"Can you tell me the next spice to put in here?" Wanda was stood beside a boiling pan in the communal kitchen. She watched as Anya sat with the book in her lap, on top of the kitchen counter, brow furrowed as she tried to read the next ingredient
Vision had become obsessed with learning about the small country where Anya was found, and had brought them a book with the countries famous dishes and Wanda had found that to be a good way to entertain the girl. The small girl had followed her around like a puppy, which to be honest, Wanda liked very much. She smiled when the girl was only a few steps behind her. Steve had introduced them earlier that day and Anya had been taken with the young female. Especially when Wanda moved her fingertips and red lights streamed from them. Anya tried to copy her movements, and a similar blue light appeared. It was like a silent understanding between them, that they had both been the subject of something inhuman to get those powers. Now Anya tagged along with Wanda almost as much as she did with Steve.
"Pap…papareek?" The girl squinted at the word. Her reading level was higher in some areas than others. But words she'd never seen before were difficult for her to read.
Wanda smiled fondly and looked over at the word. "Paprika." She read alound, and called the small glad container of spice over to her. Anya slowly nodded. The girl watched as Wanda gently spread some of the spice into the pot of soup. It was a strange colour, and so far Anya was only excited by the foods that were brightly coloured. She'd gone wide eyed when she found a pack of strawberry Pop Tarts at the back of one cupboard.
The two girls were comfortable in the silence of each other kitchen, but both looked towards the ceiling as shouting could be heard.
"What is going on up there?" Wanda muttered to herself. At that moment, Vision walked into the kitchen.
"How goes the culinary experience in here?" He asked, smiling as he sat at the breakfast bar.
"Fine. Vis, what is happening up there?" Wanda frowned. She noticed the way Anya moved uncomfortably at the sound of raised voices.
"I'm not too sure. I do believe that Clint was looking for Miss Romanoff urgently for something."
Wanda's ears pricked, and she noted how Anya definitely became more uncomfortable at the mention of Nat. The older girl couldn't understand why Anya seemed so skittish around her. She herself had started to look up to the assassin, who could be rather protective of her when times called for it.
8-8-8-8-8
"Don't lie to me about this, Stark."
Natasha's eyes had become very dark.
Clint had found her in the shooting range, letting off some steam in training. She'd turned around to find her best friend, out of breath as he had sprinted across the campus to her. His eyes were wide with shock and strangely soft.
"It's the kid, Nat. It's Anya. You need to know…"
Clint had barely been able to speak. She'd tilted her head to the side and watched as he struggled to find the words. They soon came out in a garbled rush.
Anya
Blood test
Genetic match
Avengers Database
Anya
Her
A match
Natasha couldn't remember the exact way Clint had phrased it. Her eyes had peered uncertainly at her best friend, before putting the training guns down, and sprinting from the room. They both rushed through the halls of the base, not meeting a soul as they walked into one of the various meeting rooms. Tony was pacing the room, hands in his pockets. Steve was sat in a stone-like silence, staring at his hands.
"Nat," Steve's head perked as he noticed the assassin file into the room. Nat's wide eyes looked between him and Tony, to the display screen that still had her bloodwork file up.
"What's happening?"
"Agent Romanoff, you want to tell us what's going on?"
"Tony, don't-" Steve started, but Tony cut him off.
"I never had you down as the brutal kind of mommy, giving your kids to Hydra."
"Tony!" Clint bellowed. Tony and Steve looked at their colleague – he didn't raise his voice often, but right now he looked furious.
"If you think, for one second, that Nat would do something like that…" He heaved a large sigh. Tony tilted his head down slightly, knowing better.
"Ok, look I'm sorry. I'm just trying to understand here, how Romanoff has a kid and has never told us!"
"Don't lie to me about this, Stark." Natasha's eyes had become very dark. Tony stared at her, and Steve sat up in his seat.
"You didn't know?" Steve whispered.
"I don't have children. I've never had children, never come close to having them. So this," Nat pointed to the screen. "It can't be right."
"Nat, the kid looks like you." Clint whispered, Nat turning to face him. "Something's been off since she got here. I keep looking at her thinking I've seen her before. That's because she looks like you."
"Clint, don't." Nat wanted to close her eyes and block everything out. This couldn't be right. It couldn't be.
"She has your eyes," Steve whispered, and Nat opened her own green eyes, not a single tear daring to make an entrance.
"Clint, you know I don't have children." Nat kept her voice steady, despite her being ready to crack.
"You do now,"
Nat held back her breath, aware of all three of her friends staring at her. She squeezed her knuckles tightly, before rushing from the room in search.
8-8-8-8-8
"You want a taste?" Wanda held up the ladle from the pot of soup. It didn't look all that appetizing, being a strange murky red, but it smelt ok. Anya scrunched her nose, and Wanda laughed, placing the ladle back into the soup.
"it's a shame really. I've read about the excitement of flavours, yet I cannot eat anything," Vision frowned as he watched Wanda stir the food.
"Why can you not eat?" Anya said quietly. Wanda's eyes darted up; the girl really didn't say anything.
"I'm a sythenzoid being. I am not human, I don't have taste buds, nor do I have a digestive system."
Anya peered at him, wondering what he meant by not human. He looked human. A strange looking one, but human.
"Want to go get the bowls, Anya?" Wanda suggested. The girl pushed herself from the edge of the counter top and began looking around the kitchen.
As Wanda began pouring soup into bowls, the shouting from above had stopped, and now hurried footsteps could be heard. Vision sat upright in his chair as he watched the door open and both Agents Romanoff and Barton come in.
"Natasha, is everything alright?" Wanda frowned as the assassin stood perfectly still. Clint hand his hand on her friend's shoulder – whether to hold her steady or himself, he wasn't actually too sure.
Nat's eyes scanned the kitchen and found the girl stood beside Wanda in a second, and she took a steady step forward. Her chest tightened when Anya took a step backwards to match her.
"Guys, maybe we should leave them." Nat didn't hear Clint speak, or notice when Wanda and Vision shared confused looks, but left the kitchen with the archer. All she could focus on was the girl. She watched as the child stared after Wanda, before looking back at Nat.
She'd found the child's green eyes familiar before, and Clint was right; they were hers. It was nearly like looking into a window and seeing her younger self. At the same time it wasn't It was her at that age, but smaller, with brown hair, not red (or any the vibrant blue she'd begged to have once), it was her with a wider eye shape, and different nose.
Nat took another step forwards, and as Anya stepped back, her back met the kitchen cupboards. The assassin found herself holding her hands up, in an almost pleading way.
"Vse normal'no, malysh," She whispered, another step forward. Anya couldn't move back, but stared intensely at Natasha. Its okay, little one.
"Anya," Nat found her hand reaching out towards the child, but she moved to the side, until she was boxed in a corner. "Anya it's ok."
"No. You're gonna send me back. Steve said I didn't have to go!"
Nat blinked at the terrified child. "Anya, malysh, I'm not sending you anywhere." Nat swallowed the lump in her throat. "Anya, do you know?" She dared ask. The way the girl was with her, so skittish, hiding and glaring. Nat breathed slowly. What had they put in the child's head?
"Know what?" Anya frowned.
Nat did her best to give her a warm smile, but she could feel her eyes filling. "Do you know who I am?"
Anya gave her a dark stare, that Nat herself had given Tony just minutes ago. The child gave a slow nod, and Nat squeezed back the flood that was welling up in her.
"Moy rebenok," Nat whispered, drinking in the sight of the girl before her, trying not to let the glare hurt her. "Anya?" She whispered the name, trying it out. It was different this time. It was the name of her daughter. A strange wave fell over Nat at that word. Daughter. She had a daughter. Yet, said daughter was looking at her mother darkly.
"I'm not going back. You can't make me."
"Anya, I will never send you there."
"You already did!" The girl raised her voice, trembling, and Nat could feel her insides starting to crack.
No, malysh, I never-"
"Liar!" Nat's head spun as a bowl from the side flew from the counter top and smashed against the far wall. When Nat turned back, the girl was running from the kitchen, a different kind of fear on her face.
"Anya! Wait!" Nat sprinted from the kitchen, and caught up with the girl before she was even half way down the hall. Red hair falling in her face, Nat rushed and grabbed a hold of her daughter by her arms.
"NO! Don't send me back! Please! Net! Pozhaluysta, ne otpravlyayte menya tuda. YA ne khochu tuda vozvrashchat'sya! YA ne khochu snova zakhodit' v Korobku!" No! Please don't send me there. I don't want to go back there! I don't want to go into the Box again
Anya was becoming hysterical, in Nat's arms as she tried her best to stop the girl from screaming. The words were cutting through her.
What have they done to you? Nat thought. She tightened her grip and pulled the girl close, keeping her arms locked securely around her as she struggled. Nat could hear things breaking behind her as the girl screamed more, but she couldn't shake off the grip of the assassin.
"I'm not going to hurt you, malysh." Nat whispered, not sure if Anya could hear her. "I'll never hurt you. And I'll make sure no one ever hurts you again, Moy rebenok," She placed a hand on the back of the girls head, who still struggled against her. But slowly, Nat could feel her slow down and the screams became quiet whimpers.
"Ty lzhesh'. Vy vse vrete." You lie. You all lie! Anya choked, still struggling against Nat's arms, but with only a fraction of her strength as she seemed to accept she couldn't escape.
Nat closed her eyes shut at the words, and tried not to squeeze the child in her arms too tightly, despite never wanting to let her go.
A/N: Thanks to all those who have read so far! If you have any suggestions or feedback please let me know! And hope you all had a happy holiday!