Author's Note: This takes place in the same universe as my other stories Love Seeping In and Journeys in Love. There are some references to things that have happened that would help with continuity, but nothing major except to know that Wanda is younger and Natasha has adopted her. Otherwise this works as a stand alone if you haven't read the other stories.

Translation (via Google):

Nyet, Mama, nyet. Pozhaluysta, ya obeshchaya chto ya bol'she ne budu plokhim. Nyet lekarstva. = No, Mama, no. Please, I promise I won't be bad anymore. No medicine.

Spasibo = Thank you

Pazhaluysta = You're welcome

/

Wanda woke up feeling like the back of her head was weighed down to the pillows and she struggled to lift herself into an upright position. Her chest and upper back felt sore too which she tried and failed to stretch away the stubborn feeling. Though these mild-morning aches felt like the least of her worries for the upcoming day because Natasha had to go away again. This time she was leading the team in charge of escorting the ambassador of Wakanda to some kind of summit in Washington DC after intercepted Hydra intel threatened the ambassador's safety.

Her mother had left yesterday afternoon, and Wanda handled it better than the last time Natasha had to go away for work though she still burrowed into her mama until the last possible moment, and she cried a little, but it had been less.

Her departure had been easier this time partly because Natasha had promised it would only be two days and there was no communication blackout so Nat could text her and call her before bedtime, but mostly it was because this time Natasha was officially her Mama. There was no fear that her going on a mission started the countdown clock for Wanda to go live on the Barton's farm. Natasha would come back, and she would still be her mother and Wanda would still be her daughter. It was a stability and certainty that the Sokovian had not realized she could have again after losing almost everything. But she was home now and by tomorrow so would her Mama.

Reaching for her phone on her nightstand, Wanda looked at the screen and was unsurprised to see a text from Tasha, which had months ago been switched to Mama with a red heart next to her name.

Good morning, milaya. I hope you have a good day. Study hard with Vision and Peter. And please eat something. I'll talk to you later tonight. I love you, xx.

Wanda opened the message and typed out a reply, though knew Natasha was already busy with her mission for the day.

Hi Mama. I hope you have a good day too. I will. And I will. I miss you and I love you too, xoxo.

She had stopped short of adding an eyeroll emoji after her second declaration of 'I will' in regard to her eating properly even with her mother gone. The girl dug around in her sheets until she found her plaid blanket and wrapped it around her shoulders. Almost subconsciously she pulled one end and held it against her face underneath her nose. When she inhaled deeply, she felt a pang of disappointment that it did not really smell much like Natasha anymore. Wanda wanted to flop back onto the bed and let her tired eyes slip shut once again, but instead she managed to drag herself to her feet and mosey out to the kitchen to find something for breakfast.

Despite having promised Nat only moments ago that she would eat something, nothing really seemed to appeal to the teenager. Steve poured her a bowl of cereal that she had only about two bites from before she pushed it towards him to finish, the sugar-coated cereal with marshmallows too sweet for her that morning. He poured her a different bowl of plain Cheerios but that was not right either and he ate that bowl too. Then Sam came around and made her an omelet that ended up much like her cereal had; two bites then she was pushing it toward Steve to finish. Finally Sharon arrived and blended up a strawberry smoothie, dumping in the protein powder Natasha used for her, and Wanda managed to drink about half of it. Then for the fourth time that morning she slid the rest of her breakfast to her father, letting Steve finish the glass. By the end of breakfast, the man who was usually a bottomless pit actually seemed painfully full.

Wanda looked at him apologetically, but he only grinned at her and said he would just run a few extra laps during training that day. Steve then sent her off to start her lessons with Vision for the day with a kiss to the top of her head which Wanda leaned into, finding herself craving the affectionate touch more than usual, but she had to mask her disappointment afterward when it did little to curb her wanting of Tasha's motherly affections.

Vision was a good teacher, especially in sciences, however today she had trouble focusing on what he was trying to teach her. Her mind would fill with fuzzy static, and she would just want Natasha to be the one there with her, which she knew was unfair to her companion. He stayed patient though and they muddled through her lessons until Peter arrived to tutor her in math.

The boy had become a more regular presence around the Compound, and Wanda found she enjoyed this fact. Not only did Peter help her understand math, he also had become a friend to her, something she had never really had before or at least not for a long time. Of course Vision was her friend, and Sam and Sharon could be considered her friends, but they were also adults who tended to dote on her rather than just hang out with her. Peter showed her how to use her phone, gave her different music to listen to and TV shows or movies to watch that were popular with American teenagers. She did not understand all of what he tried to indoctrinate her with, like the lip syncing videos he showed her. It took her a while to realize that the person in the video was not the one speaking the lines, and when she asked why they did this Peter had not been able to give her a satisfactory explanation. Regardless of their differences, the Sokovian thought he was funny and kind and easy to be around.

Unfortunately, Wanda struggled with focusing on math as she had with her other lessons for the day, and the little witch was glad when it was time for them to go for training. She hoped that some exercise would help clear her head and be a better distraction for missing Natasha. The teens entered the training room and Steve greeted them, "Hey Wands. Hey Pete, you feeling better?"

Peter had also been training with the team but last week he had to stay home because he had been sick with the flu. The spider boy had bobbed his head up and down, "Yeah, Mr. Rogers. Much better, thanks."

"I told you kid, you can just call me Steve."

"Sure, right. Of course, Captain Steve." He babbled awkwardly and Wanda giggled. No matter how much time he spent with them, Peter never quite seemed to get over being slightly intimidated by the other Avengers.

Steve simply shook his head with amusement, "You two head up to the track and warm up with a run."

Peter went to the steps that lead up to the open track that went around the gym, but Wanda opted to float herself up and over the rail. Steve called after her, "Stairs next time, little bird."

"Sorry, Captain Steve." She shouted back down to him, smothering her grin when she heard him mutter something about her spending too much time with Natasha. They started their normal routine- a warm up jog, stretching, weights, then sparring before Wanda and Peter would split off for more specialized training for their respective powers. Peter proved to be a great sparring partner for Wanda. While the boy was extremely fast from his radioactive spider bite, Wanda had a way to deal with his increased speed. She would use her powers to track and anticipate his movements, a similar tactic she had used with her brother to catch him. However, the teenagers were under strict instructions to not be going full tilt with their powers, not only to protect them from accidents, but Mama said it was good practice to not fight at total capacity and that they should always try to keep a reserve for later down the line. Wanda remembered the lecture.

"In a fight, it's best to start conservative. It gives you time to learn your opponents' techniques, find a weakness that you can use to your advantage. Especially if they might be bigger and stronger than you." The redhead had said.

"But my powers will protect me." Wanda pointed out.

"There might be a time where you aren't able to use your powers. I want you to be able to defend yourself no matter what, milaya." Natasha had stroked her hair then. "So hold back, tire them out, and then when you need to you can go full force."

"Oh! Like in that old movie The Princess Bride. When they are sword fighting on the cliff and he reveals that he isn't left-handed." Peter contributed excitedly.

Nat rolled her eyes good-naturedly, "Yes like that, Peter.. And watch your mouth calling that movie old."

His cheeks went pink underneath her arched brow and teasingly pointed expression.

Wanda huffed as she tried to stay focused in her skirmish with Peter at present. The little witch found herself becoming more winded than usual though and struggled to stay out of reach of Peter's jabs and kicks. Steve even had to correct her form more often than usual as he monitored them.

Then Peter swung his leg up at her torso and Wanda, an evasive maneuver she had successfully done many times before, bent backwards at the waist to dodge the blow. But she had not accounted for the heaviness in the back of her head which had never really dissipated from that morning, so as she quickly righted herself back up her equilibrium was off, and she felt herself become woozy. Her brain felt like it rattled loosely inside her skull and her vision clouded with black dots for a few seconds but if was long enough for her to miss Peter's elbow heading towards her face. It collided solidly into her outer orbital socket causing her to fall painfully onto her backside dazed.

The girl faintly registered Peter's startled voice as she tried to reorient herself, "Oh shoot, are you okay, Wanda?!"

Steve was kneeling next to her in an instant, "Are you alright, sweetheart?"

"I'm okay. I'm okay." Wanda stated a couple of times despite it not being necessarily true. Her eye hurt, and her back hurt from falling on it, and there was a spasm in her throat that wanted to cry for her Mama. She did not want to cry in front of Peter, so she managed to swallow it down.

Rubbing her back, Steve gave her a moment before asking, "Can you stand up?"

She sniffed and nodded then the man helped her to her feet. Once standing she saw Peter hovering anxiously a couple feet away, "Oh gosh, Wanda. I'm so sorry."

"It's okay." Wanda reassured her friend while she let her Papa inspect her injury. "It's not your fault. I should have blocked it."

"It doesn't look too bad." He announced, "We should go ice it though. And I think training is done for the day."

"But Papa-"

"No buts, your mother is already going to be unhappy." Wanda grimaced knowing that her phone call with her mother later would not start out fun. Peter paled a bit at the thought of Natasha being unhappy and Steve noticed.

He put a friendly, comforting hand on his shoulder, "Nat won't be upset with you, Pete. She knows accidents happen. Just last week she gave me a nosebleed."

"Yeah. Sure, Mr., ah- Steve." He scratched the back of his neck, "I'm still sorry."

"I know you are, kiddo, but it's alright. Let's head upstairs and get an ice pack." Captain America attempted to rally the sullen teens, "We can watch more of that burger cartoon you showed us last time."

"Bob's Burgers." Peter supplied as the man ushered them upstairs. Once upstairs Wanda did feel better with the cold compress on her eye, resting her head on Steve's shoulder, and the humorous TV show distracting her.

/

"Oh what happened, malyshka?" Her mother's worried face immediately asked from the screen of her phone despite most assuredly getting a text from Steve about what happened during training. Wanda had settled into bed for the night with Steve already having come by to tuck her in and say goodnight and Tasha looked ready for bed too, sitting up against a plain headboard of a hotel room.

"I'm okay." The girl promised, her voice sounding a little pouting now that she was speaking with her mama. "I missed a block in training."

"Oh baby. Let me see." Natasha tutted and Wanda held up her phone so the woman could better see the injury, figuring there would be no sense in trying to deny her. Since the incident had happened, the skin outside and a little under her right eye had become somewhat swollen and stained with a purplish-blue bruise. Natasha sighed, "Well, Peter clocked you good. Have you been icing it? Did Steve give you some Tylenol?"

"Yes, Mama." Wanda slumped into a more relaxed position to continue the video call.

"Keep icing it tomorrow. And no training until I get back." The Black Widow ordered.

"You'll still be back tomorrow?" She asked, suddenly worried the plans had changed.

Natasha eased her concern though, "Yes, I'm still coming back tomorrow. There is a farewell brunch then I have a meeting with Fury then I'll be home a bit before dinner."

"Okay," The little witch relaxed a bit more into her pillows. "Has anything interesting happened?"

"No, nothing interesting." Her mother reported blithely. "Just boring speeches and empty promises of diplomacy. You've seen more action than I have."

"Hm.. I miss you, Mama." She hummed with a sad tenor.

"I miss you too, Wanda." Concern leaked into the redhead's voice, "Are you tired, baby?"

"Yeah," Her eyes slipped shut a moment before she pried them open again. "Could you sing a little, please?

"Of course, my love." Mama agreed without thought and started singing her usual song. Turning onto her left side to keep the pressure off the bruised side of her face, Wanda let her eyes fall shut to the sweet crooning of her mother's voice singing about someone asking a darling red maiden to walk along the coast with them. She was no longer awake by the time Natasha finished and hung up the phone. Thus, she remained oblivious to the fact that the Black Widow did not hang up right away despite knowing the Wanda had been fast asleep by the second verse. Instead, the mother rested the phone on the pillow by her ear and allowed herself a few minutes to listen to her daughter's steady breathing. Her own lullaby that she had fallen asleep to so many nights before.

/

Wanda came running from the woods to greet her as opposed to from the residence. Natasha knew she had probably been up a tree with the book in her hand to pass away the late afternoon and probably to be better able to sense when her jet was approaching. Nat caught her daughter in her arms, "Hey honey."

Her girl felt sun-kissed warm and a bit heavy as she leaned more fully into Natasha than she otherwise might for a hug. Wanda's magic spiraled around her wrist, "Hi Mama."

"Let's check out this shiner." Nat gently pulled Wanda away from where she had tucked herself against her neck. She had seen her eye last night but not well over the small screen of her cellphone. Holding Wanda's face tenderly, the spy looked over the injury. Steve had been right when he told her it was not that bad, she could not help but fuss over it though, "Does it hurt?"

"Only a little." The teenager rubbed her cheek into her mother's palm.

"Have you had any pain killers today?"

Wanda nodded, "This morning."

"Well you're probably due for more." Nat gingerly kissed her marred temple. "Come on, let's get you some Tylenol and I've got some arnica in my bathroom that should help with the bruising."

She put an arm around Wanda's shoulders and her daughter encircled her arms around her waist as they clumsily knocked into each other while they walked toward the Compound. Natasha announced with a dull expression, "Well my trip was boring as hell. Anything interesting going on around here?"

"Mm, well Peter hit me in the eye." Wanda said deadpanned.

"He did?" Natasha feigned surprise to play into it. "Anything else?"

"Steve and I watched Ghostbusters for the first time." Wanda replied after some consideration. "Vision and I started a new chapter in biology about the anatomy of a cell. And.. Sam is making chili for dinner."

"Whoa, hot off the presses." The woman may have said this sardonically, but she really would prefer the mundanity of Compound life with Wanda to any mission these days and she smiled at her. "That all sounds great, baby."

The pair got up to Natasha's bathroom and she had Wanda sit on her bathroom counter. Pulling a little jar of lotion out of her medicine cabinet, Tasha carefully dabbed the contents onto the teenager's damaged skin and took the time to examine her child more closely. Her little witch looked tired, the whites of her eyes were tinged pink and besides her bruise there were also dark circles beneath them., like last night's sleep had not done the job. The Black Widow remembered how warm Wanda felt when she first arrived home and suddenly what she had attributed to an afternoon in the sun struck her differently. Then as she twisted the lid back on the jar, Wanda fell into her with that same slack heaviness as before, "I'm glad you're back Mama."

"I'm glad to be back too." Nat thread her fingers into her daughter's hair to hold the back of her head, "Are you okay, milaya?"

"Yeah, I'm alright." The girl said dismissively but she stayed slumped against Natasha. The spy moved to press her lips against Wanda's forehead and let them linger there to feel her temperature. Wanda felt warm but not overly so and the mother reluctantly decided to let it go for now under her assertion that she was fine.

"I'm going to change and say hello to Steve. You want to go help Sam in the kitchen and I'll meet you there?"

"Okay," Wanda said, finally pulling away unenthusiastically and sliding off the counter to let her mother go say hello to her boyfriend. Natasha quickly changed into loungewear then went to go find Steve in his room like FRIDAY said he would be. Captain America smiled at her appearance, "Hey, how was the mission?"

"Dull, easy. Whether it was bad intel, or our presence aborted the plan, there were no incidents. I don't know whether to be relieved or disappointed" Natasha's tone was casual though her joke did not go unappreciated, and she noticed Steve smiling in amusement as she walked into the circle of his arms, pushing up on her toes to give him a lingering kiss. Only Natasha Romanoff would be disappointed in not seeing any action on a mission.

When she pulled away, he gave her a starry-eyed expression that she returned, "How was the homestead?"

"All quiet on the western front." Steve's hands moved alluringly on her sides.

The woman melted into his touch but still had questions, "How was Wanda?"

"Good," Steve sounded like he meant it. "Better than last time I'd say."

"She didn't seem off to you?" Natasha asked while Steve leaned down to brush his lips against her neck in a distracting manner.

"I mean, she definitely missed you." He shifted back to give her a questioning look, "Why?"

Smiling at him she shook her head, "I'm sure it's nothing. Let's go. Wanda is waiting for us in the kitchen. It's chili night."

"She'll be busy with Sam for a bit, you know. We've got some time." Steve resumed kissing neck and squeezed her hips. "And I missed you too."

"Not enough time." The Widow denied even as her skin heated up under his touch and she nuzzled into the side of his head until he turned to kiss her more passionately on the lips.

In brief moments when their lips were apart Steve claimed, "I can be quick."

"I'm not sure that is something to brag about Rogers." She gasped as he hoisted her into his arms, her legs wrapping around his waist as he walked them toward the bed.

"How about you give me 15 minutes and you can let me know if it is something to brag about."

"You have 10. Let's see what you've got, soldier."

"Yes, ma'am." About 20 minutes later Steve did in fact have something to brag about.

/

Wanda was so glad to be curling up with her mother for the night. She had been disgruntled when Natasha's return had not immediately resolved what the girl assumed to be psychosomatic symptoms. However she still firmly believed that a good night's rest wrapped in her mama's arms would have her waking up feeling good as new. At least that was before Wanda woken up in the middle of the night with her stomach roiling painfully. When her esophagus contracted against her will, the teenager bolted up and out of bed, making a dash for the bathroom as she realized what was about to happen. She heard a confused Natasha calling her name after her, and then the woman was out of bed following closely behind Wanda as she barely made it in time to throw up in the toilet.

She could not control her body as it stiffened rigidly in time with the terrible acidic burn of vomit travel up her throat and forced its way out. Wanda sobbed in distress as she could not stop the waves of sickness from coming. Feeling like she had no control over her body's reactions while her mind was still sleep-dazed and not fully present, made panic flood her system. But then Wanda felt her mother behind her, gathering up her hair to keep it out of the mess and gently speaking in Russian, "It's okay, baby girl. Get it all out. It's alright, sweetheart."

And while she still felt uncomfortable and pain pulsed everywhere from her stomach to her temples, her mother's presence calmed her enough, helping her get through the next bout of nausea that forced her to clutch tighter to the ceramic seat.

Several minutes went by before Wanda had expelled all the contents of her stomach; the girl had nothing more to throw up and after a few dry heaves, she collapsed back into Natasha. Her mother maneuvered them into a comfortable enough position on the ground and the little witch found herself seated between her mother's legs as she tried to catch her breath. Tasha stroked her back soothingly with one hand and used her other to tuck Wanda's head under her chin as she guided her into settling down, "Slow, deep breaths, that's it.. Oh milaya, were you feeling sick before?"

"I don't know." Wanda's voice was raw, and it hurt for her to talk, her throat feeling sore and scratched up. It burned as she tried to swallow back the bitter taste in her mouth, "Maybe? I thought it was because you were away."

"Baby, you have to tell me if you're not feeling well." The woman said, slightly admonishing.

"I'm sorry." She replied, her voice cracking childishly as tears threatened to spill over.

Tasha hushed her, "It's okay. Can you tell me what was wrong?"

"I- My head felt strange, my chest and back are sore, I'm tired.." The girl listed off.

"You feel warm." Her mama commented, and she felt the woman's hands move from her forehead to press the back of it against her damp cheeks before sliding down to her neck, her skin warm in all three spots to confirm her mother's claim. "Are you ready to get up? Or do you think you might get sick again?"

"I can get up." Wanda sniffled and with a little assistance from her mother she got to her feet only to find herself guided to sit on the edge of the tub so Natasha could take her temperature. Finding a thermometer under the sink, the woman instructed her to keep the device under her tongue while she began to clean up the area around the toilet. The teenager cringed at Natasha having to clean up after her and mumbled with a slight lisp around the thermometer, "Sorry.."

"It's alright, baby." Natasha said throwing the towel she had been using into the hamper, "I've seen grosser things than a little puke."

The thermometer beeped and her mother took it from her mouth to read the number with masked concern, "Hm, 101.5. You've got a fever. I think a cool shower might help."

"Cold?" Wanda already shivered at the thought.

"Not cold cold." Natasha stroked along her hairline, slightly damp with sweat. "More lukewarm to help get your temperature down. You can get in to rinse off, I'll go get you new pajamas and when I come back you can get out, okay?"

"Okay." She agreed slowly. The Widow started the shower and Wanda stripped out of her dirty pajamas to get under the tepid spray of water. She knew in reality it was probably not that cold, but in comparison to her usual hot showers it felt freezing as she tried to scrub away the awful stuffy feeling that seemed to be in every part of her body. Fortunately, Natasha came back quick enough though, shutting off the water and wrapping her in a big fluffy towel. From there she dried off quickly and got into her clean clothing then Nat braided her hair back as she brushed her teeth with her toothbrush her mother had brought from her own bathroom. After taking a few tentative sips of water to soothe her throat and swallowing hard around the Tylenol Natasha gave her, Wanda crawled back into the older woman's bed. She curled into her mama, sighing as she settled into the warmth and comfort she always provided.

"How do you feel, darling? A little better?" Her mother asked softly.

"Yeah," Wanda hooked her fingers gently into Nat's collarbone. She did feel a little better- at least she felt clean from her quick shower and her mother's hand rubbing her back relieved some of the ache there. Her stomach still churned painfully around the precious little water and the couple of painkillers inside of it, but she could tolerate the pain if it meant the painkillers would take effect soon and maybe stop the pulsing from her head.

"Try to get some rest, malyshka." Natasha kissed her forehead. The girl nodded, trying to relax, and let sleep take over, hoping that she would feel better in the morning.

Only it was not meant to be. She felt terrible the next morning with a congested head and sharp cramps in her stomach. Wanda only managed a few spoonfuls of the plain broth Natasha brought for her to eat in bed before she ended up throwing it up down the front of her shirt, which led to tears of frustration and embarrassment at being such a burden. Her mother mopped up both physical and emotional messes with ease before she had her take another shower then led Wanda to her own bed to lay down in while she called Dr. Cho.

The doctor arrived promptly and did a physical examination- listening to her heartbeat and lungs, taking her temperature which was still high, feeling her abdomen and her neck while asking questions about her symptoms. She withdrew her hands, giving Wanda a sympathetic smile, then turned to Natasha who was hovering nearby, "Well, you've got a sick little cub.. You mentioned the Parker boy was ill last week?"

"Yeah. Some 48 hour bug." Her mother rubbed her bottom lip in a rare nervous gesture.

"It's probably just that." Dr. Cho split a reassuring smile between the two of them. "I do want to draw some blood just to rule out some things. Like appendicitis. Her pain isn't localized to her right side, so I don't think that's the case but just to be sure."

She reached into her doctor's bag while Wanda flinched away at the movement and drew her arms protectively around herself. Mama came forward then, "I know it's uncomfortable, milaya, but if Dr. Cho thinks that is what's best then we have to follow her instructions."

"No," Her lower lips quivering in a pout, a warning sign that she was about to cry for the second time that day. "Please, I don't want to."

"I'm sorry baby, but you have to. We have to make sure there isn't something else you could be sick with." Natasha got into the bed with her and pulled her against her torso with Wanda turning to hide her face into her mother's neck.

Helen, who had been patiently waiting for the Sokovian to be ready added, "You may feel a little pinch, but otherwise it will be painless. And I'll be very quick. I promise."

"No.." She whined and pressed harder into her mother even as she let Natasha unfurl one of her arms to present to the doctor.

"Try not to tense up." Wanda felt the doctor run a cool hand up and down her arm briefly. She could not watch but she continued to feel the woman preparing a vein in her elbow then the promised pinch but after it did not hurt like Helen had said. Then the doctor proclaimed, "All finished. You did very well."

The little witch finally looked at her arm to see Dr. Cho taping a bit of cotton to it where the needle had gone in to stop the blood. She pulled her arm back into herself and turned more fully into Natasha as the woman kissed her temple, "You did such a good job, baby."

Helen packed up her things, "I'll get a rush on the labs. If I find anything, I'll call you otherwise I'll have some antibiotics sent over to help you feel better."

"Thank you, Helen. I'll walk you out." Natasha extracted herself from Wanda who let her go with a frown. "I'll be right back, milaya."

Later in the day, Dr. Cho let them know her labs came back okay, and she couriered over the medicine for Wanda. The teenager dutifully tried to take the pills, but it seemed inevitable that they would eventually come back up along with the couple of dry crackers she would try to eat. Mama was in and out of her room all day, laying with Wanda when she could because it would be the only time the girl could get comfortable enough to rest. If her mother was not there for her to essentially use as a pillow, Wanda would toss and turn, unable to find any position that would give her respite from her chills and aches. Steve sat with her when Natasha could not, and she appreciated him, but his usual uplifting presence was not enough of a substitute for her mother. When night time came she once again got wrapped up in Natasha and hoped to feel better in the morning. But then the nightmare came..

"It's about time you joined us, kleine Maus." Wanda's eyes flew open at the sound of a familiar, gruff voice that sent ice in her veins. She was greeted by the face of Baron Strucker looming over her with a sinister grin.

"No!" The little witch made a ragged gasp and tried to jerk away to escape only to find herself strapped down to an examination table.

"Ah, ah, ah, none of that. You've been a bad little mouse." He declared and with mock regret told her, "So you must be punished."

"Please no! Mama! Mama!" She called out desperately, her eyes darting around at the grim surrounding of the Hydra facility. The damp, brown brick of the walls, the fluorescent lights buzzing overhead, a small try of operating tools that Wanda could not bring herself to look at too closely. She thrashed against her restraints.

Strucker still menaced above her, "There is no Mama, Wanda. You know that."

"Mama.." Wanda sobbed but sagged back onto the table, lost her fight against thick iron cuffs and leather belts that held her in place.

"No Mama, no Papa, no Pietro." The man stated cruelly, "Just you and me. Like it's supposed to be.."

"S-stop. Please stop." She begged, squeezing her eyes shut against the terror as he continued to make promises of punishments.

Then she heard a new voice and felt soft hands caressing her face, "Wanda, sweetheart, it's just a dream. You're at home in bed with Mama, remember? You're safe."

"Mama?" Her eyes cautiously opened once again and this time she saw in addition to her old tormentor was her mother's worried face. She was confused how the woman could be there.

Strucker snarled, "I told you there is no Mama."

He seemed completely unaware of the other person in the room, which was strange. Natasha pressed, "I'm right here, malyshka. I promise. You just have to wake up."

She watched as the Black Widow passed her hand through Strucker like he was a ghost or maybe she was a ghost. Then it clicked. The woman's consciousness was really in the nightmare with her. With horror the little witch realized that she must have accidentally pulled her there in her sleep. Fighting against the illusions in her mind, Wanda sat up with all of her effort, and-

Wanda jolted up in bed pulling air desperately into her lungs. Her mother was immediately up with her, and with her Widow reflexes got the large plastic bowl that she had placed on her nightstand just in case underneath the girl's chin a second before she started to throw up.

/

Natasha blinked at her surroundings. She did not know how she got there, but she was in what looked like a dungeon with dark, uneven brick walls and a coppery, damp smell. Then a voice with a heavy German accent drew her attention to the right, "It's about time you joined us, kleine Maus."

Her heart jumped into her throat as she realized it was Strucker and he was menacing over her daughter. The Black Widow tried to move, her instincts screaming to get between her daughter and the man tormenting her, her training ready to end him before he could touch a hair of her girl's head. However found herself stuck to the spot in the shadowed corner she was in and try as she might her feet would not budge. She desperately called out, "Wanda! Get away from her!"

Her voice only echoed back to her as if it had not reached the other occupants in the room, and neither reacted to her shouting. Natasha was left to watch in anguish as the terrorist spewed cruel untruths to Wanda. None of this made any sense as she attempted to unroot herself, until she realized that none of it was real. She was in a dream, but not her dream. Wanda must have accidentally pulled her into her nightmare. The Widow remembered the feeling of opening her mind to the connection Wanda could conjure and leaned into it. The stuck sensation of her feet disappeared, and she took a step forward. Instead of taking a step though, it was as if her body teleported over to Wanda in an instant. Her daughter pleaded for the man to stop with her eyes screwed shut as Natasha reached for her, "Wanda, sweetheart, it's just a dream. You're at home in bed with Mama, remember? You're safe."

"Mama?" Hope leaked into her voice and her watery green eyes opened to meet her own.

"I told you there is no Mama." Strucker sneered like she was not standing right next to him. Since she was not supposed to be a part of the dream, Nat guessed that he could not perceive her. She stayed focused on Wanda, gently stroking her face, and coaxing her out of the fear.

"I'm right here, malyshka. I promise. You just have to wake up." She soothed then waved toward the vile man and her hand passed straight through him as she predicted it would have.

Realization flitted across Wanda's expression, then perhaps became more frightened when she truly comprehended that she had used her powers in her sleep. She looked frantic and once again fought against the restraints with one hard push.

Natasha's eyes flew open then and she felt Wanda jerk upright. She quickly followed. Sensing the girl would be sick again, Tasha grabbed a big bowl, usually used for popcorn, that she had taken from the kitchen and appropriated to use in case Wanda got sick in the night and could not make it to the bathroom. It had been worrying during the day as her daughter seemed to grow more lethargic and unable to keep anything in her stomach. Now she only vomited bile. Wrapping her arms around Wanda, she spoke gently, "You're okay, baby girl. I've got you. Mama's right here."

The teenager shivered and Natasha realized she did as well, like she could still feel the effects of the imagined dungeon. She might have been shivering but Wanda felt hot, alarming, sweating-through-her-pajamas hot. Moving her hair aside, the mother lightly blew onto her daughter's neck until Wanda stopped her retching and cried in Russian, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to. I'm sorry."

"I know, baby, I know. It was just an accident, milaya. I'm not mad. It's alright." She pulled her closer to her torso making soft shushing sounds that steadily calmed her. Wanda turned her face into her mother's neck, getting more comfortable, and Natasha really wanted to let her stay there but she needed to clean up, "Wanda, we need to clean up a little, okay? I'm going to get up. I'll be right back."

The little witch made no protest as she eased her onto the mattress and maneuvered herself out of bed, grabbing the bowl to clean it out in the bathroom. While she was in the bathroom she stared at her cellphone which she had grabbed as well, the hand holding the device shaking a little as she weighed her options. It was the middle of the night, but Wanda had not been retaining any liquids, or her medicine, and she felt at a loss as to what to do with fear for her daughter feeling palpable just beneath her skin. Without further hesitation, the woman pulled up Helen's contact information and hit the call button.

"Hello? Nat?" Her sleep-filled voice came over the speaker.

"Hi Helen. I'm sorry to call now. But.. Wanda seems worse than before. She hasn't kept anything down all day and her temperature.." There was an unaccustomed rattle in the Black Widow's tone as she disjointedly tried to explain why she was calling so late. Helen cut her off.

"It's alright. I'll be there in about 30 minutes." The doctor said and she could hear her getting out of bed and Maria's muffled voice in the background. They were probably at Maria's apartment in the city.

Her shoulders slumped, "Thank you."

The relief that help was on the way was short lived as she went back into Wanda's bedroom to collect the girl. Her daughter looked like she was in such pain in the half-lit room. She was pale, her skin shined with sweat, and her chest moved up and down in shallow, small bursts. Her black eye was not helping matters. Swallowing back her panic that threatened to bubble up, Natasha went to her side and softly roused her, "Let's get you cleaned off, baby girl. Come on here."

Wanda mumbled in acknowledgement and Nat half carried her daughter to the bathroom only to quickly realize that the Sokovian would not be able to stand in the shower on her own. She had her sit on the toilet as she drew a warm bath, unable to bring herself to make it too cool. Wanda was pliant but not overly helpful as her mother took off her pajamas and assisted her into the tub. As Natasha dipped a washcloth into the water, Wanda rasped out, "I'm sorry I don't feel well, Mama."

Russian again. She had not said a word of English since she had woken up. The redhead cooed back to her while starting to wipe her face, "It's not your fault, love. We all get sick sometimes."

Her daughter just sighed and shut her eyes as Tasha carefully cleaned away the sleep sand gathered there. After methodically running the washcloth over her neck and chest and back, she got Wanda up and swaddled in a big bath towel. Then got her dressed in one of Steve's clean t-shirts she found in the laundry room. Once she had the teenager settled back in bed, the agent had FRIDAY call for Steve who came almost immediately.

"What's going on?" Steve asked in a hushed tone, his eyes worriedly scanning over Wanda who had curled herself into a tight ball underneath the covers before taking in the state of the room. Natasha had been so focused on her daughter she had not noticed the items strewn across her usually tidy room- her notebooks pushed from her desk, the clothes from her hamper were draped over everything, and Steve the Shark was in the far corner. The only plausible explanation was that Wanda's powers had pushed out in the night and levitated her things, the way her powers had reached into Nat's mind without her meaning to. When the teenager forced herself awake, the items had dropped where they were, though Natasha had missed the disturbance between the remnants of the nightmare and the rush to catch the girl's vomit before it got all over her or the bed. Only now, the woman took in the state of the room and her worry over her daughter increased, concerned that her illness was not only affecting her body but her powers as well.

"Wanda has gotten worse. Dr. Cho is coming now. I've got to rinse off really fast." She felt sour from her own sweat and Wanda sweating against her in the night. "Can you sit with her?"

"Of course." Steve kissed her forehead and went to sit on the edge of the bed next to the girl while he said something soft and sympathetic to her.

Clean and in fresh clothing, Natasha had just climbed on top of the covers and Wanda had nestled back against her when there was a soft tapping on the open bedroom door frame, "Hey, how's the patient?"

Helen stepped into the room with her doctor's bag still in her own pajamas, apparently having not taken the time to change out of them. Steve rose so the woman could take his place while he occupied himself by picking up the displaced items still littering the ground and placing them back where they belonged, trying to be helpful in his own way. It was one little thing he could silently take care of, so his girls did not have to worry about later.

Natasha answered the doctor's question, "She's pretty out of it.. Milaya, we have to sit up so Dr. Cho can examine you."

Wanda grimaced and winced as Natasha helped prop her up in bed. The doctor made fast work of checking Wanda's vitals, listening to her heart and lungs, and the other checks she had performed yesterday, this time checking her oxygen levels as well. Her face was a kindly, yet unbothered mask of professionalism until she rolled a thermometer across Wanda's forehead, and she paused, "103.1. It's high, but not dangerous. I don't want it to be that high for long though."

"Does she need to be admitted?" Natasha asked immediately, the concern constricting her throat.

Helen looked thoughtful before landing on her response, "Stress isn't good for recovery, so she can stay here. I do want to start and IV line to get her hydrated and the medicine in her-"

"Nyet, Mama, nyet. Pozhaluysta, ya obeshchaya chto ya bol'she ne budu plokhim." Wanda abruptly sobbed, and with what little strength she had tightened her grip around her mother in fear. "Nyet lekarstva."

Her daughter had seemed so withdrawn and passive Natasha had not been sure if she had been comprehending what the adults around her were saying, but from her reaction at the mention of an IV she evidently had some idea of what they were saying. Wanda's nightmare came into sharp, terrible focus for the mother as she remembered the medical equipment surrounding her daughter. Her heart hurt at the thought of the kinds of medical procedures and medicine Wanda had been subjected to during her time at Hydra. Natasha gathered the girl closer to her, keeping in her comforting Russian, "You haven't been bad, Wanda. The medicine isn't a punishment. It's to help you feel better, sweetheart."

"No, it will hurt." Wanda twisted the back of Nat's shirt into her fists.

Natasha rocked her gently as she reassured her, "The needle might hurt a little going in, but you won't feel it after."

"No," Wanda dragged out the word with a whine to her voice. "The medicine will hurt."

"It won't hurt, milaya. You need it to make you feel better. If it starts to hurt, we'll take it out right away. I promise. But you have to let Dr. Cho help you." The mother half bargained, and half begged for Wanda to let them put in the IV. The little witch was still for a moment, then nearly imperceptibly nodded in agreement. Natasha looked at Helen and ticked her head down to indicate she had the go ahead. The doctor excused herself to go get what she needed from the medical wing and Natasha hummed softly for Wanda to keep her relaxed until the doctor returned. When she did, Helen had Maria in tow.

"Maria came along with me. She has a get well soon present she brought with her if you feel up for a visitor." Dr. Cho proposed. Wanda stared blankly then looked up at Natasha for some guidance as to what to do.

Natasha gave her a small smile, "I think that sounds really nice. Don't you, malyshka?"

The teenager directed her gaze back at the two women and silently nodded. Maria entered the room behind Helen carrying a surprisingly large, white paper bag with handles while the doctor rolled in a portable IV stand with the bag full of clear liquid already hanging in place. Helen sat up closer on the bed as she began the process of inserting the IV while Maria sat behind her, the agent speaking to keep Wanda's attention on her, "We heard you weren't feeling well, so thought this might help you feel better."

Maria pulled out a stuffed animal from the bag, another shark except this one was a bit bigger than her other one and much wider, almost like a shark-shaped pillow with spots on its back. She went on to explain, "This is a whale shark. Do you know much about them?"

Wanda shook her head and Maria continued, still holding onto the gift for the moment, "It's the largest living fish species in the world. They can grow to be 15 meters, and even though they're so big they are filter-feeders, so they only eat tiny fish and plankton."

"Alright," Helen interjected softly and pulled off the band around Wanda's arm that was meant to help her find a vein in her elbow. She had been prodding the area but had been unable to find a suitable site. "She's dehydrated so I'm not finding a good vein here. I'll have to put it on top of her hand."

While the doctor switched gears, Maria had another whale shark fact for Wanda, "In the wild, whale sharks can live from 80 to 130 years. That's about as old as Steve is."

Natasha felt her daughter tense against her as Helen was able to slide the needle cleanly into her hand. She kissed her temple and murmured that it was alright. Maria kept talking like nothing had happened and gave her a slightly conspiring smile, "I know you've already got a shark Steve, but maybe this one can be Steve Jr. Or Junior for short. What do you think?"

She held out the stuffed animal for Wanda to take then, Helen standing to check and adjust the drip of the IV line finally placed on the girl. Her lip flickered upward in an almost returned smile and nodded as she pulled the stuffed animal to her with her free arm, "Spasibo."

"Pazhaluysta." Maria responded in kind.

"Okay, Wanda." Helen sat back down. "This is going to give you some medicine and nutrients so your body can get well.. I can also give you a little pain medicine. It will make you a little sleepy too so you can get some rest. How does that sound?"

The doctor glanced between the girl and Natasha seeking approval. Wanda pushed further back into Nat, the fingers on her hand that now had the IV secured into twitched on the bed, asking a silent question. The mother practically felt the motion on her collarbone as she replied, "I think it would be a good idea. But it's up to you, milaya. We'll only give it to you if you want it."

There was a brief pause then Wanda issued a small consent, "Okay."

Helen dipped her hand back into her doctor's bag and took out a capped, pre-dosed syringe. She slowly injected it right into the IV line and the effects were almost instantaneous as less than a minute later Wanda's eyes were fluttering shut, her arm loosening around her new shark, and body going completely slack. Natasha eased her daughter down to the mattress and with an unspoken understanding all the adults in the room filtered out of the room with hardly a rustle. At the end of the hall, Natasha and Steve stood facing Helen and Maria.

"You're sure she doesn't need to be in the hospital?" Natasha crossed her arms over herself.

"Her lungs sound okay, her oxygen level is good, and her pulse is a little slow but steady." Helen had on her doctor voice like a crisp horizon line, and as much as Natasha wanted to begrudge it, she found her worries eased by it all the same.

"She just seems so sick," Natasha's eyes flitted to Steve in appreciation as he slipped his arm around her. "I talked to Tony earlier today and it didn't sound like Peter got this sick."

"It's probably hitting her harder because she hasn't been exposed to the bacteria and viruses in the west. Hell, she probably wasn't exposed to much in Sokovia either." The doctor surmised then said a bit softer, "I know it's hard to see her this sick, but trust me, it's good her immune system is fighting this hard, okay?"

The spy sighed in relief and resignation, "Okay.."

"Good. In the meantime, I've left the pulse oximeter so you can check her oxygen levels periodically. If it gets below 90, call me. And you can take her pulse. If it gets thready, call me. If her fevers spikes or hasn't reduced-"

"Call you." Natasha gave her a pressed smile and Helen nodded as the redhead went on sincerely, "Thank you so much for coming so quick tonight. Both of you."

"Of course, we would come to help." Helen returned her candor, "I think Wanda is a bright spot for all of us."

"We wouldn't leave you hanging, Nat." Hill added with a touch of dryness that made it no less meaningful.

"Thank you." Natasha stated again anyways. "..Where did you get that shark at this hour anyways?"

"It was supposed to be for her birthday. But we'll find something else." Maria shrugged. Wanda's birthday was months away still and even she had not gotten anything for the teenager yet.

"Oh." Natasha said then unexpectedly threw both of her arms around the women in front of her. She remembered seeing her old friend interacting with her daughter and was suddenly struck by how much it meant to her. Her and Maria had a good, strange friendship, close and yet impersonal at times. Their good for a laugh, not so much for a shoulder to cry on dynamic worked for them but it felt like there was always the potential for more. Then Wanda came along and with her presence alone she did not only improve her life, but somehow improved her previously established relationships. She made them all more of a family. The Black Widow said sardonically to temper the high emotions, "I know I must be a wreck if Hill hasn't shoved me and told me to get off her."

"Get off me, Romanoff." Maria said on cue though did not push her, instead letting her pull away on her own.

"We'll be staying in Maria's rooms at the barracks to be close." Helen informed them, "I'll be by in the morning to check on her.. Get some rest too, Mom and Dad."

She said with a doctor's orders tone to which Natasha and Steve murmured in agreement. Then they all said goodnight and Maria and Helen headed off to go back to bed for the night. With them gone, Steve wrapped her up in a tight, comforting hug, "Wanda is strong, just like her Mama. She's going to be alright."

"I know." Natasha said resting her head on his broad chest and believing his words because she could not bear to imagine the alternative, "I just can't help but worry, and seeing her in pain.."

It hurt her in a way she did not know she could be hurt. Steve exhaled heavily, "Yeah, I hate seeing her like this. But I think that's just being a parent."

Nat hummed in agreement then withdrew from him. "You should get back to bed. She'll probably be out for the rest of night with the pain medication Helen gave her."

"I can-" He started to protest.

She cut him off by resting her hand on his chest, right over the soldier's heart, "Steve really. She's asleep. If we need anything, I'll have FRIDAY get you."

"Alright." The captain conceded and the pair gently kissed goodnight before going their separate ways.

The Widow climbed into bed behind Wanda, carefully pulling the girl so her back rested snugly against Natasha while being mindful of the IV line. The little witch did not shift into her mother the way she normally might in her sleep, the sedative effects of the drugs she had been given most likely keeping her in a deep, unaware sleep. Her hand found its way to her daughter's chest, finding solace in feeling the constant rise and fall of it enough to slip into sleep as well.

/

"Hey, how is she?" Steve quietly entered the room with a tall glass containing what looked to be a green smoothie.

"Sleeping again." Natasha replied in the same hushed tone as to not wake the dozing teenager. They were currently more propped up. She had just given Wanda a bath and got her into another one of Steve's t-shirts since it was easier than getting her in and out of her normal pajama sets. After some rearranging, the teenager finally got comfortable sitting between Nat's legs and laying her head on her chest with a cool washcloth on her neck. The television on her dresser quietly played a James Bond film for Natasha's entertainment since Wanda had dipped back into sleep.

"It's good she's getting some rest." The man said as he came farther into the room, "I brought you a smoothie. I thought you might be hungry."

She was hungry. With Wanda's nonexistent appetite and her clinginess, it was difficult to find time for herself to eat and she was grateful for Steve's attempt despite slightly worrying about how edible it was, "Yes, thank you."

"Don't worry, Sharon made it." He grinned as he set it close to her on the nightstand.

"Oh thank god." Nat rushed out and Steve chuckled with self-deprecation.

"I'm going out for a run. I just wanted to check in and see if you needed anything before I left." The captain inquired but Nat shook her head.

"We're alright. Thank you, Steve." She turned up her face to meet his lips in a brief kiss. Then with a careful kiss to the top of Wanda's head he left them, leaving her to drink her smoothie and watch The Spy Who Loved Me while her daughter slumbered on. When they woke up that morning, Wanda had barely been able to talk because her throat was so sore. Natasha had been alarmed, but Helen said her fever had reduced in the night and her vitals were still steady, though she had already known this by checking them herself twice already that morning. The movie ended when Natasha had finished about three-quarters of her drink. She jostled Wanda in her arms a little and the girl groaned softly at the disturbance but settled soundly back against her. Trying again more insistently, the woman pressed her forehead against her daughter's, "Wanda, sweetheart, can you wake up and drink some of this smoothie for me? The cold will feel good on your throat."

Wanda opened her eyes and blurrily looked at Natasha and the glass she held. When Helen had come by that morning like she promised, she said even though Wanda was getting nutrients from her IV line it would still be good for her to try and eat as regularly as possible as well. She moved the straw towards Wanda's mouth, only for the girl to turn her face and seal her lips against her mother's collarbone in protest. Setting aside the smoothie on the nightstand, Natasha gently turned her face back out running her thumb over Wanda's chapped lips. She would have to get some ointment for them next time she was able to get up, but she focused on the task at hand now, "I know you don't feel well, but you have to eat still, milaya? Can you try for me, hm?"

Nat picked up the glass again, presenting it to the teenager and imploring with her, "Please, baby? Just a couple sips. Try for Mama."

With doleful eyes, her daughter tilted forward to drink from the straw, wincing a little at the start. Natasha used the hand not holding the cup to smooth out the lines formed on the girl's forehead with a gentle touch ash she softly encouraged her to take it slow and she did. Eventually the little witch finished what was in the cup and relaxed again but seemed more alert than before. The Widow took the now warm rag from Wanda's neck to place it aside with the empty glass still stained green from the smoothie before wrapping her arms back around her daughter and dipping her chin to rest on her shoulder. She turned her head to the side so that her nose nuzzled against the girl's cheek, "Thank you, sweet girl. You did so good. Does your throat feel better?"

"Yes." Her voice was still hoarse as she continued to ask, "Can we watch a movie?"

"Yeah, baby. How about Finding Nemo?"

"Yeah."

"FRIDAY?"

"Playing now, Agent Romanoff." The AI stated and the television that had black popped to life with an opening of a too-blue ocean scene. Wanda turned out a little to actually watch and after it finished she was still awake. Natasha convinced her to lay on the mattress while she read some to her and she faded off to sleep as her mother hoped. Stealthily the redhead got out of bed to go grab some work she could do while watching over Wanda.

/

The Black Widow's eyes flew open at the quiet sniffling sound that woke her up. Wanda wept into her chest and Natasha immediately tightened her hold on the girl, "What's wrong, malyshka?"

After a few beats of crying, she answered, "My back h-hurts."

"Oh sweetheart, I'm sorry. Easy, easy.." Natasha soothed. Between the general soreness of illness and the strain she exerted when getting sick the mother knew she had to be in pain. She asked then, "Can you lay on your stomach, malyshka?"

Wanda less complied and more let herself be positioned on the bed as she sobbed. Nat reached into a small bag that Dr. Cho had left for them and took out a syringe of pain medication, "I'll give you just a half of what Helen gave you before."

Wanda did not really like the side effects, so they limited her doses as much as possible. With her d so upset, she would say it was a necessary evil at this point to get her calmed down quickly before she hurt herself more. After injecting a small portion into her IV, the woman began massaging her back, rubbing along her muscles to hopefully ease the tension and ache. The little witch's cries faded to shuddering breaths then Wanda sighed as her mother's thumbs slid up either side of her side of her spine then over her shoulder blades. Soon enough her daughter's breathing evened out completely, Tasha managing to alleviate her distress. She sat with Wanda for a moment longer, observing her tenderly and stroking her hair. Noticing the time, Nat saw it was a bit after six in the morning and decided to sneak in a run. Then after a 45 minute run, a luxurious shower, and a quick bite to eat, Natasha was back to a just-waking Wanda with some of her leftover peach smoothie for her.

The days progressed on much the same with Wanda waking up from time to time to be sick or watch a movie, sometimes her mother getting her up to take a bath, eat, or change her sheets, Helen stopping by to monitor her condition and Nat doing it while she was away. Slowly but surely, Wanda made small improvements- her vomiting ceased and the IV could be removed, she felt well enough for a visit with Vision who had been hovering around the room anxiously for the duration of her sickness. Then one morning the Widow was running her fingers through Wanda's hair who had woken up but neither of the ladies had moved toward actually being awake, when abruptly Wanda said soft but clear, "Mama?"

"Yeah, baby?" The Widow's eyes flew open, half expecting something to be wrong.

"I'm hungry." Wanda rested her chin on her mother's shoulder and looked up at her.

"Oh yeah?" Nat let a smile grow on her face. This was the first time in seven days that Wanda had asked for food. Looking at her daughter's face she could see it was still a little sallow, and under her eyes were a bit shadowed, but the dull fogginess that had plagued her expression had dissipated and the clever, bright sparkle of her green eyes had returned. "What would you like to eat?"

"Mm.. toast with strawberry jam and.. peppermint tea?"

"Maybe eggs?"

"Maybe." However the wrinkle of her nose indicated they were actually a no. The older woman did not care though as Wanda shuffled out of bed and accompanied her to the kitchen for a simple breakfast that may as well have been a lavish feast for the mother and daughter.

"Mama?" Wanda called out to her once she had settled on the bar stool and Nat had turned to turn the kettle on.

"Yes, malyshka?"

"You said before that Peter made me sick?" Her statement came out more as a question as she referred to Natasha's explanation from a few days ago about the reason she had been sick was because Peter caught a virus and passed it on to her. The woman had gone into further detail when she explained to her daughter why she got sicker than he did from the illness completely foreign to her body and how once she recovers her immune system would be stronger in an effort to cheer the poor girl up.

Natasha raised a brow in confusion since the topic seemed to come up out of the blue, but she did hum in confirmation to Wanda's statement.

When a few seconds passed and Wanda had yet to say anything, Nat turned to her and noticed that the girl seemed to be deep in thought as she stared at the salt and pepper shakers on the table. Her expression was eerily similar to Natasha's when the woman was plotting something. She arched an eyebrow, "Malyshka?"

The mother softly prompted and somewhat drew Wanda out of her contemplative look, "Peter comes over on Sundays."

"He does." Nat said, though that did little to help her connect the dots. Maybe she was concerned that her friend would not be allowed to come over.

"That's still a couple days away. I think I'll be well enough to spar by then." The little witch said determinedly.

Natasha laughed when she realized that Wanda planned on getting back at the spider boy for being the reason behind her misfortunes the past few days and she planned on doing that during their shared training sessions, a tactic that she had so obviously picked up from Natasha. She had probably been sitting in the very spot several times as the Russian made barely-veiled threats to Sam or Steve about taking them to task in training over some slight; all in good fun of course. The mother could not help but grin in amusement, relieved to see the glint shining back in her daughter's eyes. Warmth blossomed inside the Black Widow's chest at seeing the little witch growing up to be like her mama, only attempting to temper her a little, "Go easy on him, sweetheart. It wasn't entirely his fault."

/

Hope you all enjoyed! Love to see your thoughts and comments!