Chapter 1
"Let's beat them into shape."
Wanda grunted as her back hit the mat for what seemed like the hundredth time. Sweat rolled down her face and her muscles ached with exhaustion. Bruises marked her body, not fully healing and more developing almost every day.
"That wasn't too bad. You lasted two minutes this time." A husky voice filled her ears and suddenly, long locks of red hair obscured her vision. Natasha Romanoff, also known as the Black Widow, grinned down at her before holding out her hand. Wanda sat up and grabbed it, letting the stronger woman pull her to her feet.
"Easy for you to say. You're not the one who ends up flat on the mat every time we spar." Wanda panted as she placed her hands on her knees. "Can we stop for today?" she asked, glancing up at the ex-Russian assassin. She tried to keep the pleading tone out of her voice, but Natasha wasn't fooled.
"Last round. I promise. You need to be prepared for hand to hand combat. I've told you this before, if you're drugged, or can't focus, your powers won't be able to help you. We can't risk losing you." She tried to sound a bit sympathetic, but she'd seen too many agents lose their lives to shoddy close combat skills. Sure, Wanda's powers were extremely effective, but the young girl barely had any fighting skills, and Natasha was determined to instill them in her. It helped that she was a fast learner; it had only been three months since the new team had been formed and she was doing better than a Level 6 Agent.
Wanda swallowed and nodded, straightening herself and resuming a fighting stance. Arms raised in a defensive position, she watched as Natasha shifted, the Black Widow persona taking over her normal features. Wanda was always awed when she watched Natasha fight, whether it be while sparring with the other Avengers, or with enemies during a mission. The woman was as lithe as a panther, eliminating her opponents with ease and her motions smooth and firm. It was not as amazing however, when she was slamming Wanda to the ground, twisting her arm behind her back, or kicking her in the stomach.
Natasha made the first move, flying across the space between them and swinging a fist towards Wanda's face. Ducking, Wanda evaded the attack and swept her legs to knock the Widow off balance. Natasha merely flipped over them, landing gracefully and bringing her own leg around in a powerful kick to the head. The two exchanged blows back and forth, Natasha pounding her with no less strength than before. Wanda admired that about Natasha, even while she blocked a bruising punch to her arm. She never went easy on anyone; always using the same insane amount of force and determined demeanor. It kept Wanda aware, and distracted her from other topics she'd rather not think of. They went at it for another minute until Natasha backed off and called it a day.
Wanda wanted to collapse in relief, but she smiled and accepted the towel thrown at her, wiping the sweat off her face and arms. She and Natasha had been sparring almost every day after the New Avengers were formed, and although it was grueling sometimes, Wanda enjoyed spending time with the older woman. She had felt guilty for screwing with Natasha's head, but the assassin had immediately accepted her apology and request for a fresh start. Natasha hadn't been the easiest person to talk to, but she was still a bit troubled about the recent visit back to her past, and since Wanda was overcome by sorrow when Pietro died, they found some comfort in each other. And although Natasha rarely opened up about her past, she also never pried when Wanda wanted to be alone, an action that made her respect the more experienced Avenger even more.
They hit the lockers and came out showered and refreshed, stretching a bit to relax their aching muscles. Natasha's brow furrowed when she picked up her phone; it was filled with new messages. Wanda was just zipping up her bag when Natasha looked up and said, "The others just got back- and apparently with some important news judging by the insane amount of messages I have from Sam." A new text popped up and Wanda heard Natasha muttering something about egoistic birds and how much she'd like to cut their wings off. "Meeting at the dining hall in five. We should head up."
Steve, Sam, Rhodes, and The Vision had been on a mission for the last three days. They hadn't needed Natasha and Wanda this time around, and Natasha had decided to take the time to increase Wanda's training and finally have some alone time without the men of the team to bother them. It really was so much better, Natasha thought as they entered the elevator, to have another woman on the team. Of course, Hill had always been present, but she and Natasha never really connected much. Wanda was young and eager to learn, and Natasha could relate with her over their tortured pasts. The silver elevator doors opened, opening the view to the dining view.
The other four Avengers were sprawled across the room, still in uniform and munching on giant piles of food as if they hadn't eaten for days.
"Natasha! Wanda! There you guys are! Took you two long enough!"
"Can it Sam," Natasha warned, but there was a twinkle of amusement in her green eyes.
"We weren't the ones who took so long. It's been three days, you guys said you'd be back in one," Wanda added. She and Natasha grabbed some sandwiches from the kitchen and pulled chairs to sit with the rest of the team. Steve looked up from his sub. He looked dead tired, and his suit was covered in dirt and…blood?
"We ran into some trouble." He glanced at Natasha, and look of understanding passed between them.
"Could you guys stop with that already?" Sam exclaimed. "It's like you're having telepathic conversations or something." He shifted under Natasha's killer glare. "What? It's true. Right Rhodes?" He glanced at the War Machine, who was dozing on an armchair. Wanda stifled a laugh. The Vision spoke up at that moment;
"It appears that the information we received was false, and a trap was waiting for us when we arrived. It wasn't too difficult of a fight, but it took us hours to get them off our tail."
"Was it Hydra?" Natasha asked, concern etched on her face.
"Partly. It seems that a new yet powerful branch has sprouted. After Strucker's defeat, a lot of members went into hiding, but the more loyal ones regrouped under a new leader, and they've been increasing in numbers."
Natasha frowned as she mulled over the information, and then told the team to get refreshed and sleep. A full mission debrief would be held the next day, followed by a medical examination. They left without complaint, and Wanda helped Sam move a sleepy Rhodes out of the room. Steve remained behind, his food abandoned on the table and his brow furrowed in thought.
Once the elevator doors shut, Natasha moved across and sat down next to him. "How're you holding up?" The super soldier looked up at her and sighed. Rubbing his hands over his tired face, he finally let it out.
"I don't know what happened Natasha. I was so sure this was it. That we'd found him." Natasha gazed into his broken eyes and gave his shoulder a comforting squeeze. "I mean, the source was 90% confirmed accurate. I double and triple checked everything, over and over again. I just…I miss him. It's been almost two years now, and he's out there alone, with who knows how many questions."
Natasha waited until he was done and said, "First of all, I think he can take care of himself. He's got a damn robotic arm and years of undercover skills. But stop beating yourself over it. It's not your fault Steve. You'll see each other again. We've got contacts all over the world looking for him, and if those don't pull through, he'll come to you."
"How'd you work that out?"
Natasha frowned. "From my own experience I guess. After Clint found me, he asked me if I was planning to run away almost every day. And at first I considered it. But I'd been alone for so long, and the thought of being with people who actually cared about me, for my well-being...Well, I couldn't pass that opportunity up." Steve was staring at her with such intensity she wanted to look away. But she continued. "Barnes will realize that soon enough, if he hasn't already. Just give him time. We've got a lot more pressing matters to deal with besides chasing after a ghost that doesn't want to be found."
Steve nodded solemnly, and let the topic go for a moment. When Natasha got up off the couch he asked, "How'd it go with Wanda?"
She shrugged, biting into a sandwich. "Same as usual. Started off practicing combat moves, then sparred. She's improving; faster than I'd expected." Natasha got out her phone and checked her notifications. "Oh, and Hill is coming from the Tower tomorrow. She wants to see how the training is going."
Steve nodded. Stark sent Maria for monthly checkups, making the agent move constantly between the Tower and the new Avengers Facility. Natasha grabbed a water bottle and headed towards the elevator. Looking over her shoulder she said, "Get some rest Steve. You need it." He watched her go, her fiery red hair swaying and vanishing behind the elevator doors. Steve finally heaved himself off the couch and grabbed his shield, yawning and imagining the comfortable bed waiting for him back at his quarters. Natasha was right; Bucky could wait. The Avengers however, needed some attending to.
Thanks for reading! I've been thinking of writing this story for a while now, and have written more than just this chapter. Although I am an experienced writer, this is my first time publishing a story on FanFiction, so I'd appreciate it if you told me how I did :)
