AN: Enjoy!

"Your best friend.." Darcy mused for a moment. "Oh, are you talking about that hottie who drops off your lunch a few days a week when you forget it? I just assumed you two were dating.."

"Well, we're not" Wanda groaned, ignoring a sudden bolt of jealousy at Darcy's description of Vision. "Just Housemates, and best friends since Junior High."

"Why did you tell Agatha you were marrying him then?" asked Monica, confused.

"Because the Department wants to split up Tommy and Billy" Wanda sighed. "I can't take them myself if I'm single, but in a committed relationship with a guy who makes good money.."

"You've got a chance" said Monica, her expression softening a little. Like Wanda, she tended to get too attached to her charges. Teddy Altman, a sweet boy with a complicated family history, had her heart.

"Yeah. I know it was stupid to lie, but I was desperate.."

"So, what are you going to do?" Darcy raised an eyebrow. "Since, you know, you and your hot successful best friend are not actually engaged, so you'd need to get him on board with the whole scheme?"

"It's not a scheme!" Wanda snapped. "More of a temporary fix until I can find where the twins really belong. I just need to try and explain that to Vision.."

Asking Monica to cover for her, Wanda left work a little early that day, to prepare a pitch for Vision. To aid in the discussion, she cooked his favourite meal, a roast lamb with all the trimmings, and a bottle of his favourite red wine.

When Vision stepped through the door, the smell of the food floated to his nose, and he followed the enticing aroma to the Kitchen.

"This smells delightful, Wanda" Vision smiled. "But what is the occasion?"

"Well.." Wanda chuckled nervously, pouring Vision a glass of wine and setting his plate down on the table, "Why don't we talk about it after dinner.

"Wanda.." Vision's smile faded a little as he sat down, slightly suspicious now. He knew his best friend far too well. "What is the occasion?"

"You are probably going to kill me.." Wanda sighed, sitting down with her own plate.

"Oh, I'm sure it can't be that bad" Vision's expression softened as he reached for the gravy boat. "Whatever the problem is, you can tell me."

"Okay. Here it goes.." Wanda took a nervous breath. "I might have told my boss that we were kind of, maybe.. Engaged."

"What?" Vision yelped, almost spilling the gravy boat all over himself, and his cheeks burned bright red. "Why on Earth would you do that?"

"Well, you know Tommy and Billy, the twins whose case I've been working on for the last few years.."

"Yes.."

"Well, they're being sent back again" Wanda explained. "See, Tommy's a bit of a handful, and the Department thinks he and Billy together may be too much.. They want to split them up."

"That's horrible" Vision frowned. "But, it doesn't really answer my question.."

"I don't want that to happen" said Wanda, sighing. "All they have is each other. When Pietro and I were split up, it nearly destroyed me.. And it did destroy him. I can't let that happen to these boys. I offered to take them myself. They won't allow it on my salary, but if they think I have a partner with a decent income.."

"So that's why you said we were engaged" Vision caught on. "So you could use my job and salary to help you take custody of these boys."

"It wouldn't be forever" said Wanda quickly. "Just until I find the right permanent placement for them. I'd keep them out of your way.." she trailed off, rather awkwardly, realising how insane the whole plan was.

Vision proceeded to chew on a piece of lamb for what felt, to Wanda at least, like a very long while, which only made her more nervous.

"Okay" He said, when he finally swallowed and spoke. "What do you need me to do?"

"I know it was too much to ask, forget about it, I'll just think of something el.." Wanda froze. "Wait, what?"

"What do you need me to do" Vision repeated, "So you can bring Tommy and Billy home?"

"You mean, you'll do it?" Wanda blinked, surprised. With Vision being as proper and practical and well, British as he managed to be despite having grown up mostly in the U.S, she had expected a longer discussion."

"I saw what being separated from you did to your brother.." said Vision softly. "And what losing him did to you..

"Right.." Wanda blushed and looked away from him for a moment, as images of their night together after Pietro's death flashed through her mind, the memory both sad and strangely beautiful all at once.

"So.." Vision blushed a little himself, "If we can spare another child from the pain you went through, well, we must. Besides, a mock engagement is hardly the worst mess you've gotten me into. So I ask again, Wanda.. What do I need to do?"

"Well, we'll need to fill in an application" Wanda began. "Probably have a meeting with Agatha, so whenever I can arrange one..

"I'll be there" said Vision. "Anything else?"

"The Department will want a background check on you."

"That shouldn't cause any problems. Unless.."

"What?"

"Skinny dipping at Tenth grade camp won't come up in a background check, will it? Because that did nearly get us sent home.."

"No" Wanda laughed. "I don't think that will come up."

Wanda managed to schedule a meeting with Agatha for the very next afternoon. As the time grew near, she took her break for the day and waited outside for Vision to arrive. She grew a little concerned when Vision failed to show up at least fifteen minutes early, as arriving anywhere close to 'late' was not like him at all. However, five minutes before the meeting, Wanda spotted Vision's car pulling into the parking lot, and breathed a sigh of relief.

"Where were you, Vizh?" Wanda asked him when he approached, a small bag in his hand. "You're cutting it a little fine.. Well, for you anyway."

"I had to stop and fetch something. If we are going to do this, we might as well make it look good.." Vision pulled a small velvet box out of the bag, opening it to reveal a ring set with a small red stone, most likely a ruby.

"Vizh.." Wanda frowned, feeling a strange lump in her throat, "You didn't have to go and spend money.."

"I didn't, actually" Vision explained with a soft smile, taking Wanda's hand and slipping the beautiful little piece of jewellery onto Wanda's ring finger before she could object. "This was my Grandmother's, I believe.. It is the only family heirloom I have."

"Oh Vizh, I can't.." The lump in Wanda's throat grew. The ring was a perfect fit. "This is too special, you need to save it for a special person."

Vision opened his mouth as if he was going to say something, then thought better of it. When he did speak, his smile seemed to have faded a little.

"Well, you said it yourself, this isn't forever.. The ring is for appearances sake. You can always give it back later.."

"Yeah.. of course.." Wanda swallowed the lump. "Uh, shall we head in?"

"Yes, let's.."

As they headed inside, Wanda found herself taking a slightly shaky breath. Of course this wasn't forever. It was, despite her objections, a scheme.

But if that was really true, why had it hurt a little to hear Vision say so?