AN: Enjoy!

In the week leading up to Thanksgiving, Wanda and Vision continued in their efforts to reassure Viv that there was nothing wrong with her or the things she liked. And, Wanda had to say, she thought that both she and Vision were managing it admirably, considering that the two of them were equally nervous about the visit.

Vision because he had always felt looked down upon by Virginia's parents, and Wanda for.. Well, quite a few reasons.

Todd and Sharon were the parents of Viv's Mother. Although Wanda was aware of a few matters in which they were quite wrong, they did, she believed, have a right to an opinion on the woman helping to raise their Granddaughter. Every right to judge her. And unfortunately, there were a lot of things about Wanda that would be easy to judge harshly.

She had, for a time, relied on some rather unhealthy coping mechanisms, like heavy drinking and occasional promiscuity. She hadn't finished college, and her job wasn't anything to write home about. Vision had sent his story and a few samples of her artwork away to publishers, but they had not heard anything back as of yet.

Wanda was, in her own point of view let alone anyone else's, a rather unimpressive specimen of a human being.

But she loved Viv. Fiercely. Endlessly. She would protect her until her dying breath, if the need arose. That was enough for her, for Viv, for Vision. She just had to hope it would be enough for everyone else, too.

The early part of Thanksgiving Day passed with relatively little incident. Wanda and Vision got the turkey in the oven early, and started working on prep for most of the other food, before their guests began to arrive, first Natasha and her sister, then later Scott and Cassie.

Despite the fact that everything seemed to be going smoothly, there was tension in the air. Natasha, who usually liked to think of herself as an expert on these situations, had absolutely no clue what was going on, but quickly resolved to find out.

"Hey, kiddo.." She asked Viv, interrupting a hushed conversation between her and Cassie, "What's up with Wanda and your Dad?"

"Well.." Viv began, before the doorbell rang, and the little girl jumped to her feet in a panic, quickly straightening her dress. "My Grandma and Grandpa are coming.."

Natasha opened her mouth, but quickly closed it again. She had met Virginia's parents once or twice, and the word that had come to her mind at the news of their arrival was not appropriate to say with children present.

"That must be them.." Vision sounded a little nervous.

Wanda wiped her hands on the apron she was wearing, then removed it and set it aside, smoothing her hair and straightening her dress similar to how Viv was doing, following Vision to answer the door.

"How do I look?" she asked, as nervous as Vision was, and maybe even more so.

"Beautiful, as always" Vision assured her.

"So.. w-what do we tell them? About who I am.."

"As much or as little as you like."

"Okay.. okay.."

Vision pasted on a smile, and opened the door, faced with the stern older couple Wanda had seen once before, though only from a distance.

"Todd, Sharon, how nice to see you.. Happy Thank.."

"Spare us the pleasantries, Victor.." The man, Todd, interrupted, and the woman beside him at least had enough conscience to look at least a little displeased with his behaviour, even if, from what Wanda had heard, Sharon didn't like Vision anymore than Todd did. "We're just here to spend the holiday with our Granddaughter."

"So, where is Vivian?" asked Sharon with a rather forced smile, before her eyes flickered to Wanda. "And who is your friend, Victor?"

"Well," Vision flinched at the use of his real name, "This is Wanda. She, uh.."

"I help out in the Kitchen if Vizh.. Victor" She cringed a little herself, the name sounding wrong on her tongue, "Has a big event on.."

"That's good, the boy's always been hopeless in the Kitchen" said Todd. "Hasn't he, Sharon?"

"Yes.. he was lucky to have Virginia while he did, she was a wonderful cook.."

Vision's cheeks burned, but he took a breath to calm himself.

"Vivian is just through here in the lounge, waiting for lunch with our other guests."

"It's not ready yet?" Todd sounded unimpressed.

"We didn't know exactly when you and Sharon were arriving" Vision pointed out, his smile now even more forced, "So.."

Viv, apparently hoping to diffuse any tension, skipped in to greet Todd and Sharon, a little nervous, but still happy. They were her Grandparents, after all.

"Hello Grandma, Hello Grandpa. Happy Thanksgiving!" She curtsied awkwardly, and did a little twirl. "Do you like my dress? I picked it special for your visit.."

"Well, it's just a little short for a formal occasion, dear.." Sharon replied.

Viv's face fell.

"She's only six.." Wanda frowned.

"Oh, it's never too late to learn how to be a proper lady" said Sharon, moving through to the lounge to wait. "Virginia attended her first etiquette class at age three, and she passed with flying colours.."

Todd followed her, and Viv tailed them, rather dejected.

Wanda looked to Vision, both of them frowning. This was not going well.

The uncomfortable moments continued throughout the day.

For one, Todd clearly didn't think much of their ragtag bunch of guests. Scott was rebuffed when he tried to make polite conversation, and poor Yelena spent most of her first real Thanksgiving clutching Natasha's arm to keep her sister, who was becoming increasingly agitated with the situation, from doing something stupid.

Then, there was the repeated comments from both Todd and Sharon towards Viv.

"Get your elbows off the table. Virginia never did that.."

"Your Mother could cut her own food at your age.."

"Don't talk over adults.."

Said when Viv was simply trying to ask for the salt shaker, followed by..

"Don't reach over the Table!"

When Viv had tried to obtain the shaker herself.

"Honestly, Virginia was never so.."

Your Mother.. Virginia.. Your Mother.. Virginia.. with every admonishment, every unfair comparison, Viv grew closer to a breakdown.

Vision was about to blow up, but, sparing him the possibility of further damaging his own relationship with Viv's Grandparents, Wanda beat him to it, leaping to her feet and pushing away her own discomfort, her inner lion roaring.

"Inceteaza! Stop it!"

"What?" Sharon jumped, startled.

"Comparing her to Virginia!" Wanda snapped. "She's not Virginia, she's Viv. She's kind and sweet and clever and brave and wonderful and absolutely perfect, just as she is. But you're so caught up in wanting her to be a perfect little copy of your daughter that you're missing out on getting to know your Granddaughter!"

"Oh?" Todd's eyes narrowed. "And who are you, to judge our relationship with our Granddaughter? Nobody. Just another one of the little strays in Victor's life, I expect.."

"Well.." Wanda swallowed a sudden lump in her throat. "I.."

"No.." A shy, but deeply loved little voice spoke, and a small hand slipped into Wanda's. "She's not nobody. She's Mama."

Wanda looked down at Viv, her heart swelling with love, and for a moment, everything was right with the world. It didn't matter what anyone else thought, if her daughter believed she was enough.