In the morning, Natasha got them up a little earlier than she usually would. Wanda had slept in the woman's bed once again since they would be departing the next day anyways, so she woke up with her head on Tasha's chest, and the woman rubbing Wanda's back and telling her good morning. It was a nice, soft, if somewhat early, way start to her day that was slightly undercut by the immediate nerves that sprouted once she was fully awake. She followed Natasha closely all morning as they changed out of their pajamas, ate bowls of cereal, and grabbed their carry-ons to head to the hangar. Steve had placed their suitcases in the quinjet last night, meaning there was not much else for them to do besides get up and go.
As the superspy checked her safety belt for takeoff, Wanda did not know if the suddenness of leaving in the morning made it better or worse. Thankfully, the teenager did not feel as bad as she thought she might with the three of them sitting on a bench seat along the wall instead of up in the cockpit area. Holding Tasha's hand helped as the woman moved her thumb back and forth through the mist of red emitting from her palm. Steve helped to ease her mind as well with his funny normalcy as he sat on the other side of Natasha eating a peanut butter and jelly sandwich even though Wanda had seen him eat three bowls of Frosted Flakes for breakfast that morning. FRIDAY autopiloted their ascent flawlessly and they were soon at a steady cruising altitude. When it was allowed, they were able to unbuckle and move about the jet. Steve went to lie on a cot with a book, while Natasha took Wanda to the front of the plane where the whole front was a window. They sat on the floor, so it seemed like they were floating through the clouds and Natasha told her stories from the farm. Then for lunch they had carrots sticks with hummus and protein shakes that the Black Widow had brought with them.
Finally in the late afternoon, FRIDAY announced they would be landing and to fasten their seat belts for descent. They resumed their places in the seats and strapped in once more as the jet began to dip down in the sky, Wanda's hand reclaiming Natasha's. The woman squeezed her hand reassuringly.
As the quinjet touched down though, Natasha pulled away, "The kids will be excited. How about you wait here for a moment while I say hello?"
Slowly Wanda nodded, though her expression must have betrayed her fear as the Russian gently kissed her forehead, "It'll just be a minute, okay?"
"Okay." Wanda surprised herself by sounding more certain than she felt. Natasha smiled and then she was up and away, the door hatch at the back lowering to reveal snowy drifts and the sounds of children shouting happily for Auntie Nat. She gazed anxiously at the whiteness that Natasha disappeared into, unable to get much sense of her surroundings from where she and Steve still sat.
"I know I'm not Nat, but you can hold my hand if you want." Steve said in a kindly tone. When she looked up at him, he was smiling softly and presenting his palm to her. Wanda studied him for a few seconds, taking in his quiet understanding and enduring goodness, also noticing for the first time some of the sorrow that cast a faint shadow over him had cleared. Curious and wishing for the comfort he offered, the little witch climbed into the seat Natasha had been in and placed her hand in Steve's.
She would describe it as encompassing, the way his hand closed around hers. And it was warm and steady and while the man was right that he was not Natasha, it felt like the next best thing. She relaxed and averted her gaze to her lap with mild embarrassment, "Thank you, Steve."
"You're welcome.. I want you to know you can come to me too if you need something. If you want to talk, or someone to just sit with you, or if you need a hug." He playfully bumped his shoulder against hers, jostling a smile loose from her. Wanda then rested her head against the captain's bicep quickly slumping back into a solemn mood.
"I'm sorry, I don't mean to be like this." Frustration at her condition swelled uncomfortably inside her chest. She did not want to be a burden in needing Tasha constantly and she did not want to make Steve feel bad, like she did not care for him as well.
"You have no reason to apologize." Steve assured, "I'm not upset, I just wanted to let you know you've got me as a friend.. And I get it, I like Natasha too."
He said the last part with a little more sincerity than the rest. Before Wanda could think more of it, the pair turned to the exit at the sound of a new deep voice, Clint welcoming Tasha then asking, "Where's Wanda?"
"I think that is our cue." Steve announced and stood. She did not let go of his hand and he did not let go of hers as they walked down the ramp and into the bright snow. Wanda squinted momentarily as her eyes adjusted then Natasha came into view, standing with Clint and a boy and little girl each wearing hastily thrown on winter coats. She considered what little she knew about the children. The boy was Cooper, 10 years old, a little taller than Natasha's shoulders and the bottom half of his face baring a striking resemblance to Clint's. The girl was Lila, 6 years old, who looked cute in the indistinct way that children looked though with beautiful dark brown hair and a big grin as she hung off of Natasha's waist.
Clint turned to see them coming with a broad smile, "Hey Wanda. You look great, kid."
"Hi Clint.. thank you." Wanda disengaged from Steve as the archer came toward her for a hug. She was relieved to find that the swarm of guilt around him had shrunk, and he just seemed genuinely happy to see her.
He then went to shake Steve's hand, "Steve, glad you could make it."
"Me too. Thanks for having me." Captain Rogers said as Wanda felt Natasha take her hand and gently tugged her towards her, the girl gladly following along with the pull.
"Guys, this is Wanda." The redhead introduced her to the kids, "Wanda, this is Copper and Lila."
"Hello." Wanda glanced at them, then Natasha, then the ground. The Barton children felt friendly and inquisitive, but the little witch still felt wary of them. In her experience interactions with other kids had been fraught at best. They had not been sources of friendship, rather of conflict as they battled for resources. At the orphanage it had been for the limited supplies given to them- a cot, a blanket, a wedge of molding bread. The other children would rat each other out for anything if it meant being warm for a night and potentially being spared the rod. Being the newest lot of orphans meant Wanda and Pietro suffered from this more than others. Then on the streets it had been similar as they scrapped over hiding places and food sources. For her and Pietro anyone close to their age had only meant danger. She thought about her stomach rising with her breathing as she strived to remain calm, reminding herself that this was not an orphanage in a war-torn country and that Clint's children did not pose a threat to her. Still, Wanda gripped Natasha's hand a little tighter, hoping she got the message to not let go.
"Are you an Avenger?" Lila did not ask the question cruelly but looked her up and down with some confusion as to how a scrawny girl like her could be an Avenger.
"Lila!" Clint and Cooper said at the same time, Clint sounding admonishing and Cooper nudging his sister at her lack of tact.
However, Wanda simply shrugged. "In training, I guess."
"That's right." Natasha smoothed over, running her thumb over the girl's knuckles, "Wanda is training and when she's old enough she will be a full-fledged Avenger. Now, let's get inside, it's freezing out here."
"I can help you with the bags." Clint told Steve and the men headed towards the jet while Natasha and Wanda followed the two excited children as they darted ahead of them to the grand, white farmhouse with warm, glowing windows contrasting against the light blue hue of the landscape. The kids burst through the front door declaring the presence of their guests. A woman with the same hair as Lila came into the foyer with a slumbering baby swaddled to her chest and a welcoming grin, "Hey! You made it."
"Laura, you look good." Natasha appraised, reaching out her free hand to grasp Laura's in an affectionate greeting, neither woman being able to do more with their respective child clinging to them. Laura waved off the compliment.
"I'm sure I look exhausted." She then shifted her attention to the Sokovian, "You must be Wanda. It's so nice to finally meet you."
"Thank you for having me." She imitated what Steve had said to Clint outside, trying to not be bashful.
"We're happy to have you, sweetheart." Laura said and at the same time Lila piped up.
"Auntie Nat, will you have a tea party with me?"
"Not right now, Li." The girl's mother answered for Natasha, "Let them get settled. There will be plenty of time for playing later."
The little girl gave a pout, but the men came in right behind them distracting everyone for the time being. Steve carted his and Wanda's suitcases and carry-ons while Clint had Natasha's, though Captain America appeared less burdened by the luggage than the archer even though he carried twice as much. The front room was suddenly very crowded, and Laura was quick to disperse them, "You guys take the bags up to the rooms and we'll go put on a pot of coffee. And how about a little bit of hot chocolate for the kids?"
Cooper and Lila cheered enthusiastically at the prospect of having a rare, sweet treat before dinner to which Laura quickly hushed them reminding them of their dozing infant brother. As the men traipsed upstairs, Laura led them through to the kitchen, "How about you Wanda? Would you like a cup of hot chocolate?"
Wanda thought about it, but her stomach churned in discomfort already, she did not like she could handle hot chocolate at the moment. As she took a seat next to Natasha at the long dining table she declined politely, "No, thank you."
"You're sure?" Laura started the pot of coffee first, "I hear you like hot chocolate."
She shook her head, and glanced at Natasha to gauge her reaction, not wanting to come across as rude. The agent did not seem disapproving as she offered a different suggestion, "How about a glass of orange juice?"
"Yes." That sounded better to her now than a creamy hot chocolate. "Please."
The spy rose from her seat and went to pour Wanda a glass of juice. She slid it across the table to her with a small smile and a watchful eye then went to help Laura with the coffee. Soon Steve and Clint joined them, and they all settled in the kitchen.
Natasha took her seat back next to Wanda with a cup of black coffee; the girl secretly hooking her foot around the woman's ankle as she talked with Laura about the baby. Steve and Clint leaned against the counter with their mugs and talked a little shop. Cooper proudly told Natasha about starting the snare drum for the school band and Lila listed off Christmas presents she hoped Santa would bring her. Wanda sipped on her orange juice and tried to pay attention to the conversation around her. The atmosphere was buzzing, but it was one of pleasantness, of camaraderie and Wanda knew it could be something she would enjoy, like the first time Sharon had stayed for dinner and shown her how to make spaghetti and meatballs. But she started feeling as if she were far away and yet sinking at the same time, unable to partake or contribute. The little witch realized she was tired. Normally during this time of day she would be reading in front of the fireplace and doze off or she would find where Natasha was, and hopefully lay her head in her lap.
"Tasha?" The woman had been in mid-sentence but immediately stopped and directed her attention to Wanda. "Can I lay down?"
"Of course, milaya. You can rest until dinner." Natasha stood, automatically holding Wanda's hand, "I'll take you up to the room."
Steve called after them for her to have a good rest as the Black Widow ushered her to the stairs. By the time they were walking down the hallway to their bedroom, the woman had her arm around Wanda's waist. The room was the last door on the left, the farthest away from the downstairs noise and vibration. Wanda imagined this was where Tasha would stay every time she came to the farm. It was drastically different from her quarters at the Tower with light yellow walls and pale wooden furniture and a patchwork quilt over the bed. It somehow still fit with Natasha, like it would be something she would pick. The woman was closing the curtains to the windows that looked out into white picturesque fields with a bare tree line in the distance. Wanda climbed under the blankets then Tasha was there to pull them up around her, asking softly, "How are you doing, malyshka?"
"I'm alright, just tired." Wanda claimed, which was mostly truthful.
"You have your phone?"
"Da." She felt the outline of it on her outer thigh in the pocket of leggings.
"You'll be okay up here by yourself?" Natasha stroked along her hairline and studied her carefully.
"I'm okay." Closing her eyes to soak in the touch, the girl nodded, already feeling that unavoidable fall of sleep coming for her, "..You could stay just a minute."
She turned onto her side and curled a little bit around Natasha as the woman kept petting her hair and consented, "Just a minute."
Natasha began to hum lightly, some words from the Russian folksong coming through, and Wanda knew the woman would be there until she fell asleep.
/
It only took about three minutes before Wanda drifted into unconsciousness and Natasha quietly crept out of the room and went back downstairs. When she returned to the kitchen, Laura looked at her with a shadow of worry over her face, "Is Wanda feeling okay?"
"She's fine. She's anemic and can get tired." Natasha harbored a little concern for Wanda with the new environment, new people and the stumble they had right out the gate before even getting to the farm, it was not the recipe for success she would have liked for Wanda. However, while the little witch was reserved and hesitant to let go of her, she seemed better than the prior day and had felt comfortable enough to voice her need for rest to Nat. She would reserve really worrying at seeing how the next couple of days went.
"Auntie Nat, why is Wanda sleeping? It's daytime and she isn't a baby." Lila asked, a hot chocolate mustache around her lips.
"Well, Wanda is recovering from a kind of sickness, so she needs a little extra sleep sometimes. Taking a nap isn't just for babies." Natasha attempted to explain in the best way she thought a six year old might understand.
Lila looked like she had more to say but Laura interjected, "Actually, I think having some quiet time would be a good idea. How about you two go up to your rooms before dinner?"
"But Mommy, Auntie Nat said she would have a tea party with me." The little girl whined, and Natasha chose not to point out the fact that she had not really agreed to the event, letting Laura handle it.
"I said later." Laura added some sternness to her tone, "Nat is going to be here for over two weeks. There will be plenty of time to play with her."
"But-" Lila's lower lip began to jut out, however Cooper stood and cut off his sister.
"You can hang out in my room.. as long as you're actually quiet." The boy said somewhat gruffly.
His little sister perked up at having gotten a rare invitation into her older brother's room and claimed in a voice that would suggest the opposite, "I can be quiet."
Placated, the girl popped up out of her chair and bounded out of the kitchen ahead of Cooper, the boy trudging behind her as he said skeptically, "Sure.."
"Thank you, Coop." Laura placed a hand on his shoulder as she passed with a proud smile.
When the children were gone, Natasha turned to Laura impressed at his display of maturity and helping with his sister, "Wow, look at Coop-man all grown up."
"He has been great, taking all of this in stride. Lila is still adjusting to not being the baby anymore." Clint said, him and Steve having joined the adults at the table when the kids left. There was a pause then he continued, "Wanda looks really great, Nat, so much better."
The Black Widow knew that Wanda had greatly improved, she had gained weight and gotten some color to her complexion, she regularly ate three square meals a day and moved freely throughout the apartments. But it had still been a stark reminder that they had a long way to go seeing Wanda next to the Barton children, Cooper was robust and nearly as tall as Wanda and Lila was carefree with that healthy baby fat on her cheeks. The Sokovian could not help but look thin and meek by comparison. Clint had an expression on his face that was not all he had to say about Wanda, and she waited for him to get to his point. Finally he began again, "She looks great, just last time we talked you made her sound more.. independent."
"The hand holding." Laura noted then quickly added, "Not that there is anything wrong with it, just unexpected."
"She and her brother were tactile with one another; Clint you saw them together more than I did, they were close." Nat looked to her old partner for confirmation as she explained in an even tone. However just underneath the surface she bristled in defense of Wanda. They did not know the teenager yet, Natasha reminded herself. They did not know that touch was not only about security, but it was also how she showed affection and trust. Her mind momentarily strayed to the feeling of curious, warm wisps of red magic pressing into her palm; it was a difficult sensation to describe but it was special, and it made her feel more connected to the girl. She set the thoughts aside and refocused on the conversation, "I think touch is how she expresses herself and she gets a lot of comfort from it."
"And Steve put her suitcases in your room." Clint raised an eyebrow since they had enough room they would not need to share, "She'll be staying in there with you?"
"I assumed." Captain Rogers looked at her to see if he had been wrong.
Natasha nodded at him, "I told her she could for the trip. The nightmares haven't gone away entirely and having someone sleep with her helps.. Also there was an incident before we left."
She had not had a chance to fill Clint and Laura in on what had happened between arranging their travel and keeping a close watch over Wanda. Her eyes met Steve's and they shared a wary look that both Barton's easily caught. Laura asked, "What incident?"
Nat started succinctly summarizing Wanda's initial misunderstanding, then her trigger with punishment and subsequent panic attack, to finally her teleporting herself to Central Park. When she finished, there was a mildly stunned silence. Laura spoke up first, "The poor girl, that had to be a terrifying ordeal for her."
"It left us all a little rattled." Steve added his eyes again catching Natasha's.
The Black Widow gave him a look of agreement but did not want to revisit those emotions as she went on, "Wanda's still recovering from it. I think she has it in her mind if she's holding onto someone it'll keep her from accidentally teleporting again."
"We could have postponed the visit if she needed more time." Clint said, glancing up as if he were now worried too that Wanda could vanish from the upstairs.
"I know she seems shaky but give her a few more days to warm up. She'll be okay." Natasha knew Wanda sometimes simply needed someone to give an encouraging push and have a little faith in her.
She could have kept Wanda home for another week or two, safely stash her away in the Tower, and keep her close. A part of her even wished they were at home too, safe and comfortable. However Natasha never wanted a setback to stand in the way of the girl's progress. So if the teenager needed to hold her hand on the jet or keep her foot hooked around Natasha's ankle under the table, and that gave her the confidence she needed then that is what she would do. They would adapt and adjust as they needed to but always move forward, because she believed in Wanda and saw so much more for her beyond the sadness and fear. She knew the little witch would be okay for now and someday she would be spectacular.