Wanda found it frustrating that the heavy bag barely moved, even when she put all her strength behind a punch. Training with the Avengers had notably increased her stamina, strength and fitness, but she lagged behind the team when not aided by her powers. Granted, she knew she could never match any of the guys for raw power, just based on her smaller stature and frame, but she still felt like a paper doll compared to Natasha. Again, that was setting the bar awfully high. Wanda wondered if she should ask Hill to spar sometime, though maybe start out with some cross-training to see what she was up against; Hill hadn't become Fury's right hand (and possibly left eye) without some intensely fierce skills.

Or 'street cred.' (Wanda and Vision had been working together on English colloquialisms. His earlier incarnation as JARVIS had given him some insight into the way Tony Stark used the language, which didn't always seem to apply to society at large.)

Now, for example, it was time to open a can of whoop-ass. She made sure to center her mind on her physical being before unleashing another hit that barely seemed to bother the bag. Steve destroyed these things on a regular basis. Hell, even Sam and Rhodey needed someone to hold the bag when they were training. She was still trying to find the best way to hit without injuring her taped knuckles. She tried a combination Natasha had taught her, but although the bag finally moved, it swung back and nearly knocked her down.

She was on her feet and on the verge of turning the bag into a pile of dust when Steve opened the gym door and called, "Hey, Wanda! Can I talk to you for a minute?"

"Of course." She pretended she hadn't been about to lose control and placed several jabs on what would have been the bag's chin. It was the first time she'd seen him alone since he and the rest of the guys had returned from Southeast Asia. "How was your mission?"

"Oh, y'know. Humid, sweaty. I need some kind of hot weather suit. Nat suggested a Speedo and I'm afraid to find out what that is." He moved to stand behind the bag, keeping it steady with minimal effort as she unleashed her unassisted physical fury. His chatter remained casual. "Keep your elbow up when…yeah, like that. Good form. You've been working hard on the hand-to-hand." There was a pause as he suddenly tensed. "I heard that everything went pretty smoothly with Bucky except for one incident."

"Yes." Wanda was slightly breathless with effort. "You should probably speak to…"

"I've already talked with both of them. In Bucky's version, he's a disgusting pig who tried to steal my girl the moment I wasn't around and she defended her honor and mine. In Natasha's version, he was generously helping her when he was momentarily overtaken by his former programming and needed a few moments to come back to himself. The only thing they seem to agree on is that they had a conversation later where they talked about how great they think I am and how neither of them deserve me."

"The last part is true. Not that they don't deserve you, but you are perfect." Wanda found it frustrating that she couldn't communicate both her sincerity and sarcasm through her punches, as most of the team seemed to have perfected in training. "What do you want me to say?"

"I'm not perfect. When you grow up in Brooklyn, the only perfect person you ever meet is your ma. And mine was. But I just…you were there with Nat and Bucky, so I thought maybe you could give me the version without the guilt or personal demons or sparing of my feelings."

Wanda tried to catch her breath as she continued to work the bag and give an account of what had happened in the gym the previous day. Steve stepped back, allowing the bag to swing when she had finished. Not expecting the forces to come back at her after her final hit, she found herself on the floor. He was immediately there to offer her a hand up. "Sorry. So, basically Bucky was helping Nat stretch out a cramp and lost it for a minute and she didn't kill him while he got it back. I get to be proud of both of them. Thanks, Wanda."

"Not at all." She nodded to him and turned back to the bag. She could sense his hesitation as he lingered, watching her hit it repeatedly. "Is there something else?"

"I…I just want to make sure that there's nothing you want to talk about. Or, if there's ever anything you do want to talk about…I'm here. We're all here."

"I know."

"I'm serious. If something's bugging you or if you just need to talk. I know you don't like to talk about your brother, but…"

"If I need to talk, I will talk."

Steve left without another word. Her knuckles were bleeding through the tape when she finally called it quits almost an hour later.


Exhausted from her earlier workout, Wanda leaned against the wall across from Bucky's quarters, wishing the approval for keeping him on constant video surveillance or regular guard rather than an Avenger at all times had come through. She sighed as she settled into the warm emotional cocoon of Steve and Natasha's lovemaking. The intensity had ratcheted up exponentially since the last time she'd experienced them together. Their physical bond had taken on an entirely new dimension that threatened to overcome her. It took her a few seconds or an infinity to realize she needed to put some space between herself and them.

She hit the wall across the passage with more force than she'd intended, but even the small distanced weakened the connection. She didn't have time to appreciate how much further she would have to go because she was suddenly caught in a powerful fantasy as Bucky pumped his living hand up and down with determination. He was picturing Natasha, bent over and…

Wanda stumbled to the center of the hallway, trying to close her mind to the events surrounding her. Unfortunately, she was in the perfect spot to experience Steve, Natasha and Bucky's sensations simultaneously. It was so, so good. Why did it have to feel so good? She sank to her knees, trying not to feel everything. Oh, God. Oh…she squeezed her eyes shut. Oh. Oooh!

When she opened her eyes, she realized she was in the infirmary after a moment of disorientation. The monitor beeping at her side registered the change in her breathing, reminding her to relax immediately. No one on the other side of the curtain seemed terribly concerned with her at the moment, anyway. The white glow, softened as it filtered through the cloth, revealed that Steve and Natasha were among the crowd of medical personnel who occasionally checked on her.

Steve was yelling, almost hysterically, "He didn't have anything to do with this! Why are we blaming him when there's no evidence?"

"Calm down," Natasha urged, her voice like warm butter as she rubbed her hands against his chest. "Hill will have the video and the biometric records here in a minute and Sam is keeping an eye on Bucky for now."

"Along with an armed platoon!"

"Sam won't let them into Bucky's quarters. You trust Sam."

"Of course I…Nat, stop trying to calm me down."

Her hands never stopped massaging his pectorals. "Then stop freaking out."

"It's hard not to when everyone assumes…God, one thing goes wrong and Buck is the automatic…"

"Hill!" Natasha interrupted, though she continued to rub his chest. "Show Steve why you're about to dismiss the guards around Bucky's quarters."

"I already have," Hill replied, her dark shadow contrasting with the couple's gentle radiance. "His door didn't open until the regular patrol reported Wanda unconscious and the noise started. Based on the footage, no one was present. She just fainted."

Natasha's glowing shadow held out a hand. "Can I see that?"

"Knock yourself out," Hill replied, passing her a tablet. "Just not literally. I'd hate to see Steve's reaction to that."

"I…well, at least we know Bucky didn't do anything."

"Shhh," Natasha admonished as a door slammed somewhere. There was a brief silence. "Are you looking at the time stamp?"

He grunted. "So?"

"So we're trying to figure out why Wanda fainted."

"She probably just forgot to eat dinner or something."

"Steve, I know what we were doing at eleven-thirty. She comes off the wall against our quarters, then does the same thing against the other wall, only to pass out in the middle of the hall. Maybe Bucky was…"

"Having a nightmare that freaked her out?"

"Not exactly. Come on, babe, don't make me spell it out for you. As a guy, you know what guys do when they're alone, feeling lonely…or bored…or horny…"

"I will not…"

"Look, I'm not asking you to go interrogate Bucky about his masturbation habits. Hell, we have sex more than any couple in history and you still do it when you're alone in the shower."

Wanda felt herself reddening along with Steve as he sputtered, "That is…"

"I'm not making judgments or complaining," Natasha went on. "I'm just saying that maybe she got caught in some kind of psychic sex tsunami and fainted because she was overstimulated or something."

"That's…"

"Exactly right." Wanda wasn't sure why she decided that moment was probably time to reveal she was awake, just that she was certain Natasha had already realized the fact and was just messing with Steve to pass the time. "I was unprepared for blocking so much…energy."

"See?" Natasha said, unperturbed. She pulled the chair beside the bed under her as she sat. "Are you feeling okay?"

"I guess," Wanda replied, raising a hand to feel the swelling on her forehead where she'd hit the floor. "A bit of a headache. I didn't mean to…"

"Obviously. You bounced off the walls like you'd been hit with an electric shock."

"I wasn't trying to…"

"We know," Natasha patted her hand and looked at her significantly. "Just focus on feeling better."

She wasn't sure if it was her psychic urging or Natasha's own suggestion that got Steve to leave to check on Bucky a few minutes later. Natasha rolled her eyes as her Steve-glow faded the further he got from the infirmary. "I thought he'd never go. So what are you trying to cover up?"

"I…"

"I know you weren't doing anything on purpose, so I'm not angry. I just what to know what's going on. You're obviously covering for Bucky, unless Steve is way more imaginative than I've ever given him credit for. So what's the big secret? Bucky is into Steve?"

Wanda swallowed hard. "He…he was actually fantasizing about you. Quite vividly."

She frowned. "Well, that's problematic, but I guess we can deal with it. Sorry you got caught up in the middle. Try and get some rest."

"I think I will ask for a painkiller. And perhaps a sedative."

"Good idea. I'll check back in the morning."

As Wanda drifted into a dreamless sleep, she tried guiltily to recall the warmth of Steve and Natasha's coupling but it wasn't something she could reproduce.