Maria pov
Maria couldn't stand to be in the same room as Steve she didn't hate him she just misses the times where he would sit and have dinner with her, where they would fall asleep on the couch after one of them had a rough day, and she's tried so hard to suppress those emotions because they would never have those times again he was a fugitive and she was willing to wait for him as long as she had to but he didn't want her to wait for him and she tried to move on but it didn't work.
Steve become the other half she didn't know she was missing and in some ways, she had become dependent on him and she made a promise to herself to never need anyone but herself but Steve made her need him and he wasn't there when she needed him most and she wanted more than anything to be held in his arms but she couldn't dwell on the past she had a mission and it was more important than her and Steve.
"Наташа, Ванда, ты говоришь по-английски?" (Natasha, Wanda can you speak English?) Maria asked as they took the elevator to medbay, she got a no from both girls they would have to work on their English.
"So you and Steve?" Pepper said when Steve moved into the tower she would stay some nights too and it was convenient since she worked at SI and it was easier but she never fully moved in with Steve.
"There's nothing going on between me and Steve," Maria said trying to get Wanda to stop playing with her hair but failed as the girl kept playing and Maria cringed since Wanda's hands were previously in her mouth.
"Really? You guys were good together." Pepper said and she was right she and Steve fit perfectly together but now they couldn't be together.
"He's running from the government Pepper and there's no way of knowing if the accords will get reversed," Maria stated as they got out of the elevator and walked to Dr. Cho's office.
"Tony's working on that trust me he is. So what are you going to do with these munchkins?"
"Take care of them until it can be fixed. Snap some photos." Maria said with a mischievous glint in her eyes she was totally using those photos as blackmail and to embarrass them when they got back to normal. Pepper knocked on Dr. Cho's door knowing Maria's full intent and she was also on board with the idea.
"Come in," Cho said through the other side of the door. They entered to see Cho cleaning upland a smile spread on her face as she saw Wanda and Natasha being carried by Maria and Pepper
"Hey, those 2 little cuties must be Natasha and Wanda," Cho said
"Yep." Maria said popping the 'p'
"Мама, нет." (Mama, no) Natasha said her grip on Peppers's neck tightens and she was hiding her face in Peppers's neck.
"Что значит нет Таша?" (What do you mean no Tasha?) Maria asked
"Она злая мама. Она сделает нам больно." (She's mean Mama. She's going to hurt us.) Natasha said and Maria saw Wanda nod in agreement.
"Чо не значит, что она друг." (Cho's not mean she's a friend.) Maria said
"Людям вроде нее больно." (People like her hurt.) Wanda said
"What are they saying?" Pepper asked and Maria had forgotten Pepper and Cho were in the room.
"They're scared of Cho or more specifically doctors." Maria realized that she had forgotten about both of their fears of doctors and she didn't blame the 2 after all their experiences with doctors it has never gone well.
"Maybe if you took off the lab coat it would help." Pepper suggested as she rubbed soothing circles on Natasha's back. Cho did take off the lab coat.
"Таша, послушай, Чжоу не причинит тебе вреда, она просто хочет убедиться, что с тобой все в порядке, и мы с Пеппер будем здесь. Я обещаю." (Tasha look, Cho isn't going to hurt you, she just wants to make sure your okay and me and Pepper will be here. I promise.) Maria said and Natasha looked at her and she saw that her eyes were filled with tears that were yet to fall, Maria also notices that Wanda has been burning daggers at Cho and following her every movement and it was cute.
"Ты обещаешь маме?" (You promise mama?) Natasha said as she blinked back tears
"Я обещаю таше." (I promise Tasha.) Maria reassured Natasha and it took her a moment before she nodded her head.
"Are we okay?" Cho asked
"Yeah, they're okay with letting you check them."
Time skip
The girls had Cho check them out and whatever they were hit with didn't affect them; they were relatively happy 2 and a half years old (they had figured their age out when Maria tricked them into telling it.) Maria had dressed Wanda in a yellow sundress with fly sleeves, Natasha had on the red version of the dress and their hair was in pigtails that adorned bows. To say that they didn't look cute was an understatement, Maria and Pepper took dozens of photos and the medical staff was practically drooling over them.
"Мама, я хочу папу." (Mama, I want Papa.) Wanda said turning towards Maria who was sitting on the couch with Pepper while Natasha and Wanda were on the floor playing.
"She wants Steve doesn't she." Pepper said as the only word she understood was Papa
"Yeah, she does," Maria said she didn't know if Steve has left yet
"Ванда, я не думаю, что папа здесь." (Wanda, I don't think papa is here.) Maria confessed
"Тогда давай найдем его!" (Then let's go find him!) Natasha said
"Friday is Steve still here?" Maria asked
"Yes, Mr. Rogers is still here. Would you like me to call him?" Friday asked and Maria didn't miss how the girls were frantically looking for where the voice came from," Yes, Friday." Maria answers.
"Мама, кто это был?" (Mama who was that?) Wanda asked before Maria could answer Friday does," Я пятница. Я повсюду, я ИИ, которому я служу, чтобы помогать мистеру Старку и всем, кто находится на территории." ('m Friday. I'm all over the compound, I'm an AI I serve to help Mr. Stark and anyone in the compound.) Maria saw the girls make an 'o' but she was pretty sure they had no idea what an AI was.
"Папа скоро будет здесь, почему бы вам не вернуться и поиграть." (Papa is going to be here in a while why don't you 2 go back and play.) Maria said as she popped Natasha's pacifier back in her mouth as she started sucking her thumb and went back to play with Wanda.
"You're good with them." Pepper said as they watched the 2 redheads play," So are you." Maria tells Pepper and she was good with Natasha she helped distract her from the shot and Maria was thankful she didn't know how she would survive taking care of 2 toddlers all on her own until a cure is found, Maria made look calm but she was panicking she didn't know the first thing about kids or how to comfort them when they were hurt or what to do when they're sick.
"Yeah but they see you as their mom I'm just Aunt Pep." Pepper said and Maria knew she wanted kids but taking care of Tony, the company, and being in constant worry if Tony was going to make it out alive from whatever battle he was fighting.
Before Maria could respond the elevator door opened revealing Tony, Steve, Rhodey stepped out, the girls hearing the sound of the elevator and seeing their 'father' ran towards him clinging to his legs babbling in Russian that Steve didn't understand but he still picked up the 2 tiny redheads.
"So these 2 look cute." Tony said as he pointed to Natasha and Wanda who were babbling to Steve as he nodded his head," Yeah there check-up went fine, but they just wanted to see Steve before he goes." Maria answers as she sees Steve playing with the girls and she couldn't help the smile that grew on her lips.
"Мама хочет домой." (Mama wanna go home.) Natasha said as she tugged on Maria pants and was rubbing her eyes sleepy as Maria picked her up and settled the little redhead on her lap," Да, мы пойдем домой сразу после того, как попрощаемся." (Yeah, we'll go home, just after we say goodbye.) Maria said," I think it's time for us to go home. The car seats are set up?" Maria asked Tony," Yeah, they should be in your car along with some clothes and other things they need." Tony answered as he started tickling Natasha causing her to laugh.
"So you're leaving?" Steve asked as he brought Wanda over, she could see how Tony wouldn't look at Steve and how Steve avoided looking at Tony and Rhodey was looking back and forth between the 2 and Maria and Pepper knew something definitely happened while they were at the lab.
"Yeah, you should get going too." Maria said as she took Wanda from Steve," Yeah I should." Steve said as he stood there awkwardly," Take care. Steve said before he turned around and left hurriedly to the elevator he practically ran," Мама, куда делся папа?" (Mama, where did papa go?) Wanda asked confused as she stared at where Steve once was," Папе пришлось уйти, детка." (Papa had to go, baby.) Maria respond as she took them on the elevator and watch Pepper and the rest wave bye," Папа пошел домой?" (Did papa go home?) Natasha asked," Нет, Таша, папа не пошел домой, папа не может пойти домой, потому что папа сделал плохой поступок и он не может вернуться домой." (No, Tasha, papa didn't go home papa can't go home because papa did a bad thing and he can't come home.) Maria explained she didn't want to lie to them so she told them the truth.
"Итак, когда папа может вернуться домой?" (So when can papa come home?) Wanda asked Maria.
"Я не знаю свою маленькую ведьму, но надеюсь, что это скоро." (I don't know my little witch but hopeful it is soon.) Maria really did want steve to be able to come home she missed him and it didn't matter how hard she denied it she really did miss Steve he made her whole, she missed waking up to him being by her side in the morning and watching movies to help Steve catch up, she missed him and she doesn't believe she be able to move on if the accords can't be lifted.