The next two days went by too quickly as Natasha made preparations to leave for her trip, both for the mission and for Wanda. She gathered identification documents and studied blueprints of the buildings and dug into employee backgrounds, usually with Wanda leaned up against her with a book or her head in her lap. The spy did not mind the additional closeness, taking the time to stop and explain some of what she was doing to her. The little witch would always sit up with great interest and listen closely, sometimes ask a rather insightful question before settling back down. Besides allotting more time for Wanda, Natasha also made sure the Compound would be ready for her departure as well; making sure FRIDAY stocked up on Wanda's favorite snacks, recording their yoga session so Wanda could do it on her own, helping Wanda wash her sheets before she went away. Anything that might possible need done while she was gone even though it was only a few days.
She did all of this while carefully avoiding Steve. They had of course seen each other when they had all been together as a team, but never alone and they certainly did not continue their discussion from before. The captain meant well however he could not understand that Wanda was the priority and that meant not being able to keep her and sending her a happy life on the Barton Farm. Not knowing where she stood with him just added to the pit in her stomach now as she stood on the tarmac with Wanda right in front of her looking incredibly miserable and Steve several steps behind the girl appearing serious but calm. Natasha did not focus on Steve though as she cupped Wanda's jaw with both of her hands, "I want you to at least keep doing the yoga in the mornings. FRIDAY has the recording to walk you through so just ask her to play it."
"I know, Tasha." Wanda wrapped her slender fingers around one of Nat's wrists. "I will."
"If you feel up to it, you can do some cardio training with Steve or Sam."
Wanda's eyes started to glisten, "Do you have to go?"
"I'm sorry, milaya, yes I have to go.. Here." Natasha withdrew her hands and reached behind her neck to unclasp her necklace, then clasped it around Wanda's neck. The teenager touched the ruby pendant resting on her chest and Natasha admired it on the girl, "You hang on to it until I get back."
She would not be able to wear such a distinctive piece of jewelry on the field anyways. It would be cardigans and wire glasses for her this week as she covertly infiltrated the company; not every mission required a tight dress and alluring red lipstick. This was usually the kind of mission she enjoyed in a small, strange way; it was sort of like a vacation. On her off hours at night the superspy could just be like any other 30-something year old woman who worked normal office job, ate $16 salads from the organic grocery store in front of trash television, and was thinking about getting a cat. However right now Nat did not want to pretend to be Naomi Roberts, she wanted to be Tasha at home with Wanda while she still could.
"O-okay.." Tears began to spill out of her eyes then as she quietly started to cry. Natasha slipped her arms around the girl for a hug, Wanda burrowing her face into her shoulder. The agent carded her fingers through her hair gently until the girl calmed down. When the little witch's breathing evened out, Natasha pulled her back to look her in the eye. Her own eyes began to mist over, as her emotions started to get the better of her.
"I love you, malyshka. Alright? You'll be okay."
"I love you too." Wanda pushed the words out before she began crying once again and Natasha pulled her in for another hug, a solitary teardrop falling into Wanda's hair. Eventually the Black Widow kissed the side of her head a few times.
"Alright, it's cold out here sweetheart. You get back inside with Steve." As she said it, the woman glanced to Steve then back to Wanda, signaling he should come collect the girl. He stepped up to them then placing his hands gently on the witch's shoulders.
"Come on, little bird. We'll go make some pancakes." Steve tried to sound cheerful even as Wanda continued to cry, reluctantly letting go of Natasha. He then said to her more heavily, "Be safe."
"I will." She nodded at him before offering Wanda a final goodbye, "I'll be back before you know it. Bye, milaya."
Wanda could not really respond through her tears as she turned against Steve, practically disappearing into his coat. Steve gave her a sad smile then turned his attention to Wanda, leading her back to the residence and talking to her softly though she could not hear what he was saying as the quinjet engine rushed to life. Natasha brushed her fingers underneath her eyes to wipe away any moisture that had gathered there. She grabbed the duffel bag by her feet and marched up the ramp into the hull. The hissing hydraulics of the door closing behind her grating against her nerves.
/
Wanda stood in front of Natasha on the tarmac, the hangar door to the quinjet lay open and waiting for the Black Widow to enter it. It was cold. Even though it was early March winter still had a firm grip in upstate New York. She had not zipped up her coat so a sharp breeze cut through, but she could not be bothered by it as she shifted her weight from foot to foot. Tasha observed her quietly for a moment before she lifted her hands to cup Wanda's cheeks, her skin somehow still warm against hers, "I want you to at least keep doing the yoga in the mornings. FRIDAY has the recording to walk you through so just ask her to play it."
"I know, Tasha. I will." The teenager promised, holding onto the woman's wrist in a vain attempt to keep her there. Wanda's stomach churned in discomfort even as she tried to remind herself it would only be a few days.
The woman continued her gentle instructions for while she was gone. "If you feel up to it, you can do some cardio training with Steve or Sam."
Wanda nodded. Unable to keep the tears from her eyes anymore, the witch asked in a tremulous voice, "Do you have to go?"
"I'm sorry, milaya, yes I have to go.." Her words were full of regret, her thumb stroking her cheek tenderly. She pulled her hands back suddenly, "Here."
Natasha reached behind her neck and took off her necklace from Steve, then quickly affixed it around Wanda's neck. Touching the red starburst pendant now laying on her chest, she gazed at the older woman with a bit of wonder. The Widow smiled, a little sweet and a little sad, as she told her, "You hang on to it until I get back."
"O-okay.." Her tears started to fall down her cheeks as she tried to at least silently cry. Natasha did not hesitate to pull her into tight hug, Wanda clinging just as tightly back. Logically the witch knew everything would be fine. The agent was more than capable of executing this mission without a hitch, even taking the time to show Wanda the ins and outs of the assignment so the girl could see for herself. Wanda listened intently as she tried to absorb as much information as she could, not only to ease her mind about what the older woman was doing and where she was going but thinking she might someday be out on a mission like this. So rationally, the teenager knew it would only be a few days, everything would be all right, and yet the tears kept coming. Despite her trying to grasp onto reasoning and telling herself she was being childish for crying, the girl could not help but be upset that Tasha was leaving. It was a physical response she could not control; terrified that she would be alone in the world once again even if that was not the case.
Natasha combing her fingers through Wanda's hair finally managed to soothe her enough that the waterworks began to ebb for the woman to hold her back slightly. Wanda was mildly surprised to see the Black Widow's eyes glistening with her own unshed tears as she stated emphatically, "I love you, malyshka. Alright? You'll be okay."
"I love you too." Wanda managed to get the words out before she began crying once again, and once again Natasha pulled her back against her. The little witch held on for as long as she could, seeking any last moment of comfort the woman offered until Natasha dropped a few kisses to the side of her head, rubbing her back with a bit of finality as she tried to create a little distance between them.
"Alright, it's cold out here sweetheart. You get back inside with Steve." When she said this Steve came up behind her and placed his hands on Wanda's shoulders, gently pulling her away from Tasha. Reluctantly she let go of her even though her weeping continued.
Steve told her in an upbeat tone. "Come on, little bird. We'll go make some pancakes."
Wanda did not think blueberry pancakes were going to fix the situation as Steve added more seriously to Nat, "Be safe."
"I will." She nodded at him before giving Wanda a final strained goodbye, "I'll be back before you know it. Bye, milaya."
She tried to say goodbye, but it only came out as more crying. Turning into Steve, she huddled against his torso, and he led her back towards the residence. The captain offered her comforting words, "I know, I'll miss Nat too. We'll be okay though and she will too."
Unbeknownst to the well-intentioned man this only made Wanda sob harder; she did not want to be okay without Natasha. The sound of the jet's engine roaring to life drowned out most of it though as Steve ushered her inside the entry way of their building. He sat them down on the stairs and put his arm around her shoulders while he let her cry it out into chest. After a while, Wanda's tears subsided to sniffles and then she wiped her face with her coat sleeve. She pulled away from him a bit and the man gave her some space, "Sorry, Steve."
"You don't have to apologize." He said easily then asked, "Do you want to make some pancakes?"
"I'm not hungry." She replied flatly
"Have you done your yoga yet today?" Steve asked.
The girl shook her head, "No."
Natasha had to wake up and immediately begin to get ready for her departure while Wanda had followed her around every moment she could. He smiled, nudging her gently with his shoulder, "How about you go do your yoga and then we can see if you're hungry after?"
"Yeah, okay." Wanda agreed since Natasha had asked her to keep up with the exercise. Steve offered his hand to help her stand then they walked to her hallway where he left her to it with a reassuring grin. The Sokovian went into her room and changed into her yoga attire. Normally they would do they routine in the gym area, but Wanda did not want to go down there by herself, so she unrolled her mat in her bedroom.
"FRIDAY, could you play Tasha's yoga session." Wanda requested in a somewhat tentative voice; she had still not gotten used to the sophisticated program being there to assist her. She would simply get up and go find Tasha.
"Certainly Miss Maximoff." The AI confirmed and in the next moment Natasha's voice started playing from a Bluetooth speaker.
"Alright milaya, let's start with warm up stretching. Go ahead and take a comfortable seated position." The woman instructed from the recording. Wanda sat with her legs crossed on the mat and continued to following the directions- elongating her spine, stretching her torso downward in front of her with red wisps making their first appearance as they languidly flowed out of her fingertips, standing and reaching down to her feet, raising her hands above her head as magic fanned out around her like wings. She focused on her movements and Natasha's voice and suddenly she was sitting back on the mat in a similar position to how she started, eyes closed for an end meditation with a calm ball of red swirling just under her ribs. She could hear the smile in Nat's words as the recording ended with something the woman must have added when she was not around.
"Good job, milaya. I hope you have a great day. Make sure you give Steve a hard time.." The Black Widow teased, then added genuinely, "I miss you already, so much sweetheart."
Wanda's breathing shuddered a little at that as she felt it too, wondering how she could miss someone she had only just seen about two hours ago. Despite the pang of longing, the little witch felt better, more centered and calm like she usually did after her morning yoga. She exhaled heavily, rose to her feet and rolled up her mat thinking about what Natasha would say as she did so. Everything has a place, milaya. It's better to pick up as you go. After placing it back in her closet, Wanda stood in her room not sure what to do next. But then her stomach decided for her as it growled in hunger, and she went to go find Steve to see if he would still make her blueberry pancakes.
/
One day without Natasha. It had been as normal as it could have been. After she and Steve had a late breakfast, Wanda went down to the gym with him and Sam to watch them spar but she did not partake in any activities. Then she sat on the couch in the living room with a book in her hands and the television on as she did not really pay attention to either of them. Vision sat with her quietly, sensing that the teenager was not in the mood to talk but providing her with company should she decide to. Somehow it became dinnertime and Sam made his grandmother's macaroni and cheese while Steve chopped up a salad and made terrible vegetable related jokes.
"Why did the tomato blush? -He saw the salad dressing."
"How do you turn soup into gold? -You put in 24 carrots."
"Knock, knock." Who's there, Wanda asked. "Lettuce." Adhering to the joke format Wanda inquired, lettuce who? "Lettuce in!"
The jokes were not funny but they tugged the corners of her lips into a reluctant smile for his efforts. After dinner, they cleaned up and hung around and suddenly it was time for bed. Wanda was all ready under her comforter, Steve (the shark) under her arm, and Steve (the man) standing next to her with a kind smile, "Got everything you need?"
Natasha would place a glass of water on her nightstand that was missing but Wanda nodded anyways, tugging her blanket up more around her. Steve went on, "Okay, if you need anything you can ask FRIDAY to get me or come to my room. Alright?"
"Alright." She repeated after him.
"Good night, little bird." He said softly.
"Good night, Steve." Wanda turned onto her side and pushed her face into her shark. As the captain left her room, FRIDAY lowered the lights automatically. The little witch lay there with her eyes open for a bit. Despite being in her own room, it felt a bit strange, like sleeping away from home for the first time. For a moment it seemed like sleep would not ever come, but the teenager was tired, and her eyes eventually shut, and sleep descended upon her and with it dreams.
Wanda lay on her stomach on her bed flipping through a magazine and trying to keep her mind occupied while Natasha was away. Realistically this could be what she would be doing if Natasha were here; the older woman encouraging Wanda having some quiet time to herself at some point in the day. She pretended like it could be one of those times and Tasha would pop in with a cup of tea to check on her or ask if she wanted to go down to the gym to practice her self-defense. When her door opened, the girl half expected it to be Tasha, but instead she found it was Steve looking very somber. She sat up immediately, "Steve?"
"Wanda, I'm sorry." The man said as he came forward, his words already getting choked up in his throat.
"Sorry?" Panic burned wildly in her veins from his bereft demeanor.
Tears began to fall down his cheeks and he said, "Nat's not coming back."
"Wh-what do you mean?" Wanda felt physically ill as her own tears sprang to her eyes and she shook her head in denial, "I don't understand. What happened? I- I don't.."
"She's gone." He simply said putting a warm hand on her shoulder.
"Steve? I don't understand. What's happening?" She dissolved into incomprehensible sobs against him, and the man wrapped his muscular arms around her. She cried, not knowing what was happening but knowing that white, hot pain seared in her chest.
"Oh, Wanda." The voice vibrating metallically followed by a static chuckle had the girl throwing herself away from the figure she rested against. As she scrambled away and off her bed, Wanda saw that Captain America had transformed into Ultron.
She gasped, "No. How? You're dead."
"You can't kill me, Wanda." The robot said incredulously, "You can't murder an idea. You can't smother the guilt."
"No, please. Tasha!" She called out in vain for the woman.
"I told you, my dear. Natasha is gone."
It could not be true. Steve had just been there. Where was he? "Steve! Steve!"
"Ah, ah, Captain Rogers is gone too. Sam, Sharon, Vision, they are all gone. I told you Wanda- you would tear them apart from the inside." The machine's voice rattled cruelly in her ears.
"I didn't do anything!" The girl shouted out desperately.
This made Ultron laugh darkly again, "You don't have to do anything. You bring ruin wherever you go. The people close to you will always die."
"No, no, no, no.." The girl cried as she backed herself into a corner to cower, covering head with her arms and begging for the pain and fear to end. "No, no, no."
"Wanda."
"Wanda."
"Wanda, sweetheart, wake up." Steve's voice pulled her out of the nightmare. She jolted upright, practically colliding into the man who sat on the edge of her bed. Tears had been rolling down her cheeks in her sleep and she immediately began crying more earnestly. Steve pulled her in for a hug as she released her sobs into his chest.
"Steve, Tasha is gone." She forced the words out through her heartache. "Tasha is gone."