Disclaimer: This is Marvel's sandbox. I did bring a few of my own toys.
Well-Worn Welcome
Nyssa was dozing after breakfast and freshening up. She knew she should have patience with herself after all she'd been through, but she still found herself frustrated when her body wanted to shut down after just a few routine cares. Visitors at her door made her rouse herself, and she smiled in that direction.
"Come on in, Laura, Clint," she greeted them.
"Our daughter wanted to meet the woman who saved her life before she was even born," Laura said in introduction, drawing closer to Nyssa. A small, warm, sleepy bundle was pressed into Nyssa's arms, and her smile widened.
"Oh, she's perfect," Nyssa cooed, finding and tracing the newborn's face with gentle fingers. "What did you name her?"
"Well, we wanted to talk to you about that," Clint replied. "We'd love to name her after the woman she owes her life to."
"Well, Laura is a perfectly good name, but won't that get a little confusing at home?" Nyssa joked. Laura chuckled, and Clint snorted.
"We were intending to name her after you," Laura elaborated. "We just wanted to discuss it with you first." Nyssa's eyes widened, and she felt happy tears prickling at the corners of her eyes.
"I'm truly, deeply honored, you guys. Names that carry history carry a lot of weight with them. She should be free to create her own destiny, create her own name." She focused on the tiny human cradled in her arms. "She will, if you give her the chance."
"Do you have any other suggestions?" Clint asked dryly. "We hadn't really picked any backup names." Nyssa considered the question earnestly.
"If you want to use my middle name, I think that would fit her," she said shyly.
"And what is that?" Laura asked eagerly.
"Grace," Nyssa answered. "I think we could all use a little Grace in our lives." The baby yawned and waved a tiny hand, then wrapped her little fist around Nyssa's finger and fell back to sleep.
The royal exercise room was used by all the inhabitants of the palace, from the king and the Dora Milaje all the way to the servants who worked in the kitchen and kept the palace in spotless condition. There were usually a handful of people there, but today it was very sparsely populated, with only a couple servants using some of the equipment. At the center of the gym was a large, open area covered with a padded mat that was commonly used for sparring and other floor exercises. Steve and Bucky squared off in the middle. Bucky had been insistent that he needed to be back in top fighting shape if he were going to be going on any more missions with Steve. And truly, it was gratifying to get back to something familiar. He hadn't lost as much as he feared. He was able to block nearly all of Steve's punches, and give as good as he got. Sparring against Steve now was much different than back when they had been growing up together and he was training his undersized friend to defend himself. Big Steve was faster, stronger, more strategic. He remembered this from fighting him as the Winter Soldier, but even when it was more relaxed, and they weren't fighting for their lives, it was still quite a workout. After an hour, they were both out of breath and sweating, and Steve signaled to take five.
"I don't know what you were talking about, out of shape," he panted. "You're still more than a match for me."
"Good to see you remember to keep your guard up, nowadays," Bucky said teasingly. He'd lectured Steve endlessly about that while he was teaching him to box, though the lesson had taken awhile to stick.
"At least you're not coming at me with a knife this time," Steve retorted. Bucky rolled his eyes.
"Hey, I'm just glad to have a sparring partner that quits when I'm down," he grunted. Steve raised his eyebrows at him, but didn't ask for him to elaborate.
"You're definitely an upgrade from my usual punching bag," he remarked. "I was going through three or four of them a week."
"Well, at least it's a role I'm familiar with," Bucky quipped. "Ready to go again?" He got up and paced back to the middle of the mat, falling naturally into a fighting stance. With a sigh and a shake of his head, Steve went to join him. He squared his shoulders, bent his elbows and swung. Bucky blocked with his metal arm, but stumbled backwards as a wave of energy slammed into him, and his arm suddenly went unresponsive. Steve frowned, looking around the gym as all the lights went out at once.
"What the hell is going on?" Bucky asked, gesturing with his still-functional right arm. Steve shrugged, and the two of them jogged off to investigate.
In the hospital wing, the low-level beeps and hums and whirrs that were the constant backdrop suddenly ceased, and alarms began to sound as the few pieces of equipment that didn't have built-in backup power began to fail. Nyssa frowned and sent out a curious thought to see what had happened.
"What's going on?" Clint asked, pacing to the door and poking his head out.
"Power's out," Nyssa replied. "They don't know why yet."
"I'll check it out," he decided. "You girls stay here."
Steve and Bucky reached the Royal Wing just as Black Panther came stalking out in full armor, the Dora Milaje flanking him in two long rows. Clint appeared a moment later.
"What's going on, your highness?" Steve asked. "Is there an attack?"
"That is what we are trying to determine. The electromagnetic pulse originated from the fifth floor of the east wing." Steve and Bucky exchanged looks. That was where their quarters were. They turned around and followed the King and his entourage upstairs. They all paused outside the door of Wanda's quarters, from which they could all hear screaming. They all braced themselves, falling into position instinctively, and Black Panther kicked open the door.
"…don't care who started it, you're both done, you hear me?" A very exasperated-sounding Wanda yelled, hands raised. Gabriele was floating up near the ceiling in a red bubble, while Hertz was trapped in an identical globe in the corner, a petulant look on his face. "Just because you have the power, doesn't mean you need to use it the moment you don't get your way!"
"You're absolutely right, Wanda," Clint said, stepping into the room. She turned, startled.
"Clint! What are you doing here?" she asked, then noticed the crowd outside her door. "What are you all doing here?"
"Power's out in the whole palace," Steve explained.
"Actually, three-quarters of the city," Black Panther corrected. "Have you any idea how that might have happened?" Wanda looked shamefaced.
"I'm sorry. They were quarreling, and…" she gestured helplessly. "I promise you, it won't happen again, your highness."
"I am relieved that Wakanda is not under attack," T'Challa said dryly, removing his mask. "But I do hope that these circumstances will not repeat themselves." He glanced around at Wanda, Clint, Steve and Bucky. "Perhaps the time has come to discuss your continued presence in Wakanda, and what conditions must be in place to keep everyone safe." They exchanged nervous looks. "Meet me in my study tonight. All of you." He and the Dora Milaje left, leaving the others looking at Wanda with varying levels of concern and exasperation. Sheepishly, Wanda lowered Gabriele to the floor, and dismissed the bubble around Hertz. The teenage boy adjusted his shirt, brushed off his sleeve, shot her a dirty look and disappeared into the bedroom of their suite, slamming the door behind him. Gabriele burst into tears and collapsed in a heap on the floor. Wanda went to her, trying to offer comfort, but the little girl pushed her away. Wanda hung her head in defeat.
"Wanda, you seem… a little overwhelmed," Steve commented. She threw her hands up, looking like she might start crying.
"I thought I could help them be a family, of a sort," she said. "After all they've been through, they should have that much. But they've done nothing but argue and fight, both with each other and with me, since we got back. I just don't know how to stop it."
"As you said, they've been through a lot," Steve reasoned. "I know being a single mom isn't easy. It wasn't easy for my mom."
"You're trying to be a mom to a little girl who grew up as a test subject instead of a kid, and a traumatized teenager who's never known anything close to a normal life," Clint pointed out. "That's kind of like starting out a game on the hardest level." Wanda leveled a glower at both of them.
"It's hard, I'm realizing that. None of that helps me figure out how to help them," she said acerbically. The men exchanged uncomfortable glances.
"I might have some books you could borrow…" Clint ventured.
"Why doesn't she come and stay with us?" The high-pitched query came from the door, and they all turned to see Lila standing there. She nodded at Gabriele, who was still sobbing on the floor. "You said she's never had a chance to just be a kid, right, Dad?" She barely waited for Clint's confirmation before continuing. "So then she needs to be around other kids."
"Honey, it's not going to be like having your friends over," Clint started to explain. "She has a lot to learn…"
"Well, obviously," Lila dismissed him with a gesture. "But how is she going to learn if you don't let her try it?" She crossed the room confidently and crouched down next to the younger girl. Gabriele's cries had quieted, and she was watching Lila with thinly veiled interest. "What do you want to do? Do you want to come stay with my family for awhile? I have two brothers and a brand new sister. The baby doesn't do much other than cry yet, but she's really cute. My older brother can be kind of a lunkhead sometimes, and my younger brother can be annoying. But you can sleep in my room and I'll share my dolls, except for my special Auntie doll." She lowered her voice to a conspiratorial whisper. "Plus, I'm working on a special project they gave me when we toured the research building with Mr. Scott. What do you think? Do you want to?" Gabriele regarded Lila with wide eyes, and slowly nodded, blonde curls bobbing. Lila excitedly grabbed her hand, and the two girls ran out of the door. Clint watched them go with a mix of pride and trepidation, and ran a hand down his face.
"Laura is going to kill me," he groaned, then sighed. "Guess I better go tell her. Been nice knowing you guys." Wanda blinked, taken aback by this surprise turn of events. She turned her attention to Steve and Bucky. She raised her eyebrows at them.
"Do either of you have any advice for how to talk to an angry, traumatized teenage boy?" she asked bluntly. "Especially one who can take the power out in most of a city when he's upset?" Steve let out a long breath, slowly shaking his head.
"No, not really," he admitted. "But I wish you the best of luck." Wanda gave him an arch look, then turned her hopeful gaze to Bucky.
"I'm certainly not an expert in that sort of thing," he demurred. "But you could try asking Nyssa. She'd probably have some good advice."
"Isn't she still in the hospital?" Wanda recalled. "I heard she wasn't in any state to have visitors. And then… I was busy trying to get the hang of this parenting business." Bucky nodded.
"She's doing a lot better. She probably wouldn't mind the company." They all winced as loud music started to make the walls shake. Wanda sighed, closed her eyes and held a finger up. The music briefly dropped in volume, then roared back louder than before. Wanda groaned and looked heavenward for patience.
"I'll see if she's up for a chat," she sighed.
Slowly and methodically, the nurse removed the bandages swathed around the top of Nyssa's head. She was healed enough that it would now remain exposed to air. The last of the bandages fell away, and she sensed an immediate reaction from the nurse of dismay, though she remained professional. For the first time since her ordeal, Nyssa wished she could check her reflection in a mirror. There was a knock at her door.
"Come in, Wanda," she called softly, pushing down the urge to pull the blanket over her head. She felt the other woman approach. "Be honest with me. How bad is it?" She felt the shock and hesitation as Wanda drew closer.
"I don't know if I could pull it off, but I'm not up on the latest fashions," Wanda said diplomatically. Nyssa sighed and held a hand out towards her friend.
"Let me borrow your eyes," she requested. Raising an eyebrow, Wanda put her hand in Nyssa's. Nyssa concentrated, and after a moment Wanda's vision came into focus. It was disorienting, but it worked. Nyssa slowly turned her head back and forth, taking in the large chunks of hair missing, the angry red scars tracking across her scalp. She swallowed hard. "Well, this won't do."
Steve knocked on the door to the room they had settled the other survivors from Nessun Luogo into, frowning as he searched his memory for their names.
"Mutt and Felsma," Bucky murmured behind him. Steve was about to thank him for the reminder when he realized Bucky was reminding himself. A diminutive man with short hair answered the door. Steve blinked at him. He had washed and trimmed his hair, shaved his face, and now scarcely looked like the hirsute and bedraggled man who had helped them fight for his freedom. His chin was still pink from becoming reacquainted with a razor after who knew how long, though stubble was already forming along his jawline. He was clad in jeans and a button-down shirt that Scott had donated to him. It was slightly baggy on his frame, but presentable.
"Hallo. Is there a problem?" he asked in his accented English.
"Not with you," Steve sighed. "But I guess the others have been causing enough trouble that T'Challa wants to meet with all of us tonight. I assume he was including the two of you in that request." Mutt nodded gravely.
"I suspected the power outage had something to do with the boy," he admitted. "We had them regularly when they first threw him in the cells. At least, until they figured out how to stop him."
"How did they do that?" Steve asked with mild interest. Mutt shrugged.
"Not very nicely, I imagine. The same way they did everything in that place. Do you want to come in?" He stepped aside and gestured for the two men to enter. "Felsma, Gesellschaft," he called.
"Wer ist es?" An odd, feminine voice floated out of the bathroom, sibilant s-sounds drawing the words out longer than normal. The sound of splashing water punctuated the question, and a few moments later, Felsma emerged, wide eyes staring unblinkingly at the two super soldiers, a towel draped modestly around her scaled body. She crossed the room and twined one green arm around Mutt's waist, her tail curling around his leg.
"Would you like a drink?" Mutt offered. "We don't have much aside from water, but Ms. Maximoff was kind enough to bring some tea." Steve held a hand up and shook his head.
"That's okay, we can't stay…" he started, but Bucky was not in a hurry to leave. He suddenly found himself very curious.
"Did you two know each other from before?" he asked in German. Mutt and Felsma glanced at each other, and both nodded.
"We attended the same University, in Berlin," Mutt explained in the same language. "We both responded to an advertisement in the paper, looking for students to participate in a medication trial. The medication was supposed to improve concentration and study habits, make it easier to make the grade. There was a cash incentive as well, so we were interested. They had an odd screening process, lots of questions, blood samples, health histories. It didn't seem strange to us at the time. We only saw the 500 Deutschemarks. But we both were selected to participate, and showed up for what was supposed to be a two-week trial. The first week was uneventful, but at the beginning of the second, we woke up in a strange place…." He waved a hand, indicating the passage of time. "Twenty years, being poked and prodded and experimented on, turned into… freaks. Worst of all, they never paid us our money!"
"Well, I understood University," Steve remarked dryly. "What were you studying?"
"Education," Mutt answered, grinning sheepishly as he switched to English. "I was going to be a teacher." He gestured grandly to Felsma. "And she was studying cooking." Felsma made an indignant noise.
"Cooking, my scaly green ass!" she exclaimed. "I was studying for my master's degree in Food Science, with an emphasis in Molecular Gastronomy. I studied the physical and chemical changes that happen when different methods of food preparation, incorporating the social, artistic and technical components."
"That's what I said," Mutt said cheerfully. "Cooking." Scoffing, Felsma shook her head. Mutt affectionately scratched under her chin. "You are so lovely when you're annoyed with me," he murmured. Bucky suppressed a smile.
"You're sure about this?" Wanda asked for the twelfth time. Nyssa nodded.
"Better to let it all grow back together," she said regretfully. They had draped a sheet around her shoulders to catch the long strands as they fell, and the nurses had found her some clippers. With a small frown and a shake of her head, Wanda began to shave off the hair that was left. "So, Wanda," Nyssa continued. "You had something on your mind before I conscripted you to be my impromptu beautician."
"I did," Wanda agreed. "Since we've been back, I've had Gabriele and Hertz – the boy who controls electricity – staying with me. My thought was that they needed something like family. But…" She sighed. "It hasn't been going well."
"You've been trying to do it on your own?" Nyssa asked.
"Well, yes," Wanda admitted. "When it was Pietro and me, we were on our own, and we did just fine. I guess maybe I was envisioning something similar. Not that I am trying to replace Pietro," she added quickly.
"Of course not," Nyssa replied. "But you and Pietro were already bonded. To those kids, you're practically a stranger. They need time, they need to learn to trust, they need to know that someone will care for them no matter what. Those are all new things for them. They have been used and abused all their lives. They may have difficulty attaching to anyone."
"Maybe not," Wanda said thoughtfully. "Hertz seems very focused on his mother. One of the few serious conversations we've had, is that he wants to go and find her. He does seem convinced that she is still alive, out there somewhere."
"How old was he when they were separated?" Nyssa inquired. She knew, once. Much of the information she had "downloaded" was starting to get fuzzy.
"The little information we have puts him at about… seven," Wanda said, pushing Nyssa's head forward gently to shave the back of it. "They took him away. He doesn't know what happened to her. But mostly he's just sarcastic and rude and…." She shook her head. "Angry."
"Well, can you blame him?" Nyssa asked lightly, but fell silent as Wanda shaved around her ear, contemplating the situation. "Do you want me to talk with him? One conversation isn't likely to fix things, but it can help me give you more specific ideas of how to help him. He probably needs long-term therapy, after everything he's been through."
"That sounds like a good place to start," Wanda admitted, feeling as though a small portion of the weight had lifted from her shoulders. "Maybe with Gabriele, too? Though Clint's daughter seems to have decided that she's going to stay with them for awhile." Nyssa chuckled.
"Spending time in a normal family might help her quite a bit. I'll talk with her too, yes. But, Wanda, the most important thing is for you to remember, you don't have to do this on your own. Have you ever heard the expression, it takes a village to raise a child?" Wanda nodded, knowing that Nyssa would sense her agreement even if she couldn't see the head movement. "Well, so what would it take to raise a super-powered child?"
"A… village of… superheroes?" Wanda ventured tentatively. Nyssa grinned.
"In theory, that should certainly do it," she agreed. "So don't hesitate to ask for help if you need it."
"Okay. All done. What do you think?" Wanda set the clippers down and walked around to stand in front of Nyssa, taking her hands again to let her use her eyes. Nyssa lapsed into silence, turning her head from side to side and examining the close-cropped result. Her scars still stood out in crimson relief, now that they had nothing to shield them, but at least the hair was all one length.
"It will grow," Nyssa sighed.
Thanks to DarylDixon'sLover, NotMarge, karina001, .2018, Demigod-GallagherGirl, and heleana1 for your reviews!