful smirk as she crossed her arms over her chest.

Sam, looking like a child caught taking a cookie out of the jar, whispered for the men to go before turning his attention to the women and trying, though failing, to regain his composure.

"Uh, nah, what makes you think that somethin' is wrong? Nothing is wrong. Cap left me in charge because he knows nothin' would go wrong, and nothin' has gone wrong," Sam babbled.

Wanda had to look away; she didn't want to add on to the salt by laughing in Sam's face. Obviously, something had gone wrong, because the place was strangely actively with security running around them, as if someone had broken in. Natasha immediately sensed the same thing, and before Sam could say another word, she called upon F.R.I.D.A.Y.

After learning what had transpired just minutes before their arrival, Wanda and Natasha simply gave Sam an eyebrow lift.


Author's Note: This is the sequel to In Days of Yore, which ended with HYDRA removing memories of Wanda and Bucky ever meeting. Because of that, this fic begins like In Days of Yore never happened, and follows exactly what happens in The Winter Soldier and Age of Ultron. It's through the events leading to Civil War that changes, because both Wanda and Bucky will start remembering of what HYDRA did to them, and more specifically, what they meant to one another.