AN: Enjoy!

Wanda and Vision began to make their plans. They had to be careful.. Captain Rumlow viewed Vision as his property, so any whiff he caught of Vision planning to escape would not have gone down well. It most likely would have resulted in another punishment, probably worse than the first, and Wanda, if she were to be caught conspiring against the Captain, he would very likely kill her.

So they made their plans by night, in hushed whispers, huddled in their little nook while the rest of The Hydra slept. Wanda was going to start attending raids again.. it was a part of the pirate life that she had never really enjoyed, hence why she had given them up so easily in favour of time with Vision. However, taking part in the raids meant a greater share of the spoils, and those spoils were their ticket to freedom. They weren't going to be greedy about it. All they needed was enough to set themselves up, establish a new life somewhere else.

Vision didn't like the idea Wanda going on the raids, and had suggested that maybe he should go too, but Wanda shot that idea down. Vision had hovered at the fringes of life on The Hydra ever since he had arrived. Rumlow would be suspicious if he were to suddenly try and throw himself into piracy full-force.

"I know what I'm doing.." Wanda had kissed him softly. "I'll be fine."

All Vision could do was hope that she was right.

Despite his concern for Wanda's safety, Vision couldn't help being cautiously optimistic about what the future held for them. Wanda, too, seemed much happier during that time. She was so open to Vision now. Nothing was off limits anymore.

"You said you imagined me with children.." He'd whispered one night, nuzzling gently at her neck, and kissing the soft skin he found there. Making love was difficult except for those rare times where they could be absolutely sure no-one else was awake, but kisses were fair game, so long as no-one was around to see them happen.

"Yes.." Wanda blushed, but sighed contentedly at his touch. "It just seems like you.. You're the kind of person who'd be a good Father."

"I would try" Vision blushed himself. "I'd want to be better than my Father was, If I were ever so blessed, but I suppose that wouldn't be difficult..."

"No.." She'd curled a little loser to him. "Your Dad sounds like an ass."

"He is.." Vision remembered feeling a little nervous as he'd asked his next question, but seeing as they were planning a future together, it was something that they really did need to discuss. "How do you feel.. about children?"

Wanda had paused for a long moment.

"I haven't thought about it for a long time.. a really long time. Just because this, where we are.. This is the last environment anyone should bring a child into, and I know that better than most, seeing as I was at least partially raised here. But.." A small, soft smile slowly spread over Wanda's face.

"What?" A smile had tugged at Vision's own lips in response. He found Wanda's smiles contagious.

"When I was very young, before my parents died and Captain Strucker brought Pietro and I onto the Hydra, I had two dolls.. little boys. I took them everywhere with me, and I liked playing Mom.. I lost them during the raid when my parents were killed.."

"I'm sorry.." Vision held her closer.

"They were just toys" Wanda shrugged. "But.. If this all works out.. I don't know.. It might be nice to have a couple of little Visions running around. Not right away, of course, maybe not even any time soon, but.."

"Someday."

"Yeah.. Someday."

Vision had pulled her in for a kiss then, neither one of them considering that 'someday' could be closer than they thought..

Wanda's first raid back with the Pirates seemed to go reasonably well. She returned unharmed, and claimed her share of the booty without incident. When the rest of the crew were done celebrating their haul, all either passed out drunk or sleeping it off, Wanda presented Vision with a brand new sword all his own, with very strict instructions to keep it hidden unless he really needed it.

"Wanda.." Vision had frowned. They'd agreed not to steal anymore than they strictly needed, and Vision, having once been friends with his own local blacksmith, Tony Stark, knew how much work went into crafting swords.

"Hey, don't look at me like that, I paid for it" Wanda told him. "I had a bit left over from pre-you raids.."

"Oh.. I'm sorry."

"It's okay.. It did feel kind of strange actually paying for something. The last thing I probably paid for was candy when I was about 9.. I just wanted you to have a way to protect yourself if anything goes wrong.."

Vision had sighed, pulling her close. Now it was his turn to give comfort.

"Everything will be okay.."

Weeks went by. During the day, Wanda would give Vision jobs that were actually subtle lessons towards their escape plan. Cleaning the life boats so he would know where they were, learning a few knots so he would know how to safely and quietly lower one of the boats into the water when the time for their escape eventually came.

Everything was moving along perfectly. Or it had been, until a few days before the crew of the Hydra were set to leave on their next raid. Wanda had fallen ill. It started with her looking pale, a little drawn. The day after that, she had spent the morning throwing up over the side of the ship, and most of the afternoon sleeping below deck. Worse, Vision was forced to simply watch and go about his tasks, unable to do anything to comfort her until night fell, and he could finally pull her into his arms.

The next day, the day before they would dock and the crew would leave for a two day raid, Wanda's condition was the same.

"You shouldn't go if you are so ill.." Vision had frowned, holding her close.

"I have to go, Vision.." Wanda sighed. "The longer we stay, the more chance there is someone will work out what we're doing and try to stop us.. If this raid goes well, we'll almost have enough to go.."

"I know.." He'd held her tighter. "Just.. be careful, Okay?"

"I'm always careful on raids. You don't have to worry about me."

But Vision did worry about her. He worried as she left from the docks the next afternoon, looking so pale. He worried as she blew him a kiss when no-one was looking.

He worried for the following two days, struggling to focus on his tasks, his mind full of concern for her.

Vision's worries proved to be horribly justified.

As he watched the crew of the Hydra returning from the raid, Vision's heart dropped into the pit of his stomach.

Wanda wasn't with them.